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): March 20, 2018

 

 

SEARS HOLDINGS CORPORATION

(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Its Charter)

 

 

 

 

Delaware   000-51217, 001-36693   20-1920798

(State or Other Jurisdiction

of Incorporation)

  (Commission
File Number)
  (I.R.S. Employer
Identification No.)

3333 Beverly Road

Hoffman Estates, Illinois 60179

(Address Of Principal Executive Offices, including Zip Code)

Registrant’s Telephone Number, Including Area Code: (847) 286-2500

(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:

 

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 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.  ☐

 

 

 


Introductory Note

On March 20, 2018, Sears Holdings Corporation (the “Company”) completed its previously announced offers to exchange (i) validly tendered and accepted 8% Senior Unsecured Notes due 2019 issued by the Company (the “Old Senior Unsecured Notes”) for a like principal amount of 8% Senior Unsecured Convertible PIK Toggle Notes due 2019 issued by the Company (the “New Senior Unsecured Notes”) and (ii) validly tendered and accepted 6 5/8% Senior Secured Notes due 2018 issued by the Company (the “Old Senior Secured Notes”) for a like principal amount of 6 5/8% Senior Secured Convertible PIK Toggle Notes due 2019 issued by the Company (the “New Senior Secured Notes”) (the offers to exchange, the “Exchange Offers”) and the related solicitation of consents to amend the indenture governing the Old Senior Secured Notes (the “Consent Solicitation”). Pursuant to the Exchange Offers, approximately $214 million aggregate principal amount of Old Senior Unsecured Notes and approximately $170 million aggregate principal amount of Old Senior Secured Notes were validly tendered, accepted and cancelled and a like principal amount of New Senior Unsecured Notes and New Senior Secured Notes, as applicable, were issued in exchange therefor. Following such cancellation, approximately $411 million aggregate principal amount of Old Senior Unsecured Notes remain outstanding and approximately $134 million aggregate principal amount of Old Senior Secured Notes remain outstanding.

On March 21, 2018, the Company borrowed a $125 million “first-in, last-out” secured term loan under its existing first-lien ABL credit agreement.

Item 1.01 Entry Into a Material Definitive Agreement

New Senior Secured Notes Indenture

In connection with the consummation of the Exchange Offers, the Company, the guarantors party thereto and Computershare Trust Company, N.A., as trustee (the “New Senior Secured Notes Trustee”), entered into that certain Indenture (the “New Senior Secured Notes Indenture”) pursuant to which the Company issued the New Senior Secured Notes.

The summary of the New Senior Secured Notes Indenture set forth in Item 2.03 of this Current Report on Form 8-K under the heading “New Senior Secured Notes” is incorporated by reference into this Item 1.01.

New Senior Unsecured Notes Supplemental Indenture

In connection with the consummation of the Exchange Offers, the Company and Computershare Trust Company, N.A., as trustee (the “New Senior Unsecured Notes Trustee”) entered into that certain Second Supplemental Indenture (the “New Senior Unsecured Notes Supplemental Indenture”) to that certain Indenture, dated as of November 21, 2014, by and between the Company and the New Senior Unsecured Notes Trustee, pursuant to which the Company issued the New Senior Unsecured Notes.

The summary of the New Senior Unsecured Notes Supplemental Indenture set forth in Item 2.03 of this Current Report on Form 8-K under the heading “New Senior Unsecured Notes” is incorporated by reference into this Item 1.01.


Old Senior Secured Notes Supplemental Indenture

In connection with the consummation of the Exchange Offers and the Consent Solicitation, the Company, the guarantors party thereto, and Wilmington Trust, National Association, as successor Trustee and Collateral Agent (the “Old Senior Secured Notes Trustee”) entered into that certain Fifth Supplemental Indenture (the “Old Senior Secured Notes Supplemental Indenture”) supplementing the Indenture, dated as of October 12, 2010 (as amended by the First Supplemental Indenture, dated as of April 5, 2011, the Second Supplemental Indenture, dated as of July 7, 2015, the Third Supplemental Indenture, dated as of September 19, 2016 and the Fourth Supplemental Indenture, dated as of January 9, 2018, and as further amended, supplemented or modified, the “Old Senior Secured Notes Indenture”), by and among the Company, the guarantors party thereto and the Old Senior Secured Notes Trustee. The Old Senior Secured Notes Supplemental Indenture, among other things, eliminates substantially all of the restrictive covenants and certain events of default previously contained in the Old Senior Secured Notes Indenture. The foregoing summary of the Old Senior Secured Notes Supplemental Indenture does not purport to be complete and is qualified in its entirety by reference to the full text of the Old Senior Secured Notes Supplemental Indenture, which is attached to this Current Report on Form 8-K as Exhibit 4.1 and is incorporated by reference into this Item 1.01.

Amendment to Second Lien Term Loan

In connection with the consummation of the Exchange Offers, the Company and the other parties thereto entered into that certain Fourth Amendment (the “Second Lien Credit Agreement Amendment”) to that certain Second Lien Credit Agreement (as previously amended, amended and restated, supplemented or otherwise modified, the “Second Lien Credit Agreement”), dated as of September 1, 2016, among the Company, Sears Roebuck Acceptance Corp. (“SRAC”) and Kmart Corporation, as borrowers (the “Borrowers”), the lenders party thereto, and JPP, LLC (“JPP”), as administrative agent and collateral administrator. The Second Lien Credit Agreement Amendment provides that interest on the $300.0 million principal amount term loan (the “Second Lien Term Loan”) outstanding under the Second Lien Credit Agreement may, at the Borrowers’ option, be paid by increasing the principal amount of the Second Lien Term Loan, and that the Company’s obligations with respect to such Second Lien Term Loan (i) may be converted into shares of common stock, par value $0.01, of the Company (“Common Stock”) at the option of the lenders at a conversion rate of 200 shares of Common Stock per $1,000 in principal amount of indebtedness outstanding under the Second Lien Term Loan (subject to adjustment as set forth in the Second Lien Credit Agreement Amendment) (the “Term Loan Conversion Price”) and (ii) are mandatorily convertible into Common Stock at the option of the Company at the Term Loan Conversion Price within 30 days following the end of any period of 30 consecutive trading days, ending on or after July 2, 2018, during which the volume weighted average trading price of Common Stock on the NASDAQ exceeds $10.00 for a period of 20 trading days.


Mr. Edward S. Lampert, the Company’s Chief Executive Officer and Chairman, is the sole stockholder, chief executive officer and director of ESL Investments, Inc., which controls JPP. The foregoing summary of the Second Lien Credit Agreement Amendment does not purport to be complete and is qualified in its entirety by reference to the full text of the Second Lien Credit Agreement Amendment, which is attached to this Current Report on Form 8-K as Exhibit 10.1 and is incorporated by reference into this Item 1.01.

Amendment & Restatement of Security Agreement

In connection with the consummation of the Exchange Offers, the Company entered into the Amended and Restated Security Agreement (the “Amended and Restated Security Agreement”) among the Company, certain of its subsidiaries party thereto, and Wilmington Trust, National Association, as Collateral Agent, amending and restating that certain Security Agreement, dated as of October 12, 2010 (as previously amended, restated, amended and restated, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time), to, among other things, make certain amendments thereto in connection with the consummation of the Exchange Offers and the transactions contemplated thereby, including making the liens securing senior second lien obligations, including the New Senior Secured Notes and the Second Lien Credit Agreement, effectively senior to the liens securing the Old Senior Secured Notes.

The foregoing description of the Amended and Restated Security Agreement does not purport to be complete and is qualified in its entirety by reference to the Amended and Restated Security Agreement, which is attached to this Current Report on Form 8-K as Exhibit 10.2 and is incorporated by reference into this Item 1.01.

Amendment & Restatement of Intercreditor Agreement

In connection with the consummation of the Exchange Offers, Bank of America, N.A. and Wells Fargo Bank, National Association, as ABL Agents, and Wilmington Trust, National Association, as Second Lien Agent, entered into the Second Amended and Restated Intercreditor Agreement (the “Second Amended and Restated Intercreditor Agreement”) amending and restating that certain Amended and Restated Intercreditor Agreement, dated as of September 1, 2016 (as previously amended, restated, amended and restated, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time), to, among other things, make certain amendments thereto in connection with the consummation of the Exchange Offers and the transactions contemplated thereby.

The foregoing description of the Second Amended and Restated Intercreditor Agreement does not purport to be complete and is qualified in its entirety by reference to the Second Amended and Restated Intercreditor Agreement, which is attached to this Current Report on Form 8-K as Exhibit 10.3 and is incorporated by reference into this Item 1.01.

Amendments to ABL Credit Agreement and FILO Loan

On March 21, 2018, the Company, through the Borrowers, entered into a fifth amendment (the “Fifth Amendment”) and a sixth amendment (the “Sixth Amendment”) to the Third Amended and Restated Credit Agreement, dated as of July 21, 2015 (as in effect prior to the Fifth Amendment, the “Credit Agreement,” and the Credit Agreement, as amended by the Fifth Amendment and the Sixth Amendment, the “Amended Credit Agreement”), pursuant to which the Borrowers borrowed a $125 million “first-in, last-out” term loan (the “FILO Loan”) and made certain other changes to the Credit Agreement.

The FILO Loan matures on July 20, 2020. The FILO Loan bears interest at a rate per annum equal to the Eurodollar Rate plus a margin of 8.50% (subject to a floor of 1.50%) (or a base rate plus a margin of 7.50%). The Borrowers are required to pay an early repayment premium of the greater of a make-whole through eight months and 3.00% in the event the FILO Loan is repaid within the first year, and 2.00% in the event the FILO Loan is repaid within the second year. The FILO Loan is guaranteed by the same guarantors and secured by the same assets as the existing loans under the Credit Agreement, but ranks junior in right of recovery from the collateral relative to such existing loans. The Company paid a fee of 2.25% of the FILO Loan to the initial lenders of the FILO Loan.

The initial lenders of the FILO Loan include JPP, LLC, JPP II, LLC and Benefit Street 2018 LLC. Mr. Edward S. Lampert, the Company’s Chief Executive Officer and Chairman, is the sole stockholder, chief executive officer and director of ESL Investments, Inc., which controls JPP, LLC and JPP II, LLC. Benefit Street 2018 LLC is an entity affiliated with Mr. Thomas J. Tisch, a director of the Company.

The foregoing description of the Fifth Amendment, the Sixth Amendment and the FILO Loan does not purport to be complete and is qualified in its entirety by reference to the Fifth Amendment, a copy of which is attached to this Current Report on Form 8-K as Exhibit 10.4 and is incorporated by reference into this Item 1.01, and the Sixth Amendment, a copy of which is attached to this Current Report on Form 8-K as Exhibit 10.5 and is incorporated by reference into this Item 1.01.

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

New Senior Secured Notes

On March 20, 2018, pursuant to the New Senior Secured Notes Indenture, the Company issued approximately $170 million aggregate principal amount of New Senior Secured Notes. The New Senior Secured Notes bear interest at the same rate and have substantially identical terms as the Old Senior Secured Notes (prior to giving effect to the amendments thereto described above), except that:


    The New Senior Secured Notes have a maturity date of October 15, 2019.

 

    At the Company’s option and upon written notice to the New Senior Secured Notes Trustee of the amount of interest to be paid in such manner at least five (5) business days prior to the record date relating to the applicable interest payment date, interest on the New Senior Secured Notes may be paid by increasing the principal amount of the New Senior Secured Notes. If the Company elects to pay interest, in whole or in part, on the New Senior Secured Notes by increasing the principal amount of the New Senior Secured Notes, the Company shall thereafter also pay a corresponding pro rata portion of the interest due with respect to the Second Lien Term Loan and all interest due with respect to the New Senior Unsecured Notes in kind, to the fullest extent permitted thereunder, until such time as the Company elects to resume paying interest on the New Senior Secured Notes in cash in full. The first interest payment on the New Senior Secured Notes, which will include interest accrued from the last interest payment date with respect to the Old Senior Secured Notes, will be paid in kind.

 

    The New Senior Secured Notes are convertible into Common Stock at the option of an eligible holder at a conversion rate of 200 shares of Common Stock per $1,000 in principal amount of the New Senior Secured Notes (subject to adjustment as set forth in the New Senior Secured Notes Indenture) (the “Senior Secured Notes Conversion Price”).

 

    The New Senior Secured Notes are mandatorily convertible into Common Stock at the option of the Company at the Senior Secured Notes Conversion Price within 30 days following the end of any period of 30 consecutive trading days, ending on or after July 2, 2018, during which the volume weighted average trading price of Common Stock on the NASDAQ exceeds $10.00 for a period of 20 trading days.

 

    Except for any holder who beneficially owned more than 4.9% of the outstanding Common Stock immediately prior to the issue date of the New Senior Secured Notes, to the extent that conversion of New Senior Secured Notes would result in the holder thereof beneficially owning more than 4.9% of the outstanding Common Stock, New Senior Secured Notes will not be convertible at the option of such holder.

 

    Except for any holder who directly or indirectly owned more than 9.9% of the vote or value of the outstanding Common Stock immediately prior to the issue date of the New Senior Secured Notes, to the extent that conversion of New Senior Secured Notes would result in any non-U.S. person directly or indirectly owning more than 9.9% of the vote or value of the outstanding Common Stock, New Senior Secured Notes will not be convertible at the option of such holder.

 

    The liens securing the New Senior Secured Notes will be effectively senior to the liens securing the Old Senior Secured Notes.

The New Senior Secured Notes were offered only to investors that were (i) accredited investors within the meaning of Rule 501(a) of Regulation D of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), or (ii) outside the United States and persons other than U.S. persons in reliance upon Regulation S under the Securities Act. The New Senior Secured Notes have not been registered under the Securities Act or any state securities laws and may not be offered or sold in the United States absent registration or an applicable exemption from the registration requirements of the Securities Act and applicable state laws. The Company did not receive any cash proceeds from the issuance of the New Senior Secured Notes.


The foregoing summaries of the New Senior Secured Notes and the New Senior Secured Notes Indenture do not purport to be complete and are qualified in their entirety by reference to the full text of the New Senior Secured Notes Indenture and the form of note for the New Senior Secured Notes, which are attached to this Current Report on Form 8-K as Exhibit 4.2 and Exhibit 4.3, respectively, and are incorporated by reference into this Item 2.03.

New Senior Unsecured Notes

On March 20, 2018, pursuant to the New Senior Unsecured Notes Supplemental Indenture, the Company issued approximately $214 million aggregate principal amount of New Senior Unsecured Notes. The New Senior Unsecured Notes bear the same interest rate, have the same maturity date and have substantially identical terms as the Old Senior Unsecured Notes, except that:

 

    At the Company’s option and upon written notice to the New Senior Unsecured Notes Trustee of the amount of interest to be paid in such manner at least five (5) business days prior to the record date relating to the applicable interest payment date, interest on the New Senior Unsecured Notes may be paid by increasing the principal amount of the New Senior Unsecured Notes. The first interest payment on the New Senior Unsecured Notes, which will include interest accrued from the last interest payment date with respect to the Old Senior Unsecured Notes, will be paid in kind.

 

    The New Senior Unsecured Notes are convertible into Common Stock at the option of an eligible holder at a conversion rate of 120 shares of Common Stock per $1,000 in principal amount of New Senior Unsecured Notes (subject to adjustment as set forth in the New Senior Unsecured Notes Indenture) (the “Senior Unsecured Notes Conversion Price”).

 

    The New Senior Unsecured Notes are mandatorily convertible into Common Stock at the option of the Company at the Senior Unsecured Notes Conversion Price within 30 days following the end of any period of 30 consecutive trading days, ending on or after July 2, 2018, during which the volume weighted average trading price of Common Stock on the NASDAQ exceeds $10.00 for a period of 20 trading days.

 

    Except for any holder who directly or indirectly owned more than 9.9% of the vote or value of the outstanding Common Stock immediately prior to the issue date of the New Senior Unsecured Notes, to the extent that conversion of New Senior Unsecured Notes would result in any non-U.S. person directly or indirectly more than 9.9% of the vote or value of the outstanding Common Stock, New Senior Unsecured Notes will not be convertible at the option of such holder.


The New Senior Unsecured Notes were offered only to investors that were (i) accredited investors within the meaning of Rule 501(a) of Regulation D of the Securities Act or (ii) outside the United States and persons other than U.S. persons in reliance upon Regulation S under the Securities Act. The New Senior Unsecured Notes have not been registered under the Securities Act or any state securities laws and may not be offered or sold in the United States absent registration or an applicable exemption from the registration requirements of the Securities Act and applicable state laws. The Company did not receive any cash proceeds from the issuance of the New Senior Unsecured Notes.

The foregoing summaries of the New Senior Unsecured Notes and the New Senior Unsecured Notes Supplemental Indenture do not purport to be complete and are qualified in their entirety by reference to the full text of the New Senior Unsecured Notes Supplemental Indenture and the form of note for the New Senior Unsecured Notes, which are attached to this Current Report on Form 8-K as Exhibit 4.4 and Exhibit 4.5, respectively, and are incorporated by reference into this Item 2.03.

The disclosure required by this item with respect to the Fifth Amendment, Sixth Amendment and FILO Loan is included in Item 1.01 and is incorporated herein by reference.

Item 3.02 Unregistered Sales of Equity Securities.

The information set forth in Item 2.03 is incorporated by reference into this Item 3.02.

 

Item 3.03. Material Modification to Rights of Security Holders.

The description of the Old Senior Secured Notes Supplemental Indenture set forth in Item 1.01 above is incorporated by reference into this Item 3.03.

Item 8.01 Other Events.

The information set forth in the Introductory Note is incorporated by reference into this Item 8.01.

On March 20, 2018, SRAC, Sears, Roebuck and Co., a wholly owned subsidiary of the Company, each of the other guarantors party thereto and certain third party holders of approximately $100 million aggregate principal amount of SRAC’s outstanding notes entered into a Note Exchange Agreement (the “SRAC Note Exchange Agreement”). Pursuant to the SRAC Note Exchange Agreement, SRAC agreed to exchange approximately $100 million aggregate principal amount of its outstanding notes of various series for a like principal amount of 7.0% / 12.0% PIK-Toggle Notes of SRAC due March 2028 (the “New SRAC Notes”). The New SRAC Notes mature on March 2028 and bear interest at a rate of 7.0% per annum, except that interest on the New SRAC Notes may, at the option of the Company, be paid by increasing the principal amount of the New SRAC Notes (in which event the interest rate in respect of the applicable interest period would be 12.0% per annum).

On March 21, 2018, the Company issued a press release announcing the results of the Exchange Offers and related matters. A copy of the press release is attached to this Current Report on Form 8-K as Exhibit 99.1 and is incorporated by reference into this Item 8.01.


Item 9.01 Financial Statements and Exhibits

(d) Exhibits

 

Exhibit 4.1    Fifth Supplemental Indenture, dated as of March 20, 2018, by and among Sears Holdings Corporation, the guarantors party thereto and Wilmington Trust, National Association, as trustee.
Exhibit 4.2    Indenture, dated as of March  20, 2018, by and among Sears Holdings Corporation, the guarantors party thereto and Computershare Trust Company, N.A., as trustee (attaching form of 6 5/8% Senior Secured Convertible PIK Toggle Note due 2019).
Exhibit 4.3    Form of 6 5/8% Senior Secured Convertible PIK Toggle Note due 2019 (included in Exhibit 4.2).
Exhibit 4.4    Second Supplemental Indenture, dated as of March  20, 2018, by and between Sears Holdings Corporation, as obligor, and Computershare Trust Company, N.A., as trustee (attaching form of 8% Senior Unsecured Convertible PIK Toggle Note due 2019).
Exhibit 4.5    Form of 8% Senior Unsecured Convertible PIK Toggle Note due 2019 (included in Exhibit 4.4).
Exhibit 10.1    Fourth Amendment to the Second Lien Credit Agreement, dated as of March  20, 2018, by and among Sears Holdings Corporation, Sears Roebuck Acceptance Corp. and Kmart Corporation, the lenders party thereto, and JPP, LLC, as administrative agent and collateral administrator.
Exhibit 10.2    Amended and Restated Security Agreement, dated as of March  20, 2018, between Sears Holdings Corporation, the other Grantors party thereto and Wilmington Trust, National Association, as collateral agent.
Exhibit 10.3    Second Amended and Restated Intercreditor Agreement, dated as of March  20, 2018, by and among Bank of America, N.A. and Wells Fargo Bank, National Association as ABL Agents, and Wilmington Trust, National Association, as trustee.
Exhibit 10.4    Fifth Amendment to the Third Amended and Restated Credit Agreement, dated as of March  21, 2018, among Sears Holdings Corporation, Sears Roebuck Acceptance Corp., Kmart Corp., the lenders party thereto, Bank of America, N.A., as administrative agent, and the other parties thereto.
Exhibit 10.5    Sixth Amendment to the Third Amended and Restated Credit Agreement, dated as of March  21, 2018, among Sears Holdings Corporation, Sears Roebuck Acceptance Corp., Kmart Corp., the lenders party thereto, Bank of America, N.A., as administrative agent, and the other parties thereto.
Exhibit 99.1    Press Release, dated March 21, 2018.


SIGNATURE

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

 

    SEARS HOLDINGS CORPORATION
Dated: March 23, 2018     By:  

/s/ Robert A. Riecker

      Robert A. Riecker
      Chief Financial Officer

Exhibit 4.1

E XECUTION V ERSION

FIFTH SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURE

This FIFTH SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURE, dated as of March 20, 2018 (this “ Supplemental Indenture ”), is entered into by and among Sears Holdings Corporation (the “ Company ”), the Guarantors (as defined in the Indenture), and Wilmington Trust, National Association, as successor Trustee and Collateral Agent (the “ Trustee ”).

W I T N E S S E T H

WHEREAS the Company and the Guarantors have heretofore executed and delivered to the Trustee an Indenture, dated as of October 12, 2010 (as amended, supplemented or otherwise modified in accordance with its terms, the “ Indenture ”), providing for the issuance of 6-5/8% Senior Secured Notes due 2018, in aggregate principal amount of $1,250,000,000 (the “ Notes ”);

WHEREAS Section 8.02(a) of the Indenture provides that with the consent of the Holders of at least a majority in aggregate principal amount of the outstanding Notes, other than notes held by the Company or affiliates of the Company (the “ Requisite Consents ”), the Company, the Guarantors and the Trustee may amend or supplement the Indenture, the Notes or the Security Documents, subject to certain exceptions;

WHEREAS, the Company has solicited consents (the “ Consent Solicitation ”) from eligible Holders of the Notes to certain proposed amendments to the Indenture as set forth herein (the “ Proposed Amendments ”) pursuant to the terms of the Company’s Confidential Offering Memorandum and Consent Solicitation Statement dated February 15, 2018 (the “ Offering Memorandum ”);

WHEREAS, the Company has offered pursuant to the Offering Memorandum to exchange the Notes for new 6-5/8% Senior Secured Convertible PIK Toggle Notes due 2019 (the “ Exchange Offer ”);

WHEREAS, pursuant to the Consent Solicitation, the Requisite Consents for the adoption of the Proposed Amendments have been obtained, and this Supplemental Indenture complies with the requirements of Article 8 of the Indenture;

WHEREAS the execution and delivery of this Supplemental Indenture has been authorized by the Board of Directors of the Company, and the Company has requested the Trustee join with it in the execution and delivery of this Supplemental Indenture;

WHEREAS in accordance with Section 8.06 and Section 12.04 of the Indenture, the Company has delivered an Officer’s Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel to the Trustee stating that the Supplemental Indenture is authorized or permitted by the Indenture and that all conditions precedent to its execution and delivery have been complied with.

NOW THEREFORE, in consideration of the foregoing and for other good and valuable consideration, the receipt of which is hereby acknowledged, the Company, the Guarantors and the Trustee mutually covenant and agree for the benefit of each other and the equal and ratable benefit of the Holders of the Notes as follows:


1. Defined Terms . Capitalized terms used but not defined herein shall have the meanings assigned thereto in the Indenture.

2. The Indenture is hereby amended by deleting the following sections of the Indenture in their entirety:

 

    Section 4.02 Reports to Holders

 

    Section 4.04 Limitation on Liens

 

    Section 4.05 Limitation on Sale and Leaseback Transactions

 

    Section 4.06 Additional Guarantees

 

    Section 4.07 Change of Control Offer

 

    Section 4.08 Collateral Coverage Offer

 

    Section 5.01 Limitations on Mergers and Sales of Assets (only with respect to clauses (b) and (c))

 

    Section 6.01 Events of Default (only with respect to clause (6))

 

    Section 11.01(b) (solely to the extent that it requires the liens securing the Notes to be subject only to Permitted Liens)

Any and all references to any sections of the Indenture or Global Notes which are deleted by any section of this Supplemental Indenture, and any and all obligations related solely to such deleted sections throughout the Indenture or Global Notes, are of no further force or effect. Any and all terms defined in the Indenture or Global Notes which are (i)  used in any sections of the Indenture or Global Notes deleted by any Section of this Supplemental Indenture and (ii)  not otherwise used in any other section of the Indenture or Global Notes not affected by this Supplemental Indenture, are hereby deleted.

3. The following defined terms contained in the Indenture are hereby amended and restated in their entirety as follows:

Additional First Lien Obligations ” means any indebtedness of the Issuer or any Restricted Subsidiary, other than the Credit Agreement Obligations, that is secured by a Lien on the Collateral ranking contractually prior to the Notes Liens; provided that the representative of such Additional First Lien Obligations executes a joinder agreement to the Intercreditor Agreement (or another intercreditor agreement on terms not less favorable to the Holders of Notes than the Intercreditor Agreement) agreeing to be bound thereby. At the Issuer’s option, any indebtedness secured by a Lien may be “Additional First Lien Obligations”.

Pari Passu Junior Lien Obligations ” means any indebtedness of the Issuer or any Guarantor that is secured by a Lien on the Collateral equally and ratably with the Notes Liens; provided that the representative of such Pari Passu Junior Lien Obligations executes a joinder

 

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agreement to the Security Agreement and the Intercreditor Agreement or enters into an additional intercreditor agreement with the Collateral Agent providing that any amounts received in respect of the Collateral in connection with an enforcement of the Notes Liens or the Liens securing such Pari Passu Junior Lien Obligations (or received in respect of such Liens in any bankruptcy or insolvency proceeding) shall, subject to the Intercreditor Agreement, after payment of expenses of the Collateral Agent and the collateral agent for each other class of Pari Passu Junior Lien Obligations, be distributed to the Trustee and each other agent for the holders of Pari Passu Junior Lien Obligations on a pro rata basis based on the amount of outstanding obligations of each such class. At the Issuer’s option, any indebtedness secured by a Lien may be “Pari Passu Junior Lien Obligations”.

4. The Intercreditor Agreement is hereby amended and restated in its entirety, subject to the execution thereof by the other parties thereto, in the form attached hereto as Exhibit A and the Collateral Trustee is authorized and directed by the requisite holders of the Notes and by the Issuer to enter into an amended and restated Intercreditor Agreement in the form attached hereto as Exhibit A .

5. The Security Agreement is hereby amended and restated in its entirety, subject to the execution thereof by the other parties thereto, in the form attached hereto as Exhibit B and the Trustee and Collateral Trustee is authorized and directed by the requisite holders of the Notes and by the Issuer to enter into an amended and restated Security Agreement in the form attached hereto as Exhibit B .

6. Effectiveness . This Supplemental Indenture shall become effective upon execution by all parties hereto, however the amendments to the Indenture and the Security Documents set forth in Sections 2 through 5 above shall not become operative until the Exchange Offer is consummated and shall become effective and operative immediately and automatically, without further notice or other action by any party, upon consummation of the Exchange Offer.

7. Ratification of Indenture; Supplemental Indenture Part of Indenture . Except as expressly amended or supplemented hereby, the Indenture is in all respects ratified and confirmed and all the terms, conditions and provisions thereof shall remain in full force and effect. This Supplemental Indenture shall form a part of the Indenture for all purposes, and every Holder of Notes heretofore or hereafter authenticated and delivered shall be bound hereby.

8. Governing Law . THIS SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURE SHALL BE GOVERNED BY, AND CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH, THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK.

9. Trustee Makes No Representation . The Trustee makes no representation as to the validity or sufficiency of this Supplemental Indenture. The recitals contained herein shall be taken as the statements of the Company and the Guarantors, and the Trustee assumes no responsibility for their correctness. This Supplemental Indenture is executed and accepted by the Trustee subject to all the terms and conditions set forth in the Indenture with the same force and effect as if those terms and conditions were repeated at length herein and made applicable to the Trustee with respect hereto. In entering into this Supplemental Indenture, the Trustee shall be entitled to the benefit of every provision of the Indenture relating to the conduct or affecting the liability or affording protection to the Trustee, whether or not elsewhere herein so provided.

 

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10. Counterparts . The parties may sign any number of copies of this Supplemental Indenture. Each signed copy shall be an original, but all of them together represent the same agreement. The exchange of copies of this Supplemental Indenture and of signature pages by facsimile or PDF transmission shall constitute effective execution and delivery of this Supplemental Indenture as to the parties hereto and may be used in lieu of the original Indenture for all purposes. Signatures of the parties hereto transmitted by facsimile or PDF shall be deemed to be their original signatures for all purposes.

11. Effect of Headings . The Section headings herein are for convenience only and shall not affect the construction thereof.

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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Supplemental Indenture to be duly executed, as of the day and year first written above.

 

SEARS HOLDINGS CORPORATION
By:  

/s/ Robert A. Riecker

  Name: Robert A. Riecker
  Title: Chief Financial Officer
CALIFORNIA BUILDER APPLIANCES, INC.
FLORIDA BUILDER APPLIANCES, INC.
KMART CORPORATION
KMART HOLDING CORPORATION
KMART OPERATIONS LLC
SEARS OPERATIONS LLC
SEARS, ROEBUCK AND CO.
By:  

/s/ Robert A. Riecker

  Name: Robert A. Riecker
  Title: Chief Financial Officer
SEARS HOLDINGS MANAGEMENT CORPORATION
SEARS HOME IMPROVEMENT PRODUCTS, INC.
By:  

/s/ Robert A. Riecker

  Name: Robert A. Riecker
  Title: President
SEARS ROEBUCK ACCEPTANCE CORP.
By:  

/s/ Robert A. Riecker

  Name: Robert A. Riecker
  Title: Vice President, Finance

[Signature Page to Fifth Supplemental Indenture]


A&E FACTORY SERVICE, LLC
A&E HOME DELIVERY, LLC
A&E LAWN & GARDEN, LLC
A&E SIGNATURE SERVICE, LLC
KLC, INC.
KMART OF MICHIGAN, INC.
PRIVATE BRANDS, LTD.
SEARS BRANDS MANAGEMENT CORPORATION
SEARS PROTECTION COMPANY
SEARS PROTECTION COMPANY (FLORIDA), L.L.C.
SEARS, ROEBUCK DE PUERTO RICO, INC.
SOE, INC.
STARWEST, LLC
By:  

/s/ Robert A. Riecker

  Name: Robert A. Riecker
  Title: Vice President
KMART.COM LLC
By: Bluelight.com, Inc., its Member
By:  

/s/ Robert A. Riecker

  Name: Robert A. Riecker
  Title: Vice President
KMART OF WASHINGTON LLC
KMART STORES OF ILLINOIS LLC
KMART STORES OF TEXAS LLC
MYGOFER LLC
By: Kmart Corporation, its Member
By:  

/s/ Robert A. Riecker

  Name: Robert A. Riecker
  Title: Chief Financial Officer

[Signature Page to Fifth Supplemental Indenture]


WILMINGTON TRUST, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, as Trustee and Collateral Agent
By:  

/s/ Lynn M. Steiner

  Name: Lynn M. Steiner
  Title: Vice President

[Signature Page to Fifth Supplemental Indenture]


Exhibit A

[See Exhibit 10.3 to this Current Report on Form 8-K]


Exhibit B

[See Exhibit 10.2 to this Current Report on Form 8-K]

Exhibit 4.2

E XECUTION V ERSION

 

 

 

SEARS HOLDINGS CORPORATION,

THE GUARANTORS PARTY HERETO

and

COMPUTERSHARE TRUST COMPANY, N.A.,

as Trustee

INDENTURE

Dated as of March 20, 2018

6 5 / 8 % Senior Secured Convertible PIK Toggle Notes due 2019

 

 

 


CROSS-REFERENCE TABLE

 

TIA Section

   Indenture Section  

310(a)(1)

     7.05  

(a)(2)

     7.05  

(a)(3)

     N.A.  

(a)(4)

     N.A.  

(a)(5)

     7.06  

(b)

     7.04; 7.06; 12.02  

(b)(1)

     7.06  

(c)

     N.A.  

311(a)

     6.11  

(b)

     6.11  

(c)

     N.A.  

312(a)

     2.06  

(b)

     12.03  

(c)

     12.03  

313(a)

     7.11  

(b)(1)

     N.A.  

(b)(2)

     7.01(a); 7.11  

(c)

     7.11; 12.02  

(d)

     7.11  

314(a)

     4.02; 4.03; 11.03; 12.02  

(b)

     11.02  

(c)(1)

     12.04  

(c)(2)

     12.04  

(c)(3)

     N.A.  

(d)

     11.03  

(e)

     12.05  

(f)

     N.A.  

315(a)

     N.A.  

(b)

     7.03; 12.02  

(c)

     7.02  

(d)

     7.02 (b) 

(e)

     6.12  

316(a) (last sentence)

     2.10  

(a)(1)(A)

     6.05  

(a)(1)(B)

     6.04  

(a)(2)

     N.A.  

(b)

     6.08  

(c)

     8.04  

317(a)(1)

     6.09  

(a)(2)

     6.10  

(b)

     2.05  

318(a)

     12.01  

 

N.A. means Not Applicable.

Note: This Cross-Reference Table shall not, for any purpose, be deemed to be a part of the Indenture.


TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

         Page  
ARTICLE ONE  
DEFINITIONS AND INCORPORATION BY REFERENCE  
SECTION 1.01.   Definitions      1  
SECTION 1.02.   Other Definitions      20  
SECTION 1.03.   Incorporation by Reference of Trust Indenture Act      21  
SECTION 1.04.   Rules of Construction      21  
ARTICLE TWO  
THE NOTES  
SECTION 2.01.   Amount of Notes      22  
SECTION 2.02.   Form and Dating      23  
SECTION 2.03.   Execution and Authentication      23  
SECTION 2.04.   Registrar, Paying Agent and Conversion Agent      24  
SECTION 2.05.   Paying Agent to Hold Money in Trust      25  
SECTION 2.06.   Holder Lists      26  
SECTION 2.07.   Transfer and Exchange      26  
SECTION 2.08.   Replacement Notes      27  
SECTION 2.09.   Outstanding Notes      27  
SECTION 2.10.   Treasury Notes      28  
SECTION 2.11.   Temporary Notes      28  
SECTION 2.12.   Cancellation      28  
SECTION 2.13.   Defaulted Interest      28  
SECTION 2.14.   CUSIP Number      29  
SECTION 2.15.   Deposit of Moneys      29  
SECTION 2.16.   Book-Entry Provisions for Global Notes      29  
SECTION 2.17.   Special Transfer Provisions      31  
SECTION 2.18.   Computation of Interest      33  
SECTION 2.19.   Registration Rights      33  
ARTICLE THREE  
REDEMPTION AND PREPAYMENT  
SECTION 3.01.   Election to Redeem; Notices to Trustee      34  
SECTION 3.02.   Selection by Trustee of Notes to Be Redeemed      34  
SECTION 3.03.   Notice of Redemption      34  
SECTION 3.04.   Effect of Notice of Redemption      35  
SECTION 3.05.   Deposit of Redemption Price      36  

 

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SECTION 3.06.   Notes Redeemed in Part      36  
SECTION 3.07.   Optional Redemption      36  
SECTION 3.08.   Mandatory Redemption      36  
ARTICLE FOUR  
COVENANTS  
SECTION 4.01.   Payment of Notes      37  
SECTION 4.02.   Reports to Holders      38  
SECTION 4.03.   Compliance Certificate      39  
SECTION 4.04.   Limitations on Liens      39  
SECTION 4.05.   Limitation on Sale and Leaseback Transactions      39  
SECTION 4.06.   Additional Guarantees      40  
SECTION 4.07.   Change of Control Offer      40  
SECTION 4.08.   Collateral Coverage Offer      41  
SECTION 4.09.   Calculations      41  
SECTION 4.10.   Interest Payments on Other Indebtedness      42  
SECTION 4.11.   Subsequent Exchanges of Senior Secured Notes, Senior Unsecured Notes      42  
ARTICLE FIVE  
SUCCESSOR CORPORATION  
SECTION 5.01.   Limitations on Mergers and Sales of Assets      42  
SECTION 5.02.   Successor Person Substituted      43  
ARTICLE SIX  
DEFAULTS AND REMEDIES  
SECTION 6.01.   Events of Default      43  
SECTION 6.02.   Acceleration      44  
SECTION 6.03.   Other Remedies      44  
SECTION 6.04.   Waiver or Rescission of Past Defaults and Events of Default      45  
SECTION 6.05.   Control by Majority      45  
SECTION 6.06.   Limitation on Suits      46  
SECTION 6.07.   No Personal Liability of Directors, Officers, Employees and Stockholders      46  
SECTION 6.08.   Rights of Holders to Receive Payment      47  
SECTION 6.09.   Collection Suit by Trustee      47  
SECTION 6.10.   Trustee May File Proofs of Claim      47  
SECTION 6.11.   Priorities      48  
SECTION 6.12.   Undertaking for Costs      48  
SECTION 6.13.   Restoration of Rights and Remedies      48  

 

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SECTION 6.14.   Appointment and Authorization of Wilmington Trust, National Association as Collateral Agent      49  
ARTICLE SEVEN  
TRUSTEE  
SECTION 7.01.   Acceptance of Trusts upon Specified Conditions      49  
SECTION 7.02.   Duties of Trustee in Case of Default      52  
SECTION 7.03.   Notice to Holders of Defaults      53  
SECTION 7.04.   Resignation and Removal of Trustee and Notice Thereof      53  
SECTION 7.05.   Qualifications of Trustee      54  
SECTION 7.06.   Disqualification of Trustee by Reason of Conflicting Interest      54  
SECTION 7.07.   Appointment of Successor Trustee      54  
SECTION 7.08.   Merger, Conversion or Consolidation of Trustee or Transfer of Its Corporate Trust Business; Authentication of Notes by Successor Trustee      55  
SECTION 7.09.   Trustee Required to Account for Amounts Collected as Creditor of the Issuer under Certain Conditions      56  
SECTION 7.10.   Trustee May Rely on Officer’s Certificate      56  
SECTION 7.11.   Reports by Trustee      56  
SECTION 7.12.   Collateral Agent      56  
ARTICLE EIGHT  
AMENDMENTS, SUPPLEMENTS AND WAIVERS  
SECTION 8.01.   Without Consent of Holders      57  
SECTION 8.02.   With Consent of Holders      58  
SECTION 8.03.   Compliance with Trust Indenture Act      59  
SECTION 8.04.   Revocation and Effect of Consents      59  
SECTION 8.05.   Notation on or Exchange of Notes      60  
SECTION 8.06.   Trustee to Sign Amendments, Etc.      60  
ARTICLE NINE  
DISCHARGE OF INDENTURE; DEFEASANCE  
SECTION 9.01.   Discharge of Indenture      60  
SECTION 9.02.   Legal Defeasance      61  
SECTION 9.03.   Covenant Defeasance      63  
SECTION 9.04.   Deposited Money and Government Securities to Be Held in Trust; Other Miscellaneous Provisions      64  
SECTION 9.05.   Reinstatement      64  
SECTION 9.06.   Moneys Held by Paying Agent      64  
SECTION 9.07.   Moneys Held by Trustee      65  

 

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ARTICLE TEN  
GUARANTEE OF NOTES  
SECTION 10.01.   Guarantee      65  
SECTION 10.02.   Execution and Delivery of Notation of Guarantee      66  
SECTION 10.03.   Limitation of Guarantee      66  
SECTION 10.04.   Release of Guarantor      67  
SECTION 10.05.   Waiver of Subrogation      67  
ARTICLE ELEVEN  
SECURITY  
SECTION 11.01.   Security Documents; Additional Collateral      68  
SECTION 11.02.   Recording, Registration and Opinions      68  
SECTION 11.03.   Releases of Liens on Collateral      69  
SECTION 11.04.   Form and Sufficiency of Release      69  
SECTION 11.05.   Possession and Use of Collateral      70  
SECTION 11.06.   Purchaser Protected      70  
SECTION 11.07.   Authorization of Actions to Be Taken by the Collateral Agent under the Security Documents      70  
SECTION 11.08.   Authorization of Receipt of Funds by the Trustee under the Security Agreement      70  
SECTION 11.09.   Powers Exercisable by Receiver or Collateral Agent      70  
ARTICLE TWELVE  
CONVERSION  
SECTION 12.01.   Conversion Rights      71  
SECTION 12.02.   Conversion Procedures      71  
SECTION 12.03.   Settlement upon Conversion      73  
SECTION 12.04.   Common Stock Issued upon Conversion      74  
SECTION 12.05.   Adjustment of Conversion Rate, Conversion Price      74  
SECTION 12.06.   Responsibility of Trustee      76  
SECTION 12.07.   Notice of Adjustment      76  
SECTION 12.08.   Mandatory Conversion      77  
ARTICLE THIRTEEN  
MISCELLANEOUS  
SECTION 13.01.   Trust Indenture Act Controls      79  
SECTION 13.02.   Notices      79  
SECTION 13.03.   Communications by Holders with Other Holders      80  
SECTION 13.04.   Certificate and Opinion as to Conditions Precedent      80  

 

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SECTION 13.05.   Statements Required in Certificate and Opinion      81  
SECTION 13.06.   Rules by Trustee and Agents      81  
SECTION 13.07.   Business Days; Legal Holidays      81  
SECTION 13.08.   Governing Law      81  
SECTION 13.09.   No Adverse Interpretation of Other Agreements      82  
SECTION 13.10.   Successors      82  
SECTION 13.11.   Multiple Counterparts      82  
SECTION 13.12.   Table of Contents, Headings, Etc.      82  
SECTION 13.13.   Separability      82  
SECTION 13.14.   Waiver of Jury Trial      83  
SECTION 13.15.   Force Majeure      83  
SECTION 13.16.   Intercreditor Agreement      83  

 

Schedule A    List of Guarantors

EXHIBITS

 

Exhibit A    Form of Note
Exhibit B    Form of Legend for Notes that Are Restricted Notes
Exhibit C    Form of Legend for Regulation S Note
Exhibit D    Form of Legend for Global Note
Exhibit E    Form of Certificate to Be Delivered in Connection with Transfers Other than to a QIB Pursuant to Rule 144A and Other Than Pursuant to Regulation S
Exhibit F    Form of Certificate to Be Delivered in Connection with Transfers Pursuant to Regulation S
Exhibit G    Notation of Guarantee

 

 

-v-


INDENTURE, dated as of March 20, 2018, among SEARS HOLDINGS CORPORATION, a Delaware corporation (the “ Issuer ”), the Guarantors (as defined herein) listed on Schedule A hereto and COMPUTERSHARE TRUST COMPANY, N.A., as trustee (the “ Trustee ”).

Each party agrees as follows for the benefit of the other parties and for the equal and ratable benefit of the Holders (as defined herein):

ARTICLE ONE

DEFINITIONS AND INCORPORATION BY REFERENCE

SECTION 1.01. Definitions .

Accredited Investor ” means a Person that is an “accredited investor” as that term is defined in Rule 501(a) promulgated under the Securities Act.

Accredited Investor Notes ” means Notes offered and sold to Accredited Investors.

Additional First Lien Obligations ” means any indebtedness and related obligations, including interest, fees and expenses, of the Issuer or any Restricted Subsidiary, other than the Credit Agreement Obligations, that is secured by a Lien on the Collateral ranking contractually prior to the Notes Liens and that is permitted to be incurred pursuant to clause (2) of the definition of “Permitted Liens”; provided that the representative of such Additional First Lien Obligations executes a joinder agreement or amendment to, or amendment and restatement of, the Intercreditor Agreement causing such representative to be bound thereby (or another intercreditor agreement on terms not less favorable to the Holders of Notes than the Intercreditor Agreement). At the Issuer’s option, any indebtedness secured by a Lien permitted by clause (2) of the definition of “Permitted Liens” may be “Additional First Lien Obligations.”

Additional Notes ” means an unlimited principal amount of Notes having identical terms and conditions (other than issue date, issue price and initial interest payment date) to the Notes issued on the Issue Date pursuant to Article Two; provided that the PIK Interest Notes shall not constitute Additional Notes.

Affiliate ” of any specified Person means any other Person directly or indirectly controlling or controlled by or under direct or indirect common control with such specified Person. For the purposes of this definition, “ control ” when used with respect to any specified Person means the power to direct the management and policies of such Person, directly or indirectly, whether through the ownership of voting securities, by contract or otherwise; and the terms “ controlling ” and “ controlled ” have meanings correlative to the foregoing.

Agent ” means the Collateral Agent, Depository Custodian, any Registrar, Paying Agent, Conversion Agent or agent for service of notices and demands.


Applicable Procedures ” means, with respect to any transfer, payment, tender, redemption or exchange of or for beneficial interests in any Global Certificate, the rules and procedures of the Depository, Euroclear and Clearstream that apply to such transfer, payment, tender, redemption or exchange.

Attributable Debt ” in respect of a Sale and Leaseback Transaction means, at the time of determination, the present value discounted at the rate of interest implicit in the terms of the lease (as determined in good faith by the Issuer) of the obligations of the lessee under such lease for net rental payments during the remaining term of the lease (including any period for which such lease has been extended or may, at the Issuer’s option, be extended).

Bankruptcy Law ” means Title 11, U.S. Code or any similar federal or state law for the relief of debtors.

Board of Directors ” means either the board of directors of the Issuer or any duly authorized committee of that board or any committee of officers or other representatives of the Issuer duly authorized by a Board Resolution to act on behalf of that board or in its stead.

Board Resolution ” means a copy of a resolution certified by the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary of the Issuer to have been duly adopted by the Board of Directors and to be in full force and effect on the date of such certification, and delivered to the Trustee.

Borrowing Base ” means, as of any date, the sum of (1) 90% of the book value (calculated in accordance with GAAP) of the accounts receivable of the Issuer and the Guarantors, on a consolidated basis, on such date and (2) 75% of the book value (calculated in accordance with GAAP) of the inventory of the Issuer and the Guarantors, on a consolidated basis, on such date.

Business Combination ” means a merger, consolidation, statutory share exchange, amalgamation, tender offer, recapitalization, reorganization, scheme of arrangement or similar transaction that requires the approval of the Issuer’s stockholders.

Capital Stock ” means, as to any Person, the capital stock of such Person of every class, whether now or hereafter authorized, regardless of whether such capital stock shall be limited to a fixed sum or percentage with respect to the rights of the holders thereof to participate in dividends and in the distribution of assets upon the voluntary or involuntary liquidation, dissolution or winding up of such Person.

Change of Control ” means the occurrence of any of the following: (1) the direct or indirect sale, lease, transfer, conveyance or other disposition (other than by way of merger or consolidation), in one or more series of related transactions, of all or substantially all of the assets of the Issuer and its Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, to any Person, other than a Permitted Holder, the Issuer or one of its Subsidiaries; (2) the Issuer becomes aware of the consummation of any transaction (including, without limitation, any merger or consolidation) the result of which is that any Person other than a Permitted Holder becomes the beneficial owner (as defined in Rules 13d-3 and 13d-5 under the Exchange Act), directly or indirectly, of more than 50% of the Issuer’s outstanding Voting Stock or other Voting Stock into which the Issuer’s Voting Stock is reclassified, consolidated, exchanged or changed, measured by voting power rather than number of shares; (3) the first day on which a majority of the members of the Issuer’s Board of Directors are not Continuing Directors; or (4) the adoption of a plan relating to the Issuer’s

 

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liquidation or dissolution. Notwithstanding the foregoing, a transaction will not be deemed to involve a Change of Control under clause (2) above if (i) the Issuer becomes a direct or indirect wholly-owned subsidiary of a holding company and (ii)(A) the direct or indirect holders of the Voting Stock of such holding company immediately following that transaction are substantially the same as the holders of the Issuer’s Voting Stock immediately prior to that transaction or (B) immediately following that transaction no Person (other than a holding company satisfying the requirements of this sentence or a Permitted Holder) is the beneficial owner, directly or indirectly, of more than 50% of the Voting Stock of such holding company.

Change of Control Notice ” has the meaning provided in the definition of “Change of Control Offer.”

Change of Control Offer ” means a written offer (the “ Change of Control Notice ”) sent by or on behalf of the Issuer by first-class mail, postage prepaid, or by electronic delivery to each Holder, with a copy to the Trustee, at its address appearing in the register for the Notes on the date of the Change of Control Offer offering to purchase all outstanding Notes in accordance with Section 4.07. Unless otherwise required by applicable law, the Change of Control Notice shall specify the payment date (the “ Change of Control Payment Date ”) for the Change of Control Offer, which shall be not less than 30 days nor more than 60 days after the date such Change of Control Notice is mailed or electronically delivered. The Change of Control Notice shall contain all the information required by applicable law to be included therein and shall describe the transaction that constitutes or may constitute the Change of Control Triggering Event. The Change of Control Notice shall also state:

(1) that the Change of Control Offer is being made pursuant to Section 4.07 of this Indenture;

(2) the Change of Control Payment Date;

(3) the Change of Control Payment;

(4) that the Holder may tender all or any portion of the Notes registered in the name of such Holder and that any portion of a Note tendered must be tendered in denominations of $2,000 principal amount or an integral multiple of $1,000 in excess thereof (or if a PIK Payment has been made, in minimum denominations of $2,000 and any integral multiple of $1.00 in excess thereof) and that all Notes tendered in such manner for payment and not withdrawn shall be accepted;

(5) the place or places where Notes are to be surrendered for tender pursuant to the Change of Control Offer;

(6) that interest on any Note not tendered pursuant to the Change of Control Offer will continue to accrue;

(7) that on the Change of Control Payment Date the Change of Control Payment will become due and payable upon each Note being accepted for payment pursuant to the Change of Control Offer and that, unless the Issuer defaults in the payment of the Change of Control Payment therefor, interest thereon shall cease to accrue on and after the Change of Control Payment Date;

 

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(8) that each Holder electing to tender all or any portion of a Note pursuant to the Change of Control Offer will, subject to Applicable Procedures, be required to surrender such Note, with the form entitled “Option of Holder to Elect Purchase” on the reverse of the Note completed, at the place or places specified in the Change of Control Notice on or prior to the close of business on a date no earlier than the third Business Day prior to the Change of Control Payment Date (such Note being, if the Issuer so requires, duly endorsed by, or accompanied by a written instrument of transfer in form satisfactory to the Issuer duly executed by, the Holder thereof or its attorney duly authorized in writing);

(9) that Holders will, subject to Applicable Procedures, be entitled to withdraw all or any portion of Notes tendered if the Issuer receives, not later than the close of business on the fifth Business Day preceding the Change of Control Payment Date, a facsimile transmission or letter setting forth the name of the Holder, the principal amount of the Note the Holder tendered, the certificate number of the Note the holder tendered and a statement that such Holder is withdrawing all or a portion of its tender;

(10) that in the case of any Holder whose Note is purchased only in part, subject to Applicable Procedures, the Issuer shall execute and deliver to the Holder of such Note without service charge, a new Note or Notes, in an aggregate principal amount equal to and in exchange for the unpurchased portion of the Note so tendered, in denominations of $2,000 principal amount or integral multiples of $1,000 in excess thereof (or if a PIK Payment has been made, in minimum denominations of $2,000 and any integral multiple of $1.00 in excess thereof); and

(11) if mailed or electronically delivered prior to the date of consummation of the applicable Change of Control, that the Change of Control Offer is conditioned on the Change of Control Triggering Event occurring on or prior to the applicable Change of Control Payment Date.

Change of Control Payment Date ” has the meaning provided in the definition of “Change of Control.”

Change of Control Triggering Event ” means the occurrence of both a Change of Control and a Ratings Event.

Close of Business ” means 5:00 p.m., New York City time.

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

Collateral ” means, collectively, “Collateral” (as defined in the Security Agreement) and all other property subject or purported to be subject from time to time to a Lien in favor of the Collateral Agent for its benefit and for the benefit of the Trustee and the Holders and the holders of any Second Lien Obligations.

 

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Collateral Agent ” means Wilmington Trust, National Association, in its capacity as successor collateral agent under the Security Documents together with its successors in such capacity.

Collateral Coverage Certificate ” means with respect to any annual or quarterly financial statements provided pursuant to Section 4.02, a certificate signed by a financial officer of the Issuer setting forth an accurate calculation of the Borrowing Base as of the last day of the period covered by such annual or quarterly financial statements, a calculation of the principal amount of outstanding indebtedness for borrowed money on such date that is secured by Liens on the Collateral pursuant to clauses (2) and (3) of the definition of “Permitted Liens” and stating whether or not a Collateral Coverage Event has occurred.

Collateral Coverage Event ” shall be deemed to have occurred if, prior to a Fall-Away Event, as of the last day of any two consecutive fiscal quarters of the Issuer (each ending on or after August 4, 2018, the last day of the second fiscal quarter of the fiscal year of the Issuer ending on February 2, 2019), the Borrowing Base as of each such day is less than the principal amount of the Issuer’s consolidated indebtedness for borrowed money outstanding on such day that is secured by Liens on the Collateral.

Collateral Coverage Notice ” has the meaning provided in the definition of “Collateral Coverage Offer.”

Collateral Coverage Offer ” means a written offer (a “ Collateral Coverage Notice ”) sent by or on behalf of the Issuer by first-class mail, postage prepaid, or by electronic delivery to each Holder, with a copy to the Trustee, at its address appearing in the register for the Notes on the date of the Collateral Coverage Offer offering to repurchase a portion (equal to $2,000 or an integral multiple of $1,000 in excess thereof (or if a PIK Payment has been made, in minimum denominations of $2,000 and any integral multiple of $1.00 in excess thereof)) of such Holder’s Notes on the terms set forth hereunder up to an aggregate principal amount of Notes for all Holders equal to the Collateral Coverage Required Amount in accordance with Section 4.08. Unless otherwise required by applicable law, the Collateral Coverage Notice shall specify the payment date (the “ Collateral Coverage Payment Date ”) for the Collateral Coverage Offer, which shall be not less than 30 days nor more than 60 days after the date such Collateral Coverage Notice is mailed or electronically delivered. The Collateral Coverage Notice shall contain all the information required by applicable law to be included therein and shall describe the circumstances requiring such Collateral Coverage Offer. The Collateral Coverage Notice shall also state:

(1) that the Collateral Coverage Offer is being made pursuant to Section 4.08 of this Indenture;

(2) the Collateral Coverage Payment Date;

(3) the Collateral Coverage Event Payment;

(4) that the Holder may tender all or any portion of the Notes registered in the name of such Holder and that any portion of a Note tendered must be tendered in denominations of $2,000 principal amount or an integral multiple of $1,000 in excess

 

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thereof (or if a PIK Payment has been made, in minimum denominations of $2,000 and any integral multiple of $1.00 in excess thereof), provided that in the event the aggregate principal amount of Notes validly tendered for purchase in the Collateral Coverage Offer exceeds the Collateral Coverage Required Amount for such Collateral Coverage Offer, the Issuer will accept for payment only the Collateral Coverage Required Amount of Notes on a pro rata basis from Holders who have validly tendered their Notes in such Collateral Coverage Offer (subject to rounding such that all remaining Notes are in a minimum principal amount of $2,000 and in whole multiples of $1,000 in excess thereof) (or if a PIK Payment has been made, in minimum denominations of $2,000 and any integral multiple of $1.00 in excess thereof);

(5) the place or places where Notes are to be surrendered for tender pursuant to the Collateral Coverage Offer;

(6) that interest on any Note not tendered pursuant to the Collateral Coverage Offer will continue to accrue;

(7) that on the Collateral Coverage Payment Date, the Collateral Coverage Event Payment will become due and payable upon each Note being accepted for payment pursuant to the Collateral Coverage Offer and that, unless the Issuer defaults in the payment of the Collateral Coverage Event Payment therefor, interest thereon shall cease to accrue on and after the Collateral Coverage Payment Date;

(8) that each Holder electing to tender all or any portion of a Note pursuant to the Collateral Coverage Offer will, subject to Applicable Procedures, be required to surrender such Note, with the form entitled “Option of Holder to Elect Purchase” on the reverse of the Note completed, at the place or places specified in the Collateral Coverage Notice on or prior to the close of business on a date no earlier than the third Business Day prior to the Collateral Coverage Payment Date (such Note being, if the Issuer so requires, duly endorsed by, or accompanied by a written instrument of transfer in form satisfactory to the Issuer duly executed by, the Holder thereof or its attorney duly authorized in writing);

(9) that Holders will, subject to Applicable Procedures, be entitled to withdraw all or any portion of Notes tendered if the Issuer receives, not later than the close of business on the fifth Business Day preceding the Collateral Coverage Payment Date, a facsimile transmission or letter setting forth the name of the Holder, the principal amount of the Note the Holder tendered, the certificate number of the Note the Holder tendered and a statement that such Holder is withdrawing all or a portion of its tender; and

(10) that in the case of any Holder whose Note is purchased only in part, subject to Applicable Procedures, the Issuer shall execute and deliver to the Holder of such Note without service charge, a new Note or Notes, in an aggregate principal amount equal to and in exchange for the unpurchased portion of the Note so tendered, in denominations of $2,000 principal amount or integral multiples of $1,000 in excess thereof (or if a PIK Payment has been made, in minimum denominations of $2,000 and any integral multiple of $1.00 in excess thereof).

 

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Collateral Coverage Payment Date ” has the meaning provided in the definition of “Collateral Coverage Offer.”

Collateral Coverage Required Amount ” means, with respect to any Collateral Coverage Event, an amount equal to the difference between (a) the principal amount of the Issuer’s consolidated indebtedness for borrowed money that is secured by Liens on the Collateral outstanding on the date of occurrence of such Collateral Coverage Event and (b) the Borrowing Base on such date.

Commission ” means the Securities and Exchange Commission, as from time to time constituted, or, if at any time after the execution of this instrument such Commission is not existing and performing the duties now assigned to it under the Trust Indenture Act, then the body performing such duties on such date.

Common Stock ” means, subject to Section 12.05, the shares of common stock, par value $0.01 per share, of the Issuer authorized at the date of this Indenture as originally executed or shares of any class or classes of common stock resulting from any reclassification or reclassifications thereof; provided, however, that if at any time there shall be more than one such resulting class from any reclassification or reclassifications, the shares so issuable on conversion of Notes shall include shares of all such classes, and the shares of each such class then so issuable shall be in the applicable proportion as provided by Section 12.05(d).

Comparable Treasury Issue ” means the United States Treasury security selected by an Independent Investment Banker as having a maturity comparable to the remaining term of the Notes to be redeemed that would be utilized, at the time of selection and in accordance with customary financial practice, in pricing new issues of corporate debt securities of comparable maturity to the remaining term of such Notes.

Comparable Treasury Price ” means, with respect to any Redemption Date, (1) the average of the Reference Treasury Dealer Quotations for such Redemption Date, after excluding the highest and lowest such Reference Treasury Dealer Quotations, or (2) if the Issuer obtains fewer than four such Reference Treasury Dealer Quotations, the average of all such Reference Treasury Dealer Quotations.

Consolidated Net Tangible Assets ” means the aggregate amount of the Issuer’s assets (less applicable reserves and other properly deductible items) and the Issuer’s Subsidiaries’ assets after deducting therefrom (a) all current liabilities (excluding current maturities of long-term debt and current maturities under capital leases) and (b) all goodwill, trade names, patents, unamortized debt discount and expense and other like intangibles, all as set forth on the Issuer’s most recent consolidated balance sheet and computed in accordance with GAAP.

Continuing Directors ” means, as of any date of determination, any member of the Board of Directors of the Issuer who (A) was a member of such Board of Directors on the Issue Date or (B) was nominated for election, elected or appointed to such Board of Directors with the approval of a majority of the continuing directors who were members of such Board of Directors at the time of such nomination, election or appointment (either by a specific vote or by approval of a proxy statement in which such member was named as a nominee for election as a director, without objection to such nomination).

 

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Conversion Price ” means, in respect of each Note, as of any date, $1,000 divided by the Conversion Rate in effect on such date. The initial Conversion Price is $5 per share of Common Stock.

Conversion Rate ” means initially 200 shares of Common Stock per $1,000 principal amount of Notes, subject to adjustment as set forth herein.

Credit Agreement ” means the Third Amended and Restated Credit Agreement, dated as of July 21, 2015, among the Issuer, Sears Roebuck Acceptance Corp., Kmart Corporation, the lenders from time to time party thereto, the issuing lenders from time to time party thereto, Bank of America, N.A., as administrative agent, co-collateral agent and swingline lender, Wells Fargo Bank, National Association, as co-collateral agent, together with the related documents thereto (including, without limitation, any guarantee agreements and security documents), in each case as such agreements have been or may be amended (including any amendment and restatement thereof), supplemented or otherwise modified, replaced or refinanced from time to time, including any agreement extending the maturity of, refinancing, replacing or otherwise restructuring (including, without limitation, increasing the amount of available borrowings thereunder or adding Subsidiaries of the Issuer as additional borrowers or guarantors thereunder) all or any portion of the indebtedness under such agreement or any successor or replacement agreement or agreements and whether by the same or any other agent, lender or group of lenders.

Credit Agreement Agent ” means, collectively, the co-collateral agents under the Credit Agreement.

Credit Agreement Obligations ” means the Obligations owed to the lenders and agents under the Credit Agreement.

Custodian ” means any receiver, trustee, assignee, liquidator or similar official under any Bankruptcy Law.

Default ” means an Event of Default or an event that, with the giving of notice, the passage of time, or both, would constitute an Event of Default.

Definitive Note ” means a certificated Note that is not a Global Note.

Depository ” means, with respect to the Notes issued in the form of one or more Global Notes, The Depository Trust Company or another Person designated as Depository by the Issuer, which Person must be a clearing agency registered under the Exchange Act.

Depository Custodian ” means the Trustee, as custodian of each Global Note for the Depository.

Domestic Subsidiary ” means any Subsidiary of the Issuer that is not a Foreign Subsidiary.

 

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Equity Interests ” of any Person means any and all shares, interests, participations, rights in or other equivalents (however designated) of such Person’s Capital Stock, other equity interests whether now outstanding or issued after the Issue Date, partnership interests (whether general or limited), limited liability company interests, any other interest or participation that confers on a Person the right to receive a share of the profits and losses of, or distributions of assets of, the issuing Person, and any rights (other than debt securities convertible into Equity Interests), warrants or options exchangeable for or convertible into such Equity Interests.

Exchange Act ” means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the rules and regulations of the Commission promulgated thereunder.

Fair Market Value ” means, with respect to any security or other property, the fair market value of such security or other property as determined by the Board of Directors, acting in good faith.

Fall-Away Event ” means the satisfaction of the following conditions on any date following the Issue Date: (i) the Issuer shall have a corporate family rating of at least Baa3 (or the equivalent) by Moody’s and BBB- (or the equivalent) by S&P, (ii) no Default shall have occurred and be continuing on such date, (iii) the Issuer and its Restricted Subsidiaries shall (after giving effect to the release of the Notes Liens and any concurrent release of Liens to occur on such date) have no Liens on any of their assets or properties other than Permitted Liens that are permitted to be outstanding following a Fall-Away Event and (iv) the Issuer shall have delivered to the Trustee an Officer’s Certificate certifying that the foregoing conditions are satisfied and requesting that the Notes Liens be released.

Fitch ” means Fitch Inc., a subsidiary of Fimalac, S.A., and its successors.

Foreign Subsidiary ” means (i) any Subsidiary of the Issuer that is not (a) organized under the laws of the United States or any state thereof or the District of Columbia or (b) treated as a domestic entity or a partnership or a division of a domestic entity for U.S. tax purposes or (ii) any Subsidiary that is (a) a domestic partnership or disregarded entity for U.S. tax purposes and (b) owned by a Subsidiary described in clause (i).

GAAP ” means generally accepted accounting principles set forth in the opinions and pronouncements of the Accounting Principles Board of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and statements and pronouncements of the Financial Accounting Standards Board or in such other statements by such other entity as may be approved by a significant segment of the accounting profession of the United States, which are in effect from time to time.

Government Securities ” means securities that are (i) direct obligations of the United States for the payment of which its full faith and credit is pledged or (ii) obligations of a Person controlled or supervised by and acting as an agency or instrumentality of the United States, the timely payment of which is unconditionally guaranteed as a full faith and credit obligation by the United States, which, in either case under clause (i) or (ii), are not callable or redeemable at the option of the issuer thereof, and shall also include a depository receipt issued by a bank or trust company as custodian with respect to any such obligation or a specific payment of interest on or principal of any such obligation held by such custodian for the account of the holder of a

 

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depository receipt; provided , that (except as required by law) such custodian is not authorized to make any deduction from the amount payable to the holder of such depository receipt from any amount received by the custodian in respect of the obligation or the specific payment of interest on or principal of the obligation evidenced by such depository receipt.

Guarantee ” means a guarantee of the Notes on the terms set forth in this Indenture.

Guarantor ” means each Subsidiary or other Person that has provided a Guarantee for so long as such Guarantee remains in effect.

Holder ” means a Person in whose name a Note is registered.

Indenture ” means this Indenture as amended, restated or supplemented from time to time in accordance with the terms hereof.

Independent Investment Banker ” means one of the Reference Treasury Dealers appointed by the Issuer.

Intercreditor Agreement ” means, collectively, the second amended and restated intercreditor agreement dated as of the Issue Date by and among the Issuer, the Guarantors, the Collateral Agent and the Credit Agreement Agent and any other intercreditor agreement entered into in accordance with the terms hereof in connection with any Additional First Lien Obligations or Second Lien Obligations.

interest ” means, with respect to the Notes, interest on the Notes.

Interest Payment Dates ” means each April 15 and October 15, commencing April 15, 2018.

Investment Grade Rating ” means a rating equal to or higher than BBB- (or the equivalent) by Fitch, Baa3 (or the equivalent) by Moody’s and BBB- (or the equivalent) by S&P, and the equivalent investment grade credit rating from any replacement Rating Agency or Rating Agencies selected by the Issuer.

Issue Date ” means March 20, 2018.

Issuer ” has the meaning provided in the preamble hereof.

Junior Second Lien Obligations ” means the Senior Secured Notes and any indebtedness and related obligations, including interest, fees and expenses, of the Issuer or any Guarantor that is secured by a Lien on the Collateral ranking equally and ratably with the Liens securing the Senior Secured Notes (or by the same Liens that secure the Senior Secured Notes), that is entitled to distributions on an equal and ratable basis with the Senior Secured Notes pursuant to the Security Documents or otherwise, and that is permitted to be incurred pursuant to clause (2) of the definition of “Permitted Liens”; provided that the representative of such Junior Second Lien Obligations executes a joinder agreement or amendment to, or amendment and restatement of, the applicable Security Documents and the Intercreditor Agreement or enters into an additional intercreditor agreement with the Collateral Agent providing that any amounts received

 

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in respect of the Collateral in connection with an enforcement of the Liens securing any Second Lien Obligations (or received in respect of such Liens in any bankruptcy or insolvency proceeding) shall, subject to the Intercreditor Agreement, after payment of all indemnities, compensation and expenses (including the fees and expenses of counsel and experts) of the Collateral Agent, the Trustee and each other trustee or agent for any class of Second Lien Obligations in their capacities as such (which shall be paid among first to the Collateral Agent and then among each such trustee or agent on a pro rata basis), be distributed first to the Trustee and each other trustee or agent for a class of Senior Second Lien Obligations for distribution to the holders thereof on a pro rata basis based on the amount of outstanding obligations of each such class until all Senior Second Lien Obligations are paid in full and only thereafter to each trustee or agent for a class of Junior Second Lien Obligations for distribution to the holders thereof until all Junior Second Lien Obligations are paid in full and thereafter to the Issuer. At the Issuer’s option (as certified to the Trustee and the Collateral Agent pursuant to an Officer’s Certificate), any indebtedness secured by a Lien permitted by clause (2) of the definition of “Permitted Liens” may be Junior Second Lien Obligations.

Lien ” means, with respect to any asset, any mortgage, lien (statutory or otherwise), pledge, hypothecation, charge, security interest, preference, priority or encumbrance of any kind in respect of such asset, whether or not filed, recorded or otherwise perfected under applicable law, including any conditional sale or other title retention agreement.

Market Disruption Event ” means, if the Common Stock is listed for trading on The NASDAQ Global Select Market or listed on another U.S. national or regional securities exchange, the occurrence or existence during the one-half hour period ending on the scheduled close of trading on any Scheduled Trading Day of any material suspension or limitation imposed on trading (by reason of movements in price exceeding limits permitted by the stock exchange or otherwise) in the Common Stock or in any options contracts or futures contracts relating to the Common Stock.

Market Price ” means, with respect to a particular security, on any date of determination, the last reported sale price regular way or, in case no such reported sale takes place on such day, the average of the last closing bid and ask prices regular way, in either case on the NASDAQ Global Select Market or if not listed on the NASDAQ Global Select Market, the principal national securities exchange on which the applicable securities are listed or admitted to trading, or if not listed or admitted to trading on any national securities exchange, the average of the closing bid and ask prices as furnished by two members of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc. selected from time to time by the Issuer for that purpose. “Market Price” will be determined without reference to after hours or extended hours trading. If such security is not listed and traded in a manner that the quotations referred to above are available for the period required hereunder, the market price per share of Common Stock will be deemed to be the fair market value per share of such security as determined in good faith by the Board of Directors in reliance on an opinion of a nationally recognized independent investment banking corporation retained by the Issuer for this purpose; provided that if any such security is listed or traded on a non-U.S. market, such fair market value will be determined by reference to the closing price of such security as of the end of the most recently ended Business Day in such market prior to the date of determination; and further provided that if making such determination requires the

 

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conversion of any currency other than U.S. dollars into U.S. dollars, such conversion will be done in accordance with customary procedures based on the closing price for conversion of such currency into U.S. dollars quoted by Bloomberg on such conversion date. For the purposes of determining the market price of Common Stock on the “trading day” preceding, on or following the occurrence of an event, (i) that trading day will be deemed to commence immediately after the regular scheduled closing time of trading on the NASDAQ Global Select Market or, if trading is closed at an earlier time, such earlier time and (ii) that trading day will end at the next regular scheduled closing time, or if trading is closed at an earlier time, such earlier time (for the avoidance of doubt, and as an example, if the market price is to be determined as of the last trading day preceding a specified event and the closing time of trading on a particular day is 4:00 p.m. and the specified event occurs at 5:00 p.m. on that day, the market price would be determined by reference to such 4:00 p.m. closing price).

Moody’s ” means Moody’s Investors Service, Inc.

Non-U.S. Person ” means a Person who is not a U.S. person, as defined in Regulation S.

Notes ” means $169,824,000 of 6 5 / 8 % Senior Secured Convertible PIK Toggle Notes due 2019 issued on the Issue Date, the PIK Interest Notes (or any increase in the principal amount of a Global Note related to PIK Interest) and any Additional Notes issued under this Indenture, all of which will be treated as a single class for all purposes under this Indenture; provided that if any Additional Notes are not fungible with the Notes issued on the Issue Date for U.S. federal income tax purposes, or to the extent required by applicable securities laws or regulations or procedures of the Depository, such Additional Notes will have a separate CUSIP number.

Notes Liens ” means the Liens securing the Notes Obligations.

Notes Obligations ” means all Obligations under or in respect of this Indenture, the Notes (including Additional Notes and PIK Interest Notes) and any Security Document.

Notes Shares ” means the number of shares of Common Stock issuable upon conversion of each Note.

Obligations ” means all obligations for principal, premium, interest (including any interest accruing subsequent to the filing of a petition of bankruptcy at the rate provided for in the documentation with respect thereto, whether or not such interest is an allowed claim under applicable law), penalties, fees, indemnifications, reimbursements, damages and other liabilities payable under the documentation governing any indebtedness.

Officer ” means the Chairman of the Board, the President, Chief Executive Officer, Chief Financial Officer, any Executive Vice President, the Treasurer, an Assistant Treasurer, the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary of the Issuer, or any direct or indirect parent of the Issuer, as applicable.

Officer’s Certificate ” means a certificate signed on behalf of the Issuer by the Chairman of the Board, President, Chief Executive Officer, Chief Financial Officer or Treasurer of the Issuer.

 

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Open of Business ” means 9:00 am, New York City time.

Opinion of Counsel ” means a written opinion reasonably satisfactory in form and substance to the Trustee from legal counsel, who may be an employee of or counsel to the Issuer or any Guarantor, who is reasonably acceptable to the Trustee, stating the matters required by Section 13.05, if applicable, and delivered to the Trustee.

Permitted Holders ” means (i) ESL Investments, Inc. and its Affiliates, (ii) any group (as defined in Rule 13d-3 under the Exchange Act) of which ESL Investments, Inc. or an Affiliate of ESL Investments, Inc. is a member so long as ESL Investments, Inc. and its Affiliates own a majority of the Issuer’s Voting Stock owned by all members of such group and (iii) to the extent a Change of Control Triggering Event has occurred and a Change of Control Offer completed, any Person whose acquisition of the Issuer’s Voting Stock caused such Change of Control Triggering Event and an Affiliate of such Person.

Permitted Liens ” means the following types of Liens:

(1) Liens existing as of the Issue Date (other than Liens securing indebtedness under the Credit Agreement);

(2) prior to the occurrence of a Fall-Away Event, (A) Liens on the Collateral securing indebtedness (including indebtedness under the Credit Agreement) in an aggregate outstanding principal amount not to exceed an amount equal to the Borrowing Base (measured as of the end of the calendar month most recently ended prior to the date of any applicable incurrence of indebtedness) less the outstanding principal amount of Notes outstanding at such time, other than Additional Notes; provided that for purposes of this clause (2), Liens on Collateral securing (a) indebtedness under the Credit Agreement in a principal amount not to exceed $2.45 billion shall be deemed to be Permitted Liens and (b) indebtedness under any other revolving credit facility shall be deemed to be Permitted Liens; provided , in the case of this clause (b), on the date firm commitments under such revolving credit facility are received by the Issuer and its Restricted Subsidiaries, indebtedness secured by Liens on the Collateral in the full amount of all firm commitments under each then existing revolving credit facility secured by Liens on the Collateral in reliance on this clause (2) (including commitments then outstanding under the Credit Agreement, if any) could have been incurred under this clause (2) had the full amount of such firm commitments been funded on such date; and (B) Liens on the Collateral securing Junior Second Lien Obligations;

(3) Liens securing the Notes and the Guarantees issued on the Issue Date (and any registered exchange notes and related guarantees issued in exchange therefore) and any Obligations with respect to the Notes and Guarantees, including interest paid-in-kind thereon in accordance with the terms of the Indenture;

(4) Liens of the Issuer or a Subsidiary of the Issuer on assets of any Subsidiary of the Issuer;

(5) Liens for taxes, assessments or governmental charges or claims either (a) not delinquent or (b) contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings and as to which the Issuer or its Subsidiaries shall have set aside on its books such reserves as may be required pursuant to GAAP;

 

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(6) statutory Liens of landlords and Liens of carriers, warehousemen, mechanics, suppliers, materialmen, repairmen, maritime and other Liens imposed by law incurred in the ordinary course of business for sums not yet delinquent or being contested in good faith, if such reserve or other appropriate provision, if any, as shall be required by GAAP shall have been made in respect thereof;

(7) Liens incurred or deposits made in the ordinary course of business in connection with workers’ compensation, unemployment insurance and other types of social security, including any Lien securing letters of credit issued in the ordinary course of business consistent with past practice in connection therewith, or to secure the performance of tenders, statutory obligations, surety and appeal bonds, bids, leases, government contracts, performance and return of money bonds and other similar obligations or to secure or which results from required payments or deposits in connection with litigation (in each case, exclusive of obligations for the payment of borrowed money);

(8) judgment Liens so long as such Lien is adequately bonded and any appropriate legal proceedings that may have been duly initiated for the review of such judgment shall not have been finally terminated or the period within which such proceedings may be initiated shall not have expired;

(9) easements, rights-of-way, zoning restrictions and other similar charges or encumbrances in respect of real property not interfering in any material respect with the ordinary conduct of the business of the Issuer or any of its Subsidiaries;

(10) Liens upon specific items of inventory or other goods and proceeds of any Person securing such Person’s obligations in respect of bankers’ acceptances issued or created for the account of such Person to facilitate the purchase, shipment or storage of such inventory or other goods;

(11) Liens securing reimbursement obligations with respect to commercial letters of credit that encumber documents and other property relating to such letters of credit and products and proceeds thereof;

(12) Liens encumbering deposits made to secure obligations arising from statutory, regulatory, contractual, or warranty requirements of the Issuer or any of its Subsidiaries, including rights of offset and set-off;

(13) Liens securing indebtedness incurred to finance the purchase price or cost of construction of fixed or capital assets (or additions, substantial repairs, alterations or substantial improvements thereto) or of Equity Interests in a third party, provided that (x) such Liens and the indebtedness secured thereby are incurred within twelve months of the later of acquisition or completion of construction (or addition, repair, alteration or improvement) and full operation thereof and (y) such Liens extend only to the assets the acquisition, construction, repair, replacement or improvement of which is financed thereby or, in the case of an acquisition of Equity Interests in a third party that becomes a Subsidiary as a result of such acquisition, the assets owned by such third party;

 

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(14) Liens on the assets, property or Capital Stock of a Person at the time such Person becomes a Restricted Subsidiary; provided , that such Liens are not created or incurred in connection with, or in contemplation of, such other Person becoming a Restricted Subsidiary; provided , further , that such Liens do not extend to any property owned by the Issuer or any other Restricted Subsidiary;

(15) Liens on assets or property existing at the time the Issuer or a Restricted Subsidiary acquired such assets or property, including by means of merger, amalgamation or consolidation with or into the Issuer or a Restricted Subsidiary; provided that such Liens are not created or incurred in connection with, or in contemplation of, such other Person becoming a Restricted Subsidiary; provided , further , that such Liens do not extend to any other property owned by the Issuer or any Restricted Subsidiary;

(16) Liens to secure obligations in respect of Cash Management Services and Bank Products (each as defined in the Credit Agreement);

(17) from and after the occurrence of a Fall-Away Event, other Liens on property owned by the Issuer or any of its Subsidiaries securing indebtedness having an aggregate principal amount not to exceed, as of any date of incurrence of such secured indebtedness pursuant to this clause and after giving effect to such incurrence and the application of the proceeds therefrom, 15% of the Issuer’s Consolidated Net Tangible Assets as of the last day of the most recent fiscal quarter for which financial statements have been delivered pursuant to Section 4.02; and

(18) Liens on the Collateral in favor of the Collateral Agent and the Trustee relating to the Collateral Agent’s and Trustee’s administrative fees and expenses with respect to the Collateral, the Indenture and the Security Documents.

Person ” means any individual, partnership, corporation, limited liability company, joint stock company, business trust, trust, unincorporated association, joint venture or other entity, or a government or political subdivision or agency thereof.

Physical Notes ” means certificated Notes in registered form that are not registered in the name of the Depository or its nominee in substantially the form set forth in Exhibit  A .

Primary Treasury Dealer ” has the meaning provided in the definition of “Reference Treasury Dealers.”

Private Placement Legend ” means the legend initially set forth on Notes that are Restricted Notes in the form set forth in Exhibit  B .

 

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Pro Rata Repurchase ” means any purchase of shares of Common Stock by the Issuer pursuant to any tender offer or exchange offer subject to Section 13(e) or 14(e) of the Exchange Act or Regulation 14E promulgated thereunder or any other offer available to substantially all holders of Common Stock. The “Effective Date” of a Pro Rata Repurchase shall mean the date of acceptance of shares for purchase or exchange by the Issuer under any tender or exchange offer which is a Pro Rata Repurchase or the date of purchase with respect to any Pro Rata Repurchase that is not a tender or exchange offer.

Qualified Institutional Buyer ” or “ QIB ” shall have the meaning specified in Rule 144A promulgated under the Securities Act.

Rating Agencies ” means (1) each of Fitch, Moody’s and S&P; and (2) if Fitch, Moody’s or S&P ceases to rate the Notes or fails to make a rating of the Notes publicly available, at the sole option of the Issuer, a “nationally recognized statistical rating organization” as defined in Section 3 of the Exchange Act, selected by the Issuer (as certified by a resolution of the Board of Directors of the Issuer) as a replacement agency for Fitch, Moody’s or S&P, or any of them, as the case may be.

Ratings Event ” means that the rating on the Notes is lowered by at least two of the three Rating Agencies and the Notes are rated below an Investment Grade Rating by at least two of the three Rating Agencies (it being understood that for purposes of this definition if fewer than three Rating Agencies maintain ratings of the Notes at the time of a Change of Control, the Notes will be deemed for purposes of this definition to have been downgraded in connection with such Change of Control (prior to any actual downgrades) by a number of Rating Agencies equal to the excess of 3 over the number of Rating Agencies that maintain ratings of the Notes at such time), on any day during the period (which period will be extended so long as the rating of the Notes is under publicly announced consideration for a possible downgrade by any of the Rating Agencies) commencing 60 days prior to the first public notice of the occurrence of a Change of Control or the Issuer’s intention to effect a Change of Control and ending 60 days following consummation of such Change of Control.

Record Date ” means, with respect to any Interest Payment Date, the date fixed for determining Holders of record entitled to interest on such Interest Payment Date.

Redemption Date ” when used with respect to any Note to be redeemed means the date fixed for such redemption pursuant to the terms of the Notes.

Reference Treasury Dealer Quotations ” means, with respect to each Reference Treasury Dealer and any Redemption Date, the average, as determined by the Issuer, of the bid and asked prices for the Comparable Treasury Issue (expressed in each case as a percentage of its principal amount) quoted in writing to the Issuer by such Reference Treasury Dealer at 5:00 p.m. on the third Business Day preceding such Redemption Date.

Reference Treasury Dealers ” means (1) Banc of America Securities LLC and its successors; provided , however , that if any of the foregoing shall cease to be a primary Government Securities dealer (a “ Primary Treasury Dealer ”), the Issuer shall substitute another nationally recognized investment banking firm that is a Primary Treasury Dealer, and (2) two other Primary Treasury Dealers selected by the Issuer.

Regulation  S ” means Regulation S promulgated under the Securities Act.

 

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Regulation  S -X ” means Regulation S-X promulgated under the Securities Act.

Responsible Officer ” when used with respect to the Trustee, means an officer or assistant officer assigned to the Corporate Trust Services department of the Trustee (or any successor group of the Trustee) with direct responsibility for the administration of this Indenture or the Security Documents and also means, with respect to a particular corporate trust matter, any other officer to whom such matter is referred because of his knowledge of and familiarity with the particular subject.

Restricted Note ” has the same meaning as “Restricted Security” set forth in Rule 144(a)(3) promulgated under the Securities Act; provided that the Trustee shall be entitled to request and conclusively rely upon an Opinion of Counsel with respect to whether any Note is a Restricted Note.

Restricted Subsidiary ” means each Domestic Subsidiary of the Issuer other than Orchard Supply Hardware Stores Corporation and its Subsidiaries.

Rule  144 ” means Rule 144 promulgated under the Securities Act.

Rule 144 Certification ” means a certification by a Holder to the Issuer, in such form as prescribed by the Issuer, that (i) such Holder is not, and has not been during the preceding three (3) months, an executive officer, director or Affiliate of the Issuer and (ii) a period of at least twelve (12) months has passed since the Notes were acquired from the Issuer or a director, officer or “Affiliate,” (within the meaning of Rule 144(a)(1) under the Securities Act), of the Issuer, as such period is computed in accordance with paragraph (d) of Rule 144 under the Securities Act.

Rule 144A ” means Rule 144A promulgated under the Securities Act.

S&P ” means Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services, a division of The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

Scheduled Trading Day ” means a day that is scheduled to be a Trading Day on the principal U.S. national or regional securities exchange or market on which the Common Stock is listed or admitted for trading. If the Common Stock is not listed or admitted for trading, “Scheduled Trading Day” means a Business Day.

Second Lien Credit Facilities ” means all obligations of any kind, including in respect of the term loan and the line of credit facility, under the Second Lien Credit Agreement, dated as of September 1, 2016, among the Issuer, the subsidiaries of the Issuer from time to time party thereto, the lenders from time to time party thereto and JPP, LLC, as administrative agent and collateral administrator, and any related documents (including, without limitation, any guarantee agreements and security documents), in each case as such agreements have been or may be amended (including any amendment and restatement thereof), supplemented or otherwise modified, replaced or refinanced from time to time, including any agreement extending the maturity of, refinancing, replacing or otherwise restructuring (including, without limitation, increasing the amount of available borrowings thereunder or adding Subsidiaries of the Issuer as additional borrowers or guarantors thereunder) all or any portion of the indebtedness under such agreement or any successor or replacement agreement or agreements and whether by the same or any other agent, lender or group of lenders.

 

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Second Lien Obligations ” means any Senior Second Lien Obligations and/or Junior Second Lien Obligations, as the case may be.

Second Lien Term Loan ” means the $300 million term loan due 2020 outstanding on the Issue Date made pursuant to the Second Lien Credit Facilities.

Securities Act ” means the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the rules and regulations of the Commission promulgated thereunder.

Security Agreement ” means the amended and restated security agreement, dated as of March 20, 2018, among the Collateral Agent, the other agents from time to time party thereto, the Issuer and the Grantors from time to time party thereto (as amended, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time), which the Trustee has joined as representative on behalf of the Holders of the Notes.

Security Documents ” means the Security Agreement, the Intercreditor Agreement and each other document entered into to grant a security interest in the Collateral to the Collateral Agent for the benefit of the Holders of the Notes and the Trustee.

Senior Second Lien Obligations ” means the Notes Obligations and any indebtedness and related obligations, including interest, fees and expenses, of the Issuer or any Guarantor (including the Second Lien Credit Facilities) that is secured by a Lien on the Collateral ranking equally and ratably with the Liens securing the Notes Obligations (or by the same Liens that secure the Notes Obligations), that is entitled to distributions on such Lien on an equal and ratable basis with the Notes Obligations pursuant to the Security Documents or otherwise and that is permitted to be incurred pursuant to clause (2) of the definition of “Permitted Liens”; provided that the representative of such Senior Second Lien Obligations executes a joinder agreement or amendment to, or amendment and restatement of, the applicable Security Documents and the Intercreditor Agreement, or enters into an additional intercreditor agreement with the Collateral Agent, providing that any amounts received in respect of the Collateral in connection with an enforcement of the Liens securing any Second Lien Obligations (or received in respect of such Liens in any bankruptcy or insolvency proceeding) shall, subject to the Intercreditor Agreement, after payment of all indemnities, compensation and expenses (including the fees and expenses of counsel and experts) of the Collateral Agent, the Trustee and each other trustee or agent for any class of Second Lien Obligations in their capacities as such (which shall be paid first to the Collateral Agent and then among each such trustee or agent on a pro rata basis), be distributed to the Trustee and each other trustee or agent for a class of Senior Second Lien Obligations for distribution to the holders thereof on a pro rata basis based on the amount of outstanding obligations of each such class until all Senior Second Lien Obligations are paid in full and only thereafter to each trustee or agent for a class of Junior Second Lien Obligations for distribution to the holders thereof until all Junior Second Lien Obligations are paid in full and thereafter to the Issuer. At the Issuer’s option (as certified to the Trustee and the Collateral Agent pursuant to an Officer’s Certificate), any indebtedness secured by a Lien permitted by clause (2) of the definition of “Permitted Liens” may be Senior Second Lien Obligations.

 

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Senior Secured Notes ” means the 6 5/8% Senior Secured Notes due 2018 of the Issuer issued pursuant to the indenture, dated as of October 12, 2010, by and among the Issuer, the Guarantors from time to time party thereto and Wilmington Trust, National Association, as successor trustee and collateral agent (as amended, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time).

Senior Unsecured Notes ” means the 8% Senior Unsecured Notes due 2019 of the Issuer issued pursuant to the indenture, dated as of November 21, 2014, between the Issuer and Computershare Trust Company, N.A., as trustee (as amended, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time).

Senior Unsecured Convertible Notes ” means the 8% Senior Unsecured Convertible PIK Toggle Notes due 2019 of the Issuer issued pursuant to the indenture, dated as of March 20, 2018, between the Issuer and Computershare Trust Company, N.A., as trustee (as amended, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time).

Specified Subsidiary ” means any wholly-owned Restricted Subsidiary with Credit Card Accounts Receivable (as defined in the Security Agreement and for purposes of such definition, substituting the words “Domestic Subsidiary” for “Guarantor” in each instance where such term is used) and Inventory (as defined in the Security Agreement) the combined book value of which exceeds $100.0 million and that has incurred indebtedness for money borrowed in excess of $100.0 million.

Subsidiary ” means a corporation, a majority of the outstanding Voting Stock of which is owned, directly or indirectly, by the Issuer or by one or more other Subsidiaries, or by the Issuer and one or more other Subsidiaries.

Trading Day ” means a Scheduled Trading Day on which (i) there is no Market Disruption Event, and (ii) trading in the Common Stock generally occurs on The NASDAQ Global Select Market or, if the Common Stock is not then listed on The NASDAQ Global Select Market, on the principal other U.S. national or regional securities exchange on which the Common Stock is then listed or, if the Common Stock is not then listed on a U.S. national or regional securities exchange, on the principal other market on which the Common Stock is then traded. If the Common Stock is not so listed or traded, “Trading Day” means a “Business Day.”

Treasury Rate ” means, with respect to any Redemption Date, the rate per annum, as determined by the Issuer, equal to the semi-annual equivalent yield to a maturity of the Comparable Treasury Issue, assuming a price for the Comparable Treasury Issue (expressed as a percentage of its principal amount) equal to the Comparable Treasury Price for such Redemption Date.

Trust Indenture Act ” or “ TIA ” means the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended.

Trustee ” has the meaning provided in the preamble hereof until a successor replaces it in accordance with the applicable provisions of this Indenture, and thereafter means the successor serving hereunder.

 

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UCC ” means the Uniform Commercial Code as in effect from time to time in the State of New York; provided , however , that, at any time, if by reason of mandatory provisions of law, any or all of the perfection or priority of the Collateral Agent’s security interest in any item or portion of the Collateral is governed by the Uniform Commercial Code as in effect in a jurisdiction other than the State of New York, the term “UCC” shall mean the Uniform Commercial Code as in effect, at such time, in such other jurisdiction for purposes of the provisions hereof relating to such perfection or priority and for purposes of definitions relating to such provisions.

Voting Stock ” means, with respect to any specified Person as of any date, the Capital Stock of such Person that is at the time entitled to vote generally in the election of the board of directors or comparable governing body of such Person.

SECTION 1.02. Other Definitions .

The definitions of the following terms may be found in the sections indicated as follows:

 

Term

   Defined in Section  

“Agent Members”

     2.16 (a) 

“Authentication Order”

     2.01  

“Business Day”

     13.07  

“Change of Control Payment”

     4.07 (a) 

“Collateral Coverage Event Payment”

     4.08 (a) 

“Conversion Agent”

     2.04  

“Conversion Date”

     12.02 (a) 

“Conversion Notice”

     12.02 (a) 

“Covenant Defeasance”

     9.03 (a) 

“Event of Default”

     6.01  

“Global Notes”

     2.16 (a) 

“Global Accredited Investor Notes”

     2.16 (a) 

“Legal Defeasance”

     9.02 (a) 

“Legal Holiday”

     13.07  

“Mandatory Conversion”

     12.08 (a) 

“Mandatory Conversion Date”

     12.08 (b) 

“Mandatory Conversion Notice”

     12.08 (b) 

“Mandatory Conversion Notice Date”

     12.08 (b) 

“Mandatory Conversion Trigger Period”

     12.08 (a) 

“Paying Agent”

     2.04  

“PIK Interest”

     4.01  

“PIK Interest Note”

     2.03  

“PIK Notice”

     4.01  

“PIK Payment”

     2.03  

“Registrar”

     2.04  

“Regulation S Global Notes”

     2.16 (a) 

“Regulation S Notes”

     2.02  

“Restricted Period”

     2.16 (f) 

“Sale and Leaseback Transaction”

     4.05 (a) 

“Settlement Amount”

     12.03 (a) 

“Unrestricted Global Accredited Investor Notes”

     2.16 (a) 

 

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SECTION 1.03. Incorporation by Reference of Trust Indenture Act .

Solely at any time at which this Indenture is required pursuant to the TIA to be qualified under the TIA, whenever this Indenture refers to a provision of the TIA, the portion of such provision required to be incorporated herein in order for this Indenture to be qualified under the TIA is incorporated by reference in and made a part of this Indenture. The Issuer shall provide written notice to the Trustee promptly upon the requirement that this Indenture be qualified under the TIA. The following TIA terms used in this Indenture have the following meanings:

indenture securities ” means the Notes and the Guarantees.

indenture securityholder ” means a Holder.

indenture to be qualified ” means this Indenture.

indenture trustee ” or “ institutional trustee ” means the Trustee.

obligor on the indenture securities ” means the Issuer, the Guarantors or any other obligor on the Notes.

All other terms used in this Indenture that are defined by the TIA, defined in the TIA by reference to another statute or defined by Commission rule have the meanings therein assigned to them.

SECTION 1.04. Rules of Construction .

Unless the context otherwise requires:

(1) a term has the meaning assigned to it herein, whether defined expressly or by reference;

(2) “or” is not exclusive;

(3) words in the singular include the plural, and in the plural include the singular;

(4) words used herein implying any gender shall apply to both genders;

(5) “herein,” “hereof” and other words of similar import refer to this Indenture as a whole and not to any particular Article, Section or Subsection;

(6) unless otherwise specified herein, all accounting terms used herein shall be interpreted, all accounting determinations hereunder shall be made, and all financial statements required to be delivered hereunder shall be prepared in accordance with GAAP;

 

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(7) “$,” “U.S. Dollars” and “United States Dollars” each refer to United States dollars, or such other money of the United States that at the time of payment is legal tender for payment of public and private debts;

(8) the words “including,” “includes” and similar words shall be deemed to be followed by “without limitation”; and

(9) references to sections of or rules under the Securities Act, the Exchange Act and the TIA shall be deemed to include substitute, replacement or successor sections or rules adopted by the Commission from time to time.

ARTICLE TWO

THE NOTES

SECTION 2.01. Amount of Notes .

The Trustee shall (a) upon the receipt of a written order of the Issuer signed by an Officer of the Issuer (an “ Authentication Order ”), any applicable Notes duly executed by the Issuer, and any applicable notation of Guarantee to be endorsed thereon duly executed by each Guarantor, authenticate (i) Notes for original issue on the Issue Date in the aggregate principal amount not to exceed $169,824,000, (ii) Additional Notes in an unlimited principal amount, to the extent permitted by Section 4.04 and (iii) PIK Interest Notes that may be issued under this Indenture and (b) upon the receipt of an Authentication Order, increase the principal amount of any Global Note as a result of a PIK Payment in the amount set forth in the applicable PIK Notice; provided that the aggregate principal amount of Notes outstanding under this Indenture shall be limited to the sum of (x) $310,000,000 and (y) the aggregate amount of PIK Payments made pursuant to this Indenture. The Authentication Order shall specify the amount of Notes to be authenticated or increased, the date on which the Notes are to be authenticated or increased, and the names and delivery instructions for each Holder of the Notes (with respect to authentication). Furthermore, Notes may be authenticated or delivered upon registration or transfer, or in lieu of, other Notes pursuant to Section 2.07, 2.08, 2.11, 3.06 or 8.05 or in connection with a Change of Control Offer pursuant to Section 4.07 or Collateral Coverage Offer pursuant to Section 4.08. The Trustee shall be entitled to receive an Opinion of Counsel of the Issuer and the Guarantors in connection with any authentication of Notes on the Issue Date, the authentication of any Additional Notes and the authentication of any PIK Interest Notes that this Indenture constitutes a valid and legally binding obligation of the Issuer and the Guarantors and that such Notes, when duly authorized and executed by the Issuer and duly authenticated by the Trustee in the manner provided in this Indenture and delivered against payment of the purchase price therefor, will constitute valid and binding obligations of the Issuer, and that the Guarantees, when duly authorized and executed by the Guarantors, will constitute valid and binding obligations of such Guarantors, enforceable in accordance with their terms, subject to (i) bankruptcy, insolvency, fraudulent conveyance, fraudulent transfer, reorganization, moratorium or other similar laws relating to or affecting the rights or remedies of creditors generally, (ii) the application of general principles of equity, and (iii) applicable law and public policy with respect to rights to indemnity and contribution.

 

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Upon receipt of an Authentication Order, the Trustee shall authenticate Notes in substitution for Notes originally issued to reflect any name change of the Issuer. Any Additional Notes and any PIK Interest Notes shall be part of the same issue as the Notes being issued on the Issue Date and will vote on all matters as one class with the Notes being issued on the Issue Date, including, without limitation, waivers, amendments, redemptions and offers to purchase. For the purposes of this Indenture, references to the Notes include Additional Notes and PIK Interest Notes, if any.

The principal of, premium, if any, and interest, if any, on the Notes shall be payable at the office or agency of the Issuer maintained for such purpose pursuant to Section 2.04; provided , however , that, at the option of the Issuer, each installment of interest may be paid by (i) check mailed to addresses of the Persons entitled thereto as such addresses shall appear on the registry maintained by the Registrar or (ii) wire transfer to an account located in the United States maintained by the payee. Payments in respect of Notes represented by a Global Note (including principal, premium, if any, and interest) will be made by wire transfer of immediately available funds to the accounts specified by the Depository.

SECTION 2.02. Form and Dating .

The Notes and the Trustee’s certificate of authentication with respect thereto shall be substantially in the form set forth in Exhibit  A , which is incorporated in and forms a part of this Indenture. The Notes may have notations, legends or endorsements required by law, rule or usage to which the Issuer is subject. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, Notes offered and sold to Accredited Investors who have made a Rule 144 Certification shall not bear the Private Placement Legend, Notes offered and sold to Accredited Investors who have not made a Rule 144 Certification shall bear the Private Placement Legend and include the form of assignment set forth in Exhibit  B , and Notes offered and sold in offshore transactions in reliance on Regulation S (“ Regulation  S Notes ”) shall bear the legend and include the form of assignment set forth in Exhibit  C . The Issuer shall approve the form of the Notes and any notation, legend or endorsement on them. Each Note shall be dated the date of its authentication.

The terms and provisions contained in the Notes shall constitute, and are expressly made, a part of this Indenture and, to the extent applicable, the Issuer, the Guarantors and the Trustee, by their execution and delivery of this Indenture, expressly agree to such terms and provisions and agree to be bound thereby. However, to the extent any provision of any Note conflicts with the express provisions of this Indenture, the provisions of this Indenture shall govern and be controlling.

The Notes may be presented for registration of transfer and exchange at the offices of the Registrar.

SECTION 2.03. Execution and Authentication .

At least one Officer shall sign the Notes for the Issuer by manual or facsimile signature.

 

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If an Officer whose signature is on a Note was an Officer at the time of such execution but no longer holds that office at the time the Trustee authenticates the Note, the Note shall be valid nevertheless.

No Note shall be entitled to any benefit under this Indenture or be valid or obligatory for any purpose unless there appears on such Note a certificate of authentication substantially in the form provided for herein executed by the Trustee by manual signature, and such certificate upon any Note shall be conclusive evidence, and the only evidence, that such Note has been duly authenticated and delivered hereunder. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if any Note shall have been authenticated and delivered hereunder but never issued and sold by the Issuer, and the Issuer shall deliver such Note to the Trustee for cancellation as provided in Section 2.12, for all purposes of this Indenture such Note shall be deemed never to have been authenticated and delivered hereunder and shall never be entitled to the benefits of this Indenture.

The Trustee may appoint an authenticating agent reasonably acceptable to the Issuer to authenticate the Notes. Unless otherwise provided in the appointment, an authenticating agent may authenticate the Notes whenever the Trustee may do so. Each reference in this Indenture to authentication by the Trustee includes authentication by such agent. An authenticating agent has the same rights as an Agent to deal with the Issuer and Affiliates of the Issuer. Each Paying Agent is designated as an authenticating agent for purposes of this Indenture.

The Notes shall be issuable only in registered form without coupons in denominations of $2,000 principal amount and integral multiples of $1,000 in excess thereof, subject to the issuance of PIK Interest Notes or the increase in the principal amount of a Global Note in order to evidence PIK Interest, which PIK Interest Notes or increased principal amount of a Global Note will be in denominations of $1.00 and integral multiples of $1.00 in excess thereof. On any Interest Payment Date on which the Issuer pays PIK Interest (a “ PIK Payment ”), with respect to a Global Note, the Trustee, or the Depository at the direction of the Trustee, will increase the principal amount of such Global Note, effective as of the applicable Interest Payment Date, by an amount equal to the PIK Interest payable, rounded up to the nearest whole dollar, for the relevant interest period on the principal amount of such Global Note, to the credit of the Holders on the relevant Record Date and an adjustment will be made on the books and records of the Trustee with respect to such Global Note to reflect such increase. Following an increase in the principal amount of a Global Note as a result of the payment of PIK Interest, such Global Notes will bear interest on such increased principal amount from and after the relevant Interest Payment Date. On any Interest Payment Date on which the Issuer makes a PIK Payment by issuing definitive Notes (a “ PIK Interest Note ”) under this Indenture having the same terms as the Notes, the principal amount of any such PIK Interest Note issued to any Holder, for the relevant interest period as of the relevant Record Date for such Interest Payment Date, will be rounded up to the nearest whole dollar.

SECTION 2.04. Registrar, Paying Agent and Conversion Agent .

The Issuer shall maintain (i) an office or agency where Notes may be presented for registration of transfer or for exchange (the “ Registrar ”), (ii) an office or agency where Notes may be presented for payment (the “ Paying Agent ”), (iii) an office or agency where the Notes may be presented for conversion (the “ Conversion Agent ”) and (iv) an office or agency where

 

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notices and demands to or upon the Issuer, if any, in respect of the Notes and this Indenture may be served. The Registrar shall keep a register of the Notes and of their transfer and exchange. The Issuer may have one or more additional Paying Agents. The term “Paying Agent” includes any additional Paying Agent. The Issuer may remove any Registrar, Paying Agent or Conversion Agent upon written notice to such Registrar, Paying Agent, or Conversion Agent and the Trustee.

Solely at any time at which this Indenture is required pursuant to the TIA to be qualified under the TIA, the Issuer shall enter into an appropriate agency agreement, which shall incorporate the provisions of the TIA, with any Agent that is not a party to this Indenture. The agreement shall implement the provisions of this Indenture that relate to such Agent. The Issuer shall notify the Trustee of the name and address of any such Agent. If the Issuer fails to maintain a Registrar, Paying Agent or Conversion Agent, or fails to give the foregoing notice, the Trustee shall act as such and shall be entitled to appropriate compensation in accordance with Section 7.01(a). The Issuer or any of its Subsidiaries may act as Paying Agent, Registrar, Conversion Agent, co-registrar or transfer agent.

The Issuer initially appoints the Trustee as Registrar, Paying Agent and Agent for service of notices and demands in connection with the Notes and this Indenture. The Issuer initially appoints Computershare Trust Company, N.A. and Computershare Inc. to act as Conversion Agent pursuant to a Voluntary Conversion Agent Agreement dated as of the date of this Indenture.

SECTION 2.05. Paying Agent to Hold Money in Trust .

Prior to 10:00 a.m., New York City time, on each due date of the principal or interest on any Notes, the Issuer shall deposit with the Paying Agent a sum sufficient to pay such principal and interest when so becoming due. Each Paying Agent shall hold in trust for the benefit of the Holders or the Trustee all money held by the Paying Agent for the payment of principal of or premium or interest on the Notes (whether such money has been paid to it by the Issuer or any other obligor on the Notes or the Guarantors), and the Issuer and the Paying Agent shall notify the Trustee of any default by the Issuer (or any other obligor on the Notes) in making any such payment. If the Issuer or a Subsidiary of the Issuer serves as Paying Agent, it shall segregate the money held by it as Paying Agent and hold it as a separate trust fund. Money held in trust by the Paying Agent need not be segregated except as required by law and in no event shall the Paying Agent be liable for any interest on any money received by it hereunder. The Issuer at any time may require the Paying Agent to pay all money held by it to the Trustee and account for any funds disbursed and the Trustee may at any time during the continuance of any Event of Default specified in clause (1) or (2) of Section 6.01, upon written request to the Paying Agent, require such Paying Agent to pay forthwith all money so held by it to the Trustee and to account for any funds disbursed by the Paying Agent. Upon making such payment, the Paying Agent shall have no further liability for the money delivered to the Trustee.

 

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SECTION 2.06. Holder Lists .

The Trustee shall preserve in as current a form as is reasonably practicable the most recent list available to it of the names and addresses of the Holders. If the Trustee is not the Registrar, the Issuer shall furnish to the Trustee at least two Business Days before each Interest Payment Date, and at such other times as the Trustee may reasonably request in writing, a list in such form and as of such date as the Trustee may reasonably require of the names and addresses of the Holders.

SECTION 2.07. Transfer and Exchange .

Subject to Sections 2.16 and 2.17, when Notes are presented to the Registrar with a request from the Holder of such Notes to register a transfer or to exchange them for an equal principal amount of Notes of other authorized denominations, the Registrar shall register the transfer or exchange such notes as requested if the requirements of this Indenture are met. Every Note presented or surrendered for registration of transfer or exchange shall be duly endorsed or be accompanied by a written instrument of transfer in form satisfactory to the Issuer and the Registrar, duly executed by the Holder thereof or its attorneys duly authorized in writing. To permit registrations of transfers and exchanges, the Issuer shall issue and execute and the Trustee (upon receipt of an Authentication Order from the Issuer) shall authenticate new Notes (and the Guarantors shall execute the notation of Guarantee thereon) evidencing such transfer or exchange at the Registrar’s request. No service charge shall be made to the Holder for any registration of transfer or exchange. The Issuer may require from the Holder payment of a sum sufficient to cover any transfer taxes or other governmental charge that may be imposed in relation to a transfer or exchange, but this provision shall not apply to any exchange pursuant to Section 2.11, 3.06, 4.07, 4.08 or 8.05 (in which events the Issuer shall be responsible for the payment of such taxes). The Registrar shall not be required to exchange or register a transfer of any Note for a period of 15 days immediately preceding the mailing or electronic delivery of notice of redemption of Notes to be redeemed or of any Note selected, called or being called for redemption except the unredeemed portion of any Note being redeemed in part.

Any Holder of the Global Note shall, by acceptance of such Global Note, agree that transfers of the beneficial interests in such Global Note may be effected only through a book entry system maintained by the Holder of such Global Note (or its agent), and that ownership of a beneficial interest in the Global Note shall be required to be reflected in a book entry.

A beneficial interest in a Restricted Global Accredited Investor Note may be exchanged by any Holder thereof for a beneficial interest in an Unrestricted Global Accredited Investor Note or transferred to a Person who takes delivery thereof in the form of a beneficial interest in an Unrestricted Global Accredited Investor Note if the exchange or transfer complies with the requirements of this Section 2.07 and Section 2.17.

Each Holder of a Note agrees to indemnify the Issuer, the Guarantors and the Trustee against any liability that may result from the transfer, exchange or assignment of such Holder’s Note in violation of any provision of this Indenture and/or applicable federal or state securities law.

Except as expressly provided herein, neither the Trustee nor the Registrar shall have any duty to monitor the Issuer’s compliance with or have any responsibility with respect to the Issuer’s compliance with any federal or state securities laws. The Trustee shall have no obligation or duty to monitor, determine or inquire as to compliance with any restrictions on

 

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transfer imposed under this Indenture or under applicable law with respect to any transfer of any interest in any Notes (including any transfers between or among the Depository’s participants or beneficial owners of interests in any Global Note) other than to require delivery of such certificates and other documentation, as is expressly required by, and to do so if and when expressly required by, the terms of this Indenture and to examine the same to determine substantial compliance as to form with the express requirements hereof.

SECTION 2.08. Replacement Notes .

If a mutilated Note is surrendered to the Registrar or the Trustee, or if the Holder of a Note claims that the Note has been lost, destroyed or wrongfully taken, the Issuer shall issue and the Trustee (upon receipt of an Authentication Order from the Issuer) shall authenticate a replacement Note (and the Guarantors shall execute the notation of Guarantee thereon) if the Holder of such Note furnishes to the Issuer and the Trustee evidence reasonably acceptable to them of the ownership and the destruction, loss or theft of such Note and if the requirements of Section 8-405 of the UCC are met. If required by the Trustee or the Issuer, an indemnity bond shall be posted by such Holder, sufficient in the judgment of both to protect the Issuer, the Guarantors, the Trustee and any Paying Agent from any loss that any of them may suffer if such Note is replaced. The Issuer and the Trustee may charge such Holder for their reasonable out-of-pocket expenses in replacing such Note (including, without limitation, attorneys’ fees and disbursements). Every replacement Note shall constitute a contractual Obligation of the Issuer.

SECTION 2.09. Outstanding Notes .

The Notes outstanding at any time are all Notes that have been authenticated by the Trustee except for (a) those cancelled by it, (b) those delivered to it for cancellation, (c) to the extent set forth in Sections 9.01 and 9.02, on or after the date on which the conditions set forth in Section 9.01 or 9.02 have been satisfied, those Notes theretofore authenticated and delivered by the Trustee hereunder and (d) those described in this Section 2.09 as not outstanding. Subject to Section 2.10, a Note does not cease to be outstanding because the Issuer or one of its Affiliates holds the Note.

If a Note is replaced pursuant to Section 2.08, it ceases to be outstanding unless the Trustee and the Issuer receives proof satisfactory to it that the replaced Note is held by a bona fide purchaser in whose hands such Note is a legal, valid and binding obligation of the Issuer. A mutilated Note ceases to be outstanding upon surrender of such Note and replacement thereof pursuant to Section 2.08.

If the principal of any Note is considered paid under Section 4.01, it shall cease to be outstanding and interest thereon shall cease to accrue. If the Paying Agent holds, on any Redemption Date or maturity date, money sufficient to pay all accrued interest and principal with respect to the Notes payable on that date and is not prohibited from paying such money to the Holders thereof pursuant to the terms of this Indenture, then on and after that date such Notes cease to be outstanding and interest on them ceases to accrue.

 

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SECTION 2.10. Treasury Notes .

In determining whether the Holders of the required principal amount of Notes have concurred in any declaration of acceleration or notice of default or direction, waiver or consent or any amendment, modification or other change to this Indenture, Notes owned by the Issuer or any Affiliate of the Issuer shall be disregarded as though they were not outstanding, except that for the purposes of determining whether the Trustee shall be protected in relying on any such direction, waiver or consent or any amendment, modification or other change to this Indenture, only Notes as to which a Responsible Officer of the Trustee has received an Officer’s Certificate stating that such Notes are so owned shall be so disregarded. Notes so owned which have been pledged in good faith shall not be disregarded if the pledgee established to the satisfaction of the Trustee the pledgee’s right so to act with respect to the Notes and that the pledgee is not the Issuer, a Guarantor, any other obligor on the Notes or any of their respective Affiliates.

SECTION 2.11. Temporary Notes .

Until definitive Notes are prepared and ready for delivery, the Issuer may prepare and the Trustee (upon receipt of an Authentication Order from the Issuer) shall authenticate temporary Notes. Temporary Notes shall be substantially in the form of definitive Notes but may have variations that the Issuer considers appropriate for temporary Notes. Without unreasonable delay, the Issuer shall prepare and the Trustee (upon receipt of an Authentication Order from the Issuer) shall authenticate definitive Notes in exchange for temporary Notes. Until such exchange, temporary Notes shall be entitled to the same rights, benefits and privileges as definitive Notes.

SECTION 2.12. Cancellation .

The Issuer at any time may deliver Notes to the Trustee for cancellation. The Registrar and each Paying Agent and Conversion Agent shall forward to the Trustee any Notes surrendered to them for registration of transfer, exchange, conversion or payment. The Trustee and no one else shall cancel all Notes surrendered for registration of transfer, exchange, conversion, payment, replacement or cancellation and shall (subject to the record-retention requirements of the Exchange Act) dispose of such cancelled Notes in its customary manner. The Trustee shall deliver a certificate of such disposal to the Issuer upon its request therefor. The Issuer may not reissue or resell, or issue new Notes to replace, Notes that the Issuer has redeemed or paid, or that have been delivered to the Trustee for cancellation.

SECTION 2.13. Defaulted Interest .

If the Issuer defaults on a payment of interest on the Notes, it shall pay the defaulted interest, plus (to the extent permitted by law) any interest payable on the defaulted interest, in accordance with the terms hereof, to the Persons who are Holders on a subsequent special record date, which date shall be at least five Business Days prior to the payment date. The Issuer shall fix such special record date and payment date in a manner satisfactory to the Trustee. The Issuer shall promptly mail or electronically deliver to each Holder a notice that states the special record date, the payment date and the amount of defaulted interest, and interest payable on defaulted interest, if any, to be paid. The Issuer may make payment of any defaulted interest in any other

 

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lawful manner not inconsistent with the requirements (if applicable) of any securities exchange on which the Notes may be listed and, upon such notice as may be required by such exchange, if, after written notice given by the Issuer to the Trustee of the proposed payment pursuant to this sentence, such manner of payment shall be deemed practicable by the Trustee.

SECTION 2.14. CUSIP Number .

The Issuer in issuing the Notes may use one or more “CUSIP” numbers, ISIN and “Common Code” numbers (in each case if then generally in use), and if so, such CUSIP numbers, ISIN and Common Code numbers shall be included in notices, including notices of redemption or exchange as a convenience to Holders; provided that any such notice may state that no representation is made as to the correctness or accuracy of such number either as printed in the notice or on the Notes, and that reliance may be placed only on the other identification numbers printed on the Notes. The Issuer shall promptly notify the Trustee of any such CUSIP numbers, ISIN and Common Code numbers used by the Issuer in connection with the issuance of the Notes and of any change in the CUSIP numbers, ISIN and Common Code numbers.

SECTION 2.15. Deposit of Moneys .

Prior to 10:00 a.m., New York City time, on each Interest Payment Date, maturity date, Change of Control Payment Date and Collateral Coverage Payment Date, as the case may be, the Issuer shall have deposited with the Paying Agent in immediately available funds money sufficient to make cash payments, if any, due on such Interest Payment Date, maturity date, Change of Control Payment Date and Collateral Coverage Payment Date, as the case may be. The principal and interest on Global Notes shall be payable to the Depository or its nominee, as the case may be, as the sole registered owner and the sole holder of the Global Notes represented thereby in accordance with Applicable Procedures. The principal and interest on Physical Notes shall be payable, either in person or by mail, at the office of the Paying Agent and further in connection with the payment of principal, upon presentment of such Physical Notes at the office of the Paying Agent.

SECTION 2.16. Book-Entry Pr ovisions for Global Notes .

(a) Accredited Investor Notes initially shall be represented by one or more notes in registered, global form without interest coupons (collectively, the “ Global Accredited Investor Notes ”). Regulation S Notes initially shall be represented by one or more notes in registered, global form without interest coupons (collectively, the “ Regulation  S Global Notes ,” and, together with the Global Accredited Investor Notes and any other global notes representing Notes, the “ Global Notes ”). The Global Notes shall bear legends as set forth in Exhibit  D . The Global Notes initially shall (i) be registered in the name of the Depository or the nominee of such Depository, in each case for credit to an account of an Agent Member, (ii) be delivered to the Depository Custodian and (iii) except for Global Accredited Investor Notes issued to, or for the account of, Accredited Investors who have each made a Rule 144 Certification (“ Unrestricted Global Accredited Investor Notes ”), bear the Private Placement Legend with respect to Global Accredited Investor Notes (Global Accredited Investor Notes bearing the Private Placement Legend, “ Restricted Global Accredited Investor Notes ”) and Exhibit  C with respect to Regulation S Global Notes.

 

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Members of, or direct or indirect participants in, the Depository (“ Agent Members ”) shall have no rights under this Indenture with respect to any Global Note held on their behalf by the Depository, or the Depository Custodian, or under the Global Notes, and the Depository may be treated by the Issuer, the Trustee and any agent of the Issuer or the Trustee as the absolute owner of the Global Note for all purposes whatsoever. Notwithstanding the foregoing, nothing herein shall prevent the Issuer, the Trustee or any agent of the Issuer or the Trustee from giving effect to any written certification, proxy or other authorization furnished by the Depository or impair, as between the Depository and its Agent Members, the operation of customary practices governing the exercise of the rights of a Holder of any Note.

(b) Transfers of Global Notes shall be limited to transfers in whole, but not in part, to the Depository, its successors or their respective nominees. Subject to Section 2.16(e), interests of beneficial owners in the Global Notes may be transferred or exchanged for Physical Notes in accordance with the rules and procedures of the Depository and the provisions of Section 2.17. In addition, subject to Section 2.16(e), a Global Note shall be exchangeable for Physical Notes if (i) the Depository (x) notifies the Issuer that it is unwilling or unable to continue as depository for such Global Note and the Issuer thereupon fails to appoint a successor depository within 90 days thereof or (y) has ceased to be a clearing agency registered under the Exchange Act and the Issuer thereupon fails to appoint a successor depository within 90 days thereof or (ii) there shall have occurred and be continuing an Event of Default with respect to the Notes and the Depository shall have requested the issuance of Physical Notes. In all cases, Physical Notes delivered in exchange for any Global Note or beneficial interests therein shall be registered in the names, and issued in any approved denominations, requested by or on behalf of the Depository (in accordance with Applicable Procedures).

(c) In connection with any transfer or exchange of a portion of the beneficial interest in any Global Note to beneficial owners pursuant to paragraph (b), the Registrar shall (if one or more Physical Notes are to be issued) reflect on its books and records the date and a decrease in the principal amount of the Global Note in an amount equal to the principal amount of the beneficial interest in the Global Note to be transferred, and the Issuer shall execute, and the Trustee (upon receipt of an Authentication Order from the Issuer) shall authenticate and make available for delivery, one or more Physical Notes of like tenor and amount.

(d) In connection with the transfer of Global Notes as an entirety to beneficial owners pursuant to paragraph (b), the Global Notes shall be deemed to be surrendered to the Trustee for cancellation, and the Issuer shall execute, and the Trustee (upon receipt of an Authentication Order from the Issuer) shall authenticate and deliver, to each beneficial owner identified by the Depository in writing in exchange for its beneficial interest in the Global Notes, an equal aggregate principal amount of Physical Notes of authorized denominations.

(e) Any Physical Note constituting a Restricted Note delivered in exchange for an interest in a Global Note pursuant to paragraph (b), shall bear the Private Placement Legend or, in the case of the Regulation S Global Note, the legend set forth in Exhibit  C , in each case, unless the Issuer determines otherwise in compliance with applicable law.

 

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(f) On or prior to the expiration of the six-month distribution compliance period as defined in Regulation S (the “ Restricted Period ”), a beneficial interest in a Regulation S Global Note may be transferred to a Person who takes delivery in the form of an interest in the corresponding Regulation S Global Note only upon receipt by the Trustee of a written certification from the transferor to the effect that such transfer is being made (i)(x) to a Person whom the transferor reasonably believes is a Qualified Institutional Buyer in a transaction meeting the requirements of Rule 144A or (y) pursuant to another exemption from the registration requirements under the Securities Act which is accompanied by an Opinion of Counsel reasonably satisfactory to the Issuer and the Trustee regarding the availability of such exemption and (ii) in accordance with all applicable securities laws of any state of the United States or any other jurisdiction. During the Restricted Period, a beneficial interest in the Regulation S Global Note may not be exchanged for a Physical Note

(g) Beneficial interests in a Regulation S Global Note may be transferred to a Person who takes delivery in the form of an interest in the Regulation S Global Note, whether before or after the expiration of the Restricted Period, only if the transferor and, if applicable pursuant to Rule 903 of Regulation S, transferee, first deliver to the Trustee a written certificate to the effect that such transfer is being made in accordance with Rule 903 or 904 of Regulation S or Rule 144 (if available).

(h) Beneficial interests in a Global Accredited Investor Note may be transferred to a Person who takes delivery in the form of an interest in the Regulation S Global Note, whether before or after the expiration of the Restricted Period, only if the transferor first delivers to the Trustee a written certificate to the effect that such transfer is being made in accordance with Rule 903 or 904 of Regulation S or Rule 144 (if available).

(i) Any beneficial interest in one of the Global Notes that is transferred to a Person who takes delivery in the form of an interest in another Global Note shall, upon transfer, cease to be an interest in such Global Note and become an interest in such other Global Note and, accordingly, shall thereafter be subject to all transfer restrictions and other procedures applicable to beneficial interests in such other Global Note for as long as it remains such an interest.

(j) The Holder of any Global Note may grant proxies and otherwise authorize any Person, including Agent Members and Persons that may hold interests through Agent Members, to take any action which a Holder is entitled to take under this Indenture or the Notes.

SECTION 2.17. Special Transfer Provisions .

(a) Transfers Other Than to a QIB Pursuant to Rule 144A . The following provisions shall apply with respect to the registration of any proposed transfer of a Note constituting a Restricted Note other than pursuant to Rule 144A:

(i) the Registrar shall register the transfer of any Note constituting a Restricted Note, whether or not such Note bears the Private Placement Legend, if (x) the requested transfer is after the date such Note shall be freely transferable under Rule 144 as certified in an Officer’s Certificate, provided that no Officer’s Certificate shall be required in respect of Notes issued to Accredited Investors who have each made a Rule 144 Certification, (y) the requested transfer is otherwise in compliance with Rule 144 as certified in an Officer’s Certificate, or (z) (1) in the case of a transfer other than to a QIB

 

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(excluding Non-U.S. Persons) pursuant to Rule 144A, the proposed transferee has delivered to the Registrar a certificate substantially in the form of Exhibit  E hereto and an Opinion of Counsel reasonably satisfactory to the Issuer and the Trustee or (2) in the case of a transfer to a Non-U.S. Person (including a QIB), the proposed transferor has delivered to the Registrar a certificate substantially in the form of Exhibit  F hereto; provided that in the case of any transfer of a Note bearing the Private Placement Legend for a Note not bearing the Private Placement Legend, the Registrar has received an Officer’s Certificate authorizing such transfer; and

(ii) if the proposed transferor is an Agent Member holding a beneficial interest in a Global Note, upon receipt by the Registrar of (x) the certificate, if any, required by paragraph (i) above and (y) instructions given in accordance with the Depository’s and the Registrar’s procedures,

whereupon (a) the Registrar shall reflect on its books and records the date and (if the transfer does not involve a transfer of outstanding Physical Notes) a decrease in the principal amount of a Global Note in an amount equal to the principal amount of the beneficial interest in a Global Note to be transferred, and (b) the Registrar shall reflect on its books and records the date and an increase in the principal amount of a Global Note in an amount equal to the principal amount of the beneficial interest in the Global Note transferred or the Issuer shall execute and the Trustee (upon receipt of an Authentication Order from the Issuer) shall authenticate and make available for delivery one or more Physical Notes of like tenor and amount.

(b) Transfers to QIBs pursuant to Rule 144A . The following provisions shall apply with respect to the registration or any proposed registration of transfer of a Note constituting a Restricted Note to a QIB pursuant to Rule 144A (excluding transfers to Non-U.S. Persons):

(i) the Registrar shall register the transfer if such transfer is being made by a proposed transferor who has checked the box provided for on such Holder’s Note stating, or has otherwise advised the Issuer and the Registrar in writing, that the sale has been made in compliance with the provisions of Rule 144A to a transferee who has signed the certification provided for on such Holder’s Note stating, or has otherwise advised the Issuer and the Registrar in writing, that it is purchasing the Note for its own account or an account with respect to which it exercises sole investment discretion and that it and any such account is a QIB within the meaning of Rule 144A, and is aware that the sale to it is being made in reliance on Rule 144A and acknowledges that it has received such information regarding the Issuer as it has requested pursuant to Rule 144A or has determined not to request such information and that it is aware that the transferor is relying upon its foregoing representations in order to claim the exemption from registration provided by Rule 144A; and

(ii) if the proposed transferee is an Agent Member, and the Notes to be transferred consist of Physical Notes which after transfer are to be evidenced by an interest in the Global Note, upon receipt by the Registrar of instructions given in accordance with the Applicable Procedures, the Registrar shall reflect on its books and records the date and an increase in the principal amount of the Global Note in an amount equal to the principal amount of the Physical Notes to be transferred, and the Trustee shall cancel the Physical Notes so transferred.

 

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(c) Private Placement Legend . Upon the registration of transfer, exchange or replacement of Notes not bearing the Private Placement Legend, the Registrar shall deliver Notes that do not bear the Private Placement Legend. Upon the registration of transfer, exchange or replacement of Notes bearing the Private Placement Legend, the Registrar shall deliver only Notes that bear the Private Placement Legend unless (i) it has received the Officer’s Certificate required by paragraph (a)(i) of this Section 2.17, (ii) there is delivered to the Registrar an Opinion of Counsel reasonably satisfactory to the Issuer and the Trustee to the effect that neither such legend nor the related restrictions on transfer are required in order to maintain compliance with the provisions of the Securities Act or (iii) such Note has been sold pursuant to an effective registration statement under the Securities Act.

(d) General . By its acceptance of any Note bearing the Private Placement Legend, each Holder of such Note acknowledges the restrictions on transfer of such Note set forth in this Indenture and in the Private Placement Legend and agrees that it will transfer such Note only as provided in this Indenture.

The Registrar shall retain for a period of two years or as may otherwise be required by applicable law copies of all letters, notices and other written communications received pursuant to Section 2.16 or this Section 2.17. The Issuer shall have the right to inspect and make copies of all such letters, notices or other written communications at any reasonable time upon the giving of reasonable notice to the Registrar.

SECTION 2.18. Computation of Interest .

Interest on the Notes shall be computed on the basis of a 360-day year of twelve 30-day months.

SECTION 2.19. Contingent Registration Rights . If the Issuer fails to timely file all periodic reports it is required to file pursuant to the Exchange Act, the Issuer will grant customary resale shelf registration rights to certain Holders of at least 25% of the principal amount of Notes outstanding as of the Issue Date, as specified in the following sentence, if as a result of such failure, such Holders are unable to sell their Notes pursuant to Rule 144 of the Exchange Act. Upon receipt of a written request from any Holder of Notes representing that it holds Notes representing at least 25% of the principal amount of Notes outstanding as of the Issue Date and satisfaction of the condition set forth in the preceding sentence, the Issuer will use commercially reasonable best efforts to cause to become effective a shelf registration statement relating to resales of such Notes and to keep that shelf registration statement effective until no securities registered thereunder constitute registrable securities. The Issuer will, in the event of such a shelf registration, provide to each Holder of Notes representing at least 25% of the principal amount of Notes outstanding as of the Issue Date copies of a prospectus, notify each such Holder when the shelf registration statement has become effective and take such other actions as necessary or appropriate to permit resales of the Notes. A Holder of Notes that sells Notes under the shelf registration statement generally will be required to make certain representations to the Issuer to be named as a selling security holder in the related prospectus and

 

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to deliver a prospectus to purchasers, and will be subject to certain of the civil liability provisions under the Securities Act, in connection with those sales. Holders of Notes will also be required to suspend their use of the prospectus included in the shelf registration statement under specified circumstances upon receipt of notice from the Issuer.

ARTICLE THREE

REDEMPTION AND PREPAYMENT

SECTION 3.01. Election to Redeem; Notices to Trustee .

If the Issuer elects to redeem Notes pursuant to Section 3.07, at least 30 days prior to the Redemption Date (unless a shorter notice shall be agreed to in writing by the Trustee) but not more than 60 days before the Redemption Date, except that any such notice to the Trustee may be given to the Trustee more than 60 days prior to a Redemption Date if the notice is issued in connection with a Legal Defeasance or a satisfaction or discharge of this Indenture pursuant to Section 9.01, the Issuer shall notify the Trustee in writing of the Redemption Date, the principal amount of Notes to be redeemed and the redemption price, and deliver to the Trustee an Officer’s Certificate stating that such redemption will comply with the conditions contained in Section 3.07. Notice given to the Trustee pursuant to this Section 3.01 may not be revoked after the time that notice is given to Holders pursuant to Section 3.03. If the redemption price is not known at the time such notice is to be given, the actual redemption price, calculated as described in the terms of the Notes, will be set forth in an Officer’s Certificate of the Issuer delivered to the Trustee no later than two Business Days prior to the Redemption Date.

SECTION 3.02. Selection by Trustee of Notes to Be Redee med .

In the event that less than all of the Notes are to be redeemed pursuant to a redemption made pursuant to Section 3.07, selection of the Notes for redemption shall be made on a pro rata basis, by lot or by such method as the Trustee shall deem fair and appropriate in accordance with Applicable Procedures; provided , however , that no Notes of a principal amount of $2,000 or less shall be redeemed in part. The Trustee shall promptly notify the Issuer of the Notes selected for redemption and, in the case of any Notes selected for partial redemption, the principal amount thereof to be redeemed. The Trustee may select for redemption portions of the principal of the Notes that have denominations larger than $2,000 in whole multiples of $1,000 in excess thereof (or if a PIK Payment has been made, in minimum denominations of $2,000 and any integral multiple of $1.00 in excess thereof). For all purposes of this Indenture unless the context otherwise requires, provisions of this Indenture that apply to Notes called for redemption also apply to portions of Notes called for redemption. The Issuer may acquire Notes by means other than redemption, whether pursuant to an Issuer tender offer, open market purchase or otherwise; provided that such acquisition does not otherwise violate the other terms of this Indenture.

SECTION 3.03. Notice of Redemption .

At least 30 days, and no more than 60 days, before a Redemption Date, the Issuer shall mail by first-class mail or electronically deliver, or cause to be mailed by first-class mail or electronically delivered, a notice of redemption to each Holder of Notes to be redeemed at its last

 

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address as the same appears on the registry books maintained by the Registrar pursuant to Section 2.04, except that redemption notices may be mailed or electronically delivered more than 60 days prior to a Redemption Date if the notice is issued in connection with a defeasance of the Notes or a satisfaction or discharge of this Indenture.

The notice shall identify the Notes to be redeemed (including the CUSIP numbers, ISIN and Common Code numbers, if any thereof) and shall state:

(1) the Redemption Date;

(2) the redemption price and the amount of premium, if any, or manner of computation if not then known, and accrued interest to be paid;

(3) if any Note is being redeemed in part, the portion of the principal amount of such Note to be redeemed and that, after the Redemption Date and upon surrender of such Note, a new Note or Notes in principal amount equal to the unredeemed portion will be issued;

(4) the name and address of the Paying Agent;

(5) that Notes called for redemption must be surrendered to the Paying Agent to collect the redemption price;

(6) that unless the Issuer defaults in making the redemption payment, interest on Notes called for redemption ceases to accrue on and after the Redemption Date;

(7) the provision of Section 3.07, as the case may be, pursuant to which the Notes called for redemption are being redeemed; and

(8) the aggregate principal amount of Notes that are being redeemed.

At the Issuer’s request, the Trustee shall forward the notice of redemption in the Issuer’s name and at the Issuer’s expense; provided that the Trustee has received notice of such request at least 45 days prior to such Redemption Date unless a shorter time is agreed to by the Trustee. In such event, the Issuer shall provide the Trustee with the information required by this Section 3.03.

SECTION 3.04. Effect of Notice of Redemption .

Once the notice of redemption described in Section 3.03 is mailed or electronically delivered, Notes called for redemption become due and payable on the Redemption Date and at the redemption price, including any premium, plus interest accrued to the Redemption Date. Upon surrender to the Paying Agent, such Notes shall be paid at the redemption price, including any premium, plus interest accrued to the Redemption Date; provided that if the Redemption Date is after a regular Record Date and on or prior to the Interest Payment Date, the accrued interest shall be payable to the Holder of the redeemed Notes registered on the relevant Record Date, and provided , further , that if a Redemption Date is a Legal Holiday, payment shall be made on the next succeeding Business Day with the same force and effect as if made on such Redemption Date and no interest shall accrue for the period from such Redemption Date to such succeeding Business Day. Failure to give notice or any defect in the notice to any Holder shall not affect the validity of the notice to any other Holder.

 

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SECTION 3.05. Deposit of Redemption Price .

Prior to any Redemption Date, the Issuer shall deposit with the Paying Agent in immediately available funds money sufficient to pay the redemption price of (including premium, if any) and accrued and unpaid interest to, but not including, the Redemption Date on all outstanding Notes to be redeemed on that Redemption Date.

On and after any Redemption Date, if money sufficient to pay the redemption price of, including premium, if any, and accrued interest on Notes called for redemption shall have been made available in accordance with the preceding paragraph, the Notes called for redemption will cease to accrue interest and the only right of the Holders of such Notes will be to receive payment of the redemption price of and, subject to the first proviso in Section 3.04, accrued and unpaid interest on such Notes to the Redemption Date. If any Note surrendered for redemption shall not be so paid, interest will be paid, from the Redemption Date until such redemption payment is made, on the unpaid principal of the Note and (to the extent permitted by applicable law) any interest not paid on such unpaid principal, in each case, at the rate and in the manner provided in the Notes.

SECTION 3.06. Notes Redeemed in Part .

Upon surrender of a Note that is redeemed in part, the Issuer shall execute and the Trustee (upon receipt of an Authentication Order from the Issuer) shall authenticate for the Holder thereof a new Note equal in principal amount to the unredeemed portion of the Note surrendered.

SECTION 3.07. Optional Redemption .

At any time and from time to time the Issuer may redeem the Notes in whole or in part, at its option, at a redemption price equal to the greater of (1) 100% of the principal amount of the Notes to be redeemed and (2) the sum of the present values of the remaining scheduled payments of principal and interest thereon (excluding interest accrued through the Redemption Date) discounted to the Redemption Date at the Treasury Rate, plus 50 basis points, plus accrued interest thereon to the Redemption Date.

Unless the Issuer defaults in payment of the redemption price, on and after the Redemption Date, interest will cease to accrue on the Notes or portions thereof called for redemption.

SECTION 3.08. Mandatory Redemption .

The Issuer shall not be required to make mandatory redemption or sinking fund payments with respect to the Notes.

 

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ARTICLE FOUR

COVENANTS

SECTION 4.01. Payment of Notes .

The Issuer shall pay the principal of, premium, if any, and interest on the Notes on the dates and in the manner provided in the Notes and this Indenture. An installment of principal or cash interest shall be considered paid on the date it is due if the Trustee or Paying Agent holds as of 10:00 a.m., New York City time, on that date money designated for and sufficient to pay such installment.

Interest payable on the Interest Payment Date of April 15, 2018 will be paid entirely in PIK Interest. In the event that the Issuer determines to pay PIK Interest for any other interest period, then the Issuer will deliver a notice (a “ PIK Notice ”) to the Trustee no later than five (5) Business Days prior to the Record Date with respect to the applicable Interest Payment Date, which notice will state the total amount of interest to be paid on the Interest Payment Date and the amount of such interest to be paid as PIK Interest. The Trustee, on behalf of the Issuer, will promptly deliver a corresponding notice provided by the Issuer to the Holders. PIK Interest will be considered paid on the date due if on such date the Trustee has received (i) with respect to any Global Notes, an Authentication Order to increase the balance of such Global Notes to reflect such PIK Interest and (ii) with respect to any Definitive Notes, PIK Interest Notes duly executed by the Issuer and any applicable notations of guarantee to be endorsed thereon duly executed by each Guarantor together with an Authentication Order requesting the authentication of such PIK Interest Notes by the Trustee. In connection with the payment of PIK Interest in respect of the Notes, the Issuer will, without the consent of Holders (and without regard to any restrictions or limitations set forth under this Article Four), increase the outstanding principal amount of the Global Notes, if any, and issue PIK Interest Notes under this Indenture with respect to any Definitive Notes, if any.

Interest will be payable, at the election of the Issuer, in whole or, to the extent consistent with the procedures of the Depository, in part (i) as cash interest and/or (ii) by increasing the principal amount of the outstanding Global Notes, if any, and by issuing PIK Interest Notes with respect to the Definitive Notes, if any (“ PIK Interest ”). If the Issuer fails to timely make an election with respect to payment of interest on any Interest Payment Date (other than the Interest Payment Date of April 15, 2018), then interest shall be payable on such date in the same form as paid with respect to the immediately preceding Interest Payment Date; provided, that the Issuer shall provide an Authentication Order to the Trustee in accordance with the preceding paragraph on each Interest Payment Date on which the Issuer will pay PIK Interest whether or not the Issuer makes an election to pay PIK Interest with respect to such Interest Payment Date.

The Issuer shall pay interest on overdue principal (including post-petition interest in a proceeding under any Bankruptcy Law), and overdue interest, to the extent lawful, in cash at the rate specified in the Notes.

 

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SECTION 4.02. Reports to Holders .

(a) Whether or not required by the rules and regulations of the Commission, so long as any Notes are outstanding, the Issuer shall file with the Commission (unless the Commission will not accept such filings) and furnish to the Trustee and Holders all quarterly and annual financial information (including a Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations) that would be required to be contained in a filing with the Commission on Forms 10-Q and 10-K if the Notes were registered under the Exchange Act and on or prior to the dates on which such filings with the Commission would be required to be made. Notwithstanding the foregoing, such reports shall not be required to include any financial information required by Rule 3-10 of Regulation S-X.

(b) The Issuer shall deliver to the Trustee a Collateral Coverage Certificate together with each delivery of quarterly or annual financial information required by Section 4.02(a).

(c) The Issuer shall, for so long as any Notes remain outstanding during any period when it is not subject to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act, or otherwise furnishing such information pursuant to Rule 12g3-2(b) of the Exchange Act, furnish to Holders and to prospective investors, upon their request, the information required to be delivered pursuant to clause (d)(4) of Rule 144A.

(d) Notwithstanding the foregoing, if the Issuer is exempt from the requirements of Section 13 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act under Rule 12h-5 of the Exchange Act, the Issuer shall not be required to file such reports and documents with the Commission under Section 13 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act (or any successor provisions thereto) or provide such annual reports and such information, documents and other reports to the Trustee and Holders so long as (i) a direct parent entity that guarantees the Notes files such annual reports and such information, documents and other reports with the Commission, (ii) such parent entity, the Issuer and each Guarantor are in compliance with the requirements set forth in Rule 3-10 of Regulation S-X under the Exchange Act and (iii) the Issuer provides the Trustee and Holders with such annual reports and such information, documents and other reports filed by such parent entity.

(e) Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Issuer shall be deemed to have furnished the reports referred to in Section 4.02(a) to the Trustee and to Holders if the Issuer has filed such reports with the Commission via the EDGAR filing system and such reports are publicly available.

(f) Delivery of reports, information and documents to the Trustee hereunder is for informational purposes only and the Trustee’s receipt of any such reports, information and documents shall not constitute constructive notice of any information contained therein or determinable from information contained therein, including the Issuer’s compliance with any of its covenants hereunder (as to which the Trustee is entitled to rely exclusively on Officer’s Certificates or statements delivered to the Trustee pursuant to Section 4.03).

(g) To the extent applicable, the Issuer shall comply with TIA § 314(a) (it being understood that shall not be applicable at any time at which this Indenture is not required pursuant to the TIA to be qualified under the TIA).

 

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SECTION 4.03. Compliance Certificate .

The Issuer shall deliver to the Trustee, within 120 days after the end of each fiscal year, a written statement that need not comply with Section 13.05 signed by its principal executive officer, principal accounting officer or principal financial officer, stating that:

(a) a review of the activities of the Issuer during such year with regard to its compliance with this Indenture has been made under such officer’s supervision; and

(b) to the best of such officer’s knowledge, based on such review, the Issuer has fulfilled all its obligations under this Indenture throughout such year, or, if there has been a default in the fulfillment of any such obligation, specifying each such default known to such officer and the nature and status thereof, all without regard to grace periods or notice requirements.

SECTION 4.04. Limitations on Liens .

The Issuer shall not, and shall not cause or permit any Restricted Subsidiary to, directly or indirectly, create, incur, assume or permit or suffer to exist any Liens (other than Permitted Liens) of any kind against or upon (i) prior to the occurrence of a Fall-Away Event, the Collateral or any proceeds thereof and (ii) from and after the occurrence of a Fall-Away Event, any property or assets of the Issuer or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries or any proceeds thereof, in each case, to secure indebtedness for borrowed money and whether such assets are owned on the Issue Date or acquired after the Issue Date.

SECTION 4.05. Limitation on Sale and Leaseback Transactions .

(a) The Issuer shall not, and shall not permit any Restricted Subsidiary to, enter into any arrangement with any Person providing for the sale by the Issuer or any Restricted Subsidiary of any property more than 180 days following the Issuer’s or such Restricted Subsidiary’s acquisition of such property, with the intention of taking back a lease of such property (a “ Sale and Leaseback Transaction ”) unless the terms of such sale or transfer have been determined by the Issuer’s Board of Directors to be fair and arm’s-length and either:

(i) within 12 months after the receipt of the proceeds of the sale or transfer, the Issuer or any of its Subsidiaries applies an amount equal to the net proceeds of the sale or transfer to the prepayment or retirement of indebtedness (other than any indebtedness that is subordinated to the Notes); or

(ii) the Issuer or such Restricted Subsidiary would be entitled, at the effective date of the sale or transfer, to incur indebtedness secured by a Lien on such property (and such Attributable Debt shall be deemed to be secured by a Lien on such property) in an amount at least equal to the Attributable Debt in respect of the Sale and Leaseback Transaction pursuant to Section 4.04.

 

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(b) Clause (a) of this Section 4.05 will not apply to any Sale and Leaseback Transaction (i) for a term of not more than three years including renewals; or (ii) between the Issuer and a Subsidiary or between Subsidiaries, provided that the lessor is the Issuer or a wholly owned Subsidiary of the Issuer.

SECTION 4.06. Additional Guarantees .

If, any of the Domestic Subsidiaries of the Issuer becomes a Specified Subsidiary, then the Issuer shall cause such Specified Subsidiary (unless such Specified Subsidiary is already a Guarantor) to:

(a) execute and deliver to the Trustee a supplemental indenture pursuant to which such Specified Subsidiary shall unconditionally guarantee all of the Issuer’s obligations under the Notes and this Indenture and, unless a Fall-Away Event has occurred, enter into joinders to the Security Documents to grant the Collateral Agent a Lien on the assets of such Subsidiary constituting Collateral; and

(b) deliver to the Trustee one or more Opinions of Counsel that, subject to customary qualifications, such supplemental indenture and guarantee (i) have been duly authorized, executed and delivered by such Subsidiary and (ii) constitute valid and legally binding obligations of such Subsidiary, enforceable in accordance with their terms.

SECTION 4.07. Change of Control Offer .

(a) If a Change of Control Triggering Event occurs with respect to the Notes, unless the Issuer has exercised its right to redeem the Notes pursuant to Section 3.07, the Issuer shall commence a Change of Control Offer no later than 30 days following any Change of Control Triggering Event (or at the Issuer’s option, prior to any Change of Control, but after the public announcement of the Change of Control). In the Change of Control Offer, the Issuer shall offer payment in cash equal to 101% of the aggregate principal amount of Notes repurchased plus accrued and unpaid interest, if any, on the Notes repurchased, to the date of purchase (the “ Change of Control Payment ”).

(b) On the Change of Control Payment Date, the Issuer shall, to the extent lawful: (i) accept for payment all Notes or portions of Notes validly tendered pursuant to the Change of Control Offer; (ii) deposit with the Paying Agent an amount equal to the Change of Control Payment in respect of all Notes or portions of Notes validly tendered; and (iii) deliver or cause to be delivered to the Trustee for cancellation the Notes properly accepted together with an Officer’s Certificate stating the aggregate principal amount of Notes or portions of Notes being purchased.

(c) The Issuer shall not be required to make a Change of Control Offer upon the occurrence of a Change of Control Triggering Event if a third party makes such an offer in the manner, at the times and otherwise in compliance with the requirements for an offer made by the Issuer and the third party repurchases all Notes validly tendered and not withdrawn under its offer.

(d) The Issuer shall comply with the requirements of Rule 14e-1 under the Exchange Act and any other securities laws and regulations thereunder to the extent those laws and regulations are applicable in connection with the repurchase of the Notes as a result of a Change

 

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of Control Triggering Event. To the extent that the provisions of any securities laws or regulations conflict with this Section 4.07, the Issuer shall comply with the applicable securities laws and regulations and will not be deemed to have breached the Issuer’s obligations under this Section 4.07 by virtue of such conflicts.

SECTION 4.08. Collateral Coverage Offer .

(a) If prior to the occurrence of a Fall-Away Event, a Collateral Coverage Event occurs, unless the Issuer has exercised its option to redeem such Notes, the Issuer shall make a Collateral Coverage Offer no later than 30 days following any Collateral Coverage Event. In a Collateral Coverage Offer, the Issuer shall offer payment in cash equal to 101% of the aggregate principal amount of Notes repurchased, plus accrued and unpaid interest, if any, on the Notes repurchased to the date of repurchase (a “ Collateral Coverage Event Payment ”).

(b) On the Collateral Coverage Payment Date, the Issuer shall, to the extent lawful:

(i) accept for payment all Notes or portions of Notes properly tendered pursuant to the Collateral Coverage Offer; provided that in the event the aggregate principal amount of Notes validly tendered for purchase in the Collateral Coverage Offer exceeds the Collateral Coverage Required Amount for such Collateral Coverage Offer, the Issuer will, subject to the applicable procedures of the Depository, accept for payment only the Collateral Coverage Required Amount of Notes on a pro rata basis from Holders who have validly tendered their Notes in such Collateral Coverage Offer (subject to rounding such that all remaining Notes are in a minimum principal amount of $2,000 and in whole multiples of $1,000 in excess thereof (or if a PIK Payment has been made, in minimum denominations of $2,000 and any integral multiple of $1.00 in excess thereof));

(ii) deposit with the Paying Agent an amount equal to the Collateral Coverage Event Payment in respect of all Notes or portions of Notes required to be accepted for payment as provided hereunder; and

(iii) deliver or cause to be delivered to the Trustee for cancellation the Notes accepted for purchase together with an Officer’s Certificate stating the aggregate principal amount of Notes or portions of Notes being purchased.

(c) The Issuer shall comply with the requirements of Rule 14e-1 under the Exchange Act, and any other securities laws and regulations thereunder to the extent those laws and regulations are applicable in connection with the repurchase of the Notes as a result of a Collateral Coverage Event. To the extent that the provisions of any such securities laws or regulations conflict with this Section 4.08, the Issuer shall comply with those securities laws and regulations and will not be deemed to have breached the Issuer’s obligations under this Section 4.08 by virtue of any such conflict.

SECTION 4.09. Calculations .

Issuer will be responsible for making calculations called for under the Notes, including but not limited to determination of redemption price, premium, if any, and other amounts payable on the Notes, if any. The Issuer will make the calculations in good faith and, absent

 

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manifest error, its calculations will be final and binding on the Holders of the Notes. The Issuer will provide a schedule of its calculations to the Trustee when applicable, and the Trustee is entitled to rely conclusively on the accuracy of the Issuer’s calculations without independent verification.

SECTION 4.10. Interest Payments on Other Indebtednes s .

If the Issuer elects to pay interest, in whole or in part, on the Notes in the form of PIK Interest, the Issuer shall thereafter also pay (or cause to be paid) not less than (i) a corresponding pro rata portion of the interest due with respect to the Second Lien Term Loan and (ii) all interest due with respect to the Senior Unsecured Convertible Notes in kind, in each case to the fullest extent permitted under the documentation governing such indebtedness, until such time as the Issuer elects to resume paying interest on the Notes in cash in full.

SECTION 4.11. Subsequent Exchanges of Senior Secured Notes, Senior Un secured Notes .

(a) The Issuer will not, and will not cause or permit its Restricted Subsidiaries to, consummate any exchange offer for any of the Senior Secured Notes with newly issued indebtedness secured by Liens on the Collateral with a contractual ranking senior to the Liens securing the Notes.

(b) The Issuer will not issue any indebtedness that is convertible into shares of Common Stock where (1) such indebtedness is issued in an exchange offer for any of the Senior Secured Notes or any of the Senior Unsecured Notes, and (2) the conversion rate with respect to such newly issued indebtedness is more than the Conversion Rate then in effect (after giving effect to any adjustments set forth herein) unless (subject to any requisite approval of the Issuer’s shareholders under the NASDAQ’s listing rules) the Conversion Rate is adjusted to be the same as the conversion rate with respect to such indebtedness.

ARTICLE FIVE

SUCCESSOR CORPORATION

SECTION 5.01. Limitations on Mergers and Sales of Assets .

The Issuer shall not consolidate with or merge into another Person, or sell other than for cash or lease all or substantially all of the Issuer’s assets to another Person, unless:

(a) either the Issuer is the continuing Person or the successor Person (if other than the Issuer) expressly assumes by supplemental indenture the obligations of the Issuer under this Indenture and the Notes;

(b) immediately after the merger, consolidation, sale or lease, no Default shall have occurred and be continuing; and

 

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(c) if the Issuer is not the continuing Person or the successor Person, the Issuer or the continuing Person or the successor Person shall deliver, or cause to be delivered, to the Trustee, an Officer’s Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel, each stating that such transaction or series of transactions and the supplemental indenture with respect thereto comply with this Indenture and that such supplemental indenture constitutes the legal, valid and binding obligation of the continuing Person or the successor Person (subject to customary exceptions).

SECTION 5.02. Successor Person Substituted .

Upon any consolidation or merger, or any transfer of all or substantially all of the properties or assets of the Issuer in accordance with Section 5.01, the successor Person formed by such consolidation or into which the Issuer is merged or to which such transfer is made shall succeed to, and be substituted for, and may exercise every right and power of, the Issuer under this Indenture and the Notes with the same effect as if such successor entity had been named as the Issuer herein and therein, and thereafter the predecessor Person shall be relieved of all obligations and covenants under this Indenture and the Notes, but, in the case of a lease of all or substantially all its assets, the predecessor will not be released from the obligation to pay the principal of and interest on the Notes.

ARTICLE SIX

DEFAULTS AND REMEDIES

SECTION 6.01. Events of Default .

Each of the following is an “ Event of Default ”:

(1) the failure of the Issuer to pay any installment of interest on any Note, when and as the same shall become due and payable, which failure shall have continued unremedied for a period of 30 days;

(2) the failure of the Issuer to pay the principal or premium, if any, on any Note, when and as the same shall become due and payable, whether at maturity as therein expressed, by call for redemption, by declaration as authorized by this Indenture or otherwise;

(3) the failure of the Issuer to observe and perform any other of the covenants or agreements on the part of the Issuer contained in this Indenture (including any indenture supplemental hereto), which failure shall not have been remedied, or without provision for the remedying thereof having been made, for a period of 60 days after the written notice specified below shall have been given;

(4) the entry by a court having jurisdiction in the premises of a decree or order for relief in respect of the Issuer in an involuntary case under the Federal bankruptcy laws, as now or hereafter constituted, or any other applicable Federal or State bankruptcy, insolvency or other similar law now or hereafter in effect, or appointing a receiver, liquidator, assignee, custodian, trustee or sequestrator (or similar official) of the Issuer or for substantially all of its property, or ordering the winding-up or liquidation of the Issuer’s affairs, and such decree or order shall remain unstayed and in effect for a period of 90 consecutive days;

 

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(5) the commencement by the Issuer of a voluntary case under the Federal bankruptcy laws, as now or hereafter constituted, or any other applicable Federal or State bankruptcy, insolvency or other similar law now or hereafter in effect, or the consent by the Issuer to the entry of an order for relief in an involuntary case under any such law, or the consent by the Issuer to the appointment of or taking possession by a receiver, liquidator, assignee, trustee, custodian or sequestrator (or similar official) of the Issuer or for substantially all of its property, or the making by it of an assignment for the benefit of creditors; or

(6) any Lien purported to be created by any Security Document on Collateral with a book value in excess of $100.0 million shall cease to be a valid and enforceable Lien except in accordance with the Security Documents, which failure shall not have been remedied, or without provision for the remedying thereof having been made, for a period of 30 days after the written notice specified below shall have been given.

A Default with respect to Notes under clauses (3) and (6) of this Section 6.01 shall not be an Event of Default until the Trustee (by notice to the Issuer) or the Holders of at least 25% in aggregate principal amount of the outstanding Notes (by notice to the Issuer and the Trustee) gives written notice of the Default to the Issuer and the Issuer does not cure such Default within the time specified in clause (3) or (6) above, as applicable, after receipt of such notice. Such notice must specify the Default, demand that it be remedied and state that such notice is a “Notice of Default.”

SECTION 6.02. Acceleration .

If an Event of Default (other than an Event of Default specified in clause (4) or (5) of Section 6.01), shall have occurred and be continuing, the Trustee or the Holders of at least 25% in aggregate principal amount of the Notes then outstanding may declare all unpaid principal of, and premium, if any, and accrued and unpaid interest on all of the outstanding Notes to be due and payable by notice in writing to the Issuer and the Trustee specifying the respective Event of Default and that it is a “notice of acceleration,” and the same shall become immediately due and payable.

If an Event of Default specified in clause (4) or (5) of Section 6.01 occurs, then all unpaid principal of, and premium, if any, and accrued and unpaid interest on all of the outstanding Notes shall ipso facto become and be immediately due and payable without any declaration or other act on the part of the Trustee or any Holder.

SECTION 6.03. Other Remedies .

If an Event of Default occurs and is continuing, the Trustee may pursue any available remedy by proceeding at law or in equity to collect the payment of principal of, or premium, if any, and interest on the Notes or to enforce the performance of any provision of the Notes or this Indenture and may take any necessary action requested of it as Trustee to settle, compromise, adjust or otherwise conclude any proceedings to which it is a party.

 

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The Trustee may maintain a proceeding even if it does not possess any of the Notes or does not produce any of them in the proceeding. A delay or omission by the Trustee or any Holder in exercising any right or remedy accruing upon an Event of Default shall not impair the right or remedy or constitute a waiver of or acquiescence in the Event of Default. No remedy is exclusive of any other remedy. All available remedies are cumulative to the extent permitted by law.

SECTION 6.04. Waiver or Rescission of Past De faults and Events of Default .

(1) At any time after a declaration of acceleration with respect to the Notes as described in Section 6.02, the Holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the Notes at the time outstanding may rescind and cancel such declaration and its consequences:

(a) if the rescission would not conflict with any judgment or decree;

(b) if all existing Events of Default have been cured or waived except nonpayment of principal or interest that has become due solely because of the acceleration;

(c) to the extent the payment of such interest is lawful, interest on overdue installments of interest and overdue principal, which has become due otherwise than by such declaration of acceleration, has been paid in cash;

(d) if the Issuer has paid the Trustee its reasonable compensation, reimbursed the Trustee for its expenses, disbursements and advances and paid any other amounts due the Trustee under Section 7.01(a); and

(e) in the event of the cure or waiver of an Event of Default of the type described in clause (4) or (5) of Section 6.01, the Trustee shall have received an Officer’s Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel that such Event of Default has been cured or waived.

No such rescission shall affect any subsequent Default or impair any right consequent thereto.

(2) The Holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the Notes issued and then outstanding under this Indenture may waive any existing Default or Event of Default under this Indenture, and its consequences, except (a) a Default described in clause (1) or (2) of Section 6.01 and (b) in respect of a covenant or provision in this Indenture that cannot be modified or amended without the consent of each Holder of an outstanding Note affected thereby.

SECTION 6.05. Contro l by Majority .

Subject to the other provisions of this Indenture and applicable law, the Holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the Notes then outstanding may direct the time, method and place of conducting any proceeding for any remedy available to the Trustee or exercising any trust or power conferred on the Trustee by this Indenture. The Trustee, however, may refuse to follow any direction that conflicts with law or this Indenture or that is unduly prejudicial to the rights of another Holder not taking part in such direction (it being understood the Trustee shall have no obligation to determine whether any such actions or forebearances are

 

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unduly prejudicial to such other Holders), and the Trustee shall have the right to decline to follow any such direction if the Trustee, being advised by counsel, determines that the action so directed may not lawfully be taken or if the Trustee in good faith shall, by a Responsible Officer, determine that the proceedings so directed may result in costs and expenses of the Trustee for which it has no source of payment or recovery or involve it in personal liability to which it does not have indemnity satisfactory to it; provided that the Trustee may take any other action deemed proper by the Trustee which is not inconsistent with such direction.

SECTION 6.06. Limitation on Suits .

No Holder of any Note shall have any right to institute an action, suit or proceeding at law or in equity with respect to this Indenture, or for the execution of any trust hereunder or for the appointment of a receiver or for any other remedy hereunder, in each case with respect to an Event of Default with respect to such Notes, unless (1) such Holder previously shall have given to the Trustee written notice of the occurrence of one or more Events of Default with respect to such Notes; (2) the Holders of at least 25% in aggregate principal amount of the outstanding Notes shall have requested the Trustee in writing to take action in respect of such Event of Default in its own name as Trustee; and (3) such Holder or Holders have offered to the Trustee security and indemnity satisfactory to the Trustee against the costs, expenses and liabilities to be incurred therein or thereby and the Trustee, for 60 days after receipt of such notification, request and offer of security and indemnity, shall have failed to institute any such action, suit or proceeding and no direction inconsistent with such written request has been given to the Trustee during such 60-day period by the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the outstanding Notes, and such notification, request and offer of security and indemnity are hereby declared in every such case to be conditions precedent to any such action, suit or proceeding by any Holder of any Note, it being understood and intended that no one or more of such Holders shall have any right in any manner whatsoever by its or their action to enforce any right hereunder, except in the manner herein provided, and that every action, suit or proceeding at law or in equity shall be instituted, had and maintained in the manner herein provided and for the equal benefit of all Holders of the outstanding Notes; provided , however , that nothing contained in this Indenture or in the Notes shall affect or impair the obligation of the Issuer, which is absolute and unconditional, to pay the principal of (and premium, if any) and (subject to Section 2.13) interest on the Notes to the respective Holders of such Notes at the stated maturity expressed in such Notes, or affect or impair the right, which is also absolute and unconditional, of such Holders to institute suit to enforce any such payment.

SECTION 6.07. No Personal Liability of Directors, Officers, Employees and Stockholders .

No direct or indirect parent, and no past, present or future director, officer, employee, incorporator, member, partner or stockholder of the Issuer, any Subsidiary or any direct or indirect parent (other than the Guarantors pursuant to the Guarantees), as such, will have any liability for any obligations of the Issuer or the Guarantors under the Notes, this Indenture or any Guarantee, or for any claim based on, in respect of, or by reason of, such obligations or their creation. Each Holder by accepting a Note waives and releases all such liability. This waiver and release are part of the consideration for issuance of the Notes and the Guarantees. This waiver may not be effective to waive liabilities under the securities laws.

 

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SECTION 6.08. Rights of Holders to Receive Payment .

Notwithstanding any other provision of this Indenture, the right of any Holder of a Note to receive payment of principal of, or premium, if any, and interest of the Note on or after the respective due dates expressed in the Note, or to bring suit for the enforcement of any such payment on or after such respective dates shall not be impaired or affected without the consent of the Holder.

SECTION 6.09. Collection Suit by Trustee .

If an Event of Default in payment of principal, premium or interest specified in clause (1) or (2) of Section 6.01 occurs and is continuing, the Trustee may recover judgment in its own name and as trustee of an express trust against the Issuer or any Guarantor (or any other obligor on the Notes) for the whole amount of unpaid principal and accrued interest remaining unpaid, together with interest on overdue principal and, to the extent that payment of such interest is lawful, interest on overdue installments of interest, in each case in cash and at the rate set forth in the Notes.

SECTION 6.10. Trustee May File Proofs of Claim .

The Trustee may file such proofs of claim and other papers or documents as may be necessary or advisable in order to have the claims of the Trustee and the Holders allowed in any judicial proceedings relative to the Issuer or any Guarantor (or any other obligor upon the Notes), its creditors or its property and shall be entitled and empowered to collect and receive any monies or other property payable or deliverable on any such claims and to distribute the same after deduction of its charges and expenses to the extent that any such charges and expenses are not paid out of the estate in any such proceedings and any Custodian in any such judicial proceeding is hereby authorized by each Holder to make such payments to the Trustee, and in the event that the Trustee shall consent to the making of such payments directly to the Holders, to pay to the Trustee any amount due to it for the reasonable compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the Trustee, its agents and counsel, and any other amounts due the Trustee under Section 7.01(a). To the extent that the payment of any such compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the Trustee, its agents and counsel, and any other amounts due the Trustee under Section 7.01(a) hereof out of the estate in any such proceeding, shall be denied for any reason, payment of the same shall be secured by a lien on, and shall be paid out of, any and all distributions, dividends, money, securities and other properties that may be distributable in respect of the Issuer’s or Guarantors’ obligations under this Indenture or that the Holders may be entitled to receive in such proceeding whether in liquidation or under any plan of reorganization or arrangement or otherwise.

Nothing herein contained shall be deemed to authorize the Trustee to authorize or consent to or accept or adopt on behalf of any Holder any plan or reorganization, arrangement, adjustment or composition affecting the Notes or the rights of any Holder thereof, or to authorize the Trustee to vote in respect of the claim of any Holder in any such proceedings. The Trustee may, unless prohibited by applicable law, vote for the election of a trustee in bankruptcy or similar person and shall be entitled to participate as a member of any official committee of creditors in the matter as it deems necessary or advisable.

 

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SECTION 6.11. Priorities .

Subject to the terms of the Intercreditor Agreement and the Security Documents, if the Trustee collects any money or property pursuant to this Article Six or from the Collateral Agent pursuant to any Security Document, it shall pay out the money or property in the following order:

First: to the Collateral Agent for amounts due in accordance with the terms of the Security Documents;

Second: to the Trustee for all amounts due to the Trustee under Section 7.01(a);

Third: to Holders for interest accrued on the Notes, ratably, without preference or priority of any kind, according to the amounts due and payable on the Notes for interest;

Fourth: to Holders for principal amounts due and unpaid on the Notes, ratably, without preference or priority of any kind, according to the amounts due and payable on the Notes for principal; and

Fifth: to the Issuer or, if applicable, the Guarantors, as their respective interests may appear.

The Trustee may fix a record date and payment date for any payment to Holders pursuant to this Section 6.11.

SECTION 6.12. Undertaking for Costs .

In any suit for the enforcement of any right or remedy under this Indenture or in any suit against the Trustee for any action taken or omitted by it as Trustee, a court in its discretion may require the filing by any party litigant in the suit of an undertaking to pay the costs of the suit, and the court in its discretion may assess reasonable costs, including reasonable attorneys’ fees and expenses, against any party litigant in the suit, having due regard to the merits and good faith of the claims or defenses made by the party litigant. This Section 6.12 does not apply to a suit by the Trustee, a suit by a Holder pursuant to Section 6.08 or a suit by Holders of more than 10% in principal amount of the Notes then outstanding.

SECTION 6.13. Restoration of Rights and Remedies .

If the Trustee or any Holder has instituted any proceeding to enforce any right or remedy under this Indenture and such proceeding has been discontinued or abandoned for any reason, or has been determined adversely to the Trustee or to such Holder, then and in every case, subject to any determination in such proceeding, the Issuer, the Guarantors, the Trustee and the Holders shall be restored severally and respectively to their former positions hereunder and thereafter all rights and remedies of the Trustee and the Holders shall continue as though no such proceeding had been instituted.

 

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SECTION 6.14. Appointment and Authorization of Wilmington Trust, National Association as Collateral Agent .

(a) Wilmington Trust, National Association is hereby designated and appointed as the Collateral Agent of the Holders and the Trustee under the Security Documents, and is authorized as the Collateral Agent for such Holders and the Trustee to execute and enter into each of the Security Documents and all other instruments relating to the Security Documents and (i) to take action and exercise such powers as are expressly required or permitted hereunder and under the Security Documents and all instruments relating hereto and thereto and (ii) to exercise such powers and perform such duties as are in each case, expressly delegated to the Collateral Agent by the terms hereof and thereof together with such other powers as are reasonably incidental hereto and thereto. The Collateral Agent is an express third party beneficiary of the provisions of this Indenture relating to the rights, powers, trusts, immunities, duties and obligations of the Collateral Agent.

(b) Notwithstanding any provision to the contrary elsewhere in this Indenture or the Security Documents, the Collateral Agent shall not have any duties or responsibilities except those expressly set forth herein or therein or any fiduciary relationship with any Holder, and no implied covenants, functions, responsibilities, duties, obligations or liabilities shall be read into this Indenture or any Security Document or otherwise exist against the Collateral Agent.

(c) The Collateral Agent may consult with counsel of its selection and the advice or opinion of such counsel as to matters of law shall be full and complete authorization and protection from liability in respect of any action taken, omitted or suffered by it hereunder or under the Security Documents in good faith and in accordance with the advice or opinion of such counsel.

ARTICLE SEVEN

TRUSTEE

SECTION 7.01. Acceptance of Trusts upon Specified Conditions .

The Trustee accepts the trusts created by this Indenture upon the terms and conditions hereof, including the following, to all of which the parties hereto and the Holders from time to time of the Notes agree:

(a) Trustee Entitled to Compensation and Expenses . The Trustee shall be entitled to such compensation as is agreed upon in writing for all services rendered by it hereunder (which compensation shall not be limited by any provision of law in regard to the compensation of a trustee of an express trust). Each of the Issuer and the Guarantors agrees to pay such compensation, and all reasonable expenses (including the fees and expenses of Trustee’s counsel and experts), disbursements and advances incurred or made by the Trustee hereunder and under any Security Documents to which the Trustee is a party, promptly on demand from time to time as such services shall be rendered and as such expenses shall be incurred. Each of the Issuer and the Guarantors, jointly and severally, also agrees to indemnify each of the Trustee and any predecessor trustee hereunder for, and to hold it or them harmless against, any loss, liability,

 

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claim, damage or expense incurred without its or their own negligence, bad faith or willful misconduct on its or their part, arising out of or in connection with the acceptance or administration of the trust or trusts hereunder and the performance of its or their duties, as well as the costs and expenses of defending itself or themselves against any claim (whether asserted by the Issuer, a Holder or any other Person) or liability in connection with the exercise or performance of any of its or their powers or duties hereunder or under any Security Documents to which the Trustee is a party. As security for the performance of the obligations of the Issuer and the Guarantors under this subsection (a), the Trustee shall have a lien therefor on any moneys or property held or collected by the Trustee hereunder prior to any rights therein of the Holders. When the Trustee incurs expenses or renders services in connection with an Event of Default specified in clause (4) or (5) of Section 6.01, the expenses (including the reasonable charges and expenses of its counsel and experts) and the compensation for the services are intended to constitute expenses of administration under any applicable Bankruptcy Law. Notwithstanding any provisions of this Indenture to the contrary, the obligations of the Issuer and the Guarantors to indemnify the Trustee under this Section 7.01(a) shall survive any satisfaction and discharge under Article Nine, the termination of this Indenture or the resignation or removal of the Trustee.

(b) Trustee May Act by Agents and Attorneys . The Trustee may execute any of the trusts or powers hereof and perform any duty hereunder either directly or by its agents and attorneys and shall not be responsible for any misconduct or negligence on the part of any agent or attorney appointed with due care by it hereunder.

(c) Trustee Not Responsible for Recitals of Fact . The Trustee shall not be responsible in any manner whatsoever for the correctness of the recitals contained herein or in the Notes (except its certificates of authentication thereon) or the Guarantees, all of which are made by the Issuer solely; and the Trustee shall not be responsible or accountable in any manner whatsoever for or with respect to the validity or execution or sufficiency of this Indenture or of the Notes (except its certificates of authentication thereon) or the Guarantees, and the Trustee makes no representation with respect thereto. The Trustee shall not be accountable for the use or application by the Issuer of any Notes, or the proceeds of any Notes. Neither the Trustee nor the Collateral Agent shall be responsible for or make any representation as to the existence, genuineness, value or protection of any Collateral, for the legality, effectiveness or sufficiency of any Security Document, or for the creation, perfection, priority, sufficiency or protection of any Notes Liens. Neither the Trustee nor the Collateral Agent shall be responsible for filing any financing or continuation statements or recording any documents or instruments in any public office at any time or times or otherwise perfecting or maintaining the perfection of any Lien or security interest in the Collateral.

(d) Trustee May Consult With Counsel . The Trustee may consult with counsel of its selection and, to the extent permitted by Section 7.02, the advice of such counsel or any Opinion of Counsel shall be full and complete authorization and protection in respect of any action taken or suffered to be taken or omitted by the Trustee hereunder in good faith and in reliance on such advice or Opinion of Counsel.

 

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(e) Trustee May Rely Upon Certificate as to Adoption of Resolutions; Requests May Be Evidenced by Officer’s Certificate . The Trustee, to the extent permitted by Section 7.02, may conclusively rely upon the certificate of the secretary or one of the assistant secretaries of the Issuer as to the adoption of any resolution by the Board of Directors or stockholders of the Issuer, and any request, direction, order or demand of the Issuer mentioned herein shall be sufficiently evidenced by, and whenever in the administration of this Indenture the Trustee shall deem it desirable that a matter be proved or established prior to taking, offering or omitting any action hereunder, the Trustee may conclusively rely upon an Officer’s Certificate (unless other evidence in respect thereof be herein specifically prescribed).

(f) Trustee May Become Owner or Pledgee of Notes . The Trustee or any agent of the Trustee, in its individual or any other capacity, may become the owner or pledgee of Notes and, subject to Sections 7.06 and 7.09, may otherwise deal with the Issuer with the same rights it would have had if it were not a Trustee or such agent.

(g) Segregation of Funds . Money held by the Trustee in trust hereunder need not be segregated from other funds except to the extent required by law. The Trustee shall be under no liability for interest on any money received by it hereunder except as otherwise agreed in writing with the Issuer.

(h) Action at Request of or with Consent of Holder Binding on Future Holders . Any action taken by the Trustee pursuant to any provision hereof at the request or with the consent of any Person who at the time is the Holder of Notes shall be conclusive and binding in respect of any such Notes upon all future Holders thereof or of any Notes or other securities that may be issued for or in lieu thereof in whole or in part, whether or not such Note shall have noted thereon the fact that such request or consent had been made or given.

(i) Trustee May Rely on Instruments Believed by It to Be Genuine . Subject to the provisions of Section 7.02, the Trustee may conclusively rely and shall be protected in acting or refraining from acting upon any resolution, certificate, statement, instrument, opinion, report, notice, request, consent, order, approval, bond, debenture or other paper or document (whether in original or facsimile form) believed by it to be genuine and to have been signed or presented by the proper party or parties.

(j) Trustee Need Not Exercise Rights or Powers Unless Indemnified by Holders . Subject to the provisions of Section 7.02, the Trustee shall not be under any obligation to exercise any of the rights or powers vested in it by this Indenture at the request, order or direction of any Holders, pursuant to any provision of this Indenture or any Security Document, unless one or more Holders shall have offered security or indemnity satisfactory to the Trustee against the costs, expenses and liabilities which might be incurred by it in compliance with such request or direction.

(k) Trustee Not Liable for Action Taken or Omitted in Good Faith . Subject to the provisions of Section 7.02, the Trustee shall not be liable for any action taken or omitted by it in good faith and believed by it to be authorized or within its discretion or within the rights or powers conferred upon it by this Indenture.

 

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(l) Trustee Not Bound to Make Investigation . Subject to the provisions of the first paragraph of Section 7.02, the Trustee shall not be bound to make any investigation into the facts or matters stated in any resolution, certificate, statement, instrument, opinion, report, notice, request, consent, order, approval, bond, debenture or other paper or document.

(m) Trustee Not Deemed to Have Knowledge of Default . The Trustee shall not be deemed to have knowledge or notice of any Default or Event of Default unless a Responsible Officer of the Trustee has received written notice thereof, which notice shall refer to this Indenture and be a “notice of default” or “notice of event of default.”

(n) Limitation on Liability . In no event shall the Trustee be responsible or liable for special, indirect, or consequential loss or damage of any kind whatsoever (including, but not limited to, loss of profit) irrespective of whether the Trustee has been advised of the likelihood of such loss or damage and regardless of the form of action.

(o) Agents Protected . The rights, privileges, protections, immunities and benefits given to the Trustee, including, without limitation, its right to be compensated, reimbursed and indemnified, are extended to, and shall be enforceable by, the Trustee in each of its capacities hereunder, and each Agent, custodian and other Person employed to act hereunder.

SECTION 7.02. Duties of Trustee .

(a) If one or more Events of Default shall have happened, then, during the continuance thereof, the Trustee shall exercise such of the rights and powers vested in it by this Indenture, and shall use the same degree of care and skill in their exercise, as a prudent man would exercise or use under the circumstances in the conduct of his own affairs.

(b) Except during the continuance of an Event of Default:

(i) the Trustee undertakes to perform such duties and only such duties as are specifically set out in this Indenture or any Security Document to which the Trustee is a party, and no implied covenants or obligations shall be read into this Indenture or any Security Document against the Trustee, whose duties and obligations shall be determined solely by the express provisions of this Indenture, and

(ii) the Trustee may conclusively rely, as to the truth of the statements and the correctness of the opinions expressed therein, in the absence of bad faith on the part of the Trustee, upon certificates and opinions furnished to it pursuant to the express provisions of this Indenture; but in the case of any such certificates or opinions which, by the provisions of this Indenture, are specifically required to be furnished to the Trustee, the Trustee shall be under a duty to examine the same to determine whether or not they conform to the requirements of this Indenture.

(c) None of the provisions of this Indenture shall be construed as relieving the Trustee from liability for its own negligent action, its own negligent failure to act, its own bad faith or its own willful misconduct, except that:

(i) This subsection (c) shall not be construed to limit the effect of subsection (b) of this Section.

 

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(ii) The Trustee shall not be liable to any Holder or to any other Person for error of judgment made in good faith by a Responsible Officer or Officers of the Trustee, unless it shall be proved that the Trustee was negligent in ascertaining the pertinent facts.

(iii) The Trustee shall not be liable to any Holder or to any other Person with respect to any action taken or omitted to be taken by it in good faith, in accordance with the direction of Holders given as provided in Section 6.05, relating to the time, method and place of conducting any proceeding for any remedy available to it, or any action taken or omitted to be taken by it in good faith in accordance with the direction of the Holders of a majority of the Notes outstanding concerning the exercise of any trust or power conferred upon it by this Indenture.

(iv) None of the provisions of this Indenture shall be construed as requiring the Trustee to expend or risk its own funds or otherwise to incur any financial liability in the performance of any of its duties hereunder or in the exercise of any of its rights or remedies, if it shall have reasonable grounds for believing that repayment of such funds or adequate indemnity against such risk or liability is not reasonably assured to it.

(d) Whether or not therein expressly so provided, every provision of this Indenture relating to the conduct or affecting the liability of or affording protection to the Trustee shall be subject to the provisions of this Section 7.02.

SECTION 7.03. Notice to Holders of Defaults .

Within 90 days after the occurrence thereof, the Trustee shall give to the Holders of the Notes notice of each Default known to the Trustee, unless such Default shall have been cured or waived before the giving of such notice; but, unless such Default be the failure to pay the principal of (or premium, if any) or interest on any of the Notes when and as the same shall become due and payable, the Trustee shall be protected in withholding such notice if and so long as the board of directors, the executive committee or a trust committee of directors or Responsible Officers of the Trustee in good faith determines that the withholding of such notice is in the interests of the Holders of the Notes.

SECTION 7.04. Resignation and Removal of Trustee and Notice Thereof .

The Trustee, or any successor to it hereafter appointed, may at any time resign and be discharged of the trusts hereby created with respect to the Notes by giving to the Issuer notice in writing and by mailing or electronically delivering notice thereof to the Holders of the Notes. Such resignation shall take effect upon the appointment of a successor Trustee by the Issuer and the acceptance of such appointment by such successor Trustee. Any Trustee hereunder may be removed with respect to the Notes at any time by the Holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the outstanding Notes.

Upon its resignation or removal, any Trustee shall be entitled to the payment of reasonable compensation for the services rendered hereunder by such Trustee and to the payment of all reasonable expenses incurred hereunder and all moneys then due to it hereunder. The Trustee’s rights to compensation, reimbursement and indemnification provided in Section 7.01(a) shall survive its resignation or removal.

 

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SECTION 7.05. Qualifications of Trustee .

There shall at all times be a Trustee under this Indenture, and such Trustee shall at all times be a Person organized and doing business under the laws of the United States or of any state thereof, which is authorized under such laws to exercise corporate trust powers and is subject to supervision or examination by federal or state authority and which has a combined capital and surplus, together with its immediate parent, of not less than $25,000,000. For the purposes of this Section 7.05, the combined capital and surplus of any such Trustee shall be deemed to be the combined capital and surplus as set forth in the most recent report of its condition published by such Trustee; provided that such reports are published at least annually, pursuant to law or to the requirements of a federal or state supervising or examining authority. If such Trustee or any successor shall at any time cease to have the qualifications prescribed in this Section 7.05, it shall promptly resign as Trustee hereunder.

SECTION 7.06. Disqualification of Trustee by Reason of Conflicting Interest .

Solely at any time at which this Indenture is required pursuant to the TIA to be qualified under the TIA, if the Trustee has or shall acquire a conflicting interest within the meaning of the Trust Indenture Act, the Trustee shall either eliminate such interest or resign, to the extent and in the manner provided by, and subject to the provisions of, the Trust Indenture Act and this Indenture.

SECTION 7.07. Appointment of Successor Trustee .

In case at any time the Trustee shall resign, or shall be removed, or shall become incapable of acting, or shall be adjudged a bankrupt or insolvent, or if a receiver of the Trustee or of its property shall be appointed, or if any public officer shall take charge or control of the Trustee or of its property of affairs for the purpose of rehabilitation, conservation or liquidation with respect to the Notes, the Issuer shall promptly appoint a successor Trustee. If a successor Trustee does not take office within 30 days after the retiring Trustee resigns, is removed, becomes incapable of acting, is adjudged a bankrupt of insolvent or is taken charge or control of as described in the preceding sentence, a successor Trustee may be appointed by the Holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the outstanding Notes, by an instrument or instruments in writing signed in duplicate by such Holders and filed, one original thereof with the Issuer and the other with the successor Trustee; but, until a successor Trustee shall have been so appointed by the Holders of Notes as herein authorized, the Issuer, or, in case all or substantially all the assets of the Issuer shall be in the possession of one or more Custodians or receivers lawfully appointed, or of trustees in bankruptcy or reorganization proceedings (including a trustee or trustees appointed under the provisions of the Federal bankruptcy laws, as now or hereafter constituted), or of assignees for the benefit of creditors, such receivers, Custodians, trustees or assignees, as the case may be, by an instrument in writing, shall appoint a successor Trustee with respect to the Notes. Subject to the provisions of Sections 7.04, 7.05 and 7.06, upon the appointment as aforesaid of a successor Trustee with respect to the Notes, the Trustee with respect of the Notes shall cease to be Trustee hereunder. After any such appointment (other than by the Holders of Notes) the Person making such appointment shall forthwith cause notice thereof to be mailed or electronically delivered to the Holders of Notes at their addresses as the same shall then appear on the registry of the Notes maintained by the Registrar pursuant to

 

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Section 2.04; but any successor Trustee so appointed shall immediately and without further act be superseded by a successor Trustee appointed by the Holders of Notes in the manner above prescribed, if such appointment be made prior to the expiration of one year from the date of the mailing or electronic delivery of such notice by the Issuer, or by such receivers, trustees or assignees.

If any Trustee shall resign and a successor Trustee shall not have been appointed by the Issuer or by the Holders of the Notes or, if any successor Trustee so appointed shall not have accepted its appointment within 30 days after such appointment shall have been made, the resigning Trustee may apply at the expense of the Issuer to any court of competent jurisdiction for the appointment of a successor Trustee. Such court may thereupon, in any such case, after such notice, if any, as such court may deem proper, appoint a successor Trustee.

Any successor Trustee appointed hereunder shall execute, acknowledge and deliver to its predecessor Trustee and to the Issuer, or to the receivers, trustees, assignees or court appointing it, as the case may be, an instrument accepting such appointment hereunder, and thereupon such successor Trustee, without any further act, deed or conveyance, shall become vested with all the authority, rights, powers, trusts, immunities, duties and obligations of such predecessor Trustee with like effect as if originally named as Trustee hereunder, and such predecessor Trustee, upon payment of its charges, disbursements and other amounts then unpaid, shall thereupon become obligated to pay over, and such successor Trustee shall be entitled to receive, all moneys and properties held by such predecessor Trustee as Trustee hereunder. Nevertheless, on the written request of the Issuer or of the successor Trustee or of the Holders of at least 10% in aggregate principal amount of the outstanding Notes, such predecessor Trustee, upon payment of its said charges, disbursements and other amounts, shall execute and deliver an instrument transferring to such successor Trustee upon the trusts herein expressed all the rights, powers and trusts of such predecessor Trustee and shall assign, transfer and deliver to the successor Trustee all moneys and properties held by such predecessor Trustee; and, upon request of any such successor Trustee, the Issuer shall make, execute, acknowledge and deliver any and all instruments in writing for more fully and effectually vesting in and confirming to such successor Trustee all such authority, rights, powers, trusts, immunities, duties and obligations.

SECTION 7.08. Merger, Conversion or Consolidation of Trustee or Transfer of Its Corporate Trust Business; Authentication of Notes by Successor Trustee .

Any Person into which the Trustee or any successor to it in the trusts created by this Indenture shall be merged or converted, or any Person with which it or any successor to it shall be consolidated, or any Person resulting from any merger, conversion or consolidation to which the Trustee or any such successor to it shall be a party, or any Person to which the Trustee or any successor to it shall sell or otherwise transfer all or substantially all of the corporate trust business of the Trustee, shall be the successor Trustee under this Indenture, without the execution or filing of any paper or any further act on the part of any of the parties hereto. In case at the time such successor to the Trustee shall succeed to the trusts created by this Indenture with respect to the Notes, any of the Notes shall have been authenticated but not delivered, any such successor to the Trustee may adopt the certificate of authentication of any predecessor Trustee, and deliver such Notes so authenticated; and in case at that time any of the Notes shall not have been authenticated, any successor to the Trustee may authenticate such Notes either in the name of any predecessor Trustee hereunder or in the name of the successor Trustee; and in all such cases such certificates shall have the full force which it is anywhere in the Notes or in this Indenture provided that the certificate of the Trustee shall have.

 

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SECTION 7.09. Trustee Required to Account for Amounts Collected as Creditor of the Issuer under Certain Conditions .

Solely at any time at which this Indenture is required pursuant to the TIA to be qualified under the Trust Indenture Act, if and when the Trustee shall be or become a creditor of the Issuer (or any other obligor upon the Notes), the Trustee shall be subject to the provisions of the Trust Indenture Act regarding the collection of claims against the Issuer (or any such other obligor).

SECTION 7.10. Trustee May Rely on Officer s Certificate .

Subject to Section 7.02, and subject to the provisions of Section 13.04 with respect to the certificates required thereby, whenever in the administration of the provisions of this Indenture the Trustee shall deem it necessary or desirable that a matter be proved or established prior to taking, suffering or omitting any action hereunder, such matter (unless other evidence in respect thereof be herein specifically prescribed) may, in the absence of negligence, bad faith or willful misconduct on the part of the Trustee, be deemed to be conclusively proved and established by an Officer’s Certificate with respect thereto delivered to the Trustee, and such Officer’s Certificate, in the absence of negligence, willful misconduct or willful misconduct on the part of the Trustee, shall be full warrant to the Trustee for any action taken, suffered to be taken or omitted by it under the provisions of this Indenture upon the faith thereof.

SECTION 7.11. Reports by Trustee .

(a) Solely at any time at which this Indenture is required pursuant to the TIA to be qualified under the Trust Indenture Act, the Trustee shall transmit to Holders such reports concerning the Trustee and its actions under this Indenture as may be required pursuant to the Trust Indenture Act at the times and in the manner provided pursuant thereto. Solely at any time at which this Indenture is required pursuant to the TIA to be qualified under the Trust Indenture Act, if required by Section 313(a) of the Trust Indenture Act, the Trustee shall, within sixty days after each May 15 following the date of this Indenture, deliver to Holders a brief report, dated as of such May 15, which complies with the provisions of such Section 313(a).

(b) A copy of each such report shall, at the time of such transmission to Holders, be filed by the Trustee with each stock exchange, if any, upon which the Notes are listed, with the Commission and with the Issuer. The Issuer will promptly notify the Trustee when the Notes are listed on any stock exchange and of any delisting thereof.

SECTION 7.12. Collateral Agent .

The rights, privileges, protections, immunities and benefits given to the Trustee on its own behalf (and not on behalf of the Holders), including, without limitation, its right to be compensated, reimbursed and indemnified, are extended to, and shall be enforceable by, the Collateral Agent as if the Collateral Agent were named as the Trustee herein and the Security Documents were named as this Indenture herein.

 

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ARTICLE EIGHT

AMENDMENTS, SUPPLEMENTS AND WAIVERS

SECTION 8.01. Without Consent of Holders .

The Issuer, the Guarantors and the Trustee (or the Collateral Agent, if a party thereto) may amend, waive or supplement this Indenture, the Notes and the Security Documents, without prior notice to or consent of any Holder:

(1) to issue Additional Notes and PIK Interest Notes under this Indenture;

(2) to cure any ambiguity, omission, defect or inconsistency;

(3) to provide for the assumption by a successor of the obligations of the Issuer under this Indenture and the Notes, or provide for the assumption by a successor of the obligations of a Guarantor under this Indenture, in each case, to the extent otherwise permitted under this Indenture;

(4) to comply with requirements of the Commission in order to effect or maintain the qualification of this Indenture under the Trust Indenture Act;

(5) to make any change that would provide any additional rights or benefits to the Holders of Notes or that does not adversely affect the legal rights under this Indenture of any such Holder;

(6) to add additional Guarantees of the Notes or additional assets as Collateral;

(7) to release a Guarantor as provided in Section 10.04;

(8) to allow for the addition of Additional First Lien Obligations and additional Second Lien Obligations under the Security Documents (including by way of entry into an additional Intercreditor Agreement) to the extent not prohibited by this Indenture (including, in the case of Second Lien Obligations that are not secured by the Security Agreement, to enter into conforming modifications to the Intercreditor Agreement or one or more additional intercreditor agreements with any collateral agent for the holders of such obligations providing that the Liens of the Collateral Agent and such other collateral agent on any Collateral shall be pari passu or, to the extent applicable, that the Liens of the Collateral Agent shall be senior to such other collateral agent on any Collateral) and that amounts received in connection with an enforcement of the Liens under the Security Documents or the Liens securing any other Second Lien Obligations (or received in respect of such Liens in any bankruptcy or insolvency proceeding) shall, after payment of expenses of the Collateral Agent and the collateral agent for each other class of Second Lien Obligations, be distributed to the Trustee and the agent(s) for the holders of Second Lien Obligations in accordance with the terms of the Security Documents;

 

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(9) to release Guarantees and/or Collateral as otherwise permitted in this Indenture and the Security Documents;

(10) to evidence and provide for the acceptance of appointment by a successor trustee and/or a successor collateral agent and to add to or change any of the provisions of this Indenture as shall be necessary to provide for or facilitate the administration of the trusts hereunder by more than one trustee;

(11) to provide for uncertificated Notes in addition to, or in place of, certificated Notes; or

(12) to add to the covenants of the Issuer or a Guarantor for the benefit of the Holders of the Notes or to surrender any right or power conferred upon the Issuer or a Guarantor.

SECTION 8.02. With Consent of Holders .

(a) This Indenture, the Notes or the Security Documents may be amended or supplemented by the Issuer, the Guarantors and the Trustee (or the Collateral Agent, if a party thereto) with the consent of the Holders of at least a majority in aggregate principal amount of the Notes then outstanding (including, without limitation, consents obtained in connection with a purchase of, or tender offer or exchange offer for, Notes), and any existing Default under, or compliance with any provision of each of this Indenture or the Notes may be waived (except a Default in respect of the payment of principal or interest on the Notes) with the consent of the Holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the then outstanding Notes (including, without limitation, consents obtained in connection with any purchase of, or tender offer or exchange offer for, Notes).

(b) Without the consent of each Holder affected, an amendment, supplement or waiver of this Indenture may not:

(1) extend the fixed maturity of the Notes,

(2) reduce the rate or extend the time of payment of interest on the Notes,

(3) reduce the principal amount or the premium, if any, of the Notes or reduce the amount of the principal payable on any date,

(4) change the coin or currency in which principal of or any premium or interest on any Notes are payable, or

(5) impair the right to institute suit for the enforcement of any such payment on or after the maturity thereof.

(c) Furthermore, an amendment, supplement or waiver of this Indenture may not:

 

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(1) reduce the percentage of Notes, the consent of the Holders of which is required for any such modification without the consent of the Holders of all Notes then outstanding (including Notes held by Affiliates of the Issuer);

(2) modify without the written consent of the Trustee the rights, duties or immunities of the Trustee; or

(3) except as expressly permitted under this Indenture, (i) release all or substantially all of the Collateral from the Liens securing the Notes or (ii) release one or more Guarantors from their Guarantees (or otherwise limit the liability of one or more Guarantors with respect to their obligations under their Guarantees) if such release or limitation is in respect of substantially all of the value provided by all Guarantors under the Guarantees, in each case without the consent of Holders of at least 75% in aggregate principal amount of the outstanding Notes.

After an amendment, supplement or waiver under this Section 8.02 becomes effective, the Issuer shall mail or electronically deliver to each Holder affected thereby a notice briefly describing the amendment, supplement or waiver.

Upon the written request of the Issuer and upon the receipt by the Trustee of evidence reasonably satisfactory to the Trustee of the consent of the Holders as aforesaid and upon receipt by the Trustee of the documents described in Section 8.06, the Trustee shall join with the Issuer and the Guarantors in the execution of such amended or supplemental indenture unless such amended or supplemental indenture affects the Trustee’s own rights, duties or immunities under this Indenture, in which case the Trustee may, but shall not be obligated to, enter into such amended or supplemental indenture. It shall not be necessary for the consent of the Holders under this Section 8.02 to approve the particular form of any proposed amendment, supplement or waiver, but it shall be sufficient if such consent approves the substance thereof.

SECTION 8.03. Compliance with Trust Indenture Act .

Solely at any time at which this Indenture is required pursuant to the TIA to be qualified under the TIA, every amendment or supplement to this Indenture, the Notes or the Guarantees shall comply with the TIA as then in effect.

SECTION 8.04. Revocation and Effect of Consents .

Until an amendment, supplement, waiver or other action becomes effective, a consent to it by a Holder of a Note is a continuing consent conclusive and binding upon such Holder and every subsequent Holder of the same Note or portion thereof, and of any Note issued upon the transfer thereof or in exchange therefor or in place thereof, even if notation of the consent is not made on any such Note. Any such Holder or subsequent Holder, however, may revoke the consent as to his Note or portion of a Note, if the Trustee receives the written notice of revocation before the date the amendment, supplement, waiver or other action becomes effective.

The Issuer may, but shall not be obligated to, fix a record date for the purpose of determining the Holders entitled to consent to any amendment, supplement, or waiver. If a record date is fixed, then, notwithstanding the preceding paragraph, those Persons who were

 

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Holders at such record date (or their duly designated proxies), and only such Persons, shall be entitled to consent to such amendment, supplement, or waiver or to revoke any consent previously given, whether or not such Persons continue to be Holders after such record date. No such consent shall be valid or effective for more than 120 days after such record date unless the consent of the requisite number of Holders has been obtained.

After an amendment, supplement, waiver or other action becomes effective, it shall bind every Holder.

SECTION 8.05. Notation on or Exchange of Notes .

If an amendment, supplement, or waiver changes the terms of a Note, the Trustee (in accordance with the specific written direction of the Issuer) shall request the Holder of the Note (in accordance with the specific written direction of the Issuer) to deliver it to the Trustee. In such case, the Trustee shall place an appropriate notation on the Note about the changed terms and return it to the Holder. Alternatively, if the Issuer or the Trustee so determines, the Issuer in exchange for the Note shall issue, the Guarantors shall endorse, and the Trustee (upon receipt of an Authentication Order from the Issuer) shall authenticate a new Note that reflects the changed terms. Failure to make the appropriate notation or issue a new Note shall not affect the validity and effect of such amendment, supplement or waiver.

SECTION 8.06. Trustee to Sign Amendments, Etc.

The Trustee or Collateral Agent, as the case may be, shall sign any amendment, supplement or waiver authorized pursuant to this Article Eight if the amendment, supplement or waiver does not adversely affect the rights, duties, liabilities or immunities of the Trustee or the Collateral Agent, respectively. If it does, the Trustee or the Collateral Agent, as the case may be, may, but need not, sign it. No amendment, supplement or waiver shall affect the rights, duties, liabilities or immunities of the Trustee or the Collateral Agent without the express written consent of the Trustee or the Collateral Agent, as applicable. In signing or refusing to sign such amendment, supplement or waiver the Trustee or the Collateral Agent, as the case may be, shall be entitled to receive and shall be fully protected in relying upon an Officer’s Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel each stating, in addition to the matters required by Section 13.04, that such amendment, supplement or waiver is authorized or permitted by this Indenture and all conditions precedent required hereunder to such amendment, supplement or waiver have been satisfied.

ARTICLE NINE

DISCHARGE OF INDENTURE; DEFEASANCE

SECTION 9.01. Discharge of Indenture .

(a) The Issuer may terminate its obligations and the obligations of the Guarantors under the Notes, the Guarantees and this Indenture, except the obligations referred to in the last paragraph of this Section 9.01, if

 

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(1) all Notes that have been authenticated (except lost, stolen or destroyed Notes that have been replaced or paid and Notes for whose payment money has been deposited in trust or segregated and held in trust by the Issuer and thereafter repaid to the Issuer or discharged from such trust) have been delivered to the Trustee for cancellation, or

(2) all Notes not delivered to the Trustee for cancellation otherwise (x) have become due and payable by reason of the mailing or electronic delivery of a notice of redemption or otherwise, (y) will become due and payable by reason of the mailing or electronic delivery of a notice of redemption or otherwise, or may be called for redemption within one year or (z) have been called for redemption pursuant to Section 3.07 and, in any case, the Issuer has irrevocably deposited or caused to be deposited with the Trustee as trust funds, in trust solely for the benefit of the Holders, cash in U.S. Dollars, Government Securities, or a combination thereof, in amounts as will be sufficient (without consideration of any reinvestment of such principal and interest), in the opinion of a nationally recognized firm of independent public accountants expressed in a written certification thereof delivered to the Trustee, to pay and discharge the entire indebtedness on the Notes not theretofore delivered to the Trustee for cancellation for principal, premium, and accrued interest through the date of maturity or redemption,

(b) the Issuer has paid or caused to be paid all sums payable by it under this Indenture,

(c) the Issuer has delivered irrevocable instructions to the Trustee to apply the deposited money or proceeds from Government Securities toward the payment of the Notes at maturity or the Redemption Date, as the case may be, and

(d) the Issuer has delivered to the Trustee and the Collateral Agent an Officer’s Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel each stating that all conditions precedent in the Indenture relating to satisfaction and discharge have been complied with.

Upon request of the Issuer, the Trustee shall acknowledge in writing the discharge of the Issuer’s and the Guarantors’ obligations under the Notes, the Guarantees and this Indenture except for those surviving obligations specified below.

Notwithstanding the satisfaction and discharge of this Indenture, the obligations of the Issuer in Sections 7.01(a), 9.04 and 9.05 shall survive such satisfaction and discharge.

SECTION 9.02. Legal Defeasance .

(a) The Issuer may at its option be discharged from its obligations with respect to the Notes and the Guarantors discharged from their obligations under the Guarantees on the date the conditions set forth in clause (b) of this Section 9.02 are satisfied (hereinafter, “ Legal Defeasance ”). For this purpose, such Legal Defeasance means that the Issuer shall be deemed to have paid and discharged the entire indebtedness represented by the Notes and to have satisfied all its other obligations under such Notes and this Indenture insofar as such Notes are concerned (and the Trustee, at the expense of the Issuer, shall, subject to Section 9.05, execute instruments requested by the Issuer acknowledging the same), except for the following which shall survive until otherwise terminated or discharged hereunder: (A) the rights of Holders to receive solely

 

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from the trust funds described in clause (b) of this Section 9.02 and as more fully set forth in Section 9.04, payments in respect of the principal of, premium and interest on such Notes when such payments are due from the trust referred to in clause (b) of this Section 9.02, (B) the Issuer’s obligations hereunder with respect to such Notes concerning issuing temporary Notes, registration of Notes, mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen Notes and the maintenance of an office or agency for payment and money for security payments held in trust, (C) the rights, powers, trusts, duties, and immunities of the Trustee hereunder (including claims of, or payments to, the Trustee under or pursuant to Section 7.01(a)), and the Issuer’s obligations in connection therewith, and (D) this Article Nine. Subject to compliance with this Article Nine, the Issuer may exercise its option under this Section 9.02 with respect to the Notes notwithstanding the prior exercise of its option under Section 9.03 with respect to the Notes.

(b) The following shall be the conditions to the application of Section 9.02(a) to the outstanding Notes:

(i) the Issuer shall have deposited with the Trustee, in trust, money and/or Government Securities that through the payment of interest and principal in respect thereof in accordance with their terms will provide money in an amount sufficient (without consideration of any reinvestment of such principal and interest), in the opinion of a nationally recognized firm of independent public accountants expressed in a written certification thereof delivered to the Trustee, to pay the principal of, premium, if any, and accrued interest on the Notes on the stated maturity of such payments in accordance with the terms of the Indenture and the Notes;

(ii) the Issuer shall have delivered to the Trustee either (x) an Opinion of Counsel to the effect that the beneficial owners of the Notes will not recognize income, gain or loss for U.S. federal income tax purposes as a result of the exercise of the option of the Issuer under clause (a) of this Section 9.02 and will be subject to U.S. federal income tax on the same amount and in the same manner and at the same times as would have been the case if such deposit, defeasance and discharge had not occurred, which Opinion of Counsel must be based upon (and accompanied by a copy of) a published ruling of the Internal Revenue Service or other change in applicable U.S. federal income tax law after the Issue Date to the same effect or (y) a ruling directed to the Trustee received from the Internal Revenue Service to the same effect as the aforementioned Opinion of Counsel;

(iii) immediately after giving effect to such deposit on a pro forma basis, no Default or Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing on the date of such deposit and such deposit shall not result in a breach or violation of, or constitute a default under, any other material agreement or instrument to which the Issuer or any of its Subsidiaries is a party or by which the Issuer or any of its Subsidiaries is bound; and

(iv) the Issuer delivers to the Trustee an Officer’s Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel each stating that all conditions precedent to such Legal Defeasance have been complied with.

 

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SECTION 9.03. Covenant Defeasance .

(a) At the option of the Issuer, (x) the Issuer and the Guarantors shall be released from their respective obligations under Sections 4.02 (except for obligations mandated by the TIA), 4.03 (except for obligations mandated by the TIA) through 4.09 and 4.11 and (y) clause (3) of Section 6.01 shall no longer apply with respect to the outstanding Notes on and after the date the conditions set forth in clause (b) of this Section 9.03 are satisfied (hereinafter, “ Covenant Defeasance ”). For this purpose, such Covenant Defeasance means that the Issuer and the Guarantors may omit to comply with and shall have no liability in respect of any term, condition or limitation set forth in any such specified Section or portion thereof, whether directly or indirectly by reason of any reference elsewhere herein to any such specified Section or portion thereof or by reason of any reference in any such specified Section or portion thereof to any other provision herein or in any other document, but the remainder of this Indenture and the Notes shall be unaffected thereby.

(b) The following shall be the conditions to the application of Section 9.03(a) to the outstanding Notes:

(i) the deposit with the Trustee, in trust, of U.S. legal tender and/or Government Securities that through the payment of interest and principal in respect thereof in accordance with their terms will provide money in an amount sufficient (without consideration of any reinvestment of such principal and interest), in the opinion of a nationally recognized firm of independent public accountants expressed in a written certification thereof delivered to the Trustee, to pay the principal of, premium, if any, and accrued interest on the Notes on the scheduled maturity of such payments in accordance with the terms of this Indenture and the Notes;

(ii) the delivery by the Issuer to the Trustee of an Opinion of Counsel to the effect that the beneficial owners of the outstanding Notes will not recognize income, gain or loss for U.S. federal income tax purposes as a result of such deposit and defeasance of certain covenants and will be subject to U.S. federal income tax on the same amount and in the same manner and at the same times as would have been the case if such deposit and defeasance had not occurred;

(iii) immediately after giving effect to such deposit on a pro forma basis, no Default or Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing on the date of such deposit and such deposit shall not result in a breach or violation of, or constitute a default under, any other material agreement or instrument to which the Issuer or any of its Subsidiaries is a party or by which the Issuer or any of its Subsidiaries is bound; and

(iv) the Issuer delivers to the Trustee an Officer’s Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel each stating that all conditions precedent to such Covenant Defeasance have been complied with.

 

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SECTION 9.04. Deposited Money and Government Securities to Be Held in Trust; Other Miscellaneous Provisions .

All money and Government Securities (including the proceeds thereof) deposited with the Trustee pursuant to Sections 9.02(b) or 9.03(b) in respect of the outstanding Notes shall be held in trust and applied by the Trustee, in accordance with the provisions of such Notes and this Indenture, to the payment, either directly or through any Paying Agent (including the Issuer acting as Paying Agent), to the Holders of such Notes, of all sums due and to become due thereon in respect of principal, premium, if any, and accrued interest, but such money need not be segregated from other funds except to the extent required by law.

The Issuer and the Guarantors shall (on a joint and several basis) pay and indemnify the Trustee against any tax, fee or other charge imposed on or assessed against the Government Securities deposited pursuant to Section 9.02(b) or 9.03(b) or the principal, premium, if any, and interest received in respect thereof other than any such tax, fee or other charge which by law is for the account of the Holders of the outstanding Notes.

Anything in this Article Nine to the contrary notwithstanding, the Trustee shall deliver or pay to the Issuer from time to time any money or Government Securities held by it as provided in Section 9.02(b) and 9.03(b) which, in the opinion of a nationally recognized firm of independent public accountants expressed in a written certification thereof delivered to the Trustee, are in excess of the amount thereof which would then be required to be deposited to effect an equivalent Legal Defeasance or Covenant Defeasance.

SECTION 9.05. Reinstatement .

If the Trustee or Paying Agent is unable to apply any U.S. Dollars or Government Securities in accordance with Section 9.01, 9.02 or 9.03 by reason of any legal proceeding or by reason of any order or judgment of any court or governmental authority enjoining, restraining or otherwise prohibiting such application, the Issuer’s and each Guarantor’s obligations under this Indenture, the Notes and the Guarantees shall be revived and reinstated as though no deposit had occurred pursuant to this Article Nine until such time as the Trustee or Paying Agent is permitted to apply all such U.S. Dollars or Government Securities in accordance with Section 9.01, 9.02 or 9.03, as the case may be; provided that if the Issuer or the Guarantors have made any payment of principal of, premium, if any, or accrued interest on any Notes because of the reinstatement of their obligations, the Issuer or the Guarantors, as the case may be, shall be subrogated to the rights of the Holders of such Notes to receive such payment from the U.S. Dollars or Government Securities held by the Trustee or Paying Agent.

SECTION 9.06. Moneys Held by Paying Agent .

In connection with the satisfaction and discharge of this Indenture, all moneys then held by any Paying Agent under the provisions of this Indenture shall, upon written demand of the Issuer, be paid to the Trustee, or if sufficient moneys have been deposited pursuant to Section 9.02(b) or 9.03(b), to the Issuer (or, if such moneys had been deposited by the Guarantors, to such Guarantors), and thereupon such Paying Agent shall be released from all further liability with respect to such moneys.

 

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SECTION 9.07. Moneys Held by Trustee .

Subject to applicable law, any moneys deposited with the Trustee or any Paying Agent or then held by the Issuer or the Guarantors in trust for the payment of the principal of, or premium, if any, or interest on any Note that are not applied but remain unclaimed by the Holder of such Note for two years after the date upon which the principal of, or premium, if any, or interest on such Note shall have respectively become due and payable shall be repaid to the Issuer (or, if appropriate, the Guarantors), or if such moneys are then held by the Issuer or the Guarantors in trust, such moneys shall be released from such trust; and the Holder of such Note entitled to receive such payment shall thereafter, as an unsecured general creditor, look only to the Issuer and the Guarantors for the payment thereof, and all liability of the Trustee or such Paying Agent with respect to such trust money shall thereupon cease; provided that the Trustee or any such Paying Agent, before being required to make any such repayment, may, at the expense of the Issuer and the Guarantors, either mail or electronically deliver to each Holder affected, at the address shown in the register of the Notes maintained by the Registrar pursuant to Section 2.06, or cause to be published once a week for two successive weeks, in a newspaper published in the English language, customarily published each Business Day and of general circulation in the City of New York, New York or the United States, a notice that such money remains unclaimed and that, after a date specified therein, which shall not be less than 30 days from the date of such mailing, electronic delivery or publication, any unclaimed balance of such moneys then remaining will be repaid to the Issuer. After payment to the Issuer or the Guarantors or the release of any money held in trust by the Issuer or any Guarantors, as the case may be, Holders entitled to the money must look only to the Issuer and the Guarantors for payment as general unsecured creditors unless applicable abandoned property law designates another Person.

ARTICLE TEN

GUARANTEE OF NOTES

SECTION 10.01. Guarantee .

Subject to the provisions of this Article Ten, each Guarantor, by execution of this Indenture, jointly and severally, unconditionally guarantees to each Holder and to the Trustee and their respective successors and assigns (i) the due and punctual payment of the principal of and interest and premium, if any, on each Note, when and as the same shall become due and payable, whether at maturity, by acceleration, required purchase or otherwise, the due and punctual payment of interest on the overdue principal of and interest on the Notes, to the extent lawful, and the due and punctual payment of all other Obligations of the Issuer to the Holders or the Trustee all in accordance with the terms of such Note and this Indenture, and (ii) in the case of any extension of time of payment or renewal of any Notes or any of such other Obligations, that the same will be promptly paid in full when due or performed in accordance with the terms of the extension or renewal, whether at stated maturity, by acceleration, required purchase or otherwise. Each Guarantor, by execution of this Indenture, agrees that its obligations hereunder shall be absolute and unconditional, irrespective of, and shall be unaffected by, any invalidity, irregularity or unenforceability of any such Note or this Indenture, any failure to enforce the provisions of any such Note or this Indenture, any waiver, modification or indulgence granted to the Issuer or any other Guarantor with respect thereto by the Holder of such Note, or any other circumstances which may otherwise constitute a legal or equitable discharge of a surety or such Guarantor.

 

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Each Guarantor hereby waives diligence, presentment, demand for payment, filing of claims with a court in the event of insolvency or bankruptcy of the Issuer, any right to require a proceeding first against the Issuer, protest or notice with respect to any such Note or the Indebtedness evidenced thereby and all demands whatsoever, and covenants that this Guarantee will not be discharged as to any such Note except by payment in full of the principal thereof and interest thereon. Each Guarantor hereby agrees that, as between such Guarantor, on the one hand, and the Holders and the Trustee, on the other hand, (i) subject to this Article Ten, the maturity of the Obligations guaranteed hereby may be accelerated as provided in Article Six for the purposes of this Guarantee, notwithstanding any stay, injunction or other prohibition preventing such acceleration in respect of the Obligations guaranteed hereby, and (ii) in the event of any declaration of acceleration of such Obligations as provided in Article Six, subject to any rescission thereof pursuant to Section 6.04, such Obligations (whether or not due and payable) shall forthwith become due and payable by each Guarantor for the purpose of this Guarantee.

SECTION 10.02. Execution and Delivery of Notation of Guarantee .

To further evidence the Guarantee set forth in Section 10.01, each Guarantor hereby agrees that a notation of such Guarantee, substantially in the form included in Exhibit  G hereto, shall be endorsed on each Note authenticated and delivered by the Trustee and such Guarantee shall be executed by either manual or facsimile signature of an Officer or an Officer of a general partner or member, as the case may be, of each Guarantor. The validity and enforceability of any Guarantee shall not be affected by the fact that it is not affixed to any particular Note.

Each of the Guarantors hereby agrees that its Guarantee set forth in Section 10.01 shall remain in full force and effect notwithstanding any failure to endorse on each Note a notation of such Guarantee.

If an Officer of a Guarantor (or general partner or member thereof) whose signature is on this Indenture or a notation of Guarantee no longer holds that office at the time the Trustee authenticates the Note on which such Guarantee is endorsed or at any time thereafter, such Guarantor’s Guarantee of such Note shall be valid nevertheless.

The delivery of any Note by the Trustee, after the authentication thereof hereunder, shall constitute due delivery of any Guarantee set forth in this Indenture on behalf of the Guarantor.

SECTION 10.03. Limi tation of Guarantee .

Each Guarantor, the Trustee, and by its acceptance of Notes, each Holder, hereby confirms that it is the intention of all such parties that the Guarantee of such Guarantor not constitute a fraudulent transfer or conveyance for purposes of any Bankruptcy Law, the Uniform Fraudulent Conveyance Act, the Uniform Fraudulent Transfer Act or any similar federal or state law to the extent applicable to any Guarantee. To effectuate the foregoing intention, the Trustee, the Holders and the Guarantors hereby irrevocably agree that the obligations of each Guarantor are limited to the maximum amount as will, after giving effect to all other contingent and fixed liabilities of such Guarantor and after giving effect to any collections from or payments made by

 

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or on behalf of any other Guarantor in respect of the obligations of such other Guarantor under its Guarantee or pursuant to its contribution obligations under this Indenture, result in the obligations of such Guarantor under its Guarantee not constituting a fraudulent conveyance or fraudulent transfer under federal or state law. Each Guarantor that makes a payment or distribution under a Guarantee shall be entitled to a contribution from each other Guarantor in a pro rata amount based on the assets of each Guarantor.

SECTION 10.04. Release of Guarantor .

A Guarantor shall be automatically and unconditionally released from all of its obligations under its Guarantee:

(i) in the event of a sale or other transfer of Equity Interests in such Guarantor or dissolution of such Guarantor in compliance with the terms of this Indenture following which such Guarantor ceases to be a Subsidiary;

(ii) upon such Guarantor ceasing to be a borrower or guarantor under any Credit Agreement; or

(iii) in connection with a discharge of this Indenture pursuant to Section 9.01 or Covenant Defeasance or Legal Defeasance.

and in each such case, the Issuer has delivered to the Trustee an Officer’s Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel, each stating that all conditions precedent herein provided for relating to such transactions have been complied with and that such release is authorized and permitted hereunder.

Upon being provided the Officer’s Certificate and Opinion of Counsel mentioned above, the Trustee shall execute any documents reasonably requested by the Issuer or a Guarantor in order to evidence the release of such Guarantor from its obligations under its Guarantee endorsed on the Notes and under this Article Ten.

SECTION 10.05. Waiver of Subr ogation .

Each Guarantor hereby irrevocably waives any claim or other rights which it may now or hereafter acquire against the Issuer that arise from the existence, payment, performance or enforcement of such Guarantor’s obligations under its Guarantee and this Indenture, including, without limitation, any right of subrogation, reimbursement, exoneration, indemnification, and any right to participate in any claim or remedy of any Holder of Notes against the Issuer, whether or not such claim, remedy or right arises in equity, or under contract, statute or common law, including, without limitation, the right to take or receive from the Issuer, directly or indirectly, in cash or other property or by set-off or in any other manner, payment or Security on account of such claim or other rights. If any amount shall be paid to any Guarantor in violation of the preceding sentence and the Notes shall not have been paid in full, such amount shall have been deemed to have been paid to such Guarantor for the benefit of, and held in trust for the benefit of, the Holders, and shall forthwith be paid to the Trustee for the benefit of such Holders to be credited and applied upon the Notes, whether matured or unmatured, in accordance with the terms of this Indenture. Each Guarantor acknowledges that it will receive direct and indirect benefits from the financing arrangements contemplated by this Indenture and that the waiver set forth in this Section 10.05 is knowingly made in contemplation of such benefits.

 

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ARTICLE ELEVEN

SECURITY

SECTION 11.01. Security Documents; Additional Collateral .

(a) Security Documents . In order to secure the due and punctual payment of the Obligations outstanding under this Indenture, the Notes and the Guarantees, the Issuer, the Guarantors, the Collateral Agent and the other parties thereto have simultaneously with the execution of this Indenture entered or, in accordance with the provisions of this Article Eleven and the provisions of the Security Agreement, will enter into the Security Documents.

(b) The Issuer shall, and shall cause each Guarantor to, and each Guarantor shall, make all filings (including filings of continuation statements and amendments to financing statements that may be necessary to continue the effectiveness of such financing statements) and take all other actions as are necessary or required by the Security Documents to maintain (at the sole cost and expense of the Issuer and its Guarantors) the security interest created by the Security Documents in the Collateral (other than with respect to any Collateral the security interest in which is not required to be perfected under the Security Documents) as a perfected security interest subject only to Permitted Liens.

(c) Additional Collateral . With respect to assets acquired after the Issue Date, the Issuer or applicable Guarantor will take the actions required by the Security Agreement.

SECTION 11.02. Recording, Registration and Opinions .

Solely at any time at which this Indenture is required pursuant to the TIA to be qualified under the TIA, solely to the extent required to comply with TIA § 314(b), the Issuer and each of the Guarantors shall furnish to the Trustee, (a) upon or no later than 30 days following the Issue Date, an Opinion of Counsel stating that this Indenture or the Security Documents or financing statements with respect thereto, as applicable, have been properly recorded and filed so as to make the Notes Liens effective, and reciting the details of such action, and (b) at least 30 days prior to the anniversary of the Issue Date in each year an Opinion of Counsel, dated as of such date, either (i) stating that, in the opinion of such counsel, such action has been taken with respect to the recording, filing, re-recording, and refiling of this Indenture or the Security Documents, as applicable, as are necessary to maintain the Notes Liens under applicable law to the extent required by the Security Documents other than any action as described therein to be taken and such opinion may refer to prior Opinions of Counsel and contain customary qualifications and exceptions and may rely on an Officer’s Certificate of the Issuer or (ii) stating that, in the opinion of such counsel, no such action is necessary to maintain such Notes Liens or security interests.

 

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SECTION 11.03. Releases of Liens on Collateral .

The Liens on the Collateral pursuant to the Security Documents shall automatically and without the need for any further action by any Person be released as to the Notes Obligations:

(a) as to any property, or portion thereof, subject to such Liens which has been taken by eminent domain, condemnation or other similar circumstances;

(b) in whole, upon:

(i) a satisfaction and discharge of this Indenture under Section 9.01 hereof; or

(ii) a Legal Defeasance or Covenant Defeasance of this Indenture under Section 9.02 or Section 9.03, respectively;

(c) as to any property that (i) is sold, transferred or otherwise disposed of by the Issuer or any Guarantor (other than to the Issuer or another Guarantor) in a transaction not prohibited by this Indenture at the time of such transfer or disposition or (ii) is owned or at any time acquired by a Guarantor that has been released from its Guarantee, concurrently with the release of such Guarantee;

(d) in whole or in part, in accordance with the applicable provisions of the Intercreditor Agreement;

(e) in whole or in part, in accordance with Section 8.01 or 8.02; and

(f) in whole, upon the occurrence of a Fall-Away Event.

To the extent applicable, the Issuer shall comply with TIA § 314(a) and, following qualification of this Indenture under the TIA (if required), TIA § 314(d). Any certificate or opinion required by TIA § 314(d) may be made by an Officer of the Issuer except in cases where TIA § 314(d) requires that such certificate or opinion be made by an independent engineer, appraiser or other expert appointed by the Issuer, who shall be approved by the Trustee. For the avoidance of doubt, the requirements of this paragraph shall not be applicable to the extent that the Indenture is not required to be qualified pursuant to the TIA.

SECTION 11.04. Form and Sufficiency of Release .

In the event that any Lien is to be released pursuant to Section 11.03, and the Issuer or such Guarantor requests the Collateral Agent to furnish a written disclaimer, release or quitclaim of any interest in such property under the Security Documents, upon receipt by the Trustee and the Collateral Agent of an Officer’s Certificate and Opinion of Counsel each stating that such release complies with Section 11.03 and specifying the provision in Section 11.03 pursuant to which such release is being made (upon which the Trustee and Collateral Agent may exclusively and conclusively rely), the Collateral Agent shall execute, acknowledge and deliver to the Issuer or such Guarantor such an instrument in the form provided by the Issuer, and providing for release without recourse and shall take such other action as the Issuer or such Guarantor may reasonably request and as necessary to effect such release.

 

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SECTION 11.05. Possession and Use of Collateral .

Subject to the provisions of this Indenture and the Security Documents, the Issuer and the Guarantors shall have the right to remain in possession and retain exclusive control of and to exercise all rights with respect to the Collateral, to freely operate, manage, develop, lease, use, consume and enjoy the Collateral, to alter or repair any Collateral so long as such alterations and repairs do not impair the Lien of the Security Documents thereon, and to collect, receive, use, invest and dispose of the reversions, remainders, interest, rents, lease payments, issues, profits, revenues, proceeds and other income thereof.

SECTION 11.06. Purchaser Protected .

No purchaser or grantee of any property or rights purporting to be released shall be bound to ascertain the authority of the Collateral Agent to execute the release or to inquire as to the existence of any conditions herein prescribed for the exercise of such authority so long as the conditions set forth in Section 11.04 have been satisfied.

SECTION 11.07. Authorization of Actions to Be Taken by the Collateral Agent and Trustee under the Security Documents .

The Holders of Notes agree that the Collateral Agent shall be entitled to the rights, privileges, protections, immunities, indemnities and benefits provided to the Collateral Agent by the Security Documents. Furthermore, each Holder of a Note, by accepting such Note, agrees, acknowledges and consents to the terms (including, but not limited to, waivers, representations and covenants) of and authorizes and directs the Trustee (in each of its capacities) and the Collateral Agent to enter into and perform the Security Documents to which it is a party, respectively, in each of its capacities thereunder. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, each Holder of a Note, by accepting such Note, authorizes and directs the Trustee to execute and deliver the Security Agreement as the representative on behalf of the Holders of the Notes, including to authorize and direct the Collateral Agent to execute and deliver the Intercreditor Agreement.

SECTION 11.08. Authorization of Receipt of Funds by the Trustee under the Security Agreement .

The Trustee is authorized to receive any funds for the benefit of Holders distributed under the Security Documents to the Trustee and to apply such funds as provided in Section 6.11.

SECTION 11.09. Powers Exercisable by Receiver or Collateral Agent .

In case the Collateral shall be in the possession of a receiver or trustee, lawfully appointed, the powers conferred in this Article Eleven upon the Issuer or any Guarantor, as applicable, with respect to the release, sale or other disposition of such property may be exercised by such receiver or trustee, and an instrument signed by such receiver or trustee shall be deemed the equivalent of any similar instrument of the Issuer or any Guarantor, as applicable, or of any officer or officers thereof required by the provisions of this Article Eleven.

 

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ARTICLE TWELVE

CONVERSION

SECTION 12.01. Conversion Rights .

Subject to, and upon compliance with, the provisions of this Article Twelve, each Holder of a Note shall have the right, at such Holder’s option, to convert all or any portion (if the portion to be converted would result in the issuance of at least one whole share of Common Stock upon conversion) of such Note at any time at the Conversion Rate.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, except for any Person who beneficially owned more than 4.9% of the Common Stock immediately prior to the issuance of Notes on the Issue Date, to the extent that any proposed conversion of the Notes by any Holder would result in any Person beneficially owning more than 4.9% of the Common Stock, the Notes will not be convertible at the option of such Holder to such extent.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, except for any Person who directly or indirectly owned (including by virtue of relevant tax attribution rules) more than 9.9% of the vote or value of the Common Stock (as calculated for purposes of Section 871(h)(3) of the Code) immediately prior to the issuance of Notes on the Issue Date, to the extent that any proposed conversion of the Notes by any Holder would result in any non-U.S. Person directly or indirectly owning (including by virtue of relevant tax attribution rules) more than 9.9% of the vote or value of the Common Stock (as calculated for purposes of Section 871(h)(3) of the Code), the Notes will not be convertible at the option of such Holder to such extent.

SECTION 12.02. Conversion Procedures .

(a) General . To exercise the conversion right with respect to a beneficial interest in a Global Note, the owner of such beneficial interest must (i) comply with the Applicable Procedures for converting a beneficial interest in a Global Note, (ii) pay the funds, if any, required by Section 12.02(f) and (iii) pay any taxes or duties if required pursuant to Section 12.02(g).

To exercise the conversion right with respect to any Definitive Note, the Holder of such Definitive Note must (i) complete and manually sign a conversion notice in the form set forth in the Form of Notice of Conversion (the “ Conversion Notice ”) or a facsimile of the Conversion Notice; (ii) deliver such signed and completed Conversion Notice, which is irrevocable, and the definitive Note to the Conversion Agent; (iii) if required, furnish appropriate endorsements and transfer documents; (iv) if required, make any payment required under Section 12.02(f); and (v) if required, pay all transfer or similar governmental charges or duties as set forth in Section 12.02(g).

For any Note, the date on which the Holder of such Note (or Holder of a beneficial interest in a Global Note) satisfies all of the applicable requirements set forth above with respect to such Note shall be the conversion date (the “ Conversion Date ”) with respect to such Note (or beneficial interest).

 

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(b) Holder of Record . Each conversion shall be deemed to have been effected as to any such Notes (or portion thereof) surrendered for conversion at the Close of Business on the applicable Conversion Date; provided , however , the Person in whose name any shares of Common Stock shall be issuable upon conversion, if any, shall be treated as a stockholder of record as of the Close of Business on the Conversion Date. For the avoidance of doubt, until a Holder is deemed to become the holder of record of shares of Common Stock issuable upon conversion of such Holder’s Notes as contemplated in the immediately preceding sentence, such Holder shall not have any rights as a holder of the Common Stock with respect to the shares of Common Stock issuable upon conversion of such Notes. At the Close of Business on the Conversion Date for a Note, the converting Holder shall no longer be the Holder of such Note.

(c) Endorsement . Any Notes surrendered for conversion shall, unless shares of Common Stock issuable on conversion are to be issued in the same name as the registration of such Notes, be duly endorsed by, or be accompanied by instruments of transfer in form satisfactory to the Issuer duly executed by, the Holder or its duly authorized attorney.

(d) Definitive Notes . If any Definitive Notes shall be surrendered for partial conversion, the Issuer shall execute and the Trustee (upon receipt of an Authentication Order from the Issuer) shall authenticate and deliver to the Holder of the Definitive Notes so surrendered, without charge, new Definitive Notes in authorized denominations in an aggregate principal amount equal to the unconverted portion of the surrendered Definitive Notes.

(e) Global Notes . Upon the conversion of a beneficial interest in Global Notes, the Trustee shall make a notation in its records as to the reduction in the principal amount represented thereby. The Issuer shall notify the Trustee in writing of any conversions of Notes effected through any Conversion Agent other than the Trustee.

(f) Interest Due upon Conversion . If a Holder converts a Note after the Close of Business on a Record Date but prior to the Open of Business on the Interest Payment Date corresponding to such Record Date, such Holder must accompany such Note with an amount of cash equal to the amount of interest that will be payable on such Note on the corresponding Interest Payment Date; provided , however , that a Holder need not make such payment (1) if the Conversion Date follows the Record Date immediately preceding the Maturity Date; (2) if the Issuer has specified a redemption date that is after a Record Date and on or prior to the Business Day immediately following the corresponding Interest Payment Date and the relevant Conversion Date occurs after such Record Date and on or prior to such Interest Payment Date; or (3) to the extent of any overdue interest, if any overdue interest exists at the time of conversion with respect to such Notes.

(g) Taxes Due upon Conversion . If a Holder converts a Note, the Issuer will pay any documentary, stamp or similar issue or transfer tax due on the issue of any shares of the Common Stock upon such conversion, unless the tax is due because the Holder requests that any shares be issued in a name other than the Holder’s name, in which case the Holder will pay any such taxes. The Conversion Agent may refuse to deliver the Common Stock to be issued in a name other than such Holder’s name until the Conversion Agent receives a sum sufficient to pay any tax or duty which will be due because such shares are to be issued in a name other than such Holder’s name. Nothing herein shall preclude any tax withholding required by law or regulation.

 

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SECTION 12.03. Settlement upon Conversion .

(a) Settlement . Subject to this Section 12.03 and Sections 12.05 and 12.07 hereof, upon conversion of any Note, the Issuer shall deliver to Holders, in full satisfaction of its conversion obligation under Section 12.01 hereof, in respect of each $1,000 principal amount of Notes being converted, a Settlement Amount.

(i) [Reserved].

(ii) Settlement Amount . The shares of Common Stock in respect of any conversion of Notes (the “ Settlement Amount ”) shall be computed as follows: the Issuer shall deliver to the converting Holder, in respect of each $1,000 principal amount of its Notes being converted, a number of shares of Common Stock equal to the Conversion Rate, rounded down to the nearest whole share pursuant to Section 12.03(b).

(iii) Delivery Obligation . The Issuer shall deliver the Settlement Amount due in respect of its conversion obligation under Section 12.03 hereof, not later than the third Business Day immediately following the relevant Conversion Date.

(b) Fractional Shares . Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Issuer will not issue fractional shares of Common Stock as part of the Settlement Amount due with respect to any converted Note. Instead, if any Settlement Amount includes a fraction of a share of the Common Stock, the number of shares of Common Stock issuable will be rounded down to the nearest whole share.

(c) Conversion of Multiple Notes by a Single Holder . If a Holder surrenders more than one Note for conversion on a single Conversion Date the Issuer will calculate the number of shares of Common Stock due with respect to such Notes as if such Holder had surrendered for conversion one Note having an aggregate principal amount equal to the sum of the principal amounts of each of the Notes surrendered for conversion by such Holder on the same Conversion Date.

(d) Settlement of Accrued Interest and Deemed Payment of Principal . If a Holder converts a Note, the Issuer will not adjust the Conversion Rate to account for any accrued and unpaid interest on such Note, and the Issuer’s delivery or payment of shares of Common Stock into which a Note is convertible will be deemed to satisfy and discharge in full the Issuer’s obligation to pay the principal of, and accrued and unpaid interest, if any, on, such Note to, but excluding, the Conversion Date; provided , however , that subject to Section 12.02(f), if a Holder converts a Note after the Close of Business on a Record Date and prior to the Open of Business on the corresponding Interest Payment Date, the Issuer will still be obligated to pay the interest due on such Interest Payment Date to the Holder of such Note on such Record Date. As a result, except as otherwise provided in the proviso to the immediately preceding sentence, any accrued and unpaid interest with respect to a converted Note will be deemed to be paid in full rather than cancelled, extinguished or forfeited.

 

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(e) Notices . Whenever a Conversion Date occurs with respect to a Note, the Conversion Agent will, as promptly as possible, and in no event later than the Open of Business on the second Business Day immediately following such Conversion Date, deliver to the Issuer and the Trustee notice that a Conversion Date has occurred, which notice will state such Conversion Date, the principal amount of Notes converted on such Conversion Date and the names of the Holders that converted Notes on such Conversion Date.

SECTION 12.04. Common Stock Issued upon Conversion .

(a) The Issuer shall at all times reserve out of its authorized but unissued shares of Common Stock a number of shares of Common Stock sufficient to permit the conversion, in accordance herewith, of all of the then-outstanding Notes.

(b) Any shares of Common Stock delivered upon the conversion of the Notes will be newly issued shares or treasury shares, duly and validly issued, fully paid, nonassessable, free from preemptive rights and free of any lien or adverse claim (except to the extent of any lien or adverse claim created by the action or inaction of the Holder or other Person to whom such shares of Common Stock will be delivered). In addition, the Issuer will comply with all federal and state securities laws regulating the offer and delivery of any shares of Common Stock issuable upon conversion of the Notes. The Issuer will also cause any shares of Common Stock issuable upon conversion of a Note to be listed on whatever stock exchange(s) the Common Stock is listed on the date the converting Holder becomes a record holder of such Common Stock.

(c) If any shares of the Common Stock issued upon conversion will, upon delivery, be “restricted securities” (within the meaning of Rule 144 or any successor provision in effect at such time), except as the Issuer may otherwise determine in compliance with applicable law, such shares of Common Stock (i) will be issued in physical, certificated form; (ii) will not be held in book-entry form through the facilities of the Depository; and (iii) will bear any restrictive legends the Issuer or the Transfer Agent deems necessary to comply with applicable law.

SECTION 12.05. Adjustment of Conversion Rate, Conversion Price .

The Conversion Rate and the Conversion Price shall be subject to adjustment from time to time as follows; provided that if more than one subsection of this Section 12.05 is applicable to a single event, the subsection shall be applied that produces the largest adjustment and no single event shall cause an adjustment under more than one subsection of this Section 12.05 so as to result in duplication:

(a) Stock Splits, Subdivisions, Reclassifications or Combinations . If the Issuer shall (i) declare and pay a dividend or make a distribution on its Common Stock in shares of Common Stock, (ii) subdivide or reclassify the outstanding shares of Common Stock into a greater number of shares, or (iii) combine or reclassify the outstanding shares of Common Stock into a smaller number of shares, the number of Notes Shares at the time of the record date for such dividend or distribution or the effective date of such subdivision, combination or reclassification will be proportionately adjusted so that a Holder of Notes after such date will be entitled, upon conversion of such Notes, to the number of shares of Common Stock that it would have received in respect of the number of Notes Shares it would have owned on account of the Notes had such Notes been converted immediately prior to such date. The Conversion Price in effect immediately prior to the record date for such dividend or distribution or the effective date of such

 

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subdivision, combination or reclassification will be adjusted by multiplying such Conversion Price by the quotient of (x) the number of Notes Shares immediately prior to such adjustment divided by (y) the new number of Notes Shares as determined in accordance with the immediately preceding sentence.

(b) Other Distributions . In case the Issuer shall fix a record date for the making of a distribution to all holders of shares of its Common Stock of securities, evidences of indebtedness, assets, cash, rights or warrants (excluding dividends of its Common Stock and other dividends or distributions referred to in Section 12.05(a)), in each such case, the Conversion Price in effect prior to such record date shall be reduced immediately thereafter or at such later date as the Board of Directors may determine for purposes of the determination of Fair Market Value of the distribution (but in any event not later than 10 Business Days after the first date on which the Common Stock trades regular way on the principal national securities exchange on which the Common Stock is listed or admitted to trading without the right to receive such distribution) to the price determined by multiplying the Conversion Price in effect immediately prior to the reduction by the quotient of (x) the Market Price of the Common Stock on the last Trading Day preceding the first date on which the Common Stock trades regular way on the principal national securities exchange on which the Common Stock is listed or admitted to trading without the right to receive such distribution, minus the amount of cash and/or the Fair Market Value of the securities, evidences of indebtedness, assets, rights or warrants to be so distributed in respect of one share of Common Stock divided by (y) such Market Price on such date specified in clause (x). Such adjustment shall be made successively whenever such a record date is fixed. In such event, the number of Notes Shares shall be increased (and the Conversion Rate increased proportionately) to the number obtained by multiplying the Notes Shares immediately prior to such adjustment by the quotient of (x) the Conversion Price in effect immediately prior to the distribution giving rise to this adjustment divided by (y) the new Conversion Price determined in accordance with the immediately preceding sentence. In the event that such distribution is not so made, the Conversion Price, Conversion Rate and the number of Notes Shares then in effect shall be readjusted, effective as of the date when the Board of Directors determines not to distribute such shares, evidences of indebtedness, assets, rights, cash or warrants, as the case may be, to the Conversion Price, Conversion Rate and the number of Notes Shares that would then be in effect if such record date had not been fixed.

(c) Certain Repurchases of Common Stock . In case the Issuer effects a Pro Rata Repurchase of Common Stock, then the Conversion Price shall be reduced to the price determined by multiplying the Conversion Price in effect immediately prior to the Effective Date of such Pro Rata Repurchase by a fraction of which the numerator shall be (i) the product of (x) the number of shares of Common Stock outstanding immediately prior to such Pro Rata Repurchase and (y) the Market Price of a share of Common Stock on the Trading Day immediately preceding the first public announcement by the Issuer or any of its Affiliates of the intent to effect such Pro Rata Repurchase, minus (ii) the aggregate purchase price of the Pro Rata Repurchase, and of which the denominator shall be the product of (x) the number of shares of Common Stock outstanding immediately prior to such Pro Rata Repurchase minus the number of shares of Common Stock so repurchased and (y) the Market Price per share of Common Stock on the Trading Day immediately preceding the first public announcement by the Issuer of the intent to effect such Pro Rata Repurchase. In such event, the number of Notes Shares shall be increased (and the Conversion Rate increased proportionately) to the number obtained by

 

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multiplying the number of Notes Shares immediately prior to such adjustment by the quotient of (x) the Conversion Price in effect immediately prior to the Pro Rata Repurchase giving rise to this adjustment divided by (y) the new Conversion Price determined in accordance with the immediately preceding sentence. For the avoidance of doubt, no increase to the Conversion Price or decrease in the number of Notes Shares (or Conversion Rate) shall be made pursuant to this Section 12.05(c).

(d) Business Combinations; Reclassifications of Common Stock . In case of any Business Combination or any reclassification of Common Stock (other than a reclassification of Common Stock referred to in Section 12.05(a)), the right of a Holder of a Note to receive shares of Common Stock upon conversion of a Note shall be converted into the right to receive the number and amount of shares of stock or other securities or property (including cash) upon conversion of a Note that the Common Stock issuable upon conversion of such Note immediately prior to such Business Combination or reclassification would have been entitled to receive upon closing of such Business Combination or reclassification.

SECTION 12.06. Responsibility of Trustee and Conversion Agent . Neither the Trustee nor the Conversion Agent has any duty or responsibility to calculate the Conversion Price, Conversion Rate or Notes Shares or to determine when an adjustment under this Article Twelve should be made, how it should be made or what such adjustment should be, but may accept as conclusive evidence of the correctness of any such adjustment, and shall be protected in relying upon, the Officer’s Certificate with respect thereto which the Issuer is obligated to file with the Trustee pursuant to Section 12.07 hereof. Neither the Trustee nor the Conversion Agent makes any representation as to the validity or value of any securities or assets issued upon conversion of Notes, and neither the Trustee nor the Conversion Agent shall be responsible for the failure by the Issuer to comply with any provisions of this Article Twelve.

Neither the Trustee nor the Conversion Agent shall be responsible for any failure of the Issuer to make any cash payment or to issue, transfer or deliver any shares of Common Stock or stock or share certificates or other securities or property upon the surrender of any Note for the purpose of conversion; and neither the Trustee nor the Conversion Agent shall be responsible or liable for any failure of the Issuer to comply with any of the covenants of the Issuer contained in this Article Twelve. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, neither the Trustee nor the Conversion Agent shall be under any responsibility to determine the correctness of any provisions contained in any supplemental indenture entered into, or Officer’s Certificate delivered, in connection with this Article Twelve relating either to the kind or amount of shares of stock or securities or other property or assets (including cash) receivable by Holders upon the conversion of their Notes after any event referred to in Section 12.05 or to any adjustment to be made with respect thereto, but may accept as conclusive evidence of the correctness of any such provisions, and shall be protected in relying upon, the Officer’s Certificate which the Issuer shall be obligated to deliver pursuant to Section 12.07.

SECTION 12.07. Notice of Adjustment . Whenever the Conversion Rate and Conversion Price is adjusted, the Issuer shall promptly mail, cause to be mailed or delivered electronically (if held at DTC) to Holders at the addresses appearing on the Registrar’s books a notice of the adjustment and file with the Trustee an Officer’s Certificate briefly stating the facts requiring the adjustment and the manner of computing it. The certificate shall be conclusive evidence of the correctness of such adjustment.

 

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SECTION 12.08. Mandatory Conversion .

(a) The Issuer may elect at its option to cause all (but not less than all) of the Notes to be mandatorily converted (the “ Mandatory Conversion ”) within 30 days following the end of any 30 consecutive Trading Day period, ending on or after July 2, 2018, during which the volume weighted average trading price of the Common Stock on the NASDAQ Global Select Market (or any successor market thereto) exceeds $10.00 for a period of 20 Trading Days (any such 30 consecutive Trading Day period, a “ Mandatory Conversion Trigger Period ”). The volume-weighted average trading price referenced in the preceding sentence will be calculated by the Issuer and neither the Trustee nor any Conversion Agent or Paying Agent shall have any duty to confirm or verify, or in any case, be responsible for, the Issuer’s calculation.

(b) In order to exercise the Mandatory Conversion pursuant to Section 12.08(a), the Issuer or, at the written request and expense of the Issuer, the Trustee on behalf of the Issuer, shall deliver to each Holder of the Notes a notice (a “ Mandatory Conversion Notice ”) of exercise of the Mandatory Conversion within five Business Days after the end of the Mandatory Conversion Trigger Period (the date such Mandatory Conversion Notice is sent to the Holders in the manner herein provided, the “ Mandatory Conversion Notice Date ”). The Issuer will select the date on which the Notes will be converted pursuant to the Mandatory Conversion, which shall be not more than 30 calendar days after the Mandatory Conversion Trigger Period concludes (such date, the “ Mandatory Conversion Date ”). The Issuer shall also deliver a copy of such Mandatory Conversion Notice to the Trustee concurrently with the delivery thereof to the Holders to the extent that the Trustee does not deliver such Mandatory Conversion Notice on behalf of the Issuer. If such Mandatory Conversion Notice is to be given by the Trustee, the Issuer shall prepare and provide the form and content of such Mandatory Conversion Notice to the Trustee at least three Business Days prior to the date the notice will be delivered to the Holders (or such later date as the Trustee may approve). With respect to Definitive Notes, such delivery shall be by first class mail, and with respect to Global Notes, such delivery shall be pursuant to the Applicable Procedures of the Depository. The Mandatory Conversion Notice, if sent in the manner herein provided, shall be conclusively presumed to have been duly given, whether or not any Holder receives such Mandatory Conversion Notice.

(c) The Mandatory Conversion Notice shall state:

(i) the Mandatory Conversion Notice Date;

(ii) the Mandatory Conversion Trigger Period;

(iii) the aggregate principal amount of Notes to be mandatorily converted;

(iv) the CUSIP number, ISIN and/or “Common Code” number, if any, printed on the Notes being converted;

 

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(v) that no representation is made as to the correctness or accuracy of the CUSIP number or ISIN and/or “Common Code” number, if any, listed in such notice or printed on the Notes;

(vi) the Mandatory Conversion Date;

(vii) the Conversion Rate and Conversion Price then in effect;

(viii) that on and after the Mandatory Conversion Date interest on the Notes to be converted will cease to accrue; and

(ix) the name and address of each Paying Agent and Conversion Agent and the place or places where such Notes are to be surrendered for conversion.

(d) Each Holder of a Note, by the Holder’s acceptance thereof, agrees to take the following actions prior to the Mandatory Conversion Date in respect of its Notes subject to a Mandatory Conversion: (i) if a Definitive Note, surrender the mandatorily converted Note to the Conversion Agent (or in respect of a Global Note, take any actions required for the surrender of a beneficial interest in such Note pursuant to the Applicable Procedures), (ii) furnish appropriate endorsements and transfer documents if required by the Registrar, the Conversion Agent or the Applicable Procedures, (iii) pay any transfer or other tax, if required by Section 12.02(g), (iv) if the Note is a Global Note, complete and deliver to the Depository any required instructions pursuant to the Applicable Procedures and (v) any other action necessary to effectuate the Mandatory Conversion as may be reasonably requested by the Issuer. In the event that a Holder of Notes does not take any of the actions set forth in the immediately preceding sentence prior to the Mandatory Conversion Date, each Holder of a Note, by such Holder’s acceptance thereof, authorizes and directs the Issuer to take any action on such Holder’s behalf to effectuate the Mandatory Conversion and appoints the Issuer such Holder’s attorney-in-fact for any and all such purposes.

(e) The Issuer will deliver to the Holders of Notes, not later than the third Business Day immediately following the Mandatory Conversion Date for such Notes, a number of shares of Common Stock equal to the product of (A)(x) the aggregate principal amount of such Notes to be converted divided by (y) $1,000 and (B) the Conversion Rate in effect on such Conversion Date, rounded down to the nearest whole number. Upon the Mandatory Conversion Date, unless the Issuer defaults in delivering or paying the amounts due pursuant to the foregoing sentence, interest on the Notes or portion of Notes so called for the Mandatory Conversion shall cease to accrue and the Holders thereof shall have no right in respect of such Notes except the right to receive the shares of Common Stock and cash, if any, to which they are entitled pursuant to this Section 12.08. Upon a conversion pursuant to this Section 12.08, the Person in whose name such shares of Common Stock will be registered will become the Holder of record of such shares of Common Stock at the Close of Business on the Mandatory Conversion Date for such Note.

(f) If any of the provisions of this Section 12.08 are inconsistent with applicable law at the time of such Mandatory Conversion, such law shall govern.

 

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ARTICLE THIRTEEN

MISCELLANEOUS

SECTION 13.01. Trust Indenture Act Controls .

Except as otherwise specified herein, if any provision of this Indenture limits, qualifies or conflicts with another provision which is required to be included in this Indenture by the TIA, the required provision shall control. If any provision of this Indenture modifies any TIA provision that may be so modified, such TIA provision shall be deemed to apply to this Indenture as so modified. If any provision of this Indenture excludes any TIA provision that may be so excluded, such TIA provision shall be excluded from this Indenture.

The provisions of TIA §§ 310 through 317 that impose duties on any Person (including the provisions automatically deemed included unless expressly excluded by this Indenture) are a part of and govern this Indenture, whether or not physically contained herein.

This Section 13.01 shall apply solely at any time at which this Indenture is required pursuant to the TIA to be qualified under the TIA.

SECTION 13.02. Notices .

Except for notice or communications to Holders, any notice or communication shall be given in writing and delivered in person, sent by telecopy, delivered electronically, delivered by commercial courier service or mailed by first-class mail, postage prepaid, addressed as follows:

If to the Issuer or any Guarantor:

Sears Holdings Corporation

3333 Beverly Road

Hoffman Estates, Illinois 60179

Facsimile: (847) 286-2055

Attention: Treasurer

copy to:

Wachtell Lipton Rosen & Katz

51 West 52nd Street

New York, New York 10019

Facsimile: (212) 403-2000

Attention: Joshua A. Feltman

 

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If to the Trustee:

Computershare Trust Company, N.A.

Attn.: Corporate Trust Dept. –SEARS

8742 Lucent Boulevard, Suite 225

Highlands Ranch, Colorado 80129

Facsimile No.: 303-262-0608

Email: corporate.trust@computershare.com

All notices and communications shall be deemed to have been duly given: at the time delivered by hand, if personally delivered; five Business Days after being deposited in the mail, postage prepaid, if mailed; when receipt acknowledged, if telecopied; at the time delivered, if delivered electronically; and the next Business Day after timely delivery to the courier, if sent by overnight air courier guaranteeing next day delivery. If a notice or communication is mailed in the manner provided above within the time prescribed, it is duly given, whether or not the addressee receives it. Any notice or communication to a Holder may be mailed or electronically delivered.

The Issuer, the Guarantors or the Trustee by written notice to the others may designate additional or different addresses for subsequent notices or communications.

In case by reason of the suspension of regular mail service, or by reason of any other cause, it shall be impossible to mail any notice or communication as required by this Indenture, then such method of notification as shall be made with the approval of the Trustee shall constitute a sufficient mailing of such notice.

SECTION 13.03. Communications by Holders with Other Holders .

Holders may communicate pursuant to TIA § 312(b) with other Holders with respect to their rights under this Indenture or the Notes. The Issuer, the Guarantors, the Trustee, the Registrar and anyone else shall have the protection of TIA § 312(c).

SECTION 13.04. Certificat e and Opinion as to Conditions Precedent .

Upon any request or application by the Issuer or any Guarantor to the Trustee to take any action or refrain from taking any action under this Indenture or any Security Document to which the Trustee is a party, the Issuer shall furnish to the Trustee:

(1) an Officer’s Certificate in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Trustee (which shall include the statements set forth in Section 13.05) stating that, in the opinion of the signer, all conditions precedent, if any, provided for in this Indenture and such Security Document, as applicable, relating to the proposed action have been complied with; and

(2) an Opinion of Counsel in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Trustee (which shall include the statements set forth in Section 13.05) stating that, in the opinion of such counsel, all such conditions precedent, if any, provided for in this Indenture and such Security Document, as applicable, relating to the proposed action have been complied with.

 

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SECTION 13.05. Statements Required in Certificate and Opinion .

Each certificate and opinion with respect to compliance by or on behalf of the Issuer or any Guarantor with a condition or covenant provided for in this Indenture or any Security Document, as applicable, shall include:

(1) a statement that each individual making such certificate or opinion has read such condition or covenant;

(2) a brief statement as to the nature and scope of the examination or investigation upon which the statements or opinions contained in such certificate or opinion are based;

(3) a statement that, in the opinion of each such individual, he has made such examination or investigation as is necessary to enable him to express an informed opinion as to whether or not such condition or covenant has been complied with; and

(4) a statement as to whether or not, in the opinion of each such individual, such condition or covenant has been complied with; provided that, with respect to matters of fact, legal counsel delivering such Opinion of Counsel may rely on an Officer’s Certificate or certificates of public officials.

SECTION 13.06. Rules by Trustee and Agents .

The Trustee may make reasonable rules for action by or meetings of Holders. The Registrar and Paying Agent may make reasonable rules for their functions.

SECTION 13.07. Business Days; Legal Holidays .

A “ Business Day ” is a day that is not a Legal Holiday. A “ Legal Holiday ” is a Saturday, a Sunday or other day on which (i) the Trustee or commercial banks in the City of New York are authorized or required by law to close or (ii) the New York Stock Exchange is not open for trading. If a payment date is a Legal Holiday, payment may be made at that place on the next succeeding day that is not a Legal Holiday with the same force and effect as if made on such payment date, and no interest shall accrue for the intervening period.

SECTION 13.08. Governing Law .

THIS INDENTURE, THE GUARANTEES AND THE NOTES SHALL BE GOVERNED BY AND CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, BUT WITHOUT GIVING EFFECT TO APPLICABLE PRINCIPLES OF CONFLICTS OF LAW TO THE EXTENT THAT THE APPLICATION OF THE LAW OF ANOTHER JURISDICTION WOULD BE REQUIRED THEREBY. EACH OF THE PARTIES HERETO HEREBY IRREVOCABLY SUBMITS TO THE EXCLUSIVE JURISDICTION OF ANY NEW YORK STATE COURT SITTING IN THE BOROUGH OF

 

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MANHATTAN IN THE CITY OF NEW YORK OR ANY FEDERAL COURT SITTING IN THE BOROUGH OF MANHATTAN IN THE CITY OF NEW YORK IN RESPECT OF ANY SUIT, ACTION OR PROCEEDING ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THIS INDENTURE, THE GUARANTEES AND THE NOTES, AND IRREVOCABLY ACCEPTS FOR ITSELF AND IN RESPECT OF ITS PROPERTY, GENERALLY AND UNCONDITIONALLY, EXCLUSIVE JURISDICTION OF THE AFORESAID COURTS. EACH OF THE PARTIES HERETO IRREVOCABLY WAIVES, TO THE FULLEST EXTENT THAT IT MAY EFFECTIVELY DO SO UNDER APPLICABLE LAW, TRIAL BY JURY AND ANY OBJECTION WHICH IT MAY NOW OR HEREAFTER HAVE TO THE LAYING OF THE VENUE OF ANY SUCH SUIT, ACTION OR PROCEEDING BROUGHT IN ANY SUCH COURT AND ANY CLAIM THAT ANY SUCH SUIT, ACTION OR PROCEEDING BROUGHT IN ANY SUCH COURT HAS BEEN BROUGHT IN AN INCONVENIENT FORUM. NOTHING HEREIN SHALL AFFECT THE RIGHT OF ANY PARTY HERETO TO SERVE PROCESS IN ANY OTHER MANNER PERMITTED BY LAW OR TO COMMENCE LEGAL PROCEEDINGS OR OTHERWISE PROCEED AGAINST ANY OTHER PARTY HERETO IN ANY OTHER JURISDICTION. CERTAIN MORTGAGES AND OTHER SECURITY DOCUMENTS WILL BE GOVERNED BY THE LAWS OF OTHER STATES.

SECTION 13.09. No Adverse Interpretation of Other Agreements .

This Indenture may not be used to interpret another indenture, loan, security or debt agreement of the Issuer or any Subsidiary thereof. No such indenture, loan, security or debt agreement may be used to interpret this Indenture.

SECTION 13.10. Success ors .

All agreements of the Issuer and the Guarantors in this Indenture and the Notes shall bind their respective successors. All agreements of the Trustee, any additional trustee and any Paying Agents in this Indenture shall bind their respective successors.

SECTION 13.11. Multiple Counterparts .

The parties may sign multiple counterparts of this Indenture. Each signed counterpart shall be deemed an original, but all of them together represent one and the same agreement.

SECTION 13.12. Table of Contents, Headings, Etc.

The table of contents, cross-reference sheet and headings of the Articles and Sections of this Indenture have been inserted for convenience of reference only, are not to be considered a part hereof, and shall in no way modify or restrict any of the terms or provisions hereof.

SECTION 13.13. Separability .

Each provision of this Indenture shall be considered separable and if for any reason any provision which is not essential to the effectuation of the basic purpose of this Indenture or the Notes shall be invalid, illegal or unenforceable, the validity, legality and enforceability of the remaining provisions shall not in any way be affected or impaired thereby.

 

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SECTION 13.14. Waiver of Jury Trial .

EACH OF THE ISSUER, GUARANTORS AND THE TRUSTEE 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 INDENTURE, THE NOTES, THE GUARANTEES OR THE TRANSACTIONS CONTEMPLATED HEREBY.

SECTION 13.15. Force Majeure .

In no event shall the Trustee be responsible or liable for any failure or delay in the performance of its obligations hereunder arising out of or caused by, directly or indirectly, forces beyond its control, including, without limitation, strikes, work stoppages, accidents, acts of war or terrorism, civil or military disturbances, nuclear or natural catastrophes or acts of God, and interruptions, loss or malfunctions of utilities, communications or computer (software and hardware) services; it being understood that the Trustee shall use reasonable efforts which are consistent with accepted practices in the banking industry to resume performance as soon as practicable under the circumstances.

SECTION 13.16. Intercreditor Agreement .

This Indenture, the Notes, the Security Documents, the Trustee, the Collateral Agent and the Holders are subject to and bound by the terms of the Intercreditor Agreement.

[ Signature Pages Follow ]

 

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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have caused this Indenture to be duly executed all as of the date and year first written above.

 

SEARS HOLDINGS CORPORATION, as Issuer
By:  

/s/ Robert A. Riecker

  Name: Robert A. Riecker
  Title: Chief Financial Officer
CALIFORNIA BUILDER APPLIANCES, INC.
FLORIDA BUILDER APPLIANCES, INC.
KMART CORPORATION
KMART HOLDING CORPORATION
KMART OPERATIONS LLC
SEARS OPERATIONS LLC
SEARS, ROEBUCK AND CO.,
as Guarantors
By:  

/s/ Robert A. Riecker

  Name: Robert A. Riecker
  Title: Chief Financial Officer
SEARS HOLDINGS MANAGEMENT CORPORATION
SEARS HOME IMPROVEMENT PRODUCTS, INC.,
as Guarantors
By:  

/s/ Robert A. Riecker

  Name: Robert A. Riecker
  Title: President
SEARS ROEBUCK ACCEPTANCE CORP.
as Guarantor
By:  

/s/ Robert A. Riecker

  Name: Robert A. Riecker
  Title: Vice President, Finance

 

Signature Page to Indenture


A&E FACTORY SERVICE, LLC
A&E HOME DELIVERY, LLC
A&E LAWN & GARDEN, LLC
A&E SIGNATURE SERVICE, LLC
KLC, INC.
KMART OF MICHIGAN, INC.
PRIVATE BRANDS, LTD.
SEARS BRANDS MANAGEMENT CORPORATION
SEARS PROTECTION COMPANY
SEARS PROTECTION COMPANY (FLORIDA), L.L.C.
SEARS, ROEBUCK DE PUERTO RICO, INC.
SOE, INC.
STARWEST, LLC,
as Guarantors
By:  

/s/ Robert A. Riecker

  Name: Robert A. Riecker
  Title: Vice President
KMART.COM LLC, as Guarantor
By: Bluelight.com, Inc., its Member
By:  

/s/ Robert A. Riecker

  Name: Robert A. Riecker
  Title: Vice President
KMART OF WASHINGTON LLC
KMART STORES OF ILLINOIS LLC
KMART STORES OF TEXAS LLC
MYGOFER LLC, as Guarantors
By: Kmart Corporation, its Member
By:  

/s/ Robert A. Riecker

  Name: Robert A. Riecker
  Title: Chief Financial Officer

 

Signature Page to Indenture


COMPUTERSHARE TRUST COMPANY, N.A.,
as Trustee
By:  

/s/ Michael A. Smith

  Name: Michael A. Smith
  Title: Trust Officer

 

Signature Page to Indenture


SCHEDULE A

LIST OF GUARANTORS

A&E Factory Service, LLC

A&E Home Delivery, LLC

A&E Lawn & Garden, LLC

A&E Signature Service, LLC

California Builder Appliances, Inc.

Florida Builder Appliances, Inc.

KLC, Inc

Kmart Corporation

Kmart Holding Corporation

Kmart of Michigan, Inc.

Kmart of Washington LLC

Kmart Operations LLC

Kmart Stores of Illinois LLC

Kmart Stores of Texas LLC

Kmart.com LLC (f/k/a Bluelight.com LLC)

MyGofer LLC

Private Brands, Ltd.

Sears Brands Management Corporation (f/k/a Sears International Marketing, Inc.)

Sears Holdings Management Corporation

Sears Home Improvement Products, Inc.

Sears Operations LLC

Sears Protection Company

Sears Protection Company (Florida), L.L.C.

Sears Roebuck Acceptance Corp.

Sears, Roebuck and Co.

Sears, Roebuck de Puerto Rico, Inc.

SOE, Inc. (f/k/a SOE, LLC)

StarWest, LLC


EXHIBIT A

 

CUSIP:    No.                        
ISIN:   

SEARS HOLDINGS CORPORATION

Initial Principal Amount $[         ]

6 5 / 8 % SENIOR SECURED CONVERTIBLE PIK TOGGLE NOTES DUE 2019

SEARS HOLDINGS CORPORATION, a Delaware corporation, promises to pay to [____________] [CEDE & CO.] 1 , or registered assigns, the principal sum [of ___________ Dollars] [set forth on the Schedule of Increases or Decreases in the Global Note attached hereto] 2 on October 15, 2019.

Interest Payment Dates: April 15 and October 15.

Record Dates: April 1 and October 1.

Reference is made to the further provisions of this Note contained herein, which will for all purposes have the same effect as if set forth at this place.

 

 

1   Use Schedule of Increases or Decreases if Global Note.
2   Use Schedule of Increases or Decreases if Global Note.

 

A-1


IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Issuer has caused this Note to be signed manually or by facsimile by its duly authorized officer.

 

SEARS HOLDINGS CORPORATION
By:                                                                                                   
        Name:
        Title:

 

A-2


Certificate of Authentication

This is one of the Notes referred to in the within-mentioned Indenture.

 

Dated:

  

COMPUTERSHARE TRUST COMPANY, N.A.,

as Trustee

  

By:                                                                                                                        

   Authorized Signatory

 

A-3


[FORM OF REVERSE OF NOTE]

SEARS HOLDINGS CORPORATION

6  5 8 % SENIOR SECURED CONVERTIBLE PIK TOGGLE NOTES DUE 2019

1. Interest.

Sears Holdings Corporation (the “ Issuer ”), a Delaware corporation, promises to pay, until the principal hereof is paid or made available for payment, interest on the principal amount set forth on the face hereof, as increased by any PIK Interest (as defined below), at a rate of 6  5 8 % per annum. Interest hereon will accrue from and including the most recent date to which interest has been paid or, if no interest has been paid, from and including October 15, 2017 to but excluding the date on which interest is paid. Interest shall be payable in arrears on each April 15 and October 15, commencing on April 15, 2018. Interest will be computed on the basis of a 360-day year of twelve 30-day months. The Issuer shall pay interest on overdue principal and on overdue interest (to the full extent permitted by law) at a rate equal to the interest rate on the Notes.

Interest will be payable, at the election of the Issuer, in whole or, to the extent consistent with the procedures of the Depository, in part as (a)  cash interest (“ Cash Interest ”) and/or (b) by increasing the principal amount of the outstanding Global Notes, if any, and by issuing PIK Interest Notes with respect to the Definitive Notes, if any (“ PIK Interest ”). Interest payable on the Interest Payment Date of April 15, 2018 will be paid entirely in PIK Interest.

In the event that the Issuer determines to pay any PIK Interest for any other interest period, then the Issuer will deliver a notice (a “ PIK Notice ”) to the Trustee no later than five (5) Business Days prior to the record date with respect to the applicable Interest Payment Date, which notice will state the total amount of interest to be paid on the Interest Payment Date and the amount of such interest to be paid as PIK Interest. The Trustee, on behalf of the Issuer, will promptly deliver a corresponding notice provided by the Issuer to the Holders. If the Issuer fails to timely make an election with respect to payment of interest on any Interest Payment Date (other than the Interest Payment Date of April 15, 2018), then interest shall be payable on such date in the same form as paid with respect to the immediately preceding Interest Payment Date; provided, that the Issuer shall provide an Authentication Order to the Trustee in accordance with the Indenture on each Interest Payment Date on which the Issuer will pay PIK Interest whether or not the Issuer makes an election to pay PIK Interest with respect to such Interest Payment Date.

2. Method of Payment . The Issuer will pay interest hereon (except defaulted interest) to the Persons who are registered Holders at the Close of Business on April 1 or October 1 (each a “ Record Date ”) next preceding the Interest Payment Date; provided that if an Interest Payment Date falls on a Legal Holiday, interest will be payable on the next succeeding day that is not a Legal Holiday with the same force and effect as if made on such Interest Payment Date, and no interest shall accrue for the intervening period. Holders must surrender Notes to a Paying Agent to collect principal payments. The Issuer will pay principal and interest (other than PIK Interest) in money of the United States of America that at the time of payment is legal tender for payment of public and private debts. At the option of the Issuer, each installment

 

A-4


of Cash Interest may be paid by (i) check mailed to addresses of the Persons entitled thereto as such addresses shall appear on the registry maintained by the Registrar or (ii) wire transfer to an account located in the United States maintained by the payee. Payments in respect of Notes represented by a Global Note (including principal, premium, if any, and interest) will be made by wire transfer of immediately available funds to the accounts specified by the Depository.

PIK Interest will be considered paid on the date due if on such date the Trustee has received (a) with respect to any Global Notes, an Authentication Order from the Issuer signed by an Officer of the Issuer to increase the balance of such Global Note to reflect such PIK Interest and (b) with respect to any Definitive Notes, PIK Interest Notes duly executed by the Issuer together with an Authentication Order of the Issuer signed by an Officer of the Issuer requesting the authentication of such PIK Interest Notes by the Trustee. In connection with the payment of PIK Interest in respect of the Notes, the Issuer will, without the consent of Holders (and without regard to any restrictions or limitations set forth under Article Four of the Indenture), increase the outstanding principal amount of the Global Notes, if any, and issue PIK Interest Notes under the Indenture with respect to the Definitive Notes, if any.

3. Paying Agent and Registrar . Initially, Computershare Trust Company, N.A. (the “Trustee”) will act as a Paying Agent and Registrar, and Computershare Trust Company, N.A. and Computershare Inc., will act as Conversion Agent. The Issuer may appoint and change any Paying Agent, Conversion Agent, Registrar or co-registrar without notice. The Issuer or any of its Affiliates may act as Paying Agent, Conversion Agent or Registrar.

4. Indenture . The Issuer issued the Notes under an Indenture dated as of March 20, 2018 (the “Indenture”) among the Issuer, the Guarantors (as defined in the Indenture) and the Trustee. This is one of an issue of Notes of the Issuer issued, or to be issued, under the Indenture. The terms of the Notes include those stated in the Indenture and, solely at any time at which this Indenture is required pursuant to the TIA to be qualified under the TIA, those made part of the Indenture by reference to the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended (15 U.S. Code §§  77aaa-77bbbb), as amended from time to time. The Notes are subject to all such terms, and Holders are referred to the Indenture and such Act for a statement of them. Capitalized and certain other terms used herein and not otherwise defined have the meanings set forth in the Indenture.

5. Optional Redemption .

(a) The Notes may be redeemed in whole or in part, at the Issuer’s option, at any time and from time to time at a redemption price equal to the greater of (1) 100% of the principal amount of the Notes to be redeemed and (2) the sum of the present values of the remaining scheduled payments of principal and interest thereon (excluding interest accrued to the Redemption Date) discounted to the Redemption Date at the Treasury Rate, plus 50 basis points, plus accrued interest thereon to the Redemption Date.

(b) In the event of a redemption of fewer than all of the Notes, the Trustee shall select the Notes to be redeemed in compliance with Section 3.02 of the Indenture.

 

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6. Notice of Redemption . Notice of redemption will be mailed (or, in the case of book-entry interests, transmitted electronically) at least 30 days but not more than 60 days before the Redemption Date to each Holder of Notes to be redeemed at its registered address, except that redemption notice may be mailed more than 60 days prior to a Redemption Date if the notice is issued in connection with a defeasance of the Notes or a satisfaction or discharge of the Indenture. On and after the Redemption Date, unless the Issuer defaults in making the redemption payment, interest will cease to accrue on Notes or portions thereof called for redemption.

7. Offers to Purchase upon a Change of Control Triggering Event . The Indenture provides that upon the occurrence of a Change of Control Triggering Event and subject to further limitations contained therein, the Issuer shall make an offer to purchase outstanding Notes in accordance with the procedures set forth in Section 4.07 of the Indenture.

8. Offers to Purchase upon a Collateral Coverage Event . The Indenture provides that upon the occurrence of a Collateral Coverage Event and subject to further limitations contained therein, the Issuer shall make an offer to purchase outstanding Notes in accordance with the procedures set forth in Section 4.08 of the Indenture.

9. Contingent Registration Rights . If the Issuer fails to timely file all periodic reports it is required to file pursuant to the Exchange Act, the Issuer will grant customary resale shelf registration rights to certain Holders of at least 25% of the principal amount of Notes outstanding as of the Issue Date, as specified in the following sentence, if as a result of such failure, such Holders are unable to sell their Notes pursuant to Rule 144 of the Securities Act. Upon receipt of a written request from any Holder of Notes representing that it holds Notes representing at least 25% of the principal amount of Notes outstanding as of the Issue Date and satisfaction of the condition set forth in the preceding sentence, the Issuer will use commercially reasonable best efforts to cause to become effective a shelf registration statement relating to resales of such Notes and to keep that shelf registration statement effective until no securities registered thereunder constitute registrable securities. The Issuer will, in the event of such a shelf registration, provide to each Holder of Notes representing at least 25% of the principal amount of Notes outstanding as of the Issue Date copies of a prospectus, notify each such Holder when the shelf registration statement has become effective and take such other actions as necessary or appropriate to permit resales of the Notes. A Holder of Notes that sells Notes under the shelf registration statement generally will be required to make certain representations to the Issuer to be named as a selling security holder in the related prospectus and to deliver a prospectus to purchasers, and will be subject to certain of the civil liability provisions under the Securities Act, in connection with those sales. Holders of Notes will also be required to suspend their use of the prospectus included in the shelf registration statement under specified circumstances upon receipt of notice from the Issuer.

10. Denominations, Transfer, Exchange . The Notes are in registered form without coupons in denominations of $2,000 and integral multiples of $1,000 in excess thereof (or if a PIK Payment has been made, in minimum denominations of $2,000 and any integral multiple of $1.00 in excess thereof). A Holder may transfer or exchange Notes in accordance with the Indenture. The Registrar may require a Holder, among other things, to furnish appropriate endorsements and transfer documents and to pay to it any taxes and fees required by law or permitted by the Indenture.

 

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11. Conversion . Subject to, and upon compliance with, the provisions of Article Twelve of the Indenture, and subject to the limitations set forth in Section 12.01 of the Indenture, a Holder shall have the right, at such Holder’s option, to convert all or any portion (if the portion to be converted would result in the issuance of at least one whole share of Common Stock upon conversion) of such Note at any time at the Conversion Rate, in accordance with Article Twelve of the Indenture.

The Issuer may elect at its option to cause all (but not less than all) of the Notes to be mandatorily converted within 30 days following the end of any 30 consecutive Trading Day period, ending on or after July 2, 2018, during which the volume weighted average trading price of the Common Stock on the NASDAQ Global Select Market (or any successor market thereto) exceeds $10.00 for a period of 20 Trading Days, upon the terms and conditions set forth in Section  12.08 of the Indenture.

12. Persons Deemed Owners . The registered Holder of this Note may be treated as the owner of this Note for all purposes.

13. Unclaimed Money . If money for the payment of principal or interest remains unclaimed for two years, the Trustee will pay the money back to the Issuer at its written request. After that, Holders entitled to the money must look to the Issuer for payment as general unsecured creditors unless an “abandoned property” law designates another Person.

14. Amendment, Supplement, Waiver, Etc . The Issuer, the Guarantors and the Trustee (or the Collateral Agent, if a party thereto) may, without the consent of the Holders of any outstanding Notes, amend, waive or supplement the Indenture, the Notes or the Security Documents for certain specified purposes set forth in the Indenture, including, among other things, curing ambiguities, defects or inconsistencies, complying with the requirements of the Commission in order to maintain or effect the qualification of the Indenture under the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended, and making any change that does not adversely affect the legal rights under the Indenture of any Holder. Other amendments and modifications of the Indenture, the Notes or the Security Documents may be made by the Issuer, the Guarantors, and the Trustee (or the Collateral Agent, if a party thereto) with the consent of the Holders of not less than a majority of the aggregate principal amount of the outstanding Notes, subject to certain exceptions set forth in the Indenture requiring the consent of the Holders of the particular Notes to be affected.

15. Successor Person . When a successor Person assumes all the obligations of its predecessor under the Notes and the Indenture and the transaction complies with the terms of Article Five of the Indenture, the predecessor Person will, except as provided in Article Five, be released from those obligations.

16. Defaults and Remedies . Events of Default are set forth in the Indenture. Subject to certain limitations in the Indenture, if an Event of Default (other than an Event of Default specified in clause (4) or (5)  of Section 6.01 of the Indenture) occurs and is continuing, the

 

A-7


Trustee or the Holders of not less than 25% in aggregate principal amount of the outstanding Notes may, by written notice to the Trustee and the Issuer, declare all principal of and accrued interest on all Notes to be immediately due and payable and such amounts shall become immediately due and payable. If an Event of Default specified in clause (4) or (5) of Section  6.01 of the Indenture occurs, the principal amount of and interest on, all Notes shall ipso facto become and be immediately due and payable without any declaration or other act on the part of the Trustee or any Holder. Holders may not enforce the Indenture or the Notes except as provided in the Indenture. The Trustee may require security or indemnity satisfactory to it before it enforces the Indenture or the Notes. Subject to certain limitations, Holders of a majority in principal amount of the then outstanding Notes may direct the Trustee in its exercise of any trust or power. The Trustee may withhold from Holders notice of any continuing default (except a default in payment of principal, premium, if any, or interest on the Notes when and as the same shall become due and payable) if the executive committee or a trust committee of directors or Responsible Officers of the Trustee in good faith determines that the withholding of such notice is in the interests of the Holders of the Notes.

17. Trustee Dealings with Issuer . The Trustee, in its individual or any other capacity, may make loans to, accept deposits from, and perform services for the Issuer or its Affiliates, and may otherwise deal with the Issuer or its Affiliates, as if it were not Trustee.

18. Discharge . The Issuer’s and the Guarantors’ obligations pursuant to the Indenture will be discharged, except for obligations pursuant to certain sections thereof, subject to the terms of the Indenture, upon the payment of all the Notes or upon the irrevocable deposit with the Trustee of United States Dollars or Government Securities sufficient to pay when due principal of and interest on the Notes to maturity or redemption, as the case may be.

19. Guarantees . The Notes will be entitled to the benefits of certain Guarantees made for the benefit of the Holders and the Trustee. Reference is hereby made to the Indenture for a statement of the respective rights, limitations of rights, duties and obligations thereunder of the Guarantors, the Trustee and the Holders.

20. Security Documents and Intercreditor Agreement . The obligations of the Issuer and the Guarantors under the Indenture, the Notes and the Guarantees are secured by a Lien on the Collateral pursuant to the Security Documents. The provisions of the Indenture, the Notes and the Security Documents are subject to the Intercreditor Agreement.

21. Authentication . This Note shall not be valid until the Trustee signs the certificate of authentication on the other side of this Note.

22. Governing Law . This Note shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York, but without giving effect to applicable principles of conflicts of law to the extent that the application of the law of another jurisdiction would be required thereby. Each of the Trustee, the Issuer, the Guarantors and the Holders hereby irrevocably submits to the exclusive jurisdiction of any New York State court sitting in the Borough of Manhattan in the City of New York or any federal court sitting in the Borough of Manhattan in the City of New York in respect of any suit, action or proceeding arising out of or relating to the Indenture and this Note, and irrevocably accepts for itself and in respect of its property, generally and unconditionally, exclusive jurisdiction of the aforesaid courts.

 

A-8


23. Abbreviations . Customary abbreviations may be used in the name of a Holder or an assignee, such as: TEN COM (= tenants in common), TENANT (= tenants by the entireties), JT TEN (= joint tenants with right of survivorship and not as tenants in common), CUST (=  Custodian), and U/G/M/A (= Uniform Gifts to Minors Act).

The Issuer will furnish to any Holder upon written request and without charge a copy of the Indenture. Requests may be made to:

Sears Holdings Corporation

3333 Beverly Road

Hoffman Estates, Illinois 60179

Facsimile: (847) 286-2055

Attention: Treasurer

 

A-9


ASSIGNMENT

I or we assign and transfer this Note to:

 

 

(Insert assignee’s social security or tax I.D. number)

 

 

 

(Print or type name, address and zip code of assignee)
and irrevocably appoint:                                                                                                                                                                                     

 

Agent to transfer this Note on the books of the Issuer. The Agent may substitute another to act for him.

 

Date:                                            Your Signature:   

 

      (Sign exactly as your name appears on the other side of this Note)

Signature Guarantee: __________________________________

SIGNATURE GUARANTEE

Signatures must be guaranteed by an “eligible guarantor institution” meeting the requirements of the Registrar, which requirements include membership or participation in the Security Transfer Agent Medallion Program (“ STAMP ”) or such other “signature guarantee program” as may be determined by the Registrar in addition to, or in substitution for, STAMP, all in accordance with the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.

 

A-10


[TO BE ATTACHED TO GLOBAL NOTES]

SCHEDULE OF INCREASES OR DECREASES IN GLOBAL NOTE

The initial outstanding principal amount of this Global Note is $              . The following increases or decreases in this Global Note have been made, including as a result of payments of PIK Interest, exchanges of a part of this Global Note for an interest in another Global Note or Definitive Note, or exchanges of a part of another Global Note or Definitive Note for an interest in this Global Note:

 

Date

   Amount of
decrease in
principal amount
of this Global
Note
   Amount of
increase in
principal amount
of this Global
Note
   Principal amount
of this Global
Note following
such decrease or
increase
   Signature of
authorized
signatory of
Trustee or
Depository
Custodian

 

A-11


FORM OF NOTICE OF CONVERSION

 

To: Sears Holdings Corporation

3333 Beverly Road

Hoffman Estates, Illinois 60179

Facsimile: (847) 286-2055

Attention: Treasurer

Computershare Inc.

480 Washington Blvd, 27 th Floor

Jersey City, NJ 07310

Attn: Corp Actions Relationship Manager

Computershare Inc.

250 Royall St.

Canton, Massachusetts 02021

Attn: Corp Actions Relationship Manager

With a copy to:

Computershare Inc.

250 Royall St.

Canton, Massachusetts 02021

Attn: Legal Department

The undersigned owner of this Note hereby irrevocably exercises the option to convert this Note, or a portion thereof (if the portion to be converted would result in the issuance of at least one whole share of Common Stock upon conversion) below designated, into a number of shares of Common Stock in accordance with the terms of the Indenture referred to in this Note, and directs that any shares of Common Stock deliverable upon conversion, together with any Notes representing any unconverted principal amount hereof, be delivered to the registered holder hereof unless a different name is indicated below.

Subject to certain exceptions set forth in the Indenture, if this notice is being delivered after the Close of Business on a Record Date and prior to the Open of Business on the Interest Payment Date corresponding to such Record Date, this notice must be accompanied by payment of an amount equal to the interest payable on such Interest Payment Date on the principal amount of this Note to be converted. If any shares of Common Stock are to be issued in the name of a Person other than the undersigned, the undersigned will pay all transfer taxes payable with respect to such issuance and transfer as set forth in the Indenture.

 

A-12


Principal amount to be converted

(if less than all):

  

Certificate No.(s)

(if in certificated form)

   Beneficial Ownership of Issuer Common Stock (prior to conversion):

$

 

(if the portion to be converted would result in the issuance of at least one whole share of Common Stock upon conversion)

                    shares

 

A-13


Check the boxes below, if applicable. If such boxes are checked, the undersigned certifies that the below is accurate.

THE UNDERSIGNED IS NOT, AND HAS NOT BEEN DURING THE PRECEDING THREE (3) MONTHS, A DIRECTOR, OFFICER OR “AFFILIATE” OF THE ISSUER AS THAT TERM IS DEFINED IN RULE 144(a)(1) UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT.

A PERIOD OF AT LEAST TWELVE (12) MONTHS HAS PASSED SINCE THE NOTES WERE ACQUIRED FROM THE ISSUER OR A DIRECTOR, OFFICER OR “AFFILIATE,” WITHIN THE MEANING OF RULE 144(a)(1) UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT, OF THE ISSUER, AS COMPUTED UNDER RULE 144(d) UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT.

If you want the share certificate representing the Common Stock, if any, issuable upon conversion made out in another person’s name, fill in the form below:

 

 

(Insert other person’s social security or tax I.D. number)

 

 

 

(Print or type other person’s name, address and zip code)

 

If this Note is held through a custodian, name of the custodian through which the Note is held:

 

Name of Beneficial Holder: ____________________________________

 

Social security or tax I.D. number: _______________________________________

 

DTC Custodian’s Participant Number: ___________

 

DTC Custodian’s Name: _______________________________________

 

DTC Custodian’s Participant Number: __________

 

Dated:                                       Signed:                                                                                                               
  

(Sign exactly as your name(s) appear(s) on the other side of this Note)

 

A-14


Signature Guarantee: __________________________________

SIGNATURE GUARANTEE

Signatures must be guaranteed by an “eligible guarantor institution” meeting the requirements of the Registrar, which requirements include membership or participation in the Security Transfer Agent Medallion Program (“ STAMP ”) or such other “signature guarantee program” as may be determined by the Registrar in addition to, or in substitution for, STAMP, all in accordance with the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.

 

A-15


OPTION OF HOLDER TO ELECT PURCHASE

If you want to elect to have this Note purchased by the Issuer pursuant to Section 4.07 or Section 4.08 of the Indenture, check the appropriate box:

Section 4.07 [     ] Section 4.08 [     ]

If you want to elect to have only part of this Note purchased by the Issuer pursuant to Section 4.07 or Section 4.08 of the Indenture, state the amount: $________________

If this Note is held through a custodian, name of the custodian through which the Note is held:

Name of Beneficial Holder: ____________________________________

Social security or tax I.D. number: _______________________________________

DTC Custodian’s Participant Number: ___________

DTC Custodian’s Name: _______________________________________

DTC Custodian’s Participant Number: __________

 

Date:                                                                                          

 

Your Signature:  

 

  (Sign exactly as your name appears on the other side of this Note)

 

 

Signature Guaranteed

SIGNATURE GUARANTEE

Signatures must be guaranteed by an “eligible guarantor institution” meeting the requirements of the Registrar, which requirements include membership or participation in the Security Transfer Agent Medallion Program (“ STAMP ”) or such other “signature guarantee program” as may be determined by the Registrar in addition to, or in substitution for, STAMP, all in accordance with the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.

 

A-16


EXHIBIT B

[FORM OF LEGEND FOR NOTES

THAT ARE RESTRICTED NOTES]

THIS SECURITY HAS NOT BEEN REGISTERED UNDER THE U.S. SECURITIES ACT OF 1933, AS AMENDED (THE “SECURITIES ACT”) OR THE SECURITIES LAWS OF ANY STATE OR OTHER JURISDICTION, AND, ACCORDINGLY, MAY NOT BE OFFERED OR SOLD WITHIN THE UNITED STATES OR TO, OR FOR, THE ACCOUNT OR BENEFIT OF, U.S. PERSONS EXCEPT AS SET FORTH BELOW. BY ITS ACQUISITION HEREOF, THE HOLDER (1) REPRESENTS THAT (A) IT IS AN ACCREDITED INVESTOR (AS DEFINED IN RULE 501(a) OF REGULATION D UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT) OR (B) IT IS NOT A U.S. PERSON AND IS ACQUIRING THIS SECURITY IN AN OFFSHORE TRANSACTION IN COMPLIANCE WITH REGULATION S UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT, (2) AGREES THAT IT WILL NOT RESELL OR OTHERWISE TRANSFER THIS SECURITY EXCEPT (A) TO THE ISSUER OR ANY SUBSIDIARY THEREOF, (B) INSIDE THE UNITED STATES TO A QUALIFIED INSTITUTIONAL BUYER IN COMPLIANCE WITH RULE 144A UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT, (C) INSIDE THE UNITED STATES TO AN ACCREDITED INVESTOR THAT, PRIOR TO SUCH TRANSFER, FURNISHES (OR HAS FURNISHED ON ITS BEHALF BY A U.S. BROKER-DEALER) TO THE TRUSTEE A SIGNED LETTER CONTAINING CERTAIN REPRESENTATIONS AND AGREEMENTS RELATING TO THE RESTRICTIONS ON TRANSFER OF THIS SECURITY (THE FORM OF WHICH LETTER CAN BE OBTAINED FROM THE ISSUER), (D) OUTSIDE THE UNITED STATES IN AN OFFSHORE TRANSACTION IN COMPLIANCE WITH REGULATION S UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT (IF AVAILABLE), (E) PURSUANT TO THE EXEMPTION FROM REGISTRATION PROVIDED BY RULE 144 UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT (IF AVAILABLE), (F) IN ACCORDANCE WITH ANOTHER EXEMPTION FROM THE REGISTRATION REQUIREMENTS OF THE SECURITIES ACT (AND BASED UPON AN OPINION OF COUNSEL IF THE ISSUER SO REQUESTS) OR (G) PURSUANT TO AN EFFECTIVE REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT AND (3) AGREES THAT IT WILL GIVE TO EACH PERSON TO WHOM THIS SECURITY IS TRANSFERRED A NOTICE SUBSTANTIALLY TO THE EFFECT OF THIS LEGEND. IN CONNECTION WITH ANY TRANSFER OF THIS SECURITY, IF THE PROPOSED TRANSFEREE IS AN ACCREDITED INVESTOR, THE HOLDER MUST, PRIOR TO SUCH TRANSFER, FURNISH TO THE TRUSTEE AND THE ISSUER SUCH CERTIFICATIONS, LEGAL OPINIONS OR OTHER INFORMATION AS EITHER OF THEM MAY REASONABLY REQUIRE TO CONFIRM THAT SUCH TRANSFER IS BEING MADE PURSUANT TO AN EXEMPTION FROM, OR IN A TRANSACTION NOT SUBJECT TO, THE REGISTRATION REQUIREMENTS OF THE SECURITIES ACT. HEDGING TRANSACTIONS INVOLVING THIS SECURITY MAY NOT BE CONDUCTED UNLESS IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE SECURITIES ACT. AS USED HEREIN, THE TERMS “OFFSHORE TRANSACTION,” “UNITED STATES” AND “U.S. PERSON” HAVE THE MEANING GIVEN TO THEM BY REGULATION S UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT.

 

B-1


[FORM OF ASSIGNMENT FOR NOTES

THAT ARE RESTRICTED NOTES]

I or we assign and transfer this Note to:

 

 

(Insert assignee’s social security or tax I.D. number)

 

 

 

(Print or type name, address and zip code of assignee)
and irrevocably appoint:                                                                                                                                                                                     

 

Agent to transfer this Note on the books of the Issuer. The Agent may substitute another to act for him.

[Check If Applicable]

 

   Documents are being furnished which comply with the conditions of transfer set forth in this Note and the Indenture.

If the foregoing box is not checked, the Trustee or Registrar shall not be obligated to register this Note in the name of any person other than the Holder hereof unless and until the conditions to any such transfer of registration set forth herein and in Sections 2.16 and 2.17 of the Indenture shall have been satisfied.

 

Date:                                            Your Signature:  

 

    (Sign exactly as your name appears on the other side of this Note)

Signature Guarantee: __________________________________

SIGNATURE GUARANTEE

Signatures must be guaranteed by an “eligible guarantor institution” meeting the requirements of the Registrar, which requirements include membership or participation in the Security Transfer Agent Medallion Program (“ STAMP ”) or such other “signature guarantee program” as may be determined by the Registrar in addition to, or in substitution for, STAMP, all in accordance with the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.

 

B-2


EXHIBIT C

[FORM OF LEGEND FOR REGULATION S NOTE]

THIS SECURITY HAS NOT BEEN REGISTERED UNDER THE U.S. SECURITIES ACT OF 1933, AS AMENDED (THE “SECURITIES ACT”) OR THE SECURITIES LAWS OF ANY STATE OR OTHER JURISDICTION, AND, ACCORDINGLY, MAY NOT BE OFFERED OR SOLD WITHIN THE UNITED STATES OR TO, OR FOR, THE ACCOUNT OR BENEFIT OF, U.S. PERSONS EXCEPT AS SET FORTH BELOW. BY ITS ACQUISITION HEREOF, THE HOLDER (1) REPRESENTS THAT (A) IT IS AN ACCREDITED INVESTOR (AS DEFINED IN RULE 501(a) OF REGULATION D UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT) OR (B) IT IS NOT A U.S. PERSON AND IS ACQUIRING THIS SECURITY IN AN OFFSHORE TRANSACTION IN COMPLIANCE WITH REGULATION S UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT, (2) AGREES THAT IT WILL NOT RESELL OR OTHERWISE TRANSFER THIS SECURITY EXCEPT (A) TO THE ISSUER OR ANY SUBSIDIARY THEREOF, (B) INSIDE THE UNITED STATES TO A QUALIFIED INSTITUTIONAL BUYER IN COMPLIANCE WITH RULE 144A UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT, (C) INSIDE THE UNITED STATES TO AN ACCREDITED INVESTOR THAT, PRIOR TO SUCH TRANSFER, FURNISHES (OR HAS FURNISHED ON ITS BEHALF BY A U.S. BROKER-DEALER) TO THE TRUSTEE A SIGNED LETTER CONTAINING CERTAIN REPRESENTATIONS AND AGREEMENTS RELATING TO THE RESTRICTIONS ON TRANSFER OF THIS SECURITY (THE FORM OF WHICH LETTER CAN BE OBTAINED FROM THE ISSUER), (D) OUTSIDE THE UNITED STATES IN AN OFFSHORE TRANSACTION IN COMPLIANCE WITH REGULATION S UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT (IF AVAILABLE), (E) PURSUANT TO THE EXEMPTION FROM REGISTRATION PROVIDED BY RULE 144 UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT (IF AVAILABLE), (F) IN ACCORDANCE WITH ANOTHER EXEMPTION FROM THE REGISTRATION REQUIREMENTS OF THE SECURITIES ACT (AND BASED UPON AN OPINION OF COUNSEL IF THE ISSUER SO REQUESTS) OR (G) PURSUANT TO AN EFFECTIVE REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT AND (3) AGREES THAT IT WILL GIVE TO EACH PERSON TO WHOM THIS SECURITY IS TRANSFERRED A NOTICE SUBSTANTIALLY TO THE EFFECT OF THIS LEGEND. IN CONNECTION WITH ANY TRANSFER OF THIS SECURITY, IF THE PROPOSED TRANSFEREE IS AN ACCREDITED INVESTOR, THE HOLDER MUST, PRIOR TO SUCH TRANSFER, FURNISH TO THE TRUSTEE AND THE ISSUER SUCH CERTIFICATIONS, LEGAL OPINIONS OR OTHER INFORMATION AS EITHER OF THEM MAY REASONABLY REQUIRE TO CONFIRM THAT SUCH TRANSFER IS BEING MADE PURSUANT TO AN EXEMPTION FROM, OR IN A TRANSACTION NOT SUBJECT TO, THE REGISTRATION REQUIREMENTS OF THE SECURITIES ACT. HEDGING TRANSACTIONS INVOLVING THIS SECURITY MAY NOT BE CONDUCTED UNLESS IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE SECURITIES ACT. AS USED HEREIN, THE TERMS “OFFSHORE TRANSACTION,” “UNITED STATES” AND “U.S. PERSON” HAVE THE MEANING GIVEN TO THEM BY REGULATION S UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT.

 

C-1


[FORM OF ASSIGNMENT FOR REGULATION S NOTE]

I or we assign and transfer this Note to:

 

 

(Insert assignee’s social security or tax I.D. number)

 

 

 

(Print or type name, address and zip code of assignee)
and irrevocably appoint:_______________________________________________________________________________________
Agent to transfer this Note on the books of the Issuer. The Agent may substitute another to act for him.

[Check If Applicable]

 

   Documents are being furnished which comply with the conditions of transfer set forth in this Note and the Indenture.

If the foregoing box is not checked, the Trustee or Registrar shall not be obligated to register this Note in the name of any person other than the Holder hereof unless and until the conditions to any such transfer of registration set forth herein and in Sections 2.16 and 2.17 of the Indenture shall have been satisfied.

 

Date:                                      Your Signature:  

 

    (Sign exactly as your name appears on the other side of this Note)

Signature Guarantee: __________________________________

SIGNATURE GUARANTEE

Signatures must be guaranteed by an “eligible guarantor institution” meeting the requirements of the Registrar, which requirements include membership or participation in the Security Transfer Agent Medallion Program (“ STAMP ”) or such other “signature guarantee program” as may be determined by the Registrar in addition to, or in substitution for, STAMP, all in accordance with the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.

 

C-2


EXHIBIT D

[FORM OF LEGEND FOR GLOBAL NOTE]

Any Global Note authenticated and delivered hereunder shall bear a legend (which would be in addition to any other legends required in the case of a Restricted Note) in substantially the following form:

THIS NOTE IS A GLOBAL NOTE WITHIN THE MEANING OF THE INDENTURE HEREINAFTER REFERRED TO AND IS REGISTERED IN THE NAME OF A DEPOSITORY OR A NOMINEE OF A DEPOSITORY. THIS NOTE IS NOT EXCHANGEABLE FOR NOTES REGISTERED IN THE NAME OF A PERSON OTHER THAN THE DEPOSITORY OR ITS NOMINEE EXCEPT IN THE LIMITED CIRCUMSTANCES DESCRIBED IN THE INDENTURE, AND NO TRANSFER OF THIS NOTE (OTHER THAN A TRANSFER OF THIS NOTE AS A WHOLE BY THE DEPOSITORY TO A NOMINEE OF THE DEPOSITORY OR BY A NOMINEE OF THE DEPOSITORY TO THE DEPOSITORY OR ANOTHER NOMINEE OF THE DEPOSITORY) MAY BE REGISTERED EXCEPT IN THE LIMITED CIRCUMSTANCES DESCRIBED IN THE INDENTURE.

Unless this Certificate is presented by an authorized representative of The Depository Trust Company (a New York corporation) (“ DTC ”) to the Issuer or its agent for registration of transfer, exchange, or payment, and any Certificate issued is registered in the name of Cede & Co. or in such other name as is requested by an authorized representative of DTC (and any payment is made to Cede & Co. or such other entity as is requested by an authorized representative of DTC), any transfer, pledge or other use hereof for value or otherwise by or to any person is wrongful inasmuch as the registered owner hereof, Cede & Co., has an interest herein.

THIS NOTE HAS BEEN ISSUED WITH “ORIGINAL ISSUE DISCOUNT” (WITHIN THE MEANING OF SECTION 1272 OF THE INTERNAL REVENUE CODE OF 1986, AS AMENDED) FOR U.S. FEDERAL INCOME TAX PURPOSES. UPON WRITTEN REQUEST, THE ISSUER SHALL PROMPTLY MAKE AVAILABLE TO ANY HOLDER OF THIS NOTE THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION: (1) THE ISSUE PRICE AND DATE OF THE NOTE, (2) THE AMOUNT OF ORIGINAL ISSUE DISCOUNT ON THE NOTE AND (3) THE YIELD TO MATURITY OF THE NOTE. HOLDERS SHOULD CONTACT THE ISSUER AT 3333 BEVERLY ROAD, HOFFMAN ESTATES, IL 60179 ATTN: GENERAL COUNSEL.

 

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EXHIBIT E

Form of Certificate to Be

Delivered in Connection with

Transfers Other than to a QIB Pursuant to Rule 144A and Other Than Pursuant to Regulation S

Computershare Trust Company, N.A.

Attn.: Corporate Trust Dept. –SEARS

8742 Lucent Boulevard, Suite 225

Highlands Ranch, Colorado 80129

Facsimile No.: 303-262-0608

Email: corporate.trust@computershare.com

Ladies and Gentlemen:

In connection with our proposed purchase of 6 5 / 8 % Senior Secured Convertible PIK Toggle Notes due 2019 (the “ Notes ”) of Sears Holdings Corporation, a Delaware corporation (the “ Issuer ”), we confirm that:

1. We understand that any subsequent transfer of the Notes is subject to certain restrictions and conditions set forth in the Indenture dated as of March 20, 2018 relating to the Notes and we agree to be bound by, and not to resell, pledge or otherwise transfer the Notes except in compliance with, such restrictions and conditions and the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “ Securities Act ”).

2. We understand that the Notes have not been registered under the Securities Act or any other applicable securities laws, have not been and will not be qualified for sale under the securities laws of any non-U.S. jurisdiction and that the Notes may not be offered, sold, pledged or otherwise transferred except as permitted in the following sentence. We agree, on our own behalf and on behalf of any accounts for which we are acting as hereinafter stated, that if we should sell any Notes, we will do so only (i) to the Issuer or any subsidiary thereof, (ii) in accordance with Rule 144A under the Securities Act to a “qualified institutional buyer” (as defined in Rule 144A), (iii) to an institutional “accredited investor” (as defined below) that, prior to such transfer, furnishes (or has furnished on its behalf by a U.S. broker-dealer) to you a signed letter containing certain representations and agreements relating to the restrictions on transfer of the Notes, (iv) outside the United States to persons other than U.S. persons in offshore transactions meeting the requirements of Rule 904 of Regulation S under the Securities Act, (v) pursuant to the exemption from registration provided by Rule 144 under the Securities Act (if applicable) or (vi) pursuant to an effective registration statement, and we further agree to provide to any person purchasing any of the Notes from us a notice advising such purchaser that resales of the Notes are restricted as stated herein.

3. We understand that, on any proposed resale of any Notes, we will be required to furnish to you and the Issuer such certifications, legal opinions and other information as you and the Issuer may reasonably require to confirm that the proposed sale complies with the foregoing restrictions. We further understand that the Notes purchased by us will bear a legend to the foregoing effect.

 

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4. We are an “accredited investor” (as defined in Rule 501 under the Securities Act) and have such knowledge and experience in financial and business matters as to be capable of evaluating the merits and risks of our investment in the Notes, and we and any accounts for which we are acting each are able to bear the economic risk of our or their investment, as the case may be.

5. We are acquiring the Notes purchased by us for our account or for one or more accounts (each of which is an “accredited investor”) as to each of which we exercise sole investment discretion.

6. We are not acquiring the Notes with a view toward the distribution thereof in a transaction that would violate the Securities Act or the securities laws of any state of the United States or any other applicable jurisdiction.

You are entitled to rely upon this letter and are irrevocably authorized to produce this letter or a copy hereof to any interested party in any administrative or legal proceeding or official inquiry with respect to the matters covered hereby.

 

Very truly yours,
[Name of Purchaser]
By:  

 

  Name:
  Title:

Dated:                                                      

 

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EXHIBIT F

Form of Certificate to Be Delivered

in Connection with Transfers

Pursuant to Regulation S

Computershare Trust Company, N.A.

Attn.: Corporate Trust Dept. –SEARS

8742 Lucent Boulevard, Suite 225

Highlands Ranch, Colorado 80129

Facsimile No.: 303-262-0608

Email: corporate.trust@computershare.com

 

  Re: Sears Holdings Corporation (the “ Issuer ”)

6 5 / 8 % Senior Secured Convertible PIK Toggle Notes due 2019 (the “Notes”)

Dear Sirs:

In connection with our proposed sale of $                    aggregate principal amount of the Notes, we confirm that such sale has been effected pursuant to and in accordance with Regulation S under the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “ Securities Act ”), and, accordingly, we represent that:

(1) the offer of the Notes was not made to a U.S. person or to a person in the United States;

(2) either (a) at the time the buy offer was originated, the transferee outside the United States or we and any person acting on our behalf reasonably believed that the transferee was outside the United States, or (b) the transaction was executed in, on or through the facilities of a designated off-shore securities market and neither we nor any person acting on our behalf knows that the transaction has been pre-arranged with a buyer in the United States;

(3) no directed selling efforts have been made in the United States in contravention of the requirements of Rule 904(a) of Regulation S;

(4) the transaction is not part of a plan or scheme to evade the registration requirements of the Securities Act; and

(5) we have advised the transferee of the transfer restrictions applicable to the Notes.

 

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You are entitled to rely upon this letter and are irrevocably authorized to produce this letter or a copy hereof to any interested party in any administrative or legal proceedings or official inquiry with respect to the matters covered hereby. Terms used in this certificate have the meanings set forth in Regulation S.

 

Very truly yours,
[Name of Purchaser]
By:  

 

 

F-2


EXHIBIT G

NOTATION OF GUARANTEE

For value received, each of the undersigned (the “ Guarantors ”) has jointly and severally unconditionally guaranteed, to the extent set forth in the Indenture dated as of March 20, 2018 by and among Sears Holdings Corporation, the Guarantors party thereto and Computershare Trust Company, N.A., as Trustee (as amended, restated or supplemented from time to time, the “ Indenture ”), and subject to the provisions of the Indenture, (a) the due and punctual payment of the principal of, and premium, if any, and interest on the Notes, when and as the same shall become due and payable, whether at maturity, by acceleration, required purchase or otherwise, the due and punctual payment of interest on overdue principal of, and premium and, to the extent permitted by law, interest, and the due and punctual performance of all other obligations of the Issuer to the Holders or the Trustee, all in accordance with the terms set forth in Article Ten of the Indenture, and (b) in case of any extension of time of payment or renewal of any Notes or any of such other obligations, that the same will be promptly paid in full when due or performed in accordance with the terms of the extension or renewal, whether at stated maturity, by acceleration, required purchase or otherwise, all in accordance with the terms set forth in Article Ten of the Indenture.

The obligations of the Guarantors to the Holders and to the Trustee pursuant to the Guarantees and the Indenture are expressly set forth in Article Ten of the Indenture, and reference is hereby made to the Indenture for the precise terms and limitations of the Guarantees. Each Holder of the Note to which this notation of Guarantee is endorsed, by accepting such Note, agrees to and shall be bound by such provisions.

[ Signature Pages Follow ]

 

G-1


IN WITNESS WHEREOF, each of the Guarantors has caused this notation of Guarantee to be signed by a duly authorized officer.

 

[GUARANTORS]
By:  

 

  Name:
  Title:

 

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Exhibit 4.4

E XECUTION V ERSION

SEARS HOLDINGS CORPORATION

and

COMPUTERSHARE TRUST COMPANY, N.A.,

as Trustee

 

 

SECOND SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURE

Dated as of March 20, 2018

 

 

8% SENIOR UNSECURED CONVERTIBLE PIK TOGGLE NOTES DUE 2019


TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

          Page  
ARTICLE 1  
RELATION TO BASE INDENTURE;  
DEFINITIONS AND INCORPORATION  

Section 1.01

   Relation to Base Indenture      2  

Section 1.02

   Definitions      2  

Section 1.03

   Other Definitions      9  

Section 1.04

   Incorporation by Reference of Trust Indenture Act      10  

Section 1.05

   Rules of Construction      10  
ARTICLE 2  
THE NOTES  

Section 2.01

   Form and Dating      11  

Section 2.02

   Execution and Authentication      12  

Section 2.03

   Registrar, Paying Agent and Conversion Agent      13  

Section 2.04

   Paying Agent to Hold Money in Trust      14  

Section 2.05

   Holder Lists      14  

Section 2.06

   Transfer and Exchange      14  

Section 2.07

   Issuance of Additional Notes      15  

Section 2.08

   Replacement Notes      15  

Section 2.09

   Outstanding Notes      16  

Section 2.10

   Treasury Notes      16  

Section 2.11

   Temporary Notes      16  

Section 2.12

   Cancellation      17  

Section 2.13

   Defaulted Interest      17  

Section 2.14

   CUSIP Numbers      18  

Section 2.15

   Book-Entry Provisions for Global Notes      18  

Section 2.16

   Special Transfer Provisions      20  
ARTICLE 3  
REDEMPTION  

Section 3.01

   Notices to Trustee      22  

Section 3.02

   Selection of Notes to Be Redeemed      22  

Section 3.03

   Notice of Redemption      23  

Section 3.04

   Effect of Notice of Redemption      23  


Section 3.05

   Deposit of Redemption Price      24  

Section 3.06

   Notes Redeemed in Part      24  

Section 3.07

   Optional Redemption      24  

Section 3.08

   Mandatory Redemption      24  
ARTICLE 4  
COVENANTS  

Section 4.01

   Payment of Notes      25  
ARTICLE 5  
CONVERSION  

Section 5.01

   Conversion Rights      26  

Section 5.02

   Conversion Procedures      26  

Section 5.03

   Settlement upon Conversion      27  

Section 5.04

   Common Stock Issued upon Conversion      29  

Section 5.05

   Adjustment of Conversion Rate; Conversion Price      29  

Section 5.06

   Responsibility of Trustee and Conversion Agent      31  

Section 5.07

   Notice of Adjustment      32  

Section 5.08

   Mandatory Conversion      32  
ARTICLE 6  
MISCELLANEOUS  

Section 6.01

   Governing Law; Jury Trial Waiver      34  

Section 6.02

   No Adverse Interpretation of Other Agreements      34  

Section 6.03

   Successors      34  

Section 6.04

   Severability      34  

Section 6.05

   Counterpart Originals      34  

Section 6.06

   Table of Contents, Headings, etc.      34  

Section 6.07

   Non-Business Days      34  

EXHIBITS

 

Exhibit A

   FORM OF NOTE

Exhibit B

   FORM OF LEGEND FOR RESTRICTED NOTES

Exhibit C                     

   FORM OF LEGEND FOR REGULATION S NOTE

Exhibit D

   FORM OF LEGEND FOR GLOBAL NOTE

Exhibit E

   FORM OF CERTIFICATE TO BE DELIVERED IN CONNECTION WITH TRANSFERS OTHER THAN TO A QIB PURSUANT TO RULE 144A AND OTHER THAN PURSUANT TO REGULATION S

Exhibit F

   FORM OF CERTIFICATE TO BE DELIVERED IN CONNECTION WITH TRANSFERS PURSUANT TO REGULATIONS

 

 

ii


SECOND SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURE, dated as of March 20, 2018 (this “Supplemental Indenture”), by and between Sears Holdings Corporation, a Delaware corporation (the “ Issuer ”), as obligor, and Computershare Trust Company, N.A., as trustee (the “ Trustee ”).

W I T N E S S E T H:

WHEREAS, the Issuer and the Trustee have heretofore executed and delivered an Indenture, dated as of November 21, 2014 (the “ Base Indenture ” and, with respect only to the Notes (as defined below), together with this Supplemental Indenture and including the terms of the Notes, the “ Indenture ”), providing for the issuance from time to time of one or more series of Securities (as defined in the Base Indenture) of the Issuer;

WHEREAS, pursuant to the terms of the Base Indenture, the Issuer desires to provide for the establishment of a series of Securities to be designated as the “8% Senior Unsecured Convertible PIK Toggle Notes due 2019” (herein referred to as the “ Notes ”), the form and substance of the Notes and the terms, provisions and conditions thereof to be set forth as provided in the Base Indenture and this Supplemental Indenture;

WHEREAS, Section 3.01 of the Base Indenture provides that various matters with respect to any series of Securities issued under the Base Indenture may be established in an indenture supplemental to the Base Indenture;

WHEREAS, under Section 15.01(p) of the Base Indenture, the Issuer and the Trustee may enter into an indenture supplemental to the Base Indenture to establish the form and terms of Securities of any series as permitted in Section 3.01 of the Base Indenture;

WHEREAS, under Section 15.01(d) of the Base Indenture, the Issuer and the Trustee may enter into an indenture supplemental to the Base Indenture to change or eliminate provisions of the Indenture so long as there is no Outstanding Security (as described in the Base Indenture) of any series created prior to the execution of such supplemental indenture that is entitled to the benefit of such provision and as to which such supplemental indenture would apply; and

WHEREAS, all things necessary to make this Supplemental Indenture, when duly executed and delivered, a valid and legally binding agreement of the Issuer in accordance with its terms and for the purposes herein expressed, have been done by the Issuer; and the execution and delivery of this Supplemental Indenture by the Issuer have been in all respects duly authorized by the Issuer.

NOW, THEREFORE, the Issuer and the Trustee agree as follows for the benefit of each other and for the equal and proportionate benefit of the Holders (as defined below) of the Notes:


ARTICLE 1

RELATION TO BASE INDENTURE;

DEFINITIONS AND INCORPORATION

Section 1.01 Relation to Base Indenture . This Supplemental Indenture constitutes an integral part of the Indenture. This Supplemental Indenture supplements and, to the extent inconsistent therewith, replaces the terms of the Base Indenture with respect only to the Notes.

Section 1.02 Definitions . For purposes of this Supplemental Indenture, the following terms shall have the respective meanings set forth in this Section 1.02.

Accredited Investor ” means a Person that is an “accredited investor” as that term is defined in Rule 501(a) promulgated under the Securities Act.

Accredited Investor Notes ” means Notes offered and sold to Accredited Investors.

Additional Notes ” means any additional Notes (other than the Initial Notes) of the same series as the Initial Notes issued under this Supplemental Indenture in accordance with Section 2.07; provided that the PIK Interest Notes shall not constitute Additional Notes.

Affiliate ” of any specified Person means any other Person directly or indirectly controlling or controlled by or under direct or indirect common control with such specified Person. For purposes of this definition, “ control ”, when used with respect to any specified Person, means the power to direct the management and policies of such Person, directly or indirectly, whether through the ownership of voting securities, by contract or otherwise; and the terms “ controlling ” and “ controlled ” have meanings correlative to the foregoing.

Agent ” means any Registrar, Paying Agent, Conversion Agent or Custodian.

Applicable Procedures ” means, with respect to any payment, tender, redemption, transfer or exchange of or for beneficial interests in any Global Note, the rules and procedures of the Depositary that apply to such payment, tender, redemption, transfer or exchange.

Bankruptcy Law ” means Title 11, U.S. Code or any similar federal or state law for the relief of debtors.

Base Indenture ” shall have the meaning set forth in the first Recital hereof.

Board of Directors ” means either the board of directors of the Issuer or any duly authorized committee of that board or any committee of officers or other representatives of the Issuer duly authorized by a Board Resolution to act on behalf of that board or in its stead.

Board Resolution ” means a copy of a resolution certified by the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary of the Issuer to have been duly adopted by the Board of Directors and to be in full force and effect on the date of such certification, and delivered to the Trustee.

 

2


Business Combination ” means a merger, consolidation, statutory share exchange, amalgamation, tender offer, recapitalization, reorganization, scheme of arrangement or similar transaction that requires the approval of the Issuer’s stockholders.

Close of Business ” means 5:00 p.m., New York City time.

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

Common Stock ” means, subject to Section 5.05, the shares of common stock, par value $0.01 per share, of the Issuer authorized at the date of this Supplemental Indenture as originally executed or shares of any class or classes of common stock resulting from any reclassification or reclassifications thereof; provided , however , that if at any time there shall be more than one such resulting class from any reclassification or reclassifications, the shares so issuable on conversion of Notes shall include shares of all such classes, and the shares of each such class then so issuable shall be in the applicable proportion as provided by Section 5.05(d).

Comparable Treasury Issue ” means the United States Treasury security or securities selected by the Quotation Agent as having an actual or interpolated maturity comparable to the remaining term of the Notes that would be utilized, at the time of selection and in accordance with customary financial practice, in pricing new issues of corporate debt securities of a comparable maturity to the remaining term of the Notes.

Comparable Treasury Price ” means, with respect to any redemption date, (a) the arithmetic average (as determined by the Quotation Agent) of the Reference Treasury Dealer Quotations for such redemption date after excluding the highest and lowest such Reference Treasury Dealer Quotations, or (b) if the Quotation Agent obtains fewer than four (4) Reference Treasury Dealer Quotations, the arithmetic average of all such Reference Treasury Dealer Quotations for such redemption date.

Conversion Price ” means, in respect of each Note, as of any date, $1,000 divided by the Conversion Rate in effect on such date. The initial Conversion Price is $8.33333 per share of Common Stock.

Conversion Rate ” means initially 120 shares of Common Stock per $1,000 principal amount of Notes, subject to adjustment as set forth herein.

Custodian ” means the custodian with respect to any Global Note appointed by the Depositary, or any successor Person thereto, and shall initially be Computershare Trust Company, N.A.

Default ” means any event which is, or after notice or lapse of time, or both, would become, an Event of Default.

Definitive Note ” means a certificated Note registered in the name of the Holder thereof and issued in accordance with the terms hereof, substantially in the form of Exhibit A attached hereto except that such Note shall not bear the Global Note Legend and shall not have the “Schedule of Increases or Decreases in the Global Note” attached thereto.

 

3


Depositary ” means, with respect to the Notes issuable or issued in whole or in part in the form of one of more Global Notes, each Person designated pursuant to Section 2.03 until one or more successor Depositaries for the Notes shall have become such pursuant to the applicable provisions of this Supplemental Indenture.

Exchange Act ” means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, and any statute successor thereto, in each case as amended from time to time.

Fair Market Value ” means, with respect to any security or other property, the fair market value of such security or other property as determined by the Board of Directors, acting in good faith.

GAAP ” means generally accepted accounting principles set forth in the opinions and pronouncements of the Accounting Principles Board of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and statements and pronouncements of the Financial Accounting Standards Board or in such other statements by such other entity as have been approved by a significant segment of the accounting profession, which are in effect from time to time.

Global Note Legend ” means the legend set forth on Exhibit D , which is required to be placed on all Global Notes issued under this Supplemental Indenture.

Holder ” means a Person in whose name a Note is registered on the Register.

Indenture ” has the meaning set forth in the first Recital hereof.

Indirect Participant ” means a Person who holds beneficial interest in a Global Note through a Participant.

Initial Notes ” means the $214,018,000 million aggregate principal amount of Notes issued under this Supplemental Indenture on the Issue Date.

Interest Payment Dates ” means each June 15 and December 15, commencing June 15, 2018.

Issue Date ” means March 20, 2018.

Issuer ” means the Person named as the “Issuer” in the Preamble hereof until a successor Person shall have become such pursuant to the applicable provisions of the Indenture, and thereafter “Issuer” shall mean such successor Person.

Market Disruption Event ” means, if the Common Stock is listed for trading on The NASDAQ Global Select Market or listed on another U.S. national or regional securities exchange, the occurrence or existence during the one-half-hour period ending on the scheduled close of trading on any Scheduled Trading Day of any material suspension or limitation imposed on trading (by reason of movements in price exceeding limits permitted by the stock exchange or otherwise) in the Common Stock or in any options contracts or futures contracts relating to the Common Stock.

 

4


Market Price ” means, with respect to a particular security, on any date of determination, the last reported sale price regular way or, in case no such reported sale takes place on such day, the average of the last closing bid and ask prices regular way, in either case on the NASDAQ Global Select Market or if not listed on the NASDAQ Global Select Market, the principal national securities exchange on which the applicable securities are listed or admitted to trading, or if not listed or admitted to trading on any national securities exchange, the average of the closing bid and ask prices as furnished by two members of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc. selected from time to time by the Issuer for that purpose. “Market Price” will be determined without reference to after hours or extended hours trading. If such security is not listed and traded in a manner that the quotations referred to above are available for the period required hereunder, the market price per share of Common Stock will be deemed to be the fair market value per share of such security as determined in good faith by the Board of Directors in reliance on an opinion of a nationally recognized independent investment banking corporation retained by the Issuer for this purpose; provided that if any such security is listed or traded on a non-U.S. market, such fair market value will be determined by reference to the closing price of such security as of the end of the most recently ended Business Day in such market prior to the date of determination; and further provided that if making such determination requires the conversion of any currency other than U.S. dollars into U.S. dollars, such conversion will be done in accordance with customary procedures based on the closing price for conversion of such currency into U.S. dollars quoted by Bloomberg on such conversion date. For the purposes of determining the market price of Common Stock on the “trading day” preceding, on or following the occurrence of an event, (a) that trading day will be deemed to commence immediately after the regular scheduled closing time of trading on the NASDAQ Global Select Market or, if trading is closed at an earlier time, such earlier time and (b) that trading day will end at the next regular scheduled closing time, or if trading is closed at an earlier time, such earlier time (for the avoidance of doubt, and as an example, if the market price is to be determined as of the last trading day preceding a specified event and the closing time of trading on a particular day is 4:00 p.m. and the specified event occurs at 5:00 p.m. on that day, the market price would be determined by reference to such 4:00 p.m. closing price).

Non-U.S. Person ” means a Person who is not a U.S. person, as defined in Regulation S.

Notes ” has the meaning assigned to it in the second Recital hereof. The Initial Notes, the PIK Interest Notes (or any increase in the principal amount of a Global Note related to PIK Interest) and any Additional Notes issued under this Supplemental Indenture shall be treated as a single class for all purposes under this Supplemental Indenture; provided that if any Additional Notes are not fungible with the Notes issued on the Issue Date for U.S. federal income tax purposes, or to the extent required by applicable securities laws or regulations or procedures of the Depositary, such Additional Notes will have a separate CUSIP number. Unless the context otherwise requires, all references to the Notes shall include the Initial Notes, the PIK Interest Notes (or any increase in the principal amount of a Global Note related to PIK Interest) and any Additional Notes.

Notes Shares ” means the number of shares of Common Stock issuable upon conversion of each Note.

 

5


Officer ” means, with respect to any Person, the Chairman of the Board, any Vice Chairman of the Board, the Chief Executive Officer, the President, any Executive Vice President, any Senior Vice President, the Chief Financial Officer, the Treasurer or Corporate Treasurer, any Assistant Treasurer or Assistant Corporate Treasurer, the Controller or Corporate Controller, any Assistant Controller or Assistant Corporate Controller, the General Counsel, any Vice President, the Secretary or Corporate Secretary or any Assistant Secretary or Assistant Corporate Secretary of such Person.

Officer’s Certificate ” means a certificate signed by an Officer of the Issuer, which shall include the statements provided for in Section 17.01 of the Base Indenture if and to the extent required by the provisions of such Section.

Open of Business ” means 9:00 a.m., New York City time.

Opinion of Counsel ” means an opinion in writing signed by legal counsel, who may be an employee of or counsel to the Issuer, and who shall be reasonably acceptable to the Trustee, that meets the requirements of Section 17.01 of the Base Indenture.

Participant ” means, with respect to the Depositary, a Person who has an account with the Depositary.

Person ” means an individual, corporation, partnership, joint venture, association, joint stock company, trust, unincorporated organization, limited liability company or government or any agency or political subdivision thereof or other entity.

Physical Notes ” means certificated Notes in registered form that are not registered in the name of the Depositary or its nominee in substantially the form set forth in Exhibit  A .

Private Placement Legend ” means the legend initially set forth on Notes that are Restricted Notes in the form set forth in Exhibit  B .

Pro Rata Repurchase ” means any purchase of shares of Common Stock by the Issuer pursuant to any tender offer or exchange offer subject to Section 13(e) or 14(e) of the Exchange Act or Regulation 14E promulgated thereunder or any other offer available to substantially all holders of Common Stock. The “Effective Date” of a Pro Rata Repurchase shall mean the date of acceptance of shares for purchase or exchange by the Issuer under any tender or exchange offer which is a Pro Rata Repurchase or the date of purchase with respect to any Pro Rata Repurchase that is not a tender or exchange offer.

Qualified Institutional Buyer ” or “ QIB ” shall have the meaning specified in Rule 144A promulgated under the Securities Act.

Quotation Agent ” means one of the Reference Treasury Dealers appointed by the Issuer.

Record Date ” means, with respect to any Interest Payment Date, the date fixed for determining Holders of record entitled to interest on such Interest Payment Date.

 

6


Reference Treasury Dealer ” means any primary U.S. Government securities dealers in New York City selected by the Issuer.

Reference Treasury Dealer Quotations ” means, with respect to any Reference Treasury Dealer and any redemption date, the average (as determined by the Quotation Agent) of the bid and asked prices for the Comparable Treasury Issue (expressed in each case as a percentage of its principal amount) quoted in writing to the Quotation Agent by such Reference Treasury Dealer at 3:30 p.m. New York City time on the third Trading Day preceding such redemption date.

Regulation S ” means Regulation S promulgated under the Securities Act.

Responsible Officer ,” when used with respect to the Trustee, means any vice president, any assistant vice president, any trust officer, any assistant trust officer or any other officer associated with the corporate trust department of the Trustee customarily performing functions similar to those performed by any of the above-designated officers, who shall have direct responsibility for the administration of this Supplemental Indenture, and also means, with respect to a particular corporate trust matter with respect to this Supplemental Indenture, any other officer of the Trustee to whom such matter is referred because of such person’s knowledge of and familiarity with the particular subject.

Restricted Note ” has the same meaning as “Restricted Security” set forth in Rule 144(a)(3) promulgated under the Securities Act; provided that the Trustee shall be entitled to request and conclusively rely upon an Opinion of Counsel with respect to whether any Note is a Restricted Note.

Rule  144 ” means Rule 144 promulgated under the Securities Act.

Rule 144 Certification ” means a certification by a Holder to the Issuer, in such form as prescribed by the Issuer, that (i) such Holder is not, and has not been during the preceding three (3) months, an executive officer, director or Affiliate of the Issuer and (ii) a period of at least twelve (12) months has passed since the Notes were acquired from the Issuer or a director, officer or “Affiliate,” (within the meaning of Rule 144(a)(1) under the Securities Act), of the Issuer, as such period is computed in accordance with paragraph (d) of Rule 144 under the Securities Act.

Rule 144A ” means Rule 144A promulgated under the Securities Act.

Scheduled Trading Day ” means a day that is scheduled to be a Trading Day on the principal U.S. national or regional securities exchange or market on which the Common Stock is listed or admitted for trading. If the Common Stock is not listed or admitted for trading, “Scheduled Trading Day” means a Business Day.

SEC ” means the United States Securities and Exchange Commission, as constituted from time to time.

Second Lien Convertible Notes Indenture ” means that certain Indenture, dated as of the date hereof, among the Issuer, the guarantors party thereto, and Computershare Trust Company, N.A., as amended, amended and restated, supplemented or modified and in effect from time to time, pursuant to which the Issuer issued its 6 5 / 8 % Senior Secured Convertible PIK Toggle Notes due 2019.

 

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Securities Act ” means the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the rules and regulations of the Commission promulgated thereunder.

Subsidiary ” means (a) any corporation of which the Issuer, directly or indirectly, owns stock having more than 50% of the votes entitled to be cast in the election of directors under ordinary circumstances, or (b) any other Person of which the Issuer, directly or indirectly, owns more than 50% of the voting interest under ordinary circumstances.

Supplemental Indenture ” has the meaning set forth in the Preamble hereof.

TIA ” means the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended, or any successor statute or statutes thereto.

Trading Day ” means a Scheduled Trading Day on which (i) there is no Market Disruption Event, and (ii) trading in the Common Stock generally occurs on The NASDAQ Global Select Market or, if the Common Stock is not then listed on The NASDAQ Global Select Market, on the principal other U.S. national or regional securities exchange on which the Common Stock is then listed or, if the Common Stock is not then listed on a U.S. national or regional securities exchange, on the principal other market on which the Common Stock is then traded. If the Common Stock is not so listed or traded, “Trading Day” means a “Business Day.”

Treasury Rate ” means, with respect to any redemption date, as determined by the Issuer, the rate per annum equal to the semiannual equivalent yield to maturity or interpolated (on a day count basis) of the Comparable Treasury Issue, assuming a price for the Comparable Treasury Issue (expressed as a percentage of its principal amount) equal to the Comparable Treasury Price for such redemption date.

Trustee ” means the Person named as the “Trustee” in the Preamble hereof until a successor Person shall have become such pursuant to the applicable provisions of the Indenture, and thereafter “Trustee” shall mean such successor Person.

U.S. Government Obligations ” means securities which are (a) direct obligations of the United States of America for the payment of which its full faith and credit is pledged, or (b) obligations of a Person controlled or supervised by and acting as an agency or instrumentality of the United States of America, provided that the payment of such obligations is unconditionally guaranteed as a full faith and credit obligation by the United States of America. The term “U.S. Government Obligations” shall also include depository receipts issued by a bank or trust company as custodian and evidencing ownership by the holders of such depository receipts of future payments of interest or principal, or both, on U.S. Government Obligations, as defined above, held by such custodian; provided that except as required by law, no deduction may be made by the custodian from the amount payable to the holder of any such depository receipt from the amount received by the custodian in respect of any such payment of interest or principal.

 

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Section 1.03     Other Definitions . Except as separately defined in this Supplemental Indenture or the Notes, all terms defined in the Base Indenture, as used in this Supplemental Indenture or the Notes, have the meanings assigned thereto in the Base Indenture. Each of the following terms is defined in the section set forth opposite such term:

 

Term

   Section

Agent Members

   2.15(a)

Authentication Order

   2.02

Book-Entry Notes

   2.01(a)

Conversion Agent

   2.03

Conversion Date

   5.02(a)

Conversion Notice

   5.02(a)

Defaulted Interest

   2.13(a)

DTC

   2.03

Global Accredited Investor Notes

   2.15(a)

Global Notes

   2.15(a)

Mandatory Conversion

   5.08(a)

Mandatory Conversion Date

   5.08(b)

Mandatory Conversion Notice

   5.08(b)

Mandatory Conversion Notice Date

   5.08(b)

Mandatory Conversion Trigger Period

   5.08(a)

Paying Agent

   2.03

PIK Interest

   4.01

PIK Interest Note

   2.01(a)

PIK Notice

   4.01

PIK Payment

   2.01(a)

Register

   2.03

Registrar

   2.03

Regulation S Global Notes

   2.15(a)

 

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Term

   Section

Regulation S Notes

   2.01(b)

Restricted Global Accredited Investor Notes

   2.15(a)

Restricted Period

   2.15(f)

Settlement Amount

   5.03(a)

Special Record Date

   2.13(a)

Unrestricted Global Accredited Investor Notes

   2.15(a)

Section 1.04 Incorporation by Reference of Trust Indenture Act . Whenever this Supplemental Indenture refers to a provision of the TIA, the provision is incorporated by reference in and made a part of this Supplemental Indenture. The following terms used in this Supplemental Indenture that are defined by the TIA have the following meanings:

indenture securities ” means the Notes; and

obligor ” on the indenture securities means the Issuer and any other obligor on the Notes.

All other terms used in this Supplemental Indenture that are defined by the TIA, defined by reference in the TIA to another statute or defined by a rule of the SEC under the TIA and not otherwise defined herein have the meanings assigned to them therein.

Section 1.05 Rules of Construction . Unless the context otherwise requires:

(1) a term has the meaning assigned to it;

(2) an accounting term not otherwise defined has the meaning assigned to it in accordance with GAAP;

(3) “or” is not exclusive;

(4) words in the singular include the plural, and words in the plural include the singular;

(5) “will” shall be interpreted to express a command;

(6) provisions apply to successive events and transactions;

(7) reference to sections of or rules under the Securities Act will be deemed to include substitute, replacement or successor sections or rules adopted by the SEC from time to time;

 

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(8) “herein,” “hereof” and other words of similar import refer to this Supplemental Indenture as a whole and not to any particular Article, Section or other subdivision of this Supplemental Indenture;

(9) all references to Sections or Articles refer to Sections or Articles of this Supplemental Indenture (and not the Base Indenture or any other document); and

(10) use of masculine, feminine or neuter pronouns should not be deemed a limitation, and the use of any such pronouns should be construed to include, where appropriate, the other pronouns.

ARTICLE 2

THE NOTES

Article 2 hereof replaces Article II and Article III of the Base Indenture in its entirety as applied to the Notes.

Section 2.01 Form and Dating .

(a) The Notes shall be issued in registered global form or definitive form, in either case without interest coupons. The Notes and the Trustee’s certificate of authentication shall be substantially in the form of Exhibit A attached hereto. The Notes may have notations, legends or endorsements required by law, stock exchange rule or usage (but which shall not affect the rights, duties or immunities of the Trustee). The Issuer shall furnish any such notations, legends or endorsements to the Trustee in writing. Each Note shall be dated the date of its authentication. The Notes shall be in minimum denominations of $2,000 and integral multiples of $1,000 in excess thereof, subject to the issuance of PIK Interest Notes or the increase in the principal amount of a Global Note in order to evidence PIK Interest, which PIK Interest Notes or increased principal amount of a Global Note will be in denominations of $1.00 and integral multiples of $1.00 in excess thereof. On any Interest Payment Date on which the Issuer pays PIK Interest (a “ PIK Payment ”), with respect to a Global Note, the Trustee, or the Depositary at the direction of the Trustee, will increase the principal amount of such Global Note, effective as of the applicable Interest Payment Date, by an amount equal to the PIK Interest payable, rounded up to the nearest whole dollar, for the relevant interest period on the principal amount of such Global Note, to the credit of the Holders on the relevant Record Date and an adjustment will be made on the books and records of the Trustee with respect to such Global Note to reflect such increase. Following an increase in the principal amount of a Global Note as a result of the payment of PIK Interest, such Global Note will bear interest on such increased principal amount from and after the relevant Interest Payment Date. On any Interest Payment Date on which the Issuer makes a PIK Payment by issuing definitive Notes (a “ PIK Interest Note ”) under this Supplemental Indenture having the same terms as the Notes, the principal amount of any such PIK Interest Note issued to any Holder, for the relevant interest period as of the relevant Record Date for such Interest Payment Date, will be rounded up to the nearest whole dollar.

 

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The terms and provisions contained in the Notes shall constitute, and are hereby expressly made, a part of this Supplemental Indenture and the Issuer and the Trustee, by their execution and delivery of this Supplemental Indenture, expressly agree to such terms and provisions and to be bound thereby. However, to the extent any provision of any Note conflicts with the express provisions of the Base Indenture, the provisions of the Note shall govern and be controlling, and to the extent any provision of the Note conflicts with the express provisions of this Supplemental Indenture, the provisions of this Supplemental Indenture shall govern and be controlling.

(b) Notes issued in global form shall be substantially in the form of Exhibit A attached hereto (including the Global Note Legend thereon). Notes issued in definitive form shall be substantially in the form of Exhibit A attached hereto (but without the Global Note Legend thereon). Notes offered and sold to Accredited Investors who have made a Rule 144 Certification shall not bear the Private Placement Legend, Notes offered and sold to Accredited Investors who have not made a Rule 144 Certification shall bear the Private Placement Legend and include the form of assignment set forth in Exhibit B , and Notes offered and sold in offshore transactions in reliance on Regulation S (“ Regulation S Notes ”) shall bear the legend and include the form of assignment set forth in Exhibit C , provided that the Trustee shall have no responsibility, liability or obligation with respect to the allocation of Notes to any holders or investors, which shall be the responsibility of the Issuer. Each Global Note shall represent such of the outstanding Notes as will be specified therein and each shall provide that it represents the aggregate principal amount of outstanding Notes from time to time as reflected in the records of the Trustee and that the aggregate principal amount of outstanding Notes represented thereby may from time to time be reduced or increased, as appropriate, on the “Schedule of Increases or Decreases in the Global Note” attached to such Global Note to reflect exchanges and redemptions. The Trustee’s records and the “Schedule of Increases or Decreases in the Global Note” attached to such Global Note shall be noted to reflect the amount of any increase or decrease in the aggregate principal amount of outstanding Notes represented thereby, in accordance with instructions given by the Holder thereof as required by Section 2.06 and otherwise in compliance with the terms hereof.

Section 2.02 Execution and Authentication . An Officer must sign the Notes for the Issuer by manual or facsimile signature.

If an Officer whose signature is on a Note no longer holds that office at the time a Note is authenticated, the Note will nevertheless be valid.

A Note will not be valid until authenticated by the manual signature of the Trustee. Such signature will be conclusive evidence that the Note has been authenticated under this Supplemental Indenture.

The Trustee shall, upon receipt of a written order of the Issuer signed by an Officer (an “ Authentication Order ”), (a) authenticate Notes for issue under this Supplemental Indenture, including any Additional Notes issued pursuant to Section 2.07 and PIK Interest Notes that may be issued under this Supplemental Indenture and (b) increase the principal amount of any Global Note as a result of a PIK Payment in the amount set forth in the applicable PIK Notice. Each Authentication Order shall specify the amount of Notes to be authenticated or increased and the

 

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date on which such Notes are to be authenticated or increased. The aggregate principal amount of Notes outstanding at any time may not exceed the aggregate principal amount of Notes authorized for issuance by the Issuer pursuant to one or more Authentication Orders, except as provided in Section 2.08.

In authenticating the Initial Notes, any PIK Interest Notes and any Additional Notes and accepting the additional responsibilities under the Indenture in relation to the Notes the Trustee shall receive, and (subject to Section 12.02 of the Base Indenture) shall be fully protected in relying upon, an Officer’s Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel, each prepared in accordance with Section 17.01 of the Base Indenture, stating (i) that the conditions precedent, if any, provided for in the Indenture which relate to such authentication have been complied with, (ii) that the terms of and form of the Notes have been established in conformity with the Indenture and (iii) with respect to the Opinion of Counsel, that the Notes constitute the valid, binding and enforceable obligations of the Issuer according to the terms thereof (subject to customary exceptions and qualifications).

The Trustee may appoint an authenticating agent acceptable to the Issuer to authenticate Notes. An authenticating agent may authenticate Notes whenever the Trustee may do so. Each reference in this Supplemental Indenture to authentication by the Trustee includes authentication by such agent. An authenticating agent has the same rights as an Agent to deal with Holders, the Issuer or an Affiliate of the Issuer.

Section 2.03 Registrar, Paying Agent and Conversion Agent . The Issuer will maintain (i) an office or agency where Notes may be presented for registration of transfer or for exchange (“ Registrar ”), (ii) an office or agency where Notes may be presented for payment (“ Paying Agent ”) and (iii) an office or agency where the Notes may be presented for conversion (the “ Conversion Agent ”). The Registrar will keep a register of the Notes and of their transfer and exchange (the “ Register ”). The Issuer may appoint one or more co-registrars and one or more additional paying agents. The term “Registrar” includes any co-registrar, the term “Paying Agent” includes any additional paying agent, and the term “Conversion Agent” includes any additional conversion agent. The Issuer may change any Paying Agent, Conversion Agent or Registrar without notice to any Holder. The Issuer will notify the Trustee in writing of the name and address of any Agent not a party to this Supplemental Indenture. If the Issuer fails to appoint or maintain another entity as Registrar, Paying Agent or Conversion Agent, the Trustee shall act as such. The Issuer or any of its Subsidiaries may act as Paying Agent, Conversion Agent or Registrar.

The Issuer initially appoints The Depository Trust Company (“ DTC ”) to act as Depositary with respect to the Global Notes.

The Issuer initially appoints the Trustee to act as the Registrar and Paying Agent and to act as Custodian with respect to the Global Notes. The Issuer initially appoints Computershare Trust Company, N.A. and Computershare Inc. to act as Conversion Agent pursuant to a Voluntary Conversion Agent Agreement dated as of the date of this Supplemental Indenture.

The Issuer shall be responsible for making calculations called for under the Notes, including but not limited to determination of redemption price, premium, if any, and any additional amounts or other amounts payable on the Notes. The Issuer will make the calculations

 

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in good faith and, absent manifest error, its calculations will be final and binding on the Holders. The Issuer will provide a schedule of its calculations to the Trustee when requested by the Trustee, and the Trustee is entitled to rely conclusively on the accuracy of the Issuer’s calculations without independent verification.

Section 2.04 Paying Agent to Hold Money in Trust . The Issuer will require each Paying Agent other than the Trustee to agree in writing that the Paying Agent will hold in trust for the benefit of Holders or the Trustee all money held by the Paying Agent for the payment of principal, premium, if any, or interest on the Notes, and will notify the Trustee of any Default by the Issuer in making any such payment. While any such Default continues, the Trustee may require a Paying Agent to pay all money held by it to the Trustee. The Issuer at any time may require a Paying Agent to pay all money held by it to the Trustee. Upon payment over to the Trustee, the Paying Agent (if other than the Issuer or a Subsidiary thereof) will have no further liability for the money. If the Issuer or a Subsidiary acts as Paying Agent, it will segregate and hold in a separate trust fund for the benefit of the Holders all money held by it as Paying Agent. Upon any bankruptcy or reorganization proceedings relating to the Issuer, the Trustee will serve as Paying Agent for the Notes.

Section 2.05 Holder Lists . The Trustee will preserve in as current a form as is reasonably practicable the most recent list available to it of the names and addresses of all Holders and the Issuer shall comply with TIA § 312(a). If the Trustee is not the Registrar, the Issuer will furnish to the Trustee at least seven (7) Business Days before each interest payment date and at such other times as the Trustee may request in writing, a list in such form and as of such date as the Trustee may reasonably require of the names and addresses of the Holders and the Issuer shall otherwise comply with TIA § 312(a).

Section 2.06 Transfer and Exchange . Subject to Sections 2.15 and 2.16, when Notes are presented to the Registrar with a request from the Holder of such Notes to register a transfer or to exchange them for an equal principal amount of Notes of other authorized denominations, the Registrar shall register the transfer or exchange such Notes as requested if the requirements of this Supplemental Indenture are met. Every Note presented or surrendered for registration of transfer or exchange shall be duly endorsed or be accompanied by a written instrument of transfer in form satisfactory to the Issuer and the Registrar, duly executed by the Holder thereof or its attorneys duly authorized in writing. To permit registrations of transfers and exchanges, the Issuer shall issue and execute and the Trustee, upon receipt of an Authentication Order, shall authenticate new Notes evidencing such transfer or exchange at the Registrar’s request. No service charge shall be made to the Holder for any registration of transfer or exchange. The Issuer may require from the Holder payment of a sum sufficient to cover any transfer taxes or other governmental charge that may be imposed in relation to a transfer or exchange, but this provision shall not apply to any exchange pursuant to Section 2.11 or Section 3.06 (in which events the Issuer shall be responsible for the payment of such taxes). The Registrar shall not be required to exchange or register a transfer of any Note for a period of fifteen (15) days immediately preceding the mailing or electronic delivery of notice of redemption of Notes to be redeemed or of any Note selected, called or being called for redemption except the unredeemed portion of any Note being redeemed in part.

 

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Any Holder of the Global Note shall, by acceptance of such Global Note, agree that transfers of the beneficial interests in such Global Note may be effected only through a book-entry system maintained by the Holder of such Global Note (or its agent), and that ownership of a beneficial interest in the Global Note shall be required to be reflected in a book entry.

A beneficial interest in a Restricted Global Accredited Investor Note may be exchanged by any Holder thereof for a beneficial interest in an Unrestricted Global Accredited Investor Note or transferred to a Person who takes delivery thereof in the form of a beneficial interest in an Unrestricted Global Accredited Investor Note if the exchange or transfer complies with the requirements of this Section 2.06 and Section 2.16.

Each Holder of a Note agrees to indemnify the Issuer and the Trustee against any liability that may result from the transfer, exchange or assignment of such Holder’s Note in violation of any provision of this Supplemental Indenture and/or applicable federal or state securities law.

Except as expressly provided herein, neither the Trustee nor the Registrar shall have any duty to monitor the Issuer’s compliance with or have any responsibility with respect to the Issuer’s compliance with any federal or state securities laws. The Trustee shall have no obligation or duty to monitor, determine or inquire as to compliance with any restrictions on transfer imposed under this Supplemental Indenture or under applicable law with respect to any transfer of any interest in any Notes (including any transfers between or among the Depositary’s participants or beneficial owners of interests in any Global Note) other than to require delivery of such certificates and other documentation, as is expressly required by, and to do so if and when expressly required by, the terms of this Supplemental Indenture and to examine the same to determine substantial compliance as to form with the express requirements hereof.

Section 2.07 Issuance of Additional Notes . The Issuer shall be entitled, without the consent of the Holders, to create and issue Additional Notes under this Supplemental Indenture in an unlimited aggregate principal amount. Any Additional Notes would be issued under this Supplemental Indenture with substantially identical terms as the Initial Notes (except the issue date, the public offering price and, if applicable, the initial interest accrual date and the initial interest payment date) and shall be consolidated, and form a single series, with the Initial Notes, provided that if such Additional Notes are not fungible with the Initial Notes for U.S. federal income tax purposes or to the extent required by applicable securities laws or Applicable Procedures, such Additional Notes will have a separate CUSIP number.

With respect to any Additional Notes, the Issuer shall set forth in an Officer’s Certificate delivered to the Trustee the following information: (a) the aggregate principal amount of such Additional Notes to be authenticated and delivered pursuant to this Supplemental Indenture and (b) the issue price, the date of issuance and the CUSIP number of such Additional Notes.

Section 2.08 Replacement Notes . If any mutilated Note is surrendered to the Trustee or the Issuer and the Trustee receives evidence to its satisfaction of the destruction, loss or theft of any Note, the Issuer will issue and the Trustee, upon receipt of an Authentication Order, will authenticate a replacement Note, subject to the immediately following sentence. If required by the Trustee or the Issuer, an indemnity bond must be supplied by the Holder that is sufficient in the judgment of (a) the Trustee to protect the Trustee and (b) the Issuer to protect the Issuer, the Trustee, any Agent and any authenticating agent from any loss that any of them may suffer if a Note is replaced. The Issuer may charge the Holder thereof for their expenses in replacing a Note.

 

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In case any such mutilated Note has become or is about to become due and payable, the Issuer in its discretion may, instead of issuing a new Note, pay such Note.

Every replacement Note is an additional obligation of the Issuer and will be entitled to all of the benefits of this Supplemental Indenture equally and proportionately with all other Notes duly issued hereunder.

Section 2.09 Outstanding Notes . The Notes outstanding at any time are all the Notes authenticated by the Trustee except for those canceled by it, those delivered to it for cancellation, those reductions in the interest in a Global Note effected by the Trustee in accordance with the provisions hereof, and those described in this Section 2.09 as not outstanding. Except as set forth in Section 2.10, a Note does not cease to be outstanding because the Issuer or an Affiliate of the Issuer holds the Note.

If a Note is replaced pursuant to Section 2.08 hereof, it ceases to be outstanding unless the Trustee receives proof reasonably satisfactory to it that the replaced Note is held by a protected purchaser.

If the principal amount of any Note is considered paid, it ceases to be outstanding and interest on it ceases to accrue.

If the Paying Agent (other than the Issuer, a Subsidiary or an Affiliate of any thereof) holds, on a redemption date, repurchase date or maturity date, money sufficient to pay Notes payable on that date, then on and after that date such Notes will be deemed to be no longer outstanding and will cease to accrue interest.

Section 2.10 Treasury Notes . In determining whether the Holders of the required principal amount of Notes have concurred in any direction or consent, Notes owned by the Issuer, or by any Person directly or indirectly controlling or controlled by or under direct or indirect common control with the Issuer, will be disregarded, except that for the purposes of determining whether the Trustee will be protected in relying on any such direction or consent, only Notes that a Responsible Officer of the Trustee knows are so owned will be so disregarded.

Section 2.11 Temporary Notes . Until certificates representing Notes are ready for delivery, the Issuer may prepare and the Trustee, upon receipt of an Authentication Order, will authenticate temporary Notes. Temporary Notes will be substantially in the form of Notes but may have variations that the Issuer considers appropriate for temporary Notes and as may be reasonably acceptable to the Trustee. Without unreasonable delay, the Issuer will prepare and the Trustee will authenticate definitive Notes in exchange for temporary Notes.

Holders of temporary Notes will be entitled to all of the benefits of this Supplemental Indenture.

 

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Section 2.12 Cancellation . The Issuer or one of its Affiliates at any time may deliver to the Trustee for cancellation any Notes previously authenticated and delivered hereunder which the Issuer or one of its Affiliates may have acquired in any manner whatsoever, and may deliver to the Trustee for cancellation any Notes previously authenticated hereunder which the Issuer has not issued and sold. The Registrar, any transfer agent, the Paying Agent and the Conversion Agent shall forward to the Trustee any Notes surrendered to them for transfer, exchange, payment, conversion or cancellation. The Trustee shall promptly cancel and dispose of in accordance with its customary procedures all Notes surrendered for transfer, exchange, payment or cancellation and upon written request shall deliver a certificate of disposition to the Issuer. The Issuer may not issue new Notes to replace Notes that have been paid in full or delivered to the Trustee for cancellation.

Section 2.13 Defaulted Interest .

(a) Any interest on any Note that is payable but is not punctually paid or duly provided for on any interest payment date (this being referred to herein as “ Defaulted Interest ”) shall cease to be payable to the Holder on the relevant record date by virtue of his, her or its having been such a Holder, and such Defaulted Interest may be paid by the Issuer, at its election, in each case, as provided in clause (i) or (ii) below:

(i) The Issuer may elect to make payment of any Defaulted Interest to the Persons in whose names such Notes are registered at the close of business on a special record date for the payment of such Defaulted Interest (a “ Special Record Date ”), which shall be fixed in the following manner. The Issuer shall notify the Trustee in writing of the amount of Defaulted Interest proposed to be paid on each such Note and the date of the proposed payment, and at the same time the Issuer shall deposit with the Trustee an amount of money equal to the aggregate amount proposed to be paid in respect of such Defaulted Interest prior to the date of the proposed payment, such money when deposited to be held in trust for the benefit of the Persons entitled to such Defaulted Interest as in this clause provided. Thereupon the Issuer shall fix a Special Record Date for the payment of such Defaulted Interest which shall be not more than fifteen (15) calendar days and not less than ten (10) calendar days prior to the date of the proposed payment and not less than ten (10) calendar days after the Issuer gives to the Trustee the notice of the proposed payment. The Issuer shall promptly notify the Trustee of such Special Record Date and, in the name and at the expense of the Issuer, shall cause notice of the proposed payment of such Defaulted Interest and the Special Record Date therefor to be given to the Holders of such Notes not less than ten (10) calendar days prior to such Special Record Date. Notice of the proposed payment of such Defaulted Interest and the Special Record Date therefor having been given as aforesaid, such Defaulted Interest shall be paid to the Persons in whose names such Notes are registered at the close of business on such Special Record Date and shall no longer be payable pursuant to the following clause (ii).

(ii) The Issuer may make payment of any Defaulted Interest on Notes in any other lawful manner (including, if the Notes are listed on a securities exchange, in a manner not inconsistent with the requirements of such securities exchange, and upon such notice as may be required by such exchange), if, after notice given by the Issuer to the Trustee of the proposed payment pursuant to this clause, such manner of payment shall be deemed practicable by the Trustee.

 

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(b) Subject to the provisions set forth herein relating to record dates, each Note delivered pursuant to any provision of the Supplemental Indenture in exchange or substitution for, or upon registration of transfer of, any other Note shall carry all the rights to interest accrued and unpaid, and to accrue, which were carried by such other Note.

Section 2.14 CUSIP Numbers . The Issuer in Issuing the Notes may use one or more CUSIP, ISIN or other similar numbers, if then generally in use, and thereafter with respect to such series, the Trustee may use such numbers in any notice (including any notice of redemption, repurchase or exchange); provided that any such notice may state that no representation is made as to the correctness of such numbers either as printed on the Notes or as contained in any notice (including any notice of redemption, repurchase or exchange) and that reliance may be placed only on the other identification numbers printed on the Notes, and any such notice shall not be affected by any defect in or omission of such numbers. The Issuer will promptly notify the Trustee in writing of any change in the CUSIP, ISIN or other similar numbers.

Section 2.15 Book-Entry Provisions for Global Notes .

(a) Accredited Investor Notes initially shall be represented by one or more notes in registered, global form without interest coupons (collectively, the “ Global Accredited Investor Notes ”). Regulation S Notes initially shall be represented by one or more notes in registered, global form without interest coupons (collectively, the “ Regulation  S Global Notes ,” and, together with the Global Accredited Investor Notes and any other global notes representing Notes, the “ Global Notes ”). The Global Notes shall bear legends as set forth in Exhibit  D . The Global Notes initially shall (i) be registered in the name of the Depositary or the nominee of such Depositary, in each case for credit to an account of an Agent Member, (ii) be delivered to the Custodian and (iii) except for Global Accredited Investor Notes issued to, or for the account of, Accredited Investors who have each made a Rule 144 Certification (“ Unrestricted Global Accredited Investor Notes ”), bear the Private Placement Legend with respect to Global Accredited Investor Notes (Global Accredited Investor Notes bearing the Private Placement Legend, “ Restricted Global Accredited Investor Notes ”) and Exhibit  C with respect to Regulation S Global Notes.

Members of, or direct or Indirect Participants in, the Depositary (“ Agent Members ”) shall have no rights under this Supplemental Indenture with respect to any Global Note held on their behalf by the Depositary, or the Custodian, or under the Global Notes, and the Depositary may be treated by the Issuer, the Trustee and any agent of the Issuer or the Trustee as the absolute owner of the Global Note for all purposes whatsoever. Notwithstanding the foregoing, nothing herein shall prevent the Issuer, the Trustee or any agent of the Issuer or the Trustee from giving effect to any written certification, proxy or other authorization furnished by the Depositary or impair, as between the Depositary and its Agent Members, the operation of customary practices governing the exercise of the rights of a Holder of any Note.

(b) Transfers of Global Notes shall be limited to transfers in whole, but not in part, to the Depositary, its successors or their respective nominees. Subject to Section 2.15(e), interests of beneficial owners in the Global Notes may be transferred or exchanged for Physical Notes in accordance with the rules and procedures of the Depositary and the provisions of Section 2.16. In addition, subject to Section 2.15(e), a Global Note shall be exchangeable for Physical Notes if

 

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(i) the Depositary (x) notifies the Issuer that it is unwilling or unable to continue as Depositary for such Global Note and the Issuer thereupon fails to appoint a successor depositary within ninety (90) days thereof or (y) has ceased to be a clearing agency registered under the Exchange Act and the Issuer thereupon fails to appoint a successor Depositary within ninety (90) days thereof or (ii) there shall have occurred and be continuing an Event of Default with respect to the Notes and the Depositary shall have requested the issuance of Physical Notes. In all cases, Physical Notes delivered in exchange for any Global Note or beneficial interests therein shall be registered in the names, and issued in any approved denominations, requested by or on behalf of the Depositary (in accordance with Applicable Procedures).

(c) In connection with any transfer or exchange of a portion of the beneficial interest in any Global Note to beneficial owners pursuant to paragraph (b), the Registrar shall (if one or more Physical Notes are to be issued) reflect on its books and records the date and a decrease in the principal amount of the Global Note in an amount equal to the principal amount of the beneficial interest in the Global Note to be transferred, and the Issuer shall execute, and the Trustee, upon receipt of an Authentication Order, shall authenticate and make available for delivery, one or more Physical Notes of like tenor and amount.

(d) In connection with the transfer of Global Notes as an entirety to beneficial owners pursuant to paragraph (b), the Global Notes shall be deemed to be surrendered to the Trustee for cancellation, and the Issuer shall execute, and the Trustee, upon receipt of an Authentication Order, shall authenticate and deliver, to each beneficial owner identified by the Depositary in writing in exchange for its beneficial interest in the Global Notes, an equal aggregate principal amount of Physical Notes of authorized denominations.

(e) Any Physical Note constituting a Restricted Note delivered in exchange for an interest in a Global Note pursuant to paragraph (b), shall bear the Private Placement Legend or, in the case of the Regulation S Global Note, the legend set forth in Exhibit  C , in each case, unless the Issuer determines otherwise in compliance with applicable law.

(f) On or prior to the expiration of the six-month distribution compliance period as defined in Regulation S (the “ Restricted Period ”), a beneficial interest in a Regulation S Global Note may be transferred to a Person who takes delivery in the form of an interest in the corresponding Regulation S Global Note only upon receipt by the Trustee of a written certification from the transferor to the effect that such transfer is being made (i)(x) to a Person whom the transferor reasonably believes is a Qualified Institutional Buyer in a transaction meeting the requirements of Rule 144A or (y) pursuant to another exemption from the registration requirements under the Securities Act which is accompanied by an Opinion of Counsel reasonably satisfactory to the Issuer and the Trustee regarding the availability of such exemption and (ii) in accordance with all applicable securities laws of any state of the United States or any other jurisdiction. During the Restricted Period, a beneficial interest in the Regulation S Global Note may not be exchanged for a Physical Note.

(g) Beneficial interests in a Regulation S Global Note may be transferred to a Person who takes delivery in the form of an interest in the Regulation S Global Note, whether before or after the expiration of the Restricted Period, only if the transferor and, if applicable pursuant to Rule 903 of Regulation S, transferee, first deliver to the Trustee a written certificate to the effect that such transfer is being made in accordance with Rule 903 or 904 of Regulation S or Rule 144 (if available).

 

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(h) Beneficial interests in a Global Accredited Investor Note may be transferred to a Person who takes delivery in the form of an interest in the Regulation S Global Note, whether before or after the expiration of the Restricted Period, only if the transferor first delivers to the Trustee a written certificate to the effect that such transfer is being made in accordance with Rule 903 or 904 of Regulation S or Rule 144 (if available).

(i) Any beneficial interest in one of the Global Notes that is transferred to a Person who takes delivery in the form of an interest in another Global Note shall, upon transfer, cease to be an interest in such Global Note and become an interest in such other Global Note and, accordingly, shall thereafter be subject to all transfer restrictions and other procedures applicable to beneficial interests in such other Global Note for as long as it remains such an interest.

(j) The Holder of any Global Note may grant proxies and otherwise authorize any Person, including Agent Members and Persons that may hold interests through Agent Members, to take any action which a Holder is entitled to take under this Supplemental Indenture or the Notes.

Section 2.16 Special Transfer Provisions.

(a) Transfers Other Than to a QIB Pursuant to Rule 144A. The following provisions shall apply with respect to the registration of any proposed transfer of a Note constituting a Restricted Note other than pursuant to Rule 144A:

(i) the Registrar shall register the transfer of any Note constituting a Restricted Note, whether or not such Note bears the Private Placement Legend, if (x) the requested transfer is after the date such Note shall be freely transferable under Rule 144 as certified in an Officer’s Certificate, provided that no Officer’s Certificate shall be required in respect of Notes (i) issued to Accredited Investors who have each made a Rule 144 Certification, (y) the requested transfer is otherwise in compliance with Rule 144 as certified in an Officer’s Certificate, or (z) (1) in the case of a transfer other than to a QIB (excluding Non-U.S. Persons) pursuant to Rule 144A, the proposed transferee has delivered to the Registrar a certificate substantially in the form of Exhibit  E hereto and an Opinion of Counsel reasonably satisfactory to the Issuer and the Trustee or (2) in the case of a transfer to a Non-U.S. Person (including a QIB), the proposed transferor has delivered to the Registrar a certificate substantially in the form of Exhibit  F hereto; provided that in the case of any transfer of a Note bearing the Private Placement Legend for a Note not bearing the Private Placement Legend, the Registrar has received an Officer’s Certificate authorizing such transfer; and

(ii) if the proposed transferor is an Agent Member holding a beneficial interest in a Global Note, upon receipt by the Registrar of (x) the certificate, if any, required by paragraph (i) above and (y) instructions given in accordance with the Depositary’s and the Registrar’s procedures,

 

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whereupon (x) the Registrar shall reflect on its books and records the date and (if the transfer does not involve a transfer of outstanding Physical Notes) a decrease in the principal amount of a Global Note in an amount equal to the principal amount of the beneficial interest in a Global Note to be transferred, and (y) the Registrar shall reflect on its books and records the date and an increase in the principal amount of a Global Note in an amount equal to the principal amount of the beneficial interest in the Global Note transferred or the Issuer shall execute and the Trustee, upon receipt of an Authentication Order, shall authenticate and make available for delivery one or more Physical Notes of like tenor and amount.

(b) Transfers to QIBs pursuant to Rule 144A . The following provisions shall apply with respect to the registration or any proposed registration of transfer of a Note constituting a Restricted Note to a QIB pursuant to Rule 144A (excluding transfers to Non-U.S. Persons):

(i) the Registrar shall register the transfer if such transfer is being made by a proposed transferor who has checked the box provided for on such Holder’s Note stating, or has otherwise advised the Issuer and the Registrar in writing, that the sale has been made in compliance with the provisions of Rule 144A to a transferee who has signed the certification provided for on such Holder’s Note stating, or has otherwise advised the Issuer and the Registrar in writing, that it is purchasing the Note for its own account or an account with respect to which it exercises sole investment discretion and that it and any such account is a QIB within the meaning of Rule 144A, and is aware that the sale to it is being made in reliance on Rule 144A and acknowledges that it has received such information regarding the Issuer as it has requested pursuant to Rule 144A or has determined not to request such information and that it is aware that the transferor is relying upon its foregoing representations in order to claim the exemption from registration provided by Rule 144A; and

(ii) if the proposed transferee is an Agent Member, and the Notes to be transferred consist of Physical Notes which after transfer are to be evidenced by an interest in the Global Note, upon receipt by the Registrar of instructions given in accordance with the Applicable Procedures, the Registrar shall reflect on its books and records the date and an increase in the principal amount of the Global Note in an amount equal to the principal amount of the Physical Notes to be transferred, and the Trustee shall cancel the Physical Notes so transferred.

(c) Private Placement Legend . Upon the registration of transfer, exchange or replacement of Notes not bearing the Private Placement Legend, the Registrar shall deliver Notes that do not bear the Private Placement Legend. Upon the registration of transfer, exchange or replacement of Notes bearing the Private Placement Legend, the Registrar shall deliver only Notes that bear the Private Placement Legend unless (i) it has received the Officer’s Certificate required by paragraph (a)(i) of this Section 2.16, (ii) there is delivered to the Registrar an Opinion of Counsel reasonably satisfactory to the Issuer and the Trustee to the effect that neither such legend nor the related restrictions on transfer are required in order to maintain compliance with the provisions of the Securities Act or (iii) such Note has been sold pursuant to an effective registration statement under the Securities Act.

 

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(d) General . By its acceptance of any Note bearing the Private Placement Legend, each Holder of such Note acknowledges the restrictions on transfer of such Note set forth in this Supplemental Indenture and in the Private Placement Legend and agrees that it will transfer such Note only as provided in this Supplemental Indenture.

The Registrar shall retain for a period of two (2) years or as may otherwise be required by applicable law copies of all letters, notices and other written communications received pursuant to Section 2.15 or this Section 2.16. The Issuer shall have the right to inspect and make copies of all such letters, notices or other written communications at any reasonable time upon the giving of reasonable notice to the Registrar.

ARTICLE 3

REDEMPTION

Article 3 hereof replaces Article IV of the Base Indenture in its entirety as applied to the Notes.

Section 3.01 Notices to Trustee . If the Issuer elects to redeem Notes pursuant to the optional redemption provisions of Section 3.07, it must furnish to the Trustee, within the applicable time period set forth in Section 3.03 for giving notice of redemption, an Officer’s Certificate setting forth:

(1) the clause of this Supplemental Indenture pursuant to which the redemption shall occur;

(2) the redemption date;

(3) the principal amount of the Notes to be redeemed; and

(4) the redemption price.

If the redemption price is not known at the time such notice is to be given, the actual redemption price shall be set forth in an Officer’s Certificate of the Issuer delivered to the Trustee no later than two (2) Business Days prior to the redemption date.

Section 3.02 Selection of Notes to Be Redeemed . If less than all of the Notes are to be redeemed, the Notes to be redeemed will be selected by the Trustee by lot, pro rata or by another method in accordance with DTC procedures.

The Trustee shall promptly notify the Issuer in writing of the Notes selected for redemption and, in the case of any Note selected for partial redemption, the principal amount thereof to be redeemed. Notes and portions of Notes selected shall be in minimum denominations of $2,000 and integral multiples of $1,000 in excess thereof (or if a PIK Payment has been made, in minimum denominations of $2,000 and any integral multiple of $1.00 in excess thereof); no Notes of $2,000 or less can be redeemed in part, except that if all of the Notes

 

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of a Holder are to be redeemed, the entire outstanding amount of Notes held by such Holder, even if not equal to $2,000 or an integral multiple of $1,000 in excess thereof, shall be redeemed. Except as provided in the preceding sentence, provisions of this Supplemental Indenture that apply to Notes called for redemption also apply to portions of Notes called for redemption.

Section 3.03 Notice of Redemption . At least thirty (30) days but not more than sixty (60) days before a redemption date, the Issuer shall mail (or, in the case of interests in Global Notes, transmit electronically) a notice of redemption to each Holder of the Notes to be redeemed.

The notice will identify the Notes to be redeemed and will state:

(1) the redemption date;

(2) the redemption price, or manner of calculation thereof if not then known;

(3) if any Note is being redeemed in part, the portion of the principal amount of such Note to be redeemed and that, after the redemption date upon surrender of such Note, a new Note or Notes in principal amount equal to the unredeemed portion will be issued upon cancellation of the original Note;

(4) the name and address of the Paying Agent;

(5) that Notes called for redemption must be surrendered to the Paying Agent to collect the redemption price;

(6) that, unless the Issuer defaults in making such redemption payment, interest on Notes called for redemption ceases to accrue on and after the redemption date;

(7) the paragraph of the Notes and/or Section of this Supplemental Indenture pursuant to which the Notes called for redemption are being redeemed; and

(8) that no representation is made as to the correctness or accuracy of the CUSIP/CINS number, if any, listed in such notice or printed on the Notes.

At the Issuer’s request, the Trustee will give the notice of redemption in the Issuer’s names and at its expense; provided , however , that the Issuer has delivered to the Trustee, at least thirty-five (35) days prior to the redemption date (unless a shorter time is agreed to by the Trustee), an Officer’s Certificate requesting that the Trustee give such notice and setting forth the information to be stated in such notice as provided in the immediately preceding paragraph.

Section 3.04 Effect of Notice of Redemption . Once notice of redemption is mailed or sent in accordance with Section 3.03, Notes called for redemption become irrevocably due and payable on the redemption date at the redemption price, provided, notice of redemption may, at the Issuer’s option and discretion, be subject to the satisfaction of any conditions precedent contained in such notice of redemption.

 

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Section 3.05 Deposit of Redemption Price . Prior to any redemption date, the Issuer shall deposit (or cause or direct to be deposited) with the Trustee or with the Paying Agent money sufficient to pay the redemption price of, and accrued and unpaid interest to, but not including, the redemption date, on the Notes to be redeemed on such redemption date. The Trustee or the Paying Agent shall promptly return to the Issuer any money deposited with the Trustee or the Paying Agent by the Issuer in excess of the amounts necessary to pay the redemption price of, and accrued and unpaid interest to, but not including, the redemption date on, all Notes to be redeemed.

If the Issuer complies with the provisions of the preceding paragraph, on and after the redemption date, interest shall cease to accrue on the Notes or the portions of Notes called for redemption. If a Note is redeemed on or after an interest record date but on or prior to the related interest payment date, then any accrued and unpaid interest shall be paid to the Person in whose name such Note was registered at the close of business on such record date. If any Note called for redemption is not so paid upon surrender for redemption because of the failure of the Issuer to comply with the preceding paragraph, interest shall be paid on the unpaid principal, from the redemption date until such principal is paid, and to the extent lawful on any interest not paid on such unpaid principal, in each case at the rate provided in the Notes.

Section 3.06 Notes Redeemed in Part . Upon surrender of a Note that is redeemed in part, the Issuer will issue and, upon receipt of an Authentication Order, the Trustee will authenticate for the Holder at the expense of the Issuer a new Note equal in principal amount to the unredeemed portion of the Note surrendered.

Section 3.07 Optional Redemption . The Issuer may redeem the Notes, in whole or in part at any time, and from time to time, prior to the maturity date of the Notes, at the Issuer’s option, at a redemption price equal to the greater of:

(1) 100% of the principal amount of the Notes to be redeemed; and

(2) the sum of the present values of the remaining scheduled payments of principal and interest thereon (exclusive of interest accrued to the date of redemption) discounted to the redemption date on a semi-annual basis (assuming a 360-day year consisting of twelve 30-day months) at the Treasury Rate plus 50 basis points;

plus , in each case, accrued and unpaid interest, if any, thereon to, but not including, the date of redemption. Notwithstanding the foregoing, installments of interest on Notes that are due and payable on interest payment dates falling on or prior to a redemption date will be payable on the interest payment date to the Holders as of the close of business on the relevant record date.

Section 3.08 Mandatory Redemption . The Issuer is not required to make mandatory redemption or sinking fund payments with respect to the Notes.

 

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ARTICLE 4

COVENANTS

Section 4.01 Payment of Notes .The Issuer shall pay the principal of, premium, if any, and interest on the Notes on the dates and in the manner provided in the Notes and this Supplemental Indenture. An installment of principal or cash interest shall be considered paid on the date it is due if the Trustee or Paying Agent holds as of 11:00 a.m., New York City time, on that date money designated for and sufficient to pay such installment.

Interest payable on the Interest Payment Date of June 15, 2018 will be paid entirely in PIK Interest. In the event that the Issuer determines to pay PIK Interest for any other interest period, then the Issuer will deliver a notice (a “ PIK Notice ”) to the Trustee no later than five (5) Business Days prior to the Record Date with respect to the applicable Interest Payment Date, which notice will state the total amount of interest to be paid on the Interest Payment Date and the amount of such interest to be paid as PIK Interest. The Trustee, on behalf of the Issuer, will promptly deliver a corresponding notice provided by the Issuer to the Holders. PIK Interest will be considered paid on the date due if on such date the Trustee has received (i) with respect to any Global Notes, an Authentication Order to increase the balance of such Global Note to reflect such PIK Interest and (ii) with respect to any Definitive Notes, PIK Interest Notes duly executed by the Issuer together with an Authentication Order requesting the authentication of such PIK Interest Notes by the Trustee. In connection with the payment of PIK Interest in respect of the Notes, the Issuer will, without the consent of Holders, increase the outstanding principal amount of the Global Notes, if any, and issue PIK Interest Notes under this Supplemental Indenture with respect to any Definitive Notes, if any.

Interest will be payable, at the election of the Issuer, in whole or, to the extent consistent with the procedures of the Depositary, in part (i) as cash interest and/or (ii) by increasing the principal amount of the outstanding Global Notes, if any, and by issuing PIK Interest Notes with respect to the Definitive Notes, if any (“ PIK Interest ”). If the Issuer fails to timely make an election with respect to payment of interest on any Interest Payment Date (other than the Interest Payment Date of June 15, 2018), then interest shall be payable on such date in the same form as paid with respect to the immediately preceding Interest Payment Date; provided, that the Issuer shall provide an Authentication Order to the Trustee in accordance with the preceding paragraph on each Interest Payment Date on which the Issuer will pay PIK Interest whether or not the Issuer makes an election to pay PIK Interest with respect to such Interest Payment Date.

The Issuer shall pay interest on overdue principal (including post-petition interest in a proceeding under any bankruptcy law), and overdue interest, to the extent lawful, in cash at the rate specified in the Notes; provided, that to the extent any such payment is not permitted by the Second Lien Convertible Notes Indenture, such payment shall be made by making a PIK Payment.

 

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ARTICLE 5

CONVERSION

Section 5.01 Conversion Rights .

Subject to, and upon compliance with, the provisions of this Article 5, each Holder of a Note shall have the right, at such Holder’s option, to convert all or any portion (if the portion to be converted would result in the issuance of at least one whole share of Common Stock upon conversion) of such Note at any time at the Conversion Rate.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, except for any Person who directly or indirectly owned (including by virtue of relevant tax attribution rules) more than 9.9% of the vote or value of the Common Stock (as calculated for purposes of Section 871(h)(3) of the Code) immediately prior to the issuance of Notes on the Issue Date, to the extent that any proposed conversion of the Notes by any Holder would result in any non-U.S. Person directly or indirectly owning (including by virtue of relevant tax attribution rules) more than 9.9% of the vote or value of the Common Stock (as calculated for purposes of Section 871(h)(3) of the Code), the Notes will not be convertible at the option of such Holder to such extent.

Section 5.02 Conversion Procedures .

(a) General . To exercise the conversion right with respect to a beneficial interest in a Global Note, the owner of such beneficial interest must (i) comply with the Applicable Procedures for converting a beneficial interest in a Global Note, (ii) pay the funds, if any, required by Section 5.02(f) and (iii) pay any taxes or duties if required pursuant to Section 5.02(g).

To exercise the conversion right with respect to any Definitive Note, the Holder of such Definitive Note must (i) complete and manually sign a conversion notice in the form set forth in the Form of Notice of Conversion (the “ Conversion Notice ”) or a facsimile of the Conversion Notice; (ii) deliver such signed and completed Conversion Notice, which is irrevocable, and the definitive Note to the Conversion Agent; (iii) if required, furnish appropriate endorsements and transfer documents; (iv) if required, make any payment required under Section 5.02(f); and (v) if required, pay all transfer or similar governmental charges or duties as set forth in Section 5.02(g).

For any Note, the date on which the Holder of such Note (or Holder of a beneficial interest in a Global Note) satisfies all of the applicable requirements set forth above with respect to such Note shall be the conversion date (the “ Conversion Date ”) with respect to such Note (or beneficial interest).

(b) Holder of Record . Each conversion shall be deemed to have been effected as to any such Notes (or portion thereof) surrendered for conversion at the Close of Business on the applicable Conversion Date; provided , however , the Person in whose name any shares of Common Stock shall be issuable upon conversion, if any, shall be treated as a stockholder of record as of the Close of Business on the Conversion Date. For the avoidance of doubt, until a Holder is deemed to become the holder of record of shares of Common Stock issuable upon

 

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conversion of such Holder’s Notes as contemplated in the immediately preceding sentence, such Holder shall not have any rights as a holder of the Common Stock with respect to the shares of Common Stock issuable upon conversion of such Notes. At the Close of Business on the Conversion Date for a Note, the converting Holder shall no longer be the Holder of such Note.

(c) Endorsement . Any Notes surrendered for conversion shall, unless shares of Common Stock issuable on conversion are to be issued in the same name as the registration of such Notes, be duly endorsed by, or be accompanied by instruments of transfer in form satisfactory to the Issuer duly executed by, the Holder or its duly authorized attorney.

(d) Definitive Notes . If any Definitive Notes shall be surrendered for partial conversion, the Issuer shall execute and the Trustee, upon receipt of an Authentication Order, shall authenticate and deliver to the Holder of the Definitive Notes so surrendered, without charge, new Definitive Notes in authorized denominations in an aggregate principal amount equal to the unconverted portion of the surrendered Definitive Notes.

(e) Global Notes . Upon the conversion of a beneficial interest in Global Notes, the Trustee shall make a notation in its records as to the reduction in the principal amount represented thereby. The Issuer shall notify the Trustee in writing of any conversions of Notes effected through any Conversion Agent other than the Trustee.

(f) Interest Due upon Conversion . If a Holder converts a Note after the Close of Business on a Record Date but prior to the Open of Business on the Interest Payment Date corresponding to such Record Date, such Holder must accompany such Note with an amount of cash equal to the amount of interest that will be payable on such Note on the corresponding Interest Payment Date; provided , however , that a Holder need not make such payment (1) if the Conversion Date follows the Record Date immediately preceding the Maturity Date; (2) if the Issuer has specified a redemption date that is after a Record Date and on or prior to the Business Day immediately following the corresponding Interest Payment Date and the relevant Conversion Date occurs after such Record Date and on or prior to such Interest Payment Date; or (3) to the extent of any overdue interest, if any overdue interest exists at the time of conversion with respect to such Notes.

(g) Taxes Due upon Conversion . If a Holder converts a Note, the Issuer will pay any documentary, stamp or similar issue or transfer tax due on the issue of any shares of the Common Stock upon such conversion, unless the tax is due because the Holder requests that any shares be issued in a name other than the Holder’s name, in which case the Holder will pay any such taxes. The Conversion Agent may refuse to deliver the Common Stock to be issued in a name other than such Holder’s name until the Conversion Agent receives a sum sufficient to pay any tax or duty which will be due because such shares are to be issued in a name other than such Holder’s name. Nothing herein shall preclude any tax withholding required by law or regulation.

Section 5.03 Settlement upon Conversion .

(a) Settlement . Subject to this Section 5.03, Section 5.05 and Section 5.07, upon conversion of any Note, the Issuer shall deliver to Holders, in full satisfaction of its conversion obligation under Section 5.01, in respect of each $1,000 principal amount of Notes being converted, a Settlement Amount.

 

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(i) [Reserved].

(ii) Settlement Amount . The shares of Common Stock in respect of any conversion of Notes (the “ Settlement Amount ”) shall be computed as follows: the Issuer shall deliver to the converting Holder, in respect of each $1,000 principal amount of its Notes being converted, a number of shares of Common Stock equal to the Conversion Rate, rounded down to the nearest whole share pursuant to Section 5.03(b).

(iii) Delivery Obligation . The Issuer shall deliver the Settlement Amount due in respect of its conversion obligation under Section 5.03, not later than the third Business Day immediately following the relevant Conversion Date.

(b) Fractional Shares . Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Issuer will not issue fractional shares of Common Stock as part of the Settlement Amount due with respect to any converted Note. Instead, if any Settlement Amount includes a fraction of a share of the Common Stock, the number of shares of Common Stock issuable will be rounded down to the nearest whole share.

(c) Conversion of Multiple Notes by a Single Holder . If a Holder surrenders more than one Note for conversion on a single Conversion Date the Issuer will calculate the number of shares of Common Stock due with respect to such Notes as if such Holder had surrendered for conversion one Note having an aggregate principal amount equal to the sum of the principal amounts of each of the Notes surrendered for conversion by such Holder on the same Conversion Date.

(d) Settlement of Accrued Interest and Deemed Payment of Principal . If a Holder converts a Note, the Issuer will not adjust the Conversion Rate to account for any accrued and unpaid interest on such Note, and the Issuer’s delivery or payment of shares of Common Stock into which a Note is convertible will be deemed to satisfy and discharge in full the Issuer’s obligation to pay the principal of, and accrued and unpaid interest, if any, on, such Note to, but excluding, the Conversion Date; provided , however , that subject to Section 5.02(f), if a Holder converts a Note after the Close of Business on a Record Date and prior to the Open of Business on the corresponding Interest Payment Date, the Issuer will still be obligated to pay the interest due on such Interest Payment Date to the Holder of such Note on such Record Date. As a result, except as otherwise provided in the proviso to the immediately preceding sentence, any accrued and unpaid interest with respect to a converted Note will be deemed to be paid in full rather than cancelled, extinguished or forfeited.

(e) Notices . Whenever a Conversion Date occurs with respect to a Note, the Conversion Agent will, as promptly as possible, deliver to the Issuer and the Trustee notice that a Conversion Date has occurred, which notice will state such Conversion Date, the principal amount of Notes converted on such Conversion Date and the names of the Holders that converted Notes on such Conversion Date.

 

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Section 5.04 Common Stock Issued upon Conversion .

(a) The Issuer shall at all times reserve out of its authorized but unissued shares of Common Stock a number of shares of Common Stock sufficient to permit the conversion, in accordance herewith, of all of the then-outstanding Notes.

(b) Any shares of Common Stock delivered upon the conversion of the Notes will be newly issued shares or treasury shares, duly and validly issued, fully paid, nonassessable, free from preemptive rights and free of any lien or adverse claim (except to the extent of any lien or adverse claim created by the action or inaction of the Holder or other Person to whom such shares of Common Stock will be delivered). In addition, the Issuer will comply with all federal and state securities laws regulating the offer and delivery of any shares of Common Stock issuable upon conversion of the Notes. The Issuer will also cause any shares of Common Stock issuable upon conversion of a Note to be listed on whatever stock exchange(s) the Common Stock is listed on the date the converting Holder becomes a record holder of such Common Stock.

(c) If any shares of the Common Stock issued upon conversion will, upon delivery, be “restricted securities” (within the meaning of Rule 144 or any successor provision in effect at such time), except as the Issuer may otherwise determine in compliance with applicable law, such shares of Common Stock (i) will be issued in physical, certificated form; (ii) will not be held in book-entry form through the facilities of the Depositary; and (iii) will bear any restrictive legends the Issuer or the Transfer Agent deems necessary to comply with applicable law.

Section 5.05 Adjustment of Conversion Rate; Conversion Price .

The Conversion Rate and the Conversion Price shall be subject to adjustment from time to time as follows; provided that if more than one subsection of this Section 5.05 is applicable to a single event, the subsection shall be applied that produces the largest adjustment and no single event shall cause an adjustment under more than one subsection of this Section 5.05 so as to result in duplication:

(a) Stock Splits, Subdivisions, Reclassifications or Combinations . If the Issuer shall (i) declare and pay a dividend or make a distribution on its Common Stock in shares of Common Stock, (ii) subdivide or reclassify the outstanding shares of Common Stock into a greater number of shares, or (iii) combine or reclassify the outstanding shares of Common Stock into a smaller number of shares, the number of Notes Shares at the time of the record date for such dividend or distribution or the effective date of such subdivision, combination or reclassification will be proportionately adjusted so that a Holder of Notes after such date will be entitled, upon conversion of such Notes, to the number of shares of Common Stock that it would have received in respect of the number of Notes Shares it would have owned on account of the Notes had such Notes been converted immediately prior to such date. The Conversion Price in effect immediately prior to the record date for such dividend or distribution or the effective date of such subdivision, combination or reclassification will be adjusted by multiplying such Conversion Price by the quotient of (x) the number of Notes Shares immediately prior to such adjustment divided by (y) the new number of Notes Shares as determined in accordance with the immediately preceding sentence.

 

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(b) Other Distributions . In case the Issuer shall fix a record date for the making of a distribution to all holders of shares of its Common Stock of securities, evidences of indebtedness, assets, cash, rights or warrants (excluding dividends of its Common Stock and other dividends or distributions referred to in Section 5.05(a)), in each such case, the Conversion Price in effect prior to such record date shall be reduced immediately thereafter or at such later date as the Board of Directors may determine for purposes of the determination of Fair Market Value of the distribution (but in any event not later than ten (10) Business Days after the first date on which the Common Stock trades regular way on the principal national securities exchange on which the Common Stock is listed or admitted to trading without the right to receive such distribution) to the price determined by multiplying the Conversion Price in effect immediately prior to the reduction by the quotient of (x) the Market Price of the Common Stock on the last Trading Day preceding the first date on which the Common Stock trades regular way on the principal national securities exchange on which the Common Stock is listed or admitted to trading without the right to receive such distribution, minus the amount of cash and/or the Fair Market Value of the securities, evidences of indebtedness, assets, rights or warrants to be so distributed in respect of one share of Common Stock divided by (y) such Market Price on such date specified in clause (x). Such adjustment shall be made successively whenever such a record date is fixed. In such event, the number of Notes Shares shall be increased (and the Conversion Rate increased proportionately) to the number obtained by multiplying the Notes Shares immediately prior to such adjustment by the quotient of (x) the Conversion Price in effect immediately prior to the distribution giving rise to this adjustment divided by (y) the new Conversion Price determined in accordance with the immediately preceding sentence. In the event that such distribution is not so made, the Conversion Price, Conversion Rate and the number of Notes Shares then in effect shall be readjusted, effective as of the date when the Board of Directors determines not to distribute such shares, evidences of indebtedness, assets, rights, cash or warrants, as the case may be, to the Conversion Price, Conversion Rate and the number of Notes Shares that would then be in effect if such record date had not been fixed.

(c) Certain Repurchases of Common Stock . In case the Issuer effects a Pro Rata Repurchase of Common Stock, then the Conversion Price shall be reduced to the price determined by multiplying the Conversion Price in effect immediately prior to the Effective Date of such Pro Rata Repurchase by a fraction of which the numerator shall be (i) the product of (x) the number of shares of Common Stock outstanding immediately prior to such Pro Rata Repurchase and (y) the Market Price of a share of Common Stock on the Trading Day immediately preceding the first public announcement by the Issuer or any of its Affiliates of the intent to effect such Pro Rata Repurchase, minus (ii) the aggregate purchase price of the Pro Rata Repurchase, and of which the denominator shall be the product of (x) the number of shares of Common Stock outstanding immediately prior to such Pro Rata Repurchase minus the number of shares of Common Stock so repurchased and (y) the Market Price per share of Common Stock on the Trading Day immediately preceding the first public announcement by the Issuer of the intent to effect such Pro Rata Repurchase. In such event, the number of Notes Shares shall be increased (and the Conversion Rate increased proportionately) to the number obtained by multiplying the number of Notes Shares immediately prior to such adjustment by the quotient of (x) the Conversion Price in effect immediately prior to the Pro Rata Repurchase giving rise to this adjustment divided by (y) the new Conversion Price determined in accordance with the immediately preceding sentence. For the avoidance of doubt, no increase to the Conversion Price or decrease in the number of Notes Shares (or Conversion Rate) shall be made pursuant to this Section 5.05(c).

 

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(d) Business Combinations; Reclassifications of Common Stock . In case of any Business Combination or any reclassification of Common Stock (other than a reclassification of Common Stock referred to in Section 5.05(a)), the right of a Holder of a Note to receive shares of Common Stock upon conversion of a Note shall be converted into the right to receive the number and amount of shares of stock or other securities or property (including cash) upon conversion of a Note that the Common Stock issuable upon conversion of such Note immediately prior to such Business Combination or reclassification would have been entitled to receive upon closing of such Business Combination or reclassification.

Section 5.06 Responsibility of Trustee and Conversion Agent . Neither the Trustee nor the Conversion Agent has any duty or responsibility to calculate the Conversion Price, Conversion Rate or Notes Shares or to determine when an adjustment under this Article 5 should be made, how it should be made or what such adjustment should be, but may accept as conclusive evidence of the correctness of any such adjustment, and shall be protected in relying upon, the Officer’s Certificate with respect thereto which the Issuer is obligated to file with the Trustee pursuant to Section 5.07 hereof. Neither the Trustee nor the Conversion Agent makes any representation as to the validity or value of any securities or assets issued upon conversion of Notes, and neither the Trustee nor the Conversion Agent shall be responsible for the failure by the Issuer to comply with any provisions of this Article 5.

Neither the Trustee nor the Conversion Agent shall be responsible for any failure of the Issuer to make any cash payment or to issue, transfer or deliver any shares of Common Stock or stock or share certificates or other securities or property upon the surrender of any Note for the purpose of conversion; and neither the Trustee nor the Conversion Agent shall be responsible or liable for any failure of the Issuer to comply with any of the covenants of the Issuer contained in this Article 5. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, neither the Trustee nor the Conversion Agent shall be under any responsibility to determine the correctness of any provisions contained in any supplemental indenture entered into, or Officer’s Certificate delivered, in connection with this Article 5 relating either to the kind or amount of shares of stock or securities or other property or assets (including cash) receivable by Holders upon the conversion of their Notes after any event referred to in Section 5.05 or to any adjustment to be made with respect thereto, but may accept as conclusive evidence of the correctness of any such provisions, and shall be protected in relying upon, the Officer’s Certificate which the Issuer shall be obligated to deliver pursuant to Section 5.07.

 

31


Section 5.07 Notice of Adjustment . Whenever the Conversion Rate and Conversion Price is adjusted, the Issuer shall promptly mail, cause to be mailed or delivered electronically (if held at DTC) to Holders at the addresses appearing on the Registrar’s books a notice of the adjustment and file with the Trustee an Officer’s Certificate briefly stating the facts requiring the adjustment and the manner of computing it. The certificate shall be conclusive evidence of the correctness of such adjustment.

Section 5.08 Mandatory Conversion .

(a) The Issuer may elect at its option to cause all (but not less than all) of the Notes to be mandatorily converted (the “ Mandatory Conversion ”) within thirty (30) days following the end of any thirty (30) consecutive Trading Day period, ending on or after July 2, 2018, during which the volume weighted average trading price of the Common Stock on the NASDAQ Global Select Market (or any successor market thereto) exceeds $10.00 for a period of twenty (20) Trading Days (any such thirty (30) consecutive Trading Day period, a “ Mandatory Conversion Trigger Period ”). The volume-weighted average trading price referenced in the preceding sentence will be calculated by the Issuer and neither the Trustee nor any Conversion Agent or Paying Agent shall have any duty to confirm or verify, or in any case, be responsible for, the Issuer’s calculation.

(b) In order to exercise the Mandatory Conversion pursuant to Section 5.08(a), the Issuer or, at the written request and expense of the Issuer, the Trustee on behalf of the Issuer, shall deliver to each Holder of the Notes a notice (a “ Mandatory Conversion Notice ”) of exercise of the Mandatory Conversion within five (5) Business Days after the end of the Mandatory Conversion Trigger Period (the date such Mandatory Conversion Notice is sent to the Holders in the manner herein provided, the “ Mandatory Conversion Notice Date ”). The Issuer will select the date on which the Notes will be converted pursuant to the Mandatory Conversion, which shall be not more than thirty (30) calendar days after the Mandatory Conversion Trigger Period concludes (such date, the “ Mandatory Conversion Date ”). The Issuer shall also deliver a copy of such Mandatory Conversion Notice to the Trustee concurrently with the delivery thereof to the Holders to the extent that the Trustee does not deliver such Mandatory Conversion Notice on behalf of the Issuer. If such Mandatory Conversion Notice is to be given by the Trustee, the Issuer shall prepare and provide the form and content of such Mandatory Conversion Notice to the Trustee at least three (3) Business Days prior to the date the notice will be delivered to the Holders (or such later date as the Trustee may approve). With respect to Definitive Notes, such delivery shall be by first class mail, and with respect to Global Notes, such delivery shall be pursuant to the Applicable Procedures of the Depositary. The Mandatory Conversion Notice, if sent in the manner herein provided, shall be conclusively presumed to have been duly given, whether or not any Holder receives such Mandatory Conversion Notice.

(c) The Mandatory Conversion Notice shall state:

(i) the Mandatory Conversion Notice Date;

(ii) the Mandatory Conversion Trigger Period;

(iii) the aggregate principal amount of Notes to be mandatorily converted;

 

32


(iv) the CUSIP number, ISIN and/or “Common Code” number, if any, printed on the Notes being converted;

(v) that no representation is made as to the correctness or accuracy of the CUSIP number or ISIN and/or “Common Code” number, if any, listed in such notice or printed on the Notes;

(vi) the Mandatory Conversion Date;

(vii) the Conversion Rate and the Conversion Price then in effect;

(viii) that on and after the Mandatory Conversion Date interest on the Notes to be converted will cease to accrue; and

(ix) the name and address of each Paying Agent and Conversion Agent and the place or places where such Notes are to be surrendered for conversion.

(d) Each Holder of a Note, by the Holder’s acceptance thereof, agrees to take the following actions prior to the Mandatory Conversion Date in respect of its Notes subject to a Mandatory Conversion: (i) if a Definitive Note, surrender the mandatorily converted Note to the Conversion Agent (or in respect of a Global Note, take any actions required for the surrender of a beneficial interest in such Note pursuant to the Applicable Procedures), (ii) furnish appropriate endorsements and transfer documents if required by the Registrar, the Conversion Agent or the Applicable Procedures, (iii) pay any transfer or other tax, if required by Section 5.02(g), (iv) if the Note is a Global Note, complete and deliver to the Depositary any required instructions pursuant to the Applicable Procedures and (v) any other action necessary to effectuate the Mandatory Conversion as may be reasonably requested by the Issuer. In the event that a Holder of Notes does not take any of the actions set forth in the immediately preceding sentence prior to the Mandatory Conversion Date, each Holder of a Note, by such Holder’s acceptance thereof, authorizes and directs the Issuer to take any action on such Holder’s behalf to effectuate the Mandatory Conversion and appoints the Issuer such Holder’s attorney-in-fact for any and all such purposes.

(e) The Issuer will deliver to the Holders of Notes, not later than the third Business Day immediately following the Mandatory Conversion Date for such Notes, a number of shares of Common Stock equal to the product of (A)(x) the aggregate principal amount of such Notes to be converted divided by (y) $1,000 and (B) the Conversion Rate in effect on such Conversion Date, rounded down to the nearest whole number. Upon the Mandatory Conversion Date, unless the Issuer defaults in delivering or paying the amounts due pursuant to the foregoing sentence, interest on the Notes or portion of Notes so called for the Mandatory Conversion shall cease to accrue and the Holders thereof shall have no right in respect of such Notes except the right to receive the shares of Common Stock and cash, if any, to which they are entitled pursuant to this Section 5.08. Upon a conversion pursuant to this Section 5.08, the Person in whose name such shares of Common Stock will be registered will become the holder of record of such shares of Common Stock at the Close of Business on the Mandatory Conversion Date for such Note.

(f) If any of the provisions of this Section 5.08 are inconsistent with applicable law at the time of such Mandatory Conversion, such law shall govern.

 

33


ARTICLE 6

MISCELLANEOUS

Section 6.01 Governing Law; Jury Trial Waiver . THIS SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURE AND THE NOTES SHALL BE GOVERNED BY AND CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, WITHOUT REGARD TO THE CONFLICT OF LAW PRINCIPLES THEREOF.

EACH PARTY HERETO, AND EACH HOLDER OF A NOTE BY ACCEPTANCE THEREOF, HEREBY WAIVES, TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, ANY RIGHT IT MAY HAVE TO A TRIAL BY JURY IN RESPECT OF ANY LITIGATION DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY ARISING OUT OF, UNDER OR IN CONNECTION WITH THIS SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURE.

Section 6.02 No Adverse Interpretation of Other Agreements . This Supplemental Indenture may not be used to interpret any other indenture, loan or debt agreement of the Issuer or its Subsidiaries or of any other Person. Any such indenture, loan or debt agreement may not be used to interpret this Supplemental Indenture.

Section 6.03 Successors . All agreements of the Issuer in this Supplemental Indenture and the Notes will bind its successors. All agreements of the Trustee in this Supplemental Indenture will bind its successors.

Section 6.04 Severability . In case any provision in this Supplemental Indenture or in the Notes is invalid, illegal or unenforceable, the validity, legality and enforceability of the remaining provisions will not in any way be affected or impaired thereby, and such provision shall be ineffective only to the extent of such invalidity, illegality or unenforceability.

Section 6.05 Counterpart Originals . The parties may sign any number of copies of this Supplemental Indenture. Each signed copy will be deemed an original, but all of them together represent the same agreement. The exchange of copies of this Supplemental Indenture and of signature pages by facsimile or electronic transmission shall constitute effective execution and delivery of this Supplemental Indenture as to the parties hereto and may be used in lieu of the original Supplemental Indenture for all purposes. Signatures of the parties hereto transmitted by facsimile or electronic transmission shall be deemed to be their original signatures for all purposes.

Section 6.06 Table of Contents, Headings, etc . The Table of Contents, Cross-Reference Table and Headings of the Articles and Sections of this Supplemental Indenture have been inserted for convenience of reference only, are not to be considered a part of this Supplemental Indenture and will in no way modify or restrict any of the terms or provisions of the Indenture.

Section 6.07 Non-Business Days . If a payment date is not a Business Day, payment shall be made on the next succeeding day that is a Business Day, and no interest shall accrue for the intervening period on any amount that would otherwise have been payable on such payment date if it were a Business Day. If a regular record date is not a Business Day, the record date shall not be affected.

 

34


Section 6.08 Trustee . The recitals contained in this Supplemental Indenture and in the Notes, except with respect to the Trustee’s certificate of authentication, shall be taken as the statements of the Issuer, and the Trustee assumes no responsibility for the correctness of the same. The Trustee makes no representations as to the validity or sufficiency of this Supplemental Indenture or of the Notes.

[Remainder of page intentionally left blank.]

 

35


SIGNATURES

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Supplemental Indenture to be duly executed, all as of the date first written above.

SEARS HOLDINGS CORPORATION

By: /s/ Robert A. Riecker                            

Name: Robert A. Riecker

Title: Chief Financial Officer

[Signature Page to Supplemental Indenture]


COMPUTERSHARE TRUST COMPANY, N.A., as Trustee
By:  

/s/ Michael A. Smith

Name:   Michael A. Smith
Title:   Trust Officer

 

[Signature Page to Supplemental Indenture]


EXHIBIT A

FORM OF NOTE

[Face of Note]

 

 

CUSIP/CINS No. [__]

ISIN [__]

8% Senior Unsecured Convertible PIK Toggle Notes due 2019

 

No.    Initial Principal Amount: $

SEARS HOLDINGS CORPORATION

promises to pay to [________,]* [CEDE & CO.,]** or registered assigns, the principal sum [of ______________ DOLLARS]* [set forth on the “Schedule of Increases or Decreases in the Global Note” attached hereto]** on December 15, 2019.

Interest Payment Dates: June 15 and December 15, beginning June 15, 2018

Record Dates: June 1 and December 1

Dated: ______, 20__

 

 

* The bracketed language should be included if the Note is not issued in global form.
** The bracketed language should be included only if the Note is issued in global form .


SEARS HOLDINGS CORPORATION

 

By:  

     

Name:
Title:  

 

A-2


This is one of the Notes referred to

in the within-mentioned Supplemental Indenture:

COMPUTERSHARE TRUST COMPANY, N.A.,

as Trustee

 

By:                                                                          Dated:                                                                                           

Authorized Signatory

  

 

A-3


[Back of Note]

8% Senior Unsecured Convertible PIK Toggle Notes due 2019

Capitalized terms used herein have the meanings assigned to them in the Indenture referred to below unless otherwise indicated.

1. Interest . Sears Holdings Corporation, a corporation organized under the laws of Delaware (the “ Issuer ”), promises to pay interest on the principal amount set forth on the face amount of this Note, as increased by any PIK Interest (as defined below), at 8% per annum from December 15, 2017. The Issuer will pay interest, if any, semi-annually in arrears on June 15 and December 15 of each year, or if any such day is not a Business Day, on the next succeeding Business Day (each, an “ Interest Payment Date ”). Interest on the Notes will accrue from the most recent date to which interest has been paid or, if no interest has been paid, from December 15, 2017; provided that if there is no existing Default in the payment of interest, and if this Note is authenticated between a record date referred to on the face hereof and the next succeeding Interest Payment Date, interest shall accrue from such next succeeding Interest Payment Date; provided further that the first Interest Payment Date shall be June 15, 2018. The Issuer will pay interest (including post-petition interest in any proceeding under any Bankruptcy Law) on overdue principal and premium, if any, from time to time on demand in cash at the rate equal to the then applicable interest rate on the Notes to the extent lawful and it will pay interest (including post-petition interest in any proceeding under any Bankruptcy Law) on overdue installments of interest, if any (without regard to any applicable grace periods) from time to time on demand in cash at the same rate to the extent lawful; provided, that to the extent any such payment in cash described in this sentence is not permitted by the Second Lien Convertible Notes Indenture, such payment shall be made by making a PIK Payment. Interest will be computed on the basis of a 360-day year of twelve 30-day months.

Interest will be payable, at the election of the Issuer, in whole or, to the extent consistent with the procedures of the Depositary, in part as (a) cash interest (“ Cash Interest ”) and/or (b) by increasing the principal amount of the outstanding Global Notes, if any, and by issuing PIK Interest Notes with respect to the Definitive Notes, if any (“ PIK Interest ”). Interest payable on the Interest Payment Date of June 15, 2018 will be paid entirely in PIK Interest.

In the event that the Issuer determines to pay any PIK Interest for any other interest period, then the Issuer will deliver a notice (a “ PIK Notice ”) to the Trustee no later than five (5) Business Days prior to the record date with respect to the applicable Interest Payment Date, which notice will state the total amount of interest to be paid on the Interest Payment Date and the amount of such interest to be paid as PIK Interest. The Trustee, on behalf of the Issuer, will promptly deliver a corresponding notice provided by the Issuer to the Holders. If the Issuer fails to timely make an election with respect to payment of interest on any Interest Payment Date (other than the Interest Payment Date of June 15, 2018), then interest shall be payable on such date in the same form as paid with respect to the immediately preceding Interest Payment Date; provided, that the Issuer shall provide an Authentication Order to the Trustee in accordance with the Indenture on each Interest Payment Date on which the Issuer will pay PIK Interest whether or not the Issuer makes an election to pay PIK Interest with respect to such Interest Payment Date.

 

A-4


2. Method of Payment . The Issuer will pay interest on the Notes (except defaulted interest), to the Persons who are registered Holders of Notes at the Close of Business on the June 1 or December 1 next preceding the Interest Payment Date, even if such Notes are canceled after such record date and on or before such Interest Payment Date, except as provided in Section 2.13 of the Supplemental Indenture with respect to defaulted interest. The Notes will be payable as to principal, premium, if any, and interest at the office or agency of the Issuer maintained for such purpose or, at the option of the Issuer, payment of Cash Interest, if any, may be made by check mailed to the Holders at their addresses set forth in the Register; provided that payment by wire transfer of immediately available funds will be required with respect to principal of and interest (other than PIK Interest) and premium on all Global Notes and all other Notes the Holders of which will have provided wire transfer instructions to the Issuer or the Paying Agent. Such payment (other than PIK Interest) will be in such coin or currency of the United States of America as at the time of payment is legal tender for payment of public and private debts. If a payment date is not a Business Day, payment shall be made on the next succeeding day that is a Business Day, and no interest shall accrue for the intervening period on any amount that would otherwise have been payable on such payment date if it were a Business Day. If a regular record date is not a Business Day, the record date shall not be affected.

PIK Interest will be considered paid on the date due if on such date the Trustee has received (a) with respect to any Global Notes, an Authentication Order from the Issuer signed by an Officer of the Issuer to increase the balance of such Global Note to reflect such PIK Interest and (b) with respect to any Definitive Notes, PIK Interest Notes duly executed by the Issuer together with an Authentication Order of the Issuer signed by an Officer of the Issuer requesting the authentication of such PIK Interest Notes by the Trustee. In connection with the payment of PIK Interest in respect of the Notes, the Issuer will, without the consent of Holders, increase the outstanding principal amount of the Global Notes, if any, and issue PIK Interest Notes under the Indenture with respect to the Definitive Notes, if any.

3. Paying Agent and Registrar . Initially, Computershare Trust Company, N.A., the Trustee, will act as Paying Agent and Registrar, and Computershare Trust Company, N.A. and Computershare Inc. will act as Conversion Agent. The Issuer may change any Paying Agent, Conversion Agent or Registrar without notice to any Holder. The Issuer or any of its Subsidiaries may act in any such capacity.

4. Indenture . The Issuer issued the Notes under an indenture, dated as of November 21, 2014 (the “ Base Indenture ” and, with respect only to the Notes, together with a second supplemental indenture, dated as of March 20, 2018 (the “ Supplemental Indenture ”), and including the terms of the Notes, the “ Indenture ”), among the Issuer and the Trustee. The terms of the Notes include those stated in the Indenture and those made part of the Indenture by reference to the TIA. The Notes are subject to all such terms, and Holders are referred to the Indenture and the TIA for a statement of such terms. To the extent any provision of this Note conflicts with the express provisions of the Base Indenture, the provisions of this Note shall govern and be controlling, and to the extent any provision of this Note conflicts with the express provisions of the Supplemental Indenture, the provisions of the Supplemental Indenture shall govern and be controlling. The Indenture does not limit the aggregate principal amount of Notes that may be issued thereunder.

 

A-5


5. Optional Redemption . The Issuer may redeem the Notes, in whole or in part at any time, and from time to time, prior to the maturity date of the Notes, at the Issuer’s option, at a redemption price equal to the greater of:

(a) 100% of the principal amount of the Notes to be redeemed; and

(b) the sum of the present values of the remaining scheduled payments of principal and interest thereon (exclusive of interest accrued to the date of redemption) discounted to the redemption date on a semi-annual basis (assuming a 360-day year consisting of twelve 30-day months) at the Treasury Rate plus 50 basis points;

plus , in each case, accrued and unpaid interest, if any, thereon to, but not including, the date of redemption. Notwithstanding the foregoing, installments of interest on Notes that are due and payable on interest payment dates falling on or prior to a redemption date will be payable on the interest payment date to the Holders as of the close of business on the relevant record date.

6. Mandatory Redemption . The Issuer is not required to make mandatory redemption or sinking fund payments with respect to the Notes.

7. Conversion . Subject to, and upon compliance with, the provisions of Article Five of the Supplemental Indenture, and subject to the limitations set forth in Section 5.01 of the Supplemental Indenture, a Holder shall have the right, at such Holder’s option, to convert all or any portion (if the portion to be converted would result in the issuance of at least one whole share of Common Stock upon conversion) of such Note at any time at the Conversion Rate, in accordance with Article Five of the Supplemental Indenture.

The Issuer may elect at its option to cause all (but not less than all) of the Notes to be mandatorily converted within 30 days following the end of any 30 consecutive Trading Day period, ending on or after July 2, 2018, during which the volume weighted average trading price of the Common Stock on the NASDAQ Global Select Market (or any successor market thereto) exceeds $10.00 for a period of 20 Trading Days, upon the terms and conditions set forth in Section 5.08 of the Supplemental Indenture.

8. Satisfaction and Discharge; Defeasance . Article XIII of the Base Indenture applies to the Notes, which are subject to satisfaction and discharge, Discharge and Covenant Defeasance as set forth therein.

9. Notice of Redemption . Notice of any redemption will be mailed (or, in the case of interests in Global Notes, transmitted electronically) at least 30 days but not more than 60 days before the redemption date to each Holder of the Notes to be redeemed. Subject to the Issuer’s compliance with the first paragraph of Section 3.05 of the Supplemental Indenture, interest on the Notes or the portions of Notes called for redemption will cease to accrue on and after the redemption date.

 

A-6


10. Persons Deemed Owners . The registered Holder of a Note may be treated as its owner for all purposes.

11. Modification . The Indenture may be amended or supplemented as provided in the Base Indenture.

12. Defaults and Remedies . The Events of Default relating to the Notes are defined in Section 8.01 of the Base Indenture. If an Event of Default (other than an Event of Default specified in clause (e) or (f) in Section 8.01 of the Base Indenture) occurs and is continuing then, and in every such case, the Trustee or the Holders of 25% or more in principal amount of the outstanding Notes may declare the principal of and all accrued and unpaid interest, if any, on the outstanding Notes to be immediately due and payable, by a notice in writing to the Issuer (and to the Trustee if given by Holders of Notes), and upon any such declaration such principal, together with accrued and unpaid interest, if any, thereon, shall become immediately due and payable. If an Event of Default specified in clause (e) or (f) in Section 8.01 of the Base Indenture occurs and is continuing then, and in every such case, the principal of and all accrued and unpaid interest, if any, on the outstanding Notes shall automatically, and without declaration or other action on the part of the Trustee or any Holder of Notes, become immediately due and payable. Holders may not enforce the Indenture or the Notes except as provided in the Indenture. Subject to certain limitations, Holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the then outstanding Notes may, by written notice to the Trustee, direct the Trustee in its exercise of any trust or power. The Trustee may withhold from Holders notice of any continuing default (except a default in payment of principal, premium or interest, if any) if it determines in good faith that withholding notice is in the interests of the Holders in accordance with Section 12.03 of the Base Indenture.

13. Trustee Dealings with the Issuer . The Trustee or any Agent, in its individual capacity or any other capacity, may make loans to, accept deposits from, and perform service for the Issuer or its Affiliates, and may otherwise deal with the Issuer or its Affiliates, as if it were not the Trustee or an Agent, as the case may be. However, in the event that the Trustee acquires any conflicting interest, as defined under the TIA, it must eliminate such conflict within 90 days, apply to the SEC for permission to continue as trustee or resign as provided in the TIA. The Trustee is also subject to and entitled to the benefits of Article XII of the Base Indenture with respect to the Notes.

14. No Recourse Against Others . No director, officer, manager, employee, incorporator or direct or indirect partner, member or stockholder, past, present or future, of the Issuer or any successor entity, as such, will have any liability for any of the Issuer’s obligations under the Notes or the Indenture or for any claim based on, in respect of, or by reason of such obligations or their creation. Each Holder of Notes by accepting a Note waives and releases all such liability. The waiver and release are part of the consideration for issuance of the Notes. The waiver may not be effective to waive liabilities under the federal securities laws.

15. Authentication . This Note will not be valid until authenticated by the manual signature of the Trustee or an authenticating agent.

 

A-7


16. CUSIP/Cins Numbers . Pursuant to a recommendation promulgated by the Committee on Uniform Security Identification Procedures, the Issuer has caused CUSIP/CINS numbers to be printed on the Notes, and the Trustee may use CUSIP/CINS numbers in notices (including any notice of redemption or exchange) as a convenience to Holders. No representation is made as to the accuracy of such numbers either as printed on the Notes or as contained in any notice, and reliance may be placed only on the other identification numbers placed thereon.

17. Governing Law . THIS NOTE SHALL BE GOVERNED BY AND CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE LAW OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, WITHOUT REGARD TO THE CONFLICT OF LAW PRINCIPLES THEREOF.

The Issuer will furnish to any Holder upon written request and without charge a copy of the Base Indenture and the Supplemental Indenture. Requests may be made to:

Sears Holdings Corporation

3333 Beverly Road

Hoffman Estates, Illinois 60179

Attention: Treasurer

Facsimile No.: (847) 286-2055

 

A-8


ASSIGNMENT FORM

To assign this Note, fill in the form below:

(I) or (we) assign and transfer this Note to:                                                                                                                                                    

                                                                                      (Insert assignee’s legal name)

 

 

(Insert assignee’s soc. sec. or tax I.D. no.)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(Print or type assignee’s name, address and zip code)

and irrevocably appoint ______________________ to transfer this Note on the books of the Issuer. The agent may substitute another to act for him.

Date:                                                          

Your Signature:                               

(Sign exactly as your name appears

on the face of this Note)                 

Signature Guarantee:                                 

SIGNATURE GUARANTEE

Signatures must be guaranteed by an “eligible guarantor institution” meeting the requirements of the Registrar, which requirements include membership or participation in the Security Transfer Agent Medallion Program (“ STAMP ”) or such other “signature guarantee program” as may be determined by the Registrar in addition to, or in substitution for, STAMP, all in accordance with the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.

 

A-9


SCHEDULE OF INCREASES OR DECREASES IN THE GLOBAL NOTE *

The initial outstanding principal amount of this Global Note is $             . The following increases or decreases in this Global Note have been made, including as a result of payments of PIK Interest, exchanges of a part of this Global Note for an interest in another Global Note or Definitive Note, or exchanges of a part of another Global Note or Definitive Note for an interest in this Global Note:

 

Date                                         

   Amount
of
decrease
in
Principal
Amount
of this
Global
Note
   Amount
of
increase
in
Principal
Amount
of
this
Global
Note
   Principal
Amount
of this
Global
Note
following
such
decrease
(or
increase)
   Signature
of
authorized
officer
of Trustee
or
Custodian

 

* This schedule should be included only if the Note is issued in global form .

 

A-10


FORM OF NOTICE OF CONVERSION

 

To: Sears Holdings Corporation

3333 Beverly Road

Hoffman Estates, Illinois 60179

Facsimile: (847) 286-2055

Attention: Treasurer

Computershare Inc.

480 Washington Blvd, 27 th Floor

Jersey City, NJ 07310

Attn: Corp Actions Relationship Manager

Computershare Inc.

250 Royall St.

Canton, Massachusetts 02021

Attn: Corp Actions Relationship Manager

With a copy to:

Computershare Inc.

250 Royall St.

Canton, Massachusetts 02021

Attn: Legal Department

The undersigned owner of this Note hereby irrevocably exercises the option to convert this Note, or a portion thereof (if the portion to be converted would result in the issuance of at least one whole share of Common Stock upon conversion) below designated, into a number of shares of Common Stock in accordance with the terms of the Indenture referred to in this Note, and directs that any shares of Common Stock deliverable upon conversion, together with any Notes representing any unconverted principal amount hereof, be delivered to the registered holder hereof unless a different name is indicated below.

Subject to certain exceptions set forth in the Indenture, if this notice is being delivered after the Close of Business on a Record Date and prior to the Open of Business on the Interest Payment Date corresponding to such Record Date, this notice must be accompanied by payment of an amount equal to the interest payable on such Interest Payment Date on the principal amount of this Note to be converted. If any shares of Common Stock are to be issued in the name of a Person other than the undersigned, the undersigned will pay all transfer taxes payable with respect to such issuance and transfer as set forth in the Indenture.

 

A-11


Principal amount to be converted

(if less than all):

  

Certificate No.(s)

(if in certificated form):

   Beneficial Ownership of Issuer Common Stock (prior to conversion):

$

 

(if the portion to be converted would result in the issuance of at least one whole share of Common Stock upon conversion)

                          shares

 

A-12


Check the boxes below, if applicable. If such boxes are checked, the undersigned certifies that the below is accurate.

THE UNDERSIGNED IS NOT, AND HAS NOT BEEN DURING THE PRECEDING THREE (3) MONTHS, A DIRECTOR, OFFICER OR “AFFILIATE” OF THE ISSUER AS THAT TERM IS DEFINED IN RULE 144(a)(1) UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT.

A PERIOD OF AT LEAST TWELVE (12) MONTHS HAS PASSED SINCE THE NOTES WERE ACQUIRED FROM THE ISSUER OR A DIRECTOR, OFFICER OR “AFFILIATE,” WITHIN THE MEANING OF RULE 144(a)(1) UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT, OF THE ISSUER, AS COMPUTED UNDER RULE 144(d) UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT.

If you want the share certificate representing the Common Stock, if any, issuable upon conversion made out in another person’s name, fill in the form below:

 

 

(Insert other person’s social security or tax I.D. number)

 

 

 

(Print or type other person’s name, address and zip code)

 

If Note is held through a custodian, name of the custodian through which the Note is held:

 

Name of Beneficial Holder: ____________________________________

 

Social security or tax I.D. number: _______________________________________

 

DTC Custodian’s Participant Number: ___________

 

Dated:                                                                      Signed:                                                                              
  

(Sign exactly as your name(s) appear(s) on the other side of this Note)

Signature Guarantee: __________________________________

 

A-13


SIGNATURE GUARANTEE

Signatures must be guaranteed by an “eligible guarantor institution” meeting the requirements of the Registrar, which requirements include membership or participation in the Security Transfer Agent Medallion Program (“ STAMP ”) or such other “signature guarantee program” as may be determined by the Registrar in addition to, or in substitution for, STAMP, all in accordance with the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.

 

A-14


EXHIBIT B

[FORM OF LEGEND FOR RESTRICTED NOTES]

THIS SECURITY HAS NOT BEEN REGISTERED UNDER THE U.S. SECURITIES ACT OF 1933, AS AMENDED (THE “SECURITIES ACT”) OR THE SECURITIES LAWS OF ANY STATE OR OTHER JURISDICTION, AND, ACCORDINGLY, MAY NOT BE OFFERED OR SOLD WITHIN THE UNITED STATES OR TO, OR FOR, THE ACCOUNT OR BENEFIT OF, U.S. PERSONS EXCEPT AS SET FORTH BELOW. BY ITS ACQUISITION HEREOF, THE HOLDER (1) REPRESENTS THAT (A) IT IS AN ACCREDITED INVESTOR (AS DEFINED IN RULE 501(a) OF REGULATION D UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT) OR (B) IT IS NOT A U.S. PERSON AND IS ACQUIRING THIS SECURITY IN AN OFFSHORE TRANSACTION IN COMPLIANCE WITH REGULATION S UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT, (2) AGREES THAT IT WILL NOT RESELL OR OTHERWISE TRANSFER THIS SECURITY EXCEPT (A) TO THE ISSUER OR ANY SUBSIDIARY THEREOF, (B) INSIDE THE UNITED STATES TO A QUALIFIED INSTITUTIONAL BUYER IN COMPLIANCE WITH RULE 144A UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT, (C) INSIDE THE UNITED STATES TO AN ACCREDITED INVESTOR THAT, PRIOR TO SUCH TRANSFER, FURNISHES (OR HAS FURNISHED ON ITS BEHALF BY A U.S. BROKER-DEALER) TO THE TRUSTEE A SIGNED LETTER CONTAINING CERTAIN REPRESENTATIONS AND AGREEMENTS RELATING TO THE RESTRICTIONS ON TRANSFER OF THIS SECURITY (THE FORM OF WHICH LETTER CAN BE OBTAINED FROM THE ISSUER), (D) OUTSIDE THE UNITED STATES IN AN OFFSHORE TRANSACTION IN COMPLIANCE WITH REGULATION S UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT (IF AVAILABLE), (E) PURSUANT TO THE EXEMPTION FROM REGISTRATION PROVIDED BY RULE 144 UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT (IF AVAILABLE), (F) IN ACCORDANCE WITH ANOTHER EXEMPTION FROM THE REGISTRATION REQUIREMENTS OF THE SECURITIES ACT (AND BASED UPON AN OPINION OF COUNSEL IF THE ISSUER SO REQUESTS) OR (G) PURSUANT TO AN EFFECTIVE REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT AND (3) AGREES THAT IT WILL GIVE TO EACH PERSON TO WHOM THIS SECURITY IS TRANSFERRED A NOTICE SUBSTANTIALLY TO THE EFFECT OF THIS LEGEND. IN CONNECTION WITH ANY TRANSFER OF THIS SECURITY, IF THE PROPOSED TRANSFEREE IS AN ACCREDITED INVESTOR, THE HOLDER MUST, PRIOR TO SUCH TRANSFER, FURNISH TO THE TRUSTEE AND THE ISSUER SUCH CERTIFICATIONS, LEGAL OPINIONS OR OTHER INFORMATION AS EITHER OF THEM MAY REASONABLY REQUIRE TO CONFIRM THAT SUCH TRANSFER IS BEING MADE PURSUANT TO AN EXEMPTION FROM, OR IN A TRANSACTION NOT SUBJECT TO, THE REGISTRATION REQUIREMENTS OF THE SECURITIES ACT. HEDGING TRANSACTIONS INVOLVING THIS SECURITY MAY NOT BE CONDUCTED UNLESS IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE SECURITIES ACT. AS USED HEREIN, THE TERMS “OFFSHORE TRANSACTION,” “UNITED STATES” AND “U.S. PERSON” HAVE THE MEANING GIVEN TO THEM BY REGULATION S UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT.

 

B-1


[FORM OF ASSIGNMENT FOR NOTES

THAT ARE RESTRICTED NOTES]

I or we assign and transfer this Note to:

 

 

(Insert assignee’s social security or tax I.D. number)

 

 

 

(Print or type name, address and zip code of assignee)

 

and irrevocably appoint:                                                                                                                                                                         

 

 

Agent to transfer this Note on the books of the Issuer. The Agent may substitute another to act for him.

[Check If Applicable]

 

  

Documents are being furnished which comply with the conditions of transfer set forth in this Note and the Indenture.

If the foregoing box is not checked, the Trustee or Registrar shall not be obligated to register this Note in the name of any person other than the Holder hereof unless and until the conditions to any such transfer of registration set forth herein and in Sections 2.15 and 2.16 of the Indenture shall have been satisfied.

 

Date:                                        Your Signature:   

 

     (Sign exactly as your name appears on the other side of this Note)

Signature Guarantee: __________________________________

SIGNATURE GUARANTEE

Signatures must be guaranteed by an “eligible guarantor institution” meeting the requirements of the Registrar, which requirements include membership or participation in the Security Transfer Agent Medallion Program (“ STAMP ”) or such other “signature guarantee program” as may be determined by the Registrar in addition to, or in substitution for, STAMP, all in accordance with the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.

 

B-2


TO BE COMPLETED BY PURCHASER IF THE ABOVE BOX IS CHECKED AND THE TRANSFER IS BEING MADE PURSUANT TO SECTION 2.16(b)(i) OF THE INDENTURE

The undersigned represents and warrants that it is purchasing this Note for its own account or an account with respect to which it exercises sole investment discretion and that it and any such account is a “qualified institutional buyer” within the meaning of Rule 144A under the Securities Act and is aware that the sale to it is being made in reliance on Rule 144A and acknowledges that it has received such information regarding the Issuer as the undersigned has requested pursuant to Rule 144A or has determined not to request such information and that it is aware that the transferor is relying upon the undersigned’s foregoing representations in order to claim the exemption from registration provided by Rule 144A.

 

Date:                                              

  

 

  

NOTICE: To be executed by an executive officer

 

B-3


EXHIBIT C

[FORM OF LEGEND FOR REGULATION S NOTE]

THIS SECURITY HAS NOT BEEN REGISTERED UNDER THE U.S. SECURITIES ACT OF 1933, AS AMENDED (THE “SECURITIES ACT”) OR THE SECURITIES LAWS OF ANY STATE OR OTHER JURISDICTION, AND, ACCORDINGLY, MAY NOT BE OFFERED OR SOLD WITHIN THE UNITED STATES OR TO, OR FOR, THE ACCOUNT OR BENEFIT OF, U.S. PERSONS EXCEPT AS SET FORTH BELOW. BY ITS ACQUISITION HEREOF, THE HOLDER (1) REPRESENTS THAT (A) IT IS AN ACCREDITED INVESTOR (AS DEFINED IN RULE 501(a) OF REGULATION D UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT) OR (B) IT IS NOT A U.S. PERSON AND IS ACQUIRING THIS SECURITY IN AN OFFSHORE TRANSACTION IN COMPLIANCE WITH REGULATION S UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT, (2) AGREES THAT IT WILL NOT RESELL OR OTHERWISE TRANSFER THIS SECURITY EXCEPT (A) TO THE ISSUER OR ANY SUBSIDIARY THEREOF, (B) INSIDE THE UNITED STATES TO A QUALIFIED INSTITUTIONAL BUYER IN COMPLIANCE WITH RULE 144A UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT, (C) INSIDE THE UNITED STATES TO AN ACCREDITED INVESTOR THAT, PRIOR TO SUCH TRANSFER, FURNISHES (OR HAS FURNISHED ON ITS BEHALF BY A U.S. BROKER-DEALER) TO THE TRUSTEE A SIGNED LETTER CONTAINING CERTAIN REPRESENTATIONS AND AGREEMENTS RELATING TO THE RESTRICTIONS ON TRANSFER OF THIS SECURITY (THE FORM OF WHICH LETTER CAN BE OBTAINED FROM THE ISSUER), (D) OUTSIDE THE UNITED STATES IN AN OFFSHORE TRANSACTION IN COMPLIANCE WITH REGULATION S UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT (IF AVAILABLE), (E) PURSUANT TO THE EXEMPTION FROM REGISTRATION PROVIDED BY RULE 144 UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT (IF AVAILABLE), (F) IN ACCORDANCE WITH ANOTHER EXEMPTION FROM THE REGISTRATION REQUIREMENTS OF THE SECURITIES ACT (AND BASED UPON AN OPINION OF COUNSEL IF THE ISSUER SO REQUESTS) OR (G) PURSUANT TO AN EFFECTIVE REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT AND (3) AGREES THAT IT WILL GIVE TO EACH PERSON TO WHOM THIS SECURITY IS TRANSFERRED A NOTICE SUBSTANTIALLY TO THE EFFECT OF THIS LEGEND. IN CONNECTION WITH ANY TRANSFER OF THIS SECURITY, IF THE PROPOSED TRANSFEREE IS AN ACCREDITED INVESTOR, THE HOLDER MUST, PRIOR TO SUCH TRANSFER, FURNISH TO THE TRUSTEE AND THE ISSUER SUCH CERTIFICATIONS, LEGAL OPINIONS OR OTHER INFORMATION AS EITHER OF THEM MAY REASONABLY REQUIRE TO CONFIRM THAT SUCH TRANSFER IS BEING MADE PURSUANT TO AN EXEMPTION FROM, OR IN A TRANSACTION NOT SUBJECT TO, THE REGISTRATION REQUIREMENTS OF THE SECURITIES ACT. HEDGING TRANSACTIONS INVOLVING THIS SECURITY MAY NOT BE CONDUCTED UNLESS IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE SECURITIES ACT. AS USED HEREIN, THE TERMS “OFFSHORE TRANSACTION,” “UNITED STATES” AND “U.S. PERSON” HAVE THE MEANING GIVEN TO THEM BY REGULATION S UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT.

 

C-1


[FORM OF ASSIGNMENT FOR REGULATION S NOTE]

I or we assign and transfer this Note to:

 

 

(Insert assignee’s social security or tax I.D. number)

 

 

 

(Print or type name, address and zip code of assignee)

 

and irrevocably appoint:                                                                                                                                                                                   

 

 

Agent to transfer this Note on the books of the Issuer. The Agent may substitute another to act for him.

[Check If Applicable]

 

   Documents are being furnished which comply with the conditions of transfer set forth in this Note and the Indenture.

If the foregoing box is not checked, the Trustee or Registrar shall not be obligated to register this Note in the name of any person other than the Holder hereof unless and until the conditions to any such transfer of registration set forth herein and in Sections 2.15 and 2.16 of the Indenture shall have been satisfied.

 

Date:                                                     Your Signature:   

 

     (Sign exactly as your name appears on the other side of this Note)

Signature Guarantee: __________________________________

SIGNATURE GUARANTEE

Signatures must be guaranteed by an “eligible guarantor institution” meeting the requirements of the Registrar, which requirements include membership or participation in the Security Transfer Agent Medallion Program (“ STAMP ”) or such other “signature guarantee program” as may be determined by the Registrar in addition to, or in substitution for, STAMP, all in accordance with the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.

 

C-2


TO BE COMPLETED BY PURCHASER IF THE ABOVE BOX IS CHECKED AND THE TRANSFER IS BEING MADE PURSUANT TO SECTION 2.16(b)(i) OF THE INDENTURE

The undersigned represents and warrants that it is purchasing this Note for its own account or an account with respect to which it exercises sole investment discretion and that it and any such account is a “qualified institutional buyer” within the meaning of Rule 144A under the Securities Act and is aware that the sale to it is being made in reliance on Rule 144A and acknowledges that it has received such information regarding the Issuer as the undersigned has requested pursuant to Rule 144A or has determined not to request such information and that it is aware that the transferor is relying upon the undersigned’s foregoing representations in order to claim the exemption from registration provided by Rule 144A.

 

Date:                                          

  

 

  

NOTICE: To be executed by an executive officer

 

C-3


EXHIBIT D

[FORM OF LEGEND FOR GLOBAL NOTE]

Any Global Note authenticated and delivered hereunder shall bear a legend (which would be in addition to any other legends required in the case of a Restricted Note) in substantially the following form:

THIS NOTE IS A GLOBAL NOTE WITHIN THE MEANING OF THE INDENTURE HEREINAFTER REFERRED TO AND IS REGISTERED IN THE NAME OF A DEPOSITARY OR A NOMINEE OF A DEPOSITARY. THIS NOTE IS NOT EXCHANGEABLE FOR NOTES REGISTERED IN THE NAME OF A PERSON OTHER THAN THE DEPOSITARY OR ITS NOMINEE EXCEPT IN THE LIMITED CIRCUMSTANCES DESCRIBED IN THE INDENTURE, AND NO TRANSFER OF THIS NOTE (OTHER THAN A TRANSFER OF THIS NOTE AS A WHOLE BY THE DEPOSITARY TO A NOMINEE OF THE DEPOSITARY OR BY A NOMINEE OF THE DEPOSITARY TO THE DEPOSITARY OR ANOTHER NOMINEE OF THE DEPOSITARY) MAY BE REGISTERED EXCEPT IN THE LIMITED CIRCUMSTANCES DESCRIBED IN THE INDENTURE.

Unless this Certificate is presented by an authorized representative of The Depository Trust Company (a New York corporation) (“ DTC ”) to the Issuer or its agent for registration of transfer, exchange, or payment, and any Certificate issued is registered in the name of Cede & Co. or in such other name as is requested by an authorized representative of DTC (and any payment is made to Cede & Co. or such other entity as is requested by an authorized representative of DTC), any transfer, pledge or other use hereof for value or otherwise by or to any person is wrongful inasmuch as the registered owner hereof, Cede & Co., has an interest herein.

 

D-1


EXHIBIT E

Form of Certificate to Be

Delivered in Connection with

Transfers Other Than to QIBs Pursuant to Rule 144A and Other Than Pursuant to Regulation S

Computershare Trust Company, N.A.

Attn.: Corporate Trust Dept. -SEARS

8742 Lucent Boulevard, Suite 225

Highlands Ranch, Colorado 80129

Facsimile No.: 303-262-0608

Email: corporate.trust@computershare.com

Ladies and Gentlemen:

In connection with our proposed purchase of 8% Senior Unsecured Convertible PIK Toggle Notes due 2019 (the “ Notes ”) of Sears Holdings Corporation, a Delaware corporation (the “ Issuer ”), we confirm that:

1. We understand that any subsequent transfer of the Notes is subject to certain restrictions and conditions set forth in the Indenture dated as of November 21, 2014, as supplemented by the Second Supplemental Indenture, dated as of March 20, 2018 relating to the Notes and we agree to be bound by, and not to resell, pledge or otherwise transfer the Notes except in compliance with, such restrictions and conditions and the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “ Securities Act ”).

2. We understand that the Notes have not been registered under the Securities Act or any other applicable securities laws, have not been and will not be qualified for sale under the securities laws of any non-U.S. jurisdiction and that the Notes may not be offered, sold, pledged or otherwise transferred except as permitted in the following sentence. We agree, on our own behalf and on behalf of any accounts for which we are acting as hereinafter stated, that if we should sell any Notes, we will do so only (i) to the Issuer or any subsidiary thereof, (ii) in accordance with Rule 144A under the Securities Act to a “qualified institutional buyer” (as defined in Rule 144A), (iii) to an institutional “accredited investor” (as defined below) that, prior to such transfer, furnishes (or has furnished on its behalf by a U.S. broker-dealer) to you a signed letter containing certain representations and agreements relating to the restrictions on transfer of the Notes, (iv) outside the United States to persons other than U.S. persons in offshore transactions meeting the requirements of Rule 904 of Regulation S under the Securities Act, (v) pursuant to the exemption from registration provided by Rule 144 under the Securities Act (if applicable) or (vi) pursuant to an effective registration statement, and we further agree to provide to any person purchasing any of the Notes from us a notice advising such purchaser that resales of the Notes are restricted as stated herein.

 

E-1


3. We understand that, on any proposed resale of any Notes, we will be required to furnish to you and the Issuer such certifications, legal opinions and other information as you and the Issuer may reasonably require to confirm that the proposed sale complies with the foregoing restrictions. We further understand that the Notes purchased by us will bear a legend to the foregoing effect.

4. We are an “accredited investor” (as defined in Rule 501 under the Securities Act) and have such knowledge and experience in financial and business matters as to be capable of evaluating the merits and risks of our investment in the Notes, and we and any accounts for which we are acting each are able to bear the economic risk of our or their investment, as the case may be.

5. We are acquiring the Notes purchased by us for our account or for one or more accounts (each of which is an “accredited investor”) as to each of which we exercise sole investment discretion.

6. We are not acquiring the Notes with a view toward the distribution thereof in a transaction that would violate the Securities Act or the securities laws of any state of the United States or any other applicable jurisdiction.

You are entitled to rely upon this letter and are irrevocably authorized to produce this letter or a copy hereof to any interested party in any administrative or legal proceeding or official inquiry with respect to the matters covered hereby.

 

Very truly yours,

 

[Name of Purchaser]

 

By:  

 

Name:  
Title:  

Dated:                                      

 

E-2


EXHIBIT F

Form of Certificate to Be Delivered

in Connection with Transfers

Pursuant to Regulation S

Computershare Trust Company, N.A.

Attn.: Corporate Trust Dept. -SEARS

8742 Lucent Boulevard, Suite 225

Highlands Ranch, Colorado 80129

Facsimile No.: 303-262-0608

Email: corporate.trust@computershare.com

 

  Re: Sears Holdings Corporation (the “ Issuer ”)

8% Senior Unsecured Convertible PIK Toggle Notes due 2019 (the “Notes”)

Dear Sirs:

In connection with our proposed sale of $                      aggregate principal amount of the Notes, we confirm that such sale has been effected pursuant to and in accordance with Regulation S under the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “ Securities Act ”), and, accordingly, we represent that:

1. the offer of the Notes was not made to a U.S. person or to a person in the United States;

2. either (a) at the time the buy offer was originated, the transferee outside the United States or we and any person acting on our behalf reasonably believed that the transferee was outside the United States, or (b) the transaction was executed in, on or through the facilities of a designated offshore securities market and neither we nor any person acting on our behalf knows that the transaction has been prearranged with a buyer in the United States;

3. no directed selling efforts have been made in the United States in contravention of the requirements of Rule 904(a) of Regulation S;

4. the transaction is not part of a plan or scheme to evade the registration requirements of the Securities Act; and

5. we have advised the transferee of the transfer restrictions applicable to the Notes.

 

E-1


You are entitled to rely upon this letter and are irrevocably authorized to produce this letter or a copy hereof to any interested party in any administrative or legal proceedings or official inquiry with respect to the matters covered hereby. Terms used in this certificate have the meanings set forth in Regulation S.

 

Very truly yours,

 

[Name of Purchaser]

 

By:  

 

 

A-2

Exhibit 10.1

FOURTH AMENDMENT TO

SECOND LIEN CREDIT AGREEMENT

FOURTH AMENDMENT TO SECOND LIEN CREDIT AGREEMENT (this “ Amendment ”) dated as of March 20, 2018 among

SEARS HOLDINGS CORPORATION, a Delaware corporation (“ Holdings ”),

SEARS ROEBUCK ACCEPTANCE CORP., a Delaware corporation, and KMART CORPORATION, a Michigan corporation (the “ Borrowers ”),

the Guarantors listed on the signature page hereto (the “ Guarantors ”).

JPP, LLC and JPP II, LLC, as Lenders, and

JPP, LLC, as Administrative Agent and collateral administrator (the “ Agent ”),

in consideration of the mutual covenants herein contained and benefits to be derived herefrom.

W I T N E S S E T H :

WHEREAS, Holdings, the Borrowers, the Lenders party thereto, Guarantors party thereto and the Agent are party to that certain Second Lien Credit Agreement (as amended by that certain First Amendment to Second Lien Credit Agreement, dated as of July 7, 2017, that certain Second Amendment to Second Lien Credit Agreement, dated as of January 9, 2018, that certain Third Amendment to Second Lien Credit Agreement, dated as of February 7, 2018, and as further amended, amended and restated, supplemented or otherwise modified prior to the date hereof, the “ Existing Second Lien Credit Agreement ”; the Existing Second Lien Credit Agreement as amended hereby, the “ Amended Second Lien Credit Agreement ”); and

WHEREAS, Holdings, the Borrowers, the Guarantors, the Lenders and the Agent have agreed to amend the Existing Second Lien Credit Agreement.

NOW THEREFORE, in consideration of the mutual promises and agreements herein contained, the parties hereto hereby agree as follows:

 

1. Incorporation of Terms. All capitalized terms not otherwise defined herein shall have the same meaning as in the Amended Second Lien Credit Agreement.

 

2. Representations and Warranties . By execution of this Amendment, each Loan Party certifies that, as of the Amendment Effective Date:

 

  a. no Default or Event of Default has occurred and is continuing under the Amended Second Lien Credit Agreement or under any other Loan Document;


  b. all representations and warranties contained in the Amended Second Lien Credit Agreement and the other Loan Documents are true and correct in all material respects as of the date hereof, except to the extent that (A) such representations or warranties are qualified by a materiality standard (in which case such representations or warranties are true and correct in all respects), (B) such representations or warranties expressly relate to an earlier date (in which case such representations or warranties are true and correct in all material respects as of such earlier date);

 

  c. the execution, delivery and performance by each Loan Party party hereto and thereto of this Amendment and the other documents executed in connection herewith, and the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby or thereby, are within such Loan Party’s powers, have been duly authorized by all necessary organizational action, and do not contravene (A) the charter or by-laws or other organizational or governing documents of such Loan Party or (B) law or any contractual restriction binding on or affecting any Loan Party, except, for purposes of this clause (B), to the extent such contravention would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect;

 

  d. no authorization or approval or other action by, and no notice to or filing with, any governmental authority or regulatory body or any other third party is required for the due execution, delivery and performance of this Amendment and the other documents executed in connection herewith, in each case by any Loan Party party thereto, that has not already been obtained if the failure to obtain such authorization, approval or other action could reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect; and

 

  e. this Amendment has been duly executed and delivered by each Loan Party party hereto, constitutes the legal, valid and binding obligation of each Loan Party party hereto enforceable against such Loan Party in accordance with its terms subject to the effect of any applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization or moratorium or similar laws affecting the rights of creditors generally and subject to general principles of equity (regardless of whether enforcement is sought in a proceeding at law or in equity).

 

3. Release by Loan Parties . Each Loan Party hereby acknowledges and agrees that it has no actual knowledge of any defenses or claims against any Lender, the Agent, any of their Affiliates, or any of their respective officers, directors, employees, attorneys, representatives, predecessors, successors, or assigns with respect to the Obligations, and that if such Loan Party now has, or ever did have, any defenses or claims with respect to the Obligations against any Lender, the Agent, or any of their respective Affiliates or any of their respective officers, directors, employees, attorneys, representatives, predecessors, successors, or assigns, whether known or unknown, at law or in equity, from the beginning of the world through this date and through the time of effectiveness of this Amendment, all of them are hereby expressly WAIVED , and each Loan Party hereby RELEASES each Lender, the Agent, their respective Affiliates and their respective officers, directors, employees, attorneys, representatives, predecessors, successors, and assigns from any liability therefor.

 

-2-


4. Amendments to Existing Second Lien Credit Agreement . The Existing Second Lien Credit Agreement is hereby amended to delete the red stricken text (indicated textually in the same manner as the following example: stricken text ) and to add the blue double-underlined text (indicated textually in the same manner as the following example: double-underlined ) as set forth in the pages of the Amended Second Lien Credit Agreement attached as Annex A hereto. Except as provided herein and in the Amended Second Lien Credit Agreement, all of the terms and conditions of the Existing Second Lien Credit Agreement shall remain in full force and effect.

 

5. Direction to Amend . Each Lender party hereto hereby authorizes and directs the Agent to enter into (a) that certain Amended and Restated Security Agreement, to be dated as of the date hereof, among Holdings, certain of its subsidiaries party thereto, Wilmington Trust, National Association, as collateral agent, the Agent and the other representatives of holders of second lien obligations party thereto, a copy of which is attached hereto as Annex B (the “ Amended Security Agreement ”) and (b) that certain Second Amended and Restated Intercreditor Agreement, to be dated as of the date hereof, by and among Bank of America, N.A. and Wells Fargo Bank, National Association, as ABL agents, and Wilmington Trust, National Association, as second lien agent, a copy of which is attached hereto as Annex C (the “ Amended Intercreditor Agreement ”)

 

6. Conditions to Effectiveness . This Amendment shall become effective on the date (the “ Amendment Effective Date ”) that each of the following conditions precedent has been fulfilled as determined by the Agent:

 

  a. This Amendment shall have been duly executed and delivered by Holdings, the Borrowers, each of the Lenders and the Agent, and the Agent shall have received counterparts hereof that, when taken together, bear the signatures of each of the other parties hereto.

 

  b. All action on the part of Holdings and the Borrowers necessary for the valid execution, delivery and performance by Holdings and the Borrowers of this Amendment shall have been duly taken.

 

  c. The Agent’s receipt of the following, each of which shall be originals or telecopies (followed promptly by originals) unless otherwise specified, each properly executed by an Authorized Officer of the signing Loan Party, each dated as of the Amendment Effective Date (or, in the case of certificates of governmental officials, a recent date before the Amendment Effective Date) and each in form and substance satisfactory to Agent:

 

-3-


  i. such certificates of resolutions or other action, incumbency certificates and/or other certificates of Authorized Officers of Holdings and each Borrower as the Agent may reasonably require evidencing (A) the authority of each Loan Party to enter into this Amendment and the other documents or instruments executed or to be executed in connection with this Amendment to which such Loan Party is a party or is to be a party and (B) the identity, authority and capacity of each Authorized Officer of Holdings and each Borrower authorized to act as an Authorized Officer in connection with this Amendment and such other documents to which Holdings or such Borrower, as applicable, is a party or is to be a party (or, in the case of this clause (B), in the Agent’s discretion “no change” certifications);

 

  ii. copies of the organization or other governing documents of Holdings and each Borrower and such other documents and certifications as the Agent may reasonably require to evidence that Holdings and each Borrower is duly organized or form and that each Loan Party is validly existing, in good standing;

 

  iii. an opinion of in house counsel to Holdings and of one or more special or local counsel to Holdings, the Borrowers, and the other Loan Parties, addressed to the Agent and each Lender as to such matters as the Agent may reasonably request; and

 

  iv.

a certificate signed by an Authorized Officer of Holdings and the Borrowers certifying (A) that the conditions specified in Section 4.02 of the Amended Second Lien Credit Agreement have been satisfied, (B) that the execution and delivery of the Amendment will not conflict with, and the Liens on the Collateral granted on the Effective Date to secure the Loans are permitted by, (i) the Indenture for the Existing Second Lien Notes, as amended, modified, supplemented or restated and in effect from time to time, (ii) the Indenture, dated as of the date hereof, among Holdings, the guarantors party thereto and Computershare Trust Company, N.A., as trustee, as amended, modified, supplemented or restated and in effect from time to time, (iii) the First Lien Credit Agreement, (iv) the Security Documents in effect as of the Amendment Effective Date after giving effect to this Amendment and the transactions contemplated hereby, including the Amended and Restated Security Agreement, dated as of the date hereof, among Holdings, certain of its subsidiaries party thereto, Wilmington Trust, National Association, as collateral agent, the Agent and the other representatives of holders of second lien obligations party thereto, and the Second Amended and Restated Intercreditor Agreement, dated as of the date hereof, by and among Bank of America, N.A. and Wells Fargo Bank, National Association, as ABL agents, and Wilmington Trust, National Association, as second lien agent, in each case

 

-4-


as amended, modified, supplemented or restated and in effect from time to time, (v) that certain Letter of Credit Reimbursement Agreement, dated as of December 28, 2016, by and among Holdings, the Borrowers, certain financial institutions and Citibank, N.A. as administrative agent and issuing bank, as amended, modified, supplemented or restated and in effect from time to time, (vi) that certain Second Amended and Restated Loan Agreement, dated as of October 18, 2017, by and among JPP, LLC, JPP II, LLC, Sears, Roebuck and Co, Kmart Corporation and the other borrower parties thereto, as amended, modified, supplemented or restated and in effect from time to time, (vii) that certain Amended and Restated Loan Agreement, dated as of May 22, 2017, by and among JPP, LLC, JPP II, LLC, Cascade Investment, L.L.C., Sears, Roebuck and Co, Kmart Corporation and the other borrower parties thereto, as amended, modified, supplemented or restated and in effect from time to time, (viii) that certain Term Loan Credit Agreement, dated as of January 4, 2018, among Holdings, the Borrowers, the guarantors party thereto from time to time, the lenders party thereto from time to time and JPP, LLC, as administrative agent and collateral administrator, as amended, modified, supplemented or restated and in effect from time to time, (ix) that certain Credit Agreement, dated as of March 14, 2018, among SRC O.P. LLC, SRC Facilities LLC and SRC Real Estate (TX), LLC, as borrowers, and UBS AG, Stamford Branch, as Administrative Agent and the lenders party thereto, as amended, modified, supplemented or restated and in effect from time to time, and (x) that certain Mezzanine Loan Agreement, dated as of March 14, 2018, among SRC Sparrow 2 LLC, as borrower, JPP, LLC as administrative agent and the lenders party thereto, as amended, modified, supplemented or restated and in effect from time to time.

 

  d. The conditions set forth in Sections 4.02(i) and 4.02(ii) of the Amended Second Lien Credit Agreement shall be satisfied.

 

  e. Since January 30, 2017, there has been no event or circumstance, either individually or in the aggregate, that has had or would reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

  f. After giving effect to this Amendment and the transactions contemplated hereunder, Capped Excess Availability shall not be less than $150,000,000.

 

  g. The Borrowers shall have paid all fees, expenses and other amounts due and owing to the Agent and the Lenders that have executed this Amendment.

 

7. Binding Effect . The terms and provisions hereof shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the parties hereto, the Lenders and their respective successors and assigns.

 

-5-


8. Expenses . The Borrowers shall reimburse the Agent for all reasonable and documented out-of-pocket expenses incurred in connection herewith, including, without limitation, reasonable attorneys’ fees.

 

9. Multiple Counterparts . This Amendment may be executed in multiple counterparts, each of which shall constitute an original and together which shall constitute but one and the same instrument. Delivery of an executed counterpart of a signature page of this Agreement by facsimile or in electronic (i.e. “pdf” or “tif”) format shall be effective as delivery of a manually executed counterpart of this Amendment.

 

10. Acknowledgement and Reaffirmation . This Amendment shall amend (or shall cause the amendment of, as applicable) the Existing Second Lien Credit Agreement, the Security Agreement and the Existing Intercreditor Agreement, but is not intended to, and shall not, constitute a novation thereof or in any way impair or otherwise affect the rights or obligations of the parties thereunder (including with respect to loans and representations and warranties made thereunder) except as such rights or obligations are amended or modified hereby. Each the Existing Second Lien Credit Agreement, the Security Agreement and the Existing Intercreditor Agreement as amended hereby or in accordance herewith shall be deemed to be a continuing agreement among the parties, and all documents, instruments and agreements delivered, as well as all Liens created, pursuant to or in connection with the Existing Second Lien Credit Agreement, the Security Agreement and the Existing Intercreditor Agreement (each as amended) shall remain in full force and effect, each in accordance with its terms (as amended). Each Loan Party (a) acknowledges and consents to all of the terms and conditions of this Amendment, (b) affirms as of the date hereof the covenants and agreements contained in this Amendment and each Loan Document to which it is a party, including in each case such covenants and agreements as in effect immediately after giving effect to this Amendment and the transactions contemplated hereby, (c) agrees that this Amendment and all documents executed in connection herewith do no operate to reduce or discharge such Loan Party’s obligations under the Loan Documents, (d) affirms that each of the Liens granted in or pursuant to the Loan Documents are valid and secure the Secured Obligations (as defined under the Security Agreement (as amended)), including those Obligations arising under any of the Amended Second Lien Credit Agreement, the Security Agreement (as amended in accordance herewith) and the Existing Intercreditor Agreement (as amended in accordance herewith) and (e) agrees that neither this Amendment nor any other document executed in connection herewith shall in no manner impair or otherwise adversely affect any of the Liens granted in or pursuant to the Loan Documents. Each Guarantor hereby confirms that its guarantee under the Amended Second Lien Credit Agreement remains unaltered and in full force and effect and hereby reaffirms, ratifies and confirms the terms and conditions of such guarantee.

 

11.

Liens Unimpaired . Neither the modification of the Existing Second Lien Credit Agreement, the Security Agreement and the Existing Intercreditor Agreement effected pursuant to, or in accordance with, this Amendment nor the execution, delivery, performance or effectiveness of this Amendment: (a) impairs the validity, effectiveness

 

-6-


  or priority of the Liens granted pursuant to any Loan Document, and such Liens continue unimpaired with the same priority to secure repayment of all Obligations, whether heretofore or hereafter incurred; or (b) requires that any new filings be made or other action taken to perfect or to maintain the perfection of such Liens.

 

12. Severability . If any provision of this Amendment is held to be illegal, invalid or unenforceable, the legality, validity and enforceability of the remaining provisions of this Amendment shall not be affected or impaired thereby. The invalidity of a provision in a particular jurisdiction shall not invalidate or render unenforceable such provision in any other jurisdiction.

 

13. Governing Law . THIS AMENDMENT SHALL BE GOVERNED BY, AND CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH, THE LAW OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK WITHOUT REGARD TO CONFLICTS OF LAWS PRINCIPLES THEREOF OTHER THAN SECTIONS 5-1401 AND 5-1402 OF THE NEW YORK GENERAL OBLIGATIONS LAW.

[Remainder of page intentionally left blank; Signature pages follow.]

 

 

-7-


IN WITNESS WHEREOF, this Amendment has been duly executed and delivered by each of the parties hereto as of the date first above written.

 

SEARS HOLDINGS CORPORATION
By:  

/s/ Robert A. Riecker

  Name: Robert A. Riecker
  Title: Chief Financial Officer
CALIFORNIA BUILDER APPLIANCES, INC.
FLORIDA BUILDER APPLIANCES, INC.
KMART HOLDING CORPORATION
KMART OPERATIONS LLC
SEARS OPERATIONS LLC
SEARS, ROEBUCK AND CO.
By:  

/s/ Robert A. Riecker

  Name: Robert A. Riecker
  Title: Chief Financial Officer
SEARS HOLDINGS MANAGEMENT CORPORATION
SEARS HOME IMPROVEMENT PRODUCTS, INC.
By:  

/s/ Robert A. Riecker

  Name: Robert A. Riecker
  Title: President
SEARS ROEBUCK ACCEPTANCE CORP.
By:  

/s/ Robert A. Riecker

  Name: Robert A. Riecker
  Title: Vice President, Finance

[Signature page to Fourth Amendment to Second Lien Credit Agreement]


A&E FACTORY SERVICE, LLC
A&E HOME DELIVERY, LLC
A&E LAWN & GARDEN, LLC
A&E SIGNATURE SERVICE, LLC
KLC, INC.
KMART OF MICHIGAN, INC.
PRIVATE BRANDS, LTD.
SEARS BRANDS MANAGEMENT CORPORATION
SEARS PROTECTION COMPANY
SEARS PROTECTION COMPANY (FLORIDA), L.L.C.
SEARS, ROEBUCK DE PUERTO RICO, INC.
SOE, INC.
STARWEST, LLC
By:  

/s/ Robert A. Riecker

  Name: Robert A. Riecker
  Title: Vice President
KMART.COM LLC
By: Bluelight.com, Inc., its Member
By:  

/s/ Robert A. Riecker

  Name: Robert A. Riecker
  Title: Vice President
KMART OF WASHINGTON LLC
KMART STORES OF ILLINOIS LLC
KMART STORES OF TEXAS LLC
MYGOFER LLC
By: Kmart Corporation, its Member
By:  

/s/ Robert A. Riecker

  Name: Robert A. Riecker
  Title: Chief Financial Officer

[Signature page to Fourth Amendment to Second Lien Credit Agreement]


JPP, LLC, as Agent and as a Lender
By:  

/s/ Edward S. Lampert

  Name: Edward S. Lampert
  Title: Member

[Signature page to Fourth Amendment to Second Lien Credit Agreement]


JPP II, LLC, as a Lender
By: RBS Partners, L.P., as Manager
By: ESL Investments, Inc., as General Partner
By:  

/s/ Edward S. Lampert

  Name: Edward S. Lampert
  Title: Chairman and Chief Executive Officer

[Signature page to Fourth Amendment to Second Lien Credit Agreement]


Annex A

Conformed Second Lien Credit Agreement

[See Attached]


ANNEX A

SECOND LIEN CREDIT AGREEMENT

Dated as of September 1, 2016

as amended July 7, 2017

as further amended January 9, 2018

as further amended February 7, 2018

as further amended March 20, 2018

among

SEARS HOLDINGS CORPORATION

and

SEARS ROEBUCK ACCEPTANCE CORP.

and

KMART CORPORATION ,

as Borrowers

and

THE GUARANTORS PARTY HERETO ,

and

THE LENDERS NAMED HEREIN ,

and

JPP, LLC,

as Agent

 

 


TABLE OF CONTENTS

Page

ARTICLE I DEFINITIONS AND ACCOUNTING TERMS

     1  

SECTION 1.01. Certain Defined Terms

     1  

SECTION 1.02. Computation of Time Periods

     29  

SECTION 1.03. Accounting Terms

     29  

SECTION 1.04. Other Interpretive Provisions

     29  

ARTICLE II AMOUNTS AND TERMS OF THE LOANS

     29  

SECTION 2.01. The Term Loan

     29  

SECTION 2.02. Line of Credit Loan Proposals

     30  

SECTION 2.03. Line of Credit Lender Confirmations; Line of Credit Loans

     30  

SECTION 2.04. Notes

     31  

SECTION 2.05. Fees

     31  

SECTION 2.06. Reserved

     31  

SECTION 2.07. Repayment of Loans

     31  

SECTION 2.08. Interest

     31  

SECTION 2.09. Interest Rate Determination

     33  

SECTION 2.10. Optional Conversion of Term Loan Borrowings

     33  

SECTION 2.11. Optional and Mandatory Prepayments of Term Loan

     33  

SECTION 2.12. Increased Costs

     34  

SECTION 2.13. Illegality

     35  

SECTION 2.14. Payments and Computations

     36  

SECTION 2.15. Taxes

     36  

SECTION 2.16. Sharing of Payments, Etc.

     39  

SECTION 2.17. Use of Proceeds of the Loans

     40  

SECTION 2.18. Extension of Loans

     40  

SECTION 2.19. Incremental Term Loans

     41  

SECTION 2.20. Conversion of Term Loans

     42  

SECTION 2.21. Mandatory Conversion of Term Loans

     46  

ARTICLE III RESERVED

     47  

ARTICLE IV CONDITIONS TO EFFECTIVENESS

     47  

SECTION 4.01. Conditions Precedent to Effectiveness

     47  

SECTION 4.02. Conditions Precedent to Each Extension of Credit

     48  

ARTICLE V REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES

     49  

SECTION 5.01. Representations and Warranties of the Borrowers

     49  

ARTICLE VI COVENANTS

     52  

SECTION 6.01. Affirmative Covenants

     52  

SECTION 6.02. Negative Covenants

     57  

SECTION 6.03. Financial Covenant

     62  

ARTICLE VII EVENTS OF DEFAULT

     62  

 

i


SECTION 7.01. Events of Default

     62  

ARTICLE VIII THE AGENT

     64  

SECTION 8.01. Appointment

     64  

SECTION 8.02. Delegation of Duties

     65  

SECTION 8.03. Exculpatory Provisions

     65  

SECTION 8.04. Reliance by Agent

     65  

SECTION 8.05. Notice of Default

     65  

SECTION 8.06. Non-Reliance on Agents and Other Lenders

     66  

SECTION 8.07. Reports and Financial Statements

     66  

SECTION 8.08. Indemnification

     66  

SECTION 8.09. Agent in Its Individual Capacity

     67  

SECTION 8.10. Successor Agent

     67  

SECTION 8.11. Reserved

     67  

SECTION 8.12. Defaulting Lenders

     67  

ARTICLE IX MISCELLANEOUS

     68  

SECTION 9.01. Amendments, Etc.

     68  

SECTION 9.02. Notices, Etc.

     68  

SECTION 9.03. No Waiver; Remedies

     69  

SECTION 9.04. Costs and Expenses

     69  

SECTION 9.05. Right of Set-off

     71  

SECTION 9.06. Binding Effect; Effectiveness

     71  

SECTION 9.07. Assignments and Participations

     71  

SECTION 9.08. Confidentiality

     73  

SECTION 9.09. Governing Law

     73  

SECTION 9.10. Execution in Counterparts

     73  

SECTION 9.11. Jurisdiction, Etc.

     73  

SECTION 9.12. WAIVER OF JURY TRIAL

     74  

SECTION 9.13. Release of Collateral or Guarantee Obligation

     74  

SECTION 9.14. PATRIOT Act Notice

     74  

SECTION 9.15. Integration

     75  

SECTION 9.16. Replacement of Lenders

     75  

SECTION 9.17. No Advisory or Fiduciary Capacity

     75  

ARTICLE X GUARANTEE

     76  

SECTION 10.01. Guarantee

     76  

SECTION 10.02. Right of Contribution

     76  

SECTION 10.03. No Subrogation

     77  

SECTION 10.04. Amendments, etc. with Respect to Obligations

     77  

SECTION 10.05. Guarantee Absolute and Unconditional

     77  

SECTION 10.06. Reinstatement

     78  

SECTION 10.07. Payments

     78  

SECTION 10.08. Additional Guarantors

     78  

SECTION 10.09. Releases

     78  

SECTION 10.10. Additional Line of Credit Lenders

     79  

 

ii


SCHEDULES   
Schedule 1.01    Reserved
Schedule 5.01(n)    Pension Plan Issues
Schedule 5.01(p)    UCC Filing Jurisdictions
Schedule 5.01(s)    Existing Rights to Purchase Equity Interests
Schedule 5.01(t)    Labor Matters
Schedule 6.01(j)    Financial and Collateral Reports
Schedule 6.02(d)    Restricted Payments
Schedule 6.02(k)(ii)    Investment Policy
EXHIBITS   
Exhibit A    Reserved
Exhibit B    Form of Assignment and Acceptance
Exhibit C    Reserved
Exhibit D    Reserved   
Exhibit E    Reserved   
Exhibit F    Reserved   
Exhibit G    Reserved   
Exhibit H    Reserved   
Exhibit I    Form of Compliance Certificate
Exhibit J    Form of Joinder Agreement
Exhibit K    Form of Line of Credit Lender Joinder Agreement
Exhibit L    Form of Line of Credit Loan Proposal
Exhibit M    Form of Notice of Conversion

 

iii


SECOND LIEN CREDIT AGREEMENT (this “ Agreement ”) dated as of September 1, 2016, as amended on July 7, 2017 (the “ First Amendment Effective Date ”), as further amended on January 9, 2018, as further amended on February 7, 2018 and as further amended on March 20, 2018, among SEARS HOLDINGS CORPORATION, a Delaware corporation (“ Holdings ”), SEARS ROEBUCK ACCEPTANCE CORP., a Delaware corporation (“ SRAC ”), KMART CORPORATION, a Michigan corporation (“ Kmart Corp .”), the guarantors listed on the signature pages hereto or pursuant to any joinder hereto as provided in Sections 6.01(i) and 10.08, the banks, financial institutions and other institutional lenders listed on the signature pages hereof or pursuant to any joinder hereto as provided in Section 10.10 or through an assignment as provided in Section 9.07 hereof as Lenders, and JPP, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company, as administrative agent and collateral administrator (the “ Agent ”).

W I T N E S S E T H :

WHEREAS, Holdings, SRAC, Kmart Corp., certain lenders, Wells Fargo Bank, National Association, f/k/a Wells Fargo Retail Finance, LLC. and General Electric Capital Corporation, as co-collateral agents and co-syndication agents, JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. and Barclays Bank PLC, as documentation agents, Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated f/k/a Banc of America Securities LLC, Wells Fargo Retail Finance, LLC and GE Capital Markets, Inc. as joint lead arrangers and joint bookrunners, and the First Lien Agent (as defined below), are party to the First Lien Credit Agreement (as defined below); and

WHEREAS, the Borrowers have requested that the Term Lenders make term loans to the Borrowers on the terms and subject to the conditions set forth in this Agreement and may request that the Line of Credit Lenders make loans to the Borrowers from time to time, as contemplated herein.

NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the mutual conditions and agreements set forth in this Agreement, and for good and valuable consideration, the receipt of which is hereby acknowledged, the undersigned hereby agree as follows:

ARTICLE I

DEFINITIONS AND ACCOUNTING TERMS

SECTION 1.01. Certain Defined Terms . As used in this Agreement, the following terms shall have the following meanings (such meanings to be equally applicable to both the singular and plural forms of the terms defined):

Accelerated Borrowing Base Delivery Event ” means either (i) the occurrence and continuance of any Event of Default, or (ii) the failure of the Borrowers for three (3) days (whether or not consecutive) during any thirty (30) day period to maintain Capped Excess Availability equal to at least 15% of the Line Cap. For purposes of this Agreement, the occurrence of an Accelerated Borrowing Base Delivery Event shall be deemed continuing at the Agent s option (x) so long as such Event of Default shall be continuing, and/or (y) if the Accelerated Borrowing Base Delivery Event arises as a result of the Borrowers failure to maintain Capped Excess Availability as required hereunder, until Capped Excess Availability has exceeded 15% of the Line Cap for thirty (30) consecutive calendar days, in which case an Accelerated Borrowing Base Delivery Event shall no longer be deemed to be continuing for purposes of this Agreement. The termination of an Accelerated Borrowing Base Delivery Event as provided herein shall in no way limit, waive or delay the occurrence of a subsequent Accelerated Borrowing Base Delivery Event in the event that the conditions set forth in clauses (i) or (ii) hereof again arise.

ACH ” means automated clearing house transfers.

Acquisition ” means, with respect to any Person (a) a purchase of a controlling interest in, the equity interests of any other Person, (b) a purchase or other acquisition of all or substantially all of the assets or properties of, another Person or of any business unit of another Person, or (c) any merger or consolidation of

 


such Person with any other Person or other transaction or series of transactions resulting in the acquisition of all or substantially all of the assets, or a controlling interest in the equity interests, of any Person, in each case in any transaction or group of transactions which are part of a common plan.

Additional Commitment Lender ” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.19(c).

Additional Extending Lenders ” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.18(c).

Additional First Lien Debt ” means any Debt that is issued or guaranteed by a Borrower and/or any Guarantor (other than the First Lien Credit Agreement Obligations) which Debt and guarantees are permitted to be issued hereunder and are secured by the Collateral (or a portion thereof) on a pari passu basis with the First Lien Credit Agreement Obligations. The Borrowers may designate any such Debt to be Additional First Lien Debt by written notice to the Agent, provided such designation shall not result in the aggregate amount of Priority Obligations exceeding the amounts permitted pursuant to Section 6.02 hereof.

Additional First Lien Debt Documents ” means, with respect to any series, issue or class of Additional First Lien Debt, the promissory notes, loan agreements, indentures, or other operative agreements evidencing or governing such Indebtedness, in each case, as may be amended, restated, amended and restated, modified, supplemented, replaced, extended, renewed and/or refinanced from time to time in accordance with the terms of this Agreement.

Additional First Lien Debt Obligations ” means, with respect to any series, issue or class of Additional First Lien Debt, all amounts owing pursuant to the terms of such Additional First Lien Debt, including, without limitation, the obligation (including guarantee obligations) to pay principal, interest, letter of credit commissions, reimbursement obligations, charges, expenses, fees, attorneys costs, indemnities and other amounts.

Adjusted Consolidated EBITDA ” means, for any period, Consolidated Net Income for such period plus (a) without duplication and to the extent deducted in determining Consolidated Net Income for such period, the sum of (i) Consolidated Interest Expense for such period, (ii) income tax expense for such period, (iii) all amounts attributable to depreciation and amortization expense for such period, (iv) any items of loss resulting from the sale of assets other than in the ordinary course of business for such period, (v) any non-cash charges for tangible or intangible impairments or asset write downs for such period (excluding any write downs or write-offs of Inventory other than write-downs or write-offs of Inventory related to up to 100 store closings in any four consecutive fiscal quarters), and (vi) any other non-cash charges for such period (including non-cash charges arising from share-based payments to employees or directors, but excluding (1) any non-cash charge already added back to Consolidated Net Income in the calculation of Adjusted Consolidated EBITDA in a prior period, (2) any non-cash charge that relates to the write-down or write-off of Inventory other than write-downs or write-offs of Inventory related to up to 100 store closings in any four consecutive fiscal quarters, and (3) non-cash charges for which a cash payment is required to be made in that or any other period), minus (b) without duplication and to the extent included in Consolidated Net Income for such period, (i) any items of gain resulting from the sale of assets other than in the ordinary course of business for such period, (ii) any cash payments made during such period in respect of non-cash charges described in clause (a)(vi) taken in a prior period and (iii) any non-cash items of income for such period, all calculated on a Consolidated basis in accordance with GAAP (excluding any non-cash income already deducted from Consolidated Net Income in the calculation of Adjusted Consolidated EBITDA in a prior period). For the purposes of calculating Adjusted Consolidated EBITDA in connection with any determination of the Consolidated Leverage Ratio or Fixed Charge Ratio, (i) if at any time during the applicable four-quarter period, Holdings or any of its Subsidiaries shall have made any Material Disposition, the Adjusted Consolidated EBITDA for such fiscal quarter shall be reduced by an amount equal to the Adjusted Consolidated EBITDA (if positive) attributable to the property that is the subject of such Material Disposition for such period or increased by an amount equal to the Adjusted Consolidated EBITDA (if negative) attributable thereto for such fiscal period and (ii) if at any time during the applicable four-quarter period, Holdings or any of its Subsidiaries shall have made a Material Acquisition, Adjusted Consolidated

 

2


EBITDA for such period shall be calculated after giving pro forma effect thereto as if such Material Acquisition occurred on the first day of such period. As used in this definition, “Material Acquisition” means any acquisition of property or series of related acquisitions of property that (a) constitutes assets comprising all or substantially all of an operating unit of a business or constitutes all or substantially all of the common stock of a Person and (b) involves the payment of consideration by Holdings and its Subsidiaries in excess of $100,000,000; and “Material Disposition” means any Disposition of property or series of related Dispositions of property that yields gross proceeds to Holdings or any of its Subsidiaries in excess of $100,000,000.

Affiliate ” means, as to any Person, any other Person that, directly or indirectly, controls, is controlled by or is under common control with such Person or is a director or officer of such Person. For purposes of this definition, the term “control” (including the terms “controlling”, “controlled by” and “under common control with”) of a Person means the possession, direct or indirect, of the power to direct or cause the direction of the management and policies of such Person by contract or otherwise.

Agent ” has the meaning provided in the Preamble, or any successor thereto. For purposes of the Security Agreement, the Agent shall be a “Pari Passu Agent”, as defined therein.

Applicable Lending Office ” means, with respect to each Lender, such Lender s Domestic Lending Office in the case of a Base Rate Advance, and such Lender s Eurodollar Lending Office in the case of a Eurodollar Rate Advance.

Application of Disposition Proceeds ” means, with respect to any applicable Disposition, the application of the Net Proceeds thereof by Holdings and its Subsidiaries in the order set forth in the First Lien Credit Agreement.

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

April 2016 Mortgage Debt ” means the Debt owing by Sears and certain other Subsidiaries of Holdings to JPP, LLC, JPP II, LLC and Cascade Investment, L.L.C., as lenders, pursuant to that certain $500,000,000 secured short-term loan facility dated as of April 8, 2016, as amended and restated on May 22, 2017, and as may be further amended, restated, modified, supplemented, extended, renewed, refunded, replaced or refinanced from time to time.

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

Authorized Officer ” means, as to Holdings, any Borrower or any other Loan Party, its president, chief executive officer, chief financial officer, vice president and controller, vice president and treasurer, vice president, finance, executive vice president, finance or any other person designated by it and acceptable to the Agent. Any document delivered hereunder that is signed by an Authorized 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 Authorized Officer shall be conclusively presumed to have acted on behalf of such Loan Party.

Base Rate ” means, for any day, a fluctuating rate per annum equal to the highest of (a) the Federal Funds Rate plus one-half of one percent (0.50%), (b) the Eurodollar Rate (calculated utilizing a one-month Interest Period) plus one percent (1.00%), or (c) the rate of interest in effect for such day as publicly announced from time to time by the First Lien Agent as its “prime rate.” Any change in such rate announced by the First Lien Agent shall take effect at the opening of business on the day specified in the public announcement of such change.

Base Rate Advance ” means a Term Loan Borrowing that bears interest as provided in 2.08(b)(i).

 

3


Board of Directors” means either the board of directors of Holdings or any duly authorized committee of that board or any committee of officers or other representatives of Holdings duly authorized by a board resolution to act on behalf of that board or in its stead.

Borrower Information ” has the meaning specified in Section 9.08.

Borrowers ” means, collectively, SRAC and Kmart Corp.; provided that in the event SRAC is dissolved, merged with and into Holdings or any Subsidiary of Holdings or otherwise ceases to exist in accordance with Section 6.01(d), then Holdings shall designate that Holdings or a direct wholly owned Domestic Subsidiary of Holdings become a Borrower for all purposes of the Loan Documents.

Borrowing ” means a borrowing consisting of simultaneous Term Loans of the same Type made by each of the applicable Term Lenders pursuant to Section 2.01 provided that no more than ten (10) Interest Periods in the aggregate for Term Loan Borrowings constituting Eurodollar Rate Advances may be outstanding at any time.

Borrowing Base ” means, as of any date, the sum of (1) 90% of the book value (calculated in accordance with GAAP) of the accounts receivable of the Loan Parties, on a consolidated basis, on such date and (2)  65 75 % of the book value (calculated in accordance with GAAP) of the inventory of the Loan Parties, on a consolidated basis, on such date.

Borrowing Base Certificate ” means a certificate, signed by an Authorized Officer of Holdings and in a form reasonably acceptable to the Agent, setting forth the calculation of the Borrowing Base as of the relevant date.

“Business Combination” means a merger, consolidation, statutory share exchange, amalgamation, tender offer, recapitalization, reorganization, scheme of arrangement or similar transaction that requires the approval of Holdings’ stockholders.

Business Day ” means a day of the year on which banks are not required or authorized by law to close in New York, New York or Boston, Massachusetts or, in the case of matters relating to SRAC, Greenville, Delaware or, in the case of matters relating to Kmart Corp., Detroit, Michigan, and, if the applicable Business Day relates to any Eurodollar Rate Advances, a day of the year on which dealings are carried on in the London interbank market.

Capital Expenditures ” means, with respect to any Person for any period, all cash expenditures made or costs incurred for the acquisition or improvement of fixed or capital assets of such Person, in each case that are (or should be) set forth as capital expenditures in a consolidated statement of cash flows of such Person for such period, in each case prepared in accordance with GAAP.

Capital Lease Obligations ” means, with respect to any Person for any period, 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 liabilities on a balance sheet of such Person under GAAP and the amount of which obligations shall be the capitalized amount thereof determined in accordance with GAAP.

Capped Excess Availability ” means, at any time, “Capped Excess Availability” as defined in the First Lien Credit Agreement (or analogous term in any successor agreement).

Cash Election” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.08(c).

Cash Equivalents ” means investments of Holdings and its Subsidiaries recorded as cash or cash equivalents in accordance with GAAP.

 

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Class ” means (a) the class consisting of Term Lenders, (b) any class of Extending Lenders and, if applicable, Additional Extending Lenders having a Commitment established pursuant to Section 2.18, and (c) any Class of Incremental Term Loans established pursuant to Section 2.19, as the context may require. For clarity, except as expressly provided herein, each Term Lender shall have the same rights and obligations under this Agreement and the other Loan Documents.

Collateral ” means all property of the Loan Parties, now owned or hereafter acquired, upon which a Lien (excluding any license granted to the Collateral Agent (and deemed to be a Lien pursuant to the definition thereof) for the sole purpose of enabling the Collateral Agent to exercise rights and remedies with respect to Liens otherwise granted on the Collateral) is purported to be created by any Security Document.

Collateral Agent ” has the meaning provided in the Security Agreement.

Collateral Coverage Certificate ” means with respect to any annual or quarterly financial statements provided pursuant to Section 6.01(j), a certificate signed by a financial officer of the Borrowers setting forth an accurate calculation of the Borrowing Base and the Total Extensions of Credit as of the last day of the period covered by such annual or quarterly financial statements.

Commitments ” means, collectively the Term Commitments, and if applicable, the Incremental Term Loan Commitments.

Common Stock” means, subject to Section 2.20(f), the shares of common stock, par value $0.01 per share, of Holdings authorized at the Fourth Amendment Effective Date or shares of any class or classes of common stock resulting from any reclassification or reclassifications thereof; provided, however, that if at any time there shall be more than one such resulting class from any reclassification or reclassifications, the shares so issuable on conversion of the Term Loan shall include shares of all such classes, and the shares of each such class then so issuable shall be in the applicable proportion as provided by Section 2.20(f)(iv).

Commonly Controlled Entity ” means an entity, whether or not incorporated, that is under common control with any Borrower within the meaning of Section 4001 of ERISA or is part of a group that includes any Borrower and that is treated as a single employer under Section 414 of the Internal Revenue Code.

Consolidated ” refers to the consolidation of accounts of Holdings and its Subsidiaries in accordance with GAAP and as presented on a GAAP basis.

Consolidated Interest Expense ” means for any period for any Person, total interest expense of such Person (including that attributable to Capital Lease Obligations and other expenses classified as interest expense in accordance with GAAP) on a Consolidated basis with respect to all outstanding Debt of such Person, as determined in accordance with GAAP.

Consolidated Leverage Ratio ” means, as of any given day, the ratio of (a) Consolidated Total Debt on such day to (b) Adjusted Consolidated EBITDA for the four immediately preceding fiscal quarters for which financial statements are available or were required to have been delivered pursuant to Section 6.01(j).

Consolidated Net Income ” means, for any period, the consolidated net income (or loss) of Holdings and its Subsidiaries, determined on a Consolidated basis in accordance with GAAP; provided that there shall be excluded (a) the income (or deficit) of any Person accrued prior to the date it becomes a Subsidiary of Holdings or is merged into or consolidated with Holdings or any of its Subsidiaries, (b) the income (or deficit) of any Person (other than a Subsidiary of Holdings) in which Holdings or any of its Subsidiaries has an ownership interest, except to the extent that any such income is actually received by Holdings or such Subsidiary in the form of dividends or similar distributions and (c) the undistributed earnings of any Subsidiary of Holdings (other than a Loan Party) to the extent that the declaration or payment of dividends or similar distributions by such Subsidiary is not at the time permitted by the terms of any contractual obligation (other than under any Loan Document) or Requirement of Law applicable to such Subsidiary.

 

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Consolidated Total Debt ” means, at any date, the aggregate principal amount of all Debt of Holdings and its Subsidiaries at such date, determined on a Consolidated basis in accordance with GAAP, but excluding (i) issued but not funded letters of credit, (ii) reimbursement obligations which are characterized as trade payables and are not overdue with respect to trade letters of credit and (iii) contingent obligations.

Convert ”, “ Conversion ” and “ Converted ” each refers to a conversion of a Term Loan Borrowing of one Type into a Term Loan Borrowing of the other Type, pursuant to Section 2.09 or 2.10.

Covenant Compliance Event ” means “Capped Excess Availability” at any time is less than $150,000,000.

Conversion Date” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.20(b).

“Conversion Notice” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.20(b).

“Conversion Price” means, in respect of the Term Loan, as of any date, $1,000 divided by the Conversion Rate in effect on such date. The initial Conversion Price is $5 per share of Common Stock.

“Conversion Rate” means initially 200 shares of Common Stock per $1,000 principal amount of the Term Loan, subject to adjustment as set forth herein.

Credit Card Accounts Receivable ” means each Account or Payment Intangible (each as defined in the UCC) together with all income, payments and proceeds thereof, owed by a credit card payment processor or an issuer of credit cards to a Loan Party resulting from charges by a customer of a Loan Party on credit cards issued by such issuer in connection with the sale of goods by a Loan Party or services performed by a Loan Party, in each case in the ordinary course of its business.

Credit Card Program Assets ” means the Credit Card Program Documents, all rights or obligations arising thereunder (including, without limitation, royalty fees and other revenues payable to Holdings or any of its subsidiaries pursuant thereto), all related Intellectual Property and such other assets as the Borrowers and the Collateral Agent may agree, but excluding, for the avoidance of doubt, Credit Card Accounts Receivable or any proceeds thereof.

Credit Card Program Documents ” means the Program Agreement, originally dated as of July 15, 2003, amended and restated as of November 3, 2003, and as further amended by the parties from time to time by and among Sears, Roebuck and Co., Sears Brands Business Unit Corporation (as successor in interest to Sears Intellectual Property Management Company) and Citibank, N.A. (as successor in interest to Citibank (South Dakota), N.A., which was successor in interest to Citibank (USA), N.A.), and the other agreements entered into in connection therewith.

Credit Card Royalty Securitization ” means the securitization, subject to Section 6.01(h) hereof, of royalty fees and other revenues payable to Holdings or any of its subsidiaries pursuant to the Credit Card Program Documents, but excluding, for the avoidance of doubt, Credit Card Accounts Receivable or any proceeds thereof; provided that the documents governing such securitization shall not provide, directly or indirectly, for recourse against any Loan Party by way of a guaranty or any other support arrangement other than such limited recourse as is reasonable given market standards for transactions of a similar type, including in connection with any servicing or management of the assets subject thereto by any Loan Party.

Credit Card Royalty Securitization Subsidiary ” means any Subsidiary of Holdings that engages in no material activities other than the transactions contemplated by a Credit Card Royalty Securitization and activities reasonably related thereto,

 

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Credit Party ” or “ Credit Parties ” means (a) individually, (i) each Lender and its Affiliates, (ii) the Agent, (iii) the Collateral Agent, and (iv) the successors and assigns of each of the foregoing, and (b) collectively, all of the foregoing.

DC ” means any distribution center owned or leased and operated by any Loan Party.

Debt ” of any Person means, without duplication, (a) all indebtedness of such Person for borrowed money (excluding interest payable thereon unless such interest has been accrued and added to the principal amount of such indebtedness), (b) all obligations of such Person for the deferred purchase price of property or services (other than (i) trade payables incurred in the ordinary course of such Person s business and (ii) any such obligations which are due less than twelve months from the date of incurrence), (c) all obligations of such Person evidenced by notes, bonds, debentures or other similar instruments (other than performance, surety and appeals bonds arising in the ordinary course of business and other than the endorsement of negotiable instruments for deposit or collection or similar transactions in the ordinary course of business) or in respect of bankers acceptances or letters of credit, (d) all obligations of such Person created or arising under any conditional sale or other title retention agreement with respect to property acquired by such Person (even though the rights and remedies of the seller or lender under such agreement in the event of default are limited to repossession or sale of such property), (e) all obligations of such Person as lessee under leases that have been or should be, in accordance with GAAP, recorded as capital leases, (f) all direct recourse payment obligations of such Person in respect of any accounts receivable sold by such Person, (g) all Debt of others referred to in clauses (a) through (f) above or clause (h) below and other payment obligations guaranteed directly or indirectly in any manner by such Person, or in effect guaranteed directly or indirectly by such Person through an agreement (1) to pay or purchase such Debt or to advance or supply funds for the payment or purchase of such Debt, (2) to purchase, sell or lease (as lessee or lessor) property, or to purchase or sell services, primarily for the purpose of enabling the debtor to make payment of such Debt or to assure the holder of such Debt against loss, (3) to supply funds to or in any other manner invest in the debtor (including any agreement to pay for property or services irrespective of whether such property is received or such services are rendered) or (4) otherwise to assure a creditor against loss, and (h) all Debt referred to in clauses (a) through (g) above secured by (or for which the holder of such Debt has an existing right, contingent or otherwise, to be secured by) any Lien on property (including accounts and contract rights) owned by such Person, even though such Person has not assumed or become liable for the payment of such Debt.

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

Default ” means any Event of Default or any event that would constitute an Event of Default but for the requirement that notice be given or time elapse or both.

Defaulting Lender ” means any Lender (as reasonably determined by the Agent) that (a) (i) in the case of Term Lenders, has failed to fund any portion of its obligations required to be funded by it hereunder within three Business Days of the date required to be funded by it hereunder and (ii) in the case of Line of Credit Lenders, has failed to fund any portion of its obligations required to be funded by it hereunder within three Business Days of the applicable date Line of Credit Loan Date, (b) has otherwise failed to pay over to the Agent or any other Lender any other amount required to be paid by it hereunder within three Business Days of the date when due, (c) has failed, within three Business Days after request by the Agent, to confirm that it will comply with the terms of this Agreement relating to its Commitments, provided that such Lender shall cease to be a Defaulting Lender under this clause (c) upon the Agent s receipt of such confirmation, (d) has notified the Borrower or the Agent in writing that it does not intend to comply with its funding obligations hereunder, or has made a public statement to that effect, or (e) has, or has a direct or indirect parent company that has, (i) become the subject of a proceeding under any Debtor Relief Law, or (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

 

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Corporation or any other state or federal regulatory authority acting in such a capacity; provided that a Lender shall not be a Defaulting Lender solely by virtue of the ownership or acquisition of any equity interest in that Lender or any direct or indirect parent company thereof by a Governmental Authority so long as such ownership interest does not result in or provide such Lender with immunity from the jurisdiction of courts within the United States or from the enforcement of judgments or writs of attachment on its assets or permit such Lender (or such Governmental Authority) to reject, repudiate, disavow or disaffirm any contracts or agreements made with such Lender.

Disposition ” means any sale, transfer, license, lease or other disposition (including any sale and leaseback transaction), whether in one transaction or in a series of transactions, of any property (including, without limitation, any equity interests).

Dollars ” and “ $ ” refers to lawful money of the United States.

Domestic Lending Office ” means, with respect to any Lender, the office of such Lender specified as its “Domestic Lending Office” on the signature pages hereof or in the Assignment and Acceptance pursuant to which it became a Lender, or such other office of such Lender as such Lender may from time to time specify to the Borrowers and the Agent.

Domestic Subsidiary ” means any Subsidiary organized under the laws of the United States of America, any State thereof or the District of Columbia (excluding, for the avoidance of doubt, any Subsidiary organized under the laws of Puerto Rico).

Effective Date ” means September 1, 2016.

Election” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.08(c).

Eligible Assignee ” means (a) a commercial bank or any other Person engaged in the business of making asset based or commercial loans, or any fund or other Person (other than a natural Person) that invests in loans, which bank, Person or fund, together with its Affiliates, has a combined capital and surplus in excess of $300,000,000 and which bank, Person or fund is approved by the Agent, and, unless an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing at the time any assignment is effected in accordance with Section 9.07, the Borrowers, in each case such approval not to be unreasonably withheld or delayed, (b) an existing Lender or an Affiliate of an existing Lender or an Approved Fund, or (c) any Permitted Holder; provided that neither the Borrowers nor an Affiliate of the Borrowers (other than a Permitted Holder) shall qualify as an Eligible Assignee.

Environmental Action ” means any action, suit, demand, demand letter, claim, notice of non-compliance or violation, notice of liability or potential liability, investigation, proceeding, consent order or consent agreement relating in any way to any Environmental Law, Environmental Permit or Hazardous Materials or arising from alleged injury or threat of injury to health, safety or the environment, including (a) by any governmental or regulatory authority for enforcement, cleanup, removal, response, remedial or other actions or damages and (b) by any governmental or regulatory authority or any third party for damages, contribution, indemnification, cost recovery, compensation or injunctive relief.

Environmental Law ” means any federal, state, local or foreign statute, law, ordinance, rule, regulation, code, order, judgment, decree or judicial or agency interpretation, policy or guidance relating to pollution or protection of the environment, health, safety or natural resources, including those relating to the use, handling, transportation, treatment, storage, disposal, release or discharge of Hazardous Materials.

Environmental Liability ” means any liability, contingent or otherwise (including any liability for damages, costs of environmental remediation, fines, penalties or indemnities), of Holdings, the Borrowers, or any of their Subsidiaries directly or indirectly resulting from or based upon (a) violation of any Environmental Law, (b) the generation, use, handling, transportation, storage, treatment or disposal of any

 

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Hazardous Materials, (c) exposure to any Hazardous Materials, (d) the release or threatened release of any Hazardous Materials into the environment or (e) any contract, agreement or other consensual arrangement pursuant to which liability is assumed or imposed with respect to any of the foregoing.

Environmental Permit ” means any permit, approval, identification number, license or other authorization required under any Environmental Law.

ERISA ” means the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended from time to time, and the regulations promulgated and issued thereunder.

ERISA Affiliate ” means any Person that for purposes of Title IV of ERISA is a member of any Borrower s controlled group, or under common control with such Borrower, within the meaning of Section 414 of the Internal Revenue Code.

ERISA Event ” means (a) (i) the occurrence of a Reportable Event, as defined herein, or (ii) the requirements of subsection (1) of Section 4043(b) of ERISA (without regard to Section 4043(b)(2)) are met with respect to a contributing sponsor, as defined in Section 4001(a)(13) of ERISA, of a Plan, and an event described in paragraph (9), (10), (11), (12) or (13) of Section 4043(c) of ERISA is reasonably expected to occur with respect to such Plan within the following 30 days; (b) the application for a minimum funding waiver with respect to a Plan; (c) the provision by the administrator of any Plan of a notice of intent to terminate such Plan pursuant to Section 4041(a)(2) of ERISA (including any such notice with respect to a plan amendment referred to in Section 4041(e) of ERISA); (d) the cessation of operations at a facility of any Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate in the circumstances described in Section 4062(e) of ERISA; (e) the withdrawal by any Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate from a Multiple Employer Plan during a plan year for which it was a substantial employer, as defined in Section 4001(a)(2) of ERISA; (f) the conditions for the imposition of a lien under Sections 303(k) or 4068(a) of ERISA shall have been met with respect to any Plan; (g) the institution by the PBGC of proceedings to terminate a Plan pursuant to Section 4042 of ERISA, or the occurrence of any event or condition described in Section 4042 of ERISA that constitutes grounds for the termination of, or the appointment of a trustee to administer, a Plan, or (h) the Borrowers or any ERISA Affiliate incur liabilities under Section 4069 of ERISA.

Eurocurrency Liabilities ” has the meaning assigned to that term in Regulation D of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, as in effect from time to time.

Eurodollar Lending Office ” means, with respect to any Lender, the office of such Lender specified as its “Eurodollar Lending Office” on the signature pages hereof or in the Assignment and Acceptance pursuant to which it became a Lender (or, if no such office is specified, its Domestic Lending Office), or such other office of such Lender as such Lender may from time to time specify to the Borrowers and the Agent.

Eurodollar Rate ” means,

(a) for any Interest Period with respect to a Eurodollar Rate Advance, the rate per annum (which shall in no event be less than zero) equal to the London interbank offered rate administered by ICE Benchmark Administration Limited (“ICE LIBOR”), as published by Reuters (or other commercially available source providing quotations of ICE LIBOR as designated by the First Lien 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 Dollar deposits (for delivery on the first day of such Interest Period) with a term equivalent to such Interest Period. If such rate is not available at such time for any reason, then the “Eurodollar Rate” for such Interest Period shall be the rate per annum determined by the Agent (which shall in no event be less than zero) to be the rate at which deposits in Dollars for delivery on the first day of such Interest Period in same day funds in the approximate amount of the Eurodollar Rate Advance being made, continued or converted and with a term equivalent to such Interest Period would be offered by Bank of America s London Branch to major banks in the London interbank eurodollar market at their request at approximately 11:00 a.m. (London time) two Business Days prior to the commencement of such Interest Period;

 

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(b) for any interest calculation with respect to a Base Rate Advance on any date, the rate per annum (which shall in no event be less than zero) equal to (i) ICE LIBOR, at approximately 11:00 a.m., London time determined two London Banking Days prior to such date for Dollar deposits being delivered in the London interbank market for a term of one month commencing that day or (ii) if such published rate is not available at such time for any reason, the rate per annum determined by the First Lien Agent (which shall in no event be less than zero) to be the rate at which deposits in Dollars for delivery on the date of determination in same day funds in the approximate amount of the Base Rate Advance being made or maintained and with a term equal to one month would be offered by Bank of America s London Branch to major banks in the London interbank Eurodollar market at their request at the date and time of determination; and

(c) for any Eurodollar Rate Line of Credit Loan, the rate per annum set forth in the applicable Line of Credit Loan Proposal.

Eurodollar Rate Advance ” means any Term Loan Borrowing that bears interest as provided in Section 2.08(b)(ii).

Eurodollar Rate Line of Credit Loan ” means any Line of Credit Loan that bears interest as provided in Section 2.08(a)(ii).

Eurodollar Rate Reserve Percentage ” for any Interest Period for a Eurodollar Rate Advance by any Lender means the reserve percentage applicable to such Lender two Business Days before the first day of such Interest Period under regulations issued from time to time by the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (or any successor) for determining the minimum reserve requirement (including any emergency, supplemental or other marginal reserve requirement) with respect to liabilities or assets consisting of or including Eurocurrency Liabilities (or with respect to any other category of liabilities that includes deposits by reference to which the interest rate on Eurodollar Rate Advances is determined) having a term equal to such Interest Period.

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

Excess Cash Flow ” means, for any fiscal year of Holdings, the excess of (a) the sum, without duplication, of (i) Consolidated Net Income for such fiscal year (excluding gains and losses from the sale of assets or businesses outside the ordinary course of business included in the calculation of such Consolidated Net Income), plus (ii) expenses reducing Consolidated Net Income incurred or made with respect to any Plan, plus (iii) depreciation, amortization and other non-cash charges reducing Consolidated Net Income (excluding any non-cash charges to the extent they represent an accrual or reserve for potential cash charges in any future period or amortization of a prepaid cash gain that was paid in a prior period and excluding any such charges which were excluded in the calculation of Consolidated Net Income as set forth in clause (a)(i) above), minus (b) the sum, without duplication, of (i) contributions made in cash to any Plan, plus (ii) non-cash gains and other non-cash items increasing Consolidated Net Income (other than any such gains and items which were excluded in the calculation of Consolidated Net Income as set forth in clause (a)(i) above), plus (iii) the amount of scheduled payments and mandatory prepayments of principal, interest, fees, premiums and make whole or prepayment payments on account of Debt for borrowed money made in cash (excluding any repayments of Obligations hereunder and of prepayments of any revolving credit facility unless there is an equivalent permanent reduction in the commitments thereunder and excluding any such payments or prepayments to the extent financed with the proceeds of Debt), and scheduled payments and mandatory prepayments of Capital Lease Obligations (excluding any interest expense portion thereof deducted in the calculation of Consolidated Net Income and excluding any such payments or prepayments to the extent financed with the proceeds of Debt), plus (iv) the amount of optional prepayments of principal on account of Priority Obligations or the Term Loan made in cash during such fiscal year (as a result of which, in the case of repayments under any revolving credit facility, the revolving credit commitments have been permanently reduced correspondingly), except to the extent that such prepayments are funded with Debt, plus (v) Capital Expenditures made in cash during such fiscal year, except to the extent financed with the proceeds of Debt, plus (vi) the amount of Permitted Acquisitions and Permitted Investments (pursuant to clauses (d), (i), (o), (q) and (r) of the definition thereof) made in cash during such fiscal year, except to the extent financed with the proceeds of Debt.

 

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“Exchange Act” means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the rules and regulations of the SEC promulgated thereunder.

Excluded Taxes ” means any of the following Taxes imposed on or with respect to any 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 and including any Taxes imposed in lieu of income Taxes), franchise Taxes, and branch profits Taxes, in each case, (i) imposed as a result of such Recipient being organized under the laws of, or having its principal office or, in the case of any Lender, its Applicable Lending Office located in, the jurisdiction imposing such Tax (or any political subdivision thereof) or (ii) that are Other Connection Taxes, (b) U.S. federal withholding Taxes imposed on amounts payable to or for the account of such Recipient with respect to an applicable interest in any Extension of Credit or Commitment pursuant to a law in effect on the date on which (i) such Recipient acquires such interest in such Extension of Credit or Commitment (other than pursuant to an assignment request by the Borrower under Section 9.16 ) or (ii) in the case of a Lender, such Lender changes its Applicable Lending Office, except in each case to the extent that, pursuant to Section 2.15 , 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 Applicable Lending Office, (c) Taxes attributable to such Recipient s failure to comply with Section 2.15(e) or (f)  and (d) any U.S. federal withholding Taxes imposed pursuant to FATCA.

Existing Intercreditor Agreement ” means that certain Amended and Restated Intercreditor Agreement, dated as of September 1, 2016, by and among the First Lien Agent, the Collateral Agent, their permitted successors and assigns, and the other parties thereto from time to time.

Existing Second Lien Notes ” means the 6  5 8 % Senior Secured Notes due 2018 of Holdings outstanding as of the Effective Date.

Extended Term Loans ” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.18(a).

Extending Lenders ” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.18(b).

Extension Amendment ” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.18(d).

Extension Election ” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.18(b).

Extension Request ” has the meaning specified in Section 2.18(b).

Extensions of Credit ” means as to (i) any Term Lender at any time, an amount equal to the sum of the outstanding principal amount of the Term Loans held by such Term Lender and (ii) any Line of Credit Lender, the aggregate principal amount of all Line of Credit Loans held by such Line of Credit Lender then outstanding.

“Fair Market Value” means, with respect to any security or other property, the fair market value of such security or other property as determined by the Board of Directors, acting in good faith.

FATCA ” means Sections 1471 through 1474 of the Code, as of the Effective Date (or any amended or successor version that is substantively comparable and not materially more onerous to comply with), any current or future regulations or official interpretations thereof and any agreement entered into pursuant to Section 1471(b)(1) of the Code.

 

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Federal Funds Rate ” means, for any period, a fluctuating interest rate per annum equal for each day during such period to the weighted average of the rates on overnight Federal funds transactions with members of the Federal Reserve System arranged by Federal funds brokers, as published for such day (or, if such day is not a Business Day, for the next preceding Business Day) by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, or, if such rate is not so published for any day that is a Business Day, the average of the quotations for such day on such transactions received by the Agent from three Federal funds brokers of recognized standing reasonably selected by it.

First Amendment Effective Date ” has the meaning provided in the Preamble.

First Lien Agent ” means Bank of America, N.A., in its capacity as administrative agent and collateral agent under the First Lien Credit Agreement Documents, or any successor administrative agent and collateral agent, including, if applicable, in respect of any other Priority Obligations.

First Lien Credit Agreement ” means the Third Amended and Restated Credit Agreement, dated as of July 21, 2015 by and among Holdings, the Borrowers, the lenders party thereto in their capacities as lenders thereunder, the First Lien Agent, as agent and the other agents party thereto, as the same may be amended, restated, modified, supplemented, extended, renewed, refunded, replaced or refinanced from time to time in one or more agreements (in each case with the same or new lenders, guarantors, institutional investors or agents), including any agreement extending the maturity thereof or otherwise restructuring all or any portion of the Indebtedness thereunder or increasing the amount loaned or issued thereunder or altering the maturity thereof, in each case as and to the extent not prohibited by this Agreement.

First Lien Credit Agreement Documents ” means the “Loan Documents” as defined in the First Lien Credit Agreement.

First Lien Credit Agreement Obligations ” means all amounts owing pursuant to the First Lien Credit Agreement and the First Lien Credit Documents, including, without limitation, the obligation (including guarantee obligations) to pay principal, interest, letter of credit commissions, reimbursement obligations, charges, expenses, fees, attorneys costs, indemnities and other amounts, together with all obligations in respect of banking products and cash management services secured pursuant to the First Lien Credit Documents.

Fixed Charge Ratio ” means, the ratio, determined as of the end of each fiscal month of the Borrowers for the most recently ended twelve fiscal months, of (a) Adjusted Consolidated EBITDA minus the unfinanced portion of Capital Expenditures (but including Capital Expenditures financed with proceeds of the revolving facility under the First Lien Credit Agreement) minus taxes paid in cash net of refunds (but in no event less than zero), to (b) Fixed Charges, all calculated on a Consolidated basis in accordance with GAAP.

Fixed Charges ” means, with reference to any period, without duplication, Consolidated Interest Expense paid or payable in cash, plus scheduled principal payments on Debt made during such period, plus Capital Lease Obligation payments made during such period, all calculated on a Consolidated basis.

Fixed Rate Line of Credit Loan ” means any Line of Credit Loan that bears interest as provided in Section 2.08(a)(i).

Fourth Amendment Effective Date” means the “Amendment Effective Date” as defined in the Fourth Amendment to Second Lien Credit Agreement, dated as of March 20, 2018, among Holdings, the Borrowers, the Guarantors party thereto, the Lenders party thereto and the Agent .

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

GAAP ” has the meaning specified in Section 1.03.

 

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Governmental Authority ” means any nation or government, 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, any securities exchange and any self-regulatory organization (including the National Association of Insurance Commissioners).

Group Members ” means, collectively, Holdings, the Borrowers and their respective Subsidiaries.

Guarantors ” means, collectively, each Loan Party in its capacity as a guarantor pursuant to Article X.

Hazardous Materials ” means (a) petroleum and petroleum products, byproducts or breakdown products, radioactive materials, asbestos-containing materials, polychlorinated biphenyls and radon gas and (b) any other chemicals, materials or substances designated, classified or regulated as hazardous or toxic or as a pollutant or contaminant under any Environmental Law.

Holdings ” has the meaning provided in the Preamble.

Incremental Effective Date ” has the meaning provided in Section 2.19(e).

Incremental Term Lender ” shall mean a Term Lender with an Incremental Term Loan Commitment or an outstanding Incremental Term Loan.

Incremental Term Loan Commitment ” shall mean the commitment of any Term Lender, established pursuant to Section 2.19, to make Incremental Term Loans.

Incremental Term Loans ” shall mean Term Loans made by one or more Term Lenders to one or more of the Borrowers pursuant to Section 2.19.

Indemnified Taxes ” means 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.

Insolvency ” means with respect to any Multiemployer Plan, the condition that such Plan is insolvent within the meaning of Section 4245 of ERISA.

Insolvent ” means pertaining to a condition of Insolvency.

Intellectual Property ” has the meaning given to such term in the Security Agreement.

Interest Period ” means, for each Eurodollar Rate Advance comprising part of the same Term Loan Borrowing the period commencing on the date of such Eurodollar Rate Advance or the date of the Conversion of any Base Rate Advance into such Eurodollar Rate Advance and ending on the last day of the period selected by the applicable Borrower pursuant to the provisions below and, thereafter, each subsequent period commencing on the last day of the immediately preceding Interest Period and ending on the last day of the period selected by the applicable Borrower pursuant to the provisions below. The duration of each such Interest Period shall be one, two or three months, as the applicable Borrower may, upon notice received by the Agent not later than 12:00 noon on the third Business Day prior to the first day of such Interest Period, select; provided , however , that:

(a) a Borrower may not select any Interest Period with respect to a Term Loan Borrowing constituting a Eurodollar Rate Advance that ends after the Termination Date;

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

 

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

(d) whenever the first day of any Interest Period occurs on a day of an initial calendar month for which there is no numerically corresponding day in the calendar month that succeeds such initial calendar month by the number of months equal to the number of months in such Interest Period, such Interest Period shall end on the last Business Day of such succeeding calendar month.

Internal Revenue Code ” means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended from time to time, and the regulations promulgated and rulings issued thereunder.

Inventory ” as defined in the UCC.

Investment ” means, as to any Person, any direct or indirect acquisition or investment by such Person, whether by means of (a) the purchase or other acquisition of equity interests of another Person, (b) a loan, advance or capital contribution to, guarantee or assumption of debt of, or purchase or other acquisition of any other debt or interest in, another Person, or (c) any Acquisition.

January 2017 Mortgage Debt ” means the Debt owing by Sears and certain other Subsidiaries of Holdings to JPP, LLC and JPP II, LLC, as lenders, pursuant to that certain $500,000,000 secured loan facility dated as of January 3, 2017, as the same may be amended, restated, modified, supplemented, extended, renewed, refunded, replaced or refinanced from time to time.

Kmart ” means Kmart Holding Corporation, a Delaware corporation.

Kmart Corp. ” has the meaning provided in the Preamble.

Lenders ” means, collectively, the Term Lenders and the Line of Credit Lenders.

Lien ” means any lien, security interest or other charge or encumbrance of any kind or any other type of preferential arrangement, including the lien or retained security title of a conditional vendor, and any easement, right of way or other encumbrance on title to real property, but excluding consignments or bailments of goods of third parties and the interests of lessors under operating leases.

Line Cap ” means the “Line Cap” as defined in the First Lien Credit Agreement.

Line of Credit Issuance Period ” means the period beginning on the First Amendment Effective Date and ending on, and including, June 30, 2020.

Line of Credit Lenders ” means, collectively, each Person party hereto as a Line of Credit Lender on the First Amendment Effective Date, each Person that shall become a party hereto as a Line of Credit Lender pursuant to Section 9.07 or 10.10 .

Line of Credit Loan ” means, collectively each Eurodollar Rate Line of Credit Loan and each Fixed Rate Line of Credit Loan made by the Line of Credit Lenders on or after the First Amendment Effective Date pursuant to Sections 2.02 and 2.03.

Line of Credit Loan Proposal ” means each proposal delivered to a Line of Credit Lender or prospective Line of Credit Lender substantially in the form of Exhibit L hereto with respect to a Line of Credit Loan pursuant to Section 2.02.

 

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Loan(s) ” shall meant the Term Loans (including, without limitation, any increase in the principal amount of the Term Loan as a result of a PIK Payment) , the Line of Credit Loans or any of them, as the context may require.

Loan Documents ” means this Agreement, the Security Documents, the Notes, each Borrowing Base Certificate, each Line of Credit Loan Proposal in respect of an outstanding Line of Credit Loan, any other document or instrument now or hereafter designated by the Borrowers and the Agent as a “Loan Document” and any amendment, waiver, supplement or other modification to any of the foregoing.

Loan Parties ” means each Group Member that is a party to a Loan Document.

Mandatory Conversion” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.21(a).

“Mandatory Conversion Date” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.21(b).

“Mandatory Conversion Notice” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.21(b).

“Mandatory Conversion Notice Date” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.21(b).

“Mandatory Conversion Trigger Period” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.21(a).

“Market Disruption Event” means, if the Common Stock is listed for trading on The NASDAQ Global Select Market or listed on another U.S. national or regional securities exchange, the occurrence or existence during the one-half hour period ending on the scheduled close of trading on any Scheduled Trading Day of any material suspension or limitation imposed on trading (by reason of movements in price exceeding limits permitted by the stock exchange or otherwise) in the Common Stock or in any options contracts or futures contracts relating to the Common Stock.

Material Adverse Effect ” means a material adverse effect on (a) the business, condition (financial or otherwise), operations or assets of Holdings and its Subsidiaries taken as a whole, or (b) the ability of the Loan Parties taken as a whole to perform their material obligations under the Loan Documents or (c) the validity or enforceability of the Loan Documents taken as a whole or the rights and remedies of the Agent, the Collateral Agent or the Lenders thereunder taken as a whole (including, but not limited to, the enforceability or priority of any Liens granted to the Collateral Agent under the Loan Documents).

Market Price” means, with respect to a particular security, on any date of determination, the last reported sale price regular way or, in case no such reported sale takes place on such day, the average of the last closing bid and ask prices regular way, in either case on the NASDAQ Global Select Market or if not listed on the NASDAQ Global Select Market, the principal national securities exchange on which the applicable securities are listed or admitted to trading, or if not listed or admitted to trading on any national securities exchange, the average of the closing bid and ask prices as furnished by two members of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc. selected from time to time by Holdings for that purpose. “Market Price” will be determined without reference to after hours or extended hours trading. If such security is not listed and traded in a manner that the quotations referred to above are available for the period required hereunder, the market price per share of Common Stock will be deemed to be the fair market value per share of such security as determined in good faith by the Board of Directors in reliance on an opinion of a nationally recognized independent investment banking corporation retained by Holdings for this purpose; provided that if any such security is listed or traded on a non-U.S. market, such fair market value will be determined by reference to the closing price of such security as of the end of the most recently ended Business Day in such market prior to the date of determination; and further provided that if making such determination requires the conversion of any currency other than U.S. dollars into U.S. dollars, such conversion will be done in accordance with customary procedures based on the closing price for conversion of such currency into U.S. dollars quoted by Bloomberg on such conversion date. For the purposes of determining the market price of Common Stock on the “trading day” preceding, on or following the

 

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occurrence of an event, (i) that trading day will be deemed to commence immediately after the regular scheduled closing time of trading on the NASDAQ Global Select Market or, if trading is closed at an earlier time, such earlier time and (ii) that trading day will end at the next regular scheduled closing time, or if trading is closed at an earlier time, such earlier time (for the avoidance of doubt, and as an example, if the market price is to be determined as of the last trading day preceding a specified event and the closing time of trading on a particular day is 4:00 p.m. and the specified event occurs at 5:00 p.m. on that day, the market price would be determined by reference to such 4:00 p.m. closing price).

Material Subsidiary Guarantor ” means a Subsidiary Guarantor that, at the time of determination, accounts for more than 2% of both the total assets and total revenues of Holdings on a consolidated basis (and, together with all other Material Subsidiary Guarantors accounts for more than 5% of both the total assets and total revenues of Holdings on a consolidated basis).

Multiemployer Plan ” means a multiemployer plan, as defined in Section 4001(a)(3) of ERISA, to which Holdings or any ERISA Affiliate is making or accruing an obligation to make contributions, or has within any of the preceding five plan years made or accrued an obligation to make contributions.

Multiple Employer Plan ” means a single employer plan, as defined in Section 4001(a)(15) of ERISA, that (a) is maintained for employees of Holdings or any ERISA Affiliate and at least one Person other than Holdings and the ERISA Affiliates or (b) was so maintained and in respect of which Holdings or any ERISA Affiliate could have liability under Section 4064 or 4069 of ERISA in the event such plan has been or were to be terminated.

Net Proceeds ” means, (a) with respect to any Disposition by any Loan Party or any of its Subsidiaries of any property or any casualty or condemnation of such property, the excess, if any, of (i) the sum of cash and cash equivalents received in such transaction (including any cash or cash equivalents received by way of deferred payment pursuant to, or by monetization of, a note receivable or otherwise, but only as and when so received) over (ii) the sum of (A) the principal amount of any Debt (other than Debt owed to Holdings or any of its Subsidiaries, the payment of which in connection with any Permitted Disposition or other transaction shall not, for the avoidance of doubt, be deemed to reduce the amount of Net Proceeds for any purposes under this Agreement) that is secured by the applicable asset by a Lien permitted hereunder which is senior to the Collateral Agent s Lien, if any, on such asset and that is required, and permitted under this Agreement, to be repaid (or to establish an escrow for the future repayment thereof) in connection with such transaction, (B) the reasonable and customary out-of-pocket expenses incurred by such Loan Party or such Subsidiary in connection with such transaction (including, without limitation, reasonable and customary attorneys fees, accountants fees, investment banking fees, appraisals, and brokerage, legal, title and recording or transfer tax expenses and commissions) paid by any Loan Party or any of its Subsidiaries to third parties (other than Affiliates), (C) transfer Taxes paid as a result thereof and (D) amounts paid by any Loan Party or any of its Subsidiaries in order to obtain consents required from any third parties (other than Affiliates) to consummate such transaction, and (b) the excess of (i) the sum of the cash and cash equivalents received in connection with the issuance of any equity interests of any Loan Party or any Permitted Refinancing Debt over (ii) the underwriting discounts and commissions, and other reasonable and customary out-of-pocket expenses, incurred by such Loan Party in connection therewith.

Non-Consenting Lender ” has the meaning specified in Section 9.16.

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

Note ” means a promissory note of any Borrower payable to the order of any Lender evidencing the Term Loans of such Lender or the Line of Credit Loans of such Lender.

 

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Obligations ” means all amounts owing pursuant to this Agreement and the other Loan Documents, including, without limitation, the obligation (including guarantee obligations) to pay principal, interest, charges, expenses, fees, attorneys costs, indemnities and other amounts, whether in respect of Term Loans, Line of Credit Loans or otherwise. For the avoidance of doubt, Obligations shall include any increase in the principal amount of the Loans as a result of PIK Payment.

Other Connection Taxes ” means, with respect to any Recipient, Taxes imposed as a result of a present or former connection between such Recipient and the jurisdiction imposing such Tax (other than connections arising solely 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 Extension of Credit or Loan Document pursuant to an assignment request by the Borrowers under Section 9.16).

Other Taxes ” has the meaning specified in Section 2.15.

PACA ” means the Perishable Agricultural Commodities Act of 1930, as amended.

PASA ” means the Packers and Stockyards Act of 1921, as amended.

PATRIOT Act ” means 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 (signed into law October 26, 2001)).

PBGC ” means the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation (or any successor).

Pension Plan ” means any “employee pension benefit plan” (as such term is defined in Section 3(2) of ERISA), other than a Multiemployer Plan, that is subject to Title IV of ERISA and is sponsored or maintained by Holdings or any ERISA Affiliate or to which Holdings or any ERISA Affiliate contributes or has an obligation to contribute, or in the case of a multiple employer or other plan described in Section 4064(a) of ERISA, has made contributions at any time during the immediately preceding five plan years.

Perfection Certificate ” means that certain perfection certificate dated as of the Effective Date and delivered to the Agent with respect to the Borrowers and the other Loan Parties.

Permitted Acquisition ” means any Acquisition permitted under Section 6.02(c).

Permitted Debt ” means each of the following as long as no Default or Event of Default exists at the time of incurrence thereof or would arise from the incurrence thereof:

(a) Debt outstanding on the Effective Date (other than obligations under the First Lien Credit Agreement);

(b) Debt of any Loan Party to any other Loan Party;

(c) Debt of Holdings or any Subsidiary of Holdings which is not a Loan Party to any Loan Party; provided, that (1) such Debt is incurred in the ordinary course of business consistent with past practices in connection with cash management, (2) such Debt shall not exceed $100,000,000 in the aggregate at any one time outstanding or (3) (i) at the time of incurrence of any such Debt and immediately after giving pro forma effect thereto, no Default or Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing, and (ii) after giving effect to any such Debt (A) the Pro Forma and Projected Capped Excess Availability is at least 15% of the Line Cap, and (B) the Pro Forma Fixed Charge Ratio shall be at least 1.0 to 1.0;

(d) Debt of any Group Member to any Subsidiary of Holdings which is not a Loan Party;

 

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(e) (i) purchase money Debt used to finance the acquisition of any fixed or capital assets, including Capital Lease Obligations, and any Debt assumed in connection with the acquisition of any such assets or secured solely by a Lien on any such assets prior to the acquisition thereof, and (ii) Debt incurred in connection with sale-leaseback transactions with respect to assets not constituting Collateral;

(f) Debt of any Person that becomes a Subsidiary in an Acquisition permitted in accordance with Section 6.02(c), which Debt is existing at the time such Person becomes a Subsidiary (other than Debt incurred solely in contemplation of such Person s becoming a Subsidiary);

(g) the Obligations;

(h) other Debt in an amount not to exceed $ 1,000,000,000 1,250,000,000 in the aggregate outstanding at any time;

(i) Debt described in Section 6.02(a)(vi), provided , that such Debt (i) does not have a maturity date which is earlier than the Termination Date in effect at the time of the incurrence of such Debt, (ii) is incurred on arm s-length terms, (iii) [reserved], and (iv) the security documents, if any, with respect to such Debt are reasonably satisfactory to the Agent in its Permitted Discretion;

(j) any other Debt (including, without limitation, the January 2017 Mortgage Debt), provided , that such Debt (i) does not require the repayment of principal prior to the Termination Date in effect at the time of the incurrence of such Debt in excess of 1.0% of the original principal amount thereof per annum (excluding, for the avoidance of doubt, repayments required as a result of the sale of assets and repayments required in connection with an event that would constitute an Event of Default under Section 7.01(g) hereof) (ii) does not have a maturity date which is earlier than the Termination Date in effect at the time of the incurrence of such Debt, and (iii) is incurred on arm s-length terms;

(k) Debt of the type specified in clause (g) of the definition thereof to the extent such Debt constitutes a Permitted Investment;

(l) Debt in respect of performance bonds, bid bonds, appeal bonds, surety bonds and completion guarantees and similar obligations (including, in each case, letters of credit issued to provide such bonds, guaranties and similar obligations), in each case provided in the ordinary course of business, including those incurred to secure health, safety and environmental obligations in the ordinary course of business;

(m) Debt arising from overdraft facilities and/or the honoring by a bank or other financial institution of a check, draft or similar instrument drawn against insufficient funds in the ordinary course of business or other cash management services (including, but not limited to, intraday, ACH, credit cards, and purchasing card/T&E services) in the ordinary course of business; provided , that (x) such Debt (other than credit cards or purchase cards) is extinguished within ten Business Days of notification to the applicable Loan Party of its incurrence and (y) such Debt in respect of credit cards or purchase cards is extinguished within 60 days from its incurrence;

(n) Debt arising from agreements of Holdings or any Subsidiary providing for indemnification, adjustment of purchase or acquisition price or similar obligations, in each case, incurred or assumed in connection with any Permitted Acquisition or the disposition of any business, assets or any Subsidiary not prohibited by this Agreement, other than guarantees of Debt incurred by any Person acquiring all or any portion of such business, assets or any Subsidiary for the purpose of financing such Acquisition;

(o) Debt consisting of (i) the financing of insurance premiums or (ii) take or pay obligations contained in supply arrangements, in each case, in the ordinary course of business;

(p) Debt on account of letters of credit issued for the account of any Loan Party by any other Person;

 

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(q) Debt arising from a Credit Card Royalty Securitization in an amount not to exceed $500,000,000, so long as the Net Proceeds of such Credit Card Securitization received by Holdings or any Subsidiary are applied as permitted pursuant to Section 6.02(j)(iii)(B) or, if elected by Borrowers or with respect to any Net Proceeds remaining after such application permitted by Section 6.02(j)(iii)(B), to the Application of Disposition Proceeds;

(r) Permitted Refinancing Debt; and

(s) Debt outstanding pursuant to the First Lien Credit Agreement and other Priority Obligations in an aggregate principal amount not to exceed $4,250,000,000.

Permitted Discretion ” means a determination made in good faith and in the exercise of commercially reasonable business judgment; provided, however, that so long as the First Lien Credit Agreement remains outstanding, the Agent shall exercise its Permitted Discretion in a manner that is no more restrictive or onerous with respect to the Loan Parties than any corresponding exercise of Permitted Discretion by the First Lien Agent.

Permitted Dispositions ” means any of the following:

(a) transfers and Dispositions of Inventory in the ordinary course of business;

(b) transfers and Dispositions among the Loan Parties;

(c) transfers and Dispositions by any Subsidiary of Holdings which is not a Loan Party to any Loan Party;

(d) transfers and Dispositions by any Subsidiary of Holdings which is not a Loan Party to other Subsidiaries which are not Loan Parties;

(e) transfers and Dispositions (other than transfers and Dispositions of Inventory, Credit Card Accounts Receivable or any other collateral for the Loans)) to any Subsidiary of Holdings which is not a Loan Party by any Loan Party provided , that any such Disposition of Collateral shall be (i) undertaken in the ordinary course of business or (ii) on terms that are fair and reasonable and no less favorable to the Loan Party than it would obtain in a comparable arm s length transaction with a Person that is not a Subsidiary of Holdings;

(f) the sale of surplus, obsolete or worn out equipment or other property in the ordinary course of business by the Borrowers or any Subsidiary;

(g) transfers and Dispositions of assets of Holdings or any Subsidiary of Holdings as follows:

(i) Dispositions of real property securing the January 2017 Mortgage Debt, provided, that, after giving effect to any repayment of the January 2017 Mortgage Debt from the Net Proceeds of any such Disposition as required pursuant to the loan documentation governing the January 2017 Mortgage Debt (as such loan documentation is in effect as of the First Amendment Effective Date or amended thereafter), any remaining Net Proceeds of such Disposition are applied pursuant to the Application of Disposition Proceeds;

(ii) transfers and Dispositions of any assets held by Holdings or any Subsidiary of Holdings, including any equity interests in any Subsidiary (other than the equity interests of either Borrower or of Sears), in exchange for total consideration in an amount not to exceed $1,000,000 with respect to any transaction or series of related transactions; and

 

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(iii) other transfers and Dispositions of all or any portion of any assets held by Holdings or any of its Subsidiaries (other than substantially all of the assets of either Borrower or of Sears), including, but not limited to, (v) any equity interests of any Subsidiaries (other than the equity interests of either Borrower or of Sears), (w) real property, (x) Intellectual Property (including, without limitation, the Kenmore, Craftsman and Die Hard brands), (y) the Sears Automotive Center business and (z) the Home Services Business of Holdings and its Subsidiaries, provided , that immediately after giving effect to any such Disposition and the application of the proceeds thereof, (i) no Default or Event of Default then exists, (ii) either (A) the Pro Forma and Projected Capped Excess Availability is at least 15% of the Line Cap ( provided that , with respect to the transfer or Disposition of the assets of, or any equity interest in, a Material Subsidiary Guarantor (other than Sears), such Pro Forma and Projected Capped Excess Availability is at least the greater of (x) 25% of the Line Cap or (y) $750,000,000), or (B) the Net Proceeds of such Disposition are applied pursuant to the Application of Disposition Proceeds, (iii) if the Disposition is to a Subsidiary or Affiliate of a Loan Party which is not a Loan Party, such Disposition shall be on terms that are fair and reasonable and no less favorable to the Loan Party than it would obtain in a comparable arm s length transaction with a Person that is not a Subsidiary or Affiliate of a Loan Party, and (iv) Capped Excess Availability is no less than Capped Excess Availability immediately prior to such Disposition;

(h) transfers and Dispositions which constitute Restricted Payments or Permitted Investments that are otherwise permitted hereunder;

(i) Dispositions permitted pursuant to Section 6.02(b) hereof;

(j) the sale of other Policy Investments in the ordinary course of business;

(k) the sale or Disposition of defaulted receivables and the compromise, settlement and collection of receivables in the ordinary course of business or in bankruptcy or other proceedings concerning the other account party thereon and not as part of an accounts receivable financing transaction;

(l) leases, licenses or subleases or sublicenses of any real or personal property not constituting Collateral in the ordinary course of business;

(m) any surrender or waiver of contract rights or the settlement, release, recovery on or surrender of contract, tort or other claims of any kind (other than, in each case, with respect to rights to license the Related Intellectual Property, unless the limited license granted to the Collateral Agent in such Related Intellectual Property pursuant to the Loan Documents remains in effect and is acknowledged by the licensee) to the extent that any of the foregoing could not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect;

(n) sales of Inventory determined by the management of the applicable Loan Party not to be saleable in the ordinary course of business of such Loan Party or any of the Loan Parties;

(o) transfers of assets, including Inventory, in connection with Store closings (and/or department closings within Stores) permitted pursuant to Section 6.02(l); and

(q) Dispositions of Credit Card Program Assets to or by a Credit Card Royalty Securitization Subsidiary pursuant to a Credit Card Royalty Securitization, so long as the Net Proceeds of such Credit Card Royalty Securitization received by Holdings or any Subsidiary are applied as permitted pursuant to Section 6.02(j)(iii)(B) or, if elected by Borrowers or with respect to any Net Proceeds remaining after such application permitted by Section 6.02(j)(iii)(B), to the Application of Disposition Proceeds.

Permitted Holder ” means ESL Investments, Inc. and any of its Affiliates other than a Group Member.

 

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Permitted Investments ” means each of the following as long as no Default or Event of Default exists at the time of the making such of Investment or would arise from the making of such Investment:

(a) Investments existing on, or contractually committed as of, the Effective Date;

(b) (i) Investments by any Loan Party and its Subsidiaries in their respective Subsidiaries outstanding on the Effective Date, (ii) Investments by any Loan Party and its Subsidiaries in Loan Parties, and (iii) Investments by Subsidiaries that are not Loan Parties in Holdings or any Subsidiary;

(c) other Investments of any Loan Party in any other Subsidiary of Holdings which is not a Loan Party; provided , that (1) such Investment is incurred in the ordinary course of business consistent with past practices in connection with cash management, (2) such Investments shall not exceed $100,000,000 in the aggregate at any one time outstanding and the Pro Forma and Projected Capped Excess Availability is at least 25% of the Line Cap, or (3) (a) at the time of any such Investment and immediately after giving pro forma effect thereto, no Default or Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing, and (b) after giving effect to any such Investment (A) the Pro Forma and Projected Capped Excess Availability is at least 15% of the Line Cap, and (B) the Pro Forma Fixed Charge Ratio shall be at least 1.0 to 1.0;

(d) Investments of any Loan Party in any other Person not constituting an Acquisition; provided that (a) at the time of any such Investment and immediately after giving pro forma effect thereto, no Default or Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing, and (b) after giving effect to any such Investment (A) the Pro Forma and Projected Capped Excess Availability is at least 15% of the Line Cap, and (B) the Pro Forma Fixed Charge Ratio shall be at least 1.0 to 1.0;

(e) Investments constituting a Permitted Acquisition and Investments held by the Person acquired in such Acquisition at the time of such Acquisition (and not acquired in contemplation of such Acquisition);

(f) Investments arising out of the receipt of non-cash consideration for the sale of assets otherwise permitted under this Agreement;

(g) Policy Investments;

(h) Investments in Swap Contracts not entered into for speculative purposes;

(i) to the extent not prohibited by applicable law, (1) advances to officers, directors and employees and consultants of the Loan Parties made for travel, entertainment, relocation and other ordinary business purposes and (2) advances to officers, directors and employees and consultants of non-Loan Parties made for travel, entertainment, relocation and other ordinary business purposes, provided, in the case of this clause (2), such advances are made by non-Loan Parties and not with the proceeds of any Investments made by any Loan Party in such non-Loan Party unless otherwise permitted hereunder;

(j) Investments received in connection with the bankruptcy or reorganization of, or settlement of delinquent accounts and disputes with or judgments against, customers and suppliers, in each case in the ordinary course of business or Investments acquired by any Group Member as a result of a foreclosure by any Loan Party with respect to any secured Investments or other transfer of title with respect to any secured Investment in default;

(k) Investments consisting of contributions of Credit Card Program Assets to a Credit Card Royalty Securitization Subsidiary in connection with a Credit Card Royalty Securitization;

(l) Investments made with the common stock of Holdings;

 

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(m) accounts receivable, security deposits and prepayments arising and trade credit granted in the ordinary course of business;

(n) Guarantees by Holdings or any Subsidiary of operating leases (other than Capital Lease Obligations) or of other obligations that do not constitute Debt, in each case entered into by Holdings or any Subsidiary in the ordinary course of business;

(o) (1) advances in the form of a prepayment of expenses of any Loan Party, so long as such expenses are being paid in accordance with customary trade terms of the applicable Loan Party and (2) advances in the form of a prepayment of expenses of any non-Loan Party, so long as such expenses are being paid in accordance with customary trade terms of the applicable non-Loan Party, provided, in the case of this clause (2), such advances are made by non-Loan Parties and not with the proceeds of any Investments made by any Loan Party in such non-Loan Party unless otherwise permitted hereunder;

(p) Investments consisting of the licensing or contribution of Intellectual Property pursuant to joint marketing arrangements with other Persons, provided that no such Investment shall impair in any manner the limited license granted to the Collateral Agent in such Intellectual Property pursuant to the Loan Documents;

(q) Investments in joint ventures that own real properties upon which Stores are located existing as of the Effective Date and entered into hereafter in the ordinary course of business; and

(r) other Investments in an amount not to exceed $50,000,000 in the aggregate outstanding at any time; provided that any cash returns on such Investments, whether in the form of dividends or otherwise, other than Investments in Holdings and its Subsidiaries, are subject to the Application of Disposition Proceeds; and

(s) Investments in joint ventures made pursuant to a contribution of assets (other than cash or cash equivalents) constituting all or a portion of the Sears Automotive Center business and/or the DieHard business (including related trademarks and other intellectual property); provided that (i) in the event that any Inventory included in the Borrowing Base is contributed to any such joint venture in connection with such Investment, the Borrowers shall, upon or prior to the making of such Investment, deliver to the Agent a Borrowing Base Certificate giving effect on a pro forma basis to such Investment and, to the extent required pursuant to Section 2.11(c), repay Loans or otherwise satisfy Obligations and (ii) any dividends and distributions received by the Loan Parties from such joint ventures, any Net Proceeds received by the Loan Parties from the sale of any assets by such joint ventures and any other cash received by the Loan Parties from such joint ventures (whether at the time of contribution of assets to such joint venture or any deferred payment received) shall be applied pursuant to the Application of Disposition Proceeds.

Permitted Liens ” means:

(a) Liens for taxes, assessments and governmental charges or levies to the extent such taxes, assessments or governmental charges are being contested in good faith and by proper proceedings and as to which appropriate reserves are being maintained;

(b) Liens imposed by law, such as materialmen s, mechanics , carriers , workmen s and repairmen s Liens and other similar Liens arising in the ordinary course of business 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 and as to which appropriate reserves are being maintained;

(c) landlords Liens arising in the ordinary course of business securing (i) rents not yet due and payable, (ii) rent for Stores in an amount not to exceed the monthly base rent due for the immediately preceding calendar month and (iii) rents for Stores in excess of the amount set forth in the preceding clause (ii) so long as such amounts are being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings and as to which appropriate reserves are being maintained;

 

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(d) any attachment or judgment lien not constituting an Event of Default under Section 7.01(f);

(e) Liens presently existing or hereafter created in favor of the Agent or the Collateral Agent, on behalf of the Credit Parties;

(f) Liens arising by the terms of commercial letters of credit, entered into in the ordinary course of business to secure reimbursement obligations thereunder, provided that such Liens only encumber the title documents and underlying goods relating to such letters of credit or cash and cash equivalents as permitted under clause (m) hereof;

(g) claims under PACA and PASA;

(h) Liens in favor of issuers of credit cards arising in the ordinary course of business securing the obligation to pay customary fees and expenses in connection with credit card arrangements;

(i) Liens incurred or deposits made by any Group Member in the ordinary course of business in connection with workers compensation and other casualty insurance lines, unemployment insurance and other types of social security, or to secure the performance of tenders, statutory obligations, bids, leases, government contracts, performance and return-of-money bonds and other similar obligations (exclusive of obligations for the payment of borrowed money);

(j) easements, rights-of-way, covenants, conditions, restrictions (including zoning restrictions), declarations, rights of reverter, minor defects or irregularities in title and other similar charges or encumbrances, whether or not of record, that do not, in the aggregate, interfere in any material respect with the ordinary course of business, or in respect of any real property which is part of the Collateral, any title defects, liens, charges or encumbrances (other than such prohibited monetary Liens) which the title company is prepared to endorse or insure by exclusion or affirmative endorsement reasonably acceptable to the Agent and which is included in any title policy;

(k) any interest or title of a lessor or sublessor under, and Liens arising from precautionary UCC financing statements (or equivalent filings, registrations or agreements in foreign jurisdictions) relating to, leases and subleases permitted by this Agreement;

(l) normal and customary rights of setoff upon deposits of cash or other Liens originating solely by virtue of any statutory or common law provision, or ordinary course contractual obligation, relating to bankers liens, rights of setoff or similar rights in favor of banks or other depository institutions;

(m) Liens on cash and cash equivalents securing obligations in respect of standby or trade letters of credit not constituting Obligations or trade-related bank guarantees;

(n) Liens granted to consignors who have properly perfected on consigned Inventory owned by such consignors and created in the ordinary course of business;

(o) Liens on premium rebates securing financing arrangements with respect to insurance premiums;

(p) deposits and other customary Liens to secure the performance of bids, trade contracts (other than for Debt), leases (other than Capital Lease Obligations), statutory and regulatory obligations, surety and appeal bonds, performance and return of money bonds, bids, leases, government contracts, trade contracts, agreements with utilities, and other obligations of a like nature incurred in the ordinary course of business, including those incurred to secure health, safety and environmental obligations in the ordinary course of business;

 

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(q) Liens that are contractual rights of set-off (i) relating to the establishment of depository relations with banks not given in connection with the issuance of Debt or (ii) relating to pooled deposit or sweep accounts of the Borrowers or any Subsidiary to permit satisfaction of overdraft or similar obligations incurred in the ordinary course of business of the Borrowers or any Subsidiary;

(r) Liens in favor of customs and revenue authorities arising as a matter of law to secure payment of customs duties in connection with the importation of goods;

(s) Liens solely on any cash earnest money deposits made by any Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries in connection with any letter of intent or purchase agreement in respect of any Investment permitted hereunder;

(t) Liens on securities that are the subject of repurchase agreements constituting Policy Investments;

(u) Liens on cash and cash equivalents securing Swap Contracts incurred in the ordinary course of business; and

(v) other Liens on cash and cash equivalents in an amount not to exceed $25,000,000 held by a third party as security for any obligation (other than Debt) permitted to be incurred by any Group Member hereunder.

Permitted Refinancing Debt ” shall mean any Debt issued in exchange for, or the Net Proceeds of which are used to extend, refinance, renew, replace, defease or refund (collectively, to “ Refinance ”), the Debt being Refinanced (or previous refinancings thereof constituting Permitted Refinancing Debt); provided , that (a) the principal amount (or accreted value, if applicable) of such Permitted Refinancing Debt does not exceed the principal amount (or accreted value, if applicable) of the Debt so Refinanced (plus unpaid accrued interest and premium (including tender premiums) thereon and underwriting discounts, defeasance costs, fees, commissions and expenses), (b) the maturity date of such Permitted Refinancing Debt shall not be earlier than the maturity date of the Debt being Refinanced and weighted average life to maturity of such Permitted Refinancing Debt shall be greater than or equal to the weighted average life to maturity of the Debt being Refinanced, (c) if the Debt being Refinanced is subordinated in right of payment to the Obligations under this Agreement, such Permitted Refinancing Debt shall be subordinated in right of payment to such Obligations on terms at least as favorable to the Lenders as those contained in the documentation governing the Debt being Refinanced, (d) no Permitted Refinancing Debt shall have different obligors, or greater guarantees or security, or higher priority guarantees or security, than the Debt being Refinanced; and (e) the Permitted Refinancing Debt shall otherwise be on terms which would not reasonably likely result in a Material Adverse Effect.

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

PIK Election” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.08(c).

“PIK Payment” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.08(c).

Plan ” means a Single Employer Plan or a Multiple Employer Plan.

 

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Policy Investments ” means Investments made in accordance with the investment policy of the Loan Parties set forth on Schedule 6.02(k)(ii) , as such policy may be amended from time to time with the reasonable consent of the Agent, such consent not to be unreasonably withheld.

Priority Obligations ” means, collectively, the First Lien Credit Agreement Obligations and the Additional First Lien Debt Obligations.

Pro Forma and Projected Capped Excess Availability ” shall mean, for any date of calculation, after giving effect to the applicable transaction or payment, the pro forma and projected Capped Excess Availability for the subsequent twelve (12) fiscal month period, determined as of the last day of each fiscal month in such period and based on Holdings good faith projections that are used to run the businesses of the Borrowers and prepared in accordance with past practice, which projections shall be reasonably satisfactory to the Agent.

Pro Forma Fixed Charge Ratio ” shall mean, for any date of calculation, the Fixed Charge Ratio as of the last day of the most recently completed fiscal quarter for which financial statements are available or were required to have been delivered pursuant to Section 6.01(j) (the “ Reference Date ”), after giving pro forma effect to any applicable transaction or payment as if such transaction or payment had occurred on the first day of the four fiscal quarter period ending on the Reference Date.

Pro Rata Repurchase” means any purchase of shares of Common Stock by Holdings pursuant to any tender offer or exchange offer subject to Section 13(e) or 14(e) of the Exchange Act or Regulation 14E promulgated thereunder or any other offer available to substantially all holders of Common Stock. The “Effective Date” of a Pro Rata Repurchase shall mean the date of acceptance of shares for purchase or exchange by Holdings under any tender or exchange offer which is a Pro Rata Repurchase or the date of purchase with respect to any Pro Rata Repurchase that is not a tender or exchange offer.

Pro Rata Share ” means, as to any Lender as of any date of determination, a percentage equal to (i) the sum of such Lender s (x) share of the outstanding principal amount of the Term Loan as of such date, plus (y) outstanding principal amount of Line of Credit Loans as of such date, divided by (ii) the aggregate outstanding principal amount of Loans as of such date.

Recipient ” means the Agent, the Collateral Agent, any Lender or any other recipient of any payment to be made by or on account of any obligation of any Loan Party hereunder.

Register ” has the meaning specified in Section 9.07(e).

Related Intellectual Property ” means such rights with respect to the Intellectual Property of Holdings and its Subsidiaries as are reasonably necessary to permit the Collateral Agent to enforce its rights and remedies under the Loan Documents with respect to the Collateral.

REMIC Certificates ” means the SRC Commercial Mortgage Trust 2003-1 Mortgage Pass-Through Certificates in the aggregate face amount of $1,312,416,000 (as amended, supplemented or otherwise modified, replaced or refinanced, in any case in a manner not materially adverse to the Lenders).

Reorganization ” means with respect to any Multiemployer Plan, the condition that such Plan is in reorganization within the meaning of Section 4241 of ERISA.

Reportable Event ” means any of the events set forth in Section 4043(c) of ERISA, other than those events as to which the thirty day notice period is waived under subsections .27, .28, .29, .30, .31, .32, .34 or .35 of PBGC Reg. § 4043.

Required Lenders ” means, at any time, the holders of more than 50% of the principal amount of the Loans then outstanding.

 

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Required Term Lenders ” means, at any time, the holders of more than 50% of the principal amount of the Term Loans then outstanding.

Requirements of Law ” means 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.

Restricted Payment ” means any dividend or other distribution (whether in cash, securities or other property) with respect to any equity interests in Holdings or any Subsidiary of Holdings, or any payment (whether in cash, securities or other property), including any sinking fund or similar deposit, on account of the purchase, redemption, retirement, acquisition, cancellation or termination of any such equity interests in Holdings or any Subsidiary of Holdings or any option, warrant or other right to acquire any such equity interests in Holdings or any Subsidiary of Holdings.

Rule 144” means Rule 144 promulgated under the Securities Act.

“Scheduled Trading Day” means a day that is scheduled to be a Trading Day on the principal U.S. national or regional securities exchange or market on which the Common Stock is listed or admitted for trading. If the Common Stock is not listed or admitted for trading, “Scheduled Trading Day” means a Business Day.

Sears ” means Sears, Roebuck and Co., a New York corporation.

SEC ” means the United States Securities and Exchange Commission.

Security Agreement ” means that certain Security Agreement, dated as of October 12, 2010, by Holdings and certain of its subsidiaries in favor of Wilmington Trust, National Association (as successor to Wells Fargo Bank, National Association), in its capacity as collateral agent thereunder, as such Security Agreement may be amended, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time, including by that certain First Amendment to Security Agreement, dated as of September 1, 2016 and that certain Pari Passu Joinder Agreement, dated as of September 1, 2016.

“Securities Act” means the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the rules and regulations of the SEC promulgated thereunder.

Security Documents ” means the collective reference to the Security Agreement, the Existing Intercreditor Agreement and all other security documents hereafter delivered to the Collateral Agent granting a Lien on any property of any Person to secure the obligations and liabilities of any Loan Party under any Loan Document.

Settlement Amount” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.20(d).

Single Employer Plan ” means a single employer plan, as defined in Section 4001(a)(15) of ERISA, that (a) is maintained for employees of any Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate and no Person other than such Borrower and the ERISA Affiliates or (b) was so maintained and in respect of which any Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate could have liability under Section 4069 of ERISA in the event such plan has been or were to be terminated.

Solvent ” means, when used with respect to any Person, that, as of any date of determination, (a) the amount of the “present fair saleable value” 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) such Person will not have, as of such date, an unreasonably small amount of capital with which to conduct its business, and (c) such Person will be able to pay its debts as they mature.

 

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SRAC ” has the meaning provided in the Preamble.

Store ” means any store owned or leased and operated by any Loan Party.

Store Closure Sale ” means a store closure sale that, if including more than twenty (20) stores (whether in one transaction or a series of related transactions), is properly managed by an independent, nationally recognized, professional retail inventory liquidation firm reasonably acceptable to the Agent, over a defined period that is anticipated by the Borrowers not to exceed 12 weeks (on average) from the date of the same commencement.

Subsidiary ” of any Person means any corporation, partnership, joint venture, limited liability company, trust or estate of which (or in which) more than 50% of the issued and outstanding capital stock or other equity interest having ordinary voting power to elect a majority of the Board of Directors or other governing body of such corporation, partnership, joint venture, limited liability company, trust or estate (irrespective of whether at the time capital stock or other equity interests of any other class or classes of such corporation, partnership, joint venture, limited liability company, trust or estate shall or might have voting power upon the occurrence of any contingency), is at the time directly or indirectly owned by such Person, by such Person and one or more of its other Subsidiaries or by one or more of such Person s other Subsidiaries.

Subsidiary Guarantor ” means each direct and indirect wholly owned Domestic Subsidiary of Holdings, that owns Inventory, Credit Card Accounts Receivable, or other Collateral.

Swap Contract ” means (a) any and all rate swap transactions, basis swaps, credit derivative transactions, forward rate transactions, commodity swaps, commodity options, forward commodity contracts, equity or equity index swaps or options, bond or bond price or bond index swaps or options or forward bond or forward bond price or forward bond index transactions, interest rate options, forward foreign exchange transactions, cap transactions, floor transactions, collar transactions, currency swap transactions, cross-currency rate swap transactions, currency options, spot contracts, or any other similar transactions or any combination of any of the foregoing (including any options to enter into any of the foregoing), whether or not any such transaction is governed by or subject to any master agreement, and (b) any and all transactions of any kind, and the related confirmations, which are subject to the terms and conditions of, or governed by, any form of master agreement published by the International Swaps and Derivatives Association, Inc., any International Foreign Exchange Master Agreement, or any other master agreement (any such master agreement, together with any related schedules, a “ Master Agreement ”), including any such obligations or liabilities under any Master Agreement.

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

Term Commitment ” means, as to any Term Lender, the obligation of such Term Lender to make its portion of the Term Loan on the Effective Date, and thereafter, each Incremental Term Loan Commitment, if any.

Term Lenders ” means, collectively, any Persons party hereto as a Term Lender, and each Person that shall become a party hereto as a Term Lender pursuant to Section 9.07 and shall include all future Term Lenders who hold an Extended Term Loan or Incremental Term Loan.

Term Loan ” means, collectively, (i) the term loans made by the Term Lenders on the Effective Date pursuant to Section 2.01(b) and (ii) any Incremental Term Loans.

 

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Term Loan Borrowing ” means a portion of the Term Loan of a particular Type; provided that no Term Loan Borrowing shall be in an aggregate principal amount of less than $5,000,000 and each Term Loan Borrowing constituting a Eurodollar Rate Advance shall be in a principal amount that is an integral multiple of $1,000,000 (unless no portion of the Term Loan constitutes a Base Rate Advance), and no more than ten (10) Interest Periods in the aggregate for Term Loan Borrowings constituting Eurodollar Rate Advances may be outstanding at any time.

Term Loan Margin ” (a) with respect to any outstanding portion of the Term Loan that is a Eurodollar Rate Advance, 7.50% per annum, and (b) with respect to any outstanding portion of the Term Loan that is a Base Rate Advance, 6.50% per annum.

Term Loan Shares” means the number of shares of Common Stock issuable upon conversion of any portion of the Term Loan.

Termination Date ” means July 20, 2020.

Third Amendment Effective Date” means the “Amendment Effective Date” as defined in the Third Amendment to Second Lien Credit Agreement, dated as of February 7, 2018, among Holdings, the Borrowers, the Guarantors party thereto, the Lenders party thereto and the Agent.

Total Extensions of Credit ” means at any time, the aggregate, outstanding principal amount of indebtedness for borrowed money of the Loan Parties secured by Liens on the Collateral, including any applicable Priority Obligations and/or the Existing Second Lien Notes.

Trading Day” means a Scheduled Trading Day on which (i) there is no Market Disruption Event, and (ii) trading in the Common Stock generally occurs on The NASDAQ Global Select Market or, if the Common Stock is not then listed on The NASDAQ Global Select Market, on the principal other U.S. national or regional securities exchange on which the Common Stock is then listed or, if the Common Stock is not then listed on a U.S. national or regional securities exchange, on the principal other market on which the Common Stock is then traded. If the Common Stock is not so listed or traded, “Trading Day” means a “Business Day.”

Trading With the Enemy Act ” means 50 U.S.C. § 1 et seq., as amended.

Type ” means either a Base Rate Advance or a Eurodollar Rate Advance.

UCC ” means the Uniform Commercial Code as from time to time in effect in the State of New York, provided, however, that if a term is defined in Article 9 of the Uniform Commercial Code differently than in another Article thereof, the term shall have the meaning set forth in Article 9; provided further that, if by reason of mandatory provisions of law, perfection, or the effect of perfection or non-perfection, of a security interest in any Collateral or the availability of any remedy hereunder is governed by the Uniform Commercial Code as in effect in a jurisdiction other than New York, “Uniform Commercial Code” means the Uniform Commercial Code as in effect in such other jurisdiction for purposes of the provisions hereof relating to such perfection or effect of perfection or non-perfection or availability of such remedy, as the case may be.

Unfunded Pension Liability ” means the excess of a Pension Plan s benefit liabilities under Section 4001(a)(16) of ERISA, over the current value of that Pension Plan s assets, determined in accordance with the assumptions used for funding the Pension Plan pursuant to Section 412 of the Internal Revenue Code for the applicable plan year.

Voting Stock ” means capital stock issued by a corporation, or equivalent interests in any other Person, the holders of which are ordinarily, in the absence of contingencies, entitled to vote for the election of directors (or persons performing similar functions) of such Person, even if the right so to vote has been suspended by the happening of such a contingency.

 

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SECTION 1.02. Computation of Time Periods . In this Agreement, unless otherwise specified, (a) in the computation of periods of time from a specified date to a later specified date, the word “ from ” means “ from and including ” and the words “ to ” and “ until ” each mean “ to but excluding ” (b) “ including ” means “ including without limitation ”; and (c) any reference to a time of day means Eastern time.

SECTION 1.03. Accounting Terms . All accounting terms not specifically defined herein or in the other Loan Documents shall be construed in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (“ GAAP ”) which for purposes of Section 6.03 shall be consistently applied. If at any time any change in U.S. generally accepted accounting principles would affect the computation of any financial ratio or requirement set forth herein, and either the Borrowers or the Required Lenders shall so request, the Agent, the Lenders and the Borrowers 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 which shall not be unreasonably withheld), provided that, until so amended, (i) such ratio or requirement shall continue to be computed in accordance with GAAP prior to such change in principles, and (ii) the Borrowers shall provide to the 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. For the avoidance of doubt, no retroactive change in GAAP shall apply to the construction of accounting terms under this Agreement in the absence of an amendment hereto in accordance with the terms of this Section 1.03.

SECTION 1.04. Other Interpretive Provisions . With reference to this Agreement and each other Loan Document, unless otherwise specified herein or in such other Loan Document, the definitions of terms herein shall apply equally to the singular and plural forms of the terms defined. Unless the context requires otherwise, (i) any definition of or reference to any agreement, instrument or other document shall be construed as referring to such agreement, instrument or other document as from time to time amended, supplemented or otherwise modified (subject to any restrictions on such amendments, supplements or modifications set forth herein or in any other Loan Document), (ii) any reference herein to any Person shall be construed to include such Person s successors and assigns, (iii) the words “ herein ,” “ hereof ” and “ hereunder ,” and words of similar import when used in any Loan Document, shall be construed to refer to such Loan Document in its entirety and not to any particular provision thereof, (iv) all references in a Loan Document to Articles, Sections, Exhibits and Schedules shall be construed to refer to Articles and Sections of, and Exhibits and Schedules to, the Loan Document in which such references appear, (v) 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, and (vi) the words “ asset ” and “ property ” shall be construed to have the same meaning and effect and to refer to any and all tangible and intangible assets and properties, including cash, securities, accounts and contract rights.

 

ARTICLE II

AMOUNTS AND TERMS OF THE LOANS

SECTION 2.01. The Term Loan .

(a) Reserved.

(b) Each Term Lender severally agrees, on the terms and conditions hereinafter set forth, to make its portion of the Term Loan to the Borrowers on the Effective Date in a principal amount not to exceed the Term Commitment of such Term Lender. Amounts repaid in respect of the Term Loan may not be reborrowed. Upon each Term Lender s making of its portion of the Term Loan, the Term Commitment of such Term Lender shall be terminated.

 

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SECTION 2.02. Line of Credit Loan Proposals . At any time and from time to time during the Line of Credit Issuance Period, Borrowers may deliver Line of Credit Loan Proposals to any Line of Credit Lender or prospective Line of Credit Lender, specifying in each such Line of Credit Loan Proposal:

(a) the date on which the Borrowers propose that a Line of Credit Loan be made by such Line of Credit Lender (the “ Line of Credit Loan Date ”), which in the case of any Line of Credit Loan Proposal delivered after the First Amendment Effective Date shall be not less than one Business Day after the date on which such Line of Credit Loan Proposal is delivered;

(b) the aggregate principal amount of such proposed Line of Credit Loan, which shall be $10,000,000 or a whole multiple of $5,000,000 in excess thereof;

(c) the date on which the Borrowers propose that any unpaid principal amount of such Line of Credit Loan be due and payable (the “ Line of Credit Loan Maturity Date ”), which date may not be more than 179 270 days following the Line of Credit Loan Date (but no later than the Termination Date);

(d) whether such Line of Credit Loan shall bear interest at a fixed rate (“ Fixed Rate Line of Credit Loans ”) or a floating rate (“ Eurodollar Rate Line of Credit Loans ”);

(e) in the case of Line of Credit Loans with a Line of Credit Loan Maturity Date that is more than 30 days from the Line of Credit Loan Date, whether such interest shall be payable in arrears monthly, quarterly or on the Line of Credit Loan Maturity Date;

(f) (i) in the case of Fixed Rate Line of Credit Loans, the fixed interest rate (the “ Line of Credit Loan Fixed Rate ”), and (ii), in the case of Eurodollar Rate Line of Credit Loans, the (x) Eurodollar Rate and (y) the margin over the Eurodollar Rate (the “ Line of Credit Loan Margin ”), as applicable, proposed by the Borrower for such Line of Credit Loan; provided, that any Line of Credit Loan Proposal may provide that in the case of any Fixed Rate Line of Credit Loan, such interest is payable in the form of original issue discount (the “ Line of Credit Loan Issuance Discount ”); and

(g) whether the proposed Line of Credit Loan is to be funded in cash or to be set off against the amount of any Line of Credit Loan obligation of the Borrowers to the applicable Line of Credit Lender with a Line of Credit Loan Maturity Date equal to the proposed Line of Credit Loan Date,

provided , provided, the aggregate principal amount of all Line of Credit Loans outstanding hereunder, after giving effect to any Line of Credit Loan proposed to be made pursuant to this Section 2.02, shall not exceed $ 500,000,000. 600,000,000.

SECTION 2.03. Line of Credit Lender Confirmations; Line of Credit Loans .

(a) If, after receiving a Line of Credit Loan Proposal, the applicable Line of Credit Lender or prospective Line of Credit Lender, in its sole and absolute discretion, wishes to make a Line of Credit Loan in the amount and having the terms set forth in such Line of Credit Loan Proposal, then the Line of Credit Lender shall confirm acceptance of such Line of Credit Loan Proposal to Borrowers in writing (including electronic writing). Upon delivery of such confirmation, the Line of Credit Lender shall become obligated to advance the amount of the Line of Credit Loan (after giving effect to any Line of Credit Loan Issuance Discount) to the Borrowers on the applicable Line of Credit Loan Date on the terms set forth in the Line of Credit Loan Proposal. If the applicable Line of Credit Lender does not confirm its acceptance of the Line of Credit Loan Proposal, then it shall have no obligations with respect thereto and no such Line of Credit Loan will be made.

(b) Each Line of Credit Lender severally agrees, on the terms and conditions set forth herein, to make each of its Line of Credit Loans to the Borrowers on the applicable Line of Credit Loan Date in the principal amounts set forth in the applicable confirmed Line of Credit Loan Proposals (after giving effect to any Line of Credit Loan Issuance Discount). Amounts repaid in respect of the Line of Credit Loans may not be reborrowed; provided that the Borrowers may, in their discretion, make Line of Credit Loan Proposals to Line of Credit Lenders with

 

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outstanding Line of Credit Loans for new Line of Credit Loans with Line of Credit Loan Dates that correspond to the Line of Credit Loan Maturity Date of any outstanding Line of Credit Loan. In the event that any Line of Credit Loan Proposal in respect of a Line of Credit Loan so specifies, the Borrowers and applicable Line of Credit Lender shall fulfill their respective obligations to pay the applicable outstanding Line of Credit Loan on the applicable Line of Credit Loan Maturity Date and fund the applicable Line of Credit Loan on the corresponding Line of Credit Loan Date by setting off such amounts.

SECTION 2.04. Notes. Each Lender shall be entitled to request one or more Notes in form reasonably satisfactory to such Lender to evidence such Lenders Term Loans and/or Line of Credit Loans.

SECTION 2.05. Fees .

(a) Upfront fees . The Borrowers shall pay to each Term Lender an upfront fee on the Effective Date in an amount equal to 3.0% of such Lender s Term Commitment, which fee shall be paid by the netting of such amount from the proceeds of the Term Loans.

(b) Term Loan Repayment Premium . In the event that, prior to the two year anniversary of the Effective Date, all or any portion of the Term Loans is voluntarily prepaid, refinanced or replaced (a “ Prepayment Transaction ”), the Borrowers shall pay (x) a prepayment premium equal to 2.00% of the aggregate principal amount of the Term Loan so prepaid, refinanced or replaced, if such Prepayment Transaction occurs on or prior to the first anniversary of the Effective Date, and (y) a prepayment premium equal to 1.00% of the aggregate principal amount of the Term Loan so prepaid, refinanced or replaced, if such Prepayment Transaction occurs after the first anniversary of the Effective Date but on or prior to the second anniversary of the Effective Date. Such amounts shall be due and payable on the date of effectiveness of such Prepayment Transaction.

(c) Other Fees . The Borrowers shall pay to the Agent the agency and administrative fees, if any, as may be separately agreed in writing between the Borrowers and such party.

SECTION 2.06. Reserved .

SECTION 2.07. Repayment of Loans .

(a) Each Borrower shall repay to the applicable Line of Credit Lenders on the applicable Line of Credit Loan Maturity Dates the aggregate principal amount of the applicable Line of Credit Loans.

(b) Each Borrower shall repay to the Agent for the ratable account of the Term Lenders on the Termination Date the aggregate principal amount of the Term Loan then outstanding (which shall include any PIK Payment that may have been added to the principal amount of the Term Loan pursuant to this Agreement) .

SECTION 2.08. Interest .

(a) Line of Credit Loans . Each Borrower shall pay interest on the unpaid principal amount of each Line of Credit Loan (other than any Fixed Rate Line of Credit Loan made with a Line of Credit Loan Issuance Discount) made to it and owing to each Line of Credit Lender from the applicable Line of Credit Loan Date until such principal amount shall be paid in full, at the following rates per annum:

(i) Fixed Rate Line of Credit Loans . During such periods as any Fixed Rate Line of Credit Loan is outstanding, such Fixed Rate Line of Credit Loan shall earn interest at a rate per annum equal to the Line of Credit Loan Fixed Rate set forth in the applicable Line of Credit Loan Proposal, payable in arrears on the dates set forth in the applicable Line of Credit Loan Proposal for such Fixed Rate Line of Credit Loan.

(ii) Eurodollar Rate Line of Credit Loans . During such periods as any Eurodollar Rate Line of Credit Loan is outstanding, such Eurodollar Rate Line of Credit Loan shall earn interest at a rate per annum equal to the sum of (x) the Eurodollar Rate for such Line of Credit Loan, plus (y) the Line of Credit Loan Margin, in each case as set forth in the applicable Line of Credit Loan Proposal, payable in arrears on the dates set forth in the applicable Line of Credit Loan Proposal for such Eurodollar Rate Line of Credit Loan.

 

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(b) Term Loan . Each Borrower shall pay interest on the unpaid principal amount of the Term Loan made to it and owing to each Term Lender from the Effective Date until such principal amount shall be paid in full, at the following rates per annum:

(i) Base Rate Advances . During such periods as any outstanding portion of the Term Loan is a Base Rate Advance, each such Term Loan Borrowing shall earn interest at a rate per annum equal at all times to the sum of (x) the Base Rate in effect from time to time plus (y) the Term Loan Margin for Base Rate Advances, payable in arrears quarterly on the 5 th day subsequent to the last day of each month during such periods and on the date such Base Rate Advance shall be Converted or paid in full.

(ii) Eurodollar Rate Advances . During such periods as any outstanding portion of the Term Loan is a Eurodollar Rate Advance, each such Term Loan Borrowing shall earn interest at a rate per annum equal at all times during each Interest Period for such Eurodollar Rate Advance to the greater of (A) 1.00% or (B) the Eurodollar Rate for such Interest Period for such outstanding portion of the Term Loan plus , in either case, the Term Loan Margin for Eurodollar Rate Advances, payable in arrears on the last day of such Interest Period and, if such Interest Period has a duration of more than three months, on each day that occurs during such Interest Period every three months from the first day of such Interest Period and on the date such Eurodollar Rate Advance shall be Converted or paid in full.

(c) Reserved. PIK Election. With respect to any payment of interest on the Term Loan (including, without limitation, default interest payable pursuant to Section 2.08(e) below and additional interest pursuant to Section 2.08(f)), the Borrowers may, at their option, elect to pay such interest in whole or in part (i) in cash in same day funds (a “Cash Election”) or (ii) by increasing the outstanding principal amount of the Term Loan by the amount of interest payable (a “PIK Election” and, together with a Cash Election, an “Election”; any payment of interest on the Term Loan made by adding such interest to the principal amount of the Term Loan, a “PIK Payment”). The Borrowers shall make an Election with respect to any payment of interest by providing notice to the Administrative Agent at least five (5) Business Days prior to the date on which such Interest Payment is due and payable (or such later date as to which the Administrative Agent may consent in its sole and absolute discretion). If an Election is not made by the Borrowers in a timely fashion or at all with respect to any payment of interest, such payment shall be payable according to the Election for the previous payment of interest. Notwithstanding the foregoing, on the Termination Date or in the event of any repayment or prepayment of a Term Loan all accrued and unpaid interest on the principal amount of the Term Loan repaid or prepaid shall be paid in cash. Following an increase in the principal amount of the Term Loan as PIK Payment, interest shall be payable on such increased amount of the Term Loan.

(d) Line of Credit Loan Default Interest . Upon the occurrence and during the continuance of an Event of Default, at the option of the Agent or on the request of the applicable Line of Credit Lender, the Borrowers shall pay interest on the principal amount of the Line of Credit Loans then outstanding, payable in arrears on demand, at a rate per annum equal to 2% per annum above the rate per annum otherwise required to be paid on the outstanding amount of each applicable Line of Credit Loan. Further, the Borrowers shall pay interest, to the fullest extent permitted by law, on the amount of any interest, fee or other amount (other than principal) payable hereunder that is not paid when due, from the date such amount shall be due until such amount shall be paid in full, payable in arrears on the date such amount shall be paid in full and on demand, at a rate per annum equal to 2% per annum above the rate per annum otherwise required to be paid with respect to the applicable Line of Credit Loan.

(e) Default Interest . Upon the occurrence and during the continuance of an Event of Default, at the option of the Agent or on the request of the Required Term Lenders, the Borrowers shall pay interest on the principal amount of the Term Loan then outstanding, payable in arrears on the dates referred to in Sections 2.08(b) above, at a rate per annum equal to 2% per annum above the rate per annum required to be paid on the outstanding amount of the Term Loan pursuant to Section 2.08(b)(i) above. Further, the Borrowers shall pay interest, to the fullest extent permitted by law, on the amount of any interest, fee or other amount (other than principal) payable hereunder that is not paid when due, from the date such amount shall be due until such amount shall be paid in full, payable in arrears on the date such amount shall be paid in full and on demand, at a rate per annum equal to 2% per annum above the rate per annum required to be paid on Base Rate Advances pursuant to Section 2.08(b)(i).

 

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(f) Regulation D Compensation . Each Term Lender that is subject to reserve requirements of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (or any successor) may require the Borrowers to pay, contemporaneously with each payment of interest on the Eurodollar Rate Advances, additional interest on the related Eurodollar Rate Advances of such Term Lender at the rate per annum equal to the excess of (i) (A) the applicable Eurodollar Rate divided by (B) one minus the Eurodollar Rate Reserve Percentage over (ii) the applicable Eurodollar Rate. Any Term Lender wishing to require payment of such additional interest (x) shall so notify the Agent and the Borrowers, in which case such additional interest on the Eurodollar Rate Advances of such Term Lender shall be payable to such Term Lender at the place indicated in such notice with respect to each Interest Period commencing at least five Business Days after the giving of such notice and (y) shall notify the Agent and the Borrowers at least five Business Days prior to each date on which interest is payable on the amount then due it under this Section. Each such notification shall be accompanied by such information as the Borrowers may reasonably request.

SECTION 2.09. Interest Rate Determination . (a)  The Agent shall give prompt notice to the Borrowers and the Term Lenders of the applicable interest rate determined by the Agent for purposes of Section 2.08(b).

(b) If, with respect to any Eurodollar Rate Advances, the Required Term Lenders notify the Agent at least one Business Day before the date of any proposed Eurodollar Rate Advance that the Eurodollar Rate for any Interest Period for such Eurodollar Rate Advances will not adequately reflect the cost to such Required Term Lenders of making, funding or maintaining their respective Eurodollar Rate Advances for such Interest Period, the Agent shall forthwith so notify the Borrowers and the Term Lenders, whereupon (i) each Eurodollar Rate Advance will automatically, on the last day of the then existing Interest Period therefor, Convert into a Base Rate Advance, and (ii) the obligation of the Term Lenders to Convert Base Rate Advances into Eurodollar Rate Advances shall be suspended until the Agent shall notify the Borrowers and the Term Lenders that the circumstances causing such suspension no longer exist.

(c) If any Borrower shall fail to select the duration of any Interest Period for any Eurodollar Rate Advances in accordance with the provisions contained in the definition of “Interest Period” in Section 1.01, the Agent will forthwith so notify such Borrower and the Term Lenders and such Eurodollar Rate Advances will automatically, on the last day of the then existing Interest Period therefor, Convert into Base Rate Advances.

(d) On the date on which the aggregate unpaid principal amount of Eurodollar Rate Advances comprising any Borrowing shall be reduced, by payment or prepayment or otherwise, to less than $5,000,000, such Eurodollar Rate Advances shall automatically Convert into Base Rate Advances.

(e) Upon the occurrence and during the continuance of any Event of Default, at the option of the Agent or on the request of the Required Term Lenders (i) each Eurodollar Rate Advance will automatically, on the last day of the then existing Interest Period therefor, Convert into a Base Rate Advance and (ii) the obligation of the Term Lenders to Convert any outstanding portion of the Term Loan into Eurodollar Rate Advances shall be suspended.

SECTION 2.10. Optional Conversion of Term Loan Borrowings . The Borrowers may on any Business Day, upon notice given to the Agent not later than 12:00 noon on the third Business Day prior to the date of the proposed Conversion and subject to the provisions of Sections 2.09 and 2.13, Convert any Term Loan Borrowing of one Type into a Term Loan Borrowing of the other Type; provided , however , that any Conversion of Eurodollar Rate Advances into Base Rate Advances shall be made only on the last day of an Interest Period for such Eurodollar Rate Advances. Each such notice of a Conversion shall, within the restrictions specified above, specify (i) the date of such Conversion, (ii) Term Loan Borrowings to be Converted, and (iii) if such Conversion is into Eurodollar Rate Advances, the duration of the initial Interest Period for each such Term Loan Borrowing. Each notice of Conversion shall be irrevocable and binding on the applicable Borrower.

SECTION 2.11. Optional and Mandatory Prepayments of Term Loan .

(a) (i) Any Borrower may, upon notice given not later than 12:00 noon on the date three Business Days prior to such prepayment to the Agent stating the proposed date and aggregate principal amount of the prepayment, and if such notice is given such Borrower shall, prepay the outstanding principal amount of any Line of Credit Loan in whole or in part, together with accrued interest to the date of such prepayment on the principal amount

 

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prepaid; provided, however, that (x) each partial prepayment shall be in an aggregate principal amount of $5,000,000 or an integral multiple of $1,000,000 in excess thereof and (y) in the event of any such prepayment of a Eurodollar Rate Line of Credit Loan, the applicable Borrower shall be obligated to reimburse the Line of Credit Lenders in respect thereof pursuant to Section 9.04(e).

(ii) Any Borrower may, subject to the terms of this Section 2.11(a)(ii) and Section 2.05(b) and upon notice given not later than 12:00 noon on the date three Business Days prior to such prepayment to the Agent stating the proposed date and aggregate principal amount of the prepayment, and if such notice is given such Borrower shall, prepay the outstanding principal amount of the Term Loan in whole or ratably in part, together with accrued interest to the date of such prepayment on the principal amount prepaid; provided, however, that (w) each partial prepayment shall be in an aggregate principal amount of $5,000,000 or an integral multiple of $1,000,000 in excess thereof, (x) reserved, (y) reserved, and (z) in the event of any such prepayment of a Eurodollar Rate Advance, the applicable Borrower shall be obligated to reimburse the Term Lenders in respect thereof pursuant to Section 9.04(c).

(b) Reserved.

(c) No later than ten (10) Business Days following the last day of any fiscal quarter of Holdings (the ending on or after November 3, 2018 (which is the last day of the third fiscal quarter of the fiscal year of Holdings ending on February 2, 2019) (a “Reference Quarter”), if (i) the Total Extensions of Credit as of the last day of the such Reference Quarter exceeded the Borrowing Base as of the last day of the Reference Quarter, and (ii) the Total Extensions of Credit as of the last day of the fiscal quarter of Holdings immediately preceding the such Reference Quarter exceeded the Borrowing Base as of the last day of the fiscal quarter of Holdings immediately preceding the such Reference Quarter, the Borrowers shall prepay Loans in an amount equal to the excess described in the foregoing clause (i) .

(d) Reserved.

(e) The Borrowers shall prepay Priority Obligation and/or Loans in an amount necessary to avoid the occurrence of a Collateral Coverage Event (as defined in the Indenture for the Existing Second Lien Notes).

(f) Reserved.

(g) The Borrowers shall prepay (x) the Term Loan in an amount equal to 50% of Excess Cash Flow for each fiscal year of Holdings beginning with the fiscal year ending on or about January 31, 2016, and (y) the Term Loan and the 2016 Term Loan on a ratable basis in an aggregate amount equal to 50% of Excess Cash Flow for each fiscal year of Holdings beginning with the fiscal year ending on or about January 31, 2017. Each prepayment under this clause (g) shall be made within 90 days following the end of each applicable fiscal year of Holdings; provided , however , that no prepayment shall be required under this clause (g) if, after compliance with any prepayment obligation in any Priority Obligation, any Priority Obligations remain outstanding on the date on which such prepayment would otherwise be required.

(h) The Borrowers shall deliver to the Agent, in connection with each prepayment required under Section 2.11(g), a certificate signed by an Authorized Officer of the Borrowers setting forth in reasonable detail the calculation of the amount of such prepayment.

(i) Any prepayment of the Term Loan pursuant to clauses (c), (e) or (g) of this Section 2.11 shall be applied, first, to any Base Rate Advances then outstanding and the balance of such prepayment, if any, to the Eurodollar Rate Advances then outstanding.

SECTION 2.12. Increased Costs . (a)  If, due to either (i) after the Effective Date, with respect to Term Loans, or the date of any Line of Credit Loan, with respect to such Extension of Credit, the introduction of or any change in or in the interpretation of any law or regulation or (ii) the compliance with any guideline or request from any central bank or other governmental authority (whether or not having the force of law) made or issued after the Effective Date, with respect to Term Loans, or the date of any Line of Credit Loan, with respect to such Extension of Credit, there shall be any increase in the cost to any Lender of agreeing to make or making, funding or maintaining

 

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Eurodollar Rate Advances (excluding for purposes of this Section 2.12 any such increased costs resulting from (i) Taxes or Other Taxes (as to which Section 2.15 shall govern) and (ii) changes in the basis of taxation of overall net income or overall gross income by the United States or by the foreign jurisdiction or state under the laws of which such Lender is organized or has its Applicable Lending Office or any political subdivision thereof), then the Borrowers shall from time to time, upon demand by such Lender (with a copy of such demand to the Agent), pay to the Agent for the account of such Lender additional amounts sufficient to compensate such Lender for such increased cost; provided that a Lender claiming additional amounts under this Section 2.12(a) agrees to use reasonable efforts (consistent with its internal policy and legal and regulatory restrictions) to designate a different Applicable Lending Office and/or take other commercially reasonable action if the making of such a designation or the taking of such actions would avoid the need for, or reduce the amount of, such increased cost that may thereafter accrue and would not, in the reasonable judgment of such Lender, be otherwise disadvantageous to such Lender. A certificate as to the amount of such increased cost, submitted to the Borrowers and the Agent by such Lender, shall be entitled to a presumption of correctness. If any Borrower so notifies the Agent after any Lender notifies the Borrowers of any increased cost pursuant to the foregoing provisions of this Section 2.12(a), such Borrower may, upon payment of such increased cost to such Lender, replace such Lender with a Person that is an Eligible Assignee in accordance with the terms of Section 9.07 (and the Lender being so replaced shall take all action as may be necessary to assign its rights and obligations under this Agreement to such Eligible Assignee).

(b) If any Lender determines that compliance with any change after the Effective Date, with respect to Term Loans, or the date of any Line of Credit Loan, with respect to such Extension of Credit, in law or regulation or any guideline or request after the Effective Date, with respect to Term Loans, or the date of any Line of Credit Loan, with respect to such Extension of Credit, from any central bank or other governmental authority (whether or not having the force of law) affects or would affect the amount of capital or liquidity required or expected to be maintained by such Lender or any entity controlling such Lender and that the amount of such capital or liquidity is increased by or based upon the existence of such Lender s commitment to lend hereunder and other commitments of this type, then, upon demand by such Lender (with a copy of such demand to the Agent), the Borrowers shall pay to the Agent for the account of such Lender, from time to time as specified by such Lender, additional amounts sufficient to compensate such Lender or such entity in the light of such circumstances, to the extent that such Lender reasonably determines such increase in capital or liquidity to be allocable to the existence of such Lender s commitment to lend hereunder. A certificate as to such amounts submitted to the Borrowers and the Agent by such Lender shall be entitled to a presumption of correctness. Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act and all requests, rules, guidelines, requirements and directives thereunder issued in connection therewith or in implementation thereof and all requests, rules, guidelines or directives promulgated by the Bank for International Settlements, the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision (or any successor or similar authority) or the United States or foreign regulatory authorities, in each case pursuant to Basel III, shall in each case be deemed to be a change in law covered by this Section 2.12 regardless of the date enacted, adopted, issued or implemented.

(c) The Borrowers shall not be required to compensate a Lender pursuant to this Section for any increased costs or capital, liquidity or reserve requirement or pursuant to Section 2.15 for any Taxes incurred more than six months prior to the date that such Lender notifies the Borrowers of the change or issuance giving rise to such increased costs or capital, liquidity or reserve requirement or Tax and of such Lender s intention to claim compensation therefor; provided that if the change or issuance giving rise to such increased costs or capital, liquidity or reserve requirement or Tax is retroactive, then the six-month period referred to above shall be extended to include the period of retroactive effect thereof.

SECTION 2.13. Illegality . Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, if any Lender shall notify the Agent that the introduction of or any change in or in the interpretation of any law or regulation makes it unlawful, or any central bank or other governmental authority asserts that it is unlawful, for any Lender or its Eurodollar Lending Office to perform its obligations hereunder to make Eurodollar Rate Advances or to fund or maintain Eurodollar Rate Advances hereunder, (a) each Eurodollar Rate Advance will automatically, upon such demand, Convert into a Base Rate Advance, (b) the obligation of the Term Lenders to Convert Term Loan Borrowings into Eurodollar Rate Advances shall be suspended until the Agent shall notify the Borrowers and the Term Lenders that the circumstances causing such suspension no longer exist and (c) each Eurodollar Rate Line of Credit Loan will automatically, upon such demand, convert into a fixed rate Line of Credit Loan with an equivalent effective interest rate as reasonably agreed by the Borrowers and the applicable Line of Credit Lender.

 

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SECTION 2.14. Payments and Computations . (a)  The Except as set forth in Section 2.08(c), the Borrowers shall make each payment hereunder and under the other Loan Documents, without any right of counterclaim or set-off, not later than 1:00 P.M. on the day when due in U.S. dollars to the Agent into the account specified by the Agent in writing from time to time in same day funds. The Agent will promptly thereafter cause to be distributed like funds relating to the payment of principal or interest or commitment fees (i) in the case of Term Loans, ratably (other than amounts payable pursuant to Section 2.12, 2.15 or 9.04(c)) to the Term Lenders for the account of their respective Applicable Lending Offices, and like funds relating to the payment of any other amount payable to any Term Lender to such Term Lender for the account of its Applicable Lending Office, in each case to be applied in accordance with the terms of this Agreement and (ii) in the case of Line of Credit Loans, to the applicable Line of Credit Lender(s). Upon its acceptance of an Assignment and Acceptance and recording of the information contained therein in the Register pursuant to Section 9.07(c), from and after the effective date specified in such Assignment and Acceptance, the Agent shall make all payments hereunder and under the other Loan Documents in respect of the interest assigned thereby to the Lender assignee thereunder, and the parties to such Assignment and Acceptance shall make all appropriate adjustments in such payments for periods prior to such effective date directly between themselves.

(b) Each Borrower hereby authorizes each Lender, if and to the extent payment owed by it to such Lender is not made when due hereunder or under the other Loan Documents, to charge from time to time against any or all of such Borrower s accounts with such Lender any amount so due. Any such Lender so charging such accounts shall deliver the proceeds therefrom to the Agent for distribution to the Credit Parties in the manner set forth herein and in the other Loan Documents.

(c) (i) In the case of Term Loans, all computations of interest based on the Base Rate shall be made by the Agent on the basis of a year of 365 or 366 days, as the case may be, and all computations of interest based on the Eurodollar Rate or the Federal Funds Rate and of duration-based fees, if any, shall be made by the Agent on the basis of a year of 360 days, in each case for the actual number of days (including the first day but excluding the last day) occurring in the period for which such interest or commitment fees are payable, (ii) in the case of Fixed Rate Line of Credit Loans, all computations of interest shall be made by the Agent on the basis of a year of 365 or 366 days, as the case may be, and (iii) in the case of Eurodollar Rate Line of Credit Loans, all computations of interest shall be made by the Agent on the basis of a year of 360 days, in each case for the actual number of days (including the first day but excluding the last day) occurring in the period for which such interest or commitment fees are payable. Each determination by the Agent of an interest rate hereunder shall be conclusive and binding for all purposes, absent manifest error.

(d) Whenever any payment hereunder or under the other Loan Documents shall be stated to be due on a day other than a Business Day, such payment shall be made on the next succeeding Business Day, and such extension of time shall in such case be included in the computation of payment of interest or commitment fee, as the case may be; provided , however , that, if such extension would cause payment of interest on or principal of Eurodollar Rate Advances or Eurodollar Line of Credit Loans to be made in the next following calendar month, such payment shall be made on the next preceding Business Day.

(e) Unless the Agent shall have received notice from any Borrower prior to the date on which any payment is due by it to the Lenders hereunder that such Borrower will not make such payment in full, the Agent may assume that the applicable Borrower has made such payment in full to the Agent on such date and the Agent may, in reliance upon such assumption, cause to be distributed to each Lender on such due date an amount equal to the amount then due such Lender. If and to the extent such Borrower shall not have so made such payment in full to the Agent, each Lender shall repay to the Agent forthwith on demand such amount distributed to such Lender together with interest thereon, for each day from the date such amount is distributed to such Lender until the date such Lender repays such amount to the Agent, at the Federal Funds Rate.

SECTION 2.15. Taxes . (a)  Any and all payments by the Borrowers to or for the account of any Lender, the Agent or the Collateral Agent hereunder or under the other Loan Documents or any other documents to be delivered hereunder shall be made, in accordance with Section 2.14 or the applicable provisions of such other documents, free and clear of and without deduction for any and all present or future Taxes (excluding any Excluded Taxes). If the Borrowers shall be required by law to deduct any Taxes from or in respect of any sum payable hereunder or under any other Loan Document or any other documents to be delivered hereunder to any Lender, the

 

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Agent or the Collateral Agent, (i) to the extent that the withholding or deduction is made on account of Indemnified Taxes, the sum payable shall be increased as may be necessary so that after making all required deductions for Indemnified Taxes (including deductions for Indemnified Taxes applicable to additional sums payable under this Section 2.15) such Lender, the Agent and the Collateral Agent (as the case may be) receive an amount equal to the sum each would have received had no such deductions of Indemnified Taxes been made, (ii) the Borrowers shall make such deductions as are determined by such Borrowers to be required based upon the information and documentation it has received pursuant to Sections 2.15(e) and (f) and (iii) the Borrowers shall pay the full amount deducted to the relevant taxation authority or other authority in accordance with applicable law.

(b) In addition, the Borrowers shall pay any present or future stamp or documentary taxes or any other excise or property taxes, charges or similar levies that arise from any payment made hereunder or under the other Loan Documents or from the execution, delivery or registration of, performing under, or otherwise with respect to, this Agreement or the other Loan Documents or any other documents to be delivered hereunder, but excluding (i) any such taxes that are Other Connection Taxes imposed with respect to an assignment (other than an assignment made pursuant to Section 9.16), and (ii) all other United States federal taxes other than withholding taxes (hereinafter referred to as “ Other Taxes ”). Other Taxes shall not include any Taxes imposed on, or measured by reference to, gross income, net income or gain.

(c) Without duplication of any additional amounts paid pursuant to Section 2.15(a), the Borrowers shall indemnify each Lender, the Agent and the Collateral Agent for and hold it harmless against the full amount of Indemnified Taxes or Other Taxes (including Indemnified Taxes or Other Taxes imposed or asserted by any jurisdiction on amounts payable under this Section 2.15) imposed on or paid by such Lender, the Agent or the Collateral Agent (as the case may be) and any liability (including penalties, interest and reasonable expenses) arising therefrom or with respect thereto. This indemnification shall be made within 30 days from the date such Lender, the Agent or the Collateral Agent (as the case may be) makes written demand therefor.

(d) Within 30 days after the date of any payment of Indemnified Taxes, the Borrowers shall furnish to the Agent, at its address referred to in Section 9.02, the original or a certified copy of a receipt evidencing such payment to the extent such a receipt is issued therefor, or other written proof of payment thereof that is reasonably satisfactory to the Agent.

(e) Any Lender that is entitled to an exemption from or reduction of withholding tax with respect to payments made under any Loan Document shall deliver to the Borrowers and the Agent, at the time or times reasonably requested by the Borrowers or the Agent, such properly completed and executed documentation reasonably requested by the Borrowers or the Agent as will permit such payments to be made without withholding or at a reduced rate of withholding. In addition, any Lender, if reasonably requested by the Borrowers or the Agent, shall deliver such other documentation prescribed by applicable Law or reasonably requested by the Borrowers or the Agent as will enable the Borrowers or the Agent to determine whether or not such Lender is subject to backup withholding or information reporting requirements.

(i) Without limiting the generality of the foregoing:

(a) Each Lender that is a United States person, on or prior to the date of its execution and delivery of this Agreement in the case of each Lender and on the date of the Assignment and Acceptance pursuant to which it becomes a Lender in the case of each other Lender, and from time to time thereafter as reasonably requested in writing by the Borrowers or the Agent), shall provide each of the Agent and the Borrowers with two executed originals of Internal Revenue Service Form W-9 certifying that such Lender is exempt from U.S. federal backup withholding tax on payments pursuant to this Agreement or the other Loan Documents; and

(b) Each Lender organized under the laws of a jurisdiction outside the United States, and each other Lender that is not a domestic corporation within the meaning of Section 7701(a)(30) of the Internal Revenue Code:

(1) represents that all payments to be made to it under this Agreement or any other Loan Document are exempt from United States withholding tax (including backup withholding tax) under an applicable statute or tax treaty;

 

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(2) on or prior to the date of its execution and delivery of this Agreement in the case of each Lender and on the date of the Assignment and Acceptance pursuant to which it becomes a Lender in the case of each other Lender, and from time to time thereafter as reasonably requested in writing by the Borrowers (but only so long as such Lender remains lawfully able to do so), shall provide each of the Agent and the Borrowers with two executed originals of Internal Revenue Service Forms W-8BEN, W-8BEN-E or W-8ECI, as appropriate, or any successor or other form prescribed by the Internal Revenue Service, certifying that such Lender is exempt from or entitled to a reduced rate of United States withholding tax on payments pursuant to this Agreement or the other Loan Documents; and

(3) on or prior to the date of its execution and delivery of this Agreement in the case of each Lender and on the date of the Assignment and Acceptance pursuant to which it becomes a Lender in the case of each other Lender, and from time to time thereafter as reasonably requested in writing by the Borrowers (but only so long as such Lender remains lawfully able to do so), shall provide each of the Agent and the Borrowers with executed originals 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 supplementary documentation as may be prescribed by applicable law to permit the Borrowers or the Agent to determine the withholding or deduction required to be made.

If the form provided by a Lender at the time such Lender first becomes a party to this Agreement indicates a United States interest withholding tax rate in excess of zero, withholding tax at such rate shall be considered excluded from Indemnified Taxes unless and until such Lender provides the appropriate forms certifying that a lesser rate applies, whereupon withholding tax at such lesser rate only shall be considered excluded from Indemnified Taxes for periods governed by such form; provided , however , that, if at the date of the Assignment and Acceptance pursuant to which a Lender assignee becomes a party to this Agreement, the Lender assignor was entitled to payments under subsection (a) in respect of United States withholding tax with respect to interest paid at such date, then, to such extent, the term Indemnified Taxes shall include (in addition to withholding taxes that may be imposed in the future or other amounts otherwise includable in Indemnified Taxes) United States withholding tax, if any, applicable with respect to the Lender assignee on such date. If any form or document referred to in this subsection (e) requires the disclosure of information, other than information necessary to compute the tax payable and information required on the date hereof by Internal Revenue Service Form W-8BEN, W-8BEN-E, or W-8ECI, that the Lender reasonably considers to be confidential, the Lender shall give notice thereof to the Borrowers and shall not be obligated to include in such form or document such confidential information. For purposes of this subsection (e), the terms “ United States ” and “ United States person ” shall have the meanings specified in Section 7701 of the Internal Revenue Code.

(f) For any period with respect to which a Lender has failed to provide the Borrowers with the appropriate form, certificate or other document described in Section 2.15(e) ( other than if such failure is due to a change in law, or in the interpretation or application thereof, occurring subsequent to the date on which a form, certificate or other document originally was required to be provided, or if such form, certificate or other document otherwise is not required under subsection (e) above), such Lender shall not be entitled to indemnification under Section 2.15(a) or (c) with respect to Indemnified Taxes imposed by the United States by reason of such failure; provided , however , that should a Lender become subject to Indemnified Taxes because of its failure to deliver a form, certificate or other document required hereunder, the Borrowers shall take such steps as the Lender shall reasonably request to assist the Lender to recover such Indemnified Taxes. Further, 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 Borrowers and the Agent at the time or times prescribed by law

 

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and at such time or times reasonably requested by the Borrowers or the Agent such documentation prescribed by applicable law (including as prescribed by Section 1471(b)(3)(C)(i) of the Internal Revenue Code) and such additional documentation reasonably requested by the Borrowers or the Agent as may be necessary for the Borrowers and the Agent to comply with their obligations under FATCA and to determine that such Lender has complied with such Lender s obligations under FATCA or to determine the amount to deduct and withhold from such payment. Solely for purposes of this paragraph (f), “FATCA” shall include any amendments made to FATCA after the Effective Date.

(g) Each Lender agrees that if any form or certification it previously delivered pursuant to this Section 2.15 expires or becomes obsolete or inaccurate in any respect, it shall update such form or certification or promptly notify the Borrowers and the Agent in writing of its legal inability to do so.

(h) Any Lender claiming any additional amounts payable pursuant to this Section 2.15 agrees to use reasonable efforts (consistent with its internal policy and legal and regulatory restrictions) to change the jurisdiction of its Eurodollar Lending Office if the making of such a change would avoid the need for, or reduce the amount of, any such additional amounts that may thereafter accrue and would not, in the reasonable judgment of such Lender, be otherwise disadvantageous to such Lender.

(i) If any Lender determines, in its sole discretion exercised in good faith, that it has actually and finally realized, by reason of a refund, deduction or credit of any Indemnified Taxes paid or reimbursed by the Borrowers pursuant to subsection (a) or (c) above in respect of payments under this Agreement or the other Loan Documents, a current monetary benefit that it would otherwise not have obtained, and that would result in the total payments under this Section 2.15 exceeding the amount needed to make such Lender whole, such Lender shall pay to the Borrowers, with reasonable promptness following the date on which it actually realizes such benefit, an amount equal to the amount of such excess, net of all out-of-pocket expenses incurred by such Lender reasonably allocable in securing such refund, deduction or credit, provided that the Borrowers, upon the request of such Lender, agree to repay the amount paid over to the Borrowers to such Lender in the event such Lender is required to repay such refund to such jurisdiction. Nothing in this subsection (i) shall be construed to require any Lender to make available to the Borrowers or any other Person its tax returns or any confidential tax information.

(j) If the Agent, the Collateral Agent or any Lender, as the case may be, shall become aware that it is entitled to claim a refund from a Governmental Authority in respect of Indemnified Taxes or Other Taxes paid by Borrower pursuant to this Section 2.15, including Indemnified Taxes or Other Taxes as to which it has been indemnified by Borrower, or with respect to which Borrower or a Group Member that is a signatory hereto has paid additional amounts pursuant to this Section 2.15, it shall notify Borrower of the availability of such refund claim and, if the Agent, the Collateral Agent or any Lender, as the case may be, determines in good faith that making a claim for refund will not have any adverse consequence to its taxes or business operations, shall, after receipt of a request by Borrower, make a claim to such Governmental Authority for such refund at Borrower s expense.

SECTION 2.16. Sharing of Payments, Etc . If any Term Lender shall obtain any payment from any Group Member (whether voluntary, involuntary, through the exercise of any right of set-off, or otherwise) on account of the Term Loan or other amounts owing to it (other than pursuant to Section 2.05(b), 2.07, 2.11, 2.12, 2.15, 2.18, 2.19 or 9.04(c)) in excess of its ratable share, such Term Lender shall forthwith purchase from the other Term Lenders such participations in the Term Loan or other amounts owing to them as shall be necessary to cause such purchasing Term Lender to share the excess payment ratably with each of them; provided , however , that if all or any portion of such excess payment is thereafter recovered from such purchasing Term Lender, such purchase from each Term Lender shall be rescinded and such Term Lender shall repay to the purchasing Term Lender the purchase price to the extent of such recovery together with an amount equal to such Term Lender s ratable share (according to the proportion of (i) the amount of such Term Lender s required repayment to (ii) the total amount so recovered from the purchasing Term Lender) of any interest or other amount paid or payable by the purchasing Term Lender in respect of the total amount so recovered. The Borrowers agree that any Term Lender so purchasing a participation from another Term Lender pursuant to this Section 2.16 may, to the fullest extent permitted by law, exercise all its rights of payment (including the right of set-off) with respect to such participation as fully as if such Term Lender were the direct creditor of the Borrowers in the amount of such participation.

 

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SECTION 2.17. Use of Proceeds of the Loans . The proceeds of the Loans shall be available (and each Borrower agrees that it shall use such proceeds) for general corporate purposes of Holdings and its Subsidiaries, including, without limitation, for Acquisitions, Capital Expenditures, cash dividends, payment of any of the Obligations, and stock and bond repurchases, all to the extent not prohibited under the Loan Documents.

SECTION 2.18. Extension of Loans .

(a) Extension of Term Loans . The Borrowers may at any time and from time to time request that all or a portion of the Term Loans be amended to extend the termination date with respect to all or a portion thereof (any such Term Loans which have been so amended, “ Extended Term Loans ”) and to provide for other terms consistent with this Section 2.18. In order to establish any Extended Term Loans, the Borrowers shall provide a notice to the Agent (who shall provide a copy of such notice to each of the Term Lenders) (each, a “ Extension Request ”) setting forth the proposed terms (which shall be determined in consultation with the Agent) of the Extended Term Loans to be established, which shall (x) be identical as offered to each Term Lender (including as to the proposed interest rates and fees payable) and offered pro rata to each Term Lender hereunder, and (y) be identical to the Term Loans hereunder, except that: (i) the maturity date of the Extended Term Loans shall be later than the Termination Date, (ii) payments of interest and fees may be at different rates on Extended Term Loans (and related outstandings) (iii) the terms of the Extended Term Loans may provide, subject to the consent of the Required Term Lenders (excluding from the calculation thereof, any Term Lenders who decline to extend their Term Loans) for other or different covenants and terms that apply solely to any period after the Termination Date, or, if earlier, the repayment in full of Term Loans that are not Extended Term Loans, and (iv)(A) reserved; (B) all repayments of the Term Loans (including Extended Term Loans) shall be made on a pro rata basis (except for (1) payments of interest and fees at different rates on commitments (and related outstandings) in accordance with the rights of the applicable Class and (2) repayments required upon the maturity date of the Term Loans of any Class); and (C) reserved; provided , further , that (A) reserved, (B) reserved, (C) in connection with an Extension Request with respect to the Term Loans either (i) the Term Lenders collectively have consented to the applicable Extension Request with respect to a majority in amount of the Term Loans or (ii) simultaneously with the effectiveness of the maturity extension in respect of the Extended Term Loans, the Term Loans that are not Extended Term Loans shall be paid in full (the foregoing not being deemed to modify or waive the provisions of Section 2.11 hereof regarding the conditions precedent to repayment of the Term Loans), (D) reserved and (E) all documentation in respect of such extension shall be consistent with the foregoing.

(b) Extension Request . The Borrowers shall provide the applicable Extension Request at least ten (10) Business Days (or such shorter period as may be agreed by the Agent) prior to the date on which the applicable Term Lenders are requested to respond. No Term Lender shall have any obligation to agree to provide any Extended Term Loan pursuant to any Extension Request. Any Term Lender (each, an “ Extending Lender ”) wishing to have all or a portion of its Term Loans subject to such Extension Request amended into Extended Term Loan shall notify the Agent (each, an “ Extension Election ”) on or prior to the date specified in such Extension Request of the amount of its Term Loans which it has elected to request be amended into Extended Term Loan (subject to any minimum denomination requirements imposed by the Agent). In the event that the aggregate principal amount of Term Loans in respect of which applicable Term Lenders shall have accepted the relevant Extension Request exceeds the amount of Extended Term Loan requested to be extended pursuant to the Extension Request, Extension Elections shall be amended to reflect allocations of Term Loans as agreed by Agent and the Borrowers.

(c) New Lenders . Following any Extension Request made by the Borrowers in accordance with this Section 2.18, if the Term Lenders shall have declined to agree during the period specified in Section 2.18(b) above to provide Extended Term Loan in an aggregate principal amount equal to the amount requested by the Borrowers in such Extension Request, the Borrowers may request that banks, financial institutions or other institutional lenders or investors (including any Extending Lender) provide an Extended Term Loan or a commitment to provide an additional term loan tranche hereunder (the “ Additional Extending Lenders ”); provided that such Extended Term Loan of such Additional Extending Lenders (i) shall be in an aggregate principal amount for all such Additional Extending Lenders not to exceed the aggregate principal amount of Extended Term Loan so declined to be provided by the existing Term Lenders and (ii) shall be on identical terms to the terms applicable to the terms specified in the applicable Extension Request (and any Extended Term Loan provided by existing Term Lenders in respect thereof) and, if a new tranche of term loans is to be incurred including other terms as are customary for a term loan provided that the maturity term for any term loan commitment hereunder shall not be earlier than the Termination Date; provided further that, as a condition to the effectiveness of any Extended Term Loan or term loan commitment of any Additional Extending Lender, the Agent shall have consented (such consent not to be unreasonably withheld or delayed) to each Additional Extending Lender. Upon the earlier of the Termination Date (including a deemed Termination Date in accordance

 

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with clause (C) of the proviso to Section 2.18(a) above) or such earlier date as any declining Term Lenders may agree), (a) the Term Loans of the applicable declining Term Lenders will be repaid in an aggregate principal amount equal to the Extended Term Loans provided by Additional Extending Lenders and (b) the term loan commitment of each such Additional Extending Lender will become effective. The Extended Term Loans of Additional Extending Lenders will be incorporated as Term Loans hereunder in the same manner in which Extended Term Loans of existing Term Lenders are incorporated hereunder pursuant to this Section 2.18.

(d) Extension Amendment . Extended Term Loans and term loan commitments of Additional Extending Lenders shall be established pursuant to an amendment (each, an “ Extension Amendment ”) to this Agreement among the Borrower, the Agent and each Extending Lender and each Additional Extending Lender, if any, providing an Extended Term Loan or a term loan commitment as applicable, thereunder, which shall be consistent with the provisions set forth in Sections 2.18(a), (b) and (c) above (but which shall not require the consent of any other Lender). The effectiveness of any Extension Amendment shall be subject to the satisfaction on the date thereof of each of the conditions set forth in Section 4.02 and, to the extent reasonably requested by the Agent, receipt by the Agent of legal opinions, board resolutions and officers certificates consistent with those delivered on the Effective Date. The Agent shall promptly notify each Lender as to the effectiveness of each Extension Amendment. Each of the parties hereto hereby agrees that this Agreement and the other Loan Documents may be amended pursuant to an Extension Amendment, without the consent of any other Lenders, to the extent necessary to (i) reflect the existence and terms of the Extended Term Loans or the term loan commitments as the case may be, incurred pursuant thereto and (ii) effect such other amendments to this Agreement and the other Loan Documents as may be necessary or appropriate, in the reasonable opinion of the Agent and the Borrowers, to effect the provisions of this Section.

SECTION 2.19. Incremental Term Loans .

(a) Request for Incremental Term Loan Commitments . Provided no Default or Event of Default then exists or would arise therefrom, upon notice to the Agent (which shall promptly notify the Lenders), the Borrowers may make Incremental Term Loan Commitment requests from time to time; provided , however , that (w) no such Incremental Term Loan Commitments may be made without the consent of the Agent, whose consent shall not be unreasonably withheld, (x) the aggregate amount of all Incremental Term Loan Commitments (including, once funded, all Incremental Term Loans) pursuant to this Section 2.19(a) shall not exceed $200,000,000, (y) each Incremental Term Loan Commitment request shall be in a minimum amount of $25,000,000, and (z) the Borrowers may request Incremental Term Loan Commitments a maximum of eight separate times. At the time of sending such notice, the Borrowers (in consultation with the Agent) shall specify the time period within which each existing Term Lender is requested to respond (which shall in no event be less than ten Business Days from the date of delivery of such notice to the Lenders). To the extent there is accrued and unpaid interest on the Term Loan outstanding immediately prior to the effectiveness of an Incremental Term Loan Commitment, such interest shall be paid in full (in cash or by means of a PIK Payment) substantially concurrently with the effectiveness of such Incremental Term Commitment.

(b) Lender Elections . Each Term Lender shall notify the Agent within the time period described in Section 2.19(a) whether or not it agrees to make an Incremental Term Loan Commitment on the terms requested and, if so, in what amount. Any Term Lender not responding within such time period shall be deemed to have declined to participate, and no Term Lender shall have any obligation to participate.

(c) Notification by Agent . The Agent shall notify the Borrowers and each existing Term Lender of the Term Lenders responses to each request made under Section 2.19(a). To achieve the full amount of any Incremental Term Loan Commitment request, subject to the approval of the Agent (which approval shall not be unreasonably withheld), to the extent that the existing Term Lenders decline to participate, or decline to participate in the full amount requested by the Borrowers, other consenting Eligible Assignees (each an “ Additional Commitment Lender ”) may become an Incremental Term Lender hereunder and furnish an Incremental Term Loan Commitment in the amount requested by the Borrowers under Section 2.19(a) and not provided by the existing Term Lenders.

(d) Conditions to Effectiveness of each Incremental Term Loan Commitment . As a condition precedent to the effectiveness of each Incremental Term Loan Commitment, (i) the Borrowers shall deliver to the Agent a certificate of each Borrower dated as of the applicable Incremental Effective Date signed by an Authorized Officer of such Borrower (A) certifying and attaching the resolutions adopted by the board of directors (or other

 

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applicable governing body) of such Borrower approving or consenting to such Incremental Term Loan Commitment, and (B) certifying that, before and after giving effect to such Incremental Term Loan Commitment, the representations and warranties contained in Article V hereof and the other Loan Documents are true and correct in all material respects on and as of the Incremental Effective Date, except to the extent (1) such representations or warranties are qualified by a materiality standard, in which case they shall be true and correct in all respects, and (2) such representations or warranties expressly relate to an earlier date (in which case such representations and warranties shall be true and correct in all material respects as of such earlier date), (ii) the Borrowers, the Agent, each Term Lender providing an Incremental Term Loan Commitment (including each Additional Commitment Lender, if any) shall have executed and delivered an amendment (each, an “ Incremental Amendment ”) to this Agreement (which amendment shall not require the consent of any other Lender) in such form as the Agent shall reasonably require to establish such Incremental Term Loan Commitment; provided , that any Incremental Term Loans made pursuant to such Incremental Term Loan Commitments (A) except as to amortization, final maturity date and participation in mandatory prepayments (which shall, subject to the other clauses of this proviso, be determined by the Borrower and the Incremental Term Lenders in their sole discretion), shall have (x) the same terms as the Term Loans made on the Effective Date (or any other Class of Incremental Term Loans) and form part of the same Class as such Term Loans or (y) such other terms as shall be reasonably satisfactory to the Agent, in which case they shall be part of a separate Class; (B) shall have a maturity date no earlier than the Termination Date, (C) shall, if subject to amortization, not amortize prior to the Termination Date, and (D) may participate on a pro rata basis or a less than pro rata basis (but not a greater than pro rata basis) than the Term Loans borrowed on the Effective Date in any mandatory or voluntary prepayment hereunder (and shall not otherwise be mandatorily or voluntarily prepayable); (iii) the Borrowers shall have paid such fees to the Additional Commitment Lenders and the other Term Lenders who agree to provide such Incremental Term Loans, as the Borrowers and such Lenders may agree; (iv) the Borrowers shall deliver to the Agent and the Term Lenders an opinion or opinions, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Agent, from counsel to the Borrowers reasonably satisfactory to the Agent and dated such date; and (vi) no Default or Event of Default shall exist or result therefrom.

(e) Effectiveness of Incremental Amendments; Conflicting Provisions . The Agent shall promptly notify each Lender as to the effectiveness of each Incremental Amendment (such date of effectiveness, the “ Incremental Effective Date ”). Each of the parties hereto hereby agrees that this Agreement and the other Loan Documents may be amended pursuant to an Incremental Amendment, without the consent of any other Lenders, to the extent necessary to (i) reflect the existence and terms of the Incremental Term Loan Commitments and the Incremental Term Loans incurred pursuant thereto and (ii) effect such other amendments to this Agreement and the other Loan Documents as may be necessary or appropriate, in the reasonable opinion of the Agent and the Borrowers, to effect the provisions of this Section 2.19. This Section 2.19 shall supersede any provisions in Sections 2.16 or 9.01 to the contrary.

SECTION 2.20. Conversion of Term Loans .

(a) Subject to, and upon compliance with, the provisions of this Section 2.20, each Term Lender shall have the right, at such Term Lender’s option, to convert all or any portion (if the portion to be converted would result in the issuance of at least one whole share of Common Stock upon conversion) of the Term Loan held by such Term Lender at any time at the Conversion Rate. Notwithstanding the foregoing, except for any Person who beneficially owned more than 4.9% of the Common Stock immediately prior to the Fourth Amendment Effective Date, to the extent that any proposed conversion of the Term Loan by any Term Lender would result in any Person beneficially owning more than 4.9% of the Common Stock, the Term Loan will not be convertible at the option of such Term Lender to such extent. Notwithstanding the foregoing, except for any Person who directly or indirectly owned (including by virtue of relevant tax attribution rules) more than 9.9% of the vote or value of the Common Stock (as calculated for purposes of Section 871(h)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code) immediately prior to the Fourth Amendment Effective Date, to the extent that any proposed conversion of the Term Loan by any Term Lender would result in any non-U.S. Person directly or indirectly owning (including by virtue of relevant tax attribution rules) more than 9.9% of the vote or value of the Common Stock (as calculated for purposes of Section 871(h)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code), the Term Loan will not be convertible at the option of such Term Lender to such extent.

(b) To exercise the conversion right with respect to any portion of the Term Loan, the applicable Term Lender must (i) complete and manually sign a conversion notice in the form attached hereto at Exhibit M (a “Conversion Notice”) or a facsimile of the Conversion Notice; (ii) deliver such signed and completed Conversion

 

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Notice, which is irrevocable, to the Conversion Agent; (iii) if required, furnish appropriate transfer documents; and (iv) if required, pay all transfer or similar governmental charges or duties as set forth in Section 2.20(c). For any portion of the Term Loan, the date on which the applicable Term Lender satisfies all of the applicable requirements set forth above with respect to such portion of the Term Loan shall be the “Conversion Date” with respect to such portion of the Term Loan. Each conversion shall be deemed to have been effected as to any portion of the Term Loan designated for conversion at 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on the applicable Conversion Date; provided, however, the Person in whose name any shares of Common Stock shall be issuable upon conversion, if any, shall be treated as a stockholder of record as of 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on the Conversion Date. For the avoidance of doubt, until a Term Lender is deemed to become the holder of record of shares of Common Stock issuable upon conversion of such Term Lender’s portion of the Term Loan as contemplated in the immediately preceding sentence, such Term Lender shall not have any rights as a holder of the Common Stock with respect to the shares of Common Stock issuable upon conversion of such portion of the Term Loan. At 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on the Conversion Date for a portion of the Term Loan, the converting Term Lender shall no longer be the holder of such portion of the Term Loan. Any Conversion Notice shall, unless the shares of Common Stock issuable on conversion of the applicable portion of the Term Loan are to be issued in the same name as such portion of the Term Loan, be accompanied by instruments of transfer in form satisfactory to Holdings and the Borrowers duly executed by, such Term Lender or its duly authorized attorney. Upon the conversion of any portion of the Term Loan, the principal amount of the Term Loan shall be reduced by the principal amount of such portion.

(c) If a Term Lender converts a portion of the Term Loan, Holdings and the Borrowers will pay any documentary, stamp or similar issue or transfer tax due on the issue of any shares of the Common Stock upon such conversion, unless the tax is due because the applicable Term Lender requests that any shares of Common Stock be issued in a name other than such Term Lender’s name, in which case such Term Lender will pay any such taxes. The Conversion Agent may refuse to deliver the Common Stock to be issued in a name other than such Term Lender’s name until the Conversion Agent receives a sum sufficient to pay any tax or duty which will be due because such shares of Common Stock are to be issued in a name other than such Term Lender’s name. Nothing herein shall preclude any tax withholding required by law or regulation.

(d) Subject to this Section 2.20(d) and Sections 2.20(f) and 2.20(g) hereof, upon conversion of any portion of the Term Loan, Holdings shall deliver to the applicable Term Lender, in full satisfaction of its conversion obligation under Section 2.20(a) hereof, in respect of each $1,000 principal amount of the Term Loan being converted, a Settlement Amount. The shares of Common Stock in respect of any conversion of any portion of the Term Loan (the “Settlement Amount”) shall be computed as follows: Holdings shall deliver to the converting Term Lender, in respect of each $1,000 principal amount of any portion of the Term Loan being converted, a number of shares of Common Stock equal to the Conversion Rate, rounded down to the nearest whole share pursuant to this Section 2.20(d). Holdings shall deliver the Settlement Amount due in respect of its conversion obligation under this Section 2.20(d), not later than the second Business Day immediately following the relevant Conversion Date. Notwithstanding the foregoing, Holdings will not issue fractional shares of Common Stock as part of the Settlement Amount due with respect to any converted portion of the Term Loan. Instead, if any Settlement Amount includes a fraction of a share of the Common Stock, the number of shares of Common Stock issuable will be rounded down to the nearest whole share. If a Term Lender converts a portion of the Term Loan, Holdings will not adjust the Conversion Rate to account for any accrued and unpaid interest on such portion of the Term Loan, and Holdings’ delivery or payment of shares of Common Stock into which a portion of the Term Loan is convertible will be deemed to satisfy and discharge in full the Borrowers’ obligation to pay the principal of, and accrued and unpaid interest, if any, on, such portion of the Term Loan to, but excluding, the Conversion Date. As a result, except as otherwise provided in the proviso to the immediately preceding sentence, any accrued and unpaid interest with respect to a converted Term Loan will be deemed to be paid in full rather than cancelled, extinguished or forfeited. Whenever a Conversion Date occurs with respect to any portion of the Term Loan, the Conversion Agent will, as promptly as possible, and in no event later than 9:00 a.m., New York City time, on the Business Day immediately following such Conversion Date, deliver to Holdings and the Borrowers notice that a Conversion Date has occurred, which notice will state such Conversion Date, the principal amount of the portion of the Term Loan converted on such Conversion Date and the name of the Term Lender that converted portion of the Term Loan on such Conversion Date.

(e) Holdings shall at all times reserve out of its authorized but unissued shares of Common Stock a number of shares of Common Stock sufficient to permit the conversion, in accordance herewith, of all of the then-outstanding Term Loan. Any shares of Common Stock delivered upon the conversion of any portion of the Term

 

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Loan will be newly issued shares or treasury shares, duly and validly issued, fully paid, nonassessable, free from preemptive rights and free of any lien or adverse claim (except to the extent of any lien or adverse claim created by the action or inaction of the converting Term Lender or other Person to whom such shares of Common Stock will be delivered). In addition, Holdings will comply with all federal and state securities laws regulating the offer and delivery of any shares of Common Stock issuable upon conversion of the Term Loan. Holdings will also cause any shares of Common Stock issuable upon conversion of a portion of the Term Loan to be listed on whatever stock exchange(s) the Common Stock is listed on the date the converting Holder becomes a record holder of such Common Stock. If any shares of the Common Stock issued upon conversion will, upon delivery, be “restricted securities” (within the meaning of Rule 144 or any successor provision in effect at such time), such shares of Common Stock (i) will be issued in physical, certificated form; (ii) will not be held in book-entry form through the facilities of The Depository Trust Company or any other Person designated as depository by Holdings; and (iii) will bear any restrictive legends Holdings or the Conversion Agent deems necessary to comply with applicable law.

(f) The Conversion Rate and the Conversion Price shall be subject to adjustment from time to time as follows; provided that if more than one subsection of this Section 2.20(f) is applicable to a single event, the subsection shall be applied that produces the largest adjustment and no single event shall cause an adjustment under more than one subsection of this Section 2.20(f) so as to result in duplication:

(i) Stock Splits, Subdivisions, Reclassifications or Combinations. If Holdings shall (i) declare and pay a dividend or make a distribution on its Common Stock in shares of Common Stock, (ii) subdivide or reclassify the outstanding shares of Common Stock into a greater number of shares, or (iii) combine or reclassify the outstanding shares of Common Stock into a smaller number of shares, the number of Term Loan Shares at the time of the record date for such dividend or distribution or the effective date of such subdivision, combination or reclassification will be proportionately adjusted so that a Term Lender after such date will be entitled, upon conversion of any portion of the Term Loan, to the number of shares of Common Stock that it would have received in respect of the number of Term Loan Shares it would have owned on account of such portion of the Term Loan had such portion of the Term Loan been converted immediately prior to such date. The Conversion Price in effect immediately prior to the record date for such dividend or distribution or the effective date of such subdivision, combination or reclassification will be adjusted by multiplying such Conversion Price by the quotient of (x) the number of Term Loan Shares immediately prior to such adjustment divided by (y) the new number of Term Loan Shares as determined in accordance with the immediately preceding sentence.

(ii) Other Distributions. In case Holdings shall fix a record date for the making of a distribution to all holders of shares of its Common Stock of securities, evidences of indebtedness, assets, cash, rights or warrants (excluding dividends of its Common Stock and other dividends or distributions referred to in Section 2.20(f)(i)), in each such case, the Conversion Price in effect prior to such record date shall be reduced immediately thereafter or at such later date as the Board of Directors may determine for purposes of the determination of Fair Market Value of the distribution (but in any event not later than 10 Business Days after the first date on which the Common Stock trades regular way on the principal national securities exchange on which the Common Stock is listed or admitted to trading without the right to receive such distribution) to the price determined by multiplying the Conversion Price in effect immediately prior to the reduction by the quotient of (x) the Market Price of the Common Stock on the last Trading Day preceding the first date on which the Common Stock trades regular way on the principal national securities exchange on which the Common Stock is listed or admitted to trading without the right to receive such distribution, minus the amount of cash and/or the Fair Market Value of the securities, evidences of indebtedness, assets, rights or warrants to be so distributed in respect of one share of Common Stock divided by (y) such Market Price on such date specified in clause (x). Such adjustment shall be made successively whenever such a record date is fixed. In such event, the number of Term Loan Shares shall be increased (and the Conversion Rate increased proportionately) to the number obtained by multiplying the Term Loan Shares immediately prior to such adjustment by the quotient of (x) the Conversion Price in effect immediately prior to the distribution giving rise to this adjustment divided by (y) the new Conversion Price determined in accordance with the immediately preceding sentence. In the event that such distribution is not so made, the Conversion Price, Conversion Rate and the number of Term Loan Shares then in effect shall be readjusted, effective as of the date when the Board of Directors determines not to distribute such shares, evidences of indebtedness, assets, rights, cash or warrants, as the case may be, to the Conversion Price, Conversion Rate and the number of Term Loan Shares that would then be in effect if such record date had not been fixed.

 

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(iii) Certain Repurchases of Common Stock. In case Holdings effects a Pro Rata Repurchase of Common Stock, then the Conversion Price shall be reduced to the price determined by multiplying the Conversion Price in effect immediately prior to the Effective Date of such Pro Rata Repurchase by a fraction of which the numerator shall be (i) the product of (x) the number of shares of Common Stock outstanding immediately prior to such Pro Rata Repurchase and (y) the Market Price of a share of Common Stock on the Trading Day immediately preceding the first public announcement by Holdings or any of its Affiliates of the intent to effect such Pro Rata Repurchase, minus (ii) the aggregate purchase price of the Pro Rata Repurchase, and of which the denominator shall be the product of (x) the number of shares of Common Stock outstanding immediately prior to such Pro Rata Repurchase minus the number of shares of Common Stock so repurchased and (y) the Market Price per share of Common Stock on the Trading Day immediately preceding the first public announcement by Holdings of the intent to effect such Pro Rata Repurchase. In such event, the number of Term Loan Shares shall be increased (and the Conversion Rate increased proportionately) to the number obtained by multiplying the number of Term Loan Shares immediately prior to such adjustment by the quotient of (x) the Conversion Price in effect immediately prior to the Pro Rata Repurchase giving rise to this adjustment divided by (y) the new Conversion Price determined in accordance with the immediately preceding sentence. For the avoidance of doubt, no increase to the Conversion Price or decrease in the number of Term Loan Shares (or Conversion Rate) shall be made pursuant to this Section 2.20(f)(iii).

(iv) Business Combinations; Reclassifications of Common Stock. In case of any Business Combination or any reclassification of Common Stock (other than a reclassification of Common Stock referred to in Section 2.20(f)(i)), the right of a Term Lender to receive shares of Common Stock upon conversion of a portion of the Term Loan shall be converted into the right to receive the number and amount of shares of stock or other securities or property (including cash) upon conversion of a portion of the Term Loan that the Common Stock issuable upon conversion of such portion of the Term Loan immediately prior to such Business Combination or reclassification would have been entitled to receive upon closing of such Business Combination or reclassification.

(g) Whenever the Conversion Rate and Conversion Price is adjusted, Holdings shall promptly mail, cause to be delivered to the Term Lenders in accordance with Section 9.02 a notice of the adjustment and file with the Conversion Agent a certificate signed on behalf of Holdings by an Authorized Officer thereof briefly stating the facts requiring the adjustment and the manner of computing it (such certificate, an “Officer’s Certificate”). The certificate shall be conclusive evidence of the correctness of such adjustment.

(h) Responsibility of Agent . The Conversion Agent does not have any duty or responsibility to calculate the Conversion Price, Conversion Rate or Term Loan Shares or to determine when an adjustment under this Section 2.20 should be made, how it should be made or what such adjustment should be, but may accept as conclusive evidence of the correctness of any such adjustment, and shall be protected in relying upon, the Officer’s Certificate with respect thereto which Holdings is obligated to file with the Conversion Agent pursuant to Section 2.20(g) hereof. The Conversion Agent does not make any representation as to the validity or value of any securities or assets issued upon conversion of any portion of the Term Loan, and the Conversion Agent shall not be responsible for the failure by Holdings to comply with any provisions of this Section 2.20 and Section 2.21. The Conversion Agent shall not be responsible for any failure of Holdings to make any cash payment or to issue, transfer or deliver any shares of Common Stock or stock or share certificates or other securities or property upon the surrender of any portion of the Term Loan for the purpose of conversion; and the Conversion Agent shall not be responsible or liable for any failure of Holdings to comply with any of the covenants of Holdings contained in Sections 2.20 or 2.21. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the Conversion Agent shall not be under any responsibility to determine the correctness of any provisions contained in any Officer’s Certificate delivered in connection with this Section 2.20 or Section 2.21 relating either to the kind or amount of shares of stock or securities or other property or assets (including cash) receivable by Term Lenders upon the conversion of any portion of their Term Loan after any event referred to in Section 2.20(f) or to any adjustment to be made with respect thereto, but may accept as conclusive evidence of the correctness of any such provisions, and shall be protected in relying upon, the Officer’s Certificate which Holdings shall be obligated to deliver pursuant to Section 2.20(g).

(i) Holdings and the Borrowers shall use commercially reasonable efforts to retain a Person reasonably acceptable to each of Holdings, the Borrowers and the Agent to act as agent for the purpose of converting the Term Loan in accordance with the terms of Sections 2.20 and 2.21 (the “Conversion Agent”) reasonably promptly following the Fourth Amendment Effective Date; provided that if such Person is not retained within 10 Business Days of the date hereof, the Agent shall have the option to act as the Conversion Agent.

 

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SECTION 2.21. Mandatory Conversion of Term Loans .

(a) Holdings and the Borrowers may elect at their option to cause all (but not less than all) of the Term Loan to be mandatorily converted (the “Mandatory Conversion”) within 30 days following the end of any 30 consecutive Trading Day period, ending on or after July 2, 2018, during which the volume weighted average trading price of the Common Stock on the NASDAQ Global Select Market (or any successor market thereto) exceeds $10.00 for a period of 20 Trading Days (any such 30 consecutive Trading Day period, a “Mandatory Conversion Trigger Period”). The volume-weighted average trading price referenced in the preceding sentence will be calculated by Holdings and the Borrowers and the Conversion Agent shall not have any duty to confirm or verify, or in any case, be responsible for, the calculation by Holdings and the Borrowers.

(b) In order to exercise the Mandatory Conversion pursuant to Section 2.21(a), Holdings and the Borrowers or, at the written request and expense of Holdings and the Borrowers, the Conversion Agent on behalf of Holdings and the Borrowers, shall deliver to each Term Lender a notice (a “Mandatory Conversion Notice”) of exercise of the Mandatory Conversion within five Business Days after the end of the Mandatory Conversion Trigger Period (the date such Mandatory Conversion Notice is sent to the Term Lenders in the manner herein provided, the “Mandatory Conversion Notice Date”). Holdings and the Borrowers will select the date on which the Term Loan will be converted pursuant to the Mandatory Conversion, which shall be not more than 30 calendar days after the Mandatory Conversion Trigger Period concludes (such date, the “Mandatory Conversion Date”). Holdings and the Borrowers shall also deliver a copy of such Mandatory Conversion Notice to the Conversion Agent concurrently with the delivery thereof to the Term Lenders to the extent that the Conversion Agent does not deliver such Mandatory Conversion Notice on behalf of Holdings and the Borrowers. If such Mandatory Conversion Notice is to be given by the Conversion Agent, Holdings and the Borrowers shall prepare and provide the form and content of such Mandatory Conversion Notice to the Conversion Agent at least three Business Days prior to the date the notice will be delivered to the Term Lenders (or such later date as the Conversion Agent may approve). The Mandatory Conversion Notice, if sent in the manner provided in Section 9.02, shall be conclusively presumed to have been duly given, whether or not any Term Lender receives such Mandatory Conversion Notice.

(c) The Mandatory Conversion Notice shall state:

(i) the Mandatory Conversion Notice Date;

(ii) the Mandatory Conversion Trigger Period;

(iii) the aggregate principal amount of Term Loan to be mandatorily converted;

(iv) the Mandatory Conversion Date;

(v) the Conversion Rate and Conversion Price then in effect; and

(vi) that on and after the Mandatory Conversion Date interest on the Term Loan to be converted will cease to accrue.

(d) Each Term Lender agrees to take the following actions prior to the Mandatory Conversion Date in respect of its Term Loan subject to a Mandatory Conversion: (i) if required, furnish appropriate transfer documents; (ii) pay any transfer or other tax, if required by Section 2.20(d); and (iii) any other action necessary to effectuate the Mandatory Conversion as may be reasonably requested by Holdings. In the event that a Term Lender does not take any of the actions set forth in the immediately preceding sentence prior to the Mandatory Conversion Date, each Term Lender authorizes and directs Holdings to take any action on such holder’s behalf to effectuate the Mandatory Conversion and appoints Holdings as such holder’s attorney-in-fact for any and all such purposes.

(e) Holdings will deliver to the Term Lenders, not later than the third Business Day immediately following the Mandatory Conversion Date for any portion of the Term Loan, a number of shares of Common Stock equal to the product of (A)(x) the aggregate principal amount of such portion of the Term Loan to be converted divided by (y) $1,000 and (B) the Conversion Rate in effect on such Conversion Date, rounded down to the nearest whole

 

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number. Upon the Mandatory Conversion Date, unless Holdings defaults in delivering or paying the amounts due pursuant to the foregoing sentence, interest on the Term Loan so called for the Mandatory Conversion shall cease to accrue and the holders thereof shall have no right in respect of such portion of the Term Loan except the right to receive the shares of Common Stock and cash, if any, to which they are entitled pursuant to this Section 2.21. Upon a conversion pursuant to this Section 2.21, the Person in whose name such shares of Common Stock will be registered will become the holder of record of such shares of Common Stock at 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on the Mandatory Conversion Date for such portion of the Term Loan.

(f) If any of the provisions of this Section 2.21 are inconsistent with applicable law at the time of such Mandatory Conversion, such law shall govern.

ARTICLE III

RESERVED

ARTICLE IV

CONDITIONS TO EFFECTIVENESS

SECTION 4.01. Conditions Precedent to Effectiveness . The effectiveness of this Agreement is conditioned upon satisfaction of the following conditions precedent:

(a) The Agent s receipt of the following, each of which shall be originals or telecopies (followed promptly by originals) unless otherwise specified, each properly executed by an Authorized Officer of the signing Loan Party, each dated the Effective Date (or, in the case of certificates of governmental officials, a recent date before such date) and each in form and substance satisfactory to the Agent:

(i) this Agreement duly executed by each of Holdings, the Borrowers, the Agent, and the Lenders.

(ii) the Security Documents (including, without limitation, the Security Agreement), each duly executed by the applicable Loan Parties;

(iii) reserved;

(iv) such certificates of resolutions or other action, incumbency certificates and/or other certificates of Authorized Officers of each Loan Party as the Agent may reasonably require evidencing (A) the authority of each Loan Party to enter into this Agreement and the other Loan Documents to which such Loan Party is a party or is to be a party and (B) the identity, authority and capacity of each Authorized Officer thereof authorized to act as an Authorized Officer in connection with this Agreement and the other Loan Documents to which such Loan Party is a party or is to be a party;

(v) copies of each Loan Party s organization or other governing documents and such other documents and certifications as the Agent may reasonably require to evidence that each Loan Party is duly organized or formed, and that each Loan Party is validly existing, in good standing and qualified to engage in business in each jurisdiction where failure to so qualify could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect;

(vi) an opinion of in house counsel to Holdings and of one or more special or local counsel to Holdings, the Borrowers, and the other Loan Parties, addressed to the Agent and each Lender as to such matters as the Agent may reasonably request;

 

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(vii) a certificate signed by an Authorized Officer of Holdings and the Borrowers certifying (A) that the conditions specified in Section 4.02 have been satisfied and (B) that the incurrence of the Term Loans does not conflict with (i) the indenture governing the Existing Second Lien Notes or (ii) the First Lien Credit Agreement, (B) that the Loan Parties, taken as a whole, are Solvent as of the date hereof after giving effect to the transactions contemplated hereby and (C) that the Perfection Certificate is true and correct in all material respects; and

(viii) such other customary certificates, documents or consents as the Agent reasonably may require.

(b) all actions required by law or reasonably requested by the Collateral Agent or the Agent to be undertaken, and all, documents and instruments, including Uniform Commercial Code financing statements, required by law or reasonably requested by the Collateral Agent or the Agent to be filed, registered, or recorded to create or perfect the Liens intended to be created under the Loan Documents and all such documents and instruments shall have been so filed, registered or recorded to the satisfaction of the Agent

(c) Reserved.

(d) Reserved.

(e) Reserved.

(f) Reserved.

(g) Reserved.

(h) The conditions set forth in Section 4.02 shall be satisfied.

(i) There shall have been no event or circumstance since January 30, 2016 that has had or could reasonably be expected to have, either individually or in the aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect.

(j) All fees required to be paid to the Agent on or before the Effective Date shall have been paid in full, and all fees required to be paid to the Lenders on or before the Effective Date shall have been paid in full.

(k) The Borrowers shall have paid all costs and expenses of the Agent (to the extent set forth in Section 9.04(a)) incurred in connection with or relating to this Agreement and the other Loan Documents, including reasonable fees, charges and disbursements of counsel to the Agent, to the extent invoiced prior to or on the Effective Date, (provided that such payment shall not thereafter preclude a final settling of accounts between the Borrowers and the Agent).

SECTION 4.02. Conditions Precedent to Each Extension of Credit . The obligation of each Lender to make an Extension of Credit on any date shall be subject to the conditions precedent that, with respect to Term Loans, the effectiveness of this Agreement and, with respect to Line of Credit Loans, the First Amendment Effective Date, shall have occurred and on the date of such Extension of Credit the following statements shall be true (and (i) in the case of Term Loans, each of the giving of the applicable notice of borrowing and the acceptance by the applicable Borrower of the proceeds of such Borrowing and (ii) in the case of Line of Credit Loans, each of the delivering of the applicable Line of Credit Loan Proposal and the acceptance by the applicable Borrower of the proceeds of such Line of Credit Loan, shall in each case constitute a representation and warranty by the applicable Borrower that on the date of such Borrowing or Line of Credit Loan, as applicable, such statements are true):

(i) the representations and warranties made by each Loan Party in or pursuant to the Loan Documents are true and correct on and as of such date in all material respects, before and after giving effect to such Extension of Credit and to the application of the proceeds therefrom, as though made on and as of such date, except to the extent that (A) such representations or warranties are qualified by a materiality standard, in which case they shall be true and correct in all respects, (B) such representations or warranties expressly relate to an earlier date (in which case such representations and warranties shall be true and correct in all material respects as of such earlier date), and (C) such representations relate to Section 5.01(f), in which case the representation shall be limited to clause (c) of the definition of “Material Adverse Effect”;

 

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(ii) no event has occurred and is continuing, or would result from such Extension of Credit or from the application of the proceeds therefrom, that constitutes a Default or an Event of Default; and

(iii) after giving effect to such Extension of Credit, (A) the sum of the Total Extensions of Credit will not exceed the Borrowing Base, and (B) no Collateral Coverage Event (as defined in the Indenture for the Existing Second Lien Notes) shall result therefrom.

The conditions set forth in this Section 4.02 are for the sole benefit of the Credit Parties.

ARTICLE V

REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES

SECTION 5.01. Representations and Warranties of the Borrowers . Holdings and the Borrowers hereby jointly and severally represent and warrant as follows:

(a) Each Loan Party (i) is duly organized, validly existing and in good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction of its organization and (ii) 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.

(b) The execution, delivery and performance by each Loan Party of the Loan Documents to which it is a party, and the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby or thereby, are within such Loan Party s powers, have been duly authorized by all necessary organizational action, and do not contravene (i) the charter or by-laws or other organizational or governing documents of such Loan Party or (ii) law or any contractual restriction binding on or affecting any Loan Party, except, for purposes of this clause (ii), to the extent such contravention would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

(c) No authorization or approval or other action by, and no notice to or filing with, any governmental authority or regulatory body or any other third party is required for the due execution, delivery and performance by any Loan Party of any Loan Document to which it is a party that has not already been obtained if the failure to obtain such authorization, approval or other action could reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.

(d) Each Loan Document has been duly executed and delivered by each Loan Party party thereto. This Agreement constitutes, and each other Loan Document will constitute upon execution, the legal, valid and binding obligation of each Loan Party party thereto enforceable against such Loan Party in accordance with its respective terms subject to the effect of any applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization or moratorium or similar laws affecting the rights of creditors generally and subject to general principles of equity (regardless of whether enforcement is sought in a proceeding at law or in equity).

(e) The consolidated balance sheet of Holdings and its Subsidiaries as at January 30, 2017, and the related consolidated statements of income and cash flows of Holdings and its Subsidiaries for the fiscal year then ended, accompanied by an opinion of Deloitte & Touche LLP, independent public accountants, copies of which have been furnished to the Agent, fairly present the consolidated financial condition of Holdings and its Subsidiaries as at such date and the consolidated results of the operations of Holdings and its Subsidiaries for the period ended on such date, all in accordance with GAAP consistently applied.

(f) Since January 30, 2016, there has been no event or circumstance, either individually or in the aggregate, that has had or would reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

(g) There is no action, suit, investigation, litigation or proceeding, including any Environmental Action, which is pending or, to Holdings or any Borrower s knowledge, threatened affecting Holdings, the Borrowers or any of their respective Subsidiaries before any court, Governmental Authority or arbitrator that would, either individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect other than as reported in filings with the SEC made prior to the date hereof.

 

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(h) On the Effective Date and the date on which any Loans are borrowed, not more than five (5%) percent of the value of the assets of the Borrowers and their respective Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis will be margin stock (within the meaning of Regulation U issued by the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System).

(i) No Loan Party is an “investment company”, or a company “controlled” by an “investment company”, within the meaning of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended.

(j) All United States Federal income tax returns and all other material tax returns which are required to be filed have been filed by or on behalf of Holdings, the Borrowers and their respective Subsidiaries, and all taxes due with respect to Holdings, the Borrowers and their respective Subsidiaries pursuant to such returns or pursuant to any assessment received by Holdings, the Borrowers or any Subsidiary have been paid except to the extent permitted in Section 6.01(b). The charges, accruals and reserves on the books of Holdings, the Borrowers and their Subsidiaries in respect of taxes or other governmental charges have been made in accordance with, and to the extent required by, GAAP.

(k) All written factual information heretofore furnished by Holdings, the Borrowers or their Subsidiaries to the Agent or any Lender (including the Perfection Certificate) for purposes of or in connection with this Agreement or any other Loan Document, taken as a whole, was true and correct in all material respects on the date as of which such information was stated or certified, provided that with respect to projected financial information, the Loan Parties represent only that such information was prepared in good faith based upon assumptions believed to be reasonable at the time.

(l) (i) Each Loan Party has title in fee simple to, or a valid leasehold interest in, all its real property, and good title to, or a valid leasehold interest in, all its other property necessary for the conduct of its business and except as, in the aggregate, would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, and (ii) no Inventory, Credit Card Account Receivable, DC or Related Intellectual Property is subject to any Lien except as permitted by Section 6.02(a).

(m) Except as, in the aggregate, would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect: (i) each Loan Party owns, or is licensed to use, all Intellectual Property necessary for the conduct of its business as currently conducted; (ii) no material claim has been asserted and is pending by any Person challenging or questioning the use of any Intellectual Property or the validity or effectiveness of any Intellectual Property, nor do Holdings or the Borrowers know of any valid basis for any such claim; and (iii) the use of Intellectual Property by each Group Member does not infringe on the rights of any Person in any material respect.

(n) Except as disclosed in the publicly available reports of Holdings filed with the SEC prior to the Effective Date or as would not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect, (i) neither a Reportable Event nor a failure to meet minimum required contributions (in accordance with Section 430 or any prior applicable section of the Internal Revenue Code or Section 302 of ERISA) has occurred during the five year period prior to the date on which this representation is made or deemed made with respect to any Plan, (ii) each Plan is in compliance with the applicable provisions of ERISA, the Internal Revenue Code and other applicable federal or state laws, and (iii) no termination of a Single Employer Plan has occurred. Except as set forth on Schedule 5.01(n ), no Lien imposed under the Internal Revenue Code or ERISA exists on account of any Plan, and no Lien in favor of the PBGC or a Plan has arisen, during such five-year period ending on the Effective Date. Each Single Employer Plan that is intended to qualify under Section 401(a) of the Internal Revenue Code has received a favorable determination letter from the United States Internal Revenue Service (the “ IRS ”) and, to the best knowledge of Holdings and the Borrowers, nothing has occurred which would cause the loss of, such qualification. Except as set forth on Schedule 5.01(n) or as would not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect, the Loan Parties and each ERISA Affiliate have made all required contributions to each Plan subject to Section 430 of the Internal Revenue Code, and no application for a funding waiver or an extension of any amortization period pursuant to Section 430 of the Internal Revenue Code has been made with respect to any Plan. There are no pending or, to the best knowledge of Holdings and the Borrowers, threatened claims, actions or lawsuits, or action by any Governmental Authority, with respect to any Plan that would reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. There has been no prohibited transaction or violation of the fiduciary duty rules with respect to any Plan that has resulted or could reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect. No ERISA Event has occurred or is reasonably

 

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expected to occur, in each case that would reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect. Neither any Loan Party nor any ERISA Affiliate has incurred, or would reasonably be expected to incur, any liability under Title IV of ERISA with respect to any Pension Plan, other than premiums due and not delinquent under Section 4007 of ERISA or as would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect; neither any Loan Party nor any ERISA Affiliate has incurred, or reasonably expects to incur, any liability (and, to the knowledge of the Borrowers, no event has occurred which, with the giving of notice under Section 4219 of ERISA, would result in such liability) under Sections 4201 or 4243 of ERISA with respect to a Multiemployer Plan except as would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect; and neither any Loan Party nor any ERISA Affiliate has engaged in a transaction that would reasonably be expected to be subject to Sections 4069 or 4212(c) of ERISA. Except as would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, neither Holdings, the Borrowers nor any Commonly Controlled Entity has had a complete or partial withdrawal (as such terms are defined in Sections 4203 and 4205 of ERISA, respectively) from any Multiemployer Plan that has resulted or would reasonably be expected to result in a liability under ERISA. No such Multiemployer Plan is in Reorganization or Insolvent except as would not reasonably be expected to result in aggregate liability to Holdings and its Subsidiaries of $100,000,000 or more.

(o) Except as, individually or in the aggregate, would not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect, no Group Member (i) has failed to comply with any Environmental Law or to obtain, maintain or comply with any permit, license or other approval required under any Environmental Law, (ii) has become subject to any Environmental Liability, (iii) has received notice of any claim with respect to any Environmental Liability or (iv) knows of any basis for any Environmental Liability.

(p) The Security Agreement is effective to create in favor of the Collateral Agent, for the benefit of the Credit Parties, a legal, valid and enforceable security interest in the Collateral described therein and proceeds thereof. Financing statements and other filings specified in Schedule 5.01(p) in appropriate form have been filed in the offices set forth on Schedule 5.01(p). On the Effective Date, the security interests granted pursuant to the Security Agreement shall, to the extent a security interest in such Collateral can be perfected by filing a UCC financing statement, constitute 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 the Lien or claim of any other Person (except Liens permitted by Section 6.02(a) securing Priority Obligations and/or the Existing Second Lien Notes and Liens which by operation of law would have priority over the Liens securing the Obligations).

(q) The Loan Parties, taken as a whole, are, and after giving effect to the incurrence of all Debt and obligations incurred in connection herewith will be, Solvent.

(r) The properties of the Loan Parties are insured as required pursuant to Section 6.01(c) hereof. Each insurance policy required to be maintained by the Loan Parties pursuant to Section 6.01(c) is in full force and effect and all premiums in respect thereof that are due and payable have been paid.

(s) As of the Effective Date: (1) except as listed on Schedule 5.01(s), there are no outstanding rights to purchase any equity interests in any Subsidiary of a Loan Party, and (2) the copies of the organization and governing documents of each Loan Party and each amendment hereto provided pursuant to Section 4.01 are true and correct copies of each such document, each of which is valid and in full force and effect.

(t) As of the Effective Date, except as would not reasonably be expected to have individually or in the aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect, (a) there are no strikes, lockouts, slowdowns or other material labor disputes against any Loan Party or any Subsidiary thereof pending or, to the knowledge of Holdings or any Borrower, threatened, (b) the hours worked by and payments made to employees of the Loan Parties comply with the Fair Labor Standards Act and any other applicable federal, state, local or foreign law dealing with such matters, (c) all payments due from any Loan Party and its Subsidiaries, or for which any claim may be made against any Loan Party, on account of wages and employee health and welfare insurance and other benefits, have been paid or properly accrued in accordance with GAAP as a liability on the books of such Loan Party. Except as set forth on Schedule 5.01(t) (as updated by the Borrowers from time to time) (i) no Loan Party or any Subsidiary is a party to or bound by any collective bargaining agreement, management agreement or any material bonus, restricted stock, stock option, or stock appreciation plan or agreement or any similar plan, agreement or arrangement (excluding in each case individual employment agreements) and (ii) no employee of a Loan Party is also an employee of the Permitted Holder. There are

 

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no representation proceedings pending or, to the knowledge of Holdings or any Borrower, threatened to be filed with the National Labor Relations Board, and no labor organization or group of employees of any Loan Party or any Subsidiary has made a pending demand for recognition, in each case which would individually or in the aggregate reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect. There are no complaints, unfair labor practice charges, grievances, arbitrations, unfair employment practices charges or any other claims or complaints against any Loan Party or any Subsidiary pending or, to the knowledge of Holdings or any Borrower, threatened to be filed with any Governmental Authority or arbitrator based on, arising out of, in connection with, or otherwise relating to the employment or termination of employment of any employee of any Loan Party or any of its Subsidiaries which would, individually or in the aggregate, be reasonably expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect. The consummation of the transactions contemplated by the Loan Documents 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 any Loan Party or any of its Subsidiaries is bound, except as would not reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect.

(u) No broker or finder brought about the obtaining, making or closing of the Loans or this Agreement or transactions contemplated by the Loan Documents, and no Loan Party or Affiliate thereof has any obligation to any Person in respect of any finder s or brokerage fees in connection therewith.

(v) Reserved.

(w) To the extent applicable, each Loan Party is in compliance, in all material respects, with (i) the United States Trading with the Enemy Act, as amended, and each of the foreign assets control regulations of the United States Treasury Department (31 C.F.R., Subtitle B, Chapter V, as amended) and any other enabling legislation or executive order relating thereto, (ii) the PATRIOT Act, (iii) the United States Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977, and (iv) the Corruption of Foreign Public Officials Act, as amended (the “FCPA”). No part of the proceeds of any credit extensions will be used, directly or, to the Loan Parties knowledge, indirectly, for any payments to any governmental official or employee, political party, official of a political party, candidate for political office, or anyone else acting in an official capacity, in order to obtain, retain or direct business or obtain any improper advantage, in violation of the FCPA.

(x) None of Holdings, the Borrowers, nor any of their respective Subsidiaries, nor, to the knowledge of the Borrowers, any director, officer, employee, agent or affiliate of the Borrowers is an individual or entity (for purposes of this clause (x) , a “Person”) that is, or is owned or controlled by Persons that are the subject of any sanctions (A) administered or enforced by the U.S. Department of the Treasury s Office of Foreign Assets Control, the United Nations Security Council, the European Union, Her Majesty s Treasury or other applicable sanctions authority or (B) pursuant to the U.S. Iran Sanctions Act, as amended, or Executive Order 13590 (collectively, “Sanctions”) or (C) located, organized or resident in a country or territory that is, or whose government is, the subject of Sanctions (including, without limitation, Burma/Myanmar, Iran, North Korea, Sudan and Syria). The Loan Parties will not, directly or, to their knowledge, indirectly, use the proceeds of any credit extensions, or lend, contribute or otherwise make available such proceeds to any Subsidiary, joint venture partner or other Person in any manner that would directly or indirectly result in a violation of Sanctions by any Person.

(y) As of the First Amendment Effective Date, each Person that has provided a guarantee of any First Lien Credit Agreement Obligations is a Guarantor hereunder and has executed the Security Agreement as a “Grantor” thereunder (as such term is defined in the Security Agreement).

ARTICLE VI

COVENANTS

SECTION 6.01. Affirmative Covenants . So long as any Loan or other Obligation (other than contingent indemnification obligations for which no claim shall have then been asserted) shall remain unpaid or any Term Lender shall have any Commitment hereunder, each of Holdings and the Borrowers will, and will cause each of their Subsidiaries to:

 

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(a) Compliance with Laws, Etc. Comply in all respects with all applicable Requirements of Law, such compliance to include compliance with ERISA and Environmental Laws, except for such non-compliance as would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

(b) Payment of Taxes, Etc. Pay and discharge before the same shall become delinquent, (i) all taxes, assessments and governmental charges or levies imposed upon it or upon its property (ii) all payments required to be made to any Pension Plan, and (iii) all lawful claims that, if unpaid, might by law become a Lien upon its property; provided that neither Holdings, the Borrowers nor any of their Subsidiaries shall be required to pay or discharge any such tax, assessment, charge or claim (x) that is being contested in good faith and by proper proceedings and as to which appropriate reserves are being maintained, unless and until any Lien resulting therefrom attaches to its property and becomes enforceable against its other creditors or (y) if such non-payments, either individually or in the aggregate, would not be reasonably expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

(c) Maintenance of Insurance . Maintain insurance with responsible and reputable insurance companies or associations in such amounts and covering such risks as is consistent with prudent business practice; provided that Holdings, the Borrowers and their Subsidiaries may self-insure to the extent consistent with prudent business practice; provided further that policies maintained with respect to any Collateral located at a warehouse or DC shall provide coverage for Inventory at (x) the retail selling price of such Inventory less any permanent markdowns, consistent with the Loan Parties past practices, or (y) another selling price permitted by the Agent in its Permitted Discretion. None of the Credit Parties shall be a co-insurer with any Loan Party or any other Person with respect to any fire and extended coverage policies maintained with respect to any Collateral without the prior written consent of the Agent. Within thirty (30) days following delivery of written notice from the Agent to Holdings, Holdings shall notify the insurers and use commercially reasonable efforts to have such policies amended to include such other provisions as the Agent may reasonably require from time to time to protect the interests of the Credit Parties. Holdings shall cause the Agent to be named as an additional insured party on such policies within thirty (30) days following the Effective Date (or such longer period as the Agent may agree to in its reasonable discretion). The Borrowers shall deliver to the Agent, prior to the cancellation, modification or non-renewal of any such policy of insurance, evidence of renewal or replacement of a policy previously delivered to the Agent, including an insurance binder therefor, together with evidence satisfactory to the Agent of payment of the premium therefor and, upon request of the Agent, a copy of such renewal or replacement policy. In the event that the Borrowers fail to maintain any such insurance as required pursuant to this Section 6.01(c), the Agent may obtain such insurance on behalf of the Borrowers and the Loan Parties shall reimburse the Agent as provided herein for all costs and expenses in connection therewith; the Agent s obtaining of such insurance shall not be deemed a cure or waiver of any Default or Event of Default arising from the Loan Parties failure to comply with the provisions of this Section 6.01(c).

(d) Preservation of Corporate Existence, Etc. Preserve and maintain its corporate existence, material rights (charter and statutory) and franchises; provided that (i) Holdings, the Borrowers and their Subsidiaries may consummate any merger or consolidation permitted under Section 6.02(b); (ii) neither Holdings nor the Borrowers nor any of their Subsidiaries shall be required to preserve or maintain the corporate existence of any Subsidiary (other than Sears, SRAC, Kmart Corp. or any Material Subsidiary Guarantors) if the Board of Directors of the parent of such Subsidiary, or an executive officer of such parent to whom such Board of Directors has delegated the requisite authority, shall determine that the preservation and maintenance thereof is no longer desirable in the conduct of the business of such parent and that the loss thereof is not disadvantageous in any material respect to the Borrowers, Sears, any Material Subsidiary Guarantor, such parent or the Lenders; (iii) Sears shall not be required to preserve or maintain the corporate existence of SRAC, provided that in the event SRAC is dissolved, merged with or into Holdings or any Subsidiary of Holdings or otherwise ceases to exist, then Sears shall or shall cause a direct wholly owned Domestic Subsidiary of Sears to, execute and deliver to the Agent an assumption agreement with respect to SRAC s obligations under the Loan Documents in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Agent and such other officer certificates, legal opinions, financing statements (if applicable) and documentation as the Agent reasonably requests; (iv) none of Holdings, the Borrowers or any of Material Subsidiary Guarantors shall be required to preserve any right or franchise of any Subsidiary (other than a Material Subsidiary Guarantor) if the Board of Directors of Holdings, such Borrower or such Material Subsidiary Guarantor shall determine that the preservation thereof is no longer desirable in the conduct of its business and that the loss thereof is not disadvantageous in any material respect to Holdings, the Borrowers, such Material Subsidiary Guarantor or the Lenders and (v) no Subsidiary Guarantor which is not a Material Subsidiary Guarantor shall be required to preserve or maintain its corporate existence if (A) no Default or Event of Default has occurred and is continuing, and (B) such Subsidiary Guarantor is merged or liquidated into another Subsidiary Guarantor.

 

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(e) Inspection Rights . Subject to reasonable confidentiality limitations and requirements imposed by Holdings or the Borrowers due to competitive concerns or otherwise, at any reasonable time and from time to time (but no more than twice a year unless a Default or an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing), permit the Agent or any of the Lenders or any agents or representatives thereof, at the Lenders expense, to examine and make copies of and abstracts from the records and books of account of, and visit the properties of, Holdings, the Borrowers and any of their Subsidiaries, and to discuss the affairs, finances and accounts of Holdings, the Borrowers and any of their Subsidiaries, as the case may be, with any of their officers or directors and with their independent certified public accountants.

(f) Keeping of Books . Keep proper books of record and account, in which full and correct entries shall be made of all financial transactions and the assets and business of Holdings, the Borrowers and each such Subsidiary in accordance with GAAP in effect from time to time.

(g) Maintenance of Properties, Etc. Except as otherwise permitted pursuant to Section 6.02(b), or where the failure to do so, either individually or in the aggregate, would not be reasonably expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, maintain and preserve all of its properties that are used or useful in the conduct of its business in good working order and condition, ordinary wear and tear excepted.

(h) Transactions with Affiliates . Conduct all transactions otherwise permitted under this Agreement with any of their Affiliates on terms that are fair and reasonable and no less favorable to Holdings, the applicable Borrower or their respective Subsidiaries than it would obtain in a comparable arm s-length transaction with a Person not an Affiliate other than (i) as required by any applicable Requirement of Law, (ii) so long as no Default or Event of Default has occurred and is continuing, transactions between or among the Loan Parties and any of their Subsidiaries, to the extent not prohibited hereunder, or (iii) if a Default or Event of Default has occurred and is continuing, transactions in the ordinary course of business between or among the Loan Parties and any of their Subsidiaries and transactions between or among Loan Parties, to the extent not prohibited hereunder; provided , that the foregoing shall not prohibit (i) any Loan Party or any Subsidiary thereof from entering into employment arrangements with its officers and retention and other agreements with officers and directors pursuant to the reasonable requirements of its business or (ii) any transactions pursuant to the agreements in effect on the Effective Date.

(i) Further Assurances .

(i) With respect to any (i) Inventory, Credit Card Accounts Receivable and other Collateral acquired after the Effective Date by any Group Member that is or is required to become a Loan Party hereunder and (ii) any property required to become subject to a perfected Lien in favor of the Collateral Agent pursuant to Section 6.02(a)(vi) hereunder, promptly (i) execute and deliver to the Collateral Agent such amendments to the Security Agreement or such other documents as the Agent or the Collateral Agent, may reasonably request in order to grant to the Collateral Agent, for the benefit of the Credit Parties, a security interest in such property and (ii) take all actions as the Agent, may reasonably request to grant to the Collateral Agent, for the benefit of the Credit Parties, a perfected security interest in such property with the priority required herein, including the filing of Uniform Commercial Code financing statements in such jurisdictions as may be required by the Security Documents or by law or as may be requested by the Agent or the Collateral Agent; provided, however, that notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Agreement, the Borrowers shall not be required to deliver any blocked account agreement, deposit account control agreement or similar agreement, or provide any notices to any credit card processor or third-party payors (nor shall the Agent provide any such notice).

(ii) With respect to any new Domestic Subsidiary (other than any Credit Card Royalty Securitization Subsidiary) which is created or acquired after the Effective Date by any Group Member and which owns any Inventory, Credit Card Accounts Receivable and other Collateral related to such receivables and Inventory, or which guarantees any Priority Obligations, promptly cause such new Domestic Subsidiary to (i) become a party to this Agreement pursuant to Section 10.08 hereof, (ii) become a party to the Security Agreement, (iii) take such actions as the Agent, may reasonably request to grant to the Collateral Agent for the benefit of the Credit Parties a security

 

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interest, with the priority and perfection required herein, in the Collateral described in the Security Agreement held by such new Domestic Subsidiary, including, to the extent applicable, the filing of Uniform Commercial Code financing statements in such jurisdictions as may be required by the Security Agreement or by law or as may be reasonably requested by the Agent, (iv) if requested by the Agent, deliver to the Agent an officer s certificate with respect to such Domestic Subsidiary in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Agent, and (v) if requested by Agent, deliver to the Agent legal opinions relating to the matters described above, which opinions shall be in form and substance, and from counsel, reasonably satisfactory to the Agent.

(j) Reporting Requirements . Furnish to the Agent:

(i) as soon as available and in any event within 50 days after the end of each of the first three fiscal quarters of each fiscal year of Holdings, (a) the consolidated balance sheet of Holdings and its Subsidiaries and the consolidated balance sheet of Holdings and its domestic Subsidiaries as of the end of such quarter and consolidated statements of income and cash flows of Holdings and its Subsidiaries and the consolidated statements of income and cash flows of Holdings and its domestic Subsidiaries for the period commencing at the end of the previous fiscal year and ending with the end of such quarter, duly certified (subject to year-end audit adjustments) by an Authorized Officer of Holdings as having been prepared in accordance with GAAP and (b) (1) a certificate of an Authorized Officer of Holdings as to compliance with the terms of this Agreement and the other Loan Documents in the form of Exhibit I , including in reasonable detail the calculations necessary to determine the Fixed Charge Ratio (whether or not compliance therewith is then required under Section 6.03), provided that in the event of any change in GAAP used in the preparation of such financial statements, subject to Section 1.03, the Borrowers shall also provide, if necessary for the calculation of the Fixed Charge Ratio, a statement of reconciliation conforming such financial statements to GAAP (the Borrowers being permitted to satisfy the requirements of clause (i)(a) by delivery, in the manner provided in Section 9.02(b), of its quarterly report on form 10-Q (or any successor form), as filed with the SEC) and (2) a Collateral Coverage Certificate (which may be incorporated in the Compliance Certificate contemplated by clause (1) above);

(ii) as soon as available and in any event within 95 days after the end of each fiscal year of Holdings, (a) a copy of the annual audit report for such year for Holdings and its Subsidiaries, containing the consolidated balance sheet of Holdings and its Subsidiaries as of the end of such fiscal year and consolidated statements of income and cash flows of Holdings and its Subsidiaries for such fiscal year, in each case reported on without a “going concern” or like qualification or exception, or qualification arising out of the scope of the audit, by its Board-appointed auditor of national standing (b) a consolidated balance sheet of Holdings and its domestic Subsidiaries as of the end of such fiscal year and consolidated statements of income and cash flows of Holdings and its domestic Subsidiaries for such fiscal year duly certified by an Authorized Officer of Holdings as having been prepared in accordance with GAAP, and (c) (1) a certificate of an Authorized Officer of Holdings as to compliance with the terms of this Agreement and the other Loan Documents in the form of Exhibit I , including in reasonable detail the calculations necessary to determine the Fixed Charge Ratio (whether or not compliance therewith is then required under Section 6.03), provided that in the event of any change in GAAP used in the preparation of such financial statements, the Borrowers shall also provide, if necessary for the calculation of the Fixed Charge Ratio, a statement of reconciliation conforming such financial statements to GAAP (the Borrowers being permitted to satisfy the requirements of clause (ii)(a) by delivery, in the manner provided in Section 9.02(b), of its annual report on form 10-K (or any successor form), as filed with the SEC) and (2) a Collateral Coverage Certificate (which may be incorporated in the Compliance Certificate contemplated by clause (1) above);

(iii) as soon as available and in any event within 10 Business Days of the end of each fiscal month (and, if any fiscal quarter does not end on the last day of a fiscal month, within 10 Business Days of the end of such fiscal quarter), a Borrowing Base Certificate as of the end of the preceding fiscal month (or, as applicable, fiscal quarter) and supporting information satisfactory to the Agent in its Permitted Discretion with respect to the determination of the Borrowing Base; provided , that upon the occurrence and during the continuance of an Accelerated Borrowing Base Delivery Event, such Borrowing Base Certificate and supporting information shall be delivered on Friday of each week (or, if Friday is not a Business Day, on the next succeeding Business Day), as of the close of business on the immediately preceding Saturday (and within 10 Business Days of the end of each fiscal quarter with respect to the last day of such fiscal quarter);

 

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(iv) promptly and in any event within five days after any Authorized Officer of Holdings or any Borrower has knowledge of the occurrence and continuance of a Default or Event of Default, a statement of an Authorized Officer of Holdings or such Borrower setting forth details of such Default or Event of Default and the action that Holdings or such Borrower has taken and proposes to take with respect thereto;

(v) promptly after the sending or filing thereof, copies of all quarterly and annual reports and proxy solicitations that Holdings sends to its public security holders generally, and copies of all reports on form 8-K (or its equivalent) and registration statements for the public offering (other than pursuant to employee Plans) of securities that Holdings or any of its Subsidiaries files with the SEC or any national securities exchange;

(vi) promptly after the commencement thereof, notice of all actions and proceedings before any court, governmental agency or arbitrator affecting Holdings, the Borrowers or any of their Subsidiaries of the type described in Section 5.01(g);

(vii) as soon as available, but in any event no later than 60 days after the end of each fiscal year of Holdings, forecasts prepared by management of Holdings for Holdings and its domestic Subsidiaries in form satisfactory to the Agent and containing information reasonably required by the Agent;

(viii) (A) contemporaneously with the delivery of the reports required pursuant to clauses (i) and (ii) above, a report (which may take the form of a footnote to Holdings quarterly and annual reports filed with the SEC and delivered to the Agent) setting forth the estimated Unfunded Pension Liability of Holdings and its Subsidiaries, and (B) promptly after receipt thereof by the Loan Parties, a copy of the funded status report received from the Loan Parties actuaries with respect to amounts to be funded under the Loan Parties Pension Plan;

(ix) promptly, notice of any event that the Loan Parties reasonably believes has resulted in a Material Adverse Effect;

(x) the financial and collateral reports described on Schedule 6.01(j) , at the times set forth in such Schedule;

(xi) during the continuance of an Accelerated Borrowing Base Delivery Event, as soon as available and in any event within 30 days after the end of each fiscal month of each fiscal year of Holdings, (a) the consolidated balance sheet of Holdings and its Subsidiaries and the consolidated balance sheet of Holdings and its domestic Subsidiaries as of the end of such month and consolidated statements of income and cash flows of Holdings and its Subsidiaries and the consolidated statements of income and cash flows of Holdings and its domestic Subsidiaries for the period commencing at the end of the previous fiscal year and ending with the end of such month, duly certified (subject to year-end audit adjustments) by an Authorized Officer of Holdings as having been prepared in accordance with GAAP and (b) a certificate of an Authorized Officer of Holdings as to compliance with the terms of this Agreement and the other Loan Documents, including in reasonable detail the calculations necessary to determine the Fixed Charge Ratio (whether or not compliance therewith is then required under Section 6.03), provided that in the event of any change in GAAP used in the preparation of such financial statements, subject to Section 1.03, the Borrowers shall also provide, if necessary for the calculation of the Fixed Charge Ratio, a statement of reconciliation conforming such financial statements to GAAP; and

(xii) such other information respecting Holdings, the Borrowers or any of their Subsidiaries, or the Borrowing Base as the Agent or any Lender through the Agent may from time to time reasonably request.

Reports and financial statements required to be delivered by the Borrowers pursuant to clauses (i)(a), (ii)(a) and (v) of this subsection (j) shall be deemed to have been delivered on the date on which Holdings causes such reports, or reports containing such financial statements, to be posted on the Internet at www.sec.gov or at such other website identified by the Borrowers in a notice to the Agent and the Lenders and that is accessible by the Lenders without charge.

(k) Reserved .

 

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(l) Reserved .

(m) Cash Management .The Borrowers shall maintain in effect the cash management arrangements currently existing pursuant to the First Lien Credit Agreement, including with respect to deposit account control agreements and credit card processors, or such other arrangements not less favorable to the Agent and the Lenders as to which the Agent may consent, such consent not to be unreasonably withheld.

(n) Liens on Non-Collateral Assets . In the event of the incurrence of Debt and the granting of a Lien pursuant to Section 6.02(a)(vi) hereof, grant, and cause each of its Subsidiaries to, grant the Collateral Agent, as security for the Obligations, a Lien on the assets of Holdings or any of its Subsidiaries which is the subject of the Lien of the Person holding such Debt (to the extent that such assets do not then constitute Collateral) pursuant to Section 6.02(a)(vi) hereof.

(o) Physical Inventories . Cause physical inventories and periodic cycle counts to be undertaken, at the expense of the Loan Parties, in each case consistent with past practices (but in no event less frequently than one physical inventory per fiscal year), conducted by such inventory takers and following such methodology as is consistent with the immediately preceding inventory or as otherwise may be satisfactory to the Agent in its Permitted Discretion. The Agent, at the expense of the Loan Parties, may participate in and/or observe each scheduled physical count of Inventory which is undertaken on behalf of any Loan Party. The Loan Parties, within five (5) days following the completion of any such inventory, shall provide the Collateral Agent and the Agent with a reconciliation of the results of such inventory (as well as of any other physical inventory or cycle counts undertaken by a Loan Party) and shall post such results to the Loan Parties stock ledgers and general ledgers, as applicable.

(p) Reserved .

(q) Security Documents . Holdings shall, and shall cause each other Loan Party to, and each other Loan Party shall, make all filings (including filings of continuation statements and amendments to financing statements that may be necessary to continue the effectiveness of such financing statements) and take all other actions as are necessary or required by the Security Documents to maintain (at the sole cost and expense of the Loan Parties) the security interest created by the Security Documents in the Collateral (other than with respect to any Collateral the security interest in which is not required to be perfected under the Security Documents) as a perfected security interest subject only to Permitted Liens.

(r) Post-Closing Matters . Within ten (10) Business Days after the First Amendment Effective Date (subject to extension by the Agent in its sole discretion), (1) deliver to the Agent an opinion of in house counsel to Holdings and of one or more special or local counsel to Holdings, the Borrowers and the other Loan Parties, addressed to the Agent and each Lender as to such matters as the Agent may reasonably request, which opinions shall be in form and substance, and from counsel, reasonably satisfactory to the Agent, and (2) deliver to Agent results of searches or other evidence reasonably satisfactory to the Agent (in each case dated as of a date reasonably satisfactory to the Agent) indicating the absence of Liens on the assets of the Loan Parties, except for Liens permitted by Section 6.02(a).

SECTION 6.02. Negative Covenants . So long as any Obligation (other than contingent indemnification obligations for which no claim shall have then been asserted) shall remain unpaid or any Term Lender shall have any Commitment hereunder, each of Holdings and the Borrowers will not, and will not permit any of their Subsidiaries to:

(a) Liens, Etc. Create or suffer to exist any Lien upon property of Holdings, the Borrowers or any Domestic Subsidiary constituting Inventory, Credit Card Accounts Receivable or any other Collateral or any Related Intellectual Property, other than:

(i) Permitted Liens,

(ii) Liens existing on the Effective Date, other than liens securing Priority Obligations,

 

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(iii) the replacement, extension or renewal of any Lien permitted by clause (ii) above upon or on the same property theretofore subject thereto (and on any additions to any such property and in any property taken in replacement or substitution for any such property), or the replacement, extension or renewal (without increase in the amount) of the Debt secured thereby,

(iv) to the extent any Liens permitted by clause (ii) above are terminated (and not replaced, extended or renewed in accordance with clause (iii) above), Liens not otherwise permitted by clause (iii) above securing Debt in an amount up to the amount of Debt secured by such terminated Liens; provided that (A) any such Lien (and the Debt secured thereby) shall be incurred no later than ninety (90) days after the termination of the Lien permitted by clause (ii) above, and (B) any such Lien shall be granted on the same property (and on any additions to such property or any property taken by the Loan Parties in replacement or substitution for such property) as the terminated Lien,

(v) Liens on Related Intellectual Property with Persons that have entered into an agreement, reasonably satisfactory to the Agent, acknowledging the limited license granted to the Collateral Agent in such trademarks or trade names pursuant to the Loan Documents and agreeing to abide by, and not interfere with, such limited license;

(vi) Liens to secure (A) the Existing Second Lien Notes and any Permitted Refinancing Debt with respect thereto and (B) additional Debt of the Borrowers for borrowed money in an aggregate principal amount not to exceed, at any time outstanding, the difference between $2,000,000,000 and the sum of (1) the principal amount of Debt outstanding pursuant to the preceding clause (A) and (2) the outstanding balance of the Term Loan, provided , that , (1) no Default or Event of Default then exists or would arise from the incurrence of such Debt or the granting of such Lien, (2) Reserved, (3) such Lien shall be pari passu with or subordinate to the Lien of the Collateral Agent securing the Term Loans, and junior to the Lien securing the Priority Obligations, in each case pursuant to arrangements reasonably satisfactory to the Agent (including without limitation through joinder to the Existing Intercreditor Agreement and/or the Security Agreement), (4) if the Debt secured by such Liens is secured by both Collateral and by property and assets of any Loan Party which do not constitute Collateral, the Collateral Agent shall have obtained a Lien on such property and assets that do not otherwise constitute Collateral to secure the Obligations, pari passu with the Lien of the holder of such Debt pursuant arrangements reasonably satisfactory to the Agent, and (5) the documentation granting such Lien shall be in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Agent in its Permitted Discretion;

(vii) Liens to secure obligations under the First Lien Credit Agreement and other Priority Obligations, to the extent constituting Permitted Debt; and

(viii) Liens arising under or in connection with a Credit Card Royalty Securitization; provided that any Liens granted by a Loan Party pursuant to this clause (viii) shall be limited to Credit Card Program Assets.

(b) Fundamental Changes . Merge into or consolidate with any other Person, or permit any other Person to merge into or consolidate with it, or sell, transfer, lease or otherwise dispose of (in one transaction or in a series of transactions) all or substantially all of its assets (in each case, whether now owned or hereafter acquired), or liquidate or dissolve, 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 (i) any Subsidiary of any Borrower may merge into such Borrower in a transaction in which such Borrower is the surviving entity, (ii) any Subsidiary of Holdings may merge into Holdings or any other Subsidiary of Holdings (provided that (A) if Kmart Corp. is a party to such merger, such merger shall be with Holdings, Kmart or a direct Subsidiary of Kmart Corp. and Kmart Corp. shall be the continuing or surviving entity, (B) if any Subsidiary Guarantor is a party to such merger (other than with a Borrower or Holdings), such Subsidiary Guarantor shall be the continuing or surviving entity or the continuing or surviving entity shall become a Subsidiary Guarantor and (C) if SRAC is a party to such merger, then Sears shall comply with the requirements of Section 6.01(d)), (iii) any Subsidiary of Holdings other than the Borrowers may sell, transfer, lease or otherwise dispose of its assets to any Borrower, to Holdings or to a Subsidiary of Holdings (provided that if such sale or transfer includes Collateral and the transferee is not the Borrower or Holdings, the transferee shall be a Subsidiary Guarantor), (iv) any Subsidiary of Holdings other than the Borrowers or Sears may sell, transfer, lease or otherwise dispose of its assets to a Person that is not a Subsidiary or merge with a Person that is not a Subsidiary, in each case pursuant to a

 

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Permitted Disposition, (v) any Subsidiary of Holdings other than the Borrowers, Sears or any Material Subsidiary Guarantor (except, in the case of SRAC, as provided in Section 6.01(d)) may liquidate or dissolve if Holdings and the Borrowers determine in good faith that such liquidation or dissolution is in the best interests of Holdings, the Borrowers, Sears, the other Material Subsidiary Guarantors and their Subsidiaries and is not disadvantageous in any material respect to Holdings, the Borrowers, Sears, the other Material Subsidiary Guarantors or the Lenders; provided , that a Material Subsidiary Guarantor may liquidate or dissolve into a Person that is a Subsidiary of Holdings immediately prior to such liquidation or dissolution, if the continuing or surviving entity is or shall become a Subsidiary Guarantor in accordance with Section 6.01(i)(ii), (vi) Holdings or any Subsidiary of Holdings may merge with a Person that is not a Subsidiary of Holdings immediately prior to such merger if, in the case of any merger involving Holdings, a Borrower or a Subsidiary Guarantor, Holdings, such Borrower or such Subsidiary Guarantor, as applicable, is the continuing or surviving entity or, in the case of any merger involving a Subsidiary Guarantor, the continuing or surviving entity shall become a Subsidiary Guarantor in accordance with Section 6.01(i)(ii) and (vii) any Credit Card Royalty Securitization Subsidiary may sell or otherwise finance or Dispose of the assets subject to the Credit Card Royalty Securitization; provided that contemporaneously with (x) the occurrence of any of the actions permitted to be taken pursuant to the foregoing clauses (i) through (vi) of this clause (b) or (y) the consummation of a Credit Card Royalty Securitization, the Borrowers shall furnish to the Collateral Agent an updated Borrowing Base Certificate.

(c) Acquisitions . Make any Acquisition unless (a) at the time of any such Acquisition and immediately after giving effect thereto, no Default or Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing, (b) after giving effect to any such Acquisition (A) Pro Forma and Projected Capped Excess Availability is at least 15% of the Line Cap, and (B) the Pro Forma Fixed Charge Ratio shall be at least 1.0 to 1.0, and (D) immediately after giving effect to any such Acquisition, Holdings and the Borrowers shall comply with Section 6.01(i) to the extent applicable, (c) such Acquisition shall have been approved by the Board of Directors of the Person (or similar governing body if such Person is not a corporation) which is the subject of such Acquisition and such Person shall not have announced that it will oppose such Acquisition or shall not have commenced any action which alleges that such Acquisition shall violate applicable law, and (d) any assets acquired shall be utilized in, and if the Acquisition involves a merger, consolidation or acquisition of equity interests, the Person which is the subject of such Acquisition shall be engaged in, a business engaged by, or related to a business engaged by, the Loan Parties as of The Effective Date.

(d) Restricted Payments .

(i) Declare or make, or agree to pay or make, directly or indirectly, any Restricted Payment, if at the date of declaration thereof (either before or immediately after giving effect thereto and the payment thereof), a Default or Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing, except that at any time that a Default or Event of Default shall exist and be continuing, (A) Holdings may declare and pay dividends with respect to its equity interests payable solely in additional shares of its common stock, (B) Subsidiaries of Holdings may declare and pay dividends to Holdings, the Borrowers or another wholly owned Subsidiary of any Borrower and (C) non-wholly-owned Subsidiaries may declare and pay dividends to the holders of their equity interests other than a Group Member on a ratable basis.

(ii) Declare or make, or agree to pay or make, directly or indirectly, any other Restricted Payment (other than a Restricted Payment to a Loan Party), except that if no Default or Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing (either before or immediately after giving effect thereto and the payment thereof):

(A) Holdings and its Subsidiaries may make Restricted Payments in an aggregate amount not to exceed $1,500,000,000 from and after the Effective Date through the Termination Date, provided , that, (i) immediately after giving effect to any such Restricted Payment, Pro Forma and Projected Capped Excess Availability is greater than 50% of the Line Cap and (ii) Restricted Payments pursuant to this subsection (A) shall not exceed $1,000,000,000 in any rolling twelve month period;

(B) Holdings and its Subsidiaries may make other Restricted Payments, provided, that, immediately after giving effect thereto (i) Pro Forma and Projected Capped Excess Availability is at least 15% of the Line Cap, and (ii) the Pro Forma Fixed Charge Ratio

 

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shall be at least 1.05 to 1.0; provided , that, for purposes of the calculation of Pro Forma Fixed Charge Ratio (x) Adjusted Consolidated EBITDA and Consolidated Interest Expense shall be computed on a trailing four quarter basis, and scheduled principal payments shall be computed on a four quarter forward basis, and (y) the amount of the Restricted Payment paid in cash being made in connection with the calculation shall be added to Fixed Charges;

(C) Holdings and its Subsidiaries may make other Restricted Payments in cash or in kind (with values equal to the amount of any cash otherwise distributable hereunder) (1) in an amount not to exceed the Net Proceeds of any common stock issuances by Holdings after the Effective Date, (2) in an amount not to exceed the Net Proceeds of any Permitted Dispositions of the type set forth in clauses (f) and (g) of the definition thereof, and (3) in an amount not to exceed any dividends and distributions received (directly or indirectly) on account of equity interests in any Subsidiary of Holdings which is not a Loan Party, and (4) to the stockholders of Holdings in the form of the equity interests of the subsidiaries set forth on Schedule 6.02(d) , provided , that (x) in each case, immediately after giving effect thereto, the Pro Forma and Projected Capped Excess Availability is at least 15% of the Line Cap, and (y) the aggregate amount of any such Restricted Payments pursuant to clauses (1) through (and including) (3) (whether in cash or in other property or a combination thereof) shall not exceed in any twelve consecutive months 75% of any such Net Proceeds, dividends and distributions received in such twelve consecutive month period; provided that Restricted Payments made pursuant to this clause (C) in cash during any twelve consecutive month period shall not exceed $125,000,000. For the avoidance of doubt, any Net Proceeds of the type described in clauses (1) through and including (3) of this Section 6.02(d)(ii)(C) may be utilized to repay the Obligations or Priority Obligations and shall not be required to be segregated prior to making any Restricted Payments otherwise permitted under this clause (C); and

(D) Holdings and its Subsidiaries may make other Restricted Payments as long as (i)(A) such Restricted Payment is funded from cash on hand and not from proceeds of Debt, (B) for the 120 days before any such Restricted Payment, no revolving credit loans were outstanding under the First Lien Credit Agreement, and (C) for each of the 120 days before any such Restricted Payment, the Borrowers shall have had cash on hand sufficient to make such Restricted Payment without the necessity of obtaining proceeds of revolving advances under the First Lien Credit Agreement for the operations of their businesses or for the purpose of making such Restricted Payment, and (ii) after giving effect to such Restricted Payment, no revolving advances under the First Lien Credit Agreement are outstanding.

(e) Negative Pledge Clauses . Enter into or suffer to exist or become effective any agreement that prohibits or limits the ability of Holdings or any Subsidiary of Holdings to create, incur, assume or suffer to exist any Lien in favor of the Collateral Agent upon the Collateral (as defined in the Security Agreement and other Security Documents in effect from time to time, and including assets which become Collateral pursuant to Section 6.01(n)), whether now owned or hereafter acquired, other than any agreement relating to any Lien on cash and cash equivalents not prohibited by Section 6.02(a) (including, for the avoidance of doubt, the First Lien Credit Agreement Documents and any Additional First Lien Debt Documents).

(f) Clauses Restricting Subsidiary Distributions . Enter into or suffer to exist or become effective any consensual encumbrance or restriction on the ability of any Subsidiary of Holdings other than a Loan Party to (a) make Restricted Payments in respect of any equity interests of such Subsidiary held by, or pay any indebtedness owed to, Holdings or any other Subsidiary of Holdings, (b) make loans or advances to, or other investments in, Holdings or any other Subsidiary of Holdings or (c) transfer any of its assets to Holdings or any other Subsidiary of Holdings, except for such encumbrances or restrictions existing under or by reason of (i) any restrictions existing under this Agreement and the other Loan Documents, the First Lien Credit Agreement Documents or any Additional First Lien Debt Documents; (ii) any restrictions with respect to a Subsidiary imposed pursuant to an agreement that has been entered into in connection with the disposition of all or any portion of the equity interests or assets of such Subsidiary;

 

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(iii) the provisions contained in any agreement governing indebtedness existing as of the Effective Date (and in any refinancing of such indebtedness so long as no more restrictive than those contained in the respective existing indebtedness); (iv) customary provisions restricting subletting or assignment of any lease governing a leasehold interest of any Borrower or a Subsidiary of any Borrower entered into in the ordinary course of business, (v) customary restrictions and conditions contained in the documents relating to any Lien, so long as such Lien is not prohibited hereunder and such restrictions or conditions relate only to the specific asset subject to such Lien; (vi) customary provisions restricting assignment of any contract entered into by any Borrower or any Subsidiary of any Borrower in the ordinary course of business, (vii) any agreement or instrument governing acquired debt, which restriction is not applicable to any Person or the properties or assets of any Person, other than the Person or the properties or assets of the Person acquired pursuant to the respective acquisition and so long as the respective encumbrances or restrictions were not created (or made more restrictive) in connection with or in anticipation of the respective acquisition; (viii) customary provisions restricting the assignment of licensing agreements, management agreements or franchise agreements entered into by any Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries in the ordinary course of business; (ix) restrictions on the transfer of assets securing purchase money obligations and capitalized lease obligations; (x) customary net worth provisions contained in real property leases entered into by Subsidiaries of any Borrower, so long as the applicable Borrower has determined in good faith that such net worth provisions could not reasonably be expected to impair the ability of the Borrowers and their Subsidiaries to meet their ongoing obligations, (xi) restrictions in respect of the REMIC Certificates and the real property assets related thereto, the Intellectual Property held by KCD IP, LLC and any proceeds of the foregoing, (xii) restrictions governing a Subsidiary of Holdings in connection with a Credit Card Royalty Securitization, and (xiii) such other restrictions as the Borrowers and Agent and/or the Collateral Agent may agree .

(g) Accounting Changes . Make or permit any change in accounting policies or reporting practices, except as required or permitted by GAAP.

(h) Reserved .

(i) Dispositions . Make any Disposition except Permitted Dispositions.

(j) Debt; Prepayment of Debt .

(i) Create, incur, assume, suffer to exist or otherwise become or remain liable with respect to, any Debt, except Permitted Debt;

(ii) Reserved; and

(iii) Prepay any Debt (other than Priority Obligations) except:

(A) Prepayments of Debt solely with Net Proceeds of Dispositions permitted pursuant to clause (g)(iii) of the definition of “Permitted Dispositions” and with the proceeds of Permitted Dispositions of collateral for such Debt, including, as applicable, the April 2016 Mortgage Debt and the January 2017 Mortgage Debt;

(B) Prepayments of the April 2016 Mortgage Debt solely with Net Proceeds received from the Credit Card Royalty Securitization; and

(C) Other prepayments of Debt so long as at the time of any such prepayment and immediately after giving pro forma effect thereto, no Default or Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing. Further, if Holdings, the Borrowers or any of their Subsidiaries shall prepay any Debt (including Debt owed by a Loan Party to a Subsidiary that is not a Loan Party, but excluding other Debt owed to Holdings or any of its Subsidiaries and excluding Priority Obligations) on any date (each, a “ Prepayment Date ”) then the Borrowers shall not permit Capped Excess Availability to be less than 12.5% of the Line Cap (or such lesser amount as may be permitted under the First Lien Credit Agreement) at any time from the Prepayment Date until one year following the

 

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Prepayment Date; provided this sentence shall not apply to (x)  prepayments of Debt (for the avoidance of doubt, other than intercompany Debt) (A) with the proceeds of the incurrence of Permitted Debt as long as the maturity of such Permitted Debt (i) with respect to Permitted Debt prepaying Debt having a maturity of one year or less, is at least sixty (60) days later than the maturity of the Debt so refinanced, or (ii) with respect to all other Debt, is later than the maturity of the Debt so refinanced and the latest Termination Date, or (B) with the proceeds from the issuance of equity interests in a Group Member (other than to another Group Member), or (C) in a principal amount not to exceed $25,000,000 in the aggregate in any fiscal year and (y) solely for the 60 day period commencing with the date that is 60 days prior to the maturity date (as in effect on the Third Amendment Effective Date) of the Existing Second Lien Notes outstanding on the Third Amendment Effective Date (without regard to any notes issued in exchange or replacement therefor, or in lieu thereof), prepay the Existing Second Lien Notes in an aggregate principal amount not to exceed $150,000,000 during the term of this Agreement, commencing with the Third Amendment Effective Date.

The consummation of a cashless offer to exchange outstanding Permitted Debt for new Permitted Debt shall not be prohibited by this Section 6.02(j) so long as the maturity date of such new Permitted Debt is no earlier than the earlier of (1) the maturity date of the Debt being exchanged and (2) the date that is one year after the latest Termination Date . For the avoidance of doubt, the foregoing sub-sections (ii) and (iii) of this last sentence of Section 6.02(j) will (iii)(C) shall not apply to the repayment of the Obligations, which are rather governed by the provisions of Article II hereof any such exchange .

(k) Investments . Make any Investments, except Permitted Investments.

(l) Store Closings . Close more than 250 full line Sears or Kmart Stores in any fiscal quarter or more than 500 full line Sears or Kmart Stores in any four consecutive fiscal quarters without the consent of the Agent, such consent not to be unreasonably withheld and/or fail to comply with the requirements of the definition of Store Closure Sale when and as applicable.

SECTION 6.03. Financial Covenant. During the continuance of a Covenant Compliance Event, each of Holdings and the Borrowers will not permit the Fixed Charge Ratio as of the last day of any fiscal month of Holdings to be less than 1.0 to 1.0.

ARTICLE VII

EVENTS OF DEFAULT

SECTION 7.01. Events of Default . If any of the following events (“ Events of Default ”) shall occur and be continuing:

(a) Any Borrower shall fail to pay (i) any principal of any Loan when the same becomes due and payable, or (ii) any interest on any Loan or any fees, or any other amounts payable under this Agreement or any other Loan Document, in each case under this clause (ii), within three (3) days after the same becomes due and payable; or

(b) Any representation or warranty made by any Loan Party herein or in any other Loan Document shall prove to have been incorrect in any material respect when made; or

(c) (i) Any Loan Party shall fail to perform or observe any term, covenant or agreement contained in Section 6.01 (d), (e), (h), (j) (other than 6.01(j)(viii)), or (m), 6.02, or 6.03 of this Agreement or (ii) any Loan Party shall fail to perform or observe any other term, covenant or agreement contained in this Agreement or any other Loan Document, if such failure shall remain unremedied for thirty (30) days after written notice thereof shall have been given to Holdings and the Borrowers by the Agent or any Lender; or

 

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(d) Any Group Member shall fail to pay principal of at least $50,000,000 on any Debt that is outstanding (but excluding Debt outstanding hereunder) when the same becomes due and payable (whether by scheduled maturity, required prepayment, acceleration, demand or otherwise), and such failure shall continue after the applicable grace period, if any, specified in the agreement or instrument relating to such Debt; or any other event shall occur or condition shall exist under any agreement or instrument relating to any Debt that is outstanding in a principal amount of at least $50,000,000 and shall continue after the applicable grace period, if any, specified in such agreement or instrument, if the effect of such event or condition is to accelerate the maturity of such Debt; or any such Debt shall be declared to be due and payable, or required to be prepaid or redeemed, purchased or defeased, or an offer to prepay, redeem, purchase or defease such Debt shall be required to be made and is accepted in an amount of at least $50,000,000 (in each case other than (i) a scheduled prepayment, redemption or purchase, or (ii) a mandatory prepayment, redemption or purchase, or a required offer to prepay, redeem or purchase, that results from the voluntary sale or transfer of property or assets), in each case prior to the stated maturity thereof; or

(e) Any Group Member shall generally not pay its debts as such debts become due, or shall admit in writing its inability to pay its debts generally, or shall make a general assignment for the benefit of creditors; or any proceeding shall be instituted by or against any Group Member seeking to adjudicate it a bankrupt or insolvent, or seeking liquidation, winding up, reorganization, arrangement, adjustment, protection, relief, or composition of it or its debts under any law relating to bankruptcy, insolvency or reorganization or relief of debtors, or seeking the entry of an order for relief or the appointment of a receiver, trustee, custodian or other similar official for it or for any substantial part of its property and, in the case of any such proceeding instituted against it (but not instituted by it), either such proceeding shall remain undismissed or unstayed for a period of 90 days, or any of the actions sought in such proceeding (including the entry of an order for relief against, or the appointment of a receiver, trustee, custodian or other similar official for, it or for any substantial part of its property) shall occur; or any Group Member shall take any corporate action to authorize any of the actions set forth above in this subsection (e); or

(f) A judgment or order for the payment of money in excess of $50,000,000 (net of any portion of such judgment to be paid by a third-party insurer as to which coverage has not been disputed) shall be rendered against any Group Member and either (i) enforcement proceedings shall have been commenced by any creditor upon such judgment or order or (ii) there shall be any period of 10 consecutive days during which a stay of enforcement of such judgment or order, by reason of a pending appeal or otherwise, shall not be in effect; or

(g) (i) Any “person” or “group” (as such terms are used in Sections 13(d) and 14(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, , but excluding any employee benefit plan of such person or its Subsidiaries, and any Person or entity acting in its capacity as trustee, agent or other fiduciary or administrator of any such plan) other than a Permitted Holder becomes the “beneficial owner” (as defined in Rules 13d-3 and 13d-5 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, , except that a person or group shall be deemed to have “beneficial ownership” of all securities that such person or group has the right to acquire (such right, an “option right”), whether such right is exercisable immediately or only after the passage of time), directly or indirectly, of 35% or more of the equity securities of Holdings entitled to vote for members of the Board of Directors of Holdings on a fully-diluted basis (and taking into account all such securities that such person or group has the right to acquire pursuant to any option right) and such “person” or “group” shall beneficially own (as such term is used herein) a greater percentage of the equity Securities of Holdings entitled to vote for members of the Board of Directors than the Permitted Holders shall, collectively, beneficially own; or (ii) during any period of 12 consecutive months, a majority of the members of the Board of Directors or other equivalent governing body of Holdings cease to be composed of individuals (x) who were members of that board or equivalent governing body on the first day of such period, (y) whose election or nomination to that board or equivalent governing body was approved by individuals referred to in clause (x) above constituting at the time of such election or nomination at least a majority of that board or equivalent governing body or (z) whose election or nomination to that board or other equivalent governing body was approved by individuals referred to in clauses (x) and (y) above constituting at the time of such election or nomination at least a majority of that board or equivalent governing body; or (iii) Holdings shall cease for any reason to own, directly or indirectly, 100% of the Voting Stock of Sears and Kmart; or

(h) (i) Any Borrower or any of its ERISA Affiliates shall incur, or shall be reasonably likely to incur liability in excess of $100,000,000 in the aggregate as a result of one or more of the following: (i) the occurrence of any ERISA Event; (ii) the partial or complete withdrawal of such Borrower or any of its ERISA Affiliates from a Multiemployer Plan; or (iii) the reorganization or termination of a Multiemployer Plan; or (iv) the PBGC shall have filed a notice of Lien; or

 

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(i) Any of the Security Documents shall cease, for any reason, to be in full force and effect, or any Loan Party shall so state in writing, or any Lien created by any of the Security Documents shall cease to be enforceable and of the same effect and priority purported to be created thereby, including as a result of the failure to comply with Section 4.4 of the Security Agreement; or

(j) The guarantees contained in Article X hereof shall cease, for any reason, to be in full force and effect or any Loan Party shall so state in writing;

then, and in any such event, the Agent may, or, at the request of the Required Lenders shall, take any or all of the following actions upon notice to the Borrowers: (i) Reserved; and (ii) declare the Loans, all interest thereon and all other amounts payable under this Agreement and the other Loan Documents to be forthwith due and payable, whereupon the Loans, all such interest and all such amounts shall become and be forthwith due and payable, without presentment, demand, protest or further notice of any kind, all of which are hereby expressly waived by the Borrowers; provided , however , that in the event of an actual or deemed entry of an order for relief with respect to any Borrower under the United States Bankruptcy Code, (A) Reserved and (B) the Loans, all such interest and all such amounts shall automatically become and be due and payable, without presentment, demand, protest or any notice of any kind, all of which are hereby expressly waived by the Borrowers.

It is understood and agreed that if the Term Loans are accelerated pursuant to this Section 7.01 for any reason, including without limitation because of the commencement of any insolvency proceeding or other proceeding pursuant to any debtor relief laws, the premium payable pursuant to Section 2.05(b) (the “ Term Loan Prepayment Premium ”) determined as of the date of acceleration will also be due and payable as though the 2016 Term Loans were voluntarily prepaid as of such date and shall constitute part of the Obligations in respect of the Term Loans, in view of the impracticability and extreme difficulty of ascertaining actual damages and by mutual agreement of the parties as to a reasonable calculation of each Term Lender s lost profits as a result thereof. Any Term Loan Prepayment Premium payable in accordance with the immediately preceding sentence shall be presumed to be the liquidated damages sustained by each Term Lender as the result of the early termination and the Loan Parties agree that it is reasonable under the circumstances currently existing. The Term Loan Prepayment Premium shall also be payable in the event the Term Loans are satisfied or released by foreclosure (whether by power of judicial proceeding or otherwise) or deed in lieu of foreclosure. EACH LOAN PARTY EXPRESSLY WAIVES THE PROVISIONS OF ANY PRESENT OR FUTURE STATUTE OR LAW THAT PROHIBITS OR MAY PROHIBIT THE COLLECTION OF THE FOREGOING PREMIUM IN CONNECTION WITH ANY SUCH ACCELERATION INCLUDING IN CONNECTION WITH ANY VOLUNTARY OR INVOLUNTARY ACCELERATION OF THE TERM LOANS PURSUANT TO ANY INSOLVENCY PROCEEDING OR OTHER PROCEEDING PURSUANT TO ANY DEBTOR RELIEF LAWS. Each Loan Party expressly agrees that: (A) the Term Loan Prepayment Premium is reasonable and is the product of an arm s length transaction between sophisticated business people, ably represented by counsel; (B) the Term Loan Prepayment Premium shall be payable notwithstanding the then prevailing market rates at the time payment is made; (C) there has been a course of conduct between Term Lenders and the Loan Parties giving specific consideration in this transaction for such agreement to pay the Term Loan Prepayment Premium; and (D) the Loan Parties shall be estopped hereafter from claiming differently than as agreed to in this paragraph. Each Loan Party expressly acknowledges that its agreement to pay the Term Loan Prepayment Premium to the Term Lenders as herein described is a material inducement for the Term Lenders to provide the Term Commitment and provide the Term Loans.

ARTICLE VIII

THE AGENT

SECTION 8.01. Appointment . Each Lender hereby irrevocably designates and appoints JPP, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company, as Agent, under this Agreement and the other Loan Documents, and each such Lender irrevocably authorizes the 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 Agent by the terms of this Agreement and the other Loan Documents, together with such other powers

 

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as are reasonably incidental thereto. For clarity, and notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in this Agreement and the other Loan Documents, no consent of the Lenders shall be required to amend this Agreement or the Loan Documents to (i) cause additional assets to become Collateral or to add additional Subsidiaries as guarantors of the Obligations, or (ii) implement the provisions of Sections 2.18, 8.12 or 9.13(c), and the Agent and the Loan Parties shall be entitled to execute any and all amendments necessary or desirable to accomplish any of the foregoing and such amendments shall be binding on the other parties hereto. Notwithstanding any provision to the contrary elsewhere in this Agreement, the Agent shall not have any duties or responsibilities, except those expressly set forth in this Agreement and the other Loan Documents to which it is a party, or any fiduciary relationship with any Lender, 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 Agent.

SECTION 8.02. Delegation of Duties . The Agent may execute any of its duties under this Agreement and the other Loan Documents by or through agents or attorneys-in-fact and shall be entitled to advice of counsel concerning all matters pertaining to such duties. The Agent shall not be responsible for the negligence or misconduct of any agents or attorneys-in-fact selected by it with reasonable care.

SECTION 8.03. Exculpatory Provisions . No Agent (for purposes of this Article VIII, “ Agent ” and “ Agents ” shall mean the collective reference to the Agent and any other Lender designated as an “Agent” for purposes of this Agreement nor any of their respective officers, directors, employees, agents, attorneys-in-fact or affiliates shall be (i) liable for any action lawfully taken or omitted to be taken by it or such Person under or in connection with this Agreement or any other Loan Document (except to the extent that any of the foregoing are found by a final and non-appealable decision of a court of competent jurisdiction to have resulted from its or such Person s own gross negligence or willful misconduct) or (ii) responsible in any manner to any of the Lenders for any recitals, statements, representations or warranties made by any Loan Party or any officer thereof contained in this Agreement or any other Loan Document or in any certificate, report, statement or other document referred to or provided for in, or received by the Agents under or in connection with, this Agreement or any other Loan Document or for the value, validity, effectiveness, genuineness, enforceability or sufficiency of this Agreement or any other Loan Document or for any failure of any Loan Party that is a party thereto to perform its obligations hereunder or thereunder. The Agents shall not be under any obligation to any Lender to ascertain or to inquire as to the observance or performance of any of the agreements contained in, or conditions of, this Agreement or any other Loan Document, or to inspect the properties, books or records of any Loan Party.

SECTION 8.04. Reliance by Agent . The Agent shall be entitled to rely, and shall be fully protected in relying, upon any instrument, writing, resolution, notice, consent, certificate, affidavit, letter, telecopy, telex or teletype message, statement, order or other document or conversation believed by them 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 Holdings or the Borrowers), independent accountants and other experts selected by the Agent. The 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 Agent. The 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 as they deem appropriate or they 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 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, and such request and any action taken or failure to act pursuant thereto shall be binding upon all the Lenders and all future holders of Loans.

SECTION 8.05. Notice of Default . The Agent shall not be deemed to have knowledge or notice of the occurrence of any Default or Event of Default unless the Agent has received notice from a Lender, Holdings or a Borrower 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 Agent receives such a notice, the Agent shall give notice thereof to the Lenders. The Agent shall take such action with respect to such Default or Event of Default as shall be reasonably directed by the Required Lenders; provided that unless and until the Agent shall have received such directions, the 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.

 

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SECTION 8.06. Non-Reliance on Agents and Other Lenders . Each Lender expressly acknowledges that neither the Agent nor any of its officers, directors, employees, agents, attorneys-in-fact or affiliates have made any representations or warranties to it and that no act by the 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 the Agent to any Lender. Each Lender represents to the Agent that it has, independently and without reliance upon the Agent, or any other Lender, 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 and made its own decision to make the Loans hereunder and enter into this Agreement. Each Lender also represents that it will, independently and without reliance upon the Agent or any other Lender, 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 by the Agent hereunder, the Agent shall not have any duty or responsibility to provide any Lender 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 Agent or the Collateral Agent or any of their respective officers, directors, employees, agents, attorneys-in-fact or affiliates.

SECTION 8.07. Reports and Financial Statements . By signing this Agreement, each Lender:

(a) Reserved;

(b) is deemed to have requested that the Agent furnish such Lender, promptly after they become available, copies of all financial statements and reports required to be delivered by the Loan Parties hereunder and all commercial finance examinations and appraisals of the Collateral received by the Agent (collectively, the “ Reports ”) (which the Agent agrees to so deliver);

(c) expressly agrees and acknowledges that the Agent makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the Reports, and shall not be liable for any information contained in any Report;

(d) expressly agrees and acknowledges that the Reports are not comprehensive audits or examinations, that the Agent or any other party performing any audit or examination will inspect only specific information regarding the Loan Parties and will rely significantly upon the Loan Parties’ books and records, as well as on representations of the Loan Parties’ personnel;

(e) agrees to keep all Reports confidential in accordance with the provisions of this Agreement; and

(f) without limiting the generality of any other indemnification provision contained in this Agreement, agrees: (i) reserved; and (ii) to pay and protect, and indemnify, defend, and hold the Agent and any such other Lender or Person preparing a Report harmless from and against, the claims, actions, proceedings, damages, costs, expenses, and other amounts (including reasonable attorney costs) incurred by the Agent and any such other Lender or Person preparing a Report as the direct or indirect result of any third parties who might obtain all or part of any Report through the indemnifying Lender.

SECTION 8.08. Indemnification . The Lenders agree to indemnify the Agent in its capacity as such (to the extent not reimbursed by Holdings or the Borrowers and without limiting the obligation of Holdings or the Borrowers to do so), ratably according to their respective Pro Rata Shares in effect on the date on which indemnification is sought under this Section (or, if indemnification is sought after the date upon which the Loans shall have been paid in full, in accordance with such Pro Rata Shares immediately prior to such date), 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 in any way relating to or arising out of, the Commitments, 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 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,

 

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damages, penalties, actions, judgments, suits, costs, expenses or disbursements that are found by a final and non-appealable decision of a court of competent jurisdiction to have resulted from the Agent s gross negligence or willful misconduct. The agreements in this Section shall survive the payment of the Loans and all other amounts payable hereunder.

SECTION 8.09. Agent in Its Individual Capacity . Each Agent and its Affiliates may make loans to, accept deposits from and generally engage in any kind of business with any Loan Party as though such Agent were not an Agent. With respect to Loans made by it, each Agent shall have the same rights and powers under this Agreement and the other Loan Documents as any Lender and may exercise the same as though it were not an Agent, and the terms “Lender” and “Lenders” shall include each Agent in its individual capacity.

SECTION 8.10. Successor Agent .

(a) The Agent may resign as Agent upon 30 days notice to the Lenders and the Borrowers. If the Agent shall resign as Agent under this Agreement and the other Loan Documents, then the Required Lenders shall appoint from among the Lenders a successor agent for the Lenders, which successor agent shall (unless an Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing) be subject to approval by the Borrowers (which approval shall not be unreasonably withheld or delayed), whereupon such successor agent shall succeed to the rights, powers and duties of the Agent, and the term “Agent” shall mean such successor agent effective upon such appointment and approval, and the former Agent s rights, powers and duties as Agent shall be terminated, without any other or further act or deed on the part of such former Agent or any of the parties to this Agreement or any holders of Loans. If no successor agent has accepted appointment as Agent by the date that is 30 days following a retiring Agent s notice of resignation, the retiring Agent s resignation shall nevertheless thereupon become effective, and the Lenders shall assume and perform all of the duties of the Agent hereunder, until such time, if any, as the Required Lenders appoint a successor agent as provided for above. After any retiring Agent s resignation as Agent, the provisions of this Article VIII shall inure to its benefit as to any actions taken or omitted to be taken by it while it was Agent under this Agreement and the other Loan Documents.

SECTION 8.11. Reserved .

SECTION 8.12. 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 this Section 8.12.

(b) Defaulting Lender Waterfall . Any payment of principal, interest, fees or other amounts received by the Agent for the account of such Defaulting Lender (whether voluntary or mandatory, at maturity, pursuant to Article VII or otherwise) or received by the Agent from a Defaulting Lender pursuant to Section 9.05 shall be applied at such time or times as may be determined by the Agent as follows: first, to the payment of any amounts owing by such Defaulting Lender to the Agent hereunder; second, as the Borrowers may request (so long as no Default or Event of Default exists), to the funding of any Extension of Credit in respect of which such Defaulting Lender has failed to fund its portion thereof as required by this Agreement, as determined by the Agent; third, if so determined by the Agent and the Borrowers, to be held in a deposit account and released pro rata in order to satisfy such Defaulting Lender s potential future funding obligations with respect to Extensions of Credit under this Agreement; fourth, to the payment of any amounts owing to the Non-Defaulting Lenders as a result of any judgment of a court of competent jurisdiction obtained by any Lender against such Defaulting Lender as a result of such Defaulting Lender s breach of its obligations under this Agreement; fifth, so long as no Default or Event of Default exists, to the payment of any amounts owing to the Borrowers as a result of any judgment of a court of competent jurisdiction obtained by the Borrowers against such Defaulting Lender as a result of such Defaulting Lender s breach of its obligations under this Agreement; and sixth, to such Defaulting Lender or as otherwise directed by a court of competent jurisdiction.

 

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(c) Consents . If a Lender becomes a Defaulting Lender, then, in addition to the rights and remedies that may be available to the other Credit Parties, the Loan Parties or any other party at law or in equity, and not in limitation thereof, except as set forth in the last sentence hereof, such Defaulting Lender s right to participate in decision-making rights related to the Obligations in respect of Required Lender or Required Term Lender votes, this Agreement or the other Loan Documents shall be suspended during the pendency of such failure or refusal. Notwithstanding anything else provided herein, any amendment, waiver determination, consent or notification under Section 9.01 that would (i) reduce the principal amount of the Loan made by such Defaulting Lender, (ii) alter the terms and conditions of this sentence or (iii) otherwise disproportionately affect a Defaulting Lender, will require the consent of such Defaulting Lender.

(d) Defaulting Lender Cure . If the Borrowers and the Agent agree in writing that a Lender is no longer a Defaulting Lender, the Agent will so notify the parties hereto, 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 Borrowers while that Lender was a Defaulting Lender; and provided, further, that except to the extent otherwise expressly agreed by the affected parties, no change hereunder from Defaulting Lender to Lender will constitute a waiver or release of any claim of any party hereunder arising from that Lender s having been a Defaulting Lender.

ARTICLE IX

MISCELLANEOUS

SECTION 9.01. Amendments, Etc . No amendment or waiver of any provision of this Agreement or any other Loan Document, nor consent to any departure by any Borrower or any Loan Party therefrom, shall in any event be effective unless the same shall be in writing and signed by the Required Lenders, and then such waiver or consent shall be effective only in the specific instance and for the specific purpose for which given; provided , however , that no amendment, waiver or consent shall (a) unless in writing and also signed by each Lender directly affected thereby, do any of the following: (i) increase the amount or extend the expiration date of any Lender s Commitment or otherwise commit such lender to make Loans hereunder, (ii) reduce the principal of, or interest on, any Loan or any fees or other amounts payable hereunder or (iii) postpone any date fixed for any payment of principal of, or interest on, any Loan or any fees or other amounts payable hereunder; provided that any waiver or reduction of any payment of the Term Loan from any Excess Cash Flow may be waived or modified solely with the written consent of the Required Term Lenders; (b) unless in writing and signed by all of the Lenders, do any of the following: (i) [reserved], (ii) other than in accordance with Section 9.13, release all or substantially all of the Collateral or release all or substantially all of the guarantors from their obligations under the Article X hereof, (iii) except as expressly permitted herein or in any other Loan Document, subordinate the Liens granted hereunder or under the other Loan Documents, to any other Lien, (iv) amend this Section 9.01, (v) amend the definition of “Required Lenders” or (vi) other than in accordance with Section 6.01(d), release either Borrower from all of its obligations hereunder, (c) unless in writing and signed by all of the Term Lenders, do any of the following: (i) change the percentage of the Commitments or of the aggregate unpaid principal amount of the Term Loan, or the number of Term Lenders, that shall be required for the Term Lenders or any of them to take any action hereunder or (ii) amend the definition of “Required Term Lenders”; (d) unless in writing and signed by the Agent (in addition to the Lenders required above to take such action), amend, modify or waive any provision of Article VIII or affect the rights or duties of the Agent under this Agreement or any other Loan Document; (e) reserved, (f) reserved, or (g) unless in writing signed by members of any Class holding a majority in amount of such Class, have a materially disproportionate adverse effect on such Class.

SECTION 9.02. Notices, Etc. (a) All notices and other communications provided for hereunder shall be in writing (including telecopier communication) and mailed, telecopied or delivered, (i) if to Holdings, any Borrower or any Subsidiary Guarantor, at its address at 3333 Beverly Road, Hoffman Estates, Illinois 60179, Attention: General Counsel, with a copy to Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz, 51 West 52nd Street, New York, New York 10019, Attention: Scott Charles; (ii) if to any Lender, at its address set forth in its completed administrative questionnaire delivered to the Agent; and (iii) if to the Agent, at its address at ESL Investments, Inc., 1170 Kane Concourse, Suite 200 Bay Harbor Islands, FL 33154, Attention: Edward S. Lampert, CEO; provided that notices required to be delivered pursuant to Section 6.01(j)(i), (ii), (iii), and (v) shall be delivered to the Agent and the Lenders as specified in Section 9.02(b). All such notices and communications shall, when mailed, telecopied, telegraphed or

 

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emailed, be effective when deposited in the mails, telecopied, delivered to the telegraph company or confirmed by email, respectively, except that notices and communications to the Agent pursuant to Article II or VIII shall not be effective until received by the Agent. Delivery by telecopier of an executed counterpart of any amendment or waiver of any provision of this Agreement or any Loan Document or of any exhibit hereto or thereto to be executed and delivered hereunder shall be effective as delivery of a manually executed counterpart thereof.

(b) Holdings and the Borrowers agree that materials required to be delivered pursuant to Sections 6.01(j)(i), (ii), (iii) and (v), shall be deemed delivered to the Agent on the date on which Holdings causes such reports, or reports containing such financial statements, to be posted on the Internet at www.sec.gov or at such other website identified by the Borrowers in a written notice to the Agent and the Lenders and that is accessible by the Lenders without charge or if not so posted, may be delivered to the Agent in an electronic medium in a format acceptable to the Agent by email to eslaccounting@eslinvest.com. Holdings and the Borrowers agree that the Agent may make such materials, as well as any other written information, documents, instruments and other material relating to Holdings, the Borrowers, any of their Subsidiaries or any other materials or matters relating to this Agreement, the Loan Documents or any of the transactions contemplated hereby (collectively, the “ Communications ”) available to the Lenders by posting such notices on Intralinks or a substantially similar electronic system (the “ Platform ”). Holdings and the Borrowers acknowledge that (i) the distribution of material through an electronic medium is not necessarily secure and that there are confidentiality and other risks associated with such distribution, (ii) the Platform is provided “as is” and “as available” and (iii) neither the Agent nor any of its Affiliates warrants the accuracy, adequacy or completeness of the Communications or the Platform and each expressly disclaims liability for errors or omissions in the Communications or the Platform. 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 Agent or any of its Affiliates in connection with the Platform.

(c) Each Lender agrees that notice to it (as provided in the next sentence) (a “ Notice ”) specifying that any Communications have been posted to the Platform shall constitute effective delivery of such information, documents or other materials to such Lender for purposes of this Agreement; provided that if requested by any Lender the Agent shall deliver a copy of the Communications to such Lender by email or telecopier. Each Lender agrees (i) to notify the Agent in writing of such Lender s e-mail address to which a Notice may be sent by electronic transmission (including by electronic communication) on or before the date such Lender becomes a party to this Agreement (and from time to time thereafter to ensure that the Agent has on record an effective e-mail address for such Lender) and (ii) that any Notice may be sent to such e-mail address.

SECTION 9.03. No Waiver; Remedies . No failure on the part of any Lender or the Agent to exercise, and no delay in exercising, any right hereunder or under any other Loan Document shall operate as a waiver thereof; nor shall any single or partial exercise of any such right preclude any other or further exercise thereof or the exercise of any other right. The remedies herein provided are cumulative and not exclusive of any remedies provided by law.

SECTION 9.04. Costs and Expenses . (a)  Holdings and the Borrowers jointly and severally agree to pay promptly all reasonable costs and expenses of the Agent in connection with the preparation, execution, delivery, distribution (including via the internet or through a service such as Intralinks), administration, modification and amendment of this Agreement, the other Loan Documents and the other documents to be delivered hereunder, including, (A) all due diligence, syndication (including printing, distribution and bank meetings), transportation, computer, duplication, appraisal, consultant, and audit expenses, (B) reserved, and (C) the reasonable fees and expenses of counsel for the Agent with respect thereto and with respect to advising the Agent as to their rights and responsibilities under this Agreement and the other Loan Documents. Holdings and the Borrowers further jointly and severally agree to pay on demand all costs and expenses of the Agent and the Lenders, if any (including reasonable counsel fees and expenses), in connection with the enforcement of, or protection of their rights under, (whether through negotiations, legal proceedings or otherwise) of this Agreement, the other Loan Documents and the other documents to be delivered hereunder, including reasonable fees and expenses of one counsel for the Agent, and one counsel for the Lenders in connection with the enforcement of or protection rights under this Section 9.04(a).

(b) Holdings and the Borrowers jointly and severally agree to indemnify and hold harmless the Agent and each Lender and each of their Affiliates and their officers, directors, employees, agents and advisors (each, an “ Indemnified Party ”) from and against any and all claims, damages, losses, liabilities and expenses (including

 

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reasonable fees and expenses of counsel) incurred by or asserted or awarded against any Indemnified Party, in each case arising out of or in connection with or by reason of (including in connection with any investigation, litigation or proceeding or preparation of a defense in connection therewith) (i) this Agreement, the other Loan Documents, any of the transactions contemplated herein or therein or the actual or proposed use of the Loans, and (ii) the actual or alleged presence of Hazardous Materials on any property of Holdings, the Borrowers or any of their Subsidiaries or any Environmental Action relating in any way to Holdings, the Borrowers or any of their Subsidiaries, except to the extent such claim, damage, loss, liability or expense is found in a final, non-appealable judgment by a court of competent jurisdiction to have resulted from such Indemnified Party s gross negligence or willful misconduct. In the case of an investigation, litigation or other proceeding to which the indemnity in this Section 9.04(b) applies, such indemnity shall be effective whether or not such investigation, litigation or proceeding is brought by Holdings, any Borrower, its directors, equityholders or creditors or an Indemnified Party or any other Person, whether or not any Indemnified Party is otherwise a party thereto and whether or not the transactions contemplated hereby are consummated. Holdings and the Borrowers also agree not to assert any claim for special, indirect, consequential or punitive damages against the Agent, any Lender, any of their Affiliates, or any of their respective directors, officers, employees, attorneys and agents, on any theory of liability, arising out of or otherwise relating to this Agreement, the other Loan Documents, any of the transactions contemplated herein or the actual or proposed use of the proceeds of the Loans.

(c) If (i) any payment of principal of, or Conversion of, any Eurodollar Rate Advance is made by any Borrower to or for the account of a Lender other than on the last day of the Interest Period for such Advance, as a result of a payment or Conversion pursuant to Section 2.09(d) or (e), 2.11 or 2.13, acceleration of the maturity of the Term Loan pursuant to Section 7.01 or for any other reason, or by an Eligible Assignee to a Lender other than on the last day of the Interest Period for such Advance upon an assignment of rights and obligations under this Agreement pursuant to Section 9.07 as a result of a demand by any Borrower pursuant to Section 9.07(a), or (ii) any Borrower fails to prepay, borrow, continue or convert any Eurodollar Rate Advance on the date or in the amount notified by any Borrower; the applicable Borrower shall, promptly after notice by such Lender setting forth in reasonable detail the calculations used to quantify such amount (with a copy of such notice to the Agent), pay to the Agent for the account of such Lender any amounts required to compensate such Lender for any additional losses, costs or expenses that it may reasonably incur as a result of such payment or Conversion, including any loss (including loss of anticipated profits), cost or expense incurred by reason of the liquidation or reemployment of deposits or other funds acquired by any Lender to fund or maintain such Advance. For purposes of calculating amounts payable by the Borrowers to the Lenders under this Section 9.04(c), each Lender shall be deemed to have funded each Eurodollar Rate Advance made by it at the Eurodollar Rate for such Advance by a matching deposit or other borrowing in the London interbank market for a comparable amount and for a comparable period, whether or not such Eurodollar Rate Advance was in fact so funded.

(d) Without prejudice to the survival of any other agreement of Holdings or any Borrower hereunder, the agreements and obligations of Holdings and the Borrowers contained in Sections 2.12, 2.15 and 9.04 shall survive the payment in full of principal, interest and all other amounts payable hereunder and under the other Loan Documents.

(e) If (i) any payment of principal of any Eurodollar Rate Line of Credit Loan is made by any Borrower to or for the account of any Line of Credit Lender other than on the applicable Line of Credit Loan Maturity Date for such Line of Credit Loan, as a result of a payment pursuant to Section 2.11 or 2.13, acceleration of the maturity of such Line of Credit Loan pursuant to Section 7.01 or for any other reason, or by an Eligible Assignee to a Line of Credit Lender other than on the last day of the applicable Line of Credit Loan Maturity Date for such Line of Credit Loan upon an assignment of rights and obligations under this Agreement pursuant to Section 9.07 as a result of a demand by any Borrower pursuant to Section 9.07(a), or (ii) any Borrower fails to prepay or borrow any Eurodollar Rate Line of Credit Loan on the date or in the amount notified by any Borrower; the applicable Borrower shall, promptly after notice by such Line of Credit Lender setting forth in reasonable detail the calculations used to quantify such amount (with a copy of such notice to the Agent), pay to the Agent for the account of such Line of Credit Lender any amounts required to compensate such Line of Credit Lender for any additional losses, costs or expenses that it may reasonably incur as a result of such payment, including any loss (including loss of anticipated profits), cost or expense incurred by reason of the liquidation or reemployment of deposits or other funds acquired by any Line of Credit Lender to fund or maintain such Line of Credit Loan. For purposes of calculating amounts payable by the Borrowers to the Line of Credit Lenders under this Section 9.04(e), each Line of Credit Lender shall be deemed to have funded each Eurodollar Rate Line of Credit Loan made by it at the Eurodollar Rate for such Line of Credit Loan by a matching deposit or other borrowing in the London interbank market for a comparable amount and for a comparable period, whether or not such Eurodollar Rate Line of Credit Loan was in fact so funded.

 

 

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SECTION 9.05. Right of Set-off . Upon (i) the occurrence and during the continuance of any Event of Default and (ii) the making of the request or the granting of the consent specified by Section 7.01 to authorize the Agent to declare the Extensions of Credit due and payable pursuant to the provisions of Section 7.01, each Lender and each of its Affiliates is hereby authorized at any time and from time to time, to the fullest extent permitted by law, to set off and apply any and all deposits (general or special, time or demand, provisional or final) at any time held and other indebtedness at any time owing by such Lender or such Affiliate to or for the credit or the account of Holdings or any Loan Party against any and all of the obligations of Holdings and the Loan Parties now or hereafter existing under this Agreement, the other Loan Documents and the Extensions of Credit of such Lender, whether or not such Lender shall have made any demand under this Agreement or the other Loan Documents. Each Lender agrees promptly to notify Holdings or the applicable Loan Party (with a copy to the Agent) after any such set-off and application, provided that the failure to give such notice shall not affect the validity of such set-off and application. The rights of each Lender and its Affiliate under this Section are in addition to other rights and remedies (including other rights of set-off) that such Lender and its Affiliate may have.

SECTION 9.06. Binding Effect; Effectiveness . When this Agreement has been executed by Holdings, the Borrowers, the Agent, and the Lenders, this Agreement shall thereafter be binding upon and inure to the benefit of Holdings, the Borrowers, the Agent, each Lender and their respective successors and assigns; provided , that, except with respect to Sections 9.07 and 9.08, this Agreement shall only become effective upon satisfaction of the conditions precedent set forth in Section 4.01 and none of the provisions of this Agreement, including without limitation provisions in respect of Loans to be made by or issued by any Lender, and in respect of any covenant, fee, indemnity, default, and expense reimbursement made by any Loan Party or for which any Loan Party is liable hereunder, shall become effective, nor shall any representation herein be deemed to be made, until the satisfaction of such conditions.

SECTION 9.07. Assignments and Participations . (a)  Each Lender may, upon notice to the Borrowers and the Agent and with the consent, not to be unreasonably withheld or delayed, of the Agent, and, unless an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing, the Borrowers (which consent shall be deemed given by the Borrowers if the Borrowers have not responded to a request for such consent within ten (10) Business Days), assign to one or more Persons all or a portion of its rights and obligations under this Agreement (including all or a portion of the Loans and other amounts owing to it and any Note or Notes held by it); provided , however , that (i) reserved; (ii) reserved, (iii) each such assignment with respect to any Class of rights and obligations shall be of a constant, and not a varying, percentage of all rights and obligations under this Agreement with respect to such Class, (iv) except in the case of an assignment to a Person that, immediately prior to such assignment, was a Lender, an Affiliate of a Lender or an Approved Fund or an assignment of all of a Lender s rights and obligations under this Agreement, the amount of the Loan of the assigning Lender being assigned pursuant to each such assignment (determined as of the date of the Assignment and Acceptance with respect to such assignment) shall in no event be less than $5,000,000 or an integral multiple of $1,000,000 in excess thereof (or, if less, the entire outstanding amount of the Loan held by such Lender) unless the Borrowers and the Agent otherwise agree, (v) each such assignment shall be to an Eligible Assignee, (vi) the parties to each such assignment shall execute and deliver to the Agent, for its acceptance and recording in the Register, an Assignment and Acceptance, and the parties to such assignment (other than the Borrowers and the Agent) shall deliver together therewith any Note subject to such assignment and a processing and recordation fee of $3,500 (except no such fee shall be payable for assignments to a Lender, an Affiliate of a Lender or an Approved Fund), and (vii) any Lender may, without the approval of the Borrowers, but with notice to the Borrowers, assign all or a portion of its rights and obligations to any of its Affiliates or to another Lender. Upon such execution, delivery, acceptance and recording, from and after the effective date specified in each Assignment and Acceptance, (x) the assignee thereunder shall be a party hereto and, to the extent that rights and obligations hereunder have been assigned to it pursuant to such Assignment and Acceptance, have the rights and obligations of a Lender hereunder and (y) the Lender assignor thereunder shall, to the extent that rights and obligations hereunder have been assigned by it pursuant to such Assignment and Acceptance, relinquish its rights (other than its rights under Section 2.12, 2.15 and 9.04 to the extent any claim thereunder relates to an event arising prior such assignment) and be released from its obligations under this Agreement (and, in the case of an Assignment and Acceptance covering all or the remaining portion of an assigning Lender s rights and obligations under this Agreement, such Lender shall cease to be a party hereto).

 

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(b) In connection with any assignment of rights and obligations of any Defaulting Lender hereunder, no such assignment shall be effective unless and until, in addition to the other conditions thereto set forth herein, the parties to the assignment shall make such additional payments to the Agent in an aggregate amount sufficient, upon distribution thereof as appropriate (which may be outright payment, purchases by the assignee of participations or sub-participations, or other compensating actions, including funding, with the consent of the 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 Agent or any Lender hereunder (and interest accrued thereon). 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.

(c) By executing and delivering an Assignment and Acceptance, the Lender assignor thereunder and the assignee thereunder confirm to and agree with each other and the other parties hereto as follows: (i) other than as provided in such Assignment and Acceptance, such assigning Lender makes no representation or warranty and assumes no responsibility with respect to any statements, warranties or representations made in or in connection with this Agreement or the other Loan Documents or the execution, legality, validity, enforceability, genuineness, sufficiency or value of this Agreement or the other Loan Documents or any other instrument or document furnished pursuant hereto or thereto; (ii) such assigning Lender makes no representation or warranty and assumes no responsibility with respect to the financial condition of the Loan Parties or the performance or observance by the Borrowers of any of their obligations under this Agreement or any other instrument or document furnished pursuant hereto; (iii) such assignee confirms that it has received a copy of this Agreement, together with copies of the financial statements referred to in Section 5.01 and such other documents and information as it has deemed appropriate to make its own credit analysis and decision to enter into such Assignment and Acceptance; (iv) such assignee will, independently and without reliance upon the Agent, such assigning Lender or any other Lender and based on such documents and information as it shall deem appropriate at the time, continue to make its own credit decisions in taking or not taking action under this Agreement and the other Loan Documents; (v) such assignee confirms that it is an Eligible Assignee; (vi) such assignee appoints and authorizes the Agent to take such action as agent on its behalf and to exercise such powers and discretion under this Agreement and the other Loan Documents as are delegated to the Agent by the terms hereof and thereof, together with such powers and discretion as are reasonably incidental thereto; and (vii) such assignee agrees that it will perform in accordance with their terms all of the obligations that by the terms of this Agreement are required to be performed by it as a Lender.

(d) Upon its receipt of an Assignment and Acceptance executed by an assigning Lender and an assignee representing that it is an Eligible Assignee, together with any Note or Notes subject to such assignment, the Agent shall, if such Assignment and Acceptance has been completed and is in substantially the form of Exhibit B hereto, (i) accept such Assignment and Acceptance, (ii) record the information contained therein in the Register and (iii) give prompt notice thereof to the Borrowers.

(e) The Agent shall maintain at its address referred to in Section 9.02 a copy of each Assignment and Acceptance delivered to and accepted by it and a register for the recordation of the names and addresses of the Lenders and the principal amount of the Loans owing to each Lender from time to time (the “ Register ”). The entries in the Register shall be conclusive and binding for all purposes, absent manifest error, and the Borrowers, the Agent and the Lenders may treat each Person whose name is recorded in the Register as a Lender hereunder for all purposes of this Agreement. The Register shall be available for inspection by the Borrowers or any Lender at any reasonable time and from time to time upon reasonable prior notice.

(f) Each Lender may, without the consent of the Agent or any Loan Party, sell participations to one or more banks or other entities (other than the Borrowers or any of their Affiliates that is not a Permitted Holder) in or to all or a portion of its rights and obligations under this Agreement (including all or a portion of the Loans owing to it and any Note or Notes held by it); provided , however , that (i) such Lender s obligations under this Agreement shall remain unchanged, (ii) such Lender shall remain solely responsible to the other parties hereto for the performance of such obligations, (iii) such Lender shall remain the holder of any such Note for all purposes of this Agreement, (iv) the Borrowers, the Agent and the other Lenders shall continue to deal solely and directly with such Lender in connection with such Lender s rights and obligations under this Agreement and (v) no participant under any such participation

 

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shall have any right to approve any amendment or waiver of any provision of this Agreement or any Loan Document, or consent to any departure by any Borrower therefrom, except to the extent that such amendment, waiver or consent would require the affirmative vote of the Lender from which it purchased its participation pursuant to Section 9.01(a).

(g) Any Lender may, in connection with any assignment or participation or proposed assignment or participation pursuant to this Section 9.07, disclose to the assignee or participant or proposed assignee or participant, any information relating to Holdings, the Borrowers or their Subsidiaries furnished to such Lender by or on behalf of the Borrowers; provided that, prior to any such disclosure, the assignee or participant or proposed assignee or participant shall agree to preserve the confidentiality of any Borrower Information relating to Holdings, the Borrowers or their Subsidiaries received by it from such Lender in accordance with Section 9.08.

(h) Notwithstanding any other provision set forth in this Agreement, any Lender may at any time create a security interest in all or any portion of its rights under this Agreement (including the portion of any Loan owing to it and any Notes held by it), including, without limitation, in favor of any Federal Reserve Bank in accordance with Regulation A of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System.

(i) The Borrowers, upon receipt of written notice from the relevant Lender, agree to issue Notes to any Term Lender to facilitate transactions of the type described in paragraph (g) above.

(j) Neither Holdings nor any Borrower shall have the right to assign its rights hereunder or any interest herein without the prior written consent of each of the Lenders (except, in the case of SRAC, pursuant to Section 6.01(d)).

SECTION 9.08. Confidentiality . Neither the Agent nor any Lender may disclose to any Person any confidential, proprietary or non-public information of Holdings or the Borrowers furnished to the Agent or the Lenders by Holdings or the Borrowers (such information being referred to collectively herein as the “ Borrower Information ”), except that each of the Agent and each of the Lenders may disclose Borrower Information (i) to its and its Affiliates employees, officers, directors, agents and advisors to whom disclosure is required to enable the Agent or such Lender to perform its obligations under this Agreement and the other Loan Documents or in connection with the administration or monitoring of this Agreement and the other Loan Documents by the Agent or such Lender (it being understood that the Persons to whom such disclosure is made will be informed of the confidential nature of such Borrower Information and instructed to keep such Borrower Information confidential on substantially the same terms as provided herein), (ii) to the extent requested by any regulatory authority, (iii) to the extent required by applicable laws or regulations or by any subpoena or similar legal process, (iv) to any other party to this Agreement and the other Loan Documents, (v) in connection with the exercise of any remedies hereunder or any suit, action or proceeding relating to this Agreement and the other Loan Documents or the enforcement of rights hereunder or thereunder, (vi) subject to an agreement containing provisions substantially the same as those of this Section 9.08, to any assignee or participant, or any prospective assignee or participant, (vii) to the extent such Borrower Information (A) is or becomes generally available to the public on a non-confidential basis other than as a result of a breach of this Section 9.08 by the Agent or such Lender, as the case may be, or (B) is or becomes available to the Agent or such Lender on a non-confidential basis from a source other than Holdings, the Borrowers or any of their Subsidiaries and (viii) with the consent of the Borrowers.

SECTION 9.09. Governing Law . This Agreement and the Notes shall be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the laws of the State of New York without regard to conflicts of laws principles thereof but including Section 5-1401 and 5-1402 of the New York General Obligations Law.

SECTION 9.10. Execution in Counterparts . This Agreement may be executed in any number of counterparts and by different parties hereto in separate counterparts, each of which when so executed shall be deemed to be an original and all of which taken together shall constitute one and the same agreement. Delivery of an executed counterpart of a signature page to this Agreement by telecopier shall be effective as delivery of a manually executed counterpart of this Agreement.

SECTION 9.11. Jurisdiction, Etc. (a) Each of the parties hereto hereby irrevocably and unconditionally submits, for itself and its property, to the non-exclusive jurisdiction of any New York State court or federal court of the United States of America sitting in New York City, and any appellate court from any thereof, in

 

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any action or proceeding arising out of or relating to this Agreement or the other Loan Documents, or for recognition or enforcement of any judgment, and each of the parties hereto hereby irrevocably and unconditionally agrees that all claims in respect of any such action or proceeding may be heard and determined in any such New York State court or, to the extent permitted by law, in such federal court. Holdings and each of the Borrowers hereby irrevocably consents to the service of process in any action or proceeding in such courts by the mailing thereof by any parties hereto by registered or certified mail, postage prepaid, to Holdings or such Borrower at its address specified pursuant to Section 9.02. Each of the parties hereto agrees that a final judgment in any such action or proceeding shall be conclusive and may be enforced in other jurisdictions by suit on the judgment or in any other manner provided by law. Nothing in this Agreement shall affect any right that any party may otherwise have to bring any action or proceeding relating to this Agreement or the other Loan Documents in the courts of any jurisdiction.

(b) Each of the parties hereto irrevocably and unconditionally waives, to the fullest extent it may legally and effectively do so, any objection that it may now or hereafter have to the laying of venue of any suit, action or proceeding arising out of or relating to this Agreement or the other Loan Documents in any New York State or federal court. Each of the parties hereto hereby irrevocably waives, to the fullest extent permitted by law, the defense of an inconvenient forum to the maintenance of such action or proceeding in any such court.

SECTION 9.12. WAIVER OF JURY TRIAL . EACH OF HOLDINGS, THE BORROWERS, THE AGENT AND THE LENDERS HEREBY IRREVOCABLY WAIVES ALL RIGHT TO TRIAL BY JURY IN ANY ACTION, PROCEEDING OR COUNTERCLAIM (WHETHER BASED ON CONTRACT, TORT OR OTHERWISE) ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THIS AGREEMENT OR THE OTHER LOAN DOCUMENTS OR THE ACTIONS OF THE AGENT, OR ANY LENDER IN THE NEGOTIATION, ADMINISTRATION, PERFORMANCE OR ENFORCEMENT THEREOF.

SECTION 9.13. Release of Collateral or Guarantee Obligation . (a)  Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein or in any other Loan Document, the Agent is hereby irrevocably authorized by each Lender (without requirement of consent of or notice to any Lender) to take (or request that the Collateral Agent take), and hereby agrees to take (or request that the Collateral Agent take), any action requested by the Borrowers having the effect of releasing any Collateral or guarantee obligations (i) to the extent necessary to permit consummation of any transaction not prohibited by any Loan Document (including, without limitation, any Permitted Disposition) or that has been consented to in accordance with Section 9.01; provided that the guarantee obligations of Sears may not be released without the consent of the Required Lenders, or (ii) under the circumstances described in paragraph (b) below.

(b) At such time as the Loans and all other Obligations shall have been paid in full in cash and the Commitments have been terminated, the Collateral shall be released from the Liens created by the Security Documents, and the Security Documents and all obligations (other than those expressly stated to survive such termination) of the Collateral Agent and each Loan Party under the Security Documents shall terminate, all without delivery of any instrument or performance of any act by any Person.

(c) Each of the Lenders irrevocably authorizes and directs the Agent to, and upon the request of the Borrower the Agent shall, take (or request that the Collateral Agent take) such actions and enter into such agreements or instruments as may be necessary or appropriate to subordinate, or make pari passu or senior, as the case may be, any Lien on any Collateral or other property granted to or held by the Agent or Collateral Agent under or in connection with any Loan Document to the Liens securing any First Lien Credit Agreement, other Priority Obligations or other Debt not constituting Priority Obligations, in each case to the extent such Debt and Liens are otherwise permitted to be incurred hereunder.

SECTION 9.14. PATRIOT Act Notice . Each Lender that is subject to the PATRIOT Act and the Agent (for itself and not on behalf of any Lender) hereby notifies each Borrower that pursuant to the requirements of the PATRIOT Act, it is required to obtain, verify and record information that identifies each Borrower, which information includes the name and address of such Borrower and other information that will allow such Lender or the Agent, as applicable, to identify such Borrower in accordance with the PATRIOT Act. Each Borrower hereby agrees to provide such information promptly upon the request of any Lender or the Agent.

 

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SECTION 9.15. Integration . This Agreement and the other Loan Documents represent the agreement of Holdings, the Borrowers, the Agent and the Lenders with respect to the subject matter hereof and thereof, and there are no promises, undertakings, representations or warranties by the Agent, the Collateral Agent or any Lender relative to subject matter hereof and thereof not expressly set forth or referred to herein or in the other Loan Documents.

SECTION 9.16. Replacement of Lenders . If any Lender requests compensation under Section 2.12 or if the Borrowers are required to pay any additional amount to any Lender or any Governmental Authority for the account of any Lender pursuant to Section 2.15 , if any Lender does not consent (a “ Non-Consenting Lender ”) to a proposed amendment, waiver, consent or release with respect to any Loan Document that requires the consent of each Lender (or each Lender of a Class) and that has been approved by the Required Lenders (or a majority of such Class) or any Lender is a Defaulting Lender, then the Borrowers may, at their sole expense and effort, upon notice to such Lender and the Agent, require such Lender to assign and delegate, without recourse (in accordance with and subject to the restrictions contained in, and consents required by, Section 9.07 ), all of its interests, rights and obligations under this Agreement and the related Loan Documents to an assignee that shall assume such obligations (which assignee may be another Lender, if a Lender accepts such assignment), provided that:

(a) the Borrowers shall have paid to the Agent the assignment fee specified in Section 9.07 ;

(b) such Lender shall have received payment of an amount equal to (i) the outstanding principal of its ratable share of the Term Loan or (ii) the outstanding principal of its Line of Credit Loans, as applicable, in each case plus accrued interest thereon, accrued fees and all other amounts payable to it hereunder and under the other Loan Documents from the assignee (to the extent of such outstanding principal and accrued interest and fees) or the Borrowers (in the case of all other amounts);

(c) in the case of any such assignment resulting from a claim for compensation under Section 2.12 or payments required to be made pursuant to Section 2.15 , such assignment will result in a reduction in such compensation or payments thereafter;

(d) with respect to the replacement of any Non-Consenting Lender, such amendment, waiver or consent can be effected as a result of such assignment (together with all other assignments required by the Agent to be made pursuant to this paragraph); and

(d) such assignment does not conflict with applicable laws.

A Lender shall not be required to make any such assignment or delegation if, prior thereto, as a result of a waiver by such Lender or otherwise, the circumstances entitling the Borrowers to require such assignment and delegation cease to apply.

SECTION 9.17. No Advisory or Fiduciary Capacity . In connection with all aspects of each transaction contemplated hereby, the Loan Parties each acknowledge and agree that: (i) the credit facility provided for hereunder and any related arranging or other services in connection therewith (including in connection with any amendment, waiver or other modification hereof or of any other Loan Document) are an arm s-length commercial transaction between the Loan Parties, on the one hand, and the Credit Parties, on the other hand, and each of the Loan Parties is capable of evaluating and understanding and understands and accepts the terms, risks and conditions of the transactions contemplated hereby and by the other Loan Documents (including any amendment, waiver or other modification hereof or thereof); (ii) in connection with the process leading to such transaction, the each Credit Party is and has been acting solely as a principal and is not the financial advisor, agent or fiduciary, for the Loan Parties or any of their respective Affiliates, stockholders, creditors or employees or any other Person; (iii) none of the Credit Parties has assumed or will assume an advisory, agency or fiduciary responsibility in favor of the Loan Parties with respect to any of the transactions contemplated hereby or the process leading thereto, including with respect to any amendment, waiver or other modification hereof or of any other Loan Document (irrespective of whether any of the Credit Parties has advised or is currently advising any Loan Party or any of its Affiliates on other matters) and none of the Credit Parties has any obligation to any Loan Party or any of its Affiliates with respect to the transactions contemplated hereby except those obligations expressly set forth herein and in the other Loan Documents; (iv) the Credit Parties and their respective Affiliates may be engaged in a broad range of transactions that involve interests that differ from those

 

75


of the Loan Parties and their respective Affiliates, and none of the Credit Parties has any obligation to disclose any of such interests by virtue of any advisory, agency or fiduciary relationship; and (v) the Credit Parties have not provided and will not provide any legal, accounting, regulatory or tax advice with respect to any of the transactions contemplated hereby (including any amendment, waiver or other modification hereof or of any other Loan Document) and each of the Loan Parties has consulted its own legal, accounting, regulatory and tax advisors to the extent it has deemed appropriate. Each of the Loan Parties hereby waives and releases, to the fullest extent permitted by law, any claims that it may have against each of the Credit Parties with respect to any breach or alleged breach of agency or fiduciary duty.

ARTICLE X

GUARANTEE

SECTION 10.01. Guarantee .

(a) Each of the Guarantors (other than the Borrowers) hereby, jointly and severally, unconditionally and irrevocably, guarantees to the Agent, for the ratable benefit of the Credit Parties and their respective successors, indorsees, transferees and assigns, the prompt and complete payment and performance by each Borrower when due (whether at the stated maturity, by acceleration or otherwise) of the Obligations of such Borrower. Each Borrower hereby, jointly and severally, unconditionally and irrevocably, guarantees to the Agent, for the ratable benefit of the Credit Parties and their respective successors, indorsees, transferees and assigns, the prompt and complete payment and performance by each other Borrower when due (whether at the stated maturity, by acceleration or otherwise) of the Obligations of each such other Borrower.

(b) Anything herein or in any other Loan Document to the contrary notwithstanding, the maximum liability of each Guarantor (other than, as to their respective Obligations, the Borrowers) hereunder and under the other Loan Documents shall in no event exceed the amount which can be guaranteed by such Guarantor under applicable federal and state laws relating to the insolvency of debtors (after giving effect to the right of contribution established in Section 10.02).

(c) Each Guarantor agrees that the Obligations may at any time and from time to time exceed the amount of the liability of such Guarantor hereunder without impairing the guarantee contained in this Article X or affecting the rights and remedies of any Agent or any other Credit Party hereunder.

(d) The guarantee contained in this Article X shall remain in full force and effect until all the Obligations (other than contingent indemnification obligations for which no claim shall have then been asserted) and the obligations of each Guarantor under the guarantee contained in this Article X shall have been satisfied by payment in full, notwithstanding that from time to time during the term of this Agreement any of the Borrowers may be free from any Obligations.

(e) No payment made by any of the Borrowers, any of the Guarantors, any other guarantor or any other Person or received or collected by the Agent or any other Credit Party from any of the Borrowers, any of the Guarantors, any other guarantor or any other Person by virtue of any action or proceeding or any set-off or appropriation or application at any time or from time to time in reduction of or in payment of any of the Obligations shall be deemed to modify, reduce, release or otherwise affect the liability of any Guarantor hereunder which shall, notwithstanding any such payment (other than any payment made by such Guarantor in respect of any of the Obligations or any payment received or collected from such Guarantor in respect of any of the Obligations), remain liable for the Obligations up to the maximum liability of such Guarantor hereunder until each of the Obligations (other than contingent indemnification obligations for which no claim shall have then been asserted) are paid in full.

SECTION 10.02. Right of Contribution . Each Guarantor (other than Holdings) hereby agrees that to the extent that a Guarantor (other than Holdings) shall have paid more than its proportionate share of any payment made hereunder, such Guarantor shall be entitled to seek and receive contribution from and against any other Guarantor (other than Holdings) hereunder which has not paid its proportionate share of such payment. Each Guarantor s (other than Holdings ) right of contribution shall be subject to the terms and conditions of Section 10.03. The provisions of this Section 10.02 shall in no respect limit the obligations and liabilities of any Guarantor to the

 

76


Agent and the other Credit Parties, and each Guarantor shall remain liable to the Agent and the other Credit Parties for the full amount guaranteed by such Guarantor hereunder. This Section 10.02 shall not apply to Sears in its capacity as a Guarantor of the Obligations of SRAC, or to Kmart in its capacity as a Guarantor of the Obligations of Kmart Corp.

SECTION 10.03. No Subrogation . Notwithstanding any payment made by any Guarantor hereunder or any set-off or application of funds of any Guarantor by the Agent or any other Credit Party, no Guarantor shall be entitled to be subrogated to any of the rights of the Agent or any other Credit Party against any Borrower or any other Guarantor or any collateral security or guarantee or right of offset held by the Agent or any other Credit Party for the payment of any of the Obligations, nor shall any Guarantor seek or be entitled to seek any contribution, reimbursement or indemnification from any Borrower or any other Guarantor in respect of payments made by such Guarantor hereunder, and notwithstanding the foregoing, in the event that any Guarantor possesses any such rights of subrogation, contribution, reimbursement or indemnification, all such rights shall in all respects be subordinated and junior in right of payment, until (other than with respect to subrogation claims that would otherwise be held by Holdings) all amounts owing to the Agent and the other Credit Parties by each of the Borrowers on account of its Obligations (other than contingent indemnification obligations for which no claim shall have then been asserted) are paid in full. If any amount shall be paid to any Guarantor on account of such subrogation, contribution, reimbursement or indemnification rights at any time when any of the Obligations (other than contingent indemnification obligations for which no claim shall have then been asserted) shall not have been paid in full, such amount shall be held by such Guarantor in trust for the Agent and the other Credit Parties, segregated from other funds of such Guarantor, and shall, forthwith upon receipt by such Guarantor, be transferred as the Agent directs in the exact form received by such Guarantor (duly indorsed by such Guarantor to the Agent, if required), to be applied against the Obligations, whether matured or unmatured, in such order as the Agent may determine.

SECTION 10.04. Amendments, etc. with Respect to Obligations . Each Guarantor shall remain obligated hereunder notwithstanding that, without any reservation of rights against any Guarantor and without notice to or further assent by any Guarantor, any demand for payment of any of the Obligations made by the Agent or any other Credit Party may be rescinded by the Agent or such other Credit Party and any of the Obligations continued, and any of the Obligations, or the liability of any other Person upon or for any part thereof, or any collateral security or guarantee therefor or right of offset with respect thereto, may, from time to time, in whole or in part, be renewed, extended, amended, modified, accelerated, compromised, waived, surrendered or released by the Agent, the Collateral Agent or any other Credit Party, and this Agreement and the other Loan Documents and any other documents executed and delivered in connection therewith may be amended, modified, supplemented or terminated, in whole or in part, as the Agent (or the Required Lenders or all Lenders, as the case may be) or any other Credit Party, if applicable, may deem advisable from time to time, and any collateral security, guarantee or right of offset at any time held by the Agent or any other Credit Party for the payment of any of the Obligations may be sold, exchanged, waived, surrendered or released. Neither the Agent nor any other Credit Party shall have any obligation to any Loan Party or other Person, to protect, secure, perfect or insure any Lien at any time held by it as security for any of the Obligations or for the guarantee contained in this Article X or any property subject thereto.

SECTION 10.05. Guarantee Absolute and Unconditional .

(a) Each Guarantor waives any and all notice of the creation, renewal, extension or accrual of any of the Obligations and notice of or proof of reliance by the Agent or any other Credit Party upon the guarantee contained in this Article X or acceptance of the guarantee contained in this Article X; each of the Obligations, and any of them, shall conclusively be deemed to have been created, contracted or incurred, or renewed, extended, amended or waived, in reliance upon the guarantee contained in this Article X; and all dealings between any of the Borrowers and any of the Guarantors, on the one hand, and the Agent and the other Credit Parties, on the other hand, likewise shall be conclusively presumed to have been had or consummated in reliance upon the guarantee contained in this Article X. Each Guarantor waives diligence, presentment, protest, demand for payment and notice of default or nonpayment to or upon any of the Borrowers or any of the Guarantors with respect to any of the Obligations. Each Guarantor understands and agrees that the guarantee contained in this Article X shall be construed as a continuing, absolute and unconditional guarantee of payment without regard to (i) the validity or enforceability of this Agreement, any other Loan Document or any other document made, delivered or given in connection with any of the foregoing, any of the Obligations or any other collateral security therefor or guarantee or right of offset with respect thereto at any time or from time to time held by the Agent or any other Credit Party, (ii) any defense, set-off or counterclaim (other than a defense of payment or performance) which may at any time be available to or be asserted by any Borrower or any

 

77


other Person against the Agent or any other Credit Party, or (iii) any other circumstance whatsoever (with or without notice to or knowledge of any Borrower or such Guarantor) which constitutes, or might be construed to constitute, an equitable or legal discharge of any of the Borrowers for the Obligations, or of such Guarantor under the guarantee contained in this Article X, in bankruptcy or in any other instance. When making any demand hereunder or otherwise pursuing its rights and remedies hereunder against any Guarantor, the Agent or any other Credit Party may, but shall be under no obligation to, make a similar demand on or otherwise pursue such rights and remedies as it may have against the Borrowers, any other Guarantor or any other Person or against any collateral security or guarantee for any of the Obligations or any right of offset with respect thereto, and any failure by the Agent or any other Credit Party to make any such demand, to pursue such other rights or remedies or to collect any payments from any of the Borrowers, any other Guarantor or any other Person or to realize upon any such collateral security or guarantee or to exercise any such right of offset, or any release of any Borrower, any other Guarantor or any other Person or any such collateral security, guarantee or right of offset, shall not relieve any Guarantor of any obligation or liability hereunder, and shall not impair or affect the rights and remedies, whether express, implied or available as a matter of law, of the Agent or any other Credit Party against any Guarantor. For the purposes hereof “demand” shall include the commencement and continuance of any legal proceedings.

(b) The obligations of each Guarantor hereunder shall not be discharged or impaired or otherwise affected by the failure of the Agent or any other Credit Party to assert any claim or demand or to enforce any remedy under this Agreement, any other Loan Document or any other document made, delivered or given in connection with any of the foregoing or any other agreement, by any default, failure or delay, willful or otherwise, in the performance of any of the Obligations, or by any other act or omission that may or might in any manner or to any extent vary the risk of any Guarantor or that would otherwise operate as a discharge of any Guarantor as a matter of law or equity (other than upon a written release of such Guarantor from the Agent or upon the indefeasible payment in full in cash of all the Obligations).

(c) The Agent and the other Credit Parties may, at their election upon the occurrence and during the continuance of an Event of Default, foreclose on any Collateral held by one or more of them by one or more judicial or non-judicial sales, accept an assignment of any such Collateral in lieu of foreclosure, compromise or adjust any part of the Obligations, make any other accommodation with any Guarantor, or exercise any other right or remedy available to them against any Guarantor, without affecting or impairing in any way the liability of any other Guarantor hereunder except to the extent that all the Obligations (other than contingent indemnification obligations for which no claim shall have then been asserted) have been indefeasibly paid in full in cash. 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 any other Guarantor, as the case may be, or any Collateral.

SECTION 10.06. Reinstatement . The guarantee contained in this Article X shall continue to be effective, or be reinstated, as the case may be, if at any time payment, or any part thereof, of any of the Obligations is rescinded or must otherwise be restored or returned by the Agent or any other Credit Party upon the insolvency, bankruptcy, dissolution, liquidation or reorganization of any Borrower or any Guarantor, or upon or as a result of the appointment of a receiver, intervenor or conservator of, or trustee or similar officer for, any Borrower or any Guarantor or any substantial part of its property, or otherwise, all as though such payments had not been made.

SECTION 10.07. Payments . Each Guarantor hereby guarantees that payments hereunder will be paid without set-off or counterclaim in Dollars, to such account as the Agent may designate in accordance with Section 9.02 of this Agreement.

SECTION 10.08. Additional Guarantors . Each Subsidiary of the Borrowers that is required to become a party to this Agreement pursuant to Section 6.01(i) shall become a Guarantor for all purposes of this Agreement upon execution and delivery by such Subsidiary of a joinder to this Agreement substantially in the form of Exhibit J hereto.

SECTION 10.09. Releases . At the request and sole expense of the Borrowers, the Agent shall release any Guarantor from its obligations hereunder, including, without limitation, its obligations pursuant to Article X hereof, and shall execute and deliver to the Borrowers all releases or other documentation reasonably necessary or desirable to evidence such release, in the event that all the equity interest of such Guarantor shall be sold, transferred or otherwise disposed of in a transaction permitted by this Agreement and/or in the event that such Guarantor shall dispose of all or substantially all of its assets and shall cease to own any Collateral.

 

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SECTION 10.10. Additional Line of Credit Lenders . Each Person that desires to become a party to this Agreement in order to make a Line of Credit Loan shall become a Line of Credit Lender for all purposes of this Agreement upon execution and delivery by such prospective Line of Credit Lender of a joinder to this Agreement substantially in the form of Exhibit K hereto.

[Remainder of page intentionally left blank]

 

79


IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Agreement to be executed by their respective officers thereunto duly authorized, as of the date first above written.

 

SEARS HOLDINGS CORPORATION
By:  

 

Name:   Robert A. Riecker
Title:  

Vice President, Controller and

Chief Accounting Officer

KMART CORPORATION
By:  

 

Name:   Robert A. Riecker
Title:   Vice President, Controller and
  Chief Accounting Officer
SEARS ROEBUCK ACCEPTANCE CORPORATION
By:  

 

Name:   Robert A. Riecker
Title:   Vice President, Finance

[Signature Page Second Lien Credit Agreement]


A&E HOME DELIVERY, LLC
By:  

 

Name:   Robert A. Riecker
Title:   Vice President
A&E LAWN & GARDEN, LLC
By:  

 

Name:   Robert A. Riecker
Title:   Vice President
A&E SIGNATURE SERVICE, LLC
By:  

 

Name:   Robert A. Riecker
Title:   Vice President
CALIFORNIA BUILDER APPLIANCES, INC.
By:  

 

Name:   Robert A. Riecker
Title:   Vice President
FLORIDA BUILDER APPLIANCES, INC.
By:  

 

Name:   Robert A. Riecker
Title:   Vice President
KLC, INC.
By:  

 

Name:   Robert A. Riecker
Title:   Vice President
KMART HOLDING CORPORATION
By:  

 

Name:   Robert A. Riecker
Title:   Vice President, Controller and
  Chief Accounting Officer
KMART OF MICHIGAN, INC.
By:  

 

Name:   Robert A. Riecker
Title:   Vice President

[Signature Page Second Lien Credit Agreement]


KMART OF WASHINGTON LLC
By:   Kmart Corporation, as Sole Member
By:  

 

Name:   Robert A. Riecker
Title:   Vice President, Controller and
  Chief Accounting Officer
KMART OPERATIONS LLC
By:  

 

Name:   Robert A. Riecker
Title:   Vice President, Controller and
  Chief Accounting Officer
KMART STORES OF ILLINOIS LLC
By:   Kmart Corporation, as Sole Member
By:  

 

Name:   Robert A. Riecker
Title:   Vice President, Controller and
  Chief Accounting Officer
KMART STORES OF TEXAS LLC
By:   Kmart Corporation, as Sole Member
By:  

 

Name:   Robert A. Riecker
Title:   Vice President, Controller and
  Chief Accounting Officer
KMART.COM LLC
By:   BlueLight.com, as Sole Member
By:  

 

Name:   Lawrence J. Meerschaert
Title:   Vice President

[Signature Page Second Lien Credit Agreement]


MYGOFER LLC
By: Kmart Corporation, as Sole Member
By:  

 

Name:   Robert A. Riecker
Title:  

Vice President, Controller and

Chief Accounting Officer

PRIVATE BRANDS, LTD.
By:  

 

Name:   Robert A. Riecker
Title:   Vice President
SEARS BRANDS MANAGEMENT CORPORATION
By:  

 

Name:   Robert A. Riecker
Title:   Vice President
SEARS HOLDINGS MANAGEMENT CORPORATION
By:  

 

Name:   Robert A. Riecker
Title:   Vice President, Controller and
  Chief Accounting Officer
SEARS HOME IMPROVEMENT PRODUCTS, INC.
By:  

 

Name:   Robert A. Riecker
Title:   President
SEARS OPERATIONS LLC
By:  

 

Name:   Robert A. Riecker
Title:   Vice President, Controller and
  Chief Accounting Officer
SEARS PROTECTION COMPANY
By:  

 

Name:   Robert A. Riecker
Title:   Vice President

[Signature Page Second Lien Credit Agreement]


 

SEARS PROTECTION COMPANY (FLORIDA), L.L.C.
By:  

 

Name:   Robert A. Riecker
Title:   Vice President
SEARS, ROEBUCK AND CO.
By:  

 

Name:   Robert A. Riecker
Title:   Vice President, Controller and
  Chief Accounting Officer
SEARS, ROEBUCK DE PUERTO RICO, INC.
By:  

 

Name:   Robert A. Riecker
Title:   Vice President
SOE, INC.
By:  

 

Name:   Robert A. Riecker
Title:   Vice President
STARWEST, LLC
By:  

 

Name:   Robert A. Riecker
Title:   Vice President
A&E FACTORY SERVICE, LLC
By:  

 

Name:   Robert A. Riecker
Title:   Vice President

[Signature Page Second Lien Credit Agreement]


JPP, LLC,
as Agent and as a Lender
By:  

 

Name:  

 

Title:  

 

JPP II, LLC,

as a Lender

By:  

 

Name:  

 

Title:  

 

[Signature Page Second Lien Credit Agreement]


EXHIBIT B

ASSIGNMENT AND ACCEPTANCE

This Assignment and Acceptance (this “ Assignment and Acceptance ”) is dated as of the Effective Date set forth below and is entered into by and between [the][each] 1 Assignor identified in item 1 below ([the][each, an] “ Assignor ”) and [the][each] 2 Assignee identified in item 2 below ([the][each, an] “ Assignee ”). [It is understood and agreed that the rights and obligations of [the Assignors][the Assignees] 3 hereunder are several and not joint.] 4 Capitalized terms used but not defined herein shall have the meanings given to them in the Credit Agreement identified below (the “ Credit Agreement ”), receipt of a copy of which is hereby acknowledged by [each, the] Assignee. The Standard Terms and Conditions set forth in Annex 1 attached hereto are hereby agreed to and incorporated herein by reference and made a part of this Assignment and Acceptance as if set forth herein in full.

For an agreed consideration, [the][each] Assignor hereby irrevocably sells and assigns to [the Assignee][the respective Assignees], and [the][each] Assignee hereby irrevocably purchases and assumes from [the Assignor][the respective Assignors], subject to and in accordance with the Standard Terms and Conditions and the Credit Agreement, as of the Effective Date inserted by the Agent as contemplated below (i) the portion of [the Assignor s][the respective Assignors ] rights and obligations in [its capacity as a [Term Lender][Line of Credit Lender]][their respective capacities as [Term Lenders][Line of Credit Lenders]] under the Credit Agreement and any other documents or instruments delivered pursuant thereto identified below and (ii) 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 [Term Lender][Line of Credit Lender])][the respective Assignors (in their respective capacities as [Term Lenders][Line of Credit Lenders])] 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, but not limited to, 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 (i) above (the rights and obligations sold and assigned by [the][any] Assignor to [the][any] Assignee pursuant to clauses (i) and (ii) above being referred to herein collectively as [the][an] “ Assigned Interest ”). Each such sale and assignment is without recourse to [the][any] Assignor and, except as expressly provided in this Assignment and Acceptance, without representation or warranty by [the][any] Assignor.

 

1. Assignor[s] :                                                  

 

1   For bracketed language here and elsewhere in this form relating to the Assignor(s), if the assignment is from a single Assignor, choose the first bracketed language. If the assignment is from multiple Assignors, choose the second bracketed language.
2   For bracketed language here and elsewhere in this form relating to the Assignee(s), if the assignment is to a single Assignee, choose the first bracketed language. If the assignment is to multiple Assignees, choose the second bracketed language.
3   Select as appropriate.
4   Include bracketed language if there are either multiple Assignors or multiple Assignees.


                                                                             

 

2. Assignee[s] :                                                  

 

                                                                             

 

3. Borrowers : Sears Roebuck Acceptance Corp., a Delaware corporation, and Kmart Corporation, a Michigan corporation.

 

4. Agent : JPP, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company, as the Agent under the Credit Agreement.

 

5. Credit Agreement : [ Second Lien Credit Agreement dated as of September 1, 2016 ] (as such may be amended, modified, supplemented or restated hereafter, the “ Credit Agreement ”) by, among others, Sears Holdings Corporation, the Borrowers, certain subsidiaries of Sears Holding Corporation, the Lenders party thereto and JPP, LLC, as Agent.

 

6. Assigned Interest[s] :

 

Assignor[s] 5

  

Assignee[s] 6

  

Aggregate

Amount of

Term Loan

for all Term
Lenders 7

   Amount of
Term Loan
Assigned 8
     Percentage
Assigned of
Term Loan 9
     Aggregate
Amount of
Line of Credit Loans
for all Line of Credit
Lenders 10
     Amount of
Line of Credit
Loans
Assigned 11
     Percentage
Assigned of
Line of Credit
Loan 12
 
      $____________      $______        _________%        $____________        $______        _________%  
      $____________      $______        _________%        $____________        $______        _________%  

 

[7. Trade Date :                              ] 13

 

     Effective Date: [            ] [TO BE INSERTED BY AGENT AND WHICH SHALL BE THE DATE OF DELIVERY OF THIS ASSIGNMENT AND ACCEPTANCE FOR RECORDATION OF TRANSFER IN THE REGISTER THEREFOR.]

 

5   List each Assignor, as appropriate.
6   List each Assignee, as appropriate.
7   Amounts in this column and in the column immediately to the right to be adjusted by the counterparties to take into account any payments or prepayments made between the Trade Date and the Effective Date.
8   Subject to minimum amount requirements pursuant to Section 9.07(a) of the Credit Agreement.
9   Set forth, to at least 4 decimals, as a percentage of the Loan of all applicable Lenders thereunder.
10   Amounts in this column and in the column immediately to the right to be adjusted by the counterparties to take into account any payments or prepayments made between the Trade Date and the Effective Date.
11   Subject to minimum amount requirements pursuant to Section 9.07(a) of the Credit Agreement.
12   Set forth, to at least 4 decimals, as a percentage of the Loan of all applicable Lenders thereunder.
13   To be completed if the Assignor and the Assignee intend that the minimum assignment amount is to be determined as of the Trade Date.


The terms set forth in this Assignment and Acceptance are hereby agreed to:

 

ASSIGNOR
[NAME OF ASSIGNOR]
By:  

 

Name:  

 

Title:  

 

ASSIGNEE
[NAME OF ASSIGNEE]
By:  

 

Name:  

 

Title:  

 

 

[Consented to and] 14 Accepted:
JPP, LLC, as
Agent  
By:  

 

Name:  

 

Title:  

 

 

 

14 To the extent that the Agent s consent is required under Section 9.07(a) of the Credit Agreement.


[Consented to:] 15
SEARS ROEBUCK ACCEPTANCE CORP., as a Borrower
By:  

 

Name:  

 

Title:  

 

KMART CORPORATION, as a Borrower
By:  

 

Name:  

 

Title:  

 

 

 

15   To the extent required under Section 9.07(a) of the Credit Agreement.


ANNEX 1 TO ASSIGNMENT AND ACCEPTANCE

STANDARD TERMS AND CONDITIONS FOR

ASSIGNMENT AND ACCEPTANCE

1. Representations and Warranties .

1.1. Assignor . [The][Each] Assignor (a) represents and warrants that (i) it is the legal and beneficial owner of [the][[the relevant] Assigned Interest, (ii) [the][such] Assigned Interest is free and clear of any lien, encumbrance or other adverse claim and (iii) it has full power and authority, and has taken all action necessary, to execute and deliver this Assignment and Acceptance and to consummate the transactions contemplated hereby; 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, (ii) the execution, legality, validity, enforceability, genuineness, sufficiency or value of the Loan Documents or any collateral thereunder, (iii) the financial condition of the Loan Parties or any other Person obligated in respect of any Loan Document or (iv) the performance or observance by the Loan Parties or any other Person of any of their respective obligations under any Loan Document.

1.2. Assignee . [The][Each] 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 Acceptance and to consummate the transactions contemplated hereby and to become a Lender under the Credit Agreement, (ii) it meets all the requirements to be an Eligible Assignee under the Credit Agreement (subject to such consents, if any, as may be required under Section 9.07(a) 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][the relevant] 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][such] Assigned Interest and either it, or the Person exercising discretion in making its decision to acquire [the][such] 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 6.01(j) thereof, as applicable, and such other documents and information as it deems appropriate to make its own credit analysis and decision to enter into this Assignment and Acceptance and to purchase [the][such] Assigned Interest, (vi) it has, independently and without reliance upon the Agent or any other Lender and based on such documents and information as it has deemed appropriate, made its own credit analysis and decision to enter into this Assignment and Acceptance and to purchase [the][such] Assigned Interest, and (vii) if it is a Lender that is organized under the laws of a jurisdiction other than that in which the Borrowers are residents for tax purposes, to the extent reasonably requested by the Agent, attached hereto are duly completed and executed by [the][such] Assignee, any U.S. Internal Revenue Service forms required under Section 2.15 of the Credit Agreement; and (b) agrees that (i) it will, independently and without reliance upon the Agent, [the][any] Assignor or any other Lender, and based on such documents and 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 First Amendment Effective Date, the Agent shall make all payments in respect of [the][each] Assigned Interest (including payments of principal, interest, fees and other amounts) to [the][the relevant] Assignor for amounts which have accrued up to but excluding the Effective Date and to [the][the relevant] Assignee for amounts which have accrued from and after the Effective Date. ] 16 [Unless the Assignor[s] and Assignee[s] otherwise agree, [the][each] Assignee shall pay to [the][each] Assignor the interest payment amounts indicated below on the Effective Date. Once such payments are received by [the][each] Assignor, after the Effective Date, the Agent shall make all payments in respect of [the][each] Assigned Interest (including payments of principal, interest, fees and other amounts) to [the][each] Assignee for all accrued amounts. ] 17

 

Assignor[s] 18

   Assignee[s] 19      Aggregate
Amount of
Term Loan
for all Term
Lenders
     Amount of
Term
Loan
Assigned
     Interest
Payment
from
Assignee to
Assignor
 
      $ ____________      $ ______        _________
      $ ____________      $ ______        _________

3. General Provisions . This Assignment and Acceptance shall be binding upon, and inure to the benefit of, the parties hereto and their respective successors and assigns. This Assignment and Acceptance may be executed in any number of counterparts, which together shall constitute one instrument. Delivery of an executed counterpart of a signature page of this Assignment and Acceptance by telecopy shall be effective as delivery of a manually executed counterpart of this Assignment and Acceptance. This agreement shall be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the laws of the State of New York.

4. Fees . This Assignment and Acceptance shall be delivered to the Agent with a processing and recordation fee of $3,500, to the extent required by the terms of the Credit Agreement, unless such fee has been waived by the Agent in its sole discretion.

 

16   Choose if cash interest has been Elected.

 

17   Choose if PIK Payments have been Elected or if no Election has been made with respect to such interest.

 

18   List each Assignor, as appropriate.

 

19   List each Assignee, as appropriate.


EXHIBIT I

Form of Compliance Certificate

COMPLIANCE CERTIFICATE

Date of Certificate:                      , 20__

 

To: JPP, LLC, as Agent

c/o ESL Investments, Inc.,

1170 Kane Concourse, Suite 200

Bay Harbor Islands, FL 33154

Attention: Edward S. Lampert, CEO

Ladies and Gentlemen:

Reference is made to a certain Second Lien Credit Agreement, dated as of September 1, 2016 (as modified, amended, supplemented or restated and in effect from time to time, the “ Credit Agreement ”) by, among others, Sears Holdings Corporation, a Delaware corporation (“ Holdings ”), Sears Roebuck Acceptance Corp., a Delaware corporation, and Kmart Corporation, a Michigan corporation (individually, a “ Borrower ”, and collectively, the “ Borrowers ”), the lenders from time to time party thereto and JPP, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company, as administrative agent and collateral administrator (the “ Agent ”). Capitalized terms used herein and not defined herein shall have the meanings assigned to such terms in the Credit Agreement.

The undersigned, as a duly authorized and acting Authorized Officer of Holdings, hereby certifies on behalf of Holdings and each of the other Loan Parties as of the date hereof the following:

 

1. No Defaults or Events of Default .

 

  (a) Since                      (the date of the last similar certification), and except as set forth in Appendix I , no Default or Event of Default has occurred.

 

  (b) If a Default or Event of Default has occurred since                      (the date of the last similar certification), the Loan Parties have taken or propose to take those actions with respect to such Default or Event of Default as described on said Appendix I .

 

2. Financial Calculations .

 

  (a) Attached hereto as Appendix IIA are reasonably detailed calculations necessary to determine the Fixed Charge Ratio as of the last day of the [fiscal quarter][fiscal year] ended                      (whether or not compliance therewith is then required under Section 6.03 of the Credit Agreement).


  (b) Attached hereto as Appendix IIB are reasonably detailed calculations necessary to determine Excess Cash Flow for the fiscal year ended                      . 16 20

 

3. Financial Statements .

[ Use following paragraph (a) for fiscal quarter-end financial statements ]

 

  (a) Attached hereto as Appendix III are the unaudited consolidated balance sheet of Holdings and its Subsidiaries for the fiscal quarter ended                     , and the consolidated balance sheet of Holdings and its domestic Subsidiaries as of the end of such fiscal quarter, and the consolidated statements of income and cash flows of Holdings and its Subsidiaries and the consolidated statements of income and cash flows of Holdings and its domestic Subsidiaries for the period commencing at the end of the previous fiscal year and ending with the end of such quarter (or if not attached, a copy of the quarterly report filed with the SEC on form 10-Q, reflecting such consolidated balance sheets and consolidated statements of income and cash flows, has been delivered to the Agent in accordance with Section 9.02(b) of the Credit Agreement).

[ Use following paragraphs (b) and (c) for fiscal year-end financial statements ]

 

  (b) Attached hereto as Appendix III are the audited consolidated balance sheet of Holdings and its Subsidiaries for the fiscal year ended                     , and the consolidated statements of income and cash flows of Holdings and its Subsidiaries for such fiscal year, accompanied by a report without a “going concern” or like qualification or exception, or qualification arising out of the scope of the audit, which report has been prepared by a Board-appointed auditor of national standing (or if not attached, a copy of the annual report filed with the SEC on form 10-K, reflecting such consolidated balance sheet and consolidated statements of income and cash flows of Holdings and its Subsidiaries, has been delivered to the Agent in accordance with Section 9.02(b) of the Credit Agreement).

 

  (c) Attached hereto as Appendix IV are the unaudited consolidated balance sheet of Holdings and its domestic Subsidiaries for the fiscal year ended                     , and the consolidated statements of income and cash flows of Holdings and its domestic Subsidiaries for such fiscal year.

 

4. No Material Accounting Changes, Etc .

 

  (a) The financial statements furnished to the Agent for the [fiscal quarter/fiscal year] ended                     were prepared in accordance with GAAP.

 

  (b) Except as set forth in Appendix V , there has been no change in GAAP used in the preparation of the financial statements furnished to the Agent for the [fiscal quarter/fiscal year] ended                     . If any such change has occurred, a statement of reconciliation conforming such financial statements to GAAP is attached hereto in Appendix V if necessary for the calculation of the Fixed Charge Ratio.

 

5. Collateral Coverage .

 

 

16 20   Include only with fiscal year-end financial statements


  (a) Set forth below are the Borrowing Base and the Total Extensions of Credit as of the last day of the [fiscal quarter][fiscal year] ended                      .

Borrowing Base :                                                   

Total Extensions of Credit :                                  

[Signature page follows]


IN WITNESS WHEREOF, a duly authorized and acting Authorized Officer of Holdings, on behalf of Holdings and each of the other Loan Parties, has duly executed this Compliance Certificate as of                     , 20    .

 

HOLDINGS:
SEARS HOLDINGS CORPORATION
By:  

 

Name:  
Title:  


APPENDIX I

Except as set forth below, no Default or Event of Default has occurred. [If a Default or Event of Default has occurred, the following describes the nature of the Default or Event of Default in reasonable detail and the steps, if any, being taken or contemplated by the Loan Parties to be taken on account thereof.]


APPENDIX IIA

A. Calculation of Fixed Charge Ratio : Required whether or not compliance under Section 6.03 of the Credit Agreement is then required. Calculated for the most recently ended four fiscal quarters.

 

1. Adjusted Consolidated EBITDA 17 21 for such period (all calculated on a Consolidated basis in accordance with GAAP (excluding any non-cash income already deducted from Consolidated Net Income in the calculation of Adjusted Consolidated EBITDA in a prior period)):

 

(a)    Consolidated Net Income for such period: Plus the following, without duplication and to extent deducted in determining Consolidated Net Income for such period:                            
(b)    Consolidated Interest Expense for such period:                            
(c)    income tax expense for such period:                            
(d)    all amounts attributable to depreciation and amortization expense for such period:                            
(e)    any items of loss resulting from the sale of assets other than in the ordinary course of business for such period:                            
(f)    any non-cash charges for tangible or intangible impairments or asset write downs for such period (excluding any write downs or write-offs of Inventory other than write-downs or write-offs of Inventory related to up to 100 store closings in any four consecutive fiscal quarters):                            
(g)    any other non-cash charges for such period (including non-cash charges arising from share-based payments to employees or directors, but excluding (1) any non- cash charge already added back to Consolidated Net   

 

17 21

For the purposes of calculating Adjusted Consolidated EBITDA in connection with any determination of the Fixed Charge Ratio, (i) if at any time during the applicable four-quarter period, Holdings or any of its Subsidiaries shall have made any Material Disposition, the Adjusted Consolidated EBITDA for such fiscal quarter shall be reduced by an amount equal to the Adjusted Consolidated EBITDA (if positive) attributable to the property that is the subject of such Material Disposition for such period or increased by an amount equal to the Adjusted Consolidated EBITDA (if negative) attributable thereto for such fiscal period and (ii) if at any time during the applicable four-quarter period, Holdings or any of its Subsidiaries shall have made a Material Acquisition, Adjusted Consolidated EBITDA for such period shall be calculated after giving pro forma effect thereto as if such Material Acquisition occurred on the first day of such period. As used in this definition, “Material Acquisition” means any acquisition of property or series of related acquisitions of property that (a) constitutes assets comprising all or substantially all of an operating unit of a business or constitutes all or substantially all of the common stock of a Person and (b) involves the payment of consideration by Holdings and its Subsidiaries in excess of $100,000,000; and “Material Disposition” means any Disposition of property or series of related Dispositions of property that yields gross proceeds to Holdings or any of its Subsidiaries in excess of $100,000,000.


     

Income in the calculation of Adjusted Consolidated EBITDA in a prior period, (2) any non-cash charge that relates to the write-down or write-off of Inventory other than write-downs or write-offs of Inventory related to up to 100 store closings in any four consecutive fiscal quarters, and (3) non-cash charges for which a cash payment is required to be made in that or any other period):

 

Minus the following, without duplication and to the extent included in Consolidated Net Income for such period:

                           
   (h)    any items of gain resulting from the sale of assets other than in the ordinary course of business for such period:                            
   (i)    any cash payments made during such period in respect of non-cash charges described in Line 1(g) above taken in a prior period:                            
   (j)    any non-cash items of income for such period:                            
   (k)    Adjusted Consolidated EBITDA [Line 1(a), plus the sum of Lines 1(b) through 1(g), minus the sum of Lines 1(h) through 1(j)]:                            
2.    Minus the following :   
   (a)    the unfinanced portion of Capital Expenditures made during such period (but including Capital Expenditures financed with proceeds of the revolving facility under the First Lien Credit Agreement):                            
   (b)    taxes paid in cash net of refunds during such period (but in no event less than zero):                            
3.    Line 1(k), minus Lines 2(a) and 2(b):   
4.    Fixed Charges for such period (all calculated on a Consolidated basis):                            
   (a)    Consolidated Interest Expense paid or payable in cash:   
      Plus   
   (b)    scheduled principal payments on Debt made during such period:                            
      Plus   
   (c)    Capital Lease Obligation payments made during such period:                            


   (d)    Fixed Charges [The sum of Lines 4(a) through 4(c)]:                            
5.    FIXED CHARGE RATIO AS OF THE FISCAL [QUARTER]   
   [YEAR] ENDED                              [Line 3 divided by Line 4(d)]:                            

B. Fixed Charge Ratio Covenant : During the continuance of a Covenant Compliance Event, each of Holdings and the Borrowers will not permit the Fixed Charge Ratio as of the last day of any fiscal quarter of Holdings to be less than 1.0 to 1.0.

 

1.    Is covenant required to be tested?    Yes _________    No _________
2.    If covenant is required to be tested, in compliance?    Yes _________    No _________


APPENDIX IIB

A. Calculation of Excess Cash Flow : The sum, without duplication, of:

 

1.

   Consolidated Net Income for such fiscal year (excluding gains and losses from the sale of assets or businesses outside the ordinary course of business included in the calculation of such Consolidated Net Income):    $                       
   Plus   

2.

   expenses reducing Consolidated Net Income incurred or made with respect to any Plan:    $                       
   Plus   

3.

   depreciation, amortization and other non-cash charges reducing Consolidated Net Income (excluding any non-cash charges to the extent they represent an accrual or reserve for potential cash charges in any future period or amortization of a prepaid cash gain that was paid in a prior period and excluding any such charges which were excluded in the calculation of Consolidated Net Income as set forth in Line A.1. above):    $                       

4.

   The sum of Lines 1-3:    $                       
   Minus the sum, without duplication, of the following :   

5.

   contributions made in cash to any Plan:    $                       
   Plus   

6.

   non-cash gains and other non-cash items increasing Consolidated Net Income (other than any such gains and items which were excluded in the calculation of Consolidated Net Income as set forth in Line A.1. above):    $                       
   Plus   

7.

   the amount of scheduled payments and mandatory prepayments of principal, interest, fees, premiums and make whole or prepayment payments on account of Debt for borrowed money made in cash (excluding any repayments of Obligations and of prepayments of any revolving credit facility (unless there is an equivalent permanent reduction in the commitments thereunder and excluding any such payments or prepayments to the extent financed with the proceeds of Debt)), and scheduled payments and mandatory prepayments of Capital Lease Obligations (excluding any interest expense portion thereof deducted in the calculation of Consolidated Net Income and excluding any such payments or prepayments to the extent financed with the proceeds of Debt):    $                       

 

116


   Plus   

8.

   the amount of optional prepayments of principal on account of Priority Obligations or the Term Loan made in cash during such fiscal year (as a result of which, in the case of the repayments under any revolving credit facility, the revolving credit commitments have been permanently reduced correspondingly), except to the extent that such prepayments are funded with Debt:    $                       
   Plus   

9.

   Capital Expenditures made in cash during such fiscal year, except to the extent financed with the proceeds of Debt:    $                       
   Plus   

10.

   the amount of Permitted Acquisitions and Permitted Investments (pursuant to clauses (d), (i), (o), (q) and (r) of the definition thereof) made in cash during such fiscal year, except to the extent financed with the proceeds of Debt:    $                       

11.

   The sum of Lines 5-10:    $                       

12.

   Excess Cash Flow (Line 4 minus Line 11):    $                       


APPENDIX III


APPENDIX IV


APPENDIX V


Exhibit J

FORM OF JOINDER AGREEMENT

JOINDER AGREEMENT, dated as of [                    , 20        ], made by [        ] (the “ Additional Guarantor ”), in favor of [                            ], as agent (in such capacity, the “ Agent ”), for the banks, financial institutions and other institutional lenders (the “ Lenders ”) parties to the Second Lien Credit Agreement referred to below. All capitalized terms not defined herein shall have the meaning ascribed to them in such Second Lien Credit Agreement.

W I T N E S S E T H :

WHEREAS, Sears Holdings Corporation (“ Holdings ”), Sears Roebuck Acceptance Corp. (“ SRAC ”), Kmart Corporation (“ Kmart Corp. ” and, together with SRAC, the “ Borrowers ”), the Lenders and JPP, LLC, as administrative agent and collateral administrator, have entered into a certain Second Lien Credit Agreement, dated as of September 1, 2016 (as amended, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time, the “ Second Lien Credit Agreement ”);

WHEREAS, the Second Lien Credit Agreement requires the Additional Guarantor to become a party to the Second Lien Credit Agreement; and

WHEREAS, the Additional Guarantor has agreed to execute and deliver this Joinder Agreement in order to become a party to the Second Lien Credit Agreement;

NOW, THEREFORE, IT IS AGREED:

1. Second Lien Credit Agreement . By executing and delivering this Joinder Agreement, the Additional Guarantor, as provided in Section 10.08 of the Second Lien Credit Agreement, hereby becomes a party to the Second Lien Credit Agreement as a Guarantor thereunder with the same force and effect as if originally named therein as a Guarantor and, without limiting the generality of the foregoing, hereby expressly assumes all obligations and liabilities of a Guarantor thereunder.

2. Governing Law . THIS JOINDER AGREEMENT SHALL BE GOVERNED BY, AND CONSTRUED AND INTERPRETED IN ACCORDANCE WITH, THE LAW OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, WITHOUT REGARD TO PRINCIPLES OF CONFLICTS OF LAW BUT INCLUDING SECTIONS 5-1401 and 5-1402 OF THE NEW YORK GENERAL OBLIGATIONS LAW.

[Remainder of Page intentionally left blank]


IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned has caused this Joinder Agreement to be duly executed and delivered as of the date first above written.

 

[ADDITIONAL GUARANTOR]
By:  

 

  Name:
  Title:


EXHIBIT K

FORM OF LINE OF CREDIT LENDER JOINDER AGREEMENT

This Joinder Agreement (this “ Joinder ”) is made as of [                    , 20[    ]], by and among the undersigned (the “ New Line of Credit Lender ”), Sears Holdings Corporation, a Delaware corporation (“ Holdings ”), Sears Roebuck Acceptance Corp., a Delaware corporation (“ SRAC ”), and Kmart Corporation, a Michigan corporation (“ Kmart ”, and together with SRAC, the “ Borrowers ”), and JPP, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company, as administrative agent and collateral administrator under the Credit Agreement referred to below (the “ Agent ”), in consideration of the mutual covenants herein contained and benefits to be derived herefrom.

W I T N E S S E T H :

 

  A. Reference is made to that certain Second Lien Credit Agreement, dated as of September 1, 2016, as amended by that certain First Amendment to Second Lien Credit Agreement, dated as of July 7, 2017 (as such may have been further amended, modified, supplemented or restated, the “ Credit Agreement ”), by and among, among others, Holdings, the Borrowers and the Agent. Capitalized terms used but not defined herein shall have the meanings set forth in the Credit Agreement.

 

  B. The undersigned New Line of Credit Lender desires to become a party to the Credit Agreement, and to be bound by the terms of the Credit Agreement and the other Loan Documents, so that it may from time to time make Line of Credit Loans to the Borrowers on the terms set forth in the applicable Line of Credit Loan Proposal.

NOW, THEREFORE, the parties hereto hereby agree as follows:

 

1. Joinder and Assumption of Obligations . Effective as of the Joinder Effective Date (as defined below) and subject to the terms and conditions set forth in this Joinder and in the Credit Agreement, the New Line of Credit Lender acknowledges and agrees:

 

  a. to join in the execution of, and become a party to, the Credit Agreement as a Line of Credit Lender, as indicated with its signature below;

 

  b. to be bound by all representations, warranties, covenants, agreements, liabilities and acknowledgments of a Line of Credit Lender under the Credit Agreement and the other Loan Documents, in each case, with the same force and effect as if such New Line of Credit Lender was a signatory to the Credit Agreement and the other Loan Documents and was expressly named as a Line of Credit Lender therein;

 

  c. to have all rights and obligations of a Line of Credit Lender under the Credit Agreement and other Loan Documents.

 

2. New Line of Credit Lender Acknowledgement .


  a. The New Line of Credit Lender (i) confirms that it has received a copy of the Credit Agreement, together with copies of the financial statements referred to in Section 6.01 thereof and such other documents and information as it has deemed appropriate to make its own credit analysis and decision to enter into this Joinder; (ii) agrees that it will, independently and without reliance upon the Agent or any other Lender, and based on such documents and information as it shall deem appropriate at the time, continue to make its own credit decisions in taking or not taking action under the Credit Agreement, including making or not making Line of Credit Loans from time to time; (iii) effective as of the date hereof, appoints and authorizes the Agent and the Collateral Agent to take such action as agent on its behalf and to exercise such powers under the Credit Agreement as are delegated to the Agent and the Collateral Agent by the terms thereof, together with such powers as are reasonably incidental thereto; (iv) effective as of the date hereof, agrees that it will perform in accordance with their terms all of the obligations which, by the terms of the Credit Agreement, are required to be performed by it as a Line of Credit Lender; and (v) specifies as its lending office (and address for notices) the office set forth beneath its signature below.

 

  b. The New Line of Credit Lender further acknowledges and agrees that the Agent and the other Credit Parties: (i) make no representations or warranties and assume no responsibility with respect to any statements, warranties or representations made in, or in connection with, the Credit Agreement or any other Loan Document or any other instrument or document furnished pursuant thereto or the execution, legality, validity, enforceability, genuineness, sufficiency or value of the Credit Agreement or any other Loan Document or any other instrument or document furnished pursuant thereto; and (ii) make no representation or warranty and assume no responsibility with respect to the financial condition of any Loan Party or the performance or observance by any Loan Party of any of their respective obligations under the Credit Agreement or any other Loan Document or any other instrument or document furnished pursuant thereto.

 

3. Conditions Precedent to Effectiveness . This Joinder shall become effective on the date (the “ Joinder Effective Date ”) when it has been duly executed by each of the parties hereto and the Agent has received counterparts hereof that, when taken together, bear the signatures of each of the other parties hereto.

 

4. Miscellaneous .

 

  a. This Joinder may be executed in multiple counterparts, each of which shall constitute an original and together which shall constitute but one and the same instrument. Delivery of an executed counterpart of a signature page of this Joinder by facsimile or in electronic (i.e., “pdf” or “tif”) format shall be effective as delivery of a manually executed counterpart of this Joinder.

 

  b. This Joinder expresses the entire understanding of the parties with respect to the transactions contemplated hereby. No prior negotiations or discussions shall limit, modify, or otherwise affect the provisions hereof.


  c. Any determination that any provision of this Joinder or any application hereof is invalid, illegal or unenforceable in any respect and in any instance shall not effect the validity, legality, or enforceability of such provision in any other instance, or the validity, legality or enforceability of any other provisions of this Joinder.

 

  d. The New Line of Credit Lender confirms that it has consulted with independent legal counsel of its selection in connection with this Joinder and is not relying on any representations or warranties of the Agent or the Lenders or their counsel in entering into this Joinder.

 

  e. THIS JOINDER SHALL BE GOVERNED BY, AND CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH, THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK WITHOUT REGARD TO CONFLICTS OF LAWS PRINCIPLES THEREOF BUT INCLUDING SECTION 5-1401 AND 5-1402 OF THE NEW YORK GENERAL OBLIGATIONS LAW.

[SIGNATURE PAGES FOLLOW]


IN WITNESS WHEREOF, each of the undersigned has caused this Joinder to be duly executed and delivered by its proper and duly authorized officer as of the date first set forth above.

 

[NEW LINE OF CREDIT LENDER],
as Line of Credit Lender
By:  

 

Name:  
Title:  

[INSERT ADDRESS]


HOLDINGS:
SEARS HOLDINGS CORPORATION
By:    
Name:  
Title:  
BORROWERS:
KMART CORPORATION
By:    
Name:  
Title:  
SEARS ROEBUCK ACCEPTANCE CORPORATION
By:    
Name:  
Title:  


EXHIBIT L

FORM OF LINE OF CREDIT LOAN PROPOSAL

LINE OF CREDIT LOAN PROPOSAL

Date: [                    ], 20[    ]

To: [    ], as [potential][existing] Line of Credit Lender

Ladies and Gentlemen:

Reference is made to that certain Second Lien Credit Agreement, dated as of September 1, 2016, as amended by that certain First Amendment to Second Lien Credit Agreement, dated as of July [    ], 2017 (as such may have been further amended, modified, supplemented or restated, the “ Credit Agreement ”), by and among, among others, Sears Holdings Corporation, a Delaware corporation, Sears Roebuck Acceptance Corp., a Delaware corporation (“ SRAC ”), and Kmart Corporation, a Michigan corporation (“ Kmart ”), the lenders from time to time party thereto and JPP, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company, as administrative agent and collateral administrator thereunder. Capitalized terms used but not defined herein shall have the meanings set forth in the Credit Agreement.

In accordance with Section 2.02 of the Credit Agreement, [Kmart][SRAC] 18 22 hereby requests a Line of Credit Loan as follows:

 

  1. On                                     (a Business Day). 19 23

 

  2. In an aggregate principal amount of $                                    . 20 24

 

  3. With a maturity of                     , 20[    ]. 21 25

 

  4. With a [fixed interest rate of     % per annum][floating interest rate equal to a Eurodollar Rate of     % per annum, plus a margin of     % per annum].

 

 

18 22   Identify Borrower proposing the Line of Credit Loan herein. 
19 23   Each Line of Credit Loan Proposal (other than any Line of Credit Loan to be made on the First Amendment Effective Date) must be delivered to the existing or prospective Line of Credit Lender at least one Business Day prior to the date of on which the proposed Line of Credit Loan is proposed to be made.
20 24   Each Line of Credit Loan shall be in a principal amount of $10,000,000 or a whole multiple of $5,000,000 in excess thereof.
21 25   Not to exceed 179 270 days from the date on which any Line of Credit Loan is made.


  5. Such interest shall be payable in arrears [on the Line of Credit Loan Maturity Date][each month that such Line of Credit Loan remains outstanding][each third month that such Line of Credit Loan remains outstanding] 22 26 .

 

  6. [Such interest shall be in the form of original issuance discount in an amount equal to     % of the amount of the proposed Line of Credit Loan.] 23 27

 

  7. The proposed Line of Credit Loan is to be [funded in cash in an amount equal to $                    ][set off against the Line of Credit Loan made by such Line of Credit Lender to [Kmart][SRAC] pursuant to that certain Line of Credit Loan Proposal, dated as of                     , 20[    ]] 24 28 .

 

[Kmart][SRAC] 25 29     hereby represents and warrants as follows:

 

    The representations and warranties made by each Loan Party in or pursuant to the Loan Documents are true and correct on and as of the date of the Line of Credit Loan requested herein in all material respects, before and after giving effect to such Line of Credit Loan and to the application of the proceeds therefrom, as though made on and as of such date, except to the extent that (A) such representations or warranties are qualified by a materiality standard, in which case they are true and correct in all respects, (B) such representations or warranties expressly relate to an earlier date (in which case such representations and warranties are true and correct in all material respects as of such earlier date), and (C) such representations relate to Section 5.01(f) of the Credit Agreement, in which case the representation is limited to clause (c) of the definition of “Material Adverse Effect”;

 

    No event has occurred and is continuing, or would result from the Line of Credit Loan requested herein or from the application of the proceeds therefrom, that constitutes a Default or an Event of Default; and

 

    The incurrence of the proposed Line of Credit Loan will not conflict with, constitute a default under or violate any of the terms, conditions or provisions of (i) the Indenture for the Existing Second Lien Notes, (ii) the Security Agreement, (iii) the Existing Intercreditor Agreement, (iv) the First Lien Credit Agreement, (v) the Letter of Credit Reimbursement Agreement, dated as of December 28, 2016, by and among Holdings, the Borrowers, certain financial institutions and Citibank,

 

 

22 26   Election to have interest payable monthly or quarterly available only for Line of Credit Loans with a Line of Credit Loan Maturity Date that is more than 30 days from the Line of Credit Loan Date.
23 27   Election for Fixed Rate Line of Credit Loans only.
24 28   May set off the proceeds from any Line of Credit Loan against the amount of any Line of Credit Loan obligation of the Borrowers to the applicable Line of Credit Lender with a Line of Credit Loan Maturity Date equal to the proposed Line of Credit Loan Date.
25 29  

Identify Borrower requesting the Line of Credit Loan herein.


 

N.A. as administrative agent and issuing bank, as amended, modified, supplemented or restated and in effect from time to time, (vi) that certain Loan Agreement, dated as of January 3, 2017, by and among JPP, LLC, JPP II, LLC, the Borrowers and the other borrower parties thereto, as amended, modified, supplemented or restated and in effect from time to time, and (vii) that certain Receivables and Participation Purchase Agreement, dated as of June 15, 2017, by and among JPP, LLC, JPP II, LLC, Holdings, Kmart Operations LLC and Sears Operations LLC, as amended, modified, supplemented or restated and in effect from time to time.

 

    After giving effect to the proposed Line of Credit Loan requested herein, (A) the sum of the Total Extensions of Credit will not exceed the Borrowing Base, and (B) no Collateral Coverage Event (as defined in the Indenture for the Existing Second Lien Notes) shall result therefrom.

 

    Set forth below are the Borrowing Base and the Total Extensions of Credit as of [    ], in each case after giving effect to the proposed Line of Credit Loan             .

Borrowing Base :                                          

Total Extensions of Credit :                         

[ Remainder of page intentionally blank ]


Very truly yours,

 

[KMART CORPORATION][SEARS ROEBUCK

ACCEPTANCE CORPORATION], as a Borrower

By:  

 

Name:  

 

Title:  

 


FORM OF NOTICE OF CONVERSION

 

To: Sears Holdings Corporation

3333 Beverly Road

Hoffman Estates, Illinois 60179

Facsimile: (847) 286-2055

Attention: Treasurer

[CONVERSION AGENT]

[ADDRESS]

Reference is made to that certain Second Lien Credit Agreement, dated as of September 1, 2016 (as amended, supplemented or otherwise modified, the “Credit Agreement”), by and among Sears Holdings Corporation (“Holdings”), Sears Roebuck Acceptance Corp. and Kmart Corporation, certain subsidiaries of Holdings, the lenders from time to time party thereto and JPP, LLC, as administrative agent and collateral administrator. Capitalized terms not defined herein shall have the meanings ascribed to such terms in the Credit Agreement.

The undersigned Term Lender hereby irrevocably exercises the option to convert its Term Loan, or a portion thereof (if the portion to be converted would result in the issuance of at least one whole share of Common Stock upon conversion) below designated, into a number of shares of Common Stock in accordance with the terms of the Credit Agreement, and directs that any shares of Common Stock deliverable upon conversion be delivered to such Term Lender unless a different name is indicated below.

If any shares of Common Stock are to be issued in the name of a Person other than the undersigned, the undersigned will pay all transfer taxes payable with respect to such issuance and transfer as set forth in the Indenture.

 

Principal amount of Term

Loant o be converted:

      

Beneficial ownership of

Common Stock (prior to

conversion):

$

 

(if the portion to be converted would result in the issuance of at least one whole share of Common Stock upon conversion)

     shares

 


If you want the share certificate representing the Common Stock, if any, issuable upon conversion made out in another person’s name, fill in the form below:

 

 

(Insert other person’s social security or tax I.D. number)

 

 

 

(Print or type other person’s name, address and zip code)
Dated:    Signed:   
      (Sign exactly as your name(s) appear(s) on the other side of this Note)

Signature Guarantee:                                                          

SIGNATURE GUARANTEE

Signatures must be guaranteed by an “eligible guarantor institution” meeting the requirements of the Registrar, which requirements include membership or participation in the Security Transfer Agent Medallion Program (“STAMP”) or such other “signature guarantee program” as may be determined by the Registrar in addition to, or in substitution for, STAMP, all in accordance with the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.


Annex B

Amended Security Agreement

[See Exhibit 10.2 to this Current Report on Form 8-K]


Annex C

Amended Intercreditor Agreement

[See Exhibit 10.3 to this Current Report on Form 8-K]

Exhibit 10.2

E XECUTION V ERSION

 

 

 

AMENDED AND RESTATED SECURITY AGREEMENT

among

SEARS HOLDINGS CORPORATION,

and certain of its Subsidiaries,

as Grantors

and

WILMINGTON TRUST, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION,

as Collateral Agent

Dated as of March 20, 2018

 

 

 

THIS SECURITY AGREEMENT is subject to the terms and provisions of the Amended and Restated Intercreditor Agreement, dated as of March 20, 2018 (as such agreement may be amended, restated, amended and restated, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time), among Wilmington Trust, National Association, as Second Lien Agent and Bank of America, N.A. and Wells Fargo Bank, National Association, each as an ABL Agent and the other persons from time to time party thereto.

 


TABLE OF CONTENTS

         Page  

SECTION 1. DEFINED TERMS

     2  

1.1

  Definitions      2  

1.2

  Other Definitional Provisions      8  

1.3

  Perfection Certificate      9  

SECTION 2. GRANT OF SECURITY INTEREST

     9  

2.1

  Collateral; Grant of Security Interest      9  

2.2

  No Assumption of Liability      9  

SECTION 3. REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES

     9  

3.1

  Title; No Other Liens      9  

3.2

  Perfected Liens      10  

3.3

  Jurisdiction of Organization      10  

3.4

  Credit Card Accounts Receivable      10  

3.5

  Related Intellectual Property      10  

3.6

  Dealer Store Inventory      11  

SECTION 4. COVENANTS

     11  

4.1

  Delivery of Instruments and Chattel Paper      11  

4.2

  [Intentionally Omitted]      11  

4.3

  Maintenance of Perfected Security Interest; Further Documentation      11  

4.4

  Changes in Name, etc.      11  

SECTION 5. REMEDIAL PROVISIONS

     12  

5.1

  Certain Matters Relating to Credit Card Accounts Receivable      12  

5.2

  Communications with Obligors; Grantors Remain Liable      12  

5.3

  [Intentionally Omitted]      12  

5.4

  Application of Proceeds      12  

5.5

  Code and Other Remedies      13  

5.6

  Deficiency      15  

5.7

  Grant of License in Intellectual Property, Software and other Assets      15  

SECTION 6. THE COLLATERAL AGENT

     17  

6.1

  Collateral Agent’s Appointment as Attorney-in-Fact, etc.      17  

6.2

  Duty of Collateral Agent      18  

6.3

  Execution of Financing Statements      19  

6.4

  Authority of the Collateral Agent      19  

6.5

  Pari Passu Obligations      19  

SECTION 7. MISCELLANEOUS

     19  

7.1

  Intercreditor Agreement      19  

7.2

  Pari Passu Obligations      19  

7.3

  Amendments in Writing      20  

7.4

  Notices      20  

7.5

  No Waiver by Course of Conduct; Cumulative Remedies      21  

7.6

  Enforcement Expenses; Indemnification      21  

7.7

  Successors and Assigns      22  

 

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7.8

  [Intentionally Omitted]      22  

7.9

  Counterparts      22  

7.10

  Severability      22  

7.11

  Section Headings      22  

7.12

  Integration      22  

7.13

  GOVERNING LAW      22  

7.14

  Acknowledgements      22  

7.15

  Additional Grantors      23  

7.16

  Releases      23  

7.17

  Jurisdiction, Etc.      23  

7.18

  WAIVER OF JURY TRIAL      24  

SCHEDULES

 

Schedule 1    Grantors; Notice Addresses
Schedule 2    Perfection Matters
Schedule 3    Jurisdictions of Organization

 

 

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AMENDED AND RESTATED SECURITY AGREEMENT

THIS AMENDED AND RESTATED SECURITY AGREEMENT, dated as of March 20, 2018 (as amended, amended and restated, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time in accordance with the provisions hereof, this “ Agreement ”), is made by SEARS HOLDINGS CORPORATION, a Delaware corporation (the “ Issuer ”), and the subsidiaries of the Issuer from time to time party hereto (the “ Subsidiary Obligors ” and, together with the Issuer, the “ Grantors ”), in favor of WILMINGTON TRUST, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, in its capacity as collateral agent (in such capacity and, together with any successors and assigns, the “ Collateral Agent ”).

W I T N E S S E T H

WHEREAS, the Issuer, the Grantors and the Collateral Agent are party to that certain Security Agreement, dated as of October 12, 2010, as amended by that certain First Amendment to Security Agreement, dated as of September 1, 2016 (as further amended, amended and restated, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time prior to the date hereof, the “ Existing Security Agreement ”);

WHEREAS, the parties hereto desire to amend and restate the Existing Security Agreement as provided herein;

WHEREAS, reference is made to that certain indenture, dated as of October 12, 2010 (as amended, amended and restated, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time, the “ 2010 Indenture ”), by and among the Issuer, the Guarantors and WILMINGTON TRUST, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, in its capacity as successor trustee (in such capacity, the “ 2010 Trustee ”) and Collateral Agent, pursuant to which the Issuer issued $1,250,000,000 aggregate original principal of 6 5/8% Senior Secured Notes due 2018 (together with any Exchange Securities (as defined in the 2010 Indenture) and any Additional Notes (as defined in the 2010 Indenture) issued under the 2010 Indenture, the “ Senior Secured Notes ”).

WHEREAS, reference is further made to that certain Second Lien Credit Agreement, dated as of September 1, 2016 (as amended, amended and restated, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time, the “ Second Lien Credit Agreement ”), by and among the Issuer, Sears Roebuck Acceptance Corp. and Kmart Corporation, as borrowers, the Guarantors, the lenders from time to time party thereto and JPP, LLC, as administrative agent and collateral administrator (the “ Second Lien Credit Agreement Agent ”), pursuant to which the borrowers have obtained a term loan in the aggregate amount of $300 million and established an uncommitted line of credit facility.

WHEREAS, reference is further made to that certain indenture, dated as of the date hereof (as amended, amended and restated, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time, the “ 2018 Indenture ”), by and among the Issuer, the Guarantors and COMPUTERSHARE TRUST COMPANY, N.A., in its capacity as trustee (in such capacity, the “ 2018 Trustee ”), pursuant to which the Issuer issued $169,824,000.00 aggregate principal of 6 5/8% Senior Secured Convertible PIK Toggle Notes due 2019 (together with any PIK Interest Notes (or any increase in the principal amount of a Global Note related to PIK Interest) and any Additional Notes issued under the 2018 Indenture, the “ Senior Secured Convertible Notes ”).

WHEREAS, each of the Issuer and each Subsidiary Obligor is either a primary obligor or has unconditionally guaranteed all of the Secured Obligations.


WHEREAS, from time to time after the date hereof, the Issuer may, subject to the terms and conditions of this Agreement and the other Second Lien Documents, incur additional Junior Second Lien Obligations that are secured by Liens ranking equally and ratably with the Liens securing the existing Secured Obligations and entitled to distributions on an equal and ratable basis with the Senior Secured Notes.

WHEREAS, from time to time after the date hereof, the Issuer may, subject to the terms and conditions of this Agreement and the other Second Lien Documents, incur additional Senior Second Lien Obligations that are secured by Liens ranking equally and ratably with the Liens securing the existing Secured Obligations and entitled to distributions on an equal and ratable basis with the Senior Secured Convertible Notes and the obligations under the Second Lien Credit Agreement.

WHEREAS, this Agreement is given by each Grantor in favor of the Collateral Agent for the benefit of the Secured Parties to secure the payment and performance of all Secured Obligations.

WHEREAS, the Issuer, the other Grantors, the Collateral Agent and the ABL Agents, have entered into that certain Second Amended and Restated Intercreditor Agreement, dated as of the date hereof (as amended, modified, supplemented or restated and in effect from time to time, the “ Intercreditor Agreement ”), establishing the relative rights and priorities of the Secured Parties and the First Lien Secured Parties in respect of the Collateral.

WHEREAS, each Grantor will receive substantial benefits from the issuance and maintenance of the Secured Obligations and each is, therefore, willing to enter into this Agreement.

NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the foregoing premises and for other good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged, each Grantor and the Collateral Agent hereby agree as follows:

SECTION 1. DEFINED TERMS

1.1 Definitions .

(a) Unless otherwise defined herein, terms defined in the 2018 Indenture and used herein shall have the meanings given to them in the 2018 Indenture, and the following terms are used herein as defined in the New York UCC: Accounts, Chattel Paper, Control, Documents, Equipment, Fixtures, General Intangibles, Goods, Instruments, Inventory, Proceeds and Supporting Obligations.

(b) The following terms shall have the following meanings:

ABL Agents ” has the meaning provided in the Intercreditor Agreement.

ABL Obligations ” has the meaning provided in the Intercreditor Agreement.

ABL Secured Parties ” has the meaning provided in the Intercreditor Agreement.

Additional First Lien Agent ” means the Person appointed to act as trustee, agent or representative for the holders of Additional First Lien Obligations pursuant to any Additional First Lien Agreement.

Additional First Lien Agreement ” means any indenture, credit agreement or other agreement, if any, pursuant to which any Grantor has or will incur Additional First Lien Obligations.

 

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Agreement ” has the meaning provided in the preamble hereof.

Collateral ” has the meaning provided in Section  2.1 hereof.

Collateral Agent ” has the meaning provided in the preamble hereof.

Copyrights ” means (i) all copyrights arising under the laws of the United States, any other country or any political subdivision thereof, whether registered or unregistered and whether published or unpublished, all registrations and recordings thereof, and all applications in connection therewith, including, without limitation, all registrations, recordings and applications in the United States Copyright Office and (ii) the right to obtain all renewals thereof.

Copyright Licenses ” means any written agreement naming any Grantor as licensor or licensee granting any right under any Copyright, including, without limitation, the grant of rights to manufacture, distribute, exploit and sell materials derived from any Copyright.

Credit Agreement ” means the Third Amended and Restated Credit Agreement, dated as of July 21, 2015, among the Issuer, Sears Roebuck Acceptance Corp., Kmart Corporation, the lenders from time to time party thereto, the issuing lenders from time to time party thereto, Bank of America, N.A., as administrative agent, co-collateral agent and swingline lender, Wells Fargo Bank, National Association, as co-collateral agent, together with the related documents thereto (including, without limitation, any guarantee agreements and security documents), in each case as such agreements have been or may be amended (including any amendment and restatement thereof), supplemented or otherwise modified, replaced or refinanced from time to time, including any agreement extending the maturity of, refinancing, replacing or otherwise restructuring (including, without limitation, increasing the amount of available borrowings thereunder or adding Subsidiaries of the Issuer as additional borrowers or guarantors thereunder) all or any portion of the indebtedness under such agreement or any successor or replacement agreement or agreements and whether by the same or any other agent, lender or group of lenders.

Credit Card Accounts Receivables ” means all Accounts together with all income, payments, and proceeds thereof, owed by a credit card payment processor or an issuer of credit cards to the Issuer or any Guarantor resulting from charges by a customer of the Issuer or such Guarantor on credit cards issued by such issuer in connection with the sale of goods by the Issuer or such Guarantor or services performed by the Issuer or such Guarantor.

Discharge of First Lien Obligations ” means the Discharge of ABL Obligations (as defined in the Intercreditor Agreement) and the payment in full in cash of all outstanding Additional First Lien Obligations.

Discharge of Obligations ” means in the case of any series of Secured Obligations, including the Senior Secured Notes, the Senior Secured Convertible Notes and the Second Lien Credit Agreement Obligations, the repayment, discharge or defeasance of such series of Secured Obligations under such agreement or such other event which entitles the Grantors to obtain a release of the Liens securing such Secured Obligations under the Security Documents (including, with respect to the 2010 Indenture and the 2018 Indenture, a discharge or defeasance of the such indenture in accordance with its terms).

Discharge of Senior Second Lien Obligations ” means the occurrence of a Discharge of Obligations with respect to all Senior Second Lien Obligations.

 

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Event of Default ” means (i) an “Event of Default” under and as defined in the 2018 Indenture, the 2010 Indenture or the Second Lien Credit Agreement, or (ii) an “Event of Default” or equivalent term under and as defined in any Junior Second Lien Agreement or any Senior Second Lien Agreement.

Final Date ” means the first date on which a Discharge of Obligations shall have occurred with respect to all of the Secured Obligations.

First Lien Collateral Agents ” means (i) the ABL Agents and (ii) the Additional First Lien Agents.

First Lien Obligations ” means (i) the ABL Obligations and (ii) the Additional First Lien Obligations.

First Lien Secured Parties ” means (i) the ABL Secured Parties and (ii) each Additional First Lien Agent and each holder of Additional First Lien Obligations.

First Lien Security Agreement ” means that certain Third Amended and Restated Guarantee and Collateral Agreement, dated as of July 21, 2015, by and among the Issuer, the grantors party thereto and Bank of America, N.A., Wells Fargo Bank, National Association and General Electric Capital Corporation, as co-collateral agents, as the same has been or may be amended, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time.

Grantors ” has the meaning provided in the preamble hereof.

Guarantors ” has the meaning provided in the preamble hereof.

Intellectual Property ” means 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, without limitation, all Copyrights, Copyright Licenses, Patents, Patent Licenses, Trademarks and Trademark Licenses, 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.

Intercreditor Agreement ” has the meaning provided in the recitals hereof.

Issuer ” has the meaning provided in the preamble hereof.

Junior Second Lien Agent ” means any Person appointed to act as trustee, agent or representative for the holders of a series of Junior Second Lien Obligations pursuant to any Second Lien Document.

Junior Second Lien Agreement ” means any indenture, credit agreement or other agreement, if any, designated as such by the Issuer pursuant to, and as permitted by, Section  7.2 hereof.

Junior Second Lien Joinder Agreement ” means an agreement substantially in the form of Exhibit  I hereto.

Junior Second Lien Obligations ” means (i) the Senior Secured Note Obligations and (ii) any other indebtedness and related obligations, including interest, fees and expenses, of the Issuer or any Subsidiary Guarantor that is secured by a Lien on the Collateral ranking equally and ratably with the

 

-4-


Liens securing the Senior Secured Note Obligations (or by the same Liens that secure the Senior Secured Note Obligations, including hereunder) and that is entitled to distributions on an equal and ratable basis with the Senior Secured Note Obligations pursuant to the Security Documents or otherwise; provided that the representative of such Junior Second Lien Obligations executes a joinder agreement (including, without limitation, pursuant to Section 7.2) or amendment to, or amendment and restatement of, the applicable Security Documents and the Intercreditor Agreement, or enters into an additional intercreditor agreement with the Collateral Agent providing that any amounts received in respect of the Collateral in connection with an enforcement of the Liens securing any Second Lien Obligations (or received in respect of such Liens in any bankruptcy or insolvency proceeding) shall, subject to the Intercreditor Agreement and in accordance with Section 5.4 hereof, after payment of all indemnities, compensation and expenses (including the fees and expenses of counsel and experts) payable to the Collateral Agent, the 2010 Trustee, the 2018 Trustee, the Second Lien Credit Agreement Agent and each other trustee or agent for any class of Second Lien Obligations in their capacities as such (which shall be paid first to the Collateral Agent and then among each such trustee or agent on a pro rata basis), be distributed first to each trustee or agent for a class of Senior Second Lien Obligations for distribution to the holders thereof on a pro rata basis based on the amount of outstanding obligations of each such class until all Senior Second Lien Obligations are paid in full and only thereafter to the 2010 Trustee and each other trustee or agent for a class of Junior Second Lien Obligations for distribution to the holders thereof until all Junior Second Lien Obligations are paid in full and thereafter to Holdings. At the Issuer’s option (as certified to the Collateral Agent, each Junior Second Lien Agent and each Senior Second Lien Agent pursuant to an Officer’s Certificate), any indebtedness of the Issuer or the Subsidiary Guarantors secured by a Lien on the Collateral may be Junior Second Lien Obligations. For the avoidance of doubt, any obligations designated as Junior Second Lien Obligations pursuant to Section 7.2, subject to satisfaction of the requirements set forth therein, shall constitute Junior Second Lien Obligations.

New York UCC ” means the Uniform Commercial Code as from time to time in effect in the State of New York.

Patents ” means (i) all letters patent of the United States, any other country or any political subdivision thereof, all reissues and extensions thereof and all goodwill associated therewith, (ii) all applications for letters patent of the United States or any other country and all divisions, continuations and continuations-in-part thereof and (iii) all rights to obtain any reissues or extensions of the foregoing.

Patent License ” means all agreements, whether written or oral, providing for the grant by or to any Grantor of any right to manufacture, use or sell any invention covered in whole or in part by a Patent.

Perfection Certificate ” means that certain perfection certificate executed and delivered by the Grantors in connection with the execution and delivery of the 2010 Indenture, dated on or about the Issue Date (as defined in the 2010 Indenture).

Required Secured Parties ” means (i) until the Discharge of Senior Second Lien Obligations, the holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of Senior Second Lien Obligations constituting Secured Obligations, voting together as a single class and (ii) from and after the Discharge of Senior Second Lien Obligations, the holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of Junior Second Lien Obligations constituting Secured Obligations, voting together as a single class.

Second Lien Credit Agreement Documents ” means the Second Lien Credit Agreement, the Loan Documents (as defined in the Second Lien Credit Agreement) and the Security Documents.

 

-5-


Second Lien Credit Agreement Obligations ” means the collective reference to (i) all obligations, liabilities and indebtedness (including, without limitation, principal, premium, interest (including, without limitation, all interest that accrues after the commencement of any case, proceeding or other action relating to the bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization or similar proceeding of any Grantor at the rate provided for in the respective documentation, whether or not such claim for post-petition interest is allowed in any such proceeding), fees, costs, expenses and indemnities, including the fees and expenses of counsel) owing to the Collateral Agent, the Second Lien Credit Agreement Agent and holders of the loans and other obligations under the Second Lien Credit Agreement Documents and the due performance and compliance by the Grantors with all of the terms, conditions and agreements contained in the Second Lien Credit Agreement Documents; (ii) any and all sums advanced by the Collateral Agent in accordance with any of the Second Lien Credit Agreement Documents in order to preserve the Collateral or preserve its security interest in the Collateral; and (iii) in the event of any proceedings for the collection or enforcement of any indebtedness, obligations or liabilities of the Grantors referred to in clause (i) above, the reasonable expenses of retaking, holding, preparing for sale or lease, selling or otherwise disposing of or realizing on the Collateral, or of any exercise by the Collateral Agent of its rights hereunder, together with reasonable attorneys’ fees and court costs.

Second Lien Documents ” means the Second Lien Credit Agreement Documents, the Senior Secured Note Documents, the Senior Secured Convertible Note Documents and any other document or agreement governing any other indebtedness or other obligations that may constitute Secured Obligations, including any applicable Junior Second Lien Agreement and Senior Second Lien Agreement.

Secured Obligations ” means the collective reference to (i) the Senior Secured Note Obligations, (ii) Senior Secured Convertible Note Obligations, (iii) the Second Lien Credit Agreement Obligations, (iv) all other Senior Second Lien Obligations under or in respect of any Senior Second Lien Agreement and any related agreements and documentation, and (v) all other Junior Second Lien Obligations under or in respect of any Junior Second Lien Agreement and any related agreements and documentation.

Secured Parties ” shall mean, collectively, the Collateral Agent, the 2010 Trustee, the holders of Senior Secured Notes, the Second Lien Credit Agreement Agent, the lenders and additional agents under the Second Lien Credit Agreement, the 2018 Trustee, the Holders of Senior Secured Convertible Notes, each Junior Second Lien Agent, each holder of Junior Second Lien Obligations under or pursuant to a Junior Second Lien Agreement, each Senior Second Lien Agent and each holder of Senior Second Lien Obligations under or pursuant to a Senior Second Lien Agreement.

Securities Act ” means the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.

Security Documents ” means this Agreement, the Intercreditor Agreement and each other document entered into to grant a security interest in the Collateral or any other assets to the Collateral Agent for the benefit of the Secured Parties.

Senior Second Lien Agent ” means any Person appointed to act as trustee, agent or representative for the holders of a series of Senior Second Lien Obligations pursuant to any Second Lien Document.

Senior Second Lien Agreement ” means any indenture, credit agreement or other agreement, if any, designated as such by the Issuer pursuant to, and as permitted by, Section  7.2 hereof.

 

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Senior Second Lien Joinder Agreement ” means an agreement substantially in the form of Exhibit  I hereto.

Senior Second Lien Obligations ” means the (i) Senior Secured Convertible Note Obligations, (ii) the Second Lien Credit Agreement Obligations, and (iii) any other indebtedness and related obligations, including interest, fees and expenses, of the Issuer or any Subsidiary Guarantor that is secured by a Lien on the Collateral ranking equally and ratably with the Liens securing the obligations in respect of the Senior Secured Convertible Note Obligations (or by the same Liens that secure obligations in respect of the Senior Secured Convertible Note Obligations and Second Lien Credit Agreement Obligations, including hereunder) and that is entitled to distributions on such Lien on an equal and ratable basis with the Senior Secured Convertible Note Obligations and Second Lien Credit Agreement Obligations pursuant to the Security Documents or otherwise; provided that the representative of such Senior Second Lien Obligations executes a joinder agreement or amendment to, or amendment and restatement of, the applicable Security Documents and the Intercreditor Agreement, or enters into an additional intercreditor agreement with the Collateral Agent providing that any amounts received in respect of the Collateral in connection with an enforcement of the Liens securing any Second Lien Obligations (or received in respect of such Liens in any bankruptcy or insolvency proceeding) shall, subject to the Intercreditor Agreement and in accordance with Section 5.4 hereof, after payment of all indemnities, compensation and expenses (including the fees and expenses of counsel and experts) payable to the Collateral Agent, the 2010 Trustee, the 2018 Trustee, the Second Lien Credit Agreement Agent and each other trustee or agent for any class of Second Lien Obligations in their capacities as such (which shall be paid first to the Collateral Agent and then among each such trustee or agent on a pro rata basis), be distributed first to each trustee or agent for a class of Senior Second Lien Obligations for distribution to the holders thereof on a pro rata basis based on the amount of outstanding obligations of each such class until all Senior Second Lien Obligations are paid in full and only thereafter to the 2010 Trustee and each other trustee or agent for a class of Junior Second Lien Obligations for distribution to the holders thereof until all Junior Second Lien Obligations are paid in full and thereafter to Holdings. At the Issuer’s option (as certified to the Collateral Agent, each Junior Second Lien Agent and each Senior Second Lien Agent pursuant to an Officer’s Certificate), any indebtedness secured by a Lien on the Collateral may be Senior Second Lien Obligations. For the avoidance of doubt, any obligations designated as Senior Second Lien Obligations pursuant to Section 7.2, subject to satisfaction of the requirements set forth therein, shall constitute Senior Second Lien Obligations.

Senior Secured Note Documents ” means the Senior Secured Notes, any guarantees thereof, the 2010 Indenture and the Security Documents.

Senior Secured Note Obligations ” means the collective reference to (i) all obligations, liabilities and indebtedness (including, without limitation, principal, premium, interest (including, without limitation, all interest that accrues after the commencement of any case, proceeding or other action relating to the bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization or similar proceeding of any Grantor at the rate provided for in the respective documentation, whether or not such claim for post-petition interest is allowed in any such proceeding), fees, costs, expenses and indemnities, including the fees and expenses of counsel) owing to the Collateral Agent, the 2010 Trustee and holders of the Senior Secured Notes under the Senior Secured Note Documents and the due performance and compliance by the Grantors with all of the terms, conditions and agreements contained in the Senior Secured Note Documents; (ii) any and all sums advanced by the Collateral Agent in accordance with any of the Senior Secured Note Documents in order to preserve the Collateral or preserve its security interest in the Collateral; and (iii) in the event of any proceedings for the collection or enforcement of any indebtedness, obligations or liabilities of the Grantors referred to in clause (i) above, the reasonable expenses of retaking, holding, preparing for sale or lease, selling or otherwise disposing of or realizing on the Collateral, or of any exercise by the Collateral Agent of its rights hereunder, together with reasonable attorneys’ fees and court costs.

 

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Senior Secured Convertible Note Documents ” means the Senior Secured Convertible Notes, any guarantees thereof, the 2018 Indenture and the Security Documents.

Senior Secured Convertible Note Obligations ” means the collective reference to (i) all obligations, liabilities and indebtedness (including, without limitation, principal, premium, interest (including, without limitation, all interest that accrues after the commencement of any case, proceeding or other action relating to the bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization or similar proceeding of any Grantor at the rate provided for in the respective documentation, whether or not such claim for post-petition interest is allowed in any such proceeding), fees, costs, expenses and indemnities, including the fees and expenses of counsel) owing to the Collateral Agent, the 2018 Trustee and holders of the Senior Secured Convertible Notes under the Senior Secured Convertible Note Documents and the due performance and compliance by the Grantors with all of the terms, conditions and agreements contained in the Senior Secured Note Convertible Documents; (ii) any and all sums advanced by the Collateral Agent in accordance with any of the Senior Secured Convertible Note Documents in order to preserve the Collateral or preserve its security interest in the Collateral; and (iii) in the event of any proceedings for the collection or enforcement of any indebtedness, obligations or liabilities of the Grantors referred to in clause (i) above, the reasonable expenses of retaking, holding, preparing for sale or lease, selling or otherwise disposing of or realizing on the Collateral, or of any exercise by the Collateral Agent of its rights hereunder, together with reasonable attorneys’ fees and court costs.

Software ” means all “software” as such term is defined in the New York UCC used by any Grantor to process, assemble, prepare for sale, market for sale, sell or otherwise dispose of the Collateral, other than software embedded in any category of goods, including all computer programs and all supporting information provided in connection with a transaction related to any program.

Trademarks ” means (i) all trademarks, trade names, corporate names, company names, business names, fictitious business names, trade styles, service marks, logos and other source or business identifiers, and all goodwill associated therewith, now existing or hereafter adopted or acquired, all registrations and recordings thereof, and all applications in connection therewith, whether in the United States Patent and Trademark Office or in any similar office or agency of the United States, any State thereof or any other country or any political subdivision thereof, or otherwise, and all common-law rights related thereto and (ii) the right to obtain all renewals thereof.

Trademark License ” means any agreement, whether written or oral, providing for the grant by or to any Grantor of any right to use any Trademark.

1.2 Other Definitional Provisions .

(a) The words “hereof,” “herein,” “hereto” and “hereunder” and words of similar import when used in this Agreement shall refer to this Agreement as a whole and not to any particular provision of this Agreement, and Section and Schedule references are to this Agreement unless otherwise specified.

(b) The meanings given to terms defined herein shall be equally applicable to both the singular and plural forms of such terms.

(c) Where the context requires, terms relating to the Collateral or any part thereof, when used in relation to a Grantor, shall refer to such Grantor’s Collateral or the relevant part thereof.

 

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1.3 Perfection Certificate . The Collateral Agent, each Grantor and each Secured Party agree that the Perfection Certificate and all descriptions of Collateral therein and schedules, amendments and supplements thereto are and shall at all times remain a part of this Agreement.

SECTION 2. GRANT OF SECURITY INTEREST

2.1 Collateral; Grant of Security Interest . Each Grantor hereby grants to the Collateral Agent for the equal and ratable benefit of the Secured Parties a security interest in all of the following property now owned, or at any time hereafter acquired, by such Grantor or in which such Grantor now has, or at any time in the future may acquire, any right, title or interest (collectively, the “Collateral”), as collateral security for the prompt and complete payment and performance when due (whether at the stated maturity, by acceleration or otherwise) of such Grantor’s Secured Obligations:

(a) all Credit Card Accounts Receivable;

(b) all Inventory;

(c) all Chattel Paper relating to Credit Card Accounts Receivable;

(d) all Instruments relating to Credit Card Accounts Receivable;

(e) all Documents relating to any Inventory;

(f) all books and records pertaining to the Collateral; and

(g) to the extent not otherwise included, all Proceeds, insurance claims, Supporting Obligations and products of any and all of the foregoing and all collateral security and guarantees given by any Person with respect to any of the foregoing.

2.2 No Assumption of Liability . The security interest in the Collateral granted to the Collateral Agent is granted as security only and shall not subject the Collateral Agent or any other Secured Party to, or in any way alter or modify, any obligation or liability of any Grantor with respect to or arising out of the Collateral. Anything contained herein to the contrary notwithstanding, each Grantor shall remain liable under any contracts and agreements included in the Collateral, to the extent set forth therein, to perform all of its duties and obligations thereunder to the same extent as if this Agreement and the Second Lien Documents had not been executed, the exercise by Collateral Agent of any of its rights hereunder or any of the Second Lien Documents shall not release any Grantor from any of its duties or obligations under the contracts and agreements included in the Collateral, and the Collateral Agent shall not have any obligation or liability under any contracts, licenses, and agreements included in the Collateral by reason of this Agreement or any of the Second Lien Documents, nor shall Collateral Agent be obligated to perform any of the obligations or duties of any Grantor thereunder or to take any action to collect or enforce any claim for payment assigned hereunder.

SECTION 3. REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES

Each Grantor represents and warrants to the Collateral Agent and the other Secured Parties that:

3.1 Title; No Other Liens . Except for the security interest granted to the Collateral Agent for the ratable benefit of the Secured Parties pursuant to this Agreement and any other Permitted Lien, such Grantor owns each item of the Collateral free and clear of any and all Liens or claims of others. No

 

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financing statement or other public notice with respect to all or any part of the Collateral is on file or of record in any public office, except (i) such as have been filed in favor of the Collateral Agent for the ratable benefit of the Secured Parties pursuant to this Agreement or (ii)  as are permitted by the Second Lien Documents.

3.2 Perfected Liens .

(a) The security interests granted pursuant to this Agreement (a)  upon completion of the filings specified on Schedule 2 (which, in the case of all financing statements referred to on said Schedule 2, have been delivered to the Collateral Agent in completed form) will constitute valid perfected security interests in all of the Collateral as to which a Lien can be perfected by filing in favor of the Collateral Agent, for the ratable benefit of the Secured Parties, as collateral security for the Secured Obligations, enforceable in accordance with the terms hereof and (b) are prior to all other Liens on the Collateral in existence on the date hereof other than Permitted Liens having priority over the Liens of the Collateral Agent pursuant to applicable law or the Intercreditor Agreement.

(b) Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, prior to the Discharge of First Lien Obligations, the requirements of this Agreement to deliver Collateral and any certificates, instruments or related documents to the Collateral Agent shall be deemed satisfied by delivery of such Collateral and such certificates, instruments or related documents to any First Lien Collateral Agent. The Issuer shall deliver copies of any such certificates, instruments or related documents to the Collateral Agent.

3.3 Jurisdiction of Organization . On the date hereof, such Grantor’s jurisdiction of organization and identification number from the jurisdiction of organization (if any) are specified on Schedule 3. Such Grantor has furnished to the Collateral Agent a charter, certificate of incorporation or other formation document and good standing certificate dated as of a date which is recent to the date hereof.

3.4 Credit Card Accounts Receivable .

(a) No amount payable to such Grantor under or in connection with any Credit Card Accounts Receivable is evidenced by any Instrument or Chattel Paper which has not been delivered to the Collateral Agent (or, if prior to the Discharge of First Lien Obligations, to any First Lien Collateral Agent for the benefit of the Collateral Agent).

(b) Except as would not be reasonably expected to result in a material adverse effect on the business or financial condition of the Issuer and its Subsidiaries considered as a whole (a “ Material Adverse Effect ”), there are no facts, events or occurrences which would impair the validity of any Credit Card Accounts Receivable, or tend to reduce the amount payable thereunder from the face amount of the claim or invoice or statements delivered to the Collateral Agent (or, if prior to the Discharge of First Lien Obligations, to any First Lien Collateral Agent for the benefit of the Collateral Agent) with respect thereto (other than arising in the ordinary course of business).

3.5 Related Intellectual Property . Such Grantor owns or has a license to use all Intellectual Property which is reasonably necessary to sell the Collateral in the ordinary course. Such Grantor shall take all reasonable and necessary steps to maintain and preserve the benefit of each Trademark License, Copyright License and Patent License which relates to Intellectual Property to the extent that the use of such Intellectual Property would be reasonably necessary in connection with the Collateral Agent’s enforcement of any of its remedies under the Second Lien Documents.

 

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3.6 Dealer Store Inventory . Except as would not be reasonably expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect, (a) all of the Inventory at each Dealer Store is owned by a Grantor free and clear of any and all Liens or claims of others except for any Permitted Liens, and (b) all such Inventory is subject to a legal, valid and perfected security interest in favor of the applicable Grantor, which is prior to any other Lien on such Inventory.

SECTION 4. COVENANTS

Each Grantor covenants and agrees with the Collateral Agent and the other Secured Parties that, until the Final Date:

4.1 Delivery of Instruments and Chattel Paper . If any amount payable under or in connection with any of the Collateral shall be or become evidenced by any Instrument, Chattel Paper or transferable records, such Instrument, Chattel Paper or transferable records, shall be promptly delivered to the Collateral Agent (or, if prior to the Discharge of First Lien Obligations, to any First Lien Collateral Agent for the benefit of the Collateral Agent), duly indorsed in a manner satisfactory to the Collateral Agent (or, if prior to the Discharge of First Lien Obligations, to any First Lien Collateral Agent for the benefit of the Collateral Agent), to be held as Collateral pursuant to this Agreement.

4.2 [ Intentionally Omitted ].

4.3 Maintenance of Perfected Security Interest; Further Documentation .

(a) Such Grantor shall maintain the security interest created by this Agreement as a perfected security interest having at least the priority described in Section 3.2 and shall defend such security interest against the claims and demands of all Persons whomsoever, subject to the rights of such Grantor under the Security Documents to dispose of the Collateral.

(b) Each Grantor shall file, and if reasonably requested by the Collateral Agent will execute or authenticate and deliver to the Collateral Agent, all financing or continuation statements, or amendments thereto, and such other instruments or notices, as may be necessary, or as the Collateral Agent may reasonably request, from time to time in order to maintain a perfected security interest in the Collateral owned by such Grantor subject only to (i) Liens securing the First Lien Obligations and (ii) any other Permitted Lien. Such financing statements may 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 is necessary, advisable or prudent to ensure the perfection of the security interest in the Collateral granted to the Collateral Agent herein.

(c) Each Grantor agrees that, in the event any Grantor, pursuant to the First Lien Security Agreement, takes any action to grant or perfect a Lien in favor of any First Lien Collateral Agent in any assets that constitute Collateral (other than Proceeds in the form of cash or cash equivalents) hereunder, such Grantor shall, to the extent reasonable, take a corresponding action to grant or perfect a Lien (subject to the Intercreditor Agreement) in such Collateral in favor of the Collateral Agent to secure the Secured Obligations without the request of the Collateral Agent.

4.4 Changes in Name, etc. Such Grantor will not, except upon 15 days’ prior written notice to the Collateral Agent, the filing of all additional financing statements and other documents necessary to maintain the validity, perfection and priority of the security interests provided for herein and other documents necessary or reasonably requested by the Collateral Agent to maintain the validity, perfection and priority of the security interests provided for herein, change its organizational form from that of a registered entity to an unregistered entity (or from an unregistered entity to a registered entity), change its jurisdiction of organization from that referred to in Section  3.3 or change its name or organizational form.

 

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SECTION 5. REMEDIAL PROVISIONS

5.1 Certain Matters Relating to Credit Card Accounts Receivable . At the Collateral Agent’s request (or, if prior to the Discharge of First Lien Obligations, at the request of any First Lien Collateral Agent for the benefit of the Collateral Agent), at any time after the occurrence and during the continuance of an Event of Default, each Grantor shall deliver to the Collateral Agent (or, if prior to the Discharge of First Lien Obligations, to any First Lien Collateral Agent for the benefit of the Collateral Agent) all original and other documents evidencing, and relating to, the agreements and transactions which gave rise to the Credit Card Accounts Receivable.

5.2 Communications with Obligors; Grantors Remain Liable .

(a) The Collateral Agent (or, if prior to the Discharge of First Lien Obligations, any First Lien Collateral Agent for the benefit of the Collateral Agent) in its own name or in the name of others may at any time after the occurrence and during the continuance of an Event of Default communicate with obligors under the Credit Card Accounts Receivable to verify with them to the satisfaction of the Collateral Agent the existence, amount and terms of any Credit Card Accounts Receivable.

(b) Upon the request of the Collateral Agent after the Discharge of First Lien Obligations, at any time after the occurrence and during the continuance of an Event of Default, each Grantor shall notify obligors on the Credit Card Accounts Receivable that the Credit Card Accounts Receivable have been assigned to the Collateral Agent for the benefit of the Secured Parties and that payments in respect thereof shall be made directly to the Collateral Agent.

(c) Anything herein to the contrary notwithstanding, each Grantor shall remain liable under each of the Credit Card Accounts Receivable to observe and perform all the conditions and obligations to be observed and performed by it thereunder, all in accordance with the terms of any agreement giving rise thereto. Neither the Collateral Agent nor any other Secured Party shall have any obligation or liability under any Credit Card Accounts Receivable (or any agreement giving rise thereto) by reason of or arising out of this Agreement or the receipt by the Collateral Agent or any other Secured Party of any payment relating thereto, nor shall the Collateral Agent or any other Secured Party be obligated in any manner to perform any of the obligations of any Grantor under or pursuant to any Credit Card Accounts Receivable (or any agreement giving rise thereto), to make any payment, to make any inquiry as to the nature or the sufficiency of any payment received by it or as to the sufficiency of any performance by any party thereunder, to present or file any claim, to take any action to enforce any performance or to collect the payment of any amounts which may have been assigned to it or to which it may be entitled at any time or times.

5.3 [ Intentionally Omitted ].

5.4 Application of Proceeds . Subject to the terms of the Intercreditor Agreement, any proceeds received by the Collateral Agent in respect of any sale of, collection from or other realization upon all or any part of the Collateral pursuant to the exercise by the Collateral Agent of its remedies, or received by the Collateral Agent in respect of all or any part of the Collateral in connection with any bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization or similar proceeding of any Grantor, shall be applied, together with any other sums then held by the Collateral Agent pursuant to this Agreement, as follows:

 

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First , to pay all indemnities, compensation and expenses (including the fees and expenses of counsel and experts) owing to the Collateral Agent in its capacity as such in accordance with the terms of this Agreement and the other Second Lien Documents;

Second , to the 2010 Trustee in its capacity as such in accordance with the terms of the 2010 Indenture, to the Second Lien Credit Agreement Agent in its capacity as such in accordance with the terms of the Second Lien Credit Agreement, to the 2018 Trustee in its capacity as such in accordance with the terms of the 2018 Indenture and to any other Junior Second Lien Agent or Senior Second Lien Agent in its capacity as such in accordance with the terms of the applicable Junior Second Lien Agreement or Senior Second Lien Agreement, in each case ratably;

Third , to ratably pay all amounts owing to holders of Senior Second Lien Obligations (including interest, costs and attorneys’ fees owed to the holders of Senior Second Lien Obligations, whether or not a claim is allowed against the Issuer or any Grantor for such interest, fees, indemnification payments, expense reimbursements and other amounts in any related bankruptcy proceeding) in accordance with the terms of the 2018 Indenture, the Second Lien Credit Agreement and any other Senior Second Lien Agreements;

Fourth , to ratably pay all amounts owing to holders of Junior Second Lien Obligations (including interest, costs and attorneys’ fees owed to the holders of Junior Second Lien Obligations, whether or not a claim is allowed against the Issuer or any Grantor for such interest, fees, indemnification payments, expense reimbursements and other amounts in any related bankruptcy proceeding) in accordance with the terms of the 2010 Indenture and any other Junior Second Lien Agreements; and

Fifth , to pay the Issuer or to whomsoever may be lawfully entitled to receive the same.

All applications of proceeds pursuant to clause First above, clause Second above, clause Third above and clause Fourth above, respectively, shall be allocated among the applicable Secured Parties on a pro rata basis according to the principal, interest and/or other amounts owing in respect of the applicable Secured Obligations owing to such Secured Parties at the time of the distribution. In the event that any such proceeds are insufficient to pay in full the items described in clauses First through Fourth of this Section  5.4 , the Grantors shall remain liable, jointly and severally, for any deficiency.

If, despite the provisions of this Agreement, any Secured Party shall receive any payment or other recovery in excess of its portion of payments on account of the Secured Obligations to which it is then entitled in accordance with this Agreement, such Secured Party shall hold such payment or recovery in trust for the benefit of all Secured Parties for distribution in accordance with this Section  5.4.

Upon the request of the Collateral Agent prior to any distribution under this Section  5.4, each Secured Party shall provide to the Collateral Agent certificates, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Collateral Agent, setting forth the respective amounts referred to in Section  5.4, that each such Secured Party believes it is entitled to receive, and the Collateral Agent shall be fully entitled to rely on such certificates.

5.5 Code and Other Remedies .

(a) If an Event of Default shall occur and be continuing, the Collateral Agent, on behalf of the Secured Parties, may (and at the direction of the Required Secured Parties shall (subject to any right of the Collateral Agent to require indemnity from such persons prior to taking any enforcement action)) exercise, in addition to all other rights and remedies granted to them in this Agreement and in any other

 

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instrument or agreement securing, evidencing or relating to the Secured Obligations, all rights and remedies of a secured party under the New York UCC or any other applicable law. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the Collateral Agent, without demand of performance or other demand, presentment, protest, advertisement or notice of any kind (except any notice required by law referred to below) to or upon any Grantor or any other Person (all and each of which demands, defenses, advertisements and notices are hereby waived), may (and at the direction of the Required Secured Parties shall (subject to any right of the Collateral Agent to require indemnity from such persons prior to taking any enforcement action)) in such circumstances forthwith collect, receive, appropriate and realize upon the Collateral, or any part thereof, and/or may forthwith sell, lease, assign, give option or options to purchase, or otherwise dispose of and deliver the Collateral or any part thereof (or contract to do any of the foregoing), in one or more parcels at public or private sale or sales, at any exchange, broker’s board or office of the Collateral Agent or elsewhere upon such terms and conditions as it may deem advisable and at such prices as it may deem best, for cash or on credit or for future delivery without assumption of any credit risk. Each purchaser at any such sale shall hold the property sold absolutely, free from any claim or right on the part of any Grantor. The Collateral Agent shall have the right upon any such public sale or sales, and, to the extent permitted by law, upon any such private sale or sales, to purchase the whole or any part of the Collateral so sold, free of any right or equity of redemption, stay, valuation or appraisal on the part of any Grantor, which right or equity is hereby waived and released, and may credit against the purchase price the amount of any claim then due and payable from any Grantor on account of the Secured Obligations owed to the Collateral Agent, and the Collateral Agent may, upon compliance with the terms of sale, hold, retain and dispose of such property without further accountability to any Grantor therefor. Each Grantor further agrees, at the Collateral Agent’s request, to assemble the Collateral and make it available to the Collateral Agent at the Grantor’s sole risk and expense, at places which the Collateral Agent shall reasonably select, whether at such Grantor’s premises or elsewhere. The Collateral Agent shall apply the net proceeds of any action taken by it pursuant to this Section 5.5 , after deducting all reasonable costs and expenses of every kind incurred in connection therewith or incidental to the care or safekeeping of any of the Collateral or in any way relating to the Collateral or the rights of the Collateral Agent hereunder, including, without limitation, reasonable attorneys’ fees and disbursements, to the payment in whole or in part of the Secured Obligations, in the order set forth in Section 5.4 , and only after such application and after the payment by the Collateral Agent of any other amount required by any provision of law, including, without limitation, Section 9-615(a)(3) of the New York UCC, need the Collateral Agent account for the surplus, if any, to any Grantor. To the extent permitted by applicable law, each Grantor waives all claims, damages and demands it may acquire against any Collateral Agent arising out of the exercise by them of any rights hereunder. If any notice of a proposed sale or other disposition of Collateral shall be required by law, such notice shall be deemed reasonable and proper if given at least 10 days before such sale or other disposition. The Collateral Agent shall not be obligated to make any sale or other disposition of any Collateral if it shall determine not to do so, regardless of the fact that notice of sale or other disposition of such Collateral shall have been given. The Collateral 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. Any public sale shall be held at such time or times within ordinary business hours and at such place or places as the Collateral Agent may fix and state in the notice of such sale. If any of the Collateral is sold, leased, or otherwise disposed of by the Collateral Agent on credit, the Secured Obligations shall not be deemed to have been reduced as a result thereof unless and until payment is finally received thereon by the Collateral Agent.

(b) If an Event of Default shall occur and be continuing, with respect to any Collateral consisting of Inventory, the Collateral Agent may conduct one or more going out of business sales, in the Collateral Agent’s own right or by one or more agents and contractors. Such sale(s) may be conducted upon any premises owned, leased, or occupied by any Grantor. The Collateral Agent and any such agent or contractor, in conjunction with any such sale, may augment the Inventory with other goods (all of

 

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which other goods shall remain the sole property of the Collateral Agent or such agent or contractor). Any amounts realized from the sale of such goods which constitute augmentations to the Inventory (net of an allocable share of the costs and expenses incurred in their disposition) shall be the sole property of the Collateral Agent or such agent or contractor and neither any Grantor nor any Person claiming under or in right of any Grantor shall have any interest therein. Each purchaser at any such going out of business sale shall hold the property sold absolutely, free from any claim or right on the part of any Grantor.

(c) If an Event of Default shall occur and be continuing, with respect to any Collateral consisting of Accounts, the Collateral Agent may: (i) demand, collect and receive any amounts relating thereto, as the Collateral Agent may reasonably determine; (ii) commence and prosecute any actions in any court for the purposes of collecting any such Accounts and enforcing any other rights in respect thereof; (iii) defend, settle or compromise any action brought and, in connection therewith, give such discharges or releases as the Collateral Agent may reasonably deem appropriate; (iv) without limiting the Collateral Agent’s rights set forth in Section 6.1 , receive, open and dispose of mail addressed to any Grantor and endorse checks, notes, drafts, acceptances, money orders, bills of lading, warehouse receipts or other instruments or documents evidencing payment, shipment or storage of the goods giving rise to such Accounts or securing or relating to such Accounts, on behalf of and in the name of such Grantor; and (v) sell, assign, transfer, make any agreement in respect of, or otherwise deal with or exercise rights in respect of, any such Accounts or the goods or services which have given rise thereto, as fully and completely as though the Collateral Agent was the absolute owner thereof for all purposes.

(d) If an Event of Default shall occur and be continuing, with or without legal process and with or without prior notice or demand for performance, the Collateral Agent may enter upon, occupy, and use any premises owned or occupied by each Grantor. The Collateral Agent shall not be required to remove any of the Collateral from any such premises upon taking possession thereof, and may render any Collateral unusable to the Grantors. In no event shall the Collateral Agent be liable to any Grantor for use or occupancy by the Collateral Agent of any premises pursuant to this Section 5.5, nor for any charge (such as wages for the Grantors’ employees and utilities) reasonably incurred in connection with the Collateral Agent’s exercise of its rights and remedies hereunder.

(e) For purposes of this Section 5.5 , a written and fully executed agreement to purchase the Collateral or any portion thereof shall be treated as a sale thereof. The Collateral 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 Collateral Agent shall have entered into such an agreement all Events of Default shall have been remedied and the Secured Obligations paid in full.

(f) To the extent permitted by applicable law, each Grantor hereby waives all rights of redemption, stay, valuation and appraisal which 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 Collateral Agent shall have no obligation to marshal any of the Collateral or resort to any of the property or assets of any Grantor in any particular manner or order.

5.6 Deficiency . Each Grantor shall remain liable for any deficiency if the proceeds of any sale or other disposition of the Collateral are insufficient to pay its Secured Obligations and the fees and disbursements of any attorneys employed by the Collateral Agent or any other Secured Party to collect such deficiency.

5.7 Grant of License in Intellectual Property, Software and other Assets .

 

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(a) For the purpose of enabling the Collateral Agent to exercise the rights and remedies under this Section 5 at such time as the Collateral Agent shall be lawfully entitled to exercise such rights and remedies, and for no other purpose, each Grantor hereby (i) assigns and transfers to the Collateral Agent and grants the Collateral Agent, for the benefit of the Collateral Agent and the other Secured Parties, an irrevocable, nonexclusive license (exercisable without payment of royalty or any other compensation to such Grantor or any Affiliate of such Grantor) to use, license or sublicense, any related Intellectual Property now owned or licensed or hereafter owned, licensed or otherwise acquired by such Grantor, and wherever the same may be located, and including in such license access to all media in which any of the licensed items may be recorded or stored and to all computer software and programs used for the compilation or printout thereof and (ii) irrevocably agrees that the Collateral Agent may sell any of such Grantor’s Inventory directly to any Person, including, without limitation, Persons who have previously purchased such Grantor’s Inventory from such Grantor and in connection with any such sale or other enforcement of the Collateral Agent’s rights under this Agreement, may sell Inventory which bears any Trademark owned by or licensed to such Grantor and any Inventory that is covered by any Copyright owned by or licensed to such Grantor and the Collateral Agent may finish any work in process and affix any Trademark owned by or licensed to such Grantor and sell such Inventory as provided herein; provided that, notwithstanding the foregoing, except as provided in any agreement between the Collateral Agent and the owner or licensor of such Intellectual Property, this Agreement shall not constitute a license to use, license or sublicense, any Intellectual Property to the extent such license or sublicense is prohibited by or results in the termination of or requires any consent not obtained under, any contract, license, agreement, instrument or other document evidencing or giving rise to such Intellectual Property, except to the extent that (x) the term in such contract, license, agreement, instrument or other document providing for such prohibition, breach, default or termination or requiring such consent is ineffective under applicable law, or (y) the contract, license, agreement, instrument or other document pursuant to which such Grantor was granted its rights to any such Intellectual Property was issued by a Subsidiary or Affiliate of such Grantor (and is not subject to an applicable constraint in an over-license or other agreement with a third party).

(b) For the purpose of enabling the Collateral Agent to exercise the rights and remedies under this Section 5 at such time as the Collateral Agent shall be lawfully entitled to exercise such rights and remedies, and for no other purpose, each Grantor hereby assigns and transfers to the Collateral Agent and grants to the Collateral Agent, for the benefit of the Collateral Agent and the other Secured Parties, an irrevocable, nonexclusive license (exercisable without payment of royalty or any other compensation to such Grantor or any other Person) to use, license or sublicense, any Software now owned or licensed or hereafter owned, licensed or otherwise acquired by such Grantor; provided that, notwithstanding the foregoing, except as provided in any agreement between the Collateral Agent and the owner or licensor of such Software, this Agreement shall not constitute a license to use, license or sublicense, any Software to the extent such license or sublicense is prohibited by or results in the termination of or requires any consent not obtained under, any contract, license, agreement, instrument or other document evidencing or giving rise to such Software, except to the extent that (i) the term in such contract, license, agreement, instrument or other document providing for such prohibition, breach, default or termination or requiring such consent is ineffective under applicable law, or (ii) the contract, license, agreement, instrument or other document pursuant to which such Grantor was granted its rights to any such Software was issued by a Subsidiary or Affiliate of such Grantor (and is not subject to an applicable constraint in an over-license or other agreement with a third party).

(c) Without duplication of the rights granted to the Collateral Agent in clauses (a) and (b) of this Section 5.7 , and for the purpose of enabling the Collateral Agent to exercise the rights and remedies under this Section 5 at such time as the Collateral Agent shall be lawfully entitled to exercise such rights and remedies, and for no other purpose, each Grantor hereby assigns and transfers to the Collateral Agent and grants to the Collateral Agent, for the benefit of the Collateral Agent and the other Secured Parties, an

 

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irrevocable, nonexclusive license (exercisable without payment of royalty, rent or any other compensation to such Grantor or any other Person), to use, license or sublicense, any real property or personal property of such Grantor which does not constitute Collateral, including but not limited to, all Equipment, Fixtures, General Intangibles and Goods, whether now or hereafter owned, leased or occupied by such Grantor; provided that, notwithstanding the foregoing, except as provided in any agreement between the Collateral Agent and the owner or licensor of such real or personal property, this Agreement shall not constitute a license to use, license or sublicense, any real or personal property to the extent such license or sublicense is prohibited by or results in the termination of or requires any consent not obtained under, any lease, contract, license, agreement, instrument or other document evidencing or giving rise to such property or any rights therein, except to the extent that (i)  the term in such lease, contract, license, agreement, instrument or other document providing for such prohibition, breach, default or termination or requiring such consent is ineffective under applicable law, or (ii)  the contract, license, agreement, instrument or other document pursuant to which such Grantor was granted its rights to any such real property or personal property was issued by a Subsidiary or Affiliate of such Grantor (and is not subject to an applicable constraint in an over-license or other agreement with a third party).

SECTION 6. THE COLLATERAL AGENT

6.1 Collateral Agent s Appointment as Attorney-in-Fact, etc.

(a) Each Grantor hereby irrevocably constitutes and appoints the Collateral Agent and any officer or agent thereof, with full power of substitution, as its true and lawful attorney-in-fact with full irrevocable power and authority in the place and stead of such Grantor and in the name of such Grantor or in its own name, for the purpose of carrying out the terms of this Agreement, to take any and all appropriate action and to execute any and all documents and instruments which may be necessary or desirable to accomplish the purposes of this Agreement, and, without limiting the generality of the foregoing, each Grantor hereby gives the Collateral Agent the power and right, on behalf of such Grantor, without notice to, or assent by such Grantor, to do any or all of the following:

(i) in the name of such Grantor or its own name, or otherwise, take possession of and indorse and collect any checks, drafts, notes, acceptances or other instruments for the payment of moneys due under any Credit Card Accounts Receivable or with respect to any other Collateral and file any claim or take any other action or proceeding in any court of law or equity or otherwise deemed appropriate by the Collateral Agent for the purpose of collecting any and all such moneys due under any Credit Card Accounts Receivable or with respect to any other Collateral whenever payable;

(ii) pay or discharge taxes and Liens levied or placed on or threatened against the Collateral, effect any repairs or any insurance called for by the terms of this Agreement and pay all or any part of the premiums therefor and the costs thereof;

(iii) execute, in connection with any sale provided for in Section 5.5 , any indorsements, assignments or other instruments of conveyance or transfer with respect to the Collateral; and

(iv) (1) direct any party liable for any payment under any of the Collateral to make payment of any and all moneys due or to become due thereunder as the Collateral Agent shall direct; (2) ask or demand for, collect, and receive payment of and receipt for, any and all moneys, claims and other amounts due or to become due at any time in respect of or arising out of any Collateral; (3) sign and indorse any invoices, freight or express bills, bills of lading, storage or warehouse receipts, drafts against debtors, assignments, verifications, notices and other

 

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documents in connection with any of the Collateral; (4)  commence and prosecute any suits, actions or proceedings at law or in equity in any court of competent jurisdiction to collect the Collateral or any portion thereof and to enforce any other right in respect of any Collateral; (5)  defend any suit, action or proceeding brought against such Grantor with respect to any Collateral; (6)  settle, compromise or adjust any such suit, action or proceeding and, in connection therewith, give such discharges or releases as the Collateral Agent may deem appropriate; and (7)  generally, sell, transfer, pledge and make any agreement with respect to or otherwise deal with any of the Collateral as fully and completely as though the Collateral Agent was the absolute owner thereof for all purposes, and do, at the Collateral Agent’s option and such Grantor’s expense, at any time, or from time to time, all acts and things which the Collateral Agent deems necessary to protect, preserve or realize upon the Collateral and the Collateral Agent’s and any other Secured Party’s security interest therein and to effect the intent of this Agreement, all as fully and effectively as such Grantor might do.

Anything in this Section  6.1(a) to the contrary notwithstanding, the Collateral Agent agrees that it will not exercise any rights under the power of attorney provided for in this Section  6.1(a) unless an Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing.

(b) Without limitation to the Collateral Agent’s or any other Secured Party’s rights to payment, reimbursement or indemnification under any other Security Document, the expenses of the Collateral Agent incurred in connection with actions undertaken as provided in Sections 6.1 and 7.6 shall be payable by any applicable Grantor to the Collateral Agent on demand.

(c) Each Grantor hereby ratifies all that said attorneys shall lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue hereof. All powers, authorizations and agencies contained in this Agreement are coupled with an interest and are irrevocable until this Agreement is terminated and the security interests created hereby are released.

6.2 Duty of Collateral Agent . The applicable provisions of the Second Lien Documents are herein incorporated by reference and shall be applicable to the rights, obligations, privileges, protections, immunities and benefits given to the Collateral Agent hereunder, including without limitation its right to be compensated, reimbursed, and indemnified, and are extended to, and shall be enforceable by, each agent, custodian and other person employed to act on behalf of the Collateral Agent hereunder. The Collateral Agent’s sole duty with respect to the custody, safekeeping and physical preservation of the Collateral in its possession, under Section  9-207 of the New York UCC or otherwise, shall be to deal with it in the same manner as the Collateral Agent deals with similar property for its own account. The Collateral Agent will not be responsible for filing any financing or continuation statements or recording any documents or instruments in any public office at any time or times or otherwise perfecting or maintaining the perfection of any Liens on the Collateral. Neither the Collateral Agent nor any other Secured Party nor any of their respective officers, directors, employees or agents shall be liable for failure to demand, collect or realize upon any of the Collateral or for any delay in doing so or shall be under any obligation to sell or otherwise dispose of any Collateral upon the request of any Grantor or any other Person or to take any other action whatsoever with regard to the Collateral or any part thereof. The powers conferred on the Collateral Agent and the other Secured Parties hereunder are solely to protect the Collateral Agent’s and the other Secured Parties’ interests in the Collateral and shall not impose any duty upon the Collateral Agent or any other Secured Party to exercise any such powers. The Collateral Agent and the other Secured Parties shall be accountable only for amounts that they actually receive as a result of the exercise of such powers, and neither they nor any of their officers, directors, employees or agents 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 final and non-appealable judgment of a court of competent jurisdiction. In furtherance and not in limitation of

 

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the foregoing, Wilmington Trust, National Association hereby agrees to act as Collateral Agent under and as defined in the 2018 Indenture upon and in accordance with the express terms and conditions contained therein and the other Senior Secured Convertible Note Documents, as applicable.

6.3 Execution of Financing Statements . Each Grantor authorizes the Collateral Agent to file or record financing statements and other filing or recording documents or instruments with respect to the Collateral without the signature of such Grantor in such form and in such offices as the Collateral Agent determines appropriate to perfect the security interests of the Collateral Agent under this Agreement.

6.4 Authority of the Collateral Agent . Each Grantor acknowledges that the rights and responsibilities of the Collateral Agent under this Agreement with respect to any action taken by the Collateral Agent or the exercise or non-exercise by the Collateral Agent of any request, judgment or other right or remedy provided for herein or resulting or arising out of this Agreement shall, as between the Collateral Agent and the other Secured Parties, be governed by the Second Lien Documents and by such other agreements with respect thereto as may exist from time to time among them, but, as between the Collateral Agent and the Grantors, the Collateral Agent shall be conclusively presumed to be acting as agent for the Secured Parties with full and valid authority so to act or refrain from acting, and no Grantor shall be under any obligation, or entitlement, to make any inquiry respecting such authority.

6.5 Second Lien Obligations . The Collateral Agent shall be permitted to rely on any certificate, direction or consent delivered by any agent with respect to any series of Secured Obligations under any Second Lien Documents with respect to all matters relating to the relevant Secured Obligations.

SECTION 7. MISCELLANEOUS

7.1 Intercreditor Agreement . Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, the Liens and security interests granted to the Collateral Agent pursuant to this Agreement and the exercise of any right or remedy by the Collateral Agent hereunder, in each case, with respect to the Collateral are subject to the limitations and provisions of the Intercreditor Agreement. In the event of any conflict between the terms of the Intercreditor Agreement and the terms of this Agreement, the terms of the Intercreditor Agreement shall govern and control. By its execution and delivery of this Agreement, each Junior Second Lien Agent and Senior Second Lien Agent authorizes and directs the Collateral Agent to execute and deliver the Intercreditor Agreement and perform its obligations thereunder, binding such Junior Second Lien Agent and Senior Second Lien Agents and their respective Secured Parties to the terms thereof.

7.2 Second Lien Obligations . On or after the date hereof and so long as not prohibited by the Second Lien Documents with respect to each series of Secured Obligations, the Issuer may from time to time designate any indenture, credit agreement or other contract to be a Junior Second Lien Agreement or Senior Second Lien Agreement and the indebtedness and other obligations thereunder to be secured as Junior Second Lien Obligations or Senior Second Lien Obligations, as applicable, by delivering to the Collateral Agent, each Junior Second Lien Agent and each Senior Second Lien Agent, if any, (a) a certificate signed by an Officer of the Issuer (i) identifying the obligations so designated and the initial aggregate principal amount or face amount thereof, (ii) stating that such agreement is designated as a Junior Second Lien Agreement or Senior Second Lien Agreement, as applicable, and such obligations are designated as (A)  Secured Obligations and (B)  Junior Second Lien Obligations or Senior Second Lien Obligations, as applicable, for purposes hereof, (iii)  representing that such designation of such obligations as Secured Obligations and Junior Second Lien Obligations or Senior Second Lien Obligations, as applicable, complies with the terms of the Second Lien Documents with respect to each series of Secured Obligations and (iv)  specifying the name and address of the Junior Second Lien Agent or Senior Second Lien Agent, as applicable, for such obligations and (b) a fully executed Junior Second Lien Joinder Agreement or Senior Second Lien Joinder Agreement, as applicable. Each Junior Second Lien

 

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Agent and Senior Second Lien Agent that becomes party hereto pursuant to a Junior Second Lien Joinder Agreement or Senior Second Lien Joinder Agreement agrees that upon the satisfaction of all conditions set forth in the preceding sentence, the Collateral Agent shall act as agent under this Agreement for such Junior Second Lien Agent or Senior Second Lien Agent and the holders of such Junior Second Lien Obligations or Senior Second Lien Obligations, and as Collateral Agent for the benefit of all Secured Parties, including without limitation, any Secured Party that holds any such Junior Second Lien Obligations or Senior Second Lien Obligations, and each such Junior Second Lien Agent or Senior Second Lien Agent, for itself and the other holders of the applicable Junior Second Lien Obligations or Senior Second Lien Obligations, agrees to the appointment, and acceptance of the appointment, of the Collateral Agent as agent for such Junior Second Lien Agent or Senior Second Lien Agent and the holders of such Junior Second Lien Obligations or Senior Second Lien Obligations, as set forth in each Junior Second Lien Joinder Agreement and Senior Second Lien Joinder Agreement and agrees, on behalf of itself and each Secured Party it represents, to be bound by this Agreement and to be subject to, and, if requested, to become a party to, the Intercreditor Agreement. Notwithstanding the foregoing, it is understood that the Issuer shall not designate, or re-designate, any Senior Second Lien Agreement existing on the date hereof as a Junior Second Lien Agreement (and any related Senior Second Lien Obligations as Junior Second Lien Obligations) without the consent of the applicable Senior Second Lien Agent.

7.3 Amendments in Writing . None of the terms or provisions of this Agreement may be waived, amended, supplemented or otherwise modified except in accordance with the provisions of each Junior Second Lien Agreement and Senior Second Lien Agreement.

7.4 Notices . All notices, requests and demands to or upon the Collateral Agent or any Grantor hereunder shall be given in writing and delivered in person, sent by telecopy, delivered electronically, delivered by commercial courier service or mailed by first-class mail, postage prepaid, addressed as follows:

To the Collateral Agent:

Wilmington Trust, National Association, as Collateral Agent

Global Capital Markets

50 South Sixth Street, Suite 1290

Minneapolis, MN 55402

Attn: Sears Holdings Corporation Administrator

To any Grantor:

Sears Holdings Corporation

3333 Beverly Road

Hoffman Estates, Illinois 60179

Facsimile: (847) 286-2055

Attention: Treasurer

With a copy to (which shall not constitute notice):

Wachtell Lipton Rosen & Katz

51 West 52nd Street

New York, New York 10019

Facsimile: (212) 403-2000

Attention: Joshua A. Feltman

 

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Any such notice, request or demand to or upon any Junior Second Lien Agent or Senior Second Lien Agent shall be addressed to such Junior Second Lien Agent or Senior Second Lien Agent at its notice address set forth in the applicable Second Lien Document.

7.5 No Waiver by Course of Conduct; Cumulative Remedies . Neither the Collateral Agent nor any other Secured Party shall by any act (except by a written instrument pursuant to Section  7.1), delay, indulgence, omission or otherwise be deemed to have waived any right or remedy hereunder or to have acquiesced in any Event of Default. No failure to exercise, nor any delay in exercising, on the part of the Collateral Agent or any other Secured Party, any right, power or privilege hereunder shall operate as a waiver thereof. No single or partial exercise of any right, power or privilege hereunder shall preclude any other or further exercise thereof or the exercise of any other right, power or privilege. A waiver by the Collateral Agent or any other Secured Party of any right or remedy hereunder on any one occasion shall not be construed as a bar to any right or remedy which the Collateral Agent or such other Secured Party would otherwise have on any future occasion. The rights and remedies herein provided are cumulative, may be exercised singly or concurrently and are not exclusive of any other rights or remedies provided by law.

7.6 Enforcement Expenses; Indemnification . Without limitation to the Collateral Agent’s or any other Secured Party’s rights to payment, compensation, reimbursement or indemnification under any other Security Document:

(a) each Grantor jointly and severally agrees to pay or reimburse the Collateral Agent and the other Secured Parties for all their costs and expenses incurred in collecting against any Grantor under this Agreement or otherwise enforcing or preserving any rights under this Agreement and the other Security Documents, including, without limitation, the fees and disbursements of the Secured Parties’ counsel in accordance with the terms of the Second Lien Documents;

(b) each Grantor agrees to pay, and to save the Collateral Agent and the other Secured Parties harmless from, any and all liabilities with respect to, or resulting from any delay in paying, any and all stamp, excise, sales or other taxes which may be payable or determined to be payable with respect to any of the Collateral or in connection with any of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement and the other Security Documents;

(c) each Grantor agrees to pay, and to save the Collateral Agent and the other Secured Parties harmless from, any and all liabilities, obligations, losses, damages, penalties, actions, judgments, suits, costs, expenses or disbursements of any kind or nature whatsoever with respect to the execution, delivery, enforcement, performance and administration of this Agreement and the other Security Documents other than such as arise from the gross negligence or willful misconduct of such Person; and

(d) to the fullest extent permitted by applicable Law, no Grantor shall assert, and each Grantor hereby waives, any claim against the Collateral Agent and the other Secured Parties, 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 Security Document or any agreement or instrument contemplated hereby, or the transactions contemplated hereby or thereby. Neither the Collateral Agent nor any other Secured Party shall be liable for any damages arising from the use by unintended recipients of any information or other materials distributed to such unintended recipients by the Collateral Agent or other Secured Party through telecommunications, electronic or other information transmission systems in connection with this Agreement or the other Security Documents or the transactions contemplated hereby or thereby other than for direct or actual damages resulting from the gross negligence or willful misconduct of the Collateral Agent or other Secured Party as determined by a final and non-appealable judgment of a court of competent jurisdiction.

 

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The agreements in this Section  7.6 shall survive repayment of the Secured Obligations and all other amounts payable under the Security Documents and the other Second Lien Documents, the replacement of the Collateral Agent, the release of the Collateral from the Liens created hereby and the termination of this Agreement.

7.7 Successors and Assigns . This Agreement shall be binding upon the successors and assigns of each Grantor and shall inure to the benefit of the Collateral Agent and the other Secured Parties and their successors and assigns; provided that no Grantor may assign, transfer or delegate any of its rights or obligations under this Agreement except as permitted by each of the Second Lien Documents.

7.8 [ Intentionally Omitted ].

7.9 Counterparts . This Agreement may be executed in any number of counterparts and by different parties hereto in separate counterparts, each of which when so executed shall be deemed to be an original and all of which taken together shall constitute one and the same agreement. Delivery of an executed counterpart of a signature page to this Agreement by facsimile or by electronic mail of a “PDF” file shall be effective as delivery of a manually executed counterpart of this Agreement.

7.10 Severability . Any provision of this Agreement which is prohibited or unenforceable in any jurisdiction 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.

7.11 Section Headings . The Section headings used in this Agreement are for convenience of reference only and are not to affect the construction hereof or be taken into consideration in the interpretation hereof.

7.12 Integration . This Agreement and the other Security Documents represent the agreement of the Grantors, the Collateral Agent and the other Secured Parties with respect to the subject matter hereof and thereof, and there are no promises, undertakings, representations or warranties by the Collateral Agent or the other Secured Parties relative to subject matter hereof and thereof not expressly set forth or referred to herein or in the other Security Documents.

7.13 GOVERNING LAW . THIS AGREEMENT SHALL BE GOVERNED BY AND CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, BUT WITHOUT GIVING EFFECT TO APPLICABLE PRINCIPLES OF CONFLICTS OF LAW TO THE EXTENT THAT THE APPLICATION OF THE LAW OF ANOTHER JURISDICTION WOULD BE REQUIRED THEREBY.

7.14 Acknowledgements . Each Grantor hereby acknowledges that:

(a) it has been advised by counsel in the negotiation, execution and delivery of this Agreement and the other Security Documents to which it is a party;

(b) neither the Collateral Agent nor any other Secured Party has any fiduciary relationship with or duty to any Grantor arising out of or in connection with this Agreement or any of the other Security Document, and the relationship between the Grantors, on the one hand, and the Collateral Agent and the other Secured Parties, on the other hand, in connection herewith or therewith is solely that of debtor and creditor; and

 

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(c) no joint venture is created hereby or by the other Security Documents or otherwise exists by virtue of the transactions contemplated hereby among the Secured Parties or among the Grantors and the Secured Parties.

7.15 Additional Grantors . Each Subsidiary of the Issuer that is required to become a party to this Agreement pursuant to Section 4.06 of the 2018 Indenture or pursuant to any other Second Lien Document shall become a Grantor for all purposes of this Agreement upon execution and delivery by such Subsidiary of an Assumption Agreement in the form of Exhibit II hereto to the Collateral Agent.

7.16 Releases . This Agreement shall remain in full force and effect and be binding in accordance with and to the extent of its terms upon each Grantor and the successors and assigns thereof and shall inure to the benefit of the Collateral Agent and the other Secured Parties and their respective successors, indorsees, transferees and assigns until the Final Date. In addition, the security interests granted hereunder shall terminate and be released, in whole or in part, (i) as to the obligations under the 2010 Indenture and the Senior Secured Notes, as provided in the 2010 Indenture, (ii) as to the obligations under the Second Lien Credit Agreement, as provided in the Second Lien Credit Agreement, (iii) as to the obligations under the 2018 Indenture and the Senior Secured Convertible Notes, as provided in the 2018 Indenture and (iv) as to any other Junior Second Lien Obligations or Senior Second Lien Obligations that may become Secured Obligations, as provided in the applicable Junior Second Lien Agreement or Senior Second Lien Agreement; provided, however, that this Agreement and the security interest granted herein shall be reinstated if at any time payment, or any part thereof, of any Obligation is rescinded or must otherwise be restored by any Secured Party upon the bankruptcy or reorganization of the Issuer or other Grantor. At the request and sole expense of any Grantor following any such termination, the Collateral Agent shall deliver to such Grantor any Collateral held by the Collateral Agent hereunder, and execute and deliver to such Grantor such documents as such Grantor shall reasonably request to evidence such termination.

7.17 Jurisdiction, Etc.

(a) Each of the parties hereto hereby irrevocably and unconditionally submits, for itself and its property, to the exclusive jurisdiction of any New York State court or federal court of the United States of America sitting in New York City, and any appellate court from any thereof, in any action or proceeding arising out of or relating to this Agreement or the other Security Documents, or for recognition or enforcement of any judgment, and each of the parties hereto hereby irrevocably and unconditionally agrees that all claims in respect of any such action or proceeding may be heard and determined in any such New York State court or, to the extent permitted by law, in such federal court. Each Grantor hereby irrevocably consents to the service of process in any action or proceeding in such courts by the mailing thereof by any parties hereto by registered or certified mail, postage prepaid, to the Issuer at its address specified pursuant to Section 13.02 of the 2018 Indenture. Each of the parties hereto agrees that a final judgment in any such action or proceeding shall be conclusive and may be enforced in other jurisdictions by suit on the judgment or in any other manner provided by law. Nothing in this Agreement shall affect any right that any party may otherwise have to bring any action or proceeding relating to this Agreement or the other Security Documents in the courts of any jurisdiction.

(b) Each of the parties hereto irrevocably and unconditionally waives, to the fullest extent it may legally and effectively do so, any objection that it may now or hereafter have to the laying of venue of any suit, action or proceeding arising out of or relating to this Agreement or the other Security Documents in any New York State or federal court. Each of the parties hereto hereby irrevocably waives, to the fullest extent permitted by law, the defense of an inconvenient forum to the maintenance of such action or proceeding in any such court.

 

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7.18 WAIVER OF JURY TRIAL . EACH GRANTOR AND THE COLLATERAL AGENT HEREBY IRREVOCABLY AND UNCONDITIONALLY WAIVE ALL RIGHT TO TRIAL BY JURY IN ANY ACTION, PROCEEDING OR COUNTERCLAIM (WHETHER BASED ON CONTRACT, TORT OR OTHERWISE) ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THIS AGREEMENT OR THE OTHER SECURITY DOCUMENTS OR THE ACTIONS OF THE COLLATERAL AGENT OR ANY OTHER SECURED PARTY IN THE NEGOTIATION, ADMINISTRATION, PERFORMANCE OR ENFORCEMENT THEREOF.

7.19 The 2010 Trustee is executing this Agreement solely as Trustee under the 2010 Indenture. All rights, privileges, protections and immunities in favor of the 2010 Trustee under the 2010 Indenture are incorporated herein by reference. The 2018 Trustee is executing this Agreement solely as Trustee under the 2018 Indenture. All rights, privileges, protections and immunities in favor of the 2018 Trustee under the 2018 Indenture are incorporated herein by reference.

[Remainder of page intentionally left blank]

 

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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, each of the undersigned has caused this Agreement to be duly7 executed and delivered as of the date first above written.

 

Grantors:
SEARS HOLDINGS CORPORATION
By:  

/s/ Robert A. Riecker

  Name: Robert A. Riecker
  Title: Chief Financial Officer
CALIFORNIA BUILDER APPLIANCES, INC.
FLORIDA BUILDER APPLIANCES, INC.
KMART HOLDING CORPORATION
KMART OPERATIONS LLC
SEARS OPERATIONS LLC
SEARS, ROEBUCK AND CO.
By:  

/s/ Robert A. Riecker

  Name: Robert A. Riecker
  Title: Chief Financial Officer
SEARS HOLDINGS MANAGEMENT CORPORATION
SEARS HOME IMPROVEMENT PRODUCTS, INC.
By:  

/s/ Robert A. Riecker

  Name: Robert A. Riecker
  Title: President
SEARS ROEBUCK ACCEPTANCE CORP.
By:  

/s/ Robert A. Riecker

  Name: Robert A. Riecker
  Title: Vice President, Finance

[Signature Page to Security Agreement]

 


A&E FACTORY SERVICE, LLC
A&E HOME DELIVERY, LLC
A&E LAWN & GARDEN, LLC
A&E SIGNATURE SERVICE, LLC
KLC, INC.
KMART OF MICHIGAN, INC.
PRIVATE BRANDS, LTD.
SEARS BRANDS MANAGEMENT CORPORATION
SEARS PROTECTION COMPANY
SEARS PROTECTION COMPANY (FLORIDA), L.L.C.
SEARS, ROEBUCK DE PUERTO RICO, INC.
SOE, INC.
STARWEST, LLC
By:  

/s/ Robert A. Riecker

  Name: Robert A. Riecker
  Title: Vice President
KMART.COM LLC
By:   Bluelight.com, Inc., its Member
By:  

/s/ Robert A. Riecker

  Name: Robert A. Riecker
  Title: Vice President
KMART OF WASHINGTON LLC
KMART STORES OF ILLINOIS LLC
KMART STORES OF TEXAS LLC
MYGOFER LLC
By: Kmart Corporation, its Member
By:  

/s/ Robert A. Riecker

  Name: Robert A. Riecker
  Title: Chief Financial Officer

[Signature Page to Security Agreement]

 


Collateral Agent:

WILMINGTON TRUST, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION,

as Collateral Agent

By:  

/s/ Lynn M. Steiner

  Name: Lynn M. Steiner
  Title: Vice President
Junior Second Lien Agent:

WILMINGTON TRUST, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION,

as 2010 Trustee

By:  

/s/ Lynn M. Steiner

  Name: Lynn M. Steiner
  Title: Vice President
Senior Second Lien Agents:

COMPUTERSHARE TRUST COMPANY, N.A.,

as 2018 Trustee

By:  

/s/ Michael A. Smith

  Name: Michael A. Smith
  Title:Trust Officer

JPP, LLC,

as Second Lien Credit Agreement Agent

By:  

/s/ Edward S. Lampert

  Name: Edward S. Lampert
  Title: Member

[Signature Page to Security Agreement]


Schedule 1

GRANTORS AND NOTICE ADDRESSES OF GRANTORS

 

Grantor

      

Notice Address

Sears Roebuck Acceptance Corp.     

3711 Kennett Pike

Greenville, DE 19807

Kmart Corporation     

3333 Beverly Road

Hoffman Estates, IL 60179

Sears Holdings Corporation     

3333 Beverly Road

Hoffman Estates, IL 60179

A&E Factory Service, LLC     

3333 Beverly Road

Hoffman Estates, IL 60179

A&E Home Delivery, LLC     

3333 Beverly Road

Hoffman Estates, IL 60179

A&E Lawn & Garden, LLC     

3333 Beverly Road

Hoffman Estates, IL 60179

A&E Signature Service, LLC     

3333 Beverly Road

Hoffman Estates, IL 60179

California Builder Appliances, Inc.     

6085 State Farm Dr., Suite 200

Rohnert Park, CA 94928

Florida Builder Appliances, Inc.     

1742 W. Atlantic Blvd.

Pompano Beach, FL 33069

KLC, Inc.     

5000 San Dario

Laredo, TX 78041

Kmart Holding Corporation     

3333 Beverly Road

Hoffman Estates, IL 60179

Kmart of Michigan, Inc.     

3333 Beverly Road

Hoffman Estates, IL 60179

Kmart of Washington LLC     

3333 Beverly Road

Hoffman Estates, IL 60179

Kmart Operations LLC     

3333 Beverly Road

Hoffman Estates, IL 60179

Kmart Stores of Illinois LLC     

3333 Beverly Road

Hoffman Estates, IL 60179

Kmart Stores of Texas LLC     

3333 Beverly Road

Hoffman Estates, IL 60179

Kmart.com LLC     

3333 Beverly Road

Hoffman Estates, IL 60179

 


Grantor

      

Notice Address

MyGofer LLC     

3333 Beverly Road

Hoffman Estates, IL 60179

Private Brands, Ltd.     

3333 Beverly Road

Hoffman Estates, IL 60179

Sears Brands Management Corporation     

3333 Beverly Road

Hoffman Estates, IL 60179

Sears Holdings Management Corporation     

3333 Beverly Road

Hoffman Estates, IL 60179

Sears Home Improvement Products, Inc.     

3333 Beverly Road

Hoffman Estates, IL 60179

Sears Operations LLC     

3333 Beverly Road

Hoffman Estates, IL 60179

Sears Protection Company     

3333 Beverly Road

Hoffman Estates, IL 60179

Sears Protection Company (Florida), L.L.C.     

3333 Beverly Road

Hoffman Estates, IL 60179

Sears, Roebuck and Co.     

3333 Beverly Road

Hoffman Estates, IL 60179

Sears, Roebuck de Puerto Rico, Inc.     

Montehiedra Town Center-Kmart 2nd Flr.

9410 Avenida Los Romeros

San Juan, PR 00926

SOE, Inc.     

9025 S. Kyrene Road

Tempe, AZ 85284

StarWest, LLC     

9025 S. Kyrene Road

Tempe, AZ 85284


Schedule 2

FILINGS

Uniform Commercial Code Filings

UCC-1 Financing Statements to be filed against the Grantors specified below with the Secretary of State of the jurisdictions set forth next to such Grantor’s name:

 

Grantor

  

Jurisdiction

Sears Roebuck Acceptance Corp.    Delaware
Kmart Corporation    Michigan, Puerto Rico and Guam
Sears Holdings Corporation    Delaware
A&E Factory Service, LLC    Delaware
A&E Home Delivery, LLC    Delaware
A&E Lawn & Garden, LLC    Delaware
A&E Signature Service, LLC    Delaware
California Builder Appliances, Inc.    Delaware
Florida Builder Appliances, Inc.    Delaware
KLC, Inc.    Texas
Kmart Holding Corporation    Delaware
Kmart of Michigan, Inc.    Michigan
Kmart of Washington LLC    Washington
Kmart Operations LLC    Delaware
Kmart Stores of Illinois LLC    Illinois
Kmart Stores of Texas LLC    Texas
Kmart.com LLC    Delaware
MyGofer LLC    Delaware
Private Brands, Ltd.    Delaware
Sears Brands Management Corporation    Delaware and Puerto Rico
Sears Holdings Management Corporation    Delaware and Puerto Rico
Sears Home Improvement Products, Inc.    Pennsylvania
Sears Operations LLC    Delaware
Sears Protection Company    Illinois
Sears Protection Company (Florida), L.L.C.    Florida


Sears, Roebuck and Co.    New York, Puerto Rico and Guam
Sears, Roebuck de Puerto Rico, Inc.    Delaware and Puerto Rico
SOE, Inc.    Delaware
StarWest, LLC    Delaware

 


Schedule 3

LOCATION OF JURISDICTION OF ORGANIZATION

 

Grantor

  

Jurisdiction of Organization

  

Identification

Number

Sears Roebuck Acceptance Corp.    Delaware    0506120
Kmart Corporation    Michigan    142467
Sears Holdings Corporation    Delaware    3881360
A&E Factory Service, LLC    Delaware    3457178
A&E Home Delivery, LLC    Delaware    3877029
A&E Lawn & Garden, LLC    Delaware    3748766
A&E Signature Service, LLC    Delaware    3748765
California Builder Appliances, Inc.    Delaware    2862479
Florida Builder Appliances, Inc.    Delaware    2143982
KLC, Inc.    Texas    1276656
Kmart Holding Corporation    Delaware    3648953
Kmart of Michigan, Inc.    Michigan    33800A
Kmart of Washington LLC    Washington    602292492
Kmart Operations LLC    Delaware    5671829
Kmart Stores of Illinois LLC    Illinois    00912026
Kmart Stores of Texas LLC    Texas    800200422
Kmart.com LLC    Delaware    3138594
MyGofer LLC    Delaware    4631467
Private Brands, Ltd.    West Virginia    110640
Sears Brands Management Corporation    Delaware    0617118
Sears Holdings Management Corporation    Delaware    4041132
Sears Home Improvement Products, Inc.    Pennsylvania    2204417
Sears Operations LLC    Delaware    5671833
Sears Protection Company    Illinois    61825622
Sears Protection Company (Florida), L.L.C.    Florida    L03000020977
Sears, Roebuck and Co.    New York    NONE
Sears, Roebuck de Puerto Rico, Inc.    Delaware    0561919
SOE, Inc.    Delaware    3816328
StarWest, LLC    Delaware    3833707

 


EXHIBIT I

[Form of]

[JUNIOR SECOND LIEN]/[SENIOR SECOND LIEN] JOINDER AGREEMENT

The undersigned (the “ [Junior Second Lien]/[Senior Second Lien] Agent ”) is the [agent/trustee/representative] for Persons wishing to become “Secured Parties” (the “New Secured Parties”) under the Amended and Restated Security Agreement, dated as of March 20, 2018 (as amended and/or supplemented, the “Security Agreement” (terms used without definition herein have the meanings assigned to such terms by the Security Agreement)) among Sears Holdings Corporation, the other Grantors party thereto, Wilmington Trust, National Association, as Collateral Agent (the “Collateral Agent”) and the other agents party thereto.

In consideration of the foregoing, the undersigned hereby:

(i) represents that the [Junior Second Lien]/[Senior Second Lien] Agent has been authorized by the New Secured Parties to become a party to the Security Agreement on behalf of the New Secured Parties under that [DESCRIBE OPERATIVE AGREEMENT] (the obligations thereunder and under the ancillary documents referred to therein, the “New Secured Obligations”) and to act as the [Junior Second Lien]/[Senior Second Lien] Agent for the New Secured Parties hereunder and under the Security Agreement;

(ii) acknowledges that the New Secured Parties have received a copy of the Security Agreement;

(iii) irrevocably appoints and authorizes the Collateral Agent to take such action as agent on its behalf and to exercise such powers under the Security Agreement and the other Security Documents as are delegated to the Collateral Agent by the terms thereof, together with all such powers as are reasonably incidental thereto; and

(iv) accepts and acknowledges, for itself and the other New Secured Parties, the terms of the Security Agreement applicable to it and the New Secured Parties and agrees to serve as [Junior Second Lien]/[Senior Second Lien] Agent for the New Secured Parties with respect to the New Secured Obligations and agrees on its own behalf and on behalf of the New Secured Parties to be bound by the terms of the Security Agreement and the other Security Documents applicable to holders of Secured Obligations, with all the rights and obligations of a Secured Party thereunder and bound by all the provisions thereof as fully as if it had been a Secured Party on the effective date of the Security Agreement.

The name and address of the representative for purposes of Section 7.4 of the Security Agreement are as follows:

[name and address of [Junior Second Lien]/[Senior Second Lien] Agent]

 


IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned has caused this [Junior Second Lien]/[Senior Second Lien] Joinder Agreement to be duly executed by its authorized officer as of the         day of    , 20    .

 

[NAME]
By:  

 

  Name:
  Title:

AGREED TO AND ACCEPTED:

The Collateral Agent hereby acknowledges its acceptance of this [Junior Second Lien]/[Senior Second Lien] Joinder Agreement and agrees to act as Collateral Agent for the New Secured Parties, subject to the terms of the [agency agreement, dated as of                         ].

WILMINGTON TRUST, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, as Collateral Agent

 

By:  

 

  Name:
  Title:

 


EXHIBIT II

FORM OF ASSUMPTION AGREEMENT

ASSUMPTION AGREEMENT, dated as of [                    , 20    ], made by [                    ] (the “ Additional Grantor ”), in favor of WILMINGTON TRUST, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, as collateral agent (the “Collateral Agent”), for the benefit of the Secured Parties pursuant to the Security Agreement referred to below. All capitalized terms not defined herein shall have the meaning ascribed to them in such Security Agreement.

W I T N E S S E T H

WHEREAS, Sears Holdings Corporation (“ Holdings ”) and certain of its Subsidiaries (other than the Additional Grantor) have entered into that certain Amended and Restated Security Agreement, dated as of March 20, 2018 (as amended, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time, the “ Security Agreement ”), in favor of the Collateral Agent for the benefit of the Secured Parties;

WHEREAS, the Security Agreement and/or the applicable Second Lien Documents (as defined in the Security Agreement) requires the Additional Grantor to become a party to the Security Agreement; and

WHEREAS, the Additional Grantor has agreed to execute and deliver this Assumption Agreement in order to become a party to the Security Agreement.

NOW, THEREFORE, IT IS AGREED:

1. Security Agreement . By executing and delivering this Assumption Agreement, the Additional Grantor, as provided in Section 7.15 of the Security Agreement, hereby becomes a party to the Security Agreement as a Grantor thereunder with the same force and effect as if originally named therein as a Grantor and, without limiting the generality of the foregoing, hereby expressly assumes all obligations and liabilities of a Grantor thereunder, and grants to the Collateral Agent for the benefit of the Secured Parties a security interest in all Collateral of such Additional Grantor to secure the Secured Obligations. The information set forth in Annex 1-A hereto is hereby added to the information set forth in the Schedules to the Security Agreement. The Additional Grantor hereby represents and warrants that each of the representations and warranties contained in Section 3 of the Security Agreement is, as to such Additional Grantor, true and correct on and as of the date hereof (after giving effect to this Assumption Agreement) as if made on and as of such date.

2. Governing Law . THIS ASSUMPTION AGREEMENT SHALL BE GOVERNED BY AND CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, BUT WITHOUT GIVING EFFECT TO APPLICABLE PRINCIPLES OF CONFLICTS OF LAW TO THE EXTENT THAT THE APPLICATION OF THE LAW OF ANOTHER JURISDICTION WOULD BE REQUIRED THEREBY.

[Remainder of Page intentionally left blank]

 


IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned has caused this Assumption Agreement to be duly executed and delivered as of the date first above written.

 

[ADDITIONAL GRANTOR]
By:  

 

  Name:
  Title:

 


Annex 1-A to

Assumption Agreement

Supplement to Schedule 1

Supplement to Schedule 2

Supplement to Schedule 3

 

Exhibit 10.3

E XECUTION V ERSION

 

 

SECOND AMENDED AND RESTATED

INTERCREDITOR AGREEMENT

by and among

BANK OF AMERICA, N.A. and

WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION,

as ABL Agents,

and

WILMINGTON TRUST, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION,

as Second Lien Agent

Dated as of March 20, 2018

 

 


TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

          Page No.  

ARTICLE 1 DEFINITIONS

     3  

Section 1.1

   UCC Definitions      3  

Section 1.2

   Other Definitions      3  

Section 1.3

   Rules of Construction      11  

ARTICLE 2 LIEN PRIORITY

     12  

Section 2.1

   Priority of Liens      12  

Section 2.2

   Waiver of Right to Contest Liens      13  

Section 2.3

   Remedies Standstill      13  

Section 2.4

   Release of Liens      14  

Section 2.5

   No New Liens      14  

Section 2.6

   Waiver of Marshalling      15  

ARTICLE 3 ACTIONS OF THE PARTIES

     15  

Section 3.1

   Certain Actions Permitted      15  

Section 3.2

   Agent for Perfection      15  

Section 3.3

   Insurance      16  

Section 3.4

   No Additional Rights For the Loan Parties Hereunder      16  

Section 3.5

   Payments Over      16  

ARTICLE 4 APPLICATION OF PROCEEDS

     16  

Section 4.1

   Application of Proceeds      16  

Section 4.2

   Specific Performance      18  

ARTICLE 5 INTERCREDITOR ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS AND WAIVERS

     18  

Section 5.1

   Notice of Acceptance and Other Waivers      18  

Section 5.2

   Modifications to ABL Documents and Second Lien Documents      19  

Section 5.3

   Reinstatement and Continuation of Agreement      20  

ARTICLE 6 INSOLVENCY PROCEEDINGS

     21  

Section 6.1

   DIP Financing      21  

Section 6.2

   Relief From Stay      21  

Section 6.3

   No Contest; Adequate Protection      22  

Section 6.4

   Asset Sales      22  

Section 6.5

   Separate Grants of Security and Separate Classification      22  

Section 6.6

   Enforceability      23  

Section 6.7

   ABL Obligations Unconditional      23  

Section 6.8

   Second Lien Obligations Unconditional      23  

ARTICLE 7 MISCELLANEOUS

     24  

Section 7.1

   Rights of Subrogation      24  

Section 7.2

   Further Assurances      24  

Section 7.3

   Representations      24  

 

i


Section 7.4

   Amendments      25  

Section 7.5

   Addresses for Notices      25  

Section 7.6

   No Waiver; Remedies      26  

Section 7.7

   Continuing Agreement, Transfer of Secured Obligations      26  

Section 7.8

   Governing Law; Entire Agreement      27  

Section 7.9

   Counterparts      27  

Section 7.10

   No Third Party Beneficiaries      27  

Section 7.11

   Headings      27  

Section 7.12

   Severability      27  

Section 7.13

   Attorneys’ Fees      27  

Section 7.14

   VENUE; JURY TRIAL WAIVER      27  

Section 7.15

   Intercreditor Agreement      28  

Section 7.16

   No Warranties or Liability      28  

Section 7.17

   Conflicts      29  

Section 7.18

   Information Concerning Financial Condition of the Loan Parties      29  

Section 7.19

   Concerning the Second Lien Agent      29  

Section 7.20

   Amendment and Restatement      30  

 

 

ii


SECOND AMENDED AND RESTATED INTERCREDITOR AGREEMENT

THIS SECOND AMENDED AND RESTATED INTERCREDITOR AGREEMENT (as amended, supplemented, restated or otherwise modified from time to time pursuant to the terms hereof, this “ Agreement ”) is entered into as of March 20, 2018 by and among BANK OF AMERICA, N.A. , in its capacity as administrative agent and co-collateral agent and WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION , as successor to WELLS FARGO RETAIL FINANCE, LLC, in its capacity as co-collateral agent (together with their respective successors and assigns in such capacities, the “ ABL Agents ”), for (i) the financial institutions party from time to time to the ABL Credit Agreement referred to below (such financial institutions, together with their respective successors, assigns and transferees, the “ ABL Lenders ”) and (ii) any ABL Bank Product Affiliates and ABL Cash Management Affiliates (each as defined below) (such ABL Bank Product Affiliates and ABL Cash Management Affiliates, together with the ABL Agents and the ABL Lenders, the “ ABL Secured Parties ”), and WILMINGTON TRUST, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, as successor to WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, as collateral agent (in such capacity, and together with its successors and assigns in such capacity, the “ Second Lien Agent ”) for (i) itself, (ii) the Original Trustee and the holders of the Original Second Lien Notes issued under that certain Original Second Lien Notes Indenture referred to below (such holders, together with their respective successors, assigns and transferees, the “ Original Noteholders ”), (iii) the New Trustee and the holders of the New Second Lien Notes issued under that certain New Second Lien Notes Indenture referred to below (such holders, together with their respective successors, assigns and transferees, the “ New Noteholders ” and together with the Original Noteholders, the “ Noteholders ”), and (iv) the lenders under the Second Lien Credit Agreement referred to below (such lenders, together with their respective successors, assigns and transferees, the “ Second Lien Lenders ”) and the agents for such Second Lien Lenders.

RECITALS:

A. Pursuant to that certain Third Amended and Restated Credit Agreement, dated as of July 21, 2015, by and among Sears Roebuck Acceptance Corp. (“ SRAC ”) and Kmart Corporation (“ Kmart ”, and together with SRAC, the “ ABL Borrowers ”), Sears Holdings Corporation (“ Holdings ”), the ABL Lenders and the ABL Agents (as such agreement has been or may be amended, supplemented, restated or otherwise modified from time to time in accordance with the terms hereof and thereof, including by that certain First Amendment, dated as of April 8, 2016, that certain Second Amendment, dated as of February 10, 2017, that certain Third Amendment, dated as of December 12, 2017, and that certain Fourth Amendment, dated as of February 7, 2018, the “ ABL Credit Agreement ”), the ABL Lenders have agreed to make certain loans and provide other financial accommodations to or for the benefit of Holdings and certain of its subsidiaries.

B. Pursuant to a certain Third Amended and Restated Guarantee and Collateral Agreement, dated as of July 21, 2015 (as the same has been or may be amended, supplemented, restated and/or otherwise modified, the “ ABL Guarantee and Collateral Agreement ”), by Holdings and certain of its subsidiaries (including, without limitation, the ABL Borrowers) in favor of the ABL Agents for the benefit of the ABL Secured Parties, (1) Holdings and certain of its subsidiaries (collectively, with Holdings, the “ ABL Guarantors ”) have guaranteed the

 

1


payment and performance of the ABL Obligations under the ABL Documents (as hereinafter defined), and (2) the ABL Borrowers and the ABL Guarantors (collectively, the “ ABL Loan Parties ”) have granted a security interest and lien in certain of their assets (including, without limitation, credit card accounts receivables, pharmacy receivables, inventory and other assets related thereto) to secure the respective obligations of each of the ABL Loan Parties under the ABL Documents.

C. Pursuant to that certain Indenture, dated as of October 12, 2010, by and among Holdings, as issuer (in such capacity and as issuer of the New Second Lien Notes referred to below, the “ Second Lien Notes Issuer ”), certain subsidiaries of Holdings, as guarantors (in such capacity and as guarantors of the New Second Lien Notes, the “ Second Lien Notes Guarantors ”, and together with the Second Lien Notes Issuer, the “ Second Lien Notes Parties ”), Wilmington Trust, National Association , as successor to Wells Fargo Bank, National Association, as trustee (in such capacity, “ Original Trustee ”) and the Second Lien Agent, Holdings has issued the Notes (as defined in the Original Second Lien Notes Indenture and referred to herein as the “ Original Second Lien Notes ”) and the Original Noteholders have purchased the Original Second Lien Notes (as such agreement may be amended, supplemented, restated or otherwise modified from time to time in accordance with the terms hereof and thereof, the “ Original Second Lien Notes Indenture ”).

D. Pursuant to that certain Indenture dated as of the date hereof by and among the Second Lien Notes Issuer, the Second Lien Notes Guarantors, and Computershare Trust Company, N.A., as trustee (in such capacity, the “ New Trustee ”), Holdings has issued the Notes (as defined in the New Second Lien Notes Indenture and referred to herein as the “ New Second Lien Notes ”) and the New Noteholders have purchased the New Second Lien Notes (as such agreement may be amended, supplemented, restated or otherwise modified from time to time in accordance with the terms hereof and thereof, the “ New Second Lien Notes Indenture ”).

E. Pursuant to that certain Second Lien Credit Agreement dated as of September 1, 2016 by and among SRAC and Kmart, as borrowers (in such capacity, the “ Second Lien Credit Agreement Borrowers ”), Holdings and the other the guarantors party thereto (in such capacity, the “ Second Lien Credit Agreement Guarantors ”, and together with the Second Lien Credit Agreement Borrowers, the “ Second Lien Credit Agreement Loan Parties ”), the Second Lien Lenders and JPP, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company, as administrative agent and collateral administrator (in such capacity, the “ Second Lien Credit Agreement Agent ”), the Second Lien Credit Agreement Borrowers have borrowed the Term Loan and have borrowed and may borrow Line of Credit Loans (each as defined in the Second Lien Credit Agreement) (as such agreement may be amended, supplemented, restated or otherwise modified from time to time in accordance with the terms hereof and thereof, including pursuant to that certain First Amendment, dated as of July 7, 2017, that certain Second Amendment, dated as of January 9, 2018 and that certain Third Amendment, dated as of February 7, 2018, the “ Second Lien Credit Agreement ”).

F. Pursuant to the Original Second Lien Notes Indenture, the New Second Lien Notes Indenture and the Second Lien Credit Agreement, the Second Lien Loan Parties have entered into that certain Amended and Restated Security Agreement of even date herewith in favor of the Second Lien Agent for the benefit of the Second Lien Agent, the Original Trustee,

 

2


the New Trustee, the Noteholders, the Second Lien Credit Agreement Agent and the Second Lien Lenders, (as such agreement may be amended, supplemented, restated or otherwise modified from time to time in accordance with the terms hereof and thereof, the “ Second Lien Security Agreement ).

G. Each of the ABL Agents, or predecessors thereof (on behalf of the ABL Secured Parties) and the Second Lien Agent (on behalf of the then-applicable Second Lien Secured Parties) previously entered into that certain Intercreditor Agreement dated October 12, 2010, which agreement was amended and restated pursuant to that certain Amended and Restated Intercreditor Agreement dated as of September 1, 2016 (the “ Existing Intercreditor Agreement ”) to agree to the relative priority of Liens on the Collateral (as defined below) and certain other rights, priorities and interests as provided herein.

H. Pursuant to that certain Instrument of Resignation, Appointment, and Acceptance dated June 24, 2014, Wells Fargo Bank, National Association resigned as Second Lien Agent and Wilmington Trust, National Association was appointed and accepted the appointment as successor Second Lien Agent.

I. At this time, each of the ABL Agents (on behalf of the ABL Secured Parties) and the Second Lien Agent (on behalf of the Second Lien Secured Parties) desire to, and do hereby amend and restate the Existing Intercreditor Agreement in its entirety.

NOW THEREFORE , in consideration of the foregoing and for other good and valuable consideration, receipt of which is hereby acknowledged, the parties hereto agree as follows:

ARTICLE 1

DEFINITIONS

Section 1.1 UCC Definitions . Unless otherwise defined herein, all capitalized terms used herein shall have the same meaning herein as in the Uniform Commercial Code.

Section 1.2 Other Definitions . Subject to Section 1.1, as used in this Agreement, the following terms shall have the meanings set forth below:

ABL Agents ” shall have the meaning assigned to that term in the introduction to this Agreement and shall include any successors thereto as well as any Person designated as the “Agent”, “Administrative Agent”, “Collateral Agent” or “Co-Collateral Agent” under any ABL Credit Agreement.

ABL Bank Products Affiliate ” shall mean any ABL Lender or any Affiliate of any ABL Lender that has entered into a Swap Contract or other Bank Product with an ABL Loan Party with the obligations of such ABL Loan Party thereunder being secured by one or more ABL Collateral Documents, together with their respective successors, assigns and transferees.

ABL Borrowers ” shall have the meaning assigned to that term in the recitals to this Agreement.

 

3


ABL Cash Management Affiliate shall mean any ABL Lender or any Affiliate of an ABL Lender that provides Cash Management Services to any of the ABL Loan Parties with the obligations of such ABL Loan Parties thereunder being secured by one or more ABL Collateral Documents, together with their respective successors, assigns and transferees.

ABL Collateral ” shall mean all Property now owned or hereafter acquired by any Borrower or any Guarantor in or upon which a Lien is granted or purported to be granted to the ABL Agents (and in all events includes the Second Lien Collateral) under any of the ABL Collateral Documents, together with all substitutions, additions, products and Proceeds thereof.

ABL Collateral Documents ” shall mean the ABL Guarantee and Collateral Agreement, together with all other security agreements, account control agreements, freight forwarder and/or customs broker’s agreements, collateral access agreements, license agreements and other collateral documents executed and delivered in connection with the ABL Credit Agreement, in each case as the same may be amended, supplemented, restated or otherwise modified from time to time.

ABL Credit Agreement ” shall have the meaning assigned to such term in the recitals to this Agreement and shall include any other agreement extending the maturity of, consolidating, restructuring, refunding, replacing or refinancing all or any portion of the ABL Obligations, whether by the same or any other agent, lender or group of lenders.

ABL Documents ” shall mean the ABL Credit Agreement, the ABL Collateral Documents, all Swap Contracts and other Bank Products between any ABL Loan Party and any ABL Bank Products Affiliate, all Cash Management Services agreements between any ABL Loan Party and any ABL Cash Management Affiliate, those other ancillary agreements to which any ABL Secured Party is a party or beneficiary and all other agreements, instruments, documents and certificates, now or hereafter executed by or on behalf of any ABL Loan Party and delivered to the ABL Agents or any other ABL Secured Party, in connection with any of the foregoing or with the ABL Credit Agreement or the ABL Guarantee and Collateral Agreement, in each case, as the same may be amended, supplemented, restated or otherwise modified from time to time in accordance with the terms hereof and thereof.

ABL Guarantee and Collateral Agreement ” shall have the meaning assigned to that term in the recitals to this Agreement and shall also include any other agreement amending or replacing such agreement, whether by the same or any other agent, lender or group of lenders.

ABL Guarantors ” shall have the meaning assigned to that term in the recitals to this Agreement and shall also include any other Person who becomes a guarantor under the ABL Guarantee and Collateral Agreement.

ABL Lenders ” shall have the meaning assigned to that term in the introduction to this Agreement.

 

4


ABL Loan Parties ” shall have the meaning assigned to that term in the recitals to this Agreement.

ABL Obligations ” shall mean all obligations of every nature of each ABL Loan Party from time to time owed to the ABL Secured Parties, or any of them, under any ABL Document, whether for principal, interest, reimbursement of amounts drawn under letters of credit, payments for early termination of Swap Contracts, fees, expenses, indemnification or otherwise, and all other amounts owing or due under the terms of the ABL Documents (including interest, fees, indemnification payments, expense reimbursements and other amounts which, but for the filing of a petition in bankruptcy with respect to such ABL Loan Party, would have accrued on or been payable with respect to any ABL Obligation, whether or not a claim is allowed against such ABL Loan Party for such interest, fees, indemnification payments, expense reimbursements and other amounts in the related bankruptcy proceeding), as amended, restated, modified, renewed, refunded, replaced or refinanced in whole or in part from time to time in accordance with the terms hereof and thereof.

ABL Recovery ” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 5.3(a).

ABL Secured Parties ” shall have the meaning assigned to that term in the introduction to this Agreement.

Affiliate ” shall mean, with respect to a specified Person, any other Person that directly or indirectly through one or more intermediaries Controls, is Controlled by or is under common Control with the Person specified.

Agent(s) ” means individually the ABL Agents or the Second Lien Agent and collectively means both the ABL Agents and the Second Lien Agent.

Agreement ” shall have the meaning assigned to that term in the introduction to this Agreement.

Bank Products ” shall have the meaning provided in the ABL Credit Agreement.

Bankruptcy Code ” shall mean Title 11 of the United States Code , as now or hereafter in effect or any successor thereto.

Borrower ” shall mean with respect to the ABL Obligations, the ABL Borrowers and, with respect to the Second Lien Obligations, the Second Lien Notes Issuer or the Second Lien Credit Agreement Borrowers, as applicable, and collectively means all of them.

Cash Management Services ” shall have the meaning provided in the ABL Credit Agreement.

Collateral ” shall mean collectively, all ABL Collateral and all Second Lien Collateral.

Control Collateral ” shall mean any Collateral consisting of any Deposit Account, Instruments and any other Collateral as to which a Lien may be perfected through possession or control by the secured party, or any agent therefor.

Credit Documents ” shall mean the ABL Documents and the Second Lien Documents.

 

5


Debtor Relief Laws ” shall mean the Bankruptcy Code as now or hereafter in effect or any successor thereto, as well as all other liquidation, conservatorship, bankruptcy, assignment for benefit of creditors, moratorium, rearrangement, receivership, insolvency, reorganization, or similar debtor relief laws of the United States federal or state law or of any applicable foreign law from time to time in effect affecting the rights of creditors generally.

DIP Financing ” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 6.1(a).

Discharge of ABL Obligations ” shall mean (a) the payment in full in cash of all outstanding ABL Obligations including, with respect to (i) amounts available to be drawn under outstanding letters of credit issued thereunder (or indemnities or other undertakings issued pursuant thereto in respect of outstanding letters of credit), the cancellation of such letters of credit or the delivery or provision of money or backstop letters of credit in respect thereof in compliance with the terms of any ABL Credit Agreement (which shall not exceed an amount equal to 105% of the aggregate undrawn amount of such letters of credit) and (ii) outstanding ABL Obligations with respect to Bank Products and Cash Management Services (or indemnities or other undertakings issued pursuant thereto in respect of outstanding Bank Products and Cash Management Services) or the delivery or provision of cash collateral in respect thereof in compliance with the terms of any ABL Credit Agreement and (b) the termination of all commitments to extend credit under the ABL Documents.

Discharge of Second Lien Obligations ” shall mean the payment in full in cash, or the discharge or defeasance, of all outstanding Second Lien Obligations in accordance with the Original Second Lien Notes Indenture, the Second Lien Credit Agreement, and the New Second Lien Notes Indenture, as applicable.

Event of Default ” shall mean an Event of Default as defined in the ABL Credit Agreement, the Original Second Lien Notes Indenture, the New Second Lien Notes Indenture or the Second Lien Credit Agreement, as applicable.

Exercise Any Secured Creditor Remedies ” or “ Exercise of Secured Creditor Remedies ” shall mean, except as otherwise provided in the final sentence of this definition:

(a) the taking by any Secured Party of any action to enforce or realize upon any Lien, including the institution of any foreclosure proceedings or the noticing of any public or private sale pursuant to Article 9 of the Uniform Commercial Code or other applicable law;

(b) the exercise by any Secured Party of any right or remedy provided to a secured creditor on account of a Lien under any of the Credit Documents, under applicable law, in an Insolvency Proceeding or otherwise, including the election to retain any of the ABL Collateral or Second Lien Collateral, as applicable, in satisfaction of a Lien;

(c) the taking of any action by any Secured Party or the exercise of any right or remedy by any Secured Party in respect of the collection on, set off against, marshaling of, injunction respecting or foreclosure on the ABL Collateral or Second Lien Collateral, as applicable, or the Proceeds thereof;

 

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(d) the appointment on the application of a Secured Party, of a receiver, receiver and manager or interim receiver of all or part of the ABL Collateral or Second Lien Collateral, as applicable;

(e) the sale, lease, license, or other disposition of all or any portion of the ABL Collateral or Second Lien Collateral by private or public sale conducted by a Secured Party or any other means at the direction of a Secured Party permissible under applicable law; and

(f) the exercise of any other right of a secured creditor under Part 6 of Article 9 of the Uniform Commercial Code or under provisions of similar effect other applicable law.

For the avoidance of doubt, none of the following shall be deemed to constitute an Exercise of Secured Creditor Remedies: (i) the filing of a proof of claim in any Insolvency Proceeding or seeking adequate protection (subject to Section 6.3 below), (ii) the exercise of rights by the ABL Agents during the continuance of a Cash Dominion Event (as defined in the ABL Credit Agreement), including, without limitation, the notification of account debtors, depository institutions or any other Person to deliver proceeds of the ABL Collateral to the ABL Agents, (iii) the consent by the ABL Agents to a store closing sale, going out of business sale or other disposition by any Loan Party of any of the ABL Collateral, (iv) the reduction of advance rates or sub-limits by the ABL Agents, or (v) the imposition of Availability Reserves or Inventory Reserves (in each case as defined in the ABL Credit Agreement) by the ABL Agents.

Existing Intercreditor Agreement ” shall have the meaning assigned to that term in the recitals to this Agreement.

Governmental Authority ” shall mean any nation or government, any state or other political subdivision thereof and any entity exercising executive, legislative, judicial, regulatory or administrative functions of or pertaining to government.

Guarantor ” shall mean any of the ABL Guarantors, the Second Lien Notes Guarantors, or the Second Lien Credit Agreement Guarantors, as applicable, and collectively means all of them.

Holdings ” shall have the meaning assigned to that term in the introduction to this Agreement.

Indebtedness ” shall mean (i) all obligations of a Person for borrowed money and all obligations of such Person evidenced by bonds, debentures, notes, loan agreements or other similar instruments; (ii) the maximum amount of all letters of credit, bankers’ acceptances, bank guaranties, surety bonds, performance bonds and similar instruments issued or created by or for the account of such Person; (iii) obligations of such Person under any Swap Contract; (iv) indebtedness secured by a Lien on property owned or being purchased by such Person (including indebtedness arising under conditional sales or other title retention agreements and mortgage, industrial revenue bond, industrial development bond and similar financings), whether or not such indebtedness shall have been assumed by such Person or is limited in recourse, and (v) any guarantees of the foregoing.

 

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Insolvency Proceeding ” shall mean (a) any case, action or proceeding before any court or other Governmental Authority relating to bankruptcy, reorganization, insolvency, liquidation, receivership, dissolution, winding-up or relief of debtors, or (b) any general assignment for the benefit of creditors, composition, marshalling of assets for creditors or other similar arrangement in respect of its creditors generally or any substantial portion of its creditors; in each case covered by clauses (a) and (b) undertaken under any Debtor Relief Laws.

Lender(s) ” means individually, the ABL Lenders, the Noteholders, or the Second Lien Lenders, and collectively means all of the ABL Lenders, the Noteholders, and the Second Lien Lenders.

Lien ” shall mean, with respect to any asset, any mortgage, deed of trust, lien (statutory or otherwise), pledge, hypothecation, encumbrance, collateral assignment, charge or security interest in, on or of such asset.

Lien Priority ” shall mean with respect to any Lien of the ABL Secured Parties or the Second Lien Secured Parties in the Collateral, the order of priority of such Lien as specified in Section 2.1.

Loan Parties ” shall mean the ABL Loan Parties and the Second Lien Loan Parties.

New Noteholders ” shall have the meaning assigned to that term in the introduction to this Agreement.

New Second Lien Notes ” shall have the meaning assigned to that term in the recitals to this Agreement.

New Second Lien Notes Indenture ” shall have the meaning assigned to that term in the recitals to this Agreement and, subject to the terms of Section 5.2(c), shall include any other agreement extending the maturity of, consolidating, restructuring, refunding, replacing or refinancing all or any portion of the Second Lien Obligations thereunder, whether by the same or any other agent, lender or group of lenders.

New Trustee ” shall have the meaning assigned to that term in the recitals to this Agreement.

Noteholders ” shall have the meaning assigned to that term in the introduction to this Agreement.

Notes ” shall mean the Original Second Lien Notes and the New Second Lien Notes, or any of them.

Original Noteholders ” shall have the meaning assigned to that term in the introduction to this Agreement.

Original Second Lien Notes ” shall have the meaning assigned to that term in the recitals to this Agreement.

 

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Original Second Lien Notes Indenture ” shall have the meaning assigned to that term in the recitals to this Agreement and, subject to the terms of Section 5.2(c), shall include any other agreement extending the maturity of, consolidating, restructuring, refunding, replacing or refinancing all or any portion of the Second Lien Obligations thereunder.

Original Trustee ” shall have the meaning assigned to that term in the recitals to this Agreement.

Party ” shall mean the ABL Agents or the Second Lien Agent, and “ Parties ” shall mean both the ABL Agents and the Second Lien Agent.

Person ” shall mean an individual, partnership, corporation, limited liability company, unlimited liability company, business trust, joint stock company, trust, unincorporated association, joint venture, Governmental Authority or other entity of whatever nature.

Proceeds ” shall mean (a) all “proceeds,” as defined in Article 9 of the Uniform Commercial Code, with respect to the Collateral, and (b) whatever is recoverable or recovered when any Collateral is sold, exchanged, collected, or disposed of, whether voluntarily or involuntarily.

Property ” shall mean any interest in any kind of property or asset, whether real, personal or mixed, or tangible or intangible.

Second Lien Agent ” shall have the meaning assigned to that term in the introduction to this Agreement and shall include any successor thereto.

Second Lien Collateral ” shall mean all “Collateral”, as defined in the Second Lien Security Agreement, and any other asset which becomes subject to a Lien securing the Second Lien Obligations.

Second Lien Collateral Documents ” shall mean the Second Lien Security Agreement, together with all other security agreements, joinder agreements, account control agreements, freight forwarder and/or customs broker’s agreements, collateral access agreements, license agreements and other collateral documents executed and delivered in connection with the Original Second Lien Notes Indenture, the New Second Lien Notes Indenture and the Second Lien Credit Agreement, in each case as the same may be amended, supplemented, restated or otherwise modified from time to time in accordance with the terms hereof and thereof.

Second Lien Credit Agreement ” shall have the meaning assigned to that term in the recitals to this Agreement and, subject to the terms of Section 5.2(c) shall include any other agreement extending the maturity of, consolidating, restructuring, refunding, replacing or refinancing all or any portion of the Second Lien Obligations thereunder, whether by the same or any other agent, lender or group of lenders.

Second Lien Credit Agreement Agent ” shall have the meaning assigned to that term in the recitals to this Agreement.

 

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Second Lien Credit Agreement Borrowers ” shall have the meaning assigned to that term in the recitals to this Agreement.

Second Lien Credit Agreement Guarantors ” shall have the meaning assigned to that term in the recitals to this Agreement.

Second Lien Credit Agreement Loan Parties ” shall have the meaning assigned to that term in the recitals to this Agreement.

Second Lien Documents ” shall mean the Original Second Lien Notes Indenture, the New Second Lien Notes Indenture, the Notes, the Second Lien Credit Agreement, the Second Lien Collateral Documents, the Loan Documents (as defined in the Second Lien Credit Agreement), and all other agreements, instruments, documents and certificates, now or hereafter executed by or on behalf of any Second Lien Loan Party or any of its respective Affiliates, and delivered to the Original Trustee, the New Trustee, the Second Lien Credit Agreement Agent, or the Second Lien Agent, in connection with the Original Second Lien Notes Indenture, the New Second Lien Notes Indenture, or the Second Lien Credit Agreement, in each case as the same may be amended, supplemented, restated or otherwise modified from time to time in accordance with the terms hereof and thereof.

Second Lien Lenders ” shall have the meaning assigned to that term in the introduction to this Agreement.

Second Lien Loan Parties ” shall mean the Second Lien Notes Parties and the Second Lien Credit Agreement Loan Parties.

Second Lien Notes Guarantors ” shall have the meaning assigned to that term in the recitals to this Agreement.

Second Lien Notes Issuer ” shall have the meaning assigned to that term in the recitals to this Agreement.

Second Lien Notes Parties ” shall have the meaning assigned to that term in the recitals to this Agreement.

Second Lien Obligations ” shall mean all obligations of every nature of each Second Lien Loan Party from time to time owed to the Second Lien Secured Parties or any of them, under any Second Lien Document, whether for principal, interest (including interest which, but for the filing of a petition in bankruptcy with respect to such Second Lien Loan Party, would have accrued on any Second Lien Obligation to the extent a claim is allowed against such Second Lien Loan Party for such interest in the related bankruptcy proceeding), fees, expenses, indemnification or otherwise, and all other amounts owing or due under the terms of the Second Lien Documents, as amended, restated, modified, renewed, refunded, replaced or refinanced in whole or in part from time to time.

Second Lien Recovery ” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 5.3(b).

 

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Second Lien Secured Parties ” shall mean the Second Lien Agent, the Original Trustee, the New Trustee, the Noteholders, the Second Lien Credit Agreement Agent, and the Second Lien Lenders.

Second Lien Security Agreement ” shall have the meaning assigned to that term in the recitals to this Agreement.

Secured Parties ” shall mean the ABL Secured Parties and the Second Lien Secured Parties.

Subsidiary shall mean with respect to any Person (the “ parent ”) at any date, any corporation, partnership, joint venture, limited liability company, trust, or other entity (a) of which equity interests representing more than 50% of the ordinary voting power or, in the case of a partnership, more than 50% of the general partnership interests are, as of such date, owned, controlled or held, or (b) that is, as of such date, otherwise controlled, by the parent or one or more subsidiaries of the parent or by the parent and one or more subsidiaries of the parent.

Swap Contract ” shall have the meaning provided in the ABL Credit Agreement.

Uniform Commercial Code ” shall mean the Uniform Commercial Code as the same may, from time to time, be in effect in the State of New York; provided that to the extent that the Uniform Commercial Code is used to define any term in any security document and such term is defined differently in differing Articles of the Uniform Commercial Code, the definition of such term contained in Article 9 shall govern; provided further that in the event that, by reason of mandatory provisions of law, any or all of the attachment, perfection, publication or priority of, or remedies with respect to, Liens of any Party is governed by the Uniform Commercial Code or foreign personal property security laws as enacted and in effect in a jurisdiction other than the State of New York, the term “Uniform Commercial Code” will mean the Uniform Commercial Code or such foreign personal property security laws as enacted and in effect in such other jurisdiction solely for purposes of the provisions thereof relating to such attachment, perfection, priority or remedies and for purposes of definitions related to such provisions.

Section 1.3 Rules of Construction . Unless the context of this Agreement clearly requires otherwise, references to the plural include the singular, references to the singular include the plural, the term “including” is not limiting and shall be deemed to be followed by the phrase “without limitation,” and the term “or” has, except where otherwise indicated, the inclusive meaning represented by the phrase “and/or.” The words “hereof,” “herein,” “hereby,” “hereunder,” and similar terms in this Agreement refer to this Agreement as a whole and not to any particular provision of this Agreement. Article, section, subsection, clause, schedule and exhibit references herein are to this Agreement unless otherwise specified. Any reference in this Agreement to any agreement, instrument, or document shall include all alterations, amendments, changes, restatements, extensions, modifications, renewals, replacements, substitutions, joinders, and supplements thereto and thereof, as applicable (subject to any restrictions on such alterations, amendments, changes, restatements, extensions, modifications, renewals, replacements, substitutions, joinders, and supplements set forth herein). Any reference herein to any Person shall be construed to include such Person’s successors and assigns. Any reference herein to the repayment in full of an obligation shall mean the payment in full in cash of such obligation, or in such other manner as may be approved in writing by the requisite holders or representatives in respect of such obligation. Any reference herein to a time of day means Eastern time.

 

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ARTICLE 2

LIEN PRIORITY

Section 2.1 Priority of Liens.

(a) Notwithstanding (i) the date, time, method, manner, or order of grant, attachment, or perfection of any Liens granted to the ABL Secured Parties in respect of all or any portion of the ABL Collateral or of any Liens granted to the Second Lien Secured Parties in respect of all or any portion of the Second Lien Collateral and regardless of how any such Lien was acquired (whether by grant, statute, operation of law, subrogation or otherwise), (ii) the order or time of filing or recordation of any document or instrument for perfecting the Liens in favor of the ABL Agents for the benefit of the ABL Secured Parties in any ABL Collateral or the Second Lien Agent for the benefit of the Second Lien Secured Parties in any Second Lien Collateral, (iii) any provision of the Uniform Commercial Code, Debtor Relief Laws or any other applicable law, or of the ABL Documents or the Second Lien Documents, (iv) whether the ABL Agents or the Second Lien Agent, in each case, either directly or through agents, holds possession of, or has control over, all or any part of the Collateral, (v) the date on which the ABL Obligations or the Second Lien Obligations are advanced or made available to the Loan Parties, or (vi) any failure of the ABL Agents or the Second Lien Agent to perfect its Lien in the ABL Collateral or the Second Lien Collateral, as applicable, the subordination of any Lien on the ABL Collateral securing any ABL Obligations or on any Second Lien Collateral securing any Second Lien Obligations, as applicable, to any Lien securing any other obligation of any Borrower or Guarantor, or the avoidance, invalidation or lapse of any Lien on the ABL Collateral securing any ABL Obligations or on any Second Lien Collateral securing any Second Lien Obligations, the ABL Agents, on behalf of themselves and the ABL Secured Parties, and the Second Lien Agent, on behalf of itself and the Second Lien Secured Parties, hereby agree that the following priorities apply to the Collateral:

(A) First, to the ABL Agents and the ABL Lenders to the extent of the ABL Obligations;

(B) Second, to the Second Lien Agent, the Original Trustee, the New Trustee, the Noteholders, the Second Lien Credit Agreement Agent and the Second Lien Lenders to the extent of the Second Lien Obligations.

(b) The ABL Agents, for and on behalf of themselves and the ABL Secured Parties, acknowledge and agree that the Second Lien Agent, for the benefit of itself and the Second Lien Secured Parties, has been, or may be, granted Liens upon the Second Lien Collateral and the ABL Agents hereby consent thereto. The subordination of Lien by the Second Lien Agent in favor of the ABL Agents as set forth herein shall not be deemed to subordinate the Second Lien Agent’s Liens to the Liens of any other Person.

 

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Section 2.2 Waiver of Right to Contest Liens.

(a) The Second Lien Agent, for and on behalf of itself and the Second Lien Secured Parties, agrees that it and they shall not (and hereby waives any right to) take any action to contest or challenge (or assist or support any other Person in contesting or challenging), directly or indirectly, whether or not in any proceeding (including in any Insolvency Proceeding), the validity, priority, enforceability, or perfection of the Liens of the ABL Agents and the ABL Secured Parties in respect of the Collateral or the provisions of this Agreement. The Second Lien Agent, for itself and on behalf of the Second Lien Secured Parties, agrees that none of the Second Lien Agent or the Second Lien Secured Parties will take any action that would interfere with any Exercise of Secured Creditor Remedies undertaken by the ABL Agents or any ABL Secured Party under the ABL Documents with respect to the Collateral. The Second Lien Agent, for itself and on behalf of the Second Lien Secured Parties, hereby waives any and all rights it or the Second Lien Secured Parties may have as a junior lien creditor or otherwise to contest, protest, object to, or interfere with the manner in which the ABL Agents or any ABL Lender seeks to enforce its Liens in any Collateral. The foregoing shall not be construed to prohibit the Second Lien Agent from enforcing the provisions of this Agreement or otherwise acting in accordance with this Agreement.

(b) The ABL Agents, for and on behalf of themselves and the ABL Secured Parties, agrees that it and they shall not (and hereby waives any right to) take any action to contest or challenge (or assist or support any other Person in contesting or challenging), directly or indirectly, whether or not in any proceeding (including in any Insolvency Proceeding), the validity, priority, enforceability, or perfection of the Liens of the Second Lien Agent or the Second Lien Secured Parties in respect of the Second Lien Collateral or the provisions of this Agreement. The foregoing shall not be construed to prohibit the ABL Agents from enforcing the provisions of this Agreement or otherwise acting in accordance with this Agreement.

Section 2.3 Remedies Standstill.

(a) The Second Lien Agent, on behalf of itself and the Second Lien Secured Parties, agrees that, from the date hereof until the date upon which the Discharge of ABL Obligations shall have occurred, neither the Second Lien Agent nor any Second Lien Secured Party will Exercise Any Secured Creditor Remedies with respect to any of the Collateral, and will not take, receive or accept any Proceeds of Collateral. From and after the date upon which the Discharge of ABL Obligations shall have occurred, the Second Lien Agent or any Second Lien Secured Party may Exercise Any Secured Creditor Remedies under the Second Lien Documents or applicable law as to any Second Lien Collateral.

(b) Notwithstanding the provisions of Section 2.3(a) or any other provision of this Agreement, nothing contained herein shall be construed to prevent any Agent or any Secured Party from (i) filing a claim or statement of interest with respect to the ABL Obligations or Second Lien Obligations owed to it in any Insolvency Proceeding commenced by or against any Loan Party, (ii) taking any action (not adverse to the Lien Priority of the Liens of the ABL Agents or ABL Secured Parties on the Collateral or the rights of the ABL Agent or any of the ABL Secured Parties to Exercise Any Secured Creditor Remedies in respect thereof) in order to create, perfect, preserve or protect (but not enforce) its Lien on any ABL Collateral or Second Lien Collateral, as applicable, (iii) filing any necessary or responsive pleadings in opposition to any motion, adversary proceeding or other pleading filed by any Person objecting to or otherwise

 

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seeking disallowance of the claim or Lien of such Agent or Secured Party, (iv) voting on any plan of reorganization or filing any proof of claim in any Insolvency Proceeding of any Loan Party, or (v) objecting to the proposed retention of the Collateral by the ABL Agents or any other ABL Secured Party in full or partial satisfaction of any ABL Obligations, in each case (i) through (v) above to the extent not inconsistent with the terms of this Agreement.

(c) Each of the Second Lien Agent, each Second Lien Secured Party, the ABL Agents and each ABL Secured Party agrees (i) that it will not institute any suit or other proceeding or assert in any suit, Insolvency Proceeding or other proceeding any claim, in the case of the Second Lien Agent and each Second Lien Secured Party, against either the ABL Agents or any other ABL Secured Party, and in the case of the ABL Agents and each other ABL Secured Party, against either the Second Lien Agent or any other Second Lien Secured Party, seeking damages from or other relief by way of specific performance, instructions or otherwise, with respect to, any action taken or omitted to be taken by such Person with respect to the ABL Collateral or Second Lien Collateral, as applicable, which is consistent with the terms of this Agreement, and none of such Parties shall be liable for any such action taken or omitted to be taken, or (ii) it will not be a petitioning creditor or otherwise assist in the filing of an involuntary Insolvency Proceeding.

Section 2.4 Release of Liens . In the event of (A) any private or public sale of all or any portion of the Collateral in connection with any Exercise of Secured Creditor Remedies by the ABL Agents or by the ABL Loan Parties with the consent of the ABL Agents, or (B) any sale, transfer or other disposition of all or any portion of the Collateral, so long as such sale, transfer or other disposition is then permitted by the ABL Documents or consented to by the requisite ABL Lenders, the Second Lien Agent agrees, on behalf of itself and the Second Lien Secured Parties that such sale, transfer or other disposition will be free and clear of the Liens, if any, on such Collateral securing the Second Lien Obligations, and the Second Lien Agent’s and the Second Lien Secured Parties’ Liens, if any, with respect to the Collateral so sold, transferred, or disposed shall terminate and be automatically released without further action concurrently with, and to the same extent as, the release of the ABL Secured Parties’ Liens on such Collateral. In furtherance of, and subject to, the foregoing, the Second Lien Agent agrees that it will promptly execute any and all Lien releases or other documents reasonably requested in writing and provided by the ABL Agents in connection therewith. The Second Lien Agent hereby appoints the ABL Agents and any officer or duly authorized person of the ABL Agents, with full power of substitution, as its true and lawful attorney-in-fact with full irrevocable power of attorney in the place and stead of the Second Lien Agent and in the name of the Second Lien Agent or in the ABL Agents’ own name, from time to time, in the ABL Agents’ sole discretion, for the purposes of carrying out the terms of this paragraph, to take any and all appropriate action and to execute and deliver or file any and all documents and instruments as may be necessary or desirable to accomplish the purposes of this paragraph, including any financing statements, endorsements, assignments, releases or other documents or instruments of transfer (which appointment, being coupled with an interest, is irrevocable).

Section 2.5 No New Liens . Until the Discharge of ABL Obligations shall have occurred, the parties hereto agree that no Second Lien Secured Party shall acquire or hold any Lien on any assets of any Loan Party securing any Second Lien Obligation which assets are not also subject to the Lien of the ABL Agents under the ABL Documents. If any Second Lien

 

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Secured Party shall nonetheless acquire or hold any Lien on any assets of any Loan Party securing any Second Lien Obligation which assets are not also subject to the Lien of the ABL Agents under the ABL Documents, then the Second Lien Agent (or the relevant Second Lien Secured Party) shall, without the need for any further consent of any other Second Lien Secured Party or any Second Lien Loan Party and notwithstanding anything to the contrary in any other Second Lien Document, be deemed to also hold and have held such Lien as agent or bailee for the benefit of the ABL Agents as security for the ABL Obligations (subject to the terms of the ABL Credit Agreement) and shall promptly notify the ABL Agents in writing of the existence of such Lien.

Section 2.6 Waiver of Marshalling . Until the Discharge of ABL Obligations, the Second Lien Agent, on behalf of itself and the Second Lien Secured Parties, agrees not to assert and hereby waives, to the fullest extent permitted by law, any right to demand, request, plead or otherwise assert or otherwise claim the benefit of, any marshalling, appraisal, valuation or other similar right that may otherwise be available under applicable law with respect to the Collateral or any other similar rights a junior secured creditor may have under applicable law.

ARTICLE 3

ACTIONS OF THE PARTIES

Section 3.1 Certain Actions Permitted . The Second Lien Agent and the ABL Agents may make such demands or file such claims in respect of the Second Lien Obligations or the ABL Obligations, as applicable, as are necessary to prevent the waiver or bar of such claims under applicable statutes of limitations or other statutes, court orders, or rules of procedure at any time.

Section 3.2 Agent for Perfection . The ABL Agents, for and on behalf of themselves and each ABL Secured Party, agree to hold all Second Lien Collateral in their possession, custody, or control (or in the possession, custody, or control of agents or bailees for either) as agent for the Second Lien Secured Parties solely for the purpose of perfecting the security interest granted to the Second Lien Agent in such Second Lien Collateral, subject to the terms and conditions of this Section 3.2.

(b) The Second Lien Agent, for and on behalf of itself and each Second Lien Secured Party, agree to hold all Collateral in their possession, custody, or control (or in the possession, custody, or control of agents or bailees for either) as agent for the ABL Secured Parties solely for the purpose of perfecting the security interest granted to the ABL Agents in such Collateral, subject to the terms and conditions of this Section 3.2.

(c) None of the ABL Agents, the ABL Secured Parties, the Second Lien Agent, or the Second Lien Secured Parties, as applicable, shall have any obligation whatsoever to the others to assure that the Collateral is genuine or owned by any Borrower, any Guarantor, or any other Person or to preserve rights or benefits of any Person. The duties or responsibilities of the ABL Agents and the Second Lien Agent under this Section 3.2 are and shall be limited solely to holding or maintaining control of the Collateral or Second Lien Collateral, as applicable, as agent for the other Party for purposes of perfecting the Lien held by the Second Lien Agent or the ABL Agents, as applicable. The ABL Agents are not and shall not be deemed to be a fiduciary of any kind for the Second Lien Secured Parties or any other Person. The Second Lien Agent is not and shall not be deemed to be a fiduciary of any kind for the ABL Secured Parties, or any other Person.

 

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Section 3.3 Insurance . Proceeds of Collateral include insurance proceeds and, therefore, the Lien Priority shall govern the ultimate disposition of casualty insurance proceeds. The ABL Agents and the Second Lien Agent shall each be named as additional insured or loss payee, as applicable, with respect to all insurance policies maintained by the Borrowers or Guarantors relating to the ABL Collateral and Second Lien Collateral, respectively. Until the Discharge of ABL Obligations, the ABL Agents shall have the sole and exclusive right, as against the Second Lien Agent, to adjust settlement of insurance claims in the event of any covered loss, theft or destruction of any Collateral and take other such actions with respect to insurance covering the Collateral as set forth in the ABL Credit Agreement. All proceeds of such insurance shall be remitted to the ABL Agents, and the Second Lien Agent shall cooperate (if necessary) in a reasonable manner in effecting the payment of insurance proceeds in accordance with Section 4.1 hereof. The ABL Agents are hereby authorized to make any endorsements as agent for the Second Lien Agent or any such other Second Lien Secured Parties in accordance with the power of attorney granted pursuant to Section 2.4 above.

Section 3.4 No Additional Rights For the Loan Parties Hereunder . If any ABL Secured Party or Second Lien Secured Party shall enforce its rights or remedies in violation of the terms of this Agreement, the Loan Parties shall not be entitled to use such violation as a defense to any action by any ABL Secured Party or Second Lien Secured Party, nor to assert such violation as a counterclaim or basis for set off or recoupment against any ABL Secured Party or Second Lien Secured Party.

Section 3.5 Payments Over . So long as the Discharge of ABL Obligations has not occurred, any Collateral or Proceeds thereof received by the Second Lien Agent or any Second Lien Secured Parties in connection with the exercise of any right or remedy (including set off) relating to the Collateral (or otherwise received by the Second Lien Agent in respect of all or any part of the Collateral in connection with any bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization or similar proceeding of any Loan Party) in contravention of this Agreement shall be segregated and held in trust and forthwith paid over to the ABL Agents for the benefit of the ABL Secured Parties in the same form as received, with any necessary endorsements or as a court of competent jurisdiction may otherwise direct. The ABL Agents are hereby authorized to make any such endorsements as agent for the Second Lien Agent or any such Second Lien Secured Parties. This authorization is coupled with an interest and is irrevocable until such time as this Agreement is terminated in accordance with its terms.

ARTICLE 4

APPLICATION OF PROCEEDS

Section 4.1 Application of Proceeds.

(a) Revolving Nature of ABL Obligations . The Second Lien Agent, for and on behalf of itself and the Second Lien Secured Parties, expressly acknowledges and agrees that (i) the ABL Credit Agreement includes a revolving commitment, that in the ordinary course of

 

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business the ABL Agents and the ABL Lenders will apply payments and make advances thereunder, and that no application of any Collateral or the release of any Lien by the ABL Agents upon any portion of the Collateral in connection with a permitted disposition by the ABL Loan Parties under any ABL Credit Agreement shall constitute the Exercise of Secured Creditor Remedies under this Agreement; (ii) the amount of the ABL Obligations that may be outstanding at any time or from time to time may be increased or reduced and subsequently reborrowed, and that the terms of the ABL Obligations may be modified, extended or amended from time to time, and that the aggregate amount of the ABL Obligations may be increased, replaced or refinanced, in each event, without notice to or consent by the Second Lien Secured Parties and without affecting the provisions hereof; and (iii) all Collateral received by the ABL Agents may be applied, reversed, reapplied or credited, in whole or in part, to the ABL Obligations at any time. The Lien Priority shall not be altered or otherwise affected by any such amendment, modification, supplement, extension, repayment, reborrowing, increase, replacement, renewal, restatement or refinancing of either the ABL Obligations or the Second Lien Obligations, or any portion thereof.

(b) Application of Proceeds of Collateral . The ABL Agents and the Second Lien Agent hereby agree that all Collateral and all other Proceeds thereof, received by either of them in connection with any Exercise of Secured Creditor Remedies with respect to the Collateral shall be applied,

first , to the payment of costs and expenses of the ABL Agents in connection with such Exercise of Secured Creditor Remedies to the extent provided in the ABL Documents,

second , to the payment of the ABL Obligations in accordance with the ABL Documents until the Discharge of ABL Obligations shall have occurred,

third , to the payment of the Second Lien Obligations in accordance with the Second Lien Documents until the Discharge of Second Lien Obligations shall have occurred, and

fourth , the balance, if any, to the Loan Parties or as a court of competent jurisdiction may direct.

(c) Limited Obligation or Liability . In exercising remedies, whether as a secured creditor or otherwise, the ABL Agents shall have no obligation or liability to the Second Lien Agent or to any Second Lien Secured Party regarding the adequacy of any Proceeds or for any action or omission, except solely for an action or omission that breaches the express obligations undertaken by each Party under the terms of this Agreement. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein contained, none of the Parties hereto waives any claim that it may have against a Secured Party on the grounds that any sale, transfer or other disposition by the Secured Party was not commercially reasonable in every respect as required by the Uniform Commercial Code.

 

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(d) Turnover of Collateral . Upon the Discharge of ABL Obligations, the ABL Agents shall deliver to the Second Lien Agent or shall execute such documents as the Second Lien Agent may reasonably request (at the expense of the Second Lien Notes Issuer) to enable the Second Lien Agent to have control over any Control Collateral constituting Second Lien Collateral still in the ABL Agents’ possession, custody, or control in the same form as received with any necessary endorsements, or as a court of competent jurisdiction may otherwise direct, subject to the reinstatement provisions of Section 5.3 below.

Section 4.2 Specific Performance . Each of the ABL Agents and the Second Lien Agent is hereby authorized to demand specific performance of this Agreement, whether or not any Borrower or any Guarantor shall have complied with any of the provisions of any of the Credit Documents, at any time when the other Party shall have failed to comply with any of the provisions of this Agreement applicable to it. Each of the ABL Agents, for and on behalf of itself and the ABL Secured Parties, and the Second Lien Agent, for and on behalf of itself and the Second Lien Secured Parties, hereby irrevocably waives any defense based on the adequacy of a remedy at law that might be asserted as a bar to such remedy of specific performance.

ARTICLE 5

INTERCREDITOR ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS AND WAIVERS

Section 5.1 Notice of Acceptance and Other Waivers.

(a) All ABL Obligations at any time made or incurred by any Borrower or any Guarantor shall be deemed to have been made or incurred in reliance upon this Agreement, and the Second Lien Agent, on behalf of itself and the Second Lien Secured Parties, hereby waives notice of acceptance, or proof of reliance by the ABL Agents or any ABL Secured Party of this Agreement and notice of the existence, increase, renewal, extension, accrual, creation, or non-payment of all or any part of the ABL Obligations.

(b) None of the ABL Agents, any ABL Secured Party, or any of their respective Affiliates, directors, officers, employees, or agents shall be liable for failure to demand, collect, or realize upon any of the Collateral or any Proceeds, or for any delay in doing so, or shall be under any obligation to sell or otherwise dispose of any Collateral or Proceeds thereof or to take any other action whatsoever with regard to the Collateral or any part or Proceeds thereof. If the ABL Agents or any ABL Secured Party honors (or fails to honor) a request by any Borrower for an extension of credit pursuant to any ABL Credit Agreement or any of the other ABL Documents, whether the ABL Agents or any ABL Secured Party have knowledge that the honoring of (or failure to honor) any such request would constitute a default under the terms of any Second Lien Document or an act, condition, or event that, with the giving of notice or the passage of time, or both, would constitute such a default, or if the ABL Agents or any ABL Secured Party otherwise should exercise any of its contractual rights or remedies under any ABL Documents (subject to the express terms and conditions hereof), neither the ABL Agents nor any ABL Secured Party shall have any liability whatsoever to the Second Lien Agent or any Second Lien Secured Party as a result of such action, omission, or exercise (so long as any such exercise does not breach the express terms and provisions of this Agreement). The ABL Agents and the ABL Secured Parties shall be entitled to manage and supervise their loans and extensions of credit under any ABL Credit Agreement and any of the other ABL Documents as they may, in their sole discretion, deem appropriate, and may manage their loans and extensions of credit without regard to any rights or interests that the Second Lien Agent or any of the

 

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Second Lien Secured Parties have in the Collateral, except as otherwise expressly set forth in this Agreement. The Second Lien Agent, on behalf of itself and the Second Lien Secured Parties, agrees that neither the ABL Agents nor any ABL Secured Party shall incur any liability as a result of a sale, lease, license, application, or other disposition of all or any portion of the Collateral or Proceeds thereof, pursuant to the ABL Documents, so long as such disposition is conducted in accordance with mandatory provisions of applicable law and does not breach the provisions of this Agreement.

Section 5.2 Modifications to ABL Documents and Second Lien Documents.

(a) The Second Lien Agent, on behalf of itself and the Second Lien Secured Parties, hereby agrees that, without affecting the obligations of the Second Lien Agent and the Second Lien Secured Parties hereunder, the ABL Agents and the ABL Secured Parties may, at any time and from time to time, in their sole discretion without the consent of or notice to the Second Lien Agent or any Second Lien Secured Party, and without incurring any liability to the Second Lien Agent or any Second Lien Secured Party or impairing or releasing the Lien Priority provided for herein, amend, restate, supplement, replace, refinance, extend, consolidate, restructure, or otherwise modify any of the ABL Documents in any manner whatsoever.

(b) The ABL Agents, on behalf of themselves and the ABL Secured Parties, hereby agree that, without affecting the obligations of the ABL Agents and the ABL Secured Parties hereunder, the Second Lien Agent and the Second Lien Secured Parties may, at any time and from time to time, in their sole discretion without the consent of or notice to the ABL Agents or any ABL Secured Party, and without incurring any liability to the ABL Agents or any ABL Secured Party or impairing or releasing the Lien Priority provided for herein, amend, restate, supplement, replace, refinance, extend, consolidate, restructure, or otherwise modify any of the Second Lien Documents in any manner whatsoever except that the following shall require the prior written consent of the ABL Agents:

(1) except as provided in Section 2.5, retain or obtain a Lien on any Property of any Person to secure any of the Second Lien Obligations; or

(2) amend the Second Lien Documents in any manner which would have the effect of contravening the terms of this Agreement or the ABL Documents.

(c) The ABL Obligations and the Second Lien Obligations may be refinanced, in whole or in part, in each case, without notice to, or the consent (except to the extent a consent is required pursuant to Section 5.2(b) above or to permit the refinancing transaction under any ABL Document or any Second Lien Document) of the ABL Agents, the ABL Secured Parties, the Second Lien Agent or the Second Lien Secured Parties, as the case may be, all without affecting the Lien Priority provided for herein or the other provisions hereof, provided , however , that the holders of such refinancing Indebtedness (or an authorized agent or trustee on their behalf) bind themselves in writing to the terms of this Agreement pursuant to such documents or agreements (including amendments or supplements to this Agreement) as the ABL Agents or the Second Lien Agent, as the case may be, shall reasonably request and in form and substance reasonably acceptable to the ABL Agents or the Second Lien Agent, as the case may be, and any such refinancing transaction shall be in accordance with any applicable provisions of both the ABL Documents and the Second Lien Documents (to the extent such documents survive the refinancing).

 

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Section 5.3 Reinstatement and Continuation of Agreement.

(a) If the ABL Agents or any ABL Secured Party is required in any Insolvency Proceeding or otherwise to turn over or otherwise pay to the estate of any Borrower, any Guarantor, or any other Person any payment made in satisfaction of all or any portion of the ABL Obligations (an “ ABL Recovery ”), then the ABL Obligations shall be reinstated to the extent of such ABL Recovery. If this Agreement shall have been terminated prior to such ABL Recovery, this Agreement shall be reinstated in full force and effect in the event of such ABL Recovery, and such prior termination shall not diminish, release, discharge, impair, or otherwise affect the obligations of the Parties from such date of reinstatement. All rights, interests, agreements, and obligations of the ABL Agents, the Second Lien Agent, the ABL Secured Parties, and the Second Lien Secured Parties under this Agreement shall remain in full force and effect and shall continue irrespective of the commencement of, or any discharge, confirmation, conversion, or dismissal of, any Insolvency Proceeding by or against any Borrower or any Guarantor or any other circumstance which otherwise might constitute a defense available to, or a discharge of any Borrower or any Guarantor in respect of the ABL Obligations or the Second Lien Obligations. No priority or right of the ABL Agents or any ABL Secured Party shall at any time be prejudiced or impaired in any way by any act or failure to act on the part of any Borrower or any Guarantor or by the noncompliance by any Person with the terms, provisions, or covenants of any of the ABL Documents, regardless of any knowledge thereof which the ABL Agents or any ABL Secured Party may have.

(b) If the Second Lien Agent or any Second Lien Secured Party is required in any Insolvency Proceeding or otherwise to turn over or otherwise pay to the estate of any Borrower, any Guarantor, or any other Person any payment made in satisfaction of all or any portion of the Second Lien Obligations (a “ Second Lien Recovery ”), then the Second Lien Obligations shall be reinstated to the extent of such Second Lien Recovery. If this Agreement shall have been terminated prior to such Second Lien Recovery, this Agreement shall be reinstated in full force and effect in the event of such Second Lien Recovery, and such prior termination shall not diminish, release, discharge, impair, or otherwise affect the obligations of the Parties from such date of reinstatement. All rights, interests, agreements, and obligations of the ABL Agents, the Second Lien Agent, the ABL Secured Parties, and the Second Lien Secured Parties under this Agreement shall remain in full force and effect and shall continue irrespective of the commencement of, or any discharge, confirmation, conversion, or dismissal of, any Insolvency Proceeding by or against any Borrower or any Guarantor or any other circumstance which otherwise might constitute a defense available to, or a discharge of any Borrower or any Guarantor in respect of the ABL Obligations or the Second Lien Obligations. No priority or right of the Second Lien Agent or any Second Lien Secured Party shall at any time be prejudiced or impaired in any way by any act or failure to act on the part of any Borrower or any Guarantor or by the noncompliance by any Person with the terms, provisions, or covenants of any of the Second Lien Documents, regardless of any knowledge thereof which the Second Lien Agent or any Second Lien Secured Party may have.

 

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ARTICLE 6

INSOLVENCY PROCEEDINGS

Section 6.1 DIP Financing.

(a) If any Borrower or any Guarantor shall be subject to any Insolvency Proceeding at any time prior to the Discharge of ABL Obligations, and the ABL Agents or any of the ABL Secured Parties shall seek to provide any Borrower or any Guarantor with, or consent to a third party providing, any financing under Section 364 of the Bankruptcy Code or consent to any order for the use of cash collateral constituting Collateral under Section 363 of the Bankruptcy Code (or any similar provision of any foreign Debtor Relief Laws or under a court order in respect of measures granted with similar effect under any foreign Debtor Relief Laws) (each, a “ DIP Financing ”), with such DIP Financing to be secured by all or any portion of the Collateral (including assets that, but for the application of Section 552 of the Bankruptcy Code would be Collateral), then the Second Lien Agent, on behalf of itself and the Second Lien Secured Parties, agrees that it will raise no objection and will not support any objection to such DIP Financing or use of cash collateral or to the Liens securing the same on any basis, including, without limitation, on the grounds of a failure to provide “adequate protection” for the Liens of the Second Lien Agent securing the Second Lien Obligations (and will not request any adequate protection solely as a result of such DIP Financing or use of cash collateral, and will not offer or support any debtor-in-possession financing which would compete with such DIP Financing); provided that (i) the Second Lien Agent retains its Lien on the Collateral to secure the Second Lien Obligations (in each case, including Proceeds thereof arising after the commencement of the case under the any Debtor Relief Laws), subject to the terms of this Agreement, to the Liens in favor of the ABL Secured Parties existing prior to the commencement of such Insolvency Proceeding, to any adequate protection Liens granted in favor of the ABL Obligations, and to the senior priority of the DIP Financing, (ii) all Liens on the Collateral securing any such DIP Financing shall be senior to or on a parity with the Liens of the ABL Agents and the ABL Secured Parties securing the ABL Obligations on the Collateral and (iii) the foregoing provisions of this Section 6.1(a) shall not prevent the Second Lien Agent and the Second Lien Secured Parties from objecting to any provision in any DIP Financing relating to any provision or content of a plan of reorganization or other plan of similar effect under any Debtor Relief Laws.

(b) All Liens granted to the ABL Agents or the Second Lien Agent in any Insolvency Proceeding, whether as adequate protection or otherwise, are intended by the Parties to be and shall be deemed to be subject to the Lien Priority and the other terms and conditions of this Agreement.

Section 6.2 Relief From Stay . Until the Discharge of ABL Obligations has occurred, the Second Lien Agent, on behalf of itself and the Second Lien Secured Parties, agrees not to seek relief from the automatic stay or any other stay in any Insolvency Proceeding in respect of any portion of the Collateral without the ABL Agents’ express written consent.

 

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Section 6.3 No Contest ; Adequate Protection .

(a) The Second Lien Agent, on behalf of itself and the Second Lien Secured Parties, agrees that, prior to the Discharge of ABL Obligations, none of them shall contest (or support any other Person contesting) (i) any request by the ABL Agents or any ABL Secured Party for adequate protection of its interest in the Collateral, (ii) subject to Section 6.1(a) above, any proposed provision of DIP Financing by the ABL Agents and the ABL Secured Parties (or any other Person proposing to provide DIP Financing with the consent of the ABL Agents) or (iii) any objection by the ABL Agents or any ABL Secured Party to any motion, relief, action, or proceeding based on a claim by the ABL Agents or any ABL Secured Party that its interests in the Collateral are not adequately protected (or any other similar request under any law applicable to an Insolvency Proceeding), so long as any Liens granted to the ABL Agents as adequate protection of its interests are subject to this Agreement.

(b) Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions in this Section 6.3, in any Insolvency Proceeding, if the ABL Secured Parties (or any subset thereof) are granted adequate protection with respect to the Collateral in the form of additional collateral (even if such collateral is not of a type which would otherwise have constituted Collateral), then the ABL Agents, on behalf of themselves and the ABL Secured Parties, agrees that the Second Lien Agent, on behalf of itself or any of the Second Lien Secured Parties, may seek or request (and the ABL Secured Parties will not oppose such request) adequate protection with respect to its interests in such Collateral in the form of a Lien on the same additional collateral, which Lien will be subordinated to the Liens securing the ABL Obligations on the same basis as the other Liens of the Second Lien Agent on Collateral.

Section 6.4 Asset Sales . The Second Lien Agent agrees, on behalf of itself and the Second Lien Secured Parties, that it will not oppose any sale consented to by the ABL Agents of any Collateral pursuant to Section 363(f) of the Bankruptcy Code (or any similar provision under the law applicable to any Insolvency Proceeding or under a court order in respect of measures granted with similar effect under any foreign Debtor Relief Laws) so long as the Liens of the Parties attach to the proceeds of such sale consistent with the Lien Priority set forth herein on the assets sold and such proceeds are otherwise applied in accordance with this Agreement.

Section 6.5 Separate Grants of Security and Separate Classification . Each Second Lien Secured Party and each ABL Secured Party acknowledges and agrees that (i) the grants of Liens pursuant to the ABL Collateral Documents and the Second Lien Collateral Documents constitute two separate and distinct grants of Liens and (ii) because of, among other things, their differing rights in the Collateral, the Second Lien Obligations are fundamentally different from the ABL Obligations and must be separately classified in any plan of reorganization (or other plan of similar effect under any Debtor Relief Laws) proposed or adopted in an Insolvency Proceeding. To further effectuate the intent of the parties as provided in the immediately preceding sentence, if it is held that the claims of the ABL Secured Parties and the Second Lien Secured Parties in respect of the Collateral constitute only one secured claim (rather than separate classes of senior and junior secured claims), then the Second Lien Secured Parties hereby acknowledge and agree that all distributions shall be made as if there were separate classes of ABL Obligation claims and Second Lien Obligation claims against the Loan Parties, with the effect being that, to the extent that the aggregate value of the Collateral is sufficient (for this purpose ignoring all claims held by the other Secured Parties), the ABL Secured Parties shall be entitled to receive, in addition to amounts distributed to them in respect of principal, pre-petition interest and other claims, all amounts owing in respect of post-petition interest that is available from the Collateral before any distribution is made in respect of the claims held by the

 

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Second Lien Secured Parties from such Collateral, with the Second Lien Secured Parties hereby acknowledging and agreeing to turn over to ABL Secured Parties amounts otherwise received or receivable by them to the extent necessary to effectuate the intent of this sentence, even if such turnover has the effect of reducing the aggregate recoveries.

Section 6.6 Enforceability . The provisions of this Agreement are intended to be and shall be enforceable under Section 510(a) of the Bankruptcy Code.

Section 6.7 ABL Obligations Unconditional . All rights of the ABL Agents hereunder, and all agreements and obligations of the Second Lien Agent and the Loan Parties (to the extent applicable) hereunder, shall, except as otherwise specifically provided herein, remain in full force and effect irrespective of:

(i) any lack of validity or enforceability of any ABL Document;

(ii) any change in the time, place or manner of payment of, or in any other term of, all or any portion of the ABL Obligations, or any amendment, waiver or other modification, whether by course of conduct or otherwise, or any refinancing, replacement, refunding or restatement of any ABL Document;

(iii) any exchange, release, voiding, avoidance or non perfection of any security interest in any Collateral or any other collateral, or any release, amendment, waiver or other modification, whether by course of conduct or otherwise, or any refinancing, replacement, refunding, restatement or increase of all or any portion of the ABL Obligations or any guarantee or guaranty thereof; or

(iv) any other circumstances that otherwise might constitute a defense available to, or a discharge of, any Loan Party in respect of the ABL Obligations, or of any of the Second Lien Agent or any Loan Party, to the extent applicable, in respect of this Agreement.

Section 6.8 Second Lien Obligations Unconditional . All rights of the Second Lien Agent hereunder, all agreements and obligations of the ABL Agents and the Loan Parties (to the extent applicable) hereunder, shall, except as otherwise specifically provided herein, remain in full force and effect irrespective of:

(i) any lack of validity or enforceability of any Second Lien Document;

(ii) any change in the time, place or manner of payment of, or in any other term of, all or any portion of the Second Lien Obligations, or any amendment, waiver or other modification, whether by course of conduct or otherwise, or any refinancing, replacement, refunding or restatement of any Second Lien Document (but solely to the extent permitted pursuant to Section 5.2(b) above);

(iii) any exchange, release, voiding, avoidance or non perfection of any security interest in any Collateral, or any other collateral, or any release, amendment, waiver or other modification, whether by course of conduct or otherwise, or any refinancing, replacement, refunding, restatement or increase of all or any portion of the Second Lien Obligations or any guarantee or guaranty thereof; or

 

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(iv) any other circumstances that otherwise might constitute a defense available to, or a discharge of, any Loan Party in respect of the Second Lien Obligations, or of any of the ABL Agents or any Loan Party, to the extent applicable, in respect of this Agreement.

ARTICLE 7

MISCELLANEOUS

Section 7.1 Rights of Subrogation . The Second Lien Agent, for and on behalf of itself and the Second Lien Secured Parties, agrees that no payment to the ABL Agents or any ABL Secured Party pursuant to the provisions of this Agreement shall entitle the Second Lien Agent or any Second Lien Secured Party to exercise any rights of subrogation in respect thereof until the Discharge of ABL Obligations.

Section 7.2 Further Assurances . The Parties will, at their own expense and at any time and from time to time, promptly execute and deliver all further instruments and documents, and take all further action, that may be necessary or desirable, or that either Party may reasonably request, in order to protect any right or interest granted or purported to be granted hereby or to enable the ABL Agents or the Second Lien Agent to exercise and enforce their rights and remedies hereunder; provided , however , that no Party shall be required to pay over any payment or distribution, execute any instruments or documents, or take any other action referred to in this Section 7.2, to the extent that such action would contravene any law, order or other legal requirement or any of the terms or provisions of this Agreement, and in the event of a controversy or dispute, such Party may interplead any payment or distribution in any court of competent jurisdiction, without further responsibility in respect of such payment or distribution under this Section 7.2.

Section 7.3 Representations . The Second Lien Agent represents and warrants to the ABL Agents, that it has entered into this Agreement pursuant to the provisions of the applicable Second Lien Documents and the directions of the Second Lien Loan Parties, the Noteholders, the Original Trustee, the New Trustee, the Second Lien Lenders and the Second Lien Credit Agreement Agent as stated therein, that it has the requisite power and authority under the Second Lien Documents to enter into, execute, deliver, and carry out the terms of this Agreement on behalf of itself and the Second Lien Secured Parties and that this Agreement shall be binding obligations of the Second Lien Agent and the Second Lien Secured Parties, enforceable against the Second Lien Agent and the Second Lien Secured Parties in accordance with its terms (it being understood that such representation as it relates to the Noteholders or the Second Lien Lenders is made based solely on the representation made by the Noteholders or the Second Lien Lenders, as applicable, pursuant to the express terms of the applicable Second Lien Documents). The ABL Agents represent and warrant to the Second Lien Agent that they have the requisite power and authority under the ABL Documents to enter into, execute, deliver, and carry out the terms of this Agreement on behalf of themselves and the ABL Secured Parties and that this Agreement shall be binding obligations of the ABL Agents and the ABL Secured Parties, enforceable against the ABL Agents and the ABL Secured Parties in accordance with its terms.

 

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Section 7.4 Amendments . No amendment or waiver of any provision of this Agreement nor consent to any departure by any Party hereto shall be effective unless it is in a written agreement executed by the Second Lien Agent and the ABL Agents and then such waiver or consent shall be effective only in the specific instance and for the specific purpose for which given.

Section 7.5 Addresses for Notices . Unless otherwise specifically provided herein, any notice or other communication herein required or permitted to be given shall be in writing and may be personally served, telecopied, or sent by overnight express courier service or United States mail and shall be deemed to have been given when delivered in person or by courier service, upon receipt of a telecopy or three (3) days after deposit in the United States mail (certified, with postage prepaid and properly addressed). For the purposes hereof, the addresses of the parties hereto (until notice of a change thereof is delivered as provided in this Section) shall be as set forth below or, as to each party, at such other address as may be designated by such party in a written notice to all of the other parties.

 

Loan Parties:

  

Sears Holdings Corporation

  

3333 Beverly Road

  

Hoffman Estates, Illinois 60179

  

Facsimile: (847) 286-2055

  

Attention: Treasurer

  

With a copy to:

  

Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz

  

51 West 52nd Street

  

New York, New York 10019

  

Facsimile: (212) 403-2000

  

Attention: Joshua A. Feltman

ABL Agents:

  

Bank of America, N.A.

  

100 Federal Street

  

Boston, Massachusetts 02109

  

Attention: Stephen J. Garvin

  

With a copy to:

  

Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP

  

155 North Wacker Drive, Suite 2700

  

Chicago, IL, 60606

  

Attention: Seth Jacobson

  

Fax: 312-407-8511

  

and:

 

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Wells Fargo Bank, National Association

  

One Boston Place, 19th Floor

  

Boston, Massachusetts 02108

  

Attention: Joseph Burt

  

With a copy to:

  

Choate, Hall & Stewart LLP

  

Two International Place

  

Boston, Massachusetts 02110

  

Attention: Kevin J. Simard

Second Lien Agent:

  

Wilmington Trust, National Association

  

Corporate Capital Markets

  

50 South Sixth Street, Suite 1290

  

Minneapolis, MN 55402

  

Telephone: 612-217-5667

  

Facsimile: 612-217-5651

  

Attention: Sears Holdings Corp. Administrator

Section 7.6 No Waiver; Remedies . No failure on the part of any Party to exercise, and no delay in exercising, any right hereunder shall operate as a waiver thereof; nor shall any single or partial exercise of any right hereunder preclude any other or further exercise thereof or the exercise of any other right. The remedies herein provided are cumulative and not exclusive of any remedies provided by law.

Section 7.7 Continuing Agreement, Transfer of Secured Obligations . This Agreement is a continuing agreement and shall (a) remain in full force and effect until the earlier of the Discharge of ABL Obligations (subject to Section 4.1(d)) or the Discharge of Second Lien Obligations, (b) be binding upon the Parties and their successors and assigns, and (c) inure to the benefit of and be enforceable by the Parties and their respective successors, transferees and assigns. Nothing herein is intended, or shall be construed to give, any other Person any right, remedy or claim under, to or in respect of this Agreement or any Collateral. All references to any Loan Party shall include any Loan Party as debtor-in-possession and any receiver or trustee for such Loan Party in any Insolvency Proceeding. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing clause (c), the ABL Agents, any ABL Secured Party, the Second Lien Agent, or any Second Lien Secured Party may assign or otherwise transfer all or any portion of the ABL Obligations or the Second Lien Obligations, as applicable, to any other Person that is permitted to be an assignee pursuant to the applicable credit documents (it being acknowledged that the ABL Obligations or the Second Lien Obligations may not be assigned in whole or in part to any Borrower, any Guarantor or any Affiliate of any Borrower or any Guarantor or any Subsidiary of any Borrower or any Guarantor, or to any other Person, in each case that is not permitted under the terms of the applicable credit documents to hold such ABL obligations or Second Lien Obligations), and such other Person shall thereupon become vested with all the rights and obligations in respect thereof granted to the ABL Agents, the Second Lien Agent, any ABL Secured Party, or any Second Lien Secured Party, as the case may be, herein or otherwise. The

 

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ABL Secured Parties and the Second Lien Secured Parties may continue, at any time and without notice to the other parties hereto, to extend credit and other financial accommodations, lend monies and provide Indebtedness to, or for the benefit of, any Loan Party on the faith hereof.

Section 7.8 Governing Law; Entire Agreement . The validity, performance, and enforcement of this Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York, but without giving effect to applicable principles of conflicts of law to the extent that the applicable of the law of another jurisdiction would be required thereby. This Agreement constitutes the entire agreement and understanding among the Parties with respect to the subject matter hereof and supersedes any prior agreements, written or oral, with respect thereto.

Section 7.9 Counterparts . This Agreement may be executed in any number of counterparts, and it is not necessary that the signatures of all Parties be contained on any one counterpart hereof, each counterpart will be deemed to be an original, and all together shall constitute one and the same document. Delivery of an executed counterpart of a signature page of this Agreement by facsimile or in electronic (i.e. “pdf” or “tif”) format shall be effective as delivery of a manually executed counterpart of this Agreement.

Section 7.10 No Third Party Beneficiaries . This Agreement is solely for the benefit of the ABL Agents, ABL Secured Parties, Second Lien Agent and Second Lien Secured Parties. No other Person (including any Borrower, any Guarantor or any Affiliate of any Borrower or any Guarantor, or any Subsidiary of any Borrower or any Guarantor) shall be deemed to be a third party beneficiary of this Agreement.

Section 7.11 Headings . The headings of the articles and sections of this Agreement are inserted for purposes of convenience only and shall not be construed to affect the meaning or construction of any of the provisions hereof.

Section 7.12 Severability . If any of the provisions in this Agreement shall, for any reason, be held invalid, illegal or unenforceable in any respect, such invalidity, illegality, or unenforceability shall not affect any other provision of this Agreement and shall not invalidate the Lien Priority or the application of Proceeds and other priorities set forth in this Agreement.

Section 7.13 Attorneys Fees . The Parties agree that if any dispute, arbitration, litigation, or other proceeding is brought with respect to the enforcement of this Agreement or any provision hereof, the prevailing party in such dispute, arbitration, litigation, or other proceeding shall be entitled to recover its reasonable attorneys’ fees and all other costs and expenses incurred in the enforcement of this Agreement, irrespective of whether suit is brought.

Section 7.14 VENUE; JURY TRIAL WAIVER.

(a) EACH PARTY HERETO HEREBY IRREVOCABLY AND UNCONDITIONALLY SUBMITS, FOR ITSELF AND ITS PROPERTY, TO THE EXCLUSIVE JURISDICTION OF THE SUPREME COURT OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK SITTING IN NEW YORK COUNTY AND OF THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT OF THE SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF NEW YORK, AND ANY APPELLATE COURT FROM ANY THEREOF, IN ANY ACTION OR PROCEEDING ARISING OUT OF

 

27


OR RELATING TO THIS AGREEMENT, OR FOR RECOGNITION OR ENFORCEMENT OF ANY JUDGMENT, AND EACH OF THE PARTIES HERETO HEREBY IRREVOCABLY AND UNCONDITIONALLY AGREES THAT ALL CLAIMS IN RESPECT OF ANY SUCH ACTION OR PROCEEDING MAY BE HEARD AND DETERMINED IN SUCH NEW YORK STATE OR, TO THE EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW, IN SUCH FEDERAL COURT. EACH OF THE PARTIES HERETO AGREES THAT A FINAL JUDGMENT IN ANY SUCH ACTION OR PROCEEDING SHALL BE CONCLUSIVE AND MAY BE ENFORCED IN OTHER JURISDICTIONS BY SUIT ON THE JUDGMENT OR IN ANY OTHER MANNER PROVIDED BY LAW. NOTHING IN THIS AGREEMENT SHALL AFFECT ANY RIGHT THAT ANY ABL SECURED PARTY OR ANY SECOND LIEN SECURED PARTY MAY OTHERWISE HAVE TO BRING ANY ACTION OR PROCEEDING RELATING TO THIS AGREEMENT, ANY SECOND LIEN DOCUMENTS, OR ANY ABL DOCUMENTS AGAINST ANY LOAN PARTY OR ITS PROPERTIES IN THE COURTS OF ANY JURISDICTION.

(b) EACH PARTY HERETO HEREBY WAIVES ITS RESPECTIVE RIGHTS TO A JURY TRIAL OF ANY CLAIM OR CAUSE OF ACTION BASED UPON OR ARISING OUT OF THIS AGREEMENT OR ANY OF THE TRANSACTIONS CONTEMPLATED HEREIN, INCLUDING CONTRACT CLAIMS, TORT CLAIMS, BREACH OF DUTY CLAIMS, AND ALL OTHER COMMON LAW OR STATUTORY CLAIMS. EACH PARTY HERETO REPRESENTS THAT IT HAS REVIEWED THIS WAIVER AND IT KNOWINGLY AND VOLUNTARILY WAIVES ITS JURY TRIAL RIGHTS FOLLOWING CONSULTATION WITH LEGAL COUNSEL. IN THE EVENT OF LITIGATION, A COPY OF THIS AGREEMENT MAY BE FILED AS A WRITTEN CONSENT TO A TRIAL BY THE COURT.

(c) EACH PARTY TO THIS AGREEMENT IRREVOCABLY CONSENTS TO SERVICE OF PROCESS IN THE MANNER PROVIDED FOR NOTICES IN SECTION 7.5. NOTHING IN THIS AGREEMENT WILL AFFECT THE RIGHT OF ANY PARTY TO THIS AGREEMENT TO SERVE PROCESS IN ANY OTHER MANNER PERMITTED BY LAW.

Section 7.15 Intercreditor Agreement . This Agreement is the Intercreditor Agreement or the Existing Intercreditor Agreement, as applicable, referred to in the ABL Credit Agreement, the Second Lien Credit Agreement, the Original Second Lien Notes Indenture and the New Second Lien Notes Indenture. Nothing in this Agreement shall be deemed to subordinate the obligations due to (i) any ABL Secured Party to the obligations due to any Second Lien Secured Party or (ii) any Second Lien Secured Party to the obligations due to any ABL Secured Party (in each case, whether before or after the occurrence of an Insolvency Proceeding), it being the intent of the Parties that this Agreement shall effectuate a subordination of Liens but not a subordination of Indebtedness.

Section 7.16 No Warranties or Liability . The Second Lien Agent and the ABL Agents acknowledge and agree that neither has made any representation or warranty with respect to the execution, validity, legality, completeness, collectability or enforceability of any other ABL Document or any Second Lien Document. Except as otherwise provided in this Agreement, the Second Lien Agent and the ABL Agents will be entitled to manage and supervise their respective extensions of credit to any Loan Party in accordance with law and their usual practices, modified from time to time as they deem appropriate.

 

28


Section 7.17 Conflicts . In the event of any conflict between the provisions of this Agreement and the provisions of any ABL Document or any Second Lien Document, the provisions of this Agreement shall govern.

Section 7.18 Information Concerning Financial Condition of the Loan Parties . Each of the Second Lien Agent and the ABL Agents hereby assumes responsibility for keeping itself informed of the financial condition of the Loan Parties and all other circumstances bearing upon the risk of nonpayment of the ABL Obligations or the Second Lien Obligations. The Second Lien Agent and the ABL Agents hereby agree that no party shall have any duty to advise any other party of information known to it regarding such condition or any such circumstances. In the event the Second Lien Agent or the ABL Agents, in their sole discretion, undertakes at any time or from time to time to provide any information to any other party to this Agreement, (a) they shall be under no obligation (i) to provide any such information to such other party or any other party on any subsequent occasion, (ii) to undertake any investigation not a part of its regular business routine, or (iii) to disclose any other information, (b) they make no representation as to the accuracy or completeness of any such information and shall not be liable for any information contained therein, and (c) the Party receiving such information hereby agrees to hold the other providing Party harmless from any action the receiving Party may take or conclusion the receiving Party may reach or draw from any such information, as well as from and against any and all losses, claims, damages, liabilities, and expenses to which such receiving Party may become subject arising out of or in connection with the use of such information.

(b) The Loan Parties agree that any information provided to the ABL Agents, the Second Lien Agent, any ABL Secured Party or any Second Lien Secured Party may be shared by such Person with any ABL Secured Party, any Second Lien Secured Party, the ABL Agents or the Second Lien Agent notwithstanding a request or demand by such Loan Party that such information be kept confidential; provided that such information shall otherwise be subject to the respective confidentiality provisions in the ABL Credit Agreement, the Second Lien Credit Agreement, the Original Second Lien Notes Indenture and the New Second Lien Notes Indenture, as applicable.

Section 7.19 Concerning the Second Lien Agent.

Notwithstanding any term herein to the contrary, it is hereby expressly agreed and acknowledged that the agreements set forth herein by the Second Lien Agent are made solely in its capacity as collateral agent under the Original Second Lien Notes Indenture, the New Second Lien Notes Indenture and the Second Lien Security Agreement and related Second Lien Documents pursuant to the provisions of the Second Lien Documents and the directions of the Second Lien Loan Parties and the Second Lien Secured Parties, as stated therein, and not in its individual capacity. The Second Lien Agent shall not have any duties, obligations, or responsibilities under this Agreement except as expressly set forth herein, and shall have the benefit of all exculpatory provisions, presumptions, indemnities, protections, benefits, immunities or reliance rights contained in the Second Lien Documents in the acceptance, execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement as though fully set forth herein.

 

29


Section 7.20 Amendment and Restatement .

Effective upon the execution and delivery of this Agreement, the terms and provisions of the Existing Intercreditor Agreement shall be and hereby are amended, restated, and superseded in their entirety by the terms and provisions of this Agreement. Each of the Loan Parties, the ABL Agents, the Second Lien Agent, the ABL Secured Parties and the Second Lien Secured Parties hereby confirms and agrees that all references in any of the ABL Documents or the Second Lien Documents to “the Intercreditor Agreement”, “thereto”, “thereof”, “thereunder”, “therein”, or words of like import referring to the Existing Intercreditor Agreement shall mean this Agreement.

[SIGNATURE PAGES FOLLOW]

 

30


IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the ABL Agents, for and on behalf of themselves and the ABL Lenders, and the Second Lien Agent, for and on behalf of itself, the Noteholders, the Second Lien Lenders and their applicable agents and trustees, have caused this Agreement to be duly executed and delivered as of the date first above written.

 

BANK OF AMERICA, N.A. , in its capacity as an ABL Agent
By:  

/s/ Brian Lindblom

  Name: Brian Lindblom
  Title:   Director
WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION , in its capacity as an ABL Agent
By:  

/s/ Joseph Burt

  Name: Joseph Burt
  Title:   Director
WILMINGTON TRUST, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, in its capacity as the Second Lien Agent
By:  

/s/ Lynn M. Steiner

  Name: Lynn M. Steiner
  Title:   Vice President

Signature Page to Intercreditor Agreement


ACKNOWLEDGMENT

Each Borrower and each Guarantor hereby acknowledges that it has received a copy of this Agreement and consents thereto, agrees to recognize all rights granted thereby to the ABL Agents and the Second Lien Agent, and will not do any act or perform any obligation which is not in accordance with the agreements set forth in this Agreement. Each Borrower and each Guarantor further acknowledges and agrees that it is not an intended beneficiary or third party beneficiary under this Agreement and (i) as between the ABL Secured Parties and the ABL Loan Parties, the ABL Documents remain in full force and effect as written and are in no way modified hereby, and (ii) as between the Second Lien Secured Parties and the Second Lien Loan Parties, the applicable Second Lien Documents remain in full force and effect as written and are in no way modified hereby.

 

SEARS ROEBUCK ACCEPTANCE CORP. , as ABL Borrower, Second Lien Credit Agreement Borrower and Guarantor
By:  

/s/ Robert A. Riecker

  Name: Robert A. Riecker
  Title:   Vice President, Finance
KMART CORPORATION , as ABL Borrower, Second Lien Credit Agreement Borrower and Guarantor
By:  

/s/ Robert A. Riecker

  Name: Robert A. Riecker
  Title:   Chief Financial Officer
SEARS HOLDINGS CORPORATION , as Second Lien Notes Issuer and Guarantor
By:  

/s/ Robert A. Riecker

  Name: Robert A. Riecker
  Title:   Chief Financial Officer

Acknowledgement — Intercreditor Agreement


CALIFORNIA BUILDER APPLIANCES, INC.
FLORIDA BUILDER APPLIANCES, INC.
KMART HOLDING CORPORATION
KMART OPERATIONS LLC
SEARS OPERATIONS LLC
SEARS, ROEBUCK AND CO.
By:  

/s/ Robert A. Riecker

Name:   Robert A. Riecker
Title:   Chief Financial Officer
SEARS HOLDINGS MANAGEMENT CORPORATION
SEARS HOME IMPROVEMENT PRODUCTS, INC.
By:  

/s/ Robert A. Riecker

Name:   Robert A. Riecker
Title:   Chief Financial Officer

Acknowledgement — Intercreditor Agreement


A&E FACTORY SERVICE, LLC
A&E HOME DELIVERY, LLC
A&E LAWN & GARDEN, LLC
A&E SIGNATURE SERVICE, LLC
KLC, INC.
KMART OF MICHIGAN, INC.
PRIVATE BRANDS, LTD.
SEARS BRANDS MANAGEMENT CORPORATION
SEARS PROTECTION COMPANY
SEARS PROTECTION COMPANY (FLORIDA), L.L.C.
SEARS, ROEBUCK DE PUERTO RICO, INC.
SOE, INC.
STARWEST, LLC
By:  

/s/ Robert A. Riecker

Name:   Robert A. Riecker
Title:   Vice President
KMART.COM LLC
By: Bluelight.com, Inc., its Member
By:  

/s/ Robert A. Riecker

Name:   Robert A. Riecker
Title:   Vice President
KMART OF WASHINGTON LLC
KMART STORES OF ILLINOIS LLC
KMART STORES OF TEXAS LLC
MYGOFER LLC
By: Kmart Corporation, its Member
By:  

/s/ Robert A. Riecker

Name:   Robert A. Riecker
Title:   Chief Financial Officer

Acknowledgement — Intercreditor Agreement

Exhibit 10.4

EXECUTION VERSION

FIFTH AMENDMENT TO

THIRD AMENDED AND RESTATED CREDIT AGREEMENT

FIFTH AMENDMENT TO THIRD AMENDED AND RESTATED CREDIT AGREEMENT (this “ Amendment ”), dated as of March 21, 2018, between:

SEARS HOLDINGS CORPORATION, a Delaware corporation (“ Holdings ”),

SEARS ROEBUCK ACCEPTANCE CORP., a Delaware corporation, and KMART CORPORATION, a Michigan corporation (the “ Borrowers ”),

the Lenders party hereto,

the Co-Collateral Agents, and

BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., as Administrative Agent (the “ Agent ”),

in consideration of the mutual covenants herein contained and benefits to be derived herefrom.

W I T N E S S E T H :

WHEREAS, Holdings, the Borrowers, the Lenders party thereto, the Co-Collateral Agents party thereto, and the Agent, among others, are party to that certain Third Amended and Restated Credit Agreement, dated as of July 21, 2015, as amended pursuant to that certain First Amendment to Third Amended and Restated Credit Agreement, dated as of April 8, 2016, that certain Second Amendment to Third Amended and Restated Credit Agreement, dated as of February 10, 2017, that certain Third Amendment to Third Amended and Restated Credit Agreement, dated as of December 12, 2017, and that certain Fourth Amendment to Third Amended and Restated Credit Agreement, dated as of February 7, 2018 (the “ Existing Credit Agreement ”; the Existing Credit Agreement as amended hereby, the “ Amended Credit Agreement ”);

WHEREAS, Holdings, the Borrowers, the Lenders party hereto, the Co-Collateral Agents and the Agent have agreed to amend the Existing Credit Agreement on the terms and subject to the conditions set forth below.

NOW THEREFORE, in consideration of the mutual promises and agreements herein contained, the parties hereto hereby agree as follows:

 

1. Incorporation of Terms. All capitalized terms not otherwise defined herein shall have the same meaning as in the Existing Credit Agreement.

 

2. Representations and Warranties .

 

  a. Each Borrower hereby represents and warrants that:

 

  i. no Default or Event of Default exists under the Existing Credit Agreement or under any other Loan Document as of the date hereof; and


  ii. all representations and warranties contained in the Amended Credit Agreement and the other Loan Documents are true and correct in all material respects as of the date hereof, except to the extent that (A) such representations or warranties are qualified by a materiality standard, in which case they are true and correct in all respects, and (B) such representations or warranties expressly relate to an earlier date (in which case such representations and warranties are true and correct in all material respects as of such earlier date).

 

  b. Each of Holdings and each Borrower hereby represents and warrants that:

 

  i. such Loan Party (A) is duly organized, validly existing and in good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction of its organization and (B) 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;

 

  ii. the execution and delivery by such Loan Party of this Amendment and the performance by such Loan Party of its obligations under this Amendment and the Amended Credit Agreement, and the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Amendment and the Amended Credit Agreement, are within such Loan Party’s powers, have been duly authorized by all necessary organizational action, and do not contravene (A) the charter or by-laws or other organizational or governing documents of such Loan Party or (B) law or any contractual restriction binding on or affecting such Loan Party, except, for purposes of this clause (B), to the extent such contravention would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect;

 

  iii. no authorization or approval or other action by, and no notice to or filing with, any governmental authority or regulatory body or any other third party is required for the due execution, delivery and performance by such Loan Party of this Amendment or the Amended Credit Agreement that has not already been obtained if the failure to obtain such authorization, approval or other action could reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect; and

 

  iv. this Amendment has been duly executed and delivered by such Loan Party. This Amendment and the Amended Credit Agreement constitute, and will constitute upon execution of this Amendment, the legal, valid and binding obligation of such Loan Party enforceable against such Loan Party in accordance with its respective terms subject to the effect of any applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization or moratorium or similar laws affecting the rights of creditors generally and subject to general principles of equity (regardless of whether enforcement is sought in a proceeding at law or in equity).

 

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3. Release by Borrowers . Each Borrower hereby acknowledges and agrees that it has no actual knowledge of any defenses or claims against any Lender, any Issuing Lender, the Agent, the Co-Collateral Agents, any of their Affiliates, or any of their respective officers, directors, employees, attorneys, representatives, predecessors, successors, or assigns with respect to the Obligations, and that if such Borrower now has, or ever did have, any defenses or claims with respect to the Obligations against any Lender, any Issuing Lender, the Agent, the Co-Collateral Agents or any of their respective officers, directors, employees, attorneys, representatives, predecessors, successors, or assigns, whether known or unknown, at law or in equity, from the beginning of the world through this date and through the time of effectiveness of this Amendment, all of them are hereby expressly WAIVED , and each Borrower hereby RELEASES each Lender, each Issuing Lender, the Agent, the Co-Collateral Agents and their respective officers, directors, employees, attorneys, representatives, predecessors, successors, and assigns from any liability therefor.

 

4. Amendments to Existing Credit Agreement . Each of the parties hereto agrees that, effective as of the Amendment Effective Date (as defined below), the Existing Credit Agreement shall be amended as follows:

 

  a. The definition of “Bank Products” set forth in Section 1.01 of the Existing Credit Agreement is hereby amended to add the following sentence to the end thereof:

“From and after the 2018 FILO Effective Date, no Swap Contract, leasing facility or other extension of credit shall be deemed to be a Bank Product unless such Swap Contract, leasing facility or other extension of credit meets the requirements set forth above and (i) such Swap Contract, leasing facility or other extension of credit is listed on a schedule to be included in the amendment effecting the 2018 FILO Facility, (ii) such Swap Contract, leasing facility or other extension of credit is thereafter added to such schedule by the Borrowers (which addition may be made by the Borrowers by notice to the Agent in writing, at any time when no Event of Default has occurred and is continuing), (iii) such Bank Product is the 2016 Letter of Credit Facility or (iv) such Swap Contract, leasing facility or other extension of credit is provided by the Agent or its Affiliates.”

 

  b. The definition of “Cash Dominion Event” set forth in Section 1.01 of the Existing Credit Agreement is hereby amended to add the following proviso to the end of the second sentence thereof:

“; provided further that , notwithstanding the foregoing, a Cash Dominion Event shall be deemed to have occurred and be continuing during the period from the 2018 FILO Effective Date until the last day of the fiscal year of the Borrowers ending on February 2, 2019.”

 

-3-


  c. The definition of “Cash Management Services” set forth in Section 1.01 of the Existing Credit Agreement is hereby amended to add the following sentence to the end thereof:

“From and after the 2018 FILO Effective Date, no ACH transaction, cash management service, foreign exchange facility, credit card processing service, credit or debit fund, purchase card, or other service or facility shall be deemed to be a Cash Management Service unless such ACH transaction, cash management service, foreign exchange facility, credit card processing service, credit or debit fund, purchase card, or other service or facility meets the requirements set forth above and (i) such ACH transaction, cash management service, foreign exchange facility, credit card processing service, credit or debit fund, purchase card, or other service or facility is listed on a schedule to be included in the amendment effecting the 2018 FILO Facility, (ii) such ACH transaction, cash management service, foreign exchange facility, credit card processing service, credit or debit fund, purchase card, or other service or facility is thereafter added to such schedule by the Borrowers (which addition may be made by the Borrowers by notice to the Agent in writing, at any time when no Event of Default has occurred and is continuing) or (iii) such ACH transaction, cash management service, foreign exchange facility, credit card processing service, credit or debit fund, purchase card, or other service or facility is provided by the Agent or its Affiliates.”

 

  d. The definition of “Permitted Holder Lender” set forth in Section 1.01 of the Existing Credit Agreement is hereby amended by deleting the figure “35%” appearing in the first proviso thereto and inserting the figure “20%” in lieu thereof.

 

  e. The second proviso to the definition of “Permitted Holder Lender” set forth in Section 1.01 of the Existing Credit Agreement is hereby amended and restated in its entirety as follows:

provided , further that , no Permitted Holder or Significant Holder shall at any time hold any portion of any FILO Facility (except as otherwise provided in Section 2.20(c));”.

 

  f. The definition of “Permitted Holder Lender” set forth in Section 1.01 of the Existing Credit Agreement is hereby further amended to add the following sentence to the end thereof:

“For purposes of this definition, plural references to “ Agents ” contained in clauses (c) through (f) shall have the meaning set forth in Section 8.03, and references to “such Agent” or “any Agent” shall have corresponding meanings, as the context shall require.”

 

-4-


  g. Section 1.01 of the Existing Credit Agreement is hereby amended by adding the following definition in alphabetical order:

 

  i. 2016 Letter of Credit Facility ” means the Letter of Credit and Reimbursement Agreement, dated as of December 28, 2016, among Holdings, the Borrowers, Citibank, N.A., as administrative agent and issuing bank, and the other parties thereto, as amended, amended and restated or otherwise modified from time to time, or any extension or renewal thereof.

 

  ii. 2018 FILO Effective Date ” means the date of funding of the 2018 FILO Facility.

 

  iii. 2018 FILO Facility ” means a FILO Facility on the terms and conditions set forth in Annex A to the Fifth Amendment, as such terms and conditions may be revised with the consent of the Agent and the Co-Collateral Agents, subject to the limitations on FILO Facilities set forth in Section 2.20.

 

  iv. Fifth Amendment ” means that certain Fifth Amendment to Third Amended and Restated Credit Agreement, dated as of March 21, 2018, among Holdings, the Borrowers, the Lenders party thereto, the Co-Collateral Agents and the Agent.

 

  v. Fifth Amendment Effective Date ” means the “Amendment Effective Date” as defined in the Fifth Amendment to Third Amended and Restated Credit Agreement, dated as of March 21, 2018, among Holdings, the Borrowers, the Lenders party thereto, the Co-Collateral Agents and the Agent.

 

  h. Section 2.20(c) of the Existing Credit Agreement is hereby amended by amending and restating the second proviso thereto as follows:

provided , further that , at no time shall any Permitted Holder and/or Significant Holder hold any portion of any FILO Facility hereunder, except that Permitted Holders and/or Significant Holders may hold all or any portion of the 2018 FILO Facility.”

 

  i. Section 6.02 of the Existing Credit Agreement is hereby amended by adding the following clauses (n) and (o) to the end thereof:

“(n) Availability . Permit Capped Excess Availability at any time to be less than the greater of (x) 10% of the difference between (i) the Line Cap minus (ii) the sum of (a) the outstanding principal amount of the Term Loan and (b) the outstanding principal amount of the 2016 Term Loan, and (y) $150,000,000.

 

-5-


(o) Net Recovery Value . Permit (without duplication) total Obligations outstanding at any time to exceed 100% of the sum of (i) aggregate outstanding Eligible Credit Card Accounts Receivable at such time plus (ii) aggregate Eligible Pharmacy Receivables at such time plus (iii) aggregate Net Orderly Liquidation Value at such time.”

 

5. Authorization . The Lenders hereby authorize the Agent and the Co-Collateral Agents to execute and deliver any agreement among lenders and/or other Loan Documents as may be necessary or appropriate, in the reasonable opinion of the Agent and the Borrowers, to effect the provisions of Section 2.20, with the consent of the FILO Lenders, the Co-Collateral Agents and the Borrowers (such consents not to be unreasonably withheld), but without the need for further consents from the Lenders.

 

6. Conditions to Effectiveness . This Amendment shall become effective on the date (the “ Amendment Effective Date ”) that each of the following conditions precedent has been fulfilled as reasonably determined by the Agent:

 

  a. This Amendment shall have been duly executed and delivered by Holdings, the Borrowers, Lenders constituting the Required Lenders, each Co-Collateral Agent, and the Agent, and the Agent shall have received counterparts hereof that, when taken together, bear the signatures of each of the other parties hereto.

 

  b. Each of the conditions precedent set forth in Section 4.02 of the Amended Credit Agreement shall have been satisfied.

 

  c. All action on the part of Holdings and the Borrowers necessary for the valid execution, delivery and performance by the Borrowers of this Amendment shall have been duly taken.

 

  d. Since January 30, 2017, there shall not have been any event or effect that has had or would be reasonably expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect, as limited to clause (c) of the definition of “Material Adverse Effect” in the Existing Credit Agreement.

 

  e. After giving effect to this Amendment and the transactions contemplated hereunder, no Default or Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing under the Amended Credit Agreement.

 

  f. The Borrowers shall have paid all fees, expenses and other amounts due and owing to the Agent, the Co-Collateral Agents and the Lenders that have executed this Amendment.

 

  g. To the extent requested by a Lender, the Agent shall have received all documentation and other information with respect to the Loan Parties required by regulatory authorities under applicable “know-your-customer” and anti-money laundering rules and regulations, including without limitation the USA PATRIOT Act.

 

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  h. Each Loan Party shall have duly executed and delivered to the Agent a reaffirmation (in form and substance satisfactory to the Agent) of its obligations (including guarantees) and liens under the Loan Documents.

 

  i. The 2018 FILO Facility (as defined in the Amended Credit Agreement) shall have been funded on or before April 15, 2018.

 

7. Binding Effect . The terms and provisions hereof shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the parties hereto, the Lenders and their respective successors and assigns.

 

8. Expenses . The Borrowers shall reimburse the Agent and the Co-Collateral Agents for all reasonable and documented out-of-pocket expenses incurred in connection herewith, including, without limitation, reasonable attorneys’ fees.

 

9. Multiple Counterparts . This Amendment may be executed in multiple counterparts, each of which shall constitute an original and together which shall constitute but one and the same instrument. Delivery of an executed counterpart of a signature page of this Amendment by facsimile or in electronic (i.e. “pdf” or “tif”) format shall be effective as delivery of a manually executed counterpart of this Amendment.

 

10. Governing Law . THIS AMENDMENT SHALL BE GOVERNED BY, AND CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH, THE LAW OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK WITHOUT REGARD TO CONFLICTS OF LAWS PRINCIPLES THEREOF OTHER THAN SECTIONS 5-1401 AND 5-1402 OF THE NEW YORK GENERAL OBLIGATIONS LAW.

 

11. FATCA . For purposes of determining withholding taxes imposed under FATCA, the Loan Parties, the Agent and the Co-Collateral Agents shall treat (and the Lenders hereby authorize the Agent and the Co-Collateral Agents to treat) the Amended Credit Agreement as not qualifying as a “grandfathered obligation” within the meaning of Treasury Regulation Section 1.1471-2(b)(2)(i).

 

12.

Effect of Amendment . The execution, delivery and effectiveness of this Amendment shall not, except as expressly provided herein, operate as a waiver of any right, power or remedy of the Agents or the Lenders under the Existing Credit Agreement, nor constitute a waiver of any provision of the Existing Credit Agreement. Except as provided herein and in the Amended Credit Agreement, all of the terms and conditions of the Existing Credit Agreement (including the Exhibits thereto) and the other Loan Documents shall remain in full force and effect, and each Borrower hereby reaffirms its obligations (including obligations under any guarantee) and liens granted thereunder. This Amendment is not intended by the parties to be, and shall not be construed to be, a novation of the Existing Credit Agreement or an accord and satisfaction in regard thereto.

 

-7-


Wherever possible, each provision of this Amendment shall be interpreted in such manner as to be valid under applicable Requirements of Law. If any provision is found to be invalid under applicable Requirements of Law, it shall be ineffective only to the extent of such invalidity and the remaining provisions of this Amendment shall remain in full force and effect. This Amendment shall constitute a Loan Document for all purposes of the Amended Credit Agreement.

[remainder of page intentionally left blank]

 

-8-


IN WITNESS WHEREOF, this Amendment has been duly executed and delivered by each of the parties hereto as of the date first above written.

 

HOLDINGS:

SEARS HOLDINGS CORPORATION
By:   /s/ Robert A. Riecker
Name:   Robert A. Riecker
Title:   Chief Financial Officer

 

BORROWERS:

SEARS ROEBUCK ACCEPTANCE CORP.
By:  

/s/ Robert A. Riecker

Name:  

Robert A. Riecker

Title:  

Vice President, Finance

 

KMART CORPORATION
By:  

/s/ Robert A. Riecker

Name:  

Robert A. Riecker

Title:  

Chief Financial Officer

[Signature page to Fifth Amendment to Credit Agreement]


BANK OF AMERICA, N.A. , as Agent, a Co-Collateral Agent and as a Lender
By:   /s/ Brian Lindblom
  Name: Brian Lindblom
  Title: Director

[Signature page to Fifth Amendment to Credit Agreement]


WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, as a Co-Collateral Agent and as a Lender
By:   /s/ Joseph Burt
  Name: Joseph Burt
  Title: Director

[Signature page to Fifth Amendment to Credit Agreement]


PNC BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION,
as a Revolving Lender
By:   /s/ Michael Byrne
  Name: Michael Byrne
  Title: Assistant Vice President

[Signature page to Fifth Amendment to Credit Agreement]


Citibank N.A.,

as a Revolving Lender

By:   /s/ David L. Smith
  Name: David L. Smith
  Title: Vice President and Director

[Signature page to Fifth Amendment to Credit Agreement]


Citizens Business Capital, a division of Asset Finance, Inc.,
as a Revolving Lender
By:   /s/ Christine Scott
  Name: Christine Scott
  Title: SVP

[Signature page to Fifth Amendment to Credit Agreement]


Regions Bank,

as a Revolving Lender

By:   /s/ Gene Wilson
  Name: Gene Wilson
  Title: Senior Vice President

[Signature page to Fifth Amendment to Credit Agreement]


Annex A

2018 FILO Facility

Summary of Terms and Conditions

[See Attached]


Summary of Indicative Terms and Conditions

The terms and conditions summarized in this term sheet are provided for discussion purposes only and do not constitute an offer, agreement, or commitment to extend financing. The terms and conditions contained herein are subject to the satisfactory completion of due diligence, internal credit approvals, satisfactory review and execution of documentation, and other conditions.

 

Borrower:    Sears Roebuck Acceptance Corp. (“Sears” or the “Company”), amongst other Borrowers on ABL Revolver
Guarantor:    Same as ABL Revolver
Facilities:    Up to a $125 million FILO Term Loan (the “FILO TL”)
Agent:    [ESL affiliate (“FILO Agent”)]
Lenders:    [ESL affiliate (“ESL”)]
Use of Proceeds:    Repayment of outstanding advances under ABL Revolver (without commitment reduction)
Term:    Coterminous with the ABL Revolver (July 20, 2020)
Pricing:    LIBOR + 8.5% (LIBOR floor of 1.5%)
Collateral:    Shared first lien on ABL Collateral with a right on repayment ranking behind (i) ABL Revolver and ABL Term Loans and (ii) all bank products and cash management obligations other than the ESL L/C facility (all such bank products and cash management obligations other than the ESL L/C Facility, “Specified Obligations”); provided , that the FILO TL will rank ahead of the existing ESL L/C facility [such waterfall to be reflected in amended guarantee and collateral agreement waterfall satisfactory to ESL]
Borrowing Base*:    The sum of:
      (a) 10% of the Net Orderly Liquidation Value (“NOLV”) of eligible inventory; less
      (b) Reserves against Specified Obligations, as set forth below.
   (c)    At any time the FILO TL principal balance is greater than the FILO TL Borrowing Base, the amount of such difference will be reserved for in the ABL Revolver borrowing base.
   (d)    A reserve equal to 50% of the amount of the existing Bank of America cash management services (e.g., ACH exposure and purchase cards, credit cards, debit cards, and other card services, presently aggregating $112.5 million) will be included in the FILO Term Loan Borrowing Base. If the bank products and cash management commitments (excluding the existing ESL L/C Facility) are reduced below $112.5 million, the reserve would be reduced accordingly at the same 50% rate.
   (e)    The amount of all other bank products and cash management obligations (if any) (excluding for these purposes the Citi-ESL L/C facility), shall be reserved on a dollar-for-dollar basis.
      Bank products and cash management services outstanding (other than the Citi-ESL L/C facility and bank products and cash management with Bank of America) will be scheduled as of the funding date of the FILO TL, with updates to such schedule to be provided by the Borrower thereafter.

 

1


   (f)    New negative covenant (the “Total Coverage Covenant”) shall be established to ensure that at no time shall aggregate secured obligations (including, without limitation, Revolver Advances, Term Loans, 2016 Term Loans, FILO Loans, Bank Products (including amounts outstanding under the Citi-ESL L/C facility), and Cash Management Services, and Permissible Overadvances) exceed 100% of NOLV of eligible inventory plus 100% of eligible credit card accounts receivable plus 100% of eligible pharmacy receivables; provided , that Required FILO Lender prior consent shall be required to amend (i.e., increase) the % limitation set forth above.
   (g)    Cash dominion will be required through end of fiscal year 2018, with springing cash dominion thereafter.
Amendments/FILO Lender Voting:    FILO Lender voting to be limited in a manner to be agreed.
Availability Covenant:    ABL Revolver excess availability shall not fall below the greater of (i) 10% of the difference between the Line Cap (lesser of ABL Borrowing Base and aggregate revolving commitments and term loans) and the ABL term loans and (ii) $150 million
Periodic Field Exams and Appraisals:    Same as ABL Revolver.
Closing Fee:    2.25%
Minimum Liquidity at Close:    TBD based on Company projections
Permissible Overadvances:    As in existing credit agreement.
Call Protection:    Year 1: Greater of (i) Eight Month Make Whole and (ii) 3%; Year 2: 2%; none thereafter. If the FILO is repaid during the first six (6) months of the Facility through third party capital outside of bankruptcy/insolvency, then the call protection reverts to 3%.
   In the event of a bankruptcy or insolvency, call protection (i) shall be limited to the extent that the addition of the call premium to the obligations would result in a violation of the Total Coverage Covenant and (ii) shall not be payable until the payment in full in cash of all other secured obligations (including, without limitation, Revolver Advances, Term Loans, 2016 Term Loans, FILO Loans, Bank Products, Cash Management Services, and Permissible Overadvances, and any DIP financing that refinances or replaces any of the foregoing, but excluding amounts outstanding under the Citi-ESL L/C facility).
Amortization:    None
Mandatory Repayments:    None (except as expressly provided in Section 2.20(a)(v) of existing credit agreement).
Voluntary Repayments:    None (except as expressly provided in Section 2.20(a)(v) of existing credit agreement).
Deposit / Work Fee:    Legal and any other reasonable out of pocket expenses (including for review of existing field exams and collateral appraisals) of the Lenders will be paid by the Company. The Company shall pay the Lenders an initial due diligence deposit of $125,000 (“the Due Diligence Deposit”) upon acceptance of this term sheet. Once the Due Diligence Deposit is utilized, upon request, the Company agrees to reimburse the Lenders for any additional reasonable and documented out of pocket expenses incurred by the Lenders.
Assignments:    Syndication pre-close and assignments post close permitted with the consent of the Borrowers, not to be unreasonably withheld provided that if an EOD then exists, Borrower’s consent shall not be required.
   No FILO assignment shall be permitted except consistent with provisions of the existing credit agreement (including Agent consent).

 

2


Financial Reporting:    Same as ABL Revolver.
Additional Agreements of FILO Lenders:    Amended credit agreement will contain certain agreements of FILO Lenders, including (without limitation) agreements regarding consent to use of cash collateral, anti-priming, adequate protection, relief from automatic stay, consent to release of liens sales, and other standard bankruptcy intercreditor provisions. Waiver of FILO Lenders that are Permitted Holders or Significant Holders regarding certain matters to be determined, including rights (i) to attend any meeting with the Agent or any Lender or receive any information from the Agent or any Lender, (ii) to the benefit of any advice provided by counsel to the Agents or the other Lenders or to challenge the attorney-client privilege of the communications between the Agents, such other Lenders and such counsel, or (iii) to make or bring any claim, in its capacity as Lender, against any Agent with respect to the fiduciary duties of such Agent or Lender and the other duties and obligations of the Agents hereunder. In addition, FILO Lenders that are Permitted Holders or Significant Holders shall enter into waivers (including with regard to Agent and Lender meetings and information, advice/privilege of Agent and Lender counsel, and claims with regard to duties and obligations of Agent) comparable to those applicable to Permitted Holder Lenders, with modifications to be agreed (taking into consideration the nature of the FILO TL).
Conditions Precedent:    Completion of business and legal due diligence, review of Company’s financial projections, satisfaction with capital structure at closing, meeting with current management, satisfactory Intercreditor/consent terms with Citibank (with respect to ESL L/C facility) and any other parties deemed necessary by FILO Agent (subject to review by the appropriate parties), delivery of loan documents customary for transactions of this type duly executed by the loan parties, satisfactory review of existing appraisal and existing commercial finance exam, receipt of Investment Credit Committee approval and other conditions as are usual and customary for financings of this type or as may be stipulated by such Committee as conditions to its approval.

 

3

Exhibit 10.5

EXECUTION VERSION

SIXTH AMENDMENT TO THIRD AMENDED AND RESTATED CREDIT AGREEMENT

SIXTH AMENDMENT TO THIRD AMENDED AND RESTATED CREDIT AGREEMENT (this “ Amendment ”), dated as of March 21, 2018, between:

SEARS HOLDINGS CORPORATION, a Delaware corporation (“ Holdings ”),

SEARS ROEBUCK ACCEPTANCE CORP., a Delaware corporation, and KMART CORPORATION, a Michigan corporation (the “ Borrowers ”),

The Lenders party hereto,

the Co-Collateral Agents, and

BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., as Administrative Agent (the “ Agent ”),

in consideration of the mutual covenants herein contained and benefits to be derived herefrom.

W I T N E S S E T H :

WHEREAS, Holdings, the Borrowers, the Lenders party thereto, the Co-Collateral Agents party thereto, and the Agent, among others, are party to that certain Third Amended and Restated Credit Agreement, dated as of July 21, 2015, as amended pursuant to that certain First Amendment to Third Amended and Restated Credit Agreement, dated as of April 8, 2016, that certain Second Amendment to Third Amended and Restated Credit Agreement, dated as of February 10, 2017, that certain Third Amendment to Third Amended and Restated Credit Agreement, dated as of December 12, 2017, that certain Fourth Amendment to Third Amended and Restated Credit Agreement, dated as of February 7, 2018, and that certain Fifth Amendment to Third Amended and Restated Credit Agreement, dated as of the date hereof (the “ Existing Credit Agreement ”; the Existing Credit Agreement as amended hereby, the “ Amended Credit Agreement ”);

WHEREAS, Section 2.20(a) of the Existing Credit Agreement provides that the Borrowers may request that the Revolving Lenders establish a “first-in, last-out” facility (the “ FILO Facility ”) in accordance with the terms thereof and otherwise as determined by the Borrowers in consultation with the Agent; and

WHEREAS, pursuant to Section 2.20(a) of the Existing Credit Agreement, the Borrowers have requested a FILO Facility in an amount of $125,000,000, and have requested that such FILO Facility be made in the form of a term loan (the “ 2018 FILO Loan ”); and

WHEREAS, Section 2.20(c) of the Existing Credit Agreement provides that, following any request made by the Borrowers to establish a FILO Facility in accordance with Section 2.20, to achieve the full amount of the FILO Facility specified in any such request, subject to the approval of the Agent (which approval shall not be unreasonably withheld), to the extent that the existing Revolving Lenders decline to participate in full in the FILO Facility, other consenting Eligible Assignees may become FILO Lenders thereunder and furnish FILO Commitments in the amount requested by the Borrowers under Section 2.20(a) and not accepted by the existing Revolving Lenders; and


WHEREAS, Section 2.20(d) of the Existing Credit Agreement provides that the FILO Facility shall be established pursuant to an amendment thereto to the extent necessary to reflect the existence and terms of the FILO Facility and to effect other amendments thereto and to the other Loan Documents as may be necessary or appropriate, in the reasonable opinion of the Agent and the Borrowers, to effect the provisions of such Section, with the consent of the FILO Lenders, the Co-Collateral Agents and the Borrower (such consents not to be unreasonably withheld), but without the need for further consents from the Lenders; and

WHEREAS, Holdings, the Borrowers, the FILO Lenders, the Co-Collateral Agents and the Agent have agreed to amend the Existing Credit Agreement in furtherance of the foregoing.

NOW THEREFORE, in consideration of the mutual promises and agreements herein contained, the parties hereto hereby agree as follows:

 

1. Incorporation of Terms. All capitalized terms not otherwise defined herein shall have the same meaning as in the Existing Credit Agreement.

 

2. Representations and Warranties .

 

  a. Each Borrower hereby represents and warrants that:

 

  i. no Default or Event of Default exists under the Existing Credit Agreement or under any other Loan Document as of the date hereof; and

 

  ii. all representations and warranties contained in the Amended Credit Agreement and the other Loan Documents are true and correct in all material respects as of the date hereof, except to the extent that (A) such representations or warranties are qualified by a materiality standard, in which case they are true and correct in all respects, and (B) such representations or warranties expressly relate to an earlier date (in which case such representations and warranties are true and correct in all material respects as of such earlier date).

 

  b. Each of Holdings and each Borrower hereby represents and warrants that:

 

  i. such Loan Party (A) is duly organized, validly existing and in good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction of its organization and (B) 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;

 

-2-


  ii. the execution and delivery by such Loan Party of this Amendment and the performance by such Loan Party of its obligations under this Amendment and the Amended Credit Agreement, and the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Amendment and the Amended Credit Agreement, are within such Loan Party’s powers, have been duly authorized by all necessary organizational action, and do not contravene (A) the charter or by-laws or other organizational or governing documents of such Loan Party or (B) law or any contractual restriction binding on or affecting such Loan Party, except, for purposes of this clause (B), to the extent such contravention would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect;

 

  iii. no authorization or approval or other action by, and no notice to or filing with, any governmental authority or regulatory body or any other third party is required for the due execution, delivery and performance by such Loan Party of this Amendment or the Amended Credit Agreement that has not already been obtained if the failure to obtain such authorization, approval or other action could reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect; and

 

  iv. this Amendment has been duly executed and delivered by such Loan Party. This Amendment and the Amended Credit Agreement constitute, and will constitute upon execution of this Amendment, the legal, valid and binding obligation of such Loan Party enforceable against such Loan Party in accordance with its respective terms subject to the effect of any applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization or moratorium or similar laws affecting the rights of creditors generally and subject to general principles of equity (regardless of whether enforcement is sought in a proceeding at law or in equity).

 

3. Release by Borrowers . Each Borrower hereby acknowledges and agrees that it has no actual knowledge of any defenses or claims against any Lender, any Issuing Lender, the Agent, the Co-Collateral Agents, any of their Affiliates, or any of their respective officers, directors, employees, attorneys, representatives, predecessors, successors, or assigns with respect to the Obligations, and that if such Borrower now has, or ever did have, any defenses or claims with respect to the Obligations against any Lender, any Issuing Lender, the Agent, the Co-Collateral Agents or any of their respective officers, directors, employees, attorneys, representatives, predecessors, successors, or assigns, whether known or unknown, at law or in equity, from the beginning of the world through this date and through the time of effectiveness of this Amendment, all of them are hereby expressly WAIVED , and each Borrower hereby RELEASES each Lender, each Issuing Lender, the Agent, the Co-Collateral Agents and their respective officers, directors, employees, attorneys, representatives, predecessors, successors, and assigns from any liability therefor.

 

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4. Amendments to Existing Credit Agreement . The Existing Credit Agreement is hereby amended (i) to delete the stricken text (indicated textually in the same manner as the following example: stricken text ) and to add the double-underlined text (indicated textually in the same manner as the following example: double-underlined ) as set forth in the pages of the Amended Credit Agreement attached as Annex A hereto and (ii) to insert Schedule IB therein as set forth in Annex B hereto. The Guarantee and Collateral Agreement is hereby amended by (i) inserting into Section 1.1(b) thereof in appropriate alphabetical order the defined terms forth in Part I of Annex C hereto and (ii) amending and restating Section 6.4 thereof as set forth in Part II of Annex C hereto.

 

5. Joinder of 2018 FILO Lenders .

 

  a. Each person party hereto as a 2018 FILO Lender hereby agrees to provide the 2018 FILO Loan set forth opposite its name under the column “2018 FILO Commitment” on Annex E hereto, on the Sixth Amendment Effective Date pursuant to and in accordance with Section 2.01(e) of the Amended Credit Agreement. The commitments provided pursuant to this Amendment shall be subject to all of the terms and conditions set forth herein and in the Amended Credit Agreement, and shall be entitled to all the benefits afforded hereby and by the Amended Credit Agreement and the other Loan Documents, and shall, without limiting the foregoing, benefit equally and ratably from the guarantees and security interests created by the Security Documents.

 

  b. Each party hereto acknowledges and agrees that the commitments provided pursuant to this Amendment shall constitute “2018 FILO Commitments” for all purposes of the Amended Credit Agreement and the other applicable Loan Documents, and that each 2018 FILO Lender party hereto shall constitute a “2018 FILO Lender” for purposes of the Amended Credit Agreement.

 

  c. Each 2018 FILO Lender (i) confirms that it has received a copy of the Existing Credit Agreement and the other Loan Documents, together with copies of the financial statements referred to therein and such other documents and information as it has deemed appropriate to make its own credit analysis and decision to enter into this Amendment; (ii) agrees that it will, independently and without reliance upon the Agent, the Co-Collateral Agents, any arranger of this Amendment or the Amended Credit Agreement, or any other Lender, and based on such documents and information as it shall deem appropriate at the time, continue to make its own credit decisions in taking or not taking action under the Amended Credit Agreement; (iii) appoints and authorizes the Agent and the Co-Collateral Agents to take such action as agent on its behalf and to exercise such powers and discretion under the Amended Credit Agreement and the other Loan Documents as are delegated to the Agent or the Co-Collateral Agents, respectively, by the terms thereof, together with such powers and discretion as are reasonably incidental thereto; and (iv) agrees that it will perform in accordance with their terms all of the obligations which by the terms of the Amended Credit Agreement are required to be performed by it as a Lender.

 

-4-


  d. Each 2018 FILO Lender shall deliver herewith to the Agent such forms, certificates or other evidence with respect to United States federal income tax withholding matters as such 2018 FILO Lender may be required to deliver to the Agent pursuant to the Amended Credit Agreement.

 

6. Conditions to Effectiveness . This Amendment shall become effective on the date (the “ Sixth Amendment Effective Date ”) that each of the following conditions precedent has been fulfilled as reasonably determined by the Agent (provided that, with respect to matters that require the satisfaction or consent of the Co-Collateral Agents, the Borrowers, the FILO Lenders or any other Person, the Agent may infer such satisfaction or consent from the delivery by such Persons of their executed counterpart signature pages hereto or to such other agreements to which such Person is a party):

 

  a. This Amendment shall have been duly executed and delivered by Holdings, the Borrowers, each 2018 FILO Lender, the Co-Collateral Agents and the Agent, and the Agent shall have received counterparts hereof that, when taken together, bear the signatures of each of the other parties hereto.

 

  b. Each of the conditions precedent set forth in Section 4.02 of the Amended Credit Agreement shall have been satisfied.

 

  c. All action on the part of Holdings and the Borrowers necessary for the valid execution, delivery and performance by the Borrowers of this Amendment shall have been duly taken. The Borrowers shall have delivered to the Agent and the Lenders an opinion or opinions, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Agent, from counsel to the Borrowers reasonably satisfactory to the Agent and dated the Sixth Amendment Effective Date. The FILO Lenders shall have delivered to the Agent and the Lenders an opinion or opinions, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Agent, from counsel to the FILO Lenders and ESL Investments, Inc. reasonably satisfactory to the Agent and dated the Sixth Amendment Effective Date.

 

  d. The Borrowers shall have delivered to the Agent an updated Borrowing Base Certificate dated as of the Sixth Amendment Effective Date (including Incremental Availability, the FILO Reserve, and other matters related to the 2018 FILO Loan as set forth in the Amended Credit Agreement, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Agent).

 

  e. After giving effect to this Amendment and the transactions contemplated hereunder, no Default or Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing under the Amended Credit Agreement.

 

-5-


  f. The Borrowers shall have paid all fees, expenses and other amounts due and owing to the Agent, the Co-Collateral Agents and the Lenders that have executed this Amendment.

 

  g. The Borrowers shall have paid such fees to the FILO Lenders, as may be payable in connection with this Amendment, the 2018 FILO Loan or the transactions contemplated hereby, which fees may be paid by offsetting against the funded amount of the 2018 FILO Loan.

 

  h. To the extent requested by a Lender, the Agent shall have received all documentation and other information with respect to the Loan Parties required by regulatory authorities under applicable “know-your-customer” and anti-money laundering rules and regulations, including without limitation the USA PATRIOT Act.

 

  i. Each Loan Party shall have duly executed and delivered to the Agent an “acknowledgment and acceptance” of the establishment of the FILO Facility and reaffirmation (in form and substance satisfactory to the Agent) of its obligations (including guarantees) and liens under the Loan Documents.

 

  j. The Borrowers shall have delivered to the Agent a certificate of each Borrower signed by an Authorized Officer of such Borrower (i) certifying and attaching the resolutions adopted by the board of directors (or other applicable governing body) of such Borrower approving or consenting to the establishment of the FILO Facility, and (ii) certifying that, before and after giving effect to the establishment of the FILO Facility, the representations and warranties contained in Article V of the Amended Credit Facility and the other Loan Documents are true and correct in all material respects on and as of the effective date of the FILO Facility, except to the extent (1) such representations or warranties are qualified by a materiality standard, in which case they shall be true and correct in all respects, and (2) such representations or warranties expressly relate to an earlier date (in which case such representations and warranties shall be true and correct in all material respects as of such earlier date).

 

  k. After giving effect to the funding of the 2018 FILO Loan on the Sixth Amendment Effective Date, the aggregate amount outstanding thereunder shall not exceed the lesser of (i) Incremental Availability and (ii) the 2018 FILO Commitment (as set forth in Annex E).

 

  l. An agreement among lenders, in the form set forth in Annex D (with such revisions as may be acceptable to the Agent, the Co-Collateral Agents and the other parties thereto), shall have been duly executed and delivered by each 2018 FILO Lender, ESL Investments, Inc., the Co-Collateral Agents and the Agent, and the Agent shall have received counterparts thereof that, when taken together, bear the signatures of each of the other parties thereto.

 

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  m. The agent under the 2016 Letter of Credit Facility (as defined in the Amended Credit Agreement), and other applicable parties shall have entered into a consent or intercreditor agreement in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Agent.

 

  n. Immediately after giving effect to the funding of the 2018 FILO Loan and the application of proceeds thereof, the sum of (A) the Line Cap, minus (B) the Total Extensions of Credit, plus (C) nonrestricted cash and Cash Equivalents of the Loan Parties shall be at least $275,000,000 in the aggregate.

 

  o. Each 2018 FILO Lender that is a Permitted Holder or a Significant Holder shall have executed and delivered to Agent such waivers as are required by the definition of “Specified 2018 FILO Lenders” set forth in the Amended Credit Agreement.

 

7. Binding Effect . The terms and provisions hereof shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the parties hereto, the Lenders and their respective successors and assigns.

 

8. Expenses . The Borrowers shall reimburse the Agent and the Co-Collateral Agents for all reasonable and documented out-of-pocket expenses incurred in connection herewith, including, without limitation, reasonable attorneys’ fees.

 

9. Multiple Counterparts . This Amendment may be executed in multiple counterparts, each of which shall constitute an original and together which shall constitute but one and the same instrument. Delivery of an executed counterpart of a signature page of this Amendment by facsimile or in electronic (i.e. “pdf” or “tif”) format shall be effective as delivery of a manually executed counterpart of this Amendment.

 

10. Governing Law . THIS AMENDMENT SHALL BE GOVERNED BY, AND CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH, THE LAW OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK WITHOUT REGARD TO CONFLICTS OF LAWS PRINCIPLES THEREOF OTHER THAN SECTIONS 5-1401 AND 5-1402 OF THE NEW YORK GENERAL OBLIGATIONS LAW.

 

11. FATCA . For purposes of determining withholding taxes imposed under FATCA, the Loan Parties, the Agent and the Co-Collateral Agents shall treat (and the Lenders hereby authorize the Agent and the Co-Collateral Agents to treat) the Amended Credit Agreement as not qualifying as a “grandfathered obligation” within the meaning of Treasury Regulation Section 1.1471-2(b)(2)(i).

 

12.

Effect of Amendment . The execution, delivery and effectiveness of this Amendment shall not, except as expressly provided herein, operate as a waiver of any right, power or remedy of the Agents or the Lenders under the Existing Credit Agreement, nor constitute a waiver of any provision of the Existing Credit Agreement. Except as provided herein and in the Amended Credit Agreement, all of the terms and conditions of the Existing

 

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  Credit Agreement (including the Exhibits thereto) and the other Loan Documents shall remain in full force and effect, and each Borrower hereby reaffirms its obligations (including obligations under any guarantee) and liens granted thereunder. This Amendment is not intended by the parties to be, and shall not be construed to be, a novation of the Existing Credit Agreement or an accord and satisfaction in regard thereto. Wherever possible, each provision of this Amendment shall be interpreted in such manner as to be valid under applicable Requirements of Law. If any provision is found to be invalid under applicable Requirements of Law, it shall be ineffective only to the extent of such invalidity and the remaining provisions of this Amendment shall remain in full force and effect. This Amendment and the agreement among lenders referred to in clause 6(l) above shall each constitute a Loan Document for all purposes of the Amended Credit Agreement.

[remainder of page intentionally left blank]

 

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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, this Amendment has been duly executed and delivered by each of the parties hereto as of the date first above written.

 

HOLDINGS :
SEARS HOLDINGS CORPORATION
By:   /s/ Robert A. Riecker
Name:   Robert A. Riecker
Title:   Chief Financial Officer

 

BORROWERS :
SEARS ROEBUCK ACCEPTANCE CORP.
By:   /s/ Robert A. Riecker
Name:   Robert A. Riecker
Title:   Vice President, Finance

 

KMART CORPORATION
By:   /s/ Robert A. Riecker
Name:   Robert A. Riecker
Title:   Chief Financial Officer

 

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BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., as Agent and Co-Collateral Agent
By:   /s/ Brian Lindblom
  Name:   Brian Lindblom
  Title:   Director

 

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WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, as Co-Collateral Agent
By:   /s/ Joseph Burt
  Name:   Joseph Burt
  Title:   Director

 

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JPP, LLC, as 2018 FILO Lender
By:   /s/ Edward S. Lampert
  Name:   Edward S. Lampert
  Title:   Member

 

JPP II, LLC, as 2018 FILO Lender
By:   /s/ Edward S. Lampert
  Name:   Edward S. Lampert
  Title:   Chairman and Chief Executive Officer

 

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Benefit Street 2018 LLC, as 2018 FILO Lender
By:   /s/ Alan H. Hirschfeld
  Name: Alan H. Hirschfeld
  Title: Manager

 

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Annex A

Conformed Credit Agreement

[See Attached]

 

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ANNEX A

THIRD AMENDED AND RESTATED CREDIT AGREEMENT

Dated as of July 21, 2015

as amended April 8, 2016

as further amended February 10, 2017

, as further amended December 12, 2017 , as further amended February 7, 2018 ,

as further amended and March 21, 2018

among

SEARS HOLDINGS CORPORATION

and

SEARS ROEBUCK ACCEPTANCE CORP.

and

KMART CORPORATION,

as Borrowers

and

THE LENDERS NAMED HEREIN ,

and

THE ISSUING LENDERS NAMED HEREIN,

and

BANK OF AMERICA, N.A.,

as Administrative Agent, Co-Collateral Agent and Swingline Lender

and

WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION ,

as Co-Collateral Agent

WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION

as Syndication Agent

PNC BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, SIEMENS FINANCIAL SERVICES, INC., ALLY BANK AND

CITIGROUP GLOBAL MARKETS INC.

as Co-Documentation Agents

and

MERRILL LYNCH, PIERCE, FENNER & SMITH INCORPORATED and WELLS FARGO BANK,

NATIONAL ASSOCIATION

as Joint Lead Arrangers

MERRILL LYNCH, PIERCE, FENNER & SMITH INCORPORATED, WELLS FARGO BANK,

NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, PNC BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION AND CITIGROUP GLOBAL


MARKETS INC.,

as Joint Bookrunners


TABLE OF CONTENTS

Page

 

ARTICLE I DEFINITIONS AND ACCOUNTING TERMS

     1  

SECTION 1.01. Certain Defined Terms

     1  

SECTION 1.02. Computation of Time Periods

     44 49  

SECTION 1.03. Accounting Terms

     44 49  

SECTION 1.04. Other Interpretive Provisions

     44 49  
ARTICLE II AMOUNTS AND TERMS OF THE ADVANCES, THE TERM LOAN AND , THE 2016 TERM LOAN 44 , THE 2017 ADDITIONAL EXTENDED TERM LOAN AND THE 2018 FILO LOAN      50  

SECTION 2.01. The Revolving Advances, the Term Loan and , the 2016 Term Loan 44 , the 2017 Additional Extended Term Loan and the 2018 FILO Loan

     50  

SECTION 2.02. Making the Revolving Advances

     45 50  

SECTION 2.03. The Swingline Advances

     46 51  

SECTION 2.04. Making the Swingline Advances

     46 52  

SECTION 2.05. Fees; Commitment Fee

     47 53  

SECTION 2.06. Optional Termination or Reduction of the Revolving Commitments

     48 54  

SECTION 2.07. Repayment of Revolving Advances, Term Loan and , 2016 Term Loan 48 and 2018 FILO Loan

     54  

SECTION 2.08. Interest

     49 55  

(a) Scheduled Interest Owed to 2015 Non-Extending Lenders

     49 55  

(b) Term Loan

     49 55  

(c) 2016 Term Loan

     49 55  

(d) Scheduled Interest Owed to 2015 Extending Lenders and Swingline Lender

     50 56  

(e) 2018 FILO Loan

     56  

( e f ) Default Interest

     50 56  

( f g ) Regulation D Compensation

     50 57  

SECTION 2.09. Interest Rate Determination

     51 57  

SECTION 2.10. Optional Conversion of Revolving Advances, Term Loan Borrowings and , 2016 Term Loan Borrowings 51 and 2018 FILO Borrowings

     57  

SECTION 2.11. Optional and Mandatory Prepayments of Revolving Advances, Term Loan and , 2016 Term Loan and 2018 FILO Loan

     51 58  

SECTION 2.12. Increased Costs

     54 60  

SECTION 2.13. Illegality

     54 61  

SECTION 2.14. Payments and Computations

     55 61  

SECTION 2.15. Taxes

     55 62  

SECTION 2.16. Sharing of Payments, Etc.

     58 65  

SECTION 2.17. Use of Proceeds of Advances, Term Loan and 2016 Term Loan

     58 65  

SECTION 2.18. Extension of Loans

     59 66  

(a) Extension of Revolving Commitments, Term Loans or 2016 Term Loans

     59 66  

(b) Extension Request

     60 67  

(c) New Lenders

     60 67  

(d) Extension Amendment

     61 68  

SECTION 2.19. Increase in Commitments

     61 68  

 

i


(a) Reserved

     61 68  

(b) Request for Increase After April 8, 2016

     61 68  

(c) Lender Elections

     62 69  

(d) Notification by Agent

     62 69  

(e) Conditions to Effectiveness of each Commitment Increase

     62 69  

(f) Effective Date and Allocations

     63 70  

(g) Other Provisions

     63 70  

(h) Conflicting Provisions

     63 70  

SECTION 2.20. FILO Facility

     63 70  

(a) Request for FILO Facility After July 21, 2015

     63 70  

(b) Lender Elections

     64 71  

(c) Notification by Agent

     64 71  

(d) Conditions to Effectiveness of FILO Facility

     64 71  

(e) Effective Date and Allocations

     65 72  

SECTION 2.21. Permitted Overadvances

     65 72  

ARTICLE III AMOUNT AND TERMS OF THE LETTERS OF CREDIT

     65 72  

SECTION 3.01. L/C Commitment

     65 72  

SECTION 3.02. Procedure for Issuance of Letter of Credit

     66 73  

SECTION 3.03. Fees and Other Charges

     67 74  

SECTION 3.04. Letter of Credit Participations

     67 74  

SECTION 3.05. Reimbursement Obligation of the Borrowers

     68 75  

SECTION 3.06. Obligations Absolute

     68 75  

SECTION 3.07. Letter of Credit Payments

     69 76  

SECTION 3.08. Applications

     69 76  

SECTION 3.09. Use of Letters of Credit

     69 76  

SECTION 3.10. Currency Equivalents Generally

     69 76  

ARTICLE IV CONDITIONS TO EFFECTIVENESS

     69 76  

SECTION 4.01. Conditions Precedent to Effectiveness

     69 76  

SECTION 4.02. Conditions Precedent to Each Extension of Credit

     71 78  

ARTICLE V REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES

     72 79  

SECTION 5.01. Representations and Warranties of the Borrowers

     72 79  

ARTICLE VI COVENANTS

     76 83  

SECTION 6.01. Affirmative Covenants

     76 83  

(a) Compliance with Laws, Etc.

     76 83  

(b) Payment of Taxes, Etc.

     76 83  

(c) Maintenance of Insurance

     76 83  

(d) Preservation of Corporate Existence, Etc.

     77 84  

(e) Inspection Rights

     77 84  

(f) Keeping of Books

     77 84  

(g) Maintenance of Properties, Etc.

     77 84  

(h) Transactions with Affiliates

     78 84  

(i) Further Assurances

     78 85  

(j) Reporting Requirements

     79 86  

 

ii


(k) Collateral Monitoring and Review

     81 88  

(l) Landlord Waivers, Access Agreements and Customs Broker Agreements

     81 88  

(m) Cash Management

     81 89  

(n) Liens on Non-Collateral Assets

     83 90  

(o) Physical Inventories

     83 91  

(p) Letters of Credit

     84 91  

SECTION 6.02. Negative Covenants

     84 91  

(a) Liens, Etc.

     84 91  

(b) Fundamental Changes

     85 92  

(c) Acquisitions

     85 92  

(d) Restricted Payments

     85 93  

(e) Negative Pledge Clauses

     87 94  

(f) Clauses Restricting Subsidiary Distributions

     87 94  

(g) Accounting Changes

     87 94  

(h) Reserved

     87 95  

(i) Dispositions. Make any Disposition except Permitted Dispositions

     87 95  

(j) Debt; Prepayment of Debt

     87 95  

(k) Investments

     88 96  

(l) Store Closings

     88 96  

(m) Existing Debt

     88 96  

(n) Availability 96

  

(o) Net Recovery Value 96

  

SECTION 6.03. Financial Covenant

     89 96  

ARTICLE VII EVENTS OF DEFAULT

     89 97  

SECTION 7.01. Events of Default

     89 97  

ARTICLE VIII THE AGENT AND CO-COLLATERAL AGENTS

     91 100  

SECTION 8.01. Appointment

     91 100  

SECTION 8.02. Delegation of Duties

     92 100  

SECTION 8.03. Exculpatory Provisions

     92 100  

SECTION 8.04. Reliance by Agent

     92 100  

SECTION 8.05. Notice of Default

     92 101  

SECTION 8.06. Non-Reliance on Agents and Other Lenders

     93 101  

SECTION 8.07. Reports and Financial Statements

     93 101  

SECTION 8.08. Indemnification

     94 102  

SECTION 8.09. Agent in Its Individual Capacity

     94 103  

SECTION 8.10. Successor Agent

     94 103  

SECTION 8.11. Co-Documentation Agents and Syndication Agent; Bank Product and Cash Management Services Providers

     95 103  

SECTION 8.12. Defaulting Lenders

     95 103  

(a) Adjustments

     95 103  

(b) Consents

     97 105  

(c) Defaulting Lender Cure

     97 105  

ARTICLE IX MISCELLANEOUS

     97 106  

SECTION 9.01. Amendments, Etc.

     97 106  

 

iii


SECTION 9.02. Notices, Etc.

     98 106  

SECTION 9.03. No Waiver; Remedies

     99 107  

SECTION 9.04. Costs and Expenses

     99 107  

SECTION 9.05. Right of Set-off

     100 108  

SECTION 9.06. Binding Effect; Effectiveness

     100 109  

SECTION 9.07. Assignments and Participations

     100 109  

SECTION 9.08. Confidentiality

     103 112  

SECTION 9.09. Governing Law

     103 112  

SECTION 9.10. Execution in Counterparts

     104 112  

SECTION 9.11. Jurisdiction, Etc.

     104 112  

SECTION 9.12. WAIVER OF JURY TRIAL

     104 113  

SECTION 9.13. Release of Collateral or Guarantee Obligation

     104 113  

SECTION 9.14. PATRIOT Act Notice

     105 113  

SECTION 9.15. Integration

     105 113  

SECTION 9.16. Replacement of Lenders

     105 113  

SECTION 9.17. No Advisory or Fiduciary Capacity

     105 114  

SECTION 9.18. Existing Credit Agreement Amended and Restated

     106 114  

SECTION 9.19. Keepwell

     106 115  

 

iv


SCHEDULES

    
Schedule IA    Pricing Grid
Schedule IB    [Reserved] Bank Products / Cash Management Services
Schedule IC    Extended Term Pricing Grid
Schedule 1.01    Lenders; Commitments
Schedule 1.02    Existing Letters of Credit
Schedule 1.03    Existing Swap Contracts
Schedule 3.02    Other LC Facilities
Schedule 5.01(n)    Pension Plan Issues
Schedule 5.01(p)    UCC Filing Jurisdictions
Schedule 5.01(t)    Labor Matters
Schedule 6.01(j)    Financial and Collateral Reports
Schedule 6.01(m)(i)(B)    Blocked Account Banks
Schedule 6.02(d)    Restricted Payments
Schedule 6.02(k)(ii)    Investment Policy

 

EXHIBITS

    

Exhibit A

   Form of Notice of Borrowing

Exhibit B

   Form of Assignment and Acceptance

Exhibit C

   Form of Borrowing Base Certificate

Exhibit D

   Form of Third Amended and Restated Guarantee and Collateral Agreement

Exhibit E

   Form of Credit Card Notification

Exhibit F

   Form of Intercreditor Agreement (Collateral and Other Property)

Exhibit G

   Form of Customs Broker Agreement

Exhibit H

   Form of Third Party Payor Notification

Exhibit I

   Form of Compliance Certificate

 

v


THIRD AMENDED AND RESTATED AGREEMENT (this “ Agreement ”) dated as of July 21, 2015, as amended April 8, 2016, as further amended February 10, 2017, as further amended December 12, 2017, as further amended February 7, 2018, and as further amended March 21, 2018, among SEARS HOLDINGS CORPORATION, a Delaware corporation (“ Holdings ”), SEARS ROEBUCK ACCEPTANCE CORP., a Delaware corporation (“ SRAC ”), KMART CORPORATION, a Michigan corporation (“ Kmart Corp. ”), the banks, financial institutions and other institutional lenders listed on the signature pages hereof or pursuant to any joinder hereto or through an assignment as provided in Section 9.07 hereof as Revolving Lenders, 2018 FILO Lenders, Term Lenders or 2016 Term Lenders, as applicable (collectively, the “ Lenders ”), the ISSUING LENDERS party hereto, BANK OF AMERICA, N.A. (the “ Bank ”), as administrative agent (the “ Agent ”), Co-Collateral Agent, and Swingline Lender, WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, as co-collateral agent (collectively, with the Bank in such capacity, the “ Co-Collateral Agents ”), WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, as Syndication Agent, PNC BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, SIEMENS FINANCIAL SERVICES, INC., ALLY BANK and CITIGROUP GLOBAL MARKETS INC., as co-documentation agents (the “ Co-Documentation Agents ”), MERRILL LYNCH, PIERCE, FENNER & SMITH INCORPORATED (“ MLPFS ”) and WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, as joint lead arrangers (collectively, the “ Lead Arrangers ”), and MLPFS, WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, PNC BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION and CITIGROUP GLOBAL MARKETS INC., as joint bookrunners.

W I T N E S S E T H :

WHEREAS, Holdings, SRAC, Kmart Corp., certain lenders, Wells Fargo Bank, National Association, f/k/a Wells Fargo Retail Finance, LLC. and General Electric Capital Corporation, as co-collateral agents and co-syndication agents, JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. and Barclays Bank PLC, as documentation agents, Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated f/k/a Banc of America Securities LLC, Wells Fargo Retail Finance, LLC and GE Capital Markets, Inc. as joint lead arrangers and joint bookrunners, and Bank of America, N.A., as administrative agent (the “ Existing Agent ”), are party to that certain Amended and Restated Credit Agreement dated as of May 21, 2009, as amended by a Second Amended and Restated Credit Agreement dated as of April 8, 2011, as amended by a First Amendment to Second Amended and Restated Credit Agreement dated as of October 2, 2013, as amended by the Third Amended and Restated Credit Agreement dated as of July 21, 2015 (as further amended from time to time and in effect prior to the date hereof, the “ Existing Credit Agreement ”); and

WHEREAS, since the date of the Existing Credit Agreement, Sears Canada and OSH (each as defined in the Existing Credit Agreement) are no longer Subsidiaries of Holdings; and

WHEREAS, certain Lenders have agreed to become Extending Revolving Lenders (as defined in the Existing Credit Agreement) and have furnished Extended Revolving Commitments (as defined in the Existing Credit Agreement) and desire to enter into an Extension Amendment (as provided in Section 2.18(d) of the Existing Credit Agreement); and

WHEREAS, in addition, in accordance with Section 9.01 of the Existing Credit Agreement, the Borrowers, Holdings, certain of the Lenders and the Agent desire to otherwise amend and restate the Existing Credit Agreement as provided herein.

NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the mutual conditions and agreements set forth in this Agreement, and for good and valuable consideration, the receipt of which is hereby acknowledged, the undersigned hereby agree that the Existing Credit Agreement shall be amended and restated, in its entirety to read as follows:


ARTICLE I

DEFINITIONS AND ACCOUNTING TERMS

SECTION 1.01. Certain Defined Terms . As used in this Agreement, the following terms shall have the following meanings (such meanings to be equally applicable to both the singular and plural forms of the terms defined):

2015 Extending Lender ” means each Lender listed on Schedule 1.01 under the heading 2015 Extending Lenders, whose Revolving Commitment has been extended on July 21, 2015 and shall terminate on the Extended Termination Date.

2015 Non-Extending Lender ” means each Revolving Lender listed on Schedule 1.01 under the heading 2015 Non-Extending Lenders, who has not agreed to extend the Revolving Termination Date for its Revolving Commitment on July 21, 2015.

2016 Letter of Credit Facility ” means the Letter of Credit and Reimbursement Agreement, dated as of December 28, 2016, among Holdings, the Borrowers, Citibank, N.A., as administrative agent and issuing bank, and the other parties thereto, as amended, amended and restated or otherwise modified from time to time, or any extension or renewal thereof.

2016 Term Commitment ” means, as to any 2016 Term Lender, the obligation of such 2016 Term Lender to make its portion of the 2016 Term Loan on the First Amendment Effective Date in the amount set forth opposite such 2016 Term Lender’s name on Schedule 1.01 .

2016 Term Lenders ” means, collectively, any Persons party hereto as a 2016 Term Lender, and each Person that shall become a party hereto as a 2016 Term Lender pursuant to Section 9.07 and shall include all future 2016 Term Lenders who hold an Extended 2016 Term Loan.

2016 Term Loan ” means, collectively, (i) the term loans made by the 2016 Term Lenders on the First Amendment Effective Date pursuant to Section 2.01(c), and (ii) as used in the definitions of “Required Lenders” and “Supermajority Lenders”, the sum of the term loans of all the 2016 Term Lenders.

2016 Term Loan Borrowing ” means a portion of the 2016 Term Loan of a particular Type; provided that no 2016 Term Loan Borrowing shall be in an aggregate principal amount of less than $5,000,000 and each 2016 Term Loan Borrowing constituting a Eurodollar Rate Advance shall be in a principal amount that is an integral multiple of $1,000,000 (unless no portion of the 2016 Term Loan constitutes a Base Rate Advance), and no more than ten (10) Interest Periods in the aggregate for Borrowings, Term Loan Borrowings and , 2016 Term Loan Borrowings and 2018 FILO Borrowings constituting Eurodollar Rate Advances may be outstanding at any time.

2016 Term Loan Margin ” (a) with respect to any outstanding portion of the 2016 Term Loan that is a Eurodollar Rate Advance, 7.50% per annum, and (b) with respect to any outstanding portion of the 2016 Term Loan that is a Base Rate Advance, 6.50% per annum.

2016 Term Loan Termination Date ” means July 20, 2020.

2017 Additional Extended Term Loan ” means, collectively, the term loans made by the 2017 Additional Extending Term Lenders on the Third Amendment Effective Date pursuant to Section 2.01(d).

2017 Additional Extending Term Lender ” means each Term Lender that has entered into a 2017 Term Commitment.

2017 Extended Term Loan ” means, collectively, the Term Loans of the 2017 Extending Term Lenders that are extended on the Third Amendment Effective Date pursuant to Section 2.18(a).

2017 Extended Term Loan Extension Conditions ” means not less than 30 days prior to the scheduled Term Loan Termination Date (i) the Borrowers shall have provided notice to the Agent of their election to extend the Term Loan Termination Date, together with a reaffirmation (in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Agent) of the obligations (including guarantees) and liens of each of the Loan Parties, (ii) on the date of such notice, each of the conditions precedent set forth in Section 4.02 of the


Amended Credit Agreement shall have been satisfied, (iii) the Borrowers shall have provided evidence (including resolutions and officer’s certificates) reasonably satisfactory to the Agent that all action on the part of Holdings and the Borrowers necessary for the valid exercise of its option to extend the Term Loan Termination Date shall have been duly taken and (iv) the Borrowers shall have paid to the Agent, in immediately available funds, for the pro rata account of each Term Lender, a nonrefundable extension fee of 2.00% of the Term Loans then outstanding.

2017 Extending Term Lender ” means each Term Lender party to this Agreement immediately prior to the Third Amendment Effective Date that has 2017 Extended Term Loans.

2017 Non-Extended Term Loan ” means, collectively, the Term Loans of the 2017 Non-Extending Term Lenders that are not extended on the Third Amendment Effective Date pursuant to Section 2.18(a).

2017 Non-Extending Term Lender ” means each Term Lender that has declined (or has been deemed to decline) the Extension Request to extend the termination date for its Term Loans on the Third Amendment Effective Date.

2017 Term Commitment ” means, as to any 2017 Additional Extending Term Lender, the obligation of such 2017 Additional Extending Term Lender to make its portion of the 2017 Additional Extended Term Loan on the Third Amendment Effective Date in the amount set forth opposite such 2017 Additional Extending Term Lender’s name on Annex B to the Third Amendment.

“2018 FILO Agreement Among Lenders” means an Agreement Among Lenders, dated as of the Sixth Amendment Effective Date, among Agent, each 2018 FILO Lender, ESL Investments, Inc., and the Co-Collateral Agents, in the form set forth as Annex D to the Sixth Amendment.

“2018 FILO Borrowing” means a portion of the 2018 FILO Loan of a particular Type; provided that no 2018 FILO Borrowing shall be in an aggregate principal amount of less than $5,000,000 and each 2018 FILO Borrowing constituting a Eurodollar Rate Advance shall be in a principal amount that is an integral multiple of $1,000,000 (unless no portion of the 2018 FILO Loan constitutes a Base Rate Advance), and no more than ten (10) Interest Periods in the aggregate for Borrowings, Term Loan Borrowings, 2016 Term Loan Borrowings and 2018 FILO Borrowings constituting Eurodollar Rate Advances may be outstanding at any time.

“2018 FILO Commitments” means, as to any 2018 FILO Lender, the obligation of such 2018 FILO Lender to make its portion of the 2018 FILO Loan on the Sixth Amendment Effective Date in the amount set forth opposite such 2018 FILO Lender’s name on Annex E to the Sixth Amendment.

2018 FILO Effective Date ” means the date of funding of the 2018 FILO Facility.

“2018 FILO Extension of Credit” means, as to any 2018 FILO Lender at any time, the outstanding principal amount of the 2018 FILO Loans held by such 2018 FILO Lender.

2018 FILO Facility ” means a FILO Facility entered into pursuant to the Sixth Amendment on the terms and conditions set forth in Annex A to the Fifth Amendment, as such terms and conditions may be revised with the consent of the Agent and the Co-Collateral Agents, subject to the limitations on FILO Facilities set forth in Section 2.20.

“2018 FILO Lender” means each Person who becomes a 2018 FILO Lender pursuant to Section 2.20 hereof and each Person that shall become a party hereto as a 2018 FILO Lender pursuant to Section 9.07; provided that no person shall become a 2018 FILO Lender unless such person has become a party to the 2018 FILO Agreement Among Lenders.


“2018 FILO Loan” means, collectively, (i) the term FILO Loans made by the 2018 FILO Lenders on the Sixth Amendment Effective Date pursuant to Section 2.20(a), and (ii) as used in the definitions of “Required Lenders” and “Supermajority Lenders”, the sum of the FILO Loans of all the 2018 FILO Lenders.

“2018 FILO Margin” means (a) with respect to any outstanding portion of the 2018 FILO Loan that is a Eurodollar Rate Advance, 8.50% per annum, and (b) with respect to any outstanding portion of the 2018 FILO Loan that is a Base Rate Advance, 7.50% per annum.

“2018 FILO Termination Date” means July 20, 2020.

Accelerated Borrowing Base Delivery Event ” means either (i) the occurrence and continuance of any Event of Default, or (ii) the failure of the Borrowers for three (3) days (whether or not consecutive) during any thirty (30) day period to maintain Capped Excess Availability equal to at least 15% of the Line Cap. For purposes of this Agreement, the occurrence of an Accelerated Borrowing Base Delivery Event shall be deemed continuing at the Co-Collateral Agents’ option (x) so long as such Event of Default shall be continuing, and/or (y) if the Accelerated Borrowing Base Delivery Event arises as a result of the Borrowers’ failure to maintain Capped Excess Availability as required hereunder, until Capped Excess Availability has exceeded 15% of the Line Cap for thirty (30) consecutive calendar days, in which case an Accelerated Borrowing Base Delivery Event shall no longer be deemed to be continuing for purposes of this Agreement. The termination of an Accelerated Borrowing Base Delivery Event as provided herein shall in no way limit, waive or delay the occurrence of a subsequent Accelerated Borrowing Base Delivery Event in the event that the conditions set forth in clauses (i) or (ii) hereof again arise.

ACH ” means automated clearing house transfers.

Acquisition ” means, with respect to any Person (a) a purchase of a controlling interest in, the equity interests of any other Person, (b) a purchase or other acquisition of all or substantially all of the assets or properties of, another Person or of any business unit of another Person, or (c) any merger or consolidation of such Person with any other Person or other transaction or series of transactions resulting in the acquisition of all or substantially all of the assets, or a controlling interest in the equity interests, of any Person, in each case in any transaction or group of transactions which are part of a common plan.

Additional Commitment Lender ” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.19(d).

Additional Extending Lender ” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.18(c).

Adjusted Consolidated EBITDA ” means, for any period, Consolidated Net Income for such period plus (a) without duplication and to the extent deducted in determining Consolidated Net Income for such period, the sum of (i) Consolidated Interest Expense for such period, (ii) income tax expense for such period, (iii) all amounts attributable to depreciation and amortization expense for such period, (iv) any items of loss resulting from the sale of assets other than in the ordinary course of business for such period, (v) any non-cash charges for tangible or intangible impairments or asset write downs for such period (excluding any write downs or write-offs of Inventory other than write-downs or write-offs of Inventory related to up to 100 store closings in any four consecutive fiscal quarters), and (vi) any other non-cash charges for such period (including non-cash charges arising from share-based payments to employees or directors, but excluding (1) any non-cash charge already added back to Consolidated Net Income in the calculation of Adjusted Consolidated EBITDA in a prior period, (2) any non-cash charge that relates to the write-down or write-off of Inventory other than write-downs or write-offs of Inventory related to up to 100 store closings in any four consecutive fiscal quarters, and (3) non-cash charges for which a cash payment is required to be made in that or any other period), minus (b) without duplication and to the extent included in Consolidated Net Income for such period, (i) any items of gain resulting from the sale of assets other than in the ordinary course of business for such period, (ii) any cash payments made during such period in


respect of non-cash charges described in clause (a)(vi) taken in a prior period and (iii) any non-cash items of income for such period, all calculated on a Consolidated basis in accordance with GAAP (excluding any non-cash income already deducted from Consolidated Net Income in the calculation of Adjusted Consolidated EBITDA in a prior period). For the purposes of calculating Adjusted Consolidated EBITDA in connection with any determination of the Consolidated Leverage Ratio or Fixed Charge Ratio, (i) if at any time during the applicable four-quarter period, Holdings or any of its Subsidiaries shall have made any Material Disposition, the Adjusted Consolidated EBITDA for such fiscal quarter shall be reduced by an amount equal to the Adjusted Consolidated EBITDA (if positive) attributable to the property that is the subject of such Material Disposition for such period or increased by an amount equal to the Adjusted Consolidated EBITDA (if negative) attributable thereto for such fiscal period and (ii) if at any time during the applicable four-quarter period, Holdings or any of its Subsidiaries shall have made a Material Acquisition, Adjusted Consolidated EBITDA for such period shall be calculated after giving pro forma effect thereto as if such Material Acquisition occurred on the first day of such period. As used in this definition, “Material Acquisition” means any acquisition of property or series of related acquisitions of property that (a) constitutes assets comprising all or substantially all of an operating unit of a business or constitutes all or substantially all of the common stock of a Person and (b) involves the payment of consideration by Holdings and its Subsidiaries in excess of $100,000,000; and “Material Disposition” means any Disposition of property or series of related Dispositions of property that yields gross proceeds to Holdings or any of its Subsidiaries in excess of $100,000,000.

Adjustment Date ” shall have the meaning provided therefor in Schedule IA .

Advance ” means any advance by a Revolving Lender to any Borrower as part of a Borrowing.

Affiliate ” means, as to any Person, any other Person that, directly or indirectly, controls, is controlled by or is under common control with such Person or is a director or officer of such Person. For purposes of this definition, the term “control” (including the terms “controlling”, “controlled by” and “under common control with”) of a Person means the possession, direct or indirect, of the power to direct or cause the direction of the management and policies of such Person by contract or otherwise.

Agent ” has the meaning provided in the Preamble, or any successor thereto.

Agent’s Account ” means the account of the Agent maintained by the Agent at Bank of America, N.A., designated by the Agent in writing to the Borrowers, the Co-Collateral Agents and the Lenders.

Aggregate Revolving Commitments ” means (i) other than as used pursuant to clause (ii) below, the Revolving Commitments of all the Revolving Lenders, and (ii) as used in the definitions of “Required Lenders” and “Supermajority Lenders”, the sum of (x) the Revolving Commitments of all the Revolving Lenders and (y) to the extent any FILO Facility is a revolving facility, the FILO Commitments of all of the FILO Lenders. As of February 10, 2017, the Aggregate Revolving Commitments are $1,500,000,000.

All-in Yield ” means, as to any Debt, the effective interest rate with respect thereto as reasonably determined by the Agent taking into account the interest rate, margin, original issue discount, upfront fees and “eurodollar rate floors” or “base rate floors”; provided that (i) original issue discount and upfront fees shall be equated to interest rate assuming a four-year life to maturity of such Debt, (ii) customary arrangement, structuring, underwriting, amendment or commitment fees paid solely to the applicable arrangers or agents with respect to such Debt shall be excluded.

Applicable Lending Office ” means, with respect to each Lender, such Lender’s Domestic Lending Office in the case of a Base Rate Advance, and such Lender’s Eurodollar Lending Office in the case of a Eurodollar Rate Advance.


Applicable Margin ” means, initially, (a) 2.25% per annum for Eurodollar Rate Advances and (b) 1.25% per annum for Base Rate Advances; provided , that on and after the first Adjustment Date occurring at the end of the first full fiscal quarter after the Effective Date, the Applicable Margin will be determined pursuant to the Pricing Grid; provided further that until the first Adjustment Date occurring more than twelve months after the Effective Date, the Applicable Margin shall not be established at Level 1 (even if the Consolidated Leverage Ratio during any period was less than 2.0:1.0).

Application ” means an application, in such form as the Issuing Lender may specify from time to time, requesting the Issuing Lender to open a Letter of Credit.

Application of Disposition Proceeds ” means, with respect to any applicable Disposition, the application of the Net Proceeds thereof by Holdings and its Subsidiaries in the following order: (i) first, to repay outstanding Advances in full; (ii) second, (x) to the extent that the outstanding amounts of the Term Loan and 2016 Term Loan have not, since the Second Amendment Effective Date, been reduced by at least 23.8965% of the amount of, respectively, the Term Loan and the 2016 Term Loan outstanding as of the Second Amendment Effective Date, to the repayment of the Term Loan and the 2016 Term Loan (in such order as the Borrowers shall determine, but subject to the requirements of Section 2.11(a) hereof) in such amounts, if any, as necessary to effect a reduction of 23.8965% of the outstanding amount of each of the Term Loan and the 2016 Term Loan relative to the outstanding amount of such Loans as of the Second Amendment Effective Date, and then (y) to the repayment of the Term Loan, the 2016 Term Loan and/or reduction of the Aggregate Revolving Commitments, as the Borrower may elect (but subject to the requirements of Section 2.11(a) hereof), to the extent required to reduce the sum of the Aggregate Revolving Commitments, plus the aggregate outstanding amount of the Term Loan and the 2016 Term Loan, to $2,800,000,000, if such sum then exceeds $2,800,000,000; and (iii) third, to be retained by the Loan Parties to fund permitted purposes as set forth in Section 2.17 hereof (other than Acquisitions and other Investments (other than Investments in Holdings or any of its Subsidiaries permitted hereunder), cash dividends (other than dividends payable to Holdings or any of its Subsidiaries permitted hereunder), or stock repurchases); provided that , notwithstanding the foregoing, until such time as the aggregate amount of Net Proceeds that are required to be applied pursuant to the Application of Disposition Proceeds and that remain after giving effect to the application of Net Proceeds required to repay outstanding Advances in full pursuant to clause (i) (i.e., “first”) hereof (such remaining amount, the “ Unapplied Disposition Proceeds ”) is greater than $15,000,000, any such Unapplied Disposition Proceeds shall not be required to be applied to clause (ii) (i.e., “second”) hereof, but may be retained by the Loan Parties pursuant to clause (iii) (i.e., “third”) hereof; provided further that upon the consummation of any Disposition subject to the Application of Disposition Proceeds that would cause the aggregate amount of Unapplied Disposition Proceeds (including Unapplied Disposition Proceeds from such Disposition) to exceed $15,000,000, the aggregate amount of all such Unapplied Disposition Proceeds (i.e., including the initial $15,000,000 set forth above) shall be applied pursuant to clauses (ii) (i.e., “second”) through (iii) (i.e., “third”) above and the amount of Unapplied Disposition Proceeds following such application shall be reset at $0.

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

April 2016 Mortgage Debt ” means the Debt owing by Sears and certain other Subsidiaries of Holdings to JPP, LLC, JPP II, LLC and Cascade Investment, L.L.C., as lenders, pursuant to that certain $500,000,000 secured short-term loan facility dated as of April 8, 2016.

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

Authorized Officer ” means, as to Holdings, any Borrower or any other Loan Party, its president, chief executive officer, chief financial officer, vice president and controller, vice president and treasurer, vice president, finance, executive vice president, finance or any other person designated by it and


acceptable to the Agent. Any document delivered hereunder that is signed by an Authorized 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 Authorized Officer shall be conclusively presumed to have acted on behalf of such Loan Party.

Availability Reserves ” means, without duplication of any other reserves or items that are otherwise addressed or excluded through eligibility criteria, such reserves as any Co-Collateral Agent from time to time determines in its Permitted Discretion as being appropriate (a) to reflect the impediments to the Co-Collateral Agents’ ability to realize upon the Collateral, (b) to reflect claims and liabilities that such Co-Collateral Agent determines will need to be satisfied in connection with the realization upon the Collateral, (c) to reflect criteria, events, conditions, contingencies or risks which adversely affect any component of the Borrowing Base, or (d) to reflect that a Default or an Event of Default then exists. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, Availability Reserves may include, in any Co-Collateral Agent’s Permitted Discretion (but are not limited to) reserves based on: (i) customs duties, and other costs to release Inventory which is being imported into the United States, (ii) outstanding Taxes and other governmental charges, including, without limitation, ad valorem, real estate, personal property, sales, and other Taxes and claims of the PBGC, which may have priority over the interests of the Co-Collateral Agents in the Collateral, (iii) salaries, wages and benefits due to employees of any Loan Party, (iv) reasonably anticipated changes in the Net Orderly Liquidation Value between appraisals, (v) warehousemen’s or bailees’ charges and other Permitted Encumbrances which may have priority over the interests of the Co-Collateral Agents in the Collateral, (vi) after the occurrence and during the continuance of a Cash Dominion Event or at such other times as otherwise required by the Co-Collateral Agents in their Permitted Discretion, Cash Management Reserves, (vii) after the occurrence and during the continuance of a Cash Dominion Event or at such other times as otherwise required by the Co-Collateral Agents in their Permitted Discretion, Bank Products Reserves, (viii) after the occurrence and during the continuance of a Cash Dominion Event or at such other times as otherwise required by the Co-Collateral Agents in their Permitted Discretion, amounts due to vendors on account of consigned goods, (ix) rent expense at leased Stores and DC locations, (x) royalties payable to non-Loan Parties in respect of licensed merchandise, (xi) the Gift Card Liability Reserve, (xii) Customer Deposits Reserve, (xiii) PACA Liability Reserves, (xiv) PASA Liability Reserves, (xv) after the occurrence and during the continuance of a Cash Dominion Event or at such other time as otherwise required by the Co-Collateral Agents in their Permitted Discretion, amounts due to any state’s lottery commission or other equivalent agency, authority or entity, or to any other Governmental Authority involved in the administration or regulation of lotteries, (xvi) Credit Card Receivables owed to Sears Protection Company (PR), Inc. and its Subsidiaries, (xvii) amounts due to Sears Authorized Hometown Stores, LLC, Sears Home Appliance Showrooms, LLC, Sears Outlet Stores, LLC and their subsidiaries; (xviii) the Debt Maturity Reserve, and (xix) the FILO Reserve. Upon the determination by any Co-Collateral Agent that an Availability Reserve should be established or modified, such Co-Collateral Agent shall notify the Agent in writing and the Agent shall thereupon establish or modify such Availability Reserve, subject to the expiration of the Reserve Notice Period.

Available Commitment ” means as to any Revolving Lender at any time, an amount equal to the excess, if any, of (a) such Revolving Lender’s Revolving Commitment then in effect over (b) such Revolving Lender’s Revolving Extensions of Credit then outstanding; provided , that in calculating any Revolving Lender’s Revolving Extensions of Credit for the purpose of determining such Revolving Lender’s Available Commitment pursuant to Section 2.05(a), the aggregate principal amount of Swingline Advances then outstanding shall be deemed to be zero.

Bank ” has the meaning provided in the Preamble and its successors.

Bank Products ” means any services or facilities provided to any Loan Party by any Lender (other than a FILO Lender) or any of its Affiliates on account of (a) each Swap Contract that (x) is set forth on Schedule 1.03 or is in effect on July 21, 2015 with a counterparty that is a Credit Party as of July 21, 2015 or (y) is entered into after July 21, 2015 with any counterparty that is a Credit Party at the time such Swap


Contract is entered into, (b) leasing facilities, provided that in each such case under clause (a)(y) and this clause (b), either the Borrowers or such Credit Party shall have notified the Agent in writing that such service or facility shall constitute a Bank Product hereunder, and (c) any other extension of credit (excluding Cash Management Services) to or for the benefit of any Loan Party (agreed by the Agent and the Borrower as being a “Bank Product” for purposes of this Agreement), provided that in each such case under this clause (c), the Borrowers have notified the Agent in writing, at a time when no Event of Default has occurred and is continuing, that such service or facility shall constitute a Bank Product hereunder; provided, further, that such notice shall be deemed given with respect to any Bank Products provided by the Agent or its Affiliates ; provided, further, that the 2016 Letter of Credit Facility, in a committed amount no greater than the committed amount of such facility on the Sixth Amendment Effective Date, shall continue to qualify as a Bank Product to the extent that it is provided to any Loan Party by any Lender (including any FILO Lender) . From and after the 2018 FILO Sixth Amendment Effective Date, no Swap Contract, leasing facility or other extension of credit shall be deemed to be a Bank Product unless such Swap Contract, leasing facility or other extension of credit meets the requirements set forth above and (i) such Swap Contract, leasing facility or other extension of credit is listed on a schedule to be included in the amendment effecting the 2018 FILO Facility Schedule IB on the Sixth Amendment Effective Date , (ii) such Swap Contract, leasing facility or other extension of credit is thereafter added to such schedule Schedule IB by the Borrowers (which addition may be made by the Borrowers by notice to the Agent in writing, at any time when no Event of Default has occurred and is continuing), (iii) such Bank Product is the 2016 Letter of Credit Facility or (iv) such Swap Contract, leasing facility or other extension of credit is provided by the Agent or its Affiliates.

Bank Product Reserves ” means such reserves as any Co-Collateral Agent may from time to time determine in its Permitted Discretion as being appropriate to reflect the liabilities and obligations of the Loan Parties with respect to Bank Products then provided or outstanding; provided that in the event that any counterparty to a Swap Contract requires that the Loan Parties provide cash collateral to secure such Swap Contract, the amount of the Bank Product Reserve imposed by the Co-Collateral Agents with respect to such Swap Contract shall take into consideration the amount of such cash collateral.

Banker’s Acceptance ” means a time draft or bill of exchange or other deferred payment obligation relating to a Commercial L/C which has been accepted by the Issuing Lender.

Base Rate ” means, for any day, a fluctuating rate per annum equal to the highest of (a) the Federal Funds Rate plus one-half of one percent (0.50%), (b) the Eurodollar Rate (calculated utilizing a one-month Interest Period) plus one percent (1.00%), or (c) the rate of interest in effect for such day as publicly announced from time to time by the Bank as its “prime rate.” The “prime rate” is a rate set by the Bank based upon various factors including the Bank’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 rate announced by the Bank shall take effect at the opening of business on the day specified in the public announcement of such change.

Base Rate Advance ” means an Advance, a Term Loan Borrowing or , a 2016 Term Loan Borrowing or a 2018 FILO Borrowing, as applicable, that bears interest as provided in Sections 2.08(a)(i), 2.08(b)(i), or 2.08(c)(i), or 2.08(e)(i), as applicable.

Blocked Accounts ” means the Blocked Accounts described in Section 6.01(m)(i) and any additional deposit accounts that become subject to Blocked Account Agreements pursuant to Section 6.01(i)(iii).

Blocked Account Agreement ” means with respect to a Blocked Account established by a Loan Party, an agreement, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Co-Collateral Agents, establishing control (as defined in the UCC) of such account by the Agent (as “Control Co-Collateral Agent”) and whereby the bank maintaining such account agrees, upon the occurrence and during the


continuance of a Cash Dominion Event, to comply only with the instructions originated by the Agent (or any other Co-Collateral Agent which shall succeed the Agent as “Control Co-Collateral Agent” thereunder), without the further consent of any other Person.

Blocked Account Bank ” means Bank of America, N.A. and each other bank with whom deposit accounts are maintained in which funds of any of the Loan Parties are concentrated and with whom a Blocked Account Agreement has been, or is required to be, executed in accordance with the terms hereof.

Borrower Information ” has the meaning specified in Section 9.08.

Borrowers ” means, collectively, SRAC and Kmart Corp.; provided that in the event SRAC is dissolved, merged with and into Holdings or any Subsidiary of Holdings or otherwise ceases to exist in accordance with Section 6.01(d), then Holdings shall designate that Holdings or a direct wholly owned Domestic Subsidiary of Holdings become a Borrower for all purposes of the Loan Documents.

Borrowing ” means a borrowing consisting of simultaneous Advances of the same Type made by each of the applicable Lenders pursuant to Section 2.01 or Section 2.03 provided that no more than ten (10) Interest Periods in the aggregate for Borrowings, Term Loan Borrowings and , 2016 Term Loan Borrowings and 2018 FILO Borrowings constituting Eurodollar Rate Advances may be outstanding at any time.

Borrowing Base ” means, at any time, an amount equal to (a) 85% of the aggregate outstanding Eligible Credit Card Accounts Receivable at such time plus (b) 85% of the Eligible Pharmacy Receivables at such time plus (c) the lesser of (i) 70% of the Net Eligible Inventory at such time and (ii) 80% of the Net Orderly Liquidation Value at such time, minus (d) 100% of the then Availability Reserves. The Agent may, in its Permitted Discretion after the expiration of the Reserve Notice Period, adjust Availability Reserves and Inventory Reserves used in computing the Borrowing Base.

Borrowing Base Certificate ” means a certificate, signed by an Authorized Officer of Holdings, substantially in the form of Exhibit C or another form which is reasonably acceptable to the Co-Collateral Agents in their Permitted Discretion.

Business Day ” means a day of the year on which banks are not required or authorized by law to close in New York, New York or Boston, Massachusetts or, in the case of matters relating to SRAC, Greenville, Delaware or, in the case of matters relating to Kmart Corp., Detroit, Michigan, and, if the applicable Business Day relates to any Eurodollar Rate Advances, a day of the year on which dealings are carried on in the London interbank market.

Capital Expenditures ” means, with respect to any Person for any period, all cash expenditures made or costs incurred for the acquisition or improvement of fixed or capital assets of such Person, in each case that are (or should be) set forth as capital expenditures in a consolidated statement of cash flows of such Person for such period, in each case prepared in accordance with GAAP.

Capital Lease Obligations ” means, with respect to any Person for any period, 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 liabilities on a balance sheet of such Person under GAAP and the amount of which obligations shall be the capitalized amount thereof determined in accordance with GAAP.

Capped Excess Availability ” means, at any time, an amount equal to the (A) the Line Cap, minus (B) the Total Extensions of Credit (other than FILO Extensions of Credit).


Cash Dominion Event ” means either (a) the occurrence and continuance of an Event of Default, or (b) the sum of (i) Capped Excess Availability, plus (ii) Suppressed Availability (not to exceed an amount equal to 2.5% of the Line Cap) at any time is less than the greater of (x) 12.5% of the Line Cap, or (y) $175,000,000 for three (3) Business Days (whether or not consecutive) during any thirty (30) day period. For purposes hereof, the occurrence of a Cash Dominion Event shall be deemed continuing at the Co-Collateral Agents’ option (i) so long as such Event of Default is continuing, and/or (ii) if the Cash Dominion Event arises as a result of the Borrowers’ failure to achieve availability in the amount described in the preceding sentence, until such availability has exceeded such amounts, in each case for thirty (30) consecutive Business Days, in which case a Cash Dominion Event shall no longer be deemed to be continuing for purposes of this Agreement; provided that a Cash Dominion Event shall be deemed continuing (even if availability as described in clause (b) of the preceding sentence exceeds such amount for thirty (30) consecutive Business Days) after a Cash Dominion Event has occurred on two (2) occasions during any twelve month period after July 21, 2015 if the first such Cash Dominion Event has been discontinued and shall continue until the expiration of the twelve month period ending after the commencement of the second Cash Dominion Event; provided further that , notwithstanding the foregoing, a Cash Dominion Event shall be deemed to have occurred and be continuing during the period from the 2018 FILO Sixth Amendment Effective Date until the last day of the fiscal year of the Borrowers ending on February 2, 2019. The termination of a Cash Dominion Event as provided herein shall in no way limit, waive or delay the occurrence of a subsequent Cash Dominion Event in the event that the conditions set forth in this definition again arise.

Cash Equivalents ” means investments of Holdings and its Subsidiaries recorded as cash or cash equivalents in accordance with GAAP.

Cash Management Reserves “ means such reserves as any Co-Collateral Agent, from time to time, determines in its Permitted Discretion as being appropriate to reflect the reasonably anticipated liabilities and obligations of the Loan Parties with respect to Cash Management Services then provided or outstanding.

Cash Management Services ” means any one or more of the following types of services or facilities provided to any Loan Party by any Lender (other than a FILO Lender) or any of its Affiliates: (a) ACH transactions, (b) cash management services, including, without limitation, controlled disbursement services, treasury, depository, overdraft, and electronic funds transfer services, (c) foreign exchange facilities, (d) credit card processing services, (e) credit or debit cards, provided that in each such case under clauses (a) through (e), either the Borrowers or such Credit Party shall have notified the Agent in writing that such service or facility shall constitute a Cash Management Service hereunder, (f) purchase cards, and (g) other services or facilities to or for the benefit of any Loan Party (agreed by the Agent and the Borrower as being a “Cash Management Service” for purposes of this Agreement), provided that in each such case under clauses (f) and (g), the Borrowers have notified the Agent in writing, at a time when no Event of Default has occurred and is continuing, that such services or facilities shall constitute Cash Management Services hereunder; provided, further, that such notice shall be deemed given with respect to any Cash Management Services provided by the Agent or its Affiliates. From and after the 2018 FILO Sixth Amendment Effective Date, no ACH transaction, cash management service, foreign exchange facility, credit card processing service, credit or debit fund, purchase card, or other service or facility shall be deemed to be a Cash Management Service unless such ACH transaction, cash management service, foreign exchange facility, credit card processing service, credit or debit fund, purchase card, or other service or facility meets the requirements set forth above and (i) such ACH transaction, cash management service, foreign exchange facility, credit card processing service, credit or debit fund, purchase card, or other service or facility is listed on a schedule to be included in the amendment effecting the 2018 FILO Facility Schedule IB on the Sixth Amendment Effective Date , (ii) such ACH transaction, cash management service, foreign exchange facility, credit card processing service, credit or debit fund, purchase card, or other service or facility is thereafter added to such schedule Schedule IB by the Borrowers (which addition may be made by the Borrowers by notice to the Agent in writing, at any time when no Event of Default has occurred and is continuing) or (iii) such ACH transaction, cash management service, foreign exchange facility, credit card processing service, credit or debit fund, purchase card, or other service or facility is provided by the Agent or its Affiliates.


Class ” means (a) the class consisting of 2015 Non-Extending Lenders, (b) the class consisting of 2015 Extending Lenders and, if applicable, Additional Commitment Lenders, (c) the class consisting of Term Lenders, (d) the class consisting of 2016 Term Lenders, (e)  the class consisting of 2018 FILO Lenders, (f)  any class of Extending Lenders and, if applicable, Additional Extending Lenders having a Revolving Commitment established pursuant to Section 2.18, and ( f g ) any Class of Additional Extending Lenders having a term commitment established pursuant to Section 2.18, as the context may require. For clarity, except as expressly provided herein, each Lender shall have the same rights and obligations under this Agreement and the other Loan Documents.

Co-Collateral Agents ” has the meaning provided in the Preamble and any successors thereto.

Co-Documentation Agents ” has the meaning provided in the Preamble and any successors thereto.

Collateral ” means all property of the Loan Parties, now owned or hereafter acquired, upon which a Lien (excluding any license granted to the Co-Collateral Agents (and deemed to be a Lien pursuant to the definition thereof) for the sole purpose of enabling the Co-Collateral Agents to exercise rights and remedies with respect to the Liens granted on the Collateral set forth in Section 3.1 of the Guarantee and Collateral Agreement) is purported to be created by any Security Document.

Commercial L/C ” means a commercial documentary Letter of Credit under which the Issuing Lender agrees to make payments in Dollars for the account of any Borrower, on behalf of any Group Member, in respect of obligations of such Group Member in connection with the purchase of goods or services in the ordinary course of business.

Commitments ” means, collectively, the Revolving Commitments, the Term Commitments, the 2016 Term Commitments and , the 2017 Term Commitments, and the 2018 FILO Commitments, and if applicable, the any other FILO Commitments.

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

Commonly Controlled Entity ” means an entity, whether or not incorporated, that is under common control with any Borrower within the meaning of Section 4001 of ERISA or is part of a group that includes any Borrower and that is treated as a single employer under Section 414 of the Internal Revenue Code.

Consolidated ” refers to the consolidation of accounts of Holdings and its Subsidiaries in accordance with GAAP and as presented on a GAAP basis.

Consolidated Interest Expense ” means for any period for any Person, total interest expense of such Person (including that attributable to Capital Lease Obligations and other expenses classified as interest expense in accordance with GAAP) on a Consolidated basis with respect to all outstanding Debt of such Person, as determined in accordance with GAAP.

Consolidated Leverage Ratio ” means, as of any given day, the ratio of (a) Consolidated Total Debt on such day to (b) Adjusted Consolidated EBITDA for the four immediately preceding fiscal quarters for which financial statements are available or were required to have been delivered pursuant to Section 6.01(j).


Consolidated Net Income ” means, for any period, the consolidated net income (or loss) of Holdings and its Subsidiaries, determined on a Consolidated basis in accordance with GAAP; provided that there shall be excluded (a) the income (or deficit) of any Person accrued prior to the date it becomes a Subsidiary of Holdings or is merged into or consolidated with Holdings or any of its Subsidiaries, (b) the income (or deficit) of any Person (other than a Subsidiary of Holdings) in which Holdings or any of its Subsidiaries has an ownership interest, except to the extent that any such income is actually received by Holdings or such Subsidiary in the form of dividends or similar distributions and (c) the undistributed earnings of any Subsidiary of Holdings (other than a Loan Party) to the extent that the declaration or payment of dividends or similar distributions by such Subsidiary is not at the time permitted by the terms of any contractual obligation (other than under any Loan Document) or Requirement of Law applicable to such Subsidiary.

Consolidated Total Debt ” means, at any date, the aggregate principal amount of all Debt of Holdings and its Subsidiaries at such date, determined on a Consolidated basis in accordance with GAAP, but excluding (i) issued but not funded letters of credit, (ii) reimbursement obligations which are characterized as trade payables and are not overdue with respect to trade letters of credit (other than Letters of Credit issued hereunder) and (iii) contingent obligations.

Convert ”, “ Conversion ” and “ Converted ” each refers to a conversion of Advances, a Term Loan Borrowing or , a 2016 Term Loan Borrowing or a 2018 FILO Borrowing, as applicable, of one Type into Advances, a Term Loan Borrowing or , a 2016 Term Loan Borrowing or a 2018 FILO Borrowing , as applicable, of the other Type, pursuant to Section 2.09 or 2.10.

Covenant Compliance Event ” means Capped Excess Availability at any time is less than the greater of (x) 10% of the difference between (i) the Line Cap minus (ii) the sum of (a) the outstanding principal amount of the Term Loan and (b) the outstanding principal amount of the 2016 Term Loan, and (y) $150,000,000.

Credit Card Accounts Receivable ” means each Account or Payment Intangible (each as defined in the UCC) together with all income, payments and proceeds thereof, owed by a credit card payment processor or an issuer of credit cards to a Loan Party resulting from charges by a customer of a Loan Party on credit cards issued by such issuer in connection with the sale of goods by a Loan Party or services performed by a Loan Party, in each case in the ordinary course of its business.

Credit Card Notification ” has the meaning specified in Section 6.01(m)(i)(A).

Credit Card Processors ” “ means the credit card clearinghouses and processors used by the Loan Parties and listed in the Perfection Certificate as of July 21, 2015, or otherwise disclosed in writing to the Agent by the Loan Parties from time to time following July 21, 2015.

Credit Card Program Assets ” means the Credit Card Program Documents, all rights or obligations arising thereunder (including, without limitation, royalty fees and other revenues payable to Holdings or any of its subsidiaries pursuant thereto), all related Intellectual Property and such other assets as the Borrowers and the Co-Collateral Agents may agree, but excluding, for the avoidance of doubt, Credit Card Accounts Receivable or any proceeds thereof.

Credit Card Program Documents ” means the Program Agreement, originally dated as of July 15, 2003, amended and restated as of November 3, 2003, and as further amended by the parties from time to time by and among Sears, Roebuck and Co., Sears Brands Business Unit Corporation (as successor in interest to Sears Intellectual Property Management Company) and Citibank, N.A. (as successor in interest to Citibank (South Dakota), N.A., which was successor in interest to Citibank (USA), N.A.), and the other agreements entered into in connection therewith.


Credit Card Royalty Securitization ” means the securitization, subject to Section 6.01(h) hereof, of royalty fees and other revenues payable to Holdings or any of its subsidiaries pursuant to the Credit Card Program Documents, but excluding, for the avoidance of doubt, Credit Card Accounts Receivable or any proceeds thereof; provided that the documents governing such securitization shall not provide, directly or indirectly, for recourse against any Loan Party by way of a guaranty or any other support arrangement other than such limited recourse as is reasonable given market standards for transactions of a similar type, including in connection with any servicing or management of the assets subject thereto by any Loan Party.

Credit Card Royalty Securitization Subsidiary ” means any Subsidiary of Holdings that engages in no material activities other than the transactions contemplated by a Credit Card Royalty Securitization and activities reasonably related thereto.

Credit Party ” or “ Credit Parties ” means (a) individually, (i) each Lender and its Affiliates, (ii) the Agent, (iii) each Co-Collateral Agent, (iv) each Issuing Lender, (v) each Lead Arranger, and (vi) the successors and assigns of each of the foregoing, and (b) collectively, all of the foregoing.

Customer Deposits Reserve ” shall mean, at any time, a reserve equal to the aggregate outstanding amount of customer deposits of the Loan Parties at such time.

Customs Broker Agreement ” means an agreement in substantially the form attached hereto as Exhibit G , or such other form as the Co-Collateral Agents may reasonably agree, among a Loan Party, a customs broker or other carrier, and the Co-Collateral Agents, in which the customs broker or other carrier acknowledges that it has control over and holds the documents evidencing ownership of the subject Inventory for the benefit of the Co-Collateral Agents and agrees, upon notice from the Co-Collateral Agents (which shall not be furnished unless an Event of Default is continuing), to hold and dispose of the subject Inventory solely as directed by the Co-Collateral Agents.

DC ” means any distribution center owned or leased and operated by any Loan Party.

DDA ” means each checking, savings or other demand deposit account maintained by any of the Loan Parties.

Debt ” of any Person means, without duplication, (a) all indebtedness of such Person for borrowed money (excluding interest payable thereon unless such interest has been accrued and added to the principal amount of such indebtedness), (b) all obligations of such Person for the deferred purchase price of property or services (other than (i) trade payables incurred in the ordinary course of such Person’s business and (ii) any such obligations which are due less than twelve months from the date of incurrence), (c) all obligations of such Person evidenced by notes, bonds, debentures or other similar instruments (other than performance, surety and appeals bonds arising in the ordinary course of business and other than the endorsement of negotiable instruments for deposit or collection or similar transactions in the ordinary course of business) or in respect of bankers’ acceptances or letters of credit, (d) all obligations of such Person created or arising under any conditional sale or other title retention agreement with respect to property acquired by such Person (even though the rights and remedies of the seller or lender under such agreement in the event of default are limited to repossession or sale of such property), (e) all obligations of such Person as lessee under leases that have been or should be, in accordance with GAAP, recorded as capital leases, (f) all direct recourse payment obligations of such Person in respect of any accounts receivable sold by such Person, (g) all Debt of others referred to in clauses (a) through (f) above or clause (h) below and other payment obligations guaranteed directly or indirectly in any manner by such Person, or in effect guaranteed directly or indirectly by such Person through an agreement (1) to pay or purchase such Debt or to advance or supply funds for the payment or purchase of such Debt, (2) to purchase, sell or lease (as lessee or lessor) property, or to purchase or sell services, primarily for the purpose of enabling the debtor to make payment of such Debt or to assure the holder of such Debt against loss, (3) to supply funds to or in any other manner invest in the debtor (including any agreement to pay for property or services irrespective of whether such property is received or such services are rendered) or


(4) otherwise to assure a creditor against loss, and (h) all Debt referred to in clauses (a) through (g) above secured by (or for which the holder of such Debt has an existing right, contingent or otherwise, to be secured by) any Lien on property (including accounts and contract rights) owned by such Person, even though such Person has not assumed or become liable for the payment of such Debt.

Debt Maturity Reserve ” means an Availability Reserve (i) if (x) the Term Loan, the Senior Unsecured Notes, the Existing Second Lien Notes or any other Debt (other than the April 2016 Mortgage Debt) with a principal balance in excess of $50,000,000 (excluding Debt consisting of Short Term commercial paper or other Short Term Debt with an aggregate principal balance of $750,000,000 or less (whether incurred pursuant to clause (h) of the definition of Permitted Debt or that otherwise qualifies as Permitted Debt)), or, (y) solely to the extent that the Extended Termination Date of the Extended Revolving Commitments is further extended in accordance with the terms of Section 2.18 hereof to a date that is beyond the 2016 Term Loan Termination Date (as the 2016 Term Loan Termination Date may be extended in accordance with the terms of Section 2.18 hereof), the 2016 Term Loan, in each case remains outstanding on any date that is 91 days (or, solely in the case of the Existing Second Lien Notes outstanding on the Fourth Amendment Effective Date (without regard to any notes issued in exchange or replacement therefor, or in lieu thereof), 30 days) or fewer prior to the maturity date of such Debt (any such date under this clause (i), the “date of determination”), then an amount equal to the outstanding principal balance of such Debt, provided that such Debt Maturity Reserve shall be eliminated when such Debt is satisfied (including, if otherwise permissible hereunder, with the proceeds of an Advance in an amount up to the amount of the applicable Debt Maturity Reserve), refinanced, or the maturity thereof extended so as to be in excess of 91 days (or, solely in the case of the Existing Second Lien Notes outstanding on the Fourth Amendment Effective Date (without regard to any notes issued in exchange or replacement therefor, or in lieu thereof), 30 days) after such date of determination, (ii) if the April 2016 Mortgage Debt remains outstanding on any date that is 45 days or fewer prior to the maturity date of such Debt (any such date under this clause (ii), the “date of determination”), then an amount equal to the outstanding principal balance of such Debt, provided that such Debt Maturity Reserve shall be eliminated when such Debt is satisfied (including, if otherwise permissible hereunder, with the proceeds of an Advance in an amount up to the amount of the applicable Debt Maturity Reserve), refinanced, or the maturity thereof extended so as to be in excess of 45 days after such date of determination, and (iii) if any Debt consisting of Short Term commercial paper or other Short Term Debt (whether incurred pursuant to clause (h) of the definition of Permitted Debt or that otherwise qualifies as Permitted Debt) remains outstanding on any date that is 30 days or fewer prior to both (A) the maturity date of such Debt and (B) the latest Extended Termination Date (any such date under this clause (iii), the “date of determination”), then an amount equal to the outstanding principal balance of such Debt, provided that such Debt Maturity Reserve shall be eliminated when such Debt is satisfied (including, if otherwise permissible hereunder, with the proceeds of an Advance in an amount up to the amount of the applicable Debt Maturity Reserve), refinanced, or the maturity thereof extended so as to be in excess of 30 days after the date of determination or the latest Extended Termination Date is extended (if applicable), in any case so that the foregoing conditions are no longer satisfied.

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

Default ” means any Event of Default or any event that would constitute an Event of Default but for the requirement that notice be given or time elapse or both.

Defaulting Lender ” means any Lender (as reasonably determined by the Agent) that (a) has failed to fund any portion of the Advances, participations in Letters of Credit or participations in Swingline Loans required to be funded by it hereunder within three Business Days of the date required to be funded by it hereunder, (b) has otherwise failed to pay over to the Agent or any other Lender any other amount required to be paid by it hereunder within three Business Days of the date when due, (c) has failed, within three


Business Days after request by the Agent, to confirm that it will comply with the terms of this Agreement relating to its Commitments, provided that such Lender shall cease to be a Defaulting Lender under this clause (c) upon the Agent’s receipt of such confirmation, (d) has notified the Borrower, the Agent, the L/C Issuer or 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, or (e) has, or has a direct or indirect parent company that has, (i) become the subject of a proceeding under any Debtor Relief Law, or (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; provided that a Lender shall not be a Defaulting Lender solely by virtue of the ownership or acquisition of any equity interest in that Lender or any direct or indirect parent company thereof by a Governmental Authority so long as such ownership interest does not result in or provide such Lender with immunity from the jurisdiction of courts within the United States or from the enforcement of judgments or writs of attachment on its assets or permit such Lender (or such Governmental Authority) to reject, repudiate, disavow or disaffirm any contracts or agreements made with such Lender.

Designated Obligations ” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 2.11(b).

Designated Prepayment ” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 2.11(b).

Disposition ” means any sale, transfer, license, lease or other disposition (including any sale and leaseback transaction), whether in one transaction or in a series of transactions, of any property (including, without limitation, any equity interests).

Dollars ” and “ $ ” refers to lawful money of the United States.

Domestic Lending Office ” means, with respect to any Lender, the office of such Lender specified as its “Domestic Lending Office” on the signature pages hereof or in the Assignment and Acceptance pursuant to which it became a Lender, or such other office of such Lender as such Lender may from time to time specify to the Borrowers and the Agent.

Domestic Subsidiary ” means any Subsidiary organized under the laws of the United States of America, any State thereof or the District of Columbia (excluding, for the avoidance of doubt, any Subsidiary organized under the laws of Puerto Rico).

Effective Date ” means April 8, 2011.

“Eight Month Make Whole Amount” means, with respect to any principal amount of the 2018 FILO Term Loan repaid pursuant to this agreement (the “Repayment Amount”), the excess of (A) the present value at the date of repayment of (i) the Repayment Amount, assuming such amount were repaid on November 21, 2018, plus (ii) all interest that would accrue on the Repayment Amount through November 21, 2018 (using the one-month Eurodollar Rate in effect on the day of repayment, and excluding, for the avoidance of doubt, accrued and unpaid interest to the repayment date), computed using a discount rate equal to the Treasury Rate as of the date of repayment plus 50 basis points, over (B) the Repayment Amount.

Eligible Assignee ” means (a) a commercial bank or any other Person engaged in the business of making asset based or commercial loans, or (other than in the case of a Revolving Commitment) any fund or other Person (other than a natural Person) that invests in loans, which bank, Person or fund, together with its Affiliates, has a combined capital and surplus in excess of $300,000,000 and which bank, Person or fund is approved by the Agent, and, unless an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing at the time any assignment is effected in accordance with Section 9.07, the Borrowers, in each case such approval not to be unreasonably withheld or delayed, (b) an existing Lender or an Affiliate of an existing Lender or an


Approved Fund, or (c) any Permitted Holder Lender (solely with regard to rights and obligations other than those relating to the 2018 FILO Facility or any 2018 FILO Commitments or 2018 FILO Loans) or Specified 2018 FILO Lender (solely with regard to rights and obligations relating to the 2018 FILO Facility or any 2018 FILO Commitments or 2018 FILO Loans) ; provided that neither the Borrowers nor an Affiliate of the Borrowers (other than a Permitted Holder Lender) shall qualify as an Eligible Assignee.

Eligible Credit Card Accounts Receivable ” means at the time of any determination thereof, each Credit Card Account Receivable that satisfies the following criteria at the time of its creation and continues to meet the same at the time of such determination: such Credit Card Account Receivable (i) has been earned and represents the bona fide amounts due to a Loan Party from a Credit Card Processor and/or credit card issuer, and in each case originated in the ordinary course of business of the applicable Loan Party and (ii) is not ineligible for inclusion in the calculation of the Borrowing Base pursuant to any of clauses (a) through (j) below. Without limiting the foregoing, to qualify as an Eligible Credit Card Account Receivable, a Credit Card Account Receivable shall indicate no person other than a Loan Party as payee or remittance party. In determining the amount to be so included, the face amount of a Credit Card Account Receivable shall be reduced by, without duplication, to the extent not reflected in such face amount, (i) the amount of all accrued and actual discounts, claims, credits or credits pending, promotional program allowances, price adjustments, finance charges, credit card processor fees or other allowances (including any amount that the applicable Loan Party may be obligated to rebate to a customer, a Credit Card Processor, or credit card issuer pursuant to the terms of any agreement or understanding (written or oral)) and (ii) the aggregate amount of all cash received in respect of such Credit Card Account Receivable but not yet applied by the applicable Loan Party to reduce the amount of such Credit Card Account Receivable. Unless otherwise approved from time to time in writing by the Co-Collateral Agents in their Permitted Discretion, no Credit Card Account Receivable shall be Eligible Credit Card Account Receivable if, without duplication:

(a) such Credit Card Account Receivable is not owned by a Loan Party and such Loan Party does not have good or marketable title to such Credit Card Account Receivable;

(b) such Credit Card Account Receivable does not constitute a “payment intangible” or “account” (as defined in the UCC) or such Credit Card Account Receivable has been outstanding for more than five (5) Business Days;

(c) the issuer or payment processor of the applicable credit card with respect to such Credit Card Account Receivable is the subject of any bankruptcy or insolvency proceedings;

(d) such Credit Card Account Receivable is not the valid, legally enforceable obligation of the applicable issuer with respect thereto;

(e) such Credit Card Account Receivable is subject to any Lien whatsoever other than Liens in favor of the Co-Collateral Agents, Permitted Liens and Liens permitted pursuant to Section 6.02(a)(vi);

(f) such Credit Card Account Receivable is not subject to a valid and perfected Lien in favor of the Co-Collateral Agents, for the benefit of the Credit Parties, senior in priority to all other Liens other than Permitted Liens which have priority over the Liens of the Co-Collateral Agents by operation of applicable law and Liens of the type specified in clause (h) of the definition of Permitted Liens;

(g) the Credit Card Account Receivable does not conform to all representations, warranties, covenants or other provisions in the Loan Documents relating to Credit Card Accounts Receivable;


(h) such Credit Card Account Receivable is subject to risk of set-off, non-collection or not being processed due to unpaid and/or accrued credit card processor fee balances, limited to the lesser of the balance of Credit Card Account Receivable or unpaid credit card processor fees;

(i) such Credit Card Account Receivable is evidenced by “chattel paper” or an “instrument” of any kind unless such “chattel paper” or “instrument” is subject to the perfected security interest of the Co-Collateral Agents; or

(j) such Credit Card Account Receivable does not meet such other reasonable eligibility criteria for Credit Card Accounts Receivable as the Agent (or any Co-Collateral Agent upon written notice to the Agent) may determine from time to time in its Permitted Discretion.

Eligible In-Transit Inventory ” means, as of any date of determination thereof, without duplication of other Eligible Inventory, finished goods Inventory:

(a) for which full payment has been delivered to the vendor of such Inventory and evidence of such payment has been received by the Agent; provided that in transit Inventory purchased under “private label” letters of credit issued by SRAC or Letters of Credit issued hereunder shall be deemed Eligible In-Transit Inventory, subject to (x) an Inventory Reserve equal to (i) such percentage as the Agent may determine in its Permitted Discretion, multiplied by (ii) the Inventory Value of such Inventory, and (y) satisfaction of all of the other conditions of this definition;

(b) which has been shipped from a location outside of the United States, Puerto Rico or the U.S. Virgin Islands for receipt by any Loan Party, but which has not yet been delivered to such Loan Party, which Inventory has been in transit for sixty (60) days or less from the date of shipment of such Inventory;

(c) for which the purchase order is in the name of any Loan Party and title has passed to such Loan Party;

(d) for which the document of title reflects a Loan Party as consignee or, if requested by a Co-Collateral Agent, names the Co-Collateral Agents as consignee, and in each case as to which a Co-Collateral Agent has control over the documents of title which evidence ownership of the subject Inventory (such as, if requested by a Co-Collateral Agent, by the delivery of a Customs Broker Agreement);

(e) which is insured as required pursuant to Section 6.01(c) hereof; and

(f) which would not be excluded from the definition of “Eligible Inventory” by any of clauses (a), (c) through (g) or (i) through (s) of the definition thereof;

provided that the Agent, or any Co-Collateral Agent upon written notice to the Agent, may, in its Permitted Discretion, exclude any particular Inventory from the definition of “Eligible In-Transit Inventory” in the event the Agent or Co-Collateral Agent determines that such Inventory is subject to any Person’s right or claim which is (or is capable of being) senior to, or pari passu with, the Lien of the Co-Collateral Agents (such as, without limitation, a right of stoppage in transit) or may otherwise adversely impact the ability of the Co-Collateral Agents to realize upon such Inventory.

Eligible Inventory ” means at any time, without duplication (i) Eligible In-Transit Inventory, and (ii) items of Inventory of any Loan Party that are held for retail sale to the public in the ordinary course of business, merchantable, and readily saleable to the public in the ordinary course of business, that is not ineligible for inclusion in the calculation of the Borrowing Base pursuant to any of clauses (a) through (s) below. Without limiting the foregoing, to qualify as “Eligible Inventory” no Person other than the Loan Parties shall have any direct or indirect ownership, interest or title to such Inventory and no Person other than the Loan Parties shall be indicated on any purchase order or invoice with respect to such Inventory as having or purporting to have an interest therein. Unless otherwise from time to time approved in writing by


the Agent (or any Co-Collateral Agent upon written notice to the Agent) in its Permitted Discretion, no Inventory shall be deemed Eligible Inventory if, without duplication:

(a) the Loan Parties do not have sole and good, valid and unencumbered title thereto (except for Liens of the type described in clauses (a), (b), (c) and (e) of the definition of Permitted Liens); or

(b) it is not located in the United States, Puerto Rico, Guam or U.S. Virgin Islands; or

(c) it is not located at property owned or leased by the Loan Parties (except to the extent such Inventory is (i) in transit between such locations, or (ii) is at a customer location and is deemed eligible pursuant to clause (g)) or is located at a third party warehouse or is located at a closed Store (except pursuant to clause (f)) or is located at a closed DC; or

(d) it is not subject to a valid and perfected Lien in favor of the Co-Collateral Agents for the benefit of the Credit Parties, senior in priority to all other Liens other than Permitted Liens which have priority over the Liens of the Co-Collateral Agents by operation of applicable law, including Liens of the types described in clauses (a) through (c) and (g) of the definition of Permitted Liens;

(e) it is subject to any Lien whatsoever other than Liens in favor of the Co-Collateral Agents, Permitted Liens and Liens permitted pursuant to Section 6.02(a)(vi); or

(f) it is Inventory located at a Store which is being closed; provided , however that such Inventory will be deemed eligible for the first four (4) weeks after the commencement of the Store Closure Sale for that Store, provided further that the Inventory Value of such Inventory shall be reduced by the “closed store reserve” established by the Borrowers with respect to such Inventory consistent with past practices (but the establishment of such “closed store reserve” by the Borrowers shall not preclude the Co-Collateral Agents, in their Permitted Discretion, from establishing other or larger Inventory Reserves with respect to such Inventory as otherwise provided herein);

(g) it is consigned from a vendor or is at a customer location but still accounted for in the applicable Loan Party’s inventory balance; or

(h) it is in-transit (other than Eligible In-Transit Inventory) from a vendor and has not yet been received into a DC or Store; or

(i) it is identified in the stock ledger of the applicable Loan Party as any of the following departments or consists of Inventory which is ordinarily classified by such Loan Party consistent with its historical practices as the following: floral; gasoline; live plants; miscellaneous or other as classified on the Loan Party’s stock ledger; produce; books; magazines; restaurant operations; or seafood; or it is identified per the applicable Loan Party’s stock ledger as candy; or

(j) it is Inventory that has been packed-away and stored for more than 12 months at a DC or a Store for future sale, including merchandise of Sears and its Subsidiaries that has been carried over for more than 12 months as currently reported as “XOM” status per the RIM merchandising system; or

(k) it is identified as wholesaler freight fees; or

(l) it is Inventory on layaway or is Inventory which has been sold but not delivered or as to which any Loan Party has accepted a deposit from a third party; or


(m) it is identified per the Loan Parties’ stock ledger as Inventory that is in a leased department, including digital imaging, photofinishing and 1 hour lab; or

(n) it is otherwise deemed ineligible by the Co-Collateral Agents in their Permitted Discretion after the expiration of the Reserve Notice Period; or

(o) it is (i) operating supplies, packaging or shipping materials, cartons, labels or other such materials not considered used for sale in the ordinary course of business by the Agent in its Permitted Discretion (ii) work-in-process, raw materials, (iii) not in material compliance with all standards imposed by any Governmental Authority having regulatory authority over such Inventory, its use or sale, or (iv) bill and hold goods; or

(p) it is Inventory which exhibits, includes or is identified by any trademark, tradename or other Intellectual Property right which trademark, tradename or other Intellectual Property right (i) is subject to a restriction that could reasonably be expected to adversely affect the Agent’s ability to liquidate such Inventory or (ii) the relevant Loan Party does not have the right to use in connection with the sale of such Inventory, either through direct ownership or through a written license or sublicense; or

(q) it is Inventory that is not insured in compliance with the provisions of Section 6.01(c);

(r) it is Inventory that does not conform to all representations, warranties, covenants or other provisions in the Loan Documents relating to Inventory; or

(s) it is Inventory acquired in a Permitted Acquisition and the Co-Collateral Agents have not completed their diligence with respect thereto, provided that such Inventory shall be deemed to constitute Eligible Inventory for a period of 30 days after the date of its acquisition notwithstanding that the Co-Collateral Agents have not completed such due diligence as long as such Inventory is of the same kind and quality as other of the Loan Parties’ Inventory and would otherwise constitute Eligible Inventory.

Eligible Pharmacy Receivables ” means each Pharmacy Receivable that satisfies the following criteria at the time of creation and continues to meet the same at the time of such determination: such Pharmacy Receivable (i) has been earned and represents the bona fide amounts due to a Loan Party from Third Party Payors, and other Persons reasonably acceptable to the Co-Collateral Agents, and in each case originated in the ordinary course of business of the applicable Loan Party (ii) is non-recourse to the Loan Parties and has been adjudicated or is otherwise due to a Loan Party for pharmacy related services, and (iii) is not ineligible for inclusion in the calculation of the Borrowing Base pursuant to any of clauses (a) through (m) below. Without limiting the foregoing, to qualify as an Eligible Pharmacy Receivable, an Account shall indicate no person other than a Loan Party as payee or remittance party. In determining the amount to be so included, the face amount of an Account shall be reduced by, without duplication, to the extent not reflected in such face amount, (i) the amount of all accrued and actual discounts, claims, credits or credits pending, promotional program allowances, price adjustments, finance charges, processing fees or other allowances (including any amount that the applicable Loan Party may be obligated to rebate to a customer, or to pay to the Third Party Payors, direct customers or other Persons pursuant to the terms of any agreement or understanding (written or oral)) and (ii) the aggregate amount of all cash received in respect of such Account but not yet applied by the applicable Loan Party to reduce the amount of such Pharmacy Receivable. Unless otherwise approved from time to time in writing by the Co-Collateral Agents in their Permitted Discretion, none of the following Pharmacy Receivables shall be an Eligible Pharmacy Receivable:

(a) Pharmacy Receivables that have been outstanding for more than ninety (90) days past the invoice date or that are more than sixty (60) days past due;


(b) Pharmacy Receivables due from any Third Party Payor to the extent that fifty percent (50%) or more of all Pharmacy Receivables from such Third Party Payor are not Eligible Pharmacy Receivables under clause (a), above;

(c) Pharmacy Receivables which do not constitute an “Account” (as defined in the UCC);

(d) Pharmacy Receivables with respect to which a Loan Party does not have good, valid and marketable title thereto;

(e) Pharmacy Receivables that are not subject to a valid and perfected Lien in favor of the Co-Collateral Agents, for the benefit of the Credit Parties, senior in priority to all other Liens other than Permitted Liens which have priority over the Liens of the Co-Collateral Agents by operation of applicable law;

(f) Pharmacy Receivables that are subject to any Lien whatsoever other than Liens in favor of the Co-Collateral Agents for the benefit of the Credit Parties, Permitted Liens, and Liens permitted pursuant to Section 6.02(a)(vi);

(g) Pharmacy Receivables which are disputed, are with recourse, or with respect to which a claim, counterclaim, offset or chargeback has been asserted (to the extent of such claim, counterclaim, offset or chargeback);

(h) Pharmacy Receivables due from Medicare, Medicaid and other Governmental Authorities;

(i) Pharmacy Receivables due from a Third Party Payor who is not duly authorized to conduct business in the United States of America, Puerto Rico, United States Virgin Islands or Guam, as applicable;

(j) Pharmacy Receivables which are acquired in a Permitted Acquisition unless and until the Co-Collateral Agents have completed an appraisal and audit of such Pharmacy Receivables and otherwise agree that such Pharmacy Receivables shall be deemed Eligible Pharmacy Receivables;

(k) Pharmacy Receivables as to which (i) the Loan Party making the sale giving rise to such Pharmacy Receivables does not have a valid and enforceable agreement with the Third Party Payor providing for payment to such Loan Party or there is a default thereunder that could be a basis for such Third Party Payor ceasing or suspending any payments to such Loan Party, or (ii) the prescription drugs sold giving rise to such Pharmacy Receivables are not of the type that are covered under the agreement with the Third Party Payor or the party receiving such goods is not entitled to coverage under such agreement, (iii) the Loan Party making the sale giving rise to such Pharmacy Receivables has not received confirmation from such Third Party Payor that the party receiving the prescription drugs is entitled to coverage under the terms of the agreement with such Third Party Payor and the Loan Party is entitled to reimbursement for such Pharmacy Receivables, (iv) the amount of such Pharmacy Receivables exceeds the amounts to which the Loan Party making such sale is entitled to reimbursement for the prescription drugs sold under the terms of such agreements (but solely to the extent of such excess), (v) there are contractual or statutory limitations or restrictions on the rights of the Loan Party making such sale to assign its rights to payment arising as a result thereof or to grant any security interest therein which limitations or restrictions have not been satisfied or waived, (vi) all authorization and billing procedures and documentation required in order for the Loan Party making such sale to be reimbursed and paid on such Pharmacy Receivables by the Third Party Payor have not been properly completed and satisfied to the extent required for such Loan Party to be so reimbursed and paid, and (vii) the terms of the sale giving rise to such Pharmacy Receivables and all practices of such Loan Party with respect to such Pharmacy Receivables do not comply in all material respects with applicable federal, state, and local laws and regulations;


(l) Pharmacy Receivables which do not conform to all representations, warranties, covenants, or other provisions in the Loan Documents relating to Pharmacy Receivables; or

(m) Pharmacy Receivables which the Co-Collateral Agents determine in their Permitted Discretion to be uncertain of collection or which do not meet such other reasonable eligibility criteria for Pharmacy Receivables as the Agent (or any Co-Collateral Agent upon written notice to the Agent) may determine in its Permitted Discretion.

Environmental Action ” means any action, suit, demand, demand letter, claim, notice of non-compliance or violation, notice of liability or potential liability, investigation, proceeding, consent order or consent agreement relating in any way to any Environmental Law, Environmental Permit or Hazardous Materials or arising from alleged injury or threat of injury to health, safety or the environment, including (a) by any governmental or regulatory authority for enforcement, cleanup, removal, response, remedial or other actions or damages and (b) by any governmental or regulatory authority or any third party for damages, contribution, indemnification, cost recovery, compensation or injunctive relief.

Environmental Law ” means any federal, state, local or foreign statute, law, ordinance, rule, regulation, code, order, judgment, decree or judicial or agency interpretation, policy or guidance relating to pollution or protection of the environment, health, safety or natural resources, including those relating to the use, handling, transportation, treatment, storage, disposal, release or discharge of Hazardous Materials.

Environmental Liability ” means any liability, contingent or otherwise (including any liability for damages, costs of environmental remediation, fines, penalties or indemnities), of Holdings, the Borrowers, or any of their Subsidiaries directly or indirectly resulting from or based upon (a) violation of any Environmental Law, (b) the generation, use, handling, transportation, storage, treatment or disposal of any Hazardous Materials, (c) exposure to any Hazardous Materials, (d) the release or threatened release of any Hazardous Materials into the environment or (e) any contract, agreement or other consensual arrangement pursuant to which liability is assumed or imposed with respect to any of the foregoing.

Environmental Permit ” means any permit, approval, identification number, license or other authorization required under any Environmental Law.

ERISA ” means the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended from time to time, and the regulations promulgated and issued thereunder.

ERISA Affiliate ” means any Person that for purposes of Title IV of ERISA is a member of any Borrower’s controlled group, or under common control with such Borrower, within the meaning of Section 414 of the Internal Revenue Code.

ERISA Event ” means (a) (i) the occurrence of a Reportable Event, as defined herein, or (ii) the requirements of subsection (1) of Section 4043(b) of ERISA (without regard to Section 4043(b)(2)) are met with respect to a contributing sponsor, as defined in Section 4001(a)(13) of ERISA, of a Plan, and an event described in paragraph (9), (10), (11), (12) or (13) of Section 4043(c) of ERISA is reasonably expected to occur with respect to such Plan within the following 30 days; (b) the application for a minimum funding waiver with respect to a Plan; (c) the provision by the administrator of any Plan of a notice of intent to terminate such Plan pursuant to Section 4041(a)(2) of ERISA (including any such notice with respect to a plan amendment referred to in Section 4041(e) of ERISA); (d) the cessation of operations at a facility of any Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate in the circumstances described in Section 4062(e) of ERISA; (e) the withdrawal by any Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate from a Multiple Employer Plan during a plan year for which it was a substantial employer, as defined in Section 4001(a)(2) of ERISA; (f) the conditions for the


imposition of a lien under Sections 303(k) or 4068(a) of ERISA shall have been met with respect to any Plan; (g) the institution by the PBGC of proceedings to terminate a Plan pursuant to Section 4042 of ERISA, or the occurrence of any event or condition described in Section 4042 of ERISA that constitutes grounds for the termination of, or the appointment of a trustee to administer, a Plan, or (h) the Borrowers or any ERISA Affiliate incur liabilities under Section 4069 of ERISA.

Eurocurrency Liabilities ” has the meaning assigned to that term in Regulation D of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, as in effect from time to time.

Eurodollar Lending Office ” means, with respect to any Lender, the office of such Lender specified as its “Eurodollar Lending Office” on the signature pages hereof or in the Assignment and Acceptance pursuant to which it became a Lender (or, if no such office is specified, its Domestic Lending Office), or such other office of such Lender as such Lender may from time to time specify to the Borrowers and the Agent.

Eurodollar Rate ” means,

(a) for any Interest Period with respect to a Eurodollar Rate Advance, the rate per annum (which shall in no event be less than zero) equal to the London interbank offered rate administered by ICE Benchmark Administration Limited (“ICE LIBOR”), as published by Reuters (or other commercially available source providing quotations of ICE LIBOR as designated by the 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 Dollar deposits (for delivery on the first day of such Interest Period) with a term equivalent to such Interest Period. If such rate is not available at such time for any reason, then the “Eurodollar Rate” for such Interest Period shall be the rate per annum determined by the Agent (which shall in no event be less than zero) to be the rate at which deposits in Dollars for delivery on the first day of such Interest Period in same day funds in the approximate amount of the Eurodollar Rate Advance being made, continued or converted and with a term equivalent to such Interest Period would be offered by Bank of America’s London Branch to major banks in the London interbank eurodollar market at their request at approximately 11:00 a.m. (London time) two Business Days prior to the commencement of such Interest Period; and

(b) for any interest calculation with respect to a Base Rate Advance on any date, the rate per annum (which shall in no event be less than zero) equal to (i) ICE LIBOR, at approximately 11:00 a.m., London time determined two London Banking Days prior to such date for Dollar deposits being delivered in the London interbank market for a term of one month commencing that day or (ii) if such published rate is not available at such time for any reason, the rate per annum determined by the Agent (which shall in no event be less than zero) to be the rate at which deposits in Dollars for delivery on the date of determination in same day funds in the approximate amount of the Base Rate Advance being made or maintained and with a term equal to one month would be offered by Bank of America’s London Branch to major banks in the London interbank Eurodollar market at their request at the date and time of determination.

Eurodollar Rate Advance ” means an Advance, any Term Loan Borrowing or , any 2016 Term Loan Borrowing or any 2018 FILO Borrowing, as applicable, that bears interest as provided in Sections 2.08(a)(ii), 2.08(b)(ii) or , 2.08(c )(ii) or 2.08(e )(ii), as applicable.

Eurodollar Rate Reserve Percentage ” for any Interest Period for a Eurodollar Rate Advance by any Lender means the reserve percentage applicable to such Lender two Business Days before the first day of such Interest Period under regulations issued from time to time by the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (or any successor) for determining the minimum reserve requirement (including any emergency, supplemental or other marginal reserve requirement) with respect to liabilities or assets consisting of or including Eurocurrency Liabilities (or with respect to any other category of liabilities that includes deposits by reference to which the interest rate on Eurodollar Rate Advances is determined) having a term equal to such Interest Period.


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

Excess Cash Flow ” means, for any fiscal year of Holdings, the excess of (a) the sum, without duplication, of (i) Consolidated Net Income for such fiscal year (excluding gains and losses from the sale of assets or businesses outside the ordinary course of business included in the calculation of such Consolidated Net Income), plus (ii) expenses reducing Consolidated Net Income incurred or made with respect to any Plan, plus (iii) depreciation, amortization and other non-cash charges reducing Consolidated Net Income (excluding any non-cash charges to the extent they represent an accrual or reserve for potential cash charges in any future period or amortization of a prepaid cash gain that was paid in a prior period and excluding any such charges which were excluded in the calculation of Consolidated Net Income as set forth in clause (a)(i) above), minus (b) the sum, without duplication, of (i) contributions made in cash to any Plan, plus (ii) non-cash gains and other non-cash items increasing Consolidated Net Income (other than any such gains and items which were excluded in the calculation of Consolidated Net Income as set forth in clause (a)(i) above), plus (iii) the amount of scheduled payments and mandatory prepayments of principal, interest, fees, premiums and make whole or prepayment payments on account of Debt for borrowed money made in cash (excluding any repayments of Obligations hereunder and of prepayments of any revolving credit facility unless there is an equivalent permanent reduction in the commitments thereunder and excluding any such payments or prepayments to the extent financed with the proceeds of Debt), and scheduled payments and mandatory prepayments of Capital Lease Obligations (excluding any interest expense portion thereof deducted in the calculation of Consolidated Net Income and excluding any such payments or prepayments to the extent financed with the proceeds of Debt), plus (iv) the amount of optional prepayments of principal on account of the Term Loan, the 2016 Term Loan , the 2018 FILO Loan or the Revolving Advances made in cash during such fiscal year (as a result of which, in the case of the Revolving Advances, the Aggregate Revolving Commitments have been permanently reduced correspondingly), except to the extent that such prepayments are funded with Debt, plus (v) Capital Expenditures made in cash during such fiscal year, except to the extent financed with the proceeds of Debt, plus (vi) the amount of Permitted Acquisitions and Permitted Investments (pursuant to clauses (d), (i), (o), (q) and (r) of the definition thereof) made in cash during such fiscal year, except to the extent financed with the proceeds of Debt.

Excluded Accounts ” means payroll, trust and tax withholding accounts funded in the ordinary course of business.

Excluded Swap Obligation ” means, with respect to any Loan Party, any Swap Obligation if, and to the extent that, all or a portion of the guaranty of such Loan Party under the Guarantee and Collateral Agreement of, or the grant under a Loan Document by such Loan Party of a security interest to secure, such Swap Obligation (or any guaranty thereof) is or becomes illegal under the Commodity Exchange Act (or the application or official interpretation thereof) by virtue of such Loan Party’s failure for any reason to constitute an “eligible contract participant” as defined in the Commodity Exchange Act (determined after giving effect to Section 9.19 hereof and any and all guarantees of such Loan Party’s Swap Obligations by other Loan Parties) at the time the guaranty of such Loan Party, or grant by such Loan Party of a security interest, becomes effective with respect to such Swap Obligation. If a Swap Obligation arises under a Master Agreement governing more than one Swap Contract, such exclusion shall apply only to the portion of such Swap Obligation that is attributable to Swap Contracts for which such guaranty or security interest becomes illegal.

Excluded Taxes ” means any of the following Taxes imposed on or with respect to any 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 and including any Taxes imposed in lieu of income Taxes), franchise Taxes, and branch profits Taxes, in each case, (i) imposed as a result of such Recipient being organized under the laws of, or having its principal office or, in the case of any Lender, its Applicable Lending Office located in, the jurisdiction imposing such Tax (or any political subdivision thereof) or (ii) that are Other Connection Taxes, (b) U.S. federal withholding Taxes imposed on amounts payable to or for the account of


such Recipient with respect to an applicable interest in any Extension of Credit or Commitment pursuant to a law in effect on the date on which (i) such Recipient acquires such interest in such Extension of Credit or Commitment (other than pursuant to an assignment request by the Borrower under Section 9.16 ) or (ii) in the case of a Lender, such Lender changes its Applicable Lending Office, except in each case to the extent that, pursuant to Section 2.15 , 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 Applicable Lending Office, (c) Taxes attributable to such Recipient’s failure to comply with Section 2.15(e) or (f)  and (d) any U.S. federal withholding Taxes imposed pursuant to FATCA.

Existing Credit Agreement ” has the meaning set forth in the Preamble to the Agreement.

Existing Intercreditor Agreement ” means the Intercreditor Agreement in respect of the Existing Second Lien Notes dated as of October 12, 2010, by and among the Co-Collateral Agents, as ABL Agents, and Wells Fargo Bank, National Association, as Second Lien Agent.

Existing Letters of Credit ” means each of the Letters of Credit described on Schedule 1.02 issued and outstanding under the Existing Credit Agreement immediately prior to July 21, 2015.

Existing Second Lien Notes ” means $1,250,000,000 aggregate principal amount of 6  5 8 % Senior Secured Notes due 2018 of Holdings outstanding as of the Effective Date and any notes issued in exchange therefor pursuant to that certain Indenture, dated as of October 12, 2010, by and among Holdings and the guarantors party thereto and Wells Fargo Bank, National Association, as Trustee and Collateral Agent.

Extended 2016 Term Loans ” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.18(a).

Extended Term Applicable Margin ” means initially, (a) 3.75% per annum for Eurodollar Rate Advances and (b) 2.75% per annum for Base Rate Advances; provided , that on and after the first Adjustment Date occurring at the end of the first full fiscal quarter after July 21, 2015, the Extended Term Applicable Margin will be determined pursuant to the Extended Term Pricing Grid.

Extended Term Loans ” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.18(a).

Extended Term Pricing Grid ” means the pricing grid set forth on Schedule IC .

Extended Termination Date ” means (i) with respect to the Extended Revolving Commitments of the 2015 Extending Lenders, the earlier of (a) July 20, 2020 and (b) the date of termination in whole of the Revolving Commitments pursuant to Section 2.06 or 7.01, and (ii) with respect to any other Extended Revolving Commitments, Extended Term Loans or Extended 2016 Term Loans, as applicable, the earlier of (a) maturity date set forth in an Extension Election and accepted by the applicable Extending Lenders or (b) the date of termination in whole of the Revolving Commitments pursuant to Section 2.06 or 7.01 or the date of acceleration of the Term Loans or the 2016 Term Loans pursuant to Section 7.01.

Extended Revolving Commitments ” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.18(a).

Extending Lenders ” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.18(b).

Extension Amendment ” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.18(d).

Extension Election ” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.18(b).

Extensions of Credit ” means as to any Lender at any time, an amount equal to the sum of (a) the aggregate Revolving Extensions of Credit of such Lender, (b) the aggregate FILO Extensions of Credit of such Lender, (c) the outstanding principal amount of the Term Loan held by such Lender, and (d) the outstanding principal amount of the 2016 Term Loan held by such Lender, including, without limitation, all extensions of credit made in connection with any Extended Revolving Commitments.


FATCA ” means Sections 1471 through 1474 of the Code, as of July 21, 2015 (or any amended or successor version that is substantively comparable and not materially more onerous to comply with), any current or future regulations or official interpretations thereof and any agreement entered into pursuant to Section 1471(b)(1) of the Code.

Fee Letter ” means, collectively, (i) the Fee Letter dated March 11, 2011, among Holdings, the Borrowers, Bank, and MLPFS, and (ii) the Term Loan Fee Letter dated September 16, 2013 among Holdings, the Borrowers and MLPFS, as amended on October 2, 2013, (iii) the Amendment Fee Letter dated May 19, 2015, among Holdings, the Borrowers, Bank, Wells Fargo Bank, National Association, General Electric Capital Corporation, and the Lead Arrangers, (iv) the Amendment Fee Letter dated March 4, 2016, among Holdings, the Borrowers and the Agent , and (v) the Engagement Letter dated November 29, 2017, among Holdings, the Borrowers and the Agent, each as amended from time to time.

Fee Adjustment Date ” shall have the meaning provided therefor in Schedule IB .

Federal Funds Rate ” means, for any period, a fluctuating interest rate per annum equal for each day during such period to the weighted average of the rates on overnight Federal funds transactions with members of the Federal Reserve System arranged by Federal funds brokers, as published for such day (or, if such day is not a Business Day, for the next preceding Business Day) by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, or, if such rate is not so published for any day that is a Business Day, the average of the quotations for such day on such transactions received by the Agent from three Federal funds brokers of recognized standing reasonably selected by it.

Fifth Amendment ” means that certain Fifth Amendment to Third Amended and Restated Credit Agreement, dated as of March 21, 2018, among Holdings, the Borrowers, the Lenders party thereto, the Co-Collateral Agents and the Agent.

Fifth Amendment Effective Date ” means the “Amendment Effective Date” as defined in the Fifth Amendment to Third Amended and Restated Credit Agreement, dated as of March 21, 2018, among Holdings, the Borrowers, the Lenders party thereto, the Co-Collateral Agents and the Agent.

FILO Commitments ” means the commitments of the FILO Lenders to make FILO Loans in accordance with the terms of this Agreement.

FILO Extension of Credit ” means, as to any FILO Lender at any time, the outstanding principal amount of the FILO Loans held by such FILO Lender.

FILO Facility ” shall have the meaning provided therefor in Section 2.20(a).

FILO Lender ” means each Person who becomes a FILO Lender pursuant to Section 2.20 hereof and each Person that shall become a party hereto as a FILO Lender pursuant to Section 9.07.

FILO Loan Cap ” means, at any time, the lesser of the FILO Commitments and Incremental Availability.

FILO Loans ” means Borrowings made under the FILO Facility (including, for the avoidance of doubt, the 2018 FILO Loans) .


FILO Reserve ” means an Availability Reserve in an amount equal to the excess, if any, of (i) the outstanding FILO Loans over (ii) the FILO Loan Cap (but in no event less than zero). The Borrower shall include reporting on the FILO Reserve in each Borrowing Base Certificate.

First Amendment Effective Date ” means the “First Amendment Effective Date,” as defined in the First Amendment to Third Amended and Restated Credit Agreement dated as of April 8, 2016 among Holdings, the Borrowers, the Lenders party thereto and the Agent.

Fixed Charge Ratio ” means, the ratio, determined as of the end of each fiscal month of the Borrowers for the most recently ended twelve fiscal months, of (a) Adjusted Consolidated EBITDA minus the unfinanced portion of Capital Expenditures (but including Capital Expenditures financed with proceeds of Advances hereunder) minus taxes paid in cash net of refunds (but in no event less than zero), to (b) Fixed Charges, all calculated on a Consolidated basis in accordance with GAAP.

Fixed Charges ” means, with reference to any period, without duplication, Consolidated Interest Expense paid or payable in cash, plus scheduled principal payments on Debt made during such period, plus Capital Lease Obligation payments made during such period, all calculated on a Consolidated basis.

Fourth Amendment Effective Date ” means the “Amendment Effective Date” as defined in the Fourth Amendment to Third Amended and Restated Credit Agreement, dated as of February 7, 2018, among Holdings, the Borrowers, the Lenders party thereto, the Issuing Lenders, the Co-Collateral Agents and the Agent.

Fronting Exposure ” means, at any time there is a Defaulting Lender, (a) with respect to the Issuing Lender, such Defaulting Lender’s Revolving 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 Revolving Lenders or cash collateralized in accordance with the terms hereof, and (b) with respect to the Swingline Lender, such Defaulting Lender’s Revolving Commitment Percentage of Swingline Loans other than Swingline Loans as to which such Defaulting Lender’s participation obligation has been reallocated to other Revolving Lenders in accordance with the terms hereof.

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

GAAP ” has the meaning specified in Section 1.03.

GE Commitment Letter ” means that certain Commitment Letter dated March 16, 2011 among Holdings, the Borrowers and General Electric Capital Corporation, which Commitment Letter has been assigned to Wells Fargo Bank, National Association.

Gift Card Liability Reserve ” shall mean, at any time, and without duplication of any other Availability Reserves or Inventory Reserves, a reserve equal to the aggregate remaining value at such time of (i) outstanding gift certificates and gift cards of the Loan Parties entitling the holder thereof to use all or a portion of the certificate or gift card to pay all or a portion of the purchase price for any Inventory and (ii) outstanding merchandise credits.

Governmental Authority ” means any nation or government, 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, any securities exchange and any self-regulatory organization (including the National Association of Insurance Commissioners).


Group Members ” means, collectively, Holdings, the Borrowers and their respective Subsidiaries.

Guarantee and Collateral Agreement ” means a Third Amended and Restated Guarantee and Collateral Agreement in the form of Exhibit D .

Hazardous Materials ” means (a) petroleum and petroleum products, byproducts or breakdown products, radioactive materials, asbestos-containing materials, polychlorinated biphenyls and radon gas and (b) any other chemicals, materials or substances designated, classified or regulated as hazardous or toxic or as a pollutant or contaminant under any Environmental Law.

Holdings ” has the meaning provided in the Preamble.

Increase Effective Date ” has the meaning provided in Section 2.19(f).

Incremental Availability ” shall mean (i) the sum of the Borrowing Base plus 10% of the Net Orderly Liquidation Value of the Loan Parties’ Eligible Inventory, minus (ii) the Specified Obligations Reserve, minus (iii) the Total Revolving Extensions of Credit and the outstanding principal amount of the Term Loans and the 2016 Term Loans.

Indemnified Taxes ” means 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.

Insolvency ” means with respect to any Multiemployer Plan, the condition that such Plan is insolvent within the meaning of Section 4245 of ERISA.

Insolvent ” means pertaining to a condition of Insolvency.

Intellectual Property ” has the meaning set forth in the Guarantee and Collateral Agreement.

Interest Period ” means, for each Eurodollar Rate Advance comprising part of the same Borrowing of Revolving Advances, a Term Loan Borrowing or , a 2016 Term Loan Borrowing or a 2018 FILO Borrowing, as applicable, the period commencing on the date of such Eurodollar Rate Advance or the date of the Conversion of any Base Rate Advance into such Eurodollar Rate Advance and ending on the last day of the period selected by the applicable Borrower pursuant to the provisions below and, thereafter, each subsequent period commencing on the last day of the immediately preceding Interest Period and ending on the last day of the period selected by the applicable Borrower pursuant to the provisions below. The duration of each such Interest Period shall be one, two or three months, as the applicable Borrower may, upon notice received by the Agent not later than 12:00 noon on the third Business Day prior to the first day of such Interest Period, select; provided , however , that:

(a) a Borrower may not select any Interest Period with respect to a Revolving Advance that ends after the Revolving Termination Date or the Extended Termination Date, as applicable, or with respect to a Term Loan Borrowing constituting a Eurodollar Rate Advance that ends after the Term Loan Termination Date, or with respect to a 2016 Term Loan Borrowing constituting a Eurodollar Rate Advance that ends after the 2016 Term Loan Termination Date , or with respect to a 2018 FILO Borrowing that ends after the 2018 FILO Termination Date ;

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

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


(d) whenever the first day of any Interest Period occurs on a day of an initial calendar month for which there is no numerically corresponding day in the calendar month that succeeds such initial calendar month by the number of months equal to the number of months in such Interest Period, such Interest Period shall end on the last Business Day of such succeeding calendar month.

Internal Revenue Code ” means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended from time to time, and the regulations promulgated and rulings issued thereunder.

Inventory ” as defined in the UCC.

Inventory Reserves ” means the following:

(a) a reserve for shrink, or discrepancies that arise between Inventory quantities on hand per the Loan Parties’ unit inventory system, and physical counts of the Inventory which will be equal to the greater of (i) the mathematical average of the historical shrink results expressed as a percent of sales, multiplied by sales for the relevant year-to-date period and adjusted for the cost complement for the relevant year-to-date period, but only to the extent such amount exceeds reserves already netted out of the Inventory Value per the stockledger; or (ii) an amount determined by the Agent in its Permitted Discretion or any Co-Collateral Agent in its Permitted Discretion upon written notice to the Agent, in each case, after the expiration of the Reserve Notice Period;

(b) a reserve for intracompany profit, equal to the most recent three (3) fiscal months of capitalized cost of the foreign buying offices owned and operated by any Loan Party, with the time frame subject to change after the expiration of the Reserve Notice Period based on Inventory performance, or the Agent’s (or any Co-Collateral Agent’s upon written notice to the Agent) Permitted Discretion;

(c) to the extent not already netted out of the Inventory Value per the stock ledger or not treated as ineligible pursuant to the definition of Eligible Inventory, a reserve determined in the Agent’s (or any Co-Collateral Agent upon written notice to the Agent) Permitted Discretion for (i) hard (permanent) markdowns, (ii) seasonal merchandise (including, without limitation, seasonal apparel which is more than four weeks past a specified selling season, and Inventory for sale during a specified holiday or event (other than seasonal apparel), after the specified holiday or event has occurred), (iii) discontinued and clearance merchandise, (iv) change in product mix of merchandise, (v) change in pricing strategy or markon percentages, (vi) damaged merchandise, (vii) price changes, or (viii) other adjustments as deemed appropriate;

(d) a reserve established in the Agent’s (or any Co-Collateral Agent’s upon written notice to the Agent) Permitted Discretion for Inventory returned (other than as a result of reclamations) to either the return goods center (“ RGC ”), the vendor, given to charity, or otherwise considered non-saleable, whether defective or non-defective. This reserve is to be calculated as the monthly average for the most recent rolling 12 fiscal month period of return (other than as a result of reclamations) activity to the vendors, the RGC, given to charity, or otherwise considered non-saleable, whether defective or non-defective, both from the Stores and DCs, and is subject to change after the expiration of the Reserve Notice Period at the Agent’s (or any Co-Collateral Agent’s upon written notice to the Agent) Permitted Discretion; and such reserve to be recalculated by the 10th day after each month-end and to be reflected on each Borrowing Base Certificate delivered by Holdings after such date until the amount of such reserve is recalculated pursuant hereto;


(e) without duplication of any Reserve imposed under clause (a) of the definition of “Eligible In-Transit Inventory”, a reserve for that in transit Inventory purchased under “private label” letters of credit issued by SRAC or Letters of Credit issued hereunder; and

(f) a reserve for Inventory ordinarily classified as repair services.

Inventory Value ” shall mean, with respect to any Inventory of the Loan Parties, the value of such Inventory valued at the lower of cost or market value on a basis consistent with the Loan Parties’ current and historical accounting practice in effect on July 21, 2015, per the stock ledger (without giving effect to LIFO reserves and general ledger reserves for discontinued inventory, markdowns, intercompany profit, rebates and discounts, any cut off adjustments, revaluation adjustments, purchase price adjustments or adjustments with respect to the capitalization of buying, occupancy, distribution and other overhead costs reflected on the balance sheet of the Loan Parties in respect of Inventory). The value of the Inventory as set forth above will be calculated net of the reserve established by the Loan Parties on a basis consistent with the Loan Parties’ current and historical practices, in effect on July 21, 2015, in respect of lost, misplaced or stolen Inventory (but the establishment of such reserves by the Borrowers shall not preclude the Co-Collateral Agents, in their Permitted Discretion, from establishing other or larger Inventory Reserves with respect to such Inventory as otherwise provided herein).

Investment ” means, as to any Person, any direct or indirect acquisition or investment by such Person, whether by means of (a) the purchase or other acquisition of equity interests of another Person, (b) a loan, advance or capital contribution to, guarantee or assumption of debt of, or purchase or other acquisition of any other debt or interest in, another Person, or (c) any Acquisition.

Issuing Lender ” means, collectively, Bank of America, N.A., Wells Fargo Bank, N.A., and any other Revolving Lender which at the request of any Borrower and with the consent of the Agent, not to be unreasonably withheld, agrees to become an Issuing Lender, it being understood that with the consent of the requesting Borrower (not to be unreasonably withheld) the Issuing Lender may arrange for one or more Letters of Credit to be issued by Affiliates of such Issuing Lender, in which case the term “Issuing Lender” shall include any such affiliate with respect to Letters of Credit issued by such Affiliate. Each reference herein to “the Issuing Lender” shall be deemed to be a reference to the relevant Issuing Lender with respect to the relevant Letter of Credit.

January 2017 Mortgage Debt ” means the Debt owing by Sears and certain other Subsidiaries of Holdings to JPP, LLC and JPP II, LLC, as lenders, pursuant to that certain $500,000,000 secured loan facility dated as of January 3, 2017.

Kmart ” means Kmart Holding Corporation, a Delaware corporation.

Kmart Corp. ” has the meaning provided in the Preamble.

L/C Commitment ” means $1,000,000,000.

L/C Obligations ” means at any time, an amount equal to the sum of (a) the aggregate then undrawn and unexpired amount of the then outstanding Letters of Credit and (b) the aggregate amount of drawings under Letters of Credit that have not then been reimbursed or discharged pursuant to Section 3.05 (after giving effect to the proviso thereof).

Lenders ” means, collectively, the Revolving Lenders, the Term Lenders and , the 2016 Term Lenders and the 2018 FILO Lenders .

Letters of Credit ” means the collective reference to Commercial L/Cs, Banker’s Acceptances, and Standby L/Cs; individually, a “ Letter of Credit ”. Without limiting the foregoing, the Existing Letters of Credit shall be deemed Letters of Credit issued under this Agreement.


Lien ” means any lien, security interest or other charge or encumbrance of any kind or any other type of preferential arrangement, including the lien or retained security title of a conditional vendor, and any easement, right of way or other encumbrance on title to real property, but excluding consignments or bailments of goods of third parties and the interests of lessors under operating leases.

Line Cap ” means, at any time of determination, the lesser of (i) the Aggregate Revolving Commitments plus the principal amount of the Term Loan outstanding at such time plus the principal amount of the 2016 Term Loan outstanding at such time, minus any Debt Maturity Reserve in effect at such time, and (ii) the Borrowing Base.

Liquidation ” means the exercise by the Agent or the Co-Collateral Agents of those rights and remedies accorded to the Agent and/or the Co-Collateral Agents under the Loan Documents and applicable law as a creditor of the Loan Parties with respect to the realization on the Collateral, including (after the occurrence and continuation of an Event of Default) the conduct by the Loan Parties acting with the consent of the Agent and the Co-Collateral Agents, of any public, private or “going-out-of-business”, “store closing” or other similar sale or any other disposition of the Collateral for the purpose of liquidating the Collateral.

Loan Documents ” means this Agreement, the Security Documents, the Notes, Fee Letter, any Application, each Borrowing Base Certificate, any other document or instrument now or hereafter designated by the Borrowers and the Agent as a “Loan Document” and any amendment, waiver, supplement or other modification to any of the foregoing.

Loan Parties ” means each Group Member that is a party to a Loan Document.

Material Adverse Effect ” means a material adverse effect on (a) the business, condition (financial or otherwise), operations or assets of Holdings and its Subsidiaries taken as a whole, or (b) the ability of the Loan Parties taken as a whole to perform their material obligations under the Loan Documents or (c) the validity or enforceability of the Loan Documents taken as a whole or the rights and remedies of the Agent, the Co-Collateral Agents or the Lenders thereunder taken as a whole (including, but not limited to, the enforceability or priority of any Liens granted to the Co-Collateral Agents under the Loan Documents).

Material Subsidiary Guarantor ” means a Subsidiary Guarantor that, at the time of determination, accounts for more than 5% of both the total assets and total revenues of Holdings on a consolidated basis (and, together with all other Material Subsidiary Guarantors accounts for more than 10% of both the total assets and total revenues of Holdings on a consolidated basis).

MLPFS ” has the meaning provided in the Preamble.

Multiemployer Plan ” means a multiemployer plan, as defined in Section 4001(a)(3) of ERISA, to which Holdings or any ERISA Affiliate is making or accruing an obligation to make contributions, or has within any of the preceding five plan years made or accrued an obligation to make contributions.

Multiple Employer Plan ” means a single employer plan, as defined in Section 4001(a)(15) of ERISA, that (a) is maintained for employees of Holdings or any ERISA Affiliate and at least one Person other than Holdings and the ERISA Affiliates or (b) was so maintained and in respect of which Holdings or any ERISA Affiliate could have liability under Section 4064 or 4069 of ERISA in the event such plan has been or were to be terminated.

Net Eligible Inventory ” means, at any time, an amount equal to the Inventory Value of Eligible Inventory less Inventory Reserves.


Net Proceeds ” means, (a) with respect to any Disposition by any Loan Party or any of its Subsidiaries of any property or any casualty or condemnation of such property, the excess, if any, of (i) the sum of cash and cash equivalents received in such transaction (including any cash or cash equivalents received by way of deferred payment pursuant to, or by monetization of, a note receivable or otherwise, but only as and when so received) over (ii) the sum of (A) the principal amount of any Debt (other than Debt owed to Holdings or any of its Subsidiaries, the payment of which in connection with any Permitted Disposition or other transaction shall not, for the avoidance of doubt, be deemed to reduce the amount of Net Proceeds for any purposes under this Agreement) that is secured by the applicable asset by a Lien permitted hereunder which is senior to the Co-Collateral Agents’ Lien, if any, on such asset and that is required, and permitted under this Agreement, to be repaid (or to establish an escrow for the future repayment thereof) in connection with such transaction, (B) the reasonable and customary out-of-pocket expenses incurred by such Loan Party or such Subsidiary in connection with such transaction (including, without limitation, reasonable and customary attorneys’ fees, accountants’ fees, investment banking fees, appraisals, and brokerage, legal, title and recording or transfer tax expenses and commissions) paid by any Loan Party or any of its Subsidiaries to third parties (other than Affiliates), (C) transfer Taxes paid as a result thereof and (D) amounts paid by any Loan Party or any of its Subsidiaries in order to obtain consents required from any third parties (other than Affiliates) to consummate such transaction, and (b) the excess of (i) the sum of the cash and cash equivalents received in connection with the issuance of any equity interests of any Loan Party or any Permitted Refinancing Debt over (ii) the underwriting discounts and commissions, and other reasonable and customary out-of-pocket expenses, incurred by such Loan Party in connection therewith.

Net Orderly Liquidation Value ” means the product of (i) Net Recovery Rate and (ii) the Net Eligible Inventory.

Net Recovery Rate ” means the appraised orderly liquidation value (on an “as is, where is” basis) of each Loan Party’s Eligible Inventory, net of costs and expenses estimated to be incurred in connection with such liquidation, which value is expressed as a percentage of the Inventory Value of Eligible Inventory and shall be determined by the Co-Collateral Agents from time to time based on the most recent appraisal provided by an independent third party appraiser retained by the Co-Collateral Agents in consultation with the Borrowers.

Non-Consenting Lender ” has the meaning specified in Section 9.16.

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

Note ” means a promissory note of any Borrower payable to the order of any Lender evidencing the Revolving Commitment, the FILO Commitment (if applicable), the Term Commitment or the 2016 Term Commitment of such Lender.

Notice of Borrowing ” has the meaning specified in Section 2.02(a).

Obligations ” has the meaning set forth in the Guarantee and Collateral Agreement; provided that Obligations of a Loan Party shall exclude any Excluded Swap Obligations with respect to such Loan Party.

Other Connection Taxes ” means, with respect to any Recipient, Taxes imposed as a result of a present or former connection between such Recipient and the jurisdiction imposing such Tax (other than connections arising solely 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 Extension of Credit or Loan Document pursuant to an assignment request by the Borrowers under Section 9.16).


Other LC ” has the meaning set forth in Section 3.02(b) .

Other LC Facility ” means the letter of credit facilities set forth on Schedule 3.02 hereto and any other letter of credit facility established by the Borrowers with a Revolving Lender and approved by the Agent in writing in its Permitted Discretion.

Other LC Transfer Date ” has the meaning set forth in Section 3.02(c).

Other LC Transfer Notice ” means a written notice from the Borrowers, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Agent, executed by an Authorized Officer, specifying one or more Letters of Credit (including the beneficiary, face amount and expiry date thereof, and such other information as the Agent may reasonably request) which the Borrowers desire to deem issued under an Other LC Facility and identifying an Other LC Transfer Date with respect thereto.

Other Taxes ” has the meaning specified in Section 2.15.

Overadvance ” means any Advance to the extent that, immediately after its having been made, Capped Excess Availability is less than zero.

PACA ” means the Perishable Agricultural Commodities Act of 1930, as amended.

PACA Liability Reserve ” means an amount calculated on a monthly basis by the Agent to provide for vendor liabilities pursuant to PACA.

PASA ” means the Packers and Stockyards Act of 1921, as amended.

PASA Liability Reserve ” means the liability for vendor liabilities pursuant to PASA.

PATRIOT Act ” means 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 (signed into law October 26, 2001)).

PBGC ” means the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation (or any successor).

Pension Plan ” means any “employee pension benefit plan” (as such term is defined in Section 3(2) of ERISA), other than a Multiemployer Plan, that is subject to Title IV of ERISA and is sponsored or maintained by Holdings or any ERISA Affiliate or to which Holdings or any ERISA Affiliate contributes or has an obligation to contribute, or in the case of a multiple employer or other plan described in Section 4064(a) of ERISA, has made contributions at any time during the immediately preceding five plan years.

Perfection Certificate ” means a certificate dated as of July 21, 2015 with respect to the Borrowers and the other Loan Parties in form reasonably satisfactory to the Co-Collateral Agents.

Permitted Acquisition ” means any Acquisition permitted under Section 6.02(c).

Permitted Debt ” means each of the following as long as no Default or Event of Default exists at the time of incurrence thereof or would arise from the incurrence thereof:

(a) Debt outstanding on July 21, 2015 and listed in the Perfection Certificate;

(b) Debt of any Loan Party to any other Loan Party;


(c) Debt of Holdings or any Subsidiary of Holdings which is not a Loan Party to any Loan Party; provided, that (1) such Debt is incurred in the ordinary course of business consistent with past practices in connection with cash management, (2) such Debt shall not exceed $100,000,000 in the aggregate at any one time outstanding or (3) (i) at the time of incurrence of any such Debt and immediately after giving pro forma effect thereto, no Default or Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing, and (ii) after giving effect to any such Debt (A) the Pro Forma and Projected Capped Excess Availability is at least 15% of the Line Cap, and (B) the Pro Forma Fixed Charge Ratio shall be at least 1.0 to 1.0;

(d) Debt of any Group Member to any Subsidiary of Holdings which is not a Loan Party;

(e) (i) purchase money Debt used to finance the acquisition of any fixed or capital assets, including Capital Lease Obligations, and any Debt assumed in connection with the acquisition of any such assets or secured solely by a Lien on any such assets prior to the acquisition thereof, and (ii) Debt incurred in connection with sale-leaseback transactions with respect to assets not constituting Collateral;

(f) Debt of any Person that becomes a Subsidiary in an Acquisition permitted in accordance with Section 6.02(c), which Debt is existing at the time such Person becomes a Subsidiary (other than Debt incurred solely in contemplation of such Person’s becoming a Subsidiary);

(g) the Obligations;

(h) Other Debt in an amount not to exceed $1,250,000,000 in the aggregate outstanding at any time; provided that not more than $750,000,000 of such Debt shall consist of Short Term Debt (including, without limitation, Short Term commercial paper);

(i) Debt described in Section 6.02(a)(vi), provided , that such Debt (i) does not have a maturity date which is earlier than the Extended Termination Date in effect at the time of the incurrence of such Debt, (ii) is incurred on arm’s-length terms, (iii) is subject to an intercreditor agreement in the form of the Existing Intercreditor Agreement or Exhibit F (or such other forms as the Co-Collateral Agents may agree in their Permitted Discretion), and (iv) the security documents, if any, with respect to such Debt are reasonably satisfactory to the Co-Collateral Agents in their Permitted Discretion;

(j) any other Debt (including, without limitation, the January 2017 Mortgage Debt), provided , that such Debt (i) does not require the repayment of principal prior to the Extended Termination Date in effect at the time of the incurrence of such Debt in excess of 1.0% of the original principal amount thereof per annum (excluding, for the avoidance of doubt, repayments required as a result of the sale of assets and repayments required in connection with an event that would constitute an Event of Default under Section 7.01(g) hereof) (ii) does not have a maturity date which is earlier than the Extended Termination Date in effect at the time of the incurrence of such Debt, and (iii) is incurred on arm’s-length terms;

(k) Debt of the type specified in clause (g) of the definition thereof to the extent such Debt constitutes a Permitted Investment;

(l) Debt in respect of performance bonds, bid bonds, appeal bonds, surety bonds and completion guarantees and similar obligations (including, in each case, letters of credit issued to provide such bonds, guaranties and similar obligations), in each case provided in the ordinary course of business, including those incurred to secure health, safety and environmental obligations in the ordinary course of business;

(m) Debt arising from overdraft facilities and/or the honoring by a bank or other financial institution of a check, draft or similar instrument drawn against insufficient funds in the ordinary course of business or other cash management services (including, but not limited to, intraday, ACH, credit cards, and purchasing card/T&E services) in the ordinary course of business; provided , that (x) such Debt (other than credit cards or purchase cards) is extinguished within ten Business Days of notification to the applicable Loan Party of its incurrence and (y) such Debt in respect of credit cards or purchase cards is extinguished within 60 days from its incurrence;


(n) Debt arising from agreements of Holdings or any Subsidiary providing for indemnification, adjustment of purchase or acquisition price or similar obligations, in each case, incurred or assumed in connection with any Permitted Acquisition or the disposition of any business, assets or any Subsidiary not prohibited by this Agreement, other than guarantees of Debt incurred by any Person acquiring all or any portion of such business, assets or any Subsidiary for the purpose of financing such Acquisition;

(o) Debt consisting of (i) the financing of insurance premiums or (ii) take or pay obligations contained in supply arrangements, in each case, in the ordinary course of business;

(p) Debt on account of Other LC Facilities and on account of letters of credit issued for the account of any Loan Party by any other Person;

(q) Debt arising from a Credit Card Royalty Securitization in an amount not to exceed $500,000,000, so long as the Net Proceeds of such Credit Card Securitization received by Holdings or any Subsidiary are applied as permitted pursuant to Section 6.02(j)(iii)(B) or, if elected by Borrowers or with respect to any Net Proceeds remaining after such application permitted by Section 6.02(j)(iii)(B), to the Application of Disposition Proceeds; and

(r) Permitted Refinancing Debt.

Permitted Discretion ” means a determination made in good faith and in the exercise of commercially reasonable business judgment.

Permitted Dispositions ” means any of the following:

(a) transfers and Dispositions of Inventory in the ordinary course of business;

(b) transfers and Dispositions among the Loan Parties;

(c) transfers and Dispositions by any Subsidiary of Holdings which is not a Loan Party to any Loan Party;

(d) transfers and Dispositions by any Subsidiary of Holdings which is not a Loan Party to other Subsidiaries which are not Loan Parties;

(e) transfers and Dispositions (other than transfers and Dispositions of Inventory, Credit Card Accounts Receivable, Pharmacy Receivables or any other Collateral (as defined in the Guarantee and Collateral Agreement on July 21, 2015)) to any Subsidiary of Holdings which is not a Loan Party by any Loan Party provided , that any such Disposition of Collateral shall be (i) undertaken in the ordinary course of business or (ii) on terms that are fair and reasonable and no less favorable to the Loan Party than it would obtain in a comparable arm’s length transaction with a Person that is not a Subsidiary of Holdings;

(f) the sale of surplus, obsolete or worn out equipment or other property in the ordinary course of business by the Borrowers or any Subsidiary;

(g) transfers and Dispositions of assets of Holdings or any Subsidiary of Holdings as follows:

(i) Dispositions of real property securing the January 2017 Mortgage Debt, provided , that, after giving effect to any repayment of the January 2017 Mortgage Debt from the


Net Proceeds of any such Disposition as required pursuant to the loan documentation governing the January 2017 Mortgage Debt (as such loan documentation is in effect as of the Second Amendment Effective Date or amended thereafter (subject to the provisions of Section 6.02(m) hereof)), any remaining Net Proceeds of such Disposition are applied pursuant to the Application of Disposition Proceeds;

(ii) transfers and Dispositions of any assets held by Holdings or any Subsidiary of Holdings, including any equity interests in any Subsidiary (other than the equity interests of either Borrower or of Sears), in exchange for total consideration in an amount not to exceed $1,000,000 with respect to any transaction or series of related transactions; and

(iii) other transfers and Dispositions of all or any portion of any assets held by Holdings or any of its Subsidiaries (other than substantially all of the assets of either Borrower or of Sears), including, but not limited to, (v) any equity interests of any Subsidiaries (other than the equity interests of either Borrower or of Sears), (w) real property, (x) Intellectual Property (including, without limitation, the Kenmore, Craftsman and Die Hard brands), (y) the Sears Automotive Center business and (z) the Home Services Business of Holdings and its Subsidiaries, provided , that immediately after giving effect to any such Disposition and the application of the proceeds thereof, (i) no Default or Event of Default then exists, (ii) either (A) the Pro Forma and Projected Capped Excess Availability is at least 15% of the Line Cap ( provided that , with respect to the transfer or Disposition of the assets of, or any equity interest in, a Material Subsidiary Guarantor (other than Sears), such Pro Forma and Projected Capped Excess Availability is at least the greater of (x) 25% of the Line Cap or (y) $750,000,000), or (B) the Net Proceeds of such Disposition are applied pursuant to the Application of Disposition Proceeds, (iii) if the Disposition is to a Subsidiary or Affiliate of a Loan Party which is not a Loan Party, such Disposition shall be on terms that are fair and reasonable and no less favorable to the Loan Party than it would obtain in a comparable arm’s length transaction with a Person that is not a Subsidiary or Affiliate of a Loan Party, and (iv) Capped Excess Availability is no less than Capped Excess Availability immediately prior to such Disposition;

(h) transfers and Dispositions which constitute Restricted Payments or Permitted Investments that are otherwise permitted hereunder;

(i) Dispositions permitted pursuant to Section 6.02(b) hereof;

(j) the sale of other Policy Investments in the ordinary course of business;

(k) the sale or Disposition of defaulted receivables and the compromise, settlement and collection of receivables in the ordinary course of business or in bankruptcy or other proceedings concerning the other account party thereon and not as part of an accounts receivable financing transaction;

(l) leases, licenses or subleases or sublicenses of any real or personal property not constituting Collateral in the ordinary course of business;

(m) any surrender or waiver of contract rights or the settlement, release, recovery on or surrender of contract, tort or other claims of any kind (other than, in each case, with respect to rights to license the Related Intellectual Property, unless the limited license granted to the Co-Collateral Agents in such Related Intellectual Property pursuant to the Loan Documents remains in effect and is acknowledged by the licensee) to the extent that any of the foregoing could not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect;


(n) sales of Inventory (other than Eligible Inventory) determined by the management of the applicable Loan Party not to be saleable in the ordinary course of business of such Loan Party or any of the Loan Parties;

(o) transfers of assets, including Inventory, in connection with Store closings (and/or department closings within Stores) permitted pursuant to Section 6.02(l);

(p) Dispositions to effectuate the REIT Transaction; and

(q) Dispositions of Credit Card Program Assets to or by a Credit Card Royalty Securitization Subsidiary pursuant to a Credit Card Royalty Securitization, so long as the Net Proceeds of such Credit Card Royalty Securitization received by Holdings or any Subsidiary are applied as permitted pursuant to Section 6.02(j)(iii)(B) or, if elected by Borrowers or with respect to any Net Proceeds remaining after such application permitted by Section 6.02(j)(iii)(B), to the Application of Disposition Proceeds.

Permitted Holder ” means ESL Investments, Inc. and any of its Affiliates other than a Group Member.

Permitted Holder Lender ” means (x) any Permitted Holder and/or (y) any Significant Holder, provided , that , the Permitted Holder Lenders (collectively with the Specified 2018 FILO Lenders) shall not (taken as a whole) at any time hold more than 20% of the sum of (A) the Aggregate Revolving Commitments outstanding (or, if the Aggregate Revolving Commitments have been terminated, the aggregate Revolving Extensions of Credit), (B) the principal amount of the Term Loans outstanding, and (C) the principal amount of the 2016 Term Loans outstanding and (D) the principal amount of the 2018 FILO Loans outstanding; provided , further that , no Permitted Holder or Significant Holder shall at any time hold any portion of any FILO Facility (except as otherwise provided in Section 2.20(c) ) (which requirements are, in the case of the 2018 FILO Facility, satisfied if such Permitted Holder or Significant Holder is a Specified 2018 FILO Lender ); provided , further , that , such Permitted Holder Lender shall execute a waiver in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Agent that it shall have no right whatsoever with respect to that portion of the Commitments, the Advances, the Term Loan or the 2016 Term Loan which it holds (a) to consent to any amendment, modification, waiver, consent or other such action with respect to any of the terms of any Loan Document, (b) otherwise to vote on any matter related to any Loan Document, (c) to require Agents or any Lender to undertake any action (or refrain from taking any action) with respect to any Loan Document, (d) to attend any meeting with the Agent or any Lender or receive any information from the Agent or any Lender, (e) to the benefit of any advice provided by counsel to the Agents or the other Lenders or to challenge the attorney-client privilege of the communications between the Agents, such other Lenders and such counsel, or (f) make or bring any claim, in its capacity as Lender, against any Agent with respect to the fiduciary duties of such Agent or Lender and the other duties and obligations of the Agents hereunder; except, that, no amendment, modification or waiver to any Loan Document shall, without such Permitted Holder Lender’s consent, deprive any Permitted Holder Lender of its pro rata share of any payments to which the Lenders as a group (or any Class thereof) are otherwise entitled hereunder or otherwise single out, or intentionally discriminate against the Permitted Holder Lender, as such. For purposes of this definition, plural references to “Agents” contained in clauses (c) through (f) shall have the meaning set forth in Section 8.03, and references to “such Agent” or “any Agent” shall have corresponding meanings, as the context shall require.

Permitted Investments ” means each of the following as long as no Default or Event of Default exists at the time of the making such of Investment or would arise from the making of such Investment:

(a) Investments existing on, or contractually committed as of, July 21, 2015, and set forth in the Perfection Certificate;


(b) (i) Investments by any Loan Party and its Subsidiaries in their respective Subsidiaries outstanding on July 21, 2015, (ii) Investments by any Loan Party and its Subsidiaries in Loan Parties, and (iii) Investments by Subsidiaries that are not Loan Parties in Holdings or any Subsidiary;

(c) other Investments of any Loan Party in any other Subsidiary of Holdings which is not a Loan Party; provided , that (1) such Investment is incurred in the ordinary course of business consistent with past practices in connection with cash management, (2) such Investments shall not exceed $100,000,000 in the aggregate at any one time outstanding and the Pro Forma and Projected Capped Excess Availability is at least 25% of the Line Cap, or (3) (a) at the time of any such Investment and immediately after giving pro forma effect thereto, no Default or Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing, and (b) after giving effect to any such Investment (A) the Pro Forma and Projected Capped Excess Availability is at least 15% of the Line Cap, and (B) the Pro Forma Fixed Charge Ratio shall be at least 1.0 to 1.0;

(d) Investments of any Loan Party in any other Person not constituting an Acquisition; provided that (a) at the time of any such Investment and immediately after giving pro forma effect thereto, no Default or Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing, and (b) after giving effect to any such Investment (A) the Pro Forma and Projected Capped Excess Availability is at least 15% of the Line Cap, and (B) the Pro Forma Fixed Charge Ratio shall be at least 1.0 to 1.0;

(e) Investments constituting a Permitted Acquisition and Investments held by the Person acquired in such Acquisition at the time of such Acquisition (and not acquired in contemplation of such Acquisition);

(f) Investments arising out of the receipt of non-cash consideration for the sale of assets otherwise permitted under this Agreement;

(g) Policy Investments;

(h) Investments in Swap Contracts not entered into for speculative purposes;

(i) to the extent not prohibited by applicable law, (1) advances to officers, directors and employees and consultants of the Loan Parties made for travel, entertainment, relocation and other ordinary business purposes and (2) advances to officers, directors and employees and consultants of non-Loan Parties made for travel, entertainment, relocation and other ordinary business purposes, provided, in the case of this clause (2), such advances are made by non-Loan Parties and not with the proceeds of any Investments made by any Loan Party in such non-Loan Party unless otherwise permitted hereunder;

(j) Investments received in connection with the bankruptcy or reorganization of, or settlement of delinquent accounts and disputes with or judgments against, customers and suppliers, in each case in the ordinary course of business or Investments acquired by any Group Member as a result of a foreclosure by any Loan Party with respect to any secured Investments or other transfer of title with respect to any secured Investment in default;

(k) Investments consisting of contributions of Credit Card Program Assets to a Credit Card Royalty Securitization Subsidiary in connection with a Credit Card Royalty Securitization;

(l) Investments made with the common stock of Holdings;

(m) accounts receivable, security deposits and prepayments arising and trade credit granted in the ordinary course of business;

(n) Guarantees by Holdings or any Subsidiary of operating leases (other than Capital Lease Obligations) or of other obligations that do not constitute Debt, in each case entered into by Holdings or any Subsidiary in the ordinary course of business;


(o) (1) advances in the form of a prepayment of expenses of any Loan Party, so long as such expenses are being paid in accordance with customary trade terms of the applicable Loan Party and (2) advances in the form of a prepayment of expenses of any non-Loan Party, so long as such expenses are being paid in accordance with customary trade terms of the applicable non-Loan Party, provided, in the case of this clause (2), such advances are made by non-Loan Parties and not with the proceeds of any Investments made by any Loan Party in such non-Loan Party unless otherwise permitted hereunder;

(p) Investments consisting of the licensing or contribution of Intellectual Property pursuant to joint marketing arrangements with other Persons, provided that no such Investment shall impair in any manner the limited license granted to the Co-Collateral Agents in such Intellectual Property pursuant to the Loan Documents;

(q) Investments in joint ventures that own real properties upon which Stores are located existing as of July 21, 2015 and entered into hereafter in the ordinary course of business;

(r) other Investments in an amount not to exceed $50,000,000 in the aggregate outstanding at any time; provided that any cash returns on such Investments, whether in the form of dividends or otherwise, other than Investments in Holdings and its Subsidiaries, are subject to the Application of Disposition Proceeds; and

(s) Investments in joint ventures made pursuant to a contribution of assets (other than cash or cash equivalents) constituting all or a portion of the Sears Automotive Center business and/or the DieHard business (including related trademarks and other intellectual property); provided that (i) in the event that any Inventory included in the Borrowing Base is contributed to any such joint venture in connection with such Investment, the Borrowers shall, upon or prior to the making of such Investment, deliver to the Agent a Borrowing Base Certificate giving effect on a pro forma basis to such Investment and, to the extent required pursuant to Section 2.11(c), repay Advances or otherwise satisfy Obligations and (ii) any dividends and distributions received by the Loan Parties from such joint ventures, any Net Proceeds received by the Loan Parties from the sale of any assets by such joint ventures and any other cash received by the Loan Parties from such joint ventures (whether at the time of contribution of assets to such joint venture or any deferred payment received) shall be applied pursuant to the Application of Disposition Proceeds.

Permitted Liens ” means:

(a) Liens for taxes, assessments and governmental charges or levies to the extent such taxes, assessments or governmental charges are being contested in good faith and by proper proceedings and as to which appropriate reserves are being maintained;

(b) Liens imposed by law, such as materialmen’s, mechanics’, carriers’, workmen’s and repairmen’s Liens and other similar Liens arising in the ordinary course of business 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 and as to which appropriate reserves are being maintained;

(c) landlords’ Liens arising in the ordinary course of business securing (i) rents not yet due and payable, (ii) rent for Stores in an amount not to exceed the monthly base rent due for the immediately preceding calendar month and (iii) rents for Stores in excess of the amount set forth in the preceding clause (ii) so long as such amounts are being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings and as to which appropriate reserves are being maintained;

(d) any attachment or judgment lien not constituting an Event of Default under Section 7.01(f);


(e) Liens presently existing or hereafter created in favor of the Co-Collateral Agents, on behalf of the Credit Parties;

(f) Liens arising by the terms of commercial letters of credit (including, without limitation, pursuant to an Other LC Facility), entered into in the ordinary course of business to secure reimbursement obligations thereunder, provided that such Liens only encumber the title documents and underlying goods relating to such letters of credit or cash and cash equivalents as permitted under clause (m) hereof;

(g) claims under PACA and PASA;

(h) Liens in favor of issuers of credit cards arising in the ordinary course of business securing the obligation to pay customary fees and expenses in connection with credit card arrangements;

(i) Liens incurred or deposits made by any Group Member in the ordinary course of business in connection with workers’ compensation and other casualty insurance lines, unemployment insurance and other types of social security, or to secure the performance of tenders, statutory obligations, bids, leases, government contracts, performance and return-of-money bonds and other similar obligations (exclusive of obligations for the payment of borrowed money);

(j) easements, rights-of-way, covenants, conditions, restrictions (including zoning restrictions), declarations, rights of reverter, minor defects or irregularities in title and other similar charges or encumbrances, whether or not of record, that do not, in the aggregate, interfere in any material respect with the ordinary course of business, or in respect of any real property which is part of the Collateral, any title defects, liens, charges or encumbrances (other than such prohibited monetary Liens) which the title company is prepared to endorse or insure by exclusion or affirmative endorsement reasonably acceptable to the Agent and which is included in any title policy;

(k) any interest or title of a lessor or sublessor under, and Liens arising from precautionary UCC financing statements (or equivalent filings, registrations or agreements in foreign jurisdictions) relating to, leases and subleases permitted by this Agreement;

(l) normal and customary rights of setoff upon deposits of cash or other Liens originating solely by virtue of any statutory or common law provision, or ordinary course contractual obligation, relating to bankers’ liens, rights of setoff or similar rights in favor of banks or other depository institutions;

(m) Liens on cash and cash equivalents securing obligations in respect of Other LC Facilities and in respect of standby or trade letters of credit not constituting Obligations or trade-related bank guarantees;

(n) Liens granted to consignors who have properly perfected on consigned Inventory owned by such consignors and created in the ordinary course of business;

(o) Liens on premium rebates securing financing arrangements with respect to insurance premiums;

(p) deposits and other customary Liens to secure the performance of bids, trade contracts (other than for Debt), leases (other than Capital Lease Obligations), statutory and regulatory obligations, surety and appeal bonds, performance and return of money bonds, bids, leases, government contracts, trade contracts, agreements with utilities, and other obligations of a like nature incurred in the ordinary course of business, including those incurred to secure health, safety and environmental obligations in the ordinary course of business;


(q) Liens that are contractual rights of set-off (i) relating to the establishment of depository relations with banks not given in connection with the issuance of Debt or (ii) relating to pooled deposit or sweep accounts of the Borrowers or any Subsidiary to permit satisfaction of overdraft or similar obligations incurred in the ordinary course of business of the Borrowers or any Subsidiary;

(r) Liens in favor of customs and revenue authorities arising as a matter of law to secure payment of customs duties in connection with the importation of goods;

(s) Liens solely on any cash earnest money deposits made by any Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries in connection with any letter of intent or purchase agreement in respect of any Investment permitted hereunder;

(t) Liens on securities that are the subject of repurchase agreements constituting Policy Investments;

(u) Liens on cash and cash equivalents securing Swap Contracts incurred in the ordinary course of business; and

(v) other Liens on cash and cash equivalents in an amount not to exceed $25,000,000 held by a third party as security for any obligation (other than Debt) permitted to be incurred by any Group Member hereunder.

Permitted Overadvance ” means an Overadvance made by the Agent, in its Permitted Discretion, or at the direction of any Co-Collateral Agent, which:

(a) is made to maintain, protect or preserve the Collateral and/or the Credit Parties’ rights under the Loan Documents or which is otherwise for the benefit of the Credit Parties;

(b) is made to enhance the likelihood of, or to maximize the amount of, repayment of the Obligations;

(c) is made to pay any other amount chargeable to any Loan Party hereunder; and

(d) together with all other Permitted Overadvances then outstanding, shall not (i) exceed five percent (5%) of the Borrowing Base at any time or (ii) unless a Liquidation is occurring, remain outstanding for more than thirty (30) consecutive Business Days, unless in each case, the Required Lenders otherwise agree;

provided , however , that the foregoing shall not (i) modify or abrogate any of the provisions of Article III regarding any Revolving Lender’s obligations with respect to Letters of Credit, or (ii) result in any claim or liability against the Agent or the Co-Collateral Agents (regardless of the amount of any Overadvance) for “inadvertent Overadvances” (i.e. where an Overadvance results from changed circumstances beyond the control of the Agent or the Co-Collateral Agents (such as a reduction in the collateral value)), and such “inadvertent Overadvances” shall not reduce the amount of Permitted Overadvances allowed hereunder, and further , provided , that in no event shall the Agent make an Overadvance, if after giving effect thereto, the principal amount of the Revolving Extensions of Credit would exceed the Aggregate Revolving Commitments (as in effect prior to any termination of the Revolving Commitments pursuant to Section 2.06 hereof).

Permitted Refinancing Debt ” shall mean any Debt issued in exchange for, or the Net Proceeds of which are used to extend, refinance, renew, replace, defease or refund (collectively, to “ Refinance ”), the Debt being Refinanced (or previous refinancings thereof constituting Permitted Refinancing Debt); provided , that (a) the principal amount (or accreted value, if applicable) of such Permitted Refinancing


Debt does not exceed the principal amount (or accreted value, if applicable) of the Debt so Refinanced (plus unpaid accrued interest and premium (including tender premiums) thereon and underwriting discounts, defeasance costs, fees, commissions and expenses), (b) the maturity date of such Permitted Refinancing Debt shall not be earlier than the maturity date of the Debt being Refinanced and weighted average life to maturity of such Permitted Refinancing Debt shall be greater than or equal to the weighted average life to maturity of the Debt being Refinanced, (c) if the Debt being Refinanced is subordinated in right of payment to the Obligations under this Agreement, such Permitted Refinancing Debt shall be subordinated in right of payment to such Obligations on terms at least as favorable to the Lenders as those contained in the documentation governing the Debt being Refinanced, (d) no Permitted Refinancing Debt shall have different obligors, or greater guarantees or security, or higher priority guarantees or security, than the Debt being Refinanced; and (e) the Permitted Refinancing Debt shall otherwise be on terms which would not reasonably likely result in a Material Adverse Effect.

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

Pharmacy Receivables ” means Accounts arising from the sale of prescription drugs or other Inventory which can be dispensed only through an order of a licensed professional.

Plan ” means a Single Employer Plan or a Multiple Employer Plan.

Policy Investments ” means Investments made in accordance with the investment policy of the Loan Parties set forth on Schedule 6.02(k)(ii) , as such policy may be amended from time to time with the reasonable consent of the Agent, such consent not to be unreasonably withheld.

Pricing Grid ” means the pricing grid set forth on Schedule IA .

Pro Forma and Projected Capped Excess Availability ” shall mean, for any date of calculation, after giving effect to the applicable transaction or payment, the pro forma and projected Capped Excess Availability for the subsequent twelve (12) fiscal month period, determined as of the last day of each fiscal month in such period and based on Holdings’ good faith projections that are used to run the businesses of the Borrowers and prepared in accordance with past practice, which projections shall be reasonably satisfactory to the Agent and the Co-Collateral Agents.

Pro Forma and Projected Suppressed Availability ” shall mean, for any date of calculation, after giving effect to the applicable transaction or payment, the pro forma and projected Suppressed Availability for the subsequent twelve (12) fiscal month period, determined as of the last day of each fiscal month in such period and based on Holdings’ good faith projections that are used to run the businesses of the Borrowers and prepared in accordance with past practice, which projections shall be reasonably satisfactory to the Agent and the Co-Collateral Agents.

Pro Forma Fixed Charge Ratio ” shall mean, for any date of calculation, the Fixed Charge Ratio as of the last day of the most recently completed fiscal quarter for which financial statements are available or were required to have been delivered pursuant to Section 6.01(j) (the “ Reference Date ”), after giving pro forma effect to any applicable transaction or payment as if such transaction or payment had occurred on the first day of the four fiscal quarter period ending on the Reference Date.

Pro Rata Basis ” means, (x) with respect to any prepayment of the Term Loan pursuant to Section 2.11(a)(ii), and corresponding reduction in the Aggregate Revolving Commitments pursuant to the proviso thereto, that (i) the principal amount of such prepayment as a percentage of the aggregate outstanding principal amount of the Term Loan immediately prior to such prepayment is equal to (ii) the aggregate amount of such reduction as a percentage of the Aggregate Revolving Commitments (or, as applicable, the


Revolving Commitments of the 2015 Non-Extending Lenders) immediately prior to such reduction, and (y) with respect to any prepayment of the 2016 Term Loan pursuant to Section 2.11(a)(iii), and corresponding reduction in the Aggregate Revolving Commitments and prepayment of the Term Loan pursuant to the proviso thereto, that (i) the principal amount of such prepayment of the 2016 Term Loan as a percentage of the aggregate outstanding principal amount of the 2016 Term Loan immediately prior to such prepayment is equal to (ii) (A) the aggregate amount of such reduction as a percentage of the Aggregate Revolving Commitments (or, as applicable, the Revolving Commitments of the 2015 Non-Extending Lenders) immediately prior to such reduction and (B) the aggregate amount of such prepayment of the Term loan as a percentage of the Term Loan immediately prior to such reduction.

Pro Rata Share ” means, as to any Lender as of any date of determination, a percentage equal to (i) the sum of such Lender’s Revolving Commitment and/or share of the outstanding principal amount of the Term Loan and/or the 2016 Term Loan and, if applicable, FILO Loans as of such date, as applicable, divided by (ii) the Aggregate Revolving Commitments and the aggregate outstanding principal amount of the Term Loan, the 2016 Term Loan and, if applicable, FILO Loans as of such date.

Qualified ECP Guarantor ” means, at any time, each Loan Party with total assets exceeding $10,000,000 or that qualifies at such time as an “eligible contract participant” under the Commodity Exchange Act and can cause another Person to qualify as an “eligible contract participant” at such time under Section 1a(18)(A)(v)(II) of the Commodity Exchange Act.

Recipient ” means the Agent, the Co-Collateral Agents, any Lender, any Issuing Lender or any other recipient of any payment to be made by or on account of any obligation of any Loan Party hereunder.

Refunded Swingline Advances ” has the meaning specified in Section 2.04(b).

Register ” has the meaning specified in Section 9.07(d).

Reimbursement Obligation ” means the obligation of the Borrowers to reimburse the Issuing Lender pursuant to Section 3.05 for amounts drawn under Letters of Credit.

REIT Transaction ” means the sale of 235 real properties (and related assets) and interests in certain joint ventures of Holdings and its subsidiaries on the terms set forth in the Form S-11 of Seritage Growth Properties (including the related exhibits) on file with the SEC.

Related Intellectual Property ” means such rights with respect to the Intellectual Property of Holdings and its Subsidiaries as are reasonably necessary to permit the Co-Collateral Agents to enforce their rights and remedies under the Loan Documents with respect to the Collateral.

REMIC Certificates ” means the SRC Commercial Mortgage Trust 2003-1 Mortgage Pass-Through Certificates in the aggregate face amount of $1,312,416,000 (as amended, supplemented or otherwise modified, replaced or refinanced, in any case in a manner not materially adverse to the Lenders).

Reorganization ” means with respect to any Multiemployer Plan, the condition that such Plan is in reorganization within the meaning of Section 4241 of ERISA.

Reportable Event ” means any of the events set forth in Section 4043(c) of ERISA, other than those events as to which the thirty day notice period is waived under subsections .27, .28, .29, .30, .31, .32, .34 or .35 of PBGC Reg. § 4043.

“Required 2018 FILO Lenders” means, at any time, the holders of more than 50% of the principal amount of the 2018 FILO Loan then outstanding.


Required Lenders ” means, at any time, the holders of more than 50% of the sum of the Aggregate Revolving Commitments (other than Commitments held by Permitted Holder Lenders or Specified 2018 FILO Lenders ) then in effect and the principal amount of the Term Loan and , the 2016 Term Loan and the 2018 FILO Loan then outstanding (other than the portion of the Term Loan and/or the 2016 Term Loan held by Permitted Holder Lenders and the portion of the 2018 FILO Loan held by Specified 2018 FILO Lenders ) or, if the Aggregate Revolving Commitments have been terminated, the holders of more than 50% of the Total Extensions of Credit then outstanding (other than Extensions of Credit held by Permitted Holder Lenders ). or Specified 2018 FILO Lenders); provided that, with respect to any amendment, modification or waiver of (i) Section 6.02(o), “Required Lenders” shall mean, in addition, the Required 2018 FILO Lenders or (ii)(A) the definition of “Required 2018 FILO Lenders” or (B) this definition of “Required Lenders” (in a manner that would change the voting rights of the 2018 FILO Lenders under this proviso), “Required Lenders” shall mean, in addition, all 2018 FILO Lenders.

Requirements of Law ” means 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.

Reserve Notice Period ” means one day prior notice to the Borrowers, unless a Cash Dominion Event has occurred and is continuing, in which case the Reserve Notice Period shall mean any notice period (including no notice) determined by any Co-Collateral Agent in its Permitted Discretion to be necessary or desirable to protect the interests of the Credit Parties.

Restricted Payment ” means any dividend or other distribution (whether in cash, securities or other property) with respect to any equity interests in Holdings or any Subsidiary of Holdings, or any payment (whether in cash, securities or other property), including any sinking fund or similar deposit, on account of the purchase, redemption, retirement, acquisition, cancellation or termination of any such equity interests in Holdings or any Subsidiary of Holdings or any option, warrant or other right to acquire any such equity interests in Holdings or any Subsidiary of Holdings.

Revolving Advance ” has the meaning specified in Section 2.01. A Revolving Advance may be a Base Rate Advance or a Eurodollar Rate Advance (each of which shall be a “ Type ” of Revolving Advance).

Revolving Commitment ” means, as to any Revolving Lender, the obligation of such Revolving Lender to make Revolving Advances and participate in Swingline Advances and Letters of Credit in an aggregate principal amount and/or face amount up to (a) the amount set forth opposite such Revolving Lender’s name on Schedule 1.01 or (b) if such Revolving Lender has entered into any Assignment and Acceptance, the amount set forth for such Revolving Lender in the Register maintained by the Agent pursuant to Section 9.07(d), as such amount may be reduced or increased pursuant to Section 2.06.

Revolving Commitment Increase ” means an increase in the Revolving Commitment requested pursuant to Section 2.19(b).

Revolving Commitment Percentage ” means, as to any Revolving Lender at any time, the percentage which such Revolving Lender’s Revolving Commitment then constitutes of the Aggregate Revolving Commitments or, at any time after the Aggregate Revolving Commitments shall have expired or terminated, the percentage which the aggregate principal amount of such Revolving Lender’s Advances then outstanding plus such Revolving Lender’s participation in Swingline Loans and L/C Obligations constitutes of the aggregate principal amount of the Advances, Swingline Loans and L/C Obligations then outstanding; provided , that , after the Revolving Commitment of any 2015 Non-Extending Lender shall have expired or terminated (other than as a result of the termination of all Revolving Commitments pursuant to Section 2.06 hereof or pursuant to Section 7.01 hereof) and all Obligations owed to such 2015


Non-Extending Lender have been paid in full, (x) the Revolving Commitment Percentage of such 2015 Non-Extending Lender for purposes of Section 8.08 hereof shall be its Revolving Commitment Percentages immediately prior to such date, and (y) the Revolving Commitment Percentages of the 2015 Extending Lenders shall be appropriately adjusted for all other purposes to reflect the termination of the Revolving Commitments of the 2015 Non-Extending Lenders.

Revolving Extensions of Credit ” means as to any Revolving Lender at any time, an amount equal to the sum of (a) the aggregate principal amount of all Revolving Advances held by such Revolving Lender then outstanding, (b) such Revolving Lender’s Revolving Commitment Percentage of the aggregate principal amount of Swingline Advances then outstanding and (c) such Revolving Lender’s Revolving Commitment Percentage of the L/C Obligations then outstanding.

Revolving Lenders ” means, collectively, any Persons signatory hereto as a Revolving Lender, and each Person that shall become a party hereto as a revolving lender pursuant to Section 9.07, and shall include all 2015 Extending Lenders, the 2015 Non-Extending Lenders and all future Revolving Lenders who hold an Extended Revolving Commitment.

Revolving Termination Date ” means the earlier of (a) April 8, 2016 and (ii) the date of termination in whole of the Aggregate Revolving Commitments pursuant to Section 2.06 or 7.01.

Sears ” means Sears, Roebuck and Co., a New York corporation.

SEC ” means the United States Securities and Exchange Commission.

Second Amendment ” means that certain Second Amendment to Third Amended and Restated Credit Agreement dated as of February 10, 2017 among Holdings, the Borrower, the Required Lenders, the Agent and the Co-Collateral Agents.

Second Amendment Effective Date ” means February 10, 2017.

Security Documents ” means the collective reference to the Guarantee and Collateral Agreement, and all other security documents hereafter delivered to the Co-Collateral Agents granting a Lien on any property of any Person to secure the obligations and liabilities of any Loan Party under any Loan Document.

Senior Unsecured Notes ” means those certain 8% senior unsecured notes due 2019 issued by Holdings pursuant to the First Supplemental Indenture dated November 19, 2014 by and between Holdings, as Issuer and Computershare Trust Company, N.A. as Trustee.

Short Term ” means, with respect to any commercial paper or other Debt for borrowed money, that such commercial paper or other Debt for borrowed money has a maturity of 180 days or less from the date of the incurrence or issuance of such Debt.

Significant Holder ” means (i) any “person” or “group” (as such terms are used in Sections 13(d) and 14(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, but excluding any employee benefit plan of such person or its Subsidiaries, and any Person or entity acting in its capacity as trustee, agent or other fiduciary or administrator of any such plan), which is the “beneficial owner” (as defined in Rules 13d-3 and 13d-5 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934) of 10% or more of the equity securities of Holdings entitled to vote for members of the Board of Directors of Holdings on a fully-diluted basis (and taking into account all such securities that such person or group has the right to acquire pursuant to any option right), and (ii) any Affiliate of any such Person described in clause (i) above.


Single Employer Plan ” means a single employer plan, as defined in Section 4001(a)(15) of ERISA, that (a) is maintained for employees of any Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate and no Person other than such Borrower and the ERISA Affiliates or (b) was so maintained and in respect of which any Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate could have liability under Section 4069 of ERISA in the event such plan has been or were to be terminated.

“Sixth Amendment” means that certain Sixth Amendment to Third Amended and Restated Credit Agreement, dated as of March 21, 2018, among Holdings, the Borrowers, the 2018 FILO Lenders, the Co-Collateral Agents and the Agent.

“Sixth Amendment Effective Date” means the “Amendment Effective Date” as defined in the Sixth Amendment to Third Amended and Restated Credit Agreement, dated as of March 21, 2018, among Holdings, the Borrowers, the FILO Lenders party thereto, the Co-Collateral Agents and the Agent (which date is also the 2018 FILO Effective Date).

Solvent ” means, when used with respect to any Person, that, as of any date of determination, (a) the amount of the “present fair saleable value” 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) such Person will not have, as of such date, an unreasonably small amount of capital with which to conduct its business, and (c) such Person will be able to pay its debts as they mature.

“Specified 2018 FILO Lenders” means any 2018 FILO Lender that is a Permitted Holder or a Significant Holder, provided, that, the Specified 2018 FILO Lenders (collectively with the Permitted Holder Lenders) shall not (taken as a whole) at any time hold more than 20% of the sum of (A) the Aggregate Revolving Commitments outstanding (or, if the Aggregate Revolving Commitments have been terminated, the aggregate Revolving Extensions of Credit), (B) the principal amount of the Term Loans outstanding, (C) the principal amount of the 2016 Term Loans outstanding and (D) the principal amount of the 2018 FILO Loans outstanding; provided, further that, no Permitted Holder or Significant Holder shall at any time hold any portion of any FILO Facility (except as otherwise provided in Section 2.20(c)) (which requirements are, in the case of the 2018 FILO Facility, satisfied if such Permitted Holder or Significant Holder is a Specified 2018 FILO Lender); provided, further, that, such Specified 2018 FILO Lender shall execute a waiver in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Agent that it shall have no right whatsoever with respect to that portion of the 2018 FILO Commitments or 2018 FILO Loans which it holds (a) to consent to any amendment, modification, waiver, consent or other such action with respect to any of the terms of any Loan Document, (b) otherwise to vote on any matter related to any Loan Document, (c) to require Agents or any Lender to undertake any action (or refrain from taking any action) with respect to any Loan Document, (d) to attend any meeting with the Agent or any Lender or receive any information from the Agent or any Lender, (e) to the benefit of any advice provided by counsel to the Agents or the other Lenders or to challenge the attorney-client privilege of the communications between the Agents, such other Lenders and such counsel, or (f) make or bring any claim, in its capacity as Lender, against any Agent with respect to the fiduciary duties of such Agent or Lender and the other duties and obligations of the Agents hereunder; except, that, no amendment, modification or waiver to any Loan Document shall (A) without the consent of each affected Specified 2018 FILO Lender (i) increase the amount or extend the expiration date of such Specified 2018 FILO Lender’s 2018 FILO Commitment, (ii) reduce the principal of, or interest on, the 2018 FILO Loan or any fees or other amounts payable to such Specified 2018 FILO Lender with respect thereto or (iii) postpone any date fixed for any payment of principal of, or interest on, the 2018 FILO Loan or any fees or other amounts payable to such Specified 2018 FILO Lender with respect thereto or (B) without such Specified 2018 FILO Lender’s consent, deprive any Specified 2018 FILO Lender of its pro rata share of any payments to which the 2018 FILO Lenders as a group are otherwise entitled hereunder or otherwise single out, or intentionally discriminate against the Specified 2018 FILO Lenders, as such. For purposes of this definition, plural references to “Agents” contained in clauses (c) through (f) shall have the meaning set forth in Section 8.03, and references to “such Agent” or “any Agent” shall have corresponding meanings, as the context shall require.


Specified Loan Party ” means any Loan Party that is not then an “eligible contract participant” under the Commodity Exchange Act (determined prior to giving effect to Section 9.19).

“Specified Obligations Reserve” means a reserve against Incremental Availability in an amount from time to time equal to the sum of (i) 50% of the amount of expected liabilities and obligations (up to $112,500,000) of the Loan Parties with respect to Bank Products and Cash Management Services (excluding the 2016 Letter of Credit Facility) at such time plus (ii) 100% of the amount of expected liabilities and obligations (above $112,500,000) of the Loan Parties with respect to Bank Products and Cash Management Services (excluding the 2016 Letter of Credit Facility) at such time. The amount of the Specified Obligations Reserve (and reasonably detailed calculations thereof) shall be included by the Borrowers in each Borrowing Base Certificate delivered from and after the Sixth Amendment Effective Date.

SRAC ” has the meaning provided in the Preamble.

Standby L/C ” means an irrevocable letter of credit or similar instrument under which the Issuing Lender agrees to make payments in Dollars for the account of any Borrower, on behalf of any Group Member in respect of obligations of such Group Member incurred pursuant to contracts made or performances undertaken or to be undertaken or like matters relating to contracts to which such Group Member is or proposes to become a party, including, without limiting the foregoing, for insurance purposes or in respect of advance payments or as bid or performance bonds or for any other purpose for which a standby letter of credit might be issued.

Store ” means any store owned or leased and operated by any Loan Party.

Store Closure Sale ” means a store closure sale that, if including more than twenty (20) stores (whether in one transaction or a series of related transactions), is properly managed by an independent, nationally recognized, professional retail inventory liquidation firm reasonably acceptable to the Co-Collateral Agents, over a defined period that is anticipated by the Borrowers not to exceed 12 weeks (on average) from the date of the same commencement.

Subsidiary ” of any Person means any corporation, partnership, joint venture, limited liability company, trust or estate of which (or in which) more than 50% of the issued and outstanding capital stock or other equity interest having ordinary voting power to elect a majority of the Board of Directors or other governing body of such corporation, partnership, joint venture, limited liability company, trust or estate (irrespective of whether at the time capital stock or other equity interests of any other class or classes of such corporation, partnership, joint venture, limited liability company, trust or estate shall or might have voting power upon the occurrence of any contingency), is at the time directly or indirectly owned by such Person, by such Person and one or more of its other Subsidiaries or by one or more of such Person’s other Subsidiaries.

Subsidiary Guarantor ” means each direct and indirect wholly owned Domestic Subsidiary of Holdings, that owns Inventory, Credit Card Accounts Receivable, Pharmacy Receivables, or other Collateral (as defined in the Guarantee and Collateral Agreement).

Supermajority Lenders ” means, at any time, the holders of 66-2/3% or more of the sum of the Aggregate Revolving Commitments (other than Commitments held by Permitted Holder Lenders or Specified 2018 FILO Lenders ) then in effect and the principal amount of the Term Loan and , the 2016 Term Loan and the 2018 FILO Loan then outstanding (other than the portion of the Term Loan and/or the 2016 Term Loan held by Permitted Holder Lenders and the portion of the 2018 FILO Loan held by


Specified 2018 FILO Lenders ) or, if the Aggregate Revolving Commitments have been terminated, the holders of 66-2/3% or more of the Total Extensions of Credit then outstanding (other than Extensions of Credit held by Permitted Holder Lenders or Specified 2018 FILO Lenders ).

Suppressed Availability ” means, at any time of calculation, the excess, if any, of the Borrowing Base over the sum of (i) the Aggregate Revolving Commitments at such time and (ii) the principal amount of the Term Loan and the 2016 Term Loan outstanding at such time.

Swap Contract ” means (a) any and all rate swap transactions, basis swaps, credit derivative transactions, forward rate transactions, commodity swaps, commodity options, forward commodity contracts, equity or equity index swaps or options, bond or bond price or bond index swaps or options or forward bond or forward bond price or forward bond index transactions, interest rate options, forward foreign exchange transactions, cap transactions, floor transactions, collar transactions, currency swap transactions, cross-currency rate swap transactions, currency options, spot contracts, or any other similar transactions or any combination of any of the foregoing (including any options to enter into any of the foregoing), whether or not any such transaction is governed by or subject to any master agreement, and (b) any and all transactions of any kind, and the related confirmations, which are subject to the terms and conditions of, or governed by, any form of master agreement published by the International Swaps and Derivatives Association, Inc., any International Foreign Exchange Master Agreement, or any other master agreement (any such master agreement, together with any related schedules, a “ Master Agreement ”), including any such obligations or liabilities under any Master Agreement.

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

Swingline Advances ” has the meaning specified in Section 2.03.

Swingline Commitment ” means the obligation of the Swingline Lender to make Swingline Advances pursuant to Section 2.03 in an aggregate principal amount at any one time outstanding not to exceed $100,000,000.

Swingline Lender ” means the Bank, in its capacity as the lender of Swingline Advances.

Swingline Participation Amount ” has the meaning specified in Section 2.04(c).

Syndication Agent ” has the meaning provided in the Preamble and any successors thereto.

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

Term Commitment ” means, as to any Term Lender, the obligation of such Term Lender to make its portion of the Term Loan on October 2, 2013.

Term Lenders ” means, collectively, any Persons party hereto as a Term Lender (including each 2017 Extending Term Lender and each 2017 Additional Extending Term Lender), and each Person that shall become a party hereto as a Term Lender pursuant to Section 9.07 and shall include all future Term Lenders who hold an Extended Term Loan.

Term Loan ” means, collectively, (i) the term loans made by the Term Lenders on October 2, 2013 pursuant to Section 2.01(b) and the term- loans made by the 2017 Additional Extending Term Lenders on the Third Amendment Effective Date pursuant to Section 2.01(d), and (ii) as used in the definitions of “Required Lenders” and “Supermajority Lenders”, the sum of (x) the term loans of all the Term Lenders and (y) to the extent any FILO Facility is a term loan facility, the FILO Loans of all of the FILO Lenders.


Term Loan Borrowing ” means a portion of the Term Loan of a particular Type; provided that no Term Loan Borrowing shall be in an aggregate principal amount of less than $5,000,000 and each Term Loan Borrowing constituting a Eurodollar Rate Advance shall be in a principal amount that is an integral multiple of $1,000,000 (unless no portion of the Term Loan constitutes a Base Rate Advance), and no more than ten (10) Interest Periods in the aggregate for Borrowings, Term Loan Borrowings and , 2016 Term Loan Borrowings and 2018 FILO Borrowings constituting Eurodollar Rate Advances may be outstanding at any time.

Term Loan Margin ” (a) with respect to any outstanding portion of the Term Loan that is a Eurodollar Rate Advance, 4.50% per annum, and (b) with respect to any outstanding portion of the Term Loan that is a Base Rate Advance, 3.50% per annum.

Term Loan Termination Date ” means January 20, 2019; provided that if the 2017 Extended Term Loan Extension Conditions have been met, the “ Term Loan Termination Date ” shall mean July 20, 2019.

Third Amendment ” means that certain Third Amendment to Third Amended and Restated Credit Agreement dated as of December 12, 2017 among Holdings, the Borrowers, the other Loan Parties, the 2017 Extending Term Lenders, the 2017 Additional Extending Term Lenders and the Agent.

Third Amendment Effective Date ” means December 12, 2017.

Third Party Payor Notification ” has the meaning specified in Section 6.01(m)(i)(C).

Third Party Payors ” means any private health insurance company that is obligated to reimburse or otherwise make payments to pharmacies which sell prescription drugs to eligible patients under any insurance contract with such private health insurer.

Total Extensions of Credit ” means at any time, the aggregate amount of the Extensions of Credit of the Lenders outstanding at such time.

Total Revolving Extensions of Credit ” means at any time, the aggregate amount of the Revolving Extensions of Credit of the Lenders outstanding at such time.

Trading With the Enemy Act ” means 50 U.S.C. § 1 et seq., as amended.

Transfer Date ” has the meaning set forth in Section 3.02(b) .

Transfer Notice ” means a written notice from the Borrowers, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Agent, executed by an Authorized Officer, specifying one or more Other LCs (including the beneficiary, face amount and expiry date thereof, and such other information as the Agent may reasonably request) which the Borrowers desire to deem issued under this Agreement and identifying a Transfer Date with respect thereto.

“Treasury Rate” means, with respect to any date, the yield, under the heading which represents the average for the immediately preceding week, appearing in the most recently published statistical release designated “H.15(159)” or any successor publication that is published weekly by the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System and that establishes yields on actively traded U.S. Treasury securities adjusted to constant maturity under the caption “Treasury Constant Maturities,” for the maturity closest to November 21, 2018.


Type ” means either a Base Rate Advance or a Eurodollar Rate Advance.

UCC ” means the Uniform Commercial Code as from time to time in effect in the State of New York, provided, however, that if a term is defined in Article 9 of the Uniform Commercial Code differently than in another Article thereof, the term shall have the meaning set forth in Article 9; provided further that, if by reason of mandatory provisions of law, perfection, or the effect of perfection or non-perfection, of a security interest in any Collateral or the availability of any remedy hereunder is governed by the Uniform Commercial Code as in effect in a jurisdiction other than New York, “Uniform Commercial Code” means the Uniform Commercial Code as in effect in such other jurisdiction for purposes of the provisions hereof relating to such perfection or effect of perfection or non-perfection or availability of such remedy, as the case may be.

Unfunded Pension Liability ” means the excess of a Pension Plan’s benefit liabilities under Section 4001(a)(16) of ERISA, over the current value of that Pension Plan’s assets, determined in accordance with the assumptions used for funding the Pension Plan pursuant to Section 412 of the Internal Revenue Code for the applicable plan year.

Voting Stock ” means capital stock issued by a corporation, or equivalent interests in any other Person, the holders of which are ordinarily, in the absence of contingencies, entitled to vote for the election of directors (or persons performing similar functions) of such Person, even if the right so to vote has been suspended by the happening of such a contingency.

WF Fee Letter ” means that certain Fee Letter dated as of April 6, 2011 among Holdings, Borrowers, Wells Fargo Capital Finance, LLC and Wells Fargo Bank, National Association.

SECTION 1.02. Computation of Time Periods . In this Agreement, unless otherwise specified, (a) in the computation of periods of time from a specified date to a later specified date, the word “ from ” means “ from and including ” and the words “ to ” and “ until ” each mean “ to but excluding ” (b) “ including ” means “ including without limitation ”; and (c) any reference to a time of day means Eastern time.

SECTION 1.03. Accounting Terms . All accounting terms not specifically defined herein or in the other Loan Documents shall be construed in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (“ GAAP ”) which for purposes of Section 6.03 shall be consistently applied. If at any time any change in U.S. generally accepted accounting principles would affect the computation of any financial ratio or requirement set forth herein, and either the Borrowers or the Required Lenders shall so request, the Agent, the Lenders and the Borrowers 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 which shall not be unreasonably withheld), provided that, until so amended, (i) such ratio or requirement shall continue to be computed in accordance with GAAP prior to such change in principles, and (ii) the Borrowers shall provide to the 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. For the avoidance of doubt, no retroactive change in GAAP shall apply to the construction of accounting terms under this Agreement in the absence of an amendment hereto in accordance with the terms of this Section 1.03.

SECTION 1.04. Other Interpretive Provisions . With reference to this Agreement and each other Loan Document, unless otherwise specified herein or in such other Loan Document, the definitions of terms herein shall apply equally to the singular and plural forms of the terms defined. Unless the context requires otherwise, (i) any definition of or reference to any agreement, instrument or other document shall be construed as referring to such agreement, instrument or other document as from time to time amended, supplemented or otherwise modified (subject to any restrictions on such amendments, supplements or modifications set forth herein or in any other Loan Document), (ii) any reference herein to any Person shall be construed to include such Person’s successors and assigns, (iii) the words “ herein ,” “ hereof ” and “ hereunder ,” and words of similar import when used in any Loan Document, shall be construed to refer to such Loan Document in its entirety and not to any particular provision


thereof, (iv) all references in a Loan Document to Articles, Sections, Exhibits and Schedules shall be construed to refer to Articles and Sections of, and Exhibits and Schedules to, the Loan Document in which such references appear, (v) 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, and (vi) the words “ asset ” and “ property ” shall be construed to have the same meaning and effect and to refer to any and all tangible and intangible assets and properties, including cash, securities, accounts and contract rights.

ARTICLE II

AMOUNTS AND TERMS OF THE ADVANCES, THE TERM LOAN AND , THE 2016 TERM LOAN , THE 2017

ADDITIONAL EXTENDED TERM LOAN AND THE 2018 FILO LOAN

SECTION 2.01. The Revolving Advances, the Term Loan and , the 2016 Term Loan, the 2017 Additional Extended Term Loan and the 2018 FILO Loan .

(a) Each Revolving Lender severally agrees, on the terms and conditions hereinafter set forth, to make revolving advances (the “ Revolving Advances ”) to the Borrowers from time to time on any Business Day during the period from the Effective Date until the Revolving Termination Date in the case of 2015 Non-Extending Lenders, or the Extended Termination Date in the case of 2015 Extending Lenders, as applicable, in an aggregate amount at any one time outstanding which, when added to such Lender’s Revolving Commitment Percentage of the sum of (i) the aggregate principal amount of the Swingline Advances then outstanding and (ii) the L/C Obligations then outstanding, equals the amount of such Lender’s Revolving Commitment; provided , that the aggregate principal amount of any Borrowing made at any time, when aggregated with all other then outstanding Extensions of Credit (excluding FILO Extensions of Credit), shall not exceed the Line Cap at such time. Each Borrowing under this Section 2.01 shall be in an aggregate amount of $5,000,000 or an integral multiple of $1,000,000 in excess thereof (provided, that the Swingline Lender may request, on behalf of the applicable Borrower, Borrowings that are Base Rate Advances in other amounts pursuant to Section 2.04(b)) and shall consist of Revolving Advances of the same Type made on the same day by the Revolving Lenders ratably according to their respective Revolving Commitments. Within the limits set forth in this Section 2.01(a), the Borrowers may borrow under this Section 2.01(a), prepay pursuant to Section 2.11 and reborrow under this Section 2.01(a).

(b) Each Term Lender severally agrees, on the terms and conditions hereinafter set forth, to make its portion of the Term Loan to the Borrowers on October 2, 2013 in a principal amount not to exceed the Term Commitment of such Term Lender. Amounts repaid in respect of the Term Loan may not be reborrowed. Upon each Term Lender’s making of its portion of the Term Loan, the Term Commitment of such Term Lender shall be terminated.

(c) Each 2016 Term Lender severally agrees, on the terms and conditions hereinafter set forth, to make its portion of the 2016 Term Loan to the Borrowers on the First Amendment Effective Date in a principal amount not to exceed the 2016 Term Commitment of such 2016 Term Lender. Amounts repaid in respect of the 2016 Term Loan may not be reborrowed. Upon each 2016 Term Lender’s making of its portion of the 2016 Term Loan, the 2016 Term Commitment of such 2016 Term Lender shall be terminated.

(d) Each 2017 Additional Extending Term Lender severally agrees, on the terms and conditions hereinafter set forth, to make its portion of the 2017 Additional Extended Term Loan to the Borrowers on the Third Amendment Effective Date in a principal amount equal to the 2017 Term Commitment of such 2017 Additional Extending Term Lender. Amounts repaid in respect of the 2017 Additional Extended Term Loan may not be reborrowed. Upon each 2017 Additional Extending Term Lender’s making of its portion of the 2017 Additional Extended Term Loan, the 2017 Term Commitment of such 2017 Additional Extending Term Lender shall be terminated.

(e) Each 2018 FILO Lender severally agrees, on the terms and conditions hereinafter set forth, to make its portion of the 2018 FILO Loan to the Borrowers on the Sixth Amendment Effective Date in a principal


amount not to exceed the 2018 FILO Commitment of such 2018 FILO Lender. Amounts repaid in respect of the 2018 FILO Loan may not be reborrowed. Upon each 2018 FILO Lender’s making of its portion of the 2018 FILO Loan, the 2018 FILO Commitment of such 2018 FILO Lender shall be terminated.

SECTION 2.02. Making the Revolving Advances .

(a) Each Borrowing under Section 2.01 shall be made on notice, given not later than (x) 12:00 noon on the third Business Day prior to the date of the proposed Borrowing in the case of a Borrowing consisting of Eurodollar Rate Advances or (y) 1:00 p.m. on the date of the proposed Borrowing in the case of a Borrowing consisting of Base Rate Advances, by the applicable Borrower to the Agent, which shall give to each Revolving Lender prompt notice thereof by telecopier. Each such notice of a Borrowing (a “ Notice of Borrowing ”) shall be by telephone, confirmed immediately in writing, by email attachment or by telecopier, in substantially the form of Exhibit A hereto, specifying therein the requested (i) date of such Borrowing, (ii) Type of Revolving Advances comprising such Borrowing, (iii) aggregate amount of such Borrowing, and (iv) in the case of a Borrowing consisting of Eurodollar Rate Advances, initial Interest Period for each such Revolving Advance. Each Notice of Borrowing shall be irrevocable and binding on the applicable Borrower. Each Revolving Lender shall, before 2:00 P.M. on the date of such Borrowing make available for the account of its Applicable Lending Office to the Agent at the Agent’s Account, in same day funds, such Revolving Lender’s ratable (in accordance with its Revolving Commitment Percentage) portion of such Borrowing. After the Agent’s receipt of such funds and upon fulfillment of the applicable conditions set forth in Article IV, the Agent will make such funds available to the Borrower requesting such Borrowing at the Agent’s address for Revolving Advances referred to in Section 9.02.

(b) Anything in subsection (a) above to the contrary notwithstanding, (i) a Borrower may not select Eurodollar Rate Advances for any Borrowing if the aggregate amount of such Borrowing is less than $5,000,000 or if the obligation of the Lenders to make Eurodollar Rate Advances shall then be suspended pursuant to Section 2.09 or 2.13 and (ii) the Eurodollar Rate Advances may not be outstanding as part of more than ten separate Borrowings, Term Loan Borrowings and 2016 Term Loan Borrowings.

(c) Unless the Agent shall have received notice from a Revolving Lender prior to the time of any Borrowing that such Revolving Lender will not make available to the Agent such Revolving Lender’s ratable portion of such Borrowing, the Agent may assume that such Revolving Lender has made such portion available to the Agent on the date of such Borrowing in accordance with subsection (a) of this Section 2.02 and the Agent may, in reliance upon such assumption, make available to the applicable Borrower on such date a corresponding amount. If and to the extent that such Revolving Lender shall not have so made such ratable portion available to the Agent, such Revolving Lender and the applicable Borrower severally agree to repay to the Agent forthwith on demand such corresponding amount together with interest thereon, for each day from the date such amount is made available to such Borrower until the date such amount is repaid to the Agent, at (i) in the case of such Borrower, the interest rate applicable at the time to Revolving Advances comprising such Borrowing and (ii) in the case of such Revolving Lender, the Federal Funds Rate. If such Revolving Lender shall repay to the Agent such corresponding amount, such amount so repaid shall be made available to the applicable Borrower and shall constitute such Revolving Lender’s Revolving Advance as part of such Borrowing for purposes of this Agreement.

(d) The failure of any Revolving Lender to make the Revolving Advance to be made by it as part of any Borrowing shall not relieve any other Revolving Lender of its obligation, if any, hereunder to make its Revolving Advance on the date of such Borrowing, but no Revolving Lender shall be responsible for the failure of any other Revolving Lender to make the Revolving Advance to be made by such other Revolving Lender on the date of any Borrowing.

SECTION 2.03. The Swingline Advances . (a) Subject to the terms and conditions hereof, the Swingline Lender may, in its discretion, make a portion of the credit otherwise available to the Borrowers under the Revolving Commitments from time to time during the period from the Effective Date until the Extended Termination Date by making swing line advances (“ Swingline Advances ”) to the Borrowers; provided that (i) the aggregate principal amount of Swingline Advances outstanding at any time shall not exceed the Swingline Commitment then in effect (notwithstanding that the Swingline Advances outstanding at any time, when aggregated with the Swingline Lender’s other outstanding Revolving Advances, may exceed the Swingline Commitment then in


effect) and (ii) the amount of any Swingline Advance made at any time, when aggregated with all other then outstanding Extensions of Credit (excluding FILO Extensions of Credit), shall not exceed the Line Cap at such time; provided that the Swingline Lender shall not be obligated to make any Swingline Loan at any time when any Revolving Lender is at such time a Defaulting Lender hereunder, and the Swingline Lender has, or after giving effect to such Swingline Loan, may have Fronting Exposure. During the period from the Effective Date until the Extended Termination Date, the Borrowers may use the Swingline Commitment by borrowing, repaying and reborrowing, all in accordance with the terms and conditions hereof. Swingline Advances shall only be available as Base Rate Advances.

(b) Each Borrower shall repay to the Swingline Lender the then unpaid principal amount of each Swingline Advance made to it weekly, on Wednesday of each week; provided that on each date that a Revolving Advance is borrowed by a Borrower, such Borrower shall repay all Swingline Advances then outstanding, if any, and may use all or a portion of such Revolving Advance to fund such repayment. In all events the unpaid principal balance of all Swingline Advances shall be repaid in full on the Extended Termination Date.

SECTION 2.04. Making the Swingline Advances .

(a) Each Borrowing under Section 2.03 shall be made on notice, given not later than 1:00 p.m. on the date of the proposed Borrowing, by the applicable Borrower to the Agent and Swingline Lender. Each such Notice of a Borrowing shall be by telephone, confirmed immediately in writing, by email attachment or by telecopier, in substantially the form of Exhibit A hereto, specifying therein the requested (i) date of such Borrowing and (ii) aggregate amount of such Borrowing. Each Borrowing under the Swingline Commitment shall be in an amount equal to $500,000 or a whole multiple of $100,000 in excess thereof. Not later than 3:00 P.M. on the date of the proposed Borrowing, the Swingline Lender shall make available to the Agent at the Agent’s Account an amount in immediately available funds equal to the amount of the Swingline Advance to be made by the Swingline Lender. Upon fulfillment of the applicable conditions set forth in Article IV, the Agent shall make the proceeds of such Swingline Advance available to the Borrower requesting such Borrowing at the Agent’s address referred to in Section 9.02.

(b) The Swingline Lender, at any time and from time to time in its sole and absolute discretion may, on behalf of the Borrowers (which hereby irrevocably direct the Swingline Lender to act on their behalf), by notice given by the Swingline Lender no later than 1:00 p.m., request each Revolving Lender to make, and each Revolving Lender hereby agrees to make, a Revolving Advance, in an amount equal to such Lender’s Revolving Commitment Percentage of the aggregate amount of the Swingline Advances (the “ Refunded Swingline Advances ”) outstanding on the date of such notice, to repay the Swingline Lender. Each Revolving Lender shall make the amount of such Revolving Advance available to the Agent at the Agent’s Account in same day funds, not later than 2:00 P.M. on the date of such notice. The proceeds of such Revolving Advances shall be immediately made available by the Agent to the Swingline Lender for application by the Swingline Lender to the repayment of the Refunded Swingline Advances. Each Borrower irrevocably authorizes the Swingline Lender to charge such Borrower’s accounts with the Agent (up to the amount available in each such account) in order to immediately pay the amount of such Refunded Swingline Advances to the extent amounts received from the Revolving Lenders are not sufficient to repay in full such Refunded Swingline Advances.

(c) If prior to the time a Revolving Advance would have otherwise been made pursuant to Section 2.04(b), one of the events described in Section 7.01 shall have occurred and be continuing or if for any other reason, as determined by the Swingline Lender in its sole discretion, Revolving Advances may not be made as contemplated by Section 2.04(b), each Revolving Lender shall, on the date such Revolving Advance was to have been made pursuant to the notice referred to in Section 2.04(b), purchase for cash an undivided participating interest in the then outstanding Swingline Advances by paying to the Swingline Lender an amount (the “ Swingline Participation Amount ”) equal to (i) such Revolving Lender’s Revolving Commitment Percentage multiplied by (ii) the sum of the aggregate principal amount of Swingline Advances then outstanding that were to have been repaid with such Revolving Advances.


(d) Whenever, at any time after the Swingline Lender has received from any Revolving Lender such Revolving Lender’s Swingline Participation Amount, the Swingline Lender receives any payment on account of the Swingline Advances, the Swingline Lender will distribute to such Revolving Lender its Swingline Participation Amount (appropriately adjusted, in the case of interest payments, to reflect whether such payment is owed to a 2015 Non-Extending Lender or a 2015 Extending Lender and whether the corresponding interest rate owed to such Lender is calculated in accordance with Section 2.08(a) or 2.08(d)) to reflect the period of time during which such Revolving Lender’s participating interest was outstanding and funded and, in the case of principal and interest payments, to reflect such Revolving Lender’s pro rata portion of such payment if such payment is not sufficient to pay the principal of and interest on all Swingline Advances then due); provided , however , that in the event that such payment received by the Swingline Lender is required to be returned, such Revolving Lender will return to the Swingline Lender any portion thereof previously distributed to it by the Swingline Lender.

(e) Each Revolving Lender’s obligation to make the Advances referred to in Section 2.04(b) and to purchase participating interests pursuant to Section 2.04(c) shall be absolute and unconditional and shall not be affected by any circumstance, including (i) any set-off, counterclaim, recoupment, defense or other right that such Revolving Lender or any Borrower may have against the Swingline Lender, any Borrower or any other Person for any reason whatsoever, (ii) the occurrence or continuance of a Default or an Event of Default or the failure to satisfy any of the other conditions specified in Article IV, (iii) any adverse change in the condition (financial or otherwise) of any Borrower or any other Loan Party, (iv) any breach of this Agreement or any other Loan Document by any Borrower, any other Loan Party or any other Lender or (v) any other circumstance, happening or event whatsoever, whether or not similar to any of the foregoing.

SECTION 2.05. Fees; Commitment Fee . (a) The Borrowers jointly and severally agree to pay to the Agent for the account of each Revolving Lender a commitment fee on the average daily amount of the Available Commitment of such Lender during the period for which payment is made at a rate per annum equal to 0.500% per annum with respect to the period prior to the Second Amendment Effective Date and 0.625% per annum with respect to the period from and after the Second Amendment Effective Date, in each case payable in arrears quarterly on the 5 th day subsequent to the last day of each April, July, October and January ( provided that , during the continuation of a Cash Dominion Period, such payment shall be made on the 5 th day subsequent to the last day of each month), and on the Extended Termination Date.

(b) 2016 Term Loan Repayment Premium . In the event that, prior to the two year anniversary of the First Amendment Effective Date, all or any portion of the 2016 Term Loans is voluntarily prepaid, refinanced or replaced or is prepaid with the Net Proceeds of a Permitted Disposition as required by the Application of Disposition Proceeds (a “ Prepayment Transaction ”), the Borrowers shall pay (x) a prepayment premium equal to 2.00% of the aggregate principal amount of the 2016 Term Loan so prepaid, refinanced or replaced, if such Prepayment Transaction occurs on or prior to the first anniversary of the First Amendment Effective Date, and (y) a prepayment premium equal to 1.00% of the aggregate principal amount of the 2016 Term Loan so prepaid, refinanced or replaced, if such Prepayment Transaction occurs after the first anniversary of the First Amendment Effective Date but on or prior to the second anniversary of the First Amendment Effective Date. Such amounts shall be due and payable on the date of effectiveness of such Prepayment Transaction.

(c) 2018 FILO Loan Repayment Premium. In the event that, prior to the two year anniversary of the Sixth Amendment Effective Date, all or any portion of the 2018 FILO Loan is voluntarily repaid, prepaid, refinanced or replaced (a “FILO Repayment Transaction”), the Borrowers shall pay (x) a repayment premium equal to the greater of (i) the Eight Month Make Whole Amount and (ii) 3.00% of the aggregate principal amount of the 2018 FILO Loan so repaid, prepaid, refinanced or replaced, if such FILO Repayment Transaction occurs on or prior to the first anniversary of the Sixth Amendment Effective Date (provided that, if such FILO Repayment Transaction is made during the first six months after the Sixth Amendment Effective Date from the proceeds of a debt or equity investment by any Person other than a Loan Party or an Affiliate thereof (and is made outside of any proceeding under any Debtor Relief Law), such amount shall be as set forth in clause (x)(ii) above), and (y) a repayment premium equal to 2.00% of the aggregate principal amount of the 2018 FILO Loan so repaid, prepaid, refinanced or replaced, if such FILO Repayment Transaction occurs after the first anniversary of the Sixth Amendment Effective Date but on or prior to the second anniversary of the Sixth Amendment Effective Date. Subject to the proviso to clause fifteenth of Section 6.4 of the Guarantee and Collateral Agreement, such amounts shall be due and payable on the date of effectiveness of such FILO Repayment Transaction. In the event that any Loan Party is at the time of the applicable FILO Repayment Transaction the subject of any proceeding under any Debtor Relief Law, amounts


payable pursuant to this Section 2.05(c) shall be limited so that total Obligations (including amounts payable pursuant to this Section 2.05(c)) outstanding at any time do not exceed 100% of the sum of (i) aggregate outstanding Eligible Credit Card Accounts Receivable at such time plus (ii) aggregate Eligible Pharmacy Receivables at such time plus (iii) aggregate Net Orderly Liquidation Value at such time.

( c d ) Other Fees . Holdings and the Borrowers shall pay to the Agent, the Co-Collateral Agents and the Lead Arrangers, as applicable, the fees set forth in the Fee Letter, the WF Fee Letter and the GE Commitment Letter in the amounts and at the times specified therein.

SECTION 2.06. Optional Termination or Reduction of the Revolving Commitments .

(a) The Borrowers shall have the right, without penalty or premium and upon at least three Business Days’ irrevocable notice to the Agent, to permanently terminate in whole or permanently reduce in part the unused portions of the respective Revolving Commitments of the Revolving Lenders, provided that no such termination or reduction of the Revolving Commitments shall be permitted if, after giving effect thereto and to any prepayments of the Advances made on the effective date thereof, the Total Revolving Extensions of Credit would exceed the aggregate amount of the Revolving Commitments as so reduced. Any partial reduction of the Revolving Commitments shall be in the aggregate amount of $5,000,000 or an integral multiple of $1,000,000 in excess thereof.

(b) If, after giving effect to any reduction of the Aggregate Revolving Commitments, the L/C Commitment or the Swingline Commitment exceeds the amount of the Aggregate Revolving Commitments, such L/C Commitment or Swingline Commitment shall be automatically reduced by the amount of such excess.

(c) The Agent will promptly notify the Revolving Lenders of any termination or reduction of the Aggregate Revolving Commitments under Section 2.06(a) . Upon any reduction of the Aggregate Revolving Commitments, except as provided in Section 2.06(d), the Revolving Commitment of each Revolving Lender shall be reduced by such Revolving Lender’s Revolving Commitment Percentage of such reduction amount.

(d) In addition to the Borrowers’ rights under Section 2.06(a), the Borrower shall have the right, without penalty or premium and upon at least three Business Days’ irrevocable notice to the Agent and without any reduction in the Revolving Commitments of the 2015 Extending Lenders, to permanently reduce or terminate, (i) in whole or in part, on a ratable basis, the Revolving Commitments of the 2015 Non-Extending Lenders, without the consent of any Lender and (ii) in whole, but not in part, the Revolving Commitments of any one or more 2015 Non-Extending Lenders, non-ratably, without the consent of any Lender, and in each case to repay the Obligations held by such 2015 Non-Extending Lenders to the extent such Obligations exceed the remaining Revolving Commitments of such Lenders, as long as, immediately after giving effect to such reduction, termination and repayment, no Default or Event of Default then exists and, after giving effect to such reduction or termination, Pro Forma and Projected Capped Excess Availability is at least 25% of the Line Cap. The Agent will promptly notify the applicable 2015 Non-Extending Lenders of any reduction or termination of their Revolving Commitments under this Section 2.06(d) .

SECTION 2.07. Repayment of Revolving Advances, Term Loan and , 2016 Term Loan and 2018 FILO Loan .

(a) Each Borrower shall repay to the Agent (i) for the ratable account of the 2015 Non-Extending Lenders on the Revolving Termination Date the aggregate principal amount of the Advances made to it by the 2015 Non-Extending Lenders then outstanding, and (ii) for the ratable account of the 2015 Extending Lenders on the Extended Termination Date the aggregate principal amount of the Advances made to it by the 2015 Extending Lenders then outstanding. In the event that the Revolving Termination Date and the Extended Termination Date are the same day, then all payments shall be received by the Agent and applied in accordance with the then Revolving Commitment Percentages of the 2015 Non-Extending Lenders and the 2015 Extending Lenders.


(b) Beginning on February 2, 2014, the Borrowers shall repay the Agent for the ratable account of the Term Lenders the Term Loan in equal consecutive quarterly installments of $2,500,000 on the first Business Day following the last day of each fiscal quarter of the Borrowers. Each Borrower shall repay to the Agent for the ratable account of the Term Lenders on the Term Loan Termination Date the aggregate principal amount of the Term Loan then outstanding. For the avoidance of doubt, this Section 2.07(b) will apply to the Term Loan following the Third Amendment Effective Date, subject to the rights of the Borrowers pursuant to Section 2.11(i), including with respect to the application of voluntary prepayments prior to the Third Amendment Effective Date.

(c) Each Borrower shall repay to the Agent for the ratable account of the 2016 Term Lenders on the 2016 Term Loan Termination Date the aggregate principal amount of the 2016 Term Loan then outstanding.

(d) Each Borrower shall repay to the Agent for the ratable account of the 2018 FILO Lenders on the 2018 FILO Termination Date the aggregate principal amount of the 2018 FILO Loan then outstanding.

SECTION 2.08. Interest .

(a) Scheduled Interest Owed to 2015 Non-Extending Lenders . Each Borrower shall pay interest on the unpaid principal amount of each Advance made to it and owing to each 2015 Non-Extending Lender from the date of such Advance until such principal amount shall be paid in full, at the following rates per annum:

(i) Base Rate Advances . During such periods as such Revolving Advance is a Base Rate Advance, a rate per annum equal at all times to the sum of (x) the Base Rate in effect from time to time plus (y) the Applicable Margin for Base Rate Advances in effect from time to time, payable, in the case of any Base Rate Advance (other than a Swingline Advance), in arrears monthly on the 5 th day subsequent to the last day of each month during such periods and on the date such Base Rate Advance shall be Converted or paid in full.

(ii) Eurodollar Rate Advances . During such periods as such Advance is a Eurodollar Rate Advance, a rate per annum equal at all times during each Interest Period for such Advance to the sum of (x) the Eurodollar Rate for such Interest Period for such Advance plus (y) the Applicable Margin for Eurodollar Rate Advances in effect from time to time, payable in arrears on the last day of such Interest Period and, if such Interest Period has a duration of more than three months, on each day that occurs during such Interest Period every three months from the first day of such Interest Period and on the date such Eurodollar Rate Advance shall be Converted or paid in full.

(b) Term Loan . Each Borrower shall pay interest on the unpaid principal amount of the Term Loan made to it and owing to each Term Lender from October 2, 2013 until such principal amount shall be paid in full, at the following rates per annum:

(i) Base Rate Advances . During such periods as any outstanding portion of the Term Loan is a Base Rate Advance, each such Term Loan Borrowing shall earn interest at a rate per annum equal at all times to the sum of (x) the Base Rate in effect from time to time plus (y) the Term Loan Margin for Base Rate Advances, payable in arrears quarterly on the 5 th day subsequent to the last day of each month during such periods and on the date such Base Rate Advance shall be Converted or paid in full.

(ii) Eurodollar Rate Advances . During such periods as any outstanding portion of the Term Loan is a Eurodollar Rate Advance, each such Term Loan Borrowing shall earn interest at a rate per annum equal at all times during each Interest Period for such Eurodollar Rate Advance to the greater of (A) 1.00% or (B) the Eurodollar Rate for such Interest Period for such outstanding portion of the Term Loan plus , in either case, the Term Loan Margin for Eurodollar Rate Advances, payable in arrears on the last day of such Interest Period and, if such Interest Period has a duration of more than three months, on each day that occurs during such Interest Period every three months from the first day of such Interest Period and on the date such Eurodollar Rate Advance shall be Converted or paid in full.


(c) 2016 Term Loan . Each Borrower shall pay interest on the unpaid principal amount of the 2016 Term Loan made to it and owing to each Term Lender from the First Amendment Effective Date until such principal amount shall be paid in full, at the following rates per annum:

(i) Base Rate Advances . During such periods as any outstanding portion of the 2016 Term Loan is a Base Rate Advance, each such 2016 Term Loan Borrowing shall earn interest at a rate per annum equal at all times to the sum of (x) the Base Rate in effect from time to time plus (y) the 2016 Term Loan Margin for Base Rate Advances, payable in arrears quarterly on the 5 th day subsequent to the last day of each month during such periods and on the date such Base Rate Advance shall be Converted or paid in full.

(ii) Eurodollar Rate Advances . During such periods as any outstanding portion of the 2016 Term Loan is a Eurodollar Rate Advance, each such 2016 Term Loan Borrowing shall earn interest at a rate per annum equal at all times during each Interest Period for such Eurodollar Rate Advance to the greater of (A) 1.00% or (B) the Eurodollar Rate for such Interest Period for such outstanding portion of the 2016 Term Loan plus , in either case, the 2016 Term Loan Margin for Eurodollar Rate Advances, payable in arrears on the last day of such Interest Period and, if such Interest Period has a duration of more than three months, on each day that occurs during such Interest Period every three months from the first day of such Interest Period and on the date such Eurodollar Rate Advance shall be Converted or paid in full.

(d) Scheduled Interest Owed to 2015 Extending Lenders and Swingline Lender . Each Borrower shall pay interest on the unpaid principal amount of each Advance made to it and owing to each 2015 Extending Lender and Swingline Lender from the date of such Advance until such principal amount shall be paid in full, at the following rates per annum:

(i) Base Rate Advances . During such periods as such Advance is a Base Rate Advance, a rate per annum equal at all times to the sum of (x) the Base Rate in effect from time to time plus (y) the Extended Term Applicable Margin for Base Rate Advances, payable (I) in the case of any Base Rate Advance (other than a Swingline Advance), in arrears monthly on the 5 th day subsequent to the last day of each month during such periods and on the date such Base Rate Advance shall be Converted or paid in full and (II) in the case of any Swingline Advance, on the date that such Swingline Advance is required to be repaid.

(ii) Eurodollar Rate Advances . During such periods as such Advance is a Eurodollar Rate Advance, a rate per annum equal at all times during each Interest Period for such Advance to the sum of (x) the Eurodollar Rate for such Interest Period for such Advance, plus (y) the Extended Term Applicable Margin for Eurodollar Rate Advances, payable in arrears on the last day of such Interest Period and, if such Interest Period has a duration of more than three months, on each day that occurs during such Interest Period every three months from the first day of such Interest Period and on the date such Eurodollar Rate Advance shall be Converted or paid in full.

(e) 2018 FILO Loan . Each Borrower shall pay interest on the unpaid principal amount of the 2018 FILO Loan made to it and owing to each 2018 FILO Lender from the Sixth Amendment Effective Date until such principal amount shall be paid in full, at the following rates per annum:

(i) Base Rate Advances. During such periods as any outstanding portion of the 2018 FILO Loan is a Base Rate Advance, each such 2018 FILO Borrowing shall earn interest at a rate per annum equal at all times to the sum of (x) the Base Rate in effect from time to time plus (y) the 2018 FILO Margin for Base Rate Advances, payable in arrears quarterly on the 5 th day subsequent to the last day of each month during such periods and on the date such Base Rate Advance shall be Converted or paid in full.


(ii) Eurodollar Rate Advances. During such periods as any outstanding portion of the 2018 FILO Loan is a Eurodollar Rate Advance, each such 2018 FILO Borrowing shall earn interest at a rate per annum equal at all times during each Interest Period for such Eurodollar Rate Advance to the greater of (A) 1.50% or (B) the Eurodollar Rate for such Interest Period for such outstanding portion of the 2018 FILO Loan plus, in either case, the 2018 FILO Margin for Eurodollar Rate Advances, payable in arrears on the last day of such Interest Period and, if such Interest Period has a duration of more than three months, on each day that occurs during such Interest Period every three months from the first day of such Interest Period and on the date such Eurodollar Rate Advance shall be Converted or paid in full.

( e f ) Default Interest . Upon the occurrence and during the continuance of an Event of Default, at the option of the Agent or on the request of the Required Lenders, the Borrowers shall pay interest on the unpaid principal amount of each Revolving Advance and Reimbursement Obligation owing to each Revolving Lender, and on the principal amount of the Term Loan and , the 2016 Term Loan and the 2018 FILO Loan then outstanding, payable in arrears on the dates referred to in Sections 2.08(a), (b), (c)  and , (d ) and (e ) above as applicable, at a rate per annum equal to 2% per annum above the rate per annum required to be paid on such Advance or Reimbursement Obligation pursuant to Section 2.08(a)(i) or 2.08(d)(i) above, as applicable, or on the outstanding amount of the Term Loan and the 2016 Term Loan pursuant to Section 2.08(b)(i) and 2.08(c)(i) above, as applicable , or on the outstanding amount of the 2018 FILO Loan pursuant to Section 2.08(e)(i) above, as applicable . Further, the Borrowers shall pay interest, to the fullest extent permitted by law, on the amount of any interest, fee or other amount (other than principal) payable hereunder that is not paid when due, from the date such amount shall be due until such amount shall be paid in full, payable in arrears on the date such amount shall be paid in full and on demand, at a rate per annum equal to 2% per annum above the rate per annum required to be paid on Base Rate Advances pursuant to Section 2.08(a)(i), Section 2.08(b)(i), Section 2.08(c)(i) or , Section 2.08(d)(i) or Section 2.08(e)(i) , as applicable.

( f g ) Regulation D Compensation . Each Lender that is subject to reserve requirements of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (or any successor) may require the Borrowers to pay, contemporaneously with each payment of interest on the Eurodollar Rate Advances, additional interest on the related Eurodollar Rate Advances of such Lender at the rate per annum equal to the excess of (i) (A) the applicable Eurodollar Rate divided by (B) one minus the Eurodollar Rate Reserve Percentage over (ii) the applicable Eurodollar Rate. Any Lender wishing to require payment of such additional interest (x) shall so notify the Agent and the Borrowers, in which case such additional interest on the Eurodollar Rate Advances of such Lender shall be payable to such Lender at the place indicated in such notice with respect to each Interest Period commencing at least five Business Days after the giving of such notice and (y) shall notify the Agent and the Borrowers at least five Business Days prior to each date on which interest is payable on the amount then due it under this Section. Each such notification shall be accompanied by such information as the Borrowers may reasonably request.

SECTION 2.09. Interest Rate Determination . (a) The Agent shall give prompt notice to the Borrowers and the Lenders of the applicable interest rate determined by the Agent for purposes of Sections 2.08(a), 2.08(b), 2.08(c) and , 2.08(d) and 2.08(e) .

(b) If, with respect to any Eurodollar Rate Advances, the Required Lenders notify the Agent at least one Business Day before the date of any proposed Eurodollar Rate Advance that the Eurodollar Rate for any Interest Period for such Eurodollar Rate Advances will not adequately reflect the cost to such Required Lenders of making, funding or maintaining their respective Eurodollar Rate Advances for such Interest Period, the Agent shall forthwith so notify the Borrowers and the Lenders, whereupon (i) each Eurodollar Rate Advance will automatically, on the last day of the then existing Interest Period therefor, Convert into a Base Rate Advance, and (ii) the obligation of the Lenders to make, or to Convert Advances into, Eurodollar Rate Advances shall be suspended until the Agent shall notify the Borrowers and the Lenders that the circumstances causing such suspension no longer exist.

(c) If any Borrower shall fail to select the duration of any Interest Period for any Eurodollar Rate Advances in accordance with the provisions contained in the definition of “Interest Period” in Section 1.01, the Agent will forthwith so notify such Borrower and the Lenders and such Eurodollar Rate Advances will automatically, on the last day of the then existing Interest Period therefor, Convert into Base Rate Advances.


(d) On the date on which the aggregate unpaid principal amount of Eurodollar Rate Advances comprising any Borrowing shall be reduced, by payment or prepayment or otherwise, to less than $5,000,000, such Eurodollar Rate Advances shall automatically Convert into Base Rate Advances.

(e) Upon the occurrence and during the continuance of any Event of Default, at the option of the Agent or on the request of the Required Lenders (i) each Eurodollar Rate Advance will automatically, on the last day of the then existing Interest Period therefor, Convert into a Base Rate Advance and (ii) the obligation of the Lenders to make, or to Convert Revolving Advances or any outstanding portion of the Term Loan or , the 2016 Term Loan or the 2018 FILO Loan into, Eurodollar Rate Advances shall be suspended.

SECTION 2.10. Optional Conversion of Revolving Advances, Term Loan Borrowings and , 2016 Term Loan Borrowings and 2018 FILO Borrowings . The Borrowers may on any Business Day, upon notice given to the Agent not later than 12:00 noon on the third Business Day prior to the date of the proposed Conversion and subject to the provisions of Sections 2.09 and 2.13, Convert all Revolving Advances of one Type comprising the same Borrowing into Revolving Advances of the other Type and/or Convert any Term Loan Borrowing or , 2016 Term Loan Borrowing or 2018 FILO Borrowing , as applicable, of one Type into a Term Loan Borrowing or , 2016 Term Loan Borrowing or 2018 FILO Borrowing of the other Type, as applicable; provided, however, that any Conversion of Eurodollar Rate Advances into Base Rate Advances shall be made only on the last day of an Interest Period for such Eurodollar Rate Advances, any Conversion of Base Rate Advances into Eurodollar Rate Advances shall be in an amount not less than the minimum amount specified in Section 2.02(b) and no Conversion of any Revolving Advances, Term Loan Borrowings or , 2016 Term Loan Borrowings or 2018 FILO Borrowings shall result in more separate Borrowings than permitted under Section 2.02(b). Each such notice of a Conversion shall, within the restrictions specified above, specify (i) the date of such Conversion, (ii) the Revolving Advances, Term Loan Borrowings or , 2016 Term Loan Borrowings or 2018 FILO Borrowings to be Converted, and (iii) if such Conversion is into Eurodollar Rate Advances, the duration of the initial Interest Period for each such Revolving Advance, Term Loan Borrowing or , 2016 Term Loan Borrowing or 2018 FILO Borrowing , as applicable. Each notice of Conversion shall be irrevocable and binding on the applicable Borrower.

SECTION 2.11. Optional and Mandatory Prepayments of Revolving Advances, Term Loan and , 2016 Term Loan and 2018 FILO Loan .

(a) (i) Any Borrower may, without penalty or premium and upon notice given not later than 12:00 noon on the date of such prepayment to the Agent stating the proposed date and aggregate principal amount of the prepayment, and if such notice is given such Borrower shall, prepay the outstanding principal amount of the Advances comprising part of the same Borrowing in whole or ratably in part, together with accrued interest to the date of such prepayment on the principal amount prepaid; provided , however , that (x) each partial prepayment shall be in an aggregate principal amount of $5,000,000 or an integral multiple of $1,000,000 in excess thereof (or, in the case of partial prepayments of Swingline Advances, $100,000 or a whole multiple thereof) and (y) in the event of any such prepayment of a Eurodollar Rate Advance, the applicable Borrower shall be obligated to reimburse the Lenders in respect thereof pursuant to Section 9.04(c).

(ii) Any Borrower may, subject to the terms of this Section 2.11(a)(ii) and upon notice given not later than 12:00 noon on the date of such prepayment to the Agent stating the proposed date and aggregate principal amount of the prepayment, and if such notice is given such Borrower shall, prepay the outstanding principal amount of the Term Loan in whole or ratably in part, together with accrued interest to the date of such prepayment on the principal amount prepaid; provided, however, that (w) each partial prepayment shall be in an aggregate principal amount of $5,000,000 or an integral multiple of $1,000,000 in excess thereof, (x) in connection with any such prepayment of the Term Loan, the Aggregate Revolving Commitments shall be reduced on a Pro Rata Basis, provided that the Revolving Commitments of the 2015 Extending Lenders shall not be required to be so reduced so long as (1) (A) no proceeds of Revolving Loans are used to make such prepayment of the Term Loan, and (B) after giving effect to such prepayment, Pro Forma and Projected Capped Excess Availability is greater than 50% of the Line Cap, or (2) the aggregate amount of all prepayments of the Term Loan from and after July 21, 2015 that do not give rise to a reduction of the Aggregate Revolving Commitments on a Pro Rata Basis is less than the sum of (a) the aggregate increases in commitments which have occurred pursuant to Section 2.19(b) hereof and FILO


Commitments pursuant to Section 2.20 hereof, in each case after July 21, 2015 and (b) the original principal amount of the 2016 Term Loans, (y) any prepayment of the Term Loan using proceeds of the increases in commitments which have occurred pursuant to Section 2.19(b) or the FILO Facility must be made within thirty (30) days after the effective date of the increases in commitments which have occurred pursuant to Section 2.19(b) or FILO Facility pursuant to Section 2.20, as applicable, and (z) in the event of any such prepayment of a Eurodollar Rate Advance, the applicable Borrower shall be obligated to reimburse the Lenders in respect thereof pursuant to Section 9.04(c).

(iii) Any Borrower may, subject to the terms of this Section 2.11(a)(iii) and upon notice given not later than 12:00 noon on the date of such prepayment to the Agent stating the proposed date and aggregate principal amount of the prepayment, and if such notice is given such Borrower shall, prepay the outstanding principal amount of the 2016 Term Loan in whole or ratably in part, together with accrued interest to the date of such prepayment on the principal amount prepaid; provided, however, that (x) each partial prepayment shall be in an aggregate principal amount of $5,000,000 or an integral multiple of $1,000,000 in excess thereof, (y) in connection with any such prepayment of the 2016 Term Loan, the Aggregate Revolving Commitments shall be reduced and the Term Loan shall be prepaid on a Pro Rata Basis, and (z) in the event of any such prepayment of a Eurodollar Rate Advance, the applicable Borrower shall be obligated to reimburse the Lenders in respect thereof pursuant to Section 9.04(c).

(iv) Any Borrower may, subject to the terms of this Section 2.11(a)(iv) and upon notice given not later than 12:00 noon on the date of such prepayment to the Agent stating the proposed date and aggregate principal amount of the prepayment, and if such notice is given such Borrower shall, prepay the outstanding principal amount of the 2018 FILO Loan in whole or ratably in part, together with accrued interest to the date of such prepayment on the principal amount prepaid and any additional amounts required to be paid as described herein (including pursuant to Section 2.05(c); provided, however, that (x) each partial prepayment shall be in an aggregate principal amount of $5,000,000 or an integral multiple of $1,000,000 in excess thereof, (y) no such prepayment of the 2018 FILO Loan, in whole or in part, shall be permitted unless no Default or Event of Default then exists and is continuing and, after giving effect to such prepayment or reduction, Pro Forma and Projected Capped Excess Availability is at least 50% of the Line Cap, and (z) in the event of any such prepayment of a Eurodollar Rate Advance, the applicable Borrower shall be obligated to reimburse the Lenders in respect thereof pursuant to Section 9.04(c).

(b) In addition to the Borrowers’ rights under Section 2.11(a), as long as (i) no Default or Event of Default then exists or would arise therefrom, and (ii) after giving effect to such prepayment, Pro Forma and Projected Capped Excess Availability is at least 25% of the Line Cap, the Borrowers may, without penalty or premium and without regard to the provisions of Section 2.16, prepay, in whole or in part as applicable (a “ Designated Prepayment ”), the Obligations owing to any one or more 2015 Non-Extending Lender(s) in connection with a reduction or termination of the Revolving Commitments of such 2015 Non-Extending Lenders pursuant to Section 2.06(d) , provided: (i) each Designated Prepayment shall be upon notice given not later than 12:00 noon on the date of such Designated Prepayment to the Agent stating the proposed date and aggregate principal amount of the Designated Prepayment; (ii) each Designated Prepayment, if not ratable to all 2015 Non-Extending Lenders, shall repay the entire outstanding amount of all Obligations held by the applicable 2015 Non-Extending Lender (but solely in the capacity of a 2015 Non-Extending Lender) (including principal, interest, fees, expense reimbursements and other amounts due under the Loan Documents) at par, or at such discount to par as the Borrowers and each applicable 2015 Non-Extending Lender may separately agree in writing, and (iii) the Revolving Commitment of each 2015 Non-Extending Lender receiving such prepayment shall be reduced or terminated by a corresponding amount. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein, prepayments hereunder may be made to any 2015 Non-Extending Lender and the Commitments of 2015 Non-Extending Lenders may be reduced or terminated without a pro rata repayment to, or reduction or termination of the Commitments of, any other Lender.

(c) On the date of delivery of any Borrowing Base Certificate, if the Total Extensions of Credit (excluding FILO Extensions of Credit) exceed the Line Cap, the Borrowers shall prepay Advances in an amount equal to such excess, provided that if the aggregate principal amount of Advances then outstanding is less than the amount of such excess (because L/C Obligations constitute a portion thereof), the Borrowers shall, to the extent of the balance of such excess, replace outstanding Letters of Credit and/or deposit an amount in cash in a cash


collateral account established with the Agent for the benefit of the Lenders on terms and conditions satisfactory to the Agent, provided further that if, after the prepayment of any Revolving Advances and the cash collateralization of L/C Obligations under this clause (c) the Total Extensions of Credit (excluding FILO Extensions of Credit) exceed the Line Cap, the Borrowers shall prepay the Term Loan and the 2016 Term Loan pro rata in an amount equal to such excess.

(d) The Borrowers shall repay the Advances (without a requirement to reduce the Revolving Commitments), the Term Loan and the 2016 Term Loan with respect to any Permitted Disposition or other transaction, in each case to the extent that the Application of Disposition Proceeds applies, in accordance with the Application of Disposition Proceeds.

(e) The Borrowers shall prepay Advances (and to the extent required, reduce the Aggregate Revolving Commitments) in an amount necessary to avoid the occurrence of a Collateral Coverage Event (as defined in the Indenture for the Existing Second Lien Notes), provided that if the aggregate principal amount of Advances then outstanding is less than the amount required to be prepaid to avoid the occurrence of a Collateral Coverage Event (because L/C Obligations constitute a portion thereof), the Borrowers shall, to the extent of the balance required, replace outstanding Letters of Credit on terms and conditions satisfactory to the Agent, provided further that if, after the prepayment of any Revolving Advances and the replacement of outstanding Letters of Credit under this clause (e) a Collateral Coverage Event would exist, the Borrowers shall prepay the Term Loan and the 2016 Term Loan pro rata in an amount necessary to avoid the occurrence of such Collateral Coverage Event . , provided further that if, after the prepayment of any Revolving Advances, the Term Loan and the 2016 Term Loan, and the replacement of outstanding Letters of Credit under this clause (e) a Collateral Coverage Event would exist, the Borrowers shall prepay the 2018 FILO Loan pro rata in an amount necessary to avoid the occurrence of such Collateral Coverage Event.

(f) Upon the occurrence and during the continuance of a Cash Dominion Event, the Borrowers shall prepay the Advances in accordance with the provisions of Section 6.01(m) hereof, and upon the occurrence and during the continuance of an Event of Default, the Borrowers shall cash collateralize the L/C Obligations in accordance with the provisions of Section 7.01 hereof, provided further that if, after the prepayment of any Revolving Advances under this clause (f) (and any cash collateralization of L/C Obligations as set forth above) an Event of Default exists, the Borrowers shall prepay the Term Loan and the 2016 Term Loan pro rata to the extent required by Section 6.4 of the Guarantee and Collateral Agreement.

(g) The Borrowers shall prepay (x) the Term Loan in an amount equal to 50% of Excess Cash Flow for each fiscal year of Holdings beginning with the fiscal year ending on or about January 31, 2015, and (y) the Term Loan and the 2016 Term Loan on a ratable basis in an aggregate amount equal to 50% of Excess Cash Flow for each fiscal year of Holdings beginning with the fiscal year ending on or about January 31, 2017. Each prepayment under this clause (g) shall be made within 90 days following the end of each applicable fiscal year of Holdings.

(h) The Borrowers shall deliver to the Administrative Agent, in connection with each prepayment required under Section 2.11(g), a certificate signed by a Authorized Officer of the Borrowers setting forth in reasonable detail the calculation of the amount of such prepayment.

(i) Any prepayment of Revolving Advances, the Term Loan or , the 2016 Term Loan or the 2018 FILO Loan pursuant to clauses (b), (c), (e), (f) or (g) of this Section 2.11 shall be applied, first, to any Base Rate Advances then outstanding and the balance of such prepayment, if any, to the Eurodollar Rate Advances then outstanding. In connection with the foregoing, the Agent may monthly (or more frequently in the Agent’s Permitted Discretion) make the necessary exchange rate calculations in accordance with Section 3.10 to determine whether any such excess described in this Section exists on such date. Prepayments made pursuant to clauses (b), (c), or (e) of this Section 2.11 shall not reduce the Aggregate Revolving Commitments hereunder except to the extent provided in clause (b) above. Any prepayment of the Term Loan required pursuant to this Section 2.11 shall be applied to the scheduled installments of the Term Loan in the inverse order of maturity and shall not reduce or postpone the time for any scheduled payments of the Term Loan hereunder (including pursuant to clause (g) above); provided that any voluntary prepayment of the Term Loan pursuant to Section 2.11(a), whether before or after the Third Amendment Effective Date, shall be applied to the scheduled installments of the Term Loan as the Borrowers shall direct.


SECTION 2.12. Increased Costs . (a) If, due to either (i) after the Effective Date the introduction of or any change in or in the interpretation of any law or regulation or (ii) the compliance with any guideline or request from any central bank or other governmental authority (whether or not having the force of law) made or issued after the Effective Date, there shall be any increase in the cost to any Lender of agreeing to make or making, funding or maintaining Eurodollar Rate Advances or issuing or participating in Letters of Credit (excluding for purposes of this Section 2.12 any such increased costs resulting from (i) Taxes or Other Taxes (as to which Section 2.15 shall govern) and (ii) changes in the basis of taxation of overall net income or overall gross income by the United States or by the foreign jurisdiction or state under the laws of which such Lender is organized or has its Applicable Lending Office or any political subdivision thereof), then the Borrowers shall from time to time, upon demand by such Lender (with a copy of such demand to the Agent), pay to the Agent for the account of such Lender additional amounts sufficient to compensate such Lender for such increased cost; provided that a Lender claiming additional amounts under this Section 2.12(a) agrees to use reasonable efforts (consistent with its internal policy and legal and regulatory restrictions) to designate a different Applicable Lending Office and/or take other commercially reasonable action if the making of such a designation or the taking of such actions would avoid the need for, or reduce the amount of, such increased cost that may thereafter accrue and would not, in the reasonable judgment of such Lender, be otherwise disadvantageous to such Lender. A certificate as to the amount of such increased cost, submitted to the Borrowers and the Agent by such Lender, shall be entitled to a presumption of correctness. If any Borrower so notifies the Agent after any Lender notifies the Borrowers of any increased cost pursuant to the foregoing provisions of this Section 2.12(a), such Borrower may, upon payment of such increased cost to such Lender, replace such Lender with a Person that is an Eligible Assignee in accordance with the terms of Section 9.07 (and the Lender being so replaced shall take all action as may be necessary to assign its rights and obligations under this Agreement to such Eligible Assignee).

(b) If any Lender determines that compliance with any change after the Effective Date in law or regulation or any guideline or request after the Effective Date from any central bank or other governmental authority (whether or not having the force of law) affects or would affect the amount of capital or liquidity required or expected to be maintained by such Lender or any entity controlling such Lender and that the amount of such capital or liquidity is increased by or based upon the existence of such Lender’s commitment to lend hereunder and other commitments of this type, then, upon demand by such Lender (with a copy of such demand to the Agent), the Borrowers shall pay to the Agent for the account of such Lender, from time to time as specified by such Lender, additional amounts sufficient to compensate such Lender or such entity in the light of such circumstances, to the extent that such Lender reasonably determines such increase in capital or liquidity to be allocable to the existence of such Lender’s commitment to lend hereunder. A certificate as to such amounts submitted to the Borrowers and the Agent by such Lender shall be entitled to a presumption of correctness. Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act and all requests, rules, guidelines, requirements and directives thereunder issued in connection therewith or in implementation thereof and all requests, rules, guidelines or directives promulgated by the Bank for International Settlements, the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision (or any successor or similar authority) or the United States or foreign regulatory authorities, in each case pursuant to Basel III, shall in each case be deemed to be a change in law covered by this Section 2.12 regardless of the date enacted, adopted, issued or implemented.

(c) The Borrowers shall not be required to compensate a Lender pursuant to this Section for any increased costs or capital, liquidity or reserve requirement or pursuant to Section 2.15 for any Taxes incurred more than six months prior to the date that such Lender notifies the Borrowers of the change or issuance giving rise to such increased costs or capital, liquidity or reserve requirement or Tax and of such Lender’s intention to claim compensation therefor; provided that if the change or issuance giving rise to such increased costs or capital, liquidity or reserve requirement or Tax is retroactive, then the six-month period referred to above shall be extended to include the period of retroactive effect thereof.

SECTION 2.13. Illegality . Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, if any Lender shall notify the Agent that the introduction of or any change in or in the interpretation of any law or regulation makes it unlawful, or any central bank or other governmental authority asserts that it is unlawful, for any Lender or


its Eurodollar Lending Office to perform its obligations hereunder to make Eurodollar Rate Advances or to fund or maintain Eurodollar Rate Advances hereunder, (a) each Eurodollar Rate Advance will automatically, upon such demand, Convert into a Base Rate Advance or an Advance that bears interest at the rate set forth in Sections 2.08(a)(i), 2.08(b)(i), 2.08(c)(i) or , 2.08(d )(i) or 2.08(e )(i), as the case may be, and (b) the obligation of the Lenders to make Eurodollar Rate Advances or to Convert Advances, Term Loan Borrowings, 2016 Term Loan Borrowings or FILO Borrowings, if applicable, into Eurodollar Rate Advances shall be suspended until the Agent shall notify the Borrowers and the Lenders that the circumstances causing such suspension no longer exist.

SECTION 2.14. Payments and Computations . (a) The Borrowers shall make each payment hereunder and under the other Loan Documents, without any right of counterclaim or set-off, not later than 1:00 P.M. on the day when due in U.S. dollars to the Agent at the Agent’s Account in same day funds. The Agent will promptly thereafter cause to be distributed like funds relating to the payment of principal or interest or commitment fees ratably (other than amounts payable pursuant to Section 2.12, 2.15 or 9.04(c)) to the Lenders for the account of their respective Applicable Lending Offices, and like funds relating to the payment of any other amount payable to any Lender to such Lender for the account of its Applicable Lending Office, in each case to be applied in accordance with the terms of this Agreement. Upon its acceptance of an Assignment and Acceptance and recording of the information contained therein in the Register pursuant to Section 9.07(c), from and after the effective date specified in such Assignment and Acceptance, the Agent shall make all payments hereunder and under the other Loan Documents in respect of the interest assigned thereby to the Lender assignee thereunder, and the parties to such Assignment and Acceptance shall make all appropriate adjustments in such payments for periods prior to such effective date directly between themselves.

(b) Each Borrower hereby authorizes each Lender, if and to the extent payment owed by it to such Lender is not made when due hereunder or under the other Loan Documents, to charge from time to time against any or all of such Borrower’s accounts with such Lender any amount so due, notwithstanding that an Overadvance may result thereby. Any such Lender so charging such accounts shall deliver the proceeds therefrom to the Agent for distribution to the Credit Parties in the manner set forth herein and in the other Loan Documents.

(c) All computations of interest based on the Base Rate shall be made by the Agent on the basis of a year of 365 or 366 days, as the case may be, and all computations of interest based on the Eurodollar Rate or the Federal Funds Rate and of letter of credit fees, commitment fees and other fees shall be made by the Agent on the basis of a year of 360 days, in each case for the actual number of days (including the first day but excluding the last day) occurring in the period for which such interest or commitment fees are payable. Each determination by the Agent of an interest rate hereunder shall be conclusive and binding for all purposes, absent manifest error.

(d) Whenever any payment hereunder or under the other Loan Documents shall be stated to be due on a day other than a Business Day, such payment shall be made on the next succeeding Business Day, and such extension of time shall in such case be included in the computation of payment of interest or commitment fee, as the case may be; provided , however , that, if such extension would cause payment of interest on or principal of Eurodollar Rate Advances to be made in the next following calendar month, such payment shall be made on the next preceding Business Day.

(e) Unless the Agent shall have received notice from any Borrower prior to the date on which any payment is due by it to the Lenders hereunder that such Borrower will not make such payment in full, the Agent may assume that the applicable Borrower has made such payment in full to the Agent on such date and the Agent may, in reliance upon such assumption, cause to be distributed to each Lender on such due date an amount equal to the amount then due such Lender. If and to the extent such Borrower shall not have so made such payment in full to the Agent, each Lender shall repay to the Agent forthwith on demand such amount distributed to such Lender together with interest thereon, for each day from the date such amount is distributed to such Lender until the date such Lender repays such amount to the Agent, at the Federal Funds Rate.

SECTION 2.15. Taxes . (a) Any and all payments by the Borrowers to or for the account of any Lender, the Agent or any Co-Collateral Agent hereunder or under the other Loan Documents or any other documents to be delivered hereunder shall be made, in accordance with Section 2.14 or the applicable provisions of such other documents, free and clear of and without deduction for any and all present or future Taxes (excluding any


Excluded Taxes). If the Borrowers shall be required by law to deduct any Taxes from or in respect of any sum payable hereunder or under any other Loan Document or any other documents to be delivered hereunder to any Lender, the Agent or any Co-Collateral Agent, (i) to the extent that the withholding or deduction is made on account of Indemnified Taxes, the sum payable shall be increased as may be necessary so that after making all required deductions for Indemnified Taxes (including deductions for Indemnified Taxes applicable to additional sums payable under this Section 2.15) such Lender, the Agent and the Co-Collateral Agents (as the case may be) receive an amount equal to the sum each would have received had no such deductions of Indemnified Taxes been made, (ii) the Borrowers shall make such deductions as are determined by such Borrowers to be required based upon the information and documentation it has received pursuant to Sections 2.15(e) and (f) and (iii) the Borrowers shall pay the full amount deducted to the relevant taxation authority or other authority in accordance with applicable law.

(b) In addition, the Borrowers shall pay any present or future stamp or documentary taxes or any other excise or property taxes, charges or similar levies that arise from any payment made hereunder or under the other Loan Documents or from the execution, delivery or registration of, performing under, or otherwise with respect to, this Agreement or the other Loan Documents or any other documents to be delivered hereunder, but excluding (i) any such taxes that are Other Connection Taxes imposed with respect to an assignment (other than an assignment made pursuant to Section 9.16), and (ii) all other United States federal taxes other than withholding taxes (hereinafter referred to as “ Other Taxes ”). Other Taxes shall not include any Taxes imposed on, or measured by reference to, gross income, net income or gain.

(c) Without duplication of any additional amounts paid pursuant to Section 2.15(a), the Borrowers shall indemnify each Lender, the Agent and each Co-Collateral Agent for and hold it harmless against the full amount of Indemnified Taxes or Other Taxes (including Indemnified Taxes or Other Taxes imposed or asserted by any jurisdiction on amounts payable under this Section 2.15) imposed on or paid by such Lender, the Agent or any Co-Collateral Agent (as the case may be) and any liability (including penalties, interest and reasonable expenses) arising therefrom or with respect thereto. This indemnification shall be made within 30 days from the date such Lender, the Agent or any Co-Collateral Agent (as the case may be) makes written demand therefor.

(d) Within 30 days after the date of any payment of Indemnified Taxes, the Borrowers shall furnish to the Agent, at its address referred to in Section 9.02, the original or a certified copy of a receipt evidencing such payment to the extent such a receipt is issued therefor, or other written proof of payment thereof that is reasonably satisfactory to the Agent.

(e) Any Lender that is entitled to an exemption from or reduction of withholding tax with respect to payments made under any Loan Document shall deliver to the Borrowers and the Agent, at the time or times reasonably requested by the Borrowers or the Agent, such properly completed and executed documentation reasonably requested by the Borrowers or the Agent as will permit such payments to be made without withholding or at a reduced rate of withholding. In addition, any Lender, if reasonably requested by the Borrowers or the Agent, shall deliver such other documentation prescribed by applicable Law or reasonably requested by the Borrowers or the Agent as will enable the Borrowers or the Agent to determine whether or not such Lender is subject to backup withholding or information reporting requirements.

(i) Without limiting the generality of the foregoing:

(a) Each Lender that is a United States person, on or prior to the date of its execution and delivery of this Agreement in the case of each Lender and on the date of the Assignment and Acceptance pursuant to which it becomes a Lender in the case of each other Lender, and from time to time thereafter as reasonably requested in writing by the Borrowers or the Agent), shall provide each of the Agent and the Borrowers with two executed originals of Internal Revenue Service Form W-9 certifying that such Lender is exempt from U.S. federal backup withholding tax on payments pursuant to this Agreement or the other Loan Documents; and

(b) Each Lender organized under the laws of a jurisdiction outside the United States, and each other Lender that is not a domestic corporation within the meaning of Section 7701(a)(30) of the Internal Revenue Code:


(1) represents that all payments to be made to it under this Agreement or any other Loan Document are exempt from United States withholding tax (including backup withholding tax) under an applicable statute or tax treaty;

(2) on or prior to the date of its execution and delivery of this Agreement in the case of each Lender and on the date of the Assignment and Acceptance pursuant to which it becomes a Lender in the case of each other Lender, and from time to time thereafter as reasonably requested in writing by the Borrowers (but only so long as such Lender remains lawfully able to do so), shall provide each of the Agent and the Borrowers with two executed originals of Internal Revenue Service Forms W-8BEN, W-8BEN-E or W-8ECI, as appropriate, or any successor or other form prescribed by the Internal Revenue Service, certifying that such Lender is exempt from or entitled to a reduced rate of United States withholding tax on payments pursuant to this Agreement or the other Loan Documents; and

(3) on or prior to the date of its execution and delivery of this Agreement in the case of each Lender and on the date of the Assignment and Acceptance pursuant to which it becomes a Lender in the case of each other Lender, and from time to time thereafter as reasonably requested in writing by the Borrowers (but only so long as such Lender remains lawfully able to do so), shall provide each of the Agent and the Borrowers with executed originals 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 supplementary documentation as may be prescribed by applicable law to permit the Borrowers or the Agent to determine the withholding or deduction required to be made.

If the form provided by a Lender at the time such Lender first becomes a party to this Agreement indicates a United States interest withholding tax rate in excess of zero, withholding tax at such rate shall be considered excluded from Indemnified Taxes unless and until such Lender provides the appropriate forms certifying that a lesser rate applies, whereupon withholding tax at such lesser rate only shall be considered excluded from Indemnified Taxes for periods governed by such form; provided , however , that, if at the date of the Assignment and Acceptance pursuant to which a Lender assignee becomes a party to this Agreement, the Lender assignor was entitled to payments under subsection (a) in respect of United States withholding tax with respect to interest paid at such date, then, to such extent, the term Indemnified Taxes shall include (in addition to withholding taxes that may be imposed in the future or other amounts otherwise includable in Indemnified Taxes) United States withholding tax, if any, applicable with respect to the Lender assignee on such date. If any form or document referred to in this subsection (e) requires the disclosure of information, other than information necessary to compute the tax payable and information required on the date hereof by Internal Revenue Service Form W-8BEN, W-8BEN-E, or W-8ECI, that the Lender reasonably considers to be confidential, the Lender shall give notice thereof to the Borrowers and shall not be obligated to include in such form or document such confidential information. For purposes of this subsection (e), the terms “ United States ” and “ United States person ” shall have the meanings specified in Section 7701 of the Internal Revenue Code.

(f) For any period with respect to which a Lender has failed to provide the Borrowers with the appropriate form, certificate or other document described in Section 2.15(e) ( other than if such failure is due to a change in law, or in the interpretation or application thereof, occurring subsequent to the date on which a form, certificate or other document originally was required to be provided, or if such form, certificate or other document otherwise is not required under subsection (e) above), such Lender shall not be entitled to indemnification under Section 2.15(a) or (c) with respect to Indemnified Taxes imposed by the United States by reason of such failure; provided , however , that should a Lender become subject to Indemnified Taxes because of its failure to deliver a form, certificate or other document required hereunder, the Borrowers shall take such steps as the Lender shall


reasonably request to assist the Lender to recover such Indemnified Taxes. Further, 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 Borrowers and the Agent at the time or times prescribed by law and at such time or times reasonably requested by the Borrowers or the Agent such documentation prescribed by applicable law (including as prescribed by Section 1471(b)(3)(C)(i) of the Internal Revenue Code) and such additional documentation reasonably requested by the Borrowers or the Agent as may be necessary for the Borrowers and the Agent to comply with their obligations under FATCA and to determine that such Lender has complied with such Lender’s obligations under FATCA or to determine the amount to deduct and withhold from such payment. Solely for purposes of this paragraph (f), “FATCA” shall include any amendments made to FATCA after July 21, 2015.

(g) Each Lender agrees that if any form or certification it previously delivered pursuant to this Section 2.15 expires or becomes obsolete or inaccurate in any respect, it shall update such form or certification or promptly notify the Borrowers and the Agent in writing of its legal inability to do so.

(h) Any Lender claiming any additional amounts payable pursuant to this Section 2.15 agrees to use reasonable efforts (consistent with its internal policy and legal and regulatory restrictions) to change the jurisdiction of its Eurodollar Lending Office if the making of such a change would avoid the need for, or reduce the amount of, any such additional amounts that may thereafter accrue and would not, in the reasonable judgment of such Lender, be otherwise disadvantageous to such Lender.

(i) If any Lender determines, in its sole discretion exercised in good faith, that it has actually and finally realized, by reason of a refund, deduction or credit of any Indemnified Taxes paid or reimbursed by the Borrowers pursuant to subsection (a) or (c) above in respect of payments under this Agreement or the other Loan Documents, a current monetary benefit that it would otherwise not have obtained, and that would result in the total payments under this Section 2.15 exceeding the amount needed to make such Lender whole, such Lender shall pay to the Borrowers, with reasonable promptness following the date on which it actually realizes such benefit, an amount equal to the amount of such excess, net of all out-of-pocket expenses incurred by such Lender reasonably allocable in securing such refund, deduction or credit, provided that the Borrowers, upon the request of such Lender, agree to repay the amount paid over to the Borrowers to such Lender in the event such Lender is required to repay such refund to such jurisdiction. Nothing in this subsection (i) shall be construed to require any Lender to make available to the Borrowers or any other Person its tax returns or any confidential tax information.

(j) If the Agent, any Co-Collateral Agent or any Lender, as the case may be, shall become aware that it is entitled to claim a refund from a Governmental Authority in respect of Indemnified Taxes or Other Taxes paid by Borrower pursuant to this Section 2.15, including Indemnified Taxes or Other Taxes as to which it has been indemnified by Borrower, or with respect to which Borrower or a Group Member that is a signatory hereto has paid additional amounts pursuant to this Section 2.15, it shall notify Borrower of the availability of such refund claim and, if the Agent, any Co-Collateral Agent or any Lender, as the case may be, determines in good faith that making a claim for refund will not have any adverse consequence to its taxes or business operations, shall, after receipt of a request by Borrower, make a claim to such Governmental Authority for such refund at Borrower’s expense.

SECTION 2.16. Sharing of Payments, Etc. If any Lender shall obtain any payment from any Group Member (whether voluntary, involuntary, through the exercise of any right of set-off, or otherwise) on account of the Advances, the Term Loan, the 2016 Term Loan , the 2018 FILO Loan or other amounts owing to it (other than pursuant to Section 2.05(b), 2.05(c), 2.06, 2.07, 2.11, 2.12, 2.15, 2.18, 2.19 or 9.04(c)) in excess of its ratable share, such Lender shall forthwith purchase from the other Lenders such participations in the Advances, the Term Loan, the 2016 Term Loan , the 2018 FILO Loan or other amounts owing to them as shall be necessary to cause such purchasing Lender to share the excess payment ratably with each of them; provided , however , that if all or any portion of such excess payment is thereafter recovered from such purchasing Lender, such purchase from each Lender shall be rescinded and such Lender shall repay to the purchasing Lender the purchase price to the extent of such recovery together with an amount equal to such Lender’s ratable share (according to the proportion of (i) the amount of such Lender’s required repayment to (ii) the total amount so recovered from the purchasing Lender) of any interest or other amount paid or payable by the purchasing Lender in respect of the total amount so recovered.


The Borrowers agree that any Lender so purchasing a participation from another Lender pursuant to this Section 2.16 may, to the fullest extent permitted by law, exercise all its rights of payment (including the right of set-off) with respect to such participation as fully as if such Lender were the direct creditor of the Borrowers in the amount of such participation.

SECTION 2.17. Use of Proceeds of Advances, Term Loan and 2016 Term Loan . (a) The proceeds of the Advances shall be available (and each Borrower agrees that it shall use such proceeds) for general corporate purposes of Holdings and its Subsidiaries, including, without limitation, for Acquisitions, Capital Expenditures, cash dividends, payment of any of the Obligations, and stock and bond repurchases, all to the extent not prohibited under the Loan Documents.

(b) The proceeds of the Term Loan shall be available (and each Borrower agrees that it shall use such proceeds) to repay outstanding Revolving Advances on the date such Term Loan was made. Such repayment shall not result in a reduction of the Aggregate Revolving Commitments.

(c) The proceeds of the 2016 Term Loan shall be available (and each Borrower agrees that it shall use such proceeds) to repay outstanding Revolving Advances on the First Amendment Effective Date. Such repayment shall not result in a reduction of the Aggregate Revolving Commitments.

(d) The proceeds of the 2017 Additional Extended Term Loan shall be available (and each Borrower agrees that it shall use such proceeds) to repay on the Third Amendment Effective Date outstanding Term Loans of the 2017 Non-Extending Term Lenders.

(e) The proceeds of the 2018 FILO Loan shall be available (and each Borrower agrees that it shall use such proceeds) to repay outstanding Advances (and pay any additional amounts required pursuant to Section 9.04(c)) on the Sixth Amendment Effective Date. Such repayment shall not result in a reduction of the Aggregate Revolving Commitments.

SECTION 2.18. Extension of Loans .

(a) Extension of Revolving Commitments, Term Loans or 2016 Term Loans . The Borrowers may at any time and from time to time request that all or a portion of the Revolving Commitments (including the L/C Commitment and the Swingline Commitment), the Term Loans and/or the 2016 Term Loans be amended to extend the termination date with respect to all or a portion of the Revolving Commitments (any such Revolving Commitments which have been so amended, “ Extended Revolving Commitments ”, any such Term Loans which have been so amended, “ Extended Term Loans ”, and any such 2016 Term Loans which have been so amended, “ Extended 2016 Term Loans ”) and to provide for other terms consistent with this Section 2.18. In order to establish any Extended Revolving Commitments, Extended Term Loans or Extended 2016 Term Loans, the Borrowers shall provide a notice to the Agent (who shall provide a copy of such notice to each of the Revolving Lenders, Term Lenders and/or 2016 Term Lenders, as applicable) (each, a “ Extension Request ”) setting forth the proposed terms (which shall be determined in consultation with the Agent) of the Extended Revolving Commitments, Extended Term Loans or Extended 2016 Term Loans to be established, which shall (x) be identical as offered to each Revolving Lender, Term Lender and/or 2016 Term Lender, as applicable (including as to the proposed interest rates and fees payable) and offered pro rata to each Revolving Lender, each Term Lender and each 2016 Term Lender hereunder, as applicable, and (y) be identical to the Revolving Commitments, Term Loans and/or 2016 Term Loans hereunder, except that: (i) the maturity date of the Extended Revolving Commitments shall be later than the Revolving Termination Date and equal to or later than the Extended Termination Date, or with respect to the Term Loans, the maturity date of the Extended Term Loans shall be later than the Term Loan Termination Date and equal to or later than the Extended Termination Date, or with respect to the 2016 Term Loans, the maturity date of the Extended 2016 Term Loans shall be later than the 2016 Term Loan Termination Date, (ii) payments of interest and fees may be at different rates on Extended Revolving Commitments, Extended Term Loans and Extended 2016 Term Loans (and related outstandings), provided that any increase in the interest rate on the Extended Term Loans or Extended 2016 Term Loans in excess of 0.25% per annum shall result in a comparable increase in the interest rate applicable to the Revolving Extensions of Credit in an amount equal to such excess, (iii) the terms of the Extended Revolving Commitments, Extended Term Loans and/or Extended 2016 Term Loans may provide, subject to the


consent of the Required Lenders (excluding from the calculation thereof, any Revolving Lenders, Term Lenders or 2016 Term Lenders who decline to extend their Revolving Commitments, their Term Loans or their 2016 Term Loans, as applicable) for other or different covenants and terms that apply solely to any period after the Revolving Termination Date, the Term Loan Termination Date or the 2016 Term Loan Termination Date, as applicable, or, if earlier, the termination in full of the Revolving Commitments that are not Extended Revolving Commitments or the repayment in full of Term Loans that are not Extended Term Loans or the repayment in full of 2016 Term Loans that are not Extended 2016 Term Loans, as applicable, and (iv)(A) all borrowings under the Revolving Commitments (including Extended Revolving Commitments) and repayments thereunder shall be made on a pro rata basis (except for (1) payments of interest and fees at different rates on commitments (and related outstandings) in accordance with the rights of the applicable Class and (2) repayments required upon the termination date of the commitments of any Class); (B) all repayments of the Term Loans (including Extended Term Loans) shall be made on a pro rata basis (except for (1) payments of interest and fees at different rates on commitments (and related outstandings) in accordance with the rights of the applicable Class and (2) repayments required upon the maturity date of the Term Loans of any Class); and (C) all repayments of the 2016 Term Loans (including Extended 2016 Term Loans) shall be made on a pro rata basis (except for (1) payments of interest and fees at different rates on commitments (and related outstandings) in accordance with the rights of the applicable Class and (2) repayments required upon the maturity date of the 2016 Term Loans of any Class); provided, further , that (A) the conditions precedent to a Borrowing set forth in Section 4.02 shall be satisfied at the time when any Revolving Advances are made in respect of any Extended Revolving Commitment, (B) in connection with an Extension Request with respect to the Revolving Commitments, either (i) the Revolving Lenders collectively have consented to the applicable Extension Request with respect to a majority of the Revolving Commitments (it being understood that no consent of any Term Lender or 2016 Term Lender shall be required) or (ii) simultaneously with the effectiveness of the maturity extension in respect of the Extended Revolving Commitments the Revolving Commitments that are not Extended Revolving Commitments shall be terminated in full (including by deemed cancellation of the entirety of the Revolving Commitments and the implementation of new commitments in respect of the Extended Revolving Commitments), (C) in connection with an Extension Request with respect to the Term Loans either (i) the Term Lenders collectively have consented to the applicable Extension Request with respect to a majority in amount of the Term Loans (it being understood that no consent of any Revolving Lender or 2016 Term Lender shall be required) or (ii) simultaneously with the effectiveness of the maturity extension in respect of the Extended Term Loans, the Term Loans that are not Extended Term Loans shall be paid in full (the foregoing not being deemed to modify or waive the provisions of Section 2.11 hereof regarding the conditions precedent to repayment of the Term Loans), (D) in connection with an Extension Request with respect to the 2016 Term Loans either (i) the 2016 Term Lenders collectively have consented to the applicable Extension Request with respect to a majority in amount of the 2016 Term Loans (it being understood that no consent of any Revolving Lender or Term Lender shall be required) or (ii) simultaneously with the effectiveness of the maturity extension in respect of the Extended 2016 Term Loans, the 2016 Term Loans that are not Extended 2016 Term Loans shall be paid in full (the foregoing not being deemed to modify or waive the provisions of Section 2.11 hereof regarding the conditions precedent to repayment of the 2016 Term Loan), and (E) all documentation in respect of such extension shall be consistent with the foregoing.

(b) Extension Request . The Borrowers shall provide the applicable Extension Request at least ten (10) Business Days (or such shorter period as may be agreed by the Agent) prior to the date on which the applicable Lenders are requested to respond. No Lender shall have any obligation to agree to provide any Extended Revolving Commitment, Extended Term Loan or Extended 2016 Term Loan pursuant to any Extension Request. Any Lender (each, an “ Extending Lender ”) wishing to have all or a portion of its Revolving Commitments, Term Loans or 2016 Term Loans subject to such Extension Request amended into Extended Revolving Commitments, Extended Term Loan or Extended 2016 Term Loans, as applicable, shall notify the Agent (each, an “ Extension Election ”) on or prior to the date specified in such Extension Request of the amount of its Revolving Commitments, Term Loans or 2016 Term Loans, as applicable, which it has elected to request be amended into Extended Revolving Commitments, Extended Term Loan or Extended 2016 Term Loans (subject to any minimum denomination requirements imposed by the Agent). In the event that the aggregate principal amount of Revolving Commitments, Term Loans or 2016 Term Loans, as applicable, in respect of which applicable Revolving Lenders, Term Lenders or 2016 Term Lenders shall have accepted the relevant Extension Request exceeds the amount of Extended Revolving Commitments, Extended Term Loan or Extended 2016 Term Loans requested to be extended pursuant to the Extension Request, Revolving Commitments, Term Loans or 2016 Term Loans, as applicable, subject to Extension Elections shall be amended to reflect allocations of the Extended Revolving Commitments, Extended Term Loan or


Extended 2016 Term Loans, which Extended Revolving Commitments, Extended Term Loans and/or Extended 2016 Term Loans shall be allocated as agreed by Agent and the Borrowers.

(c) New Lenders . Following any Extension Request made by the Borrowers in accordance with this Section 2.18, if the Revolving Lenders, Term Lenders and/or 2016 Term Lenders, as applicable, shall have declined to agree during the period specified in Section 2.18(b) above to provide Extended Revolving Commitments, Extended Term Loan or Extended 2016 Term Loans in an aggregate principal amount equal to the amount requested by the Borrowers in such Extension Request, the Borrowers may request that banks, financial institutions or other institutional lenders or investors (including any Extending Lender) provide an Extended Revolving Commitment, an Extended Term Loan or an Extended 2016 Term Loan or a commitment to provide an additional term loan tranche hereunder (the “ Additional Extending Lenders ”); provided that such Extended Revolving Commitments, Extended Term Loan or Extended 2016 Term Loans of such Additional Extending Lenders (i) shall be in an aggregate principal amount for all such Additional Extending Lenders not to exceed the aggregate principal amount of Extended Revolving Commitments, Extended Term Loan or Extended 2016 Term Loans so declined to be provided by the existing Lenders and (ii) shall be on identical terms to the terms applicable to the terms specified in the applicable Extension Request (and any Extended Revolving Commitments, Extended Term Loan or Extended 2016 Term Loans, as applicable, provided by existing Lenders in respect thereof) and, if a new tranche of term loans is to be incurred including other terms as are customary for a term loan provided that the maturity term for any term loan commitment hereunder shall not be earlier than the 2016 Term Loan Termination Date; provided further that, as a condition to the effectiveness of any Extended Revolving Commitment, Extended Term Loan or Extended 2016 Term Loan or term loan commitment of any Additional Extending Lender, the Agent shall have consented (such consent not to be unreasonably withheld or delayed) to each Additional Extending Lender. Upon (1) the earlier of the Revolving Termination Date (including a deemed Revolving Termination Date in accordance with clause (B) of the proviso to Section 2.18(a) above, (or, if applicable, any Extended Termination Date occurring after the Revolving Termination Date) or such earlier date as any declining Revolving Lenders may agree), (a) the Revolving Commitments of the applicable declining Revolving Lenders will be terminated pro rata with the Commitments of other applicable declining Revolving Lenders by an aggregate amount equal to the aggregate principal amount of the Extended Revolving Commitments and the term loan commitments of such Additional Extending Lenders and (b) the Revolving Commitment or term loan commitment of each such Additional Extending Lender will become effective, (2) the earlier of the Term Loan Termination Date (including a deemed Term Loan Termination Date in accordance with clause (C) of the proviso to Section 2.18(a) above) (or, if applicable, any Extended Termination Date occurring after the Term Loan Termination Date) or such earlier date as any declining Term Lenders may agree), (a) the Term Loans of the applicable declining Term Lenders will be repaid in an aggregate principal amount equal to the Extended Term Loans provided by Additional Extending Lenders and (b) the term loan commitment of each such Additional Extending Lender will become effective, and (3) the earlier of the 2016 Term Loan Termination Date (including a deemed 2016 Term Loan Termination Date in accordance with clause (D) of the proviso to Section 2.18(a) above) (or, if applicable, any Extended Termination Date occurring after the 2016 Term Loan Termination Date) or such earlier date as any declining 2016 Term Lenders may agree), (a) the 2016 Term Loans of the applicable declining 2016 Term Lenders will be repaid in an aggregate principal amount equal to the Extended 2016 Term Loans provided by Additional Extending Lenders and (b) the term loan commitment of each such Additional Extending Lender will become effective. The Extended Revolving Commitments, Extended Term Loans and/or Extended 2016 Term Loans of Additional Extending Lenders will be incorporated as Revolving Commitments, Term Loans or 2016 Term Loans hereunder in the same manner in which Extended Revolving Commitments of existing Revolving Lenders or Extended Term Loans of existing Term Lenders or Extended 2016 Term Loans of existing 2016 Term Lenders are incorporated hereunder pursuant to this Section 2.18.

(d) Extension Amendment . Extended Revolving Commitments, Extended Term Loans, Extended 2016 Term Loans and Revolving Commitments and term loan commitments of Additional Extending Lenders shall be established pursuant to an amendment (each, an “ Extension Amendment ”) to this Agreement among the Borrower, the Agent and each Extending Lender and each Additional Extending Lender, if any, providing an Extended Revolving Commitment, an Extended Term Loan, an Extended 2016 Term Loan, a new Revolving Credit Commitment, or a term loan commitment as applicable, thereunder, which shall be consistent with the provisions set forth in Sections 2.18(a), (b) and (c) above (but which shall not require the consent of any other Lender). The effectiveness of any Extension Amendment shall be subject to the satisfaction on the date thereof of each of the


conditions set forth in Section 4.02 and, to the extent reasonably requested by the Agent, receipt by the Agent of legal opinions, board resolutions and officers’ certificates consistent with those delivered on the Effective Date. The Agent shall promptly notify each Lender as to the effectiveness of each Extension Amendment. Each of the parties hereto hereby agrees that this Agreement and the other Loan Documents may be amended pursuant to an Extension Amendment, without the consent of any other Lenders, to the extent necessary to (i) reflect the existence and terms of the Extended Revolving Commitments, the Extended Term Loans, the Extended 2016 Term Loans, the new Revolving Commitments, or the term loan commitments as the case may be, incurred pursuant thereto and (ii) effect such other amendments to this Agreement and the other Loan Documents as may be necessary or appropriate, in the reasonable opinion of the Agent and the Borrowers, to effect the provisions of this Section.

SECTION 2.19. Increase in Commitments .

(a) Reserved .

(b) Request for Increase After April 8, 2016 . In addition to the Borrowers’ rights to request a FILO Facility under Section 2.20, after April 8, 2016, provided no Default or Event of Default then exists or would arise therefrom, upon notice to the Agent (which shall promptly notify the Revolving Lenders) and the Co-Collateral Agents, the Borrowers may make Revolving Commitment Increase requests from time to time (which Revolving Commitment Increase may take the form of a term loan tranche); provided , however , that (w) no such Revolving Commitment Increase may be made without the consent of the Co-Collateral Agents, whose consent shall not be unreasonably withheld, (x) the aggregate amount of all Revolving Commitment Increases pursuant to this Section 2.19(b) following April 8, 2016 shall not exceed $250,000,000, (y) each Revolving Commitment Increase request shall be in a minimum amount of $100,000,000, and (z) the Borrowers may request a maximum of four Revolving Commitment Increases. At the time of sending such notice, the Borrowers (in consultation with the Agent) shall specify the time period within which each Revolving Lender is requested to respond (which shall in no event be less than ten Business Days from the date of delivery of such notice to the Revolving Lenders).

(c) Lender Elections . Each Revolving Lender shall notify the Agent within the time period described in Section 2.19(b) whether or not it agrees to increase its Revolving Commitment and, if so, whether by an amount equal to, greater than, or less than its Revolving Commitment Percentage of such Revolving Commitment Increase request. Any Revolving Lender not responding within such time period shall be deemed to have declined to increase its Revolving Commitment. No Revolving Lender shall have any obligation to increase its Revolving Commitment.

(d) Notification by Agent . The Agent shall notify the Borrowers, each Revolving Lender and the Lead Arrangers, of the Revolving Lenders’ responses to each request made under Section 2.19(b). To achieve the full amount of any Revolving Commitment Increase specified in any Revolving Commitment Increase request, subject to the approval of the Agent (which approval shall not be unreasonably withheld), to the extent that the existing Revolving Lenders decline to increase their Revolving Commitments, or decline to increase their Revolving Commitments in the full amount requested by the Borrowers, other consenting Eligible Assignees (each an “ Additional Commitment Lender ”) may become a Revolving Lender hereunder and furnish a Revolving Commitment in the amount requested by the Borrowers under Section 2.19(b) and not accepted by the existing Revolving Lenders, provided , however , that without the consent of the Agent, at no time shall the Revolving Commitment of any Additional Commitment Lender be less than $10,000,000. At the request of the Borrowers, one or more of the Lead Arrangers, in consultation with the Borrowers, may, but shall not be required, to use their reasonable efforts to arrange for Revolving Commitments from Additional Commitment Lenders.

(e) Conditions to Effectiveness of each Commitment Increase . As a condition precedent to each Revolving Commitment Increase, (i) the Borrowers shall deliver to the Agent a certificate of each Borrower dated as of the applicable Increase Effective Date signed by an Authorized Officer of such Borrower (A) certifying and attaching the resolutions adopted by the board of directors (or other applicable governing body) of such Borrower approving or consenting to such Revolving Commitment Increase, and (B) certifying that, before and after giving effect to such Revolving Commitment Increase, the representations and warranties contained in Article V hereof and the other Loan Documents are true and correct in all material respects on and as of the Increase Effective Date, except to the extent (1) such representations or warranties are qualified by a materiality standard, in which case they


shall be true and correct in all respects, and (2) such representations or warranties expressly relate to an earlier date (in which case such representations and warranties shall be true and correct in all material respects as of such earlier date), (ii) the Loan Parties other than the Borrowers shall deliver an “acknowledgment and acceptance” of the Revolving Commitment Increase in form reasonably satisfactory to the Agent, (iii) if applicable, the Borrowers, the Agent, and any Additional Commitment Lender shall have executed and delivered a joinder to the Loan Documents in such form as the Agent shall reasonably require; (iv) to the extent that the Revolving Commitment Increase shall take the form of a term loan tranche, this Agreement shall be amended, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Agent, to include such terms as are customary for a term loan commitment, including that the term loan advances shall (A) have a maturity date no earlier than the Extended Termination Date, (B) if subject to amortization, shall have an average weighted life not less than the Extended Termination Date, and (C) may not be voluntarily prepaid unless contemporaneously therewith, the other Revolving Commitments are ratably permanently reduced; (iv) the Borrowers shall have paid such fees to the applicable Lead Arrangers (to the extent that such Lead Arrangers provide assistance in arranging the Revolving Commitment Increases of Additional Commitment Lenders), the Additional Commitment Lenders and the other Revolving Lenders who agree to increase their Revolving Commitments, as the Borrowers and the applicable Lead Arrangers, the Additional Commitment Lenders and the other Revolving Lenders, respectively, may agree; (v) the Borrowers shall deliver to the Agent and the Lenders an opinion or opinions, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Agent, from counsel to the Borrowers reasonably satisfactory to the Agent and dated such date; (vi) the Borrowers shall have delivered to the Agent an updated Borrowing Base Certificate dated as of the Increase Effective Date, and (vii) no Default or Event of Default shall exist or result from the Revolving Commitment Increase. The Borrowers shall prepay any Advances outstanding on the Increase Effective Date (and pay any additional amounts required pursuant to Section 9.04(c) ) and may borrow on a non-ratable basis from any Revolving Lender or Additional Commitment Lender committed to a portion of the applicable Revolving Commitment Increase, in each case to the extent necessary to keep the outstanding Advances ratable with any revised Revolving Commitment Percentage arising from any non-ratable increase in the Revolving Commitments under this Section.

Each of the parties hereto hereby agrees that the Agent may take any and all further action as may be reasonably necessary to ensure that all Advances in respect of Revolving Commitment Increases, when originally made, are included in each Borrowing of outstanding Advances on a pro rata basis. The Borrower agrees that Section 9.04(c) shall apply to any conversion of Eurodollar Rate Advances to Base Rate Advances reasonably required by the Agent to effect the foregoing.

(f) Effective Date and Allocations . If the Revolving Commitments are increased after April 8, 2016 in accordance with this Section, the Agent (in consultation with the Borrowers) shall determine the effective date (each, an “ Increase Effective Date ”) and the final allocation of the Revolving Commitment Increase, giving effect to the occurrence of the applicable Increase Effective Date. The Agent shall promptly notify the Borrowers and the Revolving Lenders of such final allocation and the Increase Effective Date, and on the Increase Effective Date (i) the Aggregate Revolving Commitments under, and for all purposes of, this Agreement shall be increased by the aggregate amount of the Revolving Commitment Increase, and (ii) the applicable Schedule to the Agreement shall be deemed modified, without further action, to reflect the revised Commitments of the Revolving Lenders.

(g) Other Provisions That portion of the Revolving Commitment of each Revolving Lender and Additional Commitment Lender constituting its portion of any Revolving Commitment Increase under this Section 2.19 (i) other than in the case of a term loan, shall bear interest and be entitled to receive letter of credit fees at the rates provided for 2015 Extending Lenders, (ii) shall, other than in the case of a term loan, receive Commitment Fees based on Section 2.05(a) hereof, (iii) shall terminate on the Extended Termination Date or in the case of a term loan on or after the Extended Termination Date, and (iv) except as provided in clause (e) hereof, shall otherwise be on the same terms as set forth in, and be entitled to the benefits of, this Agreement and the other Loan Documents.

(h) Conflicting Provisions . This Section shall supersede any provisions in Sections 2.16 or 9.01 to the contrary. Each of the parties hereto hereby agrees that, upon any Increase Effective Date, this Agreement shall be deemed amended to the extent (but only to the extent) necessary to reflect the existence and terms of the Revolving Commitment Increase, without need for further consents pursuant to Section 9.01. Any such deemed amendment may be memorialized in writing by the Agent with the Borrowers’ and Co-Collateral Agents’ consent (not to be unreasonably withheld) and furnished to the other parties hereto.


SECTION 2.20. FILO Facility .

(a) Request for FILO Facility After July 21, 2015 . In addition to the Borrowers’ rights to request a Revolving Commitment Increase under Section 2.19, after July 21, 2015, provided no Default or Event of Default then exists or would arise therefrom, upon notice to the Agent (which shall promptly notify the Revolving Lenders) and the Co-Collateral Agents, the Borrowers may request that the Revolving Lenders establish a “first-in, last-out” facility (the “ FILO Facility ”), which may take the form of either a revolving or term facility; provided , however , that (w) the consent of the Co-Collateral Agents, whose consent shall not be unreasonably withheld, shall be required for the establishment of a FILO Facility, (x) the aggregate FILO Commitments and FILO Loans shall not exceed $500,000,000 in the aggregate at any one time outstanding, (y) any request for the establishment of a FILO Facility shall be in a minimum amount of $100,000,000, and (z) there shall be no more than one FILO Facility outstanding at any time. In order to establish any FILO Facility, the Borrowers shall provide a notice to the Agent and the Co-Collateral Agents setting forth the proposed terms of the FILO Facility, which shall be determined in consultation with the Agent and, in any case, include the following: (i) the same maturity date as the Extended Termination Date, or any later date for the termination of Revolving Commitments established pursuant to Section 2.18 , (ii) provide that payments of interest and fees (including both commitment and up-front fees) may be at different rates on the FILO Facility from those relating to the Revolving Commitments (and related outstandings), the Term Loan and the 2016 Term Loan, (iii) require that the FILO Facility be (A) to the extent the FILO Facility is a term loan facility, fully funded on the effective date thereof, and (B) to the extent the FILO Facility is a revolving facility, funded on the effective date thereof in an amount not less than the lesser of the full amount thereof and the amount necessary to repay any then outstanding Advances, and thereafter be drawn in full prior to the making of any Advance under the Revolving Commitments, (iv) provide for a draw condition on the FILO Facility that the aggregate amount outstanding under the FILO Facility shall not exceed the lesser of (1) Incremental Availability and (2) the FILO Commitment, (v) provide that FILO Loans may not be prepaid, or the FILO Commitments reduced, in whole or in part unless no Default or Event of Default then exists and is continuing and, after giving effect to such prepayment or reduction, Pro Forma and Projected Capped Excess Availability is at least 50% of the Line Cap, (vi) require the Agent to establish and adjust the FILO Reserve as and when applicable, (vii) include such inter-lender provisions as may be reasonably acceptable to the Co-Collateral Agents, and (viii) include such other modifications (including, without limitation, to the definitions of “Required Lenders” and “Supermajority Lenders”) as the Co-Collateral Agents and the Borrowers may determine necessary or appropriate. At the time of sending such notice, the Borrowers (in consultation with the Agent) shall specify the time period within which each Revolving Lender is requested to respond (which shall in no event be less than ten Business Days from the date of delivery of such notice to the Revolving Lenders).

(b) Lender Elections . Each Revolving Lender shall notify the Agent within the time period described in Section 2.20(a) whether or not it agrees to participate in the FILO Facility and, if so, whether by an amount equal to, greater than, or less than its Revolving Commitment Percentage. Any Revolving Lender not responding within such time period shall be deemed to have declined to participate in the FILO Facility. No Revolving Lender shall have any obligation to participate in the FILO Facility.

(c) Notification by Agent . The Agent shall notify the Borrowers, each Revolving Lender and the Lead Arrangers, of the Revolving Lenders’ responses to each request made under Section 2.20(a). To achieve the full amount of the FILO Facility specified in any request made by the Borrowers, subject to the approval of the Agent (which approval shall not be unreasonably withheld), to the extent that the existing Revolving Lenders decline to participate in the FILO Facility, or decline to participate in an amount equal to its Revolving Commitment Percentage, other consenting Eligible Assignees may become a FILO Lender hereunder and furnish a FILO Commitment in the amount requested by the Borrowers under Section 2.20(a) and not accepted by the existing Revolving Lenders, provided , however , that without the consent of the Agent, at no time shall the FILO Commitment of any FILO Lender be less than $10,000,000, and provided , further that , at no time shall any Permitted Holder and/or Significant Holder hold any portion of any FILO Facility hereunder, except that Permitted Holders and/or Significant Holders may hold all or any portion of the 2018 FILO Facility. At the request of the Borrowers, one or more of the Lead Arrangers, in consultation with the Borrowers, may, but shall not be required, to use their reasonable efforts to arrange for FILO Commitments from Eligible Assignees.


(d) Conditions to Effectiveness of FILO Facility . As a condition precedent to the establishment of the FILO Facility after July 21, 2015, (i) the Borrowers shall deliver to the Agent a certificate of each Borrower signed by an Authorized Officer of such Borrower (A) certifying and attaching the resolutions adopted by the board of directors (or other applicable governing body) of such Borrower approving or consenting to the establishment of the FILO Facility, and (B) certifying that, before and after giving effect to the establishment of the FILO Facility, the representations and warranties contained in Article V hereof and the other Loan Documents are true and correct in all material respects on and as of the effective date of the FILO Facility, except to the extent (1) such representations or warranties are qualified by a materiality standard, in which case they shall be true and correct in all respects, and (2) such representations or warranties expressly relate to an earlier date (in which case such representations and warranties shall be true and correct in all material respects as of such earlier date), (ii) the Loan Parties other than the Borrowers shall deliver an “acknowledgment and acceptance” of the establishment of the FILO Facility in form reasonably satisfactory to the Agent, (iii) the Borrowers shall have paid such fees to the applicable Lead Arrangers (to the extent that such Lead Arrangers provide assistance in arranging the FILO Facility), and the FILO Lenders, as the Borrowers and the applicable Lead Arrangers and the FILO Lenders, respectively, may agree; (iv) the Borrowers shall deliver to the Agent and the Lenders an opinion or opinions, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Agent, from counsel to the Borrowers reasonably satisfactory to the Agent and dated such date; (v) the Borrowers shall have delivered to the Agent an updated Borrowing Base Certificate dated as of the effective date of the FILO Facility, (vi) if applicable, the Borrowers, the Agent, and any Eligible Assignee which becomes a FILO Lender shall have executed and delivered a joinder to the Loan Documents in such form as the Agent shall reasonably require; (vii) this Agreement shall have been amended to the extent necessary to reflect the existence and terms of the FILO Facility and to effect other amendments to this Agreement and the other Loan Documents as may be necessary or appropriate, in the reasonable opinion of the Agent and the Borrowers to effect the provisions of this Section, with the consent of the FILO Lenders, the Co-Collateral Agents and the Borrower (such consents not to be unreasonably withheld) , but without the need for further consents from the Lenders, and (viii) no Default or Event of Default shall exist or result from the establishment of the FILO Facility. The Borrowers shall use the proceeds of the FILO Facility to prepay any Advances outstanding on the effective date thereof (and pay any additional amounts required pursuant to Section 9.04(c) ); provided that , in the event the FILO Facility takes the form of a term loan facility, the Borrowers may decline to prepay the Advances outstanding on the effective date thereof if, immediately after giving effect to the funding of the FILO Facility and the application of the proceeds thereof, Capped Excess Availability is not less than the sum of (1) $150,000,000 plus (2) the amount of the proceeds of such FILO Facility, net of related fees and expenses paid at the closing of such FILO Facility.

(e) Effective Date and Allocations . If the FILO Facility is established after July 21, 2015 in accordance with this Section, the Agent (in consultation with the Borrowers) shall determine the effective date and the final allocation of the FILO Commitments. The Agent shall promptly notify the Borrowers and the FILO Lenders of such final allocation and the effective date of the FILO Facility, and on the effective date the Schedule to the Agreement shall be deemed modified, without further action, to reflect the FILO Commitments of the FILO Lenders.

SECTION 2.21. Permitted Overadvances . The Agent may, in its discretion, make Permitted Overadvances without the consent of the Lenders, the Swingline Lender and the Issuing Lenders, and each Lender shall be bound thereby. Any Permitted Overadvance may constitute a Swingline Advance. A Permitted Overadvance is for the account of the Borrowers and shall constitute a Base Rate Advance and an Obligation (as defined in the Guarantee and Collateral Agreement) and shall be repaid by the Borrowers in accordance with the provisions of Section 2.03(b) or 2.11(c), as applicable. The making of any such Permitted Overadvance on any one occasion shall not obligate the Agent or any Lender to make or permit any Permitted Overadvance on any other occasion or to permit such Permitted Overadvances to remain outstanding. The making by the Agent of a Permitted Overadvance shall not modify or abrogate any of the provisions of Article III regarding the Lenders’ obligations to purchase participations with respect to Letters of Credit or of Section 2.04 regarding the Lenders’ obligations to purchase participations with respect to Swingline Advance. The Agent shall have no liability for, and no Loan Party or Credit Party shall have the right to, or shall, bring any claim of any kind whatsoever against the Agent with respect to “inadvertent Overadvances” (i.e. where an Overadvance results from changed circumstances beyond the control of the Agent (such as a reduction in the collateral value)) regardless of the amount of any such Overadvance(s).


ARTICLE III

AMOUNT AND TERMS OF THE LETTERS OF CREDIT

SECTION 3.01. L/C Commitment .

(a) Subject to the terms and conditions hereof, each Issuing Lender, in reliance on the agreements of the other Revolving Lenders set forth in Section 3.04(a), agrees to issue Letters of Credit for the account of any Borrower (on behalf of such Borrower or on behalf of any other Group Member) on any Business Day during the period from the Effective Date until the Extended Termination Date in such form as may be approved from time to time by such Issuing Lender; provided that no Issuing Lender shall have any obligation to issue any Letter of Credit if (i) after giving effect to such issuance, the L/C Obligations would exceed the L/C Commitment or (ii) the face amount of the requested Letter of Credit, when aggregated with all other then outstanding Extensions of Credit (excluding FILO Extensions of Credit), shall exceed the Line Cap at such time; provided further that each Issuing Lender may, but shall not be required to, issue Letters of Credit such that the aggregate L/C Obligations attributable to all such outstanding Letters of Credit issued by such Issuing Lender exceed $500,000,000. Each Letter of Credit shall (i) be denominated in Dollars or any other lawful foreign currency which is approved in writing on a case by case basis by the Issuing Lender and the Agent in their sole and absolute discretion and (ii) expire no later than the earlier of (x) the first anniversary of its date of issuance, or (y) subject to the provisions of Section 6.01(p), the date that is five (5) Business Days prior to the Extended Termination Date, provided that any Letter of Credit with a one-year term may provide for the renewal thereof for additional one-year periods (which, subject to the provisions of Section 6.01(p)) shall in no event extend beyond the date referred to in clause (y) above). Each Application and each Letter of Credit shall be subject to the International Standby Practices (ISP 98) of the International Chamber of Commerce (in the case of Standby L/Cs) or the Uniform Customs and Practice for Documentary Credits as most recently published by the International Chamber of Commerce (in the case of Commercial L/Cs) and, to the extent not inconsistent therewith, the laws of the State of New York.

(b) The Issuing Lender shall not at any time be obligated to issue any Letter of Credit if (i) such issuance would conflict with, or cause the Issuing Lender or any Revolving Lender to exceed any limits imposed by, any applicable Requirement of Law, (ii) any order, judgment or decree of any Governmental Authority or arbitrator shall by its terms purport to enjoin or restrain the Issuing Lender from issuing such Letter of Credit, or any law applicable to the Issuing Lender or any request or directive (whether or not having the force of law) from any Governmental Authority with jurisdiction over the Issuing Lender shall prohibit, or request that the Issuing Lender refrain from, the issuance of letters of credit generally or such Letter of Credit in particular or shall impose upon the Issuing Lender with respect to such Letter of Credit any restriction, reserve or capital requirement (for which the Issuing Lender is not otherwise compensated hereunder) not in effect on the Effective Date, or shall impose upon the Issuing Lender any unreimbursed loss, cost or expense which was not applicable on the Effective Date and which the Issuing Lender in good faith deems material to it; (iii) such issuance would violate one or more policies of the Issuing Lender applicable to letters of credit generally, or (iv) any Revolving Lender is at such time a Defaulting Lender hereunder, unless the Issuing Lender has entered into arrangements, including the delivery of cash collateral, satisfactory to the Issuing Lender (in its sole discretion) with the Borrowers or such Defaulting Lender to eliminate the Issuing Lender’s actual or potential Fronting Exposure (after giving effect to Section 8.12(a)(iv) with respect to the Defaulting Lender arising from either (x) the Letter of Credit then proposed to be issued or (y) that Letter of Credit and all other L/C Obligations as to which the Issuing Lender has actual or potential Fronting Exposure, as it may elect in its sole discretion.

SECTION 3.02. Procedure for Issuance of Letter of Credit . (a) Any Borrower may from time to time request that the Issuing Lender issue a Commercial L/C or Standby L/C for its account (on behalf of such Borrower or on behalf of any other Group Member) by delivering to the Issuing Lender at its address for notices specified herein an Application therefor, completed to the satisfaction of the Issuing Lender, and such other certificates, documents and other papers and information as the Issuing Lender may reasonably request. Upon receipt of any Application, the Issuing Lender will process such Application and the certificates, documents and other papers and information delivered to it in connection therewith in accordance with its customary procedures and shall promptly issue the Letter of Credit requested thereby (but in no event shall the Issuing Lender be required


to issue any Letter of Credit earlier than three Business Days after its receipt of the Application therefor and all such other certificates, documents and other papers and information relating thereto) by issuing the original of such Letter of Credit to the beneficiary thereof or as otherwise may be agreed to by the Issuing Lender and the applicable Borrower. The Issuing Lender shall furnish a copy of such Letter of Credit to the applicable Borrower promptly following the issuance thereof. The Issuing Lender shall promptly notify the Agent of the issuance, extension or amendment of Letters of Credit and any drawings or other payments under Letters of Credit.

(b) Any letter of credit issued by an Issuing Lender under any Other LC Facility for the account of a Borrower (each, an “ Other LC ”), may, at the election of the Borrowers and with the consent of the applicable Issuing Lender, be deemed issued under this Agreement, provided that (1) the Borrowers execute and deliver a Transfer Notice to the Agent three (3) Business Days prior to the date proposed for the transfer of such Other LC to governance hereunder (the “ Transfer Date ”), (2) the issuance of such Other LC would be permitted under this Agreement and all conditions precedent to such issuance would be satisfied on the Transfer Date as if such letters of credit were newly issued hereunder on the Transfer Date, (3) after giving effect to the transfer of the Other LC, either (x) Projected and Pro Forma Capped Excess Availability shall be at least 50% of the Line Cap, or (y) both (i) Projected and Pro Forma Capped Excess Availability shall be at least 25% of the Line Cap, and (ii) the Pro Forma Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio shall be at least 1.0: 1.0, and (4) no Default or Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing as of the Transfer Date, or shall arise as a result of the deemed issuance of such Other LC hereunder.

(c) Any Letter of Credit issued by an Issuing Lender under this Agreement for the account of a Borrower, may, at the election of the Borrowers and with the consent of the applicable Issuing Lender, be deemed issued under any Other LC Facility, provided that (1) the Borrowers and the issuing lender under the Other LC Facility execute and deliver an Other LC Transfer Notice to the Agent three (3) Business Days prior to the date proposed for the transfer of such Letter of Credit to governance under the Other LC Facility (the “ Other LC Transfer Date ”), (2) after giving effect to such transfer to the Other LC Facility, outstanding Letters of Credit issued under this Agreement shall be in an aggregate stated amount of at least $500,000,000, and (3) the issuance of such Other LC would be permitted under the Other LC Facility and all conditions precedent to such issuance would be satisfied on the Other LC Transfer Date as if such letters of credit were newly issued thereunder on the Other LC Transfer Date.

SECTION 3.03. Fees and Other Charges . (a) The Borrowers will pay a fee on the face amount of all outstanding Letters of Credit (provided, however, that with respect to any Letter of Credit that, by its terms provides for one or more automatic increases in the amount thereof, the amount of such Letter of Credit shall be deemed to be the maximum amount of such Letter of Credit after giving effect to all such increases, whether or not such maximum amount is in effect at such time) at a per annum rate equal to (i) in the case of each Standby L/C and Banker’s Acceptance, (A) with respect to the 2015 Non-Extending Lenders (to be shared ratably amongst them), the Applicable Margin then in effect with respect to Eurodollar Rate Advances and (B) with respect to 2015 Extending Lenders (to be shared ratably amongst them), the Extended Term Applicable Margin then in effect with respect to Eurodollar Rate Advances and (ii) in the case of each Commercial L/C, (A) with respect to the 2015 Non-Extending Lenders, 50% of the Applicable Margin then in effect with respect to Eurodollar Rate Advances and (B) with respect to 2015 Extending Lenders, 50% of the Extended Term Applicable Margin then in effect with respect to Eurodollar Rate Advances, in each case payable quarterly in arrears the 5 th day subsequent to the last day of each April, July, October and January after the issuance date ( provided that , during the continuation of a Cash Dominion Event, such payment shall be made on the 5 th day subsequent to the last day of each month after the issuance date). In addition, the Borrowers shall pay to the Issuing Lender for its own account a fronting fee in an amount to be agreed upon by the applicable Issuing Lender and the Borrowers (but in no event to exceed 0.125% per annum) on the undrawn and unexpired amount of each Letter of Credit, payable quarterly in arrears on the 5 th day subsequent to the last day of each April, July, October and January after the issuance date ( provided that , during the continuation of a Cash Dominion Event, such payment shall be made on the 5 th day subsequent to the last day of each month after the issuance date).


(b) In addition to the foregoing fees, the Borrowers shall pay or reimburse the Issuing Lender for such normal and customary costs and expenses as are incurred or charged by the Issuing Lender in issuing, negotiating, effecting payment under, amending or otherwise administering any Letter of Credit, unless otherwise agreed.

SECTION 3.04. Letter of Credit Participations . (a) The Issuing Lender irrevocably agrees to grant and hereby grants to each Revolving Lender, and, to induce the Issuing Lender to issue Letters of Credit, each Revolving Lender irrevocably agrees to accept and purchase and hereby accepts and purchases from the Issuing Lender, on the terms and conditions set forth below, for such Revolving Lender’s own account and risk an undivided interest equal to such Revolving Lender’s Revolving Commitment Percentage in the Issuing Lender’s obligations and rights under and in respect of each Letter of Credit and the amount of each draft paid by the Issuing Lender thereunder. Each Revolving Lender agrees with the Issuing Lender that, if a draft is paid under any Letter of Credit for which the Issuing Lender is not reimbursed in full by the Borrowers in accordance with the terms of this Agreement, such Revolving Lender shall pay to the Issuing Lender upon demand at the Issuing Lender’s address for notices specified herein an amount equal to such Revolving Lender’s Revolving Commitment Percentage of the amount of such draft, or any part thereof, that is not so reimbursed. Each Revolving Lender’s obligation to pay such amount shall be absolute and unconditional and shall not be affected by any circumstance, including (i) any set-off, counterclaim, recoupment, defense or other right that such Revolving Lender may have against the Issuing Lender, the Borrowers or any other Person for any reason whatsoever, (ii) the occurrence or continuance of a Default or an Event of Default or the failure to satisfy any of the other conditions specified in Article IV, (iii) any adverse change in the condition (financial or otherwise) of the Borrowers or any other Loan Party, (iv) any breach of this Agreement or any other Loan Document by the Borrowers, any other Loan Party or any other Revolving Lender or (v) any other circumstance, happening or event whatsoever, whether or not similar to any of the foregoing; provided that each Revolving Lender shall only be obligated to make any such payment in Dollars (and not any foreign currency) in accordance with the provisions of Section 3.10 hereof.

(b) If any amount required to be paid by any Revolving Lender to the Issuing Lender pursuant to Section 3.04(a) in respect of any unreimbursed portion of any payment made by the Issuing Lender under any Letter of Credit is paid to the Issuing Lender within three Business Days after the date such payment is due, such Revolving Lender shall pay to the Issuing Lender on demand an amount equal to the product of (i) such amount, times (ii) the daily average Federal Funds Rate during the period from and including the date such payment is required to the date on which such payment is immediately available to the Issuing Lender, times (iii) a fraction the numerator of which is the number of days that elapse during such period and the denominator of which is 360. If any such amount required to be paid by any Revolving Lender pursuant to Section 3.04(a) is not made available to the Issuing Lender by such Revolving Lender within three Business Days after the date such payment is due, the Issuing Lender shall be entitled to recover from such Revolving Lender, on demand, such amount with interest thereon calculated from such due date at the rate per annum set forth in Section 2.08(a)(i) or Section 2.08(d)(i), as applicable, applicable to Base Rate Advances. A certificate of the Issuing Lender submitted to any Revolving Lender with respect to any amounts owing under this Section shall be conclusive in the absence of manifest error.

(c) Whenever, at any time after the Issuing Lender has made payment under any Letter of Credit and has received from any Revolving Lender its pro rata share of such payment in accordance with Section 3.04(a), the Issuing Lender receives any payment related to such Letter of Credit (whether directly from the applicable Borrower or otherwise, including proceeds of collateral applied thereto by the Issuing Lender), or any payment of interest on account thereof, the Issuing Lender will distribute to such Revolving Lender its pro rata share thereof (appropriately adjusted to reflect whether such payment is owed to a Non-Extending Lender (including a 2015 Non-Extending Lender) or an Extending Lender (including a 2015 Extending Lender) and whether the corresponding interest rate owed to such Lender is calculated in accordance with Section 2.08(a) or 2.08(d)); provided , however , that in the event that any such payment received by the Issuing Lender shall be required to be returned by the Issuing Lender, such Revolving Lender shall return to the Issuing Lender the portion thereof previously distributed by the Issuing Lender to it.

SECTION 3.05. Reimbursement Obligation of the Borrowers . If any draft is paid under any Letter of Credit, the applicable Borrower shall reimburse the Issuing Lender for the amount of (a) the draft so paid and (b) any taxes, fees, charges or other costs or expenses incurred by the Issuing Lender in connection with such payment, not later than 12:00 Noon on (i) the Business Day that the applicable Borrower receives notice of such draft, if such notice is received on such day prior to 10:00 A.M. or (ii) if clause (i) above does not apply, the


Business Day immediately following the day that the applicable Borrower receives such notice; provided , that if the total reimbursement amount set forth in clauses (a) or (b) above is not less than $5,000,000 or $500,000, respectively, the applicable Borrower may, subject to the conditions to borrowing set forth herein, request that such reimbursement be financed with a Base Rate Advance or Swingline Advance in an equivalent amount and, to the extent so financed, the Borrower’s obligation to make such payment shall be discharged and replaced by the resulting Advance. Each such payment shall be made to the Issuing Lender at its address for notices referred to herein in Dollars (or if the Letter of Credit is issued in a currency other than Dollars, in such currency or the Dollar equivalent thereof calculated in accordance with the provisions of Section 3.10) and in immediately available funds. Interest shall be payable on any such amounts from the date on which the relevant draft is paid until payment in full at the rate set forth in (x) until the Business Day next succeeding the date of the relevant notice, Section 2.08(a)(i) or Section 2.08(d)(i), as applicable, with respect to the portions of the applicable draft attributable to 2015 Non-Extending Lenders and 2015 Extending Lenders, respectively, and (y) thereafter, Section 2.08(e).

SECTION 3.06. Obligations Absolute . Each Borrower’s obligations under this Article III shall be absolute and unconditional under any and all circumstances and irrespective of any set-off, counterclaim or defense to payment that any Borrower may have or have had against the Issuing Lender, any beneficiary of a Letter of Credit or any other Person. Each Borrower also agrees with the Issuing Lender that the Issuing Lender shall not be responsible for, and such Borrower’s Reimbursement Obligations under Section 3.05 shall not be affected by, among other things, the validity or genuineness of documents or of any endorsements thereon, even though such documents shall in fact prove to be invalid, fraudulent or forged, or any dispute between or among such Borrower and any beneficiary of any Letter of Credit or any other party to which such Letter of Credit may be transferred or any claims whatsoever of such Borrower against any beneficiary of such Letter of Credit or any such transferee. The Issuing Lender shall not be liable for any error, omission, interruption or delay in transmission, dispatch or delivery of any message or advice, however transmitted, in connection with any Letter of Credit, except for errors or omissions found by a final and nonappealable decision of a court of competent jurisdiction to have resulted from the gross negligence or willful misconduct of the Issuing Lender. Each Borrower agrees that any action taken or omitted by the Issuing Lender under or in connection with any Letter of Credit or the related drafts or documents, if done in the absence of gross negligence or willful misconduct, shall be binding on such Borrower and shall not result in any liability of the Issuing Lender to such Borrower.

SECTION 3.07. Letter of Credit Payments . If any draft shall be presented for payment under any Letter of Credit, the Issuing Lender shall promptly notify the applicable Borrower of the date and amount thereof. The responsibility of the Issuing Lender to the Borrowers in connection with any draft presented for payment under any Letter of Credit shall, in addition to any payment obligation expressly provided for in such Letter of Credit, be limited to determining that the documents (including each draft) delivered under such Letter of Credit in connection with such presentment are substantially in conformity with such Letter of Credit.

SECTION 3.08. Applications . To the extent that any provision of any Application related to any Letter of Credit is inconsistent with the provisions of this Article III, the provisions of this Article III shall apply.

SECTION 3.09. Use of Letters of Credit . The Letters of Credit shall be available (and each Borrower agrees that it shall use such Letters of Credit) for general corporate purposes of Holdings and its Subsidiaries.

SECTION 3.10. Currency Equivalents Generally . Any amount specified in this Agreement (including pursuant to Section 3.05 above) to be in a currency other than Dollars shall also include the equivalent of such amount in Dollars, such equivalent amount to be determined by the Agent at such time on the basis of the Spot Rate (as defined below) for the purchase of such currency with Dollars. For purposes of this Section 3.10, the “Spot Rate” for a currency means the rate determined by the Agent to be the rate quoted by the Person acting in such capacity as the spot rate for the purchase by such Person of such currency with another currency through its principal foreign exchange trading office at approximately 11:00 a.m. on the date two Business Days prior to the date of such determination; provided that the Agent may obtain such spot rate from another financial institution designated by the Agent if the Person acting in such capacity does not have as of the date of determination a spot buying rate for any such currency.


ARTICLE IV

CONDITIONS TO EFFECTIVENESS

SECTION 4.01. Conditions Precedent to Effectiveness . The effectiveness of this Agreement is conditioned upon satisfaction of the following conditions precedent:

(a) The Agent’s receipt of the following, each of which shall be originals or telecopies (followed promptly by originals) unless otherwise specified, each properly executed by an Authorized Officer of the signing Loan Party, each dated July 21, 2015 (or, in the case of certificates of governmental officials, a recent date before July 21, 2015) and each in form and substance satisfactory to the Agent and the Co-Collateral Agents:

(i) this Agreement duly executed by each of Holdings, the Borrowers, the Agent, the Co-Collateral Agents, and the Lenders.

(ii) the Security Documents or amendments thereto or restatements thereof (including, without limitation, the Guarantee and Collateral Agreement), in each case to the extent reasonably requested by the Agent, each duly executed by the applicable Loan Parties;

(iii) all other Loan Documents, or amendments thereto or restatements thereof to the extent reasonably requested by the Agent, each duly executed by the applicable Loan Parties;

(iv) such certificates of resolutions or other action, incumbency certificates and/or other certificates of Authorized Officers of each Loan Party as the Agent may reasonably require evidencing (A) the authority of each Loan Party to enter into this Agreement and the other Loan Documents to which such Loan Party is a party or is to be a party and (B) the identity, authority and capacity of each Authorized Officer thereof authorized to act as an Authorized Officer in connection with this Agreement and the other Loan Documents to which such Loan Party is a party or is to be a party;

(v) copies of each Loan Party’s organization or other governing documents and such other documents and certifications as the Agent may reasonably require to evidence that each Loan Party is duly organized or formed, and that each Loan Party is validly existing, in good standing and qualified to engage in business in each jurisdiction where failure to so qualify could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect;

(vi) An opinion of in house counsel to Holdings and of one or more special or local counsel to Holdings, the Borrowers, and the other Loan Parties, addressed to the Agent, the Co-Collateral Agents and each Lender as to such matters as the Agent and Co-Collateral Agents may reasonably request;

(vii) a certificate signed by an Authorized Officer of Holdings and the Borrowers certifying (A) that the conditions specified in Section 4.02 have been satisfied, (B) to the Solvency of the Loan Parties, taken as a whole, as of July 21, 2015 after giving effect to the transactions contemplated hereby, and (C) that the Perfection Certificate is true and correct in all material respects;

(viii) evidence that all insurance (including endorsements) required to be maintained pursuant to Section 6.01(c) has been obtained and is in effect;

(ix) A Borrowing Base Certificate, duly completed and executed by an Authorized Officer of Holdings, together with supporting information satisfactory to the Co-Collateral Agents in their Permitted Discretion, and dated as of the end of June 2015.


(x) results of searches or other evidence reasonably satisfactory to the Co-Collateral Agents (in each case dated as of a date reasonably satisfactory to the Co-Collateral Agents) indicating the absence of Liens on the assets of the Loan Parties, except for Liens permitted by Section 6.02(a);

(xi) duly executed Credit Card Notifications, Third Party Payor Notifications and Blocked Account Agreements required pursuant to Section 6.01(m);

(xii) a duly executed agreement from each Subsidiary of Holdings which is not a Loan Party and which owns any real estate constituting a warehouse or DC that houses collateral or owns Related Intellectual Property, pursuant to which each such Subsidiary grants to the Co-Collateral Agents a rent-free or royalty-free (as applicable) license to use such real estate and Related Intellectual Property in connection with the Co-Collateral Agents’ enforcement of their remedies under the Loan Documents with respect to the Collateral, during the occurrence and continuation of an Event of Default; and

(xiii) such other customary certificates, documents or consents as the Agent and the Co-Collateral Agents reasonably may require.

(b) all actions required by law or reasonably requested by the Co-Collateral Agents to be undertaken, and all, documents and instruments, including Uniform Commercial Code financing statements and Blocked Account Agreements, required by law or reasonably requested by the Co-Collateral Agents to be filed, registered, or recorded to create or perfect the Liens intended to be created under the Loan Documents and all such documents and instruments shall have been so filed, registered or recorded to the satisfaction of the Agent

(c) Capped Excess Availability shall be equal to or greater than $1,000,000,000.

(d) Reserved.

(e) The REIT Transaction shall have been consummated (or shall be consummated substantially concurrently with the effectiveness of this Agreement) on terms and conditions satisfactory to the Agent and the Co-Collateral Agents, the Borrowers shall have received the net cash proceeds therefrom, that together with the proceeds realized from the Macerich, Simon Property Group and General Growth Properties real estate transactions, and certain other real estate transactions completed after April 1, 2015, amount to at least $2,500,000,000, and such cash proceeds shall be used to repay the outstanding Revolving Advances (as defined in the Existing Credit Agreement).

(f) Revolving Lenders holding a majority of the Revolving Commitments (such amount to be no less than $1,637,500,000) shall have agreed to become 2015 Extending Lenders.

(g) The Required Lenders under the Existing Credit Agreement shall have consented to this Agreement, after giving effect to reductions and/or reallocations of commitments under the Existing Credit Agreement.

(h) The conditions set forth in Section 4.02 shall be satisfied.

(i) There shall have been no event or circumstance since January 31, 2015 that has had or could reasonably be expected to have, either individually or in the aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect.

(j) All fees required to be paid to the Agent, the Co-Collateral Agents or the Lead Arrangers on or before July 21, 2015 shall have been paid in full, and all fees required to be paid to the Lenders on or before July 21, 2015 shall have been paid in full.

(k) The Borrowers shall have paid all costs and expenses of the Agent and the Co-Collateral Agents (to the extent set forth in Section 9.04(a)) incurred in connection with or relating to this Agreement and the


other Loan Documents, including reasonable fees, charges and disbursements of counsel to the Agent and each Co-Collateral Agent, to the extent invoiced prior to or on July 21, 2015, (provided that such payment shall not thereafter preclude a final settling of accounts between the Borrowers and the Agent and the Co-Collateral Agents).

SECTION 4.02. Conditions Precedent to Each Extension of Credit . The obligation of each Lender to make an Extension of Credit on any date shall be subject to the conditions precedent that the effectiveness of this Agreement shall have occurred and on the date of such Extension of Credit the following statements shall be true (and each of the giving of the applicable Notice of Borrowing or Application for a Letter of Credit, as the case may be, and the acceptance by the applicable Borrower of the proceeds of such Borrowing or the issuance of such Letter of Credit, as applicable, shall constitute a representation and warranty by the applicable Borrower that on the date of such Borrowing or Letter of Credit issuance such statements are true):

(i) the representations and warranties made by each Loan Party in or pursuant to the Loan Documents are true and correct on and as of such date in all material respects, before and after giving effect to such Extension of Credit and to the application of the proceeds therefrom, as though made on and as of such date, except to the extent that (A) such representations or warranties are qualified by a materiality standard, in which case they shall be true and correct in all respects, (B) such representations or warranties expressly relate to an earlier date (in which case such representations and warranties shall be true and correct in all material respects as of such earlier date), and (C) such representations relate to Section 5.01(f), in which case the representation shall be limited to clause (c) of the definition of “Material Adverse Effect”;

(ii) no event has occurred and is continuing, or would result from such Extension of Credit or from the application of the proceeds therefrom, that constitutes a Default or an Event of Default; and

(iii) after giving effect to such Extension of Credit, (A) the Total Extensions of Credit (other than FILO Extensions of Credit) will not exceed the Line Cap, and (B) no Collateral Coverage Event (as defined in the Indenture for the Existing Second Lien Notes) shall result therefrom.

The conditions set forth in this Section 4.02 are for the sole benefit of the Credit Parties but until the Required Lenders otherwise direct the Agent to cease making Extensions of Credit, the Revolving Lenders will fund their Revolving Commitment Percentage of all Advances and participate in all Swingline Advances and Letters of Credit whenever made or issued, which are requested by a Borrower and which, notwithstanding the failure of the Loan Parties to comply with the provisions of this Article IV, are agreed to by the Agent acting in the interests of the Credit Parties, provided , however, the making of any such Extensions of Credit shall not be deemed a modification or waiver by any Credit Party of the provisions of this Article IV on any future occasion or a waiver of any rights or the Credit Parties as a result of any such failure to comply.

ARTICLE V

REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES

SECTION 5.01. Representations and Warranties of the Borrowers . Holdings and the Borrowers hereby jointly and severally represent and warrant as follows:

(a) Each Loan Party (i) is duly organized, validly existing and in good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction of its organization and (ii) 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.

(b) The execution, delivery and performance by each Loan Party of the Loan Documents to which it is a party, and the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby or thereby, are within such Loan Party’s powers, have been duly authorized by all necessary organizational action, and do not contravene (i) the charter or by-laws or other organizational or governing documents of such Loan Party or (ii) law or any contractual restriction binding on or affecting any Loan Party, except, for purposes of this clause (ii), to the extent such contravention would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.


(c) No authorization or approval or other action by, and no notice to or filing with, any governmental authority or regulatory body or any other third party is required for the due execution, delivery and performance by any Loan Party of any Loan Document to which it is a party that has not already been obtained if the failure to obtain such authorization, approval or other action could reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.

(d) Each Loan Document has been duly executed and delivered by each Loan Party party thereto. This Agreement constitutes, and each other Loan Document will constitute upon execution, the legal, valid and binding obligation of each Loan Party party thereto enforceable against such Loan Party in accordance with its respective terms subject to the effect of any applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization or moratorium or similar laws affecting the rights of creditors generally and subject to general principles of equity (regardless of whether enforcement is sought in a proceeding at law or in equity).

(e) The consolidated balance sheet of Holdings and its Subsidiaries as at January 31, 2015, and the related consolidated statements of income and cash flows of Holdings and its Subsidiaries for the fiscal year then ended, accompanied by an opinion of Deloitte & Touche LLP, independent public accountants, copies of which have been furnished to the Agent, fairly present the consolidated financial condition of Holdings and its Subsidiaries as at such date and the consolidated results of the operations of Holdings and its Subsidiaries for the period ended on such date, all in accordance with GAAP consistently applied.

(f) Since January 31, 2015, there has been no event or circumstance, either individually or in the aggregate, that has had or would reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

(g) There is no action, suit, investigation, litigation or proceeding, including any Environmental Action, which is pending or, to Holdings or any Borrower’s knowledge, threatened affecting Holdings, the Borrowers or any of their respective Subsidiaries before any court, Governmental Authority or arbitrator that would, either individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect other than as reported in filings with the SEC made prior to the date hereof.

(h) Following application of the proceeds of each Advance, FILO Loan, the Term Loan and the 2016 Term Loan and the issuance of each Letter of Credit, not more than five (5%) percent of the value of the assets of the Borrowers and their respective Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis will be margin stock (within the meaning of Regulation U issued by the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System).

(i) No Loan Party is an “investment company”, or a company “controlled” by an “investment company”, within the meaning of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended.

(j) All United States Federal income tax returns and all other material tax returns which are required to be filed have been filed by or on behalf of Holdings, the Borrowers and their respective Subsidiaries, and all taxes due with respect to Holdings, the Borrowers and their respective Subsidiaries pursuant to such returns or pursuant to any assessment received by Holdings, the Borrowers or any Subsidiary have been paid except to the extent permitted in Section 6.01(b). The charges, accruals and reserves on the books of Holdings, the Borrowers and their Subsidiaries in respect of taxes or other governmental charges have been made in accordance with, and to the extent required by, GAAP.

(k) All written factual information heretofore furnished by Holdings, the Borrowers or their Subsidiaries to the Agent, any Co-Collateral Agent or any Lender (including the Perfection Certificate) for purposes of or in connection with this Agreement or any other Loan Document, taken as a whole, was true and correct in all material respects on the date as of which such information was stated or certified, provided that with respect to projected financial information, the Loan Parties represent only that such information was prepared in good faith based upon assumptions believed to be reasonable at the time.


(l) (i) Each Loan Party has title in fee simple to, or a valid leasehold interest in, all its real property, and good title to, or a valid leasehold interest in, all its other property necessary for the conduct of its business and except as, in the aggregate, would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, and (ii) no Inventory, Credit Card Account Receivable, DC or Related Intellectual Property is subject to any Lien except as permitted by Section 6.02(a).

(m) Except as, in the aggregate, would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect: (i) each Loan Party owns, or is licensed to use, all Intellectual Property necessary for the conduct of its business as currently conducted; (ii) no material claim has been asserted and is pending by any Person challenging or questioning the use of any Intellectual Property or the validity or effectiveness of any Intellectual Property, nor do Holdings or the Borrowers know of any valid basis for any such claim; and (iii) the use of Intellectual Property by each Group Member does not infringe on the rights of any Person in any material respect.

(n) Except as set forth on Schedule 5.01(n ) or as would not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect, (i) neither a Reportable Event nor a failure to meet minimum required contributions (in accordance with Section 430 or any prior applicable section of the Internal Revenue Code or Section 302 of ERISA) has occurred during the five year period prior to the date on which this representation is made or deemed made with respect to any Plan, (ii) each Plan is in compliance with the applicable provisions of ERISA, the Internal Revenue Code and other applicable federal or state laws, and (iii) no termination of a Single Employer Plan has occurred. Except as set forth on Schedule 5.01(n ), no Lien imposed under the Internal Revenue Code or ERISA exists on account of any Plan, and no Lien in favor of the PBGC or a Plan has arisen, during such five-year period. Each Single Employer Plan that is intended to qualify under Section 401(a) of the Internal Revenue Code has received a favorable determination letter from the United States Internal Revenue Service (the “ IRS ”) and, to the best knowledge of Holdings and the Borrowers, nothing has occurred which would cause the loss of, such qualification. Except as set forth on Schedule 5.01(n) or as would not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect, the Loan Parties and each ERISA Affiliate have made all required contributions to each Plan subject to Section 430 of the Internal Revenue Code, and no application for a funding waiver or an extension of any amortization period pursuant to Section 430 of the Internal Revenue Code has been made with respect to any Plan. There are no pending or, to the best knowledge of Holdings and the Borrowers, threatened claims, actions or lawsuits, or action by any Governmental Authority, with respect to any Plan that would reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. There has been no prohibited transaction or violation of the fiduciary duty rules with respect to any Plan that has resulted or could reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect. No ERISA Event has occurred or is reasonably expected to occur, in each case that would reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect. Neither any Loan Party nor any ERISA Affiliate has incurred, or would reasonably be expected to incur, any liability under Title IV of ERISA with respect to any Pension Plan, other than premiums due and not delinquent under Section 4007 of ERISA or as would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect; neither any Loan Party nor any ERISA Affiliate has incurred, or reasonably expects to incur, any liability (and, to the knowledge of the Borrowers, no event has occurred which, with the giving of notice under Section 4219 of ERISA, would result in such liability) under Sections 4201 or 4243 of ERISA with respect to a Multiemployer Plan except as would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect; and neither any Loan Party nor any ERISA Affiliate has engaged in a transaction that would reasonably be expected to be subject to Sections 4069 or 4212(c) of ERISA. Except as would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, neither Holdings, the Borrowers nor any Commonly Controlled Entity has had a complete or partial withdrawal (as such terms are defined in Sections 4203 and 4205 of ERISA, respectively) from any Multiemployer Plan that has resulted or would reasonably be expected to result in a liability under ERISA. No such Multiemployer Plan is in Reorganization or Insolvent except as would not reasonably be expected to result in aggregate liability to Holdings and its Subsidiaries of $100,000,000 or more.

(o) Except as, individually or in the aggregate, would not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect, no Group Member (i) has failed to comply with any Environmental Law or to obtain, maintain or comply with any permit, license or other approval required under any Environmental Law, (ii) has become subject to any Environmental Liability, (iii) has received notice of any claim with respect to any Environmental Liability or (iv) knows of any basis for any Environmental Liability.


(p) The Guarantee and Collateral Agreement is effective to create in favor of the Co-Collateral Agents, for the benefit of the Credit Parties, a legal, valid and enforceable security interest in the Collateral described therein and proceeds thereof. When financing statements and other filings specified on Schedule 5.01(p) in appropriate form are filed in the offices specified on Schedule 5.01(p) , the Guarantee and Collateral Agreement shall, to the extent a security interest therein can be perfected by filing a UCC financing statement, constitute 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 the Lien or claim of any other Person (except Liens permitted by Section 6.02(a) which by operation of law would have priority over the Liens securing the Obligations).

(q) The Loan Parties, taken as a whole, are, and after giving effect to the incurrence of all Debt and obligations incurred in connection herewith will be, Solvent.

(r) The properties of the Loan Parties are insured as required pursuant to Section 6.01(c) hereof. Each insurance policy required to be maintained by the Loan Parties pursuant to Section 6.01(c) is in full force and effect and all premiums in respect thereof that are due and payable have been paid.

(s) As of July 21, 2015: (1) except as set forth in the Perfection Certificate, there are no outstanding rights to purchase any equity interests in any Subsidiary of a Loan Party, and (2) the copies of the organization and governing documents of each Loan Party and each amendment hereto provided pursuant to Section 4.01are true and correct copies of each such document, each of which is valid and in full force and effect.

(t) As of July 21, 2015, except as would not reasonably be expected to have individually or in the aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect, (a) there are no strikes, lockouts, slowdowns or other material labor disputes against any Loan Party or any Subsidiary thereof pending or, to the knowledge of Holdings or any Borrower, threatened, (b) the hours worked by and payments made to employees of the Loan Parties comply with the Fair Labor Standards Act and any other applicable federal, state, local or foreign law dealing with such matters, (c) all payments due from any Loan Party and its Subsidiaries, or for which any claim may be made against any Loan Party, on account of wages and employee health and welfare insurance and other benefits, have been paid or properly accrued in accordance with GAAP as a liability on the books of such Loan Party. Except as set forth on Schedule 5.01(t) (as updated by the Borrowers from time to time) (i) no Loan Party or any Subsidiary is a party to or bound by any collective bargaining agreement, management agreement or any material bonus, restricted stock, stock option, or stock appreciation plan or agreement or any similar plan, agreement or arrangement (excluding in each case individual employment agreements) and (ii) no employee of a Loan Party is also an employee of the Permitted Holder. There are no representation proceedings pending or, to the knowledge of Holdings or any Borrower, threatened to be filed with the National Labor Relations Board, and no labor organization or group of employees of any Loan Party or any Subsidiary has made a pending demand for recognition, in each case which would individually or in the aggregate reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect. There are no complaints, unfair labor practice charges, grievances, arbitrations, unfair employment practices charges or any other claims or complaints against any Loan Party or any Subsidiary pending or, to the knowledge of Holdings or any Borrower, threatened to be filed with any Governmental Authority or arbitrator based on, arising out of, in connection with, or otherwise relating to the employment or termination of employment of any employee of any Loan Party or any of its Subsidiaries which would, individually or in the aggregate, be reasonably expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect. The consummation of the transactions contemplated by the Loan Documents 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 any Loan Party or any of its Subsidiaries is bound, except as would not reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect.

(u) No broker or finder brought about the obtaining, making or closing of the Advances, the Term Loan or , the 2016 Term Loan or the 2018 FILO Loan or transactions contemplated by the Loan Documents, and, other than amounts payable pursuant to the Fee Letters, no Loan Party or Affiliate thereof has any obligation to any Person in respect of any finder’s or brokerage fees in connection therewith.

(v) No Loan Party has any obligation to any Permitted Holder with respect to any consulting, management or similar fee; provided, that, for the avoidance of doubt, the foregoing shall not apply to (i) any


arrangement disclosed in Holdings’ annual report on form 10-K for the fiscal year ended January 31, 2015; (ii) any employment arrangement between any Loan Party and an individual Person who is also an employee of a Permitted Holder, so long as such employment arrangements are (x) on terms that are fair and reasonable and comparable to terms provided to employees in comparable positions for companies of a comparable size and no less favorable to such Loan Party than it would obtain in a comparable arm’s length transaction with a Person that is not an employee of a Permitted Holder and (y) in the case of any officer (as defined in Rule 16a-1 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934) or director of Holdings, any beneficial owner (as defined in Rule 13d-3 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934) of more than 10.0% of Holdings’ equity interests or any Person that ranks in the top five in compensation among all employees of the Loan Parties, approved by a majority of disinterested members of the board of directors of Holdings in good faith; or (iii) any obligation arising from any financial advisory, financing or underwriting services or other investment banking activities provided by a Permitted Holder so long as (x) such services directly relate to and are provided in conjunction with an acquisition or divestiture or other specific transaction conducted outside the ordinary course of business, (y) such services are on terms that are fair and reasonable and comparable to terms provided by independent financial advisory, financing or underwriting service provider or other investment banking service providers and (z) compensation for such services are approved by a majority of disinterested members of the board of directors of Holdings in good faith.

(w) To the extent applicable, each Loan Party is in compliance, in all material respects, with (i) the United States Trading with the Enemy Act, as amended, and each of the foreign assets control regulations of the United States Treasury Department (31 C.F.R., Subtitle B, Chapter V, as amended) and any other enabling legislation or executive order relating thereto, (ii) the PATRIOT Act, (iii) the United States Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977, and (iv) the Corruption of Foreign Public Officials Act, as amended (the “FCPA”). No part of the proceeds of any credit extensions will be used, directly or, to the Loan Parties’ knowledge, indirectly, for any payments to any governmental official or employee, political party, official of a political party, candidate for political office, or anyone else acting in an official capacity, in order to obtain, retain or direct business or obtain any improper advantage, in violation of the FCPA.

(x) None of Holdings, the Borrowers, any of their respective Subsidiaries, nor any Permitted Holder or Significant Holder is an Affiliate of the Sears Holdings Pension Plan. The Sears Holdings Pension Plan qualifies as an Eligible Assignee pursuant to the definition thereof (without giving effect to clause (c) of such definition).

(y) None of Holdings, the Borrowers, nor any of their respective Subsidiaries, nor, to the knowledge of the Borrowers, any director, officer, employee, agent or affiliate of the Borrowers is an individual or entity (for purposes of this clause (x) , a “Person”) that is, or is owned or controlled by Persons that are the subject of any sanctions (A) administered or enforced by the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control, the United Nations Security Council, the European Union, Her Majesty’s Treasury or other applicable sanctions authority or (B) pursuant to the U.S. Iran Sanctions Act, as amended, or Executive Order 13590 (collectively, “Sanctions”) or (C) located, organized or resident in a country or territory that is, or whose government is, the subject of Sanctions (including, without limitation, Burma/Myanmar, Iran, North Korea, Sudan and Syria). The Loan Parties will not, directly or, to their knowledge, indirectly, use the proceeds of any credit extensions, or lend, contribute or otherwise make available such proceeds to any Subsidiary, joint venture partner or other Person in any manner that would directly or indirectly result in a violation of Sanctions by any Person.

ARTICLE VI

COVENANTS

SECTION 6.01. Affirmative Covenants . So long as any Advance or other Obligation (other than contingent indemnification obligations for which no claim shall have then been asserted) shall remain unpaid, any Letter of Credit shall remain outstanding (unless the same has been cash collateralized in an amount equal to 105% of the aggregate then undrawn and unexpired amount of such Letters of Credit and all other Reimbursement Obligations or back-to-back letters of credit from an issuer and on terms acceptable to the Issuing Lender have been provided in respect of such Letters of Credit) or any Lender shall have any Commitment hereunder, each of Holdings and the Borrowers will, and will cause each of their Subsidiaries to:


(a) Compliance with Laws, Etc. Comply in all respects with all applicable Requirements of Law, such compliance to include compliance with ERISA and Environmental Laws, except for such non-compliance as would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

(b) Payment of Taxes, Etc. Pay and discharge before the same shall become delinquent, (i) all taxes, assessments and governmental charges or levies imposed upon it or upon its property (ii) all payments required to be made to any Pension Plan, and (iii) all lawful claims that, if unpaid, might by law become a Lien upon its property; provided that neither Holdings, the Borrowers nor any of their Subsidiaries shall be required to pay or discharge any such tax, assessment, charge or claim (x) that is being contested in good faith and by proper proceedings and as to which appropriate reserves are being maintained, unless and until any Lien resulting therefrom attaches to its property and becomes enforceable against its other creditors or (y) if such non-payments, either individually or in the aggregate, would not be reasonably expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

(c) Maintenance of Insurance . Maintain insurance with responsible and reputable insurance companies or associations in such amounts and covering such risks as is consistent with prudent business practice; provided that Holdings, the Borrowers and their Subsidiaries may self-insure to the extent consistent with prudent business practice; provided further that policies maintained with respect to any Collateral located at a warehouse or DC shall provide coverage for Inventory at (x) the retail selling price of such Inventory less any permanent markdowns, consistent with the Loan Parties’ past practices, or (y) another selling price permitted by the Co-Collateral Agents in their Permitted Discretion. None of the Credit Parties shall be a co-insurer with any Loan Party or any other Person with respect to any fire and extended coverage policies maintained with respect to any Collateral without the prior written consent of the Co-Collateral Agents. Fire and extended coverage policies maintained with respect to any Collateral shall be endorsed or otherwise amended to include a non-contributing lenders’ loss payable clause, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Co-Collateral Agents, which endorsements or amendments shall provide that during a Cash Dominion Event, the insurer shall pay all proceeds otherwise payable to the Loan Parties under the policies directly to the Co-Collateral Agents, as their interests may appear, in accordance with Section 6.01(m). Within thirty (30) days following delivery of written notice from the Agent to Holdings, Holdings shall notify the insurers and use commercially reasonable efforts to have such policies amended to include such other provisions as the Co-Collateral Agents may reasonably require from time to time to protect the interests of the Credit Parties. Commercial general liability policies shall be endorsed to name the Co-Collateral Agents as additional insureds, as their interests may appear. Each certificate delivered by the Loan Parties’ insurance broker with respect to each property insurance policy referred to in this Section 6.01(c) shall also provide that such policy shall not be canceled, modified or not renewed other than upon not less than ten (10) days’ prior written notice thereof by the insurance broker to the Co-Collateral Agents. The Borrowers shall deliver to the Co-Collateral Agents, prior to the cancellation, modification or non-renewal of any such policy of insurance, evidence of renewal or replacement of a policy previously delivered to the Co-Collateral Agents, including an insurance binder therefor, together with evidence satisfactory to the Co-Collateral Agents of payment of the premium therefor and, upon request of the Agent, a copy of such renewal or replacement policy. In the event that the Borrowers fail to maintain any such insurance as required pursuant to this Section 6.01(c), the Agent may obtain such insurance on behalf of the Borrowers and the Loan Parties shall reimburse the Agent as provided herein for all costs and expenses in connection therewith; the Agent’s obtaining of such insurance shall not be deemed a cure or waiver of any Default or Event of Default arising from the Loan Parties’ failure to comply with the provisions of this Section 6.01(c).

(d) Preservation of Corporate Existence, Etc. Preserve and maintain its corporate existence, material rights (charter and statutory) and franchises; provided that (i) Holdings, the Borrowers and their Subsidiaries may consummate any merger or consolidation permitted under Section 6.02(b); (ii) neither Holdings nor the Borrowers nor any of their Subsidiaries shall be required to preserve or maintain the corporate existence of any Subsidiary (other than Sears, SRAC, Kmart Corp. or any Material Subsidiary Guarantors) if the Board of Directors of the parent of such Subsidiary, or an executive officer of such parent to whom such Board of Directors has delegated the requisite authority, shall determine that the preservation and maintenance thereof is no longer desirable in the conduct of the business of such parent and that the loss thereof is not disadvantageous in any material respect to the Borrowers, Sears, any Material Subsidiary Guarantor, such parent or the Lenders; (iii) Sears shall not be required to preserve or maintain the corporate existence of SRAC, provided that in the event SRAC is


dissolved, merged with or into Holdings or any Subsidiary of Holdings or otherwise ceases to exist, then Sears shall or shall cause a direct wholly owned Domestic Subsidiary of Sears to, execute and deliver to the Agent an assumption agreement with respect to SRAC’s obligations under the Loan Documents in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Agent and such other officer certificates, legal opinions, financing statements (if applicable) and documentation as the Agent reasonably requests; (iv) none of Holdings, the Borrowers or any of Material Subsidiary Guarantors shall be required to preserve any right or franchise of any Subsidiary (other than a Material Subsidiary Guarantor) if the Board of Directors of Holdings, such Borrower or such Material Subsidiary Guarantor shall determine that the preservation thereof is no longer desirable in the conduct of its business and that the loss thereof is not disadvantageous in any material respect to Holdings, the Borrowers, such Material Subsidiary Guarantor or the Lenders and (v) no Subsidiary Guarantor which is not a Material Subsidiary Guarantor shall be required to preserve or maintain its corporate existence if (A) no Default or Event of Default has occurred and is continuing, and (B) such Subsidiary Guarantor is merged or liquidated into another Subsidiary Guarantor; provided that contemporaneously with the occurrence of any of the actions permitted to be taken pursuant to clauses (i) – (v) above, the Borrowers shall furnish to the Co-Collateral Agents an updated Borrowing Base Certificate.

(e) Inspection Rights . In addition to the Agent’s and the Co-Collateral Agents’ rights under Section 6.01(k) hereof, subject to reasonable confidentiality limitations and requirements imposed by Holdings or the Borrowers due to competitive concerns or otherwise, at any reasonable time and from time to time (but no more than twice a year unless a Default or an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing), permit the Agent, the Co-Collateral Agents or any of the Lenders or any agents or representatives thereof, at the Lenders’ expense, to examine and make copies of and abstracts from the records and books of account of, and visit the properties of, Holdings, the Borrowers and any of their Subsidiaries, and to discuss the affairs, finances and accounts of Holdings, the Borrowers and any of their Subsidiaries, as the case may be, with any of their officers or directors and with their independent certified public accountants.

(f) Keeping of Books . Keep proper books of record and account, in which full and correct entries shall be made of all financial transactions and the assets and business of Holdings, the Borrowers and each such Subsidiary in accordance with GAAP in effect from time to time.

(g) Maintenance of Properties, Etc. Except as otherwise permitted pursuant to Section 6.02(b), or where the failure to do so, either individually or in the aggregate, would not be reasonably expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, maintain and preserve all of its properties that are used or useful in the conduct of its business in good working order and condition, ordinary wear and tear excepted.

(h) Transactions with Affiliates . Conduct all transactions otherwise permitted under this Agreement with any of their Affiliates on terms that are fair and reasonable and no less favorable to Holdings, the applicable Borrower or their respective Subsidiaries than it would obtain in a comparable arm’s-length transaction with a Person not an Affiliate other than (i) as required by any applicable Requirement of Law, (ii) so long as no Default or Event of Default has occurred and is continuing, transactions between or among the Loan Parties and any of their Subsidiaries, to the extent not prohibited hereunder, or (iii) if a Default or Event of Default has occurred and is continuing, transactions in the ordinary course of business between or among the Loan Parties and any of their Subsidiaries and transactions between or among Loan Parties, to the extent not prohibited hereunder; provided , that the foregoing shall not prohibit (i) any Loan Party or any Subsidiary thereof from entering into employment arrangements with its officers and retention and other agreements with officers and directors pursuant to the reasonable requirements of its business or (ii) any transactions pursuant to the agreements on Schedule 13 to the Perfection Certificate, as in effect on the date hereof.

(i) Further Assurances .

(i) With respect to any (i) Inventory, Credit Card Accounts Receivable, Pharmacy Receivables and other Collateral (as defined in the Guarantee and Collateral Agreement as in effect on July 21, 2015) acquired after the Effective Date by any Group Member that is or is required to become a Loan Party hereunder and (ii) any property required to become subject to a perfected Lien in favor of the Co-Collateral Agents pursuant to Section 6.02(a)(vi) hereunder, promptly (i) execute and deliver to the Co-Collateral Agents such amendments to the Guarantee


and Collateral Agreement or such other documents as the Co-Collateral Agents, may reasonably request in order to grant to the Co-Collateral Agents, for the benefit of the Credit Parties, a security interest in such property and (ii) take all actions as the Co-Collateral Agents, may reasonably request to grant to the Co-Collateral Agents, for the benefit of the Credit Parties, a perfected security interest in such property with the priority required herein, including the filing of Uniform Commercial Code financing statements in such jurisdictions as may be required by the Guarantee and Collateral Agreement or by law or as may be requested by the Co-Collateral Agents and the delivery of Blocked Account and other control agreements as may be reasonably requested by the Co-Collateral Agents.

(ii) With respect to any new Domestic Subsidiary (other than any Credit Card Royalty Securitization Subsidiary) which is created or acquired after the Effective Date by any Group Member and which owns any Inventory, Credit Card Accounts Receivable, Pharmacy Receivables and other Collateral (as defined in the Guarantee and Collateral Agreement as in effect on July 21, 2015) related to such receivables and Inventory, promptly cause such new Domestic Subsidiary to (i) become a party to the Guarantee and Collateral Agreement, (ii) take such actions as the Co-Collateral Agents, may reasonably request to grant to the Co-Collateral Agents for the benefit of the Credit Parties a security interest, with the priority and perfection required herein, in the Collateral described in the Guarantee and Collateral Agreement held by such new Domestic Subsidiary, including, to the extent applicable, the filing of Uniform Commercial Code financing statements in such jurisdictions as may be required by the Guarantee and Collateral Agreement or by law or as may be reasonably requested by the Co-Collateral Agents and the delivery of Blocked Account and other control agreements, (iii) if requested by the Co-Collateral Agents, deliver to the Co-Collateral Agents an officer’s certificate with respect to such Domestic Subsidiary in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Co-Collateral Agents, and (iv) if requested by Co-Collateral Agents, deliver to the Co-Collateral Agents legal opinions relating to the matters described above, which opinions shall be in form and substance, and from counsel, reasonably satisfactory to the Co-Collateral Agents.

(iii) In the event the Borrowers or the other Loan Parties open a new deposit account in which funds of any of the Loan Parties are concentrated, or commence concentrating funds in an existing deposit account that is not subject to a Blocked Account Agreement, at the request of the Co-Collateral Agents, the Borrowers shall deliver or cause to be delivered a Blocked Account Agreement reasonably satisfactory in form and substance to the Co-Collateral Agents with respect to such account.

(iv) In the event that the Collateral owned by Private Brands, Ltd. at any time exceeds $50,000,000, if requested by Co-Collateral Agents, deliver to the Co-Collateral Agents legal opinions with respect to perfection of the Co-Collateral Agents’ Liens and such other matters as the Co-Collateral Agents may reasonably request, which opinions shall be in form and substance, and from counsel, reasonably satisfactory to the Co-Collateral Agents.

(j) Reporting Requirements . Furnish to the Agent:

(i) as soon as available and in any event within 50 days after the end of each of the first three fiscal quarters of each fiscal year of Holdings, (a) the consolidated balance sheet of Holdings and its Subsidiaries and the consolidated balance sheet of Holdings and its domestic Subsidiaries as of the end of such quarter and consolidated statements of income and cash flows of Holdings and its Subsidiaries and the consolidated statements of income and cash flows of Holdings and its domestic Subsidiaries for the period commencing at the end of the previous fiscal year and ending with the end of such quarter, duly certified (subject to year-end audit adjustments) by an Authorized Officer of Holdings as having been prepared in accordance with GAAP and (b) a certificate of an Authorized Officer of Holdings as to compliance with the terms of this Agreement and the other Loan Documents in the form of Exhibit I , including in reasonable detail the calculations necessary to determine the Fixed Charge Ratio (whether or not compliance therewith


is then required under Section 6.03), provided that in the event of any change in GAAP used in the preparation of such financial statements, subject to Section 1.03, the Borrowers shall also provide, if necessary for the calculation of the Fixed Charge Ratio, a statement of reconciliation conforming such financial statements to GAAP (the Borrowers being permitted to satisfy the requirements of clause (i)(a) by delivery, in the manner provided in Section 9.02(b), of its quarterly report on form 10-Q (or any successor form), as filed with the SEC);

(ii) as soon as available and in any event within 95 days after the end of each fiscal year of Holdings, (a) a copy of the annual audit report for such year for Holdings and its Subsidiaries, containing the consolidated balance sheet of Holdings and its Subsidiaries as of the end of such fiscal year and consolidated statements of income and cash flows of Holdings and its Subsidiaries for such fiscal year, in each case reported on without a “going concern” or like qualification or exception, or qualification arising out of the scope of the audit, by its Board-appointed auditor of national standing (b) a consolidated balance sheet of Holdings and its domestic Subsidiaries as of the end of such fiscal year and consolidated statements of income and cash flows of Holdings and its domestic Subsidiaries for such fiscal year duly certified by an Authorized Officer of Holdings as having been prepared in accordance with GAAP, and (c) a certificate of an Authorized Officer of Holdings as to compliance with the terms of this Agreement and the other Loan Documents in the form of Exhibit I , including in reasonable detail the calculations necessary to determine the Fixed Charge Ratio (whether or not compliance therewith is then required under Section 6.03), provided that in the event of any change in GAAP used in the preparation of such financial statements, the Borrowers shall also provide, if necessary for the calculation of the Fixed Charge Ratio, a statement of reconciliation conforming such financial statements to GAAP (the Borrowers being permitted to satisfy the requirements of clause (ii)(a) by delivery, in the manner provided in Section 9.02(b), of its annual report on form 10-K (or any successor form), as filed with the SEC);

(iii) as soon as available and in any event within 10 Business Days of the end of each fiscal month, a Borrowing Base Certificate as of the end of the preceding fiscal month and supporting information satisfactory to the Agent in its Permitted Discretion with respect to the determination of the Borrowing Base; provided , that upon the occurrence and during the continuance of an Accelerated Borrowing Base Delivery Event, such Borrowing Base Certificate and supporting information shall be delivered on Friday of each week (or, if Friday is not a Business Day, on the next succeeding Business Day), as of the close of business on the immediately preceding Saturday (it being understood that any weekly Borrowing Base Certificate shall constitute the Loan Parties’ best estimates of Net Eligible Inventory and other items, as applicable); provided, further, that during the period commencing on December 15 of each year through and including January 15 of the immediately succeeding year, notwithstanding anything to the contrary in any Loan Document, if any Short Term Debt matures or is otherwise prepaid or repaid during such period (unless (x) such Short Term Debt is prepaid or repaid with the proceeds of Permitted Debt other than Revolving Advances or (y) pursuant to a cashless settlement mechanism, such Short Term Debt is exchanged, continued or rolled over in connection with any refinancing, extension, loan modification or similar transaction permitted by this Agreement; provided , that, if after giving effect to such transactions, the Debt described in clauses (x) and (y) has a maturity date (or is otherwise prepaid or repaid) on or prior to January 15 of such succeeding year, then such Debt shall be subject to the terms of this proviso at such time), then on the Business Day immediately prior to the date of each such maturity or payment (each, a “Specified Reporting Date”), the Borrowers shall deliver to the Agent a roll forward of the Loan Parties’ Eligible Inventory together with an updated Borrowing Base Certificate, in each case as of such Specified Reporting Date;

(iv) promptly and in any event within five days after any Authorized Officer of Holdings or any Borrower has knowledge of the occurrence and continuance of a Default or Event of Default, a statement of an Authorized Officer of Holdings or such Borrower setting forth details of such Default or Event of Default and the action that Holdings or such Borrower has taken and proposes to take with respect thereto;


(v) promptly after the sending or filing thereof, copies of all quarterly and annual reports and proxy solicitations that Holdings sends to its public security holders generally, and copies of all reports on form 8-K (or its equivalent) and registration statements for the public offering (other than pursuant to employee Plans) of securities that Holdings or any of its Subsidiaries files with the SEC or any national securities exchange;

(vi) promptly after the commencement thereof, notice of all actions and proceedings before any court, governmental agency or arbitrator affecting Holdings, the Borrowers or any of their Subsidiaries of the type described in Section 5.01(g);

(vii) as soon as available, but in any event no later than 60 days after the end of each fiscal year of Holdings, forecasts prepared by management of Holdings for Holdings and its domestic Subsidiaries in form satisfactory to the Agent and containing information reasonably required by the Agent;

(viii) (A) contemporaneously with the delivery of the reports required pursuant to clauses (i) and (ii) above, a report (which may take the form of a footnote to Holdings’ quarterly and annual reports filed with the SEC and delivered to the Agent) setting forth the estimated Unfunded Pension Liability of Holdings and its Subsidiaries, and (B) promptly after receipt thereof by the Loan Parties, a copy of the funded status report received from the Loan Parties’ actuaries with respect to amounts to be funded under the Loan Parties’ Pension Plan;

(ix) promptly, notice of any event that the Loan Parties reasonably believes has resulted in a Material Adverse Effect;

(x) the financial and collateral reports described on Schedule 6.01(j) , at the times set forth in such Schedule;

(xi) during the continuance of an Accelerated Borrowing Base Delivery Event, as soon as available and in any event within 30 days after the end of each fiscal month of each fiscal year of Holdings, (a) the consolidated balance sheet of Holdings and its Subsidiaries and the consolidated balance sheet of Holdings and its domestic Subsidiaries as of the end of such month and consolidated statements of income and cash flows of Holdings and its Subsidiaries and the consolidated statements of income and cash flows of Holdings and its domestic Subsidiaries for the period commencing at the end of the previous fiscal year and ending with the end of such month, duly certified (subject to year-end audit adjustments) by an Authorized Officer of Holdings as having been prepared in accordance with GAAP and (b) a certificate of an Authorized Officer of Holdings as to compliance with the terms of this Agreement and the other Loan Documents in the form of Exhibit I , including in reasonable detail the calculations necessary to determine the Fixed Charge Ratio (whether or not compliance therewith is then required under Section 6.03), provided that in the event of any change in GAAP used in the preparation of such financial statements, subject to Section 1.03, the Borrowers shall also provide, if necessary for the calculation of the Fixed Charge Ratio, a statement of reconciliation conforming such financial statements to GAAP;

(xii) such other information respecting Holdings, the Borrowers or any of their Subsidiaries, or the Borrowing Base as the Agent or any Lender through the Agent may from time to time reasonably request; and

(xiii) on Friday of each week, a report of the daily outstanding balance for the immediately preceding five Business Day period of all Debt owing by the Loan Parties that was permitted to be incurred pursuant to clause (h) of the definition of Permitted Debt.


Reports and financial statements required to be delivered by the Borrowers pursuant to clauses (i)(a), (ii)(a) and (v) of this subsection (j) shall be deemed to have been delivered on the date on which Holdings causes such reports, or reports containing such financial statements, to be posted on the Internet at www.sec.gov or at such other website identified by the Borrowers in a notice to the Agent and the Lenders and that is accessible by the Lenders without charge.

(k) Collateral Monitoring and Review . Upon the request of the Agent, any Co-Collateral Agent, or the Required Lenders, after reasonable notice and during normal business hours, permit the Agent, the Co-Collateral Agents or professionals (including, consultants, accountants, and/or appraisers) retained by the Co-Collateral Agents to conduct appraisals, commercial finance examinations and other evaluations, including, without limitation, of (i) the Loan Parties’ practices in the computation of the Borrowing Base and (ii) the assets included in the Borrowing Base and financial information such as, but not limited to, sales, gross margins, payables, accruals and reserves, related to the calculation of the Borrowing Base. The Borrowers shall pay the reasonable out-of-pocket fees and expenses of the Agent and the Co-Collateral Agents (including, without limitation, the reasonable charges of professionals) in connection with two inventory appraisals and two commercial finance examinations each fiscal year (which the Agent and Co-Collateral Agents shall be obligated to undertake for the benefit of the Credit Parties), provided , however , notwithstanding the foregoing, if Capped Excess Availability is at any time less than 15% of the Line Cap, the Agent and the Co-Collateral Agents may in their discretion, undertake up to three inventory appraisals and three commercial finance examinations each fiscal year at the Borrowers’ expense. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Agent and the Co-Collateral Agents may cause (i) additional appraisals and commercial finance examinations to be undertaken (A) as each in its Permitted Discretion deems necessary or appropriate, at its own expense, and (B) if required by applicable law or if a Default or an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing, in each case, at the expense of the Borrowers. In connection with any inventory appraisal and commercial finance examination relating to the computation of the Borrowing Base, Holdings shall make such adjustments to the calculation of the Borrowing Base as the Agent shall, after the expiration of the Reserve Notice Period, reasonably require in its Permitted Discretion based upon the terms of this Agreement and the results of such inventory appraisal and commercial finance examination. Any inventory appraisal or commercial finance examination requested by the Agent or any Co-Collateral Agent shall be scheduled at such time as the Co-Collateral Agents, in consultation with the Borrowers, may agree in order to minimize any disruption to the conduct of the Borrowers’ business.

(l) Landlord Waivers, Access Agreements and Customs Broker Agreements . (i) Obtain from each lessor that is a Group Member , and use commercially reasonable efforts to obtain from each lessor that is not a Group Member, leasing a DC at which Collateral is located to a Loan Party, consents, approvals, Lien waivers and rights to access and occupy each such DC (including, without limitation, to take possession and dispose of any Collateral from each such DC upon the occurrence and during the continuance of an Event of Default) reasonably satisfactory to the Co-Collateral Agents; (ii) obtain from each Subsidiary of Holdings owning a DC at which Collateral is located, consents, approvals, Lien waivers and rights to access and occupy each such DC (including, without limitation, to take possession and dispose of the Collateral from each such DC upon the occurrence and during the continuance of an Event of Default) reasonably satisfactory to the Co-Collateral Agents; (iii) use commercially reasonable efforts to cause each Loan Party’s customs brokers to deliver an agreement (including, without limitation, a Customs Broker Agreement) to the Co-Collateral Agents covering such matters and in such form as the Co-Collateral Agents may reasonably require; and (iv) with respect to any property or assets not constituting Collateral and subject to the Lien of a third party, if requested by the Agent, use commercially reasonable efforts to cause (but shall not be required to cause as a condition of the granting of such Lien) the holder of such Lien to enter into an agreement reasonably satisfactory to the Agent, permitting the Co-Collateral Agents to use such property and assets, at no cost or expense to the Co-Collateral Agents, in connection with the disposition of any of the Collateral by the Co-Collateral Agents during the continuance of an Event of Default.

(m) Cash Management .

(i) On or prior to July 21, 2015:

(A) deliver to the Agent copies of notifications (each, a “ Credit Card Notification ”) substantially in the form attached hereto as Exhibit E which have been executed on behalf of such Loan Party and addressed to such Loan Party’s Credit Card Processors listed in the Perfection Certificate; and


(B) enter into a Blocked Account Agreement reasonably satisfactory in form and substance to the Co-Collateral Agents with each Blocked Account Bank covering the deposit accounts set forth on Schedule 6.01(m)(i)(B) (collectively, the “ Blocked Accounts ”); and

(C) deliver to the Agent copies of notifications (each, a “ Third Party Payor Notification ”) substantially in the form attached hereto as Exhibit H which have been executed on behalf of such Loan Party and addressed to such of each Loan Party’s Third Party Payors relating to Eligible Pharmacy Receivables listed in the Perfection Certificate as any Co-Collateral Agent shall reasonably request.

(ii) The Loan Parties shall ACH or wire transfer daily (or with respect to DDAs that have historically not been swept daily (and other DDAs with the consent of the Co-Collateral Agents, not to be unreasonably withheld), periodically, consistent with past practices) (and whether or not there are then any outstanding Obligations and whether or not a Cash Dominion Event then exists) to a Blocked Account all amounts on deposit in each DDA of such Loan Party, other than DDAs that are Excluded Accounts; provided that such covenant shall not apply to (i) any minimum balance as may be required to be kept in the subject DDA by the depository institution at which such DDA is maintained or (ii) if greater, any amounts maintained by the Loan Parties in such DDAs (and other DDAs with the consent of the Co-Collateral Agents, not to be unreasonably withheld) in the ordinary course of business consistent with past practices. The Loan Parties shall ACH or wire transfer daily to a Blocked Account all payments due from credit card processors and other proceeds of any of the Collateral. All funds in each DDA and Blocked Account (other than Excluded Accounts) shall be conclusively presumed to be Collateral and proceeds of Collateral and the Agent, Co-Collateral Agents and the Lenders shall have no duty to inquire as to the source of the amounts on deposit in any DDA or Blocked Account.

(iii) To the extent that any Loan Party hereafter engages a Credit Card Processor other than the Credit Card Processors listed in the Perfection Certificate, or a Third Party Payor other than the Third Party Payors listed in the Perfection Certificate, such Loan Party shall promptly furnish written notice thereof to the Agent and shall deliver to the Agent an executed Credit Card Notification or Third Party Payor Notification, as applicable, with respect to such Credit Card Processor or Third Party Payor. Each Credit Card Notification and Third Party Payor Notification shall be held by the Agent until the occurrence of a Cash Dominion Event. After the occurrence and during the continuance of a Cash Dominion Event, the Agent may deliver such Credit Card Notifications and Third Party Payor Notifications to the applicable Credit Card Processors and Third Party Payors.

(iv) Each Blocked Account Agreement shall require, after the occurrence and during the continuance of a Cash Dominion Event, the ACH or wire transfer no less frequently than daily (and whether or not there are then any outstanding Obligations) to the Agent’s Account, of all cash receipts and collections held in each applicable Blocked Account (net of any minimum balance, not to exceed $25,000 (or such greater amount with the consent of the Co-Collateral Agents, not to be unreasonably withheld), as may be required to be kept in the subject Blocked Account by the Blocked Account Bank), including, without limitation, the following:

(A) all available cash receipts from the sale of Inventory and other Collateral;

(B) all proceeds of collections of Pharmacy Receivables and Credit Card Accounts Receivable;


(C) all proceeds from any casualty or other insured damage to, or any taking under power of eminent domain or by condemnation or similar proceeding of any Collateral; and

(D) all Net Proceeds from any equity issuance by any Loan Party or its Subsidiaries.

The Borrowers shall be deemed to have complied with the provisions of this clause (iv) if they cause the ACH or wire transfer daily of all funds which an Authorized Representative of the Borrowers in good faith believes to be the amount deposited in the Blocked Accounts in excess of $25,000 (or such greater amount as permitted above in this clause (iv)).

(v) The Agent’s Account shall at all times be under the sole dominion and control of the Co-Collateral Agents. The Loan Parties hereby acknowledge and agree that (i) the Loan Parties have no right of withdrawal from the Agent’s Account, (ii) the funds on deposit in the Agent’s Account shall at all times be collateral security for all of the Obligations, and (iii) the funds on deposit in the Agent’s Account shall be applied as provided in this Agreement. In the event that, notwithstanding the provisions of this Section 6.01(m), during the continuance of a Cash Dominion Event, any Loan Party receives or otherwise has dominion and control of any such proceeds or collections, such proceeds and collections shall be held in trust by such Loan Party for the Co-Collateral Agents, shall not be commingled with any of such Loan Party’s other funds or deposited in any account of such Loan Party and shall, not later than the Business Day after receipt thereof, be deposited into the Agent’s Account or dealt with in such other fashion as such Loan Party may be instructed by the Co-Collateral Agents. During the continuance of a Cash Dominion Event, the amounts deposited into the Agent’s Account shall be applied to the prepayment of the Advances then outstanding (and if an Event of Default exists and is continuing, to all other Obligations); provided that upon payment in full of such outstanding Advances or Obligations, as applicable, any remaining amounts will be released and transferred to a deposit account of the Loan Parties as the Borrowers shall direct and the existence of a Cash Dominion Event (other than as the result of the occurrence of an Event of Default) shall not, in and of itself, impair the right of the Borrowers to Revolving Advances in accordance with the terms hereof.

(vi) Upon the request of the Agent, the Loan Parties shall cause bank statements and/or other reports to be delivered to the Agent not less often than monthly, accurately setting forth all amounts deposited in each Blocked Account to ensure the proper transfer of funds as set forth above.

(n) Liens on Non-Collateral Assets . In the event of the incurrence of Debt and the granting of a Lien pursuant to Section 6.02(a)(vi) hereof, grant, and cause each of its Subsidiaries to, grant the Co-Collateral Agents, as security for the Obligations, a Lien on the assets of Holdings or any of its Subsidiaries which is the subject of the Lien of the Person holding such Debt (to the extent that such assets do not then constitute Collateral) pursuant to Section 6.02(a)(vi) hereof.

(o) Physical Inventories . Cause physical inventories and periodic cycle counts to be undertaken, at the expense of the Loan Parties, in each case consistent with past practices (but in no event less frequently than one physical inventory per fiscal year), conducted by such inventory takers and following such methodology as is consistent with the immediately preceding inventory or as otherwise may be satisfactory to the Co-Collateral Agents in their Permitted Discretion. The Co-Collateral Agents, at the expense of the Loan Parties, may participate in and/or observe each scheduled physical count of Inventory which is undertaken on behalf of any Loan Party. The Loan Parties, within five (5) days following the completion of any such inventory, shall provide the Co-Collateral Agents with a reconciliation of the results of such inventory (as well as of any other physical inventory or cycle counts undertaken by a Loan Party) and shall post such results to the Loan Parties’ stock ledgers and general ledgers, as applicable.


(p) Letters of Credit . In the event that the Loan Parties request that any Letter of Credit have an expiry after the Extended Termination Date and the Issuing Lenders in their discretion, issue such Letter of Credit, the Borrowers shall on or before the date that is (10) Business Days prior to the Extended Termination Date, deposit in a cash collateral account of the Co-Collateral Agents, an amount equal to 105% of the L/C Obligations with respect to any such Letter of Credit.

SECTION 6.02. Negative Covenants . So long as any Advance or other Obligation (other than contingent indemnification obligations for which no claim shall have then been asserted) shall remain unpaid, any Letter of Credit shall remain outstanding (unless the same has been cash collateralized in an amount equal to 105% of the aggregate then undrawn and unexpired amount of such Letters of Credit and all other Reimbursement Obligations or back-to-back letters of credit from an issuer and on terms acceptable to the Issuing Lender have been provided in respect of such Letters of Credit) or any Lender shall have any Commitment hereunder, each of Holdings and the Borrowers will not, and will not permit any of their Subsidiaries to:

(a) Liens, Etc. Create or suffer to exist any Lien upon property of Holdings, the Borrowers or any Domestic Subsidiary constituting Inventory, Credit Card Accounts Receivable, Pharmacy Receivables or any other Collateral (as defined in the Guarantee and Collateral Agreement as in effect on July 21, 2015) or any Related Intellectual Property, other than:

(i) Permitted Liens,

(ii) the Liens existing on July 21, 2015 and described in the Perfection Certificate,

(iii) the replacement, extension or renewal of any Lien permitted by clause (ii) above upon or on the same property theretofore subject thereto (and on any additions to any such property and in any property taken in replacement or substitution for any such property), or the replacement, extension or renewal (without increase in the amount) of the Debt secured thereby,

(iv) to the extent any Liens permitted by clause (ii) above are terminated (and not replaced, extended or renewed in accordance with clause (iii) above), Liens not otherwise permitted by clause (iii) above securing Debt in an amount up to the amount of Debt secured by such terminated Liens; provided that (A) any such Lien (and the Debt secured thereby) shall be incurred no later than ninety (90) days after the termination of the Lien permitted by clause (ii) above, and (B) any such Lien shall be granted on the same property (and on any additions to such property or any property taken by the Loan Parties in replacement or substitution for such property) as the terminated Lien,

(v) Liens on Related Intellectual Property with Persons that have entered into an agreement, reasonably satisfactory to the Agent, acknowledging the limited license granted to the Co-Collateral Agents in such trademarks or trade names pursuant to the Loan Documents and agreeing to abide by, and not interfere with, such limited license;

(vi) Liens to secure (A) the Existing Second Lien Notes and any Permitted Refinancing Debt with respect thereto and (B) additional Debt of the Borrowers for borrowed money in an aggregate principal amount not to exceed, at any time outstanding, the difference between $2,000,000,000 and the principal amount of Debt outstanding pursuant to the preceding clause (A), provided , that , (1) no Default or Event of Default then exists or would arise from the incurrence of such Debt or the granting of such Lien, (2) such Lien shall be subordinate to the Lien of the Co-Collateral Agents and the holder of such Lien shall have entered into an intercreditor agreement substantially in the form of the Existing Intercreditor Agreement, or such other form as the Co-Collateral Agents may reasonably agree, (3) if the Debt secured by such Liens is secured by both Collateral and by property and assets of any Loan Party which do not constitute Collateral, the Co-Collateral Agents shall have obtained a Lien on such property and assets that do not otherwise constitute Collateral to secure the Obligations, subordinate to the Lien of the holder of such Debt pursuant to an intercreditor agreement substantially in the form of


Exhibit F hereto, or such other form as the Co-Collateral Agents may reasonably agree, and (4) the documentation granting such Lien shall be in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Co-Collateral Agents in their Permitted Discretion; and

(vii) Liens arising under or in connection with a Credit Card Royalty Securitization; provided that any Liens granted by a Loan Party pursuant to this clause (viii) shall be limited to Credit Card Program Assets.

(b) Fundamental Changes . Merge into or consolidate with any other Person, or permit any other Person to merge into or consolidate with it, or sell, transfer, lease or otherwise dispose of (in one transaction or in a series of transactions) all or substantially all of its assets (in each case, whether now owned or hereafter acquired), or liquidate or dissolve, 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 (i) any Subsidiary of any Borrower may merge into such Borrower in a transaction in which such Borrower is the surviving entity, (ii) any Subsidiary of Holdings may merge into Holdings or any other Subsidiary of Holdings (provided that (A) if Kmart Corp. is a party to such merger, such merger shall be with Holdings, Kmart or a direct Subsidiary of Kmart Corp. and Kmart Corp. shall be the continuing or surviving entity, (B) if any Subsidiary Guarantor is a party to such merger (other than with a Borrower or Holdings), such Subsidiary Guarantor shall be the continuing or surviving entity or the continuing or surviving entity shall become a Subsidiary Guarantor and (C) if SRAC is a party to such merger, then Sears shall comply with the requirements of Section 6.01(d)), (iii) any Subsidiary of Holdings other than the Borrowers may sell, transfer, lease or otherwise dispose of its assets to any Borrower, to Holdings or to a Subsidiary of Holdings (provided that if such sale or transfer includes Collateral and the transferee is not the Borrower or Holdings, the transferee shall be a Subsidiary Guarantor), (iv) any Subsidiary of Holdings other than the Borrowers or Sears may sell, transfer, lease or otherwise dispose of its assets to a Person that is not a Subsidiary or merge with a Person that is not a Subsidiary, in each case pursuant to a Permitted Disposition, (v) any Subsidiary of Holdings other than the Borrowers, Sears or any Material Subsidiary Guarantor (except, in the case of SRAC, as provided in Section 6.01(d)) may liquidate or dissolve if Holdings and the Borrowers determine in good faith that such liquidation or dissolution is in the best interests of Holdings, the Borrowers, Sears, the other Material Subsidiary Guarantors and their Subsidiaries and is not disadvantageous in any material respect to Holdings, the Borrowers, Sears, the other Material Subsidiary Guarantors or the Lenders; provided , that a Material Subsidiary Guarantor may liquidate or dissolve into a Person that is a Subsidiary of Holdings immediately prior to such liquidation or dissolution, if the continuing or surviving entity is or shall become a Subsidiary Guarantor in accordance with Section 6.01(i)(ii), (vi) Holdings or any Subsidiary of Holdings may merge with a Person that is not a Subsidiary of Holdings immediately prior to such merger if, in the case of any merger involving Holdings, a Borrower or a Subsidiary Guarantor, Holdings, such Borrower or such Subsidiary Guarantor, as applicable, is the continuing or surviving entity or, in the case of any merger involving a Subsidiary Guarantor, the continuing or surviving entity shall become a Subsidiary Guarantor in accordance with Section 6.01(i)(ii) and (vii) any Credit Card Royalty Securitization Subsidiary may sell or otherwise finance or Dispose of the assets subject to the Credit Card Royalty Securitization; provided that contemporaneously with (x) the occurrence of any of the actions permitted to be taken pursuant to the foregoing clauses (i) through (vi) of this clause (b) or (y) the consummation of a Credit Card Royalty Securitization, the Borrowers shall furnish to the Co-Collateral Agents an updated Borrowing Base Certificate.

(c) Acquisitions . Make any Acquisition unless (a) at the time of any such Acquisition and immediately after giving effect thereto, no Default or Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing, (b) after giving effect to any such Acquisition (A) Pro Forma and Projected Capped Excess Availability is at least 15% of the Line Cap, and (B) the Pro Forma Fixed Charge Ratio shall be at least 1.0 to 1.0, and (D) immediately after giving effect to any such Acquisition, Holdings and the Borrowers shall comply with Section 6.01(i) to the extent applicable, (c) such Acquisition shall have been approved by the Board of Directors of the Person (or similar governing body if such Person is not a corporation) which is the subject of such Acquisition and such Person shall not have announced that it will oppose such Acquisition or shall not have commenced any action which alleges that such Acquisition shall violate applicable law, and (d) any assets acquired shall be utilized in, and if the Acquisition involves a merger, consolidation or acquisition of equity interests, the Person which is the subject of such Acquisition shall be engaged in, a business engaged by, or related to a business engaged by, the Loan Parties as of July 21, 2015.


(d) Restricted Payments.

(i) Declare or make, or agree to pay or make, directly or indirectly, any Restricted Payment, if at the date of declaration thereof (either before or immediately after giving effect thereto and the payment thereof), a Default or Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing, except that at any time that a Default or Event of Default shall exist and be continuing, (A) Holdings may declare and pay dividends with respect to its equity interests payable solely in additional shares of its common stock, (B) Subsidiaries of Holdings may declare and pay dividends to Holdings, the Borrowers or another wholly owned Subsidiary of any Borrower and (C) non-wholly-owned Subsidiaries may declare and pay dividends to the holders of their equity interests other than a Group Member on a ratable basis.

(ii) Declare or make, or agree to pay or make, directly or indirectly, any other Restricted Payment (other than a Restricted Payment to a Loan Party), except that if no Default or Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing (either before or immediately after giving effect thereto and the payment thereof):

(A) Holdings and its Subsidiaries may make Restricted Payments in an aggregate amount not to exceed $1,500,000,000 from and after the Effective Date through the Extended Termination Date, provided , that, (i) immediately after giving effect to any such Restricted Payment, Pro Forma and Projected Capped Excess Availability is greater than 50% of the Line Cap and (ii) Restricted Payments pursuant to this subsection (A) shall not exceed $1,000,000,000 in any rolling twelve month period;

(B) Holdings and its Subsidiaries may make other Restricted Payments, provided, that, immediately after giving effect thereto (i) Pro Forma and Projected Capped Excess Availability is at least 15% of the Line Cap, and (ii) the Pro Forma Fixed Charge Ratio shall be at least 1.05 to 1.0; provided , that, for purposes of the calculation of Pro Forma Fixed Charge Ratio (x) Adjusted Consolidated EBITDA and Consolidated Interest Expense shall be computed on a trailing four quarter basis, and scheduled principal payments shall be computed on a four quarter forward basis, and (y) the amount of the Restricted Payment paid in cash being made in connection with the calculation shall be added to Fixed Charges;

(C) Holdings and its Subsidiaries may make other Restricted Payments in cash or in kind (with values equal to the amount of any cash otherwise distributable hereunder) (1) in an amount not to exceed the Net Proceeds of any common stock issuances by Holdings after the Effective Date, (2) in an amount not to exceed the Net Proceeds of any Permitted Dispositions of the type set forth in clauses (f) and (g) of the definition thereof, and (3) in an amount not to exceed any dividends and distributions received (directly or indirectly) on account of equity interests in any Subsidiary of Holdings which is not a Loan Party, and (4) to the stockholders of Holdings in the form of the equity interests of the subsidiaries set forth on Schedule 6.02(d) , provided , that (x) in each case, immediately after giving effect thereto, the Pro Forma and Projected Capped Excess Availability is at least 15% of the Line Cap, and (y) the aggregate amount of any such Restricted Payments pursuant to clauses (1) through (and including) (3) (whether in cash or in other property or a combination thereof) shall not exceed in any twelve consecutive months 75% of any such Net Proceeds, dividends and distributions received in such twelve consecutive month period; provided that Restricted Payments made pursuant to this clause (C) in cash during any twelve consecutive month period shall not exceed $125,000,000. For the avoidance of doubt, any Net Proceeds of the type described in clauses (1) through and including (3) of this Section 6.02(d)(ii)(C) may be utilized to repay the Obligations and shall not be required to be segregated prior to making any Restricted Payments otherwise permitted under this clause (C); and


(D) Holdings and its Subsidiaries may make other Restricted Payments as long as (i)(A) such Restricted Payment is funded from cash on hand and not from proceeds of any Extensions of Credit, (B) for the 120 days before any such Restricted Payment, no Advances were outstanding, and (C) for each of the 120 days before any such Restricted Payment, the Borrowers shall have had cash on hand sufficient to make such Restricted Payment without the necessity of obtaining proceeds of Advances for the operations of their businesses or for the purpose of making such Restricted Payment, and (ii) after giving effect to such Restricted Payment, no Advances are outstanding.

(e) Negative Pledge Clauses . Enter into or suffer to exist or become effective any agreement that prohibits or limits the ability of Holdings or any Subsidiary of Holdings to create, incur, assume or suffer to exist any Lien in favor of the Co-Collateral Agents upon the Collateral (as defined in the Guarantee and Collateral Agreement and other Security Documents in effect from time to time, and including assets which become Collateral pursuant to Section 6.01(n)), whether now owned or hereafter acquired, other than any agreement relating to any Lien on cash and cash equivalents not prohibited by Section 6.02(a).

(f) Clauses Restricting Subsidiary Distributions . Enter into or suffer to exist or become effective any consensual encumbrance or restriction on the ability of any Subsidiary of Holdings other than a Loan Party to (a) make Restricted Payments in respect of any equity interests of such Subsidiary held by, or pay any indebtedness owed to, Holdings or any other Subsidiary of Holdings, (b) make loans or advances to, or other investments in, Holdings or any other Subsidiary of Holdings or (c) transfer any of its assets to Holdings or any other Subsidiary of Holdings, except for such encumbrances or restrictions existing under or by reason of (i) any restrictions existing under this Agreement and the other Loan Documents; (ii) any restrictions with respect to a Subsidiary imposed pursuant to an agreement that has been entered into in connection with the disposition of all or any portion of the equity interests or assets of such Subsidiary; (iii) the provisions contained in any agreement governing indebtedness existing as of July 21, 2015 (and in any refinancing of such indebtedness so long as no more restrictive than those contained in the respective existing indebtedness); (iv) customary provisions restricting subletting or assignment of any lease governing a leasehold interest of any Borrower or a Subsidiary of any Borrower entered into in the ordinary course of business, (v) customary restrictions and conditions contained in the documents relating to any Lien, so long as such Lien is not prohibited hereunder and such restrictions or conditions relate only to the specific asset subject to such Lien; (vi) customary provisions restricting assignment of any contract entered into by any Borrower or any Subsidiary of any Borrower in the ordinary course of business, (vii) any agreement or instrument governing acquired debt, which restriction is not applicable to any Person or the properties or assets of any Person, other than the Person or the properties or assets of the Person acquired pursuant to the respective acquisition and so long as the respective encumbrances or restrictions were not created (or made more restrictive) in connection with or in anticipation of the respective acquisition; (viii) customary provisions restricting the assignment of licensing agreements, management agreements or franchise agreements entered into by any Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries in the ordinary course of business; (ix) restrictions on the transfer of assets securing purchase money obligations and capitalized lease obligations; (x) customary net worth provisions contained in real property leases entered into by Subsidiaries of any Borrower, so long as the applicable Borrower has determined in good faith that such net worth provisions could not reasonably be expected to impair the ability of the Borrowers and their Subsidiaries to meet their ongoing obligations, (xi) restrictions in respect of the REMIC Certificates and the real property assets related thereto, the Intellectual Property held by KCD IP, LLC and any proceeds of the foregoing, (xii) restrictions governing a Subsidiary of Holdings in connection with a Credit Card Royalty Securitization, and (xiii) such other restrictions as the Borrowers and the Co-Collateral Agents may agree.

(g) Accounting Changes . Make or permit any change in accounting policies or reporting practices, except as required or permitted by GAAP.

(h) Reserved .

(i) Dispositions . Make any Disposition except Permitted Dispositions.

(j) Debt; Prepayment of Debt .


(i) Create, incur, assume, suffer to exist or otherwise become or remain liable with respect to, any Debt, except Permitted Debt;

(ii) Prepay any Debt with proceeds of Advances unless at the time of any such prepayment and immediately after giving pro forma effect thereto, (A) no Default or Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing, and (B) after giving effect to any such prepayment (1) Pro Forma and Projected Capped Excess Availability plus Pro Forma and Projected Suppressed Availability (not to exceed an amount equal to 5% of the Line Cap) is at least 15% of the Line Cap, and (2) the Pro Forma Fixed Charge Ratio shall be at least 1.05 to 1.0; and

(iii) Prepay any Debt (without utilizing proceeds of Advances) except:

(A) Prepayments of Debt solely with Net Proceeds of Dispositions permitted pursuant to clause (g)(iii) of the definition of “Permitted Dispositions” to the extent remaining after application to clauses (i) and (ii) of the Application of Disposition Proceeds, so long as (A) the Co-Collateral Agents have established a Debt Maturity Reserve with respect to the outstanding amount of such Debt prior to the prepayment thereof, and (B) both immediately before and immediately after giving effect to such prepayment, the amount of all Short Term Debt (whether consisting of commercial paper or otherwise) outstanding under clause (h) of Permitted Debt is $0;

(B) Prepayments of the April 2016 Mortgage Debt solely with Net Proceeds received from the Credit Card Royalty Securitization; and

(C) Other prepayments of Debt (without utilizing proceeds of Advances) so long as at the time of any such prepayment and immediately after giving pro forma effect thereto, no Default or Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing. Further, if Holdings, the Borrowers or any of their Subsidiaries shall prepay any Debt (including Debt owed by a Loan Party to a Subsidiary that is not a Loan Party, but excluding other Debt owed to Holdings or any of its Subsidiaries) without utilizing proceeds of Advances pursuant to this clause (C) on any date (each, a “Prepayment Date”) then the Borrowers shall not permit Capped Excess Availability to be less than 12.5% of the Line Cap at any time from the Prepayment Date until one year following the Prepayment Date; provided this sentence shall not apply to (x) prepayments of Debt (A) with the proceeds of the incurrence of Permitted Debt as long as the maturity of such Permitted Debt (i) with respect to Permitted Debt prepaying Debt having a maturity of one year or less, is at least sixty (60) days later than the maturity of the Debt so refinanced, or (ii) with respect to all other Debt, is later than the maturity of the Debt so refinanced and the latest Extended Termination Date, or (B) after giving effect to all repayments of the Obligations required pursuant to Section 2.11(d) , with the proceeds from the issuance of equity interests in a Group Member (other than to another Group Member), or (C) in a principal amount not to exceed $25,000,000 in the aggregate in any fiscal year and (y) solely for the 60 day period commencing with the date that is 60 days prior to the maturity date (as in effect on the Fourth Amendment Effective Date) of the Existing Second Lien Notes outstanding on the Fourth Amendment Effective Date (without regard to any notes issued in exchange or replacement therefor, or in lieu thereof), prepay the Existing Second Lien Notes (without utilizing proceeds of Advances) in an aggregate principal amount not to exceed $150,000,000 during the term of this Agreement, commencing with the Fourth Amendment Effective Date.


For the avoidance of doubt, the foregoing sub-sections (ii) and (iii) of this Section 6.02(j) will not apply to the repayment of the Obligations, which are rather governed by the provisions of Article II hereof. The consummation of a cashless offer to exchange outstanding Permitted Debt for new Permitted Debt shall not be prohibited by this Section 6.02(j) so long as (x) other than with respect to the maturity date of such new Permitted Debt (which shall be governed by clause (y)), the terms of such new Permitted Debt would not be prohibited under Section 6.02(m) if such exchange had been structured as an amendment to documentation governing existing Debt as opposed to an exchange offer, and (y) the maturity date of such new Permitted Debt is no earlier than the earlier of (1) the maturity date of the Debt being exchanged and (2) the date that is one year after the latest Extended Termination Date. For the avoidance of doubt, the last sentence of Section 6.02(j)(iii)(C) shall not apply to any such exchange.

(k) Investments . Make any Investments, except Permitted Investments.

(l) Store Closings . Close more than 250 full line Sears or Kmart Stores in any fiscal quarter or more than 500 full line Sears or Kmart Stores in any four consecutive fiscal quarters without the consent of the Co-Collateral Agents, such consent not to be unreasonably withheld and/or fail to comply with the requirements of the definition of Store Closure Sale when and as applicable.

(m) Existing Debt . Permit, or amend the documentation governing any Debt existing as of the Second Amendment Effective Date to permit, the maturity date of such existing Debt to be shortened, the amortization of any such existing Debt to be increased or accelerated or the addition of or amendment to any new or existing mandatory repayment or prepayment provisions with respect to such Debt that would give rise to payment of such Debt earlier than provided for by the applicable agreements as in effect on the Second Amendment Effective Date; provided that this Section 6.02(m) shall not apply to any Debt owed to Holdings or any of its Subsidiaries (other than Debt owed by a Loan Party to a Subsidiary that is not a Loan Party).

(n) Availability . Permit Capped Excess Availability at any time to be less than the greater of (x) 10% of the difference between (i) the Line Cap minus (ii) the sum of (a) the outstanding principal amount of the Term Loan and (b) the outstanding principal amount of the 2016 Term Loan, and (y) $150,000,000.

(o) Net Recovery Value . Permit (without duplication) total Obligations outstanding at any time to exceed 100% of the sum of (i) aggregate outstanding Eligible Credit Card Accounts Receivable at such time plus (ii) aggregate Eligible Pharmacy Receivables at such time plus (iii) aggregate Net Orderly Liquidation Value at such time.

SECTION 6.03. Financial Covenant . During the continuance of a Covenant Compliance Event, each of Holdings and the Borrowers will not permit the Fixed Charge Ratio as of the last day of any fiscal month of Holdings to be less than 1.0 to 1.0.

ARTICLE VII

EVENTS OF DEFAULT

SECTION 7.01. Events of Default . If any of the following events (“ Events of Default ”) shall occur and be continuing:

(a) Any Borrower shall fail to pay (i) any principal of any Advance, Term Loan, 2016 Term Loan , 2018 FILO Loan or Reimbursement Obligation when the same becomes due and payable, or (ii) any interest on any Advance, Term Loan, 2016 Term Loan , 2018 FILO Loan or Reimbursement Obligation or any fees, or any other amounts payable under this Agreement or any other Loan Document, in each case under this clause (ii), within three (3) days after the same becomes due and payable; or


(b) Any representation or warranty made by any Loan Party herein or in any other Loan Document shall prove to have been incorrect in any material respect when made; or

(c) (i) Any Loan Party shall fail to perform or observe any term, covenant or agreement contained in Section 6.01 (d), (e), (h), (j) (other than 6.01(j)(viii)), (k), or (m), 6.02, or 6.03 of this Agreement or (ii) any Loan Party shall fail to perform or observe any other term, covenant or agreement contained in this Agreement or any other Loan Document, if such failure shall remain unremedied for thirty (30) days after written notice thereof shall have been given to Holdings and the Borrowers by the Agent or any Lender; or

(d) Any Group Member shall fail to pay principal of at least $50,000,000 on any Debt that is outstanding (but excluding Debt outstanding hereunder) when the same becomes due and payable (whether by scheduled maturity, required prepayment, acceleration, demand or otherwise), and such failure shall continue after the applicable grace period, if any, specified in the agreement or instrument relating to such Debt; or any other event shall occur or condition shall exist under any agreement or instrument relating to any Debt that is outstanding in a principal amount of at least $50,000,000 and shall continue after the applicable grace period, if any, specified in such agreement or instrument, if the effect of such event or condition is to accelerate the maturity of such Debt; or any such Debt shall be declared to be due and payable, or required to be prepaid or redeemed, purchased or defeased, or an offer to prepay, redeem, purchase or defease such Debt shall be required to be made and is accepted in an amount of at least $50,000,000 (in each case other than (i) a scheduled prepayment, redemption or purchase, or (ii) a mandatory prepayment, redemption or purchase, or a required offer to prepay, redeem or purchase, that results from the voluntary sale or transfer of property or assets), in each case prior to the stated maturity thereof; or

(e) Any Group Member shall generally not pay its debts as such debts become due, or shall admit in writing its inability to pay its debts generally, or shall make a general assignment for the benefit of creditors; or any proceeding shall be instituted by or against any Group Member seeking to adjudicate it a bankrupt or insolvent, or seeking liquidation, winding up, reorganization, arrangement, adjustment, protection, relief, or composition of it or its debts under any law relating to bankruptcy, insolvency or reorganization or relief of debtors, or seeking the entry of an order for relief or the appointment of a receiver, trustee, custodian or other similar official for it or for any substantial part of its property and, in the case of any such proceeding instituted against it (but not instituted by it), either such proceeding shall remain undismissed or unstayed for a period of 90 days, or any of the actions sought in such proceeding (including the entry of an order for relief against, or the appointment of a receiver, trustee, custodian or other similar official for, it or for any substantial part of its property) shall occur; or any Group Member shall take any corporate action to authorize any of the actions set forth above in this subsection (e); or

(f) A judgment or order for the payment of money in excess of $50,000,000 (net of any portion of such judgment to be paid by a third-party insurer as to which coverage has not been disputed) shall be rendered against any Group Member and either (i) enforcement proceedings shall have been commenced by any creditor upon such judgment or order or (ii) there shall be any period of 10 consecutive days during which a stay of enforcement of such judgment or order, by reason of a pending appeal or otherwise, shall not be in effect; or

(g) (i) Any “person” or “group” (as such terms are used in Sections 13(d) and 14(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, but excluding any employee benefit plan of such person or its Subsidiaries, and any Person or entity acting in its capacity as trustee, agent or other fiduciary or administrator of any such plan) other than a Permitted Holder becomes the “beneficial owner” (as defined in Rules 13d-3 and 13d-5 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, except that a person or group shall be deemed to have “beneficial ownership” of all securities that such person or group has the right to acquire (such right, an “option right”), whether such right is exercisable immediately or only after the passage of time), directly or indirectly, of 35% or more of the equity securities of Holdings entitled to vote for members of the Board of Directors of Holdings on a fully-diluted basis (and taking into account all such securities that such person or group has the right to acquire pursuant to any option right) and such “person” or “group” shall beneficially own (as such term is used herein) a greater percentage of the equity Securities of Holdings entitled to vote for members of the Board of Directors than the Permitted Holders shall, collectively, beneficially own; or (ii) during any period of 12 consecutive months, a majority of the members


of the Board of Directors or other equivalent governing body of Holdings cease to be composed of individuals (x) who were members of that board or equivalent governing body on the first day of such period, (y) whose election or nomination to that board or equivalent governing body was approved by individuals referred to in clause (x) above constituting at the time of such election or nomination at least a majority of that board or equivalent governing body or (z) whose election or nomination to that board or other equivalent governing body was approved by individuals referred to in clauses (x) and (y) above constituting at the time of such election or nomination at least a majority of that board or equivalent governing body; or (iii) Holdings shall cease for any reason to own, directly or indirectly, 100% of the Voting Stock of Sears and Kmart; or

(h) (i) Any Borrower or any of its ERISA Affiliates shall incur, or shall be reasonably likely to incur liability in excess of $100,000,000 in the aggregate as a result of one or more of the following: (i) the occurrence of any ERISA Event; (ii) the partial or complete withdrawal of such Borrower or any of its ERISA Affiliates from a Multiemployer Plan; or (iii) the reorganization or termination of a Multiemployer Plan; or (iv) the PBGC shall have filed a notice of Lien; or

(i) Any of the Security Documents shall cease, for any reason, to be in full force and effect, or any Loan Party shall so state in writing, or any Lien created by any of the Security Documents shall cease to be enforceable and of the same effect and priority purported to be created thereby, including as a result of the failure to comply with Section 5.4 of the Guarantee and Collateral Agreement; or

(j) The guarantee contained in Section 2 of the Guarantee and Collateral Agreement shall cease, for any reason, to be in full force and effect or any Loan Party shall so state in writing;

then, and in any such event, the Agent may, or, at the request of the Required Lenders shall, take any or all of the following actions upon notice to the Borrowers: (i) declare the Revolving Commitment of each Revolving Lender to be terminated, whereupon the same shall forthwith terminate; and (ii) declare the Advances, the Term Loan, the 2016 Term Loan, the 2018 FILO Loan, all interest thereon and all other amounts payable under this Agreement and the other Loan Documents (including all amounts of the L/C Obligations, whether or not the beneficiaries of the then outstanding Letters of Credit shall have presented the documents required thereunder) to be forthwith due and payable, whereupon the Advances, the Term Loan, the 2016 Term Loan, the 2018 FILO Loan, all such interest and all such amounts shall become and be forthwith due and payable, without presentment, demand, protest or further notice of any kind, all of which are hereby expressly waived by the Borrowers; provided , however , that in the event of an actual or deemed entry of an order for relief with respect to any Borrower under the United States Bankruptcy Code, (A) the Revolving Commitment of each Revolving Lender shall automatically be terminated and (B) the Advances, the Term Loan, the 2016 Term Loan, the 2018 FILO Loan, all such interest and all such amounts shall automatically become and be due and payable, without presentment, demand, protest or any notice of any kind, all of which are hereby expressly waived by the Borrowers. With respect to all Letters of Credit with respect to which presentment for honor shall not have occurred at the time of an acceleration pursuant to this paragraph or for which the outstanding amount of any drawing under any Letters of Credit (including any taxes, fees, charges and other costs and expenses incurred by the Issuing Lender in connection therewith) have not then been fully reimbursed or discharged, the Borrowers shall at such time deposit in a cash collateral account opened by the Co-Collateral Agents, an amount equal to 105% of the aggregate then undrawn and unexpired amount of such Letters of Credit and all other Reimbursement Obligations. Amounts held in such cash collateral account shall be applied by the Agent to the payment of drafts drawn under such Letters of Credit and the other Reimbursement Obligations, and the unused portion thereof after all such Letters of Credit shall have expired or been fully drawn upon and all Reimbursement Obligations fully reimbursed or discharged, if any, shall be applied to repay other Obligations of the Borrowers hereunder and under the other Loan Documents. After all such Letters of Credit shall have expired or been fully drawn upon, all Reimbursement Obligations shall have been satisfied and all other Obligations of the Borrowers hereunder and under the other Loan Documents shall have been paid in full, the balance, if any, in such cash collateral account shall be returned to the Borrowers (or such other Person as may be lawfully entitled thereto).

It is understood and agreed that if the 2016 Term Loans are accelerated pursuant to this Section 7.01 for any reason, including without limitation because of the commencement of any insolvency proceeding or other proceeding pursuant to any debtor relief laws, the premium payable pursuant to Section 2.05(b) (the “2016 Term Loan Prepayment Premium”) determined as of the date of acceleration will also be due and payable as though the 2016


Term Loans were voluntarily prepaid as of such date and shall constitute part of the Obligations in respect of the 2016 Term Loans, in view of the impracticability and extreme difficulty of ascertaining actual damages and by mutual agreement of the parties as to a reasonable calculation of each 2016 Term Lender’s lost profits as a result thereof. Any 2016 Term Loan Prepayment Premium payable in accordance with the immediately preceding sentence shall be presumed to be the liquidated damages sustained by each 2016 Term Lender as the result of the early termination and the Loan Parties agree that it is reasonable under the circumstances currently existing. The 2016 Term Loan Prepayment Premium shall also be payable in the event the 2016 Term Loans are satisfied or released by foreclosure (whether by power of judicial proceeding or otherwise) or deed in lieu of foreclosure. EACH LOAN PARTY EXPRESSLY WAIVES THE PROVISIONS OF ANY PRESENT OR FUTURE STATUTE OR LAW THAT PROHIBITS OR MAY PROHIBIT THE COLLECTION OF THE FOREGOING PREMIUM IN CONNECTION WITH ANY SUCH ACCELERATION INCLUDING IN CONNECTION WITH ANY VOLUNTARY OR INVOLUNTARY ACCELERATION OF THE 2016 TERM LOANS PURSUANT TO ANY INSOLVENCY PROCEEDING OR OTHER PROCEEDING PURSUANT TO ANY DEBTOR RELIEF LAWS. Each Loan Party expressly agrees that: (A) the 2016 Term Loan Prepayment Premium is reasonable and is the product of an arm’s length transaction between sophisticated business people, ably represented by counsel; (B) the 2016 Term Loan Prepayment Premium shall be payable notwithstanding the then prevailing market rates at the time payment is made; (C) there has been a course of conduct between 2016 Term Lenders and the Loan Parties giving specific consideration in this transaction for such agreement to pay the 2016 Term Loan Prepayment Premium; and (D) the Loan Parties shall be estopped hereafter from claiming differently than as agreed to in this paragraph. Each Loan Party expressly acknowledges that its agreement to pay the 2016 Term Loan Prepayment Premium to the 2016 Term Lenders as herein described is a material inducement for the 2016 Term Lenders to provide the 2016 Term Commitment and provide the 2016 Term Loans.

It is understood and agreed that if the 2018 FILO Loans are accelerated pursuant to this Section 7.01 for any reason, including without limitation because of the commencement of any insolvency proceeding or other proceeding pursuant to any debtor relief laws (including the acceleration of claims by operation of law), the premium payable pursuant to Section 2.05(c) (the “2018 FILO Loan Prepayment Premium”) determined as of the date of acceleration will also be due and payable as though the 2018 FILO Loans were voluntarily repaid as of such date and shall constitute part of the Obligations in respect of the 2018 FILO Loans, in view of the impracticability and extreme difficulty of ascertaining actual damages and by mutual agreement of the parties as to a reasonable calculation of each 2018 FILO Lender’s lost profits as a result thereof. Any 2018 FILO Loan Prepayment Premium payable in accordance with the immediately preceding sentence shall be presumed to be the liquidated damages sustained by each 2018 FILO Lender as the result of the early termination and the Loan Parties agree that it is reasonable under the circumstances currently existing. The 2018 FILO Loan Prepayment Premium shall also be payable in the event the 2018 FILO Loans are satisfied or released by foreclosure (whether by power of judicial proceeding or otherwise) or deed in lieu of foreclosure. EACH LOAN PARTY EXPRESSLY WAIVES THE PROVISIONS OF ANY PRESENT OR FUTURE STATUTE OR LAW THAT PROHIBITS OR MAY PROHIBIT THE COLLECTION OF THE FOREGOING PREMIUM IN CONNECTION WITH ANY SUCH ACCELERATION INCLUDING IN CONNECTION WITH ANY VOLUNTARY OR INVOLUNTARY ACCELERATION OF THE 2018 FILO LOANS PURSUANT TO ANY INSOLVENCY PROCEEDING OR OTHER PROCEEDING PURSUANT TO ANY DEBTOR RELIEF LAWS. Each Loan Party expressly agrees that: (A) the 2018 FILO Loan Prepayment Premium is reasonable and is the product of an arm’s length transaction between sophisticated business people, ably represented by counsel; (B) the 2018 FILO Loan Prepayment Premium shall be payable notwithstanding the then prevailing market rates at the time payment is made; (C) there has been a course of conduct between 2018 FILO Lenders and the Loan Parties giving specific consideration in this transaction for such agreement to pay the 2018 FILO Loan Prepayment Premium; and (D) the Loan Parties shall be estopped hereafter from claiming differently than as agreed to in this paragraph. Each Loan Party expressly acknowledges that its agreement to pay the 2018 FILO Loan Prepayment Premium to the 2018 FILO Lenders as herein described is a material inducement for the 2018 FILO Lenders to provide the 2018 FILO Commitment and provide the 2018 FILO Loans. Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this paragraph, payment of the 2018 FILO Loan Prepayment Premium shall be subject to the proviso to clause fifteenth of Section 6.4 of the Guarantee and Collateral Agreement.


ARTICLE VIII

THE AGENT AND CO-COLLATERAL AGENTS

SECTION 8.01. Appointment . Each Lender hereby irrevocably designates and appoints (i) the Bank as Agent, and (ii) the Bank and Wells Fargo Bank, National Association as Co-Collateral Agents, under this Agreement and the other Loan Documents, and each such Lender irrevocably authorizes the Agent and the Co-Collateral Agents, 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 Agent and the Co-Collateral Agents, as applicable, by the terms of this Agreement and the other Loan Documents, together with such other powers as are reasonably incidental thereto. For clarity, and notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in this Agreement and the other Loan Documents, no consent of the Lenders shall be required to amend this Agreement or the Loan Documents to (i) cause additional assets to become Collateral or to add additional Subsidiaries as guarantors of the Obligations, or (ii) implement the provisions of Sections 2.18 or 8.12, and the Agent and the Loan Parties shall be entitled to execute any and all amendments necessary or desirable to accomplish any of the foregoing and such amendments shall be binding on the other parties hereto. Notwithstanding any provision to the contrary elsewhere in this Agreement, neither the Agent nor the Co-Collateral Agents shall have any duties or responsibilities, except those expressly set forth in this Agreement and the other Loan Documents to which it is a party, or any fiduciary relationship with any Lender, 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 Agent or the Co-Collateral Agents.

SECTION 8.02. Delegation of Duties . Each of the Agent and the Co-Collateral Agents may execute any of its duties under this Agreement and the other Loan Documents by or through agents or attorneys-in-fact and shall be entitled to advice of counsel concerning all matters pertaining to such duties. Neither the Agent nor the Co-Collateral Agents shall be responsible for the negligence or misconduct of any agents or attorneys-in-fact selected by it with reasonable care.

SECTION 8.03. Exculpatory Provisions . No Agent (for purposes of this Article VIII, “ Agent ” and “ Agents ” shall mean the collective reference to the Agent, the Co-Collateral Agents and any other Lender designated as an “Agent” for purposes of this Agreement, including the Lead Arrangers, the Syndication Agent and the Co-Documentation Agents) nor any of their respective officers, directors, employees, agents, attorneys-in-fact or affiliates shall be (i) liable for any action lawfully taken or omitted to be taken by it or such Person under or in connection with this Agreement or any other Loan Document (except to the extent that any of the foregoing are found by a final and non-appealable decision of a court of competent jurisdiction to have resulted from its or such Person’s own gross negligence or willful misconduct) or (ii) responsible in any manner to any of the Lenders for any recitals, statements, representations or warranties made by any Loan Party or any officer thereof contained in this Agreement or any other Loan Document or in any certificate, report, statement or other document referred to or provided for in, or received by the Agents under or in connection with, this Agreement or any other Loan Document or for the value, validity, effectiveness, genuineness, enforceability or sufficiency of this Agreement or any other Loan Document or for any failure of any Loan Party that is a party thereto to perform its obligations hereunder or thereunder. The Agents shall not be under any obligation to any Lender to ascertain or to inquire as to the observance or performance of any of the agreements contained in, or conditions of, this Agreement or any other Loan Document, or to inspect the properties, books or records of any Loan Party.

SECTION 8.04. Reliance by Agent . The Agent and Co-Collateral Agents shall be entitled to rely, and shall be fully protected in relying, upon any instrument, writing, resolution, notice, consent, certificate, affidavit, letter, telecopy, telex or teletype message, statement, order or other document or conversation believed by them 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 Holdings or the Borrowers), independent accountants and other experts selected by the Agent. The 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 Agent. The Agent and Co-Collateral Agents shall be fully justified in failing or refusing to take any action under this Agreement or any other Loan Document unless they shall first receive such advice or concurrence of the Required Lenders (or, if so specified by this Agreement, the Supermajority Lenders or all Lenders) as they deem appropriate


or they shall first be indemnified to its satisfaction by the Lenders against any and all liability and expense that may be incurred by them by reason of taking or continuing to take any such action. The 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, if so specified by this Agreement, the Supermajority Lenders or all Lenders), and such request and any action taken or failure to act pursuant thereto shall be binding upon all the Lenders and all future holders of the Advances, the Term Loan and , the 2016 Term Loan and the 2018 FILO Loan .

SECTION 8.05. Notice of Default . The Agent and the Co-Collateral Agents shall not be deemed to have knowledge or notice of the occurrence of any Default or Event of Default unless the Agent or the applicable Co-Collateral Agent has received notice from a Lender, Holdings or a Borrower 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 Agent receives such a notice, the Agent shall give notice thereof to the Lenders. The Agent and the Co-Collateral Agents shall take such action with respect to such Default or Event of Default as shall be reasonably directed by the Required Lenders (or, if so specified by this Agreement, the Supermajority Lenders or all Lenders); provided that unless and until the Agent or the Co-Collateral Agents shall have received such directions, the Agent, in consultation with the Co-Collateral Agents, 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.

SECTION 8.06. Non-Reliance on Agents and Other Lenders . Each Lender expressly acknowledges that neither the Agent, the Co-Collateral Agents nor any of their respective officers, directors, employees, agents, attorneys-in-fact or affiliates have made any representations or warranties to it and that no act by the Agent or any Co-Collateral 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 the Agent or any Co-Collateral Agent to any Lender. Each Lender represents to the Agent and the Co-Collateral Agents that it has, independently and without reliance upon the Agent, any Co-Collateral Agent or any other Lender, 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 and made its own decision to make its Advances, the Term Loan and , the 2016 Term Loan and the 2018 FILO Loan hereunder and enter into this Agreement. Each Lender also represents that it will, independently and without reliance upon the Agent, any Co-Collateral Agent or any other Lender, 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 by the Agent or the Co-Collateral Agents hereunder, the Agent and the Co-Collateral Agents shall not have any duty or responsibility to provide any Lender 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 Agent or any Co-Collateral Agent or any of their respective officers, directors, employees, agents, attorneys-in-fact or affiliates.

SECTION 8.07. Reports and Financial Statements . By signing this Agreement, each Lender:

(a) agrees to furnish the Agent after the occurrence and during the continuance of a Cash Dominion Event (and thereafter at such frequency as the Agent may reasonably request) with a summary of all Bank Products and Cash Management Services provided by, and amounts due or to become due on account thereof to, such Lender. In connection with any distributions to be made hereunder, the Agent shall be entitled to assume that no amounts are due to any Lender on account of any such Bank Products or Cash Management Services unless the Agent has received written notice thereof from such Lender;

(b) is deemed to have requested that the Agent furnish such Lender, promptly after they become available, copies of all financial statements and reports required to be delivered by the Loan Parties hereunder and all commercial finance examinations and appraisals of the Collateral received by the Co-Collateral Agents (collectively, the “ Reports ”) (which the Agent and the Co-Collateral Agents agree to so deliver);


(c) expressly agrees and acknowledges that the Agent and the Co-Collateral Agents make no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the Reports, and shall not be liable for any information contained in any Report;

(d) expressly agrees and acknowledges that the Reports are not comprehensive audits or examinations, that the Agent, the Co-Collateral Agents or any other party performing any audit or examination will inspect only specific information regarding the Loan Parties and will rely significantly upon the Loan Parties’ books and records, as well as on representations of the Loan Parties’ personnel;

(e) agrees to keep all Reports confidential in accordance with the provisions of this Agreement; and

(f) without limiting the generality of any other indemnification provision contained in this Agreement, agrees: (i) to hold the Agent, the Co-Collateral Agents and any such other Lender or Person preparing a Report harmless from any action the indemnifying Lender may take or conclusion the indemnifying Lender may reach or draw from any Report in connection with any credit extensions that the indemnifying Lender has made or may make to the Borrowers, or the indemnifying Lender’s participation in any Letter of Credit or Swingline Advance, or the indemnifying Lender’s purchase of, a Loan or Loans; and (ii) to pay and protect, and indemnify, defend, and hold the Agent, the Co-Collateral Agents and any such other Lender or Person preparing a Report harmless from and against, the claims, actions, proceedings, damages, costs, expenses, and other amounts (including reasonable attorney costs) incurred by the Agent, Co-Collateral Agents and any such other Lender or Person preparing a Report as the direct or indirect result of any third parties who might obtain all or part of any Report through the indemnifying Lender.

SECTION 8.08. Indemnification . The Lenders agree to indemnify the Agent and each Co-Collateral Agent in its capacity as such (to the extent not reimbursed by Holdings or the Borrowers and without limiting the obligation of Holdings or the Borrowers to do so), ratably according to their respective Pro Rata Shares in effect on the date on which indemnification is sought under this Section (or, if indemnification is sought after the date upon which the Revolving Commitments of any Lender shall have terminated and the Advances, the Term Loan and , the 2016 Term Loan and the 2018 FILO Loan shall have been paid in full, in accordance with such Pro Rata Shares immediately prior to such date), 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 Advances, the Term Loan and , the 2016 Term Loan and the 2018 FILO Loan) be imposed on, incurred by or asserted against such Agent in any way relating to or arising out of, the Commitments, 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 under or in connection with any of the foregoing; provided that no 2015 Non-Extending Lender shall be obligated to indemnify the Agent or any Co-Collateral Agent for any liabilities, obligations, losses, damages, penalties, actions, judgments, suits, costs, expenses or disbursements of any kind whatsoever which relate to matters subsequent to the termination of such 2015 Non-Extending Lender’s Commitment and repayment of all Obligations to such 2015 Non-Extending Lender (for clarity, such 2015 Non-Extending Lenders shall remain liable for any claims which relate to a period during which they were a “Lender” hereunder, even if first asserted after the termination of such 2015 Non-Extending Lender’s Revolving Commitment and repayment of all Obligations to such 2015 Non-Extending Lender), provided further 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 non-appealable decision of a court of competent jurisdiction to have resulted from the Agent’s or any Co-Collateral Agent’s gross negligence or willful misconduct. The agreements in this Section shall survive the payment of the Advances, the Term Loan, the 2016 Term Loan , the 2018 FILO Loan and all other amounts payable hereunder.

SECTION 8.09. Agent in Its Individual Capacity . Each Agent and its Affiliates may make loans to, accept deposits from and generally engage in any kind of business with any Loan Party as though such Agent were not an Agent. With respect to its Advances made or renewed by it and with respect to any Letter of Credit issued or participated in by it, each Agent shall have the same rights and powers under this Agreement and the other Loan Documents as any Lender and may exercise the same as though it were not an Agent, and the terms “Lender” and “Lenders” shall include each Agent in its individual capacity.


SECTION 8.10. Successor Agent .

(a) The Agent may resign as Agent upon 30 days’ notice to the Lenders and the Borrowers. If the Agent shall resign as Agent under this Agreement and the other Loan Documents, then the Required Lenders shall appoint from among the Lenders a successor agent for the Lenders, which successor agent shall (unless an Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing) be subject to approval by the Borrowers (which approval shall not be unreasonably withheld or delayed), whereupon such successor agent shall succeed to the rights, powers and duties of the Agent, and the term “Agent” shall mean such successor agent effective upon such appointment and approval, and the former Agent’s rights, powers and duties as Agent shall be terminated, without any other or further act or deed on the part of such former Agent or any of the parties to this Agreement or any holders of the Advances, Term Loan or , 2016 Term Loan or 2018 FILO Loan . If no successor agent has accepted appointment as Agent by the date that is 30 days following a retiring Agent’s notice of resignation, the retiring Agent’s resignation shall nevertheless thereupon become effective, and the Lenders shall assume and perform all of the duties of the Agent hereunder, until such time, if any, as the Required Lenders appoint a successor agent as provided for above. After any retiring Agent’s resignation as Agent, the provisions of this Article VIII shall inure to its benefit as to any actions taken or omitted to be taken by it while it was Agent under this Agreement and the other Loan Documents.

(b) Any Co-Collateral Agent may resign as Co-Collateral Agent upon 30 days’ notice to the Lenders and the Borrowers. The rights, duties and responsibilities of the Co-Collateral Agents hereunder are specific to each of Bank of America, N.A. and Wells Fargo Bank, National Association, and upon (i) the resignation of any such Person as a Co-Collateral Agent hereunder, or (ii) except as otherwise agreed by the Borrowers and the Agent (whose agreement shall not be unreasonably withheld), the assignment of all of the rights, duties and obligations under this Agreement in respect of its Revolving Commitment, FILO Commitment, the Advances, the Term Loan, the 2016 Term Loan , the 2018 FILO Loan and other amounts owing to it and any Note or Notes held by it by any such Person, then such rights, duties and responsibilities of such Person as a Co-Collateral Agent shall automatically terminate and be of no further force and effect; provided that the provisions of this Article VIII shall inure to such Person’s benefit as to any actions taken or omitted to be taken by it while it was Co-Collateral Agent under this Agreement and the other Loan Documents. Without limiting the foregoing, no additional Co-Collateral Agents shall be appointed hereunder without the prior written consent of the Agent and the Borrowers.

SECTION 8.11. Co-Documentation Agents and Syndication Agent; Bank Product and Cash Management Services Providers . (a) Neither the Co-Documentation Agents, the Syndication Agent nor any other Lender designated as an “Agent” for purposes of this Agreement (other than the Bank in its capacity as Agent and Co-Collateral Agent, and Wells Fargo Bank, National Association in its capacity as Co-Collateral Agent) shall have any duties or responsibilities hereunder in its capacity as such.

(b) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Agreement or any other Loan Document, no provider or holder of any Bank Products or Cash Management Services shall have any voting or approval rights hereunder (or be deemed a Lender) solely by virtue of its status as the provider or holder of such agreements or products or the Obligations owing thereunder, nor shall the consent of any such provider or holder be required (other than in their capacities as Lenders, to the extent applicable) for any matter hereunder or under any of the other Loan Documents, including as to any matter relating to the Collateral or the release of Collateral or any Loan Party.

SECTION 8.12. 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”, “Supermajority Lenders” and this Section 8.12.


(ii) Defaulting Lender Waterfall . Any payment of principal, interest, fees or other amounts received by the Agent for the account of such Defaulting Lender (whether voluntary or mandatory, at maturity, pursuant to Article VII or otherwise) or received by the Agent from a Defaulting Lender pursuant to Section 9.05 shall be applied at such time or times as may be determined by the Agent as follows: first, to the payment of any amounts owing by such Defaulting Lender to the Agent hereunder; second, to the payment on a pro rata basis of any amounts owing by such Defaulting Lender to the Issuing Lenders or Swingline Lender hereunder; third, to Cash Collateralize the Issuing Lenders’ Fronting Exposure with respect to such Defaulting Lender; fourth, as the Borrowers may request (so long as no Default or Event of Default exists), to the funding of any Extension of Credit in respect of which such Defaulting Lender has failed to fund its portion thereof as required by this Agreement, as determined by the Agent; fifth, if so determined by the Agent and the Borrowers, 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 Extensions of Credit under this Agreement and (y) Cash Collateralize the Issuing Lenders’ future Fronting Exposure with respect to such Defaulting Lender with respect to future Letters of Credit issued under this Agreement; sixth, to the payment of any amounts owing to the Non-Defaulting Lenders, the Issuing Lenders or Swingline Lender as a result of any judgment of a court of competent jurisdiction obtained by any Lender, the Issuing Lenders or the Swingline 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 Borrowers as a result of any judgment of a court of competent jurisdiction obtained by the Borrowers 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 Extension of Credit in respect of which such Defaulting Lender has not fully funded its appropriate share, and (y) such Advances, Term Loans or , 2016 Term Loans or 2018 FILO Loans were made or the related Letters of Credit were issued at a time when the conditions set forth in Section 4.02 were satisfied or waived, such payment shall be applied solely to pay the Extensions of Credit owed to all Non-Defaulting Lenders on a pro rata basis prior to being applied to the payment of any Obligations owed to, such Defaulting Lender until such time as all Advances, Term Loans, 2016 Term Loans , 2018 FILO Loans and funded and unfunded participations in Letters of Credit and Swingline Loans are held by the Lenders pro rata in accordance with the Commitments hereunder without giving effect to Section 2.16. 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 8.12 shall be deemed paid to and redirected by such Defaulting Lender, and each Lender irrevocably consents hereto.

(iii) Certain Fees .

(a) No Defaulting Lender shall be entitled to receive any fee payable under Section 2.05 for any period during which that Lender is a Defaulting Lender (and the Borrowers shall not be required to pay any such fee that otherwise would have been required to have been paid to that Defaulting Lender).

(b) Each Defaulting Lender shall be entitled to receive Letter of Credit fees pursuant to Section 3.03 for any period during which that Lender is a Defaulting Lender only to the extent allocable to its Revolving Commitment Percentage of the stated amount of Letters of Credit for which it has provided cash collateral.

(c) With respect to any fee payable under Section 2.05 or any Letter of Credit Fee not required to be paid to any Defaulting Lender pursuant to clause (a)  or (b)  above, the Borrowers 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 Letters of Credit or


Swingline Loans that has been reallocated to such Non-Defaulting Lender pursuant to clause (iv)  below, (y) pay to the Issuing Lenders and Swingline Lender, as applicable, the amount of any such fee otherwise payable to such Defaulting Lender to the extent allocable to such Issuing Lender’s or Swingline 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 Applicable Percentages to Reduce Fronting Exposure . All or any part of such Defaulting Lender’s participation in Letters of Credit and Swingline Loans shall be reallocated among the Non-Defaulting Lenders in accordance with their respective Revolving Commitment Percentages (calculated without regard to such Defaulting Lender’s Revolving Commitment) but only to the extent that (x) the conditions set forth in Section 4.02 are satisfied at the time of such reallocation (and, unless the Borrowers shall have otherwise notified the Agent at such time, the Borrowers shall be deemed to have represented and warranted that such conditions are satisfied at such time), and (y) such reallocation does not cause the aggregate outstanding amount of Obligations of any Non-Defaulting Lender to exceed such Non-Defaulting Lender’s Revolving Commitment. No reallocation hereunder shall constitute a waiver or release of any claim of any party hereunder against a Defaulting Lender arising from that Lender having become a Defaulting Lender, including any claim of a Non-Defaulting Lender as a result of such Non-Defaulting Lender’s increased exposure following such reallocation.

(v) Cash Collateral, Repayment of Swing Line Loans . If the reallocation described in clause (a)(iv) above cannot, or can only partially, be effected, the Borrowers shall, without prejudice to any right or remedy available to them hereunder or under applicable Law, (x) first, prepay Swingline Loans in an amount equal to the Swingline Lenders’ Fronting Exposure and (y) second, cash collateralize the Issuing Lenders’ Fronting Exposure in accordance with the procedures set forth in Section 3.01(b) .

(b) Consents . If a Lender becomes a Defaulting Lender, then, in addition to the rights and remedies that may be available to the other Credit Parties, the Loan Parties or any other party at law or in equity, and not in limitation thereof, except as set forth in the last sentence hereof, such Defaulting Lender’s right to participate in decision-making rights related to the Obligations in respect of Required Lender and Supermajority Lender votes, this Agreement or the other Loan Documents shall be suspended during the pendency of such failure or refusal. Notwithstanding anything else provided herein, any amendment, waiver determination, consent or notification under Section 9.01 that would (i) increase or extend the term of the Revolving Commitment of a Defaulting Lender, (ii) reduce the principal amount of the Advances, the Term Loan or , the 2016 Term Loan or the 2018 FILO Loan made by such Defaulting Lender, (iii) alter the terms and conditions of this sentence or (iv) otherwise disproportionately affect a Defaulting Lender, will require the consent of such Defaulting Lender.

(c) Defaulting Lender Cure . If the Borrowers, the Agent, the Swingline Lender and the Issuing Lenders agree in writing that a Lender is no longer a Defaulting Lender, the Agent will so notify the parties hereto, whereupon as of the effective date specified in such notice and subject to any conditions set forth therein (which may include arrangements with respect to any cash collateral), that Lender will, to the extent applicable, purchase at par that portion of outstanding Advances of the other Lenders or take such other actions as the Agent may determine to be necessary to cause the Advances and funded and unfunded participations in Letters of Credit and Swingline Loans to be held on a pro rata basis by the Revolving Lenders in accordance with their Revolving Commitment Percentages (without giving effect to Section 2.16 ), 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 Borrowers while that Lender was a Defaulting Lender; and provided, further, that except to the extent otherwise expressly agreed by the affected parties, no change hereunder from Defaulting Lender to Lender will constitute a waiver or release of any claim of any party hereunder arising from that Lender’s having been a Defaulting Lender.


ARTICLE IX

MISCELLANEOUS

SECTION 9.01. Amendments, Etc. No amendment or waiver of any provision of this Agreement or any other Loan Document, nor consent to any departure by any Borrower or any Loan Party therefrom, shall in any event be effective unless the same shall be in writing and signed by the Required Lenders, and then such waiver or consent shall be effective only in the specific instance and for the specific purpose for which given; provided , however , that no amendment, waiver or consent shall (a) unless in writing and also signed by each Lender directly affected thereby, do any of the following: (i) increase the amount or extend the expiration date of any Lender’s Commitment, (ii) reduce the principal of, or interest on, the Advances, the Term Loan, the 2016 Term Loan , the 2018 FILO Loan or any fees or other amounts payable hereunder or (iii) postpone any date fixed for any payment of principal of, or interest on, the Advances, the Term Loan, the 2016 Term Loan , the 2018 FILO Loan or any fees or other amounts payable hereunder; provided that any waiver or reduction of any payment of the Term Loan or the 2016 Term Loan from any Excess Cash Flow may be waived or modified solely with the written consent of the Term Lenders or the 2016 Term Lenders, as applicable, then holding a majority in amount of the Term Loans or the 2016 Term Loans, as applicable; (b) unless in writing and signed by all of the Lenders, do any of the following: (i) change the percentage of the Commitments or of the aggregate unpaid principal amount of the Advances, the Term Loan or , the 2016 Term Loan or the 2018 FILO Loan , or the number of Lenders, that shall be required for the Lenders or any of them to take any action hereunder, (ii) other than in accordance with Section 9.13, release all or substantially all of the Collateral or release all or substantially all of the guarantors from their obligations under the Guarantee and Collateral Agreement, (iii) except as expressly permitted herein or in any other Loan Document, subordinate the Liens granted hereunder or under the other Loan Documents, to any other Lien, (iv) amend this Section 9.01, (v) amend the definitions of “Required Lenders” or “Supermajority Lenders” or (vi) other than in accordance with Section 6.01(d), release either Borrower from all of its obligations hereunder, (c) unless in writing and signed by the Supermajority Lenders, increase any advance rate percentage set forth in the definition of “Borrowing Base” or increase the Swingline Commitment; (d) unless in writing and signed by the Agent and the Co-Collateral Agents (in addition to the Lenders required above to take such action), as applicable, amend, modify or waive any provision of Article VIII or affect the rights or duties of the Agent and the Co-Collateral Agents, as applicable, under this Agreement or any other Loan Document; (e) unless in writing and signed by the Swingline Lender (in addition to the Lenders required above to take such action), amend, modify or waive any provision of Section 2.03 or 2.04; (f) unless in writing and signed by each Issuing Lender (in addition to the Lenders required above to take such action), amend, modify or waive any provision of Article III , or (g) unless in writing signed by each affected member of any Class, have a materially disproportionate adverse effect on such Class.

SECTION 9.02. Notices, Etc. (a) All notices and other communications provided for hereunder shall be in writing (including telecopier communication) and mailed, telecopied or delivered, (i) if to Holdings, any Borrower or any Subsidiary Guarantor, at its address at 3333 Beverly Road, Hoffman Estates, Illinois 60179, Attention: General Counsel, with a copy to Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz, 51 West 52nd Street, New York, New York 10019, Attention: Scott Charles; (ii) if to any Lender, at its address set forth in its completed administrative questionnaire delivered to the Agent; (iii) if to the Bank, (x) in its capacity as Agent, a Co-Collateral Agent, the Swingline Lender or an Issuing Lender, at its address at 100 Federal Street, 9 th Floor, Boston, Massachusetts 02110, Attention: Christine M. Scott and Brian P. Lindblom, and (y) in its capacity as Agent with respect to financial and other reporting sent pursuant to Section 6.01(j) hereof, at its address set forth in clause (x) above and also at 1455 Market Street, San Francisco, CA 94103, Attention: Aamir Saleem, in each case with a copy to Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP, 155 N. Wacker Drive, Suite 3400, Chicago, Illinois 60527, Attention: Seth E. Jacobson, Esq.; (iv) if to Wells Fargo Bank, National Association or its Affiliates, in its capacity as a Co-Collateral Agent or as an Issuing Lender, at its address at One Boston Place, 19 th Floor, Boston, Massachusetts 02108, Attention: Joseph Burt, with a copy to Choate, Hall & Stewart LLP, Two International Place, Boston, Massachusetts 02110, Attention: Kevin J. Simard, Esq., or (v), if to any other Issuing Lender, at such address as shall be designated by such party in a written notice to the other parties and, as to each other party, at such other address as shall be designated by such party in a written notice to the Borrowers and the Agent; provided that notices required to be delivered pursuant to Section 6.01(j)(i), (ii), (iii), and (v) shall be delivered to the Agent and the Lenders as specified in Section 9.02(b). All such notices and communications shall, when mailed, telecopied, telegraphed or emailed, be effective when deposited in the mails, telecopied, delivered to the telegraph company or confirmed by email,


respectively, except that notices and communications to the Agent pursuant to Article II, III or VIII shall not be effective until received by the Agent. Delivery by telecopier of an executed counterpart of any amendment or waiver of any provision of this Agreement or any Loan Document or of any exhibit hereto or thereto to be executed and delivered hereunder shall be effective as delivery of a manually executed counterpart thereof.

(b) Holdings and the Borrowers agree that materials required to be delivered pursuant to Sections 6.01(j)(i), (ii), (iii) and (v), shall be deemed delivered to the Agent on the date on which Holdings causes such reports, or reports containing such financial statements, to be posted on the Internet at www.sec.gov or at such other website identified by the Borrowers in a written notice to the Agent and the Lenders and that is accessible by the Lenders without charge or if not so posted, may be delivered to the Agent in an electronic medium in a format acceptable to the Agent by email to christine.marie.scott@baml.com and to aamir.saleem@baml.com. Holdings and the Borrowers agree that the Agent may make such materials, as well as any other written information, documents, instruments and other material relating to Holdings, the Borrowers, any of their Subsidiaries or any other materials or matters relating to this Agreement, the Loan Documents or any of the transactions contemplated hereby (collectively, the “ Communications ”) available to the Lenders by posting such notices on Intralinks or a substantially similar electronic system (the “ Platform ”). Holdings and the Borrowers acknowledge that (i) the distribution of material through an electronic medium is not necessarily secure and that there are confidentiality and other risks associated with such distribution, (ii) the Platform is provided “as is” and “as available” and (iii) neither the Agent nor any of its Affiliates warrants the accuracy, adequacy or completeness of the Communications or the Platform and each expressly disclaims liability for errors or omissions in the Communications or the Platform. 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 Agent or any of its Affiliates in connection with the Platform.

(c) Each Lender agrees that notice to it (as provided in the next sentence) (a “ Notice ”) specifying that any Communications have been posted to the Platform shall constitute effective delivery of such information, documents or other materials to such Lender for purposes of this Agreement; provided that if requested by any Lender the Agent shall deliver a copy of the Communications to such Lender by email or telecopier. Each Lender agrees (i) to notify the Agent in writing of such Lender’s e-mail address to which a Notice may be sent by electronic transmission (including by electronic communication) on or before the date such Lender becomes a party to this Agreement (and from time to time thereafter to ensure that the Agent has on record an effective e-mail address for such Lender) and (ii) that any Notice may be sent to such e-mail address.

SECTION 9.03. No Waiver; Remedies . No failure on the part of any Lender or the Agent to exercise, and no delay in exercising, any right hereunder or under any other Loan Document shall operate as a waiver thereof; nor shall any single or partial exercise of any such right preclude any other or further exercise thereof or the exercise of any other right. The remedies herein provided are cumulative and not exclusive of any remedies provided by law.

SECTION 9.04. Costs and Expenses . (a) Holdings and the Borrowers jointly and severally agree to pay promptly all reasonable costs and expenses of the Agent in connection with the preparation, execution, delivery, distribution (including via the internet or through a service such as Intralinks), administration, modification and amendment of this Agreement, the other Loan Documents and the other documents to be delivered hereunder, including, (A) all due diligence, syndication (including printing, distribution and bank meetings), transportation, computer, duplication, appraisal, consultant, and audit expenses, (B) subject to Section 6.01(k), all expenses incurred in connection with inspections, verifications, examinations and appraisals relating to the Borrowing Base and the Collateral, and (C) the reasonable fees and expenses of counsel for the Agent and the Co-Collateral Agents with respect thereto and with respect to advising the Agent and the Co-Collateral Agents as to their rights and responsibilities under this Agreement and the other Loan Documents, including, without limitation, the fees and expenses set forth in the Fee Letter, the WF Fee Letter and the GE Commitment Letter. Holdings and the Borrowers further jointly and severally agree to pay on demand all costs and expenses of the Agent, the Co-Collateral Agents and the Lenders, if any (including reasonable counsel fees and expenses), in connection with the enforcement of, or protection of their rights under, (whether through negotiations, legal proceedings or otherwise) of this Agreement, the other Loan Documents and the other documents to be delivered hereunder, including reasonable fees and

expenses of one counsel for the Agent, and one counsel for the Lenders in connection with the enforcement of or protection rights under this Section 9.04(a).


(b) Holdings and the Borrowers jointly and severally agree to indemnify and hold harmless the Agent, each Co-Collateral Agent, each Issuing Lender and each Lender and each of their Affiliates and their officers, directors, employees, agents and advisors (each, an “ Indemnified Party ”) from and against any and all claims, damages, losses, liabilities and expenses (including reasonable fees and expenses of counsel) incurred by or asserted or awarded against any Indemnified Party, in each case arising out of or in connection with or by reason of (including in connection with any investigation, litigation or proceeding or preparation of a defense in connection therewith) (i) this Agreement, the Existing Credit Agreement, the other Loan Documents, any of the transactions contemplated herein or therein or the actual or proposed use of the Letters of Credit or the proceeds of the Advances, and (ii) the actual or alleged presence of Hazardous Materials on any property of Holdings, the Borrowers or any of their Subsidiaries or any Environmental Action relating in any way to Holdings, the Borrowers or any of their Subsidiaries, except to the extent such claim, damage, loss, liability or expense is found in a final, non-appealable judgment by a court of competent jurisdiction to have resulted from such Indemnified Party’s gross negligence or willful misconduct. In the case of an investigation, litigation or other proceeding to which the indemnity in this Section 9.04(b) applies, such indemnity shall be effective whether or not such investigation, litigation or proceeding is brought by Holdings, any Borrower, its directors, equityholders or creditors or an Indemnified Party or any other Person, whether or not any Indemnified Party is otherwise a party thereto and whether or not the transactions contemplated hereby are consummated. Holdings and the Borrowers also agree not to assert any claim for special, indirect, consequential or punitive damages against the Agent, any Co-Collateral Agent, any Lender, any of their Affiliates, or any of their respective directors, officers, employees, attorneys and agents, on any theory of liability, arising out of or otherwise relating to this Agreement, the other Loan Documents, any of the transactions contemplated herein or the actual or proposed use of the Letters of Credit or the proceeds of the Advances, the Term Loan or , 2016 Term Loan or 2018 FILO Loan .

(c) If (i) any payment of principal of, or Conversion of, any Eurodollar Rate Advance is made by any Borrower to or for the account of a Lender other than on the last day of the Interest Period for such Advance, as a result of a payment or Conversion pursuant to Section 2.09(d) or (e), 2.11 or 2.13, acceleration of the maturity of the Advances pursuant to Section 7.01 or for any other reason, or by an Eligible Assignee to a Lender other than on the last day of the Interest Period for such Advance upon an assignment of rights and obligations under this Agreement pursuant to Section 9.07 as a result of a demand by any Borrower pursuant to Section 9.07(a), or (ii) any Borrower fails to prepay, borrow, continue or convert any Eurodollar Rate Advance on the date or in the amount notified by any Borrower; the applicable Borrower shall, promptly after notice by such Lender setting forth in reasonable detail the calculations used to quantify such amount (with a copy of such notice to the Agent), pay to the Agent for the account of such Lender any amounts required to compensate such Lender for any additional losses, costs or expenses that it may reasonably incur as a result of such payment or Conversion, including any loss (including loss of anticipated profits), cost or expense incurred by reason of the liquidation or reemployment of deposits or other funds acquired by any Lender to fund or maintain such Advance. For purposes of calculating amounts payable by the Borrowers to the Lenders under this Section 9.04(c), each Lender shall be deemed to have funded each Eurodollar Rate Advance made by it at the Eurodollar Rate for such Advance by a matching deposit or other borrowing in the London interbank market for a comparable amount and for a comparable period, whether or not such Eurodollar Rate Advance was in fact so funded.

(d) Without prejudice to the survival of any other agreement of Holdings or any Borrower hereunder, the agreements and obligations of Holdings and the Borrowers contained in Sections 2.12, 2.15 and 9.04 shall survive the payment in full of principal, interest and all other amounts payable hereunder and under the other Loan Documents.

SECTION 9.05. Right of Set-off . Upon (i) the occurrence and during the continuance of any Event of Default and (ii) the making of the request or the granting of the consent specified by Section 7.01 to authorize the Agent to declare the Extensions of Credit due and payable pursuant to the provisions of Section 7.01, each Lender and each of its Affiliates is hereby authorized at any time and from time to time, to the fullest extent permitted by law, to set off and apply any and all deposits (general or special, time or demand, provisional or final) at any time held and other indebtedness at any time owing by such Lender or such Affiliate to or for the credit or the


account of Holdings or any Loan Party against any and all of the obligations of Holdings and the Loan Parties now or hereafter existing under this Agreement, the other Loan Documents and the Extensions of Credit of such Lender, whether or not such Lender shall have made any demand under this Agreement or the other Loan Documents. Each Lender agrees promptly to notify Holdings or the applicable Loan Party (with a copy to the Agent) after any such set-off and application, provided that the failure to give such notice shall not affect the validity of such set-off and application. The rights of each Lender and its Affiliate under this Section are in addition to other rights and remedies (including other rights of set-off) that such Lender and its Affiliate may have.

SECTION 9.06. Binding Effect; Effectiveness . When this Agreement has been executed by Holdings, the Borrowers, the Agent and the Co-Collateral Agents, and the Lenders, this Agreement shall thereafter be binding upon and inure to the benefit of Holdings, the Borrowers, the Agent, the Co-Collateral Agents, each Issuing Lender, each Lender and their respective successors and assigns; provided , that, except with respect to Sections 9.07 and 9.08, this Agreement shall only become effective upon satisfaction of the conditions precedent set forth in Section 4.01 and none of the provisions of this Agreement, including without limitation provisions in respect of Term Loans, 2016 Term Loans, 2018 FILO Loans, Advances and Letters of Credit to be made by or issued by any Lender, and in respect of any covenant, fee, indemnity, default, and expense reimbursement made by any Loan Party or for which any Loan Party is liable hereunder, shall become effective, nor shall any representation herein be deemed to be made, until the satisfaction of such conditions.

SECTION 9.07. Assignments and Participations . (a) Each Lender may, upon notice to the Borrowers and the Agent and with the consent, not to be unreasonably withheld or delayed, of the Agent, and, unless an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing, the Borrowers (which consent shall be deemed given by the Borrowers if the Borrowers have not responded to a request for such consent within ten (10) Business Days), assign to one or more Persons all or a portion of its rights and obligations under this Agreement (including all or a portion of its Revolving Commitment, the Advances, the Term Loan, the 2016 Term Loan , the 2018 FILO Loan and other amounts owing to it and any Note or Notes held by it); provided , however , that (i) no assignment of a Revolving Commitment may be made by a 2015 Extending Lender to a 2015 Non-Extending Lender unless such 2015 Non-Extending Lender shall agree to become a 2015 Extending Lender for purposes of the assigned rights and obligations pursuant to documentation acceptable to the Agent and the Borrowers; (ii) any assignment of a Revolving Commitment by a 2015 Non-Extending Lender to a 2015 Extending Lender shall, without further action, result in the Revolving Commitments so assigned being extended to the Extended Termination Date and otherwise entitle such Revolving Lender to the rights and obligations of Revolving Commitments of 2015 Extending Lenders hereunder (including the applicable fee and interest rates), (iii) each such assignment with respect to any Class of rights and obligations shall be of a constant, and not a varying, percentage of all rights and obligations under this Agreement with respect to such Class, (iv) except in the case of an assignment to a Person that, immediately prior to such assignment, was a Lender, an Affiliate of a Lender or an Approved Fund or an assignment of all of a Lender’s rights and obligations under this Agreement, ( x w ) the amount of the Revolving Commitment of the assigning Revolving Lender being assigned pursuant to each such assignment (determined as of the date of the Assignment and Acceptance with respect to such assignment) shall in no event be less than $10,000,000 (unless an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing, in which case not less than $5,000,000) or an integral multiple of $1,000,000 in excess thereof unless the Borrowers and the Agent otherwise agree, ( y x ) the amount of the Term Loan of the assigning Term Lender being assigned pursuant to each such assignment (determined as of the date of the Assignment and Acceptance with respect to such assignment) shall in no event be less than $5,000,000 or an integral multiple of $1,000,000 in excess thereof (or, if less, the entire outstanding amount of the Term Loan held by such Term Lender) unless the Borrowers and the Agent otherwise agree, and ( z y ) the amount of the 2016 Term Loan of the assigning 2016 Term Lender being assigned pursuant to each such assignment (determined as of the date of the Assignment and Acceptance with respect to such assignment) shall in no event be less than $5,000,000 or an integral multiple of $1,000,000 in excess thereof (or, if less, the entire outstanding amount of the 2016 Term Loan held by such 2016 Term Lender) unless the Borrowers and the Agent otherwise agree , and (y) the amount of the 2018 FILO Loan of the assigning 2018 FILO Lender being assigned pursuant to each such assignment (determined as of the date of the Assignment and Acceptance with respect to such assignment) shall in no event be less than $5,000,000 or an integral multiple of $1,000,000 in excess thereof (or, if less, the entire outstanding amount of the 2018 FILO Loan held by such 2018 FILO Lender) unless the Borrowers and the Agent otherwise agree , (v) each such assignment shall be to an Eligible Assignee, (vi) the parties to each such assignment shall execute and deliver to the Agent, for its acceptance and recording in the Register, an Assignment and Acceptance, and the parties to such


assignment (other than the Borrowers and the Agent) shall deliver together therewith any Note subject to such assignment and a processing and recordation fee of $3,500 (except no such fee shall be payable for assignments to a Lender, an Affiliate of a Lender or an Approved Fund), and (vii) any Lender may, without the approval of the Borrowers, but with notice to the Borrowers, assign all or a portion of its rights and obligations to any of its Affiliates or to another Lender (provided no assignment of Revolving Commitments or any Revolving Advances or other Revolving Extensions of Credit may be made by a Revolving Lender to a Term Lender or , a 2016 Term Lender or a 2018 FILO Lender pursuant to this clause unless such Term Lender or , 2016 Term Lender or 2018 FILO Lender , as applicable, is already also a Revolving Lender hereunder). Upon such execution, delivery, acceptance and recording, from and after the effective date specified in each Assignment and Acceptance, (x) the assignee thereunder shall be a party hereto and, to the extent that rights and obligations hereunder have been assigned to it pursuant to such Assignment and Acceptance, have the rights and obligations of a Lender hereunder and (y) the Lender assignor thereunder shall, to the extent that rights and obligations hereunder have been assigned by it pursuant to such Assignment and Acceptance, relinquish its rights (other than its rights under Section 2.12, 2.15 and 9.04 to the extent any claim thereunder relates to an event arising prior such assignment) and be released from its obligations under this Agreement (and, in the case of an Assignment and Acceptance covering all or the remaining portion of an assigning Lender’s rights and obligations under this Agreement, such Lender shall cease to be a party hereto).

(b) In connection with any assignment of rights and obligations of any Defaulting Lender hereunder, no such assignment shall be effective unless and until, in addition to the other conditions thereto set forth herein, the parties to the assignment shall make such additional payments to the Agent in an aggregate amount sufficient, upon distribution thereof as appropriate (which may be outright payment, purchases by the assignee of participations or sub-participations, or other compensating actions, including funding, with the consent of the 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 Agent, the Issuing Lender 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 Swingline Loans in accordance with its Revolving Commitment 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.

(c) By executing and delivering an Assignment and Acceptance, the Lender assignor thereunder and the assignee thereunder confirm to and agree with each other and the other parties hereto as follows: (i) other than as provided in such Assignment and Acceptance, such assigning Lender makes no representation or warranty and assumes no responsibility with respect to any statements, warranties or representations made in or in connection with this Agreement or the other Loan Documents or the execution, legality, validity, enforceability, genuineness, sufficiency or value of this Agreement or the other Loan Documents or any other instrument or document furnished pursuant hereto or thereto; (ii) such assigning Lender makes no representation or warranty and assumes no responsibility with respect to the financial condition of the Loan Parties or the performance or observance by the Borrowers of any of their obligations under this Agreement or any other instrument or document furnished pursuant hereto; (iii) such assignee confirms that it has received a copy of this Agreement, together with copies of the financial statements referred to in Section 5.01 and such other documents and information as it has deemed appropriate to make its own credit analysis and decision to enter into such Assignment and Acceptance; (iv) such assignee will, independently and without reliance upon the Agent, such assigning Lender or any other Lender and based on such documents and information as it shall deem appropriate at the time, continue to make its own credit decisions in taking or not taking action under this Agreement and the other Loan Documents; (v) such assignee confirms that it is an Eligible Assignee; (vi) such assignee appoints and authorizes the Agent to take such action as agent on its behalf and to exercise such powers and discretion under this Agreement and the other Loan Documents as are delegated to the Agent by the terms hereof and thereof, together with such powers and discretion as are reasonably incidental thereto; and (vii) such assignee agrees that it will perform in accordance with their terms all of the obligations that by the terms of this Agreement are required to be performed by it as a Lender.


(d) Upon its receipt of an Assignment and Acceptance executed by an assigning Lender and an assignee representing that it is an Eligible Assignee, together with any Note or Notes subject to such assignment, the Agent shall, if such Assignment and Acceptance has been completed and is in substantially the form of Exhibit B hereto, (i) accept such Assignment and Acceptance, (ii) record the information contained therein in the Register and (iii) give prompt notice thereof to the Borrowers.

(e) The Agent shall maintain at its address referred to in Section 9.02 a copy of each Assignment and Acceptance delivered to and accepted by it and a register for the recordation of the names and addresses of the Lenders and the Revolving Commitment of, and principal amount of the Advances and L/C Obligations owing to, each Revolving Lender from time to time, the principal amount of the Term Loan owing to each Term Lender from time to time, and the principal amount of the 2016 Term Loan owing to each 2016 Term Lender from time to time, and the principal amount of the 2018 FILO Loan owing to each 2018 FILO Lender from time to time (the “ Register ”). The entries in the Register shall be conclusive and binding for all purposes, absent manifest error, and the Borrowers, the Agent and the Lenders may treat each Person whose name is recorded in the Register as a Lender hereunder for all purposes of this Agreement. The Register shall be available for inspection by the Borrowers or any Lender at any reasonable time and from time to time upon reasonable prior notice.

(f) Each Lender may, without the consent of the Agent or any Loan Party, sell participations to one or more banks or other entities (other than the Borrowers or any of their Affiliates) in or to all or a portion of its rights and obligations under this Agreement (including all or a portion of its Revolving Commitment, the Advances owing to it, the portion of the Term Loan owing to it, the portion of the 2016 Term Loan owing to it, the portion of the 2018 FILO Loan owing to it, and any Note or Notes held by it); provided , however , that (i) such Lender’s obligations under this Agreement (including its Revolving Commitment to the Borrowers and its obligations to the Swingline Lender and the Issuing Lender hereunder) shall remain unchanged, (ii) such Lender shall remain solely responsible to the other parties hereto for the performance of such obligations, (iii) such Lender shall remain the holder of any such Note for all purposes of this Agreement, (iv) the Borrowers, the Agent, the Co-Collateral Agents and the other Lenders shall continue to deal solely and directly with such Lender in connection with such Lender’s rights and obligations under this Agreement and (v) no participant under any such participation shall have any right to approve any amendment or waiver of any provision of this Agreement or any Loan Document, or consent to any departure by any Borrower therefrom, except to the extent that such amendment, waiver or consent would require the affirmative vote of the Lender from which it purchased its participation pursuant to Section 9.01(a).

(g) Any Lender may, in connection with any assignment or participation or proposed assignment or participation pursuant to this Section 9.07, disclose to the assignee or participant or proposed assignee or participant, any information relating to Holdings, the Borrowers or their Subsidiaries furnished to such Lender by or on behalf of the Borrowers; provided that, prior to any such disclosure, the assignee or participant or proposed assignee or participant shall agree to preserve the confidentiality of any Borrower Information relating to Holdings, the Borrowers or their Subsidiaries received by it from such Lender in accordance with Section 9.08.

(h) Notwithstanding any other provision set forth in this Agreement, any Lender may at any time (i) create a security interest in all or any portion of its rights under this Agreement (including the Advances owing to it, the portion of the Term Loan owing to it, the portion of the 2016 Term Loan owing to it , the portion of the 2018 FILO Loan owing to it and any Notes held by it), including, without limitation, in favor of any Federal Reserve Bank in accordance with Regulation A of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System and (ii) assign to one or more special purpose funding vehicles (each, an “ SPV ”) all or any portion of its funded Advances (without the corresponding Revolving Commitment), without the consent of any Person or the payment of a fee, by execution of a written assignment agreement in a form agreed to by such Lender and such SPV, and may grant any such SPV the option, in such SPV’s sole discretion, to provide the Borrowers all or any part of any Advances that such Lender would otherwise be obligated to make pursuant to this Agreement. Such SPVs shall have all the rights which a Revolving Lender making or holding such Advances would have under this Agreement, but no obligations; provided , that no SPV shall be entitled to compensation pursuant to Section 2.12 or 2.15 in excess of that to which the applicable Revolving Lender would otherwise have been entitled. The Lender shall remain liable for all its original obligations under this Agreement, including its Revolving Commitment (although the unused portion thereof shall be reduced by the principal amount of any Advances held by an SPV). Notwithstanding such assignment, the Agent and Borrowers may deliver notices to the Lender (as agent for the SPV) and not separately to


the SPV unless the Agent and Borrowers are requested in writing by the SPV (or its agent) to deliver such notices separately to it. The Borrowers shall, at the request of any Revolving Lender, execute and deliver to such Person as such Revolving Lender may designate, a Note in the amount of such Lender’s Revolving Commitment to evidence the Advances of such Revolving Lender and related SPV.

(i) The Borrowers, upon receipt of written notice from the relevant Lender, agree to issue Notes to any Lender to facilitate transactions of the type described in paragraph (g) above.

(j) Neither Holdings nor any Borrower shall have the right to assign its rights hereunder or any interest herein without the prior written consent of each of the Lenders (except, in the case of SRAC, pursuant to Section 6.01(d)).

SECTION 9.08. Confidentiality . Neither the Agent, any Co-Collateral Agent, any Issuing Lender, nor any Lender may disclose to any Person any confidential, proprietary or non-public information of Holdings or the Borrowers furnished to the Agent or the Lenders by Holdings or the Borrowers (such information being referred to collectively herein as the “ Borrower Information ”), except that each of the Agent, each of the Co-Collateral Agents, each of the Issuing Lenders and each of the Lenders may disclose Borrower Information (i) to its and its Affiliates’ employees, officers, directors, agents and advisors to whom disclosure is required to enable the Agent, the Co-Collateral Agents, the Issuing Lenders or such Lender to perform its obligations under this Agreement and the other Loan Documents or in connection with the administration or monitoring of this Agreement and the other Loan Documents by the Agent, the Co-Collateral Agents, Issuing Lenders, or such Lender (it being understood that the Persons to whom such disclosure is made will be informed of the confidential nature of such Borrower Information and instructed to keep such Borrower Information confidential on substantially the same terms as provided herein), (ii) to the extent requested by any regulatory authority, (iii) to the extent required by applicable laws or regulations or by any subpoena or similar legal process, (iv) to any other party to this Agreement and the other Loan Documents, (v) in connection with the exercise of any remedies hereunder or any suit, action or proceeding relating to this Agreement and the other Loan Documents or the enforcement of rights hereunder or thereunder, (vi) subject to an agreement containing provisions substantially the same as those of this Section 9.08, to any assignee or participant, or any prospective assignee or participant, (vii) to the extent such Borrower Information (A) is or becomes generally available to the public on a non-confidential basis other than as a result of a breach of this Section 9.08 by the Agent, any Co-Collateral Agent or such Lender, as the case may be, or (B) is or becomes available to the Agent, any Co-Collateral Agent or such Lender on a non-confidential basis from a source other than Holdings, the Borrowers or any of their Subsidiaries and (viii) with the consent of the Borrowers.

SECTION 9.09. Governing Law . This Agreement and the Notes shall be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the laws of the State of New York without regard to conflicts of laws principles thereof but including Section 5-1401 and 5-1402 of the New York General Obligations Law.

SECTION 9.10. Execution in Counterparts . This Agreement may be executed in any number of counterparts and by different parties hereto in separate counterparts, each of which when so executed shall be deemed to be an original and all of which taken together shall constitute one and the same agreement. Delivery of an executed counterpart of a signature page to this Agreement by telecopier shall be effective as delivery of a manually executed counterpart of this Agreement.

SECTION 9.11. Jurisdiction, Etc. (a) Each of the parties hereto hereby irrevocably and unconditionally submits, for itself and its property, to the non-exclusive jurisdiction of any New York State court or federal court of the United States of America sitting in New York City, and any appellate court from any thereof, in any action or proceeding arising out of or relating to this Agreement or the other Loan Documents, or for recognition or enforcement of any judgment, and each of the parties hereto hereby irrevocably and unconditionally agrees that all claims in respect of any such action or proceeding may be heard and determined in any such New York State court or, to the extent permitted by law, in such federal court. Holdings and each of the Borrowers hereby irrevocably consents to the service of process in any action or proceeding in such courts by the mailing thereof by any parties hereto by registered or certified mail, postage prepaid, to Holdings or such Borrower at its address specified pursuant to Section 9.02. Each of the parties hereto agrees that a final judgment in any such action or proceeding shall be conclusive and may be enforced in other jurisdictions by suit on the judgment or in any other manner provided by law. Nothing in this Agreement shall affect any right that any party may otherwise have to bring any action or proceeding relating to this Agreement or the other Loan Documents in the courts of any jurisdiction.


(b) Each of the parties hereto irrevocably and unconditionally waives, to the fullest extent it may legally and effectively do so, any objection that it may now or hereafter have to the laying of venue of any suit, action or proceeding arising out of or relating to this Agreement or the other Loan Documents in any New York State or federal court. Each of the parties hereto hereby irrevocably waives, to the fullest extent permitted by law, the defense of an inconvenient forum to the maintenance of such action or proceeding in any such court.

SECTION 9.12. WAIVER OF JURY TRIAL . EACH OF HOLDINGS, THE BORROWERS, THE AGENT, THE CO-COLLATERAL AGENTS, THE ISSUING LENDERS AND THE LENDERS HEREBY IRREVOCABLY WAIVES ALL RIGHT TO TRIAL BY JURY IN ANY ACTION, PROCEEDING OR COUNTERCLAIM (WHETHER BASED ON CONTRACT, TORT OR OTHERWISE) ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THIS AGREEMENT OR THE OTHER LOAN DOCUMENTS OR THE ACTIONS OF THE AGENT, THE CO-COLLATERAL AGENTS, THE ISSUING LENDERS OR ANY LENDER IN THE NEGOTIATION, ADMINISTRATION, PERFORMANCE OR ENFORCEMENT THEREOF.

SECTION 9.13. Release of Collateral or Guarantee Obligation . (a) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein or in any other Loan Document, the Co-Collateral Agents are hereby irrevocably authorized by each Lender (without requirement of consent of or notice to any Lender) to take, and hereby agree to take, any action requested by the Borrowers having the effect of releasing any Collateral or guarantee obligations (i) to the extent necessary to permit consummation of any transaction not prohibited by any Loan Document (including, without limitation, any Permitted Disposition) or that has been consented to in accordance with Section 9.01; provided that the guarantee obligations of Sears may not be released without the consent of the Required Lenders, or (ii) under the circumstances described in paragraph (b) below.

(b) At such time as the Advances, the Term Loan, the 2016 Term Loan, the 2018 FILO Loan, the Reimbursement Obligations and all other Obligations shall have been paid in full in cash, the Commitments have been terminated and no Letters of Credit shall be outstanding (or any outstanding Letters of Credit shall have been cash collateralized in an amount equal to 105% of the aggregate then undrawn and unexpired amount of such Letters of Credit and all other Reimbursement Obligations or back-to-back letters of credit from an issuer and on terms acceptable to the Issuing Lenders have been provided in respect of such Letters of Credit), the Collateral shall be released from the Liens created by the Security Documents, and the Security Documents and all obligations (other than those expressly stated to survive such termination) of the Co-Collateral Agents and each Loan Party under the Security Documents shall terminate, all without delivery of any instrument or performance of any act by any Person.

SECTION 9.14. PATRIOT Act Notice . Each Lender that is subject to the PATRIOT Act and the Agent (for itself and not on behalf of any Lender) hereby notifies each Borrower that pursuant to the requirements of the PATRIOT Act, it is required to obtain, verify and record information that identifies each Borrower, which information includes the name and address of such Borrower and other information that will allow such Lender or the Agent, as applicable, to identify such Borrower in accordance with the PATRIOT Act. Each Borrower hereby agrees to provide such information promptly upon the request of any Lender or the Agent.

SECTION 9.15. Integration . This Agreement and the other Loan Documents represent the agreement of Holdings, the Borrowers, the Agent, the Co-Collateral Agents and the Lenders with respect to the subject matter hereof and thereof, and there are no promises, undertakings, representations or warranties by the Agent, any Co-Collateral Agent or any Lender relative to subject matter hereof and thereof not expressly set forth or referred to herein or in the other Loan Documents. Notwithstanding the foregoing, Holdings and the Borrowers acknowledge and agree that the provisions of the GE Commitment Letter survive the execution hereof to the extent set forth herein and therein.

SECTION 9.16. Replacement of Lenders . If any Lender requests compensation under Section 2.12 or if the Borrowers are required to pay any additional amount to any Lender or any Governmental Authority for the account of any Lender pursuant to Section 2.15 , if any Lender does not consent (a “ Non-Consenting Lender ”) to


a proposed amendment, waiver, consent or release with respect to any Loan Document that requires the consent of each Lender and that has been approved by the Required Lenders or any Lender is a Defaulting Lender, then the Borrowers may, at their sole expense and effort, upon notice to such Lender and the Agent, require such Lender to assign and delegate, without recourse (in accordance with and subject to the restrictions contained in, and consents required by, Section 9.07 ), all of its interests, rights and obligations under this Agreement and the related Loan Documents to an assignee that shall assume such obligations (which assignee may be another Lender, if a Lender accepts such assignment), provided that:

(a) the Borrowers shall have paid to the Agent the assignment fee specified in Section 9.07 ;

(b) such Lender shall have received payment of an amount equal to the outstanding principal of its Advances, its ratable share of the Term Loan and its ratable share of the 2016 Term Loan, accrued interest thereon, accrued fees and all other amounts payable to it hereunder and under the other Loan Documents from the assignee (to the extent of such outstanding principal and accrued interest and fees) or the Borrowers (in the case of all other amounts);

(c) in the case of any such assignment resulting from a claim for compensation under Section 2.12 or payments required to be made pursuant to Section 2.15 , such assignment will result in a reduction in such compensation or payments thereafter;

(d) with respect to the replacement of any Non-Consenting Lender, such amendment, waiver or consent can be effected as a result of such assignment (together with all other assignments required by the Agent to be made pursuant to this paragraph); and

(e) such assignment does not conflict with applicable laws.

A Lender shall not be required to make any such assignment or delegation if, prior thereto, as a result of a waiver by such Lender or otherwise, the circumstances entitling the Borrowers to require such assignment and delegation cease to apply.

SECTION 9.17. No Advisory or Fiduciary Capacity . In connection with all aspects of each transaction contemplated hereby, the Loan Parties each acknowledge and agree that: (i) the credit facility provided for hereunder and any related arranging or other services in connection therewith (including in connection with any amendment, waiver or other modification hereof or of any other Loan Document) are an arm’s-length commercial transaction between the Loan Parties, on the one hand, and the Credit Parties, on the other hand, and each of the Loan Parties is capable of evaluating and understanding and understands and accepts the terms, risks and conditions of the transactions contemplated hereby and by the other Loan Documents (including any amendment, waiver or other modification hereof or thereof); (ii) in connection with the process leading to such transaction, the each Credit Party is and has been acting solely as a principal and is not the financial advisor, agent or fiduciary, for the Loan Parties or any of their respective Affiliates, stockholders, creditors or employees or any other Person; (iii) none of the Credit Parties has assumed or will assume an advisory, agency or fiduciary responsibility in favor of the Loan Parties with respect to any of the transactions contemplated hereby or the process leading thereto, including with respect to any amendment, waiver or other modification hereof or of any other Loan Document (irrespective of whether any of the Credit Parties has advised or is currently advising any Loan Party or any of its Affiliates on other matters) and none of the Credit Parties has any obligation to any Loan Party or any of its Affiliates with respect to the transactions contemplated hereby except those obligations expressly set forth herein and in the other Loan Documents; (iv) the Credit Parties and their respective Affiliates may be engaged in a broad range of transactions that involve interests that differ from those of the Loan Parties and their respective Affiliates, and none of the Credit Parties has any obligation to disclose any of such interests by virtue of any advisory, agency or fiduciary relationship; and (v) the Credit Parties have not provided and will not provide any legal, accounting, regulatory or tax advice with respect to any of the transactions contemplated hereby (including any amendment, waiver or other modification hereof or of any other Loan Document) and each of the Loan Parties has consulted its own legal, accounting, regulatory and tax advisors to the extent it has deemed appropriate. Each of the Loan Parties hereby waives and releases, to the fullest extent permitted by law, any claims that it may have against each of the Credit Parties with respect to any breach or alleged breach of agency or fiduciary duty.


SECTION 9.18. Existing Credit Agreement Amended and Restated . Upon satisfaction of the conditions precedent to the effectiveness of this Agreement, (a) this Agreement shall amend and restate the Existing Credit Agreement in its entirety, (b) the rights and obligations of the parties under the Existing Credit Agreement shall be subsumed within and be governed by this Agreement; provided, however, that Holdings and the Borrowers hereby agree that (i) each Existing Letter of Credit outstanding under the Existing Credit Agreement on July 21, 2015 shall be a Letter of Credit hereunder, and (ii) all obligations and other liabilities of the Loan Parties under the Existing Credit Agreement shall remain outstanding, shall constitute continuing Obligations secured by the Collateral, and this Agreement shall not be deemed to evidence or result in a novation or repayment and reborrowing of such obligations and other liabilities.

SECTION 9.19. Keepwell . Each Loan Party that is a Qualified ECP Guarantor at the time the Guarantee and Collateral Agreement or the grant of a security interest under the Loan Documents, in each case, by any Specified Loan Party becomes effective with respect to any Swap Obligation, hereby jointly and severally, absolutely, unconditionally and irrevocably undertakes to provide such funds or other support to each Specified Loan Party with respect to such Swap Obligation as may be needed by such Specified Loan Party from time to time to honor all of its obligations under the Loan Documents in respect of such Swap Obligation (but, in each case, only up to the maximum amount of such liability that can be hereby incurred without rendering such Qualified ECP Guarantor’s obligations and undertakings under the Guarantee and Collateral Agreement voidable under applicable Law relating to fraudulent conveyance or fraudulent transfer, and not for any greater amount). The obligations and undertakings of each Qualified ECP Guarantor under this Section shall remain in full force and effect until the Obligations have been paid and performed in full. Each Loan Party intends this Section to constitute, and this Section shall be deemed to constitute, a guarantee of the obligations of, and a “keepwell, support, or other agreement” for the benefit of, each Specified Loan Party for all purposes of the Commodity Exchange Act.

[Remainder of page intentionally left blank]


IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Agreement to be executed by their respective officers thereunto duly authorized, as of the date first above written.

 

SEARS HOLDINGS CORPORATION
By:    
Name:     
Title:    

 

SEARS ROEBUCK ACCEPTANCE CORP.
By:    
Name:     
Title:    

 

KMART CORPORATION
By:    
Name:     
Title:    


BANK OF AMERICA, N.A.,
as Agent, a Co-Collateral Agent, a Lender, Swingline Lender and an Issuing Lender
By:    
Name:     
Title:    

 

WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION,as a Co-Collateral Agent, an Issuing Lender and a Lender
By:    
Name:     
Title:    


[other Lenders]
By:    
Name:    
Title:    


SCHEDULE IA

Pricing Grid

 

Level

  

Consolidated Leverage Ratio

  

Applicable Margin for
Eurodollar Rate Advances

  

Applicable Margin for
Base Rate Advances

1

   Less than 2.0:1.0    2.00%    1.00%

2

   Greater than or equal to 2.0:1.0 but less than 3.0:1.0    2.25%    1.25%

3

   Greater than or equal to 3.0:1.0    2.50%    1.50%

Changes in the Applicable Margin resulting from changes in the Consolidated Leverage Ratio shall become effective on the date (the “ Adjustment Date ”) on which financial statements are delivered to the Lenders pursuant to Section 6.01(j) (but in any event not later than the 50 th day after the end of each of the first three fiscal quarterly periods of each fiscal year or the 95 th day after the end of each fiscal year, as the case may be) and shall remain in effect until the next change to be effected pursuant to this paragraph; provided that until the first Adjustment Date following the first full fiscal quarter after the Effective Date, the Applicable Margin will be that set forth in Level 2; provided further that until the first Adjustment Date occurring more than twelve months after the Effective Date, the Applicable Margin shall not be established at Level 1 (even if the Consolidated Leverage Ratio during any period was less than 2.0:1.0). If any financial statements referred to above are not delivered within the time periods specified above, then, until such financial statements are delivered, the Consolidated Leverage Ratio as at the end of the fiscal period that would have been covered thereby shall for the purposes of this definition be deemed to be greater than 3.0 to 1.0.

If any financial statements are at any time restated or otherwise revised (including as a result of an audit) or if the information set forth in any financial statement otherwise proves to be false or incorrect such that the Applicable Margin would have been higher than was otherwise in effect during any period, without constituting a waiver of any Default or Event of Default arising as a result thereof, interest payable under this Agreement, whether previously paid or not, shall be immediately recalculated at such higher rate for any applicable periods and shall be due and payable on demand.


SCHEDULE IB

[ Reserved see attached]


SCHEDULE IC

Extended Term Pricing Grid

 

Level

  

Consolidated Leverage Ratio

   Extended Term Applicable Margin
for Eurodollar Rate Advances
    Extended Term Applicable Margin
for Base Rate Advances
 

1

   Less than 2.0:1.0      3.50     2.50

2

   Greater than or equal to 2.0:1.0 but less than 3.0:1.0      3.75     2.75

3

   Greater than or equal to 3.0:1.0      4.00     3.00

Changes in the Extended Term Applicable Margin resulting from changes in the Consolidated Leverage Ratio shall become effective on each Adjustment Date and shall remain in effect until the next change to be effected pursuant to this paragraph. If any financial statements referred to above are not delivered within the time periods specified above, then, until such financial statements are delivered, the Consolidated Leverage Ratio as at the end of the fiscal period that would have been covered thereby shall for the purposes of this definition be deemed to be greater than 3.0 to 1.0.

If any financial statements are at any time restated or otherwise revised (including as a result of an audit) or if the information set forth in any financial statement otherwise proves to be false or incorrect such that the Extended Term Applicable Margin would have been higher than was otherwise in effect during any period, without constituting a waiver of any Default or Event of Default arising as a result thereof, interest payable under this Agreement, whether previously paid or not, shall be immediately recalculated at such higher rate for any applicable periods and shall be due and payable on demand.


SCHEDULE 1.01

Lenders; Commitments

 

   
Revolving Lender    Revolving Commitment
      
      
      
      
      
      
      
      
      
      
      
      
      
      
      
      
      
      
      
      
      
      
      
      
      
   

TOTAL

    

 

   
Term Lender    Term Loan Outstanding
      
      
      
      
      
      
      
      
      
      


      
      

TOTAL

    

 

2016 Term Lender    2016 Term Loan Commitment
      
      
      
      
      
      
      
      
      
      
      
      

TOTAL

    


Annex B

SCHEDULE IB

Bank Products / Cash Management Services

None

 

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Annex C

Amendments to Guarantee and Collateral Agreement

Part I

FILO Liabilities ” means all advances to, and debts (including principal, interest, fees, costs, and expenses), liabilities, obligations, covenants and indemnities of, any Loan Party arising under any Loan Document or otherwise with respect to the FILO Loan, whether direct or indirect (including those acquired by assumption), absolute or contingent, due or to become due, now existing or hereafter arising and including interest, fees, costs and expenses that accrue after the commencement by or against any Loan Party or any Subsidiary thereof of any proceeding under any Debtor Relief Laws naming such Person as the debtor in such proceeding, regardless of whether such interest and fees are allowed claims in such proceeding.

Part II

6.4 Application of Proceeds . If an Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing, and the Obligations shall have been accelerated or a Liquidation shall have been commenced, except (i) to the extent otherwise agreed by all Lenders, or (ii) with respect to any revisions made pursuant to Section 8.1 hereof in connection with the implementation of the FILO Facility, to the extent agreed by the Co-Collateral Agents pursuant to Section 2.20 of the Credit Agreement, the Agent shall apply all or any part of Proceeds constituting Collateral, whether or not held in the Agent’s Account, and any proceeds of the guarantee set forth in Section 2, in payment of the Obligations in the following order:

First , to pay all incurred and unpaid fees, expenses, indemnities, and other amounts (including fees, charges and disbursements of counsel to the Agent and the Co-Collateral Agents) payable to the Agent and the Co-Collateral Agents (each in its capacity as such) under the Loan Documents, pro rata among such Persons according to the amounts of such Obligations then due and owing and remaining unpaid to each;

Second , to pay all incurred and unpaid expenses, indemnities, and other amounts (other than principal, interest and fees, and Obligations relating to Cash Management Services and Bank Products or relating to any FILO Loan) payable to the Lenders, the Swingline Lender and the Issuing Lenders (including fees, charges and disbursements of counsel to the respective Lenders, the Swingline Lender and the Issuing Lenders and amounts payable under Section 2.12), under the Loan Documents, pro rata among such Persons according to the amounts of such Obligations then due and owing and remaining unpaid to each;

 

-16-


Third , to pay all accrued and unpaid interest on all Permitted Overadvances, to the Agent or pro rata among the Lenders, as applicable, according to the amounts of such Obligations then due and owing and remaining unpaid to each;

Fourth , to pay all the unpaid principal on all Permitted Overadvances, to the Agent or pro rata among the Lenders, as applicable, according to the amounts of such Obligations then due and owing and remaining unpaid to each;

Fifth , to pay all accrued and unpaid interest on the Swingline Advances (to the extent that Swingline Advances have not been refinanced by a Revolving Advance);

Sixth , to pay all the unpaid principal of the Swingline Advances (to the extent that Swingline Advances have not been refinanced by a Revolving Advance);

Seventh , to pay all accrued and unpaid interest on all Advances and the Term Loan, and fees, payable to the Lenders and the Issuing Lenders under the Loan Documents (other than such amounts relating to any FILO Loan), pro rata among such Persons according to the amounts of such Obligations then due and owing and remaining unpaid to each;

Eighth , to pay all the unpaid principal on all Advances and the Term Loan, pro rata among the Lenders according to the amounts of such Obligations then due and owing and remaining unpaid to the Lenders;

Ninth , to pay all other amounts then due and owing and remaining unpaid in respect of the Obligations (other than Obligations relating to Cash Management Services and Bank Products or relating to any FILO Loan), rata among the Lenders according to the amounts of the Obligations (other than Obligations relating to Cash Management Services and Bank Products or relating to any FILO Loan) then due and owing and remaining unpaid to the Lenders;

Tenth , to the applicable Lenders or Affiliates thereof towards the payment of amounts then due and owing and remaining unpaid in respect of Cash Management Services and the prepayment, settlement and termination of Cash Management Services, pro rata among the applicable Lenders and Affiliates thereof according to the amounts then due and owing and remaining unpaid in respect of Cash Management Services;

Eleventh , to the applicable Lenders or Affiliates thereof towards the payment of amounts then due and owing and remaining unpaid in respect of Bank Products (other than the 2016 Letter of Credit Facility), pro rata among the applicable Lenders and Affiliates thereof according to the amounts that would become due and owing upon the prepayment, settlement and termination of such Bank Products;

 

-17-


Twelfth , to pay all accrued and unpaid interest on the FILO Loan, and fees, payable to the FILO Lenders under the Loan Documents, pro rata among such Persons according to the amounts of such Obligations then due and owing and remaining unpaid to each;

Thirteenth , to pay all the unpaid principal on the FILO Loan, pro rata among the FILO Lenders according to the amounts of such Obligations then due and owing and remaining unpaid to the FILO Lenders;

Fourteenth , to pay all other amounts then due and owing and remaining unpaid in respect of the Obligations relating to any FILO Loan (other than, while any Default or Event of Default pursuant to Section 7.01(e) of the Credit Agreement is continuing, amounts referred to in clause Fifteenth below), rata among the FILO Lenders according to the amounts of the Obligations relating to any FILO Loan, then due and owing and remaining unpaid to the FILO Lenders;

Fifteenth , while any Default or Event of Default pursuant to Section 7.01(e) of the Credit Agreement is continuing, to pay all amounts then due and owing and remaining unpaid in respect of the Obligations relating to any FILO Loan pursuant to Section 2.05(c) of the Credit Agreement, rata among the FILO Lenders according to the amounts of the Obligations relating to any FILO Loan) then due and owing and remaining unpaid to the FILO Lenders; provided that no such amount shall be paid until the payment in full in cash of all Obligations, the termination of all Commitments and termination or cash collateralization of all Letters of Credit in accordance with Section 9.01(b) (and, in the event that any such Obligations, Commitments or obligations with respect to Letters of Credit are replaced or refinanced by any debtor-in-possession facility, the repayment in full in cash and/or termination or cash collateralization thereof in accordance with the terms of such debtor-in-possession facility and any related orders (including financing and cash collateral orders)), in each case excluding, however, Obligations referred to in clause Sixteenth below;

Sixteenth , to the applicable Lenders or Affiliates thereof towards the payment of amounts then due and owing and remaining unpaid in respect of Bank Products constituting the 2016 Letter of Credit Facility, pro rata among the applicable Lenders and Affiliates thereof according to the amounts that would become due and owing upon the prepayment, settlement and termination of such Bank Products; and

Seventeenth , any balance remaining after the Obligations shall have been paid in full, no Letters of Credit shall be outstanding (unless the same has been cash collateralized in an amount equal to 105% of the aggregate then undrawn and unexpired amount of such Letters of Credit

 

-18-


and all other Reimbursement Obligations or back-to-back letters of credit from an issuer and on terms acceptable to the Issuing Lender have been provided in respect of such Letters of Credit) and the Commitments shall have terminated shall be paid over to the Borrowers or to whomsoever may be lawfully entitled to receive the same.

 

-19-


Annex D

Agreement Among Lenders

[See Attached]

 

-20-


Annex E

2018 FILO Commitment

 

2018 FILO Lender

   2018 FILO Commitment  

JPP, LLC

   $ 81,000,000  

JPP II, LLC

   $ 19,000,000  

Benefit Street 2018 LLC

   $ 25,000,000  
  

 

 

 

TOTAL

   $ 125,000,000  
  

 

 

 

 

-21-

Exhibit 99.1

Sears Holdings announces completion of previously announced private exchange offers for outstanding 8% Senior Unsecured Notes Due 2019 and 6 5/8% Senior Secured Notes Due 2018 and negotiated exchanges of and amendments to certain other indebtedness

March 21, 2018

HOFFMAN ESTATES, Ill., Mar. 21, 2018 /PRNewswire/ Sears Holdings Corporation (“we” or the “Company”) (NASDAQ: SHLD) today announced that it has completed its previously announced private offers to exchange (i) 8% Senior Unsecured Notes due 2019 (the “Old Senior Unsecured Notes”) issued by the Company for a like principal amount of 8% Senior Unsecured Convertible PIK Toggle Notes due 2019 of the Company (the “New Senior Unsecured Notes”) and (ii) 6 5/8% Senior Secured Notes due 2018 (the “Old Senior Secured Notes” and, together with the Old Senior Unsecured Notes, the “Old Notes”) issued by the Company for a like principal amount of 6 5/8% Senior Secured Convertible PIK Toggle Notes due 2019 of the Company (the “New Senior Secured Notes” and together with the New Senior Unsecured Notes, the “New Notes”) (the offers to exchange, the “Exchange Offers”). Pursuant to the Exchange Offers, approximately $214 million aggregate principal amount of Old Senior Unsecured Notes and approximately $170 million aggregate principal amount of Old Senior Secured Notes were validly tendered, accepted and cancelled and a like amount of New Senior Unsecured Notes and New Senior Secured Notes, as applicable, were issued in respect thereof. In connection with the completion of the Exchange Offers, the Company has also obtained the requisite consent of holders of Old Senior Secured Notes to adopt amendments to the indenture governing such notes to eliminate substantially all of the restrictive covenants and certain events of default in such indenture, and make the liens securing senior second lien obligations, including the New Senior Secured Notes and obligations under the second lien credit agreement described below, effectively senior to the liens securing junior second lien obligations, including the Old Senior Secured Notes.

The New Senior Unsecured Notes are convertible into common stock of the Company, at a conversion price of 120 shares per $1,000 in principal amount of indebtedness (or approximately $8.33 in principal amount per share), with interest on such notes to be payable in kind at the Company’s option. The New Senior Secured Notes are convertible into common stock of the Company, at a conversion price of 200 shares per $1,000 in principal amount of indebtedness (or $5 in principal amount per share), with interest on such notes to be payable in kind at the Company’s option. The New Senior Unsecured Notes and the New Senior Secured Notes are optionally convertible by the holders thereof, and are mandatorily convertible at the Company’s option if the volume weighted average trading price of the common stock on the NASDAQ exceeds $10 for a prescribed period.


The Company also entered into an amendment to its existing second lien credit agreement to include a feature, with respect to the term loan outstanding thereunder, permitting the payment of interest in kind at the Company’s option and to provide that the Company’s obligation with respect to such term loan is convertible into common stock of the Company, on substantially the same conversion terms as the New Senior Secured Notes.

The Company’s subsidiary, Sears Roebuck Acceptance Corp. (“SRAC”), also consummated a negotiated exchange with certain third parties (the “Noteholders”) holding approximately $100 million in principal amount of senior unsecured notes maturing between 2027 and 2043 and bearing interest at rates between 6.50% and 7.50% per annum issued by SRAC (the “SRAC Notes”), for new unsecured notes (the “New SRAC Exchange Notes”) maturing in March 2028, which New SRAC Exchange Notes bear interest at a rate equal to 7.00% per annum (which interest may be paid in kind at the option of the Company at rate equal to 12.00% per annum). The SRAC Exchange Notes are guaranteed by the same subsidiaries of the Company which guarantee the New Senior Secured Notes.

If all of the forgoing indebtedness is paid in kind at the Company’s option, the Company’s quarterly cash interest expenses will be reduced by approximately $15 million.

“The completion of these previously announced transactions will strengthen our financial footing as we continue to execute on our strategic transformation” said Edward S. Lampert, the Company’s Chief Executive Officer. “We remain resolutely committed to enhancing our liquidity and working aggressively to return the Company to profitability.”

About Sears Holdings Corporation

Sears Holdings Corporation (NASDAQ: SHLD) is a leading integrated retailer focused on seamlessly connecting the digital and physical shopping experiences to serve our members—wherever, whenever and however they want to shop. Sears Holdings is home to Shop Your Way ® , a social shopping platform offering members rewards for shopping at Sears and Kmart as well as with other retail partners across categories important to them. The company operates through its subsidiaries, including Sears, Roebuck and Co. and Kmart Corporation, with full-line and specialty retail stores across the United States. For more information, visit www.searsholdings.com.


Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements intended to qualify for the safe harbor from liability established by the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Whenever used, words such as “will,” “intends,” “expects,” and other terms of similar meaning are intended to identify such forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements, including these, are based on the current beliefs and expectations of our management and are subject to significant risks, assumptions and uncertainties, many of which are beyond the Company’s control, that may cause our actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements. Detailed descriptions of other risks relating to Sears Holdings are discussed in our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. While we believe that our forecasts and assumptions are reasonable, we caution that actual results may differ materially. We intend the forward-looking statements to speak only as of the time made and do not undertake to update or revise them as more information becomes available, except as required by law.