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As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on May 28, 2020

Registration Statement No. 333-236325

 

 

 

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549

 

 

AMENDMENT NO. 1

TO

FORM S-1

REGISTRATION STATEMENT

UNDER

THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933

 

 

CPG Newco LLC

to be converted as described herein to a corporation named

The AZEK Company Inc.

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

 

 

 

Delaware   3089   90-1017663
(State or other jurisdiction of
incorporation or organization)
  (Primary Standard Industrial
Classification Code Number)
  (I.R.S. Employer
Identification Number)

1330 W Fulton Street #350

Chicago, IL 60607

877-275-2935

(Address, including zip code, and telephone number, including area code, of registrant’s principal executive offices)

 

 

Jesse Singh

Chief Executive Officer

CPG Newco LLC

1330 W Fulton Street, #350

Chicago, IL 60607

877-275-2935

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

 

 

 

John L. Savva, Esq.

Rita-Anne O’Neill, Esq.

Sullivan & Cromwell LLP

1870 Embarcadero Road

Palo Alto, CA 94303

650-461-5600

 

Rachel Sheridan, Esq.

Samuel D. Rettew, Esq.

Latham & Watkins LLP
555 Eleventh Street, NW
Suite 1000

Washington, D.C. 20004
202-637-2200

Approximate date of commencement of proposed sale to the public:

As soon as practicable after the effective date of this registration statement.

 

 

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

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

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

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

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

 

Large Accelerated Filer  ☐   Accelerated Filer  ☐    Non-accelerated Filer  ☒   Smaller Reporting Company  ☐
       Emerging growth company  ☒

If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 7(a)(2)(B) of the Securities Act of 1933.  ☐

 

 

CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE

 

 

Title of Each Class of Securities
to be Registered

  Proposed Maximum
Aggregate Offering Price(1)(2)
  Amount of
Registration Fee(3)

Class A Common Stock, par value $0.001 per share

 

$100,000,000

 

$12,980.00

 

 

(1) Estimated solely for the purpose of calculating the registration fee in accordance with Rule 457(o) under the Securities Act of 1933.

(2) Includes the aggregate offering price of additional shares that the underwriters have the option to purchase.

(3) The Registrant previously paid this amount in full in connection with the initial filing of this Registration Statement.

 

 

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

 

 

 


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EXPLANATORY NOTE

CPG Newco LLC, the registrant whose name appears on the cover of this registration statement, is a Delaware limited liability company. Prior to the effectiveness of this registration statement, CPG Newco LLC intends to convert into a Delaware corporation pursuant to a statutory conversion and change its name to The AZEK Company Inc. as described in the section “Corporate Conversion” of the accompanying prospectus. In addition, a special purpose entity, CPG Holdco LLC, which was formed at the time of the acquisition of CPG Newco LLC solely for the purpose of holding membership interests in CPG Newco LLC and that will continue to hold such interests until the Corporate Conversion, will be merged with and into us. In the accompanying prospectus, we refer to all of the transactions related to our conversion to a corporation and the merger described above as the Corporate Conversion. As a result of the Corporate Conversion, the members of CPG Newco LLC will become holders of shares of Class A common stock and Class B common stock of The AZEK Company Inc. Except as disclosed in the prospectus, the Consolidated Financial Statements and selected historical consolidated financial data and other financial information included in this registration statement are those of CPG Newco LLC and its subsidiaries and do not give effect to the Corporate Conversion. Shares of Class A common stock of The AZEK Company Inc. are being offered by the prospectus.


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

 

Subject to Completion, dated May 28, 2020

PROSPECTUS

 

 

             Shares

 

 

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Class A Common Stock

 

 

This is the initial public offering of shares of Class A common stock of The AZEK Company Inc. We are offering                      shares of Class A common stock.

Prior to this offering, there has been no public market for our Class A common stock. We anticipate that the initial public offering price for our Class A common stock will be between $             and $             per share. We have been approved to list our Class A common stock on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol “AZEK”.

After giving effect to this offering and the Corporate Conversion (as defined in this prospectus), an entity affiliated with Ares Management Corporation, or Ares, will hold                      shares of our Class A common stock, and Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan Board, or OTPP, will hold                      shares of our Class A common stock. OTPP will hold all of our outstanding Class B common stock. After giving effect to this offering and the Corporate Conversion, Ares and OTPP will hold approximately             % and             %, respectively, of our aggregate common stock. Accordingly, we expect to be a “controlled company” as defined in the corporate governance rules of the New York Stock Exchange and will be exempt from certain corporate governance requirements of the rules. We are an “emerging growth company” as that term is used in the Jumpstart Our Business Startups Act of 2012 and, as such, have elected to comply with certain reduced public company reporting requirements.

Investing in our Class  A common stock involves risks. See “Risk Factors” beginning on page 28.

 

     Per Share      Total  

Price to the public

   $                            $                        

Underwriting discounts and commissions

   $        $    

Proceeds, before expenses, to us(1)

   $        $    

 

(1)

See “Underwriting” for additional information regarding underwriting compensation.

We have granted the underwriters a 30-day option to purchase up to                      additional shares at the initial public offering price, less the underwriting discount.

Neither the Securities and Exchange Commission nor any state securities commission has approved or disapproved of these securities or determined if this prospectus is truthful or complete. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.

The underwriters expect to deliver the shares on or about                     , 2020.

 

 

 

Barclays   BofA Securities     Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC       Jefferies  

 

 

 

Citigroup   Credit Suisse     Deutsche Bank Securities       RBC Capital Markets  

 

 

 

B. Riley FBR    Baird    Stephens Inc.
Stifel    SunTrust Robinson Humphrey    William Blair

 

 

Prospectus dated                     , 2020


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Prospectus

 

     Page  

Prospectus Summary

     1  

Risk Factors

     28  

Special Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

     61  

Market and Industry Data

     63  

Use of Proceeds

     64  

Corporate Conversion

     65  

Dividend Policy

     66  

Capitalization

     67  

Dilution

     69  

Selected Consolidated Financial Data

     72  

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

     77  

Business

     107  

Management

     135  

Executive Compensation

     144  

Certain Relationships and Related Party Transactions

     162  

Principal Stockholders

     165  

Description of Certain Indebtedness

     168  

Description of Capital Stock

     172  

Shares Eligible for Future Sale

     178  

Material U.S. Tax Consequences to Non-U.S. Holders of Common Stock

     181  

Underwriting

     184  

Validity of Class A Common Stock

     192  

Experts

     193  

Where You Can Find Additional Information

     194  

Index to Consolidated Financial Statements

     F-1  

 

 

Neither we nor the underwriters have authorized anyone to provide any information or to make any representations other than those contained in this prospectus or in any free writing prospectus prepared by or on behalf of us or to which we have referred you. We and the underwriters take no responsibility for, and can provide no assurance as to the reliability of, any other information that others may give you. We are offering to sell, and seeking offers to buy, shares of Class A common stock only under circumstances and in jurisdictions where it is lawful to do so. The information contained in this prospectus is accurate only as of the date of this prospectus, regardless of the time of delivery of this prospectus or of any sale of Class A common stock.

You should rely only on the information contained in this prospectus. No dealer, salesperson or other person is authorized to give information that is not contained in this prospectus. This prospectus is not an offer to sell nor is it seeking an offer to buy these securities in any jurisdiction where the offer or sale is not permitted.

For investors outside the United States: Neither we nor the underwriters have done anything that would permit this offering or the possession or distribution of this prospectus in any jurisdiction where action for those purposes is required, other than in the United States. Persons outside the United States who come into possession of this prospectus must inform themselves about, and observe any restrictions relating to, this offering of Class A common stock and the distribution of this prospectus outside the United States.

Until                      (25 days after the date of this prospectus), all dealers effecting transactions in these securities, whether or not participating in this offering, may be required to deliver a prospectus. This is in addition to a dealer’s obligation to deliver a prospectus when acting as an underwriter and with respect to an unsold allotment or subscription.


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PROSPECTUS SUMMARY

The following summary contains selected information about us and about this offering. It does not contain all of the information that is important to you and your investment decision. Before you make an investment decision, you should review this prospectus in its entirety, including matters set forth under “Risk Factors,” “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations,” and our Consolidated Financial Statements and the related notes included elsewhere in this prospectus. Some of the statements in the following summary constitute forward-looking statements. See “Special Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements.” Our fiscal year ends on September 30. Any references to fiscal years in this prospectus are to the 12 months ended September 30 of that year and any references to fiscal quarters in this prospectus are to the applicable quarter or quarters within a fiscal year. Certain percentages and other figures provided and used in this prospectus may not add up to 100.0% due to the rounding of individual components. Unless the context otherwise requires, all references in this prospectus to “The AZEK Company,” “AZEK,” “CPG Newco LLC,” the “company,” “we,” “us,” “our” or similar terms refer to CPG Newco LLC and its consolidated subsidiaries, and after the Corporate Conversion, The AZEK Company Inc. and its consolidated subsidiaries.

COMPANY OVERVIEW

We are an industry-leading designer and manufacturer of beautiful, low-maintenance and environmentally sustainable products focused on the highly attractive, fast-growing Outdoor Living market. Homeowners are continuing to invest in their outdoor spaces and are increasingly recognizing the significant advantages of long-lasting products, which are converting demand away from traditional materials, particularly wood. Our products transform those outdoor spaces by combining highly appealing aesthetics with significantly lower maintenance costs compared to traditional materials. Our innovative portfolio of Outdoor Living products, including deck, rail, trim and accessories, inspires consumers to design outdoor spaces tailored to their unique lifestyle needs. We are well known in the industry, and, according to data provided by Principia, we generally hold one of the top two market share positions by revenue in our product categories. In addition to our leading suite of Outdoor Living products, we sell a broad range of highly engineered products that are sold in commercial markets, including partitions, lockers and storage solutions.

One of our core values is to “always do the right thing”. We make decisions according to what is right, not what is the cheapest, fastest or easiest, and we strive to always operate with integrity, transparency and with the customer in mind. In furtherance of that value, we are focused on sustainability across our operations and have adopted strategies to enable us to meet the growing demand for environmentally-friendly products.

Our businesses leverage a shared material technology and U.S.-based manufacturing platform to create products that convert demand from traditional materials to those that are long lasting and low maintenance, fulfilling our brand commitment to deliver products that are “Beautifully Engineered to Last”. Our Residential segment product portfolio is highly complementary and allows us to provide a wide-ranging solutions set to Outdoor Living projects. Our primary consumer brands in our Residential segment, TimberTech and AZEK, are recognized by contractors and consumers for their premium aesthetics, uncompromising quality and performance and for their diversity of style and design options. In our Commercial segment, we manufacture engineered sheet products and high-quality bathroom partitions and lockers. Over our history, we have developed a reputation as a leading innovator in our markets by leveraging our differentiated manufacturing capabilities, material science expertise and product management proficiency to consistently introduce new products into the market. This long-standing commitment to innovation has been critical to our ability to stay at the forefront of evolving industry trends and consumer demands, which in turn has allowed us to become a market leader across our core product categories.



 

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Our focus on new product development, material science and research and development, or R&D, enables us to capitalize on favorable secular growth trends that are accelerating material conversion from traditional materials such as wood, to sustainable, low-maintenance engineered materials, and to expand our markets. We believe our core competency of consistently launching new products into the market, combined with our recent investments in sales, marketing, R&D and manufacturing, will continue to solidify our incumbent position as a market leader and enable us to generate long-term demand for our products through economic cycles. Over our 30-year history, we have introduced numerous disruptive products and demonstrated our ability to drive material conversion and extend our portfolio, addressing consumer needs across a wide range of price segments. In fiscal 2015, we introduced our Vintage premium decking collection, and through fiscal 2019, sales for these products, including new colors introduced in fiscal 2018 and variable widths introduced in fiscal 2019, have increased at a compound annual growth rate, or CAGR, of more than 50.0% per year. The extended success of the Vintage premium decking collection demonstrates the longevity of demand for our product portfolio. We have leveraged the strong consumer response to Vintage to expand the platform with the introduction of new designs that address evolving industry trends and consumer demands. Our material science expertise and differentiated R&D capabilities enable us to create award-winning products and back them with some of the industry’s longest warranties, such as the 50-year fade & stain warranty that we offer on our TimberTech AZEK decking product line. Most of our product categories are in the early growth stage of their life cycles, and we anticipate that they will continue to benefit from substantial material conversion over the long term.

We have created an operating platform that is centered around sustainability, one of our core strategic pillars, which extends across our value chain from product design to raw material sourcing and manufacturing, and we increasingly utilize plastic waste, recycled wood and scrap in our products. We have also made significant recent investments in our recycling capabilities, including our recent acquisition of Return Polymers, which further enhance the sustainability of our manufacturing operations and reduce our costs. In fiscal 2019, we utilized more than 200 million pounds of recycled materials in our deck boards, and we expect to increase the amount of recycled materials used in our deck boards by over 25% in fiscal 2020. In addition, we believe we have the opportunity to further increase the amount of recycled material used in our products. In fiscal 2019, we opened a new 100,000 square foot recycling facility that utilizes advanced technologies to transform a broad range of plastic waste into raw material used in our products. Today, our TimberTech PRO and EDGE decking lines offer high-quality products made from approximately 80% recycled material. Through our recycling programs, approximately 290 million pounds of waste and scrap were diverted from landfills in fiscal 2019. Furthermore, approximately 98% of scrap generated is re-used, and the majority of our TimberTech, AZEK Exteriors and Versatex products are recyclable at the end of their useful lives. In addition to the sustainability advantages and cost benefits of our vertically integrated in-house manufacturing operations, our supplier base is located primarily in the United States, making us less susceptible to trade disruptions or supply chain dislocations resulting from extended crises such as the COVID-19 pandemic.

Within our Residential segment, we sell our products through a national network of more than 4,200 dealers, more than 35 distributors and multiple home improvement retailers providing extensive geographic coverage, enabling us to effectively serve contractors across the United States and Canada. Our geographic breadth, combined with our extensive market knowledge and broad product portfolio, positions us to continue to accelerate our growth within the industry. Our customer-focused sales organization generates pull-through demand for our products by driving increased downstream engagement directly with consumers and key influencers such as architects, builders and contractors, and by focusing on strengthening our position with dealers and growing our presence in retail. We have been investing in our consumer brands, marketing campaigns and digital tools in order to strengthen our relationships with consumers and key influencers, many of whom serve as advocates of our brands. Within our Commercial segment, we sell our products through a broad distribution network as well as directly to original equipment manufacturers, or OEMs.



 

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Through our Residential and Commercial segments, we deliver market-focused product solutions that drive material conversion. We have experienced strong growth over our history, and over the last several years we have made significant investments in our business to further accelerate our growth and increase our profitability.

 

 

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(1)

For a discussion of Segment Adjusted EBITDA and Segment Adjusted EBITDA Margin, see the Segments Note in the Notes to our Consolidated Financial Statements included elsewhere in this prospectus and the discussion under “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations—Segment Results of Operations.”

(2)

10-Year Net Sales CAGR refers to the CAGR for the ten years ended September 30, 2019, on a trailing twelve-month basis. Our growth over this period reflects the contribution to net sales of acquisitions, including the acquisitions of VAST Enterprises and TimberTech in fiscal 2012 and Ultralox and Versatex in fiscal 2018.

(3)

We define Five Year New Product Vitality as the percentage of gross sales in fiscal 2019 derived from products first introduced in fiscal 2019 and the four preceding years, excluding gross sales from Versatex and Ultralox.

In fiscal 2019, our net sales, net loss and Adjusted EBITDA were $794.2 million, $20.2 million and $179.6 million, respectively. We intend to continue developing new products, building the leading consumer brand in Outdoor Living and leveraging our downstream-focused sales force, and we believe the demand for our products will benefit from continued material conversion and the resilience of the Outdoor Living market. Adjusted EBITDA is a non-GAAP financial measure used by management as a measure of our core operating results and the effectiveness of our business strategy. For more information on Adjusted EBITDA and for a reconciliation to net income, its most comparable financial measure calculated in accordance with GAAP, see “Selected Consolidated Financial Data—Non-GAAP Financial Measures.”

INDUSTRY OVERVIEW

Our products are widely used across several large, attractive markets, including residential and commercial end markets. We primarily serve the Outdoor Living market, which we define as the market for decks, rail, trim, wood and wood-look siding, porches, pavers, outdoor furniture, outdoor cabinetry and outdoor lighting designed to enhance the utility and improve the aesthetics of outdoor living spaces. We expect the Outdoor Living market will continue to benefit from increased investment as homeowners choose to spend more leisure time outdoors. As more members of the Millennial generation purchase first homes in the United States, we expect the demand for outdoor living spaces will rise, and the appeal of low- to no-maintenance features to gain further momentum. We believe that consumers are increasingly environmentally-conscious in their purchasing behaviors, and that our sustainable manufacturing practices and the high recycled content of our products address evolving consumer preferences.



 

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The primary products that we sell into the Outdoor Living market are composite deck, composite and aluminum rail and PVC trim. Based on data provided by Principia Consulting, LLC, a third-party industry research and consulting firm, or Principia, the total U.S. market sales of these products were $7.2 billion in 2018, grew at a 6.3% CAGR from 2014 to 2018 on a linear foot basis and are expected to grow at a 3.0% CAGR from 2018 to 2022 on a linear foot basis to $8.3 billion in 2022. By material type, based on data provided by Principia, the total U.S. market sales of composite deck, composite and aluminum rail and PVC trim products are expected to grow at a 5.7% CAGR from 2018 to 2022, compared to deck, rail and trim manufactured from wood which are expected to grow at a 2.7% CAGR and to deck, rail and trim manufactured from other materials, such as engineered wood, vinyl and other metals, which are expected to grow at a 1.4% CAGR, in each case measured in terms of linear feet. In addition, based on data provided by The Freedonia Group, Inc., an international market research company, or Freedonia, the total U.S. market sales of wood and wood-look siding, pavers, outdoor furniture and outdoor lighting were $10.9 billion in 2018, and, when combined with the total U.S. market sales of deck, rail and trim, according to Principia, in 2018, totaled $18.1 billion in 2018.

 

 

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Source:

2018 and 2022 projected market sizes based on data provided by Principia as of October 2019.

(1)

Represents total market (all materials). Principia market definition for trim excludes specialty exteriors products, such as tongue and groove profiles, sheets, sills, thresholds and column wraps.

(2)

Decking category includes composite and PVC decking, rail category includes composite and aluminum rail and trim category includes PVC trim.

Based on data provided by Principia, there were approximately 57 million decks in the United States as of 2018, of which approximately 5.0 million were built in 2018, up from approximately 4.0 million in 2014, representing a CAGR of 5.9%. Decking, our single largest product category, represents a significant opportunity for homeowners to extend the total livable space of their home and to design a unique space for relaxation and entertainment. Through our portfolio of Outdoor Living products, we provide a broad range of material and design options to homeowners as they tailor their outdoor living space to their unique lifestyle. In addition, we believe that we have significant opportunities to leverage our material science expertise, brand awareness and channel relationships to expand into additional segments of the Outdoor Living market. We believe that the current COVID-19 crisis, which has caused people to spend an extended amount of time at home, could be an additional catalyst that may cause an increasing number of homeowners to further recognize the benefits that our portfolio of Outdoor Living products can offer.

We believe our products offer a compelling value proposition due to their enhanced durability, quality, attractive aesthetics and lower life-cycle costs relative to traditional materials such as wood. For example, we estimate the total lifecycle cost of our new TimberTech EDGE Prime decking, including materials, labor and annual maintenance, is approximately 37% less expensive over its 25-year warranty period than the cost of a



 

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comparable pressure treated lumber deck. Further, given that the cost of our TimberTech EDGE Prime decking products typically constitutes approximately 15% of the total deck project installation cost, consumers have the opportunity to cost-effectively upgrade to our long-lasting, low-maintenance materials by replacing traditional deck boards with our product while utilizing an existing substructure that has been appropriately maintained.

 

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Total Deck Project Installation Costs(1) Total Deck Life-Cycle Costs(2)

 

 

 

(1)

These assumptions and estimates are based on AZEK market knowledge and feedback from decking-focused contractors with experience installing TimberTech and wood decking products. Actual costs for any particular installation can vary significantly.

(2)

Total Deck Project Installation Costs represent the total aggregate costs of an initial deck installation for a 16’ x 20’ elevated deck and exclude costs associated with the installation of rail or stairs.

(3)

Total Deck Life-Cycle Costs represent both the aggregate costs of an initial deck installation and the estimated maintenance costs over a 25-year period for a 16’ x 20’ elevated deck excluding potential replacement costs.

(4)

Other costs include substructure installation costs, initial staining and sealing of wood decking materials and the cost of top down fasteners for EDGE Prime and pressure treated lumber and hidden fasteners for ipe and AZEK Vintage.

(5)

Estimated maintenance costs include an assumed annual cleaning of TimberTech products and an assumed maintenance requirement of annual pressure washing and sanding, staining and sealing a pressure treated lumber deck every three years and an ipe deck every two years to maintain aesthetics.

Composite deck (which includes wood composite and PVC decking), rail and trim products have continued to increase market share relative to other materials, due to their superior product qualities. Based on data provided by Principia, between 2014 and 2018, composite deck, composite and aluminum rail and PVC trim products collectively grew at a CAGR of 8.7% as compared to deck, rail and trim manufactured from wood, which grew at a CAGR of 5.9%, in each case measured in terms of linear feet. We believe the market for composite products will continue to increase at an above-market growth rate as it benefits from material conversion. Based on data provided by Principia, wood represented approximately 65% of the total U.S. deck, rail and trim markets based on 2018 linear feet sold. With respect to the individual components of these markets, based on this data, composite deck represented approximately 18% of the decking market, composite and aluminum rail represented approximately 16% of the rail market and PVC trim products represented approximately 11% of the trim market, each in terms of linear feet.



 

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Material Type Penetration By Market (Linear Feet, 2017)(1)

 

(1)

Based on data provided by Principia as of October 2019. Other includes (A) hollow vinyl, plastic lumber and metal for decking, (B) iron, stainless steel, hollow vinyl and other plastic for railing and (C) engineered wood, fiber cement, vinyl, other polymer composite and other for trim.

(2)

Wood for the decking market includes premium hardwoods, cedar and redwood, which accounted for approximately 13% of the total decking market in 2018 according to data provided by Principia.

We believe there is a significant opportunity for further market penetration by composite products as consumer awareness towards sustainable materials increases and advances in material science and manufacturing improve the range of colors and textures available. We offer products that reduce the relative premium between composite and other materials to increase the affordability and further improve the lifetime value advantages of composite products. In addition, we believe our products are well positioned to benefit from growth across economic cycles given their low market penetration and improving cost and value proposition. We believe that we have been, and will continue to be, a driving force behind the growth of low-maintenance products in our markets.

Our deck, trim, rail and accessory products are primarily sold through both one-step and two-step distribution channels, and we are increasing our direct engagement with consumers. Within our Residential segment, we sell our products to distributors, professional dealers and home improvement retailers, who in turn sell our products to builders, contractors and homeowners. Based on data provided by Principia as of October 2019, the relative industry volumes of composite deck, composite and aluminum rail and PVC trim products sold by distribution channel and by end user channel are as follows:

 

 

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Residential Channel Summary Sales by Manufacturers Residential Channel Summary Sales to End Users

 

(1)

Rail includes composite and aluminum rail.



 

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We are a leader within the professional dealer channel due to our depth across product categories, brand reputation and the superior quality of our products. We estimate that our U.S. decking sales represented approximately 34% of total composite decking sales in 2018 and that our U.S. trim sales represented approximately 36% of total PVC trim sales in 2018, in each case within the professional dealer channel. Based on data provided by Principia, in 2018, the retail channel represented approximately 35% of the total $3.1 billion decking market, and, within that channel, composite decking sales represented approximately $0.3 billion. We estimate approximately half of all composite decking sales through that retail channel were special order products. Although less than 10% of our Residential segment sales were directly through home improvement retailers, we have seen substantial year-over-year growth in special order sales through such retailers, resulting in a CAGR of such gross sales of over 20% between fiscal 2015 and fiscal 2019. We believe we have an opportunity for significant expansion within retail and that this channel represents a key area of potential growth for us in the future. Our Commercial segment sells its products to OEMs and through distribution channels that reach a number of end markets including education, industrial, commercial and marine.

THE AZEK DIFFERENCE

An Industry Leader in the Outdoor Living Market

We are a leader in a number of large and growing segments of the Outdoor Living market and are benefiting from the early stages of material conversion and secular growth trends. Our significant scale, vertically-integrated manufacturing capabilities and extensive material science expertise enable our leadership position. We have leveraged these capabilities to establish a track record of innovation across a broad range of products with superior quality, aesthetics and performance that has been recognized by respected industry sources. In Hanley Wood’s 2020 BUILDER brand use study of U.S. builders, developers and contractors, TimberTech decking ranked #2 for quality within the deck category, and AZEK trim ranked #1 for quality within the decorative mouldings, trim and columns category. Additionally, our engineered bathroom partitions are a leading product specified by architects, and our Aria partitions won a Product Innovation Award from Architectural Products Magazine in 2018. These strengths, combined with our downstream focus and expanding marketing and digital strategy, have generated strong brand awareness and preference among contractors and consumers.

Serving Large, High-Growth and Resilient Markets That Are Benefitting from Material Conversion

We believe that the Outdoor Living market is benefiting from material conversion from traditional wood materials to low-maintenance, engineered materials. Based on data provided by Principia, wood represented approximately 65% of the total U.S. deck, rail and trim markets as measured by linear feet sold in 2018. Within the decking market specifically, wood represented approximately 80% of the total decking market in 2018, with premium hardwoods, cedar and redwood comprising 13% of the total decking market. We believe these markets present substantial growth opportunities in the coming years and that our leading scale, vertically-integrated manufacturing capabilities and extensive material science expertise position us to capitalize on these highly attractive markets as material conversion continues.

In addition, we believe that the residential repair and remodel market, which is the primary market served by our core products, is significantly more resilient through economic cycles than the home building industry. For example, from 2007 to 2009, single family housing starts declined approximately 57% according to the U.S. Census Bureau, while the home improvement products market declined approximately 14% according to the Home Improvement Research Institute. Moreover, our business demonstrated resilience through this period as net sales declined approximately 15% and cash flows from operations remained positive and increased through this period as a result of product mix, lower raw material costs and working capital management. In addition, even during periods of industry decline, we believe many home improvement projects are deferred rather than



 

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permanently cancelled, making it possible for industry activity to rebound quickly. We have increased our focus on serving the residential repair and remodel market over time, and we estimate that, within our Residential segment, over 85% of our net sales are attributable to repair and remodel activity. Based on data provided by Principia, in 2018, approximately 95% of total decking, 80% of rail and 65% of trim sales were attributable to the residential repair and remodel market. Our markets are also experiencing multiple favorable long-term secular growth trends. For example, within our Residential segment, consumers increasingly spend their leisure time outdoors and demand products that expand the usable living space of their home and enhance their outdoor lifestyle. In addition, according to a 2019 survey by the American Institute of Architects, outdoor living spaces have ranked as the most popular space amongst residential architects over the past two years and continue to increase in popularity. As a result, we believe our business will continue to benefit from strong material conversion, continued repair and remodel activity and favorable secular trends.

Premium Brands Known for Service, Quality, Aesthetics and a Broad Range of Styles and Designs

We achieved our premium brand reputation through our unwavering commitment to developing innovative new products that combine the latest style and design trends with our differentiated material science expertise and proprietary production technologies. For example, we have launched products that take premium flooring trends, such as wire-brushed and hand-scraped finishes and multiple widths, into the decking market.

In addition, we have deployed significant direct sales and service resources that have helped us develop strong brand awareness and loyalty among dealers, home improvement retailers and contractors. Over the last several years, we have made substantial investments to further enhance and strengthen our brands, including launching a variety of innovative new products with superior aesthetics, initiating cutting edge marketing campaigns, expanding our digital footprint and capabilities and unveiling a new set of tools focused on enhancing the consumer experience. We are well known in the industry, and we are generally one of the top two recognized brands in our product categories.

Committed to Sustainably Produced, Long-Lasting, Beautiful Products

Our commitment to sustainability permeates our operations, and our products divert waste from landfills and reduce deforestation. Approximately 90% of our gross sales are attributable to products that are manufactured through an extrusion process, and approximately 44% of all of our extruded materials were manufactured from recycled materials in fiscal 2019. We expect this percentage to increase to approximately 54% in fiscal 2020, and we believe there is an opportunity to increase this percentage in the future. Additionally, our operations are designed with sustainability in mind, with our facilities in Wilmington, OH and Scranton, PA employing closed-loop water filtration systems that recycle approximately 96% of water used annually and our polyethylene recycling facility utilizing energy-efficient systems for power, water, heating, cooling and lighting. Further, our products are designed to retain their aesthetic and structural qualities throughout their lifetimes, and the majority of our products are recyclable at the end of their useful lives. The increasing use of recycled content in our products also leads to improvements in our operating margins, as the flexibility of material input sourcing lowers input costs and reduces reliance on virgin raw materials.

Highly Versatile, U.S.-based Manufacturing Platform with Differentiated Capabilities

We are a vertically-integrated manufacturer, delivering superior quality products with a competitive cost position. Our versatile, process-oriented manufacturing operations are built on a foundation of extensive material development and processing capabilities. Our proprietary production technologies, material blending proficiency and range of extrusion methods enable innovation and facilitate expansion into new markets. We have deep experience working with multiple technologies that enable us to provide some of the industry’s most attractive visuals through advanced streaking and multi-color technologies. Our manufacturing footprint has been consolidated into seven facilities over five geographic locations totaling over 1.7 million square feet, and we have



 

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made significant investments in people, processes and systems to increase our manufacturing scale and productivity. We recently expanded our vertical manufacturing capabilities with our new 100,000 square foot polyethylene recycling facility and our recent acquisition of Return Polymers, which enable further use of recycled content in our product offering and further reduces our reliance on higher-cost alternatives. In 2017, we introduced our AZEK Integrated Management System, or AIMS, to manage and monitor operations, and in 2018, we implemented Lean Six Sigma, or LSS, tools and techniques at our manufacturing facilities to reduce material waste and improve manufacturing efficiency. We believe these initiatives create an opportunity for continued expansion of our margins.

Leader in Product Development and Innovation with a Robust New Product Pipeline

Over the past 30 years, we have built an R&D organization with significant expertise in material science and production process technologies. We leverage our R&D and manufacturing capabilities to deliver innovative new products to market that address evolving customer needs while expanding our use of recycled materials. Our product managers and marketing team actively analyze proprietary consumer research and work with architects, contractors and consumers to identify and develop new products that incorporate consumer feedback, expand our portfolio and extend the range of style and design options we offer. Our R&D team then designs, prototypes and tests these new products prior to full scale production. Our rigorous R&D process incorporates in-house analytical capabilities and comprehensive product testing with more than 260 distinct tests, such as accelerated weathering. During the four years ended September 30, 2019, our team successfully led over 20 significant new product introductions, and, for the twelve-month period ended September 30, 2019, our Five Year New Product Vitality for our Residential segment was approximately 51%. We expect to continue to maintain a robust pipeline of new products and technologies that we intend to launch over the next several years, which we believe will help us continue to maintain our leadership in product innovation and drive strong product vitality.

Extensive Network of Contractors, Dealers and Distributors

Throughout our history, we have developed an extensive network in the United States and Canada of loyal contractors, dealers and distributors, many of whom are brand advocates for our products. Our extensive network consists of more than 4,200 dealers, over 130 distributor branch locations and thousands of contractors throughout the United States and Canada. We believe our strong relationships with dealers and contractors are driven by the trust and reliability that we have generated through product innovation, superior quality and performance, and the continuing service and support that we offer. Such support includes specialized training opportunities such as AZEK University and sales support initiatives such as digital lead generation, joint marketing funds, new sample kits, display kiosks, enhanced product literature, print, TV and radio advertising and social media initiatives. AZEK University provides hands-on training for contractors and customers using TimberTech and AZEK Exteriors products and our AZEK Pro Rewards program leverages our new website and digital capabilities to share curated digital leads with our contractors. In our Commercial segment, we sell our highly engineered polymer sheeting products through a network of approximately 130 engineered product distributors across the United States, Canada and Latin America, who sell primarily to OEMs, and we sell our low-maintenance bathroom partitions, shower and dressing stalls, lockers and other storage solutions through a network of approximately 900 dealers who sell to institutional and commercial customers across the United States and in Canada. We believe that the combination of consumer awareness for our product categories and our ability to directly engage with consumers to drive conversion makes us a highly attractive partner for our distributors, dealers, contractors and home improvement retailers, and that combination is a key reason that we expect them to continue to prioritize their own investment in our products and our product categories.

Strong Margin Profile with Significant Opportunity for Expansion

Our business has a strong margin profile driven by our differentiated premium branded products, vertically-integrated U.S.-based manufacturing capabilities and strong customer relationships. We continue to invest in new



 

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innovations in current and adjacent markets that we believe will support our long-term growth. Our Residential segment generated Segment Adjusted EBITDA Margin of 28.8% in the year ended September 30, 2019, and we are well positioned to continue to execute on our operational excellence initiatives, including recycling and continuous manufacturing efficiency improvement. As our recent capital investments mature, we believe there is a significant opportunity for us to expand our margins. In addition, a large percentage of our cost base is variable, providing us with significant financial flexibility and the ability to manage costs to reflect changes in economic conditions.

Proven Management Team Focused on Execution

We have assembled a diverse team of highly experienced and accomplished executives with public company experience, a proven track record of leading global consumer and industrial organizations and driving profitable growth, product innovation, cost reduction and manufacturing efficiency. In the past two years, under our management team’s leadership, our Adjusted Gross Profit as a percentage of net sales increased by approximately 400 basis points while we continue to enjoy strong top line growth. Our Chief Executive Officer, Jesse Singh, joined our team in 2016, after serving in numerous leadership roles at 3M, including Chief Commercial Officer, President of 3M’s Health Information Systems business and VP of the Stationery and Office supplies business, which included the iconic Post-it and Scotch Brands. Our Chief Financial Officer, Ralph Nicoletti, joined our team in 2019 after serving as Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of Newell Brands and has more than 35 years of finance experience. Collectively, our team is approximately 50% gender and ethnically diverse and has extensive experience at leading companies, including 3M, Newell Brands, Owens Corning, Eaton, Armstrong, Grainger and Emerson. Our management team has executed key strategic initiatives across the platform to drive accelerated growth and improved profitability, including upgrading operational capabilities, implementing productivity tools, and investing in new products, sales force expansion, marketing, M&A and internal recycling capabilities.

OUR GROWTH STRATEGY

We believe our multi-faceted growth strategy positions us to drive profitable above-market growth in the markets we serve.

Introduce Innovative New Products That Expand Our Markets

We have a proven track record of developing innovative new products across multiple price points that accelerate material conversion, increase the use of recycled materials and expand our markets. Our strong manufacturing capabilities, proprietary production technologies, detailed consumer research and extensive material science expertise allow us to rapidly introduce differentiated products. In our Residential segment, our new products are driving conversion away from traditional wood materials across all pricing segments, from various forms of pressure treated wood at the entry level to more exotic woods such as cedar and ipe at the premium level. In 2019, our Residential segment launched three new product platforms: TimberTech EDGE, Multi-Width decking and PaintPro trim. We believe that TimberTech EDGE will accelerate conversion of low-cost traditional pressure treated wood materials by offering superior aesthetics and performance at an accessible price point. Our entry-level decking category volume, which includes our TimberTech PRO Terrain collection in addition to our TimberTech EDGE Prime and Premier collections, increased over 35% on a linear foot basis in fiscal 2019 as compared to the prior year. Multi-Width decking, which extends the technological advancements available in our highly successful Vintage platform, expands the range of style and design options available to consumers seeking premium decking solutions and provides a unique combination of superior performance and a natural wood-look and feel. Our premium Vintage collection volume increased approximately 50% on a linear foot basis in fiscal 2019 as compared to the prior year. PaintPro expands the addressable market for our trim products and accelerates wood conversion by delivering the same high-quality, low-maintenance performance of traditional white PVC trim across a full spectrum of paintable colors. Each year, we continue to



 

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launch new products across our business, and as of the year ended September 30, 2019, our blended Five Year New Product Vitality across our Residential segment and Commercial segment was approximately 45%.

In 2020, we are expanding on these product innovations in our Residential segment and launching a new multi-color TimberTech EDGE Prime+ decking collection, a new Wide-Width profile for the TimberTech AZEK Harvest decking collection and the new, multi-tonal Reserve collection under the TimberTech PRO decking line, among others. We will continue to leverage our material technology capabilities and commission detailed consumer research to regularly introduce new products that set us apart from our competition and accelerate future growth.

Accelerate Market Conversion by Capitalizing on Downstream Investments

We view the continued growth in homeowner outdoor investment and repair and remodel activity as a powerful secular trend driving material conversion across our industry. We believe low-maintenance alternatives at a range of premium quality designs and accessible pricing will continue to increase consumer demand and accelerate material conversion.

Over the three years ended September 30, 2019, we have increased our R&D, sales and marketing expenses by over 40% in the aggregate, and we are continuing to make additional investments during fiscal 2020 that we believe will accelerate material conversion and growth in our markets. We expanded our marketing organization and sales force with new talent, enabling us to generate greater awareness of our products and enhance our sales growth in underpenetrated markets and geographies. We invested in new premium and traditional merchandising displays for our dealers and special order merchandising and training for pro desk support associates for our home improvement retailers to increase consumer awareness of our products and to accelerate sales growth. Starting in 2018, we have added new trim and retail focused sales teams and have also established a dedicated sales team to enhance our dealer sales in underpenetrated geographies. We believe these initiatives are helping to accelerate our growth. For example, we believe our new trim-focused sales team has helped increase our AZEK Exteriors trim net sales by more than 15% in fiscal 2019 as compared to the prior year. In addition to expanding our sales force, we realigned the compensation framework for our sales teams to increase downstream engagement with consumers and key influencers such as architects, builders and contractors, to drive increased pull-through demand for our products. We recently opened our third AZEK University location in Chicago, and we are hosting regular contractor training events to encourage contractors to use our products. We believe we can continue to leverage our downstream investments to accelerate material conversion in our markets, strengthen our position in the pro channel and enhance our retail presence.

Build the Leading Consumer Brand in Outdoor Living

We are well-known for quality, innovation and delivering a broad range of on-trend style and design options to customers. We have made significant investments in sales and marketing and R&D over the past two years to differentiate and strengthen our brands and to simplify and transform the consumer experience for purchasing our products. In 2019, we unified our decking and railing product portfolio under our leading TimberTech brand with a differentiated “Go Against the Grain” marketing campaign. We continue to invest in our marketing organization and alongside our channel partners to increase consumer awareness and preference for our products. Our focused digital strategy, enhanced media presence and differentiated marketing campaigns drive increased engagement with consumers and homeowners as well as key influencers such as architects, builders and contractors. Our new digital platform facilitates the consumer journey from inspiration and design through installation. The experience educates consumers on the features and benefits of our products versus traditional materials, utilizes digital visualization tools to allow consumers to re-imagine their outdoor living spaces and directly connects them to a pre-qualified local contractor. During fiscal 2019, website traffic to our outdoor living



 

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branded websites increased by approximately 45% and sample orders for our decking products have increased at a double-digit rate, in each case when compared to the prior year. We enjoy strong preference for our products among contractors, who typically purchase our products at dealers, and we are investing to increase our presence within home improvement retailers as the majority of consumers include visits to home improvement retailers in their research of deck products. These consumer engagement strategies are focused on creating additional pull-through demand and accelerating our growth.

Expand Margins Through Enhanced Recycling Capabilities and Productivity Initiatives

Our broad range of U.S.-based manufacturing capabilities, proprietary production technologies and extensive material science expertise position us as a leading innovator in the Outdoor Living market, and our brands command premium prices and afford us a strong margin profile. However, we believe there is an opportunity for significant improvement in our margins as we continue to invest in and expand our recycling capabilities and focus on operational excellence. Since fiscal 2017, we have invested over $28 million in developing our recycling capabilities to substantially reduce our material cost, divert waste from landfills and increase our utilization of recycled materials. For example, in fiscal 2019, we increased the recycled material content used in the core of our deck boards by approximately 20%, as compared to the recycled material content in fiscal 2018. Increasing the recycled material content in our deck boards has allowed us to substantially reduce the utilization of virgin HDPE in the production of the core of our TimberTech PRO and EDGE products, representing approximately $9 million in cost savings on an annualized basis when compared to legacy material content formulations. We are still in the early stages of material substitution across our manufacturing network and realizing the benefits of our investments in recycling, and we expect to drive additional cost savings as we ramp up internal processing of recycled materials used in the manufacturing of our products.

In addition to enhancing our recycling capabilities, we have also implemented various LSS initiatives across our manufacturing operations to reduce waste and enhance productivity. We utilize a systematic approach, AIMS, to drive continuous improvement throughout our organization. In fiscal 2019, we realized approximately $11 million of cost savings related to net manufacturing productivity improvements. We define net manufacturing productivity as the year-over-year change in net manufacturing expenses required to achieve a given level of manufacturing output, assuming constant raw material and other manufacturing input prices and excluding the effect of freight expense, warranty expense and unusual items. We identified and have begun to implement additional projects that we expect will provide incremental net manufacturing productivity in the coming years. We believe AIMS, our investments in people, processes and equipment and our investments in recycling, productivity and operational excellence will enable us to expand our margins through reduced material cost, improved net manufacturing productivity and enhanced business operations.

Execute Strategic Acquisitions That Broaden Our Platform and Enhance Our Manufacturing Operations

Our markets are large and highly fragmented, and they provide a wide range of opportunities for us to execute acquisitions to augment our growth independent of end-market demand. We have completed several strategic acquisitions since our company was founded, and we have proven to be a highly effective consolidation platform. For example, the acquisition of Versatex strengthened our position in the exterior trim and moulding market, enhanced our product capabilities and generated attractive cost savings, and the acquisition of Ultralox extended our rail portfolio to include aluminum solutions with proprietary interlocking technology and expanded our ability to address the high-growth aluminum railing market.

We intend to continue to prudently execute strategic acquisitions and utilize our disciplined process to identify, evaluate, execute and integrate acquired businesses. We actively monitor a pipeline of attractive opportunities across multiple product categories and geographies. We target opportunities that strengthen our



 

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existing platforms, enhance our market positions, expand our portfolio of products and technology capabilities and increase our business diversity. In addition, the acquisitions we pursue must also provide opportunities for us to leverage our strong U.S.-based manufacturing capabilities, material formulation proficiency and extensive dealer and distributor network to meaningfully enhance their scale, growth, profitability and cash flow. For example, we recently acquired Return Polymers, which we expect will significantly enhance our in-house recycling capabilities, reduce reliance on external suppliers and further improve our overall manufacturing cost position.

RECENT DEVELOPMENTS

COVID-19

Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, we have been focused on protecting our employees’ health and safety, meeting our customers’ needs as they navigate an uncertain financial and operating environment, working closely with our suppliers to protect our ongoing business operations and rapidly adjusting our short-, medium- and long-term operational plans to proactively and effectively respond to the current and potential future public health crises. While the COVID-19 pandemic presents serious concerns for our business and operations, our employees and their families, our customers and our suppliers, we believe that we are adapting well to the wide-ranging changes that the global economy is currently undergoing, and we remain confident that we will continue to maintain business continuity, produce and sell our products safely and in compliance with applicable laws and governmental orders and mandates, maintain our robust and flexible supply chains and be in a strong position to maintain financial success even in the event of a potentially extended economic downturn.

Our manufacturing facilities continue to operate as they have been determined to be “essential businesses” in the jurisdictions where they are located. Moreover, only a few states and other jurisdictions placed construction activities on hold. Demand for our products in the second fiscal quarter of 2020 has been largely consistent in overall amount with prior years. We expect that the economic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic will likely continue to adversely affect demand for our products over the balance of fiscal 2020.

However, our medium-term expectations also include increased interest among homeowners in enhancing their Outdoor Living spaces as they spend more time at home during and likely following the COVID-19 pandemic. We expect this may partially offset a general reduction in consumer spending. Further, we anticipate that consumers will increasingly shop online, and we continue to enhance our digital sales capabilities and direct, personal interaction with homeowners to more easily allow them to research, and ultimately purchase, our products.

We have taken a number of steps to adapt our business and operations to the current environment. First and foremost, we have implemented measures to protect the health and safety of our employees. These measures include encouraging our employees who are able to work remotely to do so, enacting and enforcing employee spacing protocols in our factories, reducing the need for face-to-face interactions, and providing facial protection and other personal protection equipment to on-site employees.

We have also taken steps to engage directly with our distributors to share information and ensure we are servicing the market appropriately. In addition to engaging directly with distributors, we are adapting how we reach customers in response to changing consumer behavior. For example, we are focused on expanding and enhancing our digital “shop from home” content and marketing, while leveraging our call center to support customers and generate leads. We are expanding our do-it-yourself tools and continuing our contractor and architect training in a digital format, emphasizing contactless designs and proposals for new projects.



 

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We have taken steps to reduce costs (with a cost reduction target of more than 10% for the second half of 2020), and we have aligned our manufacturing to current and expected demand. We have reduced our headcount in select areas, including our Vycom business, and we have the ability to adjust our manufacturing operations and output to meet demand. We are also taking steps to enhance our liquidity given the uncertainties resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic, including deferring non-essential capital expenditures, drawing up to the maximum amount of funds available under our Revolving Credit Agreement and conserving our working capital.

Although we have implemented measures to mitigate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on our business, financial condition and results of operations, including reducing our production and expenses, we expect that these measures may not fully mitigate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on our business, financial condition and results of operations. We cannot predict the degree to, or the period over, which we will be affected by the pandemic and resulting governmental and other measures. The global impact of the COVID-19 pandemic continues to rapidly evolve, and we will continue to monitor the situation closely. Nevertheless, the ultimate impact of the COVID-19 pandemic or a similar health epidemic is highly uncertain and subject to change rapidly and without forewarning. We do not yet know the full extent of potential delays or impacts on our business, financial condition, operations or the economy as a whole. While the spread of COVID-19 may eventually be contained or mitigated, there is no guarantee that a future outbreak of this or any other widespread epidemic will not occur, or that the economy will recover, either of which could seriously harm our business. As the COVID-19 pandemic continues, it may also have the effect of heightening many of the risks described in “Risk Factors” in this prospectus. See “Risk Factors” for a further discussion of the adverse impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on our business.

Liquidity

During the three months ended March 31, 2020, we borrowed $129.0 million under the Revolving Credit Agreement, including, on March 16, 2020, $89.0 million to enhance our financial flexibility in light of uncertainties resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic. On May 12, 2020, CPG International LLC issued $350.0 million aggregate principal amount of 9.500% senior notes due 2025, or the Senior Notes. We used net proceeds from the offering of the Senior Notes to satisfy and discharge CPG International LLC’s obligations under its former 8.000% senior notes due 2021, or the 2013 Notes. We also used net proceeds from the offering of the Senior Notes to repay $15.0 million of outstanding principal under the Revolving Credit Agreement. We intend to use net proceeds from this offering first to redeem the Senior Notes, plus accrued and unpaid interest thereon, and then to prepay approximately $         million of the outstanding principal amount under our Term Loan Credit Agreement. See “Use of Proceeds.”

In addition, we are in the process of pursuing an amendment to our Revolving Credit Agreement, or the RCA Amendment, that would increase the percentage of borrowing base-eligible assets against which we are able to borrow, thereby potentially increasing our borrowing capacity (subject to the maximum aggregate amount that may be borrowed under the Revolving Credit Agreement). The RCA Amendment is subject to approval by our lenders. There is no assurance that we will be successful in entering into the RCA Amendment or that the RCA Amendment will substantially increase our borrowing capacity under the Revolving Credit Agreement.

Preliminary Financial Results

Set forth below are preliminary estimates of certain unaudited financial information for the two months ended May 31, 2020 and actual unaudited financial results for the comparative period ended May 31, 2019. Our actual results for the two months ended May 31, 2020, will be included in the financial information for the three months ending June 30, 2020, which will not be available until after the completion of this offering. We have provided ranges, rather than specific amounts, for the preliminary estimates primarily because our financial closing and review procedures for the three months ending June 30, 2020 are not yet complete. The estimated



 

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ranges are preliminary and have not been audited or reviewed and are inherently uncertain and subject to changes as we complete our financial closing and review procedures for the three months ending June 30, 2020. While we currently expect that our final results will be consistent with the preliminary estimates set forth below, we caution you that the estimated financial information for the two months ended May 31, 2020 is not a guarantee of future performance or outcomes and actual results may differ materially from those described herein. In addition, the preliminary estimates set forth below should not be considered an indication of expected performance for the remainder of the three months ending June 30, 2020. Factors that could cause actual results to differ from those described above are set forth in “Risk Factors” and “Special Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements and Information.” You should read this information together with “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” and our audited historical Consolidated Financial Statements and related notes appearing elsewhere in this prospectus.

The preliminary estimates set forth below have been prepared by, and are the responsibility of, our management. PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP has not audited, reviewed, compiled or performed any procedures with respect to the preliminary estimates. Accordingly, PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP does not express an opinion or any other form of assurance with respect thereto.

 

     Two Months Ended  
     May 31, 2020
(Estimated)
    May 31, 2019
(Actual)
 
(U.S. dollars in thousands)    Low     High        

Net sales

   $ 124,900     $ 132,600     $ 135,796  

Net income (loss)

   $ (2,100   $ (2,500   $ (5,319

Non-GAAP financial measures

      

Adjusted EBITDA(1)

   $ 28,700     $ 33,800     $ 28,278  

 

(1)

We define Adjusted EBITDA as net income (loss) before interest expense, net, income tax expense (benefit) and depreciation and amortization and by adding to or subtracting therefrom certain items of expense and income. See “Selected Consolidated Financial Data—Non-GAAP Financial Measures.”

For the two months ended May 31, 2020, we estimate our net sales to be in the range of $124.9 million to $132.6 million, as compared to $135.8 million for the two months ended May 31, 2019, representing a decrease of 8% and 2%, respectively. The decrease in our consolidated net sales reflects net sales from our Residential segment of between $107.6 million and $114.2 million for the two months ended May 31, 2020, as compared to $111.4 million for the two months ended May 31, 2019, with such change primarily due to higher organic net sales related to deck, rail and accessories, offset by a decline in trim sales. The decrease in our net sales also reflects net sales from our Commercial segment of between $17.3 million and $18.4 million, as compared to $24.4 million for the two months ended May 31, 2019, with such decrease primarily due to declining sales in our Vycom business.

For the two months ended May 31, 2020, we estimate our net loss to be in the range of $2.1 million to $2.5 million, as compared to a net loss of $5.3 million for the two months ended May 31, 2019. This decrease in net loss was primarily due to improvements in gross margins and reduced spending on strategic initiatives.

For the two months ended May 31, 2020, we estimate our Adjusted EBITDA to be in the range of $28.7 million to $33.8 million, as compared to $28.3 million for the two months ended May 31, 2019, representing an increase of 1% to 20%.



 

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The following table provides a preliminary reconciliation of preliminary estimated net income, the most directly comparable financial measure calculated in accordance with GAAP, to preliminary estimated Adjusted EBITDA for the two months ended May 31, 2020, and a reconciliation of actual net income to actual Adjusted EBITDA for the two months ended May 31, 2019.

 

     Two Months Ended  
     May 31, 2020
(Estimated)
    May 31, 2019
(Actual)
 
(U.S. dollars in thousands)    Low     High        
      

Net income (loss)

   $ (2,100   $ (2,500   $ (5,319

Interest expense

     14,300       16,800       14,330  

Depreciation and amortization

     16,300       19,200       15,922  

Tax benefit

     (1,300     (1,500     (848

Share-based compensation costs

     500       600       654  

Business transformation costs(1)

     100       100       1,807  

Acquisition costs(2)

     100       200       348  

Initial public offering costs

     800       900       1,269  

Other costs(3)

     —         —         115  
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total adjustments

     30,800       36,300       33,597  
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 
Adjusted EBITDA    $28,700     $33,800     $ 28,278  
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

 

 

(1)

Business transformation costs reflect consulting and other costs related to repositioning of our brands, compensation costs related to the transformation of the senior management team and other integration-related costs. Consulting and other costs related to repositioning of our brands were $0.4 million for the two months ended May 31, 2019; compensation costs related to the transformation of the senior management team are estimated to be approximately $0.1 million for the two months ended May 31, 2020 and were $0.1 million for the two months ended May 31, 2019; start-up costs of our new recycling facility of $1.0 million for the two months ended May 31, 2019; and other integration-related costs were $0.3 million for the two months ended May 31, 2019.

(2)

Acquisition costs reflect costs directly related to completed acquisitions. Acquisition costs are estimated to be in the range of $0.1 million to $0.2 million for the two months ended May 31, 2020 and were $0.3 million for the two months ended May 31, 2019.

(3)

Other costs reflect costs for legal defense of $0.1 million for the two months ended May 31, 2019.



 

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Risk Factors

Investing in our Class A common stock involves risks, which are discussed more fully under “Risk Factors.” You should carefully consider all the information in this prospectus, including under “Risk Factors,” before making an investment decision. These risks include, but are not limited to, the following:

 

   

our business, financial condition and results of operations are being, and are expected to continue to be, adversely affected by the current COVID-19 public health pandemic;

 

   

demand for our products is significantly influenced by general economic conditions and trends in consumer spending on outdoor living and home exteriors, and adverse trends in, among other things, the health of the economy, repair and remodel and new construction activity, industrial production and institutional funding constraints;

 

   

we compete against other manufacturers of (i) engineered and composite products; and (ii) products made from wood, metal and other traditional materials;

 

   

the seasonal nature of certain of our products and the impact that changes in weather conditions and product mix may have on our sales;

 

   

our ability to develop new and improved products and effectively manage the introduction of new products;

 

   

our ability to effectively manage changes in our manufacturing process resulting from cost savings and integration initiatives and the introduction of new products;

 

   

risks related to our ability to accurately predict demand for our products and risks related to our ability to maintain our relationships with key distributors or other customers;

 

   

risks related to shortages in supply, price increases or deviations in the quality of raw materials;

 

   

our ability to retain management;

 

   

risks related to acquisitions or joint ventures we may pursue;

 

   

our ability to maintain product quality and product performance at an acceptable cost, and potential exposures resulting from our product warranties;

 

   

our ability to ensure that our products comply with local building codes and ordinances;

 

   

risks arising from the material weaknesses we have identified in our internal control over financial reporting and any failure to remediate these material weaknesses;

 

   

our ability to maintain an effective system of internal controls and produce timely and accurate financial statements or comply with applicable regulations;

 

   

our ability to protect our intellectual property rights;

 

   

the increased expenses associated with being a public company;

 

   

risks associated with our substantial indebtedness and debt service;

 

   

our reliance on dividends, distributions and other payments from our subsidiaries to meet our obligations;

 

   

the continuing control after this offering of our company, including the right to designate individuals to be included in the slate of nominees for election to our board of directors, by our Sponsors, whose interests may conflict with our interests and those of other stockholders;

 

   

our status as a “controlled company” within the meaning of the NYSE rules, and our exemption from certain corporate governance requirements; and

 

   

certain provisions in our certificate of incorporation and our bylaws that may delay or prevent a change of control.



 

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Implications of Being an Emerging Growth Company

We qualify as an “emerging growth company” as defined in the Jumpstart Our Business Startups Act of 2012, or the JOBS Act. An emerging growth company may take advantage of relief from certain reporting requirements and other burdens that are otherwise applicable generally to public companies. These provisions include:

 

   

reduced obligations with respect to financial data, including presenting only two years of audited financial statements and only two years of selected financial data;

 

   

an exemption from compliance with the auditor attestation requirements of Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, or the Sarbanes-Oxley Act;

 

   

reduced disclosure about our executive compensation arrangements in our periodic reports, proxy statements, and registration statements; and

 

   

exemptions from the requirements of holding non-binding advisory votes on executive compensation or golden parachute arrangements.

In addition, under the JOBS Act, emerging growth companies can delay adopting new or revised accounting standards until such time as those standards apply to private companies. We have elected to avail ourselves of this exemption from new or revised accounting standards, and, therefore, we will not be subject to the same new or revised accounting standards as other public companies that are not emerging growth companies or that have opted out of using such extended transition period, which may make comparison of our financial statements with those of other public companies more difficult. We may take advantage of these reporting exemptions until we no longer qualify as an emerging growth company, or, with respect to adoption of certain new or revised accounting standards, until we irrevocably elect to opt out of using the extended transition period.

We will remain an emerging growth company until the earliest of (i) the last day of the fiscal year in which we have total annual gross revenues of $1.07 billion or more; (ii) the last day of our fiscal year following the fifth anniversary of the date of the completion of this offering; (iii) the date on which we have issued more than $1 billion in nonconvertible debt during the previous three years; and (iv) the date on which we are deemed to be a large accelerated filer under the rules of the SEC. We may choose to take advantage of some but not all of these reduced reporting burdens.

Our Sponsors

Prior to this offering, Ares and OTPP, and, together with Ares, the Sponsors, indirectly owned substantially all of our limited liability company interests. Following the Corporate Conversion, each of the Sponsors will receive a number of shares of our common stock in direct proportion to their respective interests in AOT Building Products, L.P., our indirect parent, or the Partnership. In order to ensure compliance with the requirements of certain provisions of the Pension Benefits Act (Ontario) applicable to OTPP, pursuant to which OTPP is restricted from investing monies of the Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan, directly or indirectly, in securities of a corporation to which are attached more than 30% of the votes that may be cast for the election of directors of the corporation, OTPP will hold a number of shares of our Class A common stock representing 30% or less of the total number of shares of Class A common stock outstanding. The remaining shares of common stock to be received by OTPP following the Corporation Conversion will be shares of our Class B common stock. The relative economic interests of Ares and OTPP will not be altered as a result of the Corporate Conversion or our dual-class common stock structure. After giving effect to this offering and the Corporate Conversion, Ares and OTPP will hold                      and                      shares of our Class A common stock, respectively. OTPP will hold all of our Class B common stock. After giving effect to this offering and the Corporate Conversion, Ares and OTPP will hold approximately             % and             %, respectively, of our aggregate common stock.



 

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Our Sponsors will have significant power to control our affairs and policies, including with respect to the election of directors (and through the election of directors, the appointment of management). For a description of certain potential conflicts between the Sponsors and our other stockholders, see “Risk Factors—We continue to be controlled by the Sponsors, and the Sponsors’ interests may conflict with our interests and the interests of other stockholders.” For a description of the Sponsors’ ownership interests in us and their rights with respect to such ownership interests, including the right to designate individuals to be included in the slate of nominees for election to our board of directors, see “Certain Relationships and Related Party Transactions,” “Principal Stockholders” and “Description of Capital Stock.”

Corporate Conversion

We currently operate as a Delaware limited liability company under the name CPG Newco LLC. CPG Newco LLC is a holding company which holds all of the limited liability company interests in CPG International LLC, the entity which directly and indirectly holds all of the equity interests in our operating subsidiaries. Prior to the effectiveness of the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part, CPG Newco LLC will convert into a Delaware corporation pursuant to a statutory conversion and will change its name to The AZEK Company Inc. In addition, a special purpose entity, CPG Holdco LLC, which was formed at the time of the acquisition of CPG Newco LLC solely for the purpose of holding membership interests in CPG Newco LLC and that will continue to hold such interests until the Corporate Conversion, will be merged with and into us. In this prospectus, we refer to all of the transactions related to our conversion into a corporation and the merger described above as the Corporate Conversion. For more information, see “Corporate Structure” and “Corporate Conversion.”



 

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Corporate Structure

The following diagram sets forth a simplified view of our corporate structure and our principal indebtedness as of March 31, 2020 after the consummation of the Corporate Conversion, the redemption of the 2013 Notes and the consummation of this offering and giving effect to the use of proceeds therefrom, including the redemption of the Senior Notes and the prepayment of approximately $                     million of the outstanding principal amount under our first lien credit facility, or the Term Loan Credit Agreement, which currently bears interest at a rate of 5.93% per annum; for more information, see “Description of Certain Indebtedness.” This chart is for illustrative purposes only and does not represent all legal entities affiliated with, or all obligations of, the entities depicted. Our indirect subsidiaries are omitted.

 

 

LOGO

 

 

 

(1)

Prior to the Corporate Conversion, AZEK was named CPG Newco LLC.

(2)

The Revolving Credit Agreement provides for commitments, as of March 31, 2020, of up to $150.0 million, subject to our option to increase the commitments by up to $100.0 million, subject to certain conditions.

(3)

The rights of the holders of Class A common stock and Class B common stock are identical, except with respect to voting and conversion. See “Description of Capital Stock.”

(4)

CPG International LLC is also the issuer of the Senior Notes expected to be redeemed following the consummation of this offering.

Corporate Information

CPG Newco LLC (formerly known as AOT Building Products Newco LLC) was formed on August 15, 2013 in connection with the Sponsors’ acquisition of CPG International LLC. Upon completion of this offering, we will be a Delaware corporation, and we will change our name to The AZEK Company Inc. Our principal executive offices are located at 1330 W Fulton Street, Suite 350, Chicago, Illinois 60607, and our telephone number is 877-275-2935. Our website address is www.AzekCo.com. Information contained on, or that can be accessed through, our website is not part of and is not incorporated by reference into this prospectus, and you should not consider information on our website to be part of this prospectus.



 

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“The AZEK Company,” “AZEK,” “TimberTech,” “TimberTech EDGE,” “TimberTech PRO,” “TimberTech AZEK,” “PaintPro,” “Harvest Collection,” “Arbor Collection,” “Vintage Collection,” “ULTRALOX,” “VERSATEX,” “Vycom,” “Impression Rail Express,” “Scranton Products,” the AZEK logo, the TimberTech logo, the ULTRALOX logo, the VERSATEX Logo, the Vycom logo, the Scranton Products logo and other trademarks or service marks of The AZEK Company and its direct and indirect subsidiaries appearing in this prospectus are the property of The AZEK Company. This prospectus contains additional trade names, trademarks and service marks of others, which are the property of their respective owners. Solely for convenience, trademarks and trade names referred to in this prospectus generally appear without the ® or symbols.



 

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The Offering

 

Class A common stock offered by us

                     shares

 

Class A common stock to be outstanding after this offering

                     shares

 

Class B common stock to be outstanding after this offering

                     shares

 

Total Class A common stock and Class B common stock to be outstanding after this offering

                     shares

 

Option to purchase additional shares of Class A common stock offered by us

                     shares

 

Use of proceeds

We estimate that we will receive net proceeds from this offering of approximately $                     million (or approximately $                     million if the underwriters exercise their option to purchase additional shares of Class A common stock from us in full), based on an assumed initial public offering price of $             per share, the midpoint of the estimated price range set forth on the cover page of this prospectus, and after deducting assumed underwriting discounts and commissions and estimated offering expenses payable by us.

 

  We intend to use net proceeds received by us from this offering first to redeem the Senior Notes, plus accrued and unpaid interest thereon, and then to prepay approximately $                     million of the outstanding principal amount under our Term Loan Credit Agreement. As of May 28, 2020, $350.0 million in aggregate principal amount of Senior Notes was outstanding. We intend to redeem the Senior Notes at a redemption price equal to 107.125% of the aggregate principal amount outstanding plus accured and unpaid interest to the redemption date; see “Description of Certain Indebtedness—Senior Notes.” As of March 31, 2020, we had $804.3 million in principal amount outstanding under our Term Loan Credit Agreement.

 

  We will use any additional net proceeds raised in this offering for general corporate purposes, including working capital, operating expenses and capital expenditures. We may also use a portion of any additional net proceeds we receive from this offering for acquisitions or other strategic investments, although we do not currently have any specific plans to do so. See “Use of Proceeds.”

 

Voting and conversion rights

Following this offering, we will have two classes of common stock: Class A common stock and Class B common stock. The rights of the



 

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holders of Class A common stock and Class B common stock are identical, except with respect to voting and conversion.

 

  Each share of our Class A common stock entitles its holder to one vote per share on all matters to be voted upon by the stockholders. Each share of our Class B common stock entitles its holder to one vote per share on all matters to be voted upon by stockholders, except with respect to the election, removal or replacement of directors. Shares of our Class B common stock will not entitle the holders thereof to vote with respect to the election, removal or replacement of directors. Holders of Class A common stock and Class B common stock will generally vote together as a single class on all matters other than with respect to the election, removal or replacement of directors.

 

  Holders of our shares of Class B common stock may convert their shares of Class B common stock into shares of our Class A common stock on a one-for-one basis, in whole or in part, at any time and from time to time at their option. Additionally, each share of Class A common stock is convertible into one share of Class B common stock at any time and from time to time at the option of the holder so long as such holder holds one or more shares of Class B common stock at the time of conversion. OTPP will hold all shares of our Class B common stock outstanding immediately following this offering. See “Description of Capital Stock.”

 

Dividend policy

We currently do not anticipate paying any cash dividends after this offering and for the foreseeable future. Any future determination relating to dividend policy will be made at the discretion of our board of directors and will depend on a number of factors, including restrictions in our current and future debt instruments, our future earnings, capital requirements, financial condition, future prospects, and applicable Delaware law, which provides that dividends are only payable out of surplus or current net profits. See “Dividend Policy.”

 

Risk factors

See “Risk Factors” and the other information included in this prospectus for a discussion of factors you should carefully consider before deciding to invest in our Class A common stock.

 

Controlled company

Following this offering, affiliates of the Sponsors will continue to control a majority of the voting power of our outstanding voting stock, and as a result we will be a controlled company within the meaning of the NYSE corporate governance standards.

 

Proposed NYSE symbol

“AZEK”

All references to common stock that are not qualified by reference to a particular class refer to our Class A common stock and our Class B common stock collectively.



 

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In addition, unless otherwise expressly stated or the context otherwise requires, the information in this prospectus assumes:

 

   

the split of our single unit, representing all of our limited liability company interests, into                      units, consisting of                      Class A units and                      Class B units;

 

   

the completion of the Corporate Conversion, including:

 

   

our merger with CPG Holdco LLC, our direct parent entity, following which we will be the surviving entity; and

 

   

a one-for-one conversion of our Class A units into shares of Class A common stock and a one-for-one conversion of our Class B units into shares of Class B common stock;

 

   

the distribution by the Partnership of shares of Class A common stock and shares of Class B common stock to the Sponsors and the other holders of partnership interests in the Partnership as described in “Corporate Structure” and “Corporate Conversion;”

 

   

no exercise of the underwriters’ option to purchase additional shares of our common stock; and

 

   

the effectiveness of our certificate of incorporation and bylaws in connection with the completion of this offering.

Prior to the consummation of this offering, we will have an aggregate of                      shares of Class A common stock and Class B common stock outstanding, (i) after giving effect to the split of our units described above and the Corporate Conversion and (ii) reflecting the                      vested shares of Class A common stock, based on the mid-point of the estimated offering price range set forth on the cover page of this prospectus, issued in exchange for vested Profits Interests of the Partnership (but not including the                      unvested shares of Class A common stock, based on the mid-point of the estimated offering price range set forth on the cover page of this prospectus, issued in exchange for unvested Profits Interests). See “Executive Compensation—Additional Narrative Disclosures—Profits Interests Conversion” for a description of the conversion of the Profits Interests awards into shares of Class A common stock in connection with the offering and the grant to current employees who receive shares of Class A common stock in exchange for Profits Interests of options to purchase shares of Class A common stock.

Unless we indicate otherwise or the context otherwise requires, all information in this prospectus does not give effect to or reflect the following shares (all of which are calculated based on an assumed initial public offering price of $             per share, which is the mid-point of the estimated offering price range set forth on the cover page of this prospectus):

 

   

                     unvested shares of Class A common stock issued in exchange for unvested Profits Interests;

 

   

                     shares of Class A common stock issuable upon exercise of options, with an exercise price that will be equal to the initial public offering price per share, which options will be issued in connection with the exchange of Profits Interests for shares of Class A common stock (                     shares will be issuable in respect of vested options and                      shares will be issuable in respect of unvested options);

 

   

                     shares of Class A common stock issuable upon the vesting of restricted stock units and                      shares of Class A common stock issuable upon exercise of options, with an exercise price that will be equal to the initial public offering price per share, in each case that will be granted to certain directors, officers and employees in connection with this offering;

 

   

                     shares of Class A common stock available for further issuance under our 2020 Omnibus Incentive Plan after the completion of this offering. See “Executive Compensation—Post Offering Compensation—2020 Omnibus Incentive Compensation Plan.”



 

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Summary Consolidated Financial Data

The summary consolidated statements of income data and summary consolidated statements of cash flow data for fiscal years 2019 and 2018 and the consolidated balance sheet data as of September 30, 2019 have been derived from our Consolidated Financial Statements included elsewhere in this prospectus. The summary consolidated statement of income data and summary consolidated statement of cash flow data for fiscal year 2017 have been derived from our Consolidated Financial Statements not included in this prospectus. The summary consolidated statements of income data and summary consolidated statements of cash flow data for the six months ended March 31, 2020 and 2019 and the summary consolidated balance sheet data as of March 31, 2020 have been derived from our unaudited Consolidated Financial Statements included elsewhere in this prospectus. In the opinion of management, our unaudited Consolidated Financial Statements were prepared on the same basis as our audited Consolidated Financial Statements and include all adjustments necessary for a fair presentation of the financial information set forth in those statements.

Our historical results are not necessarily indicative of future operating results and our results for the six months ended March 31, 2020 are not necessarily indicative of the results that may be expected for the full fiscal year or any other period. Because this table is a summary and does not provide all of the data contained in our Consolidated Financial Statements, it should be read together with “Selected Consolidated Financial Data,” “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations,” “Capitalization” and our Consolidated Financial Statements and related notes included elsewhere in this prospectus.

 

    Six Months Ended
March 31,
    Years Ended September 30,  
(In thousands, except unit/share and per unit/share data)   2020     2019     2019     2018     2017  

Consolidated Statements of Income Data(1):

         

Net Sales

  $ 411,628     $ 357,362     $ 794,203     $ 681,805     $ 632,631  

Cost of Sales

    (280,965     (249,051     (541,006     (479,769     (463,643
 

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Gross Profit

    130,663       108,311       253,197       202,036       168,988  

Selling, general and administrative expenses

    (93,166     (86,803     (183,572     (144,688     (147,003

Impairment of goodwill

    —         —         —         —         (32,200

Impairment of property, plant and equipment

    —         —         —         —         (11,380

Other general expenses

    (5,093     (4,158     (9,076     (4,182     —    

Gain (loss) on disposal of property, plant and equipment

    (28     (1,436     (1,495     (791     (4,288
 

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Operating income (loss)

    32,376       15,914       59,054       52,375       (25,883

Interest expense

    (39,734     (41,773     (83,205     (68,742     (61,577

Loss before income taxes

    (7,358     (25,859     (24,151     (16,367     (87,460

Income tax (provision) benefit

    1,600       5,072       3,955       23,112       20,049  
 

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Net income (loss)

  $ (5,758   $ (20,787   $ (20,196   $ 6,745     $ (67,411
 

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Basic and diluted earnings (loss) attributable to unit outstanding

  $ (5,758   $ (20,787   $ (20,196   $ 6,745     $ (67,411
 

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Basic and diluted weighted-average unit outstanding

    1       1       1       1       1  
 

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Basic and diluted pro forma earnings (loss) per share attributable to common stockholders(2) (unaudited)

         
 

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Basic and diluted pro forma weighted-average common shares outstanding(2) (unaudited)

         
 

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 


 

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     Six Months Ended
March 31,
    Years Ended September 30,  
(In thousands, except unit/share and per unit/share data)    2020     2019     2019     2018     2017  

Consolidated Statements of Cash Flow Data:

          

Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities

   $ (68,032   $ (48,521   $ 94,872     $ 67,302     $ 57,368  

Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities

     (60,240     (33,208     (62,935     (335,682     (22,511

Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities

     117,023       19,802       (8,273     248,742       (12,104

Purchases of property, plant and equipment

     (42,606     (33,233     (63,006     (42,758     (22,511

Other Financial Data:

          

Adjusted Gross Profit(3)

   $ 161,755     $ 137,681     $ 314,858     $ 254,075     $ 224,516  

Adjusted Net Income(4)

     37,916       24,067       72,277       59,226       42,812  

Adjusted EBITDA(5)

     89,624       74,294       179,566       150,065       131,266  

Adjusted EBITDA Margin(6)

     21.8     20.8     22.6     22.0     20.7

 

(1)

In connection with the completion of this offering, based on an assumed public offering price of $             per share, which is the mid-point of the price range set forth on the cover of this prospectus, we estimate that we will incur aggregate equity compensation expense in the range of $                     million to $                     million as a result of the recognition of previously unrecognized compensation expense and one-time grants of options and restricted stock units to our directors, executive officers and employees. See “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations—Equity Based Compensation.”

(2)

Pro forma to reflect the Corporate Conversion, without giving effect to the issuance of shares of Class A common stock in this offering. The pro forma information also includes the effects of the vested shares of Class A common stock issued in exchange for vested Profits Interests of the Partnership.

(3)

We define Adjusted Gross Profit as gross profit before depreciation and amortization, business transformation costs and acquisition costs. See “Selected Consolidated Financial Data—Non-GAAP Financial Measures.”

(4)

We define Adjusted Net Income as net income (loss) before depreciation and amortization, share-based compensation costs, asset impairment costs, business transformation costs, acquisition costs, initial public offering costs, capital structure transaction costs and certain other costs. In addition, Adjusted Net Income for fiscal 2018 excludes the net benefit related to the remeasurement of our deferred tax assets and deferred tax liabilities as a result of the Tax Act. See “Selected Consolidated Financial Data—Non-GAAP Financial Measures.”

(5)

We define Adjusted EBITDA as net income (loss) before interest expense, net, income tax (benefit) expense and depreciation and amortization and by adding to or subtracting therefrom certain items of expense and income. See “Selected Consolidated Financial Data—Non-GAAP Financial Measures.”

(6)

Adjusted EBITDA Margin is equal to Adjusted EBITDA divided by net sales. See “Selected Consolidated Financial Data—Non-GAAP Financial Measures.”

 

     2015-2019
CAGR
    Years Ended
September 30,
 
    2019     2018     2017  

Net Sales Growth:

        

Residential Segment

     12.3     20.9     7.9     7.2

Deck, Rail and Accessories

     11.2     9.4     7.6     8.3

Exteriors

     15.1     60.3     9.1     3.4

Commercial Segment

     1.4     (0.8 )%      7.1     (0.8 )% 


 

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     As of March 31, 2020  
     Actual      Pro forma(1)      Pro forma
as adjusted(2)(3)
 
(In thousands)                     

Consolidated Balance Sheet Data:

        

Cash and cash equivalents

   $ 94,698        

Working capital

     261,052        

Total assets

     1,886,071        

Total current liabilities

     120,163        

Total long-term debt – less current portion

     1,229,844        

Total member’s/stockholders’ equity

     485,406        

 

(1)

Pro forma consolidated balance sheet data reflects (i) our redemption of all outstanding 2013 Notes, (ii) the issuance of the Senior Notes and our receipt of $16.5 million of gross proceeds from the offering of the Senior Notes after the redemption of the 2013 Notes (excluding amounts applied to accrued interest) and our repayment of $15.0 million of the outstanding principal amount under our Revolving Credit Agreement; (iii) our payment of $4.6 million of accrued and unpaid interest on the 2013 Notes in connection with their redemption described in clause (i); and (iv) our payment of the initial purchasers’ discount and other fees and expenses of $7.4 million in connection with the offering of the Senior Notes.

(2)

Pro forma as adjusted consolidated balance sheet data reflects, in addition to the pro forma adjustments described in footnote (1), (i) the sale of              shares of our Class A common stock in this offering, assuming an initial public offering price of $             per share, which is the midpoint of the price range set forth on the cover page of this prospectus; (ii) our redemption of all outstanding Senior Notes, (iii) our receipt of $             million of gross proceeds from this offering after the redemption of the Senior Notes (excluding amounts applied to accrued interest) at a redemption price of 107.125% of the aggregate principal amount of the Senior Notes and our prepayment of $             million of the outstanding principal amount under our Term Loan Credit Agreement; (iv) our payment of $             million of accrued and unpaid interest on the Senior Notes in connection with their redemption described in clause (ii) assuming a redemption date of                  , 2020; and (v) our payment of the estimated underwriting discount and commissions and other fees and expenses of this offering of $             million.

(3)

A $1.00 increase (decrease) in the assumed initial public offering price of $             per share of Class A common stock (the midpoint of the estimated price range set forth on the cover page of this prospectus) would increase (decrease) each of cash and cash equivalents, working capital, total assets and total stockholders’ equity by $                     million and would decrease (increase) total long-term debt—less current portion by $                     million, assuming that the number of shares of Class A common stock offered by us, as set forth on the cover page of this prospectus, remains the same, and after deducting assumed underwriting discounts and commissions and estimated offering expenses payable by us. Similarly, each increase (decrease) of 1.0 million shares in the number of shares of Class A common stock offered by us would increase (decrease) each of cash and cash equivalents, working capital, total assets and total stockholders’ equity by $                     million and would decrease (increase) total long-term debt—less current portion by $                     million, assuming the assumed initial public offering price of $             per share remains the same, and after deducting assumed underwriting discounts and commissions and estimated offering expenses payable by us.



 

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RISK FACTORS

Investing in our Class A common stock involves a high degree of risk. You should carefully consider the following risks and uncertainties, together with all of the other information contained in this prospectus, including our Consolidated Financial Statements and related notes included elsewhere in this prospectus, before making an investment decision. In addition to the risks relating to the COVID-19 pandemic that are specifically described in these Risk Factors, the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic may also have the effect of significantly heightening many of the other risks associated with our business and an investment in our Class A common stock, including the other risks described in this prospectus. The occurrence of any of the following risks, or additional risks not presently known to us or that we currently believe to be immaterial, could materially and adversely affect our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects. In such case, the trading price of our Class A common stock could decline, and you may lose all or part of your investment.

Risks Relating to Our Business and Industry

Our business, financial condition and results of operations are being, and are expected to continue to be, adversely affected by the current COVID-19 public health pandemic.

Any outbreaks of contagious diseases, public health epidemics or pandemics and other adverse public health developments could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations. The COVID-19 pandemic, and the reactions of governmental and other authorities to contain, mitigate or combat the pandemic, which have severely restricted the level of economic activity around the world, have impacted, and are expected to continue to impact, our operations, and the nature, extent and duration of the impact of COVID-19 or any future disease or adverse health condition is highly uncertain and beyond our control. In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the governments of many countries, states, cities and other geographic regions have taken preventative or protective actions, such as imposing restrictions on travel and business operations.

Although we have implemented measures to mitigate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on our business, financial condition and results of operations, including reducing our production and expenses, these measures may not fully mitigate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on our business, financial condition and results of operations. We cannot predict the degree to, or the period over, which we will be affected by the COVID-19 pandemic and resulting governmental and other measures.

We expect that the economic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic will likely continue to adversely affect demand for our products over the balance of fiscal 2020. To address the anticipated reduction in demand for our products, we are engaging directly with our distributors to share information on market demand and ensure supply and inventory levels are appropriate. We are also reducing production across our manufacturing sites to align our output with potential reductions in demand during the balance of the year. We anticipate that distributors and dealers may choose to delay the purchase of our products, and homeowners and our industrial and commercial customers may choose to delay new construction or repair and remodeling activity, in response to the COVID-19 pandemic and the measures to contain its spread.

In addition, our supply chain is largely concentrated in the United States, and although it has not been significantly affected by the COVID-19 pandemic to date, we may experience disruptions or delays in our supply chain in connection with the pandemic in the future, which may result in the need to seek alternate suppliers. Alternate suppliers may be more expensive, may not be available or may encounter delays in shipments to us, which would affect our business, financial condition and results of operations. We cannot estimate the extent and duration of the disruption to our supply chain, or the significance of the related financial impact. Should any such disruption continue for an extended period of time, the impact could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.

 

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On March 16, 2020, we borrowed $89.0 million under the Revolving Credit Agreement to enhance our financial flexibility in light of uncertainties resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic in addition to our other borrowings under the Revolving Credit Agreement of $40.0 million in the aggregate during the three months ended March 31, 2020. In the longer term, our liquidity will depend on many factors, including our results of operations, our future growth, the timing and extent of our expenditures to develop new products and improve our manufacturing capabilities, the expansion of our sales and marketing activities and the extent to which we make acquisitions. Changes in our operating plans, material changes in anticipated sales, increased expenses, acquisitions or other events may cause us to seek additional equity and/or debt financing in future periods. We cannot assure you if our access to capital would continue to satisfy our needs under the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.

We expect that the COVID-19 pandemic will adversely affect many aspects of our business, including, but not limited to, the following:

 

   

We expect to experience reductions in demand for many of our products due to the economic uncertainty resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic, an increase in unemployment rates, and distributors’, dealers’ suppliers’, homeowners’ and other third parties’ diminished financial condition or financial distress.

 

   

Our distributors and dealers may be unable to meet their payment obligations to us in a timely manner. Further, other third parties, such as suppliers and other outside business partners, may experience significant disruptions in their ability to satisfy their obligations with respect to us, or they may be unable to do so altogether.

 

   

Measures that we have taken to address the COVID-19 pandemic, including, among other things, providing additional safety equipment, reducing our production, encouraging our employees who are able to work remotely to do so, enacting and enforcing employee physical distancing protocols in our factories and reducing the need for face-to-face interactions, are reducing the efficiency of our operations.

 

   

Additionally, we may be exposed to increased cybersecurity risks as a result of remote working requirements.

 

   

Illness, travel restrictions or other workforce disruptions could negatively affect our supply chain, our ability to timely and satisfactorily meet our customers’ demands or our other business processes. Even after the COVID-19 pandemic subsides, we could experience a longer-term impact on our operating expenses, including as a result of, among other things, the need for enhanced health and hygiene requirements in our manufacturing facilities and in our corporate offices or the periodic revival of physical or social distancing or other measures in one or more regions, including the states where our manufacturing facilities are located, in attempts to counteract or prevent future outbreaks.

 

   

We have reduced the number of employees that we employ in order to reduce our operating expenses. We may experience difficulties associated with hiring additional employees or replacing employees. Increased turnover rates of our employees could increase operating costs and create challenges for us in maintaining high levels of employee awareness of, and compliance with, our internal procedures and external regulatory compliance requirements, in addition to increasing our recruiting, training and supervisory costs.

 

   

In addition to existing travel restrictions implemented in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, states and other jurisdictions may continue to close borders, impose prolonged quarantines and further restrict travel and business activity, which could materially impair our ability to support our operations and customers, to source supplies through our supply chain and to identify, pursue and capture new business opportunities, and which could continue to restrict the ability of our employees to access their workplaces. We also face the possibility of increased overhead or other expenses resulting from compliance with any future government orders or other measures enacted in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

 

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Our management of the impact of COVID-19 has required, and will continue to require, significant investment of time by our management and employees as well as other resources. The focus on managing and mitigating the impacts of COVID-19 on our business will likely cause us to divert or delay the application of our resources toward new initiatives, including the development of new products, which may adversely impact our financial condition and results of operations in future periods.

The timing for us resuming operations at or near the levels of operations experienced before the COVID-19 pandemic depends on numerous factors beyond our control, including, among other things: (1) the duration of, and any revisions in, governmental quarantine, shelter-in-place or similar social distancing orders or guidelines; (2) the occurrence and magnitude of future outbreaks; (3) the availability of vaccines or other medical remedies and preventive measures; and (4) broader economic conditions, including unemployment levels and the reaction of consumers to potentially longer-term economic uncertainty, which may adversely impact our financial condition and results of operations in future periods.

Additionally, although we are reviewing any available benefits under the federal and state relief and stimulus legislation and programs, including, among other things, those under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act, or the CARES Act, at this time, we do not know whether we will be able to access any such benefits in a manner that is advantageous to us or at all.

Demand for our products is significantly influenced by general economic conditions and trends in consumer spending on outdoor living and home exteriors, and adverse trends in, among other things, the health of the economy, repair and remodel and new construction activity, industrial production, consumer confidence and discretionary spending and institutional funding constraints could have a material adverse effect on our business.

Demand for our products is significantly influenced by a number of economic factors affecting our customers, including distributors, dealers, contractors, architects, builders, homeowners and institutional and commercial consumers. Demand for our products depends on the level of residential and commercial improvement and renovation and new construction activity, and, in particular, the amount of spending on outdoor living spaces and home exteriors. Home and commercial renovation and improvement and new construction activity are affected by, among other things, interest rates, consumer confidence and spending habits, demographic trends, housing affordability levels, unemployment rates, institutional funding constraints, industrial production levels, tariffs and general economic conditions.

For example, in our Residential segment, sales of our products depend primarily on the level of repair and remodel activity and, to a lesser extent, new construction activity. Accordingly, increases in interest rates or the reduced availability of financing can reduce the level of home improvement and new construction activity and the demand for our products. In addition, the residential repair and remodel market depends in part on home equity financing, and accordingly, the level of equity in homes will affect consumers’ ability to obtain a home equity line of credit and engage in renovations that would result in purchases of our products. Accordingly, a weakness in home prices may result in a decreased demand for our residential products.

Many of our residential products are impacted by consumer demand for, and spending on, outdoor living spaces and home exteriors. For example, sales of our deck and rail products depend on lifestyle and architectural trends and the extent to which consumers prioritize spending to enhance outdoor living spaces for their homes. While we believe consumer preferences have increased spending on outdoor living and home exteriors in recent years, the level of spending could decrease in the future. Decreased spending on outdoor living spaces and home exteriors generally or as a percentage of home improvement activity may decrease demand for our deck, railing and trim products.

Demand for our products in our Commercial segment is affected by the level of commercial and governmental construction and renovation activity. The levels of commercial and governmental construction and

 

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renovation activity are affected by the levels of interest rates, availability of financing for commercial and industrial projects, the general business environment and the availability of governmental funding. Sales of products by our Commercial segment include sales for use in institutions, such as universities and schools, and in federal, state and local government buildings, which depend on federal, state and local funding for construction and renovation projects. Sales to institutions that depend on public funding are affected by factors that may impose constraints on funding availability for construction and renovation projects, including increased operational costs, budget cuts by federal, state and local governments, including as a result of lower than anticipated tax revenues, increased limitations on federal spending or government shutdowns. Sales to commercial establishments depend on, among other things, general levels of industrial production and business growth and the performance of the various markets in which our commercial end customers operate.

Adverse trends in any of the foregoing factors could reduce our sales and have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations. Such factors could also alter the balance of our Residential and Commercial sales or the balance of our product sales within either such segment. In light of differing margins, changes in the relative amount and type of residential and commercial industrial activity or the mix of products sold may have an impact on our business and cause our revenues and profitability to fluctuate from period to period.

We operate in a competitive business environment. If we are unable to compete effectively our sales would suffer and our business, financial condition and operating results would be adversely affected.

We operate in a competitive business environment, and we compete with multiple companies with respect to each of our products. While we have longstanding business relationships with many of our distributors, dealers and contractors, we generally do not have long-term contracts with these customers. Accordingly, any failure to compete effectively, including as a result of the various factors described below, could cause our customers to cease purchasing our products or rapidly decrease our sales.

Our residential products compete primarily with wood products that comprise the majority of decking, railing, trim and related market sales. We also compete with metal products and with engineered products sold by other companies. In our Commercial segment, we compete in several highly fragmented markets. Our Vycom products compete with products sold into narrow market segments with a wide range of end uses through specialized distribution networks that vary depending on the particular end use. Products made by Scranton Products compete with bathroom partitions, lockers and storage solutions sold at a wide range of prices and manufactured using a variety of materials.

Our business model relies on the continued conversion in demand from traditional wood products to our engineered products, and our business could suffer if this conversion does not continue in the future. A number of suppliers of wood and wood composite deck, trim and rail products have established relationships with contractors, builders and large home improvement retailers, and, to compete successfully, we must expand and strengthen our relationships with those parties. We must also compete successfully with products from other manufacturers that offer alternatives to wood and wood composite products, including by developing competitive new products and by responding successfully to new products introduced, and pricing and other competitive actions taken, by competitors.

Some of our competitors have financial, production, marketing and other resources that are significantly greater than ours. Consolidation by industry participants could further increase their resources and result in competitors with expanded market share, larger customer bases, greater diversified product offerings and greater technological and marketing expertise, which may allow them to compete more effectively against us. Moreover, our competitors may develop products that are superior to our products (on a price-to-value basis or otherwise) or may adapt more quickly to new technologies or evolving customer requirements. Technological advances by our competitors may lead to new manufacturing techniques and make it more difficult for us to compete.

 

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Our quarterly operating results may fluctuate as a result of seasonality, changes in weather conditions and changes in product mix.

Our quarterly operating results during the fiscal year ending September 30, 2020 and in future fiscal years may fluctuate or otherwise be significantly affected as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. The effect of the pandemic may exceed the quarterly changes in our operating results that we have typically experienced from seasonality, weather conditions and product mix.

We have typically experienced moderately higher levels of sales of our residential products in the second fiscal quarter of the year as a result of our “early buy” sales and extended payment terms typically available during the second fiscal quarter of the year. As a result of these extended payment terms, our accounts receivable have typically reached seasonal peaks at the end of the second fiscal quarter of the year, and our net cash provided by operating activities has typically been lower in the second fiscal quarter relative to other quarters. Our sales are also generally impacted by the number of days in a quarter or a year that contractors and other professionals are able to install our products. We have generally experienced lower levels of sales of residential products during the first fiscal quarter due to adverse weather conditions in certain markets, which typically reduces the construction and renovation activity during the winter season. Although our products can be installed year-round, unusually adverse weather conditions can negatively impact the timing of the sales of certain of our products, causing reduced sales and negatively impacting profitability when such conditions exist. Our residential products are generally purchased shortly before installation and used in outdoor environments. As a result, there is a correlation between the amount of products we sell and weather conditions during the time they are to be installed. Adverse weather conditions may interfere with ordinary construction, delay projects or lead to cessation of construction involving our products. Prolonged adverse weather conditions could significantly reduce our sales in one or more periods. These conditions may shift sales to subsequent reporting periods or decrease overall sales, given the limited outdoor construction season in many locations. In addition, we have experienced higher levels of sales of our engineered bathroom partition products and our locker products during the second half of our fiscal year, which includes the summer months during which schools are typically closed and therefore more likely to be undergoing remodel activities. These factors can cause our operating results to fluctuate on a quarterly basis.

Our operating results may also fluctuate due to changes in the mix of products sold. We sell products at different prices, composed of different materials and involving varying levels of manufacturing complexity. Changes in the mix of products sold from period to period may affect our average selling price, cost of sales and gross margins.

If we fail to develop new and improved products successfully, or fail to effectively manage the introduction of new products, our business will suffer.

Our continued success depends on our ability to predict the products that will be demanded by our customers and consumers, such as homeowners or commercial or industrial purchasers, and to continue to innovate and introduce improved products in our existing product lines and products in new product categories. We may not be successful in anticipating these needs or preferences or in developing new and improved products. If we do not respond effectively to changing market trends, demands and preferences and to actions by competitors by introducing competitive new products, our business, financial condition and results of operations would suffer.

Even if we do introduce new products in the market, consumers may not choose our new products over existing products. In addition, competitors could introduce new or improved products that would replace or reduce demand for our products or develop proprietary changes in manufacturing technologies that may render our products obsolete or too expensive to compete effectively. In addition, when we introduce new products, we must effectively anticipate and manage the effect of new product introductions on sales of our existing products. If new products displace sales of existing products more broadly or rapidly than anticipated, we may have excess inventory of existing products and be required to reduce prices on existing products, which could adversely affect our results of operations. As we continue to introduce new products at varying price points to broaden our

 

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product offerings to compete with products made with wood or other traditional materials across a wide range of prices, our overall gross margins may vary from period to period as a result of changes in product mix. Moreover, we may introduce new products with initially lower gross margins with the expectation that the gross margins associated with those products may improve over time as we improve our manufacturing efficiency for those products, and our results of operations would be adversely affected if we are unable to realize the anticipated improvements.

Although we are reducing our expansion and capital expenditures in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, in the past we have devoted, and in the future we expect to continue to devote, significant resources to developing new products. However, we cannot be sure that we will successfully complete the development and testing of new products and be able to release the products when anticipated or at all. From time to time, we may make investments in the development of products we ultimately determine not to release resulting in write-downs of inventory and related assets.

Our business would suffer if we do not effectively manage changes in our manufacturing processes resulting from growth of our business, cost savings and integration initiatives and the introduction of new technologies and products.

We continually review our manufacturing operations in an effort to achieve increased manufacturing efficiencies, integrate new technologies and to address changes in our product lines and in market demand. Periodic manufacturing integrations, realignments and cost savings programs and other changes have adversely affected, and could in the future adversely affect, our operating efficiency and results of operations during the periods in which such programs are being implemented. Such programs may include the addition of manufacturing lines and the consolidation, integration and upgrading of facilities, functions, systems and procedures, including the introduction of new manufacturing technologies and product innovations. These programs involve substantial planning, often require capital investments, and may result in charges for fixed asset impairments or obsolescence and substantial severance costs. Our ability to achieve cost savings or other benefits within the time frames we anticipate is subject to many estimates and assumptions, a number of which are subject to significant economic, competitive and other uncertainties. For example, we have made substantial investments to expand our recycling capabilities and to increase the use of reclaimed materials in our manufacturing processes. While we anticipate that enhancing these capabilities will ultimately decrease our costs, the introduction of these capabilities has required significant initial investment, and we cannot be certain we will realize the benefits of this initiative when anticipated or at all. If these investments and other changes are not effectively integrated into our manufacturing processes, we may suffer from production delays, lower efficiency and manufacturing yields, increased costs and reduced net sales.

We must also effectively address changes to our manufacturing operations resulting from growth of our business generally and introduction of new products. As we increase our manufacturing capacity to meet market demand or begin to manufacture new products at scale, we may face unanticipated manufacturing challenges as production volumes increase, new processes are implemented and new supplies of raw materials used in these products are secured. New products may initially be more costly and less efficient to produce than our existing products. In addition, we could experience delays in production as we increase our manufacturing capacity or begin to manufacture new products that may result in the products ordered by our customers being on back-order as initial production issues are addressed. As a result, increases in manufacturing capacity or the introduction of new products may initially be associated with lower efficiency and manufacturing yields and increased costs, including shipping costs to fill back-orders.

If we experience production delays or inefficiencies, a deterioration in the quality of our products or other complications in managing changes to our manufacturing processes, including those that are designed to increase capacity, enhance efficiencies and reduce costs or that relate to new products or technologies, we may not achieve the benefits that we anticipate from these actions when expected, or at all, and our operations could experience disruptions, our manufacturing efficiency could suffer and our business, financial condition and results of operations could be materially and adversely affected.

 

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Our sales and results of operations may suffer if we do not maintain our relationships with, forecast the demand of and make timely deliveries to our key distributors or other customers.

Our operations depend upon our ability to maintain our strong relationships with our network of distributors and dealers. Our top ten distributors collectively accounted for a majority of our net sales for the year ended September 30, 2019. Our largest distributor, Parksite Inc., accounted for approximately 20% of our net sales for the year ended September 30, 2019. While we have long-standing business relationships with many of our key distributors and our distribution contracts generally provide for exclusive relationships with respect to certain products within certain geographies, these contracts typically permit the distributor to terminate for convenience on several months’ notice. The loss of, or a significant adverse change in, our relationships with one or more of our significant distributors could materially reduce our net sales.

Distributors and dealers that sell our products, are sensitive to meeting the demands of their end customers on a timely basis. Dealers that sell our products typically place orders with our distributors that need to be filled in a short time frame and these dealers typically do not have an exclusive relationship with us. Purchases by our distributors and dealers are affected by their individual decisions on the levels of inventory they carry, their views on product demand, their financial condition and the manner in which they choose to manage inventory risk. In addition, purchases by distributors and dealers are affected by a variety of other factors, including product pricing, increases in the number of competitive producers and the production capacity of other producers, new product introductions, changes in levels of home renovation and new construction activity, and weather-related fluctuations in demand. As a result, demand for our products can be difficult to predict. If we do not forecast and plan production effectively to manufacture sufficient products to meet demand or if we experience delays in our ability to manufacture products, dealers may seek alternative products, including those of our competitors. Failure to meet demand requirements on a timely basis, may cause distributors or dealers to build up inventory as a precautionary measure, rapidly shift their product mix away from our products, harm our long-term relationships with distributors and dealers, harm our brand and reduce, or increase the variability of, our net sales.

We must continue to provide product offerings at price points that meet the needs of distributors and dealers and that they perceive to be competitive with the products on the market. If our key distributors or dealers are unwilling to continue to sell our products at existing or higher levels, or if they desire to sell competing products alongside our products, our ability to maintain or increase our sales could suffer. In addition, mergers or acquisitions involving our distributors or dealers and one of our competitors, or a distributor or dealer with a relationship with one of our competitors, could decrease or eliminate purchases of our product by that distributor or dealer. If a key distributor or dealer were to terminate its relationship with us or reduce purchases of our products, we may not be able to replace that relationship with a relationship with a new distributor or dealer in a timely manner or at all. In addition, any such new relationship may take time to develop and may not be as favorable to us as the relationship it is replacing. The loss of, or a reduction in orders from, any significant distributor or dealer, may have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition or results of operations.

Shortages in supply, price increases or deviations in the quality of the raw materials used to manufacture our products could adversely affect our sales and operating results.

The primary raw materials used in our products are various petrochemical resins, including polyethylene, polypropylene and PVC resins, reclaimed polyethylene and PVC material, waste wood fiber and aluminum. We also utilize other additives including modifiers, titanium dioxide, or TiO2, and pigments. Our contracts with key suppliers are typically short term in nature, with terms generally ranging from one to three years. While we do not rely on any single supplier for the majority of our raw materials, we do obtain certain raw materials from single or a limited number of suppliers. In particular, we rely on a single supplier for certain critical capped compounds used in our deck and railing products. We do not currently have arrangements in place for a redundant or second-source supply for those compounds. If one or more suppliers were unable to satisfy our requirements for particular raw materials, we believe alternative sources of supply would be available. However,

 

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we could experience a disruption to our operations as alternative suppliers are identified and qualified and new supply arrangements are entered into, and we cannot be sure we will be able to identify alternative sources of supply rapidly, without incurring significant costs or at all.

In the event of an industry-wide general shortage of our raw materials, a shortage affecting or discontinuation in providing any such raw materials by one or more of our suppliers or a supplier’s declaration of force majeure, we may not be able to arrange for alternative sources of such materials on a timely basis or on equally favorable terms. We have also recently significantly increased the use of reclaimed polyethylene and PVC material in our products. As we increase our use of such materials and introduce new materials into our manufacturing processes, we may be unable to obtain adequate quantities of such new raw materials in a timely manner. Any such shortage may materially adversely affect our production process as well as our competitive position as compared to companies that are able to source their raw materials more reliably or at lower cost.

In addition, significant increases in the cost of the raw materials used to manufacture our products could adversely affect our operating results. The cost of some of the raw materials we use in the manufacture of our products is subject to significant price volatility. For example, the cost of petrochemical resins used in our manufacturing processes has historically varied significantly and has been affected by changes in supply and demand and in the price of crude oil. We have not entered into hedges of our raw material costs, and our supply contracts with our major vendors do not contain obligations to sell raw materials to us at a fixed price. Accordingly, we are exposed to the risk of increases in the market prices of raw materials used in the manufacture of our products. Our results of operations have been affected in the past by changes in the cost of resins, and we expect that our results of operations in the future will continue to be affected by changes in resin costs. In the event of an increase in the cost of resins or other raw materials, we may not be able to recover the increases through corresponding increases in the prices of our products. Even if we are able to increase prices over time, we may not be able to increase prices as rapidly as the increase in our costs. If we are unable to increase our prices or experience a delay in our ability to increase our prices or to recover such increases in our costs, our gross profit will suffer. In addition, increases in the price of our products to compensate for increased costs of raw materials may reduce demand for our products and adversely affect our competitive position as compared to products made of other materials, such as wood and metal, that are not affected by changes in the price of resins and some of the other raw materials that we use in the manufacture of our products.

We are dependent upon the ability of our suppliers to consistently provide raw materials that meet our specifications, quality standards and other applicable criteria. Our suppliers’ failure to provide raw materials that meet such criteria could adversely affect production schedules and our product quality, which in turn could materially adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations.

An interruption of our production capability at one or more of our manufacturing facilities from pandemics, accident, calamity or other causes, or events affecting the global economy, could adversely affect our business.

We manufacture our products at a limited number of manufacturing facilities, and we generally do not have redundant production capabilities that would enable us to shift production of a particular product rapidly to another facility in the event of a loss of one of or a portion of one of our manufacturing facilities. A catastrophic loss of the use of one or more of our manufacturing facilities due to pandemics, including the COVID-19 pandemic, accident, fire, explosion, labor issues, tornado, other weather conditions, natural disasters, condemnation, cancellation or non-renewals of leases, terrorist attacks or other acts of violence or war or otherwise could have a material adverse effect on our production capabilities. In addition, unexpected failures, including as a result of power outages or similar disruptions outside of our control, of our equipment and machinery could result in production delays or the loss of raw materials or products in the equipment or machinery at the time of such failures. Any of these events could result in substantial revenue loss and repair costs. An interruption in our production capabilities could also require us to make substantial capital expenditures to replace damaged or destroyed facilities or equipment. There are a limited number of manufacturers that make some of the equipment we use in our manufacturing facilities, and we could experience significant delay in

 

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replacing manufacturing equipment necessary to resume production. An interruption in our production capability, particularly if it is of significant duration, could result in a permanent loss of customers who decide to seek alternate products.

Our business operations could be adversely affected by the loss of the services from members of our senior management team and other key employees.

Our success depends in part on the continued contributions of our senior management and other key employees. Our senior operating management members have extensive sales and marketing, engineering, product development, manufacturing and finance backgrounds. The loss of any member of our senior management team or other key employees in the future could significantly impede our ability to successfully implement our business strategy, financial plans, product development goals, marketing initiatives and other objectives. Should we lose the services of any member of our senior management team or key personnel, replacing such personnel could involve a prolonged search and divert management time and attention and we may not be able to locate and hire a qualified replacement. We do not carry key man insurance to mitigate the financial effect of losing the services of any member of our management team.

Acquisitions or joint ventures we may pursue in the future may be unsuccessful.

We may consider the acquisition of other manufacturers or product lines of other businesses that either complement or expand our existing business, or may enter into joint ventures. We cannot assure you that we will be able to consummate any such acquisitions or joint ventures or that any future acquisitions or joint ventures will be able to be consummated at acceptable prices and on acceptable terms. Any future acquisitions or joint ventures we pursue may involve a number of risks, including some or all of the following:

 

   

difficulty in identifying acceptable acquisition candidates;

 

   

the inability to consummate acquisitions or joint ventures on favorable terms and to obtain adequate financing, which financing may not be available to us at times, in amounts or on terms acceptable to us, if at all;

 

   

the diversion of management’s attention from our core businesses;

 

   

the disruption of our ongoing business;

 

   

entry into markets in which we have limited or no experience;

 

   

the inability to integrate our acquisitions or enter into joint ventures without substantial costs, delays or other problems;

 

   

unexpected liabilities for which we may not be adequately indemnified;

 

   

inability to enforce indemnification and non-compete agreements;

 

   

failing to successfully incorporate acquired product lines or brands into our business;

 

   

the failure of the acquired business or joint venture to perform as well as anticipated;

 

   

the failure to realize expected synergies and cost savings;

 

   

the loss of key employees or customers of the acquired business;

 

   

increasing demands on our operational systems and the potential inability to implement adequate internal controls covering an acquired business or joint venture;

 

   

any requirement that we make divestitures of operations or property in order to comply with applicable antitrust laws;

 

   

possible adverse effects on our reported operating results, particularly during the first several reporting periods after the acquisition is completed; and

 

   

impairment of goodwill relating to an acquired business, which could reduce reported income.

 

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

In addition, acquisitions or joint ventures could result in significant increases in our outstanding indebtedness and debt service requirements or could involve the issuance of preferred stock or common stock that would be dilutive to existing stockholders. Incurring additional debt to fund an acquisition may result in higher debt service and a requirement to comply with additional financial and other covenants, including potential restrictions on future acquisitions and distributions. Funding an acquisition with our existing cash would reduce our liquidity. The terms of our existing and future debt agreements may limit the size and/or number of acquisitions we can pursue or our ability to enter into a joint venture.

Our business could be adversely affected if we fail to maintain product quality and product performance at an acceptable cost or if we incur significant losses, increased costs or harm to our reputation or brand as a result of product liability claims or product recalls.

In order to maintain and increase our net sales and sustain profitable operations we must produce high-quality products at acceptable manufacturing costs and yields. If we are unable to maintain the quality and performance of our products at acceptable costs, our brand, the market acceptance of our products and our results of operations would suffer. As we regularly modify our product lines and introduce changes to our manufacturing processes or incorporate new raw materials, we may encounter unanticipated issues with product quality or production delays. For example, we have recently introduced products that incorporate larger proportions of reclaimed raw materials, primarily reclaimed polyethylene and PVC. While we engage in product testing in an effort to identify and address any product quality issues before we introduce products to market, unanticipated product quality or performance issues may be identified after a product has been introduced and sold.

In addition, we face the risk of exposure to product liability or other claims, including class action lawsuits, in the event our products are, or are alleged to be, defective or have resulted in harm to persons or to property. We may in the future incur significant liabilities if product liability lawsuits against us are successful. We may also have to recall and/or replace defective products, which would also result in adverse publicity and loss of sales, and would result in us incurring costs connected with the recall, which could be material. Any losses not covered by insurance could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations. Real or perceived quality issues, including those arising in connection with product liability lawsuits, warranty claims or recalls, could also result in adverse publicity, which could harm our brand and reputation and cause our sales to decline rapidly. In addition, any such issues may be seized on by competitors in efforts to increase their market share.

We provide product warranties and, if our product warranty obligations were significantly in excess of our reserves, our business, financial condition and results of operations could be materially and adversely affected.

We provide various warranties on our products, ranging from five years to lifetime warranties depending on the product and subject to various limitations. Management estimates warranty reserves, based in part upon historical warranty costs, as a proportion of sales by product line. Management also considers various relevant factors, including our stated warranty policies and procedures, as part of the evaluation of our warranty liability. Because warranty issues may surface later in the life cycle of a product, management continues to review these estimates on a regular basis and considers adjustments to these estimates based on actual experience compared to historical estimates. Estimating the required warranty reserves requires a high level of judgment, especially as many of our products are at a relatively early stage in their product life cycles, and we cannot be sure that our warranty reserves will be adequate for all warranty claims that arise. We have recently increased our use of reclaimed materials in the manufacturing of our products. While we performed extensive testing in connection with the utilization of such materials, the use of reclaimed materials represents a recent and significant change in our business and the use of such materials may result in unanticipated product quality or performance issues and

 

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an increase in warranty claims for certain of our products. We have also recently introduced a new warranty that provides coverage for labor costs incurred in the replacement of products under warranty under specified circumstances. Although we have significant experience regarding warranty claims on our products generally, we do not have historical experience relating to warranty claims under the terms of this new warranty coverage. Warranty obligations in excess of our reserves could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.

We depend on third parties for transportation services, and the lack of availability of and/or increases in the cost of transportation could have a material adverse effect on our business and results of operations.

Our business depends on the transportation of both finished goods to our distributors and other customers and the transportation of raw materials to us primarily through the use of flatbed trucks and rail transportation. We rely on third parties for transportation of these items. The availability of these transportation services is subject to various risks, including those associated with supply shortages, change in fuel prices, work stoppages, operating hazards and interstate transportation regulations. In particular, a significant portion of our finished goods are transported by flatbed trucks, which are occasionally in high demand (especially at the end of calendar quarters) and/or subject to price fluctuations based on market conditions and the price of fuel.

If the required supply of transportation services is unavailable when needed, we may be unable to sell our products when they are requested by our customers. In that event, we may be required to reduce the price of the affected products, seek alternative and, potentially more costly, transportation services or be unable to sell the affected products. Similarly, if any of these transportation providers were unavailable to deliver raw materials to us in a timely manner, we may be unable to manufacture our products in response to customer demand. In addition, a significant increase in transportation rates or fuel surcharges could adversely affect our profitability. Any of these events could have a material adverse effect on our business and results of operations.

Increases in labor costs, potential labor disputes and work stoppages or an inability to hire skilled manufacturing, sales and other personnel could adversely affect our business.

Our financial performance is affected by the availability of qualified personnel and the cost of labor. As of April 30, 2020, we had approximately 1,540 employees. An increase in labor costs, work stoppages or disruptions at our facilities or those of our suppliers or transportation service providers, or other labor disruptions, could decrease our sales and increase our expenses. In addition, although our employees are not represented by a union, our labor force may become subject to labor union organizing efforts, which could cause us to incur additional labor costs and increase the related risks that we now face.

The competition for skilled manufacturing, sales and other personnel is intense in the regions in which our manufacturing facilities are located, including in Wilmington, Ohio and Scranton, Pennsylvania. A significant increase in the salaries and wages paid by competing employers could result in a reduction of our labor force, increases in the salaries and wages that we must pay or both. If we are unable to hire skilled manufacturing, sales and other personnel, our ability to execute our business plan, and our results of operations, would suffer.

If we are unable to collect accounts receivable from one or more of our significant distributors, dealers or other customers, our financial condition and operating results could suffer.

We extend credit to our distributors and, to a lesser extent, dealers and other customers, based on an evaluation of their financial condition, and we generally do not require collateral to secure these extensions of credit. The financial health of many of our customers is affected by changes in the economy and the cyclical nature of the building industry. The effects of the COVID-19 pandemic and the related economic downturn or protracted or severe economic declines and cyclical downturns from other causes in the building industry may cause our customers to be unable to satisfy their payment obligations, including their debts to us. While we maintain allowances for doubtful accounts, these allowances may not be adequate to provide for actual losses, and our financial condition and results of operation could be materially and adversely affected if our losses from doubtful accounts significantly exceed our estimates.

 

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We may incur goodwill and other intangible or long-lived asset impairment charges that adversely affect our operating results.

We review our goodwill and other intangibles not subject to amortization for impairment annually, or when events or circumstances indicate that it is more likely than not that the fair value of a reporting unit could be lower than its carrying value. Changes in economic or operating conditions impacting our estimates and assumptions could result in the impairment of our goodwill or long-lived assets. Although no impairments were recorded for the six months ended March 31, 2020 or the years ended September 30, 2019 or 2018, an impairment of $32.2 million was recorded as of September 30, 2017 with respect to one of our reporting units as a result of lower than anticipated sales revenue and operating margins due to manufacturing inefficiencies and service issues. In the event that we determine our goodwill or long-lived assets are impaired, we may be required to record a significant charge to earnings in our financial statements that could have a material adverse effect on our results of operations.

We have identified material weaknesses in our internal control over financial reporting. If our remediation of these material weaknesses is not effective, or if we identify additional material weaknesses in the future or otherwise fail to maintain an effective system of internal controls in the future, we may not be able to accurately or timely report our financial condition or results of operations, investors may lose confidence in the accuracy and completeness of our financial reports and the trading price of our Class A common stock may decline.

As of September 30, 2019, we determined that we have three material weaknesses in our internal control over financial reporting. The first material weakness relates to the maintenance of an effective control environment as we lacked a sufficient complement of resources. This material weakness contributed to an additional material weakness relating to the design and maintenance of formal accounting policies, procedures and controls. The third relates to the design and maintenance of effective controls over certain information technology general controls. A material weakness is a deficiency, or a combination of deficiencies, in internal control over financial reporting, such that there is a reasonable possibility that a material misstatement of a company’s annual or interim financial statements will not be prevented or detected on a timely basis.

The first material weakness relates to the fact that we did not design or maintain an effective control environment commensurate with our financial reporting requirements. Specifically, we lacked a sufficient complement of resources with an appropriate level of accounting knowledge, training and experience to appropriately analyze, record and disclose accounting matters timely and accurately. This material weakness contributed to the following additional three material weaknesses.

The second material weakness relates to the fact that we did not design and maintain adequate formal accounting policies, procedures and controls, or maintain documentary evidence of existing control activities. Specifically, we did not design and maintain adequate formal accounting policies, procedures and controls to achieve complete, accurate and timely financial accounting, reporting and disclosures, including adequate controls over the preparation and review of account reconciliations and journal entries. Additionally, we did not maintain adequate documentary evidence of existing control activities, and we did not design and maintain controls over the appropriate classification and presentation of accounts and disclosures in the financial statements.

We also had a previous material weakness, which was remediated during fiscal 2019, that related to the fact that we did not design and maintain formal accounting policies, procedures and controls to analyze, account for and disclose non-routine or complex transactions.

These two remaining material weaknesses and the previous material weakness resulted in revision of our consolidated financial statements as of September 30, 2018 and for the year then ended, and in immaterial audit adjustments to our consolidated financial statements as of September 30, 2019, 2018 and 2017 and for the years then ended.

 

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As of September 30, 2019, we also have a third material weakness as a result of the material weakness in our control environment in that we did not design and maintain effective controls over certain information technology, or IT, general controls for information systems and applications that are relevant to the preparation of the financial statements. Specifically, we did not design and maintain:

 

   

User access controls to ensure appropriate segregation of duties and that adequately restrict user and privileged access to financial applications, programs and data to appropriate Company personnel;

 

   

Program change management controls to ensure that IT program and data changes affecting financial IT applications and underlying accounting records are identified, tested, authorized and implemented appropriately;

 

   

Computer operations controls to ensure that critical batch jobs are monitored, and data backups are authorized and monitored; and

 

   

Testing and approval controls for program development to ensure that new software development is aligned with business and IT requirements.

These IT control deficiencies did not result in a misstatement to our financial statements. However, the deficiencies, when aggregated, could impact maintaining effective segregation of duties, as well as the effectiveness of IT-dependent controls (such as automated controls that address the risk of material misstatements to one or more assertions, and IT controls and underlying data that support the effectiveness of IT system-generated data and reports).

Each of the remaining material weaknesses described above involve control deficiencies that could result in a misstatement of one or more account balances or disclosures that would result in a material misstatement to the annual or interim consolidated financial statements that would not be prevented or detected, and, accordingly, we determined that these control deficiencies constitute material weaknesses.

We are in the process of taking steps intended to address the underlying causes of the material weaknesses and to remediate the three remaining material weaknesses. Our efforts to date have included: (i) hiring additional qualified finance and accounting personnel, including the hiring of a new Chief Financial Officer and Chief Accounting Officer; (ii) the implementation of formal policies, procedures and controls, training on standards of documentary evidence, as well as implementation of controls designed to ensure the reliability of critical spreadsheets and system generated reports; and (iii) designing and engaging in the implementation of an IT general controls framework that addresses risks associated with user access and security, application change management and IT operations, focused training for control owners to help sustain effective control operations and comprehensive remediation efforts relating to segregation of duties to strengthen user access controls and security.

While we believe these efforts will improve our internal controls and address the underlying causes of the three remaining material weaknesses, such material weaknesses will not be fully remediated until our remediation plan has been fully implemented and we have concluded that our controls are operating effectively for a sufficient period of time. For more information on our efforts to remediate these material weaknesses, see “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Operations—Internal Control over Financial Reporting.”

We cannot be certain that the steps we are taking will be sufficient to remediate the control deficiencies that led to our material weaknesses in our internal control over financial reporting or prevent future material weaknesses or control deficiencies from occurring. In addition, we cannot be certain that we have identified all material weaknesses in our internal control over financial reporting, or that in the future we will not have additional material weaknesses in our internal control over financial reporting.

If we fail to effectively remediate the remaining material weaknesses in our internal control over financial reporting, or if we identify additional material weaknesses in the future or otherwise fail to maintain an effective system of internal controls in the future, we may be unable to accurately or timely report our financial condition

 

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or results of operations. We also could become subject to sanctions or investigations by the securities exchange on which our Class A common stock is listed, the SEC or other regulatory authorities. In addition, if we are unable to assert that our internal control over financial reporting is effective, or if our independent registered public accounting firm is unable to express an opinion as to the effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting, when required, investors may lose confidence in the accuracy and completeness of our financial reports, we may face restricted access to the capital markets, and the trading price of our Class A common stock may decline.

If we fail to maintain an effective system of internal controls, our ability to produce timely and accurate financial statements or comply with applicable regulations could be impaired.

As a public company, we will be subject to the reporting requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, or the Exchange Act, the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, or the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, and the rules and regulations and the listing standards of the New York Stock Exchange, or the NYSE.

The Sarbanes-Oxley Act requires, among other things, that we maintain effective disclosure controls and procedures and internal control over financial reporting. We are continuing to develop and refine our disclosure controls and other procedures that are designed to ensure that information required to be disclosed by us in the reports that we will file with the SEC is recorded, processed, summarized and reported within the time periods specified in SEC rules and forms and that information required to be disclosed in reports under the Exchange Act is accumulated and communicated to our principal executive and financial officers. We are also continuing to improve our internal control over financial reporting. In order to maintain and improve the effectiveness of our disclosure controls and procedures and internal control over financial reporting, we have expended, and anticipate that we will continue to expend, significant resources, including accounting-related costs and significant management oversight.

In addition to the material weaknesses in our internal control over financial reporting that we have identified, we may discover additional weaknesses in our disclosure controls and internal control over financial reporting in the future. Any failure to develop or maintain effective controls or any difficulties encountered in their implementation or improvement could harm our operating results or cause us to fail to meet our reporting obligations and may result in a restatement of our financial statements for prior periods. Any failure to implement and maintain effective internal control over financial reporting also could adversely affect the results of periodic management evaluations and annual independent registered public accounting firm attestation reports regarding the effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting that we will eventually be required to include in our periodic reports that will be filed with the SEC. Ineffective disclosure controls and procedures and internal control over financial reporting could also cause investors to lose confidence in our reported financial and other information, which could have a negative effect on the trading price of our Class A common stock. In addition, if we are unable to continue to meet these requirements, we may not be able to remain listed on the NYSE. We are not currently required to comply with the SEC rules that implement Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act and are therefore not required to make a formal assessment of the effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting for that purpose. As a public company, we will be required to provide an annual management report on the effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting commencing with our second annual report on Form 10-K.

Our independent registered public accounting firm is not required to formally attest to the effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting until after we are no longer an “emerging growth company” as defined in the Jumpstart Our Business Startups Act, or the JOBS Act. At such time, our independent registered public accounting firm may issue a report that is adverse in the event it is not satisfied with the level at which our internal control over financial reporting is documented, designed or operating. Any failure to maintain effective disclosure controls and internal control over financial reporting could have a material adverse effect on our business and operating results and could cause a decline in the price of our Class A common stock.

 

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Subjective estimates and judgments used by management in the preparation of our financial statements, including estimates and judgments that may be required by new or changed accounting standards, may impact our financial condition and results of operations.

The preparation of financial statements requires management to make estimates and judgments that affect the reported amounts of assets, liabilities, revenue and expenses. Due to the inherent uncertainty in making estimates, results reported in future periods may be affected by changes in estimates reflected in our financial statements for earlier periods. Estimates and judgments are continually evaluated and are based on historical experience and other factors, including expectations of future events that are believed to be reasonable under the circumstances. From time to time, there may be changes in the financial accounting and reporting standards that govern the preparation of our financial statements. These changes can materially impact how we record and report our financial condition and results of operations. In some instances, we could be required to apply a new or revised standard retrospectively. If the estimates and judgments we use in preparing our financial statements are subsequently found to be incorrect or if we are required to restate prior financial statements, our financial condition or results of operations could be significantly affected.

The estimates and forecasts of market opportunity and market growth included in this prospectus may prove to be inaccurate, and we cannot assure you our business will grow at similar rates, or at all.

Estimates and forecasts of market size and opportunity and of market growth are subject to significant uncertainty and are based on assumptions and estimates that may not prove to be accurate. The estimates and forecasts in this prospectus of the size of the markets that we may be able to address and the growth in these markets are subject to many assumptions and may prove to be inaccurate. In particular, the market and industry estimates in this prospectus were prepared prior to the COVID-19 pandemic. We expect that the COVID-19 pandemic may materially reduce the growth of various of the markets discussed in this prospectus, and we cannot predict the extent to which these estimates will be affected. Further, we may not be able to address fully the markets that we believe we can address, and we cannot be sure that these markets will grow at historical rates or the rates we expect for the future. Even if we are able to address the markets that we believe represent our market opportunity and even if these markets experience the growth we expect, we may not grow our business at similar rates, or at all. Our growth is subject to many factors, including our success in implementing our business strategy, which is subject to many risks and uncertainties. Accordingly, the estimates and forecasts of market size and opportunity and of market growth included in this prospectus may not be indicative of our future growth.

We may be subject to significant compliance costs as well as liabilities under environmental, health and safety laws and regulations which could materially and adversely affect our business, financial condition and operations.

Our past and present operations, assets and products are subject to regulation by extensive environmental laws and regulations at the federal, state and local levels. These laws regulate, among other things, air emissions, the discharge or release of materials into the environment, the handling and disposal of wastes, remediation of contaminated sites, worker health and safety and the impact of products on human health and safety and the environment. Under some of these laws, liability for contaminated property may be imposed on current or former owners or operators of the property or on parties that generated or arranged for waste sent to the property for disposal. Liability under these laws may be joint and several and may be imposed without regard to fault or the legality of the activity giving rise to the contamination. Our facilities are located on sites that have been used for manufacturing activities for an extended period of time, which increases the possibility of contamination being present. Despite our compliance efforts, we may still face material liability, limitations on our operations or fines or penalties for violations of environmental, health and safety laws and regulations, including releases of regulated materials and contamination by us or previous occupants at our current or former properties or at offsite disposal locations we use.

 

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We are also subject to permitting requirements under environmental, health and safety laws and regulations applicable in the jurisdictions in which we operate. Those requirements obligate us to obtain permits from one or more governmental agencies in order to conduct our operations. Such permits are typically issued by state agencies, but permits and approvals may also be required from federal or local governmental agencies. The requirements for such permits vary depending on the location where our regulated activities are conducted. As with all governmental permitting processes, there is a degree of uncertainty as to whether a permit will be granted, the time it will take for a permit to be issued and the conditions that may be imposed in connection with the granting of the permit. Any failure to obtain or delay in obtaining a permit required for our operations, or the imposition of onerous conditions in any such permits, could adversely affect our business, financial condition and operations.

Applicable environmental, health and safety laws and regulations, and any changes to them or in their enforcement, may require us to make material expenditures with respect to ongoing compliance with, or remediation under, these laws and regulations or require that we modify our products or processes in a manner that increases our costs and/or reduces our profitability. For example, additional pollution control equipment, process changes or other environmental control measures may be needed at our facilities to meet future requirements. In addition, discovery of currently unknown or unanticipated soil or groundwater contamination at our properties could result in significant liabilities and costs. Accordingly, we are unable to predict the future costs of compliance with, or liability under, environmental, health and safety laws and regulations.

Our business operations could suffer if we fail to adequately protect our intellectual property rights, and we may experience claims by third parties that we are violating their intellectual property rights.

We rely on trademark and service mark protection to protect our brands, and we have registered or applied to register many of these trademarks and service marks. In particular, we believe the AZEK and AZEK Exteriors brands, the TimberTech brand and the VERSATEX brand are significant to the success of our business. In the event that our trademarks or service marks are successfully challenged and we lose the rights to use those trademarks or service marks, or if we fail to prevent others from using them (or similar marks), we could be forced to rebrand our products, requiring us to devote resources to advertising and marketing new brands. In addition, we cannot be sure that any pending trademark or service mark applications will be granted or will not be challenged or opposed by third parties or that we will be able to enforce our trademark rights against counterfeiters.

We generally rely on a combination of unpatented proprietary know-how and trade secrets, and to a lesser extent, patents to preserve our position in the market. Because of the importance of our proprietary know-how and trade secrets, we employ various methods to protect our intellectual property, such as entering into confidentiality agreements with third parties, and controlling access to, and distribution of, our proprietary information. We may not be able to deter current and former employees, contractors and other parties from breaching confidentiality obligations and misappropriating proprietary information. It is difficult for us to monitor unauthorized uses of our products and technology. Accordingly, these protections may not be adequate to prevent competitors from copying, imitating or reverse engineering our products or from developing and marketing products that are substantially equivalent to or superior to our own.

In addition, we have applied for patent protection relating to certain existing and proposed products, processes and services or aspects thereof. We cannot be sure that any of our pending patent applications will be granted or that any patents issued as a result of our patent applications will be of sufficient scope or strength to provide us with any meaningful protection or commercial advantage.

If third parties take actions that affect our rights or the value of our intellectual property or proprietary rights, or if we are unable to protect our intellectual property from infringement or misappropriation, other companies may be able to offer competitive products at lower prices, and we may not be able to effectively compete against these companies. In addition, if any third party copies or imitates our products in a manner that

 

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affects customer or consumer perception of the quality of our products, or of engineered products generally, our reputation and sales could suffer whether or not these violate our intellectual property rights.

In addition, we face the risk of claims that we are infringing third parties’ intellectual property rights. Any such claim, even if it is without merit, could be expensive and time-consuming to defend and could divert the time and attention of our management. An intellectual property claim against us that is successful could cause us to cease making or selling products that incorporate the disputed intellectual property, require us to redesign our products, which may not be feasible or cost effective, and require us to enter into costly royalty or licensing arrangements, any of which could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations. Moreover, certain material technology and know-how we use to manufacture our products is licensed to us rather than owned by us, and our license is subject to termination in the event of uncured material breach, among other reasons.

Any major disruption or failure of our information technology systems or our website, or our failure to successfully implement new technology effectively, could adversely affect our business and operations.

We rely on various information technology systems, owned by us and third parties, to manage our operations, maintain books and records, record transactions, provide information to management and prepare our financial statements. In addition, we have made a significant investment in our website which we believe is critical for lead generation and is the primary forum through which we interact with end consumers. A failure of our information technology systems or our website to operate as expected could disrupt our business and adversely affect our financial condition and results of operations. These systems and our website are vulnerable to damage from hardware failure; fire; power loss; Internet; data network and telecommunications failure; loss or corruption of data and impacts of terrorism; natural disasters or other disasters. We may not have sufficient redundant operations to cover a loss or failure in a timely manner. In addition, the operation of these systems and our website is dependent upon third party technologies, systems and services, and support by third party vendors, and we cannot be sure that these third party systems, services and support will continue to be available to us without interruption, particularly in light of the disruptions stemming from the COVID-19 pandemic. Any damage to our information technology systems or website could cause interruptions to our operations that materially adversely affect our ability to meet customers’ requirements, resulting in an adverse impact to our business, financial condition and results of operations. Periodically, these systems and our website need to be expanded, updated or upgraded as our business needs change. We may not be able to successfully implement changes in our information technology systems and to our website without experiencing difficulties, which could require significant financial and human resources.

We face cybersecurity risks and risks arising from new regulations governing information security and privacy and may incur increasing costs in an effort to mitigate those risks.

We utilize systems and websites that allow for the secure storage and transmission of proprietary or confidential information regarding our customers, employees and others, including personal information. We may be vulnerable to, and unable to anticipate or detect, data security breaches and data loss, including rapidly evolving and increasingly sophisticated and prevalent cybersecurity attacks. In addition, data security breaches can also occur as a result of a breach by us or our employees or by persons with whom we have commercial relationships that result in the unauthorized release of personal or confidential information. In addition to our own databases, we use third-party service providers to store, process and transmit confidential or sensitive information on our behalf. A data security breach could occur in the future either at their location or within their systems that could affect our personal or confidential information.

A data security breach may expose us to a risk of loss or misuse of this information, and could result in significant costs to us, which may include, among others, fines and penalties, costs related to remediation, potential costs and liabilities arising from governmental or third-party investigations, proceedings or litigation, diversion of management attention and harm to our reputation. We could also experience delays or interruptions

 

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in our ability to function in the normal course of business, including delays in the fulfillment of customer orders or disruptions in the manufacture and shipment of products. In addition, actual or anticipated attacks may cause us to incur costs, including costs to deploy additional personnel and protection technologies, train employees and engage third-party experts and consultants. Any compromise or breach of our security could result in a violation of applicable privacy and other laws, significant legal and financial exposure, and a loss of confidence in our security measures, which could have an adverse effect on our business, financial condition and reputation.

The regulatory environment surrounding information security and privacy is increasingly demanding, with frequent imposition of new and changing requirements, which could cause us to incur substantial costs. In the United States, various laws and regulations apply to the collection, processing, disclosure and security of certain types of data, including the Electronic Communications Privacy Act, the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act, the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996, the Gramm Leach Bliley Act and various state laws relating to privacy and data security, including the California Consumer Privacy Act, which took effect on January 1, 2020.

Any failure or perceived failure by us to comply with laws, regulations, policies or regulatory guidance relating to privacy or data security may result in governmental investigations and enforcement actions, litigation, fines and penalties or adverse publicity, and could cause our customers and consumers to lose trust in us, which could have an adverse effect on our reputation and business.

Changes to legislative and regulatory policies related to home ownership may have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.

Our markets are affected by legislative and regulatory policies that promote or do not promote home ownership, such as U.S. tax rules allowing for deductions of mortgage interest or interest on home equity loans. For example, the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, or the Tax Act, which was enacted into law on December 22, 2017, imposes limitations on the deductibility of interest on mortgages qualifying of the home mortgage interest deduction. Beginning in 2018, taxpayers may only deduct interest on $750,000 of qualified residence loans, including home equity loans that are used to substantially improve the taxpayer’s home that secures the loan, a reduction from the prior limit of $1.0 million. As many consumers finance renovation projects that use our products with home equity loans, limitations on the deductibility of interest on those loans could reduce demand for our products. In addition, recent U.S. federal and state legislative and regulatory policies enacted in response to the COVID-19 pandemic provide various measures of relief for homeowners, primarily in the form of mortgage payment forbearance for homeowners with federally-backed mortgages and temporary moratoria on foreclosures and evictions. It remains uncertain whether or to what extent such relief measures could protect homeowners and what impact they will have on the U.S. real estate market and the U.S. and global economies generally, and our business, financial condition and results of operations may be materially and adversely affected as a result. Future changes to laws or policies relating to these or similar matters could reduce demand for our products and have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.

Many of our products must comply with local building codes and ordinances and failure of our products to comply with such codes and ordinances may have an adverse effect on our business.

Many of our products must comply with local building codes and ordinances. These codes and ordinances are subject to future government review and interpretation. If our products fail to comply with such local building codes or ordinances, our ability to market and sell such products would be impaired. Also, should these codes and ordinances be amended or expanded, or should new laws and regulations be enacted, we could incur additional costs or become subject to requirements or restrictions that require us to modify our products or adversely affect our ability to market and sell our products. Furthermore, failure of our products to comply with such codes or ordinances could subject us to negative publicity or damage our reputation.

 

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Comprehensive tax reform legislation could adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations.

The Tax Act, among other things, contains significant changes to corporate taxation, including reduction of the corporate tax rate from a top marginal rate of 35% to a flat rate of 21%, limitation of the tax deduction for business interest expense to 30% of “adjusted taxable income” (roughly defined as earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization in the case of taxable years beginning before January 1, 2022 and earnings before interest and taxes thereafter), limitation of the deduction for net operating losses to 80% of current year taxable income and elimination of net operating loss carrybacks, one time taxation of offshore earnings at reduced rates regardless of whether they are repatriated, current U.S. taxation on foreign earnings earned by certain foreign subsidiaries (subject to certain important exceptions), immediate deductions for certain new investments instead of deductions for depreciation expense over time, and modifying or repealing many business deductions and credits. On March 27, 2020, in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the CARES Act was signed into law and modifies certain provisions under the Tax Act. The CARES Act, among other things, increased the limitation on the deductibility of business interest to 50% of “adjusted taxable income” for taxable years beginning after December 31, 2018 and before January 1, 2021 and allows taxpayers to elect to compute the limitation on business interest expense for 2020 by using its “adjusted taxable income” from 2019. The CARES Act also suspends the 80% limitation on the deduction of net operating losses for taxable years beginning before January 1, 2021 and enables taxpayers to carry back net operating losses generated in a taxable year beginning after December 31, 2017 and before January 1, 2021 to each of the five preceding taxable years. The CARES Act also contains provisions relating to refundable payroll tax credits, deferment of employer side social security payments, alternative minimum tax credit refunds and technical corrections to tax depreciation methods for qualified improvement property that may impact our business and financial results. The most significant impacts of the Tax Act on our financial results to date have included lowering of the U.S. federal corporate income tax rate and remeasurement of our net deferred tax liabilities. During the year ended September 30, 2018, we recorded a $22.5 million net income tax benefit for the remeasurement of certain deferred taxes, and our effective tax rate for the year was significantly reduced by the recognition of this remeasurement. We expect the limitation under the Tax Act on the tax deduction of interest expense will limit our annual deductions of interest expense as a result of our significant outstanding indebtedness until we reduce our outstanding indebtedness or our adjusted earnings increase by an amount sufficient to permit full deductibility of our interest expense. In the event we are subject to limitations on the deductibility of interest under the Tax Act, we will be permitted an indefinite carryforward, and disallowed interest expense will be deductible in later years, subject to the same 30% limitation (or 50% limitation under the CARES Act for taxable years beginning after December 31, 2018 and before January 1, 2021) and to ownership change limitations under Sections 382 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, or the Code, similar to net operating losses.

We continue to examine the impact that the Tax Act and the CARES Act may have on our business in the longer term. Accordingly, notwithstanding the reduction in the corporate income tax rate, the overall impact on us of the Tax Act and the CARES Act is uncertain.

Our insurance coverage may be inadequate to protect against the potential hazards incident to our business.

We maintain property, business interruption, product liability and casualty insurance coverage, but such insurance may not provide adequate coverage against potential claims, including losses resulting from interruptions in our production capability or product liability claims relating to the products we manufacture. Consistent with market conditions in the insurance industry, premiums and deductibles for some of our insurance policies have been increasing and may, in the future, increase substantially. In some instances, some types of insurance may become available only for reduced amounts of coverage, if at all. In addition, our insurers could deny coverage for claims. If we were to incur a significant liability for which we were not fully insured or that our insurers disputed, our business, financial condition or results of operations could be materially adversely affected.

 

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We are in the early stages of implementing strategic initiatives related to the use of recycled materials. If we fail to implement these initiatives as expected, our business, financial condition and results of operations could be adversely affected.

Our future financial performance depends in part on our management’s ability to successfully implement our strategic initiatives related to developing our recycling capabilities and other cost savings measures, with an aim to reduce our material costs, improve net manufacturing productivity and enhance our business operations. We are still in the early stages of material substitution across our manufacturing network and realizing the benefits of our investments in recycling. To achieve such benefits, we must recycle materials on a cost-effective basis and efficiently convert these materials into high-quality finished goods. This strategy involves significant risks, including the risks that:

 

   

Our profitability may be materially diminished. The variability of our raw material sources can result in considerable reduction in our operating rates and yields, which may more than offset any savings we realize from the low purchase price of the materials.

 

   

We may not produce a sustainable return on investment. Our plants must convert our raw materials at high rates and net yields to generate the profit margins and cash flows necessary to achieve sustainable returns.

Changes in trade policies, including the imposition of tariffs, could negatively impact our business, financial condition and results of operations.

The current U.S. administration has signaled support for, and in some instances has taken action with respect to, major changes to certain trade policies, such as the imposition of tariffs on imported products and the withdrawal from or renegotiation of certain trade agreements, including the North American Free Trade Agreement. For example, the United States has increased tariffs on certain imports from China, as well as on steel and aluminum products imported from various countries. We procure certain of the raw materials we use in the manufacturing of our products directly or indirectly from outside of the United States. The imposition of tariffs and other potential changes in U.S. trade policy could increase the cost or limit the availability of raw materials, which could hurt our competitive position and adversely impact our business, financial condition and results of operations.

We operate in select non-U.S. markets and are subject to the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, or the FCPA, as well anti-corruption laws and regulations in other countries, in addition to laws and regulations relating to export controls and economic sanctions. Violations of these laws and regulations could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.

We are subject to various U.S. and non-U.S. anti-corruption laws, including the FCPA, collectively, the Anti-Corruption Laws. These laws generally prohibit companies and their intermediaries from engaging in bribery or making other improper payments of cash (or anything else of value) to government officials and other persons in order to obtain or retain business. Our business operations also must be conducted in compliance with applicable export control and economic sanctions laws and regulations, collectively, the Trade Controls, including rules administered by the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control, the U.S. Department of State, the U.S. Department of Commerce, the United Nations Security Council, and other relevant authorities.

We strive to conduct our business activities in compliance with applicable Anti-Corruption Laws and Trade Controls, and we are not aware of issues of historical noncompliance. However, full compliance cannot be guaranteed. Further expansion outside the United States would likely increase our future legal exposure. Violations of Anti-Corruption Laws or Trade Controls, or even allegations of such violations, could result in civil or criminal penalties, as well as disrupt our business, operations, financial condition and results of operations. Further, changes to the applicable laws and regulations, and/or significant business growth, may result in the need for increased compliance-related resources and costs.

 

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Risks Relating to Our Indebtedness

Our substantial indebtedness could materially adversely affect our financial condition.

We have, and after this offering will continue to have, a significant amount of indebtedness. As of March 31, 2020, our total indebtedness was $1,248.3 million, including $804.3 million under our first lien credit facility, or the Term Loan Credit Agreement, $129.0 million outstanding under our revolving credit agreement, or the Revolving Credit Agreement, and $315.0 million of 2013 Notes. On May 12, 2020, we issued $350.0 million aggregate principal amount of Senior Notes and satisfied and discharged our obligations with respect to the 2013 Notes. We refer to the Term Loan Credit Agreement and the Revolving Credit Agreement collectively as the Senior Secured Credit Facilities. During the three months ended March 31, 2020, we borrowed $129.0 million under the Revolving Credit Agreement, including, on March 16, 2020, $89.0 million to enhance our financial flexibility in light of uncertainties resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic. We intend to use net proceeds from this offering to redeem the Senior Notes and to prepay approximately $                     million of the outstanding principal amount under our Term Loan Credit Agreement, which currently bears interest at a rate of 5.93% per annum. After giving effect to this offering, on an as adjusted basis, as of March 31, 2020, our total indebtedness would have been approximately $                    .

Our substantial indebtedness could have important consequences to the holders of our Class A common stock, including the following:

 

   

making it more difficult for us to satisfy our obligations with respect to our other debt;

 

   

limiting our ability to obtain additional financing to fund future working capital, capital expenditures, acquisitions or other general corporate requirements;

 

   

requiring us to dedicate a substantial portion of our cash flows to debt service payments instead of other purposes, thereby reducing the amount of cash flows available for working capital, capital expenditures, acquisitions and other general corporate purposes;

 

   

increasing our vulnerability to general adverse economic and industry conditions;

 

   

exposing us to the risk of increased interest rates as certain of our borrowings, including borrowings under the Senior Secured Credit Facilities, are at variable rates of interest;

 

   

limiting our flexibility in planning for and reacting to changes in the industry in which we compete;

 

   

placing us at a disadvantage compared to other, less leveraged competitors; and

 

   

increasing our cost of borrowing.

In addition, the credit agreements that govern the Senior Secured Credit Facilities contain restrictive covenants that limit our ability to engage in activities that may be in our long-term best interest. Our failure to comply with those covenants could result in an event of default which, if not cured or waived, could result in the acceleration of all our debt. See “Description of Certain Indebtedness.”

After giving effect to the redemption of the Senior Notes using net proceeds from this offering, the Term Loan Credit Agreement will mature on May 5, 2024, and the Revolving Credit Agreement will mature on March 9, 2022. We may need to refinance all or a portion of our indebtedness on or before the maturity thereof. We may not be able to obtain such financing on commercially reasonable terms or at all. Failure to refinance our indebtedness could have a material adverse effect on us.

We may not be able to generate sufficient cash to service all of our indebtedness and may be forced to take other actions to satisfy our obligations under our indebtedness, which may not be successful.

Our ability to make scheduled payments on or refinance our debt obligations depends on our financial condition and operating performance, which are subject to prevailing economic and competitive conditions and

 

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to financial, business, legislative, regulatory and other factors, some of which are beyond our control. We cannot be sure that our business will generate sufficient cash flows from operating activities, or that future borrowings will be available, to permit us to pay the principal, premium, if any, and interest on our indebtedness.

If our cash flows and capital resources are insufficient to fund our debt service obligations, we could face substantial liquidity problems and could be forced to reduce or delay investments and capital expenditures or to dispose of material assets or operations, seek additional debt or equity capital or restructure or refinance our indebtedness. We may not be able to effect any such alternative measures, if necessary, on commercially reasonable terms or at all and, even if successful, those alternative actions may not allow us to meet our scheduled debt service obligations. The credit agreements that govern the Senior Secured Credit Facilities restrict our ability to dispose of assets and use the proceeds from those dispositions and may also restrict our ability to raise debt or equity capital to be used to repay other indebtedness when it becomes due. We may not be able to consummate those dispositions or to obtain proceeds in an amount sufficient to meet any debt service obligations then due. See “Description of Certain Indebtedness.”

Our inability to generate sufficient cash flows to satisfy our debt obligations, or to refinance our indebtedness on commercially reasonable terms or at all, would have a material adverse effect on our financial condition and results of operations.

If we cannot make scheduled payments on our debt, we will be in default, and the lenders under the Senior Secured Credit Facilities could terminate their commitments to loan money, the lenders could foreclose against the assets securing their borrowings and we could be forced into bankruptcy or liquidation. Any of these events could result in you losing all or a portion of your investment in the Class A common stock.

Despite our current level of indebtedness, we and our subsidiaries may still be able to incur substantially more debt. This could further exacerbate the risks to our financial condition described herein.

We and our subsidiaries may be able to incur significant additional indebtedness in the future. Although the credit agreements that govern the Senior Secured Credit Facilities contain restrictions on the incurrence of additional indebtedness, these restrictions are subject to a number of qualifications and exceptions, and the additional indebtedness incurred in compliance with these restrictions could be substantial. These restrictions also will not prevent us from incurring obligations that do not constitute indebtedness. As of March 31, 2020 and September 30, 2019, we had commitments available for borrowing under the Revolving Credit Agreement of up to $150.0 million. During the three months ended March 31, 2020, we borrowed $129.0 million under the Revolving Credit Agreement, including, on March 16, 2020, $89.0 million to enhance our financial flexibility in light of uncertainties resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic. We also have the option to increase the commitments under the Revolving Credit Agreement by up to $100.0 million, subject to certain conditions. Because our borrowing capacity under the Revolving Credit Agreement depends, in part, on inventory, accounts receivable and other assets that fluctuate from time to time, the amount of commitments may not reflect actual borrowing capacity. In addition, the Term Loan Credit Agreement provides for additional uncommitted incremental term loans of up to $150.0 million, with additional incremental term loans available if certain leverage ratios are maintained. All of those borrowings would be secured by first-priority liens on our property.

The terms of the credit agreements that govern the Senior Secured Credit Facilities restrict our current and future operations, including our ability to respond to changes or to take certain actions.

The credit agreements that govern the Senior Secured Credit Facilities contain a number of restrictive covenants that impose significant operating and financial restrictions on us and may limit our ability to engage in acts that may be in our long-term best interest. See “Description of Certain Indebtedness.” The indebtedness under the Senior Secured Credit Facilities will continue to be outstanding following completion of this offering. The restrictive covenants under the Senior Secured Credit Facilities include restrictions on our ability to:

 

   

incur additional indebtedness and guarantee indebtedness;

 

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pay dividends or make other distributions or repurchase or redeem our capital stock;

 

   

prepay, redeem or repurchase junior debt;

 

   

issue certain preferred stock or similar equity securities;

 

   

make loans and investments;

 

   

sell assets or property, except in certain circumstances;

 

   

incur liens;

 

   

enter into transactions with affiliates;

 

   

modify or waive certain material agreements in a manner that is adverse in any material respect to the lenders;

 

   

enter into agreements restricting our subsidiaries’ ability to pay dividends; and

 

   

make fundamental changes in our business, corporate structure or capital structure, including, among other things, entering into mergers, acquisitions, consolidations and other business combinations or selling all or substantially all of our assets.

As a result of these restrictions, we may be:

 

   

limited in how we conduct our business;

 

   

unable to raise additional debt or equity financing to operate during general economic or business downturns; or

 

   

unable to compete effectively or to take advantage of new business opportunities.

These restrictions may affect our ability to grow in accordance with our strategy. If we incur indebtedness provided or guaranteed by the U.S. Government, including pursuant to the CARES Act, we may be subject to additional restrictions on our operations, including limitations on employee headcount and compensation reductions and other cost reduction activities.

A breach of the covenants or restrictions under the credit agreements that govern the Senior Secured Credit Facilities could result in a default or an event of default. Such a default may allow the creditors to accelerate the related debt and may result in the acceleration of any other debt to which a cross-acceleration or cross-default provision applies. In addition, an event of default under the Senior Secured Credit Facilities would permit the lenders under the Revolving Credit Agreement to terminate all commitments to extend further credit under such facility. Furthermore, if we were unable to repay the amounts due and payable under the Senior Secured Credit Facilities, those lenders under each facility could proceed against the collateral granted to them to secure that indebtedness. In the event our lenders were to accelerate the repayment of our indebtedness, we and our subsidiaries may not have sufficient assets to repay that indebtedness. In exacerbated or prolonged circumstances, one or more of these events could result in our bankruptcy or liquidation.

We rely on available borrowings under the Revolving Credit Agreement for cash to operate our business, and the availability of credit under the Revolving Credit Agreement may be subject to significant fluctuation.

In addition to cash we generate from our business, our principal existing source of cash is borrowings available under the Revolving Credit Agreement. As of March 31, 2020 and September 30, 2019, we had commitments available to be borrowed under the Revolving Credit Agreement of up to $150.0 million. During the three months ended March 31, 2020, we borrowed $129.0 million under the Revolving Credit Agreement, including, on March 16, 2020, $89.0 million to enhance our financial flexibility in light of uncertainties resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic. We also have the option to increase the commitments under the Revolving Credit Agreement by up to $100.0 million, subject to certain conditions. There are limitations on our ability to incur the full $150.0 million of existing commitments under the Revolving Credit Agreement. Availability will be limited

 

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to the lesser of a borrowing base and $150.0 million. The borrowing base is calculated on a monthly (or more frequent under certain circumstances) valuation of our inventory, accounts receivable and certain cash balances. As a result, our access to credit under the Revolving Credit Agreement is potentially subject to significant fluctuation, depending on the value of the borrowing base-eligible assets as of any measurement date. We are in the process of pursuing the RCA Amendment that would increase the percentage of borrowing base-eligible assets against which we are able to borrow, thereby potentially increasing our borrowing capacity (subject to the maximum aggregate amount that may be borrowed under the Revolving Credit Agreement). The RCA Amendment is subject to approval by our lenders. There is no assurance that we will be successful in entering into the RCA Amendment or that the RCA Amendment will substantially increase our borrowing capacity under the Revolving Credit Agreement. The inability to borrow under the Revolving Credit Agreement may adversely affect our liquidity, financial position and results of operations.

Our variable rate indebtedness subjects us to interest rate risk, which could cause our debt service obligations to increase significantly.

Borrowings under the Senior Secured Credit Facilities are at variable rates of interest and expose us to interest rate risk. If interest rates were to increase, our debt service obligations on the variable rate indebtedness would increase even though the amount borrowed remained the same, and our net income and cash flows, including cash available for servicing our indebtedness, will correspondingly decrease. Based on amounts outstanding as of March 31, 2020 and September 30, 2019, each 100 basis point change in interest rates would result in a $9.3 million and $8.1 million change, respectively, in annual interest expense on our indebtedness under the Senior Secured Credit Facilities. See “Description of Certain Indebtedness.” We do not currently hedge the risk of changes in the interest rate under the Senior Secured Credit Facilities. In the future, we may enter into interest rate swaps that involve the exchange of floating for fixed rate interest payments or other instruments in order to reduce interest rate volatility. However, even if we do enter into interest rate swaps, we may not maintain interest rate swaps with respect to all of our variable rate indebtedness, and any swaps or other instruments we enter into may not fully mitigate our interest rate risk.

Uncertainty relating to the LIBOR calculation process and potential phasing out of LIBOR in the future may adversely affect our financing costs.

Currently, the Revolving Credit Agreement and the Term Loan Credit Agreement utilize the London Interbank Offered Rate, or LIBOR, or various alternative methods set forth in the Revolving Credit Agreement and the Term Loan Credit Agreement to calculate interest on any borrowings. National and international regulators and law enforcement agencies have conducted investigations into a number of rates or indices known as “reference rates.” Actions by such regulators and law enforcement agencies may result in changes to the manner in which certain reference rates are determined, their discontinuance or the establishment of alternative reference rates. In particular, on July 27, 2017, the Chief Executive of the United Kingdom Financial Conduct Authority, or the FCA, which regulates LIBOR, announced that the FCA will no longer persuade or compel banks to submit rates for the calculation of LIBOR after 2021. Such announcement indicates that the continuation of LIBOR on the current basis cannot and will not be guaranteed after 2021. As a result, it appears highly likely that LIBOR will be discontinued or modified by 2021.

At this time, it is not possible to predict the effect that these developments, any discontinuance, modification or other reforms to LIBOR or any other reference rate, or the establishment of alternative reference rates may have on LIBOR, other benchmarks or LIBOR-based debt instruments. Uncertainty as to the nature of such potential discontinuance, modification, alternative reference rates or other reforms could cause the interest rate calculated for the Revolving Credit Agreement and the Term Loan Credit Agreement to be materially different than expected, which could have a material adverse effect on our financing costs.

 

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A lowering or withdrawal of the ratings assigned to our debt by rating agencies may increase our future borrowing costs and reduce our access to capital.

Our debt currently has a non-investment grade rating, and any rating assigned could be lowered or withdrawn entirely by a rating agency if, in that rating agency’s judgment, future circumstances relating to the basis of the rating, such as adverse changes, so warrant. Any future lowering of our ratings likely would make it more difficult or more expensive for us to obtain additional debt financing.

Risks Relating to This Offering and Ownership of Our Class A Common Stock

The market price of our Class A common stock may be volatile or may decline steeply or suddenly regardless of our operating performance. You may not be able to resell your shares at or above the initial public offering price and may lose all or part of your investment.

There has been no prior public market for our common stock prior to our initial public offering. The initial public offering price for our Class A common stock will be determined through negotiations among the underwriters and us, and may vary from the market price of our Class A common stock following this offering. If you purchase shares of Class A common stock in this offering, you may not be able to resell those shares at or above the initial public offering price. The market price of our Class A common stock may fluctuate or decline significantly in response to numerous factors, many of which are beyond our control, including:

 

   

the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on us and the national and global economies;

 

   

actual or anticipated fluctuations in our revenues or other operating results;

 

   

variations between our actual operating results and the expectations of securities analysts, investors and the financial community;

 

   

any forward-looking financial or operating information we may provide to the public or securities analysts, any changes in this information or our failure to meet expectations based on this information;

 

   

actions of securities analysts who initiate or maintain coverage of us, changes in financial estimates by any securities analysts who follow us or our failure to meet these estimates or the expectations of investors;

 

   

additional shares of Class A common stock being sold into the market by us or our existing stockholders, or the anticipation of such sales, including if existing stockholders sell shares into the market when the applicable “lock-up” periods end;

 

   

announcements by us or our competitors of significant products or features, innovations, acquisitions, strategic partnerships, joint ventures, capital commitments, divestitures or other dispositions;

 

   

loss of relationships with significant distributors, dealers or other customers;

 

   

changes in operating performance and stock market valuations of companies in our industry, including our competitors;

 

   

increases in interest rates or changes in tax laws that make it more costly for consumers to finance home renovation or purchases;

 

   

difficulties in integrating any new acquisitions we may make;

 

   

loss of services from members of management or employees or difficulty in recruiting additional employees;

 

   

continued worsening of economic conditions in the United States and reduction in demand for our products;

 

   

price and volume fluctuations in the overall stock market, including as a result of general economic trends;

 

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lawsuits threatened or filed against us, or events that negatively impact our reputation; and

 

   

developments in new legislation and pending lawsuits or regulatory actions, including interim or final rulings by judicial or regulatory bodies.

In addition, extreme price and volume fluctuations in the stock markets have affected and continue to affect the stock prices of many companies. Often, their stock prices have fluctuated in ways unrelated or disproportionate to their operating performance. In the past, stockholders have filed securities class action litigation against companies following periods of market volatility. Such securities litigation, if instituted against us, could subject us to substantial costs, divert resources and the attention of management from our business and seriously harm our business.

An active trading market for our Class A common stock may never develop or be sustained.

We have been approved to list our Class A common stock on the NYSE under the symbol “AZEK”. However, we cannot be certain that an active trading market for our Class A common stock will develop on that exchange or elsewhere or, if developed, that any market will be sustained. Furthermore, we cannot be certain that we will continue to satisfy the continued listing standards of the NYSE. If we fail to satisfy the continued listing standards, we could be de-listed, which would have a material adverse effect on the liquidity and price of our Class A common stock.

Future sales of our Class A common stock and other actions by existing stockholders could cause our stock price to decline.

If our existing stockholders, including employees, who have or obtain equity, sell or indicate an intention to sell, substantial amounts of our Class A common stock in the public market after the lock-up and legal restrictions on resale discussed in this prospectus lapse, the trading price of our Class A common stock could decline. Upon the completion of this offering, we will have outstanding a total of                      shares of Class A common stock and                      shares of Class B common stock (assuming the underwriters exercise their option to purchase additional shares in full). Of these shares, only the shares of Class A common stock sold in this offering will be freely tradable without restrictions or further registration under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or the Securities Act, except for any shares held by persons who are not our “affiliates” as defined in Rule 144 under the Securities Act and who have complied with the holding period requirements of Rule 144 under the Securities Act.

Subject to certain exceptions described under “Underwriting,” we and all of our stockholders have entered into or will enter into agreements with the underwriters under which we and they have agreed or will agree, subject to certain exceptions, not to dispose of any shares of common stock, any options or warrants to purchase any shares of common stock or any securities convertible into or exchangeable for or that represent the right to receive shares of common stock during the period from the date of this prospectus continuing through the date 180 days after the date of this prospectus.

When the lock up period in these agreements expires, we and our stockholders will be able to sell shares in the public market. In addition, Barclays Capital Inc. and BofA Securities, Inc. may, together in their sole discretion, release all or some portion of the shares subject to the lock up agreements prior to the expiration of the lock-up period. See “Shares Eligible for Future Sale.” Sales of a substantial number of such shares, or the perception that such sales may occur, upon the expiration or early release of the securities subject to the lock up agreements could cause the price of our Class A common stock to decline or make it more difficult for you to sell your Class A common stock at a time and price that you deem appropriate.

In addition, the Sponsors have demand and “piggy-back” registration rights with respect to our common stock that they will retain following this offering. See “Shares Eligible for Future Sale” for a discussion of the shares of our common stock that may be sold into the public market in the future, including our common stock held by the Sponsors.

 

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We currently do not intend to pay dividends on our Class A common stock, and our indebtedness could limit our ability to pay dividends on our Class A common stock.

After completion of this offering, we currently do not anticipate paying any cash dividends for the foreseeable future. In addition, the terms of our indebtedness limit our ability to pay dividends or make other distributions on, or to repurchase or redeem, shares of our capital stock. See “Description of Certain Indebtedness.” Consequently, your only opportunity to achieve a return on your investment in our company will be if the market price of our Class A common stock appreciates and you sell your shares at a profit. There is no guarantee that the price of our Class A common stock that will prevail in the market after this offering will ever exceed the price that you pay. For more information, see “Dividend Policy.” We cannot be sure that we will pay dividends in the future or continue to pay dividends if we do commence paying dividends.

If securities or industry analysts either do not publish research about us or publish inaccurate or unfavorable research about us, our business or our market, if they adversely change their recommendations regarding our Class A common stock, or if our operating results do not meet their expectations or any financial guidance we may provide, the trading price or trading volume of our Class A common stock could decline.

The trading market for our Class A common stock will be influenced in part by the research and reports that securities or industry analysts may publish about us, our business, our market or our competitors. If one or more of the analysts initiate research with an unfavorable rating or downgrade our Class A common stock, provide a more favorable recommendation regarding our competitors or publish inaccurate or unfavorable research about our business, our Class A common stock price would likely decline. If one or more analysts who may cover us were to cease coverage of us or fail to regularly publish reports on us, we could lose visibility in the financial markets, which in turn could cause the trading price or trading volume of our Class A common stock to decline.

In addition, if we do not meet any financial guidance that we may provide to the public or if we do not meet expectations of securities analysts or investors, the trading price of our Class A common stock could decline significantly. Our operating results may fluctuate significantly from period to period as a result of changes in a variety of factors affecting us or our industry, many of which are difficult to predict. As a result, we may experience challenges in forecasting our operating results for future periods.

Future issuances of our Class A common stock, including upon conversion of our Class B common stock, could result in significant dilution to our stockholders, dilute the voting power of our Class A common stock and depress the market price of our Class A common stock.

Future issuances of our Class A common stock could result in dilution to existing holders of our Class A common stock. Such issuances, or the perception that such issuances may occur, could depress the market price of our Class A common stock. We may issue additional equity securities from time to time, including equity securities that could have rights senior to those of our Class A common stock. As a result, purchasers of shares of Class A common stock in this offering bear the risk that future issuances of equity securities may reduce the value of their shares and dilute their ownership interests. Also, to the extent outstanding stock-based awards are issued or become vested, there will be further dilution to the holders of our Class A common stock.

We have a dual-class capitalization structure, which may pose a particular risk of dilution to the holders of our Class A common stock. Each share of our Class B common stock, which is not entitled to vote for the election, removal and replacement of our directors, is convertible at any time at the option of the holder of the Class B common stock into one share of Class A common stock, which is entitled to vote for the election, removal and replacement of our directors. Accordingly, conversion of shares of our Class B common stock into shares of our Class A common stock would dilute holders of Class A common stock, including holders of shares purchased in this offering, in terms of voting power in connection with the election, removal and replacement of our directors.

 

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We will incur increased costs and devote substantial management time as a result of operating as a public company.

As a public company, we will incur significant legal, accounting, investor relations and other expenses that we did not incur as a private company. For example, we will be subject to the reporting requirements of the Exchange Act, and will be required to comply with the applicable requirements of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act and the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, as well as rules and regulations subsequently implemented by the SEC and the NYSE, including the establishment and maintenance of effective disclosure and financial controls and changes in corporate governance practices. We expect that the requirements of operating as a public company will increase our legal and financial compliance and investor relations costs and will make some activities more time consuming and costly. In addition, we expect that our management and other personnel will need to divert attention from operational and other business matters to devote substantial time to these public company requirements. In particular, we expect to incur significant expenses and devote substantial management effort toward ensuring compliance with the requirements of Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, which will increase when we are no longer an emerging growth company, as defined by the JOBS Act. We will also need to establish an investor relations function. We cannot predict or estimate the amount of additional costs we may incur as a result of becoming a public company or the timing of those costs.

Public company reporting and disclosure obligations and a broader shareholder base as a result of our status as a public company may expose us to a greater risk of claims by shareholders, and we may experience threatened or actual litigation from time to time. If claims asserted in such litigation are successful, our business and operating results could be adversely affected, and, even if claims do not result in litigation or are resolved in our favor, these claims, and the time and resources necessary to resolve them and the diversion of management resources, could adversely affect our business and operating results.

We are an “emerging growth company” and will be able to avail ourselves of reduced disclosure requirements applicable to emerging growth companies, which could make our common stock less attractive to investors.

We are an emerging growth company, as defined in the JOBS Act, and we intend to take advantage of certain exemptions from various reporting requirements that are applicable to other public companies that are not emerging growth companies including not being required to comply with the auditor attestation requirements of Section 404(b) of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, reduced disclosure obligations regarding executive compensation in our periodic reports and proxy statements and exemptions from the requirements of holding a nonbinding advisory vote on executive compensation and stockholder approval of any golden parachute payments not previously approved. In addition, under the JOBS Act, emerging growth companies can delay the adoption of certain new or revised accounting standards until those standards would otherwise apply to private companies. We have elected to avail ourselves of this exemption from new or revised accounting standards and, therefore, we will not be subject to the same new or revised accounting standards as other public companies that are not emerging growth companies or that have opted out of using such extended transition period, which may make comparison of our financial statements with those of other public companies more difficult. We cannot predict if investors will find our Class A common stock less attractive because we may rely on these exemptions. If some investors find our Class A common stock less attractive as a result, there may be a less active trading market for our Class A common stock and our stock price may be more volatile.

We may take advantage of these reporting exemptions until we are no longer an emerging growth company or, with respect to adoption of certain new or revised accounting standards, until we irrevocably elect to opt out of using the extended transition period. We will remain an emerging growth company until the earliest of (i) the last day of the fiscal year in which we have total annual gross revenues of $1.07 billion or more; (ii) the last day of our fiscal year following the fifth anniversary of the date of the completion of this offering; (iii) the date on which we have issued more than $1 billion in nonconvertible debt during the previous three years; or (iv) the date on which we are deemed to be a large accelerated filer under the rules of the SEC.

 

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If you purchase shares of our Class A common stock in this offering, you will experience substantial and immediate dilution in net tangible book value per share.

The assumed initial public offering price of $             per share, the midpoint of the estimated offering price range set forth on the cover page of this prospectus, is substantially higher than the net tangible book value per share of our outstanding Class A common stock immediately after this offering. If you purchase shares of Class A common stock in this offering, you will experience substantial and immediate dilution in the pro forma net tangible book value per share of $             per share as of March 31, 2020, based on the assumed initial public offering price of $             per share. That is because the price that you pay will be substantially greater than the pro forma net tangible book value per share of Class A common stock that you acquire. This dilution is due in large part to the fact that our earlier investors paid substantially less than the initial public offering price when they purchased their shares of our capital stock. You will experience additional dilution to the extent that new securities are issued under our equity incentive plans or we issue additional shares of Class A common stock or Class B common stock in the future. See “Dilution.”

Risks Relating to Our Organizational Structure

Provisions in our certificate of incorporation and bylaws, each of which will be in effect upon the completion of this offering, could make a merger, tender offer or proxy contest difficult, thereby depressing the trading price of our Class A common stock.

Our certificate of incorporation and bylaws, each of which will be in effect upon the completion of this offering, contain provisions that could depress the trading price of our Class A common stock by acting to discourage, delay or prevent a change of control of our company or changes in our management that our stockholders may deem advantageous. In particular, our certificate of incorporation and bylaws:

 

   

establish a classified board of directors so that not all members are elected at one time, which could delay the ability of stockholders to change the membership of a majority of our board of directors;

 

   

permit our board of directors to establish the number of directors and fill any vacancies (including vacancies resulting from an expansion in the size of our board of directors), except in the case of the vacancy of a Sponsor-designated director (in which case the Sponsor that designated the director will be able to fill the vacancy);

 

   

establish limitations on the removal of directors;

 

   

authorize the issuance of “blank check” preferred stock that our board of directors could use to implement a stockholder rights plan;

 

   

provide that our board of directors is expressly authorized to make, alter or repeal our bylaws;

 

   

restrict the forum for certain litigation against us to Delaware;

 

   

provide that stockholders may not act by written consent following the time when the Sponsors collectively cease to beneficially own at least a majority of the shares of our outstanding common stock, which time we refer to as the Trigger Date, which would require stockholder action to be taken at an annual or special meeting of our stockholders;

 

   

prohibit stockholders from calling special meetings following the Trigger Date, which would delay the ability of our stockholders to force consideration of a proposal or to take action, including with respect to the removal of directors; and

 

   

establish advance notice requirements for nominations for election to our board of directors or for proposing matters that can be acted upon by stockholders at annual stockholder meetings, which may discourage or deter a potential acquirer from conducting a solicitation of proxies to elect the acquirer’s own slate of directors or otherwise attempting to obtain control of us.

 

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Section 203 of the Delaware General Corporation Law, or the DGCL, prohibits a publicly held Delaware corporation from engaging in a business combination with an interested stockholder, generally a person, individually or together with any other interested stockholder, who owns or within the last three years has owned 15% of our voting stock, unless the business combination is approved in a prescribed manner. We have elected to opt out of Section 203 of the DGCL. However, our certificate of incorporation will contain a provision that is of similar effect, except that it will exempt from its scope the Sponsors, any of their affiliates and certain of their respective direct or indirect transferees as described under “Description of Capital Stock—Anti-Takeover Provisions.”

Any provision of our certificate of incorporation, our bylaws or Delaware law that has the effect of delaying or deterring a change in control could limit the opportunity for our stockholders to receive a premium for their shares of Class A common stock and could also affect the price that some investors are willing to pay for our Class A common stock. See “Description of Capital Stock—Anti-Takeover Provisions.”

Our certificate of incorporation, which will be in effect upon the completion of this offering, will provide that the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware will be the exclusive forum for a wide range of disputes between us and our stockholders, which could limit our stockholders’ ability to obtain a favorable judicial forum for disputes with us or our directors, officers or employees.

Our certificate of incorporation, which will be in effect upon the completion of this offering, will provide that the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware (or, if no state court located within the State of Delaware has jurisdiction, the federal district court for the District of Delaware) is the exclusive forum for the following types of actions or proceedings under Delaware statutory or common law:

 

   

any derivative action or proceeding brought on our behalf;

 

   

any action asserting a breach of fiduciary duty owed by any director or officer or other employee to us or our stockholders;

 

   

any action asserting a claim against us or any of our directors, officers or other employees arising pursuant to any provision of the DGCL, our certificate of incorporation or our bylaws (as they may be amended from time to time);

 

   

any action asserting a claim against us or any of our directors, officers or other employees governed by the internal-affairs doctrine;

 

   

any action or proceeding to interpret, apply, enforce or determine the validity of our certificate of incorporation or our bylaws (including any right, obligation or remedy under our certificate of incorporation or our bylaws); and

 

   

any action or proceeding as to which the DGCL confers jurisdiction to the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware.

This provision would not apply to suits brought to enforce a duty or liability created by the Exchange Act or any other claim for which the U.S. federal courts have exclusive jurisdiction. Any person or entity purchasing or otherwise acquiring any interest in shares of our capital stock will be deemed to have notice of, and consented to, the exclusive-forum provisions in our certificate of incorporation.

The exclusive-forum provisions will also provide that, unless we consent in writing to the selection of an alternative forum, the federal district courts of the United States will be the exclusive forum for the resolution of any complaint asserting a cause of action arising under the Securities Act, subject to and contingent upon a final adjudication in the State of Delaware of the enforceability of such exclusive-forum provision. If a court were to find any of the exclusive-forum provisions in our certificate of incorporation to be inapplicable or unenforceable in an action, we may incur additional costs associated with resolving the dispute in other jurisdictions, which could seriously harm our business.

 

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These exclusive-forum provisions may limit a stockholder’s ability to bring a claim in a judicial forum that it finds favorable for disputes with us or our directors, officers or employees, which may discourage lawsuits against us and our directors, officers and employees, although our stockholders will not be deemed to have waived our compliance with federal securities laws and the rules and regulations thereunder.

Our certificate of incorporation will contain a provision renouncing our interest and expectancy in certain corporate opportunities.

Under our certificate of incorporation, neither of the Sponsors nor any of their respective portfolio companies, funds or other affiliates, nor any of their officers, directors, employees, agents, stockholders, members or partners will have any duty to refrain from engaging, directly or indirectly, in the same business activities, similar business activities, or lines of business in which we operate. In addition, our certificate of incorporation provides that, to the fullest extent permitted by law, no officer or director of ours who is also an officer, director, employee, agent, stockholder, member, partner or affiliate of either of the Sponsors will be liable to us or our stockholders for breach of any fiduciary duty by reason of the fact that any such individual directs a corporate opportunity to a Sponsor, instead of to us, or does not communicate information regarding a corporate opportunity to us that the officer, director, employee, agent, stockholder, member, partner or affiliate has directed to such Sponsor. For example, a director of our company who also serves as an officer, director, employee, agent, stockholder, member, partner or affiliate of one of the Sponsors, or any of their respective portfolio companies, funds, or other affiliates may pursue certain acquisitions or other opportunities that may be complementary to our business and, as a result, such acquisition or other opportunities may not be available to us. These potential conflicts of interest could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations or prospects if attractive corporate opportunities are allocated by either of the Sponsors to itself or themselves or their respective portfolio companies, funds or other affiliates instead of to us. A description of our obligations related to corporate opportunities under our certificate of incorporation are more fully described in “Description of Capital Stock—Corporate Opportunity.”

We are a holding company and rely on dividends, distributions, and other payments, advances and transfers of funds from our subsidiaries to meet our obligations.

We are a holding company that does not conduct any business operations of our own. As a result, we are largely dependent upon cash distributions and other transfers from our direct and indirect subsidiaries to meet our obligations. The agreements governing the indebtedness of our subsidiaries impose restrictions on our subsidiaries’ ability to pay dividends or other distributions to us. See “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations—Liquidity and Capital Resources.” Each of our subsidiaries is a distinct legal entity, and under certain circumstances legal and contractual restrictions may limit our ability to obtain cash from them and we may be limited in our ability to cause any future joint ventures to distribute their earnings to us. The deterioration of the earnings from, or other available assets of, our subsidiaries for any reason could impair their ability to make distributions to us.

We continue to be controlled by the Sponsors, and the Sponsors’ interests may conflict with our interests and the interests of other stockholders.

Following this offering, the Sponsors will beneficially own             % of our common stock (or             % if the underwriters exercise their option to purchase additional shares in full). Pursuant to the stockholders agreement, or the Stockholders Agreement, that will be entered into among the Sponsors and us in connection with this offering, the Sponsors will have the right to designate a number of individuals to be included in the slate of nominees for election to our board of directors equal to the greater of up to six directors and the number of directors comprising a majority of our board of directors for so long as the Sponsors collectively own 50% or more of the outstanding shares of our common stock. Except as otherwise described in this prospectus, for so long as the Sponsors collectively own less than 50% of the outstanding shares of our common stock, the Sponsors will have the right to designate that number of individuals to be included in the slate of nominees for

 

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election to our board of directors (rounded up to the nearest whole number or, if such rounding would cause the Sponsors to have the right to elect a majority of our board of directors, rounded to the nearest whole number) that is the same percentage of the total number of directors comprising our board as the collective percentage of common stock owned by the Sponsors. Because our board of directors will be divided into three staggered classes, the Sponsors may be able to influence or control our affairs and policies even after they cease to own a majority of our outstanding Class A common stock during the period in which the Sponsors’ nominees finish their terms as members of our board, but in any event no longer than would be permitted under applicable law and the NYSE listing requirements. Therefore, following the completion of this offering and for so long as the Sponsors continue to own 50% or more of our common stock, individuals affiliated with the Sponsors will have the power to elect a majority of our directors and will have effective control over the outcome of votes on all matters requiring approval by our board of directors or our stockholders regardless of whether other stockholders believe such matter is in our best interests.

In addition, following the completion of this offering, the Stockholders Agreement will provide that, for so long as the Sponsors collectively own at least 30% of the outstanding shares of our common stock, certain significant corporate actions will require the prior written consent of each of the Sponsors, subject to certain exceptions. If either Sponsor owns less than 10% of the outstanding shares of our common stock, such action will not be subject to the approval of such Sponsor and the shares of common stock owned by such Sponsor will be excluded in calculating the 30% threshold. See “Certain Relationships and Related Party Transactions—Stockholders Agreement.”

These actions include:

 

   

merging or consolidating with or into any other entity, or transferring all or substantially all of our assets, taken as a whole, to another entity, or undertaking any transaction that would constitute a “Change of Control” as defined in our debt agreements;

 

   

acquiring or disposing of assets, in a single transaction or a series of related transactions, or entering into joint ventures, in each case with a value in excess of $75.0 million;

 

   

incurring indebtedness in a single transaction or a series of related transactions in an aggregate principal amount in excess of $100.0 million;

 

   

issuing our or our subsidiaries’ equity other than pursuant to an equity compensation plan approved by our stockholders or a majority of the directors designated by the Sponsors;

 

   

terminating the employment of our chief executive officer or hiring or designating a new chief executive officer;

 

   

entering into any transactions, agreements, arrangements or payments with either of the Sponsors or any other person who owns greater than or equal to 10% of our common stock then outstanding that are material or involve aggregate payments or receipts in excess of $500,000;

 

   

amending, modifying or waiving any provision of our organizational documents in a manner that adversely affects the Sponsors;

 

   

commencing any liquidation, dissolution or voluntary bankruptcy, administration, recapitalization or reorganization;

 

   

increasing or decreasing the size of our board of directors; and

 

   

entering into of any agreement to do any of the foregoing.

The interests of the Sponsors and their affiliates, including funds affiliated with the Sponsors, could conflict with or differ from our interests or the interests of our other stockholders. For example, the concentration of ownership held by the Sponsors could delay, defer or prevent a change in control of our company or impede a merger, takeover or other business combination which may otherwise be favorable for us. Additionally, the Sponsors and their affiliates are in the business of making investments in companies and may, from time to time,

 

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acquire and hold interests in or provide advice to businesses that compete directly or indirectly with us, or are suppliers or customers of ours. Any such investment may increase the potential for the conflicts of interest discussed in this risk factor. So long as funds affiliated with the Sponsors continue to directly or indirectly own a significant amount of our equity, even if such amount is less than 50%, the Sponsors will continue to be able to substantially influence or effectively control our ability to enter into corporate transactions.

We are a “controlled company” within the meaning of the NYSE rules and, as a result, qualify for and intend to rely on exemptions from certain corporate governance requirements.

Following this offering, affiliates of the Sponsors will continue to control a majority of the voting power of our outstanding voting stock, and as a result we will be a controlled company within the meaning of the NYSE corporate governance standards. Under the NYSE rules, a company of which more than 50% of the voting power is held by another person or group of persons acting together is a controlled company and may elect not to comply with certain corporate governance requirements, including the requirements that:

 

   

a majority of the board of directors consist of independent directors;

 

   

the nominating and corporate governance committee be composed entirely of independent directors with a written charter addressing the committee’s purpose and responsibilities; and

 

   

the compensation committee be composed entirely of independent directors with a written charter addressing the committee’s purpose and responsibilities.

We intend to utilize these exemptions as long as we remain a controlled company. As a result, we may not have a majority of independent directors and our nominating and corporate governance committee and compensation committee may not consist entirely of independent directors. Accordingly, you may not have the same protections afforded to stockholders of companies that are subject to all of the corporate governance requirements of the NYSE.

Pursuant to Rule 10C-1 under the Exchange Act, the NYSE has adopted amendments to its listing standards that require, among other things, that:

 

   

compensation committees be composed of fully independent directors, as determined pursuant to new independence requirements;

 

   

compensation committees be explicitly charged with hiring and overseeing compensation consultants, legal counsel, and other committee advisors; and

 

   

compensation committees be required to consider, when engaging compensation consultants, legal counsel, or other advisors, certain independence factors, including factors that examine the relationship between the consultant or advisor’s employer and us.

As a “controlled company,” we will not be subject to these compensation committee independence requirements.

 

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SPECIAL NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

This prospectus contains forward-looking statements. Many statements included in this prospectus that are not statements of historical fact, including statements about our beliefs and expectations, are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are inherently subject to risks and uncertainties, some of which cannot be predicted or quantified. These risks and other factors include, but are not limited to, those listed under “Risk Factors.” In some cases, you can identify forward-looking statements by terminology such as “anticipate,” “believe,” “continue,” “could,” “estimate,” “expect,” “intend,” “may,” “might,” “objective,” “ongoing,” “plan,” “predict,” “project,” “potential,” “should,” “will,” “would” or the negative of these terms or other comparable terminology. In particular, statements about potential new products and product innovation, statements regarding the potential impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, statements about the markets in which we operate, including growth of our various markets and growth in the use of engineered products, and our expectations, beliefs, plans, strategies, objectives, prospects, assumptions or future events or performance contained in this prospectus under the headings “Prospectus Summary,” “Risk Factors,” “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations,” and “Business” are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements about:

 

   

our market opportunity and the potential growth of that market;

 

   

our strategy, outcomes and growth prospects;

 

   

trends in our industry and markets; and

 

   

the competitive environment in which we operate.

Some of the factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements include:

 

   

our business, financial condition and results of operations are being, and are expected to continue to be, adversely affected by the current COVID-19 public health pandemic;

 

   

demand for our products is significantly influenced by general economic conditions and trends in consumer spending on outdoor living and home exteriors, and adverse trends in, among other things, the health of the economy, repair and remodel and new construction activity, industrial production and institutional funding constraints;

 

   

risks associated with us competing against other manufacturers of (i) engineered and composite products; and (ii) products made from wood, metal and other traditional materials;

 

   

risks related to the seasonal nature of certain of our products and the impact that changes in weather conditions and product mix may have on our sales;

 

   

our ability to develop new and improved products and effectively manage the introduction of new products;

 

   

our ability to effectively manage changes in our manufacturing process resulting from cost savings and integration initiatives and the introduction of new products;

 

   

risks related to our ability to accurately predict demand for our products and risks related to our ability to maintain relationships with key distributors or other customers;

 

   

risks related to shortages in supply, price increases or deviation in the quality of raw materials;

 

   

our ability to retain management;

 

   

risks related to acquisitions or joint ventures we may pursue;

 

   

our ability to maintain product quality and product performance at an acceptable cost, and potential exposures resulting from our product warranties;

 

   

our ability to ensure that our products comply with local building codes and ordinances;

 

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risks arising from the material weaknesses we have identified in our internal control over financial reporting and any failure to remediate these material weaknesses;

 

   

our ability to maintain an effective system of internal controls and produce timely and accurate financial statements or comply with applicable regulations;

 

   

our ability to protect our intellectual property rights;

 

   

the increased expenses associated with being a public company;

 

   

risks associated with our substantial indebtedness and debt service including our ability to incur substantially more indebtedness, which could further exacerbate the risks associated with our substantial indebtedness;

 

   

risks associated with a lowering or withdrawal of the ratings assigned to our debt by rating agencies;

 

   

our need to generate cash to service our indebtedness;

 

   

restrictions in our debt agreements that limit our flexibility in operating our business;

 

   

our reliance on dividends, distributions and other payments from our subsidiaries to meet our obligations; and

 

   

other risks and uncertainties, including those described under “Risk Factors.”

We have based the forward-looking statements contained in this prospectus primarily on our current expectations and projections about future events and trends that we believe may affect our business, financial condition, results of operations, prospects, business strategy and financial needs. The outcome of the events described in these forward-looking statements is subject to risks, uncertainties, assumptions and other factors described under “Risk Factors” and elsewhere in this prospectus. These risks are not exhaustive. Other sections of this prospectus include additional factors that could adversely affect our business and financial performance. Moreover, we operate in a very competitive and rapidly changing environment. New risks and uncertainties emerge from time to time, and it is not possible for us to predict all risks and uncertainties that could have an impact on the forward-looking statements contained in this prospectus. We cannot be sure that the results, events and circumstances reflected in the forward-looking statements will be achieved or occur, and actual results, events or circumstances could differ materially from those described in, or implied by, the forward-looking statements.

In addition, statements that “we believe” and similar statements reflect our beliefs and opinions on the relevant subject. These statements are based upon information available to us as of the date of this prospectus, and while we believe that information forms a reasonable basis for such statements, that information may be limited or incomplete, and our statements should not be read to indicate that we have conducted an exhaustive inquiry into, or review of, all potentially available relevant information.

The forward-looking statements made in this prospectus relate only to events as of the date on which such statements are made. We undertake no obligation to update any forward-looking statements after the date of this prospectus or to conform such statements to actual results or revised expectations, except as required by law.

 

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MARKET AND INDUSTRY DATA

We obtained the industry and market and competitive position data used throughout this prospectus from our own internal estimates and research, as well as from industry and general publications. Internal estimates are derived from information released by industry analysts and third-party sources, our internal research and our industry experience, and are based on assumptions made by us based on that information and our knowledge of our industry and market, which we believe to be reasonable. Certain industry and market data and forecasts in this prospectus are based on the independent research of Principia and Freedonia. In addition, while we believe the industry and market data included in this prospectus were based on reasonable assumptions when prepared, the industry and market data involve risks and uncertainties and are subject to change based on various factors, including those discussed in “Risk Factors.” In particular, the market and industry estimates in this prospectus were prepared prior to the COVID-19 pandemic. The data provided by Principia is as of October 2019 and presents final data for 2018. Principia’s 2019 data is expected to be released in the second half of 2020. We expect that the COVID-19 pandemic may materially reduce the growth of various of the markets discussed in this prospectus, and we cannot predict the extent to which these estimates will be affected. These and other factors could cause results to differ materially from those expressed in, or implied by, the estimates made by independent parties and by us. Furthermore, we cannot assure you that a third party using different methods to assemble, analyze or compute industry and market data would obtain the same results.

Information based on estimates, forecasts, projections, market research or similar methodologies is inherently subject to uncertainties, and actual events or circumstances may differ materially from events and circumstances that are assumed in this information. In some cases, we do not expressly refer to the sources from which data is derived.

 

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USE OF PROCEEDS

We estimate that we will receive net proceeds from this offering of approximately $                     million (or approximately $                     million if the underwriters exercise their option to purchase additional shares of Class A common stock from us in full) based upon an assumed initial public offering price of $             per share, the midpoint of the estimated price range set forth on the cover page of this prospectus, after deducting assumed underwriting discounts and commissions and estimated offering expenses payable by us.

A $1.00 increase (decrease) in the assumed initial public offering price of $             per share of Class A common stock, the midpoint of the estimated price range set forth on the cover page of this prospectus, would increase (decrease) the net proceeds to us from this offering by approximately $                     million, assuming that the number of shares of Class A common stock offered by us, as set forth on the cover page of this prospectus, remains the same, and after deducting assumed underwriting discounts and commissions and estimated offering expenses payable by us. Similarly, each increase (decrease) of 1.0 million shares in the number of shares of Class A common stock offered by us would increase (decrease) the net proceeds to us from this offering by approximately $                     million, assuming the assumed initial public offering price of $             per share remains the same, and after deducting assumed underwriting discounts and commissions and estimated offering expenses payable by us.

We intend to use net proceeds received by us from this offering first to redeem the Senior Notes, plus accrued and unpaid interest thereon, and then to prepay approximately $                     million of the outstanding principal amount under our Term Loan Credit Agreement. As of May 28, 2020, $350.0 million aggregate principal amount of the Senior Notes was outstanding. We intend to redeem the Senior Notes at a redemption price equal to 107.125% of the aggregate principal amount outstanding plus accrued and unpaid interest to the redemption date; see “Description of Certain Indebtedness—Senior Notes.” As of March 31, 2020, we had $804.3 million of principal outstanding under our Term Loan Credit Agreement. The Senior Notes mature on May 15, 2025 and bear interest at an annual rate of 9.500%. After giving effect to the redemption of the Senior Notes using net proceeds from this offering, the Term Loan Credit Agreement will mature on May 5, 2024 and currently bears interest at a rate of 5.93% per annum. To the extent the proceeds we receive in this offering are lower than currently estimated, we may, if necessary, elect not to prepay any amounts under our Term Loan Credit Agreement. If the net proceeds we receive in this offering are insufficient to redeem the Senior Notes in full, we may redeem up to 40% of the outstanding principal amount of the Senior Notes.

We will use any additional net proceeds raised in this offering for general corporate purposes, including working capital, operating expenses and capital expenditures. We may also use a portion of any additional net proceeds we receive from this offering for acquisitions or other strategic investments, although we do not currently have any specific plans to do so.

We intend to invest the net proceeds to us from this offering that are not used as described above (or pending such use) in investment-grade, interest-bearing instruments. The precise allocation of funds among these uses will depend upon future developments in or affecting our business and the emergence of future opportunities.

 

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CORPORATE CONVERSION

We currently operate as a Delaware limited liability company under the name CPG Newco LLC. CPG Newco LLC is a holding company which holds all of the limited liability company interests in CPG International LLC, the entity which directly and indirectly holds all of the equity interests in our operating subsidiaries. Prior to the effectiveness of the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part, CPG Newco LLC will convert into a Delaware corporation pursuant to a statutory conversion and will change its name to The AZEK Company Inc. In addition, a special purpose entity, CPG Holdco LLC, which was formed at the time of the acquisition of CPG Newco LLC solely for the purpose of holding membership interests in CPG Newco LLC and that will continue to hold such interests until the Corporate Conversion, will be merged with and into us. In this prospectus, we refer to all of the transactions related to our conversion into a corporation and the merger described above as the Corporate Conversion.

The purpose of the Corporate Conversion is to reorganize our corporate structure so that the entity that is offering Class A common stock to the public in this offering is a corporation rather than a limited liability company.

In conjunction with the Corporate Conversion, all of our outstanding membership interests will be converted into an aggregate of                      shares of our common stock.                      shares of common stock will be designated Class A common stock and                      shares of common stock will be designated Class B common stock. The number of shares of Class A common stock and Class B common stock issuable in connection with the Corporate Conversion will be determined pursuant to the applicable provisions of the plan of conversion.

As a result of the Corporate Conversion, The AZEK Company Inc. will succeed to all of the property and assets of CPG Newco LLC and will succeed to all of the debts and obligations of CPG Newco LLC. The AZEK Company Inc. will be governed by a certificate of incorporation filed with the Delaware Secretary of State and bylaws, the material provisions of which are described under the heading “Description of Capital Stock.” On the effective date of the Corporate Conversion, each of our directors and officers will be as described elsewhere in this prospectus. See “Management.”

Except as otherwise noted herein, the Consolidated Financial Statements included elsewhere in this prospectus are those of CPG Newco LLC and its consolidated operations. We do not expect that the Corporate Conversion will have an effect on our results of operations.

 

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DIVIDEND POLICY

We did not declare any dividends in fiscal years 2019 and 2018, and we currently do not anticipate paying any cash dividends after this offering and for the foreseeable future. Instead, we anticipate that all of our earnings on our common stock in the foreseeable future will be used to repay debt, for working capital, to support our operations and to finance the growth and development of our business. Any future determination relating to dividend policy will be made at the discretion of our board of directors and will depend on a number of factors, including restrictions in our current and future debt instruments, our future earnings, capital requirements, financial condition, prospects, and applicable Delaware law, which provides that dividends are only payable out of surplus or current net profits.

As a holding company, our ability to pay dividends depends on our receipt of cash dividends from our operating subsidiaries. Our ability to pay dividends will therefore be restricted as a result of restrictions on their ability to pay dividends to us, including under the agreements governing our existing and any future indebtedness. See “Risk Factors—Risks Relating to This Offering and Ownership of Our Class A Common Stock,” “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations—Liquidity and Capital Resources” and “Description of Certain Indebtedness.”

 

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CAPITALIZATION

The following table describes our cash, cash equivalents and available-for-sale securities and capitalization as of March 31, 2020:

 

   

on an actual basis;

 

   

on a pro forma basis to give effect to the Corporate Conversion, the issuance of the Senior Notes, including the use of proceeds therefrom to redeem the 2013 Notes at par, plus accrued and unpaid interest, to repay $15.0 million of outstanding principal amount under the Revolving Credit Agreement and to pay fees and expenses associated with the issuance of the Senior Notes, and the distribution by the Partnership of shares of Class A common stock and shares of Class B common stock to the Sponsors and the other holders of partnership interests in the Partnership as described in “Corporate Structure” and “Corporate Conversion”; and

 

   

on a pro forma as adjusted basis to additionally give effect to (i) the sale of                      shares of our Class A common stock in this offering, assuming an initial public offering price of $             per share, which is the midpoint of the price range set forth on the cover page of this prospectus, after deducting assumed underwriting discounts and commissions and estimated offering expenses payable by us and (ii) the application of the estimated net proceeds from this offering as described under “Use of Proceeds.”

You should read the following information together with the information contained under the headings “Use of Proceeds,” “Selected Consolidated Financial Data” and “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” and our Consolidated Financial Statements and the related Notes appearing at the end of this prospectus.

 

    As of March 31, 2020  
    Actual     Pro forma(2)     Pro forma
as adjusted(3)
 
(In thousands, except unit/share and per share data)      

Cash and Cash Equivalents

  $ 94,698    
 

                

 
 
 

                

 
 

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total Debt:

     

Revolving Credit Agreement

  $ 129,000      

Term Loan Credit Agreement

    804,345      

Senior Notes

    —        

2013 Notes

    315,000    
 

  

 
 
 

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total debt

  $ 1,248,345      
 

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Member’s Equity:

     

1 unit outstanding(1)

  $ —        

Additional paid-in capital(1)

    652,406      

Accumulated deficit(1)

    167,000      
 

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total member’s equity(1)

  $ 485,406      
 

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Stockholders’ Equity:

     

Preferred stock, $0.001 par value; no shares authorized, issued or outstanding, actual;                      shares authorized and no shares issued or outstanding, pro forma and pro forma as adjusted

     

Class A common stock, $0.001 par value; no shares authorized, issued or outstanding, actual;                      shares authorized,                      shares issued and outstanding, pro forma;                      shares authorized,                      shares issued and outstanding, pro forma as adjusted(1)

     

Class B common stock, $0.001 par value; no shares authorized, issued or outstanding, actual;                      shares authorized,                      shares issued and outstanding, pro forma;                      shares authorized,                      shares issued and outstanding, pro forma as adjusted(1)

     

Additional paid-in capital(1)

     
 

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total stockholders’ equity

     
 

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total Capitalization

  $ 1,733,751      
 

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

 

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(1)

In connection with the Corporate Conversion, the membership interests and member’s accumulated deficit will be reduced to zero to reflect the elimination of all outstanding interests in CPG Newco LLC and corresponding adjustments will be reflected as Class A common stock, Class B common stock, additional paid-in capital and total stockholders’ equity in CPG Newco LLC.

(2)

Reflects (i) our redemption of all outstanding 2013 Notes; (ii) the issuance of the Senior Notes and our receipt of $16.5 million of gross proceeds from the offering of the Senior Notes after the redemption of the 2013 Notes (excluding amounts applied to accrued interest) and our repayment of $15.0 million of the outstanding principal amount under our Revolving Credit Agreement; (iii) our payment of $4.6 million of accrued and unpaid interest on the 2013 Notes in connection with their redemption described in clause (i); and (iv) our payment of the initial purchasers’ discount and other fees and expenses of $7.4 million in connection with the offering of the Senior Notes.

(3)

Reflects, in addition to the pro forma adjustments described in footnote (2) above, (i) our receipt of $                     million of gross proceeds from this offering after the redemption of $350.0 million in aggregate principal amount of the Senior Notes (excluding amounts applied to accrued interest) at a redemption price of 107.125% of such aggregate principal amount and our prepayment of $                     million of the outstanding principal amount under our Term Loan Credit Agreement; (ii) our payment of $                     million of accrued and unpaid interest on the Senior Notes in connection with their redemption described in clause (i) assuming a redemption date of                 , 2020; and (iii) our payment of the estimated underwriting discount and commissions and other fees and expenses of this offering of $                     million.

Assuming no change in the number of shares offered by us as set forth on the cover page of this prospectus, a $1.00 increase (decrease) in the assumed initial public offering price of $             per share of Class A common stock (the midpoint of the price range set forth on the cover page of this prospectus) would increase (decrease) each of cash and cash equivalents, additional paid-in capital, and total equity by $                     million, would decrease (increase) total debt by $                     million, and would increase (decrease) total capitalization by $                     million, after deducting assumed underwriting discounts and commissions and estimated offering expenses payable by us.

Similarly, a 1.0 million share increase (decrease) in the number of shares offered by us, as set forth on the cover of this prospectus, would increase (decrease) each of cash and cash equivalents, additional paid-in capital, and total equity by $                     million, would decrease (increase) total debt by $                     million, and would increase (decrease) total capitalization by $                     million, after deducting assumed underwriting discounts and commissions and estimated offering expenses payable by us, based on the assumed initial public offering price of $             per share, which is the midpoint of the price range set forth on the cover of this prospectus, remained the same.

The table above gives effect to: (1) the split of our single unit, representing all of our limited liability company interests, into                      units, consisting of                      Class A units and                      Class B units; (2) the completion of the Corporate Conversion, including our merger with CPG Holdco LLC, our direct parent entity, following which we will be the surviving entity and a one-for-one conversion of our Class A units into shares of Class A common stock and a one-for-one conversion of our Class B units into shares of Class B common stock; (3) the distribution by the Partnership of shares of Class A common stock and shares of Class B common stock to the Sponsors and the other holders of partnership interests in the Partnership as described in “Corporate Structure” and “Corporate Conversion;” (4) no exercise of the underwriters’ option to purchase additional shares of our common stock; and (5) the effectiveness of our certificate of incorporation and bylaws in connection with the completion of this offering.

The table above does not give effect to or reflect the following shares (all of which are calculated based on an assumed initial public offering price of $             per share, which is the mid-point of the estimated offering price range set forth on the cover page of this prospectus): (1)                      unvested shares of Class A common stock issued in exchange for unvested Profits Interests; (2)                      shares of Class A common stock issuable upon exercise of options, with an exercise price that will be equal to the initial public offering price per share, which options will be issued in connection with the exchange of Profits Interests for shares of Class A common stock (                     shares will be issuable in respect of vested options and                     shares will be issuable in respect of unvested options); (3)                      shares of Class A common stock issuable upon the vesting of restricted stock units and                     shares of Class A common stock issuable upon exercise of options, with an exercise price that will be equal to the initial public offering price per share, in each case that will be granted to certain directors, officers and employees in connection with this offering; and (4)                      shares of Class A common stock available for further issuance under our 2020 Omnibus Incentive Plan. See “Executive Compensation—Post Offering Compensation—2020 Omnibus Incentive Compensation Plan.”

 

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DILUTION

If you invest in our Class A common stock, your ownership interest in us will be diluted to the extent of the difference between the initial public offering price in this offering per share of our Class A common stock and the pro forma as adjusted net tangible book value per share of our common stock upon consummation of this offering. Pro forma net tangible book value per share represents the book value of our total tangible assets less the book value of our total liabilities divided by the total number of shares of common stock then issued and outstanding, on a pro forma basis after giving effect to the Corporate Conversion.

After giving effect to the Corporate Conversion, pro forma net tangible book deficit as of March 31, 2020 was $                     million, or $             per share based on                      shares of our common stock outstanding. After giving effect to (i) our sale of                      shares of Class A common stock in this offering, at an assumed initial public offering price of $             per share (the midpoint of the price range set forth on the cover page of this prospectus), and after deducting assumed underwriting discounts and commissions and estimated offering expenses payable by us and (ii) the application of the estimated net proceeds from this offering as described under “Use of Proceeds,” our pro forma as adjusted net tangible book deficit as of March 31, 2020 would have been $                     million, or $             per share (assuming no exercise of the underwriters’ option to purchase additional shares of our Class A common stock). This amount represents an immediate increase in pro forma net tangible book value of $             per share of Class A common stock to our existing investors before this offering and an immediate dilution of $             per share to new investors purchasing Class A common stock in this offering. The following table illustrates this dilution per share:

 

Assumed initial public offering price per share

      $                        

Pro forma net tangible book value (deficit) per share as of March 31, 2020

   $                           

Increase (decrease) in pro forma net tangible book value (deficit) per share attributable to this offering

   $                           
  

 

 

    

Pro forma as adjusted net tangible book value (deficit) per share after giving effect to this offering

      $                        
     

 

 

 

Dilution per share to new investors in this offering

      $                        
     

 

 

 

A $1.00 increase (decrease) in the assumed initial public offering price of $             per share, which is the midpoint of the price range set forth on the cover page of this prospectus, would increase (decrease) our pro forma as adjusted net tangible book value (deficit) per share after this offering by $             and dilution per share to new investors purchasing Class A common stock in this offering by $            , assuming that the number of shares offered by us, as set forth on the cover page of this prospectus, remains the same and after deducting assumed underwriting discounts and commissions and estimated offering expenses by us. An increase (decrease) of 1.0 million shares in the number of shares offered by us, as set forth on the cover page of this prospectus, would increase (decrease) our pro forma as adjusted net tangible book value after this offering by $                     million and $             per share and decrease (increase) the dilution per share to new investors purchasing Class A common stock in this offering by $            , assuming no change in the assumed initial public offering price per share and after deducting assumed underwriting discounts and commissions and estimated offering expenses by us.

If the underwriters exercise in full their option to purchase                      additional shares of Class A common stock in this offering, our pro forma as adjusted net tangible book deficit per share after this offering would be $             and the dilution in pro forma as adjusted net tangible book deficit per share to new investors purchasing Class A common stock in this offering would be $            , assuming no change in the initial public offering price per share and after deducting estimated underwriting discounts and commissions and estimated offering expenses payable by us.

 

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The following table summarizes, on a pro forma as adjusted basis as of March 31, 2020, the differences between the number of shares of Class A common stock purchased from us, the total consideration paid and the average price per share paid by existing stockholders and to be paid by the new investors purchasing shares of Class A common stock in this offering, at an assumed initial public offering price of $             per share, which is the midpoint of the price range set forth on the cover page of this prospectus, before deducting the underwriting discounts and commissions and offering expenses payable by us in connection with this offering.

 

     Shares purchased     Total consideration     Average
price per share
 
     Number      Percent     Amount      Percent  

Existing investors

                                                        $                                                     $                        

New investors in this offering

  
 

                    

 
                            $                                                     $                        
  

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

    

 

 

   

Total

                                                        $                                                    

A $1.00 increase (decrease) in the assumed initial public offering price of $             per share, which is the midpoint of the price range set forth on the cover page of this prospectus, would increase (decrease) the total consideration paid by new investors in this offering by $                     million and, in the case of an increase, would increase the percentage of total consideration paid by new investors by              percentage points and, in the case of a decrease, would decrease the percentage of total consideration paid by new investors by              percentage points, assuming that the number of shares offered by us, as set forth on the cover page of this prospectus, remains the same and before deducting the underwriting discounts and commissions and offering expenses payable by us in connection with this offering. An increase (decrease) of 1.0 million shares in the number of shares offered by us, as set forth on the cover page of this prospectus, would increase (decrease) the total consideration paid by new investors by $                     million and, in the case of an increase, would increase the percentage of total consideration paid by new investors by              percentage points and, in the case of a decrease, would decrease the percentage of total consideration paid by new investors by              percentage points, assuming no change in the assumed initial public offering price per share and before deducting the underwriting discounts and commissions and offering expenses payable by us in connection with this offering.

The table above assumes no exercise of the underwriters’ option to purchase additional shares in this offering. If the underwriters’ option to purchase additional shares is fully exercised, the number of shares of our common stock held by existing stockholders would be reduced to              % of the total number of shares of our common stock outstanding after this offering, and the number of shares of Class A common stock held by new investors purchasing common stock in this offering would be increased to              % of the total number of shares of our common stock outstanding after this offering.

The discussion and tables above gives effect to: (1) the split of our single unit, representing all of our limited liability company interests, into                      units, consisting of                      Class A units and                      Class B units; (2) the completion of the Corporate Conversion, including our merger with CPG Holdco LLC, our direct parent entity, following which we will be the surviving entity and a one-for-one conversion of our Class A units into shares of Class A common stock and a one-for-one conversion of our Class B units into shares of Class B common stock; (3) the distribution by the Partnership of shares of Class A common stock and shares of Class B common stock to the Sponsors and the other holders of partnership interests in the Partnership as described in “Corporate Structure” and “Corporate Conversion;” and (4) the effectiveness of our certificate of incorporation and bylaws in connection with the completion of this offering.

The discussion and tables above do not give effect to or reflect the following shares (all of which are calculated based on an assumed initial public offering price of $             per share, which is the mid-point of the estimated offering price range set forth on the cover page of this prospectus): (1)                      unvested shares of Class A common stock issued in exchange for unvested Profits Interests; (2)                      shares of Class A common stock issuable upon exercise of options, with an exercise price that will be equal to the initial public offering price per share, which options will be issued in connection with the exchange of Profits Interests for

 

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shares of Class A common stock (                     shares will be issuable in respect of vested options and                      shares will be issuable in respect of unvested options); (3)                      shares of Class A common stock issuable upon the vesting of restricted stock units and                      shares of Class A common stock issuable upon exercise of options, with an exercise price that will be equal to the initial public offering price per share, in each case that will be granted to certain directors, officers and employees in connection with this offering; and (4)                      shares of Class A common stock available for further issuance under our 2020 Omnibus Incentive Plan. See “Executive Compensation—Post Offering Compensation—2020 Omnibus Incentive Compensation Plan.”

We expect to require additional capital to fund our current and future operating plans. To the extent additional capital is raised through the sale of equity or convertible debt securities, the issuance of these securities could result in further dilution to our stockholders. See “Risk Factors—Risks Relating to This Offering and Ownership of Our Class A Common Stock—Future issuances of our Class A common stock, including upon conversion of our Class B common stock, could result in significant dilution to our stockholders, dilute the voting power of our Class A common stock and depress the market price of our Class A common stock.”

 

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SELECTED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL DATA

The selected consolidated statements of income data and selected consolidated statements of cash flow data for fiscal years 2019 and 2018 and the selected consolidated balance sheet data as of September 30, 2019 and September 30, 2018 have been derived from our Consolidated Financial Statements included elsewhere in this prospectus. The selected consolidated statement of income data and summary consolidated statement of cash flow data for fiscal year 2017 have been derived from our Consolidated Financial Statements not included in this prospectus. The selected consolidated statements of income data and selected consolidated statements of cash flow data for the six months ended March 31, 2020 and 2019 and the selected consolidated balance sheet data as of March 31, 2020 have been derived from our unaudited Consolidated Financial Statements included elsewhere in this prospectus. In the opinion of management, our unaudited Consolidated Financial Statements were prepared on the same basis as our audited Consolidated Financial Statements and include all adjustments necessary for a fair presentation of the financial information set forth in those statements.

Our historical results are not necessarily indicative of future operating results and our results for the six months ended March 31, 2020 are not necessarily indicative of the results that may be expected for the full fiscal year or any other period. The selected financial data set forth below should be read together with “Capitalization,” “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” and our Consolidated Financial Statements and related Notes included elsewhere in this prospectus.

 

    Six Months Ended
March 31,
    Years Ended September 30,  
(In thousands, except unit/share and per unit/share data)   2020     2019     2019     2018     2017  

Consolidated Statements of Income Data(1):

         

Net Sales

  $ 411,628     $ 357,362     $ 794,203     $ 681,805     $ 632,631  

Cost of Sales

    (280,965     (249,051     (541,006     (479,769     (463,643
 

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Gross Profit

    130,663       108,311       253,197       202,036       168,988  

Selling, general and administrative expenses

    (93,166     (86,803     (183,572     (144,688     (147,003

Impairment of goodwill

    —         —         —         —         (32,200

Impairment of property, plant and equipment

    —         —         —         —         (11,380

Other general expenses

    (5,093    
(4,158

    (9,076     (4,182     —    

Gain (loss) on disposal of property, plant and equipment

    (28     (1,436 )       (1,495     (791     (4,288
 

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Operating income (loss)

    32,376       15,914       59,054       52,375       (25,883

Interest expense

    (39,734     (41,773     (83,205     (68,742     (61,577

Loss before income taxes

    (7,358     (25,859     (24,151     (16,367     (87,460

Income tax benefit

    1,600       5,072       3,955       23,112       20,049  
 

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Net income (loss)

  $ (5,758   $ (20,787   $ (20,196   $ 6,745     $ (67,411
 

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Basic and diluted earnings (loss) attributable to unit outstanding

  $ (5,758   $ (20,787   $ (20,196   $ 6,745     $ (67,411
 

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Basic and diluted weighted-average unit outstanding

    1       1       1       1       1  
 

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Basic and diluted pro forma earnings (loss) per share attributable to common stockholders(2) (unaudited)

         
 

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Basic and diluted pro forma weighted-average common shares outstanding(2) (unaudited)

         
 

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Consolidated Statements of Cash Flow Data:

         

Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities

  $ (68,032   $ (48,521   $ 94,872     $ 67,302     $ 57,368  

Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities

    (60,240     (33,208     (62,935     (335,682     (22,511

Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities

    117,023       19,802       (8,273     248,742       (12,104

Purchases of property, plant and equipment

    (42,606     (33,233     (63,006     (42,758     (22,511

 

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     As of
March 31,
     As of September 30,  
     2019      2018  
     2020      Actual      Actual  
(In thousands)                     

Consolidated Balance Sheet Data:

        

Cash and cash equivalents

   $ 94,698      $ 105,947      $ 82,283  

Working capital

     261,052        150,593        138,870  

Total assets

     1,886,071        1,788,263        1,779,180  

Total current liabilities

     120,163        139,997        109,799  

Total long-term debt—less current portion

     1,229,844        1,103,313        1,107,989  

Total member’s/stockholders’ equity

     485,406        490,023        505,553  

 

(1)

In connection with the completion of this offering, based on an assumed public offering price of $         per share, which is the mid-point of the price range set forth on the cover of this prospectus, we estimate that we will incur aggregate equity compensation expense in the range of $         million to $         million as a result of the recognition of previously unrecognized compensation expense and one-time grants of options and restricted stock units to our directors, executive officers and employees. See “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations—Equity Based Compensation.”

(2)

Pro forma to reflect the Corporate Conversion, without giving effect to the issuance of shares of Class A common stock in this offering. The pro forma information also includes the effects of the vested shares of Class A common stock issued in exchange for vested Profits Interests of the Partnership.

Non-GAAP Financial Measures

To supplement our Consolidated Financial Statements prepared and presented in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles in the United States, or GAAP, we use certain non-GAAP performance financial measures, as described below, to provide investors with additional useful information about our financial performance, to enhance the overall understanding of our past performance and future prospects and to allow for greater transparency with respect to important metrics used by our management for financial and operational decision-making. We are presenting these non-GAAP financial measures to assist investors in seeing our financial performance from management’s view and because we believe they provide an additional tool for investors to use in comparing our core financial performance over multiple periods with other companies in our industry. Our GAAP financial results include significant expenses that are not indicative of our ongoing operations as detailed in the tables below.

However, non-GAAP financial measures have limitations in their usefulness to investors because they have no standardized meaning prescribed by GAAP and are not prepared under any comprehensive set of accounting rules or principles. In addition, non-GAAP financial measures may be calculated differently from, and therefore may not be directly comparable to, similarly titled measures used by other companies. As a result, non-GAAP financial measures should be viewed as supplementing, and not as an alternative or substitute for, our Consolidated Financial Statements prepared and presented in accordance with GAAP.

 

     Six Months Ended
March 31,
    Years Ended September 30,  
     2020     2019     2019     2018     2017  
(In thousands)                               

Non-GAAP financial measures:

          

Adjusted Gross Profit

   $ 161,755     $ 137,681     $ 314,858     $ 254,075     $ 224,516  

Adjusted Net Income

     37,916       24,067       72,277       59,226       42,812  

Adjusted EBITDA

     89,624       74,294       179,566       150,065       131,266  

Adjusted EBITDA Margin

     21.8     20.8     22.6     22.0     20.7

Adjusted Gross Profit, Adjusted Net Income, Adjusted EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA Margin

We define Adjusted Gross Profit as gross profit before depreciation and amortization, business transformation costs and acquisition costs as described below. We define Adjusted Net Income as net income (loss) before depreciation and amortization, share-based compensation costs, asset impairment costs, business

 

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transformation costs, acquisition costs, initial public offering costs, capital structure transaction costs and certain other costs as described below. In addition, Adjusted Net Income for fiscal 2018 excludes the net benefit related to the remeasurement of our deferred tax assets and deferred tax liabilities as a result of the Tax Act. We define Adjusted EBITDA as net income (loss) before interest expense, net, income tax (benefit) expense and depreciation and amortization and by adding to or subtracting therefrom items of expense and income as described above. Adjusted EBITDA Margin is equal to Adjusted EBITDA divided by net sales. We believe Adjusted Gross Profit, Adjusted Net Income, Adjusted EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA Margin are useful to investors because they help identify underlying trends in our business that could otherwise be masked by certain expenses that can vary from company to company depending on, among other things, its financing, capital structure and the method by which its assets were acquired, and can also vary significantly from period to period. We also add back depreciation and amortization and share-based compensation because we do not consider them indicative of our core operating performance. We believe their exclusion facilitates comparisons of our operating performance on a period-to-period basis. Therefore, we believe that showing gross profit and net income, as adjusted to remove the impact of these expenses, is helpful to investors in assessing our gross profit and net income performance in a way that is similar to the way management assesses our performance. Additionally, EBITDA and EBITDA margin are common measures of operating performance in our industry, and we believe they facilitate operating comparisons. Our management also uses Adjusted Gross Profit, Adjusted EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA Margin in conjunction with other GAAP financial measures for planning purposes, including as a measure of our core operating results and the effectiveness of our business strategy, and in evaluating our financial performance. Management considers Adjusted Gross Profit and Adjusted Net Income as useful measures because our cost of sales includes the depreciation of property, plant and equipment used in the production of products and the amortization of various intangibles related to our manufacturing processes.

Adjusted Gross Profit, Adjusted Net Income, Adjusted EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA Margin have limitations as analytical tools, and you should not consider them in isolation or as a substitute for analysis of our results as reported under GAAP. Some of these limitations are:

 

   

These measures do not reflect our cash expenditures, future requirements for capital expenditures or contractual commitments;

 

   

These measures do not reflect changes in, or cash requirements for, our working capital needs;

 

   

Adjusted EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA Margin do not reflect the significant interest expense, or the cash requirements necessary to service interest or principal payments, on our debt;

 

   

Adjusted EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA Margin do not reflect our income tax expense or the cash requirements to pay our taxes;

 

   

Adjusted Gross Profit, Adjusted Net Income and Adjusted EBITDA exclude the expense of depreciation and amortization of our assets, and, although these are non-cash expenses, the assets being depreciated may have to be replaced in the future;

 

   

Adjusted Net Income and Adjusted EBITDA exclude the expense associated with our equity compensation plan, although equity compensation has been, and will continue to be, an important part of our compensation strategy;

 

   

Adjusted Gross Profit, Adjusted Net Income and Adjusted EBITDA exclude certain business transformation costs, acquisition costs and other costs, each of which can affect our current and future cash requirements; and

 

   

Other companies in our industry may calculate Adjusted Gross Profit, Adjusted Net Income, Adjusted EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA Margin differently than we do, limiting their usefulness as comparative measures.

Because of these limitations, none of these metrics should be considered indicative of discretionary cash available to us to invest in the growth of our business or as measures of cash that will be available to us to meet our obligations.

 

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The following table presents reconciliations of the most comparable financial measures calculated in accordance with GAAP to these non-GAAP financial measures for the periods indicated:

Adjusted EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA Margin Reconciliation

 

     Six Months Ended
March 31,
    Years Ended
September 30,
 
         2020             2019             2019             2018             2017      
(In thousands)                               

Net income (loss)

   $ (5,758   $ (20,787   $ (20,196   $ 6,745     $ (67,411

Interest expense

     39,734       41,773       83,205       68,742       61,577  

Depreciation and amortization

     48,628       46,391       93,929       77,665       77,657  

Tax benefit

     (1,600     (5,072     (3,955     (23,112     (20,049

Share-based compensation costs

     1,845       2,020       3,682       3,099       1,459  

Asset impairment costs(1)

     —         —         —         920       48,846  

Business transformation costs(2)

     326       9,777       16,560       5,822       8,562  

Capital structure transaction costs(3)

     —         —         —         367       295  

Acquisition costs(4)

     1,356       3,135       4,110       7,361       —    

Initial public offering costs

     5,093       4,158       9,076       789       —    

Other costs(5)

     —         (7,101     (6,845     1,667       20,330  
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total adjustments

     95,382       95,081       199,762       143,320       198,677  
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Adjusted EBITDA

   $ 89,624     $ 74,294     $ 179,566     $ 150,065     $ 131,266  
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Adjusted EBITDA Margin

     21.8     20.8     22.6     22.0     20.7
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

 

(1)

Asset impairment costs reflect tangible and intangible asset impairment costs of $0.9 million and $48.8 million for fiscal 2018 and 2017, respectively. The tangible asset impairment costs for fiscal 2017 include the write off of $1.1 million of inventory relating to certain products determined not to be commercially viable.

(2)

Business transformation costs reflect consulting costs related to repositioning of our brands of $0.0 million and $3.2 million for the six months ended March 31, 2020 and 2019, respectively, and $4.3 million, $0.0 million and $2.0 million in fiscal 2019, 2018 and 2017, respectively, compensation costs related to the transformation of the senior management team of $0.3 million and $1.7 million for the six months ended March 31, 2020 and 2019, respectively, and $2.3 million, $0.2 million and $4.3 million in fiscal 2019, 2018 and 2017, respectively, costs related to the relocation of our corporate headquarters of $2.0 million in fiscal 2019, startup costs of our new recycling facility of $5.3 million in fiscal 2019, and other integration-related costs of $0.0 million and $4.9 million for the six months ended March 31, 2020 and 2019, respectively, and $2.7 million, $5.6 million and $2.3 million in fiscal 2019, 2018 and 2017, respectively.

(3)

Capital structure transaction costs reflect non-capitalizable debt and equity issuance costs.

(4)

Acquisition costs reflect costs directly related to completed acquisitions of $1.4 million and $3.1 million for the six months ended March 31, 2020 and 2019, respectively, and $4.1 million and $4.9 million in fiscal 2019 and 2018, respectively, and inventory step-up adjustments related to recording the inventory of acquired businesses at fair value on the date of acquisition of $2.4 million in fiscal 2018.

(5)

Other costs reflect costs for legal defense of $0.0 million and $0.6 million for the six months ended March 31, 2020 and 2019, respectively, and $0.9 million, $1.5 million and $5.2 million in fiscal 2019, 2018 and 2017, respectively, insurance reimbursement of ($7.7) million in the six months ended March 31, 2019, and in fiscal 2019, settlement costs of $0.0 million and $15.0 million in fiscal 2018 and 2017, respectively, and other miscellaneous adjustments of $0.0 million, $0.2 million and $0.1 million in fiscal 2019, 2018 and 2017, respectively.

Adjusted Gross Profit Reconciliation

 

     Six Months Ended
March 31,
     Years Ended
September 30,
 
         2020              2019              2019              2018              2017      
(In thousands)                                   

Gross profit

   $ 130,663      $ 108,311      $ 253,197      $ 202,036      $ 168,988  

Depreciation and amortization(1)

     30,538        27,861        56,398        49,611        53,917  

Business transformation costs(2)

     —          1,509        5,263        —          1,611  

Acquisition costs(3)

     554        —          —          2,428        —    
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Adjusted Gross Profit

   $ 161,755      $ 137,681      $ 314,858      $ 254,075      $ 224,516  
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

 

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(1)

Depreciation and amortization for the six months ended March 31, 2020 and 2019, and fiscal 2019, 2018 and 2017 consists of $18.1 million, $14.1 million, $28.9 million, $23.0 million and $27.2 million, respectively, of depreciation and $12.4 million, $13.8 million, $27.5 million, $26.6 million and $26.7 million, respectively, of amortization of intangibles, comprised of intangibles relating to our manufacturing processes.

(2)

Business transformation costs reflect startup costs of our new recycling facility of $5.3 million in fiscal 2019 and other integration-related expenses for the six months ended March 31, 2019 and in fiscal 2017.

(3)

Acquisition costs reflect inventory step-up adjustments related to recording the inventory of acquired businesses at fair value on the date of acquisition.

Adjusted Net Income Reconciliation

 

     Six Months Ended
March 31,
    Years Ended
September 30,
 
         2020             2019             2019             2018             2017      
(In thousands)                               

Net income (loss)

   $ (5,758   $ (20,787   $ (20,196   $ 6,745     $ (67,411

Depreciation and amortization(1)

     48,628       46,391       93,929       77,665       77,657  

Share-based compensation costs

     1,845       2,020       3,682       3,099       1,459  

Asset impairment costs(2)

     —         —         —         920       48,846  

Business transformation costs(3)

     326       9,777       16,560       5,822       8,562  

Capital structure transaction costs(4)

     —         —         —         367       295  

Acquisition costs(5)

     1,356       3,135       4,110       7,361       —    

Initial public offering costs

     5,093       4,158       9,076       789       —    

Other costs(6)

     —         (7,101     (6,845     1,667       20,330  

Tax impact of adjustments(7)

     (13,574     (13,526     (28,039     (22,702     (46,926

Tax Act remeasurement(8)

     —         —         —         (22,507     —    
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Adjusted Net Income

   $ 37,916     $ 24,067     $ 72,277     $ 59,226     $ 42,812  
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

 

(1)

Depreciation and amortization reflects depreciation of $20.9 million and $16.0 million for the six months ended March 31, 2020 and 2019, respectively, and $33.7 million, $26.3 million and $30.0 million in fiscal 2019, 2018 and 2017, respectively, and amortization of $27.7 million and $30.4 million for the six months ended March 31, 2020 and 2019, respectively, and $60.2 million, $51.4 million and $47.6 million in fiscal 2019, 2018 and 2017, respectively.

(2)

Asset impairment costs reflect tangible and intangible asset impairment costs of $0.9 million and $48.8 million in fiscal 2018 and 2017. The tangible asset impairment costs for fiscal 2017 include the write off of $1.1 million of inventory relating to certain products determined not to be commercially viable.

(3)

Business transformation costs reflect consulting costs related to repositioning of our brands of $0.0 million and $3.2 million for the six months ended March 31, 2020 and 2019, respectively, and $4.3 million, $0.0 million and $2.0 million in fiscal 2019, 2018 and 2017, respectively, compensation costs related to the transformation of the senior management team of $0.3 million and $1.7 million for the six months ended March 31, 2020 and 2019, respectively, and $2.3 million, $0.2 million and $4.3 million in fiscal 2019, 2018 and 2017, respectively, costs related to the relocation of our corporate headquarters of $2.0 million in fiscal 2019, startup costs of our new recycling facility of $5.3 million in fiscal 2019, and other integration-related costs of $0.0 million and $4.9 million for the six months ended March 31, 2020 and 2019, respectively, and $2.7 million, $5.6 million and $2.3 million in fiscal 2019, 2018 and 2017, respectively.

(4)

Capital structure transaction costs reflect non-capitalizable debt and equity issuance costs.

(5)

Acquisition costs reflect costs directly related to completed acquisitions of $1.4 million and $3.1 million for the six months ended March 31, 2020 and 2019, respectively, and $4.1 million and $4.9 million in fiscal 2019 and 2018, respectively, and inventory step-up adjustments related to recording the inventory of acquired businesses at fair value on the date of acquisition of $2.4 million in fiscal 2018.

(6)

Other costs reflect costs for legal defense of $0.0 million and $0.6 million for the six months ended March 31, 2020 and 2019, respectively, and $0.9 million, $1.5 million and $5.2 million in fiscal 2019, 2018 and 2017, respectively, insurance reimbursement of ($7.7) million in the six months ended March 31, 2019, and in fiscal 2019, settlement costs of $0.0 million and $15.0 million in fiscal 2018 and 2017, respectively, and other miscellaneous adjustments of $0.0 million, $0.2 million and $0.1 million in fiscal 2019, 2018 and 2017, respectively.

(7)

Tax impact of adjustments is based on applying a combined U.S. federal and state statutory tax rate of 24.5%, 24%, 24% and 38% for fiscal 2020, 2019, 2018 and 2017, respectively, except that a tax rate of 0% was applied to the adjustments for share-based compensation costs and for goodwill impairment in fiscal 2017 as those items did not give rise to income tax deductions.

(8)

Tax Act remeasurement is a one-time tax benefit of $22.5 million as a result of the remeasurement of certain deferred taxes due to the enactment of the Tax Act.

 

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

You should read the following discussion and analysis of our financial condition and results of operations together with our Consolidated Financial Statements and related Notes and other financial information included elsewhere in this prospectus. Some of the information contained in this discussion and analysis or set forth elsewhere in this prospectus, including information with respect to our plans and strategy for our business, includes forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. See “Special Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements” and “Risk Factors” for a discussion of forward-looking statements and important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from the results described in or implied by the forward-looking statements.

Overview

We are an industry-leading designer and manufacturer of beautiful, low-maintenance and environmentally sustainable products focused on the highly attractive, fast-growing Outdoor Living market. Homeowners are continuing to invest in their outdoor spaces and are increasingly recognizing the significant advantages of long-lasting products, which are converting demand away from traditional materials, particularly wood. Our products transform those outdoor spaces by combining highly appealing aesthetics with significantly lower maintenance costs compared to traditional materials. Our innovative portfolio of Outdoor Living products, including deck, rail, trim and accessories, inspires consumers to design outdoor spaces tailored to their unique lifestyle needs. We are well known in the industry, and, according to data provided by Principia, we generally hold one of the top two market share positions by revenue in our product categories. In addition to our leading suite of Outdoor Living products, we sell a broad range of highly engineered products that are sold in commercial markets, including partitions, lockers and storage solutions. One of our core values is to “always do the right thing”. We make decisions according to what is right, not what is the cheapest, fastest or easiest, and we strive to always operate with integrity, transparency and the customer in mind. In furtherance of that value, we are focused on sustainability across our operations and have adopted strategies to enable us to meet the growing demand for environmentally-friendly products. Our businesses leverage a shared technology and U.S.-based manufacturing platform to create products that convert demand from traditional materials to those that are long lasting and low-maintenance, fulfilling our brand commitment to deliver products that are “Beautifully Engineered to Last”.

We report our results in two segments: Residential and Commercial. In our Residential segment, our primary consumer brands, TimberTech and AZEK, are recognized by contractors and consumers for their premium aesthetics, uncompromising quality and performance, and diversity of style and design options. In our Commercial segment, we manufacture engineered sheet products and high-quality bathroom partitions and lockers. Over our history we have developed a reputation as a leading innovator in our markets by leveraging our differentiated manufacturing capabilities, material science expertise and product management proficiency to consistently introduce new products into the market. This long-standing commitment has been critical to our ability to stay at the forefront of evolving industry trends and consumer demands, which in turn has allowed us to become a market leader across our core product categories.

Basis of Presentation

Our Consolidated Financial Statements in this prospectus have been derived from our accounts and those of our wholly-owned subsidiaries. Our Consolidated Financial Statements are based on a fiscal year ending September 30.

In June 2018, we acquired Versatex Holdings, LLC, or Versatex. The assets acquired and liabilities assumed in connection with this acquisition were included in our consolidated balance sheet as of September 30, 2018 and in our consolidated statement of comprehensive income (loss) and statement of cash flow beginning from the effective date of the acquisition in June 2018. The results of operations of Versatex are included in our Residential segment.

 

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Key Factors Affecting Our Results of Operations

Our results of operations and financial condition are affected by the following factors, which reflect our operating philosophy and continued focus on driving material conversion to our low-maintenance, engineered products in each of our markets.

Volume of Products Sold

Our net sales depend primarily on the volume of products we sell during any given period, and volume is affected by the following items:

 

   

Economic conditions: Demand for our products is significantly affected by a number of economic factors impacting our customers and consumers. For example, demand for products sold by our Residential segment is driven primarily by home repair and remodeling activity and, to a lesser extent, new home construction activity. The residential repair and remodeling market depends in part on home equity financing, and accordingly, the level of equity in homes will affect consumers’ ability to obtain a home equity line of credit and engage in renovations that would result in purchases of our products. Demand for our products is also affected by the level of interest rates and the availability of credit, consumer confidence and spending, housing affordability, demographic trends, employment levels and other macroeconomic factors that may influence the extent to which consumers engage in repair and remodeling projects to enhance the outdoor living spaces of their homes. Sales by our Commercial segment in the institutional construction market are affected by amounts available for expenditures in school construction, military bases and other public institutions, which depend in part on the availability of government funding and budgetary priorities. Sales of our engineered polymer materials in our industrial OEM markets are also affected by macroeconomic factors, in particular gross domestic product levels and levels of industrial production. Changes in these economic conditions can impact the volume of our products sold during any given period.

 

   

Material conversion: We have continued to increase sales of our products through our focused efforts to drive material conversion and market penetration of our products. We believe that there is a long-term trend toward material conversion from traditional materials, such as wood, to the low-maintenance, engineered materials we produce. We believe that our products offer a compelling value proposition due to their enhanced durability and lower maintenance costs compared to products manufactured from traditional materials, and we anticipate that sales of our products will continue to benefit from material conversion. The success of our efforts to drive conversion during any given period will impact the volume of our products sold during that period.

 

   

Product innovation: We continue to develop and introduce innovative products to accelerate material conversion and expand our markets. We believe that new products will enhance our ability to compete with traditional materials at a variety of price points, and we expect to continue to devote significant resources to developing innovative new products. The volume of our products sold during a given period will depend in part on our successfully introducing new products that generate additional demand as well as the extent to which new products may impact our sales of existing products.

 

   

Marketing and distribution: Demand for our products is influenced by our efforts to expand and enhance awareness of our premium brands and the benefits of our products as well as to drive continued material conversion. Within our Residential segment, we sell our products through a national network of more than 4,200 dealers, more than 35 distributors and multiple home improvement retailers providing extensive geographic coverage enabling us to effectively serve contractors across the United States and Canada. Within our Commercial segment, we sell our products through a widespread distribution network as well as directly to OEMs. Our customer-focused sales organization generates pull-through demand for our products by driving increased downstream engagement with consumers and key influencers such as architects, builders and contractors and by focusing on strengthening our position with dealers and growing our presence in retail. Our volume of product sales in a given period will be impacted by our ability to raise awareness of our brands and products.

 

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Pricing

In general, our pricing strategy is to price our products at a premium relative to competing materials based on the value proposition they provide, including lower maintenance and lifetime costs. Our pricing strategy differs as between our two operating segments as follows:

 

   

Residential: Prices for our residential products are typically set annually, taking into account anticipated changes in input costs, market dynamics and new product introductions by us or our competitors.

 

   

Commercial: A number of our commercial product sales, such as those related to our partitions and lockers product lines, are customized by order, and, therefore, these products are typically priced based on the nature of the particular specifications ordered. For other commercial products, such as various Vycom product lines, we maintain standard pricing lists that we review and change periodically.

Cost of Materials

Raw material costs, including costs of petrochemical resins, reclaimed polyethylene and PVC material, waste wood fiber and aluminum, represent a majority of our cost of sales. The cost of petrochemical resins used in our manufacturing processes has historically varied significantly and has been affected by changes in supply and demand and in the price of crude oil. In addition, the price of reclaimed polyethylene material, waste wood fiber, aluminum, other additives (including modifiers, TiO2 and pigments) and other raw materials fluctuates depending on, among other things, overall market supply and demand and general business conditions. We seek to mitigate the effects of increases in raw material costs by broadening our supplier base, increasing our use of recycled material and scrap, reducing waste and exploring options for material substitution without sacrificing quality. We have long-standing relationships as well as guaranteed supply contracts with some of our key suppliers but, other than certain contracts with prices determined based on the current index price, we have no fixed-price contracts with any of our major vendors. Under our guaranteed supply contracts, the prices are either established annually based on a discount to the then-current market prices or, for purchase orders, based on market rates in effect when the orders become effective. Prices for spot market purchases are negotiated on a continuous basis in line with the market at the time. We have not entered into hedges with respect to our raw material costs at this time, but we may choose to enter into such hedges in the future. For additional information, see “—Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures about Market Risk—Raw Materials; Commodity Price Risk.”

Product Mix

We offer a wide variety of products across numerous product lines within our Residential and Commercial segments, and these products are sold at different prices, are composed of different materials and involve varying levels of manufacturing complexity. In any particular period, changes in the volume of particular products sold and the prices of those products relative to other products will impact our average selling price and our cost of sales. For example, the gross margins of our Residential segment significantly exceed the gross margins of our Commercial segment. In addition to the impacts attributable to product mix as between the Residential and Commercial segments, our results of operations are impacted by the relative margins associated with individual products within our Residential and Commercial segments, which vary among products. As we continue to introduce new products at varying price points to compete with products made with wood or other traditional materials across a wide range of prices, our overall gross margins may vary from period to period as a result of changes in product mix and different margins for our higher and lower price point offerings. We may choose to introduce new products with initially lower gross margins with the expectation that those margins will improve over time as we improve our manufacturing efficiency for those products. In addition, our product mix and our gross margins may be impacted by our marketing decisions in a particular period as well as the rebates and incentives that we may extend to our customers in a particular period. We also continue to seek to enhance our gross margins by improving manufacturing efficiency across our operations, including by investing in, and expanding, our recycling capabilities and implementing initiatives to more efficiently use scrap and to reduce waste. Our success in achieving margin improvements through these initiatives may vary due to changes in product mix as different products benefit to different degrees from these initiatives.

 

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Seasonality

Although we generally have demand for our products throughout the year, our sales have historically experienced some seasonality. We have typically experienced moderately higher levels of sales of our residential products in the second fiscal quarter of the year as a result of our “early buy” sales and extended payment terms typically available during the second fiscal quarter of the year. As a result of these extended payment terms, our accounts receivable have typically reached seasonal peaks at the end of the second fiscal quarter of the year, and our net cash provided by operating activities has typically been lower in the second fiscal quarter relative to in other quarters. Our sales are also generally impacted by the number of days in a quarter or a year that contractors and other professionals are able to install our products. This can vary dramatically based on, among other things, weather events such as rain, snow and extreme temperatures. We have generally experienced lower levels of sales of our residential products in the first fiscal quarter due to adverse weather conditions in certain markets, which typically reduce the construction and renovation activity during the winter season. In addition, we have experienced higher levels of sales of our bathroom partition products and our locker products during the second half of our fiscal year, which includes the summer months when schools are typically closed and therefore are more likely to undergo remodel activities.

COVID-19

Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, we have been focused on protecting our employees’ health and safety, meeting our customers’ needs as they navigate an uncertain financial and operating environment, working closely with our suppliers to protect our ongoing business operations and rapidly adjusting our short-, medium- and long-term operational plans to proactively and effectively respond to the current and potential future public health crises. While the COVID-19 pandemic presents very serious concerns for our business and operations, our employees and their families, our customers and our suppliers, we believe that we are adapting well to the wide-ranging changes that the global economy is currently undergoing, and we remain confident that we will continue to maintain business continuity, produce and sell our products safely and in compliance with applicable laws and governmental orders and mandates, maintain our robust and flexible supply chains and be in a strong position to maintain financial flexibility even in the event of a potentially extended economic downturn. This discussion and analysis is with respect to periods prior to the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic. For further discussion of the steps we have taken to respond to and mitigate the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, see “Recent Developments—COVID-19.”

Although we have implemented measures to mitigate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on our business, financial condition and results of operations, including reducing our production and expenses, we expect that these measures may not fully mitigate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on our business, financial condition and results of operations. We cannot predict the degree to, or the period over, which we will be affected by the pandemic and resulting governmental and other measures. We expect that the economic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic will likely continue to adversely affect demand for our products over the balance of fiscal 2020. The global impact of the COVID-19 pandemic continues to rapidly evolve, and we will continue to monitor the situation closely. As the COVID-19 pandemic continues, it may also have the effect of heightening many of the risks described in “Risk Factors” in this prospectus. See “Risk Factors” for a further discussion of the adverse impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on our business.

Acquisitions

Throughout our history, we have made selected acquisitions, and we expect to continue to strategically pursue acquisitions to enhance our market position, supplement our product and technology portfolios and increase the diversity of our business.

Acquisition of Versatex, WES, LLC (Ultralox) and Return Polymers

During the year ended September 30, 2018, we acquired two businesses, Versatex and WES, LLC and its wholly owned subsidiary Ultralox Technology, LLC, which, together with WES, LLC, we collectively refer to as

 

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Ultralox. Versatex is a leading producer of premium, low-maintenance engineered products with a focus on PVC trim and moulding products. Ultralox is a manufacturer of innovative aluminum railing systems and assembly machines. On January 31, 2020, we acquired Return Polymers Inc., or Return Polymers. Return Polymers is a leader in the development, implementation and delivery of recycled PVC compound solutions.

The acquisitions were accounted for as business combinations, and Versatex and Ultralox were acquired for aggregate consideration of $297.9 million, including $3.2 million for cash acquired. The cash purchase price for Versatex was financed with incremental borrowings under the Term Loan Credit Agreement in the amount of $225.0 million, through an equity contribution from the Sponsors in the amount of $40.0 million and with cash on hand. The Ultralox acquisition was paid for with cash on hand. Return Polymers was acquired for aggregate consideration of $18.1 million, including $0.2 million of cash on hand.

Results of Operations

The following tables summarize certain financial information relating to our operating results that have been derived from our audited Consolidated Financial Statements for the years ended September 30, 2019 and 2018 and unaudited Consolidated Financial Statements for the six months ended March 31, 2020 and 2019.

 

    Six Months Ended
March 31,
     $ Variance
Increase/
(Decrease)
    % Variance
Increase/
(Decrease)
    Years Ended
September 30,
    $ Variance
Increase/
(Decrease)
    % Variance
Increase/
(Decrease)
 
(Dollars in thousands)   2020     2019     2019     2018  

Net sales

  $ 411,628     $ 357,362      $ 54,266       15.2   $ 794,203     $ 681,805     $ 112,398       16.5

Cost of sales

    (280,965     (249,051      (31,914     12.8       (541,006     (479,769     (61,237     12.8  
 

 

 

   

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Gross profit

    130,663       108,311        22,353       20.6       253,197       202,036       51,161       25.3  

Selling, general and administrative expenses

    (93,166     (86,803      (6,363     7.3       (183,572     (144,688     (38,884     26.9  

Other general expenses

    (5,093     (4,158      (935     22.5       (9,076     (4,182     (4,894     N/M (1) 

Gain (loss) on disposal of property, plant and equipment

    (28     (1,436      1,408       (98.1     (1,495     (791     (704     89.0  
 

 

 

   

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Operating income (loss)

    32,376       15,914        16,462       103.4       59,054       52,375       6,679       12.8  

Interest expense, net

    (39,734     (41,773      2,039       (4.9     (83,205     (68,742     (14,463     21.0  

Income tax benefit

    1,600       5,072        (3,472     (68.5     3,955       23,112       (19,157     (82.9
 

 

 

   

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Net income (loss)

  $ (5,758   $ (20,787    $ 15,029       (72.3 )%    $ (20,196   $ 6,745     $ (26,941     N/M (1) 
 

 

 

   

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

 

(1)

“N/M” indicates that variance as a percentage is not meaningful.

Six Months Ended March 31, 2020, Compared with Six Months ended March 31, 2019

Net Sales

Net sales for the six months ended March 31, 2020 increased by $54.3 million, or 15.2%, to $411.6 million from $357.4 million during the six months ended March 31, 2019. The increase was primarily attributable to organic sales volume growth, including the expansion of our west coast distribution network in the first quarter. Net sales for the six months ended March 31, 2020 increased for our Residential segment by 17.7% and increased for our Commercial segment by 3.5%, as compared to the prior year.

Cost of Sales

Cost of sales for the six months ended March 31, 2020 increased by $31.9 million, or 12.8%, to $281.0 million from $249.1 million during the six months ended March 31, 2019, primarily due to $31.0 million of costs related to higher organic sales volumes, partially offset by net manufacturing productivity improvements as well as declining amortization expenses.

 

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Gross Profit

Gross profit for the six months ended March 31, 2020 increased by $22.4 million, or 20.6%, to $130.7 million from $108.3 million during the six months ended March 31, 2019. Gross profit as a percent of net sales increased by 140 basis points to 31.7% during the six months ended March 31, 2020 compared to the six months ended March 31, 2019. The increase in gross profit as a percent of net sales was primarily driven by manufacturing productivity improvements, as well as declining amortization expense as a percentage of net sales and favorable price and mix.

Selling, General and Administrative Expenses

Selling, general and administrative expenses for the six months ended March 31, 2020 increased by $6.4 million, or 7.3%, primarily due to an insurance recovery received in the six months ended March 31, 2020 related to a litigation settlement of $7.7 million, in addition to higher employee costs in the six months ended March 31, 2020, partially offset by reduced marketing spend.

Interest Expense, net

Interest expense, net, decreased by $2.0 million, or 4.9%, during the six months ended March 31, 2020 compared to the six months ended March 31, 2019, primarily due to lower average interest rates during the six months ended March 31, 2020, when compared to the six months ended March 31, 2019, partially offset by the interest on the increased principal amount outstanding under our Revolving Credit Agreement during the six months ended March 31, 2020.

Income Taxes

Income tax benefit decreased by $3.5 million to $1.6 million for the six months ended March 31, 2020, from $5.1 million for the six months ended March 31, 2019, primarily due to a lower loss before income taxes during the six months ended March 31, 2020.

Net Income (Loss)

Net loss decreased by $15.0 million, or 72.3%, to a net loss of $5.8 million for the six months ended March 31, 2020 from a net loss of $20.8 million for the comparable period in 2019 for the reasons described above.

Year Ended September 30, 2019, Compared with Year Ended September 30, 2018

Net Sales

Net sales for the year ended September 30, 2019 increased by $112.4 million, or 16.5%, to $794.2 million from $681.8 million for the year ended September 30, 2018. The increase was primarily attributable to an increase in organic sales volume and $50.8 million from the Versatex and Ultralox acquisitions. Net sales for the year ended September 30, 2019 increased for our Residential segment by 20.9% and decreased for our Commercial segment by 0.8%, as compared to the prior year. Organic net sales, which excludes sales that are attributable to acquisitions, increased 8.3% for the year ended September 30, 2019 as compared to the year ended September 30, 2018.

Cost of Sales

Cost of sales for the year ended September 30, 2019 increased by $61.2 million, or 12.8%, to $541.0 million from $479.8 million for the year ended September 30, 2018, primarily due to $43.4 million of costs related to higher organic sales volumes, $35.7 million of costs related to higher acquisition sales volumes and $5.3 million of startup costs of our recycling facility. These increases were partially offset by net manufacturing productivity of $11.4 million in fiscal 2019 and no revaluation of off-specification finished goods in fiscal 2019, as compared to an $11.8 million revaluation in fiscal 2018, of which $2.0 million related to our Residential segment and $9.8 million related to our Commercial segment.

 

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Gross Profit

Gross profit for the year ended September 30, 2019 increased by $51.2 million, or 25.3%, to $253.2 million from $202.0 million for the year ended September 30, 2018. Gross profit as a percent of net sales increased to 31.9% for the year ended September 30, 2019 compared to 29.6% for the year ended September 30, 2018. The increase in gross profit as a percent of net sales was primarily driven by net manufacturing productivity improvements, as well as by the absence in fiscal 2019 of revaluation of off-specification finished goods. The increase was partially offset by the startup costs of our recycling facility.

Selling, General and Administrative Expenses

Selling, general and administrative expenses increased by $38.9 million, or 26.9%, to $183.6 million, or 23.1% of net sales, for the year ended September 30, 2019 from $144.7 million, or 21.2% of net sales, for the year ended September 30, 2018. The increase was primarily attributable to $18.2 million resulting from our acquisitions of Versatex and Ultralox, $9.3 million in increased marketing spending related to our rebranding initiative, $9.2 million primarily related to increased headcount in our sales organization and professional fees of $3.4 million as we continue to invest in selling, marketing and R&D, partially offset by a $7.7 million insurance recovery received related to a previous litigation settlement.

Other General Expenses

Other general expenses increased by $4.9 million to $9.1 million during fiscal 2019 from $4.2 million during fiscal 2018. Fiscal 2019 expenses related to costs associated with our initial public offering, while fiscal 2018 expenses related to transaction costs in connection with the aforementioned fiscal 2018 acquisitions.

Loss on Disposal of Property, Plant and Equipment

Loss on disposal of property, plant and equipment increased by $0.7 million to $1.5 million for the year ended September 30, 2019 from $0.8 million during the year ended September 30, 2018 due to disposal of fixed assets in the normal course of business.

Interest Expense, net

Interest expense, net, increased by $14.5 million, or 21.0%, to $83.2 million for the year ended September 30, 2019 from $68.7 million for the year ended September 30, 2018. Interest expense increased primarily due to an increase of $225.0 million in borrowing under the Term Loan Credit Agreement relating to the acquisition of Versatex in fiscal 2018, as well as, higher rates on amounts borrowed under the Term Loan Credit Agreement.

Income Tax Benefit

Income tax benefit decreased by $19.1 million to $4.0 million for the year ended September 30, 2019 compared to $23.1 million for the year ended September 30, 2018. The decrease was primarily driven by the impact of remeasuring our deferred tax assets and liabilities as a result of the Tax Act in 2018, which lowered our statutory federal tax rate to 21% in the year ended September 30, 2018 from 35% in the year ended September 30, 2017. As a result of remeasuring our deferred tax assets and liabilities, we recorded a net benefit of approximately $22.5 million in fiscal 2018.

Net Income (Loss)

Net income decreased by $26.9 million to a net loss of $20.2 million for the year ended September 30, 2019 compared to net income of $6.7 million for the year ended September 30, 2018 primarily as a result of the changes described above.

 

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Segment Results of Operations

We report our results in two segments: Residential and Commercial. The key segment measures used by our chief operating decision maker in deciding how to evaluate performance and allocate resources to each of the segments are Segment Adjusted EBITDA and Segment Adjusted EBITDA Margin. Segment Adjusted EBITDA and Segment Adjusted EBITDA Margin are calculated differently than our Adjusted EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA Margin, which are further discussed under the heading “Selected Consolidated Financial Data—Non-GAAP Financial Measures.” Segment Adjusted EBITDA and Segment Adjusted EBITDA Margin represent measures of segment profit reported to our chief operating decision maker for the purpose of making decisions about allocating resources to a segment and assessing its performance and are determined as disclosed in our Consolidated Financial Statements included elsewhere in this prospectus consistent with the requirements of the Financial Accounting Standards Board’s, or FASB, Accounting Standards Codification, or ASC, 280. We define Segment Adjusted EBITDA as a segment’s net income (loss) before income tax (benefit) expense and by adding to or subtracting therefrom interest expense, net, depreciation and amortization, share-based compensation costs, asset impairment and inventory revaluation costs, business transformation costs, capital structure transaction costs, acquisition costs, initial public offering costs and certain other costs. Segment Adjusted EBITDA Margin is equal to a segment’s Segment Adjusted EBITDA divided by such segment’s net sales. Corporate expenses, which include selling, general and administrative costs related to our corporate offices, including payroll and other professional fees, are not included in computing Segment Adjusted EBITDA. Such corporate expenses increased by $1.9 million to $42.3 million during the year ended September 30, 2019, from $40.4 million during the year ended September 30, 2018, and increased by $6.5 million to $27.0 million for the six months ended March 31, 2020 from $20.5 million for the six months ended March 31, 2019.

Residential

The following table summarizes certain financial information relating to the Residential segment results that have been derived from our Consolidated Financial Statements for the years ended September 30, 2019 and 2018 and unaudited Consolidated Financial Statements for the six months ended March 31, 2020 and 2019.

 

    Six Months Ended     Years Ended  
    March 31,     September 30,  
    2020     2019     $
Variance
    %
Variance
    2019     2018     $
Variance
     %
Variance
 
(Dollars in thousands)                                                 

Net Sales

  $ 345,915     $ 293,888     $ 52,027       17.7%     $ 655,445     $ 541,942     $ 113,503        20.9%  

Segment Adjusted EBITDA

    101,975       80,728       21,247       26.3%       188,742       168,438       20,304        12.1%  

Segment Adjusted EBITDA Margin

    29.5     27.5     N/A       N/A       28.8     31.1     N/A        N/A  

Net Sales

Net sales of the Residential segment for the six months ended March 31, 2020 increased by $52.0 million, or 17.7%, to $345.9 million from $293.9 million for the six months ended March 31, 2019. The increase was primarily attributable to an increase in organic sales volume, including the benefit from the expansion of our west coast distribution network during the first quarter of fiscal 2020.

Net sales of the Residential segment for the year ended September 30, 2019 increased by $113.5 million, or 20.9%, to $655.4 million from $541.9 million for the year ended September 30, 2018. The increase was primarily attributable to an increase in organic sales volume and $50.8 million from acquisitions. Organic net sales increased 10.9% for the year ended September 30, 2019 as compared to the year ended September 30, 2018.

 

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Segment Adjusted EBITDA

Segment Adjusted EBITDA of the Residential segment for the six months March 31, 2020 increased by $21.2 million, or 26.3% to $101.9 million from $80.7 million for the six months ended March 31, 2019. The increase was mainly driven by higher net sales and net manufacturing productivity improvements, partially offset by investments in our sales organization and other operational investments.

Segment Adjusted EBITDA of the Residential segment for the year ended September 30, 2019 increased by $20.3 million, or 12.1%, to $188.7 million from $168.4 million for the year ended September 30, 2018. The increase was mainly driven by higher net sales, acquisitions and net manufacturing productivity improvements, partially offset by investments in selling, marketing and R&D.

Commercial

The following table summarizes certain financial information relating to the Commercial segment results that have been derived from our Consolidated Financial Statements for the years ended September 30, 2019 and 2018 and unaudited Consolidated Financial Statements for the six months ended March 31, 2020 and 2019.

 

    Six Months Ended      Years Ended  
    March 31,      September 30,  
    2020     2019     $
Variance
    %
Variance
     2019     2018     $
Variance
    %
Variance
 
(Dollars in thousands)                                                 

Net Sales

  $ 65,713     $ 63,474     $ 2,239       3.5%      $ 138,758     $ 139,863     $ (1,105     (0.8)%  

Segment Adjusted EBITDA

    5,901       7,483       (1,582     (21.1)%        21,493       21,669       (176     (0.8)%  

Segment Adjusted EBITDA Margin

    9.0     11.8     N/A       N/A        15.5     15.5     N/A       N/A  

Net Sales

Net sales of the Commercial segment for the six months ended March 31, 2020 increased by $2.2 million, or 3.5%, to $65.7 million from $63.5 million for the six months ended March 31, 2019. The increase in sales was driven by growth in partition and locker sales partially offset by lower sales in the Vycom business.

Net sales of the Commercial segment for the year ended September 30, 2019 decreased by $1.1 million, or 0.8%, to $138.8 million from $139.9 million for the year ended September 30, 2018. The slight decrease was driven by weakness in certain end-user markets offset by growth in partitions and locker sales.

Segment Adjusted EBITDA

Segment Adjusted EBITDA of the Commercial segment for the six months ended March 31, 2020 decreased by $1.6 million, or 21.1%, to $5.9 million from $7.5 million for the six months ended March 31, 2019. The decrease was primarily driven by higher costs related to sales.

Segment Adjusted EBITDA of the Commercial segment was $21.5 million for the year ended September 30, 2019 compared to $21.7 million for the year ended September 30, 2018. A slight decrease in net sales was largely offset by improved net manufacturing productivity.

Quarterly Results of Operations

The following tables set forth our historical unaudited consolidated statements of income and operating results expressed as a dollar amount and as a percentage of net sales for each of the quarters indicated. The information for each quarter has been prepared on the same basis as our audited Consolidated Financial

 

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Statements included elsewhere in this prospectus and reflects, in the opinion of management, all adjustments necessary for a fair presentation of the financial information presented. Our historical results are not necessarily indicative of future operating results, and our interim results are not necessarily indicative of the results to be expected for the full year or any other period. The quarterly financial data set forth below should be read together with our Consolidated Financial Statements and related Notes included elsewhere in this prospectus.

 

    Three Months Ended  
    March 31,
   2020   
    December 31
   2019   
    September 30
   2019   
    June 30
   2019   
    March 31
   2019   
    December 31
   2018   
    September 30
   2018   
    June 30
   2018   
    March 31
   2018   
    December 31
   2017   
 

Net sales(1)

  $ 245,585     $ 166,043     $ 215,534     $ 221,307     $ 219,931     $ 137,431     $ 191,137     $ 184,406     $ 200,863     $ 105,399  

Cost of sales

    (166,213     (114,752     (146,058     (145,897     (152,526     (96,525     (135,134     (133,045     (135,652     (75,938
 

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 
Gross profit     79,372       51,291       69,476       75,410       67,405       40,906       56,003       51,361       65,211       29,461  

Selling, general and administrative expenses

    (49,693     (43,473     (46,584     (50,185     (44,336     (42,467     (38,058     (42,040     (37,023     (27,567

Other general expenses

    (3,115     (1,978     (2,921     (1,997     (2,348     (1,810     —         (3,857     —         (325

Gain (loss) on disposal of property

    (101     73       (23     (36     (189     (1,247     (465     (215     16       (127
 

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Operating (loss) income

    26,463       5,913       19,948       23,192       20,532       (4,618     17,480       5,249       28,204       1,442  
 

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Other expenses:

                   

Interest expense

    (19,975     (19,759     (19,992     (21,440     (21,283     (20,490     (20,256     (17,477     (15,732     (15,277

Total other expenses

    (19,975     (19,759     (19,992     (21,440     (21,283     (20,490     (20,256     (17,477     (15,732     (15,277
 

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Income (loss) before income taxes

    6,488       (13,846     (44     1,752       (751     (25,108     (2,776     (12,228     12,472       (13,835

Income tax provision (benefit)(2)

    2,400       4,000       (876     (241     (765     5,837       (1,788     2,000       (3,400     26,300  
 

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Net income (loss)

  $ 4,088     $ (9,846   $ (920   $ 1,511     $ (1,516   $ (19,271   $ (4,564   $ (10,228   $ 9,072     $ 12,465  
 

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

 

(1)

Net sales are impacted by seasonality as we have typically experienced moderately higher levels of sales of our residential products in the second fiscal quarter of the year as a result of our “early buy” sales. Net sales are also generally impacted by the number of days in a quarter or a year that contractors and other professionals are able to install our products. This can vary dramatically based on, among other things, weather events such as rain, snow and extreme temperatures. We have generally experienced lower levels of sales of our residential products in the first fiscal quarter due to adverse weather conditions in certain markets, which typically reduce the construction and renovation activity during the winter season. In addition, we have experienced higher levels of sales of our bathroom partition products and our locker products during the second half of our fiscal year, which includes the summer months when schools are typically closed and therefore are more likely to undergo remodel activities.

(2)

On December 22, 2017, the President of the United States signed and enacted the Tax Act. This lowered our federal corporate tax rate, and, as a result, we recorded a $22.5 million net income tax benefit in three months ended December 31, 2017 for the remeasurement of our deferred tax assets and liabilities.

 

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    Three Months Ended  
    March 31,
2020
    December 31
2019
    September 30
2019
    June 30
2019
    March 31
2019
    December 31
2018
    September 30
2018
    June 30
2018
    March 31
2018
    December 31
2017
 

Net sales(1)

    100.0     100.0     100.0     100.0     100.0     100.0     100.0     100.0     100.0     100.0

Cost of sales

    (67.7 )%      (69.1 )%      (67.8 )%      (65.9 )%      (69.4 )%      (70.2 )%      (70.7 )%      (72.1 )%      (67.5 )%      (72.0 )% 
 

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 
Gross profit     32.3     30.9     32.2     34.1     30.6     29.8     29.3     27.9     32.5     28.0

Selling, general and administrative expenses

    (20.2 )%      (26.2 )%      (21.6 )%      (22.7 )%      (20.2 )%      (30.9 )%      (19.9 )%      (22.8 )%      (18.4 )%      (26.2 )% 

Other general expenses

    (1.3 )%      (1.2 )%      (1.4 )%      (0.9 )%      (1.1 )%      (1.3 )%      0.0     (2.1 )%      0.0     (0.3 )% 

Gain (loss) on disposal of property

    (0.0 )%      0.0     0.0     0.0     (0.1 )%      (0.9 )%      (0.2 )%      (0.1 )%      0.0     (0.1 )% 
 

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 
Operating (loss) income     10.8     3.6     9.3     10.5     9.3     (3.4 )%      9.1     2.8     14.0     1.4
 

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Other expenses:

                   

Interest expense

    (8.1 )%      (11.9 )%      (9.3 )%      (9.7 )%      (9.7 )%      (14.9 )%      (10.6 )%      (9.5 )%      (7.8 )%      (14.5 )% 
Total other expenses     (8.1 )%      (11.9 )%      (9.3 )%      (9.7 )%      (9.7 )%      (14.9 )%      (10.6 )%      (9.5 )%      (7.8 )%      (14.5 )% 
 

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Income (loss) before income taxes

    2.6     (8.3 )%      0.0     0.8     (0.3 )%      (18.3 )%      (1.5 )%      (6.6 )%      6.2     (13.1 )% 

Income tax provision (benefit)(2)

    1.0     2.4     (0.4 )%      (0.1 )%      (0.3 )%      4.2     (0.9 )%      1.1     (1.7 )%      25.0
 

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Net income (loss)

    1.7     (5.9 )%      (0.4 )%      0.7     (0.7 )%      (14.0 )%      (2.4 )%      (5.5 )%      4.5     11.8
 

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

 

(1)

Net sales are impacted by seasonality as we have typically experienced moderately higher levels of sales of our residential products in the second fiscal quarter of the year as a result of our “early buy” sales. Net sales are also generally impacted by the number of days in a quarter or a year that contractors and other professionals are able to install our products. This can vary dramatically based on, among other things, weather events such as rain, snow and extreme temperatures. We have generally experienced lower levels of sales of our residential products in the first fiscal quarter due to adverse weather conditions in certain markets, which typically reduce the construction and renovation activity during the winter season. In addition, we have experienced higher levels of sales of our bathroom partition products and our locker products during the second half of our fiscal year, which includes the summer months when schools are typically closed and therefore are more likely to undergo remodel activities.

(2)

On December 22, 2017, the President of the United States signed and enacted the Tax Act. This lowered our federal corporate tax rate, and, as a result, we recorded a $22.5 million net income tax benefit in three months ended December 31, 2017 for the remeasurement of our deferred tax assets and liabilities.

Liquidity and Capital Resources

Liquidity Outlook

Our primary cash needs are to fund working capital, capital expenditures, debt service and any acquisitions we may undertake. We have, and, after this offering will continue to have, significant debt and debt service requirements. As of March 31, 2020, we had cash and cash equivalents of $94.7 million and total indebtedness of $1,248.3 million. CPG International LLC had approximately $16.0 million available under the borrowing base for future borrowings as of March 31, 2020. CPG International LLC also has the option to increase the commitments under the Revolving Credit Agreement by up to $100.0 million, subject to certain conditions. In the year ended September 30, 2019, we had interest expense of $83.2 million.

During the three months ended March 31, 2020, we borrowed $129.0 million under the Revolving Credit Agreement, including, on March 16, 2020, $89.0 million to enhance our financial flexibility in light of uncertainties resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic.

We expect to redeem the $350.0 million in aggregate principal amount of outstanding Senior Notes issued on May 12, 2020 with the net proceeds from this offering at a redemption price of 107.125% of the outstanding principal amount, plus accrued and unpaid interest to the redemption date. We also intend to use a portion of the net proceeds received by us from this offering to repay $                     million of the outstanding principal amount under our Term Loan Credit Agreement.

 

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We believe we will have adequate liquidity over the next 12 months to operate our business and to meet our cash requirements as a result of cash flows from operating activities, available cash balances and availability under our Revolving Credit Agreement after consideration of our debt service and other cash requirements. In the longer term, our liquidity will depend on many factors, including our results of operations, our future growth, the timing and extent of our expenditures to develop new products and improve our manufacturing capabilities, the expansion of our sales and marketing activities and the extent to which we make acquisitions. Changes in our operating plans, material changes in anticipated sales, increased expenses, acquisitions or other events may cause us to seek additional equity and/or debt financing in future periods.

Holding Company Status

We are a holding company and do not conduct any business operations of our own. As a result, we are largely dependent upon cash dividends and distributions and other transfers from our subsidiaries to meet our obligations. The agreements governing the indebtedness of our subsidiaries impose restrictions on our subsidiaries’ ability to pay dividends or make other distributions to us. See “Description of Certain Indebtedness.”

CPG International LLC is party to the Senior Secured Credit Facilities. The obligations under the Senior Secured Credit Facilities are secured by specified assets as described under “Description of Certain Indebtedness.” The obligations under the Senior Secured Credit Facilities are guaranteed by CPG Newco LLC and the wholly owned domestic subsidiaries of CPG International LLC other than certain immaterial subsidiaries and other excluded subsidiaries.

The Senior Secured Credit Facilities contain covenants restricting payments of dividends by CPG International LLC unless certain conditions, as provided in the Senior Secured Credit Facilities, are met. The covenants under our Senior Secured Credit Facilities provide for certain exceptions for specific types of payments. However, other than restricted payments under the specified exceptions, the covenants under our Term Loan Credit Agreement generally prohibit the payment of dividends unless the fixed charge coverage ratio of CPG International LLC, on a pro forma basis, for the four quarters preceding the declaration or payment of such dividend would be at least 2.00 to 1.00 and such restricted payments do not exceed an amount based on the sum of $40 million plus 50% of consolidated net income for the period commencing October 1, 2013 to the end of the most recent fiscal quarter for which internal consolidated financial statements of CPG International LLC are available at the time of such restricted payment, plus certain customary addbacks. Based on the general restrictions in our Term Loan Credit Agreement as of September 30, 2019, CPG International LLC would not have been permitted to declare or pay dividends, except for the specific purposes specified in the Senior Secured Credit Facilities, and, accordingly, $490.0 million of the assets of CPG International LLC were restricted pursuant to the terms of the Senior Secured Credit Facilities.

Since the restricted net assets of CPG Newco LLC and its subsidiaries exceed 25% of our consolidated net assets, in accordance with Rule 12-04, Schedule 1 of Regulation S-X, refer to our Consolidated Financial Statements included elsewhere in this prospectus for condensed parent company financial statements of CPG Newco LLC.

Cash Sources

We have historically relied on cash flows from operations generated by CPG International LLC, borrowings under the credit facilities, issuances of notes and other forms of debt financing and capital contributions to fund our cash needs.

 

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On September 30, 2013, our subsidiary, CPG International LLC (as successor-in-interest to CPG Merger Sub LLC, a limited liability company formed to effect the acquisition of CPG International LLC), Deutsche Bank AG New York Branch, as administrative agent and collateral agent, or the Revolver Administrative Agent, and the lenders party thereto entered into the Revolving Credit Agreement. On March 9, 2017, the Revolving Credit Agreement was amended and restated to provide for maximum aggregate borrowings of up to $150.0 million, subject to an asset-based borrowing base. The borrowing base is limited to a specified percentage of eligible accounts receivable and inventory, less reserves that may be established by the Revolver Administrative Agent in the exercise of its reasonable credit judgment. We are in the process of pursuing the RCA Amendment, which would increase the percentage of borrowing base-eligible assets against which we are able to borrow, thereby potentially increasing our borrowing capacity (subject to the maximum aggregate amount that may be borrowed under the Revolving Credit Agreement). The RCA Amendment is subject to approval by our lenders. There is no assurance that we will be successful in entering into the RCA Amendment or that the RCA Amendment will substantially increase our borrowing capacity under the Revolving Credit agreement. As of March 31, 2020 and September 30, 2019 and 2018, CPG International LLC had $129.0 million, $0.0 million and $0.0 million, respectively, of outstanding borrowings under the Revolving Credit Agreement and had $5.0 million, $3.0 million and $3.1 million, respectively, of outstanding letters of credit held against the Revolving Credit Agreement. As of March 31, 2020 and September 30, 2019, CPG International LLC had approximately $16.0 million and $113.7 million, respectively, available under the borrowing base for future borrowings in addition to cash and cash equivalents on hand of $94.7 million and $105.9 million, respectively. Because our borrowing capacity under the Revolving Credit Agreement depends, in part, on inventory, accounts receivable and other assets that fluctuate from time to time, the amount available under the borrowing base may not reflect actual borrowing capacity under the Revolving Credit Agreement.

Cash Uses

Our principal cash requirements have included working capital, capital expenditures, payments of principal and interest on our debt, and, if market conditions warrant, making selected acquisitions. We may elect to use cash from operations, debt proceeds, equity or a combination thereof to finance future acquisition opportunities.

Cash Flows

 

    Six Months Ended
March 31,
    $ Variance     % Variance     Years Ended
September 30,
    $ Variance     % Variance  
    2020     2019     Increase/
(Decrease)
    Increase/
(Decrease)
    2019     2018     Increase/
(Decrease)
    Increase/
(Decrease)
 

Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities

  $ (68,032   $ (48,521   $ 19,511       40.2   $ 94,872     $ 67,302     $ 27,570       41.0

Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities

    (60,240     (33,208     27,032       81.4     (62,935     (335,682     272,747       81.3

Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities

    117,023       19,802       97,221       491.0     (8,273     248,742       (257,015     (103.3 )% 
 

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Net (decrease) increase in cash

  $ (11,249   $ (61,927   $ (50,678     (81.8 )%    $ 23,664     $ (19,638   $ 43,302       N/M (1) 
 

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

 

(1)

“N/M” indicates that variance as a percentage is not meaningful

 

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Six Months Ended March 31, 2020, Compared with Six Months Ended March 31, 2019

Cash Provided by (Used in) Operating Activities

Net cash used in operating activities was $68.0 million and $48.5 million for the six months ended March 31, 2020 and 2019, respectively. During the first half of our fiscal year, we operate programs to prepare for increased purchases during the building season, and as a result, we typically experience an increase in cash used in operating activities relative to the second half of our fiscal year. The $19.5 million increase is a result of a net increase in working capital as we built inventory during the period and reduced certain payables in accrued expenses.

Cash Provided by (Used in) Investing Activities

Net cash used in investing activities was $60.2 million and $33.2 million for the six months ended March 31, 2020 and 2019, respectively, primarily representing purchases of property, plant and equipment in the normal course of business and the acquisition of Return Polymers for $18.1 million.

Cash Provided by (Used in) Financing Activities

Net cash provided by financing activities was $117.0 million and $19.8 million for the six months ended March 31, 2020 and 2019, respectively. Net cash provided by financing activities for the six months ended March 31, 2020 consisted of proceeds from our Revolving Credit Agreement, offset by debt payments, redemptions of equity interests in the Partnership and payments of costs related to our initial public offering, as compared to the six months ended March 31, 2019, which consisted of proceeds from our Revolving Credit Agreement, offset by payments for debt and contingent consideration related to the acquisition of Ultralox.

Year Ended September 30, 2019, Compared with Year Ended September 30, 2018

Cash Provided by (Used in) Operating Activities

Net cash provided by operating activities was $94.9 million and $67.3 million for the years ended September 30, 2019 and 2018, respectively. Cash provided by operating activities for fiscal 2019 increased by approximately $27.6 million over fiscal 2018 as the decrease in net income in fiscal 2019 compared to fiscal 2018 was more than offset by increased deferred tax expense and depreciation and amortization in fiscal 2019 compared to fiscal 2018 and a net increase in working capital in fiscal 2019 primarily related to the timing of payments.

Cash Provided by (Used in) Investing Activities

Net cash used in investing activities was $62.9 million and $335.7 million for the years ended September 30, 2019 and 2018, respectively. In fiscal 2019, cash used in investing activities related to $63.0 million for purchases of property, plant and equipment. In fiscal 2018, cash used in investing activities primarily related to $293.0 million used to complete acquisitions as well as $42.8 million for purchases of property, plant and equipment. A majority of the $42.8 million of property, plant and equipment purchased in fiscal 2018 related to the purchase of manufacturing equipment in connection with the establishment of a recycling plant that was opened in 2019.

Cash Provided by (Used in) Financing Activities

Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities was $(8.3) million and $248.7 million for the years ended September 30, 2019 and 2018, respectively. Net cash used in financing activities in fiscal 2019 consisted primarily of payments of $8.3 million on long-term debt. In fiscal 2018, we received $224.4 million of proceeds from incremental borrowings under the Term Loan Credit Agreement as well as $40.0 million of aggregate proceeds from capital contributions by the Sponsors and certain of the other limited partners of the Partnership, made in connection with acquisitions. We expect to redeem the $350 million in aggregate principal amount of

 

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outstanding Senior Notes with the net proceeds from this offering at a redemption price of 107.125% of the outstanding principal amount, plus accrued and unpaid interest to the redemption date. We also intend to use a portion of the net proceeds received by us from this offering to repay $                     million of the outstanding principal amount under our Term Loan Credit Agreement. As a result of the expected redemption of the Senior Notes and the prepayment of principal under the Term Loan Credit Agreement with net proceeds of this offering, our annual cash interest payments are expected to be reduced by approximately $                     million.

Indebtedness

Revolving Credit Agreement

The Revolving Credit Agreement provides for maximum aggregate borrowings of up to $150.0 million, subject to an asset-based borrowing base. Outstanding principal under the Revolving Credit Agreement will bear interest at a rate which equals, at our option, either (i) for alternative base rate, or ABR, borrowings, the highest of (a) the Federal Funds Rate plus 50 basis points, (b) the prime rate and (c) the LIBOR, as of such date for a deposit in U.S. dollars with a maturity of one month plus 100 basis points, plus, in each case, a spread of 50 to 100 basis points based on average historical availability, or (ii) for Eurocurrency borrowings, adjusted LIBOR plus a spread of 150 to 200 basis points, based on average historical availability. A “commitment fee” accrues on any unused portion of the commitments under the Revolving Credit Agreement during the preceding three calendar month period. If the average daily used percentage is greater than 50%, the commitment fee equals 25 basis points, and if the average daily used percentage is less than or equal to 50%, the commitment fee equals 37.5 basis points. After giving effect to the redemption of the Senior Notes using net proceeds from this offering, the Revolving Credit Agreement will mature on March 9, 2022. During the three months ended March 31, 2020, we borrowed $129.0 million under the Revolving Credit Agreement, including, on March 16, 2020, $89.0 million to enhance our financial flexibility in light of uncertainties resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic. On May 14, 2020, following the issuance of the Senior Notes on May 12, 2020, we repaid $15.0 million of outstanding principal amount under the Revolving Credit Agreement.

The obligations under the Revolving Credit Agreement are secured by a first priority security interest in certain assets, including substantially all of the accounts receivable, inventory, deposit accounts, securities accounts and cash assets of CPG Newco LLC, CPG International LLC and the subsidiaries of CPG International LLC that are guarantors under the Revolving Credit Agreement, and the proceeds thereof (subject to certain exceptions), or the Revolver Priority Collateral, plus a second priority security interest in all of the Term Loan Priority Collateral (as defined below). The obligations under the Revolving Credit Agreement are guaranteed by CPG Newco LLC and the wholly owned domestic subsidiaries of CPG International LLC other than certain immaterial subsidiaries and other excluded subsidiaries.

The Revolving Credit Agreement may be voluntarily prepaid in whole, or in part, in each case without premium or penalty. CPG International LLC is also required to make mandatory prepayments (i) when aggregate borrowings exceed commitments or the applicable borrowing base and (ii) during “cash dominion,” which occurs if (a) the availability under the Revolving Credit Agreement is less than the greater of (i) $12.5 million and (ii) 10% of the lesser of (x) $150.0 million and (y) the borrowing base, for five consecutive business days or (b) certain events of default have occurred and are continuing.

The Revolving Credit Agreement contains affirmative covenants that are customary for financings of this type, including allowing the Revolver Administrative Agent to perform periodic field exams and appraisals to evaluate the borrowing base. The Revolving Credit Agreement contains various negative covenants, including limitations on, subject to certain exceptions, the incurrence of indebtedness, the incurrence of liens, dispositions, investments, acquisitions, restricted payments, transactions with affiliates, as well as other negative covenants customary for financings of this type. The Revolving Credit Agreement also includes a financial maintenance covenant, applicable only when the excess availability is less than the greater of (i) 10% of the lesser of the aggregate commitments under the Revolving Credit Agreement and the borrowing base, and (ii) $12.5 million. In such circumstances, we would be required to maintain a minimum fixed charge coverage ratio (as defined in the

 

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Revolving Credit Agreement) for the trailing four quarters equal to at least 1.0 to 1.0; subject to our ability to make an equity cure (no more than twice in any four quarter period and up to five times over the life of the facility). As of March 31, 2020 and September 30, 2019, CPG International LLC was in compliance with the financial and nonfinancial covenants imposed by the Revolving Credit Agreement. The Revolving Credit Agreement also includes customary events of default, including the occurrence of a change of control.

We also have the option to increase the commitments under the Revolving Credit Agreement by up to $100.0 million, subject to certain conditions. We are in the process of pursuing the RCA Amendment, which would increase the percentage of borrowing base-eligible assets against which we are able to borrow, thereby potentially increasing our borrowing capacity (subject to the maximum aggregate amount that may be borrowed under the Revolving Credit Agreement). The RCA Amendment is subject to approval by our lenders. There is no assurance that we will be successful in entering into the RCA Amendment or that the RCA Amendment will substantially increase our borrowing capacity under the Revolving Credit agreement.

Term Loan Credit Agreement

The Term Loan Credit Agreement is a first lien term loan. As of March 31, 2020 and September 30, 2019, CPG International LLC had $804.3 million and $808.5 million, respectively, outstanding under the Term Loan Credit Agreement. After giving effect to the redemption of the Senior Notes using net proceeds from this offering, the Term Loan Credit Agreement will mature on May 5, 2024.

The interest rate applicable to the outstanding principal under the Term Loan Credit Agreement equals, at our option, either, (i) in the case of ABR borrowings, the highest of (a) the Federal Funds Rate as of such day plus 50 basis points, (b) the prime rate and (c) the LIBOR as of such day for a deposit in U.S. dollars with a maturity of one month plus 100 basis points, provided that in no event will the alternative base rate be less than 200 basis points, plus, in each case, the applicable margin of 275 basis points per annum; or (ii) in the case of Eurocurrency borrowings, the greater of (a) the LIBOR in effect for such interest period divided by one, minus the statutory reserves applicable to such Eurocurrency borrowing, if any, and (b) 100 basis points, plus the applicable margin of 375 basis points per annum.

The obligations under the Term Loan Credit Agreement are secured by a first priority security interest in the membership interests of CPG International LLC owned by CPG Newco LLC, the equity interests of CPG International LLC’s domestic subsidiaries and all remaining assets not constituting Revolver Priority Collateral (subject to certain exceptions) of CPG Newco LLC, CPG International LLC and the subsidiaries of CPG International LLC that are guarantors under the Term Loan Credit Agreement, or the Term Loan Priority Collateral, and a second priority security interest in the Revolver Priority Collateral. The obligations under the Term Loan Credit Agreement are guaranteed by CPG Newco LLC and the wholly owned domestic subsidiaries of CPG International LLC other than certain immaterial subsidiaries and other excluded subsidiaries.

The Term Loan Credit Agreement may be voluntarily prepaid in whole, or in part, in each case without premium or penalty (other than the Prepayment Premium, as defined in the Term Loan Credit Agreement, if applicable), subject to certain customary conditions. CPG International LLC is also required to make mandatory prepayments in an amount equal to (i) 100% of the net cash proceeds from casualty events or the disposition of property or assets, subject to customary reinvestment rights, (ii) 100% of the net cash proceeds from the incurrence or issuance of indebtedness (other than permitted indebtedness) by CPG International LLC or any restricted subsidiary and (iii) 50% of excess cash flow, with such percentage subject to reduction (to 25% and to 0%) upon achievement of specified leverage ratios and which prepayment may be declined by the lenders under the Term Loan Credit Agreement. The estimated prepayment from excess cash flow was $6.4 million at September 30, 2019. Additionally, CPG International LLC is required to pay the outstanding principal amount of the Term Loan Credit Agreement in quarterly installments of 0.25253% of the aggregate principal amount under the Term Loan Credit Agreement outstanding, and such quarterly payments may be reduced as a result of prepayments.

 

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The Term Loan Credit Agreement contains affirmative covenants, negative covenants and events of default, which are broadly consistent with those in the Revolving Credit Agreement (with certain differences consistent with the differences between a revolving loan and term loan) and that are customary for facilities of this type. The Term Loan Credit Agreement does not have any financial maintenance covenants. As of March 31, 2020 and September 30, 2019, CPG International LLC was in compliance with the covenants imposed by the Term Loan Credit Agreement. The Term Loan Credit Agreement also includes customary events of default, including the occurrence of a change of control.

We have the right to arrange for incremental term loans under the Term Loan Credit Agreement of up to an aggregate principal amount of $150.0 million, plus the amounts incurred under Incremental Amendment No. 1 thereto, plus any amounts previously voluntarily prepaid, with additional incremental term loans available if certain leverage ratios are achieved.

Senior Notes

On May 12, 2020, CPG International LLC issued $350.0 million aggregate principal amount of 9.500% senior notes due May 15, 2025. The Senior Notes are obligations of CPG International LLC and are guaranteed by its subsidiaries that also guarantee the Revolving Credit Agreement and the Term Loan Credit Agreement.

At any time, CPG International LLC may redeem the Senior Notes in whole or in part, subject to specified make-whole obligations or redemption prices. CPG International LLC may, prior to May 15, 2022, at its option, redeem up to 40% of the aggregate principal amount or 100% of the aggregate principal amount of the Senior Notes with the proceeds of a Qualified IPO (as defined in the indenture governing the Senior Notes) at a redemption price equal to 107.125% of the principal amount of the Senior Notes, plus accrued and unpaid interest to the redemption date. This offering will constitute a Qualified IPO, and we intend to use net proceeds received by us from this offering to redeem all of the aggregate principal amount of the Senior Notes, plus accrued and unpaid interest.

2013 Notes

On September 30, 2013, CPG International LLC issued $315.0 million aggregate principal amount of 8.000% senior notes due October 1, 2021. On May 12, 2020, in conjunction with the issuance of the Senior Notes, CPG International LLC satisfied and discharged its obligations with respect to the 2013 Notes, and the 2013 Notes will be redeemed in full on June 6, 2020 at a redemption price equal to par plus accrued and unpaid interest to the redemption date.

Restrictions on Dividends

The Senior Secured Credit Facilities each restrict payments of dividends unless certain conditions, as provided in the Revolving Credit Agreement or the Term Loan Credit Agreement, as applicable, are met. For more information on our outstanding indebtedness, see “Description of Certain Indebtedness.”

Off-Balance Sheet Arrangements

In addition to our debt guarantees, we have contractual commitments for purchases of certain minimum quantities of raw materials at index-based prices, and non-cancelable capital and operating leases, outstanding letters of credit and fixed asset purchase commitments. We have no other material non-cancelable guarantees or commitments, and no material special purpose entities or other off-balance sheet debt obligations.

Contractual Obligations

The following table summarizes our contractual cash obligations as of September 30, 2019. This table does not include information on our recurring purchases of materials for use in production, as our raw materials purchase contracts do not require fixed or minimum quantities.

 

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     Payments Due by Period  
     Total      Less than 1
year
     1-3 years      3-5 years      More than 5
years
 
(In thousands)       

Long-term indebtedness, excluding interest(1)

   $ 1,124,612      $ 8,304      $ 331,608      $ 784,700      $ —    

Interest on long-term indebtedness(2)

     271,185        72,948        119,219        79,018        —    

Capital lease obligations

     8,457        1,510        2,725        1,433        2,789  

Finance lease obligations

     8,258        459        1,557        1,635        4,607  

Raw material purchase commitments(3)

     5,631        5,631        —          —          —    

Operating lease obligations

     3,045        1,097        1,485        463        —    

Fixed asset purchase commitments(4)

     670        670        —          —          —    
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Total contractual obligations

   $ 1,421,858      $ 90,619      $ 456,594      $ 867,249      $ 7,396  
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

 

(1)

As of September 30, 2019, long-term indebtedness, excluding interest, consisted of $808.5 million under the Term Loan Credit Agreement and $315.0 million of outstanding 2013 Notes. During the three months ended March 31, 2020, we borrowed $129.0 million under the Revolving Credit Agreement, including, on March 16, 2020, $89.0 million to enhance our financial flexibility in light of uncertainties resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic. On May 12, 2020, we issued the Senior Notes in an aggregate principal amount of $350.0 million, and we satisfied and discharged our obligations with respect to the 2013 Notes. The 2013 Notes will be redeemed on June 6, 2020. On May 14, 2020, following the issuance of the Senior Notes, we also repaid $15.0 million of the outstanding principal amount under our Revolving Credit Agreement. Giving effect to our borrowings under the Revolving Credit Agreement during the three months ended March 31, 2020, the issuance of the Senior Notes, the redemption of the 2013 Notes, the repayment of $15.0 million of outstanding principal amount under our Revolving Credit Agreement, the redemption of the Senior Notes with net proceeds of this offering and the prepayment of $                     million of outstanding principal amount under our Term Loan Credit Agreement with net proceeds of this offering, our long-term indebtedness, excluding interest, under “Due in 1—3 years” is expected to be reduced by $                     million and our long-term indebtedness, excluding interest, under “Due in 3-5 years” is expected to be reduced by $                     million, in each case with a corresponding decrease in “Total contractual obligations.” After giving effect to the redemption of the Senior Notes, the Term Loan Credit Agreement will mature on May 5, 2024, and the Revolving Credit Agreement will mature on March 9, 2022.

(2)

Interest on long-term indebtedness includes interest of 8.000% on the $315.0 million outstanding 2013 Notes and interest on our outstanding borrowings of $808.5 million under the Term Loan Credit Agreement equal to, at our option, either, (i) in the case of ABR borrowings, the highest of (a) the Federal Funds Rate as of such day plus 50 basis points, (b) the prime rate and (c) the LIBOR as of such day for a deposit in U.S. dollars with a maturity of one month plus 100 basis points, provided that in no event will the alternative base rate be less than 200 basis points, plus, in each case, the applicable margin of 275 basis points per annum; or (b) in the case of the Eurocurrency borrowings, the greater of (a) the LIBOR in effect for such interest period divided by one, minus the statutory reserves applicable to such Eurocurrency borrowing, if any, and (b) 100 basis points, plus the applicable margin of 375 basis points per annum. For purposes of this table, we have assumed an interest rate of 5.93% on the Term Loan Credit Agreement for all future periods, which is the rate as of September 30, 2019. Giving effect to our borrowings under the Revolving Credit Agreement during the three months ended March 31, 2020, the issuance of the Senior Notes, the redemption of the 2013 Notes, the repayment of $15.0 million of outstanding principal amount under our Revolving Credit Agreement, the redemption of the Senior Notes with net proceeds of this offering and the prepayment of $                     million of outstanding principal amount under our Term Loan Credit Agreement with net proceeds of this offering, our interest on long-term indebtedness “Due in 1—3 years” is expected to be reduced by $                     million and our interest on long-term indebtedness “During 3—5 years” is expected to be reduced by $                     million, in each case with corresponding reductions in “Total contractual obligations.”

(3)

Substantially all of our resins are purchased under supply contracts that average approximately one to two years, for which pricing is variable based on an industry benchmark price index. The resin supply contracts are negotiated annually and generally provide that we are obligated to purchase a minimum amount of resins from each supplier. As of September 30, 2019, we had purchase commitments under material supply contracts of $5.6 million for the year ending December 31, 2019.

(4)

Primarily related to purchases of equipment for the recycling plant opened in the first half of fiscal 2019.

The following is a summary of outstanding letter of credit arrangements as of September 30, 2019:

 

     Amount of commitment expiration per period  
     Total
amount
     Less than 1
year
     1-3
years
     3-5
years
     After 5
years
 
(In thousands)                                   

Letters of credit

   $ 3,040      $ —        $ 3,040      $ —        $ —    

 

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Critical Accounting Policies, Estimates and Assumptions

A discussion of our significant accounting policies and significant accounting estimates and judgments is presented in the Summary of Significant Accounting Policies in the Notes to our Consolidated Financial Statements included elsewhere in this prospectus. Throughout the preparation of the financial statements, we employ significant judgments in the application of accounting principles and methods. These judgments are primarily related to the assumptions used to arrive at various estimates. These significant accounting estimates and judgments include:

Revenue Recognition

Our Residential segment generates revenue from the sale of our innovative, low-maintenance, sustainable Outdoor Living products, including decking, railing, trim, moulding, pavers products and accessories. Our Commercial segment generates revenue from the sale of sustainable low-maintenance privacy and storage solution products and highly engineered plastic sheet products.

On October 1, 2018, we early adopted ASC 606, using the modified retrospective method with an adjustment to the opening balance of equity of $0.2 million, due to the cumulative impact of adopting Topic 606. The adoption of ASC 606 did not have a material impact on the Consolidated Financial Statements, and the timing and amounts of our revenue recognition is substantially unchanged as a result of this new guidance. We did not restate comparative period amounts. Therefore, the comparative information continues to be reported under ASC 605, Revenue Recognition.

ASC 606 includes a five-step model for contracts with customers as follows:

 

   

Identify the contract with a customer;

 

   

Identify the performance obligations in the contract;

 

   

Determine the transaction price, which is the total consideration provided by the customer;

 

   

Allocate the transaction price among the separate performance obligations within the contract; and

 

   

Recognize revenue when the performance obligations are satisfied.

We recognize revenues when control of the promised goods is transferred to our customers in an amount that reflects the consideration we expect to be entitled to in exchange for those goods, at a point in time, when shipping occurs. Each product we transfer to the customer is considered one performance obligation. We have elected to account for shipping and handling costs as activities to fulfill the promise to transfer the goods. As a result of this accounting policy election, we do not consider shipping and handling activities as promised services to our customers.

Customer contracts are typically fixed price and short-term in nature. The transaction price is based on the product specifications and is determined at the time of order. We do not engage in contracts greater than one year, and therefore do not have any incremental costs capitalized as of March 31, 2020 or September 30, 2019. We may offer various sales incentive programs throughout the year. We estimate the amount of sales incentive to allocate to each performance obligation, or product shipped, using the most-likely-amount method of estimation, based on sales to the direct customer or sell-through customer. The estimate is updated each reporting period and any changes are allocated to the performance obligations on the same basis as at inception. Changes in estimate allocated to a previously satisfied performance obligation are recognized as part of net revenue in the period in which the change occurs under the cumulative catch-up method. In addition to sales incentive programs, we may offer a payment discount, if payments are received within 30 days. We estimate the payment discount that we determine will be taken by the customer based on prior history and using the most-likely-amount method of estimation. We believe the most-likely-amount method best predicts the amount of consideration to which we will be entitled. The payment discounts are also reflected as part of net revenue. The total amount of incentives

 

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was $33.4 million and $28.0 million for the six months ended March 31, 2020 and 2019, respectively, and $50.8 million and $42.4 million for the years ended September 30, 2019 and 2018, respectively.

The differences between revenue recognized and cash payments received are reflected in accounts receivable, other assets, or deferred revenue, as appropriate.

Inventories

Inventories (mainly petrochemical resin in raw materials and finished goods), are valued at the lower of cost or net realizable value and are reduced for slow-moving and obsolete inventory. At the end of each quarter, management within each business segment performs a detailed review of its inventory on an item by item basis and identifies which products are believed to be obsolete, excess or slow moving. Management assesses the need for and the amount of any obsolescence write-down based on customer demand for the item, the quantity of the item on hand and the length of time the item has been in inventory. Further, management also considers net realizable value in assessing inventory balances. Inventory costs include those costs directly attributable to products, including all manufacturing overhead but excluding costs to distribute. Inventory cost is recorded at standard cost, which approximates actual cost, on the first-in, first-out basis.

Intangible Asset Valuation

Accounting for business combinations requires management to make significant estimates and assumptions at the acquisition date specifically for the valuation of intangible assets. In the year of such acquisitions, critical estimates in valuing certain of the intangible assets we have acquired include, but are not limited to, future expected cash flows from product sales, customer contracts and acquired technologies and discount rates. The discount rates used to discount expected future cash flows to present value are typically derived from a weighted-average cost of capital analysis and adjusted to reflect inherent risks. Unanticipated events and circumstances may occur that could affect either the accuracy or validity of such assumptions, estimates or actual results.

Goodwill

We evaluate the recoverability of goodwill at the reporting unit level annually, or more frequently if an event occurs or circumstances change in the interim that would more likely than not reduce the fair value of the asset below the carrying amount. During fiscal 2019, we changed the annual impairment assessment date on which impairment is tested to August 1 from September 30 to align more consistently with the annual budgeting process. This change did not accelerate, delay, avoid or cause an impairment charge, nor did this change result in adjustments to any previously issued financial statements. Goodwill is considered to be impaired when the net book value of the reporting unit exceeds its estimated fair value. We may first assess qualitative factors to determine if it is more likely than not that the fair value of the reporting unit is less than its carrying amount or may elect to bypass the qualitative assessment and proceed to a quantitative assessment to determine if goodwill is impaired. In quantitative impairment tests, we first compare the fair value of the reporting unit to the carrying value. If the carrying value of a reporting unit exceeds its fair value, the goodwill of that reporting unit is impaired and an impairment loss is recognized for the excess up to the amount of goodwill allocated to the reporting unit.

We measure fair value of the reporting units to which goodwill is allocated using an income based approach, a generally accepted valuation methodology, using relevant data available through and as of the impairment testing date. Under the income approach, fair value is determined using a discounted cash flow method, projecting future cash flows of each reporting unit, as well as a terminal value, and discounting such cash flows at a rate of return that reflects the relative risk of the cash flows. The key estimates and factors used in this approach include, but are not limited to, revenue growth rates and profit margins based on internal forecasts, a weighted-average cost of capital used to discount future cash flows, and a review with comparable market multiples for the industry segment as well as our historical operating trends. Any impairment is increased to

 

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encompass the income tax effects of any tax deductible goodwill on the carrying amount of the reporting unit, so that the after-tax impairment loss is equivalent to the amount by which the carrying value of the reporting unit exceeds its fair value.

No impairments were recorded during the year ended September 30, 2019 as the estimated fair value substantially exceeded the carrying value for all reporting units other than the Versatex reporting unit. We determined that the fair value of the Versatex reporting unit exceeded its carrying value by 12.5% as of August 1, 2019. The Versatex reporting unit was acquired in June 2018, and, therefore, at August 1, 2019, the annual goodwill impairment test date, the fair value of the reporting unit was similar to the fair value of the reporting unit determined as of the date of acquisition in the purchase accounting process. The goodwill associated with the Versatex reporting unit was $110.4 million at September 30, 2019.

In determining the fair value of our reporting units, including the Versatex reporting unit, we use the income test, as described above, which includes, among key estimates, anticipated revenue growth rates and profit margins, based on internal forecasts, as well as performance for the industry segment, all of which are subject to uncertainty. Future adverse developments relating to such matters as the growth in the market for Versatex’s products, competition, general economic conditions, the market appeal of Versatex’s products or anticipated profit margins could reduce the fair value of the Versatex reporting unit.

Long-Lived Assets

We evaluate potential impairment of amortizable intangible assets and long-lived tangible assets whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate the carrying value of the asset may not be recoverable. Amortizable intangible assets and long-lived tangible assets include customer relationships, proprietary knowledge, trademarks and property, plant and equipment. If a triggering event has occurred, recoverability of these assets is measured by comparison of their carrying amounts to future undiscounted cash flows the assets are expected to generate. If an impairment is indicated, an impairment charge is recorded for the amount by which the carrying value of the long-lived asset group exceeds its fair value. Such an impairment loss would be recognized as a non-cash component of operating income. For the six months ended March 31, 2020 and years ended September 30, 2019 and September 30, 2018, we concluded that there were no impairments to the carrying value of our long-lived intangible assets.

Our amortization of intangible assets is performed on an accelerated basis over the useful lives, which reflects the pattern in which the economic benefits are consumed or otherwise used up.

Customer Program Costs—Rebates

Customer programs and incentives are a common practice in our business. We incur customer program costs to promote sales of products and to maintain competitive pricing. Customer program costs and incentives include annual programs related to volume growth as well as certain product-specific incentives. The program costs are accounted for at the time the revenue is recognized in net sales. Management’s estimates are based on historical and projected experience for each type of program or customer and in consideration of product specific incentives. Management periodically reviews accruals for these rebates and allowances, and adjusts accruals when circumstances indicate (typically as a result of a change in volume expectations).

Product Warranties

We provide product assurance warranties against certain defects to our customers based on standard terms and conditions for periods beginning as of the sale date and lasting from five years to a lifetime, depending on the product and subject to various limitations. We provide for the estimated cost of warranties by product line at the time revenue is recognized based on management’s judgment, considering such factors as cost per claim, historical experience, anticipated rates of claims, and other available information, including our stated warranty

 

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policies and procedures. Management reviews and adjusts these estimates, if necessary, based on the differences between actual experience and historical estimates. Because warranty issues may surface later in the product life cycle, management continues to review these estimates on a regular basis and considers adjustments to these estimates based on actual experience compared to historical estimates. Estimating the required warranty reserves requires a high level of judgment, especially as many of our products are at a relatively early stage in their product life cycles. The warranty obligation is reflected in other current and other non-current liabilities in the consolidated balance sheets.

Contingent Consideration

From time to time we may offer contingent payments in connection with acquisitions. The contingent payments may be based on achievement of a minimum EBITDA amount or a multiple of EBITDA or other performance measures. We may also issue contingent compensation to retain certain key former employees of the acquired company. Contingent consideration is part of the purchase price and as such is recorded as a liability as of the acquisition date and is remeasured at each quarter end, with changes in fair value being reflected in earnings for cash based settlements. Contingent compensation is recorded as expense recognized over the required service period of the related employees with changes in fair value of the compensation recorded as part of the compensation expense.

We use the option pricing method to estimate the acquisition date fair value of contingent consideration liabilities, based on the likelihood and probability of the contingent earn-out payments. We classify the contingent liability as Level 3 fair value liabilities, due to the lack of observable inputs.

Equity-Based Compensation

To assist us in attracting, retaining, incentivizing and motivating employees, certain employees have been granted limited partnership interests in the Partnership that generally are intended to constitute “profits interests,” or the Profits Interests. The Profits Interests are subject to specified hurdle amounts, which function like option exercise prices because the Profits Interests do not participate in distributions by the Partnership until distributions to equity holders have exceeded the relevant hurdle amounts. In general, awards of Profits Interests are 50% time vested and 50% performance vested.

Prior to completion of this offering, interests in the Partnership, including the Profits Interests, were not listed on any established exchange. In determining the fair value of the Profits Interests we took into account the methodologies and approaches described in the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants Accounting and Valuation Guide, Valuation of Privately-Held Company Equity Securities Issued as Compensation. The sole material asset of the Partnership is indirect ownership of our company. Accordingly, the fair value of the Profits Interests was derived by reference to the value of our company, which we estimated using a combination of the income approach and the market approach. Under the income approach, we estimated the fair value of our company based on the present value of our future estimated cash flows and the estimated residual value of our company beyond the forecast period. These future values were discounted to their present values at a discount rate deemed appropriate to reflect the risks inherent in achieving these estimated cash flows. Significant estimates and judgments involved in the income approach include our estimated future cash flows, the perpetuity growth rate assumed in estimating the residual value of our cash flows and the discount rate used to discount our cash flows to present value. For the market approach, we utilized the comparable company method by analyzing a group of companies that were considered to be comparable to us in terms of product offerings, revenue, margins and/or growth. We then used these companies to develop relevant market multiples, which were applied to our corresponding financial metrics to estimate our equity value. Significant estimates and judgments used in the comparable company method included the selection of comparable companies and the selection of appropriate market multiples. Application of these approaches involves the use of estimates, judgment and assumptions that are highly subjective. Following this offering, it will not be necessary to apply these valuation approaches as shares of our common stock will be traded in the public market.

 

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In order to determine the value of the Profits Interests, the estimated equity value of the Partnership was allocated among the various interests in the Partnership, including the Profits Interests, using the option pricing method, or OPM, which treats the various interests in the Partnership as call options with exercise prices determined based on their respective rights to participate in distributions by the Partnership. The values attributable to these implicit call options were determined using the Black-Scholes option pricing model. The Black-Scholes option pricing model requires the use of highly subjective assumptions, including volatility and the expected term of the call options. As equity interests in the Partnership have not been publicly traded, expected volatility was derived based on the volatilities of a peer group of publicly-traded companies that were deemed to be similar to us. The expected term of the options was based on the anticipated time to liquidity. Other assumptions include the risk-free rate of interest and dividend yield. The risk-free rate of interest was based on yields for U.S. Treasury securities with remaining maturities corresponding to the estimated term of the options. Dividends were assumed to be zero, consistent with historical experience. After the equity value was determined and allocated to the various classes of interests in the Partnership, including the Profits Interests, a discount for lack of marketability, or DLOM, was applied to derive the fair value of the Profits Interests. A DLOM is meant to account for the lack of marketability of a security that is not publicly traded.

The cost of time vested Profits Interests is recognized as an expense generally on a straight-line basis over the employee’s requisite service period, which generally coincides with the vesting of the award. For performance vested Profits Interests, expense will be recognized if and when the achievement of the applicable performance criteria becomes probable. Performance vested Profits Interests only vest upon receipt by the Sponsors of specified proceeds (in the form of cash and marketable securities) or, in the event of a Change of Control (as defined in the Amended and Restated Agreement of Limited Partnership of the Partnership, dated as of September 30, 2013, or the Partnership Agreement), upon the Sponsors achieving a specified rate of return. See “Executive Compensation—Narrative Disclosure to Summary Compensation Table—Long-Term Incentives.” Through September 30, 2019, no compensation expense has been reported with respect to the performance vested Profits Interest because the achievement of the performance criteria had not become probable. As of March 31, 2020 and September 30, 2019, unrecognized compensation related to unvested performance vested Profits Interests was $10.9 million and $10.8 million, respectively. Additionally, during the six months ended March 31, 2020 and the year ended September 30, 2019, we granted certain awards that have similar performance criteria to the performance vested Profits Interests. As those criteria have not been met, no compensation expense has been recognized. As of March 31, 2020 and September 30, 2019, unrecognized compensation related to these awards was $4.1 million and $4.1 million, respectively.

In connection with the completion of this offering, based on an assumed public offering price of $             per share, which is the mid-point of the price range set forth on the cover of this prospectus, we estimate that we will incur aggregate equity compensation expense in the range of $                     million to $                     million as a result of (i) the recognition of previously unrecognized compensation expense in respect of our performance-vested Profits Interests and the grant of options to purchase shares of our Class A common stock in connection with the exchange of Profits Interests for shares of our Class A common stock; and (ii) one-time grants of options and restricted stock units to directors, executive officers and employees.

We expect to recognize in the range of $                     million to $                     million of this aggregate equity-based compensation expense during the third quarter of fiscal 2020, $                     million to $                     million in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2020 and $                     million to $                     million in the first quarter of fiscal 2021, with the remainder to be recognized thereafter. For more information on the treatment of Profits Interests in connection with this offering, see – “Executive Compensation—Treatment of Long-Term Incentives, —Profits Interest Conversion and—IPO Long-Term Incentive Awards”. See also Note 11 “Share-Based Compensation” to our unaudited consolidated financial statements and Note 11 “Share-Based Compensation” to our audited consolidated financial statements included elsewhere in this prospectus.

 

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Litigation Contingencies

We are subject to risks related to threatened or pending litigation and are from time to time defendants in lawsuits associated with the normal conduct of business. Liabilities associated with litigation-related loss contingencies may be substantial. Litigation contingencies require estimates and judgments based on our knowledge of the facts and circumstances surrounding each matter and the advice of our legal counsel. We record liabilities for litigation-related losses when a loss is probable and we can reasonably estimate the amount of the loss in accordance with accounting requirements for contingencies. We evaluate the measurement of recorded liabilities each reporting period based on the then-current facts and circumstances specific to each matter. The ultimate losses incurred upon final resolution of litigation-related loss contingencies may differ materially from the estimated liability recorded at any particular balance sheet date. Changes in estimates are recorded in earnings in the period in which such changes occur. We carry specialty insurance policies under which we file claims to recover litigation losses and legal defense costs. Recoveries of such losses are generally not recorded unless and until we have received written assurance from the insurer that the claim is covered under the policy; the recovery is deemed to be collectible; and the insurer has not disputed, nor is there any reason to believe that the insurer would dispute, the terms of the policy coverage. Contingent gains for anticipated insurance proceeds in excess of losses incurred, are generally not recorded unless the related proceeds are received from the insurer.

Income Taxes

In determining our current income tax provision, we assessed temporary differences resulting from differing treatments of items for tax and accounting purposes. These differences resulted in deferred tax assets and liabilities which are recorded in our consolidated balance sheets. When we maintain deferred tax assets, we must assess the likelihood that these assets will be recovered through adjustments to future taxable income. To the extent we believe, based on available evidence, it is more likely than not that all or some portion of the asset will not be realized, we establish a valuation allowance. We record an allowance reducing the asset to a value we believe is more likely than not to be realized based on our expectation of future taxable income. We believe the accounting estimate related to the valuation allowance is a critical accounting estimate because it is highly susceptible to change from period to period as it requires management to make assumptions about our future income over the lives of the deferred tax assets, and the impact of increasing or decreasing the valuation allowance is potentially material to our results of operations.

Forecasting future income requires us to use a significant amount of judgment. In estimating future income, we use our internal operating budgets and long-range planning projections. We developed our budgets and long-range projections based on recent results, trends, economic and industry forecasts influencing our segments’ performance, our backlog, planned timing of new product launches, and customer sales projections. Significant changes in the expected realization of net deferred tax assets would require that we adjust the valuation allowance, resulting in a change to net income.

On December 22, 2017, Congress passed, and the President signed, the Tax Act. The Tax Act makes broad and complex changes to the Code, including, but not limited to, the following items that impact the U.S. taxation of our income: (1) reducing the U.S. federal corporate income tax rate from 35% to 21%; (2) providing for the full expensing of qualified property; (3) revising the limitation imposed on deductions for executive compensation paid by publicly-traded companies; (4) imposing a new limitation on the deductibility of business interest expense; and (5) changing the rules related to the uses and limitations of net operating loss carryforwards generated in tax years beginning after December 31, 2017. The Tax Act’s changes with respect to the deductibility of business interest expense and the utilization of net operating losses were further changed as a result of the CARES Act.

As a result of the Tax Act, our deferred tax assets and deferred tax liabilities were remeasured as of December 22, 2017, at the enacted rate of 21%. The impact of remeasuring the deferred tax assets and liabilities reduced our net deferred tax liability by approximately $22.5 million. As a result, we recorded a net benefit of

 

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approximately $22.5 million during the first quarter of fiscal 2018 as a result of the Tax Act. This amount is included in income tax benefit in the Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Income (Loss). We are continuing to evaluate the impact of the CARES Act on our business.

We record liabilities for uncertain income tax positions based on a two-step process. The first step is recognition, where we evaluate whether an individual tax position has a likelihood of greater than 50% of being sustained upon examination based on the technical merits of the position, including resolution of any related appeals or litigation processes. For tax positions that are currently estimated to have a less than 50% likelihood of being sustained, no tax benefit is recorded. For tax positions that have met the recognition threshold in the first step, we perform the second step of measuring the benefit (expense) to be recorded. The actual benefits (expense) ultimately realized may differ from our estimates. In future periods, changes in facts, circumstances, and new information may require us to change the recognition and measurement estimates with regard to individual tax positions. Changes in recognition and measurement estimates are recorded in the consolidated statement of income and consolidated balance sheet in the period in which such changes occur. As of March 31, 2020, September 30, 2019 and September 30, 2018, we had liabilities for unrecognized tax benefits pertaining to uncertain tax positions totaling $1.0 million, $1.0 million and $0.9 million, respectively.

Recently Adopted Accounting Pronouncements

We qualify as an emerging growth company, and as such, have elected not to opt out of the extended transition period for complying with new or revised accounting pronouncements. During the extended transition period, we are not subject to new or revised accounting standards applicable to public companies. The accounting pronouncements pending adoption below reflect effective dates for us as an emerging growth company with the extended transition period.

On October 1, 2017, we adopted ASU No. 2015-11, Inventory—Simplifying the Measurement of Inventory. The update requires that inventory be measured at the lower of cost and net realizable value. Net realizable value is the estimated selling prices in the ordinary course of business, less reasonably predictable costs of completion, disposal, and transportation. The adoption of this amendment did not have a material impact on our Consolidated Financial Statements.

On October 1, 2017, we adopted ASU No. 2016-15, Statement of Cash Flows (Topic 230): Classification of Certain Cash Receipts and Cash Payments. The update clarifies the classification of certain cash receipts and payments in the statement of cash flows. Application of the new guidance required reclassification of certain cash flows within operating activities to investing and financing activities on our consolidated statement of cash flows. The adoption of this standard did not have a material impact on our Consolidated Financial Statements.

On October 1, 2018, we early adopted ASU No. 2014-09, Revenue from Contracts with Customers, which outlines a single comprehensive model for entities to use in accounting for revenue arising from contracts with customers. The update will supersede most current revenue recognition guidance. Under the new standard, entities are required to identify the contract with a customer; identify the separate performance obligations in the contract; determine the transaction price; allocate the transaction price to the separate performance obligations in the contract; and recognize the appropriate amount of revenue when (or as) the entity satisfies each performance obligation. The adoption of this standard did not have a material impact on our Consolidated Financial Statements.

On October 1, 2019, we adopted ASU No. 2016-16, Income Taxes (Topic 740): Intra-Entity Transfer of Assets Other Than Inventory. The standard amends several aspects of the tax accounting and recognition timing for intra-company transfers. We adopted the standard using a modified retrospective approach, with an adjustment to the beginning retained earnings of approximately $1.3 million, due to the cumulative impact of adopting the standard. The adoption of this standard did not have a material impact on our Consolidated Financial Statements.

 

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Recently Issued Accounting Pronouncements

In February 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-02, Leases (Topic 842), and issued subsequent amendments to the initial guidance in January 2018 within ASU No. 2018-01, in July 2018 within ASU Nos. 2018-10 and 2018-11, in December 2018 within ASU No. 2018-20, in March 2019 within ASU No. 2019-01 and in November 2019 within ASU No. 2019-10. This standard requires lessees to present right-of-use assets and lease liabilities on the balance sheet. For public entities, the updated standard is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2018. This standard is effective for us as an EGC for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2020 and interim periods within fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2021, with early adoption permitted. Assuming we remain an EGC, we intend to adopt the updated standard during our fiscal year beginning October 1, 2021 and for interim periods within that fiscal year. This standard provides the option to adopt through a cumulative-effect adjustment to the opening balance of retained earnings in the period of adoption, instead of applying the new guidance retrospectively for each prior reporting period presented. We are currently evaluating the impact these ASU’s adoption will have on our Consolidated Financial Statements.

In June 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-13, Financial Instruments – Credit Losses (Topic 326), and issued subsequent amendments to the initial guidance in May 2019 within ASU No. 2019-05 and in November 2019 within ASU Nos. 2019-10 and 2019-11. This standard sets forth an expected credit loss model which requires the measurement of expected credit losses for financial instruments based on historical experience, current conditions and reasonable and supportable forecasts. This replaces the existing incurred loss model and is applicable to the measurement of credit losses on financial assets measured at amortized cost, and certain off-balance sheet credit exposures. For public entities, the updated standard is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2019, including interim periods within those fiscal years. This standard is effective for us as an EGC for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2022 including interim periods within those fiscal years. Early adoption is permitted, and the standard is adopted using a modified retrospective transition method through a cumulative-effect adjustment to retained earnings as of the beginning of the first reporting period in which the guidance is effective. We are currently evaluating the impact the adoption of this standard will have on our Consolidated Financial Statements.

In August 2018, the FASB issued ASU No. 2018-13, Disclosure Framework—Changes to the Disclosure Requirements for Fair Value Measurement, which amends Topic 820, Fair Value Measurement. This standard modifies the disclosure requirements for fair value measurements by removing, modifying, or adding certain disclosures. For all entities, this standard is effective for annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2019, and interim periods within those fiscal years. We intend to adopt the updated standard during our fiscal year beginning October 1, 2020 and for interim periods within fiscal years beginning in that fiscal year. The removed and modified disclosures will be adopted on a retrospective basis and the new disclosures will be adopted on a prospective basis. We are currently evaluating the impact the adoption of this standard will have on our Consolidated Financial Statements.

In August 2018, the FASB issued ASU No. 2018-15, Intangibles—Goodwill and Other—Internal-Use Software (Subtopic 350-40): Customer’s Accounting for Implementation Costs Incurred in a Cloud Computing Arrangement That is a Service Contract. This standard aligns the requirements for capitalizing implementation costs incurred in a hosting arrangement that is a service contract with the requirements for capitalizing implementation costs incurred to develop or obtain internal-use software. For public entities, the updated standard is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2019, including interim periods within that fiscal year. The amendments in this ASU are effective for us, as an EGC, for annual periods beginning after December 15, 2020 and interim periods within annual periods beginning after December 15, 2021. The standard can be adopted either retrospectively or prospectively to all implementation costs incurred after the date of adoption. Early adoption is permitted. Assuming we remain an EGC, we intend to adopt the updated standard during our fiscal year beginning October 1, 2021 and for interim periods within fiscal year beginning October 1, 2022. We are currently evaluating the impact the adoption of this standard will have on our Consolidated Financial Statements.

 

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In December 2019, the FASB issued ASU No. 2019-12, Income Taxes (Topic 740) – Simplifying the Accounting for Income Taxes. This standard simplifies the accounting for income taxes by removing certain exceptions to general principles in Topic 740 and clarifying and amending existing guidance. For public entities, the amendments in this ASU are effective for fiscal years, and interim periods within those fiscal years, beginning after December 15, 2020. For all other entities, the amendments are effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2021, and interim periods within fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2022. Early adoption of the amendments is permitted, including adoption in any interim period for (1) public business entities for periods for which financial statements have not yet been issued and (2) all other entities for periods for which financial statements have not yet been made available for issuance. An entity that elects to early adopt the amendments in an interim period should reflect any adjustments as of the beginning of the annual period that includes that interim period. Additionally, an entity that elects early adoption must adopt all the amendments in the same period. The amendments are applied on a prospective or retrospective basis, depending upon the amendment adopted within this ASU. The amendments in this ASU are effective for us, as an EGC, for annual periods beginning after December 15, 2021 and interim periods within annual periods beginning after December 15, 2022. We are currently evaluating the impact this adoption will have on our Consolidated Financial Statements.

In March 2020, the FASB issued ASU No. 2020-04, Reference Rate Reform (Topic 848), Facilitation of the Effects of Reference Rate Reform on Financial Reporting. This standard provides optional expedients and exceptions for applying generally accepted accounting principles to contract modifications and hedging relationships, subject to meeting certain criteria, that reference LIBOR or another reference rate expected to be discontinued. The ASU is effective for all entities as of March 12, 2020, and will apply through December 31, 2022. We are currently evaluating the impact this adoption will have on our Consolidated Financial Statements.

JOBS Act Accounting Election

We are an “emerging growth company” within the meaning of the JOBS Act. Under the JOBS Act, emerging growth companies can delay adopting new or revised accounting standards until such time as those standards apply to private companies. We have elected to avail ourselves of this exemption from new or revised accounting standards, and, therefore, we will not be subject to the same new or revised accounting standards as other public companies that are not emerging growth companies or that have opted out of using such extended transition period, which may make comparison of our financial statements with those of other public companies more difficult. We may take advantage of these reporting exemptions until we no longer qualify as an emerging growth company, or, with respect to adoption of certain new or revised accounting standards, until we irrevocably elect to opt out of using the extended transition period.

We will remain an emerging growth company until the earliest of (i) the last day of the fiscal year in which we have total annual gross revenues of $1.07 billion or more; (ii) the last day of our fiscal year following the fifth anniversary of the date of the completion of this offering; (iii) the date on which we have issued more than $1 billion in nonconvertible debt during the previous three years; and (iv) the date on which we are deemed to be a large accelerated filer under the rules of the SEC.

Internal Control over Financial Reporting

As of September 30, 2019 we identified three material weaknesses in our internal control over financial reporting. One material weakness related to the design and maintenance of an effective control environment, one material weakness related to the design and maintenance of formal accounting policies, procedures and controls, and one material weakness related to the design and maintenance of effective controls over certain information technology general controls. A material weakness is a deficiency, or a combination of deficiencies, in internal control over financial reporting, such that there is a reasonable possibility that a material misstatement of a company’s annual or interim financial statements will not be prevented or detected on a timely basis. See “Risk Factors—We have identified material weaknesses in our internal control over financial reporting. If our remediation of these material weaknesses is not effective, or if we identify additional material weaknesses in the

 

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future or otherwise fail to maintain an effective system of internal controls in the future, we may not be able to accurately or timely report our financial condition or results of operations, investors may lose confidence in the accuracy and completeness of our financial reports and the trading price of our Class A common stock may decline.”

Each of the material weaknesses described above involve control deficiencies that could result in a misstatement of one or more account balances or disclosures that would result in a material misstatement to the annual or interim consolidated financial statements that would not be prevented or detected, and, accordingly, we determined that these control deficiencies constitute material weaknesses.

We remediated a previous material weakness related to our lack of policies, procedures and internal controls over non-routine or complex transactions during fiscal 2019. We remediated this material weakness by designing and implementing the following controls and procedures:

 

   

We enhanced controls and documentation related to the review of significant assumptions utilized in the assessment of goodwill impairment and valuation of business combinations.

 

   

We designed and implemented controls for management’s review of models utilized in the assessment of goodwill impairment and valuation of business combinations.

 

   

We enhanced controls and documentation related to the review of the completeness and accuracy of computations performed by third party appraisers.

Based on our evaluation, the above controls and procedures were determined to be operating effectively for a reasonable period of time.

We are currently in the process of implementing measures and taking steps to address the underlying causes of the remaining material weaknesses yet to be remediated. Our efforts to date have included the following:

 

   

We hired finance and accounting personnel with prior work experience in finance and accounting departments of public companies and with technical accounting, financial controls and SEC reporting experience, including the hiring of our Chief Financial Officer in January 2019 and our Chief Accounting Officer in April 2019. We have also reorganized our finance department to place finance personnel in line with our operating functions and to improve internal control over business processes and IT operations.

 

   

Although we have not remediated the material weaknesses related to the maintenance of an effective control environment and related to the design and maintenance of formal policies, procedures and internal controls, we have designed and are currently implementing formal accounting policies and procedures, training on standards of documentary evidence, as well as implementing additional controls to ensure the reliability of critical spreadsheets and system-generated reports.

 

   

Specifically, we have designed and implemented the following as part of our ongoing remediation efforts:

 

   

We formalized and issued accounting policies and position papers covering critical accounting areas.

 

   

We risk ranked business process controls for remediation to address higher priority areas first.

 

   

We strengthened controls related to review of account reconciliations, journal entries and balance sheet and income statement fluctuation analysis.

 

   

We enhanced controls related to the consolidation of financial information of all of our operating companies.

 

   

We provided training to strengthen process documentation and evidence of control operation, as well as precision of review controls.

 

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To complete our remediation plan, we will perform testing to confirm that such controls are designed and operating effectively for a sufficient period of time.

 

   

Although we have not remediated the material weakness related to the design and maintenance of effective controls over certain information technology general controls, we have designed and are currently implementing an IT general controls framework that addresses risks associated with user access and security, application change management and IT operations; focused training for control owners to help sustain effective control operations; and comprehensive remediation efforts relating to segregation of duties to strengthen user access security.

 

   

Specifically, we have designed and implemented the following as part of our ongoing remediation:

 

   

We have risk ranked segregation of duties conflicts within our core financial system, remediated the highest priority conflicts and, where necessary, identified and validated mitigating controls.

 

   

We enhanced and implemented user administration processes that manage how we grant, modify, and remove user access to our financial applications. We completed a comprehensive review of privileged user access across our financial applications to confirm that access rights are restricted to authorized users based on business need.

 

   

We enhanced and implemented processes for managing changes to our financial applications (including controls that require all changes to be formally submitted, approved, tested and migrated to production by authorized users) as well as over program development.

 

   

We enhanced and implemented processes over our computer operations that restrict access to and continually monitor production batch jobs that support our financial reporting applications.

 

   

To complete our IT general controls remediation plan we will perform testing to confirm that such controls are operating effectively.

While we believe these efforts will improve our internal controls and address the underlying causes of the three remaining material weaknesses, such material weaknesses will not be remediated until our remediation plan has been fully implemented and we have concluded that our controls are operating effectively for a sufficient period of time. We cannot be certain that the steps we are taking will be sufficient to remediate the control deficiencies that led to our material weaknesses in our internal control over financial reporting or prevent future material weaknesses or control deficiencies from occurring. In addition, we cannot be certain that we have identified all material weaknesses in our internal control over financial reporting, or that in the future we will not have additional material weaknesses in our internal control over financial reporting.

Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures about Market Risk

Interest Rate Risk

We are subject to interest rate risk in connection with our long-term debt. Our principal interest rate risk relates to the Senior Secured Credit Facilities. To meet our seasonal working capital needs, we borrow periodically on our variable rate revolving line of credit under the Revolving Credit Agreement. As of March 31, 2020 and September 30, 2019 we had $804.3 million and $808.5 million, respectively, outstanding under the Term Loan Credit Agreement and $129.0 million and $0.0 million outstanding under the Revolving Credit Agreement. The Term Loan Credit Agreement and Revolving Credit Agreement bear interest at variable rates. An increase or decrease of 100 basis points in the floating rates on the amounts outstanding under the Senior Secured Credit Facilities as of March 31, 2020 and 2019, and September 30, 2019 and 2018 would have increased or decreased, respectively, annual cash interest by approximately $9.3 million, $8.4 million, $8.1 million and $8.2 million, respectively.

In the future, in order to manage our interest rate risk, we may refinance our existing debt or enter into interest rate swaps or otherwise hedge the risk of changes in the interest rate under the Senior Secured Credit

 

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Facilities. However, we do not intend or expect to enter into derivative or interest rate swap transactions for speculative purposes.

Credit Risk

As of September 30, 2019 and 2018, our cash and cash equivalents were maintained at major financial institutions in the United States, and our current deposits are likely in excess of insured limits. We believe these institutions have sufficient assets and liquidity to conduct their operations in the ordinary course of business with little or no credit risk to us.

Our accounts receivable primarily relate to revenue from the sale of products primarily to established distributors inside of the United States. To mitigate credit risk, ongoing credit evaluations of customers’ financial condition are performed. As of September 30, 2019 and 2018, no customer represented more than 10% of our gross trade accounts receivable.

Foreign Currency Risk

Substantially all of our business is currently conducted in U.S. dollars. We do not believe that an immediate 10% increase or decrease in the relative value of the U.S. dollar as compared to other currencies would have a material effect on our operating results.

Inflation

Our cost of sales is subject to inflationary pressures and price fluctuations of the raw materials we use. Historically, we have generally been able over time to recover the effects of inflation and price fluctuations through sales price increases and production efficiencies associated with technological enhancements and volume growth; however, we cannot reasonably estimate our ability to successfully recover any price increases in the future.

Raw Materials

We rely upon the supply of certain raw materials in our production processes; however, we do not typically enter into fixed price contracts with our suppliers and currently have no fixed price contracts with our major vendors. The primary raw materials we use in the manufacture of our products are various petrochemical resins, including polyethylene, polypropylene and PVC resins, reclaimed polyethylene and PVC material, waste wood fiber and aluminum. In addition, we utilize a variety of other additives including modifiers, TiO2 and pigments. The exposures associated with these costs are primarily managed through terms of the sales and by maintaining relationships with multiple vendors. Prices for spot market purchases are negotiated on a continuous basis in line with the market at the time. We have not entered into hedges with respect to our raw material costs at this time, but we may choose to enter into such hedges in the future. Other than short term supply contracts for resins with indexed based pricing and occasional strategic purchases of larger quantities of certain raw materials, we generally buy materials on an as-needed basis.

The cost of some of the raw materials we use in the manufacture of our products is subject to significant price volatility. For example, the cost of petrochemical resins used in our manufacturing processes has historically varied significantly and has been affected by changes in supply and demand and in the price of crude oil. Substantially all of our resins are purchased under supply contracts that average approximately one to two years, for which pricing is variable based on an industry benchmark price index. The resin supply contracts are negotiated annually and generally provide that we are obligated to purchase a minimum amount of resins from each supplier. In addition, the price of reclaimed polyethylene material, waste wood fiber, aluminum, other additives (including modifiers, TiO2 and pigments) and other raw materials fluctuates depending on, among other things, overall market supply and demand and general business conditions.

 

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BUSINESS

Company Overview

We are an industry-leading designer and manufacturer of beautiful, low-maintenance and environmentally sustainable products focused on the highly attractive, fast-growing Outdoor Living market. Homeowners are continuing to invest in their outdoor spaces and are increasingly recognizing the significant advantages of long-lasting products, which are converting demand away from traditional materials, particularly wood. Our products transform those outdoor spaces by combining highly appealing aesthetics with significantly lower maintenance costs compared to traditional materials. Our innovative portfolio of Outdoor Living products, including deck, rail, trim and accessories, inspires consumers to design outdoor spaces tailored to their unique lifestyle needs. We are well known in the industry, and, according to data provided by Principia, we generally hold one of the top two market share positions by revenue in our product categories. In addition to our leading suite of Outdoor Living products, we sell a broad range of highly engineered products that are sold in commercial markets, including partitions, lockers and storage solutions.

One of our core values is to “always do the right thing”. We make decisions according to what is right, not what is the cheapest, fastest or easiest, and we strive to always operate with integrity, transparency and with the customer in mind. In furtherance of that value, we are focused on sustainability across our operations and have adopted strategies to enable us to meet the growing demand for environmentally-friendly products.

Our businesses leverage a shared material technology and U.S.-based manufacturing platform to create products that convert demand from traditional materials to those that are long lasting and low-maintenance, fulfilling our brand commitment to deliver products that are “Beautifully Engineered to Last”. Our Residential segment product portfolio is highly complementary and allows us to provide a wide-ranging solutions set to Outdoor Living projects. Our primary consumer brands in our Residential segment, TimberTech and AZEK, are recognized by contractors and consumers for their premium aesthetics, uncompromising quality and performance and for their diversity of style and design options. In our Commercial segment, we manufacture engineered sheet products and high-quality bathroom partitions and lockers. Over our history, we have developed a reputation as a leading innovator in our markets by leveraging our differentiated manufacturing capabilities, material science expertise and product management proficiency to consistently introduce new products into the market. This long-standing commitment to innovation has been critical to our ability to stay at the forefront of evolving industry trends and consumer demands, which in turn has allowed us to become a market leader across our core product categories.

Our focus on new product development, material science and R&D enables us to capitalize on favorable secular growth trends that are accelerating material conversion from traditional materials such as wood, to sustainable, low-maintenance engineered materials, and to expand our markets. We believe our core competency of consistently launching new products into the market, combined with our recent investments in sales, marketing, R&D and manufacturing, will continue to solidify our incumbent position as a market leader and enable us to generate long-term demand for our products through economic cycles. Over our 30-year history, we have introduced numerous disruptive products and demonstrated our ability to drive material conversion and extend our portfolio, addressing consumer needs across a wide range of price segments. In fiscal 2015, we introduced our Vintage premium decking collection, and through fiscal 2019, sales for these products, including new colors introduced in fiscal 2018 and variable widths introduced in fiscal 2019, have increased at a CAGR of more than 50.0% per year. The extended success of the Vintage premium decking collection demonstrates the longevity of demand for our product portfolio. We have leveraged the strong consumer response to Vintage to expand the platform with the introduction of new designs that address evolving industry trends and consumer demands. Our material science expertise and differentiated R&D capabilities enable us to create award-winning products and back them with some of the industry’s longest warranties, such as the 50-year fade & stain warranty that we offer on our TimberTech AZEK decking product line. Most of our product categories are in the early growth stage of their life cycles, and we anticipate that they will continue to benefit from substantial material conversion over the long term.

 

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We have created an operating platform that is centered around sustainability, one of our core strategic pillars, which extends across our value chain from product design to raw material sourcing and manufacturing, and we increasingly utilize plastic waste, recycled wood and scrap in our products. We have also made significant recent investments in our recycling capabilities, including our recent acquisition of Return Polymers, which further enhance the sustainability of our manufacturing operations and reduce our costs. In fiscal 2019, we utilized more than 200 million pounds of recycled materials in our deck boards, and we expect to increase the amount of recycled materials used in our deck boards by over 25% in fiscal 2020. In addition, we believe we have the opportunity to further increase the amount of recycled material used in our products. In fiscal 2019, we opened a new 100,000 square foot recycling facility that utilizes advanced technologies to transform a broad range of plastic waste into raw material used in our products. Today, our TimberTech PRO and EDGE decking lines offer high-quality products made from approximately 80% recycled material. Through our recycling programs, approximately 290 million pounds of waste and scrap were diverted from landfills in fiscal 2019. Furthermore, approximately 98% of scrap generated is re-used, and the majority of our TimberTech, AZEK Exteriors and Versatex products are recyclable at the end of their useful lives. In addition to the sustainability advantages and cost benefits of our vertically integrated in-house manufacturing operations, our supplier base is located primarily in the United States making us less susceptible to trade disruptions or supply chain dislocations resulting from extended crises such as the COVID-19 pandemic.

Within our Residential segment, we sell our products through a national network of more than 4,200 dealers, more than 35 distributors and multiple home improvement retailers providing extensive geographic coverage, enabling us to effectively serve contractors across the United States and Canada. Our geographic breadth, combined with our extensive market knowledge and broad product portfolio, positions us to continue to accelerate our growth within the industry. Our customer-focused sales organization generates pull-through demand for our products by driving increased downstream engagement directly with consumers and key influencers such as architects, builders and contractors, and by focusing on strengthening our position with dealers and growing our presence in retail. We have been investing in our consumer brands, marketing campaigns and digital tools in order to strengthen our relationships with consumers and key influencers, many of whom serve as advocates of our brands. Within our Commercial segment, we sell our products through a broad distribution network as well as directly to OEMs.

Through our Residential and Commercial segments, we deliver market-focused product solutions that drive material conversion. We have experienced strong growth over our history, and over the last several years we have made significant investments in our business to further accelerate our growth and increase our profitability.

 

 

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(1)

For a discussion of Segment Adjusted EBITDA and Segment Adjusted EBITDA Margin, see the Segments Note in the Notes to our Consolidated Financial Statements included elsewhere in this prospectus and the discussion under “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations—Segment Results of Operations”

 

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(2)

10-Year Net Sales CAGR refers to the CAGR for the ten years ended September 30, 2019, on a trailing twelve-month basis. Our growth over this period reflects the contribution to net sales of acquisitions, including the acquisitions of VAST Enterprises and TimberTech in fiscal 2012 and Ultralox and Versatex in fiscal 2018.

(3)

We define Five Year New Product Vitality as the percentage of gross sales in fiscal 2019 derived from products first introduced in fiscal 2019 and the four preceding years, excluding gross sales from Versatex and Ultralox.

In fiscal 2019, our net sales, net loss and Adjusted EBITDA were $794.2 million, $20.2 million and $179.6 million, respectively. We intend to continue developing new products, building the leading consumer brand in Outdoor Living and leveraging our downstream-focused sales force, and we believe the demand for our products will benefit from continued material conversion and the resilience of the Outdoor Living market. Adjusted EBITDA is a non-GAAP financial measure used by management as a measure of our core operating results and the effectiveness of our business strategy. For more information on Adjusted EBITDA and for a reconciliation to net income, its most comparable financial measure calculated in accordance with GAAP, see “Selected Consolidated Financial Data—Non-GAAP Financial Measures.”

Industry Overview

Our products are widely used across several large, attractive markets, including residential, and commercial end markets. We primarily serve the Outdoor Living market. We expect the Outdoor Living market will continue to benefit from increased investment as homeowners choose to spend more leisure time outdoors. As more members of the Millennial generation purchase first homes in the United States, we expect the demand for outdoor living spaces will rise, and the appeal of low- to no-maintenance features to gain further momentum. We believe that consumers are increasingly environmentally-conscious in their purchasing behaviors, and that our sustainable manufacturing practices and the high recycled content of our products address evolving consumer preferences.

The primary products that we sell into the Outdoor Living market are composite deck, composite and aluminum rail and PVC trim. Based on data provided by Principia, the total U.S. market sales of these products were $7.2 billion in 2018, grew at a 6.3% CAGR from 2014 to 2018 on a linear foot basis and are expected to grow at a 3.0% CAGR from 2018 to 2022 on a linear foot basis to $8.3 billion in 2022. By material type, based on data provided by Principia, the total U.S. market sales of composite deck, composite and aluminum rail and PVC trim products are expected to grow at a 5.7% CAGR from 2018 to 2022, compared to deck, rail and trim manufactured from wood which are expected to grow at a 2.7% CAGR and to deck, rail and trim manufactured from other materials, such as engineered wood, vinyl and other metals, which are expected to grow at a 1.4% CAGR, in each case measured in terms of linear feet. In addition, based on data provided by Freedonia, the total U.S. market sales of wood and wood-look siding, pavers, outdoor furniture and outdoor lighting were $10.9 billion in 2018, and, when combined with the total U.S. market sales of deck, rail and trim, according to Principia, in 2018, totaled $18.1 billion in 2018.

 

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Source: 2018 and 2022 projected market sizes based on data provided by Principia as of October 2019.

 

(1)

Represents total market (all materials). Principia market definition for trim excludes specialty exteriors products, such as tongue and groove profiles, sheets, sills, thresholds and column wraps.

(2)

Decking category includes composite and PVC decking, rail category includes composite and aluminum rail and trim category includes PVC trim.

Based on data provided by Principia, there were approximately 57 million decks in the United States as of 2018, of which approximately 5.0 million were built in 2018, up from approximately 4.0 million in 2014, representing a CAGR of 5.9%. Decking, our single largest product category, represents a significant opportunity for homeowners to extend the total livable space of their home and to design a unique space for relaxation and entertainment. Through our portfolio of Outdoor Living products, we provide a broad range of material and design options to homeowners as they tailor their outdoor living space to their unique lifestyle. In addition, we believe that we have significant opportunities to leverage our material science expertise, brand awareness and channel relationships to expand into additional segments of the Outdoor Living market. We believe that the current COVID-19 crisis, which has caused people to spend an extended amount of time at home, could be an additional catalyst that may cause an increasing number of homeowners to further recognize the benefits that our portfolio of Outdoor Living products can offer.

We believe our products offer a compelling value proposition due to their enhanced durability, quality, attractive aesthetics and lower life-cycle costs relative to traditional materials such as wood. For example, we estimate the total lifecycle cost of our new TimberTech EDGE Prime decking, including materials, labor and annual maintenance, is approximately 37% less expensive over its 25-year warranty period than the cost of a comparable pressure treated lumber deck. Further, given that the cost of our TimberTech EDGE Prime decking products typically constitutes approximately 15% of the total deck project installation cost, consumers have the opportunity to cost-effectively upgrade to our long-lasting, low-maintenance materials by replacing traditional deck boards with our product while utilizing an existing substructure that has been appropriately maintained.

 

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Total Deck Project Installation Costs(1) Total Deck Life-Cycle Costs(2)

 

 

(1)

These assumptions and estimates are based on AZEK market knowledge and feedback from decking-focused contractors with experience installing TimberTech and wood decking products. Actual costs for any particular installation can vary significantly.

(2)

Total Deck Project Installation Costs represent the total aggregate costs of an initial deck installation for a 16’ x 20’ elevated deck and exclude costs associated with the installation of rail or stairs.

 

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(3)

Total Deck Life-Cycle Costs represent both the aggregate costs of an initial deck installation and the estimated maintenance costs over a 25-year period for a 16’ x 20’ elevated deck excluding potential replacement costs.

(4)

Other costs include substructure installation costs, initial staining and sealing of wood decking materials and the cost of top down fasteners for EDGE Prime and pressure treated lumber and hidden fasteners for ipe and AZEK Vintage.

(5)

Estimated maintenance costs include an assumed annual cleaning of TimberTech products and an assumed maintenance requirement of annual pressure washing and sanding, staining and sealing a pressure treated lumber deck every three years and an ipe deck every two years to maintain aesthetics.

Composite deck (which includes wood composite and PVC decking), rail and trim products have continued to increase market share relative to other materials, due to their superior product qualities. Based on data provided by Principia, between 2014 and 2018, composite deck, composite and aluminum rail and PVC trim products collectively grew at a CAGR of 8.7% as compared to deck, rail and trim manufactured from wood, which grew at a CAGR of 5.9%, in each case measured in terms of linear feet. We believe the market for composite products will continue to increase at an above-market growth rate as it benefits from material conversion. Based on data provided by Principia, wood represented approximately 65% of the total U.S. deck, rail and trim markets based on 2018 linear feet sold. With respect to the individual components of these markets, based on this data, composite deck represented approximately 18% of the decking market, composite and aluminum rail represented approximately 16% of the rail market and PVC trim products represented approximately 11% of the trim market, each in terms of linear feet.

 

 

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Material Type Penetration By Market (Linear Feet, 2017)(1)

 

(1)

Based on data provided by Principia as of October 2019. Other includes (A) hollow vinyl, plastic lumber and metal for decking, (B) iron, stainless steel, hollow vinyl and other plastic for railing and (C) engineered wood, fiber cement, vinyl, other polymer composite and other for trim.

(2)

Wood for the decking market includes premium hardwoods, cedar and redwood, which accounted for approximately 13% of the total decking market in 2018 according to data provided by Principia.

We believe there is a significant opportunity for further market penetration by composite products as consumer awareness towards sustainable materials increases and advances in material science and manufacturing improve the range of colors and textures available. We offer products that reduce the relative premium between composite and other materials to increase the affordability and further improve the lifetime value advantages of composite products. In addition, we believe our products are well positioned to benefit from growth across economic cycles given their low market penetration and improving cost and value proposition. We believe that we have been, and will continue to be, a driving force behind the growth of low-maintenance products in our markets.

Our deck, trim, rail and accessory products are primarily sold through both one-step and two-step distribution channels, and we are increasing our direct engagement with consumers. Within our Residential segment, we sell our products to distributors, professional dealers and home improvement retailers, who in turn sell our products to builders, contractors and homeowners. Based

 

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on data provided by Principia as of October 2019, the relative industry volumes of composite deck, composite and aluminum rail and PVC trim products sold by distribution channel and by end user channel are as follows:

 

 

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Residential Channel Summary-Sales by Manufacturers Residential Channel Summary-Sales to End Users

 

(1)

Rail includes composite and aluminum rail.

We are a leader within the professional dealer channel due to our depth across product categories, brand reputation and the superior quality of our products. We estimate that our U.S. decking sales represented approximately 34% of total composite decking sales in 2018 and that our U.S. trim sales represented approximately 36% of total PVC trim sales in 2018, in each case within the professional dealer channel. Based on data provided by Principia, in 2018, the retail channel represented approximately 35% of the total $3.1 billion decking market, and, within that channel, composite decking sales represented approximately $0.3 billion. We estimate approximately half of all composite decking sales through that retail channel were special order products. Although less than 10% of our Residential segment sales were directly through home improvement retailers, we have seen substantial year-over-year growth in special order sales through such retailers, resulting in a CAGR of such gross sales of over 20% between fiscal 2015 and fiscal 2019. We believe we have an opportunity for significant expansion within retail and that this channel represents a key area of potential growth for us in the future. Our Commercial segment sells its products to OEMs and through distribution channels that reach a number of end markets including education, industrial, commercial and marine.

The AZEK Difference

An Industry Leader in the Outdoor Living Market

We are a leader in a number of large and growing segments of the Outdoor Living market and are benefiting from the early stages of material conversion and secular growth trends. Our significant scale, vertically-integrated manufacturing capabilities and extensive material science expertise enable our leadership position. We have leveraged these capabilities to establish a track record of innovation across a broad range of products with superior quality, aesthetics and performance that has been recognized by respected industry sources. In Hanley Wood’s 2020 BUILDER brand use study of U.S. builders, developers and contractors, TimberTech decking ranked #2 for quality within the deck category, and AZEK trim ranked #1 for quality within the decorative mouldings, trim and columns category. Additionally, our engineered bathroom partitions are a leading product specified by architects, and our

 

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Aria partitions won a Product Innovation Award from Architectural Products Magazine in 2018. These strengths, combined with our downstream focus and expanding marketing and digital strategy, have generated strong brand awareness and preference among contractors and consumers.

Serving Large, High-Growth and Resilient Markets That Are Benefitting from Material Conversion

We believe that the Outdoor Living market is benefiting from material conversion from traditional wood materials to low-maintenance, engineered materials. Based on data provided by Principia, wood represented approximately 65% of the total U.S. deck, rail and trim markets as measured by linear feet sold in 2018. Within the decking market specifically, wood represented approximately 80% of the total decking market in 2018, with premium hardwoods, cedar and redwood comprising 13% of the total decking market. We believe these markets present substantial growth opportunities in the coming years and that our leading scale, vertically-integrated manufacturing capabilities and extensive material science expertise position us to capitalize on these highly attractive markets as material conversion continues.

In addition, we believe that the residential repair and remodel market, which is the primary market served by our core products, is significantly more resilient through economic cycles than the home building industry. For example, from 2007 to 2009, single family housing starts declined approximately 57% according to the U.S. Census Bureau, while the home improvement products market declined approximately 14% according to the Home Improvement Research Institute. Moreover, our business demonstrated resilience through this period as net sales declined approximately 15% and cash flows from operations remained positive and increased through this period as a result of product mix, lower raw material costs and working capital management. In addition, even during periods of industry decline, we believe many home improvement projects are deferred rather than permanently cancelled, making it possible for industry activity to rebound quickly. We have increased our focus on serving the residential repair and remodel market over time, and we estimate that, within our Residential segment, over 85% of our net sales are attributable to repair and remodel activity. Based on data provided by Principia, in 2018, approximately 95% of total decking, 80% of rail and 65% of trim sales were attributable to the residential repair and remodel market. Our markets are also experiencing multiple favorable long-term secular growth trends. For example, within our Residential segment, consumers increasingly spend their leisure time outdoors and demand products that expand the usable living space of their home and enhance their outdoor lifestyle. In addition, according to a 2019 survey by the American Institute of Architects, outdoor living spaces have ranked as the most popular space amongst residential architects over the past two years and continue to increase in popularity. As a result, we believe our business will continue to benefit from strong material conversion, continued repair and remodel activity and favorable secular trends.

Premium Brands Known for Service, Quality, Aesthetics and a Broad Range of Styles and Designs

We achieved our premium brand reputation through our unwavering commitment to developing innovative new products that combine the latest style and design trends with our differentiated material science expertise and proprietary production technologies. For example, we have launched products that take premium flooring trends, such as wire-brushed and hand-scraped finishes and multiple widths, into the decking market.

In addition, we have deployed significant direct sales and service resources that have helped us develop strong brand awareness and loyalty among dealers, home improvement retailers and contractors. Over the last several years, we have made substantial investments to further enhance and strengthen our brands, including launching a variety of innovative new products with superior aesthetics, initiating cutting edge marketing campaigns, expanding our digital footprint and capabilities and unveiling a new set of tools focused on enhancing the consumer experience. We are well known in the industry, and we are generally one of the top two recognized brands in our product categories.

 

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Committed to Sustainably Produced, Long-Lasting, Beautiful Products

Our commitment to sustainability permeates our operations, and our products divert waste from landfills and reduce deforestation. Approximately 90% of our gross sales are attributable to products that are manufactured through an extrusion process, and approximately 44% of all of our extruded materials were manufactured from recycled materials in fiscal 2019. We expect this percentage to increase to approximately 54% in fiscal 2020, and we believe there is an opportunity to increase this percentage in the future. Additionally, our operations are designed with sustainability in mind, with our facilities in Wilmington, OH and Scranton, PA employing closed-loop water filtration systems that recycle approximately 96% of water used annually and our polyethylene recycling facility utilizing energy-efficient systems for power, water, heating, cooling and lighting. Further, our products are designed to retain their aesthetic and structural qualities throughout their lifetimes, and the majority of our products are recyclable at the end of their useful lives. The increasing use of recycled content in our products also leads to improvements in our operating margins, as the flexibility of material input sourcing lowers input costs and reduces reliance on virgin raw materials.

Highly Versatile , U.S.-based Manufacturing Platform with Differentiated Capabilities

We are a vertically-integrated manufacturer, delivering superior quality products with a competitive cost position. Our versatile, process-oriented manufacturing operations are built on a foundation of extensive material development and processing capabilities. Our proprietary production technologies, material blending proficiency and range of extrusion methods enable innovation and facilitate expansion into new markets. We have deep experience working with multiple technologies that enable us to provide some of the industry’s most attractive visuals through advanced streaking and multi-color technologies. Our manufacturing footprint has been consolidated into seven facilities over five geographic locations totaling over 1.7 million square feet, and we have made significant investments in people, processes and systems to increase our manufacturing scale and productivity. We recently expanded our vertical manufacturing capabilities, with our new 100,000 square foot polyethylene recycling facility and our recent acquisition of Return Polymers, which enable further use of recycled content in our product offering and further reduces our reliance on higher-cost alternatives. In 2017, we introduced AIMS to manage and monitor operations, and in 2018, we implemented LSS tools and techniques at our manufacturing facilities to reduce material waste and improve manufacturing efficiency. We believe these initiatives create an opportunity for future expansion of our margins.

Leader in Product Development and Innovation with a Robust New Product Pipeline

Over the past 30 years, we have built an R&D organization with significant expertise in material science and production process technologies. We leverage our R&D and manufacturing capabilities to deliver innovative new products to market that address evolving customer needs while expanding our use of recycled materials. Our product managers and marketing team actively analyze proprietary consumer research and work with architects, contractors and consumers to identify and develop new products that incorporate consumer feedback, expand our portfolio and extend the range of style and design options we offer. Our R&D team then designs, prototypes and tests these new products prior to full scale production. Our rigorous R&D process incorporates in-house analytical capabilities and comprehensive product testing with more than 260 distinct tests, such as accelerated weathering. During the four years ended September 30, 2019, our team successfully led over 20 significant new product introductions, and, for the twelve-month period ended September 30, 2019, our Five Year New Product Vitality for our Residential segment was approximately 51%. We expect to continue to maintain a robust pipeline of new products and technologies that we intend to launch over the next several years, which we believe will help us continue to maintain our leadership in product innovation and drive strong product vitality.

Extensive Network of Contractors, Dealers and Distributors

Throughout our history, we have developed an extensive network in the United States and Canada of loyal contractors, dealers and distributors, many of whom are brand advocates for our products. Our extensive network consists of more than 4,200 dealers, over 130 distributor branch locations and thousands of contractors throughout

 

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the United States and Canada. We believe our strong relationships with dealers and contractors are driven by the trust and reliability that we have generated through product innovation, superior quality and performance, and the continuing service and support that we offer. Such support includes specialized training opportunities such as AZEK University and sales support initiatives such as digital lead generation, joint marketing funds, new sample kits, display kiosks, enhanced product literature, print, TV and radio advertising and social media initiatives. AZEK University provides hands-on training for contractors and customers using TimberTech and AZEK Exteriors products and our AZEK Pro Rewards program leverages our new website and digital capabilities to share curated digital leads with our contractors. In our Commercial segment, we sell our highly engineered polymer sheeting products through a network of approximately 130 engineered product distributors across the United States, Canada and Latin America, who sell primarily to OEMs, and we sell our low-maintenence bathroom partitions, shower and dressing stalls, lockers and other storage solutions through a network of approximately 900 dealers who sell to institutional and commercial customers across the United States and in Canada. We believe that the combination of consumer awareness for our product categories and our ability to directly engage with consumers to drive conversion makes us a highly attractive partner for our distributors, dealers, contractors and home improvement retailers, and that combination is a key reason that we expect them to continue to prioritize their own investment in our products and our product categories.

Strong Margin Profile with Significant Opportunity for Expansion

Our business has a strong margin profile driven by our differentiated premium branded products, vertically-integrated U.S.-based manufacturing capabilities and strong customer relationships. We continue to invest in new innovations in current and adjacent markets that we believe will support our long-term growth. Our Residential segment generated Segment Adjusted EBITDA Margin of 28.8% in the year ended September 30, 2019, and we are well positioned to continue to execute on our operational excellence initiatives, including recycling and continuous manufacturing efficiency improvement. As our recent capital investments mature, we believe there is a significant opportunity for us to expand our margins. In addition, a large percentage of our cost base is variable, providing us with significant financial flexibility and the ability to manage costs to reflect changes in economic conditions.

Proven Management Team Focused on Execution

We have assembled a diverse team of highly experienced and accomplished executives with public company experience, a proven track record of leading global consumer and industrial organizations and driving profitable growth, product innovation, cost reduction and manufacturing efficiency. In the past two years, under our management team’s leadership, our Adjusted Gross Profit as a percentage of net sales increased by approximately 400 basis points while we continue to enjoy strong top line growth. Our Chief Executive Officer, Jesse Singh, joined our team in 2016, after serving in numerous leadership roles at 3M, including Chief Commercial Officer, President of 3M’s Health Information Systems business and VP of the Stationery and Office supplies business, which included the iconic Post-it and Scotch Brands. Our Chief Financial Officer, Ralph Nicoletti, joined our team in 2019 after serving as Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of Newell Brands and has more than 35 years of finance experience. Collectively, our team is approximately 50% gender and ethnically diverse and has extensive experience at leading companies, including 3M, Newell Brands, Owens Corning, Eaton, Armstrong, Grainger and Emerson. Our management team has executed key strategic initiatives across the platform to drive accelerated growth and improved profitability including upgrading operational capabilities, implementing productivity tools, and investing in new products sales force expansion, marketing, M&A and internal recycling capabilities.

 

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Our Growth Strategy

We believe our multi-faceted growth strategy positions us to drive profitable above-market growth in the markets we serve.

Introduce Innovative New Products That Expand Our Markets

We have a proven track record of developing innovative new products across multiple price points that accelerate material conversion, increase the use of recycled materials and expand our markets. Our strong manufacturing capabilities, proprietary production technologies, detailed consumer research and extensive material science expertise allow us to rapidly introduce differentiated products. In our Residential segment, our new products are driving conversion away from traditional wood materials across all pricing segments, from various forms of pressure treated wood at the entry level to more exotic woods such as cedar and ipe at the premium level. In 2019, our Residential segment launched three new product platforms: TimberTech EDGE, Multi-Width decking and PaintPro trim. We believe that TimberTech EDGE will accelerate conversion of low-cost traditional pressure treated wood materials by offering superior aesthetics and performance at an accessible price point. Our entry-level decking category volume, which includes our TimberTech PRO Terrain collection in addition to our TimberTech EDGE Prime and Premier collections, increased over 35% on a linear foot basis in fiscal 2019 as compared to the prior year. Multi-Width decking, which extends the technological advancements available in our highly successful Vintage platform, expands the range of style and design options available to consumers seeking premium decking solutions and provides a unique combination of superior performance and a natural wood-look and feel. Our premium Vintage collection volume increased approximately 50% on a linear foot basis in fiscal 2019 as compared to the prior year. PaintPro expands the addressable market for our trim products and accelerates wood conversion by delivering the same high-quality, low-maintenance performance of traditional white PVC trim across a full spectrum of paintable colors. Each year, we continue to launch new products across our business, and as of the year ended September 30, 2019, our blended Five Year New Product Vitality across our Residential segment and Commercial segment was approximately 45%.

In 2020, we are expanding on these product innovations in our Residential segment and launching a new multi-color TimberTech EDGE Prime+ decking collection, a new Wide-Width profile for the TimberTech AZEK Harvest decking collection and the new, multi-tonal Reserve collection under the TimberTech PRO decking line, among others. We will continue to leverage our material technology capabilities and commission detailed consumer research to regularly introduce new products that set us apart from our competition and accelerate future growth.

Accelerate Market Conversion by Capitalizing on Downstream Investments

We view the continued growth in homeowner outdoor investment and repair and remodel activity as a powerful secular trend driving material conversion across our industry. We believe low-maintenance alternatives at a range of premium quality designs and accessible pricing will continue to increase consumer demand and accelerate material conversion.

Over the three years ended September 30, 2019, we have increased our R&D, sales and marketing expenses by over 40% in the aggregate, and we are continuing to make additional investments during fiscal 2020 that we believe will accelerate material conversion and growth in our markets. We expanded our marketing organization and sales force with new talent, enabling us to generate greater awareness of our products and enhance our sales growth in underpenetrated markets and geographies. We invested in new premium and traditional merchandising displays for our dealers and special order merchandising and training for pro desk support associates for our home improvement retailers to increase consumer awareness of our products and to accelerate sales growth. Starting in 2018, we have added new trim and retail focused sales teams and have also established a dedicated sales team to enhance our dealer sales in underpenetrated geographies. We believe these initiatives are helping to accelerate our growth. For example, we believe our new trim-focused sales team has helped increase our AZEK Exteriors trim net sales by more than 15% in fiscal 2019 as compared to the prior year. In addition to expanding our sales force, we realigned the compensation framework for our sales teams to increase downstream

 

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engagement with consumers and key influencers such as architects, builders and contractors, to drive increased pull-through demand for our products. We recently opened our third AZEK University location in Chicago, and we are hosting regular contractor training events to encourage contractors to use our products. We believe we can continue to leverage our downstream investments to accelerate material conversion in our markets, strengthen our position in the pro channel and enhance our retail presence.

Build the Leading Consumer Brand in Outdoor Living

We are well-known for quality, innovation and delivering a broad range of on-trend style and design options to customers. We have made significant investments in sales and marketing and R&D over the past two years to differentiate and strengthen our brands and to simplify and transform the consumer experience for purchasing our products. In 2019, we unified our decking and railing product portfolio under our leading TimberTech brand with a differentiated “Go Against the Grain” marketing campaign. We continue to invest in our marketing organization and alongside our channel partners to increase consumer awareness and preference for our products. Our focused digital strategy, enhanced media presence and differentiated marketing campaigns drive increased engagement with consumers and homeowners as well as key influencers such as architects, builders and contractors. Our new digital platform facilitates the consumer journey from inspiration and design through installation. The experience educates consumers on the features and benefits of our products versus traditional materials, utilizes digital visualization tools to allow consumers to re-imagine their outdoor living spaces and directly connects them to a pre-qualified local contractor. During fiscal 2019, website traffic to our outdoor living branded websites increased by approximately 45% and sample orders for our decking products have increased at a double-digit rate, in each case when compared to the prior year.

We enjoy strong preference for our products among contractors, who typically purchase our products at dealers, and we are investing to increase our presence within home improvement retailers as the majority of consumers include visits to home improvement retailers in their research of deck products. These consumer engagement strategies are focused on creating additional pull-through demand and accelerating our growth.

Expand Margins Through Enhanced Recycling Capabilities and Productivity Initiatives

Our broad range of U.S.-based manufacturing capabilities, proprietary production technologies and extensive material science expertise position us as a leading innovator in the Outdoor Living market, and our brands command premium prices and afford us a strong margin profile. However, we believe there is an opportunity for significant improvement in our margins as we continue to invest in and expand our recycling capabilities and focus on operational excellence. Since fiscal 2017, we have invested over $28 million in developing our recycling capabilities to substantially reduce our material cost, divert waste from landfills and increase our utilization of recycled materials. For example, in fiscal 2019, we increased the recycled material content used in the core of our deck boards by approximately 20%, as compared to the recycled material content in fiscal 2018. Increasing the recycled material content in our deck boards has allowed us to substantially reduce the utilization of virgin HDPE in the production of the core of our TimberTech PRO and EDGE products, representing approximately $9 million in cost savings on an annualized basis when compared to legacy material content formulations. We are still in the early stages of material substitution across our manufacturing network and realizing the benefits of our investments in recycling, and we expect to drive additional cost savings as we ramp up internal processing of recycled materials used in the manufacturing of our products.

In addition to enhancing our recycling capabilities, we have also implemented various LSS initiatives across our manufacturing operations to reduce waste and enhance productivity. We utilize a systematic approach, AIMS, to drive continuous improvement throughout our organization. In fiscal 2019, we realized approximately $11 million of cost savings related to net manufacturing productivity improvements. We identified and have begun to implement additional projects that we expect will provide incremental net manufacturing productivity in the coming years. We believe AIMS, our investments in people, processes and equipment and our investments in recycling, productivity and operational excellence will enable us to expand our margins through reduced material cost, improved net manufacturing productivity and enhanced business operations.

 

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Execute Strategic Acquisitions That Broaden Our Platform and Enhance Our Manufacturing Operations

Our markets are large and highly fragmented, and they provide a wide range of opportunities for us to execute acquisitions to augment our growth independent of end-market demand. We have completed several strategic acquisitions since our company was founded, and we have proven to be a highly effective consolidation platform. For example, the acquisition of Versatex strengthened our position in the exterior trim and moulding market, enhanced our product capabilities and generated attractive cost savings, and the acquisition of Ultralox extended our rail portfolio to include aluminum solutions with proprietary interlocking technology and expanded our ability to address the high-growth aluminum railing market.

We intend to continue to prudently execute strategic acquisitions and utilize our disciplined process to identify, evaluate, execute and integrate acquired businesses. We actively monitor a pipeline of attractive opportunities across multiple product categories and geographies. We target opportunities that strengthen our existing platforms, enhance our market positions, expand our portfolio of products and technology capabilities and increase our business diversity. In addition, the acquisitions we pursue must also provide opportunities for us to leverage our strong U.S.-based manufacturing capabilities, material formulation proficiency and extensive dealer and distributor network to meaningfully enhance their scale, growth, profitability and cash flow. For example, we recently acquired Return Polymers, which we expect will significantly enhance our in-house recycling capabilities, reduce reliance on external suppliers and further improve our overall manufacturing cost position.

Our Brands and Products

We leverage a shared material technology and U.S.-based manufacturing platform to create an extensive range of long-lasting and low-maintenance products that convert demand away from traditional materials. Our Residential segment serves the high-growth Outdoor Living market by offering products that inspire consumers to design outdoor spaces tailored to their individual lifestyles. Our innovative portfolio of Outdoor Living products, including deck, rail, trim and accessories, are sold under our TimberTech, AZEK Exteriors, VERSATEX and ULTRALOX brands. Our Commercial segment addresses demand for low-maintenance, highly engineered products in a variety of commercial and industrial markets, including the outdoor, graphic displays and signage, educational and recreational markets, as well as the food processing and chemical industries. Products sold by our Commercial segment include highly engineered polymer sheeting as well as partitions, lockers and storage solutions.

Residential Segment

In our Residential segment, we design and manufacture engineered Outdoor Living products, including deck, rail, trim and moulding and accessories that drive conversion away from wood and other traditional materials. These products are primarily capped wood composites and PVC that are aesthetically similar, yet functionally superior, to finished wood, as they require less maintenance, do not rot or warp, are resistant to water, insects, stains, moisture, mold, mildew, scuffs and scratching, and do not require paints or stains for protection. Many of our products are also designed to ease installation for contractors and builders and reduce lifetime maintenance costs for consumers, without sacrificing aesthetics. We believe these factors, combined with some of the industry’s longest warranties and a comprehensive range of on-trend color palettes and styles, drive contractor loyalty and offer a compelling choice for consumers looking to reinvent their outdoor living spaces and the exteriors of their homes.

 

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In fiscal 2019, our Residential segment generated net sales of $655.4 million, representing approximately 83% of our total net sales. Demand for our Residential segment products is largely driven by repair and remodel activity, which we estimate accounted for over 85% of our Residential segment net sales in fiscal 2019, with the remaining sales attributable to new construction activity.

 

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TimberTech PRO Legacy Deck Collection with Impression Rail (Deck Colors: Tigerwood and Pecan)

Decking

We are one of the only decking manufacturers to offer both capped wood composite and PVC decking products, and we believe we are the only manufacturer to offer narrow and wide-width PVC deck boards. Our decking products transform consumers’ outdoor areas into aesthetically appealing spaces, while reducing lifetime maintenance costs as compared to those made with traditional materials. These high-quality, innovative products are artfully crafted with a broad range of design options and distinguishing features, such as cascading or variegated tones to emulate the natural look and finish of wood. Our products are long lasting and often a more cost-effective alternative over time than products made of traditional materials such as wood, which can fade quickly, require frequent sanding, staining and maintenance and are prone to rot, splinter and crack. In addition, our decking products span a wide range of entry-level to premium price points and are covered by some of the industry’s longest warranties. We are also committed to sustainability and to manufacturing our products with recycled waste and scrap. The wood used in the core of our decking products is 100% recycled, and we do not use any virgin timber. We continue to expand our use of recycled materials in our decking products, such as in our TimberTech PRO and EDGE decking product lines, which offer products made from approximately 80% recycled material.

 

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Through our three primary decking product lines – TimberTech AZEK, TimberTech PRO and TimberTech EDGE – we offer a broad range of colors, textures and styles to provide consumers with a myriad of design options at a variety of price points.

 

 

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Collection Harvest Collection Arbor Collection Vintage Collection Porch Terrain Collection Tropical Collection Legacy Collection Prime Collection Premier Collection Deck Board Profiles Relative Pricing Recycled Content Approximately 50% Recycled Content Approximately 80% Recycled Content Approximately 80% Recycled Content Collection Highlights Our premium line of capped polymer decking and porch products We have four collections of products that offer many color options spanning from a single color (Harvest) to our multiple color, premium product line (Vintage) that features a wire-brushed finish and visuals that mimic exotic hardwoods The product line offers the subtle intricacy of wood, combined with our Alloy Armour Technology and is our most durable product line Multiple form factors, including traditional-width, narrow-width, wide-width and two widths of tongue and groove porch boards Product does not contain wood and is therefore lighter and more resistant to mold The product line has superior slip resistance, is cooler to the touch and dissipates heat faster than capped composite products The product line exceeds the requirements for Wildland Urban Interface (WUI) areas in California The Vintage Collection has the aesthetics of exotic hardwoods with lower maintenance The Vintage Collection has a Class A Flame Spread Index rating Our premium capped composite line of decking that is made from a combination of recycled plastics, recycled wood and other additives We have three collections of products including a product that comes with a fully capped scalloped bottom (Terrain) and two premium product lines (Tropical and Legacy) that offer unique, non-repeating and natural looking visuals The product line is capped on all four sides and with our Mold Guard Technology, the product is less susceptible to mold when compared to products that are not capped on all four sides The capping technology offers strong resistance to stain damage with a protected, easy to clean surface and does not contain organic materials like wood which over time can become visible in capped products that do contain wood particle The product line offers both full profile and scalloped configurations The Legacy Collection has a unique, hand-scraped finish and leverages our advanced technology to achieve its variegation Our accessible, entry level capped composite line of decking that provides a cost effective alternative to wood We have two collections including a full-profile product [Premier] and an entry-level product [Prime] that comes with a scalloped profile The product line is primarily sold in solid colors and made with a protective cap on three sided that offers a more moisture resistant product compared to traditional wood The product line utilizes our non-wood capping provides strong weatherability, stain and scratch resistance, and wont splinter Features

 

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Our decking product lines are complemented by our porch collection as well as our broad range of deck accessories, including in-deck and riser lighting, risers for use on stairs, fascia, end coating, flashing and joist tape and our new TimberTech Deck Cleaner. Our growing portfolio of porch board products leverages the same materials and production technologies as our industry-leading decking products and allows us to deliver similar design aesthetics and low-maintenance benefits across a variety of textures. Our composite pavers provide a lightweight and easy-to-install alternative to traditional pavers and are available in a variety of colors and styles for landscaping and resurfacing. We offer a broad range of high-quality fasteners that enable an efficient installation, safe fastening and superior aesthetics, including traditional fasteners, which are color-matched to the decking product and are offered in both coated carbon steel and stainless steel; concealed fasteners, which are covered with a color-matching cap to blend into the associated decking product; and hidden fasteners, which are fastened out of sight under the decking boards.

 

 

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TimbeTech PRO Terrain Deck Collection with Contemporary Rail (Deck Color: Sandy Birch) TimberTech PRO Tropical Deck Collection with Radiance Rail (Deck Color: Amazon Mist) TimberTech PRO Legacy Deck Collection with Radiance Rail (Deck Color: Tigerwood) TimberTech AZEK Harvest Deck Collection with Premier Rail (Deck Color: Slate Gray) TimberTech AZEK Vintage Deck Collection with primer Rail (Deck Color: Dark Hickory) TimberTech Porch Collection with Premier Rail (Porch Color: Morado)

Railing

Our railing solutions enable consumers to accent their outdoor living spaces with attractive, high-quality, low-maintenance composite and aluminum railing products, which we offer through our TimberTech and ULTRALOX brands. Our railing products reduce the need for ongoing maintenance by eliminating many of the major functional disadvantages of traditional materials, such as warping and rust, and thus are often a more cost-effective alternative over time. For example, our TimberTech composite railing products are covered by a four-sided cap, which eliminates the need for annual sanding, staining, sealing and painting, and our TimberTech aluminum railing products feature a powder coated surface, which produces a long-lasting, color-durable, moisture-resistant finish.

 

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Our railing products are available in various materials and in a broad range of colors, finishes and styles, including traditional, modern and minimalist designs, and we offer a wide selection of infill options, such as composite and aluminum balusters, cable rails and glass channel kits. Our aluminum railing products are lighter-weight and easier to install than other metal railing materials, and their sleek, minimalistic designs allow unobstructed views, especially when coupled with a glass or cable infill option. Due in part to these attributes, aluminum railing has been the fastest growing material category of railing products in recent years. Our railing products are diverse and highly customizable, and in addition to complementing our decking product lines, they also appeal to a broader, stand-alone market, such as for use on decks constructed from traditional materials and in commercial applications.

We believe we are particularly well positioned to serve the fast growing aluminum railing market following our 2017 acquisition of Ultralox, which significantly expanded our aluminum railing product capabilities. Using Ultralox’s proprietary Interlocking Machine, a dealer or contractor can create a customized aluminum, pre-panelized, interlocking railing system on site. This facilitates faster and easier assembly and installation without special tools, mechanical fasteners or welding for both residential and commercial applications and overcomes the design limitations of pre-fabricated railing products. Our TimberTech brand also sells a pre-panelized version of the Ultralox railing kit branded as Impression Rail Express.

To complement our railing products, we offer an array of functional and decorative accessories, including mounting posts, underrail lights and lighted island caps and gate kits. Our deck, rail and related accessory products are frequently used in combination in order to enable consumers to create their own highly customized outdoor living spaces.

 

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Trim and Moulding

We are the leading designer and manufacturer of PVC trim and moulding products for the Outdoor Living market. We operate two large PVC trim manufacturing plants and offer a diverse portfolio of PVC trim and moulding products through our AZEK Exteriors and VERSATEX brands. Our trim and moulding products are aesthetically similar to wood, and can be easily milled, routed or shaped for use in almost any application. Our products are moisture- and insect-resistant and are more durable and require less maintenance than traditional wood products. Contractors and homeowners can use our products in conventional applications, to express their creativity through unique home exteriors, and to complement our decking and railing products. For example, two story decks are often paired with column wraps, canvas porch ceilings and other trim and moulding accents. Our trim and moulding products are also increasingly utilized within the home, including as wainscot trim or as shiplap, which originated to protect the exteriors of homes in harsh climates, but is now a popular way to create unique interior spaces. Our products are also used by millshops and OEM fabricators, who rely on our products due to their consistent formulation, dimensional accuracy and precision, and high machinability, to manufacture a wide range of other Outdoor Living products such as pergolas, arbors and flowerbeds.

 

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In 2018, we acquired Versatex, which significantly expanded our existing trim product portfolio with a broad range of premium cellular PVC trim and moulding products. It also complements our established PVC trim and moulding capabilities with an organization dedicated to service, customer responsiveness and innovation. Particularly known for its customer-focused approach, Versatex has differentiated itself through its history of quickly addressing special requests from customers, developing cutting-edge products that focus on the needs of builders, architects, fabricators and consumers and rapidly bringing these innovative new products to market.

 

 

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AZEK Exteriors Moulding and Column Wraps AZEK Exteriors Millwork and Cladding AZEK Exteriors Trim and Beadboard

Our full line of AZEK Exteriors and VERSATEX products include trim and moulding, fabricated products, paintable trim and specialty solutions:

 

Boards and Sheets

 

Time-Saving Products

 

Aesthetic Details

 

Paintable Trim

•  Boards – Manufactured with sealed edges and shipped with a protective film, our trim board is highly versatile and can be milled, routed, or heat formed to be used in many different applications.

 

•  Sheet – Our sheets provide a clean backdrop over an expansive area and can be used for large scale fabrication such as pergolas and arbors.

 

•  Skirt Boards – Designed to provide moisture resistance at ground contact and help direct water away from the structure. These products are easy to install with fiber cement, vinyl, or wood siding.

 

•  Column Wraps – Our column wraps are offered in multiple styles and can quickly and easily improve the aesthetics of a standard wood post with minimal labor.

 

•  Corner Boards – Our one-piece corner boards are easy to install, feature smooth, outside edges and are aesthetically superior to two-piece corners, which can gather dirt along their edges.

 

•  J-Channel and Stealth Products – Designed to complement siding and for easy installation around windows and corners.

 

•  Mouldings – Used to enable customizations, cover transitions or provide crisp, architectural style elements to home exteriors.

 

•  Tongue & Groove Profiles – Easily add the classic style of beadboard, nickel gap, and shiplap in horizontal or vertical orientation to complement housing exteriors.

 

•  Canvas – Designed to add contrast to porch ceilings and interior trim projects, these products deliver the look of rich hardwoods without knots or labor intensive staining requirements.

 

•  TimberTech AZEK Cladding – Combines premium natural hardwood aesthetics and the durability of advanced polymer technology for use as a cladding rain screen for premium curb appeal.

 

•  PaintPro – Innovative cellular PVC trim that has the same high-performance and low-maintenance benefits of traditional AZEK trim, but can be painted any color. PaintPro trim offers quick drying times with no priming needed and superior paint adhesion.

 

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In addition to the products described above, we offer custom milled solutions for builders and a number of accessories such as fastening systems, adhesives, sealants and bonding solutions.

Commercial Segment

Leveraging our shared U.S.-based manufacturing platform and material technology, we bring low-maintenance products with superior aesthetics to a variety of commercial and industrial markets. Our Residential and Commercial segments operate synergistically, primarily through our ability to utilize new materials, technologies and products developed by one segment across an array of manufacturing processes and products in our other segment. Our Commercial segment includes our Vycom and Scranton Products product lines. Vycom manufactures a comprehensive line of highly engineered polymer materials designed to offer sustainable, low-maintenance and long-lasting solutions for applications for a variety of commercial and industrial markets, including the markets for outdoor living, graphic displays and signage, recreation and playground equipment and the food processing, marine and chemical industries. Scranton Products manufactures sustainable, low-maintenance privacy and storage solutions primarily for schools, stadium arenas and recreational and commercial facilities. Within our Commercial segment, demand for our products is driven by commercial construction activity, material conversion and favorable secular trends such as an increased emphasis on privacy. In fiscal 2019, our Commercial segment generated net sales of $138.8 million, which represented approximately 17% of our total net sales.

Vycom

Vycom manufactures a comprehensive line of highly engineered polymer materials designed to replace wood, metal and other traditional materials in a variety of applications. Vycom’s products are used in a broad range of commercial end markets, are durable, strong and lightweight and can be ordered in a wide range of sizes, thicknesses and colors. These products provide superior performance compared to traditional materials and are resistant to corrosive chemicals, scratches, flames, odors, moisture, bacteria, rotting, delaminating, chipping and swelling. Vycom’s products are also easier to fabricate, decorate, laminate, weld, machine or form than many traditional materials, which makes them attractive to OEMs that have specialized requirements for fabrication, physical properties or chemical resistance. Vycom’s highly engineered solutions are often developed in consultation with OEMs and, as a result, in certain cases are specified into OEM products and applications such as those illustrated below.

 

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Signboards Industrial Storage Tanks Outdoor Furniture and Cabinetry

Scranton Products

Scranton Products provides low-maintenance bathroom partitions, shower and dressing stalls, lockers and other storage solutions. We market our partitions under the Aria, Eclipse and Hiny Hiders brands and our lockers under the TuffTec and Duralife brands. Our primary customers are schools, parks, recreational facilities, stadium arenas, industrial plants and retail and commercial facilities, and we continue to expand rapidly into the

 

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commercial repair and remodel market primarily through sales of our high-privacy bathroom partitions. Products sold by Scranton Products are designed to replace traditional materials such as metal, wood and baked enamel with more durable, long-lasting, low-maintenance and more aesthetically pleasing materials. These products are highly resistant to rust, dents, scratches and graffiti, and are easily cleaned. We offer an extensive array of attractive colors, textures and finishes that replicate more traditional materials. As compared to metal and wood alternatives, our partitions and locker products sell at premium prices but deliver significantly reduced life-cycle costs through increased durability and lower maintenance expenses. In fiscal 2019, approximately half of Scranton Products’ net sales were attributable to the education market. We expect to continue experiencing significant growth in Scranton Products’ sales in the commercial markets, which we believe is driven primarily by an increased focus on bathroom privacy considerations, design and aesthetics.

 

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Eclipse Partitions Hiny Hiders Partitions TuffTec Lockers

Product Research and Development    

Over the past 30 years, we have built an R&D organization with significant expertise in material science and production process technologies. We leverage our R&D and U.S.-based manufacturing capabilities to deliver innovative new products to market that address evolving customer needs. We have made substantial investments in our R&D organization, which, as of September 30, 2019, consisted of over 25 people, including 21 engineers. We are committed to continuing to invest in our R&D capabilities to further strengthen our ability to regularly introduce new products that set us apart from our competition and accelerate future growth. During the four years ended September 30, 2019, our team successfully led over 20 significant new product introductions, and, as of the year ended September 30, 2019, our blended Five Year New Product Vitality across our Residential segment and Commercial segment was approximately 45%.

Our product managers and marketing team actively analyze proprietary consumer research and work with architects, contractors and consumers to identify and develop new products that incorporate consumer feedback, expand our portfolio and extend the range of style and design options we offer. Our R&D team then designs, prototypes and tests these new products prior to full scale production. Our rigorous R&D process incorporates in-house analytical capabilities and comprehensive product testing with more than 260 distinct tests, such as accelerated weathering.

We believe our focus on innovation allows us to bring on-trend products to market rapidly. For example, we were able to leverage our proprietary color pigmentation technology to adapt quickly to lighter color decking trends and introduce our whitewashed cedar products. Similarly, in response to popular flooring trends, our technological and material science expertise enables us to manufacture wide-width and multi-width decking products that we believe will help accelerate conversion from wood decking products. Our ability to innovate has also helped us introduce opening price point products such as TimberTech EDGE. In our Commercial segment,

 

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the introduction of our Aria partitions responds to demand for increased privacy and the introduction of our TimberLine products addresses the adjacent market demand for beautiful, low-maintenance engineered products with a wood-like look in outdoor furniture, cabinetry and other applications.

We currently have a broad portfolio of ongoing development projects across our core product categories as well as certain adjacent products and markets. We are also continuing to leverage our acquisition of Ultralox to develop additional aluminum and steel rail products. In addition, we are constantly evaluating opportunities to use our technological and U.S.-based manufacturing capabilities to expand into new markets where we believe there is an opportunity to drive material conversion or otherwise broaden our market reach.

Distribution

Within our Residential segment, we sell our products through a network of more than 4,200 dealers, more than 35 distributors and multiple home improvement retail locations enabling us to effectively serve contractors throughout the United States and Canada. Within our Commercial segment, we sell our products through a widespread distribution network, as well as directly to OEMs. Our products are generally sold through both one-step and two-step distribution channels. Our distribution network has broad geographic coverage and benefits from the logistics capabilities of our distributors as well as the ability of our distributors and dealers to help generate demand for our products through direct sales, merchandising and marketing. In fiscal 2019, approximately 98% of our gross sales came from the United States and Canada. Our distributors in locations outside of the United States and Canada are responsible for marketing and selling our products in other countries to which our products are exported. We are continually evaluating our distribution strategy to ensure that we can meet the demands of our consumers in the most effective ways.

Residential Segment

We distribute the majority of our Residential segment products through more than 35 distributors who in turn sell our products to dealers. Our distributors also maintain an inventory of our products and support our dealers by managing shipping logistics. We have exclusive relationships with our distributors for decking and trim with respect to specified geographies, and, although some legacy distributors are permitted to carry only certain of our products, many of our distributors are required to carry a comprehensive selection of our TimberTech and AZEK products. Our top ten distributors for the year ended September 30, 2019 accounted for a majority of our total net sales during that period.

Through our distributors, our products are sold to more than 4,200 professional dealers and lumber yards. Additionally, we have special order and stocking relationships with certain home improvement retailers. We attempt to drive sales to our dealers and retailers through digital tools and extensive marketing directed at consumers who can help create pull-through demand for our products among influencers and decision makers such as architects, builders and contractors. Our dealers typically exhibit high brand loyalty and are incentivized to consolidate the manufacturers from which they purchase to maximize early buy discounts and annual volume rebates.

 

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Contractors purchase our products through dealers and retailers. We believe contractors are typically loyal to brands and products they trust because they are a direct point of contact for consumers and are most likely to receive feedback and feel responsible for product performance. We consider the needs of and feedback from contractors in designing and manufacturing new products, and we invest in strengthening our relationships with these contractors as we believe they significantly influence decisions regarding material and brand selection for the types of products we produce. The graphic below illustrates the distribution channels for the Outdoor Living market in which we sell our Residential composite deck, composite and aluminum rail and PVC trim products.

 

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We allocate significant sales force resources to support our dealers, and we believe our strong relationships with dealers and contractors are driven by the trust and reliability that we have generated through product innovation, superior quality and performance and the continuing support that we offer. Such support includes specialized training opportunities such as AZEK University and sales support initiatives such as digital lead generation, joint marketing funds, new sample kits, display kiosks, enhanced product literature, print, TV and radio advertising and social media initiatives. AZEK University provides hands-on training for contractors and customers using TimberTech and AZEK Exteriors products and our AZEK Pro Rewards program leverages our new website and digital capabilities to share curated digital leads with our contractors.

Parksite Inc., who distributes our Residential segment products, accounted for approximately 20% of our net sales for the year ended September 30, 2019.

Commercial Segment

Our Vycom products are primarily sold through approximately 130 engineered product distributors across the United States, Canada and Latin America, who in turn sell full sheet and/or fabricated products that have been converted into a wide variety of components or items for various industrial uses primarily to OEMs. We also sell certain Vycom products directly to OEMs.

Our Scranton Products bathroom partition and locker systems are sold through a network of approximately 900 dealers who sell to industrial and commercial customers across the United States and in Canada. We market

 

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the benefits of our bathroom partition and locker systems directly to architects and facilities managers, who frequently specify products by name and material in their designs.

Operations and Manufacturing

We are a vertically-integrated, U.S-based manufacturer, delivering superior quality products with a competitive cost position. Our competitive cost position, including our relatively low transportation costs resulting from us being a U.S.-based manufacturer, provides us with a competitive freight advantage relative to imported products. Our versatile, process-oriented manufacturing operations are built on a foundation of extensive material development and processing capabilities. Approximately 90% of our gross sales are attributable to products that are manufactured through an extrusion process that contains a blend of virgin polymers and recycled materials. Our proprietary production technologies, material blending proficiency and range of extrusion capabilities enable innovation and facilitate expansion into new markets. We have deep experience working with multiple technologies that enable us to provide some of the industry’s most attractive visuals through advanced streaking and multi-color technologies. Our manufacturing footprint has been consolidated into seven facilities over five geographic locations with over 1.7 million square feet in total, and we have made significant investments in people, processes and systems to increase our manufacturing scale and productivity. We recently expanded our vertical manufacturing capabilities with our new 100,000 square foot recycling facility and our recent acquisition of Return Polymers.

In 2017, we introduced AIMS to manage and monitor operations, and in 2018, we implemented LSS tools and techniques at all our manufacturing facilities to reduce material waste and improve manufacturing efficiency.

We have integrated manufacturing operations and differentiated technical expertise in utilizing recycled materials to develop sustainable, cutting-edge products. Sustainability is one of our core strategic pillars, and we are committed to introducing sustainable products that utilize recycled materials, reduce deforestation and are versatile and recyclable at the end of their useful lives. We are dedicated to expanding our recycling capability and investing in the use of reclaimed materials in our manufacturing processes.

Facilities Overview

We are headquartered in Chicago, Illinois and operate seven manufacturing and recycling facilities in the United States. In alignment with our sustainability values, our Chicago corporate office is located in a 2019 LEED-Certified building. Currently, we produce our AZEK, Scranton and Vycom products primarily at our manufacturing facilities in Scranton, Pennsylvania, our TimberTech products primarily at our manufacturing facilities in Scranton, Pennsylvania and Wilmington, Ohio, all of our VERSATEX trim products at our manufacturing facility in Aliquippa, Pennsylvania and all of our ULTRALOX rail products through our manufacturing facility in Eagan, Minnesota. In 2019, we opened our state-of-the-art polyethylene recycling facility in Wilmington, Ohio. We believe our facilities are adequate and suitable for our current needs.

Manufacturing and Recycling Facilities

 

(as of September 30, 2019)

  Scranton, PA   Scranton, PA   Wilmington, OH   Wilmington, OH   Eagan, MN   Aliquippa, PA   Ashland, OH   Total

Plant Size (sq. ft.)

  617,760   286,458   518,000   103,000   39,500   125,000   97,650   1,787,368

Ownership

  Owned   Leased   Owned   Owned   Leased   Owned   Leased  

Headcount

  367   155   483   57   23   166   76   1,327

Sales and Marketing

Residential Segment

Our Residential segment sales organization is organized under our AZEK, TimberTech, VERSATEX and ULTRALOX product lines and is composed of a general sales organization, which is primarily geographically

 

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based, and also includes specialty sales organizations who focus on trim, rail, retail and key accounts. Our sales organization is primarily focused on generating downstream demand with contractors, architects and builders as well as maintaining relationships with and educating influencers. We believe we can continue to leverage our downstream investments to accelerate material conversion in our markets, strengthen our position in the pro channel and enhance our retail presence.

We maintain a national sales organization that works with builders and supports certain national or large regional dealers with multiple locations and/or buying groups to provide a single point of contact and more effectively serve these customers. Our national sales organization is focused on increased penetration into these accounts by working with corporate decision makers and with buyers at the local level. We have also enhanced our retail-focused sales team, who is focused on supporting individual retail locations, training pro desk associates within retail locations and facilitating deliveries for special orders placed at home improvement retailers.

In 2019, we unified our decking and railing product portfolio under our leading TimberTech brand with a differentiated “Go Against the Grain” marketing campaign. TimberTech has strong market awareness, and unifying our deck and rail products under the TimberTech brand allows us to highlight product differentiation, while maintaining brand identity across multiple price points. Following the repositioning of our AZEK decking product lines under the TimberTech brand, we are focusing on leveraging the AZEK brand as our exteriors brand due to the significant brand recognition for AZEK trim and moulding products.

We maintain comprehensive marketing campaigns using various media in support of our brands, targeted towards our growing dealer base, as well as architects, builders, remodelers and consumers. We continue to invest in our marketing organization and alongside our channel partners to increase consumer awareness and preference for our products. Our focused digital strategy, enhanced media presence and differentiated marketing campaigns drive increased engagement with consumers as well as key influencers such as architects, builders and contractors. Our new digital platform facilitates the consumer journey from inspiration and design through installation. The experience educates consumers on the features and benefits of our products versus traditional materials, utilizes digital visualization tools to allow consumers to re-imagine their outdoor living spaces and directly connects them to a pre-qualified local contractor. We enjoy strong preference for our products among contractors, who typically purchase our products at dealers, and we are investing in order to increase our presence within retailers as the majority of consumers include visits to home improvement retailers in their research of deck products. These consumer engagement strategies are focused on creating additional pull-through demand and accelerating our growth. In addition, we have augmented our advertising efforts by developing instructive, educational and visually appealing product displays, marketing tools and sample kits to market our products. We have also invested in digital, print, TV and radio advertising and display kiosks which enhance our dealers’ and home improvement retailers’ ability to exhibit and promote our products.

We also provide frequent demonstrations, education, product training and other sales support and loyalty initiatives to help drive awareness of and demand for our products. In 2010, we established AZEK University to educate dealers, contractors, architects and builders on our product offering and value proposition through training that includes classroom tutorials, hands-on sessions and plant tours. In addition, through our AZEK Pro Rewards program, we seek to secure preferred brand status with contractors by providing contractors with marketing tools, leads and various other rewards in connection with increased purchases of our products. We believe these efforts increase our market position because many buying decisions involve input from both the contractor and consumer, with consumers frequently relying on contractor recommendations.

Commercial Segment

Our Vycom sales organization focuses on providing engineered polymer solutions for a wide variety of industries including the graphic displays and signage, semiconductor, marine, chemical and corrosion, recreation and playground and food processing markets. Our Vycom products are sold to plastics distributors in the United

 

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States, Canada and Latin America, who sell primarily to OEMs, and in certain cases are sold directly to OEMs. The Vycom sales force is made up of a combination of direct territory managers and manufacturing representatives focused on increasing market penetration by working with printers, fabricators, OEMs and end-users to generate demand for Vycom materials.

As of September 30, 2019, Scranton Products utilized direct sales and regional manufacturers’ sales representatives to provide coverage to a network of approximately 900 dealers who sell to institutional and commercial customers across the United States and in Canada. The Scranton Products’ sales force and agents service architects and facility managers to create pull-through demand in traditional institutional markets, such as schools, universities and stadium arenas, and in targeted new markets, such as retail stores, commercial and professional buildings, industrial facilities and food processing plants. Our Scranton Products sales force has leveraged a leading market position, enhanced promotional materials and specialized products to develop close relationships with architects and assist them in designing products and has enhanced awareness of the benefits of our products through targeted efforts to educate architects and designers.

Raw Materials and Suppliers

The primary raw materials used in our products are various petrochemical resins, including polyethylene, polypropylene and PVC resins, reclaimed polyethylene and PVC material, waste wood fiber and aluminum. We also utilize other additives, including modifiers, TiO2 and pigments. Our contracts with key suppliers are typically short term in nature, with terms generally ranging from one to three years. We have not entered into hedges of our raw material costs at this time, but we may choose to enter into such hedges in the future, and our supply contracts with our major vendors do not contain obligations to sell raw materials to us at a fixed price. Prices for spot market purchases are negotiated on a continuous basis in line with current market prices. Other than short term supply contracts for resins with indexed based pricing and occasional strategic purchases of larger quantities of certain raw materials, we generally buy materials on an as-needed basis.

The cost of petrochemical resins used in our manufacturing processes has historically varied significantly and has been affected by changes in supply and demand and in the price of crude oil. Substantially all of our resins are purchased under supply contracts that average approximately one to two years, for which pricing is variable based on an industry benchmark price index. The resin supply contracts are negotiated annually and generally provide that we are obligated to purchase a minimum amount of resins from each supplier. In addition, the price of reclaimed polyethylene material, waste wood fiber, aluminum, other additives (including modifiers, TiO2 and pigments) and other raw materials fluctuates depending on, among other things, overall market supply and demand and general economic conditions. We seek to mitigate the effects of fluctuations in our raw material costs by broadening our supplier base, increasing our use of recycled material, increasing our use of scrap and reducing waste and exploring options for material substitution without sacrificing quality. For example, between fiscal 2017 and fiscal 2019, we have invested over $28 million to enhance our recycling capabilities and have increased our use of “regrind,” through the collection and reprocessing of scrap generated in our manufacturing processes. These investments, along with other recycling and substitution initiatives, have contributed to an approximately 15% reduction in our per pound capped composite decking core costs and an approximately 12% reduction in our per pound PVC decking core costs, in each case from fiscal 2017 to fiscal 2019, and we believe we have an opportunity to achieve further cost reductions.

Although we do not rely on any single supplier for the majority of our raw materials, we do obtain certain raw materials from single or a limited number of suppliers. In particular, we rely on a single supplier for certain critical capped compounds used in our deck and railing products. If one or more suppliers were unable to satisfy our requirements for particular raw materials, we believe alternative sources of supply would be available, although we could experience a disruption to our operations as alternative suppliers are identified and qualified and new supply arrangements are entered into.

 

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Environmental Sustainability

We have created an operating platform that is centered around sustainability, one of our core strategic pillars, which extends across our value chain from product design, to raw material sourcing and U.S.-based manufacturing, and we increasingly utilize plastic waste, recycled wood and scrap in our products. We believe that our responsibility is not only to our customers, but also to the environment. This commitment is evident through our continued effort to introduce sustainable products, products with life spans that are significantly longer than the life spans of the traditional materials they replace (including exotic hardwoods cut from rainforests) with very little need for maintenance or cleaning chemicals, products that reduce deforestation and products that are versatile and recyclable at the end of their useful lives. We estimate that since 2015 more than one million trees have been saved because our customers chose our decking products over wood. The wood used in the core of our composite decking products is 100% recycled from sources that include, but are not limited to, facilities that manufacture wood mouldings, flooring, windows, doors and other products. Through our recycling programs, approximately 290 million pounds of scrap and waste were diverted from landfills in fiscal 2019.

In addition to the sustainability of our products, we have implemented energy-efficient manufacturing processes in our business operations. For example, our facilities in Wilmington, OH and Scranton, PA employ closed-loop water filtration systems that recycle approximately 96% of water used annually, and our polyethylene recycling facility utilizes energy-efficient systems for power, water, heating, cooling and lighting.

Our dedication to expanding our recycling capabilities and to increasing the use of reclaimed materials is also a critical part of our sustainability commitment. Approximately 44% of all of our extruded materials were manufactured from recycled materials in fiscal 2019. We expect this percentage to increase to approximately 54% in fiscal 2020, and we believe there is an opportunity to increase this percentage in the future. Currently, AZEK pavers are made from approximately 95% recycled material, and we estimate that approximately every 500 square feet of AZEK pavers diverts up to 250 passenger vehicle tires and 7,500 plastic containers from landfills. Additionally, through Vycom, we sell effectively 100% post-consumer recycled polymer sheet products used in the manufacturing of outdoor furniture.

Competition

We compete with multiple companies, including divisions or subsidiaries of larger companies and foreign competitors. We compete on the basis of a number of considerations, including service, quality, performance, product characteristics, brand recognition and loyalty, marketing, product development, sales and distribution and price. We believe we compete favorably with respect to these factors.

Residential Segment

Our residential products compete primarily with products made from wood, aluminum and engineered wood that our products are designed to replace. We also compete with other manufacturers of engineered products designed to replace wood and other traditional materials, including Trex Company Inc., Fiberon, LLC, which was acquired by Fortune Brands Home & Security, Inc. in August 2018, Oldcastle Architectural, Inc., Royal Group, Inc., Kleer Lumber LLC and CertainTeed Corporation.

Commercial Segment

Our Vycom products compete in a highly fragmented market. Manufacturers generally focus on a few core materials sold to narrow sub-segments through a specialized distribution network. Competitors for other non-fabricated products include other national and regional manufacturers like Mitsubishi Chemical Advanced Materials (formerly Quadrant EPP), Rochling Engineering Plastics, 3A Composites USA Inc., Simona AG and Kommerling Plastics USA.

 

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The bathroom partition and locker market is also highly fragmented and is addressed by manufacturers producing products in a variety of different materials and at varying price ranges. Scranton Products’ primary plastic bath and locker competitors are Global Partitions Corp. (d/b/a ASI Global Partitions), Hadrian Manufacturing Inc. and Bradley Corporation.

Seasonality

Although we generally experience demand for our products throughout the year, our sales have historically experienced some seasonality. We have typically experienced moderately higher levels of sales of our residential products in the second fiscal quarter of the year as a result of our “early buy” sales and extended payment terms typically available during the second fiscal quarter of the year. As a result of these extended payment terms, our accounts receivable have typically reached seasonal peaks at the end of the second fiscal quarter of the year, and our net cash provided by operating activities has typically been lower in the second fiscal quarter relative to other quarters. In addition, our sales are affected by the individual decisions of distributors and dealers on the levels of inventory they carry, their views on product demand, their financial condition and the manner in which they choose to manage inventory risk. Our sales are also generally impacted by the number of days in a quarter or a year that contractors and other professionals are able to install our products. This can vary dramatically based on, among other things, weather events such as rain, snow and extreme temperatures. We have generally experienced lower levels of sales of our residential products in the first fiscal quarter due to adverse weather conditions in certain markets, which typically reduces the construction and renovation activity during the winter season. In addition, we have experienced higher levels of sales of bathroom partition products and our locker products during the second half of our fiscal year, which includes the summer months during which schools are typically closed and are more likely to undergo remodel activities.

Intellectual Property

We rely on trademark and service mark protection to protect our brands, and we have registered or applied to register many of these trademarks and service marks. In particular, we believe the AZEK and AZEK Exteriors brands, the TimberTech brand and the VERSATEX brand are significant to the success of our business. We also rely on a combination of unpatented proprietary know-how and trade secrets, and to a lesser extent, patents to preserve our position in the market. As of September 30, 2019, we had approximately 260 trademark registrations and 135 issued patents and pending patent applications in the United States and other countries. As of September 30, 2019, we had approximately 101 issued U.S. patents and 4 U.S. patent applications pending. Our issued U.S. patents generally expire between 2026 and 2037. We also had approximately 23 issued foreign patents and 7 foreign patent applications pending. As we develop technologies and processes that we believe are innovative, we intend to continually assess the patentability of new intellectual property. In addition, we employ various other methods, including confidentiality and nondisclosure agreements with third parties and employees who have access to trade secrets, to protect our trade secrets and know-how. Our intellectual property rights may be challenged by third parties and may not be effective in excluding competitors from using the same or similar technologies, brands or works.

Employees

As of April 30, 2020, we had 1,540 full-time employees. Our workforce is not unionized, and we are not a party to any collective bargaining agreements. We believe we have satisfactory relations with our employees.

Legal Proceedings

From time to time, we may be involved in litigation relating to claims arising out of our operations and businesses that cover a wide range of matters, including, among others, contract and employment claims, personal injury claims, product liability claims and warranty claims. Currently, there are no claims or proceedings against us that we believe will have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition,

 

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results of operations or cash flows. However, the results of any current or future litigation cannot be predicted with certainty and, regardless of the outcome, we may incur significant costs and experience a diversion of management resources as a result of litigation.

Environmental Laws and Regulations

Our operations and properties are subject to extensive and frequently changing federal, state and local environmental protection and health and safety laws, regulations and ordinances. These laws, regulations and ordinances, among other matters, govern activities and operations that may have adverse environmental effects, such as discharges to air, soil and water, and establish standards for the handling of hazardous and toxic substances and the handling and disposal of solid and hazardous wastes.

Some of the environmental laws applicable to us provide that a current or previous owner or operator of real property may be liable for the costs of removal or remediation of environmental contamination on, under, or in that property or other impacted properties. Accordingly, such liability could apply to us in connection with any of our current or former manufacturing plants or other properties. In addition, some of these laws provide that persons who arrange, or are deemed to have arranged, for the disposal or treatment of hazardous substances may also be liable for the costs of removal or remediation of environmental contamination at the disposal or treatment site, regardless of whether the affected site is owned or operated by such person. Environmental laws, in general, often impose liability whether or not the owner, operator or arranger knew of, or caused, the presence of such environmental contamination. Also, third parties may make claims against owners or operators of properties for personal injuries, for property damage and/or for clean-up associated with releases of hazardous or toxic substances pursuant to applicable environmental laws and common law tort theories, including strict liability. Failure to comply with environmental laws or regulations could result in severe fines and penalties.

We are also subject to permitting requirements under environmental, health and safety laws and regulations applicable in the jurisdictions in which we operate. Those requirements obligate us to obtain permits from one or more governmental agencies in order to conduct our operations. Such permits are typically issued by state agencies, but permits and approvals may also be required from federal or local governmental agencies. The requirements for such permits vary depending on the location where our regulated activities are conducted. As with all governmental permitting processes, there is a degree of uncertainty as to whether a permit will be granted, the time it will take for a permit to be issued and the conditions that may be imposed in connection with the granting of the permit.

We are not aware of any environmental liabilities that would be expected to have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition or results of operations. We believe we comply in all material respects with environmental laws and regulations and possess the permits required to operate our manufacturing and other facilities. Our environmental compliance costs in the future will depend, in part, on the nature and extent of our manufacturing activities, regulatory developments and future requirements that cannot presently be predicted.

Health and Safety Matters

Our health and safety policies and practices include an employee training and competency development program to regularly train, verify and encourage compliance with health and safety procedures and regulations. We regularly monitor our total recordable incident rate, or TRIR, and as a result of our commitment to continuously improve our health and safety policies and practices, our TRIR has improved 45% from 4.02 in fiscal 2016 to 2.20 in fiscal 2019. We employ an environmental, health and safety director whose responsibilities include managing, auditing and executing unified, company-wide safety and compliance programs. The environmental, health and safety director reports directly to the Senior Vice President of Operations and also provides monthly updates to the Chief Executive Officer.

 

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MANAGEMENT

Directors and Executive Officers

The following table sets forth certain information with respect to our directors and executive officers as of the date of this prospectus:

 

Name

   Age     

Position(s)

Non-Employee Directors:

     

Gary Hendrickson

     63      Chairman of our Board of Directors

Sallie B. Bailey

     60      Director

Russell Hammond

     48      Director

James B. Hirshorn

     54      Director

Brian Klos

     38      Director

Ronald A. Pace

     72      Director

Ashfaq Qadri

     38      Director

Bennett Rosenthal

     56      Director

Blake Sumler

     49      Director

Executive Officers:

     

Jesse Singh

     54      Chief Executive Officer, President and Director

Ralph Nicoletti

     62      Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer

Jose Ochoa

     56      President, Residential Segment

Scott Van Winter

     54      President, Commercial Segment

Dennis Kitchen

     54      Senior Vice President and Chief Human Resources Officer

Jeanine Gaffke

     51      Chief Marketing Officer

Bobby Gentile

     50      Senior Vice President of Operations

Jonathan Skelly

     42      Senior Vice President of Strategy and Execution

Paul Kardish

     57      Senior Vice President and Chief Legal Officer

Michelle Kasson

     50      Chief Information Officer

Non-Employee Directors

Gary Hendrickson, a director since May 2017, is the Chairman of our board of directors, a position he has held since May 2017. Mr. Hendrickson previously served as the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the Valspar Corporation, a global paint and coatings manufacturer, from June 2011 to June 2017, and was its President and Chief Operating Officer from February 2008 until June 2011. Mr. Hendrickson held various executive leadership roles with the Valspar Corporation from 2001 until 2017, including positions with responsibilities for the Asia Pacific operations. Mr. Hendrickson also serves as a director of Polaris Industries Inc., a publicly traded global manufacturer and seller of off-road vehicles, including all-terrain vehicles and snowmobiles and Waters Corporation, a leading specialty measurement company and pioneer of chromatography, mass spectrometry and thermal analysis innovations serving the life, materials and food sciences. Mr. Hendrickson’s experience as President and Chief Executive Officer of a global company provides expertise in corporate leadership and development and execution of business growth strategy. He also brings to the board of directors significant global experience and knowledge of competitive strategy.

Sallie B. Bailey, a director since November 2018, previously served as the Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of Louisiana-Pacific Corporation, a leading manufacturer of engineered wood building products for residential, industrial and light commercial construction, from December 2011 to July 2018. Prior to working for Louisiana-Pacific Corporation, Ms. Bailey worked as the Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of Ferro Corporation, a global specialty materials company, from January 2007 to July 2010 following an eleven-year career at The Timken Company, a global producer of engineered bearings and alloy steel, in various senior management positions of increasing responsibility, lastly as Senior Vice President, Finance and Controller

 

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between 2003 and 2006. Ms. Bailey also currently serves as a director of L3 Harris Technologies, Inc., a technology company, defense contractor and information technology services provider, and NVR, Inc., a homebuilding and mortgage banking company. Ms. Bailey brings to our board of directors a broad knowledge of corporate finance, strategic planning, banking relationships, operations, complex information technology and other systems, enterprise risk management and investor relations gained through prior service as a senior executive of large global manufacturing companies, including as chief financial officer, and she also has knowledge of and experience with complex financial and accounting functions and internal controls.

Russell Hammond, a director since 2013, leads the High Conviction Equities team of OTPP, which invests across the equity asset class and along the liquidity range of pre-IPO, PIPEs and high conviction public companies. He joined OTPP in 2006 and was previously responsible for industrials and business services sector coverage within the Private Capital group. Prior to joining OTPP, Mr. Hammond worked in the investment banking division of Credit Suisse Group AG, as well as the investment banking and private equity departments of Merrill Lynch & Co, Inc. in Toronto, Canada and London, England. Mr. Hammond currently sits on the boards of Stone Canyon Industries Holdings, Inc. and Trivium Packaging B.V. He brings to our board of directors experience with investments in the industrials and business services sectors and has been involved in several transactions in these areas.

James B. Hirshorn, a director since 2013, has been a Partner in the Ares Private Equity Group since 2013, where he focuses on portfolio management. Additionally, Mr. Hirshorn serves as a member of the Management Committee of Ares and the Ares Private Equity Group’s Corporate Opportunities Investment Committee. Previously, Mr. Hirshorn served as an Operating Advisor for Ares from 2009 to 2013. Prior to joining Ares, Mr. Hirshorn was the President of Potbelly Sandwich Works, Inc. from 2007 to 2008 and prior to that he served as Senior Executive Vice President of Finance, Operations, Research and Development for Sealy Mattress Corporation from 2002 to 2006. Mr. Hirshorn currently serves on the Board of Directors of DuPage Medical Group, Ltd., an independent multi-specialty physician’s group, and Dawn Holdings Inc., the parent company of Serta Simmons Bedding, LLC. Mr. Hirshorn was selected to join our board of directors due to his extensive experience in operations for businesses in the retail and consumer products industries and for his senior leadership experience.

Brian Klos, a director since February 2018, is a Partner in the Ares Private Equity Group and serves as a member of the Ares Private Equity Group’s Corporate Opportunities Investment Committee. Prior to joining Ares in 2006, he was a member of the General Industries West Group and Mergers and Acquisitions Group at J.P. Morgan Chase & Co., a global financial services firm, where he participated in the execution of mergers and acquisitions and debt financings spanning various industries from 2003 to 2005. Mr. Klos’s years of experience managing and evaluating investments in companies operating in various industries and his in-depth understanding of our business led to the conclusion that he should serve as a director on our board.

Ronald A. Pace, a director since December 2014, is currently a board member of ORP Management LLC, a provider of specialized services and dignified care for children, adolescents and adults with disabilities, where he has served since December 2016, and chairman of the board of directors of Elkhart Lake’s Road America, Inc. where he has served since March 2008. Previously, Mr. Pace served as a member of the board of directors of AriensCo, an equipment company that manufactures snow blowers, lawn tractors and zero-turn lawn mowers for commercial and high-end consumer markets between December 2013 and December 2016. He also previously worked for Kohler Co., Inc., a global leader in the plumbing industry, serving as the Kohler Co. Group President, Interiors in May 2014 until his retirement in June 2015, and prior to May 2014, Mr. Pace served as President, Decorative Products from September 2012. From March 2011 until September 2012, Mr. Pace served as President, Kitchen & Bath Americas, a role he also performed from June 1995 until August 2008. During the interim, he continued to work as a consultant to Kohler Co. Mr. Pace’s experience in businesses serving both commercial and high-end consumer markets, as well as his experience as a director of other private companies, brings valuable insight to our board of directors.

 

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Ashfaq Qadri, a director since February 2019, is a Senior Principal of OTPP and has served in that role since March 2017. Mr. Qadri joined OTPP in 2016 with more than a decade of experience in private equity and investment banking. In his role as a Senior Principal, he is responsible for execution and portfolio management for direct private equity investments in the industrials and energy sectors. He is currently involved with OTPP’s investments in Hawkwood Energy LLC and KANATA Energy Group Ltd., and serves on the board of KANATA Energy Group Ltd., a privately funded midstream infrastructure and service company, Hawkwood Energy LLC and Trivium Packaging B.V. Prior to joining OTPP, Mr. Qadri was a Vice President at Morgan Stanley Private Equity from 2012 to 2014, with roles based in both New York and London. He also previously worked in Morgan Stanley’s Investment Banking division in New York. Mr. Qadri has an in-depth understanding of our business and has years of experience managing and evaluating investments in companies operating in various industries, including in the industrial and energy sectors. His understanding of our business and broad experience led us to conclude that he should serve as a director on our board.

Bennett Rosenthal, a director since 2013, is a Co-Founder of Ares and a Director of Ares. He is a member of the Ares Executive Management Committee and the firm’s Management Committee. Additionally, he is a Partner and Co-Chairman of the Ares Private Equity Group. Mr. Rosenthal additionally serves as the Co-Chairman of the Board of Directors of Ares Capital Corporation, a specialty finance company that provides debt and equity financing solutions to U.S. middle market companies and power generation projects. Mr. Rosenthal also is a member of the Ares Private Equity Group’s Corporate Opportunities and Special Opportunities Investment Committees. Mr. Rosenthal joined Ares in 1998 from Merrill Lynch & Co., Inc. where he served as a Managing Director in the Global Leveraged Finance Group. He currently serves on the boards of directors of City Ventures, LLC and the parent entities of Aspen Dental Management, Inc., CHG Healthcare Holdings L.P., DuPage Medical Group, Ltd., Press Ganey Associates, Inc. and other private companies. Mr. Rosenthal’s previous board of directors experience includes Dawn Holdings, Inc., Hangar, Inc. Maidenform Brands, Inc., National Veterinary Associates, Inc. and Nortek, Inc. Mr. Rosenthal also serves on the Graduate Executive Board of the Wharton School of Business. Mr. Rosenthal graduated summa cum laude with a B.S. in Economics from the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School of Business where he also received his M.B.A. with distinction. We believe that Mr. Rosenthal’s extensive experience in the financial industry as well as the management of private equity in particular and his experience as a director of other public and private companies give the board of directors valuable insight.

Blake Sumler, a director since January 2020, is the Managing Director, Diversified Industrial and Business Services in the Private Capital group at OTPP. He joined OTPP in 2013 and has worked in private equity for more than 15 years. At OTPP, Mr. Sumler leads the Diversified Industrials and Business Services team and sits on boards of directors of portfolio companies including PODS (APLPD Holdco, Inc.) and GFL Environmental Inc. Previously, Mr. Sumler was a Senior Vice President at Callisto Capital, a mid-market Toronto based private equity firm focused on buyouts and growth capital investments in Canada. Prior to that Mr. Sumler’s varied work experience included investment management at a hedge fund, equity research and debt syndication. Mr. Sumler is a CPA and a CFA charterholder. He holds a BA (Chartered Accounting) and a Master of Accounting from the University of Waterloo. Additionally, he is a graduate of the Institute of Corporate Directors.

Executive Officers

Jesse Singh, a director since he joined us in July 2016, is our Chief Executive Officer and President. Prior to joining us, Mr. Singh worked for 14 years at the 3M Company, a manufacturer and marketer of a range of products and services through its safety & industrial, transportation & electronics, health care and consumer segments, and served in numerous leadership roles at 3M, including Chief Commercial Officer, President of 3M’s Health Information Systems business and VP of the Stationery and Office supplies business, which included the iconic Post-it and Scotch Brands. During his career at 3M, Mr. Singh was involved in running 3M’s worldwide, customer-facing operations, which was comprised of 4,000 shared services, 12,000 sales and 5,000 marketing professionals. He also served as CEO of 3M’s joint venture in Japan and led 3M’s global electronics materials business. Mr. Singh currently serves on the board and as a member of the audit and compensation committees of Carlisle Companies Incorporated. Mr. Singh brings to our board of directors extensive senior leadership experience and a comprehensive knowledge of our business and perspective of our day-to-day operations.

 

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Ralph Nicoletti is currently serving as our Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer and joined us in January 2019. Prior to joining us, Mr. Nicoletti served as Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of Newell Brands, Inc., a leading global consumer goods company, since 2016. Prior to Newell Brands, Inc., Mr. Nicoletti served as Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of Tiffany and Co., a design and manufacturer of jewelry, watches and luxury accessories from April 2014. He has also held the role of Chief Financial Officer for Cigna Corporation, a global health services and insurance company, from 2011 to 2013, and Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer for Alberto Culver, Inc., a manufacturer and distributor of beauty products, from 2007 to 2011. Previously, Mr. Nicoletti held a number of financial management positions at Kraft Foods, Inc. during his tenure there from 1979 to 2007. Mr. Nicoletti also currently serves as a director and chairman of the audit committee of Arthur J. Gallagher & Co., a global insurance broker and risk management consultant company that plans and administers risk management programs.

Jose Ochoa is currently serving as our President, Residential Segment. Mr. Ochoa joined us in July 2017. Prior to joining us, Mr. Ochoa spent 15 years at Owens Corning, a developer and producer of insulation, roofing and fiberglass composites, in various roles. Most recently, he was Vice President of Strategic Marketing for the Roofing and Asphalt division, and served on the operating committee and as an officer of the company. Prior to that, Mr. Ochoa was Vice President and General Manager of the Engineered Insulation Systems (EIS) business, Vice President and General Manager of the Foam Insulation division and General Manager of the Latin America division. Prior to Owens Corning, Mr. Ochoa served as Vice President of Technology for ServiceLane, a privately funded startup focused on home services, where he established a national network for home maintenance with Lowe’s Home Improvement Center. Mr. Ochoa also co-founded Fifth Gear Media, which later merged to form Luminant Worldwide Corp. before its initial public offering. Before Fifth Gear Media, Mr. Ochoa held a variety of leadership positions with Frito-Lay, Inc. (part of the PepsiCo Company), The Procter & Gamble Company and AT Kearney, Inc.

Scott Van Winter joined us in January 2017 and is currently serving as our President, Commercial Segment. With more than 25 years of experience in the performance polymers industry, Mr. Van Winter most recently served as Chief Executive Officer and Executive Vice President at Jindal Films Americas, LLC, a leader in the development and manufacture of specialty films, from January 2015 to December 2016, where he led the U.S. and European businesses. Prior to joining Jindal Films America, Mr. Van Winter served as General Manager and Senior Vice President of the Lumirror Polyester Film Division of Toray Plastics (America), Inc., from April 2007 to January 2015, and Vice President of OPS Sheet and Specialty Films for Alcoa KAMA Co. from June 2002 to June 2004.

Dennis Kitchen is currently serving as our Senior Vice President and Chief Human Resources Officer and joined us in October 2016. Mr. Kitchen’s background includes over 24 years of human resources experience in the manufacturing industry, most recently as Vice President of Human Resources for BWAY Corporation, a manufacturer of rigid metal, plastic, and hybrid containers, from November 2010 to October 2016. Prior to that, Mr. Kitchen served as Vice President of Human Resources for Griffin Pipe Products Co., Inc., a manufacturer of water transmission products, from January 2010 to November 2010. Before Griffin Pipe, he held the role of Director of Human Resources for Rio Tinto America Inc., a leading global mining group, from March 2008 to January 2010. Prior to that, Mr. Kitchen held a variety of leadership positions, including Director of Human Resources for BorgWarner Inc., a manufacturer of propulsion systems for combustion, hybrid and electric vehicles, from 1995 to 2008.

Jeanine Gaffke is currently serving as our Chief Marketing Officer and joined us in January 2018. Prior to joining us, Ms. Gaffke served as the Vice President of Marketing and Business Development for Emerson Electric Co., a multinational technology and engineering company, from March 2015 to January 2018. During that time, Ms. Gaffke was responsible for growth initiatives, marketing, communications and digital efforts for Emerson Electric’s Commercial and Residential Solutions division. Prior to that, Ms. Gaffke held a variety of leadership positions, including Head of Global Marketing for Sealed Air Corporation, a packaging company that provides food safety and security solutions, from June 2012 to February 2015. Ms. Gaffke worked at JohnsonDiversey, Inc. from 2009 to 2012 prior to its acquisition by Sealed Air Corporation.

 

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Bobby Gentile is currently serving as our Senior Vice President of Operations and joined us in November 2016. Mr. Gentile has over 20 years of professional operations experience and most recently served as the Vice President of Manufacturing and Logistics at Overhead Door Corporation, a manufacturer of doors and openers, from April 2009 to November 2016. Prior to that, Mr. Gentile was an Operations Leader for Gardner Bender, a manufacturer of electrical and wire management products, from April 2006 to April 2009. He also held the role of Director of Operations for Newell-Rubbermaid Inc., known today as Newell Brands Inc., a leading global consumer goods company, from 2001 to 2006.

Jonathan Skelly is currently serving as our Senior Vice President of Strategy and Execution and joined us in January 2018. Mr. Skelly has 20 years of strategy, mergers and acquisitions, analytics, integration and business development experience. He most recently served as Vice President of Corporate Development for W. W. Grainger, Inc., an industrial supply company, from 2010 to December 2017. During that time, Mr. Skelly was responsible for all global and domestic corporate development and mergers and acquisitions. Prior to that, he held a variety of leadership positions including Director of Strategic Business Development for The Home Depot Inc. and Director of Mergers & Acquisitions for Hughes Supply, Inc.

Paul Kardish is currently serving as our Senior Vice President and Chief Legal Officer. Prior to joining us in September 2019, Mr. Kardish had over 25 years of broad legal, human resources, corporate governance and compliance, security, and government relations experience, serving as the Executive Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary of Schneider National, Inc. from August 2013 through March 2019, and prior to that holding positions at several Fortune 250 companies spanning multiple industries, including Honeywell International Inc., Intel Corporation, Micron Technology, Inc. and Freeport McMoRan Inc. He holds a bachelor’s degree in social work/psychology from Juniata College, a juris doctor from Gonzaga University School of Law and a master of laws degree from New York University School of Law. He was admitted to the Texas Bar in 1993 and to the Wisconsin Bar in 2013. Mr. Kardish also served as a Special Agent with the Federal Bureau of Investigation and is trained in emergency management. He also serves as a member of the Board of Directors for the American Red Cross-Northeastern Wisconsin.

Michelle Kasson is currently serving as our Chief Information Officer and joined us in December 2019. Ms. Kasson has over 25 years of corporate IT experience in the consumer product goods, food and pharmaceutical industries. She most recently served as IT Director at the J.M. Smucker Company for 11 years with responsibilities including enterprise software development, managed service delivery, portfolio development and project execution. Prior to that, Ms. Kasson held a variety of information technology roles at Procter and Gamble, from May 1992 to October 2008. Ms. Kasson received a Bachelors in Management Information Systems from the University of Dayton in 1992 and a Masters of Business Administration from Xavier University in Cincinnati, OH in 1997.

Board Composition and Risk Management Practices

Board Composition

After the completion of this offering, the authorized number of directors comprising our board of directors will be not less than three but not more than thirteen, with the actual number to be fixed from time to time by resolution of our board of directors, subject to the terms of our certificate of incorporation and bylaws that will be in effect upon the completion of this offering and the Stockholders Agreement. Our certificate of incorporation, which will be in effect upon the completion of this offering, provides for a board of directors comprised of three classes of directors, with each class serving a three-year term beginning and ending in different years than those of the other two classes. Only one class of directors will be elected at each annual meeting of our stockholders, with the other classes continuing for the remainder of their respective three-year terms. Our board of directors will be divided among the three classes as follows:

 

   

Our class I directors will be Sallie Bailey, James Hirshorn and Ashfaq Qadri and their term will expire at the annual meeting of stockholders to be held in 2021.

 

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Our class II directors will be Brian Klos, Ronald Pace and Blake Sumler and their term will expire at the annual meeting of stockholders to be held in 2022.

 

   

Our class III directors will be Russell Hammond, Gary Hendrickson, Bennett Rosenthal and Jesse Singh and their term will expire at the annual meeting of stockholders to be held in 2023.

Any additional directorships resulting from an increase in the number of directors will be distributed among the three classes so that, as nearly as possible, each class will consist of one-third of the directors. This classification of our board of directors could make it more difficult for a third party to acquire, or discourage a third party from seeking to acquire, control of us.

Pursuant to the Stockholders Agreement, the Sponsors will be entitled to designate individuals to be included in the slate of nominees for election to our board of directors as follows:

 

   

for so long as the Sponsors collectively own 50% or more of the outstanding shares of our common stock, the greater of up to six directors and the number of directors comprising a majority of our board; and

 

   

except as provided below, for so long as the Sponsors collectively own less than 50% of the outstanding shares of our common stock, that number of directors (rounded up to the nearest whole number or, if such rounding would cause the Sponsors to have the right to elect a majority of our board of directors, rounded to the nearest whole number) that is the same percentage of the total number of directors comprising our board as the collective percentage of common stock owned by the Sponsors.

One-half of such nominees will be nominated by each of the Sponsors unless (i) if the number of directors to be nominated is odd, the Sponsors will jointly nominate one such director and each Sponsor will nominate one half of the remaining nominees, and (ii) if either Sponsor owns more than 5%, but less than or equal to 10%, of the outstanding shares of our common stock, one director will be nominated by such Sponsor, and the remaining nominees will be nominated by the other Sponsor.

Under the Stockholders Agreement, each Sponsor will also agree to vote in favor of the other Sponsor’s nominees. See “Certain Relationships and Related Party Transactions—Stockholders Agreement.”

Controlled Company Exemption

Upon the completion of this offering, we will be deemed to be a “controlled company” under the NYSE rules, and we will qualify for the “controlled company” exemption to the board of directors and committee composition requirements under the NYSE rules. Pursuant to this exception, we will be exempt from the requirements that (1) our board of directors be comprised of a majority of independent directors, (2) we have a nominating and corporate governance committee composed entirely of independent directors and (3) our compensation committee be comprised solely of independent directors. The “controlled company” exemption does not modify the independence requirements for the audit committee, and we intend to comply with the requirements of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act and the NYSE rules, which require that our audit committee be composed of at least three directors, one of whom must be independent upon the listing of our common stock on the NYSE, a majority of whom must be independent within 90 days of the date of this prospectus and each of whom must be independent within one year from the date of this prospectus. We intend to utilize these exemptions as long as we remain a controlled company. As a result, we may not have a majority of independent directors and our nominating and corporate governance committee and compensation committee may not consist entirely of independent directors. Accordingly, you may not have the same protections afforded to stockholders of companies that are subject to all of the corporate governance requirements of the NYSE.

If at any time we cease to be a “controlled company” under the NYSE rules, the board of directors will take all action necessary to comply with such rules within the applicable transition periods, including appointing a majority of independent directors to the board and establishing certain committees composed entirely of independent directors.

 

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Board Leadership

Our board of directors has no policy with respect to the separation of the offices of Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of the Board. It is our board of directors’ view that rather than having a rigid policy, our board of directors should determine, as and when appropriate upon consideration of all relevant factors and circumstances, whether the two offices should be separate.

Currently, our leadership structure separates the offices of Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of the Board, with Mr. Singh serving as our Chief Executive Officer and Mr. Hendrickson serving as non-executive Chairman of the Board. We believe this is appropriate as it provides Mr. Singh with the ability to focus on our day-to-day operations while Mr. Hendrickson focuses on the oversight of our board of directors.

Board’s Role in Risk Management

Management is responsible for the day-to-day management of the risks facing our company, while our board of directors, as a whole and through its committees, has responsibility for the oversight of risk management. Our board of directors regularly reviews information regarding our credit, liquidity and operations, as well as the risks associated therewith. Effective upon the consummation of this offering, our compensation committee will be responsible for overseeing the management of risks relating to our executive compensation plans and arrangements. Effective upon consummation of this offering, our audit committee will oversee management of financial risks. While each committee will be responsible for evaluating certain risks and overseeing the management of such risks, our full board of directors plans to keep itself regularly informed regarding such risks through committee reports and otherwise. We believe that the leadership structure of our board of directors provides appropriate risk oversight of our activities given the controlling interests held by the Sponsors.

Director Independence

Pursuant to the corporate governance standards of the NYSE, a director employed by us cannot be deemed an “independent director,” and each other director will qualify as “independent” only if our board of directors affirmatively determines that he has no material relationship with us, either directly or as a partner, stockholder or officer of an organization that has a relationship with us. The fact that a director may own our capital stock is not, by itself, considered a material relationship. Based on information provided by each director concerning his or her background, employment and affiliations, our board of directors has affirmatively determined that each of Gary Hendrickson, Sallie Bailey, Russell Hammond, James Hirshorn, Brian Klos, Ronald Pace, Ashfaq Qadri, Bennett Rosenthal and Blake Sumler are independent in accordance with the NYSE rules.

Board Committees

Upon the completion of this offering, our board of directors will have three standing committees: an audit committee, a compensation committee and a nominating and corporate governance committee, each of which has the composition and responsibilities described below. From time to time, our board of directors may establish other committees to facilitate the management of our business.

Audit Committee

Upon the completion of this offering, the audit committee will consist of three directors: Sallie Bailey, Ronald Pace and Gary Hendrickson. Our board of directors has determined that Sallie Bailey, Ronald Pace and Gary Hendrickson each satisfy the independence requirements for audit committee members under the listing standards of the NYSE and Rule 10A-3 of the Exchange Act. Sallie Bailey has been determined to be an audit committee “financial expert” as defined under SEC rules. All members of the audit committee are able to read and understand fundamental financial statements, are familiar with finance and accounting practices and principles and are financially literate.

 

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The purpose of the audit committee is to assist our board of directors in overseeing (1) the integrity of our financial statements, (2) our compliance with legal and regulatory requirements, (3) our independent auditors’ qualifications and independence and (4) the performance of the independent auditors and our internal audit function. The audit committee also prepares the audit committee report as required by the SEC for inclusion in our annual proxy statement.

Our board of directors has adopted a written charter for the audit committee which will take effect upon the completion of this offering and which satisfies the applicable rules of the SEC and the listing standards of the NYSE. This charter will be posted on our website upon the completion of this offering.

Compensation Committee

Upon the completion of this offering, the compensation committee will consist of three directors: Gary Hendrickson, Brian Klos and Ashfaq Qadri. We intend to avail ourselves of the “controlled company” exemption under the NYSE rules which exempts us from the requirement that we have a compensation committee composed entirely of independent directors.

The purpose of the compensation committee is to assist our board of directors in discharging its responsibilities relating to (1) setting our compensation program and compensation of our executive officers and directors, (2) monitoring our incentive and equity-based compensation plans and (3) preparing the compensation committee report required to be included in our proxy statement under the rules and regulations of the SEC.

Our board of directors has adopted a written charter for the compensation committee which will take effect upon the completion of this offering and which satisfies the applicable rules of the SEC and the listing standards of the NYSE. This charter will be posted on our website upon the completion of this offering.

Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee

The nominating and corporate governance committee consists of four directors: Gary Hendrickson, Sallie Bailey, Blake Sumler and James Hirshorn. We intend to avail ourselves of the “controlled company” exemption under the NYSE rules which exempts us from the requirement that we have a nominating and corporate governance committee composed entirely of independent directors.

The purpose of the nominating and corporate governance committee is to assist our board of directors in discharging its responsibilities relating to (1) identifying individuals qualified to become new board of directors members, consistent with criteria approved by the board of directors, subject to our certificate of incorporation, bylaws and the Stockholders Agreement, (2) reviewing the qualifications of incumbent directors to determine whether to recommend them for reelection and selecting, or recommending that the board of directors select, the director nominees for the next annual meeting of stockholders, (3) identifying board of directors members qualified to fill vacancies on the board of directors or any board of directors committee and recommending that the board of directors appoint the identified member or members to the board of directors or the applicable committee, subject to our certificate of incorporation, bylaws and the Stockholders Agreement, (4) reviewing and recommending to the board of directors corporate governance principles applicable to us, (5) overseeing the evaluation of the board of directors and management, (6) oversee our strategy on corporate social responsibility and sustainability and (7) handling such other matters that are specifically delegated to the committee by the board of directors from time to time.

Our board of directors has adopted a written charter for the nominating and corporate governance committee which will take effect upon the completion of this offering and which satisfies the applicable rules of the SEC and the listing standards of the NYSE. This charter will be posted on our website upon the completion of this offering.

 

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Compensation Committee Interlocks and Insider Participation

None of our executive officers currently serves, or in the past year has served, as a member of the board of directors or compensation committee of any entity that has one or more executive officers serving on our board of directors or compensation committee. None of the members of the compensation committee is, nor has ever been, an officer or employee of our company.

Code of Ethics

Prior to the consummation of this offering, we will adopt a Code of Ethics for Senior Officers applicable to our Chief Executive Officer and senior financial officers. In addition, prior to the consummation of this offering we will adopt a Code of Conduct and Ethics for all officers, directors and employees. Our Code of Ethics for Senior Officers and Code of Conduct and Ethics will be posted on our website at AzekCo.com on the Corporate Governance page of the Investor Relations section of the website. The information contained on our website is not part of this prospectus. We intend to disclose future amendments to certain provisions of our Code of Ethics for Senior Officers, or waivers of such provisions applicable to any principal executive officer, principal financial officer, principal accounting officer or other persons performing similar functions on our website.

 

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EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION

Summary Compensation Table

The following table provides compensation information for the year ended September 30, 2019 for our principal executive officer and our two other most highly compensated persons serving as executive officers as of September 30, 2019. Each of these executive officers was serving as an executive officer of our wholly-owned subsidiary, CPG International LLC, as of September 30, 2019 and also are serving as our executive officers as of the date of this prospectus. We refer to these executive officers as the named executive officers or NEOs.

 

Name and Principal Position

  Year     Salary     Bonus(1)     Stock
Awards(2)
    Non-Equity
Incentive Plan
Compensation(3)
    All Other
Compensation(4)
    Total  

Jesse Singh

President and Chief
Executive Officer

   

2019

2018

 

 

  $

 

745,926

720,650

 

 

  $

 

—  

500,000

 

 

  $

 

1,434,725

—  

 

 

  $
 
662,070
496,331
 
 
  $

 

51,293

57,953

 

 

  $

 

2,894,014

1,774,934

 

 

Ralph Nicoletti(5)

Senior Vice President & Chief Financial Officer

    2019       351,923       250,000       1,794,609       234,270       19,397       2,650,199  

Jonathan Skelly

Senior Vice President of Strategy & Execution

   

2019

2018

 

 

   

351,154

248,461

 

 

   

130,500

60,000

 

 

   

152,262

732,056

 

 

   

155,839

90,220

 

 

   

11,682

7,743

 

 

   

801,437

1,138,480

 

 

 

(1)

With respect to the fiscal year ending September 30, 2019, for Mr. Nicoletti, this amount represents a signing bonus paid to him in connection with the commencement of his employment, and for Mr. Skelly, this amount represents a one-time bonus paid in connection with his purchase of common interests in the Partnership. The bonus paid to Mr. Nicoletti is subject to repayment as described under “Narrative Disclosure to Summary Compensation Table—Employment Agreements and Offer Letters—Sign-on Grants”.

(2)

The amounts in this column reflect the aggregate grant date fair value of performance vested and time vested Profits Interests granted in the fiscal years ending September 30, 2019 and September 30, 2018. The grant date fair value of the Profits Interests was computed in accordance with Accounting Standards Codification 718 issued by the Financial Accounting Standards Board, or FASB ASC 718. For a description of the assumptions used to determine the compensation cost of these awards, see Note 11 to our Consolidated Financial Statements for the year ended September 30, 2019 included elsewhere in this prospectus. The performance conditions applicable to the performance vested Profits Interests are “market conditions” that relate to the attainment of specified equity returns, the impact of which is factored into the grant date fair value. The Partnership Agreement permits the Partnership to redeem time vested and performance vested Profits Interests upon certain terminations of employment. Additionally, Profits Interests are eligible to participate in distributions to the extent provided in the Partnership Agreement, including upon certain strategic or change in control transactions. There is no maximum cap on potential redemption value or distributions. See “Narrative Disclosure to Summary Compensation Table—Long-Term Incentives—Profits Interests” for a description of the Profits Interests.

(3)

The amounts in this column represent annual incentive cash awards earned under the annual incentive program for the year ended September 30, 2019. See “Narrative Disclosure to Summary Compensation Table—Annual Incentive Awards” for a description of the fiscal 2019 annual incentives.

(4)

The amounts shown in the “All Other Compensation” column for the year ended September 30, 2019 are detailed in the table below:

 

     Health and
Welfare Benefits(a)
     401(k)
Contributions(b)
     Commuting
Expenses(c)
     Other
Compensation(d)
 

Jesse Singh

   $ 10,940      $ 9,800      $ 30,553      $ —    

Ralph Nicoletti

     —          6,346        —          13,051  

Jonathan Skelly

     —          11,682        —          —    

 

  (a)

This amount reflects insurance premiums with respect to a long-term disability policy paid on behalf of Mr. Singh of $10,940.

  (b)

These amounts reflect matching contributions under the CPG International 401k Plan, or the 401k Plan. See “Additional Narrative Disclosures—Retirement Plans” for a description of the 401k Plan.

  (c)

Represents certain expenses related to Mr. Singh’s commute to our headquarters in Chicago.

  (d)

Represents the reimbursement of professional fees incurred by Mr. Nicoletti in connection with the negotiation and preparation of his employment agreement.

(5)

Mr. Nicoletti’s employment with CPG International LLC commenced on January 9, 2019.

 

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Narrative Disclosure to Summary Compensation Table

For the year ended September 30, 2019, our NEOs were compensated through a combination of the following components: base salary, annual cash incentive opportunity, long-term incentive awards and employee benefits. Pursuant to employment arrangements and the terms of the long-term incentive awards, our NEOs were also entitled to cash severance and other benefits in the event of a qualifying termination of employment or certain transactions. Each of these compensation elements is described below.

Base Salaries

The base salary earned by each of our NEOs during the year ended September 30, 2019, is reflected in the Summary Compensation Table above. The annual base salaries of the NEOs as of the end of fiscal year 2019 were $760,552 for Mr. Singh, $500,000 for Mr. Nicoletti and $380,000 for Mr. Skelly.

Annual Incentive Awards

In order to motivate the NEOs to achieve short-term performance objectives, a portion of their total target compensation opportunity is in the form of an annual incentive bonus. The annual incentive bonus in respect of the fiscal year ending September 30, 2019 was determined based on the level of achievement of certain financial and individual performance criteria, which are described in more detail below.

Target Incentive Opportunities

The target annual incentive opportunity, expressed as a percentage of an NEO’s base salary, was established in each NEO’s employment agreement or offer letter, which are described under “—Employment Agreements and Offer Letters” below. The target opportunity for the fiscal year ended September 30, 2019 for each of the NEOs was as follows:

 

Named Executive Officer

Target Annual Incentive
(% of Base Salary)
Target Annual Incentive(1)

Jesse Singh

  100 % $ 745,926

Ralph Nicoletti

  75 %   263,942

Jonathan Skelly

  50 % $ 175,577

 

(1)

Target annual incentive amounts represent the percentage of base salary earned during the fiscal year, rather than a percentage of the annualized base salary rate as in effect at the end of the fiscal year.

Performance Targets and Fiscal Year 2019 Performance

For the NEOs, 75% of the fiscal year 2019 annual bonus payout was tied to CPG International LLC financial performance relative to the targets established by the compensation committee of the board of directors of AOT Building Products GP Corp., or the Compensation Committee. The remaining 25% was determined based on individual performance as discussed with the Compensation Committee.

 

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Financial Performance Objectives

For the fiscal year ending September 30, 2019, the financial performance component of the annual incentive opportunities was determined based on CPG International LLC Adjusted EBITDA and Revenue, which accounted for 50% and 25%, respectively, of each NEO’s aggregate annual bonus opportunity. The financial performance objectives and actual company fiscal 2019 performance as determined for purposes of the annual incentive awards were as follows:

 

Performance Targets and Results

(Dollar values in millions)

 
     Threshold     Target     Maximum     Actual
Performance
 

Target Adjusted EBITDA(1)

50% Weighting

   $ 175.8     $ 195.4     $ 226.6     $ 187.8  

Percentage of Target(2)

     0     100     295     61 % 

Target Revenue

25% Weighting

   $ 704.0     $ 782.2     $ 907.3     $ 796.4  

Percentage of Target(2)

     0     100     295     118 % 

 

(1)

Adjusted EBITDA for purposes of fiscal 2019 annual incentives is defined as net income (loss) before interest expense, net, income tax (benefit) expense and depreciation and amortization, adding thereto or subtracting therefrom certain non-cash charges, restructuring and business transformation costs, acquisition costs, initial public offering costs, capital structure transaction costs and certain other costs.

(2)

Performance between levels is generally interpolated on a straight-line basis.

Individual Performance Objectives

The remaining 25% of the annual bonus payout was determined by the Compensation Committee based on the NEOs’ individual performance. The individual performance component was determined based on an overall assessment of the NEO’s performance and was not based on a predefined formula or targets. The maximum award that an NEO can earn for the individual performance component was 130% of the target bonus attributable to this metric, which maximum is intended to reward exceptional performance. Mr. Singh’s individual performance was assessed based on his performance in improving employee safety, preparing and executing monetization efforts, executing CPG International LLC’s strategic value creation plan and delivering the operating plan. Mr. Nicoletti’s individual performance was assessed based on his performance in developing compliance controls, supporting monetization efforts, executing enhanced forecasting projects, strengthening the CPG International LLC financial organization and improving sales forecasting capability. Mr. Skelly’s individual performance was assessed based on monetization efforts, strategy execution and delivery of CPG International LLC’s 2019 plan.

After considering each NEO’s self-assessment and an assessment by the Chief Executive Officer (for Messrs. Nicoletti and Skelly), the Compensation Committee determined that each of Messrs. Singh, Nicoletti and Skelly achieved 115% of the individual performance component.

After incorporating the results of the financial and individual performance components, the Compensation Committee approved the following payouts for the year ended September 30, 2019:

 

     75% of Annual Incentive     25% of Annual Incentive     2019 Earned
Annual
Incentive
 
     CPG Component     Individual Performance
Component
 

Jesse Singh

     80     115     89

Ralph Nicoletti

     80     115     89

Jonathan Skelly

     80     115     89

In addition to the annual incentive earned as discussed above, CPG International LLC paid Mr. Skelly a special cash bonus equal to $130,500, which was used to purchase common interests in the Partnership.

 

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Long-Term Incentives

Profits Interests

The outstanding long-term incentives held by the NEOs consist primarily of Profits Interests granted under the Partnership Agreement. These Profits Interests, which are designed to align employees’ interests with the interests of the Partnership and its subsidiaries, represent interests in the future profits (once a certain level of proceeds has been generated) in the Partnership. In general, awards of Profits Interests are 50% time vested and 50% performance vested.

 

   

Time vested Profits Interests generally vest ratably over five years from the vesting commencement date, subject to continued employment through each vesting date.

 

   

Half of the performance vested Profits Interests vest upon the achievement of one of the following events subject to continued employment through the vesting date:

 

   

When the aggregate proceeds (in the form of cash and marketable securities), or Proceeds, received by each of the Sponsors are at least two times its aggregate capital contributions, or the First MoM Target, or

 

   

In the event of a Change in Control (as defined in the Partnership Agreement), when the aggregate Proceeds received by each of the Sponsors result in an internal rate of return on its aggregate capital contributions, or IRR, that is equal to or greater than 25%.

 

   

The remaining 50% of the performance vested Profits Interests vest upon the achievement of one of the following events subject to continued employment through the vesting date:

 

   

When the aggregate Proceeds received by each of the Sponsors are at least 2.75 times its aggregate capital contributions, or the Second MoM Target, and, together with the First MoM Target, the MoM Targets, or

 

   

In the event of a Change in Control, when the aggregate Proceeds received by each of the Sponsors result in an IRR that is equal to or greater than 30%.

Any unvested performance vested Profits Interests will be forfeited and cancelled upon the tenth anniversary of the grant date.

The Profits Interests granted to each of Messrs. Singh, Nicoletti and Skelly in connection with his appointment, as described under “—Employment Agreements and Offer Letters” below, vest in accordance with the terms described above. In addition to the Profits Interests granted to Mr. Singh in connection with his appointment, Mr. Singh was granted 840 time vested Profits Interests and 840 performance vested Profits Interests on October 11, 2018. The time vested Profits Interests were 40% vested on the grant date, with the remaining 60% vesting in equal installments on May 26, 2019, 2020 and 2021, subject to continued employment through the vesting date. The performance vested Profits Interests vest based on satisfaction of the performance criteria described above. In addition to the Profits Interests granted to Mr. Skelly in connection with his appointment, Mr. Skelly was granted 225 time vested Profits Interests and 225 performance vested Profits Interests on August 7, 2019 that vest in accordance with the terms described above.

Notwithstanding the vesting schedules discussed above, vested Profits Interests are subject to redemption by the Partnership in the event that the NEO’s employment terminates. A discussion of the redemption terms and the treatment of the Profits Interests in connection with a Change in Control, a Strategic Transaction or certain qualifying terminations of employment is described under “Additional Narrative Disclosures—Potential Payments Upon Termination, Change in Control or Strategic Transaction” below.

Long-Term Cash Incentive

Mr. Singh was granted a long-term cash incentive with a value of $765,046 on October 11, 2018, which vests upon the satisfaction of certain time- and performance-vesting conditions. The long-term cash incentive

 

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will be paid in a cash lump sum within 30 days following the date on which both of the following conditions are satisfied:

 

   

Time vesting condition: The long-term cash incentive was 40% time vested on the grant date, with the remaining 60% time vesting in equal installments on May 26 of each of 2019, 2020 and 2021, subject to continued employment through each vesting date.

 

   

Performance vesting condition: The performance-vesting condition is satisfied on the occurrence of either (i) the date following an initial public offering on which the Sponsors own less than 50% of the equity value represented by equity interests of CPG International LLC or (ii) a Change in Control (as defined in the long-term cash incentive award) and where the price per share in the initial public offering, or the transaction price in the Change in Control, implies an equity value at least commensurate with the aggregate investments by the Sponsors in CPG International LLC, as determined by AOT Building Products GP Corp. in its sole discretion, or the Performance Vesting Condition.

If the Performance Vesting Condition is not satisfied prior to May 26, 2026, the long-term cash incentive will be automatically terminated and forfeited without compensation. As of the date of this prospectus, the long-term cash incentive has not been earned.

A discussion of the treatment of the long-term cash incentive in connection with a Change in Control, a Strategic Transaction or certain qualifying terminations of employment is described under “Additional Narrative Disclosures—Potential Payments Upon Termination, Change in Control or Strategic Transaction” below. A discussion of the treatment of the long-term cash incentive following the offering is described under “Post-Offering Compensation—Long-Term Cash Incentive Amendment” below.

Employee Benefits

The NEOs participate in a variety of insurance plans, including medical and dental welfare benefits on the same basis as other employees of CPG International LLC. In lieu of long-term disability benefits provided to other executives, Mr. Singh is entitled pursuant to his employment agreement to a long-term disability insurance policy funded by CPG International LLC that provides a monthly benefit of $25,000 in the event of total and permanent disability. CPG International LLC offers reimbursement for physicals to certain of its employees, including the NEOs.

Employment Agreements and Offer Letters

CPG International LLC entered into an employment agreement or offer letter with each of the NEOs in connection with the commencement of his employment, which are described below. Additionally, each employment agreement or offer letter provides for certain severance and termination benefits that are described below under “—Potential Payments Upon Termination, Change In Control or Strategic Transaction”.

Term. CPG International LLC entered into an employment agreement with Mr. Singh effective as of May 26, 2016, which continues until Mr. Singh’s employment terminates. CPG International LLC entered into an employment agreement with Mr. Nicoletti effective on January 9, 2019, which continues until Mr. Nicoletti’s employment terminates. CPG International LLC entered into an offer letter with Mr. Skelly, dated as of September 20, 2017, pursuant to which Mr. Skelly serves as the Senior Vice President of Business Development and Investor Relations.

Base Salary and Target Bonus. The agreements initially provided, for Mr. Singh, for an annual base salary of $650,000 and an annual target bonus of 100% of base salary; for Mr. Nicoletti, for an annual base salary of $500,000 and an annual target bonus of 75%; and for Mr. Skelly, for an annual base salary of $340,000 and an annual target bonus of 50% of base salary.

Sign-on Grants. In connection with his appointment, Mr. Singh received a one-time award in the amount of $1,000,000, payable 50% in the form of cash and 50% in the form of common interests in the Partnership. The

 

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cash portion was earned and the equity portion vested in full on the second anniversary of Mr. Singh’s start date. Mr. Singh was also granted 7,565 performance vested Profits Interests and 9,065 time vested Profits Interests.

In connection with his appointment, Mr. Nicoletti received a one-time cash bonus in the amount of $250,000. If Mr. Nicoletti voluntarily terminates his employment with CPG International LLC within two years of his start date, he will be required to repay a pro-rata portion of the after-tax value of such sign-on bonus, based on the number of days within that two year period that follow his resignation. Additionally, Mr. Nicoletti was granted 4,750 Profits Interests.

In connection with his appointment, Mr. Skelly received a one-time cash bonus in the amount of $60,000, which was subject to repayment in full if Mr. Skelly voluntarily terminated his employment with CPG International LLC within one year following his start date. Additionally, Mr. Skelly was granted 1,750 Profits Interests. The Profits Interests granted to the NEOs vest as described under “—Long-Term Incentives—Profits Interests.”

Employee Benefits. As discussed under “—Employee Benefits,” each NEO is eligible to participate in certain health and welfare benefit programs. Additionally, Mr. Nicoletti was entitled to reimbursement of up to $15,000 for professional fees incurred by him in connection with the negotiation and preparation of his employment agreement.

Restrictive Covenants

In connection with the commencement of his employment, each of the NEOs agreed to confidentiality, non-disparagement, non-competition and non-solicitation of employees and customers covenants. The non-competition and non-solicitation covenants with each of Messrs. Singh and Nicoletti continue for two years following the termination of his employment for any reason. Mr. Skelly agreed to non-competition and non-solicitation covenants that continue for one year following the termination of his employment for any reason. The NEOs also agreed to covenants assigning rights to intellectual property to CPG International LLC.

Outstanding Equity Awards at 2019 Fiscal Year-End

The following table shows all outstanding equity awards held by each of the NEOs as of September 30, 2019, which consisted entirely of Profits Interests.

 

     Stock Awards  

Name

   Number of
Shares or Units
of Stock That
Have Not
Vested(1)
     Market Value of
Shares or Units of
Stock That Have Not
Vested(2)
     Equity Incentive Plan
Awards: Number of
Unearned Shares, Units or
Other Rights That Have
Not Vested(3)
     Equity Incentive Plan
Awards: Market or Payout
Value of Unearned Shares
or Units of Stock That Have
Not Vested(2)
 

Jesse Singh

     3,626      $ 3,346,798        7,565      $ 6,982,495  
     336        61,488        840        153,720  

Ralph Nicoletti

     2,375        434,625        2,375        434,625  

Jonathan Skelly

     700        646,100        875        807,625  
     225        41,175        225        41,175  

 

(1)

The amounts in this column represent unvested time vested Profits Interests in the Partnership granted to the recipient under the Partnership Agreement. The time vested Profits Interests vest in equal installments on each of the first, second, third, fourth and fifth anniversaries of the grant date or date of hire, as applicable, subject to continued employment through the applicable vesting date.

For Mr. Singh, awards listed in this column represent the remaining unvested portion of the Profits Interests granted on October 11, 2018 and May 26, 2016. Each grant vests in equal installments on May 26, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020 and 2021 (such that the October 11, 2018 award was 40% vested on the date of grant).

For Mr. Nicoletti, awards listed in this column were granted on January 9, 2019 and vest in equal installments on January 9, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023 and 2024.

 

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For Mr. Skelly, 225 of the Profits Interests in this column were granted on August 7, 2019 and vest in equal installments on August 7, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023 and 2024. The remainder of Mr. Skelly’s Profits Interests in this column were granted on February 22, 2018 and vest in equal installments on February 22, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022 and 2023.

The treatment of time vested Profits Interests in connection with a termination of employment and certain other events is described under “Potential Payments Upon Termination, Change in Control or Strategic Transaction—Treatment of Long-Term Incentives” below.

(2)

There is no public market for the Profits Interests and therefore recipients cannot monetize Profits Interests in their discretion. Each Profits Interest is granted with a hurdle amount, which functions like an option exercise price because the Profits Interests do not participate in distributions to equity holders up to that amount. Profits Interests are subject to redemption by the Partnership upon certain events, including upon termination of employment, and may be redeemed for zero value in certain circumstances. For more information, see “Narrative Disclosure to Summary Compensation Table—Long-Term Incentives—Profits Interests” for a description of the Profits Interests.

The amounts in this column represent the appreciation in the value of each Profits Interest over its hurdle amount from the date of grant through September 30, 2019, based on the Partnership’s valuation as of that date as determined by the board of directors of AOT Building Products GP Corp. Awards granted before June 30, 2018 have a hurdle amount of $1,000 per unit and those granted after June 30, 2018 have a hurdle amount of $1,740 per unit. The grant date of each award is set forth in note 1 to this table.

(3)

The amounts in this column represent unvested performance vested Profits Interests in the Partnership granted to the recipient under the Partnership Agreement. Distributions to performance vested Profits Interests above the applicable hurdle amount, if any, are not payable until the performance vested Profits Interests vest upon the achievement of the performance conditions described under “Narrative Disclosure to Summary Compensation Table—Long-Term Incentives—Profits Interests”.

The treatment of performance vested Profits Interests in connection with a termination of employment and certain other events is described under “Potential Payments Upon Termination, Change in Control or Strategic Transaction—Treatment of Long-Term Incentives” below. Any outstanding unvested performance vested Profits Interests expire on the first to occur of a Change in Control or the tenth anniversary of the grant date.

Additional Narrative Disclosures

Retirement Plans

CPG International LLC maintains a tax-qualified defined contribution plan, the CPG International 401k Plan, in which all employees may contribute up to 100% of his or her salary, subject to Internal Revenue Code limits. CPG International LLC matches 100% of the first 1% of employee contributions and 50% of the next 5% of employee contributions, for a total matching contribution of 3.5% on the first 6% of employee contributions. The NEOs are eligible to participate in the 401k Plan on the same terms as other participating employees.

Potential Payments Upon Termination, Change In Control or Strategic Transaction

The employment agreement or offer letter with each NEO and the long-term incentives awarded to the NEOs provide benefits upon the termination of his employment with CPG International LLC under certain circumstances or upon certain transactions, as described below. Certain terms used in this section have the meanings described under “—Treatment of Long-Term Incentives—Definitions” below.

Severance Under Employment Agreements and Offer Letters

On a termination for any reason, each NEO is entitled to payment of accrued but unpaid base salary and vacation. Additionally, if Mr. Singh’s employment terminates for any reason (other than a termination by CPG International LLC for Cause), Mr. Singh’s base salary and employee benefits continue until the end of the month in which termination occurs.

On a termination without Cause (or, for Messrs. Singh and Nicoletti, for Good Reason), the NEOs are entitled to cash severance equal to, for Mr. Singh, the sum of two times his base salary and one times his target annual bonus, payable in equal monthly installments for 18 months following termination; for Mr. Nicoletti, continued base salary for 12 months following termination; and for Mr. Skelly, continued base salary for 12 months following termination. Additionally, Mr. Singh is entitled to a prorated annual bonus for the year of termination based on actual performance and the number of days Mr. Singh was employed during the year of termination, payable at such times that annual bonuses are paid to executives generally, and any earned but

 

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unpaid bonus for the year prior to termination. In connection with such termination, Mr. Singh is entitled to continued payment of healthcare premiums for 24 months following the date of termination or until Mr. Singh obtains healthcare benefits from another employer, and Mr. Skelly is entitled to continued medical, vision and dental benefits for 12 months. The foregoing benefits to each of Messrs. Singh and Nicoletti are subject to his execution of a release in favor of CPG International LLC and compliance with post-employment restrictive covenants.

In the event that Mr. Singh’s employment is terminated due to death or disability, Mr. Singh will be entitled to: (i) any earned but unpaid bonus for the year prior to termination, (ii) all amounts accrued under any bonus, incentive or other plan and (iii) a prorated annual bonus for the year of termination based on actual performance and the number of days Mr. Singh was employed during the year of termination, payable at such times that annual bonuses are paid to the executives of CPG International LLC generally.

Treatment of Long-Term Incentives

Profits Interests

The Partnership previously granted time vested and performance vested Profits Interests to the NEOs, which are subject to certain treatment upon the occurrence of a Change in Control, a Strategic Transaction or certain qualifying terminations in connection with a Change in Control or Strategic Transaction.

All unvested time vested Profits Interests that remain outstanding and eligible for vesting generally will vest immediately upon a Change in Control. Additionally, all unvested time vested Profits Interests that remain outstanding and eligible for vesting generally will vest upon a termination of employment without Cause or for Good Reason within 12 months following the occurrence of a Strategic Transaction. In addition, with respect to time vested Profits Interests granted to Mr. Singh on October 11, 2018 and May 26, 2016, if a Change in Control occurs within six months following a termination of Mr. Singh’s employment by CPG International LLC without Cause or by Mr. Singh for Good Reason, then all unvested time vested Profits Interests in effect immediately prior to such termination of employment will be treated as outstanding as of the Change in Control and vest immediately upon such Change in Control. With respect to Mr. Nicoletti’s time vested Profits Interests, a prorated portion will vest in connection with a termination of Mr. Nicoletti’s employment without Cause or for Good Reason and all of his time vested Profits Interests will vest if a Change in Control occurs within 180 days after the termination of his employment without Cause. Additionally, certain time vested Profits Interests that are scheduled to vest within a period of time after a termination of employment may vest on such termination.

Performance vested Profits Interests only vest upon a Change in Control to the extent that the performance criteria are met, as described in “Narrative Disclosure to Summary Compensation Table—Long-Term Incentives—Profits Interests” above. If the relevant performance criteria have not been met as of the earlier of a Change in Control and the tenth anniversary of the grant date, any unvested performance vested Profits Interests will be forfeited and cancelled. Upon a termination of employment without Cause or for Good Reason within 12 months following a Strategic Transaction (determined without regard to subpart (ii) of the definition of Change in Control), to the extent that the MoM Targets would have been satisfied had the fair value of any non-freely tradable and marketable securities received by the Sponsors in connection with the Strategic Transaction constituted Proceeds as of the date of such Strategic Transaction, the performance vested Profits Interests will remain outstanding and eligible to vest based upon the Sponsors’ future receipt of Proceeds. In addition, with respect to performance vested Profits Interests granted to Mr. Singh on October 11, 2018 and May 26, 2016, if a Change in Control occurs within six months following a termination of Mr. Singh’s employment by CPG International LLC without Cause or by Mr. Singh for Good Reason, then all unvested performance vested Profits Interests will be treated as outstanding as of the Change in Control and will be eligible to be earned as of the Change in Control based on achievement of the MoM Targets. Mr. Nicoletti will remain eligible to vest in any performance vested Profits Interests that satisfy the performance criteria described above if a Change in Control occurs within 180 days after the termination of his employment without Cause.

 

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Vested Profits Interests generally may be redeemed by the Partnership within six months following a termination of employment. In the event of a termination of employment due to an NEO’s resignation without Good Reason prior to the third anniversary of the date on which the Profits Interests were granted, or the termination of the NEO’s employment for Cause at any time, vested Profits Interests may be redeemed for no value. Good Reason and Cause as used in the preceding sentence have the meanings set forth in the executive’s employment agreement, or if none, then as set forth in the Partnership Agreement. In the event of a termination of employment for any other reason, including death or disability, vested Profits Interests may be redeemed for the fair market value, as determined in accordance with the Partnership Agreement.

All Profits Interests are subject to a clawback provision under which if a recipient willfully or intentionally materially breaches, or fails to correct a material breach of, any non-competition, non-solicitation or non-disclosure covenant to which he or she is subject, then such person will automatically forfeit any outstanding Profits Interests and repay any amounts distributed to him or her (other than certain minimum distributions to partners of the Partnership) within the 24 months prior to such breach.

Long-Term Cash Incentive

On October 11, 2018, Mr. Singh was granted a long-term cash incentive, subject to certain time and performance vesting conditions. See “Narrative Disclosure to Summary Compensation Table—Long-Term Incentives—Long-Term Cash Incentive”. In the event of a Change in Control or a termination of employment by CPG International LLC without Cause or by Mr. Singh for Good Reason within 12 months following the occurrence of a Strategic Transaction, any unvested portion of the long-term cash incentive that remains outstanding and eligible for vesting will immediately time-vest. In addition, if a Change in Control occurs within six months following a termination of Mr. Singh’s employment by CPG International LLC without Cause or by Mr. Singh for Good Reason, then any unvested portion of the long-term cash incentive immediately prior to such termination of employment will be treated as outstanding as of the Change in Control and will time-vest immediately upon such Change in Control and performance-vest upon satisfaction of the Performance Vesting Condition as described above.

Definitions

For Mr. Singh, “Cause” generally means (i) a conviction of a crime constituting fraud, embezzlement, a felony, or an act of moral turpitude, (ii) gross negligence, (iii) breach of the duty of loyalty or care that causes material injury to CPG International LLC, (iv) ongoing willful refusal or failure to perform duties or (v) material breach of any material written agreement with CPG International LLC. Good Reason generally means (i) a reduction in salary or target bonus, (ii) a material reduction in duties or authority, (iii) removal of position and responsibilities, (iv) failure to pay compensation under the employment agreement, (v) relocation by more than 35 miles or (vi) a material breach of the employment agreement, in each case provided that Mr. Singh has given CPG International LLC written notice of the termination within 90 days of the first date on which he has knowledge of such event or conduct and he has provided CPG International LLC with at least 30 days to cure (to the extent curable).

For Mr. Nicoletti, “Cause” generally means (i) commission of an act which constitutes common law fraud or embezzlement, (ii) indictment, conviction or plea of guilty or nolo contendere to a felony or crime involving moral turpitude, (iii) commission of any intentional tortious or intentional unlawful act in either case causing material harm to CPG International LLC’s (or any of its affiliates’) business, standing or reputation, (iv) gross negligence in performing his duties, (v) breach of the duty of loyalty or care, (vi) other misconduct that is materially detrimental to CPG International LLC or its affiliates, (vii) refusal or willful failure to perform Mr. Nicoletti’s duties or the deliberate and consistent refusal to conform to or follow any reasonable policy of CPG International LLC, in each case after receiving written notice from CPG International LLC of such non-compliance and being given 10 business days to cure (to the extent curable) such non-compliance, (viii) material breach of any material written agreement with CPG International LLC which breach is not cured (to the extent

 

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curable) within 10 business days after written notice from CPG International LLC, or (ix) Mr. Nicoletti’s death or disability resulting in his inability to continue to perform the essential functions of his job, with a reasonable accommodation. Good Reason generally means a termination by Mr. Nicoletti of his employment within 90 days following the occurrence of any of the following without his consent that remains uncured for 10 business days after receipt by CPG International LLC of written notice of such event by Mr. Nicoletti: (i) a material reduction in salary, (ii) a materially adverse change in title, duties or responsibilities (including reporting responsibilities), or (iii) relocation by more than 50 miles.

For Mr. Skelly’s Profits Interests, “Cause” (as defined in the Partnership Agreement) generally means (i) indictment, conviction or plea of guilty or nolo contendere to a felony or crime involving moral turpitude, fraud, theft, breach of trust or similar acts, (ii) breach of fiduciary duty, willful misconduct or gross negligence, (iii) willful failure to follow a reasonable and lawful directive or comply with written rules, regulations, policies or procedures that are reasonably expected to have more than a de minimis adverse effect on CPG International LLC, (iv) violation of any employment or similar agreement or any restrictive covenants or (v) deliberate and continued failure to perform material duties. “Cause” is not defined in Mr. Skelly’s offer letter.

A “Change in Control” is defined generally to occur upon the following events:

 

   

(i) any person or group other than an Excluded Entity (as defined below) becomes the beneficial owner of more than 50% of the common interests in the Partnership; (ii) any person or group other than an Excluded Entity becomes the beneficial owner of more than 50% of the voting power in any of CPG Holdco LLC, CPG Newco LLC or CPG International LLC (other than in connection with a public offering registered under the Securities Act), except in a Strategic Transaction (as defined below); or (iii) the sale of all or substantially all of the assets of CPG International LLC to a person or group other than an Excluded Entity, except in a Strategic Transaction; and

 

   

the Sponsors have sold or disposed of more than 65% of their aggregate common interests in the Partnership for cash or freely tradable and marketable securities.

A “Strategic Transaction” for this purpose is any strategic transaction, as determined by AOT Building Products GP Corp. in its sole discretion, in which the consideration received by the Partnership or its subsidiaries consists of the stock of another entity. An “Excluded Entity” for this purpose is any Sponsor, any management limited partner in the Partnership, their respective transferees or any employee benefit plan or trust of CPG International LLC.

Post-Offering Compensation

Profits Interests Conversion

In connection with this offering, each outstanding Profits Interests award, including awards held by our NEOs, will be exchanged for a number of shares of our Class A common stock determined based the number of Profits Interests and the hurdle amount applicable to the Profits Interests. Profits Interests that are vested at the time of this offering will be exchanged for vested shares of our Class A common stock. Profits Interests that are unvested at the time of this offering will be exchanged for restricted shares of Class A common stock granted under our 2020 Plan, which will remain eligible to vest following this offering generally pursuant to the same time-based and performance-based vesting conditions as the Profits Interests for which they are exchanged, as applicable. The shares of Class A common stock issued in connection with the exchange will be eligible to receive any ordinary cash dividend payments or other ordinary distributions. The exchange of Profits Interests for shares of Class A common stock will not result in any accelerated vesting of the Profits Interests. See “Narrative Disclosure to Summary Compensation Table—Long-Term Incentives—Profits Interests” and “Additional Narrative Disclosures—Potential Payments Upon Termination, Change In Control or Strategic Transaction” for a description of the Profits Interests vesting terms.

 

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The following table sets forth an estimated number of vested shares of our common stock and unvested restricted shares of our common stock that each of our NEOs will receive upon conversion of their vested and unvested Profits Interests, in each case based on an assumed initial public offering price of $             per share, the midpoint of the estimated offering price range set forth on the cover page of this prospectus.

 

Name

   Shares of Class A
Common Stock
     Restricted Shares of
Class A Common Stock
 

Jesse Singh

  
 

                    

 
  
 

                    

 

Ralph Nicoletti

  
 

                    

 
  
 

                    

 

Jonathan Skelly

  
 

                    

 
  
 

                    

 

Upon the effectiveness of this offering, each current employee of CPG International LLC who receives shares in exchange for Profits Interests will be granted options to purchase shares of Class A common stock. This option grant is intended to restore to such holders the same leverage, or amount of equity at work, that the holder had with respect to Profits Interests prior to the exchange (for example, if 100 Profits Interests converted into 40 shares, the holder would be granted options to acquire 60 shares of our Class A common stock). The options will be granted pursuant to our 2020 Plan and have a per-share exercise price equal to the initial public offering price. The options awarded to each such holder will be vested or unvested in the same proportion as the corresponding Profits Interests award was vested and unvested immediately prior to this offering, and the unvested options will have the same time-based and performance-based vesting conditions as the original Profits Interests award.

The following table sets forth an estimated number of stock options that will be issued to our NEOs upon the closing of this offering, assuming an initial public offering price of $             per share, the midpoint of the estimated offering price range set forth on the cover page of this prospectus.

 

Named Executive Officer

   Number of Options  

Jesse Singh

  
 

                    

 

Ralph Nicoletti

  
 

                    

 

Jonathan Skelly

  
 

                    

 

Long-Term Cash Incentive Amendment

In connection with, and effective as of the completion of, this offering, we are amending the long-term cash incentive with Mr. Singh described under “Narrative Disclosure to Summary Compensation Table—Long-Term Incentives—Long-Term Cash Incentive” above. As amended, the portion of the long-term cash incentive that is time vested as of the completion of this offering will be paid as soon as practicable after the completion of this offering. The portion of the long-term cash incentive that is not time vested as of the completion of this offering will be subject to continued vesting as follows: (i) 50% of such unvested portion will vest in equal installments on the remaining scheduled vesting dates, and (ii) the remaining 50% of such unvested portion will be eligible to vest upon achievement of the performance-based vesting conditions applicable to the restricted shares into which outstanding Profits Interests are exchanged.

IPO Cash Bonus and Long-Term Incentive Awards

In connection with this offering, we are adopting the 2020 Plan described below. Pursuant to that plan, we intend to grant each of Messrs. Singh and Skelly a stock option award and Mr. Skelly an additional award of restricted stock units to enhance their alignment with our stockholders following the offering, and we also intend to grant Mr. Nicoletti a cash award to provide retentive value. The options will vest ratably over four years beginning on the first anniversary of the grant and have a term of ten years, the restricted stock units will vest on the fourth anniversary of grant and the cash award will vest 50% on the 12-month anniversary of grant and 50% on the 18-month anniversary of grant, each subject to continued employment. Any unvested awards scheduled to vest within the next 12 months will immediately vest in the event of the NEO’s death or disability or continue to vest in the event of the NEO’s involuntary termination without cause or resignation for good reason, subject to compliance with any applicable restrictive covenants. The awards will be granted with the following grant date fair values: Mr. Singh; $1,300,000, Mr. Nicoletti: $1,750,000; and Mr. Skelly: $750,000 in the form of options and $750,000 in the form of restricted stock units.

 

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Immediately following this offering, we will grant an aggregate of              RSUs that will fully vest on the third anniversary of this offering to approximately 1,300 of our employees who do not own any shares of our capital stock immediately prior to this offering.

2020 Omnibus Incentive Compensation Plan

General

The board of directors of AOT Building Products GP Corp. has adopted the 2020 Omnibus Incentive Compensation Plan, or the 2020 Plan, which will be submitted to the Partnership’s stockholders for approval prior to the completion of this offering. We expect that the 2020 Plan will have the features described below.

Share Reserve

The number of shares of our Class A common stock available for issuance under our 2020 Plan will be                      shares, which may be shares that are authorized and unissued or shares that were reacquired by the Company, including treasury shares or shares purchased in the open market. Shares subject to an award under the 2020 Plan that expires, is forfeited or is settled in cash, and shares tendered or withheld in payment of taxes or an exercise price, will become available for future awards under the 2020 Plan. Shares of our Class A common stock subject to awards that are assumed, converted or substituted under the 2020 Plan as a result of our acquisition of another company will not count against the number of shares that may be granted under the 2020 Plan subject to stock exchange requirements. With respect to awards of stock-settled stock appreciation rights (SARs), the total number of shares that may be granted under the 2020 Plan will be reduced only by the number of shares actually delivered upon exercise of such award.

Administration

The 2020 Plan will be administered by the board of directors or the compensation committee or its delegates (collectively, the administrator). Subject to the terms of the 2020 Plan, the administrator will determine which employees, consultants and non-employee directors will receive awards under the 2020 Plan, the dates of grant, the number and types of awards to be granted, the exercise or purchase price of each award, and the terms and conditions of the awards, including the period of their exercisability and vesting and the fair market value applicable to a stock award. The following actions generally require approval by our stockholders: (i) reducing the exercise price of stock options or SARs issued and outstanding, (ii) amending or cancelling a stock option of SAR when the exercise price exceeds the fair market value of one share of common stock in exchange for a grant of a substitute award or repurchase for cash or other consideration, except in connection with certain corporate events and (iii) any other action that would be treated as a repricing under applicable stock exchange rules.

In addition, the administrator has the authority to determine whether any award may be settled in cash, shares of our common stock, other securities or other awards or property. The administrator has the authority to interpret the 2020 Plan and may adopt any administrative rules, regulations, procedures and guidelines governing the 2020 Plan or any awards granted under the 2020 Plan as it deems appropriate. The administrator may also delegate any of its powers, responsibilities or duties to any person who is not a member of the administrator or any administrative group within the company. Our Board of Directors may also grant awards under or administer the 2020 Plan.

Eligibility; Limits on Compensation to Non-Employee Directors

Employees, consultants and directors will be eligible to participate in our 2020 Plan. Under our 2020 Plan, no non-employee director of the company may be granted compensation for service as a director with a value in excess of $500,000 in any calendar year, with the value of any equity-based awards based on the accounting grant date value of such award. The independent members of the board of directors may make exceptions to this limit for a non-executive chair of the board of directors.

 

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Minimum Vesting

Awards other than cash awards granted after this offering will be subject to a minimum vesting schedule of at least 12 months after the grant date. The following awards will not be subject to the minimum vesting requirement: (i) awards granted in connection with this offering, (ii) awards granted in connection with awards assumed or substituted in an acquisition or similar transaction, (iii) shares delivered in lieu of fully vested cash awards, (iv) awards to non-employee directors that vest on the earlier of the one-year anniversary of grant and the next annual meeting of shareholders and (v) up to 5% of the available share reserve under the 2020 Plan. The minimum vesting restriction does not apply to the administrator’s discretion to provide for accelerated vesting of an award, including in the event of retirement, death, disability or a change in control.

Types of Awards

The 2020 Plan provides for the grant of stock options intended to meet the requirements of “incentive stock options” under Section 422 of the Code and “non-qualified stock options” that do not meet those requirements, SARs, restricted stock, restricted stock units (RSUs), dividend equivalent rights and other equity-based, equity-related or cash-based awards (including performance-based awards).

All of the awards described above are subject to the conditions, limitations, restrictions, vesting and forfeiture provisions determined by the administrator, in its sole discretion, subject to certain limitations provided in the 2020 Plan. The administrator may condition the vesting of or the lapsing of any applicable vesting restrictions or conditions on awards upon the attainment of performance goals, continuation of service, or any other term or conditions. The vesting conditions placed on any award need not be the same with respect to each grantee and the administrator will have the sole discretion to amend any outstanding award to accelerate or waive any or all restrictions, vesting provisions or conditions set forth in an award agreement.

Each award granted under the 2020 Plan will be evidenced by an award agreement, which will govern that award’s terms and conditions. In the case of any conflict or potential inconsistency between the 2020 Plan and a provision of any award or award agreement with respect to an award, the 2020 Plan will govern.

Stock Options

An award of a stock option gives a grantee the right to purchase a certain number of shares of our Class A common stock during a specified term in the future, after a vesting period, at an exercise price equal to at least 100% of the fair market value of our common stock on the grant date. The term of a stock option may not exceed 10 years from the date of grant. Incentive stock options will be exercisable in any fiscal year only to the extent that the aggregate fair market value of our common stock with respect to which the incentive stock options are exercisable for the first time does not exceed $100,000. Incentive stock options may not be granted under the 2020 Plan after the tenth anniversary of the date of the board of director’s most recent approval. No incentive stock option may be granted to any person who, at the time of the grant, owns or is deemed to own stock possessing more than 10% of our total combined voting power or that of any of our affiliates unless (i) the option exercise price is at least 110% of the fair market value of the stock subject to the option on the date of grant and (ii) the term of the incentive stock option does not exceed five years from the date of grant. The exercise price of any stock option may be paid using cash, check or certified bank check; shares of our Class A common stock; a net exercise of the stock option; other legal consideration approved by the company and permitted by applicable law and any combination of the foregoing.

Stock Appreciation Rights

A SAR entitles the grantee to receive an amount equal to the difference between the fair market value of our common stock on the exercise date and the exercise price of the SAR (which may not be less than 100% of the fair market value of a share of our common stock on the grant date), multiplied by the number of shares subject to the SAR. The term of a SAR may not exceed 10 years from the date of grant. Payment to a grantee upon the exercise of a SAR may be either in cash, shares of our Class A common stock or other securities or property, or a combination of the foregoing, as determined by the administrator.

 

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Restricted Stock

A restricted stock award is an award of outstanding shares of our Class A common stock that does not vest until a specified period of time has elapsed or other vesting conditions have been satisfied, as determined by the administrator, and which will be forfeited if the conditions to vesting are not met. The administrator will issue a certificate in respect to the shares of restricted stock, unless the administrator elects to use another system, such as book entries by the transfer agent, as evidencing ownership of such shares. During the period that any restrictions apply, the transfer of stock awards is generally prohibited. Grantees have full voting rights with respect to their restricted shares. Unless the administrator determines otherwise, all ordinary cash dividend payments or other ordinary distributions paid upon a restricted stock award will be retained by the company and will be paid to the relevant grantee (without interest) when the award of restricted shares vests and will revert back to the company if for any reason the restricted share upon which such dividends or other distributions were paid reverts back to the company.

Restricted Stock Units

An RSU is an award representing the right to receive, on the applicable delivery or payment date, one share of our common stock for each granted unit, cash or other securities or property equal in value to such share of common stock or a combination thereof that does not vest until a specified period of time has elapsed or other vesting conditions, including performance-based vesting conditions, have been satisfied, as determined by the administrator, and which will be forfeited if the conditions to vesting are not met. During the period that any restrictions apply, the transfer of RSUs is generally prohibited.

Dividend Equivalent Rights

Dividend equivalent rights entitle the grantee to receive amounts equal to all or any of the ordinary cash dividends that are paid on the shares underlying a grant while the grant is outstanding. Dividend equivalent rights may be paid in cash, in shares of our common stock or in another form. The administrator will determine the terms and conditions of dividend equivalent rights; however, in no event will such dividend equivalent rights be paid unless and until the award to which they relate vests.

Performance-Based and Other Stock-Based or Cash-Based Awards

Under the 2020 Plan, the administrator may grant other types of equity-based, equity-related or cash-based awards, including awards subject to performance-based criteria, subject to such terms and conditions that the administrator may determine. Such awards may include retainers and meeting-based fees for directors and the grant or offer for sale of unrestricted shares of our common stock, performance share awards and performance units settled in cash.

Adjustments

In connection with a recapitalization, stock split, reverse stock split, stock dividend, spinoff, split up, combination, reclassification or exchange of shares, merger, consolidation, rights offering, separation, reorganization or liquidation, or any other change in the corporate structure or shares, including any extraordinary dividend or extraordinary distribution, the administrator will make adjustments as it deems appropriate to (i) the maximum number of shares of our Class A common stock reserved for issuance, (ii) the number and kind of shares covered by outstanding grants, (iii) the kind of shares that may be issued under the 2020 Plan and (iv) the terms of any outstanding awards, including exercise or strike price, if applicable.

Amendment; Termination

Our board of directors may amend or terminate the 2020 Plan at any time, provided that no such amendment may materially adversely impair the rights of an award without the grantee’s consent. Our stockholders must approve any amendment to the extent required to comply with the Internal Revenue Code, applicable laws or

 

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applicable stock exchange requirements. Unless terminated sooner by our board of directors or extended with stockholder approval, the 2020 Plan will terminate on the day immediately preceding the tenth anniversary of the date on which our stockholder approved the 2020 Plan, but any outstanding award will remain in effect until the underlying shares are delivered or the award lapses.

Change in Control

Unless the administrator determines otherwise, or as otherwise provided in the applicable award agreement, if a participant’s employment is terminated by us without “cause” (as defined in the 2020 Plan) on or within two years after a change in control (as defined in the 2020 Plan), (i) all outstanding awards will become fully vested (including lapsing of all restrictions and conditions), and, as applicable, exercisable, with any outstanding performance-based awards deemed earned at target performance and (ii) any shares deliverable pursuant to RSUs will be delivered promptly following the termination.

In the event of a change in control, the administrator may (i) provide for the assumption of or the issuance of substitute awards, (ii) provide that for a period of at least 20 days prior to the change in control, stock options or SARs that would not otherwise become exercisable prior to a change in control will be exercisable as to all shares of common stock, as the case may be, subject thereto and that any stock options or SARs not exercised prior to the consummation of the change in control will terminate and be of no further force or effect as of the consummation of the change in control, (iii) modify the terms of awards to add events or conditions upon which the vesting of such awards will accelerate, (iv) deem any performance conditions satisfied at target, maximum or actual performance through closing or provide for the performance conditions to continue (as is or as adjusted by the administrator) after closing or (v) settle awards for an amount, as determined in the sole discretion of the administrator, of cash or securities (in the case of stock options and SARs that are settled in cash, the amount paid will be equal to the in-the-money spread value, if any, of such awards).

Clawback: Repayment If Conditions Not Met

All awards under the 2020 Plan will be subject to any clawback or recapture policy that we may adopt from time to time. If the administrator determines that terms of an award were not satisfied and the failure to satisfy the terms was material, then the grantee will be obligated to repay the fair market value of the shares issued or delivered in respect of the award or, in the case of options or SARs, the award’s spread value.

 

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DIRECTOR COMPENSATION

For the year ended September 30, 2019 and prior to the Corporate Conversion, as a member-managed limited liability company, our business and affairs were managed under the direction of the board of directors of AOT Building Products GP Corp. In connection with the Corporate Conversion, we will appoint certain directors to serve as members of our newly formed board of directors, as described above under “Management.” In connection with his service on the board of directors of AOT Building Products GP Corp. and as chair for the year ended September 30, 2019, Mr. Hendrickson was paid cash fees of $100,000. In connection with her service on the board of directors of AOT Building Products GP Corp and as chair of its Audit Committee, Ms. Bailey was entitled to receive cash fees of $75,000 per year. In connection with their service on the board of directors of AOT Building Products GP Corp. for the year ended September 30, 2019, each of Messrs. Lee, Pace and O’Meara was paid cash fees of $50,000, which amount was prorated for Mr. O’Meara to reflect the portion of the year in which he served.

Fiscal 2019 Director Compensation Table

The following table sets forth information regarding the compensation earned for service on the board of directors of AOT Building Products GP Corp. during the year ended September 30, 2019 by the directors who were not also NEOs. Mr. Singh did not receive any additional compensation for his service on the board of directors during the year ended September 30, 2019. Mr. Singh’s compensation for the year ended September 30, 2019 is set forth under “Executive Compensation—Summary Compensation Table” above.

 

Name

   Fees Earned for
Fiscal 2019 and
Paid in Cash
    Stock Awards(3)               Total          

Sallie Bailey(1)

   $ 75,000     $ 151,125      $ 226,125  

Russell Hammond

     —    (2)      —          —    

Gary Hendrickson

     100,000       —          100,000  

James B. Hirshorn

     —    (2)      —          —    

Brian Klos

     —    (2)      —          —    

Timothy Lee

     50,000       —          50,000 (4) 

Ronald A. Pace

     50,000       —          50,000  

Asfaq Qadri(1)

     —    (2)      —          —    

Bennett Rosenthal

     —    (2)      —          —    

Former Director

       

Kevin O’Meara(1)

     12,500       —          12,500  

 

(1)

Sallie Bailey was appointed to the board of directors in November 2018. Ashfaq Qadri was appointed to the board of directors in February 2019, at which time Mr. O’Meara ceased to serve on the board of directors.

(2)

Each of Messrs. Hammond, Hirshorn, Klos, Qadri and Rosenthal is affiliated with one of our Sponsors and was designated to the AOT Building Products GP Corp. board of directors by the respective Sponsor. These directors did not receive compensation from AOT Building Products GP Corp. for their service as a director.

(3)

For each non-management director, the aggregate number of Profits Interests held as of September 30, 2019 was as follows: Ms. Bailey: 200 time vested Profits Interests, which grant vests in equal installments on December 26, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023 and 2024, and 200 performance vested Profits Interests; Mr. Hendrickson: 250 time vested Profits Interests, which grant vests in equal installments on June 14, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021 and 2022, and 250 performance vested Profits Interests; each of Messrs. Lee and Pace: 155 time vested Profits Interests, which grants vest in equal installments on April 19, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020 and 2021 for Mr. Lee and on December 3, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2019 for Mr. Pace, and 155 performance vested Profits Interests; and Mr. O’Meara: 155 time vested Profits Interests, which grant vested in equal installments on December 13, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017 and 2018. The performance vested Profits Interests vest upon the achievement of the performance conditions described above under “Executive Compensation—Narrative Disclosure to Summary Compensation Table—Long Term Incentives—Profits Interests” with respect to the Profits Interests granted to the NEOs. The treatment of the Profits Interests in connection with a Change in Control, a Strategic Transaction or a termination of service without Cause is described under “Executive Compensation—Additional Narrative Disclosures—Potential Payments Upon Termination, Change in Control or Strategic Transaction” with respect to the Profits Interests granted to the NEOs. Directors affiliated with our Sponsors did not hold any Profits Interests as of September 30, 2019. For a description of the assumptions used to determine the

 

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  compensation cost of these awards, see Note 11 to our Consolidated Financial Statements included elsewhere in this prospectus. No Profits Interests were granted to our non-management directors during the year ended September 30, 2019, other than the grant to Ms. Bailey as reflected in the table above.
(4)

Table does not include amounts paid by us and our affiliates to Hawksbill Consulting, of which Mr. Lee owns approximately 30% of the ownership interests. See “Certain Relationships and Related Party Transactions—Transactions with Directors and Officers.”

Post-Offering Director Compensation Program

In connection with this offering, we adopted a new director compensation program that will provide the following compensation for non-employee directors:

 

   

An annual cash retainer of $70,000, paid quarterly in arrears;

 

   

An annual equity award of RSUs granted in connection with each annual shareholders meeting with a grant date fair value of $105,000 that vests at the following annual shareholder meeting;

 

   

A one-time inaugural equity award of RSUs granted to newly appointed non-employee directors with a grant date fair value of $105,000 that cliff-vests on the third anniversary of grant;

 

   

An annual cash retainer of $20,000 for the chair of the audit committee, $15,000 for the chair of the compensation committee, and $10,000 for the chair of the nominating and governance committee, in each case paid quarterly in arrears; and

 

   

An additional annual cash retainer of $50,000 for serving as our non-executive chair, paid quarterly in arrears.

We also adopted director stock ownership guidelines that require each non-employee director to hold 100% of after-tax shares from director equity awards until the director holds shares and vested deferred stock units with an aggregate value equal to five times the annual cash retainer paid to non-employee directors.

IPO Director Awards

Following his experience as the former Chairman and CEO of Valspar Corporation, Mr. Hendrickson brings to our board of directors extensive experience in corporate leadership and in the development and execution of business growth strategies. In his role as chair of the board of directors of AOT Building Products GP Corp. since May 2017, Mr. Hendrickson has provided a significant level of counsel to the management team, specifically with respect to the development of the company’s commercial and retail strategy. He has also dedicated a significant amount of time in guiding the company in its preparation for its IPO. Following this offering, Mr. Hendrickson is expected to provide enhanced duties beyond those typically provided by a non-executive chair of a board of directors, including providing support, advice and counsel on special projects and guidance to our management team as the company transitions to a public company.

In recognition of his significant past and ongoing efforts supporting the company, the board of directors of AOT Building Products GP Corp. has approved the award of a one-time grant of options to purchase shares of our Class A common stock (the Chair IPO Award) to Mr. Hendrickson. Mr. Hendrickson and Mr. Singh abstained from the consideration and approval of the Chair IPO Award.

The Chair IPO Award will be granted immediately following the completion of this offering, subject to Mr. Hendrickson’s continued service on the board of directors of AOT Building Products GP Corp. through that date. The number of shares underlying the Chair IPO Award will equal 0.35% of our outstanding shares of common stock (on a fully diluted basis) on the completion of this offering, and will have an exercise price equal to the price at which a share of our Class A common stock is offered pursuant to this offering and a 10-year maximum term. The Chair IPO Award will vest in substantially equal installments on each of the first four anniversaries of the completion of this offering, subject to continued service as chair of our board of directors

 

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through such vesting date. In the event that Mr. Hendrickson ceases to serve as chair for any reason, any unvested options will be forfeited. Mr. Hendrickson has waived any fee for service as chair of our board of directors until the completion of the four-year vesting period as well as any inaugural award granted to other directors in connection with the IPO, but will receive regular board and committee retainers and annual equity awards for board service on the same basis as other non-employee directors. In order to ensure alignment with our investors, no portion of the Chair IPO Award is in the form of cash, and is instead in the form of options to tie to future value creation at the company.

We currently do not expect that Mr. Hendrickson will receive any additional compensation in future years for his service as non-executive chair outside of the regular annual director compensation program.

The other non-employee directors will receive their one-time inaugural award of RSUs, as described above, in connection with this offering with a grant date fair value of $105,000 that cliff vests on the third anniversary of grant subject to continued service (provided that the award will vest in the event that the director’s service on the board ceases due to disability or retirement and a prorated portion of the award will vest in the event that the director’s service on the board ceases absent a termination for cause).

 

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CERTAIN RELATIONSHIPS AND RELATED PARTY TRANSACTIONS

Stockholders Agreement

In connection with this offering, we intend to enter into the Stockholders Agreement with the Sponsors. Pursuant to the Stockholders Agreement, the Sponsors will be entitled to designate individuals to be included in the slate of nominees for election to our board of directors as follows:

 

   

for so long as the Sponsors collectively own 50% or more of the outstanding shares of our common stock, the greater of up to six directors and the number of directors comprising a majority of our board; and

 

   

except as provided below, for so long as the Sponsors collectively own less than 50% of the outstanding shares of our common stock, that number of directors (rounded up to the nearest whole number or, if such rounding would cause the Sponsors to have the right to elect a majority of our board of directors, rounded to the nearest whole number) that is the same percentage of the total number of directors comprising our board as the collective percentage of common stock owned by the Sponsors.

Each of the Sponsors will be entitled to nominate one-half of the nominees to be nominated unless (i) if the number of directors to be nominated is odd, in which case the Sponsors will jointly nominate one such director and each Sponsor will nominate one half of the remaining nominees, and (ii) if either Sponsor owns more than 5%, but less than or equal to 10%, of the outstanding shares of our common stock, in which case, one director will be nominated by such Sponsor, and the remaining nominees will be nominated by the other Sponsor.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, if either Sponsor at any time ceases to own more than 5% of the outstanding shares of our common stock, that Sponsor will not have the right to designate any directors, the shares of our common stock owned by that Sponsor will be excluded in calculating the thresholds above, and the rights set forth above will only be available to the Sponsor that holds the applicable percentage of shares of our common stock. The Stockholders Agreement will also provide for the nomination to our board of directors, subject to his or her election by our stockholders at the annual meeting, of our chief executive officer. Each Sponsor will agree, for so long as such Sponsor holds more than 5% of the outstanding shares of our common stock, to vote all of the shares of Class A common stock held by it in favor of the foregoing nominees.

The Stockholders Agreement will also provide that, for so long as the Sponsors collectively own at least 30% of the outstanding shares of our common stock, the following actions will require the prior written consent of each of the Sponsors, subject to certain exceptions. If either Sponsor owns less than 10% of the outstanding shares of our common stock, such action will not be subject to the approval of such Sponsor, and the shares of common stock owned by such Sponsor will be excluded in calculating the 30% threshold:

 

   

merging or consolidating with or into any other entity, or transferring all or substantially all of our assets, taken as a whole, to another entity, or undertaking any transaction that would constitute a “Change of Control” as defined in our debt agreements;

 

   

acquiring or disposing of assets, in a single transaction or a series of related transactions, or entering into joint ventures, in each case with a value in excess of $75.0 million;

 

   

incurring indebtedness in a single transaction or a series of related transactions in an aggregate principal amount in excess of $100.0 million;

 

   

issuing our or our subsidiaries’ equity other than pursuant to an equity compensation plan approved by our stockholders or a majority of the directors designated by the Sponsors;

 

   

terminating the employment of our chief executive officer or hiring or designating a new chief executive officer;

 

   

entering into any transactions, agreements, arrangements or payments with either of the Sponsors or any other person who owns greater than or equal to 10% of our common stock then outstanding that are material or involve aggregate payments or receipts in excess of $500,000;

 

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amending, modifying or waiving any provision of our organizational documents in a manner that adversely affects the Sponsors;

 

   

commencing any liquidation, dissolution or voluntary bankruptcy, administration, recapitalization or reorganization;

 

   

increasing or decreasing the size of our board of directors; and

 

   

entering into of any agreement to do any of the foregoing.

The Stockholders Agreement will also grant each of the Sponsors certain information rights.

Transactions with Directors, Officers and Shareholders

On October 12, 2018, we entered into a consulting arrangement with The Hawksbill Group for a term of six months. The Hawksbill Group is 30% owned by Mr. Tim Lee, a former member of our board of directors. Under the terms of the agreement, The Hawksbill Group was to provide advisory services regarding operations and maintenance activities. The consulting agreement was approved by the Chief Executive Officer and the former Chief Financial Officer. The monthly fee under the arrangement was less than $0.1 million per month, and the contract was canceled in June 2019 with fees totaling $0.5 million. Similar related party arrangements existed with The Hawksbill Group during the year ended September 30, 2018, and total fees expensed for the arrangement were $0.6 million. The amount payable to The Hawksbill Group as of September 30, 2019 and 2018 was $0.1 million.

Registration Rights Agreement

In connection with this offering, we intend to enter into a registration rights agreement, or the Registration Rights Agreement, with the Sponsors and certain members of our management. Subject to certain conditions, the Registration Rights Agreement will provide the Sponsors with up to four “demand” registrations each and unlimited “demand” registrations at any time we are eligible to register shares on Form S-3. The Registration Rights Agreement will also provide the Sponsors and certain members of our management with customary “piggyback” registration rights. The Registration Rights Agreement will contain provisions for the coordination by the Sponsors of their sales of shares of our common stock and will contain certain limitations on the ability of the members of our management party to the Registration Rights Agreement to offer, sell or otherwise dispose of shares of our common stock. The Registration Rights Agreement will also provide that we will pay certain expenses of these holders relating to such registrations and indemnify them against certain liabilities which may arise under the Securities Act.

Indemnification of Officers and Directors

Following completion of this offering, our certificate of incorporation and bylaws will provide that we will indemnify each of our directors and officers to the fullest extent permitted by Delaware law. In addition, we have entered, or will enter, into indemnification agreements with each of our directors and executive officers. See “Description of Capital Stock—Limitations of Liability, Indemnification and Advancement” below for more details.

Purchases of Products in the Ordinary Course of Business

Certain of our related persons may, either directly or through their respective affiliates, enter into commercial transactions with us from time to time in the ordinary course of business, primarily for the purchase of merchandise. We believe that none of the transactions with such persons is significant enough to be considered material to such persons or to us.

 

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Related Persons Transaction Policy

We have adopted formal written procedures for the review, approval or ratification of transactions with related persons, or the Related Persons Transaction Policy. The Related Persons Transaction Policy provides that the audit committee of our board of directors is charged with reviewing for approval or ratification all transactions with “related persons” (as defined in paragraph (a) of Item 404 of Regulation S-K) that are brought to the audit committee’s attention. This policy was adopted on January 24, 2020 and will take effect upon the effectiveness of our certificate of incorporation in connection with this offering, and as a result, certain of the transactions entered into prior to that date, including the transactions described under “Certain Relationships and Related Party Transactions—Transactions with Directors and Officers,” were not reviewed under the policy. We had a prior policy with respect to related party transactions that was adopted on February 21, 2019. We expect that the Related Persons Transaction Policy will remain in place following this offering.

We also maintain certain compensation agreements and other arrangements with certain of our executive officers, which are described under “Executive Compensation” elsewhere in this prospectus.

 

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PRINCIPAL STOCKHOLDERS

The following table sets forth the beneficial ownership of our common stock (i) as of                      and (ii) immediately following this offering, as adjusted to reflect the sale of                      shares of Class A common stock by us, in each case, by the following individuals or groups:

 

   

each of our directors;

 

   

each of our named executive officers;

 

   

all of our directors and executive officers as a group; and

 

   

each person, or group of affiliated persons, who is known by us to beneficially own more than 5% of our Class A common stock or Class B common stock.

The percentage ownership information shown in the table prior to this offering is based upon                      shares of Class A common stock and                      shares of Class B common stock outstanding as of                     , after giving effect to the Corporate Conversion and the distribution of Class A common stock and Class B common stock to the limited partners of the Partnership. The percentage ownership information shown in the table after this offering is based upon                      shares of Class A common stock and                      shares of Class B common stock outstanding as of                     , after giving effect to the sale of                      shares of Class A common stock by us in this offering and assuming no exercise of the underwriters’ option to purchase additional shares.

The beneficial ownership information presented below includes, for each beneficial owner, (i) shares of Class A common stock and Class B common stock beneficially owned (excluding restricted shares of Class A common stock, except as described in clause (ii)), (ii) shares of restricted Class A common stock that will vest pursuant to time vesting provisions within 60 days of                      and (iii) shares issuable upon exercise of options to purchase shares of Class A common stock that are vested or will vest within 60 days of                     . The beneficial ownership information presented below does not include restricted shares of Class A common stock or shares issuable upon the exercise of options to purchase shares of Class A common stock in each case that will vest outside of such 60-day period. Shares subject to vested options or options that will vest within 60 days of                      and restricted shares of Class A common stock that will vest within 60 days of                      are deemed outstanding for purposes of calculating the percentage ownership of the person holding such options or restricted shares, but they are not deemed outstanding for purposes of calculating the percentage ownership of any other person.

We have determined beneficial ownership in accordance with the rules of the SEC. These rules generally attribute beneficial ownership of securities to persons who possess sole or shared voting power or investment power with respect to those securities, or have the right to acquire such powers within 60 days. Under these rules, more than one person may be deemed beneficial owner of the same securities and a person may be deemed to be a beneficial owner of securities as to which such person has no economic interest. The information contained in the following table is not necessarily indicative of beneficial ownership for any other purpose, and the inclusion of any shares in the table does not constitute an admission of beneficial ownership of those shares. Unless otherwise indicated, the persons or entities identified in this table have sole voting and investment power with respect to all shares shown as beneficially owned by them, subject to applicable community property laws.

 

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Except as otherwise noted below, the address for persons listed in the table is c/o The AZEK Company, 1330 W Fulton Street, Suite #350, Chicago, IL 60607.

 

    Shares Beneficially Owned
Prior to this Offering
    Shares Beneficially Owned
Following this Offering
 
    Class A      Class B     % of Total
Voting

Power(11)
    Class A      Class B     % of Total
Voting

Power(11)
 

Name of Beneficial Owner

  Shares     %      Shares     %     Shares     %      Shares     %  

Directors(8):

                                                                                                                                                                                                           

Gary Hendrickson(1)

                     

Sallie B. Bailey(2)

                     

Russell Hammond

                     

James B. Hirshorn

                     

Brian Klos

                     

Ronald A. Pace(3)

                     

Ashfaq Qadri

                     

Bennett Rosenthal

                     

Blake Sumler

                     

Named Executive Officers:

                     

Jesse Singh(4)

                     

Ralph Nicoletti(5)

                     

Jonathan Skelly(6)

                     

Directors and executive officers as a group(7)

                     

5% or Greater Stockholders:

                     

Ares Corporate Opportunities Fund IV, L.P.(8)(9)

                     

Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan Board(8)(10)

                     

 

*

Represents beneficial ownership of less than 1%.

(1)

Includes                      shares of Class A common stock subject to options exercisable within 60 days of                     .

(2)

Includes                      shares of Class A common stock subject to options exercisable within 60 days of                     .

(3)

Includes                      shares of Class A common stock subject to options exercisable within 60 days of                     .

(4)

Includes                      shares of Class A common stock subject to options exercisable within 60 days of                     . Includes                      shares held by Mr. Singh’s spouse, Linda Singh, as trustee of The Jesse Singh 2016 Irrevocable Trust, for which Mr. Singh has no voting or investment power, and Mr. Singh disclaims beneficial ownership of these                      shares.

(5)

Includes                      shares of Class A common stock subject to options exercisable within 60 days of                     .

(6)

Includes                      shares of Class A common stock subject to options exercisable within 60 days of                     .

(7)

Includes                      shares of Class A common stock subject to options exercisable within 60 days of                     .

(8)

As discussed in “Certain Relationships and Related Party Transactions—Stockholders Agreement,” prior to the closing of this offering, the Sponsors intend to enter into the Stockholders Agreement with us, pursuant to which the Sponsors will agree to vote their shares of Class A common stock in favor of the election of the nominees of the Sponsors to our board of directors.

(9)

Reflects shares owned by Ares Corporate Opportunities Fund IV, L.P., or Ares IV. The manager of Ares IV is ACOF Operating Manager IV, LLC, and the sole member of ACOF Operating Manager IV, LLC is Ares Management LLC. The sole member of Ares Management LLC is Ares Management Holdings, L.P., and the general partner of Ares Management Holdings, L.P. is Ares Holdco LLC. The sole member of Ares Holdco LLC is Ares Holdings Inc., whose sole stockholder is Ares Management Corporation. Ares Management Corporation is indirectly controlled by Ares Partners Holdco LLC. We refer to all of the foregoing entities collectively as the Ares Entities. Ares Partners Holdco LLC is managed by a board of managers, which is composed of Michael Arougheti, Ryan Berry, R. Kipp deVeer, David Kaplan, Michael McFerran, Antony Ressler and Bennett Rosenthal. Mr. Ressler generally has veto authority over decisions by the board of managers of Ares Partners Holdco LLC. Each of the members of the board of managers expressly disclaims beneficial ownership of our shares of stock of owned by Ares IV. Each of the Ares Entities (other than Ares IV, with respect to the securities owned by it) and the partners, members and managers of the Ares Entities and the executive committee of Ares Partners expressly disclaims beneficial ownership of these shares. The address of each Ares Entity is 2000 Avenue of the Stars, 12th Floor, Los Angeles, California 90067.

 

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(10)

Each of Blake Sumler, Ashfaq Qadri and Russell Hammond may be deemed to have the power to dispose of the shares held by OTPP because of a delegation of authority from the board of directors of OTPP, and each expressly disclaims beneficial ownership of such shares. As the owner of Class B common stock, OTPP may, at any time, elect to convert shares of Class B common stock into an equal number of shares of Class A common stock, or convert shares of Class A common stock into an equal number of shares of Class B common stock. The table above does not reflect (i) shares of Class B common stock issuable upon conversion of Class A common stock or (ii) shares of Class A common stock issuable upon conversion of Class B common stock. The address of Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan Board is 5650 Yonge Street, Toronto, Ontario M2M 4H5.

(11)

Represents percentage of total voting power reflecting (i) all shares of Class A common stock held by such holder and (ii) shares of Class A common stock issuable upon conversion of all shares of Class B common stock held by such holder.

 

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DESCRIPTION OF CERTAIN INDEBTEDNESS

The following is a summary of the material provisions relating to our material indebtedness. The following summary does not purport to be complete and is subject to, and qualified in its entirety by reference to, the provisions of the corresponding agreement or instrument, including the definitions of certain terms therein that are not otherwise defined in this prospectus. You should refer to the relevant agreement or instrument for additional information, copies of which are filed as exhibits to the Registration Statement of which this prospectus is a part.

Revolving Credit Agreement

Overview

On September 30, 2013, our subsidiary, CPG International LLC (as successor-in-interest to CPG Merger Sub LLC), Deutsche Bank AG New York Branch, as the Revolver Administrative Agent, and the lenders party thereto entered into the Revolving Credit Agreement. On March 9, 2017, the Revolving Credit Agreement was amended and restated, with the Revolving Credit Agreement thereafter providing for maximum aggregate borrowings of up to $150.0 million, subject to an asset-based borrowing base. The borrowing base is limited to a set percentage of eligible accounts receivable and inventory, less reserves that may be established by the Revolver Administrative Agent in the exercise of its reasonable credit judgment. As of March 31, 2020, September 30, 2019 and September 30, 2018, CPG International LLC had $129.0 million, $0.0 million and $0.0 million, respectively, of outstanding borrowings under the Revolving Credit Agreement and had $5.0 million, $3.0 million and $3.1 million of outstanding letters of credit held against the Revolving Credit Agreement, respectively. CPG International LLC had approximately $113.7 million available under the borrowing base for future borrowings as of September 30, 2019. After giving effect to the redemption of the Senior Notes using net proceeds from this offering, the Revolving Credit Agreement will mature on March 9, 2022. During the three months ended March 31, 2020, CPG International LLC borrowed $129.0 million under the Revolving Credit Agreement, including, on March 16, 2020, $89.0 million to enhance its financial flexibility in light of uncertainties resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic. On May 14, 2020, following the issuance of the Senior Notes, CPG International LLC repaid $15.0 million of outstanding principal amount under the Revolving Credit Agreement.

Interest Rate and Fees

The Revolving Credit Agreement provides for outstanding principal thereunder to be subject to an interest rate which equals, at our option, either (i) for ABR borrowings, the highest of (a) the Federal Funds Rate plus 50 basis points, (b) the prime rate and (c) the LIBOR as of such date for a deposit in U.S. dollars with a maturity of one month plus 100 basis points, plus, in each case, a spread of 50 to 100 basis points based on average historical availability, or (ii) for Eurocurrency borrowings, adjusted LIBOR plus a spread of 150 to 200 basis points, based on average historical availability. A “commitment fee” accrues on any unused portion of the commitments under the Revolving Credit Agreement during the preceding three calendar month period. If the average daily used percentage is greater than 50%, the commitment fee equals 25 basis points, and if the average daily used percentage is less than or equal to 50%, the commitment fee equals 37.5 basis points.

Guarantees and Security

The obligations under the Revolving Credit Agreement are guaranteed by CPG Newco LLC and its wholly owned domestic subsidiaries other than certain immaterial subsidiaries and other excluded subsidiaries. The obligations under the Revolving Credit Agreement are secured by a first priority security interest in the Revolver Priority Collateral, plus a second priority security interest in all of the Term Loan Priority Collateral.

Prepayments

The Revolving Credit Agreement may be voluntarily prepaid in whole, or in part, in each case without premium or penalty. CPG International LLC is also required to make mandatory prepayments (i) when aggregate

 

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borrowings exceed commitments or the applicable borrowing base and (ii) during “cash dominion,” which occurs if (A) the availability under the Revolving Credit Agreement is less than the greater of (i) $12.5 million and (ii) 10% of the lesser of (x) $150.0 million and (y) the borrowing base, for five consecutive business days or (B) certain events of default have occurred and are continuing.

Restrictive Covenants and Other Matters

The Revolving Credit Agreement contains affirmative covenants that are customary for financings of this type, including allowing the Revolver Administrative Agent to perform periodic field exams and appraisals to evaluate the borrowing base. The Revolving Credit Agreement contains various negative covenants, including limitations on, subject to certain exceptions, the incurrence of indebtedness, the incurrence of liens, dispositions, investments, acquisitions, restricted payments, transactions with affiliates, as well as other negative covenants customary for financings of this type. The Revolving Credit Agreement also includes a financial maintenance covenant, applicable only when the excess availability is less than the greater of (i) 10% of the lesser of the aggregate commitments under the Revolving Credit Agreement and the borrowing base, and (ii) $12.5 million. In such circumstances, we would be required to maintain a minimum fixed charge coverage ratio for the trailing four quarters equal to at least 1.0 to 1.0; subject to our ability to make an equity cure (no more than twice in any four quarter period and up to five times over the life of the facility). As of March 31, 2020 and September 30, 2019, CPG International LLC was in compliance with the financial and nonfinancial covenants imposed by the Revolving Credit Agreement.

We also have the option to increase the commitments under the Revolving Credit Agreement by up to $100.0 million, subject to certain conditions. We are in the process of pursuing the RCA Amendment, which would increase the percentage of borrowing base-eligible assets against which we are able to borrow, thereby potentially increasing our borrowing capacity (subject to the maximum aggregate amount that may be borrowed under the Revolving Credit Agreement). The RCA Amendment is subject to approval by our lenders. There is no assurance that we will be successful in entering into the RCA Amendment or that the RCA Amendment will substantially increase our borrowing capacity under the Revolving Credit agreement.

The Revolving Credit Agreement also includes customary events of default, including the occurrence of a change of control.

Term Loan Credit Agreement

Overview

On September 30, 2013, CPG International LLC (as successor-in-interest to CPG Merger Sub LLC) and Barclays Bank PLC, as administrative agent and collateral agent, Deutsche Bank AG New York Branch and JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., as co-syndication agents, Citibank, N.A., the Royal Bank of Scotland PLC and UBS Securities LLC, as co-documentation agents, and the lenders party thereto entered into the first lien Term Loan Credit Agreement. Pursuant to the Second Amendment to the Term Loan Credit Agreement, dated May 5, 2017, Jefferies Finance LLC was appointed, and currently serves as, the administrative agent and collateral agent under the Term Loan Credit Agreement. As of March 31, 2020 and September 30, 2019, CPG International LLC had $804.3 million and $808.5 million, respectively, outstanding under the Term Loan Credit Agreement. After giving effect to the redemption of the Senior Notes using net proceeds from this offering, the Term Loan Credit Agreement will mature on May 5, 2024. We intend to use a portion of the net proceeds of this offering to prepay approximately $         million of outstanding principal amount under the Term Loan Credit Agreement.

Interest Rate and Fees

The interest rate applicable to the outstanding principal under the Term Loan Credit Agreement equals, at our option, either, (i) in the case of ABR borrowings, the highest of (a) the Federal Funds Rate as of such day plus 50 basis points, (b) the prime rate and (c) the LIBOR as of such day for a deposit in U.S. dollars with a

 

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maturity of one month plus 100 basis points, provided that in no event shall the ABR be less than 200 basis points, plus, in each case, the applicable margin of 275 basis points per annum; or (ii) in the case of the Eurocurrency borrowings, the greater of (a) the LIBOR in effect for such interest period divided by one, minus the statutory reserves applicable to such Eurocurrency borrowing, if any, and (b) 100 basis points, plus, in each case, the applicable margin of 375 basis points per annum.

Guarantees and Security

The obligations under the Term Loan Credit Agreement are guaranteed by CPG Newco LLC and its wholly owned domestic subsidiaries other than certain immaterial subsidiaries and other excluded subsidiaries. The obligations under the Term Loan Credit Agreement are secured by a first priority security interest in all of the Term Loan Priority Collateral, and a second priority security interest in the Revolver Priority Collateral.

Prepayments

The Term Loan Credit Agreement may be voluntarily prepaid in whole, or in part, in each case without premium or penalty (other than the Prepayment Premium, as defined in the Term Loan Credit Agreement, if applicable), subject to certain customary conditions. CPG International LLC is also required to make mandatory prepayments in an amount equal to (i) 100% of the net cash proceeds from casualty events or the disposition of property or assets, subject to customary reinvestment rights, (ii) 100% of the net cash proceeds from the incurrence or issuance of indebtedness (other than permitted indebtedness) by CPG International LLC or any restricted subsidiary and (iii) 50% of excess cash flow, with such percentage subject to reduction (to 25% and to 0%) upon achievement of specified leverage ratios and which prepayment may be declined by the lenders under the Term Loan Credit Agreement. Additionally, CPG International LLC is required to pay the outstanding principal amount of the Term Loan Credit Agreement in quarterly installments of 0.25253% of the aggregate principal amount under the Term Loan Credit Agreement outstanding, and such quarterly payments may be reduced as a result of the application of prepayments.

Restrictive Covenants and Other Matters

The Term Loan Credit Agreement contains affirmative covenants, negative covenants, and events of default which are broadly consistent with those in the Revolving Credit Agreement (with certain differences consistent with the differences between a revolving loan and term loan) and that are customary for facilities of this type. The Term Loan Credit Agreement does not have any financial maintenance covenants. As of March 31, 2020 and September 30, 2019, CPG International LLC was in compliance with the covenants imposed by the Term Loan Credit Agreement.

We have the right to arrange for incremental term loans under the Term Loan Credit Agreement of up to an aggregate principal amount of $150.0 million, plus amounts incurred under Incremental Amendment No. 1 thereto, plus any amounts previously voluntarily prepaid, with additional incremental term loans available if certain leverage ratios are achieved.

The Term Loan Credit Agreement also includes customary events of default, including the occurrence of a change of control.

Senior Notes

On May 12, 2020, CPG International LLC issued $350.0 million aggregate principal amount of 9.500% Senior Notes due May 15, 2025 in an unregistered offering. Interest on the Senior Notes is payable semi-annually in arrears. The Senior Notes are obligations of CPG International LLC and are guaranteed by its subsidiaries that also guarantee the Revolving Credit Agreement and the Term Loan Credit Agreement. At any time, CPG International LLC may redeem the Senior Notes in whole or in part, subject to specified make-whole obligations

 

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or redemption prices. CPG International LLC may, prior to May 15, 2022, at its option, redeem up to 40% of the aggregate principal amount or 100% of the aggregate principal amount of the Senior Notes with the proceeds of a Qualified IPO (as defined in the indenture governing the Senior Notes) at a redemption price equal to 107.125% of the principal amount of the Senior Notes, plus accrued and unpaid interest to the redemption date. This offering will constitute a Qualified IPO, and we intend to use net proceeds received by us from this offering to redeem all of the aggregate principal amount of the Senior Notes, plus accrued and unpaid interest. In addition, we intend to deposit proceeds from this offering with the trustee for the Senior Notes upon the consummation of this offering, in an amount sufficient to satisfy and discharge our obligations under the indenture relating to the Senior Notes, at which time the indenture relating to the Senior Notes will be discharged and will cease to be of further effect as to all Senior Notes. See “Use of Proceeds.”

2013 Notes

On September 30, 2013, CPG International LLC issued $315.0 million aggregate principal amount of 8.000% Senior Notes due October 1, 2021 in an unregistered offering. Interest on the 2013 Notes was payable semi-annually in arrears. The obligations under the 2013 Notes were guaranteed by CPG International LLC and those of its subsidiaries that also guarantee the Revolving Credit Agreement and the Term Loan Credit Agreement. On May 12, 2020, in connection with the issuance of the Senior Notes, CPG International LLC satisfied and discharged its obligations with respect to the 2013 Notes. The 2013 Notes will be redeemed in full on June 6, 2020.

 

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DESCRIPTION OF CAPITAL STOCK

The following descriptions are summaries of our capital stock, certain provisions of our certificate of incorporation and bylaws, as each will be in effect upon the completion of this offering, and certain provisions of Delaware law. The description below reflects the completion of the Corporate Conversion. Please note that these summaries are not intended to be exhaustive. For further information, you should also refer to the full versions of our certificate of incorporation and the bylaws, which are filed as exhibits to the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part.

General

Upon the completion of this offering, our certificate of incorporation will provide for two classes of common stock: Class A common stock and Class B common stock. In addition, our certificate of incorporation will authorize shares of undesignated preferred stock, the rights, preferences and privileges of which may be designated from time to time by our board of directors.

Upon the completion of this offering, our authorized capital stock will consist of                      shares, all with a par value of $0.001 per share, of which                      shares will be designated as Class A common stock,                      shares will be designated as Class B common stock and                      shares will be designated as preferred stock.

As of                     , after giving effect to the Corporate Conversion, there were                      shares of our Class A common stock outstanding, held of record by approximately                      stockholders and there were                      shares of our Class B common stock outstanding, held of record by one stockholder, OTPP. No shares of our preferred stock are designated, issued or outstanding.

Common Stock

Voting Rights

Each share of our Class A common stock entitles its holder to one vote per share on all matters to be voted upon by the stockholders. Each share of our Class B common stock entitles its holder to one vote per share on all matters to be voted upon by stockholders, except with respect to the election, removal or replacement of directors. Shares of our Class B common stock will not entitle the holders thereof to vote with respect to the election, removal or replacement of directors. There is no cumulative voting, which means that a holder or group of holders of more than 50% of the shares of our Class A common stock can elect all of our directors. For a description of the Stockholders Agreement, see “Certain Relationships and Related Party Transactions—Stockholders Agreement.”

Dividend Rights

The holders of our Class A common stock and Class B common stock are entitled to receive, and will share ratably in, dividends when and as declared by our board of directors from legally available sources, subject to the prior rights of the holders of our preferred stock, if any. See “Dividend Policy.”

Conversion Rights

Holders of our shares of Class B common stock may convert their shares of Class B common stock into shares of our Class A common stock on a one-for-one basis, in whole or in part, at any time and from time to time at their option. Additionally, each share of Class A common stock is convertible into one share of Class B common stock at any time and from time to time at the option of the holder so long as such holder holds one or more shares of Class B common stock at the time of conversion. OTPP will hold all shares of our Class B common stock outstanding immediately following this offering.

 

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Preemptive or Similar Rights

Our Class A common stock and Class B common stock are not entitled to preemptive rights. The rights of the holders of our Class A common stock and Class B common stock are subject to, and may be adversely affected by, the rights of the holders of shares of any series of our preferred stock that our board of directors may designate and issue in the future.

Liquidation Rights

Upon our liquidation, dissolution or winding-up, the assets legally available for distribution to our stockholders would be distributable ratably among the holders of our Class A common stock and Class B common stock and any participating preferred stock outstanding at that time after payment of liquidation preferences, if any, on any outstanding shares of preferred stock and payment of claims of creditors.

Preferred Stock

Our board of directors is authorized to issue up to                      shares of our preferred stock in one or more series, to establish from time to time the number of shares to be included in each series, to fix the designation, powers, preferences and rights of the shares of each series and any qualifications, limitations or restrictions thereof, in each case without further action by our stockholders. Subject to the terms of any series of preferred stock so designated, our board of directors is also authorized to increase or decrease the number of shares of any series of preferred stock, but not below the number of shares of that series then outstanding. Our board of directors may authorize the issuance of preferred stock with voting or conversion or other rights that could adversely affect the voting power or other rights of the holders of our common stock. The issuance of preferred stock, while providing flexibility in connection with possible acquisitions and other corporate purposes, could, among other things, have the effect of delaying, deferring or preventing a change in our control and could adversely affect the market price of our common stock and the voting and other rights of the holders of our common stock. We have no current plan to issue any shares of preferred stock in the foreseeable future.

Anti-Takeover Provisions

Below are brief summaries of various anti-takeover provisions contained primarily in our organizational documents. We believe the benefits of these provisions, including increased protection of our potential ability to negotiate with the proponent of an unfriendly or unsolicited proposal to acquire or restructure our company, outweigh the disadvantages of discouraging takeover proposals, because negotiation of takeover proposals could result in an improvement of their terms.

Anti-Takeover Statute

Our certificate of incorporation provides that we are not governed by Section 203 of the DGCL which, in the absence of such provisions, would have imposed additional requirements regarding mergers and other business combinations.

However, our certificate of incorporation, which will become effective on the consummation of this offering, will include a provision that restricts us from engaging in any business combination with an interested stockholder for three years following the date that person becomes an interested stockholder. These restrictions will not apply to any business combination involving our Sponsors or any affiliate of either of our Sponsors or their respective direct and indirect transferees, on the one hand, and us, on the other.

Additionally, we would be able to enter into a business combination with an interested stockholder if:

 

   

before that person became an interested stockholder, our board of directors approved the transaction in which the interested stockholder became an interested stockholder or approved the business combination;

 

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upon consummation of the transaction that resulted in the interested stockholder becoming an interested stockholder, the interested stockholder owned at least 85% of our voting stock outstanding at the time the transaction commenced, excluding for purposes of determining the voting stock outstanding (but not the outstanding voting stock owned by the interested stockholder) stock held by directors who are also officers of our Company and by employee stock plans that do not provide employees with the right to determine confidentially whether shares held under the plan will be tendered in a tender or exchange offer; or

 

   

following the transaction in which that person became an interested stockholder, the business combination is approved by our board of directors and authorized at a meeting of stockholders by the affirmative vote of the holders of at least 66 2/3% of our outstanding voting stock not owned by the interested stockholder.

In general, a “business combination” is defined to include mergers, asset sales and other transactions resulting in financial benefit to a stockholder and an “interested stockholder” is any person who, together with affiliates and associates, is the owner of 15% or more of our outstanding voting stock or is our affiliate or associate and was the owner of 15% or more of our outstanding voting stock at any time within the three-year period immediately before the date of determination. Under our certificate of incorporation, an “interested stockholder” generally does not include our Sponsors or any affiliate of either of our Sponsors or their respective direct and indirect transferees.

This provision of our certificate of incorporation could prohibit or delay mergers or other takeover or change in control attempts and, accordingly, may discourage attempts to acquire us even though such a transaction may offer our stockholders the opportunity to sell their stock at a price above the prevailing market price.

Anti-Takeover Effects of Certain Provisions of Our Certificate of Incorporation and Bylaws to Be in Effect Upon the Completion of This Offering

Undesignated Preferred Stock

As discussed above, subject to the terms of the Stockholders Agreement, our board of directors will have the ability to issue preferred stock with voting or other rights or preferences that could impede the success of any attempt to acquire control of us. These and other provisions may have the effect of deterring hostile takeovers or delaying changes in control or management.

Action by Written Consent; Special Meetings of Stockholders

Our certificate of incorporation will provide that, from and after the Trigger Date, our stockholders may not act by written consent, which may lengthen the amount of time required to take stockholder actions. As a result, following the Trigger Date, a holder controlling a majority of our common stock would not be able to amend our bylaws or remove directors without holding a meeting of our stockholders called in accordance with our bylaws. In addition, our certificate of incorporation will provide that, from and after the Trigger Date, special meetings of the stockholders may be called only by the chairperson of our board of directors, our Chief Executive Officer or our board of directors. Following the Trigger Date, stockholders may not call a special meeting of stockholders, which may delay the ability of our stockholders to force consideration of a proposal or for holders controlling a majority of our common stock to take any action, including the removal of directors.

Advance Notice Procedures

Our bylaws will establish advance notice procedures with respect to stockholder proposals and stockholder nomination of candidates for election as directors. These provisions may have the effect of precluding the conduct of certain business at a meeting if the proper procedures are not followed. These provisions may also discourage or deter a potential acquirer from conducting a solicitation of proxies to elect the acquirer’s own slate of directors or otherwise attempting to obtain control of us.

 

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Board Classification

Our certificate of incorporation, which will be in effect upon the completion of this offering, provides for a board of directors comprised of three classes of directors, with each class serving a three-year term beginning and ending in different years than those of the other two classes. Only one class of directors will be elected at each annual meeting of our stockholders, with the other classes continuing for the remainder of their respective three-year terms. The classification of our board of directors and the limitations on the ability of our stockholders to remove directors without cause following the Trigger Date could make it more difficult for a third party to acquire, or discourage a third party from seeking to acquire, control of us.

Removal of Directors; Vacancies

From and after the Trigger Date, directors may only be removed for cause by the affirmative vote of at least two-thirds of the voting power of our outstanding Class A common stock. Prior to the Trigger Date, directors may be removed with or without cause by the affirmative vote of at least a majority of the voting power of our outstanding Class A common stock. Except in the case of a vacancy arising with respect to a director designated by one of the Sponsors where such Sponsor continues to have a right of designation pursuant to the Stockholders Agreement, our board of directors has the sole power to fill any vacancy on our board of directors, whether such vacancy occurs as a result of an increase in the number of directors or otherwise.

No Cumulative Voting

Because our stockholders will not have cumulative voting rights, stockholders holding a majority of the voting power of the Class A common stock outstanding will be able to elect all of our directors. The absence of cumulative voting makes it more difficult for a minority stockholder to nominate and elect a director to our board of directors in order to influence our board of directors’ decision regarding a takeover or otherwise.

Amendment of Charter and Bylaw Provisions

Subject to the terms of the Stockholders Agreement, following the Trigger Date, the amendment of certain of the provisions of our certificate of incorporation described in this prospectus will require approval by holders of at least two-thirds of the voting power of our outstanding common stock. Subject to the terms of the Stockholders Agreement, our certificate of incorporation will provide that our board of directors may from time to time adopt, amend, alter or repeal our bylaws without stockholder approval. Subject to the terms of the Stockholders Agreement, the stockholders may adopt, amend, alter or repeal our bylaws by the affirmative vote of a majority of the voting power of our outstanding common stock (other than certain specified bylaws which, following the Trigger Date, will require the affirmative vote of two-thirds of our outstanding common stock).

In addition, following the completion of this offering, the Stockholders Agreement will provide that, for so long as the Sponsors collectively own at least 30% of the outstanding shares of our common stock, certain significant corporate actions will require the prior written consent of each of the Sponsors, subject to certain exceptions. If either Sponsor owns less than 5% of the outstanding shares of our common stock, such action will not be subject to the approval of such Sponsor and the shares of common stock owned by such Sponsor will be excluded in calculating the 30% threshold. See “Certain Relationships and Related Party Transactions—Stockholders Agreement.”

The combination of these provisions will make it more difficult for another party to obtain control of us by replacing our board of directors. Because our board of directors has the power to retain and discharge our officers, these provisions could also make it more difficult for another party to effect a change in management.

These provisions are intended to enhance the likelihood of continued stability in the composition of our board of directors and its policies and to discourage coercive takeover practices and inadequate takeover bids.

 

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These provisions are also designed to reduce our vulnerability to hostile takeovers and to discourage certain tactics that may be used in proxy fights. However, such provisions could have the effect of discouraging others from making tender offers for our shares and may have the effect of delaying changes in our control or management.

Corporate Opportunity

Section 122(17) of the DGCL permits a corporation to renounce, in advance, in its certificate of incorporation or by action of its board of directors, any interest or expectancy of a corporation in certain classes or categories of business opportunities. Where business opportunities are so renounced, certain of our officers and directors will not be obligated to present any such business opportunities to us. Upon the completion of this offering, our certificate of incorporation will provide that, to the fullest extent permitted by law, no officer or director of ours who is also an officer, director, employee, managing director, or other affiliate of the Sponsors will be liable to us or our stockholders for breach of any fiduciary duty by reason of the fact that any such individual directs a corporate opportunity to a Sponsor, as applicable, instead of us, or does not communicate information regarding a corporate opportunity to us that the officer, director, employee, managing director, or other affiliate has directed to such Sponsor, as applicable. This provision may not be modified without the written consent of the Sponsors until such time as neither Ares nor OTPP owns any of our outstanding shares of common stock.

Choice of Forum

Upon the completion of this offering, our certificate of incorporation will provide that the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware (or, if no state court located within the State of Delaware has jurisdiction, the federal district court for the District of Delaware) will be the exclusive forum for: (i) any derivative action or proceeding brought on our behalf; (ii) any action asserting a breach of fiduciary duty owed by any director or officer or other employee to us or our stockholders; (iii) any action asserting a claim against us or any of our directors, officers or other employees arising pursuant to any provision of the DGCL, our certificate of incorporation or our bylaws (as they may be amended from time to time); (iv) any action asserting a claim against us or any of our directors, officers or other employees governed by the internal affairs doctrine; (v) any action or proceeding to interpret, apply, enforce or determine the validity of our certificate of incorporation or our bylaws (including any right, obligation or remedy under our certificate of incorporation or our bylaws); and (vi) any action or proceeding as to which the DGCL confers jurisdiction to the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware. This provision would not apply to suits brought to enforce a duty or liability created by the Exchange Act or any other claim for which the U.S. federal courts have exclusive jurisdiction. These provisions will provide that, unless we consent in writing to the selection of an alternative forum, the federal district courts of the United States will be the exclusive forum for the resolution of any complaint asserting a cause of action arising under the Securities Act, subject to and contingent upon a final adjudication in the State of Delaware of the enforceability of such exclusive-forum provision. Any person or entity purchasing or otherwise acquiring any interest in shares of our capital stock will be deemed to have notice of, and consented to, the forum provisions in our certificate of incorporation. However, it is possible that a court could find our forum selection provisions to be inapplicable or unenforceable.

Limitations of Liability, Indemnification and Advancement

Upon the completion of this offering, our certificate of incorporation and bylaws will provide that we will indemnify and advance expenses to our directors and officers, and may indemnify and advance expenses to our employees and other agents, to the fullest extent permitted by Delaware law, which prohibits our certificate of incorporation from limiting the liability of our directors for the following:

 

   

any breach of the director’s duty of loyalty to us or to our stockholders;

 

   

acts or omissions not in good faith or that involve intentional misconduct or a knowing violation of law;

 

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unlawful payment of dividends or unlawful stock repurchases or redemptions; and

 

   

any transaction from which the director derived an improper personal benefit.

If Delaware law is amended to authorize corporate action further eliminating or limiting the personal liability of a director, then the liability of our directors will be eliminated or limited to the fullest extent permitted by Delaware law, as so amended. Our certificate of incorporation will not eliminate a director’s duty of care and, in appropriate circumstances, equitable remedies, such as injunctive or other forms of non-monetary relief, remain available under Delaware law. This provision also does not affect a director’s responsibilities under any other laws, such as the federal securities laws or other state or federal laws. Under our certificate of incorporation and bylaws, we will also be empowered to purchase insurance on behalf of any person whom we are required or permitted to indemnify.

In addition to the indemnification and advancement of expenses required in our certificate of incorporation and bylaws, we intend to enter into indemnification agreements with each of our current directors and executive officers. These agreements will provide for the indemnification of, and the advancement of expenses to, such persons for all reasonable expenses and liabilities, including attorneys’ fees, judgments, fines and settlement amounts, incurred in connection with any action or proceeding brought against them by reason of the fact that they are or were serving in such capacity. We believe that these charter and bylaw provisions and indemnification agreements are necessary to attract and retain qualified persons as directors and officers. We also maintain directors’ and officers’ liability insurance.

The limitation of liability, indemnification and advancement provisions in our certificate of incorporation and bylaws may discourage stockholders from bringing a lawsuit against directors for breach of their fiduciary duties. They may also reduce the likelihood of derivative litigation against directors and officers, even though an action, if successful, might benefit us and our stockholders. A stockholder’s investment may be harmed to the extent we pay the costs of settlement and damage awards against directors and officers pursuant to these indemnification provisions. Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act may be permitted to our directors, officers and controlling persons pursuant to the foregoing provisions, or otherwise, we have been advised that, in the opinion of the SEC, such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act, and is, therefore, unenforceable. There is no pending litigation or proceeding naming any of our directors or officers as to which indemnification is being sought, nor are we aware of any pending or threatened litigation that may result in claims for indemnification or advancement by any director or officer.

Transfer Agent and Registrar

Upon the completion of this offering, the transfer agent and registrar for our Class A common stock and Class B common stock will be Equiniti Trust Company. The transfer agent’s address is 1110 Centre Point Curve, Suite 101, Mendota Heights, MN 55120-4101, and its telephone number is 1-800-689-8788.

Listing

We have been approved to have our Class A common stock listed on the NYSE under the symbol “AZEK”.

 

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SHARES ELIGIBLE FOR FUTURE SALE

Prior to this offering, no public market existed for our capital stock. Future sales of substantial amounts of Class A common stock in the public market, the availability of shares for future sale or the perception that such sales may occur, could adversely affect the market price of our Class A common stock and/or impair our ability to raise equity capital.

Upon the completion of the Corporate Conversion and this offering,                      shares of our Class A common stock and                      shares of our Class B common stock will be outstanding, or                      shares of Class A common stock and                      shares of our Class B common stock if the underwriters exercise their option to purchase additional shares from us in full.

All of the shares of Class A common stock sold in this offering will be freely tradable without restrictions or further registration under the Securities Act, except for any shares sold to our “affiliates,” as defined in Rule 144 under the Securities Act, or Rule 144. The outstanding shares of our common stock held by existing stockholders are “restricted securities,” as defined in Rule 144. Restricted securities may be sold in the public market only if the offer and sale is registered under the Securities Act or if the offer and sale of those securities qualifies for exemption from registration, including exemptions provided by Rule 144 or Rule 701 under the Securities Act, or Rule 701.

As a result of lock-up agreements described below and the provisions of Rules 144 and 701, shares of our common stock will be available for sale in the public market as follows:

 

   

                     shares of our Class A common stock will be eligible for immediate sale upon the completion of this offering; and

 

   

approximately                      shares of Class A common stock and                      shares of our Class B common stock, upon conversion into shares of Class A common stock, will be eligible for sale upon expiration of lock-up agreements described below, beginning 181 days after the date of this prospectus, subject in certain circumstances to the volume, manner of sale and other limitations under Rules 144 and 701.

We may issue shares of our capital stock from time to time for a variety of corporate purposes, including in capital-raising activities through future public offerings or private placements, in connection with the exercise of stock options and warrants, vesting of RSUs and other issuances relating to our employee benefit plans and as consideration for future acquisitions, investments or other purposes. The number of shares of our capital stock that we may issue may be significant, depending on the events surrounding such issuances. In some cases, the shares we issue may be freely tradable without restriction or further registration under the Securities Act; in other cases, we may grant registration rights covering the shares issued in connection with these issuances, in which case the holders of the shares will have the right, under certain circumstances, to cause us to register any resale of such shares to the public.

Rule 144

In general, persons who have beneficially owned restricted shares of our common stock for at least six months, and any affiliate of ours who owns either restricted or unrestricted shares of our common stock, are entitled to sell their securities without registration with the SEC under an exemption from registration provided by Rule 144.

Non-Affiliates

Any person who is not deemed to have been one of our affiliates at the time of, or at any time during the three months preceding, a sale may sell an unlimited number of restricted securities under Rule 144 if:

 

   

the restricted securities have been held for at least six months, including the holding period of any prior owner other than one of our affiliates;

 

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we have been subject to the Exchange Act periodic reporting requirements for at least 90 days before the sale; and

 

   

we are current in our Exchange Act reporting at the time of sale.

Any person who is not deemed to have been an affiliate of ours at the time of, or at any time during the three months preceding, a sale and has held the restricted securities for at least one year, including the holding period of any prior owner other than one of our affiliates, will be entitled to sell an unlimited number of restricted securities without regard to the length of time we have been subject to Exchange Act periodic reporting or whether we are current in our Exchange Act reporting.

Affiliates

Persons seeking to sell restricted securities who are our affiliates at the time of, or any time during the three months preceding, a sale would be subject to the restrictions described above. Sales of restricted or unrestricted shares of our common stock by affiliates are also subject to additional restrictions, by which such person would be required to comply with the manner of sale and notice provisions of Rule 144 and would be entitled to sell within any three-month period only that number of securities that does not exceed the greater of either of the following:

 

   

1% of the number of shares of our Class A common stock then outstanding, which will equal approximately                      shares immediately following the completion of this offering (or                      shares if the underwriters exercise their option to purchase additional shares in full); or

 

   

the average weekly trading volume of our Class A common stock during the four calendar weeks preceding the filing of a notice on Form 144 with respect to the sale.

Rule 701

In general, under Rule 701, a person who purchased shares of our common stock pursuant to a written compensatory plan or contract and who is not deemed to have been one of our affiliates during the immediately preceding 90 days may sell these shares in reliance upon Rule 144, but without being required to comply with the holding period, notice, manner of sale, public information requirements or volume limitation provisions of Rule 144. Rule 701 also permits affiliates to sell their Rule 701 shares under Rule 144 without complying with the holding period requirements of Rule 144. All holders of Rule 701 shares, however, are required to wait until 90 days after the date of this prospectus before selling such shares pursuant to Rule 701, subject to the expiration of the lock-up agreements described below.

Lock-Up Agreements

In connection with this offering, we and our officers, directors and holders of substantially all of our common stock and securities convertible into or exercisable for our common stock, including the Sponsors, have agreed, or will agree, with the underwriters that, until 180 days after the date of this prospectus, we and they will not, without the prior written consent of Barclays Capital Inc. and BofA Securities, Inc. on behalf of the underwriters, offer, sell or transfer any of our shares of common stock or securities convertible into or exchangeable for our common stock.

The agreements do not contain any pre-established conditions to the waiver by Barclays Capital Inc. and BofA Securities, Inc. on behalf of the underwriters of any terms of the lock-up agreements. Any determination to release shares subject to the lock-up agreements would be based on a number of factors at the time of determination, including but not necessarily limited to the market price of the Class A common stock, the liquidity of the trading market for the Class A common stock, general market conditions, the number of shares proposed to be sold and the timing, purpose and terms of the proposed sale.

 

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In addition to the restrictions contained in the lock-up agreements described above, we have entered into agreements with certain of our security holders, including our stockholders agreement and agreements governing our equity awards, that contain market stand-off provisions imposing restrictions on the ability of such security holders to offer, sell or transfer our equity securities for a period of 180 days following the date of this prospectus.

Registration Rights

Following the completion of this offering, under the Registration Rights Agreement, subject to certain conditions, the Sponsors will each have up to four “demand” registrations and unlimited demand registrations at any time we are eligible to register shares on Form S-3. The Sponsors and certain members of our management will also have customary “piggy-back” registration rights. The Registration Rights Agreement will also provide that we will pay certain expenses of these holders relating to such registrations and indemnify them against certain liabilities which may arise under the Securities Act. Following completion of this offering, the shares covered by such registration rights would represent approximately             % of our outstanding common stock (or approximately             % of our outstanding common stock if the underwriters exercise their option to purchase additional shares in full). These shares also may be sold under Rule 144, depending on their holding period and subject to restrictions in the case of shares held by persons deemed to be our affiliates. For a description of the rights that the Sponsors and certain members of management will have to require us to register shares of common stock they own, see “Certain Relationships and Related Party Transactions — Registration Rights Agreement.”

 

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MATERIAL U.S. TAX CONSEQUENCES

TO NON-U.S. HOLDERS OF COMMON STOCK

This section summarizes certain U.S. federal income and estate tax consequences of the purchase, ownership and disposition of common stock by a non-U.S. holder. You are a non-U.S. holder if you are, for U.S. federal income tax purposes:

 

   

a nonresident alien individual;

 

   

a foreign corporation; or

 

   

an estate or trust that in either case is not subject to U.S. federal income tax on a net income basis on income or gain from common stock.

This section does not consider the specific facts and circumstances that may be relevant to a particular non-U.S. holder and does not address the treatment of a non-U.S. holder under the laws of any state, local or foreign taxing jurisdiction. This section is based on the tax laws of the United States, including the Code, existing and proposed regulations, and administrative and judicial interpretations, all as currently in effect. These laws are subject to change, possibly on a retroactive basis. We have not sought and will not seek any rulings from the IRS regarding the matters discussed below.

If an entity or arrangement that is treated as a partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes holds our common stock, the U.S. federal income tax treatment of a partner will generally depend on the status of the partner and the tax treatment of the partnership. A partner in a partnership holding Class A common stock should consult its tax advisor with regard to the U.S. federal income tax treatment of an investment in, and disposition of, the Class A common stock.

You should consult a tax advisor regarding the U.S. federal tax consequences of acquiring, holding and disposing of the Class A common stock in your particular circumstances, as well as any tax consequences that may arise under the laws of any state, local or foreign taxing jurisdiction.

Dividends

If we make a distribution of cash or other property (other than certain distributions of our stock) in respect of our common stock, the distribution generally will be treated as a dividend to the extent of our current or accumulated earnings and profits, as determined under U.S. federal income tax principles. Any portion of a distribution that exceeds our current and accumulated earnings and profits will generally be treated first as a tax-free return of capital, on a share-by-share basis, to the extent of your tax basis in our Class A common stock (and will reduce your basis in such Class A common stock), and, to the extent such portion exceeds your tax basis in our Class A common stock, the excess will be treated as gain from the taxable disposition of our common stock, the tax treatment of which is discussed below under “Sale or Other Disposition of Class A Common Stock.”

Except as described below, if you are a non-U.S. holder of common stock, dividends paid to you are subject to withholding of U.S. federal income tax at a 30% rate or at a lower rate if you are eligible for the benefits of an income tax treaty that provides for a lower rate. Even if you are eligible for a lower treaty rate, we and other payors will generally be required to withhold at a 30% rate (rather than the lower treaty rate) on dividend payments to you, unless you have furnished to us or another payor:

 

   

a valid IRS Form W-8 or an acceptable substitute form upon which you certify, under penalties of perjury, your status as a non-U.S. person and your entitlement to the lower treaty rate with respect to such payments; or

 

   

in the case of payments made outside the United States to an offshore account (generally, an account maintained by you at an office or branch of a bank or other financial institution at any location outside

 

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the United States), other documentary evidence establishing your entitlement to the lower treaty rate in accordance with U.S. Treasury regulations.

If you do not timely furnish the required documentation, but you are eligible for a reduced rate of U.S. withholding tax under a tax treaty, you may obtain a refund of any amounts withheld in excess of that rate by filing a refund claim with the U.S. IRS.

If dividends paid to you are “effectively connected” with your conduct of a trade or business within the United States, and, if required by a tax treaty, the dividends are attributable to a permanent establishment that you maintain in the United States, we and other payors generally are not required to withhold tax from the dividends, provided that you have furnished to us or another payor a valid IRS Form W-8ECI or an acceptable substitute form upon which you represent, under penalties of perjury, that:

 

   

you are a non-U.S. person; and

 

   

the dividends are effectively connected with your conduct of a trade or business within the United States and are includible in your gross income.

“Effectively connected” dividends are taxed at rates applicable to U.S. citizens, resident aliens and domestic U.S. corporations.

If you are a corporate non-U.S. holder, “effectively connected” dividends that you receive may, under certain circumstances, be subject to an additional “branch profits tax” at a 30% rate or at a lower rate if you are eligible for the benefits of an income tax treaty that provides for a lower rate.

Sale or Other Disposition of Class A Common Stock

If you are a non-U.S. holder, you generally will not be subject to U.S. federal income tax on gain that you recognize on a disposition of Class A common stock unless:

 

   

the gain is “effectively connected” with your conduct of a trade or business in the United States (and the gain is attributable to a permanent establishment that you maintain in the United States, if that is required by an applicable income tax treaty as a condition for subjecting you to U.S. taxation on a net income basis);

 

   

you are an individual, you hold Class A common stock as a capital asset, you are present in the United States for 183 or more days in the taxable year of the sale and certain other conditions exist; or

 

   

we are or have been a “U.S. real property holding corporation” (as described below) at any time within the five-year period preceding the disposition or your holding period, whichever period is shorter, you are not eligible for a treaty exemption, and either (i) our Class A common stock is not regularly traded on an established securities market during the calendar year in which the sale or disposition occurs or (ii) you owned or are deemed to have owned, at any time within the five-year period preceding the disposition or your holding period, whichever period is shorter, more than 5% of our Class A common stock.

If you are a non-U.S. holder and the gain from the taxable disposition of shares of our Class A common stock is effectively connected with your conduct of a trade or business in the United States (and, if required by a tax treaty, the gain is attributable to a permanent establishment that you maintain in the United States), you will be subject to tax on the net gain derived from the sale at rates applicable to U.S. citizens, resident aliens and domestic U.S. corporations. If you are a corporate non-U.S. holder, “effectively connected” gains that you recognize may also, under certain circumstances, be subject to an additional “branch profits tax” at a 30% rate or at a lower rate if you are eligible for the benefits of an income tax treaty that provides for a lower rate. If you are an individual non-U.S. holder described in the second bullet point immediately above, you will be subject to a flat 30% tax (unless an applicable income tax treaty provides otherwise) on the gain derived from the sale, which may be offset by U.S. source capital losses, even though you are not considered a resident of the United States.

 

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We will be a U.S. real property holding corporation at any time that the fair market value of our “U.S. real property interests,” as defined in the Code and applicable Treasury Regulations, equals or exceeds 50% of the aggregate fair market value of our worldwide real property interests and our other assets used or held for use in a trade or business (all as determined for the U.S. federal income tax purposes). We believe that we are not, and do not anticipate becoming in the foreseeable future, a U.S. real property holding corporation.

FATCA Withholding

Pursuant to sections 1471 through 1474 of the Code, commonly known as the Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act, or the FATCA, a 30% withholding tax, which we refer to as FATCA withholding, may be imposed on certain payments to you or to certain foreign financial institutions, investment funds and other non-US persons receiving payments on your behalf if you or such persons fail to comply with certain information reporting requirements. Payments of dividends that you receive in respect of Class A common stock could be affected by this withholding if you are subject to the FATCA information reporting requirements and fail to comply with them or if you hold Class A common stock through a non-US person (e.g., a foreign bank or broker) that fails to comply with these requirements (even if payments to you would not otherwise have been subject to FATCA withholding). You should consult your own tax advisors regarding the relevant U.S. law and other official guidance on FATCA withholding.

While withholding under FATCA would have applied to payments of gross proceeds from the sale or other disposition of stock on or after January 1, 2019, recently proposed Treasury Regulations eliminate FATCA withholding on payments of gross proceeds entirely. Taxpayers generally may rely on these proposed Treasury Regulations until final Treasury Regulations are issued.

Prospective investors should consult their tax advisors regarding the potential application of withholding under FATCA to their investment in our Class A common stock.

Federal Estate Taxes

Class A common stock held by a non-U.S. holder at the time of death will be included in the holder’s gross estate for U.S. federal estate tax purposes, unless an applicable estate tax treaty provides otherwise.

Backup Withholding and Information Reporting

If you are a non-U.S. holder, we and other payors are required to report payments of dividends on IRS Form 1042-S even if the payments are exempt from withholding. You are otherwise generally exempt from backup withholding and information reporting requirements with respect to dividend payments and the payment of the proceeds from the sale of Class A common stock effected at a U.S. office of a broker provided that either (i) the payor or broker does not have actual knowledge or reason to know that you are a U.S. person and you have furnished a valid IRS Form W-8 or other documentation upon which the payor or broker may rely to treat the payments as made to a non-U.S. person, or (ii) you otherwise establish an exemption.

Payment of the proceeds from the sale of Class A common stock effected at a foreign office of a broker generally will not be subject to information reporting or backup withholding. However, a sale effected at a foreign office of a broker could be subject to information reporting in the same manner as a sale within the United States (and in certain cases may be subject to backup withholding as well) if (i) the broker has certain connections to the United States, (ii) the proceeds or confirmation are sent to the United States or (iii) the sale has certain other specified connections with the United States.

 

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UNDERWRITING

Barclays Capital Inc., BofA Securities, Inc., Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC and Jefferies LLC are acting as representatives of the underwriters and book-running managers of this offering. Under the terms of an underwriting agreement, which will be filed as an exhibit to the registration statement, each of the underwriters named below has severally agreed to purchase from us the respective number of common stock shown opposite its name below:

 

Underwriters

   Number of
Shares
 

Barclays Capital Inc.

                           

BofA Securities, Inc

  

Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC

  

Jefferies LLC

  

Citigroup Global Markets Inc.

  

Credit Suisse Securities (USA) LLC

  

Deutsche Bank Securities Inc.

  

RBC Capital Markets, LLC

  

B. Riley FBR, Inc.

  

Robert W. Baird & Co. Incorporated

  

Stephens Inc.

  

Stifel, Nicolaus & Company, Incorporated

  

SunTrust Robinson Humphrey, Inc.

  

William Blair & Company, L.L.C.

  
  

 

 

 

Total

                           
  

 

 

 

The underwriting agreement provides that the underwriters’ obligation to purchase shares of common stock depends on the satisfaction of the conditions contained in the underwriting agreement, including:

 

   

the obligation to purchase all of the shares of common stock offered hereby (other than those shares of common stock covered by their option to purchase additional shares as described below), if any of the shares are purchased;

 

   

the representations and warranties made by us to the underwriters are true;

 

   

there is no material change in our business or the financial markets; and

 

   

we deliver customary closing documents to the underwriters.

The underwriters are offering the shares, subject to prior sale, when, as and if issued to and accepted by them, subject to approval of legal matters by their counsel, including the validity of the shares, and other conditions contained in the underwriting agreement, such as the receipt by the underwriters of officers’ certificates and legal opinions. The underwriters reserve the right to withdraw, cancel, or modify offers to the public and to reject orders in whole or in part.

Commissions and Expenses

The following table summarizes the underwriting discounts and commissions we will pay to the underwriters. These amounts are shown assuming both no exercise and full exercise of the underwriters’ option to purchase additional shares. The underwriting fee is the difference between the initial price to the public and the amount the underwriters pay to us for the shares.

 

     Company  
     No Exercise      Full Exercise  

Per Share

                                                       

Total

     

 

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The representatives have advised us that the underwriters propose to offer the shares of common stock directly to the public at the public offering price on the cover of this prospectus and to selected dealers, which may include the underwriters, at such offering price less a selling concession not in excess of $             per share. If all the shares are not sold at the initial offering price following the initial offering, the representatives may change the offering price and other selling terms.

The expenses of the offering that are payable by us are estimated to be approximately $                     (excluding underwriting discounts and commissions). We have agreed to reimburse the underwriters for certain of their expenses in an amount up to $50,000.

Option to Purchase Additional Shares

We have granted the underwriters an option exercisable for 30 days after the date of this prospectus to purchase, from time to time, in whole or in part, up to an aggregate of                      shares from us at the public offering price less underwriting discounts and commissions. To the extent that this option is exercised, each underwriter will be obligated, subject to certain conditions, to purchase its pro rata portion of these additional shares based on the underwriter’s percentage underwriting commitment in the offering as indicated in the table at the beginning of this section.

Lock-Up Agreements

We, all of our directors and executive officers and holders of substantially all of our outstanding stock prior to this offering have agreed, subject to certain exceptions, that, for a period of 180 days after the date of this prospectus, subject to certain limited exceptions as described below, we and they will not directly or indirectly, without the prior written consent of Barclays Capital Inc. and BofA Securities, Inc., (1) offer for sale, sell, pledge, or otherwise dispose of (or enter into any transaction or device that is designed to, or could be expected to, result in the disposition by any person at any time in the future of) any shares of common stock (including, without limitation, shares of common stock that may be deemed to be beneficially owned by us or them in accordance with the rules and regulations of the SEC and shares of common stock that may be issued upon exercise of any options or warrants) or securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for common stock (other than the stock and shares issued pursuant to employee benefit plans, qualified stock option plans, or other employee compensation plans existing on the date of this prospectus or pursuant to currently outstanding options, warrants or rights not issued under one of those plans), or sell, purchase or grant options, rights or warrants with respect to any shares of common stock or securities convertible into or exchangeable for common stock (other than the grant of options pursuant to option plans existing on the date of this prospectus), (2) enter into any swap or other derivatives transaction that transfers to another, in whole or in part, any of the economic benefits or risks of ownership of shares of common stock, whether any such transaction described in clause (1) or (2) above is to be settled by delivery of common stock or other securities, in cash or otherwise, (3) make any demand for or exercise any right or file or cause to be filed a registration statement, including any amendments thereto, with respect to the registration of any shares of common stock or securities convertible, exercisable or exchangeable into common stock or any of our other securities (other than any registration statement on Form S-8), or (4) publicly disclose the intention to do any of the foregoing.

The restrictions above do not apply to: (a) transactions relating to shares of common stock or other securities acquired in the open market after the completion of this offering, (b) bona fide gifts, sales or other dispositions of shares of any class of our capital stock, in each case that are made exclusively between and among a stockholder or members of a stockholder’s family, or affiliates of a stockholder, including its partners (if a partnership) or members (if a limited liability company); provided that it will be a condition to any transfer described in this clause (b) that (i) the transferee/donee agrees to be bound by the terms of the lock-up agreement to the same extent as if the transferee/donee were a party thereto, (ii) each party (donor, donee, transferor or transferee) will not be required by law to make, and will agree to not voluntarily make, any filing or public

 

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announcement of the transfer or disposition prior to the expiration of the 180-day period referred to above, and (iii) the stockholder notifies Barclays Capital Inc. and BofA Securities, Inc. at least two business days prior to the proposed transfer or disposition, (c) the exercise of warrants or the exercise of stock options granted pursuant to our stock option/incentive plans or otherwise outstanding on the date of this prospectus; provided, that the restrictions will apply to shares of common stock issued upon such exercise or conversion, (d) the establishment of any contract, instruction or plan that satisfies all of the requirements of Rule 10b5-1, which we refer to as a Rule 10b5-1 Plan, under the Exchange Act; provided, however, that no sales of common stock or securities convertible into, or exchangeable or exercisable for, common stock, will be made pursuant to a Rule 10b5-1 Plan prior to the expiration of the lock-up period (as the same may be extended); provided further, that we are not required to report the establishment of such Rule 10b5-1 Plan in any public report or filing with the SEC under the Exchange Act during the lock-up period and do not otherwise voluntarily effect any such public filing or report regarding such Rule 10b5-1 Plan, and (e) any demands or requests for, exercise any right with respect to, or take any action in preparation of, the registration by us under the Securities Act of the stockholder’s shares of common stock, provided that no transfer of a stockholder’s shares of common stock registered pursuant to the exercise of any such right and no registration statement will be filed under the Securities Act with respect to any of the stockholder’s shares of common stock during the lock-up period.

Barclays Capital Inc. and BofA Securities, Inc., together in their sole discretion, may release our common stock and other securities subject to the lock-up agreements described above in whole or in part at any time. When determining whether or not to release common stock and other securities from lock-up agreements, Barclays Capital Inc. and BofA Securities, Inc. will consider, among other factors, the holder’s reasons for requesting the release, the number of shares of common stock and other securities for which the release is being requested and market conditions at the time. At least three business days before the effectiveness of any release or waiver of any of the restrictions described above with respect to our officers or directors, Barclays Capital Inc. and BofA Securities, Inc. will notify us of the impending release or waiver and we have agreed to announce the impending release or waiver by press release through a major news service at least two business days before the effective date of the release or waiver, except where the release or waiver is effected solely to permit a transfer of common stock that is not for consideration and where the transferee has agreed in writing to be bound by the same terms as the lock-up agreements described above to the extent and for the duration that such terms remain in effect at the time of transfer.

Offering Price Determination

Prior to this offering, there has been no public market for our common stock. The initial public offering price was negotiated between the representatives and us. In determining the initial public offering price of our common stock, the representatives considered:

 

   

our history and prospects and the industry in which we compete;

 

   

our financial information;

 

   

the ability of our management and our business potential and earning prospects;

 

   

the prevailing securities markets at the time of this offering; and

 

   

the recent market prices of, and the demand for, publicly traded shares of generally comparable companies.

An active trading market for the shares may not develop. It is also possible that after this offering the shares will not trade in the public market at or above the initial public offering price.

Indemnification

We have agreed to indemnify the underwriters against certain liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act, and to contribute to payments that the underwriters may be required to make for these liabilities.

 

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Stabilization, Short Positions and Penalty Bids

The representatives may engage in stabilizing transactions, short sales and purchases to cover positions created by short sales, and penalty bids or purchases for the purpose of pegging, fixing or maintaining the price of our common stock, in accordance with Regulation M under the Exchange Act:

 

   

Stabilizing transactions permit bids to purchase the underlying security so long as the stabilizing bids do not exceed a specified maximum.

 

   

A short position involves a sale by the underwriters of shares in excess of the number of shares the underwriters are obligated to purchase in the offering, which creates the syndicate short position. This short position may be either a covered short position or a naked short position. In a covered short position, the number of shares involved in the sales made by the underwriters in excess of the number of shares they are obligated to purchase is not greater than the number of shares that they may purchase by exercising their option to purchase additional shares. In a naked short position, the number of shares involved is greater than the number of shares in their option to purchase additional shares. The underwriters may close out any short position by either exercising their option to purchase additional shares and/or purchasing shares in the open market. In determining the source of shares to close out the short position, the underwriters will consider, among other things, the price of shares available for purchase in the open market as compared to the price at which they may purchase shares through their option to purchase additional shares. A naked short position is more likely to be created if the underwriters are concerned that there could be downward pressure on the price of the shares in the open market after pricing that could adversely affect investors who purchase in the offering.

 

   

Syndicate covering transactions involve purchases of our common stock in the open market after the distribution has been completed in order to cover syndicate short positions.

 

   

Penalty bids permit the representatives to reclaim a selling concession from a syndicate member when our common stock originally sold by the syndicate member is purchased in a stabilizing or syndicate covering transaction to cover syndicate short positions.

These stabilizing transactions, syndicate covering transactions and penalty bids may have the effect of raising or maintaining the market price of our common stock or preventing or retarding a decline in the market price of our common stock. As a result, the price of our common stock may be higher than the price that might otherwise exist in the open market. These transactions may be effected on the NYSE or otherwise and, if commenced, may be discontinued at any time.

Neither we nor any of the underwriters make any representation or prediction as to the direction or magnitude of any effect that the transactions described above may have on the price of our common stock. In addition, neither we nor any of the underwriters make any representation that the representatives will engage in these stabilizing transactions or that any transaction, once commenced, will not be discontinued without notice.

Electronic Distribution

A prospectus in electronic format may be made available on the Internet sites or through other online services maintained by one or more of the underwriters and/or selling group members participating in this offering, or by their affiliates. In those cases, prospective investors may view offering terms online and, depending upon the particular underwriter or selling group member, prospective investors may be allowed to place orders online. The underwriters may agree with us to allocate a specific number of shares for sale to online brokerage account holders. Any such allocation for online distributions will be made by the representatives on the same basis as other allocations.

Other than the prospectus in electronic format, the information on any underwriter’s or selling group member’s web site and any information contained in any other web site maintained by an underwriter or selling

 

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group member is not part of the prospectus or the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part, has not been approved and/or endorsed by us or any underwriter or selling group member in its capacity as underwriter or selling group member and should not be relied upon by investors.

Listing on the NYSE

Our common stock has been approved for listing on the NYSE under the symbol “AZEK”.

Stamp Taxes

If you purchase shares of common stock offered in this prospectus, you may be required to pay stamp taxes and other charges under the laws and practices of the country of purchase, in addition to the offering price listed on the cover page of this prospectus.

Discretionary Sales

The underwriters have informed us that they do not expect to sell more than 5% of our common stock in the aggregate to accounts over which they exercise discretionary authority.

Other Relationships

The underwriters and certain of their affiliates are full service financial institutions engaged in various activities, which may include securities trading, commercial and investment banking, financial advisory, investment management, investment research, principal investment, hedging, financing and brokerage activities. The underwriters and certain of their affiliates have, from time to time, performed, and may in the future perform, various commercial and investment banking and financial advisory services for the issuer and its affiliates, for which they received or may in the future receive customary fees and expenses.

In the ordinary course of their various business activities, the underwriters and certain of their affiliates may make or hold a broad array of investments and actively trade debt and equity securities (or related derivative securities) and financial instruments (including bank loans) for their own account and for the accounts of their customers, and such investment and securities activities may involve securities and/or instruments of the issuer or its affiliates. If the underwriters or their affiliates have a lending relationship with us, certain of those underwriters or their affiliates may hedge their credit exposure to us consistent with their customary risk management policies. Typically, the underwriters and their affiliates would hedge such exposure by entering into transactions which consist of either the purchase of credit default swaps or the creation of short positions in our securities or the securities of our affiliates, including potentially the shares of common stock offered hereby. Any such credit default swaps or short positions could adversely affect future trading prices of the shares of common stock offered hereby. The underwriters and certain of their affiliates may also communicate independent investment recommendations, market color or trading ideas and/or publish or express independent research views in respect of such securities or instruments and may at any time hold, or recommend to clients that they acquire, long and/or short positions in such securities and instruments.

Selling Restrictions

This prospectus does not constitute an offer to sell to, or a solicitation of an offer to buy from, anyone in any country or jurisdiction (i) in which such an offer or solicitation is not authorized, (ii) in which any person making such offer or solicitation is not qualified to do so or (iii) in which any such offer or solicitation would otherwise be unlawful. No action has been taken that would, or is intended to, permit a public offer of the shares of common stock or possession or distribution of this prospectus or any other offering or publicity material relating to the shares of common stock in any country or jurisdiction (other than the United States) where any such action for that purpose is required. Accordingly, each underwriter has undertaken that it will not, directly or indirectly,

 

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offer or sell any shares of common stock or have in its possession, distribute or publish any prospectus, form of application, advertisement or other document or information in any country or jurisdiction except under circumstances that will, to the best of its knowledge and belief, result in compliance with any applicable laws and regulations and all offers and sales of shares of common stock by it will be made on the same terms.

European Economic Area and United Kingdom

In relation to each Member State of the European Economic Area and the United Kingdom (each a “Relevant State”), no common stock has been offered or will be offered pursuant to the offering to the public in that Relevant State prior to the publication of a prospectus in relation to the common stock which has been approved by the competent authority in that Relevant State or, where appropriate, approved in another Relevant State and notified to the competent authority in that Relevant State, all in accordance with the Prospectus Regulation, except that offers of Shares may be made to the public in that Relevant State at any time under the following exemptions under the Prospectus Regulation:

 

   

to legal entities which are qualified investors as defined under the Prospectus Regulation;

 

   

by the underwriters to fewer than 150 natural or legal persons (other than qualified investors as defined in the Prospectus Regulation), subject to obtaining the prior consent of the representatives of the underwriters for any such offer; or

 

   

in any other circumstances falling within Article 1(4) of the Prospectus Regulation,

provided that no such offer of common stock shall result in a requirement for us or any underwriter to publish a prospectus pursuant to Article 3 of the Prospectus Regulation or supplement a prospectus pursuant to Article 23 of the Prospectus Regulation.

For the purposes of this provision the expression an “offer of common stock to the public” in relation to any common stock in any Relevant State means the communication in any form and by any means of sufficient information on the terms of the offer and any common stock to be offered so as to enable an investor to decide to purchase or subscribe for our common stock, and the expression “Prospectus Regulation” means Regulation (EU) 2017/1129.

United Kingdom

This prospectus has only been communicated or caused to have been communicated and will only be communicated or caused to be communicated as an invitation or inducement to engage in investment activity (within the meaning of Section 21 of the Financial Services and Markets Act of 2000, or the FSMA) as received in connection with the issue or sale of our common stock in circumstances in which Section 21(1) of the FSMA does not apply to us. All applicable provisions of the FSMA will be complied with in respect to anything done in relation to our common stock in, from or otherwise involving the United Kingdom.

Canada

The securities may be sold only to purchasers purchasing, or deemed to be purchasing, as principal that are accredited investors, as defined in National Instrument 45-106 Prospectus Exemptions or subsection 73.3(1) of the Securities Act (Ontario), and are permitted clients, as defined in National Instrument 31-103 Registration Requirements, Exemptions and Ongoing Registrant Obligations. Any resale of the securities must be made in accordance with an exemption from, or in a transaction not subject to, the prospectus requirements of applicable securities laws.

Securities legislation in certain provinces or territories of Canada may provide a purchaser with remedies for rescission or damages if this prospectus (including any amendment thereto) contains a misrepresentation,

 

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provided that the remedies for rescission or damages are exercised by the purchaser within the time limit prescribed by the securities legislation of the purchaser’s province or territory. The purchaser should refer to any applicable provisions of the securities legislation of the purchaser’s province or territory for particulars of these rights or consult with a legal advisor.

Pursuant to section 3A.3 of National Instrument 33-105 Underwriting Conflicts, or NI 33-105, the underwriters are not required to comply with the disclosure requirements of NI 33-105 regarding underwriter conflicts of interest in connection with this offering.

Dubai International Financial Centre

This document relates to an Exempt Offer in accordance with the Markets Rules 2012 of the Dubai Financial Services Authority (“DFSA”). This document is intended for distribution only to persons of a type specified in the Markets Rules 2012 of the DFSA. It must not be delivered to, or relied on by, any other person. The DFSA has no responsibility for reviewing or verifying any documents in connection with Exempt Offers. The DFSA has not approved this prospectus supplement nor taken steps to verify the information set forth herein and has no responsibility for this document. The securities to which this document relates may be illiquid and/or subject to restrictions on their resale. Prospective purchasers of the securities offered should conduct their own due diligence on the securities. If you do not understand the contents of this document you should consult an authorized financial advisor.

In relation to its use in the Dubai International Financial Centre (“DIFC”), this document is strictly private and confidential and is being distributed to a limited number of investors and must not be provided to any person other than the original recipient, and may not be reproduced or used for any other purpose. The interests in the securities may not be offered or sold directly or indirectly to the public in the DIFC.

Hong Kong

The common stock has not been offered or sold and will not be offered or sold in Hong Kong, by means of any document, other than (a) to “professional investors” as defined in the Securities and Futures Ordinance (Cap. 571) of Hong Kong and any rules made under that Ordinance; or (b) in other circumstances which do not result in the document being a “prospectus” as defined in the Companies (Winding Up and Miscellaneous Provisions) Ordinance (Cap. 32) of Hong Kong or which do not constitute an offer to the public within the meaning of that Ordinance. No advertisement, invitation or document relating to the common stock has been or may be issued or has been or may be in the possession of any person for the purposes of issue, whether in Hong Kong or elsewhere, which is directed at, or the contents of which are likely to be accessed or read by, the public of Hong Kong (except if permitted to do so under the securities laws of Hong Kong) other than with respect to common stock which are or are intended to be disposed of only to persons outside Hong Kong or only to “professional investors” as defined in the Securities and Futures Ordinance and any rules made under that Ordinance.

Japan

The common stock has not been and will not be registered pursuant to Article 4, Paragraph 1 of the Financial Instruments and Exchange Act. Accordingly, none of the common stock nor any interest therein may be offered or sold, directly or indirectly, in Japan or to, or for the benefit of, any “resident” of Japan (which term as used herein means any person resident in Japan, including any corporation or other entity organized under the laws of Japan), or to others for re-offering or resale, directly or indirectly, in Japan or to or for the benefit of a resident of Japan, except pursuant to an exemption from the registration requirements of, and otherwise in compliance with, the Financial Instruments and Exchange Act and any other applicable laws, regulations and ministerial guidelines of Japan in effect at the relevant time.

 

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Singapore

This prospectus has not been registered as a prospectus with the Monetary Authority of Singapore. Accordingly, this prospectus and any other document or material in connection with the offer or sale, or invitation for subscription or purchase, of the common stock may not be circulated or distributed, nor may the common stock be offered or sold, or be made the subject of an invitation for subscription or purchase, whether directly or indirectly, to persons in Singapore other than (i) to an institutional investor (as defined under Section 4A of the Securities and Futures Act, Chapter 289 of Singapore (the ‘‘SFA’’)) under Section 274 of the SFA, (ii) to a relevant person (as defined in Section 275(2) of the SFA) pursuant to Section 275(1) of the SFA, or any person pursuant to Section 275(1A) of the SFA, and in accordance with the conditions specified in Section 275 of the SFA or (iii) otherwise pursuant to, and in accordance with the conditions of, any other applicable provision of the SFA, in each case subject to conditions set forth in the SFA.

Where the common stock is subscribed or purchased under Section 275 of the SFA by a relevant person which is: (a) a corporation (which is not an accredited investor (as defined in Section 4A of the SFA)) the sole business of which is to hold investments and the entire share capital of which is owned by one or more individuals, each of whom is an accredited investor; or (b) a trust (where the trustee is not an accredited investor) whose sole purpose is to hold investments and each beneficiary is an accredited investor, shares, debentures and units of shares and debentures of that corporation or the beneficiaries’ rights and interest in that trust shall not be transferable for six months after that corporation or that trust has acquired our shares under Section 275 of the SFA except:

 

  a)

to an institutional investor or to a relevant person defined in Section 275(2) of the SFA, or to any person arising from an offer referred to in Section 275(1A) or Section 276(4)(i)(B) of the SFA;

 

  b)

where no consideration is or will be given for the transfer;

 

  c)

where the transfer is by operation of law;

 

  d)

as specified in Section 276(7) of the SFA; or

 

  e)

as specified in Regulation 32 of the Securities and Futures (Offers of Investments) (Shares and Debentures) Regulations 2005 of Singapore.

Switzerland

The common stock may not be publicly offered in Switzerland and will not be listed on the SIX Swiss Exchange (“SIX”) or on any other stock exchange or regulated trading facility in Switzerland. This document does not constitute a prospectus within the meaning of, and has been prepared without regard to the disclosure standards for issuance prospectuses under art. 652a or art. 1156 of the Swiss Code of Obligations or the disclosure standards for listing prospectuses under art. 27 ff. of the SIX Listing Rules or the listing rules of any other stock exchange or regulated trading facility in Switzerland. Neither this document nor any other offering or marketing material relating to the common stock or the offering may be publicly distributed or otherwise made publicly available in Switzerland.

Neither this document nor any other offering or marketing material relating to the offering, the Company, the shares have been or will be filed with or approved by any Swiss regulatory authority. In particular, this document will not be filed with, and the offer of common stock will not be supervised by, the Swiss Financial Market Supervisory Authority and the offer of common stock has not been and will not be authorized under the Swiss Federal Act on Collective Investment Schemes (“CISA”). The investor protection afforded to acquirers of interests in collective investment schemes under the CISA does not extend to acquirers of common stock.

 

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VALIDITY OF CLASS A COMMON STOCK

The validity of the shares of Class A common stock being offered by this prospectus will be passed upon for us by Sullivan & Cromwell LLP, Palo Alto, California. Certain legal matters in connection with this offering will be passed upon for the underwriters by Latham & Watkins LLP, Washington, D.C.

 

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EXPERTS

The financial statements as of September 30, 2019 and September 30, 2018 and for each of the two years in the period ended September 30, 2019 included in this prospectus have been so included in reliance on the report of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, an independent registered public accounting firm, given on the authority of said firm as experts in auditing and accounting.

 

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WHERE YOU CAN FIND ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

We have filed with the SEC a registration statement on Form S-1 under the Securities Act with respect to the shares of Class A common stock offered by this prospectus. This prospectus, which constitutes a part of the registration statement, does not contain all the information set forth in the registration statement, some of which is contained in exhibits to the registration statement as permitted by the rules and regulations of the SEC. For further information with respect to us and our Class A common stock, we refer you to the registration statement, including the exhibits filed as a part thereof. Statements contained in this prospectus concerning the contents of any contract or any other document are not necessarily complete. If a contract or document has been filed as an exhibit to the registration statement, please see the copy of the contract or document that has been filed. Each statement in this prospectus relating to a contract or document filed as an exhibit is qualified in all respects by the filed exhibit. The SEC maintains an internet website that contains reports and other information about issuers, like us, that file electronically with the SEC. The address of that website is www.sec.gov.

Upon the completion of this offering, we will be subject to the information reporting requirements of the Exchange Act, and we will file reports, proxy statements and other information with the SEC. These reports, proxy statements and other information will be available on the website of the SEC referred to above.

We also maintain a website at www.AzekCo.com, at which you may access these materials free of charge as soon as reasonably practicable after they are electronically filed with or furnished to the SEC. Information contained on, or that can be accessed through, our website is not incorporated by reference in this prospectus, and you should not consider information on our website to be part of this prospectus.

 

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INDEX TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

 

Unaudited financial statements

  

Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets as of March 31, 2020 and September 30, 2019

     F-2  

Condensed Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Income (Loss) for the six months ended March 31, 2020 and 2019

     F-3  

Condensed Consolidated Statements of Member’s Equity for the six months ended March 31, 2020 and 2019

     F-4  

Condensed Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows for the six months ended March 31, 2020 and 2019

     F-5  

Notes to Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements

     F-6  

Audited financial statements

  

Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

     F-27  

Consolidated Balance Sheets as of September 30, 2019 and 2018

     F-28  

Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Income (Loss) for the Years Ended September 30, 2019 and 2018

     F-29  

Consolidated Statements of Member’s Equity for the Years Ended September 30, 2019 and 2018

     F-30  

Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows for the Years Ended September 30, 2019 and 2018

     F-31  

Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements

     F-32  

 

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CPG Newco LLC

Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets

(Unaudited)

 

(U.S. dollars in thousands, except unit amounts)    March 31,
2020
    September 30,
2019
 
ASSETS:     

Current assets:

    

Cash and cash equivalents

   $ 94,698     $ 105,947  

Trade receivables, net of allowances

     125,022       52,623  

Inventories

     138,313       115,391  

Prepaid expenses

     9,116       6,037  

Other current assets

     14,066       10,592  
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total current assets

     381,215       290,590  

Property, plant and equipment, net

     233,548       208,694  

Goodwill

     950,602       944,298  

Intangible assets, net

     319,980       342,418  

Deferred financing costs, net

     686       865  

Other assets

     40       1,398  
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total assets

   $ 1,886,071     $ 1,788,263  
  

 

 

   

 

 

 
LIABILITIES AND MEMBER’S EQUITY:     

Current liabilities:

    

Accounts payable

   $ 37,197     $ 47,479  

Accrued rebates

     17,394       22,733  

Accrued interest

     13,846       13,578  

Current portion of long-term debt obligations

     8,304       8,304  

Accrued expenses and other liabilities

     43,422       47,903  
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total current liabilities

     120,163       139,997  

Deferred income taxes

     29,509       34,003  

Finance obligations—less current portion

     11,166       11,181  

Long-term debt—less current portion

     1,229,844       1,103,313  

Other non-current liabilities

     9,983       9,746  
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total liabilities

     1,400,665       1,298,240  

Commitments and contingencies (See Note 14)

    

Member’s equity:

    

1 common unit authorized, issued and outstanding at March 31, 2020 and September 30, 2019, respectively

     —         —    

Additional paid-in capital

     652,406       652,601  

Accumulated deficit

     (167,000     (162,578
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total member’s equity

     485,406       490,023  
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total liabilities and member’s equity

   $ 1,886,071     $ 1,788,263  
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

See Notes to Unaudited Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements.

 

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CPG Newco LLC

Condensed Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Income (Loss)

(Unaudited)

 

     Six Months Ended
March 31,
 
(U.S. dollars in thousands, except unit amounts)    2020     2019  

Net sales

   $ 411,628     $ 357,362  

Cost of sales

     (280,965     (249,051
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Gross margin

     130,663       108,311  

Selling, general and administrative expenses

     (93,166     (86,803

Other general expenses

     (5,093     (4,158

Gain (loss) on disposal of property, plant and equipment

     (28     (1,436
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Operating income (loss)

     32,376       15,914  
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Other expenses:

    

Interest expense

     (39,734     (41,773
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total other expenses

     (39,734     (41,773
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Income (loss) before income taxes

     (7,358     (25,859

Income tax benefit (expense)

     1,600       5,072  
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Net income (loss)

   $ (5,758   $ (20,787
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Basic net income (loss) per common unit

   $ (5,758   $ (20,787
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Weighted average common unit outstanding—basic

     1       1  
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Comprehensive income (loss)

   $ (5,758   $ (20,787
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

See Notes to Unaudited Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements.

 

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CPG Newco LLC

Condensed Consolidated Statements of Member’s Equity

(U.S. dollars in thousands, except unit amounts)

(Unaudited)

 

     For the Six Months Ended March 31, 2020  
     Common Units      Additional
Paid-In
Capital
    Accumulated
Deficit
    Total
Member’s
Equity
 
     Units
Outstanding
     No Par
Value
 

Balance—September 30, 2019

                 1                —        $ 652,601     $ (162,578   $ 490,023  

Adoption of ASU 2016-16

     —          —          —         1,336       1,336  

Net income (loss)

     —          —          —         (5,758     (5,758

Capital redemption

     —          —          (3,075     —         (3,075

Capital contribution

     —          —          1,500       —         1,500  

Share-based compensation

     —          —          1,380       —         1,380  
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Balance—March 31, 2020

     1        —        $ 652,406     $ (167,000   $ 485,406  
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

 

     For the Six Months Ended March 31, 2019  
     Common Units      Additional
Paid-In
Capital
     Accumulated
Deficit
    Total
Member’s
Equity
 
     Units
Outstanding
     No Par
Value
 

Balance—September 30, 2018

                 1                —        $ 648,129      $ (142,576   $ 505,553  

Adoption of ASU 2014-09

     —          —          —          194       194  

Net income (loss)

     —          —          —          (20,787     (20,787

Capital contribution

     —          —          1,311        —         1,311  

Share-based compensation

     —          —          1,862        —         1,862  
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

 

Balance—March 31, 2019

     1        —        $ 651,302      $ (163,169   $ 488,133  
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

 

See Notes to Unaudited Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements.

 

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CPG Newco LLC

Condensed Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows

(Unaudited)

 

     Six Months Ended
March 31,
 
(U.S. dollars in thousands)    2020     2019  

Operating activities:

    

Net income (loss)

   $ (5,758   $ (20,787

Adjustments to reconcile net income (loss) to net cash flows provided by (used in) operating activities:

    

Depreciation

     20,891       16,005  

Amortization of intangibles

     27,737       30,386  

Non-cash interest expense

     1,993       1,993  

Deferred income tax benefit

     (3,008     (5,072

Non-cash compensation expense

     1,380       2,420  

Fair value adjustment for contingent consideration

     —         53  

Loss on disposition of property, plant and equipment

     28       1,436  

Bad debt provision

     751       217  

Changes in certain assets and liabilities:

    

Trade receivables

     (72,030     (74,244

Inventories

     (20,389     (4,497

Prepaid expenses and other currents assets

     (786     (2,496

Accounts payable

     (9,923     (8,887

Accrued expenses and interest

     (10,362     11,732  

Other assets and liabilities

     1,444       3,220  
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities

     (68,032     (48,521
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Investing activities:

    

Purchases of property, plant and equipment

     (42,606     (33,233

Proceeds from sale of property, plant and equipment

     231       25  

Acquisition, net of cash acquired

     (17,865     —    
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities

     (60,240     (33,208
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Financing activities:

    

Proceeds under revolving credit facility

     129,000       25,000  

Payments on long-term debt obligations

     (4,283     (4,152

Proceeds (repayments) of finance obligations

     (390     (357

Payments of initial public offering related costs

     (5,729     —    

Payments of contingent consideration

     —         (2,000

Redemption of capital contribution by members

     (3,075     —    

Capital contribution from members

     1,500       1,311  
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities

     117,023       19,802  
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents

     (11,249     (61,927

Cash and cash equivalents—Beginning of period

     105,947       82,283  
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Cash and cash equivalents—End of period

   $ 94,698     $ 20,356  
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Supplemental cash flow disclosure:

    

Cash paid for interest, net of amounts capitalized

   $ 37,269     $ 39,416  

Cash paid for income taxes, net

     280       875  

Supplemental non-cash investing and financing disclosure:

    

Capital expenditures in accounts payable at end of period

   $ 2,424     $ 4,524  

Property, plant and equipment acquired under finance obligations

     630       865  

See Notes to Unaudited Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements.

 

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CPG Newco LLC

NOTES TO CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

March 31, 2020

(U.S. dollars in thousands, unless otherwise specified)

(Unaudited)

 

1.

ORGANIZATION AND SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES

 

a.

Organization

CPG Newco LLC (the “Company” or “CPG”) currently operates as a Delaware limited liability company, a holding company which holds all of the limited liability company interests in CPG International LLC, the entity which directly and indirectly holds all of the equity interests in our operating subsidiaries. The Company is a leading manufacturer of premium, low maintenance building products for residential, commercial and industrial markets. The Company’s products include trim, deck, porch, moulding, rail, pavers, bathroom and locker systems, as well as extruded plastic sheet products and other non-fabricated products for special applications in industrial markets. The Company operates in various locations throughout the United States.

The single common interest unit in the Company is held by CPG Holdco LLC and there are no potentially dilutive securities at the CPG Newco LLC level. Accordingly, there are no diluted earnings per unit presented on the Condensed Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Income (Loss) for the six months ended March 31, 2020 and 2019.

Documentation was filed in Pennsylvania, Ohio, Delaware and Connecticut allowing CPG International LLC to conduct business as The AZEK Company LLC beginning on January 8, 2018. AZEK is a brand name for the residential products while the commercial products are branded under the brand names Celtec, Playboard, Seaboard, Flametec, Designboard, Cortec, Sanatec, Scranton Products, Aria Partitions, Eclipse Partitions, Hiny Hiders, Tufftec Lockers and Duralife Lockers. The Company’s legal name and tax identification number did not change. CPG was formed in Delaware on August 15, 2013.

 

b.

Summary of Significant Accounting Policies

Basis of Presentation

The Company operates on a fiscal year ending September 30. The accompanying unaudited Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements and notes have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“GAAP”) and in conformity with Article 10 of Regulation S-X promulgated under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”). The Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheet as of September 30, 2019 was derived from audited financial statements, but does not include all disclosures required by GAAP. These unaudited Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements reflect, in the opinion of management, all material adjustments (which include normal recurring adjustments) necessary to fairly state, in all material respects, the Company’s financial position as of March 31, 2020, its results of operations and its cash flows for the six months ended March 31, 2020 and 2019.

The results of operations for the six months ended March 31, 2020, and cash flows for the six months ended March 31, 2020 are not necessarily indicative of the results that may be expected for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2020.

The Company’s financial condition and results of operations are being, and are expected to continue to be, adversely affected by the current COVID-19 public health pandemic. The economic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic will likely continue to adversely affect demand for the Company’s products over the balance of fiscal 2020. Although management has implemented measures to mitigate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the Company’s business, financial condition and results of operations, including reducing production and expenses, these measures may not fully mitigate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the Company’s

 

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business, financial condition and results of operations. Management cannot predict the degree to, or the period over, which the Company will be affected by the COVID-19 pandemic and resulting governmental and other measures.

Using the current information available, management has determined there were no related impairments impacting the Company’s goodwill, intangible assets, other long-lived assets and valuation allowance. However the Company’s future assessments, as well as other factors, could result in material impacts to the financial statements in future reporting periods.

Use of Estimates

The preparation of financial statements in conformity with GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements and reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period. Significant estimates include revenue recognition, reserves for excess inventory, inventory obsolescence, product warranties, customer rebates, equity-based compensation, litigation, income taxes, contingent consideration, goodwill and intangible asset valuation and accounting for long-lived assets. Management’s estimates and assumptions are evaluated on an ongoing basis and are based on historical experience, current conditions and available information. Actual results may differ from estimated amounts. Estimates are revised as additional information becomes available.

Accounting Policies

Refer to the Company’s September 30, 2019 audited Consolidated Financial Statements for a discussion of the Company’s accounting policies.

Research and Development Costs

Research and development costs primarily relate to new product development, product claims support and manufacturing process improvements. Such costs are expensed as incurred and are included in selling, general and administrative expenses. Total research and development expenses were approximately $4.0 million and $3.9 million, respectively, for the six months ended March 31, 2020 and 2019.

Recently Adopted Accounting Pronouncements

The Company qualifies as an emerging growth company (“EGC”) and as such, has elected not to opt out of the extended transition period for complying with new or revised accounting pronouncements. During the extended transition period, the Company is not subject to new or revised accounting standards applicable to public companies. The accounting pronouncements pending adoption below reflect effective dates for the Company as an EGC with the extended transition period.

On October 1, 2018, the Company early adopted Accounting Standards Update (“ASU”) ASU No. 2014-09, Revenue from Contracts with Customers, which outlines a single comprehensive model for entities to use in accounting for revenue arising from contracts with customers. The update supersedes most current revenue recognition guidance. Under the new standard, entities are required to identify the contract with a customer; identify the separate performance obligations in the contract; determine the transaction price; allocate the transaction price to the separate performance obligations in the contract; and recognize the appropriate amount of revenue when (or as) the entity satisfies each performance obligation. The adoption of this standard did not have a material impact on the Company’s Consolidated Financial Statements. Refer to Note 2 for additional information.

On October 1, 2019, the Company adopted ASU No. 2016-16, Income Taxes (Topic 740): Intra-Entity Transfer of Assets Other Than Inventory. The standard amends several aspects of the tax accounting and recognition timing for intra-company transfers. The Company adopted the standard using a modified retrospective approach, with an adjustment to the beginning retained earnings of approximately $1.3 million, due

 

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to the cumulative impact of adopting the standard. The adoption of this standard did not have a material impact on the Company’s Consolidated Financial Statements. Refer to Note 13 for additional information.

Recently Issued Accounting Pronouncements

In February 2016, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) issued ASU No. 2016-02, Leases (Topic 842), and issued subsequent amendments to the initial guidance in January 2018 within ASU No. 2018-01, in July 2018 within ASU Nos. 2018-10 and 2018-11, in December 2018 within ASU No. 2018-20, in March 2019 within ASU No. 2019-01 and in November 2019 within ASU No. 2019-10. This standard requires lessees to present right-of-use assets and lease liabilities on the balance sheet. For public entities, the updated standard is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2018. This standard is effective for the Company as an EGC for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2020 and interim periods within fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2021, with early adoption permitted. Assuming the Company remains an EGC, it intends to adopt the updated standard during its fiscal year beginning October 1, 2021 and for interim periods within that fiscal year. This standard provides the option to adopt through a cumulative-effect adjustment to the opening balance of retained earnings in the period of adoption, instead of applying the new guidance retrospectively for each prior reporting period presented. The Company is currently evaluating the impact these ASU’s adoption will have on its Consolidated Financial Statements.

In June 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-13, Financial Instruments—Credit Losses (Topic 326), and issued subsequent amendments to the initial guidance in May 2019 within ASU No. 2019-05 and in November 2019 within ASU Nos. 2019-10 and 2019-11. This standard sets forth an expected credit loss model which requires the measurement of expected credit losses for financial instruments based on historical experience, current conditions and reasonable and supportable forecasts. This replaces the existing incurred loss model and is applicable to the measurement of credit losses on financial assets measured at amortized cost, and certain off-balance sheet credit exposures. For public entities, the updated standard is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2019, including interim periods within those fiscal years. This standard is effective for the Company as an EGC for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2022 including interim periods within those fiscal years. Early adoption is permitted, and the standard is adopted using a modified retrospective transition method through a cumulative-effect adjustment to retained earnings as of the beginning of the first reporting period in which the guidance is effective. The Company is currently evaluating the impact the adoption of this standard will have on its Consolidated Financial Statements.

In August 2018, the FASB issued ASU No. 2018-13, Disclosure Framework—Changes to the Disclosure Requirements for Fair Value Measurement, which amends Topic 820, Fair Value Measurement. This standard modifies the disclosure requirements for fair value measurements by removing, modifying, or adding certain disclosures. For all entities, this standard is effective for annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2019, and interim periods within those fiscal years. The Company intends to adopt the updated standard during its fiscal year beginning October 1, 2020 and for interim periods within fiscal years beginning in that fiscal year. The removed and modified disclosures will be adopted on a retrospective basis and the new disclosures will be adopted on a prospective basis. The Company is currently evaluating the impact the adoption of this standard will have on its Consolidated Financial Statements.

In August 2018, the FASB issued ASU No. 2018-15, Intangibles—Goodwill and Other—Internal-Use Software (Subtopic 350-40): Customer’s Accounting for Implementation Costs Incurred in a Cloud Computing Arrangement That is a Service Contract. This standard aligns the requirements for capitalizing implementation costs incurred in a hosting arrangement that is a service contract with the requirements for capitalizing implementation costs incurred to develop or obtain internal-use software. For public entities, the updated standard is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2019, including interim periods within that fiscal year. The amendments in this ASU are effective for the Company, as an EGC, for annual periods beginning after December 15, 2020 and interim periods within annual periods beginning after December 15, 2021. The standard can be adopted either retrospectively or prospectively to all implementation costs incurred after the date of adoption. Early adoption is permitted. Assuming the Company remains an EGC, it intends to adopt the

 

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updated standard during its fiscal year beginning October 1, 2021 and for interim periods within fiscal year beginning October 1, 2022. The Company is currently evaluating the impact the adoption of this standard will have on its Consolidated Financial Statements.

In December 2019, the FASB issued ASU No. 2019-12, Income Taxes (Topic 740)—Simplifying the Accounting for Income Taxes. This standard simplifies the accounting for income taxes by removing certain exceptions to general principles in Topic 740 and clarifying and amending existing guidance. For public entities, the amendments in this ASU are effective for fiscal years, and interim periods within those fiscal years, beginning after December 15, 2020. For all other entities, the amendments are effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2021, and interim periods within fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2022. Early adoption of the amendments is permitted, including adoption in any interim period for (1) public business entities for periods for which financial statements have not yet been issued and (2) all other entities for periods for which financial statements have not yet been made available for issuance. An entity that elects to early adopt the amendments in an interim period should reflect any adjustments as of the beginning of the annual period that includes that interim period. Additionally, an entity that elects early adoption must adopt all the amendments in the same period. The amendments are applied on a prospective or retrospective basis, depending upon the amendment adopted within this ASU. The amendments in this ASU are effective for the Company, as an EGC, for annual periods beginning after December 15, 2021 and interim periods within annual periods beginning after December 15, 2022. The Company is currently evaluating the impact this adoption will have on its Consolidated Financial Statements.

In March 2020, the FASB issued ASU No. 2020-04, Reference Rate Reform (Topic 848), Facilitation of the Effects of Reference Rate Reform on Financial Reporting. This standard provides optional expedients and exceptions for applying generally accepted accounting principles to contract modifications and hedging relationships, subject to meeting certain criteria, that reference LIBOR or another reference rate expected to be discontinued. The ASU is effective for all entities as of March 12, 2020, and will apply through December 31, 2022. The Company is currently evaluating the impact this adoption will have on its Consolidated Financial Statements.

 

2.

REVENUE

The Company sells its products to residential and commercial markets. The Company’s Residential Segment principally generates revenue from the manufacture and sale of its premium, low maintenance composite decking, railing, trim, moulding, pavers products and accessories. The Company’s Commercial Segment generates revenue from the sale of its partition and locker systems along with plastic sheeting and other non-fabricated products for special applications in industrial markets.

The Company recognizes revenues when control of the promised goods is transferred to the Company’s customers in an amount that reflects the consideration the Company expects to be entitled to in exchange for those goods, at a point in time, when shipping occurs. Each product the Company transfers to the customer is considered one performance obligation. The Company has elected to account for shipping and handling costs as activities to fulfill the promise to transfer the goods. As a result of this accounting policy election, the Company does not consider shipping and handling activities as promised services to its customers.

Customer contracts are typically fixed price and short-term in nature. The transaction price is based on the product specifications and is determined at the time of order. The Company may offer various sales incentive programs throughout the year. It estimates the amount of sales incentive to allocate to each performance obligation, or product shipped, using the most-likely-amount method of estimation, based on sales to the direct customer or sell-through customer. The estimate is updated each reporting period and any changes are allocated to the performance obligations on the same basis as at inception. Changes in estimate allocated to a previously satisfied performance obligation are recognized as part of net revenue in the period in which the change occurs under the cumulative catch-up method. In addition to sales incentive programs, the Company may offer a payment discount, if payments are received within 30 days. The Company estimates the payment discount that it

 

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believes will be taken by the customer based on prior history and using the most-likely-amount method of estimation. The Company believes the most-likely-amount method best predicts the amount of consideration to which it will be entitled. The payment discounts are also reflected as part of net revenue.

The Company records deferred revenue when cash payments are received or due in advance of the Company’s performance.

 

3.

BUSINESS COMBINATIONS

On January 31, 2020, the Company acquired certain assets and assumed certain liabilities of Return Polymers, Inc. for a total purchase price of approximately $18.1 million, subject to customary post-closing net working capital adjustments. Return Polymers is located in Ashland Ohio and is a provider of full-service recycled PVC material processing, sourcing, logistical support, and scrap management programs. The Company financed the acquisition with cash on hand.

The acquisition was accounted for as a business combination under Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC”) ASC 805 Business Combinations. Tangible and identifiable intangible assets acquired and liabilities assumed were recorded at their respective fair values. The excess of the consideration transferred over the fair value of the net assets received has been recorded as goodwill in the Residential segment. The factors that contributed to the recognition of goodwill primarily relate to future economic benefits arising from expected sales as well as consuming the recycled PVC materials in current products.

The following table represents the preliminary allocation of the assets acquired and liabilities assumed (in thousands):

 

     Purchase Price
Allocation
 

Total purchase consideration

   $ 18,069  
  

 

 

 

Allocation of consideration to assets acquired and liabilities assumed:

  

Cash and cash equivalents

   $ 204  

Accounts receivable

     1,119  

Inventories

     2,532  

Prepaid expenses and other current assets

     39  

Property, plant and equipment

     4,080  

Intangible assets

     5,300  

Goodwill

     6,304  

Accounts payable

     (947

Accrued expenses and other liabilities

     (562
  

 

 

 

Net assets acquired

   $ 18,069  
  

 

 

 

Total intangibles and goodwill amounted to $11.6 million, comprised of $4.6 million related to customer relationships, and $0.7 million related to trademarks, as well as $6.3 million in goodwill. It is expected that $6.3 million of the goodwill is deductible for tax purposes. The estimated useful life for customer relationships is 15 years and trademarks is 10 years. The weighted average useful life at the date of acquisition was 14.3 years.

 

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4.

INVENTORIES

Inventories are valued at the lower of cost or net realizable value, and are reduced for slow-moving and obsolete inventory. The inventories cost is recorded at standard cost, which approximates actual cost, on a first-in, first-out (“FIFO”) basis. inventories consisted of the following (in thousands):

 

     March 31,
2020
     September 30,
2019
 

Raw materials

   $ 35,409      $ 36,855  

Work in process

     19,928        19,514  

Finished goods

     82,976        59,022  
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

Total inventories

   $ 138,313      $ 115,391  
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

 

5.

PROPERTY, PLANT AND EQUIPMENT—NET

Property, plant and equipment—net consisted of the following (in thousands):

 

     March 31,
2020
     September 30,
2019
 

Land and improvements

   $ 2,758      $ 2,758  

Buildings and improvements

     69,700        67,770  

Capital lease—building

     2,021        2,021  

Capital lease—manufacturing equipment

     1,026        1,026  

Capital lease—vehicles

     3,779        3,835  

Manufacturing equipment

     274,944        254,570  

Computer equipment

     23,881        22,733  

Furniture and fixtures

     5,853        5,409  

Vehicles

     410        339  
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

Total property, plant and equipment

     384,372        360,461  

Construction in progress

     36,656        16,453  
  

 

 

    

 

 

 
     421,028        376,914  

Accumulated depreciation

     (187,480      (168,220
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

Total property, plant and equipment—net

   $ 233,548      $ 208,694  
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

The Company is considered the owner, for accounting purposes only, of leased office space, as it had taken on certain risks of construction build cost overages above normal tenant improvement allowances. Accordingly, the estimated fair value of the leased property was $9.2 million at both March 31, 2020 and September 30, 2019. The corresponding lease financing obligation was $7.9 million at both March 31, 2020 and September 30, 2019. The lease financing obligation was recorded in Finance obligations—less current portion in the Consolidated Balance Sheets. Refer to Note 14 for additional information.

Depreciation expense was approximately $20.9 million and $16.0 million in the six months ended March 31, 2020 and 2019, respectively. During the six months ended March 31, 2020 and 2019, $0.6 million and $0.6 million of interest was capitalized, respectively. Accumulated amortization for assets under capital leases was $3.8 million and $3.7 million as of March 31, 2020 and September 30, 2019, respectively. Accumulated amortization for the assets under the build-to-suit lease was $0.4 million as of March 31, 2020 and $0.3 million as of September 30, 2019

 

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6.

GOODWILL AND INTANGIBLE ASSETS—NET

Goodwill

As of March 31, 2020, the Company had goodwill of $950.6 million with carrying amounts for Residential of $910.2 million and Commercial of $40.4 million. As of September 30, 2019, the Company had goodwill of $944.3 million with carrying amounts for Residential of $903.9 million and Commercial of $40.4 million. As of March 31, 2020, total accumulated goodwill impairments were $32.2 million, all attributable to the Company’s Commercial segment.

Intangible assets, net

The Company does not have any indefinite lived intangible assets other than goodwill as of March 31, 2020 and September 30, 2019. Finite-lived intangible assets consisted of the following (in thousands):

 

            As of March 31, 2020  
     Lives in
Years
     Gross Carrying
Value
     Accumulated
Amortization
    Net Carrying
Value
 

Proprietary knowledge

     10 – 15      $ 289,300      $ (183,554   $ 105,746  

Trademarks

     5 – 20        223,840        (116,336     107,504  

Customer relationships

     15 – 19        146,870        (45,592     101,278  

Patents

     10        7,000        (2,673     4,327  

Other intangibles

     3 – 15        4,076        (2,951     1,125  
     

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

 
      $ 671,086      $ (351,106   $ 319,980  
     

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

 

 

            As of September 30, 2019  
     Lives in
Years
     Gross Carrying
Value
     Accumulated
Amortization
    Net Carrying
Value
 

Proprietary knowledge

     10 – 15      $ 289,300      $ (171,686   $ 117,614  

Trademarks

     5 – 20        223,140        (108,096     115,044  

Customer relationships

     15 – 19        142,270        (39,084     103,186  

Patents

     10        7,000        (2,132     4,868  

Other intangibles

     3 – 15        4,076        (2,370     1,706  
     

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

 
      $ 665,786      $ (323,368   $ 342,418  
     

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

 

Amortization expense was approximately $27.7 million and $30.4 million in the six months ended March 31, 2020 and 2019, respectively. As of March 31, 2020, the remaining weighted-average amortization period for acquired intangible assets was 13.3 years.

Amortization expense relating to these amortizable intangible assets as of March 31, 2020, is expected to be as follows (in thousands):

 

Remaining period of 2020

   $ 27,423  

2021

     49,826  

2022

     44,369  

2023

     39,240  

2024

     34,246  

Thereafter

     124,876  
  

 

 

 

Total

   $ 319,980  
  

 

 

 

 

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7.

COMPOSITION OF CERTAIN BALANCE SHEET ACCOUNTS

Allowance for Doubtful Accounts

The allowance for doubtful accounts activity consisted of the following (in thousands):

 

     Six Months Ended
March 31,
 
         2020              2019      

Beginning balance

   $ 904      $ 1,230  

Adjustment to reserve

     774        211  
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

Ending balance

   $ 1,678      $ 1,441  
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

Customer Rebate Accrual

Customer rebates are presented in Net Sales in the Condensed Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Income (Loss) and in the Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets as Accrued rebates of $17.4 million and $27.7 million as of March 31, 2020 and 2019, respectively, and $4.7 million and $3.3 million presented as contra-accounts receivable as of March 31, 2020 and 2019, respectively. The rebate accrual activity consisted of the following (in thousands):

 

     Six Months Ended
March 31,
 
     2020     2019  

Beginning balance

   $ 24,858     $ 21,914  

Rebate expense

     33,444       28,000  

Rebate payments

     (36,179     (18,886
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Ending balance

   $ 22,123     $ 31,028  
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Accrued Expenses and Other Liabilities

Accrued expenses consisted of the following (in thousands):

 

     March 31,
2020
     September 30,
2019
 

Employee related liabilities

   $ 17,047      $ 17,202  

Professional fees

     9,918        14,160  

Freight

     3,810        4,158  

Warranty

     3,090        2,543  

Marketing

     2,492        2,026  

Construction in progress

     960        903  

Capital lease

     914        721  

Contingent consideration

     —          1,303  

Other

     5,191        4,887  
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

Total accrued expenses and other current liabilities

   $ 43,422      $ 47,903  
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

 

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8.

DEBT

Debt consisted of the following (in thousands):

 

     March 31,
2020
    September 30,
2019
 

Term Loan Agreement due May 5, 2024—LIBOR + 3.75% (5.93% and 5.93% at March 31, 2020 and September 30, 2019) (includes a discount of $984 and $1,105 at March 31, 2020 and September 30, 2019 respectively)

   $ 804,345     $ 808,507  

Revolving Credit Facility through March 9, 2022—LIBOR + 1.50% (2.94% and 0.00% at March 31, 2020 and September 30, 2019)

     129,000       —    

Senior Notes due October 1, 2021—Fixed at 8%

     315,000       315,000  
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total

     1,248,345       1,123,507  

Less: unamortized deferred financing fees

     (10,197     (11,890

Less: current portion

     (8,304     (8,304
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Long-term debt—less current portion and unamortized deferred financing fees

   $ 1,229,844     $ 1,103,313  
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

As of March 31, 2020, the Company has scheduled fiscal year debt payments on the Term Loan Agreement, Revolving Credit Facility and Senior Notes (excluding interest and debt discount) as follows (in thousands):

 

Remaining period of 2020

   $ 4,021  

2021

     8,304  

2022

     452,304  

2023

     8,304  

2024

     776,396  

Thereafter

     —    
  

 

 

 

Total

   $ 1,249,329  
  

 

 

 

Term Loan Credit Agreement

On September 30, 2013, CPG International LLC refinanced its then outstanding long-term debt and entered into (i) a new senior secured revolving credit facility (the “Revolving Credit Facility”) among CPG International LLC (as successor-in-interest to CPG Merger Sub LLC, a limited liability company formed to effect the acquisition of CPG International LLC), Deutsche Bank AG New York Branch (“Deutsche Bank”), as administrative agent and collateral agent (the “Revolver Administrative Agent”), and the lenders party thereto, (ii) a new secured term loan agreement (the “Term Loan Agreement”) among CPG International LLC (as successor-in-interest to CPG Merger Sub LLC), as the initial borrower; the Lenders Party thereto; Deutsche Bank and JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., as co-syndication agents; Citibank, N.A., the Royal Bank of Scotland PLC and UBS Securities LLC, as co-documentation agents; and Barclays Bank PLC, as administrative agent and collateral agent, (iii) an indenture (the “Indenture”) in respect of 8.000% senior notes due October 1, 2021 (the “Senior Notes”) between CPG International LLC and Wilmington Trust, National Association, as trustee.

The proceeds from borrowings under the amended Term Loan Agreement and the Senior Notes were used to (i) fund the acquisition of CPG International LLC and (ii) repay all amounts outstanding under the Company’s prior term loan agreement, prior notes and related fees.

During the year ended September 30, 2017, CPG International LLC amended and extended the maturity of the Term Loan Agreement. Financing fees of $3.3 million were incurred for the transaction, $1.5 million of which were capitalized and $1.8 million of which were recognized in interest expense. On June 18, 2018, in conjunction with the acquisition of Versatex the Term Loan Agreement was amended to increase the borrowing outstanding by $225.0 million. This amendment was accounted for as a modification. Financing fees of

 

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$6.7 million were incurred for the transaction, $5.7 million were capitalized and $1.0 million were recognized in Interest expense. Included in the $5.7 million of financing fees capitalized was an original issue discount of $0.6 million.

The Term Loan Agreement matures on the earlier of (i) May 5, 2024 and (ii) 181 days prior to the maturity of the Senior Notes. The Term Loan Agreement provides for interest on outstanding principal thereunder at a fluctuating rate, at CPG International LLC’s option, for (i) alternative base rate (“ABR”) borrowings, the highest of (a) the Federal Funds Rate as of such day plus 50 basis points, (b) the prime commercial lending rate announced as of such day by the Administrative Agent as defined in the Term Loan Agreement, as the “prime rate” as in effect on such day and (c) the LIBOR as of such day for a deposit in U.S. dollars with a maturity of one month plus 100 basis points, provided that in no event shall the ABR be less than 200 basis points, plus the applicable margin of 275 basis points per annum; or (ii) for Eurocurrency borrowings, the adjusted LIBOR of (a) the LIBOR in effect for such interest period divided by one, minus the statutory reserves applicable to such Eurocurrency borrowing, if any, and (b) 100 basis points, plus the applicable margin of 375 basis points per annum.

At March 31, 2020 and September 30, 2019, unamortized deferred financing fees related to the Term Loan Agreement consisted of $8.1 million and $9.1 million, respectively. The Term Loan Agreement may be voluntarily prepaid in whole, or in part, in each case without premium or penalty (other than the Prepayment Premium (as defined in the Term Loan Agreement), if applicable), subject to certain customary conditions.

The obligations under the Term Loan Agreement are secured by a first priority security interest in the membership interests of CPG International LLC owned by CPG Newco LLC, and substantially all of the present and future assets of the borrowers and guarantors including equity interests of their domestic subsidiaries, subject to certain exceptions, (the “Term Loan Priority Collateral”) and a second priority lien on current assets. The obligations under the Term Loan Agreement are guaranteed by the Company and the wholly owned domestic subsidiaries of CPG International LLC other than certain immaterial subsidiaries and other excluded subsidiaries.

The Term Loan Agreement requires mandatory prepayments of the term loans thereunder from certain debt issuances, certain asset dispositions (subject to certain reinvestment rights) and a percentage of excess cash flow (subject to step-downs upon CPG International LLC achieving certain leverage ratios). The estimated prepayment of excess cash flow was $6.4 million at September 30, 2019. The lenders do have the option to decline any prepayment based on excess cash flows. CPG International LLC is required to repay the outstanding principal amount under the Term Loan Agreement in quarterly installments equal to 0.25253% of the aggregate principal amount under the Term Loan Agreement outstanding on the amendment date of June 18, 2018 and such quarterly payments may be reduced as a result of prepayments. The Term Loan Agreement restricts payments of dividends unless certain conditions are met, as defined in the Term Loan Agreement.

Revolving Credit Facility Agreement

On March 9, 2017, CPG International LLC amended, restated and extended the maturity of the Revolving Credit Facility. The Revolving Credit Facility matures on the earlier of (i) March 9, 2022 and (ii) 91 days prior to the maturity of the Term Loan Agreement, or the maturity of the Senior Notes, whichever occurs first. The Revolving Credit Facility provides for maximum aggregate borrowings of up to $150.0 million, subject to an asset-based borrowing base. The borrowing base is limited to a set percentage of eligible accounts receivable and inventory, less reserves that may be established by the administrative agent and the collateral agent in the exercise of their reasonable credit judgment. On March 16, 2020, the Company borrowed $89.0 million under the Revolving Credit Facility to enhance financial flexibility in light of uncertainties resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic. The Company had a total of $129.0 million and zero outstanding borrowings under the Revolving Credit Facility as of March 31, 2020 and September 30, 2019, respectively. In addition, the Company had $5.0 million and $3.0 million of outstanding letters of credit held against the Revolving Credit Facility as of March 31, 2020 and September 30, 2019, respectively. Deferred financing costs, net of accumulated

 

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amortization, related to the Revolving Credit Facility at March 31, 2020 and September 30, 2019 were $0.7 million and $0.9 million, respectively. CPG International LLC had approximately $16.0 million available under the borrowing base for future borrowings as of March 31, 2020. CPG International LLC also has the option to increase the commitments under the Revolving Credit Agreement by up to $100.0 million, subject to certain conditions.

The Revolving Credit Facility provides for an interest rate on outstanding principal thereunder at a fluctuating rate, at CGP International LLC’s option, at (i) for ABR borrowings, the highest of (a) the Federal Funds Rate plus 50 basis points, (b) prime rate and (c) the LIBOR as of such date for a deposit in U.S. dollars with a maturity of one month plus 100 basis points, plus, in each case, a spread of 50 to 100 basis points, based on average historical availability, or (ii) for Eurocurrency borrowings adjusted LIBOR plus a spread of 150 to 200 basis points, based on average historical availability. A “commitment fee” accrues on any unused portion of the commitments under the Revolving Credit Facility during the preceding three calendar month period. If the average daily used percentage is greater than 50%, the commitment fee equals 25 basis points, and if the average daily used percentage is less than or equal to 50%, the commitment fee equals 37.5 basis points. The commitment fees expenses were $0.2 million and $0.3 million for the six months ended March 31, 2020 and 2019, respectively.

The obligations under the Revolving Credit Facility are guaranteed by CPG Newco LLC and its wholly owned domestic subsidiaries other than certain immaterial subsidiaries and other excluded subsidiaries. The obligations under the Revolving Credit Facility are secured by a first priority security interest in substantially all of the accounts receivable, inventory, deposit accounts, securities accounts and cash assets of CPG Newco LLC, CPG International LLC and the subsidiaries of CPG International LLC that are guarantors under the Revolving Credit Agreement, and the proceeds thereof (subject to certain exceptions) (the “Revolver Priority Collateral”), plus a second priority security interest in all of the Term Loan Priority Collateral. The Revolving Credit Facility may be voluntarily prepaid in whole, or in part, in each case without premium or penalty. CPG International LLC is also required to make mandatory prepayments (i) when aggregate borrowings exceed commitments or the applicable borrowing base and (ii) during “cash dominion,” which occurs if (a) the availability under the Revolving Credit Agreement is less than the greater of (i) $12.5 million and (ii) 10% of the lesser of (x) $150.0 million and (y) the borrowing base, for five consecutive business days or (b) certain events of default have occurred and are continuing.

The Revolving Credit Facility contains affirmative covenants that are customary for financings of this type,

including allowing the Revolver Administrative Agent to perform periodic field exams and appraisals to evaluate

the borrowing base. The Revolving Credit Facility contains various negative covenants, including limitations on,

subject to certain exceptions, the incurrence of indebtedness, the incurrence of liens, dispositions, investments,

acquisitions, restricted payments, transactions with affiliates, as well as other negative covenants customary for

financings of this type. The Revolving Credit Facility also includes a financial maintenance covenant, applicable

only when the excess availability is less than the greater of (i) 10% of the lesser of the aggregate commitments

under the Revolving Credit Facility and the borrowing base, and (ii) $12.5 million. In such circumstances, CPG

International LLC would be required to maintain a minimum fixed charge coverage ratio (as defined in the

Revolving Credit Facility) for the trailing four quarters equal to at least 1.0 to 1.0; subject to CPG International

LLC’s ability to make an equity cure (no more than twice in any four quarter period and up to five times over the

life of the facility). As of March 31, 2020, CPG International LLC was in compliance with the financial and nonfinancial covenants imposed by the Revolving Credit Facility. The Revolving Credit Facility also includes customary events of default, including the occurrence of a change of control.

Senior Notes

The Senior Notes were issued on September 30, 2013, in an aggregate principal amount of $315.0 million, and mature on October 1, 2021. The Senior Notes bear interest at the rate of 8.000% per annum payable in cash

 

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semi-annually in arrears on April 1 and October 1 of each year (computed based on a 360-day year of twelve 30-day months). The obligations under the Senior Notes are guaranteed by CPG International LLC and those of its subsidiaries that also guarantee the Revolving Credit Facility and the Term Loan Agreement. The redemption price of the Senior Notes (expressed as percentages of the principal amount to be redeemed) will decline to the par value of the Senior Notes, plus accrued and unpaid interest based on the following schedule. The Senior Notes may be redeemed in whole or in part, at any time after October 1, 2016 at the following redemption prices, if redeemed during the 12-month period beginning on October 1 of the years indicated below:

 

2016

     106.0

2017

     104.0

2018

     102.0

2019 and thereafter

     100.0

The Indenture relating to the Senior Notes contains negative covenants that are customary for financings of this type. The Indenture does not contain any financial maintenance covenants. As of September 30, 2019, CPG International LLC would have been in compliance with the negative covenants imposed by the Senior Notes and the Indenture. As of March 31, 2020, and September 30, 2019, the unamortized deferred financing fees related to the Senior Notes consisted of $2.1 million and $2.8 million, respectively.

The following table provides details of interest expense (in thousands):

 

     For the Six Months
Ended
 
     March 31,
2020
    March 31,
2019
 

Interest expense

    

Term Loan

   $ 24,356     $ 26,601  

Senior Notes

     12,600       12,600  

Revolving Credit Facility

     588       477  

Other

     774       693  

Amortization

    

Debt issue costs

    

Senior Notes

     704       704  

Term Loan

     990       990  

Revolving Credit Facility

     179       179  

Original issue discounts

     121       120  

Capitalized interest

     (578     (591
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total interest expense

   $ 39,374     $ 41,773  
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

See Note 10 for information pertaining to the fair value of the Company’s debt as of March 31, 2020 and September 30, 2019.

 

9.

PRODUCT WARRANTIES

The Company provides product assurance warranties of various lengths ranging from 5 years to lifetime for limited coverage for a variety of material and workmanship defects based on standard terms and conditions between the Company and its customers. Warranty coverage depends on the product involved.

 

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Warranty reserve activity consisted of the following (in thousands):

 

     Six Months Ended
March 31,
 
     2020     2019  

Beginning balance

   $ 11,133     $ 9,304  

Additions

     2,191       1,350  

Warranty claims payment

     (1,401     (967

Accretion—purchase accounting valuation

     61       137  
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Ending balance

     11,984       9,824  

Current portion of accrued warranty

     (3,090     (2,029
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Accrued warranty—less current portion

   $ 8,894     $ 7,795  
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

TimberTech Warranties and Related Indemnification

In connection with the acquisition of TimberTech on September 21, 2012 and the acquisition of CPG International LLC on September 30, 2013, the Company recognized the fair value of the related warranty liabilities calculated as the net present value of the expected costs to settle all future warranty claims for products sold prior to the acquisition dates. The Company records accretion expense in Cost of sales in the Condensed Consolidated Statement of Comprehensive Income (Loss) in order to increase the value of the liability to reflect the future value of the warranty claims when they are actually settled. In addition, the Company records estimated warranty claims obligations related to current sales on an ongoing basis for the TimberTech product line.

Pursuant to the TimberTech purchase agreement, the seller, Crane Group Companies Limited (“Crane”),

also agreed to indemnify the Company for claims made up to seven years after the acquisition date for the majority of the costs to settle warranty claims for certain identified problems related to two products which have exhibited a high number of claims related to scorching and fading defects. The products were produced between 2010 and 2011 and have not been sold by the Company since 2011. Similar to its recognition of the warranty liability, the Company recorded an indemnification receivable from Crane on the acquisition date equal to the fair value of the indemnification calculated as the net present value of the expected indemnification payments to be received in the future. At March 31, 2020 $1.9 million was classified as Other Current Assets. As of September 30, 2019, $1.3 million was classified as Other Current Assets and $0.5 million was classified as Other Assets (non-current). Due to a dispute by Crane of its ongoing obligations, the Company has a full reserve recorded against the amount receivable. The Company will continue to monitor the actual cost to settle warranty claims in the future and will make adjustments to the warranty liability and indemnification receivable if needed. The indemnification period expired on September 21, 2019. Crane disputes the scope of its past indemnification obligations and the Company cannot predict the outcome of the dispute. The Company may need to record additional charges to the Condensed Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Income (Loss) and the Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets related to the reserve and any obligations as a result of the indemnification dispute in future periods.

 

10.

FAIR VALUE OF FINANCIAL INSTRUMENTS

The fair value framework requires the categorization of assets and liabilities into three levels based upon the assumptions (inputs) used to price the assets or liabilities. Level 1 provides the most reliable measure of fair value, whereas Level 3 generally requires significant management judgment.

Financial instruments with a fair value that approximates carrying value—The carrying amounts of cash and cash equivalents, trade receivables and payables, as well as financial instruments included in other current assets and other current liabilities, approximate fair values because of their short-term maturities.

 

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Financial instruments with a fair value different from carrying value—The Company has, where appropriate, estimated the fair value of financial instruments for which the amortized cost carrying value may be significantly different than the fair value. As of March 31, 2020, and September 30, 2019, these instruments include the outstanding debt. As described in Note 8 Debt, the Company records debt at amortized cost. The carrying values and the estimated fair values of our debt financial instruments (Level 2 measurements) were as follows (in thousands):

 

     March 31, 2020      September 30, 2019  
     Carrying
Value
     Estimated
Fair Value
     Carrying
Value
     Estimated
Fair Value
 

Term Loan Agreement due May 5, 2024

   $ 804,345      $ 663,585      $ 808,507      $ 804,464  

Senior Notes due October 1, 2021

     315,000        308,700        315,000        315,000  

Revolving Credit Facility, expires March 9, 2022

     129,000        129,000        —          —    

The fair values of the debt instruments were determined using trading prices between qualified institutional buyers; therefore, the Senior Notes are classified as Level 2.

In connection with the acquisition of Ultralox on December 20, 2017, the Company provided a contingent payment to the employees of Ultralox. The contingent payment was based on achievement of a minimum EBITDA amount and a multiple of EBITDA, for EBITDA exceeding a higher threshold for calendar year 2018. Based on the formula, the potential minimum of the contingent payment was zero and the potential maximum was $30.0 million. During the six months ended March 31, 2019, the Company paid the former owners of Ultralox $2.0 million as partial settlement of the original contingent liability. At the acquisition date, the fair value was estimated to be $5.3 million. Of the fair value, $2.8 million is accounted for as contingent consideration in conjunction with the acquisition related to the non-employee owners, and the remaining $2.5 million (which was subsequently adjusted downward to $0.9 million due to changes in the estimated fair value of the contingent payment) was recognized as compensation expense from date of acquisition through June 30, 2018 related to the employee owners, who forfeit their share of the contingent payment if not employed through that date.

The contingent payment made was based on achievement of a minimum EBITDA amount and a multiple of EBITDA, for EBITDA exceeding a higher threshold for calendar 2018. The Company classified the contingent liability as Level 3, due to the lack of observable inputs. Significant assumptions made by the Company included a central estimate of EBITDA and EBITDA volatility of 39%. Changes in assumptions could have an impact on the payout of the contingent consideration payout amount.

During the six months ended March 31, 2019, the Company amended the earnout agreement to include two additional payments totaling $3.4 million to the former owners of Ultralox that are contingent upon the employee

owners continued employment through December 31, 2018 and 2019. These additional earnout payments will be recognized as compensation expense over the required employment periods, because they are contingent upon future service from the date of the amendment. During the six months ended March 31, 2020, the Company paid the remaining $1.7 million as settlement of the amended earnout agreement. At March 31, 2020 and September 30, 2019, the contingent payment liability was zero and $1.3 million, respectively, and is recorded in Accrued expenses and other liabilities in the Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets.

 

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The following table provides a roll-forward of the aggregate fair value of the contingent consideration and compensation expense categorized as Level 3 (in thousands): 

 

     Six Months Ended
March 31,
 
     2020     2019  

Beginning balance

   $ 1,303     $ 1,900  

Change in fair value of contingent consideration

     —         53  

Contingent payment

     (1,675     (3,675

Contingent payment recognized as compensation expense

     372       2,280  
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Ending balance

   $ —       $ 558  
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

For the six months ended March 31, 2020 and 2019, the estimated contingent payment recognized as compensation expense of $0.4 and $2.3 million, respectively, and was included in Non-cash compensation expense in the Condensed Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows.

 

11.

SEGMENTS

Operating segments for the Company are determined based on information used by the chief operating decision maker (“CODM”) in deciding how to evaluate performance and allocate resources to each of the segments. The CODM reviews Adjusted EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA Margin as the key segment measures of performance. Adjusted EBITDA is defined as segment operating income (loss) plus depreciation and amortization, adjusted and by adding thereto or subtracting therefrom share-based compensation costs, business transformation costs, acquisition costs, and certain other costs. Adjusted EBITDA Margin is defined as Adjusted EBITDA divided by Net Sales.

The Company has two reportable segments, Residential and Commercial. The reportable segments were determined primarily based on products and end markets as follows:

 

   

Residential—The Residential segment manufactures and distributes decking, rail, trim and accessories through a national network of dealers and distributors and multiple home improvement retailers providing extensive geographic coverage enabling the Company to effectively serve contractors. The additions of Ultralox and Versatex are complementary to the Residential segment railing and trim businesses, respectively. The recent addition of Return Polymers provides a full-service recycled PVC material processing, sourcing, logistical support, and scrap management programs. This segment is impacted by trends in and the strength of home repair and remodel activity.

 

   

Commercial—The Commercial segment manufactures, fabricates and distributes resin based extruded sheeting products for a variety of commercial and industrial applications through a widespread distribution network as well as directly to original equipment manufacturers. This segment includes Scranton Products which manufactures lockers and partitions and Vycom which manufactures resin based sheeting products. This segment is impacted by trends in and the strength of the new construction sector.

 

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The segment data below includes data for Residential and Commercial for the six months ended March 31, 2020 and 2019:

 

     For the Six Months
Ended
 
     March 31,
2020
    March 31,
2019
 

Net sales to customers

    

Residential

   $ 345,915     $ 293,888  

Commercial

     65,713       63,474  
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total

   $ 411,628     $ 357,362  
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Adjusted EBITDA

    

Residential

   $ 101,975     $ 80,728  

Commercial

     5,901       7,483  
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total Adjusted EBITDA for reporting segments

   $ 107,876     $ 88,211  

Unallocated net expenses

     (18,252     (13,917

Adjustments to Income (loss) before income tax provision

    

Depreciation and amortization

     (48,628     (46,391

Share-based compensation costs

     (1,845     (2,020

Business transformation costs(1)

     (326     (9,777

Acquisition costs(2)

     (1,356     (3,135

Initial public offering costs

     (5,093     (4,158

Other costs(3)

           7,101  

Interest expense

     (39,734     (41,773
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Income (loss) before income taxes

   $ (7,358   $ (25,859
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

 

(1)

Business transformation costs reflect consulting and other costs related to repositioning of brands of $0.0 million and $3.2 million for the six months ended March 31, 2020 and 2019, respectively, compensation costs related to the transformation of the senior management team of $0.3 million and $1.7 million for the six months ended March 31, 2020 and 2019, respectively, and other integration-related costs of and $0.0 million and $4.9 million for the six months ended March 31, 2020 and 2019, respectively.

(2)

Acquisition costs reflect costs directly related to completed acquisitions of $1.4 million and $3.1 million, respectively for the six months ended March 31, 2020 and 2019 .

(3)

Other costs reflect costs for legal defense of $0.0 million and $0.6 million for the six months ended March 31, 2020 and 2019, respectively, and income from an insurance recovery of legal loss of $0.0 million and $7.7 million for the six months ended March 31, 2020 and 2019.

 

12.

SHARE-BASED COMPENSATION

AOT Building Products, L.P. (the “Partnership”) has granted Profits Interests to employees and certain directors of the Company (“Management Limited Partners”) through an LP Interest Agreement in accordance with the Limited Partnership Agreement of the Partnership dated September 30, 2013 (the “Limited Partnership Agreement”). The Limited Partnership Agreement allows the board of directors of the general partner of the Partnership to make grant interests in the Partnership to eligible individuals. Awards that may be issued include common partnership interests, time vested Profits Interests and performance vested Profits Interests.

The Partnership interests enhance the Company’s ability to attract, retain, incentivize and motivate employees and to promote the success of the Company’s business by providing such participating individuals with a proprietary interest in the appreciation of value of the Partnership. The total number of Profit Interests that may be awarded under the Partnership agreement was 77,027 as of March 31, 2020. The Profit Interests are classified as equity awards in accordance with ASC 718 Compensation—Stock Compensation.

 

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The Plan provides for half of the grants as time vested Profits Interests and the other half as performance vested Profits Interests. In the case of the performance vested Profits Interests, this is further delineated into two tranches with individual performance criteria.

Profits Interests compensation expense related to the time vested Profits Interests awards was $1.4 million and $1.9 million for the six months ended March 31, 2020 and 2019, respectively. As of March 31, 2020, unrecognized compensation related to non-vested time vested Profits Interests was $6.8 million and expense will be recognized over the remaining weighted-average vesting period of 2.9 years.

Since there has been no change in control of the Company, there have been no Profits Interests-based compensation expense recorded related to the performance vested Profits Interests. As of March 31, 2020, unrecognized compensation related to non-vested performance vested Profits Interests was $10.9 million.

Additionally, during the six months ended March 31, 2019 the Company granted certain awards that have similar performance criteria to the performance vested Profits Interests. As the performance criteria were not met, compensation expense was not recognized. The aggregate value as of March 31, 2020 of these awards was $4.1 million.

 

13.

INCOME TAXES

The Company calculates the interim tax provision in accordance with the provisions of ASC 740-270, Income Taxes- Interim Reporting. For interim periods, the Company estimates the annual effective income tax rate (“AETR”) and applies the estimated rate to the year-to-date income or loss before income taxes. The effective income tax rates for the six months ended March 31, 2020 and 2019 was 21.7% and 19.6%, respectively.

The Company adopted ASU No. 2016-16, Income Taxes (Topic 740): Intra-Entity Transfers of Assets Other Than Inventory, on October 1, 2019. The updated guidance requires companies to recognize the income tax consequences of an intra-entity transfer of an asset other than inventory when the transfer occurs. Income tax effects of intra-entity transfers of inventory will continue to be deferred until the inventory has been sold to a third party. The adoption of this standard did not have a material impact on the Company’s Consolidated Financial Statements.

 

14.

COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES

Lease Commitments

The Company leases vehicles, machinery and a manufacturing facility under various capital leases. The Company also leases office equipment, vehicles and manufacturing and office facilities under various operating leases.

In 2018, the Company entered into a lease agreement for its corporate headquarters in Chicago, IL. The Company was responsible for costs to build out the office space and spent approximately $3.4 million in improvements to meet the Company’s needs. Based on the lease agreement and the changes made to the office space the Company concluded that it was the “deemed owner” of the building (for accounting purposes only) during the construction period. The Company recorded the build out costs as an asset with a corresponding build-to-suit liability while the building was under construction. Upon completion of the improvements to the building, the Company evaluated the derecognition of the asset and liability under the provisions of ASC 840-40, Leases—Sale-Leaseback Transactions. The Company determined that the lease does not meet the criteria for sale-leaseback accounting treatment, due to the continuing involvement in the project. As a result, the building is being accounted for as a financing obligation. The underlying assets amount to approximately $9.2 million. The

 

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Company determined its incremental borrowing rate for the purpose of calculating the interest and principal components of each lease payment which was 8.4%.

Future minimum annual payments under noncancelable leases with initial or remaining noncancelable lease terms as of March 31, 2020 was as follows (in thousands):

 

     Capital     Financing      Operating  

Remaining period of 2020

   $ 826     $ 377      $ 827  

2021

     1,622       769        1,490  

2022

     1,451       788        1,115  

2023

     1,026       808        887  

2024

     648       827        521  

Thereafter

     2,789       4,607        155  
  

 

 

   

 

 

    

 

 

 

Total Payments

     8,362     $ 8,176      $ 4,995  
    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Less: amount representing interest

     (4,220     
  

 

 

      

Present value of minimum capital lease payments

   $ 4,142       
  

 

 

      

Total rent expense was approximately $0.7 million and $0.9 million in the six months ended March 31, 2020 and 2019, respectively. The future minimum sublease income under a noncancelable sublease was $1.0 million at March 31, 2020.

Legal Proceedings

In the normal course of the Company’s business, it is at times subject to pending and threatened legal actions, in some cases for which the relief or damages sought may be substantial. Although the Company is not able to predict the outcome of such actions, after reviewing all pending and threatened actions with counsel and based on information currently available, management believes that the outcome of such actions, individually or in the aggregate, will not have a material adverse effect on the Company’s results of operations or financial position. However, it is possible that the ultimate resolution of such matters, if unfavorable, may be material to the Company’s results of operations in a particular future period as the time and amount of any resolution of such actions and its relationship to the future results of operations are not currently known. The Company accrues for losses when they are probable of occurrence and such losses are reasonably estimable. Legal costs expected to be incurred are accounted for as they are incurred.

Loss Contingencies

On June 18, 2018, the Company acquired Versatex. In connection with a contingent liability assumed by the Company in the acquisition, the Company recorded a contingent liability of $5.8 million as a measurement period adjustment to the opening balance sheet related to the assumption of a contingency related to an automobile accident involving a Versatex employee prior to the acquisition. During 2019, the case was in discovery and has progressed to settlement discussions. As such, the Company recorded a $5.8 million accrual and a $5.8 million contingent insurance recovery as the insurance carrier verified the loss was covered under the related automobile insurance policy. Both the reserve and the recovery receivable were recorded in the opening balance sheet, as the liability and recovery was known at the date of the acquisition. There was no impact to the Consolidated Statement of Comprehensive Income (Loss) during the year ended September 30, 2018. The contingent liability is classified as Accrued expenses and other liabilities, and the contingent receivable is classified as Other current assets in the Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets as of March 31, 2020 and September 30, 2019.

 

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During the year ended September 30, 2019, the Company was made aware of a worker’s compensation case that became reasonably possible to give rise to a liability. The case is in discovery as the nature and extent of the Company’s exposure is currently being determined. The Company expects a range of loss of $0.4 million to $0.5 million. As of March 31, 2020, there are various other worker’s compensation and personal injury claims that have been made against the Company. All such claims are being contested and the Company does not believe a loss is probable; therefore, no reserve has been recorded related to these matters. In addition, the Company carries insurance for these types of matters and is expecting to recover thereon.

The Company is a party to various legal proceedings and claims, which arise in the ordinary course of business. As of March 31, 2020, the Company determined that there was not at least a reasonable possibility that it had incurred a material loss, or a material loss in excess of a recorded accrual, with respect to such proceedings.

Gain Contingency

During the six months ended March 31, 2018, the Company paid a litigation settlement of $7.5 million. The Company filed claims under its insurance policies to recover the loss and legal defense costs. During the six months ended March 31, 2019, the Company received $7.7 million as settlement of its claims under the specialty insurance policies. The settlement of $7.7 million was included in operating income for the three and six months ended March 31, 2019.

 

15.

CONDENSED FINANCIAL INFORMATION OF REGISTRANT (PARENT COMPANY ONLY)

CPG Newco LLC (parent company only)

Condensed Balance Sheets

 

(U.S. dollars in thousands, except unit amounts)    March 31,
2020
    September 30,
2019
 
ASSETS:     

Non-current assets:

    

Investment in subsidiaries

   $ 485,406     $ 490,023  
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total non-current assets

     485,406       490,023  
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total assets

   $ 485,406     $ 490,023  
  

 

 

   

 

 

 
LIABILITIES AND MEMBER’S EQUITY:     

Total liabilities

   $ —       $ —    
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Member’s equity:

    

1 Class A Common unit authorized, issued and outstanding at March 31, 2020 and September 30, 2019, respectively

     —         —    

Additional paid-in capital

     652,406       652,601  

Accumulated deficit

     (167,000     (162,578
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total member’s equity

     485,406       490,023  
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total liabilities and member’s equity

   $ 485,406     $ 490,023  
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

 

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CPG Newco LLC (parent company only)

Condensed Statements of Comprehensive Income (Loss)

 

     Six Months Ended
March 31,
 
(U.S. dollars in thousands)    2020     2019  

Net income (loss) of subsidiaries

   $ (5,758   $ (20,787
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Net income (loss) of subsidiaries

   $ (5,758   $ (20,787
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Comprehensive income (loss)

   $ (5,758   $ (20,787
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

CPG Newco LLC did not have any cash as of March 31, 2020 or September 30, 2019, and accordingly a Condensed Statement of Cash Flows has not been presented.

Basis of Presentation

The parent company financial statements should be read in conjunction with the Company’s Consolidated Financial Statements and the accompanying notes thereto. For purposes of this condensed financial information, the Company’s wholly owned and majority owned subsidiaries are recorded based upon its proportionate share of the subsidiaries’ net assets (similar to presenting them on the equity method).

Since the restricted net assets of CPG Newco LLC and its subsidiaries exceed 25% of the consolidated net assets of the Company and its subsidiaries, the accompanying condensed parent company financial statements have been prepared in accordance with Rule 12-04, Schedule 1 of Regulation S-X. This information should be read in conjunction with the accompanying Consolidated Financial Statements.

Dividends from Subsidiaries

There were no cash dividends paid to CPG Newco LLC from the Company’s consolidated subsidiaries during the six months ended March 31, 2020 and 2019.

Restricted Payments

CPG International LLC is party to the Revolving Credit Facility and Term Loan Agreement originally executed on September 30, 2013, both of which have been amended and extended from time to time. The obligations under the Revolving Credit Facility and Term Loan Agreement are secured by substantially all of the present and future assets of the borrowers and guarantors, including equity interests of their domestic subsidiaries, subject to certain exceptions.

The obligations under the Revolving Credit Facility and Term Loan Agreement are guaranteed by the Company and its wholly owned domestic subsidiaries other than certain immaterial subsidiaries and other excluded subsidiaries. CPG International LLC is not permitted to make certain payments unless those payments are consistent with exceptions outlined in the agreements. These payments include repurchase of equity interests, fees associated with a public offering, income taxes due and other applicable payments. Further, the payments are only permitted if certain conditions are met related to availability and fixed charge coverage as defined in the Revolving Credit Facility and described in Note 8 to these Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements.

 

16.

SUBSEQUENT EVENTS

The financial statements of CPG Newco LLC are substantially comprised of the financial statements of CPG International LLC, which issued its quarterly Consolidated Financial Statements on May 13, 2020. Accordingly, the Company has evaluated transactions for consideration as recognized subsequent events in the quarterly

 

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Consolidated Financial Statements through May 13, 2020. Additionally, the Company has evaluated transactions that occurred as of the issuance of these Consolidated Financial Statements on May 28, 2020 for the purpose of disclosure of unrecognized subsequent events and determined there were no other events or transactions that require recognition or disclosure in these financial statements.

On May 7, 2020, the Company issued a redemption notice for the $315.0 million of 8.000% Senior Notes due 2021 for redemption on June 6, 2020. Additionally, on May 12, 2020, the Company issued $350.0 million of 9.500% Senior Notes with a maturity of May 15, 2025 and simultaneously satisfied and discharged its obligations with respect to the 8.000% Senior Notes due 2021. The Company used the proceeds of the $350.0 million Senior Notes offering to redeem the $315.0 million Senior Notes and to repay $15.0 million of the outstanding principal amount under the Revolving Credit Agreement and other general corporate purposes.

 

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Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

To the Board of Directors and Member of CPG Newco LLC

Opinion on the Financial Statements

We have audited the accompanying consolidated balance sheets of CPG Newco LLC and its subsidiaries (the “Company”) as of September 30, 2019 and 2018, and the related consolidated statements of comprehensive income (loss), of member’s equity and of cash flows for the years then ended, including the related notes (collectively referred to as the “consolidated financial statements”). In our opinion, the consolidated financial statements present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position of the Company as of September 30, 2019 and 2018, and the results of its operations and its cash flows for the years then ended in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America.

Basis for Opinion

These consolidated financial statements are the responsibility of the Company’s management. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on the Company’s consolidated financial statements based on our audits. We are a public accounting firm registered with the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States) (PCAOB) and are required to be independent with respect to the Company in accordance with the U.S. federal securities laws and the applicable rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission and the PCAOB.

We conducted our audits of these consolidated financial statements in accordance with the standards of the PCAOB. Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the consolidated financial statements are free of material misstatement, whether due to error or fraud.

Our audits included performing procedures to assess the risks of material misstatement of the consolidated financial statements, whether due to error or fraud, and performing procedures that respond to those risks. Such procedures included examining, on a test basis, evidence regarding the amounts and disclosures in the consolidated financial statements. Our audits also included evaluating the accounting principles used and significant estimates made by management, as well as evaluating the overall presentation of the consolidated financial statements. We believe that our audits provide a reasonable basis for our opinion.

/s/PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP

Chicago, Illinois

December 23, 2019

We have served as the Company or its predecessor’s auditor since 2010.

 

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CPG Newco LLC

Consolidated Balance Sheets

(In thousands, except number of units)

 

     As of September 30,  
     2019     2018  

ASSETS

    

Current assets:

    

Cash and cash equivalents

   $ 105,947     $ 82,283  

Trade receivables, net of allowances

     52,623       43,992  

Inventories

     115,391       110,899  

Prepaid expenses

     6,037       5,206  

Other current assets

     10,592       6,289  
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total current assets

     290,590       248,669  

Property, plant and equipment, net

     208,694       180,821  

Goodwill

     944,298       944,298  

Intangible assets, net

     342,418       402,622  

Deferred financing costs, net

     865       1,222  

Other assets

     1,398       1,548  
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total assets

   $ 1,788,263     $ 1,779,180  
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

LIABILITIES AND MEMBER’S EQUITY

    

Current liabilities:

    

Accounts payable

   $ 47,479     $ 35,877  

Accrued rebates

     22,733       19,756  

Accrued interest

     13,578       13,166  

Current portion of long-term debt

     8,304       8,304  

Accrued expenses and other liabilities

     47,903       32,696  
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total current liabilities

     139,997       109,799  

Deferred income taxes, net

     34,003       39,474  

Finance obligations—less current portion

     11,181       8,405  

Long-term debt—less current portion

     1,103,313       1,107,989  

Other non-current liabilities

     9,746       7,960  
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total liabilities

     1,298,240       1,273,627  

Commitments and contingencies (Note 15)

    

Member’s equity:

    

1 common unit authorized, issued and outstanding at September 30, 2019 and 2018, respectively

   $ —       $ —    

Additional paid-in capital

     652,601       648,129  

Accumulated deficit

     (162,578     (142,576
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total member’s equity

     490,023       505,553  
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total liabilities and member’s equity

   $ 1,788,263     $ 1,779,180  
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

See the accompanying notes which are an integral part of these Consolidated Financial Statements.

 

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CPG Newco LLC

Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Income (Loss)

(In thousands, except common unit amounts and number of common units)

 

     Years Ended September 30,  
             2019                     2018          

Net sales

   $ 794,203     $ 681,805  

Cost of sales

     (541,006     (479,769
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Gross profit

     253,197       202,036  

Selling, general and administrative expenses

     (183,572     (144,688

Other general expenses

     (9,076     (4,182

Loss on disposal of property, plant and equipment

     (1,495     (791
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Operating income (loss)

     59,054       52,375  
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Other expenses:

    

Interest expense

     (83,205     (68,742
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total other expenses

     (83,205     (68,742
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Income (loss) before income taxes

     (24,151     (16,367

Income tax benefit

     3,955       23,112  
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Net income (loss)

   $ (20,196   $ 6,745  
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Comprehensive income (loss)

   $ (20,196   $ 6,745  
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Basic and diluted earnings (loss) attributable to unit outstanding

   $ (20,196   $ 6,745  
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Basic and diluted weighted-average unit outstanding

     1       1  
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

See the accompanying notes which are an integral part of these Consolidated Financial Statements.

 

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CPG Newco LLC

Consolidated Statements of Member’s Equity

(In thousands, except number of common units)

 

     Common Units              
     Units
Outstanding
     No
Par
Value
     Additional
Paid-In
Capital
    Accumulated
Deficit
    Total
Member’s
Equity
 

Balance—September 30, 2017

                 1                —        $ 605,694     $ (149,321   $ 456,373  
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Net income (loss)

     —          —          —         6,745       6,745  

Capital contribution

     —          —          40,000       —         40,000  

Non-cash equity contribution

     —          —          2,475       —         2,475  

Capital redemption

     —             (2,694     —         (2,694

Share-based compensation

     —          —          2,654       —         2,654  
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Balance—September 30, 2018

     1        —        $ 648,129     $ (142,576   $ 505,553  
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Adoption of ASU 2014-09

     —          —          —         194       194  

Net income (loss)

     —          —          —         (20,196     (20,196

Capital contribution

     —          —          1,311       —         1,311  

Capital redemption

     —          —          (101     —         (101

Share-based compensation

     —          —          3,262       —         3,262  
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Balance—September 30, 2019

                 1                —        $ 652,601     $ (162,578   $ 490,023  
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

See the accompanying notes which are an integral part of these Consolidated Financial Statements.

 

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CPG Newco LLC

Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows

(In thousands)

 

     Year Ended September 30,  
             2019                     2018          

Operating activities:

    

Net income (loss)

   $ (20,196   $ 6,745  

Adjustments to reconcile net income (loss) to net cash flows provided by operating activities:

    

Depreciation

     33,703       26,293  

Amortization of intangibles

     60,226       51,372  

Non-cash interest expense

     3,986       3,339  

Deferred income tax benefit

     (5,321     (24,125

Non-cash compensation expense

     4,564       3,542  

Fair value adjustment for contingent consideration

     53       (1,810

Loss on disposition of property, plant and equipment

     1,495       791  

Changes in certain assets and liabilities:

    

Trade receivables

     (8,632     2,387  

Inventories

     (4,492     953  

Prepaid expenses and other current assets

     (4,550     3,460  

Accounts payable

     11,679       4,398  

Accrued expenses and interest

     20,376       (12,839

Other assets and liabilities

     1,981       2,796  
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities

     94,872       67,302  
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Investing activities:

    

Purchases of property, plant and equipment

     (63,006     (42,758

Proceeds from sale of property, plant and equipment

     71       60  

Acquisitions, net of cash received

     —         (292,984
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities

     (62,935     (335,682
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Financing activities:

    

Proceeds under revolving credit facility

     40,000       30,000  

Payments under revolving credit facility

     (40,000     (30,000

Proceeds from long-term debt

     —         224,438  

Payments on long-term debt

     (8,304     (7,167

Payments of financing fees

     —         (5,179

Proceeds (repayments) of financing obligations

     1,405       (656

Payments of IPO related costs

     (584     —    

Payment of contingent consideration

     (2,000     —    

Redemption of capital contribution by member

     (101     (2,694

Capital contribution from equity member

     1,311       40,000  
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities

     (8,273     248,742  
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents

     23,664       (19,638

Cash and cash equivalents—beginning of period

     82,283       101,921  
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Cash and cash equivalents—end of period

   $ 105,947     $ 82,283  
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Supplemental cash flow disclosure:

    

Cash paid for interest, net of amounts capitalized

   $ 78,807     $ 65,050  

Cash paid for income taxes, net of refunds

     1,252       622  

Supplemental non-cash investing and financing disclosure:

    

Capital expenditures in accounts payable at end of period

   $ 3,674     $ 4,983  

Non-cash equity contribution

     —         2,475  

Property, plant and equipment acquired under finance obligations

     1,637       7,045  

See the accompanying notes which are an integral part of these Consolidated Financial Statements.

 

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CPG Newco LLC

NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

 

1.

DESCRIPTION OF BUSINESS

We currently operate as a Delaware limited liability company under the name CPG Newco LLC, a holding company which holds all of the limited liability company interests in CPG International LLC, the entity which directly and indirectly holds all of the equity interests in our operating subsidiaries. The Company is a leading manufacturer of premium, low-maintenance building products for residential and commercial markets. The Company’s products include trim, deck, porch, moulding, rail, pavers, bathroom and locker systems, as well as extruded plastic sheet products and other non-fabricated products for special applications. The Company operates in various locations throughout the United States.

The single common interest unit in the Company is held by CPG Holdco LLC and there are no potentially dilutive securities at the CPG Newco LLC level. Accordingly, basic and diluted earnings per unit presented on the Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Income (Loss) as of September 30, 2019 and 2018 are the same. References to “CPG”, “the Company”, “we”, “our” and “us” refer to CPG Newco LLC and its consolidated subsidiaries as a whole.

Documentation was filed in Pennsylvania, Ohio, Delaware and Connecticut allowing CPG International LLC to conduct business as The AZEK Company LLC beginning on January 8, 2018. AZEK is a brand name for the Company’s residential products, while the commercial products are branded under the brand names Celtec, Playboard, Seaboard, Flametec, Designboard, Cortec, Sanatec, Scranton Products, Aria Partitions, Eclipse Partitions, Hiny Hiders, Tufftec Lockers and Duralife Lockers. The Company’s legal name and tax identification number did not change. The Company was formed in Delaware on August 15, 2013.

 

2.

SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES

Basis of Presentation

The Company operates on a fiscal year ending September 30. The accompanying Consolidated Financial Statements and accompanying notes have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States (“GAAP”). The Company’s Consolidated Financial Statements include all of the assets, liabilities and results of operations of the Company’s subsidiaries. All inter-company balances and transactions have been eliminated in the Consolidated Financial Statements.

Revision of Previously Reported Financial Information

In connection with the preparation of the Consolidated Financial Statements for the years ended September 30, 2019, and 2018, the Company identified errors in the previously issued Consolidated Financial Statements related to the accounting for the timing of the recognition of a build-to-suit lease, builder rewards and rebate expenses.

The Company believes that the errors are not material to any prior annual or interim periods and have revised the previously issued Consolidated Financial Statements and other consolidated financial information included herein. See Note 18 in these accompanying notes for additional information.

Use of Estimates

The preparation of financial statements in conformity with GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the Consolidated Financial Statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period. Significant estimates include revenue recognition, reserves for excess inventory, inventory obsolescence, product warranties, customer rebates, equity-based compensation, litigation, income taxes, contingent consideration, goodwill and intangible asset valuation, and accounting for long-lived assets. Management’s estimates and assumptions are evaluated on an ongoing basis and are based on historical

 

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experience, current conditions and available information. It is at least reasonably possible that actual results may differ from estimated amounts. Estimates are revised as additional information becomes available.

Seasonality

Although the Company generally has demand for its products throughout the year, its sales have historically experienced some seasonality. The Company has typically experienced higher levels of sales of its residential products in the second fiscal quarter of the year as a result of its “early buy” sales, which encourages dealers to stock its residential products. The Company has generally experienced lower levels of sales of residential products in the first fiscal quarter due to adverse weather conditions in certain markets during the winter season. Although its products can be installed year-round, weather conditions can impact the timing of the sales of certain products. In addition, the Company has experienced higher levels of sales of its bathroom partition products and its locker products during the second half of its fiscal year, which includes the summer months when schools are typically closed and therefore are more likely to undergo remodel activities.

Change in Accounting Principle—Revenue Recognition

The Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) issued Accounting Standard Update (“ASU”) No. 2014-09, Revenue from Contracts with Customers (Topic 606) (referred to herein as “Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC”) 606”, “ASC 606” or “Topic 606”) in May 2014. The standard includes a five-step model for contracts with customers as follows:

 

   

Identify the contract with a customer;

 

   

Identify the performance obligations in the contract;

 

   

Determine the transaction price, which is the total consideration provided by the customer;

 

   

Allocate the transaction price among the separate performance obligations within the contract; and

 

   

Recognize revenue when the performance obligations are satisfied.

On October 1, 2018, the Company early adopted ASC 606, using the modified retrospective method with an adjustment to the opening balance of equity of $0.2 million, due to the cumulative impact of adopting Topic 606. The adoption of ASC 606 did not have a material impact on the Consolidated Financial Statements, and the Company did not restate comparative period amounts. Therefore, the comparative information continues to be reported under ASC 605, Revenue Recognition.

The Company sells its products to residential and commercial markets. The Company’s Residential segment principally generates revenue from the manufacture and sale of its premium, low-maintenance composite decking, railing, trim, moulding, pavers products and accessories. The Company’s Commercial segment generates revenue from the sale of its partition and locker systems along with plastic sheeting and other non-fabricated products for special applications in industrial markets.

The Company recognizes revenues when control of the promised goods is transferred to the Company’s customers in an amount that reflects the consideration the Company expects to be entitled to in exchange for those goods, at a point in time, when shipping occurs. Each product the Company transfers to the customer is considered one performance obligation. The Company has elected to account for shipping and handling costs as activities to fulfill the promise to transfer the goods. As a result of this accounting policy election, the Company does not consider shipping and handling activities as promised services to its customers. Shipping and handling costs billed to customers are recorded in net sales. The Company includes all shipping and handling costs as “Cost of sales”.

Customer contracts are typically fixed price and short-term in nature. The transaction price is based on the product specifications and is determined at the time of order. The Company does not engage in contracts greater

 

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than one year, and therefore does not have any incremental costs capitalized as of September 30, 2019. The Company may offer various sales incentive programs throughout the year. It estimates the amount of sales incentive to allocate to each performance obligation, or product shipped, using the most-likely-amount method of estimation, based on sales to the direct customer or sell-through customer. The estimate is updated each reporting period and any changes are allocated to the performance obligations on the same basis as at inception. Changes in estimate allocated to a previously satisfied performance obligation are recognized as part of net revenue in the period in which the change occurs under the cumulative catch-up method. In addition to sales incentive programs, the Company may offer a payment discount, if payments are received within 30 days. The Company estimates the payment discount that it believes will be taken by the customer based on prior history and using the most-likely-amount method of estimation. The Company believes the most-likely-amount method best predicts the amount of consideration to which it will be entitled. The payment discounts are also reflected as part of net revenue. The total amount of incentives was $50.8 million and $42.4 million for the years ended September 30, 2019 and 2018, respectively.

The Company records deferred revenue when cash payments are received or due in advance of the Company’s performance.

Change in Accounting Principle—Measurement Date for Conducting Annual Goodwill Impairment Test

During fiscal 2019, the Company changed the annual impairment assessment date as a result of management’s improvements to the budgeting process from August 1st from September 30th. This change was determined to be immaterial to the financial statements.

Advertising Costs

Advertising costs primarily relate to trade publication advertisements, cooperative advertising, product brochures and samples. Such costs are expensed as incurred and are included in “Selling, general and administrative expenses”. Total advertising expenses were approximately $41.7 million and $31.7 million for the years ended September 30, 2019 and 2018, respectively.

Research and Development Costs

Research and development costs primarily relate to new product development, product claims support and manufacturing process improvements. Such costs are expensed as incurred and are included in “Selling, general and administrative expenses”. Total research and development expenses were approximately $8.0 million and $6.5 million for the years ended September 30, 2019 and 2018, respectively.

Cash and Cash Equivalents

The Company considers cash and highly liquid investments with an original maturity of three months or less to be cash and cash equivalents. Cash and cash equivalents are stated at cost, which approximates or equals fair value due to their short-term nature.

Concentrations and Credit Risk

The Company’s financial instruments that are exposed to concentrations of credit risk consist primarily of cash and cash equivalents and trade accounts receivable. As of September 30, 2019, cash and cash equivalents were maintained at major financial institutions in the United States, and current deposits are in excess of insured limits. The Company believes these institutions have sufficient assets and liquidity to conduct their operations in the ordinary course of business with little or no credit risk to the Company. The Company has not experienced any losses in such accounts.

 

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Sales to certain Residential segment distributors accounted for 10% or more of the Company’s total net sales in 2019 and 2018 as follows:

 

     Percent of Consolidated Net Sales  
     Years Ended September 30,  
     2019     2018  

Distributor A

     19.8     21.2
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

At September 30, 2019 and 2018, no customers accounted for 10% or more of gross trade receivables.

For each year ended September 30, 2019 and 2018 approximately 17% and 14%, respectively, of the Company’s materials purchases were purchased from its largest supplier.

Allowance for Doubtful Accounts

The Company routinely assesses the financial strength of its customers and believes that its trade receivables credit risk exposure is limited. An allowance for doubtful accounts is provided for known and anticipated credit losses and disputed amounts, as determined by management in the course of regularly evaluating individual customer receivables. This evaluation takes into consideration a customer’s financial condition and credit history, as well as current economic conditions. Amounts are written-off if and when they are determined to be uncollectible. The allowance for doubtful accounts activity for the years ended September 30, 2019 and 2018, was as follows:

 

     As of September 30,  
(In thousands)    2019      2018  

Beginning balance

   $ 1,230      $ 1,048  

Bad debt expense

     383        176  

Decrease due to write-offs

     (709      (89

Addition related to acquisitions

     —          95  
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

Ending balance

   $ 904      $ 1,230  
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

Inventories

Inventories (mainly petrochemical resin in raw materials and finished goods), are valued at the lower of cost or net realizable value and are reduced for slow-moving and obsolete inventory. Management assesses the need for, and the amount of, obsolescence write-down based on customer demand of the item, the quantity of the item on hand and the length of time the item has been in inventory. Further, management also considers net realizable value in assessing inventory balances.

Inventory costs include those costs directly attributable to products, including all manufacturing overhead but excluding costs to distribute. The inventories cost is recorded at standard cost, which approximates actual cost, on the first-in first-out basis (“FIFO”).

Vendor Rebates

Certain vendor rebates and incentives are earned by the Company only when specified levels of periodic purchases are achieved. These vendor rebates are recognized based on a systematic and rational allocation of the cash consideration offered in respect of each of the underlying transactions, provided the amounts are probable and reasonably estimable. The Company records the incentives as a reduction in the cost of inventory. The Company records such incentives during interim periods based on actual results achieved on a year-to-date basis and its expectation that purchase levels will be obtained to earn the rebate.

 

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Customer Rebate Accrual

The Company offers rebates to customers based on total amounts purchased by each customer during each calendar year. The Company provides for the estimated cost of rebates at the time revenue is recognized based on rebate program rates and anticipated sales to each customer eligible for rebates and other available information. Management reviews and adjusts these estimates, if necessary, based on the differences between actual experience and historical estimates. The customer rebates are presented in “Net Sales” in the Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Income (Loss) and in the Consolidated Balance Sheets as “Accrued rebates” of $22.7 million and $19.7 million as of September 30, 2019 and 2018, respectively, and $2.1 million and $2.1 million presented as contra-accounts receivable as of September 30, 2019 and 2018, respectively. The rebate accrual activity for the years ended September 30, 2019 and 2018, was as follows:

 

     As of September 30,  
(In thousands)    2019      2018  

Beginning balance

   $ 21,914      $ 16,922  

Purchase accounting additions

     —          1,485  

Rebate expense

     50,847        42,400  

Rebate payments

     (47,903      (38,893
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

Ending balance

   $ 24,858      $ 21,914  
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

Product Warranties

The Company provides product assurance warranties of various lengths and terms to certain customers based on standard terms and conditions. The Company provides for the estimated cost of warranties at the time revenue is recognized based on management’s judgment, considering such factors as cost per claim, historical experience, anticipated rates of claims, and other available information. Management reviews and adjusts these estimates, if necessary, based on the differences between actual experience and historical estimates. See Note 9 for further discussion regarding coverage and term of the Company’s warranties as well as the warranty rollforward for the years ended September 30, 2019 and 2018.

Property, Plant and Equipment, Net

Property, plant and equipment (“PP&E”) is recorded at cost, net of accumulated depreciation. Major additions and betterments are capitalized while repair and/or maintenance expenses are charged to operations when incurred. Construction in progress is also recorded at cost and includes capitalized interest, if material.

Depreciation for financial reporting purposes is computed using the straight-line method over the following estimated useful lives of the assets:

 

Land improvements

     10 years  

Building and improvements

     7-40 years  

Manufacturing equipment

     1-15 years  

Office furniture and equipment

     3-12 years  

Vehicles

     5 years  

Computer equipment

     3-7 years  

Leasehold improvements are recorded at cost and depreciated over the standard life of the type of asset or the remaining life of the lease, whichever is shorter. Equipment held under capital leases is stated at the lower of the fair value of the asset or the net present value of the future minimum lease payments at the inception of the lease. For equipment held under capital leases, depreciation is computed using the straight-line method over the shorter of the estimated useful lives of the leased assets or the related lease term and is included within depreciation expense.

 

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PP&E is evaluated for impairment at the asset group level. If a triggering event suggests that a potential impairment has occurred, recoverability of these assets is assessed by evaluating whether or not future estimated undiscounted net cash flows are less than the carrying amount of the assets. If the estimated cash flows are less than the carrying amount, the assets are written down to their fair value through an impairment loss recognized as a non-cash component of “Operating income (loss)” within the Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Income (Loss). The Company did not record an impairment charge for the years ended September 30, 2019 or 2018.

During the year ended September 30, 2019, the Company recognized a $1.5 million loss on disposal of fixed assets, $1.2 million related to corporate assets and $0.3 million related to assets in the Residential segment. During the year ended September 30, 2018, the Residential segment recognized a $0.8 million loss on disposal of fixed assets in the ordinary course of business. These losses are classified as “Loss on disposal of property, plant and equipment” in a separate caption within the Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Income (Loss) within “Operating income (loss)”.

Build-to-Suit Leases

The Company establishes assets and liabilities for the fair value of the building and estimated construction costs incurred under lease arrangements when it is considered the owner (for accounting purposes only), or build-to-suit leases, to the extent it is involved in the construction of structural improvements or takes on construction risk. Upon completion of construction of facilities under build-to-suit leases, the Company assesses whether these arrangements qualify for sales recognition under the sale-leaseback accounting guidance, and if so, the leased facility and financing obligation are removed from the balance sheet. If the Company does not qualify for sale-leaseback accounting, then the facility is accounted for as a financing obligation.

Deferred Financing Costs, Net

The Company has recorded deferred financing costs incurred in conjunction with its debt obligations. The Company amortizes debt issuance costs over the remaining life of the related debt using the straight-line method for the Revolving Credit Facility and the effective interest method for other debt. Deferred financing costs, net of accumulated amortization, are presented as “Deferred financing costs, net” (non-current) in the Consolidated Balance Sheets, insofar as they relate to the revolving credit facility. Deferred financing costs related to the Term Loan Agreement and the Senior Notes are recorded as a reduction of “Long-term debt” in the Consolidated Balance Sheets. See Note 8 for additional detail.

Goodwill

The Company accounts for goodwill as the excess of the purchase price over the net amount of identifiable assets acquired and liabilities assumed in a business combination measured at fair value. The Company assigns goodwill to four reporting units based on which reporting unit is expected to benefit from the business combination as of the acquisition date. Goodwill is not subject to amortization; rather, the Company tests goodwill for impairment annually during the fourth fiscal quarter ended September 30 and whenever events occur or changes in circumstances indicate that impairment may have occurred. Impairment testing is performed for each of the reporting units by first assessing qualitative factors to see if further testing of goodwill is required. If the Company concludes that it is more likely than not that a reporting unit’s fair value is less than its carrying amount based on the qualitative assessment, then a quantitative test is required. The Company may also choose to bypass the qualitative assessment and perform the quantitative test.

If the estimated fair value of a reporting unit exceeds the carrying value, the Company considers that goodwill is not impaired. If the carrying value exceeds estimated fair value, there is an impairment of goodwill and an impairment loss is recorded. The Company calculates the impairment loss by comparing the fair value of the reporting unit less the carrying amount, including goodwill. Goodwill impairment would be limited to the carrying value of the goodwill.

 

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In performing the quantitative test, the Company measures the fair value of the reporting units to which goodwill is allocated using an income-based approach, a generally accepted valuation methodology, and relevant data available through and as of August 1, for the year ended September 30, 2019, and through and as of September 30, for the year ended September 30, 2018. Under the income approach, fair value is determined using a discounted cash flow method, projecting future cash flows of each reporting unit, as well as a terminal value, and discounting such cash flows at a rate of return that reflects the relative risk of the cash flows. The key estimates and factors used in this approach include, but are not limited to, revenue growth rates and profit margins based on internal Company forecasts, discount rates, perpetuity growth rates, future capital expenditures, and working capital requirements, among others, and a review of comparable market multiples for the industry segment as well as historical operating trends for the Company.

The Company completed the annual goodwill impairment tests as of August 1, 2019 and September 30, 2018, respectively, using a quantitative assessment approach. As a result of these respective annual assessments, the Company noted that the fair value of each reporting unit was determined to be in excess of the carrying value and as such, there were no impairment charges for the years ended September 30, 2019 or 2018. See Note 6 for additional detail. 

Intangible Assets, Net

Amortizable intangible assets include proprietary knowledge, trademarks, customer relationships and other intangible assets. The Company does not have any indefinite lived intangible assets other than goodwill.

The intangible assets are being amortized on an accelerated basis using the sum of the years’ digits method over their estimated useful lives, which range from 3 to 20 years, reflecting the pattern in which the economic benefits are consumed or otherwise used up. The Company evaluates whether events or circumstances have occurred that warrant a revision to the remaining useful lives of intangible assets. In cases where a revision is deemed appropriate, the remaining carrying amounts of the intangible assets are amortized over the revised remaining useful lives.

The Company evaluates amortizable intangible assets for potential impairment whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying amounts of the assets may not be fully recoverable.

If a triggering event suggests that a potential impairment has occurred, recoverability of these assets is assessed by evaluating the probability that future estimated undiscounted net cash flows will be less than the carrying amount of the long-lived assets. If the estimated cash flows are less than the carrying amount of the long-lived assets, the assets are written down to their fair value through an impairment loss recognized as a non-cash component of “Operating income (loss)”. The Company did not record an impairment charge for the years ended September 30, 2019 or 2018. See Note 6 for additional detail on intangible assets.

Share-Based Compensation

Share-based compensation cost is determined based on the number of units awarded and the grant date fair value of the awards. The cost of time vested awards is recognized as expense on a straight-line basis over the employee’s requisite service period, which coincides with the vesting period of the award. For performance-based awards, if and when the achievement of the predetermined performance criteria become probable, expense will be recognized. Stock-based compensation expense is included in “Selling, general and administrative expenses” in the accompanying Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Income (Loss). The Company accounts for forfeitures as they occur. See Note 11 for additional detail regarding share-based compensation.

Estimated Fair Value of Financial Instruments

The carrying amounts for the Company’s financial instruments classified as current assets and liabilities, including cash and cash equivalents, trade accounts receivable and accrued expenses and accounts payable, approximate fair value due to their short maturities.

 

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Fair value is estimated by applying the following hierarchy, which prioritizes the inputs used to measure fair value into three levels and bases the categorization within the hierarchy upon the lowest level of input that is available and significant to the fair value measurement:

Level 1—Quoted prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities.

Level 2—Observable inputs other than quoted prices in active markets for identical assets and liabilities, quoted prices for identical or similar assets or liabilities in inactive markets, or other inputs that are observable or can be corroborated by observable market data for substantially the full term of the assets or liabilities.

Level 3—Inputs that are generally unobservable and typically reflect management’s estimate of assumptions that market participants would use in pricing the asset or liability.

See Note 10 for information pertaining to fair value of debt and other financial instruments.

Income Taxes

Income taxes are provided on income reported for financial statement purposes, adjusted for permanent differences between financial statement reporting and income tax regulations. A valuation allowance is established whenever management believes that it is more likely than not that deferred tax assets may not be realizable. Deferred tax assets and liabilities are measured using enacted tax rates expected to apply to taxable income in the year in which the deferred tax assets or liabilities are expected to be realized or settled.

The realization of the net deferred tax assets is primarily dependent on estimated future taxable income. A change in the Company’s estimate of future taxable income may require an increase or decrease in the valuation allowance.

A liability for uncertain tax positions is recorded whenever management believes it is not more-likely-than-not the position will be sustained on examination based solely on its technical merits. Interest and penalties related to underpayment of income taxes are classified as income tax expense. It is inherently difficult and subjective to estimate such amounts, as the Company has to determine the probability of various possible outcomes. The Company reevaluates these uncertain tax positions on a quarterly basis. This evaluation is based on factors including, but not limited to, changes in facts or circumstances, changes in tax law, effectively settled issues under audit, voluntary settlements and new audit activity. Such a change in recognition or measurement would result in the recognition of a tax benefit or an additional charge to the tax provision.

On December 22, 2017, the President of the United States signed and enacted comprehensive tax legislation into law in the form of H.R. 1, commonly referred to as the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (the “Tax Act”). Except for certain provisions, the Tax Act is effective for tax years beginning on or after January 1, 2018. As a fiscal year U.S. taxpayer, the majority of the provisions applied to the Company’s fiscal 2019, such as new limitations on certain business deductions, including the limitation on the Company’s interest expense deduction. For fiscal 2018 and effective in the three months ended December 31, 2017, the most significant impact included: lowering of the U.S. federal corporate income tax rate and remeasuring the Company’s deferred tax assets and liabilities. The phase in of the lower federal income tax rate resulted in a blended rate of 24.5% for fiscal 2018, as compared to the previous rate of 35%. The federal income tax rate was reduced to 21% in subsequent fiscal years. Because the Company has net operating loss carry-forwards and was not expected to owe federal tax in its fiscal year 2018 tax return, the remeasurement of deferred taxes recognized for the period was calculated using the future federal tax rate of 21%. During the year ended September 30, 2018, the Company recorded a $22.5 million net income tax benefit for the remeasurement of its deferred tax assets and liabilities. The Company’s effective tax rate was significantly impacted by the recognition of this remeasurement. See Note 13 for further information regarding the impact of this legislation.

 

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Recently Adopted Accounting Pronouncements

The Company qualifies as an emerging growth company (“EGC”) and as such, has elected not to opt out of the extended transition period for complying with new or revised accounting pronouncements. During the extended transition period, the Company is not subject to new or revised accounting standards applicable to public companies. The accounting pronouncements pending adoption below reflect effective dates for the Company as an EGC with the extended transition period.

On October 1, 2017, the Company adopted ASU No. 2015-11, Inventory—Simplifying the Measurement of Inventory. The update requires that inventory be measured at the lower of cost and net realizable value. Net realizable value is the estimated selling prices in the ordinary course of business, less reasonably predictable costs of completion, disposal, and transportation. The adoption of this amendment did not have a material impact on the Consolidated Financial Statements.

On October 1, 2017, the Company adopted ASU No. 2016-15, Statement of Cash Flows (Topic 230): Classification of Certain Cash Receipts and Cash Payments. The update clarifies the classification of certain cash receipts and payments in the statement of cash flows. Application of the new guidance required reclassification of certain cash flows within operating activities to investing and financing activities on the consolidated statement of cash flows. The adoption of this standard did not have a material impact on the Consolidated Financial Statements.

On October 1, 2018, the Company early adopted ASU No. 2014-09, Revenue from Contracts with Customers, which outlines a single comprehensive model for entities to use in accounting for revenue arising from contracts with customers. The update will supersede most current revenue recognition guidance. Under the new standard, entities are required to identify the contract with a customer; identify the separate performance obligations in the contract; determine the transaction price; allocate the transaction price to the separate performance obligations in the contract; and recognize the appropriate amount of revenue when (or as) the entity satisfies each performance obligation. The adoption of this standard did not have a material impact on the Company’s Consolidated Financial Statements.

Recently Issued Accounting Pronouncements

In February 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-02, Leases (Topic 842), and issued subsequent amendments to the initial guidance in January 2018 within ASU No. 2018-01, in July 2018 within ASU Nos. 2018-10 and 2018-11, in December 2018 within ASU No. 2018-20, and in March 2019 within ASU No. 2019-01 (collectively, the standard). In November 2019, the FASB issued ASU No. 2019-10, Financial Instruments—Credit Losses (Topic 326), Derivatives and Hedging (Topic 815), and Leases (Topic 842), deferring the adoption date for private entities by an additional year. Therefore, the standard is effective for private entities for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2020, and interim periods within fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2021. Early application continues to be allowed. The standard requires lessees to present right-of-use assets and lease liabilities on the balance sheet. For public entities, the updated standard is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2018. The standard is effective for the Company as an EGC for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2020 and interim periods within fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2021, with early adoption permitted. Assuming the Company remains an EGC, it intends to adopt the updated standard during its fiscal year beginning October 1, 2020 and for interim periods within that fiscal year. ASU No. 2018-11 provides the option to initially apply ASU No. 2016-02 at the adoption date with a cumulative-effect adjustment to the opening balance of retained earnings in the period of adoption, instead of applying the new guidance retrospectively for each prior reporting period presented. The Company anticipates adopting the standard using the option provided by ASU 2018-11 and is evaluating the impact of the adoption of these ASU’s on its Consolidated Financial Statements.

In June 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-13- Financial Instruments—Credit Losses (Topic 326). This ASU sets forth an expected credit loss model which requires the measurement of expected credit losses for

 

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financial instruments based on historical experience, current conditions and reasonable and supportable forecasts. This replaces the existing incurred loss model and is applicable to the measurement of credit losses on financial assets measured at amortized cost, and certain off-balance sheet credit exposures. For public entities, the updated standard is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2019, including interim periods within that fiscal year. This ASU is effective for the Company as an EGC for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2022 and interim reporting periods beginning October 1, 2022. Early adoption is permitted. Assuming the Company remains an EGC, it intends to adopt the updated standard during its fiscal year ending September 30, 2022 and for interim periods within fiscal year beginning October 1, 2022. Adoption will require a modified retrospective transition. The Company is currently evaluating the impact of this ASU on the Consolidated Financial Statements.

In May 2019, the FASB issued ASU No. 2019-05, Financial Instruments—Credit Losses (Topic 326), which provided certain improvements to ASU No. 2016-13. The amendments provide entities that have certain instruments within the scope of Subtopic 326-20, Financial Instruments—Credit Losses— Measured at Amortized Cost, with an option to irrevocably elect the fair value option in Subtopic 825-10, Financial Instruments—Overall, applied on an instrument-by-instrument basis for eligible instruments, upon adoption of Topic 326. The fair value option election does not apply to held-to-maturity debt securities. An entity that elects the fair value option should subsequently apply the guidance in Subtopics 820-10, Fair Value Measurement—Overall, and 825-10. For entities that have adopted the amendments in ASU No. 2016-13, the amendments in ASU No. 2019-05 are effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2019, including interim periods within those fiscal years. Early adoption is permitted in any interim period after the issuance of ASU No. 2019-05 as long as an entity has adopted the amendments in ASU No. 2016-13. The amendments in ASU No. 2019-05 should be applied on a modified-retrospective basis by means of a cumulative-effect adjustment to the opening balance of retained earnings balance in the statement of financial position as of the date that an entity adopted the amendments in ASU No. 2016-13. For the Company, the standard is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2020, and interim periods within those fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2021. Early adoption is permitted as of the fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2018, including interim periods within those fiscal years.

In October 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-16, Income Taxes (Topic 740): Intra-Entity Transfer of Assets Other Than Inventory. The standard amends several aspects of the tax accounting and recognition timing for intra-company transfers. For public entities, the updated standard is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2017, including interim periods within that fiscal year. For the Company, as an EGC, the amendments are effective for annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2018, and interim reporting periods within annual periods beginning after December 15, 2019. Early adoption is permitted for all entities as of the beginning of an annual reporting period for which financial statements (interim or annual) have not been issued. Assuming the Company remains an EGC, it intends to adopt the updated standard during its fiscal year beginning October 1, 2019 and for interim periods within fiscal year beginning October 1, 2020. The Company is currently in the process of evaluating the amendment and the impact it will have on the Consolidated Financial Statements.

In August 2018, the FASB issued ASU No. 2018-13, Disclosure Framework—Changes to the Disclosure Requirements for Fair Value Measurement, which amends Topic 820, Fair Value Measurement. ASU 2018-13 modifies the disclosure requirements for fair value measurements by removing, modifying, or adding certain disclosures. For all entities, this standard is effective for annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2019, and interim periods within those fiscal years. The Company intends to adopt the updated standard during its fiscal year beginning October 1, 2020 and for interim periods within fiscal year beginning in that fiscal year. The removed and modified disclosures will be adopted on a retrospective basis and the new disclosures will be adopted on a prospective basis. The Company is currently evaluating the impact this adoption will have on its Consolidated Financial Statements.

In August 2018, the FASB issued ASU No. 2018-15, Intangibles—Goodwill and Other—Internal-Use Software (Subtopic 350-40): Customer’s Accounting for Implementation Costs Incurred in a Cloud Computing

 

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Arrangement That is a Service Contract. This ASU aligns the requirements for capitalizing implementation costs incurred in a hosting arrangement that is a service contract with the requirements for capitalizing implementation costs incurred to develop or obtain internal-use software. For public entities, the updated standard is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2019, including interim periods within that fiscal year. The amendments in this ASU are effective for the Company, as an EGC, for annual periods beginning after December 15, 2020 and interim periods within annual periods beginning after December 15, 2021. The standard can be adopted either retrospectively or prospectively to all implementation costs incurred after the date of adoption. Early adoption is permitted. Assuming the Company remains an EGC, it intends to adopt the updated standard during its fiscal year beginning October 1, 2021 and for interim periods within fiscal year beginning October 1, 2022. The Company is currently evaluating the impact this adoption will have on its Consolidated Financial Statements.

 

3.

ACQUISITIONS

During the year ended September 30, 2018, the Company acquired two businesses, Versatex Holdings, LLC and its wholly owned subsidiary Versatex Building Products, LLC (collectively “Versatex”) and WES, LLC and its wholly owned subsidiary Ultralox Technology, LLC (collectively “Ultralox”), for an aggregate consideration of $297.9 million, including $3.2 million for cash acquired. The consideration consisted primarily of $292.6 million of cash, a contribution of 1,546.9 common interests of AOT Building Products, L.P., the indirect parent of the Company, fair valued at $2.5 million, used as consideration and contingent consideration with a fair value of $2.8 million based on achievement of a minimum adjusted EBITDA amount and a multiple of adjusted EBITDA for adjusted EBITDA exceeding a higher threshold for calendar 2018. Adjusted EBITDA is defined as net income (loss) before interest expense, net, income tax (benefit) expense and depreciation and amortization, and by adding thereto or subtracting therefrom certain items of expense and income specifically related to the acquisition. The change in fair value of the contingent consideration liability due to events arising after the acquisition date were recorded in the Statement of Comprehensive Income (Loss), thereby increasing pretax income by $1.8 million during the year ended September 30, 2018. Total transaction costs for the acquisitions amounted to $4.2 million and are presented as “Other general expenses” within “Operating income (loss)” in the Consolidated Statement of Comprehensive Income (Loss) for the year ended September 30, 2018.

 

Acquisition Date

  

Type

  

Company/
Product

Line

  

Location

  

Segment

June 18, 2018

   100% of Membership Interests    Versatex    Aliquippa, Pennsylvania    Residential

December 20, 2017

   100% of Membership Interests    Ultralox    Eagan, Minnesota    Residential

Versatex is a leading producer of premium, low-maintenance material building products with a focus on trim and moulding products. Ultralox is a leader in the aluminum railing industry, which sells engineered railing systems and assembly machines.

Each acquisition has been accounted for as a business combination. Tangible and identifiable intangible assets acquired and liabilities assumed were recorded at their respective fair values. The excess of the consideration transferred over the fair value of the net assets received has been recorded as goodwill in the Residential segment. The factors that contributed to the recognition of goodwill primarily relate to future economic benefits arising from expected sales through the Company’s existing distribution channels.

 

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The following represents the final purchase price allocation of the assets acquired and the liabilities assumed based on their values:

 

(In thousands)    Versatex
Holdings,

LLC
    Ultralox     Total  

Cash and cash equivalents

   $ 2,623     $ 623     $ 3,246  

Trade receivables

     4,059       874       4,933  

Inventories

     9,826       3,166       12,992  

Other current assets

     6,518       138       6,656  

Property, plant and equipment

     21,969       366       22,335  

Intangible assets

     129,000       17,300       146,300  

Other assets

     —         7       7  

Accounts payable

     (1,723     (1,582     (3,305

Accrued expenses and other liabilities

     (8,811     (771     (9,582
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total identifiable assets

     163,461       20,121       183,582  

Goodwill

     110,355       3,935       114,290  
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Net assets acquired/total consideration

     273,816       24,056       297,872  

Less: cash acquired

     (2,623     (623     (3,246
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total consideration, net of cash acquired

   $ 271,193     $ 23,433     $ 294,626  
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total intangibles and goodwill for the Versatex transaction amounted to $239.4 million, comprised of $93.0 million related to customer relationships, $23.0 million related to proprietary knowledge and $13.0 million related to trademarks, as well as $110.4 million in goodwill. It is expected that $110.4 million of the goodwill is deductible for tax purposes. The estimated useful life for customer relationships is 19 years and for proprietary knowledge and trademarks is 10 years. The weighted average useful life at the date of acquisition was 17.5 years.

Total intangibles and goodwill for the Ultralox transaction amounted to $21.2 million, comprised of $8.5 million related to customer relationships, $7.0 million related to patents and $1.8 million related to trademarks, as well as $3.9 million in goodwill. It is expected that $3.9 million of the goodwill is deductible for tax purposes. The estimated useful life for customer relationships is 15 years, for patents is 10 years and for trademarks is 5 years. The weighted average useful life at the date of acquisition was 12.9 years.

In addition to assets acquired and liabilities assumed in the Versatex and Ultralox acquisitions, the Company entered into non-compete agreements of $2.7 and $0.9 million, respectively, that are capitalized and accounted for as operating expense over the non-compete periods and are presented within “Intangible assets, net” in the Consolidated Balance Sheet as of September 30, 2018. In addition, the Company entered into certain contingent compensation arrangements with key executives of Ultralox. These arrangements are being expensed over the related service periods with changes in the fair value of the arrangement recorded as operating expenses as they occur.

The following are the net sales and net income (loss) from Versatex included in the Company’s results from the June 18, 2018 acquisition date through September 30, 2018:

 

(In thousands)    June 18, 2018
through
September 30,
2018
 

Net sales

   $ 21,134  

Net income (loss)

   $ (3,462

Included in the results of Versatex was a one-time increase in cost of sales of $1.8 million related to the revaluation of Versatex’s inventories as of June 18, 2018. Also included in the results is additional amortization

 

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of $4.9 million resulting from the recognition of identified finite-lived intangible assets resulting from the purchase price allocation.

The following are the net sales and net income (loss) from Ultralox included in the Company’s results from December 20, 2017 acquisition date through September 30, 2018:

 

(In thousands)    December 20, 2017
through
September 30,
2018
 

Net sales

   $ 13,717  

Net income (loss)

   $ (541

Included in the results of Ultralox was a one-time increase in cost of sales of $0.6 million related to the revaluation of Ultralox’s inventories as of December 20, 2017. Also included in the results is additional amortization of $2.4 million resulting from the recognition of identified finite-lived intangible assets resulting from the purchase price allocation.

Pro Forma Results (Unaudited)

The following represents the pro forma consolidated operations for the fiscal years ended September 30, 2018 as if Versatex had been acquired on October 1, 2016, in which case the amount of combined entity revenues and earnings included in the Company’s Consolidated Statement of Comprehensive Income (Loss) for the fiscal years ended September 30, 2018 would have been as follows:

 

     Year Ended
September 30,
 
(In thousands)    2018
(Unaudited)
 

Net sales

   $ 730,858  

Net income (loss)

   $ 5,775  

The unaudited pro forma consolidated results do not purport to reflect what the combined company’s results of operations would have been had the acquisition occurred on October 1, 2016, nor do they project the future results of operations of the combined company or reflect the expected realization of any operating efficiencies or cost savings associated with the acquisition. The actual results of operations of the combined company may differ significantly from the pro forma adjustments reflected here due to many factors. The unaudited supplemental pro forma financial information includes various assumptions, including those related to the preliminary purchase price allocation of the assets acquired and liabilities assumed.

The pre-tax adjustments increased expenses by a total of $1.1 million for the fiscal year ended September 30, 2018 and primarily relate to additional interest expense related to the acquisition financing, elimination of historical interest expense, intangible asset amortization expense for assets acquired, elimination of historical intangible amortization expense, a reduction in depreciation expense for fixed assets, adjustments for non-recurring costs directly attributable to the Versatex acquisition and adjustment to income tax expense for the impact of the pro forma adjustments at the statutory rate for each year. The unaudited pro forma consolidated results of operations are provided for illustrative purposes only and are not indicative of the Company’s actual consolidated results of operations or consolidated financial position. Pro forma results for Ultralox are not provided as they are not material to the Consolidated Financial Statements.

 

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4.

INVENTORIES

Inventories consisted of the following:

 

     As of September 30,  
(In thousands)    2019      2018  

Raw materials

   $ 36,855      $ 35,995  

Work in process

     19,514        16,009  

Finished goods

     59,022        58,895  
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

Total inventories

   $ 115,391      $ 110,899  
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

During the year ended September 30, 2018, the Company developed additional capabilities relating to the potential utilization or sale of off specification finished goods inventory and re-assessed the formulation of manufactured goods and the re-introduction rates of off specification finished goods, once reground into a usable production input. Based on these new manufacturing capabilities and decisions related to the formulations of the Company’s finished goods, the Company performed a review of its off specification finished goods inventory to determine the ability to sell the material based on market interest at the SKU level and volume of the associated SKU. Based on the review, it was determined that a portion of the off specification finished goods material was not salable or usable internally based on its color, dimension, density and/or magnitude of the off specification volume. The items determined not to be salable or usable were written off to zero value. The remaining SKU’s that were determined to be salable or usable internally were revalued down to net realizable value consistent with external market values. The net impact related to the revaluation of certain off specification finished goods inventory that required regrinding was $11.8 million, which was recorded within “Cost of sales” for the year ended September 30, 2018.

 

5.

PROPERTY, PLANT AND EQUIPMENT—NET

 

     As of September 30,  
(In thousands)    2019      2018  

Land and improvements

   $ 2,758      $ 2,758  

Buildings and improvements

     67,770        63,059  

Capital lease—building

     2,021        2,021  

Capital lease—manufacturing equipment

     1,026        1,023  

Capital lease—vehicles

     3,835        2,860  

Manufacturing equipment

     254,570        203,056  

Computer equipment

     22,733        14,891  

Furniture and fixtures

     5,409        4,807  

Vehicles

     339        372  
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

Total property, plant and equipment

     360,461        294,847  

Construction in progress

     16,453        24,684  
  

 

 

    

 

 

 
     376,914        319,531  

Accumulated depreciation

     (168,220      (138,710
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

Total property, plant and equipment, net

   $ 208,694      $ 180,821  
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

The Company is considered the owner, for accounting purposes only, of its leased headquarters office space, as it had taken on certain risks of construction build cost overages above normal tenant improvement allowances. Accordingly, the Company has capitalized $9.2 million at September 30, 2019, and $5.8 million at September 30, 2018, which represents the estimated fair value of the lease property. The Company also recognized a corresponding lease financing obligation of $7.9 million at September 30, 2019, and $5.8 million at September 30, 2018. Refer to Note 15 for additional information.

Depreciation expense was approximately $33.7 million and $26.3 million for the years ended September 30, 2019 and 2018, respectively. Accumulated amortization for assets under capital leases was $3.7 million and

 

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$3.3 million as of September 30, 2019 and 2018, respectively. Accumulated amortization for assets under the build-to-suit lease was $0.3 million as of September 30, 2019.

 

6.

GOODWILL AND INTANGIBLE ASSETS-NET

The following table provides the changes in the carrying amount of goodwill:

 

(In thousands)    Residential      Commercial     Total  

Goodwill as of September 30, 2017

   $ 789,619      $ 40,389     $ 830,008  

Acquisitions(a)

     114,290        —         114,290  
  

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

 

Goodwill as of September 30, 2018

   $ 903,909      $ 40,389     $ 944,298  
  

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

 

Goodwill as of September 30, 2019

   $ 903,909      $ 40,389     $ 944,298  
  

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

 

Accumulated impairment losses as of September 30, 2018

   $ —        $ (32,200   $ (32,200
  

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

 

Accumulated impairment losses as of September 30, 2019

   $ —        $ (32,200   $ (32,200
  

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

 

 

(a)

Additions relate to the acquisitions of Ultralox and Versatex. For additional information see Note 3— Acquisitions.

Intangible Assets, Net

The Company does not have any indefinite lived intangible assets other than goodwill as of September 30, 2019 and 2018. Finite-lived intangible assets consisted of the following:

 

          As of September 30, 2019  
(In thousands)    Lives in
Years
   Gross
Carrying
Value
     Accumulated
Amortization
     Net
Carrying
Value
 

Proprietary knowledge

   10 - 15    $ 289,300      $ (171,686    $ 117,614  

Trademarks

   5 - 20      223,140        (108,096      115,044  

Customer relationships

   15 - 19      142,270        (39,084      103,186  

Patents

   10      7,000        (2,132      4,868  

Other intangibles

   3 - 15      4,076        (2,370      1,706  
     

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Intangible assets

      $ 665,786      $ (323,368    $ 342,418  
     

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

 

          As of September 30, 2018  
(In thousands)    Lives in
Years
   Gross
Carrying
Value
     Accumulated
Amortization
     Net
Carrying
Value
 

Proprietary knowledge

   10 - 15    $ 289,300      $ (145,430    $ 143,870  

Trademarks

   5 - 20      223,140        (90,408      132,732  

Customer relationships

   15 - 19      142,270        (25,516      116,754  

Patents

   10      7,000        (955      6,045  

Other intangibles

   3 - 15      4,054        (833      3,221  
     

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Intangible assets

      $ 665,764      $ (263,142    $ 402,622  
     

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Amortization expense was approximately $60.2 million and $51.4 million for the years ended September 30, 2019 and 2018, respectively. As of September 30, 2019, the remaining weighted-average amortization period for intangible assets was 13.7 years.

 

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Amortization expense relating to these amortizable intangible assets as of September 30, 2019 is expected to be as follows:

 

(In thousands)

Fiscal Year

   Amount  

2020

   $ 54,692  

2021

     49,157  

2022

     43,752  

2023

     38,674  

2024

     33,732  

Thereafter

     122,411  
  

 

 

 

Total

   $ 342,418  
  

 

 

 

 

7.

ACCRUED EXPENSES AND OTHER LIABILITIES

Accrued expenses and other liabilities are presented as current liabilities as they are expected to be paid within 12 months. Accrued expenses and other liabilities consisted of the following:

 

     As of September 30,  
(In thousands)    2019      2018  

Employee-related liabilities

   $ 17,202      $ 11,119  

Professional fees

     14,160        9,885  

Construction in progress

     903        2,098  

Warranty

     2,543        1,944  

Contingent consideration

     1,303        1,900  

Freight

     4,158        1,658  

Marketing

     2,026        1,184  

Capital lease

     721        648  

Other

     4,887        2,260  
  

 

 

    

 

 

 
   $ 47,903      $ 32,696  
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

 

8.

DEBT

Debt consisted of the following:

 

     As of September 30,  
(In thousands)    2019     2018  

Term Loan Agreement due May 5, 2024—LIBOR + 3.75% (5.93% and 6.25% at September 30, 2019 and September 30, 2018, respectively) (includes a discount of $1,105 and $1,346 at September 30, 2019 and 2018, respectively)

   $ 808,507     $ 816,570  

Revolving Credit Facility through March 9, 2022—LIBOR + 1.50%

     —         —    

Senior Notes due October 1, 2021—Fixed at 8.000%

     315,000       315,000  
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total

     1,123,507       1,131,570  

Less: unamortized deferred financing fees

     (11,890     (15,277

Less: current portion

     (8,304     (8,304
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Long-term debt — less current portion and unamortized deferred financing fees

   $ 1,103,313     $ 1,107,989  
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

 

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As of September 30, 2019, CPG International LLC has scheduled fiscal year debt payments on the Term Loan Agreement and Senior Notes (excluding interest and debt discount) as follows:

 

 

     Year Ended
September 30,
(In thousands)
 

2020

   $ 8,304  

2021

     8,304  

2022

     323,304  

2023

     8,304  

2024

     776,396  

Thereafter

     —    
  

 

 

 

Total

   $ 1,124,612  
  

 

 

 

Term Loan Credit Agreement

On September 30, 2013, CPG International LLC refinanced its then outstanding long-term debt and entered into (i) a new senior secured revolving credit facility (the “Revolving Credit Facility”) among CPG International LLC (as successor-in-interest to CPG Merger Sub LLC, a limited liability company formed to effect the acquisition of CPG International LLC), Deutsche Bank AG New York Branch (“Deutsche Bank”), as administrative agent and collateral agent (the “Revolver Administrative Agent”), and the lenders party thereto, (ii) a new secured term loan agreement (the “Term Loan Agreement”) among CPG International LLC (as successor-in-interest to CPG Merger Sub LLC), as the initial borrower; the Lenders Party thereto; Deutsche Bank and JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., as co-syndication agents; Citibank, N.A., the Royal Bank of Scotland PLC and UBS Securities LLC, as co-documentation agents; and Barclays Bank PLC, as administrative agent and collateral agent, (iii) an indenture (the “Indenture”) in respect of 8.000% senior notes due October 1, 2021 (the “Senior Notes”) between CPG International LLC and Wilmington Trust, National Association, as trustee.

The proceeds from borrowings under the amended Term Loan Agreement and the Senior Notes were used to (i) fund the acquisition of CPG International LLC and (ii) repay all amounts outstanding under the Company’s prior term loan agreement, prior notes and related fees.

During the year ended September 30, 2017, CPG International LLC amended and extended the maturity of the Term Loan Agreement. Financing fees of $3.3 million were incurred for the transaction, $1.5 million of which were capitalized and $1.8 million of which were recognized in interest expense. On June 18, 2018, in conjunction with the acquisition of Versatex, the Term Loan Agreement was amended to increase the borrowing outstanding by $225.0 million. This amendment was accounted for as a modification. Financing fees of $6.7 million were incurred for the transaction, $5.7 million were capitalized and $1.0 million were recognized in “Interest expense”. Included in the $5.7 million of financing fees capitalized was an original issue discount of $0.6 million.

The Term Loan Agreement matures on the earlier of (i) May 5, 2024 and (ii) 181 days prior to the maturity of the Senior Notes. The Term Loan Agreement provides for interest on outstanding principal thereunder at a fluctuating rate, at CPG International LLC’s option, for (i) alternative base rate (“ABR”) borrowings, the highest of (a) the Federal Funds Rate as of such day plus 50 basis points, (b) the prime commercial lending rate announced as of such day by the Administrative Agent as defined in the Term Loan Agreement, as the “prime rate” as in effect on such day and (c) the LIBOR as of such day for a deposit in U.S. dollars with a maturity of one month plus 100 basis points, provided that in no event shall the ABR be less than 200 basis points, plus the applicable margin of 275 basis points per annum; or (ii) for Eurocurrency borrowings, the adjusted LIBOR of (a) the LIBOR in effect for such interest period divided by one, minus the statutory reserves applicable to such Eurocurrency borrowing, if any, and (b) 100 basis points, plus the applicable margin of 375 basis points per annum.

 

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As of September 30, 2019, and 2018, unamortized deferred financing fees related to the Term Loan Agreement consisted of $9.1 million and $11.1 million, respectively. The Term Loan Agreement may be voluntarily prepaid in whole, or in part, in each case without premium or penalty (other than the Prepayment Premium (as defined in the Term Loan Agreement), if applicable), subject to certain customary conditions.

The obligations under the Term Loan Agreement are secured by a first priority security interest in the membership interests of CPG International LLC owned by CPG Newco LLC and substantially all of the present and future assets of the borrowers and guarantors including equity interests of their domestic subsidiaries, subject to certain exceptions, (the “Term Loan Priority Collateral”) and a second priority lien on current assets. The obligations under the Term Loan Agreement are guaranteed by the Company and the wholly owned domestic subsidiaries of CPG International LLC other than certain immaterial subsidiaries and other excluded subsidiaries.

The Term Loan Agreement requires mandatory prepayments of the term loans thereunder from certain debt issuances, certain asset dispositions (subject to certain reinvestment rights) and a percentage of excess cash flow (subject to step-downs upon CPG International LLC achieving certain leverage ratios). The estimated prepayment of excess cash flow was $6.4 million and zero at September 30, 2019 and 2018, respectively. The lenders do have the option to decline any prepayment based on excess cash flows. At the lenders’ option, the excess cash payment made in January 2018 was $0.9 million with the remaining prepayment declined by the lenders. CPG International LLC is required to repay the outstanding principal amount under the Term Loan Agreement in quarterly installments equal to 0.25253% of the aggregate principal amount under the Term Loan Agreement outstanding on the amendment date of June 18, 2018 and such quarterly payments may be reduced as a result of prepayments. The Term Loan Agreement restricts payments of dividends unless certain conditions are met, as defined in the Term Loan Agreement.

Revolving Credit Facility Agreement

On March 9, 2017, CPG International LLC amended and restated and extended the maturity of the Revolving Credit Facility. The Revolving Credit Facility matures on the earlier of (i) March 9, 2022 and (ii) 91 days prior to the maturity of the Term Loan Agreement, or the maturity of the Senior Notes, whichever occurs first. The Revolving Credit Facility provides for maximum aggregate borrowings of up to $150 million, subject to an asset-based borrowing base. The borrowing base is limited to a set percentage of eligible accounts receivable and inventory, less reserves that may be established by the administrative agent and the collateral agent in the exercise of their reasonable credit judgment. At September 30, 2019 and 2018, CPG International LLC had no outstanding borrowings under the Revolving Credit Facility and had $3.0 million and $3.1 million of outstanding letters of credit held against the Revolving Credit, respectively. Deferred financing costs, net of accumulated amortization, related to the Revolving Credit Facility at September 30, 2019 and 2018 were $0.9 million and $1.2 million, respectively. CPG International LLC had approximately $113.7 million available under the borrowing base for future borrowings as of September 30, 2019. CPG International LLC also has the option to increase the commitments under the Revolving Credit Agreement by up to $100.0 million, subject to certain conditions.

The Revolving Credit Facility provides for an interest rate on outstanding principal thereunder at a fluctuating rate, at CPG International LLC’s option, at (i) for ABR borrowings, the highest of (a) the Federal Funds Rate plus 50 basis points, (b) the prime rate and (c) the LIBOR as of such date for a deposit in U.S. dollars with a maturity of one month plus 100 basis points, plus, in each case, a spread of 50 to 100 basis points, based on average historical availability, or (ii) for Eurocurrency borrowings, adjusted LIBOR plus a spread of 150 to 200 basis points, based on average historical availability. A “commitment fee” accrues on any unused portion of the commitments under the Revolving Credit Facility during the preceding three calendar month period. If the average daily used percentage is greater than 50%, the commitment fee equals 25 basis points, and if the average daily used percentage is less than or equal to 50%, the commitment fee equals 37.5 basis points. The commitment fees expenses were $0.5 million and $0.6 million for years ended September 30, 2019 and 2018.

 

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The obligations under the Revolving Credit Facility are guaranteed by CPG Newco LLC and its wholly owned domestic subsidiaries other than certain immaterial subsidiaries and other excluded subsidiaries. The obligations under the Revolving Credit Facility are secured by a first priority security interest in substantially all of the accounts receivable, inventory, deposit accounts, securities accounts and cash assets of CPG Newco LLC, CPG International LLC and the subsidiaries of CPG International LLC that are guarantors under the Revolving Credit Agreement, and the proceeds thereof (subject to certain exceptions) (the “Revolver Priority Collateral”), plus a second priority security interest in all of the Term Loan Priority Collateral. The Revolving Credit Facility may be voluntarily prepaid in whole, or in part, in each case without premium or penalty. CPG International LLC is also required to make mandatory prepayments (i) when aggregate borrowings exceed commitments or the applicable borrowing base and (ii) during “cash dominion,” which occurs if (a) the availability under the Revolving Credit Agreement is less than the greater of (i) $12.5 million and (ii) 10% of the lesser of (x) $150.0 million and (y) the borrowing base, for five consecutive business days or (b) certain events of default have occurred and are continuing.

The Revolving Credit Facility contains affirmative covenants that are customary for financings of this type, including allowing the Revolver Administrative Agent to perform periodic field exams and appraisals to evaluate the borrowing base. The Revolving Credit Facility contains various negative covenants, including limitations on, subject to certain exceptions, the incurrence of indebtedness, the incurrence of liens, dispositions, investments, acquisitions, restricted payments, transactions with affiliates, as well as other negative covenants customary for financings of this type. The Revolving Credit Facility also includes a financial maintenance covenant, applicable only when the excess availability is less than the greater of (i) 10% of the lesser of the aggregate commitments under the Revolving Credit Facility and the borrowing base, and (ii) $12.5 million. In such circumstances, CPG International LLC would be required to maintain a minimum fixed charge coverage ratio (as defined in the Revolving Credit Facility) for the trailing four quarters equal to at least 1.0 to 1.0; subject to CPG International LLC’s ability to make an equity cure (no more than twice in any four quarter period and up to five times over the life of the facility). As of September 30, 2019, CPG International LLC was in compliance with the financial and nonfinancial covenants imposed by the Revolving Credit Facility. The Revolving Credit Facility also includes customary events of default, including the occurrence of a change of control.

Senior Notes

The Senior Notes were issued on September 30, 2013, in an aggregate principal amount of $315.0 million, and mature on October 1, 2021. The Senior Notes bear interest at the rate of 8.000% per annum payable in cash semi-annually in arrears on April 1 and October 1 of each year (computed based on a 360-day year of twelve 30-day months). The obligations under the Senior Notes are guaranteed by CPG International LLC and those of its subsidiaries that also guarantee the Revolving Credit Facility and the Term Loan Agreement. The redemption price of the Senior Notes (expressed as percentages of the principal amount to be redeemed) will decline to the par value of the Senior Notes, plus accrued and unpaid interest based on the schedule below. The Senior Notes may be redeemed in whole or in part, at any time after October 1, 2016 at the following redemption prices, if redeemed during the 12-month period beginning on October 1 of the years indicated below:

 

2016

     106.0

2017

     104.0

2018

     102.0

2019 and thereafter

     100.0

The Indenture relating to the Senior Notes contains negative covenants that are customary for financings of this type. The Indenture does not contain any financial maintenance covenants. As of September 30, 2019, CPG International LLC was in compliance with the negative covenants imposed by the Senior Notes and the Indenture. As of September 30, 2019, and 2018, the unamortized deferred financing fees related to the Senior Notes consisted of and $2.8 million and $4.2 million, respectively.

 

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The following table provides the detail of interest expense for the respective periods.

 

 

     Years Ended
September 30,
 
(In thousands)    2019      2018  

Interest expense

     

Term Loan

   $ 52,504      $ 38,285  

Revolving Credit Facility

     904        682  

Senior Notes

     25,200        25,200  

Other

     1,506        1,709  

Amortization

     

Debt issue costs

     

Term Loan

     1,980        1,397  

Revolving Credit Facility

     358        358  

Senior Notes

     1,407        1,407  

Original issue discounts

     241        178  

Capitalized interest

     (895      (474
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

Interest expense

   $ 83,205      $ 68,742  
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

See Note 10 for information pertaining to the fair value of the Company’s debt as of September 30, 2019 and 2018.

 

9.

PRODUCT WARRANTIES

The Company provides product assurance warranties of various lengths ranging from 5 years to lifetime for limited coverage for a variety of material and workmanship defects based on standard terms and conditions between the Company and its customers. Warranty coverage depends on the product involved.

The warranty reserve activity was as follows:

 

     As of September 30,  
(In thousands)    2019      2018  

Beginning balance

   $ 9,304      $ 7,783  

Additions

     4,509        4,315  

Reduction in accruals for pre-existing warranties

     (6      (3

Warranty claims payment

     (2,927      (3,106

Accretion—purchase accounting valuation

     253        315  
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

Ending balance

     11,133        9,304  

Current portion of accrued warranty

     (2,543      (1,944
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

Accrued warranty—less current portion

   $ 8,590      $ 7,360  
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

TimberTech Warranties and Related Indemnification

In connection with the acquisition of TimberTech on September 21, 2012 and the acquisition of CPG International LLC on September 30, 2013, the Company recognized the fair value of the related warranty liabilities calculated as the net present value of the expected costs to settle all future warranty claims for products sold prior to the acquisition date. The Company records accretion expense in Cost of Sales in the Consolidated Statement of Comprehensive Income (Loss) in order to increase the value of the liability to reflect the future value of the warranty claims when they are actually settled. In addition, the Company records estimated warranty claims obligations related to current sales on an ongoing basis for the TimberTech product line.

 

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Pursuant to the TimberTech purchase agreement, the seller, Crane Group Companies Limited (“Crane”), also agreed to indemnify the Company for claims made up to seven years after the acquisition date for the majority of the costs to settle warranty claims for certain identified problems related to two products which have exhibited a high number of claims related to scorching and fading defects. The products were produced between 2010 and 2011 and have not been sold by the Company since 2011. Similar to its recognition of the warranty liability, the Company recorded an indemnification receivable from Crane on the acquisition date equal to the fair value of the indemnification calculated as the net present value of the expected indemnification payments to be received in the future. At September 30, 2019, $1.3 million was classified as Other Current Assets and $0.5 million was classified as Other Assets (non-current). As of September 30, 2018, $1.3 million was classified as Other Current Assets and $0.3 million was classified as Other Assets (non-current). Due to a dispute by Crane of its ongoing obligations, the Company has a full reserve recorded against the amount receivable. The Company will continue to monitor the actual cost to settle warranty claims in the future and will make adjustments to the warranty liability and indemnification receivable if needed. The indemnification period expired on September 21, 2019. Crane disputes the scope of its past indemnification obligations and the Company cannot predict the outcome of the dispute. If the Company’s expectations with respect to the timing of claims payments changes, with additional payments expected to be made outside of the indemnification period, the Company may need to record additional charges to the Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Income (Loss) and the Consolidated Balance Sheets related to this reserve in the future.

 

10.

FAIR VALUE OF FINANCIAL INSTRUMENTS

The fair value framework requires the categorization of assets and liabilities into three levels based upon the assumptions (inputs) used to price the assets or liabilities. Level 1 provides the most reliable measure of fair value, whereas Level 3 generally requires significant management judgment. The three levels are further described in Note 2—Summary of Significant Accounting Policies.

Financial instruments with a fair value that approximates carrying value—The carrying amounts of cash and cash equivalents, trade receivables and payables, as well as financial instruments included in other current assets and other current liabilities, approximate fair values because of their short-term maturities.

Financial instruments with a fair value different from carrying value—The Company has, where appropriate, estimated the fair value of financial instruments for which the amortized cost carrying value may be significantly different than the fair value. As of September 30, 2019, and 2018, these instruments include the Company’s outstanding debt.

As described in Note 8 Debt, the Company records debt at amortized cost. The carrying values and the estimated fair values of debt financial instruments (Level 2 measurements) as of September 30 are as follows:

 

     2019      2018  
(In thousands)    Carrying
Value
     Estimated
Fair Value
     Carrying
Value
     Estimated
Fair Value
 

Term loan due May 5, 2024

   $ 808,507      $ 804,464      $ 816,570      $ 821,306  

Senior Notes due October 1, 2021

   $ 315,000      $ 315,000      $ 315,000      $ 320,119  

The fair values of debt instruments were determined using trading prices between qualified institutional buyers; therefore, the debt instruments valuations are classified as Level 2.

Financial instrument remeasured at fair value on a recurring basis—In connection with the acquisition of Ultralox on December 20, 2017, the Company offered a contingent payment. The contingent payment was based on achievement of a minimum EBITDA amount and a multiple of EBITDA, for EBITDA exceeding a higher threshold for calendar year 2018. The potential minimum of the contingent payment would have been zero and the potential maximum would have been $30.0 million. During the fiscal year ended September 30, 2019, the Company paid the former owners of Ultralox $2.0 million as settlement of the contingent payment liability. At

 

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the date of acquisition (Note 3) the fair value was estimated to be $5.3 million. Of the fair value, $2.8 million is accounted for as contingent consideration in conjunction with the acquisition related to the non-employee owners, and the remaining $2.5 million (which was subsequently adjusted downward to $0.9 million due to changes in the estimated fair value of the contingent payment) has been recognized as compensation expense to the employee-owners from the date of acquisition through June 30, 2018 as the employee-owners forfeit their share of the contingent payment if they are not employed through that date.

The contingent payment made was based on achievement of a minimum EBITDA amount and a multiple of EBITDA, for EBITDA exceeding a higher threshold for calendar 2018. The Company classified the contingent liability as Level 3, due to the lack of observable inputs. The significant assumptions made by the Company included a central estimate of EBITDA and EBITDA volatility of 39%. Changes in assumptions could have an impact on the payout of the contingent consideration payout amount.

During the fiscal year ended September 30, 2019, the Company amended the earnout agreement to include two additional payments totaling $3.4 million to the former owners of Ultralox that are contingent upon the former owners continued employment through December 31, 2018 and 2019. These additional earnout payments are recognized as compensation expense over the required employment periods, since they are contingent upon future service from the date of the amendment. In addition, during the fiscal year ended September 30, 2019, the Company paid the former owners of Ultralox $1.7 million as partial settlement of the amended earnout agreement. At September 30, 2019 and 2018, the contingent payment liability of $1.3 million and $1.9 million, respectively was recorded in “Accrued expenses and other liabilities” in the Consolidated Balance Sheets.

 

    As of September 30,  
    2019     2018  
(In thousands)   Total     Level 1     Level 2     Level 3     Total     Level 1     Level 2     Level 3  

Liabilities:

               

Contingent compensation

  $ 1,303     $ —       $ —         1,303     $ 888     $ —       $ —       $ 888  

Contingent consideration

    —         —         —         —         1,012       —         —         1,012  
 

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total contingent consideration and compensation

  $ 1,303     $ —       $ —       $ 1,303     $ 1,900     $ —       $ —       $ 1,900  
 

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

The following table provides a roll-forward of the aggregate fair value of the contingent consideration and compensation categorized as Level 3 for the years ended September 30, 2019 and 2018:

 

(US dollars in thousands)

   As of
September 30,
2019
    As of
September 30,
2018
 

Beginning balance

   $ 1,900     $ —    

Issuance of contingent consideration in connection with acquisition

     —         2,822  

Change in fair value of contingent consideration

     53       (1,810

Less contingent payments

     (3,675     —    

Compensation expense recognized

     3,025       888  
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Ending balance

   $ 1,303     $ 1,900  
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

For the years ended September 30, 2019 and 2018, the estimated contingent payment recognized as compensation expense of $1.3 million and $0.9 million, respectively, is included in “Non-cash compensation expense” in the Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows.

 

11.

SHARE-BASED COMPENSATION

AOT Building Products, L.P. (the “Partnership”) has granted profits interests to employees and certain directors of the Company (“Management Limited Partners”) through an LP Interest Agreement in accordance

 

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with the Limited Partnership Agreement of the Partnership dated September 30, 2013 (the “Limited Partnership Agreement”). The Limited Partnership Agreement allows the board of directors of the general partner of the Partnership to make grant interests in the Partnership to eligible individuals. Awards that may be issued include common partnership interests, time vested Profits Interests and performance vested Profits Interests.

The Partnership interests enhance the Company’s ability to attract, retain, incentivize and motivate employees and to promote the success of the Company’s business by providing such participating individuals with a proprietary interest in the appreciation of value of the Partnership. The total number of Profit Interests that may be awarded under the Partnership agreement was 77,084 as of September 30, 2019. The Profit Interests are classified as equity awards in accordance with ASC 718 “Compensation—Stock Compensation.”

Awardees typically receive an equal number of time vested Profits Interests and performance vested Profits Interests. Profit Interests are awarded with a hurdle amount whereby, they do not participate in distributions to equity holders up to that hurdle amount, per the Limited Partnership Agreement. The hurdle amount for time vested and performance vested Profits Interests was $1,000 and increased to $1,740 for grants awarded after June 30, 2018.

The sole material asset of the Partnership is indirect ownership of the Company. Accordingly, the fair value of the Profits Interests was derived by reference to the value of the Company, which the Company estimated using a combination of the income approach and the market approach.

The estimated grant date fair values of both time vested and performance vested Profits Interests granted during 2019 and 2018, was derived using the option pricing method, which treats the various interests in the Partnership as call options with exercise prices determined based on their respective rights to participate in distributions by the Partnership. The values attributable to these implicit call options were determined using the Black-Scholes option pricing model.

The estimated grant date fair values of a time vested Profits Interests granted during 2019 and 2018, and the assumptions used for the Black-Scholes fair value model were as follows:

 

     2019    2018

Estimated weighted average grant date fair value per Profits Interests granted

  

$399

   $ 448

Assumptions:

     

Risk-free interest rate

   1.75 - 2.81%    0.88 - 2.81%

Expected term

   2 years    2 - 3 years

Expected volatility

   45.00% - 50.00%    45.00% - 55.00%

Dividend yield

   0.00%    0.00%

The expected term was based on the anticipated time to liquidity. The risk-free interest rate has been determined on the yields for U.S. Treasury securities for a period approximating the expected term. The expected volatility has been estimated based on the volatilities using a weighted peer group of companies that are deemed to be similar to the Company and is calculated using the expected term of the profit interests granted.

Time vested Profits Interests generally vest in 20% increments on each of the first five anniversaries following the vesting commencement date, subject to continued employment; provided that the time vested Profits Interests may be redeemed by the Partnership for no value in the event that the awardee’s employment is terminated for cause or the awardee resigns without good reason prior to the third anniversary of the award’s grant date. In the event of a change in control, the vesting of outstanding time vested Profits Interests is accelerated. The compensation cost of time vested Profits Interests is determined based on the number of units granted and the fair value of the units at the grant date. That cost is expensed on a straight-line basis over the requisite service period.

 

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Information on time vested Profit Interests activity is as follows:

 

     Number
of
Profits
Interests
    Weighted Average
Grant Date

Fair Value per
Profit Interest
 

Balance as of September 30, 2017

     24,911     $ 476  

Granted

     11,288       448  

Redeemed

     (660     498  

Forfeited

     (915     478  

Expired

     —         —    
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Balance as of September 30, 2018

     34,624     $ 466  
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Granted

     5,753       399  

Redeemed

     (35     481  

Forfeited

     (2,913     448  

Expired

     —         —    
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Balance as of September 30, 2019

     37,429     $ 457  
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Vested Profits Interests as of September 30, 2019

     17,905    

Vested Profits Interests as of September 30, 2018

     10,966    

Profits Interests compensation expense related to the time vested Profits Interests awards was $3.3 million and $2.5 million for the years ended September 30, 2019 and 2018, respectively. As of September 30, 2019, the unrecognized compensation expense related to unvested time vested Profits Interests was $7.2 million, which expense will be recognized over the remaining weighted-average vesting period of 3.0 years. During the 2018 fiscal year, certain Profits Interests were redeemed more than six months after each of the interests vested, in connection with terminations of employment, for a total of $0.4 million, as the redemption value per unit exceeded the hurdle amount.

The estimated fair values of performance vested Profits Interests granted and the assumptions used for the option pricing model were as follows:

 

    Tranche 1
2019
  Tranche 2
2019
  Tranche 1
2018
  Tranche 2
2018

Estimated weighted average grant date fair value per Profits Interest granted

  $389   $309   $396   $313

Assumptions:

       

Risk-free interest rate

  1.75% - 2.81%   1.75% - 2.81%   0.88% - 2.81%   0.88% - 2.81%

Expected term

  2 years   2 years   2 - 3 years   2 - 3 years

Expected volatility

  45.00% - 50.00%   45.00% - 50.00%   45.00% - 55.00%   45.00% - 55.00%

Dividend yield

  0.00%   0.00%   0.00%   0.00%

The fair market value of the Company’s underlying equity was derived using a combination of the income approach and the market approach. The income approach used a discounted cash-flow model. The market approach utilized the comparable company method by analyzing a group of companies that were considered to be comparable to the Company. The expected term represents the average of anticipated exit scenarios. The risk- free interest rate has been determined based on the yields for U.S. Treasury securities for a period approximating the expected term. The expected volatility has been estimated based on the volatilities of a peer group of companies that are deemed to be similar to the Company and is calculated using the expected term of the Profits Interests granted.

 

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Performance vested Profits Interests only vest upon meeting the applicable performance criteria which are linked to the level of return on investment for Ares Corporate Opportunities Fund IV, L.P. and Ontario Limited Teachers Pension Fund (the “Sponsors”) of the Partnership. One tranche of the performance vested Profits Interests vests when the cumulative return to each of the Sponsors exceeds 2 times the aggregate capital contributions made by the Sponsors or, upon a change in control of the Company, exceeds an internal rate of return greater than 25%. The other tranche vests when the cumulative return to each of the Sponsors exceeds 2.75 times the aggregate capital contributions made by the Sponsor or upon a change in control of the Company, exceeds an internal rate of return of 30%. These performance vested Profits Interests expire on the earlier of the tenth anniversary of the date of grant date or a change in control in which the performance criteria was not met, subject to potential earlier expiration upon the awardee’s termination of employment.

Information on performance vested Profits Interests activity is as follows:

 

     Tranche 1      Tranche 2  
     Number
of
Interests
    Weighted
Average
Grant Date
Fair Value
per Profit
Interest
     Number
of
Interests
    Weighted
Average
Grant Date
Fair Value
per Profit
Interest
 

Balance as of September 30, 2017

     10,703     $ 354        10,703     $ 286  

Granted

     5,644       396        5,644       313  

Redeemed

     —            —      

Forfeited

     (788     313        (788     265  

Expired

     —            —      
  

 

 

   

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

 

Balance as of September 30, 2018

     15,559       371        15,559       296  
  

 

 

   

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

 

Granted

     2,876       389        2,876       309  

Redeemed

     —            —      

Forfeited

     (2,271     381        (2,271     301  

Expired

     —            —      
  

 

 

   

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

 

Balance as of September 30, 2019

     16,164     $ 373        16,164     $ 298  
  

 

 

   

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

 

As the performance criteria have not been achieved, and the achievement of the performance criteria has not been deemed to be probable at any time up to and including September 30, 2019, no Profits Interests-based compensation expense was recorded related to the performance vested Profit Interests awards. As of September 30, 2019 and 2018, unrecognized compensation related to non-vested Performance Vested Profits Interests was $10.8 million and $10.4 million, respectively.

Additionally, during the year ended September 30, 2019 the Company granted certain awards that have similar performance criteria to the performance vested profits interest. As those criteria have not been met no compensation expense has been recognized. As of September 30, 2019, unrecognized compensation related to these awards was $4.1 million.

The Company also granted 500 common interests with a fair value of $0.5 million to the Chief Executive Officer of the Company, with a vesting period of two years. The fair value was expensed over the related service period beginning in the third quarter of fiscal year ending September 30, 2016 and ending in the third quarter of fiscal year ending September 30, 2018. These common interests are fully vested as of September 30, 2018.

 

12.

EMPLOYEE BENEFIT PLANS

The Company has 401(k) defined contribution plan (the “401(k) Plans”) for the benefit of its employees who meet certain eligibility requirements. The Company does not offer a defined benefit plan (pension plan) nor does the Company offer any other post-retirement benefits. The 401(k) Plans cover substantially all of the

 

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Company’s full-time employees. Each participant may contribute up to 85% of his or her salary, within dollar limitations set forth by the ERISA guidelines. Effective January 1, 2018, the Company amended the 401(k) plan to increase the Company match to be 100% of the first 1% of employee contributions, plus 50% of the next 5% of employee contributions. Prior to January 1, 2018, the Company matched 50% of the first 5% of employee contributions.

The Company’s contributions to the plans totaled $2.7 million and $1.7 million, for the years ended September 30, 2019 and 2018, respectively.

 

13.

INCOME TAXES

The Company’s operations are substantially all domestic. Components of the income tax expense (benefit) for the periods ended:

 

     Years Ended September 30,  
(In thousands)          2019                  2018        

Current:

     

Federal

   $ (62    $ (41

State and local

     1,428        1,054  
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

Total current

     1,366        1,013  

Deferred:

     

Federal

     (3,128      (25,534

State and local

     (2,193      1,409  
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

Total deferred

     (5,321      (24,125
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

Income tax benefit

   $ (3,955    $ (23,112
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

The effective income tax rate was different from the statutory U.S. federal income tax rate of 21% and 21% for the years ended September 30, 2019 and 2018, respectively, due to the following:

 

(In thousands)

   Year Ended
September 30,
2019
    Rate     Year Ended
September 30,
2018
    Rate  

Income tax benefit / federal statutory rate

   $ (5,072     21.0   $ (3,437     21.0

State and local taxes—net of federal benefit

     (667     2.8       275       (1.7

Increase in valuation allowance

     20       (0.1     140       (0.9

Increase in valuation allowance—impact of US tax reform

     —         —         902       (5.5

Share based compensation

     685       (2.8     558       (3.4

State tax law change

     —         —         1,453       (8.9

Deferred impact of US tax reform rate change

     —         —         (23,409     143.0  

Nondeductible transaction costs

     407       (1.7     —         —    

Meals and entertainment

     350       (1.5     206       (1.3

Other

     322       (1.3     200       (1.2
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Income tax benefit / effective tax rate

     $(3,955)       16.4%       $(23,112)       141.2
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

 

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Significant components of the deferred tax assets and liabilities were as follows:

 

     As of September 30,  
(In thousands)    2019     2018  

Deferred tax asset:

    

Federal net operating loss carryforwards

   $ 19,706     $ 17,366  

State loss carryforwards and other benefits

     8,866       7,352  

Inventory reserves

     7,867       9,418  

Warranty reserves

     2,819       2,366  

Legal reserves

     451       410  

Accrued expenses

     5,992       4,003  

Disallowed interest carryforward

     9,222       —    

Valuation allowance

     (5,250     (5,230
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total deferred tax assets

     49,673       35,685  
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Deferred tax liabilities:

    

Intangibles—net

     (51,823     (56,439

Property, plant and equipment

     (31,332     (18,214

Indemnification receivable related to warranty reserves

     (521     (506
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total deferred tax liabilities

     (83,676     (75,159
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Net deferred tax liability

   $ (34,003   $ (39,474
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

At September 30, 2019, the Company has approximately $81.9 million (gross of tax) of net operating loss carryforwards for federal income tax purposes which begin to expire after 2031 and $14.1 million of net operating loss carryforwards for federal income tax purposes that have an indefinite carry-forward period. Additionally, the Company has approximately $84.9 million of net operating loss carryforwards for state and local tax purposes, which expire in varying amounts beginning in 2020 and through 2037. The valuation allowance was determined in accordance with the provisions of ASC 740, which requires that a valuation allowance be established and maintained when management’s analysis indicates it is “not more likely than not” that all or a portion of deferred tax assets will be realized. The valuation allowance for certain net deferred tax assets of $5.3 million and $5.2 million at September 30, 2019 and 2018, respectively, is attributable to the uncertainty as to the realization of state deferred tax assets related to Pennsylvania state tax loss carryforwards at certain U.S. subsidiaries of the Company (CPG International LLC and Scranton Products, Inc.). The activity in the valuation allowance was as follows for the fiscal years ended September 30:

 

     Years Ended
September 30,
 
(In thousands)    2019      2018  

Beginning balance

   $ 5,230      $ 4,188  

Charged to expense

     20        140  

Impact of US Tax Reform

     —          902  
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

Ending balance

   $ 5,250      $ 5,230  
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

 

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A reconciliation of the beginning and ending balances for liabilities associated with unrecognized tax benefits is as follows:

 

     Years Ended
September 30,
 
(In thousands)    2019      2018  

Beginning balance

   $ 924      $ 1,156  

Unrecognized tax benefits related to prior years

     37        30  

Unrecognized tax benefits related to the current year

     —          —    

Settlements

     —          —    

Revaluation of prior year reserve at 21% rate

     —          (262
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

Ending balance

   $ 961      $ 924  
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

Unrecognized tax benefits of $0.5 million and $0.5 million are recorded as an offset to certain non-current deferred tax assets at September 30, 2019 and 2018, respectively. The total liabilities associated with the unrecognized tax benefits that, if recognized, would impact the Company’s effective tax rate were $1.0 million and $0.9 million at September 30, 2019 and 2018, respectively. It is not anticipated that the balance of unrecognized tax benefits will change significantly over the next twelve months.

When applicable, the Company’s practice is to recognize interest and penalties related to uncertain income tax positions in income tax expense. For the years ended September 30, 2019 and September 30, 2018 the amounts recognized by the Company for interest and penalties were not material. The corresponding liability recorded in the consolidated balance sheet as of September 30, 2019 and 2018 was also not material.

The Company and its subsidiaries file U.S. federal income tax returns. The Company and its subsidiaries’ federal income tax returns for tax years 2013 and beyond are open tax years subject to examination by the Internal Revenue Service (“IRS”). The Company also has net operating loss carry-forwards from prior to 2013, which are subject to examination upon future utilization of such losses. The Company and its subsidiaries also file income tax returns in various state jurisdictions, as appropriate, with varying statutes of limitation. Certain subsidiaries file federal and provincial income tax returns in Canada. These returns are not material to the consolidated income tax provision.

US Tax Reform Legislation

On December 22, 2017, the President of the United States signed into law H.R. 1, comprehensive tax legislation commonly referred to as the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (the “Tax Act”). Except for certain provisions, the Tax Act is effective for tax years beginning on or after January 1, 2018. As a fiscal year U.S. taxpayer, the majority of the provisions, such as new limitations on certain business deductions, including the limitation on the Company’s interest expense deduction, applied to the Company beginning in fiscal 2019. For fiscal 2018 and effective in the three months ended December 31, 2017, the most significant impact included: lowering of the U.S. federal corporate income tax rate and remeasuring certain net deferred tax assets and liabilities. The phase in of the lower corporate income tax rate resulted in a blended rate of 24.5% for fiscal 2018, as compared to the previous rate of 35%. The tax rate was reduced to 21% in subsequent fiscal years. Because the Company has net operating loss carry-forwards and was not expected to owe federal tax in the fiscal year 2018 tax return, the remeasurement of deferred taxes and the annual effective tax rate for the period are calculated using the future federal tax rate of 21%. In the year ended September 30, 2018, the Company recorded a $22.5 million net income tax benefit for the remeasurement of certain deferred tax assets and liabilities. The Company’s effective tax rate was significantly impacted by the recognition of this remeasurement.

In December 2017, the SEC issued Staff Accounting Bulletin No. 118 (“SAB 118”) which provided guidance on how companies should account for the tax effects related to the Tax Act. According to SAB 118,

 

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companies were to make a good faith effort to compute the impact of the Tax Act in a timely manner once the company obtained, prepared, and analyzed the information needed to complete their accounting requirements under ASC 740. The measurement period for SAB 118 ended December 22, 2018, and companies are now required to report the impact of the Tax Act using existing tax law and other sources of authority. The Company was able to record the impact of the Tax Act without using the measurement period provisions of the Tax Act. The material elements of the Tax Act are reflected in the rate reconciliation as final.

Certain law changes from the Tax Act require the Company to analyze new items including, but not limited to, limitations on interest deductions and accelerated cost recovery of fixed assets. The Company has made policy decisions as to how to account for the tax effects of these items, as required by authoritative regulatory guidance, and will continue to analyze the impact as additional authoritative and technical guidance is issued and finalized at the federal and state levels.

The Tax Act also revised the definition of “covered employees” who are subject to the $1.0 million limitation imposed on deductions for executive compensation paid by publicly-traded corporations. As a result, the limitation now applies to the chief executive officer, the chief financial officer, the three other highest- compensated employees and any employee who was a covered employee for any taxable year beginning after 2016. The Tax Act also eliminated the exception to this rule for commission or performance-based compensation paid to these covered employees. This new provision generally does not apply to compensation paid pursuant to a written contract in effect on or before November 3, 2017 that is not materially modified or renewed. Based on this new provision, if and when the Company becomes publicly traded, it will adjust its Deferred Tax Asset related to future stock compensation deductions for amounts that it does not expect it will be able to deduct in the future. The Company will continue to analyze executive compensation in future periods and adjust the Deferred Tax Asset for limitations of estimated future compensation deductions as information becomes available.

 

14.

SEGMENTS

Operating segments for the Company are determined based on information used by the chief operating decision maker (“CODM”) in deciding how to evaluate performance and allocate resources to each of the segments. CPG’s CODM reviews Adjusted EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA Margin as the key segment measures of performance. Adjusted EBITDA is defined as segment operating income (loss) plus depreciation and amortization, adjusted by adding thereto or subtracting therefrom share-based compensation, asset impairments and inventory revaluations, business transformation costs, acquisition costs and certain other costs. Adjusted EBITDA Margin is defined as Adjusted EBITDA divided by Net Sales.

The Company has two reportable segments, Residential and Commercial. The reportable segments were determined primarily based on products and end markets as follows:

 

   

Residential—The Residential segment manufactures and distributes decking, rail, trim and accessories through a national network of dealers and distributors and multiple home improvement retailers providing extensive geographic coverage enabling the Company to effectively serve contractors. The recent addition of Ultralox and Versatex are complementary to the Residential segment railing and trim businesses, respectively. This segment is impacted by trends in and the strength of home repair and remodel activity.

 

   

Commercial—The Commercial segment manufactures, fabricates and distributes resin based extruded sheeting products for a variety of commercial and industrial applications through a widespread distribution network as well as directly to original equipment manufacturers. This segment includes Scranton Products which manufactures lockers and partitions and Vycom which manufactures resin based sheeting products. This segment is impacted by trends in and the strength of the new construction sector.

The accounting policies of the operating segments are the same as those described in Note 2, “Summary of Significant Accounting Policies”. Intercompany transactions between segments are excluded as they are not

 

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included in management’s performance review of the segments. Currently our foreign revenue accounts for less than 10% of our consolidated revenue. We do not disclose assets outside of the United States as they totaled less than 10% of our consolidated assets as of September 30, 2019 and 2018.

The segment data below includes the following data for Residential and Commercial for the years ended September 30, 2019 and 2018:

 

    For the fiscal year ended September 30,  
    Residential     Commercial     Corporate and
Eliminations
    Total  
    2019     2018     2019     2018     2019     2018     2019     2018  

(us dollar in thousands)

               

Net Sales

  $ 655,445     $ 541,942     $ 138,758     $ 139,863     $ —       $ —       $ 794,203     $ 681,805  

Adjusted EBITDA

    188,742       168,438       21,493       21,669       (30,669     (25,693     179,566       164,414  

Capital Expenditures

    48,206       36,121       4,592       4,308       10,208       2,329       63,006       42,758  

Depreciation and Amortization

    81,716       66,396       8,845       8,961       3,368       2,308       93,929       77,665  

Goodwill

    903,909       903,909       40,389       40,389       —         —         944,298       944,298  

Total assets

    1,584,383       1,596,075       171,721       162,543       32,159       20,562       1,788,263       1,779,180  

 

     2019     2018  

Segment Adjusted EBITDA

    

Residential

   $ 188,742     $ 168,438  

Commercial

     21,493       21,669  
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Segment Adjusted EBITDA for reportable segments

     210,235       190,107  

Unallocated net expenses

     (30,669     (25,693

Adjustments to Income (loss) before income tax benefit

    

Interest expense

     (83,205     (68,742

Depreciation and amortization

     (93,929     (77,665

Share-based compensation costs

     (3,682     (3,099

Asset impairment and inventory revaluation costs(1)

     —         (12,747

Restructuring and business transformation costs(2)

     (16,560     (5,822

Capital structure transaction costs(3)

     —         (367

Acquisition costs(4)

     (4,110     (7,361

Initial public offering costs

     (9,076     (789

Other costs(5)

     6,845       (4,189
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Income (loss) before income taxes

   $ (24,151   $ (16,367
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

 

(1)

Asset impairment and inventory revaluation costs reflect tangible and intangible asset impairment costs of $0.0 million and $0.9 million for September 30, 2019 and 2018, respectively, and inventory revaluations of $0.0 million and $11.8 million for September 30, 2019 and 2018, respectively.

(2)

Restructuring and business transformation costs reflect consulting and other costs related to repositioning of brands of $4.3 million and $0.0 for September 30, 2019 and 2018, respectively, compensation costs related to the transformation of the senior management team of $2.3 million and $0.2 million for September 30, 2019 and 2018, respectively, costs related to the relocation of the Company’s corporate headquarters of $2.0 million in fiscal 2019, start up costs of the Company’s new recycling facility of $5.3 million in fiscal 2019, and other integration-related costs of $2.7 million and $5.6 million for September 30, 2019 and 2018, respectively.

(3)

Capital structure transaction costs include non-capitalizable debt and equity issuance costs.

(4)

Acquisition costs reflect costs directly related to completed acquisitions of $4.1 million and $4.9 million for September 30, 2019 and 2018, respectively and inventory step-up adjustments related to recording the inventory of acquired businesses at fair value on the date of acquisition of $0.0 million and $2.4 million for September 30, 2019 and 2018, respectively.

(5)

Other costs reflect costs for legal defense of $0.9 million and $1.5 million for September 30, 2019 and 2018, respectively, costs related to a change in the estimated warranty obligation based on a change in operational

 

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  policy on reimbursement of claims of $2.1 million in fiscal 2018, other miscellaneous adjustments of $0.0 million and $0.6 million for the September 30, 2019 and 2018, respectively, and income from an insurance recovery of legal loss of $7.7 million and $0.0 million for September 30, 2019 and 2018, respectively.

 

15.

COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES

Lease Commitments

The Company leases vehicles, machinery and a manufacturing facility under various capital lease agreements. The Company also leases office space, manufacturing facilities, vehicles and office equipment under various operating lease agreements. During the year ended September 30, 2018, the Company subleased its Skokie, Illinois Corporate office space to facilitate a move to a new leased space in Chicago, Illinois during December 2018. The future minimum operating lease payments outlined below have not been reduced for anticipated future minimum sublease rentals of $1.1 million at September 30, 2019.

The future minimum annual payments under noncancelable leases with initial or remaining noncancelable lease terms in excess of one year as of September 30, 2019 were as follows:

 

(US dollars in thousands)

   Capital     Financing      Operating  

2020

   $ 1,510     $ 459      $ 1,097  

2021

     1,454       769        848  

2022

     1,271       788        637  

2023

     841       808        417  

2024

     592       827        46  

Thereafter

     2,789       4,607        —    
  

 

 

   

 

 

    

 

 

 

Total Payments

     8,457     $ 8,258      $ 3,045  
  

 

 

   

 

 

    

 

 

 

Less amount representing interest

     (4,496     
  

 

 

      

Present value of minimum capital lease payments

   $ 3,961       
  

 

 

      

For operating leases, the related operating lease payments are expensed on a straight-line basis over the lease term, including, as applicable, any free-rent period during which the Company has the right to use the asset. For leases with renewal options where the renewal is reasonably assured, the lease term, including the renewal period, is used to determine the appropriate lease classification and to compute periodic rental expense. Total rent expense related to operating leases was approximately $1.3 million and $1.4 million for the years ended September 30, 2019 and 2018, respectively. Total future minimum sublease income under a noncancelable sublease was $1.1 million at September 30, 2019.

In 2018, the Company entered into a lease agreement for its corporate headquarters in Chicago, IL. The Company was responsible for costs to build out the office space and spent approximately $3.4 million in improvements to meet the Company’s needs. Based on the lease agreement and the changes made to the office space the Company concluded that it was the “deemed owner” of the building (for accounting purposes only) during the construction period. The Company recorded the build out costs as an asset with a corresponding build-to suit liability while the building was under construction. Upon completion of the improvements to the building, the Company evaluated the derecognition of the asset and liability under the provisions of ASC 840-40, Leases—Sale-Leaseback Transactions. The Company determined that the lease did not meet the criteria for sale-lease back accounting treatment, due to the Company’s continuing involvement in the project. As a result, the building is being accounted for as a financing obligation. The underlying assets amount to approximately $9.2 million. The Company determined that its incremental borrowing rate for the purpose of calculating the interest and principal components of each lease payment was 8.7%.

 

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Raw Material and Fixed Asset Purchase Commitments

The Company fulfills requirements for raw materials under both purchase orders and supply contracts. In the year ended September 30, 2019, the Company purchased substantially all of its raw materials, other than resins, under purchase orders which do not involve long-term supply commitments.

Substantially all of the Company’s resins are purchased under supply contracts that may average approximately one to two years, for which pricing is variable based on certain industry-based market indices. The resin supply contracts are negotiated annually and generally provide that the Company is obligated to purchase a minimum amount of resins from each supplier. As of September 30, 2019, the Company has purchase commitments under material supply contracts of $5.6 million for the calendar year ending December 31, 2019.

As of September 30, 2019, and 2018, the Company had committed to purchase $0.7 million and $1.2 of equipment, respectively.

Legal Proceedings

In the normal course of the Company’s business, it is at times subject to pending and threatened legal actions, in some cases for which the relief or damages sought may be substantial. Although the Company is not able to predict the outcome of such actions, after reviewing all pending and threatened actions with counsel and based on information currently available, management believes that the outcome of such actions, individually or in the aggregate, will not have a material adverse effect on the Company’s results of operations or financial position. However, it is possible that the ultimate resolution of such matters, if unfavorable, may be material to the Company’s results of operations in a particular future period as the time and amount of any resolution of such actions and its relationship to the future results of operations are not currently known. The Company accrues for losses when they are probable of occurrence and such losses are reasonably estimable. Legal costs expected to be incurred are accounted for as they are incurred.

During the year ended September 30, 2017 the Company recorded a $7.5 million reserve for a counterclaim brought by a competitor. During the year ended September 30, 2018, the Company paid $7.5 million related to this reserve. In connection with this legal matter the Company is pursuing potential coverage with its insurance carriers. The Company maintains specialty insurance policies. The Company filed claims under its insurance policies to recover the loss and legal defense costs. Subsequent to September 30, 2018, the Company received $7.7 million as settlement of its claims under the specialty insurance policies. The settlement of $7.7 million is included in operating income during the 2019 fiscal year.

An additional legal matter involved a class action settlement related to certain legacy products and their performance and the Company recorded a separate $7.5 million reserve in respect of this matter. During the year ended September 30, 2018, the Company paid settlements of $5.6 million related to this reserve. After settlement of both matters the remaining balance of $1.9 million was reversed, resulting in a reduction in “Selling, general and administrative expense” in the Consolidated Statement of Comprehensive Income (Loss) during the year ended September 30, 2018.

On June 18, 2018, the Company acquired Versatex. In connection with a contingent liability assumed by the Company in the acquisition, the Company recorded a contingent liability of $5.8 million as a measurement period adjustment to the opening balance sheet related to the assumption of a contingency related to an automobile accident involving a Versatex employee prior to the acquisition. The case is currently in discovery as the nature and extent of the injuries involved are currently being determined. The trial date is set for September 2019. The Company recorded a $5.8 million accrual and a $5.8 million contingent insurance recovery as the insurance carrier verified the loss was covered under the related automobile insurance policy. Both the reserve and the recovery receivable were recorded as measurement period adjustments to the opening balance sheet. There was no impact to the Consolidated Statement of Comprehensive Income (Loss) during the year ended

 

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September 30, 2018. The contingent liability is presented in “Accrued expenses and other liabilities,” and the contingent receivable is presented as “Other current assets” in the Consolidated Balance Sheets as of September 30, 2019 and 2018.

During the year ended September 30, 2019, the Company was made aware of a worker’s compensation case that became reasonably possible to give rise to a liability. The case is in discovery as the nature and extent of the Company’s exposure is currently being determined. The Company expects a range of loss of $0.4 million to $0.5 million. As of September 30, 2019, and September 30, 2018, there are other various worker’s compensation and personal injury claims that have been made against the Company. All such claims are being contested and the Company does not believe a loss is probable; therefore, no reserve has been recorded related to these matters. In addition, the Company carries insurance for these types of matters and is expecting to recover thereon.

The Company is a party to various legal proceedings and claims, which arise in the ordinary course of business. As of September 30, 2019, the Company determined that there was not at least a reasonable possibility that it had incurred a material loss, or a material loss in excess of a recorded accrual, with respect to such proceedings.

 

16.

RELATED PARTY TRANSACTIONS

On October 12, 2018, the Company entered into a consulting arrangement with the Hawksbill Group for a term of six months. The Hawksbill Group is 30% owned by Mr. Tim Lee, a member of the Board of Directors of CPG. Under the terms of the agreement, Hawksbill Group is to provide advisory services regarding operations and maintenance activities. The consulting agreement was approved by the Chief Executive Officer and the former Chief Financial Officer. The monthly fee under the arrangement is less than $0.1 million per month and the contract was canceled in June 2019 with fees totaling $0.5 million. Similar related party arrangements existed with Hawksbill during fiscal years ended September 30, 2018 and total fees expensed for the arrangement were $0.6 million. The amount payable to the Hawksbill Group as of September 30, 2018 was $0.1 million.

 

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17.

CONDENSED FINANCIAL INFORMATION OF REGISTRANT (PARENT COMPANY ONLY)

CPG Newco LLC

(parent company only)

Condensed Balance Sheets

(In thousands)

 

     As of September 30,  
     2019     2018  
ASSETS     

Non-current assets:

    

Investment in subsidiaries

   $ 490,023     $ 505,553  
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total non-current assets

     490,023       505,553  
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total assets

   $ 490,023     $ 505,553  
  

 

 

   

 

 

 
LIABILITIES AND MEMBER’S EQUITY     

Total liabilities

     —         —    
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Member’s equity:

    

1 unit issued and outstanding at September 30, 2019 and 2018, respectively

   $ —       $ —    

Additional paid-in capital

     652,601       648,129  

Accumulated deficit

     (162,578     (142,576
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total member’s equity

     490,023       505,553  
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total liabilities and member’s equity

   $ 490,023     $ 505,553  
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

CPG Newco LLC

(parent company only)

Condensed Statements of Comprehensive Income (Loss)

(In thousands)

 

     Years Ended September 30,  
             2019                      2018          

Net income (loss) of subsidiaries

   $ (20,196    $ 6,745  
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

Net income (loss)

   $ (20,196    $ 6,745  
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

Comprehensive income (loss)

   $ (20,196    $ 6,745  
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

CPG Newco LLC did not have any cash as of, or for the years ended September 30, 2019 or September 30, 2018, and accordingly a condensed statement of cash flows has not been presented.

Basis of Presentation

The parent company financial statements should be read in conjunction with the Company’s Consolidated Financial Statements and the accompanying notes thereto. For purposes of this condensed financial information, the Company’s wholly owned and majority owned subsidiaries are recorded based upon its proportionate share of the subsidiaries’ net assets (similar to presenting them on the equity method).

Since the restricted net assets of CPG Newco LLC and its subsidiaries exceed 25% of the consolidated net assets of the Company and its subsidiaries, the accompanying condensed parent company financial statements have been prepared in accordance with Rule 12-04, Schedule 1 of Regulation S-X. This information should be read in conjunction with the accompanying Consolidated Financial Statements.

 

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Dividends from Subsidiaries

There were no cash dividends paid to CPG Newco LLC from the Company’s consolidated subsidiaries during each of the years ended September 30, 2019 and 2018.

Restricted Payments

CPG International LLC is party to the Revolving Credit Facility and the Term Loan Agreement originally executed on September 30, 2013, both of which have been amended and extended from time to time. The obligations under the Revolving Credit Facility and Term Loan Agreement are secured by substantially all of the present and future assets of the borrowers and guarantors, including equity interests of their domestic subsidiaries, subject to certain exceptions.

The obligations under the Revolving Credit Facility and Term Loan Agreement are guaranteed by the Company and its wholly owned domestic subsidiaries other than certain immaterial subsidiaries and other excluded subsidiaries. CPG International LLC is not permitted to make certain payments unless those payments are consistent with exceptions outlined in the agreements. These payments include repurchase of equity interests, fees associated with a public offering, income taxes due and other applicable payments. Further, the payments are only permitted if certain conditions are met related to availability and fixed charge coverage as defined in the Revolving Credit Facility and described in Note 8 to these Consolidated Financial Statements.

 

18.

REVISION OF PREVIOUSLY REPORTED FINANCIAL INFORMATION

As described in Note 2, the Company corrected errors for all prior periods presented by revising the Consolidated Financial Statements and other financial information included herein. The Company believes that the errors are not material.

The following table represents the effect of the revision on the Consolidated Balance Sheet:

 

(In thousands)    September 30, 2018  
     As Reported     Adjustments      As Revised  

Trade receivables, net of allowances

   $ 44,520     $ (528    $ 43,992  

Inventories

     111,343       (444      110,899  

Total current assets

     249,641       (972      248,669  

Property, plant and equipment, net

     175,016       5,805        180,821  

Total assets

     1,774,347       4,833        1,779,180  

Accounts payable

     36,405       (528      35,877  

Accrued rebates

     19,284       472        19,756  

Accrued expenses and other liabilities

     33,168       (472      32,696  

Total current liabilities

     110,327       (528      109,799  

Finance obligations – less current portion

     2,600       5,805        8,405  

Total liabilities

     1,268,350       5,277        1,273,627  

Accumulated deficit

     (142,132     (444      (142,576

Total member’s equity

     505,997       (444      505,553  

Total liabilities and member’s equity

     1,774,347       4,833        1,779,180  

 

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The following table represents the effect of the revision on the Consolidated Statement of Comprehensive Income (Loss):

 

(In thousands)    Year Ended September 30, 2018  
     As Reported      Adjustments      As Revised  

Net sales

   $ 682,666      $ (861    $ 681,805  

Cost of sales

     (479,325      (444      (479,769

Gross profit

     203,341        (1,305      202,036  

Selling, general and administrative expenses

     (145,549      861        (144,688

Operating income (loss)

     52,819        (444      52,375  

Income (loss) before income taxes

     (15,923      (444      (16,367

Net income (loss)

     7,189        (444      6,745  

Basic and diluted net income (loss) per common unit

     7,189        (444      6,745  

Comprehensive income (loss)

     7,189        (444      6,745  

The following table represents the effect of the revision on the Consolidated Statement of Member’s Equity:

 

(In thousands)    Year Ended September 30, 2018  
     As Reported      Adjustments      As Revised  

Net income (loss)

   $ 7,189      $ (444    $ 6,745  

Balance – September 30, 2018

     505,997        (444      505,553  

The following table represents the effect of the revision on the Consolidated Statement of Cash Flow:

 

(In thousands)    Year Ended September 30, 2018  
     As Reported      Adjustments      As Revised  

Net income (loss)

   $ 7,189      $ (444    $ 6,745  

Trade receivables

     1,859        528        2,387  

Inventories

     509        444        953  

Accounts payable

     4,926        (528      4,398  

Supplemental non-cash investing and financing disclosure:

        

Property, plant and equipment acquired under finance obligations

     1,240        5,805        7,045  

 

19.

SUBSEQUENT EVENTS

The financial statements of CPG Newco LLC are substantially comprised of the financial statements of CPG International LLC, which issued its annual Consolidated Financial Statements on December 4, 2019. Accordingly, the Company has evaluated transactions for consideration as recognized subsequent events in the annual Consolidated Financial Statements through December 4, 2019. Additionally, the Company has evaluated transactions that occurred as of the issuance of these Consolidated Financial Statements, December 23, 2019, for the purpose of disclosure of unrecognized subsequent events and determined there were no other events or transactions that require recognition or disclosure in these financial statements.

 

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LOGO


Table of Contents

             Shares

 

 

LOGO

 

Class A Common Stock

 

 

Prospectus

                    , 2020

 

 

 

Barclays

BofA Securities

Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC

Jefferies

 

 

Citigroup

Credit Suisse

Deutsche Bank Securities

RBC Capital Markets

 

 

B. Riley FBR

Baird

Stephens Inc.

Stifel

SunTrust Robinson Humphrey

William Blair

 


Table of Contents

PART II

INFORMATION NOT REQUIRED IN PROSPECTUS

Item 13. Other Expenses of Issuance and Distribution.

The following table sets forth all costs and expenses, other than underwriting discounts and commissions, payable by us in connection with the sale of the Class A common stock being registered. All amounts shown are estimates except for the SEC registration fee, the FINRA filing fee and the exchange listing fee.

 

     Amount to
be Paid
 

SEC registration fee

             

FINRA filing fee

             

Initial exchange listing fee

             

Printing and engraving expenses

             

Legal fees and expenses

             

Accounting fees and expenses

             

Transfer agent and registrar fees

             

Advisory and consulting fees

             

Miscellaneous fees and expenses

             
  

 

 

 

Total

             
  

 

 

 

 

*

To be provided by amendment.

Item 14. Indemnification of Directors and Officers.

Upon the completion of the offering contemplated by this registration statement, we will be incorporated under the laws of the State of Delaware. Section 102 of the DGCL, permits a corporation to eliminate the personal liability of directors of a corporation to the corporation or its stockholders for monetary damages for a breach of fiduciary duty as a director, except where the director breached his or her duty of loyalty, failed to act in good faith, engaged in intentional misconduct or knowingly violated a law, authorized the payment of a dividend or approved a stock repurchase in violation of Delaware corporate law or obtained an improper personal benefit.

Section 145 of the DGCL provides that a corporation has the power to indemnify a director, officer, employee or agent of the corporation and certain other persons serving at the request of the corporation in related capacities against expenses (including attorneys’ fees), judgments, fines and amounts paid in settlements actually and reasonably incurred by the person in connection with an action, suit or proceeding to which he or she is or is threatened to be made a party by reason of such position, if such person acted in good faith and in a manner he or she reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the corporation, and, in any criminal action or proceeding, had no reasonable cause to believe his or her conduct was unlawful, except that, in the case of actions brought by or in the right of the corporation, no indemnification shall be made with respect to any claim, issue or matter as to which such person shall have been adjudged to be liable to the corporation unless and only to the extent that the Court of Chancery or other adjudicating court determines that, despite the adjudication of liability but in view of all of the circumstances of the case, such person is fairly and reasonably entitled to indemnity for such expenses which the Court of Chancery or such other court shall deem proper.

As permitted by the DGCL, our certificate of incorporation and bylaws will provide that we will indemnify and advance expenses to our directors and officers, and may indemnify and advance expenses to our employees and other agents, to the fullest extent permitted by Delaware law. If Delaware law is amended to authorize corporate action further eliminating or limiting the personal liability of a director, then the liability of our directors will be eliminated or limited to the fullest extent permitted by Delaware law, as so amended.

We intend to enter into agreements with our directors and executive officers that will require us to indemnify them against expenses, judgments, fines, settlements and other amounts that any such person becomes

 

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legally obligated to pay in connection with any proceeding to which such person may be made a party by reason of the fact that such person is or was serving in such capacity, provided such person acted in good faith and in a manner such person reasonably believed to be in, or not opposed to, our best interests. These indemnification agreements also set forth certain procedures that will apply in the event of a claim for indemnification thereunder. At present, no litigation or proceeding is pending that involves any of our directors or officers regarding which indemnification is sought, nor are we aware of any threatened litigation that may result in claims for indemnification.

Upon the completion of this offering, we will maintain a directors’ and officers’ liability insurance policy. The policy will insure directors and officers against unindemnified losses arising from certain wrongful acts in their capacities as directors and officers and reimburse us for those losses for which we lawfully indemnify the directors and officers. The policy will likely contain various exclusions.

In addition, the underwriting agreement filed as Exhibit 1.1 to this registration statement provides for indemnification by the underwriters of us and our officers and directors for certain liabilities arising under the Securities Act or otherwise.

Item 15. Recent Sales of Unregistered Securities.

Prior to the effectiveness of this registration statement, we will complete transactions pursuant to which a special purpose entity, CPG Holdco LLC, which was formed at the time of the acquisition of CPG Newco LLC solely for the purpose of holding membership interests in CPG Newco LLC and that will continue to hold such interests until the Corporate Conversion, will be merged with and into us, and we will then convert from a Delaware limited liability company into a Delaware corporation. We refer to this series of transactions as the Corporate Conversion. In connection with the Corporate Conversion, our sole outstanding unit will be converted into                  Class A units and                  Class B units, which, simultaneously with our conversion into a corporation, will then be converted into                  shares of Class A common stock and                  shares of Class B common stock on a one-for-one basis. AOT Building Products, L.P., as the sole owner of our equity interests following the merger with CPG Holdco LLC, will receive all of the Class A units and Class B units. AOT Building Products, L.P. will then liquidate and distribute the Class A units and Class B units to its equityholders. Following such liquidation and distribution, the former equityholders of AOT Building Products, L.P. will own all of our Class A units and Class B units, and, following the Corporate Conversion, will own all of the shares of Class A common stock and Class B common stock.

The issuance of CPG Newco LLC units in the merger with CPG Holdco LLC will not be registered under the Securities Act, and the units will be issued to AOT Building Products, L.P., as the sole member of CPG Holdco LLC prior to the merger, in reliance upon the exemption from the registration requirements of the Securities Act set forth in Section 4(a)(2) of the Securities Act. The conversion of our units held by AOT Building Products, L.P.’s former equityholders after the merger and the Corporate Conversion into shares of Class A common stock and Class B common stock will not be registered under the Securities Act, and the shares will be issued to AOT Building Products, L.P.’s former equityholders in reliance upon the exemption from the registration requirements of the Securities Act set forth in Section 3(a)(9) of the Securities Act.

Item 16. Exhibits and Financial Statement Schedules.

(a) Exhibits

The exhibits to this registration statement are listed in the Exhibit Index attached hereto and incorporated by reference herein.

(b) Financial Statement Schedules

Financial statement schedules are omitted because the required information is not applicable, not required or included in the financial statements or the notes thereto included in the prospectus that forms a part of this registration statement.

 

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Item 17. Undertakings.

Insofar as indemnification by the registrant for liabilities arising under the Securities Act may be permitted to directors, officers and controlling persons of the registrant pursuant to the foregoing provisions, or otherwise, the registrant has been advised that in the opinion of the SEC such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and is, therefore, unenforceable. In the event that a claim for indemnification against such liabilities (other than the payment by the registrant of expenses incurred or paid by a director, officer or controlling person of the registrant in the successful defense of any action, suit or proceeding) is asserted by such director, officer or controlling person in connection with the securities being registered, the registrant will, unless in the opinion of its counsel the matter has been settled by controlling precedent, submit to a court of appropriate jurisdiction the question whether such indemnification by it is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and will be governed by the final adjudication of such issue.

The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes that:

(1) For purposes of determining any liability under the Securities Act, the information omitted from the form of prospectus filed as part of this registration statement in reliance upon Rule 430A and contained in a form of prospectus filed by the registrant pursuant to Rule 424(b)(1) or (4) or 497(h) under the Securities Act shall be deemed to be part of this registration statement as of the time it was declared effective.

(2) For the purpose of determining any liability under the Securities Act, each post-effective amendment that contains a form of prospectus shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.

 

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EXHIBIT INDEX

 

Exhibit
Number

   

Description of Document

  1.1     Form of Underwriting Agreement+
  2.2     Form of Agreement and Plan of Merger between CPG Newco LLC and CPG Holdco LLC
  2.3     Form of Certificate of Conversion of CPG Newco LLC
  2.4     Membership Interest Purchase Agreement, dated as of May  11, 2018, by and among CPG International LLC d/b/a The AZEK Company LLC, Versatex Holdings, LLC, the members of Versatex Holdings, LLC and Highlander Partners Trim, LLC+
  2.5     Amendment No. 1 to Membership Interest Purchase Agreement, dated as of June  15, 2018, by and among CPG International LLC d/b/a The AZEK Company LLC, Versatex Holdings, LLC, the members of Versatex Holdings, LLC and Highlander Partners Trim, LLC+
  3.1     Certificate of Formation of CPG Newco LLC, as currently in effect+
  3.2     Certificate of Amendment of Certificate of Formation of AOT Building Products Newco LLC, dated as of September 16, 2013+
  3.3     Form of Certificate of Incorporation of The AZEK Company Inc. (to be effective upon completion of the Registrant’s conversion from a limited liability company to a corporation)+
  3.4     Limited Liability Company Agreement of CPG Newco LLC, as currently in effect+
  3.5     Amendment No. 1 to the Limited Liability Company Agreement of AOT Building Products Newco LLC, dated as of September 16, 2013+
  3.6     Form of Bylaws of The AZEK Company Inc. (to be effective upon completion of the Registrant’s conversion from a limited liability company to a corporation)+
  4.2     Form of Stockholders Agreement, by and among the Registrant and the other parties named therein+
  4.3     Form of Registration Rights Agreement, by and among the Registrant and the other parties named therein+
  4.4     Indenture in respect of the 8.000% Senior Notes due 2021, dated as of September  30, 2013, by and among CPG International LLC, Wilmington Trust, National Association, as trustee, and the Guarantors party thereto+
  4.5     Supplemental Indenture, dated as of September  30, 2013, by and among CPG International LLC, Wilmington Trust, National Association, as trustee, the New Guarantors party thereto+
  4.6     Second Supplemental Indenture, dated as of December  19, 2014, by and among CPG International LLC, Wilmington Trust, National Association, as trustee, the New Guarantors party thereto+
  4.7     Third Supplemental Indenture, dated as of February  20, 2018, by and among WES, LLC and Ultralox Technology, LLC, CPG International LLC and Wilmington Trust, National Association, as trustee+
  4.8     Fourth Supplemental Indenture, dated as of June  18, 2018, by and among Versatex Holdings, LLC, Versatex Buildings Products, LLC, CPG International LLC, the guarantor party thereto from time to time and Wilmington Trust, National Association, as trustee+
  4.9     Form of 8.000% Senior Notes due 2021 (included in Exhibit 4.3)+
  4.10     Indenture in respect of the 9.500% Senior Notes due 2025, dated as of May 12, 2020, by and among CPG International LLC, Wilmington Trust, National Association, as trustee, and the Guarantors party thereto
  4.11     Form of 9.500% Senior Notes due 2025 (included in Exhibit 4.10)
  5.1     Opinion of Sullivan & Cromwell LLP*

 

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Exhibit
Number

   

Description of Document

  10.1     Amended and Restated Revolving Credit Agreement, dated as of March  9, 2017, by and among CPG International LLC, Barclays Bank PLC, Bank of America, N.A. and JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., as co-syndication agents, TD Bank, N.A. and The Huntington National Bank, as co-documentation agents, Deutsche Bank AG New York Branch as administrative and collateral agent and the lenders party thereto+
  10.2     ABL Guarantee and Collateral Agreement, dated as of September  30, 2013, by and among CPG Merger Sub LLC, each other subsidiary of CPG Newco LLC party thereto and Deutsche Bank AG New York Branch, as administrative agent and collateral agent+
  10.3     ABL Guarantee and Collateral Agreement Supplement, dated as of January  29, 2018, by and among WES, LLC, UltraLox Technology, LLC and Deutsche Bank AG New York Branch, as administrative agent and collateral agent+
  10.4     ABL Guarantee and Collateral Agreement Supplement, dated as of June  18, 2018, by and among Versatex Holdings, LLC, Versatex Building Products, LLC and Deutsche Bank AG New York Branch, as administrative agent and collateral agent+
  10.5     Trademark Security Agreement, dated as of September  30, 2013, by AZEK Building products, Inc., Scranton Products Inc., TimberTech Limited, and Vast Enterprises, LLC, as pledgors, in favor of Deutsche Bank AG New York Branch, in its capacity as administrative agent and collateral agent+
  10.6     Trademark Security Agreement, dated as of January  29, 2018, by WES, LLC, in favor of Deutsche Bank AG New York Branch, in its capacity as administrative agent+
  10.7     Trademark Security Agreement, dated as of June  18, 2018, by Versatex Building Products, LLC, in favor of Deutsche Bank AG New York Branch, in its capacity as administrative agent+
  10.8     Patent Security Agreement, dated as of September  30, 2013, by AZEK Building Products, Inc., Scranton Products Inc., TimberTech Limited, and Vast Enterprises, LLC, as pledgors, in favor of Deutsche Bank AG New York Branch, in its capacity as administrative agent and collateral agent+
  10.9     Patent Security Agreement, dated as of January  29, 2018, by WES, LLC, in favor of Deutsche Bank AG New York Branch, in its capacity as administrative agent+
  10.10     Copyright Security Agreement, dated as of September 30, 2013, by AZEK Building Products, Inc., as pledgor, in favor of Deutsche Bank AG New York Branch, in its capacity as administrative agent and collateral agent+
  10.11     Amended and Restated Term Loan Agreement, dated as of June  18, 2018, by and among CPG International LLC, Jefferies Finance LLC, as administrative and collateral agent and the Lenders party thereto (included in Exhibit 10.12)+
  10.12     Incremental Amendment No. 1 to Term Loan Credit Agreement, dated as of June  18, 2018, by and among CPG Newco LLC, CPG International LLC, Jefferies Finance LLC, as administrative agent, and the Lenders party thereto+
  10.13     Term Loan Guarantee and Collateral Agreement, dated as of September  30, 2013, by and among CPG Merger Sub LLC, each other subsidiary of CPG Newco LLC party thereto and Barclays Bank PLC, as administrative agent and collateral agent+
  10.14     Term Loan Guarantee and Collateral Agreement Supplement, dated as of January  29, 2018, by and among WES, LLC, UltraLox Technology, LLC and Jefferies Finance LLC, as administrative agent and collateral agent+
  10.15     Term Loan Guarantee and Collateral Agreement Supplement, dated as of June  18, 2018, by and among Versatex Holdings, LLC, Versatex Building Products, LLC and Jefferies Finance LLC, as administrative agent and collateral agent+

 

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Exhibit
Number

   

Description of Document

  10.16     Trademark Security Agreement, dated as of September  30, 2013, by and among AZEK Building Products, Inc., Scranton Products Inc., TimberTech Limited, and Vast Enterprises, LLC, as pledgors, in favor of Barclays Bank PLC, in its capacity as administrative agent and collateral agent+
  10.17     Trademark Security Agreement, dated as of January  29, 2018, by WES, LLC, in favor of Jefferies Finance LLC, in its capacity as successor administrative agent and collateral agent+
  10.18     Trademark Security Agreement, dated as of June  18, 2018, by Versatex Building Products, LLC, in favor of Jefferies Finance LLC, in its capacity as successor administrative agent and collateral agent+
  10.19     Patent Security Agreement, dated as of September  30, 2013, by and among AZEK Building Products, Inc., Scranton Products Inc., TimberTech Limited, and Vast Enterprises, LLC, as pledgors, in favor of Barclays Bank PLC, in its capacity as administrative agent and collateral agent+
  10.20     Patent Security Agreement, dated as of January  29, 2018, by WES, LLC, in favor of Jefferies Finance LLC, in its capacity as successor administrative agent and collateral agent+
  10.21     Copyright Security Agreement, dated as of September  30, 2013, by AZEK Building Products, Inc., as pledgor, in favor of Barclays Bank PLC, in its capacity as administrative agent and collateral agent+
  10.22     Intercreditor Agreement, dated as of September  30, 2013, by and among Deutsche Bank AG New York Branch, as ABL Agent, Barclays Bank PLC, as a Term Loan Agent, CPG Merger Sub LLC and each of subsidiary of CPG Newco LLC party thereto+
  10.23     Form of Indemnification Agreement+
  10.24     Employment Agreement, dated as of May 26, 2016, by and between CPG International LLC and Jesse Singh+
  10.25     Non-Competition Agreement, dated as of May  26, 2016, by and between CPG International LLC and Jesse Singh+
  10.26     Employment Agreement, dated as of July 15, 2017, by and between CPG International LLC and Joe Ochoa+
  10.27     Employment Offer Letter, dated as of September 20, 2017, by and between CPG International LLC and Jonathan Skelly+
  10.28     Confidentiality and Non-Competition Agreement, dated as of September  15, 2017, by and between CPG International LLC and Jonathan Skelly+
  10.29     Employment Agreement, dated as of December 21, 2018, by and between CPG International LLC and Ralph Nicoletti+
  10.31     Amended and Restated Industrial Lease, dated as of May 10, 2005, by and between North Keyser Partners, LLC and Vycom Corp.+
  10.32     Lease Extension – 888 North Keyser Ave, dated as of August 2, 2013, by and between CPG International LLC and North Keyser Partners, LLC+
  10.33     Lease Extension – 888 North Keyser Ave, dated as of October 21, 2016, by and between CPG International LLC and North Keyser Partners, LLC+
  10.34     The AZEK Company Inc. 2020 Omnibus Incentive Compensation Plan+
  10.35     Form of Restricted Stock Grant (Replacement Award for AOT Building Products, L.P. Profits Interests)+
  10.36     Form of Nonqualified Stock Option Grant (Option Award for AOT Building Products, L.P. Profits Interests)+
  10.37     Form of IPO Nonqualified Stock Option Award Agreement (Chair IPO Award)+
  10.38     Form of Restricted Stock Unit Award Agreement for Non-Employee Directors+

 

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Exhibit
Number

   

Description of Document

  10.39     Form of Restricted Stock Unit Award Agreement+
  10.40     Form of Nonqualified Stock Option Award Agreement+
  10.41     Chairman IPO Award Letter Agreement, dated February 5, 2020, between CPG Newco LLC and Gary Hendrickson+
  10.42    

Form of Special Bonus Agreement

  10.43    

Form of Amendment 1 to Special Bonus Agreement

  10.44     Form of IPO Cash Award Agreement
  21.1     Subsidiaries of the Registrant+
  23.1     Consent of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, independent registered public accounting firm
  23.2     Consent of Sullivan & Cromwell LLP (included in Exhibit 5.1)*
  24.1     Power of Attorney (included on signature page)+

 

*

To be filed in a subsequent amendment to this registration statement.

+

Previously filed.

 

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SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, the Registrant has duly caused this Registration Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in Chicago, Illinois, on May 28, 2020.

 

CPG Newco LLC
By:   CPG Holdco LLC, its member
By:   AOT Building Products, L.P., its member
By:   AOT Building Products GP Corp. its general partner
By:  

/s/ Jesse Singh

  Jesse Singh
  Chief Executive Officer, President and Director

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, this Registration Statement has been signed by the following persons in the capacities and on the dates indicated.

 

Signature

      

Title

 

Date

/s/ Jesse Singh

     Chief Executive Officer, President and Director (Principal Executive Officer)   May 28, 2020
Jesse Singh  

/s/ Ralph Nicoletti

Ralph Nicoletti

     Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer (Principal Financial Officer)  

May 28, 2020

/s/ Gregory Jorgensen

Gregory Jorgensen

     Vice President and Chief Accounting Officer (Principal Accounting Officer)  

May 28, 2020

*

     Chairman of the Board of Directors  

May 28, 2020

Gary Hendrickson       

*

     Director  

May 28, 2020

Sallie B. Bailey       

*

     Director  

May 28, 2020

Russell Hammond       

*

     Director  

May 28, 2020

James B. Hirshorn       

*

     Director  

May 28, 2020

Brian Klos       

*

     Director  

May 28, 2020

Ronald A. Pace       

 

II-8


Table of Contents

Signature

      

Title

 

Date

*

     Director  

May 28, 2020

Ashfaq Qadri       

*

     Director  

May 28, 2020

Bennett Rosenthal       

*

     Director  

May 28, 2020

Blake Sumler

      

 

*  By:

 

/s/ Jesse Singh

  Jesse Singh
  Attorney-in-fact

 

II-9

Exhibit 2.2

AGREEMENT AND PLAN OF MERGER

This Agreement and Plan of Merger (this “Agreement”) is entered into as of [●], 2020 by and among CPG Holdco LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (“Holdco”), and CPG Newco LLC, a Delaware limited liability company and wholly owned subsidiary of Holdco (“Newco”). The above listed entities are sometimes collectively referred to in this Agreement as the “Parties”.

WITNESSETH:

WHEREAS, upon the terms and subject to the conditions of this Agreement and in accordance with the Limited Liability Act of the State of Delaware (the “DLLCA”), Holdco will merge with and into Newco (the “Merger”), with Newco as the surviving entity in the Merger (sometimes referred to in such capacity as the “Surviving Entity”); and

WHEREAS, the applicable sole member of each Party has adopted and approved this Agreement and the consummation of the Merger upon the terms and subject to the conditions set forth in this Agreement in accordance with Section 18-209(b) of the DLLCA.

NOW THEREFORE, the Parties agree as follows:

ARTICLE 1

THE MERGER

Section 1.01 The Merger.

(a) The Merger. Upon the terms and subject to the conditions set forth in this Agreement and in accordance with Section 18-209 of the DLLCA, at the Effective Time: (i) Holdco shall be merged with and into Newco; (ii) the separate existence of Holdco shall cease; and (iii) Newco shall continue as the Surviving Entity. The Merger shall become effective upon the filing of a certificate of merger (the “Certificate of Merger”) with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware (such time of effectiveness, the “Effective Time”).

(b) Effects of the Merger. The Merger shall have the effects set forth in the DLLCA, including, without limitation, Section 18-209(g) of the DLLCA. Without limiting the foregoing, at the Effective Time: (i) the separate existence of Holdco shall cease, and Newco shall continue in existence as the Surviving Entity; and (ii) without further transfer, Newco shall succeed to and possess all of the rights, privileges and powers of Holdco, and all of the assets and property of whatever kind and character of Holdco shall vest in the Surviving Entity without further act or deed. Thereafter, the Surviving Entity shall be liable for all of the debts, liabilities, and duties, including contractual obligations, of Holdco, and any claim or judgment against Holdco may be enforced against the Surviving Entity, in accordance with Section 18-209 of the DLLCA.


(c) Certificate of Formation. At the Effective Time, Newco’s certificate of formation in effect immediately prior to the Effective Time shall be the Surviving Entity’s certificate of formation, unless and until amended in accordance with its terms and applicable law.

(d) Limited Liability Company Agreement. At the Effective Time, the Newco limited liability company agreement in effect immediately prior to the Effective Time shall be the Surviving Entity’s limited liability company agreement, unless and until amended in accordance with its terms and applicable law.

(e) Officers. Newco’s officers immediately prior to the Effective Time shall be the Surviving Entity’s initial officers immediately after the Effective Time. All such officers to hold office from the Effective Time until their respective successors are duly appointed in the manner provided in the limited liability company agreement of the Surviving Entity, or until their earlier death, resignation or removal in accordance with the certificate of formation and the limited liability company agreement of the Surviving Entity.

ARTICLE 2

EFFECT ON EQUITY UNITS

Section 2.01 Outstanding Holdco Units; Units of Surviving Entity. At the Effective Time, the sole unit of Holdco issued and outstanding immediately prior to the Effective Time, which represents all limited liability company interests in Holdco as set forth on Schedule A to Holdco’s limited liability company agreement, shall automatically and without any action on the part of the holder thereof be converted into [●] Class A Units of Newco and [●] Class B Units of Newco, in each case as defined in the Limited Liability Company Agreement of Newco, dated as of August 16, 2013, as amended on [●], 2020. At the Effective Time, all Class A and Class B Units of Newco issued and outstanding immediately prior to the Effective Time shall be cancelled automatically and without any action on the part of the holder thereof. For the avoidance of doubt, at the Effective Time, the Surviving Entity’s limited liability company interests shall consistent solely of [●] Class A Units and [●] Class B Units.

ARTICLE 3

MISCELLANEOUS

Section 3.01 Amendments; No Waivers.

(a) Subject to applicable law, any provision of this Agreement may be amended or waived at any time prior to the Effective Time if, and only if, such amendment or waiver is in writing and signed by the applicable Party or Parties.

(b) No failure or delay by either Party in exercising any right, power or privilege under this Agreement shall operate as a waiver of any such right, power or privilege. Nor shall any single or partial exercise of any such right, power or privilege preclude any other or further exercise thereof or the exercise of any other right, power or privilege. The rights and remedies provided in this Agreement shall be cumulative and not exclusive of any rights or remedies provided by law.

 

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Section 3.02 Integration. All prior or contemporaneous agreements, contracts, promises, representations, and statements, if any, between the Parties, or their representatives, are merged into this Agreement. This Agreement shall constitute the entire understanding between the Parties with respect to the subject matter hereof.

Section 3.03 Successors and Assigns. The Agreement’s provisions shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the Parties and their respective successors and assigns. Notwithstanding the foregoing, no Party may assign, delegate or otherwise transfer any of its rights or obligations under this Agreement without the consent of the other Party.

Section 3.04 Governing Law. This Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance the laws of the State of Delaware, without regard to principles of conflict of laws.

Section 3.05 Counterparts; Effectiveness. This Agreement may be signed in any number of counterparts, each of which shall be an original, with the same effect as if the signatures thereto and hereto were upon the same instrument.

[remainder of page intentionally left blank]

 

 

-3-


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

 

CPG HOLDCO LLC
By: AOT Building Products, L.P., its sole member
By: AOT Building Products GP Corp. its general partner
By:  

                 

  Name:
  Title:
CPG NEWCO LLC
By: CPG Holdco LLC, its sole member
By: AOT Building Products, L.P., its sole member
By: AOT Building Products GP Corp. its general partner
By:  

                 

  Name:
  Title:

[Signature Page to Agreement and Plan of Merger]

Exhibit 2.3

STATE OF DELAWARE

CERTIFICATE OF CONVERSION

FROM A LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY TO A

CORPORATION PURSUANT TO SECTION 265 OF

THE DELAWARE GENERAL CORPORATION LAW

 

1.)

The jurisdiction where the Limited Liability Company first formed is Delaware.

 

2.)

The jurisdiction immediately prior to filing this Certificate is Delaware.

 

3.)

The date the Limited Liability Company first formed is August 15, 2013.

 

4.)

The name of the Limited Liability Company immediately prior to filing this Certificate is CPG Newco LLC.

 

5.)

The name of the Corporation as set forth in the Certificate of Incorporation is The AZEK Company Inc.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned being duly authorized to sign on behalf of the converting Limited Liability Company has executed this Certificate on the              day of                     , A.D.                     .

 

By:

 

 

Name:

 

 

  Print or Type

Title:

 

 

  Print or Type

Exhibit 4.10

 

 

CPG INTERNATIONAL LLC

AS ISSUER

THE GUARANTORS

AND

WILMINGTON TRUST, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION

AS TRUSTEE

9.500% Senior Notes due 2025

 

 

INDENTURE

Dated as of May 12, 2020

 

 

 

 

 


TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

          Page  

ARTICLE I DEFINITIONS AND INCORPORATION BY REFERENCE

     1  

SECTION 1.1.

   Definitions      1  

SECTION 1.2.

   Other Definitions      45  

SECTION 1.3.

   Rules of Construction      47  

SECTION 1.4.

   Financial Calculation for Limited Condition Acquisitions      48  

ARTICLE II THE NOTES

     50  

SECTION 2.1.

   Form, Dating and Terms      50  

SECTION 2.2.

   Execution and Authentication      57  

SECTION 2.3.

   Registrar and Paying Agent      58  

SECTION 2.4.

   Paying Agent to Hold Money in Trust      59  

SECTION 2.5.

   Holder Lists      59  

SECTION 2.6.

   Transfer and Exchange      59  

SECTION 2.7.

   Form of Certificate to be Delivered upon Termination of Restricted Period      64  

SECTION 2.8.

   Form of Certificate to be Delivered in Connection with Transfers to Institutional Accredited Investors      65  

SECTION 2.9.

   Form of Certificate to be Delivered in Connection with Transfers Pursuant to Regulation S      66  

SECTION 2.10.

   Mutilated, Destroyed, Lost or Stolen Notes      68  

SECTION 2.11.

   Outstanding Notes      69  

SECTION 2.12.

   Temporary Notes      69  

SECTION 2.13.

   Cancellation      70  

SECTION 2.14.

   Payment of Interest; Defaulted Interest      70  

SECTION 2.15.

   CUSIP, Common Code and ISIN Numbers      71  

ARTICLE III COVENANTS

     71  

SECTION 3.1.

   Payment of Notes      71  

SECTION 3.2.

   Limitation on Incurrence of Indebtedness and Issuance of Disqualified Stock      72  

SECTION 3.3.

   Limitation on Restricted Payments.      78  

SECTION 3.4.

   Limitation on Dividend and Other Payment Restrictions Affecting Restricted Subsidiaries      88  

SECTION 3.5.

   Limitation on Asset Sales      90  

SECTION 3.6.

   Liens      94  

SECTION 3.7.

   Transactions with Affiliates      95  

SECTION 3.8.

   Change of Control      98  

SECTION 3.9.

   Provision of Financial Information      101  

SECTION 3.10.

   Maintenance of Office or Agency      104  

SECTION 3.11.

   Corporate Existence      105  

 

-i-


SECTION 3.12.

   Payment of Taxes      105  

SECTION 3.13.

   Compliance Certificate      105  

SECTION 3.14.

   Statement by Officer as to Default      105  

SECTION 3.15.

   Future Guarantors      105  

SECTION 3.16.

   Suspension of Certain Covenants      105  

ARTICLE IV SUCCESSOR COMPANY

     107  

SECTION 4.1.

   Consolidation, Merger, Conveyance, Transfer or Lease; IPO      107  

ARTICLE V REDEMPTION OF SECURITIES

     110  

SECTION 5.1.

   Notices to Trustee      110  

SECTION 5.2.

   Selection of Notes to Be Redeemed or Purchased      111  

SECTION 5.3.

   Notice of Redemption      111  

SECTION 5.4.

   Effect of Notice of Redemption      112  

SECTION 5.5.

   Deposit of Redemption or Purchase Price      113  

SECTION 5.6.

   Notes Redeemed or Purchased in Part      113  

SECTION 5.7.

   Optional Redemption      113  

SECTION 5.8.

   Mandatory Redemption      115  

ARTICLE VI DEFAULTS AND REMEDIES

     115  

SECTION 6.1.

   Events of Default      115  

SECTION 6.2.

   Acceleration      117  

SECTION 6.3.

   Other Remedies      118  

SECTION 6.4.

   Waiver of Past Defaults      118  

SECTION 6.5.

   Control by Majority      119  

SECTION 6.6.

   Limitation on Suits      119  

SECTION 6.7.

   Rights of Holders to Receive Payment      119  

SECTION 6.8.

   Collection Suit by Trustee      119  

SECTION 6.9.

   Trustee May File Proofs of Claim      119  

SECTION 6.10.

   Priorities      120  

SECTION 6.11.

   Undertaking for Costs      120  

ARTICLE VII TRUSTEE

     121  

SECTION 7.1.

   Duties of Trustee      121  

SECTION 7.2.

   Rights of Trustee      122  

SECTION 7.3.

   Individual Rights of Trustee      124  

SECTION 7.4.

   Trustee’s Disclaimer      124  

SECTION 7.5.

   Notice of Defaults      124  

SECTION 7.6.

   Compensation and Indemnity      124  

SECTION 7.7.

   Replacement of Trustee      125  

SECTION 7.8.

   Successor Trustee by Merger      126  

SECTION 7.9.

   Eligibility; Disqualification      126  

SECTION 7.10.

   Preferential Collection of Claims Against the Issuer      127  

SECTION 7.11.

   Trustee’s Application for Instruction from the Issuer      127  

 

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ARTICLE VIII LEGAL DEFEASANCE AND COVENANT DEFEASANCE

     127  

SECTION 8.1.

   Option to Effect Legal Defeasance or Covenant Defeasance; Defeasance      127  

SECTION 8.2.

   Legal Defeasance and Discharge      127  

SECTION 8.3.

   Covenant Defeasance      128  

SECTION 8.4.

   Conditions to Legal or Covenant Defeasance      128  

SECTION 8.5.

   Deposited Money and Government Securities to be Held in Trust; Other Miscellaneous Provisions      130  

SECTION 8.6.

   Repayment to the Issuer      130  

SECTION 8.7.

   Reinstatement      130  

ARTICLE IX AMENDMENTS

     131  

SECTION 9.1.

   Without Consent of Holders      131  

SECTION 9.2.

   With Consent of Holders      132  

SECTION 9.3.

   Revocation and Effect of Consents and Waivers      134  

SECTION 9.4.

   Notation on or Exchange of Notes      134  

SECTION 9.5.

   Trustee to Sign Amendments      135  

ARTICLE X GUARANTEE

     135  

SECTION 10.1.

   Guarantee      135  

SECTION 10.2.

   Limitation on Liability, Termination, Release and Discharge      137  

SECTION 10.3.

   Right of Contribution      138  

SECTION 10.4.

   No Subrogation      138  

SECTION 10.5.

   Release of Parent Company Guarantee      139  

ARTICLE XI SATISFACTION AND DISCHARGE

     139  

SECTION 11.1.

   Satisfaction and Discharge      139  

SECTION 11.2.

   Application of Trust Money      140  

ARTICLE XII MISCELLANEOUS

     140  

SECTION 12.1.

   Notices      140  

SECTION 12.2.

   Certificate and Opinion as to Conditions Precedent      142  

SECTION 12.3.

   Statements Required in Certificate or Opinion      142  

SECTION 12.4.

   When Notes Disregarded      143  

SECTION 12.5.

   Rules by Trustee, Paying Agent and Registrar      143  

SECTION 12.6.

   Business Days      143  

SECTION 12.7.

   GOVERNING LAW      143  

SECTION 12.8.

   USA Patriot Act      144  

SECTION 12.9.

   No Recourse Against Others      144  

SECTION 12.10.

   Successors      144  

SECTION 12.11.

   Multiple Originals      144  

SECTION 12.12.

   Table of Contents; Headings      144  

SECTION 12.13.

   WAIVERS OF JURY TRIAL      145  

 

-iii-


SECTION 12.14.

   Force Majeure      145  

SECTION 12.15.

   Severability; Entire Agreement      145  

SECTION 12.16.

   Electronic Signatures      145  

SCHEDULE I

   Guarantors   

EXHIBIT A

   Form of Note   

EXHIBIT B

   Form of Indenture Supplement to Add Future Guarantors   

 

-iv-


INDENTURE dated as of May 12, 2020 (as amended, restated or supplemented from time to time, this “Indenture”), among CPG International LLC, the guarantors party hereto from time to time and Wilmington Trust, National Association (the “Trustee”), as Trustee.

WHEREAS, all things have been done to make this Indenture and the Notes (as defined below) legal, valid and binding obligations of the Issuer and the Guarantors.

Each party agrees as follows for the benefit of the other parties and for the equal and ratable benefit of the Holders of (i) the Issuer’s 9.500% Senior Notes due 2025, issued on the date hereof (the “Initial Notes”), (ii) if and when issued, an unlimited principal amount of additional 9.500% Senior Notes due 2025 that may be offered from time to time subsequent to the Issue Date, subject to Section 2.1 and Section 3.2, as part of the same series as the Initial Notes whether or not they bear the same “CUSIP” number (the “Additional Notes” and, together with the Initial Notes, the “Notes”) as provided in Section 2.1(a):

ARTICLE I

DEFINITIONS AND INCORPORATION BY REFERENCE

SECTION 1.1.    Definitions.

2013 Notes Issuance Date” means September 30, 2013.

Acquired Indebtedness” means Indebtedness (a) of a Person existing at the time such Person is merged, consolidated or amalgamated with or into or became a Restricted Subsidiary, including Indebtedness Incurred in connection with, or in contemplation of, such other Person merging, consolidating or amalgamating with or into, or becoming a Restricted Subsidiary of such Person or (b) assumed in connection with the acquisition of assets from such Person and (c) Indebtedness secured by a Lien encumbering any asset acquired by a Person.

Acquired Indebtedness shall be deemed to have been Incurred, with respect to clause (a) of the preceding sentence, on the date such Person is merged, consolidated or amalgamated with or into or becomes a Restricted Subsidiary and, with respect to clause (b) of the preceding sentence, on the date of consummation of the acquisition of such assets.

Additional Notes” has the meaning ascribed to it in the third introductory paragraph of this Indenture.

Additional Refinancing Amount” means, in connection with the Incurrence of any Refinancing Indebtedness, the aggregate principal amount of additional Indebtedness or Disqualified Stock Incurred to pay accrued and unpaid interest, premiums (including tender premiums), expenses, defeasance costs and fees in respect thereof.

Affiliate” of any Person means any other Person directly or indirectly controlling or controlled by or under direct or indirect common control with such Person. For the purposes of this definition, “control” when used with respect to any 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 that correspond to the foregoing.


Applicable Premium

means, with respect to any Note on any Redemption Date, the greater of:

(a)    1.0% of the principal amount of the Note; or

(b)    the excess, if any, of:

(i)    the present value at such Redemption Date of (A) the redemption price of the Note at May 15, 2022 (such redemption price being set forth in the table appearing in Section 5.7(e)), plus (B) all required interest payments due on the Note through May 15, 2022 (excluding accrued and unpaid interest due on the Note to the Redemption Date), computed at a discount on the basis of semi-annual compounding using a discount rate equal to the Treasury Rate as of such Redemption Date plus 50 basis points; over

(ii)    the principal amount of such Note.

The Issuer shall calculate the Applicable Premium and the Trustee shall have no duty to confirm or verify such calculation.

“Applicable Procedures” means, with respect to any selection, transfer or exchange of, or for beneficial interests in, any Global Note, the rules and procedures of DTC, Euroclear and/or Clearstream that apply to such selection, transfer or exchange.

Asset Sale” means (a) any sale, conveyance, transfer or other disposition by the Issuer or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries to any Person in any single transaction or series of related transactions of property or assets (including by way of a Sale and Leaseback Transaction) (each referred to in this definition as a “disposition”) or (b) the issuance or sale of equity interests (other than directors’ qualifying shares or shares or interests required to be held by foreign nationals or other third parties to the extent required by applicable law) of any Restricted Subsidiary (other than to the Issuer or another Restricted Subsidiary) in any single transaction or series of related transactions;

provided, however, that the term “Asset Sale” shall exclude:

(a)    any disposition permitted by the provisions described under Section 4.1 that constitutes a disposition of all or substantially all of the assets of the Issuer and its Restricted Subsidiaries or any disposition that constitutes a Change of Control;

(b)    (i) any disposition of assets or property or sale of equity interests of any Restricted Subsidiary in any one or related series of transactions, in each case, with an aggregate Fair Market Value not to exceed the greater of (x) $30.0 million and (y) 15.0% of EBITDA of the Issuer for the Relevant Measurement Period immediately preceding such date on which such additional Indebtedness is Incurred, determined on a Pro Forma Basis, or (ii) any issuance or sale of Capital Stock of any Restricted Subsidiary (x) to the Issuer or another Restricted Subsidiary or (y) to the Issuer or a Restricted Subsidiary or to

 

-2-


other holders of Capital Stock of a Restricted Subsidiary that is not a Wholly-Owned Subsidiary so long as the Issuer or such Restricted Subsidiary (1) receives at least its pro rata share of such dividend or distribution (to the extent such issuance of Capital Stock is being received as a dividend or distribution) or (2) such transaction is made with all equity holders of such non-Wholly-Owned Subsidiary on a pro rata basis and the economic ownership interest of the Issuer and its Restricted Subsidiaries in such non- Wholly-Owned Subsidiary is not reduced by such transaction;

(c)    sales or other dispositions of cash or Cash Equivalents;

(d)    any issuance, sale or pledge of equity interests in, or Indebtedness or other securities of, Unrestricted Subsidiaries;

(e)    the sale in a Sale and Leaseback Transaction of any assets acquired within 90 days of the acquisition thereof;

(f)    disposition of any unnecessary, obsolete, damaged or worn out assets or other assets that are no longer used or useful (including permanently retired property) or any disposition of inventory or goods held for sale, in each case, in the ordinary course of business or consistent with past practice or industry norm;

(g)    a Restricted Payment or Permitted Investment that is otherwise permitted by this Indenture;

(h)    any exchange or swap of assets (including a combination of assets and Cash Equivalents), or lease, assignment or sublease of any real or personal property in exchange for Related Business Assets of comparable or greater market value or usefulness to the business of the Issuer and the Restricted Subsidiaries, as determined in good faith by the Issuer (or any Parent Entity on behalf of the Issuer); provided that the Fair Market Value (as determined in good faith by the Issuer or any Parent Entity on behalf of the Issuer) thereof shall not exceed in any fiscal year of the Issuer the greater of

(x)    $50.0 million and (y) 25.0% of EBITDA of the Issuer for the Relevant Measurement Period immediately preceding such date on which such transaction occurs, determined on a Pro Forma Basis;

(i)    the concurrent purchase and sale or exchange or contribution of Related Business Assets to the extent the Related Business Assets received are of substantially equivalent or greater value than the assets transferred as determined in good faith by the Issuer (or any Parent Entity on behalf of the Issuer);

(j)    the creation or incurrence of, or any disposition in connection with, Permitted Liens;

(k)    leases, subleases, licenses, sublicenses and assignments of assets in the ordinary course of business or consistent with past practice (including relating to intellectual property);

 

-3-


(l)    any disposition by a Restricted Subsidiary to the Issuer or by the Issuer or a Restricted Subsidiary to a Restricted Subsidiary;

(m)    dispositions or forgiveness of accounts receivable in connection with the collection, compromise or settlement thereof in the ordinary course of business or in bankruptcy or similar proceedings;

(n)    grants of credits or allowances in the ordinary course of business or consistent with past practice;

(o)    the termination, settlement, extinguishment or unwinding of any Hedging Obligation or obligation under any Hedging Agreement;

(p)    the abandonment or other disposition of intellectual property that is no longer economically practicable or commercially reasonable to maintain or which in the good faith determination of the Issuer (or any Parent Entity on behalf of the Issuer) is not material to the conduct of or no longer useful to the business of the Issuer and its Restricted Subsidiaries taken as a whole;

(q)    any exchange of property pursuant to Section 1031 of the Code (or any comparable or successor provision) for use in a Permitted Business (excluding boot thereon), which may be in connection with an Asset Sale;

(r)    the issuance of Capital Stock by the Issuer;

(s)    (i) foreclosures and forced dispositions, including dispositions required by court order or regulatory decree or otherwise compelled or required by regulatory authorities or (ii) any disposition of assets resulting from a casualty event or the taking thereof by any Person pursuant to the power of eminent domain, condemnation, expropriation or otherwise, or pursuant to sale thereof to a purchase with such power under an actual threat of such taking;

(t)    any financing transaction with respect to property built or acquired by the Issuer or any Restricted Subsidiary after the Issue Date, including Sale and Leaseback Transactions;

(u)    sales, transfers and other dispositions of Investments in joint ventures to the extent required by, or made pursuant to, customary buy/sell arrangements between the joint venture parties set forth in joint venture arrangements and similar agreements;

(v)    any surrender or waiver of contract rights or settlement, releases or surrender of contract rights or other litigation claims of any kind in the ordinary course of business; and

(w)    the disposition of any assets (including equity interests) (i) acquired in a transaction permitted under this Indenture, which assets are not used or useful in the business of the Issuer and its Restricted Subsidiaries, or (ii) made in connection with the approval of any applicable antitrust authority or otherwise necessary or advisable in the good faith determination of the Issuer (or any Parent Entity on behalf of the Issuer) to consummate any acquisition permitted under this Indenture.

 

-4-


In the event that a transaction (or any portion thereof) meets the criteria of a permitted Asset Sale and would also be a permitted Restricted Payment or Permitted Investment, the Issuer, in its sole discretion, will be entitled to divide and classify such transaction (or any portion thereof) as an Asset Sale and/or one or more of the types of permitted Restricted Payments or Permitted Investments.

Attributable Indebtedness” 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 such transaction) of the total obligations of the lessee for rental payments during the remaining term of the lease included in such Sale and Leaseback Transaction (including any period for which such lease has been or may be extended); provided that if such Sale and Leaseback Transaction results in a Capitalized Lease Obligation, the amount of Indebtedness represented thereby will be determined in accordance with the definition of “Capitalized Lease Obligation.”

Bankruptcy Code” means Title 11 of the United States Code, as amended.

Bankruptcy Law” means the Bankruptcy Code and any similar federal, state or foreign law for the relief of debtors.

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

Borrowing Base” means, as of the date of determination, an amount equal to the sum of (1) 92.5% of the book value of the eligible receivables of the Issuer and the Guarantors plus (2) the lesser of (a) 90% of the lower of cost or market of eligible inventory of the Issuer and the Guarantors and (b) 90% of the appraised net orderly liquidation value of eligible inventory of the Issuer and the Guarantors. Book value shall be determined in accordance with GAAP and shall be calculated using amounts reflected on the most recent available balance sheet (it being understood that the accounts receivable and inventories of an acquired business may be included if such acquisition has been completed on or prior to the date of determination).

Business Day” means any day other than a Saturday, Sunday or other day on which commercial banks in New York City or, with respect to any payments to be made under this Indenture, the place of payment, are authorized or required by law to close.

Capital Stock” means:

(a)    in the case of a corporation, shares in the capital of such corporation;

(b)    in the case of an association or business entity, any and all shares, interests, participations, rights or other equivalents (however designated) of capital stock;

 

-5-


(c)    in the case of a partnership or limited liability company, partnership or membership interests (whether general or limited);

(d)    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

(e)    any warrants, options or other rights to acquire Capital Stock, but excluding any debt security that is convertible into, or exchangeable for, Capital Stock.

Capitalized Lease Obligation” means, at the time any determination thereof is to be made, the amount of the liability in respect of a capital lease that would at such time be required to be capitalized and reflected as a liability on a balance sheet (excluding the notes thereto) in accordance with GAAP.

Cash Equivalents” means any of the following:

(a)    U.S. dollars, Canadian dollars, pounds sterling, euros or, in the case of any Foreign Subsidiary, such local currencies held by it from time to time in the ordinary course of business and not for speculation;

(b)    direct obligations of the United States of America or any member of the European Union or any agency thereof or obligations guaranteed or insured by the United States of America or any member of the European Union or any agency thereof, in each case, with average maturities not exceeding two years from the date of acquisition;

(c)    time deposits, eurodollar time deposits, certificates of deposit and money market deposits, in each case, with maturities not exceeding one year from the date of acquisition thereof, and overnight bank deposits, in each case, with any commercial bank having capital, surplus and undivided profits of not less than $250.0 million and whose long term debt, or whose parent holding company’s long term debt, is rated at least “A-2” by Moody’s or at least “A” by S&P (or reasonably equivalent ratings of another internationally recognized rating agency);

(d)    repurchase obligations for underlying securities of the types described in clauses (b) and (c) above entered into with a bank meeting the qualifications described in clause (c) above;

(e)    commercial paper maturing not more than one year after the date of acquisition issued by a corporation (other than an Affiliate of the Issuer) organized and in existence under the laws of the United States of America or in a currency of a country described in clause (b) above with a rating, at the time any investment therein is made, of at least “P-1” by Moody’s or at least “A-1” by S&P (or reasonably equivalent ratings of another internationally recognized rating agency);

(f)    securities with average maturities of two years or less from the date of acquisition issued or fully guaranteed by any state, commonwealth or territory of the United States of America, or by any political subdivision or taxing authority thereof, having one of the two highest rating categories obtainable from either Moody’s or S&P (or reasonably equivalent ratings of another internationally recognized rating agency);

 

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(g)    Indebtedness issued by persons (other than a Sponsor or any Sponsor Affiliates) with a rating of at least “A-2” by Moody’s or “A” by S&P (or reasonably equivalent ratings of another internationally recognized rating agency), in each case, with average maturities not exceeding one year from the date of acquisition;

(h)    shares of, or interests in, investment funds investing at least 95% of their assets in securities satisfying any of the provisions of clauses (a) through (g) above;

(i)    money market funds that (A) comply with the criteria set forth in Rule 2a-7 under the Investment Company Act of 1940, (B) are rated “Aaa” by Moody’s and “AAA” by S&P (or reasonably equivalent ratings of another internationally recognized rating agency) and (C) have portfolio assets of at least $250.0 million; and

(j)    instruments equivalent to those referred to in clauses (a) through (i) above denominated in any foreign currency comparable in credit quality and tenor to those referred to above and commonly used by corporations for cash management purposes in any jurisdiction outside the United States to the extent reasonably required in connection with any business conducted by any Subsidiary organized in such jurisdiction.

CFC” means a foreign corporation within the meaning of Section 957 of the Code; provided, that a foreign corporation shall not be treated as a CFC to the extent that a guarantee by or security interest with respect to such foreign corporation would not result in material adverse tax consequences as reasonably determined by the Issuer.

CFC Holdco” means any entity organized in the United States, any state thereof or the District of Columbia that owns no material assets other than equity interests of one or more CFCs; provided, that an entity organized in the United States, any state thereof or the District of Columbia shall not be treated as a CFC Holdco to the extent that a guarantee by or security interest with respect to such entity would not result in material adverse tax consequences as reasonably determined by the Issuer.

Change of Control” means:

(a)    at any time prior to the consummation of a Qualified IPO, the Permitted Holders cease to beneficially own, in the aggregate, directly or indirectly, at least a majority of the aggregate ordinary voting power represented by the issued and outstanding equity interests of the Issuer (in each case, determined on a fully diluted basis but not giving effect to contingent voting rights that have not vested); or

(b)    at any time upon or after the consummation of a Qualified IPO, (a) any Person (other than one or more Permitted Holders or any underwriter participating in a Qualified IPO) or (b) Persons (other than one or more Permitted Holders or any underwriter participating in a Qualified IPO) constituting a “group” (as such term is used in Sections 13(d) and 14(d) of the Exchange Act, but excluding any employee benefit plan of such person and its subsidiaries, and any person or entity acting in its capacity as

 

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trustee, agent or other fiduciary or administrator of such plan), becomes the beneficial owner, directly or indirectly, of equity interests representing more than 50.0% of the aggregate ordinary voting power represented by the issued and outstanding equity interests of the Issuer (in each case, determined on a fully diluted basis but not giving effect to contingent voting rights that have not vested) and the percentage of the aggregate ordinary voting power represented by the equity interests of the Issuer beneficially owned, directly or indirectly, in the aggregate by the Permitted Holders (in each case, determined on a fully diluted basis but not giving effect to contingent voting rights that have not vested);

unless, in the case of either clause (a) or (b) above, the Permitted Holders have, at such time, the right or the ability by voting power, contract or otherwise to elect or designate for election at least a majority of the people constituting the Governing Persons of the Issuer or any Parent Entity on behalf of the Issuer.

Code” means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended from time to time and the regulations promulgated thereunder.

Consolidated Interest Expense” means, with respect to any Person for any period, the sum, without duplication, of

(a)    consolidated interest expense of such Person and its Restricted Subsidiaries for such period, to the extent such expense was deducted (and not added back) in computing Consolidated Net Income (including (i) amortization of original issue discount, (ii) all commissions, discounts and other fees and charges owed with respect to letters of credit or bankers acceptances, (iii) non-cash interest payments (but excluding any non-cash interest expense attributable to the movement in the mark-to-market valuation of Hedging Obligations or other derivative instruments pursuant to GAAP), (iv) the interest component of Capitalized Lease Obligations, (v) net payments and receipts (if any) pursuant to interest rate Hedging Obligations with respect to Indebtedness, and (vi) commissions, discounts, yield and other fees and charges (including any interest expense) related to any factoring transaction or receivables facility which are payable to Persons other than the Issuer and its Restricted Subsidiaries, and excluding (vii) non-cash interest expense attributable to movement in mark-to-market valuation of Hedging Obligations or other derivatives (in each case permitted hereunder) under GAAP, (viii) accretion or accrual of discounted liabilities not constituting Indebtedness, (ix) interest expense attributable to a Parent Entity resulting from push- down accounting, (x) any “additional interest” or “penalty interest” with respect to any securities, (xi) any accretion of accrued interest of discounted liabilities not constituting Indebtedness, (xii) amortization of deferred financing fees, indebtedness issuance costs, commissions, fees and expenses with respect to any intercompany Indebtedness, (xiii) any expensing of bridge, commitment and other financing fees and (xiv) commissions, discounts, yield and other fees and charges (including any interest expense) related to any factoring transaction or receivables or securitization facility); plus

(b)    consolidated capitalized interest of such Person and its Restricted Subsidiaries for such period, whether paid or accrued; less

 

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(c)    interest income for such period;

provided that, for purposes of calculating Consolidated Interest Expense, no effect shall be given to the discount and/or premium resulting from the bifurcation of derivatives under FASB ASC 815 and related interpretations as a result of the terms of the Indebtedness to which such Consolidated Interest Expense relates.

For purposes of this definition, interest on a Capitalized Lease Obligation shall be deemed to accrue at an interest rate reasonably determined by the Issuer (or any Parent Entity on behalf of the Issuer) to be the rate of interest implicit in such Capitalized Lease Obligation in accordance with GAAP.

Consolidated Net Income” shall mean, with respect to any Person for any period, the aggregate of the Net Income of such Person for such period, determined on a consolidated basis in accordance with GAAP; provided that, without duplication:

(a)    the cumulative effect of a change in accounting principles shall be excluded;

(b)    any net after-tax extraordinary, exceptional, nonrecurring or unusual gains or losses (less all fees and expenses relate thereto) or expenses or charges; any severance expenses, relocation expenses, restructuring expenses, curtailments or modifications to pension and post-retirement employee benefit plans; excess pension charges; any expenses related to any reconstruction, decommissioning, recommissioning, repositioning or reconfiguration of assets; fees, expenses, costs or charges relating to unused facility, warehouse or distribution center space, entry into new markets or distribution channels, and contract acquisitions or terminations; closing costs, rebranding costs, acquisition integration costs and relocation costs and expenses; costs for discontinued operations (including rent termination costs), opening costs and project start-up costs; costs relating to the undertaking or implementation of strategic initiatives, operating expense reductions, other operating improvements or synergies and enterprise resource planning; business development charges and business optimization costs; recruiting costs and signing, retention or completion bonuses; consulting, litigation and arbitration costs, charges, fees and expenses (including settlements); expenses, costs, fees or charges related to any repurchase or issuance of Capital Stock of any Restricted Subsidiary, the Issuer or a Parent Entity or debt securities of any Restricted Subsidiary, the Issuer or any Parent Entity, Investment, acquisition, merger, consolidation, amalgamation, disposition, recapitalization or Incurrence, issuance, repayment, redemption, retirement, repurchase, refinancing, amendment or modification of Indebtedness (in each case, whether or not successful) or any growth capital expenditures or similar transactions; any fees, expenses or charges related to the Transactions (including any costs relating to auditing prior periods, any transition-related expenses, and transaction expenses incurred before, on or after the Issue Date) and any financial advisory fees, transaction fees, accounting fees, legal fees and other similar advisory, consulting or other fees and related out-of-pocket costs and expenses, in each case, shall be excluded;

(c)    [Reserved]

 

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(d)    the net after-tax effect of gains, losses, charges and expenses attributable to business dispositions or asset dispositions or the sale or other disposition of any Capital Stock of any Person, in each case other than in the ordinary course of business, as determined in good faith by the Issuer or any Parent Entity on behalf of the Issuer, shall be excluded;

(e)    the net after-tax effect of gains, losses, charges and expenses attributable to the early extinguishment, buy-back or conversion of Indebtedness, Hedging Obligations or other derivative instruments (including deferred financing expenses written off and premiums paid) shall be excluded;

(f)    the Net Income for such period of any Person that is not a Subsidiary, or is an Unrestricted Subsidiary, or that is accounted for by the equity method of accounting, shall be excluded; provided that Consolidated Net Income of the Issuer shall be increased by the amount of dividends or distributions or other payments that are actually paid to Issuer or a Restricted Subsidiary of the Issuer thereof in respect of such period in cash (or converted to cash);

(g)    solely for the purpose of determining the amount set forth in Section 3.3(a)(C), the Net Income for such period of any Restricted Subsidiary (other than any Guarantor) shall be excluded to the extent that the declaration or payment of dividends or similar distributions by that Restricted Subsidiary of its Net Income is not at the date of determination permitted without any prior governmental approval (which has not been obtained) or, directly or indirectly, by the operation of the terms of its charter or any agreement, instrument, judgment, decree, order, statute, rule, or governmental regulation applicable to that Restricted Subsidiary or its stockholders to, unless such restriction with respect to the payment of dividends or similar distributions has been legally waived; provided that Consolidated Net Income of such Person will be increased by the amount of dividends or other distributions or other payments actually paid in cash to such Person or a Restricted Subsidiary of such Person in respect of such period, to the extent not already included therein;

(h)    the effects of adjustments (including the effects of such adjustments pushed down to the Issuer and its Restricted Subsidiaries) in any line item in the Issuer’s consolidated financial statements pursuant to GAAP resulting from the application of recapitalization accounting or purchase accounting or the amortization or write-off of any amounts thereof, net of taxes, shall be excluded;

(i)    any impairment charges, asset write-offs and write-downs, including impairment charges, asset write-offs and write-downs related to goodwill, intangible assets, long lived assets, investments in debt and equity securities or as a result of a change in law or regulation, in each case pursuant to GAAP, and the amortization of intangibles and other fair value adjustments arising pursuant to GAAP shall be excluded;

(j)    non-cash compensation charges and expenses, including any such charges and expenses arising from grants of stock appreciation or similar rights, phantom equity, stock options, restricted stock or other rights or equity incentive shall be excluded;

 

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(k)    (i) charges and expenses pursuant to any management equity plan or stock option plan or any other management or employee benefit plan or agreement, any stock subscription or shareholder agreement, (ii) charges, expenses, accruals and reserves in connection with the rollover, acceleration or payout of Capital Stock held by management of the Issuer or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries and (iii) costs and expenses related to employment of terminated employees;

(l)    charges, expenses and fees Incurred, including any financial advisory, accounting, auditor, legal and other consulting and advisory fees and any SEC or other filling fees and expenses, or any amortization thereof, in connection with any equity offering, acquisition (including any Permitted Investment), merger, investment, recapitalization, asset disposition, incurrence or repayment of indebtedness (including, without limitation, deferred financing expenses), refinancing transaction or amendment or modification of any debt instrument (in each case, including any such transaction consummated prior to the Issue Date and any transaction undertaken but not completed) and any non-recurring charges and expenses (including non-recurring merger expenses) Incurred as a result of any such transaction shall be excluded;

(m)    accruals and reserves that are established or adjusted, in each case within 18 months of the subject transaction, including as a result of any acquisition, investment, asset disposition, write-down or write-off (including the related tax benefit) in accordance with GAAP (including any adjustment of estimated payouts on earn-outs) or charges as a result of the adoption or modification of accounting policies shall be excluded;

(n)    any charge or expense resulting from the application of FAS 141R relating to the incurrence of obligations in respect of an “earn out” or other similar contingent obligations, shall be excluded;

(o)    (i) to the extent covered by insurance and actually reimbursed, or, so long as such Person has made a good faith determination that there exists reasonable evidence that such amount will in fact be reimbursed by the insurer and only to the extent that such amount is (x) not denied by the applicable carrier in writing within 270 days and (y) in fact reimbursed within 365 days of the date of such evidence (with a deduction in the applicable future period for any amount so added back to the extent not so reimbursed within 365 days), losses, charges, expenses, accruals and reserves with respect to liability or casualty events or business interruption shall be excluded and (ii) amounts estimated in good faith to be received from insurance in respect of lost revenues or earnings in respect of liability or casualty events or business interruption shall be included (with a deduction for amounts actually received up to such estimated amount to the extent included in Consolidated Net Income in a future period), to the extent the loss covered by such amounts was not otherwise excluded pursuant to the foregoing clause (i);

(p)    losses, charges and expenses that are covered by indemnification, refunding or other reimbursement provisions in connection with any acquisition, investment or any sale, conveyance, transfer or other asset disposition, to the extent actually reimbursed, or, so long as the Issuer or any Parent Entity has made a determination that a reasonable basis exists for indemnification or reimbursement and

 

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only to the extent that such amount is in fact indemnified or reimbursed within 365 days of such determination (with a deduction in the applicable future period for any amount so added back to the extent not so indemnified or reimbursed within such 365 days), shall be excluded;

(q)    (i) non-cash or unrealized gains or losses in respect of obligations under Hedging Agreements or any ineffectiveness recognized in earnings related to qualifying hedge transactions or the fair value of changes therein recognized in earnings for derivatives that do not qualify as hedge transactions, in each case, in respect of obligations under Hedging Agreements entered into in the ordinary course of business, and (ii) unrealized gains or losses resulting from currency translation gains or losses related to currency remeasurements of indebtedness (including gains or losses resulting from (A) Hedging Agreements entered into in the ordinary course of business for currency exchange risk and (B) intercompany Indebtedness) and all other unrealized foreign currency translation gains or losses to the extent such gains or losses are non-cash items shall be excluded;

(r)    the net after-tax effect of gains, losses, charges and expenses attributable to disposed or discontinued operations and any net after-tax gains, losses, charges and expenses related to the disposal of disposed, abandoned or discontinued operations shall be excluded;

(s)    non-cash interest charges on defined benefit plans, defined contribution plans or other pension plans shall be excluded; and

(t)    any expenses or charges to the extent paid by a third party on behalf of the Issuer or a Restricted Subsidiary, shall be excluded to the extent the Issuer or its Restricted Subsidiaries are not obligated to reimburse such expenses or charges.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, for the purpose of Section 3.3 only (other than Section 3.3(a)(C)(5)), there shall be excluded from Consolidated Net Income any dividends, repayments of loans or advances or other transfers or sales of assets from Unrestricted Subsidiaries or Restricted Subsidiaries to the extent such dividends, repayments, advance or transfers or sales increase the amount of Restricted Payments permitted under such covenant pursuant to Section 3.3(a)(C)(5).

Consolidated Total Assets” means, as of any date of determination, the total amount of all assets on the most recent consolidated balance sheet of the Issuer and its Restricted Subsidiaries, determined on a Pro Forma Basis in accordance with GAAP as of such date.

Consolidated Total Indebtedness” means, as of any date of determination, an amount equal to the sum of (without duplication) (a) the aggregate principal amount of Indebtedness for Borrowed Money, Capitalized Lease Obligations and indebtedness obligations evidenced by promissory notes or similar instruments of the Issuer and its Restricted Subsidiaries outstanding on such date, determined on a consolidated basis in accordance with GAAP (excluding Indebtedness in respect of letters of credit, except to the extent of drawn and unreimbursed amounts thereunder, Indebtedness of Unrestricted Subsidiaries and obligations

 

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under Hedging Agreements) of the Issuer and its Restricted Subsidiaries outstanding on such date, determined on a consolidated basis in accordance with GAAP (excluding for the avoidance of doubt all undrawn amounts under revolving credit facilities and letters of credit) and (b) the aggregate amount of all outstanding Disqualified Stock of the Issuer and its Restricted Subsidiaries and all Preferred Stock of the Issuer’s Non-Guarantor Restricted Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis, with the amount of such Disqualified Stock and Preferred Stock equal to the greater of their respective voluntary or involuntary liquidation preferences and maximum fixed repurchases prices, in each case, determined on a consolidated basis in accordance with GAAP. For purposes hereof, the “maximum fixed repurchase price” of any Disqualified Stock or Preferred Stock that does not have a fixed repurchase price shall be calculated in accordance with the terms of such Disqualified Stock or Preferred Stock as if such Disqualified Stock or Preferred Stock were purchased on any date on which Consolidated Total Indebtedness shall be required to be determined pursuant to this Indenture, and if such price is based upon, or measured by, the Fair Market Value of such Disqualified Stock or Preferred Stock, such Fair Market Value shall be determined reasonably and in good faith by the Issuer, or any Parent Entity on behalf of the Issuer.

Contingent Obligations” means, with respect to any Person, any obligation of such Person guaranteeing any leases, dividends or other obligations that do not constitute Indebtedness (“primary obligations”) of any other Person (the “primary obligor”) in any manner, whether directly or indirectly, including any obligation of such Person, whether or not contingent:

(a)    to purchase any such primary obligation or any property constituting direct or indirect security therefor,

(b)    to advance or supply funds:

(i)    for the purchase or payment of any such primary obligation, or

(ii)    to maintain working capital or equity capital of the primary obligor or otherwise to maintain the net worth or solvency of the primary obligor, or

(c)    to purchase property, securities or services primarily for the purpose of assuring the owner of any such primary obligation of the ability of the primary obligor to make payment of such primary obligation against loss in respect thereof.

Controlled Investment Affiliate” means, as to any Person, any other Person, other than the Sponsors or any Sponsor Affiliate, which directly or indirectly controls, is controlled by, or is under common control with such Person and is organized by such Person (or any Person controlling such Person) primarily for making direct or indirect equity or debt investments in the Issuer and/or other Persons.

Corporate Trust Office” means the office of the Trustee at which at any particular time this Indenture shall be principally administered, which office at the date of execution of this Indenture is located at Wilmington Trust, National Association, 1100 N. Market Street, Wilmington, DE 19890, Attention: CPG International, LLC Administrator, or such other address as the Trustee may designate from time to time by notice to the Holders and the Issuer.

 

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Debt Facilities” means, with respect to the Issuer or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries, one or more debt facilities, including the Senior Secured Credit Facilities, or other financing arrangements (including, without limitation, commercial paper facilities with banks or other institutional lenders or investors or indentures) providing for revolving credit loans, term loans, letters of credit or other indebtedness, including any notes, mortgages, guarantees, collateral documents, instruments and agreements executed in connection therewith, and any amendments, supplements, modifications, extensions, renewals, restatements, replacements or refundings thereof, in whole or in part, and any indentures or credit facilities or commercial paper facilities with banks or other institutional lenders or investors that replace, refund, refinance, extend, renew, restate, amend, supplement or modify any part of the loans, notes or other securities, other credit facilities or commitments thereunder, including any such exchanged, refunding, refinancing, extended, renewed, restated, amended, supplemented, replaced or modified facility or indenture that increases the amount permitted to be borrowed or issued thereunder or alters the maturity thereof (provided that such increase in borrowings or issuance is permitted under Section 3.2) or adds Restricted Subsidiaries as additional borrowers or guarantors thereunder and whether by the same or any other agent, trustee, lender or group of lenders or other holders or investors.

Default” means any event that is, or after notice or passage of time, or both, would be, an Event of Default.

Definitive Notes” means certificated Notes for which DTC is not the Holder. “Derivative Instrument” with respect to a Person, means any contract, instrument or other right to receive payment or delivery of cash or other assets to which such Person or any Affiliate of such Person that is acting in concert with such Person in connection with such Person’s investment in the Notes (other than a Screened Affiliate) is a party (whether or not requiring further performance by such Person), the value and/or cash flows of which (or any material portion thereof) are materially affected by the value and/or performance of the Notes and/or the creditworthiness of the Issuer and/or any one or more of the Guarantors (the “Performance References”).

Designated Non-cash Consideration” means the Fair Market Value of non-cash consideration received by the Issuer or a Restricted Subsidiary in connection with an Asset Sale that is so designated as Designated Non-cash Consideration pursuant to an Officer’s Certificate, setting forth the basis of such valuation less the amount of cash or Cash Equivalents received in connection with a subsequent sale, redemption or repurchase of or collection or payment on such Designated Non-cash Consideration. A particular item of Designated Non-cash Consideration will no longer be considered to be outstanding when and to the extent it has been paid, redeemed or otherwise retired or sold or otherwise disposed of in exchange for consideration in the form of cash or Cash Equivalents in compliance with Section 3.5(a).

Designated Preferred Stock” means Preferred Stock of the Issuer or any Parent Entity (in each case other than Disqualified Stock) that is issued for cash (other than to a Restricted Subsidiary or an employee stock ownership plan or trust established by the Issuer or any of its Subsidiaries) and is so designated as Designated Preferred Stock, pursuant to an Officer’s Certificate of the Issuer or the applicable Parent Entity, as the case may be, on the issuance date thereof, the cash proceeds of which are excluded from the calculation set forth in Section 3.3(a)(C).

 

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Disqualified Stock” means, with respect to any Person, any Capital Stock of such Person which, by its terms, or by the terms of any security into which it is convertible or for which it is convertible, putable or exchangeable, or upon the happening of any event, matures or is mandatorily redeemable (other than solely for Capital Stock that is not Disqualified Stock), other than solely as a result of a change of control or asset sale, pursuant to a sinking fund obligation or otherwise, or is redeemable at the option of the holder thereof, other than as a result of a change of control or asset sale, in whole or in part, in each case prior to the date that is 91 days after the earlier of the maturity date of the Notes and the date the Notes are no longer outstanding; provided that only the portion of the Capital Stock that so matures or is mandatorily redeemable, are so convertible, putable or exchangeable or are so redeemable at the option of the holder thereof prior to such date shall be deemed to be Disqualified Stock; provided, further, that if such Capital Stock is issued to any employee or to any plan for the benefit of employees of such Person or its Restricted Subsidiaries or by any such plan to such employees, such Capital Stock shall not constitute Disqualified Stock solely because they may be required to be repurchased by such Person or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries in order to satisfy applicable statutory or regulatory obligations or as a result of such employee’s termination, death or disability; provided, further, that any class of Capital Stock of such person that by its terms authorizes such person to satisfy its obligations thereunder by delivery of Capital Stock that is not Disqualified Stock shall not be deemed to be Disqualified Stock.

Domestic Subsidiary” means any Restricted Subsidiary that is not a Foreign Subsidiary.

DTC” means The Depository Trust Company, its nominees and their respective successors and assigns, or such other depository institution hereinafter appointed by the Issuer.

EBITDA” shall mean, with respect to any Person for any period, the Consolidated Net Income of such Person for such period:

(a)    increased, without duplication, by:

(i)    provision for taxes based on income, profits, revenue or capital gains, including federal, foreign and state income, franchise, excise, value added and similar taxes and foreign withholding taxes of such Person paid or accrued during such period (including in respect of repatriated funds), including any penalties and interest relating to such taxes or arising from any tax examinations, and any payments to a Parent Entity pursuant to Section 3.3(b)(xii) in respect of such taxes; plus

(ii)    Consolidated Interest Expense; plus

(iii)    extraordinary, non-recurring or unusual losses, charges or expenses; plus

 

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(iv)    losses, charges and expenses attributable to abandoned, closed, disposed or discontinued operations and losses, charges and expenses related to the disposal of disposed, abandoned, closed or discontinued operations; plus

(v)    the amount of management, monitoring, consulting, transaction and advisory fees (including (A) termination fees and (B) distributions and dividends paid to Teachers to approximate management fees and transaction and advisory fees) and related indemnities, charges and expenses paid or accrued to or on behalf of the Issuer (or any Parent Entity on behalf of the Issuer) or any of the Permitted Holders; plus

(vi)    losses, charges and expenses related to internal software development that are expensed but could have been capitalized under alternative accounting policies in accordance with GAAP; plus

(vii)    the amount of “run rate” cost savings, operating expense reductions and synergies projected by the Issuer in good faith to be realized as a result of actions that have been taken or initiated or are expected to be taken (in the good faith determination of the Issuer or any Parent Entity on behalf of the Issuer), including any cost savings, expenses and charges (including restructuring and integration charges) in connection with, or incurred by or on behalf of, any joint venture of the Issuer or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries (whether accounted for on the financial statements of any such joint venture or the Issuer), with respect to any investment, sale, transfer or other disposition of assets, incurrence or repayment of Indebtedness, Restricted Payment, Subsidiary designation, restructuring, cost saving initiative, contract negotiation or other initiative (collectively, a “Specified Event”), within 24 months of such Specified Event (which cost savings, operating expense reductions and synergies shall be added to Consolidated Net Income until fully realized and calculated on a Pro Forma Basis as though such cost savings, operating expense reductions and synergies had been realized on the first day of the relevant period), net of the amount of actual benefits realized from such actions; provided that (A) such cost savings, operating expense reductions and synergies are reasonably identifiable and factually supportable, (B) no cost savings, operating expense reductions or synergies shall be added pursuant to this clause (vii) to the extent duplicative of any expenses or charges relating to such cost savings, operating expense reductions or synergies that are included in any other clause of this definition of “Consolidated Net Income” (it being understood and agreed that “run rate” shall mean the full recurring benefit that is associated with any action taken) and (C) the share of any such cost savings, expenses and charges with respect to a joint venture that are to be allocated to such Person or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries shall not exceed the total amount thereof for any such joint venture multiplied by the percentage of income of such venture expected to be included in Consolidated Net Income for the Relevant Measurement Period; plus

(viii)    charges and expenses related to payments made to option holders of the Issuer (or any Parent Entity on behalf of the Issuer) in connection with, or

 

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as a result of, any distribution being made to equity holders of such person or any Parent Entity, which payments are being made to compensate such option holders as though they were equity holders at the time of, and entitled to share in, such distribution; plus

(ix)    any other non-cash losses, charges and expenses, including any write-offs, write-downs, expenses, losses or item reducing Consolidated Net Income for such period, decreased by all cash payments during such period on account of accruals on or reserves added back to EBITDA pursuant to this clause (ix) in prior periods, excluding any such charge that represents an accrual or reserve for a cash expenditure for a future period; plus

(x)    losses, charges and expenses attributable to the early extinguishment or conversion of Indebtedness or any Hedging Agreements or other derivative instruments, in each case entered into in the ordinary course of business (including deferred financing expenses written off and premiums paid); plus

(xi)    earn out obligations incurred in connection with the acquisition of any Permitted Business or other Investment and paid or accrued during the applicable period to the extent such earn-out is deducted from the calculation of Consolidated Net Income; plus

(xii)    business interruption insurance in an amount representing the earnings for the applicable period that such proceeds are intended to replace (whether or not received, so long as the Issuer or any Parent Entity expects the Issuer to receive the same in the next four fiscal quarters); plus

(xiii)    any costs or expense incurred by such Person or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries pursuant to any management equity plan or stock option plan or phantom equity plan or any other management or employee benefit plan or agreement, any severance agreement or any stock subscription or shareholder agreement, to the extent that such cost or expenses are non-cash or otherwise funded with cash proceeds contributed to the capital of such Person or Net Cash Proceeds of an issuance of Capital Stock of such Person (other than Disqualified Stock); plus

(xiv)    lost earnings due to (directly or indirectly) the impact of COVID-19 not to exceed 25% of EBITDA after giving effect to the addback permitted by this clause (xiv); provided that (A) such lost earnings are reasonably identifiable and factually supportable and (B) no lost earnings shall be added pursuant to this clause (xiv) to the extent duplicative of any expenses or charges relating to such lost earnings that are included in any other clause of this definition of “EBITDA.”

(b)    decreased by (without duplication), to the extent included in arriving at Consolidated Net Income, (i) gains attributable to the early extinguishment or conversion of Indebtedness or any Hedging Agreements or other derivative instruments, in each case entered

 

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into in the ordinary course of business and (ii) non-cash gains increasing Consolidated Net Income for such period, excluding any non-cash gains that represent the reversal of any accrual of, or cash reserve for, anticipated cash charges that were deducted (and not added back) in the calculation of EBITDA for any prior period.

Equity Offering” means any public or private sale of common stock or Preferred Stock of the Issuer or any Parent Entity, as applicable (excluding Disqualified Stock), other than:

(a)    public offerings with respect to the Issuer’s or any of its Parent Entities’ common stock registered on Form S-4 or Form S-8;

(b)    issuances to the Issuer or any Subsidiary of the Issuer; and

(c)    any such public or private sale or issuance that constitutes an Excluded Contribution.

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

Excluded Contributions” means the net cash proceeds or the Fair Market Value of other assets received by the Issuer after the Issue Date from:

(a)    contributions to its common equity capital, or

(b)    the sale (other than to a Subsidiary of the Issuer or to any management equity plan or stock option plan or any other management or employee benefit plan of the Issuer) of Capital Stock (other than Disqualified Stock) of the Issuer,

in each case, designated by the Issuer as “Excluded Contributions” in an Officer’s Certificate delivered to the Trustee. The net cash proceeds so designated will be excluded from the calculation set forth in Section 3.3(a)(C).

Excluded Equity” means (a) Capital Stock sold to any employee, manager, director or analogous position or consultant of the Issuer, any Parent Entity and the Issuer’s Subsidiaries after the Issue Date to the extent such amounts have been applied to Restricted Payments made in accordance with Section 3.3(b)(iv), (b) Designated Preferred Stock, (c) Refunding Capital Stock, (d) Capital Stock sold to a Restricted Subsidiary of the Issuer or Indebtedness that has been converted or exchanged for Capital Stock of the Issuer sold to a Restricted Subsidiary of the Issuer or the Issuer, as the case may be, (e) Disqualified Stock or Indebtedness that has been converted or exchanged into Disqualified Stock, (f) Excluded Contributions, (g) the sale of Capital Stock used to Incur Indebtedness or issue shares of Disqualified Stock pursuant to Section 3.2(b)(xiv), (h) Capital Stock issued or sold to any employee stock ownership plan or trust established by the Issuer or any of its Subsidiaries and (i) Capital Stock that has already been used or designated pursuant to clause (n) of the definition of “Permitted Investments.”

Excluded Subsidiary” means (a) each Domestic Subsidiary that is not a Wholly-Owned Subsidiary, (b) any Wholly-Owned Subsidiary that is a Subsidiary of a Foreign

 

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Subsidiary that is a CFC, (c) any Domestic Subsidiary that is a CFC Holdco, (d) any Immaterial Subsidiary, (e) any captive insurance company, (f) not-for-profit Subsidiaries, (g) any Unrestricted Subsidiary and (h) any Foreign Subsidiary that is a CFC.

Fair Market Value” means, with respect to any asset or property, the price of which could be negotiated in an arm’s length transaction, for cash, between a willing seller and a willing buyer, as determined in good faith by the Issuer (or any Parent Entity on behalf of the Issuer). In the case of an Asset Sale, Restricted Payment or Investment, Fair Market Value shall be determined either, at the option of the Issuer, at the time of the Asset Sale, Restricted Payment or Investment or as of the date of the definitive agreement with respect to such Asset Sale, Restricted Payment or Investment, and without giving effect to any subsequent change in value.

Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio” means with respect to any specified Person for any period, the ratio of EBITDA of such Person for such period to the Fixed Charges of such Person for such period.

Fixed Charges” means with respect to any Person for any period, the sum of:

(a)    Consolidated Interest Expense of such Person for such period paid or payable in cash (excluding (x) any annual agency fees on the Senior Secured Credit Facilities or fees to the Trustee, (y) costs associated with obtaining, or breakage costs in respect of, obligations under Hedging Agreements, and (z) fees and expenses associated with debt issuances); plus

(b)    all cash dividend payments (excluding items eliminated in consolidation) on any series of Preferred Stock or Disqualified Stock of such Person and its Restricted Subsidiaries.

Foreign Subsidiary” means any Restricted Subsidiary of the Issuer that is not organized under the laws of the United States or any state thereof or the District of Columbia.

GAAP” means generally accepted accounting principles in the United States, consistently applied, as set forth in the opinions and pronouncements of the Accounting Principles Board of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and statements and pronouncements (including the Accounting Standards Codification) 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, as in effect from time to time.

Governing Persons” means (a) in the case of any corporation, the board of directors of such person or duly authorized committee thereof, (b) in the case of any limited liability company, the board of directors or managers, manager or managing member of such person or duly authorized committee thereof, (c) in the case of any partnership, the general partner of such person or duly authorized committee thereof and (d) in any other case, the functional equivalent of the foregoing or duly authorized committee thereof.

Government Securities” means securities that are:

 

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(a)    direct obligations of the United States of America for the timely 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 the timely payment of which is unconditionally guaranteed as a full faith and credit obligation by the United States of America,

which, in either case, are not callable or redeemable at the option of the issuers thereof, and shall also include a depository receipt issued by a bank (as defined in Section 3(a)(2) of the Securities Act), as custodian with respect to any such Government Securities or a specific payment of principal of or interest on any such Government Securities held by such custodian for the account of the holder of such 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 Government Securities or the specific payment of principal of or interest on the Government Securities evidenced by such depository receipt.

Guarantee” means a guarantee (other than by endorsement of negotiable instruments for collection in the ordinary course of business), direct or indirect, in any manner (including by way of a pledge of assets or through letters of credit and reimbursement agreements in respect thereof), of all or any part of any Indebtedness or other obligations (and “Guaranteed” and “Guaranteeing” shall have meanings that correspond to the foregoing).

Guarantor” means each Restricted Subsidiary of the Issuer that provides a Guarantee of the Notes and its permitted successors and assigns.

Hedging Agreements” means any and all (a) rate swap transactions, currency and interest rate basis swaps, currency and interest rate credit derivative transactions, forward rate transactions, interest rate options, forward foreign exchange transactions, currency and interest rate cap transactions, currency and interest rate floor transactions, currency and interest rate collar transactions, currency swap transactions, cross-currency rate swap transactions, currency options and (b) commodity swaps, commodity options, forward commodity contracts, basis differential swaps, spot contracts, fixed-price physical delivery contracts or other similar agreements, in each case whether or not exchange traded, 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.

For the avoidance of doubt, Hedging Agreements shall not be deemed speculative or entered into for speculative purposes if any Hedging Agreement is intended in good faith, at inception of execution, (A) to hedge or manage the interest rate exposure associated with any debt securities or debt facilities of the Issuer or its Restricted Subsidiaries, (B) for foreign exchange or currency exchange management or (C) to hedge any exposure that the Issuer or its Restricted Subsidiaries may have to counterparties under other Hedging Agreements such that the combination of such Hedging Agreements is not speculative taken as a whole.

 

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Hedging Obligations” of any Person means the obligations of such Person pursuant to any Hedging Agreement.

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

IAI” means an institutional “accredited investor” as described in Rule 501(a)(1), (2), (3) or (7) under the Securities Act.

Immaterial Subsidiary” means any Subsidiary of the Issuer that (a) did not, as of the last day of the fiscal year of the Issuer most recently ended, have assets with a value in excess of 5.0% of the Consolidated Total Assets or revenues representing in excess of 5.0% of total revenues of the Issuer and its Restricted Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis as of such date, and (b), when taken together with all Immaterial Subsidiaries as of the last day of the fiscal year of the Issuer most recently ended, have assets with a value in excess of 10.0% of Consolidated Total Assets or revenues representing in excess of 10.0% of EBITDA of the Issuer and its Restricted Subsidiaries as of such date; provided that the Issuer shall only be required to make such determination at the time it delivers annual financial statements pursuant to Section 3.9; provided, further, that the requirements set forth in clause (b) shall only be tested at the time a Subsidiary is being designated as an Immaterial Subsidiary and no Subsidiary need be redesignated except in connection with the designation of a new Immaterial Subsidiary.

Immediate Family Members” means with respect to any individual, such individual’s child, stepchild, grandchild or more remote descendant, parent, stepparent, grandparent, spouse, former spouse, qualified domestic partner, sibling, mother-in-law, father-in-law, son-in-law and daughter-in-law (including adoptive relationships) and any trust, partnership, corporation or other bona fide estate planning vehicle the only beneficiaries or equity holders of which are any of the foregoing individuals or any private foundation or fund that is controlled by any of the foregoing individuals or any donor advised fund of which any such individual is the donor.

Incur” means, with respect to any Indebtedness or other obligation of any Person, to create, issue, incur (by conversion, exchange or otherwise), assume, Guarantee or otherwise become liable in respect of such Indebtedness. Indebtedness otherwise Incurred by a Person before it becomes a Subsidiary of the Issuer shall be deemed to be Incurred at the time at which such Person becomes a Subsidiary of the Issuer. “Incurrence,” “Incurred,” “Incurrable” and “Incurring” shall have meanings that correspond to the foregoing. A Guarantee by the Issuer or a Restricted Subsidiary of the Issuer of Indebtedness Incurred by the Issuer or a Restricted Subsidiary of the Issuer, as applicable, shall not be a separate Incurrence of Indebtedness. In addition, the following shall not be deemed a separate Incurrence of Indebtedness:

(a)    amortization of debt discount or accretion of principal with respect to a non-interest bearing or other discount security;

(b)    the payment of regularly scheduled interest in the form of additional Indebtedness of the same instrument or the payment of regularly scheduled dividends on Capital Stock in the form of additional Capital Stock of the same class and with the same terms;

 

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(c)    the obligation to pay a premium in respect of Indebtedness arising in connection with the issuance of a notice of redemption or making of a mandatory offer to purchase such Indebtedness; and

(d)    unrealized losses or charges in respect of Hedging Obligations or obligations under Swap Obligations.

Indebtedness” means (without duplication), with respect to any Person:

(a)    any indebtedness (including principal and premium) of such Person, whether or not contingent:

(i)     in respect of borrowed money;

(ii)    evidenced by bonds, debentures, notes or similar instruments or reimbursement obligations in respect of drawn letters of credit or drawn bankers’ acceptances (so long as such amount has not been repaid);

(iii)    representing the deferred and unpaid purchase price of any property (except any such balance that constitutes (A) a trade payable or similar obligation to a trade creditor Incurred in the ordinary course of business or consistent with past practice or industry norm, (B) any earn-out obligations until such obligation becomes earned, due and payable and (C) liabilities accrued in the ordinary course of business or consistent with past practice), which purchase price is due more than 12 months after the date of placing the property in service or taking delivery and title thereto;

(iv)    the greater of the maximum mandatory redemption or repurchase price (not including, in either case, any redemption or repurchase premium) or the principal component or liquidation preference of all obligations of such Person with respect to the redemption, repayment or other repurchase of any Disqualified Stock;

(v)    in respect of Capitalized Lease Obligations; and

(vi)    all net payments that such person would have to make in the event of an early termination, on the date indebtedness of such person is being determined, in respect of outstanding Hedging Agreements;

if and to the extent that any of the foregoing Indebtedness in clauses (i) through (vi) (other than letters of credit and Hedging Obligations) would appear as a liability upon a balance sheet (excluding the footnotes thereto) of such Person prepared in accordance with GAAP;

 

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(b)    to the extent not otherwise included, any obligation by such Person to be liable for, or to pay, as obligor, guarantor or otherwise, on the obligations of the type referred to in clause (a) above of another Person (whether or not such items would appear upon the balance sheet of such obligor or guarantor), other than by endorsement of negotiable instruments for collection in the ordinary course of business; and

(c)    to the extent not otherwise included, the obligations of the type referred to in clause (a) above of another Person secured by a Lien on any asset owned by such first Person, whether or not such Indebtedness is assumed by such first Person; provided, that the amount of such Indebtedness will be the lesser of: (i) the Fair Market Value (as determined in good faith by the Issuer (or any Parent Entity on behalf of the Issuer)) of such asset at such date of Incurrence, and (ii) the principal amount of such Indebtedness of such other Person;

provided, however, that, notwithstanding the foregoing, Indebtedness shall be deemed not to include (1) Contingent Obligations Incurred in the ordinary course of business or consistent with past practice and not in respect of borrowed money; (2) deferred or prepaid revenues; (3) purchase price holdbacks in respect of a portion of the purchase price of an asset to satisfy warranty or other unperformed obligations of the respective seller; (4) trade and other ordinary course payables, accrued expenses and intercompany liabilities arising in the ordinary course of business or consistent with past practice; (5) in the case of the Issuer and its Restricted Subsidiaries (x) all intercompany Indebtedness having a term not exceeding 364 days (inclusive of any roll-over or extensions of terms) and made in the ordinary course of business or consistent with past practice or industry norm and (y) intercompany liabilities in connection with cash management, tax and accounting operations of the Issuer and its Restricted Subsidiaries; and (6) any obligations under Hedging Obligations that are not Incurred for speculative purposes.

Indebtedness for Borrowed Money” means Indebtedness Incurred pursuant to credit facilities, bonds, notes, indentures and debentures.

Indenture” has the meaning ascribed in the first introductory paragraph hereto. “Independent Financial Advisor” means an accounting, appraisal or investment banking firm or consultant, in each case of nationally recognized standing, that is, in the good faith determination of the Issuer (or any Parent Entity on behalf of the Issuer), qualified to perform the task for which it has been engaged.

Initial Notes” has the meaning ascribed to it in the third introductory paragraph of this Indenture.

Initial Purchasers” means Barclays Capital Inc., BofA Securities, Inc., Deutsche Bank Securities Inc. and Jefferies LLC.

Interest Payment Date” means May 15 and November 15 of each year to the Stated Maturity of the Notes.

Investment” means, with respect to any Person, all investments by such Person in other Persons (including Affiliates) in the form of loans (including guarantees), advances or

 

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capital contributions (excluding accounts receivable, trade credit, advances to customers, commissions, travel and similar advances to officers, employees, and consultants made in the ordinary course of business and any assets or securities received in satisfaction or partial satisfaction thereof from financially troubled account debtors to the extent reasonably necessary in order to prevent or limit loss and any prepayments and other credits to suppliers), purchases or other acquisitions for consideration of Indebtedness, Capital Stock or other securities issued by any other Person and investments that are required by GAAP to be classified on the balance sheet (excluding the footnotes) of the Issuer in the same manner as the other investments included in this definition to the extent such transactions involve the transfer of cash or other property. For purposes of Section 3.3 and the definition of Unrestricted Subsidiary:

(a)    “Investments” shall include the portion (proportionate to the Issuer’s equity interest in such Subsidiary) of the Fair Market Value of the net assets of a Subsidiary of the Issuer at the time that such Subsidiary is designated an Unrestricted Subsidiary; provided that upon a redesignation of such Subsidiary as a Restricted Subsidiary, the Issuer shall be deemed to continue to have a permanent “Investment” in an Unrestricted Subsidiary in an amount (if positive) equal to:

(i)    the Issuer’s “Investment” in such Subsidiary at the time of such redesignation; less

(ii)    the portion (proportionate to the Issuer’s equity interest in such Subsidiary) of the Fair Market Value of the net assets of such Subsidiary at the time of such redesignation; and

(b)    any property transferred to or from an Unrestricted Subsidiary shall be valued at its Fair Market Value at the time of such transfer.

The amount of any Investment outstanding at any time shall be the original cost of such Investment, reduced by any dividend, distribution, interest payment, return of capital, repayment or other amount received in cash by the Issuer or a Restricted Subsidiary in respect of such Investment.

Investment Grade Rating” means a rating equal to or higher than Baa3 (or the equivalent) by Moody’s and BBB- (or the equivalent) by S&P, or any equivalent rating by any Rating Agency.

Issue Date” means May 12, 2020.

Issuer” means CPG International LLC and its permitted successors and assigns.

Lien” means, with respect to any asset, any mortgage, lien, pledge, charge, security interest or similar 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 or any lease in the nature thereof); provided that in no event shall an operating lease or an agreement to sell be deemed to constitute a Lien.

 

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Limited Condition Transaction” means (a) any Investment or acquisition (whether by merger, amalgamation, consolidation or other business combination or the acquisition of Capital Stock or otherwise) whose consummation is not conditioned on the availability of, or on obtaining, third party financing, (b) any redemption, repurchase, defeasance, satisfaction and discharge or repayment of Indebtedness, Disqualified Stock or Preferred Stock requiring irrevocable notice in advance of such redemption, repurchase, defeasance, satisfaction and discharge or repayment and (c) any Restricted Payment requiring irrevocable notice in advance thereof.

Long Derivative Instrument” means a Derivative Instrument (a) the value of which generally increases, and/or the payment or delivery obligations under which generally decrease, with positive changes to the Performance References and/or (b) the value of which generally decreases, and/or the payment or delivery obligations under which generally increase, with negative changes to the Performance References.

Market Capitalization” means an amount equal to (a) the total number of issued and outstanding shares of common Capital Stock of the Issuer or any Parent Entity on the date of the declaration of a Restricted Payment permitted pursuant to Section 3.3(b)(viii) multiplied by

(b)    the arithmetic mean of the closing prices per share of such common Capital Stock on the principal securities exchange on which such common equity interests are traded for the 30 consecutive trading days immediately preceding the date of declaration of such Restricted Payment.

Moody’s” means Moody’s Investors Service, Inc. or any successor to its rating agency business.

Net Cash Proceeds” means the aggregate cash proceeds actually received by the Issuer or any Restricted Subsidiary in respect of any Asset Sale (including, without limitation, any cash received in respect of or upon the sale or other disposition of any Designated Non-cash Consideration received in any Asset Sale and any cash payments received by way of deferred payment of principal pursuant to a note or installment receivable or otherwise, but only as and when received, but excluding the assumption by the acquiring person of Indebtedness relating to the disposed assets or other consideration received in any other non-cash form), net of the direct costs relating to such Asset Sale and the sale or disposition of such Designated Non-cash Consideration (including, without limitation, legal, accounting and investment banking fees, and brokerage and sales commissions), and any relocation expenses incurred as a result thereof, taxes paid or payable as a result thereof (including tax distributions and after taking into account any available tax credits or deductions and any tax sharing arrangements related solely to such disposition), amounts required to be applied to the repayment of principal, premium (if any) and interest on Indebtedness required (other than pursuant to Section 3.5(a)(ii)) to be paid as a result of such transaction, and any deduction of appropriate amounts to be provided by the Issuer as a reserve in accordance with GAAP against any liabilities associated with the asset disposed of in such transaction and retained by the Issuer after such sale or other disposition thereof, including, without limitation, pension and other post-employment benefit liabilities and liabilities related to environmental matters or against any indemnification obligations associated with such transaction and payments made to holders of non-controlling interests in non-Wholly-Owned Subsidiaries as a result of such Asset Sale. Notwithstanding the foregoing or anything to the

 

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contrary in Section 3.5, to the extent that the Issuer has determined in good faith that repatriation (i)    of any or all of the Net Cash Proceeds of any Asset Sales by a Foreign Subsidiary is prohibited, restricted or delayed by applicable local law or (ii) of any or all of the Net Cash Proceeds of any Asset Sales by a Foreign Subsidiary could result in a material adverse tax consequence, the portion of such Net Cash Proceeds so affected will not constitute Net Cash Proceeds or be required to be applied in compliance with Section 3.5; provided that, in any event, the Issuer shall use its commercially reasonable efforts to take actions within its reasonable control that are reasonably required to eliminate such tax effects.

Net Income” means, with respect to any Person, the net income (loss) of such Person, determined in accordance with GAAP and before any reduction in respect of Preferred Stock dividends.

Net Short” means, with respect to a Holder or beneficial owner, as of a date of determination, either (a) the value of its Short Derivative Instruments exceeds the sum of the (x) the value of its Notes plus (y) the value of its Long Derivative Instruments as of such date of determination or (b) it is reasonably expected that such would have been the case were a Failure to Pay or Bankruptcy Credit Event (each as defined in the 2014 International Swaps and Derivatives Association, Inc. Credit Derivatives Definitions) to have occurred with respect to the Issuer or any Guarantor immediately prior to such date of determination.

Non-Guarantor Restricted Subsidiary” means any Restricted Subsidiary of the Issuer that does not guarantee the Notes.

Non-Guarantor Subsidiary” means any Subsidiary of the Issuer that does not guarantee the Notes.

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

Note Guarantees” means any guarantee of the obligations of the Issuer under this Indenture and the Notes by any Restricted Subsidiary of the Issuer in accordance with the provisions of this Indenture.

Notes” has the meaning ascribed to it in the third introductory paragraph of this Indenture.

Notes Custodian” means the custodian with respect to the Global Notes (as appointed by DTC), or any successor Person thereto and shall initially be the Trustee.

Obligations” means any principal, interest (including any interest accruing on or subsequent to the filing of a petition in bankruptcy, reorganization or similar proceeding at the rate provided for in the documentation with respect thereto, whether or not such interest is an allowed claim under applicable state, provincial, federal or foreign law), premium, penalties, fees, indemnifications, reimbursements (including reimbursement obligations with respect to letters of credit and bankers’ acceptances), damages and other liabilities, and guarantees of payment of such principal, interest, premium, penalties, fees, indemnifications, reimbursements, damages and other liabilities, payable under the documentation governing any Indebtedness;

 

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provided, that any of the foregoing (other than principal and interest) shall no longer constitute “Obligations” after payment in full of such principal and interest except to the extent such obligations are fully liquidated and non-contingent on or prior to such payment in full.

Offering Memorandum” means the offering memorandum dated May 7, 2020, pursuant to which the Notes were offered.

Officer” means, with respect to any Person, (a) the Chief Executive Officer, the President, the Chief Operating Officer, the Chief Investment Officer, the Chief Financial Officer, any Vice President, any Director, the Treasurer, the Controller, any Managing Director, Executive Managing Director or Senior Managing Director (1) of such Person or (2) if such Person is owned or managed by a single entity, of such entity, or (b) any other individual designated as an “Officer” or “Authorized Signatory” for the purposes of this Indenture by the Governing Persons or member of such Person.

Officer’s Certificate” means a certificate signed on behalf of the Issuer by an Officer of the Issuer or on behalf of any other Person, as the case may be, that meets the requirements set forth in this Indenture.

Opinion of Counsel” means a written opinion from legal counsel who is acceptable to the Trustee and that meets the requirements set forth in this Indenture. The counsel may be an employee of or counsel to the Issuer. Any such opinion may be subject to customary assumptions and exclusions.

Parent Entity” means any Person that, with respect to another Person, owns 50% or more of (a) with respect to any corporation, association or other business entity (other than a partnership joint venture, limited liability company or similar entity), the total ordinary voting power of shares of Capital Stock entitled (without regard to the occurrence of any contingency) to vote in the election of directors, managers or trustees thereof (or Persons performing similar functions) or (b) with respect to any partnership, joint venture, limited liability company or similar entity, the capital accounts, distribution rights, total equity and voting interests or general or limited partnership interests, as applicable, and, in the case of clauses (a) and (b), owns or controls, directly or indirectly (including through one or more Subsidiaries), such other Person. Unless the context otherwise requires, any references to Parent Entity refer to a Parent Entity of the Issuer.

Permitted Business” means any business engaged in by the Issuer and its Restricted Subsidiaries on the Issue Date and any business reasonably similar, incidental, ancillary, complementary or related to, or a reasonable extension, development or expansion thereof, in each case, as determined in good faith by the Issuer (or any Parent Entity on behalf of the Issuer).

Permitted Holder” means any of (a) the Sponsors and any of their Affiliates and funds or partnerships managed or advised by any of them or any of their Affiliates, but not including any portfolio company of any of the foregoing, (b) members of senior management and directors in place as of the Issue Date or appointed or elected by any of the persons described in clause (a) above after the Issue Date, and family members or trusts of any person listed in

 

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clause (a) above and this clause (b), and (c) any Person that forms a group (within the meaning of Section 13(d)(3) or Section 14(d)(2) of the Exchange Act, or any successor provision) with any of the persons listed in clauses (a) and (b); provided that the persons described in clauses (a) and (b) above shall form the majority of interest of any group pursuant to this clause (c).

Permitted Investments” means:

(a)    any Investment existing on the Issue Date, made pursuant to binding commitments existing on the Issue Date or in satisfaction of obligations under joint venture agreements existing on the Issue Date or any Investment consisting of any extension, modification or renewal of any such Investment, binding commitment or obligation, in each case, existing on the Issue Date; provided that the amount of any such Investment may be increased (x) as required by the terms of such Investment, binding commitment or obligation, in each case, as in existence on the Issue Date or (y) as otherwise permitted under this Indenture;

(b)    Investments in cash and Cash Equivalents;

(c)    Investments in property, other assets or services in the ordinary course of business or consistent with past practice;

(d)    Investments by the Issuer or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries in the Issuer or any Restricted Subsidiary;

(e)    Investments by the Issuer or any Restricted Subsidiary of the Issuer in a Person (including, to the extent constituting an Investment, in assets of a Person that represent substantially all of its assets or a division, business unit, product line or line of business, including research and development and related assets in respect of any product) that is engaged directly or through entities that will be Restricted Subsidiaries in a Permitted Business if as a result of such Investment:

(i)     such Person becomes a Restricted Subsidiary; or

(ii)    such Person, in one transaction or a series of related transactions, is merged, amalgamated or consolidated with or into, or transfers or conveys substantially all of its assets (or such division, business unit, product line or business) to, or is liquidated into, the Issuer or a Restricted Subsidiary, and, in each case, any Investment held by such Person;

provided that such Investment was not acquired by such Person in contemplation of such acquisition, merger, amalgamation, consolidation, transfer or conveyance;

(f)    Hedging Obligations and Investments made pursuant to Hedging Agreements permitted under Section 3.2(b)(vii);

(g)    receivables owing to the Issuer or any of its Subsidiaries and advances, loans or extensions of trade credit (including the creation of receivables) or prepayments to suppliers or lessors or loans or advances made to distributors, and performance guarantees, in each case in the ordinary course of business or consistent with past practice by the Issuer or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries;

 

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(h)    any Investment acquired by the Issuer or any Restricted Subsidiary of the Issuer (i) in exchange for any other Investment or accounts receivable, endorsements for collection or deposit held by the Issuer or a Restricted Subsidiary in connection with or as a result of a bankruptcy, workout, reorganization or recapitalization of the Person in which such other Investment is made or which is the obligor with respect to such accounts receivable, (ii) in satisfaction of judgments against other Persons, (iii) as a result of a foreclosure by the Issuer or a Restricted Subsidiary with respect to any Investment or other transfer of title with respect to any Investment in default or (iv) received in compromise or resolution of (A) obligations of trade creditors, suppliers or customers that were incurred in the ordinary course of business of the Issuer or any Restricted Subsidiary or consistent with past practice, including pursuant to any plan of reorganization or similar arrangement upon the bankruptcy or insolvency of any trade creditor, supplier or customer, or (B) litigation, arbitration or other disputes;

(i)    Investments in or repurchases of the Notes and Obligations under Debt Facilities (including the Senior Secured Credit Facilities);

(j)    performance guarantees and Contingent Obligations incurred in the ordinary course of business or consistent with past practice;

(k)    advances in the form of a prepayment of expenses, so long as such expenses are being paid in accordance with customary trade terms of the Issuer or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries;

(l)    loans, advances to, or guarantees of Indebtedness of, officers, directors, managers, employees and consultants not in excess of the greater of (x) $15.0 million and (y)    8.0% of EBITDA of the Issuer for the Relevant Measurement Period, determined on a Pro Forma Basis, outstanding at any one time, in the aggregate;

(m)    loans and advances to officers, directors, managers, employees and consultants for business related travel expenses, moving and relocations expenses, payroll advances and other similar or analogous expenses or payroll expenses, in each case incurred in the ordinary course of business or to fund such Person’s purchase of equity interests of the Issuer or any Parent Entity thereof;

(n)    Investments the payment for which consists solely of Capital Stock of the Issuer, any Parent Entity or any Unrestricted Subsidiary; provided that any Disqualified Stock issued pursuant to this clause (n) could be Incurred under Section 3.2;

(o)    any Investment in securities or other assets (including earn-outs) to the extent such Investment represents the non-cash portion of the consideration received in connection with an Asset Sale consummated in compliance with Section 3.5 or any other disposition of property not constituting an Asset Sale;

 

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(p)    Guarantees by the Issuer or any Restricted Subsidiary of the Issuer of Indebtedness of the Issuer or a Restricted Subsidiary of the Issuer otherwise permitted under Section 3.2;

(q)    Investments consisting of or to finance purchases and acquisitions of inventory, supplies, materials, services or equipment, purchases of contract rights, or licenses, leases or contributions of intellectual property;

(r)    extensions of trade credit or trade financing in the ordinary course of business;

(s)    Investments consisting of earnest money deposits required in connection with a purchase agreement or other acquisition;

(t)    Investments consisting of licensing or contribution of intellectual property pursuant to joint marketing arrangements with other Persons;

(u)    any Investment in a Permitted Business having an aggregate Fair Market Value, taken together with all other Investments made pursuant to this clause (u) that are at that time outstanding, not to exceed the greater of (i) $45.0 million and (ii) 25.0% of EBITDA of the Issuer for the Relevant Measurement Period at the time of such Investment, determined on a Pro Forma Basis (in each case, determined on the date such Investment is made); provided, however, that if any Investment pursuant to this clause (u) is made in any Person that is not a Restricted Subsidiary at the date of the making of such Investment and such Person becomes a Restricted Subsidiary after such date, such Investment shall thereafter be deemed to have been made pursuant to clause (d) above and shall cease to have been made pursuant to this clause (u);

(v)    any transaction to the extent it constitutes an Investment that is permitted by and made in accordance with Section 3.7.

(w)    additional Investments having an aggregate Fair Market Value, taken together with all other Investments made pursuant to this clause (w) that are at that time outstanding (without giving effect to the sale of an Unrestricted Subsidiary to the extent the proceeds of such sale do not consist of cash or marketable securities), not to exceed the greater of (x) $80.0 million and (y) 45.0% of EBITDA of the Issuer for the Relevant Measurement Period at the time of such Investment, determined on a Pro Forma Basis (in each case, determined on the date such Investment is made); provided, however, that if any Investment pursuant to this clause (w) is made in any Person that is not a Restricted Subsidiary at the date of the making of such Investment and such Person becomes a Restricted Subsidiary after such date, such Investment shall thereafter be deemed to have been made pursuant to clause (d) above and shall cease to have been made pursuant to this clause (w);

(x)    Investments in joint ventures or Unrestricted Subsidiaries having an aggregate Fair Market Value, taken together with all other Investments made pursuant to this clause (x) that are at the time outstanding, without giving effect to the sale of an Unrestricted Subsidiary to the extent the proceeds of such sale do not consist of cash or

 

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marketable securities, not to exceed the greater of (i) $45.0 million and (ii) 25.0% of EBITDA of the Issuer for the Relevant Measurement Period at the time of such Investment, determined on a Pro Forma Basis (in each case, determined on the date such Investment is made); provided, however, that if any Investment pursuant to this clause (x) is made in any Person that is an Unrestricted Subsidiary at the date of the making of such Investment and such Person becomes a Restricted Subsidiary after such date, such Investment shall thereafter be deemed to have been made pursuant to clause (d) above and shall cease to have been made pursuant to this clause (x);

(y)      any Investment, so long as, after giving effect to such Investment the Total Leverage Ratio of the Issuer and its Restricted Subsidiaries (determined on a consolidated basis) for the Relevant Measurement Period on a Pro Forma Basis is no greater than 4.25:1.00;

(z)      any Investment in any Subsidiary of the Issuer or any joint venture in connection with intercompany cash management arrangements or related activities arising in the ordinary course of business or consistent with past practice or industry norm; and

(aa)    Investments in the ordinary course of business or consistent with past practice or industry norm consisting of Uniform Commercial Code Article 3 endorsements for collection or deposit and Uniform Commercial Code Article 4 customary trade arrangements with customers.

Permitted Liens” means:

(a)    Liens existing on the Issue Date (with the exception of Liens securing the Senior Secured Credit Facilities on the Issue Date, which will be deemed Incurred pursuant to clause (b) of this definition);

(b)    Liens that secure Debt Facilities Incurred pursuant to Section 3.2(b)(i);

(c)    any Lien for taxes, assessments or governmental charges or claims that are not yet overdue for a period of more than 60 days or not yet payable or subject to penalties for nonpayment or that are being contested in good faith by appropriate actions diligently conducted; provided that any reserve or other appropriate provision as is required in conformity with GAAP has been made therefor, or for property taxes on property the Issuer or one of its Subsidiaries has determined to abandon if the sole recourse for such tax, assessment, charge, levy or claim is to such property;

(d)    any Lien imposed by law, such as carriers’, warehousemen’s, material men’s, repairman’s, suppliers’, landlords’ and mechanics’ Liens and other similar Liens, in each case, Incurred in the ordinary course of business or judgments or awards against such Person with respect to which such Person shall then be proceeding with an appeal or other proceeding for review, if adequate reserves with respect thereto are maintained on the books of the applicable Person in accordance with GAAP;

 

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(e)    survey exceptions, encumbrances, easements or reservations of, or rights of others for, licenses, rights of way, sewers, electric lines, telegraph, telephone and cable television lines and other similar purposes, or zoning or other similar restrictions as to the use of real properties or Liens incidental to the conduct of the business of such Person or to the ownership of its properties which do not materially impair or interfere with the ordinary operation of the business of, the Issuer and its Restricted Subsidiaries, taken as a whole;

(f)    Liens incurred or deposits made (i) in connection with workers’ compensation, unemployment insurance, employers’ health tax, and other social security or similar legislation or other insurance related obligations (including, but not limited to, in respect of deductibles, self-insured retention amounts and premiums and adjustments thereto) and (ii) securing reimbursement or indemnification obligations of (including obligations in respect of letters of credit or bank guarantees or similar instruments for the benefit of) insurance carriers providing property, casualty or liability insurance to such Person or otherwise supporting the payment of items set forth in the foregoing clause (i);

(g)    Liens incurred or deposits made to secure the performance of bids, tenders, trade contracts, governmental contracts, leases, public or statutory obligations, surety, indemnity, warranty, release, appeal or similar bonds or with respect to other regulatory requirements, completion guarantees, stay, customs and appeal bonds, performance bonds, bankers’ acceptance facilities and other obligations of a like nature (including those to secure health, safety and environmental obligations), deposits as security for contested taxes or import duties or for payment of rent, performance and return of money bonds and obligations in respect of letters of credit, bank guarantees or similar instruments that have been posted to support the same, incurred in the ordinary course of business or consistent with past practice;

(h)    Liens existing on the property at the time of its acquisition (by a merger, consolidation or amalgamation or otherwise) or existing on the property or shares of Capital Stock or other assets of any Person at the time such Person becomes a Subsidiary, in each case after the Issue Date; provided that (i) such Lien was not created in contemplation of such acquisition (by a merger, consolidation or amalgamation or otherwise) or such Person becoming a Subsidiary, (ii) such Lien does not extend to or cover any other assets or property of the Issuer or any Restricted Subsidiary (other than pursuant to after-acquired property clauses in effect with respect to such Lien at the time of acquisition on property of the type that would have been subject to such Lien notwithstanding the occurrence of such acquisition, it being understood that such requirement shall not be permitted to apply to any property to which such requirement would not have applied but for such acquisition) and (iii) any Indebtedness secured thereby is permitted under Section 3.2;

(i)    Liens securing Indebtedness of a Restricted Subsidiary owed to and held by the Issuer or a Restricted Subsidiary;

(j)    Liens to secure any permitted extension, renewal, Refinancing or refunding (or successive extensions, renewals, Refinancings or refundings), in whole or

 

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in part, of any Indebtedness secured by Liens referred to in clauses (a), (h), (m), (y), (z), (ff), (gg), (jj) and this clause (j) hereof; provided, however, that (i) such new Lien shall be limited to all or part of the same property that secured the original Lien (plus accessions, additions and improvements on such property, including after-acquired property that is (A) affixed or incorporated into the property covered by such Lien, (B) after-acquired property subject to a Lien securing such Indebtedness, the terms of which Indebtedness require or include a pledge of after-acquired property (it being understood that such requirement shall not be permitted to apply to any property to which such requirement would not have applied but for such acquisition) and (C) the proceeds and products thereof) and (ii) the Indebtedness secured by such Lien at such time is not increased to any amount greater than the sum of (x) the outstanding principal amount or, if greater, committed amount of the Indebtedness described under clauses (a), (h), (m), (y), (z), (ff), (gg), (jj) and this clause (j) hereof of this definition at the time the original Lien became a Permitted Lien under this Indenture, and (y) an amount necessary to pay accrued but unpaid interest on such Indebtedness and any dividend, premium (including tender premiums), defeasance costs, underwriting discounts and any fees, costs and expenses (including original issue discount, upfront fees or similar fees) incurred in connection with such modification, Refinancing, refunding, extension, renewal or replacement;

(k)    Liens in favor of customs or revenue authorities arising as a matter of law to secure payment of customs duties in connection with the importation of goods;

(l)    Liens on the Capital Stock of an Unrestricted Subsidiary to secure Indebtedness or other obligations of an Unrestricted Subsidiary;

(m)    Liens to secure Capitalized Lease Obligations, Synthetic Lease Obligations and Purchase Money Indebtedness permitted to be Incurred pursuant to Section 3.2(b)(ix); provided that such Liens do not extend to or cover any assets other than such assets acquired or constructed after the Issue Date with the proceeds of such Capitalized Lease Obligation, Synthetic Lease Obligation or Purchase Money Indebtedness;

(n)    Liens in favor of the Issuer or any Guarantor;

(o)    Liens on goods the purchase price of which is financed by a documentary letter of credit issued for the account of the Issuer or any of its Subsidiaries or Liens on bills of lading, drafts or other documents of title arising by operation of law or pursuant to the standard terms of agreements relating to letters of credit, bank guarantees and other similar instruments, provided that such Lien secures only the obligations of the Issuer or such Restricted Subsidiaries in respect of such letter of credit to the extent such obligations are permitted under Section 3.2; and Liens on specific items of inventory or other goods and proceeds of any Person securing such Person’s accounts payable or similar trade obligations in respect of bankers’ acceptances or documentary letters of credit issued or created for the account of such Person to facilitate the purchase, shipment or storage of such inventory or other goods;

 

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(p)    Liens (i) arising from rights of set-off, banker’s liens, netting agreements and other Liens arising by operation of law or by the terms of documents of banks or other financial institutions in relation to overdraft or similar obligations, the maintenance of administration of deposit accounts, securities accounts, cash management arrangements or in connection with the issuance of letters of credit, bank guarantees or other similar instruments, (ii) relating to purchase orders and other agreements entered into with customers of the Issuer or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries in the ordinary course of business or consistent with past practice, (iii) of a collection bank arising under Section 4-210 of the Uniform Commercial Code or any comparable or successor provision on items in the course of collection, (iv) attaching to pooling, commodity trading accounts or other commodity brokerage accounts incurred in the ordinary course of business or consistent with past practice and (v) in favor of a banking or other financial institution or electronic payment service providers arising as a matter of law or under general terms and conditions encumbering deposits (including the right of setoff) and that are within the general parameters customary in the banking or finance industry;

(q)    Liens securing, or otherwise arising from, judgments not constituting an Event of Default under clause (g) of Section 6.1;

(r)    leases, subleases, licenses or sublicenses (including intellectual property) granted in the ordinary course of business which do not materially interfere with the business of the Issuer and its Restricted Subsidiaries taken as a whole;

(s)    any interest of title of an owner of equipment (including in connection with Capitalized Lease Obligations) or inventory on loan or consignment to the Issuer or any Restricted Subsidiaries and Liens arising from Uniform Commercial Code financing statement or similar filings regarding operating leases entered into by the Issuer or any Restricted Subsidiary of the Issuer in the ordinary course of business or consistent with past practice;

(t)    (i) Liens on insurance policies and the proceeds thereof securing the financing of the premiums with respect thereto or (ii) deposits made or other security provided to secure liabilities to insurance carriers under insurance or self-insurance arrangements, in each case, in the ordinary course of business or consistent with past practice;

(u)    Liens securing the Notes and the Note Guarantees;

(v)    Liens securing Hedging Obligations and obligations under Hedging Agreements so long as such Hedging Obligations or obligations under such Hedging Agreements are permitted to be Incurred under this Indenture;

(w)    options, put and call arrangements, rights of first refusal and similar rights relating to Investments in joint ventures, limited liability companies, partnerships and the like permitted to be made under this Indenture;

 

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(x)      Liens attaching to earnest money deposits (or equivalent deposits otherwise named) made in connection with proposed acquisitions permitted under this Indenture;

(y)      Liens securing Indebtedness of Foreign Subsidiaries on assets of Foreign Subsidiaries and Incurred pursuant to Section 3.2(b);

(z)      Liens on assets directly related to a Sale and Leaseback Transaction to secure related Attributable Indebtedness;

(aa)    Liens arising by operation of law under Article 2 of the Uniform Commercial Code in favor of a reclaiming seller of goods or buyer of goods;

(bb)    Liens on cash and Permitted Investments used to satisfy or discharge Indebtedness; provided such satisfaction or discharge is permitted under this Indenture;

(cc)    receipt of progress payments and advances from customers in the ordinary course of business or consistent with past practice to the extent the same creates a Lien on the related inventory and proceeds thereof;

(dd)    agreements to subordinate any interest of the Issuer or any Restricted Subsidiary in any accounts receivable or other prices arising from inventory consigned by the Issuer or any Restricted Subsidiary pursuant to an agreement entered into in the ordinary course of business;

(ee)    Liens arising out of conditional sale, title retention, consignment or similar arrangements for the sale or purchase of goods entered into in the ordinary course of business or consistent with past practice or industry norm;

(ff)    Liens on assets of a Subsidiary that is not a Guarantor securing Indebtedness of a Subsidiary that is not a Guarantor permitted to be incurred pursuant to Section 3.2;

(gg)    Liens securing Obligations in respect of (i) any Indebtedness permitted to be Incurred under this Indenture if, as of the date such Indebtedness was Incurred, and after giving pro forma effect thereto and the application of the net proceeds therefrom, the Secured Leverage Ratio of the Issuer does not exceed 5.25 to 1.00 and (ii) Indebtedness permitted to be Incurred pursuant to Section 3.2(b)(xv) or Section 3.2(b)(xxvi); provided, in the case of Section 3.2(b)(xv), such Liens securing Indebtedness Incurred pursuant to Section 3.2(b)(xv) shall only be permitted under this clause (ii) if, on a Pro Forma Basis after giving effect to the Incurrence of such Indebtedness and Liens, the Secured Leverage Ratio of the Issuer does not exceed 5.25 to 1.00 or the Secured Leverage Ratio of the Issuer would be no greater than immediately prior to such Incurrence;

(hh)    Liens (i) on cash advances or escrow deposits in favor of the non- Affiliated seller of any property to be acquired in an Investment permitted under this Indenture to be applied against the purchase price for such Investment or otherwise in

 

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connection with any escrow arrangements with respect to any such Investment (including any letter of intent or purchase agreement with respect to such Investment), and (ii) consisting of an agreement to sell, transfer, lease or otherwise dispose of any property in a transaction permitted under Section 3.5, in each case, solely (A) to the extent such Investment or sale, disposition, transfer or lease, as the case may be, would have been permitted on the date of the creation of such Lien and (B) involves a sale to a non- Affiliate;

(ii)    any encumbrance or restriction (including put and call arrangements) with respect to Capital Stock of any joint venture or similar arrangement securing obligations of such joint venture or pursuant to any joint venture or similar agreement; and

(jj)    Liens securing obligations the outstanding principal amount of which does not, taken together with the principal amount of all other obligations secured by Liens incurred under this clause (jj) and any Liens to secure any refinancing, refunding, extension or renewal in respect thereof incurred pursuant to clause (j) above, that are at that time outstanding, exceed the greater of (x) $50.0 million and (y) 25.0% of EBITDA of the Issuer for the Relevant Measurement Period, determined on a Pro Forma Basis.

Person” means any individual, corporation, limited liability company, partnership, joint venture, trust, unincorporated organization or government or any agency or political subdivision thereof.

Predecessor Note” of any particular Note means every previous Note evidencing all or a portion of the same debt as that evidenced by such particular Note; and, for the purposes of this definition, any Note authenticated and delivered under Section 2.10 in exchange for or in lieu of a mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen Note shall be deemed to evidence the same debt as the mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen Note.

Preferred Stock” as applied to the Capital Stock in any Person, means Capital Stock in such Person of any class or classes (however designated) that rank prior, as to the payment of dividends or as to the distribution of assets upon any voluntary or involuntary liquidation, dissolution or winding up of such Person, to shares of common stock in such Person.

Pro Forma Basis” means, with respect to any Person, for any events occurring subsequent to the commencement of a period for which the financial effect of such events is being calculated, and giving effect to the events for which such calculation is being made, such calculation as will give pro forma effect to such events as if such events occurred on the first day of the Relevant Measurement Period, taking into account the following adjustments:

(a)    if the Issuer or any Restricted Subsidiary issues, Incurs, assumes, repays, repurchases or redeems any Indebtedness, Disqualified Stock or Preferred Stock (including Indebtedness issued, Incurred or assumed as a result of, or to finance, any relevant transactions and for which the financial effect is being calculated) during the Relevant Measurement Period or subsequent to the Relevant Measurement Period and on or prior to or simultaneously with the date upon which the applicable event requiring any calculation to be made on a Pro Forma Basis occurs, such calculation shall be made giving pro forma effect to such issuance, Incurrence, assumption, repayment, repurchase or redemption of Indebtedness, Disqualified Stock or Preferred Stock, as if it had occurred on the first day of the Relevant Measurement Period;

 

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(b)    any Investments, Restricted Payments, acquisitions, dispositions, mergers, amalgamations, consolidations and discontinued operations (as determined in accordance with GAAP) and any operational changes, business realignment projects or initiatives, restructurings or reorganizations that the Issuer or any Restricted Subsidiary has determined to make and/or made during the Relevant Measurement Period or subsequent to the Relevant Measurement Period and on or prior to or simultaneously with the date upon which the applicable event requiring any calculation to be made on a Pro Forma Basis occurs, such calculation shall be made giving pro forma effect to such Investments, Restricted Payments, acquisitions, dispositions, mergers, amalgamations, consolidations, discontinued operations and other operational changes, business realignment projects or initiatives, restructurings or reorganizations (and the change of any associated fixed charge obligations and the change in EBITDA resulting therefrom), as if they had occurred on the first day of the Relevant Measurement Period;

(c)    if since the beginning of the Relevant Measurement Period any Person that subsequently became a Restricted Subsidiary or was merged with or into the Issuer or any Restricted Subsidiary since the beginning of such period shall have made any Investment, acquisition, disposition, merger, consolidation, amalgamation, discontinued operation, operational change, business realignment project or initiative, restructuring or reorganization that would have required adjustment pursuant to this definition, any calculation to be made on a Pro Forma Basis shall be made giving pro forma effect to such Investment, acquisition, disposition, merger, amalgamation, consolidation, discontinued operation, operational change, business realignment project or initiative, restructuring or reorganization as if they had occurred on the first day of the Relevant Measurement Period; and

(d)    if since the beginning of such period any Restricted Subsidiary is designated an Unrestricted Subsidiary or any Unrestricted Subsidiary is designated a Restricted Subsidiary, then any calculation to be made on a Pro Forma Basis shall be made giving pro forma effect to such designation as if it had occurred on the first day of the Relevant Measurement Period.

Pro forma calculations made pursuant to this definition shall be determined in good faith by the Issuer (or any Parent Entity on behalf of the Issuer) and may include adjustments to reflect the full effect of any operating expense reductions and other operating improvements, synergies or cost savings reasonably expected to result from such relevant pro forma event, subject in the case of any calculation of EBITDA to the addbacks described in clause (a)(vii) of the definition of “EBITDA” and as set forth in the definition of Consolidated Net Income. The Issuer shall deliver to the Trustee an Officer’s Certificate reflecting such adjustments made in the good faith determination of the Issuer (or any Parent Entity on behalf of the Issuer) (it being understood that pro forma adjustments need not be prepared in compliance with Regulation S-X of the Exchange Act).

If any Indebtedness, Disqualified Stock or Preferred Stock bears a floating rate of interest and is being given pro forma effect, the interest on such Indebtedness, Disqualified Stock

 

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or Preferred Stock shall be computed on a Pro Forma Basis as if the rates that would have been in effect during the period for which pro forma effect is being given had been actually in effect during such periods (taking into account any Hedging Obligations applicable to such Indebtedness if such Hedging Obligation has a remaining term in excess of 12 months). Interest on a Capitalized Lease Obligation shall be deemed to accrue at an interest rate reasonably determined by a responsible financial or accounting officer of the Issuer to be the rate of interest implicit in such Capitalized Lease Obligation in accordance with GAAP. For purposes of making any calculation on a Pro Forma Basis, interest on any Indebtedness under a revolving credit facility computed on a pro forma basis shall be computed based upon the average daily balance of such Indebtedness during the applicable period. Interest on Indebtedness that may optionally be determined at an interest rate based upon a factor of a prime or similar rate, a eurocurrency interbank offered rate, or other rate, shall be deemed to have been based upon the rate actually chosen, or, if none, then based upon such optional rate chosen as the Issuer may designate.

For purposes of this definition, any amount in a currency other than U.S. dollars will be converted to U.S. dollars based on the average exchange rate for such currency for the most recent twelve month period immediately prior to the calculation date.

Purchase Money Indebtedness” means any Indebtedness incurred to finance or refinance the acquisition, leasing, construction or improvement of property (real or personal) or assets (other than Capital Stock), and whether acquired through the direct acquisition of such property or assets, or otherwise (including through the purchase of Capital Stock of any Person owning such property or assets) and which does not exceed 100% of the cost and to the extent the purchase or construction prices for such assets are or should be included in “Addition to property, plant or equipment” in accordance with GAAP.

QIB” means any “qualified institutional buyer” as such term is defined in Rule 144A.

Qualified IPO” means (a) an underwritten primary or secondary (or combination of primary or secondary) public offering of the equity interests of the Issuer or any Parent Entity that generates gross cash proceeds of (primary or secondary) at least $100.0 million or (b) any merger, consolidation or amalgamation following which the Issuer or any Parent Entity merges with or into or becomes, directly or indirectly, a wholly owned subsidiary of another person, where such person has equity securities listed on a national securities exchange, regardless of whether such Person is the surviving entity.

Rating Agency” means (a) each of Moody’s and S&P (and their respective successors and assigns) and (b) if Moody’s or S&P ceases to rate the notes for reasons outside of the Issuer’s control, a “nationally recognized statistical rating organization” within the meaning of Rule 15cs-1(c)(2)(vi)(F) under the Exchange Act selected by the Issuer or any Parent Entity of the Issuer as a replacement agency for Moody’s or S&P, as the case may be.

Refinance” means, in respect of any Indebtedness, to refinance, extend, renew, refund, replace, repay, prepay, purchase, redeem, defease or retire, or to issue other Indebtedness in exchange or replacement for, such Indebtedness. “Refinanced” and “Refinancing” shall have correlative meanings.

 

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Refinancing Indebtedness” means Indebtedness, Disqualified Stock or, with respect to any Restricted Subsidiary, any Preferred Stock that refunds, Refinances, renews, replaces, extends or defeases any Indebtedness (or unutilized commitments in respect of Indebtedness (only to the extent the committed amount (i) could have been Incurred on the date of initial Incurrence and was deemed Incurred at such time for purposes of Section 3.2 or (ii) could have been Incurred other than as Refinancing Indebtedness on the date of such replacement, refunding or Refinancing)), Disqualified Stock or Preferred Stock permitted to be Incurred by the Issuer or any Restricted Subsidiary pursuant to the terms of this Indenture, whether involving the same or any other lender or creditor or group of lenders or creditors, but only to the extent that such Refinancing Indebtedness:

(a)    has a Weighted Average Life to Maturity at the time such Refinancing Indebtedness is Incurred that is not less than the shorter of (x) the remaining Weighted Average Life to Maturity of the Indebtedness, Disqualified Stock or Preferred Stock being refunded, refinanced, renewed, replaced, extended or defeased and (y) the Weighted Average Life to Maturity that would result if all payments of principal on the Indebtedness, Disqualified Stock and Preferred Stock being refunded, refinanced, renewed, replaced, extended or defeased that were due on or after the date that is one year following the last maturity date of any Notes then outstanding were instead due on such date (provided that this clause (a) will not apply to any refunding, refinancing, renewal, replacement, extension or defeasance of any Secured Indebtedness);

(b)    to the extent that such Refinancing Indebtedness refinances (x) Subordinated Indebtedness, such Refinancing Indebtedness is Subordinated Indebtedness or (y) Disqualified Stock or Preferred Stock, such Refinancing Indebtedness must be Disqualified Stock or Preferred Stock, respectively;

(c)    is Incurred in an aggregate principal amount (or if issued with original issue discount, an aggregate issue price) that does not exceed the sum of (x) the outstanding principal amount (or, if applicable, the liquidation preference, face amount, or the like) or, if greater, committed amount (only to the extent the committed amount (i) could have been Incurred on the date of initial Incurrence and was deemed Incurred at such time under Section 3.2 or (ii) could have been Incurred other than as Refinancing Indebtedness on the date of such replacement, refunding or refinancing)) of such Indebtedness or Disqualified Stock or Preferred Stock, in each case at the time such Indebtedness was Incurred or Disqualified Stock or Preferred Stock was issued or committed pursuant to Section 3.2 or any Indebtedness, Disqualified Stock or Preferred Stock Incurred to so replace, refund, refinance or defease such Indebtedness (or such unutilized commitments in respect of Indebtedness), Disqualified Stock or Preferred Stock, plus (y) accrued and unpaid in interest, plus (z) any Additional Refinancing Amount, without duplication; and

(d)    shall not include (i) Indebtedness, Disqualified Stock or Preferred Stock of a Non-Guarantor Subsidiary that refinances Indebtedness, Disqualified Stock or Preferred Stock

 

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of the Issuer or a Guarantor or (ii) Indebtedness or Disqualified Stock of the Issuer or Indebtedness, Disqualified Stock or Preferred Stock of a Restricted Subsidiary of the Issuer that refinances Indebtedness, Disqualified Stock or Preferred Stock of an Unrestricted Subsidiary.

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

Related Business Assets” means assets (other than cash or Cash Equivalents) used or useful in a Permitted Business; provided that any assets received by the Issuer or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries in exchange for assets transferred by the Issuer or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries will not be deemed to be Related Business Assets if they consist of securities of a Person, unless upon receipt of the securities of such Person, such Person would become a Restricted Subsidiary.

Relevant Measurement Period” means, with respect to any specified date or event, the most recently ended four full fiscal quarters for which financial statements have been delivered to the Holders.

Restricted Investment” means an Investment other than a Permitted Investment. “Restricted Notes” means the Initial Notes and any Additional Notes bearing one

of the restrictive legends described in Section 2.1(d).

Restricted Notes Legend” means the legend set forth in Section 2.1(d)(i) and, in the case of the Temporary Regulation S Global Note, the legend set forth in Section 2.1(d)(ii).

Restricted Subsidiary” means any Subsidiary that has not been designated as an Unrestricted Subsidiary in accordance with this Indenture. Unless otherwise indicated, when used herein the term “Restricted Subsidiary” shall refer to a Restricted Subsidiary of the Issuer.

Revolving Credit Agreement” means the amended and restated revolving credit agreement, dated as of March 9, 2017, among the Issuer, as the borrower thereunder, CPG Newco LLC, the co-borrowers and lenders party thereto from time to time and Deutsche Bank AG, as administrative agent and as collateral agent, as amended, supplemented, modified, extended, renewed, restated, replaced, refinanced or refunded from time to time.

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

S&P” means Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services or any successor to its rating agency business.

Sale and Leaseback Transaction” means any direct or indirect arrangement pursuant to which property is sold or transferred by the Issuer or a Restricted Subsidiary of the Issuer and is thereafter leased back as a capital lease by the Issuer or a Restricted Subsidiary of the Issuer.

 

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Screened Affiliate” means any Affiliate of a Holder (a) that makes investment decisions independently from such Holder and any other Affiliate of such Holder that is not a Screened Affiliate, (b) that has in place customary information screens between it and such Holder and any other Affiliate of such holder that is not a Screened Affiliate and such screens prohibit the sharing of information with respect to the Issuer or its Subsidiaries, (c) whose investment policies are not directed by such Holder or any other Affiliate of such holder that is acting in concert with such holder in connection with its investment in the Notes, and (d) whose investment decisions are not influenced by the investment decisions of such Holder or any other Affiliate of such Holder that is acting in concert with such Holders in connection with its investment in the Notes.

SEC” means the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.

Secured Indebtedness” means any Indebtedness that is secured by a Lien. “Secured Leverage Ratio” means, as of any date of determination, the ratio of (a) Consolidated Total Indebtedness of the Issuer and its Restricted Subsidiaries that is secured by Liens as of the end of the most recent fiscal quarterly period for which financial statements have been delivered to the Holders immediately preceding the date on which such event for which such calculation is being made shall occur to (b) the Issuer’s EBITDA for the Relevant Measurement Period immediately preceding the date on which such event for which such calculation is being made shall occur, in each case, on a Pro Forma Basis.

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

Senior Secured Credit Facilities” means (a) the Revolving Credit Agreement and (b) the First Lien Term Loan Credit Agreement, dated as of September 30, 2013, among the Issuer, as the borrower, CPG International Inc., CPG Newco LLC, and the lenders party thereto from time to time and Barclays Bank plc, as administrative agent and as collateral agent, in each case, together with all related notes, letters of credit bankers acceptances, collateral documents, guarantees, and any other related agreements and instruments executed and delivered in connection therewith, in each case as amended, modified, supplemented, restated, replaced, refunded or Refinanced in whole or in part from time to time prior to or after the Issue Date including by or pursuant to any agreement or instrument that extends the maturity of any Indebtedness thereunder, or increases the amount of available borrowings thereunder (provided that such increase in borrowings is permitted under Section 3.2(b)(i)), or adds Subsidiaries of the Issuer as additional borrowers or guarantors thereunder, in each case with respect to such agreement or any successor or replacement agreement and whether by the same or any other agent, lender, purchasers, investors, or indebtedness holders or any group of any of the foregoing.

Short Derivative Instrument” means a Derivative Instrument (a) the value of which generally decreases, and/or the payment or delivery obligations under which generally increase, with positive changes to the Performance References and/or (b) the value of which generally increases, and/or the payment or delivery obligations under which generally decrease, with negative changes to the Performance References.

 

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Significant Subsidiary” has the meaning set forth in Rule 1-02 of Regulation S-X under the Securities Act and Exchange Act, but shall not include any Unrestricted Subsidiary.

Sponsor Affiliate” means each Affiliate of a Sponsor and each individual who is a partner or employee of Sponsor.

Sponsors” means collectively, Ares Management LLC and Teachers. Each such entity is, individually, a “Sponsor.

Stated Maturity” means, with respect to any installment of interest or principal on any series of Indebtedness, the date on which the payment of interest or principal was scheduled to be paid in the original documentation governing such Indebtedness and will not include any contingent obligations to repay, redeem or repurchase any such interest or principal prior to the date originally scheduled for the payment thereof.

Subordinated Indebtedness” means:

(a)    with respect to the Issuer, any Indebtedness of the Issuer which is by its terms subordinated in right of payment to the Notes, and

(b)    with respect to any Guarantor, any Indebtedness of such Guarantor which is by its terms subordinated in right of payment to the Note Guarantee of such Guarantor under this Indenture.

Subsidiary” of any Person means (a) any corporation, association or other business entity (other than a partnership joint venture, limited liability company or similar entity) of which more than 50% of the total ordinary voting power of shares of Capital Stock entitled (without regard to the occurrence of any contingency) to vote in the election of directors, managers or trustees thereof (or Persons performing similar functions) or (b) any partnership, joint venture, limited liability company or similar entity of which more than 50% of the capital accounts, distribution rights, total equity and voting interests or general or limited partnership interests, as applicable, is, in the case of clauses (a) and (b), at the time owned or controlled, directly or indirectly, by (i) such Person, (ii) such Person and one or more Subsidiaries of such Person or (iii) one or more Subsidiaries of such Person. Unless otherwise indicated, when used herein the term “Subsidiary” shall refer to a Subsidiary of the Issuer.

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

Synthetic Lease Obligations” means any monetary obligation of a Person under (a) a so-called synthetic, off-balance sheet or tax retention lease, or (b) an agreement for the use or possession of property (including Sale and Leaseback Transactions), in each case, creating obligations that do not appear on the balance sheet of such Person but that, upon the application of any bankruptcy or insolvency laws to such Person, would be characterized as the indebtedness of such Person (without regard to accounting treatment).

Teachers” means Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan Board.

 

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Total Leverage Ratio” means, on any date, the ratio of (a) Consolidated Total Indebtedness less the amount of cash and Cash Equivalents in excess of any cash and Cash Equivalents that would appear as “restricted” on a consolidated balance sheet of the Issuer or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries and held by a Person and its Restricted Subsidiaries as of such date of determination to (b) EBITDA of such Person and its Restricted Subsidiaries for the Relevant Measurement Period immediately preceding the date on which such event for which such calculation is being made, determined on a Pro Forma Basis.

Transactions” means consummation of the offering of the Notes and the application of the proceeds as described in the Offering Memorandum.

Treasury Rate” means, as of any Redemption Date, the yield to maturity as of such Redemption Date of United States Treasury securities with a constant maturity (as compiled and published in the most recent Federal Reserve Statistical Release H.15 (519) that has become publicly available at least two Business Days prior to the redemption date (or, if such Statistical Release is no longer published, any publicly available source of similar market data)) most nearly equal to the period from the Redemption Date to May 15, 2022; provided, however, that if the period from the Redemption Date to May 15, 2022 is less than one year, the weekly average yield on actually traded United States Treasury securities adjusted to a constant maturity of one year will be used.

Trust Indenture Act” or “TIA” means the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended (15 U.S.C. §§ 77aaa-777bbbb).

Trust Officer” shall mean, when used with respect to the Trustee, any corporate trust officer or any other officer or assistant officer of the Trustee customarily performing functions similar to those performed by the persons who at the time shall be such corporate trust officers who shall have direct responsibility for the administration of this Indenture at the Corporate Trust Office, or any other officer of the Trustee to whom any corporate trust matter is referred because of his or her knowledge of and familiarity with the particular subject and who shall have direct responsibility for the administration of this Indenture.

Trustee” means the party named as such in this Indenture until a successor replaces it in accordance with the terms of this Indenture and, thereafter, means the successor.

Unrestricted Subsidiary” means:

(a)    any Subsidiary of the Issuer which at the time of determination is an Unrestricted Subsidiary (as designated by the Issuer, as provided below); and

(b)    any Subsidiary of an Unrestricted Subsidiary.

The Issuer may designate any Subsidiary of the Issuer (including any existing Subsidiary and any newly acquired or newly formed Subsidiary) to be an Unrestricted Subsidiary unless such Subsidiary or any of its Subsidiaries owns any equity interests or Indebtedness of, or owns or holds any Lien on, any property of, the Issuer or any Subsidiary of the Issuer (other than solely any Subsidiary of the Subsidiary to be so designated); provided that:

 

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(i)    any Unrestricted Subsidiary must be an entity of which the equity interests entitled to cast at least a majority of the votes that may be cast by all equity interests having ordinary voting power for the election of directors of Persons performing a similar function are owned, directly or indirectly, by the Issuer;

(ii)    such designation complies with Section 3.3; and

(iii)    each of:

(A)    the Subsidiary to be so designated; and

(B)    its Subsidiaries,

has not at the time of designation, and does not thereafter, create, incur, issue, assume, guarantee or otherwise become directly or indirectly liable with respect to any Indebtedness pursuant to which the lender has recourse to any of the assets of the Issuer or any Restricted Subsidiary of the Issuer (other than Capital Stock of the Unrestricted Subsidiary).

The Issuer may designate any Unrestricted Subsidiary to be a Restricted Subsidiary; provided that, immediately after giving effect to such designation, no Default or Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing and the Issuer or the relevant Restricted Subsidiary would be able to incur such Indebtedness pursuant to Section 3.2, on a Pro Forma Basis taking into account such designation.

Any such designation by the Issuer shall be notified by the Issuer to the Trustee by promptly filing with the Trustee a copy of the resolution of the Governing Persons of the Issuer or any committee thereof giving effect to such designation and an Officer’s Certificate certifying that such designation complied with the foregoing provisions

Weighted Average Life to Maturity” means, as of any date of determination, with respect to any Indebtedness or Disqualified Stock, as the case may be, the quotient obtained by dividing (a) the sum of the products of (x) the number of years (calculated to the nearest one- twelfth) from the date of determination to the date of each successive scheduled principal payment (including any sinking fund or mandatory redemption payment requirements) of such Indebtedness or redemption or similar payment with respect to such Disqualified Stock multiplied by (y) the aggregate amount of scheduled principal payments by (b) the sum of all such payments.

Wholly-Owned Subsidiary” of any Person means a Subsidiary of such Person, 100% of the outstanding equity interests of which (other than directors’ qualifying shares) shall at the time be owned by such Person or by one or more Wholly-Owned Subsidiaries of such Person.

 

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SECTION 1.2.    Other Definitions.

 

Term

   Defined in
Section

Additional Restricted Notes

   2.1(b)

Advance Offer

   3.5(c)

Advance Portion

   3.5(c)

Affiliate Transaction

   3.7(a)

Agent Members

   2.1(e)(iii)

Asset Sale Offer

   3.5(c)

Assuming Parent Entity

   4.1(d)

Authenticating Agent

   2.2

Automatic Exchange

   2.6(e)

Automatic Exchange Date

   2.6(e)

Automatic Exchange Notice

   2.6(e)

Automatic Exchange Notice Date

   2.6(e)

Change of Control Offer

   3.8(a)

Change of Control Payment

   3.8(a)

Change of Control Payment Date

   3.8(a)(ii)

Clearstream

   2.1(b)

Covenant Defeasance

   8.3

Covenant Suspension Event

   3.16

Deemed Date

   3.2(c)(3)

Defaulted Interest

   2.14

Directing Holder

   6.2

Discharge

   11.1(a)

 

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Euroclear

   2.1(b)

Event of Default

   6.1

Excess Proceeds

   3.5(b)

Global Notes

   2.1(b)

Guaranteed Obligations

   10.1

Guarantor Surviving Entity

   4.1(f)(i)

Increased Amount

   3.6(c)

Initial Lien

   3.6(a)

Institutional Accredited Investor Global Note

   2.1(b)

Institutional Accredited Investor Notes

   2.1(b)

Issuer Order

   2.2

LCT Election

   1.4(a)

LCT Test Date

   1.4(a)

Legal Defeasance

   8.2

Noteholder Direction

   6.2

Notes Register

   2.3

Pari Passu Indebtedness

   3.5(b)(ii)

Paying Agent

   2.3

Permanent Regulation S Global Note

   2.1(b)

Permitted Indebtedness

   3.2(b)

Position Representation

   6.2

protected purchaser

   2.10

Purchase Agreement

   2.1(b)

Ratio Amount

   3.2(c)(ii)

Ratio Debt

   3.2(a)

 

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Redemption Date

   5.7(a)

Refunding Capital Stock

   3.3(b)(ii)

Registrar

   2.3

Regulation S Global Note

   2.1(b)

Regulation S Notes

   2.1(b)

Reinstatement Date

   3.16

Resale Restriction Termination Date

   2.6(b)

Restricted Global Note

   2.6(e)

Restricted Payment

   3.3(a)

Restricted Period

   2.1(b)

Retired Capital Stock

   3.3(b)(ii)

Rule 144A Global Note

   2.1(b)

Rule 144A Notes

   2.1(b)

Second Commitment

   3.5(b)

Special Interest Payment Date

   2.14(a)

Special Record Date

   2.14(a)

Surviving Entity

   4.1(a)

Suspended Covenants

   3.16

Suspension Period

   3.16

Tax Group

   3.3(b)(xii)(B)

Temporary Regulation S Global Note

   2.1(b)

Unrestricted Global Note

   2.6(e)

Verification Covenant

   6.2

SECTION 1.3.    Rules of Construction. Unless the context otherwise requires:

(a)    a term has the meaning assigned to it;

 

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(b)    except as otherwise expressly provided herein, all terms of an accounting or financial nature shall be construed in accordance with GAAP, as in effect from time to time; provided in the event that any accounting change occurs and such change results in a change in the method of calculation of financial covenants, standards or terms as determined in good faith by the Issuer, then upon the written notice of the Issuer to the Trustee, such financial covenants, standards or terms shall be calculated prior to giving effect to such accounting change as if such accounting change had not occurred;

(c)    “or” is not exclusive;

(d)    “including” means including without limitation;

(e)    words in the singular include the plural and words in the plural include the

singular;

(f)    the principal amount of any noninterest bearing or other discount security at any date shall be the principal amount thereof that would be shown on a balance sheet of the issuer dated such date prepared in accordance with GAAP;

(g)    the principal amount of any preferred stock shall be (i) the maximum liquidation value of such preferred stock or (ii) the maximum mandatory redemption or mandatory repurchase price with respect to such preferred stock, whichever is greater;

(h)    all amounts expressed in this Indenture or in any of the Notes in terms of money refer to the lawful currency of the United States of America;

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

(j)    unless otherwise specifically indicated, the term “consolidated” with respect to any Person refers to such Person on a consolidated basis in accordance with GAAP, but excluding from such consolidation any Unrestricted Subsidiary as if such Unrestricted Subsidiary were not an Affiliate of such Person.

SECTION 1.4.    Financial Calculation for Limited Condition Acquisitions.

(a)    When calculating the availability under any basket or ratio under this Indenture or compliance with any provision of this Indenture in connection with any Limited Condition Transaction and any actions or transactions related thereto (including acquisitions, Investments and the incurrence or issuance of Indebtedness, Liens, Disqualified Stock or Preferred Stock and the use of proceeds thereof, repayments and Restricted Payments), in each case, at the option of the Issuer (the Issuer’s election to exercise such option, an “LCT Election”), the date of determination for availability under any such basket or ratio and whether any such action or transaction is permitted (or any requirement or condition therefor is complied with or satisfied (including as to the absence of any continuing Default or Event of Default)) under this Indenture shall be deemed to be the date (the “LCT Test Date”) the definitive agreements for such Limited Condition Transaction are entered into (or, if applicable, the date of

 

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delivery of an irrevocable notice or similar event), and if, after giving pro forma effect to the Limited Condition Transaction and any actions or transactions related thereto including acquisitions, Investments and the incurrence or issuance of Indebtedness, Liens, Disqualified Stock or Preferred Stock and the use of proceeds thereof, repayments and Restricted Payments) and any related pro forma adjustments, the Issuer or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries would have been permitted to take such actions or consummate such transactions on the relevant LCT Test Date in compliance with such ratio, test or basket (and any related requirements and conditions), such ratio, test or basket (and any related requirements and conditions) shall be deemed to have been complied with (or satisfied) for all purposes (in the case of Indebtedness, for example, whether such Indebtedness is committed, issued or incurred at the LCT Test Date or at any time thereafter); provided, that (i) if financial statements for one or more subsequent fiscal quarters shall have become available, the Issuer may elect, in its sole discretion, to re-determine all such ratios, tests or baskets on the basis of such financial statements, in which case, such date of redetermination shall thereafter be deemed to be the applicable LCT Test Date for purposes of such ratios, tests or baskets, and (ii) except as contemplated in the foregoing clause (i), compliance with such ratios, tests or baskets (and any related requirements and conditions) shall not be determined or tested at any time after the applicable LCT Test Date for such Limited Condition Transaction and any actions or transactions related thereto (including acquisitions, Investments and the incurrence or issuance of Indebtedness, Liens, Disqualified Stock or Preferred Stock and the use of proceeds thereof, repayments and Restricted Payments).

(b)    For the avoidance of doubt, if the Issuer has made an LCT Election, (i) if any of the ratios, tests or baskets for which compliance was determined or tested as of the LCT Test Date would at any time after the LCT Test Date have been exceeded or otherwise failed to have been complied with as a result of fluctuations in any such ratio, test or basket, including due to fluctuations in EBITDA or total assets of the Issuer or the Person subject to such Limited Condition Transaction, such baskets, tests or ratios will not be deemed to have been exceeded or failed to have been complied with as a result of such fluctuations; (ii) if any related requirements and conditions (including as to the absence of any continuing Default or Event of Default) for which compliance or satisfaction was determined or tested as of the LCT Test Date would at any time after the LCT Test Date not have been complied with or satisfied (including due to the occurrence or continuation of an Default or Event of Default), such requirements and conditions will not be deemed to have been failed to be complied with or satisfied (and such Default or Event of Default shall be deemed not to have occurred or be continuing) and (iii) in calculating the availability under any ratio, test or basket in connection with any action or transaction unrelated to such Limited Condition Transaction following the relevant LCT Test Date and prior to the earlier of the date on which such Limited Condition Transaction is consummated or the date that the definitive agreement or date for redemption, purchase or repayment specified in an irrevocable notice for such Limited Condition Transaction is terminated, expires or passes, as applicable, without consummation of such Limited Condition Transaction, any such ratio, test or basket shall be determined or tested giving pro forma effect to such Limited Condition Transaction.

 

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ARTICLE II

THE NOTES

SECTION 2.1.    Form, Dating and Terms.

(a)    The aggregate principal amount of Notes that may be authenticated and delivered under this Indenture is unlimited. The Initial Notes issued on the date hereof shall be in an aggregate principal amount of $350,000,000. In addition, the Issuer may issue, from time to time in accordance with the provisions of this Indenture, Additional Notes (as provided herein). Furthermore, Notes may be authenticated and delivered upon registration of transfer, exchange or in lieu of, other Notes pursuant to Section 2.2, 2.6, 2.10, 2.12, 5.6, 5.7 or 9.4, in connection with an Asset Sale Offer pursuant to Section 3.5 or in connection with a Change of Control Offer pursuant to Section 3.8.

Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, the Issuer may not issue any Additional Notes, unless such issuance is in compliance with Sections 3.2 and 3.6.

The Initial Notes, and any Additional Notes that may be issued, shall be known and designated as “9.500% Senior Notes due 2025” of the Issuer.

With respect to any Additional Notes, the Issuer shall set forth in (a) a Board Resolution and (b)(i) an Officer’s Certificate or (ii) one or more indentures supplemental hereto, the following information:

(A)    the aggregate principal amount of such Additional Notes to be authenticated and delivered pursuant to this Indenture; and

(B)    the issue price and the issue date of such Additional Notes, including the date from which interest shall accrue.

In authenticating and delivering Additional Notes, the Trustee shall be entitled to receive and shall be fully protected in relying upon, in addition to the Opinion of Counsel and Officer’s Certificate required by Section 12.2, an Opinion of Counsel, subject to customary assumptions and exclusions, as to the due authorization, execution, delivery, validity and enforceability of such Additional Notes.

The Initial Notes and the Additional Notes shall be considered collectively as a single class for all purposes of this Indenture. Holders of the Initial Notes and the Additional Notes shall vote and consent together on all matters to which such Holders are entitled to vote or consent as one class, and none of the Holders of the Initial Notes and the Additional Notes shall have the right to vote or consent as a separate class on any matter to which such Holders are entitled to vote or consent.

If any of the terms of any Additional Notes are established by action taken pursuant to Board Resolutions of the Issuer (or any Parent Entity on behalf of the Issuer), a copy of an appropriate record of such action shall be certified by the Secretary or any Assistant Secretary of the Issuer and delivered to the Trustee at or prior to the delivery of the Officer’s Certificate or the indenture supplemental hereto setting forth the terms of the Additional Notes.

 

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(b)    The Initial Notes are being offered and sold by the Issuer pursuant to a Purchase Agreement, dated May 7, 2020 (the “Purchase Agreement”), among the Issuer and Barclays Capital Inc. as representative of the other Initial Purchasers named therein. The Initial Notes and any Additional Notes (if issued as Restricted Notes) (the “Additional Restricted Notes”) shall be resold initially only to (A) QIBs in reliance on Rule 144A and (B) Non-U.S. Persons in reliance on Regulation S. Such Initial Notes and Additional Restricted Notes may thereafter be transferred to, among others, QIBs, purchasers in reliance on Regulation S and IAIs in accordance with Rule 501 of the Securities Act, in each case, in accordance with the procedure described herein. Additional Notes offered after the date hereof may be offered and sold by the Issuer from time to time pursuant to one or more purchase agreements in accordance with applicable law.

Initial Notes and Additional Restricted Notes offered and sold to QIBs in the United States of America in reliance on Rule 144A (the “Rule 144A Notes”) shall be issued in the form of a permanent global Note substantially in the form of Exhibit A, which is hereby incorporated by reference and made a part of this Indenture, including appropriate legends as set forth in Section 2.1(d) (the “Rule 144A Global Note”), deposited with the Trustee, as custodian for DTC, duly executed by the Issuer and authenticated by the Trustee as hereinafter provided. The Rule 144A Global Note may be represented by more than one certificate, if so required by DTC’s rules regarding the maximum principal amount to be represented by a single certificate. The aggregate principal amount of the Rule 144A Global Note may from time to time be increased or decreased by adjustments made on the records of the Trustee, as custodian for DTC or its nominee, as hereinafter provided.

Initial Notes and any Additional Restricted Notes offered and sold outside the United States of America (the “Regulation S Notes”) in reliance on Regulation S shall initially be issued in the form of a temporary global Note (the “Temporary Regulation S Global Note”), without interest coupons. Beneficial interests in the Temporary Regulation S Global Note shall be exchanged for beneficial interests in a corresponding permanent global Note, without interest coupons, substantially in the form of Exhibit A including appropriate legends as set forth in in Section 2.1(d) (the “Permanent Regulation S Global Note” and, together with the Temporary Regulation S Global Note, each a “Regulation S Global Note”) within a reasonable period after the expiration of the Restricted Period (as defined below) upon delivery of the certification contemplated by Section 2.7. Each Regulation S Global Note shall be deposited upon issuance with, or on behalf of, the Trustee as custodian for DTC in the manner described in this ARTICLE II for credit to the respective accounts of the purchasers (or to such other accounts as they may direct), including, but not limited to, accounts at Euroclear Bank S.A./N.V. (“Euroclear”) or Clearstream Banking, société anonyme (“Clearstream”). Prior to the 40th day after the later of the commencement of the offering of the Initial Notes and the Issue Date (such period through and including such 40th day, the “Restricted Period”), interests in the Temporary Regulation S Global Note may only be transferred to non-U.S. persons pursuant to Regulation S, to QIBs under Rule 144A or IAIs in accordance with the transfer and certification requirements described herein for exchanges of interests in a Global Note.

 

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Investors may hold their interests in the Regulation S Global Note directly through Euroclear or Clearstream, if they are participants in such systems, or indirectly through organizations which are participants in such systems. After the Restricted Period ends, investors may also hold their interests in the Regulation S Global Note through organizations other than Euroclear or Clearstream that are DTC participants. If such interests are held through Euroclear or Clearstream, Euroclear and Clearstream shall hold such interests in the applicable

Regulation S Global Note on behalf of their participants through customers’ securities accounts in their respective names on the books of their respective depositaries. Such depositaries, in turn, shall hold such interests in the applicable Regulation S Global Note in customers’ securities accounts in the depositaries’ names on the books of DTC.

The Regulation S Global Note may be represented by more than one certificate, if so required by DTC’s rules regarding the maximum principal amount to be represented by a single certificate. The aggregate principal amount of the Regulation S Global Note may from time to time be increased or decreased by adjustments made on the records of the Trustee, as custodian for DTC or its nominee, as hereinafter provided.

Initial Notes and Additional Restricted Notes resold to IAIs (the “Institutional Accredited Investor Notes”) in the United States of America shall be issued in the form of a permanent global Note substantially in the form of Exhibit A including appropriate legends as set forth in Section 2.1(d) (the “Institutional Accredited Investor Global Note”) deposited with the Trustee, as custodian for DTC, duly executed by the Issuer and authenticated by the Trustee as hereinafter provided. The Institutional Accredited Investor Global Note may be represented by more than one certificate, if so required by DTC’s rules regarding the maximum principal amount to be represented by a single certificate. The aggregate principal amount of the Institutional Accredited Investor Global Note may from time to time be increased or decreased by adjustments made on the records of the Trustee, as custodian for DTC or its nominee, as hereinafter provided.

The Rule 144A Global Note, the Regulation S Global Note and the Institutional Accredited Investor Global Note are sometimes collectively herein referred to as the “Global Notes.”

The principal of (and premium, if any) and interest on the Notes shall be payable at the office or agency of Paying Agent or Registrar designated by the Issuer maintained for such purpose in the United States or at such other office or agency of the Issuer as may be maintained for such purpose pursuant to Section 2.3 of this Indenture; 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 Notes Register or (ii) wire transfer to an account located in the United States maintained by the payee, subject to the last sentence of this paragraph. Payments in respect of Notes represented by a Global Note (including principal, premium, if any, and interest) shall be made by wire transfer of immediately available funds to the accounts specified by DTC. Payments in respect of Notes represented by Definitive Notes (including principal, premium, if any, and interest) held by a Holder of at least $1,000,000 aggregate principal amount of Notes represented by Definitive Notes shall be made by wire transfer to a U.S. dollar account maintained by the payee with a bank in the United States if such Holder elects payment by wire transfer by giving written notice to the Trustee or the Paying Agent to such effect designating such account no later than 15 days immediately preceding the relevant due date for payment (or such other date as the Trustee may accept in its discretion).

 

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The Notes may have notations, legends or endorsements required by law, stock exchange rule or usage, in addition to those set forth on Exhibit A and in Section 2.1(d). The Issuer shall approve any notation, endorsement or legend on the Notes. Each Note shall be dated the date of its authentication. The terms of the Notes set forth in Exhibit A are part of the terms 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 be bound by such terms.

(c)    Denominations. The Notes shall be issuable only in fully registered form, without coupons, and only in minimum denominations of $1,000 and any integral multiple of $1,000 in excess thereof.

(d)    Restrictive Legends. Unless and until (A) an Initial Note or an Additional Note issued as a Restricted Note is sold under an effective registration statement or (B) the Trustee receives an Opinion of Counsel, subject to customary assumptions and exclusions, 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:

(i)    the Rule 144A Global Note, the Regulation S Global Note and the Institutional Accredited Investor Global Note shall bear the following legend on the face thereof:

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 OR OF A BENEFICIAL INTEREST HEREIN, THE HOLDER (1) REPRESENTS THAT (A) IT IS A “QUALIFIED INSTITUTIONAL BUYER” (AS DEFINED IN RULE 144A UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT) OR (B) IT IS NOT A U.S. PERSON, IS NOT ACQUIRING THIS SECURITY FOR THE ACCOUNT OR FOR THE BENEFIT OF 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 WITHIN [IN THE CASE OF RULE 144A NOTES: ONE YEAR] [IN THE CASE OF REGULATION S NOTES: 40 DAYS] AFTER THE LATER OF THE ORIGINAL ISSUE DATE HEREOF AND THE LAST DATE ON WHICH THE ISSUER OR ANY AFFILIATE OF THE ISSUER WAS THE OWNER OF THIS SECURITY (OR ANY PREDECESSOR OF SUCH SECURITY) RESELL OR OTHERWISE TRANSFER THIS SECURITY EXCEPT (A) TO THE ISSUER OR ANY SUBSIDIARY THEREOF, (B) TO A PERSON WHOM THE HOLDER REASONABLY BELIEVES IS A QUALIFIED INSTITUTIONAL BUYER IN COMPLIANCE WITH RULE 144A UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT, (C) OUTSIDE THE UNITED STATES IN AN OFFSHORE TRANSACTION IN COMPLIANCE WITH RULE 903 OR RULE 904 UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT, (D) PURSUANT TO THE EXEMPTION FROM REGISTRATION PROVIDED BY RULE 144 UNDER THE

 

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SECURITIES ACT (IF AVAILABLE), (E) IN ACCORDANCE WITH ANOTHER EXEMPTION FROM THE REGISTRATION REQUIREMENTS OF THE SECURITIES ACT (AND BASED UPON AN OPINION OF COUNSEL IF THE ISSUER SO REQUEST), OR (F) 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. 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.

(ii)    the Temporary Regulation S Global Note shall bear the following additional legend on the face thereof:

BY ITS ACQUISITION HEREOF, THE HOLDER HEREOF REPRESENTS THAT IT IS NOT A U.S. PERSON, NOR IS IT PURCHASING FOR THE ACCOUNT OF A U.S. PERSON, AND IS ACQUIRING THIS SECURITY IN AN OFFSHORE TRANSACTION IN ACCORDANCE WITH REGULATION S UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT.

(iii)    Each Global Security, whether or not an Initial Security, shall bear the following legend on the face thereof:

UNLESS THIS CERTIFICATE IS PRESENTED BY AN AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE OF THE DEPOSITORY TRUST COMPANY, A NEW YORK CORPORATION (“DTC”), NEW YORK, NEW YORK, 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 TO 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.

TRANSFERS OF THIS GLOBAL SECURITY SHALL BE LIMITED TO TRANSFERS IN WHOLE, BUT NOT IN PART, TO DTC, TO NOMINEES OF DTC OR TO A SUCCESSOR THEREOF OR SUCH SUCCESSOR’S NOMINEE AND TRANSFERS OF PORTIONS OF THIS GLOBAL SECURITY SHALL BE LIMITED TO TRANSFERS MADE IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE RESTRICTIONS SET FORTH IN THE INDENTURE REFERRED TO ON THE REVERSE HEREOF.

(iv)    Each Note issued hereunder that has more than a de minimis amount of original issue discount for U.S. federal income tax purposes shall bear a legend in substantially the following form:

 

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THIS SECURITY IS ISSUED WITH “ORIGINAL ISSUE DISCOUNT” WITHIN THE MEANING OF SECTION 1273 OF THE INTERNAL REVENUE CODE OF 1986, AS AMENDED. A HOLDER MAY OBTAIN THE ISSUE PRICE, AMOUNT OF ORIGINAL ISSUE DISCOUNT, ISSUE DATE AND YIELD TO MATURITY FOR SUCH NOTE BY SUBMITTING A WRITTEN REQUEST FOR SUCH INFORMATION TO: ATTENTION: CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER, CPG INTERNATIONAL LLC, 1330 W FULTON STREET, SUITE 350 CHICAGO, IL 60607.

(e) Book-Entry Provisions.

(i)    This Section 2.1(e) shall apply only to Global Notes deposited with the Trustee, as custodian for DTC.

(ii)    Each Global Note initially shall (x) be registered in the name of DTC or the nominee of DTC, (y) be delivered to the Trustee as custodian for DTC and (z) bear legends as set forth in Section 2.1(d). Transfers of a Global Note (but not a beneficial interest therein) shall be limited to transfers thereof in whole, but not in part, to DTC, its successors or its respective nominees, except as set forth in Section 2.1(e)(v) and 2.1(f). If a beneficial interest in a Global Note is transferred or exchanged for a beneficial interest in another Global Note, the Trustee shall (x) record a decrease in the principal amount of the Global Note being transferred or exchanged equal to the principal amount of such transfer or exchange and (y) record a like increase in the principal amount of the other Global Note. Any beneficial interest in one Global Note that is transferred to a Person who takes delivery in the form of an interest in another Global Note, or exchanged for an interest in another Global Note, shall, upon transfer or exchange, cease to be an interest in such Global Note and become an interest in the other Global Note and, accordingly, shall thereafter be subject to all transfer and exchange restrictions, if any, and other procedures applicable to beneficial interests in such other Global Note for as long as it remains such an interest.

(iii)    Members of, or participants in, DTC (“Agent Members”) shall have no rights under this Indenture with respect to any Global Note held on their behalf by DTC or by the Trustee as the custodian of DTC or under such Global Note, and DTC may be treated by the Issuer, the Trustee, the Paying Agent, the Registrar and any agent of the Issuer or the Trustee as the absolute owner of such 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 DTC or impair, as between DTC and its Agent Members, the operation of customary practices of DTC governing the exercise of the rights of a Holder of a beneficial interest in any Global Note.

(iv)    In connection with any transfer of a portion of the beneficial interest in a Global Note pursuant to Section 2.1(f) to beneficial owners who are required to hold Definitive Notes, the Notes Custodian shall reflect on its books and records the date and a decrease in the principal amount of such 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 shall authenticate upon receipt of an Issuer Order and make available for delivery, one or more Definitive Notes of like tenor and amount.

 

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(v)    In connection with the transfer of an entire Global Note to beneficial owners pursuant to Section 2.1(f), such Global Note shall be deemed to be surrendered to the Trustee for cancellation, and the Issuer shall execute, and the Trustee shall authenticate upon receipt of an Issuer Order and make available for delivery, to each beneficial owner identified by DTC in exchange for its beneficial interest in such Global Note, an equal aggregate principal amount of Definitive Notes of authorized denominations.

(vi)    The registered Holder of a 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.

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

(f)    Definitive Notes. Except as provided below, owners of beneficial interests in Global Notes shall not be entitled to receive Definitive Notes. If required to do so pursuant to any applicable law or regulation, beneficial owners may obtain Definitive Notes in exchange for their beneficial interests in a Global Note upon written request in accordance with DTC’s and the Registrar’s procedures. In addition, Definitive Notes shall be transferred to all beneficial owners in exchange for their beneficial interests in a Global Note if (i) DTC notifies the Issuer that it is unwilling or unable to continue as depository for such Global Note or DTC ceases to be a clearing agency registered under the Exchange Act, at a time when DTC is required to be so registered in order to act as depository, and in each case a successor depository is not appointed by the Issuer within 120 days of such notice or, (ii) the Issuer in its sole discretion executes and delivers to the Trustee and Registrar an Officer’s Certificate stating that such Global Note shall be so exchangeable or (iii) an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing and the Registrar has received a request from DTC. In the event of the occurrence of any of the events specified in the second preceding sentence or in clause (i), (ii) or (iii) of the preceding sentence, the Issuer shall promptly make available to the Trustee a reasonable supply of Definitive Notes.

(i)    Any Definitive Note delivered in exchange for an interest in a Global Note pursuant to Section 2.1(e)(iv) or (e)(v) shall, except as otherwise provided by Section 2.6(d), bear the applicable legend regarding transfer restrictions applicable to the Definitive Note set forth in Section 2.1(d).

(ii)    If a Definitive Note is transferred or exchanged for a beneficial interest in a Global Note, the Trustee shall (x) cancel such Definitive Note, (y) record an increase in the principal amount of such Global Note equal to the principal amount of such transfer or exchange and (z) in the event that such transfer or exchange involves less than the entire principal amount of the canceled Definitive Note, the Issuer shall execute, and the Trustee shall authenticate and make available for delivery, to the transferring Holder a new Definitive Note representing the principal amount not so transferred.

 

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(iii)    If a Definitive Note is transferred or exchanged for another Definitive Note, (x) the Trustee shall cancel the Definitive Note being transferred or exchanged, (y) the Issuer shall execute, and the Trustee shall authenticate and make available for delivery, one or more new Definitive Notes in authorized denominations having an aggregate principal amount equal to the principal amount of such transfer or exchange to the transferee (in the case of a transfer) or the Holder of the canceled Definitive Note (in the case of an exchange), registered in the name of such transferee or Holder, as applicable, and (z) if such transfer or exchange involves less than the entire principal amount of the canceled Definitive Note, the Issuer shall execute, and the Trustee shall authenticate and make available for delivery to the Holder thereof, one or more Definitive Notes in authorized denominations having an aggregate principal amount equal to the untransferred or unexchanged portion of the canceled Definitive Notes, registered in the name of the Holder thereof.

(iv)    Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Indenture, in no event shall a Definitive Note be delivered upon exchange or transfer of a beneficial interest in the Temporary Regulation S Global Note prior to the end of the Restricted Period.

SECTION 2.2.    Execution and Authentication. One Officer shall sign the Notes for the Issuer by manual, facsimile, digital, or electronic signature. If the Officer whose signature is on a Note no longer holds that office at the time the Trustee authenticates the Note, the Note shall be valid nevertheless.

A Note shall not be valid until an authorized officer of the Trustee manually authenticates the Note. The signature of the Trustee on a security shall be conclusive evidence that such Note has been duly and validly authenticated and issued under this Indenture. A Note shall be dated the date of its authentication.

At any time and from time to time after the execution and delivery of this Indenture, the Trustee shall authenticate and make available for delivery: (A) Initial Notes for original issue on the Issue Date in an aggregate principal amount of $350,000,000, (B) subject to the terms of this Indenture, Additional Notes for original issue in an unlimited principal amount, and (C) under the circumstances set forth in Section 2.6(e), Initial Notes in the form of an Unrestricted Global Note, in each case upon a written order of the Issuer signed by one Officer of the Issuer (the “Issuer Order”). Such Issuer Order shall specify whether the Notes shall be in the form of Definitive Notes or Global Notes, the amount of the Notes to be authenticated and the date on which the original issue of Notes is to be authenticated, whether the Notes are to be Initial Notes or Additional Notes and to whom such Notes should be delivered (which in the case of Global Notes, shall be the Notes Custodian).

The Trustee may appoint an agent (the “Authenticating Agent”) reasonably acceptable to the Issuer to authenticate the Notes. Any such instrument shall be evidenced by an instrument signed by a Trust Officer, a copy of which shall be furnished to the Issuer. Unless limited by the terms of such appointment, any such Authenticating Agent may authenticate Notes

 

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whenever the Trustee may do so. Each reference in this Indenture to authentication by the Trustee includes authentication by the Authenticating Agent. An Authenticating Agent has the same rights as any Registrar, Paying Agent or agent for service of notices and demands.

In case the Issuer or any Guarantor, pursuant to ARTICLE IV or Section 10.2, as applicable, shall be consolidated or merged with or into any other Person or shall convey, transfer, lease or otherwise dispose of its properties and assets substantially as an entirety to any Person, and the successor Person resulting from such consolidation, or surviving such merger, or into which the Issuer or any Guarantor shall have been merged, or the Person which shall have received a conveyance, transfer, lease or other disposition as aforesaid, shall have executed an indenture supplemental hereto with the Trustee pursuant to ARTICLE IV or Section 10.2, as applicable, any of the Notes authenticated or delivered prior to such consolidation, merger, conveyance, transfer, lease or other disposition may (but shall not be required), from time to time, at the request of the successor Person, be exchanged for other Notes executed in the name of the successor Person with such changes in phraseology and form as may be appropriate, but otherwise in substance of like tenor as the Notes surrendered for such exchange and of like principal amount; and the Trustee, upon the Issuer Order of the successor Person, shall authenticate and make available for delivery Notes as specified in such order for the purpose of such exchange. If Notes shall at any time be authenticated and delivered in any new name of a successor Person pursuant to this Section 2.2 in exchange or substitution for or upon registration of transfer of any Notes, such successor Person, at the option of the Holders but without expense to them, shall provide for the exchange of all Notes at the time outstanding for Notes authenticated and delivered in such new name.

SECTION 2.3.    Registrar and Paying Agent.

The Issuer shall maintain one or more offices or agencies where Notes may be presented for registration of transfer or for exchange (the “Registrar”) and an office or agency where Notes may be presented for payment (the “Paying Agent”). The Registrar shall keep a register of the Notes and of their transfer and exchange (the “Notes Register”). The Issuer may have one or more co-registrars and one or more additional paying agents. The term “Paying Agent” includes any additional paying agent and the term “Registrar” includes any co-registrar.

The Issuer shall notify the Trustee of the name and address of each such agent, if not the Trustee. If the Issuer fails to maintain a Registrar or Paying Agent, the Trustee shall act as such and shall be entitled to appropriate compensation therefor pursuant to Section 7.6. The Issuer or any Guarantor may act as Paying Agent, Registrar or transfer agent.

The Issuer initially appoints the Trustee as Registrar and Paying Agent for the Notes. The Issuer may change any Registrar or Paying Agent without prior notice to the Holders, but upon written notice to such Registrar or Paying Agent and to the Trustee; provided, however, that no such removal shall become effective until (i) acceptance of any appointment by a successor as evidenced by an appropriate agreement entered into by the Issuer and such successor Registrar or Paying Agent, as the case may be, and delivered to the Trustee or (v) notification to the Trustee that the Trustee shall serve as Registrar or Paying Agent until the appointment of a successor in accordance with clause (i) above. The Registrar or Paying Agent may resign at any time upon written notice to the Issuer and the Trustee.

 

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The 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 any additional amounts or other amounts payable on the Notes. The Issuer will make the calculations in good faith and, absent manifest error, its calculations will be final and binding on the Holders and the Trustee. 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 2.4.    Paying Agent to Hold Money in Trust.

By no later than 11:00 a.m. (New York City time) on the date on which any principal of, premium, if any, or interest on any Note is due and payable, the Issuer shall deposit with the Paying Agent a sum sufficient in immediately available funds to pay such principal, premium or interest when due. The Issuer shall require each Paying Agent (other than the Trustee) to agree in writing that such Paying Agent shall hold in trust for the benefit of Holders or the Trustee all money held by such Paying Agent for the payment of principal of, premium, if any, or interest on the Notes (whether such assets have been distributed to it by the Issuer or other obligors on the Notes), shall notify the Trustee in writing of any default by the Issuer or any Guarantor in making any such payment and shall during the continuance of any default by the Issuer (or any other obligor upon the Notes) in the making of any payment in respect of the Notes, upon the written request of the Trustee, forthwith deliver to the Trustee all sums held in trust by such Paying Agent for payment in respect of the Notes together with a full accounting thereof. If the Issuer or a Subsidiary of the Issuer acts as Paying Agent, it shall segregate the money held by it as Paying Agent and hold it as a separate trust fund. The Issuer at any time may require a Paying Agent (other than the Trustee) to pay all money held by it to the Trustee and to account for any funds or assets disbursed by such Paying Agent. Upon complying with this Section 2.4, the Paying Agent (if other than the Issuer or a Subsidiary of the Issuer) shall have no further liability for the money delivered to the Trustee. Upon any bankruptcy, reorganization or similar proceeding with respect to the Issuer, the Trustee shall serve as Paying Agent for the Notes.

SECTION 2.5.    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 Holders. If the Trustee is not the Registrar, the Issuer, on its own behalf and on behalf of each of the Guarantors, shall furnish or cause the Registrar to furnish to the Trustee, in writing at least five 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 Holders and the Issuer.

SECTION 2.6.    Transfer and Exchange.

(a)    A Holder may transfer a Note (or a beneficial interest therein) to another Person or exchange a Note (or a beneficial interest therein) for another Note or Notes of any authorized denomination by presenting to the Trustee a written request therefor stating the name of the proposed transferee or requesting such an exchange, accompanied by any certification, opinion or other document required by this Section 2.6. The Trustee shall promptly register any transfer or exchange that meets the requirements of this Section 2.6 by noting the same in the

 

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register maintained by the Trustee for the purpose, and no transfer or exchange shall be effective until it is registered in such register. The transfer or exchange of any Note (or a beneficial interest therein) may only be made in accordance with this Section 2.6 and Section 2.1(e) and 2.1(f), as applicable, and, in the case of a Global Note (or a beneficial interest therein), the applicable rules and procedures of DTC, Euroclear and Clearstream. The Trustee shall refuse to register any requested transfer or exchange that does not comply with this paragraph.

(b)    Transfers of Rule 144A Notes and Institutional Accredited Investor Notes. The following provisions shall apply with respect to any proposed registration of transfer of a Rule 144A Note or an Institutional Accredited Investor Note prior to the date which is one year after the later of the date of its original issue and the last date on which the Issuer or any Affiliate of the Issuer was the owner of such Notes (or any predecessor thereto) (the “Resale Restriction Termination Date”):

(i)    a registration of transfer of a Rule 144A Note or an Institutional Accredited Investor Note or a beneficial interest therein to a QIB shall be made upon receipt by the Trustee or its agent of the representation of the transferee in the form as set forth on the reverse of the Note that it is purchasing 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, 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 its foregoing representations in order to claim the exemption from registration provided by Rule 144A; provided that no such written representation or other written certification shall be required in connection with the transfer of a beneficial interest in the Rule 144A Global Note to a transferee in the form of a beneficial interest in that Rule 144A Global Note in accordance with this Indenture and the Applicable Procedures.

(ii)    a registration of transfer of a Rule 144A Note or an Institutional Accredited Investor Note or a beneficial interest therein to an IAI shall be made upon receipt by the Trustee or its agent of a certificate substantially in the form set forth in Section 2.8 from the proposed transferee and, if requested by the Issuer or the Trustee, the delivery of an Opinion of Counsel, certification and/or other information satisfactory to it; and

(iii)    a registration of transfer of a Rule 144A Note or an Institutional Accredited Investor Note or a beneficial interest therein to a Non-U.S. Person shall be made upon receipt by the Trustee or its agent of a certificate substantially in the form set forth in Section 2.9 from the proposed transferee and, if requested by the Issuer, the delivery of an Opinion of Counsel, certification and/or other information satisfactory to it.

(c)    Transfers of Regulations S Notes. The following provisions shall apply with respect to any proposed transfer of a Regulation S Note prior to the expiration of the Restricted Period:

(i)    a transfer of a Regulation S Note or a beneficial interest therein to a QIB shall be made upon receipt by the Trustee or its agent of the representation of the

 

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transferee, in the form of assignment on the reverse of the certificate, 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 “qualified institutional buyer” within the meaning of Rule 144A, 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 its foregoing representations in order to claim the exemption from registration provided by Rule 144A;

(ii)    a transfer of a Regulation S Note or a beneficial interest therein to an IAI shall be made upon receipt by the Trustee or its agent of a certificate substantially in the form set forth in Section 2.8 from the proposed transferee and, if requested by the Issuer or the Trustee, the delivery of an Opinion of Counsel, certification and/or other information satisfactory to it; and

(iii)    a transfer of a Regulation S Note or a beneficial interest therein to a Non-U.S. Person shall be made upon receipt by the Trustee or its agent of a certificate substantially in the form set forth in Section 2.9 hereof from the proposed transferee and, if requested by the Issuer or the Trustee, receipt of an Opinion of Counsel, certification and/or other information satisfactory to it.

After the expiration of the Restricted Period, interests in the Regulation S Note may be transferred in accordance with applicable law without requiring the certification set forth in Section 2.8, Section 2.9 or any additional certification.

(d)    Restricted Notes Legend. Upon the transfer, exchange or replacement of Notes not bearing a Restricted Notes Legend, the Registrar shall deliver Notes that do not bear a Restricted Notes Legend. Upon the transfer, exchange or replacement of Notes bearing a Restricted Notes Legend, the Registrar shall deliver only Notes that bear a Restricted Notes Legend unless (i) Initial Notes are being exchanged for Notes that do not bear the Restricted Notes Legend in accordance with Section 2.6(e) or (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. Any Additional Notes sold in a registered offering shall not be required to bear the Restricted Notes Legend.

(e)    Automatic Exchange from Global Note Bearing Restricted Notes Legend to Global Note Not Bearing Restricted Notes Legend. Upon the Issuer’s satisfaction that the Restricted Notes Legend shall no longer be required in order to maintain compliance with the Securities Act, beneficial interests in a Global Note bearing the Restricted Notes Legend (a “Restricted Global Note”) may be automatically exchanged into beneficial interests in a Global Note not bearing the Restricted Notes Legend (an “Unrestricted Global Note”) without any action required by or on behalf of the Holder (the “Automatic Exchange”) at any time on or after the date that is the 366th calendar day after (i) with respect to the Notes issued on the Issue Date, the Issue Date or (ii) with respect to Additional Notes, if any, the issue date of such Additional Notes, or, in each case, if such day is not a Business Day, on the next succeeding Business Day (the “Automatic Exchange Date”). Upon the Issuer’s satisfaction that the Restricted Notes

 

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Legend shall no longer be required in order to maintain compliance with the Securities Act, the Issuer may pursuant to the rules and procedures of DTC (i) provide written notice to DTC at least 15 calendar days prior to the Automatic Exchange Date, instructing DTC to exchange all of the outstanding beneficial interests in a particular Restricted Global Note to the Unrestricted Global Note, which the Issuer shall have previously otherwise made eligible for exchange with DTC, (ii) provide prior written notice (the “Automatic Exchange Notice”) to each Holder at such Holder’s address appearing in the register of Holders at least 15 calendar days prior to the Automatic Exchange Date (the “Automatic Exchange Notice Date”), which notice must include (w) the Automatic Exchange Date, (x) the section of this Indenture pursuant to which the Automatic Exchange shall occur, (y) the “CUSIP” number of the Restricted Global Note from which such Holder’s beneficial interests shall be transferred and (z) the “CUSIP” number of the Unrestricted Global Note into which such Holder’s beneficial interests shall be transferred, and (iii) on or prior to the Automatic Exchange Date, deliver to the Trustee for authentication one or more Unrestricted Global Notes, duly executed by the Issuer, in an aggregate principal amount equal to the aggregate principal amount of Restricted Global Notes to be exchanged. At the Issuer’s request on no less than five calendar days’ notice prior to the Automatic Exchange Notice Date, the Trustee shall deliver, in the Issuer’s name and at its expense, the Automatic Exchange Notice to each Holder at such Holder’s address appearing in the register of Holders. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Section 2.6(e), during the 15-day period prior to the Automatic Exchange Date, no transfers or exchanges other than pursuant to this Section 2.6(e) shall be permitted without the prior written consent of the Issuer. Upon such exchange of beneficial interests pursuant to this Section 2.6(e), the aggregate principal amount of the Global Notes shall be increased or decreased by adjustments made on the records of the Trustee, as custodian for the depository, to reflect the relevant increase or decrease in the principal amount of such Global Note resulting from the applicable exchange. The Restricted Global Note from which beneficial interests are transferred pursuant to an Automatic Exchange shall be canceled following the Automatic Exchange.

(f)    Retention of Written Communications. The Registrar shall retain copies of all letters, notices and other written communications received pursuant to Section 2.1 or this Section 2.6. 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 prior written notice to the Registrar.

(g)    Obligations with Respect to Transfers and Exchanges of Notes.

(i)    To permit registrations of transfers and exchanges, the Issuer shall, subject to the other terms and conditions of this ARTICLE II, execute and the Trustee shall authenticate Definitive Notes and Global Notes at the Registrar’s request.

(ii)    No service charge shall be made to a Holder for any registration of transfer or exchange, but the Issuer may require the Holder to pay a sum sufficient to cover any transfer tax assessments or similar governmental charge payable in connection therewith (other than any such transfer taxes, assessments or similar governmental charges payable upon exchange or transfer pursuant to Section 2.2, 2.6, 2.10, 2.12, 3.5, 3.8, 5.6, 5.7 or 9.4).

 

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(iii)    The Issuer (and the Registrar) shall not be required to register the transfer of or exchange of any Note (A) for a period beginning (1) 15 days before the mailing of a notice of an offer to repurchase or redeem Notes and ending at the close of business on the day of such mailing or (2) 15 days before an Interest Payment Date and ending on such Interest Payment Date or (B) (1) called or selected for redemption, except the unredeemed portion of any Note being redeemed in part or (2) tendered (and not withdrawn) in connection with a Change of Control Offer, Asset Sale Offer or other tender offer.

(iv)    Prior to the due presentation for registration of transfer of any Note, the Issuer, the Trustee, the Paying Agent or the Registrar may deem and treat the person in whose name a Note is registered as the owner of such Note for the purpose of receiving payment of principal of, premium, if any, and (subject to paragraph 2 of the form of Note attached hereto as Exhibit A) interest on such Note and for all other purposes whatsoever, including without limitation the transfer or exchange of such Note, whether or not such Note is overdue, and none of the Issuer, the Trustee, the Paying Agent or the Registrar shall be affected by notice to the contrary.

(v)    Any Definitive Note delivered in exchange for an interest in a Global Note pursuant to Section 2.1(f) shall, except as otherwise provided by Section 2.6(d), bear the applicable legend regarding transfer restrictions applicable to the Definitive Note set forth in Section 2.1(d).

(vi)    All Notes issued upon any transfer or exchange pursuant to the terms of this Indenture shall evidence the same debt and shall be entitled to the same benefits under this Indenture as the Notes surrendered upon such transfer or exchange.

(h)    No Obligation of the Trustee. (i) None of the Trustee, the Registrar or the Paying Agent shall have any responsibility or obligation to any beneficial owner of a Global Note, a member of, or a participant in, DTC or other Person with respect to the accuracy of the records of DTC or its nominee or of any participant or member thereof, with respect to any ownership interest in the Notes or with respect to the delivery to any participant, member, beneficial owner or other Person (other than DTC) of any notice (including any notice of redemption or purchase) or the payment of any amount or delivery of any Notes (or other security or property) under or with respect to such Notes. All notices and communications to be given to the Holders and all payments to be made to Holders in respect of the Notes shall be given or made only to or upon the order of the registered Holders (which shall be DTC or its nominee in the case of a Global Note). The rights of beneficial owners in any Global Note shall be exercised only through DTC subject to the applicable rules and procedures of DTC. The Trustee, the Registrar and the Paying Agent each may rely and shall be fully protected in relying upon information furnished by DTC with respect to its members, participants and any beneficial owners.

(ii)    The Trustee shall have no obligation or duty to monitor, determine or inquire as to compliance with any restrictions on transfer imposed under this Indenture or under applicable law with respect to any transfer of any interest in any Note (including any transfers between or among DTC participants, members or beneficial owners in any Global Note) other than to require delivery of such certificates and other documentation or evidence as

 

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are 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. Neither the Trustee, the Registrar and the Paying Agent nor any of their agents shall have any responsibility for any actions taken or not taken by DTC.

SECTION 2.7.    Form of Certificate to be Delivered upon Termination of Restricted Period.

[Date]

CPG International LLC

1330 W Fulton Street, Suite 350

Chicago, IL 60607

Wilmington Trust, National Association

1100 North Market Street,

Wilmington, DE 19890

Attention: CPG International, LLC Administrator

 

  Re:

CPG International LLC (the “Issuer”)

 

    

9.500% Senior Notes due 2025 (the “Notes”)

Ladies and Gentlemen:

This letter relates to Notes represented by a temporary global Note (the “Temporary Regulation S Global Note”). Pursuant to Section 2.1 of the Indenture dated as of May 12, 2020 relating to the Notes (as amended or supplemented, the “Indenture”), we hereby certify that the persons who are the beneficial owners of $[            ] principal amount of Notes represented by the Temporary Regulation S Global Note are persons outside the United States to whom beneficial interests in such Notes could be transferred in accordance with Rule 904 of Regulation S promulgated under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended. Accordingly, you are hereby requested to issue a Permanent Regulation S Global Note representing the undersigned’s interest in the principal amount of Notes represented by the Temporary Regulation S Global Note, all in the manner provided by the Indenture. We certify that we [are][are not] an Affiliate of the Issuer.

You and the Issuer 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 letter have the meanings set forth in Regulation S.

Very truly yours,

[Name of Transferor]

 

 

    By:                                                              

       

 

     

       
Authorized Signature        

 

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SECTION 2.8.    Form of Certificate to be Delivered in Connection with Transfers to Institutional Accredited Investors.

[Date]

CPG International LLC

1330 W Fulton Street, Suite 350

Chicago, IL 60607

Wilmington Trust, National Association 1100 N. Market Street,

Wilmington, DE 19890

Attention: CPG International, LLC Administrator

Ladies and Gentlemen:

This certificate is delivered to request a transfer of $[    ] principal amount of the 9.500% Senior Notes due 2025 (the “Notes”) of CPG International LLC (the “Issuer”).

Upon transfer, the Notes would be registered in the name of the new beneficial owner as follows:

Name:                                                                            

Address:                                                                        

Taxpayer ID Number:                                                  

The undersigned represents and warrants to you that:

1.    We are an institutional “accredited investor” (as defined in Rule 501(a)(1), (2), (3) or (7) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”)) purchasing for our own account or for the account of such an institutional “accredited investor” at least $250,000 principal amount of the Notes, and we are acquiring the Notes not with a view to, or for offer or sale in connection with, any distribution in violation of the Securities Act. We have such knowledge and experience in financial and business matters as to be capable of evaluating the merits and risk of our investment in the Notes and we invest in or purchase securities similar to the Notes in the normal course of our business. We and any accounts for which we are acting are each able to bear the economic risk of our or its investment.

2.    We understand that the Notes have not been registered under the Securities Act and, unless so registered, may not be sold except as permitted in the following sentence. We agree on our own behalf and on behalf of any investor account for which we are purchasing Notes to offer, sell or otherwise transfer such Notes prior to the date that is one year after the later of the date of original issue and the last date on which the Issuer or any affiliate of the Issuer was the owner of such Notes (or any predecessor thereto) (the “Resale Restriction Termination Date”) only (a) to the Issuer or any Subsidiary thereof, (b) pursuant to an effective

 

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registration statement under the Securities Act, (c) in a transaction complying with the requirements of Rule 144A under the Securities Act, to a person we reasonably believe is a “qualified institutional buyer” under Rule 144A of the Securities Act (a “QIB”) that is purchasing for its own account or for the account of a QIB and to whom notice is given that the transfer is being made in reliance on Rule 144A, (d) pursuant to offers and sales to non-U.S. persons that occur outside the United States within the meaning of Regulation S under the Securities Act, (e) to an institutional “accredited investor” within the meaning of Rule 501(a)(1), (2), (3) or (7) under the Securities Act that is purchasing for its own account or for the account of such an institutional “accredited investor,” in each case in a minimum principal amount of Notes of $250,000 for investment purposes and not with a view to or for offer or sale in connection with any distribution in violation of the Securities Act or (f) pursuant to any other available exemption from the registration requirements of the Securities Act, subject in each of the foregoing cases to any requirement of law that the disposition of our property or the property of such investor account or accounts be at all times within our or their control and in compliance with any applicable state securities laws. The foregoing restrictions on resale shall not apply subsequent to the Resale Restriction Termination Date. If any resale or other transfer of the Notes is proposed to be made pursuant to clause (e) above prior to the Resale Restriction Termination Date, the transferor shall deliver a letter from the transferee substantially in the form of this letter to the Issuer and the Trustee, which shall provide, among other things, that the transferee is an institutional “accredited investor” (within the meaning of Rule 501(a)(1), (2), (3) or (7) under the Securities Act) and that it is acquiring such Notes for investment purposes and not for distribution in violation of the Securities Act. Each purchaser acknowledges that the Issuer and the Trustee reserve the right prior to any offer, sale or other transfer prior to the Resale Restriction Termination Date of the Notes pursuant to clause (d), (e) or (f) above to require the delivery of an Opinion of Counsel, certifications and/or other information satisfactory to the Issuer and the Trustee.

3. We [are][are not] an Affiliate of the Issuer.

 

    TRANSFEREE:

 

    BY:

SECTION 2.9.    Form of Certificate to be Delivered in Connection with Transfers Pursuant to Regulation S.

[Date]

CPG International LLC

1330 W Fulton Street, Suite 350

Chicago, IL 60607

Wilmington Trust, National Association

1100 N. Market Street,

Wilmington, DE 19890

Attention: CPG International, LLC Administrator

 

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Re:    CPG International LLC (the “Issuer”)

                     9.500% Senior Notes due 2025 (the “Notes”)

Ladies and Gentlemen:

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 United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), and, accordingly, we represent that:

(a)    the offer of the Notes was not made to a person in the United States;

(b)    either (i) at the time the buy order was originated, the transferee was outside the United States or we and any person acting on our behalf reasonably believed that the transferee was outside the United States or (ii) 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;

(c)    no directed selling efforts have been made in the United States in contravention of the requirements of Rule 903(a)(2) or Rule 904(a)(2) of Regulation S, as applicable; and

(d)    the transaction is not part of a plan or scheme to evade the registration requirements of the Securities Act.

In addition, if the sale is made during a restricted period and the provisions of Rule 903(b)(2), Rule 903(b)(3) or Rule 904(b)(1) of Regulation S are applicable thereto, we confirm that such sale has been made in accordance with the applicable provisions of Rule 903(b)(2), Rule 903(b)(3) or Rule 904(b)(1), as the case may be.

We also hereby certify that we [are][are not] an Affiliate of the Issuer and, to our knowledge, the transferee of the Notes [is][is not] an Affiliate of the Issuer.

You and the Issuer 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 Transferor]    

 

By:

   

 

     

Authorized Signature

   

 

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SECTION 2.10. Mutilated, Destroyed, Lost or Stolen Notes.

If a mutilated Note is surrendered to the Registrar 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 shall authenticate a replacement Note if the requirements of Section 8-405 of the Uniform Commercial Code are met, such that the Holder (a) satisfies the Issuer or the Trustee that such Note has been lost, destroyed or wrongfully taken within a reasonable time after such Holder has notice of such loss, destruction or wrongful taking and the Registrar has not registered a transfer prior to receiving such notification, (b) makes such request to the Issuer or Trustee prior to the Note being acquired by a protected purchaser as defined in Section 8-303 of the Uniform Commercial Code (a “protected purchaser”) and (c) satisfies any other reasonable requirements of the Trustee; provided, however, if after the delivery of such replacement Note, a protected purchaser of the Note for which such replacement Note was issued presents for payment or registration such replaced Note, the Trustee or the Issuer shall be entitled to recover such replacement Note from the Person to whom it was issued and delivered or any Person taking therefrom, except a protected purchaser, and shall be entitled to recover upon the security or indemnity provided therefor to the extent of any loss, damage, cost or expense incurred by the Issuer or the Trustee in connection therewith. If required by the Trustee or the Issuer, such Holder shall furnish an indemnity bond sufficient in the judgment of the Issuer and the Trustee to protect the Issuer, the Trustee, the Paying Agent and the Registrar from any loss which any of them may suffer if a Note is replaced, and, in the absence of notice to the Issuer, any Guarantor or the Trustee that such Note has been acquired by a protected purchaser, the Issuer shall execute, and upon receipt of an Issuer Order, the Trustee shall authenticate and make available for delivery, in exchange for any such mutilated Note or in lieu of any such destroyed, lost or stolen Note, a new Note of like tenor and principal amount, bearing a number not contemporaneously outstanding.

In case any such mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen 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.

Upon the issuance of any new Note under this Section 2.10, the Issuer may require that such Holder pay a sum sufficient to cover any tax or other governmental charge that may be imposed in relation thereto and any other expenses (including the fees and expenses of counsel and of the Trustee and its counsel) in connection therewith.

Subject to the proviso in the initial paragraph of this Section 2.10, every new Note issued pursuant to this Section 2.10 in lieu of any mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen Note shall constitute an original additional contractual obligation of the Issuer, any Guarantor (if applicable) and any other obligor upon the Notes, whether or not the mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen Note shall be at any time enforceable by anyone, and shall be entitled to all benefits of this Indenture equally and proportionately with any and all other Notes duly issued hereunder.

The provisions of this Section 2.10 are exclusive and shall preclude (to the extent lawful) all other rights and remedies with respect to the replacement or payment of mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen Notes.

 

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SECTION 2.11. Outstanding Notes.

Notes outstanding at any time are all Notes authenticated by the Trustee except for those cancelled by it, those delivered to it for cancellation and those described in this Section

2.11    as not outstanding. A Note does not cease to be outstanding in the event the Issuer or an Affiliate of the Issuer holds the Note; provided, however, that (i) for purposes of determining which are outstanding for consent or voting purposes hereunder, the provisions of Section 12.4 shall apply and (ii) that in determining whether the Trustee shall be protected in making a determination whether the Holders of the requisite principal amount of outstanding Notes are present at a meeting of Holders of Notes for quorum purposes or have consented to or voted in favor of any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver, amendment or modification hereunder, or relying upon any such quorum, consent or vote, only Notes which a Trust Officer of the Trustee actually knows to be held by the Issuer or an Affiliate of the Issuer shall not be considered outstanding.

If a Note is replaced pursuant to Section 2.10 (other than a mutilated Note surrendered for replacement), it ceases to be outstanding unless the Trustee and the Issuer receive proof satisfactory to them that the replaced Note is held by a protected purchaser. A mutilated Note ceases to be outstanding upon surrender of such Note and replacement pursuant to Section 2.10.

If the Paying Agent segregates and holds in trust, in accordance with this Indenture, on a Redemption Date or maturity date money sufficient to pay all principal, premium, if any, and accrued interest payable on that date with respect to the Notes (or portions thereof) to be redeemed or maturing, as the case may be, and the Paying Agent is not prohibited from paying such money to the Holders on that date pursuant to the terms of this Indenture, then on and after that date such Notes (or portions thereof) cease to be outstanding and interest on them ceases to accrue.

SECTION 2.12. Temporary Notes.

In the event that Definitive Notes are to be issued under the terms of this Indenture, until such Definitive Notes are ready for delivery, the Issuer may prepare and the Trustee shall authenticate temporary Notes. Temporary Notes shall be substantially in the form, and shall carry all rights, 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 shall authenticate Definitive Notes. After the preparation of Definitive Notes, the temporary Notes shall be exchangeable for Definitive Notes upon surrender of the temporary Notes at any office or agency maintained by the Issuer for that purpose and such exchange shall be without charge to the Holder. Upon surrender for cancellation of any one or more temporary Notes, the Issuer shall execute, and the Trustee shall authenticate and make available for delivery in exchange therefor, one or more Definitive Notes representing an equal principal amount of Notes. Until so exchanged, the Holder of temporary Notes shall in all respects be entitled to the same benefits under this Indenture as a Holder of Definitive Notes.

 

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SECTION 2.13. Cancellation.

The Issuer at any time may deliver Notes to the Trustee for cancellation. The Registrar and the Paying Agent shall forward to the Trustee any Notes surrendered to them for registration of transfer, exchange or payment. The Trustee and no one else shall cancel all Notes surrendered for registration of transfer, exchange, payment or cancellation and dispose of such Notes in accordance with its internal policies and customary procedures including delivery of a certificate describing such Notes disposed (subject to the record retention requirements of the Exchange Act) to the Issuer pursuant to written request by one Officer of the Issuer. If the Issuer or any Guarantor acquires any of the Notes, such acquisition shall not operate as a redemption or satisfaction of the Indebtedness represented by such Notes unless and until the same are surrendered to the Trustee for cancellation pursuant to this Section 2.13. The Issuer may not issue new Notes to replace Notes it has paid or delivered to the Trustee for cancellation for any reason other than in connection with a transfer or exchange.

At such time as all beneficial interests in a Global Note have either been exchanged for Definitive Notes, transferred, redeemed, repurchased or canceled, such Global Note shall be delivered to the Trustee for cancellation or retained and canceled by the Trustee. At any time prior to such cancellation, if any beneficial interest in a Global Note is exchanged for Definitive Notes, transferred in exchange for an interest in another Global Note, redeemed, repurchased or canceled, the principal amount of Notes represented by such Global Note shall be reduced and an adjustment shall be made on the Schedule of Increases and Decreases to such Global Note and on the books and records of the Trustee (if it is then the Notes Custodian for such Global Note) with respect to such Global Note, by the Trustee or the Notes Custodian, to reflect such reduction.

SECTION 2.14. Payment of Interest; Defaulted Interest.

Interest on any Note which is payable, and is punctually paid or duly provided for, on any Interest Payment Date shall be paid to the Person in whose name such Note (or one or more Predecessor Notes) is registered at the close of business on the regular record date for such payment at the office or agency of the Issuer maintained for such purpose pursuant to Section 2.3.

Any interest on any Note which is payable, but is not paid when the same becomes due and payable and such nonpayment continues for a period of 30 days shall forthwith cease to be payable to the Holder on the regular record date, and such defaulted interest and (to the extent lawful) interest on such defaulted interest at the rate borne by the Notes (such defaulted interest and interest thereon herein collectively called “Defaulted Interest”) shall be paid by the Issuer, at its election in each case, as provided in clause (a) or (b) below:

(a)    The Issuer may elect to make payment of any Defaulted Interest to the Persons in whose names the Notes (or their respective predecessor Notes) are registered at the close of business on a Special Record Date (as defined below) for the payment of such Defaulted Interest, 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 Note and the date (not less than 30 days after such notice) of the proposed payment (the “Special Interest Payment

 

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Date”), 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 or shall make arrangements satisfactory to the Trustee for such deposit 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 Section 2.14(a). Thereupon the Issuer shall fix a record date (the “Special Record Date”) for the payment of such Defaulted Interest, which date shall be not more than 15) days and not less than 10 days prior to the Special Interest Payment Date and not less than 10 days after the receipt by the Trustee of 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, the Trustee shall cause notice of the proposed payment of such Defaulted Interest and the Special Record Date and Special Interest Payment Date therefor to be given in the manner provided for in Section 12.1, not less than 10 days prior to such Special Record Date. Notice of the proposed payment of such Defaulted Interest and the Special Record Date and Special Interest Payment Date therefor having been so given, such Defaulted Interest shall be paid on the Special Interest Payment Date to the Persons in whose names the Notes (or their respective predecessor Notes) are registered at the close of business on such Special Record Date and shall no longer be payable pursuant to the provisions in Section 2.14(b).

(b)    The Issuer may make payment of any Defaulted Interest in any other lawful manner not inconsistent with the requirements of any securities exchange on which the Notes may be listed, 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 Section 2.14(b), such manner of payment shall be deemed practicable by the Trustee.

Subject to the foregoing provisions of this Section 2.14, each Note delivered under this Indenture upon registration of, transfer of or in exchange for or in lieu of any other Note shall carry the rights to interest accrued and unpaid, and to accrue, which were carried by such other Note.

SECTION 2.15. CUSIP, Common Code and ISIN Numbers. The Issuer in issuing the Notes may use “CUSIP”, “Common Code” and “ISIN” numbers and, if so, the Trustee shall use “CUSIP”, “Common Code” and “ISIN” numbers in notices, including notices of redemption or purchase, as a convenience to Holders; provided, however, 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 of a redemption or purchase and that reliance may be placed only on the other identification numbers printed on the Notes, and any such notice, redemption or purchase shall not be affected by any defect in or omission of such CUSIP, Common Code and ISIN numbers. The Issuer shall promptly notify the Trustee in writing of any change in the CUSIP, Common Code and ISIN numbers.

ARTICLE III

COVENANTS

SECTION 3.1.    Payment of Notes.

 

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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 in this Indenture. Principal, premium, if any, and interest shall be considered paid on the date due if on such date the Trustee or the Paying Agent holds in accordance with this Indenture money sufficient to pay all principal, premium, if any, and interest then due.

The Issuer shall pay interest on overdue principal at the rate specified therefor in the Notes, and it shall pay interest on overdue installments of interest at the same rate to the extent lawful.

Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in this Indenture, the Issuer and Paying Agent may, to the extent it is required to do so by law, deduct or withhold income or other similar taxes imposed by the United States of America from principal or interest payments hereunder.

SECTION 3.2.    Limitation on Incurrence of Indebtedness and Issuance of Disqualified Stock.

(a)    The Issuer shall not, and shall not permit any of its Restricted Subsidiaries to, Incur any Indebtedness (including Acquired Indebtedness) or issue any Disqualified Stock; provided that the Issuer and any of its Restricted Subsidiaries may Incur Indebtedness (including Acquired Indebtedness) or issue Disqualified Stock if, immediately after giving effect to the Incurrence of such Indebtedness or issuance of such Disqualified Stock and the receipt and application of the proceeds therefrom, the Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio of the Issuer and its Restricted Subsidiaries (on a consolidated basis), for the Relevant Measurement Period immediately preceding the date on which such Indebtedness is Incurred or Disqualified Stock is issued would be at least 2.00 to 1.00 (“Ratio Debt”), determined on a Pro Forma Basis (plus, in the case of any Refinancing Indebtedness, without duplication, the Additional Refinancing Amount); provided that the aggregate amount of Indebtedness Incurred or Disqualified Stock issued pursuant to this Section 3.2(a) by Non-Guarantor Restricted Subsidiaries shall not exceed in the aggregate $100.0 million at any one time outstanding.

(b)    Notwithstanding Section 3.2(a), the Issuer and its Restricted Subsidiaries may Incur the following Indebtedness or issue the following Disqualified Stock (the “Permitted Indebtedness”):

(i)    Indebtedness Incurred pursuant to (and Guarantees in respect of) Debt Facilities in an aggregate principal amount at any one time outstanding not to exceed (w) $825.0 million plus (x) the greater of (1) $160.0 million and (2) 80.0% of EBITDA of the Issuer for the Relevant Measurement Period immediately preceding such date on which such additional Indebtedness is Incurred, determined on a Pro Forma Basis, plus (y) the greater of $225.0 million and the Borrowing Base plus (z) an additional amount of Indebtedness or Disqualified Stock that at the time of Incurrence does not cause the Secured Leverage Ratio of the Issuer and its Restricted Subsidiaries (on a consolidated basis) for the Relevant Measurement Period immediately preceding the date on which such Indebtedness is Incurred or Disqualified Stock is issued to exceed 5.25:1.00 determined on a Pro Forma Basis (plus, in the case of any Refinancing Indebtedness, without duplication, the Additional Refinancing Amount) (provided that any Indebtedness Incurred or Disqualified Stock issued pursuant to this clause (z) shall be deemed to be Secured Indebtedness solely for purposes of such calculation);

 

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(ii)    Indebtedness under the Notes issued on the Issue Date and any Note Guarantee;

(iii)    Indebtedness of the Issuer or any Restricted Subsidiary outstanding on the Issue Date (other than Indebtedness referenced in clause (i) or (ii) above);

(iv)    any Guarantee by the Issuer or a Restricted Subsidiary of Indebtedness or other obligations of the Issuer or any Restricted Subsidiary so long as the Incurrence of such Indebtedness is permitted under the terms of this Indenture; provided that (i) if such Indebtedness is by its express terms subordinated in right of payment to the Notes or the Note Guarantee of such Restricted Subsidiary, any such Guarantee of the Issuer or such Restricted Subsidiary with respect to such Indebtedness shall be subordinated in right of payment to the Notes or such Note Guarantee with respect to the Notes substantially to the same extent as such Indebtedness is subordinated to the Notes or the Note Guarantee, as applicable and (ii) if such Guarantee is of Indebtedness of the Issuer, such Restricted Subsidiary complies with its obligations under Section 3.15;

(v)    Indebtedness Incurred by the Issuer or any Restricted Subsidiary constituting reimbursement obligations with respect to letters of credit and bank guarantees issued in the ordinary course of business, including, without limitation, in respect of workers’ compensation claims, health, disability or other employee benefits or property, casualty or liability insurance or self-insurance or other Indebtedness with respect to reimbursement type obligations regarding workers’ compensation claims, health, disability or other employee benefits or property, casualty or liability insurance or self-insurance;

(vi)    obligations in respect of self-insurance and obligations (including reimbursement obligations with respect to letters of credit, bank guarantees, warehouse receipts and similar instruments) in respect of performance, bid, appeal and surety bonds, trade letters of credit, performance and completion guarantees and similar obligations provided by the Issuer or any Restricted Subsidiary in the ordinary course of business or consistent with past practice or industry norm;

(vii)    Indebtedness (A) Incurred in respect of Hedging Obligations entered into not for speculative purposes and (B) in respect of deposit accounts, securities accounts, cash pooling, and cash management and treasury services, including netting services, overdraft protection, credit cards, debit cards, P-cards and other similar arrangements;

(viii)    Indebtedness owed by the Issuer to any Restricted Subsidiary, or by any Restricted Subsidiary to the Issuer or to any other Restricted Subsidiary; provided that if for any reason such Indebtedness ceases to be held by the Issuer or a Restricted Subsidiary, as applicable, such Indebtedness shall be deemed to be an Incurrence by the Issuer or a Restricted Subsidiary as the case may be, of such Indebtedness not permitted by this clause (viii);

(ix)    Indebtedness of the Issuer or any Restricted Subsidiary (including Capitalized Lease Obligations, Synthetic Lease Obligations and Purchase Money Indebtedness)

 

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to finance the acquisition, lease, construction, installation, repair, replacement or improvement of property (real or personal), equipment or other asset (whether through the direct purchase of assets or the Capital Stock of any Person owning such assets); provided that the aggregate principal amount of all Indebtedness Incurred under this clause (ix) and outstanding at any time, together with any Refinancing Indebtedness in respect thereof Incurred pursuant to clause (xiii) below, shall not exceed the greater of (x) $50.0 million and (y) 25.0% of EBITDA of the Issuer for the Relevant Measurement Period immediately preceding the date on which such Indebtedness is Incurred on a Pro Forma Basis (plus, in the case of Refinancing Indebtedness, without duplication, the Additional Refinancing Amount); provided, further, that Capitalized Lease Obligations Incurred by the Issuer or any Restricted Subsidiary of the Issuer pursuant to this clause (ix) in connection with a Sale and Leaseback Transaction shall not be subject to the foregoing limitation so long as the proceeds of such Sale and Leaseback Transaction are used by the Issuer or such Restricted Subsidiary to permanently repay outstanding Indebtedness of the Issuer and its Restricted Subsidiaries;

(x)    Indebtedness arising from agreements of the Issuer or a Restricted Subsidiary providing for indemnification, contribution, earn-out, adjustment of purchase price or similar obligations, in each case, Incurred or assumed in connection with, the acquisition or disposition of any business, assets, a Subsidiary or any Investment not prohibited by this Indenture, other than Guarantees of Indebtedness Incurred by a Person acquiring all or any portion of such business, assets or Subsidiary for the purpose of financing such acquisition;

(xi)    Indebtedness arising by virtue of the issuance by any Restricted Subsidiary to the Issuer or to any other Restricted Subsidiary of shares of Preferred Stock or Disqualified Stock; provided, however, that any subsequent issuance or transfer of any Capital Stock or any other event which results in any such Restricted Subsidiary ceasing to be a Restricted Subsidiary or any other subsequent transfer of any such shares of Preferred Stock or Disqualified Stock (except to the Issuer or another Restricted Subsidiary) shall be deemed in each case to be an issuance of such shares of Preferred Stock or Disqualified Stock not permitted by this clause (xi);

(xii)    Indebtedness arising from the honoring by a bank or other financial institution of a check, draft or similar instrument drawn against insufficient funds in the ordinary course of business; provided that such Indebtedness is extinguished within 10 days of its incurrence;

(xiii)    Refinancing Indebtedness that Refinances Indebtedness Incurred pursuant to the provisions of Section 3.2(a) or Indebtedness Incurred pursuant to clauses (ii), (iii), (ix), this clause (xiii), (xiv), (xv), (xxii), (xxiii), (xxv) and (xxvi) of this Section 3.2(b), including any Additional Refinancing Amount;

(xiv)    Indebtedness or Disqualified Stock of the Issuer or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries in an aggregate principal amount or liquidation preference, together with any Refinancing Indebtedness in respect thereof Incurred pursuant to clause (xiii) above, up to 100% of the net cash proceeds received by the Issuer since the Issue Date from the issue or sale of Capital Stock of the Issuer or cash contributed to the capital of the Issuer (in each case, other than Capital Stock or Disqualified Stock issued or sold or cash contributed to the capital of the

 

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Issuer that is Excluded Equity pursuant to clauses (a) through (f) and (h) through (i) of the definition of Excluded Equity) as determined pursuant to Section 3.3(a)(C)(3) and Section 3.3(a)(C)(4) to the extent such net cash proceeds or cash have not been applied pursuant to such clauses to make Restricted Payments or to make other Investments, payments or exchanges pursuant to Section 3.3(b) or to make Permitted Investments (other than Permitted Investments specified in clauses (d) and (e) of the definition thereof) (plus, in the case of Refinancing Indebtedness, without duplication, the Additional Refinancing Amount);

(xv)    Indebtedness or Disqualified Stock (i) of the Issuer or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries (other than Non-Guarantor Restricted Subsidiaries) Incurred or issued to finance an acquisition or Investment or (ii) of Persons that are acquired by the Issuer or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries (other than Non-Guarantor Restricted Subsidiaries) or merged into the Issuer or a Restricted Subsidiary (other than Non-Guarantor Restricted Subsidiaries) in accordance with the terms of this Indenture (including designating an Unrestricted Subsidiary as a Restricted Subsidiary (other than Non-Guarantor Restricted Subsidiaries)); provided, however, that after giving pro forma effect to such acquisition, Investment or merger and the Incurrence of such Indebtedness or issuance of such Disqualified Stock, either:

(A)    the Issuer could Incur at least $1.00 of additional Indebtedness as Ratio Debt under the provisions described in Section 3.2(a) or

(B)    either (x) the Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio of the Issuer and its Restricted Subsidiaries determined on both a consolidated basis and Pro Forma Basis would be equal to or higher than immediately prior to such acquisition, Investment or merger or (y) the Total Leverage Ratio of the Issuer and its Restricted Subsidiaries would be equal to or less than immediately prior to such transaction;

(xvi)    Indebtedness Incurred or Disqualified Stock issued by the Issuer or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries to the extent that the net proceeds thereof are promptly deposited to defease or to satisfy and discharge the Notes in accordance with this Indenture;

(xvii)    Indebtedness issued by the Issuer or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries to future, current or former employees, directors, officers, managers and consultants (or their respective Controlled Investment Affiliates or Immediate Family Members or any permitted transferee thereof) of the Issuer, or any Parent Entity and any Restricted Subsidiary, in each case, to finance the purchase or redemption of Capital Stock of the Issuer or any or any Parent Entity to the extent described in Section 3.3(b)(4);

(xviii)    Indebtedness representing deferred compensation to directors, managers, officers or employees of the Issuer, any Parent Entity or any Restricted Subsidiary in the ordinary course of business or consistent with past practice;

(xix)    Indebtedness of the Issuer or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries (A) arising from customer deposits and advance payments received in the ordinary course of business from customers for goods and services purchased in the ordinary course of business or consistent with past practice or (B) in respect of obligations to pay the deferred purchase price of

 

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goods or services or progress payments in connection with such goods and services so long as such obligations are Incurred in connection with open accounts extended by suppliers on customary trade terms in the ordinary course of business and consistent with past practice;

(xx)    Indebtedness of the Issuer or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries consisting of (i) financing of insurance premiums or (ii) take-or-pay obligations in supply arrangements, in each case, Incurred in the ordinary course of business or consistent with past practice;

(xxi)    Indebtedness of the Issuer or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries supported by a letter of credit, bank guarantee, banker’s acceptance or similar instrument issued pursuant to any Debt Facility otherwise permitted to be Incurred under Section 3.2 in a principal amount not in excess of the stated amount of such instrument;

(xxii)    Indebtedness or Disqualified Stock of Restricted Subsidiaries that are Foreign Subsidiaries; provided that the aggregate principal amount of Indebtedness Incurred or Disqualified Stock issued pursuant to this clause (xxii), together with any Refinancing Indebtedness in respect thereof Incurred pursuant to clause (xiii) above, shall not exceed the greater of (x) $50.0 million and (y) 25.0% of EBITDA of the Issuer for the Relevant Measurement Period immediately preceding the date on which such Indebtedness is Incurred, on a Pro Forma Basis (plus, in the case of Refinancing Indebtedness, without duplication, the Additional Refinancing Amount); provided, further, that any Indebtedness Incurred pursuant to clause (xxiii) below shall be included in such calculation;

(xxiii)    Indebtedness Incurred on behalf of (or Disqualified Stock issued on behalf of), or representing Guarantees of Indebtedness of, joint ventures; provided that the aggregate principal amount of Indebtedness Incurred pursuant to this clause (xxiii), together with any Refinancing Indebtedness in respect thereof Incurred pursuant to clause (xiii) above, shall not exceed the greater of (x) $50.0 million and (y) 25.0% of EBITDA of the Issuer for the Relevant Measurement Period immediately preceding the date on which such Indebtedness is Incurred, on a Pro Forma Basis (plus, in the case of Refinancing Indebtedness, without duplication, the Additional Refinancing Amount); provided, further, that any Indebtedness Incurred pursuant to clause (xxii) above shall be included in such calculation;

(xxiv)    Guarantees by the Issuer or any Restricted Subsidiary of any lease or sublease permitted by this Indenture of real property entered into by the Issuer or any Restricted Subsidiary;

(xxv)    Indebtedness of Non-Guarantor Restricted Subsidiaries; provided, that the aggregate principal amount of Indebtedness Incurred under this clause (xxv) and outstanding at the time of Incurrence, when aggregated with the principal amount of all other Indebtedness then outstanding and Incurred pursuant to this clause (xxv), together with any Refinancing Indebtedness in respect thereof Incurred pursuant to clause (xiii) above, does not exceed the greater of (x) $50.0 million and (y) 25.0% of EBITDA of the Issuer for the Relevant Measurement Period immediately preceding such date on which such additional Indebtedness is Incurred, on a Pro Forma Basis (plus, in the case of Refinancing Indebtedness, without duplication, the Additional Refinancing Amount); and

 

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(xxvi)    Indebtedness of, or Disqualified Stock issued by, the Issuer or any Restricted Subsidiary not otherwise permitted pursuant to this definition, together with any Refinancing Indebtedness in respect thereof Incurred pursuant to clause (xiii) above, in an aggregate principal amount not to exceed the greater of (x) $90.0 million and (y) 45.0% of EBITDA of the Issuer for the Relevant Measurement Period immediately preceding the date on which such Indebtedness is Incurred, on a Pro Forma Basis (plus, in the case of Refinancing Indebtedness, without duplication, the Additional Refinancing Amount).

(c)    For purposes of determining compliance with Section 3.2:

(i)    in the event that an item of Indebtedness, Disqualified Stock or Preferred Stock (or any portion thereof) meets the criteria of more than one of the categories of Permitted Indebtedness described in clauses (i) through (xxvi) above (or any portion thereof) or is entitled to be Incurred or issued pursuant to Section 3.2(a), then the Issuer may, in its sole discretion, divide, classify or reclassify, or later divide, classify or reclassify (as if Incurred at such later time), such item of Indebtedness, Disqualified Stock or Preferred Stock (or any portion thereof) in any manner that complies with Section 3.2(b); provided that (x) Indebtedness outstanding on the Issue Date under the Senior Secured Credit Facilities in effect on the Issue Date shall be Incurred under clause (i) of Section 3.2(b) and may not be reclassified and (y) the Notes and the Note Guarantees outstanding on the Issue Date shall be Incurred under clause (ii) of Section 3.2(b) and may not be reclassified;

(ii)    at the time of Incurrence, division, classification or reclassification, the Issuer shall be entitled to divide and classify an item of Indebtedness in more than one of the categories of Indebtedness described in Section 3.2(a) or clauses (i) through (xxvi) of Section 3.2(b) (or any portion thereof) without giving pro forma effect to the Indebtedness Incurred, divided, classified or reclassified pursuant to any other clause or paragraph above (or any portion thereof) when calculating the amount of Indebtedness that may be Incurred, divided, classified or reclassified pursuant to any such clause or paragraph (or any portion thereof) at such time, other than with respect to any Incurrence, division, classification or reclassification in reliance on the Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio, Total Leverage Ratio or Secured Leverage Ratio (or any similar ratio or calculation) (the “Ratio Amount”) under one or more clauses of this Section 3.2, in which case any Ratio Amount shall be determined after giving pro forma effect to the Incurrence, division, classification or reclassification of such Indebtedness under all applicable clauses of Section 3.2 in reliance on the same Ratio Amount; and

(iii)    in connection with the Incurrence or issuance, as applicable, of (x) revolving loan Indebtedness under Section 3.2 or (y) any commitment relating to the Incurrence or issuance of Indebtedness, Disqualified Stock or Preferred Stock under this covenant and the granting of any Lien to secure such Indebtedness, the Issuer or applicable Restricted Subsidiary may designate such Incurrence or issuance and the granting of any Lien therefor as having occurred on the date of first Incurrence of such revolving loan Indebtedness or commitment (such date, the “Deemed Date”), and any related subsequent actual Incurrence or issuance and granting of such Lien therefor will be deemed for all purposes under this Indenture to have been Incurred or issued and granted on such Deemed Date, including, without limitation, for purposes of calculating the Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio, usage of any baskets hereunder (if applicable), the Total Leverage Ratio, the Secured Leverage Ratio and EBITDA (and all such calculations on

 

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and after the Deemed Date until the termination or funding of such commitment shall be made on a Pro Forma Basis giving effect to the deemed Incurrence or issuance, the granting of any Lien therefor and related transactions in connection therewith).

(d)    Accrual of interest, the accretion of accreted value, the accretion or amortization of original issue discount, the payment of interest or dividends in the form of additional Indebtedness, Disqualified Stock or Preferred Stock, the accretion of liquidation preference and increases in the amount of Indebtedness outstanding solely as a result of fluctuations in the exchange rate of currencies will not be deemed to be an Incurrence of Indebtedness, Disqualified Stock or Preferred Stock for purposes of this Section 3.2.

(e)    If Indebtedness originally Incurred in reliance upon a percentage of EBITDA of the Issuer is being Refinanced and such Refinancing would cause the maximum amount of Indebtedness thereunder to be exceeded at such time, then such refinancing will nevertheless be permitted thereunder and such additional Indebtedness will be deemed to have been Incurred under the applicable clause so long as the principal amount of such Refinancing Indebtedness does not exceed the principal amount of Indebtedness being Refinanced plus the Additional Refinancing Amount.

(f)    For purposes of determining compliance with any U.S. dollar- denominated restriction on the Incurrence of Indebtedness or issuance of Disqualified Stock, the

U.S. dollar-equivalent principal amount of Indebtedness denominated in another currency shall be calculated based on the relevant currency exchange rate in effect on the date such Indebtedness was Incurred, in the case of term indebtedness, or first committed, in the case of revolving credit indebtedness; provided that if such Indebtedness is Incurred to Refinance other Indebtedness denominated in another currency, and such Refinancing would cause the applicable

U.S. dollar-denominated restriction to be exceeded if calculated at the relevant currency exchange rate in effect on the date of such Refinancing, such U.S. dollar-denominated restriction shall be deemed not to have been exceeded so long as the principal amount of such Refinancing Indebtedness does not exceed (x) the principal amount of such Indebtedness being Refinanced plus (y) the aggregate amount of fees, underwriting discounts, premiums and other costs and expenses incurred in connection with such Refinancing.

(g)    For purposes of this Indenture, (A) unsecured Indebtedness will not be treated as subordinated or junior to Secured Indebtedness merely because it is unsecured or (B) senior Indebtedness will not be treated as subordinated or junior to any other senior Indebtedness merely because it has a junior priority with respect to the same collateral or because it is guaranteed by other obligors.

SECTION 3.3.    Limitation on Restricted Payments.

(a)    The Issuer shall not, and shall not permit any of its Restricted Subsidiaries to, directly or indirectly (each, a “Restricted Payment”):

(i)    declare or pay any dividend or other distribution on Capital Stock of the Issuer, or any Restricted Subsidiary that is held by, or declared and paid to, any Person other than the Issuer or a Restricted Subsidiary (other than (a) dividends or distributions made

 

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solely in Capital Stock of the Issuer (other than Disqualified Stock) or in options, warrants, or other rights to purchase such Capital Stock (other than Disqualified Stock), or (b) dividends or distributions by a Restricted Subsidiary so long as, in the case of any dividend or distribution payable on or in respect of any class or series of securities issued by a Restricted Subsidiary other than a Wholly-Owned Subsidiary, the Issuer or a Restricted Subsidiary receives at least its pro rata share of such dividend or distribution in accordance with its Capital Stock in such class or series of securities);

(ii)    purchase, redeem, acquire or retire any Capital Stock of the Issuer or any Parent Entity, including in connection with any merger or consolidation involving the Issuer, in each case held by a Person other than the Issuer and/or a Restricted Subsidiary;

(iii)    redeem, repurchase, defease or otherwise acquire or retire for value, prior to any scheduled payment or maturity, scheduled sinking fund or mandatory redemption payment, Subordinated Indebtedness of the Issuer or any Guarantor (excluding any Indebtedness owed to the Issuer or any Restricted Subsidiary); except (A) a payment payable solely in Capital Stock (other than Disqualified Stock) and (B) any redemption, repurchase, defeasance, discharge or other acquisition of Subordinated Indebtedness in anticipation of satisfying a sinking fund obligation, principal installment or final maturity, in each case, within one year of the due date thereof; provided for the avoidance of doubt, regularly scheduled payments of principal and interest on Subordinated Indebtedness shall not be deemed to be a Restricted Payment; and

(iv)    make any Restricted Investment; unless, at the time of such Restricted Payment:

(A)    no Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing or would occur as a consequence thereof;

(B)    immediately after giving effect to such Restricted Payment on a Pro Forma Basis, the Issuer could Incur at least $1.00 of additional Indebtedness pursuant to the provisions described in Section 3.2(a); and

(C)    after giving effect to such Restricted Payment on a Pro Forma Basis, the aggregate amount of all other Restricted Payments made by the Issuer and its Restricted Subsidiaries after the Issue Date (including Restricted Payments permitted by clauses (i), (ii) (with respect to payments of dividends on Refunding Capital Stock pursuant to clause (B) only), (vi)(C) and (viii) of Section 3.3(b), but excluding all other Restricted Payments under Section 3.3(b), shall not exceed the sum (without duplication) of:

(1)    50% of the Consolidated Net Income of the Issuer and its Restricted Subsidiaries for the period (taken as one accounting period) from the 2013 Notes Issuance Date to the end of the Relevant Measurement Period immediately preceding the time of such Restricted Payment, or, in the case such Consolidated Net Income for such period is a deficit, minus 100% of such deficit, provided, that the amount calculated pursuant to this clause (1) may not be less than zero, plus

 

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(2)    100% of the aggregate net cash proceeds and the Fair Market Value of other property received by the Issuer (other than Excluded Equity) since the 2013 Notes Issuance Date from the issue or sale of:

(x)    Capital Stock of the Issuer, including Retired Capital Stock (other than Excluded Equity) and any Capital Stock issued upon exercise of warrants or options;

(y)    to the extent such net cash proceeds are actually contributed to the Issuer, Capital Stock of any Parent Entity (other than Excluded Equity or contributions to the extent such amounts have been applied to Restricted Payments made in accordance with clause (iv) of Section 3.3(b)) or

(z)    Indebtedness or Disqualified Stock of the Issuer or a Restricted Subsidiary (other than Indebtedness or Disqualified Stock issued to a Restricted Subsidiary or to an employee stock ownership plan or trust that has been established by the Issuer or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries) issued after the 2013 Notes Issuance Date that, in each case, has been converted into or exchanged for Capital Stock of the Issuer or any Parent Entity (other than Excluded Equity), plus

(3)    100% of the aggregate amount of cash and the Fair Market Value of other property contributed to the capital of the Issuer or a Restricted Subsidiary or that becomes part of the capital of the Issuer or a Restricted Subsidiary through consolidated or merger after the 2013 Notes Issuance Date (other than Excluded Equity or contributions to the extent such amounts have been applied to Restricted Payments made in accordance with clause (iv) of Section 3.3(b)), plus

(4)    100% of the aggregate amount received by the Issuer or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries in cash and the Fair Market Value of other property received by means of:

(x)    the sale or other disposition (other than to the Issuer or a Restricted Subsidiary) of, or other returns on Investment from, Restricted Investments made by the Issuer and its Restricted Subsidiaries and repurchases and redemptions of such Restricted Investments from the Issuer and its Restricted Subsidiaries and repayments of loans or advances, and releases of guarantees, which constitute Restricted Investments made by the Issuer or its Restricted Subsidiaries, in each case, after the 2013 Notes Issuance Date; or

(y)    the sale (other than to the Issuer or a Restricted Subsidiary) of the Capital Stock of an Unrestricted Subsidiary or a distribution or dividend from an Unrestricted Subsidiary after the 2013 Notes Issuance Date, plus

 

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(5)    in the case of the redesignation of an Unrestricted Subsidiary as a Restricted Subsidiary or the merger or consolidation of an Unrestricted Subsidiary into the Issuer or a Restricted Subsidiary or the transfer of all or substantially all of the assets of an Unrestricted Subsidiary to the Issuer or a Restricted Subsidiary after the 2013 Notes Issuance Date, the Fair Market Value of the Investment in such Unrestricted Subsidiary at the time of such redesignation, merger, consolidation or transfer, other than to the extent the Investment in such Unrestricted Subsidiary was made by the Issuer or a Restricted Subsidiary of the Issuer pursuant to Section 3.3(b)(xv) or Section 3.3(b)(xvi) or to the extent such Investment constituted a Permitted Investment.

(b)    Notwithstanding whether the foregoing provisions of Section 3.3(a) would prohibit the Issuer and its Restricted Subsidiaries from making a Restricted Payment, the Issuer and its Restricted Subsidiaries may make the following Restricted Payments:

(i)    the payment of any dividend or distribution or the consummation of any redemption within 60 days after the date of declaration thereof or the giving of notice thereof, as applicable, if, at the date of declaration or the giving of such notice, such payment would have complied with the provisions of this Indenture;

(ii)    (A) the redemption, repurchase, retirement or other acquisition of any Capital Stock (“Retired Capital Stock”) or Subordinated Indebtedness of the Issuer, any Parent Entity or any Guarantor, or any Capital Stock of any Parent Entity, in exchange for, or out of the proceeds of the substantially concurrent sale of, Capital Stock of the Issuer or any Parent Entity to the extent contributed to the Issuer (in each case, other than any Excluded Equity) (“Refunding Capital Stock”), (B) the declaration and payment of dividends on the Retired Capital Stock out of the proceeds of the substantially concurrent sale (other than to a Subsidiary of the Issuer) of Refunding Capital Stock and (C) if immediately prior to the retirement of Retired Capital Stock, the declaration and payment of dividends thereon was permitted under Section 3.2(b)(vi), the declaration and payment of dividends on the Refunding Capital Stock (other than Refunding Capital Stock the proceeds of which were used to redeem, repurchase, retire or otherwise acquire any Capital Stock of any Parent Entity) in an aggregate amount per year no greater than the aggregate amount of dividends per annum that was declarable and payable on such Retired Capital Stock immediately prior to such retirement;

(iii)    the prepayment, redemption, defeasance, repurchase, retirement, discharge, exchange or other acquisition for value of (x) Subordinated Indebtedness of the Issuer or a Guarantor made in exchange for, or in an amount equal to or less than the proceeds of a sale of, new Indebtedness or Disqualified Stock of the Issuer or a Guarantor made within 120 days of such Incurrence or issuance of new Indebtedness or Disqualified Stock or (y) Disqualified Stock of the Issuer or a Guarantor made in exchange for, or out of the proceeds of a sale of, Disqualified Stock of the Issuer or a Guarantor made within 120 days of such sale of Disqualified Stock, that, in each case is incurred or issued in compliance with Section 3.2 so long as:

(A)    the principal amount (or accreted value, if applicable) of such new Indebtedness or the liquidation preference of such new Disqualified Stock does not exceed the principal amount of (or accreted value, if applicable), plus any

 

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accrued and unpaid interest on, the Subordinated Indebtedness or the liquidation preference of, plus any accrued and unpaid dividends on, the Disqualified Stock being so prepaid, redeemed, defeased, repurchased, exchanged, discharged, acquired or retired for value, plus the amount of any premium (including tender premiums), defeasance costs, underwriting discounts and any fees, costs and expenses incurred in connection with the issuance of such new Indebtedness or Disqualified Stock and such prepayment, redemption, defeasance, repurchase, exchange, discharge, acquisition or retirement;

(B)    such new Indebtedness is subordinated to the Notes or the applicable Note Guarantees at least to the same extent as such Subordinated Indebtedness so purchased, exchanged, redeemed, defeased, repurchased, acquired or retired for value;

(C)    such new Indebtedness or Disqualified Stock has a final scheduled maturity date or mandatory redemption date, as applicable, equal to or later than the final scheduled maturity date or mandatory redemption date of the Subordinated Indebtedness or Disqualified Stock being so prepaid, redeemed, defeased, repurchased, exchanged, discharged, acquired or retired (or if earlier, such date that is at least 91 days after the maturity date of the Notes); and

(D)    such new Indebtedness or Disqualified Stock has a Weighted Average Life to Maturity equal to or greater than the remaining Weighted Average Life to Maturity of the Subordinated Indebtedness or Disqualified Stock being so prepaid, redeemed, defeased, repurchased, exchanged, discharged, acquired or retired (or requires no or nominal payments in cash (other than interest payments) prior to the date that is 91 days after the maturity date of the Notes);

(iv)    a Restricted Payment to pay for the repurchase, retirement or other acquisition or retirement for value of Capital Stock (other than Disqualified Stock) of the Issuer or any Parent Entity held by any future, present or former employee, director, officer, manager or consultant (or any of their respective Controlled Investment Affiliates or Immediate Family Members) of the Issuer, any of its Subsidiaries or any Parent Entity pursuant to any management, director, employee and/or advisor equity plan or equity option plan or any other management, director, employee and/or advisor benefit plan or agreement or any equity subscription or equityholder agreement or any termination agreement (including, for the avoidance of doubt, any principal and interest payable on any Indebtedness issued by the Issuer or any Parent Entity in connection with such repurchase, retirement or other acquisition); provided that the aggregate Restricted Payments made under this clause (iv) do not exceed $20.0 million in the aggregate in any fiscal year (which shall increase to $40.0 million subsequent to the consummation of a Qualified IPO) (with any unused amounts in any fiscal year being carried over to the immediately succeeding fiscal year); provided, further, that such amount in any fiscal year may be increased by an amount not to exceed:

(A)    the cash proceeds from the sale of Capital Stock (other than Disqualified Stock) of the Issuer and, to the extent contributed to the Issuer, the

 

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cash proceeds from the sale of Capital Stock of any Parent Entity, in each case to any future, present or former employees, officers, directors, managers or consultants (or any of their respective Controlled Investment Affiliates or Immediate Family Members) of the Issuer, any of its Subsidiaries, or any Parent Entity that occurs after the Issue Date, to the extent the cash proceeds from the sale of such Capital Stock have not otherwise been applied to the payment of Restricted Payments by virtue of Section 3.3(a)(C), plus

(B)    the cash proceeds of key man life insurance policies received by the Issuer, any of its Restricted Subsidiaries or (to the extent contributed to the Issuer or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries) any Parent Entity after the Issue Date, less

(C)    the amount of any Restricted Payments previously made with the proceeds set forth in clauses (A) and (B) of this clause (iv);

provided that the Issuer may elect to apply all or any portion of the aggregate increase contemplated by clauses (A) and (B) of this clause (iv) in any fiscal year; and provided, further, that cancellation of Indebtedness owing to the Issuer or any Restricted Subsidiary of the Issuer from any future, present or former employees, officers, directors, managers or consultants (or any of their respective Controlled Investment Affiliates or Immediate Family Members, or any permitted transferee thereof) of the Issuer, any Parent Entity or any Restricted Subsidiary in connection with a repurchase of Capital Stock of the Issuer or any Parent Entity shall not be deemed to constitute a Restricted Payment for purposes of this Section 3.3 or any other provision of this Indenture;

(v)    the declaration and payment of dividends to holders of any class or series of Disqualified Stock of the Issuer or any Restricted Subsidiary or any class or series of Preferred Stock of any Restricted Subsidiary, in each case, issued in accordance with Section 3.2 to the extent such dividends are included in the definition of “Fixed Charges”;

(vi)    (A) the declaration and payment of dividends to holders of any class or series of Designated Preferred Stock (other than Disqualified Stock) issued by the Issuer after the Issue Date; (B) the declaration and payment of dividends to any Parent Entity, the proceeds of which will be used to fund the payment of dividends to holders of any class or series of Designated Preferred Stock (other than Disqualified Stock) of such Parent Entity issued after the Issue Date; provided that the amount of dividends paid pursuant to this clause (B) shall not exceed the aggregate amount of cash actually contributed to the Issuer from the sale of such Designated Preferred Stock or (C) the declaration and payment of dividends on Refunding Capital Stock in excess of the dividends declarable and payable thereon pursuant to Section 3.3(b)(ii); provided that, in the case of clauses (A), (B) and (C), for the Relevant Measurement Period immediately preceding the date of issuance of such Designated Preferred Stock or the declaration of such dividends on Refunding Capital Stock, after giving effect to such issuance or declaration on a Pro Forma Basis, the Issuer and its Restricted Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis would have had a Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio of at least 2.00 to 1.00;

 

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(vii)    payments made or expected to be made by the Issuer or any Restricted Subsidiary in respect of withholding or similar taxes payable in connection with the exercise or vesting of Capital Stock or any other equity award by any future, present or former employee, director, officer, manager or consultant (or any of their respective Controlled Investment Affiliates or Immediate Family Members, or any permitted transferee thereof) of the Issuer, any Parent Entity and any Restricted Subsidiary and repurchases or withholdings of Capital Stock in connection with the exercise of any stock or other equity options or warrants or other incentive interests or the vesting of equity awards if such Capital Stock represents all or a portion of the exercise price thereof or payments in lieu of the issuance of fractional Capital Stock, or withholding obligation with respect to, such options or warrants or other incentive interests or other Capital Stock or equity awards;

(viii)    the declaration and payment of dividends on the Issuer’s or any Parent Entity’s common equity (or the payment of dividends to any Parent Entity to fund a payment of dividends on such entity’s common equity), in an amount not to exceed a sum of (A) up to 6.0% per annum of all cash proceeds received by or contributed to the Issuer from a Qualified IPO and (B) an aggregate amount per annum not to exceed 7.0% of Market Capitalization;

(ix)    Restricted Payments (A) in an amount that does not exceed the aggregate amount of Excluded Contributions received since the Issue Date and (B) without duplication of clause (A), in an amount equal to the net cash proceeds from any sale or disposition of, or distribution in respect of, Investments acquired after the Issue Date, to the extent the acquisition of such Investments was financed in reliance on clause (A) and provided that such amount will not increase the amount available for Restricted Payments under Section 3.3(a)(C);

(x) Restricted Payments to any Parent Entity (A) not to exceed $2.0 million in any fiscal year to pay, or to pay to any Parent Entity for the purpose of paying to any other Parent Entity to pay, monitoring, consulting, management, transaction, advisory, termination or similar fees payable to a Sponsor or any Sponsor Affiliate (or, in the case of Teachers, distributions or dividends in lieu of such fees) (it being understood that any amounts that are not paid due to the existence of an Event of Default shall accrue and may be paid when the applicable Event of Default ceases to exist or is otherwise waived), (B) for any financial advisory, transaction advisory, financing, underwriting or placement services or in respect of other investment banking activities, including in connection with the Transactions and other acquisitions or divestitures (or, in the case of Teachers, distributions or dividends in lieu of such fees) and (C) indemnities, reimbursements and reasonable and documented out-of-pocket fees and expenses of a Sponsor or any Sponsor Affiliate in connection therewith; provided that with respect to clauses (B) and (C), such payments shall be on terms reasonably consistent with arrangements entered into between similar financial sponsors and portfolio companies as determined in good faith by the Issuer or any Parent Entity on behalf of the Issuer;

(xi)    the repurchase, redemption, defeasance, discharge or other acquisition or retirement for value of any Subordinated Indebtedness in accordance with the provisions similar to those described under Section 3.5 and Section 3.8; provided that all Notes tendered by Holders in connection with a Change of Control Offer or an Asset Sale Offer, as the case may be, have been repurchased, redeemed, defeased or acquired or retired for value;

 

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(xii)    the declaration and payment of dividends or distributions by the Issuer to, or the making of loans to, any Parent Entity in amounts required for Parent Entity to pay, in each case, without duplication:

(A)    franchise and excise taxes, and other fees and expenses, required to maintain its corporate or other entity existence;

(B)    for any taxable period in which the Issuer or any of its Subsidiaries is a member of a consolidated, combined or similar income tax group (the “Tax Group”), to pay foreign, federal, state and local income taxes of the Tax Group, to the extent such taxes are attributable to the Issuer or its Subsidiaries; provided that in each case the amount of such payments in any fiscal year does not exceed the amount of liability that the Issuer and/or its Subsidiaries would have incurred were such taxes determined as if such entity(ies) were a stand-alone taxpayer or a stand-alone Tax Group (reduced by any such taxes paid directly by the Issuer or any Subsidiary); provided, further, that payments under this clause (B) in respect of any taxes attributable to the income of any Unrestricted Subsidiaries of the Issuer may be made only to the extent that such Unrestricted Subsidiaries have made cash payments for such purpose to the Issuer or the Restricted Subsidiaries;

(C)    customary salary, bonus, severance and other benefits payable to, and indemnities provided on behalf of, future, current or former officers, employees, directors, managers and consultants of any Parent Entity to the extent such salaries, bonuses, severance and other benefits are attributable to the ownership or operation of the Issuer and its Restricted Subsidiaries, including the Issuer’s or the Restricted Subsidiaries’ proportionate share of such amount relating to such Parent Entity being a public company;

(D)    general corporate or other operating (including, without limitation, expenses related to the maintenance of corporate or other existence and auditing or other accounting or tax reporting matters) and overhead costs and expenses of any Parent Entity to the extent such costs and expenses are attributable to the ownership or operation of the Issuer and its Restricted Subsidiaries, including the Issuer’s and Restricted Subsidiaries’ proportionate share of such amount relating to such Parent Entity being a public company;

(E)    amounts required for any Parent Entity to pay fees and expenses incurred by any Parent Entity related to transactions of such Parent Entity of the type described in clause (l) of the definition of “Consolidated Net Income” (whether or not successful) to the extent such transaction is intended to be for the benefit of the Issuer and its Restricted Subsidiaries;

(F)    amounts (including fees and expenses) that would otherwise be permitted to be paid directly by the Issuer or its Restricted Subsidiaries pursuant to Section 3.7(b), and to the extent that, if such amount were paid directly, such payment would not constitute Restricted Payments;

 

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(G)    cash payments in lieu of issuing fractional shares in connection with the exercise of warrants, options or other securities convertible into or exchangeable for Capital Stock of the Issuer or any such Parent Entity; and

(H)    to finance Investments by a Parent Entity that would otherwise be permitted to be made pursuant to this Section 3.3 if made by the Issuer; provided, that (1) such Restricted Payment shall be made substantially concurrently with the closing of such Investment, (2) such Parent Entity shall, immediately following the closing thereof, cause (x) all property acquired (whether assets or Capital Stock) to be contributed to the capital of the Issuer or one of its Restricted Subsidiaries or (y) the merger or amalgamation of the Person formed or acquired into the Issuer or one of its Restricted Subsidiaries (to the extent not prohibited by Section 4.1) in order to consummate such Investment, in each case, in accordance with the requirements of Section 3.15, (3) such Parent Entity and its Affiliates (other than the Issuer or a Restricted Subsidiary) receives no consideration or other payment in connection with such transaction except to the extent the Issuer or a Restricted Subsidiary could have given such consideration or made such payment in compliance with this Indenture, (4) any property received by the Issuer or a Restricted Subsidiary shall not increase amounts available for Restricted Payments pursuant to clause (C) of Section 3.3(a) or clause (ix) of this Section 3.3(b), except to the extent the Fair Market Value at the time of such receipt of such property exceeds the Restricted Payment made pursuant to this clause (H), and (5) to the extent constituting an Investment, such Investment shall be deemed to be made by the Issuer or such Restricted Subsidiary pursuant to another provision of this covenant or clause (ix) of this Section 3.3(b) or pursuant to the definition of “Permitted Investments;”

(xiii)    the repurchase, redemption or other acquisition of Capital Stock of the Issuer or any Restricted Subsidiary deemed to occur in connection with paying cash in lieu of fractional shares of such Capital Stock in connection with a share dividend, distribution, share split, reverse share split, merger, consolidation, amalgamation or other business combination of the Issuer or any Restricted Subsidiary, in each case, permitted under this Indenture (provided that any such payment is not for the purpose of evading the limitations of this Section 3.3);

(xiv)    the distribution, by dividend or otherwise, of shares of Capital Stock of, or Indebtedness owed to the Issuer or a Restricted Subsidiary by, Unrestricted Subsidiaries (other than Unrestricted Subsidiaries, the primary assets of which are cash and/or Cash Equivalents);

(xv)    other Restricted Payments, so long as the Total Leverage Ratio of the Issuer and its Restricted Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis is no greater than 4.25:1.00 for the Relevant Measurement Period immediately preceding the date for which such Investment is being made determined on a Pro Forma Basis;

 

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(xvi)    other Restricted Payments (A) in an aggregate amount taken together with all other Restricted Payments made pursuant to this clause (xvi), not to exceed the greater of (x) $25.0 million and (y) 15.0% of EBITDA of the Issuer for the Relevant Measurement Period at the time of such Restricted Payment, determined on a Pro Forma Basis and (B) without duplication with clause (A), in an amount equal to the net cash proceeds from any sale or disposition of, or distribution in respect of, Investments acquired after the Issue Date, to the extent the acquisition of such Investments was financed in reliance on clause (B) and provided that such amount will not increase the amount available for Restricted Payments under Section 3.3(a)(C);

(xvii)    payments or distributions to satisfy dissenters’ or appraisal rights and the settlement of any claims or actions (whether actual, contingent or potential) with respect thereto, pursuant to or in connection with a consolidation, amalgamation, merger or transfer of assets that complies with Section 4.1;

(xviii)    any purchase, repurchase, redemption, defeasance or other acquisition or retirement of Subordinated Indebtedness consisting of Acquired Indebtedness; and

(xix) mandatory redemptions of Disqualified Stock of the Issuer;

provided, however, that at the time of, and after giving effect to, any Restricted Payment permitted under clauses (xv) and (xvi) of this Section 3.3(b), no Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing or would occur as a consequence thereof.

(c)    For purposes of determining compliance with this Section 3.3, (A) a Restricted Payment or Permitted Investment need not be permitted solely by reference to one category of permitted Restricted Payments (or any portion thereof) or Permitted Investments (or any portion thereof) described in the above clauses or the definitions thereof but may be permitted in part under any combination thereof and (B) in the event that a Restricted Payment (or any portion thereof) or Permitted Investment (or any portion thereof) meets the criteria of one or more of the categories of permitted Restricted Payments (or any portion thereof) or Permitted Investments (or any portion thereof) described in the above clauses or the definitions thereof, the Issuer may, in its sole discretion, divide, classify or reclassify, or later divide, classify or reclassify, such permitted Restricted Payment (or any portion thereof) or Permitted Investment (or any portion thereof) in any manner that complies with this Section 3.3 and at the time of division, classification or reclassification will be entitled to only include the amount and type of such Restricted Payment (or any portion thereof) or Permitted Investment (or any portion thereof) in one of the categories of permitted Restricted Payments (or any portion thereof) or Permitted Investments (or any portion thereof) described in the above clauses or the definitions thereof.

(d)    As of the Issue Date, all of the Subsidiaries of the Issuer shall be Restricted Subsidiaries. The Issuer shall not permit any Restricted Subsidiary to become an Unrestricted Subsidiary except pursuant to the definition of “Unrestricted Subsidiary.” For purposes of designating any Restricted Subsidiary as an Unrestricted Subsidiary, all outstanding Investments by the Issuer and the Restricted Subsidiaries (except to the extent repaid) in the Subsidiary so designated on such date of designation will be deemed to be Restricted Payments

 

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in an amount determined as set forth in the last sentence of the definition of “Investments.” Such designation will only be permitted if a Restricted Payment or Permitted Investment in such amount would be permitted at such time and if such Subsidiary otherwise meets the definition of an “Unrestricted Subsidiary.”

SECTION 3.4.    Limitation on Dividend and Other Payment Restrictions Affecting Restricted Subsidiaries.

(a)    The Issuer shall not, and shall not permit any of its Restricted Subsidiaries to, directly or indirectly, create, cause or suffer to exist or become effective or enter into any consensual encumbrance or consensual restriction on the ability of any Restricted Subsidiary to (i) pay dividends or make any other distributions on its Capital Stock (or with respect to any other interest or participation in, or measured by, its profits) owned by the Issuer or any Restricted Subsidiary or pay any Indebtedness or other obligation owed to the Issuer or any Restricted Subsidiary, (ii) make loans or advances to the Issuer or any Restricted Subsidiary or (iii) sell, lease or transfer any of its property or assets to the Issuer or any Restricted Subsidiary.

(b)    The preceding provisions of Section 3.4(a) will not apply to the following encumbrances or restrictions existing under or by reason of:

(i)    any encumbrance or restriction in existence on the Issue Date, including those required by the Senior Secured Credit Facilities or by any other agreement or documents entered into in connection with the Senior Secured Credit Facilities;

(ii)    any encumbrance or restriction pursuant to an agreement relating to an acquisition of property, so long as the encumbrances or restrictions in any such agreement relate solely to the property so acquired (and are not or were not created in anticipation of or in connection with the acquisition thereof);

(iii)    any encumbrance or restriction which exists with respect to a Person that becomes a Restricted Subsidiary (including any Unrestricted Subsidiary that is redesignated as a Restricted Subsidiary in accordance with this Indenture) or merges, consolidates or amalgamates with or into the Issuer or a Restricted Subsidiary on or after the Issue Date, which is in existence at the time such Person becomes a Restricted Subsidiary of the Issuer, but not created in connection with, or in anticipation of, such Person becoming a Restricted Subsidiary, and which is not applicable to any Person or the property or assets of any Person other than such Person and its Subsidiaries or the property or assets of such Person becoming a Restricted Subsidiary and its Subsidiaries;

(iv)    other Indebtedness, Disqualified Stock or Preferred Stock of the Issuer or its Restricted Subsidiaries permitted to be Incurred subsequent to the Issue Date pursuant to Section 3.2 and (A) in the good faith judgment of the Issuer (or any Parent Entity on behalf of the Issuer), such incurrence will not materially impair the Issuer’s ability to make payments under the Notes when due, (B) such encumbrances and restrictions apply only during the continuance of a default in respect of a payment or financial maintenance covenant relating to such Indebtedness or (C) the encumbrances and restrictions in such Indebtedness, Disqualified Stock or Preferred Stock either are not materially more restrictive taken as a whole (as

 

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conclusively determined in good faith by the Issuer or any Parent Entity on behalf of the Issuer) than those contained in the Notes or the Senior Secured Credit Facilities as in effect on the Issue Date or, with respect to this clause (C), generally represent market terms (as conclusively determined in good faith by the Issuer or any Parent Entity on behalf of the Issuer) at the time of incurrence or issuance and are imposed solely on such Restricted Subsidiary and its Subsidiaries;

(v)    customary provisions in any lease, sub-lease contract, license, sublicense or similar agreement of the Issuer or any Restricted Subsidiary or provisions in agreements that restrict the assignment of such agreement or any rights thereunder, in each case, entered into in the ordinary course of business or consistent with past practice;

(vi)    any encumbrance or restriction by reason of applicable law, rule, regulation or order;

(vii)    any encumbrance or restriction under this Indenture, the Notes and the Note Guarantees;

(viii)    any encumbrance or restriction under an agreement relating to a disposition of assets or Capital Stock, including, without limitation, any agreement for the sale or other disposition of or by a Subsidiary that restricts distributions by that Subsidiary pending its sale or other disposition;

(ix)    restrictions on cash, Cash Equivalents and other deposits or net worth imposed by customers or suppliers under contracts entered into in the ordinary course of business;

(x)    customary provisions in joint venture agreements or arrangements and other similar agreements or arrangements relating to a joint venture;

(xi)    purchase money obligations (including Capitalized Lease Obligations) for property acquired in the ordinary course of business that impose restrictions on that property so acquired of the nature described in clause (iii) of Section 3.4(a);

(xii)    Secured Indebtedness and Liens permitted to be Incurred under this Indenture, including the provisions described in Section 3.2 and Section 3.6 that limit the right of the debtor to dispose of the assets subject to such Liens;

(xiii)    encumbrances or restrictions in connection with any receivables or factoring transaction that the Issuer or any Restricted Subsidiary determines (in the good faith judgment of the Issuer or any Parent Entity) is necessary or advisable to effectuate such transaction;

(xiv)    restrictions on cash or other deposits or net worth imposed by customers or other counterparties under contracts entered into in the ordinary course of business or consistent with past practice or restrictions on cash or other deposits permitted under Section 3.6 or arising in connection with any Permitted Liens;

 

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(xv)    restrictions or conditions contained in any trading, netting, operating, construction, service, supply, purchase, sale or other agreement to which the Issuer or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries is a party entered into in the ordinary course of business or consistent with past practice; provided that such agreement prohibits the encumbrance of solely the property or assets of the Issuer or such Restricted Subsidiary that are the subject to such agreement, the payment rights arising thereunder or the proceeds thereof and does not extend to any other asset or property of the Issuer or such Restricted Subsidiary or the assets or property of another Restricted Subsidiary;

(xvi)    restrictions that are or were created by virtue of any transfer of, agreement to transfer or option or right with respect to, any property not otherwise prohibited under this Indenture that limit the right of such Subsidiary to dispose of such property; and

(xvii)    any encumbrances or restrictions of the type referred to in clauses (i), (ii) and (iii) of Section 3.4(a) imposed by any amendments, modifications, restatements, renewals, increases, supplements, refundings, replacements or Refinancings of the contracts, instruments or obligations referred to in clauses (i) through (xvi) above; provided that such amendments, modifications, restatements, renewals, increases, supplements, refundings, replacements or Refinancings are, in the good faith judgment of the Issuer (or any Parent Entity on behalf of the Issuer), not materially more restrictive with respect to such encumbrances and other restrictions taken as a whole than those prior to such amendment, modification, restatement, renewal, increase, supplement, refunding, replacement or Refinancing.

(c)    For purposes of determining compliance with this Section 3.4, (i) the priority of any Preferred Stock in receiving dividends or liquidating distributions prior to dividends or liquidating distributions being paid on common stock shall not be deemed a restriction on the ability to make distributions on Capital Stock and (ii) the subordination of loans and advances made to the Issuer or a Restricted Subsidiary to other Indebtedness incurred by the Issuer or such Restricted Subsidiary shall not be deemed a restriction on the ability to make loans or advances.

SECTION 3.5.    Limitation on Asset Sales.

(a)    The Issuer shall not, and shall not permit any of its Restricted Subsidiaries to, consummate an Asset Sale, unless:

(i)    the Issuer or such Restricted Subsidiary, as the case may be, receives consideration at least equal to the Fair Market Value (as determined at the time of contractually agreeing to such Asset Sale) of the assets sold or otherwise disposed of; and

(ii)    at least 75% of the aggregate consideration received from such Asset Sale by the Issuer or such Restricted Subsidiary, together with all other Asset Sales since the Issue Date (on a cumulative basis),as the case may be, is in the form of cash or Cash Equivalents; provided that for purposes of this clause (ii) only and no other purpose, each of the following will be deemed to be Cash Equivalents:

(A)    any liabilities, as shown on the most recent consolidated balance sheet of the Issuer or any Restricted Subsidiary of the Issuer or the notes thereto,

 

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or if incurred or accrued subsequent to the date of such balance sheets, such liabilities as would have been reflected in the Issuer’s or such Restricted Subsidiaries’ balance sheet or the notes thereto if such incurrence or accrual had been put in place on or prior to the date of such balance sheet as determined in good faith by the Issuer or any Parent Entity on behalf of the Issuer (other than liabilities that are by their terms subordinated to the Notes or any Note Guarantee) that are assumed by the transferee of any such assets (or a third party in connection with such transfer) or that are otherwise cancelled or terminated in connection with the transaction with such transferee;

(B)    any securities, notes or other obligations or assets received by the Issuer or any such Restricted Subsidiary from such transferee that are converted by the Issuer or such Restricted Subsidiary into cash or Cash Equivalents within 180 days of the later of their receipt and the day of the Asset Sale to the extent of the cash or Cash Equivalents received in that conversion;

(C)    Indebtedness of any Restricted Subsidiary that is no longer a Restricted Subsidiary as a result of such Asset Sale, to the extent that the Issuer and each other Restricted Subsidiary are released from any guarantee of payment of such Indebtedness in connection with the Asset Sale;

(D)    consideration consisting of Indebtedness of the Issuer or a Restricted Subsidiary (other than Subordinated Indebtedness) received after the Issue Date from Persons who are not the Issuer or any Restricted Subsidiary; and

(E)    any Designated Non-cash Consideration received by the Issuer or any such Restricted Subsidiary in such Asset Sale having an aggregate Fair Market Value, taken together with all other Designated Non-cash Consideration received pursuant to this clause (E) that is at that time outstanding, not to exceed the greater of (x) $50.0 million and (y) 25.0% of EBITDA of the Issuer for the Relevant Measurement Period immediately preceding the receipt of such Designated Non-cash Consideration, determined on a Pro Forma Basis (with the Fair Market Value of each item of Designated Non-cash Consideration being measured at the time received and without giving effect to subsequent changes in value).

(b)    Within 365 days after the receipt of any Net Cash Proceeds, the Issuer or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries may apply such Net Cash Proceeds at its option:

(i)    to permanently repay or reduce (A) Indebtedness that is secured by a Lien, which Lien is permitted by this Indenture, (B) Indebtedness of a Non-Guarantor Restricted Subsidiary (other than Indebtedness owed to the Issuer or another Restricted Subsidiary) or (C) Obligations under the Notes; provided, in each case, if the Indebtedness repaid is revolving credit Indebtedness, and to correspondingly reduce commitments with respect thereto;

 

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(ii)    to permanently repay or reduce other Indebtedness that is pari passu with the Notes (“Pari Passu Indebtedness”), other than Indebtedness owed to the Issuer or another Restricted Subsidiary; provided that if the Issuer or any Guarantor shall so reduce any such Pari Passu Indebtedness under unsecured Pari Passu Indebtedness pursuant to this clause

(ii)    (which, for the avoidance of doubt, shall not include Indebtedness described in clause (i) even if such Indebtedness may also constitute Pari Passu Indebtedness), the Issuer shall equally and ratably reduce (or offer to reduce) Obligations under the Notes as provided either, at the Issuer’s option, under Section 5.7, through open-market purchases or in arm’s-length privately negotiated transactions or by making an offer (in accordance with the procedures set forth below for an Asset Sale Offer) to all Holders to purchase a pro rata principal amount of Notes at a purchase price equal to 100% of the principal amount thereof (or, in the event that the Notes were issued with significant original issue discount, 100% of the accreted value thereof), plus the amount of accrued but unpaid interest, if any, on the amount of Notes that would otherwise be prepaid;

(iii)    to make an investment in any one or more businesses (provided that if such investment is in the form of the acquisition of Capital Stock of a Person, such acquisition results in such Person becoming a Restricted Subsidiary of the Issuer or in an increase in the percentage ownership by the Issuer (or a Restricted Subsidiary) in such Restricted Subsidiary), assets, or property or capital expenditures, in each case (A) used or useful in a Permitted Business or (B) that replace the properties and assets that are the subject of such Asset Sale or, in each case, to reimburse the cost of any of the foregoing incurred on or after the date on which the Asset Sale giving rise to such Net Cash Proceeds was contractually committed; or

(iv)    any combination of the foregoing;

provided that in the case of clause (iii) above, a binding commitment to make such acquisitions or expenditures entered into within 365 days of the consummation of the Asset Sale that generated the Net Cash Proceeds shall be treated as a permitted application of the Net Cash Proceeds from the date of such commitment so long as the Issuer or such Restricted Subsidiary enters into such commitment with the good faith expectation that such Net Cash Proceeds will be applied to satisfy such commitment within 450 days after the consummation of the Asset Sale that generated such Net Cash Proceeds and, in the event such commitment is later cancelled or terminated for any reason before the Net Cash Proceeds are applied in connection therewith, then such Net Cash Proceeds shall constitute “Excess Proceeds” unless the Issuer or such Restricted Subsidiary enters into another binding commitment within 180 days of such cancellation or termination (a “Second Commitment”) and such Net Cash Proceeds are actually applied in such manner within 180 days from the date of the Second Commitment; provided, further, that if any Second Commitment is later cancelled or terminated for any reason before such Net Cash Proceeds are applied, then such Net Cash Proceeds shall constitute Excess Proceeds to the extent the application period has expired.

(c)    Any Net Cash Proceeds from Asset Sales that are not applied or invested as provided in the preceding paragraph of this covenant will constitute “Excess Proceeds.” When the aggregate amount of Excess Proceeds exceeds $50.0 million, the Issuer will, within 20 Business Days, make an offer to all Holders, and, if required or permitted by the terms of other Pari Passu Indebtedness, to all holders of such other Pari Passu Indebtedness (an “Asset Sale

 

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Offer”) to purchase the maximum aggregate principal amount (or accreted value, as applicable) of the Notes and/or such Pari Passu Indebtedness, with respect to the Notes only, that is equal to $1,000 or an integral multiple of $1,000 in excess thereof, that may be purchased out of the Excess Proceeds at an offer price, with respect to the Notes only, in cash in an amount equal to 100% of the principal amount thereof (or 100% of the accreted value thereof, if less), plus accrued and unpaid interest, if any, to, but excluding, the date fixed for the closing of such offer, in accordance with the procedures set forth in this Indenture and, if applicable, the other documents governing the applicable Pari Passu Indebtedness. The Issuer may satisfy the foregoing obligation with respect to such Net Cash Proceeds from an Asset Sale by making an Asset Sale Offer prior to the expiration of the application period (the “Advance Offer”) for the proceeds of an Asset Sale with respect to all or a part of the available Net Cash Proceeds (the “Advance Portion”) in advance of being required to do so by this Indenture.

If the aggregate principal amount of Notes and other Pari Passu Indebtedness tendered into such Asset Sale Offer exceeds the amount of Excess Proceeds (or, in the case of an Advance Offer, the Advance Portion), the Excess Proceeds (or, in the case of an Advance Offer, the Advance Portion) will be allocated between the Notes and such other Pari Passu Indebtedness based on the principal amount (or accreted value, if applicable) of the Notes and such other Pari Passu Indebtedness tendered and the Trustee shall select the Notes (subject to applicable DTC procedures as to global notes) and the Issuer or the representative of such Pari Passu Indebtedness shall select such Pari Passu Indebtedness to be purchased or repaid on a pro rata basis based on the accreted value or principal amount of the Notes or such Pari Passu Indebtedness, tendered with adjustments as necessary so that no Notes or Pari Passu Indebtedness, as the case may be, will be repurchased in part in an unauthorized denomination. Upon completion of any such Asset Sale Offer, the amount of Excess Proceeds shall be reset at zero (regardless of whether there are any remaining Excess Proceeds upon such completion), and in the case of an Advance Offer, the amount of Net Cash Proceeds the Issuer is offering to apply in such Advance Offer shall be excluded in subsequent calculations of Excess Proceeds. Additionally, upon consummation or expiration of any Advance Offer, any remaining Net Cash Proceeds shall not be deemed Excess Proceeds and the Issuer may use such Net Cash Proceeds for any purpose not otherwise prohibited under this Indenture.

Pending the final application of any Net Cash Proceeds pursuant to this Section 3.5, the holder of such Net Cash Proceeds may apply such Net Cash Proceeds temporarily to reduce Obligations under a revolving credit facility or otherwise use such Net Cash Proceeds in any manner not prohibited by this Indenture. If any Excess Proceeds remain after consummation of the Asset Sale Offer, the Issuer may use those funds for any purpose not otherwise prohibited by this Indenture and they will no longer constitute Excess Proceeds.

(d)    The Issuer shall comply with the requirements of Rule 14e-1 under the Exchange Act and any other applicable securities laws and regulations thereunder to the extent those laws and regulations are applicable in connection with each repurchase of Notes pursuant to an offer to purchase. To the extent that the provisions of any securities laws or regulations conflict with the Asset Sale provisions of this Indenture, the Issuer shall comply with the applicable securities laws and regulations and will be deemed to have complied with its obligations under the Asset Sale provisions of this Indenture by virtue of such compliance.

 

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(e)    If more Notes are tendered pursuant to an Asset Sale Offer than the Issuer is required to purchase, selection of such Notes for purchase will be made in compliance with the requirements of the principal national securities exchange, if any, on which such Notes are listed (so long as the Trustee knows of such listing) or if such Notes are not listed, on a pro rata basis, by lot or by such other method as the Trustee shall deem fair and appropriate (and in such manner as complies with applicable legal requirements and the Applicable Procedures); provided that the selection of notes for purchase shall not result in a Holder with a principal amount of Notes less than the minimum denomination to the extent practicable.

SECTION 3.6.    Liens.

(a)    The Issuer shall not, and shall not permit any Guarantor to, directly or indirectly, create, incur, assume or suffer to exist any Liens, other than Permitted Liens, on assets or property of the Issuer or any Guarantor, which Liens secure Indebtedness or any related Guarantee (the “Initial Lien”), without securing the Notes and the applicable Note Guarantee, as the case may be, equally and ratably with (or on a senior basis to, in the case of obligations subordinated in right of payment to the Notes) the Indebtedness secured by such Lien until such time as such Indebtedness is no longer secured by such Lien. Any such Lien thereby created to secure the Notes or any such Note Guarantee will be automatically and unconditionally released and discharged upon (i) the release and discharge of the Initial Lien to which it relates or (ii) any sale, exchange or transfer to any Person not an Affiliate of the Issuer of the property or assets secured by such Initial Lien, or of all of the Capital Stock held by the Issuer or any Restricted Subsidiary of the Issuer in, or all or substantially all the assets of, any Restricted Subsidiary of the Issuer creating such Initial Lien, in each case, in accordance with the provisions of this Indenture.

(b)    For purposes of determining compliance with this Section 3.6, (i) a Lien securing an item of Indebtedness (or any portion thereof) need not be permitted solely by reference to one category of permitted Liens (or any portion thereof) described in the definition of “Permitted Liens” or pursuant to Section 3.6(a) but may be permitted in part under any combination thereof and (ii) in the event that a Lien securing an item of Indebtedness (or any portion thereof) meets the criteria of one or more of the categories of permitted Liens (or any portion thereof) described in the definition of “Permitted Liens” or pursuant to Section 3.6(a), the Issuer may, in its sole discretion, divide, classify or reclassify, or later divide, classify or reclassify (as if Incurred at such later time), such Lien securing such item of Indebtedness (or any portion thereof) in any manner that complies with this Section 3.6 and at the time of Incurrence, division, classification or reclassification will be entitled to only include the amount and type of such Lien or such item of Indebtedness secured by such Lien (or any portion thereof) in one of the categories of permitted Liens (or any portion thereof) described in the definition of “Permitted Liens” or pursuant to Section 3.6(a) and, in such event, such Lien securing such item of Indebtedness (or any portion thereof) will be treated as being Incurred or existing pursuant to only such clause or clauses (or any portion thereof) without giving pro forma effect to such item (or any portion thereof) when calculating the amount of Liens or Indebtedness (or any portion thereof) or pursuant to the first paragraph hereof that may be Incurred pursuant to any other clause or paragraph (or any portion thereof) at such time, other than with respect to any clauses permitting the incurrence of a Lien in reliance on the same Ratio Amount, in which case any Ratio Amount shall be determined after giving pro forma effect to the incurrence, division,

 

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classification or reclassification of such Lien under all applicable clauses of in the definition of “Permitted Lien” in reliance on the same Ratio Amount. In addition, with respect to any revolving loan Indebtedness or commitment relating to the Incurrence of Indebtedness that is designated to be Incurred on any date pursuant to Section 3.2(c)(iii), any Lien that does or that shall secure such Indebtedness may also be designated by the Issuer or any Restricted Subsidiary to be Incurred on such date and, in any such event, any related subsequent actual Incurrence of such Lien shall be deemed for all purposes under the indenture to be Incurred on such prior date, including for purposes of calculating usage of any “Permitted Lien” until such time as the related Indebtedness is no longer deemed outstanding pursuant to Section 3.2(c)(iii).

(c)    With respect to any Lien securing Indebtedness that was permitted to secure such Indebtedness at the time of the Incurrence of such Indebtedness, such Lien shall also be permitted to secure any Increased Amount of such Indebtedness. The “Increased Amount” of any Indebtedness shall mean any increase in the amount of such Indebtedness in connection with any accrual of interest, the accretion of accreted value, the amortization of original issue discount or deferred financing costs, the payment of interest in the form of additional Indebtedness with the same terms or in the form of common stock of the Issuer, the payment of dividends on Preferred Stock in the form of additional shares of Preferred Stock of the same class, accretion of original issue discount or deferred financing costs or liquidation preference and increases in the amount of Indebtedness outstanding solely as a result of fluctuations in the exchange rate of currencies or increases in the value of property securing Indebtedness described in clause (c) of the definition of “Indebtedness.”

SECTION 3.7.    Transactions with Affiliates.

(a)    The Issuer shall not, and shall not permit any of its Restricted Subsidiaries to, directly or indirectly, make any payment to, or sell, lease, transfer or otherwise dispose of any of its properties or assets to, or purchase any property or assets from, or enter into or make or amend any transaction or series of related transactions, contract, agreement, loan, advance or guarantee with, or for the benefit of, any Affiliate of the Issuer (each of the foregoing, an “Affiliate Transaction”) involving aggregate consideration in excess of $10.0 million, unless:

(i)    such Affiliate Transaction is on terms that are not materially less favorable, taken as a whole, to the Issuer or the relevant Subsidiary than those that could reasonably have been obtained in a comparable arm’s-length transaction by the Issuer or such Subsidiary with an unaffiliated party; and

(ii)    with respect to any Affiliate Transaction or series of related Affiliate Transactions involving aggregate consideration in excess of $50.0 million, the Issuer delivers to the Trustee a resolution adopted by the majority of its or any of its Parent Entities’ Governing Persons on behalf of the Issuer approving such Affiliate Transaction and set forth in an Officer’s Certificate certifying that such Affiliate Transaction complies with clause (i) above.

(b) The foregoing provisions shall not apply to the following:

(i)    Restricted Payments that are permitted by Section 3.3 and Permitted Investments;

 

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(ii)    the payment of reasonable and customary compensation and reimbursement of expenses paid to, and indemnities and other benefits (including severance, retirement, health, option, deferred compensation and other benefit plans or employment benefits) provided on behalf of or for the benefit of, future, former or current officers, directors, managers, employees, or consultants of the Issuer, any Restricted Subsidiary or any Parent Entity;

(iii)    (A) transactions between or among the Issuer and a Restricted Subsidiary or between or among Restricted Subsidiaries or, in any case, any entity that becomes a Restricted Subsidiary as a result of such transaction and (B) any merger, amalgamation or consolidation of the Issuer into any Parent Entity; provided that such Parent Entity shall have no material liabilities and no material assets other than cash, Cash Equivalents and the Capital Stock of the Issuer and such merger, amalgamation or consolidation is otherwise consummated in compliance with the terms of this Indenture and effected for a bona fide business purpose (including a Qualified IPO);

(iv)    (A) the payment of (or, in the case of Teachers, distributions or dividends by the Issuer in lieu of such fees) management, consulting, monitoring and advisory fees and related expenses (including indemnification and other similar amounts) to the Sponsors (plus any unpaid management, consulting, monitoring, advisory and other fees and related expenses (including indemnification and other similar amounts) accrued in any prior year) and the termination fees in accordance with the terms of the any management or similar agreement with terms reasonably consistent with the terms of similar agreements entered into by similar financial sponsors and portfolio companies as determined in good faith by the Issuer or any Parent Entity on behalf of the Issuer at the time such management or similar agreement is entered into by the Sponsors and the Issuer and (B) payments (or Restricted Payments) by the Issuer or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries to any of the Sponsors or Sponsor Affiliates for any financial advisory, financing, underwriting or placement services or in respect of other investment banking activities, including in connection with acquisitions or divestitures, which payments are approved by the Governing Persons of the Issuer (or any Parent Entity on behalf of the Issuer) in good faith;

(v)    any agreement or arrangement as in effect as of the Issue Date, or any amendment thereto (so long as any such agreement together with all amendments thereto is not more disadvantageous in any material respect to the Holders when taken as a whole as compared to the applicable agreement as in effect on the Issue Date, as determined in good faith by the Issuer or any Parent Entity on behalf of the Issuer);

(vi)    the existence of, or the performance by the Issuer or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries of its obligations under the terms of, any stockholders or similar agreement (including any registration rights agreement or purchase agreement related thereto) to which it is a party as of the Issue Date, and any transaction, agreement or arrangement described in the Offering Memorandum and, in each case, any amendment thereto, or transactions, arrangements or agreements which it may enter into thereafter; provided, however, that the existence of, or the performance by the Issuer or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries of its obligations under, any future amendment to any such existing transaction, arrangement or agreement or under any similar transaction, arrangement or agreement entered into after the Issue

 

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Date shall only be permitted by this clause (vi) to the extent that the terms of any such existing transaction, arrangement or agreement together with all amendments thereto, taken as a whole, or new transaction, agreement or arrangement are not otherwise materially more disadvantageous to the Holders when taken as a whole as compared with the original transaction, arrangement or agreement as in effect on the Issue Date or described in the Offering Memorandum, as determined in good faith by the Issuer or any Parent Entity on behalf of the Issuer;

(vii)    any contribution of capital to the Issuer or any Restricted Subsidiary;

(viii)    (A) transactions with customers, clients, suppliers or purchasers or sellers of goods or services, or transactions otherwise relating to the purchase or sale of goods or services, in each case in the ordinary course of business or consistent with past practice or industry norm and otherwise in compliance with the terms of this Indenture, which are fair to the Issuer and the Restricted Subsidiaries in the reasonable determination of the Issuer or any Parent Entity on behalf of the Issuer, or are on terms at least as favorable as might reasonably have been obtained at such time from an unaffiliated party or (B) transactions with joint ventures or Unrestricted Subsidiaries entered into in the ordinary course of business or consistent with past practice or industry norm;

(ix)    transactions in which the Issuer or any Restricted Subsidiary of the Issuer, as the case may be, delivers to the Trustee a letter from an Independent Financial Advisor stating that such transaction is fair, when taken as a whole, to the Issuer or such Restricted Subsidiary from a financial point of view or meets the requirements of Section 3.7(a);

(x)    the Transactions and the payment of all fees and expenses related to the Transactions, including fees to the Sponsors;

(xi)    investments by the Sponsors, Sponsor Affiliates and members of management, officers, employees and directors in securities of the Issuer or any Restricted Subsidiary (and payment of reasonable out of pocket expenses incurred by the Sponsors, Sponsor Affiliates and members of management, officers, employees and directors in connection therewith) so long as (A) the investment is being generally offered to other existing investors on the same or more favorable terms and (B) the investment constitutes less than 5.0% of the proposed or outstanding issue amount of such class of securities;

(xii)    the issuance or transfer of Capital Stock (other than Disqualified Stock) of the Issuer to any Parent Entity or to any Sponsor or Sponsor Affiliates or to any director, manager, officer, employee or consultant (or their respective Controlled Investment Affiliates or Immediate Family Members or any permitted transferee thereof) of the Issuer, any the Parent Entity or any of its Subsidiaries;

(xiii)    payments or loans (or cancellation of loans) to employees, directors, officers, managers or consultants of the Issuer or any Restricted Subsidiary, or any Parent Entity and employment agreements, stock option plans and other similar arrangements with such employees, directors, managers or consultants which, in each case, are approved by the Governing Persons of the Issuer in good faith (or any Parent Entity on behalf of the Issuer);

 

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(xiv)    pledges of Capital Stock of Unrestricted Subsidiaries;

(xv)    transactions with a Person that is an Affiliate of the Issuer arising solely because the Issuer or any Restricted Subsidiary owns any Capital Stock in, or controls such Person;

(xvi)    the issuance or transfer of Capital Stock (other than Disqualified Stock) of the Issuer to any Person;

(xvii)    the issuances of securities or other payments, awards or grants in cash, securities or otherwise pursuant to, or the funding of, employment arrangements, stock option and stock ownership plans or similar employee benefit plans approved by the Governing Persons of the Issuer or any direct or indirect entity of the Issuer or of a Restricted Subsidiary, as appropriate, in good faith;

(xviii)    the entering into of any tax sharing agreement or arrangement that complies with Section 3.3(b)(xii) and the performance under any such agreement or arrangement; provided that any payments made by the Issuer or any of its Subsidiaries are permitted under Section 3.3(b)(xii);

(xix)    transactions permitted by, and complying with, the provisions of the covenant described under Section 4.1;

(xx)    transactions between the Issuer or any Restricted Subsidiary and any Person, a director of which is also a director of the Issuer or any Parent Entity; provided, however, that such director abstains from voting as a director of the Issuer or such Parent Entity, as the case may be, on any matter involving such other Person;

(xxi)    any employment agreements entered into by the Issuer or any Restricted Subsidiary in the ordinary course of business; and

(xxii)    transactions undertaken in good faith (as certified by a responsible financial or accounting officer of the Issuer in an Officer’s Certificate) for the purpose of improving the consolidated tax efficiency of the Issuer and its Subsidiaries and not for the purpose of circumventing any covenant set forth in this Indenture.

SECTION 3.8.    Change of Control.

(a)    If a Change of Control occurs after the Issue Date, unless the Issuer has, prior to or concurrently with the time the Issuer is required to make a Change of Control Offer, delivered electronically or mailed a redemption notice with respect to all the outstanding Notes as described under Section 5.7 or Section 11.1, the Issuer shall make an offer to purchase all of the Notes pursuant to the offer described below (the “Change of Control Offer”) at a price in cash (the “Change of Control Payment”) equal to 101% of the aggregate principal amount thereof plus accrued and unpaid interest to, but excluding, the date of purchase, subject to the right of Holders on the relevant regular record date to receive interest due on any Interest Payment Date falling on or prior to the Change of Control Payment Date; provided that to the extent any transmitted redemption notice includes a condition that is not satisfied or waived and

 

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the redemption referenced therein does not occur, the obligation to make a Change of Control Offer will be reinstated to the extent a Change of Control occurs thereafter. No later than 30 days following any Change of Control, except to the extent the Issuer has exercised its right to redeem the Notes by delivery of a notice of redemption pursuant to Section 5.7, the Issuer shall send notice of such Change of Control Offer electronically or by first-class mail, with a copy to the Trustee sent in the same manner, to each Holder to the address of such Holder appearing in the security register, while Notes are in global form, in accordance with the procedures of DTC, with the following information:

(i)    that a Change of Control Offer is being made pursuant to this Section 3.8, and that all Notes properly tendered pursuant to such Change of Control Offer will be accepted for payment by the Issuer;

(ii)    the purchase price and the purchase date, which will be no earlier than 15 days nor later than 60 days from the date such notice is mailed (the “Change of Control Payment Date”), except in the case of a conditional Change of Control Offer made in advance of a Change of Control as described in Section 3.8(f);

(iii)    that any Note not properly tendered will remain outstanding and continue to accrue interest;

(iv)    that, unless the Issuer defaults in the payment of the Change of Control Payment, all Notes accepted for payment pursuant to the Change of Control Offer will cease to accrue interest on the Change of Control Payment Date;

(v)    that Holders electing to have any Notes purchased pursuant to a Change of Control Offer will be required to surrender such Notes, with the form entitled “Option of Holder to Elect Purchase” on the reverse of such Notes completed, to the paying agent specified in the notice at the address specified in the notice prior to the close of business on the third Business Day preceding the Change of Control Payment Date;

(vi)    that Holders will be entitled to withdraw their tendered Notes and their election to require the Issuer to purchase such Notes; provided that the paying agent receives, not later than the expiration time of the Change of Control Offer, a telegram, telex, facsimile transmission or letter setting forth the name of the Holder, the principal amount of Notes tendered for purchase, and a statement that such Holder is withdrawing its tendered Notes and its election to have such Notes purchased;

(vii)    if such notice is delivered prior to the occurrence of a Change of Control, stating that the Change of Control Offer is conditional on the occurrence of such Change of Control and, if applicable, stating that, in the Issuer’s discretion, the Change of Control Payment Date may be delayed until such time (including more than 60 days after the notice is mailed or delivered, including by electronic transmission) as any or all such conditions shall be satisfied, or that such purchase may not occur and such notice may be rescinded in the event that the Issuer shall determine that any or all of the applicable conditions shall not have been satisfied by the Change of Control Payment Date, or by the Change of Control Payment Date as so delayed; and

 

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(viii)    the other instructions, as determined by the Issuer, consistent with this Section 3.8, that a Holder must follow.

(b)    On the Change of Control Payment Date, the Issuer shall, to the extent permitted by law,

(i)    accept for payment all Notes or portions thereof properly tendered pursuant to the Change of Control Offer;

(ii)    deposit with the Paying Agent an amount equal to the aggregate Change of Control Payment in respect of all Notes or portions thereof so tendered; and

(iii)    deliver, or cause to be delivered, to the Trustee for cancellation the Notes so accepted together with an Officer’s Certificate stating that all Notes or portions thereof have been tendered to and purchased by the Issuer.

(c)    In the event that the Issuer makes a Change of Control Payment, the Paying Agent will promptly mail to each Holder the Change of Control Payment for such Notes, and the Trustee will promptly authenticate a new Note equal in principal amount to any unpurchased portion of the Notes surrendered, if any; provided that each such new Note will be in a minimum principal amount of $1,000 or an integral multiple of $1,000 in excess thereof. The Issuer shall publicly announce the results of the Change of Control Offer on or as soon as practicable after the Change of Control Payment Date.

(d)    While the Notes are in global form and if the Issuer makes an offer to purchase all of the Notes pursuant to the Change of Control Offer, a Holder may exercise its option to elect for the purchase of the Notes through the facilities of DTC, subject to its rules and regulations.

(e)    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 such laws or regulations are applicable in connection with the repurchase of the Notes pursuant to a Change of Control Offer. To the extent that the provisions of any securities laws or regulations conflict with the provisions of this Indenture, the Issuer shall comply with the applicable securities laws and regulations and will be deemed to have complied with its obligations under the Change of Control provisions of this Indenture by virtue of such compliance.

(f)    The Issuer shall not be required to make a Change of Control Offer if a third party makes the Change of Control Offer in the manner, at the times and otherwise in compliance with the requirements set forth in this Indenture applicable to a Change of Control Offer made by the Issuer and purchases all such Notes validly tendered and not withdrawn under such Change of Control Offer. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein, a Change of Control Offer may be made in advance of a Change of Control or conditional upon such Change of Control if a definitive agreement is in place for the Change of Control at the time of the making of such Change of Control Offer.

(g)    If Holders of not less than 90% in aggregate principal amount of the outstanding Notes validly tender and do not withdraw such Notes in a Change of Control Offer

 

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and the Issuer, or any third party making a Change of Control Offer in lieu of the Issuer as described in this Section 3.8, purchases all of the Notes validly tendered and not withdrawn by such Holders, the Issuer or such Person will have the right, upon not less than 15 nor more than 60 days’ prior notice, given not more than 30 days following such purchase pursuant to the Change of Control Offer, to redeem all Notes that remain outstanding following such purchase at a redemption price in cash equal to the applicable Change of Control Payment plus, to the extent not included in the Change of Control Payment, accrued and unpaid interest, if any, to, but excluding, the date of redemption.

SECTION 3.9.    Provision of Financial Information.

(a)    So long as any Notes are outstanding, the Issuer shall furnish to the Holders and the Trustee:

(i)    at any time that the Issuer (and any Parent Entity that has guaranteed the Notes) is not subject to the reporting requirements of the Exchange Act:

(A)    within 90 days after the end of each fiscal year of the Issuer commencing with the fiscal year ending on September 30, 2020, (1) a consolidated balance sheet and related statements of operations, cash flows and owners’ equity showing the financial position of the Issuer and its Subsidiaries as of the close of such fiscal year and the consolidated results of its operations during such fiscal year; (2) a narrative discussion of results for such fiscal year (which need not be compliant with Regulation S-K of the Securities Act) but shall be comparable in form with respect to such year to the “Management’s discussion and analysis of financial condition and results of operations” included in the Offering Memorandum; and (3) setting forth in comparative form the corresponding figures for the prior fiscal year, which consolidated balance sheet and related statements of operations, cash flows and owners’ equity shall be audited by independent public accountants of recognized national standing and accompanied by an opinion of such accountants;

(B)    within 45 days (except 60 days in the case of the fiscal quarter ending March 31, 2020) following the end of each of the first three fiscal quarters of each fiscal year, (1) a consolidated balance sheet and related statements of operations, cash flows and owner’s equity showing (x) the financial position of the Issuer and its Subsidiaries as of the close of such fiscal quarter and the consolidated and consolidating results of its operations during such fiscal quarter and (y) the then-elapsed portion of the fiscal year; (2) a narrative discussion of results (which need not be compliant with Regulation S-K of the Securities Act) but shall be comparable in form with respect to such interim periods to the “Management’s discussion and analysis of financial condition and results of operations” included in the Offering Memorandum (but need not include any pro forma financial information or pro forma financial statements for any prior period); and (3) setting forth in comparative form the corresponding figures for the corresponding periods of the prior fiscal year; provided that any prior periods need not be shown on a pro forma basis;

 

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(C)    within 15 Business Days after the occurrence of each event that would require a filing of a Form 8-K under Items 1.01 (including furnishing any material debt agreements that would be required to be described in such Form 8-K), 1.02, 1.03, 2.01, 2.05, 2.06, 4.01, 4.02, 5.01, 5.02(a)(1)(i)-(ii), 5.02(b) and 5.02(c) (other than with respect to information otherwise required or contemplated by Item 402 of Regulation S-K); provided that instead of providing such information pursuant to this clause (C), the Issuer shall be deemed to have satisfied this requirement by providing the information in its subsequent annual or quarterly report delivered pursuant to clause (i)(A) or (i)(B), in each case as in effect on the Issue Date if the Issuer were a reporting company under the Exchange Act;

provided, however, that such reports (A) will not be required to comply with Section 302 or Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, or related Items 307 and 308 of Regulation S-K promulgated by the SEC, Regulation G promulgated by the SEC or Item 10(e) of Regulation S-K (with respect to any non-GAAP financial measures contained therein), (B) will not be required to contain the separate financial information for Guarantors contemplated by Rule 3-09, 3-10 or 3-16 of Regulation S-X promulgated under the Exchange Act, (C) will not be required to include as an exhibit, or to include a summary of the terms of, any employment or compensatory arrangement agreement, plan or understanding between the Issuer (or any of its Subsidiaries) and any director, manager or executive officer, of the Issuer (or any of its Subsidiaries), (D) shall be subject to exceptions, exclusions and other differences consistent with the presentation of financial and other information in the Offering Memorandum and shall not be required to present compensation or beneficial ownership information, (E) will not be required to include trade secrets or other proprietary information, (F) will not be required to contain any “segment reporting” and (G) will not include financial statements or financial information required by Item 9.01 of Form 8-K; and

(ii)    if at any time that the Issuer (or any Parent Entity that guarantees the Notes) becomes subject to the reporting requirements of the Exchange Act or is required to file (or furnish, as applicable) reports on EDGAR, as applicable, within the time periods specified by the Exchange Act, all reports and financial information required to be filed thereunder; provided that such financial information shall include quarterly financial information (excluding the fourth fiscal quarter) and annual financial statements, in each case including a “Management’s discussion and analysis of financial condition and results of operations” and, with respect to annual information only, a report on the annual financial statements by the Issuer’s (or such Parent Entity’s) independent registered accounting firm as applicable.

(b) So long as any Notes are outstanding, the Issuer shall also:

(i)    within 10 Business Days after furnishing to the Trustee and the Holders the reports required by clause (a)(i)(A), (a)(i)(B) or (ii) above, hold a conference call for all Holders and securities analysts to discuss such reports and the results of operations for the relevant annual or quarterly reporting period; and

(ii)    issue a notice in accordance with Section 3.9(d), no fewer than three Business Days prior to the date of the conference call required to be held in accordance

 

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with clause (i) above, announcing the time and date of such conference call and either including all information necessary to access the call or directing Holders to contact the appropriate person at the Issuer to obtain such information;

provided that the Issuer shall not be required to comply with the foregoing clause (i) or (ii) following a Qualified IPO if the Issuer (or any Parent Entity that guarantees the Notes) holds quarterly earnings calls that are generally open to analysts and investors.

(c)    In addition, to the extent not satisfied by the foregoing, the Issuer shall, for so long as any Notes remain outstanding, furnish to Holders thereof and prospective investors in such Notes, upon their request, the information required to be delivered pursuant to

Rule 144A(d)(4) under the Securities Act (as in effect on the Issue Date).

(d)    The Issuer shall make available such information and such reports (as well as the details regarding the conference call described in Section 3.9(b)) to the Trustee, to any Holder and to any beneficial owner of the Notes, in each case by posting such information on Intralinks or any comparable password-protected online data system which shall require a confidentiality acknowledgment, and shall make such information readily available to any prospective investor, any securities analyst or any market maker in the Notes who (i) agrees to treat such information as confidential or (ii) accesses such information on Intralinks or any comparable password protected online data system which will require a confidentiality acknowledgment; provided that the Issuer shall post such information thereon and make readily available any password or other login information to any such prospective investor, securities analyst or market maker.

Any person who requests or accesses such financial information or seeks to participate in any conference calls required by this Section 3.9 shall be required to represent to the Issuer (to the Issuer’s reasonable good faith satisfaction) that:

(i)    it is a Holder, a beneficial owner of the Notes, a prospective investor in the Notes or a market maker;

(ii)    it will not use the information in violation of applicable securities laws or regulations;

(iii)    it will keep such provided information confidential and will not communicate the information to any Person; and

(iv) it is not a Person (which includes such Person’s Affiliates) that (A) is principally engaged in a Permitted Business or (B) derives a significant portion of its revenues from operation of a Permitted Business.

(e)    If the Issuer has designated any Subsidiary as Unrestricted Subsidiary, then the quarterly and annual financial information required by the preceding paragraphs of this Section 3.9 shall include (i) a reasonably detailed presentation, either in a schedule to the financial statements, in the footnotes thereto, or in narrative report, of the financial condition and results of operations of the Issuer and its Restricted Subsidiaries separate from the financial condition and results of operations of the Unrestricted Subsidiaries or (ii) a statement to the effect that, in the good faith judgment of the Issuer (or any Parent Entity on behalf of the Issuer), such separate presentation would not be material to the interests of the Holders.

 

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(f)    Notwithstanding the foregoing, the financial statements, information and other documents required to be provided pursuant to this Section 3.9, may be those of (i) the Issuer or (ii) any Parent Entity that becomes a guarantor of the Notes rather than those of the Issuer; provided that in the case of (ii), to the extent that the financial statements of the Parent Entity would differ materially from those of the Issuer, such financial statements shall be accompanied by consolidated information that explains in reasonable detail the difference between the information relating to the Parent Entity, on the one hand, and the information relating to the Issuer and its Restricted Subsidiaries on a standalone basis, on the other hand.

(g)    The Issuer shall be deemed to have furnished the reports referred to in clauses (i) and (ii) of Section 3.9(a) if the Issuer or any Parent Entity that becomes a guarantor of the Notes has filed reports containing such information with the SEC (including in the case of a parent company that becomes a guarantor of the Notes, the consolidating financial statements references above).

(h)    Delivery of the reports and documents described in this Section 3.9 to the Trustee is for informational purposes only and the receipt by the Trustee of any such document or report will not constitute constructive notice of any information contained therein or determinable from information contained therein, including the Issuer’s compliance with any of the covenants contained in this Indenture (as to which the Trustee is entitled to conclusively rely on an Officer’s Certificate).

(i)    For the avoidance of doubt, the Issuer shall not be required to comply with the reporting requirements of the Exchange Act.

SECTION 3.10.    Maintenance of Office or Agency.

The Issuer shall maintain an office or agency where the Notes may be presented or surrendered for payment, where, if applicable, the Notes may be surrendered for registration of transfer or exchange. The Corporate Trust Office of the Trustee shall be such office or agency of the Issuer, unless the Issuer shall designate and maintain some other office or agency for one or more of such purposes. The Issuer shall give prompt written notice to the Trustee of any change in the location of any such office or agency. If at any time the Issuer shall fail to maintain any such required office or agency or shall fail to furnish the Trustee with the address thereof, such presentations and surrenders may be made or served at the Corporate Trust Office of the Trustee, and the Issuer hereby appoints the Trustee as its agent to receive all such presentations and surrenders; provided, however, that the Trustee shall not be deemed an agent of the Issuer for service of legal process.

The Issuer may also from time to time designate one or more other offices or agencies where the Notes may be presented or surrendered for any or all such purposes and may from time to time rescind any such designation. The Issuer shall give prompt written notice to the Trustee of any such designation or rescission and any change in the location of any such other office or agency.

 

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SECTION 3.11. Corporate Existence. Except as otherwise provided in this ARTICLE III and ARTICLE IV, the Issuer shall take all reasonable action to preserve and keep in full force and effect its respective corporate or limited liability company existence and the corporate, partnership, limited liability company or other existence of each Guarantor and the rights (charter and statutory), licenses and franchises of the Issuer and each Guarantor except, in each case, to the extent that failure to comply therewith would not reasonably be expected to have a material adverse effect on the ability of the Issuer and the Guarantors, taken as a whole, to perform their obligations under the Notes; provided, however, that the Issuer shall not be required to preserve any such right, license or franchise or the corporate, partnership, limited liability company or other existence of any Guarantor if the respective Governing Person of such Guarantor or the Issuer (or any Parent Entity on behalf of the Issuer) or senior management of the Issuer (or any Parent Entity on behalf of the Issuer) determines that the preservation thereof is no longer desirable in the conduct of the business of the Issuer and the Guarantors, taken as a whole.

SECTION 3.12. Payment of Taxes. The Issuer shall pay or discharge or cause to be paid or discharged, before the same shall become delinquent, all material taxes, assessments and governmental charges levied or imposed upon the Issuer or any Restricted Subsidiary; provided, however, that the Issuer shall not be required to pay or discharge or cause to be paid or discharged any such tax, assessment, charge or claim (a) the amount, applicability or validity of which is being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings or (b) where the failure to effect such payment shall not be materially disadvantageous to the Holders.

SECTION 3.13. Compliance Certificate. The Issuer shall deliver to the Trustee within 120 days after the end of each fiscal year of the Issuer beginning with the fiscal year ending on September 30, 2020, an Officer’s Certificate stating that in the course of the performance by the signer of his or her duties as an Officer of the Issuer he or she would normally have knowledge of any Default or Event of Default and whether or not the signer knows of any Default or Event of Default that occurred during the previous fiscal year; provided that no such Officer’s Certificate shall be required for any fiscal year ended prior to the Issue Date.

SECTION 3.14. Statement by Officer as to Default. The Issuer shall deliver to the Trustee, within 10 Business Days after the Issuer becomes aware of the occurrence of any Event of Default or Default, an Officer’s Certificate setting forth the details of such Event of Default or Default, its status and the actions which the Issuer is taking or proposes to take with respect thereto.

SECTION 3.15. Future Guarantors. Each Restricted Subsidiary that is a Domestic Subsidiary and a Wholly-Owned Subsidiary (other than an Excluded Subsidiary) that Guarantees or becomes a borrower under any Debt Facilities permitted under Section 3.2(b)(i) or any other Indebtedness for Borrowed Money with an aggregate principal amount in excess of

$50.0 million of the Issuer or any Guarantor shall become a Guarantor within 30 days of the date on which it Incurred or Guaranteed such Indebtedness by entering into a supplemental indenture substantially in the form of Exhibit B hereto.

SECTION 3.16. Suspension of Certain Covenants.

 

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If on any date following the Issue Date (a) the Notes have an Investment Grade Rating from both of the Rating Agencies; and (b) no Default has occurred and is continuing under this Indenture (the occurrence of the events described in clauses (a) and (b) being collectively referred to as a “Covenant Suspension Event”), the Issuer and its Restricted Subsidiaries shall not be subject to Sections 3.2, 3.3, 3.4, 3.5, 3.7 and 3.15 and clause (iii) of Section 4.1(a) (collectively, the “Suspended Covenants”).

In the event that the Issuer and its Restricted Subsidiaries are not subject to the Suspended Covenants for any period of time as a result of the foregoing and on any subsequent date (the “Reinstatement Date”) one or both of the Rating Agencies withdraws its Investment Grade Rating or downgrades the rating assigned to the Notes below an Investment Grade Rating, then the Issuer and its Restricted Subsidiaries will thereafter be subject to the Suspended Covenants under this Indenture with respect to future events unless and until a subsequent Covenant Suspension Event occurs. Notwithstanding that the Suspended Covenants may be reinstated, no Default, Event of Default or breach of any kind shall be deemed to exist under this Indenture or the Notes with respect to the Suspended Covenants based on, and none of the Issuer or any of its Subsidiaries shall bear any liability for, any actions taken or events occurring during the Suspension Period (as defined below), or any actions taken at any time pursuant to any contractual obligation arising during any Suspension Period, regardless of whether such actions or events would have been permitted if the applicable Suspended Covenants remained in effect during such period (or after the Suspension Period for actions taken to honor, comply with or otherwise perform any contractual obligations or other obligations arising prior to the Reinstatement Date and to consummate the transactions contemplated thereby). The period of time between the occurrence of the Covenant Suspension Event and the Reinstatement Date is referred to as the “Suspension Period.

The Issuer will provide the Trustee with written notice of each Covenant Suspension Event or Reinstatement Date within five Business Days of the Issuer’s knowledge of the occurrence thereof.

The Trustee shall have no obligation to (a) independently determine or verify if any Covenant Suspension Event or Reinstatement Date shall have occurred, (b) make any determination regarding the impact of any actions taken by the Issuer during a Suspension Period or the Issuer’s future compliance with any covenants or (c) monitor or provide notice to the Holders of any such Covenant Suspension Event, Suspension Period or Reinstatement Date

On the Reinstatement Date, (a) all Indebtedness Incurred, or Disqualified Stock or Preferred Stock issued, during the Suspension Period shall be classified to have been Incurred or issued pursuant to Section 3.2(b)(iii), (b) all Liens Incurred during the Suspension Period shall be classified to have been Incurred under clause (a) of the definition of “Permitted Liens,” (c) any Affiliate Transaction entered into on or after the Reinstatement Date pursuant to an agreement entered into during any Suspension Period shall be deemed to be permitted pursuant to Section 3.7(b)(v) and (d) any encumbrance or restriction on the ability of any Restricted Subsidiary that is not a Guarantor to take any action under Section 3.4(a) that becomes effective during any Suspension Period shall be deemed to be permitted pursuant to Section 3.4(b)(i). Calculations made after the Reinstatement Date of the amount available to be made as Restricted Payments under Section 3.3 shall be made as though the covenants set forth in Section 3.3 had been in

 

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effect since the Issue Date and prior to, but not including, the Suspension Period. Accordingly, Restricted Payments made during the Suspension Period shall not reduce the amount available to be made as Restricted Payments under Section 3.3(a).

For purposes of Section 3.5, on the Reinstatement Date, the unutilized Excess Proceeds amount will be reset to zero.

During any period when the Suspended Covenants are suspended, the Issuer may not designate any of the Issuer’s Subsidiaries as Unrestricted Subsidiaries pursuant to this Indenture. Within 30 days of such Reinstatement Date, the Issuer shall comply with Section 3.15.

ARTICLE IV

SUCCESSOR COMPANY

SECTION 4.1.    Consolidation, Merger, Conveyance, Transfer or Lease; IPO.

(a)    The Issuer shall not, in any transaction or series of related transactions, consolidate or amalgamate with or merge into any other Person (other than a merger of a Restricted Subsidiary of the Issuer into the Issuer in which the Issuer is the continuing Person), or sell, assign, convey, transfer, lease or otherwise dispose of all or substantially all of its assets (determined on a consolidated basis), taken as a whole, to any other Person, unless:

(i)    either: (A) the Issuer shall be the continuing Person or (B) the Person (if other than the Issuer) formed by such merger, consolidation or amalgamation or into which the Issuer is merged, consolidated or amalgamated, or the Person that acquires, by sale, assignment, conveyance, transfer, lease or other disposition, all or substantially all of the property and assets of the Issuer (such Person, the “Surviving Entity”), (1) shall be a corporation, partnership, limited liability company or similar entity organized and validly existing under the laws of the United States, any political subdivision thereof or any state thereof or the District of Columbia and (2) shall expressly assume all of the obligations of the Issuer under this Indenture and the Notes pursuant to a supplemental indenture substantially in the form of Exhibit B hereto;

(ii)    immediately after giving effect to such transaction or series of transactions on a Pro Forma Basis (including, without limitation, any Indebtedness Incurred or anticipated to be Incurred in connection with or in respect of such transaction or series of transactions), no Default or Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing or would result therefrom;

(iii)    immediately after giving effect to any such transaction or series of transactions on a Pro Forma Basis (including, without limitation, any Indebtedness Incurred or anticipated to be Incurred in connection with or in respect of such transaction or series of transactions) as if such transaction or series of transactions had occurred on the first day of the Relevant Measurement Period, the Issuer (or the Surviving Entity if the Issuer is not continuing) (A)    could Incur $1.00 of additional Indebtedness as Ratio Debt under the provisions described in Section 3.2(a) or (B) would have had either (1) a Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio not less than the

 

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actual Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio for the Issuer for the Relevant Measurement Period or (2) a Total Leverage Ratio not more than the Total Leverage Ratio for the Issuer for such Relevant Measurement Period;

(iv)    the Issuer or, if applicable, the Surviving Entity, delivers, or causes to be delivered, to the Trustee an Officer’s Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel to the effect that such consolidation, merger, amalgamation, sale, conveyance, assignment, transfer, lease or other disposition complies with the requirements of this Indenture; and

(v)    each Guarantor shall have by supplemental indenture substantially in the form of Exhibit B hereto confirmed that its Note Guarantee shall apply to such Person’s obligations under this Indenture and the Notes.

(b)    The Surviving Entity (if other than the Issuer) will succeed to, and be substituted for, the Issuer under this Indenture and the Notes, and in such event the Issuer will automatically be released and discharged from its obligations under this Indenture and the Notes.

(c)    Notwithstanding Section 4.1(a)(ii) and (iii), (i) the Issuer or any Restricted Subsidiary may merge, consolidate or amalgamate with or transfer all or part of its properties and assets to a Restricted Subsidiary and (ii) the Issuer may merge, consolidate or amalgamate with an Affiliate incorporated solely for the purpose of reincorporating or reorganizing the Issuer in another state of the United States, the District of Columbia or any territory of the United States, or may convert into a corporation, partnership or limited liability company, so long as the amount of Indebtedness of the Issuer and the Restricted Subsidiaries is not increased thereby.

(d)    Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Indenture, a Parent Entity may assume the obligations of the Issuer under this Indenture and the Notes in connection with or contemplation of a Qualified IPO; provided that (i) the assuming Parent Entity (the “Assuming Parent Entity”) (A) shall be a corporation, partnership, limited liability company or similar entity organized and validly existing under the laws of the United States, any political subdivision thereof or any state thereof or the District of Columbia and (B) shall expressly assume all of the obligations of the Issuer under this Indenture and the Notes pursuant to supplemental indentures or other documents or instruments in form contemplated by this Indenture, (ii) on a Pro Forma Basis after giving effect to the transaction, any additional Indebtedness at such Assuming Parent Entity is permitted to be incurred under this Indenture upon consummation of such transaction, (iii) either (x) the Issuer makes a valid election to be treated as a disregarded entity of the Assuming Parent Entity for U.S. federal income tax purposes effective on or prior to the date the Assuming Parent Entity assumes the obligations of the Issuer under this Indenture and in connection with such assumption or (y) the Issuer obtains an Opinion of Counsel to the effect that such assumption by the Assuming Parent Entity of the obligations of the Issuer under this Indenture will not be treated as a “significant modification” pursuant to Treasury Regulations Section 1.1001-3 and (iv) the Assuming Parent Entity shall deliver, or causes to be delivered, to the Trustee an Officer’s Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel to the effect that such consolidation, merger, amalgamation, sale, conveyance, assignment, transfer, lease or other disposition complies with the requirements of this Indenture.

 

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(e)    For all purposes of this Indenture and the Notes, Subsidiaries of any Assuming Parent Entity or any Surviving Entity of a merger with the Issuer shall, upon such transaction or series of transactions, become Restricted Subsidiaries or Unrestricted Subsidiaries as provided pursuant to this Indenture and all Indebtedness, and all Liens on property or assets, of such Assuming Parent Entity or Surviving Entity, as applicable, and its Subsidiaries that was not Indebtedness, or were not Liens on property or assets, of the Issuer and its Subsidiaries immediately prior to such transaction or series of transactions shall be deemed to have been Incurred upon such transaction or series of transactions.

Upon any transaction or series of transactions that are of the type described in, and are effected in accordance with, conditions described in the preceding paragraph of this Section 4.1, the Assuming Parent Entity or Surviving Entity, as applicable, 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 Assuming Parent Entity or Surviving Entity, as applicable, had been named as the Issuer; and when an Assuming Parent Entity or a Surviving Entity, as applicable, duly assumes all of the obligations and covenants of the Issuer pursuant to this Indenture and the Notes, except in the case of a lease, the predecessor Person shall be relieved of such obligations.

(f)    No Guarantor shall, and the Issuer shall not permit any Guarantor to, in any transaction or series of transactions, consolidate or amalgamate with or merge into any other Person (other than a merger of a Restricted Subsidiary of the Issuer into the Guarantor in which the Guarantor is the continuing Person), or sell, assign, convey, transfer, lease or otherwise dispose of all or substantially all of its assets (determined on a consolidated basis), taken as a whole, to any other Person, unless:

(i)    either: (A) such Guarantor shall be the continuing Person or (B)    the Person (if other than such Guarantor) formed by such consolidation or amalgamation or into which such Guarantor is merged, consolidated or amalgamated, or the Person that acquires, by sale, assignment, conveyance, transfer, lease or other disposition, all or substantially all of the property and assets of such Guarantor (such Person, the “Guarantor Surviving Entity”), (1) shall be a corporation, partnership, limited liability company or similar entity organized and validly existing under the laws of the United States, any political subdivision thereof or any state thereof or the District of Columbia and (2) shall expressly assume all of the obligations of such Guarantor under this Indenture and such Guarantor’s related Note Guarantee pursuant to a supplemental indenture substantially in the form of Exhibit B hereto;

(ii)    immediately after giving effect to such transaction or series of transactions on a Pro Forma Basis (including, without limitation, any Indebtedness Incurred or anticipated to be Incurred in connection with or in respect of such transaction or series of transactions), no Default or Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing or would result therefrom; and

(iii)    the Guarantor or the Guarantor Surviving Entity delivers, or causes to be delivered, to the Trustee an Officer’s Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel to the effect that such consolidation, merger, amalgamation, sale, conveyance, assignment, transfer, lease or other disposition complies with the requirements of this Indenture;

 

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provided that the foregoing paragraph shall not apply to a Guarantor if such Guarantor is no longer a Restricted Subsidiary of the Issuer after giving effect to such transaction and such transaction is made in compliance with Section 3.5.

Except as set forth in this Section 4.1, the Guarantor Surviving Entity shall succeed to, and be substituted for, such Guarantor under this Indenture and such Guarantor’s Note Guarantee. Notwithstanding the foregoing, any Guarantor may (i) merge into or with or transfer all or part of its properties and assets to the Issuer or any Restricted Subsidiary; provided the surviving entity or transferee (if other than the Issuer) is or becomes a Guarantor to the extent required under the terms of this Indenture upon consummation of such merger, amalgamation or consolidation or (ii) merge with an Affiliate solely for the purpose of reincorporating or reorganizing the Guarantor in the United States, any state thereof, the District of Columbia or any territory thereof.

(g)    Notwithstanding the foregoing, any Restricted Subsidiary of the Issuer may liquidate or dissolve if the Issuer or any Parent Entity on behalf of the Issuer determines in good faith that such liquidation or dissolution is in the best interests of the Issuer and is not materially disadvantageous to the Holders.

(h)    Any reference herein to a merger, consolidation, amalgamation, assignment, sale, disposition or transfer, or similar term, shall be deemed to apply to a division of or by a limited liability company, limited partnership or trust, or an allocation of assets to a series of a limited liability company, limited partnership or trust (or the unwinding of such a division or allocation), as if it were a merger, consolidation, amalgamation, assignment, sale, disposition or transfer, or similar term, as applicable, to, of or with a separate Person. Any division of a limited liability company, limited partnership or trust shall constitute a separate Person hereunder (and each division of any limited liability company, limited partnership or trust that is a Subsidiary, Restricted Subsidiary, Unrestricted Subsidiary, joint venture or any other like term shall also constitute such a Person or entity).

(i)    For purposes of this Section 4.1, the sale, lease, conveyance, assignment, transfer or other disposition of all or substantially all of the properties and assets of one or more Subsidiaries of the Issuer or a Guarantor, which properties and assets, if held by the Issuer or such Guarantor, as the case may be, instead of such Subsidiaries, would constitute all or substantially all of the properties and assets of the Issuer or such Guarantor on a consolidated basis, shall be deemed to be the transfer of all or substantially all of the properties and assets of the Issuer or such Guarantor, as the case may be.

ARTICLE V

REDEMPTION OF SECURITIES

SECTION 5.1.    Notices to Trustee.

If the Issuer elects to redeem Notes pursuant to the optional redemption provisions of Section 5.7 hereof, it must furnish to the Trustee, at least 15 days but not more than 60 days before a redemption date, an Officer’s Certificate setting forth:

 

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(a) the clause of this Indenture pursuant to which the redemption shall occur;

(b) the redemption date;

(c) the principal amount of Notes to be redeemed; and

(d) the redemption price.

Any redemption referenced in such Officer’s Certificate may be cancelled by the Issuer at any time prior to notice of redemption being delivered to any Holder and thereafter shall be null and void.

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 5.2.    Selection of Notes to Be Redeemed or Purchased.

With respect to any partial redemption or repurchase of any Notes made pursuant to this Indenture, if less than all of the Notes are to be redeemed or purchased, at any given time, selection of such Notes for redemption will be made by the Trustee (a) on a pro rata basis to the extent practicable or (b) by lot or such other similar method in accordance with the procedures of DTC; provided that no Notes of $1,000 or less shall be redeemed or repurchased in part. In the event of partial redemption, the particular Notes to be redeemed or purchased shall be selected, unless otherwise provided herein, not less than 15 nor more than 60 days prior to the redemption or purchase date from the outstanding Notes not previously called for redemption or purchase.

The Trustee shall promptly notify the Issuer in writing of the Notes selected for redemption or purchase and, in the case of any Note selected for partial redemption or purchase, the principal amount thereof to be redeemed or purchased. Notes and portions of Notes selected shall be in amounts of $1,000 or an integral multiple of $1,000 in excess thereof; except that if all of the Notes of a Holder are to be redeemed or purchased, the entire outstanding amount of Notes held by such Holder, even if not a multiple of $1,000, shall be redeemed or purchased.

Except as provided in the preceding sentence, provisions of this Indenture that apply to Notes called for redemption or purchase also apply to portions of Notes called for redemption or purchase.

SECTION 5.3.    Notice of Redemption. Notices of purchase or redemption shall be delivered electronically, in accordance with DTC procedures in the case of Global Notes, or mailed by first-class mail, postage prepaid, at least 15 days but not more than 60 days before the purchase or redemption date to each applicable Holder at such Holder’s registered address or otherwise in accordance with the procedures of DTC, except that redemption notices may be mailed more than 60 days prior to a redemption date if the notice is issued in connection with a defeasance of any Notes or a satisfaction and discharge of this Indenture. If any Note is to be purchased or redeemed in part only, any notice of purchase or redemption that relates to such Note shall state the portion of the principal amount thereof that has been or is to be purchased or redeemed.

 

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The notice shall identify the Notes (including the CUSIP number) to be redeemed and shall state:

(a)    the redemption date;

(b)    the redemption price (or manner of calculation if not then known);

(c)    if any Note is being redeemed in part, the portion of the principal amount of such Note to be redeemed and that, with respect to Notes represented by Definitive Notes, after the redemption date upon surrender of such Note, a new Note or Notes in principal amount equal to the unredeemed portion shall be issued upon cancellation of the original Note; provided that the new Notes will only be issued in denominates of $1,000 and integral multiples of $1,000 in excess thereof;

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

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

(f)    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;

(g)    the paragraph of the Notes and/or section of this Indenture pursuant to which the Notes called for redemption are being redeemed; and

(h)    that no representation is made as to the correctness or accuracy of the CUSIP number, if any, listed in such notice or printed on the Notes.

At the Issuer’s request, the Trustee shall give the notice of redemption in the Issuer’s name and at its expense; provided, however, that the Issuer has delivered to the Trustee, at least one Business Day prior to the date on which the Issuer instructs the Trustee to send the notice to the Holders (or such shorter period as the Trustee shall agree), 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 preceding paragraph.

SECTION 5.4.    Effect of Notice of Redemption. Once notice of redemption is mailed in accordance with Section 5.3, Notes called for redemption, unless such redemption is conditioned on the happening of a future event, become irrevocably due and payable on the redemption date at the redemption price. Notice of any redemption in respect of any corporate transaction or other event (including any Equity Offering, Qualified IPO, Incurrence of Indebtedness, Change of Control or other transaction) may be given prior to the completion thereof. Any redemption or notice of redemption may, at the Issuer’s discretion, be subject to one or more conditions precedent, including, but not limited to, completion of a corporate transaction or other event. If any redemption is so subject to the satisfaction of one or more conditions precedent, the notice thereof shall describe each such condition and, if applicable, shall state that, in the Issuer’s discretion, the redemption date may be delayed until such time as any or all such conditions shall be satisfied (or waived by the Issuer in its sole discretion), and/or such redemption may not occur and such notice may be rescinded in the event that any or all

 

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such conditions shall not have been satisfied (or waived by the Issuer in its sole discretion) by the redemption date, or by the redemption date as so delayed, and/or that such notice may be rescinded at any time by the Issuer if the Issuer determines in its sole discretion that any or all of such conditions will not be satisfied (or waived). In addition, the Issuer may provide in such notice that payment of the redemption price and performance of the Issuer’s obligations with respect to such redemption may be performed by another Person.

SECTION 5.5.    Deposit of Redemption or Purchase Price. Prior to 11:00 a.m. (New York City time) on the redemption or purchase date, the Issuer shall deposit with the Trustee or with the Paying Agent money sufficient to pay the redemption or purchase price of and accrued interest, if any, on, all Notes to be redeemed or purchased on that 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 or purchase price of, and accrued interest, if any, on, all Notes to be redeemed or purchased.

If the Issuer complies with the provisions of the preceding paragraph, on and after the redemption or purchase date, interest shall cease to accrue on the Notes or the portions of Notes called for redemption or purchase. If a Note is redeemed or purchased 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 or purchase is not so paid upon surrender for redemption or purchase because of the failure of the Issuer to comply with the preceding paragraph, interest shall be paid on the unpaid principal, from the redemption or purchase 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 and in Section 2.1.

SECTION 5.6.    Notes Redeemed or Purchased in Part. Upon surrender of a Note represented by Definitive Notes that is redeemed or purchased in part, the Issuer shall issue and, upon receipt of an Issuer Order, the Trustee shall authenticate for the Holder at the expense of the Issuer a new Note equal in principal amount to the unredeemed or unpurchased portion of the Note surrendered; provided, that each such new Note shall be in a principal amount of $1,000 or integral multiple of $1,000 in excess thereof.

SECTION 5.7.    Optional Redemption.

(a)    At any time prior to May 15, 2022, the Issuer may, on one or more occasions, redeem all or any portion of the Notes, upon notice as provided in Section 5.3, at a redemption price equal to 100% of the principal amount of the Notes redeemed, plus the Applicable Premium as of the Redemption Date (the “Redemption Date”), plus accrued and unpaid interest, to, but excluding, the Redemption Date.

(b)    Prior to May 15, 2022, the Issuer may, at its option, upon notice as provided in Section 5.3 with the net cash proceeds of one or more Equity Offerings (other than any Qualified IPO), redeem up to 40% of the aggregate principal amount of the Notes originally issued under this Indenture (including any Additional Notes issued after the Issue Date) at a redemption price equal to 107.125% of the principal amount thereof, plus accrued and unpaid interest, to, but excluding, the Redemption Date; provided that (i) at least 50% of the aggregate

 

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principal amount of Notes originally issued under this Indenture (including any Additional Notes issued after this Issue Date) remains outstanding immediately after the occurrence of any such redemption (excluding Notes held by the Issuer or its Subsidiaries) and (ii) any such redemption occurs within 180 days following the closing of any such Equity Offering. The Notes to be redeemed shall be selected in the manner described under Section 5.1 through Section 5.6.

(c)    Prior to May 15, 2022, the Issuer may, at its option, on one or more occasions, redeem either (x) up to 40% of the aggregate principal amount of Notes originally issued under this Indenture (including any Additional Notes issued after the Issue Date) or (y) 100% of the aggregate principal amount of Notes originally issued under this Indenture (including any Additional Notes issued after the Issue Date), in each case, with the proceeds of a Qualified IPO, upon notice pursuant to Section 5.3 at a redemption price equal to 107.125% of the principal amount thereof plus accrued and unpaid interest, to, but excluding, the Redemption Date; provided that any such redemption occurs within 180 days following the closing of any such Qualified IPO, provided, further, that following such redemption, either (a) at least 60% of the aggregate principal amount of Notes originally issued under this Indenture (including any Additional Notes issued after Issue Date) remains outstanding immediately after the occurrence of any such redemption or (b) all of the Notes originally issued under this Indenture (including any Additional Notes issued after the Issue Date) are redeemed. If less than 100% of the aggregate principal amount of the Notes are redeemed pursuant to this clause (c), the Notes to be redeemed shall be selected in the manner described under Section 5.1 through Section 5.6.

(d)    Except pursuant to Section 5.7(a), (b) or (c), the Notes shall not be redeemable at the Issuer’s option prior to May 15, 2022.

(e)    The Issuer may redeem the Notes, in whole or in part, at any time on or after May 15, 2022 upon notice as provided in Section 5.3 at the following redemption prices (expressed as percentages of the principal amount to be redeemed) set forth below, plus accrued and unpaid interest, to, but excluding, the Redemption Date (subject to the right of Holders on the relevant regular record date to receive interest due on an Interest Payment Date that is prior to the redemption date), if redeemed during the 12-month period beginning on May 15 of the years indicated below:

 

     Percentage  
  

 

 

 

2022

     104.750

2023

     102.375

2024 and thereafter

     100.000

(f)    Unless the Issuer defaults in payment of the redemption price, interest shall cease to accrue on Notes or portions thereof called for redemption, unless such redemption is conditioned on the happening of a future event.

(g)    Any redemption pursuant to this Section 5.7 shall be made pursuant to the provisions of Section 5.1 through Section 5.6.

 

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(h)    The Issuer may, at its option, elect to redeem the Notes pursuant to more than one type of redemption described under Section 5.7 on a concurrent basis.

SECTION 5.8.    Mandatory Redemption. The Issuer is not required to make any mandatory redemption or sinking fund payments with respect to the Notes.

ARTICLE VI

DEFAULTS AND REMEDIES

SECTION 6.1.    Events of Default. Each of the following is an “Event of Default”:

(a)    default in the payment in respect of the principal of (or premium, if any, on) any Note when due and payable (whether at Stated Maturity or upon repurchase, acceleration, optional redemption or otherwise);

(b)    default in the payment of any interest upon any Note when it becomes due and payable, and continuance of such default for a period of 30 days;

(c)    failure to perform or comply with Section 3.9 and continuance of such failure to perform or comply for a period of 120 days after written notice thereof has been given to the Issuer by the Trustee or to the Issuer and the Trustee by the Holders of at least 30% in aggregate principal amount of the outstanding Notes voting as a single class;

(d)    except as permitted by this Indenture, any Note Guarantee of any Guarantor that is a Significant Subsidiary (or group of Guarantors that together (determined as of the most recent consolidated financial statements of the Issuer delivered pursuant to Section 3.9(a)(i)(A) or Section 3.9(a)(i)(B)) would constitute a Significant Subsidiary) shall for any reason cease to be in full force and effect or be declared null and void or any responsible officer of any Guarantor that is a Significant Subsidiary (or the responsible officers of any group of Guarantors that, taken together (determined as of the most recent consolidated financial statements of the Issuer for a fiscal period end) would constitute a Significant Subsidiary), as the case may be, denies in writing that it has any further liability under its or their Note Guarantee(s) or gives written notice to such effect, other than by reason of the termination of this Indenture or the release of any such Note Guarantee in accordance with this Indenture;

(e)    default in the performance, or breach, of any covenant or agreement of the Issuer or any Restricted Subsidiary of the Issuer in this Indenture (other than a covenant or agreement a default in whose performance or whose breach is specifically dealt with in

clauses (a), (b), (c) or (d) above), and continuance of such default or breach for a period of

60 days after written notice thereof has been given to the Issuer by the Trustee or to the Issuer and the Trustee by the Holders of at least 30% in aggregate principal amount of the outstanding Notes voting as a single class;

(f)    default under any mortgage, indenture or instrument under which there is issued or by which there is secured or evidenced any Indebtedness for Borrowed Money by the Issuer or any Significant Subsidiary (or group of Subsidiaries that together (determined as of the

 

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most recent consolidated financial statements of the Issuer delivered pursuant to Section 3.9(a)(i)(A) or Section 3.9(a)(i)(B)) would constitute a Significant Subsidiary), other than Indebtedness owed to the Issuer or any Restricted Subsidiary, if both:

(i)    such default either results from the failure to pay any principal of such Indebtedness at its stated final maturity (after giving effect to any applicable grace periods) or relates to an obligation other than the obligation to pay principal of any such Indebtedness at its stated final maturity and results in the holder or holders of such Indebtedness causing such Indebtedness to become due prior to its stated maturity, and

(ii)    the principal amount of such Indebtedness, together with the principal amount of any other such Indebtedness in default for failure to pay principal at stated final maturity (after giving effect to any applicable grace periods), or the maturity of which has been so accelerated, aggregates $50.0 million or more at any one time outstanding;

(g)    the entry against the Issuer or any Significant Subsidiary (or group of Subsidiaries that together (determined as of the most recent consolidated financial statements of the Issuer delivered pursuant to Section 3.9(a)(i)(A) or Section 3.9(a)(i)(B)) would constitute a Significant Subsidiary) of a final non-appealable judgment(s) by court(s) of competent jurisdiction for the payment of money in an aggregate amount in excess of $50.0 million (net of amounts covered by (x) insurance for which the insurer thereof has been notified of such claim and has not been denied or (y) valid third party indemnifications for which the indemnifying party thereof has been notified of such claim and has not challenged such indemnification), by a court or courts of competent jurisdiction, which judgment(s) remain undischarged, unpaid or unstayed for a period of 60 consecutive days; or

(h)    the Issuer or any Significant Subsidiary (or group of Subsidiaries that together (determined as of the most recent consolidated financial statements of the Issuer delivered pursuant to Section 3.9(a)(i)(A)) or Section 3.9(a)(i)(B)) would constitute a Significant Subsidiary) pursuant to or within the meaning of any Bankruptcy Law:

(i)      commences a voluntary case or proceeding;

(ii)     consents to the entry of an order for relief against it in an involuntary case or proceeding;

(iii)    consents to the appointment of a custodian of it or for substantially all of its property;

(iv)    makes a general assignment for the benefit of its creditors;

(v)     consents to or acquiesces in the institution of a bankruptcy or an insolvency proceeding against it; or

(vi)    takes any comparable action under any foreign laws relating to insolvency; or

 

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(i)    a court of competent jurisdiction enters an order or decree under any Bankruptcy Law that: (A) is for relief against the Issuer or any Significant Subsidiary (or group of Subsidiaries that together (determined as of the most recent consolidated financial statements of the Issuer delivered pursuant to Section 3.9(a)(i)(A) or Section 3.9(a)(i)(B)) would constitute a Significant Subsidiary), in an involuntary case; (B) appoints a custodian of the Issuer or any Significant Subsidiary (or group of Subsidiaries that together (determined as of the most recent consolidated financial statements of the Issuer delivered pursuant to Section 3.9(a)(i)(A) or Section 3.9(a)(i)(B)) would constitute a Significant Subsidiary), for substantially all of its property; or (C) orders the winding up or liquidation of the Issuer or any Significant Subsidiary (or group of Subsidiaries that together (determined as of the most recent consolidated financial statements of the Issuer delivered pursuant to Section 3.9(a)(i)(A) or Section 3.9(a)(i)(B)) would constitute a Significant Subsidiary).

SECTION 6.2.    Acceleration. If an Event of Default (other than an Event of Default specified in Section 6.1(h) or (i)) occurs and is continuing, then and in every such case the Trustee or the Holders of not less than 30% in aggregate principal amount of the outstanding Notes voting as a single class may declare the principal of the Notes, premium, if any, and any accrued interest on the Notes to be due and payable immediately by a notice in writing to the Issuer (and to the Trustee if given by Holders); provided, however, that after such acceleration, but before a judgment or decree based on acceleration, the Holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the outstanding Notes may rescind and annul such acceleration if all Events of Default, other than the nonpayment of accelerated principal of or interest on the Notes, have been cured or waived as provided in this Indenture; provided, further, such rescission would not conflict with any judgment of a court of competent jurisdiction.

In the event of a declaration of acceleration of the Notes solely because an Event of Default specified in Section 6.1(f) has occurred and is continuing, the declaration of acceleration of the Notes shall be automatically rescinded and annulled if the Event of Default or payment default triggering such Event of Default pursuant to Section 6.1(f) shall be remedied or cured by the Issuer or a Restricted Subsidiary of the Issuer or waived by the holders of the relevant Indebtedness within 30 Business Days after the declaration of acceleration with respect thereto and if the rescission and annulment of the acceleration of the Notes would not conflict with any judgment or decree of a court of competent jurisdiction obtained by the Trustee for the payment of amounts due on the Notes.

If an Event of Default specified in Section 6.1(h) or (i) occurs, the principal of, premium, if any, and any accrued interest on the Notes then outstanding shall ipso facto become immediately due and payable without any declaration or other act on the part of the Trustee or any Holder. The Trustee may withhold from Holders notice of any Default (except Default in payment of principal of, premium, if any, and interest) if the Trustee determines that withholding notice is in the interests of the Holders to do so.

Any notice of Event of Default, notice of acceleration or instruction to the Trustee to provide a notice of Event of Default, notice of acceleration or to take any other action (a “Noteholder Direction”) provided by any one or more Holders (each a “Directing Holder”) must be accompanied by a written representation from each such Holder to the Issuer and the Trustee that such Holder is not Net Short (a “Position Representation”), which representation, in the case

 

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of a Noteholder Direction relating to a notice of Event of Default shall be deemed repeated at all times until the resulting Event of Default is cured or otherwise ceases to exist or the Notes are accelerated. In addition, each Directing Holder must, at the time of providing a Noteholder Direction, provide the Issuer with such other information as the Issuer may reasonably request from time to time in order to verify the accuracy of such Directing Holder’s Position Representation within five Business Days of request therefor (a “Verification Covenant”). In any case in which the Holder is DTC or its nominee, any Position Representation or Verification Covenant required hereunder shall be provided by the beneficial owner of the Notes in lieu of DTC or its nominee.

For the avoidance of doubt, the Trustee shall be entitled to conclusively rely on any Noteholder Direction delivered to it in accordance with this Indenture, shall have no duty to inquire as to or investigate the accuracy of any Position Representation, enforce compliance with any Verification Covenant, verify any statements in any Noteholder Direction, or otherwise make calculations, investigations or determinations with respect to Derivative Instruments, Net Shorts, Long Derivative Instruments, Short Derivative Instruments or otherwise and shall have no liability for ceasing to take any action, staying any remedy or otherwise failing to act in accordance with a Noteholder Direction during the pendency of any dispute related to a Noteholder Direction or Verification Covenant. The Trustee shall have no liability to the Issuer, any Holder or any other Person in acting in good faith on a Noteholder Direction.

SECTION 6.3.    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) or interest on the Notes or to enforce the performance of any provision of the Notes, this Indenture or the Guarantees.

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.

SECTION 6.4.    Waiver of Past Defaults. The Holders of a majority in principal amount of the then outstanding Notes by notice to the Trustee (with a copy to the Issuer, but the applicable waiver or rescission shall be effective when the notice is given to the Trustee) may, on behalf of the Holders of all the Notes, (a) waive, by their consent (including, without limitation, consents obtained in connection with a purchase of, or tender offer or exchange offer for, Notes), an existing Default and its consequences under this Indenture except (i) a continuing Default in the payment of the principal of, or premium, if any, or interest on a Note held by a non- consenting Holder or (ii) a Default in respect of a provision that under Section 9.2 cannot be amended without the consent of each Holder affected and (b) rescind any acceleration and its consequences with respect to the Notes provided such rescission would not conflict with any judgment of a court of competent jurisdiction. When a Default or Event of Default is waived, it is deemed cured, but no such waiver shall extend to any subsequent or other Default or Event of Default or impair any consequent right.

 

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SECTION 6.5.    Control by Majority. The Holders of a majority in principal amount of the outstanding Notes voting as a single class shall have the right to 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. However, the Trustee may refuse to follow any direction that conflicts with law or this Indenture, the Notes or the Guarantees or, subject to Section 7.1 and Section 7.2, that the Trustee determines is unduly prejudicial to the rights of other Holders (it being understood that the Trustee does not have an affirmative duty to ascertain whether or not any such directions are unduly prejudicial to such Holders) or would involve the Trustee in personal liability; provided, however, that the Trustee may take any other action deemed proper by the Trustee that is not inconsistent with such direction. Prior to taking any such action hereunder, the Trustee shall be entitled to indemnification satisfactory to it in its sole discretion against all costs, losses, liabilities and expenses caused by taking or not taking such action.

SECTION 6.6.    Limitation on Suits. No Holder of any Note will have any right to institute any proceeding with respect to this Indenture or for any remedy thereunder, unless (x) such Holder shall have previously given to the Trustee written notice of a continuing Event of Default, (y) the Holders of at least 30% in aggregate principal amount of the outstanding Notes voting as a single class shall have made written request to the Trustee, and provided indemnity satisfactory to the Trustee in its reasonable discretion, to institute such proceeding as Trustee and (z) the Trustee shall not have received from the Holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the outstanding Notes a direction inconsistent with such request and shall have failed to institute such proceeding within 60 days. Such limitations do not apply, however, to a suit instituted by a Holder directly (as opposed to through the Trustee) for enforcement of payment of the principal of (and premium, if any) or interest on such Note on or after the respective due dates expressed in such Note.

A Holder may not use this Indenture to prejudice the rights of another Holder or to obtain a preference or priority over another Holder.

SECTION 6.7.    Rights of Holders to Receive Payment. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Indenture (including, without limitation, Section 6.6), the right of any Holder to receive payment of principal of, premium (if any), or interest on the Notes held by such Holder, on or after the respective due dates expressed or provided for in the Notes, 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 such Holder.

SECTION 6.8.    Collection Suit by Trustee. If an Event of Default specified in clause (a) or (b) of Section 6.1 occurs and is continuing, the Trustee may recover judgment in its own name and as trustee of an express trust against the Issuer for the whole amount then due and owing (together with interest on any unpaid interest to the extent lawful) and the amounts provided for in Section 7.6.

SECTION 6.9.    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 (including any claim for the reasonable compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the Trustee, its agents and counsel) and the Holders allowed in

 

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any judicial proceedings relative to the Issuer, its Subsidiaries or its or their respective creditors or properties and, unless prohibited by law or applicable regulations, may be entitled and empowered to participate as a member of any official committee of creditors appointed in such matter and may vote on behalf of the Holders in any election of a trustee in bankruptcy or other Person performing similar functions, and any custodian in any such judicial proceeding is hereby authorized by each Holder to make 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 it for the reasonable compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the Trustee, its agents and its counsel, and any other amounts due the Trustee under Section 7.6.

No provision of this Indenture shall be deemed to authorize the Trustee to authorize or consent to or accept or adopt on behalf of any Holder any plan of 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 proceeding.

SECTION 6.10. Priorities. (a) If the Trustee collects any money or property pursuant to this ARTICLE VI, it shall pay out the money or property in the following order:

FIRST: to the Trustee for amounts due to it under Section 7.6;

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

THIRD: to the Issuer, or to the extent the Trustee collects any amount for any Guarantor, to such Guarantor.

(b)    The Trustee may fix a record date and payment date for any payment to Holders pursuant to this Section 6.10. At least 15 days before such record date, the Issuer shall send to each Holder and the Trustee a notice that states the record date, the payment date and amount to be paid.

SECTION 6.11. 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 6.11 does not apply to a suit by the Trustee, a suit by the Issuer, a suit by a Holder pursuant to Section 6.7 or a suit by Holders of more than 10% in outstanding principal amount of the Notes.

 

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ARTICLE VII

TRUSTEE

SECTION 7.1.    Duties of Trustee. If an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing, the Trustee shall exercise the rights and powers vested in it by this Indenture and use the same degree of care and skill in its exercise as a prudent Person would exercise or use under the circumstances in the conduct of such person’s own affairs; provided that the Trustee shall be under no obligation to exercise any of the rights or powers under this Indenture, the Notes or the Guarantees at the request or direction of any of the Holders unless the Holders have offered the Trustee indemnity or security satisfactory to the Trustee against any cost, loss, liability or expense.

(a)    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 forth in this Indenture and no implied covenants or obligations shall be read into this Indenture against the Trustee; and

(ii)    in the absence of gross negligence or willful misconduct on its part, the Trustee may conclusively rely, as to the truth of the statements and the correctness of the opinions expressed therein, upon certificates, opinions or orders furnished to the Trustee and conforming to the requirements of this Indenture, the Notes or the Guarantees, as applicable. However, in the case of any such certificates or opinions which by any provisions hereof are specifically required to be furnished to the Trustee, the Trustee shall examine such certificates and opinions to determine whether or not they conform to the requirements of this Indenture, the Notes or the Guarantees, as the case may be (but need not confirm or investigate the accuracy of mathematical calculations or other facts stated therein).

(b)    The Trustee may not be relieved from liability for its own negligent action, its own negligent failure to act or its own willful misconduct, except that:

(i)    this paragraph does not limit the effect of paragraph (a) of this

Section 7.1;

(ii) the Trustee shall not be liable for any error of judgment made in good faith by a Trust Officer unless it is proved that the Trustee was negligent in ascertaining the pertinent facts;

(iii)    the Trustee shall not be liable with respect to any action it takes or omits to take in good faith in accordance with a direction received by it pursuant to Section 6.5; and

(iv)    No provision of this Indenture, the Notes or the Guarantees shall require the Trustee to expend or risk its own funds or otherwise incur financial liability in the performance of any of its duties hereunder or thereunder or in the exercise of any of its rights or powers, if it shall have reasonable grounds to believe that repayment of such funds or adequate indemnity against such risk or liability is not reasonably assured to it.

 

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(c)    Every provision of this Indenture that in any way relates to the Trustee is subject to paragraphs (a), (b) and (c) of this Section 7.1.

(d)    The Trustee shall not be liable for interest on any money received by it except as the Trustee may agree in writing with the Issuer.

(e)    Money held in trust by the Trustee need not be segregated from other funds except to the extent required by law.

(f)    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 7.1.

(g)    Unless otherwise specifically provided in this Indenture, any demand, request, direction or notice from the Issuer shall be sufficient if signed by one Officer of the Issuer.

SECTION 7.2.    Rights of Trustee. Subject to Section 7.1:

(a)    The Trustee may conclusively rely on and shall be fully protected in acting or refraining from acting upon any resolution, certificate, statement, instrument, opinion, report, notice, request, direction, consent, order, judgment or other paper or document (whether in its original or facsimile form) reasonably believed by it to be genuine and to have been signed or presented by the proper person. The Trustee need not investigate any fact or matter stated in the document. The Trustee shall receive and retain financial reports and statements of the Issuer as provided herein, but shall have no duty to review or analyze such reports or statements to determine compliance with covenants or other obligations of the Issuer.

(b)    Before the Trustee acts or refrains from acting, it may require an Officer’s Certificate and/or an Opinion of Counsel. The Trustee shall not be liable for any action it takes or omits to take in good faith in reliance on an Officer’s Certificate or an Opinion of Counsel, subject to customary assumptions and exclusions.

(c)    The Trustee may execute any of the trusts and powers hereunder or perform any duties hereunder either directly by or through its attorneys and agents and shall not be responsible for the misconduct or negligence of any agent or attorney appointed with due care by it hereunder.

(d)    In the absence of willful misconduct or negligence, the Trustee shall not be liable for any action it takes or omits to take in good faith which it believes to be authorized or within its rights or powers, conferred upon it by this Indenture.

(e)    The Trustee may consult with counsel of its selection, and the advice or Opinion of Counsel with respect to legal matters relating to this Indenture, the Notes or the Guarantees 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 Notes or the Guarantees in good faith and in accordance with the advice or opinion of such counsel.

 

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(f)    The Trustee shall not be deemed to have notice of any Default or Event of Default or whether any entity or group of entities constitutes a Significant Subsidiary unless a Trust Officer of the Trustee has actual knowledge thereof or unless written notice of any event which is in fact such a Default or Event of Default or of any such Significant Subsidiary is received by the Trustee at the corporate trust office of the Trustee specified in Section 12.1, and such notice references the Notes and this Indenture.

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

(h)    The Trustee shall be under no obligation to exercise any of the rights or powers vested in it by this Indenture, the Notes or the Guarantees at the request, order or direction of any of the Holders pursuant to the provisions of this Indenture, unless the Holders shall have offered to the Trustee security or indemnity satisfactory to it against the costs, losses, expenses and liabilities which may be incurred therein or thereby.

(i)    The Trustee shall not be deemed to have knowledge of any fact or matter unless such fact or matter is actually known to a Trust Officer of the Trustee.

(j)    Whenever in the administration of this Indenture, the Notes or the Guarantees the Trustee shall deem it desirable that a matter be proved or established prior to taking, suffering or omitting any action hereunder or thereunder, the Trustee (unless other evidence be herein specifically prescribed) may, in the absence of negligence or willful misconduct on its part, rely upon an Officer’s Certificate.

(k)    In no event shall the Trustee be responsible or liable for any special, indirect, punitive, incidental 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.

(l)    The Trustee shall not be bound to make any investigation into the facts or matters stated in any resolution, certificate, statement, instrument, report, notice, request, direction, consent, order, bond, debenture, coupon or other paper or document, but the Trustee, in its discretion, may make such further inquiry or investigation into such facts or matters as it may see fit, and, if the Trustee shall determine to make such further inquiry or investigation, it shall be entitled to examine, during business hours and upon reasonable notice, the books, records and premises of the Issuer and the Restricted Subsidiaries, personally or by agent or attorney at the sole cost of the Issuer and shall incur no liability or additional liability of any kind by reason of such inquiry or investigation.

(m)    The Trustee shall not be required to give any bond or surety in respect of the performance of its powers and duties hereunder.

(n)    The Trustee may request that the Issuer deliver a certificate setting forth the names of individuals and/or titles of officers authorized at such time to take specified actions pursuant to this Indenture or the Notes.

 

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(o)    The permissive rights of the Trustee to do things enumerated in this Indenture shall not be construed as a duty unless so specified herein.

SECTION 7.3.    Individual Rights of Trustee. The Trustee in its individual or any other capacity may become the owner or pledgee of Notes and may otherwise deal with the Issuer, Guarantors or their Affiliates with the same rights it would have if it were not Trustee. Any Paying Agent, Registrar, co-registrar or co-paying agent may do the same with like rights. However, the Trustee must comply with Sections 7.9 and 7.10. In addition, the Trustee shall be permitted to engage in transactions with the Issuer.

SECTION 7.4.    Trustee’s Disclaimer. The Trustee shall not be responsible for and makes no representation as to the validity or adequacy of this Indenture, the Offering Memorandum, the Purchase Agreement, the Guarantees or the Notes, shall not be accountable for the Issuer’s use of the proceeds from the sale of the Notes, shall not be responsible for the use or application of any money received by any Paying Agent other than the Trustee or any money paid to the Issuer pursuant to the terms of this Indenture and shall not be responsible for any statement of the Issuer in this Indenture or in any document issued in connection with the sale of the Notes or in the Notes other than the Trustee’s certificate of authentication.

SECTION 7.5.    Notice of Defaults. If a Default or Event of Default occurs and is continuing and if a Trust Officer has actual knowledge thereof, the Trustee shall send to each Holder at the address set forth in the Notes Register notice of the Default or Event of Default within 90 days after it is actually known to a Trust Officer. Except in the case of a Default relating to the payment of principal of, premium (if any), or interest on any Note (including payments pursuant to the optional redemption or required repurchase provisions of such Note), the Trustee may withhold the notice if and so long as a Trust Officer in good faith determines that withholding the notice is in the interests of Holders.

SECTION 7.6.    Compensation and Indemnity. The Issuer shall pay to the Trustee from time to time reasonable compensation for its services hereunder and under the Notes and the Guarantees as the Issuer and the Trustee shall from time to time agree in writing. The Trustee’s compensation shall not be limited by any law on compensation of a trustee of an express trust. The Issuer and Guarantors jointly and severally shall reimburse the Trustee upon request for all reasonable and documented out-of-pocket expenses incurred or made by it, including, but not limited to, costs of collection, costs of preparing reports, certificates and other documents, costs of preparation and mailing of notices to Holders. Such expenses shall include the reasonable compensation and expenses, disbursements and advances of the respective agents, counsel, accountants and experts of the Trustee. The Issuer and Guarantors jointly and severally shall indemnify each of the Trustee and its officers, directors, shareholders, employees and agents against any and all loss, liability, damages, claims or expense (including reasonable attorneys’ fees and expenses) incurred by it without willful misconduct or negligence on its part in connection with the acceptance or administration of this trust, the exercise of its rights and powers, and the performance of its duties hereunder and under the Notes and the Guarantees, including the costs and expenses of enforcing this Indenture (including this Section 7.6), the Notes and the Guarantees and of defending itself against any claims (whether asserted by any Holder, the Issuer or otherwise). Each of the Trustee shall notify the Issuer promptly of any claim for which it may seek indemnity of which it has received written notice. Failure by the

 

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Trustee to so notify the Issuer shall not relieve the Issuer of its obligations hereunder. The Issuer shall defend the claim and the Trustee shall provide reasonable cooperation at the Issuer’s expense in the defense. The Trustee may have separate counsel and the Issuer shall pay the fees and expenses of such counsel; provided, that the Issuer shall not be required to pay the fees and expenses of such separate counsel if it assumes the Trustee’s defense, and, in the reasonable judgment of outside counsel to the Trustee, there is no conflict of interest between the Issuer and the Trustee in connection with such defense. Neither the Issuer or any Guarantor need pay for any settlement made without its consent, which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld. The Issuer shall not settle or compromise any action, suit, proceeding or claim relating to the Trustee in any manner that would adversely affect the Trustee, as determined by the Trustee in its reasonable discretion, or would obligate the Trustee to pay any sum or perform any obligation that is inconsistent with the provisions of this Indenture.

To secure the Issuer’s and Guarantors’ payment obligations in this Section 7.6, the Trustee shall have a lien prior to the Notes on all money or property held or collected by the Trustee other than money or property held in trust to pay principal of and interest on particular Notes. Such lien shall survive the satisfaction and discharge of this Indenture. The Trustee’s right to receive payment of any amounts due under this Section 7.6 shall not be subordinate to any other liability or Indebtedness of the Issuer.

The Issuer’s and Guarantors’ payment obligations pursuant to this Section 7.6 shall survive the discharge of this Indenture and the resignation or removal of the Trustee.

Without prejudice to any other rights available to the Trustee under applicable law, when the Trustee incurs expenses or renders services after the occurrence of a Default specified in clause (h) or (i) of Section 6.1, the expenses (including the reasonable fees and expenses of its counsel) are intended to constitute expenses of administration under any Bankruptcy Law.

SECTION 7.7.    Replacement of Trustee. The Trustee may resign at any time by so notifying the Issuer in writing not less than 30 days prior to the effective date of such resignation. The Holders of a majority in principal amount of the Notes may remove the Trustee by so notifying the removed Trustee in writing not less than 30 days prior to the effective date of such removal and may appoint a successor Trustee with the Issuer’s written consent, which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld. The Issuer shall remove the Trustee if:

(a)    the Trustee fails to comply with Section 7.9;

(b)    the Trustee is adjudged bankrupt or insolvent or an order for relief is entered with respect to the Trustee under any Bankruptcy Law;

(c)    a receiver or other public officer takes charge of the Trustee or its property; or

(d) the Trustee otherwise becomes incapable of acting.

If the Trustee resigns or is removed by the Issuer or by the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the Notes and such Holders do not reasonably promptly appoint a successor Trustee as described in the preceding paragraph, or if a vacancy exists in the office of the Trustee for any reason (the Trustee in such event being referred to herein as the retiring Trustee), the Issuer shall promptly appoint a successor Trustee.

 

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A successor Trustee shall deliver a written acceptance of its appointment to the retiring Trustee and to the Issuer. Thereupon the resignation or removal of the retiring Trustee shall become effective, and the successor Trustee shall have all the rights, powers and duties of the Trustee under this Indenture. The successor Trustee shall mail a notice of its succession to Holders. The retiring Trustee shall promptly transfer all property held by it as Trustee to the successor Trustee, subject to the lien provided for in Section 7.6.

If a successor Trustee does not take office within 60 days after the retiring Trustee resigns or is removed, the retiring Trustee or the Holders of at least 10% in principal amount of the Notes may petition, at the Issuer’s expense, any court of competent jurisdiction for the appointment of a successor Trustee.

If the Trustee fails to comply with Section 7.9, any Holder, who has been a bona fide holder of a Note for at least six months, may petition any court of competent jurisdiction for the removal of the Trustee and the appointment of a successor Trustee.

Notwithstanding the replacement of the Trustee pursuant to this Section 7.7, the Issuer’s obligations under Section 7.6 shall continue for the benefit of the retiring Trustee. The retiring Trustee shall have no liability for any action or inaction of any successor Trustee.

SECTION 7.8.    Successor Trustee by Merger. If the Trustee consolidates with, merges or converts into, or transfers all or substantially all its corporate trust business or assets to, another corporation or banking association, the resulting, surviving or transferee corporation without any further act shall be the successor Trustee.

In case at the time such successor or successors by merger, conversion or consolidation to the Trustee shall succeed to the trusts created by this Indenture, 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 hereunder or in the name of the successor to the Trustee; provided that the right to adopt the certificate of authentication of any predecessor Trustee or authenticate Notes in the name of any predecessor Trustee shall only apply to its successor or successors by merger, consolidation or conversion.

SECTION 7.9.    Eligibility; Disqualification. This Indenture shall always have a Trustee that satisfies the requirements of TIA § 310(a)(1), (2) and (5) (whether or not applicable by law) in every respect. The Trustee shall have a combined capital and surplus of at least $100 million as set forth in its most recent published annual report of condition. The Trustee shall comply with TIA § 310(b) (whether or not applicable by law); provided, however, that there shall be excluded from the operation of TIA § 310(b)(1) (whether or not applicable by law) any indenture or indentures under which other securities or certificates of interest or participation in other securities of the Issuer are outstanding if the requirements for such exclusion set forth in TIA § 310(b)(1) (whether or not applicable by law) are met.

 

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SECTION 7.10. Preferential Collection of Claims Against the Issuer. The Trustee shall comply with TIA § 311(a) (whether or not applicable by law), excluding any creditor relationship listed in TIA § 311(b). A Trustee who has resigned or been removed shall be subject to TIA § 311(a) (whether or not applicable by law) to the extent indicated.

SECTION 7.11. Trustee’s Application for Instruction from the Issuer. Any application by the Trustee for written instructions from the Issuer may, at the option of the Trustee, set forth in writing any action proposed to be taken or omitted by the Trustee under this Indenture and the date on and/or after which such action shall be taken or such omission shall be effective. The Trustee shall not be liable for any action taken by, or omission of, the Trustee in accordance with a proposal included in such application on or after the date specified in such application (which date shall not be less than three Business Days after the date any Officer of the Issuer actually receives such application, unless any such Officer shall have consented in writing to any earlier date) unless prior to taking any such action (or the effective date in the case of an omission), the Trustee shall have received written instructions in response to such application specifying the action to be taken or omitted.

ARTICLE                VIII

LEGAL DEFEASANCE AND COVENANT DEFEASANCE

SECTION 8.1.    Option to Effect Legal Defeasance or Covenant Defeasance; Defeasance. The Issuer may elect, at its option, to have either Section 8.2 or 8.3 hereof be applied to all outstanding Notes upon compliance with the conditions set forth below in this ARTICLE VIII.

SECTION 8.2.    Legal Defeasance and Discharge. Upon the Issuer’s exercise under Section 8.1 hereof of the option applicable to this Section 8.2, the Issuer and each of the Guarantors shall, subject to the satisfaction of the conditions set forth in Section 8.4 hereof, be deemed to have been discharged from their obligation with respect to all outstanding Notes (including the Guarantees) on the date the conditions set forth below are satisfied (hereinafter, “Legal Defeasance”). For this purpose, Legal Defeasance means that the Issuer and the Guarantors shall be deemed to have paid and discharged the entire Indebtedness represented by the outstanding Notes (including the Guarantees), which shall thereafter be deemed to be “outstanding” only for the purposes of Section 8.6 hereof and the other Sections of this Indenture referred to in clauses (a) through (d) below, and to have satisfied all of their other obligations under such Notes, the Guarantees and this Indenture (and the Trustee, on demand of and at the expense of the Issuer, shall execute proper instruments acknowledging the same) and to have cured all then existing Events of Default, except for the following provisions which shall survive until otherwise terminated or discharged hereunder:

(a)    the rights of Holders to receive payments in respect of the principal of and any premium and interest on the Notes when payments are due solely out of the trust referred to in Section 8.4 hereof;

(b)    the Issuer’s obligations with respect to the Notes under ARTICLE II concerning issuing temporary Notes, registration of such Notes, mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen Notes and Section 3.10 hereof concerning the maintenance of an office or agency for payment and money for security payments held in trust;

 

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(c)    the rights, powers, trusts, duties and immunities of the Trustee and the Issuer’s and Guarantors’ obligations in connection therewith; and

(d) this ARTICLE VIII with respect to provisions relating to Legal Defeasance.

SECTION 8.3.    Covenant Defeasance. Upon the Issuer’s exercise under Section 8.1 hereof of the option applicable to this Section 8.3, the Issuer and each of the Guarantors shall, subject to the satisfaction of the conditions set forth in Section 8.4 hereof, be released from each of their obligations under the covenants contained in Section 3.2, 3.3, 3.4, 3.5, 3.6, 3.7, 3.8, 3.9, Section 3.15 and clause (iii) of Section 4.1(a) hereof with respect to the outstanding Notes on and after the date the conditions set forth in Section 8.4 hereof are satisfied (hereinafter, “Covenant Defeasance”), and the Notes shall thereafter be deemed not “outstanding” for the purposes of any direction, waiver, consent or declaration or act of Holders (and the consequences of any thereof) in connection with such covenants, but shall continue to be deemed “outstanding” for all other purposes hereunder. For this purpose, Covenant Defeasance means that, with respect to the outstanding Notes and Guarantees, 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 covenant, whether directly or indirectly, by reason of any reference elsewhere herein to any such covenant or by reason of any reference in any such covenant to any other provision herein or in any other document and such omission to comply shall not constitute a Default or an Event of Default under Section 6.1, but, except as specified above, the remainder of this Indenture and such Notes and Guarantees shall be unaffected thereby. In addition, upon the Issuer’s exercise under Section 8.1 of the option applicable to this Section 8.3, subject to the satisfaction of the conditions set forth in Section 8.4 hereof, Section 6.1(c), Section 6.1(d), Section 6.1(e) and Section 6.1(g) shall not constitute Events of Default.

SECTION 8.4.    Conditions to Legal or Covenant Defeasance. In order to exercise either Legal Defeasance or Covenant Defeasance under either Section 8.2 or Section 8.3:

(a)    the Issuer must irrevocably have deposited or caused to be deposited with the Trustee as trust funds in trust for the purpose of making the following payments, specifically pledged as security for, and dedicated solely to the benefits of the Holders of (i) money in an amount, (ii) U.S. government obligations, which through the scheduled payment of principal and interest in respect thereof in accordance with their terms will provide, not later than the due date of any payment, money in an amount or (iii) a combination thereof, in each case sufficient without reinvestment, in the opinion of a nationally recognized investment bank, appraisal firm or independent public accountants, to pay and discharge, and which shall be applied by the Trustee to pay and discharge, the entire indebtedness in respect of the principal of and premium, if any, and interest on such Notes on the Stated Maturity thereof or (if the Issuer has made arrangements reasonably satisfactory to the Trustee for the giving of notice of redemption by the Trustee in the name and at the expense of the Issuer) the redemption date thereof, as the case may be, in accordance with the terms of this Indenture and such Notes; provided that upon any

 

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redemption that requires the payment of the Applicable Premium, the amount deposited shall be sufficient for purposes of this Indenture to the extent that an amount is deposited with the Trustee equal to the Applicable Premium calculated as of the date of the notice of redemption, with any deficit as of the date of the redemption only required to be deposited with the Trustee on or prior to the Redemption Date;

(b)    in the case of Legal Defeasance, the Issuer shall have delivered to the Trustee an Opinion of Counsel, subject to customary assumptions and exclusions, stating that (i) the Issuer has received from, or there has been published by, the Internal Revenue Service a ruling or (ii) since the date of this Indenture, there has been a change in the applicable U.S. federal income tax law (whether by statute or judicial precedent), in either case (i) or (ii) to the effect that, and based thereon such opinion shall confirm that, the Holders will not recognize gain or loss for U.S. federal income tax purposes as a result of such Legal Defeasance and will be subject to U.S. federal income tax on the same amount, in the same manner and at the same times as would be the case if such Legal Defeasance had not occurred;

(c)    in the case of Covenant Defeasance, the Issuer shall have delivered to the Trustee an Opinion of Counsel, subject to customary assumptions and exclusions, to the effect that the Holders of such outstanding Notes will not recognize gain or loss for U.S. federal income tax purposes as a result of such Covenant Defeasance and will be subject to federal income tax on the same amount, in the same manner and at the same times as would be the case if such Covenant Defeasance had not occurred;

(d)    no Default or Event of Default with respect to the outstanding Notes shall have occurred and be continuing at the time of such deposit after giving effect thereto (other than a Default or Event of Default resulting from the borrowing of funds to be applied to such deposit and the grant of any Lien to secure such borrowing (and any similar concurrent deposit relating to other Indebtedness) and the granting of Liens to secure such borrowings);

(e)    such Legal Defeasance or Covenant Defeasance shall not result in a breach or violation of, or constitute a default under, any material agreement or material instrument (other than this Indenture) and the agreements governing any other Indebtedness being defeased, discharged or replaced) to which the Issuer is a party or by which the Issuer is bound (other than that resulting from a borrowing of funds to be applied to such deposit and the grant of any Lien to secure such borrowing); and

(f)    the Issuer shall have delivered to the Trustee an Officer’s Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel, subject to customary assumptions and exclusions, each stating that all conditions precedent with respect to such Legal Defeasance or Covenant Defeasance have been complied with.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Opinion of Counsel required by clause (b) above with respect to a Legal Defeasance need not to be delivered if all Notes not theretofore delivered to the Trustee for cancellation (x) have become due and payable, or (y) will become due and payable at Stated Maturity within one year under arrangements reasonably satisfactory to the Trustee for the giving of notice of redemption by the Trustee in the name, and at the expense, of the Issuer.

 

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SECTION 8.5.    Deposited Money and Government Securities to be Held in Trust; Other Miscellaneous Provisions. Subject to Section 8.6, all money and non-callable Government Securities (including the proceeds thereof) deposited with the Trustee (or other qualifying trustee, collectively for purposes of this Section 8.5, the “Trustee”) pursuant to Section 8.4 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) as the Trustee may determine, to the Holders of such Notes of all sums due and to become due thereon in respect of principal, premium and additional interest, if any, and interest, but such money need not be segregated from other funds except to the extent required by law.

The Issuer shall pay and indemnify the Trustee against any tax, fee or other charge imposed on or assessed against the cash or non-callable Government Securities deposited pursuant to Section 8.4 hereof or the principal 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.

Notwithstanding anything in this ARTICLE VIII to the contrary, the Trustee shall deliver or pay to the Issuer from time to time upon the request of the Issuer any money or non- callable Government Securities held by it as provided in Section 8.4 hereof which, in the opinion of a nationally recognized firm of independent public accountants expressed in a written certification thereof delivered to the Trustee (which may be the opinion delivered under Section 8.4(a)), are in excess of the amount thereof that would then be required to be deposited to effect an equivalent Legal Defeasance or Covenant Defeasance.

SECTION 8.6.    Repayment to the Issuer. Any money deposited with the Trustee or any Paying Agent, or then held by the Issuer, in trust for the payment of the principal of, premium, if any, or interest on, any Note and remaining unclaimed for two years after such principal, premium, if any, or interest has become due and payable shall be paid to the Issuer on its request unless an abandoned property law designates another Person or (if then held by the Issuer) shall be discharged from such trust; and the Holder of such Note shall thereafter be permitted to look only to the Issuer for payment thereof unless an abandoned property law designates another Person, and all liability of the Trustee or such Paying Agent with respect to such trust money, and all liability of the Issuer as trustee thereof, shall thereupon cease; provided, however, that the Trustee or such Paying Agent, before being required to make any such repayment, may at the direction and expense of the Issuer cause to be published once, in the New York Times and The Wall Street Journal (national edition), 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 notification or publication, any unclaimed balance of such money then remaining shall be repaid to the Issuer.

SECTION 8.7.    Reinstatement. If the Trustee or Paying Agent is unable to apply any money or U.S. government obligations in accordance with Section 8.2 or 8.3 hereof, as the case may be, by reason of any order or judgment of any court or governmental authority enjoining, restraining or otherwise prohibiting such application, then the Issuer’s and the Guarantors’ obligations under this Indenture and the Notes and the Guarantees shall be revived and reinstated as though no deposit had occurred pursuant to Section 8.2 or 8.3 hereof until such

 

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time as the Trustee or Paying Agent is permitted to apply all such money in accordance with Section 8.2 or 8.3 hereof, as the case may be; provided, however, that, if the Issuer makes any payment of principal of, premium, if any, or interest on, any Note following the reinstatement of its obligations, the Issuer shall be subrogated to the rights of the Holders of such Notes to receive such payment from the money or U.S. government obligations held by the Trustee or Paying Agent.

ARTICLE IX

AMENDMENTS

SECTION 9.1.    Without Consent of Holders. Notwithstanding Section 9.2 of this Indenture, without the consent of any Holders, the Issuer, the Guarantors and the Trustee, at any time and from time to time, may amend or supplement this Indenture, the Notes and the Note Guarantees for any of the following purposes:

(a)    to evidence the succession of a Person to the Issuer and the assumption by any such successor of the covenants of the Issuer in this Indenture and the Notes and, if applicable, the Note Guarantee;

(b)    to add to or modify the covenants, in each case, for the benefit of the Holders, or to surrender any right or power herein conferred upon the Issuer or a Restricted Subsidiary of the Issuer;

(c)    to add covenants or additional Defaults or Events of Default for the benefit of the Holders or to surrender any right or power conferred upon the Issuer or any Guarantor;

(d)    to provide for uncertificated Notes in addition to or in place of the certificated Notes or to alter the provisions of this Indenture relating to the form of the Notes (including the related definitions) in a manner that does not materially adversely affect any Holder (provided that the uncertified Notes are issued in registered form for purposes of Section 163(f) of the Code);

(e)    to evidence and provide for the acceptance of appointment under this Indenture by a successor or replacement Trustee;

(f)    to provide for or confirm the issuance of Additional Notes in accordance with the terms of this Indenture;

(g)    to add a Guarantor (including a guarantee of a Parent Entity) or release a guarantee of a Parent Entity;

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

(i)    to make any change that would provide any additional rights or benefits to the Holders or that does not adversely affect the legal rights under this Indenture of any such Holder (as determined in good faith by the Issuer or any Parent Entity on behalf of the Issuer);

 

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(j)    to conform the text of this Indenture, the Notes or the Note Guarantee to any provision under the heading “Description of the Notes” in the Offering Memorandum to the extent that the Trustee has received an Officer’s Certificate stating that such provision in the “Description of the Notes” was intended to be a verbatim recitation of a provision of this Indenture, the Notes or the Note Guarantee;

(k)    to effect or maintain the qualification of this Indenture under the Trust Indenture Act;

(l)    to amend the provisions of this Indenture relating to the transfer and legending of Notes as permitted by this Indenture, including, without limitation, to facilitate the issuance and administration of the Notes; provided that (i) compliance with this Indenture as so amended would not result in notes being transferred in violation of the Securities Act or any applicable securities law and (ii) such amendment does not materially and adversely affect the rights of Holders to transfer Notes;

(m)    to comply with the rules of any applicable securities depository; or

(n)    to secure the Notes and/or the Note Guarantees and add provisions regarding the release of collateral.

Subject to Section 9.2, upon the request of the Issuer, and upon receipt by the Trustee of the documents described in Section 12.2, 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 directly affects the Trustee’s own rights, duties, liabilities or immunities under this Indenture or otherwise, in which case the Trustee may in its discretion, but shall not be obligated to, enter into such amended or supplemental indenture.

After an amendment or supplement under this Section 9.1 becomes effective, the Issuer shall mail to Holders a notice briefly describing such amendment or supplement. The failure to give such notice to all Holders, or any defect therein, shall not impair or affect the validity of an amendment or supplement under this Section 9.1.

SECTION 9.2.    With Consent of Holders.

Except as provided below in this Section 9.2, this Indenture, the Notes and any Note Guarantees may be amended or supplemented with the consent of the Holders of at least a majority in principal amount of the Notes voting as a single class then outstanding, including consents obtained in connection with a purchase of, or tender offer or exchange offer for, the Notes, and, subject to Section 6.4 and 6.7 hereof, any existing Default or Event of Default (other than a Default or Event of Default in the payment of the principal of, premium, if any, or interest on the Notes, except a payment default resulting from an acceleration that has been rescinded) or compliance with any provision of this Indenture, the Notes and the Guarantees may be waived with the consent of the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the then outstanding Notes voting as a single class, other than Notes beneficially owned by the Issuer or its Affiliates (including consents obtained in connection with a purchase of, or tender offer or exchange offer for the Notes). Section 2.11 and Section 12.4 hereof shall determine which Notes are considered to be “outstanding” for the purposes of this Section 9.2.

 

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Upon the request of the Issuer, and upon the filing with the Trustee of evidence satisfactory to the Trustee of the consent of the Holders of Notes as aforesaid, and upon receipt by the Trustee of the documents described in Section 12.2, 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 directly affects the Trustee’s own rights, duties, liabilities or immunities under this Indenture or otherwise, in which case the Trustee may in its discretion, but shall not be obligated to, enter into such amended or supplemental Indenture.

Without the consent of each Holder of Notes directly affected thereby, an amendment or waiver may not, with respect to any Notes held by a non-consenting Holder:

(a)    reduce the principal amount of the Notes whose Holders must consent to an amendment, supplement or waiver;

(b)    reduce the principal amount of or change the fixed maturity date of any such Note or reduce the premium payable upon the redemption of the Notes or change the time at which such Notes may be redeemed as described under Section 5.7; provided that any amendment to the minimum notice requirement may be made with the consent of the Holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the Notes then outstanding;

(c)    reduce the rate of or change the time for payment of interest on any such Note;

(d)    waive a Default or Event of Default in the payment of principal of or premium, if any, or interest on the Notes, except a rescission of acceleration of the Notes by the Holders of at least a majority in aggregate principal amount of the Notes voting as a single class and a waiver of the payment default that resulted from such acceleration, or in respect of a covenant or provision contained in this Indenture or any Note Guarantee which cannot be amended or modified without the consent of all affected Holders;

(e)    make any such Note payable in money other than that stated in the Notes;

(f)    make any change in the provisions of this Indenture relating to waivers of past Defaults or the rights of Holders to receive payments of principal of or premium, if any, or interest on the Notes;

(g)    make any change to the amendment and waiver provisions in this Section 9.2;

(h)    impair the right of any Holder to receive payment of principal of, or interest on such Holder’s Notes on or after the due dates therefor or to institute suit for the enforcement of any payment on or with respect to such Holder’s Notes; or

(i)    make any change to the ranking or modify the ranking of any such Note or Note Guarantee that would adversely affect the Holders (except as expressly set forth in Section 9.1).

 

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It shall not be necessary for the consent of the Holders under this Indenture to approve the particular form of any proposed amendment, supplement or waiver, but it shall be sufficient if such consent approves the substance thereof. A consent to any amendment, supplement or waiver under this Indenture by any Holder of the Notes given in connection with a tender or exchange of such Holder’s Notes shall not be rendered invalid by such tender or exchange.

After an amendment or supplement under this Section 9.2 becomes effective, the Issuer shall mail to the Holders affected a notice briefly describing such amendment or supplement. The failure to give such notice to all Holders, or any defect therein, shall not impair or affect the validity of an amendment or supplement.

For the avoidance of doubt, the provisions of Section 3.8 relating to the Issuer’s obligation to make an offer to repurchase the Notes as a result of a Change of Control, including the definition of “Change of Control,” may be waived, amended or modified with the written consent of the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the Notes outstanding under this Indenture.

SECTION 9.3.    Revocation and Effect of Consents and Waivers.

Until an amendment, supplement or waiver becomes effective, a consent to it by a Holder of a Note is a continuing consent by the Holder of a Note and every subsequent Holder of a Note or portion of a Note that evidences the same debt as the consenting Holder’s Note, even if notation of the consent or waiver is not made on any Note. However, any such Holder of a Note or subsequent Holder of a Note may revoke the consent or waiver as to such Holder’s Note or portion of its Note if the Trustee receives written notice of revocation before the date the amendment, supplement or waiver becomes effective. An amendment, supplement or waiver becomes effective in accordance with its terms and thereafter binds every Holder.

The Issuer may, but shall not be obligated to, fix a record date for the purpose of determining the Holders entitled to give their consent or take any other action described above or required or permitted to be taken pursuant to this Indenture. If a record date is fixed, then notwithstanding the immediately preceding paragraph, those Persons who were Holders at such record date (or their duly designated proxies), and only those Persons, shall be entitled to give such consent or to revoke any consent previously given or to take any such action, 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.

SECTION 9.4.    Notation on or Exchange of Notes.

The Issuer or, at the request of the Issuer, the Trustee, may place an appropriate notation about an amendment, supplement or waiver on any Note thereafter authenticated. The Issuer in exchange for all Notes may issue and the Trustee shall, upon receipt of an Issuer Order, authenticate new Notes that reflect the amendment, supplement or waiver.

Failure to make the appropriate notation or issue a new Note shall not affect the validity and effect of such amendment, supplement or waiver.

 

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SECTION 9.5.    Trustee to Sign Amendments.

The Trustee shall sign any amended or supplemental indenture authorized pursuant to this ARTICLE IX if the amendment or supplement does not adversely affect the rights, duties, liabilities or immunities of the Trustee. In executing any amended or supplemental indenture, the Trustee shall receive and (subject to Section 7.1 and Section 7.2) shall be fully protected in relying upon, in addition to the documents required by Section 12.2, an Officer’s Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel, subject to customary assumptions and exclusions, stating that the execution of such amended or supplemental indenture is authorized or permitted by this Indenture.

ARTICLE X

GUARANTEE

SECTION 10.1. Guarantee. Subject to the provisions of this ARTICLE X, each Guarantor hereby fully, unconditionally and irrevocably guarantees, as primary obligor and not merely as surety, jointly and severally with each other Guarantor, to each Holder, and the Trustee the full and punctual payment when due, whether at maturity, by acceleration, by redemption or otherwise, of the principal of, premium, if any, and interest (including interest accruing after the filing of any petition in bankruptcy, or the commencement of any insolvency, reorganization or like proceeding, relating to the Issuer or any Guarantor whether or not a claim for post-filing or post-petition interest is allowed in such proceeding and the obligations under Section 7.6) on the Notes and all other obligations and liabilities of the Issuer under this Indenture (including without limitation interest) (all the foregoing being hereinafter collectively called the “Guaranteed Obligations”). Each Note Guarantee shall be on an unsecured senior basis. Each Guarantor agrees that the Guaranteed Obligations shall (a) rank equally in right of payment with other existing and future senior Indebtedness of each such Guarantor, (b) be effectively subordinated to all Secured Indebtedness of each such Guarantor to the extent of the value of the assets securing such Indebtedness and (c) shall be senior in right of payment to all existing and future Subordinated Indebtedness of each such Guarantor.

To evidence its Note Guarantee set forth in this Section 10.1, each Guarantor hereby agrees that this Indenture (or a supplemental indenture to this Indenture) and a notation of the Note Guarantee shall both be executed on behalf of such Guarantor by an Officer of such Guarantor.

Each Guarantor hereby agrees that its Note Guarantee set forth in Section 10.1 hereof shall remain in full force and effect notwithstanding the absence of the notation of the Note Guarantee on the Notes.

If an Officer whose signature is on this Indenture or a supplemental indenture hereto no longer holds that office at the time the Trustee authenticates the Note, the Note Guarantee shall be valid nevertheless.

Upon execution of a supplemental indenture to this Indenture by the Guarantors, the Note Guarantees set forth in this Indenture shall be deemed duly delivered, without any

 

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further action by any Person, on behalf of the Guarantors. Following the Issue Date, the delivery of any Note by the Trustee, after the authentication thereof hereunder, shall constitute due delivery of the Note Guarantee set forth in this Indenture or any supplemental indenture on behalf of the Guarantors.

Each Guarantor further agrees (to the extent permitted by law) that the Guaranteed Obligations may be extended or renewed, in whole or in part, without notice or further assent from it, and that it shall remain bound under this ARTICLE X notwithstanding any extension or renewal of any Guaranteed Obligation.

Each Guarantor waives presentation to, demand of payment from and protest to the Issuer of any of the Guaranteed Obligations and also waives notice of protest for nonpayment. Each Guarantor waives notice of any default under the Notes or the Guaranteed Obligations.

Each Guarantor further agrees that its Note Guarantee herein constitutes a Guarantee of payment when due (and not a Guarantee of collection) and waives any right to require that any resort be had by any Holder to any security held for payment of the Guaranteed Obligations.

Except as set forth in Section 10.2, the obligations of each Guarantor hereunder shall not be subject to any reduction, limitation, impairment or termination for any reason (other than payment of the Guaranteed Obligations in full), including any claim of waiver, release, surrender, alteration or compromise, and shall not be subject to any defense of setoff, counterclaim, recoupment or termination whatsoever or by reason of the invalidity, illegality or unenforceability of the Guaranteed Obligations or otherwise. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the Guaranteed Obligations of each Guarantor herein shall not be discharged or impaired or otherwise affected by (a) the failure of any Holder to assert any claim or demand or to enforce any right or remedy against the Issuer or any other person under this Indenture, the Notes or any other agreement or otherwise; (b) any extension or renewal of any thereof; (c) any rescission, waiver, amendment or modification of any of the terms or provisions of this Indenture, the Notes or any other agreement; (d) the failure of any Holder to exercise any right or remedy against any other Guarantor; (e) any change in the ownership of the Issuer; (f) any default, failure or delay, willful or otherwise, in the performance of the Guaranteed Obligations, or (g) any other act or thing or omission or delay to do any other act or thing which may or might in any manner or to any extent vary the risk of any Guarantor or would otherwise operate as a discharge of such Guarantor as a matter of law or equity.

Each Guarantor agrees that its Note Guarantee herein shall remain in full force and effect until payment in full of all the Guaranteed Obligations or such Guarantor is released from its Note Guarantee in compliance with Section 10.2, ARTICLE VIII or ARTICLE XI. Each Guarantor further agrees that its Note Guarantee herein shall continue to be effective or be reinstated, as the case may be, if at any time payment, or any part thereof, of principal of, premium, if any, or interest on any of the Guaranteed Obligations is rescinded or must otherwise be restored by any Holder upon the bankruptcy or reorganization of the Issuer or otherwise.

 

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In furtherance of the foregoing and not in limitation of any other right which any Holder has at law or in equity against any Guarantor by virtue hereof, upon the failure of the Issuer to pay any of the Guaranteed Obligations when and as the same shall become due, whether at maturity, by acceleration, by redemption or otherwise, each Guarantor hereby promises to and shall, upon receipt of written demand by the Trustee, forthwith pay, or cause to be paid, in cash, to the Holders or the Trustee on behalf of the Holders an amount equal to the sum of (a) the unpaid amount of such Guaranteed Obligations then due and owing and

(b)    accrued and unpaid interest on such Guaranteed Obligations then due and owing (but only to the extent not prohibited by law) (including interest accruing after the filing of any petition in bankruptcy or the commencement of any insolvency, reorganization or like proceeding relating to the Issuer or any Guarantor whether or not a claim for post-filing or post-petition interest is allowed in such proceeding).

Each Guarantor further agrees that, as between such Guarantor, on the one hand, and the Holders, on the other hand, (a) the maturity of the Guaranteed Obligations guaranteed hereby may be accelerated as provided in this Indenture for the purposes of its Guarantee herein, notwithstanding any stay, injunction or other prohibition preventing such acceleration in respect of the Guaranteed Obligations guaranteed hereby and (b) in the event of any such declaration of acceleration of such Guaranteed Obligations, such Guaranteed Obligations (whether or not due and payable) shall forthwith become due and payable by the Guarantor for the purposes of this Guarantee.

Each Guarantor also agrees to pay any and all costs and expenses (including reasonable attorneys’ fees and expenses) incurred by the Trustee or the Holders in enforcing any rights under this Section.

SECTION 10.2. Limitation on Liability, Termination, Release and Discharge.

(a)    Any term or provision of this Indenture to the contrary notwithstanding, the obligations of each Guarantor hereunder shall be limited to the maximum amount as shall, after giving effect to all other contingent and fixed liabilities of such Guarantor (including, without limitation, any guarantees under the Senior Secured Credit Facilities) and after giving effect to any collections from or payments made by or on behalf of any other Guarantor in respect of the obligations of such other Guarantor under its Note 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 and not otherwise being void or voidable under any similar laws affecting the rights of creditors generally.

(b)    Any Note Guarantee by a Guarantor shall be automatically and unconditionally released and discharged upon:

(i)    any sale, exchange, disposition or transfer (by merger, consolidation or otherwise) of (A) the Capital Stock of a Guarantor (including any sale, exchange, disposition or transfer), after which the applicable Guarantor is no longer a Restricted Subsidiary or (B) all or substantially all of the assets of such Guarantor, which sale, exchange or transfer is made in compliance with the applicable provisions of this Indenture;

 

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(ii)    the release or discharge of the guarantee by, or direct obligation of, such Guarantor with respect to the Senior Secured Credit Facilities or the Guarantee which resulted in the creation of such Note Guarantee, except a discharge or release by or as a result of payment under such guarantee or direct obligation;

(iii)    (A) the designation of any Guarantor as an Unrestricted Subsidiary in compliance with the applicable provisions of this Indenture or (B) the occurrence of any other event following which such Guarantor is no longer a Restricted Subsidiary in a manner not in violation of this Indenture;

(iv)    exercise of Legal Defeasance or Covenant Defeasance by the Issuer as described under Section 8.2 or Section 8.3 or the Issuer’s obligations under this Indenture being discharged in accordance with ARTICLE XI;

(v)    any Guarantor ceasing to be a Subsidiary as a result of any foreclosure of any pledge or security interest securing Secured Indebtedness or other exercise of remedies in respect thereof, subject to, in each case, such foreclosure or exercise of remedies not being in violation of this Indenture;

(vi) the occurrence of a Covenant Suspension Event:

(vii)    the merger, consolidation or amalgamation of any Guarantor with and into the Issuer, another Guarantor or a Person that will become a Guarantor upon the consummation of such merger, consolidation or amalgamation, or upon the liquidation of such Guarantor following the transfer of all of its assets to the Issuer or another Guarantor; or

(viii) as described in ARTICLE IX.

Upon the release and discharge of any Note Guarantee pursuant to this clause (b), the Trustee shall execute an instrument evidencing the release of such Guarantor upon such Guarantor delivering to the Trustee an Officers’ Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel, subject to customary assumptions and exclusions, stating that all conditions precedent provided for in this Indenture relating to such transaction have been complied with.

SECTION 10.3. Right of Contribution. Each Guarantor hereby agrees that any Guarantor that makes a payment on the obligations under the Note Guarantees shall be entitled, upon payment in full of all obligations under the Guarantees, to a contribution from each other Guarantor in an amount equal to such other Guarantors’ pro rata portion of such payment based on the respective net assets of all the Guarantors at the time of such payment determined in accordance with GAAP. The provisions of this Section 10.3 shall in no respect limit the obligations and liabilities of each Guarantor to the Trustee and the Holders and each Guarantor shall remain liable to the Trustee and the Holders for the full amount guaranteed by such Guarantor hereunder.

SECTION 10.4. No Subrogation. Notwithstanding any payment or payments made by each Guarantor hereunder, no Guarantor shall be entitled to be subrogated to any of the rights of the Trustee or any Holder against the Issuer or any other Guarantor or any guarantee or right of offset held by the Trustee or any Holder for the payment of the Guaranteed Obligations,

 

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nor shall any Guarantor seek or be entitled to seek any contribution or reimbursement from the Issuer or any other Guarantor in respect of payments made by such Guarantor hereunder, until all amounts owing to the Trustee and the Holders by the Issuer on account of the Guaranteed Obligations are paid in full. If any amount shall be paid to any Guarantor on account of such subrogation rights at any time when all of the Guaranteed Obligations shall not have been paid in full, such amount shall be held by such Guarantor in trust for the Trustee and the Holders, segregated from other funds of such Guarantor, and shall, forthwith upon receipt by such Guarantor, be turned over to the Trustee in the exact form received by such Guarantor (duly indorsed by such Guarantor to the Trustee, if required), to be applied against the Guaranteed Obligations.

SECTION 10.5. Release of Parent Company Guarantee. Any guarantee of the Notes provided by a Parent Entity of the Issuer may be released at any time in the Issuer’s sole discretion.

SATISFACTION AND DISCHARGE

Notes, when:

SECTION 11.1. Satisfaction and Discharge.

This Indenture shall be discharged and shall cease to be of further effect as to all

(a)    either: (i) all Notes theretofore authenticated and delivered (except lost stolen or destroyed notes which have been replaced or paid and Notes for whose payment money has theretofore 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 (ii) all such Notes not theretofore delivered to the Trustee for cancellation (A) have become due and payable by making a notice of redemption or otherwise, (B) will become due and payable within one year or are to be called for redemption within one year or (C) if redeemable at the option of the Issuer, are to be called for redemption within one year (a “Discharge”) under arrangements reasonably satisfactory to the Trustee for the giving of notice of redemption by the Trustee in the name, and at the expense, of the Issuer, and the Issuer or any Guarantor has irrevocably deposited or caused to be deposited with the Trustee funds in an amount sufficient to pay and discharge the entire indebtedness on the Notes, not theretofore delivered to the Trustee for cancellation, for principal of, premium, if any, and interest to the Stated Maturity or Redemption Date; provided that upon any redemption that requires the payment of the Applicable Premium, the amount deposited shall be sufficient for purposes of this Indenture to the extent that an amount is deposited with the Trustee equal to the Applicable Premium calculated as of the date of the notice of redemption, with any deficit as of the Redemption Date only required to be deposited with the Trustee on or prior to the Redemption Date;

(b)    the Issuer has paid or caused to be paid all other sums then due and payable under this Indenture by the Issuer;

 

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(c)    the Issuer has delivered irrevocable instructions to the Trustee under this Indenture to apply the deposited money toward the payment of the Notes at maturity or on the redemption date, as the case may be; and

(d)    the Issuer has delivered to the Trustee an Officer’s Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel, subject to customary assumptions and exclusions, to the effect that all conditions precedent set forth in clauses (a)-(c) have been complied with.

Notwithstanding the satisfaction and discharge of this Indenture, if money has been deposited with the Trustee pursuant to Section 11.1(a), the provisions of Section 12.1 and Section 8.6 hereof shall survive.

SECTION 11.2. Application of Trust Money.

Subject to the provisions of Section 8.6 hereof, all money deposited with the Trustee pursuant to Section 11.1 hereof shall be held in trust and applied by it, in accordance with the provisions of the Notes and this Indenture, to the payment, either directly or through any Paying Agent (including the Issuer acting as its own Paying Agent) as the Trustee may determine, to the Persons entitled thereto, of the principal (and premium, if any) and interest for whose payment such money has been deposited with the Trustee; but such money need not be segregated from other funds except to the extent required by law.

If the Trustee or Paying Agent is unable to apply any money or Government Securities in accordance with Section 11.1 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 any Guarantors’ obligations under this Indenture and the Notes shall be revived and reinstated as though no deposit had occurred pursuant to Section 11.1; provided that if the Issuer has made any payment of principal of, premium, if any, or interest on, any Notes because of the reinstatement of its obligations, the Issuer shall be subrogated to the rights of the Holders of such Notes to receive such payment from the money or Government Securities held by the Trustee or Paying Agent.

ARTICLE XII

MISCELLANEOUS

SECTION 12.1. Notices. Any notice or communication shall be in writing and delivered in person, sent by facsimile, sent by electronic mail, delivered by commercial courier service or mailed by first-class mail, postage prepaid, addressed as follows:

if to the Issuer or the Guarantors: CPG International LLC

1330 W Fulton Street, Suite 350

Chicago, Illinois 60607

Attention: Chief Financial Officer

 

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with a copy to:

Sullivan & Cromwell LLP

125 Broad Street

New York, New York 10004

Attention: Ari Blaut

Facsimile: (212) 291-1656

E-mail: blauta@sullcrom.com

if to the Trustee, at its corporate trust office, which

corporate trust office for purposes of this Indenture is at

the date hereof located at:

Wilmington Trust, National Association

1100 N. Market Street,

Wilmington, DE 19890

Attention: CPG International, LLC Administrator

Facsimile: 302-636-4145

Email: tmorris@wilmingtontrust.com

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

All notices and communications (other than those sent to Holders) will 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 sent, without automatic reply that such was unsuccessful, if emailed; when receipt acknowledged, if sent by facsimile transmission; and the next Business Day after timely delivery to the courier, if sent by overnight air courier guaranteeing next day delivery.

Any notice or communication to a Holder will be delivered electronically or mailed by first class mail, certified or registered, return receipt requested, or by overnight air courier guaranteeing next day delivery or emailed to its address shown on the register kept by the Registrar.

The Trustee agrees to accept and act upon instructions or directions pursuant to this Indenture sent by unsecured e-mail, pdf, facsimile transmission or other similar unsecured electronic methods, provided, however, that the Issuer shall provide the Trustee with an incumbency certificate listing persons designated to give such instructions or directions and containing specimen signatures of such designated persons. The Issuer shall update the incumbency certificate from time to time whenever a person is to be added or deleted from the listing. Failure to provide an incumbency certificate shall only affect the Issuer’s ability to provide electronic instructions or directions to the Trustee and shall not constitute a breach under this Indenture. If the Issuer elects to give the Trustee e-mail or facsimile instructions (or instructions by a similar electronic method) and the Trustee in its discretion elects to act upon such instructions, the Trustee’s understanding of such instructions shall be deemed controlling. The Trustee shall be entitled to all of the protections afforded to it under this Indenture in

 

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reliance on any such instructions. The Issuer agrees to assume all risks arising out of the use of such electronic methods to submit instructions and directions to the Trustee, including without limitation the risk of the Trustee acting on unauthorized instructions, and the risk or interception and misuse by third parties.

Failure to mail a notice or communication to a Holder or any defect in it shall not affect its sufficiency with respect to other Holders. If a notice or communication is mailed in the manner provided above, it is duly given, whether or not the addressee receives it, except that notices to the Trustee shall be effective only upon receipt.

In case by reason of the suspension of regular mail service or by reason of any other cause it shall be impracticable to give such notice by mail, then such notification as shall be made with the approval of the Trustee shall constitute a sufficient notification for every purpose hereunder.

Notwithstanding any other provision of this Indenture or any Note, where this Indenture or any Note provides for notice of any event (including any notice of redemption) to a Holder of a Global Note (whether by mail or otherwise), such notice shall be sufficiently given if given to DTC for such Note (or its designee), pursuant to the customary procedures of DTC.

SECTION 12.2. Certificate and Opinion as to Conditions Precedent. Upon any request or application by the Issuer to the Trustee to take or refrain from taking any action under this Indenture, the Issuer shall furnish to the Trustee:

(a)    an Officer’s Certificate in form reasonably satisfactory to the Trustee stating that, in the opinion of the signer, all conditions precedent, if any, provided for in this Indenture relating to the proposed action have been complied with; and

(b)    an Opinion of Counsel, subject to customary assumptions and exclusions, in form reasonably satisfactory to the Trustee stating that, in the opinion of such counsel, all such conditions precedent have been complied with.

SECTION 12.3. Statements Required in Certificate or Opinion. Each certificate or opinion with respect to compliance with a covenant or condition provided for in this Indenture shall include:

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

(b)    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;

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

 

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(d)    a statement as to whether or not, in the opinion of such individual (not in its individual capacity), such covenant or condition has been complied with.

In giving such Opinion of Counsel, counsel may rely as to factual matters on an Officer’s Certificate or on certificates of public officials.

SECTION 12.4. When Notes Disregarded. In determining whether the Holders of the required aggregate principal amount of Notes have concurred in any direction, waiver or consent, Notes owned by the Issuer, any Guarantor or any Affiliate of them shall be disregarded and deemed not to be outstanding, except that, for the purpose of determining whether the Trustee shall be protected in relying on any such direction, waiver or consent, only Notes which a Trust Officer of the Trustee actually knows are so owned shall be so disregarded. Also, subject to the foregoing, only Notes outstanding at the time shall be considered in any such determination.

SECTION 12.5. Rules by Trustee, Paying Agent and Registrar. The Trustee may make reasonable rules for action by, or at meetings of, Holders. The Registrar and the Paying Agent may make reasonable rules for their functions.

SECTION 12.6. Business Days. If a payment date (including an Interest 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. If a regular record date is a Business Day, the record date shall not be affected.

SECTION 12.7. GOVERNING LAW.

(a)    THIS INDENTURE, THE NOTES AND THE NOTE GUARANTEES SHALL BE GOVERNED BY, AND CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH, THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK.

(b)    EACH PARTY HERETO IRREVOCABLY AND UNCONDITIONALLY SUBMITS TO THE JURISDICTION OF THE SUPREME COURT OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK SITTING IN THE BOROUGH OF MANHATTAN, NEW YORK COUNTY AND OF THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT OF THE SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF NEW YORK SITTING IN THE BOROUGH OF MANHATTAN, AND ANY APPELLATE COURT FROM ANY JURISDICTION THEREOF, IN ANY ACTION OR PROCEEDING ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THIS INDENTURE, THE NOTES OR THE SUBSIDIARY GUARANTEES, 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 PARTY 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 INDENTURE SHALL AFFECT ANY RIGHT THAT ANY PARTY HERETO OTHERWISE HAVE TO BRING ANY ACTION OR PROCEEDING RELATING TO THIS INDENTURE AGAINST ANY PARTY HERETO OR ITS PROPERTIES IN THE COURTS OF ANY JURISDICTION.

 

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(c)    EACH PARTY HERETO IRREVOCABLY AND UNCONDITIONALLY WAIVES, TO THE FULLEST EXTENT IT MAY LEGALLY AND EFFECTIVELY DO SO, ANY OBJECTION WHICH IT MAY NOW OR HEREAFTER HAVE TO THE LAYING OF VENUE OF ANY SUIT, ACTION OR PROCEEDING ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THIS INDENTURE IN ANY COURT REFERRED TO IN SECTION 12.7(B) HERETO. EACH PARTY HERETO IRREVOCABLY WAIVES, TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW, THE DEFENSE OF AN INCONVENIENT FORUM TO THE MAINTENANCE OF SUCH ACTION OR PROCEEDING IN ANY SUCH COURT.

(d)    EACH PARTY HERETO IRREVOCABLY CONSENTS TO SERVICE OF PROCESS IN THE MANNER PROVIDED FOR NOTICES IN SECTION 12.1 HEREOF, SUCH SERVICE TO BE EFFECTIVE UPON RECEIPT. NOTHING IN THIS INDENTURE WILL AFFECT THE RIGHT OF ANY PARTY HERETO TO SERVE PROCESS IN ANY OTHER MANNER PERMITTED BY LAW.

SECTION 12.8. USA Patriot Act. The parties hereto acknowledge that in accordance with Section 326 of the USA Patriot Act, the Trustee, like all financial institutions and in order to help fight the funding of terrorism and money laundering, is required to obtain, verify, and record information that identifies each person or legal entity that establishes a relationship or opens an account. The parties to this Indenture agree that they shall provide the Trustee with such information as they may request in order to satisfy the requirements of the USA Patriot Act.

SECTION 12.9. No Recourse Against Others. An incorporator, director, officer, employee, manager or stockholder of the Issuer or any Guarantor or any of their respective Parent Entities or equity owners, solely by reason of this status, shall not have any liability for any obligations of the Issuer or any Guarantor under the Notes, the Note Guarantees or this Indenture, as applicable, or for any claim based on, in respect of or by reason of such obligations or their creation. By accepting a Note, each Holder waives and releases all such liability. The waiver and release are a part of the consideration for the issuance of the Notes.

SECTION 12.10.    Successors. All agreements of the Issuer and each Guarantor in this Indenture and the Notes shall bind their respective successors. All agreements of the Trustee in this Indenture shall bind its successors.

SECTION 12.11.    Multiple Originals. The parties may sign any number of copies of this Indenture. Each signed copy shall be an original, but all of them together represent the same agreement. One signed copy is enough to prove this Indenture.

SECTION 12.12.    Table of Contents; Headings. 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 intended to be considered a part hereof and shall not modify or restrict any of the terms or provisions hereof.

 

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SECTION 12.13.    WAIVERS OF JURY TRIAL. ALL PARTIES HERETO HEREBY IRREVOCABLY AND UNCONDITIONALLY WAIVE, TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, TRIAL BY JURY IN ANY LEGAL ACTION OR PROCEEDING RELATING TO THIS INDENTURE, THE NOTES OR THE GUARANTEES AND FOR ANY COUNTERCLAIM THEREIN.

SECTION 12.14.    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, or the unavailability of the Federal Reserve Bank wires or telex or other wire or communication facility it being understood that the Trustee shall use reasonable best efforts which are consistent with accepted practices in the banking industry to resume performance as soon as practicable under the circumstances.

SECTION 12.15.    Severability; Entire Agreement. If a court of competent jurisdiction declares any provision hereof invalid, it will be ineffective only to the extent of such invalidity, so that the remainder of the provision and this Indenture will continue in full force and effect. This Indenture and the exhibits hereto constitute the entire agreement and understanding of the parties related to this transaction and supersedes all prior agreements and understandings, oral or written.

SECTION 12.16.    Electronic Signatures. The words “execution,” “signed,” “signature,” and words of similar import in this Indenture and the Notes shall be deemed to include electronic or digital signatures or the keeping of records in electronic form, each of which shall be of the same effect, validity, and enforceability as manually executed signatures or a paper-based recordkeeping system, as the case may be, to the extent and as provided for under applicable law, including the Electronic Signatures in Global and National Commerce Act of 2000 (15 U.S.C. §§ 7001-7006), the Electronic Signatures and Records Act of 1999 (N.Y. State Tech. §§ 301-309), or any other similar state laws based on the Uniform Electronic Transactions Act; provided that, notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, the Trustee is not under any obligation to agree to accept electronic signatures in any form or in any format unless expressly agreed to by such Trustee pursuant to procedures approved by such Trustee.

 

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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.

 

CPG INTERNATIONAL LLC

 

By: /s/ Paul Kardish

Name: Paul Kardish
Title:   Senior Vice President and
            Chief Legal Officer

[Signature Page to the Indenture]


VYCOM CORP.

SCRANTON PRODUCTS INC.

SANATEC SUB I CORPORATION

SANTANA PRODUCTS INC.

CPG SUB I CORPORATION

CPG BUILDING PRODUCTS LLC

WES, LLC

ULTRALOX TECHNOLOGY, LLC

VERSATEX HOLDINGS, LLC

VERSATEX BUILDING PRODUCTS, LLC

 

By: /s/ Paul Kardish

Name: Paul J. Kardish
Title:   Chief Legal Officer and Senior Vice President

[Signature Page to the Indenture]


WILMINGTON TRUST, NATIONAL

ASSOCIATION, as Trustee

 

By: /s/ W. Thomas Morris, II

Name: W. Thomas Morris, II
Title:   Vice President

[Signature Page to the Indenture]


SCHEDULE I

VYCOM CORP.

SCRANTON PRODUCTS INC.

SANATEC SUB I CORPORATION

SANTANA PRODUCTS INC.

CPG BUILDING PRODUCTS LLC

CPG SUB I CORPORATION

WES, LLC

ULTRALOX TECHNOLOGY, LLC

VERSATEX HOLDINGS, LLC

VERSATEX BUILDING PRODUCTS, LLC


EXHIBIT A: Form of Note

[FORM OF FACE OF NOTE]

[Applicable Restricted Notes Legend]

[Depository Legend, if applicable]

[OID Legend, if applicable]

[Temporary Regulation S Legend, if applicable]

 

No. [    ]   

                        Principal Amount $[            ] [as

                        revised by the Schedule of Increases and

                        Decreases in Global Note attached hereto]1

                         CUSIP NO.                                                                                                          2

CPG INTERNATIONAL LLC

9.500% Senior Notes due 2025

CPG International LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (the “Issuer”), promises to pay to [Cede & Co.]1, or its registered assigns, the principal sum of                 Dollars, [as revised by the Schedule of Increases and Decreases in the Global Note attached hereto]1, on May 15, 2025.

Interest Payment Dates: May 15 and November 15, commencing on November 15, 2020

Record Dates: May 1 and November 1

Additional provisions of this Note are set forth on the other side of this Note.

 

 

 

 

1 Insert in Global Notes only

2 144A – 12655XAA8

   Reg S – U2205XAA1

 

A-2


IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Issuer has caused this instrument to be duly executed.

 

CPG International LLC

 

By:  

 

  Name:
  Title:

 

A-3


TRUSTEE’S CERTIFICATE OF AUTHENTICATION

Wilmington Trust, National Association, as Trustee,

certifies that this is one of the

Notes referred to in the Indenture.

 

By:                                                                             Date:                                                                         
Authorized Officer   

 

A-4


[FORM OF REVERSE SIDE OF NOTE]

CPG INTERNATIONAL LLC

9.500% Senior Notes due 2025

Capitalized terms used herein and not defined herein have the meanings ascribed thereto in the Indenture.

1.    Interest

CPG International LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (such limited liability company, and its successors and assigns under the Indenture hereinafter referred to, being herein called the “Issuer”), promises to pay interest on the principal amount of this Note at the rate of 9.500% per annum, which shall accrue from the most recent date to which interest has been paid or, if no interest has been paid, from May 12, 2020. The Issuer shall pay interest on overdue principal at the rate specified herein, and it shall pay interest on overdue installments of interest at the same rate to the extent lawful. Interest on the Notes shall be computed on the basis of a 360-day year comprised of twelve 30-day months.

The Issuer shall make each interest payment in cash semi-annually in arrears on May 15 and November 15 of each year, commencing on November 15, 2020, or if any such day is not a Business Day, on the next succeeding Business Day (each, an “Interest Payment Date”) to Holders of record of Notes on the immediately preceding May 1 and November 1.

2.    Method of Payment

By no later than 11:00 a.m. (New York City time) on the date on which any principal of, premium, if any, or interest on any Note is due and payable, the Issuer shall deposit with the Paying Agent a sum sufficient in immediately available funds to pay such principal, premium or interest when due. Interest on any Note which is payable, and is timely paid or duly provided for, on any Interest Payment Date shall be paid to the Person in whose name such Note (or one or more Predecessor Notes) is registered at the close of business on the preceding May 1 and November 1 at the office or agency of the Issuer maintained for such purpose pursuant to Section 2.3 of the Indenture. The principal of (and premium, if any) and interest on the Notes shall be payable at the office or agency of Paying Agent or Registrar designated by the Issuer maintained for such purpose in the United States or at such other office or agency of the Issuer as may be maintained for such purpose pursuant to Section 2.3 of the Indenture; provided, however, that, at the option of the Issuer, the principal of (and premium, if any) and interest may be paid by (i) check mailed to addresses of the Persons entitled thereto as such addresses shall appear on the Note Register or (ii) wire transfer to an account located in the United States maintained by the payee, subject to the last sentence of this paragraph. Payments in respect of Notes represented by a Global Note (including principal, premium, if any, and interest) shall be made by wire transfer of immediately available funds to the accounts specified by The Depository Trust Company or any successor depository.

 

A-5


3.    Paying Agent and Registrar

The Issuer initially appoints Wilmington Trust, National Association (the “Trustee”), as Registrar and Paying Agent for the Notes. The Issuer may change any Registrar or Paying Agent without prior notice to the Holders. The Issuer or any Guarantor may act as Paying Agent, Registrar or transfer agent.

4.    Indenture

The Issuer issued the Notes under an Indenture dated as of May 12, 2020 (as it may be amended or supplemented from time to time in accordance with the terms thereof, the “Indenture”), among CPG International LLC, the guarantors named therein and the Trustee. The terms of the Notes include those stated in the Indenture. The Notes are subject to all terms and provisions of the Indenture, and Holders are referred to the Indenture for a statement of those terms. To the extent any provision of this Note conflicts with the express provisions of the Indenture, the provisions of the Indenture shall govern and be controlling.

The Notes are senior unsecured obligations of the Issuer. The aggregate principal amount of Notes that may be authenticated and delivered under the Indenture is unlimited. This Note is one of the 9.500% Senior Notes due 2025 referred to in the Indenture. The Notes include (i) $350,000,000 principal amount of the Issuer’s 9.500% Senior Notes due 2025 issued under the Indenture (the “Initial Notes”) and (ii) if and when issued, additional 9.500% Senior Notes due 2025 of the Issuer that may be issued from time to time in accordance with the Indenture subsequent to May 12, 2020 (the “Additional Notes”) as provided in Section 2.1(a) of the Indenture. The Initial Notes and the Additional Notes shall be considered collectively as a single class for all purposes of the Indenture and any security documents. The Indenture imposes certain limitations on the incurrence of indebtedness and issuance of disqualified stock, the making of restricted payments, the incurrence of certain liens, dividend and other payment restrictions affecting restricted subsidiaries, the sale of assets and subsidiary stock, the entering into of agreements that restrict distribution from restricted subsidiaries and the consummation of mergers and consolidations. The Indenture also imposes requirements with respect to the provision of financial information and the provision of guarantees of the Notes by certain subsidiaries.

5.    Redemption

At any time prior to May 15, 2022, the Issuer may, on one or more occasions, redeem all or any portion of the Notes, upon notice as provided in Section 5.3 of the Indenture, at a redemption price equal to 100% of the principal amount of Notes redeemed, plus the Applicable Premium as of the Redemption Date (the “Redemption Date”), plus accrued and unpaid interest, to, but excluding, the Redemption Date.

Prior to May 15, 2022, the Issuer may, at its option, upon notice as described under Section 5.3 of the Indenture, with the net cash proceeds of one or more Equity Offerings (other than any Qualified IPO), redeem up to 40% of the aggregate principal amount of the Notes originally issued under the Indenture (including any Additional Notes issued after the Issue Date) at a redemption price equal to 107.125% of the principal amount thereof, plus accrued and

 

A-6


unpaid interest, to, but excluding the Redemption Date; provided that (a) at least 50% of the aggregate principal amount of Notes originally issued under the Indenture (including any Additional Notes issued after the Issue Date) remains outstanding immediately after the occurrence of any such redemption (excluding Notes held by the Issuer or its Subsidiaries) and (b) any such redemption occurs within 180 days following the closing of any such Equity Offering. The Trustee shall select the Notes to be purchased in the manner described under Sections 5.1 through 5.6 of the Indenture.

Prior to May 15, 2022, the Issuer may, at its option, on one or more occasions, redeem either (x) up to 40% of the aggregate principal amount of Notes originally issued under the Indenture (including any Additional Notes issued after the Issue Date) or (y) 100% of the aggregate principal amount of Notes originally issued under the Indenture (including any Additional Notes issued after the Issue Date), in each case, with the proceeds of a Qualified IPO, upon notice pursuant to Section 5.3 at a redemption price equal to 107.125% of the principal amount thereof plus accrued and unpaid interest, to, but excluding, the Redemption Date; provided that any such redemption occurs within 180 days following the closing of any such Qualified IPO, provided, further, that following such redemption, either (a) at least 60% of the aggregate principal amount of Notes originally issued under the Indenture (including any Additional Notes issued after Issue Date) remains outstanding immediately after the occurrence of any such redemption or (b) all of the Notes originally issued under the Indenture (including any Additional Notes issued after the Issue Date) are redeemed. If less than 100% of the aggregate principal amount of the Notes are redeemed pursuant to this clause (c), the Notes to be redeemed shall be selected in the manner described under Section 5.1 through Section 5.6.

Except as set forth above, the Notes shall not be redeemable at the Issuer’s option prior to May 15, 2020.

The Issuer may redeem the Notes, in whole or in part, at any time on or after May 15, 2022 upon notice as described under Section 5.3 of the Indenture, at the following redemption prices (expressed as percentages of principal amount of the Notes to be redeemed) set forth below, plus accrued and unpaid interest, to, but excluding the Redemption Date (subject to the right of Holders on the relevant regular record date to receive interest due on an Interest Payment Date that is prior to the Redemption Date), if redeemed during the 12-month period beginning on May 15 of the years indicated below:

 

Period

   Percentage  

2022

     104.750

2023

     102.375

2024 and thereafter

     100.000

Any redemption pursuant to this paragraph 6 shall be made pursuant to the provisions of Sections 5.1 through 5.6 of the Indenture.

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

 

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Notice of any redemption upon any corporate transaction or other event (including any Equity Offering, Qualified IPO, Incurrence of Indebtedness, Change of Control or other transaction) may be given prior to the completion thereof. In addition, any redemption described above or notice thereof may, at the Issuer’s discretion, be subject to one or more conditions precedent, including, but not limited to, completion of a corporate transaction or other event. If any redemption is so subject to the satisfaction of one or more conditions precedent, the notice thereof shall describe each such condition and, if applicable, shall state that, in the Issuer’s discretion, the redemption date may be delayed until such time as any or all such conditions shall be satisfied (or waived by the Issuer in its sole discretion), and/or such redemption may not occur and such notice may be rescinded in the event that any or all such conditions shall not have been satisfied (or waived by the Issuer in its sole discretion) by the redemption date, or by the redemption date as so delayed, and/or that such notice may be rescinded at any time by the Issuer if the Issuer determines in its sole discretion that any or all of such conditions will not be satisfied (or waived). In addition, the Issuer may provide in such notice that payment of the redemption price and performance of the Issuer’s obligations with respect to such redemption may be performed by another Person.

The Issuer may, at its option, elect to redeem the Notes pursuant to more than one type of redemption described under Section 5.7 on a concurrent basis.

6.    Repurchase Provisions

If a Change of Control occurs, unless the Issuer or a third party has prior to or concurrently with the time the Issuer is required to make a Change of Control Offer, delivered electronically or mailed a redemption notice with respect to all the outstanding Notes as described in Section 5.7 of the Indenture, each Holder shall have the right to require the Issuer to repurchase from each Holder all or any part (equal to $1,000 or an integral multiple of $1,000 in excess thereof) of such Holder’s Notes at a purchase price in cash equal to 101% of the aggregate principal amount thereof plus accrued and unpaid interest, to, but excluding, the date of purchase, subject to the right of Holders on the relevant record date to receive interest due on the Interest Payment Date as provided in, and subject to the terms of, the Indenture. Such repurchase shall be made subject to the Applicable Procedures.

7.    Denominations; Transfer; Exchange

The Notes shall be issuable only in fully registered form, without coupons, and only in minimum denominations of principal amount of $1,000 and any integral multiple of $1,000 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 or transfer documents and to pay a sum sufficient to cover any tax and fees required by law or permitted by the Indenture. The Registrar need not register the transfer of or exchange of any Note (a) for a period beginning (i) 15 days before the mailing of a notice of an offer to repurchase or redeem Notes and ending at the close of business on the day of such mailing or (ii) 15 days before an Interest Payment Date and ending on such Interest Payment Date or (b) (i) called or selected for redemption, except the unredeemed portion of any Note being redeemed in part or (ii) tendered (and not withdrawn) in connection with a Change of Control Offer, Asset Sale Offer or other tender offer.

 

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8.    Persons Deemed Owners

The registered Holder of this Note may be treated as the owner of it for all purposes.

9.    Unclaimed Money

If money for the payment of principal, premium, if any, or interest remains unclaimed for two years, the Trustee or Paying Agent shall pay the money back to the Issuer at its request unless an abandoned property law designates another Person. After any such payment, Holders entitled to the money must look only to the Issuer for payment as general creditors unless an abandoned property law designates another person and not to the Trustee for payment.

10.    Defeasance

Subject to certain exceptions and conditions set forth in the Indenture, the Issuer at any time may terminate some or all of its obligations under the Notes and the Indenture if the Issuer deposits with the Trustee money or Government Securities for the payment of principal, premium, if any, and interest on the Notes to redemption or maturity, as the case may be.

11.    Amendment, Supplement, Waiver

The provisions governing amendment, supplement and waiver of any provision of the Indenture, the Notes or the Note Guarantees are set forth in ARTICLE IX of the Indenture.

12.    Defaults and Remedies

The Events of Default relating to the Notes are defined in Section 6.1 of the Indenture.

13.    Trustee Dealings with the Issuer

Subject to certain limitations set forth in the Indenture, The Trustee in its individual or any other capacity may become the owner or pledgee of Notes and may otherwise deal with the Issuer, Guarantors or their Affiliates with the same rights it would have if it were not Trustee.

14.    No Recourse Against Others

An incorporator, director, officer, employee, manager or stockholder of the Issuer or any Guarantor or any of their respective Parent Entities or equity owners, solely by reason of this status, shall not have any liability for any obligations of the Issuer or any Guarantor under the Notes, the Note Guarantees or the Indenture, as applicable, or for any claim based on, in respect of or by reason of such obligations or their creation. By accepting a Note, each Holder waives and releases all such liability. The waiver and release are a part of the consideration for the issuance of the Notes.

 

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15.    Authentication

This Note shall not be valid until an authorized officer of the Trustee (or an authenticating agent acting on its behalf) manually signs the certificate of authentication on the other side of this Note.

16.    Abbreviations

Customary abbreviations may be used in the name of a Holder or an assignee, such as TEN COM (= tenants in common), TEN ENT (= tenants by the entirety), JT TEN (= joint tenants with rights of survivorship and not as tenants in common), CUST (= custodian) and U/G/M/A (= Uniform Gift to Minors Act).

17.    CUSIP, Common Code and ISIN Numbers

The Issuer has caused CUSIP, Common Code and ISIN numbers, if applicable, to be printed on the Notes and has directed the Trustee to use CUSIP, Common Code and ISIN numbers, if applicable, in notices of redemption or purchase 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 of redemption or purchase and reliance may be placed only on the other identification numbers placed thereon.

18.    Governing Law

This Note shall be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the laws of the State of New York.

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

CPG International LLC

1330 W Fulton Street, Suite 350

Chicago, IL 60607

Attention: Chief Financial Officer

with a copy to:

Sullivan & Cromwell LLP

125 Broad Street

New York, New York 10004

Attention: Ari Blaut

Facsimile: (212) 291-1656

E-mail: blauta@sullcrom.com

 

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ASSIGNMENT FORM

To assign this Note, fill in the form below:

I or we assign and transfer this Note to:

 

 

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

 

 

(Insert assignee’s social security or tax I.D. No.)

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:                                             

Signature Guarantee:                                                                                                                                                                                                                        

(Signature must be guaranteed)

 

 

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

The signature(s) should be guaranteed by an eligible guarantor institution (banks, stockbrokers, savings and loan associations and credit unions with membership in an approved signature guarantee medallion program), pursuant to SEC Rule 17Ad-15.

The undersigned hereby certifies that it ☐ is / ☐ is not an Affiliate of the Issuer and that, to its knowledge, the proposed transferee ☐ is / ☐ is not an Affiliate of the Issuer.

In connection with any transfer or exchange of any of the Notes evidenced by this certificate occurring prior to the date that is one year after the later of the date of original issuance of such Notes and the last date, if any, on which such Notes were owned by the Issuer or any Affiliate of the Issuer, the undersigned confirms that such Notes are being:

CHECK ONE BOX BELOW:

 

(1)

 

  

 

  

acquired for the undersigned’s own account, without transfer; or

 

(2)

 

  

 

  

transferred to the Issuer; or

 

(3)

 

  

 

  

transferred pursuant to and in compliance with Rule 144A under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”); or

 

 

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(4)

 

  

 

  

transferred pursuant to an effective registration statement under the Securities Act; or

 

(5)

 

  

 

  

transferred pursuant to and in compliance with Regulation S under the Securities Act; or

 

(6)

 

  

 

  

transferred to an institutional “accredited investor” (as defined in Rule 501(a)(1), (2), (3) or (7) under the Securities Act), that has furnished to the Trustee a signed letter containing certain representations and agreements (the form of which letter appears as Section 2.8 of the Indenture); or

 

(7)

 

  

 

  

transferred pursuant to another available exemption from the registration requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.

 

Unless one of the boxes is checked, the Trustee shall refuse to register any of the Notes evidenced by this certificate in the name of any person other than the registered Holder thereof; provided, however, that if box (5), (6) or (7) is checked, the Issuer may require, prior to registering any such transfer of the Notes, in its sole discretion, such legal opinions, certifications and other information as the Issuer may reasonably request 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 of 1933, as amended, such as the exemption provided by Rule 144 under such Act.

 

   

 

    Signature
Signature Guarantee:    
   

 

(Signature must be guaranteed)

   

 

Signature

 

 

The signature(s) should be guaranteed by an eligible guarantor institution (banks, stockbrokers, savings and loan associations and credit unions with membership in an approved signature guarantee medallion program), pursuant to SEC Rule 17Ad-15.

TO BE COMPLETED BY PURCHASER IF BOX (1) OR (3) ABOVE IS CHECKED.

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 of 1933, as amended, 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.

 

 

 

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Date:

[TO BE ATTACHED TO GLOBAL NOTES]

SCHEDULE OF INCREASES OR DECREASES IN GLOBAL NOTES

The following increases or decreases in this Global Note have been made:

 

Date of Exchange    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
Notes Custodian
                     

 

  

 

  

 

  

 

  

 

 

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OPTION OF HOLDER TO ELECT PURCHASE

If you elect to have this Note purchased by the Issuer pursuant to Section 3.5 or 3.8 of the Indenture, check either box:

 

  
3.5    3.8

If you want to elect to have only part of this Note purchased by the Issuer pursuant to Section 3.5 or 3.8 of the Indenture, state the amount in principal amount (must be in denominations of $1,000 or an integral multiple of $1,000 in excess thereof):

$                                                      and specify the denomination or denominations (which shall not be less than the minimum authorized denomination) of the Notes to be issued to the Holder for the portion of the within Note not being repurchased (in the absence of any such specification, one such Note shall be issued for the portion not being repurchased):

                    .

Date:                             Your Signature                                                                                                      

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

Signature Guarantee:                                                                                                                                   

(Signature must be guaranteed)

The signature(s) should be guaranteed by an eligible guarantor institution (banks, stockbrokers, savings and loan associations and credit unions with membership in an approved signature guarantee medallion program), pursuant to SEC Rule 17Ad-15.

 

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EXHIBIT B: Form of Indenture Supplement to Add Future Guarantors

This Supplemental Indenture is entered into as of [                ], 20[    ] (this “Supplemental Indenture”), by and among [NAME OF FUTURE GUARANTOR] (the “New Guarantor”), CPG International LLC (the “Issuer”), the guarantors party thereto from time to time and Wilmington Trust, National Association, as Trustee.

W I T N E S S E T H:

WHEREAS, CPG International LLC, as the issuer and the Trustee have heretofore executed and delivered an Indenture dated as of May 12, 2020 (as supplemented, waived or otherwise modified, the “Indenture”), providing for the issuance of an aggregate principal amount of $350.0 million of 9.500% Senior Notes due 2025 of the Issuer (the “Notes”);

WHEREAS, the Indenture provides that under certain circumstances the New Guarantor shall execute and deliver to the Trustee a supplemental indenture pursuant to which the New Guarantor shall unconditionally guarantee all of the Issuer’s Obligations under the Notes and the Indenture on the terms and conditions set forth herein and under the Indenture (the “Guarantee”);

WHEREAS, pursuant to Section 9.1 of the Indenture, the Trustee is authorized to execute and deliver this Supplemental Indenture; and

WHEREAS, all things have been done to make this Supplemental Indenture a legal, valid and binding agreement.

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

ARTICLE I

DEFINITIONS

SECTION 1.1 Defined Terms. As used in this Supplemental Indenture, terms defined in the Indenture or in the preamble or recital hereto are used herein as therein defined. The words “herein,” “hereof” and “hereby” and other words of similar import used in this Supplemental Indenture refer to this Supplemental Indenture as a whole and not to any particular section hereof.

ARTICLE II

REPRESENTATIONS; AGREEMENT TO BE BOUND; GUARANTEE

SECTION 2.1 Representations. The New Guarantor represents and warrants to the Trustee as follows:

(i)    It is duly organized, validly existing and in good standing under the laws of its jurisdiction of organization.

 

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(ii)    The execution, delivery and performance by it of this Supplemental Indenture have been authorized and approved by all necessary [corporate], [limited liability company] [partnership] action on its part.

SECTION 2.2 Agreement to be Bound. The New Guarantor hereby becomes a party to the Indenture as a Guarantor and as such shall have all of the rights and be subject to all of the obligations and agreements of a Guarantor under the Indenture. The New Guarantor agrees to be bound by all of the provisions of the Indenture applicable to a Guarantor and to perform all of the obligations and agreements of a Guarantor under the Indenture.

SECTION 2.3 Guarantee. The New Guarantor agrees, on a joint and several basis with all the existing Guarantors, to fully, unconditionally and irrevocably Guarantee to each Holder of the Notes and the Trustee the Guaranteed Obligations pursuant to ARTICLE X of the Indenture on a senior unsecured basis.

ARTICLE III

MISCELLANEOUS

SECTION 3.1 Notices. All notices and other communications to the New Guarantor shall be given as provided in the Indenture to the New Guarantor, at its address set forth below, with a copy to the Issuer as provided in the Indenture for notices to the Issuer.

SECTION 3.2 Parties. Nothing expressed or mentioned herein is intended or shall be construed to give any Person, firm or corporation, other than the Holders and the Trustee, any legal or equitable right, remedy or claim under or in respect of this Supplemental Indenture or the Indenture or any provision herein or therein contained.

SECTION 3.3 GOVERNING LAW. THIS SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURE SHALL BE GOVERNED BY, AND CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH, THE LAWS

OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK. Sections 12.7(b)-(d) of the Indenture shall apply to this Supplemental Indenture (including the Guarantees set forth herein) mutatis mutandis.

SECTION 3.4 Severability Clause. In case any provision in this Supplemental Indenture 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 and such provision shall be ineffective only to the extent of such invalidity, illegality or unenforceability.

SECTION 3.5 Ratification of Indenture; Supplemental Indentures Part of Indenture. Except as expressly amended 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. The Trustee makes no representation or warranty as to the validity or sufficiency of this Supplemental Indenture or with respect to the recitals contained herein, all of which recitals are made solely by the other parties hereto.

 

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SECTION 3.6 Counterparts. The parties hereto may sign one or more copies of this Supplemental Indenture in counterparts, all of which together shall constitute one and the same agreement.

SECTION 3.7 Headings. The headings of the Articles and the sections in this Supplemental Indenture are for convenience of reference only and shall not be deemed to alter or affect the meaning or interpretation of any provisions hereof.

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

 

[NEW GUARANTOR],

as a Guarantor

 

By:  

     

  Name:
  Title:

 

CPG International LLC, as Issuer

 

By:  

     

  Name:
  Title:

 

WILMINGTON TRUST, NATIONAL

ASSOCIATION, as Trustee

 

By:  

     

  Name:
  Title:

 

A-iii

Exhibit 10.42

SPECIAL BONUS AGREEMENT

This Special Bonus Agreement (this “Agreement”) is made and entered into as of this ___ day of __________, 2018 (the “Grant Date”), by and between CPG International LLC (“CPG”) and [name] (“Employee”). Capitalized terms not defined in this Agreement have the meanings ascribed to them in the [Agreement].

WHEREAS, in consideration of Employee’s future services to CPG or its Affiliates, CPG wishes to grant Employee a special bonus.

NOW, THEREFORE, in order to carry out their intent as expressed above and in consideration of the mutual agreements hereinafter contained, and other good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged, the parties hereby covenant and agree as follows:

1. Grant of Special Bonus. Employee is hereby granted a cash bonus equal to $[●] (the “Special Bonus”), subject to the terms set forth below. Each vested portion of the Special Bonus, as set forth below, will be paid in a cash lump sum within 30 days following the date on which both the Time Vesting Condition and Performance Vesting Condition are satisfied.

2. Vesting.

(a) Time Vesting. The Special Bonus shall [be __% time-vested on the Grant Date, and the remaining __% shall vest in equal installments on [dates][vest in equal installments on the first _____ anniversaries of [●]], subject to the Employee remaining continuously employed with CPG or any of its Affiliates through the applicable vesting date except as set forth in this Section 2(a) (the “Time Vesting Conditions”). Except as otherwise provided herein, upon Employee’s termination of employment for any reason, any unvested portion of the Special Bonus shall be automatically terminated and forfeited without compensation. Employee’s termination of employment for any reason will not have any effect on any portion of the Special Bonus that is time-vested at the time of such termination, which will remain outstanding and subject to the terms of this Agreement. Any portion of the Special Bonus that remains outstanding and eligible for vesting shall time-vest immediately upon a Change in Control or upon a termination of employment without Cause or for Good Reason within twelve (12) months following the occurrence of a Strategic Transaction. Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, if a Change in Control occurs within six (6) months after Employee’s termination of employment without Cause or for Good Reason, then any unvested portion of the Special Bonus immediately prior to such termination of employment shall be treated as outstanding as of the Change of Control and shall time-vest immediately upon such Change in Control.

(b) Performance Vesting. The Special Bonus shall performance-vest on (i) the date following an Initial Public Offering on which the Sponsors own less than 50% of the economic value represented by the equity interests of CPG, or (ii) a Change in Control, in each case which occurs prior to May 26, 2026 and where the price per share in the Initial Public Offering, or the transaction price in the Change in Control, implies an equity value of CPG at least equal to $623 million (the “Performance Vesting


Condition”). For purposes of the preceding sentence, the implied equity value of CPG shall exclude any additional capital contributions following the Grant Date and the receipt of any Proceeds in an Initial Public Offering or any other sale of membership interests in CPG. The implied equity value of CPG shall be determined by the General Partner of the Partnership in its sole discretion. In the event that the Performance Vesting Condition is not met prior to May 26, 2026, the Special Bonus shall be automatically terminated and forfeited without compensation.

(c) As used herein, [the following terms shall have the meanings set forth below:

i. “Change in Control” means (a) (i) any “person” or “group” (as such terms are defined in Sections 13(d)(3) and 14(d)(2) of the 1934 Act) other than an Excluded Entity is or becomes the “beneficial owner” (as defined in Rules 13d-3 and 13d-5 under the 1934 Act), directly or indirectly, of more than 50% of the total Common Interests in the Partnership; (ii) any person or group other than an Excluded Entity is or becomes the “beneficial owner” of more than 50% of the total voting power of the equity interests in any of CPG Holdco LLC, Parent or CPG, including pursuant to any merger, consolidation or otherwise but excluding any public offering of such equity interests registered under the 1933 Act; or (iii) the sale or disposition, in one or a series of related transactions, of all or substantially all of the assets of CPG, to person or group other than an Excluded Entity; and (b) the Sponsors shall have sold or disposed of more than 65% of their aggregate Common Interests in the Partnership for cash or freely tradable and marketable securities; provided, however, that, in the case of clauses (a)(ii) and (a)(iii), any strategic transaction, as determined by the General Partner in its sole discretion, in which the consideration received by the Partnership or its Subsidiaries consists of the stock of another entity shall not be a “Change in Control” (a “Strategic Transaction”); it being understood that if the General Partner determines, in its sole discretion, to distribute more than 50% of total voting power of such stock to the Limited Partners, the provisions of Section 9.01 of the LP Agreement will apply as if such transaction were an Initial Public Offering. For the avoidance of doubt, whether a security is freely tradable and marketable shall be determined by the General Partner in its reasonable good faith discretion. Terms used in this definition and not defined herein have the meanings set forth in the LP Agreement.

ii. “Initial Public Offering” means a bona fide underwritten initial public offering of common stock of the New Corporation (as defined in the LP Agreement) pursuant to an effective registration statement filed under the 1933 Act (excluding registration statements filed on Form S-8, any similar successor form or another form used for a purpose similar to the intended use of such forms).]


iii. “Proceeds” means, as of any determination date, the aggregate of any cash and the Fair Value of any freely tradable and marketable securities (i) distributed by the Partnership to the Sponsors in respect of the Sponsors’ Common Interests pursuant to Section 6.03 of the LP Agreement prior to or on such date, and/or (ii) received by Ares and/or Teachers’, as applicable, from any sale of its Common Interests (net of any sale expenses) prior to or on such date to any Person or Persons who is not an Affiliate of Ares or Teachers’, as applicable. The Fair Value of freely tradable and marketable securities for these purposes shall equal the average closing price during the 10 trading days immediately preceding the date such securities become freely tradable and marketable by the Sponsors; provided however, if the General Partner determines, in its sole discretion, that such value is inappropriate for purposes of a particular transaction, the Fair Value of such freely tradable and marketable securities shall equal the average closing price for the 10 days immediately following the date such securities become freely tradable and marketable by the Sponsors. For the avoidance of doubt, whether a security is freely tradable and marketable shall be determined by the General Partner in its reasonable good faith discretion.

3. Tax Matters. Employee shall be responsible for any federal, state, local or non-U.S. tax, including income tax, social insurance, payroll tax, excise taxes, or other taxes or payment assessed by tax authorities with respect to the Special Bonus. Notwithstanding the foregoing, CPG may withhold from any amounts payable under this Agreement such federal, state, local or non-U.S. taxes as may be required to be withhold pursuant to any applicable law or regulation.

4. Entire Agreement. This Agreement constitutes the entire agreement with respect to the terms and conditions of the Special Bonus and supersedes any previous communications or representations, oral or written, from or on behalf of CPG, the Partnership, the Sponsors or any of their Affiliates, as of the Grant Date.


CPG INTERNATIONAL LLC
By:  

                              

Name:  
Title:  

 

Name:  

Exhibit 10.43

AMENDMENT 1 TO SPECIAL BONUS AGREEMENT

This Amendment 1 (this “Amendment”) to the Special Bonus Agreement dated as of ________________________ (the “Special Bonus Agreement”) is made and entered into as of this ___ day of ___________, 2020, by and between CPG International LLC (“CPG”) and [name] (“Employee”). Capitalized terms not defined in this Amendment have the meanings ascribed to them in the Special Bonus Agreement.

WHEREAS, CPG Newco LLC, which holds all of the limited liability company interests in CPG, is expected to consummate an initial public offering (the “IPO”) of shares of its common stock (“Shares”) in the first calendar quarter of 2020; and

WHEREAS, CPG and Employee desire to amend the terms of the Special Bonus Agreement in connection with the IPO.

NOW, THEREFORE, in order to carry out their intent as expressed above and in consideration of the mutual agreements hereinafter contained, and other good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged, the parties hereby covenant and agree to amend the Special Bonus Agreement as follows:

1. IPO Vesting. The portion of the Special Bonus for which the Time Vesting Conditions have been satisfied on or prior to the closing of the IPO (the “IPO Date”) shall be paid in a cash lump sum on or as soon as practicable following IPO Date, subject to continued employment through that date.

2. Continued Vesting. The portion of the Special Bonus for which the Time Vesting Conditions have not been satisfied on or prior to the IPO Date (the “Unvested Special Bonus”) shall be subject to continued vesting as follows:

(a) Time Vesting. 50% of the Unvested Special Bonus shall continue to vest in equal installments on the remaining scheduled vesting dates forth in Section 2(a) of the Special Bonus Agreement.

(b) Performance Vesting. Subject to continued employment through the applicable date, the remaining 50% of the Unvested Special Bonus shall vest to the extent (and in the same proportion) that the “Performance-Based Vesting Shares” vest as described in Paragraph (b) of Schedule I of The AZEK Company Inc. Restricted Stock Grant (Replacement Award for AOT Building Products, L.P. Profits Interests) between CPG Newco LLC, Employee and AOT Building Product L.P.

(c) Payment. Any portion of the Unvested Special Bonus that vests in accordance with this Section 2 will be paid in a cash lump sum within 30 days following the applicable vesting date.


3. Effectiveness. This Amendment will be binding immediately upon its execution, but, notwithstanding the foregoing, will become effective upon and subject to the consummation of the IPO. If the IPO is not consummated on or prior to March 31, 2020, this Amendment will be null and void and of no further force or effect.

4. Entire Agreement. This Agreement constitutes the entire agreement with respect to the terms and conditions of this Amendment and supersedes any previous communications or representations, oral or written, from or on behalf of CPG, the Partnership, the Sponsors or any of their Affiliates.


CPG INTERNATIONAL LLC
By:  

                     

Name:
Title:

 

Name:
Title:

Exhibit 10.44

THE AZEK COMPANY INC.

IPO CASH AWARD AGREEMENT

This IPO Cash Award Agreement (this “Award Agreement”) evidences an award of cash (the “Cash Award”) by The AZEK Company Inc., a Delaware corporation (“AZEK”). Capitalized terms not defined in the Award Agreement have the meanings given to them in The AZEK Company Inc. 2020 Omnibus Incentive Compensation Plan (the “Plan”).

 

Name of Grantee:    ______________ (the “Grantee”).
Grant Date:    ______________ (the “Grant Date”).
Cash Award Amount:    $______________.
Vesting Dates:    ______________ (a “Vesting Date”).
   The Cash Award will vest only if the Grantee is, and has been, continuously employed by AZEK from the Grant Date through the applicable Vesting Date, and any unvested portion of the Cash Award will be forfeited upon any termination of Employment for any reason.
   Notwithstanding the foregoing:
  

A. Upon a termination of Employment due to death or Disability, any unvested portion of the Cash Award scheduled to vest within 12 months of the Grantee’s date of termination will immediately vest as of the date of such termination;

  

B. Upon an involuntary termination of Employment by AZEK without Cause or by the Grantee for Good Reason (as defined in the Employment Agreement), and subject to the Grantee’s continued compliance with any restrictive covenants in any employment or other agreement with AZEK, any unvested portion of the Cash Award scheduled to vest within 12 months of the Grantee’s date of termination will remain outstanding and continue to vest on the applicable Vesting Date as if the Grantee had remained Employed through such applicable Vesting Date; and

  

C. [Upon a termination of Employment by Grantee due to retirement, the Committee will consider, in its sole discretion, whether any unvested portion of the Cash Award (and any other outstanding Award) will vest in connection with such termination.]


Delivery Date:    AZEK will pay the vested portion of the Cash Award to the Grantee no later than 30 days after the applicable Vesting Date (or, if earlier, the date on which the Cash Award vests in connection with a qualifying termination of the Grantee’s Employment as provided above), subject to applicable tax withholding.
Section 409A:    Payments under this Award Agreement are intended to be exempt from Section 409A of the Internal Revenue Code (“Section 409A”), and this Award Agreement shall be administered accordingly. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in this Award Agreement or any employment agreement the Grantee has entered into with AZEK (“Employment Agreement”), to the extent that any payment under this Award Agreement is determined by AZEK to constitute “non-qualified deferred compensation” subject to Section 409A and is payable to the Grantee by reason of termination of the Grantee’s Employment, then (a) such payment shall be made to the Grantee only upon a “separation from service” as defined for purposes of Section 409A under applicable regulations and (b) if the Grantee is a “specified employee” (within the meaning of Section 409A and as determined by AZEK), such payment shall not be made before the date that is six months after the date of the Grantee’s separation from service (or the Grantee’s earlier death). Each payment under this Award Agreement shall be treated as a separate payment for purposes of Section 409A.
Tax Representations; Withholding:    The Grantee is advised to review with his/her own tax advisors the federal, state and local tax consequences of receiving the Cash Award. The Grantee hereby represents to AZEK that he/she is relying solely on such advisors and not on any statements or representations of AZEK, its Affiliates or any of their respective agents.
Clawback:    The Cash Award will be subject to any clawback or recapture policy that AZEK may adopt from time to time to the extent provided in such policy and, in accordance with such policy, may be subject to the requirement that the Cash Award be repaid to AZEK after it has been paid to the Grantee.
Amendment:    The Committee reserves the right at any time to amend the terms and conditions set forth in this Award Agreement, except that the Committee shall not make any amendment in a manner unfavorable to the Grantee (other than if immaterial), without the Grantee’s consent. Any amendment of this Award Agreement shall be in writing and signed by an authorized member of the Committee or a person or persons designated by the Committee.


Governing Law:    This Award Agreement shall be deemed to be made under, and in all respects be interpreted, construed and governed by and in accordance with, the laws of the State of Delaware without regard to conflict of law principles.

The Award Agreement constitutes the entire agreement and understanding of the parties with respect to the Cash Award. This Award Agreement may be executed in counterparts, which together will constitute one and the same original.


IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have caused this Award Agreement to be duly executed and effective as of the Grant Date.

 

THE AZEK COMPANY INC.
By:  

 

  Name:
  Title:

 

[NAME OF GRANTEE]
 

 

Exhibit 23.1

CONSENT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM

We hereby consent to the use in this Registration Statement on Form S-1 Amendment 1 (No. 333-236325) of CPG Newco LLC of our report dated December 23, 2019 relating to the financial statements of CPG Newco LLC, which appears in this Registration Statement. We also consent to the reference to us under the heading “Experts” in such Registration Statement.

/s/PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP

Chicago, Illinois

May 28, 2020

 

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