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As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on April 26, 2021.

Registration No. 333-255150

 

 

 

 

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549

 

 

 

Amendment No. 2

to

FORM S-1

REGISTRATION STATEMENT

UNDER

THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933

 

 

The Honest Company, Inc.

(Exact name of Registrant as specified in its charter)

 

 

 

Delaware   5961   90-0750205

(State or other jurisdiction of

incorporation or organization)

 

(Primary Standard Industrial

Classification Code Number)

 

(I.R.S. Employer

Identification Number)

12130 Millennium Drive, #500

Los Angeles, CA 90094

(888) 862-8818

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

 

 

 

Nikolaos Vlahos

Chief Executive Officer

The Honest Company, Inc.

12130 Millennium Drive, #500

Los Angeles, CA 90094

(888) 862-8818

 

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

 

 

 

Copies to:

 

C. Thomas Hopkins

Nicole Brookshire

Siana Lowrey

Sara Semnani

Cooley LLP

1333 2nd Street, Suite 400

Santa Monica, CA 90401

(310) 883-6400

 

Kelly Kennedy

Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer

Brendan Sheehey

General Counsel

The Honest Company, Inc.

12130 Millennium Drive, #500

Los Angeles, CA 90094

(888) 862-8818

 

Alan F. Denenberg

Stephen Salmon

Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP

1600 El Camino Real

Menlo Park, CA 94025

(650) 752-2000

 

 

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

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

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

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

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

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

Large accelerated filer      Accelerated filer  
Non-accelerated filer      Smaller reporting company  
     Emerging growth company  

 

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

 

 

CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE

 

 

Title of each Class of

Securities to be Registered

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

Proposed
Maximum
Aggregate

Offering Price(1)(2)

 

Amount of

Registration Fee(3)

Common Stock, par value $0.001 per share

 

29,678,050

 

$17.00

 

$504,526,850

 

$55,044

 

 

 

(1)

Includes 3,871,050 additional shares that the underwriters have the option to purchase.

(2)

Estimated solely for the purpose of calculating the registration fee in accordance with Rule 457(a) of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended. Includes the aggregate offering price of additional shares that the underwriters have the option to purchase.

(3)

The registrant previously paid a registration fee of $10,910 in connection with the prior 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 will file a further amendment which specifically states that this Registration Statement will thereafter become effective in accordance with Section 8(a) of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or until the Registration Statement will become effective on such date as the Securities and Exchange Commission, acting pursuant to said Section 8(a), may determine.

 

 

 


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The information in this preliminary prospectus is not complete and may be changed. We and the selling stockholders may not sell these securities until the registration statement filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission is effective. This preliminary prospectus is not an offer to sell nor does it seek an offer to buy these securities in any jurisdiction where the offer or sale is not permitted.

 

Subject to Completion, dated April 26, 2021

PRELIMINARY PROSPECTUS

25,807,000 Shares

 

LOGO

COMMON STOCK

 

 

This is an initial public offering of shares of common stock of The Honest Company, Inc. We are offering 6,451,613 shares of our common stock and the selling stockholders identified in this prospectus, including certain of our directors and executive officers, are offering an additional 19,355,387 shares of our common stock. We will not receive any proceeds from the sale of shares by the selling stockholders.

Prior to this offering, there has been no public market for our common stock. It is currently estimated that the initial public offering price for our common stock will be between $14.00 and $17.00 per share. We have applied to list our common stock on The Nasdaq Global Select Market under the symbol “HNST.”

 

 

We are an “emerging growth company” as defined under the federal securities laws and, as such, we have elected to comply with certain reduced reporting requirements for this prospectus and may elect to do so in future filings.

 

 

Investing in our common stock involves risks. See the section titled “Risk Factors” beginning on page 20 to read about factors you should consider before buying our common stock.

 

 

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

 

 

 

     Per Share      Total  

Initial public offering price

   $                  $                

Underwriting discounts and commissions(1)

   $      $    

Proceeds, before expenses, to The Honest Company, Inc.

   $      $    

Proceeds, before expenses, to the selling stockholders

   $      $    

 

(1)

See the section titled “Underwriting” for additional information regarding compensation payable to the underwriters.

At our request, the underwriters have reserved up to 5% of the shares of common stock offered by this prospectus for sale, at the initial public offering price, to certain individuals identified by our directors and officers. See the section titled “Underwriters—Directed Share Program” for additional information.

We have granted the underwriters an option for a period of 30 days to purchase up to an additional 3,871,050 shares of common stock from the selling stockholders at the initial public offering price less the underwriting discounts and commissions.

Certain funds and accounts managed by subsidiaries of BlackRock, Inc. have indicated an interest in purchasing approximately $80 million in shares of our common stock in this offering at the initial public offering price. However, because indications of interest are not binding agreements or commitments to purchase, the underwriters may determine to sell more, fewer or no shares in this offering to any or all of these investors, or any or all of these investors may determine to purchase more, fewer or no shares in this offering. The underwriters will receive the same underwriting discount on any shares purchased by these investors as they will on any other shares sold to the public in this offering.

The underwriters expect to deliver the shares of common stock to purchasers on                     , 2021.

 

 

 

Morgan Stanley   J.P. Morgan   Jefferies
BofA Securities  

Citigroup  

 

William Blair              

 

Guggenheim Securities

 

Telsey Advisory Group   C.L. King & Associates   Loop Capital Markets   Penserra Securities LLC   Ramirez & Co., Inc.

 

 

Prospectus dated                     , 2021.


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LOGO

 

 

HONEST(R) @avawelsingk @lizzymathis @anja_akhile @binkiesandbaubles @michelleinfusino @peaceofusx


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LOGO

"YOU SHOULDN'T HAVE TO CHOOSE BETWEEN WHAT WORKS AND WHAT'S GOOD FOR YOU.
/s/ Jessica Alba
Jessica Alba, Founder


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LOGO

 

 

INSPIRING EV @avielleamor @everydaypursuits @marjanslove @sellinseashells @kayandcrew @isabellarstiles


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LOGO

EVERYONE TO LOVE LIVING @ykn_dylan @hijabioffthegrid


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LOGO

CONSCIOUSLY @lrjleo @wholelottamomish @schannaloves_DK


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TABLE OF CONTENTS

Prospectus

 

     Page  

FOUNDER LETTER

     iii  

PROSPECTUS SUMMARY

     1  

RISK FACTORS

     20  

SPECIAL NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

     68  

MARKET, INDUSTRY AND OTHER DATA

     70  

USE OF PROCEEDS

     71  

DIVIDEND POLICY

     72  

CAPITALIZATION

     73  

DILUTION

     75  

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

     78  

BUSINESS

     100  

MANAGEMENT

     126  

EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION

     137  

CERTAIN RELATIONSHIPS AND RELATED PARTY TRANSACTIONS

     154  

PRINCIPAL AND SELLING STOCKHOLDERS

     159  

DESCRIPTION OF CAPITAL STOCK

     163  

SHARES ELIGIBLE FOR FUTURE SALE

     169  

MATERIAL U.S. FEDERAL INCOME TAX CONSEQUENCES TO NON-U.S. HOLDERS OF OUR COMMON STOCK

     172  

UNDERWRITING

     176  

LEGAL MATTERS

     189  

EXPERTS

     189  

WHERE YOU CAN FIND ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

     189  

INDEX TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

     F-1  

 

 

Through and including                     , 2021 (the 25th day after the date of this prospectus), all dealers effecting transactions in these securities, whether or not participating in this offering, may be required to deliver a prospectus. This is in addition to a dealer’s obligation to deliver a prospectus when acting as an underwriter and with respect to an unsold allotment or subscription.

 

 

Neither we, the selling stockholders nor any of 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 prospectuses we have prepared. Neither we, the selling stockholders nor any of the underwriters take responsibility for, or can provide any assurance as to the reliability of, any other information that others may give you. We, the selling stockholders and the underwriters are offering to sell, and seeking offers to buy, shares of our common stock only under circumstances and in jurisdictions where offers and sales are permitted. 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 our common stock. Our business, financial condition, results of operations, and prospects may have changed since that date.

For investors outside the United States: neither we, the selling stockholders nor any of the underwriters have done anything that would permit this offering or possession or distribution of this prospectus in any jurisdiction where action for that purpose is required, other than in the United States. Persons outside of the United States

 

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who come into possession of this prospectus must inform themselves about, and observe any restrictions relating to, the offering of the shares of our common stock and the distribution of this prospectus outside of the United States.

“The Honest Co.,” The Honest Company logo, Honest Omni-Analytics, “NO list” and our other registered and common law trade names, trademarks and service marks are the property of The Honest Company, Inc. All other trademarks, trade names and service marks appearing in this prospectus are the property of their respective owners. Solely for convenience, the trademarks and trade names in this prospectus may be referred to without the ® and symbols, but such references should not be construed as any indicator that their respective owners will not assert their rights thereto.

We refer to Jessica Warren, our founder, Chief Creative Officer and current Chair of our board of directors, as Jessica Alba in this prospectus.

When we refer to “digitally-native” throughout this prospectus, we mean that we launched our company as a digital platform.

 

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FOUNDER LETTER

I founded The Honest Company because I had to.

My personal experiences helped create the foundation on which I built The Honest Company, so I want to share my story with you. I was born into a hardworking Mexican-American family. My parents worked multiple jobs, doing whatever it took to get by. I suffered from chronic illnesses, severe asthma and allergies, leading to long, lonely weeks in the hospital. There were no lasting solutions for my health issues and by the time I was ten, I became aware of how wellness can define your whole life. That’s never left me. It’s difficult to be happy and to thrive when your health is compromised. It was my first real honest moment, a time in my life that inspired me to clarify my values. It wouldn’t be my last.

Thirteen years ago, I was pregnant with my first child and my entire world turned upside down—or, rather, right side-up. All my priorities shifted to this new little person. When I used a laundry detergent marketed for babies on items from my baby shower, I was shocked when it triggered an allergic reaction. It took me back to those awful memories of being ill as a child. What if my child had the same reactions to these products as I did? And I was scared. Once that trust was broken, there was no going back.

I tried to shop around the problem, but it was expensive and time-consuming. I experimented with DIY products that never really worked. Trying to make the right choices was too hard and I couldn’t do it alone. I finally turned to online communities and found so many people facing the same struggles I had. I did research and learned that exposure to certain harsh chemicals found in everyday products has been linked to a rise in chronic illnesses, childhood cancers, learning disabilities and hormone disruptors. I lobbied on Capitol Hill for chemical legislation reform, but was faced with the sad reality of how much human health has been politicized. The solutions I tried in the marketplace were too expensive, ineffective and hard to find. I craved one brand that holistically addressed my needs, that educated without fear, that supported a community of like-minded conscious consumers, that prioritized transparency and didn’t make you choose between what works and what’s good for you. So, I spent the next three years trying to figure out how to do that...

It’s all about an Honest start.

Over a decade ago, when I had the vision for a business that prioritized people and the planet, the world was different. Building a brand based on conscious consumers was considered niche and not scalable. Transparency and compassion were not the pillars of a successful business. The big businesses and ultimate decision makers for what goes in, on and around us were dominated by a very narrow leadership profile. This may have been the status quo, but I knew it needed to change. Here’s what I believed:

Health and wellness are a universal foundation for a life well-lived and should be accessible to all.

Living a healthy life shouldn’t be a privilege. The effects of health inequality are magnified for marginalized and underserved communities and they don’t have to be.

Businesses can stand for good, and compassion isn’t only for non-profit organizations.

I wanted Honest to be built on a type of business model that I had never seen created before, a mission-based, for-profit model that addresses health equity, sustainability and social justice.

The conscious consumer was out there, but they needed real support through education, community and convenience.

The only way to achieve this was to build an online destination for content, community and commerce, inspiring authentic dialogue and creating lasting connections.

 

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I believed it shouldn’t be so difficult to want better for yourself, your family and the world around you. I knew there were millions of others out there that shared my values, but the marketplace didn’t have a solution. So, I had to create the change I wanted to see. That’s how I founded The Honest Company.

Let’s be Honest.

After our launch in 2012, there was an overwhelming immediate response and growth in the years that followed. We were raising the bar for the entire marketplace and becoming a David to the many Goliaths out there along the way. Our success and disruptive business model proved that the passion for a company anchored in values of consciousness, community and compassion was truly there. People today talk a lot about “feeling seen”; what they really mean is that they’ve found something that aligns with what matters to them and that they finally see themselves where they hadn’t before. That’s what Honest ultimately did: We created a purpose-driven company with the conscious consumer at its center.

Several years after our launch, however, I was facing another honest moment. Our rapid growth was compromising key business functions and we were outgrowing our infrastructure. In order to fulfill our mission, we needed the expertise and experience of a world-class business leader. Finding Nick Vlahos fulfilled what felt impossible at the time, a partner who cares as much about our mission as I do and believes that you can build a robust business around what Honest values most. With Nick as our Chief Executive Officer, we’ve solidified our foundation and built our organizational capabilities and processes, including research and development, procurement, supply chain and operations to deliver on our promise and set the path for the future.

Authenticity is our authority.

Living through one of the greatest times of uncertainty we’ve ever faced has definitely been an honest moment for all of us. While I’ve seen iconic companies that I grew up with disappear overnight, Honest has thrived by maintaining the spirit of a start-up with the soul of a powerhouse. When faced with challenges, we meet them with transparency, authenticity and a commitment to learn and adjust quickly. When the COVID-19 pandemic hit and we went into lockdown, people became more aware of their health and what they bring into their homes. Honest never wavered in being there for them. The nature of our business is nimble, so we’re able to listen to our consumer, innovate and deliver when it matters most. For example, we created and brought to market a new Stay Safe cleaning collection, a complete set of cleaning, sanitizing and disinfecting solutions, in less than six months.

We’re continually adjusting to meet our consumer’s new behaviors. Our robust omnichannel distribution model allows us to be accessible however consumers are shopping. With a dynamic influencer strategy, we can consistently build community through relevant, “snackable” content that educates and entertains. Being digitally-native means that we’ll always be at the forefront of how people communicate and connect.

Trust in a brand is driven by consumers. It’s hard to earn and it’s easy to lose. In times of great pressure, we’ve committed to doing what’s right, not just what’s easy. During this pandemic, we’ve seen behavior shift to support businesses that align with purpose and values. Our trajectory has shown that people continue to choose Honest. Honest continues to box above its weight with consumers and customers.

We’re the conscious living company for today and tomorrow.

Success is not only about the bottom line; it’s also about leaving the world better than we found it. We believe in the “butterfly effect”—when working towards a common goal, small steps in the right direction add up to monumental change. We’ve supported our non-profit partners to continue pushing for equity, justice and access on a national and global scale. To date, we’ve donated over approximately 25 million essential products to people in need.

 

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Sadly, the pandemic has only magnified the everyday struggles that far too many people face, lacking essential products for their personal and family needs or having to reuse diapers to get through the day. Together with Baby2Baby, our official charitable partner, we’ve stepped up distribution of essential items during this immense time of need by committing to donating 3.5 million diapers, wipes and personal care products via family resource centers, homeless shelters, health clinics and Head Start centers to families impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. We know that marginalized and underserved communities are impacted much more profoundly, so we’ve donated over 345,000 products for natural disaster survivors. Giving back is built into our business model; the better we do, the bigger impact we make.

My vision for Honest was to build a company that operates with consciousness and compassion from the inside out. Honest has always been a destination for people who want to live and work with purpose. We feel a great responsibility towards the culture that we’re creating with our employees and we’re passionate about reflecting the world we want to see. We provide all full-time employees time off to volunteer up to 20 hours annually at the non-profit of their choice and match employee donations to their causes. To date, Honest employees have already contributed over 18,500 hours to help communities in need. We also encourage civic participation, giving employees time off to vote.

As a female founder and woman of color, I know how important it is to create a working environment with an inclusive approach to personal support and professional opportunity. We haven’t hesitated to step up, put our stake in the ground and push to build a kind of company that reflects the true scope of our communities and values. With the support of our CEO and our Chief People Officer, we’ve created a future-facing culture. We prioritize diversity and inclusion into our recruitment, hiring and development processes. We created the Honest University, an award-winning professional development program available to employees at every level of our organization. As employees now and in the generation to come push to bring their whole self to work, we’ve created a values-driven culture that embraces dialogue, action and change. Our Employee Resource Groups offer a safe forum to uplift and develop employee-led initiatives that address issues that matter most to them. To date, we’ve developed a range of programs and employee resource groups to drive the continued representation, belonging and success of every member of the Honest team.

Welcome to our world.

We’re just getting started on our journey; by becoming a stockholder, you’re not only part of a business, you’re part of a movement. Here’s what we’re committing to you:

We’ll passionately prioritize the health and well-being of people and the planet.

We’ll fearlessly challenge the status quo and innovate to deliver on our mission.

We’ll continually push to be the best version of ourselves.

We’re creating an Honest World. Join us.

 

 

LOGO

Jessica Alba, Founder

 

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LOGO

About Jessica Alba

Founder Jessica Alba is a globally recognized business leader, entrepreneur, advocate, actress, and New York Times bestselling author of The Honest Life. As an influential Mexican-American, she’s also a driver of the New Mainstream Economy of Latinx business and cultural leaders today. With a significant global reach including more than 39 million social media followers worldwide, she has an innate and invaluable ability to resonate and engage with the consumer, driving trends and connecting across demographics and generations. A relevant resource for the modern, conscious consumer, her accessible advice brings a stylish, forward-thinking approach to health and wellness, parenting, home and interior design, food and drink, fashion and accessories, events and experiences and much more.


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LOGO

HONEST(R) @serenahawaii @skaterboy_chayzen_s


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PROSPECTUS SUMMARY

This summary highlights selected information contained in greater detail elsewhere in this prospectus. This summary is not complete and does not contain all of the information you should consider in making your investment decision. Before investing in our common stock, you should carefully read this entire prospectus. You should carefully consider, among other things, the sections titled “Risk Factors,” “Special Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements” and “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. Unless the context otherwise requires, the terms “The Honest Company,” “the company,” “we,” “us,” “our” and similar references in this prospectus refer to The Honest Company, Inc. and its subsidiaries.

Our Mission

Inspire everyone to love living consciously.

Overview: The Honest Difference

The Honest Company is a digitally-native, mission-driven brand focused on leading the clean lifestyle movement, creating a community for conscious consumers and seeking to disrupt multiple consumer product categories. Our commitment to our core values, passionate innovation and engaging our community has differentiated and elevated our brand and our products. Since our launch in 2012, we have been dedicated to developing clean, sustainable, effective and thoughtfully designed products. By doing so with transparency, we have cultivated deep trust around what matters most to our consumers: their health, their families and their homes. We are an omnichannel brand, ensuring our products are available however our consumers shop. Our differentiated platform positions us for continued growth through our trusted brand, award-winning multi-category product offering, deep digital-first connection with consumers and omnichannel accessibility.

Our integrated multi-category product architecture is intentionally designed to serve our consumers every day, at every age and through every life stage, no matter where they are on their journey. Today, our three categories are Diapers and Wipes, Skin and Personal Care and Household and Wellness, which represented 63%, 26% and 11% of our 2020 revenue, respectively. At the center of our product ecosystem are our diapers, which are a strategic consumer acquisition tool that acts as an entry point for our portfolio, as new parents often go on to purchase products from our other categories for their everyday family needs. According to a third-party study that we commissioned in 2020, nearly 90% of our diaper buyers surveyed expanded their purchases beyond diapers and nearly half have purchased two or more of our non-diaper products. Our integrated multi-category product architecture is designed to drive loyalty, increase our consumer wallet share and generate attractive consumer lifetime value.

We believe that our consumers are modern, aspirational, conscious and style-forward and that they seek out high quality, effective and thoughtfully designed products. We believe that they are passionate about living a conscious life and are enthusiastic ambassadors for brands they trust. As purpose-driven consumers, they transcend any one demographic, spanning gender, age, geography, ethnicity and household income. Honest consumers are often young, mobile-centric and digitally inclined. We build relationships with these consumers through a disruptive digital marketing strategy that engages them with “snackable” digital content (short-form, easily digestible content), immerses them in our brand values, and inspires them to join the Honest community. Our direct connection with our community enables us to understand what consumers’ needs are and inspires our product innovation pipeline, generating a significant competitive advantage over more traditional consumer packaged goods, or CPG, peers.

Our omnichannel approach seeks to meet consumers however they want to shop, balancing deep consumer connection with broad convenience and accessibility. Since our launch, we have built a well-integrated omnichannel presence by expanding our retail accessibility across both Digital and Retail channels, including the



 

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launch of strategic partnerships with Costco, Target and Amazon in 2013, 2014 and 2017, respectively. In 2020, we generated 55% and 45% of our revenue from our Digital and Retail channels, respectively. We maintain direct relationships with our consumers via our flagship digital platform, Honest.com, which allows us to influence brand experience and better understand consumer preferences and behavior. We increase accessibility of our products to more consumers through both the third-party pureplay ecommerce sites that, with Honest.com, comprise the rest of our Digital channel, and our Retail channel, which includes leading retailers and their websites. Our products can be found in approximately 32,000 retail locations across the United States, Canada and Europe. This distinctive business model has allowed us to efficiently scale our business while remaining agnostic as to the channel where consumers purchase our products. Our integrated omnichannel presence provides meaningful benefits to our consumer which we believe is not easily replicated by our competitors.

At Honest, we prioritize transparency, trust and sustainability in all that we do. Our purpose-driven mission inspires our commitment to safety and transparency, our philanthropic partnerships with our charity and community partners and our commitment to diversity and inclusion. We strive to reduce our environmental footprint. In 2020, we entered into an agreement to participate in a program to offset, through carbon offset projects, the greenhouse gas emissions resulting from our Honest.com shipments through the end of 2022. Our domestic Honest.com shipments were carbon neutral from May 2020 to October 2020 as a result of this program and we expect these shipments to continue to be carbon neutral through the end of 2022. Since inception, we have donated approximately 25 million essential products and our team has volunteered over 18,500 hours in our communities. Finally, as a company founded by a woman of color, we are proud to say that as of December 31, 2020, people of color represented nearly half of our workforce and women represented 68% and 53% of our workforce and leadership, which includes director level and above, respectively.

Our trusted brand, innovative product offering, deep consumer connection and differentiated omnichannel presence have driven strong financial performance. For example, we:

 

   

Grew revenue 27.6% from $235.6 million in 2019 to $300.5 million in 2020;

 

   

Grew revenue in our Diapers and Wipes, Skin and Personal Care and Household and Wellness categories by 16.4%, 35.5% and 116.5%, respectively, from 2019 to 2020;

 

   

Increased gross margin from 2019 by 370 basis points to 35.9% in 2020;

 

   

Generated a net loss of $14.5 million in 2020; and

 

   

Achieved adjusted EBITDA of $11.2 million in 2020, or 4% of 2020 revenue.

Adjusted EBITDA is a measure that is not calculated in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles in the United States, or GAAP. For further information about how we calculate adjusted EBITDA, limitations of its use and a reconciliation of adjusted EBITDA to net loss, the most directly comparable financial measure stated in accordance with GAAP, see the section titled “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations—Non-GAAP Financial Measure—Adjusted EBITDA.”

Our Industry

Rapidly Growing “Clean and Natural” Segment in Large Market

We believe that the “clean and natural” segments of the Diapers and Wipes, Skin and Personal Care and Household and Wellness markets are growing at outsized rates, as a result of the increasing shift in consumer demand for “better-for-you” products. In 2019, we estimate that the clean and natural U.S. Diapers and Wipes, Skin and Personal Care and Household and Wellness markets generated approximately $1 billion, $12 billion and $4 billion in retail sales, respectively, and that they will grow at a compound annual growth rate, or CAGR, of 16%, 10% and 4% from 2019 to 2025, respectively. This growth has far outpaced broader spending in all U.S.

Diapers and Wipes, Skin and Personal Care and Household and Wellness markets, which we estimate generated



 

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approximately $8 billion, $81 billion and $41 billion of retail sales, respectively, in 2019, and which we estimate will grow at a CAGR of 2%, 3% and 2% from 2019 to 2025, respectively. Overall, we estimate that our categories in the clean and natural U.S. market are expected to grow six times greater than the same categories in the conventional U.S. market from 2019 to 2025. Combined, we believe our market share is less than 5% of these markets overall, thus providing significant room for growth.

We believe that certain historical leading brands that have produced products in these categories for decades generally focus on single categories and offer products made with conventional ingredients that are less aligned with increasing consumer preference for clean and natural solutions. We believe that given consumers’ growing focus on their health and wellness, reducing waste and promoting social impact, we are well-positioned to continue to take market share from these legacy brands.

 

LOGO

U.S. 2019 Diapers and WipesMarket: $8 billion(1)2019A - 2025E CAGR
U.S. 2019 Skin and Personal Care Market: $81 billion(2) 2019A - 2025E CAGRU.S. 2019 Household and Wellness Market: $41 billion(3) 2019A - 2025E CAGR2% 16% 1%6.9x Greater than Conventional3% 10% 2% 2% 4%2.0x Greater than Conventional(1%) ConventionalTotal Clean /Natural ConventionalTotal Clean / Natural ConventionalTotal Clean / Natural"Conventional" refers to brands that did not make explicit claims that their products were natural, "better-for-you," naturally derived or simplifiedformulations, or similar claims. "Clean/Natural" refers to brands that make explicit claims regarding their products being natural, "better-for-you,"naturally derived or simplified formulations, or similar claims.(1) Based off aggregated data of at least 25 brands. (2) Based off aggregated data of at least 90 brands.(3) Based off aggregated data of at least 115 brands.

 

We believe that this market shift towards clean and natural products is in its early stages. Despite the growth of the clean and natural categories, the implied clean and natural market penetration of the total Diapers and Wipes, Skin and Personal Care and Household and Wellness markets in the United States in 2019 is estimated to be 11%, 14% and 10%, respectively, according to a third-party study that we commissioned. This estimated market penetration is calculated based on comparing the clean and natural portion of a certain market compared to the relevant total market. We believe this illustrates the whitespace opportunity for further market penetration and category growth in the clean and natural segments.

Significant Growth in Digital Channels

In tandem with this category growth, a fundamental channel shift is underway across the Diapers and Wipes, Skin and Personal Care and Household and Wellness markets. Historically, products in these markets have been sold through traditional, wholesale, store-based channels, which accounted for approximately 80% of U.S. retail sales in these markets in 2019, according to our estimates. In recent years, consumer behavior has



 

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transitioned toward digital and direct-to-consumer channels. According to our estimates, from 2014 to 2019, total ecommerce sales grew at seven times the rate of brick and mortar store-based sales. By 2025, we estimate that approximately 30% of total retail sales in the United States will be from ecommerce. We see consumers increasingly self-educating on the benefits of clean and natural products through social media, influencers and other online content, driving digital engagement and purchasing that supports continued outsized growth of the ecommerce channel.

We expect these trends to continue and believe the move in consumer preferences towards clean and sustainable products, as well as the growth in the digital channel, will accelerate globally. As a leader in the clean CPG movement and a driver of the shift to omnichannel in the CPG space, we believe that we are well-positioned to capitalize and continue to lead innovation on these industry trends both in the United States and globally.

Our Strengths

Mission-Driven Brand Inspiring Deep Consumer Affinity Across Categories

Our brand promise results in deep consumer affinity, loyalty and broad desire to shop our brand across categories. According to a third-party study that we commissioned among then-current diaper, personal care and beauty buyers of certain brands, Honest is ranked #1 or #3 across indices of “better-for-you” credibility, expressive brand personality and functional excellence. A large majority of respondents stated that they would recommend our diaper products to their friends, family and others, representing a net promoter score of 78 among consumers who primarily shop Honest diapers. We have meaningfully expanded our brand reach throughout the United States but believe that we still have significant whitespace opportunity for growth, as demonstrated by our unaided brand awareness of 25% among diaper buyers according to our consumer research as of January 2021.

 

 

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Key Loyalty Brand Drivers HONEST DIAPERS(1)HONEST BEAUTY, WHICH INCLUDESHONEST SKIN AND PERSONAL CARE(2)IMPORTANCE in Driving Loyalty Index(3)KEY ATTRIBUTES ExamplesBETTER FOR YOU CREDIBILITY(4)#1 #1 95 Diapers Leader in natural Excellent for sensitive skin SafestBeauty Clean products Natural Safest for skinFUNCTIONALEXCELLENCE(4)#3 AT A 95 INDEX TO TOP 2 COMPETITORS #194 Diapers Comfortable Absorbent Dependable, durableBeautyProducts that are effective / get the best resultsWorks well for skin type / complements skin typeWell-reviewed / trusted by othersEXPRESSIVE PERSONALITY(4)Diapers Premium Smart Enjoyable InnovativeBeauty Unique Modern InnovativeSource: Third party survey conducted on our behalf in August 2020. Diapers and wipes respondents identified as primarily purchasing Honest diapers; skin and personalcare respondents purchased Honest skin and personal products within last 6 months.Notes:1. Ranking among four key diaper brand competitors. Only includes brands with share greater than 1% (survey included seven key diaper brands in total).2. Ranking among four key beauty brand and four key baby personal care brand competitors (survey included seven beauty brands in total, three of whichwe consider to be competitors, and seven baby personal care brands in total, three of which we consider to be competitors).3. Index to the importance of the top loyalty driver for diaper category, the ante, "brand love."4. Survey respondents asked to indicate how much they agreed or disagreed with the statements "Better for You" Credibility, "Functional Excellence" and"Expressive Personality" based on key attributes of each statement for relevant categories.

Leveraging our brand equity, we have developed an integrated, multi-category product architecture intentionally designed to serve our consumers every day, at every age and through every life stage, no matter where they are on their journey. We have become an increasingly integral part of consumers’ lives, serving them across their pregnancy, baby, beauty and household care needs, with a goal of capturing significant wallet share, high repeat purchasing rates and attractive consumer lifetime value. In 2020 alone, 34% of first-time Honest.com buyers purchased at least one Skin and Personal Care product, 46% of first-time Honest.com buyers purchased at least one Diapers and Wipes product and 34% of first-time Honest.com buyers purchased at least one Household and Wellness product.

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LOGO

Honest journeyHonest diapers and wiper baby careNow that she has a newborn, she loves the convenience of customizing her diapers and wipes subscription from honest.com and adds our baby care products to her order for clean, effective diapering.Honest personal careWherever she finds us, her affinity for the brand grows; shes brought honest personal care into her familys daily bathtime routine and loves the convenience of being able to replenish on her target run.And another honest life has begun.GiftingOur modern mom-to-be first discover honest when she receives a diaper cake and baby care gift sets at her baby shower and shes curious to learn more.Honest mama, honest beautyResearching honest.com, she sees a brand that shares her values and wants to ensure she uses skincare products with ingredients safe for pregnancy.Honest cleaningAs her child grows, she wants to trust everything in, on and around her family and home, so she uses our cleaning and disinfection products.Honest journeyHonest cleaningShe loves the clean skincare and makeup routines shes been following online and was glad she could find honest online and at target when she was in college. Now that she has her first place on her own, she cares just as much about whats around her every day. With honest, she can clean consciously and trust the cleaning power without harsh chemicals.Honest mama and giftingShes given honest for her girlfriends baby showers and shes excited they finally get to return the favor now that shes pregnant. Shes happy to have an honest start for this new phase, so she fills her registry with honest baby products and starts to use honest mama on her growing belly.And another honest life has begun.Honest beautyNow that shes making more of her own purchasing decisions, our honest girl is passionate about making conscious choices. She wants to try clean beauty to get the looks she and her friends love, but she doesnt want to compromise - thats where honest beauty comes in.Honest babyShes loving how our diapers and wipes perform for her baby and is happy to have one brand to trust for all her needs,24/7. Shes excited to raise her kids with clean, conscious products and honest values that align with hers.

Deep Connection with Consumers

Since inception, we have grown our brand and deepened our consumer relationships through our “Content, Community, Commerce” strategy. We produce highly relevant, “snackable” content and engage with consumers through multiple touchpoints, including our flagship digital platform, Honest.com, our social media presence where we reach approximately four million followers across our social media accounts, and other digital mediums. We believe that our ability to own and nurture our consumer relationships represents a meaningful competitive advantage over traditional CPG peers, who largely rely on retailers and traditional mediums to sell their products. These relationships with our consumers inform our product innovation and allow us to move faster to bring new and improved products to market. At Honest, we have curated an aspirational conscious lifestyle platform. We activate it via our social media and digital marketing capabilities, to differentiate our brand and build direct consumer relationships. As a result, we have fostered a highly engaged social media community who shares our passion for conscious living, further enhancing our reputation as a purpose-driven brand.

In-House Product Development Capabilities that Power Innovation

Product innovation lies at the heart of our business. We have built a high-performance product development team that sets new standards with a proven track record of bringing innovative, award-winning products to market. To maximize the impact of our product development capabilities, our direct connection with our community enables us to understand what consumers’ needs are and inspires our product innovation pipeline, which we believe generates a significant competitive advantage over more traditional CPG peers. Our product innovation is inspired by feedback from our consumers that we receive through multiple avenues, including through our internal customer service team, comments left by consumers on our social media platforms and product ratings on our website and retailer’s websites. For example, we created and brought to market a new Stay Safe cleaning collection, a complete set of cleaning, sanitizing and disinfecting solutions, in less than six months after the onset of COVID-19. In 2020, 22% of our revenue was generated from stock keeping units, or SKUs, introduced in 2020. In addition to using these capabilities to innovate new products to bring to market, we also regularly reformulate or update existing products, improving performance and expanding gross margin. We have won over 100 awards, including the 2020 “Parents” Best for Baby Award and seven Allure Best of Beauty awards.



 

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Integrated Omnichannel Approach to Drive Discovery and Accessibility

Our multi-channel presence across our complementary Digital and Retail channels allows us to meet our consumers however they want to shop, mirroring their shopping behaviors and providing availability and accessibility that we believe our competitors would find hard to replicate. Our integrated omnichannel approach has driven brand building and organic lead generation, while maximizing consumer connection, experience and accessibility to encourage long-term consumer relationships. Our Digital channel is comprised of both our flagship digital platform, Honest.com, and third-party pureplay ecommerce sites. Honest.com enables us to maintain direct relationships with our consumers, influence brand experience and better understand consumer preferences and behavior. Our third-party pureplay ecommerce partners and our Retail channel, which includes leading retailers and their websites, increase accessibility of our products to more consumers. We have developed a distinctive business model that has allowed us to efficiently scale our business while making us agnostic to the channel where consumers purchase our brand. Our omnichannel strategy has meaningfully increased access to our products. According to a third-party study that we commissioned, 79% of recent diaper buyers who originate on Honest.com also shopped for Honest diapers in retail brick and mortar stores.

Scalable Infrastructure and High-Performance Team to Support Growth

We have made significant investments in recent years designed to provide a stable foundation for our business as it scales. We have built state-of-the-art infrastructure, systems and processes to support our core in-house capabilities, including research and development, sales and marketing, brand management, distribution and logistics and customer service. We believe this foundation is highly scalable and therefore capable of supporting our future growth.

We are led by a strong team of consumer industry veterans who are united by a passion for our mission and a belief in our vast future potential. Our founder, Jessica Alba, is a globally recognized business leader, entrepreneur, advocate, actress and New York Times bestselling author. With a significant global reach including more than 39 million social media followers worldwide across social media accounts, she has an innate and invaluable ability to resonate and engage with the consumer, driving trends across demographics and generations. Her partnership with our Chief Executive Officer, Nick Vlahos, represents a distinctive combination of her entrepreneurial, authentic insights and his deep experience in the consumer products industry. Nick brings over 30 years of experience in the consumer products industry, including most recently as Chief Operating Officer at The Clorox Company, and previously as Vice President—General Manager of Burt’s Bees. We believe our blend of talent, experience and culture gives us the ability to drive sustainable growth.

Our Growth Strategy

We intend to drive growth and increased profitability in our business through these key elements of our strategy:

Drive Marketing Innovation to Increase Consumer Engagement

 

   

Deepen Consumer Relationships. We plan to deepen our existing consumer relationships to improve our revenue retention and increase our wallet share. We intend to further promote our strong brand equity, develop a more holistic offering for all life stages through strategic product innovation and enhance our consumer experience and product accessibility through coordinated cross-channel efforts with the goal of increasing purchase frequency and overall customer spend.

 

   

Grow Brand Awareness and Encourage Trial. Our unaided brand awareness of 25% among diaper buyers illustrates an opportunity to broaden our consumer base and drive future growth. We are focused on increasing brand awareness and consumer touchpoints by leveraging our differentiated content, engaged community and omnichannel strategy with continued investment in innovative brand



 

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and performance marketing. We believe increasing brand awareness could be a significant growth driver for our company.

Drive Accretive Product Innovation

 

   

Improve Existing Products. We strive for continuous improvement in our existing products’ safety, sustainability, efficacy and design profile, which we refer to as costovation, as exemplified by the introduction of our clean conscious diaper in January 2021. We believe continuous innovation is important to accelerating our growth, deepening consumer connections and improving the profitability of our product offering.

 

   

Introduce Innovative Products in Existing Categories. We plan to leverage our direct relationship with our community of consumers, research and development experts, internal laboratories, rapid product development capabilities and flexible supply chain to drive agile innovation in our existing categories and gain market share. We are currently reviewing our beauty offering and ingredients to capitalize on advancements in clean formulations and sustainable packaging.

 

   

Launch New Categories. We intend to leverage our in-house innovation capabilities to launch new products that disrupt adjacent product categories. Our direct relationship with our community of consumers provides insight into those categories in which latent demand exists. Moreover, our consumer research indicates that our brand resonates in a broad set of adjacent product categories, including new product categories within Household and Wellness and Skin and Personal Care.

Continued Execution of Omnichannel Strategy to Drive Product Accessibility

 

   

Increase Sales Through Ecommerce Channels. We plan to grow Honest.com by leveraging our deep connection with existing consumers and drawing new consumers through increased brand awareness and investing in performance marketing. Our flagship digital platform is core to our consumer engagement strategy, providing an immersive brand experience through our original content as well as a convenient shopping channel. Additionally, we intend to leverage our successful relationships with our third-party ecommerce partners with an aim to capture the growing portion of CPG sales transacted online in the United States.

 

   

Increase Breadth and Depth of Distribution at Domestic Retail Partners. Building on our success at growing our Retail channel, we have additional whitespace opportunity to expand distribution. For the 52 weeks ending December 27, 2020, we had approximately 40% all-commodity volume, or ACV, in both our Diapers and Wipes and Skin and Personal Care categories across national multi-outlet stores compared to historical leading brands that have been on the market for decades in the same categories with 95 to 100% ACV. ACV is the measurement of a product’s distribution weighted by the overall dollar retail sales attributable to the retail location distributing such product; a retail location would be counted as having sold the product or product group if at least one unit of the product was scanned for sale within the relevant time period. This metric provides a measurement of retail penetration that takes into account the importance of selling through retail locations with higher overall retail sales volumes, and as a result we believe that our competitors generally use the same measurement. We intend to enhance distribution with our existing retailers by leveraging our sales productivity and innovation, winning more shelf space and increasing the number of products we sell at retail locations that already carry our products. Additionally, we plan to increase our accessibility and reach a broader consumer base by strategically adding new retail partners, which would expand our ACV. We believe that Honest products attract an appealing consumer for our retailers. For example, based on a third-party study that we commissioned, during the eight month period ending January 2021, the average Honest consumer had a 14% higher average basket size (in dollars) when making any purchase than the average Target consumer, making Honest consumers more attractive to our retail partners due to higher average spending.



 

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Grow International Sales. In 2020, international sales represented 2% of our revenue while a significant number of Jessica Alba’s social media followers were located outside the United States. We plan to accelerate our growth outside the United States by leveraging the Honest brand and global reach of Jessica Alba. We plan to prioritize markets where consumer trends towards clean, ingredient-led products in our categories are accelerating. We have entered Canada and Europe through partnerships with leading retailers and intend to leverage our proven consumer resonance to expand our footprint across existing and new accounts. We have a meaningful opportunity to leverage Jessica Alba’s large following in Asia to tap into one of the largest addressable markets for baby and personal care products. We plan to partner with leading international retailers and third-party ecommerce platforms to allow us to efficiently expand our international reach.

Recent Developments

Set forth below are preliminary estimates of selected unaudited financial and other information for the three months ended March 31, 2021 and actual unaudited financial results for the three months ended March 31, 2020. Our unaudited interim consolidated financial statements for the three months ended March 31, 2021 are not yet available. The following information reflects our preliminary estimates based on currently available information and is subject to change. These preliminary estimates are forward-looking statements. We have provided ranges, rather than specific amounts, for the preliminary estimates of the financial information described below primarily because our financial closing procedures for the three months ended March 31, 2021 are not yet complete and, as a result, our final results upon completion of our closing procedures may vary from the preliminary estimates. All percentage comparisons to the prior year comparable period are measured to the midpoint of the range provided below.

 

     Three Months Ended March 31,  
     2020      2021  
            (in thousands)  
           

(unaudited)

 
            Low      High  

Revenue

   $ 72,372       $ 78,000       $ 80,000  

Net income (loss)

   $ 559      $ (5,500    $ (4,500

Non-GAAP Financial Measure—Adjusted EBITDA

        

Adjusted EBITDA

   $ 4,463      $ (1,000     $ —    

 

   

For the three months ended March 31, 2021, we expect to report revenue in the range of $78.0 million to $80.0 million, representing growth in the range of 8% to 11% over the three months ended March 31, 2020. Revenue growth was driven primarily by an acceleration in volume of sales of our Skin and Personal Care products across both the Retail and Digital channels in part as a result of our omnichannel marketing strategy.

 

   

For the three months ended March 31, 2021, we expect to report a net loss in the range of $5.5 million to $4.5 million, as compared to net income of $0.6 million for the three months ended March 31, 2020. This expected net loss is primarily due to investments in marketing, in product innovation, and selling, general and administrative expenses related to our public offering and other transaction-related expenses.

 

   

For the three months ended March 31, 2021, we expect to report adjusted EBITDA in the range of ($1.0) million to zero, representing a decrease of $4.5 million to $5.5 million as compared to the three months ended March 31, 2020. Adjusted EBITDA is a measure that is not calculated in accordance with GAAP. See below for a reconciliation of adjusted EBITDA to expected net loss for the ranges presented above for the three months ended March 31, 2021 and the actual results for the three months ended March 31, 2020. For further information about the limitations of the use of adjusted EBITDA, see the section titled “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations—Non-GAAP Financial Measure—Adjusted EBITDA.”



 

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The following table reconciles expected net loss to adjusted EBITDA for the three months ended March 31, 2021, and reconciles actual net income to adjusted EBITDA for the three months ended March 31, 2020:

 

     Three Months Ended March 31,  
     2020      2021  
     (in thousands)  
    

(unaudited)

 
            Low      High  

Net income (loss)

   $ 559      $ (5,500    $ (4,500

Interest and other (income) expense, net

     159        350        350  

Income tax provision

     22        50        50  

Depreciation and amortization

     1,229        1,100        1,100  

Stock-based compensation

     1,923        1,900        1,900  

Innovation Strategy expenses(1)

     571        —          —    

Related offering costs and other transaction-related expenses(2)

     —          1,100        1,100  
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Total Adjusted EBITDA

   $ 4,463    $ (1,000    $ —    
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

 

(1) 

Consists of professional fees and expenses and executive severance and termination expenses related to our Innovation Strategy, which we describe further in the section titled “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations—Non-GAAP Financial Measure—Adjusted EBITDA.”

(2) 

Consists of third-party costs associated with the preparation of this offering.

The data presented above reflects our preliminary estimates for the three months ended March 31, 2021 based solely upon information available to us as of the date of this prospectus and is not a comprehensive statement of our financial or other results for the three months ended March 31, 2021. This data has been prepared by, and is the responsibility of, our management. Our independent registered public accounting firm, PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, has not audited, reviewed, compiled or applied agreed-upon procedures with respect to this preliminary financial information. Accordingly, PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP does not express an opinion or any other form of assurance with respect thereto. We currently expect that our final results will be consistent with the estimates set forth above, but such estimates are preliminary and our final results could differ from these estimates due to the completion of our financial closing procedures, final adjustments and other developments that may arise between now and the time such unaudited interim consolidated financial statements for the three months ended March 31, 2021 are issued. For example, during the course of the preparation of the respective financial statements and related notes, additional items that would require adjustments to be made to the preliminary estimated financial information presented above may be identified. There can be no assurance that these estimates will be realized, and estimates are subject to risks and uncertainties, many of which are not within our control. See “Risk Factors,” “Special Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements” and “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” for additional information regarding these risks and uncertainties, including other factors that could cause our preliminary estimates to differ from the actual financial results that we will report for the three months ended March 31, 2021.

2021 Dividend

In April 2021, our board of directors declared a cash dividend of $35.0 million to the holders of record of our common stock and our redeemable convertible preferred stock as of May 3, 2021 that is contingent upon the closing of this offering and payable no later than June 30, 2021, or the 2021 Dividend. Investors in this offering will not be eligible to receive this dividend.



 

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Risk Factors Summary

Investing in our common stock involves substantial risks. The risks described in the section titled “Risk Factors” immediately following this summary may cause us to not realize the full benefits of our strengths or to be unable to successfully execute all or part of our strategy. Some of the more significant risks include the following:

 

   

We have incurred net losses each year since our inception and we may not be able to achieve or maintain profitability in the future.

 

   

Our significant growth may not be indicative of our future growth and, if we continue to grow rapidly, we may not be able to effectively manage our growth or evaluate our future prospects. If we fail to effectively manage our future growth or evaluate our future prospects, our business could be adversely affected.

 

   

Our quarterly operating results may fluctuate, which could cause our stock price to decline.

 

   

We may not be able to compete successfully in our highly competitive market.

 

   

If we fail to cost-effectively acquire new consumers or retain our existing consumers, our business could be adversely affected. Our sales and profit are dependent upon our ability to expand our existing consumer relationships and acquire new consumers.

 

   

Consolidation of retail partners or the loss of a significant retail or third-party ecommerce partner could negatively impact our sales and ability to achieve or maintain profitability.

 

   

We must expend resources to maintain consumer awareness of our brand, build brand loyalty and generate interest in our products. Our marketing strategies and channels will evolve and our efforts may or may not be successful.

 

   

Our brand and reputation may be diminished due to real or perceived quality, safety, efficacy or environmental impact issues with our products, which could have an adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects.

 

   

Our ability to maintain our competitive position is largely dependent on the services of our senior management and other key personnel, including our founder, Chief Creative Officer and current Chair of our board of directors, Jessica Alba and our Chief Executive Officer, Nick Vlahos.

 

   

A disruption in our operations could have an adverse effect on our business.

 

   

The COVID-19 pandemic could have an adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects.

 

   

Our business, including our costs and supply chain, is subject to risks associated with sourcing, manufacturing, warehousing and logistics, and the loss of any of our key suppliers or logistical service providers could negatively impact our business.

 

   

We rely on third-party suppliers, manufacturers, retail and ecommerce partners and other vendors, and they may not continue to produce products or provide services that are consistent with our standards or applicable regulatory requirements, which could harm our brand, cause consumer dissatisfaction, and require us to find alternative suppliers of our products or services.

 

   

Health and safety incidents or advertising inaccuracies or product mislabeling may have an adverse effect on our business by exposing us to lawsuits, product recalls or regulatory enforcement actions, increasing our operating costs and reducing demand for our product offerings.

 

   

International trade disputes and the U.S. government’s trade policy could adversely affect our business.

 

   

Our business may be adversely affected if we are unable to provide our consumers with a technology platform that is able to respond and adapt to rapid changes in technology.



 

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Corporate Information

We were incorporated in July 2011 in California and merged with and into a Delaware corporation with the same name in May 2012, whereby the Delaware corporation continued as the surviving corporation. Our principal executive offices are located at 12130 Millennium Drive, #500, Los Angeles, CA 90094, and our telephone number is (888) 862-8818. Our website address is www.honest.com. Information contained on, or that can be accessed through, our website is not incorporated by reference into this prospectus, and you should not consider information on our website to be part of this prospectus.

Implications of Being an Emerging Growth Company

We are an “emerging growth company” as defined in the Jumpstart Our Business Startups Act of 2012, or the JOBS Act. We may take advantage of certain exemptions from various public company reporting requirements, including not being required to have our internal control over financial reporting audited by our independent registered public accounting firm under Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, or 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 non-binding advisory vote on executive compensation and any golden parachute payments. We may take advantage of these exemptions for up to five years or until we are no longer an emerging growth company, whichever is earlier. We will cease to be an emerging growth company prior to the end of such five-year period if certain earlier events occur, including if we become a “large accelerated filer” as defined in Rule 12b-2 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, or the Exchange Act, our annual gross revenues exceed $1.07 billion or we issue more than $1.0 billion of non-convertible debt in any three-year period. In particular, in this prospectus, we have provided only two years of audited financial statements and have not included all of the executive compensation related information that would be required if we were not an emerging growth company. Accordingly, the information contained herein may be different than the information you receive from other public companies in which you hold stock. In addition, the JOBS Act provides that an “emerging growth company” can delay adopting new or revised accounting standards until those standards apply to private companies. We have elected to use the extended transition period under the JOBS Act. Accordingly, our financial statements may not be comparable to the financial statements of public companies that comply with such new or revised accounting standards.



 

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THE OFFERING

 

Common stock offered by us

6,451,613 shares

 

Common stock offered by the selling stockholders

19,355,387 shares

 

Option to purchase additional shares of common stock offered by the selling stockholders

3,871,050 shares

 

Common stock to be outstanding after this offering

90,518,137 shares

 

Use of proceeds

We estimate that our net proceeds from the sale of our common stock that we are offering will be approximately $89.0 million, assuming an initial public offering price of $15.50 per share, the midpoint of the estimated price range set forth on the cover page of this prospectus, and after deducting estimated underwriting discounts and commissions and estimated offering expenses payable by us. We will not receive any proceeds from the sale of shares of our common stock by the selling stockholders.

 

  The principal purposes of this offering are to increase our capitalization and financial flexibility, create a public market for our common stock and facilitate our future access to the capital markets. As of the date of this prospectus, we cannot specify with certainty all of the particular uses for the net proceeds to us from this offering. However, we currently intend to use the net proceeds we receive from this offering for general corporate purposes. These purposes include operating expenses, working capital and capital expenditures for future growth, including marketing and direct-to-consumer advertising investments, innovation and adjacent product category expansion, international growth investment and organizational capabilities investments. We may also use a portion of the net proceeds to acquire complementary businesses, products, services or technologies. However, we do not have agreements or commitments to enter into any acquisitions at this time. See the section titled “Use of Proceeds” for additional information.

 

Selling stockholders; concentration of ownership

The selling stockholders identified in this prospectus are selling an aggregate of 19,355,387 shares of common stock in this offering. Following this offering, our executive officers, directors and stockholders holding more than 5% of our outstanding shares, together with their affiliates, will hold, in the aggregate, approximately 61.0% of our outstanding capital stock (or 54.7% of our outstanding capital stock following this offering if the underwriters exercise their option in full to purchase additional shares of common stock). See the section titled “Principal and Selling Stockholders” for additional information.


 

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Directed share program

At our request, the underwriters have reserved up to 5% of the shares of common stock offered by this prospectus for sale, at the initial public offering price, to certain individuals identified by our directors and officers. The sales will be made at our direction by Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC and its affiliates through a directed share program. The number of shares of our common stock available for sale to the general public will be reduced to the extent that such persons purchase such reserved shares. Any reserved shares not so purchased will be offered by the underwriters to the general public on the same basis as the other shares offered by this prospectus. See the section titled “Underwriters—Directed Share Program” for additional information.

 

Risk factors

You should carefully read the section titled “Risk Factors” beginning on page 20 and the other information included in this prospectus for a discussion of facts that you should consider before deciding to invest in shares of our common stock.

 

Proposed Nasdaq trading symbol

“HNST”

The number of shares of our common stock that will be outstanding after this offering is based on 84,066,524 shares of common stock outstanding as of December 31, 2020, assuming the automatic conversion of 49,100,928 outstanding shares of redeemable convertible preferred stock as of December 31, 2020 into 49,977,338 shares of common stock, and excludes:

 

   

18,038,042 shares of common stock issuable on the exercise of stock options outstanding as of December 31, 2020 under our Amended and Restated 2011 Stock Incentive Plan, or 2011 Plan, with a weighted-average exercise price of $5.23 per share;

 

   

200,000 shares of our common stock issuable upon the settlement of outstanding restricted stock units granted subsequent to December 31, 2020 through April 26, 2021;

 

   

7,050,000 shares of common stock reserved for future issuance under our 2021 Equity Incentive Plan, or 2021 Plan, which will become effective once the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part is declared effective, from which we will issue the Executive IPO Grants and Director IPO Grants described below, plus any future increases in the number of shares of common stock reserved for issuance thereunder and any shares underlying outstanding stock awards granted under our 2011 Plan that expire or are repurchased, forfeited, cancelled or withheld, as more fully described in the section titled “Executive Compensation—Employee Benefit Plans;”

 

   

shares of our common stock issuable as restricted stock units that we expect our board of directors will grant to certain of our executive officers under our 2021 Plan in connection with this offering and after the effectiveness of the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part, or the Executive IPO Grants; see the section titled “Executive Compensation—IPO RSU Grants “ for additional information on such grants, including a description of how the number of restricted stock units will be determined;

 

   

shares of our common stock issuable as restricted stock units to be granted to our non-employee directors under our 2021 Plan on the day of execution of the underwriting agreement related to this offering, or the Director IPO Grants; see the section titled “Management—Non-Employee Director Compensation” for additional information on such grants, including a description of how the number of restricted stock units will be determined; and

 

   

1,175,000 shares of common stock reserved for issuance under our 2021 Employee Stock Purchase Plan, or ESPP, which will become effective once the registration statement of which this prospectus



 

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forms a part is declared effective, plus any future increases in the number of shares of common stock reserved for issuance thereunder, as more fully described in the section titled “Executive Compensation—Employee Benefit Plans.”

In addition, unless we specifically state otherwise, the information in this prospectus assumes:

 

   

a 1-for-2 forward stock split of our common stock and redeemable convertible preferred stock effected on April 23, 2021;

 

   

the filing and effectiveness of our amended and restated certificate of incorporation and the effectiveness of our amended and restated bylaws, each of which will occur immediately prior to the completion of this offering;

 

   

the automatic conversion of 49,100,928 outstanding shares of redeemable convertible preferred stock as of December 31, 2020 into 49,977,338 shares of common stock, which will occur immediately prior to the completion of this offering, after giving effect to the anti-dilution adjustments relating to our Series C and Series D redeemable convertible preferred stock based on the assumed initial public offering price of $15.50 per share, the midpoint of the estimated price range set forth on the cover page of this prospectus, as described in the section titled “Anti-dilution Adjustment” below;

 

   

no exercise of the outstanding stock options described above; and

 

   

no exercise of the underwriters’ option to purchase up to an additional 3,871,050 shares of common stock from the selling stockholders in this offering.

Anti-Dilution Adjustment

Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation that is currently in effect provides for certain anti-dilution adjustments relating to our Series B, Series C, Series D, Series E and Series F redeemable convertible preferred stock in connection with a firm-commitment underwritten public offering. The anti-dilution adjustments for each series of redeemable convertible preferred stock are based on the following target prices, which are collectively referred to as the Target Prices:

 

   

$10.9852 per share for our Series B redeemable convertible preferred stock;

 

   

$16.9108 per share for our Series C and Series D redeemable convertible preferred stock; and

 

   

$12.2530 per share for our Series E and Series F redeemable convertible preferred stock.

The number of shares of our common stock to be issued in connection with such anti-dilution adjustments of such series of redeemable convertible preferred stock depends on the initial public offering price of our common stock. We expect the initial public offering price of our common stock to be between $14.00 and $17.00 per share, as set forth on the cover page of this prospectus. However, the actual initial public offering price may be lower or higher, which would increase or decrease, respectively, the number of shares of our common stock to be issued in connection with the anti-dilution adjustments of such redeemable convertible preferred stock, as described in more detail below. We will not know the initial public offering price and, as a result, the total number of shares of common stock to be issued in connection with the anti-dilution adjustment of these shares of redeemable convertible preferred stock, until the determination of the actual price per share following the effectiveness of the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part. If the initial public offering price per share, before deducting estimated underwriting discounts and commissions and estimated offering expenses payable by us, is less than the applicable Target Price for such series of redeemable convertible preferred stock, then the conversion price in effect immediately prior to this offering for each share of such series of redeemable convertible preferred stock shall be adjusted to be equal to the product of (i) the original issue price for such series of redeemable convertible preferred stock and (ii) a fraction, the numerator of which is the initial public offering price per share, and the denominator of which is the applicable Target Price for such series of redeemable convertible preferred stock.



 

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Based on an assumed initial offering public price of $15.50 per share, which is the midpoint of the estimated offering price range set forth on the cover page of this prospectus, the anti-dilution adjustment of our Series C and Series D redeemable convertible preferred stock would be equal to an aggregate of 470,953 shares and 405,457 shares, respectively, of our common stock, and no anti-dilution adjustment would be necessary for our Series B, Series E and Series F redeemable convertible preferred stock.

For illustrative purposes only, the table below shows the approximate number of additional shares of our common stock that would be issuable upon conversion of our Series B, Series C, Series D, Series E and Series F redeemable convertible preferred stock at various initial public offering prices as a result of the anti-dilution adjustment and the resulting total number of outstanding shares of our common stock before and after this offering. No anti-dilution adjustment would be necessary for any series of redeemable convertible preferred stock at an initial public offering price of $17.00 per share.

 

Assumed
Public
Offering
Price

    Series B
Redeemable
Convertible
Preferred Stock
Conversion

Ratio (#)
    Series C and D
Redeemable
Convertible
Preferred Stock
Conversion

Ratio (#)
    Series E and F
Redeemable
Convertible
Preferred Stock
Conversion

Ratio (#)
    Additional
Shares of

Common Stock
Issuable upon

Conversion of
Redeemable
Convertible
Preferred

Stock (#)(1)
    Total Common
Stock Outstanding
Before this

Offering on an
As-Converted
Basis (#)
    Total Common
Stock Outstanding
After this

Offering (#)(2)
 
$ 10.00       1.10       1.69       1.23       9,810,591       93,000,705       99,452,318  
  11.00             1.54       1.11       6,543,080       89,733,194       96,184,807  
  12.00             1.41       1.02       4,193,838       87,383,952       93,835,565  
  13.00             1.30             2,896,648       86,086,762       92,538,375  
  14.00             1.21             2,001,971       85,192,085       91,643,698  
  15.00             1.13             1,226,584       84,416,698       90,868,311  
  15.50             1.09             876,410       84,066,524       90,518,137  
  16.00             1.06             548,121       83,738,235       90,189,848  
  17.00             1.00                   83,190,114       89,641,727  

 

(1) 

This column shows the approximate number of additional shares of our common stock that would be issuable upon conversion of our Series B, Series C, Series D, Series E and Series F redeemable convertible preferred stock as a result of the anti-dilution adjustment.

(2) 

This column includes the 6,451,613 shares of our common stock offered by us in this offering.



 

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SUMMARY CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL DATA

The summary consolidated statements of operations and comprehensive loss data for the years ended December 31, 2019 and 2020 and the summary consolidated balance sheet data as of December 31, 2020 have been derived from our audited consolidated financial statements included elsewhere in this prospectus. You should read the consolidated financial data set forth below in conjunction with our consolidated financial statements and the accompanying notes and the information in the section titled “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” included elsewhere in this prospectus. Our historical results are not necessarily indicative of the results to be expected for any period in the future.

 

     Year Ended December 31,  
             2019                     2020          
    

(in thousands, except share and

per share data)

 

Consolidated Statements of Operations and Comprehensive Loss Data:

  

Revenue

   $ 235,587     $ 300,522  

Cost of revenue

     159,733       192,626  
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Gross profit

     75,854       107,896  

Operating expenses

    

Selling, general and administrative(1)

     70,310       71,253  

Marketing

     31,864       44,478  

Research and development(1)

     5,137       5,705  

Total operating expenses

     107,311       121,436  
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Operating loss

     (31,457     (13,540

Interest and other income (expense), net

     429       (837
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Loss before provision for income taxes

     (31,028     (14,377

Income tax provision

     55       89  
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Net loss

   $ (31,083   $ (14,466
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Net loss per share attributable to common stockholders:

    

Basic(2)

   $ (0.92   $ (0.43

Diluted(2)

   $ (0.92   $ (0.43

Weighted-average shares used in computing net loss per share attributable to common stockholders:

    

Basic(2)

     33,916,324       34,075,572  

Diluted(2)

     33,916,324       34,075,572  

Pro forma net income per share, basic and diluted (unaudited)(3)

     $ 0.02  

Weighted-average shares used in computing pro forma net income per share, basic (unaudited)

       86,590,061  

Weighted-average shares used in computing pro forma net income per share, diluted (unaudited)

       87,533,915  

Other comprehensive loss

    

Unrealized gain (loss) on short-term investments, net of taxes

     196       (28
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Comprehensive loss

     $ (30,887   $ (14,494
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

 

(1)

Includes stock-based compensation expense as follows:

 

     Year Ended December 31,  
          2019                2020       
     (in thousands)  

Selling, general and administrative

   $ 8,052      $ 7,558  
     

 

 

 

Research and development

     328        347  
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

Total stock-based compensation expense

   $ 8,380      $ 7,905  
  

 

 

    

 

 

 


 

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(2)

See Note 13 to our consolidated financial statements included elsewhere in this prospectus for an explanation of the calculations of our basic and diluted loss per share attributable to common stockholders and the weighted-average number of shares used in the computation of the per share amounts.

 

(3)

The unaudited pro forma net income per share has been computed to give effect to (a) the automatic conversion of 49,100,928 outstanding shares of redeemable convertible preferred stock as of December 31, 2020 into 49,977,338 shares of common stock, after giving effect to the anti-dilution adjustments relating to our Series C and Series D redeemable convertible preferred stock based on the assumed initial public offering price of $15.50 per share, the midpoint of the estimated price range set forth on the cover page of this prospectus, as described in the section titled “Description of Capital Stock—Preferred Stock,” and the gain on extinguishment of $29.0 million as the fair value of the common shares issued upon conversion of the Series C and D redeemable convertible preferred stock is less than their carrying value, as described in Note 11 to our consolidated financial statements included elsewhere in this prospectus, (b) the cash payment of $9.5 million in bonuses that we expect to pay to certain employees, including members of management, relating to preparation for this offering that are triggered upon the closing of this offering, as well as $0.2 million in related payroll taxes and expenses, (c) the stock-based compensation expense that will be recognized upon the effectiveness of the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part related to certain performance and market-based stock options, as described in Note 12 to our consolidated financial statements included elsewhere in this prospectus and (d) the sale of such number of shares of common stock multiplied by the assumed initial public offering price of $15.50 per share, the midpoint of the estimated price range set forth on the cover page of this prospectus, after deducting estimated underwriting discounts and commissions and estimated offering expenses payable by us, that would be sufficient to pay the 2021 Dividend.

 

    

The following table sets forth the computation of unaudited pro forma net income per share for the year ended December 31, 2020 (in thousands except share and per share amounts):

 

Numerator:

  

Net loss

   $ (14,466

Stock-based compensation expense

     (3,054

IPO Bonus and related payroll taxes

     (9,660

Gain from assumed conversion of redeemable convertible preferred stock to common stock

     28,994  
  

 

 

 

Pro forma net income, basic and diluted

   $ 1,814  
  

 

 

 

Denominator:

  

Weighted-average shares used in computing net income per share

     34,075,572  

Adjustment for assumed conversion of redeemable convertible preferred stock to common stock

     49,977,338  

Adjustment for number of shares sufficient to pay 2021 Dividend

     2,537,151  
  

 

 

 

Weighted-average shares used in computing pro forma net income per share, basic

     86,590,061  

Effect of potentially dilutive stock options

     943,854  
  

 

 

 

Weighted-average shares used in computing pro forma net income per share, diluted

     87,533,915  
  

 

 

 

Pro forma net income per share, basic (unaudited)

   $ 0.02  

Pro forma net income per share, diluted (unaudited)

   $ 0.02  

 

    As of December 31, 2020  
    Actual     Pro Forma(1)     Pro Forma
As Adjusted(2)(3)
 
    (in thousands)  

Cash, cash equivalents and short-term investments

  $ 63,684     $ 19,024     $ 108,024  

Working capital(4)

    119,487       74,828       164,361  

Total assets

    240,732       196,072       284,539  

Total liabilities

    101,153       101,153       100,620  

Redeemable convertible preferred stock

    376,404       —         —    

Total stockholders’ (deficit) equity

    (236,825     94,919       183,919  

 

(1)

The pro forma consolidated balance sheet data gives effect to (a) the automatic conversion of 49,100,928 outstanding shares of redeemable convertible preferred stock as of December 31, 2020 into 49,977,338 shares of common stock, after giving effect to the anti-dilution adjustments relating to our Series C and Series D redeemable convertible preferred stock based on the assumed initial public offering price of $15.50 per share, the midpoint of the estimated price range set forth on the cover page of this prospectus, as described in



 

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  the section titled “Description of Capital Stock—Preferred Stock,” and the related reclassification of the carrying value of our redeemable convertible preferred stock to stockholders’ (deficit) equity, (b) the filing and effectiveness of our amended and restated certificate of incorporation, each of which will occur immediately prior to the completion of this offering, (c) the cash payment of $9.5 million in bonuses that we expect to pay to certain employees, including members of management, relating to preparation for this offering that are triggered upon the closing of this offering, as well as $0.2 million in related payroll taxes and expenses and (d) the cash payment of the 2021 Dividend.
(2)

The pro forma as adjusted consolidated balance sheet data gives effect to (a) the items described in footnote (1) above and (b) our receipt of estimated net proceeds from the sale of 6,451,613 shares of common stock that we are offering at an assumed initial public offering price of $15.50 per share, the midpoint of the estimated price range set forth on the cover page of this prospectus, after deducting the estimated underwriting discounts and commissions and estimated offering expenses payable by us.

(3)

A $1.00 increase (decrease) in the assumed initial public offering price of $15.50 per share, 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’ (deficit) equity by $6.1 million, assuming that the number of shares of common stock offered by us, as set forth on the cover page of this prospectus, remains the same, and after deducting the estimated underwriting discounts and commissions. Similarly, each increase (decrease) of 1,000,000 shares in the number of shares of common stock offered by us would increase (decrease) each of cash and cash equivalents, working capital, total assets and total stockholders’ (deficit) equity by $14.6 million, assuming the assumed initial public offering price of $15.50 per share of common stock remains the same, and after deducting the estimated underwriting discounts and commissions.

(4)

Working capital is defined as current assets less current liabilities.

Non-GAAP Financial Measure—Adjusted EBITDA

 

     Year Ended December 31,  
           2019                  2020        

Adjusted EBITDA(1)

   $ (9,696    $ 11,189  

 

(1)

Adjusted EBITDA is a measure that is not calculated in accordance with GAAP. See section titled “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations—Non-GAAP Financial Measure” for more information, including the limitations of such measure and a reconciliation of adjusted EBITDA to net loss.



 

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RISK FACTORS

Investing in our common stock involves a high degree of risk. You should carefully consider the following risk factors, as well as the other information in this prospectus, including our consolidated financial statements and the related notes and “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations,” before deciding whether to invest in shares of our common stock. The risks and uncertainties described below are not the only ones we face. Additional risks and uncertainties that we are unaware of, or that we currently believe are not material, may also become important factors that adversely affect our business. If any of the following risks actually occurs, our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects could be adversely affected. In this case, the trading price of our common stock could decline and you might lose part or all your investment.

Risks Related to Our Business, Our Brand, Our Products and Our Industry

Our significant growth may not be indicative of our future growth and, if we continue to grow rapidly, we may not be able to effectively manage our growth or evaluate our future prospects. If we fail to effectively manage our future growth or evaluate our future prospects, our business could be adversely affected.

We have experienced significant growth since our launch in 2012, including strong recent growth in Household and Wellness. For example, our revenue increased from $235.6 million in 2019 to $300.5 million in 2020. The number of our full-time employees increased from 167 at December 31, 2019 to 191 at December 31, 2020. This growth has placed significant demands on our management, financial, operational, technological and other resources. The anticipated growth and expansion of our business depends on a number of factors, including our ability to:

 

   

increase awareness of our brand and successfully compete with other companies;

 

   

price our products effectively so that we are able to attract new consumers and expand sales to our existing consumers;

 

   

expand distribution to new points of sales with new and existing consumers;

 

   

continue to innovate and introduce new products;

 

   

maintain and improve our technology platform supporting our Honest.com business;

 

   

expand our supplier and fulfillment capacities;

 

   

maintain quality control over our product offerings; and

 

   

expand internationally.

Such growth and expansion of our business will place significant demands on our management and operations teams and require significant additional resources, financial and otherwise, to meet our needs, which may not be available in a cost-effective manner, or at all. We expect to continue to expend substantial resources on:

 

   

our sales and marketing efforts to increase brand awareness, further engaging our existing and prospective consumers, and driving sales of our products;

 

   

product innovation and development;

 

   

technology platform maintenance to support sales of our products;

 

   

general administration, including increased finance, legal and accounting expenses associated with being a public company; and

 

   

expanding internationally.

These investments may not result in the growth of our business. Even if these investments do result in the growth of our business, if we do not effectively manage our growth, we may not be able to execute on our business plan, respond to competitive pressures, take advantage of market opportunities, satisfy consumer

 

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requirements or maintain high-quality product offerings, any of which could adversely affect our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects. You should not rely on our historical rate of revenue growth as an indication of our future performance or the rate of growth we may experience in any new category or internationally.

In addition, to support continued growth, we must effectively integrate, develop and motivate a large number of new employees while maintaining our corporate culture. For example, we recently hired a new Chief Financial Officer. We face significant competition for personnel. To attract top talent, we have had to offer, and expect to continue to offer, competitive compensation and benefits packages before we can validate the productivity of new employees. We may also need to increase our employee compensation levels to remain competitive in attracting and retaining talented employees. The risks associated with a rapidly growing workforce will be particularly acute as we choose to expand into new product categories and global markets. Additionally, we may not be able to hire new employees quickly enough to meet our needs. If we fail to effectively manage our hiring needs or successfully integrate new hires, our efficiency, ability to meet forecasts and employee morale, productivity and retention could suffer, which could have an adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects.

We are also required to manage numerous relationships with various vendors and other third parties. Further growth of our operations, vendor base, fulfillment centers, information technology systems or internal controls and procedures may not be adequate to support our operations. If we are unable to manage the growth of our organization effectively, our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects may be adversely affected.

Our quarterly operating results may fluctuate, which could cause our stock price to decline.

Our quarterly operating results may fluctuate for a variety of reasons, many of which are beyond our control, including:

 

   

fluctuations in revenue, including as a result of adverse market conditions due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the opening of retail and travel opportunities as the pandemic abates, the seasonality of market transactions and fluctuations in sales through our Retail and Digital channels;

 

   

the amount and timing of our operating expenses;

 

   

our success in attracting new and maintaining relationships with existing retail and ecommerce partners;

 

   

our success in executing on our strategy and the impact of any changes in our strategy;

 

   

the timing and success of product launches, including new products that we may introduce, such as our launch of clean conscious diapers in January 2021;

 

   

the success of our marketing efforts;

 

   

adverse economic and market conditions, such as those related to the current COVID-19 pandemic, currency fluctuations and other adverse global events;

 

   

disruptions or defects in our technology platform, such as privacy or data security breaches, errors in our software or other incidents that impact the availability, reliability, or performance of our platform;

 

   

disruptions in our supply chain, the ability of our third-party manufacturers to produce our products, ability of our distributors to distribute our products, or in our shipping arrangements;

 

   

the impact of competitive developments and our response to those developments;

 

   

fluctuations in inventory and working capital;

 

   

our ability to manage our business and future growth; and

 

   

our ability to recruit and retain employees.

 

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Fluctuations in our quarterly operating results and the price of our common stock may be particularly pronounced in the current economic environment due to the uncertainty caused by and the unprecedented nature of the current COVID-19 pandemic, consumer spending patterns, and the impacts of the gradual reopening of the offline economy and lessening of restrictions on movement and travel as the COVID-19 pandemic abates. Fluctuations in our quarterly operating results may cause those results to fall below our financial guidance or other projections, or the expectations of analysts or investors, which could cause the price of our common stock to decline. Fluctuations in our results could also cause other problems, including, for example, analysts or investors changing their models for valuing our common stock, particularly post-pandemic. We could experience short-term liquidity issues, our ability to retain or attract key personnel may diminish, and other unanticipated issues may arise.

We believe that our quarterly operating results may vary in the future and that period-to-period comparisons of our operating results may not be meaningful. For example, our overall historical growth rate and the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic may have overshadowed the effect of seasonal variations on our historical operating results. Any seasonal effects may change or become more pronounced over time, which could also cause our operating results to fluctuate. You should not rely on the results of any given quarter as an indication of future performance.

We may not be able to compete successfully in our highly competitive market.

The markets in which we operate are highly competitive and rapidly evolving, with many new brands and product offerings emerging in the marketplace. We face significant competition from both established, well-known legacy CPG players and emerging direct-to-consumer brands. Numerous brands and products compete for limited shelf space in the retail channel, and for favorable positioning and promotion among ecommerce channels. We compete based on various product attributes including clean formulation, sustainability, effectiveness and design, as well as our ability to establish direct relationships with our consumers through digital channels.

Select competitors in the Diapers and Wipes market include Kimberly-Clark Corporation (maker of Huggies), Procter & Gamble Company (maker of Pampers, Pampers Pure and Luvs), Johnson & Johnson Consumer Inc. (maker of Johnson’s Baby), WaterWipes UC and private label brands. Select competitors in the Skin and Personal Care market include Johnson & Johnson Consumer Inc. (maker of Johnson’s Baby and Aveeno), The Clorox Company (parent company of Burt’s Bees, Inc.), Unilever PLC (maker of Shea Moisture), LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton (maker of Benefit Cosmetics LLC), Estée Lauder Inc., L’Oréal S.A. and Pacifica Beauty LLC. Select competitors in the Household and Wellness market include The Clorox Company, Reckitt Benckiser Group plc (maker of Lysol) and Unilever PLC (maker of Seventh Generation products). Many of these competitors have substantially greater financial and other resources than us and some of whose products are well accepted in the marketplace today. Many also have longer operating histories, larger fulfillment infrastructures, greater technical capabilities, faster shipping times, lower-cost shipping, lower operating costs, greater financial, marketing, institutional and other resources and larger consumer bases than we do. These factors may also allow our competitors to derive greater revenue and profits from their existing consumer bases, acquire consumers at lower costs or respond more quickly than we can to new or emerging technologies and changes in product trends and consumer shopping behavior. These competitors may engage in more extensive research and development efforts, enter or expand their presence in any or all of the ecommerce or retail channels where we compete, undertake more far-reaching marketing campaigns, and adopt more aggressive pricing policies, which may allow them to build larger consumer bases or generate revenue from their existing consumer bases more effectively than we do. As a result, these competitors may be able to offer comparable or substitute products to consumers at similar or lower costs. This could put pressure on us to lower our prices, resulting in lower revenue and margins or cause us to lose market share even if we lower prices.

We cannot be certain that we will successfully compete with larger competitors that have greater financial, sales, technical and other resources. Companies with greater resources may acquire our competitors or launch new products, including clean products, and they may be able to use their resources and scale to respond to

 

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competitive pressures and changes in consumer preferences by reducing prices or increasing promotional activities, among other things. Retailers also market competitive products under their own private labels, which are generally sold at lower prices, and may change the merchandising of our products so they have less favorable placement. Competitive pressures or other factors could cause us to lose market share, which may require us to lower prices, increase marketing expenditures, or increase the use of discounting or promotional campaigns, each of which would adversely affect our margins and could result in a decrease in our operating results and ability to achieve or maintain profitability.

We expect competition in the CPG industry to continue to increase. We believe that our ability to compete successfully in this market depends upon many factors both within and beyond our control, including:

 

   

the size and composition of our consumer base;

 

   

the number of products that we offer and feature across our sales channels;

 

   

consumer demand for clean products developed with formulations and ingredients we use;

 

   

our information technology infrastructure;

 

   

the quality and responsiveness of our customer service;

 

   

our selling and marketing efforts;

 

   

the quality and price of the products that we offer;

 

   

the convenience of the shopping experience that we provide on our website;

 

   

our ability to distribute our products and manage our operations; and

 

   

our reputation and brand strength.

If we fail to compete successfully in this market, our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects could be adversely affected.

Further, competitors with substantially greater operations and resources than us may be less affected by the COVID-19 pandemic than we are. In connection with the pandemic, we have restricted employee travel, cancelled certain events with consumers or partners, imposed operational safeguards at our fulfillment and operating facilities and limited access to our headquarters (including our laboratory facilities) and experienced certain supply restrictions and delays. Although we are monitoring the situation, we cannot predict for how long, or the ultimate extent to which, the pandemic may disrupt our operations, or our suppliers’ operations, or if we will be required to implement other changes, such as closures of any of our fulfillment or other operating facilities. Any significant disruption resulting from this or similar events on a large scale or over a prolonged period of time could cause significant delays and disruption to our business until we would be able to resume normal business operations or shift to other third-party vendors, negatively affecting our revenue and other financial results, which would adversely affect our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects. A prolonged disruption of our business could also damage our reputation and brand strength.

If we fail to cost-effectively acquire new consumers or retain our existing consumers, our business could be adversely affected. Our sales and profit are dependent upon our ability to expand our existing consumer relationships and acquire new consumers.

Our success, and our ability to increase revenue and achieve profitability, depend in part on our ability to cost-effectively acquire new consumers, retain existing consumers and keep existing consumers engaged so that they continue to purchase our products. Our diaper business is also a strategic consumer acquisition tool that fuels growth for baby wipes, personal care, and other products. While we intend to continue to invest significantly in sales and marketing to educate consumers about our brand, our values and our products, there is no assurance that these efforts will generate further demand for our products or expand our consumer base. Our ability to attract new consumers and retain our existing consumers will depend on, among other items, the perceived value and quality of our products, consumer demand for clean, sustainable, thoughtfully designed and

 

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effective products at a premium, competitive offerings, our ability to offer new and relevant products and the effectiveness of our marketing efforts. We may also lose loyal consumers to our competitors if we are unable to meet consumer demand in a timely manner. If we are unable to cost-effectively acquire new consumers, retain existing consumers and keep existing consumers engaged, our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects could be adversely affected.

Any strategies we employ to pursue this growth are subject to numerous factors outside of our control. Our retail and ecommerce customers continue to aggressively market their private label or competitive products, which could reduce demand for our products. The expansion of our business also depends on our ability to increase sales through ecommerce channels and increase breadth and depth of distribution at retail partners. Any growth within our existing distribution channels may also affect our existing consumer relationships and present additional challenges, including those related to pricing strategies. Our direct connections to our consumers may become more limited as we expand our non-DTC channels. Additionally, we may need to increase or reallocate spending on marketing and promotional activities, such as temporary price reductions, off-invoice discounts, retailer advertisements, product coupons and other trade activities, and these expenditures are subject to risks, including risks related to consumer acceptance of our efforts. Our strategy to grow international sales may also increase our marketing spend. Our failure to obtain new consumers, or expand our business with existing consumers, could have an adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects.

We also use paid and non-paid advertising. Our paid advertising may include search engine marketing, display, paid social media and product placement and traditional advertising, such as direct mail, television, radio and magazine advertising. Our non-paid advertising efforts include search engine optimization, non-paid social media and e-mail marketing. We drive a significant amount of traffic to our website via search engines and, therefore, rely heavily on search engines. Search engines frequently update and change the logic that determines the placement and display of results of a user’s search, such that the purchased or algorithmic placement of links to our website can be negatively affected. Moreover, a search engine could, for competitive or other purposes, alter its search algorithms or results, causing our website to place lower in search query results.

We also drive a significant amount of traffic to our website via social networking or other ecommerce channels used by our current and prospective consumers. As social networking and ecommerce channels continue to rapidly evolve, we may be unable to develop or maintain a presence within these channels. If we are unable to cost-effectively drive traffic to our website, or if the popularity of our founder, Jessica Alba’s social media, online or offline presence declines, our ability to acquire new consumers could be adversely affected. Additionally, if we fail to increase our revenue per active consumer, generate repeat purchases or maintain high levels of consumer engagement, our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects could be adversely affected.

Failure to introduce new products may adversely affect our ability to continue to grow.

A key element of our growth strategy depends on our ability to develop and market new products that meet our standards for quality and appeal to our consumers. The success of our innovation and product development efforts is affected by our ability to anticipate changes in consumer preferences, the technical capability of our innovation staff, including chemists and toxicologists, developing and testing product formulas and prototypes, our ability to comply with applicable governmental regulations, and the success of our management and sales and marketing teams in introducing and marketing new products. Our product offerings have changed since our launch, which makes it difficult to forecast our future results of operations. There can be no assurance that we will successfully develop and market new products that appeal to consumers. For example, product formulas we develop may not contain the product attributes desired by our consumers. Any such failure may lead to a decrease in our growth, sales and ability to achieve profitability, which could adversely affect our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects.

Additionally, the development and introduction of new products requires substantial marketing expenditures, which we may be unable to recoup if new products do not gain widespread market acceptance. If

 

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we are unsuccessful in meeting our objectives with respect to new or improved products, our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects could be adversely affected.

Consolidation of retail partners or the loss of a significant retail or third-party ecommerce partner could negatively impact our sales and ability to achieve or maintain profitability.

Our omnichannel strategy includes selling our products through third-party ecommerce and retail partners (including their websites), which have been undergoing consolidation in recent years. This consolidation has produced larger, more sophisticated organizations with increased negotiating and buying power that are able to resist price increases, as well as operate with lower inventories, decrease the number of brands that they carry, offer our products at competitive prices to consumers and increase their emphasis on private label products, all of which could negatively impact our business.

In 2020, we generated 45% and 55% of our total revenue from retail partners (including their websites) and Digital channels, respectively. In 2020, 33% of our revenue was generated from Honest.com. In 2020, Target, Amazon and Costco accounted for approximately 23%, 22% and 8% of our revenue, respectively. We sell products to each of Target, Amazon and Costco under each of their standard vendor agreements. Our vendor agreements with Target, Amazon and Costco do not include a term or duration as sales under each vendor agreement are generally made on a purchase order basis. Our vendor agreement with Amazon provides that either party may terminate the agreement with 60 days’ prior written notice, provided that we are required to fulfill any purchase orders that we accept before the effective date of termination. Our vendor agreements with Target and Costco do not include any termination provisions. The loss of Target, Amazon, Costco or any other large partner, the reduction of purchasing levels or the cancellation of any business from Target, Amazon, Costco or any other large partner for an extended length of time could negatively impact our sales and ability to achieve or maintain profitability.

A third-party ecommerce or retail partner may take actions that affect us for reasons that we cannot always anticipate or control, such as their financial condition, changes in their business strategy or operations, the introduction of competing products or the perceived quality of our products. Despite operating in different channel segments, our third-party ecommerce and retail partners sometimes compete for the same consumers. Because of actual or perceived conflicts resulting from this competition, third-party ecommerce or retail partners may take actions that negatively affect us. Consequently, our financial results may fluctuate significantly from period to period based on the actions of one or more significant third-party ecommerce or retail partners.

We must expend resources to maintain consumer awareness of our brand, build brand loyalty and generate interest in our products. Our marketing strategies and channels will evolve and our efforts may or may not be successful.

In order to remain competitive and expand and keep market share for our products across our various channels, we may need to increase our marketing and advertising spending to maintain and increase consumer awareness, protect and grow our existing market share or promote new products, which could impact our operating results. Substantial advertising and promotional expenditures may be required to maintain or improve our brand’s market position or to introduce new products to the market, and we are increasingly engaging with non-traditional media, including consumer outreach through social media and web-based channels, which may not prove successful. An increase in our marketing and advertising efforts may not maintain our current reputation or lead to increased brand awareness. Further, social media platforms frequently change the algorithms that determine the ranking and display of results of a user’s search and may make other changes to the way results are displayed, or may increase the costs of such advertising, which can negatively affect the placement of our links and, therefore, reduce the number of visits to our website and social media channels or make such marketing cost-prohibitive. In addition, social media platforms typically require compliance with their policies and procedures, which may be subject to change or new interpretation with limited ability to negotiate, which could negatively impact our marketing capabilities. If we are unable to maintain and promote a favorable perception of our brand and products on a cost-effective basis, our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects could be adversely affected.

 

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Failure to leverage our brand value propositions to compete against private label products, especially during an economic downturn, may adversely affect our ability to achieve or maintain profitability.

In many product categories, we compete not only with other widely advertised branded products, but also with private label products that generally are sold at lower prices. Consumers are more likely to purchase our products if they believe that our products provide greater value than less expensive alternatives. If the difference in perceived value between our brand and private label products narrows, or if there is a perception of such a narrowing, consumers may choose not to buy our products at prices that are profitable for us. We believe that in periods of economic uncertainty, such as the current economic uncertainty surrounding COVID-19, consumers may purchase more lower-priced private label or other economy brands. To the extent this occurs, we could experience a reduction in the sales volume of our products or an unfavorable shift in our product mix, which could have an adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects.

If we fail to develop and maintain our brand, our business could suffer.

We have developed a strong and trusted brand that has contributed significantly to the success of our business, and we believe our continued success depends on our ability to maintain and grow the value of The Honest Company brand. Maintaining, promoting and positioning our brand and reputation will depend on, among other factors, the success of our product offerings, product safety, quality assurance, marketing and merchandising efforts, our continued focus on delivering clean, sustainable, well-designed, and effective products to our consumers and our ability to provide a consistent, high-quality consumer experience. In addition, in 2019 we entered into a license agreement with Butterblu, LLC, or Butterblu, pursuant to which we license certain of our trademarks to Butterblu for the manufacture and distribution of certain baby apparel products in exchange for royalties. Butterblu also operates and maintains the honestbabyclothing.com website. If Butterblu fails to comply with their contractual obligations, including our quality standards, our brand could be harmed.

Any negative publicity, regardless of its accuracy, could have an adverse effect on our business. Brand value is based on perceptions of subjective qualities, and any incident that erodes the loyalty of our consumers, suppliers or manufacturers, including changes to our products or packaging, adverse publicity or a governmental investigation, litigation or regulatory enforcement action, could significantly reduce the value of our brand and adversely affect our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects.

Our brand and reputation may be diminished due to real or perceived quality, safety, efficacy or environmental impact issues with our products, which could have an adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects.

We believe our consumers rely on us to provide them with clean, sustainable, well-designed, and effective products. Any loss of confidence on the part of consumers in our products or the ingredients used in our products, whether related to product contamination or product safety or quality failures, actual or perceived, environmental impacts, or inclusion of prohibited ingredients, or ingredients that are perceived to be “toxic”, could tarnish the image of our brand and could cause consumers to choose other products. Allegations of contamination or other adverse effects on product safety or efficacy or suitability for use by a particular consumer or on the environment, even if untrue, may require us to expend significant time and resources responding to such allegations and could, from time to time, result in a recall of a product from any or all of the markets in which the affected product was distributed. Any such issues or recalls could negatively affect our ability to achieve or maintain profitability and brand image.

For example, in 2015, multiple class action lawsuits were filed against us claiming that certain of our products, including our sunscreen, were ineffective and were not “natural.” In 2017, we settled these class action lawsuits by agreeing to labeling changes and a $7.4 million settlement fund. In 2016, multiple class action lawsuits were filed against us claiming that we misled buyers about ingredients in our laundry detergent, dish soap and multi-surface cleaner. In 2017, we settled these class action lawsuits by agreeing to marketing or

 

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reformulating changes and a settlement fund of $1.6 million. We have also been the subject of litigation claiming our labels contain inaccurate or misleading information. In response, we are in the process of updating the language on certain of our labels. In addition, we voluntarily recalled certain of our baby wipes and baby powder products in 2017 and one of our bubble bath products in January 2021 due to concerns about potential contamination. These incidents negatively affected our brand image and required significant time and resources to address.

We also have no control over our products once purchased by consumers. For example, consumers may store or use our products under conditions and for periods of time inconsistent with approved directions for use or the listed “Period After Opening,” or required warnings or other governmental guidelines on our labels, which may adversely affect the quality and safety of our products.

If our products are found to be, or perceived to be, defective or unsafe, or if they otherwise fail to meet our consumers’ expectations, our relationships with consumers could suffer, the appeal of our brand could be diminished, we may need to recall some of our products and/or become subject to regulatory action, and we could lose sales or market share or become subject to boycotts or liability claims. In addition, safety or other defects in our competitors’ products or products using the Honest name in other consumer categories, like beverages and pet food in which we do not own the Honest brand, could reduce consumer demand for our own products if consumers view them to be similar. Any such adverse effect could be exacerbated by our market positioning as a purveyor of clean, sustainable, well-designed, and effective products and may significantly reduce our brand value. Issues regarding the safety, efficacy, quality or environmental impact of any of our products, regardless of the cause, may have an adverse effect on our brand, reputation and operating results. Further, the growing use of social and digital media by us, our consumers and third parties increases the speed and extent that information or misinformation and opinions can be shared. Negative publicity about us, our brand or our products on social or digital media could seriously damage our brand and reputation. Any loss of confidence on the part of consumers in the quality, safety, efficacy or environmental suitability of our products would be difficult and costly to overcome, even if such concerns were based on inaccurate or misleading information. If we do not maintain the favorable perception of our brand, our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects could be adversely affected.

Economic downturns or a change in consumer preferences, perception and spending habits in the clean products categories, in particular, could limit consumer demand for our products and negatively affect our business.

We have positioned our brand to capitalize on growing consumer interest in clean conscious products. The clean conscious consumer product industry is sensitive to national and regional economic conditions and the demand for the products that we distribute may be adversely affected from time to time by economic downturns that impact consumer spending, including discretionary spending. Future economic conditions such as employment levels, business conditions, housing starts, interest rates, inflation rates, energy and fuel costs and tax rates could reduce consumer spending or change consumer purchasing habits. Among these changes could be a reduction in the number of clean conscious consumer products that consumers purchase where there are alternatives, given that many products in this category often have higher retail prices than do their conventional counterparts.

Further, the Diapers and Wipes, Skin and Personal Care and Household and Wellness markets in which we operate are subject to changes in consumer preference, perception and spending habits. Our performance depends significantly on factors that may affect the level and pattern of consumer spending in the markets in which we operate. Such factors include consumer preference, consumer confidence, consumer income, consumer perception of the safety and quality of our products and shifts in the perceived value for our products relative to alternatives. The Diapers and Wipes market is also subject to changes in birthrates, which have been declining in developed countries like the United States. In addition, media coverage regarding the safety or quality of, our products or the raw materials, ingredients or processes involved in their manufacturing may damage consumer confidence in our products. A general decline in the consumption of our products could occur at any time as a

 

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result of change in consumer preference, perception, confidence and spending habits, including an unwillingness to pay a premium or an inability to purchase our products due to financial hardship or increased price sensitivity, which may be exacerbated by the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. If consumer preferences shift away from clean products, our business, financial condition and results of operations could be adversely affected.

The success of our products depends on a number of factors including our ability to accurately anticipate changes in market demand and consumer preferences, our ability to differentiate the quality of our products from those of our competitors, and the effectiveness of our marketing and advertising campaigns for our products. We may not be successful in identifying trends in consumer preferences and developing products that respond to such trends in a timely manner. We also may not be able to effectively promote our products by our marketing and advertising campaigns and gain market acceptance. If our products fail to gain market acceptance, are restricted by regulatory requirements or have quality problems, we may not be able to fully recover costs and expenses incurred in our operation, and our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects could be adversely affected.

If we cannot maintain our company culture or focus on our purpose as we grow, our success and our business and competitive position may be harmed.

We believe our culture and our mission have been key contributors to our success to date and that the critical nature of the platform that we provide promotes a sense of greater purpose and fulfillment in our employees. Any failure to preserve our culture or focus on our mission could negatively affect our ability to retain and recruit personnel, which is critical to our growth, and to effectively focus on and pursue our corporate objectives. As we grow and develop the infrastructure of a public company, we may find it difficult to maintain these important values. If we fail to maintain our company culture or focus on our mission our competitive position and business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects could be adversely affected.

Our ability to maintain our competitive position is largely dependent on the services of our senior management and other key personnel, including our founder, Chief Creative Officer and current Chair of our board of directors, Jessica Alba, and our Chief Executive Officer, Nick Vlahos.

Our ability to maintain our competitive position is largely dependent on the services of our senior management and other key personnel, including our founder, Chief Creative Officer and current Chair of our board of directors, Jessica Alba, and our Chief Executive Officer, Nick Vlahos. The loss of the services of either of these persons could have an adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects.

Jessica Alba is a globally recognized Latina business leader, entrepreneur, advocate, actress, and New York Times bestselling author. We believe that the success of our brand depends in part on our ongoing affiliation with Jessica Alba. We have an agreement with Jessica Alba, or the Likeness Agreement, which, among other things, includes a license for her likeness and imposes various obligations on us. Ms. Alba has the right to terminate the Likeness Agreement at any time upon prior written notice, and the Likeness Agreement will immediately terminate in the event we become insolvent. Upon termination of the Likeness Agreement, we could, among other things, be required to pay damages to Ms. Alba, lose our ability to associate the brand with Ms. Alba, and sustain reputational damage. We depend on Ms. Alba’s social media reach and influence to connect with consumers and provide insight on current trends. If Ms. Alba objects to a proposed use of the licensed property, we may be prevented from implementing our business plan in a timely manner, or at all, outside of previously approved usages or usages consistent with certain pre-approved product guidelines. The loss of the services of Ms. Alba, or the loss of our ability to use Ms. Alba’s likeness, could have an adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects.

Our brand may also depend on the positive image and public popularity of Ms. Alba to maintain and increase brand recognition. Ms. Alba’s social media presence and approximately 39 million followers across all of her social media channels combined represent a large social following and potential audience for our social

 

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media reach. Consumers may be drawn to our products because of her involvement with us. If Ms. Alba’s image, reputation or popularity is materially and adversely affected, this could negatively affect the marketability and sales of our products and could have an adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects.

In addition, our future success depends on our continued ability to attract, develop, motivate and retain highly qualified and skilled employees. The market for such positions is competitive. Qualified individuals are in high demand and we may incur significant costs to attract them. In addition, the loss of any of our senior management or other key employees or our inability to recruit and develop mid-level managers could adversely affect our ability to execute our business plan and we may be unable to find adequate replacements. All of our employees are at-will employees, meaning that they may terminate their employment relationship with us at any time, and their knowledge of our business and industry would be extremely difficult to replace. If we fail to retain talented senior management and other key personnel, or if we do not succeed in attracting well-qualified employees or retaining and motivating existing employees, our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects could be adversely affected.

Use of social media and influencers may adversely affect our reputation or subject us to fines or other penalties.

We use third-party social media platforms as, among other things, marketing tools. For example, we maintain Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest and Twitter accounts. We also maintain relationships with thousands of social media influencers and engage in sponsorship initiatives. As existing ecommerce and social media platforms continue to rapidly evolve and new platforms develop, we must continue to maintain a presence on these platforms and establish presences on new or emerging social media platforms. If we are unable to cost-effectively use social media platforms as marketing tools or if the social media platforms we use change their policies or algorithms, we may not be able to fully optimize such platforms, and our ability to maintain and acquire consumers and our financial condition may suffer. Furthermore, as laws and regulations and public opinion rapidly evolve to govern the use of these platforms and devices, the failure by us, our employees, our network of social media influencers, our sponsors or third parties acting at our direction to abide by applicable laws and regulations in the use of these platforms and devices or otherwise could subject us to regulatory investigations, class action lawsuits, liability, fines or other penalties and have an adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects.

In addition, an increase in the use of social media influencers for product promotion and marketing may cause an increase in the burden on us to monitor compliance of the content they post, and increase the risk that such content could contain problematic product or marketing claims in violation of applicable laws and regulations. For example, in some cases, the Federal Trade Commission, or the FTC, has sought enforcement action where an endorsement has failed to clearly and conspicuously disclose a financial relationship or material connection between an influencer and an advertiser. We do not control the content that our influencers post, and if we were held responsible for any false, misleading or otherwise unlawful content of their posts or their actions, we could be fined or subjected to other monetary liabilities or forced to alter our practices, which could have an adverse impact on our business.

Negative commentary regarding us, our products or influencers and other third parties who are affiliated with us may also be posted on social media platforms and may be adverse to our reputation or business. Influencers with whom we maintain relationships could engage in behavior or use their platforms to communicate directly with our consumers in a manner that reflects poorly on our brand and may be attributed to us or otherwise adversely affect us. It is not possible to prevent such behavior, and the precautions we take to detect this activity may not be effective in all cases. Our target consumers often value readily available information and often act on such information without further investigation and without regard to its accuracy. The harm may be immediate, without affording us an opportunity for redress or correction.

 

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Employee litigation and unfavorable publicity could negatively affect our future business.

Our employees have in the past, and may in the future, bring employment-related lawsuits against us, including regarding injuries, a hostile workplace, discrimination, wage and hour disputes, sexual harassment, or other employment issues. In recent years there has been an increase in the number of discrimination and harassment claims generally. Coupled with the expansion of social media platforms, employer review websites and similar devices that allow individuals access to a broad audience, these claims have had a significant negative impact on some businesses. Certain companies that have faced employment- or harassment-related claims have had to terminate management or other key personnel and have suffered reputational harm that has negatively impacted their business, including their ability to attract and hire top talent. If we were to face any employment- or harassment-related claims, our business could be negatively affected in similar or other ways.

We have a history of net losses and we may not be able to achieve or maintain profitability in the future.

We have incurred net losses each year since our inception and we may not be able to achieve or maintain profitability in the future. We incurred net losses of $14.5 million and $31.1 million in the years ended December 31, 2020 and 2019, respectively. Our expenses will likely increase in the future as we develop and launch new offerings and platform features, expand in existing and new markets, increase our sales and marketing efforts and continue to invest in our platform. These efforts may be more costly than we expect and may not result in increased revenue or growth in our business. These offerings may require significant capital investments and recurring costs, maintenance, depreciation, asset life and asset replacement costs, and if we are not able to maintain sufficient levels of utilization of such assets or such offerings are otherwise not successful, our investments may not generate sufficient returns and our financial condition may be adversely affected. Any failure to increase our revenue sufficiently to keep pace with our investments and other expenses could prevent us from achieving or maintaining profitability or positive cash flow on a consistent basis. If we are unable to successfully address these risks and challenges as we encounter them, our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects could be adversely affected. If we are unable to generate adequate revenue growth and manage our expenses, we may continue to incur significant losses in the future and may not be able to achieve or maintain profitability.

We may be unable to accurately forecast revenue and appropriately plan our expenses in the future.

Revenue and results of operations are difficult to forecast because they generally depend on the volume, timing and type of orders we receive across our various channels, all of which are uncertain. Forecasts may be particularly challenging as we expand into new markets and geographies and develop and market new products. We base our expense levels and investment plans on our estimates of revenue and gross margin. We cannot be sure the same growth rates and trends are meaningful predictors of future growth. If our assumptions prove to be wrong, we may spend more than we anticipate acquiring and retaining consumers or may generate lower revenue per consumer than anticipated, either of which could have an adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects.

The estimates of market opportunity and forecasts of market growth included in this prospectus may prove to be inaccurate, and even if the markets in which we compete achieve the forecasted growth, our business could fail to grow at similar rates, if at all.

Market opportunity estimates and growth forecasts included in this prospectus, including those we have generated ourselves or commissioned, are subject to significant uncertainty and are based on assumptions and estimates that may not prove to be accurate, particularly in light of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and the related economic impact. The variables that go into the calculation of our market opportunity across the Diapers and Wipes, Skin and Personal Care and Household and Wellness markets are subject to change over time, and there is no guarantee that any particular number or percentage of consumers covered by our market opportunity estimates will purchase our products at all or generate any particular level of revenue for us. Any expansion in each market depends on a number of factors, including the cost and perceived value associated with our product offerings and those of our competitors. Even if the markets in which we compete meet the size estimates and

 

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growth forecast in this prospectus, our business could fail to grow at the rate we anticipate, if at all, which could adversely affect our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects. 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 forecasts of market growth included in this prospectus should not be taken as indicative of our future growth. For more information regarding the estimates of market opportunity and forecasts of market growth included in this prospectus, see the section titled “Market, Industry and Other Data.”

Our results of operations could be harmed if we are unable to accurately forecast demand for our products.

To ensure adequate inventory supply, we must forecast inventory needs and place orders with our third-party manufacturers before firm orders are placed by our consumers or our retail and third-party ecommerce partners. If we fail to accurately forecast consumer and customer demand, we may experience excess inventory levels or a shortage of product to deliver to our consumers and customers. Factors that could affect our ability to accurately forecast demand for our products include: an unanticipated increase or decrease in demand for our products; our failure to accurately forecast acceptance for our new products; product introductions by competitors; unanticipated changes in general market conditions or other factors, which may result in cancellations of advance orders or a reduction or increase in the rate of reorders or at-once orders placed by retailers; the impact on demand due to unseasonable weather conditions; weakening of economic conditions or consumer or customer confidence in future economic conditions, which could reduce demand for discretionary items, such as our products; and terrorism or acts of war, or the threat thereof, or political or labor instability or unrest, which could adversely affect consumer or customer confidence and spending or interrupt production and distribution of product and raw materials.

Inventory levels in excess of consumer or customer demand may result in inventory write-downs or write-offs and the sale of excess inventory at discounted prices or in less preferred distribution channels, which could impair our brand image and harm our business. In addition, if we underestimate the demand for our products, our third-party manufacturers may not be able to produce products to meet our consumer or customer requirements, and this could result in delays in the shipment of our products and our ability to recognize revenue, lost sales, as well as damage to our reputation and retailer and distributor relationships.

The difficulty in forecasting demand also makes it difficult to estimate our future results of operations and financial condition from period to period. A failure to accurately predict the level of demand for our products could adversely affect our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects.

We have a limited operating history at our current scale, which may make it difficult to evaluate our business and future prospects.

We began commercial operations in 2012 and have a limited history of generating revenue at our current scale. As a result of our relatively short operating history at our current scale, we have limited financial data that can be used to evaluate our business and future prospects. Any evaluation of our business and prospects must be considered in light of our limited operating history, which may not be indicative of future performance. Because of our limited operating history, we face increased risks, uncertainties, expenses, and difficulties, including the risks and uncertainties discussed in this section.

Certain of the data that we track is subject to inherent challenges in measurement, and any inaccuracies in such data may negatively affect our business.

We track certain data using internal data analytics tools and we rely on data received from third parties, including third-party platforms, which have certain limitations. Data from these sources may include information relating to fraudulent accounts and interactions with our sites or the social media accounts of our business or of our influencers (including as a result of the use of bots, or other automated or manual mechanisms to generate false impressions that are delivered through our sites or their accounts). We have only a limited ability to verify data from our sites or third parties, and perpetrators of fraudulent impressions may change their tactics and may become more sophisticated, which would make it still more difficult to detect such activity.

 

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Our methodologies for tracking data may also change over time. If we undercount or overcount performance due to the internal data analytics tools we use or experience issues with the data received from third parties, or if our internal data analytics tools contain algorithmic or other technical errors, the data we track may not be accurate. In addition, limitations, changes or errors with respect to how we measure data may affect our understanding of certain details of our business, which could affect our longer-term strategies. If we are not able to obtain and track accurate data, our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects could be adversely affected.

We rely on independent certification for a number of our products.

We rely on independent third-party certification, such as certifications of some of our products or ingredients as “organic” to differentiate them from others. We must comply with the requirements of independent organizations or certification authorities in order to label our products as certified organic, such as the United States Department of Agriculture’s, or the USDA, National Organic Program, the USDA’s BioPreferred Program for certified biobased products, the National Eczema Association’s NEA Seal of Acceptance, and the NSF/ANSI 305 standards set by Quality Assurance International. For example, we can lose our certifications if we use unapproved raw materials or incorrectly use a certification on product labels or in marketing materials. The loss of any independent certifications could adversely affect our market position and brand reputation as a maker of clean products, and our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects could be adversely affected.

Our results of operations may fluctuate as a result of price concessions, promotional activities, credits and other factors.

Retailers and third-party ecommerce partners may require price concessions that would negatively impact our margins and our ability to achieve or maintain profitability. If we are not able to lower our cost structure adequately in response to consumer pricing demands, and if we are not able to attract and retain a profitable consumer mix and a profitable product mix, our ability to achieve or maintain profitability could be adversely affected.

In addition, we periodically offer credits through various programs to our retail and ecommerce customers, including temporary price reductions, off-invoice discounts, retailer advertisements, product coupons, market development funds, in-store merchandising and product displays and other trade activities. We also periodically provide credits to our retail and ecommerce customers in the event that products do not conform to specifications. The cost associated with promotions and credits is estimated and recorded as a reduction in revenue. We anticipate that these price concessions and promotional activities could adversely impact our revenue and that changes in such activities could adversely impact period-over-period results. If we are not correct in predicting the performance of such promotions, or if we are not correct in estimating credits, our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects could be adversely affected.

Our inability to secure, maintain and increase our presence in retail stores could adversely impact our revenue, and in turn our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects could be adversely affected.

Our operations include sales to retail stores and their related websites, which in 2020, accounted for approximately 45% of our revenue. The success of our business is largely dependent on our continuing development of strong relationships with major retail chains. In 2020, approximately 70% of our retail sales resulted from relationships with Target and Costco. The loss of our relationship with Target, Costco or any other large retail partner could have a significant impact on our revenue. In addition, we may be unable to secure adequate shelf space in new markets, or any shelf space at all, until we develop relationships with the retailers that operate in such markets. Consequently, growth opportunities through our Retail channel may be limited and our revenue, business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects could be adversely affected if we are unable to successfully establish relationships with other retailers in new or current markets.

 

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We also face severe competition to display our products on store shelves and obtain optimal presence on those shelves. Due to the intense competition for limited shelf space, retailers are in a position to negotiate favorable terms of sale, including price discounts, allowances and product return policies. To the extent we elect to increase discounts or allowances in an effort to secure shelf space, our operating results could be adversely affected. We may not be able to increase or sustain our volume of retail shelf space or offer retailers price discounts sufficient to overcome competition and, as a result, our sales and results of operations could be adversely affected. In addition, many of our competitors have significantly greater financial, manufacturing, marketing, management and other resources than we do and may have greater name recognition, a more established distribution network and a larger base of wholesale customers and distributors. Many of our competitors also have well-established relationships with our current and potential consumers who purchase Diapers and Wipes, Skin and Personal Care or Household and Wellness products at retail stores, and have extensive knowledge of our target markets. As a result, these competitors may be able to devote greater resources to the development, promotion and sale of their products and respond more quickly to evolving consumer preferences for us. If our competitors’ sales surpass ours, retailers may give higher priority to our competitors’ products, causing such retailers to reduce their efforts to sell our products and resulting in the loss of advantageous shelf space.

Significant product returns or refunds could harm our business.

We allow our DTC consumers to return products and we offer refunds, subject to our return and refunds policy. In addition, some of our agreements with our retail or third-party ecommerce partners provide that we are responsible for the costs of certain returns. If product returns or refunds are significant or higher than anticipated and forecasted, our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects could be adversely affected. Further, we and our retail and third-party ecommerce partners modify policies relating to returns or refunds from time to time, and may do so in the future, which may result in consumer dissatisfaction and harm to our reputation or brand, or an increase in the number of product returns or the amount of refunds we make. From time to time our products are damaged in transit, which can increase return rates and harm our brand.

Our business may be adversely affected if we are unable to provide our consumers with a technology platform that is able to respond and adapt to rapid changes in technology.

The number of people who access the Internet through devices other than personal computers, including mobile phones, handheld computers such as notebooks and tablets and television set-top devices, has increased dramatically in recent years. The versions of our website and mobile applications developed for these devices may not be compelling to consumers. Our website and platform are also currently not compatible with voice-enabled products. Adapting our services and/or infrastructure to these devices as well as other new Internet, networking or telecommunications technologies could be time-consuming and could require us to incur substantial expenditures, which could have an adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects.

Additionally, as new mobile devices and platforms are released, it is difficult to predict the problems we may encounter in developing applications for alternative devices and platforms and we may need to devote significant resources to the creation, support and maintenance of such applications. If we or our retail or ecommerce partners are unable to attract consumers to our or their websites or mobile applications through these devices or are slow to develop a version of such websites or mobile applications that are more compatible with alternative devices, we may fail to capture a significant share of consumers in the Diapers and Wipes, Skin and Personal Care or Household and Wellness product markets and could also lose consumers, which could have an adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects.

Further, we continually upgrade existing technologies and business applications and we may be required to implement new technologies or business applications in the future. The implementation of upgrades and changes requires significant investments. Our results of operations may be affected by the timing, effectiveness and costs associated with the successful implementation of any upgrades or changes to our systems and infrastructure. In

 

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the event that it is more difficult for our consumers to buy products from us on their mobile devices, or if our consumers choose not to buy products from us on their mobile devices or to use mobile products or platforms that do not offer access to our website, we could lose consumers and fail to attract new consumers. As a result, our consumer growth could be harmed and our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects could be adversely affected.

Severe weather, including hurricanes, earthquakes and natural disasters could disrupt normal business operations, which could result in increased costs and have an adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects.

Our services and operations, including several of our fulfillment centers, customer service centers, data centers and corporate offices are located in California, Nevada, Pennsylvania and the Netherlands, and other areas that are vulnerable to damage or interruption from natural disasters, power losses, telecommunication failures, terrorist attacks, human errors, break-ins and similar events. The occurrence of a natural disaster or other unanticipated problems at our facilities could result in lengthy interruptions in our services as well as higher insurance premiums. We may not be able to efficiently relocate our fulfillment and delivery operations due to disruptions in service if one of these events occurs and our insurance coverage may be insufficient to compensate us for such losses. Because the Los Angeles area, where our corporate offices and a warehouse facility are located, is in an earthquake fault zone and because the Los Angeles area is subject to the increased risk of wildfires, we are particularly sensitive to the risk of damage to, or total destruction of, our primary offices and one of our key fulfillment and delivery centers. Although we are insured up to certain limits against any certain losses or expenses that may result from a disruption to our business due to earthquakes or wildfires, either of these events, if incurred, could adversely affect our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects.

A disruption in our operations could have an adverse effect on our business.

As a company engaged in sales domestically and internationally, our operations, including those of our third-party manufacturers, suppliers and delivery service providers, are subject to the risks inherent in such activities, including industrial accidents, environmental events, strikes and other labor disputes, disruptions in information systems, product quality control, safety, licensing requirements and other regulatory issues, as well as natural disasters, pandemics or other public health emergencies, border disputes, acts of terrorism and other external factors over which we and our third-party manufacturers, suppliers and delivery service providers have no control. The loss of, or damage to, the manufacturing facilities or fulfillment centers of our third-party manufacturers, suppliers and delivery service providers could have an adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects.

We depend heavily on ocean container delivery to receive shipments of our products from our third-party manufacturers located in China and contracted third-party delivery service providers to deliver our products to our fulfillment centers located in Las Vegas, Nevada, Fontana, California, Breinigsville, Pennsylvania and the Netherlands, and from there to our consumers and retail partners. Further, we rely on postal and parcel carriers for the delivery of products sold directly to consumers through Honest.com. Interruptions to or failures in these delivery services could prevent the timely or successful delivery of our products. These interruptions or failures may be due to unforeseen events that are beyond our control or the control of our third-party delivery service providers, such as labor unrest or natural disasters. For example, a labor strike at a port could negatively impact the delivery of our imported wipes, and the escalating trade dispute between the United States and China has and may in the future restrict the flow of the goods from China to the United States. Any failure to provide high-quality delivery services to our consumers may negatively affect the shopping experience of our consumers, damage our reputation and cause us to lose consumers.

Our ability to meet the needs of our consumers and retail partners depends on our and our distribution partners’ proper operation of our fulfillment centers in Las Vegas, Nevada, Fontana, California, Breinigsville, Pennsylvania and the Netherlands, where most of our inventory that is not in transit is housed. Although we

 

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currently insure our inventory, our insurance coverage may not be sufficient to cover the full extent of any loss or damage to our inventory or fulfillment centers, and any loss, damage or disruption of this facility, or loss or damage of the inventory stored there, could have an adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects.

We may incur significant losses from fraud.

We may in the future incur losses from various types of fraud, including stolen credit card numbers, claims that a consumer did not authorize a purchase, merchant fraud and consumers who have closed bank accounts or have insufficient funds in open bank accounts to satisfy payments. Although we have measures in place to detect and reduce the occurrence of fraudulent activity in our marketplace, those measures may not always be effective. In addition to the direct costs of such losses, if the fraud is related to credit card transactions and becomes excessive, it could potentially result in us paying higher fees or losing the right to accept credit cards for payment. In addition, under current credit card practices, we are liable for fraudulent credit card transactions because we do not obtain a cardholder’s signature. Our failure to adequately prevent fraudulent transactions could damage our reputation, result in litigation or regulatory action and additional expenses and our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects could be adversely affected.

We may seek to grow our business through acquisitions of, or investments in, new or complementary businesses, facilities, technologies or products, or through strategic alliances, and the failure to manage these acquisitions, investments or alliances, or to integrate them with our existing business, could have an adverse effect on us.

From time to time we may consider opportunities to acquire or make investments in new or complementary businesses, facilities, technologies, offerings, or products, or enter into strategic alliances, that may enhance our capabilities, expand our outsourcing and supplier network, complement our current products or expand the breadth of our markets. For example, in 2019 we entered into a license agreement with Butterblu pursuant to which we license certain of our trademarks to Butterblu for the manufacture and distribution of certain baby apparel products in exchange for royalties.

Acquisitions, investments and other strategic alliances, including our license agreement with Butterblu, involve numerous risks, including:

 

   

problems integrating the acquired business, facilities, technologies or products, including issues maintaining uniform standards, procedures, controls and policies;

 

   

risks associated with quality control and brand reputation;

 

   

unanticipated costs associated with acquisitions, investments or strategic alliances;

 

   

diversion of management’s attention from our existing business;

 

   

adverse effects on existing business relationships with suppliers, outsourced private brand manufacturing partners and retail and ecommerce partners;

 

   

risks associated with any dispute that may arise with respect to such strategic alliance;

 

   

risks associated with entering new markets in which we may have limited or no experience;

 

   

potential loss of key employees of acquired businesses; and

 

   

increased legal and accounting compliance costs.

Our ability to successfully grow through strategic transactions depends upon our ability to identify, negotiate, complete and integrate suitable target businesses, facilities, technologies and products and to obtain any necessary financing. These efforts could be expensive and time-consuming and may disrupt our ongoing business and prevent management from focusing on our operations. If we are unable to identify suitable acquisitions or strategic relationships, or if we are unable to integrate any acquired businesses, facilities, technologies and products effectively, our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects could

 

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be adversely affected. Also, while we employ several different methodologies to assess potential business opportunities, the new businesses may not meet or exceed our expectations.

The COVID-19 pandemic could have an adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects.

In connection with the COVID-19 pandemic, governments have implemented significant measures, including closures, quarantines, travel restrictions and other social distancing directives, intended to control the spread of the virus. Companies have also taken precautions, such as requiring employees to work remotely, imposing travel restrictions and temporarily closing businesses. To the extent that these restrictions remain in place, additional prevention and mitigation measures are implemented in the future, or there is uncertainty about the effectiveness of these or any other measures to contain or treat COVID-19, there has been and continues to be an adverse impact on global economic conditions and consumer confidence and spending, which could adversely affect our supply chain as well as the demand for our products. While at this time we are working to manage potential disruptions to our supply chain, and we have not experienced decreases in demand or material financial impacts as compared to prior periods, the fluid nature of the COVID-19 pandemic and uncertainties regarding the related economic impact are likely to result in sustained market turmoil, which could also have an adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects.

The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on any of our suppliers, manufacturers, retail or ecommerce partners or transportation or logistics providers may negatively affect the price and availability of our materials and impact our supply chain. If the disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic continue for an extended period of time, our ability to meet the demands of our consumers may be materially impacted. For example, government restrictions may limit the personnel available to receive or ship products at our distribution centers. In addition, the conditions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic may negatively impact collections of accounts receivable and cause some of our retail partners to go out of business, all of which could adversely affect our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects.

Further, the COVID-19 pandemic may impact customer and consumer demand. Retail stores may be impacted if governments continue to implement regional business closures, quarantines, travel restrictions and other social distancing directives to slow the spread of the virus. Further, to the extent our third-party ecommerce or retail customers’ operations are negatively impacted, our consumers may reduce demand for or spending on our products, or consumers or ecommerce or retail partners may delay payments to us or request payment or other concessions. There may also be significant reductions or volatility in consumer demand for our products due to travel restrictions or social distancing directives, as well as the temporary inability of consumers to purchase our products due to illness, quarantine or financial hardship, shifts in demand away from one or more of our products, decreased consumer confidence and spending or pantry-loading activity, any of which may negatively impact our results, including as a result of an increased difficulty in planning for operations. Additionally, we may be unable to effectively modify our trade promotion and advertising activities to reflect changing consumer viewing and shopping habits due to event cancellations, reduced in-store visits and travel restrictions, among other things.

The extent of the COVID-19 pandemic’s effect on our operational and financial performance will depend on future developments, including the duration and intensity of the pandemic, all of which are uncertain and difficult to predict considering the rapidly evolving landscape. As a result, it is not currently possible to ascertain the overall impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on our business. However, if the pandemic continues to persist as a severe worldwide health crisis, the disease could have an adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects, and may also have the effect of heightening many of the other risks described in this “Risk Factors” section.

Our ability to raise capital in the future may be limited and our failure to raise capital when needed could prevent us from growing.

In the future, we could be required to raise capital through public or private financing or other arrangements. Such financing may not be available on acceptable terms, or at all, and our failure to raise capital when needed

 

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could harm our business. We may sell common stock, convertible securities and other equity securities in one or more transactions at prices and in a manner as we may determine from time to time. If we sell any such securities in subsequent transactions, investors in our common stock may be materially diluted. New investors in such subsequent transactions could gain rights, preferences and privileges senior to those of holders of our common stock. Debt financing, if available, may involve restrictive covenants and could reduce our operational flexibility or ability to achieve or maintain profitability. If we cannot raise funds on acceptable terms, we may be forced to raise funds on undesirable terms, or our business may contract or we may be unable to grow our business or respond to competitive pressures, any of which could have an adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects.

The agreements governing our indebtedness will require us to meet certain operating and financial covenants and place restrictions on our operating and financial flexibility. If we raise capital through additional debt financing, the terms of any new debt could further restrict our ability to operate our business.

Prior to the completion of this offering, we intend to enter into a first lien credit agreement, or 2021 Credit Facility, with JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., as administrative agent and lender, and the other lenders party thereto, which will provide for a $35.0 million revolving credit facility maturing five years from the date of the 2021 Credit Facility. Debt under the 2021 Credit Facility will be guaranteed by our material domestic subsidiaries and will be secured by our and such subsidiaries’ assets and property.

The 2021 Credit Facility will contain affirmative and negative covenants, indemnification provisions and events of default. The affirmative covenants include, among others, administrative, reporting and legal covenants, in each case subject to certain exceptions. The negative covenants include, among others, limitations on our and certain of our subsidiaries’ abilities to, in each case subject to certain exceptions:

 

   

make restricted payments including dividends and distributions on, redemptions of, repurchases or retirement of our capital stock;

 

   

make certain intercompany distributions;

 

   

incur additional indebtedness and issue certain types of equity;

 

   

sell assets, including capital stock of subsidiaries;

 

   

enter into certain transactions with affiliates;

 

   

incur liens;

 

   

enter into fundamental changes including mergers and consolidations;

 

   

make investments, acquisitions, loans or advances;

 

   

create negative pledges or restrictions on the payment of dividends or payment of other amounts owed from subsidiaries;

 

   

make prepayments or modify documents governing material debt that is subordinated with respect to right of payment;

 

   

engage in certain sale leaseback transactions;

 

   

change our fiscal year; and

 

   

change our lines of business.

The 2021 Credit Facility will also contain a financial covenant that requires us to maintain a total net leverage ratio of not more than 3.50:1.00 during the periods set forth in the 2021 Credit Facility. As a result of the restrictions described above, we will be limited as to how we conduct our business and we may be unable to raise additional debt or equity financing to take advantage of new business opportunities. The terms of any future

 

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indebtedness we may incur could include more restrictive covenants. We cannot assure you that we will be able to maintain compliance with these covenants in the future and, if we fail to do so, that we will be able to obtain waivers from the lenders or amend the covenants.

Our ability to comply with the covenants and restrictions contained in the 2021 Credit Facility may be affected by economic, financial and industry conditions beyond our control. The restrictions in the 2021 Credit Facility may prevent us from taking actions that we believe would be in the best interests of our business and may make it difficult for us to execute our business strategy successfully or effectively compete with companies that are not similarly restricted. Even if the 2021 Credit Facility is terminated, any additional debt that we incur in the future could subject us to similar or additional covenants.

The 2021 Credit Facility will include customary events of default, including failure to pay principal, interest or certain other amounts when due; material inaccuracy of representations and warranties; violation of covenants; specified cross-default and cross-acceleration to other material indebtedness; certain bankruptcy and insolvency events; certain events relating to the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974; certain undischarged judgments; material invalidity of guarantees or grant of security interest; and change of control, in certain cases subject to certain thresholds and grace periods.

Our failure to comply with the restrictive covenants described above as well as other terms of our indebtedness could result in an event of default, which, if not cured or waived, could result in the lenders declaring all obligations, together with accrued and unpaid interest, immediately due and payable and take control of the collateral, potentially requiring us to renegotiate the 2021 Credit Facility on terms less favorable to us. If we are forced to refinance these borrowings on less favorable terms or are unable to refinance these borrowings, our business, results of operations, financial condition and future prospects could be adversely affected. In addition, such a default or acceleration may result in the acceleration of any future indebtedness to which a cross-acceleration or cross-default provision applies. If we are unable to repay our indebtedness, lenders having secured obligations, such as the lenders under the 2021 Credit Facility, could proceed against the collateral securing the indebtedness. In any such case, we may be unable to borrow under our credit facilities and may not be able to repay the amounts due under our credit facilities. This could have an adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects and could cause us to become bankrupt or insolvent.

We could be required to collect additional sales taxes or be subject to other tax liabilities that may increase the costs our consumers would have to pay for our offering and adversely affect our operating results.

On June 21, 2018, the U.S. Supreme Court held in South Dakota v. Wayfair, Inc. that states could impose sales tax collection obligations on out-of-state retailers even if those retailers lack any physical presence within the states imposing sales taxes. Under Wayfair, a person requires only a “substantial nexus” with the taxing state before the state may subject the person to sales tax collection obligations therein. An increasing number of states, both before and after the Supreme Court’s ruling, have considered or adopted laws that attempt to impose sales tax collection obligations on out-of-state retailers. The Supreme Court’s Wayfair decision has removed a significant impediment to the enactment of these laws, and it is possible that states may seek to tax out-of-state retailers, including for prior tax years. Although we believe that we currently collect sales taxes in all states that have adopted laws imposing sales tax collection obligations on out-of-state retailers since Wayfair was decided, a successful assertion by one or more jurisdictions requiring us to collect sales taxes where we presently do not do so, or to collect more taxes in a jurisdiction in which we currently do collect some sales taxes, could result in substantial tax liabilities, including taxes on past sales, as well as penalties and interest. The imposition by state governments of sales tax collection obligations on out-of-state retailers in jurisdictions where we do not currently collect sales taxes, whether for prior years or prospectively, could also create additional administrative burdens for us, put us at a competitive disadvantage if they do not impose similar obligations on our competitors and decrease our future sales, which could have an adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects.

 

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Our ability to utilize our net operating loss carryforwards and certain other tax attributes may be limited.

We have incurred substantial losses since inception. As of December 31, 2020, we had federal and state net operating loss carryforwards of $243.0 million and $220.0 million, respectively. The federal loss carryforwards, except the federal loss carryforwards arising in tax years beginning after December 31, 2017, begin to expire in 2032 unless previously utilized. Federal net operating losses, or NOLs, arising in tax years beginning after December 31, 2017 have an indefinite carryforward period and do not expire, but the deduction for these carryforwards is limited to 80% of current-year taxable income for taxable years beginning after 2020. In general, under Sections 382 and 383 of the U.S. Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, a corporation that undergoes an “ownership change” (generally defined as a greater than 50 percentage point change (by value) in its equity ownership by certain stockholders over a rolling three-year period) is subject to limitations on its ability to utilize its pre-change NOLs to offset future taxable income. We may have experienced ownership changes in the past, may experience ownership changes in the future, and are currently evaluating with our independent tax advisors whether and to what extent our NOLs may be currently limited. In addition, for state income tax purposes, there may be periods during which the use of NOLs or tax credits is suspended or otherwise limited, which could accelerate or permanently increase state taxes owed. For example, California recently imposed limits on the usability of California NOLs and certain tax credits to offset California taxable income or California tax liabilities in tax years beginning after 2019 and before 2023. As a result, if, and to the extent that we earn net taxable income, our ability to use our pre-change NOLs to offset such taxable income or our tax credits to reduce our tax liabilities may be subject to limitations.

Risks Related to Our Dependence on Third Parties

Our business, including our costs and supply chain, is subject to risks associated with sourcing, manufacturing, warehousing, distribution and logistics, and the loss of any of our key suppliers or logistical service providers could negatively impact our business.

All of the products we offer are manufactured by a limited number of third-party manufacturers, and as a result we may be subject to price fluctuations or demand disruptions. Our operating results would be negatively impacted by increases in the costs of our products, and we have no guarantees that costs will not rise. In addition, as we expand into new categories and product types, we expect that we may not have strong purchasing power in these new areas, which could lead to higher costs than we have historically seen in our current categories. We may not be able to pass increased costs on to consumers, which could adversely affect our operating results. Moreover, in the event of a significant disruption in the supply of the materials used in the manufacture of the products we offer, we and the vendors that we work with might not be able to locate alternative suppliers of materials of comparable quality at an acceptable price.

In addition, products and merchandise we receive from manufacturers and suppliers may not be of sufficient quality or free from damage, or such products may be damaged during shipping, while stored in our warehouse fulfillment centers or with third-party ecommerce or retail customers or when returned by consumers. We may incur additional expenses and our reputation could be harmed if consumers and potential consumers believe that our products do not meet their expectations, are not properly labeled or are damaged.

We purchase significant amounts of product supply from a limited number of suppliers with limited supply capabilities. There can be no assurance that our current suppliers will be able to accommodate our anticipated growth or continue to supply current quantities at preferential prices. An inability of our existing suppliers to provide materials in a timely or cost-effective manner could impair our growth and have an adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects. We generally do not maintain long-term supply contracts with any of our suppliers and any of our suppliers could discontinue selling to us at any time. However, we have a long-term supply agreement with Valor Brands LLC (dba Ontex North America), or Ontex, for the manufacture and supply of certain diaper products. The current term of the supply agreement with Ontex ends on December 31, 2023. In addition, our agreement with Ontex provides that Ontex will be our exclusive supplier of diaper and training pant products so long as Ontex is able to provide us such products. Either party may terminate

 

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the agreement if the other party materially breaches the agreement and does not cure the breach within a specified notice period, or upon the other party’s insolvency. If the agreement with Ontex is terminated, is not renewed, or if Ontex becomes insolvent, ceases or significantly reduces its operations or experiences financial distress, as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic or otherwise, or if any environmental, economic or other outside factors impact their operations, our ability to procure diaper manufacturing services may be impaired, and we may not be able to obtain, or may face increased costs related to, such services. The loss of Ontex, or of any of our other significant suppliers, or the discontinuance of any preferential pricing or exclusive incentives they currently offer to us could have an adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects.

We continually seek to expand our base of suppliers, especially as we identify new products that necessitate new or additional materials. We also require our new and existing suppliers to meet our ethical and business partner standards. Suppliers may also have to meet governmental and industry standards and any relevant standards required by our consumers, which may require additional investment and time on behalf of suppliers and us. If any of our key suppliers becomes insolvent, ceases or significantly reduces its operations or experiences financial distress, as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic or otherwise, or if any environmental, economic or other outside factors impact their operations. If we are unable to identify or enter into distribution relationships with new suppliers or to replace the loss of any of our existing suppliers, we may experience a competitive disadvantage, our business may be disrupted and our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects could be adversely affected.

Our principal suppliers currently provide us with certain incentives such as volume purchasing, trade discounts, cooperative advertising and market development funds. A reduction or discontinuance of these incentives would increase our costs and could reduce our ability to achieve or maintain profitability. Similarly, if one or more of our suppliers were to offer these incentives, including preferential pricing, to our competitors, our competitive advantage would be reduced, which could have an adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects.

In addition, we have warehouse fulfillment centers located in Las Vegas, Nevada, Fontana, California, Breinigsville, Pennsylvania and the Netherlands, all of which are managed by a single distribution partner, GEODIS Logistics LLC, or GEODIS. We have an agreement with GEODIS pursuant to which GEODIS provides warehousing, distribution and fulfillment services to us. Our agreement with GEODIS may be terminated for any reason by us or by GEODIS on delivery of prior written notice, and is renewable on an annual basis. If the agreement with GEODIS is terminated, is not renewed, or if GEODIS becomes insolvent, ceases or significantly reduces its operations or experiences financial distress, as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic or otherwise, or if any environmental, economic or other outside factors impact their operations, our ability to procure warehousing, distribution and fulfillment services may be impaired, and we may not be able to obtain, or may face increased costs related to, such services and our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects could be adversely affected.

If our third-party suppliers and manufacturers do not comply with ethical business practices or with applicable laws and regulations, our reputation, business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects could be harmed.

Our reputation and our consumers’ willingness to purchase our products depend in part on our suppliers’, manufacturers’, and retail partners’ compliance with ethical employment practices, such as with respect to child labor, wages and benefits, forced labor, discrimination, safe and healthy working conditions, and with all legal and regulatory requirements relating to the conduct of their businesses. We do not exercise control over our suppliers, manufacturers, and retail partners and cannot guarantee their compliance with ethical and lawful business practices. If our suppliers, manufacturers, or retail partners fail to comply with applicable laws, regulations, safety codes, employment practices, human rights standards, quality standards, environmental standards, production practices, or other obligations, norms, or ethical standards, our reputation and brand image

 

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could be harmed, and we could be exposed to litigation, investigations, enforcement actions, monetary liability, and additional costs that would harm our reputation, business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects.

If we or our distribution partners do not successfully optimize, operate and manage the expansion of the capacity of our warehouse fulfillment centers, our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects could be adversely affected.

We have warehouse fulfillment centers located in Las Vegas, Nevada, Fontana, California, Breinigsville, Pennsylvania, and the Netherlands, all of which are managed by a single distribution partner, GEODIS. If we or any distribution partners do not optimize and operate our warehouse fulfillment centers successfully and efficiently, it could result in excess or insufficient fulfillment capacity, an increase in costs or impairment charges or harm our business in other ways. In addition, if we or any distribution partners do not have sufficient fulfillment capacity or experience a problem fulfilling orders in a timely manner, our consumers may experience delays in receiving their purchases, which could harm our reputation and our relationship with our consumers. As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, including an increase in orders, we and our distribution partner may experience disruptions to the operations of our fulfillment centers, which may negatively impact our and our distribution partner’s ability to fulfill orders in a timely manner, which could harm our reputation, relationships with consumers and business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects.

We have designed and established our own fulfillment center infrastructure, including customizing inventory and package handling software systems, which is tailored to meet the specific needs of our business. If we continue to add fulfillment and warehouse capabilities, add new businesses or categories with different fulfillment requirements or change the mix in products that we sell, our fulfillment network will become increasingly complex and operating it will become more challenging. Failure to successfully address such challenges in a cost-effective and timely manner could impair our ability to timely deliver purchases to our DTC consumers and merchandise inventory to our retail and ecommerce partners and could have an adverse effect on our reputation and ultimately, our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects.

Although we currently rely on our distribution partner, we also anticipate the need to add an additional warehouse fulfillment center and/or other distribution capacity as our business continues to grow. We cannot assure you that we will be able to locate suitable facilities on commercially acceptable terms in accordance with our expansion plans, nor can we assure you that we will be able to recruit qualified managerial and operational personnel to support our expansion plans. If we are unable to secure new facilities for the expansion of our fulfillment operations, recruit qualified personnel to support any such facilities, or effectively control expansion-related expenses, our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects could be adversely affected. If we grow faster than we anticipate, we may exceed our fulfillment center capacity sooner than we anticipate, we may experience problems fulfilling orders in a timely manner or our consumers may experience delays in receiving their purchases, which could harm our reputation and our relationships with our consumers, and we would need to increase our capital expenditures more than anticipated and in a shorter time frame than we currently anticipate. Our ability to expand our fulfillment center capacity, including our ability to secure suitable facilities and recruit qualified employees, may be substantially affected by the spread of COVID-19 and related governmental orders and there may be delays or increased costs associated with such expansion as a result of the spread and impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. Many of the expenses and investments with respect to our fulfillment centers are fixed, and any expansion of such fulfillment centers will require additional investment of capital. We expect to incur higher capital expenditures in the future for our fulfillment center operations as our business continues to grow. We would incur such expenses and make such investments in advance of expected sales, and such expected sales may not occur. Any of these factors could have an adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects.

 

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Shipping is a critical part of our business and any changes in our shipping arrangements or any interruptions in shipping could adversely affect our operating results.

We primarily rely on one major vendor for our DTC shipping requirements. If we are not able to negotiate acceptable pricing and other terms with this vendor or it experiences performance problems or other difficulties, it could negatively impact our operating results and our consumer experience. Shipping vendors may also impose shipping surcharges from time to time. In addition, our ability to receive inbound inventory efficiently and ship products to consumers and retailers may be negatively affected by inclement weather, fire, flood, power loss, earthquakes, labor disputes, acts of war or terrorism, trade embargoes, customs and tax requirements and similar factors. For example, strikes at major international shipping ports have in the past impacted our supply of inventory from our third-party manufacturers, and the escalating trade dispute between the United States and China has and may in the future lead to increased tariffs, the revocation of current tariff exclusions for certain of our products, which may restrict the flow of the goods from China to the United States. We are also subject to risks of damage or loss during delivery by our shipping vendors. If our products are not delivered in a timely fashion or are damaged or lost during the delivery process, our consumers could become dissatisfied and cease shopping on our site or retailer or third-party ecommerce sites, which could have an adverse effect on our business, financial condition, operating results and prospects.

We are subject to risks related to online payment methods, including third-party payment processing-related risks.

We currently accept payments using a variety of methods, including credit card, debit card, PayPal and gift cards. As we offer new payment options to consumers, we may be subject to additional regulations, compliance requirements, fraud and other risks. We also rely on third parties to provide payment processing services, and for certain payment methods, we pay interchange and other fees, which may increase over time and raise our operating costs and affect ability to achieve or maintain profitability. We are also subject to payment card association operating rules and certification requirements, including the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard, or PCI-DSS, and rules governing electronic funds transfers, which could change or be reinterpreted to make it difficult or impossible for us to comply. If we (or a third-party processing payment card transactions on our behalf) suffer a security breach affecting payment card information, we may have to pay onerous and significant fines, penalties and assessments arising out of the major card brands’ rules and regulations, contractual indemnifications or liability contained in merchant agreements and similar contracts, and we may lose our ability to accept payment cards for payment for our goods and services, which could materially impact our operations and financial performance.

Furthermore, as our business changes, we may be subject to different rules under existing standards, which may require new assessments that involve costs above what we currently pay for compliance. As we offer new payment options to consumers, including by way of integrating emerging mobile and other payment methods, we may be subject to additional regulations, compliance requirements and fraud. If we fail to comply with the rules or requirements of any provider of a payment method we accept, if the volume of fraud in our transactions limits or terminates our rights to use payment methods we currently accept, or if a data breach occurs relating to our payment systems, we may, among other things, be subject to fines or higher transaction fees and may lose, or face restrictions placed upon, our ability to accept credit card payments from consumers or facilitate other types of online payments.

We also occasionally receive orders placed with fraudulent data and we may ultimately be held liable for the unauthorized use of a cardholder’s card number in an illegal activity and be required by card issuers to pay charge-back fees. Charge-backs result not only in our loss of fees earned with respect to the payment, but also leave us liable for the underlying money transfer amount. If our charge-back rate becomes excessive, card associations also may require us to pay fines or refuse to process our transactions. In addition, we may be subject to additional fraud risk if third-party service providers or our employees fraudulently use consumer information for their own gain or facilitate the fraudulent use of such information. Overall, we may have little recourse if we process a criminally fraudulent transaction.

 

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If any of these events were to occur, our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects could be adversely affected.

We rely on third-party suppliers, manufacturers, retail and ecommerce partners and other vendors, and they may not continue to produce products or provide services that are consistent with our standards or applicable regulatory requirements, which could harm our brand, cause consumer dissatisfaction, and require us to find alternative suppliers of our products or services.

We do not own or operate any manufacturing facilities. We use multiple third-party suppliers and manufacturers based primarily in the United States, China and Mexico and other countries to a lesser extent, to source and manufacture all of our products, including product components, under our owned brand. We engage many of our third-party suppliers and manufacturers on a purchase order basis and in some cases are not party to long-term contracts with them. The ability and willingness of these third parties to supply and manufacture our products may be affected by competing orders placed by other companies and the demands of those companies. If we experience significant increases in demand, or need to replace a significant number of existing suppliers or manufacturers, there can be no assurance that additional supply and manufacturing capacity will be available when required on terms that are acceptable to us, or at all, or that any supplier or manufacturer will allocate sufficient capacity to us in order to meet our requirements. Furthermore, our reliance on suppliers and manufacturers outside of the United States, the number of third parties with whom we transact and the number of jurisdictions to which we sell complicates our efforts to comply with customs duties and excise taxes; any failure to comply could adversely affect our business.

In addition, quality control problems, such as the use of materials and delivery of products that do not meet our quality control standards and specifications or comply with applicable laws or regulations, could harm our business. Quality control problems could result in regulatory action, such as restrictions on importation, products of inferior quality or product stock outages or shortages, harming our sales and creating inventory write-downs for unusable products.

We have also outsourced portions of our fulfillment process, as well as certain technology-related functions, to third-party service providers. Specifically, we rely on third parties in a number of foreign countries and territories, we are dependent on third-party vendors for credit card processing, and we use third-party hosting and networking providers to host our sites. The failure of one or more of these entities to provide the expected services on a timely basis, or at all, or at the prices we expect, or the costs and disruption incurred in changing these outsourced functions to being performed under our management and direct control or that of a third party, could have an adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects. We are not party to long-term contracts with some of our retail and ecommerce partners, and upon expiration of these existing agreements, we may not be able to renegotiate the terms on a commercially reasonable basis, or at all.

Further, our third-party manufacturers, suppliers and retail and ecommerce partners may:

 

   

have economic or business interests or goals that are inconsistent with ours;

 

   

take actions contrary to our instructions, requests, policies or objectives;

 

   

be unable or unwilling to fulfill their obligations under relevant purchase orders, including obligations to meet our production deadlines, quality standards, pricing guidelines and product specifications, and to comply with applicable regulations, including those regarding the safety and quality of products;

 

   

have financial difficulties;

 

   

encounter raw material or labor shortages;

 

   

encounter increases in raw material or labor costs which may affect our procurement costs;

 

   

encounter difficulties with proper payment of custom duties or excise taxes;

 

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disclose our confidential information or intellectual property to competitors or third parties;

 

   

engage in activities or employ practices that may harm our reputation; and

 

   

work with, be acquired by, or come under control of, our competitors.

Risks Related to Legal and Governmental Regulation

Health and safety incidents or advertising inaccuracies or product mislabeling may have an adverse effect on our business by exposing us to lawsuits, product recalls or regulatory enforcement actions, increasing our operating costs and reducing demand for our product offerings.

Selling Diapers and Wipes, Skin and Personal Care and Household and Wellness products and baby clothing and nursery bedding products involves inherent legal and other risks, and there is increasing governmental scrutiny of and public awareness regarding product safety. Illness, injury or death related to allergens, illnesses, foreign material contamination or other product safety incidents caused by our products, or involving our suppliers, could result in the disruption or discontinuance of sales of these products or our relationships with such suppliers, or otherwise result in increased operating costs, regulatory enforcement actions or harm to our reputation. For example, in 2015 multiple class action lawsuits were filed against us claiming that certain of our products, including our sunscreen, were ineffective and were not “natural,” which also resulted in an investigation by the Food and Drug Administration, or the FDA. In 2016 multiple class action lawsuits were filed against us claiming that we misled buyers about ingredients in our laundry detergent, dish soap and multi-surface cleaner. In addition, we voluntarily recalled certain of our baby wipes and baby powder products in 2017. We also voluntarily recalled one of our bubble bath products in January 2021 due to concerns about potential contamination. These incidents negatively affected our brand image and required significant time and resources to address.

Shipment of adulterated or misbranded products, even if inadvertent, can result in criminal or civil liability. Such incidents could also expose us to product liability, negligence or other lawsuits, including consumer class action lawsuits. Any claims brought against us may exceed or be outside the scope of our existing or future insurance policy coverage or limits. Any judgment against us that is more than our policy limits or not covered by our policies or not subject to insurance would have to be paid from our cash reserves, which would reduce our capital resources.

The occurrence of adverse reactions, ineffectiveness or other safety incidents could also adversely affect the price and availability of affected materials, resulting in higher costs, disruptions in supply and a reduction in our sales. Furthermore, any instances of contamination, defects, or regulatory noncompliance, whether or not caused by our actions, could compel us, our suppliers, our retail or ecommerce customers, or our consumers, depending on the circumstances, to conduct a recall in accordance with FDA, the Consumer Product Safety Commission, or CPSC, the USDA, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, or EPA, or other federal regulations and policies, and comparable state laws, regulations and policies. Product recalls could result in significant losses due to their costs, the destruction of product inventory, lost sales due to the unavailability of the product for a period of time and potential loss of existing retail or ecommerce partners or consumers and a potential negative impact on our ability to attract new consumers due to negative consumer experiences or because of an adverse impact on our brand and reputation. The costs of a recall could be outside the scope of our existing or future insurance policy coverage or limits.

In addition, companies that sell Diapers and Wipes, Skin and Personal Care, Household and Wellness and other products have been subject to targeted, large-scale tampering as well as to opportunistic, individual product tampering, and we, like any such company, could be a target for product tampering. Forms of tampering could include the introduction of foreign material, chemical contaminants and pathological organisms into products, as well as product substitution. Governmental regulations require companies like us to analyze, prepare and implement mitigation strategies specifically to address tampering designed to inflict widespread public health

 

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harm. If we do not adequately address the possibility, or any actual instance, of product tampering, we could face possible seizure or recall of our products and the imposition of civil or criminal sanctions, which could have an adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects.

Further, many products that we sell carry or are advertised with claims as to their origin, ingredients or health, wellness, environmental or other benefits, including, by way of example, the use of the term “natural”, “organic”, “clean conscious”, or “sustainable”, or similar synonyms or implied statements relating to such benefits. Although the FDA and the USDA each has issued statements regarding the appropriate use of the word “natural,” there is no single, U.S. government regulated definition of the term “natural” for use in the personal care industry, which is true for many other adjectives common in the clean conscious product industry. The resulting uncertainty has led to consumer confusion, distrust and legal challenges. Plaintiffs have commenced legal actions against several companies that market “natural” products or ingredients, asserting false, misleading and deceptive advertising and labeling claims, including claims related to genetically modified ingredients and the use of synthetic ingredients, including synthetic forms of otherwise natural ingredients. In limited circumstances, the FDA has taken regulatory action against products labeled “natural” but that nonetheless contain synthetic ingredients or components. Should we become subject to similar claims, consumers may avoid purchasing products from us or seek alternatives, even if the basis for the claim is unfounded.

Adverse publicity about these matters may discourage consumers from buying our products. The cost of defending against any such claims could be significant. Any loss of confidence on the part of consumers in the truthfulness of our labeling, advertising or ingredient claims would be difficult and costly to overcome and may significantly reduce our brand value. Any of these events could adversely affect our reputation and brand and decrease our sales, which could have an adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects.

The USDA enforces federal standards for organic production and use of the term “organic” on product labeling. These laws prohibit a company from selling or labeling products as organic unless they are produced and handled in accordance with the applicable federal law. Failure to comply with these requirements may subject us to liability or regulatory enforcement. Consumers may also pursue state law claims challenging use of the organic label as being intentionally mislabeled or misleading or deceptive to consumers.

In addition, certain of the cleaning products, including the disinfectant products, we sell require approval from and registration with the EPA prior to sale. Products that expressly or impliedly claim to control microorganisms that pose a threat to human health may be subject by additional regulatory scrutiny and need to be supported by additional efficacy data. Should we advertise or market these EPA regulated products with claims that are not permitted by the terms of their registration or are otherwise false or misleading, the EPA may be authorized to take enforcement action to prevent the sale or distribution of disinfectant products. False or misleading marketing claims concerning a product’s EPA registration or its efficacy may also create the risk for challenges under state law at the consumer level.

We are subject to extensive governmental regulation and we may incur material liabilities under, or costs in order to comply with, existing or future laws and regulation, and our failure to comply may result in enforcements, recalls, and other adverse actions.

We are subject to a broad range of federal, state, local, and foreign laws and regulations intended to protect public and worker health and safety, natural resources, the environment and consumers. Our operations are subject to regulation by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, or OSHA, the FDA, the CPSC, the USDA, the FTC, EPA, and by various other federal, state, local and foreign authorities regarding the manufacture, processing, packaging, storage, sale, order fulfillment, advertising, labeling, import and export of our products. Certain of the cleaning products, including the disinfectant products, we sell may require EPA registration and approval prior to sale.

 

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In addition, we and our manufacturing partners are subject to additional regulatory requirements, including environmental, health and safety laws and regulations administered by the EPA, state, local and foreign environmental, health and safety legislative and regulatory authorities and the National Labor Relations Board, covering such areas as discharges and emissions to air and water, the use, management, disposal and remediation of, and human exposure to, hazardous materials and wastes, and public and worker health and safety. Violations of or liability under any of these laws and regulations may result in administrative, civil or criminal fines, penalties or sanctions against us, revocation or modification of applicable permits, licenses or authorizations, environmental, health and safety investigations or remedial activities, voluntary or involuntary product recalls, warning or untitled letters or cease and desist orders against operations that are not in compliance, among other things. Such laws and regulations generally have become more stringent over time and may become more so in the future, and we may incur (directly, or indirectly through our manufacturing partners) material costs to comply with current or future laws and regulations or in any required product recalls. Liabilities under, and/or costs of compliance, and the impacts on us of any non-compliance, with any such laws and regulations could have an adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects. In addition, changes in the laws and regulations to which we are subject, or in the prevailing interpretations of such laws and regulations by courts and enforcement authorities, could impose significant limitations and require changes to our business, which may increase our compliance expenses, make our business more costly and less efficient to conduct, and compromise our growth strategy, which could have an adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects.

Our products are also subject to state laws and regulations, such as California’s Proposition 65, or Prop 65, which requires a specific warning on any product that contains a substance listed by the State of California as having been found to cause cancer or birth defects, unless the level of such substance in the product is below a safe harbor level. We have in the past been subject to lawsuits brought under Prop 65, and if we fail to comply with Prop 65 in the future, it may result in lawsuits and regulatory enforcement that could have a material adverse effect on our reputation, business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects. Further, the inclusion of warnings on our products to comply with Prop 65 could also reduce overall consumption of our products or leave consumers with the perception (whether or not valid) that our products do not meet their health and wellness needs, all of which could adversely affect our reputation, business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects.

These developments, depending on the outcome, could have an adverse effect on our reputation, business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects.

Changes in existing laws or regulations or related official guidance, or the adoption of new laws or regulations or guidance, may increase our costs and otherwise adversely affect our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects.

The manufacture and marketing of Diapers and Wipes, Skin and Personal Care and Household and Wellness products is highly regulated. We, our suppliers and manufacturers are subject to a variety of laws and regulations. These laws and regulations apply to many aspects of our business, including the manufacture, packaging, labeling, import, distribution and order fulfillment, advertising, sale, quality and safety of our products, as well as the health and safety of our employees and the protection of the environment.

In the United States, we are subject to regulation by various government agencies, including OHSA, the FDA, the USDA, the FTC, the CPSC, and the EPA, the California Air Resources Board, or CARB, as well as various other federal, state and local agencies. We are also regulated outside the United States by various international regulatory bodies. In addition, we are subject to certain standards, such as the Global Food Safety Initiative, standards and review by voluntary organizations, such as the Council of Better Business Bureaus’ National Advertising Division. We could incur costs, including fines, penalties and third-party claims, because of any violations of, or liabilities under, such requirements, including any competitor or consumer challenges relating to compliance with such requirements. For example, in connection with the marketing and advertisement

 

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of our products, we could be the target of claims relating to false or deceptive advertising, including under the auspices of the FTC and the consumer protection statutes of some states.

The regulatory environment in which we operate has changed in the past could change significantly and adversely in the future. For example, in December 2009, the FTC substantially revised its Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising, or “Endorsement Guides,” to eliminate a safe harbor principle that formerly recognized that advertisers could publish consumer testimonials that conveyed truthful but extraordinary results from using the advertiser’s product as long as the advertiser clearly and conspicuously disclosed that the endorser’s results were not typical. Similarly, in 2012, the FTC announced revisions to its Guides For The Use Of Environmental Marketing Claims, or the “Green Guides,” that assist advertisers in avoiding the dissemination of false or deceptive environmental claims for their products. The Green Guides revisions introduced new and proscriptive guidance regarding advertisers’ use of product certifications and seals of approval, “recyclable” claims, “renewable materials” claims, “carbon offset” claims and other environmental benefit claims. Although we strive to adapt our marketing efforts to evolving regulatory requirements and related guidance, we may not always anticipate or timely identify changes in regulation or official guidance that could impact our business, with the result that we could be subjected to litigation and enforcement actions that could adversely affect our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects. Future changes in regulations and related official guidance, including the Endorsement Guides and Green Guides, could also introduce new restrictions that impair our ability to market our products effectively and place us at a competitive disadvantage with competitors who depend less than we do on environmental marketing claims and social media influencer relationships.

Moreover, any change in manufacturing, advertising, labeling or packaging requirements for our products may lead to an increase in costs or interruptions in production, either of which could adversely affect our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects. New or revised government laws, regulations or guidelines could result in additional compliance costs and, in the event of non-compliance, civil remedies, including fines, injunctions, withdrawals, recalls or seizures and confiscations, as well as potential criminal sanctions, any of which could have an adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects.

Failure by our network of retail and ecommerce partners, suppliers or manufacturers to comply with product safety, environmental or other laws and regulations, or with the specifications and requirements of our products, may disrupt our supply of products and adversely affect our business.

If our network of retail and ecommerce partners, suppliers or manufacturers fail to comply with environmental, health and safety or other laws and regulations, or face allegations of non-compliance, their operations may be disrupted and our reputation could be harmed. Additionally, our retail and ecommerce partners, suppliers and manufacturers are required to maintain the quality of our products and to comply with our standards and specifications. In the event of actual or alleged non-compliance, we might be forced to find alternative retail or ecommerce partners, suppliers or manufacturers and we may be subject to lawsuits and/or regulatory enforcement actions related to such non-compliance by the suppliers and manufacturers. As a result, our supply of Diapers and Wipes, Skin and Personal Care and Household and Wellness products could be disrupted or our costs could increase, which could adversely affect our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects. The failure of any partner or manufacturer to produce products that conform to our standards could adversely affect our reputation in the marketplace and result in product recalls, product liability claims, government or third-party actions and economic loss. For example, a manufacturer’s failure to meet Current Good Manufacturing Practices, or cGMPs, could result in the delivery of product that is subject to a product recall, product liability litigation, or government investigations. Additionally, actions we may take to mitigate the impact of any disruption or potential disruption in our supply of materials or finished inventory, including increasing inventory in anticipation of a potential supply or production interruption, could have an adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects.

 

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Class action litigation, other legal claims and regulatory enforcement actions could subject us to liability for damages, civil and criminal penalties and other monetary and non-monetary liability and could otherwise adversely affect our reputation, business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects.

We operate in a highly regulated environment with constantly evolving legal and regulatory frameworks. Consequently, we are subject to a heightened risk of consumer class action litigation, other legal claims, government investigations or other regulatory enforcement actions. The product marketing and labeling practices of companies operating in the Diapers and Wipes, Skin and Personal Care, Household and Wellness and clean conscious products segments of the marketplace receive close scrutiny from the private plaintiff’s class action bar and from public consumer protection agencies. Accordingly, there is risk that consumers will bring class action lawsuits and that the FTC and/or state attorneys general or other consumer protection law enforcement authorities will bring legal actions concerning the truth and accuracy of our product marketing and labeling claims. Examples of causes of action that may be asserted in a consumer class action lawsuit include fraud, false advertising, unfair and deceptive practices, negligent misrepresentation and breach of state consumer protection statutes. We have been targeted with such litigation in the past. For example, in 2015, multiple class action lawsuits were filed against us claiming that certain of our products, including our sunscreen, were ineffective and were not “natural.” In 2017, we settled these class action lawsuits by agreeing to labeling changes and a $7.4 million settlement fund. In 2016, multiple class action lawsuits were filed against us claiming that we misled buyers about ingredients in our laundry detergent, dish soap and multi-surface cleaner. In 2017, we settled these class action lawsuits by agreeing to marketing or reformulating changes and a settlement fund of $1.6 million. We have also been the subject of litigation claiming our labels contain inaccurate or misleading information. In response, we are in the process of updating the language on certain of our labels. Changes in our labels could reduce overall consumption of our products or leave consumers with the perception (whether or not valid) that our products do not meet their safety, efficacy or clean conscious needs, which could adversely affect our reputation, business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects. Although we have implemented policies and procedures designed to ensure compliance with existing laws and regulations, there can be no assurance that our employees, consultants, independent contractors, suppliers, manufacturers or retail or ecommerce partners will not violate our policies and procedures. Moreover, a failure to maintain effective control processes could lead to violations, unintentional or otherwise, of laws and regulations. Legal claims, government investigations or regulatory enforcement actions arising out of our failure or alleged failure to comply with applicable laws and regulations could subject us to civil and criminal penalties and liabilities that could adversely affect our product sales, reputation, financial condition and operating results. These liabilities could include obligations to reformulate products or remove them from the marketplace, as well as obligations to disgorge revenue and to accept burdensome injunctions that limit our freedom to market our products. In addition, the costs and other effects of defending potential and pending litigation and administrative actions against us may be difficult to determine and could adversely affect our reputation, business, brand image, financial condition, results of operations and prospects.

Furthermore, although we believe that the extent of our insurance coverage is consistent with industry practice, any claim under our insurance policies may be subject to certain exceptions, may not be honored fully, in a timely manner, or at all, and we may not have purchased sufficient insurance to cover all losses incurred. If we were to incur substantial liabilities, as a result of civil or criminal penalties or otherwise, or if our business operations were interrupted for a substantial period of time, we could incur costs and suffer losses. Such liabilities, including inventory and business interruption losses, may not be covered by our insurance policies. We also expect that operating as a public company will make it more difficult and more expensive for us to obtain director and officer liability insurance, and we may be required to accept reduced policy limits and coverage or incur substantially higher costs to obtain the same or similar coverage. As a result, it may be more difficult for us to attract and retain qualified people to serve on our board of directors, our board committees or as executive officers. We do not know, however, if we will be able to maintain existing insurance with adequate levels of coverage. Any significant uninsured liability may require us to pay substantial amounts, which would adversely affect our cash position and results of operations. Additionally, in the future, insurance coverage may not be available to us at commercially acceptable premiums, or at all.

 

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Litigation or legal proceedings could expose us to significant liabilities and have a negative impact on our reputation or business.

We are, and may in the future become, party to various claims and litigation proceedings. We evaluate these claims and litigation proceedings to assess the likelihood of unfavorable outcomes and to estimate, if possible, the amount of potential losses. Based on these assessments and estimates, we may establish reserves, as appropriate. These assessments and estimates are based on the information available to management at the time and involve a significant amount of management judgment. Actual outcomes or losses may differ materially from our assessments and estimates. We are not currently party to any material litigation.

Even when not merited, the defense of these lawsuits may divert our management’s attention, and we may incur significant expenses in defending these lawsuits. The results of litigation and other legal proceedings are inherently uncertain, and adverse judgments or settlements in some of these legal disputes may result in adverse monetary damages, penalties or injunctive relief against us, which could have an adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects. Any claims or litigation, even if fully indemnified or insured, could damage our reputation and make it more difficult to compete effectively or to obtain adequate insurance in the future.

Furthermore, while we maintain insurance for certain potential liabilities, such insurance does not cover all types and amounts of potential liabilities and is subject to various exclusions as well as caps on amounts recoverable. Even if we believe a claim is covered by insurance, insurers may dispute our entitlement to recovery for a variety of potential reasons, which may affect the timing and, if the insurers prevail, the amount of our recovery.

We (and our vendors) are subject to stringent and changing laws, regulations, industry standards, information security policies, self-regulatory schemes and contractual obligations related to data processing, protection, privacy and security. The actual or perceived failure by us, our consumers, partners or vendors to comply with such laws, regulations, industry standards, information security policies, self-regulatory schemes and contractual obligations related to data processing, protection, privacy and data security could have an adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects.

We process, and our vendors process on our behalf, personal information, confidential information and other information necessary to provide and deliver our products through our DTC channel to operate our business, for legal and marketing purposes, and for other business-related purposes.

Data privacy and information security has become a significant issue in the United States, countries in Europe, and in many other countries in which we operate and where we offer our products and services. The legal and regulatory framework for privacy and security issues is rapidly evolving and is expected to increase our compliance costs and exposure to liability. There are numerous federal, state, local, and international laws, orders, codes, regulations and regulatory guidance regarding privacy, information security and Processing (which we collectively refer to as Data Protection Laws), the number and scope of which is changing, subject to differing applications and interpretations, and which may be inconsistent among jurisdictions, or in conflict with other rules, laws or Data Protection Obligations (defined below). We expect that there will continue to be new Data Protection Laws and Data Protection Obligations, and we cannot yet determine the impact such future Data Protection Laws may have on our business. Any significant change to Data Protection Laws and Data Protection Obligations, including without limitation, regarding the manner in which the express or implied consent of consumers for Processing is obtained, could increase our costs and require us to modify our operations, possibly in a material manner, which we may be unable to complete and may limit our ability to store and process consumer data and operate our business.

Data Protection Laws and data protection worldwide is, and is likely to remain, uncertain for the foreseeable future, and our actual or perceived failure to address or comply with these laws could have an adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects.

 

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We are or may also be subject to the terms of our external and internal privacy and security policies, codes, representations, certifications, industry standards, publications and frameworks (which we collectively refer to as Privacy Policies) and contractual obligations to third parties related to privacy, information security and Processing, including contractual obligations to indemnify and hold harmless third parties from the costs or consequences of non-compliance with Data Protection Laws or other obligations (which we collectively refer to as Data Protection Obligations).

We strive to comply with applicable Data Protection Laws, Privacy Policies and Data Protection Obligations to the extent possible, but we may at times fail to do so, or may be perceived to have failed to do so. Moreover, despite our efforts, we may not be successful in achieving compliance if our employees, partners or vendors do not comply with applicable Data Protection Laws, Privacy Policies and Data Protection Obligations. If we or our vendors fail (or are perceived to have failed) to comply with applicable Data Protection Laws, Privacy Policies and Data Protection Obligations, or if our Privacy Policies are, in whole or part, found to be inaccurate, incomplete, deceptive, unfair, or misrepresentative of our actual practices, our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects could be adversely affected.

In the United States, these include rules and regulations promulgated under the authority of the Federal Trade Commission, the Electronic Communications Privacy Act, the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act, the California Consumer Privacy Act, or CCPA, and other state and federal laws relating to privacy and data security. The CCPA requires companies that process information of California residents to make new disclosures to consumers about their data collection, use and sharing practices, and allows consumers to opt out of the sale of personal information with third parties and provides a private right of action and statutory damages for data breaches. The CCPA may increase our compliance costs and potential liability. In addition, California voters recently approved the California Privacy Rights Act of 2020, or CPRA, that goes into effect on January 1, 2023. The CPRA would, among other things, give California residents the ability to limit the use of their sensitive information, provide for penalties for CPRA violations concerning California residents under the age of 16, and establish a new California Privacy Protection Agency to implement and enforce the law. Other jurisdictions in the United States are beginning to propose laws similar to the CCPA. Some observers have noted that the CCPA could mark the beginning of a trend toward more stringent privacy legislation in the United States, which could increase our potential liability and adversely affect our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects.

We rely on a variety of marketing techniques and practices, including email and social media marketing, online targeted advertising, cookie-based Processing, and postal mail to sell our products and services and to attract new consumers, and we, and our vendors, are subject to various current and future Data Protection Laws and Data Protection Obligations that govern marketing and advertising practices. Governmental authorities continue to evaluate the privacy implications inherent in the use of third-party “cookies” and other methods of online tracking for behavioral advertising and other purposes, such as by regulating the level of consumer notice and consent required before a company can employ cookies or other electronic tracking tools or the use of data gathered with such tools. Additionally, some providers of consumer devices, web browsers and application stores have implemented, or announced plans to implement, means to make it easier for Internet users to prevent the placement of cookies or to block other tracking technologies, require additional consents, or limit the ability to track user activity, which could if widely adopted result in the use of third-party cookies and other methods of online tracking becoming significantly less effective. Laws and regulations regarding the use of these cookies and other current online tracking and advertising practices or a loss in our ability to make effective use of services that employ such technologies could increase our costs of operations and limit our ability to acquire new consumers on cost-effective terms, which, in turn, could have an adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects.

In Europe, the General Data Protection Regulation (2016/679), or GDPR, went into effect in May 2018 and introduced strict requirements for processing the personal data of European Union data subjects. The GDPR may apply to us to the extent we process the personal data of European Union data subjects. Companies that must

 

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comply with the GDPR face increased compliance obligations and risk, including more robust regulatory enforcement of data protection requirements, an order prohibiting Processing of European data subject personal data and potential fines for noncompliance of up to €20 million or 4% of the annual global revenues of the noncompliant company, whichever is greater. European data protection laws including the GDPR also generally prohibit the transfer of personal data from Europe, including the European Economic Area, or EEA, the United Kingdom, and Switzerland, to the United States and most other countries unless the parties to the transfer have established a legal basis for the transfer and implemented specific safeguards to protect the transferred personal data. One of the primary mechanisms allowing U.S. companies to import personal information from Europe in compliance with the GDPR has been certification to the EU-U.S. Privacy Shield and Swiss-U.S. Privacy Shield frameworks administered by the U.S. Department of Commerce. However, the Court of Justice of the European Union, the “Schrems II” ruling, recently invalidated the EU-U.S. Privacy Shield framework. The Swiss Federal Data Protection and Information Commissioner also recently opined that the Swiss-U.S. Privacy Shield is inadequate for transfers of data from Switzerland to the U.S. Authorities in the United Kingdom, whose data protection laws are similar to those of the European Union, may similarly invalidate use of the EU-U.S. Privacy Shield as mechanisms for lawful personal information transfers from those countries to the United States.

The Schrems II decision also raised questions about whether one of the primary alternatives to the EU-U.S. Privacy Shield, namely, the European Commission’s Standard Contractual Clauses, can lawfully be used for personal information transfers from Europe to the United States or most other countries. At present, there are few, if any, viable alternatives to the EU-U.S. Privacy Shield and the Standard Contractual Clauses, or SCCs. The European Commission recently proposed updates to the SCCs, and additional regulatory guidance has been released that seeks to imposes additional obligations on companies seeking to rely on the SCCs. As such, any transfers by us or our vendors of personal data from Europe may not comply with European data protection law; may increase our exposure to the GDPR’s heightened sanctions for violations of its cross-border data transfer restrictions and may reduce demand for our products from companies subject to European data protection laws. Additionally, other countries outside of Europe have enacted or are considering enacting similar cross-border data transfer restrictions and laws requiring local data residency, which could increase the cost and complexity of delivering our products and operating our business.

Government regulation of the Internet and ecommerce is evolving, and unfavorable changes or failure by us to comply with these regulations could have an adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects.

We are subject to general business regulations and laws as well as regulations and laws specifically governing the Internet and ecommerce. Existing and future regulations and laws could impede the growth of the Internet, ecommerce or mobile commerce, which could in turn adversely affect our growth. These regulations and laws may involve taxes, tariffs, privacy and data security, anti-spam, content protection, electronic contracts and communications, consumer protection, sales practices and Internet neutrality. It is not clear how existing laws governing issues such as property ownership, sales and other taxes and consumer privacy apply to the Internet as the vast majority of these laws were adopted prior to the advent of the Internet and do not contemplate or address the unique issues raised by the Internet or ecommerce. It is possible that general business regulations and laws, or those specifically governing the Internet or ecommerce, may be interpreted and applied in a manner that is inconsistent from one jurisdiction to another and may conflict with other rules or our practices. We cannot be sure that our practices have complied, comply or will comply fully with all such laws and regulations. Any failure, or perceived failure, by us to comply with any of these laws or regulations could result in damage to our reputation, a loss in business and proceedings or actions against us by governmental entities, customers, suppliers or others. Any such proceeding or action could hurt our reputation, force us to spend significant amounts in defense of these proceedings, distract our management, increase our costs of doing business, decrease the use of our website and mobile applications by customers and suppliers and may result in the imposition of monetary liabilities and burdensome injunctions. We may also be contractually liable to indemnify and hold harmless third parties from the costs or consequences of non-compliance with any such laws or regulations. As a result, adverse developments with respect to these laws and regulations could have an adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects.

 

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Developments in labor and employment law and any unionizing efforts by employees could have an adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects.

We face the risk that Congress, federal agencies or one or more states could approve legislation or regulations significantly affecting our businesses and our relationship with our employees and other individuals providing valuable services to us, such as our influencers. For example, the previously proposed federal legislation referred to as the Employee Free Choice Act would have substantially liberalized the procedures for union organization. None of our employees are currently covered by a collective bargaining agreement, but any attempt by our employees to organize a labor union could result in increased legal and other associated costs. Additionally, given the National Labor Relations Board’s “speedy election” rule, our ability to timely and effectively address any unionizing efforts would be difficult. If we enter into a collective bargaining agreement with our employees, the terms could have an adverse effect on our costs, efficiency and ability to generate acceptable returns on the affected operations.

Federal and state wage and hour rules establish minimum salary requirements for employees to be exempt from overtime payments. For example, among other requirements, California law requires employers to pay employees who are classified as exempt from overtime a minimum salary of at least twice the minimum wage, which is currently $58,240 per year for executive, administrative and professional employees with employers that have 26 or more employees. Minimum salary requirements impact the way we classify certain employees, increases our payment of overtime wages and provision of meal or rest breaks, and increases the overall salaries we are required to pay to currently exempt employees to maintain their exempt status. As such, these requirements could have an adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects.

Risks Related to Our Intellectual Property and Information Technology

We may be unable to adequately obtain, maintain, protect and enforce our intellectual property rights.

We regard our brand, consumer lists, trademarks, trade dress, domain names, trade secrets, proprietary technology and similar intellectual property as critical to our success. We rely on trademark, copyright and patent law, trade secret protection, and confidentiality agreements with our employees and others to protect our proprietary rights.

Effective intellectual property protection may not be available in every country in which our products are, or may be made, available. The protection of our intellectual property rights may require the expenditure of significant financial, managerial and operational resources. Moreover, the steps we take to protect our intellectual property may not adequately protect our rights or prevent third parties from infringing, misappropriating or otherwise violating our proprietary rights, and we may be unable to broadly enforce all of our intellectual property rights. Any of our intellectual property rights may be challenged by others or invalidated through administrative process or litigation.

Our pending and future patent and trademark applications may never be granted. Additionally, the process of obtaining patent and trademark protection is expensive and time-consuming, and we may be unable to prosecute all necessary or desirable patent and trademark applications at a reasonable cost or in a timely manner. There can be no assurance that our issued patents and registered trademarks or pending applications, if issued or registered, will adequately protect our intellectual property, as the legal standards relating to the validity, enforceability and scope of protection of patent, trademark and other intellectual property rights are constantly evolving and vary by jurisdiction. We also cannot be certain that others will not independently develop or otherwise acquire equivalent or superior technology or intellectual property rights.

We further rely on confidentiality agreements to protect our intellectual property rights. Our confidentiality agreements with our employees and certain of our consultants, contract employees, suppliers and independent contractors, including some of our manufacturers who use our formulations to manufacture our products, generally require that all information made known to them be kept strictly confidential. The effectiveness of

 

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these agreements are important as some of our formulations have been developed by or with our suppliers and manufacturers. However, we may fail to enter into confidentiality agreements with all parties who have access to our trade secrets or other confidential information. In addition, parties may breach such agreements and disclose our proprietary information, and we may not be able to obtain adequate remedies for such breaches. Enforcing a claim that a party illegally disclosed or misappropriated a trade secret can be difficult, expensive and time-consuming, and the outcome is unpredictable. Even if we are successful in prosecuting such claims, any remedy awarded may be insufficient to fully compensate us for the improper disclosure or misappropriation. In addition, if any of our trade secrets were to be lawfully obtained or independently developed by a competitor or other third party, we would have no right to prevent them from using that technology or information to compete with us and our competitive position would be harmed.

We might be required to spend significant resources to monitor and protect our intellectual property rights. For example, we may initiate claims or litigation against others for infringement, misappropriation or violation of our intellectual property rights or other proprietary rights or to establish the validity of such rights. However, we may be unable to discover or determine the extent of any infringement, misappropriation or other violation of our intellectual property rights and other proprietary rights. Despite our efforts, we may be unable to prevent third parties from infringing upon, misappropriating or otherwise violating our intellectual property rights and other proprietary rights. Any litigation, whether or not it is resolved in our favor, could result in significant expense to us and divert the efforts of our technical and management personnel, which could have an adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects.

Further, the United Kingdom’s vote in favor of exiting the European Union, often referred to as Brexit, and ongoing developments in the United Kingdom have created uncertainty with regard to data protection regulation in the United Kingdom. Following the United Kingdom’s withdrawal from the European Union on January 31, 2020, pursuant to the transitional arrangements agreed to between the United Kingdom and European Union, the GDPR continued to have effect in United Kingdom law, and continued to do so until December 31, 2020 as if the United Kingdom remained a Member State of the European Union for such purposes. Following December 31, 2020, and the expiration of those transitional arrangements, the data protection obligations of the GDPR continue to apply to United Kingdom-related processing of personal data in substantially unvaried form under the so-called “UK GDPR” (i.e., the GDPR as it continues to form part of law in the United Kingdom by virtue of section 3 of the European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018, as amended (including by the various Data Protection, Privacy and Electronic Communications (Amendments etc.) (EU Exit) Regulations)). However, going forward, there will be increasing scope for divergence in application, interpretation and enforcement of the data protection law as between the United Kingdom and EEA. Furthermore, the relationship between the United Kingdom and the EEA in relation to certain aspects of data protection law remains somewhat uncertain. For example, it is unclear whether transfers of personal data from the EEA to the United Kingdom will be permitted to take place on the basis of a future adequacy decision of the European Commission, or whether a “transfer mechanism,” such as the Standard Contractual Clauses, will be required. For the meantime, under the post-Brexit Trade and Cooperation Agreement between the European Union and the United Kingdom, it has been agreed that transfers of personal data to the United Kingdom from European Union Member States will not be treated as “restricted transfers” to a non-EEA country for a period of up to four months from January 1, 2021, plus a potential further two months extension, or the extended adequacy assessment period. This will also apply to transfers to the United Kingdom from EEA Member States, assuming those Member States accede to the relevant provision of the Trade and Cooperation Agreement. Although the current maximum duration of the extended adequacy assessment period is six months it may end sooner, for example, in the event that the European Commission adopts an adequacy decision in respect of the United Kingdom, or the United Kingdom amends the UK GDPR and/or makes certain changes regarding data transfers under the UK GDPR/Data Protection Act 2018 without the consent of the European Union (unless those amendments or decisions are made simply to keep relevant United Kingdom laws aligned with the European Union’s data protection regime). If the European Commission does not adopt an ‘adequacy decision’ in respect of the United Kingdom prior to the expiry of the extended adequacy assessment period, from that point onwards the United Kingdom will be an “inadequate third country” under the GDPR and transfers of data from the EEA to the United Kingdom will require a “transfer mechanism,” such as the Standard Contractual Clauses.

 

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Additionally, as noted above, the United Kingdom has transposed the GDPR into United Kingdom domestic law by way of the UK GDPR with effect from January 2021, which could expose us to two parallel regimes, each of which potentially authorizes similar fines and other potentially divergent enforcement actions for certain violations. Also, following the expiry of the post-Brexit transitional arrangements, the United Kingdom Information Commissioner’s Office is not able to be our “lead supervisory authority” in respect of any “cross border processing” for the purposes of the GDPR. For so long as we are unable to, and/or do not, designate a lead supervisory authority in an EEA member state, with effect from January 1, 2021, we are not able to benefit from the GDPR’s “one stop shop” mechanism. Amongst other things, this would mean that, in the event of a violation of the GDPR affecting data subjects across the United Kingdom and the EEA, we could be investigated by, and ultimately fined by the United Kingdom Information Commissioner’s Office and the supervisory authority in each and every EEA member state where data subjects have been affected by such violation. Other countries have also passed or are considering passing laws requiring local data residency and/or restricting the international transfer of data.

The loss of any registered trademark or other intellectual property could enable other companies to compete more effectively with us.

We consider our trademarks to be valuable assets that reinforce our brand and consumers’ perception of our products. We have invested a significant amount of time and money in establishing and promoting our trademarked brands. Our continued success depends, to a significant degree, upon our ability to protect and preserve our registered trademarks and to successfully obtain additional trademark registrations in the future.

We may not be able to obtain trademark protection in all territories that we consider to be important to our business. In addition, we cannot assure you that the steps we have taken to protect our trademarks are adequate, that our trademarks can be successfully defended and asserted in the future or that third parties will not infringe upon any such rights. Our trademark rights and related registrations may be challenged, opposed, infringed, cancelled, circumvented or declared generic, or determined to be infringing on other marks, as applicable. Failure to protect our trademark rights could prevent us in the future from challenging third parties who use names and logos similar to our trademarks, which may in turn cause consumer confusion or negatively affect consumers’ perception of our brand and products. Moreover, any trademark disputes may result in a significant distraction for management and significant expense, which may not be recoverable regardless of whether we are successful. Such proceedings may be protracted with no certainty of success, and an adverse outcome could subject us to liabilities, force us to cease use of certain trademarks or other intellectual property or force us to enter into licenses with others. Any one of these occurrences could have an adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects.

If we fail to comply with our obligations under our existing license agreements or cannot license rights to use technologies on reasonable terms or at all, we may be unable to license rights that are critical to our business.

We license certain intellectual property which is critical to our business, including pursuant to the Likeness Agreement with Jessica Alba. If we fail to comply with any of the obligations under our license agreements, we may be required to pay damages and the licensor may have the right to terminate the license. Termination by the licensor would cause us to lose valuable rights, and could inhibit our ability to commercialize our products. If any contract interpretation disagreement were to arise, the resolution could narrow what we believe to be the scope of our rights to the relevant intellectual property or increase what we believe to be our financial or other obligations under the relevant agreement. Any of the foregoing could adversely impact our business, financial condition and results of operations.

In addition, in the future we may identify additional third-party intellectual property we may need to license in order to engage in our business, including to develop or commercialize new products. However, such licenses may not be available on acceptable terms or at all. The licensing or acquisition of third-party intellectual property rights is a competitive area, and companies with greater size and capital resources than us may pursue strategies to license or acquire third-party intellectual property rights that we may consider attractive or necessary. In

 

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addition, companies that perceive us to be a competitor may be unwilling to assign or license rights to us. Even if such licenses are available, we may be required to pay the licensor substantial royalties or other fees. If we are unable to enter into the necessary licenses on acceptable terms or at all, it could have an adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects.

We may be subject to claims or other allegations that we infringe, misappropriate or otherwise violate the intellectual property rights of third parties, which could result in substantial damages and diversion of management’s efforts and attention.

Third parties have from time to time claimed, and may claim in the future, that we have infringed, misappropriated or otherwise violated their intellectual property rights. These claims, whether meritorious or not, could be time-consuming, result in considerable litigation costs, result in injunctions against us or the payment of damages by us, require significant amounts of management time or result in the diversion of significant operational resources and expensive changes to our business model, result in the payment of substantial damages or injunctions against us, or require us to enter into costly royalty or licensing agreements, if available. In addition, we may be unable to obtain or utilize on terms that are favorable to us, or at all, licenses or other rights with respect to intellectual property we do not own. These risks have been amplified by the increase in third parties whose sole or primary business is to assert such claims. Any payments we are required to make and any injunctions we are required to comply with as a result of these claims could have an adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects.

Our reliance on software-as-a-service, or SaaS, technologies from third parties may adversely affect our business and results of operations.

We rely on SaaS technologies from third parties in order to operate critical functions of our business, including financial management services, customer relationship management services, supply chain services and data storage services. If these services become unavailable due to extended outages or interruptions or because they are no longer available on commercially reasonable terms or prices, or for any other reason, our expenses could increase, our ability to manage our finances could be interrupted, our processes for managing sales of our offerings and supporting our consumers could be impaired, our ability to communicate with our suppliers could be weakened and our ability to access or save data stored to the cloud may be impaired until equivalent services, if available, are identified, obtained and implemented, all of which could have an adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects.

We must successfully maintain, scale and upgrade our information technology systems, and our failure to do so could have an adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects.

We have identified the need to significantly expand, scale and improve our information technology systems and personnel to support recent and expected future growth. As such, we are in the process of implementing, and will continue to invest in and implement, significant modifications and upgrades to our information technology systems and procedures, including replacing legacy systems with successor systems, making changes to legacy systems or acquiring new systems with new functionality, hiring employees with information technology expertise and building new policies, procedures, training programs and monitoring tools. These types of activities subject us to inherent costs and risks associated with replacing and changing these systems, including impairment of our ability to leverage our Retail channel or fulfill customer orders, potential disruption of our internal control structure, substantial capital expenditures, additional administration and operating expenses, the need to acquire and retain sufficiently skilled personnel to implement and operate the new systems, demands on management time, the introduction of errors or vulnerabilities and other risks and costs of delays or difficulties in transitioning to or integrating new systems into our current systems. These implementations, modifications and upgrades may not result in productivity improvements at a level that outweighs the costs of implementation, or at all. Additionally, difficulties with implementing new technology systems, delays in our timeline for planned improvements, significant system failures, or our inability to successfully modify our information systems to respond to changes in our business needs may cause disruptions in our business operations and could have an adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects.

 

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We are increasingly dependent on information technology and our ability to process data in order to operate and sell our goods and services, and if we (or our vendors) are unable to protect against software and hardware vulnerabilities, service interruptions, data corruption, cyber-based attacks, ransomware or security breaches, or if we fail to comply with our commitments and assurances regarding the privacy and security of such data, our operations could be disrupted, our ability to provide our goods and services could be interrupted, our reputation may be harmed and we may be exposed to liability and loss of consumers and business.

We rely on information technology networks and systems and data processing (some of which are managed by third-party service providers) to market, sell and deliver our products and services, to fulfill orders, to collect, receive, store, process, generate, use, transfer, disclose, make accessible, protect, secure, dispose of and share (which we collectively refer to as Process or Processing) personal information, confidential or proprietary information, financial information and other information, to manage a variety of business processes and activities, for financial reporting purposes, to operate our business, process orders and to comply with regulatory, legal and tax requirements (which we collectively refer to as Business Functions). These information technology networks and systems, and the Processing they perform, may be susceptible to damage, disruptions or shutdowns, software or hardware vulnerabilities, security incidents, ransomware attacks, social engineering attacks, supply-side attacks, failures during the process of upgrading or replacing software, databases or components, power outages, fires, natural disasters, hardware failures, computer viruses, attacks by computer hackers, telecommunication failures, user errors or catastrophic events. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, our personnel are temporarily working remotely and relying on their own computers, routers and other equipment, which may pose additional data security risks to networks, systems and data. Any material disruption of our networks, systems or data processing activities, or those of our third-party service providers, could disrupt our ability to undertake, and cause a material adverse impact to, our Business Functions and our business, reputation and financial condition. If our information technology networks and systems or data processing (or of our third-party service providers) suffers damage, security breaches, vulnerabilities, disruption or shutdown, and we do not effectively resolve the issues in a timely manner, they could cause a material adverse impact to, our Business Functions and our business, reputation and financial condition. Our DTC and ecommerce operations are critical to our business and our financial performance. Our website serves as an effective extension of our marketing strategies by exposing potential new consumers to our brand, product offerings and enhanced content. Due to the importance of our website and DTC operations, any material disruption of our networks, systems or data processing activities related to our websites and DTC operations could reduce DTC sales and financial performance, damage our brand’s reputation and materially adversely impact our business.

Despite our efforts to ensure the security, privacy, integrity, confidentiality, availability, and authenticity of information technology networks and systems, Processing and information, we may not be able to anticipate or to implement effective preventive and remedial measures against all data security and privacy threats. The recovery systems, security protocols, network protection mechanisms and other security measures that we have integrated into our systems, networks and physical facilities, which are designed to protect against, detect and minimize security breaches, may not be adequate to prevent or detect service interruption, system failure data loss or theft, or other material adverse consequences. No security solution, strategy, or measures can address all possible security threats or block all methods of penetrating a network or otherwise perpetrating a security incident. The risk of unauthorized circumvention of our security measures or those of our third-party providers, clients and partners has been heightened by advances in computer and software capabilities and the increasing sophistication of hackers who employ complex techniques, including without limitation, the theft or misuse of personal and financial information, counterfeiting, “phishing” or social engineering incidents, ransomware, extortion, publicly announcing security breaches, account takeover attacks, denial or degradation of service attacks, malware, fraudulent payment and identity theft. Because the techniques used by hackers change frequently, we may be unable to anticipate these techniques or implement adequate preventive measures. Our applications, systems, networks, software and physical facilities could have material vulnerabilities, be breached or personal or confidential information could be otherwise compromised due to employee error or malfeasance, if, for example, third parties attempt to fraudulently induce our personnel or our consumers to disclose information or user names

 

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and/or passwords, or otherwise compromise the security of our networks, systems and/or physical facilities. Third parties may also exploit vulnerabilities in, or obtain unauthorized access to, platforms, software, applications, systems, networks, sensitive information, and/or physical facilities utilized by our vendors. Improper access to our systems or databases could result in the theft, publication, deletion or modification of personal information, confidential or proprietary information, financial information and other information. An actual or perceived breach of our security systems or those of our third-party service providers may require notification under applicable data privacy regulations or contractual obligations, or for consumer relations or publicity purposes, which could result in reputational harm, costly litigation (including class action litigation), material contract breaches, liability, settlement costs, loss of sales, regulatory scrutiny, actions or investigations, a loss of confidence in our business, systems and Processing, a diversion of management’s time and attention, and significant fines, penalties, assessments, fees and expenses.

The costs to respond to a security breach and/or to mitigate any security vulnerabilities that may be identified could be significant, our efforts to address these problems may not be successful, and these problems could result in unexpected interruptions, delays, cessation of service, negative publicity, and other harm to our business and our competitive position. We could be required to fundamentally change our business activities and practices in response to a security breach or related regulatory actions or litigation, which could have an adverse effect on our business.

We may have contractual and other legal obligations to notify relevant stakeholders of any security breaches. Most jurisdictions have enacted laws requiring companies to notify individuals, regulatory authorities, and others of security breaches involving certain types of data. In addition, our agreements with certain consumers and partners may require us to notify them in the event of a security breach. Such mandatory disclosures are costly, could lead to negative publicity, may cause our consumers to lose confidence in the effectiveness of our security measures and require us to expend significant capital and other resources to respond to and/or alleviate problems caused by the actual or perceived security breach, and may cause us to breach consumer or ecommerce or retail customer contracts. Our agreements with certain consumers or ecommerce or retail customers, our representations, or industry standards, may require us to use industry-standard or reasonable measures to safeguard sensitive personal information or confidential information. A security breach could lead to claims by our consumers or ecommerce or retail customers, or other relevant stakeholders that we have failed to comply with such legal or contractual obligations. As a result, we could be subject to legal action or our consumers or ecommerce or retail customers could end their relationships with us. There can be no assurance that any limitations of liability in our contracts would be enforceable or adequate or would otherwise protect us from liabilities or damages.

We have not always been able in the past and may be unable in the future to detect, anticipate, measure or prevent threats or techniques used to detect or exploit vulnerabilities in our (or our third parties’) information technology, services, Processing, communications or software, or cause security breaches, because such threats and techniques change frequently, are often sophisticated in nature, and may not be detected until after an incident has occurred. In addition, security researchers and other individuals have in the past and will continue in the future to actively search for and exploit actual and potential vulnerabilities in our (or our third parties’) information technology, services, communications or software. We cannot be certain that we will be able to address any such vulnerabilities, in whole or in part, and there may be delays in developing and deploying patches and other remedial measures to adequately address vulnerabilities, and taking such remedial steps could adversely impact or disrupt our operations. We expect similar issues to arise in the future as our products and services are more widely adopted, and as we continue to expand the features and functionality of existing products and services and introduce new products and services

We may not have adequate insurance coverage for security incidents or breaches, including fines, judgments, settlements, penalties, costs, attorney fees and other impacts that arise out of incidents or breaches. If the impacts of a security incident or breach, or the successful assertion of one or more large claims against us that exceeds our available insurance coverage, or results in changes to our insurance policies (including premium

 

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increases or the imposition of large deductible or co-insurance requirements), it could have an adverse effect on our business. In addition, we cannot be sure that our existing insurance coverage, cyber coverage and coverage for errors and omissions will continue to be available on acceptable terms or that our insurers will not deny coverage as to all or part of any future claim or loss. Our risks are likely to increase as we continue to expand, grow our consumer base, and process, store, and transmit increasingly large amounts of proprietary and sensitive data.

Risks Related to Conducting Business Internationally

If we cannot successfully manage the unique challenges presented by international markets, we may not be successful in expanding our operations outside the United States.

Our strategy includes the expansion of our operations to international markets. We currently sell products through retailers in Canada, the United Kingdom and certain countries in the European Union and we are considering distributing or shipping to additional geographies. Although some of our executive officers have experience in international business from prior positions, we have little experience with operations outside the United States. Our ability to successfully execute this strategy is affected by many of the same operational risks we face in expanding our U.S. operations. In addition, our international expansion may be adversely affected by our ability to identify and gain access to local suppliers, obtain and protect relevant trademarks, domain names, and other intellectual property, as well as by local laws and customs, legal and regulatory constraints, political and economic conditions and currency regulations of the countries or regions in which we may intend to operate in the future. Risks inherent in expanding our operations internationally also include, among others, the costs and difficulties of managing international operations, adverse tax consequences, domestic and international tariffs and other barriers to trade.

In addition, competition is likely to intensify in the international markets where we plan to expand our operations. Standards for “clean”, “natural” or “organic” product labeling or designations may vary across different markets, which may require us to market our products differently or change the formulations of our products to meet local standards. Local companies based in markets outside the United States may have a substantial competitive advantage because of their greater understanding of, and focus on, those local markets. Some of our competitors may also be able to develop and grow in international markets more quickly than we will.

Our business activities may be subject to the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act and similar anti-bribery and anti-corruption laws of other countries in which we operate, as well as U.S. and certain foreign export controls, trade sanctions, and import laws and regulations. Compliance with these legal requirements could limit our ability to compete in foreign markets and subject us to liability if we violate them.

We derive a significant portion of our products from third-party manufacturing and supply partners in foreign countries and territories, including countries and territories perceived to carry an increased risk of corrupt business practices. The U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, or the FCPA, prohibits U.S. corporations and their employees and representatives from, directly or indirectly, offering, promising, making, giving, or authorizing others to give anything of value to any foreign government official, political party or official thereof, or political candidate to influence official action or otherwise in an attempt to obtain or retain business. In addition, the FCPA also requires that we make and keep accurate books and records that accurately and fairly reflect the transactions of the corporation and to devise and maintain an adequate system of internal accounting controls and compliance procedures designed to prevent violations of anti-corruption laws. We may be held liable for the corrupt or other illegal activities of our employees and representatives, even if we do not explicitly authorize such activities. We cannot assure you that all of our employees and representatives will not take actions in violation of anti-corruption laws for which we may be ultimately held responsible. As we increase our international business, our risks under anti-corruption laws may increase.

In addition, our products may be subject to U.S. and foreign export controls, trade sanctions, and import laws and regulations. Governmental regulation of the import or export of our products, or our failure to obtain

 

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any required import or export authorization for our products, when applicable, could harm our international sales and adversely affect our revenue. Compliance with applicable regulatory requirements regarding the export of our products may create delays in the introduction of our products in international markets or, in some cases, prevent the export of our products to some countries altogether. Furthermore, U.S. export control laws and economic sanctions prohibit the shipment of certain products and services to countries, governments, and persons targeted by U.S. sanctions.

If we or our employees or representatives are determined to have violated the FCPA, U.S. export control laws and economic sanctions, or any of the anti-corruption, anti-bribery, export control, and sanctions laws in the countries and territories where we and our representatives do business, we could suffer severe fines and penalties, profit disgorgement, injunctions on future conduct, securities litigation, bans on transacting certain business, and other consequences that may have an adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects. In addition, the costs we may incur in defending against any investigations stemming from our or our employees’ or representatives’ improper actions could be significant. Moreover, any actual or alleged corruption or sanctions concerns in our supply chain could carry significant reputational harm, including negative publicity, loss of goodwill, and decline in share price.

International trade disputes and the U.S. government’s trade policy could adversely affect our business.

International trade disputes could result in tariffs and other protectionist measures that could adversely affect our business. Tariffs could increase the cost of our products and the components and raw materials that go into making them. These increased costs could adversely impact the gross margin that we earn on our products. Countries may also adopt other protectionist measures that could limit our ability to offer our products.

The U.S. government has indicated its intent to adopt a new approach to trade policy and in some cases to renegotiate, or potentially terminate, certain existing bilateral or multi-lateral trade agreements. It has also initiated tariffs on certain foreign goods and has raised the possibility of imposing significant, additional tariff increases or expanding the tariffs to capture other types of goods. Although the tariffs that have been initiated to date have not had a material impact on our operating results, to the extent that significant additional tariffs are imposed, depending on the extent of such tariffs, they could have a material impact on our operating results.

We cannot predict the extent to which the United States or other countries will impose quotas, duties, tariffs, taxes or other similar restrictions upon the import or export of our products in the future, nor can we predict future trade policy or the terms of any renegotiated trade agreements and their impact on our business. The adoption and expansion of trade restrictions, the occurrence of a trade war, or other governmental action related to tariffs or trade agreements or policies has the potential to adversely impact demand for our products, our costs, our consumers, our suppliers, and the U.S. economy, which in turn could have an adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects.

Fluctuations in currency exchange rates may negatively affect our financial condition and results of operations.

Exchange rate fluctuations may affect the costs that we incur in our operations. The main currencies to which we are exposed are the Canadian Dollar, the Euro and the British Pound. The exchange rates between these currencies and the U.S. dollar in recent years have fluctuated significantly and may continue to do so in the future. A depreciation of these currencies against the U.S. dollar will decrease the U.S. dollar equivalent of the amounts derived from foreign operations reported in our consolidated financial statements, and an appreciation of these currencies will result in a corresponding increase in such amounts. The cost of certain items, such as materials, manufacturing, employee salaries and transportation and freight, required by our operations may be affected by changes in the value of the relevant currencies. To the extent that we are required to pay for goods or services in foreign currencies, the appreciation of such currencies against the U.S. dollar will tend to negatively affect our business. There can be no assurance that foreign currency fluctuations will not have an adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects.

 

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We are subject to international business uncertainties.

In 2020, international sales represented 2% of total revenue and part of our strategy is to accelerate growth outside of the United States. In addition, our business relies on third-party suppliers and manufacturers located in China, Mexico, and certain other foreign countries. We intend to continue to sell to consumers outside the United States and maintain our relationships in China, Mexico, and other foreign countries where we have suppliers and manufacturers. Further, we may establish additional relationships in other countries to grow our operations. The substantial up-front investment required, the lack of consumer awareness of our products in jurisdictions outside of the United States, differences in consumer preferences and trends between the United States and other jurisdictions, the risk of inadequate intellectual property protections and differences in packaging, labeling and related laws, rules and regulations are all substantial matters that need to be evaluated prior to doing business in new territories. We cannot be assured that our international efforts will be successful. International sales and increased international operations may be subject to risks such as:

 

   

difficulties in staffing and managing foreign operations and geographically dispersed operations;

 

   

burdens of complying with a wide variety of laws and regulations, including more stringent regulations relating to data privacy and security, particularly in the European Union;

 

   

adverse tax effects and foreign exchange controls making it difficult to repatriate earnings and cash;

 

   

political and economic instability;

 

   

terrorist activities and natural disasters;

 

   

trade restrictions;

 

   

differing employment practices and laws and labor disruptions;

 

   

the imposition of government controls;

 

   

an inability to use or to obtain adequate intellectual property protection for our brand and key products;

 

   

difficulties in enforcing contracts and legal decisions;

 

   

tariffs and customs duties and the classifications of our goods by applicable governmental bodies;

 

   

a legal system subject to undue influence or corruption;

 

   

a business culture in which illegal sales practices may be prevalent;

 

   

logistics and sourcing; and

 

   

military conflicts.

The occurrence of any of these risks could have an adverse effect on our international business and consequently our overall business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects.

Risks Related to Ownership of Our Common Stock

Our stock price may be volatile, and the value of our common stock may decline.

The market price of our common stock may be highly volatile and may fluctuate or decline substantially as a result of a variety of factors, some of which are beyond our control, including:

 

   

actual or anticipated fluctuations in our financial condition or results of operations;

 

   

variance in our financial performance from expectations of securities analysts;

 

   

changes in our projected operating and financial results;

 

   

announcements by us or our competitors of significant business developments, acquisitions or new offerings;

 

 

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announcements or concerns regarding real or perceived quality or health issues with our products or similar products of our competitors;

 

   

adoption of new regulations applicable to the Diapers and Wipes, Skin and Personal Care and Household and Wellness industries or the expectations concerning future regulatory developments;

 

   

our involvement in litigation;

 

   

future sales of our common stock by us or our stockholders, as well as the anticipation of lock-up releases;

 

   

changes in senior management or key personnel;

 

   

the trading volume of our common stock; and

 

   

changes in the anticipated future size and growth rate of our market.

Broad market and industry fluctuations, as well as general economic, political, regulatory and market conditions, may also negatively impact the market price of our common stock, particularly in light of uncertainties surrounding the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and the related impacts.

Anti-takeover provisions in our charter documents and under Delaware law could make an acquisition of our company more difficult, limit attempts by our stockholders to replace or remove our current management and limit the market price of our common stock.

Provisions in our amended and restated certificate of incorporation and amended and restated bylaws that will be in effect immediately prior to the completion of this offering may have the effect of delaying or preventing a change of control or changes in our management. Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation and amended and restated bylaws will include provisions that:

 

   

authorize our board of directors to issue, without further action by the stockholders, shares of undesignated preferred stock with terms, rights and preferences determined by our board of directors that may be senior to our common stock;

 

   

require that any action to be taken by our stockholders be effected at a duly called annual or special meeting and not by written consent;

 

   

specify that special meetings of our stockholders can be called only by our board of directors, the chairperson of our board of directors, or our chief executive officer;

 

   

establish an advance notice procedure for stockholder proposals to be brought before an annual meeting, including proposed nominations of persons for election to our board of directors;

 

   

establish that our board of directors is divided into three classes, with each class serving three-year staggered terms;

 

   

prohibit cumulative voting in the election of directors;

 

   

provide that our directors may be removed for cause only upon the vote of at least 6623% of our outstanding shares of voting stock;

 

   

provide that vacancies on our board of directors may be filled only by a majority of directors then in office, even though less than a quorum; and

 

   

require the approval of our board of directors or the holders of at least 6623% of our outstanding shares of voting stock to amend our bylaws and certain provisions of our certificate of incorporation.

These provisions may frustrate or prevent any attempts by our stockholders to replace or remove our current management by making it more difficult for stockholders to replace members of our board of directors, which is responsible for appointing the members of our management. In addition, because we are incorporated in

 

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Delaware, we are governed by the provisions of Section 203 of the Delaware General Corporation Law, which generally, subject to certain exceptions, prohibits a Delaware corporation from engaging in any of a broad range of business combinations with any “interested” stockholder for a period of three years following the date on which the stockholder became an “interested” stockholder.

Any of the foregoing provisions could limit the price that investors might be willing to pay in the future for shares of our common stock, and they could deter potential acquirers of our company, thereby reducing the likelihood that you would receive a premium for your shares of our common stock in an acquisition.

Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation provides that the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware and the federal district courts of the United States will be the exclusive forums for substantially all 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 amended and restated certificate of incorporation provides that the Court of Chancery of the State 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 claim of breach of fiduciary duty;

 

   

any action asserting a claim against us arising under the Delaware General Corporation Law, or DGCL, our amended and restated certificate of incorporation or our amended and restated bylaws; and

 

   

any action asserting a claim against us that is governed by the internal-affairs doctrine or otherwise related to our internal affairs.

This provision would not apply to suits brought to enforce a duty or liability created by the Exchange Act. Furthermore, Section 22 of the Securities Act creates concurrent jurisdiction for federal and state courts over all such Securities Act actions. Accordingly, both state and federal courts have jurisdiction to entertain such claims. To prevent having to litigate claims in multiple jurisdictions and the threat of inconsistent or contrary rulings by different courts, among other considerations, our amended and restated certificate of incorporation further provides that the federal district courts of the United States will be the exclusive forum for resolving any complaint asserting a cause of action arising under the Securities Act, including all causes of action asserted against any defendant named in such complaint. For the avoidance of doubt, this provision is intended to benefit and may be enforced by us, our officers and directors, the underwriters for any offering giving rise to such complaint, and any other professional entity whose profession gives authority to a statement made by that person or entity and who has prepared or certified any part of the documents underlying the offering. While the Delaware courts have determined that such choice of forum provisions are facially valid, a stockholder may nevertheless seek to bring a claim in a venue other than those designated in the exclusive forum provisions. In such instance, we would expect to vigorously assert the validity and enforceability of the exclusive forum provisions of our amended and restated certificate of incorporation. This may require significant additional costs associated with resolving such action in other jurisdictions and there can be no assurance that the provisions will be enforced by a court in those other jurisdictions.

This exclusive-forum provision 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 other employees, which may discourage lawsuits against us and our directors, officers and other employees. If a court were to find either exclusive-forum provision in our amended and restated certificate of incorporation to be inapplicable or unenforceable in an action, we may incur further significant additional costs associated with resolving the dispute in other jurisdictions, all of which could seriously harm our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects.

 

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Other than the 2021 Dividend payable no later than June 30, 2021, we do not intend to pay dividends for the foreseeable future and, as a result, your ability to achieve a return on your investment will depend on appreciation in the price of our common stock.

In April 2021, our board of directors declared a cash dividend of $35.0 million to the holders of record of our common stock and our redeemable convertible preferred stock as of May 3, 2021 that is contingent upon the closing of this offering and payable no later than June 30, 2021, or the 2021 Dividend. Investors in this offering will not be eligible to receive this dividend. Other than the 2021 Dividend, we have never declared or paid cash dividends on our capital stock and we do not intend to pay any cash dividends in the foreseeable future. Any determination to pay dividends in the future will be at the discretion of our board of directors. Accordingly, you may need to rely on sales of our common stock after price appreciation, which may never occur, as the only way to realize any future gains on your investment. In addition, the 2021 Credit Facility contains restrictions on our ability to pay dividends.

No public market for our common stock currently exists, and an active public trading market may not develop or be sustained following this offering.

Prior to this offering, no public market for our common stock currently existed. An active public trading market for our common stock may not develop following the completion of this offering or, if developed, may not be sustained. We determined the initial public offering price for our common stock through negotiations with the underwriters, and the negotiated price may not be indicative of the market price of our common stock after this offering. The market value of our common stock may decrease from the initial public offering price. As a result of these and other factors, you may be unable to resell your shares of our common stock at or above the initial public offering price. The lack of an active market may impair your ability to sell your shares at the time you wish to sell them or at a price that you consider reasonable. The lack of an active market may also reduce the fair value of your shares. An inactive market may also impair our ability to raise capital to continue to fund operations by selling shares and may impair our ability to acquire other companies by using our shares as consideration.

We will have broad discretion in the use of the net proceeds to us from this offering and may not use them effectively.

We will have broad discretion in the application of the net proceeds that we receive from this offering, including for any of the purposes described in the section titled “Use of Proceeds,” and you will not have the opportunity as part of your investment decision to assess whether the net proceeds are being used appropriately. Because of the number and variability of factors that will determine our use of the net proceeds that we receive from this offering, our ultimate use may vary substantially from our currently intended use. Investors will need to rely upon the judgment of our management with respect to the use of such proceeds. Pending use, we may invest the net proceeds that we receive from this offering in short-term, investment-grade, interest-bearing securities, such as money market accounts, certificates of deposit, commercial paper, and guaranteed obligations of the U.S. government that may not generate a high yield for our stockholders. If we do not use the net proceeds that we receive in this offering effectively, our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects could be adversely affected, and the market price of our common stock could decline.

Principal stockholders have substantial control over us and will be able to influence corporate matters.

Prior to this offering, based on the number of shares outstanding as of March 31, 2021, our directors, executive officers and stockholders holding more than 5% of our outstanding capital stock, together with their respective affiliates, beneficially owned, in the aggregate, approximately 84.0% of our outstanding capital stock, and upon the closing of this offering, that same group will beneficially own 61.0%% of our outstanding capital stock (based on the assumed initial public offering price of $15.50 per share, which is the midpoint of the price range set forth on the cover page of this prospectus, and assuming no exercise of the underwriters’ option to purchase additional shares), without giving effect to any purchases that certain of these holders may make

 

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through our directed share program. As a result, even after this offering, these stockholders will be able to exercise significant influence over all matters requiring stockholder approval, including the election of directors and approval of significant corporate transactions, such as a merger or other sale of our company or its assets. For example, these stockholders may be able to control elections of directors, amendments of our organizational documents or approval of any merger, sale of assets or other major corporate transaction. This may prevent or discourage unsolicited acquisition proposals or offers for our common stock that you may feel are in your best interest as one of our stockholders. The interests of this group of stockholders may not always coincide with your interests or the interests of other stockholders and they may act in a manner that advances their best interests and not necessarily those of other stockholders, including seeking a premium value for their common stock, and might affect the prevailing market price for our common stock.

Future sales of our common stock in the public market could cause the market price of our common stock to decline.

Sales of a substantial number of shares of our common stock in the public market following the completion of this offering, or the perception that these sales might occur, could depress the market price of our common stock and could impair our ability to raise capital through the sale of additional equity securities. Many of our existing equity holders have substantial unrecognized gains on the value of the equity they hold based upon the price of this offering, and therefore they may take steps to sell their shares or otherwise secure the unrecognized gains on those shares. We are unable to predict the timing of or the effect that such sales may have on the prevailing market price of our common stock.

All of our directors and officers, the selling stockholders and the holders of substantially all of our capital stock and securities convertible into our capital stock are subject to lock-up agreements or market standoff provisions that restrict their ability to transfer shares of our capital stock for 180 days from the date of this prospectus, subject to certain exceptions. Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC and J.P. Morgan Securities LLC may, in their sole discretion, permit our stockholders who are subject to these lock-up agreements to sell shares prior to the expiration of the lock-up agreements, subject to applicable notice requirements. If not earlier released, all of the shares of common stock sold in this offering will become eligible for sale upon expiration of the 180-day lock-up period, except for any shares held by our affiliates as defined in Rule 144 under the Securities Act. Notwithstanding the foregoing, a portion of the securities held by our current employees (but excluding our executive officers, directors, founders, and any other person who is a party to investors’ rights’ agreements), which we refer to as the Employee Stockholders, subject to the lock-up agreements may be sold during the restricted period when the following conditions are met, which we refer to as the Early Release Terms:

 

   

up to 15% of the aggregate number of shares of our common stock and securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for our common stock held by each of our Employee Stockholders on the date of this prospectus for which all vesting conditions were satisfied as of the date of the second post-IPO earnings announcement (as defined below), which we refer to as the Employee Early Release Shares, may be sold or transferred on the third trading day immediately following our public release of earnings for the second quarter following the most recent period for which financial statements are included in this prospectus, the “second post-IPO earnings announcement”; and

 

   

in addition to the Employee Early Release Shares, if the last reported closing price of our common stock on Nasdaq is at least 33% greater than the initial public offering price per share set forth on the cover page of this prospectus for at least 10 trading days out of any 15-consecutive trading day period ending on the trading day that is 90 days after the date of this prospectus, the Employee Stockholders may sell or otherwise transfer up to 25% of the aggregate number of shares of our common stock and securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for our common stock held by such Employee Stockholder on the date of this prospectus for which all vesting conditions are satisfied as of the date of the second post-IPO earnings announcement beginning at the opening of trading on the third trading day immediately following the second post-IPO earnings announcement.

 

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Less than two percent of the total shares that will be outstanding after the completion of the offering will be eligible for release under the Early Release Terms described above.

In addition, there were 18,038,042 shares of common stock issuable upon the exercise of outstanding stock options as of December 31, 2020. We intend to register all of the shares of common stock issuable upon exercise of outstanding stock options, restricted stock units or other equity incentives we may grant in the future, for public resale under the Securities Act. The shares of common stock will become eligible for sale in the public market to the extent such options are exercised, subject to the lock-up agreements and market standoff provisions described above and compliance with applicable securities laws.

Further, based on shares outstanding as of December 31, 2020, holders of approximately 73,015,612 shares, or 80.7% of our capital stock after the completion of this offering (after giving effect to sales by selling stockholders in this offering, assuming no exercise of the underwriters’ option to purchase additional shares from the selling stockholders, and after giving effect to the anti-dilution adjustments relating to our Series C and Series D redeemable convertible preferred stock, based on the assumed initial public offering price of $15.50 per share, the midpoint of the estimated price range set forth on the cover page of this prospectus, described in the section titled “Description of Capital Stock—Preferred Stock”), will have rights, subject to some conditions, to require us to file registration statements covering the sale of their shares or to include their shares in registration statements that we may file for ourselves or other stockholders.

Our issuance of additional capital stock in connection with financings, acquisitions, investments, our equity incentive plans or otherwise will dilute all other stockholders.

We expect to issue additional capital stock in the future that will result in dilution to all other stockholders. We expect to grant equity awards to employees, directors and consultants under our equity incentive plans. We may also raise capital through equity financings in the future. As part of our business strategy, we may acquire or make investments in companies and issue equity securities to pay for any such acquisition or investment. Any such issuances of additional capital stock may cause stockholders to experience significant dilution of their ownership interests and the per share value of our common stock to decline.

If securities or industry analysts do not publish research or publish unfavorable or inaccurate research about our business, the market price and trading volume of our common stock could decline.

The market price and trading volume of our common stock following the completion of this offering will be heavily influenced by the way analysts interpret our financial information and other disclosures. We do not have control over these analysts. If few securities analysts commence coverage of us, or if industry analysts cease coverage of us, our stock price would be negatively affected. If securities or industry analysts do not publish research or reports about our business, downgrade our common stock, or publish negative reports about our business, our stock price would likely decline. If one or more of these analysts cease coverage of us or fail to publish reports on us regularly, demand for our common stock could decrease, which might cause our stock price to decline and could decrease the trading volume of our common stock.

You will experience immediate and substantial dilution in the net tangible book value of the shares of common stock you purchase in this offering.

The initial public offering price of our common stock is substantially higher than the pro forma as adjusted net tangible book value per share of our common stock immediately after this offering. If you purchase shares of our common stock in this offering, you will suffer immediate dilution of $13.50 per share, representing the difference between our pro forma as adjusted net tangible book value per share after giving effect to the sale of common stock in this offering and the initial public offering price of $15.50 per share, the midpoint of the price range set forth on the cover page of this prospectus. See the section titled “Dilution.”

 

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

We are an “emerging growth company,” as defined in the JOBS Act. For as long as we continue to be an emerging growth company, we intend to take advantage of exemptions from various reporting requirements that are applicable to other public companies that are not emerging growth companies, including:

 

   

being permitted to provide only two years of audited financial statements, in addition to any required unaudited interim financial statements, with correspondingly reduced “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” disclosure in this prospectus;

 

   

not being required to comply with the auditor attestation requirements of Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, or the Sarbanes-Oxley Act;

 

   

not being required to comply with any requirement that may be adopted by the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board regarding mandatory audit firm rotation or a supplement to the auditor’s report providing additional information about the audit and the financial statements;

 

   

reduced disclosure obligations regarding executive compensation in this prospectus and our periodic reports and proxy statements; and

 

   

exemptions from the requirements of holding nonbinding advisory stockholder votes on executive compensation and stockholder approval of any golden parachute payments not previously approved.

Under the JOBS Act, emerging growth companies can also delay adopting new or revised accounting standards until such time as those standards apply to private companies. We intend to take advantage of the extended transition period for adopting new or revised accounting standards under the JOBS Act as an emerging growth company. As a result, our consolidated financial statements may not be comparable to the financial statements of issuers who are required to comply with the effective dates for new or revised accounting standards that are applicable to public companies, which may make our common stock less attractive to investors. In addition, if we cease to be an emerging growth company, we will no longer be able to use the extended transition period for complying with new or revised accounting standards.

We will remain an emerging growth company until the earliest of: (1) the last day of the fiscal year following the fifth anniversary of this offering; (2) the last day of the first fiscal year in which our annual gross revenue is $1.07 billion or more; (3) the date on which we have, during the previous rolling three-year period, issued more than $1.0 billion in non-convertible debt securities; and (4) the last day of the fiscal year in which the market value of our common stock held by non-affiliates exceeded $700 million as of June 30 of such fiscal year.

We cannot predict if investors will find our common stock less attractive if we choose to rely on these exemptions. For example, if we do not adopt a new or revised accounting standard, our future results of operations may not be as comparable to the results of operations of certain other companies in our industry that adopted such standards. If some investors find our common stock less attractive as a result, there may be a less active trading market for our common stock, and our stock price may be more volatile.

We will incur increased costs as a result of operating as a public company, and our management will be required to devote substantial time to compliance with our public company responsibilities and corporate governance practices.

As a public company, we will incur significant finance, legal, accounting and other expenses, including director and officer liability insurance, that we did not incur as a private company, which we expect to further increase after we are no longer an “emerging growth company.” The Sarbanes-Oxley Act, the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, the listing requirements of The Nasdaq Stock Market LLC, and other applicable securities rules and regulations impose various requirements on public companies. Our management and other personnel devote a substantial amount of time to compliance with these requirements.

 

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Moreover, these rules and regulations will increase our legal and financial compliance costs and will make some activities more time-consuming and costly. We cannot predict or estimate the amount of additional costs we will incur as a public company or the specific timing of such costs.

Pursuant to Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, or Section 404, we will be required to furnish a report by management on, among other things, the effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2022. This assessment will need to include disclosure of any material weaknesses identified by our management in our internal control over financial reporting. In addition, our independent registered public accounting firm will be required to attest to the effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting in our first annual report required to be filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, or SEC, following the date we are no longer an emerging growth company. To prepare for eventual compliance with Section 404, we will be engaged in a costly and challenging process of compiling the system and processing documentation necessary to perform the evaluation needed to comply with Section 404, but we may not be able to complete our evaluation, testing and any required remediation in a timely fashion once initiated. Our compliance with Section 404 will require that we incur substantial expenses and expend significant management efforts. We currently do not have an internal audit group, and we will need to hire additional accounting and financial staff with appropriate public company experience and technical accounting knowledge and compile the system and process documentation necessary to perform the evaluation needed to comply with Section 404.

 

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SPECIAL NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

This prospectus contains forward-looking statements about us and our industry that involve substantial risks and uncertainties. All statements other than statements of historical facts contained in this prospectus, including statements regarding our future results of operations or financial condition, business strategy and plans and objectives of management for future operations, are forward-looking statements. In some cases, you can identify forward-looking statements because they contain words such as “anticipate,” “believe,” “contemplate,” “continue,” “could,” “estimate,” “expect,” “intend,” “may,” “plan,” “potential,” “predict,” “project,” “should,” “target,” “will” or “would” or the negative of these words or other similar terms or expressions. These forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements concerning the following:

 

   

our expectations regarding our revenue, cost of revenue, operating expenses, gross margin, net income (loss), adjusted EBITDA and other operating results;

 

   

our ability to effectively manage our growth;

 

   

our ability to acquire new consumers and successfully retain existing consumers;

 

   

anticipated trends, growth rates, and challenges in our business and in the markets in which we operate;

 

   

our ability to achieve or sustain our profitability;

 

   

future investments in our business, our anticipated capital expenditures and our estimates regarding our capital requirements;

 

   

the costs and success of our marketing efforts, and our ability to grow brand awareness and maintain, protect and enhance our brand;

 

   

our ability to effectively manage our inventory;

 

   

our ability to gauge consumer trends and changing consumer preferences;

 

   

our reliance on key personnel and our ability to identify, recruit and retain skilled personnel;

 

   

our ability to obtain, maintain, protect and enforce our intellectual property rights and any costs associated therewith;

 

   

the effect of COVID-19 or other public health crises on our business and the global economy;

 

   

our ability to compete effectively with existing competitors and new market entrants;

 

   

our ability successfully enter new markets and expand internationally;

 

   

our ability to identify and complete acquisitions that complement and expand our reach and platform;

 

   

seasonality;

 

   

the financial condition of, and our relationships with, our suppliers, manufacturers, distributors and retailers;

 

   

the ability of our suppliers and manufacturers to comply with safety, environmental or other laws or regulations;

 

   

our ability to comply or remain in compliance with laws and regulations that currently apply or become applicable to our business in the United States, including FDA governmental regulation and state regulation; and other jurisdictions where we elect to do business;

 

   

economic conditions and their impact on consumer spending;

 

   

outcome of legal or administrative proceedings; and

 

   

the growth rates of the markets in which we compete.

You should not rely on forward-looking statements as predictions of future events. 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 and operating results.

 

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The outcome of the events described in these forward-looking statements is subject to risks, uncertainties and other factors described in the section titled “Risk Factors” and elsewhere in this prospectus. 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. The results, events and circumstances reflected in the forward-looking statements may not be achieved or occur, and actual results, events or circumstances could differ materially from those described in the forward-looking statements.

In addition, statements that contain “we believe” and similar statements reflect our beliefs and opinions on the relevant subject. These statements are based on information available to us as of the date of this prospectus. While we believe that information provides a reasonable basis for these statements, that information may be limited or incomplete. Our statements should not be read to indicate that we have conducted an exhaustive inquiry into, or review of, all relevant information. These statements are inherently uncertain, and investors are cautioned not to unduly rely on these statements.

The forward-looking statements made in this prospectus relate only to events as of the date on which the statements are made. We undertake no obligation to update any forward-looking statements made in this prospectus to reflect events or circumstances after the date of this prospectus or to reflect new information or the occurrence of unanticipated events, except as required by law. We may not actually achieve the plans, intentions or expectations disclosed in our forward-looking statements, and you should not place undue reliance on our forward-looking statements. Our forward-looking statements do not reflect the potential impact of any future acquisitions, mergers, dispositions, joint ventures or investments.

 

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MARKET, INDUSTRY AND OTHER DATA

This prospectus contains statistical data, estimates and forecasts that are based on independent industry publications or other publicly available information, as well as other information based on our internal sources. While we believe the industry and market data included in this prospectus are reliable and are based on reasonable assumptions, these data involve many assumptions and limitations, and you are cautioned not to give undue weight to these estimates. We have not independently verified the accuracy or completeness of the data contained in these industry publications and other publicly available information. The industry in which we operate is subject to a high degree of uncertainty and risk due to a variety of factors, including those described in the sections titled “Risk Factors” and “Special Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements.” Among other items, certain of the market research included in this prospectus was published prior to the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic and did not anticipate the virus or the impact it has caused on our industry. We have utilized this pre-pandemic market research in the absence of updated sources. These and other factors could cause results to differ materially from those expressed in the projections and estimates made by the independent third parties and us.

 

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USE OF PROCEEDS

We estimate that we will receive net proceeds from this offering of approximately $89.0 million based on an assumed initial public offering price of $15.50 per share of common stock, the midpoint of the estimated price range set forth on the cover page of this prospectus, after deducting estimated underwriting discounts and commissions and estimated offering expenses payable by us. We will not receive any of the proceeds from the sale of common stock in this offering by the selling stockholders identified in this prospectus.

A $1.00 increase (decrease) in the assumed initial public offering price of $15.50 per share of 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 $6.1 million, assuming the number of shares of common stock offered by us, as set forth on the cover page of this prospectus, remains the same, and after deducting estimated underwriting discounts and commissions. Similarly, each increase (decrease) of 1,000,000 shares in the number of shares of common stock offered by us would increase (decrease) the net proceeds to us from this offering by approximately $14.6 million, assuming the assumed initial public offering price of $15.50 per share of common stock remains the same, and after deducting estimated underwriting discounts and commissions.

The principal purposes of this offering are to increase our capitalization and financial flexibility, create a public market for our common stock and facilitate our future access to the capital markets. As of the date of this prospectus, we cannot specify with certainty all of the particular uses for the net proceeds we receive from this offering. However, we currently intend to use the net proceeds we receive from this offering for general corporate purposes. These purposes include operating expenses, working capital and capital expenditures for future growth, including marketing and direct-to-consumer advertising investments, innovation and adjacent product category expansion, international growth investment and organizational capabilities investments. We may also use a portion of the net proceeds we receive from this offering to acquire complementary businesses, products, services or technologies. However, we do not have agreements or commitments to enter into any acquisitions at this time. We also plan to pay approximately $35.0 million in a cash dividend to holders of record of our common stock and our redeemable convertible preferred stock as of May 3, 2021, which is contingent upon the closing of this offering and payable no later than June 30, 2021. Investors in this offering will not be eligible to receive this dividend.

We will have broad discretion over how to use the net proceeds we receive from this offering. We intend to invest the net proceeds we receive from this offering that are not used as described above in investment-grade, interest-bearing instruments.

 

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DIVIDEND POLICY

In April 2021, our board of directors declared a cash dividend of $35.0 million to the holders of record of our common stock and our redeemable convertible preferred stock as of May 3, 2021 that is contingent upon the closing of this offering and payable no later than June 30, 2021, or the 2021 Dividend. Investors in this offering will not be eligible to receive this dividend. Other than the 2021 Dividend, we have not declared or paid cash dividends on our capital stock, and we do not anticipate declaring or paying any cash dividends other than the 2021 Dividend in the foreseeable future. Any future determination regarding the declaration and payment of dividends, if any, will be at the discretion of our board of directors and will depend on then-existing conditions, including our financial condition, operating results, contractual restrictions (including any restrictions in our then-existing debt arrangements), capital requirements, business prospects and other factors our board of directors may deem relevant. In addition, the 2021 Credit Facility contains restrictions on our ability to pay dividends.

 

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CAPITALIZATION

The following table sets forth our cash, cash equivalents and short-term investments and capitalization as of December 31, 2020:

 

   

on an actual basis;

 

   

on a pro forma basis, giving effect to (1) the automatic conversion of 49,100,928 outstanding shares as of December 31, 2020 of redeemable convertible preferred stock into 49,977,338 shares of common stock, after giving effect to the anti-dilution adjustments relating to our Series C and Series D redeemable convertible preferred stock based on the assumed initial public offering price of $15.50 per share, the midpoint of the estimated price range set forth on the cover page of this prospectus, as described in the section titled “Description of Capital Stock—Preferred Stock” and the related reclassification of the carrying value of our redeemable convertible preferred stock to stockholders’ (deficit) equity, (2) the filing and effectiveness of our amended and restated certificate of incorporation, each of which will occur immediately prior to the completion of this offering, (3) the cash payment of $9.5 million in bonuses that we expect to pay to certain employees, including members of management, relating to preparation for this offering that are triggered upon the closing of this offering, as well as $0.2 million in related payroll taxes and expenses, with a corresponding increase to accumulated deficit, (4) stock-based compensation expense of $3.1 million that will be recognized upon the effectiveness of the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part related to certain performance and market-based stock options that is recorded as an increase to additional paid-in-capital and accumulated deficit and (5) the cash payment of the 2021 Dividend; and

 

   

on a pro forma as adjusted basis, giving effect to (1) the pro forma adjustments described above and (2) our receipt of $89.0 million in estimated net proceeds from the sale of shares of common stock that we are offering at an assumed initial public offering price of $15.50 per share, the midpoint of the price range set forth on the cover page of this prospectus, after deducting the estimated underwriting discounts and commissions and estimated offering expenses payable by us.

You should read this table together with the section titled “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.

 

     December 31, 2020  
     Actual     Pro Forma     Pro Forma
As Adjusted
 
     (in thousands, except share and per share amounts)  

Cash, cash equivalents and short-term investments

   $ 63,684     $ 19,024     $ 108,024  
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Redeemable convertible preferred stock, $0.0001 par value, 49,192,248 shares authorized, 49,100,928 shares issued and outstanding, actual; and no shares authorized, issued and outstanding, pro forma and pro forma as adjusted

     376,404       —         —    

Stockholders’ (deficit) equity:

      

Preferred stock, $0.0001 par value, no shares authorized, issued, and outstanding, actual; and 20,000,000 shares authorized, no shares issued and outstanding, pro forma and pro forma as adjusted

     —         —         —    

Common stock, $0.0001 par value, 110,000,000 authorized, 34,089,186 shares issued and outstanding, actual; 1,000,000,000 shares authorized, 84,066,524 shares issued and outstanding, pro forma; and 1,000,000,000 shares authorized, 90,518,137 shares issued and outstanding, pro forma as adjusted

     3       8       9  

Additional paid-in capital

     116,055       460,508       549,507  

Accumulated deficit

     (352,977     (365,691     (365,691

Accumulated other comprehensive income

     94       94       94  
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total stockholders’ (deficit) equity

   $ (236,825   $ 94,919     $ 183,919  
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total capitalization

   $ 139,579     $ 94,919     $ 183,919  
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

 

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A $1.00 increase (decrease) in the assumed initial public offering price of $15.50 per share of common stock, the midpoint of the estimated price range set forth on the cover page of this prospectus, would increase (decrease) each of our pro forma as adjusted cash and cash equivalents, additional paid-in capital, total stockholders’ (deficit) equity and total capitalization by approximately $6.1 million, assuming the number of shares of common stock offered by us, as set forth on the cover page of this prospectus, remains the same, and after deducting estimated underwriting discounts and commissions. Similarly, each increase (decrease) of 1,000,000 shares in the number of shares of common stock offered by us would increase (decrease) each of our pro forma as adjusted cash and cash equivalents, additional paid-in capital, total stockholders’ (deficit) equity and total capitalization by approximately $14.6 million, assuming the assumed initial public offering price of $15.50 per share of common stock remains the same, and after deducting estimated underwriting discounts and commissions.

The number of shares of common stock that will be outstanding after this offering on a pro forma and pro forma as adjusted basis is based on 84,066,524 shares of common stock outstanding as of December 31, 2020, assuming the automatic conversion of 49,100,928 outstanding shares of redeemable convertible preferred stock as of December 31, 2020 into 49,977,338 shares of common stock, and excludes:

 

   

18,038,042 shares of common stock issuable on the exercise of stock options outstanding as of December 31, 2020 under our 2011 Plan, with a weighted-average exercise price of $5.23 per share;

 

   

200,000 shares of our common stock issuable upon the settlement of outstanding restricted stock units granted subsequent to December 31, 2020 through April 26, 2021;

 

   

7,050,000 shares of common stock reserved for future issuance under our 2021 Plan, which will become effective once the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part is declared effective, from which we will issue the Executive IPO Grants and Director IPO Grants described below, plus any future increases in the number of shares of common stock reserved for issuance thereunder and any shares underlying outstanding stock awards granted under our 2011 Plan that expire or are repurchased, forfeited, cancelled or withheld, as more fully described in the section titled “Executive Compensation—Employee Benefit Plans”;

 

   

shares of our common stock issuable as restricted stock units that we expect our board of directors will grant to certain of our executive officers under our 2021 Plan in connection with this offering and after the effectiveness of the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part, or the Executive IPO Grants; see the section titled “Executive Compensation—IPO RSU Grants” for additional information on such grants, including a description of how the number of restricted stock units will be determined;

 

   

shares of our common stock issuable as restricted stock units to be granted to our non-employee directors under our 2021 Plan on the day of execution of the underwriting agreement related to this offering, or the Director IPO Grants; see the section titled “Management—Non-Employee Director Compensation” for additional information on such grants, including a description of how the number of restricted stock units will be determined; and

 

   

1,175,000 shares of common stock reserved for issuance under our ESPP, which will become effective once the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part is declared effective, plus any future increases in the number of shares of common stock reserved for issuance thereunder, as more fully described in the section titled “Executive Compensation—Employee Benefit Plans.”

 

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DILUTION

If you invest in our common stock in this offering, your interest will be diluted to the extent of the difference between the initial public offering price per share of common stock and the pro forma as adjusted net tangible book value per share immediately after this offering.

As of December 31, 2020, our historical net tangible book value (deficit) was $(240.1) million, or $(7.04) per share of our common stock, based on 34,089,186 shares of common stock issued and outstanding as of such date. Our historical net tangible book value (deficit) per share represents total tangible assets, less total liabilities and redeemable convertible preferred stock, divided by the aggregate number of shares of common stock outstanding as of December 31, 2020.

Our pro forma net tangible book value as of December 31, 2020 was $91.6 million, or $1.09 per share of common stock. Our pro forma net tangible book value per share represents the amount of our total tangible assets less our total liabilities, divided by the number of our shares of common stock outstanding as of December 31, 2020, after giving effect to (1) the automatic conversion of 49,100,928 shares of redeemable convertible preferred stock outstanding as of December 31, 2020 into 49,977,338 shares of common stock, after giving effect to the anti-dilution adjustments relating to our Series C and Series D redeemable convertible preferred stock based on the assumed initial public offering price of $15.50 per share, the midpoint of the estimated price range set forth on the cover page of this prospectus, as described in the section titled “Description of Capital Stock—Preferred Stock” and the related reclassification of the carrying value of our redeemable convertible preferred stock to stockholders’ (deficit) equity immediately prior to the completion of this offering, (2) the cash payment of $9.5 million in bonuses that we expect to pay to certain employees, including members of management, relating to preparation for this offering that are triggered upon the closing of this offering, as well as $0.2 million in related payroll taxes and expenses and (3) the cash payment of the 2021 Dividend.

After giving effect to the sale by us of 6,451,613 shares of common stock in this offering at an assumed initial public offering price of $15.50 per share, the midpoint of the estimated price range set forth on the cover page of this prospectus, and after deducting estimated underwriting discounts and commissions and estimated offering expenses payable by us, our pro forma as adjusted net tangible book value as of December 31, 2020 would have been $181.2 million, or $2.00 per share. This amount represents an immediate increase in pro forma as adjusted net tangible book value of $0.91 per share to our existing stockholders and an immediate dilution in pro forma as adjusted net tangible book value of $13.50 per share to new investors purchasing common stock in this offering. We determine dilution by subtracting the pro forma as adjusted net tangible book value per share after this offering from the initial public offering price per share paid by investors purchasing common stock in this offering. The following table illustrates this dilution on a per share basis:

 

Assumed initial public offering price per share

     $ 15.50  

Historical net tangible book value (deficit) per share as of December 31, 2020

   $ (7.04  

Pro forma increase in net tangible book value per share attributable to the pro forma adjustments described above

     8.13    
  

 

 

   

Pro forma net tangible book value per share as of December 31, 2020

     1.09    

Increase in pro forma as adjusted net tangible book value per share attributable to new investors purchasing shares in this offering

     0.91    
  

 

 

   

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

       2.00  
    

 

 

 

Dilution per share to new investors purchasing shares in this offering

     $ 13.50  
    

 

 

 

The dilution information discussed above is illustrative only and may change based on the actual initial public offering price and other terms of this offering. A $1.00 increase (decrease) in the assumed initial public offering price of $15.50 per share of common stock, the midpoint of the estimated price range set forth on the cover page of this prospectus, would increase (decrease) our pro forma as adjusted net tangible book value

 

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per share after this offering by $0.07 per share and increase (decrease) the immediate dilution to new investors by $0.93 per share, in each case assuming the number of shares of common stock offered by us, as set forth on the cover page of this prospectus, remains the same, and after deducting estimated underwriting discounts and commissions. Similarly, each increase of 1,000,000 shares in the number of shares of common stock offered by us would increase our pro forma as adjusted net tangible book value by approximately $0.14 per share and decrease the dilution to new investors by approximately $0.14 per share, and each decrease of 1,000,000 shares in the number of shares of common stock offered by us would decrease our pro forma as adjusted net tangible book value by approximately $0.14 per share and increase the dilution to new investors by approximately $0.14 per share, in each case assuming the assumed initial public offering price of $15.50 per share of common stock remains the same, and after deducting estimated underwriting discounts and commissions.

The following table summarizes, as of December 31, 2020, on a pro forma as adjusted basis as described above, the number of shares of our common stock, the total consideration and the average price per share (1) paid to us by existing stockholders and (2) to be paid by new investors acquiring our common stock in this offering at an assumed initial public offering price of $15.50 per share, the midpoint of the estimated price range set forth on the cover page of this prospectus, before deducting estimated underwriting discounts and commissions and estimated offering expenses payable by us.

 

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

Existing stockholders

     84,066,524        92.9   $ 507,925,340        83.6   $ 6.04  

New investors

     6,451,613        7.1       100,000,002        16.4       15.50  
  

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

    

 

 

   

Totals

     90,518,137        100.0   $ 607,925,342        100.0  
  

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

    

 

 

   

Each $1.00 increase (decrease) in the assumed initial public offering price of $15.50 per share, the midpoint of the estimated price range set forth on the cover page of this prospectus, would increase (decrease) the total consideration paid by new investors and total consideration paid by all stockholders by approximately $6.5 million, assuming that the number of shares of common stock offered by us, as set forth on the cover page of this prospectus, remains the same and after deducting estimated underwriting discounts and commissions. Similarly, each increase (decrease) of 1,000,000 shares in the number of shares of common stock offered by us would increase (decrease) the total consideration paid by new investors and total consideration paid by all stockholders by $15.5 million, assuming the assumed initial public offering price of $15.50 per share of common stock remains the same, and after deducting estimated underwriting discounts and commissions.

The number of shares of common stock that will be outstanding after this offering is based on 84,066,524 shares of common stock outstanding as of December 31, 2020, assuming the automatic conversion of 49,100,928 outstanding shares of redeemable convertible preferred stock as of December 31, 2020 into 49,977,338 shares of common stock, and excludes:

 

   

18,038,042 shares of common stock issuable on the exercise of stock options outstanding as of December 31, 2020 under our 2011 Plan, with a weighted-average exercise price of $5.23 per share;

 

   

200,000 shares of our common stock issuable upon the settlement of outstanding restricted stock units granted subsequent to December 31, 2020 through April 26, 2021;

 

   

7,050,000 shares of common stock reserved for future issuance under our 2021 Plan, which will become effective once the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part is declared effective, plus any future increases in the number of shares of common stock reserved for issuance thereunder from which we will issue the Executive IPO Grants and Director IPO Grants described below, and any shares underlying outstanding stock awards granted under our 2011 Plan that expire or are repurchased, forfeited, cancelled or withheld, as more fully described in the section titled “Executive Compensation—Employee Benefit Plans;”

 

 

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shares of our common stock issuable as restricted stock units that we expect our board of directors will grant to certain of our executive officers under our 2021 Plan in connection with this offering and after the effectiveness of the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part, or the Executive IPO Grants; see the section titled “Executive Compensation—IPO RSU Grants” for additional information on such grants, including a description of how the number of restricted stock units will be determined;

 

   

shares of our common stock issuable as restricted stock units to be granted to our non-employee directors under our 2021 Plan on the day of execution of the underwriting agreement related to this offering, or the Director IPO Grants; see the section titled “Management—Non-Employee Director Compensation” for additional information on such grants, including a description of how the number of restricted stock units will be determined; and

 

   

1,175,000 shares of common stock reserved for issuance under our ESPP, which will become effective once the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part is declared effective, plus any future increases in the number of shares of common stock reserved for issuance thereunder, as more fully described in the section titled “Executive Compensation—Employee Benefit Plans.”

To the extent that any outstanding options are exercised or new options are issued under our stock-based compensation plans, or that we issue additional shares of capital stock in the future, there will be further dilution to investors participating in this offering. If all outstanding options under our 2011 Plan as of December 31, 2020 were exercised then our existing stockholders, including the holders of these options, would own 94.1%, and our new investors would own 5.9%, of the total number of shares of our capital stock outstanding following the completion of this offering.

 

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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 the section titled “Prospectus Summary—Summary Consolidated Financial Data” and our consolidated financial statements and the related notes 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. Our actual results may differ materially from management’s expectations as a result of various factors, including but not limited to those discussed in the sections entitled “Risk Factors” and “Special Note Regarding Forward Looking Statements.”

Overview

The Honest Company is a digitally-native, mission-driven brand focused on leading the clean lifestyle movement, creating a community for conscious consumers and seeking to disrupt multiple consumer product categories. Our commitment to our core values, passionate innovation and engaging our community has differentiated and elevated our brand and our products. Since our launch in 2012, we have been dedicated to developing clean, sustainable, effective and thoughtfully designed products. By doing so with transparency, we have cultivated deep trust around what matters most to our consumers: their health, their families and their homes. We are an omnichannel brand, ensuring our products are available however our consumers shop. Our differentiated platform positions us for continued growth through our trusted brand, award-winning multi-category product offering, deep digital-first connection with consumers and omnichannel accessibility.

Our integrated multi-category product architecture is intentionally designed to serve our consumers every day, at every age and through every life stage, no matter where they are on their journey. Today, our three categories are Diapers and Wipes, Skin and Personal Care and Household and Wellness, which represented 63%, 26% and 11% of our 2020 revenue, respectively. At the center of our product ecosystem are our diapers, which are a strategic consumer acquisition tool that acts as an entry point for our portfolio, as new parents often go on to purchase products from our other categories for their everyday family needs. According to a third-party study that we commissioned in 2020, nearly 90% of our diaper buyers surveyed expanded their purchases beyond diapers and nearly half have purchased two or more of our non-diaper products. Our integrated multi-category product architecture is designed to drive loyalty, increase our consumer wallet share and generate attractive consumer lifetime value.

We believe that our consumers are modern, aspirational, conscious and style-forward and that they seek out high quality, effective and thoughtfully designed products. We believe that they are passionate about living a conscious life and are enthusiastic ambassadors for brands they trust. As purpose-driven consumers, they transcend any one demographic, spanning gender, age, geography, ethnicity and household income. Honest consumers are often young, mobile-centric and digitally inclined. We build relationships with these consumers through a disruptive digital marketing strategy that engages them with “snackable” digital content (short-form, easily digestible content), immerses them in our brand values, and inspires them to join the Honest community. Our direct connection with our community enables us to understand what consumers’ needs are and inspires our product innovation pipeline, generating a significant competitive advantage over more traditional consumer packaged goods, or CPG, peers.

Our omnichannel approach seeks to meet consumers however they want to shop, balancing deep consumer connection with broad convenience and accessibility. Since our launch, we have built a well-integrated omnichannel presence by expanding our retail accessibility across both Digital and Retail channels, including the launch of strategic partnerships with Costco, Target and Amazon in 2013, 2014 and 2017, respectively. In 2020, we generated 55% and 45% of our revenue from our Digital and Retail channels, respectively. We maintain direct relationships with our consumers via our flagship digital platform, Honest.com, which allows us to

 

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influence brand experience and better understand consumer preferences and behavior. We increase accessibility of our products to more consumers through both the third-party pureplay ecommerce sites that, with Honest.com, comprise the rest of our Digital channel, and our Retail channel, which includes leading retailers and their websites. Our products can be found in approximately 32,000 retail locations across the United States, Canada and Europe. This distinctive business model has allowed us to efficiently scale our business while remaining agnostic as to the channel where consumers purchase our products. Our integrated omnichannel presence provides meaningful benefits to our consumer which we believe is not easily replicated by our competitors.

While we have stayed true to our purpose and mission since founding, our business has transformed significantly over the last nine years. We launched in 2012 as a direct-to-consumer, or DTC, company with a limited product assortment across our three product categories. Over the next few years, we expanded our product offering substantially and launched retail partnerships. This rapid expansion resulted in a number of challenges with product, supply chain and marketing.

These challenges led us to reorient our strategy, reset our foundation and evolve from a technology startup to a modern CPG organization with an omnichannel presence. In 2017, we hired a team of experienced CPG professionals who shared our values, led by our Chief Executive Officer, Nick Vlahos. We adopted a strategy, which we refer to as the Innovation Strategy, to reposition the company for long-term success and capitalize on the inherent value of the Honest clean lifestyle brand. In the first two years of implementing the Innovation Strategy, we underwent a period of transition during which we executed on the following targeted growth and margin enhancing initiatives:

 

   

Portfolio simplification. We focused on portfolio simplification, discontinuing or de-emphasizing certain products that did not align with our revamped product strategy, which we refer to as Non-Core Products. We narrowed our focus while investing in sought-after, higher-margin products where we have differentiated positioning, such as skin care products. As we increased focus on these products, we achieved a more diversified revenue mix with an increasing share coming from our Skin and Personal Care category.

 

   

Product innovation. We made significant investments in our product development capabilities by expanding our research and development team and building out our in-house laboratories in Los Angeles, California, where we develop innovative clean products based on the latest green technology. With a renewed focus on innovation, we optimized our product assortment, including reformulating or updating over 90% of our products.

 

   

Acceleration of omnichannel. We accelerated our shift from DTC to omnichannel by entering into partnerships with several additional retailers and launching our brand on Amazon. Today, our business is more evenly balanced between our Digital and Retail channels, with Digital representing 55% of revenue in 2020.

 

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LOGO

2012 2013 2016 2020An Honest World 17 products DTC-focused Diapers and Wipes subscription focus Hired experienced CPG leadership Strategic omnichannel development, leading with Amazon launchStrategic focus on Diapers and Wipes and Skin and Personal Care Categories Increased investment in R&D, including in-house labs & formulation development Launch of international partnerships Strong DTC growth Category extensions New retail partnerships Launch of Honest Beauty including Skincare and Makeup Robust innovation calendar for product development and strategic category expansions, including Disinfecting and Sanitizing products, Clean Conscious diapers Activate sustainability strategy across operations, packaging and product development, including Beauty restage Scaled omnichannel platform for sustainable growth Major potential Launch Rapid growth and expansion Transformation Leading lifestyle Brand Continous Improvement and operational excellence

As we have executed against our Innovation Strategy, we have been successful in reinvigorating growth, improving product mix, significantly enhancing our gross margin profile and turning profitable on an adjusted EBITDA basis. We have achieved the following financial results:

 

   

From 2018 to 2020, we grew revenue by a 12% compound annual growth rate, or CAGR, from $237.9 million to $300.5 million, with only a slight decline in 2019 as we offset declines from Non-Core Products;

 

   

We achieved 27.6% year-over-year revenue growth in 2020, recording year-over-year revenue growth rates of 16.4%, 35.5%, and 116.5% in our Diapers and Wipes, Skin and Personal Care and Household and Wellness categories, respectively;

 

   

We also increased gross margin by 1,080 basis points from 25.1% in 2018 to 35.9% in 2020, by driving growth in higher-margin products and channels, leveraging our strategic relationships with retailers, gaining leverage on fixed costs in fulfillment, as well as executing on accretive product innovation; and

 

   

In 2020, we reported a net loss of $14.5 million and adjusted EBITDA of $11.2 million, or 4% of revenue.

Adjusted EBITDA is a measure that is not calculated in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles in the United States, or GAAP. See the section titled “—Non-GAAP Financial Measure—Adjusted EBITDA” below for the definition of adjusted EBITDA, as well as a reconciliation of adjusted EBITDA to net loss, the most directly comparable GAAP financial measure.

 

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LOGO

Revenue Gross Margin(in millions) %210 226 298 28 238 236 3012018 2019 2020 Non-Core Products Core Products25.1% 32.2% 35.9%2018 2019 2020 12% Total CAGR 19% Core CAGR1,080 basis points expansion

Key Factors Affecting Our Performance

We believe that the growth of our business and our future success are dependent on many factors. While each of these factors presents significant opportunities for us, they also pose important challenges that we must successfully address to enable us to sustain the growth of our business and improve our operations while staying true to our mission, including those discussed below and in the section of this prospectus titled “Risk Factors.”

Ability to Grow Our Brand Awareness

Our brand is integral to the growth of our business and is essential to our ability to engage and stay connected with the growing clean lifestyle consumer. Honest is still unknown to many consumers, with unaided brand awareness of 25% among diaper buyers according to our consumer research as of January 2021. In order to increase the wallet share of existing conscious consumers and attract new ones, our brand has to maintain its trustworthiness and authenticity. Our ability to attract new consumers will depend, among other things, on our ability to successfully communicate the value of our products as clean, sustainable and effective, the efficacy of our marketing efforts and the offerings of our competitors. Beyond preserving the integrity of our brand, our performance will depend on our ability to augment our reach and increase the number of consumers aware of Honest and our product portfolio. We believe our brand strength will enable us to continue to expand across categories and channels, allowing us to deepen relationships with consumers and expand our access to global markets. Our performance depends significantly on factors that may affect the level and pattern of consumer spending in the product categories in which we operate.

Continued Innovation

Research, development and innovation are core elements underpinning our growth strategy. Through our in-house research and development laboratories, we are able to access the latest advancements in clean ingredients and continue to innovate in the clean conscious lifestyle space. Based in Los Angeles, California, our research and development team, including chemists and an in-house toxicologist, develops innovative clean products based on the latest green technology. At Honest, product innovation never stops. The improvement of existing products and the introduction of new products have been, and continue to be, integral to our growth. We have made significant investments in our product development capabilities and plan to do so in the future. We believe our rigorous approach to product innovation has helped redefine and grow the clean and natural segments of the categories in which we operate. Our continued focus on research and development will be central to attracting and retaining consumers in the future. Our ability to successfully develop, market and sell new products will depend on a variety of factors, including our continued investment in innovation, integrated business planning processes and capabilities.

 

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Continued Product Category Growth

Our product mix is a driver of our financial performance given our focus on accretive product launches and renovation to increase product margins. Even though our growth strategy aims to boost sales across all categories, we intend to prioritize growth in Skin and Personal Care given its attractive margin characteristics and leverage our brand equity and consumer insights to extend into new adjacent product categories. Since we launched our Innovation Strategy, we have enhanced our product portfolio by strategically discontinuing certain products and making calculated extensions within our three product categories. These product changes have contributed to our revenue and margin growth. We intend to continue to prioritize our innovation in higher-margin products, particularly in Skin and Personal Care.

Continued Execution of Omnichannel Strategy

The continued execution of our omnichannel strategy impacts our financial performance. We intend to continue leveraging our marketing strategy to drive increased consumer traffic to our flagship digital platform, Honest.com, as it is a valuable tool for creating direct connections with our consumers, influencing brand experience and understanding consumer preference and behavior. Our partnerships with leading third-party retail platforms and national retailers have broadened our consumer reach, raised our brand awareness and enhanced our margins given lower costs to serve these platforms. We will continue to pursue partnerships with a wide variety of retailers, including online retailers, big-box retailers, grocery stores/drugstores and specialty retailers. Our ability to execute this strategy will depend on a number of factors, such as retailers’ satisfaction with the sales and profitability of our products.

Operational and Marketing Efficiency

To grow our business, we intend to continue to improve our operational efficiency, which includes attracting new consumers, increasing community engagement and improving fulfillment and distribution operations. We invest significant resources in marketing and content generation, use a variety of brand and performance marketing channels and work continuously to improve brand exposure at our retail partners to acquire new consumers. It is important to maintain reasonable costs for these marketing efforts relative to the revenue we expect to derive from our consumers. We leverage our proprietary Honest Omni-Analytics to generate valuable consumer insights that guide our omnichannel strategy and inform our marketing spend optimization. Our future success depends in part on our ability to effectively attract consumers on a cost-efficient basis and extract efficiencies in our operations.

Overall Macro Trends

We have strategically positioned ourselves to benefit from several macro trends related to changes in consumer behavior. We believe consumers’ increasing care for a conscious lifestyle has contributed to significant demand for our products. Further, the rise in digital shopping has complemented our flagship digital platform, Honest.com, our presence with third-party ecommerce players and our Retail partners’ websites. Changes in macro-level consumer spending trends, including as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, could result in fluctuations in our operating results.

Impact of COVID-19

The COVID-19 pandemic has caused general business disruption worldwide beginning in January 2020. The full extent to which the COVID-19 pandemic will directly or indirectly impact our cash flow, business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects will depend on future developments that are uncertain.

As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, we temporarily closed our headquarters, supported our employees and contractors to work remotely, and implemented travel restrictions. These actions represented a significant change in how we operated our business, but we believe that we successfully navigated this transition. In an effort to provide a safe work environment for our employees, we have implemented various social distancing measures, including replacing in-person meetings with virtual interactions. We will continue to take actions as

 

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may be required or recommended by government authorities or as we determine are in the best interests of our employees and other business partners in light of the pandemic.

We have experienced relatively minor impacts on our inventory availability and delivery capacity since the outbreak, none of which has materially impacted our ability to service our consumers and retail and third-party ecommerce customers. We have taken measures to bolster key aspects of our supply chain, such as securing secondary suppliers and ensuring sufficient inventory to support our continued growth in the face of the pandemic. We continue to work with our existing manufacturing, logistics and other supply chain partners to ensure our ability to service our consumers and retail and third-party ecommerce customers.

We believe COVID-19 has been one of the drivers of demand in our Digital channel as consumers have shifted to online shopping amid the pandemic. Additionally, our Household and Wellness product category has benefitted from increasing demand for sanitization products. We accelerated our development timeline for certain product launches, launching our disinfecting spray and alcohol wipes in 2020. There is no assurance that we will continue to experience such increases in demand. We may see a decline in use of online shopping and demand for sanitization products when the COVID-19 pandemic subsides.

The operations of our retail partners, manufacturers and suppliers have also been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. While the duration and extent of the COVID-19 pandemic depends on future developments that cannot be accurately predicted at this time, it has already had an adverse effect on the global economy and the ultimate societal and economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic remains unknown. In particular, the conditions caused by this pandemic may negatively impact collections of accounts receivable and reduce expected spending from new consumers, all of which could adversely affect our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects during fiscal 2021 and potentially future periods.

Components of Results of Operations

Revenue

We generate revenue through the sale of our products through Digital and Retail channels in the following product categories: Diapers and Wipes, Skin and Personal Care and Household and Wellness. The Digital channel includes direct sales to the consumer through our website and sales to third-party ecommerce customers, who resell our products through their own online platforms. The Retail channel includes sales to traditional brick and mortar retailers, who may also resell our products through their own online platforms. Our revenue is recognized net of allowances for returns, discounts, credits and any taxes collected from consumers.

In addition, in 2019 we entered into a license agreement with Butterblu, LLC, or Butterblu, pursuant to which we license certain of our trademarks to Butterblu for the manufacture and distribution of certain baby apparel products in exchange for royalties. Butterblu operates and maintains our baby apparel offerings independently through the honestbabyclothing.com website. Our baby apparel offerings and our agreement with Butterblu are not currently material to our business and not expected to be material in the future. For 2019 and 2020 we have not collected any royalties under this agreement due in part because we granted Butterblu temporary payment relief.

Cost of Revenue

Cost of revenue includes the purchase price of merchandise sold to customers, inbound and outbound shipping and handling costs, freight and duties, shipping and packaging supplies, credit card processing fees and warehouse fulfillment costs incurred in operating and staffing warehouses, including rent. Cost of revenue also includes depreciation and amortization, allocated overhead and direct and indirect labor for warehouse personnel.

 

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Gross Profit and Gross Margin

Gross profit represents revenue less cost of revenue. Gross margin is gross profit expressed as a percentage of revenue. Our gross margin may in the future fluctuate from period to period based on a number of factors, including the mix of products we sell, the channel through which we sell our products, the innovation initiatives we undertake in each product category, the promotional environment in the marketplace, manufacturing costs, commodity prices and transportation rates, among other factors.

Operating Expenses

Our operating expenses consist of selling, general and administrative, marketing and research and development expenses.

Selling, General and Administrative

Selling, general and administrative expenses consist primarily of personnel costs, principally for our selling and administrative functions. These include personnel-related expenses, including salaries, bonuses, benefits and stock-based compensation expense. Selling, general and administrative expenses also include technology expenses, professional fees, facility costs, including insurance, utilities and rent relating to our headquarters, depreciation and amortization and overhead costs. We expect our general and administrative expenses to increase in absolute dollars as we continue to grow our business and organizational capabilities. We also anticipate that we will incur additional costs for employees and third-party professional fees related to preparation to become and operate as a public company. Following the completion of this offering, we also expect to incur additional expenses as a result of operating as a public company, including costs to comply with the rules and regulations applicable to companies listed on a national securities exchange, costs related to compliance and reporting obligations, and increased expenses for insurance, investor relations and professional services.

Marketing

Marketing expenses include costs related to our branding initiatives, retail customer marketing activities, point of purchase displays, targeted online advertising through sponsored search, display advertising, email marketing campaigns, market research, content production and other public relations and promotional initiatives. We expect marketing expenses to continue to increase in absolute dollars as we continue to expand brand awareness, introduce new product innovation across multiple product categories and implement new marketing strategies.

Research and Development

Research and development expenses consist primarily of personnel-related expenses for our research and development personnel. Research and development expenses also include costs incurred for the development of new products, improvement in the quality of existing products and the development and implementation of new technologies to enhance the quality and value of products. Research and development expenses also include allocated depreciation and amortization and overhead costs. We expect research and development expenses to increase in absolute dollars as we invest in the enhancement of our product offerings through innovation and the introduction of new adjacent product categories.

IPO-Related Expenses

As discussed in Notes 12 and 17 to our consolidated financial statements included elsewhere, upon the effectiveness of the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part, we expect to recognize stock-based compensation expense in selling, general and administrative and research and development expenses of $3.1 million related to certain performance and market-based stock options and $0.2 million related to certain

 

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restricted stock units. In 2020, we paid bonuses totaling $9.5 million to certain employees, including members of management, relating to preparation for this offering, and after the closing of this offering, we expect to pay another $9.5 million in bonuses to certain employees, including members of management, that are triggered upon the closing of this offering, which we collectively refer to as the IPO Bonuses, excluding in each case payroll taxes and expenses. In 2020, we recognized $9.3 million in selling, general and administrative expenses and $0.4 million in research and development expenses relating to the IPO Bonuses, and upon the closing of this offering, we expect to recognize another $9.3 million in selling, general and administrative expenses and $0.4 million in research and development expenses relating to the IPO Bonuses, which includes in each case related payroll taxes and expenses.

Interest and Other Income (Expense), Net

Interest income consists primarily of interest income earned on our short-term investments and our cash and cash equivalents balances. Interest expense consists primarily of interest expense associated with our leasing arrangements.

Other income (expense), net consists primarily of our foreign currency exchange gains and losses relating to transactions denominated in currencies other than the U.S. dollar. We expect our foreign currency gains and losses to continue to fluctuate in the future due to changes in both the volume of foreign currency transactions and foreign currency exchange rates.

Income Tax Provision

Our income tax provision consists primarily of U.S. federal and state income taxes. We maintain a full valuation allowance for our federal and state deferred tax assets, including net operating loss carryforwards, as we have concluded that it is not more likely than not that the deferred tax assets will be realized.

Results of Operations

The following table sets forth our consolidated statements of operations data for each of the periods indicated:

 

     Year Ended December 31,  
     2019      2020  
     (in thousands)  

Revenue

   $ 235,587      $ 300,522  

Cost of revenue

     159,733        192,626  
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

Gross profit

     75,854        107,896  

Operating expenses

     

Selling, general and administrative (1)

     70,310        71,253  

Marketing

     31,864        44,478  

Research and development (1)

     5,137        5,705  
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

Total operating expenses

     107,311        121,436  
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

Operating loss

     (31,457      (13,540

Interest and other income (expense), net

     429        (837
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

Loss before provision for income taxes

     (31,028      (14,377

Income tax provision

     55        89  
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

Net loss

   $ (31,083    $ (14,466
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

 

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(1)

Includes stock-based compensation expense as follows:

 

     Year Ended December 31,  
           2019                  2020        
     (in thousands)  

Selling, general and administrative

   $ 8,052      $ 7,558  

Research and development

     328        347  
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

Total

   $ 8,380        7,905  
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

The following table sets forth our consolidated statements of operations data expressed as a percentage of revenue*:

 

     Year Ended December 31,  
     2019     2020  
     (as a percentage of revenue)  

Revenue

     100.0     100.0

Cost of revenue

     67.8       64.1  
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Gross profit

     32.2       35.9  

Operating expenses

    

Selling, general and administrative

     29.8       23.7  

Marketing

     13.5       14.8  

Research and development

     2.2       1.9  
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total operating expenses

     45.6       40.4  
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Operating loss

     (13.4     (4.5

Interest and other income (expense), net

     0.2       (0.3
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Loss before provision for income taxes

     (13.2     (4.8

Income tax provision

     —         —    
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Net loss

     (13.2 )%      (4.8 )% 
  

 

 

   

 

 

 
*

Amounts may not sum due to rounding.

Comparison of the Years Ended December 31, 2019 and December 31, 2020

Revenue

 

     Year Ended December 31,      $
change
     %
change
 
     2019      2020  
     (in thousands)                

By Product Category

           

Diapers and Wipes

     161,855        188,452        26,597        16.4  

Skin and Personal Care

     58,706        79,542        20,836        35.5  

Household and Wellness

     15,026        32,528        17,502        116.5  
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Total Revenue

   $ 235,587      $ 300,522      $ 64,935        27.6
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

 

     Year Ended December 31,      $
change
     %
change
 
     2019      2020  
     (in thousands)                

By Channel

           

Digital

     128,716        166,733        38,017        29.5  

Retail

     106,871        133,789        26,918        25.2  
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Total Revenue

   $ 235,587      $ 300,522      $ 64,935        27.6
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

 

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Revenue increased by $64.9 million, or 27.6%, for 2020 as compared to 2019, primarily due to a $26.6 million increase in revenue from Diapers and Wipes, a $20.8 million increase in revenue from Skin and Personal Care products and a $17.5 million increase in revenue from Household and Wellness products. The revenue increase from Diapers and Wipes and Skin and Personal Care was principally driven by increased sales volume on our products and in particular through our Digital channel, in part as a result of our digital marketing strategy. The revenue increase from Household and Wellness was primarily driven by sales from the sanitization and disinfecting products that we introduced in 2020, in particular through the Retail channel.

Cost of Revenue and Gross Profit

 

     Year Ended December 31,      $
change
     %
change
 
     2019      2020  
     (in thousands)                

Cost of revenue

   $ 159,733      $ 192,626      $ 32,893        20.6

Gross profit

   $ 75,854      $ 107,896      $ 32,042        42.2

Cost of revenue increased by $32.9 million, or 20.6%, for 2020 as compared to 2019, primarily due to increased product, fulfillment and shipping expenses associated with the increased sales of our products. Cost of revenue as a percentage of revenue decreased by 370 basis points primarily due to better leverage of our fixed costs in fulfillment, cost savings initiatives across our business and improved mix of higher margin products.

Gross profit increased by $32.0 million, or 42.2%, for 2020 as compared to 2019, primarily due to the increased sales of our products and the reduction in cost of revenue as a percentage of revenue. Gross profit also benefited from lower promotional discounting in 2020, in particular in the Household and Wellness category.

Operating Expenses

Selling, General and Administrative Expenses

 

     Year Ended December 31,      $
change
     %
change
 
          2019                2020       
     (in thousands)                

Selling, general and administrative

   $ 70,310      $ 71,253      $ 943        1.3

Selling, general and administrative expenses increased by 1.3% for 2020 as compared to 2019, primarily due to an increase of $9.0 million in personnel related expenses, which was largely offset by a $4.7 million reduction in professional fees and a $2.8 million reduction in depreciation and amortization. The increase in personnel-related expenses was primarily driven by the IPO Bonuses paid in 2020. Professional fees were lower in 2020 due to the completion of our implementation projects associated with our ecommerce platform and enterprise resource planning platform upgrades. Depreciation and amortization expense was lower in 2020 due to accelerated depreciation that occurred in 2019 related to capitalized software costs.

Marketing Expenses

 

     Year Ended December 31,      $
change
     %
change
 
          2019                2020       
     (in thousands)                

Marketing

   $ 31,864      $ 44,478      $ 12,614        39.6

Marketing expenses increased by 39.6% for 2020 as compared to 2019, primarily due to an increase of $12.2 million in advertising expenses. The increase in advertising expense was driven by greater investment in digital advertising and marketing programs with our retail and third-party ecommerce partners.

 

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Research and Development Expenses

 

     Year Ended December 31,      $
change
     %
change
 
          2019                2020       
     (in thousands)                

Research and development

   $ 5,137      $ 5,705      $ 568        11.1

Research and development expenses increased by 11.1% for 2020 as compared to 2019, primarily due to a $0.8 million increase in personnel expenses, including relating to the IPO Bonuses paid in 2020 to certain research and development employees of $0.4 million, partially offset by a $0.3 million reduction in certain product development expenses, including clinical and claims testing and other external innovation costs.

Interest and Other Income (Expense), Net

 

     Year Ended December 31,      $
change
     %
change
 
          2019                2020       
     (in thousands)                

Interest and other income (expense), net

   $ 429      $ (837    $ (1,266      (295.1 )% 

Interest and other income (expense), net decreased by 295.1% for 2020 as compared to 2019, primarily due to a decrease in interest income on our short-term investments due to a lower average investment balance and lower average interest rates.

Non-GAAP Financial Measure

We prepare and present our consolidated financial statements in accordance with GAAP. However, management believes that adjusted EBITDA, a non-GAAP financial measure, provides investors with additional useful information in evaluating our performance.

We calculate adjusted EBITDA as net loss, adjusted to exclude: (1) interest and other income, net; (2) income tax provision; (3) depreciation and amortization; (4) stock-based compensation expense; (5) professional fees and expenses and executive termination expenses related to our Innovation Strategy; (6) litigation and settlement fees associated with certain non-ordinary course litigation; and (7) the IPO Bonuses, including associated payroll taxes and expenses, and third-party costs associated with the preparation of this offering.

Adjusted EBITDA is a financial measure that is not required by, or presented in accordance with GAAP. We believe that adjusted EBITDA, when taken together with our financial results presented in accordance with GAAP, provides meaningful supplemental information regarding our operating performance and facilitates internal comparisons of our historical operating performance on a more consistent basis by excluding certain items that may not be indicative of our business, results of operations or outlook. In particular, we believe that the use of adjusted EBITDA is helpful to our investors as it is a measure used by management in assessing the health of our business, determining incentive compensation and evaluating our operating performance, as well as for internal planning and forecasting purposes.

Adjusted EBITDA is presented for supplemental informational purposes only, has limitations as an analytical tool and should not be considered in isolation or as a substitute for financial information presented in accordance with GAAP. Some of the limitations of adjusted EBITDA include that (1) it does not reflect capital commitments to be paid in the future, (2) although depreciation and amortization are non-cash charges, the underlying assets may need to be replaced and adjusted EBITDA does not reflect these capital expenditures, (3) it does not consider the impact of stock-based compensation expense, (4) it does not reflect other non-operating expenses, including interest expense, (5) it does not include the IPO Bonuses, including associated payroll taxes and expenses, or third-party costs associated with the preparation of this offering, (6) it does not reflect tax payments that may represent a reduction in cash available to us and (7) does not include certain

 

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non-ordinary cash expenses that we do not believe are representative of our business on a steady-state basis. In addition, our use of adjusted EBITDA may not be comparable to similarly titled measures of other companies because they may not calculate adjusted EBITDA in the same manner, limiting its usefulness as a comparative measure. Because of these limitations, when evaluating our performance, you should consider adjusted EBITDA alongside other financial measures, including our net loss and other results stated in accordance with GAAP.

The following table presents a reconciliation of net loss, the most directly comparable financial measure stated in accordance with GAAP, to adjusted EBITDA, for each of the periods presented.

 

     Year Ended December 31,  
          2019                2020       
     (in thousands)  

Reconciliation of Net Loss to Adjusted EBITDA

     

Net loss

   $ (31,083    $ (14,466

Interest and other (income) expense, net

     (429      837  

Income tax provision

     55        89  

Depreciation and amortization

     7,672        4,854  

Stock-based compensation

     8,380        7,905  

Innovation Strategy expenses(1)

     4,573        1,511  

Non-ordinary course litigation expenses(2)

     1,136        —    

Related offering costs and other transaction-related expenses(3)

     —          10,459  
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

Total Adjusted EBITDA

   $ (9,696    $ 11,189  
  

 

 

    

 

 

 
(1) 

Includes professional fees and expenses and executive severance and termination expenses related to our Innovation Strategy.

(2)

Includes litigation and settlement fees associated with certain non-ordinary course litigation, including a matter involving the alleged breach of confidentiality and non-use obligations by a former employee and a matter involving the termination by us of a multi-year international distribution agreement for material breach and non-performance, and related counterclaims.

(3) 

Includes $9.7 million related to the IPO Bonuses paid in 2020, which includes associated payroll taxes and expenses, and third-party costs associated with the preparation of this offering.

Quarterly Results of Operations

The following tables set forth our unaudited quarterly consolidated statements of operations for each of the quarters indicated. The information for each quarter has been prepared on a basis consistent with our audited consolidated financial statements included in this prospectus and reflect, in the opinion of management, all adjustments of a normal, recurring nature that are necessary for a fair statement of the financial information contained in those statements. Our historical results are not necessarily indicative of the results that may be expected for the full year or any other period in the future. The following quarterly financial information should be read in conjunction with our audited consolidated financial statements and related notes included in this prospectus.

 

    Three Months Ended  
    Mar. 31,
2019
    June 30,
2019
    Sept. 30,
2019
    Dec. 31,
2019
    Mar. 31,
2020
    June 30,
2020
    Sept. 30,
2020
    Dec. 31,
2020
 
                      (in thousands)                    

Consolidated Statements of Operations Data:

               

Revenue

  $ 53,298     $ 62,117     $ 56,334     $ 63,838     $ 72,372     $ 72,354     $ 77,928     $ 77,868  

Cost of revenue

    37,603       44,057       35,865       42,208       46,567       45,867       48,519       51,673  
 

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Gross profit

    15,695       18,060       20,469       21,630       25,805       26,487       29,409       26,195  

Operating expenses

               

Selling, general and administrative(1)

    18,620       18,152       17,232       16,306       14,706       14,940       16,202       25,405  

 

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    Three Months Ended  
    Mar. 31,
2019
    June 30,
2019
    Sept. 30,
2019
    Dec. 31,
2019
    Mar. 31,
2020
    June 30,
2020
    Sept. 30,
2020
    Dec. 31,
2020
 
                      (in thousands)                    

Marketing

    6,990       8,494       9,324       7,056       9,193       10,625       13,516       11,144  

Research and development(1)

    1,259       1,314       1,235       1,329       1,166       1,100       1,425       2,014  
 

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total operating expenses

    26,869       27,960       27,791       24,691       25,065       26,665       31,143       38,563  
 

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Operating income (loss)

    (11,174     (9,900     (7,322     (3,061     740       (178     (1,734     (12,368

Interest and other income, net

    231       149       31       18       (159     (175     (230     (273
 

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Income (loss) before provision for income taxes

    (10,943     (9,751     (7,291     (3,043     581       (353     (1,964     (12,641

Income tax provision

    14       14       14       13       22       22       22       23  
 

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Net income (loss)

  $ (10,957   $ (9,765   $ (7,305   $ (3,056   $ 559     $ (375   $ (1,986   $ (12,664
 

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Non-GAAP Financial Measure—Adjusted EBITDA:

               

Adjusted EBITDA

  $ (5,058   $ (4,532   $ (2,166   $ 2,060     $ 4,463     $ 3,475     $ 2,146     $ 1,105  

 

(1)

Includes stock-based compensation expense as follows:

 

    Three Months Ended  
    Mar. 31,
2019
    June 30,
2019
    Sept. 30,
2019
    Dec. 31,
2019
    Mar. 31,
2020
    June 30,
2020
    Sept. 30,
2020
    Dec. 31,
2020
 
    (in thousands)  

Selling, general and administrative

  $ 2,296     $ 2,049     $ 1,970     $ 1,737     $ 1,845     $ 2,242     $ 1,714     $ 1,757  

Research and development

    80       80       78       90       78       83       91       95  
 

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total

  $ 2,376     $ 2,129     $ 2,048     $ 1,827     $ 1,923     $ 2,325     $ 1,805     $ 1,852  
 

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

The following table presents a reconciliation of net income (loss), the most directly comparable financial measure stated in accordance with GAAP, to adjusted EBITDA, for each of the quarters indicated.

 

    Three Months Ended  
    Mar. 31,
2019
    June 30,
2019
    Sept. 30
2019
    Dec. 31,
2019
    Mar. 31,
2020
    June 30,
2020
    Sept. 30,
2020
    Dec. 31,
2020
 
    (In thousands)  

Reconciliation of Net Income (Loss) to Adjusted EBITDA:

               

Net income (loss)

  $ (10,957   $ (9,765   $ (7,305   $ (3,056   $ 559     $ (375   $ (1,986   $ (12,664

Interest and other (income) expense, net

    (231     (149     (31     (18     159       175       230       273  

Income tax provision

    14       14       14       13       22       22       22       23  

Depreciation and amortization

    2,139       2,143       1,988       1,402       1,229       1,328       1,150       1,147  

Stock-based compensation

    2,376       2,129       2,048       1,827       1,923       2,325       1,805       1,852  

Innovation Strategy expenses(1)

    1,387       924       1,043       1,219       571             815       125  

Non-ordinary course litigation expenses(2)

    214       172       77       673                   —         —    

Related offering costs and other transaction-related expenses(3)

          —         —         —                     110       10,349  
 

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total Adjusted EBITDA

  $ (5,058   $ (4,532   $ (2,166   $ 2,060     $ 4,463     $ 3,475     $ 2,146     $ 1,105  
 

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 
(1) 

Includes professional fees and expenses and executive severance and termination expenses related to our Innovation Strategy.

(2) 

Includes litigation and settlement fees associated with certain non-ordinary course litigation, including a matter involving the alleged breach of confidentiality and non-use obligations by a former employee and a matter involving the termination by us of a multi-year international distribution agreement for material breach and non-performance, and related counterclaims.

(3) 

Includes third-party costs associated with the preparation of this offering. For the three months ended December 31, 2020, also includes $9.7 million related to the IPO Bonuses paid in 2020, which includes associated payroll taxes and expenses.

 

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The following table sets forth components of results of operations as a percentage of revenue for each of the quarters indicated.

 

    Three Months Ended  
    Mar. 31,
2019
    June 30,
2019
    Sept. 30,
2019
    Dec. 31,
2019
    Mar. 31,
2020
    June 30,
2020
    Sept. 30,
2020
    Dec. 31,
2020
 
    (as a percentage of revenue)  

Consolidated Statements of Operations Data*:

               

Revenue

    100.0     100.0     100.0     100.0     100.0     100.0     100.0     100.0

Cost of revenue

    70.6       70.9       63.7       66.1       64.3       63.4       62.3       66.4  
 

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Gross profit

    29.4       29.1       36.3       33.9       35.7       36.6       37.7       33.6  

Operating expenses

               

Selling, general and administrative

    34.9       29.2       30.6       25.5       20.3       20.6       20.8       32.6  

Marketing

    13.1       13.7       16.6       11.1       12.7       14.7       17.3       14.3  

Research and development

    2.4       2.1       2.2       2.1       1.6       1.5       1.8       2.6  
 

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total operating expenses

    50.4       45.0       49.3       38.7       34.6       36.9       40.0       49.5  
 

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Operating income (loss)

    (21.0     (15.9     (13.0     (4.8     1.0       (0.2     (2.2     (15.9

Interest and other income, net

    0.4       0.2       0.1       —         (0.2     (0.2     (0.3     (0.4
 

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Income (loss) before provision for income taxes

    (20.5     (15.7     (12.9     (4.8     0.8       (0.5     (2.5     (16.2

Income tax provision

    —         —         —         —         —         —         —         —    
 

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Net income (loss)

    (20.6 )%      (15.7 )%      (13.0 )%      (4.8 )%      0.8     (0.5 )%      (2.5 )%      (16.3 )% 
 

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

 

*

Amounts may not sum due to rounding.

Liquidity and Capital Resources

Since inception, we have funded our operations primarily through cash flows from the sale of our products and net proceeds from sales of our common stock and redeemable convertible preferred stock. As of December 31, 2020, we had $29.3 million of cash and cash equivalents and short-term investments of $34.4 million. We believe that our existing cash and cash equivalent balances and short-term investments portfolio will be sufficient to support operating and capital requirements for at least the next 12 months. We may supplement our liquidity needs with borrowings under the 2021 Credit Facility described below, which we intend to enter into prior to the completion of this offering.

Our future capital requirements will depend on many factors, including our revenue growth rate, our global footprint, the expansion of our marketing activities, the timing and extent of spending to support product development efforts, the introduction of new and enhanced products and the continued market adoption of our products. We may, in the future, enter into arrangements to acquire or invest in complementary businesses, products and technologies. We may be required to seek additional equity or debt financing. In the event that we require additional financing, we may not be able to raise such financing on terms acceptable to us or at all. If we are unable to raise additional capital or generate cash flows necessary to expand our operations and invest in continued product innovation, we may not be able to compete successfully, which would harm our business, operations, and financial condition.

Borrowings

Prior to the completion of this offering, we intend to enter into a first lien credit agreement, or 2021 Credit Facility, with JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., as administrative agent and lender, and the other lenders party thereto, which will provide for a $35.0 million revolving credit facility maturing five years from the date of the

 

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2021 Credit Facility. The 2021 Credit Facility will include a subfacility that provides for the issuance of letters of credit in an amount of up to $10.0 million at any time outstanding.

The 2021 Credit Facility will be subject to customary fees for loan facilities of this type, including a commitment fee based on the average daily undrawn potion of the revolving credit facility.

The interest rate applicable to the 2021 Credit Facility will be, at our option, either (a) the LIBOR (or a replacement rate established in accordance with the terms of the 2021 Credit Facility) (subject to a 0.00% LIBOR floor), plus a margin of 1.50% or (b) the CB floating rate minus a margin of 0.50%. The CB floating rate is the highest of (a) the Wall Street Journal prime rate and (b)(i) 2.50% plus (ii) the adjusted LIBOR rate for a one-month interest period.

The 2021 Revolving Facility will terminate and borrowings thereunder, if any, will be due in full five years from the date of the 2021 Credit Facility.

Debt under the 2021 Credit Facility will be guaranteed by substantially all of our material domestic subsidiaries and will be secured by substantially all of our and such subsidiaries’ assets. The 2021 Credit Facility will contain affirmative and negative covenants, indemnification provisions and events of default. Affirmative covenants include administrative, reporting and legal covenants, in each case subject to certain exceptions. The negative covenants restrict our ability, subject to customary exceptions, to, among other things: make restricted payments including dividends and distributions on, redemptions of, repurchases or retirement of our capital stock; restrict certain of our subsidiaries’ ability to engage in certain intercompany transactions with other subsidiaries that do not guarantee obligations under the 2021 Credit Facility; restrict our ability to incur additional indebtedness and issue certain types of equity; sell assets, including capital stock of subsidiaries; enter into certain transactions with affiliates; incur liens; enter into fundamental changes including mergers and consolidations; make investments, acquisitions, loans or advances; create negative pledges or restrictions on the payment of dividends or payment of other amounts owed from subsidiaries; make prepayments or modify documents governing material debt that is subordinated with respect to right of payment; engage in certain sale leaseback transactions; change our fiscal year; and change our lines of business. The 2021 Credit Facility will also contain a financial covenant that requires us to maintain a total net leverage ratio of not more than 3.50:1.00 during the periods set forth in the 2021 Credit Facility. The total net leverage ratio is calculated as the ratio of (a) the sum of (i) total indebtedness minus (ii) up to $15.0 million of cash and cash equivalents minus (iii) obligations under “build to suit” capital leases to (b) consolidated EBITDA, which is defined in the 2021 Credit Facility. The 2021 Credit Facility will also include customary events of default, including failure to pay principal, interest or certain other amounts when due, material inaccuracy of representations and warranties, violation of covenants, specified cross-default and cross-acceleration to other material indebtedness, certain bankruptcy and insolvency events, certain events relating to the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, certain undischarged judgments, material invalidity of guarantees or grant of security interest, and change of control, in certain cases subject to certain thresholds and grace periods. If an event of default occurs and is continuing, lenders holding a majority of the commitments under the 2021 Credit Facility will have the right to, among other things, (i) terminate the commitments under the 2021 Credit Facility, (ii) accelerate and require us to repay all the outstanding amounts owed under the 2021 Credit Facility and (iii) require us to cash collateralize any outstanding letters of credit.

Cash Flows

The following table summarizes our cash flows for the periods presented:

 

     Year Ended December 31,  
          2019                2020       
     (in thousands)  

Net cash used in operating activities

   $ (19,992    $ (12,066

Net cash provided by investing activities

   $ 11,007      $ 36,696  

Net cash used in financing activities

   $ (305    $ (973

 

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Operating Activities

Our largest source of operating cash is from the sales of our products through Digital and Retail channels to our consumers. Our primary uses of cash from operating activities are for cost of revenue expenses, selling, general and administrative expenses, marketing expenses and research and development expenses. We have generated negative cash flows from operating activities and have supplemented working capital requirements through net proceeds from the sale and maturity of short-term investments.

Net cash used in operating activities of $20.0 million for the year ended December 31, 2019 was primarily due to net loss of $31.1 million, non-cash adjustments of $15.9 million and a net decrease in cash related to changes in operating assets and liabilities of $4.8 million. Non-cash adjustments primarily consisted of stock-based compensation of $8.4 million and depreciation and amortization of $7.7 million. Changes in cash flows related to operating assets and liabilities primarily consisted of a $5.2 million use of cash due to the timing of payments associated with our accounts payable and leasing obligations, a $2.5 million increase in accounts receivable due to the timing of collections and larger sales volume in the fourth quarter of 2019 and a $1.4 million use of cash due to an increase in prepaid expenses and other assets resulting from an increase in prepaid advertising costs and capitalized implementation costs for cloud computing service arrangements. These uses of cash were partially offset by a $4.7 million reduction in inventory due to the timing of inventory purchases.

Net cash used in operating activities of $12.1 million for the year ended December 31, 2020 was primarily due to net loss of $14.5 million, non-cash adjustments of $12.9 million and a net decrease in cash related to changes in operating assets and liabilities of $10.5 million. Non-cash adjustments primarily consisted of stock-based compensation of $7.9 million and depreciation and amortization of $4.9 million. Changes in cash flows related to operating assets and liabilities primarily consisted of a $24.1 million use of cash to increase investment in inventory to support our growth across our business, including on wipes, sanitization products and our new innovation products in 2020, and a $1.5 million use of cash due to timing of payments on prepaid expenses and other assets. These uses of cash were partially offset by a $13.7 million increase in accounts payable and accrued expenses driven by the aforementioned investment in inventory to support growth across the business and a $1.5 million reduction in accounts receivable due to timing of cash collection from retail customers.

Investing Activities

Our primary source of investing cash is the sale and maturity of short-term investments and our primary use of investing cash is the purchase of short-term investments and property and equipment.

Net cash provided by investing activities of $11.0 million for the year ended December 31, 2019 was due to proceeds from the sales and maturities of short-term investments of $4.8 million and $81.3 million, respectively, net of purchases of short-term investments of $74.4 million and purchases of property and equipment of $0.7 million.

Net cash provided by investing activities of $36.7 million for the year ended December 31, 2020 was due to proceeds from the sales and maturities of short-term investments of $5.8 million and $53.5 million, respectively, net of purchases of short-term investments of $22.5 million and purchases of property and equipment of $0.2 million.

Financing Activities

Our financing activities primarily consisted of the exercising of stock option awards and principal payments of financing lease obligations.

Net cash used in financing activities of $0.3 million for the year ended December 31, 2019 consisted of principal payments of financing lease obligations of $0.3 million and the purchase and retirement of Series D redeemable convertible preferred stock of $0.3 million, net of $0.3 million proceeds from exercise of stock options.

 

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Net cash used in financing activities of $1.0 million for the year ended December 31, 2020 primarily consisted of principal payments of financing lease obligations of $1.0 million.

Contractual Obligations and Commitments

The following table summarizes our contractual obligations as of December 31, 2020:

 

     Payments Due By Period  
     Total      Less than 1      1-3 Years      3-5 Years      More than 5  
     (in thousands)  

Financing obligations

   $ 19,409      $ 2,565      $ 5,352      $ 5,656      $ 5,836  

Capital lease obligations

     625        373        252        —          —    

Operating lease commitments

     36,407        5,814        10,985        11,998        7,610  

Unconditional purchase commitments

     2,521        2,233        288        —          —    
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Total

   $ 58,962      $ 10,985      $ 16,877      $ 17,654      $ 13,446  
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

The commitment amounts in the table above are associated with contracts that are enforceable and legally binding and that specify all significant terms, including fixed or minimum services to be used, fixed, minimum or variable price provisions, and the approximate timing of the actions under the contracts. The table does not include obligations under agreements that we can cancel without a significant penalty.

Off-Balance Sheet Arrangements

We did not have during the periods presented, and we do not currently have, any off-balance sheet financing arrangements or any relationships with unconsolidated entities or financial partnerships, including entities sometimes referred to as structured finance or special purpose entities, that were established for the purpose of facilitating off-balance sheet arrangements or other contractually narrow or limited purposes.

Critical Accounting Policies and Estimates

We believe that the following accounting policies involve a high degree of judgment and complexity. Accordingly, these are the policies we believe are the most critical to aid in fully understanding and evaluating our consolidated financial condition and results of our operations. See Note 2 to our consolidated financial statements appearing elsewhere in this prospectus for a description of our other significant accounting policies. The preparation of our consolidated financial statements in conformity with GAAP requires us to make estimates and judgments that affect the amounts reported in those financial statements and accompanying notes. Although we believe that the estimates we use are reasonable, due to the inherent uncertainty involved in making those estimates, actual results reported in future periods could differ from those estimates.

Revenue Recognition

We generate revenue through the sale of our products through Digital and Retail channels in the following product categories: Diapers and Wipes, Skin and Personal Care and Household and Wellness. The Digital channel includes direct to the consumer sales through our website and sales to third-party ecommerce customers, who resell our products through their own online platforms. The Retail channel includes sales to traditional brick and mortar retailers, who may also resell our products through their own online platforms. Our revenue is recognized net of allowances for returns, discounts, credits and any taxes collected from customers.

We account for revenue contracts with customers by applying the following steps in accordance with Accounting Standard Codification, or ASC, 606, Revenue from Contracts with Customers:

 

   

Identification of the contract, or contracts, with a customer

 

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Identification of the performance obligations in the contract

 

   

Determination of the transaction price

 

   

Allocation of the transaction price to the performance obligations in the contract

 

   

Recognition of revenue when, or as, we satisfy a performance obligation

We elected an accounting policy to record all shipping and handling costs as fulfillment costs. We accrue the cost of shipping and handling and recognize revenue and costs at the point in time that control of the goods transfers to the customer.

Direct-to-Consumer

For direct sales to the consumer through our website, our performance obligation consists of the sale of finished goods to the consumer. Consumers may purchase products at any time or enter into subscription arrangements. Consumers place orders online in accordance with our standard terms and conditions and authorize payment when the order is placed. Credit cards are charged at the time of shipment. For subscription arrangements, consumers sign up to receive products on a periodic basis. Subscriptions are cancellable at any time without penalty, and no amounts are collected from the consumer until products are shipped. Revenue is recognized when transfer of control to the consumer takes place, which is when the product is delivered to the carrier. Sales taxes collected from consumers are accounted for on a net basis and are excluded from revenue.

Consumers may purchase gift cards, which are recorded as deferred revenue at the time of purchase. We recognize revenue when these gift cards are redeemed for products and the revenue recognition criteria as described above have been met.

Retail and Third-Party Ecommerce

For retail and third-party ecommerce sales, our performance obligation consists of the sale of finished goods to retailers and third-party ecommerce customers. Revenue is recognized when control of the promised goods is transferred to those customers at time of shipment or delivery, depending on the contract terms. After the completion of the performance obligation, we have the right to consideration as outlined in the contract. Payment terms vary among the retail and third-party ecommerce customers although terms generally include a requirement of payment within 30 to 45 days of product shipment.

Sales Returns and Allowances

For direct-to-consumer, retail and third-party ecommerce sales, we record estimated sales returns in the same period that the related revenue is recorded. We use the expected value method to estimate returns, taking into consideration assumptions of demand based on historical data and historical returns rates. When estimating returns, we also consider future business initiatives and relevant anticipated future events. Estimated sales returns and ultimate losses may vary from actual results, which could be material to the consolidated financial statements. The estimated sales returns allowance is recorded as a reduction in revenue.

For direct-to-consumer, retail and third-party ecommerce sales, we offer credits in the form of discounts, which are recorded as reductions in revenue and are allocated to products on a relative basis based on their respective standalone selling price.

For retail and third-party ecommerce sales, we routinely commit to one-time or ongoing sales incentive programs that may require us to estimate and accrue the expected costs of such programs, including trade promotion activities and contractual allowances. We record these programs as a reduction to revenue unless we receive a distinct benefit in exchange for credits claimed by the customer and can reasonably estimate the fair

 

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value of the benefit received, in which case we record the programs as marketing expense. We recognize a liability or a reduction to accounts receivable, and reduce revenue based on the estimated amount of credits that will be claimed by customers. An allowance is recorded as a reduction to accounts receivable if the customer can deduct the program amount from the outstanding invoice.

Estimates for these sales incentive programs are developed using the most likely amount and are included in the transaction price to the extent that a significant reversal of revenue would not result once the uncertainty is resolved. In developing our estimate, we use historical analysis and contractual rates in determining the accruals for these activities. Also, we consider the susceptibility of the incentive to outside influences, the length of time until the uncertainty is resolved, and our experience with similar contracts. Judgment is required to determine the timing and amount of recognition of sales incentive program accruals which we estimate based on past practice with similar arrangements.

Inventories

Inventories consists of finished goods and are stated at the lower of cost or estimated net realizable value. Cost is computed based on weighted-average historical costs. We allocate certain overhead costs to the carrying value of our finished goods. The carrying value of inventories is reduced for any excess and obsolete inventory. Excess and obsolete inventory reductions are determined based on assumptions about future demand and sales prices, estimates of the impact of competition, and the age of inventory. If actual conditions are less favorable than those previously estimated by management, additional inventory write-downs could be required.

Stock-Based Compensation

We recognize stock-based compensation expense for employees and non-employees based on the grant-date fair value of stock options over the applicable service period. For awards that vest based on continued service, stock-based compensation cost is recognized on a straight-line basis over the requisite service period, which is generally the vesting period of the awards. For awards with performance vesting conditions, stock-based compensation cost is recognized on a graded vesting basis over the requisite service period when it is probable the performance condition will be achieved. The grant date fair value of stock options that contain service or performance conditions is estimated using the Black-Scholes option-pricing model. The grant date fair value of restricted stock awards that contain service vesting conditions are estimated based on the fair value of the underlying shares on grant date. For awards with market vesting conditions, the fair value is estimated using a Monte Carlo simulation model, which incorporates the likelihood of achieving the market condition.

We grant certain stock option awards that contain service and performance vesting conditions. For these awards, we commence recognition of stock-based compensation cost once it is probable that the performance condition will be achieved. Once it is probable that the performance condition will be achieved, we recognize stock-based compensation cost over the remaining requisite service period under a graded vesting model, with a cumulative adjustment for the portion of the service period that occurred for the period prior to the performance condition becoming probable of being achieved.

We also grant certain stock option awards that contain service, performance and market vesting conditions, where the performance condition is an initial public offering or a change in control event. This performance condition is not probable of being achieved for accounting purposes until the event occurs. Thereafter, expense is recognized when the event occurs even if the market condition was not or is not achieved, provided the employee continues to satisfy the service condition.

Determining the fair value of stock-based awards requires judgment. The Black-Scholes option-pricing model is used to estimate the fair value of stock options that have service and/or performance vesting conditions. The Monte Carlo simulation model is used to estimate the fair value of stock options that have market vesting

 

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conditions. The assumptions used in these option-pricing models requires the input of subjective assumptions and are as follows:

 

   

Fair value—As our common stock is not currently publicly traded, the fair value of our underlying common stock was determined by our board of directors based upon a number of objective and subjective factors, as described in the section titled “—Common Stock Valuations” below. Our board of directors will determine the fair value of our common stock until such time as our common stock commences trading on an established stock exchange or national market system.

 

   

Expected volatility—Expected volatility is based on historical volatilities of a publicly traded peer group based on daily price observations over a period equivalent to the expected term of the stock option grants.

 

   

Expected term—For stock options with only service vesting conditions the expected term is determined using the simplified method, which estimates the expected term using the contractual life of the option and the vesting period. For stock options with performance or market conditions, the term is estimated in consideration of the time period expected to achieve the performance or market condition, the contractual term of the award, and estimates of future exercise behavior.

 

   

Risk-free interest rate—The risk-free interest rate is based on the U.S. Treasury yield of treasury bonds with a maturity that approximates the expected term of the options.

 

   

Expected dividend yield—The dividend yield is based on our current expectations of dividend payouts. Except for the 2021 Dividend, we have never declared or paid any cash dividends on our common stock, and we do not anticipate paying any cash dividends in the foreseeable future.

The following assumptions were used to calculate the fair value of stock options granted to employees:

 

    

Year Ended

December 31, 2019

  

Year Ended

December 31, 2020

Expected volatility

   45% – 50%    50% – 60%

Expected term

   5.27 – 6.46    6.02 – 6.08

Risk-free interest rate

   1.68% – 2.91%    0.30% – 0.97%

Expected dividend yield

   0%    0%

The determination of stock-based compensation cost is inherently uncertain and subjective and involves the application of valuation models and assumptions requiring the use of judgment. If factors change and different assumptions are used, stock-based compensation expense and net losses could be significantly different.

Common Stock Valuation

Given the absence of a public market of our common stock, and in accordance with the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, Valuation of Privately-Held-Company Equity Securities Issued as Compensation, our board of directors exercises significant judgment and considers numerous factors to determine the best estimate of fair value of our common stock, including the following:

 

   

independent third-party valuations of our common stock;

 

   

the rights, preferences and privileges of our redeemable convertible preferred stock relative to our common stock;

 

   

our operating results, financial position and capital resources;

 

   

our stage of development and current business conditions and projections, including the introduction of new products;

 

   

the lack of marketability of our common stock;

 

   

the hiring of key personnel and the experience of our management;

 

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the likelihood of achieving a liquidity event, such as an initial public offering or a sale of our company given the prevailing market conditions;

 

   

and the nature and history of our business;

 

   

industry trends and competitive environment;

 

   

trends in consumer spending, including consumer confidence; and

 

   

the overall economic, regulatory and capital market conditions.

We performed valuations of our common stock that took into account the factors described above. We primarily used a combination of the market and income approach to determine the equity value of our business. The income approach estimates equity value based on the expectation of future cash flows that a company will generate. These future cash flows, and an assumed terminal value, are discounted to their present values using a discount rate based on a weighted-average cost of capital that reflects the risks inherent in the cash flows. The market approach estimates equity value based on a comparison of the subject company to comparable public companies in a similar line of business. From the comparable companies, a representative market value multiple is determined and then applied to the subject company’s financial forecasts to estimate the value of the subject company. The resulting common stock value is then discounted by a non-marketability factor. Public company trading revenue multiple comparisons provide a quantitative analysis that our board of directors’ reviews in addition to the qualitative factors described above in order to determine the fair value of our common stock.

Application of these approaches involves the use of estimates, judgment, and assumptions that are highly complex and subjective, such as those regarding our expected future revenue, expenses, and future cash flows, discount rates, market multiples, the selection of comparable companies and the probability of possible future events. Changes in any or all of these estimates and assumptions or the relationships between those assumptions impact our valuations as of each valuation date and may have a material impact on the valuation of our common stock.

For valuations after the completion of this offering, our board of directors will determine the fair value of each share of underlying common stock based on the closing price of our common stock as reported on the date of grant. Future expense amounts for any particular period could be affected by changes in our assumptions or market conditions.

Based on the assumed initial public offering price per share of $15.50 which is the midpoint of the estimated offering price range set forth on the cover page of this prospectus, the aggregate intrinsic value of our outstanding stock options as of December 31, 2020 was $185.2 million, with $126.3 million related to vested stock options.

Income Taxes

Income taxes are accounted for using an asset and liability approach that requires the recognition of deferred tax assets and liabilities for the expected future tax consequences of events that have been included in the consolidated financial statements. Under this method, deferred tax assets and liabilities are determined based on the differences between the financial statement and tax basis of assets and liabilities and are measured using enacted tax rates in effect for the year in which the differences are expected to reverse. The effect of a change in tax rates or tax law on deferred tax assets and liabilities is recognized in income in the period that includes the enactment date.

A valuation allowance is provided on deferred tax assets when it is determined that it is more likely than not that some portion or all of the net deferred tax assets will not be realized.

We recognize the tax benefit from uncertain tax positions only if it is more likely than not that the tax positions will be sustained on examination by the tax authorities, based on the technical merits of the position. The tax benefit is measured based on the largest benefit that has a greater than 50% likelihood of being realized upon ultimate settlement. We recognize interest and penalties related to income tax matters in income tax expense.

 

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Recent Accounting Pronouncements

See Note 2 to our consolidated financial statements included elsewhere in this prospectus for additional details regarding recent accounting pronouncements.

Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures about Market Risk

We are exposed to market risks in the ordinary course of our business. Market risk represents the risk of loss that may impact our financial position due to adverse changes in financial market prices and rates. Our market risk exposure is primarily the result of fluctuations in interest rates and foreign currency exchange rates.

Interest Rate Risk

We had cash and cash equivalents of $29.3 million and restricted cash of $7.9 million as of December 31, 2020, which consisted of bank accounts and money market funds. We had short-term investments of $34.4 million, which consisted of commercial paper, certificates of deposit, corporate bonds and U.S. government and agency securities. Interest-earning instruments carry a degree of interest rate risk. We do not enter into investments for trading or speculative purposes and have not used any derivative financial instruments to manage our interest rate risk exposure. Due to the short-term nature of our investments, we have not been exposed to, nor do we anticipate being exposed to, material risks due to changes in interest rates. A hypothetical 10% change in interest rates would not result in a material impact on our consolidated financial statements.

Foreign Currency Exchange Risk

Our reporting currency is the U.S. dollar. Gains or losses due to transactions in foreign currencies are reflected in the consolidated statements of comprehensive income (loss) under the line item interest and other income, net. We have not engaged in the hedging of foreign currency transactions to date, although we may choose to do so in the future. We do not believe that an immediate 10% increase or decrease in the relative value of the U.S. dollar to other currencies would have a material effect on our consolidated financial statements.

Emerging Growth Company Status

In April 2012, the JOBS Act was enacted. Section 107(b) of the JOBS Act provides that an emerging growth company can take advantage of an extended transition period for complying with new or revised accounting standards. Thus, an emerging growth company can delay the adoption of certain accounting standards until those standards would otherwise apply to private companies. We have elected to take advantage of the extended transition period to comply with new or revised accounting standards and to adopt certain of the reduced disclosure requirements available to emerging growth companies. As a result of the accounting standards election, we will not be subject to the same implementation timing for new or revised accounting standards as other public companies that are not emerging growth companies which may make comparison of our financials to those of other public companies more difficult.

 

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BUSINESS

Our Mission

Inspire everyone to love living consciously.

Overview: The Honest Difference

The Honest Company is a digitally-native, mission-driven brand focused on leading the clean lifestyle movement, creating a community for conscious consumers and seeking to disrupt multiple consumer product categories. Our commitment to our core values, passionate innovation and engaging our community has differentiated and elevated our brand and our products. Since our launch in 2012, we have been dedicated to developing clean, sustainable, effective and thoughtfully designed products. By doing so with transparency, we have cultivated deep trust around what matters most to our consumers: their health, their families and their homes. We are an omnichannel brand, ensuring our products are available however our consumers shop. Our differentiated platform positions us for continued growth through our trusted brand, award-winning multi-category product offering, deep digital-first connection with consumers and omnichannel accessibility.

Our integrated multi-category product architecture is intentionally designed to serve our consumers every day, at every age and through every life stage, no matter where they are on their journey. Today, our three categories are Diapers and Wipes, Skin and Personal Care and Household and Wellness, which represented 63%, 26% and 11% of our 2020 revenue, respectively. At the center of our product ecosystem are our diapers, which are a strategic consumer acquisition tool that acts as an entry point for our portfolio, as new parents often go on to purchase products from our other categories for their everyday family needs. According to a third-party study that we commissioned in 2020, nearly 90% of our diaper buyers surveyed expanded their purchases beyond diapers and nearly half have purchased two or more of our non-diaper products. Our integrated multi-category product architecture is designed to drive loyalty, increase our consumer wallet share and generate attractive consumer lifetime value.

We believe that our consumers are modern, aspirational, conscious and style-forward and that they seek out high quality, effective and thoughtfully designed products. We believe that they are passionate about living a conscious life and are enthusiastic ambassadors for brands they trust. As purpose-driven consumers, they transcend any one demographic, spanning gender, age, geography, ethnicity and household income. Honest consumers are often young, mobile-centric and digitally inclined. We build relationships with these consumers through a disruptive digital marketing strategy that engages them with “snackable” digital content (short-form, easily digestible content), immerses them in our brand values, and inspires them to join the Honest community. Our direct connection with our community enables us to understand what consumers’ needs are and inspires our product innovation pipeline, generating a significant competitive advantage over more traditional consumer packaged goods, or CPG, peers.

Our omnichannel approach seeks to meet consumers however they want to shop, balancing deep consumer connection with broad convenience and accessibility. Since our launch, we have built a well-integrated omnichannel presence by expanding our retail accessibility across both Digital and Retail channels, including the launch of strategic partnerships with Costco, Target and Amazon in 2013, 2014 and 2017, respectively. In 2020, we generated 55% and 45% of our revenue from our Digital and Retail channels, respectively. We maintain direct relationships with our consumers via our flagship digital platform, Honest.com, which allows us to influence brand experience and better understand consumer preferences and behavior. We increase accessibility of our products to more consumers through both the third-party pureplay ecommerce sites that, with Honest.com, comprise the rest of our Digital channel, and our Retail channel, which includes leading retailers and their websites. Our products can be found in approximately 32,000 retail locations across the United States, Canada and Europe. This distinctive business model has allowed us to efficiently scale our business while remaining agnostic as to the channel where consumers purchase our products. Our integrated omnichannel presence provides meaningful benefits to our consumer which we believe is not easily replicated by our competitors.

 

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At Honest, we prioritize transparency, trust and sustainability in all that we do. Our purpose-driven mission inspires our commitment to safety and transparency, our philanthropic partnerships with our charity and community partners, and our commitment to diversity and inclusion. We strive to reduce our environmental footprint. In 2020, we entered into an agreement to participate in a program to offset, through carbon offset projects, the greenhouse gas emissions resulting from our Honest.com shipments through the end of 2022. Our domestic Honest.com shipments were carbon neutral from May 2020 to October 2020 as a result of this program and we expect these shipments to continue to be carbon neutral through the end of 2022. Since inception, we have donated approximately 25 million essential products and our team has volunteered over 18,500 hours in our communities. Finally, as a company founded by a woman of color, we are proud to say that as of December 31, 2020, people of color represented nearly half of our workforce and women represented 68% and 53% of our workforce and leadership, which includes director level and above, respectively.

Our trusted brand, innovative product offering, deep consumer connection and differentiated omnichannel presence have driven strong financial performance. For example, we:

 

   

Grew revenue 27.6% from $235.6 million in 2019 to $300.5 million in 2020;

 

   

Grew revenue in our Diapers and Wipes, Skin and Personal Care and Household and Wellness categories by 16.4%, 35.5% and 116.5%, respectively, from 2019 to 2020;

 

   

Increased gross margin from 2019 by 370 basis points to 35.9% in 2020;

 

   

Generated a net loss of $14.5 million in 2020; and

 

   

Achieved adjusted EBITDA of $11.2 million in 2020, or 4% of 2020 revenue.

Adjusted EBITDA is a measure that is not calculated in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles in the United States, or GAAP. For further information about how we calculate adjusted EBITDA, limitations of its use and a reconciliation of adjusted EBITDA to net loss, the most directly comparable financial measure stated in accordance with GAAP, see the section titled “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations—Non-GAAP Financial Measure—Adjusted EBITDA.”

Our Industry

Rapidly Growing “Clean and Natural” Segment in Large Market

We believe that the “clean and natural” segments of the Diapers and Wipes, Skin and Personal Care and Household and Wellness markets are growing at outsized rates, as a result of the increasing shift in consumer demand for “better-for-you” products. In 2019, we estimate that the clean and natural U.S. Diapers and Wipes, Skin and Personal Care and Household and Wellness markets generated approximately $1 billion, $12 billion and $4 billion in retail sales, respectively, and that they will grow at a compound annual growth rate, or CAGR, of 16%, 10% and 4% from 2019 to 2025, respectively. This growth has far outpaced broader spending in all U.S. Diapers and Wipes, Skin and Personal Care and Household and Wellness markets, which we estimate generated approximately $8 billion, $81 billion and $41 billion of retail sales, respectively, in 2019, and which we estimate will grow at a CAGR of 2%, 3% and 2% from 2019 to 2025, respectively. Overall, we estimate that our categories in the clean and natural U.S. market are expected to grow six times greater than the same categories in the conventional U.S. market from 2019 to 2025. Combined, we believe our market share is less than 5% of these markets overall, thus providing significant room for growth. Our estimates for Skin and Personal Care include Color Cosmetics, Skin Care, Baby Personal Care, Sun Care, Adult Bath and Body Care, Deodorant, Adult Haircare, Perfume, and Nail Care. Our Household and Wellness estimates include Feminine Hygiene, Household Cleaner and Supply, Laundry Products, Infant Formula, Vitamins and Supplements, and Home Fragrance / Air Care.

We believe that certain historical leading brands that have produced products in these categories for decades generally focus on single categories and offer products made with conventional ingredients that are less aligned with increasing consumer preference for clean and natural solutions. We believe that given consumers’ growing focus on their health and wellness, reducing waste and promoting social impact, we are well-positioned to continue to take market share from these legacy brands.

 

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U.S. 2019 Diapers and Wipes Market: $8 billion(1)2019A - 2025E CAGR 2% 16% (1%)Conventional Total Clean / NaturalU.S. 2019 Skin and Personal Care Market: $81 billion(2)2019A - 2025E CAGR Greater than Conventional6.9x 10% 3% 1%Conventional Total Clean / Natural Greater than Conventional2.0x 2% 2% 4%Conventional Total Clean / NaturalU.S. 2019 Household and Wellness Market: $41 billion(3) 2019A 2025E CAGR"Conventional" refers to brands that did not make explicit claims that their products were natural, "better-for-you," naturally derived or simplified formulations, or similar claims. "Clean/Natural" refers to brands that make explicit claims regarding their products being natural, "better-for-you," naturally derived or simplified formulations, or similar claims. (1) Based off aggregated data of at least 25 brands. (2) Based off aggregated data of at least 90 brands. (3) Based off aggregated data of at least 115 brands.

 

We believe that this market shift towards clean and natural products is in its early stages. Despite the growth of the clean and natural categories, the implied clean and natural market penetration of the total Diapers and Wipes, Skin and Personal Care and Household and Wellness markets in the United States in 2019 is estimated to be 11%, 14% and 10%, respectively, according to a third-party study that we commissioned. This estimated market penetration is calculated based on comparing the clean and natural portion of a certain market compared to the relevant total market. We believe this illustrates the whitespace opportunity for further market penetration and category growth in the clean and natural segments.

Significant Growth in Digital Channels

In tandem with this category growth, a fundamental channel shift is underway across the Diapers and Wipes, Skin and Personal Care and Household and Wellness markets. Historically, products in these markets have been sold through traditional, wholesale, store-based channels, which accounted for approximately 80% of U.S. retail sales in these markets in 2019, according to our estimates. In recent years, consumer behavior has transitioned toward digital and direct-to-consumer channels. According to our estimates from 2014 to 2019, total ecommerce sales grew at seven times the rate of brick and mortar store-based sales. By 2025, we estimate that approximately 30% of total retail sales in the United States will be from ecommerce. We see consumers increasingly self-educating on the benefits of clean and natural products through social media, influencers and other online content, driving digital engagement and purchasing that supports continued outsized growth of the ecommerce channel.

We expect these trends to continue and believe the move in consumer preferences towards clean and sustainable products, as well as the growth in the digital channel, will accelerate globally. As a leader in the clean CPG movement and a driver of the shift to omnichannel in the CPG space, we believe that we are well-positioned to capitalize and continue to lead innovation on these industry trends both in the United States and globally.

 

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Our Strengths

Mission-Driven Brand Inspiring Deep Consumer Affinity Across Categories

Our brand promise results in deep consumer affinity, loyalty and broad desire to shop our brand across categories. According to a third-party study that we commissioned among then-current diaper, personal care and beauty buyers of certain brands, Honest is ranked #1 or #3 across indices of “better-for-you” credibility, expressive brand personality and functional excellence. A large majority of respondents stated that they would recommend our diaper products to their friends, family and others, representing a net promoter score, or NPS, of 78 among consumers who primarily shop Honest diapers. NPS is a commonly used metric to measure consumer satisfaction and loyalty and indicates the percentage of consumers rating their likelihood to recommend a product or service to a friend. The percentage of “detractors,” or consumers who respond with a rating of 6 or less, is subtracted from the percentage of “promoters,” or consumers who respond with a 9 or 10, to yield NPS. We have meaningfully expanded our brand reach throughout the United States but believe that we still have significant whitespace opportunity for growth, as demonstrated by our unaided brand awareness of 25% among diaper buyers according to our consumer research as of January 2021.

 

 

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Key loyalty brand drivers better for you credibility(4)functional excellence(4)expressive personality(4)honest diapers(1)at a 95 index to top 2 competitors honest beauty, which includes honest skin and personal care(2)importance in driving loyalty index(3)diapers leaders in natural excellent for sensitive skin safestdiapers comfortable absorbent dependable, durable diapers premium smart enjoyable innovative key attributes examples beauty clean products natural safest for skinbeauty products that are effective / get the best results works well for skin type / complements skin type well-reviewed / trusted by others beauty unique modern innovativesource: third party survey conducted on our behalf in august 2020. Diapers and wipes respondents identified as primarily purchasing honest diapers; skin and personal care respondents purchased honest skin and personal products within last 6 months.notes: 1. Ranking among four key diaper brand competitors. Only includes brands with share greater than 1% (survey included seven key diaper brands in total).2. Ranking among four key beauty brand and four key baby personal care brand competitors (survey included seven beauty brands in total, three of which we consider to be competitors, and seven baby personal care brands in total, three of which we consider to be competitors).3. Index to the importance of the top loyalty driver for diaper category, the ante, brand love.4. Survey respondents asked to indicate how much they agreed or disagreed with the statements better for you credibility, functional excellence and expressive personality based on key attributes of each statement for relevant categories.

Leveraging our brand equity, we have developed an integrated, multi-category product architecture intentionally designed to serve our consumers every day, at every age and through every life stage, no matter where they are on their journey. We have become an increasingly integral part of consumers’ lives, serving them across their pregnancy, baby, beauty and household care needs, with a goal of capturing significant wallet share, high repeat purchasing rates and attractive consumer lifetime value. In 2020 alone, 34% of first-time Honest.com buyers purchased at least one Skin and Personal Care product, 46% of first-time Honest.com buyers purchased at least one Diapers and Wipes product and 34% of first-time Honest.com buyers purchased at least one Household and Wellness product.

 

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Honest Diapers and wipes Baby Care Now that she has a newborn, she loves the convenience of customizing her Diapers and Wipes subscription from Honest.com and adds our Baby Care products to her order for clean, effective diapering.Honest Journey Gifting Our modern mom-to-be first discovers Honest when she receives a diaper cake and baby care gift sets at her baby shower and she's curious to learn more. Honest Mama, Honest BeautyResearching Honest.com, she sees a brand that shares her values and wants to ensure she uses skincare products with ingredients safe for pregnancy. Honest Personal Care Wherever she finds us, her affinity for the brand grows; she's brought Honest personal care into her family's daily bathtime routine and loves the convenience of being able to replenish on her Target run. And another Honest life has begun.Honest Cleaning As her child grows, she wants to trust everything in, on and around her family and home, so she uses our Cleaning and Disinfecting products. Honest Cleaning She loves the clean skincare and makeup routines she's been following online and was glad she could find Honest online and at Target when she was in college. Now that she has her first place on her own , she cares just as much about what's around her every day. With Honest, she can clean consciously and trust the cleaning power without harsh chemicals. Honest Journey Honest BeautyNow that she's making more of her own purchasing decisions, our Honest girl is passionate about making conscious choices. She wants to try clean beaty to get the looks she and her friends love, but she doesnt want to compromise- thats where Honest Beauty comes in. Honest Mama and Gifting She's given Honest for her girlfriend's baby showers and she's excited they finally get to return the favor now that she's pregnant. She's happy to have an Honest start for this new phace , so she fills her registry with Honest baby products and starts to use Honest Mama on her growing belly.And another Honest life has begun. Honest Baby She's loving how our diapers and wipes perform for her baby and is happy to have one brand to trust for all her needs, 24/7. She's excited to raise her kids with clean, conscious products and Honest values that align with hers.

Deep Connection with Consumers

Since inception, we have grown our brand and deepened our consumer relationships through our “Content, Community, Commerce” strategy. We produce highly relevant, “snackable” content and engage with consumers through multiple touchpoints, including our flagship digital platform, Honest.com, our social media presence where we reach approximately four million followers across our social media accounts, and other digital mediums. We believe that our ability to own and nurture our consumer relationships represents a meaningful competitive advantage over traditional CPG peers, who largely rely on retailers and traditional mediums to sell their products. These relationships with our consumers inform our product innovation and allow us to move

 

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faster to bring new and improved products to market. At Honest, we have curated an aspirational conscious lifestyle platform. We activate it via our social media and digital marketing capabilities, to differentiate our brand and build direct consumer relationships. As a result, we have fostered a highly engaged social media community who shares our passion for conscious living, further enhancing our reputation as a purpose-driven brand.

In-House Product Development Capabilities that Power Innovation

Product innovation lies at the heart of our business. We have built a high-performance product development team that sets new standards with a proven track record of bringing innovative, award-winning products to market. To maximize the impact of our product development capabilities, our direct connection with our community enables us to understand what consumers’ needs are and inspires our product innovation pipeline, which we believe generates a significant competitive advantage over more traditional CPG peers. Our product innovation is inspired by feedback from our consumers that we receive through multiple avenues, including through our internal customer service team, comments left by consumers on our social media platforms and product ratings on our website and retailer’s websites. For example, we created and brought to market a new Stay Safe cleaning collection, a complete set of cleaning, sanitizing and disinfecting solutions, in less than six months after the onset of COVID-19. In 2020, 22% of our revenue was generated from stock keeping units, or SKUs, introduced in 2020. In addition to using these capabilities to innovate new products to bring to market, we also regularly reformulate or update existing products, improving performance and expanding gross margin. We have won over 100 awards, including the 2020 “Parents” Best for Baby Award and seven Allure Best of Beauty awards.

Integrated Omnichannel Approach to Drive Discovery and Accessibility

Our multi-channel presence across our complementary Digital and Retail channels allows us to meet our consumers however they want to shop, mirroring their shopping behaviors and providing availability and accessibility that we believe our competitors would find hard to replicate. Our integrated omnichannel approach has driven brand building and organic lead generation, while maximizing consumer connection, experience and accessibility to encourage long-term consumer relationships. Our Digital channel is comprised of both our flagship digital platform, Honest.com, and third-party pureplay ecommerce sites. Honest.com enables us to maintain direct relationships with our consumers, influence brand experience and better understand consumer preferences and behavior. Our third-party pureplay ecommerce partners and our Retail channel, which includes leading retailers and their websites, increase accessibility of our products to more consumers. We have developed a distinctive business model that has allowed us to efficiently scale our business while making us agnostic to the channel where consumers purchase our brand. Our omnichannel strategy has meaningfully increased access to our products. According to a third-party study that we commissioned, 79% of recent diaper buyers who originate on Honest.com also shopped for Honest diapers in retail brick and mortar stores.

Scalable Infrastructure and High-Performance Team to Support Growth

We have made significant investments in recent years designed to provide a stable foundation for our business as it scales. We have built state-of-the-art infrastructure, systems and processes to support our core in-house capabilities, including research and development, sales and marketing, brand management, distribution and logistics and customer service. We believe this foundation is highly scalable and therefore capable of supporting our future growth.

We are led by a strong team of consumer industry veterans who are united by a passion for our mission and a belief in our vast future potential. Our founder, Jessica Alba, is a globally recognized business leader, entrepreneur, advocate, actress and New York Times bestselling author. With a significant global reach including more than 39 million social media followers worldwide across social media accounts, she has an innate and invaluable ability to resonate and engage with the consumer, driving trends across demographics and generations. Her partnership with our Chief Executive Officer, Nick Vlahos, represents a distinctive combination of her

 

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entrepreneurial, authentic insights and his deep experience in the consumer products industry. Nick brings over 30 years of experience in the consumer products industry, including most recently as Chief Operating Officer at The Clorox Company, and previously as Vice President—General Manager of Burt’s Bees. We believe our blend of talent, experience and culture gives us the ability to drive sustainable growth.

Our Growth Strategy

We intend to drive growth and increased profitability in our business through these key elements of our strategy:

Drive Marketing Innovation to Increase Consumer Engagement

 

   

Deepen Consumer Relationships. We plan to deepen our existing consumer relationships to improve our revenue retention and increase our wallet share. We intend to further promote our strong brand equity, develop a more holistic offering for all life stages through strategic product innovation and enhance our consumer experience and product accessibility through coordinated cross-channel efforts with the goal of increasing purchase frequency and overall customer spend.

 

   

Grow Brand Awareness and Encourage Trial. Our unaided brand awareness of 25% among diaper buyers illustrates an opportunity to broaden our consumer base and drive future growth. We are focused on increasing brand awareness and consumer touchpoints by leveraging our differentiated content, engaged community and omnichannel strategy with continued investment in innovative brand and performance marketing. We believe increasing brand awareness could be a significant growth driver for our company.

Drive Accretive Product Innovation

 

   

Improve Existing Products. Since our inception, we have been guided by the idea that there is always room for innovation. We strive for continuous improvement in our existing products’ safety, sustainability, efficacy and design profile, which we refer to as costovation, as exemplified by the introduction of our clean conscious diaper in January 2021. We believe continuous innovation is important to accelerating our growth, deepening consumer connections and improving the profitability of our product offering.

 

   

Introduce Innovative Products in Existing Categories. We have a successful track record of bringing relevant products quickly to market. We plan to leverage our direct relationship with our community of consumers, research and development experts, internal laboratories, rapid product development capabilities and flexible supply chain to drive agile innovation in our existing categories and gain market share. We are currently reviewing our beauty offering and ingredients to capitalize on advancements in clean formulations and sustainable packaging.

 

   

Launch New Categories. We intend to leverage our in-house innovation capabilities to launch new products that disrupt adjacent product categories. Our direct relationship with our community of consumers provides insight into those categories in which latent demand exists. Moreover, our consumer research indicates that our brand resonates in a broad set of adjacent product categories, including new product categories within Household and Wellness and Skin and Personal Care.

Continued Execution of Omnichannel Strategy to Drive Product Accessibility

 

   

Increase Sales Through Ecommerce Channels. We plan to grow Honest.com by leveraging our deep connection with existing consumers and drawing new consumers through increased brand awareness and investing in performance marketing. Our flagship digital platform is core to our consumer engagement strategy, providing an immersive brand experience through our original content as well as a convenient shopping channel. Additionally, we intend to leverage our successful relationships with our third-party ecommerce partners with an aim to capture the growing portion of CPG sales transacted online in the United States.

 

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Increase Breadth and Depth of Distribution at Domestic Retail Partners. Building on our success at growing our Retail channel, we have additional whitespace opportunity to expand distribution. For the 52 weeks ending December 27, 2020, we had approximately 40% all-commodity volume, or ACV, in both our Diapers and Wipes and Skin and Personal Care categories across national multi-outlet stores compared to historical leading brands that have been on the market for decades in the same categories with 95 to 100% ACV. ACV is the measurement of a product’s distribution weighted by the overall dollar retail sales attributable to the retail location distributing such product; a retail location would be counted as having sold the product or product group if at least one unit of the product was scanned for sale within the relevant time period. This metric provides a measurement of retail penetration that takes into account the importance of selling through retail locations with higher overall retail sales volumes, and as a result we believe that our competitors generally use the same measurement. We intend to enhance distribution with our existing retailers by leveraging our sales productivity and innovation, winning more shelf space and increasing the number of products we sell at retail locations that already carry our products. Additionally, we plan to increase our accessibility and reach a broader consumer base by strategically adding new retail partners, which would expand our ACV. We believe that Honest products attract an appealing consumer for our retailers. For example, based on a third-party study that we commissioned, during the eight month period ending January 2021, the average Honest consumer had a 14% higher average basket size (in dollars) when making any purchase than the average Target consumer, making Honest consumers more attractive to our retail partners due to higher average spending.

 

   

Grow International Sales. In 2020, international sales represented 2% of our revenue while a significant number of Jessica Alba’s social media followers were located outside the United States. We plan to accelerate our growth outside the United States by leveraging the Honest brand and global reach of Jessica Alba. We plan to prioritize markets where consumer trends towards clean, ingredient-led products in our categories are accelerating. We have entered Canada and Europe through partnerships with leading retailers and intend to leverage our proven consumer resonance to expand our footprint across existing and new accounts. We have a meaningful opportunity to leverage Jessica Alba’s large following in Asia to tap into one of the largest addressable markets for baby and personal care products. We plan to partner with leading international retailers and third-party ecommerce platforms to allow us to efficiently expand our international reach.

 

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Our Brand

Honest is a digitally-native, mission-driven brand focused on leading the clean lifestyle movement, creating a community for conscious consumers and seeking to disrupt multiple consumer product categories. Our commitment to our core values, to passionate innovation and to engaging our community has differentiated and elevated our brand and our products. Since our launch in 2012, we have been dedicated to developing clean, sustainable, effective and thoughtfully designed products. Our brand proposition is built on four pillars:

 

 

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Clean Sustainable Effective Thoughtfully Designed

 

   

Clean. The health, safety and well-being of our consumers are our top priorities. We’re committed to providing them with high-performance products that they can feel great about using. That’s why we place such an emphasis on ingredient assessment, carefully choosing the ones we put into our products and the ones we leave out. Our NO List contains over 2,500 chemicals and materials we choose not to use, including parabens, sulfates, phthalates, formaldehyde donors and synthetic fragrances. We rely on our in-house clinical and toxicology team and third-party scientists to certify our products for potential human health risks. We never test on animals.

 

   

Sustainable. We constantly explore new ways to evolve our products and improve our use of renewable resources. We use sustainable materials and ingredients in our products as much as we can, including 100% plant-based substrate in our baby wipes, sustainably sourced fluff pulp, refillable bottles in our

 

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Clean Vibes kit and post-consumer recycled plastic and paper. Our domestic Honest.com shipments from May 2020 to October 2020 were carbon neutral, and we expect our domestic Honest.com shipments to continue to be carbon neutral through the end of 2022.

 

   

Effective. We firmly believe consumers should not have to choose between what works and what is good for them. Our clinical and toxicology teams test final products in three different areas: safety, efficacy and integrity. We have won over 100 awards for our brand and products, including the 2020 “Parents” Best for Baby Award and multiple Allure Best of Beauty awards.

 

   

Thoughtfully Designed. We design aesthetically pleasing products that our consumers are delighted to showcase in their homes and share on social media. We pride ourselves on the functional details, such as streamlined packaging, pumps with single hand ease of use and multi-use products such as a two-in-one mascara and lash primer.

Our brand promise deeply resonates with our consumer. According to a third-party study that we commissioned, a large majority of respondents stated that they would recommend our diaper products to their friends, family and others, representing a NPS of 78 among consumers who primarily shop Honest diapers. Our Diapers and Wipes, Skin and Personal Care and Household and Wellness products average 4.6/5, 4.4/5, and 4.2/5 star ratings on Amazon as of January 2021, respectively. Across categories, we have also improved our average star ratings on Amazon from 3.9 to 4.4 stars between January 2018 and March 2021.

Our Consumer

We believe that our consumers are modern, aspirational, conscious and style-forward and that they seek out high quality, effective and thoughtfully designed products. We believe that they are passionate about living a conscious life and are enthusiastic ambassadors for brands they trust. As purpose-driven consumers, they transcend any one demographic, spanning gender, age, geography, ethnicity and household income in the United States. Our consumers are often young. They are digitally inclined, mobile-centric and value the aesthetics of the products they buy. While our consumers represent many different demographics, they share a common desire to live consciously. Not only do they appreciate clean and conscious brands, they also care about environmental sustainability. We believe they increasingly seek emotional connections with brands that are unique and resonate with their values.

 

 

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Digitally Inclined Aspirational Conscious Ethnically Diverse Young

Our Products

Since inception, our purpose has anchored a passionate culture of innovation. We have a history of developing transformative products, including new products in existing product families, product line expansions and accessories, as well as products that bring us into new categories. In 2020 alone, we launched approximately 30 new products across our product categories that generated 8% of our 2020 revenue, with a renewed focus on cleaning, sanitization and wellness products developed in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. New SKUs we introduced in 2020 across our already existing products and these 30 new products generated 22% of our 2020 revenue.

Today, our three product categories are Diapers and Wipes, Skin and Personal Care and Household and Wellness, which represented 63%, 26%, and 11% of our 2020 revenue, respectively.

 

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Diapers and Wipes. Our diapers are made with sustainably harvested, totally chlorine-free fluff pulp and other plant-derived materials. Using totally chlorine-free fluff pulp (instead of chlorine bleached fluff pulp or elemental chlorine free fluff pulp) differentiates our diapers from over 90% of diapers produced by leading competitors in the marketplace by volume, including Kimberly-Clark Corporation and Procter & Gamble Company, based on market data for the 52 week period ending December 27, 2020. Our diapers serve as a strategic customer acquisition tool, as new parents often proceed to also purchase wipes and products from our Skin and Personal Care and Household and Wellness categories. According to a third-party study that we commissioned in 2020, nearly 90% of our diaper buyers surveyed have expanded their purchases beyond diapers and nearly half have purchased two or more of our non-diaper products.

 

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Diapers and Wipes* Strategic acquisition tool* Diapers made with sustainably harvested, totally chlorine free fluff pulp and plant derived materials* Wipes made with over 99% water *Seasonal print collections and special editions 63% OF 2020 REVENUE

 

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Skin and Personal Care Products. We use clean and non-toxic ingredients, including many plant-based ingredients that are ethically sourced and, most-importantly, actually work. We have an extensive line of bath, body, skincare and beauty products designed for a range of skin types and concerns that are certified by trusted experts and institutions including the National Eczema Association. Our products are formulated and toxicologist audited to perform and be safe. For example, our award-winning Extreme Length Mascara + Lash Primer lifts, lengthens and volumizes eyelashes without harmful parabens or paraffins, synthetic fragrances, silicones or mineral oil.

 

 

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Skin and Personal Care * Award-winning + effective* In-house chemists drive development, formulation and innovation with clean beauty standards* Toxicologist and third-party scientist certification * No animal testing ever and our No list contains over 2,500 chemicals and materials we choose not to use 26 % OF 2020 REVENUE Eyes, Lips, Face, Moisturizers, Cleansers, Serums, Mama Care, Shampoo + Body Wash, Conditioner, Lotion, Bubble Bath

 

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Household and Wellness. We offer clean products that are designed to be safe for the whole family without compromising efficacy. Bestsellers include alcohol wipes, hypoallergenic baby laundry detergent, plant-based hand sanitizer, prenatal vitamins and our recently launched surface disinfecting spray made without chlorine bleach or harmful chemicals. Our disinfecting spray is registered with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, or EPA, which means that it meets certain criteria set forth by the EPA which permits the product to be sold in the United States.

 

 

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Household and Wellness* Reusable, Refillable cleaner bottles save money, create less waste and have a lighter footprint* Powerful cleaning and disinfecting without harsh chemicals or Chlorine bleach 11 % OF 2020 REVENUE Cleaning, Sanitizing, Vitamins + Supplements, Period Self Care

Our Marketing Strategy

We employ a variety of dynamic marketing tactics across mediums to reach new and existing consumers. We recognize we live in a digital-first world where consumers interact differently with brands than they did in the past. We have found that our consumer is mobile-first, with approximately 80% of users on Honest.com coming from mobile devices. Accordingly, we strategically lead with digital outreach to engage our consumers directly. We employ emotional and educational brand marketing by creating “snackable” content we share through our owned channels, partnering with influencers and brand ambassadors to create authentic and unique content for their networks, and pairing it all with our proprietary data analytics to optimize marketing efficiency. In 2020, our media and advertising campaigns had the potential to reach an audience of over 11 billion, and our influencer campaigns had the potential to reach an audience of over 1 billion. Our marketing competencies deliver authentic experiences that drive awareness, engagement, purchases and loyalty.

 

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CONTENT COMMUNITY COMMERCE And thats my (less than) 10-minute face! Thanks for tuning in. @jessicaalba Extensive Digital Library Engaging the Consumer Driving Accessibility in Targeted Consumers Data-driven approach that leverages Honest omnl-Analyticst TM to generate valuable consumer insights, inform strategic decisions, optimize marketing spend and serve our consumers with relevant content.

 

   

Content Strategy Our in-house social and influencer teams allow us to have our ear to the ground to understand consumer trends and create content that consumers are seeking. In addition, our internal customer service team continuously monitors consumer reviews and in turn, provides our marketing team with insight into the educational needs of our consumers. We use data-driven insights from our team to produce highly relevant, “snackable” content across a variety of mediums. The topic of our content ranges from hacks that make diaper duty easier, to skincare routines for all ages, to tips on how to effectively sanitize your home. We leverage the invaluable data we gather through our direct connection to consumers to continuously refine our content and personalize it to each unique customer connection point. We also leverage our consumer community in our content strategy, sharing user-generated content, or UGC, on our social channels and other platforms.

 

   

Community. Our founder Jessica Alba leads a diverse network of brand ambassadors who personify the Honest lifestyle, inspiring their followers to live consciously via authentic, aspirational peer messaging. Our social media platform presence, with over 43 million followers, inclusive of Honest’s four million followers across our social media accounts and Jessica Alba’s 39 million followers across social media accounts, creates a community of consumers who want to belong to the Honest world and encourage others to join them.

 

   

Commerce. To drive sales, we leverage our robust data and our proprietary Honest Omni-Analytics to generate valuable customer insights, inform strategic decisions and optimize our marketing spend across channels. We continuously leverage the insights from our platform to adapt and adjust our marketing allocation and generate maximum return on investment.

We believe that our differentiated marketing tactics and engaging content drive efficient customer acquisition and retention, resulting in strong repeat rates and attractive customer lifetime values across channels.

Our Integrated Omnichannel Presence

We reach our consumers through a strategic omnichannel approach across complementary Digital and Retail channels to maximize consumers’ connection, experience and accessibility. Our integrated channel approach

 

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differentiates us from competitors and provides a meaningful benefit to our consumers who can shop our brand however they want, engendering further “stickiness” and loyalty.

 

   

Digital Channel. In 2020, we generated 55% of revenue through our Digital channel, which includes our flagship digital platform, Honest.com, and third-party pureplay ecommerce sites. Through Honest.com, we quickly establish a direct relationship with our consumers, to more effectively influence brand experience and better understand consumer preferences and behavior. Our website showcases the entirety of our product portfolio, offers exclusive products and services including our subscription service, houses branded content featured on product detail pages and our blog, and facilitates new product feedback via exclusive pre-launch access across all our channels. In addition to shopping our products a la carte, consumers have the option to subscribe to our popular Diapers and Wipes bundle subscription, as well as customizable single item subscriptions. In 2020, 33% of our revenue was generated from Honest.com. Additionally, we have strong relationships with Amazon and other third-party ecommerce platforms which allow us to further our brand experience, leveraging engaging assets and content featured on Honest.com. We leverage first-party data on Amazon to improve efficiency of our marketing spend and inform our growth strategy. These relationships also enable us to be chosen for important key retailer-specific programs, leading to increased awareness with a new set of consumers. We believe our Digital channel provides our consumers with the highest level of brand experience and further builds consumer loyalty.

 

   

Retail Channel. In 2020, we generated 45% of revenue through our Retail channel via strategic partnerships with leading omnichannel retailers that may sell our products through brick and mortar stores or their own websites. Our retail partnerships expand brand awareness and product accessibility, creating meaningful marketing efficiencies as we continue to scale. Additionally, these partnerships support our differentiated value proposition by making our products conveniently accessible in multiple locations where our consumer shops. We enable cross-platform shopping, with over 79% of consumers who originally came into our brand through Honest.com purchasing our products in-store, according to a third-party study commissioned on our behalf. In addition to our presence in the United States, we continue to expand our strategic retail playbook to Europe. In 2019, we launched Honest Beauty with Douglas, the #1 beauty destination in Europe, and have since launched additional categories with other leading European retailers.

 

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Digital (Honest.com and third-party ecommerce)Enables direct connection with our consumers Allows a curated brand experience Provides an understanding of our consumers preferences and behaviors Encourages brand engagement and brand loyality OMNI-CHANNEL BRAND BALANCED ACROSS DIGITAL AND RETAIL55% $300.5 million 2020 Revenue 45%International represents 2% of 2020 Revenue Retail(Including their websites)Expands brand awareness and access to our productsEnables convenience for our consumers

 

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Our Purpose-Driven Organization

The spirit of our mission has remained the same since our founding: to inspire everyone to love living consciously. We have a deep sense of purpose and infuse the ethical values of transparency, trust and sustainability in all that we do. From developing products designed to be safe, to working hand in hand with our charity partners to serve those in need, to embracing diversity and inclusion, we are on a mission to create real and meaningful impact.

 

 

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Sustainability PRODUCT Sustainably sourced fluff pulp Renewable superabsorbent polymer (SAP) Refillable bottles in our Clean Vibes kit USDA Bio Preferred personal care PACKAGING 100% PCR corrugate Using PCR primary packaging where possible Using sustainably harvested paper SUPPLY CHAIN Minimal packing materials Expect domestic Honest.com shipments to be carbon neutral during the first quarter of 2021

 

   

Environmental Sustainability. Our commitment to environmental sustainability shows up through our product development and packaging processes and in all parts of our business on a daily basis.

 

   

We help Mother Earth by saving trees. 100% of the fluff pulp in our diapers comes from sustainably managed forests. By 2022, we expect that our Honest Beauty cartons will be tree-free paperboard made from agricultural waste like sugar cane stalks. Additionally, we have moved all of our Honest.com shipping cartons to 100% pre-consumer or post-consumer recycled, or PCR, cardboard, and our domestic Honest.com shipments from May 2020 to October 2020 were carbon neutral. We expect our domestic Honest.com shipments to continue to be carbon neutral through the end of 2022.

 

   

We keep plastic out of landfills (and oceans). 100% of our plastic baby personal care and household cleaning bottles are recyclable and we are regularly looking to increase the amount of post-consumer resin plastic in our components. We are eliminating plastic in many of our Honest Beauty products by moving to aluminum tubes, refillable tin compacts and glass jars.

 

   

We opt for natural over synthetic whenever possible. The backsheets of our diapers and the substrate of our baby wipes are 100% plant-based. We expect our Baby Personal Care and Mama Care formulas will be USDA BioPreferred by the end of 2021 (85% of these formulas are already USDA BioPreferred). The alcohol used in our alcohol wipes, hand sanitizer gel and hand sanitizer spray is 100% plant-derived and our fragrances are all 100% natural, never synthetic.

 

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We are always looking to design our products with sustainability in mind. We have ongoing partnerships with external experts on sustainability, ensuring we are constantly learning about best new sustainability practices and implementing them into new innovation.

 

 

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Social Impact BABY 2 BABY With our founding purpose partner, we've donated over 20 million Honest products to help families in need with childcare necessities nationwide, including:19.5 Million diapers 2.6 Million beauty, personal care, cleaning & more MARCH OF DIMES We've donated $100,000 to fund research, advocacy and service programs addressing maternal and infant mortality with critical healthcare and support for over 6 million mamas

 

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Social Impact. We work closely with our charity partners, including Baby2Baby, to provide children and families around the world with the basic essentials and resources they need to live healthy lives. Since inception, we have donated approximately 25 million products to those in need and our compassionate team has volunteered over 18,500 hours giving back to our communities and providing disaster relief.

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Diversity and InclusionHonest University is an award-winning professional development program available to employees at every level of our organization.Our Employee Resource Groups offer a safe forum to uplift and develop employee-led initiatives addressing issues that matter most to them. 49% of workforce are people of color ~68%*OF WORKFORCE ARE WOMEN~53%*OF LEADERSHIP(DIRECTOR LEVEL AND ABOVE)ARE WOMEN*as of December 31,2020

 

   

Diversity and Inclusion. As a company founded by a woman of color, we have always been passionate about ensuring a diverse and inclusive workforce that reflects our consumers and the communities we serve. We are proud to say that as of December 31, 2020, people of color represented nearly half of our workforce and women represented 68% and 53% of our workforce and leadership, which includes director level and above, respectively. We believe the firm commitment to our values will continue to drive our success going forward and that employee engagement is an integral component. We have a strong commitment to the ongoing training and development of our employees through our Honest University program that provides continued growth for employees across topics such as leadership, technical skills, resiliency and many others. Additionally, we currently have three Employee Resource Groups: Women Excelling in Leadership and Living, or WELL, Parents & Friends, and Black Leadership, Allies & Community, or BLAC. WELL supports the personal and professional development of women at Honest. Parents & Friends provides a valuable network of parenting resources and information. BLAC was recently launched with the goal of lifting, engaging and empowering Black voices within The Honest Company and across the community. We have made a commitment to provide training and a platform for important dialogue about diversity, inclusion and equity.

Product Development and Innovation

The Honest Company was born from a simple purpose and intention: to create safe, sustainable, effective and thoughtfully designed products for consumers’ individual, everyday needs. With our in-house research and

 

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development laboratories and the Honest Standard, our set of guiding principles on ingredient safety and human health, we strive to make that intention a reality. The pillars below represent our overarching product philosophy.

 

   

Consumer Health, Safety and Well-Being Are Our Top Priorities. We err on the side of caution when it comes to ingredient selection and are thoughtful and diligent in avoiding chemicals of concern.

 

   

Breakthrough Clean Formulas Without Compromise. We believe consumers should not have to choose between what works and what is good for them. We make breakthrough formulas designed and tested to perform with chemicals that meet our stringent safety standards.

 

   

Exploring and Evolving Our Use of Renewable Resources. Choosing between what’s good for you and the planet doesn’t have to be a compromise. We’re focused on ingredient and material innovations that prioritize plant-based formulas, sustainable consumption and a lighter environmental footprint.

 

   

Knowledge is Power. We believe consumers have a right to know what is in their products and why, regardless of what regulations require. We are committed to providing access to information and education that allows consumers to make the best choices for themselves and their families.

The Honest Standard defines the way we develop, test and create the formulas for our products. It will continue to evolve because our job of making better products is never done and we will always raise the bar for ourselves.

 

   

Ingredient and Material Assessment. We emphasize ingredient assessment and carefully choose the ingredients we put into our products and the ones to leave out. We created our NO List, a list of over 2,500 chemicals and materials we choose not to use in our products, regardless of regulations. The NO List is an evolving and ever changing list as new studies emerge. Each and every ingredient we use in our products is carefully and thoughtfully selected for the benefit it provides and is evaluated for its safety and efficacy in use. In this process, we take into account the following:

 

   

Susceptibility. Some people are more susceptible than others, especially babies, who can be more sensitive to chemicals than adults.

 

   

Exposure. The “how” and “how much” is a critical part of determining ingredient safety.

 

   

Final formulation. The combination of chemicals matters a lot. Sometimes an ingredient that is caustic by itself may be neutralized by other ingredients. On the flip side, some ingredients can be safe when used alone, but might be dangerous when combined with other ingredients.

There are three essential steps we follow to evaluate the safety and efficacy of our ingredients.

 

   

Research. We review epidemiological and experimental studies to examine things like potential dermal toxicity, inhalation toxicity and more. We survey international regulatory and expert opinion restriction lists. Additionally, we incorporate restriction criteria related to carcinogenicity, endocrine disruption, genotoxicity, bioaccumulation, environmental persistence, sensitization, and developmental, reproductive and systemic effects for ingredients.

 

   

Assessment. During this phase of the process, we investigate ingredients of potential concern, examine the relationship between dose and effect, and assess what the anticipated exposure would be if used in a product. We pull it all together to characterize the risks associated with the ingredients’ potential function in our products.

 

   

Risk Management. We look at all the data we’ve compiled to determine which ingredients make the cut for our formulations. We carefully determine ingredients and their concentrations based on exposure scenarios, material source and safety data to provide you with a product that meets our safety standards.

 

   

Testing and Validation. Our clinical and toxicology teams test final products in three different areas: safety, efficacy and integrity.

 

   

Safety. Depending on the product, we will conduct safety testing, gentleness testing and toxicological risk assessment, all based on the products and their intended use.

 

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Efficacy. Our team of clinical specialists and chemists test efficacy through a variety of methods, such as clinical testing, consumer testing and instrumentation testing. We never test on animals.

 

   

Integrity. Our chemists rigorously test our products at different stages in their lifecycle to ensure they remain high-performing without sacrificing stability. We also work with third-party laboratories to confirm that the preservatives we use will continue to protect the products we develop from microbes encountered in everyday use.

 

   

Production. Just as we take great care in the ingredient assessment, formulation and validation process, we look to manufacturing partners who share our commitment to quality. We require that our partners follow Current Good Manufacturing Practices, or cGMPs, for the product being made. These manufacturing practices include:

 

   

Building to laboratory controls;

 

   

Controlled documentation and record keeping;

 

   

Cleaning and safety protocols for the production process; and

 

   

Reviewing product quality complaints.

 

   

Packaging. We are thoughtful about the composition of the materials of our packaging, and continue to focus on improving our use of recycled content and recyclable materials. We will not use certain materials that do not meet our Honest Standard due to their environmental or human health impacts. When weighing one material or design against another, we consider many impacts, ranging from safety to recyclability.

 

   

Label Transparency. Label transparency is a cornerstone of our philosophy for empowering consumers to make the right choices for themselves and their family. We strive to adhere to the below guiding principles around label transparency:

 

   

Clear and Consistent Labeling. We list our ingredients, using internationally accepted nomenclature, even when it is not required by law.

 

   

Never Disguising Ingredients with the Word “Fragrance.” Scents are an important part of our product experience, but we tell you what is inside. The word “fragrance” is often used as a label under which ingredients are hidden, and you deserve to know what goes into your products. We use essential oils and naturally derived ingredients instead.

 

   

Transparent on What the Product is Made Without. We provide a relevant, specific set of ingredients that we choose to leave out, directly on the product label. It’s just another way for us to be Honest.

 

   

Ongoing Evaluation. The Honest Standard isn’t merely a set of practices that fulfills our aspirational principles, it is a reflection of how we are doing business today and our vision for the future. We will always continue to learn, innovate and evolve.

Supply Chain and Operations

We manage a global supply chain of highly qualified, third-party manufacturing and logistics partners to produce and distribute our products. We look to manufacturing partners who share our commitment to quality, cGMPs, sustainability, and design. We conduct quality audits of our third-party manufacturing partners and require that they follow our high standards of controlled documentation, cleaning and safety protocols, and laboratory controls. Our third-party manufacturing partners are located in various locations including the United States, Mexico and China.

Our supply chain team manages these relationships and processes and, with the support of our innovation team, they also research materials and equipment, approve and manage purchasing plans, and oversee product fulfillment. The strength of our relationships with our manufacturing partners is evidenced by our response to supply chain disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite product and materials shortages in our core

 

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markets, we were able to mitigate disruptions and build up sufficient inventory to minimize impact to our consumers when many companies struggled to meet demand.

The primary raw materials and components of our products include sustainably harvested fluff pulp, plant-based substrate in our baby wipes, and other naturally-derived materials. Just as important as what goes into our products, we actively work with suppliers to avoid materials that don’t meet our standards but are commonly used by mainstream players including elemental chlorine-free pulp, parabens, paraffins, synthetic fragrances, and mineral oil.

Our distribution network includes four warehouses in Nevada, California, Pennsylvania and the Netherlands with retail and DTC fulfillment capabilities and value-added services operated by GEODIS Logistics LLC, or GEODIS. The warehouse in Las Vegas is a state-of-the-art facility leased by Honest with a focus on automated large scale direct-to-consumer fulfillment. We manage inventory by forecasting demand, analyzing product sell-through, and analyzing our supply chain to ensure sufficient capacity to support demand.

Sustainability is a key component of our supply chain and distribution. We have transitioned to 100% PCR cardboard shipping cartons for our Honest.com shipments and our domestic Honest.com shipments from May 2020 to October 2020 were carbon neutral. We expect our domestic Honest.com shipments to continue to be carbon neutral through the end of 2022. In addition, we are working with our manufacturers to receive shipments made from PCR cardboard.

Competition

The markets in which we operate are highly competitive and rapidly evolving, with many new brands and product offerings emerging in the marketplace. We face significant competition from both established, well-known legacy CPG players and emerging direct-to-consumer brands.

 

   

Diapers and Wipes. Select competitors include Kimberly-Clark Corporation (maker of Huggies), Procter & Gamble Company (maker of Pampers, Pampers Pure and Luvs), WaterWipes UC and private label brands.

 

   

Skin and Personal Care. Select competitors include Johnson & Johnson Consumer Inc. (maker of Johnson’s Baby and Aveeno), The Clorox Company (parent company of Burt’s Bees, Inc.), Unilever PLC (maker of Shea Moisture), LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton (maker of Benefit Cosmetics LLC), Estée Lauder Inc., L’Oréal S.A. and Pacifica Beauty LLC.

 

   

Household and Wellness. Select competitors include The Clorox Company, Reckitt Benckiser Group plc (maker of Lysol) and Unilever PLC (maker of Seventh Generation products).

We compete based on various product attributes including clean formulation, sustainability, effectiveness and design, as well as our ability to establish direct relationships with our consumers through digital channels. We believe that we compete favorably across these factors taken as a whole.

Technology

Since our inception, we have been a leader in digital disruption in the traditional CPG industry. Our technology infrastructure is thoughtfully designed to support our consumer’s experience while simultaneously seeking to maximize the efficiency and efficacy of our operations, from procurement through customer relationship management. Our enterprise integration platform is the bedrock of Honest technology integrations. The custom-architected platform enables the Technology team to optimize and integrate new enterprise systems with world-class speed and reliability. This platform enables us to support rapid business expansion and allows for efficient and automated processes throughout the organization.

 

   

Honest Omni-Analytics. Our data science powerhouse, Honest Omni- Analytics, is at the core of our cross-functional marketing, innovation and content creation operations and is designed to help leverage consumer insights across sales channels and product categories. This tool utilizes data points from customer transactions and interactions that we collect across our DTC and Retail channels, as

 

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well as our Baby and Beauty brands. Our experienced team utilizes modern, scalable Software as a Service, or SaaS, based data warehousing, transformation and reporting technologies, to enable us to quickly, efficiently and securely integrate new data sources and provide conception-to-report turnaround in weeks, instead of months. We use these data points to inform our marketing spend and content creation strategy, as well as our product development, assortment, and distribution strategies. We additionally leverage third-party artificial intelligence, or AI, solutions to inform our marketing campaigns, forecast predictions, product recommendations and cross-selling opportunities.

 

   

Flagship Digital Platform Honest.com Experience. Our flagship digital platform, Honest.com, is one of the most differentiated and effective features of our brand. Honest.com serves as a premiere destination for our consumers to not only purchase our products, but also immerse themselves in our brand experience. Honest.com is purposely built to bring to life our brand ethos, educate our consumers on our products, engage our community in lifestyle-related content and deliver an intuitive shopping experience that separates us from our competitors. Utilizing our in-house application development team, we are able to rapidly iterate and integrate new technology to support a flagship shopping experience for our consumers including subscription commerce, AI-driven shopping recommendations and a modern customer checkout experience. We believe this ultimately leads to greater conversion rates, increased average order value and more products purchased across categories. In 2020, our conversion rate was up 34% compared to 2019.

 

   

Customer Service and Relationship Management. We utilize an internally created customer service organization that focuses on building deep, personal relationships with each individual consumer. Our internal organization delivers targeted information and marketing material, based on consumer’ demographics and segmentation. Our business process management tool utilizes automation to maintain our focus on providing an outstanding customer experience.

 

   

Order Fulfillment Integrity. At Honest, we use a proprietary transactional tracking and reconciliation system to detect, correct and recover from systemic communication errors during the fulfillment lifecycle, which helps prevent lost or stuck orders.

 

   

Security. We value our consumers and do everything we can to maintain their confidence and trust when shopping for Honest.com products through a comprehensive security program. We leverage cybersecurity tools to protect, monitor, anonymize and secure our customer’s data from external threats. As an added layer of defense, we also have systems in place that monitor and control internal use of consumer data and restrict unauthorized sharing or retention.

 

   

Process Improvement. As a company, we pride ourselves on our willingness to embrace change for the benefit of our consumers. We do this by taking a consumer first approach and challenging our teams to find better ways to optimize and improve each action that contributes to the products and services we offer. This includes reviewing processes, systems, methodologies and organizational structure through cross functional efforts. We leverage our technology to record, plan, approve, execute and review initiatives and discover lessons learned.

We plan to continue developing our technological capabilities to further our focus on being a leading digitally native CPG brand, combining our future-oriented eye for consumer preferences and behaviors and our data driven approach to enable continuous innovation and optimization.

Trademarks and Other Intellectual Property

We protect our intellectual property through a combination of trademarks, domain names, copyrights, trade secrets and patents, as well as contractual provisions and restrictions on access to our proprietary technology. Our principal trademark assets include the trademarks “Honest” and “The Honest Co.,” which are registered in the United States and targeted foreign jurisdictions, our logos and taglines, and multiple product brand names. We have applied to register or registered many of our trademarks in the United States and other jurisdictions, and we will pursue additional trademark registrations to the extent we believe they would be beneficial and cost-effective.

 

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We have one patent issued and one patent application pending in the United States and one pending international Patent Cooperation Treaty application. Our issued patent will expire in April 2037. We intend to pursue additional patent protection to the extent we believe it would be beneficial and cost-effective.

We are the registered holder of multiple domestic and international domain names that include “honest” and similar variations. We also hold domain registrations for many of our product names and other related trade names and slogans. In addition to the protection provided by our intellectual property rights, we enter into confidentiality and proprietary rights agreements with our employees, consultants, contractors and business partners. Our employees are also subject to invention assignment agreements. We further control the use of our proprietary technology and intellectual property through provisions in both our customer terms of use on our website and the terms and conditions governing our agreements with other third parties.

Facilities

We lease our corporate headquarters located at 12130 Millennium Drive #500, Los Angeles, California, in a LEED certified building where we occupy approximately 46,518 square feet of office space pursuant to a lease that expires in February 2027. This lease provides us with an option to extend it for up to two consecutive periods of five years each. We also lease a warehouse and distribution facility located in Las Vegas, Nevada where we occupy approximately 570,810 square feet pursuant to a lease that expires in December 2027, with an option to extend this lease for up to two consecutive periods of five years each. Our Las Vegas, Nevada facility is operated by our distribution partner GEODIS. GEODIS also operates three other warehouse and distribution facilities on our behalf located in Fontana, California, Breinigsville, Pennsylvania and the Netherlands. In total, we have over one million square feet of facility space that can be leveraged to fulfill DTC and retail orders. We believe that our current facilities are suitable and adequate to meet our current needs.

Government Regulation

Our cosmetic, over-the-counter drugs, food (infant formula and vitamins/dietary supplements), cleaning products and medical device products are subject to regulation by the Food and Drug Administration, or the FDA. Substantially all of our products are subject to regulation by the Consumer Product Safety Commission, or the CPSC, the EPA, and the Federal Trade Commission, or the FTC, as well as various other federal, state, local and foreign regulatory authorities. These laws and regulations principally relate to the ingredients or components, proper labeling, advertising, packaging, marketing, manufacture, registration, safety, shipment and disposal of our products.

Under the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act, or the FDCA, cosmetics are defined as articles or components of articles that are applied to the human body and intended to cleanse, beautify or alter its appearance, with the exception of soap. The labeling of cosmetic products is also subject to the requirements of the FDCA, the Fair Packaging and Labeling Act, the Poison Prevention Packaging Act and other FDA regulations. Cosmetics are not subject to pre-market approval by the FDA, however certain ingredients, such as color additives, must be pre-authorized. If safety of the products or ingredients has not been adequately substantiated, a specific warning label is required. Other warnings may also be mandated pursuant to FDA regulations. The FDA monitors compliance of cosmetic products through market surveillance and inspection of cosmetic manufacturers and distributors to ensure that the products neither contain false nor misleading labeling and that they are not manufactured under unsanitary conditions. Inspections also may arise from consumer or competitor complaints filed with the FDA. In the event the FDA identifies false or misleading labeling or unsanitary conditions or otherwise a failure to comply with FDA requirements, we may be required by a regulatory authority or we may independently decide to conduct a recall or market withdrawal of our product or to make changes to our manufacturing processes or product formulations or labels.

If a product is intended for use in the diagnosis, cure, mitigation, treatment or prevention of a disease condition or to affect the structure or function of the human body, the FDA will regulate the product as a drug. Our current products that are intended to treat acne and used as sunscreen, including skin care products with sun

 

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protection factor, or SPF, are considered over-the-counter, or OTC, drug products by the FDA. Our OTC products are subject to regulation through the FDA’s “monograph” system which specifies, among other things, permitted active drug ingredients and their concentrations. The FDA’s monograph system also provides the permissible product claims and certain product labeling requirements, based on the intended use of the product. Our OTC drug products must be manufactured consistent with the FDA’s current drug good manufacturing practices requirements, and the failure to maintain compliance with these requirements could require us to conduct recalls, market withdrawal, or make changes to our manufacturing practices.

Our tampon and feminine pad products are regulated as medical devices by FDA and must be manufactured by an establishment registered with FDA and in conformity with applicable regulatory clearances and quality system regulations.

The FDA may change the regulations as to any product category, requiring a change in labeling, product formulation or analytical testing.

We are subject to regulation by the CPSC under the Consumer Product Safety Act, the Flammable Fabrics Act, the Poison Prevention Packaging Act, the Federal Hazardous Substances Act, and other laws enforced by the CPSC. These statutes and the related regulations establish safety standards and bans for consumer products. The CPSC monitors compliance of consumer products under its jurisdiction through market surveillance and has the authority to conduct product safety related inspections of establishments where consumer products are manufactured, held, or transported. The CPSC has the authority to require the recall of noncompliant products or products containing a defect that creates a substantial risk of injury to the public. The CPSC may seek penalties for regulatory noncompliance under certain circumstances. CPSC regulations also require manufacturers of consumer products to report to the CPSC certain types of information regarding products that fail to comply with applicable regulations, that contain a defect which could create a substantial product hazard, or that create an unreasonable risk of serious injury or death. Certain state laws also address the safety of consumer products and mandate reporting requirements, and noncompliance may result in penalties or other regulatory action.

Certain of our products are also subject to regulation by the EPA, under the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act, or FIFRA. FIFRA establishes a system of pesticide, including disinfectant product, regulation to protect applicators, consumers and the environments. Under FIFRA, certain of our cleaning products, including the disinfectant products, may require approval from and registration with the EPA prior to sale. Products subject to FIFRA must comply with specified approval, registration, manufacture, labeling, and reporting requirements, among other requirements. EPA is authorized to take enforcement action to prevent the sale or distribution of no-compliant disinfectant products, including to prevent the sale or distribution of unregistered disinfectants and to prevent the sale or distribution of registered pesticides that are not permitted to make claims permitted by the terms of their registration, among other areas of non-compliance. The EPA may seek penalties for regulatory noncompliance under certain circumstances. Manufacturers subject to FIFRA may also be required to report certain types of information regarding disinfectant products to EPA. Certain state laws may also address requirements applicable to cleaning products, and non-compliance may result in penalties or other regulatory action.

The USDA enforces federal standards for organic production and use of the term “organic” on product labeling. These laws prohibit a company from selling or labeling products as organic unless they are produced and handled in accordance with the applicable federal law.

The FTC, FDA, USDA, EPA, and other government authorities also regulate advertising and product claims regarding the characteristics, quality, safety, performance and benefits of our products. These regulatory authorities typically require a safety assessment of the product and reasonable basis to support any factual marketing claims. What constitutes a reasonable basis for substantiation can vary widely from market to market, and there is no assurance that our efforts to support our claims will be considered sufficient. The most significant area of risk for such activities relates to improper or unsubstantiated claims about the composition, use, efficacy and safety of our products and their environmental impacts. If we cannot adequately support safety or

 

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substantiate our product claims, or if our promotional materials make claims that exceed the scope of allowed claims for the classification of the specific product, the FDA, FTC or other regulatory authority could take enforcement action, impose penalties, require us to pay monetary consumer redress, require us to revise our marketing materials or stop selling certain products and require us to accept burdensome injunctions, all of which could harm our business, reputation, financial condition and results of operations.

In addition, the FTC regulates the use of endorsements and testimonials in advertising as well as relationships between advertisers and social media influencers pursuant to principles described in the FTC’s Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising, or the Endorsement Guides. The Endorsement Guides provide that an endorsement must reflect the honest opinion of the endorser and cannot be used to make a claim about a product that the product’s marketer couldn’t itself legally make. They also say that if there is a connection between an endorser and the marketer that consumers would not expect and it would affect how consumers evaluate the endorsement, that connection should be disclosed. Another principle in the Endorsement Guides applies to ads that feature endorsements from people who achieved exceptional, or even above average, results from using a product. If the advertiser doesn’t have proof that the endorser’s experience represents what people will generally achieve using the product as described in the ad, then an ad featuring that endorser must make clear to the audience what results they can generally expect to achieve and the advertiser must have a reasonable basis for its representations regarding those generally expected results. Although the Endorsement Guides are advisory in nature and do not operate directly with the force of law, they provide guidance about what the FTC staff generally believes the Federal Trade Commission Act, or FTC Act, requires in the context using of endorsements and testimonials in advertising and any practices inconsistent with the Endorsement Guides can result in violations of the FTC Act’s proscription against unfair and deceptive practices.

To the extent we may rely on endorsements or testimonials, we will review any relevant relationships for compliance with the Endorsement Guides and we will otherwise endeavor to follow the FTC Act and other legal standards applicable to our advertising. However, if our advertising claims or claims made by our social media influencers or by other endorsers with whom we have a material connection do not comply with the Endorsement Guides or any requirement of the FTC Act or similar state requirements, the FTC and state consumer protection authorities could subject us to investigations and enforcement actions, impose penalties, require us to pay monetary consumer redress, require us to revise our marketing materials and require us to accept burdensome injunctions, all of which could harm our business, reputation, financial condition and results of operations.

We are also subject to a number of U.S. federal and state and foreign laws and regulations that affect companies conducting business on the Internet, including consumer protection regulations that regulate retailers and govern the promotion and sale of merchandise. Many of these laws and regulations are still evolving and being tested in courts, and could be interpreted in ways that could harm our business. These may involve user privacy, data protection, content, intellectual property, distribution, electronic contracts and other communications, competition, protection of minors, consumer protection, telecommunications, product liability, taxation, economic or other trade prohibitions or sanctions and online payment services. In particular, we are subject to federal, state, local and international laws regarding privacy and protection of people’s data. Foreign data protection, privacy and other laws and regulations can be more restrictive than those in the United States. U.S. federal and state and foreign laws and regulations are constantly evolving and can be subject to significant change. In addition, the application, interpretation and enforcement of these laws and regulations are often uncertain, and may be interpreted and applied inconsistently from country to country and inconsistently with our current policies and practices. In the European Union, the General Data Protection Regulation, or GDPR, has stringent operational requirements relating to the processing of personal data, including, for example, expanded disclosures about how personal information is to be used, limitations on retention of information, increased requirements to erase an individual’s information upon request, mandatory data breach notification requirements and higher standards for data controllers to demonstrate that they have obtained valid consent for certain data processing activities. The GDPR also significantly increases penalties for non-compliance. The California Consumer Privacy Act, or CCPA requires companies that process information on California residents to make new disclosures to consumers about their data collection, use and sharing practices, and allows consumers to opt out of the sale of personal information with third parties and provides a private right of action and statutory

 

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damages for data breaches. In addition, California voters recently approved the California Privacy Rights Act of 2020, or CPRA, that goes into effect on January 1, 2023. The CPRA would, among other things, give California residents the ability to limit the use of their sensitive information, provide for penalties for CPRA violations concerning California residents under the age of 16, and establish a new California Privacy Protection Agency to implement and enforce the law. There are also a number of legislative proposals pending before the U.S. Congress, various state legislative bodies and foreign governments concerning privacy and data protection which could affect us. Some observers have noted that the CCPA could mark the beginning of a trend toward more stringent privacy legislation in the United States, which could increase our potential liability and adversely affect our business, results of operations, and financial condition. If our privacy or data security measures fail to comply with applicable current or future laws and regulations, we may be subject to litigation, regulatory investigations, enforcement notices requiring us to change the way we use personal data or our marketing practices, fines or other liabilities, as well as negative publicity and a potential loss of business.

Employees and Human Capital Resources

We have a human capital planning process that strategically aligns our business needs with the goal of ensuring that we have the capability and capacity that we need. As of December 31, 2020, we had a total of 191 full-time employees, as well as a limited number of temporary employees and consultants. In building our high-performing teams, we have invested in leadership, marketing, digital and technology capabilities. Embedded in the Honest culture are core values that honor diversity and inclusion, which allow us to attract and retain valuable talent. Honest offers a competitive compensation and benefits program, and our award-winning learning and development platform, Honest University, delivers opportunities for all employees to grow and develop personally, professionally and financially. Our corporate social responsibility efforts provide opportunities for employees to give back to communities in need through volunteerism, donation matching and paid volunteer time off. We foster an environment of community and support within our organization through our Employee Resource Groups, which offer a safe forum to uplift and develop employee-led initiatives that address issues that matter most to them. As a health and wellness brand, we ensure our employees have competitive benefits and access to a range of wellness offerings to empower them to live healthy, happy lives. We maintain a strong relationship with our employees and have never experienced a labor-related work stoppage.

Legal Proceedings

We are subject to various legal proceedings and claims that arise in the ordinary course of our business. Although the outcome of these and other claims cannot be predicted with certainty, we do not believe the ultimate resolution of the current matters will have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations or prospects.

 

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MANAGEMENT

The following table sets forth information for our executive officers and directors as of April 26, 2021:

 

Name

  

Age

  

Position

Executive Officers:

     

Nikolaos Vlahos

  

53

   Chief Executive Officer and Director

Jessica Alba

   39    Chief Creative Officer and Chair of the Board of Directors†

Donald Frey

  

61

   Chief Innovation Officer

Janis Hoyt

   64    Chief People Officer

Kelly Kennedy

   52    Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer

Glenn Klages

   63    Executive Vice President, Supply Chain

Jasmin Manner

  

53

   Chief Commercial Officer

Sharareh Parvaneh

   52    Chief Information Officer

Rick Rexing

   62    Chief Revenue Officer

Brendan Sheehey

   43    General Counsel

Non-Employee Directors:                             

     

Katie Bayne

   54    Director

Scott Dahnke

   55    Director

Susan Gentile

   54    Director Nominee*

Eric Liaw

   43    Director

Jeremy Liew

   49    Director

Avik Pramanik

   36    Director

James White

   60    Chair-elect of the Board of Directors*†

 

Effective upon Mr. White’s appointment to our board of directors, Mr. White will succeed Ms. Alba as Chair of our board of directors.

*

To be appointed to our board of directors effective upon the effectiveness of the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part.

Executive Officers

Nikolaos Vlahos has served as our Chief Executive Officer and as a member of our board of directors since March 2017. Prior to joining us, from September 2014 to March 2017, Mr. Vlahos served as Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer – Household, Lifestyle and Core Global Functions of The Clorox Company, a global manufacturer of consumer products, where he was responsible for the Charcoal, Glad, Cat Litter, Food, Brita and Burt’s Bees business operating units as well as the company’s Marketing, Sales, Product Supply and Research and Development functions. Mr. Vlahos initially joined The Clorox Company in 1995 as a Chicago regional sales manager and held numerous roles within The Clorox Company’s sales and marketing organization before serving as Vice President – General Manager, Burt’s Bees from April 2011 to February 2013 and Vice President – General Manager, Laundry, Brita and Green Works from March 2009 to February 2011. Before joining The Clorox Company, Mr. Vlahos worked at Helene Curtis where he assisted in the development of brands such as Degree and Suave. Mr. Vlahos holds a B.A. degree in telecommunications from Indiana University. We believe that Mr. Vlahos is qualified to serve on our board of directors due to his knowledge of our Company gained from his position as Chief Executive Officer, as well as his over 30 years of experience in the consumer packaged goods industry.

Jessica Alba is one of our founders and has served as our Chief Creative Officer since our incorporation in July 2011 and as Chair of our board of directors since May 2018. Ms. Alba is a globally recognized and influential Mexican-American business leader, entrepreneur, advocate, actress, and New York Times bestselling author. Ms. Alba serves on the board of directors of Baby2Baby, a charitable organization that provides diapers, clothes and other basic necessities to children living in poverty. We believe that Ms. Alba is qualified to serve on our board of directors due to her knowledge and insights in founding and developing our company in addition to her industry experience and knowledge.

 

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Donald Frey has served as our Chief Innovation Officer since June 2017. Prior to joining us, from June 2016 to June 2017, Mr. Frey served as Vice President WW Research and Development at JAFRA Cosmetics International, Inc. where he oversaw research and development for Skin Care, Color Cosmetics, Fine Fragrances and Personal Care Products. Prior to joining JAFRA, Mr. Frey served as Principal Consultant at Don Frey Consulting from April 2013 to June 2016, where he advised companies on new product development and CPG industries in Brazil, and as Vice President Product Development at Method Products Inc. from January 2008 to April 2013, where he developed sustainable cleaning and personal care products and packages. Prior to that, Mr. Frey served as Vice President Research and Development at Avon Products, Inc. from January 1999 to May 2006, Vice President Research and Development at JAFRA Cosmetics International, Inc. from September 1994 to September 1998 and in several product development roles at Procter & Gamble from March 1986 to September 1994. Mr. Frey holds a B.S. in Chemical Engineering from Rice University.

Janis Hoyt has served as our Chief People Officer since May 2017. Prior to joining us, Ms. Hoyt served as Vice President of Human Resources, or HR, at Blue Shield of California and was responsible for driving people strategies, talent acquisition, HR business partners and leadership roles in merger and acquisition projects. Prior to joining Blue Shield of California, from July 2008 to June 2013, Ms. Hoyt served as HR Director at The Clorox Company. She held senior HR leadership roles supporting the sales, technology and legal departments. She also held the role of HR Director for The Clorox Company in Latin America and Europe, driving international people initiatives. Prior to that, Ms. Hoyt served as Sr. HR Business Partner at Aetna from May 1997 to June 2008 and Regional HR Manager at Macy’s West from May 1994 to May 1997. Ms. Hoyt is a certified executive coach through the Institute of Professional Excellence in Coaching (IPEC). Ms. Hoyt is the CEO and founder of the Native American Bear Foundation, a private 501(c)(3) organization whose mission is to inspire and assist Native American students pursuing higher educational opportunities. Ms. Hoyt holds a B.A. in Sociology from University of California, Berkeley, an M.A. in Human Resources and Organizational Development from the University of San Francisco, and a Certificate of Management Excellence from the Harvard Business School Executive Education program.

Kelly Kennedy has served as our Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer since January 2021. Prior to joining us, from September 2018 to January 2021, Ms. Kennedy served as Chief Financial Officer of Bartell Drugs, a family-owned pharmacy chain. Ms. Kennedy has served on the board of directors of Vital Farms Inc. since December 2019 and FirstFruits Farms LLC since December 2019. Prior to that, Ms. Kennedy served on the board of directors of Sur La Table, Inc. from September 2018 to November 2020 and served as the Chief Financial Officer of Sur La Table, Inc. from June 2015 to September 2018, as the Chief Financial Officer of See’s Candies from January 2014 to June 2015 and as the Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer of Annie’s Inc. from August 2011 to November 2013. Ms. Kennedy has also served in various roles at Revolution Foods, Inc., Established Brands, Inc., Serena & Lily Inc., Forklift Brands, Inc., Elephant Pharm, Inc., Williams-Sonoma, Inc. and Dreyer’s Grand Ice Cream Holdings, Inc. Ms. Kennedy received her M.B.A. from Harvard Business School and her B.A. in Economics from Middlebury College.

Glenn Klages has served as our Executive Vice President, Supply Chain since April 2018. Prior to joining us, from January 2014 to March 2018, Mr. Klages served as Chief Operations Officer at Arbonne International LLC, where he led the operations team on matters related to demand planning, procurement, and logistics. From March 2010 to December 2013, Mr. Klages served as Senior Vice President Supply Chain at Philosophy, Inc., where he developed strategy and oversaw execution for the supply chain team. Prior to his time at Philosophy, Mr. Klages served as SVP Supply Chain Operations at Carter’s, Inc. from June 2002 to November 2004 and Vice President Supply Chain Operations at Bath & Body Works, LLC from September 1996 to June 2002. Mr. Klages holds a B.A. in Business Administration from Lycoming College and an M.B.A. from Fairleigh Dickinson University-Florham Campus.

Jasmin Manner has served as our Chief Commercial Officer since August 2019. Prior to joining us, from December 2016 to June 2019, Ms. Manner served as General Manager and Chief Marketing Officer at High Ridge Brands, where she led three strategic business units, Hair Care, Skin Cleansing and Oral Care. Prior to

 

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joining High Ridge Brands, Ms. Manner served as Senior Vice President of Marketing and Innovation at Diageo from September 2015 to November 2016, where she led the Marketing and Commercial strategies of Diageo’s reserve, Premium and Emerging portfolios for some 44 markets across Latin America and the Caribbean. She held numerous roles at Henkel from 1998 to 2014, including most recently as Senior Vice President and General Manager – Personal Care North America. Ms. Manner earned her BSc. from the Berufsakademie Mannheim in her native Germany. She also holds a graduate degree Dipl.-Kauffrau from Eberhard-Karls-Universität Tübingen, Germany, and an M.B.A. from Université de Nice-Sophia Antipolis, France.

Sharareh Parvaneh has served as our Chief Information Officer since January 2019. Prior to joining us, from October 2017 to December 2018, Ms. Parvaneh served as Chief Information Officer at SC Fuels, where she was responsible for the strategic management and direction of the company’s Information Technology, IT, resources and network infrastructure, focusing on network security, talent management, and digital transformation. Prior to joining SC Fuels, Ms. Parvaneh served as Global Strategy Leader at Multi-Fineline Electronix, Inc. (a DSBJ Company) from May 2017 to September 2017, where she oversaw mergers and acquisition efforts with focus on IT systems, integration and consolidation, and as Chief Information Officer at The Alpert Group, LLC from 2013 to 2016, where she was responsible for corporate IT across multiple subsidiaries, including IT Strategy, enterprise applications, DevOps, infrastructure, operations, IT risk management and compliance. Prior to that, Ms. Parvaneh served as Chief Information Officer at RED Digital Cinema from 2009 to 2013, Director and VP of Information Technology at Volt Information Services from 2006 to 2009, Information Technology Manager at Multi-Fineline Electronix, Inc. from 2001 to 2006 and Lead Business Analyst at IBM from 1998 to 2001. Ms. Parvaneh holds a B.S.C. in Applied Sciences from Western Sydney University.

Rick Rexing has served as our Chief Revenue Officer since September 2017. Prior to joining us, from July 1987 to July 2017, Mr. Rexing worked for The Clorox Company serving as Vice President Sales, National Accounts for over half of his career. At The Clorox Company he held numerous positions in sales and the customer organization building business across all channels and categories, creating customer teams and setting sales policy. Mr. Rexing holds a B.S. in Marketing/Management from Indiana State University – Evansville (now University of Southern Indiana) and an M.B.A. from Xavier University.

Brendan Sheehey has served as our General Counsel since June 2020. Prior to joining us, from October 2018 to June 2020, Mr. Sheehey served as General Counsel and Corporate Secretary at Targus International LLC, where he led the company’s legal department and oversaw its corporate governance. Prior to joining Targus, from January 2016 to October 2018, Mr. Sheehey served as Associate General Counsel at Arbonne International LLC, where he provided legal support to the company’s product development and marketing, international expansion, commercial contracts, and mergers and acquisitions efforts. Prior to that, Mr. Sheehey served as Counsel at Sidley Austin LLP from July 2015 to January 2016, where he represented clients in FTC regulatory matters and as Corporate Counsel at Corinthian Colleges from September 2011 to July 2015, where he handled litigation and insurance matters. From September 2006 to September 2011, Mr. Sheehey served as an Associate at Sidley Austin LLP. Mr. Sheehey holds a B.A. in Geography from U.C. Santa Barbara, an M.A. in Geography from the University of South Carolina and a J.D. from University of California, Hastings College of the Law.

Non-Employee Directors

Katie Bayne has served as a member of our board of directors since October 2018. Since February 2019, Ms. Bayne has served as a Senior Advisor with Guggenheim Securities, the investment banking and capital markets division of Guggenheim Partners. Since March 2018, Ms. Bayne has also served as founder and President of Bayne Advisors, an advisory firm that helps brands and businesses find their strategic identities, drive sustained consumer engagement and innovate for transformative results. Prior to serving in her current roles, from 1989 to 2018, Ms. Bayne served in numerous roles at The Coca-Cola Company focused on consumer strategy, retail marketing and consumer marketing in the United States, Australia and globally, most recently serving as the company’s President, North America Brands, from 2013 to 2015 and Senior Vice President,

 

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Global Center, from 2015 to 2018. Ms. Bayne previously served as a member of the board of directors for Ascena Retail Group, Inc., Ann Inc. and Beazer Homes USA. Ms. Bayne currently serves as a member of the board of directors for Acreage Holdings, Inc., a publicly traded company. Ms. Bayne is also a member of the board of trustees of the American Film Institute and the Fuqua School of Business at Duke University. Ms. Bayne holds a B.A. in Psychology from Duke University and an M.B.A. from Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business. We believe that Ms. Bayne is qualified to serve on our board of directors due to her strong background in consumer strategy, retail and consumer marketing and brand management.

Scott Dahnke has served as a member of our board of directors since June 2018. Since January 2016, Mr. Dahnke has served as Co-Chief Executive Officer of L Catterton, a consumer-focused private equity firm, after previously serving as Managing Partner from February 2003 to December 2015. Prior to joining L Catterton, Mr. Dahnke was Managing Director of Deutsche Bank Capital Partners, the former private equity division of Deutsche Bank AG, from 2002 to 2003, and Managing Director of AEA Investors from 1998 to 2002. Previously, Mr. Dahnke was Chief Executive Officer of infoGROUP (formerly known as Info USA), a provider of data and data-driven marketing services, from 1997 to 1998. Prior to joining infoGROUP, Mr. Dahnke served clients on an array of strategic and operational issues as a Partner at McKinsey & Company. Mr. Dahnke’s early career also includes experience in the Merger Department of Goldman, Sachs & Co. and with General Motors. Mr. Dahnke currently serves as a member of the board of directors of the following publicly traded companies: Williams-Sonoma, Inc. and Vroom, Inc. Mr. Dahnke is also a member of the board of directors of several private companies. Mr. Dahnke holds a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Notre Dame and a M.B.A. from Harvard Business School. We believe that Mr. Dahnke is qualified to serve on our board of directors due to his experience in private equity investment and expertise in the ecommerce, retail and consumer products industry, as well as his experience serving as a director of several companies.

Susan Gentile has been nominated to serve on our board of directors. Ms. Gentile is the Chief Financial and Administrative Officer at H.I.G. Capital Management, LLC. Prior to joining H.I.G. Capital Management in May 2018, Ms. Gentile served as Managing Director and Chief Accounting Officer at Oaktree Capital Management, a global alternative investment firm, from October 2013 to March 2018. Ms. Gentile also held various management roles at The Clorox Company from March 2006 to September 2013. Prior to joining The Clorox Company, Ms. Gentile served in roles at Levi Strauss & Co., Motorola, Inc. and Deloitte & Touche LLP. Ms. Gentile holds a B.S.B.A. in Finance from Boston University and is a Certified Public Accountant. We believe that Ms. Gentile is qualified to serve on our board of directors due to her financial expertise and experience working with consumer product brands.

Eric Liaw has served as a member of our board of directors since November 2013. Since March 2011, Mr. Liaw has served in several roles at Institutional Venture Partners, a venture capital firm, where he currently serves as a General Partner. From August 2003 to January 2011, Mr. Liaw served in several roles at Technology Crossover Ventures, a venture capital firm, including most recently as a Vice President. Mr. Liaw serves on the boards of directors of a number of privately held companies. Mr. Liaw holds an A.B. in Economics, with a minor in Computer Science, and a M.S. in Management Science and Engineering from Stanford University. We believe that Mr. Liaw is qualified to serve on our board of directors due his financial and investment expertise, including his particular focus in the growth of startups in the internet retail space.

Jeremy Liew has served as a member of our board of directors since September 2011. Since March 2006, Mr. Liew has served as a Partner at Lightspeed Venture Partners, a venture capital firm. Prior to joining Lightspeed, Mr. Liew served as a General Manager at Netscape from January 2004 to November 2005, as Senior Vice President of Corporate Development and Office of the Chairman at AOL from October 2002 to December 2003 and as VP Strategic Planning at Interactive Corp from June 1999 to October 2002. Prior to joining Interactive Corp, Mr. Liew served in roles at CitySearch and McKinsey & Co. Mr. Liew currently serves as a member of the board of directors of Affirm Holdings, Inc., a publicly traded company. Mr. Liew graduated with honors with a B.Sc. in Mathematics and a B.A. in Linguistics from the Australian National University, and with an M.B.A. from Stanford Business School. We believe that Mr. Liew is qualified to serve on our board of directors due to his extensive technology investment experience and his prior experience as an executive.

 

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Avik Pramanik has served as a member of our board of directors since June 2018. Mr. Pramanik is a Partner at L Catterton, a consumer-focused private equity firm. Prior to joining L Catterton in September 2011, Mr. Pramanik served as Director of Strategic Development at Alterna Haircare, a prestige branded haircare company, from January 2011 to June 2011, as an Associate at TSG Consumer Partners, a middle-market private equity firm, from July 2009 to June 2011, and as an Analyst at Goldman Sachs, where he worked in the Investment Banking Division’s Consumer Products and Retail group and in the Principal Investment Area, from June 2006 to June 2009. Mr. Pramanik serves on the boards of directors of a number of privately held companies. Mr. Pramanik holds a B.S.B.A. in Finance from Georgetown University. We believe that Mr. Pramanik is qualified to serve on our board of directors due to his experience as an investor in high growth consumer product brands and knowledge of the beauty, personal care and specialty retail categories.

James White has been nominated to serve as Chair of our board of directors. From 2008 to 2016, Mr. White served as the Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer of Jamba Inc. Mr. White also served as Senior Vice President and General Manager of Safeway, Inc., a U.S. supermarket chain, from 2005 to 2008. From 1983 to 2005, Mr. White held management roles at The Gillette Company, Inc., Nestlé S.A. and The Coca-Cola Company. Additionally, Mr. White currently serves on the board of directors of the following public companies: Affirm Holdings Inc., Medallia, Inc., The Simply Good Foods Company and Adtalem Global Education Inc. Mr. White previously served on the board of directors of Panera Bread Company, Schnucks Markets, Inc., Bradshaw Home, Inc., Callidus Software Inc., Daymon Worldwide, Inc., Hillshire Brands Company and Keane Inc. Mr. White’s non-profit board experience includes Directors Academy, where he is a founding member and previously served as Board Chairman, as well as Board Chairman for Fair Trade USA. Mr. White previously served on the non-profit boards of the Nasdaq Entrepreneurial Center, The Organic Center and the Network of Executive Women. Mr. White received a B.S. degree, with a major in marketing, from The University of Missouri and an M.B.A. from Fontbonne University. Mr. White is also a graduate of the Cornell University Food Executive Program and was a Stanford University Distinguished Careers Institute Fellow in 2018. We believe that Mr. White is qualified to serve on our board of directors due to his experience as a public company director and his experience as a consumer products executive.

Family Relationships

There are no family relationships among any of the directors or executive officers.

Composition of Our Board of Directors

Our business and affairs are managed under the direction of our board of directors. We currently have seven directors with two vacancies. Susan Gentile and James White will be appointed to our board of directors effective upon the effectiveness of the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part. All of our directors currently serve on the board of directors pursuant to the provisions of a voting agreement between us and several of our stockholders. The voting agreement will terminate upon the completion of this offering, after which there will be no further contractual obligations regarding the election or designation of our directors. Our current directors will continue to serve as directors until their resignation, removal or successor is duly elected.

Our board of directors may establish the authorized number of directors from time to time by resolution. In accordance with our amended and restated certificate of incorporation that will be in effect immediately prior to the completion of this offering, immediately prior to this offering, our board of directors will be divided into three classes with staggered three-year terms. At each annual meeting of stockholders, the successors to directors whose terms then expire will be elected to serve from the time of election and qualification until the third annual meeting following election. Our directors will be divided among the three classes as follows:

 

   

the Class I directors will be Scott Dahnke, Eric Liaw and Jeremy Liew, whose terms will expire at the first annual meeting of stockholders to be held following the completion of this offering;

 

   

the Class II directors will be Jessica Alba, Avik Pramanik and Nikolaos Vlahos, whose terms will expire at the second annual meeting of stockholders to be held following the completion of this offering; and

 

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the Class III directors will be Katie Bayne, Susan Gentile and James White whose terms will expire at the third annual meeting of stockholders to be held following the completion of this offering.

We expect that 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. The division of our board of directors into three classes with staggered three-year terms may delay or prevent a change of our management or a change in control.

Director Independence

Our board of directors has undertaken a review of the independence of each director. Based on information provided by each director concerning her or his background, employment and affiliations, our board of directors has determined that none of our directors, other than Nikolaos Vlahos and Jessica Alba, has any relationships that would interfere with the exercise of independent judgment in carrying out the responsibilities of a director and that each of these directors is “independent” as that term is defined under The Nasdaq Stock Market LLC listing standards. In making these determinations, our board of directors considered the current and prior relationships that each non-employee director has with our company and all other facts and circumstances our board of directors deemed relevant in determining their independence, including the beneficial ownership of our shares by each non-employee director and the transactions described in the section titled “Certain Relationships and Related Party Transactions.”

Committees of Our Board of Directors

Our board of directors has established a compensation committee, and will establish an audit committee and a nominating and corporate governance committee prior to the completion of this offering. The composition and responsibilities of each of the committees of our board of directors are described below. Members serve on these committees until their resignation or until otherwise determined by our board of directors. Our board of directors may establish other committees as it deems necessary or appropriate from time to time.

Audit Committee

Effective at the time of effectiveness of the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part, our audit committee will consist of Katie Bayne, Susan Gentile and Eric Liaw. Our board of directors has determined that each member of the audit committee satisfies the independence requirements under The Nasdaq Stock Market LLC listing standards and Rule 10A-3(b)(1) of the Exchange Act. The chair of our audit committee will be Susan Gentile, who our board of directors has determined is an “audit committee financial expert” within the meaning of SEC regulations. Each member of our audit committee can read and understand fundamental financial statements in accordance with applicable requirements. In arriving at these determinations, our board of directors has examined each audit committee member’s scope of experience and the nature of their employment in the corporate finance sector.

The principal duties and responsibilities of our audit committee include, among other things:

 

   

selecting a qualified firm to serve as the independent registered public accounting firm to audit our financial statements;

 

   

helping to ensure the independence and performance of the independent registered public accounting firm;

 

   

helping to maintain and foster an open avenue of communication between management and the independent registered public accounting firm;

 

   

discussing the scope and results of the audit with the independent registered public accounting firm, and reviewing, with management and the independent registered public accounting firm, our interim and year-end operating results;

 

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developing procedures for employees to submit concerns anonymously about questionable accounting or audit matters;

 

   

reviewing our policies on risk assessment and risk management;

 

   

reviewing related party transactions;

 

   

obtaining and reviewing a report by the independent registered public accounting firm at least annually, that describes its internal quality-control procedures, any material issues with such procedures, and any steps taken to deal with such issues when required by applicable law; and

 

   

approving (or, as permitted, pre-approving) all audit and all permissible non-audit services to be performed by the independent registered public accounting firm.

Our audit committee will operate under a written charter, to be effective prior to the completion of this offering, that satisfies the applicable listing standards of The Nasdaq Stock Market LLC.

Compensation Committee

Effective at the time of effectiveness of the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part, our compensation committee will consist of Katie Bayne, Eric Liaw and Avik Pramanik. The chair of our compensation committee will be Katie Bayne. Our board of directors has determined that each member of the compensation committee is independent under The Nasdaq Stock Market LLC listing standards and a “non-employee director” as defined in Rule 16b-3 promulgated under the Exchange Act.

The principal duties and responsibilities of our compensation committee include, among other things:

 

   

approving the retention of compensation consultants and outside service providers and advisors;

 

   

reviewing and approving, or recommending that our board of directors approve, the compensation, individual and corporate performance goals and objectives and other terms of employment of our executive officers, including evaluating the performance of our chief executive officer and, with his assistance, that of our other executive officers;

 

   

reviewing and recommending to our board of directors the compensation of our directors;

 

   

administering our equity and non-equity incentive plans;

 

   

reviewing our practices and policies of employee compensation as they relate to risk management and risk-taking incentives;

 

   

reviewing and evaluating succession plans for the executive officers;

 

   

reviewing and approving, or recommending that our board of directors approve, incentive compensation and equity plans; and

 

   

reviewing and establishing general policies relating to compensation and benefits of our employees and reviewing our overall compensation philosophy.

Our compensation committee will operate under a written charter, to be effective prior to the completion of this offering, that satisfies the applicable listing standards of The Nasdaq Stock Market LLC.

Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee

Effective at the time of effectiveness of the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part, our nominating and corporate governance committee will consist of Jeremy Liew, Avik Pramanik and James White. The chair of our nominating and corporate governance committee will be James White. Our board of directors has determined that each member of the nominating and corporate governance committee is independent under The Nasdaq Stock Market LLC listing standards.

 

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The nominating and corporate governance committee’s responsibilities include, among other things:

 

   

identifying, evaluating, and selecting, or recommending that our board of directors approve, nominees for election to our board of directors and its committees;

 

   

approving the retention of director search firms;

 

   

evaluating the performance of our board of directors and of individual directors;

 

   

considering and making recommendations to our board of directors regarding the composition of our board of directors and its committees;

 

   

evaluating the adequacy of our corporate governance practices and reporting; and

 

   

overseeing an annual evaluation of the board’s performance.

Our nominating and corporate governance committee will operate under a written charter, to be effective prior to the completion of this offering, that satisfies the applicable listing standards of The Nasdaq Stock Market LLC.

Code of Conduct

In connection with this offering, we intend to adopt a Code of Conduct that applies to all our employees, officers and directors. This includes our principal executive officer, principal financial officer and principal accounting officer or controller, or persons performing similar functions. The full text of our Code of Conduct will be posted on our website at www.honest.com. We intend to disclose on our website any future amendments of our Code of Conduct or waivers that exempt any principal executive officer, principal financial officer, principal accounting officer or controller, persons performing similar functions or our directors from provisions in the Code of Conduct. Information contained on, or that can be accessed through, our website is not incorporated by reference into this prospectus, and you should not consider information on our website to be part of this prospectus.

Compensation Committee Interlocks and Insider Participation

None of the members of the compensation committee are currently, or have been at any time, one of our executive officers or employees. None of our executive officers currently serve, or have served during the last year, as a member of the board of directors or compensation committee of any entity that has one or more executive officers serving as a member of our board of directors or compensation committee.

Non-Employee Director Compensation

During the fiscal year ended December 31, 2020, we did not pay cash or equity-based compensation to any of our non-employee directors for service on our board of directors, except for a $75,000 annual cash retainer paid to Ms. Bayne. We have reimbursed and will continue to reimburse all of our non-employee directors for their reasonable out-of-pocket expenses incurred in attending board of directors and committee meetings.

Mr. Vlahos, our Chief Executive Officer and a member of our board of directors, and Ms. Alba, our Chief Creative Officer and Chair of our board of directors, did not receive any additional compensation for their service on the board of directors. Their compensation as a named executive officer is set forth below under “Executive Compensation—Summary Compensation Table.”

As of December 31, 2020, none of our non-employee directors held any outstanding option awards or other stock awards to purchase or to be issued our common stock, except for an option to purchase 120,000 shares of our common stock held by Ms. Bayne.

In April 2021, our board of directors approved our Non-Employee Director Compensation Policy, or the Policy, to be effective on the date of the underwriting agreement related to this offering. Pursuant to the Policy, our non-employee directors will receive the following compensation.

 

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Cash Compensation

Commencing on the date of the underwriting agreement related to this offering, each non-employee director will receive the following cash compensation (as applicable) for serving on our board of directors and its committees:

 

   

$50,000 annual cash retainer for service as a non-employee director;

 

   

$125,000 annual cash retainer for service as the non-executive chair of our board of directors;

 

   

$70,000 annual cash retainer for service as the lead independent director;

 

   

$15,000 annual cash retainer for service as a member of the audit committee and $20,000 annual cash retainer for service as chair of the audit committee;

 

   

$7,500 annual cash retainer for service as a member of the compensation committee and $15,000 annual cash retainer for service as chair of the compensation committee; and

 

   

$5,000 annual cash retainer for service as a member of the nominating and corporate governance committee and $10,000 annual cash retainer for service as chair of the nominating and corporate governance committee.

The annual cash compensation amounts are payable in equal quarterly installments, in arrears on the last day of each fiscal quarter in which the service occurred, pro-rated for any partial quarter of service.

Equity Compensation

Initial Grant

Each non-employee director who first joins our board of directors on or after the effective date of the Policy, on the date the non-employee director first joins our board of directors, will be automatically granted a restricted stock unit award, or the Initial Grant, covering a number of restricted stock units equal to (i) $185,000 divided by (ii) the average fair market value of a share of our common stock for the 30 consecutive market trading days ending on and including the last market trading day prior to the grant date of such Initial Grant (or if the Initial Grant is granted on the effective date of the Policy, the initial price of a share of our common stock to the public), rounded down to the nearest whole unit. Each Initial Grant will vest in three equal annual installments on the one-, two- and three-year anniversaries of the grant date, subject to the non-employee director’s continued service on each vesting date.

Annual Grant and Prorated Annual Grant

On the date of each annual meeting of our stockholders, each person who is then a non-employee director will be automatically granted a restricted stock unit award, or the Annual Grant, covering a number of restricted stock units equal to (i) $185,000 divided by (ii) the average fair market value of a share of our common stock for the 30 consecutive market trading days ending on and including the last market trading day prior to the grant date of such Annual Grant, rounded down to the nearest whole unit.

In addition, each non-employee director who first joins our board of directors after the first annual meeting of our stockholders following the date of the underwriting agreement related to this offering on a date other than the date of an annual meeting of our stockholders, on the date the non-employee director first joins our board of directors, will be automatically granted a restricted stock unit award, or the Prorated Annual Grant, covering a number of restricted stock units equal to (i) $185,000 multiplied by a fraction, the numerator of which equals 365 minus the total number of days, as of the grant date of such Prorated Annual Grant, that have occurred since the last annual meeting of our stockholders and the denominator of which equals 365, divided by (ii) the average fair market value of a share of our common stock for the 30 consecutive market trading days ending on and including the last market trading day prior to the grant date of such Prorated Annual Grant, rounded down to the nearest whole unit.

 

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Each Annual Grant and Prorated Annual Grant will fully vest on the earlier of (i) the one-year anniversary of its grant date, and (ii) the date immediately prior to the next annual meeting of our stockholders following its grant date, subject to the non-employee director’s continued service through the applicable vesting date.

Interim Annual Grant and Prorated Interim Annual Grant

On the effective date of the Policy, each person who is then a non-employee director will be automatically granted a restricted stock unit award, or the Interim Annual Grant, covering a number of restricted stock units equal to (i) $185,000 multiplied by a fraction, the numerator of which equals the total number of days during the period beginning on the effective date of the Policy and ending on June 1, 2022, or the Assumed First Annual Meeting Date, and the denominator of which equals 365, divided by (ii) the initial price of a share of our common stock to the public, rounded down to the nearest whole unit. Each Interim Annual Grant will vest as to 1/13th of the Interim Annual Grant on June 1, 2021, and as to 12/13th of the Interim Annual Grant on the earlier of (i) the date immediately prior to the annual meeting of our stockholders next following the grant date of the Interim Annual Grant and (ii) the Assumed First Annual Meeting Date, subject to the non-employee director’s continued service through each vesting date.

In addition, each non-employee director who first joins our board of directors after the effective date of the Policy but before the Assumed First Annual Meeting Date will be automatically granted a restricted stock unit award, or the Prorated Interim Annual Grant, on the date such non-employee director first joins our board of directors. Each Prorated Interim Annual Grant will cover a number of restricted stock units equal to (i) $185,000 multiplied by a fraction, the numerator of which equals the total number of days during the period beginning on the date the non-employee director first joined our board of directors and ending on the Assumed First Annual Meeting Date and the denominator of which equals 365, divided by (ii) the average fair market value of a share of common stock for the 30 consecutive market trading days ending on and including the last market trading day prior to the grant date of such Prorated Interim Annual Grant, rounded down to the nearest whole unit. Each Prorated Interim Annual Grant will fully vest on the earlier of (i) the date immediately prior to the annual meeting of our stockholders next following the grant date of the Prorated Interim Annual Grant and (ii) the Assumed First Annual Meeting Date, subject to the non-employee director’s continued service through the vesting date.

Retainer Grant

For our fiscal year in which the Policy becomes effective and each of our subsequent fiscal years, each non-employee director may elect to forego receiving payment of all (but not less than all) of the annual cash retainers described above that he or she is otherwise eligible to receive for the period during our fiscal year that the election applies commencing on the first day of such fiscal year (or if the non-employee director makes the election in our fiscal year that the election applies, on the first day of our fiscal quarter next following our fiscal quarter in which the election is made) and ending on the last day of such fiscal year and instead receive an award of restricted stock units, or the Retainer Grant, provided such election is timely made and complies with certain other requirements specified in the Policy. If a non-employee director timely makes the election described above in accordance with the Policy, on the first day of our fiscal year that the election applies (or if the non-employee director makes the election in our fiscal year that the election applies, on the first day of our fiscal quarter following our fiscal quarter in which the election is made), the non-employee director will be automatically granted a Retainer Grant covering a number of restricted stock units equal to the (i) aggregate amount of the annual cash retainers that the non-employee director is eligible to receive under the Policy for the applicable period to which the election applies divided by (ii) the average fair market value of a share of our common stock for the 30 consecutive market trading days ending on and including the last market trading day prior to the grant date of such Retainer Grant, rounded down to the nearest whole unit. Each Retainer Grant will vest in equal quarterly installments over the period commencing on the grant date of the Retainer Grant and ending on the last day of the fiscal year in which the Retainer Grant is granted, subject to the non-employee director’s continued service on each vesting date.

 

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Deferral of Restricted Stock Unit Awards

Each non-employee director may elect to defer the delivery of shares in settlement of any restricted stock unit award granted under the Policy that would otherwise be delivered to such non-employee director on or following the date such award vests pursuant to the terms of a deferral election such non-employee director makes in accordance with the Policy.

Change in Control; Death; Disability

Each restricted stock unit award held by a non-employee director that is granted under the Policy, including the awards described above, will fully vest upon such non-employee director’s death or disability (as defined in our 2021 Plan), or immediately prior to the consummation of a change in control (as defined in our 2021 Plan), in each case to extent such award is outstanding immediately prior to the occurrence of such event.

Non-Employee Director Compensation Limit

The aggregate value of all compensation granted or paid, following the date of the underwriting agreement related to this offering, to any non-employee director with respect to any fiscal year of the company, including awards granted and cash fees paid by us to such non-employee director, will not exceed (1) $750,000 in total value or (2) if such non-employee director first joins our board of directors during such fiscal year or is serving as the non-employee chair of our board of directors during such fiscal year, $1,500,000 in total value. The limitations described in the preceding sentence will apply starting with the first calendar year that begins following the date of the underwriting agreement related to this offering.

 

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EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION

Our named executive officers for the year ended December 31, 2020, consisting of our principal executive officer and the next two most highly compensated executive officers, were:

 

   

Nikolaos Vlahos, our Chief Executive Officer;

 

   

Jessica Alba, our Chief Creative Officer; and

 

   

Rick Rexing, our Chief Revenue Officer.

2020 Summary Compensation Table

The following table presents all of the compensation awarded to or earned by our named executive officers for the year ended December 31, 2020.

 

Name and Principal Position

   Salary
($)
     Bonus
($)(1)
     Option
Awards

($)(2)
     Non-Equity
Incentive Plan
Compensation

($)(3)
     All Other
Compensation

($)(4)
     Total
($)
 

Nikolaos Vlahos

     803,942        4,032,659        1,462,059        448,000        54,247        6,800,907  

Chief Executive Officer

                 

Jessica Alba

     503,846        1,417,714        129,000        280,000        153        2,330,713  

Chief Creative Officer

                 

Rick Rexing

     298,346        786,598        535,259        179,543        19,517        1,819,263  

Chief Revenue Officer

                 

 

(1)

Reflects bonuses paid to our named executive officers during 2020 for his or her contributions toward the success of the company in preparing for an initial public offering and a retention bonus installment payment of $50,000 made to Mr. Rexing in 2019 but for which the performance condition was satisfied in 2020. See “—Narrative to the Summary Compensation Table —Bonuses” below for a description of the material terms pursuant to which this compensation was awarded.

(2)

Amounts reported represent (i) the aggregate grant date fair value of the stock options granted to our named executive officers during 2020 under our 2011 Plan, and (ii) the incremental fair value related to the modification of the vesting schedules of certain stock options held by our named executive officers during 2020, in each case computed in accordance with ASC Topic 718. The assumptions used in calculating the grant date fair value and incremental fair value of the stock options reported in this column are set forth in the notes to our audited consolidated financial statements included elsewhere in this prospectus. This amount does not reflect the actual economic value that may be realized by the named executive officer.

(3)

The amounts in this column reflect cash incentive payments earned by our named executive officers under our 2020 Executive Annual Incentive Plan, or 2020 AIP. See “—Narrative to the Summary Compensation Table—Non-Equity Incentive Plan Compensation” below for a description of the material terms pursuant to which this compensation was awarded.

(4)

Represents (i) for Mr. Vlahos, $11,400 for matching contributions made by us under our 401(k) plan, $17,764 for medical plan premiums paid by us, $6,381 for dental, vision and life insurance policy premiums paid by us, $12,000 in financial planning services paid by us, $6,343 in tax gross-ups for such financial planning services, $235 in gifts and $124 in tax gross-ups for such gifts; (ii) for Ms. Alba, $100 in gifts and $53 in tax gross-ups for such gifts; and (iii) for Mr. Rexing, $11,400 for matching contributions made by us under our 401(k) plan, $7,807 for medical, dental and vision policy premiums paid by us, $235 in gifts and $75 in tax gross-ups for such gifts.

Narrative to the Summary Compensation Table

Annual Base Salary

Our named executive officers receive an annual base salary to compensate them for services rendered to us. The base salary payable to each named executive officer is intended to provide a fixed component of

 

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compensation reflecting the executive’s skill set, experience, role and responsibilities. None of our named executive officers is currently party to an employment agreement or other agreement or arrangement that provides for automatic or scheduled increases in base salary. The 2020 annual base salaries for our named executive officers were as follows: (1) $775,000 for Mr. Vlahos from January 1, 2020 to January 31, 2020 and $800,000 from February 1, 2020 to December 31, 2020, (2) $500,000 for Ms. Alba, and (3) $275,000 for Mr. Rexing from January 1, 2020 to July 3, 2020 and $305,000 from July 4, 2020 to December 31, 2020. In January 2021, our compensation committee approved an increase to Mr. Vlahos’ annual base salary from $800,000 to $825,000 and an increase to Mr. Rexing’s annual base salary from $305,000 to $320,000.

Bonuses

IPO Preparation Bonuses

In December 2020, we entered into liquidity event bonus agreements with our named executive officers. Pursuant to these agreements, we paid each of our named executive officers a bonus, less applicable tax withholdings, in December 2020, for his or her contributions toward the success of the company in preparing for an initial public offering. The amounts of these bonuses were as follows: (1) $4,032,659 for Mr. Vlahos, (2) $1,417,714 for Ms. Alba, and (3) $736,598 for Mr. Rexing. In addition, each of our named executive officers is eligible to receive a separate bonus upon a liquidity event (including upon the completion of this offering) as described in the section titled “Potential Payments and Benefits upon Termination or Change of Control.”

Retention Bonus

Mr. Rexing’s prior offer letter with us provides that Mr. Rexing is eligible to receive a cash retention bonus of $200,000 in the aggregate, payable in four annual installments of $50,000, starting in November 2017. If Mr. Rexing voluntarily resigns or we terminate his employment for cause before September 18, 2021, he will be required to reimburse us for any portion of the retention bonus previously paid to him during the previous twelve months prior to such termination. The third installment of Mr. Rexing’s retention bonus was paid to him in November 2019 and ceased to be subject to the reimbursement condition described above in November 2020. The fourth and final installment of the retention bonus was paid to Mr. Rexing in October 2020 and will cease to be subject to the reimbursement condition on October 30, 2021, so long as Mr. Rexing does not voluntarily resign or terminate employment for cause before then.

Non-Equity Incentive Plan Compensation

We develop an annual cash incentive program for our executive leadership team annually to incentivize our executives to achieve and exceed targeted short-term corporate goals and team or individual objectives, and to ensure that our executive pay program remains competitive.

In January 2020, our compensation committee adopted our 2020 AIP for the 2020 calendar year. Under our 2020 AIP, each of our named executive officers was eligible to receive a cash incentive payment equal to (1) his or her target incentive, as a percentage of annual base salary, multiplied by (2) the percentage achievement of certain 2020 corporate goals established by our compensation committee in its sole discretion, subject to the named executive officer remaining employed by us through the payment date and no termination notice having been provided by either the named executive officer or us prior to such date.

For 2020, our compensation committee set the target annual incentive opportunity for Mr. Vlahos at 40% of his annual base salary, for Ms. Alba at 40% of her annual base salary and for Mr. Rexing at 40% of his annual base salary. The corporate goals used for purposes of the 2020 AIP included revenue and adjusted EBITDA. Our compensation committee determined that the percentage achievement of the applicable corporate goals was 140%. As a result, our compensation committee approved a cash incentive payment for each named executive officer as reflected in the column of the Summary Compensation Table above entitled “Non-Equity Incentive Plan Compensation.” Each named executive’s cash incentive award for 2020 was paid to him or her, less applicable tax withholdings, in February 2021. In January 2021, our compensation committee approved an increase to Mr. Vlahos’ target annual incentive opportunity from 40% of his annual base salary to 50%.

 

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Modification of Option Vesting Schedules

In September 2018, we granted each of Mr. Vlahos and Ms. Alba a stock option to purchase 1,200,000 shares of our common stock (or 400,000 shares of our common stock in the case of Ms. Alba) under our 2011 Plan. Pursuant to the respective stock option agreements governing these options, (i) 600,000 shares of common stock (or 200,000 shares of common stock in the case of Ms. Alba) subject to the option vest on a monthly basis for 48 months from the grant date, (ii) 300,000 shares of common stock (or 100,000 shares of common stock in the case of Ms. Alba) subject to the option vest upon the occurrence of a “Qualifying Liquidity Event” in which the fair market value per share of our common stock is at least two (2) times the per share exercise price of the option, as determined by our board of directors, subject to continued service to us through such event, and (iii) 300,000 shares of common stock (or 100,000 shares of common stock in the case of Ms. Alba) subject to the option vest as follows: 50% vest upon the occurrence of a revenue achievement and 50% vest upon the occurrence of an adjusted EBITDA achievement, in each case subject to the executive’s continued employment through each such date. “Qualifying Liquidity Event” means the first to occur of: (1) a change in control (as defined in the executive’s employment agreement) or (2) the effective date of a registration statement filed under the Securities Act for the sale of our common stock.

In addition, the respective stock option agreements provide that (i) with respect to the 600,000 shares of common stock (or 200,000 shares of common stock in the case of Ms. Alba) subject to monthly vesting, (A) in the event of the executive’s involuntary termination without cause or the executive’s resignation for good reason within three months before or twelve months following a change of control, the vesting of such shares will be accelerated in full and (B) in the event of the executive’s involuntary termination without cause or the executive’s resignation for good reason outside of such change of control period, the vesting of such shares equal to the number of shares, if any, that would have vested during the twelve-month period following such termination or resignation will be accelerated, and (ii) with respect to the 300,000 shares of common stock (or 100,000 shares of common stock in the case of Ms. Alba) subject to revenue and adjusted EBITDA achievement-based vesting, in the event of a Qualifying Liquidity Event, the vesting of such shares will be accelerated in full. In February 2020, we approved an amendment to Mr. Vlahos’ and Ms. Alba’s stock options granted in September 2018 in order to better align senior management equity incentives to our business strategy, such that the revenue and adjusted EBITDA achievement-based vesting schedule applicable to 300,000 shares of common stock (or 100,000 shares of common stock in the case of Ms. Alba) was replaced with vesting upon the occurrence of a Qualifying Liquidity Event in which the fair market value per share of our common stock is at least one-half (1.5) times the per share exercise price of the option, as determined by our board of directors, subject to continued service to us through such event.

Equity-Based Incentive Awards

Our equity award program is the primary vehicle for offering long-term incentives to our executives. We believe that equity awards provide our executives with a strong link to our long-term performance, create an ownership culture and help to align the interests of our executives and our stockholders. To date, we have used stock option grants and, in one instance more recently, restricted stock units for this purpose because we believe they are an effective means by which to align the long-term interests of our executive officers with those of our stockholders. The use of options also can provide tax and other advantages to our executive officers relative to other forms of equity compensation. We believe that our equity awards are an important retention tool for our executive officers, as well as for our other employees.

We award stock options broadly to our employees. Grants to our executives and other employees are made at the discretion of our board of directors and are not made at any specific time period during a year.

Prior to this offering, all of the stock options and restricted stock units we have granted were made pursuant to our 2011 Plan. Following this offering, we will grant equity incentive awards under the terms of our 2021 Plan. The terms of our equity plans are described under “—Employee Benefit Plans” below.

 

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Outstanding Equity Awards as of December 31, 2020

The following table presents information regarding outstanding equity awards held by our named executive officers as of December 31, 2020. All awards were granted pursuant to the 2011 Plan. See “—Employee Benefit Plans—2011 Plan” below for additional information.

 

                  Option Awards  

Name and Principal

Position

   Grant Date     Vesting
Commencement
Date
     Number of
Securities
Underlying
Unexercised
Options (#)
(Exercisable)
     Number of
Securities
Underlying
Unexercised
Options (#)

(Unexercisable)
     Option
Exercise
Price ($)
    Option
Expiration
Date
 

Nikolaos Vlahos

     4/27/2017 (1)      4/26/2017        1,730,820        157,348      $ 5.13 (2)      4/27/2027  

Chief Executive Officer

     4/26/2017 (1)      4/26/2017        692,326        62,940      $ 5.13 (2)      4/26/2027  
     4/26/2017 (1)      4/26/2017        346,164        31,470      $ 5.13 (2)      4/26/2027  
     9/12/2018 (3)      9/12/2018        337,500        262,500      $ 5.75       9/12/2028  
     9/12/2018 (4)      —          —          300,000      $ 5.75       9/12/2028  
     9/12/2018 (5)      —          —          300,000      $ 5.75       9/12/2028  
     2/28/2020 (3)      2/28/2020        52,082        197,918      $ 5.23       2/28/2030  
     2/28/2020 (4)      —          —          125,000      $ 5.23       2/28/2030  
     2/28/2020 (5)      —          —          125,000      $ 5.23       2/28/2030  
     2/28/2020 (6)      —          —          166,666      $ 5.23       2/28/2030  

Jessica Alba

     12/19/2014 (1)      12/19/2014        465,000        —        $ 5.13 (2)      12/19/2024  

Chief Creative Officer

     3/24/2015 (7)      3/24/2015        550,000        —        $ 5.13 (2)      3/24/2025  
     2/7/2018 (3)      2/7/2018        212,500        87,500      $ 5.13       2/7/2028  
     9/12/2018 (3)      9/12/2018        112,500        87,500      $ 5.75       9/12/2028  
     9/12/2018 (4)      —          —          100,000      $ 5.75       9/12/2028  
     9/12/2018 (5)      —          —          100,000      $ 5.75       9/12/2028  

Rick Rexing

     11/9/2017 (1)      8/15/2017        166,666        33,334      $ 5.13 (2)      11/9/2027  

Chief Revenue Officer

     2/7/2018 (3)      2/7/2018        106,250        43,750      $ 5.13       2/7/2028  
     9/12/2018 (3)      9/12/2018        140,624        109,376      $ 5.75       9/12/2028  
     2/28/2020 (3)      2/28/2020        15,624        59,376      $ 5.23       2/28/2030  
     2/28/2020 (4)      —          —          37,500      $ 5.23       2/28/2030  
     2/28/2020 (5)      —          —          37,500      $ 5.23       2/28/2030  
     2/28/2020 (6)      —          —          50,000      $ 5.23       2/28/2030  
     7/31/2020 (3)      7/31/2020        3,906        33,594      $ 5.66       7/31/2030  
     7/31/2020 (4)      —          —          18,750      $ 5.66       7/31/2030  
     7/31/2020 (5)      —          —          18,750      $ 5.66       7/31/2030  
     7/31/2020 (6)      —          —          25,000      $ 5.66       7/31/2030  

 

(1)

25% of the shares underlying this option vest on the one-year anniversary of the vesting commencement date and the remainder vest in 36 equal monthly installments thereafter, subject to continued service to us through the applicable vesting date.

(2)

Option was repriced on January 22, 2018 based on the valuation of our common stock of $5.13 as of January 1, 2018.

(3)

1/48th of the shares underlying this option vest on a monthly basis following the vesting commencement date, subject to continued service to us through the applicable vesting date.

(4)

The shares underlying this option vest on the occurrence of a “Qualifying Liquidity Event” in which the fair market value per share of our common stock is at least one and one-half (1.5) times the per share exercise price of the option, as determined by our board of directors, subject to continued service to us through such event. “Qualifying Liquidity Event” means the first to occur of: (1) a change in control (as defined in the

 

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  optionholder’s employment agreement); or (2) the effective date of a registration statement filed under the Securities Act for the sale of our common stock.
(5)

The shares underlying this option vest on the occurrence of a Qualifying Liquidity Event in which the fair market value per share of our common stock is at least two (2) times the per share exercise price of the option, as determined by our board of directors, subject to continued service to us through such event.

(6)

The shares underlying this option vest on the occurrence of a Qualifying Liquidity Event in which the fair market value per share of our common stock is at least two and one-half (2.5) times the per share exercise price of the option, as determined by our board of directors, subject to continued service to us through such event.

(7)

1/60th of the shares underlying this option vest on a monthly basis following the vesting commencement date, subject to continued service to us through the applicable vesting date.

IPO RSU Grants

In connection with this offering and after the effectiveness of the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part, we expect that our board of directors will grant restricted stock units to certain of our executive officers under the 2021 Plan, or the IPO Awards, which awards will vest over a period of five years following the completion of this offering, and the number of shares of common stock issuable upon the settlement of such restricted stock units for these officers, other than Ms. Alba, will be based on a fixed percentage of our market capitalization as of the completion of this offering. Ms. Alba’s award will be granted no later than 30 days following the effectiveness of the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part. We anticipate that the total number of shares of common stock issuable upon settlement of the IPO Awards, other than to Ms. Alba, will be equal to the value of 1.527% of our market capitalization as of the completion of this offering divided by the initial public offering price per share paid by investors. For purposes of the IPO Awards, our market capitalization will be equal to our fully-diluted capitalization as of the completion of this offering multiplied by the initial public offering price per share paid by investors. Of these IPO Awards, we anticipate that (i) Mr. Vlahos will be granted restricted stock units equal to 0.524% of our market capitalization as of the completion of this offering divided by the initial public offering price per share paid by investors, (ii) Ms. Alba will be granted restricted stock units equal to $6.0 million divided by the fair market value of our common stock on the date of grant (iii) Mr. Rexing will be granted restricted stock units equal to 0.121% of our market capitalization as of the completion of this offering divided by the initial public offering price per share paid by investors. We anticipate that the IPO Awards will vest over a five-year period, with 20% of the restricted stock units vesting on the first anniversary of the vesting commencement date, and the remainder vesting in 16 equal quarterly installments thereafter, in each case, subject to the executive officer’s continuous service with us as of each vesting date. Each IPO Award will be subject to the terms and conditions of the 2021 Plan and an award agreement that we will enter into with the applicable grantee.

Employment Arrangements

Below are descriptions of our employment agreements with each of our named executive officers. Each of our named executive officers has executed a form of our standard confidential information and inventions assignment agreement. Our named executive officers are entitled to certain severance benefits, as detailed in the section titled “Potential Payments and Benefits upon Termination of Employment” below.

Agreement with Nikolaos Vlahos

On April 24, 2021, we entered into an amended and restated employment agreement with Mr. Vlahos, our Chief Executive Officer. The amended and restated employment agreement will have no specific term and will provide that Mr. Vlahos is an at-will employee. Mr. Vlahos’ current annual base salary is $825,000, and he is eligible for an annual target cash incentive payment equal to 50% of his annual base salary, as determined by our board of directors.

Agreement with Jessica Alba

On April 26, 2021, we entered into an amended and restated employment agreement with Ms. Alba, our Chief Creative Officer. The amended and restated employment agreement will have no specific term and will

 

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provide that Ms. Alba is an at-will employee. Ms. Alba’s current annual base salary is $600,000, which will increase to $700,000 effective February 1, 2022. Ms. Alba is eligible for an annual target cash incentive payment equal to 55% of her annual base salary, which amount will increase to 70% of Ms. Alba’s then-current base salary starting January 1, 2022, in any given event, as determined by our board of directors. The agreement provides that Ms. Alba will receive annual restricted stock unit grants with a value of $1,500,000 in each of 2022 and 2023 and with a value of $3,000,000 in 2024 through 2030, subject to her continued employment through each grant date. Each award will vest at the rate of 25% on the first anniversary of the date of grant and 6.25% per quarter thereafter.

Agreement with Rick Rexing

On April 24, 2021, we entered into an amended and restated employment agreement with Mr. Rexing, our Chief Revenue Officer. The amended and restated employment agreement will have no specific term and will provide that Mr. Rexing is an at-will employee. Mr. Rexing’s current annual base salary is $320,000, and he is eligible for an annual target cash incentive payment equal to 40% of his annual base salary, as determined by our board of directors. As detailed above in the section titled “Retention Bonus,” we paid Mr. Rexing certain retention bonus installments, one of which remains subject to reimbursement to us if Mr. Rexing voluntarily resigns or is terminated for cause prior to October 30, 2021.

Potential Payments and Benefits Upon Termination of Employment

Regardless of the manner in which a named executive officer’s employment with us terminates, the named executive officer is entitled to receive amounts earned during his or her term of service, including salary or other cash compensation and accrued unused vacation pay, if applicable.

If Mr. Vlahos is terminated without cause or resigns for good reason, he will be entitled to receive severance in the form of 24 months of his then-current base salary, such amount to be paid as a continuation on our regular payroll dates. Mr.Vlahos’ severance shall also include a pro rata bonus amount calculated from the achievement of identified corporate goals, with any personal goals deemed achieved under our bonus plan as of the date of Mr. Vlahos’ employment termination.

If Mr. Rexing is terminated without cause or resigns for good reason, he will be entitled to receive severance in the form of 12 months of his then-current base salary, such amount to be paid as a continuation of our regular payroll dates.

If Ms. Alba is terminated without cause or resigns for good reason, she will be entitled to receive severance in the form of 12 months of her then-current base salary and the amount equal to her target annual bonus, such amount to be paid as a continuation on our regular payroll dates. Ms. Alba’s severance shall also include a pro rata bonus amount equal to the number of full calendar days that have elapsed during the annual bonus year prior to the date of Ms. Alba’s termination of employment by us without cause and provides that we shall accelerate the vesting of the unvested portion of any of Ms. Alba’s then-outstanding equity awards as to the number of shares subject to the outstanding equity awards that would have vested if Ms. Alba had been employed for an additional 12 months after her termination date. Alternatively, if Ms. Alba is terminated without cause or resigns for good reason, in either case within three months prior to or up to two years following, a change in control (as defined in the 2021 Plan), Ms. Alba shall instead be entitled to receive severance equal to 24 months of her then-current base salary, an amount equal to two times her target annual bonus, and we shall accelerate the vesting of all outstanding equity awards in full, with any performance-vesting award to be deemed to have vested at the target performance level.

As additional severance, we will pay each named executive officer’s COBRA group health insurance premiums for the named executive officer and his or her eligible dependents directly to the insurer until the earliest of (a) the end of the period immediately following the named executive officer’s involuntary termination

 

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while we are paying his or her severance in accordance with its regular payroll dates, (B) the expiration of the named executive officer’s eligibility for continuation coverage under COBRA, or (C) the date when the named executive officer becomes eligible for substantially equivalent health insurance coverage in connection with new employment or self-employment.

These severance benefits are conditioned upon the officer signing and not revoking a separation agreement and release of claims by no later than the sixtieth (60th) day after the employment termination, and resigning from all positions and terminating any relationships as an employee, advisor, officer, or director with us and any of its affiliates as of the date of termination.

For purposes of Mr. Vlahos’ and Mr. Rexing’s severance benefits, “cause” means any one of the following: (a) willful material breach by the named executive officer of any material company policy (including, but not limited to, our policies on nondiscrimination, anti-harassment, and confidential information) or the named executive officer’s duties or obligations under the employment agreement; (b) the named executive officer’s willful engagement in conduct materially injurious to us, monetarily or otherwise; (c) acts of fraud, theft or other willful illegal acts calling into question the named executive officer’s personal integrity, or conviction on a felony charge, whether or not related to the named executive officer’s employment; or (d) the named executive officer’s willful refusal to follow lawful instructions of our board of directors.

For purposes of Ms. Alba’s severance benefits, “cause” means any one of the following: (a) willful material breach by Ms. Alba of any material company policy (including, but not limited to, our policies on nondiscrimination, anti-harassment, and confidential information) or Ms. Alba’s duties or obligations hereunder; (b) Ms. Alba’s willful engagement in conduct materially injurious to us, monetarily or otherwise; (c) conviction on acts of fraud, theft or other willful and material illegal acts of moral turpitude, or conviction on a felony charge, whether or not related to Ms. Alba’s employment hereunder; or (d) Ms. Alba’s willful refusal to follow lawful and reasonable instructions of our board of directors.

For purposes of our Mr. Vlahos’ and Mr. Rexing’s severance benefits, “good reason” means any one of the following without the named executive officer’s consent: (a) an assignment of duties or responsibilities (including reporting responsibilities) materially inconsistent with, or which materially reduce, the named executive officer’s duties, authority, responsibilities and status with us; (b) an adverse change in the named executive officer’s title; (c) any material reduction in the named executive officer’s base salary, other than a reduction, generally applicable to our other executives, by not more than 25%; (d) the relocation of the named executive officer’s principal place of employment to a location that is more than twenty-five (25) miles away from its current location; or (e) the uncured breach of any material provision of such officer’s employment agreement (or any other agreement with the named executive officer’s) by us.

For purposes of Ms. Alba’s severance benefits, “good reason” means the occurrence of any one of the following events without Ms. Alba’s written consent: (a) an assignment of duties or responsibilities (including reporting responsibilities) materially inconsistent with, or which materially reduce, Ms. Alba’s duties, authority, responsibilities and status with us (for this purpose, the parties agree that following a change in control (as defined in the 2021 Plan) a material reduction will occur if Ms. Alba does not report directly to the board of directors of the entity that determines our strategy); (b) an adverse change in Ms. Alba’s title; (c) any material reduction in Ms. Alba’s base salary, other than a reduction, generally applicable to our other executives, by not more than 10%; (d) the relocation of Ms. Alba’s principal place of employment to a location that is more than twenty-five (25) miles away from its current location; or (e) the uncured breach of any material provision of Ms. Alba’s employment agreement (or any other agreement with you) by us.

In addition to the initial public offering preparation bonuses paid out to each of our named executive officers in December 2020, the liquidity event bonus agreements we entered with our named executive officers also provide that if a liquidity event (as defined in the named executive officer’s liquidity event bonus agreement) occurs prior to December 31, 2021 and the named executive officer remains an employee of the

 

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company in good standing through the effective date of the liquidity event, then the named executive officer will be entitled to receive a lump sum cash bonus equal to $4,032,659 for Mr. Vlahos, $1,417,714 for Ms. Alba, and $736,598 for Mr. Rexing. For purposes of the liquidity bonus agreements with our named executive officers, “liquidity event” means the first to occur of (i) a change in control (as defined in the 2011 Plan); or (ii) the consummation of (a) an initial public offering or direct listing of any class of common stock of the company or (b) a merger (or similar transaction) with a special purpose acquisition company, the result of which is that any class of common stock of the company or the parent or successor entity of the company, is listed on the New York Stock Exchange, the Nasdaq Stock Market or other securities exchange. The completion of this offering will constitute a “liquidity event” for purposes of each of the liquidity event bonus agreements with our named executive officers.

Mr. Vlahos’ stock options granted in September 2018 and February 2020 and Ms. Alba’s stock options granted in February 2018 and September 2018 (in each case, other than his or her stock options that vest upon a qualifying liquidity event) accelerate vesting upon certain qualifying terminations of their employment as follows:(i) in the event of the executive’s involuntary termination without cause or the executive’s resignation for good reason within three months before or twelve months following a change in control (as defined in the 2011 Plan), the vesting of the shares of our common stock subject to such options will be accelerated in full and (ii) in the event of the executive’s involuntary termination without cause, or the executive’s resignation for good reason outside of such change in control period, the vesting of a number of shares of our common stock subject to such options equal to the number of shares, if any, that would have vested during the twelve-month period following such termination or resignation will be accelerated.

Health and Welfare and Retirement Benefits; Perquisites

Health and Welfare Benefits and Perquisites

All of our current named executive officers are eligible to participate in our employee benefit plans, including our medical, dental, vision, disability and life insurance plans, in each case on the same basis as all of our other employees, except that we pay for the full cost of premiums of such benefits for our named executive officers. We generally do not provide perquisites or personal benefits to our named executive officers, except in limited circumstances.

401(k) Plan

Our named executive officers are eligible to participate in a defined contribution retirement plan that provides eligible U.S. employees with an opportunity to save for retirement on a tax advantaged basis. Eligible employees may defer eligible compensation on a pre-tax or after-tax (Roth) basis, up to the statutorily prescribed annual limits on contributions under the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, or the Code. Contributions are allocated to each participant’s individual account and are then invested in selected investment alternatives according to the participants’ directions. We currently match 100% of employee contributions of the first four percent of eligible compensation in order to attract and retain employees with superior talent. Employees are immediately and fully vested in all contributions. The 401(k) plan is intended to be qualified under Section 401(a) of the Code with the 401(k) plan’s related trust intended to be tax exempt under Section 501(a) of the Code. As a tax-qualified retirement plan, contributions to the 401(k) plan (except for Roth contributions) and earnings on those contributions are not taxable to the employees until distributed from the 401(k) plan. Our board of directors may elect to adopt qualified or nonqualified benefit plans in the future, if it determines that doing so is in our best interests.

Employee Benefit Plans

The principal features of our equity plans are summarized below. These summaries are qualified in their entirety by reference to the actual text of the plans, which are filed as exhibits to the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part.

 

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2021 Equity Incentive Plan

In April 2021, our board of directors adopted and our stockholders approved our 2021 Equity Incentive Plan, or 2021 Plan. Our 2021 Plan will become effective on the date of the underwriting agreement related to this offering. Our 2021 Plan will come into existence upon its adoption by our board of directors, but no grants will be made under our 2021 Plan prior to its effectiveness. Once our 2021 Plan becomes effective, no further grants will be made under our 2011 Plan.

Awards

Our 2021 Plan provides for the grant of incentive stock options, or ISOs, within the meaning of Section 422 of the Code, to our employees and our parent and subsidiary corporations’ employees, and for the grant of nonstatutory stock options, or NSOs, stock appreciation rights, restricted stock awards, restricted stock unit awards, performance awards and other forms of awards to our employees, directors and consultants and any of our affiliates’ employees and consultants.

Authorized Shares

Initially, the maximum number of shares of our common stock that may be issued under our 2021 Plan after it becomes effective will not exceed 25,025,580 shares of our common stock, which is the sum of (i) 7,050,000 new shares, plus (ii) an additional number of shares not to exceed 17,975,580 shares, consisting of shares of our common stock subject to outstanding stock options or other stock awards granted under our 2011 Plan that, on or after our 2021 Plan becomes effective, terminate or expire prior to exercise or settlement; are not issued because the award is settled in cash; are forfeited because of the failure to vest; or are reacquired or withheld (or not issued) to satisfy a tax withholding obligation or the purchase or exercise price, if any, as such shares become available from time to time. In addition, the number of shares of our common stock reserved for issuance under our 2021 Plan will automatically increase on January 1 of each year for a period of ten years, beginning on January 1, 2022 and continuing through January 1, 2031, in an amount equal to (1) 4% of the total number of shares of our common stock outstanding on December 31 of the immediately preceding year, or (2) a lesser number of shares determined by our board of directors prior to the date of the increase. The maximum number of shares of our common stock that may be issued on the exercise of ISOs under our 2021 Plan is 75,100,000 shares.

Shares subject to stock awards granted under our 2021 Plan that expire or terminate without being exercised in full or that are paid out in cash rather than in shares will not reduce the number of shares available for issuance under our 2021 Plan. Shares withheld under a stock award to satisfy the exercise, strike or purchase price of a stock award or to satisfy a tax withholding obligation will not reduce the number of shares available for issuance under our 2021 Plan. If any shares of our common stock issued pursuant to a stock award are forfeited back to or repurchased or reacquired by us (i) because of a failure to meet a contingency or condition required for the vesting of such shares; (ii) to satisfy the exercise, strike or purchase price of a stock award; or (iii) to satisfy a tax withholding obligation in connection with a stock award, the shares that are forfeited or repurchased or reacquired will revert to and again become available for issuance under our 2021 Plan.

Plan Administration

Our board of directors, or a duly authorized committee of our board of directors, administers our 2021 Plan. Our board of directors may delegate to one or more of our officers the authority to (i) designate employees (other than officers) to receive specified stock awards; and (ii) determine the number of shares subject to such stock awards. Under our 2021 Plan, our board of directors has the authority to determine stock award recipients, the types of stock awards to be granted, grant dates, the number of shares subject to each stock award, the fair market value of our common stock, and the provisions of each stock award, including the period of exercisability and the vesting schedule applicable to a stock award.

Under our 2021 Plan, our board of directors also generally has the authority to effect, with the consent of any materially adversely affected participant, (i) the reduction of the exercise, purchase, or strike price of any

 

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outstanding option or stock appreciation right; (ii) the cancellation of any outstanding option or stock appreciation right and the grant in substitution therefore of other awards, cash, or other consideration; or (iii) any other action that is treated as a repricing under generally accepted accounting principles.

Stock Options

ISOs and NSOs are granted under stock option agreements adopted by the administrator. The administrator determines the exercise price for stock options, within the terms and conditions of our 2021 Plan, except the exercise price of a stock option generally will not be less than 100% of the fair market value of our common stock on the date of grant. Options granted under our 2021 Plan will vest at the rate specified in the stock option agreement as determined by the administrator.

The administrator determines the term of stock options granted under our 2021 Plan, up to a maximum of 10 years. Unless the terms of an optionholder’s stock option agreement, or other written agreement between us and the optionholder, provide otherwise, if an optionholder’s service relationship with us or any of our affiliates ceases for any reason other than disability, death, or cause, the optionholder may generally exercise any vested options for a period of three months following the cessation of service. This period may be extended in the event that exercise of the option is prohibited by applicable securities laws or the immediate sale of shares acquired upon exercise of the option is prohibited by our insider trading policy. If an optionholder’s service relationship with us or any of our affiliates ceases due to death, or an optionholder dies within a certain period following cessation of service, the optionholder or a beneficiary may generally exercise any vested options for a period of 18 months following the date of death. If an optionholder’s service relationship with us or any of our affiliates ceases due to disability, the optionholder may generally exercise any vested options for a period of 12 months following the cessation of service. In the event of a termination for cause, options generally terminate upon the termination date. In no event may an option be exercised beyond the expiration of its term. Acceptable consideration for the purchase of common stock issued upon the exercise of a stock option will be determined by the administrator and may include (i) cash, check, bank draft or money order; (ii) a broker-assisted cashless exercise; (iii) the tender of shares of our common stock previously owned by the optionholder; (iv) a net exercise of the option if it is an NSO; or (v) other legal consideration approved by the administrator.

Unless the administrator provides otherwise, options or stock appreciation rights generally are not transferable except by will or the laws of descent and distribution. Subject to approval of the administrator or a duly authorized officer, an option may be transferred pursuant to a domestic relations order, official marital settlement agreement, or other divorce or separation instrument.

Tax Limitations on ISOs

The aggregate fair market value, determined at the time of grant, of our common stock with respect to ISOs that are exercisable for the first time by an award holder during any calendar year under all of our stock plans may not exceed $100,000. Options or portions thereof that exceed such limit will generally be treated as NSOs. No ISO 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 parent or subsidiary corporations 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 ISO does not exceed five years from the date of grant.

Restricted Stock Unit Awards

Restricted stock unit awards are granted under restricted stock unit award agreements adopted by the administrator. Restricted stock unit awards may be granted in consideration for any form of legal consideration that may be acceptable to our board of directors and permissible under applicable law. A restricted stock unit award may be settled by cash, delivery of stock, a combination of cash and stock as deemed appropriate by the administrator, or in any other form of consideration set forth in the restricted stock unit award agreement. Additionally, dividend equivalents may be credited in respect of shares covered by a restricted stock unit award. Except as otherwise provided in the applicable award agreement, or other written agreement between us and the

 

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recipient, restricted stock unit awards that have not vested will be forfeited once the participant’s continuous service ends for any reason.

Restricted Stock Awards

Restricted stock awards are granted under restricted stock award agreements adopted by the administrator. A restricted stock award may be awarded in consideration for cash, check, bank draft or money order, past or future services to us, or any other form of legal consideration that may be acceptable to our board of directors and permissible under applicable law. The administrator determines the terms and conditions of restricted stock awards, including vesting and forfeiture terms. If a participant’s service relationship with us ends for any reason, we may receive any or all of the shares of common stock held by the participant that have not vested as of the date the participant terminates service with us through a forfeiture condition or a repurchase right.

Stock Appreciation Rights

Stock appreciation rights are granted under stock appreciation right agreements adopted by the administrator. The administrator determines the purchase price or strike price for a stock appreciation right, which generally will not be less than 100% of the fair market value of our common stock on the date of grant. A stock appreciation right granted under our 2021 Plan will vest at the rate specified in the stock appreciation right agreement as determined by the administrator. Stock appreciation rights may be settled in cash or shares of our common stock or in any other form of payment as determined by our board of directors and specified in the stock appreciation right agreement.

The administrator determines the term of stock appreciation rights granted under our 2021 Plan, up to a maximum of 10 years. If a participant’s service relationship with us or any of our affiliates ceases for any reason other than cause, disability, or death, the participant may generally exercise any vested stock appreciation right for a period of three months following the cessation of service. This period may be further extended in the event that exercise of the stock appreciation right following such a termination of service is prohibited by applicable securities laws. If a participant’s service relationship with us, or any of our affiliates, ceases due to disability or death, or a participant dies within a certain period following cessation of service, the participant or a beneficiary may generally exercise any vested stock appreciation right for a period of 12 months in the event of disability and 18 months in the event of death. In the event of a termination for cause, stock appreciation rights generally terminate upon the termination date. In no event may a stock appreciation right be exercised beyond the expiration of its term.

Performance Awards

Our 2021 Plan permits the grant of performance awards that may be settled in stock, cash or other property. Performance awards may be structured so that the stock or cash will be issued or paid only following the achievement of certain pre-established performance goals during a designated performance period. Performance awards that are settled in cash or other property are not required to be valued in whole or in part by reference to, or otherwise based on, our common stock.

The performance goals may be based on any measure of performance selected by our board of directors. The performance goals may be based on company-wide performance or performance of one or more business units, divisions, affiliates, or business segments, and may be either absolute or relative to the performance of one or more comparable companies or the performance of one or more relevant indices. Unless specified otherwise by our board of directors at the time the performance award is granted, our board of directors will appropriately make adjustments in the method of calculating the attainment of performance goals as follows: (i) to exclude restructuring and/or other nonrecurring charges; (ii) to exclude exchange rate effects; (iii) to exclude the effects of changes to generally accepted accounting principles; (iv) to exclude the effects of any statutory adjustments to corporate tax rates; (v) to exclude the effects of items that are “unusual” in nature or occur “infrequently” as determined under generally accepted accounting principles; (vi) to exclude the dilutive effects of acquisitions or joint ventures; (vii) to assume that any business divested by us achieved performance objectives at targeted levels

 

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during the balance of a performance period following such divestiture; (viii) to exclude the effect of any change in the outstanding shares of our common stock by reason of any stock dividend or split, stock repurchase, reorganization, recapitalization, merger, consolidation, spin-off, combination or exchange of shares or other similar corporate change, or any distributions to common stockholders other than regular cash dividends; (ix) to exclude the effects of stock based compensation and the award of bonuses under our bonus plans; (x) to exclude costs incurred in connection with potential acquisitions or divestitures that are required to be expensed under generally accepted accounting principles; and (xi) to exclude the goodwill and intangible asset impairment charges that are required to be recorded under generally accepted accounting principles.

Other Stock Awards

The administrator may grant other awards based in whole or in part by reference to our common stock. The administrator will set the number of shares under the stock award (or cash equivalent) and all other terms and conditions of such awards.

Non-Employee Director Compensation Limit

The aggregate value of all compensation granted or paid, following the date of the underwriting agreement related to this offering, to any non-employee director with respect to any fiscal year of the company, including awards granted and cash fees paid by us to such non-employee director, will not exceed (i) $750,000 in total value or (ii) if such non-employee director first joins our board of directors, or is serving as the non-employee chair of our board of directors, during such fiscal year, $1,500,000 in total value. The limitations described in the preceding sentence will apply starting with the first calendar year that begins following the date of the underwriting agreement related to this offering.

Changes to Capital Structure

In the event there is a specified type of change in our capital structure, such as a stock split, reverse stock split, or recapitalization, appropriate adjustments will be made to (i) the class and maximum number of shares reserved for issuance under our 2021 Plan, (ii) the class and maximum number of shares by which the share reserve may increase automatically each year, (iii) the class and maximum number of shares that may be issued on the exercise of ISOs, and (iv) the class and number of shares and exercise price, strike price, or purchase price, if applicable, of all outstanding stock awards.

Corporate Transactions

In the event of a corporate transaction (as defined in the 2021 Plan), unless otherwise provided in a participant’s stock award agreement or other written agreement with us or one of our affiliates or unless otherwise expressly provided by the administrator at the time of grant, any stock awards outstanding under our 2021 Plan may be assumed, continued or substituted for by any surviving or acquiring corporation (or its parent company), and any reacquisition or repurchase rights held by us with respect to the stock award may be assigned to the successor (or its parent company). If the surviving or acquiring corporation (or its parent company) does not assume, continue or substitute for such stock awards, then (i) with respect to any such stock awards that are held by participants whose continuous service has not terminated prior to the effective time of the corporate transaction, or current participants, the vesting (and exercisability, if applicable) of such stock awards will be accelerated in full (or, in the case of performance awards with multiple vesting levels depending on the level of performance, vesting will accelerate at 100% of the target level) to a date prior to the effective time of the corporate transaction (contingent upon the effectiveness of the corporate transaction), and such stock awards will terminate if not exercised (if applicable) at or prior to the effective time of the corporate transaction, and any reacquisition or repurchase rights held by us with respect to such stock awards will lapse (contingent upon the effectiveness of the corporate transaction); and (ii) any such stock awards that are held by persons other than current participants will terminate if not exercised (if applicable) prior to the effective time of the corporate transaction, except that any reacquisition or repurchase rights held by us with respect to such stock awards will not terminate and may continue to be exercised notwithstanding the corporate transaction.

 

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In the event a stock award will terminate if not exercised prior to the effective time of a corporate transaction, the administrator may provide, in its sole discretion, that the holder of such stock award may not exercise such stock award but instead will receive a payment equal in value to the excess (if any) of (i) the value of the property the participant would have received upon the exercise of the stock award, over (ii) any per share exercise price payable by such holder, if applicable. In addition, any escrow, holdback, earn out or similar provisions in the definitive agreement for the corporate transaction may apply to such payment to the same extent and in the same manner as such provisions apply to the holders of our common stock.

Change in Control

Stock awards granted under our 2021 Plan may be subject to acceleration of vesting and exercisability upon or after a change in control (as defined in the 2021 Plan) as may be provided in the applicable stock award agreement or in any other written agreement between us or any affiliate and the participant, but in the absence of such provision, no such acceleration will automatically occur.

Plan Amendment or Termination

Our board of directors has the authority to amend, suspend, or terminate our 2021 Plan at any time, provided that such action does not materially impair the existing rights of any participant without such participant’s written consent. Certain material amendments also require the approval of our stockholders. No ISOs may be granted after the tenth anniversary of the date our board of directors adopted our 2021 Plan. No stock awards may be granted under our 2021 Plan while it is suspended or after it is terminated.

2011 Stock Incentive Plan

Our board of directors adopted our 2011 Plan in August 2011, and our stockholders approved our 2011 Plan in May 2012, and thereafter our 2011 Plan was amended from time to time. Our 2011 Plan permits the grant of ISOs, NSOs, stock awards, stock units, and stock appreciation rights. ISOs may be granted only to our employees and to any of our parent or subsidiary corporation’s employees. All other awards may be granted to employees, directors and consultants of ours and to any of our parent or subsidiary corporation’s employees or consultants. As noted above, we will not grant any additional awards under our 2011 Plan after the effectiveness of our 2021 Plan. However, our 2011 Plan will continue to govern the terms and conditions of the outstanding awards granted under our 2011 Plan.

Share Reserve

As of December 31, 2020, an aggregate of 25,207,370 shares of our common stock were reserved for issuance under our 2011 Plan and stock options to purchase 18,038,042 shares of our common stock were outstanding under our 2011 Plan.

Administration

Our board of directors or a committee delegated by our board of directors administers our 2011 Plan. Subject to the terms of our 2011 Plan, the administrator has the power to, among other things, determine who will be granted awards, to determine the terms and conditions of each award (including the number of shares subject to the award, the exercise price of the award, if any, and when the award will vest and, as applicable, become exercisable), to lower or reduce the exercise price of outstanding options, to accelerate the time(s) at which an award may vest or be exercised, and to construe and interpret the terms of our 2011 Plan and awards granted thereunder.

Options and Restricted Stock Units

Options and restricted stock units granted under our 2011 Plan are subject to terms and conditions generally similar to those described above with respect to options and restricted stock units, respectively, that may be

 

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granted under our 2021 Plan once it becomes effective, except vested options will generally remain exercisable following a participant ceasing to be a service provider other than for cause for 30 days (or 12 months in the case of death or disability) following such termination.

Capital Structure Changes

In the event of certain changes in our capital structure, such as a stock split, reverse stock split, or recapitalization, the administrator will make equitable and proportionate adjustments to (i) the number and kind of shares with respect to which awards may be granted under our 2011 Plan, (ii) the number, kind, and price (as applicable) of shares subject to outstanding awards, and (iii) the number and kind of outstanding securities issued under our 2011 Plan. In addition, in the event of certain changes in our capital structure, the administrator will take certain other actions described in the 2011 Plan to the extent it determines such action is appropriate to prevent dilution or enlargement of the benefits or potential benefits intended by the company to be made available under the 2011 Plan or with respect to any award granted under the 2011 Plan or to facilitate the applicable transaction or event.

Acquisition

In the event of an acquisition (as defined in the 2011 Plan), any surviving entity or acquiring entity (or affiliate of such entity) may assume, or substitute similar stock awards for, awards outstanding under our 2011 Plan. If awards are not assumed or substituted for by the surviving entity or acquiring entity (or an affiliate of such entity), then (1) awards held by participants under our 2011 Plan whose status as a service provider has not terminated prior to such event will become fully vested and, as applicable, exercisable and all restrictions on such awards will lapse, and such awards will terminate if not exercised, as applicable, immediately prior to the closing of the acquisition, and (2) any other awards outstanding under our 2011 Plan will terminate if not exercised immediately prior to the closing of the acquisition.

Amendment and Termination

Our board of directors may at any time amend, alter, suspend or terminate our 2011 Plan. However, our board of directors will obtain stockholder approval of any amendment to the 2011 Plan if necessary to comply with applicable laws. No amendment, alteration, suspension or termination of our 2011 Plan will impair the rights of any award holder unless the award holder and the administrator of the 2011 Plan agree otherwise in writing. As noted above, we will not grant any additional awards under our 2011 Plan after the effectiveness of our 2021 Plan.

2021 Employee Stock Purchase Plan

In April 2021, our board of directors adopted and our stockholders approved our 2021 Employee Stock Purchase Plan, or ESPP. Our ESPP will become effective immediately prior to and contingent upon the date of the underwriting agreement related to this offering. The purpose of our ESPP is to secure the services of new employees, to retain the services of existing employees, and to provide incentives for such individuals to exert maximum efforts toward our success and that of our affiliates. Our ESPP includes two components. One component is designed to allow eligible U.S. employees to purchase our common stock in a manner that may qualify for favorable tax treatment under Section 423 of the Code. The other component permits the grant of purchase rights that do not qualify for such favorable tax treatment in order to allow deviations necessary to permit participation by eligible employees who are foreign nationals or employed outside of the United States while complying with applicable foreign laws.

Share Reserve

Upon its effectiveness, our ESPP will authorize the issuance of 1,175,000 shares of our common stock under purchase rights granted to our employees or to employees of any of our designated affiliates. The number of shares of our common stock reserved for issuance will automatically increase on January 1 of each year for a

 

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period of ten years, beginning on January 1, 2022 and continuing through January 1, 2031, by the lesser of (i) 1% of the total number of shares of our common stock outstanding on December 31 of the immediately preceding year; and (ii) 3,525,000 shares, except before the date of any such increase, our board of directors may determine that such increase will be less than the amount set forth in clauses (i) and (ii).

Administration

Our board of directors, or a duly authorized committee of our board of directors, administers our ESPP. Our ESPP is implemented through a series of offerings under which eligible employees are granted purchase rights to purchase shares of our common stock on specified dates during such offerings. Under our ESPP, our board of directors may specify offerings with durations of not more than 27 months and to specify shorter purchase periods within each offering. Each offering will have one or more purchase dates on which shares of our common stock will be purchased for employees participating in the offering. Our ESPP provides that an offering may be terminated under certain circumstances.

Payroll Deductions

Generally, all regular employees, including executive officers, employed by us or by any of our designated affiliates, may participate in our ESPP and contribute, normally through payroll deductions, up to 15% of their earnings (as defined in our ESPP) for the purchase of our common stock under our ESPP. Unless otherwise determined by our board of directors, common stock will be purchased for the accounts of employees participating in our ESPP at a price per share that is not less than the lesser of (i) 85% of the fair market value of a share of our common stock on the first day of an offering; or (ii) 85% of the fair market value of a share of our common stock on the date of purchase.

Limitations

Employees may have to satisfy one or more of the following service requirements before participating in our ESPP, as determined by our board of directors: (i) being customarily employed for more than 20 hours per week; (ii) being customarily employed for more than five months per calendar year; or (iii) continuous employment with us or one of our affiliates for a period of time (not to exceed two years). No employee may purchase shares under our ESPP at a rate in excess of $25,000 worth of our common stock (based on the fair market value per share of our common stock at the beginning of an offering) for each calendar year such a purchase right is outstanding. Finally, no employee will be eligible for the grant of any purchase rights under our ESPP if immediately after such rights are granted, such employee has voting power over 5% or more of our outstanding capital stock measured by vote or value under Section 424(d) of the Code.

Changes to Capital Structure

Our ESPP provides that in the event there occurs a change in our capital structure through such actions as a stock split, merger, consolidation, reorganization, recapitalization, reincorporation, stock dividend, dividend in property other than cash, large nonrecurring cash dividend, liquidating dividend, combination of shares, exchange of shares, change in corporate structure, or similar transaction, our board of directors will make appropriate adjustments to: (i) the class(es) and maximum number of shares reserved under our ESPP; (ii) the class(es) and maximum number of shares by which the share reserve may increase automatically each year; (iii) the class(es) and number of shares subject to, and purchase price applicable to, outstanding offerings and purchase rights; and (iv) the class(es) and number of shares that are subject to purchase limits under ongoing offerings.

Corporate Transactions

Our ESPP provides that in the event of a corporate transaction (as defined in the ESPP), any then-outstanding rights to purchase our common stock under our ESPP may be assumed, continued, or substituted for by any surviving or acquiring entity (or its parent company). If the surviving or acquiring entity (or its parent

 

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company) elects not to assume, continue, or substitute for such purchase rights, then the participants’ accumulated payroll contributions will be used to purchase shares of our common stock within 10 business days before such corporate transaction, and such purchase rights will terminate immediately after such purchase.

Amendment or Termination

Our board of directors has the authority to amend or terminate our ESPP, except in certain circumstances such amendment or termination may not materially impair any outstanding purchase rights without the holder’s consent. We will obtain stockholder approval of any amendment to our ESPP as required by applicable law or listing requirements.

Indemnification Matters

Upon the completion of this offering, our amended and restated certificate of incorporation will contain provisions that limit the liability of our current and former directors for monetary damages to the fullest extent permitted by Delaware law. Delaware law provides that directors of a corporation will not be personally liable for monetary damages for any breach of fiduciary duties as directors, except liability for:

 

   

any breach of the director’s duty of loyalty to the corporation or its stockholders;

 

   

any act or omission not in good faith or that involves intentional misconduct or a knowing violation of law;

 

   

unlawful payments of dividends or unlawful stock repurchases or redemptions; or

 

   

any transaction from which the director derived an improper personal benefit.

Such limitation of liability does not apply to liabilities arising under federal securities laws and does not affect the availability of equitable remedies such as injunctive relief or rescission.

Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation that will be in effect immediately prior to the completion of this offering will authorize us to indemnify our directors, officers, employees and other agents to the fullest extent permitted by Delaware law. Our amended and restated bylaws that will be in effect immediately prior to the completion of this offering will provide that we are required to indemnify our directors and officers to the fullest extent permitted by Delaware law and may indemnify our other employees and agents. Our amended and restated bylaws that will be in effect immediately prior to the completion of this offering will also provide that, on satisfaction of certain conditions, we will advance expenses incurred by a director or officer in advance of the final disposition of any action or proceeding, and permit us to secure insurance on behalf of any officer, director, employee or other agent for any liability arising out of his or her actions in that capacity regardless of whether we would otherwise be permitted to indemnify him or her under the provisions of Delaware law. We have entered and expect to continue to enter into agreements to indemnify our directors, executive officers and other employees as determined by our board of directors. With certain exceptions, these agreements provide for indemnification for related expenses including attorneys’ fees, judgments, fines and settlement amounts incurred by any of these individuals in any action or proceeding. We believe these provisions in our amended and restated certificate of incorporation and amended and restated bylaws and these indemnification agreements are necessary to attract and retain qualified persons as directors and officers. We also maintain customary directors’ and officers’ liability insurance.

The limitation of liability and indemnification provisions in our amended and restated certificate of incorporation and amended and restated bylaws may discourage stockholders from bringing a lawsuit against our directors for breach of their fiduciary duty. They may also reduce the likelihood of derivative litigation against our directors and officers, even though an action, if successful, might benefit us and other stockholders. Further, a stockholder’s investment may be adversely affected to the extent that we pay the costs of settlement and damage awards against directors and officers as required by these indemnification provisions.

Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act may be permitted for directors, executive officers or persons controlling us, we have been informed that, in the opinion of the SEC, such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and is therefore unenforceable.

 

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Rule 10b5-1 Sales Plans

Our directors and officers may adopt written plans, known as Rule 10b5-1 plans, in which they will contract with a broker to buy or sell shares of our common stock on a periodic basis. Under a Rule 10b5-1 plan, a broker executes trades under parameters established by the director or officer when entering into the plan, without further direction from them. The director or officer may amend a Rule 10b5-1 plan in some circumstances and may terminate a plan at any time. Our directors and executive officers may also buy or sell additional shares outside of a Rule 10b5-1 plan when they do not possess of material nonpublic information, subject to compliance with the terms of our insider trading policy.

 

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CERTAIN RELATIONSHIPS AND RELATED PARTY TRANSACTIONS

Other than compensation arrangements for our directors and executive officers, which are described elsewhere in this prospectus, below we describe transactions since January 1, 2018 to which we were a party or will be a party, in which:

 

   

the amounts involved exceeded or will exceed $120,000; and

 

   

any of our directors, executive officers or holders of more than 5% of our capital stock, or any member of the immediate family of, or person sharing the household with, the foregoing persons, which we refer to as our related parties, had or will have a direct or indirect material interest, other than equity and other compensation, termination, change in control and other arrangements, which are described under the section titled “Executive Compensation.”

2021 Dividend

In April 2021, our board of directors declared a cash dividend in the amount of $35.0 million to the holders of record of our common stock and our redeemable convertible preferred stock as of May 3, 2021 that is contingent upon the closing of this offering and payable no later than June 30, 2021, or the 2021 Dividend. The following table summarizes the amount of cash dividends payable to our related parties:

 

Stockholder

   Aggregate
Dividend

($)
 

THC Shared Abacus, LP(1)

     13,108,764  

Institutional Venture Partners XIII, L.P.(2)

     4,853,915  

Entities affiliated with Lightspeed Venture Partners(3)

     4,293,952  

Entities affiliated with Fidelity(4)

     3,242,899  

Entities affiliated with Jessica Alba(5)

     2,633,660  

Entities affiliated with General Catalyst(6)

     1,781,494  

Nikolaos and Angela Vlahos 2006 Trust(7)

     35,107  

 

(1)

THC Shared Abacus, LP (a fund affiliated with L Catterton Partners) beneficially owns more than 5% of our outstanding capital stock and Scott Dahnke, a member of our board of directors, is the co-chief executive officer of L Catterton and Avik Pramanik, a member of our board of directors, is a partner of L Catterton.

(2)

Institutional Venture Partners XIII, L.P. beneficially owns more than 5% of our outstanding capital stock and Eric Liaw, a member of our board of directors, is a General Partner of Institutional Venture Partners XIII, L.P.

(3)

The entities affiliated with Lightspeed Venture Partners whose shares are aggregated for purposes of reporting share ownership information are Lightspeed Venture Partners VIII, L.P. and Lightspeed Venture Partners Select, L.P., or Lightspeed Select. These entities beneficially own more than 5% of our outstanding capital stock and Jeremy Liew, a member of our board of directors, is a director of Lightspeed Ultimate General Partner Select, Ltd., or LUGP Select, and shares voting and dispositive power with respect to the shares held by Lightspeed Select.

(4)

The entities affiliated with Fidelity whose shares are aggregated for purposes of reporting share ownership information are (i) Fidelity Securities Fund: Fidelity Blue Chip Growth Fund, (ii) Fidelity Securities Fund: Fidelity Series Blue Chip Growth Fund, (iii) Fidelity Select Portfolios: Select Consumer Staples Portfolio, (iv) Fidelity Mt. Vernon Street Trust: Fidelity Series Growth Company Fund, (v) Fidelity Mt. Vernon Street Trust: Fidelity Growth Company Fund, (vi) Fidelity Growth Company Commingled Pool, (vii) Fidelity U.S. Equity Central Fund - Consumer Staples Sub, (viii) Fidelity Blue Chip Growth Commingled Pool, (ix) Fidelity Securities Fund: Fidelity Flex Large Cap Growth Fund, (x) Fidelity Securities Fund: Fidelity Blue Chip Growth K6 Fund, (xi) FIAM Target Date Blue Chip Growth Commingled Pool, (xii) Fidelity Puritan Trust: Fidelity Puritan Fund - Equity Sub B, (xiii) Fidelity Securities Fund: Fidelity OTC Portfolio, (xiv) Fidelity OTC Commingled Pool, (xv) Fidelity Trend Fund: Fidelity Trend Fund and (xvi) Variable Insurance Products Fund IV: Consumer Staples Portfolio (collectively, the Fidelity Entities). The Fidelity Entities are managed by direct or indirect subsidiaries of FMR LLC. Abigail P. Johnson is a Director, the Chairman, the Chief Executive Officer and the President of FMR LLC. Members of the Johnson family, including Abigail P. Johnson, are the predominant owners, directly or through trusts, of Series B voting common shares of FMR LLC, representing 49% of the voting power of FMR LLC. The Johnson family group and all other Series B shareholders have entered into a shareholders’ voting agreement under which all Series B voting common shares will be voted in accordance with the majority vote of Series B voting common shares. Accordingly, through their ownership of voting common shares and the execution of the shareholders’ voting agreement, members of the Johnson family may be deemed, under the Investment Company Act of 1940, to form a controlling group with respect to FMR LLC. Neither FMR LLC nor Abigail P. Johnson has the sole power to vote or direct the voting of the shares owned directly by the various investment companies registered under the Investment

 

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  Company Act (Fidelity Funds) advised by Fidelity Management & Research Company, LLC (FMR Co), a wholly owned subsidiary of FMR LLC, which power resides with the Fidelity Funds’ Boards of Trustees. Fidelity Management & Research Company, LLC carries out the voting of the shares under written guidelines established by the Fidelity Funds’ Boards of Trustees. Fidelity Management & Research Company carries out the voting of the shares under written guidelines established by the Fidelity Funds’ Boards of Trustees. The Fidelity Entities beneficially own more than 5% of our outstanding capital stock.
(5)

The entities affiliated with Jessica Alba, our Chief Creative Officer and current Chair of our board of directors, whose shares are aggregated for purposes of reporting share ownership information are the Warren Trust Dated 12/22/10 and the Warren 2012 Gift Trust. Ms. Alba and her husband share voting and investment power as trustees over the shares held by the Warren Trust Dated 12/22/10. Howard Altman has sole voting and investment power as trustee over the shares held by the Warren 2012 Gift Trust.

(6)

The entities affiliated with General Catalyst whose shares are aggregated for purposes of reporting share ownership information are General Catalyst Group V, L.P., General Catalyst Group V Supplemental, L.P. and GC Entrepreneurs Fund V, L.P. These entities beneficially own more than 5% of our outstanding capital stock and Joel Cutler, a former member of our board of directors, is a managing director of General Catalyst Partners V, L.P., which is the general partner of such entities. Mr. Cutler resigned from his position as a member of our board of directors effective upon the closing of our redeemable convertible preferred stock and common stock financing and the Secondary Sale in June 2018.

(7)

Nikolaos Vlahos, our Chief Executive Officer and a member of our board of directors, and his wife share voting and investment power as trustees over the shares held by the Nikolaos and Angela Vlahos 2006 Trust.

Preferred Stock and Common Stock Financing

In June 2018, we issued and sold an aggregate of 5,100,790 shares of our Series F redeemable convertible preferred stock and 8,695,652 shares of our common stock in a single closing at a purchase price of $9.8024 per share of Series F redeemable convertible preferred stock and $5.7500 per share of common stock, respectively, for an aggregate purchase price of $100.0 million. Each share of our Series F redeemable convertible preferred stock will automatically convert into one share of our common stock immediately prior to the completion of this offering, without giving effect to any anti-dilution adjustments relating to our Series F redeemable convertible preferred stock described in the section titled “Description of Capital Stock—Preferred Stock.”

The table below sets forth the number of shares of our Series F redeemable convertible preferred stock and common stock purchased by our related parties.

 

Stockholder

   Shares of Series
F Convertible
Preferred
Stock
     Total Series F
Purchase Price
($)
     Shares of
Common
Stock
     Total
Common
Purchase Price
($)
 

THC Shared Abacus, LP(1)

     5,100,790        49,999,984        8,695,652        49,999,999  

 

(1)

THC Shared Abacus, LP (a fund affiliated with L Catterton Partners) beneficially owns more than 5% of our outstanding capital stock and Scott Dahnke, a member of our board of directors, is the co-chief executive officer of L Catterton and Avik Pramanik, a member of our board of directors, is a partner of THC Shared Abacus, LP.

Secondary Sale Transactions

In June 2018, certain of our existing stockholders sold shares of our Series A redeemable convertible preferred stock, Series A-1 redeemable convertible preferred stock and common stock to a new investor, which we collectively refer to as the Secondary Sale. We agreed to waive certain transfer restrictions and rights of first refusal in connection with the Secondary Sale. The shares of common stock were sold by our stockholders to the new investor at a price of $5.7500 per share for an aggregate purchase price of approximately $100.0 million.

The table below sets forth the number of shares of our Series A redeemable convertible preferred stock, Series A-1 redeemable convertible preferred stock and common stock purchased by our related parties.

 

Stockholder

   Shares of Series
A Convertible
Preferred
Stock
     Shares of
Series A-1
Convertible
Preferred
Stock
     Shares of
Common
Stock
     Total
Purchase Price
($)
 

THC Shared Abacus, LP(1)

     1,934,226        3,239,594        12,217,486        100,000,010  

 

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(1)

THC Shared Abacus, LP (a fund affiliated with L Catterton Partners) beneficially owns more than 5% of our outstanding capital stock and Scott Dahnke, a member of our board of directors, is the co-chief executive officer of L Catterton and Avik Pramanik, a member of our board of directors, is a partner of L Catterton.

The table below sets forth the number of shares of our Series A redeemable convertible preferred stock, Series A-1 redeemable convertible preferred stock and common stock sold by our related parties and the approximate proceeds each stockholder received for the sale of such shares.

 

Stockholder

   Shares of Series
A Convertible
Preferred
Stock
     Shares of
Series A-1
Convertible
Preferred
Stock
     Shares of
Common
Stock
     Total
Sale Price
($)
 

Entities affiliated with Jessica Alba(1)

     —          —          774,318        4,452,329  

Entities affiliated with Lightspeed Venture Partners(2)

     1,934,226        —          493,682        13,960,471  

Institutional Venture Partners XIII, L.P.(3)

     —          —          1,217,392        7,000,004  

Entities affiliated with General Catalyst(4)

     —          3,239,594        238,668        20,000,007  

Brian Lee(5)

     —          —          4,400,000        25,300,000  

 

(1)

The entities affiliated with Jessica Alba, our Chief Creative Officer and current Chair of our board of directors, whose shares are aggregated for purposes of reporting share ownership information are the Warren Trust Dated 12/22/10 and the Warren 2012 Gift Trust. Ms. Alba, and her husband share voting and investment power as trustees over the shares held by the Warren Trust Dated 12/22/10. Howard Altman has sole voting and investment power as trustee over the shares held by the Warren 2012 Gift Trust.

(2)

The entities affiliated with Lightspeed Venture Partners whose shares are aggregated for purposes of reporting share ownership information are Lightspeed Venture Partners VIII, L.P. and Lightspeed Venture Partners Select, L.P., or Lightspeed Select. These entities beneficially own more than 5% of our outstanding capital stock and Jeremy Liew, a member of our board of directors, is a director of Lightspeed Ultimate General Partner Select, Ltd., or LUGP Select, and shares voting and dispositive power with respect to the shares held by Lightspeed Select.

(3)

Institutional Venture Partners XIII, L.P. beneficially owns more than 5% of our outstanding capital stock and Eric Liaw, a member of our board of directors, is a General Partner of Institutional Venture Partners XIII, L.P.

(4)

The entities affiliated with General Catalyst whose shares are aggregated for purposes of reporting share ownership information are General Catalyst Group V, L.P., General Catalyst Group V Supplemental, L.P. and GC Entrepreneurs Fund V, L.P. These entities beneficially own more than 5% of our outstanding capital stock and Joel Cutler, a former member of our board of directors, is a managing director of General Catalyst Partners V, L.P., which is the general partner of such entities. Mr. Cutler resigned from his position as a member of our board of directors effective upon the closing of our redeemable convertible preferred stock and common stock financing and the Secondary Sale in June 2018.

(5)

Brian Lee beneficially owned more than 5% of our outstanding capital stock and was a member of our board of directors at the time of the Secondary Sale. Mr. Lee resigned from his position as a member of our board of directors upon the closing of our redeemable convertible preferred stock and common stock financing and the Secondary Sale in June 2018.

Investors’ Rights, Management Rights, Voting and Co-Sale Agreements

In connection with our redeemable convertible preferred stock and common stock financing, we entered into investors’ rights, management rights, voting and right of first refusal and co-sale agreements containing registration rights, information rights, rights of first offer, voting rights and rights of first refusal, among other things, with certain holders of our capital stock. The holders of more than 5% of our capital stock that are party to these agreements are THC Shared Abacus, L.P., entities affiliated with Lightspeed Venture Partners, Institutional Venture Partners XIII, L.P., entities affiliated with Fidelity and entities affiliated with General Catalyst. Nikolaos Vlahos, our Chief Executive Officer and member of our board of directors, and Jessica Alba, our Chief Creative Officer and current Chair of our board of directors, are also parties to our voting and right of first refusal and co-sale agreements.

These stockholder agreements will terminate upon the closing of this offering, except for the registration rights granted under our investors’ rights agreement, which will terminate upon the earliest of: (1) five years after the completion of this offering; and (2) with respect to any particular stockholder, such time as such stockholder can sell all of its shares under Rule 144 of the Securities Act or another similar exemption during any 90-day period and such stockholder holds less than one percent of our outstanding capital stock. For a description of the registration rights, see the section titled “Description of Capital Stock—Registration Rights.”

 

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Relationships with Jessica Alba

In July 2011, we entered into the Likeness Agreement with Ms. Alba pursuant to which we license Ms. Alba’s likeness.

In April 2020, we entered into an agreement with Summit House Studios LLC, or Summit House, pursuant to which Summit House provides digital ad production services. Ms. Alba is a member of Summit House. In 2020, we paid Summit House approximately $253,000 in fees for such services.

Other Transactions

We have entered into employment agreements with our executive officers that, among other things, provide for certain compensatory and change in control benefits, as well as severance benefits. For a description of these agreements with our named executive officers, see the section titled “Executive Compensation.”

We have also granted stock options and to our executive officers and certain of our non-employee directors. For a description of these equity awards, see the section titled “Executive Compensation.”

In April 2017, we issued Nikolaos Vlahos, our Chief Executive Officer and member of our board of directors, 174,844 shares of our Series D redeemable convertible preferred stock pursuant to a restricted preferred stock award agreement. Between May 2017 and April 2019, Mr. Vlahos forfeited an aggregate of 91,320 shares of Series D redeemable convertible preferred stock to satisfy the tax withholding obligations pursuant to the terms of his restricted preferred stock award agreement, after which Mr. Vlahos held an aggregate of 83,524 shares of our Series D redeemable convertible preferred stock. In July 2018, Mr. Vlahos transferred such shares of our Series D redeemable convertible preferred stock to the Nikolaos and Angela Vlahos 2006 Trust pursuant to a stock transfer agreement.

Directed Share Program

At our request, the underwriters have reserved for sale at the initial public offering price per share up to 5% of the shares of common stock offered by this prospectus for sale, to certain individuals through a directed share program, including our directors, employees and certain other individuals identified by management.

Indemnification Agreements

We have entered into indemnification agreements with certain of our current directors and executive officers, and intend to enter into new indemnification agreements with each of our current directors and executive officers before the completion of this offering. Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation and our amended and restated bylaws provide that we will indemnify our directors and officers to the fullest extent permitted under Delaware law. See the section titled “Executive Compensation—Indemnification Matters.”

Other than as described above under this section “Certain Relationships and Related Party Transactions,” since January 1, 2018, we have not entered into any transactions, nor are there any currently proposed transactions, between us and a related party where the amount involved exceeds, or would exceed, $120,000, and in which any related party had or will have a direct or indirect material interest. We believe the terms of the transactions described above were comparable to terms we could have obtained in arm’s length dealings with unrelated third parties.

Policies and Procedures for Related Party Transactions

Prior to the completion of this offering, we intend to adopt a written policy that our executive officers, directors, nominees for election as a director, beneficial owners of more than 5% of any class of our common stock and any members of the immediate family of any of the foregoing persons are not permitted to enter into a related party transaction with us without the approval or ratification of our board of directors or our audit

 

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committee. Any request for us to enter into a transaction with an executive officer, director, nominee for election as a director, beneficial owner of more than 5% of any class of our common stock or any member of the immediate family of any of the foregoing persons, in which the amount involved exceeds $120,000 and such person would have a direct or indirect interest, must be presented to our board of directors or our audit committee for review, consideration and approval. In approving or rejecting any such proposal, our board of directors or our audit committee is to consider the material facts of the transaction, including whether the transaction is on terms no less favorable than terms generally available to an unaffiliated third party under the same or similar circumstances and the extent of the related party’s interest in the transaction.

 

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PRINCIPAL AND SELLING STOCKHOLDERS

The following table sets forth, as of March 31, 2021, information regarding beneficial ownership of our capital stock by:

 

   

each person, or group of affiliated persons, known by us to beneficially own more than 5% of our common stock;

 

   

each of our named executive officers;

 

   

each of our directors;

 

   

all of our current executive officers and directors as a group; and

 

   

each of the selling stockholders.

The percentage ownership information under the column titled “Before Offering” is based on 83,228,302 shares of common stock outstanding as of March 31, 2021 assuming the automatic conversion of 49,100,928 outstanding shares of redeemable convertible preferred stock as of March 31, 2021 into an equivalent number of shares of common stock, which will occur immediately prior to the completion of this offering, after without giving effect to the anti-dilution adjustments relating to our Series C and D redeemable convertible preferred stock, based on the assumed initial public offering price of $15.50 per share, the midpoint of the estimated price range set forth on the cover page of this prospectus, described in the section titled “Description of Capital Stock—Preferred Stock.” The percentage ownership information under the column titled “After Offering” is based on the sale of shares of common stock in this offering and excludes any potential purchases pursuant to the directed share program in this offering. The percentage ownership information assumes both no exercise of the underwriters’ option to purchase additional shares and full exercise of the underwriters’ option to purchase 3,871,050 additional shares of common stock from the selling stockholders.

Beneficial ownership is determined according to the rules of the SEC and generally means that a person has beneficial ownership of a security if he, she or it possesses sole or shared voting or investment power of that security, including options that are currently exercisable or exercisable within 60 days of March 31, 2021. Except as indicated by the footnotes below, we believe, based on the information furnished to us, that the persons named in the table below have sole voting and investment power with respect to all shares of common stock shown that they beneficially own, subject to community property laws where applicable. The information does not necessarily indicate beneficial ownership for any other purpose.

Common stock subject to stock options currently exercisable or exercisable within 60 days of March 31, 2021 are deemed to be outstanding for computing the percentage ownership of the person holding these options and the percentage ownership of any group of which the holder is a member but are not deemed outstanding for computing the percentage of any other person.

Unless otherwise noted below, the address for each beneficial owner listed in the table below is c/o The Honest Company, Inc., 12130 Millennium Drive, #500, Los Angeles, California 90094.

 

                            Beneficial Ownership
After this Offering
 
    Beneficial
Ownership
Before this
Offering
    Number of Shares Being
Offered
    After Offering
(Assuming the
Underwriters’
Option is Not
Exercised)
    After Offering
(Assuming the
Underwriters’
Option is
Exercised in
Full)
 
    Assuming the
Underwriters’
Option is Not
    Assuming the
Underwriters’
Option is
 

Name of Beneficial Owner

  Shares     %     Exercised     Exercised in Full     Shares     %     Shares     %  

5% Stockholders

               

THC Shared Abacus, LP(1)

    31,187,748       37.1     15,448,403       19,319,453       15,739,345       17.4     11,868,295       13.1

Institutional Venture Partners XIII, L.P.(2)

    11,626,054       13.8     1,200,000       1,200,000       10,426,054       11.5     10,426,054       11.5

Entities affiliated with Lightspeed Venture Partners(3)

    10,272,466       12.2     1,450,010       1,450,010       8,822,456       9.7     8,822,456       9.7

Entities affiliated with Fidelity(4)

    7,944,424       9.4     —         —         7,944,424       8.8     7,944,424       8.8

Entities affiliated with General Catalyst(5)

    4,240,798       5.0     1,059,612       1,059,612       3,181,186       3.5     3,181,186       3.5

 

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                            Beneficial Ownership
After this Offering
 
    Beneficial
Ownership
Before this
Offering
    Number of Shares Being
Offered
    After Offering
(Assuming the
Underwriters’
Option is Not
Exercised)
    After Offering
(Assuming the
Underwriters’
Option is
Exercised in
Full)
 
    Assuming the
Underwriters’
Option is Not
    Assuming the
Underwriters’
Option is
 

Name of Beneficial Owner

  Shares     %     Exercised     Exercised in Full     Shares     %     Shares     %  

Executive Officers and Directors:

               

Nikolaos Vlahos(6)

    3,590,316       4.1     —         —         3,590,316       3.8     3,590,316       3.8

Jessica Alba(7)

    5,645,118       6.6     —         —         5,645,118       6.1     5,645,118       6.1

Rick Rexing(8)

    506,506       *       —         —         506,506       *       506,506       *  

Scott Dahnke(9)

    31,187,748       37.1     15,448,403       19,319,453       15,739,345       17.4     11,868,295       13.1

Avik Pramanik

    —         —         —         —         —         —         —         —    

Eric Liaw

    —         —         —         —         —         —         —         —    

Jeremy Liew(10)

    629,386       *       82,648       82,648       546,738       *       546,738       *  

Katie Bayne(11)

    75,000       *       —         —         —         *       75,000       *  

Susan Gentile

    —         —         —         —         —         —         —         —    

James White

    —         —         —         —         —         —         —         —    

All executive officers and directors as a
group (17 persons)(12)

    42,633,200       47.1     15,531,051       19,402,101       27,102,149       29.7     23,231,099       23.9

Other Selling Stockholders:

               

Certain Other Selling Stockholders(13)

    197,362       *       197,362       197,362       —         —         —         —    

 

*

Represents beneficial ownership of less than 1%.

(1)

Consists of: (i) 20,913,138 shares of common stock and (ii) 10,274,610 shares of common stock issuable upon conversion of redeemable convertible preferred stock. C8 Management, L.L.C. is the general partner of THC Shared Abacus, LP, or THC Shared Abacus. Scott A. Dahnke and J. Michael Chu are the managing members of C8 Management, L.L.C. and have shared voting and dispositive power with respect to the shares held by THC Shared Abacus. Messrs. Dahnke and Chu disclaim beneficial ownership of such shares except as to their pecuniary interest therein. The address for THC Shared Abacus is c/o L Catterton Partners, 599 West Putnam Avenue, Greenwich, Connecticut 06830.

(2)

Consists of: (i) 1,368,850 shares of common stock and (ii) 10,257,204 shares of common stock issuable upon conversion of redeemable convertible preferred stock. Institutional Venture Management XIII, LLC is the general partner of Institutional Venture Partners XIII, L.P., or IVP. Todd C. Chaffee, Norman A. Fogelsong, Stephen J. Harrick, J. Sanford Miller and Dennis B. Phelps are the managing directors of Institutional Venture Management XIII, LLC and share voting and dispositive power over the shares held by Institutional Venture Partners XIII, L.P. The address for these entities is c/o Institutional Venture Partners, 3000 Sand Hill Road, Building 2, Suite 250, Menlo Park, California 94025.

(3)

Consists of: (i) 9,643,080 shares of common stock issuable upon conversion of redeemable convertible preferred stock held by Lightspeed Venture Partners VIII, L.P., or Lightspeed VIII, and (ii) 629,386 shares of common stock issuable upon conversion of convertible preferred stock held by Lightspeed Venture Partners Select, L.P., or Lightspeed Select. Lightspeed General Partner VIII, L.P., or LGP VIII, is the general partner of Lightspeed VIII. Lightspeed Ultimate General Partner VIII, Ltd., or LUGP VIII, is the general partner of LGP VIII. Barry Eggers, Ravi Mhatre and Peter Nieh are the directors of LUGP VIII and share voting and dispositive power with respect to the shares held by Lightspeed VIII. Messrs. Eggers, Mhatre and Nieh disclaim beneficial ownership of the shares held by Lightspeed VIII except to the extent of their pecuniary interest therein. Lightspeed General Partner Select, L.P., or LGP Select, is the general partner of Lightspeed Select. Lightspeed Ultimate General Partner Select, Ltd., or LUGP Select, is the general partner of LGP Select. Barry Eggers, Jeremy Liew, Ravi Mhatre and Peter Nieh are the directors of LUGP Select and share voting and dispositive power with respect to the shares held by Lightspeed Select. Messrs. Eggers, Liew, Mhatre and Nieh disclaim beneficial ownership of the shares held by Lightspeed Select except to the extent of their pecuniary interest therein. The address for these entities is 2200 Sand Hill Road, Menlo Park, California 94025.

(4)

Consists of: (i) 300,286 shares of common stock held by Fidelity Securities Fund: Fidelity Blue Chip Growth Fund, (ii) 143,218 shares of common stock held by Fidelity Securities Fund: Fidelity Series Blue Chip Growth Fund, (iii) 424,470 shares of common stock held by Fidelity Select Portfolios: Select Consumer Staples Portfolio, (iv) 18,992 shares of common stock held by Fidelity Mt. Vernon Street Trust: Fidelity Series Growth Company Fund, (v) 79,670 shares of common stock held by Fidelity Mt. Vernon Street Trust: Fidelity Growth Company Fund, (vi) 12,214 shares of common stock held by Fidelity Growth Company Commingled Pool, (vii) 342,440 shares of common stock held by Fidelity U.S. Equity Central Fund - Consumer Staples Sub, (viii) 2,036,210 shares of common stock issuable upon conversion of redeemable convertible preferred stock held by Fidelity Securities Fund: Fidelity Blue Chip Growth Fund, (ix) 32,142 shares of common stock issuable upon conversion of redeemable convertible preferred stock held by Fidelity Blue Chip Growth Commingled Pool, (x) 564 shares of common stock issuable upon conversion of redeemable convertible preferred stock held by Fidelity Securities Fund: Fidelity Flex Large Cap Growth Fund, (xi) 23,604 shares of common stock issuable upon conversion of redeemable convertible preferred stock held by Fidelity Securities Fund: Fidelity Blue Chip Growth K6 Fund, (xii) 711,166 shares of common stock issuable upon conversion of redeemable convertible preferred stock held by Fidelity Securities Fund: Fidelity Series Blue Chip Growth Fund, (xiii) 93,998 shares of common stock issuable upon conversion of redeemable convertible preferred stock held by

 

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  FIAM Target Date Blue Chip Growth Commingled Pool, (xiv) 2,469,514 shares of common stock issuable upon conversion of redeemable convertible preferred stock held by Fidelity Puritan Trust: Fidelity Puritan Fund - Equity Sub B, (xv) 164,234 shares of common stock issuable upon conversion of redeemable convertible preferred stock held by Fidelity Securities Fund: Fidelity OTC Portfolio, (xvi) 2,674 shares of common stock issuable upon conversion of redeemable convertible preferred stock held by Fidelity OTC Commingled Pool, (xvii) 394,786 shares of common stock issuable upon conversion of redeemable convertible preferred stock held by Fidelity Trend Fund: Fidelity Trend Fund, (xviii) 89,942 shares of common stock issuable upon conversion of redeemable convertible preferred stock held by Fidelity Mt. Vernon Street Trust: Fidelity Series Growth Company Fund, (xix) 354,166 shares of common stock issuable upon conversion of redeemable convertible preferred stock held by Fidelity Mt. Vernon Street Trust: Fidelity Growth Company Fund, (xx) 76,586 shares of common stock issuable upon conversion of redeemable convertible preferred stock held by Fidelity Growth Company Commingled Pool and (xxi) 173,548 shares of common stock issuable upon conversion of redeemable convertible preferred stock held by Variable Insurance Products Fund IV: Consumer Staples Portfolio (collectively, the Fidelity Entities). The Fidelity Entities are managed by direct or indirect subsidiaries of FMR LLC. Abigail P. Johnson is a Director, the Chairman, the Chief Executive Officer and the President of FMR LLC. Members of the Johnson family, including Abigail P. Johnson, are the predominant owners, directly or through trusts, of Series B voting common shares of FMR LLC, representing 49% of the voting power of FMR LLC. The Johnson family group and all other Series B shareholders have entered into a shareholders’ voting agreement under which all Series B voting common shares will be voted in accordance with the majority vote of Series B voting common shares. Accordingly, through their ownership of voting common shares and the execution of the shareholders’ voting agreement, members of the Johnson family may be deemed, under the Investment Company Act of 1940, to form a controlling group with respect to FMR LLC. Neither FMR LLC nor Abigail P. Johnson has the sole power to vote or direct the voting of the shares owned directly by the various investment companies registered under the Investment Company Act (Fidelity Funds) advised by Fidelity Management & Research Company, LLC (FMR Co), a wholly owned subsidiary of FMR LLC, which power resides with the Fidelity Funds’ Boards of Trustees. Fidelity Management & Research Company, LLC carries out the voting of the shares under written guidelines established by the Fidelity Funds’ Boards of Trustees. Fidelity Management & Research Company carries out the voting of the shares under written guidelines established by the Fidelity Funds’ Boards of Trustees. The address for Fidelity Securities Fund: Fidelity Blue Chip Growth Fund, Fidelity Puritan Trust: Fidelity Puritan Fund - Equity Sub B, Fidelity Trend Fund: Fidelity Trend Fund and Fidelity U.S. Equity Central Fund - Consumer Staples Sub is M. Gardiner & Co., c/o JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A, P.O. Box 35308, Newark, NJ 07101-8006. The address for Fidelity Blue Chip Growth Commingled Pool, Fidelity OTC Commingled Pool, Fidelity Mt. Vernon Street Trust: Fidelity Series Growth Company Fund, Fidelity Growth Company Commingled Pool and Fidelity Select Portfolios: Select Consumer Staples Portfolio is Mag & Co., c/o Brown Brothers Harriman & Co., Attn: Corporate Actions/Vault, 140 Broadway, New York, NY 10005. The address for Fidelity Securities Fund: Fidelity Flex Large Cap Growth Fund, Fidelity Securities Fund: Fidelity Blue Chip Growth K6 Fund and Fidelity Securities Fund: Fidelity OTC Portfolio is The Northern Trust Company, Attn: Trade Securities Processing, 333 South Wabash Ave, 32nd Floor, Chicago, IL 60604. The address for Fidelity Securities Fund: Fidelity Series Blue Chip Growth Fund, FIAM Target Date Blue Chip Growth Commingled Pool and Variable Insurance Products Fund IV: Consumer Staples Portfolio State Street Bank & Trust, PO Box 5756, Boston, MA 02206. The address for Fidelity Mt. Vernon Street Trust: Fidelity Growth Company Fund is BNY Mellon, One BNY Mellon Center, 500 Grant Street Aim 151-2700, Pittsburgh, PA 15258.
(5)

Consists of: (i) 2,713,878 shares of common stock issuable upon conversion of redeemable convertible preferred stock held by General Catalyst Group V Supplemental, L.P., or GCGVS, (ii) 1,440,208 shares of common stock issuable upon conversion of redeemable convertible preferred stock held by General Catalyst Group V, L.P., or GCGV, and (iii) 86,712 shares of common stock issuable upon conversion of redeemable convertible preferred stock held by GC Entrepreneurs Fund V, L.P., or GCEV. General Catalyst GP V, LLC, or GCGPV, is the general partner of General Catalyst Partners V, L.P., which is the general partner of GCGV, GCEV and GCGVS. Lawrence Bohn, Joel Cutler, David Fialkow and Hemant Taneja are managing directors of GCGPV, and, as a result, may be deemed to have voting and dispositive power over the shares held by GCGV, GCEV, and GCGVS. The address for these entities is 20 University Road, Suite 450, Cambridge, MA 02138.

(6)

Consists of: (i) 91,124 shares of common stock issuable upon conversion of redeemable convertible preferred stock held by the Nikolaos and Angela Vlahos 2006 Trust, over which Mr. Vlahos and his wife share voting and investment power as trustees, and (ii) 3,499,192 shares of common stock underlying stock options held by that are exercisable within 60 days of March 31, 2021.

(7)

Consists of: (i) 4,253,036 shares of common stock held by the Warren Trust Dated 12/22/10, over which Ms. Alba and her husband share voting and investment power as trustees, and (ii) 1,392,082 shares of common stock underlying stock options held by Ms. Alba that are exercisable within 60 days of March 31, 2021.

(8)

Consists of 462,758 shares of common stock underlying stock options that are exercisable within 60 days of March 31, 2021.

(9)

Consists of the shares held of record by THC Shared Abacus and disclosed in footnote (1) above. Mr. Dahnke is the Co-Chief Executive Officer of L Catterton Partners and may be deemed to beneficially own the shares held of record by THC Shared Abacus as disclosed in footnote (1).

(10)

Consists of the shares held of record by Lightspeed Select and disclosed in footnote (3) above. Mr. Liew is a director of LUGP Select and shares voting and dispositive power with respect to the shares held by Lightspeed Select and may be deemed to beneficially own the shares held of record by Lightspeed Select as disclosed in footnote (3).

(11)

Consists of 75,000 shares of common stock underlying stock options that are exercisable within 60 days of March 31, 2021.

(12)

Consists of (i) 25,166,174 shares of common stock held by our current directors and executive officers as a group, (ii) 1,934,226 shares of common stock issuable upon the conversion of Series A redeemable convertible preferred stock held by our current directors and executive officers as a group, (iii) 3,239,594 shares of common stock issuable upon the conversion of Series A-1 redeemable convertible preferred stock held by our current directors and executive officers as a group, (iv) 564,504 shares of common stock issuable upon the conversion of Series C redeemable convertible preferred stock held by our current directors and executive officers as a group, (v) 91,124

 

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  shares of common stock issuable upon the conversion of Series D redeemable convertible preferred stock held by our current directors and executive officers as a group, (vi) 64,882 shares of common stock issuable upon the conversion of Series E redeemable convertible preferred stock held by our current directors and executive officers as a group, (vii) 5,100,790 shares of common stock issuable upon the conversion of Series F redeemable convertible preferred stock held by our current directors and executive officers as a group, and (ix) 6,471,906 shares of common stock issuable upon the exercise of stock options held by our current directors and executive officers that are exercisable within 60 days of March 31, 2021.
(13)

Consists of selling stockholders not otherwise listed in this table who collectively own less than 1% of our common stock.

 

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DESCRIPTION OF CAPITAL STOCK

General

The following description of our capital stock and certain provisions of our amended and restated certificate of incorporation and amended and restated bylaws are summaries and are qualified by reference to the amended and restated certificate of incorporation and the amended and restated bylaws that will be in effect immediately prior to the completion of this offering. Copies of these documents will be filed with the SEC as exhibits to our registration statement, of which this prospectus forms a part. The descriptions of the common stock and preferred stock reflect changes to our capital structure that will be in effect immediately prior to the completion of this offering.

Immediately prior to the completion of this offering, our authorized capital stock will consist of 1,020,000,000 shares, all with a par value of $0.0001 per share, of which:

 

   

1,000,000,000 shares will be designated common stock; and

 

   

20,000,000 shares will be designated preferred stock.

As of December 31, 2020, we had outstanding 84,066,524 shares of common stock, assuming the automatic conversion of 49,100,928 outstanding shares of redeemable convertible preferred stock as of December 31, 2020 into 49,977,338 shares of common stock, which will occur immediately prior to the completion of this offering, after giving effect to the anti-dilution adjustments relating to our Series C and Series D redeemable convertible preferred stock based on the assumed initial public offering price of $15.50 per share, the midpoint of the estimated price range set forth on the cover page of this prospectus, as described in the section titled “Description of Capital Stock—Preferred Stock.”

Our outstanding capital stock was held by 217 stockholders of record as of December 31, 2020. Our board of directors is authorized, without stockholder approval except as required by the listing standards of The Nasdaq Stock Market LLC, to issue additional shares of our capital stock.

Common Stock

Voting Rights

The common stock is entitled to one vote per share on any matter that is submitted to a vote of our stockholders. Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation establishes a classified board of directors that is divided into three classes with staggered three-year terms. Only the directors in one class will be subject to election by a plurality of the votes cast at each annual meeting of our stockholders, with the directors in the other classes continuing for the remainder of their respective three-year terms. The affirmative vote of holders of at least 66 2/3% of the voting power of all of the then-outstanding shares of capital stock, voting as a single class, will be required to amend certain provisions of our amended and restated certificate of incorporation, including provisions relating to amending our amended and restated bylaws, the classified structure of our board of directors, the size of our board of directors, removal of directors, director liability, vacancies on our board of directors, special meetings, stockholder notices, actions by written consent and exclusive jurisdiction.

Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation that will be in effect immediately prior to the completion of this offering will not provide for cumulative voting for the election of directors.

Dividends and Distributions

Subject to preferences that may apply to any shares of preferred stock outstanding at the time, the holders of common stock will be entitled to share equally, identically and ratably, on a per share basis, with respect to any dividend or distribution of cash or property paid or distributed by us. See the section titled “Dividend Policy” for additional information.

Liquidation Rights

On our liquidation, dissolution or winding-up, the holders of common stock will be entitled to share equally, identically and ratably in all assets remaining after the payment of any liabilities, liquidation preferences and

 

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accrued or declared but unpaid dividends, if any, with respect to any outstanding preferred stock, unless a different treatment is approved by the affirmative vote of the holders of a majority of the outstanding shares of such affected class, voting separately as a class.

No Preemptive or Similar Rights

Our common stock are not entitled to preemptive rights, and are not subject to conversion, redemption or sinking fund provisions.

Fully Paid and Non-Assessable

In connection with this offering, our legal counsel will opine that the shares of our common stock to be issued under this offering will be fully paid and non-assessable.

Preferred Stock

As of December 31, 2020, there were 49,100,928 shares of our redeemable convertible preferred stock outstanding. Immediately prior to the completion of this offering, no shares of preferred stock will be outstanding assuming the automatic conversion of 49,100,928 outstanding shares of redeemable convertible preferred stock as of December 31, 2020 into 49,977,338 shares of common stock after giving the effect to the anti-dilution adjustments relating to our Series C and Series D redeemable convertible preferred stock based on the assumed initial public offering price of $15.50 per share, the midpoint of the estimated price range set forth on the cover page of this prospectus.

Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation that is currently in effect provides for certain anti-dilution adjustments relating to our Series B, Series C, Series D, Series E and Series F redeemable convertible preferred stock in connection with a firm-commitment underwritten public offering. The anti-dilution adjustments for each series of redeemable convertible preferred stock are based on the following target prices, which are collectively referred to as the Target Prices:

 

   

$10.9852 per share for our Series B redeemable convertible preferred stock;

 

   

$16.9108 per share for our Series C and Series D redeemable convertible preferred stock; and

 

   

$12.2530 per share for our Series E and Series F redeemable convertible preferred stock.

The number of shares of our common stock to be issued in connection with such anti-dilution adjustments of such series of redeemable convertible preferred stock depends on the initial public offering price of our common stock. We expect the initial public offering price of our common stock to be between $14.00 and $17.00 per share, as set forth on the cover page of this prospectus. However, the actual initial public offering price may be lower or higher, which would increase or decrease, respectively, the number of shares of our common stock to be issued in connection with the anti-dilution adjustments of such redeemable convertible preferred stock, as described in more detail below. We will not know the initial public offering price and, as a result, the total number of shares of common stock to be issued in connection with the anti-dilution adjustment of these shares of redeemable convertible preferred stock, until the determination of the actual price per share following the effectiveness of the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part. If the initial public offering price per share, before deducting estimated underwriting discounts and commissions and estimated offering expenses payable by us, is less than the applicable Target Price for such series of redeemable convertible preferred stock, then the conversion price in effect immediately prior to this offering for each share of such series of redeemable convertible preferred stock shall be adjusted to be equal to the product of (i) the original issue price for such series of redeemable convertible preferred stock and (ii) a fraction, the numerator of which is the initial public offering price per share, and the denominator of which is the applicable Target Price for such series of redeemable convertible preferred stock. Based on an assumed initial offering public price of $15.50 per share, which is the midpoint of the estimated offering price range set forth on the cover page of this prospectus, the anti-dilution adjustment of our Series B, Series C, Series D, Series E and Series F redeemable convertible

 

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preferred stock would be equal to an aggregate of 470,953 shares and 405,457 shares, respectively, of our common stock.

Under our amended and restated certificate of incorporation that will be in effect immediately prior to the completion of this offering, our board of directors may, without further action by our stockholders, fix the rights, preferences, privileges and restrictions of up to an aggregate of 20,000,000 shares of preferred or more series and authorize their issuance. These rights, preferences and privileges could include dividend rights, conversion rights, voting rights, terms of redemption, liquidation preferences and the number of shares constituting any series or the designation of such series, any or all of which may be greater than the rights of our common stock. Any issuance of our preferred stock could adversely affect the voting power of holders of our common stock, and the likelihood that such holders would receive dividend payments and payments on liquidation. In addition, the issuance of preferred stock could have the effect of delaying, deferring or preventing a change of control or other corporate action. Immediately prior to the completion of this offering, no shares of preferred stock will be outstanding. We have no present plan to issue any shares of preferred stock.

Options and Restricted Stock Units

As of December 31, 2020, 18,038,042 shares of our common stock were issuable on the exercise of outstanding options to purchase shares of our common stock under our 2011 Plan, with a weighted-average exercise price of $5.23 per share. Subsequent to December 31, 2020, we granted restricted stock units to be settled for 200,000 shares of our common stock under our 2011 Plan. For additional information regarding terms of our equity incentive plans, see the section titled “Executive Compensation—Employee Benefit Plans.”

Registration Rights

We are party to an amended and restated investors’ rights agreement that provides that certain holders of our capital stock, including certain holders of our preferred stock have certain registration rights, as set forth below. This amended and restated investors’ rights agreement was entered into as of June 11, 2018. The registration of shares of our common stock by the exercise of registration rights described below would enable the holders to sell these shares without restriction under the Securities Act when the applicable registration statement is declared effective. We will pay the registration expenses, other than underwriting discounts and commissions, of the shares registered by the demand, piggyback and Form S-3 registrations described below.

Generally, in an underwritten offering, the managing underwriter, if any, has the right, subject to specified conditions, to limit the number of shares such holders may include. The demand, piggyback and Form S-3 registration rights described below will expire upon the earliest to occur of: (1) five years after the completion of this offering; or (2) with respect to any particular stockholder, such time as such stockholder can sell all of its shares under Rule 144 of the Securities Act or another similar exemption during any 90-day period and such stockholder holds less than one percent of our outstanding capital stock. The number of shares of our capital stock entitled to registration rights set forth below does not give effect to any anti-dilution adjustments relating to certain series of our Series B, Series C, Series D, Series E and Series F redeemable convertible preferred stock described in the section titled “Description of Capital Stock—Preferred Stock.”

Demand Registration Rights

The holders of an aggregate of 41,827,864 shares of our capital stock, after giving effect to any anti-dilution adjustments relating to our Series C and Series D redeemable convertible preferred stock based on the assumed initial public offering price of $15.50 per share, the midpoint of the estimated price range set forth on the cover page of this prospectus, or the Demand Holders, and certain holders affiliated with THC Shared Abacus, LP, or the THC Holders, will be entitled to certain demand registration rights. At any time beginning on June 11, 2021, the Demand Holders are entitled to registration rights under the amended and restated investors’ rights agreement. At any time beginning six months after the effective date of the registration statement, of which this prospectus is a part, the THC Holders are entitled to registration rights under the amended and restated investors’ rights agreement.

 

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Piggyback Registration Rights

In connection with this offering, the holders of an aggregate of 72,139,202 shares of our capital stock were entitled to, and the necessary percentage of holders waived, their rights to notice of this offering and to include their shares of registrable securities in this offering. After this offering, in the event that we propose to register any of our securities under the Securities Act, either for our own account or for the account of other security holders, the holders of an aggregate of 73,015,162 shares of our capital stock, after giving effect to any anti-dilution adjustments relating to our Series C and Series D redeemable convertible preferred stock based on the assumed initial public offering price of $15.50 per share, the midpoint of the estimated price range set forth on the cover page of this prospectus, shares will be entitled to certain piggyback registration rights allowing such holders to include their shares in such registration, subject to certain marketing and other limitations. As a result, whenever we propose to file a registration statement under the Securities Act, subject to certain exceptions, the holders of these shares are entitled to notice of the registration and have the right to include their shares in the registration, subject to limitations that the underwriters may impose on the number of shares included in the offering.

Form S-3 Registration Rights

The holders of an aggregate of 41,827,864 shares of our capital stock , after giving effect to any anti-dilution adjustments relating to our Series C and Series D redeemable convertible preferred stock based on the assumed initial public offering price of $15.50 per share, the midpoint of the estimated price range set forth on the cover page of this prospectus, and the THC Holders will be entitled to certain Form S-3 registration rights. If we are eligible to file a registration statement on Form S-3, these holders have the right, upon written request from such holders, to have such shares registered by us if the anticipated aggregate offering price of such shares is at least $1 million, subject to exceptions set forth in the amended and restated investors’ rights agreement.

Anti-Takeover Provisions

Certificate of Incorporation and Bylaws to be in Effect Immediately Prior to the Completion of this Offering

Because our stockholders do not have cumulative voting rights, stockholders holding a majority of the voting power of our shares of common stock will be able to elect all of our directors. Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation and amended and restated bylaws to be effective immediately prior to the completion of this offering will require that any action to be taken by our stockholders must be effected at a duly called annual or special meeting of stockholders and not be taken by written consent or electronic transmission. A special meeting of stockholders may be called by a majority of our board of directors, the chair of our board of directors, our chief executive officer or our lead independent director. Our amended and restated bylaws to be effective immediately prior to the completion of this offering will establish an advance notice procedure for stockholder proposals to be brought before an annual meeting of our stockholders, including proposed nominations of persons for election to our board of directors.

In accordance with our amended and restated certificate of incorporation to be effective immediately prior to the completion of this offering, immediately after this offering, our board of directors will be divided into three classes with staggered three-year terms.

The foregoing provisions will make it more difficult for another party to obtain control of us by replacing our board of directors. Since our board of directors has the power to retain and discharge our officers, these provisions could also make it more difficult for existing stockholders or another party to effect a change in management. In addition, the authorization of undesignated preferred stock makes it possible for our board of directors to issue preferred stock with voting or other rights or preferences that could impede the success of any attempt to change our control.

These provisions are intended to preserve our existing control after giving effect to any anti-dilution adjustments relating to our Series C and Series D redeemable convertible preferred stock based on the assumed initial public offering price of $15.50 per share, the midpoint of the estimated price range set forth on the cover page of this prospectus,structure after completion of this offering, facilitate our continued product innovation and

 

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the risk-taking that it requires, permit us to continue to prioritize our long-term goals rather than short-term results, enhance the likelihood of continued stability in the composition of our board of directors and its policies and to discourage certain types of transactions that may involve an actual or threatened acquisition of us. These provisions are also designed to reduce our vulnerability to an unsolicited acquisition proposal 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 deterring hostile takeovers or delaying changes in our control or management. As a consequence, these provisions may also inhibit fluctuations in the market price of our stock that could result from actual or rumored takeover attempts.

Section 203 of the Delaware General Corporation Law

When we have a class of voting stock that is either listed on a national securities exchange or held of record by more than 2,000 stockholders, we will be subject to Section 203 of the Delaware General Corporation Law, which prohibits a Delaware corporation from engaging in any business combination with any interested stockholder for a period of three years after the date that such stockholder became an interested stockholder, subject to certain exceptions.

Choice of Forum

Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation to be effective immediately prior to the completion of this offering will provide that unless we consent in writing to the selection of an alternative forum, the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware (or, if and only if the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware lacks subject matter jurisdiction, any state court located within the State of Delaware or, if and only if all such state courts lack subject matter jurisdiction, the federal district court for the District of Delaware) and any appellate court therefrom shall be the sole and exclusive forum for the following claims or causes of action under Delaware statutory or common law: (A) any derivative claim or cause of action brought on our behalf; (B) any claim or cause of action for breach of a fiduciary duty owed by any of our current or former directors, officers or other employees to us or our stockholders; (C) any claim or cause of action against us or any of our current or former directors, officers or other employees arising out of or pursuant to any provision of the Delaware General Corporation Law, our amended and restated certificate of incorporation or amended and restated bylaws (as each may be amended from time to time); (D) any claim or cause of action seeking to interpret, apply, enforce or determine the validity of our amended and restated certificate of incorporation or amended and restated bylaws (as each may be amended from time to time, including any right, obligation, or remedy thereunder); (E) any claim or cause of action as to which the Delaware General Corporation Law confers jurisdiction on the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware; and (F) any claim or cause of action against us or any of our current or former directors, officers or other employees governed by the internal-affairs doctrine or otherwise related to our internal affairs, in all cases to the fullest extent permitted by law and subject to the court having personal jurisdiction over the indispensable parties named as defendants; provided, that, this Delaware forum provision set forth in our amended and restated certificate of incorporation to be effective immediately prior to the completion of this offering shall not apply to claims or causes of action brought to enforce a duty or liability created by the Securities Act or the Exchange Act, or any other claim for which the federal courts have exclusive jurisdiction.

Further, our amended and restated certificate of incorporation to be effective immediately prior to the completion of this offering will provide that unless we consent in writing to the selection of an alternative forum, to the fullest extent permitted by law, the federal district courts of the United States shall be the exclusive forum for the resolution of any complaint asserting a cause of action arising under the Securities Act, including all causes of action asserted against any defendant named in such complaint. For the avoidance of doubt, this provision is intended to benefit and may be enforced by us, our officers and directors, the underwriters for any offering giving rise to such complaint, and any other professional entity whose profession gives authority to a statement made by that person or entity and who has prepared or certified any part of the documents underlying the offering.

 

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Additionally, our amended and restated certificate of incorporation to be effective immediately prior to the completion of this offering will provide that any person or entity holding, owning or otherwise acquiring any interest in any of our securities shall be deemed to have notice of and consented to these provisions.

Limitations of Liability and Indemnification

See the section titled “Executive Compensation—Indemnification Matters.”

Exchange Listing

Our common stock is currently not listed on any securities exchange. We have applied to have our common stock approved for listing on The Nasdaq Global Select Market under the symbol “HNST.”

Transfer Agent and Registrar

Upon the completion of this offering, the transfer agent and registrar for our common stock will be Computershare Trust Company, N.A. The transfer agent’s address is 250 Royall Street, Canton, Massachusetts 02021.

 

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SHARES ELIGIBLE FOR FUTURE SALE

Prior to this offering, there has been no public market for our common stock. Future sales of substantial amounts of our common stock, including shares issued on the exercise of outstanding options, in the public market after this offering, or the possibility of these sales or issuances occurring, could adversely affect the prevailing market price for our common stock or impair our ability to raise equity capital.

Based on our shares outstanding as of December 31, 2020, immediately prior to the completion of this offering, a total of 84,066,524 shares of common stock will be outstanding, assuming the automatic conversion of 49,100,928 outstanding shares of redeemable convertible preferred stock as of December 31, 2020 into 49,977,338 shares of common stock, which will occur immediately prior to the completion of this offering, after giving effect to any anti-dilution adjustments relating to our Series C and Series D redeemable convertible preferred stock based on the assumed initial public offering price of $15.50 per share, the midpoint of the estimated price range set forth on the cover page of this prospectus, as described in the section titled “Description of Capital Stock—Preferred Stock.” Of these shares, all of the common stock sold in this offering by us and the selling stockholders, plus any shares sold by us on the exercise of the underwriters’ option to purchase additional common stock from us, will be freely tradable in the public market without restriction or further registration under the Securities Act, unless these shares are held by “affiliates,” as that term is defined in Rule 144 under the Securities Act.

The remaining shares of common stock will be, and shares of common stock subject to stock options will be on issuance, “restricted securities,” as that term is defined in Rule 144 under the Securities Act. These restricted securities are eligible for public sale only if they are registered under the Securities Act or if they qualify for an exemption from registration under Rules 144 or 701 under the Securities Act, which are summarized below. Restricted securities may also be sold outside of the United States to non-U.S. persons in accordance with Rule 904 of Regulation S.

Subject to the lock-up agreements and market standoff provisions described below and the provisions of Rule 144 or Regulation S under the Securities Act, as well as our insider trading policy, these restricted securities will be available for sale in the public market after the date of this prospectus.

Rule 144

In general, under Rule 144 as currently in effect, once we have been subject to public company reporting requirements of Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act for at least 90 days, an eligible stockholder is entitled to sell such shares without complying with the manner of sale, volume limitation or notice provisions of Rule 144, subject to compliance with the public information requirements of Rule 144. To be an eligible stockholder under Rule 144, such stockholder must not be deemed to have been one of our affiliates for purposes of the Securities Act at any time during the 90 days preceding a sale and must have beneficially owned the shares proposed to be sold for at least six months, including the holding period of any prior owner other than our affiliates. If such a person has beneficially owned the shares proposed to be sold for at least one year, including the holding period of any prior owner other than our affiliates, then such person is entitled to sell such shares without complying with any of the requirements of Rule 144, subject to the expiration of the lock-up agreements described below.

In general, under Rule 144, as currently in effect, our affiliates or persons selling shares on behalf of our affiliates are entitled to sell shares on expiration of the lock-up agreements described below, subject, in the case of restricted securities, to such shares having been beneficially owned for at least six months. Beginning 90 days after the date of this prospectus, within any three-month period, such stockholders may sell a number of shares that does not exceed the greater of:

 

   

1% of the number of common stock then outstanding, which will equal approximately 905,181 shares immediately after this offering; or

 

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the average weekly trading volume of our common stock on The Nasdaq Global Select Market during the four calendar weeks preceding the filing of a notice on Form 144 with respect to such sale.

Sales under Rule 144 by our affiliates or persons selling shares on behalf of our affiliates are also subject to certain manner of sale provisions and notice requirements and to the availability of current public information about us.

Rule 701

Rule 701 generally allows a stockholder who was issued shares under a written compensatory plan or contract and who is not deemed to have been an affiliate of our company during the immediately preceding 90 days, to sell these shares in reliance on Rule 144, but without being required to comply with the public information, holding period, volume limitation or notice provisions of Rule 144. Rule 701 also permits affiliates of our company to sell their Rule 701 shares under Rule 144 without complying with the holding period requirements of Rule 144. All holders of Rule 701 shares, however, are required by that rule to wait until 90 days after the date of this prospectus before selling those shares under Rule 701, subject to the expiration of the lock-up agreements and market standoff provisions described below.

Form S-8 Registration Statements

We intend to file one or more registration statements on Form S-8 under the Securities Act with the SEC to register the offer and sale of shares of our common stock that are issuable under the 2011 Plan, 2021 Plan and ESPP. These registration statements will become effective immediately on filing. Shares covered by these registration statements will then be eligible for sale in the public markets, subject to vesting restrictions, any applicable lock-up agreements and market standoff provisions described below, and Rule 144 limitations applicable to affiliates.

Lock-Up Arrangements and Market Standoff Agreements

We, the selling stockholders, all of our directors, executive officers and the holders of substantially all of our common stock and securities exercisable for or convertible into our common stock outstanding immediately prior to the completion of this offering, have agreed, or will agree, with the underwriters that, until 180 days after the date of this prospectus, subject to certain exceptions, we and they will not, without the prior written consent of Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC and J.P. Morgan Securities LLC, offer, sell, contract to sell, pledge, grant any option to purchase, lend or otherwise dispose of any shares of our common stock, or any options or warrants to purchase any shares of our common stock, or any securities convertible into, exchangeable for or that represent the right to receive shares of our common stock. Notwithstanding the foregoing, a portion of the securities held by our current employees (but excluding our executive officers, directors, founders, and any other person who is a party to investors’ rights’ agreements), which we refer to as the Employee Stockholders, subject to the lock-up agreements may be sold during the restricted period when the following conditions are met, which we refer to as the Early Release Terms:

 

   

up to 15% of the aggregate number of shares of our common stock and securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for our common stock held by each of our Employee Stockholders on the date of this prospectus for which all vesting conditions were satisfied as of the date of the second post-IPO earnings announcement (as defined below), which we refer to as the Employee Early Release Shares, may be sold or transferred on the third trading day immediately following our public release of earnings for the second quarter following the most recent period for which financial statements are included in this prospectus, the “second post-IPO earnings announcement”; and

 

   

in addition to the Employee Early Release Shares, if the last reported closing price of our common stock on Nasdaq is at least 33% greater than the initial public offering price per share set forth on the cover page of this prospectus for at least 10 trading days out of any 15-consecutive trading day period ending on the trading day that is 90 days after the date of this prospectus, the Employee Stockholders

 

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may sell or otherwise transfer up to 25% of the aggregate number of shares of our common stock and securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for our common stock held by such Employee Stockholder on the date of this prospectus for which all vesting conditions are satisfied as of the date of the second post-IPO earnings announcement beginning at the opening of trading on the third trading day immediately following the second post-IPO earnings announcement.

Less than two percent of the total shares that will be outstanding after the completion of the offering will be eligible for release under the Early Release Terms described above.

These agreements are described in the section titled “Underwriting.” Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC and J.P. Morgan Securities LLC may, in their sole discretion, release any of the securities subject to these lock-up agreements at any time.

In addition to the restrictions contained in the lock-up agreements described above, we have entered into agreements, including our amended and restated investors’ rights agreement, with certain of our security holders that contain market standoff 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

Upon the completion of this offering, the holders of 72,139,202 shares of our capital stock or their transferees will be entitled to certain rights with respect to the registration of the offer and sale of their shares under the Securities Act. Registration of these shares under the Securities Act would result in the shares becoming freely tradable without restriction under the Securities Act immediately on the effectiveness of the registration. See the section titled “Description of Capital Stock—Registration Rights” for additional information.

10b5-1 Plans

After the offering, certain of our employees, including our executive officers, and/or directors may enter into written trading plans that are intended to comply with Rule 10b5-1 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Sales under these trading plans would not be permitted until the expiration of the lock-up agreements or market standoff agreements relating to the offering described above.

 

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MATERIAL U.S. FEDERAL INCOME TAX CONSEQUENCES TO NON-U.S. HOLDERS OF OUR COMMON STOCK

The following summary describes the material U.S. federal income tax consequences of the acquisition, ownership, and disposition of our common stock acquired in this offering by Non-U.S. Holders (as defined below). This discussion is not a complete analysis of all potential U.S. federal income tax consequences relating thereto, and does not address foreign, state, and local consequences that may be relevant to Non-U.S. Holders in light of their particular circumstances, nor does it address U.S. federal tax consequences (such as gift and estate taxes) other than income taxes. This discussion is limited to Non-U.S. Holders that hold our common stock as a “capital asset” within the meaning of Section 1221 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, or the Code (generally, property held for investment). This discussion does not address all U.S. federal income tax consequences relevant to a Non-U.S. Holder’s particular circumstances, including the impact of the alternative minimum tax, the special tax accounting rules under Section 451(b) of the Code, and the Medicare contribution tax on net investment income. Special rules different from those described below may apply to certain Non-U.S. Holders that are subject to special treatment under the Code, such as financial institutions, insurance companies, tax-exempt organizations, broker-dealers and traders in securities, U.S. expatriates, “controlled foreign corporations,” “passive foreign investment companies,” corporations that accumulate earnings to avoid U.S. federal income tax, corporations organized outside of the United States, any state thereof or the District of Columbia that are nonetheless treated as U.S. taxpayers for U.S. federal income tax purposes, persons that hold our common stock as part of a “straddle,” “hedge,” “conversion transaction,” “synthetic security” or integrated investment or other risk reduction strategy, persons who acquire our common stock through the exercise of an option or otherwise as compensation, “qualified foreign pension funds” as defined in Section 897(l)(2) of the Code and entities all of the interests of which are held by qualified foreign pension funds, partnerships and other pass-through entities or arrangements, and investors in such pass-through entities or arrangements. Such Non-U.S. Holders are urged to consult their own tax advisors to determine the U.S. federal, state, local, and other tax consequences that may be relevant to them. Furthermore, the discussion below is based upon the provisions of the Code, and Treasury Regulations, rulings, and judicial decisions thereunder as of the date hereof, and such authorities may be repealed, revoked, or modified, perhaps retroactively, so as to result in U.S. federal income tax consequences different from those discussed below. We have not requested a ruling from the U.S. Internal Revenue Service, or the IRS, with respect to the statements made and the conclusions reached in the following summary, and there can be no assurance that the IRS will agree with such statements and conclusions.

This discussion is for informational purposes only and is not tax advice. Persons considering the purchase of our common stock pursuant to this offering should consult their own tax advisors concerning the U.S. federal income, estate, and other tax consequences of acquiring, owning, and disposing of our common stock in light of their particular situations as well as any consequences arising under the laws of any other taxing jurisdiction, including any state, local, or foreign tax consequences.

For the purposes of this discussion, a “Non-U.S. Holder” is, for U.S. federal income tax purposes, a beneficial owner of common stock that is neither a U.S. Holder, nor a partnership (or other entity treated as a partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes regardless of its place of organization or formation). A “U.S. Holder” means a beneficial owner of our common stock that is for U.S. federal income tax purposes any of the following:

 

   

an individual who is a citizen or resident of the United States;

 

   

a corporation or other entity treated as a corporation for U.S. federal income tax purposes created or organized in or under the laws of the United States, any state thereof, or the District of Columbia;

 

   

an estate the income of which is subject to U.S. federal income taxation regardless of its source; or

 

   

a trust if it (1) is subject to the primary supervision of a court within the United States and one or more U.S. persons have the authority to control all substantial decisions of the trust or (2) has a valid election in effect under applicable U.S. Treasury Regulations to be treated as a U.S. person.

 

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Distributions

Distributions, if any, made on our common stock to a Non-U.S. Holder to the extent made out of our current or accumulated earnings and profits (as determined under U.S. federal income tax principles) generally will constitute dividends for U.S. tax purposes and will be subject to withholding tax at a 30% rate or such lower rate as may be specified by an applicable income tax treaty, subject to the discussions below regarding effectively connected income, backup withholding, and foreign accounts. To obtain a reduced rate of withholding under a treaty, a Non-U.S. Holder generally will be required to provide us with a properly executed IRS Form W-8BEN (in the case of individuals) or IRS Form W-8BEN-E (in the case of entities), or other appropriate form, certifying the Non-U.S. Holder’s entitlement to benefits under that treaty. This certification must be provided to us and/or our paying agent prior to the payment of dividends and must be updated periodically. In the case of a Non-U.S. Holder that is an entity, Treasury Regulations and the relevant tax treaty provide rules to determine whether, for purposes of determining the applicability of a tax treaty, dividends will be treated as paid to the entity or to those holding an interest in that entity. If a Non-U.S. Holder holds stock through a financial institution or other agent acting on the holder’s behalf, the holder will be required to provide appropriate documentation to such agent. The holder’s agent will then be required to provide certification to us and/or our paying agent, either directly or through other intermediaries. If a Non-U.S. Holder is eligible for a reduced rate of U.S. federal withholding tax under an income tax treaty and such Non-U.S. Holder does not timely file the required certification, such Non-U.S. Holder may be able to obtain a refund or credit of any excess amounts withheld by timely filing an appropriate claim for a refund with the IRS.

We generally are not required to withhold tax on dividends paid to a Non-U.S. Holder that are effectively connected with the Non-U.S. Holder’s conduct of a trade or business within the United States (and, if required by an applicable income tax treaty, are attributable to a permanent establishment or fixed base that such holder maintains in the United States) if a properly executed IRS Form W-8ECI, stating that the dividends are so connected, is furnished to us (or, if stock is held through a financial institution or other agent, to such agent). In general, such effectively connected dividends will be subject to U.S. federal income tax, on a net income basis at the regular rates applicable to U.S. residents. A corporate Non-U.S. Holder receiving effectively connected dividends may also be subject to an additional “branch profits tax,” which is imposed, under certain circumstances, at a rate of 30% (or such lower rate as may be specified by an applicable treaty) on the corporate Non-U.S. Holder’s effectively connected earnings and profits, subject to certain adjustments. Non-U.S. Holders should consult their tax advisors regarding any applicable income tax treaties that may provide for different rules.

To the extent distributions on our common stock, if any, exceed our current and accumulated earnings and profits, they will first reduce the Non-U.S. Holder’s adjusted basis in our common stock, but not below zero, and then will be treated as gain to the extent of any excess amount distributed, and taxed in the same manner as gain realized from a sale or other disposition of common stock as described in the next section.

Gain on Disposition of Our Common Stock

Subject to the discussions below regarding backup withholding and foreign accounts, a Non-U.S. Holder generally will not be subject to U.S. federal income tax with respect to gain realized on a sale or other taxable disposition of our common stock unless (1) the gain is effectively connected with a trade or business of such holder in the United States (and, if required by an applicable income tax treaty, is attributable to a permanent establishment or fixed base that such holder maintains in the United States), (2) the Non-U.S. Holder is a nonresident alien individual and is present in the United States for 183 or more days in the taxable year of the disposition and certain other conditions are met, or (3) we are or have been a “United States real property holding corporation” within the meaning of Code Section 897(c)(2) at any time within the shorter of the five-year period preceding such disposition or such holder’s holding period in our common stock. In general, we would be a United States real property holding corporation if our interests in U.S. real property comprise (by fair market value) at least half of our worldwide real property interests and our other assets used or held for use in a trade or business. We believe that we are not, and do not anticipate becoming, a United States real property holding corporation. Even if we are treated as a United States real property holding corporation, gain realized by a

 

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Non-U.S. Holder on a disposition of our common stock will not be subject to U.S. federal income tax so long as (a) the Non-U.S. Holder owned, directly, indirectly and constructively, no more than 5% of our common stock at all times within the shorter of (i) the five-year period preceding the disposition or (ii) the holder’s holding period and (b) our common stock is regularly traded on an established securities market, as defined in applicable Treasury Regulations. There can be no assurance that our common stock will qualify as regularly traded on an established securities market. If a Non-U.S. Holder’s gain on disposition of our common stock is taxable because we are a United States real property holding corporation and such Non-U.S. Holder’s ownership of our common stock exceeds 5%, such Non-U.S. Holder will be taxed on such disposition generally in the manner as gain that is effectively connected with the conduct of a U.S. trade or business (subject to the provisions under an applicable income tax treaty), except that the branch profits tax generally will not apply to a corporate Non-U.S. Holder.

Non-U.S. Holders described in (1) above will be required to pay tax on the net gain derived from the sale at regular U.S. federal income tax rates, and corporate Non-U.S. Holders described in (1) above may be subject to the additional branch profits tax on such gain at a 30% rate or such lower rate as may be specified by an applicable income tax treaty. Gain described in (2) above will be subject to U.S. federal income tax at a flat 30% rate or such lower rate as may be specified by an applicable income tax treaty, which gain may be offset by certain U.S.-source capital losses (even though a Non-U.S. Holder is not considered a resident of the United States), provided that the Non-U.S. Holder has timely filed U.S. federal income tax returns with respect to such losses.

Information Reporting Requirements and Backup Withholding

Generally, we must report information to the IRS with respect to any distributions we pay on our common stock (even if the payments are exempt from withholding), including the amount of any such distributions, the name and address of the recipient, and the amount, if any, of tax withheld. A similar report is sent to the holder to whom any such distributions are paid. Pursuant to tax treaties or certain other agreements, the IRS may make its reports available to tax authorities in the recipient’s country of residence.

Distributions paid by us (or our paying agents) to a Non-U.S. Holder may also be subject to U.S. backup withholding. U.S. backup withholding generally will not apply to a Non-U.S. Holder who provides a properly executed IRS Form W-8BEN, IRS Form W-8BEN-E, or IRS Form W-ECI, or otherwise establishes an exemption. Notwithstanding the foregoing, backup withholding may apply if the payor has actual knowledge, or reason to know, that the holder is a U.S. person who is not an exempt recipient.

U.S. information reporting and backup withholding requirements generally will apply to the proceeds of a disposition of our common stock effected by or through a U.S. office of any broker, U.S. or foreign, except that information reporting and such requirements may be avoided if the holder provides a properly executed IRS Form W-8BEN or IRS Form W-8BEN-E or otherwise meets documentary evidence requirements for establishing non-U.S. person status or otherwise establishes an exemption. Generally, U.S. information reporting and backup withholding requirements will not apply to a payment of disposition proceeds to a Non-U.S. Holder where the transaction is effected outside the United States through a non-U.S. office of a non-U.S. broker. Information reporting and backup withholding requirements may, however, apply to a payment of disposition proceeds if the broker has actual knowledge, or reason to know, that the holder is, in fact, a U.S. person. For information reporting purposes, certain brokers with substantial U.S. ownership or operations will generally be treated in a manner similar to U.S. brokers.

Backup withholding is not an additional tax. Any amounts withheld under the backup withholding rules may be credited against the tax liability of persons subject to backup withholding, provided that the required information is timely furnished to the IRS.

Foreign Accounts

Sections 1471 through 1474 of the Code (commonly referred to as FATCA) impose a U.S. federal withholding tax of 30% on certain payments to a foreign financial institution (as specifically defined by

 

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applicable rules) unless such institution enters into an agreement with the U.S. government to withhold on certain payments and to collect and provide to the U.S. tax authorities substantial information regarding U.S. account holders of such institution (which includes certain equity holders of such institution, as well as certain account holders that are foreign entities with U.S. owners). FATCA also generally imposes a federal withholding tax of 30% on certain payments to a non-financial foreign entity unless such entity provides the withholding agent with either a certification that it does not have any substantial direct or indirect U.S. owners or provides information regarding substantial direct and indirect U.S. owners of the entity. An intergovernmental agreement between the United States and an applicable foreign country may modify those requirements. The withholding tax described above will not apply if the foreign financial institution or non-financial foreign entity otherwise qualifies for an exemption from the rules.

FATCA withholding currently applies to payments of dividends, if any, on our common stock and, subject to the proposed Treasury Regulations described in this paragraph, generally also would apply to payments of gross proceeds from the sale or other disposition of our common stock. The U.S. Treasury Department released proposed regulations which, if finalized in their present form, would eliminate the federal withholding tax of 30% applicable to the gross proceeds of a disposition of our common stock. In its preamble to such proposed regulations, the U.S. Treasury Department stated that taxpayers may generally rely on the proposed regulations until final regulations are issued. Non-U.S. holders are encouraged to consult with their own tax advisors regarding the possible implications of FATCA on their investment in our common stock.

EACH PROSPECTIVE INVESTOR SHOULD CONSULT ITS OWN TAX ADVISOR REGARDING THE TAX CONSEQUENCES OF PURCHASING, HOLDING, AND DISPOSING OF OUR COMMON STOCK, INCLUDING THE CONSEQUENCES OF ANY RECENT OR PROPOSED CHANGE IN APPLICABLE LAW.

 

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UNDERWRITING

Under the terms and subject to the conditions in an underwriting agreement dated the date of this prospectus, the underwriters named below, for whom Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC, J.P. Morgan Securities LLC and Jefferies LLC are acting as representatives, have severally agreed to purchase, and we have agreed to sell to them, severally, the number of shares indicated below:

 

Name

   Number of
Shares
 

Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC

  

J.P. Morgan Securities LLC

  

Jefferies LLC

                               

BofA Securities, Inc.

  

Citigroup Global Markets, Inc.

  

William Blair & Company, L.L.C.

  

Guggenheim Securities, LLC

  

Telsey Advisory Group LLC

  

C.L. King & Associates, Inc.

  

Loop Capital Markets LLC

  

Penserra Securities LLC

  

Samuel A. Ramirez & Company, Inc.

  
  

 

 

 

Total:

     25,807,000  
  

 

 

 

The underwriters and the representatives are collectively referred to as the “underwriters” and the “representatives,” respectively. The underwriters are offering the shares of common stock subject to their acceptance of the shares from us and the selling stockholders and subject to prior sale. The underwriting agreement provides that the obligations of the several underwriters to pay for and accept delivery of the shares of common stock offered by this prospectus are subject to the approval of certain legal matters by their counsel and to certain other conditions. The underwriters are obligated to take and pay for all of the shares of common stock offered by this prospectus if any such shares are taken. However, the underwriters are not required to take or pay for the shares covered by the underwriters’ option to purchase additional shares described below.

The underwriters initially propose to offer part of the shares of common stock directly to the public at the offering price listed on the cover page of this prospectus and part to certain dealers. After the initial offering of the shares of common stock, the offering price and other selling terms may from time to time be varied by the representatives.

We have granted to the underwriters an option, exercisable for 30 days from the date of this prospectus, to purchase up to 3,871,050 additional shares of common stock at the public offering price listed on the cover page of this prospectus, less underwriting discounts and commissions. To the extent the option is exercised, each underwriter will become obligated, subject to certain conditions, to purchase about the same percentage of the additional shares of common stock as the number listed next to the underwriter’s name in the preceding table bears to the total number of shares of common stock listed next to the names of all underwriters in the preceding table.

Certain funds and accounts managed by subsidiaries of BlackRock, Inc. have indicated an interest in purchasing approximately $80 million in shares of our common stock in this offering at the initial public offering price. However, because indications of interest are not binding agreements or commitments to purchase, the underwriters may determine to sell more, fewer or no shares in this offering to any or all of these investors, or any or all of these investors may determine to purchase more, fewer or no shares in this offering. The underwriters will receive the same underwriting discount on any shares purchased by these investors as they will on any other shares sold to the public in this offering.

The following table shows the per share and total public offering price, underwriting discounts and commissions, and proceeds before expenses to us and the selling stockholders. These amounts are shown

 

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assuming both no exercise and full exercise of the underwriters’ option to purchase up to an additional 3,871,050 shares of common stock from the selling stockholders.

 

            Total  
     Per
Share
     No Exercise      Full
Exercise
 

Public offering price

   $                    $                    $                

Underwriting discounts and commissions to be paid by us

   $        $        $    

Proceeds, before expenses, to us

   $        $        $    

The estimated offering expenses payable by us, exclusive of the underwriting discounts and commissions, are approximately $5,000,000. We have agreed to reimburse the underwriters for expenses relating to clearance of this offering with the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority up to $40,000 and expenses incurred in connection with the directed share program.

The underwriters have informed us that they do not intend sales to discretionary accounts to exceed 5% of the total number of shares of common stock offered by them.

We intend to apply to list our common stock on The Nasdaq Global Select Market under the trading symbol “HNST.”

We, the selling stockholders, all directors and officers and the holders of substantially all of our outstanding stock and stock options have agreed that, without the prior written consent of Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC and J.P. Morgan Securities LLC on behalf of the underwriters, we and they will not, and will not publicly disclose an intention to, during the period ending 180 days after the date of this prospectus, or the restricted period:

 

   

offer, pledge, sell, contract to sell, sell any option or contract to purchase, purchase any option or contract to sell, grant any option, right or warrant to purchase, lend or otherwise transfer or dispose of, directly or indirectly, any shares of common stock or any securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for shares of common stock;

 

   

file any registration statement with the Securities and Exchange Commission relating to the offering of any shares of common stock or any securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for common stock; or

 

   

enter into any swap or other arrangement that transfers to another, in whole or in part, any of the economic consequences of ownership of the common stock.

whether any such transaction described above is to be settled by delivery of common stock or such other securities, in cash or otherwise. In addition, we and each such person agrees that, without the prior written consent of Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC and J.P. Morgan Securities LLC on behalf of the underwriters, we or such other person will not, during the restricted period, make any demand for, or exercise any right with respect to, the registration of any shares of common stock or any security convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for common stock.

The restrictions described in the immediately preceding paragraph are subject to specified exceptions, including, without limitation:

 

   

transactions relating to shares of our common stock or other securities acquired in this offering or in open market transactions after the completion of this offering; provided that no filing under Section 16(a) of the Exchange Act shall be required or voluntarily made during the restricted period;

 

   

transfers of shares of our common stock or any security convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for common stock (i) as a bona fide gift or gifts, or for bona fide estate planning purposes, (ii) to any trust for the direct or indirect benefit of the holder or the immediate family of the holder, (iii) upon death or by will, testamentary document or intestate succession, (iv) to an immediate family member of

 

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the holder or to any trust for the direct or indirect benefit of the holder or one or more immediate family members of the holder or (v) if the holder is a trust, to any trustor, trustee or beneficiary of the holder or the estate of any such trustee or beneficiary; provided that in the case of any transfer, distribution or disposition pursuant to clause (i), (ii), (iv) or (v), no filing under Section 16(a) of the Exchange Act shall be required or voluntarily made during the restricted period; provided further such transfer, distribution or disposition shall not involve a disposition for value;

 

   

distributions, transfers or dispositions of shares of our common stock or any security convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for common stock to another corporation, partnership, limited liability company, trust or other business entity that is an affiliate, or to any investment fund or other entity controlling, controlled by, managing or managed by the holder or an affiliate, or as part of a distribution, transfer or disposition without consideration by the holder to its stockholders, current or former partners (general or limited), members, beneficiaries or other equity holders, or to the estates of any such stockholders, partners, members, beneficiaries or other equity holders; provided that no filing under Section 16(a) of the Exchange Act shall be required or voluntarily made during the restricted period; provided further such transfer, distribution or disposition shall not involve a disposition for value;

 

   

the exercise of options, settlement of restricted stock units or other equity awards granted under a stock inventive plan or other equity award plan described herein, or the exercise of warrants outstanding which are described herein;

 

   

the sale or other transfer of shares of our common stock or any security convertible into common stock to us upon a vesting, exercise or settlement of restricted stock units, options, warrants or other of our securities (including, in each case, by way of a “cashless” or “net” exercise basis and any transfer to us necessary in respect of such amount needed for the payment of taxes, including estimated taxes, and remittance payments due as a result of such vesting, settlement or exercise including by means of a “net settlement,” “sell to cover” or otherwise);

 

   

the establishment of a trading plan pursuant to Rule 10b5-1 under the Exchange Act for the transfer of shares of our common stock or any securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for our common stock, provided that (i) such plan does not provide for the transfer of our common stock during the restricted period and (ii) to the extent a public announcement or filing under the Exchange Act, if any, is required of or voluntarily made by or on behalf of the holder or us regarding the establishment of such plan, such announcement or filing shall include a statement to the effect that no transfer of our common stock may be made under such plan during the restricted period;

 

   

transfers of our common stock or any security convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for common stock that occurs by operation of law, such as pursuant to a qualified domestic order, divorce settlement, divorce decree, settlement agreement or other court order; provided such transfer, distribution or disposition shall not involve a disposition for value;

 

   

transfers of our common stock to us pursuant to arrangements under which we have the option to repurchase such shares or a right of first refusal with respect to transfers of such shares or in connection with the death, disability or termination of employment or service;

 

   

the conversion of the outstanding preferred stock of us into shares of our common stock prior to or in connection with this offering, provided that such conversion is described herein and any such shares of common stock received upon such conversion shall be subject to the terms of the lock-up agreement;

 

   

sales of shares of our common stock to the underwriters pursuant to the underwriting agreement;

 

   

the sale by us (on behalf of the holder) of up to such number of shares of common stock solely necessary to raise funds to satisfy our income and payroll tax withholding obligations in connection with the vesting, exercise or settlement of restricted stock units, options, warrants or other securities held by the holder that are outstanding as of the underwriting agreement is executed; provided that if the holder is required to file a report under Section 16(a) of the Exchange Act during the restricted

 

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period, the holder shall include a statement in any such report to the effect that such transfer was solely pursuant to the circumstances described in this clause, no other shares of common stock were sold and that the holder’s securities are subject to a lock-up agreement with the underwriters; provided further that no other public announcement shall be required or shall be voluntarily made in connection with such transfer; or

 

   

transfers of our common stock or any security convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for common stock to a partnership, limited liability company or other entity of which the holder and/or the immediate family of the holder are the legal and beneficial ownership of all of the outstanding securities or similar interests; provided such transfer, distribution or disposition shall not involve a disposition for value.

Certain of the exceptions described above are subject to a requirement that the transferee enter into a lock-up agreement with the underwriters containing similar restrictions.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, a portion of the securities held by our current employees (but excluding our executive officers, directors, founders, and any other person who is a party to investors’ rights agreement), the “Employee Stockholders,” subject to the lock-up agreements may be sold during the restricted period when the following conditions are met, the “Early Release Terms”:

(A) up to 15% of the aggregate number of shares of our common stock and securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for our common stock held by each of our Employee Stockholders on the date of this prospectus for which all vesting conditions were satisfied as of the date of the second post-IPO earnings announcement (as defined below), the “Employee Early Release Shares,” may be sold or transferred on the third trading day immediately following our public release of earnings for the second quarter following the most recent period for which financial statements are included in this prospectus, the “second post-IPO earnings announcement”; and

(B) in addition to the Employee Early Release Shares, if the last reported closing price of our common stock on Nasdaq is at least 33% greater than the initial public offering price per share set forth on the cover page of this prospectus for at least 10 trading days out of any 15-consecutive trading day period ending on the trading day that is 90 days after the date of this prospectus, the Employee Stockholders may sell or otherwise transfer up to 25% of the aggregate number of shares of our common stock and securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for our common stock held by such Employee Stockholder on the date of this prospectus for which all vesting conditions are satisfied as of the date of the second post-IPO earnings announcement beginning at the opening of trading on the third trading day immediately following the second post-IPO earnings announcement.

Less than two percent of the total shares that will be outstanding after the completion of the offering will be eligible for release under the Early Release Terms described above.

The lock-up restrictions described above do not apply to us with respect to certain customary transactions, including (i) in connection with our issuance of up to 10% of our outstanding shares of common stock immediately following the closing of this offering in acquisitions or other similar strategic transactions, (ii) grants of stock options, stock awards, restricted stock, restricted stock units or other equity awards and the issuance of common stock or securities convertible into or exercisable for common stock (whether upon the exercise of stock options or otherwise) to employees, officers, directors, advisors, or consultants of the Company pursuant to the terms of an equity compensation plan in effect as of the closing of this offering and described herein, provided that all recipients of any such grants, stock award, restricted stock, restricted stock units or other equity awards shall execute and lock-up agreements; (iii) our establishment of a trading plan pursuant to Rule 10b5-1 under the Exchange Act for the transfer of shares of our common stock, provided that (a) such plan or amendment does not provide for the transfer of shares of our common stock during the restricted period and (b) to the extent we are required to or voluntarily make a public announcement or filing under the Exchange Act regarding the establishment or amendment of such plan, such announcement or filing must include a statement to the effect that no transfer of our common stock may be made under such plan during the restricted

 

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period; and (iv) our filing of any registration statement on Form S-8 relating to securities granted or to be granted pursuant to any plan in effect on the date of the closing of this offering and described in this prospectus.

Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC and J.P. Morgan Securities LLC, in their sole discretion, may release the common stock and other securities subject to the lock-up agreements described above in whole or in part at any time.

In order to facilitate the offering of the common stock, the underwriters may engage in transactions that stabilize, maintain or otherwise affect the price of the common stock. Specifically, the underwriters may sell more shares than they are obligated to purchase under the underwriting agreement, creating a short position. A short sale is covered if the short position is no greater than the number of shares available for purchase by the underwriters under their option to purchase additional shares. The underwriters can close out a covered short sale by exercising their option to purchase additional shares or purchasing shares in the open market. In determining the source of shares to close out a covered short sale, the underwriters will consider, among other things, the open market price of shares compared to the price available under their option to purchase additional shares. The underwriters may also sell shares in excess of their option to purchase additional shares, creating a naked short position. The underwriters must close out any naked short position by purchasing shares in the open market. A naked short position is more likely to be created if the underwriters are concerned that there may be downward pressure on the price of the common stock in the open market after pricing that could adversely affect investors who purchase in this offering. As an additional means of facilitating this offering, the underwriters may bid for, and purchase, shares of common stock in the open market to stabilize the price of the common stock. These activities may raise or maintain the market price of the common stock above independent market levels or prevent or retard a decline in the market price of the common stock. The underwriters are not required to engage in these activities and may end any of these activities at any time.

We and the underwriters have agreed to indemnify each other against certain liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act.

A prospectus in electronic format may be made available on websites maintained by one or more underwriters, or selling group members, if any, participating in this offering. The representatives may agree to allocate a number of shares of common stock to underwriters for sale to their online brokerage account holders. Internet distributions will be allocated by the representatives to underwriters that may make Internet distributions on the same basis as other allocations.

Other Relationships

The underwriters and their respective 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. Certain of the underwriters and their respective affiliates have, from time to time, performed, and may in the future perform, various financial advisory and investment banking services for us, for which they received or will receive customary fees and expenses. Specifically, we expect JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., an affiliate of JPMorgan Securities LLC, one of the underwriters, to serve as administrative agent and lender under our 2021 Credit Facility.

In addition, in the ordinary course of their various business activities, the underwriters and their respective 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 may at any time hold long and short positions in such securities and instruments. Such investment and securities activities may involve our securities and instruments. The underwriters and their respective affiliates may also make investment recommendations 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 or short positions in such securities and instruments.

 

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Pricing of the Offering

Prior to this offering, there has been no public market for our common stock. The initial public offering price will be determined by negotiations between us and the representatives. Among the factors to be considered in determining the initial public offering price will be our future prospects and those of our industry in general, our sales, earnings and certain other financial and operating information in recent periods, and the price-earnings ratios, price-sales ratios, market prices of securities, and certain financial and operating information of companies engaged in activities similar to ours.

Directed Share Program

At our request, the underwriters have reserved up to 5% of the shares of common stock offered by this prospectus for sale, at the initial public offering price, to certain individuals through a directed share program, including our directors, employees and certain other individuals identified by management. The number of shares of common stock available for sale to the general public will be reduced to the extent these individuals purchase such reserved shares. Any reserved shares that are not so purchased will be offered by the underwriters to the general public on the same basis as the other shares offered by this prospectus. We have agreed to indemnify the underwriters against certain liabilities and expenses, including liabilities under the Securities Act, in connection with the sale of the shares reserved for the directed share program. The directed share program will be arranged through Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC.

Selling Restrictions

European Economic Area

In relation to each Member State of the European Economic Area, or each, a Relevant State, no shares have 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 shares 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:

 

  (a)

to any legal entity which is a qualified investor as defined in the Prospectus Regulation;

 

  (b)

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 underwriters; or

 

  (c)

in any other circumstances falling within Article 1(4) of the Prospectus Regulation,

provided that no such offer of shares shall require 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 and each person who initially acquires any shares or to whom any offer is made will be deemed to have represented, acknowledged and agreed to and with each of the underwriters and us that it is a “qualified investor” within the meaning of Article 2(e) of the Prospectus Regulation. In the case of any shares being offered to a financial intermediary as that term is used in the Prospectus Regulation, each such financial intermediary will be deemed to have represented, acknowledged and agreed that the shares acquired by it in the offer have not been acquired on a nondiscretionary basis on behalf of, nor have they been acquired with a view to their offer or resale to, persons in circumstances which may give rise to an offer of any shares to the public other than their offer or resale in a Relevant State to qualified investors as so defined or in circumstances in which the prior consent of the underwriters have been obtained to each such proposed offer or resale.

For the purposes of this provision, the expression an “offer to the public” in relation to any shares 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 shares to be offered so as to enable an investor to decide to purchase shares or subscribe for any shares, the expression “Prospectus Regulation” means Regulation (EU) 2017/1129.

 

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We have not authorized and do not authorize the making of any offer of shares through any financial intermediary on their behalf, other than offers made by the underwriters with a view to the final placement of the shares in this document. Accordingly, no purchaser of the shares, other than the underwriters, is authorized to make any further offer of the shares on behalf of us or the underwriters.

United Kingdom

In relation to the United Kingdom, no shares have been offered or will be offered pursuant to this offering to the public in the United Kingdom prior to publication of a prospectus in relation to the shares that either (i) has been approved by the Financial Conduct Authority, or (ii) is to be treated as if it had been approved by the Financial Conduct Authority in accordance with the transitional provision in Regulation 74 of the Prospectus (Amendment etc.) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019, except that offers of shares may be made to the public in the United Kingdom at any time under the following exemptions under the UK Prospectus Regulation:

 

  (a)

to any legal entity which is a qualified investor as defined in Article 2 of the UK Prospectus Regulation;

 

  (b)

to fewer than 150 natural or legal persons (other than qualified investors as defined in Article 2 of the UK Prospectus Regulation); or

 

  (c)

in any other circumstances falling within section 86 of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000, or FSMA.

For the purposes of this provision, the expression an “offer to the public” in relation to any shares 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 shares to be offered so as to enable an investor to decide to purchase or subscribe for any shares, and the expression “UK Prospectus Regulation” means Regulation (EU) 2017/1129 as it forms part of domestic law by virtue of the European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018.

We have not authorized and do not authorize the making of any offer of shares through any financial intermediary on their behalf, other than offers made by the underwriters with a view to the final placement of shares as contemplated in this document. Accordingly, no purchaser of the shares, other than the underwriters, is authorized to make any further offer of the shares on behalf of us or the underwriters.

In addition, in the United Kingdom, this document is being distributed only to, and is directed only at, and any offer subsequently made may only be directed at persons who are “qualified investors” (as defined in Article 2 of the UK Prospectus Regulation) (i) who have professional experience in matters relating to investments falling within Article 19(5) of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (Financial Promotion) Order 2005, as amended, or the “Order,” and/or (ii) who are high net worth companies (or persons to whom it may otherwise be lawfully communicated) falling within Article 49(2)(a) to (e) of the Order (all such persons together being referred to as “relevant persons”) or otherwise in circumstances which have not resulted and will not result in an offer to the public of the shares in the United Kingdom within the meaning of FSMA. In the United Kingdom, any investment or investment activity to which this document relates is only available to, and will be engaged in with, relevant persons. Any person in the UK who is not a relevant person must not act on or rely upon this document or any of its contents or use it as the basis for taking any action. In the United Kingdom, any investment or investment activity that this document relates to may be made or taken exclusively by relevant persons.

Switzerland

The shares of common stock may not be publicly offered in Switzerland and will not be listed on the SIX Swiss Exchange, or SIX, or on any other stock exchange or regulated trading facility in Switzerland. This document has been prepared without regard to the disclosure standards for issuance prospectuses under art. 652a

 

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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 shares or the offering may be publicly distributed or otherwise made publicly available in Switzerland. Neither this document nor any other offering or marketing material relating to the offering, us, or 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 shares will not be supervised by, the Swiss Financial Market Supervisory Authority FINMA, or FINMA, and the offer of shares has not been and will not be authorized under the Swiss Federal Act on Collective Investment Schemes, or CISA. The investor protection afforded to acquirers of interests in collective investment schemes under the CISA does not extend to acquirers of shares.

Dubai International Financial Center

This prospectus relates to an Exempt Offer in accordance with the Offered Securities Rules of the Dubai Financial Services Authority, or DFSA. This prospectus is intended for distribution only to persons of a type specified in the Offered Securities Rules of the DFSA. It must not be delivered to, or relied on by, any other person. The DFSA has no responsibility for reviewing or verifying any documents in connection with Exempt Offers. The DFSA has not approved this prospectus nor taken steps to verify the information set forth herein and has no responsibility for the prospectus. The shares to which this prospectus relates may be illiquid and/or subject to restrictions on their resale. Prospective purchasers of the shares offered should conduct their own due diligence on the shares. If you do not understand the contents of this prospectus you should consult an authorized financial advisor.

Australia

No placement document, prospectus, product disclosure statement or other disclosure document has been lodged with the Australian Securities and Investments Commission, or ASIC, in relation to the offering. This prospectus does not constitute a prospectus, product disclosure statement or other disclosure document under the Corporations Act 2001, or the Corporations Act, and does not purport to include the information required for a prospectus, product disclosure statement or other disclosure document under the Corporations Act.

Any offer in Australia of the shares may only be made to persons, or the Exempt Investors, who are “sophisticated investors” (within the meaning of section 708(8) of the Corporations Act), “professional investors” (within the meaning of section 708(11) of the Corporations Act) or otherwise pursuant to one or more exemptions contained in section 708 of the Corporations Act so that it is lawful to offer the shares without disclosure to investors under Chapter 6D of the Corporations Act.

The shares applied for by Exempt Investors in Australia must not be offered for sale in Australia in the period of 12 months after the date of allotment under the offering, except in circumstances where disclosure to investors under Chapter 6D of the Corporations Act would not be required pursuant to an exemption under section 708 of the Corporations Act or otherwise or where the offer is pursuant to a disclosure document which complies with Chapter 6D of the Corporations Act. Any person acquiring shares must observe such Australian on-sale restrictions.

This prospectus contains general information only and does not take into account the investment objectives, financial situation or particular needs of any particular person. It does not contain any securities recommendations or financial product advice. Before making an investment decision, investors need to consider whether the information in this prospectus is appropriate for their needs, objectives and circumstances, and, if necessary, seek expert advice on those matters.

Canada

The shares of common stock 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

 

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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 shares of common stock must be made in accordance with an exemption from, or in a transaction not subject to, the prospectus requirements of applicable securities laws.

Securities legislation in certain provinces or territories of Canada may provide a purchaser with remedies for rescission or damages if this prospectus (including any amendment thereto) contains a misrepresentation, provided that the remedies for rescission or damages are exercised by the purchaser within the time limit prescribed by the securities legislation of the purchaser’s province or territory. The purchaser should refer to any applicable provisions of the securities legislation of the purchaser’s province or territory for particulars of these rights or consult with a legal advisor.

Pursuant to section 3A.3 (or, in the case of securities issued or guaranteed by the government of a non-Canadian jurisdiction, section 3A.4) of National Instrument 33-105 Underwriting Conflicts (NI 33-105), the underwriters are not required to comply with the disclosure requirements of NI 33-105 regarding underwriter conflicts of interest in connection with this offering.

Hong Kong

The shares of common stock have 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 shares of common stock has been or may be issued or has been or may be in the possession of any person for the purposes of issuance, 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 shares of 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

No registration pursuant to Article 4, paragraph 1 of the Financial Instruments and Exchange Law of Japan (Law No. 25 of 1948, as amended), or the FIEL, has been made or will be made with respect to the solicitation of the application for the acquisition of the shares of common stock.

Accordingly, the shares of common stock have not been, directly or indirectly, offered or sold and will not be, directly or indirectly, offered or sold 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 re-sale, directly or indirectly, in Japan or to, or for the benefit of, any resident of Japan except pursuant to an exemption from the registration requirements, and otherwise in compliance with, the FIEL and the other applicable laws and regulations of Japan.

For Qualified Institutional Investors, or QII

Please note that the solicitation for newly-issued or secondary securities (each as described in Paragraph 2, Article 4 of the FIEL) in relation to the shares of common stock constitutes either a “QII only private placement” or a “QII only secondary distribution” (each as described in Paragraph 1, Article 23-13 of the FIEL). Disclosure regarding any such solicitation, as is otherwise prescribed in Paragraph 1, Article 4 of the FIEL, has not been made in relation to the shares of common stock. The shares of common stock may only be transferred to QIIs.

 

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For Non-QII Investors

Please note that the solicitation for newly-issued or secondary securities (each as described in Paragraph 2, Article 4 of the FIEL) in relation to the shares of common stock constitutes either a “small number private placement” or a “small number private secondary distribution” (each as is described in Paragraph 4, Article 23-13 of the FIEL). Disclosure regarding any such solicitation, as is otherwise prescribed in Paragraph 1, Article 4 of the FIEL, has not been made in relation to the shares of common stock. The shares of common stock may only be transferred en bloc without subdivision to a single investor.

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 shares of common stock may not be circulated or distributed, nor may the shares of 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 under Section 274 of the Securities and Futures Act, Chapter 289 of Singapore, or the SFA, (ii) to a relevant person pursuant to Section 275(1), or any person pursuant to Section 275(1A), and in accordance with the conditions specified in Section 275, of the SFA, or (iii) otherwise pursuant to, and in accordance with the conditions of, any other applicable provision of the SFA.

Where the shares of common stock are 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) the sole purpose of which is to hold investments and each beneficiary of the trust is an individual who is an accredited investor,

securities (as defined in Section 239(1) of the SFA) of that corporation or the beneficiaries’ rights and interest (howsoever described) in that trust shall not be transferred within six months after that corporation or that trust has acquired the shares of common stock pursuant to an offer made 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.

Chile

The shares of common stock are not registered in the Securities Registry (Registro de Valores) or subject to the control of the Chilean Securities and Exchange Commission (Superintendencia de Valores y Seguros de Chile). This prospectus supplement and other offering materials relating to the offer of the shares do not constitute a public offer of, or an invitation to subscribe for or purchase, the shares in the Republic of Chile, other than to individually identified purchasers pursuant to a private offering within the meaning of Article 4 of the Chilean Securities Market Act (Ley de Mercado de Valores) (an offer that is not “addressed to the public at large or to a certain sector or specific group of the public”).

 

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United Arab Emirates

The shares have not been, and are not being, publicly offered, sold, promoted or advertised in the United Arab Emirates (including the Dubai International Financial Centre) other than in compliance with the laws of the United Arab Emirates (and the Dubai International Financial Centre) governing the issue, offering and sale of securities. Further, this prospectus does not constitute a public offer of securities in the United Arab Emirates (including the Dubai International Financial Centre) and is not intended to be a public offer. This prospectus has not been approved by or filed with the Central Bank of the United Arab Emirates, the Securities and Commodities Authority or the Dubai Financial Services Authority.

Bermuda

Shares may be offered or sold in Bermuda only in compliance with the provisions of the Investment Business Act of 2003 of Bermuda which regulates the sale of securities in Bermuda. Additionally, non-Bermudian persons (including companies) may not carry on or engage in any trade or business in Bermuda unless such persons are permitted to do so under applicable Bermuda legislation.

Saudi Arabia

This document may not be distributed in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia except to such persons as are permitted under the Offers of Securities Regulations as issued by the board of the Saudi Arabian Capital Market Authority, or CMA, pursuant to resolution number 2-11-2004 dated 4 October 2004 as amended by resolution number 1-28-2008, as amended, or the CMA Regulations. The CMA does not make any representation as to the accuracy or completeness of this document and expressly disclaims any liability whatsoever for any loss arising from, or incurred in reliance upon, any part of this document. Prospective purchasers of the securities offered hereby should conduct their own due diligence on the accuracy of the information relating to the securities. If you do not understand the contents of this document, you should consult an authorized financial adviser.

British Virgin Islands

The shares are not being, and may not be offered to the public or to any person in the British Virgin Islands for purchase or subscription by us or on our behalf. The shares may be offered to companies incorporated under the BVI Business Companies Act, 2004 (British Virgin Islands), or BVI Companies, but only where the offer will be made to, and received by, the relevant BVI Company entirely outside of the British Virgin Islands.

This prospectus has not been, and will not be, registered with the Financial Services Commission of the British Virgin Islands. No registered prospectus has been or will be prepared in respect of the shares for the purposes of the Securities and Investment Business Act, 2010, or SIBA, or the Public Issuers Code of the British Virgin Islands.

China

This prospectus does not constitute a public offer of shares, whether by sale or subscription, in the People’s Republic of China, or the PRC. The shares are not being offered or sold directly or indirectly in the PRC to or for the benefit of, legal or natural persons of the PRC.

Further, no legal or natural persons of the PRC may directly or indirectly purchase any of the shares or any beneficial interest therein without obtaining all prior PRC’s governmental approvals that are required, whether statutorily or otherwise. Persons who come into possession of this document are required by the issuer and its representatives to observe these restrictions.

Korea

The shares have not been and will not be registered under the Financial Investments Services and Capital Markets Act of Korea and the decrees and regulations thereunder, or the FSCMA, and the shares have been and

 

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will be offered in Korea as a private placement under the FSCMA. None of the shares may be offered, sold or delivered directly or indirectly, or offered or sold to any person for re-offering or resale, directly or indirectly, in Korea or to any resident of Korea except pursuant to the applicable laws and regulations of Korea, including the FSCMA and the Foreign Exchange Transaction Law of Korea and the decrees and regulations thereunder, or the FETL. Furthermore, the purchaser of the shares shall comply with all applicable regulatory requirements (including but not limited to requirements under the FETL) in connection with the purchase of the shares. By the purchase of the shares, the relevant holder thereof will be deemed to represent and warrant that if it is in Korea or is a resident of Korea, it purchased the shares pursuant to the applicable laws and regulations of Korea.

Malaysia

No prospectus or other offering material or document in connection with the offer and sale of the shares has been or will be registered with the Securities Commission of Malaysia, or Commission, for the Commission’s approval pursuant to the Capital Markets and Services Act 2007. Accordingly, this prospectus and any other document or material in connection with the offer or sale, or invitation for subscription or purchase, of the shares may not be circulated or distributed, nor may the shares be offered or sold, or be made the subject of an invitation for subscription or purchase, whether directly or indirectly, to persons in Malaysia other than (i) a closed end fund approved by the Commission; (ii) a holder of a Capital Markets Services License; (iii) a person who acquires the shares, as principal, if the offer is on terms that the shares may only be acquired at a consideration of not less than RM250,000 (or its equivalent in foreign currencies) for each transaction; (iv) an individual whose total net personal assets or total net joint assets with his or her spouse exceeds RM3 million (or its equivalent in foreign currencies), excluding the value of the primary residence of the individual; (v) an individual who has a gross annual income exceeding RM300,000 (or its equivalent in foreign currencies) per annum in the preceding 12 months; (vi) an individual who, jointly with his or her spouse, has a gross annual income of RM400,000 (or its equivalent in foreign currencies), per annum in the preceding 12 months; (vii) a corporation with total net assets exceeding RM10 million (or its equivalent in a foreign currencies) based on the last audited accounts; (viii) a partnership with total net assets exceeding RM10 million (or its equivalent in foreign currencies); (ix) a bank licensee or insurance licensee as defined in the Labuan Financial Services and Securities Act 2010; (x) an Islamic bank licensee or takaful licensee as defined in the Labuan Financial Services and Securities Act 2010; and (xi) any other person as may be specified by the Commission; provided that, in the each of the preceding categories (i) to (xi), the distribution of the shares is made by a holder of a Capital Markets Services License who carries on the business of dealing in securities. The distribution in Malaysia of this prospectus is subject to Malaysian laws. This prospectus does not constitute and may not be used for the purpose of public offering or an issue, offer for subscription or purchase, invitation to subscribe for or purchase any securities requiring the registration of a prospectus with the Commission under the Capital Markets and Services Act 2007.

Taiwan

The shares have not been and will not be registered with the Financial Supervisory Commission of Taiwan pursuant to relevant securities laws and regulations and may not be sold, issued or offered within Taiwan through a public offering or in circumstances which constitutes an offer within the meaning of the Securities and Exchange Act of Taiwan that requires a registration or approval of the Financial Supervisory Commission of Taiwan. No person or entity in Taiwan has been authorized to offer, sell, give advice regarding or otherwise intermediate the offering and sale of the shares in Taiwan.

South Africa

Due to restrictions under the securities laws of South Africa, the shares are not offered, and the offer shall not be transferred, sold, renounced or delivered, in South Africa or to a person with an address in South Africa, unless one or other of the following exemptions applies:

 

  (i)

the offer, transfer, sale, renunciation or delivery is to:

 

  (a)

persons whose ordinary business is to deal in securities, as principal or agent;

 

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  (b)

the South African Public Investment Corporation;

 

  (c)

persons or entities regulated by the Reserve Bank of South Africa;

 

  (d)

authorized financial service providers under South African law;

 

  (e)

financial institutions recognized as such under South African law;

 

  (f)

a wholly-owned subsidiary of any person or entity contemplated in (c), (d) or (e), acting as agent in the capacity of an authorized portfolio manager for a pension fund or collective investment scheme (in each case duly registered as such under South African law); or

 

  (g)

any combination of the person in (a) to (f); or

 

  (ii)

the total contemplated acquisition cost of the securities, for any single addressee acting as principal is equal to or greater than ZAR1,000,000.

No “offer to the public” (as such term is defined in the South African Companies Act, No. 71 of 2008 (as amended or re-enacted), or the South African Companies Act) in South Africa is being made in connection with the issue of the shares. Accordingly, this document does not, nor is it intended to, constitute a “registered prospectus” (as that term is defined in the South African Companies Act) prepared and registered under the South African Companies Act and has not been approved by, and/or filed with, the South African Companies and Intellectual Property Commission or any other regulatory authority in South Africa. Any issue or offering of the shares in South Africa constitutes an offer of the shares in South Africa for subscription or sale in South Africa only to persons who fall within the exemption from “offers to the public” set out in section 96(1)(a) of the South African Companies Act. Accordingly, this document must not be acted on or relied on by persons in South Africa who do not fall within section 96(1)(a) of the South African Companies Act (such persons being referred to as “SA Relevant Persons”). Any investment or investment activity to which this document relates is available in South Africa only to SA Relevant Persons and will be engaged in South Africa only with SA Relevant Persons.

 

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LEGAL MATTERS

The validity of the shares of common stock being offered by this prospectus will be passed upon for us by Cooley LLP, Santa Monica, California. Certain legal matters in connection with this offering will be passed upon for the underwriters by Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP, Menlo Park, California.

EXPERTS

The financial statements as of December 31, 2019 and 2020 and for the years then ended 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.

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 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 common stock, we refer you to the registration statement, including the exhibits filed as a part of the registration statement. 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 at www.sec.gov.

We also maintain a website at www.honest.com. Information contained in, or accessible through, our website is not a part of this prospectus, and the inclusion of our website address in this prospectus is only as an inactive textual reference.

 

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The Honest Company, Inc.

Index to Consolidated Financial Statements

December 31, 2019 and 2020

 

 

            
    

Page

 

Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

     F-2  
Audited Consolidated Financial Statements   

Consolidated Balance Sheets

     F-3  

Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Loss

     F-4  

Consolidated Statements of Redeemable Convertible Preferred Stock and Stockholders’ Deficit

     F-5  

Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows

     F-6  

Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements

     F-7  

 

F-1


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LOGO

Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

To the Board of Directors and Stockholders of The Honest Company, Inc.:

Opinion on the Financial Statements

We have audited the accompanying consolidated balance sheets of The Honest Company, Inc. and its subsidiaries (the “Company”) as of December 31, 2020 and 2019, and the related consolidated statements of comprehensive loss, of redeemable convertible preferred stock and stockholders’ deficit 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 December 31, 2020 and 2019, 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.

Change in Accounting Principle

As discussed in Note 2 to the consolidated financial statements, the Company changed the manner in which it accounts for redeemable convertible preferred stock in 2020.

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

Los Angeles, California

March 15, 2021, except for the effects of the stock split discussed in Note 2 to the consolidated financial statements, as to which the date is April 26, 2021

We have served as the Company’s auditor since 2012.

 

 

PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, 601 South Figueroa, Los Angeles, CA 90017

T: (213) 356 6000, F: (813) 637 4444, www.pwc.com/us

 

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The Honest Company, Inc.

Consolidated Balance Sheets

December 31, 2019 and 2020

(in thousands, except share amounts and par values)

 

 

     2019     2020  

Assets

    

Current assets

    

Cash and cash equivalents

   $ 13,543     $ 29,259  

Restricted cash

     —          1,752  

Short-term investments

     71,479       34,425  

Accounts receivable, net

     24,256       22,795  

Inventories, net

     52,541       76,669  

Prepaid expenses and other current assets

     6,073       8,657  
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total current assets

     167,892       173,557  

Restricted cash, net of current portion

     —          6,189  

Property and equipment, net

     61,224       56,703  

Goodwill

     2,230       2,230  

Intangible assets, net

     581       511  

Other assets

     2,095       1,542  
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total assets

   $ 234,022     $ 240,732  
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Liabilities, Redeemable Convertible Preferred Stock and Stockholders’ Deficit

    

Current liabilities

    

Accounts payable

   $ 20,775     $ 31,132  

Accrued expenses

     17,090       22,222  

Deferred revenue

     825       716  
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total current liabilities

     38,690       54,070  

Long term liabilities

    

Lease financing obligation, net of current portion

     39,212       38,426  

Other long-term liabilities

     9,993       8,657  
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total liabilities

     87,895       101,153  
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Commitments and contingencies (Note 10)

    

Redeemable convertible preferred stock:

    

Redeemable convertible preferred stock, $0.0001 par value, 49,192,248 shares authorized at December 31, 2019 and 2020; 49,100,928 shares issued and outstanding as of December 31, 2019 and 2020; (liquidation preference of $396,726 as of December 31, 2020)

     376,404       376,404  

Stockholders’ deficit

    

Common stock, $0.0001 par value, 110,000,000 shares authorized at December 31, 2019 and 2020; 34,033,074 and 34,089,186 shares issued and outstanding as of December 31, 2019 and 2020, respectively

     3       3  

Additional paid-in capital

     108,109       116,055  

Accumulated deficit

     (338,511     (352,977

Accumulated other comprehensive income

     122       94  
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total stockholders’ deficit

     (230,277     (236,825
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total liabilities, redeemable convertible preferred stock and stockholders’ deficit

   $ 234,022     $ 240,732  
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these consolidated financial statements.

 

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The Honest Company, Inc.

Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Loss

Years Ended December 31, 2019 and 2020

(in thousands, except share and per share amounts)

 

 

     2019     2020  

Revenue

   $ 235,587     $ 300,522  

Cost of revenue

     159,733       192,626  
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Gross profit

     75,854       107,896  

Operating expenses

    

Selling, general and administrative

     70,310       71,253  

Marketing

     31,864       44,478  

Research and development

     5,137       5,705  
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total operating expenses

     107,311       121,436  
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Operating loss

     (31,457     (13,540

Interest and other income (expense), net

     429       (837
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Loss before provision for income taxes

     (31,028     (14,377

Income tax provision

     55       89  
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Net loss

   $ (31,083   $ (14,466
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Net loss per share attributable to common stockholders:

    

Basic and diluted

   $ (0.92   $ (0.43

Weighted-average shares used in computing net loss per share attributable to common stockholders:

    

Basic and diluted

     33,916,324       34,075,572  

Other comprehensive loss

    

Unrealized gain (loss) on short-term investments, net of taxes

     196       (28
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Comprehensive loss

   $ (30,887   $ (14,494
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these consolidated financial statements.

 

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The Honest Company, Inc.

Consolidated Statements of Redeemable Convertible Preferred Stock and Stockholders’ Deficit

Years Ended December 31, 2019 and 2020

(in thousands, except share amounts)

 

 

     Redeemable Convertible
Preferred Stock
     Common      Additional
Paid-in

Capital
     Accumulated
Deficit
    Accumulated
Other
Comprehensive

(Loss)/Income
    Total
Stockholders’

Deficit
 
     Shares     Amount      Shares      Amount  

Balances at December 31, 2018

     49,066,658     $ 375,759        33,867,884      $ 3      $ 100,020      $ (308,358   $ (74   $ (208,409

Impact from adoption of ASC 606

     —          —           —           —           —           930       —          930  

Net loss

     —          —           —           —           —           (31,083     —          (31,083

Other comprehensive income

     —          —           —           —           —           —          196       196  

Issuance of Series D redeemable convertible preferred stock, net

     72,852       1,371        —           —           —           —          —          —     

Retirement of Series D redeemable convertible preferred stock, net

     (38,582     (726      —           —           —           —          —          —     

Stock options exercised

     —          —           165,190        —           252        —          —          252  

Stock-based compensation

     —          —           —           —           7,837        —          —          7,837  
  

 

 

   

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Balances at December 31, 2019

     49,100,928     $ 376,404        34,033,074      $ 3      $ 108,109      $ (338,511   $ 122     $ (230,277

Net loss

     —          —           —           —           —           (14,466     —          (14,466

Other comprehensive income

     —          —           —           —           —           —          (28     (28

Stock options exercised

     —          —           56,112        —           41        —          —          41  

Stock-based compensation

     —          —           —           —           7,905        —          —          7,905  
  

 

 

   

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Balances at December 31, 2020

     49,100,928     $ 376,404        34,089,186      $ 3      $ 116,055      $ (352,977   $ 94     $ (236,825
  

 

 

   

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these consolidated financial statements.

 

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The Honest Company, Inc.

Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows

Years Ended December 31, 2019 and 2020

(in thousands)

 

 

     2019     2020  

Cash flows from operating activities

    

Net loss

   $ (31,083   $ (14,466

Adjustments to reconcile net loss to net cash used in operating activities

    

Depreciation and amortization

     7,672       4,854  

Stock-based compensation

     8,380       7,905  

Other

     (156     166  

Changes in assets and liabilities

    

Accounts receivable, net

     (2,458     1,461  

Inventories

     4,649       (24,129

Prepaid expenses and other assets

     (1,421     (1,496

Accounts payable, accrued expenses and other long-term liabilities

     (5,163     13,748  

Deferred revenue

     (412     (109
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Net cash used in operating activities

     (19,992     (12,066
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Cash flows from investing activities

    

Purchase of short-term investments

     (74,433     (22,462

Proceeds from sales of short-term investments

     4,839       5,830  

Proceeds from maturities of short-term investments

     81,262       53,528  

Purchase of property and equipment

     (661     (200
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Net cash provided by investing activities

     11,007       36,696  
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Cash flows from financing activities

    

Proceeds from exercise of stock options

     252       41  

Purchase and retirement of Series D redeemable convertible preferred stock

     (285     —     

Payments on lease obligations

     (272     (1,014
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Net cash used in financing activities

     (305     (973
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Net increase (decrease) in cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash

     (9,290     23,657  

Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash

    

Beginning of year

     22,833       13,543  
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

End of year

   $ 13,543     $ 37,200  
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Reconciliation of cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash to the consolidated balance sheets

    

Cash and cash equivalents

   $ 13,543     $ 29,259  

Restricted cash, current

     —          1,752  

Restricted cash, non-current

     —          6,189  
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash

   $ 13,543     $ 37,200  
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Supplemental disclosures of cash flow information

    

Cash paid during the year for:

    

Interest

   $ 1,724     $ 1,844  

Income taxes

     75       102  

Supplemental disclosures of noncash activities

    

Equipment acquired under capital lease obligations

   $ 311     $ 71  

Deferred offering costs included in accounts payable and accrued expenses

     —          533  

Capital expenditures included in accounts payable and accrued expenses

     606       44  

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these consolidated financial statements.

 

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The Honest Company, Inc.

Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements

December 31, 2019 and 2020

 

 

1.

Nature of Business

The Honest Company, Inc. (the “Company”) was incorporated in the State of California on July 19, 2011 and on May 23, 2012 was re-incorporated in the State of Delaware under the same name. The Company is a mission-driven clean lifestyle brand that designs and sells environmentally sustainable products. The Company sells its products through digital and retail sales channels in the following product categories: diapers and wipes, skin and personal care, and household and wellness.

Capital Resources and Liquidity

The Company has incurred net losses and net cash outflows from operating activities since its inception. To date, the Company’s available liquidity and operations have been financed primarily through the sale of redeemable convertible preferred stock, equity securities and to a lesser extent, debt financing. Although the Company is dependent on its ability to raise capital or generate sufficient cash flow from operations to achieve its business objectives, the Company believes its existing cash, cash equivalents, and short-term investments will be sufficient to meet its working capital and capital expenditure needs for at least the next twelve months. Future capital requirements will depend on many factors, including the Company’s rate of revenue growth and the level of expenditures in all areas of the Company. To the extent that existing capital resources and sales growth are not sufficient to fund future activities, the Company will need to raise capital through additional equity or debt financings. Additional funds may not be available on terms favorable to the Company or at all. Failure to raise additional capital, if and when needed, could have a material adverse effect on the Company’s financial position, results of operations, and cash flows.

 

2.

Summary of Significant Accounting Policies

Basis of Presentation

The accompanying consolidated financial statements of the Company include the consolidated financial position and results of operations of the Company and its wholly owned subsidiaries. All intercompany balances and transactions have been eliminated in the consolidated financial statements.

These consolidated financial statements are prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (GAAP).

Stock Split

In April 2021, the Company effected a 1-for-2 forward stock split of its common and redeemable convertible preferred stock. In connection with the forward stock split, each issued and outstanding share of common stock, automatically and without action on the part of the holders, became two shares of common stock and each issued and outstanding share of redeemable convertible preferred stock, automatically and without action on the part of the holders, became two shares of redeemable convertible preferred stock. The par value per share of common and redeemable convertible preferred stock was not adjusted. All share, per share and related information presented in the consolidated financial statements and accompanying notes have been retroactively adjusted, where applicable, to reflect the impact of the stock split.

Change in Accounting Principle

As a private company, the Company presented its redeemable convertible preferred stock within stockholders’ deficit. The deemed liquidation preference provisions of the Company’s redeemable convertible preferred stock are considered contingent redemption provisions as they may result in a redemption not solely within the control of the Company, which require the redeemable convertible preferred stock to be presented in the mezzanine section of the consolidated balance sheets in filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. In connection with the reissuance of the Company’s 2019 consolidated financial statements, the Company reclassified its redeemable convertible preferred stock from stockholders’ deficit to the mezzanine section of the consolidated balance sheets.

 

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Table of Contents

The Honest Company, Inc.

Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements

December 31, 2019 and 2020

 

 

Segment Reporting and Geographic Information

The Company’s Chief Executive Officer, as the chief operating decision maker, organizes the Company, manages resource allocations and measures performance on the basis of one operating segment. All of the Company’s long-lived assets are located in the United States and substantially all of the Company’s revenue is from customers located in the United States.

Use of Estimates

The preparation of the consolidated financial statements in conformity with GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities, the disclosure of contingent assets and contingent liabilities at the date of the consolidated financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period. Actual results could differ from those estimates. The Company’s estimates, which are subject to varying degrees of judgment, include the valuation of inventories, sales returns and allowances, allowances for doubtful accounts, valuation of short-term investments, valuation of build-to-suit lease, capitalized software, useful lives associated with long-lived assets, valuation allowances with respect to deferred tax assets, accruals and contingencies, recoverability of goodwill and long-lived assets, and the valuation and assumptions underlying stock-based compensation, common stock and redeemable convertible preferred stock. On an ongoing basis, the Company evaluates its estimates compared to historical experience and trends, which form the basis for making judgments about the carrying value of assets and liabilities.

In March 2020, the World Health Organization declared the outbreak of the novel coronavirus disease (“COVID-19”) a pandemic. The full extent to which the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic will impact the Company’s business, results of operations and financial condition is still unknown and will depend on future developments, which are uncertain and cannot be predicted, including, but not limited to, the duration and spread of the outbreak, its severity, the actions to contain the virus or treat its impact, and how quickly and to what extent normal economic and operating conditions can resume.

In light of the currently unknown ultimate duration and severity of COVID-19, the Company faces a greater degree of uncertainty than normal in making certain judgments and estimates needed to apply significant accounting policies. The Company assessed certain accounting matters and estimates that generally require consideration of forecasted information in context with the information reasonably available to the Company as of December 31, 2020 and through the date of this report. Management is not aware of any specific event or circumstance that would require an update to estimates or judgments or a revision to the carrying value of assets or liabilities. However, these estimates and judgments may change as new events occur and additional information is obtained, which may result in changes being recognized in the Company’s consolidated financial statements in future periods.

Concentrations

Financial instruments that potentially subject the Company to credit risk consist principally of cash, cash equivalents, restricted cash, short-term investments and accounts receivable. The Company places its cash with high credit quality financial institutions, which may at times exceed federally insured limits. The Company invests its excess cash primarily in highly rated money market funds and short-term debt instruments, diversifies its investments and, by policy, invests only in highly rated securities to minimize credit risk.

At each reporting period, the Company reevaluates each customer’s ability to satisfy credit obligations and maintains an allowance for doubtful accounts based on the evaluations.

 

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Table of Contents

The Honest Company, Inc.

Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements

December 31, 2019 and 2020

 

 

The Company’s customers that accounted for 10% or more of total accounts receivable, net, were as follows:

 

     As of December 31,  
       2019         2020    

Customer A

     58     41

Customer C

                  27

 

*  Balance was less than 10% as of December 31, 2019

The Company’s customers that accounted for 10% or more of total revenue were as follows:

 

     Year Ended December 31  
     2019     2020  

Customer A

     26     23

Customer B

     14     22

The Company currently buys all of its diapers from one supplier. Additionally, the Company currently buys substantially all of its wipes from one supplier. Management believes that other suppliers could provide similar products on reasonable terms. A change in suppliers, however, could cause a delay in manufacturing and a possible loss of sales, which would affect operating results adversely.

Cash, Cash Equivalents and Restricted Cash

Cash equivalents consist of short-term, highly liquid investments with stated maturities of three months or less from the date of purchase. Cash equivalents comprise amounts invested in money market funds. Restricted cash consists of deposits in a bank account used to collateralize the letters of credit for certain lease arrangements.

Investments

Investments consist of highly liquid investments in debt securities. Investments comprises commercial paper, certificates of deposit, corporate bonds and U.S. government and agency securities, which are classified as available-for-sale investments. The Company includes its available-for-sale investments in current assets because the securities represent investments of cash available for current operations. Available-for-sale investments are recorded at fair value, which is based on quoted market prices for such securities, if available, or is estimated on the basis of quoted market prices of financial instruments with similar characteristics. Unrealized holding gains and losses are excluded from earnings and are reported as a component of comprehensive loss. Realized gains or losses are recorded in interest and other income, net.

The Company evaluates the potential impairment through review of unrealized losses associated with its investments to determine if the impairment is “temporary” or “other-than-temporary.” A “temporary” unrealized loss is recorded in the accumulated other comprehensive loss component of stockholders’ deficit. Such an unrealized loss does not reduce net income for the applicable accounting period because the loss is not viewed as “other-than-temporary”. If the impairment is determined to be “other-than-temporary” the loss is recorded as an impairment charge in the period any such determination is made. The factors evaluated to differentiate between “temporary” and “other-than-temporary” include the projected future cash flows, credit rating actions, and assessment of the credit quality of the underlying collateral, as well as other factors.

 

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Table of Contents

The Honest Company, Inc.

Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements

December 31, 2019 and 2020

 

 

Accounts Receivable

Sales made through the Company’s website are conducted with credit cards, and the Company records its credit card sales in transit as accounts receivable at selling price less applicable deductions. The Company also extends credit in the normal course of business to its third-party ecommerce customers and retailers and performs credit evaluations on a case-by-case basis. The Company does not obtain collateral or other security related to its accounts receivable.

Accounts receivable is presented net of allowances. The Company does not accrue interest on its trade receivables. On a periodic basis, the Company evaluates accounts receivable estimated to be uncollectible, and provides allowances as necessary for doubtful accounts. The allowance for doubtful accounts was not material as of December 31, 2019. The allowance for doubtful accounts was $1.4 million as of December 31, 2020, which was the result of the Company recognizing $1.4 million of bad debt expense during the year ended December 31, 2020.

Inventories

Inventories consist of finished goods and are stated at the lower of cost or estimated net realizable value. Cost is computed based on weighted average historical costs. The Company allocates certain overhead costs to the carrying value of its finished goods. The carrying value of inventories is reduced for any excess and obsolete inventory. Excess and obsolete inventory reductions are determined based on assumptions about future demand and sales prices, estimates of the impact of competition, and the age of inventory. If actual conditions are less favorable than those previously estimated by management, additional inventory write-downs could be required.

Property and Equipment, Net

Property and equipment are stated at cost, net of accumulated depreciation and amortization. Repairs and maintenance costs are expensed as incurred. When assets are retired or otherwise disposed of, the cost and the related accumulated depreciation are removed from the respective accounts and any resulting gain or loss is reflected in the consolidated statements of comprehensive loss. Depreciation and amortization are recorded using the straight-line method over the estimated useful lives of the assets as follows:

 

Machinery and equipment

     3–20 years  

Computer and office equipment

     3–5 years  

Capitalized software and website development costs

     1–5 years  

Furniture and fixtures

     3–5 years  

Building

     40 years  

Leasehold improvements

     Lesser of the estimated useful life  
     or the remaining lease term  

Deferred Offering Costs

Deferred offering costs consist of costs incurred in connection with the anticipated sale of the Company’s common stock in an initial public offering (“IPO”), including certain legal, accounting, and other IPO related costs. After completion of the IPO, deferred offering costs are recorded in stockholders’ deficit as a reduction from the proceeds of the offering. Should the Company terminate its planned IPO or if there is a significant delay, the deferred offering costs would be expensed to operating expenses in the consolidated statements of comprehensive loss. No deferred offering costs were recorded as of December 31, 2019. As of December 31, 2020, $0.5 million of deferred offering costs had been recorded in other assets on the Company’s consolidated balance sheets.

 

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Table of Contents

The Honest Company, Inc.

Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements

December 31, 2019 and 2020

 

 

Leases

The Company accounts for leases in accordance with Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC”) No. 840, Leases. The Company leases certain equipment under capital lease agreements. The assets and liabilities under capital lease are recorded at the lesser of the present value of aggregate future minimum lease payments, including estimated bargain purchase options, or the fair value of the asset under lease. Assets under capital lease are amortized using the straight-line method over the estimated useful life of the asset.

Rent expense on operating leases is recorded on a straight-line basis over the lease term. Deferred rent represents the difference between rent amounts paid and amounts recognized as straight-line expense. The excess of straight-line rent expense over lease payments due is recorded as a deferred rent liability in accrued expenses, for the current portion, and other long-term liabilities, for the noncurrent portion, in the consolidated balance sheets. As of December 31, 2019, the Company recorded deferred rent liabilities of $0.8 million in accrued expenses and $9.3 million in other long-term liabilities. As of December 31, 2020, the Company recorded deferred rent liabilities of $0.9 million in accrued expenses and $8.4 million in other long-term liabilities.

Build-to-Suit Lease

The Company records assets and liabilities for the fair value of buildings under lease 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 construction risk prior to commencement of a lease. 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. If the Company continues to be the deemed owner, the facilities are accounted for as financing obligations.

The Company records rent payments as a reduction of the lease financing obligation and imputed interest expense; ground rents are recorded as an operating expense. Upon completion of construction, the fair value of the lease property is depreciated over the building’s estimated useful life. At the conclusion of the lease term, the Company will de-recognize both the then carrying values of the asset and financing obligation.

Capitalized Software and Website Development Costs

The Company accounts for its internal-use software costs and website development costs in accordance with ASC No. 350-40, Internal-Use Software, and ASC No. 350-50, Website Development Costs, respectively. The Company capitalizes costs to purchase and develop its websites and internal-use software and amortizes such costs on a straight-line basis over the estimated useful life of the software once it is available for its intended use. Capitalization of internal-use costs begins when the preliminary project stage is completed, management with the relevant authority authorizes and commits to the funding of the project, and it is probable that the project will be completed and will be used to perform the function intended. Capitalization of these costs ceases once the project is substantially complete and the software is ready for its intended purpose. Capitalized internal-use software and website development costs, including purchased software, is recorded in property and equipment, net in the consolidated balance sheets.

For cloud-computing service arrangements, the Company capitalizes implementation costs consistent with internal-use software costs. Such capitalized costs are included within prepaid expenses and other current assets, for the current portion, and other assets, for the noncurrent portion, in the consolidated balance sheets and are expensed on a straight-line basis over the term of the service arrangement as selling, general and administrative expense. Capitalized implementation costs from cloud computing service arrangements was $1.4 million, net of $0.1 million of accumulated amortization as of December 31, 2019 and $0.9 million, net of $0.6 million of accumulated amortization as of December 31, 2020.

 

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Table of Contents

The Honest Company, Inc.

Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements

December 31, 2019 and 2020

 

 

Goodwill

Goodwill represents the excess of purchase price over the fair value of net assets acquired in a business combination. Goodwill is not amortized but evaluated for impairment at least annually at the reporting unit level or whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the value may not be recoverable. Events or changes in circumstances which could trigger an impairment review include significant adverse changes in legal factors or in the business climate, an adverse action or assessment by a regulator, unanticipated competition, a loss of key personnel, significant changes in the manner in which the Company uses the acquired assets or the strategy for the Company’s overall business, significant industry or economic trends, or significant underperformance relevant to expected historical or projected future results of operations.

Goodwill is assessed for possible impairment by performing a qualitative analysis to determine if it is more likely than not that the fair value of a reporting unit is less than its carrying amount. If, after assessing the totality of events or circumstances, the Company determines it is not more likely than not that the fair value of a reporting unit is less than its carrying amount, then additional impairment testing is not required. However, if the Company concludes otherwise, then the Company is required to perform the first of a two-step impairment test.

The first step involves comparing the estimated fair value of a reporting unit with its respective book value, including goodwill. If the estimated fair value exceeds book value, goodwill is considered not to be impaired and no additional steps are necessary. If, however, the fair value of the reporting unit is less than its book value, then the carrying amount of the goodwill is compared with its implied fair value. The estimate of implied fair value of goodwill may require valuations of certain internally generated and unrecognized intangible assets. If the carrying amount of goodwill exceeds the implied fair value of that goodwill, an impairment loss is recognized in an amount equal to the excess. The Company tests goodwill for impairment annually at October 31.

The Company performed its annual goodwill impairment test at October 31, 2019 and 2020 and no impairment was identified.

Intangible Assets, Net

Intangible assets are stated at cost, net of accumulated amortization. Intangible assets consist of tradenames and domain names. Tradenames and domain names are amortized on a straight-line basis, which approximates the pattern in which the economic benefits are consumed, over the estimated useful lives of the assets of 15 years.

Impairment of Long-Lived Assets

The Company assesses the carrying value of its long-lived assets, consisting primarily of property and equipment and intangible assets, when there is evidence that events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying value of an asset or group of assets may not be recoverable. Such events or changes in circumstances may include a significant decrease in the market price of a long-lived asset, a significant change in the extent or manner in which an asset is used, a significant change in legal factors or in the business climate, a significant deterioration in the amount of revenue or cash flows expected to be generated from a group of assets, a current expectation that, more likely than not a long-lived asset will be sold or otherwise disposed of significantly before the end of its previously estimated useful life, or any other significant adverse change that would indicate that the carrying value of an asset or group of assets may not be recoverable. The Company performs impairment testing at the asset group level that represents the lowest level for which identifiable cash flows are largely independent of the cash flows of other assets and liabilities. If events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying amount of an asset group may not be recoverable and the expected undiscounted future cash flows attributable to the asset group are less than the carrying amount of the asset group, an impairment loss equal to the excess of the asset’s carrying value over its fair value is recorded.

 

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Table of Contents

The Honest Company, Inc.

Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements

December 31, 2019 and 2020

 

 

Income Taxes

Income taxes are accounted for using an asset and liability approach that requires the recognition of deferred tax assets and liabilities for the expected future tax consequences of events that have been included in the consolidated financial statements. Under this method, deferred tax assets and liabilities are determined based on the differences between the financial statement and tax basis of assets and liabilities and are measured using enacted tax rates in effect for the year in which the differences are expected to reverse. The effect of a change in tax rates or tax law on deferred tax assets and liabilities is recognized in income in the period that includes the enactment date.

A valuation allowance is provided on deferred tax assets when it is determined that it is more likely than not that some portion or all of the net deferred tax assets will not be realized.

The Company recognizes the tax benefit from uncertain tax positions only if it is more likely than not that the tax positions will be sustained on examination by the tax authorities, based on the technical merits of the position. The tax benefit is measured based on the largest benefit that has a greater than 50% likelihood of being realized upon ultimate settlement. The Company recognizes interest and penalties related to income tax matters in income tax expense.

Foreign Currency Transactions

The Company records foreign currency gains or losses in other income, net in the consolidated statements of comprehensive loss, related to transactions denominated in currencies other than the U.S. dollar. During the years ended December 31, 2019 and 2020, foreign currency gains, net were $0.1 million and $0.1 million, respectively.

Contingent Liabilities

If a potential loss contingency is considered probable, and the amount can be reasonably estimated, the Company accrues a liability for an estimated loss. If the reasonable estimate of the loss is a range and no amount within the range is a better estimate, the minimum amount of the range is recorded as a liability. The Company does not accrue for contingent losses that, in its judgment, are considered to be reasonably possible. However, if the Company determines that a contingent loss is reasonably possible and the loss or range of loss can be estimated, the Company discloses the possible loss in the consolidated financial statements. Legal costs are expensed as incurred.

Fair Value Measurements

Fair value is defined as the price that would be received to sell an asset or paid to transfer a liability in an orderly transaction between market participants at the measurement date. The Company uses the following hierarchy in measuring the fair value of the Company’s assets and liabilities, focusing on the most observable inputs when available:

 

Level 1

   Quoted prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities.

Level 2

   Observable inputs other than Level 1 quoted prices, such as quoted prices for similar assets and liabilities in active markets, quoted prices in markets that are not active for identical or similar assets and liabilities, or other inputs that are observable or can be corroborated by observable market data for substantially the full term of the assets or liabilities.

 

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Table of Contents

The Honest Company, Inc.

Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements

December 31, 2019 and 2020

 

 

Level 3

   Valuations are based on inputs that are unobservable and significant to the overall fair value measurement of the assets or liabilities. Inputs reflect management’s best estimate of what market participants would use in pricing the asset or liability at the measurement date. Consideration is given to the risk inherent in the valuation technique and the risk inherent in the inputs to the model.

Fair value is based on quoted market prices, if available. If listed prices or quotes are not available, fair value is based on internally developed models that primarily use market-based or independently sourced market parameters as inputs.

Cash equivalents, consisting primarily of money market funds, represent highly liquid investments with maturities of three months or less at purchase. Market prices, which are Level 1 in the fair value hierarchy, are used to determine the fair value of the money market funds.

Investments in debt securities are measured using broker provided indicative prices developed using observable market data, which are considered Level 2 in the fair value hierarchy.

Certain assets, including long-lived assets, goodwill and intangible assets are also subject to measurement at fair value on a nonrecurring basis if they are deemed to be impaired as a result of an impairment review. The fair value is measured using Level 3 inputs in the fair value hierarchy.

Revenue Recognition

The Company sells its products through digital and retail sales channels in the following product categories: diapers and wipes, skin and personal care, and household and wellness. The digital sales channel includes direct-to-consumer sales through the Company’s website and sales to third-party ecommerce customers, who resell the Company’s products through their own online platforms. The retail sales channel includes sales to traditional brick and mortar retailers, who may also resell the Company’s products through their own online platforms.

The Company accounts for revenue contracts with customers by applying the following steps in accordance with ASC No. 606, Revenue from Contracts with Customers:

 

   

Identification of the contract, or contracts, with a customer

 

   

Identification of the performance obligations in the contract

 

   

Determination of the transaction price

 

   

Allocation of the transaction price to the performance obligations in the contract

 

   

Recognition of revenue when, or as, the Company satisfies a performance obligation

The Company elected as an accounting policy to record all shipping and handling costs as fulfillment costs. The Company accrues the cost of shipping and handling and recognizes revenue and costs at the point in time that control of the goods transfers to the customer.

Direct-to-Consumer

For direct sales to the consumer through the Company’s website, the Company’s performance obligation consists of the sale of finished goods to the consumer. Consumers may purchase products at any time or enter into subscription arrangements. Consumers place orders online in accordance with the Company’s standard terms and

 

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Table of Contents

The Honest Company, Inc.

Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements

December 31, 2019 and 2020

 

 

conditions and authorize payment when the order is placed. Credit cards are charged at the time of shipment. For subscription arrangements, consumers sign up to receive products on a periodic basis. Subscriptions are cancellable at any time without penalty, and no amounts are collected from the consumer until products are shipped. Revenue is recognized when transfer of control to the consumer takes place which is when the product is delivered to the carrier. Sales taxes collected from consumers are accounted for on a net basis and are excluded from revenue.

Consumers may purchase gift cards, which are recorded as deferred revenue at the time of purchase. The Company recognizes revenue when these gift cards are redeemed for products and the revenue recognition criteria as described above have been met. For the years ended December 31, 2019 and 2020, revenue recognized from the use of gift cards were not material. Deferred revenue related to gift card purchases as of December 31, 2019 and 2020 were not material.

Retail and Third-Party Ecommerce

For retail and third-party ecommerce sales, the Company’s performance obligation consists of the sale of finished goods to retailers and third-party ecommerce customers. Revenue is recognized when control of the promised goods is transferred to those customers at time of shipment or delivery, depending on the contract terms. After the completion of the performance obligation, the Company has the right to consideration as outlined in the contract. Payment terms vary among the retail and third-party ecommerce customers although terms generally include a requirement of payment within 30 to 45 days of product shipment.

Sales Returns and Allowances

For direct-to-consumer, retail, and third-party ecommerce sales, the Company records estimated sales returns in the same period that the related revenue is recorded. The Company uses the expected value method to estimate returns, taking into consideration assumptions of demand based on historical data and historical returns rates. When estimating returns, the Company also considers future business initiatives and relevant anticipated future events. Estimated sales returns and ultimate losses may vary from actual results, which could be material to the consolidated financial statements. The estimated sales returns allowance is recorded as a reduction in revenue.

For direct-to-consumer, retail and third-party ecommerce sales, the Company offers credits in the form of discounts, which are recorded as reductions in revenue and are allocated to products on a relative basis based on their respective standalone selling price.

For retail and third-party ecommerce sales, the Company routinely commits to one-time or ongoing sales incentive programs with its customers that may require the Company to estimate and accrue the expected costs of such programs, including trade promotion activities and contractual allowances. The Company records these programs as a reduction to revenue unless it receives a distinct benefit in exchange for credits claimed by the customer and can reasonably estimate the fair value of the benefit received, in which case the Company records it as a marketing expense. The Company recognizes a liability or a reduction to accounts receivable, and reduces revenue based on the estimated amount of credits that will be claimed by customers. An allowance is recorded as a reduction to accounts receivable if the customer can deduct the program amount from outstanding invoices.

Estimates for these sales incentive programs are developed using the most likely amount and are included in the transaction price to the extent that a significant reversal of revenue would not result once the uncertainty is resolved. In developing its estimate, the Company uses historical analysis and contractual rates in determining

 

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Table of Contents

The Honest Company, Inc.

Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements

December 31, 2019 and 2020

 

 

the accruals for these activities. The Company also considers the susceptibility of the incentive to outside influences, the length of time until the uncertainty is resolved and the Company’s experience with similar contracts. Judgment is required to determine the timing and amount of recognition of sales incentive program accruals which the Company estimates based on past practice with similar arrangements.

The following table summarizes the changes in the allowance for sales incentive programs for retail and third-party ecommerce customers for the years ended December 31:

 

     2019      2020  
(In thousands)              

Beginning balance

   $ 4,455      $ 8,428  

Charged to revenue

     27,529        35,465  

Charged to marketing expense

     7,889        10,906  

Utilization of accrual for trade promotions

     (31,445      (46,592
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

Ending balance

   $ 8,428      $ 8,207  
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

At December 31, 2019 and 2020, $8.0 million and $7.8 million of the ending allowance balances were recorded as a reduction to accounts receivable, respectively.

Contract Assets

There are no material assets related to incremental costs to obtain or fulfill customer contracts.

Cost of Revenue

Cost of revenue includes the purchase price of merchandise sold to customers, inbound and outbound shipping and handling costs, freight and duties, shipping and packaging supplies, credit card processing fees and warehouse fulfillment costs incurred in operating and staffing warehouses, including rent. Cost of revenue also includes depreciation and amortization, allocated overhead and direct and indirect labor for warehouse personnel.

Selling, General and Administrative

Selling, general and administrative expenses consist primarily of personnel costs, principally for our selling and administrative functions. These include personnel-related expenses, including salaries, bonuses, benefits and stock-based compensation expense. Selling, general and administrative expenses also include technology expenses, professional fees, facility costs, including insurance, utilities and rent relating to our headquarters, depreciation and amortization, and overhead costs.

Marketing

Marketing expenses includes costs related to the Company’s branding initiatives, retail customer marketing activities, point of purchase displays, targeted online advertising through sponsored search, display advertising, email marketing campaigns, market research, content production and other public relations and promotional initiatives.

Advertising costs are expensed as incurred. Media production costs are expensed the first time the advertisement is aired. Deferred advertising costs consist mainly of point of purchase displays that are specifically branded for

 

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Table of Contents

The Honest Company, Inc.

Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements

December 31, 2019 and 2020

 

 

the Company’s products and provided to retailers in order to facilitate the marketing of the Company’s products within retail stores. The point of purchase display costs are capitalized as deferred advertising costs and charged to marketing expense over the expected period of benefit, which generally ranges from one to three years. As of December 31, 2019 and 2020, the current portion of deferred advertising costs was $0.9 million and $1.4 million, respectively, which is included in prepaid expenses and other current assets. As of December 31, 2019 and 2020, the noncurrent portion of deferred advertising costs was $0.8 million and $0.2 million, respectively, which is included in other assets. Advertising expense was $28.9 million and $41.1 million for the years ended December 31, 2019 and 2020, respectively.

Research and Development

Research and development expenses relate to costs incurred for the development of new products, improvement in the quality of existing products and the development and implementation of new technologies to enhance the quality and value of products. Research and development expenses consist primarily of personnel-related expenses, including salaries, bonuses, benefits and stock-based compensation expense. Research and development expenses also include allocated depreciation and amortization and overhead costs. The Company expenses research and development costs in the period they are incurred.

Stock-Based Compensation

The Company recognizes stock-based compensation expense for employees and non-employees based on the grant-date fair value of stock options over the applicable service period. For awards that vest based on continued service, stock-based compensation cost is recognized on a straight-line basis over the requisite service period, which is generally the vesting period of the awards. For awards with performance vesting conditions, stock-based compensation cost is recognized on a graded vesting basis over the requisite service period when it is probable the performance condition will be achieved. The grant date fair value of stock options that contain service or performance conditions is estimated using the Black-Scholes option-pricing model. The grant date fair value of restricted stock awards that contain service vesting conditions are estimated based on the fair value of the underlying shares on grant date. For awards with market vesting conditions, the fair value is estimated using a Monte Carlo simulation model, which incorporates the likelihood of achieving the market condition.

The Company grants certain stock option awards that contain service and performance vesting conditions. For these awards, the Company commences recognition of stock-based compensation cost once it is probable that the performance condition will be achieved. Once it is probable that the performance condition will be achieved, the Company recognizes stock-based compensation cost over the remaining requisite service period under a graded vesting model, with a cumulative adjustment for the portion of the service period that occurred for the period prior to the performance condition becoming probable of being achieved.

The Company also grants certain stock option awards that contain service, performance and market vesting conditions, where the performance condition is an initial public offering or a change in control event. This performance condition is not probable of being achieved for accounting purposes until the event occurs. Thereafter, expense is recognized when the event occurs even if the market condition was not or is not achieved, provided the employee continues to satisfy the service condition.

Determining the fair value of stock-based awards requires judgment. The Black-Scholes option-pricing model is used to estimate the fair value of stock options that have service and/or performance vesting conditions. The Monte Carlo simulation model is used to estimate the fair value of stock options that have market vesting

 

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Table of Contents

The Honest Company, Inc.

Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements

December 31, 2019 and 2020

 

 

conditions. The assumptions used in these option-pricing models require the input of subjective assumptions and are as follows:

 

   

Fair value - The fair value of the common stock underlying the Company’s stock-based awards was determined by the Company’s Board of Directors (the “Board”). Because there is no public market for the Company’s stock, the Company’s Board determined the common stock fair value at the stock option grant date by considering several objective and subjective factors, including the price paid for its common and preferred stock, actual and forecasted operating and financial performance, market conditions and performance of comparable publicly traded companies, developments and milestones within the Company, the rights, preferences, and privileges of its common and preferred stock, and the likelihood of achieving a liquidity event. The fair value of the underlying common stock will be determined by the Board until such time as the Company’s common stock is listed on an established stock exchange or national market system. The fair value was determined in accordance with applicable elements of the practice aid issued by the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, Valuation of Privately-Held-Company Equity Securities Issued as Compensation.

 

   

Expected volatility - Expected volatility is based on historical volatilities of a publicly traded peer group based on weekly price observations over a period equivalent to the expected term of the stock option grants.

 

   

Expected term - For stock options with only service vesting conditions the expected term is determined using the simplified method, which estimates the expected term using the contractual life of the option and the vesting period. For stock options with performance or market conditions, the term is estimated in consideration of the time period expected to achieve the performance or market condition, the contractual term of the award, and estimates of future exercise behavior.

 

   

Risk-free interest rate - The risk-free interest rate is based on the U.S. Treasury yield of treasury bonds with a maturity that approximates the expected term of the options.

 

   

Expected dividend yield - The dividend yield is based on the Company’s current expectations of dividend payouts. The Company has never declared or paid any cash dividends on its common stock, and the Company does not anticipate paying any cash dividends in the foreseeable future.

The determination of stock-based compensation cost is inherently uncertain and subjective and involves the application of valuation models and assumptions requiring the use of judgment. If the Company had made different assumptions, its stock-based compensation expense and its net loss could have been significantly different.

New shares are issued from authorized shares of common stock upon the exercise of stock options.

Recent Accounting Pronouncements

As an “emerging growth company”, the Jumpstart Our Business Startups Act allows the Company to delay adoption of new or revised accounting pronouncements applicable to public companies until such pronouncements are made applicable to private companies. The Company has elected to use the adoption dates applicable to private companies. As a result, the Company’s financial statements may not be comparable to the financial statements of issuers who are required to comply with the effective date for new or revised accounting standards that are applicable to public companies.

 

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The Honest Company, Inc.

Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements

December 31, 2019 and 2020

 

 

Recently Adopted Accounting Pronouncements

In May 2014, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) issued Accounting Standards Update (“ASU’) No. 2014-09, Revenue from Customers with Contracts (Topic 606) (“ASC 606”), as subsequently amended. The Company early adopted ASC 606 on January 1, 2019 on a modified retrospective basis. See Note 3 – Revenue.

In November 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-18, Statement of Cash Flows (Topic 230): Restricted Cash. The amendments in this guidance require that a statement of cash flows explain the change during the period in the total of cash, cash equivalents, and amounts generally described as restricted cash or restricted cash equivalents. Therefore, amounts generally described as restricted cash and restricted cash equivalents should be included with cash and cash equivalents when reconciling the beginning-of-period and end-of-period total amounts shown on the statement of cash flows. The Company early adopted this guidance January 1, 2019. The adoption of this guidance did not have a material impact on the Company’s consolidated financial statements.

In June 2018, the FASB issued ASU No. 2018-07, Improvements to Nonemployee Share-Based Payment Accounting, which aligns the accounting for share-based payment awards issued to nonemployees with the guidance applicable to grants to employees. Under this new standard, equity-classified share-based payment awards issued to nonemployees will be measured on the grant date, instead of the current requirement to remeasure the awards through the performance completion date. Further, compensation cost for awards with performance conditions will be recognized when it is probable the conditions will be achieved, rather than at the lowest aggregate fair value of the award. The Company early adopted this guidance on January 1, 2019, concurrently with the adoption of ASC 606. The adoption of this guidance did not have a material impact on the Company’s 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, which clarifies the accounting for implementation costs in cloud computing arrangements. The Company early adopted this guidance on January 1, 2019 and during 2019 capitalized certain implementation costs associated with cloud computing arrangements. See Capitalized Software and Development Costs accounting policy within this note.

Recently Issued Accounting Pronouncements – Not Yet Adopted

In February 2016, FASB issued ASU No 2016-02, Leases (Topic 842), as subsequently amended, collectively codified under Topic 842. Topic 842 requires lessees to recognize on the balance sheet assets and liabilities for leases with lease terms of more than twelve months. Consistent with current GAAP, the recognition, measurement, and presentation of expenses and cash flows arising from a lease by a lessee primarily will depend on its classification as a finance or operating lease. However, unlike current GAAP which requires only capital leases to be recognized on the balance sheet the new ASU will require both types of leases to be recognized on the balance sheet. ASU 2016-02 was effective for public business entities for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2018. In June 2020, FASB issued ASU No. 2020-05, Revenue from Contracts with Customers (Topic 606) and Leases (Topic 842) – Effective Dates for Certain Entities, which extended the effective date of this guidance for certain non-public entities for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2021, and interim periods within fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2022, with early adoption permitted. The Company is evaluating the adoption of this guidance and the potential effects on its consolidated financial statements. The Company anticipates the adoption of this guidance may result in a material impact to the Company’s consolidated financial statements as it relates to its build-to-suit lease and recording other operating leases on the consolidated balance sheets.

 

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The Honest Company, Inc.

Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements

December 31, 2019 and 2020

 

 

In June 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-13, Financial Instruments Credit Losses (Topic 326): Measurement of Credit Losses on Financial Instruments, to amend the accounting for credit losses for certain financial instruments. This guidance replaces the incurred loss impairment methodology with a methodology that reflects expected credit losses. In November 2019, FASB issued ASU No. 2019-10 which delayed the effective dates of the guidance. This guidance is effective for public business entities that meet the definition of an SEC filer, excluding entities eligible to be smaller reporting companies (“SRC”) for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2019, including interim periods within those fiscal years and all other entities for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2022, including interim periods within those fiscal years. Early adoption is permitted for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2018, including interim periods within those fiscal years. The Company is evaluating the adoption of this guidance and the potential effects on the consolidated financial statements.

In January 2017, the FASB issued ASU No. 2017-04, Intangibles Goodwill and Other (Topic 350): Simplifying the Test for Goodwill Impairment. The amendments in this guidance eliminate Step 2 from the goodwill impairment test, whereby an entity had to perform procedures to determine the fair value at the impairment testing date of its assets and liabilities (including unrecognized assets and liabilities) following the procedure that would be required in determining the fair value of assets acquired and liabilities assumed in a business combination. Instead, under this amendment, an entity should perform its goodwill impairment test by comparing the value of a reporting unit with its carrying amount. An entity should recognize an impairment charge for the amount by which the carrying amount exceeds the reporting unit’s fair value; however, the loss recognized should not exceed the total amount of goodwill allocated to that reporting unit. In November 2019, the FASB issued ASU No. 2019-10 which delayed the effective dates of this guidance. This guidance is effective for public business entities excluding entities eligible to be SRCs for annual and any interim impairment test performed for periods beginning after December 15, 2019. For all other entities the guidance is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2022. Early adoption is permitted for interim or annual goodwill impairment tests performed on testing dates after January 1, 2017. The Company is evaluating the adoption of this guidance and the potential effects on the 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 the general principles in ASC 740 as well as by improving consistent application of the topic by clarifying and amending existing guidance. For public business entities, the ASU is effective for fiscal years, and interim periods within those fiscal years, beginning after December 15, 2020. For all other entities, the ASU is 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 Company is currently evaluating the timing of adoption and impact on the Company’s consolidated financial statements.

 

3.

Revenue

Impact of ASC 606 adoption

The primary impact of the adoption of ASC 606 related to direct-to-consumer sales that were previously deferred until delivery had occurred but under ASC 606 are recognized at the time of shipment. Upon adoption of ASC

 

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Table of Contents

The Honest Company, Inc.

Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements

December 31, 2019 and 2020

 

 

606 on January 1, 2019, the Company recognized a reduction to accumulated deficit of $0.9 million, a reduction to inventory of $0.5 million and a reduction to deferred revenue of $1.4 million.

Disaggregation of revenue

Revenue by sales channel is as follows for the years ended December 31:

 

     2019      2020  

(In thousands)

             

Digital

   $ 128,716      $ 166,733  

Retail

     106,871        133,789  
  

 

 

    

 

 

 
   $ 235,587      $ 300,522  
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

Revenue by major product category is as follows for the years ended December 31:

 

     2019      2020  
(In thousands)              

Diapers and wipes

   $ 161,855      $ 188,452  

Skin and personal care

     58,706        79,542  

Household and wellness

     15,026        32,528  
  

 

 

    

 

 

 
   $ 235,587      $ 300,522  
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

 

4.

Investments

At December 31, 2019 and 2020, all investments in debt securities are classified as available-for-sale investments. All investments are reported within current assets because the securities represent investments of cash available for current operations. As of December 31, 2019 and 2020, the Company held $47.8 million and $27.5 million, respectively, of investments with contractual maturities of less than one year. As of December 31, 2019 and 2020, the Company held $23.6 million and $6.9 million, respectively, of investments with contractual maturities between one and two years. Available-for-sale investments are recorded at fair value, and unrealized holding gains and losses are recorded as a component of other comprehensive loss. The following table summarizes the Company’s available-for-sale investments as of December 31:

 

     2019  
     Cost or
Amortized
Cost
     Gross
Unrealized
Gains
     Gross
Unrealized
Losses
     Total
Estimated
Fair Value
 
(In thousands)                            

Corporate bonds

   $ 36,431      $ 71      $ (5    $ 36,497  

Commercial paper

     515        —          —          515  

Certificates of deposit

     15,144        16        —          15,160  

U.S. government and agency securities

     19,267        42        (2      19,307  
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 
   $ 71,357      $ 129      $ (7    $ 71,479  
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

 

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Table of Contents

The Honest Company, Inc.

Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements

December 31, 2019 and 2020

 

 

     2020  
     Cost or
Amortized
Cost
     Gross
Unrealized
Gains
     Gross
Unrealized
Losses
     Total
Estimated
Fair Value
 
(In thousands)                            

Corporate bonds

   $ 22,894      $ 58      $ (3    $ 22,949  

Commercial paper

     538        —          —          538  

Certificates of deposit

     4,447        1        —          4,448  

U.S. government and agency securities

     6,452        38        —          6,490  
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 
   $ 34,331      $ 97      $ (3    $ 34,425  
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Realized gains and losses on investments in debt securities were not material for the years ended December 31, 2019 and 2020.

 

5.

Fair Value Measurements

Financial assets measured and recorded at fair value on a recurring basis consist of the following as of December 31:

 

     2019  
     Level 1      Level 2      Level 3      Total  
(In thousands)                            

Cash equivalents

           

Money market funds

   $ 2,645      $ —        $ —        $ 2,645  
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Total cash equivalents

     2,645        —          —          2,645  

Short-term investments

           

Corporate bonds

     —          36,498        —          36,498  

Commercial paper

     —          515        —          515  

Certificates of deposit

     —          15,159        —          15,159  

U.S. government and agency securities

     —          19,307        —          19,307  
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Total short-term investments

     —          71,479        —          71,479  
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Total

   $ 2,645      $ 71,479      $ —        $ 74,124  
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

 

     2020  
     Level 1      Level 2      Level 3      Total  
(In thousands)                            

Cash equivalents

           

Money market funds

   $ 12,696      $ —        $ —        $ 12,696  
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Total cash equivalents

     12,696        —          —          12,696  

Short-term investments

           

Corporate bonds

     —          22,949        —          22,949  

Commercial paper

     —          538        —          538  

Certificates of deposit

     —          4,448        —          4,448  

U.S. government and agency securities

     —          6,490        —          6,490  
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Total short-term investments

     —          34,425        —          34,425  
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Total

   $ 12,696      $ 34,425      $ —        $ 47,121  
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

 

 

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Table of Contents

The Honest Company, Inc.

Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements

December 31, 2019 and 2020

 

 

The carrying amounts for the Company’s accounts receivable, accounts payable, and accrued expenses approximate fair value due to their short maturities.

 

6.

Property and Equipment, Net

Property and equipment consisted of the following as of December 31:

 

     2019      2020  

(In thousands)

     

Machinery and equipment

   $ 12,228      $ 12,030  

Computer and office equipment

     2,003        1,356  

Capitalized software

     5,082        4,924  

Furniture and fixtures

     4,185        4,204  

Leasehold improvements

     15,833        15,833  

Building

     42,147        42,147  
  

 

 

    

 

 

 
     81,478        80,494  

Accumulated depreciation and amortization

     (20,254      (23,791
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

Total property and equipment, net

   $ 61,224      $ 56,703  
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

The Company capitalized the fair value of buildings under build-to-suit lease arrangements where it is considered the owner, for accounting purposes only. See Note 10 – Commitments and Contingencies, for additional information.

The Company enters into capital lease agreements for certain equipment. During the years ended December 31, 2019 and 2020, the gross assets recorded under capital leases were $1.6 million and $1.7 million, respectively. For the years ended December 31, 2019 and 2020, depreciation and amortization of equipment under capital lease obligations was $0.3 million and $0.3 million, respectively.

Total depreciation and amortization expense for property and equipment, inclusive of depreciation and amortization expense for equipment under capital lease obligations, was $7.5 million and $4.9 million for the years ended December 31, 2019 and 2020, respectively.

For the year ended December 31, 2019, property and equipment depreciation and amortization expense of $2.3 million, $0.2 million and $5.0 million were allocated to cost of revenues, research and development and selling, general and administrative expenses, respectively.

For the year ended December 31, 2020, property and equipment depreciation and amortization expense of $2.3 million, $0.3 million and $2.3 million were allocated to cost of revenues, research and development and selling, general and administrative expenses, respectively.

 

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Table of Contents

The Honest Company, Inc.

Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements

December 31, 2019 and 2020

 

 

7.

Intangible Assets, Net

Intangible assets consisted of the following as of December 31:

 

     2019  
     Gross
Carrying
Amount
     Accumulated
Amortization
     Intangible
Assets,
Net
 
(In thousands)                     

Tradenames

   $ 770      $ (335    $ 435  

Domain names

     287        (141      146  
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Total intangible assets, net

   $ 1,057      $ (476    $ 581  
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

 

     2020  
     Gross
Carrying
Amount
     Accumulated
Amortization
     Intangible
Assets,
Net
 
(In thousands)                     

Tradenames

   $ 770      $ (386    $ 384  

Domain names

     287        (160      127  
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Total intangible assets, net

   $ 1,057      $ (546    $ 511  
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

As of December 31, 2020, the weighted average remaining useful lives for tradenames and domain names was 7.9 and 6.8 years, respectively.

Amortization expense amounted to $0.1 million and $0.1 million for the years ended December 31, 2019 and 2020, respectively. Estimated future amortization expense for each of the following five years ending December 31 and thereafter is as follows:

 

(In thousands)       

2021

   $ 70  

2022

     70  

2023

     70  

2024

     70  

2025

     70  

Thereafter

     161  
  

 

 

 
   $ 511  
  

 

 

 

 

8.

Credit Facilities

In May 2017, the Company entered into an Asset Backed Loan facility (“ABL Revolver”) with a financial institution that provides advances up to $50.0 million including sub-limits for letters of credit and swingline loans. The facility was scheduled to mature in May 2022. Advances under the ABL Revolver bore interest on the outstanding balance at an applicable rate of either (a) the LIBOR rate plus a spread or (b) the CBFR rate plus a spread, depending on the type of advance elected by the Company and the fixed charge coverage ratio measured at the time. The facility included a commitment fee of 0.25% or 0.375% per annum, depending on the applicable rate, as well as participation fees and fronting fees that are determined based on letter of credit exposure. The

 

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Table of Contents

The Honest Company, Inc.

Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements

December 31, 2019 and 2020

 

 

facility also had affirmative covenants, such as required financial reporting, compliance with laws as well as restrictions on other indebtedness and guaranties, liens, dividends or distributions, certain dispositions and certain investments. In addition, the credit facility contains customary events of default provisions. As of December 31, 2019, the Company had no outstanding borrowings under the ABL Revolver and the interest rate on the ABL Revolver was 5.25%.

On June 4, 2020, the Company terminated the ABL Revolver. The Company had no outstanding borrowings under the ABL Revolver immediately prior to termination. Upon termination of the ABL Revolver, the Company was required to post collateral of $7.9 million in a restricted cash account to collateralize the letters of credit related to certain facility leases.

As of December 31, 2020, the letters of credit issued related to facility leases totaled $7.7 million, which is collateralized by the Company’s restricted cash of $7.9 million.

 

9.

Accrued Expenses

Accrued expenses consisted of the following as of December 31:

 

     2019      2020  
(In thousands)              

Payroll and payroll related expenses

   $ 3,822      $ 6,115  

Accrued inventory purchases

     3,242        4,588  

Accrued sales and use tax

     1,032        820  

Accrued returns

     2,154        2,585  

Other accrued expenses

     6,840        8,114  
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

Total accrued expenses

   $ 17,090      $ 22,222  
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

 

10.

Commitments and Contingencies

Leases

The Company leases warehouse and office facilities under operating lease agreements, some of which contain free rent periods and escalation clauses. Rent expense is recorded on a straight-line basis over the lease term with the difference between the rent paid and the straight-line rent expense recorded as a deferred rent liability.

On November 16, 2016, the Company entered into a warehouse facility lease in Las Vegas, Nevada. The lease term is ten years and four months, commencing on August 15, 2017. The lease contains both free rent periods and escalation clauses, which update every twelve months. The lease contains two renewal options each with a period for up to five years.

The Company concluded that it was deemed the owner, for accounting purposes only, of the warehouse facility under build-to-suit lease accounting due to its involvement in the construction activities of the facility. The fair market value of the building was capitalized as a noncash transaction, offset by a corresponding liability on the consolidated balance sheets. Upon completion of construction, the Company retained the fair value of the leased property and the obligation on its consolidated balance sheets as it did not qualify for sales recognition under the sale-leaseback accounting guidance due to continuing involvement in the leased property. Accordingly, the Company accounted for the facility as a financing arrangement. As of December 31, 2020, the Company has capitalized $38.6 million in property and equipment, net and a corresponding current and noncurrent financing obligation of $39.2 million in relation to this arrangement.

 

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Table of Contents

The Honest Company, Inc.

Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements

December 31, 2019 and 2020

 

 

On January 15, 2016, the Company entered into a second amendment of its warehouse facility lease in Ontario, California, in order to exercise the option to extend the lease term by five years through October 31, 2021. The Company’s warehouse facility lease contains a further renewal option period for up to five years. In November 2017, the Company entered into an agreement to sublease this facility for a term of three years and nine months beginning February 1, 2018.

On July 8, 2015, the Company entered into an office facility lease for its headquarters. The lease term is an eleven-year period commencing on March 1, 2016 and contains both free rent periods and escalation clauses, which update every twelve months. The Company’s headquarters lease contains two renewal options each with a period for up to five years. In May 2017, the Company entered into an agreement to sublease a portion of this facility for a term of five years beginning June 1, 2017. In December 2018, the Company amended the sublease agreement to sublease another portion of this facility through July 2022.

As of December 31, 2020, the future minimum rental payments under noncancelable leases with offsetting sublease receipts are as follows:

 

(In thousands)    Facility
Leases
     Subleases      Build-to-Suit
Lease
     Capital
Leases
 

Years Ending December 31,

           

2021

     5,814        (2,657      2,565        373  

2022

     5,231        (1,115      2,639        238  

2023

     5,754        —          2,713        14  

2024

     5,916        —          2,788        —    

2025

     6,082        —          2,868        —    

Thereafter

     7,610        —          5,836        —    
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Future minimum lease payments (income)

   $ 36,407      $ (3,772    $ 19,409      $ 625  
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Less: Amount representing interest

              (23
           

 

 

 

Present value of future lease payments

            $ 602  
           

 

 

 

Rent expense totaled $5.2 million for each of the years ended December 31, 2019 and 2020. Sublease rent income totaled $2.7 million for each of the years ended December 31, 2019 and 2020.

In connection with three of the Company’s facilities leases, the Company was required to obtain irrevocable letters of credit in lieu of security deposits. The letters of credit totaled $8.6 million and $7.7 million as of December 31, 2019 and 2020, respectively, and expire within a set number of days after the expirations of the facilities leases. In connection with the Company’s office facility lease, following the fourth year of the lease, the letter of credit balance can be reduced annually by a stated amount in the lease agreement, so long as the Company complies with certain covenants. In connection with the Company’s warehouse lease, the letter of credit balance is reduced annually by a stated amount in the lease agreement, so long as the Company complies with certain covenants.

 

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Table of Contents

The Honest Company, Inc.

Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements

December 31, 2019 and 2020

 

 

Purchase Commitments

The Company has unconditional purchase commitments for software service subscriptions, advertising services and certain other services. Future minimum payments under these unconditional purchase commitments as of December 31, 2020 are as follows:

 

(In thousands)       

Years Ending December 31,

  

2021

     2,233  

2022

     147  

2023

     141  

2024

     —    

2025

     —    

Thereafter

     —    
  

 

 

 

Future minimum payments

   $ 2,521  
  

 

 

 

Litigation

On September 17, 2019, the Nevada Department of Taxation (the “Department”) issued a Deficiency Notice against the Company to initiate administrative legal proceedings before the Department for the alleged non-compliance with employee retention requirements provided in exchange for tax benefits in establishing the Company’s Las Vegas distribution center in a December 2016 Abatement Agreement the Company had executed with the State of Nevada via its Governor’s Office of Economic Development. The Company has denied the allegations. An administrative hearing was held in the matter on January 15, 2021. There is no assurance of a favorable outcome and the potential loss resulting from this matter could be up to $0.6 million plus interest, for which the Company has recorded an accrual of $0.6 million in accrued expenses on the consolidated balance sheets as of December 31, 2019 and 2020.

On September 23, 2020, the Center for Advanced Public Awareness served a 60-Day Notice of Violation on the Company, alleging that the Company violated California’s Health and Safety Code (“Prop 65”) because of the amount of lead in the Company’s Diaper Rash Cream and seeking statutory penalties and product warnings available under Prop 65. The Company intends to vigorously defend itself in this matter. The matter’s outcome and materiality are uncertain at this time. Therefore, the Company cannot estimate the probability of loss or range of loss in this matter.

On January 28, 2021, Rosaura Navar filed a putative class action compliant (Rosaura Navar, et al. v. The Honest Company, Inc.—Los Angeles County Superior Court, Case No. 21STCV03381) alleging that the Company violated California’s Unfair Competition Law by failing to comply with California’s Automatic Renewal Law. The complaint demands restitution, injunctive and declaratory relief. The Company intends to vigorously defend itself in this matter. The outcome and materiality of this legal proceeding are uncertain to the Company. Accordingly, the Company cannot estimate the probability of loss or range of loss in this matter.

From time to time, the Company may be subject to various legal proceedings, claims, and litigation arising in the ordinary course of business. As of December 31, 2019 and 2020, the Company is not subject to any other currently pending legal matters or claims that could have a material adverse effect on its financial position, results of operations, or cash flows should such litigation be resolved unfavorably.

 

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Table of Contents

The Honest Company, Inc.

Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements

December 31, 2019 and 2020

 

 

Indemnifications

In the ordinary course of business, the Company may provide indemnifications of varying scope and terms to investors, directors and officers with respect to certain matters, including, but not limited to, losses arising out of the Company’s breach of such agreements, services to be provided by the Company, or from intellectual property infringement claims made by third-parties. These indemnifications may survive termination of the underlying agreement and the maximum potential amount of future payments the Company could be required to make under these indemnification provisions may not be subject to maximum loss clauses. The maximum potential amount of future payments the Company could be required to make under these indemnification provisions is indeterminable. The Company has never paid a material claim, nor has the Company been involved in litigation in connection with these indemnification arrangements. As of December 31, 2019 and 2020, the Company has not accrued a liability for these guarantees as, the likelihood of incurring a payment obligation, if any, in connection with these guarantees is not probable or reasonably estimable.

 

11.

Redeemable Convertible Preferred Stock and Stockholders’ Deficit

Redeemable convertible preferred stock of the Company represents the issued and outstanding shares of Series A, Series A-1, Series B, Series C, Series D, Series E and Series F as of December 31, 2019 and 2020.

The following table summarizes the redeemable convertible preferred stock information as of December 31, 2019 and 2020:

 

(In thousands, except for share amounts)   Authorized
Shares
    Issued and
Outstanding
Shares
    Carrying
Value
    Liquidation
Preference
 

Series A Redeemable Convertible Preferred Stock

    11,347,518       11,347,518     $ 6,000     $ 6,000  

Series A-1 Redeemable Convertible Preferred Stock

    11,554,016       11,554,016       20,796       21,000  

Series B Redeemable Convertible Prefered Stock

    4,551,572       4,551,572       42,106       50,000  

Series C Redeemable Convertible Preferred Stock

    5,174,204       5,174,204       90,586       100,000  

Series D Redeemable Convertible Preferred Stock

    4,545,944       4,454,624       101,239       101,911  

Series E Redeemable Convertible Preferred Stock

    6,918,204       6,918,204       67,685       67,815  

Series F Redeemable Convertible Preferred Stock

    5,100,790       5,100,790       47,992       50,000  
 

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total

    49,192,248       49,100,928     $ 376,404     $ 396,726  
 

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Preferred Stock Rights and Preferences

The rights and preferences associated with the Company’s Series A, Series A-1, Series B, Series C, Series D, Series E and Series F redeemable convertible preferred stock are summarized as follows:

Conversion Rights

Each share of Series A, Series A-1, Series B, Series C, Series D, Series E and Series F redeemable convertible preferred stock outstanding is convertible at any time, at the option of the holder, into common stock as determined below.

Each share of Series A, Series A-1, Series B, Series C, Series D, Series E, and Series F redeemable convertible preferred stock is convertible into the number of shares that results from dividing 1) the original issue price by 2) the conversion price. The initial conversion price for Series A, Series A-1, Series B, Series C, Series D, Series E

 

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The Honest Company, Inc.

Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements

December 31, 2019 and 2020

 

 

and Series F redeemable convertible preferred stock is equal to the original issue price, and accordingly, each share of redeemable convertible preferred stock is convertible into one share of common stock as of December 31, 2020. The Series A, Series A-1, Series B, Series C, Series D, Series E, and Series F redeemable convertible preferred stock may be adjusted for certain dilutive issuances, splits and combinations, dividends and distributions, and mergers or reorganizations. The original issue price per share of the Series A, Series A-1, Series B, Series C, Series D, Series E and Series F redeemable convertible preferred stock was $0.52875, $1.81755, $5.49260, $13.52865, $22.87750, $9.80240, and $9.80240, respectively.

Each share of Series A and Series A-1 redeemable convertible preferred stock will automatically convert upon the earlier of a written consent of the majority of the holders of the outstanding shares of Series A and Series A-1 redeemable convertible preferred stock, voting together as a single class, on an as-converted basis, or immediately prior to the closing of a firm commitment underwritten public offering pursuant to an effective registration statement filed under the Securities Act of 1933 (as amended, the “Securities Act”) at a price of at least $9.08775 per share in which the gross proceeds to the Company are at least $50.0 million.

Each share of Series B redeemable convertible preferred stock will automatically convert upon the earlier of a written consent of two-thirds of the holders of the outstanding shares of Series B redeemable convertible preferred stock or immediately prior to the closing of a firm commitment underwritten public offering pursuant to an effective registration statement filed under the Securities Act in which the gross proceeds to the Company are at least $50.0 million.

Each share of Series C redeemable convertible preferred stock will automatically convert upon the earlier of a written consent of at least a majority of the holders of the outstanding shares of Series C redeemable convertible preferred stock or immediately prior to the closing of a firm commitment underwritten public offering pursuant to an effective registration statement filed under the Securities Act in which the gross proceeds to the Company are at least $70.0 million.

Each share of Series D redeemable convertible preferred stock will automatically convert upon the earlier of a written consent of at least a majority of the holders of the outstanding shares of Series D redeemable convertible preferred stock or immediately prior to the closing of a firm commitment underwritten public offering pursuant to an effective registration statement filed under the Securities Act in which the gross proceeds to the Company are at least $100.0 million.

Each share of Series E redeemable convertible preferred stock will automatically convert upon the earlier of a written consent of at least a majority of the holders of the outstanding shares of Series E redeemable convertible preferred stock or immediately prior to the closing of a firm commitment underwritten public offering pursuant to an effective registration statement filed under the Securities Act in which the gross proceeds to the Company are at least $100.0 million.

Each share of Series F redeemable convertible preferred stock will automatically convert upon the earlier of a written consent of at least a majority of the holders of the outstanding shares of Series F redeemable convertible preferred stock or immediately prior to the closing of a firm commitment underwritten public offering pursuant to an effective registration statement filed under the Securities Act in which the gross proceeds to the Company are at least $100.0 million.

In the event the sale of shares in a firm commitment underwritten public offering is less than $16.9108 per share with respect to the Series C and Series D redeemable convertible preferred stock, $12.2530 per share with respect to the Series E and F redeemable convertible preferred stock, or $10.9852 per share with respect to the Series B

 

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The Honest Company, Inc.

Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements

December 31, 2019 and 2020

 

 

redeemable convertible preferred stock, each an IPO Target Price, the redeemable convertible preferred stock conversion price is adjusted based on the product of the redeemable convertible preferred stock original issue price and the public offering price divided by IPO Target Price. The IPO Target Price feature results in the preferred stockholder receiving a fixed dollar amount on conversion settled into a variable number of shares, or a stock-settled redemption feature. Upon settlement of this stock-settled redemption feature, the Company will record a gain or loss on extinguishment of the redeemable convertible preferred stock as an adjustment to net income (loss) to arrive at net income (loss) attributable to common stockholders to calculate earnings per share. The extinguishment gain or loss is measured as the difference between the carrying amount of the redeemable convertible preferred stock and the fair value of common stock upon the IPO date.

Dividend Rights

Common stockholders are entitled to non-cumulative dividends when and if declared by the Board. If any dividend is paid on any share of common stock, such dividends shall be distributed among all holders of common stock, any such other class or series of capital stock and Preferred Stock in proportion to the number of shares of Common Stock that would be held by each such holder if all shares of such other class or series of capital stock and Preferred Stock were converted to Common Stock at the then effective conversion rate.

For the years ended December 31, 2019 and 2020, no dividends were declared nor paid.

Liquidation

Upon any liquidation event, the holders of Series A, Series A-1, Series B, Series C, Series D, Series E and Series F redeemable convertible preferred stock are entitled to receive distributions prior to and in preference to any distributions of any of the assets of the Company to the holders of common stock. The holders of Series A, Series A-1, Series D, Series E and Series F redeemable convertible preferred stock are entitled to receive an amount per share equal to the original issue price, plus all declared but unpaid dividends. The holders of Series B redeemable convertible preferred stock are entitled to receive an amount per share equal to two times the original issue price, plus all declared and unpaid dividends. The holders of Series C redeemable convertible preferred stock are entitled to receive an amount per share equal to 1.42857 times the original issue price, plus all declared and unpaid dividends. If amounts available to be distributed are insufficient to pay the liquidation preferences of the redeemable convertible preferred stock in full, then the entire assets and funds of the Company legally available for distribution will be distributed to the holders of Series A, Series A-1, Series B, Series C, Series D, Series E, and Series F redeemable convertible preferred stock ratably in proportion to the preferential amount each holder would have otherwise been entitled to receive. After payment of the liquidation preferences to the holders of redeemable convertible preferred stock, all remaining assets, if any, are distributed to the holders of common stock.

A liquidation event is defined as a liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Company, an acquisition of the Company in which the shares of capital stock held prior to the acquisition do not represent a majority of the voting power held after the acquisition, or a disposition of substantially all of the assets of the Company. The liquidation preference provisions of the Series A, Series A-1, Series B, Series C, Series D, Series E and Series F redeemable convertible preferred stock are considered contingent redemption provisions because there are certain elements that are not solely within the control of the Company, such as a change in control of the Company. Accordingly, the redeemable convertible preferred stock is presented in the mezzanine section of the consolidated balance sheets.

 

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Table of Contents

The Honest Company, Inc.

Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements

December 31, 2019 and 2020

 

 

Voting Rights

The holders of Series A, Series A-1, Series B, Series C, Series D, Series E and Series F redeemable convertible preferred stock have the right to one vote for each share of common stock into which such Series A, Series A-1, Series B, Series C, Series D, Series E and Series F redeemable convertible preferred stock could then be converted. Common stockholders receive one voting right per share held.

Redemption Rights

The preferred stock is not redeemable at the option of the holder.

Shares Available for Issuance

As of December 31, 2020, there were no shares of Series A, Series A-1, Series B, Series C, Series D, Series E, or Series F redeemable convertible preferred stock available for issuance. As of December 31, 2020, the number of common shares available for issuance under the Company’s amended certificate of incorporation were as follows:

 

Authorized number of common shares

     110,000,000  

Common shares outstanding

     (34,089,186

Stock awards outstanding under the 2011 Plan

     (18,038,042

Stock awards available for grant under the 2011 Plan

     (2,595,078

Reserve for the conversion of preferred stock

     (49,100,928
  

 

 

 

Available for issuance

     6,176,766  
  

 

 

 

 

12.

Stock-Based Compensation

Stock Options

The Company’s 2011 Stock Incentive Plan (the “2011 Plan”), which is stockholder-approved, permits the grant of incentive and nonqualified stock options, stock awards, stock units or stock appreciation rights of common stock. As of December 31, 2020, there were 25,207,370 shares authorized and 2,595,078 shares available for grant under the 2011 Plan.

Executive officers, other employees of the Company, nonemployee directors and others who provide substantial services to the Company are eligible to be granted awards under the 2011 Plan. The Company believes that such awards align the interest of its employees with those of its stockholders. Generally, stock options vest 25% on the first anniversary of the vesting commencement date and then monthly thereafter for 36 months, or pursuant to another vesting schedule as approved by the Board and set forth in the option agreement. Certain options and share awards provide for accelerated vesting upon certain events as described in the terms of the option and award agreements. Stock options have a maximum term of ten years.

During the years ended December 31, 2019 and 2020, the Company recorded stock-based compensation expense related to stock options granted under the 2011 Plan of $7.8 million and $7.9 million, respectively. For the year ended December 31, 2019, $7.5 million and $0.3 million of stock-based compensation expense were allocated to selling, general and administrative and research and development expense, respectively. For the year ended December 31, 2020, $7.6 million and $0.3 million of stock-based compensation expense were allocated to selling, general and administrative and research and development expense, respectively.

 

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The Honest Company, Inc.

Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements

December 31, 2019 and 2020

 

 

During the year ended December 31, 2018, the Board amended the unexercised portion of 8,561,068 stock options related to 239 option holders to reduce the exercise price of each eligible option to $5.13 per share. The incremental cost recognized during the years ended December 31, 2019 and 2020 as a result of this modification was $0.8 million and $0.7 million, respectively, which was included within the stock-based compensation expense recognized for the years ended December 31, 2019 and 2020 of $7.8 million and $7.9 million, respectively.

The following table summarizes the key input assumptions used in the Black-Scholes option-pricing model and the Monte Carlo simulation model to estimate the fair value of stock options granted to employees and non-employees during the years ended December 31:

 

     2019     2020  

Expected life of options (in years)

     5.27 - 6.46       6.02 - 6.08  

Expected stock price volatility

     45% - 50     50% - 60

Risk free interest rate

     1.68% - 2.91     0.30% - 0.97

Expected dividend yield

     0     0

Weighted average grant-date fair value per share of stock options granted

   $ 2.70     $ 2.03  

The following table summarizes the stock option activity for the year ended December 31, 2020:

 

     Number of
Options
     Weighted
Average
Exercise
Price
     Weighted
Average
Contractual
Term
(Years)
    

Intrinsic
Value

(In thousands)

 

Outstanding at December 31, 2019

     16,674,470      $ 5.13        6.6      $ 5,073  

Granted

     3,615,502      $ 5.36        

Exercised

     (56,112    $ 0.73        

Forfeited

     (2,195,818    $ 4.81        
  

 

 

          

Outstanding at December 31, 2020

     18,038,042      $ 5.23        6.3      $ 8,635  
  

 

 

          

At December 31, 2020

           

Exercisable

     12,146,216      $ 5.10        5.3      $ 7,437  

The intrinsic value of options exercised during the years ended December 31, 2019 and 2020 were $0.7 million and $0.3 million, respectively. This intrinsic value represents the difference between the fair value of the Company’s common stock on the date of exercise and the exercise price of each option.

The total fair value of options vested during the years ended December 31, 2019 and 2010 were $8.3 million and $7.6 million, respectively.

As of December 31, 2020, total unrecognized stock-based compensation cost related to unvested stock options was approximately $12.8 million, which is expected to be recognized over a weighted average period of 4.3 years.

Performance and market vesting conditions

Since 2018 the Company has granted stock options that vest based upon achieving a Qualifying Liquidity Event, provided the employee remains employed on the date the vesting condition is satisfied. As of December 31,

 

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The Honest Company, Inc.

Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements

December 31, 2019 and 2020

 

 

2020, such stock options to purchase 2,442,918 shares of common stock were outstanding with a weighted average exercise price of $5.54 per share. The Qualifying Liquidity Event is defined as the first to occur of: (1) a Change in Control (as defined in the employment agreement) or (2) the effective date of a registration statement of the Company filed under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, for the sale of the Company’s common stock, but only if the Board determines that the fair market value of a share of the Company’s common stock in connection with such event is at least 1.5 times, 2 times or 2.5 times the per-share exercise price of the option, depending on the award. The fair market value with respect to the event described in clause (1) will be based on the total purchase price per share of common stock in connection with such event and the fair market value with respect to the event described in clause (2) will be the price per share at which shares are first sold to the public in the Company’s initial public offering. If an event in clauses (1) or (2) occurs and the Board determines that the fair market value of a share of the Company’s common stock in connection with such event is less than the defined multiple of the per-share exercise price of the option, then the options terminate as of the occurrence of such event. The Company determined the grant date fair value of the awards on the date of grant using the Monte Carlo simulation model. As of December 31, 2020, there has been no Qualifying Liquidity Event, and therefore, no expense has been recognized related to these options. As of December 31, 2019 and 2020, total unrecognized stock-based compensation cost related to these stock options was approximately $0.7 million and $3.1 million, respectively.

Performance vesting condition

In 2018 and 2019 the Company granted stock options that vest based upon achieving certain performance conditions provided the employee remains employed on the date the performance condition is satisfied. Of these options, 50% vest upon the Board’s confirmation that the Company has achieved net revenue of a least $420.0 million over any rolling twelve-month period prior to December 31, 2021 (“the Revenue Achievement”) and the remaining 50% vest upon the Board’s confirmation that the Company has achieved adjusted EBITDA of at least $58.0 million over any rolling twelve-month period prior to December 31, 2021 (“the EBITDA Achievement”). Through December 31, 2019, the Company determined that neither the Revenue Achievement nor the EBITDA Achievement was probable of occurring. Therefore, no expense was recognized through December 31, 2019.

In February 2020, the Company modified the terms of these awards such that the awards vest solely based upon a Qualifying Liquidity Event where the fair market value of a share of the Company’s common stock in connection with such event is at least 1.5 times the per-share exercise price of the option. The fair value of these awards on the date of modification was $0.8 million, which will be recognized as stock-based compensation expense when the Qualifying Liquidity Event occurs. As of December 31, 2020, such stock options to purchase 522,500 shares of common stock were outstanding with a weighted-average exercise price of $5.77 per share. Total unrecognized stock-based compensation cost related to these stock options as of December 31, 2020 was $0.7 million, which is included in the $3.1 million of unrecognized stock-based compensation cost related to the performance and market vesting awards.

Restricted Stock Awards and Units

In April 2017, the Company granted Restricted Stock Awards (RSAs) to an officer of the Company. The underlying security for the restricted stock awards is the Series D redeemable convertible preferred stock. During the year ended December 31, 2019, the Company recorded stock-based compensation expense of $0.5 million related to restricted stock awards to selling, general and administrative expense. The restricted stock awards were fully vested and reported in the mezzanine section of the Company’s consolidated balance sheets as of December 31, 2019 and 2020. As of December 31, 2019 and 2020, the officer held 83,524 shares of Series D redeemable convertible preferred stock.

 

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The Honest Company, Inc.

Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements

December 31, 2019 and 2020

 

 

The Company recorded the shares initially as liabilities which were remeasured to fair value each period until six months after vesting when they were reclassified to redeemable convertible preferred stock in the mezzanine portion of the consolidated balance sheets. The officer is able to put these shares back to the Company at fair value upon termination for any reason other than cause. The put right expires upon the consummation of the Company’s first underwritten public offering of its common stock under the Securities Act, or upon a consummation of a corporate transaction, as defined, in which the stock is converted into the right to receive consideration consisting of cash, publicly-traded securities or a combination thereof.

 

13.

Net Loss per Share Attributable to Common Stockholders

The Company computes earnings per share using the two-class method required for participating securities. The two-class method requires net income be allocated between common stock and participating securities based upon their respective rights to receive dividends as if all income for the period had been distributed. In periods where the Company has net losses, losses are not allocated to participating securities as they are not required to fund the losses. The Company considers its redeemable convertible preferred stock to be participating securities as preferred stockholders have rights to participate in dividends with the common stockholders.

Basic net loss attributable to common stockholders per share is computed by dividing the net loss by the weighted average number of common stock outstanding for the period. For periods in which the Company has reported net losses, diluted net loss per share attributable to common stockholders is the same as basic net loss per share, since the impact of potentially dilutive common stock and other equity instruments is anti-dilutive.

The following potentially dilutive shares were excluded from the computation of diluted net loss per share because including them would have been antidilutive for the years ended December 31:

 

     2019      2020  

(In thousands)

     

Redeemable convertible preferred stock

     49,100        49,100  

Stock options to purchase common stock

     16,674        18,038  
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

Total

     65,774        67,138  
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

 

14.

Employee Benefit Plan

The Company has a 401(k) retirement plan that covers substantially all full-time employees who meet the plan’s eligibility requirements and provides for an employee elective contribution. Matching contributions were $0.8 million and $0.8 million during the years ended December 31, 2019 and 2020, respectively.

 

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The Honest Company, Inc.

Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements

December 31, 2019 and 2020

 

 

15.

Income Taxes

The components of income tax provision consisted of the following for the years ended December 31:

 

     2019      2020  
(In thousands)              

Current

     

Federal

   $ —        $ —    

State

     55        89  
  

 

 

    

 

 

 
     55        89  

Deferred

     

Federal

     —          —    

State

     —          —    
  

 

 

    

 

 

 
     —          —    
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

Income tax provision

   $ 55      $ 89  
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

The reconciliation of income tax benefit computed at the U.S. Federal statutory rate of 21% to the Company’s income tax provision is as follows for the years ended December 31:

 

     2019      2020  
(In thousands)              

Income tax benefit at the federal statutory rate

   $ (6,534    $ (3,019

State income taxes, net of federal benefit

     (2,015      831  

Permanent differences for equity compensation

     (120      2,353  

Nondeductible items

     387        82  

Change in valuation allowance

     8,337        (158
  

 

 

    

 

 

 
   $ 55      $ 89  
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

 

F-35


Table of Contents

The Honest Company, Inc.

Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements

December 31, 2019 and 2020

 

 

The tax effects of temporary differences that gave rise to significant portions of deferred tax assets and liabilities as of December 31 were as follows:

 

     2019      2020  
(In thousands)              

Deferred tax assets

     

Intangible assets

   $ 168      $ 141  

Accrued expenses

     3,883        3,958  

Deferred revenue

     7        —    

Allowances, reserves and other

     2,345        2,970  

Stock-based compensation

     15,306        13,648  

Net operating loss and other carryforwards

     69,167        69,905  
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

Total deferred tax assets

     90,876        90,622  

Valuation allowance

     (85,083      (84,934
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

Net deferred tax assets

     5,793        5,688  
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

Deferred tax liabilities

     

Deferred revenue

     —          (6

Property and equipment

     (449      (481

Prepaid expenses

     (181      (224

State taxes

     (5,163      (4,977
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

Total deferred tax liabilities

     (5,793      (5,688
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

Net deferred taxes

   $ —        $ —    
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

As of December 31, 2020, the Company had federal and state net operating loss carryforwards of $243 million and $220 million, respectively. Federal and state net operating loss carryforwards begin to expire in 2032. Federal NOLs generated after January 1, 2018 would not expire, but would only be available to offset up to 80% of the Company’s future taxable income.

The Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, imposes substantial restrictions on the utilization of net operating losses and other tax attributes in the event of an “ownership change” of a corporation. Accordingly, a company’s ability to use pre-change net operating loss and research tax credits may be limited as prescribed under IRC Sections 382 and 383. Events which may cause limitation in the amount of the net operating losses and credits that the Company utilizes in any one year include, but are not limited to, a cumulative ownership change of more than 50% over a three-year period. The Company performed a study to determine whether net operating losses and credit carryover limitations exist under Section 382 as of December 31, 2020, and determined that a portion of the net operating losses that were generated during 2013 and prior are subject to Section 382 annual limitations. The Company has determined it should be able to fully utilize these net operating losses before they expire, provided the Company generates sufficient taxable income.

In assessing the realizability of deferred tax assets, management considers whether it is more likely than not that some portion or all of the deferred tax assets will not be realized. The ultimate realization of deferred tax assets is dependent upon the generation of future taxable income during the periods in which temporary differences become deductible or includable in taxable income. Management assesses the available positive and negative evidence to estimate if sufficient future taxable income will be generated to use the existing deferred tax assets. A significant piece of objective negative evidence evaluated was the cumulative loss incurred over the three-year period ended December 31, 2020. Such objective evidence limits the ability to consider other subjective evidence

 

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Table of Contents

The Honest Company, Inc.

Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements

December 31, 2019 and 2020

 

 

such as its projections for future growth. On the basis of this evaluation, at December 31, 2020, a full valuation allowance has been recorded since it is more likely than not that the deferred tax assets will not be realized.

The following table summarizes the changes in the valuation allowance for the years ended December 31:

 

     2019      2020  
(In thousands)              

Beginning balance

   $ 77,073      $ 85,083  

Increase (decrease) to valuation allowance

     8,337        (158

Decrease due to adoption of ASC 606

     (254      —    

Other increases (decreases)

     (73      9  
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

Ending balance

   $ 85,083      $ 84,934  
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

The Company is subject to taxation in the U.S. federal and various state jurisdictions. The Company does not have any uncertain tax positions. The Company recognizes interest and penalties related to uncertain tax positions in income tax expense but did not incur any interest and penalties during the years ended December 31, 2019 and 2020. The Company is subject to examination from federal tax authorities for years 2017, 2018, 2019, and 2020. To the extent allowed by law, the federal and state tax authorities may have the right to examine prior periods where net operating losses or tax credits were generated and carried forward and make adjustments up to the amount of the net operating loss or credit carryforward.

 

16.

Related Party Transactions

In April 2020, the Company engaged Summit House Studios LLC, a third-party consultant, to provide digital ad production services. Summit House Studios LLC is owned by a major shareholder of the Company. The Company incurred $0.3 million of advertising cost for the year ended December 31, 2020, which is reported as marketing expense in the Company’s consolidated statement of comprehensive loss. Of the total advertising cost incurred for the year ended December 31, 2020, $0.1 million is included in accounts payable on the Company’s consolidated balance sheet.

 

17.

Subsequent Events

The Company has evaluated subsequent events through March 15, 2021, the date these consolidated financial statements were available to be issued. The Company has also evaluated subsequent events through April 26, 2021 for the effects of the stock split described in Note 2.

RSU

In February 2021, the Company granted 200,000 restricted stock units (RSUs) to an officer of the Company of which 80,000 RSUs will vest over a period of four years based on continued service and 120,000 RSUs will vest one year after the occurrence of a liquidity event, including an IPO. The grant-date fair value of this award was $2.0 million.

Events Subsequent to Original Issuance of Financial Statements (Unaudited)

 

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Table of Contents

The Honest Company, Inc.

Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements

December 31, 2019 and 2020

 

 

Dividend

In April 2021, the Company’s board of directors declared a cash dividend of $35.0 million to the holders of record of the Company’s common stock and the Company’s redeemable convertible preferred stock as of May 3, 2021 that is contingent upon the closing of the Company’s initial public offering and payable no later than June 30, 2021.

 

F-38


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HONEST(R) BABY CARE PERSONAL CARE HOUSEHOLD & WELLNESS BEAUTY @withloveyossy @aprillovegeary @peaceofusx @miguelligence @featuringthefulchers


Table of Contents

PART II

INFORMATION NOT REQUIRED IN PROSPECTUS

Unless otherwise indicated, all references to “The Honest Company,” the “company,” “we,” “our,” “us” or similar terms refer to The Honest Company, Inc. and its subsidiaries.

Item 13. Other Expenses of Issuance and Distribution.

The following table sets forth all expenses to be paid by us, other than underwriting discounts and commissions, in connection with this offering. All amounts shown are estimates except for the Securities and Exchange Commission, or the SEC, registration fee, the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc., or FINRA, filing fee and the exchange listing fee.

 

SEC registration fee

   $ 55,044

FINRA filing fee

     76,180

Exchange listing fee

     295,000

Printing and engraving expenses

     500,000  

Legal and other advisory fees and expenses

     2,400,000  

Accounting fees and expenses

     1,062,005  

Custodian, transfer agent and registrar fees

     14,000  

Miscellaneous

     597,771  
  

 

 

 

Total

   $ 5,000,000
  

 

 

 

Item 14. Indemnification of Directors and Officers.

Section 145 of the Delaware General Corporation Law authorizes a court to award, or a corporation’s board of directors to grant, indemnity to directors and officers in terms sufficiently broad to permit such indemnification under certain circumstances for liabilities, including reimbursement for expenses incurred, arising under the Securities Act. Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation that will be in effect immediately prior to the completion of this offering permits indemnification of our directors, officers, employees and other agents to the maximum extent permitted by the Delaware General Corporation Law, and our amended and restated bylaws that will be in effect immediately prior to the completion of this offering provide that we will indemnify our directors and executive officers and permit us to indemnify our other officers, employees and other agents, in each case to the maximum extent permitted by the Delaware General Corporation Law.

We have entered into indemnification agreements with our directors and executive officers, whereby we have agreed to indemnify our directors and executive officers to the fullest extent permitted by law, including indemnification against expenses and liabilities incurred in legal proceedings to which the director or executive officer was, or is threatened to be made, a party by reason of the fact that such director or executive officer is or was a director, executive officer, employee or agent of The Honest Company, Inc., provided that such director or executive officer acted in good faith and in a manner that the director or executive officer reasonably believed to be in, or not opposed to, the best interest of The Honest Company, Inc. At present, there is no pending litigation or proceeding involving a director or executive officer of The Honest Company, Inc. regarding which indemnification is sought, nor is the registrant aware of any threatened litigation that may result in claims for indemnification.

We maintain insurance policies that indemnify our directors and officers against various liabilities arising under the Securities Act and the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, that might be incurred by any director or officer in his capacity as such.

 

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The underwriters are obligated, under certain circumstances, under the underwriting agreement to be filed as Exhibit 1.1 hereto, to indemnify us and our officers and directors against liabilities under the Securities Act.

Item 15. Recent Sales of Unregistered Securities.

Since January 1, 2018, we have made the following sales of unregistered securities:

Equity Plan-Related Issuances

 

  1.

Since January 1, 2018, we have issued to our directors, officers, employees, consultants and other service providers an aggregate of 982,502 shares of our common stock at per share purchase prices ranging from $0.10 to $6.30 pursuant to exercises of options under our Amended and Restated 2011 Stock Incentive Plan, or 2011 Plan.

 

  2.

Since January 1, 2018, we have granted to our directors, officers, employees, consultants and other service providers options to purchase 11,348,252 shares of our common stock with per share exercise prices ranging from $5.13 to $5.97 under our 2011 Plan.

 

  3.

In February 2021, we granted a restricted stock units to be settled for 200,000 shares of our common stock to one of our officers under our 2011 Plan.

Common Stock Issuances

 

  4.

In June 2018, we issued and sold an aggregate of 8,695,652 shares of our common stock to one accredited investor at a price per share of $5.75, for an aggregate purchase price of $50.0 million.

Preferred Stock Issuances

 

  5.

In June 2018, we issued and sold an aggregate of 5,100,790 shares of our Series F redeemable convertible preferred stock to one accredited investor at a price per share of $9.8024, for an aggregate purchase price of $50.0 million.

The offers, sales and issuances of the securities described in paragraphs (1) through (3) were deemed to be exempt from registration under Rule 701 promulgated under the Securities Act as transactions under compensatory benefit plans and contracts relating to compensation, or under Section 4(a)(2) of the Securities Act as a transaction by an issuer not involving a public offering. The recipients of such securities were our directors, officers, employees, consultants or other service providers and received the securities under our equity incentive plans. Appropriate legends were affixed to the securities issued in these transactions. Each of the recipients of securities in these transactions had adequate access, through employment, business or other relationships, to information about us.

The offers, sales and issuances of the securities described in paragraphs (4) through (5) were deemed to be exempt under Section 4(a)(2) of the Securities Act or Rule 506 of Regulation D under the Securities Act as a transaction by an issuer not involving a public offering. The recipients of securities in each of these transactions acquired the securities for investment only and not with a view to or for sale in connection with any distribution thereof and appropriate legends were affixed to the securities issued in these transactions. Each of the recipients of securities in these transactions was an accredited investor within the meaning of Rule 501 of Regulation D under the Securities Act and had adequate access, through employment, business or other relationships, to information about us. No underwriters were involved in these transactions.

 

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Item 16. Exhibits and Financial Statement Schedules.

(a) Exhibits.

The following exhibits are included herein or incorporated herein by reference:

 

Exhibit
Number

  

Description

  1.1    Form of Underwriting Agreement.
  3.1    Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation of Registrant, as amended, as currently in effect.
  3.2#    Form of Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation of Registrant, to be in effect immediately prior to the completion of the offering.
  3.3#    Bylaws of Registrant, as currently in effect.
  3.4#    Form of Amended and Restated Bylaws of Registrant, to be in effect immediately prior to the completion of the offering.
  4.1    Form of Common Stock Certificate.
  5.1    Opinion of Cooley LLP.
10.1#    Amended and Restated Investors’ Rights Agreement, dated as of June 11, 2018.
10.2+#    2011 Plan and forms of agreements thereunder.
10.3+#    2021 Equity Incentive Plan and forms of agreements thereunder.
10.4+#    2021 Employee Stock Purchase Plan.
10.5+    Non-Employee Director Compensation Policy.
10.6+#    Form of Indemnity Agreement entered into by and between Registrant and each director and executive officer.
10.7+    Amended and Restated Employment Agreement, dated April 24, 2021, by and between the Registrant and Nikolaos Vlahos.
10.8+    Amended and Restated Employment Agreement, dated April 26, 2021, by and between the Registrant and Jessica Warren.
10.9+    Amended and Restated Employment Agreement, dated April 25, 2021, by and between the Registrant and Donald Frey.
10.10+    Amended and Restated Employment Agreement, dated April 24, 2021, by and between the Registrant and Janis Hoyt.
10.11+    Amended and Restated Employment Agreement, dated April 24, 2021, by and between the Registrant and Kelly Kennedy.
10.12+    Amended and Restated Employment Agreement, dated April 25, 2021, by and between the Registrant and Glenn Klages.
10.13+    Amended and Restated Employment Agreement, dated April 24, 2021, by and between the Registrant and Jasmin Manner.
10.14+    Amended and Restated Employment Agreement, dated April 24, 2021, by and between the Registrant and Sharareh Parvaneh.
10.15+    Amended and Restated Employment Agreement, dated April 24, 2021, by and between the Registrant and Rick Rexing.
10.16+    Amended and Restated Employment Agreement, dated April 24, 2021, by and between the Registrant and Brendan Sheehey.

 

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Exhibit
Number

  

Description

10.17#    Office Lease, dated as of July 8, 2015, by and between the Registrant and CV Latitude 34 LLC.
10.18#    Warehouse Lease Agreement, dated as of November  16, 2016, by and between the Registrant and GLP US Management LLC (as successor in interest to PHI Donovan Land, LLC), as amended.
10.19†#    Logistics Services Agreement, dated as of January 31, 2014, by and between the Registrant and Geodis Logistics, LLC (f/k/a Ozburn-Hessey Logistics, LLC).
10.20†#    Amendment One to the Logistics Services Agreement, dated as of March 7, 2014, by and between the Registrant and Geodis Logistics, LLC (f/k/a Ozburn-Hessey Logistics, LLC).
10.21†#    Amendment Two to the Logistics Services Agreement, dated as of October 3, 2014, by and between the Registrant and Geodis Logistics, LLC (f/k/a Ozburn-Hessey Logistics, LLC).
10.22†#    Amendment Three to the Logistics Services Agreement, dated as of December 4, 2014, by and between the Registrant and Geodis Logistics, LLC (f/k/a Ozburn-Hessey Logistics, LLC).
10.23†#    Amendment Four to the Logistics Services Agreement, dated as of December 26, 2014, by and between the Registrant and Geodis Logistics, LLC (f/k/a Ozburn-Hessey Logistics, LLC).
10.24#    Amendment Five to the Logistics Services Agreement, dated as of March 3, 2016, by and between the Registrant and Geodis Logistics, LLC (f/k/a Ozburn-Hessey Logistics, LLC).
10.25†#    Amendment Six to the Logistics Services Agreement, dated as of January 3, 2017, by and between the Registrant and Geodis Logistics, LLC.
10.26†#    Amendment Seven to the Logistics Services Agreement, dated as of May 1, 2017, by and between the Registrant and Geodis Logistics, LLC.
10.27†#    Amendment Eight to the Logistics Services Agreement, dated as of May 18, 2017, by and between the Registrant and Geodis Logistics, LLC.
10.28†#    Amendment Nine to the Logistics Services Agreement, dated as of March 28, 2018, by and between the Registrant and Geodis Logistics, LLC.
10.29†#    Amendment Ten to the Logistics Services Agreement, dated as of November 2, 2018, by and between the Registrant and Geodis Logistics, LLC.
10.30†#    Amendment Eleven to the Logistics Services Agreement, dated as of July 19, 2018, by and between the Registrant and Geodis Logistics, LLC.
10.31#    Amendment Twelve to the Logistics Services Agreement, dated as of October 31, 2019, by and between the Registrant and Geodis Logistics, LLC.
10.32†#    Amendment Thirteen to the Logistics Services Agreement, dated as of November 1, 2019, by and between the Registrant and Geodis Logistics, LLC.
10.33#    Amendment Fourteen to the Logistics Services Agreement, dated as of November 14, 2019, by and between the Registrant and Geodis Logistics, LLC.
10.34†#    Amendment Fifteen to the Logistics Services Agreement, dated as of December 18, 2019, by and between the Registrant and Geodis Logistics, LLC.
10.35†#    Second Amended and Restated Contract Manufacturing Agreement, dated as of January 1, 2019, by and between the Registrant and Valor Brands LLC, a.k.a. Ontex North America.
10.36†#    Amendment No. 1 to Second Amended and Restated Contract Manufacturing Agreement, dated as of January 1, 2020, by and between the Registrant and Valor Brands LLC, a.k.a. Ontex North America.

 

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Exhibit
Number

  

Description

10.37†#    Amendment No. 2 to Second Amended and Restated Contract Manufacturing Agreement, dated as of May 1, 2020, by and between the Registrant and Valor Brands LLC, a.k.a. Ontex North America.
10.38#    Amendment No. 3 to Second Amended and Restated Contract Manufacturing Agreement, dated as of July 8, 2020, by and between the Registrant and Valor Brands LLC, a.k.a. Ontex North America.
10.39    Form of Credit Agreement to be entered into among the Registrant, JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., and the other parties thereto.
23.1    Consent of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, independent registered public accounting firm.
23.2    Consent of Cooley LLP (included in Exhibit 5.1).
24.1#    Power of Attorney (included on signature page to this registration statement).
99.1#    Consent of Susan Gentile to be Named as a Director Nominee.
99.2    Consent of James White to be Named as a Director Nominee.

 

#

Previously filed.

Portions of this exhibit (indicated by asterisks) have been omitted because the registrant has determined that the information is both not material and is the type that the registrant treats as private or confidential.

+

Indicates management contract or compensatory plan.

(b) Financial Statement Schedules.

All financial statement schedules are omitted because the information required to be set forth therein is not applicable or is shown in the consolidated financial statements or the notes thereto.

Item 17. Undertakings.

Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act may be permitted to directors, officers and controlling persons of the registrant under 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 on Rule 430A and contained in a form of prospectus filed by the registrant under Rule 424(b)(1) or (4) or 497(h) under the Securities Act will be deemed to be part of this registration statement as of the time it was declared effective.

(2) For the purpose of determining any liability under the Securities Act of 1933, each post-effective amendment that contains a form of prospectus will be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time will be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.

 

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SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, the registrant has duly caused this Amendment No. 2 to the registration statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in Los Angeles, California, on April 26, 2021.

 

THE HONEST COMPANY, INC.

By:  

/s/ Nikolaos Vlahos

Name:   Nikolaos Vlahos
Title:   Chief Executive Officer

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this Amendment No. 2 to the registration statement has been signed by the following persons in the capacities and on the dates indicated.

 

Signature

  

Title

 

Date

/s/ Nikolaos Vlahos

Nikolaos Vlahos

   Chief Executive Officer and Director
(Principal Executive Officer)
  April 26, 2021

*

Jessica Warren

   Chief Creative Officer and Director   April 26, 2021

/s/ Kelly Kennedy

Kelly Kennedy

  

Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer

(Principal Financial and Accounting Officer)

  April 26, 2021

*

Katie Bayne

   Director   April 26, 2021

*

Scott Dahnke

   Director   April 26, 2021

*

Eric Liaw

   Director   April 26, 2021

*

Jeremy Liew

   Director   April 26, 2021

*

Avik Pramanik

   Director   April 26, 2021

 

*By:  

/s/ Nikolaos Vlahos

 

Nikolaos Vlahos

Attorney-in-fact

Exhibit 1.1

Execution Version

[] Shares

THE HONEST COMPANY, INC.

COMMON STOCK, PAR VALUE $0.0001

UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT

[●], 2021


[●], 2021

Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC

J.P. Morgan Securities LLC

Jefferies LLC

As Representatives of the Underwriters named in Schedule II hereto

c/o Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC

1585 Broadway

New York, NY 10036

c/o J.P. Morgan Securities LLC

383 Madison Avenue

New York, NY 10179

c/o Jefferies LLC

520 Madison Avenue

New York, NY 10022

Ladies and Gentlemen:

The Honest Company, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), proposes to issue and sell to the several Underwriters named in Schedule II hereto (the “Underwriters”), and certain shareholders of the Company (the “Selling Shareholders”) named in Schedule I hereto severally propose to sell to the several Underwriters, an aggregate of [●] shares of the common stock, par value $0.0001 of the Company (the “Firm Shares”), of which [●] shares are to be issued and sold by the Company and [●] shares are to be sold by the Selling Shareholders, each Selling Shareholder selling the amount set forth opposite such Selling Shareholder’s name in Schedule I hereto.

The Company also proposes to issue and sell to the several Underwriters not more than an additional [●] shares of its common stock, par value $0.0001 (the “Additional Shares”) if and to the extent that Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC (“Morgan Stanley”), J.P. Morgan Securities LLC (“JPMorgan”) and Jefferies LLC, as representatives of the several Underwriters (the “Representatives”), shall have determined to exercise, on behalf of the Underwriters, the right to purchase such shares of common stock granted to the Underwriters in Section 3 hereof. The Firm Shares and the Additional Shares are hereinafter collectively referred to as the “Shares.” The shares of common stock, par value $0.0001 of the Company to be outstanding after giving effect to the sales contemplated hereby are hereinafter referred to as the “Common Stock.” The Company and the Selling Shareholders are hereinafter sometimes collectively referred to as the “Sellers.”


The Company has filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) a registration statement on Form S-1 (File No. 333-255150), including a preliminary prospectus, relating to the Shares. The registration statement as amended at the time it becomes effective, including the information (if any) deemed to be part of the registration statement at the time of effectiveness pursuant to Rule 430A under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), is hereinafter referred to as the “Registration Statement”; the prospectus in the form first used to confirm sales of Shares (or in the form first made available to the Underwriters by the Company to meet requests of purchasers pursuant to Rule 173 under the Securities Act) is hereinafter referred to as the “Prospectus.” If the Company has filed an abbreviated registration statement to register additional shares of Common Stock pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act (a “Rule 462 Registration Statement”), then any reference herein to the term “Registration Statement” shall be deemed to include such Rule 462 Registration Statement.

For purposes of this Agreement, “free writing prospectus” has the meaning set forth in Rule 405 under the Securities Act, “preliminary prospectus” shall mean each prospectus used prior to the effectiveness of the Registration Statement, and each prospectus that omitted information pursuant to Rule 430A under the Securities Act that was used after such effectiveness and prior to the execution and delivery of this Agreement, “Time of Sale Prospectus” means the preliminary prospectus contained in the Registration Statement at the time of its effectiveness together with the documents and pricing information set forth in Schedule III hereto, and “broadly available road show” means a “bona fide electronic road show” as defined in Rule 433(h)(5) under the Securities Act that has been made available without restriction to any person. As used herein, the terms “Registration Statement,” “preliminary prospectus,” “Time of Sale Prospectus” and “Prospectus” shall include the documents, if any, incorporated by reference therein as of the date hereof.

Morgan Stanley has agreed to reserve a portion of the Shares to be purchased by it under this Agreement for sale to the Company’s directors, officers, employees and business associates and other parties related to the Company (collectively, “Participants”), as set forth in each of the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus under the heading “Underwriters” (the “Directed Share Program”). The Shares to be sold by Morgan Stanley pursuant to the Directed Share Program, at the direction of the Company, are referred to hereinafter as the “Directed Shares”.

1. Representations and Warranties of the Company. The Company represents and warrants to and agrees with each of the Underwriters that:

(a) The Registration Statement has become effective; no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement is in effect, and no proceedings for such purpose or pursuant to Section 8A under the Securities Act are pending before or, to the Company’s knowledge, threatened by the Commission.

 

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(b) (i) The Registration Statement, when it became effective, did not contain and, as amended or supplemented, if applicable, will not contain, as of the date of such amendment or supplement, any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, (ii) the Registration Statement and the Prospectus comply and, as amended or supplemented, if applicable, will, as of the date of such amendment or supplement, comply in all material respects with the Securities Act and the applicable rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder, (iii) the Time of Sale Prospectus does not, and at the time of each sale of the Shares in connection with the offering when the Prospectus is not yet available to prospective purchasers and at the Closing Date (as defined in Section 5), the Time of Sale Prospectus, as then amended or supplemented by the Company, if applicable, will not, contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, (iv) each broadly available road show, if any, when considered together with the Time of Sale Prospectus, does not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading and (v) the Prospectus, as of this date, does not contain and, as amended or supplemented, if applicable, as of the date of such amendment or supplement and as of the Closing Date and any Option Closing Date (as defined below), will not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, except that the representations and warranties set forth in this paragraph do not apply to statements or omissions in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus or the Prospectus based upon information relating to any Underwriter furnished to the Company in writing by such Underwriter through the Representatives expressly for use therein.

(c) The Company is not an “ineligible issuer” in connection with the offering pursuant to Rules 164, 405 and 433 under the Securities Act. Any free writing prospectus that the Company is required to file pursuant to Rule 433(d) under the Securities Act has been, or will be, filed with the Commission in accordance with the requirements of the Securities Act and the applicable rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder. Each free writing prospectus that the Company has filed, or is required to file, pursuant to Rule 433(d) under the Securities Act or that was prepared by or on behalf of or used or referred to by the Company complies or will comply in all material respects with the requirements of the Securities Act and the applicable rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder. Except for the free writing prospectuses, if any, identified in Schedule III hereto, and electronic road shows, if any, each furnished to the Representatives before first use, the Company has not prepared, used or referred to, and will not, without the Representatives’ prior consent, prepare, use or refer to, any free writing prospectus.

 

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(d) The Company has been duly incorporated, is validly existing as a corporation in good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction of its incorporation, has the corporate power and authority to own or lease its property and to conduct its business as described in each of the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus and is duly qualified to transact business and is in good standing in each jurisdiction in which the conduct of its business or its ownership or leasing of property requires such qualification, except to the extent that the failure to be so qualified or be in good standing would not reasonably be expected to, singly or in the aggregate, have a material adverse effect on the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole.

(e) Each subsidiary of the Company has been duly incorporated, organized or formed, is validly existing as a corporation or other business entity in good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction of its incorporation, organization or formation, has the corporate or other business entity power and authority to own or lease its property and to conduct its business as described in each of the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus and is duly qualified to transact business and is in good standing in each jurisdiction in which the conduct of its business or its ownership or leasing of property requires such qualification, except to the extent that the failure to be so qualified or be in good standing would not reasonably be expected to, singly or in the aggregate, have a material adverse effect on the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole; all of the issued shares of capital stock or other equity interests of each subsidiary of the Company have been duly and validly authorized and issued, are fully paid and non-assessable and are owned directly or indirectly by the Company, free and clear of all liens, encumbrances, equities or claims.

(f) This Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company.

(g) As of the Closing Date, the authorized capital stock of the Company will conform as to legal matters in all material respects to the description thereof contained in each of the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus.

(h) The shares of Common Stock (including the Shares to be sold by the Selling Shareholders) outstanding prior to the issuance of the Shares to be sold by the Company have been duly authorized and are validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable.

(i) The Shares to be sold by the Company have been duly authorized and, when issued, delivered and paid for in accordance with the terms of this Agreement, will be validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable, and the issuance of the Shares will not be subject to any preemptive or similar rights that have not been validly waived.

 

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(j) The execution and delivery by the Company of, and the performance by the Company of its obligations under, this Agreement will not contravene (i) any provision of applicable law, (ii) the certificate of incorporation or by-laws of the Company, (iii) any agreement or other instrument binding upon the Company or any of its subsidiaries that is material to the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole, or (iv) any judgment, order or decree of any governmental body, agency or court having jurisdiction over the Company or any subsidiary, except in the case of clauses (i), (iii) and (iv), where such contravention would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a material adverse effect on the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole, and no consent, approval, authorization or order of, or qualification with, any governmental body, agency or court is required for the performance by the Company of its obligations under this Agreement, except such as have been obtained or validly waived or as may be required by the securities or Blue Sky laws of the various states in connection with the offer and sale of the Shares.

(k) There has not occurred any material adverse change, or any development involving a prospective material adverse change, in the condition, financial or otherwise, or in the earnings, business or operations of the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole, from that set forth in the Time of Sale Prospectus.

(l) There are no legal or governmental proceedings pending or, to the Company’s knowledge, threatened to which the Company or any of its subsidiaries is a party or to which any of the properties of the Company or any of its subsidiaries is subject (i) other than proceedings accurately described in all material respects in each of the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus and proceedings that would not, singly or in the aggregate, have a material adverse effect on the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole, or on the power or ability of the Company to perform its obligations under this Agreement or to consummate the transactions contemplated by each of the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus or (ii) that are required to be described in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus or the Prospectus and are not so described; and there are no statutes, regulations, contracts or other documents to which the Company or any of its subsidiaries is subject or by which the Company or any of its subsidiaries is bound that are required to be described in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus or the Prospectus or to be filed as exhibits to the Registration Statement that are not described in all material respects or filed as required.

(m) Each preliminary prospectus filed as part of the Registration Statement as originally filed or as part of any amendment thereto, or filed pursuant to Rule 424 under the Securities Act, complied when so filed in all material respects with the Securities Act and the applicable rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder.

 

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(n) The Company is not, and immediately after giving effect to the offering and sale of the Shares and the application of the proceeds thereof as described in the Prospectus will not be, required to register as an “investment company” as such term is defined in the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended.

(o) The Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole, (i) are in compliance with any and all applicable foreign, federal, state and local laws and regulations, rules, ordinances, codes, policies or rules of common law, including without limitation any judicial or administrative orders, consents, decrees or judgments relating to the protection of human health and safety, the environment or hazardous or toxic substances or wastes, pollutants or contaminants (“Environmental Laws”), (ii) have received all permits, licenses or other approvals required of them under applicable Environmental Laws to conduct their respective businesses and (iii) are in compliance with all terms and conditions of any such permit, license or approval, except where such noncompliance with Environmental Laws, failure to receive required permits, licenses or other approvals or failure to comply with the terms and conditions of such permits, licenses or approvals would not reasonably be expected to, singly or in the aggregate, have a material adverse effect on the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole.

(p) There are no costs or liabilities associated with Environmental Laws (including, without limitation, any capital or operating expenditures required for clean-up, closure of properties or compliance with Environmental Laws or any permit, license or approval, any related constraints on operating activities and any potential liabilities to third parties) which would, singly or in the aggregate, have a material adverse effect on the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole.

(q) There are no contracts, agreements or understandings between the Company and any person granting such person the right to require the Company to file a registration statement under the Securities Act with respect to any securities of the Company or to require the Company to include such securities with the Shares registered pursuant to the Registration Statement, except as have been validly waived or complied with in connection with the issuance and sale of the Shares contemplated hereby and as have been described in the Registration Statement, Time of Sale Prospectus and Prospectus.

(r) (i) None of the Company or any of its subsidiaries or affiliates, or any director, officer, or, to the Company’s knowledge, any employee thereof, or any agent or representative of the Company or of any of its subsidiaries or affiliates, has taken or will take any action in furtherance of an offer, payment, promise to pay, or authorization or approval of the payment, giving or receipt of money, property, gifts or anything else of value, directly or indirectly, to any government official (including any officer or employee of a government or

 

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government-owned or controlled entity or of a public international organization, or any person acting in an official capacity for or on behalf of any of the foregoing, or any political party or party official or candidate for political office) (“Government Official”) in order to influence official action, or to any person in violation of any applicable anti-corruption laws; (ii) the Company and each of its subsidiaries and affiliates have conducted their businesses in compliance with applicable anti-corruption laws and have instituted and maintained and will continue to maintain policies and procedures reasonably designed to promote and achieve compliance with such laws and with the representations and warranties contained herein; and (iii) neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries will use, directly or indirectly, the proceeds of the offering in furtherance of an offer, payment, promise to pay, or authorization of the payment or giving of money, or anything else of value, to any person in violation of any applicable anti-corruption laws.

(s) The operations of the Company and each of its subsidiaries are and have been conducted at all times in material compliance with all applicable financial recordkeeping and reporting requirements, including those of the Bank Secrecy Act, as amended by Title III of the Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism Act of 2001 (USA PATRIOT Act), and the applicable anti-money laundering statutes of jurisdictions where the Company and each of its subsidiaries conduct business, the rules and regulations thereunder and any related or similar rules, regulations or guidelines, issued, administered or enforced by any governmental agency (collectively, the “Anti-Money Laundering Laws”), and no action, suit or proceeding by or before any court or governmental agency, authority or body or any arbitrator involving the Company or any of its subsidiaries with respect to the Anti-Money Laundering Laws is pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened.

(t) (i) None of the Company, any of its subsidiaries, or any director, officer, or employee thereof, or, to the Company’s knowledge, any agent, affiliate or representative of the Company or any of its subsidiaries, is an individual or entity (“Person”) that is, or is owned or otherwise controlled by one or more Persons that are:

(A) the subject of any sanctions administered or enforced by the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control, the United Nations Security Council, the European Union, Her Majesty’s Treasury, or other relevant sanctions authority (collectively, “Sanctions”), or

(B) located, organized or resident in a country or territory that is the subject of comprehensive Sanctions (including, without limitation, Crimea, Cuba, Iran, North Korea and Syria) (collectively, “Sanctioned Countries”).

 

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(ii) The Company will not, directly or indirectly, use the proceeds of the offering, or lend, contribute or otherwise make available such proceeds to any subsidiary, joint venture partner or other Person:

(A) to fund or facilitate any activities or business of or with any Person or in any country or territory that, at the time of such funding or facilitation, is the subject of Sanctions or a Sanctioned Country, respectively; or

(B) in any other manner that will result in a violation of Sanctions by any Person (including any Person participating in the offering, whether as underwriter, advisor, investor or otherwise).

(iii) The Company and each of its subsidiaries have not in the last five years knowingly engaged in, are not now knowingly engaged in, and will not engage in, any dealings or transactions with any Person, or in any country or territory, that at the time of the dealing or transaction is or was the subject of Sanctions or a Sanctioned Country, respectively.

(u) Subsequent to the respective dates as of which information is given in each of the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus, except in each case as described in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus, (i) the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole, have not incurred any material liability or obligation, direct or contingent, nor entered into any material transaction; (ii) the Company has not purchased any of its outstanding capital stock (except for acquisitions of capital stock by the Company pursuant to agreements that permit the Company to repurchase such shares upon the applicable party’s termination of service to the Company, nor declared, paid or otherwise made any dividend or distribution of any kind on its capital stock other than ordinary and customary dividends; and (iii) there has not been any material change in the capital stock, short-term debt or long-term debt of the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole.

(v) The Company and its subsidiaries do not own any real property. The Company and each of its subsidiaries have good and marketable title to all personal property owned by them which is material to the business of the Company and its subsidiaries, in each case free and clear of all liens, encumbrances and defects except such as do not materially affect the value of such property and do not interfere with the use made and proposed to be made of such property by the Company and its subsidiaries; and any real property and buildings held under lease by the Company and its subsidiaries are held by them under valid, subsisting and, to the Company’s knowledge, enforceable leases with such exceptions as are not material and do not materially interfere with the use made and proposed to be made of such property and buildings by the Company and its subsidiaries.

 

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(w) (i) The Company and its subsidiaries own or have a valid and enforceable license to all patents, inventions, copyrights, know how (including trade secrets and other unpatented and/or unpatentable proprietary or confidential information, systems or procedures), software, domain names, trademarks, service marks, trade names and other intellectual property (including all registrations and applications for registration of and all goodwill associated with, any of the foregoing) (collectively, “Intellectual Property Rights”) used or held for use in or reasonably necessary to the conduct of their businesses, except where the failure to do so would not reasonably be expected to have a material adverse effect; (ii) the Company and its subsidiaries solely and exclusively own all Intellectual Property Rights owned or purported to be owned by any of them and hold all of their respective rights under all Intellectual Property Rights owned by, or licensed to, any of them free and clear of all liens, encumbrances and defects, except as described in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus or the Prospectus, (iii) the Intellectual Property Rights owned by the Company and its subsidiaries and, to the Company’s knowledge, the Intellectual Property Rights licensed to the Company and its subsidiaries, are valid, subsisting and enforceable, and there is no pending or, to the Company’s knowledge, threatened action, suit, proceeding or claim by others challenging the validity, scope or enforceability of any such Intellectual Property Rights; (iv) to the Company’s knowledge, no third party is infringing, misappropriating or otherwise violating, any Intellectual Property Rights owned by the Company, except as would not reasonably be expected to have a material adverse effect; (v) neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries infringes, misappropriates or otherwise violates, or has infringed, misappropriated or otherwise violated, any Intellectual Property Rights and neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has received any notice alleging any such infringement, misappropriation or other violation of Intellectual Property Rights which, singly or in the aggregate, if the subject of an unfavorable decision, ruling or finding, would have a material adverse effect on the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole; (vi) all employees or contractors engaged in the development of Intellectual Property Rights on behalf of the Company or any subsidiary of the Company have executed an invention assignment agreement whereby such employees or contractors presently assign all of their right, title and interest in and to such Intellectual Property Rights to the Company or the applicable subsidiary, and to the Company’s knowledge no such agreement has been breached or violated, except where the failure to do so would not reasonably be expected to have a material adverse effect; and (vii) the Company and its subsidiaries use, and have used, commercially reasonable efforts to appropriately maintain all information intended to be maintained as a trade secret, except where the failure to do so would not reasonably be expected to have a material adverse effect.

 

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(x) Except as would not reasonably be expected to have a material adverse effect on the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole, (i) The Company and its subsidiaries use and have used any and all software and other materials distributed under a “free,” “open source,” or similar licensing model (including but not limited to the MIT License, Apache License, GNU General Public License, GNU Lesser General Public License and GNU Affero General Public License) (“Open Source Software”) in compliance with all license terms applicable to such Open Source Software; and (ii) neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries uses or distributes or has used or distributed any Open Source Software in any manner that requires or has required (A) the Company or any of its subsidiaries to permit reverse engineering of any software code or other technology owned by the Company or any of its subsidiaries or (B) any software code or other technology owned by the Company or any of its subsidiaries to be (1) disclosed or distributed in source code form, (2) licensed for the purpose of making derivative works or (3) redistributed at no charge.

(y) (i) The Company and each of its subsidiaries have complied in all material respects and are presently in compliance in all material respects with all published privacy policies, contractual obligations by which the Company is legally bound, and applicable laws, statutes, judgments, orders, rules and regulations of any court or arbitrator or other governmental or regulatory authority and any other legal obligations, that, in each case, govern the collection, use, transfer, import, export, storage, protection, disposal and disclosure by the Company or any of its subsidiaries of sensitive, confidential or regulated data (including “personal data,” “personal information,” or other similar terms as defined in the Data Security Obligations) maintained by or for the Company and its subsidiaries (collectively the “Data Security Obligations”, and such sensitive, confidential or regulated data maintained by or for the Company and its subsidiaries collectively referred to as “Sensitive Data”); (ii) the Company has not received any written notification of or material complaint regarding and is unaware of any other facts that, individually or in the aggregate, would reasonably constitute material non-compliance with any Data Security Obligation; and (iii) there is no action, suit or proceeding by or before any court or governmental agency, authority or body pending or threatened alleging non-compliance by the Company or its subsidiaries with any Data Security Obligation.

(z) The Company and each of its subsidiaries have implemented commercially reasonable technical and organizational measures designed to protect the information technology systems and Sensitive Data used in connection with the operation of the Company’s and its subsidiaries’ businesses as currently conducted and such information technology systems are substantially adequate for, and operate and perform as required in connection with, the operation of such businesses as currently conducted. Without limiting the foregoing, the Company and its subsidiaries have used commercially reasonable efforts to establish and maintain, and have established, maintained, implemented and materially complied with, reasonable information security, cyber security and data protection controls, policies and procedures, including, as appropriate, oversight, access controls, encryption, technological and physical safeguards and business continuity/disaster recovery and security plans that are designed to protect against breach, unauthorized destruction, loss, distribution, use, access, disablement,

 

10


misappropriation or modification, or other compromise or misuse of Sensitive Data or material information technology systems used in connection with the operation of the Company’s and its subsidiaries’ businesses as currently conducted (“Breach”). Except as would not reasonably be expected to have a material adverse effect and to the knowledge of the Company, there has been no Breach, and the Company and its subsidiaries have not been notified of and have no knowledge of any event or condition that would reasonably be expected to result in, any such Breach.

(aa) No material labor dispute with the employees of the Company or any of its subsidiaries exists, or, to the knowledge of the Company, is imminent; and the Company is not aware of any existing, threatened or imminent labor disturbance by the employees of any of its principal suppliers, manufacturers or contractors that could, singly or in the aggregate, have a material adverse effect on the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole.

(bb) The Company and each of its subsidiaries are insured by insurers of recognized financial responsibility against such losses and risks and in such amounts as the Company reasonably believes as are prudent and customary in the businesses in which they are engaged; neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has been refused any insurance coverage sought or applied for; and neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has any reason to believe that it will not be able to renew its existing insurance coverage as and when such coverage expires or to obtain similar coverage from similar insurers as may be necessary to continue its business at a cost that would not, singly or in the aggregate, have a material adverse effect on the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole.

(cc) The Company and each of its subsidiaries possess all certificates, authorizations and permits issued by the appropriate federal, state or foreign regulatory authorities necessary to conduct their respective businesses, except where the failure to obtain such certificates, authorizations or permits would not reasonably be expected to, singly or in the aggregate, have a material adverse effect on the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole, and neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has received any notice of proceedings relating to the revocation or modification of any such certificate, authorization or permit which, singly or in the aggregate, if the subject of an unfavorable decision, ruling or finding, would have a material adverse effect on the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole.

(dd) The financial statements included in each of the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus, together with the related schedules and notes thereto, comply as to form in all material respects with the applicable accounting requirements of the Securities Act and present fairly in all material respects the consolidated financial position of the Company and its subsidiaries as of the dates shown and its results of operations and cash

 

11


flows for the periods shown, and such financial statements have been prepared in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles in the United States (“U.S. GAAP”) applied on a consistent basis throughout the periods covered thereby except for any normal year-end adjustments in the Company’s quarterly financial statements. The other financial information included in each of the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus has been derived from the accounting records of the Company and its consolidated subsidiaries and presents fairly in all material respects the information shown thereby. The statistical, industry-related and market-related data included in each of the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus are based on or derived from sources which the Company reasonably and in good faith believes are reliable and accurate and such data is consistent with the sources from which they are derived, in each case in all material respects.

(ee) PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, who have certified certain financial statements of the Company and its subsidiaries and delivered its report with respect to the audited consolidated financial statements and schedules filed with the Commission as part of the Registration Statement and included in each of the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus, is an independent registered public accounting firm with respect to the Company within the meaning of the Securities Act and the applicable rules and regulations thereunder adopted by the Commission and the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States).

(ff) The Company and its subsidiaries, as a whole, maintain a system of internal accounting controls designed to provide reasonable assurance that (i) transactions are executed in accordance with management’s general or specific authorizations; (ii) transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in conformity with U.S. GAAP and to maintain asset accountability; (iii) access to assets is permitted only in accordance with management’s general or specific authorization; and (iv) the recorded accountability for assets is compared with the existing assets at reasonable intervals and appropriate action is taken with respect to any differences. Since the end of the Company’s most recent audited fiscal year, there has been (i) no material weakness in the Company’s internal control over financial reporting (whether or not remediated) and (ii) no change in the Company’s internal control over financial reporting that has materially and adversely affected, or is reasonably likely to materially and adversely affect, the Company’s internal control over financial reporting.

(gg) Except as described in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus or the Prospectus the Company has not sold, issued or distributed any shares of Common Stock during the six-month period preceding the date hereof, including any sales pursuant to Rule 144A under, or Regulation D or S of, the Securities Act, other than shares issued pursuant to employee benefit plans, qualified stock option plans or other employee compensation plans or pursuant to outstanding options, rights or warrants.

 

12


(hh) The Registration Statement, the Prospectus, the Time of Sale Prospectus and any preliminary prospectus comply, and any amendments or supplements thereto will comply, with any applicable laws or regulations of foreign jurisdictions in which the Prospectus, the Time of Sale Prospectus or any preliminary prospectus, as amended or supplemented, if applicable, are distributed in connection with the Directed Share Program.

(ii) No consent, approval, authorization or order of, or qualification with, any governmental body or agency, other than those obtained, is required in connection with the offering of the Directed Shares in any jurisdiction where the Directed Shares are being offered.

(jj) The Company has not offered, or caused Morgan Stanley or any Morgan Stanley Entity as defined in Section 12 to offer, Shares to any person pursuant to the Directed Share Program with the specific intent to unlawfully influence (i) a customer or supplier of the Company to alter the customer’s or supplier’s level or type of business with the Company, or (ii) a trade journalist or publication to write or publish favorable information about the Company or its products.

(kk) The Company and each of its subsidiaries have filed all federal, state, local and foreign tax returns required to be filed through the date of this Agreement or have requested extensions thereof (except where the failure to file would not reasonably be expected to, singly or in the aggregate, have a material adverse effect on the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole) and have paid all taxes required to be paid thereon (except for cases in which the failure to file or pay would not reasonably be expected to, singly or in the aggregate, have a material adverse effect on the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole, or, except as currently being contested in good faith and for which reserves required by U.S. GAAP have been created in the financial statements of the Company), and no tax deficiency has been determined adversely to the Company or any of its subsidiaries which, singly or in the aggregate, has had (nor does the Company nor any of its subsidiaries have any notice or knowledge of any tax deficiency which could reasonably be expected to be determined adversely to the Company or its subsidiaries and which could reasonably be expected to have) a material adverse effect on the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole.

(ll) From the time of initial confidential submission of the Registration Statement to the Commission through the date hereof, the Company has been and is an “emerging growth company,” as defined in Section 2(a) of the Securities Act (an “Emerging Growth Company”).

 

13


(mm) The Company (i) has not alone engaged in any Testing-the-Waters Communication with any person other than the Testing-the-Waters Communications with the consent of the Representatives with entities that are reasonably believed to be qualified institutional buyers within the meaning of Rule 144A under the Securities Act or institutions that are reasonably believed to be accredited investors within the meaning of Rule 501 under the Securities Act and (ii) has not authorized anyone other than the Representatives to engage in Testing-the-Waters Communications. The Company reconfirms that the Representatives have been authorized to act on its behalf in undertaking Testing-the-Waters Communications. The Company has not distributed any Testing-the-Waters Communication that is a written communication within the meaning of Rule 405 under the Securities Act. “Testing-the-Waters Communication” means any communication with potential investors undertaken in reliance on Section 5(d) or Rule 163B of the Securities Act.

(nn) As of the time of each sale of the Shares in connection with the offering when the Prospectus is not yet available to prospective purchasers, none of (A) the Time of Sale Prospectus, (B) any free writing prospectus, when considered together with the Time of Sale Prospectus, and (C) any individual Testing-the-Waters Communication, when considered together with the Time of Sale Prospectus, included, includes or will include an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted, omits or will omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading.

(oo) Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has any securities rated by any “nationally recognized statistical rating organization,” as such term is defined in Section 3(a)(62) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”).

2. Representations and Warranties of the Selling Shareholders. Each Selling Shareholder, severally and not jointly, represents and warrants to and agrees with each of the Underwriters that:

(a) This Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by or on behalf of such Selling Shareholder.

(b) The execution and delivery by or on behalf of such Selling Shareholder of, and the performance by such Selling Shareholder of its obligations under, this Agreement, the Custody Agreement signed by or on behalf of such Selling Shareholder and Computershare Inc., as Custodian, relating to the deposit of the Shares to be sold by such Selling Shareholder (the “Custody Agreement”) and the Power of Attorney appointing certain individuals as such Selling Shareholder’s attorneys-in-fact to the extent set forth therein, relating to the transactions contemplated hereby and by the Registration Statement (the “Power of Attorney”) will not contravene (i) any provision of applicable law, (ii) the certificate of incorporation or by-laws of such Selling Shareholder (if such Selling Shareholder is a corporation), (iii) any agreement or other instrument binding upon such Selling Shareholder or (iv) any judgment, order or decree of

 

14


any governmental body, agency or court having jurisdiction over such Selling Shareholder except in the case of clauses (i), (iii) or (iv) as would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a material adverse effect on the ability of the Selling Shareholder to consummate the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, the Custody Agreement and the Power of Attorney, and no consent, approval, authorization or order of, or qualification with, any governmental body, agency or court is required for the performance by such Selling Shareholder of its obligations under this Agreement or the Custody Agreement or Power of Attorney of such Selling Shareholder, except such as have been obtained and made under the Securities Act and such as may be required under the Exchange Act or the rules and regulations thereunder, under FINRA or such as may be required by the securities or Blue Sky laws of the various states or foreign jurisdictions in connection with the offer and sale of the Shares.

(c) Such Selling Shareholder has, and on the Closing Date will have, valid title to, or a valid “security entitlement” within the meaning of Section 8-501 of the New York Uniform Commercial Code in respect of, the Shares to be sold by such Selling Shareholder free and clear of all security interests, claims, liens, equities or other encumbrances and the legal right and power, and all authorization and approval required by law, to enter into this Agreement, the Custody Agreement and the Power of Attorney and to sell, transfer and deliver the Shares to be sold by such Selling Shareholder or a security entitlement in respect of such Shares.

(d) The Custody Agreement and the Power of Attorney have been duly authorized, executed and delivered by such Selling Shareholder and are valid and binding agreements of such Selling Shareholder subject to the effects of bankruptcy, insolvency, fraudulent transfer, reorganization, moratorium and similar laws of general applicability relating to or affecting creditors’ rights and to general equity principles.

(e) Upon payment for the Shares to be sold by such Selling Shareholder pursuant to this Agreement, delivery of such Shares, as directed by the Underwriters, to Cede & Co. (“Cede”) or such other nominee as may be designated by the Depository Trust Company (“DTC”), registration of such Shares in the name of Cede or such other nominee and the crediting of such Shares on the books of DTC to securities accounts of the Underwriters (assuming that neither DTC nor any such Underwriter has notice of any adverse claim (within the meaning of Section 8-105 of the New York Uniform Commercial Code (the “UCC”)) to such Shares), (A) DTC shall be a “protected purchaser” of such Shares within the meaning of Section 8-303 of the UCC, (B) under Section 8-501 of the UCC, the Underwriters will acquire a valid security entitlement in respect of such Shares and (C) no action based on any “adverse claim”, within the meaning of Section 8-102 of the UCC, to such Shares may be successfully asserted against the Underwriters with respect to such security entitlement; for purposes of this representation, such Selling Shareholder may

 

15


assume that when such payment, delivery and crediting occur, (x) such Shares will have been registered in the name of Cede or another nominee designated by DTC, in each case on the Company’s share registry in accordance with its certificate of incorporation, bylaws and applicable law, (y) DTC will be registered as a “clearing corporation” within the meaning of Section 8-102 of the UCC and (z) appropriate entries to the accounts of the several Underwriters on the records of DTC will have been made pursuant to the UCC.

(f) Such Selling Shareholder has delivered to the Representatives an executed lock-up agreement in substantially the form attached hereto as Exhibit A (the “Lock-up Agreement”).

(g) Such Selling Shareholder is not prompted by any material non-public information concerning the Company or its subsidiaries which is not set forth in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus or the Prospectus to sell its Shares pursuant to this Agreement.

(h) (i) The Registration Statement, when it became effective, did not contain and, as amended or supplemented, if applicable, as of the date of such amendment or supplement, will not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, (ii) the Time of Sale Prospectus does not, and at the time of each sale of the Shares in connection with the offering when the Prospectus is not yet available to prospective purchasers and at the Closing Date (as defined in Section 5), the Time of Sale Prospectus, as then amended or supplemented by the Company, if applicable, will not, contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, (iii) each broadly available road show, if any, when considered together with the Time of Sale Prospectus, does not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading and (iv) the Prospectus, as of its date, does not contain and, as amended or supplemented, if applicable, as of the date of such amendment or supplement and as of the Closing Date and any Option Closing Date (as defined in Section 3) will not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; provided, that the representations and warranties set forth in this paragraph are limited solely to statements or omissions made in reliance upon information relating to such Selling Shareholder furnished in writing to the Company or the Representatives by or on behalf of such Selling Shareholder expressly for use in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus or the Prospectus or any amendments or supplements thereto, it being understood and agreed that the only information furnished in writing by such Selling Shareholder consists of the name of such Selling Shareholder, the number of offered shares and the address and other

 

16


information with respect to such Selling Shareholder (excluding percentages) which appear in the Registration Statement or any Prospectus in the table (and corresponding footnotes) under the caption “Principal and Selling Shareholders” (with respect to each Selling Shareholder, the “Selling Shareholder Information”) and provided further that the representations and warranties set forth in this paragraph do not apply to statements or omissions in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus or the Prospectus based upon information relating to any Underwriter furnished to the Company in writing by such Underwriter through the Representatives expressly for use therein.

(i) (i) None of such Selling Shareholder or any of its subsidiaries, or, to the knowledge of such Selling Shareholder, any director, officer, employee, agent, representative, or affiliate thereof, is a Person that is, or is owned or otherwise controlled by one or more Persons that are:

(A) the subject of any Sanctions, or

(B) located, organized or resident in a Sanctioned Country.

(ii) Such Selling Shareholder will not, directly or indirectly, use the proceeds of the offering, or lend, contribute or otherwise make available such proceeds to any subsidiary, joint venture partner or other Person:

(A) to fund or facilitate any activities or business of or with any Person or in any country or territory that, at the time of such funding or facilitation, is the subject of Sanctions or a Sanctioned Country, respectively; or

(B) in any other manner that will result in a violation of Sanctions by any Person (including any Person participating in the offering, whether as underwriter, advisor, investor or otherwise).

(iii) Such Selling Shareholder has not in the last five years knowingly engaged in, is not now knowingly engaged in, and will not engage in, any dealings or transactions with any Person, or in any country or territory, that at the time of the dealing or transaction is or was the subject of Sanctions or a Sanctioned Country, respectively.

(iv) (a) None of such Selling Shareholder or any of its subsidiaries, or, to the knowledge of such Selling Shareholder, any director, officer, employee, agent, representative, or affiliate thereof, has taken or will take any action in furtherance of an offer, payment, promise to pay, or authorization or approval of the payment, giving or receipt of money, property, gifts or anything else of value, directly or indirectly, to

 

17


any Government Official in order to influence official action, or to any person in violation of any applicable anti-corruption laws; (b) such Selling Shareholder and each of its subsidiaries have conducted their businesses in compliance with applicable anti-corruption laws [and have instituted and maintained and will continue to maintain policies and procedures reasonably designed to promote and achieve compliance with such laws and with the representations and warranties contained herein;1] and (c) neither the Selling Shareholder nor any of its subsidiaries will use, directly or indirectly, the proceeds of the offering in furtherance of an offer, payment, promise to pay, or authorization of the payment or giving of money, or anything else of value, to any person in violation of any applicable anti-corruption laws.

(v) [The operations of such Selling Shareholder and each of its subsidiaries are and have been conducted at all times in material compliance with all applicable Anti-Money Laundering Laws, and no action, suit or proceeding by or before any court or governmental agency, authority or body or any arbitrator involving such Selling Shareholder or any of its subsidiaries with respect to the Anti-Money Laundering Laws is pending or, to the best knowledge of the Selling Shareholder, threatened.]2

3. Agreements to Sell and Purchase. Each Seller, severally and not jointly, hereby agrees to sell to the several Underwriters the respective number of Firm Shares set forth in Schedule I hereto opposite its name, and each Underwriter, upon the basis of the representations and warranties herein contained, but subject to the terms and conditions hereinafter stated, agrees, severally and not jointly, to purchase from such Seller at $[●] a share (the “Purchase Price”) the number of Firm Shares (subject to such adjustments to eliminate fractional shares as the Representatives may determine) that bears the same proportion to the number of Firm Shares to be sold by such Seller as the number of Firm Shares set forth in Schedule II hereto opposite the name of such Underwriter bears to the total number of Firm Shares.

On the basis of the representations and warranties contained in this Agreement, and subject to its terms and conditions, the Company agrees to sell to the Underwriters the Additional Shares, and the Underwriters shall have the right to purchase, severally and not jointly, up to [●] Additional Shares at the Purchase Price, provided, however, that the amount paid by the Underwriters for any Additional Shares shall be reduced by an amount per share equal to any dividends declared by the Company and payable on the Firm Shares but not payable on such Additional Shares. The Representatives may exercise this right on behalf of the Underwriters in whole or from time to time in part by giving written notice not later than 30 days after the date of this Agreement. Any

 

1 

To be included if any Selling Shareholder is a company.

2 

To be included if any Selling Shareholder is a company.

 

18


exercise notice shall specify the number of Additional Shares to be purchased by the Underwriters and the date on which such shares are to be purchased. Each purchase date must be at least one business day after the written notice is given and may not be earlier than the closing date for the Firm Shares or later than ten business days after the date of such notice. Additional Shares may be purchased as provided in Section 5 hereof solely for the purpose of covering over-allotments made in connection with the offering of the Firm Shares. On each day, if any, that Additional Shares are to be purchased (an “Option Closing Date”), each Underwriter agrees, severally and not jointly, to purchase the number of Additional Shares (subject to such adjustments to eliminate fractional shares as the Representatives may determine) that bears the same proportion to the total number of Additional Shares to be purchased on such Option Closing Date as the number of Firm Shares set forth in Schedule II hereto opposite the name of such Underwriter bears to the total number of Firm Shares.

4. Terms of Public Offering. The Sellers are advised by the Representatives that the Underwriters propose to make a public offering of their respective portions of the Shares as soon after the Registration Statement and this Agreement have become effective as in the Representatives’ judgment is advisable. The Sellers are further advised by the Representatives that the Shares are to be offered to the public initially at $[●] a share (the “Public Offering Price”) and to certain dealers selected by the Representatives at a price that represents a concession not in excess of $[●] a share under the Public Offering Price, and that any Underwriter may allow, and such dealers may reallow, a concession, not in excess of $[●] a share, to any Underwriter or to certain other dealers.

5. Payment and Delivery. Payment for the Firm Shares to be sold by each Seller shall be made to such Seller in Federal or other funds immediately available in New York City against delivery of such Firm Shares for the respective accounts of the several Underwriters at 10:00 a.m., New York City time, on [●], 2021, or at such other time on the same or such other date, not later than [●], 2021, as shall be designated in writing by the Representatives. The time and date of such payment are hereinafter referred to as the “Closing Date.”

Payment for any Additional Shares shall be made to the Company in Federal or other funds immediately available in New York City against delivery of such Additional Shares for the respective accounts of the several Underwriters at 10:00 a.m., New York City time, on the date specified in the corresponding notice described in Section 3 or at such other time on the same or on such other date, in any event not later than [●], 2021, as shall be designated in writing by the Representatives.

The Firm Shares and Additional Shares shall be registered in such names and in such denominations as the Representatives shall request not later than one full business day prior to the Closing Date or the applicable Option Closing Date, as the case may be. The Firm Shares and Additional Shares shall be delivered to the Representatives on the Closing Date or an Option Closing Date, as the case may be, for the respective accounts of the several Underwriters. The Purchase Price payable by the Underwriters shall be reduced by (i) any transfer taxes paid by, or on behalf of, the Underwriters in connection with the transfer of the Shares to the Underwriters duly paid and (ii) any withholding required by law.

 

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6. Conditions to the Underwriters Obligations. The obligations of the Sellers to sell the Shares to the Underwriters and the several obligations of the Underwriters to purchase and pay for the Shares on the Closing Date are subject to the condition that the Registration Statement shall have become effective not later than [●] (New York City time) on the date hereof.

The several obligations of the Underwriters are subject to the following further conditions:

(a) Subsequent to the execution and delivery of this Agreement and prior to the Closing Date:

(i) no order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement shall be in effect, and no proceeding for such purpose or pursuant to Section 8A under the Securities Act shall be pending before or threatened by the Commission; and

(ii) there shall not have occurred any change, or any development involving a prospective change, in the condition, financial or otherwise, or in the earnings, business or operations of the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole, from that set forth in the Time of Sale Prospectus that, in the Representatives’ judgment, is material and adverse and that makes it, in the Representatives’ judgment, impracticable to market the Shares on the terms and in the manner contemplated in the Time of Sale Prospectus.

(b) The Underwriters shall have received on the Closing Date a certificate, dated the Closing Date and signed by an executive officer of the Company, to the effect set forth in Sections 6(a)(i) and 6(a)(ii) above and to the effect that the representations and warranties of the Company contained in this Agreement are true and correct as of the Closing Date and that the Company has complied with all of the agreements and satisfied all of the conditions on its part to be performed or satisfied hereunder on or before the Closing Date.

The officer signing and delivering such certificate may rely upon the best of his or her knowledge as to proceedings threatened.

(c) The Underwriters shall have received on the Closing Date an opinion and negative assurance letter of Cooley LLP, outside counsel for the Company, dated the Closing Date, each in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Representatives.

 

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(d) The Underwriters shall have received on the Closing Date an opinion of Whalen LLP, counsel for the Selling Shareholders, dated the Closing Date, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Representatives.

(e) The Underwriters shall have received on the Closing Date an opinion and negative assurance letter of Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP, counsel for the Underwriters, dated the Closing Date, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Representatives.

With respect to Section 6(c) and 6(e) above, Cooley LLP and Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP and with respect to Section 6(d) above, Whalen LLP, may state that their opinions and beliefs are based upon their participation in the preparation of the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus and any amendments or supplements thereto and review and discussion of the contents thereof, but are without independent check or verification, except as specified.

The opinions of Cooley LLP and Whalen LLP described in Sections 6(c) and 6(d) above shall be rendered to the Underwriters at the request of the Company or one or more of the Selling Shareholders, as the case may be, and shall so state therein.

(f) The Underwriters shall have received, on each of the date hereof and the Closing Date, a letter dated the date hereof or the Closing Date, as the case may be, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Representatives, from PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, independent registered public accounting firm, containing statements and information of the type ordinarily included in accountants’ “comfort letters” to underwriters with respect to the financial statements and certain financial information contained in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus; provided that the letter delivered on the Closing Date shall use a “cut-off date” not earlier than the date hereof.

(g) The Lock-up Agreements between the Representatives and certain shareholders, officers and directors of the Company shall be in full force and effect on the Closing Date.

(h) The several obligations of the Underwriters to purchase Additional Shares hereunder are subject to the delivery to the Representatives on the applicable Option Closing Date of the following:

(i) a certificate, dated the Option Closing Date and signed by an executive officer of the Company, confirming that the certificate delivered on the Closing Date pursuant to Section 6(b) hereof remains true and correct as of such Option Closing Date;

(ii) an opinion and negative assurance letter of Cooley LLP, outside counsel for the Company, dated the Option Closing Date, relating to the Additional Shares to be purchased on such Option Closing Date and otherwise to the same effect as the opinion required by Section 6(c) hereof;

 

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(iii) an opinion of Whalen LLP, outside counsel for the Selling Shareholders, dated the Option Closing Date, relating to the Additional Shares to be purchased on such Option Closing Date and otherwise to the same effect as the opinion required by Section 6(d) hereof;

(iv) an opinion and negative assurance letter of Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP, counsel for the Underwriters, dated the Option Closing Date, relating to the Additional Shares to be purchased on such Option Closing Date and otherwise to the same effect as the opinion required by Section 6(e) hereof;

(v) a letter dated the Option Closing Date, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Underwriters, from PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, independent public accountants, substantially in the same form and substance as the letter furnished to the Underwriters pursuant to Section 6(f) hereof; provided that the letter delivered on the Option Closing Date shall use a “cut-off date” not earlier than two business days prior to such Option Closing Date; and

(vi) such other documents as the Representatives may reasonably request with respect to the good standing of the Company, the due authorization and issuance of the Additional Shares to be sold on such Option Closing Date and other matters related to the issuance of such Additional Shares.

7. Covenants of the Company. The Company covenants with each Underwriter as follows:

(a) To furnish to the Representatives, without charge, [●] signed copies of the Registration Statement (including exhibits thereto) and for delivery to each other Underwriter a conformed copy of the Registration Statement (without exhibits thereto) and to furnish to the Representatives in New York City, without charge, prior to 10:00 a.m. New York City time on the business day next succeeding the date of this Agreement and during the period mentioned in Section 7(e) or 7(f) below, as many copies of the Time of Sale Prospectus, the Prospectus and any supplements and amendments thereto or to the Registration Statement as the Representatives may reasonably request.

(b) Before amending or supplementing the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus or the Prospectus, to furnish to the Representatives a copy of each such proposed amendment or supplement and not to file any such proposed amendment or supplement to which the Representatives reasonably object, and to file with the Commission within the applicable period specified in Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act any prospectus required to be filed pursuant to such Rule.

 

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(c) To furnish to the Representatives a copy of each proposed free writing prospectus to be prepared by or on behalf of, used by, or referred to by the Company and not to use or refer to any proposed free writing prospectus to which the Representatives reasonably object.

(d) Not to take any action that would result in an Underwriter or the Company being required to file with the Commission pursuant to Rule 433(d) under the Securities Act a free writing prospectus prepared by or on behalf of the Underwriter that the Underwriter otherwise would not have been required to file thereunder.

(e) If the Time of Sale Prospectus is being used to solicit offers to buy the Shares at a time when the Prospectus is not yet available to prospective purchasers and any event shall occur or condition exist as a result of which it is necessary to amend or supplement the Time of Sale Prospectus in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances, not misleading, or if any event shall occur or condition exist as a result of which the Time of Sale Prospectus conflicts with the information contained in the Registration Statement then on file, or if, in the opinion of counsel for the Underwriters, it is necessary to amend or supplement the Time of Sale Prospectus to comply with applicable law, forthwith to prepare, file with the Commission and furnish, at its own expense, to the Underwriters and to any dealer upon request, either amendments or supplements to the Time of Sale Prospectus so that the statements in the Time of Sale Prospectus as so amended or supplemented will not, in the light of the circumstances when the Time of Sale Prospectus is delivered to a prospective purchaser, be misleading or so that the Time of Sale Prospectus, as amended or supplemented, will no longer conflict with the Registration Statement, or so that the Time of Sale Prospectus, as amended or supplemented, will comply with applicable law.

(f) If, during such period after the first date of the public offering of the Shares as in the opinion of counsel for the Underwriters the Prospectus (or in lieu thereof the notice referred to in Rule 173(a) of the Securities Act) is required by law to be delivered in connection with sales by an Underwriter or dealer, any event shall occur or condition exist as a result of which it is necessary to amend or supplement the Prospectus in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances when the Prospectus (or in lieu thereof the notice referred to in Rule 173(a) of the Securities Act) is delivered to a purchaser, not misleading, or if, in the opinion of counsel for the Underwriters, it is necessary to amend or supplement the Prospectus to comply with applicable law, forthwith to prepare, file with the Commission and furnish, at its own expense, to the Underwriters and to the dealers (whose names and addresses the Representatives will furnish to the Company) to which Shares may have been sold by the Representatives on behalf

 

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of the Underwriters and to any other dealers upon request, either amendments or supplements to the Prospectus so that the statements in the Prospectus as so amended or supplemented will not, in the light of the circumstances when the Prospectus (or in lieu thereof the notice referred to in Rule 173(a) of the Securities Act) is delivered to a purchaser, be misleading or so that the Prospectus, as amended or supplemented, will comply with applicable law.

(g) To endeavor to qualify the Shares for offer and sale under the securities or Blue Sky laws of such jurisdictions as the Representatives shall reasonably request.

(h) To make generally available to the Company’s security holders and to the Representatives as soon as practicable an earnings statement covering a period of at least twelve months beginning with the first fiscal quarter of the Company occurring after the date of this Agreement which shall satisfy the provisions of Section 11(a) of the Securities Act and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder.

(i) To comply with all applicable securities and other laws, rules and regulations in each jurisdiction in which the Directed Shares are offered in connection with the Directed Share Program.

(j) If any Seller is not a U.S. person for U.S. federal income tax purposes, the Company will deliver to each Underwriter (or its agent), on or before the Closing Date, (i) a certificate with respect to the Company’s status as a “United States real property holding corporation,” dated not more than thirty (30) days prior to the Closing Date, as described in Treasury Regulations Sections 1.897-2(h) and 1.1445-2(c)(3), and (ii) proof of delivery to the IRS of the required notice, as described in Treasury Regulations 1.897-2(h)(2).

(k) The Company will promptly notify the Representatives if the Company ceases to be an Emerging Growth Company at any time prior to the later of (i) completion of the distribution of the Shares within the meaning of the Securities Act and (ii) completion of the Restricted Period referred to in Section 3.

(l) If at any time following the distribution of any Testing-the-Waters Communication that is a written communication within the meaning of Rule 405 under the Securities Act there occurred or occurs an event or development as a result of which such Testing-the-Waters Communication included or would include an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted or would omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances existing at that subsequent time, not misleading, the Company will promptly notify the Representatives and will promptly amend or supplement, at its own expense, such Testing-the-Waters Communication to eliminate or correct such untrue statement or omission.

 

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The Company also covenants with each Underwriter that, without the prior written consent of Morgan Stanley and JPMorgan on behalf of the Underwriters, it will not, and will not publicly disclose an intention to, during the period ending 180 days after the date of the Prospectus (the “Restricted Period”), (1) offer, pledge, sell, contract to sell, sell any option or contract to purchase, purchase any option or contract to sell, grant any option, right or warrant to purchase, lend, or otherwise transfer or dispose of, directly or indirectly, any shares of Common Stock or any securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for Common Stock or (2) enter into any swap or other arrangement that transfers to another, in whole or in part, any of the economic consequences of ownership of the Common Stock, whether any such transaction described in clause (1) or (2) above is to be settled by delivery of Common Stock or such other securities, in cash or otherwise or (3) file any registration statement with the Commission relating to the offering of any shares of Common Stock or any securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for Common Stock.

The restrictions contained in the preceding paragraph shall not apply to (a) the Shares to be sold hereunder, (b) grants of stock options, stock awards, restricted stock, restricted stock units or other equity awards and the issuance of Common Stock or securities convertible into or exercisable for Common Stock (whether upon the exercise of stock options or otherwise) to employees, officers, directors, advisors, or consultants of the Company pursuant to the terms of an equity compensation plan in effect as of the Closing Date and described in the Time of Sale Prospectus and Prospectus, provided that all recipients of any such grants, stock awards, restricted stock, restricted stock units or other equity awards shall execute and deliver to the Representatives a lock-up letter substantially in the form of Exhibit A hereto covering the remainder of the Restricted Period, subject to any earlier release as provided in such lock-up letter, (c) the sale or issuance of or entry into an agreement providing for the sale or issuance of Common Stock or securities convertible into, exercisable for or which are otherwise exchangeable for or represent the right to receive Common Stock in connection with (x) the acquisition by the Company or any of its subsidiaries of the securities, business, technology, property or other assets of another person or entity or pursuant to an employee benefit plan assumed by the Company in connection with such acquisition, and the issuance of any Common Stock or securities convertible into, exercisable for or which are otherwise exchangeable for or represent the right to receive Common Stock pursuant to any such agreement or (y) the Company’s joint ventures, commercial relationships and other strategic transactions, provided that the aggregate number of shares of Common Stock securities convertible into, exercisable for or which are otherwise exchangeable for or represent the right to receive Common Stock that the Company may sell or issue or agree to sell or issue pursuant to this clause (c) shall not exceed 10% of the total number of shares of Common Stock outstanding as of the Closing Date immediately following the completion of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement to be completed as of that date and all recipients of any such securities shall execute and deliver to the Representatives a lock-up letter substantially in the form of Exhibit A covering the remainder of the Restricted Period, subject to any earlier release as provided in such lock-up letter, (d) the establishment or amendment of a trading plan pursuant to Rule 10b5-1 under the Exchange Act for the transfer of shares of Common Stock, provided that

 

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(i) such plan or amendment does not provide for the transfer of shares of Common Stock during the Restricted Period and (ii) to the extent a public announcement or filing under the Exchange Act, if any, is required of or voluntarily made by the Company regarding the establishment or amendment of such plan, such announcement or filing shall include a statement to the effect that no transfer of Common Stock may be made under such plan during the Restricted Period, or (e) the filing of any registration statement on Form S-8 relating to securities granted or to be granted pursuant to any plan in effect on the date hereof and described in the Time of Sale Prospectus or any assumed benefit plan contemplated by clause (c).

If Morgan Stanley and JPMorgan, in their sole discretion, agree to release or waive the restrictions on the transfer of Shares set forth in a Lock-up Agreement for an officer or director of the Company and provides the Company with notice of the impending release or waiver at least three business days before the effective date of the release or waiver, the Company agrees to announce the impending release or waiver by a press release substantially in the form of Exhibit B hereto through a major news service at least two business days before the effective date of the release or waiver.

8. Covenants of the Sellers. Each Seller, severally and not jointly, covenants with each Underwriter as follows:

(a) Each Seller will deliver to each Underwriter (or its agent), prior to or at the Closing Date, a properly completed and executed Internal Revenue Service (“IRS”) Form W-9 or an IRS Form W-8, as appropriate, together with all required attachments to such form.

(b) Each Seller will deliver to each Underwriter (or its agent), on the date of execution of this Agreement, a properly completed and executed Certification Regarding Beneficial Owners of Legal Entity Customers, together with copies of identifying documentation, and each Seller undertakes to provide such additional supporting documentation as each Underwriter may reasonably request in connection with the verification of the foregoing Certification.

9. Expenses. Whether or not the transactions contemplated in this Agreement are consummated or this Agreement is terminated, the Company agrees to pay or cause to be paid all expenses incident to the performance of its obligations under this Agreement, including: (i) the fees, disbursements and expenses of the Company’s counsel, the Company’s accountants and one counsel for the Selling Shareholders (to the extent not agreed by the Selling Shareholders to be paid by them) in connection with the registration and delivery of the Shares under the Securities Act and all other fees or expenses in connection with the preparation and filing of the Registration Statement, any preliminary prospectus, the Time of Sale Prospectus, the Prospectus, any free writing prospectus prepared by or on behalf of, used by, or referred to by the Company and amendments and supplements to any of the foregoing, including all printing costs associated therewith, and

 

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the mailing and delivering of copies thereof to the Underwriters and dealers, in the quantities hereinabove specified, (ii) all costs and expenses related to the transfer and delivery of the Shares to the Underwriters, including any transfer or other taxes payable thereon, (iii) the reasonable and documented cost of printing or producing any Blue Sky or Legal Investment memorandum in connection with the offer and sale of the Shares under state securities laws and all expenses in connection with the qualification of the Shares for offer and sale under state securities laws as provided in Section 7(g) hereof, including filing fees and the reasonable and documented fees and disbursements of counsel for the Underwriters in connection with such qualification and in connection with the Blue Sky or Legal Investment memorandum, (iv) all filing fees and the reasonable and documented fees and disbursements of counsel to the Underwriters incurred in connection with the review and qualification of the offering of the Shares by the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (provided, that the amount payable by the Company with respect to fees and disbursements of counsel for the Underwriters pursuant to subsections (iii) and (iv) shall not exceed $40,000), (v) all fees and expenses in connection with the preparation and filing of the registration statement on Form 8-A relating to the Common Stock and all costs and expenses incident to listing the Shares on the Nasdaq Global Select Market, (vi) the cost of printing certificates representing the Shares, (vii) the costs and charges of any transfer agent, registrar or depositary, (viii) the costs and expenses of the Company relating to investor presentations on any “road show” undertaken in connection with the marketing of the offering of the Shares, including, without limitation, expenses associated with the preparation or dissemination of any electronic road show, expenses associated with the production of road show slides and graphics, fees and expenses of any consultants engaged in connection with the road show presentations with the prior approval of the Company, travel and lodging expenses of the representatives and officers of the Company and any such consultants, and up to 50% of the cost of any aircraft chartered in connection with the road show, (ix) the document production charges and expenses associated with printing this Agreement , (x) all fees and disbursements of counsel incurred by the Underwriters in connection with the Directed Share Program and stamp duties, similar taxes or duties or other taxes, if any, incurred by the Underwriters in connection with the Directed Share Program and (xi) all other costs and expenses incident to the performance of the obligations of the Company hereunder for which provision is not otherwise made in this Section. It is understood, however, that except as provided in this Section, Section 11 entitled “Indemnity and Contribution” , Section 12 entitled “Directed Share Program Indemnification” and the last paragraph of Section 14 below, the Underwriters will pay all of their costs and expenses, including fees and disbursements of their counsel, stock transfer taxes payable on resale of any of the Shares by them and any advertising expenses connected with any offers they may make.

The provisions of this Section shall not supersede or otherwise affect any agreement that the Sellers may otherwise have for the allocation of such expenses among themselves.

 

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10. Covenants of the Underwriters. Each Underwriter, severally and not jointly, covenants with the Company not to take any action that would result in the Company being required to file with the Commission under Rule 433(d) a free writing prospectus prepared by or on behalf of such Underwriter that otherwise would not be required to be filed by the Company thereunder, but for the action of the Underwriter.

11. Indemnity and Contribution. (a) The Company agrees to indemnify and hold harmless each Underwriter, each person, if any, who controls any Underwriter within the meaning of either Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act, and each affiliate of any Underwriter within the meaning of Rule 405 under the Securities Act from and against any and all losses, claims, damages and liabilities (including, without limitation, any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred in connection with defending or investigating any such action or claim) that arise out of, or are based upon any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Registration Statement or any amendment thereof, any preliminary prospectus, the Time of Sale Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto, any issuer free writing prospectus as defined in Rule 433(h) under the Securities Act, any Company information that the Company has filed, or is required to file, pursuant to Rule 433(d) under the Securities Act, any “road show” as defined in Rule 433(h) under the Securities Act (a “road show”), the Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto, or any Testing-the-Waters Communication or that arise out of, or are based upon any omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, except insofar as such losses, claims, damages or liabilities arise out of, or are based upon, any such untrue statement or omission or alleged untrue statement or omission made in reliance upon and in conformity with any information relating to any Underwriter furnished to the Company in writing by such Underwriter through the Representatives expressly for use therein, it being understood and agreed that the only such information furnished by the Underwriters through the Representatives consists of the information described as such in paragraph (c) below. Each Selling Shareholder agrees, severally and not jointly, to indemnify and hold harmless each Underwriter, the directors, officers and employees of each Underwriter, each person, if any, who controls any Underwriter within the meaning of either Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act, and each affiliate of any Underwriter within the meaning of Rule 405 under the Securities Act from and against any and all losses, claims, damages and liabilities (including, without limitation, any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred in connection with defending or investigating any action or claim) that arise out of, or are based upon, any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Registration Statement or any amendment thereof, any preliminary prospectus, the Time of Sale Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto, any issuer free writing prospectus as defined in Rule 433(h) under the Securities Act, any Company information that the Company has filed, or is required to file, pursuant to Rule 433(d) under the Securities Act, any road show, the Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto, or any Testing-the-Waters Communication, or that arise out of, or are based upon, any omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not

 

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misleading, but in each case only with respect to statements or omissions made in reliance upon, and in conformity with, the Selling Shareholder Information. The aggregate liability of any Selling Shareholder pursuant to Sections 11(a) and 11(e) shall be limited to an amount equal to the net proceeds (net of underwriting discounts and commissions but without deducting expenses) received by such Selling Shareholder for the Shares sold by such Selling Shareholder under this Agreement (with respect to each Selling Shareholder, the “Selling Shareholder Proceeds”).

(b) Each Underwriter agrees, severally and not jointly, to indemnify and hold harmless the Company, the Selling Shareholders, the directors of the Company, the officers of the Company who sign the Registration Statement and each person, if any, who controls the Company or any Selling Shareholder within the meaning of either Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act from and against any and all losses, claims, damages and liabilities (including, without limitation, any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred in connection with defending or investigating any such action or claim) that arise out of, or are based upon, any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Registration Statement or any amendment thereof, any preliminary prospectus, the Time of Sale Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto, any issuer free writing prospectus as defined in Rule 433(h) under the Securities Act, any Company information that the Company has filed, or is required to file, pursuant to Rule 433(d) under the Securities Act, any road show or the Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto, or arise out of, or are based upon, any omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, but only with reference to information relating to such Underwriter furnished to the Company in writing by such Underwriter through the Representatives expressly for use in the Registration Statement, any preliminary prospectus, the Time of Sale Prospectus, any issuer free writing prospectus, road show, or the Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto, it being understood and agreed that the only information furnished by any such Underwriter consists of the following information in the Prospectus furnished on behalf of each Underwriter: the selling concession amount appearing in the [●] paragraph under the caption “Underwriting,” the information concerning stabilization and the option to purchase additional shares in the fourth paragraph under the caption “Underwriting” and the information concerning sales to discretionary accounts appearing in the seventh paragraph under the caption “Underwriting” (the “Underwriter Information”).

(c) In case any proceeding (including any governmental investigation) shall be instituted involving any person in respect of which indemnity may be sought pursuant to Section 11(a), 11(b) or 11(c), such person (the “indemnified party”) shall promptly notify the person against whom such indemnity may be sought (the “indemnifying party”) in writing and the indemnifying party, upon request of the indemnified party, shall retain counsel reasonably satisfactory to the indemnified party to represent the indemnified party and any others the

 

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indemnifying party may designate in such proceeding and shall pay the reasonably incurred, documented fees and disbursements of such counsel related to such proceeding. In any such proceeding, any indemnified party shall have the right to retain its own counsel, but the fees and expenses of such counsel shall be at the expense of such indemnified party unless (i) the indemnifying party and the indemnified party shall have mutually agreed in writing to the retention of such counsel or (ii) the named parties to any such proceeding (including any impleaded parties) include both the indemnifying party and the indemnified party and representation of both parties by the same counsel would be inappropriate due to actual or potential differing interests between them. It is understood that the indemnifying party shall not, in respect of the legal expenses of any indemnified party in connection with any proceeding or related proceedings in the same jurisdiction, be liable for (i) the fees and expenses of more than one separate firm (in addition to any local counsel) for all Underwriters and all persons, if any, who control any Underwriter within the meaning of either Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act or who are affiliates of any Underwriter within the meaning of Rule 405 under the Securities Act, (ii) the fees and expenses of more than one separate firm (in addition to any local counsel) for the Company, its directors, its officers who sign the Registration Statement and each person, if any, who controls the Company within the meaning of either such Section and (iii) the fees and expenses of more than one separate firm (in addition to any local counsel) for all Selling Shareholders and all persons, if any, who control any Selling Shareholder within the meaning of either such Section, and that all such fees and expenses shall be reimbursed as they are incurred. In the case of any such separate firm for the Underwriters and such control persons and affiliates of any Underwriters, such firm shall be designated in writing by the Representatives. In the case of any such separate firm for the Company, and such directors, officers and control persons of the Company, such firm shall be designated in writing by the Company. In the case of any such separate firm for the Selling Shareholders and such control persons of any Selling Shareholders, such firm shall be designated in writing by the persons named as attorneys-in-fact for the Selling Shareholders under the Powers of Attorney. The indemnifying party shall not be liable for any settlement of any proceeding effected without its written consent, but if settled with such consent or if there be a final judgment for the plaintiff, the indemnifying party agrees to indemnify the indemnified party from and against any loss or liability by reason of such settlement or judgment. Notwithstanding the foregoing sentence, if at any time an indemnified party shall have requested an indemnifying party to reimburse the indemnified party for fees and expenses of counsel as contemplated by the second and third sentences of this paragraph, the indemnifying party agrees that it shall be liable for any settlement of any proceeding effected without its written consent if (i) such settlement is entered into more than 30 days after receipt by such indemnifying party of the aforesaid request and (ii) such indemnifying party shall not have reimbursed the indemnified party in accordance with such request prior to the date of such settlement. No indemnifying party shall, without the prior written consent of the indemnified party, effect any settlement of any pending or threatened proceeding

 

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in respect of which any indemnified party is or could have been a party and indemnity could have been sought hereunder by such indemnified party, unless such settlement includes (x) an unconditional release of such indemnified party from all liability on claims that are the subject matter of such proceeding and (y) does not include a statement as to or an admission of fault, culpability or a failure to act by or on behalf of any indemnified party.

(d) To the extent the indemnification provided for in Section 11(a), 11(b) or 11(c) is unavailable to an indemnified party or insufficient in respect of any losses, claims, damages or liabilities referred to therein, then each indemnifying party under such paragraph, in lieu of indemnifying such indemnified party thereunder, shall contribute to the amount paid or payable by such indemnified party as a result of such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (i) in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative benefits received by the indemnifying party or parties on the one hand and the indemnified party or parties on the other hand from the offering of the Shares or (ii) if the allocation provided by clause 11(d)(i) above is not permitted by applicable law, in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect not only the relative benefits referred to in clause 11(d)(i) above but also the relative fault of the indemnifying party or parties on the one hand and of the indemnified party or parties on the other hand in connection with the statements or omissions that resulted in such losses, claims, damages or liabilities, as well as any other relevant equitable considerations. The relative benefits received by the Sellers on the one hand and the Underwriters on the other hand in connection with the offering of the Shares shall be deemed to be in the same respective proportions as the net proceeds from the offering of the Shares (after deducting underwriting discounts and commissions but before deducting expenses) received by the each Seller and the total underwriting discounts and commissions received by the Underwriters, in each case as set forth in the table on the cover of the Prospectus, bear to the aggregate Public Offering Price of the Shares. The relative fault of the Sellers on the one hand and the Underwriters on the other hand shall be determined by reference to, among other things, whether the untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or the omission or alleged omission to state a material fact relates to information supplied by the Sellers or by the Underwriters and the parties’ relative intent, knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such statement or omission. The Underwriters’ respective obligations to contribute pursuant to this Section 11 are several in proportion to the respective number of Shares they have purchased hereunder, and not joint. Each Selling Shareholder’s obligation to contribute pursuant to this Section 11 is several in proportion to the respective number of Shares such Selling Shareholder has sold hereunder, and not joint. The liability of each Selling Shareholder under the contribution agreement contained in this paragraph shall be limited to an amount equal to the Selling Shareholder Proceeds less any amounts such Selling Shareholder is obligated to pay under Section 11(a) above.

 

31


(e) The Sellers and the Underwriters agree that it would not be just or equitable if contribution pursuant to this Section 11 were determined by pro rata allocation (even if the Underwriters were treated as one entity for such purpose) or by any other method of allocation that does not take account of the equitable considerations referred to in Section 11(d). The amount paid or payable by an indemnified party as a result of the losses, claims, damages and liabilities referred to in Section 11(d) shall be deemed to include, subject to the limitations set forth above, any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by such indemnified party in connection with investigating or defending any such action or claim. Notwithstanding the provisions of this Section 11, no Underwriter shall be required to contribute any amount in excess of the amount by which the total price at which the Shares underwritten by it and distributed to the public were offered to the public exceeds the amount of any damages that such Underwriter has otherwise been required to pay by reason of such untrue or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission. No person guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the Securities Act) shall be entitled to contribution from any person who was not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation. The remedies provided for in this Section 11 are not exclusive and shall not limit any rights or remedies which may otherwise be available to any indemnified party at law or in equity.

(f) The indemnity and contribution provisions contained in this Section 11 and the representations, warranties and other statements of the Company and the Selling Shareholders contained in this Agreement shall remain operative and in full force and effect regardless of (i) any termination of this Agreement, (ii) any investigation made by or on behalf of any Underwriter, any person controlling any Underwriter or any affiliate of any Underwriter, by or on behalf of any Selling Shareholder or any person controlling any Selling Shareholder, or by or on behalf of the Company, its officers or directors or any person controlling the Company and (iii) acceptance of and payment for any of the Shares.

12. Directed Share Program Indemnification. (a) The Company agrees to indemnify and hold harmless Morgan Stanley, each person, if any, who controls Morgan Stanley within the meaning of either Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act and each affiliate of Morgan Stanley within the meaning of Rule 405 of the Securities Act (“Morgan Stanley Entities”) from and against any and all losses, claims, damages and liabilities (including, without limitation, any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred in connection with defending or investigating any such action or claim) (i) that arise out of, or are based upon any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in any material prepared by or with the consent of the Company for distribution to Participants in connection with the Directed Share Program or arise out of or are based upon any omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading; (ii) that arise out of, or are based upon the failure of any Participant to pay for and accept delivery of Directed Shares that the Participant agreed to purchase; or (iii) related to, arising out of, or are based upon, or in connection with the Directed Share Program, other than losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or expenses relating thereto) that are finally judicially determined to have resulted from the bad faith or gross negligence of Morgan Stanley.

 

32


(b) In case any proceeding (including any governmental investigation) shall be instituted involving any Morgan Stanley Entity in respect of which indemnity may be sought pursuant to Section 12(a), the Morgan Stanley Entity seeking indemnity, shall promptly notify the Company in writing and the Company, upon request of the Morgan Stanley Entity, shall retain counsel reasonably satisfactory to the Morgan Stanley Entity to represent the Morgan Stanley Entity and any others the Company may designate in such proceeding and shall pay the fees and disbursements of such counsel related to such proceeding. In any such proceeding, any Morgan Stanley Entity shall have the right to retain its own counsel, but the fees and expenses of such counsel shall be at the expense of such Morgan Stanley Entity unless (i) the Company shall have agreed to the retention of such counsel or (ii) the named parties to any such proceeding (including any impleaded parties) include both the Company and the Morgan Stanley Entity and representation of both parties by the same counsel would be inappropriate due to actual or potential differing interests between them. The Company shall not, in respect of the legal expenses of the Morgan Stanley Entities in connection with any proceeding or related proceedings in the same jurisdiction, be liable for the fees and expenses of more than one separate firm (in addition to any local counsel) for all Morgan Stanley Entities. Any such separate firm for the Morgan Stanley Entities shall be designated in writing by Morgan Stanley. The Company shall not be liable for any settlement of any proceeding effected without its written consent, but if settled with such consent or if there be a final judgment for the plaintiff, the Company agrees to indemnify the Morgan Stanley Entities from and against any loss or liability by reason of such settlement or judgment. Notwithstanding the foregoing sentence, if at any time a Morgan Stanley Entity shall have requested the Company to reimburse it for fees and expenses of counsel as contemplated by the second and third sentences of this paragraph, the Company agrees that it shall be liable for any settlement of any proceeding effected without its written consent if (i) such settlement is entered into more than 30 days after receipt by the Company of the aforesaid request and (ii) the Company shall not have reimbursed the Morgan Stanley Entity in accordance with such request prior to the date of such settlement. The Company shall not, without the prior written consent of Morgan Stanley, effect any settlement of any pending or threatened proceeding in respect of which any Morgan Stanley Entity is or could have been a party and indemnity could have been sought hereunder by such Morgan Stanley Entity, unless such settlement includes an unconditional release of the Morgan Stanley Entities from all liability on claims that are the subject matter of such proceeding.

 

33


(c) To the extent the indemnification provided for in Section 12(a) is unavailable to a Morgan Stanley Entity or insufficient in respect of any losses, claims, damages or liabilities referred to therein, then the Company in lieu of indemnifying the Morgan Stanley Entity thereunder, shall contribute to the amount paid or payable by the Morgan Stanley Entity as a result of such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (i) in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative benefits received by the Company on the one hand and the Morgan Stanley Entities on the other hand from the offering of the Directed Shares or (ii) if the allocation provided by clause 12(c)(i) above is not permitted by applicable law, in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect not only the relative benefits referred to in clause 12(c)(i) above but also the relative fault of the Company on the one hand and of the Morgan Stanley Entities on the other hand in connection with any statements or omissions that resulted in such losses, claims, damages or liabilities, as well as any other relevant equitable considerations. The relative benefits received by the Company on the one hand and the Morgan Stanley Entities on the other hand in connection with the offering of the Directed Shares shall be deemed to be in the same respective proportions as the net proceeds from the offering of the Directed Shares (before deducting expenses) and the total underwriting discounts and commissions received by the Morgan Stanley Entities for the Directed Shares, bear to the aggregate Public Offering Price of the Directed Shares. If the loss, claim, damage or liability is caused by an untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or the omission or alleged omission to state a material fact, the relative fault of the Company on the one hand and the Morgan Stanley Entities on the other hand shall be determined by reference to, among other things, whether the untrue or alleged untrue statement or the omission or alleged omission relates to information supplied by the Company or by the Morgan Stanley Entities and the parties’ relative intent, knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such statement or omission.

(d) The Company and the Morgan Stanley Entities agree that it would not be just or equitable if contribution pursuant to this Section 12 were determined by pro rata allocation (even if the Morgan Stanley Entities were treated as one entity for such purpose) or by any other method of allocation that does not take account of the equitable considerations referred to in Section 12(c). The amount paid or payable by the Morgan Stanley Entities as a result of the losses, claims, damages and liabilities referred to in the immediately preceding paragraph shall be deemed to include, subject to the limitations set forth above, any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by the Morgan Stanley Entities in connection with investigating or defending any such action or claim. Notwithstanding the provisions of this Section 12, no Morgan Stanley Entity shall be required to contribute any amount in excess of the amount by which the total price at which the Directed Shares distributed to the public were offered to the public exceeds the amount of any damages that such Morgan Stanley Entity has otherwise been required to pay. The remedies provided for in this Section 12 are not exclusive and shall not limit any rights or remedies which may otherwise be available to any indemnified party at law or in equity.

 

34


(e) The indemnity and contribution provisions contained in this Section 12 shall remain operative and in full force and effect regardless of (i) any termination of this Agreement, (ii) any investigation made by or on behalf of any Morgan Stanley Entity or the Company, its officers or directors or any person controlling the Company and (iii) acceptance of and payment for any of the Directed Shares.

13. Termination. The Underwriters may terminate this Agreement by notice given by the Representatives to the Company, if after the execution and delivery of this Agreement and prior to or on the Closing Date or any Option Closing Date, as the case may be, (i) trading generally shall have been suspended or materially limited on, or by, as the case may be, any of the New York Stock Exchange, the NYSE American, the Nasdaq Global Select Market, the Chicago Board of Options Exchange, the Chicago Mercantile Exchange or the Chicago Board of Trade, (ii) trading of any securities of the Company shall have been suspended on any exchange or in any over-the-counter market, (iii) a material disruption in securities settlement, payment or clearance services in the United States shall have occurred, (iv) any moratorium on commercial banking activities shall have been declared by Federal or New York State authorities or (v) there shall have occurred any outbreak or escalation of hostilities, or any change in financial markets or any calamity or crisis that, in the Representatives’ judgment, is material and adverse and which, singly or together with any other event specified in this clause (v), makes it, in the Representatives’ judgment, impracticable or inadvisable to proceed with the offer, sale or delivery of the Shares on the terms and in the manner contemplated in the Time of Sale Prospectus or the Prospectus.

14. Effectiveness; Defaulting Underwriters. This Agreement shall become effective upon the execution and delivery hereof by the parties hereto.

If, on the Closing Date or an Option Closing Date, as the case may be, any one or more of the Underwriters shall fail or refuse to purchase Shares that it has or they have agreed to purchase hereunder on such date, and the aggregate number of Shares which such defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters agreed but failed or refused to purchase is not more than one-tenth of the aggregate number of the Shares to be purchased on such date, the other Underwriters shall be obligated severally in the proportions that the number of Firm Shares set forth opposite their respective names in Schedule II bears to the aggregate number of Firm Shares set forth opposite the names of all such non-defaulting Underwriters, or in such other proportions as the Representatives may specify, to purchase the Shares which such defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters agreed but failed or refused to purchase on such date; provided that in no event shall the number of Shares that any Underwriter has agreed to purchase pursuant to this Agreement be increased pursuant to this Section 14 by an amount in excess of one-ninth of such number of Shares without the written consent of such Underwriter. If, on the Closing Date, any Underwriter or Underwriters shall fail or refuse to purchase Firm Shares and the aggregate number of Firm Shares with respect to which such default occurs is more than one-tenth of the aggregate number of Firm Shares to be purchased on such date, and arrangements satisfactory to the Representatives, the Company and the

 

35


Selling Shareholders for the purchase of such Firm Shares are not made within 36 hours after such default, this Agreement shall terminate without liability on the part of any non-defaulting Underwriter, the Company or the Selling Shareholders. In any such case either the Representatives or the relevant Sellers shall have the right to postpone the Closing Date, but in no event for longer than seven days, in order that the required changes, if any, in the Registration Statement, in the Time of Sale Prospectus, in the Prospectus or in any other documents or arrangements may be effected. If, on an Option Closing Date, any Underwriter or Underwriters shall fail or refuse to purchase Additional Shares and the aggregate number of Additional Shares with respect to which such default occurs is more than one-tenth of the aggregate number of Additional Shares to be purchased on such Option Closing Date, the non-defaulting Underwriters shall have the option to (i) terminate their obligation hereunder to purchase the Additional Shares to be sold on such Option Closing Date or (ii) purchase not less than the number of Additional Shares that such non-defaulting Underwriters would have been obligated to purchase in the absence of such default. Any action taken under this paragraph shall not relieve any defaulting Underwriter from liability in respect of any default of such Underwriter under this Agreement.

If this Agreement shall be terminated by the Underwriters, or any of them, because of any failure or refusal on the part of any Seller to comply with the terms or to fulfill any of the conditions of this Agreement, or if for any reason any Seller shall be unable to perform its obligations under this Agreement, the Company (other than by reason of a default by the Underwriters or the occurrence of any of the events described in clauses (i) (solely to the extent that such event is not caused by conduct of the Company), (iii), (iv) or (v) of Section 13) will reimburse the Underwriters or such Underwriters as have so terminated this Agreement with respect to themselves, severally, for all out-of-pocket expenses (including the fees and disbursements of their counsel) reasonably incurred by such Underwriters in connection with this Agreement or the offering contemplated hereunder.

15. Entire Agreement. (a) This Agreement, together with any contemporaneous written agreements and any prior written agreements (to the extent not superseded by this Agreement) that relate to the offering of the Shares, represents the entire agreement between the Company and the Selling Shareholders, on the one hand, and the Underwriters, on the other, with respect to the preparation of any preliminary prospectus, the Time of Sale Prospectus, the Prospectus, the conduct of the offering, and the purchase and sale of the Shares.

(b) The Company and each Selling Shareholder acknowledge that in connection with the offering of the Shares: (i) the Underwriters have acted at arm’s length, are not agents of, and owe no fiduciary duties to, the Company, any of the Selling Shareholders or any other person, (ii) the Underwriters owe the Company and each Selling Shareholder only those duties and obligations set forth in this Agreement, any contemporaneous written agreements and prior written agreements (to the extent not superseded by this Agreement), if any, (iii) the Underwriters may have interests that differ from those of the Company and each

 

36


Selling Shareholder, and (iv) none of the activities of the Underwriters in connection with the transactions contemplated herein constitutes a recommendation, investment advice, or solicitation of any action by the Underwriters with respect to any entity or natural person. The Company and each Selling Shareholder waive to the full extent permitted by applicable law any claims it may have against the Underwriters arising from an alleged breach of fiduciary duty in connection with the offering of the Shares.

(c) Each Selling Shareholder further acknowledges and agrees that, although the Underwriters may provide certain Selling Shareholders with certain Regulation Best Interest and Form CRS disclosures or other related documentation in connection with the offering, the Underwriters are not making a recommendation to any Selling Shareholder to participate in the offering or sell any Shares at the Purchase Price, and nothing set forth in such disclosures or documentation is intended to suggest that any Underwriter is making such a recommendation.

16. Recognition of the U.S. Special Resolution Regimes. (a) In the event that any Underwriter that is a Covered Entity becomes subject to a proceeding under a U.S. Special Resolution Regime, the transfer from such Underwriter of this Agreement, and any interest and obligation in or under this Agreement, will be effective to the same extent as the transfer would be effective under the U.S. Special Resolution Regime if this Agreement, and any such interest and obligation, were governed by the laws of the United States or a state of the United States.

(b) In the event that any Underwriter that is a Covered Entity or a BHC Act Affiliate of such Underwriter becomes subject to a proceeding under a U.S. Special Resolution Regime, Default Rights under this Agreement that may be exercised against such Underwriter are permitted to be exercised to no greater extent than such Default Rights could be exercised under the U.S. Special Resolution Regime if this Agreement were governed by the laws of the United States or a state of the United States.

For purposes of this Section a “BHC Act Affiliate” has the meaning assigned to the term “affiliate” in, and shall be interpreted in accordance with, 12 U.S.C. § 1841(k). “Covered Entity” means any of the following: (i) a “covered entity” as that term is defined in, and interpreted in accordance with, 12 C.F.R. § 252.82(b); (ii) a “covered bank” as that term is defined in, and interpreted in accordance with, 12 C.F.R. § 47.3(b); or (iii) a “covered FSI” as that term is defined in, and interpreted in accordance with, 12 C.F.R. § 382.2(b). “Default Right” has the meaning assigned to that term in, and shall be interpreted in accordance with, 12 C.F.R. §§ 252.81, 47.2 or 382.1, as applicable. “U.S. Special Resolution Regime” means each of (i) the Federal Deposit Insurance Act and the regulations promulgated thereunder and (ii) Title II of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act and the regulations promulgated thereunder.

 

37


17. Counterparts. This Agreement may be signed in two or more counterparts, each of which shall be an original, with the same effect as if the signatures thereto and hereto were upon the same instrument. Counterparts may be delivered via facsimile, electronic mail (including any electronic signature complying with the U.S. federal ESIGN Act of 2000, Uniform Electronic Transactions Act or other applicable law, e.g., www. Docusign.com) or other transmission method any counterpart so delivered shall be deemed to have been duly and validly delivered and be valid and effective for all purposes.

18. Applicable Law. This Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the internal laws of the State of New York.

19. Headings. The headings of the sections of this Agreement have been inserted for convenience of reference only and shall not be deemed a part of this Agreement.

20. Notices. All communications hereunder shall be in writing and effective only upon receipt and if to the Underwriters shall be delivered, mailed or sent to the Representatives in care of Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC, 1585 Broadway, New York, New York 10036, Attention: Equity Syndicate Desk, with a copy to the Legal Department; Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC, 200 West Street, New York, New York 10282-2198, Attention: Equity Syndicate Desk, with a copy to the Legal Department; and Jefferies LLC, 520 Madison Avenue, New York, New York 10022, Attention: General Counsel; if to the Company shall be delivered, mailed or sent to The Honest Company, Inc., 12130 Millennium Drive, #500, Los Angeles, CA 90094, Attention: General Counseland if to the Selling Shareholders shall be delivered, mailed or sent to each of the Attorneys-in-Fact named in the Power of Attorney, c/o the Company at the address set forth on the cover of the Registration Statement, Attention: General Counsel with a copy, which shall not constitute notice, to Whalen LLP, 1601 Dove Street, Suite 270, Newport Beach, California 92660.

 

Very truly yours,
The Honest Company, Inc.
By:  

 

  Name:
  Title:

 

38


 

The Selling Shareholders named in Schedule

    I hereto, acting severally

By:  

 

 

Name:

Title: Attorney-in Fact

 

Accepted as of the date hereof
Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC
J.P. Morgan Securities LLC
Jefferies LLC
Acting severally on behalf of themselves and the
      several Underwriters named in Schedule II hereto
By:   Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC
By:  

 

  Name:
  Title:
By:   J.P. Morgan Securities LLC
By:  

 

  Name:
  Title:
By:   Jefferies LLC
By:  

 

  Name:
  Title:

 

39


SCHEDULE I

 

Selling Shareholder

   Number of Firm
Shares To Be Sold
 

[●]

  
  

 

 

 

Total:

  
  

 

 

 

 

I-1


SCHEDULE II

 

Underwriter

   Number of Firm Shares
To Be Purchased
 

Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC

  

J.P. Morgan Securities LLC

  

Jefferies LLC

  

[●]

  
  

 

 

 

Total:

  
  

 

 

 

 

II-1


SCHEDULE III

Time of Sale Prospectus

 

1.

Preliminary Prospectus issued [●]

 

2.

[identify all free writing prospectuses filed by the Company under Rule 433(d) of the Securities Act]

 

3.

[free writing prospectus containing a description of terms that does not reflect final terms, if the Time of Sale Prospectus does not include a final term sheet]

 

4.

[orally communicated pricing information such as price per share and size of offering if a Rule 134 pricing term sheet is used at the time of sale instead of a pricing term sheet filed by the Company under Rule 433(d) as a free writing prospectus]

 

III-1


EXHIBIT A

FORM OF LOCK-UP AGREEMENT

 

1


LOCK-UP AGREEMENT

                         , 2021

Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC

J.P. Morgan Securities LLC

Jefferies LLC

c/o Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC

1585 Broadway

New York, NY 10036

c/o J.P. Morgan Securities LLC

383 Madison Avenue

New York, NY 10179

c/o Jefferies LLC

520 Madison Avenue

New York, NY 10022

Ladies and Gentlemen:

The undersigned understands that Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC, J.P. Morgan Securities LLC and Jefferies LLC (the “Representatives”) propose to enter into an Underwriting Agreement (the “Underwriting Agreement”) with The Honest Company, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), providing for the public offering (the “Public Offering”) by the several Underwriters, including the Representatives (the “Underwriters”), of shares (the “Shares”) of the common stock, par value $0.0001 per share of the Company (the “Common Stock”).

To induce the Underwriters that may participate in the Public Offering to continue their efforts in connection with the Public Offering, the undersigned hereby agrees that, without the prior written consent of Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC and J.P. Morgan Securities LLC on behalf of the Underwriters, it will not, and will not publicly disclose an intention to, during the period commencing on the date hereof and ending 180 days after the date of the final prospectus (the “Public Offering Date”) (such period, the “Restricted Period”) relating to the Public Offering (the “Prospectus”), (1) offer, pledge, sell, contract to sell, sell any option or contract to purchase, purchase any option or contract to sell, grant any option, right or warrant to purchase, lend, or otherwise transfer or dispose of, directly or indirectly, any shares of Common Stock beneficially owned (as such term is used in Rule 13d-3 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”)), by the undersigned or any other securities so owned convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for Common Stock or (2) enter into any swap or other arrangement that transfers to another, in whole or in part, any of the economic consequences of ownership of the Common Stock, whether any such transaction described in clause (1) or (2) above is to be settled by delivery of Common


Stock or such other securities, in cash or otherwise. The undersigned acknowledges and agrees that the foregoing precludes the undersigned from engaging in any hedging or other transactions designed or intended, or which could reasonably be expected to lead to or result in, a sale or disposition of any shares of Common Stock, or securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for Common Stock, even if any such sale or disposition transaction or transactions would be made or executed by or on behalf of someone other than the undersigned.

The foregoing shall not apply to:

(a) transactions relating to shares of Common Stock or other securities acquired in the Public Offering or in open market transactions after the completion of the Public Offering, provided that no filing under Section 16(a) of the Exchange Act shall be required or shall be voluntarily made during the Restricted Period in connection with subsequent sales of Common Stock or other securities acquired in such Public Offering or open market transactions;

(b) transfers of shares of Common Stock or any security convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for Common Stock (i) as a bona fide gift or gifts, or for bona fide estate planning purposes, (ii) to any trust for the direct or indirect benefit of the undersigned or the immediate family of the undersigned, (iii) upon death or by will, testamentary document or intestate succession, (iv) to an immediate family member of the undersigned or to any trust for the direct or indirect benefit of the undersigned or one or more immediate family members of the undersigned (for purposes of this agreement, “immediate family” shall mean any spouse or domestic partner and relationship by blood, current or former marriage or adoption, not more remote than first cousin) or (v) if the undersigned is a trust, to any trustor, trustee or beneficiary of the undersigned or the estate of any such trustee or beneficiary;

(c) distributions, transfers or dispositions of shares of Common Stock or any security convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for Common Stock (i) to another corporation, partnership, limited liability company, trust or other business entity that is an affiliate (as defined in Rule 405 promulgated under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended) of the undersigned, or to any investment fund or other entity controlling, controlled by, managing or managed by the undersigned or affiliates of the undersigned, or (ii) as part of a distribution, transfer or disposition without consideration by the undersigned to its stockholders, current or former partners (general or limited), members, beneficiaries or other equity holders, or to the estates of any such stockholders, partners, members, beneficiaries or other equity holders;

(d) (i) the receipt by the undersigned from the Company of shares of Common Stock upon the exercise of options, settlement of restricted stock units or other equity awards granted under a stock incentive plan or other equity award plan, which plan is described in the registration statement related to the Public Offering (the “Registration Statement”) and the Prospectus, or the exercise of warrants outstanding and which are described in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, or (ii) the sale or other transfer of shares of Common Stock or any securities convertible into Common Stock to

 

2


the Company upon the vesting, exercise or settlement of restricted stock units, options, warrants or other Company securities (including, in each case, by way of a “cashless” or “net” exercise basis and any transfer to the Company necessary in respect of such amount needed for the payment of taxes, including estimated taxes, and remittance payments due as a result of such vesting, settlement or exercise including by means of a “net settlement,” “sell to cover” or otherwise); provided the shares received upon the vesting, exercise or settlement are subject to the terms of this agreement;

(e) the establishment of a trading plan pursuant to Rule 10b5-1 under the Exchange Act for the transfer of shares of Common Stock or any securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for Common Stock, provided that (i) such plan does not provide for the transfer of Common Stock during the Restricted Period and (ii) to the extent a public announcement or filing under the Exchange Act, if any, is required of or voluntarily made by or on behalf of the undersigned or the Company regarding the establishment of such plan, such announcement or filing shall include a statement to the effect that no transfer of Common Stock may be made under such plan during the Restricted Period;

(f) the transfer of Common Stock or any security convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for Common Stock that occurs by operation of law, such as pursuant to a qualified domestic order, divorce settlement, divorce decree, settlement agreement or other court order;

(g) any transfer of Common Stock to the Company pursuant to arrangements under which the Company has the option to repurchase such shares or a right of first refusal with respect to transfers of such shares or in connection with the death, disability or termination of employment or service;

(h) the conversion of the outstanding preferred stock of the Company into shares of Common Stock prior to or in connection with the consummation of the Public Offering, provided that such conversion is described in the Registration Statement and any such shares of Common Stock received upon such conversion shall be subject to the terms of this agreement;

(i) sales of shares of Common Stock to the Underwriters pursuant to the terms of the Underwriting Agreement;

(j) the transfer of shares of Common Stock or any security convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for Common Stock in connection with a bona fide third-party tender offer, merger, consolidation or other similar transaction, that is approved by the Board of Directors of the Company, made to all holders of Common Stock involving a Change of Control (as defined below), provided that in the event that the tender offer, merger, consolidation or other such transaction is not completed, the Common Stock owned by the undersigned shall remain subject to the restrictions contained in this agreement. For the purposes of this clause (j), “Change of Control” shall mean the transfer (whether by tender offer, merger, consolidation or other similar transaction), in one transaction or a series of related transactions, to a person or group of affiliated

 

3


persons (other than the Underwriters pursuant to the Public Offering), of shares of Common Stock or any securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for Common Stock if, after such transfer, such person or group of affiliated persons would hold more than fifty percent (50%) of the outstanding voting securities of the Company (or the surviving entity);

(k) the sale by the Company (on behalf of the undersigned) of up to such number of shares of Common Stock solely necessary to raise funds to satisfy the Company’s income and payroll tax withholding obligations in connection with the vesting, exercise or settlement of restricted stock units, options, warrants or other Company securities held by the undersigned that are outstanding as of the date hereof; provided that if the undersigned is required to file a report under Section 16(a) of the Exchange Act during the Restricted Period, the undersigned shall include a statement in any such report to the effect that such transfer was solely pursuant to the circumstances described in this clause (k), no other shares of Common Stock were sold and that the Undersigned’s securities are subject to a lock-up agreement with the Underwriters; provided further that no other public announcement shall be required or shall be voluntarily made in connection with such transfer; or

(l) the transfer of shares of Common Stock or any security convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for Common Stock to a partnership, limited liability company or other entity of which the undersigned and/or the immediate family of the undersigned are the legal and beneficial ownership of all of the outstanding securities or similar interests;

provided that in the case of any transfer, distribution or disposition pursuant to clause (b), (c) or (f), each transferee, donee or distributee shall sign and deliver a lock-up agreement substantially in the form of this agreement;

provided further that in the case of any transfer, distribution or disposition pursuant to clause (a), (b)(i), (b)(ii), (b)(iv), (b)(v) or (c), no public announcement or filing under Section 16(a) of the Exchange Act, or any other public filing or disclosure shall be required or shall be voluntarily made during the Restricted Period;

provided further that in the case of any transfer, distribution or disposition pursuant to clause (b), (c), (f) or (l) such transfer, distribution or disposition shall not involve a disposition for value; and

provided further that in the case of any transfer pursuant to clause (b)(iii), (d), (f) (g) or (k), no public announcement or filing under Section 16(a) of the Exchange Act, or any other public filing or disclosure shall be voluntarily made during the Restricted Period, and if any filing under Section 16(a) of the Exchange Act, or other public filing or disclosure, is legally required, such filing or disclosure shall clearly indicate in the footnotes thereto the nature and conditions of such transfer.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, if the undersigned is a current employee of the Company or any subsidiary of the Company, and the undersigned is not an executive

 

4


officer, director or founder of the Company nor a party to that certain Amended and Restated Investors’ Rights Agreement dated June 11, 2018 by and among the Company and the investors listed thereto (the “Rights Agreement”), then:

(A) the undersigned may sell or otherwise transfer up to 15% of the aggregate number of shares of Common Stock and shares of Common Stock underlying securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for Common Stock held by the undersigned as of the date of the Underwriting Agreement for which all vesting conditions were satisfied as of the date of the second post-IPO earnings announcement (as defined below) (the “Employee Early Release Shares”) beginning at the opening of trading on the third Trading Day (as defined below) immediately following the Company’s regular disclosure, either on Form 8-K or in a periodic report filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”), of the Company’s financial results for the second quarter following the most recent period for which financial statements are included in the Prospectus (which for this purpose shall not include “flash” numbers or preliminary, partial earnings) (the “second post-IPO earnings announcement”); and

(B) in addition to the Employee Early Release Shares, if the last reported closing price of the Common Stock on the New York Stock Exchange or The Nasdaq Stock Market, as the case may be, is at least 33% greater than the initial public offering price per share set forth on the cover page of the Prospectus for at least ten (10) Trading Days out of any fifteen (15) consecutive Trading Day period ending on or after the Trading Day that is 90 days after the Public Offering Date, the undersigned may sell or otherwise transfer up to 25% of the aggregate number of shares of Common Stock and shares of Common Stock underlying securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for Common Stock held by the undersigned as of the date of the Underwriting Agreement for which all vesting conditions were satisfied as of the date of the second post-IPO earnings announcement beginning at the opening of trading on the third Trading Day immediately following the second post-IPO earnings announcement.

[If the Representatives release any officer, director or beneficial owner of 1% or more of the outstanding shares of Common Stock of the Company as of the date of the Underwriting Agreement (calculated assuming conversion of all outstanding shares of the Company’s preferred stock), other than the undersigned, from the restrictions described herein during the Restricted Period, then the undersigned shall also be granted an early release from its obligations hereunder, on a pro rata basis with all other beneficial owners of similarly restricted securities of the Company based on the maximum percentage of shares held by any such beneficial owner being released from such holder’s lock-up agreement (the “Pro-rata Release”); provided, however, that no Pro-rata Release of the undersigned’s Shares will occur unless the Representatives have waived such prohibitions with respect to Common Stock, or any securities convertible into or exercisable for Common Stock, valued at $5,000,000 or more in the aggregate, in one or a series of similar transactions (based on the closing or last reported sale price of the Common Stock on the date such waiver becomes effective). The Pro-rata Release shall not be applied in the case of (1) an early release from the restrictions described herein due to circumstances of an emergency or hardship, as determined by the Representatives in their sole judgment, (2) a release effective solely to permit a transfer not involving a disposition for value if the transferee agrees in writing to be

 

5


bound by the same terms described in this agreement or (3) an early release from the restrictions described herein during the Restricted Period in connection with an underwritten public offering that is wholly or partially a secondary offering of Shares. The undersigned acknowledges that the Representatives are under no obligation to inquire whether, or to ensure that, the Company notifies the undersigned of the delivery by the Representatives of any such notice.]

A “Trading Day” is a day on which the New York Stock Exchange and The Nasdaq Stock Market are open for the buying and selling of securities.

In addition, the undersigned agrees that, without the prior written consent of Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC and J.P. Morgan Securities LLC on behalf of the Underwriters, it will not, during the Restricted Period, make any demand for or exercise any right with respect to, the registration of any shares of Common Stock or any security convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for Common Stock. The undersigned also agrees and consents to the entry of stop transfer instructions with the Company and the Company’s transfer agent and registrar against the transfer of the undersigned’s shares of Common Stock except in compliance with the foregoing restrictions.

If the undersigned is an officer or director of the Company, the undersigned further agrees that the foregoing provisions shall be equally applicable to any issuer-directed Shares the undersigned may purchase in the Public Offering.

If the undersigned is an officer or director of the Company, (i) Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC and J.P. Morgan Securities LLC agree that, at least three business days before the effective date of any release or waiver of the foregoing restrictions in connection with a transfer of shares of Common Stock, Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC and J.P. Morgan Securities LLC will notify the Company of the impending release or waiver, and (ii) the Company has agreed in the Underwriting Agreement 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. Any release or waiver granted by Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC and J.P. Morgan Securities LLC hereunder to any such officer or director shall only be effective two business days after the publication date of such press release. The provisions of this paragraph will not apply if (a) the release or waiver is effected solely to permit a transfer not for consideration and (b) the transferee has agreed in writing to be bound by the same terms described in this agreement to the extent and for the duration that such terms remain in effect at the time of the transfer.

The undersigned understands that the Company and the Underwriters are relying upon this agreement in proceeding toward consummation of the Public Offering. The undersigned further understands that this agreement is irrevocable and shall be binding upon the undersigned’s heirs, legal representatives, successors and assigns.

The undersigned acknowledges and agrees that the Underwriters have not provided any recommendation or investment advice nor have the Underwriters solicited any action from the undersigned with respect to the Public Offering of the Shares and the undersigned has consulted their own legal, accounting, financial, regulatory and tax

 

6


advisors to the extent deemed appropriate. The undersigned further acknowledges and agrees that, although the Underwriters may provide certain Regulation Best Interest and Form CRS disclosures or other related documentation to you in connection with the Public Offering, the Underwriters are not making a recommendation to you to participate in the Public Offering or sell any Shares at the price determined in the Public Offering, and nothing set forth in such disclosures or documentation is intended to suggest that any Underwriter is making such a recommendation.

Whether or not the Public Offering actually occurs depends on a number of factors, including market conditions. Any Public Offering will only be made pursuant to an Underwriting Agreement, the terms of which are subject to negotiation between the Company and the Underwriters.

The undersigned hereby represents and warrants that the undersigned has full power and authority to enter into this agreement. All authority herein conferred or agreed to be conferred and any obligations of the undersigned shall be binding upon the successors, assigns, heirs or personal representatives of the undersigned.

The undersigned understands that, if (a) the Underwriting Agreement does not become effective by October 1, 2021 (provided, however, that the undersigned agrees that this agreement shall be automatically extended by three months if the Company provides written notice to the undersigned that the Company is still pursuing the Public Offering contemplated by the Underwriting Agreement), (b) the Underwriting Agreement (other than the provisions thereof which survive termination) shall terminate or be terminated prior to payment for and delivery of the Common Stock to be sold thereunder, or (c) the registration statement filed with the SEC in connection with the Public Offering is withdrawn, the undersigned shall be released from all obligations under this agreement.

This agreement may be delivered via facsimile, electronic mail (including pdf or any electronic signature complying with the U.S. federal ESIGN Act of 2000, e.g., www.docusign.com or www.echosign.com) or other transmission method and any counterpart so delivered shall be deemed to have been duly and validly delivered and be valid and effective for all purposes.

This agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York.

[Signature page follows]

 

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Very truly yours,

 

                                                                                    
(please print complete name of entity)
        By:                                                                     
              (duly authorized signature)
Name:                                                                         
                  (please print full name)
    Title:                                                                      
              (please print full title)
Address:
                                                                                    
                                                                                    
E-mail:

[Signature Page – Lock-up Agreement]


EXHIBIT B

FORM OF WAIVER OF LOCK-UP

                             _____________, 20__

[Name and Address of

Officer or Director

Requesting Waiver]

Dear Mr./Ms. [Name]:

This letter is being delivered to [●] in connection with the offering by The Honest Company, Inc. (the “Company”) of [●] shares of common stock, $0.0001 par value (the “Common Stock”), of the Company and the lock-up agreement dated [●], 2021 (the “Lock-up Agreement”), executed by you in connection with such offering, and your request for a [waiver] [release] dated ____, 20__, with respect to ____ shares of Common Stock (the “Shares”).

[●] hereby agrees to [waive] [release] the transfer restrictions set forth in the Lock-up Agreement, but only with respect to the Shares, effective _____, 20__; provided, however, that such [waiver] [release] is conditioned on the Company announcing the impending [waiver] [release] by press release through a major news service at least two business days before effectiveness of such [waiver] [release]. This letter will serve as notice to the Company of the impending [waiver] [release].

Except as expressly [waived] [released] hereby, the Lock-up Agreement shall remain in full force and effect.

 

Very truly yours,
[]

 

2


Acting severally on behalf of themselves and the several Underwriters named in Schedule I hereto
By:  

 

  Name:
  Title:

cc: Company

 

3


FORM OF PRESS RELEASE

The Honest Company, Inc.

[Date]

The Honest Company, Inc. (the “Company”) announced today that [●], the lead book-running managers in the Company’s recent public sale of [●] shares of its common stock is [waiving][releasing] a lock-up restriction with respect to ____ shares of the Company’s common stock held by [certain officers or directors] [an officer or director] of the Company. The [waiver][release] will take effect on ____, 20__ , and the shares may be sold on or after such date.

This press release is not an offer for sale of the securities in the United States or in any other jurisdiction where such offer is prohibited, and such securities may not be offered or sold in the United States absent registration or an exemption from registration under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended.

 

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Exhibit 3.1

AMENDED AND RESTATED

CERTIFICATE OF INCORPORATION

OF

THE HONEST COMPANY, INC.

The Honest Company, Inc., a corporation organized and existing under and by virtue of the provisions of the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware (the “General Corporation Law”),

DOES HEREBY CERTIFY:

1. That the name of this corporation is The Honest Company, Inc., and that this corporation was originally incorporated pursuant to the General Corporation Law on May 23, 2012.

2. That the Board of Directors duly adopted resolutions proposing to amend and restate the Certificate of Incorporation of this corporation, declaring said amendment and restatement to be advisable and in the best interests of this corporation and its stockholders, and authorizing the appropriate officers of this corporation to solicit the consent of the stockholders therefor, which resolution setting forth the proposed amendment and restatement is as follows:

RESOLVED, that the Certificate of Incorporation of this corporation be amended and restated in its entirety to read as follows:

FIRST: The name of this corporation is The Honest Company, Inc. (the “Corporation”).

SECOND: The address of the registered office of the Corporation in the State of Delaware is 160 Greentree Drive, Suite 101, in the City of Dover 19904, County of Kent. The name of its registered agent at such address is National Registered Agents, Inc.

THIRD: The nature of the business or purposes to be conducted or promoted is to engage in any lawful act or activity for which corporations may be organized under the General Corporation Law.

FOURTH: Effective upon the filing of this Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation, (i) each issued and outstanding share of Common Stock (as defined below), automatically and without any action on the part of the respective holders thereof, shall become two (2) fully paid and nonassessable shares of Common Stock and (ii) each issued and outstanding share of Preferred Stock (as defined below), automatically and without any action on the part of the respective holders thereof, shall become two (2) fully paid and nonassessable shares of Preferred Stock (together, the “Forward Stock Split”). The Forward Stock Split shall occur whether or not the certificates representing such shares of Common Stock or Preferred Stock are surrendered to the Corporation or its transfer agent; provided, however, that the Corporation shall not be obligated to issue certificates evidencing the shares resulting from the Forward Stock Split unless either the certificates evidencing such shares of Common Stock or Preferred Stock are delivered to the Corporation or its transfer agent, or the holder notifies the Corporation or its transfer agent that such certificates have been lost, stolen or destroyed and executes an agreement satisfactory to the Corporation to indemnify the Corporation from any loss incurred by it in connection with such certificates. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the par value of each share of the Corporation’s

 


outstanding Common Stock and Preferred Stock will not be adjusted in connection with the Forward Stock Split. All share amounts, dollar amounts and other provisions in this Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation have been appropriately adjusted to reflect the Forward Stock Split, and no further adjustments shall be made to the share amounts, dollar amounts, conversion prices and other provisions, except in the case of any stock splits, reverse splits, recapitalization and the like occurring after the effective time of the Forward Stock Split.

The total number of shares of all classes of stock which the Corporation shall have authority to issue is 199,192,248, consisting of (i) 150,000,000 shares of Common Stock, $0.0001 par value per share (“Common Stock”) and (ii) 49,192,248 shares of Preferred Stock, $0.0001 par value per share (“Preferred Stock”).

The following is a statement of the designations and the powers, privileges and rights, and the qualifications, limitations or restrictions thereof in respect of each class of capital stock of the Corporation.

A. COMMON STOCK

1. General. The voting, dividend and liquidation rights of the holders of the Common Stock are subject to and qualified by the rights, powers and preferences of the holders of the Preferred Stock set forth herein.

2. Voting. The holders of the Common Stock are entitled to one vote for each share of Common Stock held at all meetings of stockholders (and written actions in lieu of meetings). No person entitled to vote at an election for directors may cumulate votes to which such person is entitled, unless, at the time of such election, the Corporation is subject to Section 2115 of the California Corporations Code. During such time or times that the Corporation is subject to Section 2115(b) of the California Corporations Code, every stockholder entitled to vote at an election for directors may cumulate such stockholder’s votes and give one candidate a number of votes equal to the number of directors to be elected multiplied by the number of votes to which such stockholder’s shares are otherwise entitled, or distribute the stockholder’s votes on the same principle among as many candidates as such stockholder desires. No stockholder, however, shall be entitled to so cumulate such stockholder’s votes unless (i) the names of such candidate or candidates have been placed in nomination prior to the voting and (ii) the stockholder has given notice at the meeting, prior to the voting, of such stockholder’s intention to cumulate such stockholder’s votes. If any stockholder has given proper notice to cumulate votes, all stockholders may cumulate their votes for any candidates who have been properly placed in nomination. Under cumulative voting, the candidates receiving the highest number of votes, up to the number of directors to be elected, are elected. The number of authorized shares of Common Stock may be increased or decreased (but not below the number of shares thereof then outstanding) by (in addition to any vote of the holders of one or more series of Preferred Stock that may be required by the terms of the Certificate of Incorporation) the affirmative vote of the holders of shares of capital stock of the Corporation representing a majority of the votes represented by all outstanding shares of capital stock of the Corporation entitled to vote, irrespective of the provisions of Section 242(b)(2) of the General Corporation Law.

 

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3. Dividend Rights. Subject to the rights of holders of all classes of stock at the time outstanding having rights as to dividends as set forth in Section B.1 below, the holders of Common Stock shall be entitled to receive, when, as and if declared by the Board of Directors of the Corporation, out of any assets of the Corporation legally available therefor, such dividends as may be declared from time to time by the Board of Directors of the Corporation. For the avoidance doubt, the rights of the holders of Common Stock to receive dividends shall not not be junior or subordinated to any right or entitlement of the holders of Preferred Stock to receive dividends.

4. Liquidation Rights. Upon the liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Corporation, or other Liquidation Event (as defined below), the assets of the Corporation shall be distributed as provided in Section B.2 hereof.

5. Redemption. The Common Stock is not redeemable at the option of the holders thereof.

B. PREFERRED STOCK

11,347,518 shares of the Preferred Stock of the Corporation are hereby designated “Series A Preferred Stock”, 11,554,016 shares of the Preferred Stock of the Corporation are hereby designated “Series A-1 Preferred Stock”, 4,551,572 shares of Preferred Stock of the Corporation are hereby designated “Series B Preferred Stock”, 5,174,204 shares of Preferred Stock of the Corporation are hereby designated “Series C Preferred Stock”, 4,545,944 shares of Preferred Stock of the Corporation are hereby designated “Series D Preferred Stock”, 6,918,204 shares of Preferred Stock of the Corporation are hereby designated “Series E Preferred Stock” and 5,100,790 shares of Preferred Stock of the Corporation are hereby designated “Series F Preferred Stock” with the following rights, preferences, powers, privileges and restrictions, qualifications and limitations. Unless otherwise indicated, references to “Sections” or “Subsections” in this Part B of this Article Fourth refer to sections and subsections of Part B of this Article Fourth.

1. Dividends. If any dividend is paid on any share of Common Stock in accordance with Section A.3 above, such dividend, payable out of funds legally available therefor, shall be distributed among all holders of Common Stock, any such other class or series of capital stock and Preferred Stock in proportion to the number of shares of Common Stock that would be held by each such holder if all shares of such other class or series of capital stock and Preferred Stock were converted to Common Stock at the then effective conversion rate. For the avoidance of doubt, the holders of outstanding shares of Preferred Stock shall not be entitled to receive any dividends prior or in preference to any declaration or payment of any dividend on shares of Common Stock.

2. Liquidation, Dissolution or Winding Up; Certain Mergers, Consolidations and Asset Sales.

2.1 Preferential Payments to Holders of Preferred Stock. In the event of any voluntary or involuntary liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Corporation or Deemed Liquidation Event (defined below) (a “Liquidation Event”), the holders of shares of Preferred Stock then outstanding shall be entitled to be paid out of the assets of the Corporation available for distribution to its stockholders before any payment shall be made to the holders of Common Stock by reason of their ownership thereof, an amount per share equal to the greater of (a)(i) with respect to the shares of Series A Preferred Stock and Series A-1 Preferred Stock, the Series A Original Issue Price for the Series A Preferred Stock and the Series A-1 Original Issue Price for the Series A-

 

3


1 Preferred Stock, plus any dividends declared but unpaid thereon, (ii) with respect to the shares of Series B Preferred Stock, two (2) times the Series B Original Issue Price, plus any dividends declared but unpaid thereon, (iii) with respect to the shares of Series C Preferred Stock, 1.42857 times the Series C Original Issue Price, plus any dividends declared but unpaid thereon, (iv) with respect to the shares of Series D Preferred Stock, the Series D Original Issue Price, plus any dividends declared but unpaid thereon, (v) with respect to the shares of Series E Preferred Stock, the Series E Original Issue Price, plus any dividends declared but unpaid thereon, or (vi) with respect to the shares of Series F Preferred Stock, the Series F Original Issue Price, plus any dividends declared but unpaid thereon, or (b) such amount per share as would have been payable had all shares of Series A Preferred Stock, Series A-1 Preferred Stock, Series B Preferred Stock, Series C Preferred Stock, Series D Preferred Stock, Series E Preferred Stock, or Series F Preferred Stock, as applicable, been converted into Common Stock pursuant to Section 4 immediately prior to such Liquidation Event, assuming, for purposes of making the calculation provided for in this clause (b) of this sentence, the conversion into Common Stock of all shares of each series of Preferred Stock that would receive a greater per share liquidation payment if converted into Common Stock than if remaining as Preferred Stock (the amount payable pursuant to this sentence is hereinafter referred to as the “Series A Liquidation Amount” for the Series A Preferred Stock, the “Series A-1 Liquidation Amount” for the Series A-1 Preferred Stock, the “Series B Liquidation Amount” for the Series B Preferred Stock, the “Series C Liquidation Amount” for the Series C Preferred Stock, the “Series D Liquidation Amount” for the Series D Preferred Stock, the “Series E Liquidation Amount” for the Series E Preferred Stock, and the “Series F Liquidation Amount” for the Series F Preferred Stock). If upon any such liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Corporation or Deemed Liquidation Event, the assets of the Corporation available for distribution to its stockholders shall be insufficient to pay the holders of shares of Preferred Stock the full amount to which they shall be entitled under this Subsection 2.1, the holders of shares of Preferred Stock shall share ratably in any distribution of the assets available for distribution in proportion to the respective amounts which would otherwise be payable in respect of the shares held by them upon such distribution if all amounts payable on or with respect to such shares were paid in full. The “Series A Original Issue Price” shall mean $0.52875 per share, subject to appropriate adjustment in the event of any stock dividend, stock split, combination or other similar recapitalization with respect to the Series A Preferred Stock occurring after the effective time of the Forward Stock Split. The “Series A-1 Original Issue Price” shall mean $1.81755 per share, subject to appropriate adjustment in the event of any stock dividend, stock split, combination or other similar recapitalization with respect to the Series A-1 Preferred Stock occurring after the effective time of the Forward Stock Split. The “Series B Original Issue Price” shall mean $5.49260 per share, subject to appropriate adjustment in the event of any stock dividend, stock split, combination or other similar recapitalization with respect to the Series B Preferred Stock occurring after the effective time of the Forward Stock Split. The “Series C Original Issue Price” shall mean $13.52865 per share, subject to appropriate adjustment in the event of any stock dividend, stock split, combination or other similar recapitalization with respect to the Series C Preferred Stock occurring after the effective time of the Forward Stock Split. The “Series D Original Issue Price” shall mean $22.87750 per share, subject to appropriate adjustment in the event of any stock dividend, stock split, combination or other similar recapitalization with respect to the Series D Preferred Stock occurring after the effective time of the Forward Stock Split. The “Series E Original Issue Price” shall mean $9.80240 per share, subject to appropriate adjustment in the event of any stock dividend, stock split, combination or other similar recapitalization with respect to the Series E Preferred Stock occurring after the effective time of the Forward Stock Split. The “Series

 

4


F Original Issue Price” shall mean $9.80240 per share, subject to appropriate adjustment in the event of any stock dividend, stock split, combination or other similar recapitalization with respect to the Series F Preferred Stock occurring after the effective time of the Forward Stock Split.

2.2 Payment to Holders of Common Stock. In the event of a Liquidation Event, after the payment of all preferential amounts required to be paid to the holders of shares of Preferred Stock the remaining assets of the Corporation available for distribution to its stockholders shall be distributed among the holders of shares of Common Stock, pro rata based on the number of shares held by each such holder.

2.3 Deemed Liquidation Events.

2.3.1. Definition. Each of the following events shall be considered a “Deemed Liquidation Event” unless waived by the affirmative vote or written consent of the holders of a majority of the outstanding shares of Preferred Stock, voting as a separate class and on an as-converted basis:

 

  (a)

a merger or consolidation, in which

 

  (i)

the Corporation is a constituent party or

 

  (ii)

a subsidiary of the Corporation is a constituent party and the Corporation issues shares of its capital stock pursuant to such merger or consolidation,

except any such merger or consolidation involving the Corporation or a subsidiary in which the shares of capital stock of the Corporation outstanding immediately prior to such merger or consolidation continue to represent, or are converted into or exchanged for shares of capital stock that represent, immediately following such merger or consolidation, at least a majority, by voting power, of the capital stock of (1) the surviving or resulting corporation or (2) if the surviving or resulting corporation is a wholly owned subsidiary of another corporation immediately following such merger or consolidation, the parent corporation of such surviving or resulting corporation;

(b) the sale, lease, transfer, exclusive license or other disposition, in a single transaction or series of related transactions, by the Corporation or any subsidiary of the Corporation of all or substantially all the assets of the Corporation and its subsidiaries taken as a whole or the sale or disposition (whether by merger or otherwise) of one or more subsidiaries of the Corporation if substantially all of the assets of the Corporation and its subsidiaries taken as a whole are held by such subsidiary or subsidiaries, except where such sale, lease, transfer, exclusive license or other disposition is to a wholly owned subsidiary of the Corporation, or

(c) a transfer (whether by merger, consolidation or otherwise), other than pursuant to a bona-fide equity financing, in one transaction or a series of related transactions to which the Corporation is a party, to a person or group of affiliated persons (other than an underwriter of the Corporation’s securities) that prior to such transfer does not hold 10% or more of the outstanding voting stock of the Corporation on an as-converted basis, if, after such closing, such person or group of affiliated persons would hold 50% or more of the outstanding voting stock of the Corporation (or the surviving or acquired entity).

 

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Notwithstanding this Subsection 2.3.1, a transaction shall not constitute a Deemed Liquidation Event if the primary purpose is to change the jurisdiction of the Corporation’s incorporation, create a holding company that will be owned in substantially the same proportions by the persons who held the Corporation’s securities immediately before such transactions, or to effect a customary venture capital financing of the Corporation.

2.3.2. Effecting a Deemed Liquidation Event.

(a) The Corporation shall not have the power to effect a Deemed Liquidation Event referred to in Subsection 2.3.1(a)(i) unless the agreement or plan of merger or consolidation for such transaction (the “Merger Agreement”) provides that the consideration payable to the stockholders of the Corporation shall be allocated among the holders of capital stock of the Corporation in accordance with Subsections 2.1 and 2.2.

(b) In the event of a Deemed Liquidation Event referred to in Subsection 2.3.1(a)(ii), 2.3.1(b) or 2.3.1(c), if the Corporation does not effect a dissolution of the Corporation under the General Corporation Law within 90 days after such Deemed Liquidation Event, then (i) the Corporation shall send a written notice to each holder of Preferred Stock no later than the 90th day after the Deemed Liquidation Event advising such holders of their right (and the requirements to be met to secure such right) pursuant to the terms of the following clause (ii) to require the redemption of such shares of Preferred Stock, and (ii) if the holders of at least a majority of the then outstanding shares of Preferred Stock (voting together as a separate class and on an as-converted basis) so request in a written instrument delivered to the Corporation not later than 120 days after such Deemed Liquidation Event, the Corporation shall use the consideration received by the Corporation for such Deemed Liquidation Event (net of any retained liabilities associated with the assets sold or technology licensed, as determined in good faith by the Board of Directors of the Corporation), together with any other assets of the Corporation available for distribution to its stockholders, all to the extent permitted by Delaware law governing distributions to stockholders (the “Available Proceeds”), on the 150th day after such Deemed Liquidation Event, to redeem all outstanding shares of Preferred Stock at a price per share equal to the Series A Liquidation Amount, Series A-1 Liquidation Amount, Series B Liquidation Amount, Series C Liquidation Amount, Series D Liquidation Amount or Series E Liquidation Amount, as applicable. Notwithstanding the foregoing, in the event of a redemption pursuant to the preceding sentence, if the Available Proceeds are not sufficient to redeem all outstanding shares of Preferred Stock, the Corporation shall ratably redeem each holder’s shares of Preferred Stock to the fullest extent of such Available Proceeds, and shall redeem the remaining shares as soon as it may lawfully do so under Delaware law governing distributions to stockholders. The provisions of Subsections 2.3.2(c), 2.3.2(d) and 2.3.2(e) shall apply to the redemption of the Preferred Stock pursuant to this Subsection 2.3.2(b). Prior to the distribution or redemption provided for in this Subsection 2.3.2(b), the Corporation shall not expend or dissipate the consideration received for such Deemed Liquidation Event, except to discharge expenses incurred in connection with such Deemed Liquidation Event or in the ordinary course of business.

 

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(c) To effect the redemption contemplated by Subsection 2.3.2(b), the Corporation shall send written notice of the mandatory redemption (the “Redemption Notice”) to each holder of record of Preferred Stock not less than 40 days prior to such redemption date. Each Redemption Notice shall state:

(i) the number of shares of Preferred Stock held by the holder that the Corporation shall redeem on the redemption date specified in the Redemption Notice;

(ii) the redemption date and the redemption price;

(iii) the date upon which the holder’s right to convert such shares terminates (as determined in accordance with Subsection 4.1); and

(iv) that the holder is to surrender to the Corporation, in the manner and at the place designated, his, her or its certificate or certificates representing the shares of Preferred Stock to be redeemed.

If the Corporation receives, on or prior to the 20th day after the date of delivery of the Redemption Notice to a holder of Preferred Stock, written notice from such holder that such holder elects to have all or any portion of such holder’s shares of Preferred Stock excluded from the redemption provided in this Subsection 2.3.2, then such excluded shares of Preferred Stock registered on the books of the Corporation in the name of such holder at the time of the Corporation’s receipt of such notice shall thereafter be “Excluded Shares.” Excluded Shares shall not be redeemed or redeemable pursuant to this Subsection 2.3.2, whether on such redemption date or thereafter.

(d) On or before the applicable redemption date, each holder of shares of Preferred Stock to be redeemed on such redemption date, unless such holder has exercised his, her or its right to convert such shares as provided in Section 4, shall surrender the certificate or certificates representing such shares (or, if such registered holder alleges that such certificate has been lost, stolen or destroyed, a lost certificate affidavit and agreement reasonably acceptable to the Corporation to indemnify the Corporation against any claim that may be made against the Corporation on account of the alleged loss, theft or destruction of such certificate) to the Corporation, in the manner and at the place designated in the Redemption Notice, and thereupon the redemption price for such shares shall be payable to the order of the person whose name appears on such certificate or certificates as the owner thereof. In the event less than all of the shares of Preferred Stock represented by a certificate are redeemed, a new certificate representing the unredeemed shares of Preferred Stock shall promptly be issued to such holder.

(e) If the Redemption Notice shall have been duly given, and if on the applicable redemption date the redemption price payable upon redemption of the shares of Preferred Stock to be redeemed on such redemption date is paid or tendered for payment or deposited with an independent payment agent so as to be available therefor in a timely manner, then notwithstanding that the certificates evidencing any of the shares of Preferred Stock so called for redemption shall not have been surrendered, dividends with respect to such shares of Preferred Stock shall cease to accrue after such redemption date and all rights with respect to such shares shall forthwith after the redemption date terminate, except only the right of the holders to receive the redemption price without interest upon surrender of their certificate or certificates therefor.

 

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2.3.3. Amount Deemed Paid or Distributed. If the proceeds received by the Corporation or its stockholders in connection with a Liquidation Event are other than cash, the value of such proceeds shall be their fair market value as determined in good faith by the Board of Directors of the Corporation and the holders of a majority of the outstanding shares of Preferred Stock, voting as a separate class and on an as-converted basis; provided, however, that any securities shall be valued as follows:

(a) For securities not subject to investment letters or other similar restrictions on free marketability,

(i) if traded on a national securities exchange or a national quotation system, the value shall be deemed to be the average of the closing prices of the securities on such exchange or market over the 10-day trading period ending three days prior to the closing of such transaction;

(ii) if actively traded over-the-counter, the value shall be deemed to be the average of the closing bid prices over the 10-day period ending three days prior to the closing of such transaction; or

(iii) if there is no active public market, the value shall be the fair market value thereof, as determined in good faith by the Board of Directors of the Corporation and the holders of a majority of the outstanding shares of Preferred Stock, voting as a separate class and on an as-converted basis.

(b) For the purposes of this Subsection 2.3.3, “trading day” shall mean any day which the exchange or system on which the securities to be distributed are traded is open and “closing prices” or “closing bid prices” shall be deemed to be: (1) for securities traded primarily on the New York Stock Exchange, the NYSE American or the Nasdaq Stock Market, the last reported trade price or sale price, as the case may be, at 4:00 p.m., New York time, on that day, and (2) for securities listed or traded on other exchanges, markets and systems, the market price as of the end of the regular hours trading period that is generally accepted as such for such exchange, market or system. If, after the date hereof, the benchmark times generally accepted in the securities industry for determining the market price of a stock as of a given trading day shall change from those set forth above, the fair market value shall be determined as of such other generally accepted benchmark times.

(c) The method of valuation of securities subject to investment letters or other similar restrictions on free marketability (other than restrictions arising solely by virtue of a stockholder’s status as an affiliate or former affiliate) shall take into account an appropriate discount from the market value as determined pursuant to clause (a) above so as to reflect the approximate fair market value thereof, as determined in good faith by the Board of Directors of the Corporation and the holders of a majority of the outstanding shares of Preferred Stock, voting as a separate class and on an as-converted basis.

 

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3. Voting.

3.1 General. On any matter presented to the stockholders of the Corporation for their action or consideration at any meeting of stockholders of the Corporation (or by written consent of stockholders in lieu of meeting), each holder of outstanding shares of Preferred Stock shall be entitled to cast the number of votes equal to the number of whole shares of Common Stock into which the shares of Preferred Stock held by such holder are convertible as of the record date for determining stockholders entitled to vote on such matter. Except as provided by law or by the other provisions of the Certificate of Incorporation, holders of Preferred Stock shall vote together with the holders of Common Stock as a single class.

3.2 Election of Directors. So long as at least 2,000,000 shares of Series A Preferred Stock (as adjusted for any stock dividends, stock splits, stock combinations, recapitalizations or similar events with respect to such shares occurring after the effective time of the Forward Stock Split) remain outstanding, the holders of record of the shares of Series A Preferred Stock, exclusively and as a separate class, shall be entitled to elect one director of the Corporation (the “Series A Director”). So long as at least 800,000 shares of Series B Preferred Stock (as adjusted for any stock dividends, stock splits, stock combinations, recapitalizations or similar events with respect to such shares occurring after the effective time of the Forward Stock Split) remain outstanding, the holders of record of the shares of Series A-1 Preferred Stock and Series B Preferred Stock, voting together as a single class on an as-converted basis, shall be entitled to elect one director of the Corporation (the “Series A-1/B Director”). The holders of record of the shares of Series F Preferred Stock, exclusively and as a separate class and on an as-converted basis, shall be entitled to elect two directors of the Corporation (the “Series F Directors”). The holders of record of the shares of Common Stock, exclusively and as a separate class, shall be entitled to elect two directors of the Corporation (the “Common Directors”). The holders of record of the shares of Preferred Stock and Common Stock, voting together as a single class and on an as-converted basis, shall be entitled to elect one director of the Corporation (the “Joint Director”). All of the directors of the Corporation shall be elected pursuant to and in accordance with that certain Amended and Restated Voting Agreement of the Corporation, dated on or around the Filing Date, and as may be amended from time to time (the “Voting Agreement”). Any director elected as provided in the preceding six sentences may be removed from the Board, either with or without cause, only by the affirmative vote or written consent of the holders of the outstanding shares of class or series of capital stock entitled to elect such director or directors, given either at a special meeting of such stockholders duly called for that purpose or pursuant to a written consent of stockholders. If holders of a class or series fail to elect a sufficient number of directors to fill all directorships for which they are entitled to elect directors, voting exclusively and as a separate class, pursuant to the first five sentences of Subsection 3.2, then any directorship not so filled shall remain vacant until such time as the holders of such class or series elect a person to fill such directorship by vote or written consent in lieu of a meeting; and no such directorship may be filled by stockholders of the Corporation other than by the stockholders of the Corporation that are entitled to elect a person to fill such directorship, voting exclusively and as a separate class. At any meeting held for the purpose of electing a director, the presence in person or by proxy of the holders of a majority of the outstanding shares of the class or series entitled to elect such director shall constitute a quorum for the purpose of electing such director. A vacancy in any directorship filled by the holders of any class or series shall be filled only by vote or written consent in lieu of a meeting of the holders of such class or series or by any remaining director or directors elected by the holders of such class or series pursuant to Subsection 3.2.

 

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3.3 Preferred Stock Protective Provisions. At any time when at least 8,000,000 shares of Preferred Stock (subject to appropriate adjustment in the event of any stock dividend, stock split, combination or other similar recapitalization with respect to the Preferred Stock occurring after the effective time of the Forward Stock Split) are outstanding, the Corporation shall not, either directly or indirectly by amendment, merger, consolidation or otherwise, do any of the following without (in addition to any other vote required by law or the Certificate of Incorporation) the written consent or affirmative vote of the holders of at least a majority of the then outstanding shares of Preferred Stock, given in writing or by vote at a meeting, consenting or voting (as the case may be) separately as a class and on an as-converted basis, and any such act or transaction entered into without such consent or vote shall be null and void ab initio, and of no force or effect:

3.3.1. consummate a Liquidation Event, enter into an exclusive license of all or substantially all of the Corporation’s intellectual property, or acquire capital stock or assets of another company involving the payment, contribution or assignment by the Corporation of stock or assets greater than (i) $25,000,000 for any one such acquisition or (ii) an aggregate of $50,000,000 for all such acquisitions in any given 12 month period;

3.3.2. authorize or issue, or obligate itself to issue, any other equity security (or any security convertible into or exercisable for any such equity security) having a preference over, or being on a parity with, the Preferred Stock with respect to voting rights, dividend rights, redemption rights or liquidation preferences, other than shares of Preferred Stock authorized under this Certificate of Incorporation;

3.3.3. increase or decrease (other than by redemption or conversion) the authorized number of shares of Common Stock or Preferred Stock;

3.3.4. amend or repeal any provision of this Certificate of Incorporation or the Corporation’s Bylaws;

3.3.5. redeem, purchase or otherwise acquire (or pay into or set aside for a sinking fund for such purpose) any Common Stock or Preferred Stock of the Corporation (other than a redemption of Preferred Stock pursuant to Subsection 2.3.2); provided, however, that this restriction shall not apply to the repurchase or reacquisition of shares of Common Stock or Preferred Stock (A) from employees, officers, directors, consultants or other persons performing services for the Corporation or any subsidiary pursuant to agreements under which the Corporation has the right to repurchase or reacquire such shares at cost (or at the lesser of cost or the then fair market value) upon the occurrence of certain events, such as the termination of employment or other service, or (B) pursuant to the exercise by the Corporation (whether contractually or pursuant to its Bylaws) of any rights of first refusal with respect to such shares; or (C) pursuant to agreements under which the Corporation has the obligation to purchase or reacquire such shares which are either entered into prior to the Filing Date or approved pursuant to this Subsection 3.3.5 following the Filing Date (the “Put Agreements”);

3.3.6. declare, pay or set aside a dividend on any Common Stock or Preferred Stock of the Corporation (other than dividends payable on the Common Stock solely in the form of additional shares of Common Stock);

 

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3.3.7. incur indebtedness for borrowed money, or permit any subsidiary to incur indebtedness for borrowed money, if the aggregate indebtedness of the Corporation and its subsidiaries for borrowed money following such action would exceed $5,000,000 (excluding indebtedness with a principal amount of up to $20,000,000 plus accrued interest, which has previously been approved by the Board of Directors of the Corporation and any obligations pursuant to existing letters of credit previously entered into by the Corporation), unless such incurrence is approved by the Board of Directors of the Corporation;

3.3.8. effect any interested party transaction, unless approved by the Board of Directors of the Corporation (including a disinterested majority of directors); or

3.3.9. increase or decrease the authorized number of directors of the Corporation.

3.4 Series C Preferred Stock Protective Provisions. At any time when at least 1,200,000 shares of Series C Preferred Stock (subject to appropriate adjustment in the event of any stock dividend, stock split, combination or other similar recapitalization with respect to the Preferred Stock occurring after the effective time of the Forward Stock Split) are outstanding, the Corporation shall not, either directly or indirectly by amendment, merger, consolidation or otherwise, do any of the following without (in addition to any other vote required by law or the Certificate of Incorporation) the written consent or affirmative vote of the holders of at least a majority of the then outstanding shares of Series C Preferred Stock, given in writing or by vote at a meeting, consenting or voting (as the case may be) separately as a class, and any such act or transaction entered into without such consent or vote shall be null and void ab initio, and of no force or effect:

3.4.1. amend, repeal, alter or waive any provisions of this Certificate of Incorporation or the Corporation’s Bylaws in a manner that adversely affects the rights of the Series C Preferred Stock; or

3.4.2. increase or decrease (other than by redemption or conversion) the authorized number of shares of Series C Preferred Stock.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, in no event shall the consent of the holders of the Series C Preferred Stock be required for any amendment of the Certificate of Incorporation to create a senior or pari passu security, or any security convertible into or exercisable for any such security, in connection with a bona fide financing of the Corporation, so long as the Series A Preferred Stock, Series A-1 Preferred Stock, Series B Preferred Stock, Series D Preferred Stock, Series E Preferred Stock and Series F Preferred Stock are affected in a proportionate manner as the Series C Preferred Stock and on a pari passu basis.

3.5 Series D Preferred Stock Protective Provisions. At any time when at least 1,000,000 shares of Series D Preferred Stock (subject to appropriate adjustment in the event of any stock dividend, stock split, combination or other similar recapitalization with respect to the Preferred Stock occurring after the effective time of the Forward Stock Split) are outstanding, the Corporation shall not, either directly or indirectly by amendment, merger, consolidation or otherwise, do any of the following without (in addition to any other vote required by law or the Certificate of Incorporation) the written consent or affirmative vote of the holders of at least a

 

11


majority of the then outstanding shares of Series D Preferred Stock, given in writing or by vote at a meeting, consenting or voting (as the case may be) separately as a class, and any such act or transaction entered into without such consent or vote shall be null and void ab initio, and of no force or effect:

3.5.1. amend, repeal, alter or waive any provisions of this Certificate of Incorporation or the Corporation’s Bylaws in a manner that adversely affects the rights of the Series D Preferred Stock; or

3.5.2. increase or decrease (other than by redemption or conversion) the authorized number of shares of Series D Preferred Stock.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, in no event shall the consent of the holders of the Series D Preferred Stock be required for any amendment of the Certificate of Incorporation to create a senior or pari passu security, or any security convertible into or exercisable for any such security, in connection with a bona fide financing of the Corporation, so long as the Series A Preferred Stock, Series A-1 Preferred Stock, Series B Preferred Stock, Series C Preferred Stock, Series E Preferred Stock and Series F Preferred Stock are affected in a proportionate manner as the Series D Preferred Stock and on a pari passu basis.

3.6 Series E Preferred Stock Protective Provisions. At any time when at least 1,800,000 shares of Series E Preferred Stock (subject to appropriate adjustment in the event of any stock dividend, stock split, combination or other similar recapitalization with respect to the Preferred Stock occurring after the effective time of the Forward Stock Split) are outstanding, the Corporation shall not, either directly or indirectly by amendment, merger, consolidation or otherwise, do any of the following without (in addition to any other vote required by law or the Certificate of Incorporation) the written consent or affirmative vote of the holders of at least a majority of the then outstanding shares of Series E Preferred Stock, given in writing or by vote at a meeting, consenting or voting (as the case may be) separately as a class, and any such act or transaction entered into without such consent or vote shall be null and void ab initio, and of no force or effect:

3.6.1. amend, repeal, alter or waive any provisions of this Certificate of Incorporation or the Corporation’s Bylaws in a manner that adversely affects the rights of the Series E Preferred Stock; or

3.6.2. increase or decrease (other than by redemption or conversion) the authorized number of shares of Series E Preferred Stock.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, in no event shall the consent of the holders of the Series E Preferred Stock be required for any amendment of the Certificate of Incorporation to create a senior or pari passu security, or any security convertible into or exercisable for any such security, in connection with a bona fide financing of the Corporation, so long as the Series A Preferred Stock, Series A-1 Preferred Stock, Series B Preferred Stock, Series C Preferred Stock, Series D Preferred Stock and Series F Preferred Stock are affected in a proportionate manner as the Series E Preferred Stock and on a pari passu basis.

 

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3.7 Series F Preferred Stock Protective Provisions. At any time when at least 1,400,000 shares of Series F Preferred Stock (subject to appropriate adjustment in the event of any stock dividend, stock split, combination or other similar recapitalization with respect to the Preferred Stock occurring after the effective time of the Forward Stock Split) are outstanding, the Corporation shall not, either directly or indirectly by amendment, merger, consolidation or otherwise, do any of the following without (in addition to any other vote required by law or the Certificate of Incorporation) the written consent or affirmative vote of the holders of at least a majority of the then outstanding shares of Series F Preferred Stock, given in writing or by vote at a meeting, consenting or voting (as the case may be) separately as a class, and any such act or transaction entered into without such consent or vote shall be null and void ab initio, and of no force or effect:

3.7.1. amend, repeal, alter or waive any provisions of this Certificate of Incorporation or the Corporation’s Bylaws in a manner that adversely affects the rights of the Series F Preferred Stock;

3.7.2. increase or decrease (other than by redemption or conversion) the authorized number of shares of Series F Preferred Stock; or

3.7.3. consummate any Deemed Liquidation Event or close the Corporation’s first firm commitment underwritten public offering of its Common Stock registered under the Securities Act (an “IPO”) prior to the three year anniversary of the Filing Date, unless the Minimum Return Threshold (as defined in the Voting Agreement) is achieved.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, in no event shall the consent of the holders of the Series F Preferred Stock be required for any amendment of the Certificate of Incorporation to create a senior or pari passu security, or any security convertible into or exercisable for any such security, in connection with a bona fide financing of the Corporation, so long as (i) the Series A Preferred Stock, Series A-1 Preferred Stock, Series B Preferred Stock, Series C Preferred Stock, Series D Preferred Stock and Series E Preferred Stock are affected in a proportionate manner as the Series F Preferred Stock and on a pari passu basis and (ii) none of the rights of the holders of Series F Preferred Stock contained in Sections 3.2, 3.7.2 and 3.7.3 are amended, repealed, altered or waived in connection therewith.

4. Optional Conversion.

The holders of the Preferred Stock shall have conversion rights as follows (the “Conversion Rights”):

4.1 Right to Convert.

4.1.1. Conversion Ratio. Each share of Preferred Stock shall be convertible, at the option of the holder thereof, at any time and from time to time, and without the payment of additional consideration by the holder thereof, into such number of fully paid and nonassessable shares of Common Stock as is determined by dividing the Series A Original Issue Price, Series A-1 Original Issue Price, Series B Original Issue Price, Series C Original Issue Price, Series D Original Issue Price, Series E Original Issue Price or Series F Original Issue Price, as applicable, by the conversion price applicable to such share, determined as hereinafter provided, in effect on the date the certificate is surrendered for conversion. The initial conversion price per

 

13


share for shares of (i) Series A Preferred Stock (the “Series A Conversion Price”) shall be the Series A Original Issue Price, (ii) Series A-1 Preferred Stock (the “Series A-1 Conversion Price”) shall be the Series A-1 Original Issue Price, (iii) Series B Preferred Stock (the “Series B Conversion Price”) shall be the Series B Original Issue Price, (iv) Series C Preferred Stock (the “Series C Conversion Price”) shall be the Series C Original Issue Price, (v) Series D Preferred Stock (the “Series D Conversion Price”) shall be the Series D Original Issue Price, (vi) Series E Preferred Stock (the “Series E Conversion Price”) shall be the Series E Original Issue Price and (vii) Series F Preferred Stock (the “Series F Conversion Price”) shall be the Series F Original Issue Price; provided, however, that the Series A Conversion Price, Series A-1 Conversion Price, Series B Conversion Price, Series C Conversion Price, Series D Conversion Price, Series E Conversion Price and Series F Conversion Price shall be subject to adjustment as set forth in this Section 4, as applicable.

4.1.2. Termination of Conversion Rights. In the event of a liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Corporation or a Deemed Liquidation Event, the Conversion Rights shall terminate at the close of business on the last full day preceding the date fixed for the payment of any such amounts distributable on such event to the holders of Preferred Stock.

4.2 Fractional Shares. No fractional shares of Common Stock shall be issued upon conversion of the Preferred Stock. In lieu of any fractional shares to which the holder would otherwise be entitled, the Corporation shall pay cash equal to such fraction multiplied by the fair market value of a share of Common Stock as determined in good faith by the Board of Directors of the Corporation. Whether or not fractional shares would be issuable upon such conversion shall be determined on the basis of the total number of shares of Preferred Stock the holder is at the time converting into Common Stock and the aggregate number of shares of Common Stock issuable upon such conversion.

4.3 Mechanics of Conversion.

4.3.1. Notice of Conversion. In order for a holder of Preferred Stock to voluntarily convert shares of Preferred Stock into shares of Common Stock, such holder shall surrender the certificate or certificates for such shares of Preferred Stock (or, if such registered holder alleges that such certificate has been lost, stolen or destroyed, a lost certificate affidavit and agreement reasonably acceptable to the Corporation to indemnify the Corporation against any claim that may be made against the Corporation on account of the alleged loss, theft or destruction of such certificate), at the office of the transfer agent for the Preferred Stock (or at the principal office of the Corporation if the Corporation serves as its own transfer agent), together with written notice that such holder elects to convert all or any number of the shares of the Preferred Stock represented by such certificate or certificates and, if applicable, any event on which such conversion is contingent. Such notice shall state such holder’s name or the names of the nominees in which such holder wishes the certificate or certificates for shares of Common Stock to be issued. If required by the Corporation, certificates surrendered for conversion shall be endorsed or accompanied by a written instrument or instruments of transfer, in form satisfactory to the Corporation, duly executed by the registered holder or his, her or its attorney duly authorized in writing. The close of business on the date of receipt by the transfer agent (or by the Corporation if the Corporation serves as its own transfer agent) of such certificates (or lost certificate affidavit and agreement) and notice shall be

 

14


the time of conversion (the “Conversion Time”), and the shares of Common Stock issuable upon conversion of the shares represented by such certificate shall be deemed to be outstanding of record as of such date. The Corporation shall, as soon as practicable after the Conversion Time, (i) issue and deliver to such holder of Preferred Stock, or to his, her or its nominees, a certificate or certificates for the number of full shares of Common Stock issuable upon such conversion in accordance with the provisions hereof and a certificate for the number (if any) of the shares of Preferred Stock represented by the surrendered certificate that were not converted into Common Stock, (ii) pay in cash such amount as provided in Subsection 4.2 in lieu of any fraction of a share of Common Stock otherwise issuable upon such conversion and (iii) pay all declared but unpaid dividends on the shares of Preferred Stock converted.

4.3.2. Reservation of Shares. The Corporation shall at all times when the Preferred Stock shall be outstanding, reserve and keep available out of its authorized but unissued capital stock, for the purpose of effecting the conversion of the Preferred Stock, such number of its duly authorized shares of Common Stock as shall from time to time be sufficient to effect the conversion of all outstanding Preferred Stock; and if at any time the number of authorized but unissued shares of Common Stock shall not be sufficient to effect the conversion of all then outstanding shares of the Preferred Stock, the Corporation shall take such corporate action as may be necessary to increase its authorized but unissued shares of Common Stock to such number of shares as shall be sufficient for such purposes, including, without limitation, engaging in best efforts to obtain the requisite stockholder approval of any necessary amendment to the Certificate of Incorporation. Before taking any action which would cause an adjustment reducing the Series A Conversion Price, Series A-1 Conversion Price, Series B Conversion Price, Series C Conversion Price, Series D Conversion Price, Series E Conversion Price or Series F Conversion Price below the then par value of the shares of Common Stock issuable upon conversion of the Preferred Stock, the Corporation will take any corporate action which may, in the opinion of its counsel, be necessary in order that the Corporation may validly and legally issue fully paid and nonassessable shares of Common Stock at such adjusted Series A Conversion Price, Series A-1 Conversion Price, Series B Conversion Price, Series C Conversion Price, Series D Conversion Price, Series E Conversion Price or Series F Conversion Price, as applicable.

4.3.3. Effect of Conversion. All shares of Preferred Stock which shall have been surrendered for conversion as herein provided shall no longer be deemed to be outstanding and all rights with respect to such shares shall immediately cease and terminate at the Conversion Time, except only the right of the holders thereof to receive shares of Common Stock in exchange therefor, to receive payment in lieu of any fraction of a share otherwise issuable upon such conversion as provided in Subsection 4.2 and to receive payment of any dividends declared by unpaid thereon. Any shares of Preferred Stock so converted shall be retired and cancelled and may not be reissued as shares of such series, and the Corporation may thereafter take such appropriate action (without the need for stockholder action) as may be necessary to reduce the authorized number of shares of Preferred Stock accordingly.

4.3.4. No Further Adjustment. Upon any such conversion, no adjustment to the Series A Conversion Price, the Series A-1 Conversion Price, the Series B Conversion Price, the Series C Conversion Price, the Series D Conversion Price, the Series E Conversion Price or the Series F Conversion Price shall be made for any declared but unpaid

 

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dividends on the Preferred Stock surrendered for conversion or on the Common Stock delivered upon conversion.

4.3.5. Taxes. The Corporation shall pay any and all issue and other similar taxes that may be payable in respect of any issuance or delivery of shares of Common Stock upon conversion of shares of Preferred Stock pursuant to this Section 4. The Corporation shall not, however, be required to pay any tax which may be payable in respect of any transfer involved in the issuance and delivery of shares of Common Stock in a name other than that in which the shares of Preferred Stock so converted were registered, and no such issuance or delivery shall be made unless and until the person or entity requesting such issuance has paid to the Corporation the amount of any such tax or has established, to the satisfaction of the Corporation, that such tax has been paid.

4.4 Adjustments to Conversion Price for Diluting Issues.

4.4.1. Special Definitions. For purposes of this Article Fourth, the following definitions shall apply:

(a) “Filing Date” shall mean the effective date of the filing of this Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation with the office of the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware.

(b) “Option” shall mean rights, options or warrants to subscribe for, purchase or otherwise acquire Common Stock or Convertible Securities.

(c) “Convertible Securities” shall mean any evidences of indebtedness, shares or other securities directly or indirectly convertible into or exchangeable for Common Stock, but excluding Options.

(d) “Additional Shares of Common Stock” shall mean all shares of Common Stock issued (or, pursuant to Subsection 4.4.3 below, deemed to be issued) by the Corporation after the Filing Date, other than shares of Common Stock issued or deemed to be issued (collectively, “Exempted Securities”):

 

  (i)

upon conversion of shares of Preferred Stock;

 

  (ii)

to employees, directors and officers of, or consultants or advisors to, the Corporation pursuant to stock grants, stock option, stock bonus, stock purchase or other employee incentive programs, plans or agreements approved by the Board of Directors of the Corporation;

 

  (iii)

as a stock split or stock dividend or distribution;

 

  (iv)

upon the conversion or exercise of Options or other Convertible Securities outstanding on the Filing Date;

 

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  (v)

as consideration in connection with bona fide acquisitions of other businesses or technologies by the Corporation by merger, consolidation, acquisition of stock or assets or otherwise, provided such acquisitions are approved by the Board of Directors of the Corporation;

 

  (vi)

to leasing companies, landlords, company advisors, lenders and other providers of goods and services to the Corporation, provided that such transactions are entered into for primarily non-equity financing purposes and are approved by the Board of Directors of the Corporation;

 

  (vii)

in connection with research, collaboration, manufacturing, supply, licensing, development, OEM, distribution, marketing or other similar strategic transactions or joint ventures, provided that such transactions are entered into for primarily non-equity financing purposes and are approved by the Board of Directors of the Corporation;

 

  (viii)

in connection with an underwritten public offering registered under the Securities Act pursuant to which all outstanding shares of Preferred Stock are automatically converted into Common Stock pursuant to Section 5;

 

  (ix)

in connection with an event for which adjustment of the Series A Conversion Price, the Series A-1 Conversion Price, the Series B Conversion Price, the Series C Conversion Price, the Series D Conversion Price, the Series E Conversion Price or the Series F Conversion Price is made pursuant to Subsections 4.5, 4.6, 4.7, 4.8 and 4.9;

 

  (x)

pursuant to that certain Stock Purchase Agreement dated May 7, 2018, by and among the Corporation and its stockholders party thereto; or

 

  (xi)

in connection with any other transaction in which an exemption or waiver of the provisions of this Subsection 4.4 as applied to a particular series of Preferred Stock is approved by the affirmative vote of the holders of at least a majority of the then-outstanding shares of such series of Preferred Stock.

 

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4.4.2. No Adjustment of Series A Conversion Price, Series A-1 Conversion Price, Series B Conversion Price, Series C Conversion Price, Series D Conversion Price, Series E Conversion Price or Series F Conversion Price. Any provision herein to the contrary notwithstanding, no adjustment in the Series A Conversion Price, the Series A-1 Conversion Price, the Series B Conversion Price, the Series C Conversion Price, the Series D Conversion Price, the Series E Conversion Price or the Series F Conversion Price shall be made as the result of the issuance or deemed issuance of Additional Shares of Common Stock unless the consideration per share (determined pursuant to Subsection 4.4.5) for an Additional Share of Common Stock issued or deemed to be issued by the Corporation is less than the Series A Conversion Price, the Series A-1 Conversion Price, the Series B Conversion Price, the Series C Conversion Price, the Series D Conversion Price, the Series E Conversion Price or the Series F Conversion Price, as applicable, in effect immediately prior to such issue.

4.4.3. Deemed Issue of Additional Shares of Common Stock. If the Corporation at any time or from time to time after the Filing Date shall issue any Options or Convertible Securities (excluding Options or Convertible Securities which are themselves Exempted Securities) or shall fix a record date for the determination of holders of any class of securities entitled to receive any such Options or Convertible Securities, then the maximum number of shares of Common Stock (as set forth in the instrument relating thereto, assuming the satisfaction of any conditions to exercisability, convertibility or exchangeability but without regard to any provision contained therein for a subsequent adjustment of such number) issuable upon the exercise of such Options or, in the case of Convertible Securities and Options therefor, the conversion or exchange of such Convertible Securities, shall be deemed to be Additional Shares of Common Stock issued as of the time of such issue or, in case such a record date shall have been fixed, as of the close of business on such record date, provided that in any such case in which Additional Shares of Common Stock are deemed to be issued:

(a) no further adjustments in the Series A Conversion Price, the Series A-1 Conversion Price, the Series B Conversion Price, the Series C Conversion Price, the Series D Conversion Price, the Series E Conversion Price or the Series F Conversion Price shall be made upon the subsequent issue of Convertible Securities upon the exercise of such Options or shares of Common Stock upon the exercise of such Options or conversion or exchange of such Convertible Securities;

(b) if such Options or Convertible Securities are amended to provide, or by their terms provide, with the passage of time or otherwise, for any increase or decrease in the consideration payable to the Corporation, or increase or decrease in the number of shares of Common Stock issuable, upon the exercise, conversion and/or exchange thereof, the Series A Conversion Price, the Series A-1 Conversion Price, the Series B Conversion Price, the Series C Conversion Price, the Series D Conversion Price, the Series E Conversion Price and the Series F Conversion Price computed upon the original issue thereof (or upon the occurrence of a record date with respect thereto), and any subsequent adjustments based thereon, shall, upon any such increase or decrease becoming effective, be recomputed to reflect such increase or decrease as if such change had been in effect as of the original issue thereof (or upon the occurrence of the record date with respect thereto);

 

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(c) upon the expiration of any such Options or any rights of conversion or exchange under such Convertible Securities which shall not have been exercised, the Series A Conversion Price, the Series A-1 Conversion Price, the Series B Conversion Price, the Series C Conversion Price, the Series D Conversion Price, the Series E Conversion Price and the Series F Conversion Price computed upon the original issue thereof (or upon the occurrence of a record date with respect thereto), and any subsequent adjustments based thereon, shall, upon such expiration, be recomputed as if:

 

  (i)

in the case of Convertible Securities or Options for Common Stock, the only Additional Shares of Common Stock issued were the shares of Common Stock, if any, actually issued upon the exercise of such Options or the conversion or exchange of such Convertible Securities and the consideration received therefor was the consideration actually received by the Corporation for the issue of all such Options, whether or not exercised, plus the consideration actually received by the Corporation upon such exercise, or for the issue of all such Convertible Securities which were actually converted or exchanged, plus the additional consideration, if any, actually received by the Corporation upon such conversion or exchange, and

 

  (ii)

in the case of Options for Convertible Securities, only the Convertible Securities, if any, actually issued upon the exercise thereof were issued at the time of issue of such Options, and the consideration received by the Corporation for the Additional Shares of Common Stock deemed to have been then issued was the consideration actually received by the Corporation for the issue of all such Options, whether or not exercised, plus the consideration deemed to have been received by the Corporation (determined pursuant to Subsection 4.4.5) upon the issue of the Convertible Securities with respect to which such Options were actually exercised;

(d) no readjustment pursuant to clause (b) or (c) above shall have the effect of increasing (i) the Series A Conversion Price to an amount which exceeds the lower of (A) the Series A Conversion Price on the original adjustment date, or (B) the Series A Conversion Price that would have resulted from any issuance of Additional Shares of Common Stock between the original adjustment date and such readjustment date, (ii) the Series A-1 Conversion Price to an amount which exceeds the lower of (A) the Series A-1 Conversion Price on the original adjustment date, or (B) the Series A-1 Conversion Price that would have resulted from any issuance of Additional Shares of Common Stock between the original adjustment date and such readjustment date, (iii) the Series B Conversion Price to an amount which exceeds the lower of (A)

 

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the Series B Conversion Price on the original adjustment date, or (B) the Series B Conversion Price that would have resulted from any issuance of Additional Shares of Common Stock between the original adjustment date and such readjustment date, (iv) the Series C Conversion Price to an amount which exceeds the lower of (A) the Series C Conversion Price on the original adjustment date, or (B) the Series C Conversion Price that would have resulted from any issuance of Additional Shares of Common Stock between the original adjustment date and such readjustment date, (v) the Series D Conversion Price to an amount which exceeds the lower of (A) the Series D Conversion Price on the original adjustment date, or (B) the Series D Conversion Price that would have resulted from any issuance of Additional Shares of Common Stock between the original adjustment date and such readjustment date, (vi) the Series E Conversion Price to an amount which exceeds the lower of (A) the Series E Conversion Price on the original adjustment date, or (B) the Series E Conversion Price that would have resulted from any issuance of Additional Shares of Common Stock between the original adjustment date and such readjustment date or (vii) the Series F Conversion Price to an amount which exceeds the lower of (A) the Series F Conversion Price on the original adjustment date, or (B) the Series F Conversion Price that would have resulted from any issuance of Additional Shares of Common Stock between the original adjustment date and such readjustment date; and

(e) in the case of any Options which expire by their terms not more than thirty (30) days after the date of issue thereof, no adjustment of the Series A Conversion Price, the Series A-1 Conversion Price, the Series B Conversion Price, the Series C Conversion Price, the Series D Conversion Price, the Series E Conversion Price or the Series F Conversion Price shall be made until the expiration or exercise of all such Options, whereupon such adjustment shall be made in the same manner provided in clause (c) above.

4.4.4. Adjustment of Series A Conversion Price, Series A-1 Conversion Price, Series B Conversion Price, Series C Conversion Price, Series D Conversion Price, Series E Conversion Price and Series F Conversion Price Upon Issuance of Additional Shares of Common Stock. In the event the Corporation, at any time after the Filing Date, shall issue Additional Shares of Common Stock (including Additional Shares of Common Stock deemed to be issued pursuant to Subsection 4.4.3) without consideration or for consideration per share less than the Series A Conversion Price in effect immediately prior to such issue, then and in such event, the Series A Conversion Price shall be reduced, concurrently with such issue, to a price (calculated to the nearest hundredth of a cent) determined by multiplying the Series A Conversion Price by a fraction, the numerator of which shall be the number of shares of Common Stock Outstanding (as defined below) immediately prior to such issue plus the number of shares of Common Stock which the aggregate consideration received by the Corporation for the total number of Additional Shares of Common Stock so issued would purchase at the Series A Conversion Price in effect immediately prior to such issue, and the denominator of which shall be the number of shares of Common Stock Outstanding immediately prior to such issue plus the number of such Additional Shares of Common Stock so issued. In the event the Corporation, at any time after the Filing Date, shall issue Additional Shares of Common Stock (including Additional Shares of Common Stock deemed to be issued pursuant to Subsection 4.4.3) without consideration or for consideration per share less than the Series A-1 Conversion Price in effect immediately prior to such issue, then and in such event, the Series A-1 Conversion Price shall be reduced, concurrently with such issue, to a price (calculated to the nearest hundredth of a cent) determined by multiplying the Series A-1 Conversion Price by a fraction, the numerator of which shall be the number of shares of Common Stock Outstanding immediately prior to such issue plus the number of shares of Common Stock which the

 

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aggregate consideration received by the Corporation for the total number of Additional Shares of Common Stock so issued would purchase at the Series A-1 Conversion Price in effect immediately prior to such issue, and the denominator of which shall be the number of shares of Common Stock Outstanding immediately prior to such issue plus the number of such Additional Shares of Common Stock so issued. In the event the Corporation, at any time after the Filing Date, shall issue Additional Shares of Common Stock (including Additional Shares of Common Stock deemed to be issued pursuant to Subsection 4.4.3) without consideration or for consideration per share less than the Series B Conversion Price in effect immediately prior to such issue, then and in such event, the Series B Conversion Price shall be reduced, concurrently with such issue, to a price (calculated to the nearest hundredth of a cent) determined by multiplying the Series B Conversion Price by a fraction, the numerator of which shall be the number of shares of Common Stock Outstanding immediately prior to such issue plus the number of shares of Common Stock which the aggregate consideration received by the Corporation for the total number of Additional Shares of Common Stock so issued would purchase at the Series B Conversion Price in effect immediately prior to such issue, and the denominator of which shall be the number of shares of Common Stock Outstanding immediately prior to such issue plus the number of such Additional Shares of Common Stock so issued. In the event the Corporation, at any time after the Filing Date, shall issue Additional Shares of Common Stock (including Additional Shares of Common Stock deemed to be issued pursuant to Subsection 4.4.3) without consideration or for consideration per share less than the Series C Conversion Price in effect immediately prior to such issue, then and in such event, the Series C Conversion Price shall be reduced, concurrently with such issue, to a price (calculated to the nearest hundredth of a cent) determined by multiplying the Series C Conversion Price by a fraction, the numerator of which shall be the number of shares of Common Stock Outstanding immediately prior to such issue plus the number of shares of Common Stock which the aggregate consideration received by the Corporation for the total number of Additional Shares of Common Stock so issued would purchase at the Series C Conversion Price in effect immediately prior to such issue, and the denominator of which shall be the number of shares of Common Stock Outstanding immediately prior to such issue plus the number of such Additional Shares of Common Stock so issued. In the event the Corporation, at any time after the Filing Date, shall issue Additional Shares of Common Stock (including Additional Shares of Common Stock deemed to be issued pursuant to Subsection 4.4.3) without consideration or for consideration per share less than the Series D Conversion Price in effect immediately prior to such issue, then and in such event, the Series D Conversion Price shall be reduced, concurrently with such issue, to a price (calculated to the nearest hundredth of a cent) determined by multiplying the Series D Conversion Price by a fraction, the numerator of which shall be the number of shares of Common Stock Outstanding immediately prior to such issue plus the number of shares of Common Stock which the aggregate consideration received by the Corporation for the total number of Additional Shares of Common Stock so issued would purchase at the Series D Conversion Price in effect immediately prior to such issue, and the denominator of which shall be the number of shares of Common Stock Outstanding immediately prior to such issue plus the number of such Additional Shares of Common Stock so issued. In the event the Corporation, at any time after the Filing Date, shall issue Additional Shares of Common Stock (including Additional Shares of Common Stock deemed to be issued pursuant to Subsection 4.4.3) without consideration or for consideration per share less than the Series E Conversion Price in effect immediately prior to such issue, then and in such event, the Series E Conversion Price shall be reduced, concurrently with such issue, to a price (calculated to the nearest hundredth of a cent) determined by multiplying the Series E Conversion Price by a fraction, the numerator of which shall be the number of shares of Common Stock Outstanding immediately prior to such issue plus the

 

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number of shares of Common Stock which the aggregate consideration received by the Corporation for the total number of Additional Shares of Common Stock so issued would purchase at the Series E Conversion Price in effect immediately prior to such issue, and the denominator of which shall be the number of shares of Common Stock Outstanding immediately prior to such issue plus the number of such Additional Shares of Common Stock so issued. In the event the Corporation, at any time after the Filing Date, shall issue Additional Shares of Common Stock (including Additional Shares of Common Stock deemed to be issued pursuant to Subsection 4.4.3) without consideration or for consideration per share less than the Series F Conversion Price in effect immediately prior to such issue, then and in such event, the Series F Conversion Price shall be reduced, concurrently with such issue, to a price (calculated to the nearest hundredth of a cent) determined by multiplying the Series F Conversion Price by a fraction, the numerator of which shall be the number of shares of Common Stock Outstanding immediately prior to such issue plus the number of shares of Common Stock which the aggregate consideration received by the Corporation for the total number of Additional Shares of Common Stock so issued would purchase at the Series F Conversion Price in effect immediately prior to such issue, and the denominator of which shall be the number of shares of Common Stock Outstanding immediately prior to such issue plus the number of such Additional Shares of Common Stock so issued. For the purpose of the above calculation, “Common Stock Outstanding” shall mean the number of shares of Common Stock outstanding immediately prior to such issue, calculated on a fully diluted basis as if all Convertible Securities had been fully converted into shares of Common Stock immediately prior to such issue and any outstanding Options (whether or not then vested or exercisable) had been fully exercised immediately prior to such issue (and the resulting securities fully converted into shares of Common Stock, if so convertible) as of such date, but not including in such calculation any additional shares of Common Stock issuable with respect to Convertible Securities or Options solely as a result of the adjustment of the Series A Conversion Price, the Series A-1 Conversion Price, the Series B Conversion Price, the Series C Conversion Price, the Series D Conversion Price, the Series E Conversion Price or the Series F Conversion Price (or other conversion ratios) resulting from the issuance of Additional Shares of Common Stock causing such adjustment. In the event that the Corporation shall issue, after the Filing Date, on more than one date, Additional Shares of Common Stock (including Additional Shares of Common Stock deemed to be issued pursuant to Subsection 4.4.3) that would result in an adjustment to the Series A Conversion Price, the Series A-1 Conversion Price, the Series B Conversion Price, the Series C Conversion Price, the Series D Conversion Price, the Series E Conversion Price or the Series F Conversion Price pursuant to the terms of this Subsection 4.4.4, as part of the same transaction or a series of related transactions, then, upon the final such issuance, the Series A Conversion Price, the Series A-1 Conversion Price, the Series B Conversion Price, the Series C Conversion Price, the Series D Conversion Price, the Series E Conversion Price and the Series F Conversion Price shall be readjusted to give effect to all such issuances as if they had all occurred on the date of the first such issuance (and without giving any effect to any interim adjustments from such issuances that were part of the same transaction or series of related transactions).

4.4.5. Determination of Consideration. For purposes of this Subsection 4.4, the consideration received by the Corporation for the issue (or deemed issue) of any Additional Shares of Common Stock shall be computed as follows:

 

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(a) Cash and Property: Such consideration shall:

 

  (i)

insofar as it consists of cash, be computed at the aggregate amount of cash received by the Corporation, excluding amounts paid or payable for accrued interest or accrued dividends and before deducting any reasonable discounts, commissions or other expenses allowed, paid or incurred by the Corporation for any underwriting or otherwise in connection with such issuance;

 

  (ii)

insofar as it consists of property other than cash, be computed at the fair market value thereof at the time of such issue, as determined in good faith by the Board of Directors of the Corporation; and

 

  (iii)

in the event Additional Shares of Common Stock are issued together with other shares or securities or other assets of the Corporation for consideration which covers both, be the proportion of such consideration so received, computed as provided in clauses (i) and (ii) above, as determined in good faith by the Board of Directors of the Corporation.

(b) Options and Convertible Securities. The consideration per share received by the Corporation for Additional Shares of Common Stock deemed to have been issued pursuant to Subsection 4.4.3, relating to Options and Convertible Securities, shall be determined by dividing:

 

  (i)

the total amount, if any, received or receivable by the Corporation as consideration for the issue of such Options or Convertible Securities, plus the minimum aggregate amount of additional consideration (as set forth in the instruments relating thereto, without regard to any provision contained therein to protect against dilution) payable to the Corporation upon the exercise of such Options or the conversion or exchange of such Convertible Securities, or in the case of Options for Convertible Securities, the exercise of such Options for Convertible Securities and the conversion or exchange of such Convertible Securities, by

 

  (ii)

the maximum number of shares of Common Stock (as set forth in the instruments relating thereto, without regard to any provision contained therein to protect against dilution) issuable upon the exercise of such Options or the conversion or exchange of such Convertible Securities, or in the case of Options for Convertible Securities, the exercise of such Options for Convertible Securities and the conversion or exchange of such Convertible Securities.

 

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4.5 Adjustment for Stock Splits and Combinations. If the Corporation shall at any time or from time to time after the Filing Date effect a subdivision of the outstanding Common Stock, the Series A Conversion Price, the Series A-1 Conversion Price, the Series B Conversion Price, the Series C Conversion Price, the Series D Conversion Price, the Series E Conversion Price and the Series F Conversion Price in effect immediately before that subdivision shall be proportionately decreased so that the number of shares of Common Stock issuable on conversion of each share of such series shall be increased in proportion to such increase in the aggregate number of shares of Common Stock outstanding. If the Corporation shall at any time or from time to time after the Filing Date combine the outstanding shares of Common Stock, the Series A Conversion Price, the Series A-1 Conversion Price, the Series B Conversion Price, the Series C Conversion Price, the Series D Conversion Price, the Series E Conversion Price and the Series F Conversion Price in effect immediately before the combination shall be proportionately increased so that the number of shares of Common Stock issuable on conversion of each share of such series shall be decreased in proportion to such decrease in the aggregate number of shares of Common Stock outstanding. Any adjustment under this subsection shall become effective at the close of business on the date the subdivision or combination becomes effective.

4.6 Adjustment for Certain Dividends and Distributions. In the event the Corporation at any time or from time to time after the Filing Date shall make or issue, or fix a record date for the determination of holders of Common Stock entitled to receive, a dividend or other distribution payable on the Common Stock in additional shares of Common Stock, then and in each such event the Series A Conversion Price, the Series A-1 Conversion Price, the Series B Conversion Price, the Series C Conversion Price, the Series D Conversion Price, the Series E Conversion Price and the Series F Conversion Price in effect immediately before such event shall be decreased as of the time of such issuance or, in the event such a record date shall have been fixed, as of the close of business on such record date, by multiplying the Series A Conversion Price, the Series A-1 Conversion Price, the Series B Conversion Price, the Series C Conversion Price, the Series D Conversion Price, the Series E Conversion Price and the Series F Conversion Price then in effect by a fraction:

(1) the numerator of which shall be the total number of shares of Common Stock issued and outstanding immediately prior to the time of such issuance or the close of business on such record date, and

(2) the denominator of which shall be the total number of shares of Common Stock issued and outstanding immediately prior to the time of such issuance or the close of business on such record date plus the number of shares of Common Stock issuable in payment of such dividend or distribution.

 

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In the event that the Corporation shall declare or pay, without consideration, any dividend on the Common Stock payable in any right to acquire Common Stock for no consideration, then the Corporation shall be deemed to have made a dividend payable in Common Stock in an amount of shares equal to the maximum number of shares issuable upon exercise of such rights to acquire Common Stock.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, (a) if such record date shall have been fixed and such dividend is not fully paid or if such distribution is not fully made on the date fixed therefor, the Series A Conversion Price, the Series A-1 Conversion Price, the Series B Conversion Price, the Series C Conversion Price, the Series D Conversion Price, the Series E Conversion Price and the Series F Conversion Price shall be recomputed accordingly as of the close of business on such record date and thereafter the Series A Conversion Price, the Series A-1 Conversion Price, the Series B Conversion Price, the Series C Conversion Price, the Series D Conversion Price, the Series E Conversion Price and the Series F Conversion Price shall be adjusted pursuant to this subsection as of the time of actual payment of such dividends or distributions; and (b) that no such adjustment shall be made if the holders of Preferred Stock simultaneously receive a dividend or other distribution of shares of Common Stock in a number equal to the number of shares of Common Stock as they would have received if all outstanding shares of Preferred Stock had been converted into Common Stock on the date of such event.

4.7 Adjustments for Other Dividends and Distributions. In the event the Corporation at any time or from time to time after the Filing Date shall make or issue, or fix a record date for the determination of holders of Common Stock entitled to receive, a dividend or other distribution payable in securities of the Corporation (other than a distribution of shares of Common Stock in respect of outstanding shares of Common Stock) or in other property and the provisions of Section 1 do not apply to such dividend or distribution, then and in each such event the holders of Preferred Stock shall receive, simultaneously with the distribution to the holders of Common Stock, a dividend or other distribution of such securities or other property in an amount equal to the amount of such securities or other property as they would have received if all outstanding shares of Preferred Stock had been converted into Common Stock on the date of such event.

4.8 Adjustment for Merger or Reorganization, etc. Subject to the provisions of Subsection 2.3, if there shall occur any reorganization, recapitalization, reclassification, consolidation or merger involving the Corporation in which the Common Stock (but not the Preferred Stock) is converted into or exchanged for securities, cash or other property (other than a transaction covered by Subsections 4.4, 4.6 or 4.7), then, following any such reorganization, recapitalization, reclassification, consolidation or merger, each share of Preferred Stock shall thereafter be convertible in lieu of the Common Stock into which it was convertible prior to such event into the kind and amount of securities, cash or other property which a holder of the number of shares of Common Stock of the Corporation issuable upon conversion of one share of Preferred Stock immediately prior to such reorganization, recapitalization, reclassification, consolidation or merger would have been entitled to receive pursuant to such transaction; and, in such case, appropriate adjustment (as determined in good faith by the Board of Directors of the Corporation) shall be made in the application of the provisions in this Section 4 with respect to the rights and interests thereafter of the holders of the Preferred Stock, to the end that the provisions set forth in this Section 4 (including provisions with respect to changes in and other adjustments of the Series A Conversion Price, the Series A-1 Conversion Price, the Series B Conversion Price, the Series C Conversion Price, the Series D Conversion Price, the Series E Conversion Price or the Series F Conversion Price) shall thereafter be applicable, as nearly as reasonably may be, in relation

 

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to any securities or other property thereafter deliverable upon the conversion of the Preferred Stock. For the avoidance of doubt, nothing in this Subsection 4.8 shall be construed as preventing the holders of Preferred Stock from seeking any appraisal rights to which they are otherwise entitled under the General Corporation Law in connection with a merger triggering an adjustment hereunder, nor shall this Subsection 4.8 be deemed conclusive evidence of the fair value of the shares of Preferred Stock in any such appraisal proceeding.

4.9 Adjustment for IPO Below Target Price. If the Corporation elects to sell shares of Common Stock to the public in a firm-commitment underwritten public offering pursuant to an effective registration statement under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”) at a price less than $10.9852 per share (subject to appropriate adjustment in the event of any stock dividend, stock split, combination or other similar recapitalization with respect to the Common Stock occurring after the effective time of the Forward Stock Split) (the “Series B Target Price”), then and in such event the Series B Conversion Price in effect immediately prior to such public offering shall be adjusted to be equal to the product of (a) the Series B Original Issue Price (subject to appropriate adjustment in the event of any stock dividend, stock split, combination or other similar recapitalization with respect to the Common Stock occurring after the effective time of the Forward Stock Split) and (b) a fraction, the numerator of which is the per share price at which the Common Stock is sold in such public offering, and the denominator of which is the Series B Target Price. If the Corporation elects to sell shares of Common Stock to the public in a firm-commitment underwritten public offering pursuant to an effective registration statement under the Securities Act at a price less than $16.9108 per share (subject to appropriate adjustment in the event of any stock dividend, stock split, combination or other similar recapitalization with respect to the Common Stock occurring after the effective time of the Forward Stock Split) (the “Series C/D Target Price”), then and in such event the Series C Conversion Price and the Series D Conversion Price in effect immediately prior to such public offering shall be adjusted to be equal to the product of (a) the Series C Original Issue Price or the Series D Original Issue Price, as applicable (in each case subject to appropriate adjustment in the event of any stock dividend, stock split, combination or other similar recapitalization with respect to the Common Stock occurring after the effective time of the Forward Stock Split), and (b) a fraction, the numerator of which is the per share price at which the Common Stock is sold in such public offering, and the denominator of which is the Series C/D Target Price. If the Corporation elects to sell shares of Common Stock to the public in a firm-commitment underwritten public offering pursuant to an effective registration statement under the Securities Act at a price less than $12.2530 per share (subject to appropriate adjustment in the event of any stock dividend, stock split, combination or other similar recapitalization with respect to the Common Stock occurring after the effective time of the Forward Stock Split) (the “Series E/F Target Price”), then and in such event the Series E Conversion Price or the Series F Conversion Price, as applicable, in effect immediately prior to such public offering shall be adjusted to be equal to the product of (a) the Series E Original Issue Price or the Series F Conversion Price, as applicable (in each case subject to appropriate adjustment in the event of any stock dividend, stock split, combination or other similar recapitalization with respect to the Common Stock occurring after the effective time of the Forward Stock Split) and (b) a fraction, the numerator of which is the per share price at which the Common Stock is sold in such public offering, and the denominator of which is the Series E/F Target Price. Notwithstanding the foregoing, no adjustment of the Series B Conversion Price, Series C Conversion Price, Series D Conversion Price, Series E Conversion Price or the Series F Conversion Price pursuant to this Section 4.9 shall have the effect of increasing the Series B Conversion Price, Series C Conversion Price, Series D Conversion Price, Series E Conversion Price or Series F Conversion Price, as applicable, in effect immediately prior to such adjustment.

 

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4.10 Certificate as to Adjustments. Upon the occurrence of each adjustment or readjustment of the Series A Conversion Price, the Series A-1 Conversion Price, the Series B Conversion Price, the Series C Conversion Price, the Series D Conversion Price, the Series E Conversion Price or the Series F Conversion Price pursuant to this Section 4, the Corporation at its expense shall promptly compute such adjustment or readjustment in accordance with the terms hereof and prepare and furnish to each holder of Preferred Stock that was subject to such adjustment or readjustment a certificate executed by the Corporation’s Chief Executive Officer, President or Chief Financial Officer setting forth such adjustment or readjustment and showing in detail the facts upon which such adjustment or readjustment is based. The Corporation shall, upon the written request at any time of any holder of Series A Preferred Stock, Series A-1 Preferred Stock, Series B Preferred Stock, Series C Preferred Stock, Series D Preferred Stock, Series E Preferred Stock or Series F Preferred Stock, furnish or cause to be furnished to such holder a like certificate setting forth (i) such adjustments and readjustments, (ii) the Series A Conversion Price, the Series A-1 Conversion Price, the Series B Conversion Price, the Series C Conversion Price, the Series D Conversion Price, Series E Conversion Price or the Series F Conversion Price, as applicable, at the time in effect, and (iii) the number of shares of Common Stock and the amount, if any, of other property which at the time would be received upon the conversion of such Preferred Stock.

4.11 Notice of Record Date. In the event:

(a) the Corporation shall take a record of the holders of its Common Stock (or other capital stock or securities at the time issuable upon conversion of the Preferred Stock) for the purpose of entitling or enabling them to receive any dividend or other distribution, or to receive any right to subscribe for or purchase any shares of capital stock of any class or any other securities, or to receive any other security;

(b) of any capital reorganization of the Corporation, any reclassification of the Common Stock of the Corporation, or any Deemed Liquidation Event; or

(c) of the voluntary or involuntary dissolution, liquidation or winding-up of the Corporation,

then, and in each such case, the Corporation will send or cause to be sent to the holders of the Preferred Stock a notice specifying, as the case may be, (i) the record date for such dividend, distribution or right, and the amount and character of such dividend, distribution or right, or (ii) the effective date on which such reorganization, reclassification, consolidation, merger, transfer, dissolution, liquidation or winding-up is proposed to take place, and the time, if any is to be fixed, as of which the holders of record of Common Stock (or such other capital stock or securities at the time issuable upon the conversion of the Preferred Stock) shall be entitled to exchange their shares of Common Stock (or such other capital stock or securities) for securities or other property deliverable upon such reorganization, reclassification, consolidation, merger, transfer, dissolution, liquidation or winding-up, and the amount per share and character of such exchange applicable to the Preferred Stock and the Common Stock. Such notice shall be sent at least 10 days prior to the record date or effective date for the event specified in such notice.

 

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The notice provisions set forth in this Subsection 4.11 may be shortened or waived prospectively or retrospectively by the consent or vote of the holders of a majority of the outstanding shares of Preferred Stock, voting as a separate class and on an as-converted basis.

5. Mandatory Conversion.

5.1 Trigger Events.

5.1.1. Series A Preferred Stock and Series A-1 Preferred Stock. Upon the earlier of (a) immediately prior to the closing of the sale of shares of Common Stock to the public at a price of at least $9.08775 per share (subject to appropriate adjustment in the event of any stock dividend, stock split, combination or other similar recapitalization with respect to the Common Stock occurring after the effective time of the Forward Stock Split), in a firm-commitment underwritten public offering pursuant to an effective registration statement under the Securities Act, other than a registration relating solely to a transaction under Rule 145 under the Securities Act (or to any successor thereto) or to any employee benefit plan of the Corporation, resulting in at least $50,000,000 of gross proceeds, before deduction of the underwriting discount and commissions, to the Corporation and (b) the date and time, or the occurrence of an event, specified by vote or written consent of the holders of at least a majority of the then outstanding shares of Series A Preferred Stock and Series A-1 Preferred Stock (voting together as a single class, on an as-converted basis) (the time immediately prior to such closing or the date and time specified or the time of the event specified in such vote or written consent is referred to herein as the “Series A and A-1 Conversion Time”), (i) all outstanding shares of Series A Preferred Stock and Series A-1 Preferred Stock shall automatically be converted into shares of Common Stock, at the then effective conversion rate and (ii) such shares may not be reissued by the Corporation.

5.1.2. Series B Preferred Stock. Upon the earlier of (a) immediately prior to the closing of the sale of shares of Common Stock to the public on the New York Stock Exchange or NASDAQ Stock Market in a firm-commitment underwritten public offering pursuant to an effective registration statement under the Securities Act, other than a registration relating solely to a transaction under Rule 145 under the Securities Act (or to any successor thereto) or to any employee benefit plan of the Corporation, resulting in at least $50,000,000 of gross proceeds, before deduction of the underwriting discount and commissions, to the Corporation and (b) the date and time, or the occurrence of an event, specified by vote or written consent of the holders of at least two-thirds of the then outstanding shares of Series B Preferred Stock (the time immediately prior to such closing or the date and time specified or the time of the event specified in such vote or written consent is referred to herein as the “Series B Conversion Time”), (i) all outstanding shares of Series B Preferred Stock shall automatically be converted into shares of Common Stock, at the then effective conversion rate after giving effect to any adjustment made pursuant to Section 4.9, if applicable, and (ii) such shares may not be reissued by the Corporation.

5.1.3. Series C Preferred Stock. Upon the earlier of (a) immediately prior to the closing of the sale of shares of Common Stock to the public on the New York Stock Exchange or NASDAQ Stock Market in a firm-commitment underwritten public offering pursuant to an effective registration statement under the Securities Act, other than a registration relating solely to a transaction under Rule 145 under the Securities Act (or to any successor thereto) or to any employee benefit plan of the Corporation, resulting in at least $70,000,000 of gross proceeds to the Corporation, before deduction of the underwriting discount and commissions, and (b) the date

 

28


and time, or the occurrence of an event, specified by vote or written consent of the holders of at least a majority of the then outstanding shares of Series C Preferred Stock (the time immediately prior to such closing or the date and time specified or the time of the event specified in such vote or written consent is referred to herein as the “Series C Conversion Time”), (i) all outstanding shares of Series C Preferred Stock shall automatically be converted into shares of Common Stock, at the then effective conversion rate after giving effect to any adjustment made pursuant to Section 4.9, if applicable, and (ii) such shares may not be reissued by the Corporation.

5.1.4. Series D Preferred Stock. Upon the earlier of (a) immediately prior to the closing of the sale of shares of Common Stock to the public on the New York Stock Exchange or NASDAQ Stock Market in a firm-commitment underwritten public offering pursuant to an effective registration statement under the Securities Act, other than a registration relating solely to a transaction under Rule 145 under the Securities Act (or to any successor thereto) or to any employee benefit plan of the Corporation, resulting in at least $100,000,000 of gross proceeds to the Corporation, before deduction of the underwriting discount and commissions, and (b) the date and time, or the occurrence of an event, specified by vote or written consent of the holders of at least a majority of the then outstanding shares of Series D Preferred Stock (the time immediately prior to such closing or the date and time specified or the time of the event specified in such vote or written consent is referred to herein as the “Series D Conversion Time”), (i) all outstanding shares of Series D Preferred Stock shall automatically be converted into shares of Common Stock, at the then effective conversion rate after giving effect to any adjustment made pursuant to Section 4.9, if applicable, and (ii) such shares may not be reissued by the Corporation.

5.1.5. Series E Preferred Stock. Upon the earlier of (a) immediately prior to the closing of the sale of shares of Common Stock to the public on the New York Stock Exchange or NASDAQ Stock Market in a firm-commitment underwritten public offering pursuant to an effective registration statement under the Securities Act, other than a registration relating solely to a transaction under Rule 145 under the Securities Act (or to any successor thereto) or to any employee benefit plan of the Corporation, resulting in at least $100,000,000 of gross proceeds to the Corporation, before deduction of the underwriting discount and commissions, and (b) the date and time, or the occurrence of an event, specified by vote or written consent of the holders of at least a majority of the then outstanding shares of Series E Preferred Stock (the time immediately prior to such closing or the date and time specified or the time of the event specified in such vote or written consent is referred to herein as the “Series E Conversion Time”) (i) all outstanding shares of Series E Preferred Stock shall automatically be converted into shares of Common Stock, at the then effective conversion rate after giving effect to any adjustment made pursuant to Section 4.9, if applicable, and (ii) such shares may not be reissued by the Corporation.

5.1.6. Series F Preferred Stock. Upon the earlier of (a) immediately prior to the closing of the sale of shares of Common Stock to the public on the New York Stock Exchange or NASDAQ Stock Market in a firm-commitment underwritten public offering pursuant to an effective registration statement under the Securities Act, other than a registration relating solely to a transaction under Rule 145 under the Securities Act (or to any successor thereto) or to any employee benefit plan of the Corporation, resulting in at least $100,000,000 of gross proceeds to the Corporation, before deduction of the underwriting discount and commissions, and (b) the date and time, or the occurrence of an event, specified by vote or written consent of the holders of at least a majority of the then outstanding shares of Series F Preferred Stock (the time immediately

 

29


prior to such closing or the date and time specified or the time of the event specified in such vote or written consent is referred to herein as the “Series F Conversion Time”, together with the Series A and A-1 Conversion Time, the Series B Conversion Time, the Series C Conversion Time, the Series D Conversion Time and the Series E Conversion Time, the “Mandatory Conversion Time”), (i) all outstanding shares of Series F Preferred Stock shall automatically be converted into shares of Common Stock, at the then effective conversion rate after giving effect to any adjustment made pursuant to Section 4.9, if applicable, and (ii) such shares may not be reissued by the Corporation.

5.2 Procedural Requirements.

5.2.1. General Procedural Requirements. All holders of record of shares of Preferred Stock shall be sent written notice of the Mandatory Conversion Time and the place designated for mandatory conversion of all such shares of Preferred Stock pursuant to this Section 5. Such notice need not be sent in advance of the occurrence of the Mandatory Conversion Time. Upon receipt of such notice, each holder of shares of Preferred Stock shall surrender his, her or its certificate or certificates for all such shares (or, if such holder alleges that such certificate has been lost, stolen or destroyed, a lost certificate affidavit and agreement reasonably acceptable to the Corporation to indemnify the Corporation against any claim that may be made against the Corporation on account of the alleged loss, theft or destruction of such certificate) to the Corporation at the place designated in such notice. If so required by the Corporation, certificates surrendered for conversion shall be endorsed or accompanied by written instrument or instruments of transfer, in form satisfactory to the Corporation, duly executed by the registered holder or by his, her or its attorney duly authorized in writing. All rights with respect to the Preferred Stock converted pursuant to Subsection 5.1, including the rights, if any, to receive notices and vote (other than as a holder of Common Stock), will terminate at the Mandatory Conversion Time (notwithstanding the failure of the holder or holders thereof to surrender the certificates at or prior to such time), except only the rights of the holders thereof, upon surrender of their certificate or certificates (or lost certificate affidavit and agreement) therefor, to receive the items provided for in the next sentence of this Subsection 5.2. As soon as practicable after the Mandatory Conversion Time and the surrender of the certificate or certificates (or lost certificate affidavit and agreement) for Preferred Stock, the Corporation shall issue and deliver to such holder, or to his, her or its nominees, a certificate or certificates for the number of full shares of Common Stock issuable on such conversion in accordance with the provisions hereof, together with cash as provided in Subsection 4.2 in lieu of any fraction of a share of Common Stock otherwise issuable upon such conversion and the payment of any declared but unpaid dividends on the shares of Preferred Stock converted. Such converted Preferred Stock shall be retired and cancelled and may not be reissued as shares of such series, and the Corporation may thereafter take such appropriate action (without the need for stockholder action) as may be necessary to reduce the authorized number of shares of Preferred Stock accordingly.

6. Redeemed or Otherwise Acquired Shares. The shares of Preferred Stock shall not be redeemable at the option of the holders thereof, except pursuant to Subsection 2.3.2 or any Put Agreements. Any shares of Preferred Stock that are redeemed or otherwise acquired by the Corporation or any of its subsidiaries shall be automatically and immediately cancelled and retired and shall not be reissued, sold or transferred. Neither the Corporation nor any of its subsidiaries may exercise any voting or other rights granted to the holders of Preferred Stock following redemption.

 

30


7. Status of Converted Stock. In the event any shares of Preferred Stock shall be converted pursuant to Section 4, the shares so converted shall be cancelled and shall not be issuable by the Corporation. This Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation shall be appropriately amended to effect the corresponding reduction in the Corporation’s authorized capital stock.

8. Waiver. Except as otherwise set forth in Section 1, Section 3.4, Section 3.5, Section 3.6, Section 3.7 and Section 4.4.1(d)(xi) of this Article Fourth, any of the rights, powers, preferences and other terms of the Preferred Stock set forth herein may be waived on behalf of all holders of Preferred Stock by the affirmative written consent or vote of the holders of at least a majority of the shares of Preferred Stock then outstanding, voting together as a separate class and on an as-converted basis.

9. Notices. Any notice required or permitted by the provisions of this Article Fourth to be given to a holder of shares of Preferred Stock shall be (i) deposited in the United States first class mail, postage prepaid, to the post office address last shown on the records of the Corporation, (i) given by electronic communication in compliance with the provisions of the General Corporation Law, or (iii) given in another manner then permitted by the General Corporation Law, and shall be deemed sent upon such mailing, electronic transmission, or other manner of delivery.

FIFTH: Subject to any additional vote required by this Certificate of Incorporation or Bylaws, in furtherance and not in limitation of the powers conferred by statute, the Board of Directors of the Corporation is expressly authorized to make, repeal, alter, amend and rescind any or all of the Bylaws of the Corporation.

SIXTH: Elections of directors need not be by written ballot unless the Bylaws of the Corporation shall so provide.

SEVENTH: Meetings of stockholders may be held within or without the State of Delaware, as the Bylaws of the Corporation may provide. The books of the Corporation may be kept outside the State of Delaware at such place or places as may be designated from time to time by the Board of Directors or in the Bylaws of the Corporation.

EIGHTH: To the fullest extent permitted by law, a director of the Corporation shall not be personally liable to the Corporation or its stockholders for monetary damages for breach of fiduciary duty as a director. If the General Corporation Law or any other law of the State of Delaware is amended after approval by the stockholders of this Article Eighth to authorize corporate action further eliminating or limiting the personal liability of directors, then the liability of a director of the Corporation shall be eliminated or limited to the fullest extent permitted by the General Corporation Law as so amended.

 

31


Any repeal or modification of the foregoing provisions of this Article Eighth by the stockholders of the Corporation shall not adversely affect any right or protection of a director of the Corporation existing at the time of, or increase the liability of any director of the Corporation with respect to any acts or omissions of such director occurring prior to, such repeal or modification.

NINTH: To the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, the Corporation is authorized to provide indemnification of (and advancement of expenses to) directors, officers and agents of the Corporation (and any other persons to which General Corporation Law permits the Corporation to provide indemnification) through Bylaw provisions, agreements with such agents or other persons, vote of stockholders or disinterested directors or otherwise, in excess of the indemnification and advancement otherwise permitted by Section 145 of the General Corporation Law.

Any amendment, repeal or modification of the foregoing provisions of this Article Ninth shall not adversely affect any right or protection of any director, officer or other agent of the Corporation existing at the time of such amendment, repeal or modification.

TENTH: In connection with repurchases by the Corporation of its Common Stock from employees, officers, directors, advisors, consultants or other persons performing services for the Corporation or any subsidiary pursuant to agreements under which the Corporation has the option to repurchase such shares at cost upon the occurrence of certain events, such as the termination of employment, for purposes of Section 500 of the California Corporations Code, such repurchases may be made without regard to any preferential dividends arrears amount or preferential rights amount.

ELEVENTH: The Corporation renounces any interest or expectancy of the Corporation in, or in being offered an opportunity to participate in, any Excluded Opportunity. An “Excluded Opportunity” is any matter, transaction, business opportunities or interest that is presented to, or acquired, created or developed by, or which otherwise comes into the possession of, any director or stockholder of the Corporation who is not an employee of the Corporation or any of its subsidiaries (including, with respect to any of the foregoing that are entities, any affiliates and their respective directors, officers, partners, members and associated entities), (collectively, “Covered Persons”), whether or not such matter, transaction or interest is presented to, or acquired, created or developed by, or otherwise comes into the possession of a Covered Person in such Covered Person’s capacity as a director of the Corporation or otherwise. A Covered Person who acquires knowledge of an Excluded Opportunity shall not (a) have any duty to communicate or offer such Excluded Opportunity to the Corporation or (b) be liable to the Corporation, its subsidiaries or to the stockholders of the Corporation because such Covered Person pursues or acquires for, or directs such Excluded Opportunity to itself or another person or entity or does not communicate such Excluded Opportunity to the Corporation.

* * *

 

32


3. That the foregoing amendment and restatement was approved by the holders of the requisite number of shares of this corporation in accordance with Section 228 of the General Corporation Law.

4. That this Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation, which restates and integrates and further amends the provisions of this Corporation’s Certificate of Incorporation, has been duly adopted in accordance with Sections 242 and 245 of the General Corporation Law.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, this Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation has been executed by a duly authorized officer of this corporation on this 23rd day of April, 2021.

 

By:  

/s/ Nikolaos A. Vlahos

  Nikolaos A. Vlahos, Chief Executive Officer

 

33

Exhibit 4.1

 

LOGO

PO BOX 505006, Louisville, KY 40233-5006
MR A SAMPLE
DESIGNATION (IF ANY) ADD 1 ADD 2 ADD 3 ADD 4
CUSIP/IDENTIFIER XXXXXX XX X
Holder ID XXXXXXXXXX
Insurance Value 00.1,000,000 Number of Shares 123456
DTC 12345678901234512345678
Certificate Numbers Num/No Denom. Total.
1234567890/12345678901234567890/1234567890 121212
1234567890/12345678901234567890/1234567890 343434
1234567890/12345678901234567890/1234567890 565656
Total Transaction 7
. ZQ|CERT#|COY|CLS|RGSTRY|ACCT#|TRANSTYPE|RUN#|TRANS#
PAR VALUE $.0001
Certificate
ZQ00000000 Number
THE HONEST COMPANY, INC.
INCORPORATED UNDER THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF DELAWARE
Shares
* * 0 0 0 0 0 0 * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
* * * 0 0 0 0 0 0 * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
* * * * 0 0 0 0 0 0 * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
* * * * * 0 0 0 0 0 0 * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
* * * * * * 0 0 0 0 0 0 * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
** Mr. Alexander David Sample **** Mr. Alexander David Sample **** Mr. Alexander David Sample **** Mr. Alexander David Sample **** Mr. Alexander David Sample **** Mr. Alexander David Sample **** Mr. Alexander David Sample **** Mr. Alexander David Sample **** Mr. Alexander David Sample **** Mr. Alexander David THIS CERTIFIES THAT Sample **** Mr. Alexander David Sample **** Mr. Alexander David Sample **** r. Alexander David Sample **** r. Alexander David Sample **** Mr. Alexander David Sample **** Mr. MR. Alexander David SAMPLE ample **** Mr. Alexander David &Sample MRS. **** Mr. Alexander SAMPLE David Sample **** Mr. Alexander & David Sample **** Mr.
Alexander David Sample **** Mr. Alexander David Sample **** Mr. Alexander David Sample **** Mr Alexander David Sample **** Mr. Alexander David Sample **** CUSIP 438333 10 6 Mr. Alexander David Sample **** Mr. Alexander David Sample **** Mr. Alexander David Sample **** Mr. Alexander David Sample **** Mr. Alexander David Sample **** Mr. Alexander David Sample **** Mr. Alexander David Sample **** Mr. Alexander David Sample **** Mr. Alexander David Sample **** Mr. Alexander David Sample **** Mr. Alexander MR. David Sample SAMPLE **** Mr. lexander David Sample **** &Mr. Alexander MRS. David Sample SAMPLE **** Mr. Alexander David Sample **** Mr. Alexander David Sample **** Mr. Alexander David Sample **** r. Alexander David Sample **** Mr. Alexander David Sample **** Mr. Alexander David Sample **** Mr.
Alexander David Sample **** Mr. Alexander David Sample **** Mr. Alexander David Sample **** Mr. Alexander David Sample **** Mr. Alexander David Sample **** Mr. Alexander David Sample **** Mr. Alexander David Sample **** Mr. Alexander David Sample **** Mr. Alexander David Sample **** Mr. Sample **** Mr. Sample
**000000**Shares****000000**Shares****000000**Shares****000000**Shares****000000**Shares****000000**Shares****000000**Shares****000000**Shares*** *000000**Shares *000000**Shares****000000**Shares****000000**Shares****000000**Shares****000000**Shares****000000**Shares****000000**Shares****

000000**Shares 000000**Shares****000000**Shares****000000**Shares****000000**Shares****000000**Shares****000000**Shares****000000**Shares****0 THIS CERTIFICATE IS TRANSFERABLE IN 00000**Shares 000000**Shares****000000**Shares****000000**Shares****000000**Shares****000000**Shares****000000** hares****000000**Shares****00 0000**Shares *000000**Shares****000000**Shares****000000**Shares****000000**Shares****000000**Shares****000000** hares****000000**Shares****000 CITIES DESIGNATED BY THE TRANSFER 000**Shares****000000**Shares****000000**Shares****000000**Shares****000000**Shares****000000**Shares****000000**Shares****000000 Shares****0000 AGENT, AVAILABLE ONLINE AT
00**Shares****000000**Shares****000000**Shares****000000**Shares****000000**Shares****000000**Shares****000000**Shares****000000 Shares****00000
0**Shares****000000**Shares****000000**Shares****000000**Shares****000000**Shares****000000**Shares****000000**Shares****000000 ZERO HUNDRED AND ZERO*** Shares****000000 www.computershare.com **Shares****000000**Shares****000000**Shares****000000**Shares****000000**Shares****000000**Shares****000000**Shares****000000 Shares****000000* *Shares****000000**Shares****000000**Shares****000000**Shares****000000**Shares****000000**Shares****000000**Shares****000000**Shares****000000** Shares****000000**Shares****000000**Shares****000000**Shares****000000**Shares****000000**Shares****000000**Shares****000000**Shares****000000**S

FULLY-PAID AND NON-ASSESSABLE SHARES OF COMMON STOCK OF
The Honest Company, Inc. (hereinafter called the “Company”), transferable on the books of the Company in person or by duly authorized attorney, upon surrender of this Certificate properly endorsed. This Certificate and the shares represented hereby, are issued and shall be held subject to all of the provisions of the Certificate of Incorporation, as amended, and the By-Laws, as amended, of the Company (copies of which are on file with the Company and with the Transfer Agent), to all of which each holder, by acceptance hereof, assents. This Certificate is not valid unless countersigned and registered by the Transfer Agent and Registrar.
Witness the facsimile seal of the Company and the facsimile signatures of its duly authorized officers.
FACSIMILE SIGNATURE President TO COME FACSIMILE SIGNATURE TO COME
Secretary
E S T COMP
NO RPORAT A N
OC E Y
H ,
I
H E N
. C
T
5/23/2012
DELAW A R E
COUNTERSIGNED AND REGISTERED:
COMPUTERSHARE TRUST COMPANY, N.A.
TRANSFER AGENT AND REGISTRAR,
By
AUTHORIZED SIGNATURE


LOGO

.THE HONEST COMPANY, INC.
THE COMPANY WILL FURNISH WITHOUT CHARGE TO EACH SHAREHOLDER WHO SO REQUESTS, A SUMMARY OF THE POWERS, DESIGNATIONS, PREFERENCES AND RELATIVE, PARTICIPATING, OPTIONAL OR OTHER SPECIAL RIGHTS OF EACH CLASS OF STOCK OF THE COMPANY AND THE QUALIFICATIONS, LIMITATIONS OR RESTRICTIONS OF SUCH PREFERENCES AND RIGHTS, AND THE VARIATIONS IN RIGHTS, PREFERENCES AND LIMITATIONS DETERMINED FOR EACH SERIES, WHICH ARE FIXED BY THE CERTIFICATE OF INCORPORATION OF THE COMPANY, AS AMENDED, AND THE RESOLUTIONS OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF THE COMPANY, AND THE AUTHORITY OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS TO DETERMINE VARIATIONS FOR FUTURE SERIES. SUCH REQUEST MAY BE MADE TO THE OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY OF THE COMPANY OR TO THE TRANSFER AGENT. THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS MAY REQUIRE THE OWNER OF A LOST OR DESTROYED STOCK CERTIFICATE, OR HIS LEGAL REPRESENTATIVES, TO GIVE THE COMPANY A BOND TO INDEMNIFY IT AND ITS TRANSFER AGENTS AND REGISTRARS AGAINST ANY CLAIM THAT MAY BE MADE AGAINST THEM ON ACCOUNT OF THE ALLEGED LOSS OR DESTRUCTION OF ANY SUCH CERTIFICATE.
The following abbreviations, when used in the inscription on the face of this certificate, shall be construed as though they were written out in full according to applicable laws or regulations:
TEN                 COM—as tenants in common                UNIF GIFT MIN ACT -............................................ (Cust)                Custodian (Minor) TEN                 ENT —as tenants by the entireties                under Uniform Gifts to Minors Act (State) JT                 TEN    —and as joint not tenants as tenants with in right common of survivorship                UNIF^TRF MIN ACT    -............................................ (Cust) Custodian (until age................................ ) ............................. (Minor)                 under Uniform Transfers to Minors Act (State)

Additional abbreviations may also be used though not in the above list.
PLEASE INSERT SOCIAL SECURITY OR OTHER IDENTIFYING NUMBER OF ASSIGNEE
For value received,____________________________ hereby sell, assign and transfer unto
(PLEASE PRINT OR TYPEWRITE NAME AND ADDRESS, INCLUDING POSTAL ZIP CODE, OF ASSIGNEE)
Shares of the Common Stock represented by the within Certificate, and do hereby irrevocably constitute and appoint Attorney to transfer the said stock on the books of the within-named Company with full power of substitution in the premises.
Dated: __________________________________________ 20__________________ Signature:____________________________________________________________ Signature:____________________________________________________________                Notice: The signature to this assignment must correspond with the name as written upon the face of the certificate, in every particular, without alteration or enlargement, or any change whatever.
Signature(s) Guaranteed: Medallion Guarantee Stamp
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 S.E.C. RULE 17Ad-15.
basis shares or transfer of or certain units the shares    are shares covered or or units units by using    the acquired legislation, a specific after    January and cost you basis    1, requested    2011. calculation If your to sell method, specify first in, first a then cost out    we basis (FIFO) have calculation    method. processed    Please method, as you consult then requested. we your have tax    If defaulted    you advisor did not if to you the need additional information about cost basis. activity If you do in not your keep account in contact for the with time the period issuer specified or do not by have state any law, your laws property and transferred may become to the appropriate subject to state state. unclaimed property

Exhibit 5.1

 

LOGO

C. Thomas Hopkins

T: +1 310-883-6417

thopkins@cooley.com

April 26, 2021

The Honest Company, Inc.

12130 Millennium Drive, #500

Los Angeles, CA 90094

Ladies and Gentlemen:

We have acted as counsel to The Honest Company, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), in connection with the filing by the Company of a Registration Statement (No. 333-255150) on Form S-1 (the “Registration Statement”) with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including a related prospectus included in the Registration Statement (the “Prospectus”), covering an underwritten public offering of up to 29,678,050 shares of the Company’s common stock, par value $0.0001 per share (the “Shares”), which consists of (i) 6,451,613 Shares to be sold by the Company (the “Company Shares”) and (ii) up to 23,226,437 Shares to be sold by the selling stockholders identified in such Registration Statement (including up to 3,871,050 Shares that may be sold by the selling stockholders pursuant to the exercise of an option to purchase additional Shares granted to the underwriters) (collectively, the “Stockholder Shares”).

In connection with this opinion, we have (i) examined and relied upon (a) the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, (b) the Company’s Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation and Amended and Restated Bylaws, each as currently in effect, (c) the forms of the Company’s Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation and Amended and Restated Bylaws, filed as Exhibits 3.2 and 3.4 to the Registration Statement, respectively, each of which is to be in effect prior to the closing of the offering contemplated by the Registration Statement and (d) originals or copies certified to our satisfaction of such records, documents, certificates, memoranda and other instruments as in our judgment are necessary or appropriate to enable us to render the opinion expressed below and (ii) assumed that (a) the Shares will be sold at a price established by the Board of Directors of the Company or a duly authorized committee thereof and (b) the Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation referred to in clause (i)(c) is filed with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware before issuance of the Shares.

We have assumed the genuineness of all signatures, the authenticity of all documents submitted to us as originals, the conformity to originals of all documents submitted to us as copies, the accuracy, completeness and authenticity of certificates of public officials; and the due authorization, execution and delivery of all documents by all persons other than by the Company where authorization, execution and delivery are prerequisites to the effectiveness thereof. As to certain factual matters, we have relied upon a certificate of an officer of the Company and have not independently verified such matters.

Our opinion is expressed only with respect to the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware. We express no opinion to the extent that any other laws are applicable to the subject matter hereof and express no opinion and provide no assurance as to compliance with any federal or state securities law, rule or regulation.

On the basis of the foregoing, and in reliance thereon, we are of the opinion that (i) the Company Shares, when sold and issued against payment therefor as described in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, will be validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable and (ii) the Stockholder Shares have been validly issued and are fully paid and non-assessable, except with respect to Stockholder Shares that are to be sold by certain selling stockholders upon the conversion of outstanding preferred stock of the Company in accordance with the terms of such preferred stock, which will be validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable upon such conversion.

 

Cooley LLP 1333 2nd Street, Suite 400, Santa Monica, CA 90401

t: (310) 883 6400 f: (310) 883 6500 cooley.com


LOGO

The Honest Company, Inc.

April 26, 2021

Page Two

 

We consent to the reference to our firm under the caption “Legal Matters” in the Prospectus included in the Registration Statement and to the filing of this opinion as an exhibit to the Registration Statement.

Sincerely,

Cooley LLP

 

By:   /s/ C. Thomas Hopkins
          C. Thomas Hopkins

 

Cooley LLP 1333 2nd Street, Suite 400, Santa Monica, CA 90401

t: (310) 883 6400 f: (310) 883 6500 cooley.com

Exhibit 10.5

THE HONEST COMPANY, INC.

NON-EMPLOYEE DIRECTOR COMPENSATION POLICY

 

 

Each member of the Board of Directors (the “Board”) of The Honest Company, Inc. (the “Company”) who is not also serving as an employee of the Company or any of its subsidiaries (each such member, an “Eligible Director”) will receive the compensation described in this Non-Employee Director Compensation Policy (this “Policy”). An Eligible Director may decline all or any portion of his or her compensation by giving notice to the Company prior to the date cash is to be paid or equity awards are to be granted, as the case may be. This Policy will be effective upon the execution of the underwriting agreement between the Company and the underwriter(s) managing the initial public offering of the Common Stock, pursuant to which the Common Stock is priced for the initial public offering (the date of such execution being referred to as the “Effective Date”). This Policy may be amended at any time in the sole discretion of the Board, or by the Compensation Committee of the Board (the “Compensation Committee”) at the recommendation of the Board. Unless otherwise defined herein, capitalized terms used in this Policy will have the meaning given to such terms in the Company’s 2021 Equity Incentive Plan or if such plan is no longer in use, the meaning given to such terms or any similar terms in the primary successor to such plan (in either case, the “Plan”).

 

I.

Annual Cash Compensation

The annual cash compensation amount set forth below is payable to Eligible Directors in equal quarterly installments, payable in arrears on the last day of each fiscal quarter of the Company (each, a “Quarterly Date”) in which the service occurred. If an Eligible Director joins the Board or a committee of the Board at a time other than effective as of the first day of a fiscal quarter of the Company, each annual retainer set forth below will be pro-rated based on days served in the applicable fiscal year of the Company, with the pro-rated amount paid for the first fiscal quarter of the Company in which the Eligible Director provides the service, and regular full quarterly payments to be paid thereafter. All annual cash fees are vested upon payment.

 

  1.

Annual Board Service Retainer:

 

  a.

All Eligible Directors: $50,000

 

  2.

Annual Board Leadership Retainer (inclusive of Annual Board Service Retainer):

 

  a.

Non-executive Chair of the Board (if applicable): $125,000

 

  b.

Lead Independent Director (if applicable): $70,000

 

  3.

Annual Committee Member Service Retainer:

 

  a.

Member of the Audit Committee: $15,000

 

  b.

Member of the Compensation Committee: $7,500

 

  c.

Member of the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee: $5,000

 

  4.

Annual Committee Chair Service Retainer (inclusive of Annual Committee Member Service Retainer):

 

  a.

Chair of the Audit Committee: $20,000

 

  b.

Chair of the Compensation Committee: $15,000

 

  c.

Chair of the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee: $10,000

 

1


The Company will also reimburse each Eligible Director for his or her customary and documented travel expenses incurred in connection with his or her attendance at Board and committee meetings. Such reimbursements shall be paid on the same date as the annual cash fees are paid.

 

II.

Equity Compensation

The equity compensation set forth below will be granted under the Plan and the applicable RSU Award Agreement.

 

  1.

Initial Grant: For each Eligible Director who is first elected or appointed to the Board on or following the Effective Date, at the close of business on the date of such Eligible Director’s initial election or appointment to the Board, the Eligible Director will be automatically, and without further action by the Board or the Compensation Committee, granted an RSU Award covering a number of restricted stock units equal to (a) $185,000 divided by (b) the average Fair Market Value of a share of Common Stock for the 30 consecutive market trading days ending on and including the last market trading day prior to the grant date of such RSU Award (or if such RSU Award is granted on the Effective Date, the initial per share price to the public as set forth in the final prospectus included within the registration statement in Form S-1 filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission for the initial public offering of the Common Stock (the “IPO Price”)), rounded down to the nearest whole unit (each, an “Initial Grant”). The Initial Grant will vest in three equal annual installments on the one-, two- and three-year anniversaries of the Eligible Director’s initial election or appointment to the Board, subject to the Eligible Director’s Continuous Service on each vesting date.

 

  2.

Annual Grant and Prorated Annual Grant: At the close of business after the first Annual Meeting following the Effective Date on the date of each annual meeting of the Company’s stockholders (each, an “Annual Meeting”), each person who is then an Eligible Director will be automatically, and without further action by the Board or the Compensation Committee, granted an RSU Award covering a number of restricted stock units equal to (a) $185,000 divided by (b) the average Fair Market Value of a share of Common Stock for the 30 consecutive market trading days ending on and including the last market trading day prior to the grant date of such RSU Award, rounded down to the nearest whole unit (each, an “Annual Grant”).

In addition, for each Eligible Director who is first elected or appointed to the Board after the first Annual Meeting following the Effective Date on a date other than the date of an Annual Meeting, at the close of business on the date of such Eligible Director’s initial election or appointment to the Board, the Eligible Director will be automatically, and without further action by the Board or the Compensation Committee, granted an RSU Award covering a number of restricted stock units equal to (a) $185,000 multiplied by a fraction, the numerator of which equals 365 minus the total number of days, as of the grant date of such RSU Award, that have occurred since the last Annual Meeting and the denominator of which equals 365, divided by (b) the average Fair Market Value of a share of Common Stock for the 30 consecutive market trading days ending on and including the last market trading day prior to the grant date of such RSU Award, rounded down to the nearest whole unit (each, a “Prorated Annual Grant”).

Each Annual Grant and Prorated Annual Grant will vest in full on the earlier of (a) the one-year anniversary of the grant date of the Annual Grant or Prorated Annual Grant, as applicable, and (b) the date immediately prior to the date of the Annual Meeting next following the grant date of such Annual Grant or Prorated Annual Grant, as applicable, subject to the Eligible Director’s Continuous Service on the vesting date.

 

2


  3.

Interim Annual Grant and Prorated Interim Annual Grant: At the close of business on the Effective Date, each person who is then an Eligible Director will be automatically, and without further action by the Board or the Compensation Committee, granted an RSU Award (each, an “Interim Annual Grant”). Each Interim Annual Grant will cover a number of restricted stock units equal to (a) $185,000 multiplied by a fraction, the numerator of which equals the total number of days during the period beginning on the Effective Date and ending on June 1, 2022 (such date, the “Assumed First Annual Meeting Date”) and the denominator of which equals 365, divided by (b) the IPO Price, rounded down to the nearest whole unit. Each Interim Annual Grant will vest as to 1/13th of the Interim Annual Grant on June 1, 2021, and as to 12/13th of the Interim Annual Grant on the earlier of (a) the date immediately prior to the date of the Annual Meeting next following the grant date of the Interim Annual Grant and (b) the Assumed First Annual Meeting Date, subject to the Eligible Director’s Continuous Service through each vesting date.

In addition, each person who is first elected or appointed to the Board following the Effective Date but prior to the Assumed First Annual Meeting Date will be automatically, and without further action by the Board or the Compensation Committee, granted an RSU Award (each, a “Prorated Interim Annual Grant”) at the close of business on the date of such Eligible Director’s initial election or appointment to the Board. Each Prorated Interim Annual Grant will cover a number of restricted stock units equal to (a) $185,000 multiplied by a fraction, the numerator of which equals the total number of days during the period beginning on the date the applicable Eligible Director was first elected or appointed to the Board and ending on the Assumed First Annual Meeting Date and the denominator of which equals 365, divided by (b) the average Fair Market Value of a share of Common Stock for the 30 consecutive market trading days ending on and including the last market trading day prior to the grant date of such Prorated Interim Annual Grant, rounded down to the nearest whole unit. Each Prorated Interim Annual Grant will vest in full on the earlier of (a) the date immediately prior to the date of the Annual Meeting next following the grant date of the Prorated Interim Annual Grant and (b) the Assumed First Annual Meeting Date, subject to the Eligible Director’s Continuous Service through the vesting date.

 

  4.

Elections to Receive an RSU Award in Lieu of Annual Cash Retainers:

a. Retainer Grant. For the fiscal year of the Company in which the Effective Date occurs and each fiscal year of the Company thereafter, each Eligible Director may elect (such election, a “Retainer Grant Election”) to forego receiving payment of all (but not less than all) of the compensation he or she is otherwise eligible to receive in cash under Article I of this Policy for the period during the fiscal year of the Company to which the Retainer Grant Election applies commencing on the Retainer Grant Measurement Date and ending on the last day of the fiscal year of the Company to which the Retainer Grant Election applies (each such period, a “Retainer Grant Measurement Period”) and receive an RSU Award instead (each, a “Retainer Grant”) but only if the Retainer Grant Election is timely made in accordance with the requirements of this Section 4. If an Eligible Director timely makes a Retainer Grant Election pursuant to Section 4.b below, on the Retainer Grant Measurement Date (as defined below), such Eligible Director will be automatically, and without any further action by the Board or the Compensation Committee, granted a Retainer Grant covering a number of restricted stock units equal to (a) the aggregate amount of cash compensation under Article I of this Policy that such

 

3


Eligible Director is eligible to receive for the applicable Retainer Grant Measurement Period divided by (b) the average Fair Market Value of a share of Common Stock for the 30 consecutive market trading days ending on and including the last trading day prior to the grant date of such Retainer Grant, rounded down to the nearest whole unit. For purposes of this Policy, “Retainer Grant Measurement Date” means the first day of the fiscal year of the Company to which the Retainer Grant Election applies, provided that if the Retainer Grant Election is made in the same fiscal year of the Company to which it applies, then the Retainer Grant Measurement Date means the first day of the fiscal quarter of the Company next following the fiscal quarter of the Company in which the Retainer Grant Election is made.

Each Retainer Grant will vest as to the Retainer Grant Vesting Percentage on each Quarterly Date following the grant date of the Retainer Grant, subject to such Eligible Director’s Continuous Service through each vesting date. The “Retainer Grant Vesting Percentage” equals (a) 100% multiplied by (b) a fraction, the numerator of which equals one and the denominator of which equals the number of Quarterly Dates occurring during the period commencing on the grant date of the applicable Retainer Grant and ending on the last day of the fiscal year of the Company in which such Retainer Grant was granted.

b. Election Mechanics. Unless otherwise determined by the Board or the Compensation Committee, for any Retainer Grant Election to be effective, it must be submitted to the Company’s General Counsel (or such other individual as the Company designates) (i) on or prior to the last day of the calendar year immediately preceding the first calendar year in which the Retention Grant Election will be effective, or (ii) within 30 days after the Eligible Director first becomes eligible to participate in this Policy. An Eligible Director may only make a Retainer Grant Election during a period in which the Company is not in a quarterly or special blackout period and the Eligible Director is not aware of any material non-public information. In addition, an Eligible Director may not make a Retainer Grant Election that applies to the fiscal year in which he or she first becomes eligible to participate in this Policy after the third Quarterly Date in such fiscal year. Any Retainer Grant Election will be irrevocable, and will be subject to such rules, conditions and procedures as shall be determined by the Board or the Compensation Committee, in its sole discretion, which rules, conditions and procedures shall at all times comply with the requirements of Code Section 409A, unless otherwise specifically determined by the Board or the Compensation Committee. Retainer Grant Elections shall be made pursuant to a form of election in substantially the form attached hereto as Exhibit A or such other form as approved by the Board or the Compensation Committee. An Eligible Director who fails to make a timely Retainer Grant Election will not receive a Retainer Grant and instead will receive the cash compensation under Article I of this Policy.

 

III.

Eligible Director Compensation Limit

Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, the cash compensation and equity compensation that each Eligible Director is entitled to receive under this Policy shall be subject to the limits set forth in Section 3(d) of the Plan.

 

IV.

Change in Control; Death; Disability

Each RSU Award held by an Eligible Director that is granted under this Policy will vest in full upon such Eligible Director’s death or Disability, or immediately prior to the consummation of a Change in Control, in each case, to extent such RSU Award is outstanding as of immediately prior to the occurrence of such event.

 

4


V.

Deferral of RSU Awards

Unless and until otherwise determined by the Board or the Compensation Committee, as applicable, each Eligible Director may elect to defer the delivery of shares in settlement of any RSU Award granted pursuant to this Policy that would otherwise be delivered to such Eligible Director on or following the date such RSU Award vests pursuant to the terms of this Policy (the “Deferral Election”). Unless otherwise determined by the Board or the Compensation Committee, for any such Deferral Election to be effective, it must be submitted to the Company’s General Counsel (or such other individual as the Company designates) (a) on or prior to the last day of the calendar year immediately prior to the calendar year in which the RSU Award to which the Deferral Election relates is granted, or (b) within 30 days after the applicable Eligible Director first becomes eligible to participate in the Policy. Any Deferral Election will be irrevocable, and will be subject to such rules, conditions and procedures as shall be determined by the Board or the Compensation Committee, in its sole discretion, which rules, conditions and procedures shall at all times comply with the requirements of Section 409A, unless otherwise specifically determined by the Board or the Compensation Committee. Deferral Elections shall be made pursuant to a form of deferral election in substantially the form attached hereto as Exhibit A or such other form as approved by the Board or the Compensation Committee.

Approved by the Board of Directors: April 8, 2021

Effective Date:

 

5


EXHIBIT A

THE HONEST COMPANY, INC.

NON-EMPLOYEE DIRECTOR COMPENSATION POLICY

Restricted Stock Unit Deferral and Retainer Grant Election Form

For Eligible Directors

Please complete and return this Restricted Stock Unit Deferral and Retainer Grant Election Form (the “Election Form”), as described below, [for existing non-employee directors making elections for 2021: within 30 days after the Effective Date of the Policy] [for existing non-employee directors making elections for 2022 or any year thereafter: on or before December 31 of each year] [for new non-employee directors: within 30 days following the date you join the Board] (the “Submission Deadline”), to Brendan Sheehey, General Counsel, The Honest Company, Inc. 12130 Millennium Drive, #500, Los Angeles, California 90094.

Neither the provision of this Election Form nor your completion of this Election Form represents a commitment by the Company to grant an Award to you. The grant of an Award remains subject to the terms of the Company’s Non-Employee Director Compensation Policy as may be hereinafter amended (the “Policy”). Terms not otherwise defined herein shall have the meaning set forth in the Policy or the Plan, as applicable.

I understand that my Election Form will become irrevocable effective as of the Submission Deadline.

 

I.

PERSONAL INFORMATION

(Please print)

Participant Name: (the “Participant”)

 

II.

RETAINER GRANT ELECTION

By signing below, I elect to forego receiving payment of all (but not less than all) of the compensation I am otherwise eligible to receive in cash under Article I of the Policy for the period during the fiscal year of the Company ended [___] commencing on [______]1 and ending on [______],2 and to receive a Retainer Grant in lieu thereof. If I do not timely submit a properly completed Election Form, I will not receive the applicable Retainer Grant and will instead receive the applicable cash compensation under Article I of the Policy.

 

III.

RSU AWARD DEFERRAL ELECTION

By signing below, I elect to defer in accordance with this Article III 100% of my [_____]3 that may be granted to me, if any, under the Plan and pursuant to the Policy in the calendar year following the calendar year in which I tender this election (or if I first became eligible to participate in the Policy in the calendar year in which I tender this election, in the calendar year in which I tender this election). If I do not timely

submit a properly completed Election Form, then my [_____]4 will vest and settle in accordance with the terms of the Policy, the Plan, and the applicable RSU Award Agreement.

 

1 

Applicate Retainer Grant Measurement Date

2 

Last day of the fiscal year of the Company to which the Retainer Gant Election applies

3 

Awards with respect to which the Eligible Director is making a deferral election to be included.

4 

Awards with respect to which the Eligible Director is making a deferral election to be included.


All Awards that are deferred pursuant to this Section III are referred to as “Deferred Awards” in this Election Form.

By signing below, I elect to have my Deferred Awards settled as follows:

1. Subject to the following paragraph, my Deferred Awards will be settled in a single lump sum installment in whole shares on the earlier of

(a) immediately prior to a Change in Control, provided that, for the avoidance of doubt, a transaction will not be deemed a Change in Control unless the transaction qualifies as a change in control event within the meaning of Section 409A; or

(b) [within 60 days following my Separation Date or my death, whichever is earlier] [OR] [the earlier of (i) the date that is five years after the grant date of the applicable Deferred Award and (ii) the date that is five years after my Separation Date or death.]

For the purposes of the foregoing, “Separation Date” means the date of my retirement or other separation from service with the Company and all of its Affiliates (as determined in accordance with Section 409A(2)(A)(i) of the Code and Treasury regulation section 1.409A-1(h)).

2. If a distribution hereunder is triggered because of my Separation Date and I am a “specified employee” within the meaning of Section 409A at the time of my Separation Date, then the distribution that I would otherwise be entitled to receive upon the Separation Date will not be settled until the date that is 6 months and 1 day following the Separation Date, unless I die following my Separation Date, in which case, my distribution will commence as soon as practicable following my death.

IV. PARTICIPANT ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS AND SIGNATURE

1. I agree to all of the terms and conditions of this Election Form.

2. I acknowledge that I have received and read a copy of the Plan’s prospectus and that I am familiar with the terms and provisions of the Plan.

3. I agree to the right of the Board or the Compensation Committee to amend or terminate my election under Article III at any time and for any reason, with or without notice; provided that such termination or amendment is performed in compliance with Section 409A (as determined by Company legal counsel in its sole and absolute discretion).

4. I understand that the obligation of the Company to settle any Deferred Awards is unfunded and that no assets of any kind have been segregated in a trust or otherwise set aside to satisfy any obligation under this Election Form. I also understand that any election to defer the settlement of any Awards pursuant to this Election Form will make me only a general, unsecured creditor of the Company.

5. I understand that any amounts deferred will be taxable as ordinary income in the year settled. Notwithstanding, I agree and understand that the Company does not guarantee in any way whatsoever the tax treatment of any deferrals or payments made under the Policy or this Election Form. I understand that I will be responsible for all taxes and any other costs owed with respect to any deferrals or payments made with respect to my Awards.

 

A-2


6. I understand that the Company will be under no obligation to settle any Deferred Awards until any applicable tax withholding obligations are satisfied and that if I fail to satisfy any such tax withholding obligations I will forfeit my right to receive the shares subject to my Deferred Award. I understand that the Company has the right (but not the obligation) to withhold taxes from my Deferred Awards (including pursuant to net share withholding) in any amount and through such procedure as the Company deems necessary or desirable to satisfy any income or other tax obligations incurred with respect to my Awards.

7. I understand that, upon receipt of any Deferred Awards, in addition to federal taxes, I may owe taxes to the state where I resided at the time of vesting in the Deferred Awards and/or to the state where I reside when the Deferred Awards are settled, if different.

8. I understand, acknowledge and agree that the Board or the Compensation Committee has the discretion to make all determinations and decisions regarding any elections set forth on this Election Form.

9. I understand that this Election Form and the elections made hereunder are intended to comply with the requirements of Section 409A so that none of [the Deferred Awards or the Retainer Grant] issuable will be subject to the tax acceleration and additional penalty taxes imposed under Section 409A, and any ambiguities herein will be interpreted to so comply. If applicable, I understand that I am solely responsible for any accelerated income taxes and additional taxes and tax penalties imposed by Section 409A.

10. I also understand that this Election Form and the elections made hereunder will in all respects be subject to the terms and conditions of the Policy, the applicable Award Agreement and the Plan, as applicable. Should any inconsistency exist between this Election Form, the Policy, the Plan, the Award Agreement under which an Award was granted, and/or any applicable law, then the provisions of either the applicable law (including, but not limited to, Section 409A) or the Plan will control, with the Plan subordinated to the applicable law and the Award Agreement and the Policy subordinated to this Election Form.

 

A-3


By signing this Election Form, I authorize the implementation of the above elections. I understand that my [deferral election and retainer grant election] are irrevocable effective as of the Submission Deadline and may not be changed in the future, except in accordance with the requirements of Section 409A and the procedures specified by the Board or the Compensation Committee.

 

Signed:________________________

  

Date: ___________________________, ______

Participant

  
Agreed to and accepted:   

The Honest Company, Inc.,

  

By:___________________________

  

Date: ___________________________, _______

IMPORTANT DEADLINE: Please remember that if you wish to make any election set forth on this Election Form, then the properly completed Election Form must be signed by you and returned ON OR BEFORE THE SUBMISSION DEADLINE to Brendan Sheehey, General Counsel, at The Honest Company, Inc. by e-mail to bsheehey@thehonestcompany.com.

 

A-4

Exhibit 10.7

April 24, 2021

 

Re:

Employment Agreement

Dear Nikolaos:

The Honest Company, Inc. (the “Company”) is pleased to offer you continuing at-will employment in the position of Chief Executive Officer (“CEO”) on the terms and conditions set forth in this letter agreement (the “Agreement”).

1. Employment by the Company. This Agreement and your continuing employment under the terms hereunder shall take effect upon the effectiveness of the S-1 registration statement relating to the Company’s initial public offering (the “Effective Date”). This is an exempt position, and during your employment with the Company, you will devote your best efforts and substantially all of your business time and attention to the business of the Company, except for approved vacation periods and reasonable periods of illness or other incapacities permitted by the Company’s general employment policies. You shall perform such duties as are required by the Company’s Board of Directors (“Board”), to whom you will report. During your employment, if acceptable to you, the Board or appropriate committee will nominate you to serve as a member of the Board at each annual meeting at which you are subject to re-election, as permitted by the Company’s bylaws and applicable law. Your primary work location shall be the Company’s office located in Los Angeles, California. The Company reserves the right to reasonably require you to perform your duties at places other than your primary office location from time to time, and to require reasonable business travel.

2. Compensation.

2.1 Base Salary. For services to be rendered hereunder, you shall receive a base salary at the rate of $825,000 per year (the “Base Salary”), subject to standard payroll deductions and withholdings and payable in accordance with the Company’s regular payroll schedule. Your Base Salary shall be subject to periodic review for any increase in the Board’s discretion. Any such increased amount shall be your “Base Salary” for all purposes thereafter.

2.2 Annual Bonus. You will be eligible for an annual discretionary bonus with a target amount of 50% of your then current annual Base Salary (the “Annual Bonus”). Whether you receive an Annual Bonus for any given year, and the amount of any such Annual Bonus, will be determined by the Board of Directors of the Company and/or its Compensation Committee (the “Board”) in its discretion based upon the achievement of corporate and/or individual objectives and milestones that are determined in the sole discretion of the Board and other criteria to be determined by the Board in consultation with you. You must continue to be employed through the date the Annual Bonus is paid in order to earn such bonus. If your employment terminates for any reason prior to the payment date, you will not have earned, and will not be paid, any pro-rated bonus. The Annual Bonus, if earned, shall be paid to you in a lump sum no later than March 15th of the calendar year that follows the performance year, subject to applicable payroll deductions and withholdings.

 

1.


2.3 Equity. You have previously been granted various equity interests in the Company (the “Awards”). The Awards will continue to be governed by the terms and conditions of the applicable existing plan documents, award agreements and grant notices. You will be eligible for future equity awards as determined by the Board from time to time in its sole discretion.

3. Business Expenses. You will be eligible for reimbursement of all reasonable, necessary and documented out-of-pocket business, entertainment, and travel expenses incurred by you in connection with the performance of your duties hereunder in accordance with the Company’s expense reimbursement policies and procedures.

4. Company Policies; Standard Company Benefits. The employment relationship between the parties shall be governed by the general employment policies and practices of the Company, except that when the terms of this Agreement differ from or are in conflict with the Company’s general employment policies or practices, this Agreement shall control. You shall remain eligible to participate in all employee benefit programs for which you are eligible under the terms and conditions of the benefit plans that may be in effect from time to time and provided by the Company to its employees (medical, dental, and vision benefits paid at 100% by the Company). The Company reserves the right to cancel or change the benefit plans or programs it offers to its employees at any time. You shall be reimbursed up to $20,000 annually for expenses related to tax and financial planning advice, contingent upon submission of receipts to the Company with respect thereto. The Company shall promptly pay or reimburse the legal fees incurred by the CEO in negotiating and preparing this Agreement and related documents, up to a maximum of $25,000. The Company shall purchase and maintain, at the Company’s expense (including annual premiums) a $5,000,000 “key man” life insurance policy, for the benefit of the Company, during the tenure of your employment by the Company.

5. At-Will Employment. Your employment relationship is at-will. Either you or the Company may terminate the employment relationship at any time, with or without cause or advance notice. Subject to the “Good Reason” provision set forth in Section 7 and Section 8.3, the Company may, in its sole discretion, adjust salaries, incentive compensation, stock plans, benefits, job titles, locations, duties, responsibilities, and reporting relationships. Upon termination of your employment for any reason, you shall resign from all positions and terminate any relationships as an employee, advisor, officer or director with the Company and any of its affiliates, each effective on the date of termination.

6. Outside Activities During Employment. Except with the prior written consent of the Board, you will not during the term of your employment with the Company undertake or engage in any other employment, occupation or business enterprise, other than ones in which you are a passive investor. You may engage in civic and not-for-profit activities so long as such activities do not materially interfere with the performance of your duties hereunder. You agree not to acquire, assume or participate in, directly or indirectly, any position, investment or interest known to be adverse or antagonistic to the Company, its business or prospects, financial or otherwise.

 

2.


7. Termination; Severance.

7.1 Involuntary Termination. If you are subject to an Involuntary Termination and provided that you remain in compliance with the terms of this Agreement applicable following a termination of employment (including the conditions described in Section 7.3 below), the Company shall provide you with the following Severance Benefits:

(a) Cash Severance. The Company shall pay you, as severance, the equivalent of twenty four (24) months (the “Severance Period”) of your Base Salary in effect as of the date of your employment termination, subject to standard payroll deductions and withholdings (the “Severance”). The Severance shall also include a pro rata bonus amount calculated from the achievement of identified corporate goals, with any personal goals deemed achieved, under the Company’s bonus plan as of the date of your employment termination (“Pro Rata Bonus”). The Severance will be paid as a continuation on the Company’s regular payroll, beginning no later than the first regularly-scheduled payroll date following the sixtieth (60th) day after your Separation from Service, provided the Separation Agreement (as provided in Section 7.3) has become effective.

(b) Payment of Continued Group Health Plan Benefits. If you are eligible for and timely elect continued group health plan coverage under the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1985 or any state law of similar effect (“COBRA”) following your Involuntary Termination, the Company will pay your COBRA group health insurance premiums for you and your eligible dependents directly to the insurer until the earliest of (A) the end of the period immediately following your Involuntary Termination that is equal to the Severance Period (the “COBRA Payment Period”), (B) the expiration of your eligibility for continuation coverage under COBRA, or (C) the date when you become eligible for substantially equivalent health insurance coverage in connection with new employment or self-employment. For purposes of this Section, references to COBRA premiums shall not include any amounts payable by you under a Section 125 health care reimbursement plan under the Code. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if at any time the Company determines, in its sole discretion, that it cannot pay the COBRA premiums without potentially incurring financial costs or penalties under applicable law (including, without limitation, Section 2716 of the Public Health Service Act), then regardless of whether you elect continued health coverage under COBRA, and in lieu of providing the COBRA premiums, the Company will instead pay you on the last day of each remaining month of the COBRA Payment Period, a fully taxable cash payment equal to the COBRA premiums for that month, subject to applicable tax withholdings (such amount, the “Special Severance Payment”), which payments shall continue until the earlier of expiration of the COBRA Payment Period or the date when you become eligible for substantially equivalent health insurance coverage in connection with new employment or self-employment. On the first payroll date following the effectiveness of the Release, the Company will make the first payment to the insurer under this clause (and, in the case of the Special Severance Payment, such payment will be to you, in a lump sum) equal to the aggregate amount of payments that the Company would have paid through such date had such payments instead commenced on the date of your Involuntary Termination, with the balance of the payments paid thereafter on the schedule described above. If you become eligible for coverage under another employer’s group health plan, you must immediately notify the Company of such event, and all payments and obligations under this subsection shall cease.

 

3.


7.2 Termination for Cause; Resignation Without Good Reason; Death or Disability. If you resign without Good Reason, or the Company terminates your employment for Cause, or upon your death or disability, then all payments of compensation by the Company to you hereunder will terminate immediately (except as to amounts already earned), and you will not be entitled to any Severance Benefits. Notwithstanding the foregoing, in the event of your death or disability you or your estate will be entitled to a Pro Rata Bonus.

7.3 Conditions to Receipt of Severance Benefits. The receipt of the Severance Benefits will be subject to you signing and not revoking a separation agreement and release of claims in a form reasonably satisfactory to you and the Company (the “Separation Agreement”) by no later than the sixtieth (60th) day after your employment termination (“Release Deadline”). No Severance Benefits will be paid or provided until the Separation Agreement becomes effective. You shall also resign from all positions and terminate any relationships as an employee, advisor, officer or director with the Company and any of its affiliates, each effective on the date of termination.

7.4 Accrued Obligations. Upon a termination of your employment for any reason, (i) you shall receive payment for all Base Salary accrued as of the date of your termination and you shall also be entitled to reimbursement for all business expenses incurred through the date of termination in accordance with the Company’s expense reimbursement policy as applicable to executives. Your participation in the Company’s then-existing benefit plans shall be governed by the terms and conditions of such plans in effect on the date of termination and in accordance with applicable law.

8. Definitions.

8.1 Cause. For purposes of this Agreement, “Cause” means any one of the following: (a) willful material breach by you of any material Company policy (including, but not limited to, the Company’s policies on nondiscrimination, anti-harassment, and confidential information) or your duties or obligations hereunder; (b) your willful engagement in conduct materially injurious to the Company, monetarily or otherwise; (c) acts of fraud, theft or other willful illegal acts calling into question your personal integrity, or conviction on a felony charge, whether or not related to your employment hereunder; or (d) your willful refusal to follow lawful instructions of the Board. In order to terminate your employment for Cause pursuant to (a) or (d), but only to the extent the Board determines in its reasonable discretion that such breach is amenable to cure, the Board must provide you written notice within thirty (30) days after the first occurrence of the event giving rise to Cause setting forth the basis for the existence of Cause, allow you thirty (30) days from receipt of such written notice to cure such event, and if such event is not reasonably cured within such period, the Company must terminate your employment not later than thirty (30) days after the expiration of the cure period. No act, or failure to act, on your part shall be considered “willful” if done, or omitted to be done, by you in good faith and with a reasonable belief that your action or omission was in the best interests of the Company.

 

4.


8.2 Code. For purposes of this Agreement, “Code” means the U.S. Internal Revenue Code of 1986 (as it has been and may be amended from time to time) and any regulations and guidance that has been promulgated or may be promulgated from time to time thereunder and any state law of similar effect.

8.3 Good Reason. For purposes of this Agreement, “Good Reason” means any one of the following without your consent: (a) an assignment of duties or responsibilities (including reporting responsibilities) materially inconsistent with, or which materially reduce, your duties, authority, responsibilities and status with the Company; (b) an adverse change in your title; (c) any material reduction in your Base Salary, other than a reduction, generally applicable to other executives of the Company, by not more than 25%; (d) the relocation of your principal place of employment to a location that is more than twenty-five (25) miles away from its current location; or (e) the uncured breach of any material provision of this Agreement (or any other agreement with you) by the Company. In order to resign for Good Reason, you must provide written notice to the Company’s Board within thirty (30) days after the first occurrence of the event giving rise to Good Reason setting forth the basis for your resignation, allow the Company thirty (30) days from receipt of such written notice to cure such event, and if such event is not reasonably cured within such period, you must resign from all positions you then hold with the Company not later than thirty (30) days after the expiration of the cure period.

8.4 Involuntary Termination. For purposes of this Agreement, “Involuntary Termination” means a termination of your employment with the Company pursuant to either (i) a termination initiated by the Company without Cause, or (ii) your resignation for Good Reason, and provided in either case such termination constitutes a Separation from Service. An Involuntary Termination does not include any other termination of your employment, including a termination due to your death or disability.

8.5 Separation from Service. For purposes of this Agreement, “Separation from Service” means a “separation from service”, as defined under Treasury Regulation Section 1.409A-1(h).

9. Proprietary Information Obligations. As a condition of your continued employment, you shall execute and abide by the Company’s standard form of Employee Confidential Information and Invention Assignment Agreement, attached as Exhibit A. In your work for the Company, you will be expected not to use or disclose any confidential information, including trade secrets, of any former employer or other person to whom you have an obligation of confidentiality. Rather, you will be expected to use only that information which is generally known and used by persons with training and experience comparable to your own, which is common knowledge in the industry or otherwise legally in the public domain, or which is otherwise provided or developed by the Company. You acknowledge that you have not brought onto Company premises any unpublished documents or property belonging to any former employer or other person to whom you have an obligation of confidentiality and have disclosed to the Company any contract you have signed that may restrict your activities on behalf of the Company.

 

5.


10. Section 409A. It is intended that all of the severance benefits and other payments payable under this Agreement satisfy, to the greatest extent possible, the exemptions from the application of Code Section 409A provided under Treasury Regulations Sections 1.409A 1(b)(4), 1.409A 1(b)(5) and 1.409A 1(b)(9), and this Agreement will be construed to the greatest extent possible as consistent with those provisions, and to the extent not so exempt, this Agreement (and any definitions hereunder) will be construed in a manner that complies with Section 409A. For all purposes of Code Section 409A (including, without limitation, for purposes of Treasury Regulations Sections 1.409A 2(b)(2)(i) and (iii)), your right to receive any installment payments under this Agreement (whether severance payments, reimbursements or otherwise) shall be treated as a right to receive a series of separate payments and, accordingly, each installment payment hereunder shall at all times be considered a separate and distinct payment. Notwithstanding any provision to the contrary in this Agreement, if you are deemed by the Company at the time of your Separation from Service to be a “specified employee” for purposes of Code Section 409A(a)(2)(B)(i), and if any of the payments upon Separation from Service set forth herein and/or under any other agreement with the Company are deemed to be “deferred compensation,” then to the extent delayed commencement of any portion of such payments is required in order to avoid a prohibited distribution under Code Section 409A(a)(2)(B)(i) and the related adverse taxation under Section 409A, such payments shall not be provided to you prior to the earliest of (i) the first date following expiration of the six-month period following the date of your Separation from Service with the Company, (ii) the date of your death or (iii) such earlier date as permitted under Section 409A without the imposition of adverse taxation. Upon the first business day following the expiration of such applicable Code Section 409A(a)(2)(B)(i) period, all payments deferred pursuant to this Paragraph shall be paid in a lump sum to you, and any remaining payments due shall be paid as otherwise provided herein or in the applicable agreement. No interest shall be due on any amounts so deferred. If the severance benefits are not covered by one or more exemptions from the application of Section 409A and the Release Deadline occurs in the calendar year following the calendar year of your Separation from Service, the Release will not be deemed effective any earlier than the Release Deadline for purposes of determining the timing of provision of any severance benefits.

11. Arbitration of All Disputes.

11.1 Agreement to Arbitrate. To ensure the timely and economical resolution of disputes that may arise between you and the Company, both you and the Company mutually agree that pursuant to the Federal Arbitration Act, 9 U.S.C. §1-16, and to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, you and the Company will submit solely to final, binding and confidential arbitration any and all disputes, claims, or causes of action arising from or relating to: (i) the negotiation, execution, interpretation, performance, breach or enforcement of this Agreement; or (ii) your application, hiring, and employment with the Company (including but not limited to all statutory claims); or (iii) the termination of your employment with the Company (including but not limited to all statutory claims). BY AGREEING TO THIS ARBITRATION PROCEDURE, BOTH YOU AND THE COMPANY WAIVE THE RIGHT TO RESOLVE ANY SUCH DISPUTES THROUGH A TRIAL BY JURY OR JUDGE OR THROUGH AN ADMINISTRATIVE PROCEEDING.

 

6.


11.2 Arbitrator Authority. The arbitrator shall have the sole and exclusive authority to determine whether a dispute, claim or cause of action is subject to arbitration under this Section and to determine any procedural questions which grow out of such disputes, claims or causes of action and bear on their final disposition.

11.3 Individual Capacity Only. All claims, disputes, or causes of action under this Section, whether by you or the Company, must be brought solely in an individual capacity, and shall not be brought as a plaintiff (or claimant) or class member in any purported class or representative proceeding, nor joined or consolidated with the claims of any other person or entity. The arbitrator may not consolidate the claims of more than one person or entity, and may not preside over any form of representative or class proceeding. To the extent that the preceding sentences in this Section are found to violate applicable law or are otherwise found unenforceable, any claim(s) alleged or brought on behalf of a class shall proceed in a court of law rather than by arbitration.

11.4 Arbitration Process. Any arbitration proceeding under this Section shall be presided over by a single arbitrator and conducted by Judicial Arbitration and Mediation Services, Inc. (“JAMS”) in Los Angeles County, California, or as otherwise agreed to by you and the Company, under the then applicable JAMS rules for the resolution of employment disputes (available upon request and also currently available at http://www.jamsadr.com/rules-employment-arbitration/). You and the Company both have the right to be represented by legal counsel at any arbitration proceeding, at each party’s own expense. The Arbitrator shall: (i) have the authority to compel adequate discovery for the resolution of the dispute; (ii) issue a written arbitration decision, to include the arbitrator’s essential findings and conclusions and a statement of the award; and (iii) be authorized to award any or all remedies that you or the Company would be entitled to seek in a court of law. The Company shall pay all JAMS arbitration fees in excess of the amount of court fees that would be required of you if the dispute were decided in a court of law.

11.5 Excluded Claims. This Arbitration section shall not apply to any action or claim that cannot be subject to mandatory arbitration as a matter of law, including, without limitation, claims brought pursuant to the California Private Attorneys General Act of 2004, as amended, to the extent such claims are not permitted by applicable law to be submitted to mandatory arbitration and such applicable law is not preempted by the Federal Arbitration Act or otherwise invalid (collectively, the “Excluded Claims”). In the event you intend to bring multiple claims, including any Excluded Claims, the Excluded Claims may be filed with a court, while any other claims will remain subject to mandatory arbitration.

 

7.


11.6 Injunctive Relief and Final Orders. Nothing in this Section is intended to prevent either you or the Company from obtaining injunctive relief in court to prevent irreparable harm pending the conclusion of any such arbitration. Any final award in any arbitration proceeding hereunder may be entered as a judgment in the federal and state courts of any competent jurisdiction and enforced accordingly.

12. General Provisions. This Agreement, together with the Confidential Information and Inventions Assignment Agreement, constitutes the entire agreement between you and the Company with regard to this subject matter and is the complete, final, and exclusive embodiment of the parties’ agreement with regard to this subject matter. This Agreement is entered into without reliance on any promise or representation, written or oral, other than those expressly contained herein, and it supersedes any other such promises, warranties or representations, including, but not limited to, your employment agreement with the Company dated March 13, 2017 (the “Prior Agreements”). You agree and acknowledge that you are not eligible for, and will not receive, any compensation, benefits, or severance pursuant to the Prior Agreements. You also agree and acknowledge that there are no circumstances as of the date of this Agreement that constitute, and nothing contemplated in this Agreement or otherwise shall be deemed for any purpose to be or to create, an involuntary termination without Cause or a Good Reason resignation right, including for purposes of the Prior Agreements, or any other severance or change in control plan, agreement or policy maintained by the Company or its affiliates.    This Agreement cannot be modified or amended except in a writing signed by you and a duly authorized officer of the Company. Whenever possible, each provision of this Agreement will be interpreted in such manner as to be effective and valid under applicable law, but if any provision of this Agreement is held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable in any respect under any applicable law or rule in any jurisdiction, such invalidity, illegality or unenforceability will not affect any other provision or any other jurisdiction, but this Agreement will be reformed, construed and enforced in such jurisdiction to the extent possible in keeping with the intent of the parties. Any waiver of any breach of any provisions of this Agreement must be in writing to be effective, and it shall not thereby be deemed to have waived any preceding or succeeding breach of the same or any other provision of this Agreement. This Agreement is intended to bind and inure to the benefit of and be enforceable by you and the Company, and their respective successors, assigns, heirs, executors and administrators. The Company may freely assign this Agreement, without your prior written consent. You may not assign any of your duties hereunder and you may not assign any of your rights hereunder without the written consent of the Company. This Agreement shall become effective as of the Start Date and shall terminate upon your termination of employment with the Company. The obligations as forth under Sections 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, and 12 will survive the termination of this Agreement. All questions concerning the construction, validity and interpretation of this Agreement will be governed by the laws of the State of California.

13. Indemnification; D&O Insurance. The Company shall indemnify and hold you harmless, to the full extent permitted under the Company’s charter, bylaws and applicable law (including advances of legal expenses subject to an undertaking to refund in the event that a final determination is entered that you are not eligible for indemnification) relating to or arising out of your employment and service as a member of the Board. You shall at all relevant times be covered as an insured under any director and officer liability insurance that covers members of the Board. This Section 13 shall survive any termination of this Agreement or termination of your employment and service as a member of the Board.

 

8.


Accepted and agreed:

Best regards,

THE HONEST COMPANY, INC.

/s/ Brendan Sheehey

 

Name: Brendan Sheehey

Title: General Counsel

Accepted and agreed:

/s/ Nikolaos Vlahos

 

Nikolaos Vlahos

Date: April 24, 2021

 

9.


Exhibit A

Employee Confidential Information and Invention Assignment Agreement

 

10.

Exhibit 10.8

April 25, 2021

Jessica Warren

Re:    Employment Agreement

Dear Jessica:

The Honest Company, Inc. (the “Company”) is pleased to offer you continuing at-will employment in the position of Chief Creative Officer & Founder (“Founder”) on the terms and conditions set forth in this letter agreement (the “Agreement”).

 

  1.

Duties and Scope of Employment.

1.1    Employment by the Company. This Agreement and your employment under the terms hereunder shall take effect only upon the effectiveness of the S-1 registration statement relating to the Company’s initial public offering (the “Effective Date”). This is an exempt position, and during your employment with the Company, you will devote your best efforts and substantially all of your business time and attention to the business of the Company, subject to Section 6 of this Agreement and except for approved vacation periods and reasonable periods of illness or other permitted absences by the Company’s general employment policies. You shall perform such duties as are required by the Company’s Chief Executive Officer (“CEO”) / Board of Directors (“Board”), to whom you will report. Your primary work location shall be the Company’s office located in Los Angeles, California. The Company reserves the right to reasonably require you to perform your duties at places other than your primary office location from time to time, and to require reasonable business travel. As of the Effective Date, the parties agree that the Consultant Agreement has been terminated in January 2015, as referenced in and for purposes of the Name and Likeness License Agreement, dated July 20, 2011.

1.2    Board Membership. You are currently a member of the Board. During your employment and at your discretion, the Company will use its reasonable best efforts to have the Nominating & Governance Committee or Board nominate you to serve as a member of the Board each year that you are slated for reelection. During your employment, you shall not be eligible to receive fees, further equity grants or other compensation paid to the Company’s non-employee directors for your service on the Board while you are an officer of the Company.

 

  2.

Compensation.

2.1    Base Salary. For services to be rendered hereunder, effective February 1, 2022, you shall receive a base salary at the rate of $700,000 per year pursuant to Compensation Committee approval, including any increases (the “Base Salary”), and subject to standard payroll deductions and withholdings and payable in accordance with the Company’s regular payroll schedule. Until February 1, 2022, your base salary shall be at the rate of $600,000 per year subject to standard payroll deductions and withholdings, and payable in accordance with the Company’s regular payroll schedule.


2.2    Annual Bonus. You will be eligible for an annual discretionary bonus with a target amount of 55% of your then current annual Base Salary (the “Annual Bonus”), which Annual Bonus percentage shall increase to 70% of your then current annual Base Salary starting January 1, 2022. Whether you receive an Annual Bonus for any given year, and the amount of any such Annual Bonus, will be determined by the Board and/or its Compensation Committee (the “Committee”) in its discretion based upon the achievement of corporate and/or individual objectives and milestones that are determined in the sole discretion of the Committee in consultation with you. Except as provided in this Agreement, you must continue to be employed through the date the Annual Bonus is paid in order to earn such bonus. The Annual Bonus, if earned, shall be paid to you in a lump sum no later than March 15th of the calendar year that follows the performance year, subject to applicable payroll deductions and withholdings.

2.3    Equity. You have previously been granted various equity interests in the Company, which will continue to be governed by the terms and conditions of the applicable existing plan documents, award agreements and grant notices. Each of the following awards shall be governed by the Company’s 2021 Equity Incentive Plan or successor plan, as applicable (the “Equity Plan”), and an award agreement and grant notice effectuating such award, which include the following terms:

(a)    IPO RSUs. No later than thirty (30) days following the Effective Date, the Company will grant to you an award of restricted stock units with a value of $6,000,000 or such greater amount as the Committee approves (the “IPO RSUs”). Subject to Section 7 of this Agreement, the IPO RSUs shall vest as to 20% of the IPO RSUs on the anniversary of the Effective Date and 5% in quarterly installments over of the following four (4) years with the first vesting installment on the first three (3)-month period following the anniversary of the Effective Date. The number of restricted stock units subject to the IPO RSUs shall be calculated by dividing the value of the restricted stock units by the closing price of a share of the Company’s common stock (a “Share”) on the date of grant.

(b)    Annual RSUs. So long as you remain a service provider of the Company, no later than sixty (60) days following the beginning of each of the Company’s fiscal years through fiscal year 2030, the Company will grant to you an annual award of restricted stock units with a value of $3,000,000 or such greater amount as the Committee approves (the “Annual RSUs”); provided that during fiscal years 2022 and 2023 the value of each of the Annual RSUs shall be $1,500,000. Subject to Section 7 of this Agreement, the Annual RSUs shall vest as to 25% of the RSUs on the anniversary of the first date of the fiscal year and 6.25% in quarterly installments thereafter. The number of restricted stock units subject to the Annual RSUs shall be calculated by dividing value of the restricted stock units by the 30-day trailing average closing price of a Share.

(c)    You will be eligible for these and additional equity awards as determined by the Committee in its sole discretion pursuant to any plans or arrangements the Company may have in effect from time to time. For the avoidance of doubt, notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, all equity award grants are subject

 

2


to the approval of the Board or the Committee, and to your being an employee of the Company on the date of grant of such equity award. The Board or the Committee will review your equity grants annually and determine in its good faith discretion whether you will be granted any such additional equity-based awards and the terms of any such additional equity-based awards in accordance with the terms of any applicable plan or arrangement that may be in effect from time to time.

3.     Business Expenses. You will be eligible for reimbursement of all reasonable, necessary and documented out-of-pocket business, entertainment, and travel expenses incurred by you in connection with the performance of your duties hereunder in accordance with the Company’s expense reimbursement policies and procedures.

4.    Company Policies; Standard Company Benefits. The employment relationship between the parties shall be governed by the general employment policies and practices of the Company, except that when the terms of this Agreement differ from or are in conflict with the Company’s general employment policies or practices, this Agreement shall control. You shall remain eligible to participate in all employee benefit programs for which you are eligible under the terms and conditions of the benefit plans that may be in effect from time to time and provided by the Company to its employees (medical, dental, and vision benefits paid at 100% by the Company). The Company reserves the right to cancel or change the benefit plans or programs it offers to its employees at any time.

5.    At-Will Employment. Your employment relationship is at-will. Either you or the Company may terminate the employment relationship at any time, with or without cause or advance notice. Unless otherwise agreed upon by you and the Company, upon termination of your employment for any reason, you shall resign from all positions and terminate any relationships as an employee, advisor, officer or director with the Company and any of its affiliates, each effective on the date of termination.

6.    Outside Activities During Employment. Except with the prior written consent of the Board, you will not during the term of your employment with the Company undertake or engage in any other employment, occupation or business enterprise, other than ones in which you are a passive investor. Notwithstanding the foregoing, (a) subject to the Company’s bylaws, guidelines, and policies, you may serve on up to two (2) boards of directors of for-profit entities that do not compete with or are adverse to the Company and may engage in civic and not-for-profit activities so long as such activities do not materially interfere with the performance of your duties hereunder. Nothing contained in this Section 6 shall prevent or limit your right to manage your personal investments. You agree not to acquire, assume or participate in, directly or indirectly, any position, investment or interest known to be adverse or antagonistic to the Company, its business or prospects, financial or otherwise.    Notwithstanding the foregoing or anything to the contrary in this Agreement and without the prior approval of the Board, you may pursue and take on the following duties, which the Company shall not determine that such activities as a breach of your obligations under this Agreement as long as the duties are consistent with the Company’s Code of Conduct, corporate governance guidelines and other Company policies that may be applicable in the event such activities involve or relate to the business of the Company, and your exclusivity obligations under the Name and Likeness License Agreement, dated July 20, 2011, between you and the Company, as such agreement may be amended by the parties:

 

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(i) directing, producing and acting roles, including but not limited to roles in movies, television and theater, and the related requirements of the fulfillment of obligations related to such roles, such as preparation, attend screenings, interviews and award ceremonies, etc., and (ii) endorsement deals of products, services, or events.

7.    Termination; Severance. In the event of your termination of employment with the Company for any reason, you will be entitled to receive all accrued and unpaid Base Salary and earned and unpaid bonuses (including any earned and unpaid Annual Bonus), unreimbursed business expense reimbursements and other benefits due to you under any Company plans, policies, and arrangements.

7.1    Involuntary Termination.

(a)    Involuntary Termination Outside of the Change in Control Period. If you are subject to an Involuntary Termination prior to three (3) months before the consummation of a Change in Control or on or two (2) years after a Change in Control (the “Change in Control Period”) and provided that you remain in compliance with the terms of this Agreement (including the conditions described in Section 7.3 of this Agreement), the Company shall provide you with the following “Severance Benefits”:

(i)    Cash Severance. The Company shall pay you the equivalent of twelve (12) months (the “Severance Period”) of your Base Salary in effect as of the date of your employment termination and the amount equal to your target Annual Bonus, subject to standard payroll deductions and withholdings (the “Severance”), which Severance will be paid as a continuation on the Company’s regular payroll over the Severance Period; provided that any amount payable prior to your Separation Agreement becomes effective shall be paid in a lump sum with the next scheduled payroll date after your Separation Agreement has become effective (the “Effective Payroll Date”).

(ii)    Pro-rata Annual Bonus. The Company shall pay you a pro rata portion of your Annual Bonus that you would have earned with regard to the year in with your termination occurs in an amount equal to the product of (i) the full amount of the Annual Bonus you would have otherwise been entitled to under the terms of this Agreement, multiplied by (ii) a fraction, the numerator of which is the number of full calendar days that have elapsed during the Annual Bonus year prior to the date of your termination of employment by the Company without Cause, as the case may be, and the denominator of which is 365 (the “Pro Rata Bonus”), which shall be paid at the same time that the other recipients of the Annual Bonus receive their bonus for the applicable plan year.

(iii)    Payment of Continued Group Health Plan Benefits. If you are eligible for and timely elect continued group health plan coverage under the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1985 or any state law of similar effect (“COBRA”) following your Involuntary Termination, the Company will pay your COBRA group health insurance premiums for you and your eligible dependents directly to the insurer until the earliest of (i) the end of the period immediately following your Involuntary Termination that is equal to the Severance

 

4


Period (the “COBRA Payment Period”), (ii) the expiration of your eligibility for continuation coverage under COBRA, or (iii) the date when you become eligible for substantially equivalent health insurance coverage in connection with new employment or self-employment. On the first date following the effectiveness of the Separation Agreement, the Company will make the first payment to the insurer under this clause equal to the aggregate amount of payments that the Company would have paid through such date had such payments instead commenced on the date of your Involuntary Termination, with the balance of the payments paid thereafter on the schedule described above. If you become eligible for coverage under another employer’s group health plan, you must immediately notify the Company of such event, and all payments and obligations under this subsection shall cease. For purposes of this Section 7, references to COBRA premiums shall not include any amounts payable by you under a Section 125 health care reimbursement plan under the Code. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if at any time the Company determines, in its sole discretion, that it cannot pay the COBRA premiums without potentially incurring financial costs or penalties under applicable law (including, without limitation, Section 2716 of the Public Health Service Act), then regardless of whether you elect continued health coverage under COBRA, and in lieu of providing the COBRA premiums, the Company will instead pay you a fully taxable cash payment equal to the COBRA premiums for the full COBRA Payment Period in a lump sum on the Effective Payroll Date, subject to applicable tax withholdings.

(iv)    Accelerated Vesting of Equity. The Company shall accelerate the vesting of the unvested portion of any of your then-outstanding equity awards (the “Outstanding Equity Awards”), including but not limited to any unvested portion of any granted and then-outstanding IPO RSUs and Annual RSUs, as to the number of Shares subject to the Outstanding Equity Awards that would have vested if you had been employed for an additional twelve (12) months after your termination date; provided that after giving effect to such service credit, and only if such service credit extends to or past the last day of the performance period, any performance-vesting award shall vest based on actual performance for the entire performance period.

(b)    Involuntary Termination During the Change in Control Period. If you are subject to an Involuntary Termination during Change in Control Period and provided that you remain in compliance with the terms of this Agreement (including the conditions described in Section 7.3 of this Agreement), the Company shall provide you with the Severance Benefits provided in Section 7.1(a) of this Agreement; provided that you shall be entitled to receive (i) two (2) times the Severance, (ii) the COBRA Payment Period shall be twenty-four (24) months and (iii) all of your Outstanding Equity Awards shall vest in full, including but not limited to any unvested portion of any granted and then-outstanding IPO RSUs and Annual RSUs (provided that any performance-vesting award shall be deemed to vest at the target performance level), which shall be referred to as the “Change in Control Severance Benefits”.

7.2    Termination for Cause; Resignation Without Good Reason; Death or Disability. If you resign without Good Reason, or the Company terminates your employment for Cause, or upon your death or disability, then all payments of compensation by the Company to you hereunder will terminate immediately (except as to amounts already earned), and you will not be entitled to any Severance Benefits.

 

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7.3    Conditions to Receipt of Severance Benefits. The receipt of the Severance Benefits will be subject to you signing and not revoking a separation agreement and mutual release of claims, substantially similar to the form attached hereto in Exhibit A (the “Separation Agreement”), by no later than the sixtieth (60th) day after your employment termination (“Release Deadline”). No Severance Benefits will be paid or provided until the Separation Agreement becomes effective.

8.    Amendment of Your Employment Agreement. Within the time period of three (3) months prior to the consummation of a Change in Control, the parties to the transaction giving rise to such Change in Control shall use reasonable best efforts to negotiate to amend and restate your employment agreement in effect at such time to your mutual satisfaction, such amendment and restatement to become effective upon such Change in Control.

 

  9.

Definitions.

9.1    Cause. For purposes of this Agreement, “Cause” means any one of the following: (a) willful material breach by you of any material Company policy (including, but not limited to, the Company’s policies on nondiscrimination, anti-harassment, and confidential information) or your duties or obligations hereunder; (b) your willful engagement in conduct materially injurious to the Company, monetarily or otherwise; (c) conviction on acts of fraud, theft or other willful and material illegal acts of moral turpitude, or conviction on a felony charge, whether or not related to your employment hereunder; or (d) your willful refusal to follow lawful and reasonable instructions of the Board. In order to terminate your employment for Cause pursuant to (a) or (d), but only to the extent the Board determines in its reasonable discretion that such breach is amenable to cure, the Board must provide you written notice within thirty (30) days after the first occurrence of the event giving rise to Cause setting forth the basis for the existence of Cause, allow you thirty (30) days from receipt of such written notice to cure such event, and if such event is not reasonably cured within such period, the Company must terminate your employment not later than thirty (30) days after the expiration of the cure period.

9.2    Change in Control. For purposes of this Agreement, “Change in Control” shall have the same meaning as provided in the Equity Plan.

9.3    Code. For purposes of this Agreement, “Code” means the U.S. Internal Revenue Code of 1986 (as it has been and may be amended from time to time) and any regulations and guidance that has been promulgated or may be promulgated from time to time thereunder and any state law of similar effect.

9.4    Good Reason. For purposes of this Agreement, “Good Reason” means the occurrence of any one of the following events without your written consent: (a) an assignment of duties or responsibilities (including reporting responsibilities) materially inconsistent with, or which materially reduce, your duties, authority, responsibilities and status with the Company (for this purpose, the parties agree that following a Change in

 

6


Control a material reduction will occur if you do not report directly to the Board of the entity that determines the strategy of the Company); (b) an adverse change in your title; (c) any material reduction in your Base Salary, other than a reduction, generally applicable to other executives of the Company, by not more than 10%; (d) the relocation of your principal place of employment to a location that is more than twenty-five (25) miles away from its current location; or (e) the uncured breach of any material provision of this Agreement (or any other agreement with you) by the Company. In order to resign for Good Reason, you must provide written notice to the Board within thirty (30) days after the first occurrence of the event giving rise to Good Reason setting forth the basis for your resignation, allow the Company thirty (30) days from receipt of such written notice to cure such event, and if such event is not reasonably cured within such period, you must resign from all positions you then hold with the Company not later than fourteen (14) days after the expiration of the cure period.

9.5    Involuntary Termination. For purposes of this Agreement, “Involuntary Termination” means a termination of your employment with the Company pursuant to either (i) a termination initiated by the Company without Cause, or (ii) your resignation for Good Reason, and provided in either case such termination constitutes a Separation from Service. An Involuntary Termination does not include any other termination of your employment, including a termination due to your death or disability.

9.6    Separation from Service. For purposes of this Agreement, “Separation from Service” means a “separation from service”, as defined under Treasury Regulation Section 1.409A-1(h).

10.    Proprietary Information Obligations. As a condition of your continued employment, you shall execute and abide by the Company’s standard form of Employee Confidential Information and Invention Assignment Agreement, attached as Exhibit B. In your work for the Company, you will be expected not to use or disclose any confidential information, including trade secrets, of any former employer or other person to whom you have an obligation of confidentiality. Rather, you will be expected to use only that information which is generally known and used by persons with training and experience comparable to your own, which is common knowledge in the industry or otherwise legally in the public domain, or which is otherwise provided or developed by the Company. You acknowledge that you have not brought onto Company premises any unpublished documents or property belonging to any former employer or other person to whom you have an obligation of confidentiality and have disclosed to the Company any contract you have signed that may restrict your activities on behalf of the Company.

11.    Code Section 409A. It is intended that all of the severance benefits and other payments payable under this Agreement satisfy, to the greatest extent possible, the exemptions from the application of Code Section 409A provided under Treasury Regulations Sections 1.409A-1(b)(4), 1.409A-1(b)(5) and 1.409A-1(b)(9), and this Agreement will be construed to the greatest extent possible as consistent with those provisions, and to the extent not so exempt, this Agreement (and any definitions hereunder) will be construed in a manner that complies with Section 409A. For all purposes of Code Section 409A (including, without limitation, for purposes of Treasury Regulations Sections 1.409A 2(b)(2)(i) and (iii)), your right to receive any installment payments under this Agreement (whether severance payments, reimbursements or otherwise) shall be treated as

 

7


a right to receive a series of separate payments and, accordingly, each installment payment hereunder shall at all times be considered a separate and distinct payment. Notwithstanding any provision to the contrary in this Agreement, if you are deemed by the Company at the time of your Separation from Service to be a “specified employee” for purposes of Code Section 409A(a)(2)(B)(i), and if any of the payments upon Separation from Service set forth herein and/or under any other agreement with the Company are deemed to be “deferred compensation,” then to the extent delayed commencement of any portion of such payments is required in order to avoid a prohibited distribution under Code Section 409A(a)(2)(B)(i) and the related adverse taxation under Code Section 409A, such payments shall not be provided to you prior to the earliest of (i) the first date following expiration of the six-month period following the date of your Separation from Service with the Company, (ii) the date of your death or (iii) such earlier date as permitted under Code Section 409A without the imposition of adverse taxation. Upon the first business day following the expiration of such applicable Code Section 409A(a)(2)(B)(i) period, all payments deferred pursuant to this Paragraph shall be paid in a lump sum to you, and any remaining payments due shall be paid as otherwise provided herein or in the applicable agreement. No interest shall be due on any amounts so deferred. If the severance benefits are not covered by one or more exemptions from the application of Code Section 409A and the consideration and revocation period in the Separation Agreement spans two calendar years, the Separation Agreement will become effective no earlier than the January 1 in the calendar year following the year in which the termination occurs.

 

12.

Arbitration of All Disputes.

12.1    Agreement to Arbitrate. To ensure the timely and economical resolution of disputes that may arise between you and the Company, both you and the Company mutually agree that pursuant to the Federal Arbitration Act, 9 U.S.C. §1-16, and to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, you and the Company will submit solely to final, binding and confidential arbitration any and all disputes, claims, or causes of action arising from or relating to: (i) the negotiation, execution, interpretation, performance, breach or enforcement of this Agreement; or (ii) your application, hiring, and employment with the Company (including but not limited to all statutory claims); or (iii) the termination of your employment with the Company (including but not limited to all statutory claims). BY AGREEING TO THIS ARBITRATION PROCEDURE, BOTH YOU AND THE COMPANY WAIVE THE RIGHT TO RESOLVE ANY SUCH DISPUTES THROUGH A TRIAL BY JURY OR JUDGE OR THROUGH AN ADMINISTRATIVE PROCEEDING.

12.2    Arbitrator Authority. The arbitrator shall have the sole and exclusive authority to determine whether a dispute, claim or cause of action is subject to arbitration under this Section 12 and to determine any procedural questions which grow out of such disputes, claims or causes of action and bear on their final disposition.

12.3    Individual Capacity Only. All claims, disputes, or causes of action under this Section 12, whether by you or the Company, must be brought solely in an individual capacity, and shall not be brought as a plaintiff (or claimant) or class member in any purported class or representative proceeding, nor joined or consolidated with the claims of any other person or entity. The arbitrator may not consolidate the claims of more than

 

8


one person or entity, and may not preside over any form of representative or class proceeding. To the extent that the preceding sentences in this Section 12 are found to violate applicable law or are otherwise found unenforceable, any claim(s) alleged or brought on behalf of a class shall proceed in a court of law rather than by arbitration.

12.4    Arbitration Process. Any arbitration proceeding under this Section 12 shall be presided over by a single arbitrator and conducted by Judicial Arbitration and Mediation Services, Inc. (“JAMS”) in Los Angeles County, California, or as otherwise agreed to by you and the Company, under the then applicable JAMS rules for the resolution of employment disputes (available upon request and also currently available at http://www.jamsadr.com/rules-employment-arbitration/). You and the Company both have the right to be represented by legal counsel at any arbitration proceeding, at each party’s own expense. The Arbitrator shall: (a) have the authority to compel adequate discovery for the resolution of the dispute; (b) issue a written arbitration decision, to include the arbitrator’s essential findings and conclusions and a statement of the award; and (c) be authorized to award any or all remedies that you or the Company would be entitled to seek in a court of law. The Company shall pay all JAMS arbitration fees in excess of the amount of court fees that would be required of you if the dispute were decided in a court of law.

12.5    Excluded Claims. This Section 12 shall not apply to any action or claim that cannot be subject to mandatory arbitration as a matter of law, including, without limitation, claims brought pursuant to the California Private Attorneys General Act of 2004, as amended, to the extent such claims are not permitted by applicable law to be submitted to mandatory arbitration and such applicable law is not preempted by the Federal Arbitration Act or otherwise invalid (collectively, the “Excluded Claims”). In the event you intend to bring multiple claims, including any Excluded Claims, the Excluded Claims may be filed with a court, while any other claims will remain subject to mandatory arbitration.

12.6    Injunctive Relief and Final Orders. Nothing in this Section 12 is intended to prevent either you or the Company from obtaining injunctive relief in court to prevent irreparable harm pending the conclusion of any such arbitration. Any final award in any arbitration proceeding hereunder may be entered as a judgment in the federal and state courts of any competent jurisdiction and enforced accordingly.

13.    General Provisions. This Agreement, together with the Confidential Information and Inventions Assignment Agreement, constitutes the entire agreement between you and the Company with regard to this subject matter and is the complete, final, and exclusive embodiment of the parties’ agreement with regard to this subject matter. This Agreement is entered into without reliance on any promise or representation, written or oral, other than those expressly contained herein, and it supersedes any other such promises, warranties or representations, including, but not limited to, your January 2015 employment agreement (the “Prior Agreements”). You agree and acknowledge that you are not eligible for, and will not receive, any compensation, benefits, or severance pursuant to the Prior Agreements. You also agree and acknowledge that there are no circumstances as of the date of this Agreement that constitute, and nothing contemplated in this Agreement or otherwise shall be deemed for any purpose to be or to create, an involuntary termination without Cause or a Good Reason resignation right, including for purposes of the Prior Agreements, or any other severance or change in control plan, agreement or policy maintained by the Company

 

9


or its affiliates.    This Agreement cannot be modified or amended except in a writing signed by you and a duly authorized officer of the Company. Whenever possible, each provision of this Agreement will be interpreted in such manner as to be effective and valid under applicable law, but if any provision of this Agreement is held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable in any respect under any applicable law or rule in any jurisdiction, such invalidity, illegality or unenforceability will not affect any other provision or any other jurisdiction, but this Agreement will be reformed, construed and enforced in such jurisdiction to the extent possible in keeping with the intent of the parties. Any waiver of any breach of any provisions of this Agreement must be in writing to be effective, and it shall not thereby be deemed to have waived any preceding or succeeding breach of the same or any other provision of this Agreement. This Agreement is intended to bind and inure to the benefit of and be enforceable by you and the Company, and their respective successors, assigns, heirs, executors and administrators. The Company may freely assign this Agreement, without your prior written consent. You may not assign any of your duties hereunder and you may not assign any of your rights hereunder without the written consent of the Company. This Agreement shall become effective as of the Start Date and shall terminate upon your termination of employment with the Company. The obligations as forth under Sections 7 – 13 of this Agreement will survive the termination of this Agreement. All questions concerning the construction, validity and interpretation of this Agreement will be governed by the laws of the State of California.

Accepted and agreed:

Best regards,

 

The Honest Company, Inc.

/s/ Nick Vlahos

Nick Vlahos
CEO
Accepted and agreed:

/s/ Jessica Warren

Jessica Warren
Date: April 26, 2021

 

10


Exhibit A

Separation and Mutual Release of Claims Agreement

 

11


Exhibit B

Employee Confidential Information and Invention Assignment Agreement

 

12

Exhibit 10.9

April 25, 2021

 

Re:

Employment Agreement

Dear Donald:

The Honest Company, Inc. (the “Company”) is pleased to offer you continuing at-will employment in the position of Chief Innovation Officer (“CIO”) on the terms and conditions set forth in this letter agreement (the “Agreement”).

1. Employment by the Company. This Agreement and your employment under the terms hereunder shall take effect upon the effectiveness of the S-1 registration statement relating to the Company’s initial public offering (the “Effective Date”). This is an exempt position, and during your employment with the Company, you will devote your best efforts and substantially all of your business time and attention to the business of the Company, except for approved vacation periods and reasonable periods of illness or other incapacities permitted by the Company’s general employment policies. You shall perform such duties as are required by the Company’s Chief Executive Officer (“CEO”), to whom you will report. Your primary work location shall be the Company’s office located in Los Angeles, California. The Company reserves the right to reasonably require you to perform your duties at places other than your primary office location from time to time, and to require reasonable business travel.

2. Compensation.

2.1 Base Salary. For services to be rendered hereunder, you shall receive a base salary at the rate of $315,000 per year (the “Base Salary”), subject to standard payroll deductions and withholdings and payable in accordance with the Company’s regular payroll schedule.

2.2 Annual Bonus. You will be eligible for an annual discretionary bonus with a target amount of 40% of your then current annual Base Salary (the “Annual Bonus”). Whether you receive an Annual Bonus for any given year, and the amount of any such Annual Bonus, will be determined by the Board of Directors of the Company and/or its Compensation Committee (the “Board”) in its discretion based upon the achievement of corporate and/or individual objectives and milestones that are determined in the sole discretion of the Board and other criteria to be determined by the Board. You must continue to be employed through the date the Annual Bonus is paid in order to earn such bonus. If your employment terminates for any reason prior to the payment date, you will not have earned, and will not be paid, any pro-rated bonus. The Annual Bonus, if earned, shall be paid to you in a lump sum no later than March 15th of the calendar year that follows the performance year, subject to applicable payroll deductions and withholdings.

2.3 Equity. You have previously been granted various equity interests in the Company (the “Awards”). The Awards will continue to be governed by the terms and conditions of the applicable existing plan documents, award agreements and grant notices. You will be eligible for future equity awards as determined by the Board in its sole discretion.

 

1.


3. Business Expenses. You will be eligible for reimbursement of all reasonable, necessary and documented out-of-pocket business, entertainment, and travel expenses incurred by you in connection with the performance of your duties hereunder in accordance with the Company’s expense reimbursement policies and procedures.

4. Company Policies; Standard Company Benefits. The employment relationship between the parties shall be governed by the general employment policies and practices of the Company, except that when the terms of this Agreement differ from or are in conflict with the Company’s general employment policies or practices, this Agreement shall control. You shall remain eligible to participate in all employee benefit programs for which you are eligible under the terms and conditions of the benefit plans that may be in effect from time to time and provided by the Company to its senior management. The Company reserves the right to cancel or change the benefit plans or programs it offers to its employees, including senior management, at any time.

5. At-Will Employment. Your employment relationship is at-will. Either you or the Company may terminate the employment relationship at any time, with or without cause or advance notice. Subject to the “Good Reason” provision set forth in Section 7 and Section 8.3, the Company may, in its sole discretion, adjust salaries, incentive compensation, stock plans, benefits, job titles, locations, duties, responsibilities, and reporting relationships. Upon termination of your employment for any reason, you shall resign from all positions and terminate any relationships as an employee, advisor, officer or director with the Company and any of its affiliates, each effective on the date of termination.

6. Outside Activities During Employment. Except with the prior written consent of the Board, you will not during the term of your employment with the Company undertake or engage in any other employment, occupation or business enterprise, other than ones in which you are a passive investor. You may engage in civic and not-for-profit activities so long as such activities do not materially interfere with the performance of your duties hereunder. You agree not to acquire, assume or participate in, directly or indirectly, any position, investment or interest known to be adverse or antagonistic to the Company, its business or prospects, financial or otherwise.

7. Termination; Severance.

7.1 Involuntary Termination. If you are subject to an Involuntary Termination and provided that you remain in compliance with the terms of this Agreement (including the conditions described in Section 7.3 below), the Company shall provide you with the following Severance Benefits:

(a) Cash Severance. The Company shall pay you, as severance, the equivalent of six (6) months (the “Severance Period”) of your Base Salary in effect as of the date of your employment termination, subject to standard payroll deductions and withholdings and an amount equal to six (6) months of health insurance under COBRA on an after-tax basis (the “Severance”). The Severance will be paid as a continuation on the Company’s regular payroll, beginning no later than the first regularly-scheduled payroll date following the sixtieth (60th) day after your Separation from Service, provided the Separation Agreement (as discussed in Section 7.3) has become effective.

 

2.


(b) Payment of Continued Group Health Plan Benefits. If you are eligible for and timely elect continued group health plan coverage under the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1985 or any state law of similar effect (“COBRA”) following your Involuntary Termination, the Company will pay your COBRA group health insurance premiums for you and your eligible dependents directly to the insurer until the earliest of (A) the end of the period immediately following your Involuntary Termination that is equal to the Severance Period (the “COBRA Payment Period”), (B) the expiration of your eligibility for continuation coverage under COBRA, or (C) the date when you become eligible for substantially equivalent health insurance coverage in connection with new employment or self-employment. For purposes of this Section, references to COBRA premiums shall not include any amounts payable by you under a Section 125 health care reimbursement plan under the Code. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if at any time the Company determines, in its sole discretion, that it cannot pay the COBRA premiums without potentially incurring financial costs or penalties under applicable law (including, without limitation, Section 2716 of the Public Health Service Act), then regardless of whether you elect continued health coverage under COBRA, and in lieu of providing the COBRA premiums, the Company will instead pay you on the last day of each remaining month of the COBRA Payment Period, a fully taxable cash payment equal to the COBRA premiums for that month, subject to applicable tax withholdings (such amount, the “Special Severance Payment”), which payments shall continue until the earlier of expiration of the COBRA Payment Period or the date when you become eligible for substantially equivalent health insurance coverage in connection with new employment or self-employment. On the first payroll date following the effectiveness of the Release, the Company will make the first payment to the insurer under this clause (and, in the case of the Special Severance Payment, such payment will be to you, in a lump sum) equal to the aggregate amount of payments that the Company would have paid through such date had such payments instead commenced on the date of your Involuntary Termination, with the balance of the payments paid thereafter on the schedule described above. If you become eligible for coverage under another employer’s group health plan, you must immediately notify the Company of such event, and all payments and obligations under this subsection shall cease.

7.2 Termination for Cause; Resignation Without Good Reason; Death or Disability. If you resign without Good Reason, or the Company terminates your employment for Cause, or upon your death or disability, then all payments of compensation by the Company to you hereunder will terminate immediately (except as to amounts already earned), and you will not be entitled to any Severance Benefits.

7.3 Conditions to Receipt of Severance Benefits. The receipt of the Severance Benefits will be subject to you signing and not revoking a separation agreement and release of claims in a form reasonably satisfactory to the Company (the “Separation Agreement”) by no later than the sixtieth (60th) day after your employment termination (“Release Deadline”). No Severance Benefits will be paid or provided until the Separation Agreement becomes effective. You shall also resign from all positions and terminate any relationships as an employee, advisor, officer or director with the Company and any of its affiliates, each effective on the date of termination.

 

3.


8. Definitions.

8.1 Cause. For purposes of this Agreement, “Cause” means any one of the following: (a) willful material breach by you of any material Company policy (including, but not limited to, the Company’s policies on nondiscrimination, anti-harassment, and confidential information) or your duties or obligations hereunder; (b) your willful engagement in conduct materially injurious to the Company, monetarily or otherwise; (c) acts of fraud, theft or other willful illegal acts calling into question your personal integrity, or conviction on a felony charge, whether or not related to your employment hereunder; or (d) your willful refusal to follow lawful instructions of the Board. In order to terminate your employment for Cause pursuant to (a) or (d), but only to the extent the Board determines in its reasonable discretion that such breach is amenable to cure, the Board must provide you written notice within thirty (30) days after the first occurrence of the event giving rise to Cause setting forth the basis for the existence of Cause, allow you thirty (30) days from receipt of such written notice to cure such event, and if such event is not reasonably cured within such period, the Company must terminate your employment not later than thirty (30) days after the expiration of the cure period.

8.2 Code. For purposes of this Agreement, “Code” means the U.S. Internal Revenue Code of 1986 (as it has been and may be amended from time to time) and any regulations and guidance that has been promulgated or may be promulgated from time to time thereunder and any state law of similar effect.

8.3 Good Reason. For purposes of this Agreement, “Good Reason” means any one of the following without your consent: (a) an assignment of duties or responsibilities (including reporting responsibilities) materially inconsistent with, or which materially reduce, your duties, authority, responsibilities and status with the Company; (b) an adverse change in your title; (c) any material reduction in your Base Salary, other than a reduction, generally applicable to other executives of the Company, by not more than 25%; (d) the relocation of your principal place of employment to a location that is more than twenty-five (25) miles away from its current location; or (e) the uncured breach of any material provision of this Agreement (or any other agreement with you) by the Company. In order to resign for Good Reason, you must provide written notice to the Company’s Board within thirty (30) days after the first occurrence of the event giving rise to Good Reason setting forth the basis for your resignation, allow the Company thirty (30) days from receipt of such written notice to cure such event, and if such event is not reasonably cured within such period, you must resign from all positions you then hold with the Company not later than thirty (30) days after the expiration of the cure period.

8.4 Involuntary Termination. For purposes of this Agreement, “Involuntary Termination” means a termination of your employment with the Company pursuant to either (i) a termination initiated by the Company without Cause, or (ii) your resignation for Good Reason, and provided in either case such termination constitutes a Separation from Service. An Involuntary Termination does not include any other termination of your employment, including a termination due to your death or disability.

 

4.


8.5 Separation from Service. For purposes of this Agreement, “Separation from Service” means a “separation from service”, as defined under Treasury Regulation Section 1.409A-1(h).

9. Proprietary Information Obligations. As a condition of your continued employment, you shall execute and abide by the Company’s standard form of Employee Confidential Information and Invention Assignment Agreement, attached as Exhibit A. In your work for the Company, you will be expected not to use or disclose any confidential information, including trade secrets, of any former employer or other person to whom you have an obligation of confidentiality. Rather, you will be expected to use only that information which is generally known and used by persons with training and experience comparable to your own, which is common knowledge in the industry or otherwise legally in the public domain, or which is otherwise provided or developed by the Company. You acknowledge that you have not brought onto Company premises any unpublished documents or property belonging to any former employer or other person to whom you have an obligation of confidentiality and have disclosed to the Company any contract you have signed that may restrict your activities on behalf of the Company.

10. Section 409A. It is intended that all of the severance benefits and other payments payable under this Agreement satisfy, to the greatest extent possible, the exemptions from the application of Code Section 409A provided under Treasury Regulations Sections 1.409A 1(b)(4), 1.409A 1(b)(5) and 1.409A 1(b)(9), and this Agreement will be construed to the greatest extent possible as consistent with those provisions, and to the extent not so exempt, this Agreement (and any definitions hereunder) will be construed in a manner that complies with Section 409A. For all purposes of Code Section 409A (including, without limitation, for purposes of Treasury Regulations Sections 1.409A 2(b)(2)(i) and (iii)), your right to receive any installment payments under this Agreement (whether severance payments, reimbursements or otherwise) shall be treated as a right to receive a series of separate payments and, accordingly, each installment payment hereunder shall at all times be considered a separate and distinct payment. Notwithstanding any provision to the contrary in this Agreement, if you are deemed by the Company at the time of your Separation from Service to be a “specified employee” for purposes of Code Section 409A(a)(2)(B)(i), and if any of the payments upon Separation from Service set forth herein and/or under any other agreement with the Company are deemed to be “deferred compensation,” then to the extent delayed commencement of any portion of such payments is required in order to avoid a prohibited distribution under Code Section 409A(a)(2)(B)(i) and the related adverse taxation under Section 409A, such payments shall not be provided to you prior to the earliest of (i) the first date following expiration of the six-month period following the date of your Separation from Service with the Company, (ii) the date of your death or (iii) such earlier date as permitted under Section 409A without the imposition of adverse taxation. Upon the first business day following the expiration of such applicable Code Section 409A(a)(2)(B)(i) period, all payments deferred pursuant to this Paragraph shall be paid in a lump sum to you, and any remaining payments due shall be paid as otherwise provided herein or in the applicable agreement. No interest shall be due on any amounts so deferred. If the severance benefits are not covered by one or more exemptions from the application of Section 409A and the Release Deadline occurs in the calendar year following the calendar year of your Separation from Service, the Release will not be deemed effective any earlier than the Release Deadline for purposes of determining the timing of provision of any severance benefits.

 

5.


11.

Arbitration of All Disputes.

11.1 Agreement to Arbitrate. To ensure the timely and economical resolution of disputes that may arise between you and the Company, both you and the Company mutually agree that pursuant to the Federal Arbitration Act, 9 U.S.C. §1-16, and to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, you and the Company will submit solely to final, binding and confidential arbitration any and all disputes, claims, or causes of action arising from or relating to: (i) the negotiation, execution, interpretation, performance, breach or enforcement of this Agreement; or (ii) your application, hiring, and employment with the Company (including but not limited to all statutory claims); or (iii) the termination of your employment with the Company (including but not limited to all statutory claims). BY AGREEING TO THIS ARBITRATION PROCEDURE, BOTH YOU AND THE COMPANY WAIVE THE RIGHT TO RESOLVE ANY SUCH DISPUTES THROUGH A TRIAL BY JURY OR JUDGE OR THROUGH AN ADMINISTRATIVE PROCEEDING.

11.2 Arbitrator Authority. The arbitrator shall have the sole and exclusive authority to determine whether a dispute, claim or cause of action is subject to arbitration under this Section and to determine any procedural questions which grow out of such disputes, claims or causes of action and bear on their final disposition.

11.3 Individual Capacity Only. All claims, disputes, or causes of action under this Section, whether by you or the Company, must be brought solely in an individual capacity, and shall not be brought as a plaintiff (or claimant) or class member in any purported class or representative proceeding, nor joined or consolidated with the claims of any other person or entity. The arbitrator may not consolidate the claims of more than one person or entity, and may not preside over any form of representative or class proceeding. To the extent that the preceding sentences in this Section are found to violate applicable law or are otherwise found unenforceable, any claim(s) alleged or brought on behalf of a class shall proceed in a court of law rather than by arbitration.

11.4 Arbitration Process. Any arbitration proceeding under this Section shall be presided over by a single arbitrator and conducted by Judicial Arbitration and Mediation Services, Inc. (“JAMS”) in Los Angeles County, California, or as otherwise agreed to by you and the Company, under the then applicable JAMS rules for the resolution of employment disputes (available upon request and also currently available at http://www.jamsadr.com/rules-employment-arbitration/). You and the Company both have the right to be represented by legal counsel at any arbitration proceeding, at each party’s own expense. The Arbitrator shall: (i) have the authority to compel adequate discovery for the resolution of the dispute; (ii) issue a written arbitration decision, to include the arbitrator’s essential findings and conclusions and a statement of the award; and (iii) be authorized to award any or all remedies that you or the Company would be entitled to seek in a court of law. The Company shall pay all JAMS arbitration fees in excess of the amount of court fees that would be required of you if the dispute were decided in a court of law.

 

6.


11.5 Excluded Claims. This Arbitration section shall not apply to any action or claim that cannot be subject to mandatory arbitration as a matter of law, including, without limitation, claims brought pursuant to the California Private Attorneys General Act of 2004, as amended, to the extent such claims are not permitted by applicable law to be submitted to mandatory arbitration and such applicable law is not preempted by the Federal Arbitration Act or otherwise invalid (collectively, the “Excluded Claims”). In the event you intend to bring multiple claims, including any Excluded Claims, the Excluded Claims may be filed with a court, while any other claims will remain subject to mandatory arbitration.

11.6 Injunctive Relief and Final Orders. Nothing in this Section is intended to prevent either you or the Company from obtaining injunctive relief in court to prevent irreparable harm pending the conclusion of any such arbitration. Any final award in any arbitration proceeding hereunder may be entered as a judgment in the federal and state courts of any competent jurisdiction and enforced accordingly.

12. General Provisions. This Agreement, together with the Confidential Information and Inventions Assignment Agreement, constitutes the entire agreement between you and the Company with regard to this subject matter and is the complete, final, and exclusive embodiment of the parties’ agreement with regard to this subject matter. This Agreement is entered into without reliance on any promise or representation, written or oral, other than those expressly contained herein, and it supersedes any other such promises, warranties or representations, including, but not limited to, your June 19, 2017 offer letter (the “Prior Agreements”). You agree and acknowledge that you are not eligible for, and will not receive, any compensation, benefits, or severance pursuant to the Prior Agreements. You also agree and acknowledge that there are no circumstances as of the date of this Agreement that constitute, and nothing contemplated in this Agreement or otherwise shall be deemed for any purpose to be or to create, an involuntary termination without Cause or a Good Reason resignation right, including for purposes of the Prior Agreements, or any other severance or change in control plan, agreement or policy maintained by the Company or its affiliates. This Agreement cannot be modified or amended except in a writing signed by you and a duly authorized officer of the Company. Whenever possible, each provision of this Agreement will be interpreted in such manner as to be effective and valid under applicable law, but if any provision of this Agreement is held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable in any respect under any applicable law or rule in any jurisdiction, such invalidity, illegality or unenforceability will not affect any other provision or any other jurisdiction, but this Agreement will be reformed, construed and enforced in such jurisdiction to the extent possible in keeping with the intent of the parties. Any waiver of any breach of any provisions of this Agreement must be in writing to be effective, and it shall not thereby be deemed to have waived any preceding or succeeding breach of the same or any other provision of this Agreement. This Agreement is intended to bind and inure to the benefit of and be enforceable by you and the Company, and their respective successors, assigns, heirs, executors and administrators. The Company may freely assign this Agreement, without your prior written consent. You may not assign any of your duties hereunder and you may not assign any of your rights hereunder without the written consent of the Company. This Agreement shall become effective as of the Start Date and shall terminate upon your termination of employment with the Company. The obligations as forth under Sections 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, and 12 will survive the termination of this Agreement. All questions concerning the construction, validity and interpretation of this Agreement will be governed by the laws of the State of California.

 

7.


Accepted and agreed:

Best regards,

 

THE HONEST COMPANY, INC.

/s/ Nikolaos A. Vlahos

Nikolaos A. Vlahos

Chief Executive Officer

Accepted and agreed:

/s/ Donald Frey

Donald Frey

Date: April 25, 2021

 

8.


Exhibit A

Employee Confidential Information and Invention Assignment Agreement

 

9.

Exhibit 10.10

April 24, 2021

Re: Employment Agreement

Dear Janis:

The Honest Company, Inc. (the “Company”) is pleased to offer you continuing at-will employment in the position of Executive Vice President, Chief People Officer (“CPO”) on the terms and conditions set forth in this letter agreement (the “Agreement”).

1. Employment by the Company. This Agreement and your employment under the terms hereunder shall take effect upon the effectiveness of the S-1 registration statement relating to the Company’s initial public offering (the “Effective Date”). This is an exempt position, and during your employment with the Company, you will devote your best efforts and substantially all of your business time and attention to the business of the Company, except for approved vacation periods and reasonable periods of illness or other incapacities permitted by the Company’s general employment policies. You shall perform such duties as are required by the Company’s Chief Executive Officer (“CEO”), to whom you will report. Your primary work location shall be the Company’s office located in Los Angeles, California. The Company reserves the right to reasonably require you to perform your duties at places other than your primary office location from time to time, and to require reasonable business travel.

2. Compensation.

2.1 Base Salary. For services to be rendered hereunder, you shall receive a base salary at the rate of $375,000 per year (the “Base Salary”), subject to standard payroll deductions and withholdings and payable in accordance with the Company’s regular payroll schedule.

2.2 Annual Bonus. You will be eligible for an annual discretionary bonus with a target amount of 40% of your then current annual Base Salary (the “Annual Bonus”). Whether you receive an Annual Bonus for any given year, and the amount of any such Annual Bonus, will be determined by the Board of Directors of the Company and/or its Compensation Committee (the “Board”) in its discretion based upon the achievement of corporate and/or individual objectives and milestones that are determined in the sole discretion of the Board and other criteria to be determined by the Board. You must continue to be employed through the date the Annual Bonus is paid in order to earn such bonus. If your employment terminates for any reason prior to the payment date, you will not have earned, and will not be paid, any pro-rated bonus. The Annual Bonus, if earned, shall be paid to you in a lump sum no later than March 15th of the calendar year that follows the performance year, subject to applicable payroll deductions and withholdings.

2.3 Equity. You have previously been granted various equity interests in the Company (the “Awards”). The Awards will continue to be governed by the terms and conditions of the applicable existing plan documents, award agreements and grant notices. You will be eligible for future equity awards as determined by the Board in its sole discretion.

 

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3. Business Expenses. You will be eligible for reimbursement of all reasonable, necessary and documented out-of-pocket business, entertainment, and travel expenses incurred by you in connection with the performance of your duties hereunder in accordance with the Company’s expense reimbursement policies and procedures.

4. Company Policies; Standard Company Benefits. The employment relationship between the parties shall be governed by the general employment policies and practices of the Company, except that when the terms of this Agreement differ from or are in conflict with the Company’s general employment policies or practices, this Agreement shall control. You shall remain eligible to participate in all employee benefit programs for which you are eligible under the terms and conditions of the benefit plans that may be in effect from time to time and provided by the Company to its senior management. The Company reserves the right to cancel or change the benefit plans or programs it offers to its employees, including senior management, at any time.

5. At-Will Employment. Your employment relationship is at-will. Either you or the Company may terminate the employment relationship at any time, with or without cause or advance notice. Subject to the “Good Reason” provision set forth in Section 7 and Section 8.3, the Company may, in its sole discretion, adjust salaries, incentive compensation, stock plans, benefits, job titles, locations, duties, responsibilities, and reporting relationships. Upon termination of your employment for any reason, you shall resign from all positions and terminate any relationships as an employee, advisor, officer or director with the Company and any of its affiliates, each effective on the date of termination.

6. Outside Activities During Employment. Except with the prior written consent of the Board, you will not during the term of your employment with the Company undertake or engage in any other employment, occupation or business enterprise, other than ones in which you are a passive investor. You may engage in civic and not-for-profit activities so long as such activities do not materially interfere with the performance of your duties hereunder. You agree not to acquire, assume or participate in, directly or indirectly, any position, investment or interest known to be adverse or antagonistic to the Company, its business or prospects, financial or otherwise.

7. Termination; Severance.

7.1 Involuntary Termination. If you are subject to an Involuntary Termination and provided that you remain in compliance with the terms of this Agreement (including the conditions described in Section 7.3 below), the Company shall provide you with the following Severance Benefits:

(a) Cash Severance. The Company shall pay you, as severance, the equivalent of twelve (12) months (the “Severance Period”) of your Base Salary in effect as of the date of your employment termination, subject to standard payroll deductions and withholdings and an amount equal to 12 months of health insurance under COBRA on an after-tax basis (the “Severance”). The Severance will be paid as a continuation on the Company’s regular payroll, beginning no later than the first regularly-scheduled payroll date following the sixtieth (60th) day after your Separation from Service, provided the Separation Agreement (as discussed in Section 7.3) has become effective.

 

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(b) Payment of Continued Group Health Plan Benefits. If you are eligible for and timely elect continued group health plan coverage under the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1985 or any state law of similar effect (“COBRA”) following your Involuntary Termination, the Company will pay your COBRA group health insurance premiums for you and your eligible dependents directly to the insurer until the earliest of (A) the end of the period immediately following your Involuntary Termination that is equal to the Severance Period (the “COBRA Payment Period”), (B) the expiration of your eligibility for continuation coverage under COBRA, or (C) the date when you become eligible for substantially equivalent health insurance coverage in connection with new employment or self-employment. For purposes of this Section, references to COBRA premiums shall not include any amounts payable by you under a Section 125 health care reimbursement plan under the Code. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if at any time the Company determines, in its sole discretion, that it cannot pay the COBRA premiums without potentially incurring financial costs or penalties under applicable law (including, without limitation, Section 2716 of the Public Health Service Act), then regardless of whether you elect continued health coverage under COBRA, and in lieu of providing the COBRA premiums, the Company will instead pay you on the last day of each remaining month of the COBRA Payment Period, a fully taxable cash payment equal to the COBRA premiums for that month, subject to applicable tax withholdings (such amount, the “Special Severance Payment”), which payments shall continue until the earlier of expiration of the COBRA Payment Period or the date when you become eligible for substantially equivalent health insurance coverage in connection with new employment or self-employment. On the first payroll date following the effectiveness of the Release, the Company will make the first payment to the insurer under this clause (and, in the case of the Special Severance Payment, such payment will be to you, in a lump sum) equal to the aggregate amount of payments that the Company would have paid through such date had such payments instead commenced on the date of your Involuntary Termination, with the balance of the payments paid thereafter on the schedule described above. If you become eligible for coverage under another employer’s group health plan, you must immediately notify the Company of such event, and all payments and obligations under this subsection shall cease.

7.2 Termination for Cause; Resignation Without Good Reason; Death or Disability. If you resign without Good Reason, or the Company terminates your employment for Cause, or upon your death or disability, then all payments of compensation by the Company to you hereunder will terminate immediately (except as to amounts already earned), and you will not be entitled to any Severance Benefits.

7.3 Conditions to Receipt of Severance Benefits. The receipt of the Severance Benefits will be subject to you signing and not revoking a separation agreement and release of claims in a form reasonably satisfactory to the Company (the “Separation Agreement”) by no later than the sixtieth (60th) day after your employment termination (“Release Deadline”). No Severance Benefits will be paid or provided until the Separation Agreement becomes effective. You shall also resign from all positions and terminate any relationships as an employee, advisor, officer or director with the Company and any of its affiliates, each effective on the date of termination.

 

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8. Definitions.

8.1 Cause. For purposes of this Agreement, “Cause” means any one of the following: (a) willful material breach by you of any material Company policy (including, but not limited to, the Company’s policies on nondiscrimination, anti-harassment, and confidential information) or your duties or obligations hereunder; (b) your willful engagement in conduct materially injurious to the Company, monetarily or otherwise; (c) acts of fraud, theft or other willful illegal acts calling into question your personal integrity, or conviction on a felony charge, whether or not related to your employment hereunder; or (d) your willful refusal to follow lawful instructions of the Board. In order to terminate your employment for Cause pursuant to (a) or (d), but only to the extent the Board determines in its reasonable discretion that such breach is amenable to cure, the Board must provide you written notice within thirty (30) days after the first occurrence of the event giving rise to Cause setting forth the basis for the existence of Cause, allow you thirty (30) days from receipt of such written notice to cure such event, and if such event is not reasonably cured within such period, the Company must terminate your employment not later than thirty (30) days after the expiration of the cure period.

8.2 Code. For purposes of this Agreement, “Code” means the U.S. Internal Revenue Code of 1986 (as it has been and may be amended from time to time) and any regulations and guidance that has been promulgated or may be promulgated from time to time thereunder and any state law of similar effect.

8.3 Good Reason. For purposes of this Agreement, “Good Reason” means any one of the following without your consent: (a) an assignment of duties or responsibilities (including reporting responsibilities) materially inconsistent with, or which materially reduce, your duties, authority, responsibilities and status with the Company; (b) an adverse change in your title; (c) any material reduction in your Base Salary, other than a reduction, generally applicable to other executives of the Company, by not more than 25%; (d) the relocation of your principal place of employment to a location that is more than twenty-five (25) miles away from its current location; or (e) the uncured breach of any material provision of this Agreement (or any other agreement with you) by the Company. In order to resign for Good Reason, you must provide written notice to the Company’s Board within thirty (30) days after the first occurrence of the event giving rise to Good Reason setting forth the basis for your resignation, allow the Company thirty (30) days from receipt of such written notice to cure such event, and if such event is not reasonably cured within such period, you must resign from all positions you then hold with the Company not later than thirty (30) days after the expiration of the cure period.

8.4 Involuntary Termination. For purposes of this Agreement, “Involuntary Termination” means a termination of your employment with the Company pursuant to either (i) a termination initiated by the Company without Cause, or (ii) your resignation for Good Reason, and provided in either case such termination constitutes a Separation from Service. An Involuntary Termination does not include any other termination of your employment, including a termination due to your death or disability.

 

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8.5 Separation from Service. For purposes of this Agreement, “Separation from Service” means a “separation from service”, as defined under Treasury Regulation Section 1.409A-1(h).

9. Proprietary Information Obligations. As a condition of your continued employment, you shall execute and abide by the Company’s standard form of Employee Confidential Information and Invention Assignment Agreement, attached as Exhibit A. In your work for the Company, you will be expected not to use or disclose any confidential information, including trade secrets, of any former employer or other person to whom you have an obligation of confidentiality. Rather, you will be expected to use only that information which is generally known and used by persons with training and experience comparable to your own, which is common knowledge in the industry or otherwise legally in the public domain, or which is otherwise provided or developed by the Company. You acknowledge that you have not brought onto Company premises any unpublished documents or property belonging to any former employer or other person to whom you have an obligation of confidentiality and have disclosed to the Company any contract you have signed that may restrict your activities on behalf of the Company.

10. Section 409A. It is intended that all of the severance benefits and other payments payable under this Agreement satisfy, to the greatest extent possible, the exemptions from the application of Code Section 409A provided under Treasury Regulations Sections 1.409A 1(b)(4), 1.409A 1(b)(5) and 1.409A 1(b)(9), and this Agreement will be construed to the greatest extent possible as consistent with those provisions, and to the extent not so exempt, this Agreement (and any definitions hereunder) will be construed in a manner that complies with Section 409A. For all purposes of Code Section 409A (including, without limitation, for purposes of Treasury Regulations Sections 1.409A 2(b)(2)(i) and (iii)), your right to receive any installment payments under this Agreement (whether severance payments, reimbursements or otherwise) shall be treated as a right to receive a series of separate payments and, accordingly, each installment payment hereunder shall at all times be considered a separate and distinct payment. Notwithstanding any provision to the contrary in this Agreement, if you are deemed by the Company at the time of your Separation from Service to be a “specified employee” for purposes of Code Section 409A(a)(2)(B)(i), and if any of the payments upon Separation from Service set forth herein and/or under any other agreement with the Company are deemed to be “deferred compensation,” then to the extent delayed commencement of any portion of such payments is required in order to avoid a prohibited distribution under Code Section 409A(a)(2)(B)(i) and the related adverse taxation under Section 409A, such payments shall not be provided to you prior to the earliest of (i) the first date following expiration of the six-month period following the date of your Separation from Service with the Company, (ii) the date of your death or (iii) such earlier date as permitted under Section 409A without the imposition of adverse taxation. Upon the first business day following the expiration of such applicable Code Section 409A(a)(2)(B)(i) period, all payments deferred pursuant to this Paragraph shall be paid in a lump sum to you, and any remaining payments due shall be paid as otherwise provided herein or in the applicable agreement. No interest shall be due on any amounts so deferred. If the severance benefits are not covered by one or more exemptions from the application of Section 409A and the Release Deadline occurs in the calendar year following the calendar year of your Separation from Service, the Release will not be deemed effective any earlier than the Release Deadline for purposes of determining the timing of provision of any severance benefits.

 

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11.

Arbitration of All Disputes.

11.1 Agreement to Arbitrate. To ensure the timely and economical resolution of disputes that may arise between you and the Company, both you and the Company mutually agree that pursuant to the Federal Arbitration Act, 9 U.S.C. §1-16, and to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, you and the Company will submit solely to final, binding and confidential arbitration any and all disputes, claims, or causes of action arising from or relating to: (i) the negotiation, execution, interpretation, performance, breach or enforcement of this Agreement; or (ii) your application, hiring, and employment with the Company (including but not limited to all statutory claims); or (iii) the termination of your employment with the Company (including but not limited to all statutory claims). BY AGREEING TO THIS ARBITRATION PROCEDURE, BOTH YOU AND THE COMPANY WAIVE THE RIGHT TO RESOLVE ANY SUCH DISPUTES THROUGH A TRIAL BY JURY OR JUDGE OR THROUGH AN ADMINISTRATIVE PROCEEDING.

11.2 Arbitrator Authority. The arbitrator shall have the sole and exclusive authority to determine whether a dispute, claim or cause of action is subject to arbitration under this Section and to determine any procedural questions which grow out of such disputes, claims or causes of action and bear on their final disposition.

11.3 Individual Capacity Only. All claims, disputes, or causes of action under this Section, whether by you or the Company, must be brought solely in an individual capacity, and shall not be brought as a plaintiff (or claimant) or class member in any purported class or representative proceeding, nor joined or consolidated with the claims of any other person or entity. The arbitrator may not consolidate the claims of more than one person or entity, and may not preside over any form of representative or class proceeding. To the extent that the preceding sentences in this Section are found to violate applicable law or are otherwise found unenforceable, any claim(s) alleged or brought on behalf of a class shall proceed in a court of law rather than by arbitration.

11.4 Arbitration Process. Any arbitration proceeding under this Section shall be presided over by a single arbitrator and conducted by Judicial Arbitration and Mediation Services, Inc. (“JAMS”) in Los Angeles County, California, or as otherwise agreed to by you and the Company, under the then applicable JAMS rules for the resolution of employment disputes (available upon request and also currently available at http://www.jamsadr.com/rules-employment-arbitration/). You and the Company both have the right to be represented by legal counsel at any arbitration proceeding, at each party’s own expense. The Arbitrator shall: (i) have the authority to compel adequate discovery for the resolution of the dispute; (ii) issue a written arbitration decision, to include the arbitrator’s essential findings and conclusions and a statement of the award; and (iii) be authorized to award any or all remedies that you or the Company would be entitled to seek in a court of law. The Company shall pay all JAMS arbitration fees in excess of the amount of court fees that would be required of you if the dispute were decided in a court of law.

 

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11.5 Excluded Claims. This Arbitration section shall not apply to any action or claim that cannot be subject to mandatory arbitration as a matter of law, including, without limitation, claims brought pursuant to the California Private Attorneys General Act of 2004, as amended, to the extent such claims are not permitted by applicable law to be submitted to mandatory arbitration and such applicable law is not preempted by the Federal Arbitration Act or otherwise invalid (collectively, the “Excluded Claims”). In the event you intend to bring multiple claims, including any Excluded Claims, the Excluded Claims may be filed with a court, while any other claims will remain subject to mandatory arbitration.

11.6 Injunctive Relief and Final Orders. Nothing in this Section is intended to prevent either you or the Company from obtaining injunctive relief in court to prevent irreparable harm pending the conclusion of any such arbitration. Any final award in any arbitration proceeding hereunder may be entered as a judgment in the federal and state courts of any competent jurisdiction and enforced accordingly.

12. General Provisions. This Agreement, together with the Confidential Information and Inventions Assignment Agreement, constitutes the entire agreement between you and the Company with regard to this subject matter and is the complete, final, and exclusive embodiment of the parties’ agreement with regard to this subject matter. This Agreement is entered into without reliance on any promise or representation, written or oral, other than those expressly contained herein, and it supersedes any other such promises, warranties or representations, including, but not limited to, your April 28, 2017 offer letter (the “Prior Agreements”). You agree and acknowledge that you are not eligible for, and will not receive, any compensation, benefits, or severance pursuant to the Prior Agreements. You also agree and acknowledge that there are no circumstances as of the date of this Agreement that constitute, and nothing contemplated in this Agreement or otherwise shall be deemed for any purpose to be or to create, an involuntary termination without Cause or a Good Reason resignation right, including for purposes of the Prior Agreements, or any other severance or change in control plan, agreement or policy maintained by the Company or its affiliates. This Agreement cannot be modified or amended except in a writing signed by you and a duly authorized officer of the Company. Whenever possible, each provision of this Agreement will be interpreted in such manner as to be effective and valid under applicable law, but if any provision of this Agreement is held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable in any respect under any applicable law or rule in any jurisdiction, such invalidity, illegality or unenforceability will not affect any other provision or any other jurisdiction, but this Agreement will be reformed, construed and enforced in such jurisdiction to the extent possible in keeping with the intent of the parties. Any waiver of any breach of any provisions of this Agreement must be in writing to be effective, and it shall not thereby be deemed to have waived any preceding or succeeding breach of the same or any other provision of this Agreement. This Agreement is intended to bind and inure to the benefit of and be enforceable by you and the Company, and their respective successors, assigns, heirs, executors and administrators. The Company may freely assign this Agreement, without your prior written consent. You may not assign any of your duties hereunder and you may not assign any of your rights hereunder without the written consent of the Company. This Agreement shall become effective as of the Start Date and shall terminate upon your termination of employment with the Company. The obligations as forth under Sections 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, and 12 will survive the termination of this Agreement. All questions concerning the construction, validity and interpretation of this Agreement will be governed by the laws of the State of California.

 

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Accepted and agreed:

Best regards,

 

THE HONEST COMPANY, INC.

/s/ Nikolaos A. Vlahos

Nikolaos A. Vlahos
Chief Executive Officer
Accepted and agreed:

/s/ Janis Hoyt

Janis Hoyt

Date: April 24, 2021

 

8.


Exhibit A

Employee Confidential Information and Invention Assignment Agreement

 

9.

Exhibit 10.11

April 24, 2021

Re: Employment Agreement

Dear Kelly:

The Honest Company, Inc. (the “Company”) is pleased to offer you continuing at-will employment in the position of Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer (“CFO”) on the terms and conditions set forth in this letter agreement (the “Agreement”).

1. Employment by the Company. This Agreement and your employment under the terms hereunder shall take effect upon the effectiveness of the S-1 registration statement relating to the Company’s initial public offering (the “Effective Date”). This is an exempt position, and during your employment with the Company, you will devote your best efforts and substantially all of your business time and attention to the business of the Company, except for approved vacation periods and reasonable periods of illness or other incapacities permitted by the Company’s general employment policies. You shall perform such duties as are required by the Company’s Chief Executive Officer (“CEO”), to whom you will report. Your primary work location shall be the Company’s office located in Los Angeles, California. The Company reserves the right to reasonably require you to perform your duties at places other than your primary office location from time to time, and to require reasonable business travel.

2. Compensation.

2.1 Base Salary. For services to be rendered hereunder, you shall receive a base salary at the rate of $400,000 per year (the “Base Salary”), subject to standard payroll deductions and withholdings and payable in accordance with the Company’s regular payroll schedule.

2.2 Annual Bonus. You will be eligible for an annual discretionary bonus with a target amount of 40% of your then current annual Base Salary (the “Annual Bonus”). Whether you receive an Annual Bonus for any given year, and the amount of any such Annual Bonus, will be determined by the Board of Directors of the Company and/or its Compensation Committee (the “Board”) in its discretion based upon the achievement of corporate and/or individual objectives and milestones that are determined in the sole discretion of the Board and other criteria to be determined by the Board. You must continue to be employed through the date the Annual Bonus is paid in order to earn such bonus. If your employment terminates for any reason prior to the payment date, you will not have earned, and will not be paid, any pro-rated bonus. The Annual Bonus, if earned, shall be paid to you in a lump sum no later than March 15th of the calendar year that follows the performance year, subject to applicable payroll deductions and withholdings.

2.3 Equity. You have previously been granted various equity interests in the Company (the “Awards”). The Awards will continue to be governed by the terms and conditions of the applicable existing plan documents, award agreements and grant notices. You will be eligible for future equity awards as determined by the Board in its sole discretion.

 

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3. Business Expenses. You will be eligible for reimbursement of all reasonable, necessary and documented out-of-pocket business, entertainment, and travel expenses incurred by you in connection with the performance of your duties hereunder in accordance with the Company’s expense reimbursement policies and procedures.

4. Company Policies; Standard Company Benefits. The employment relationship between the parties shall be governed by the general employment policies and practices of the Company, except that when the terms of this Agreement differ from or are in conflict with the Company’s general employment policies or practices, this Agreement shall control. You shall remain eligible to participate in all employee benefit programs for which you are eligible under the terms and conditions of the benefit plans that may be in effect from time to time and provided by the Company to its senior management. The Company reserves the right to cancel or change the benefit plans or programs it offers to its employees, including senior management, at any time.

5. At-Will Employment. Your employment relationship is at-will. Either you or the Company may terminate the employment relationship at any time, with or without cause or advance notice. Subject to the “Good Reason” provision set forth in Section 7 and Section 8.3, the Company may, in its sole discretion, adjust salaries, incentive compensation, stock plans, benefits, job titles, locations, duties, responsibilities, and reporting relationships. Upon termination of your employment for any reason, you shall resign from all positions and terminate any relationships as an employee, advisor, officer or director with the Company and any of its affiliates, each effective on the date of termination.

6. Outside Activities During Employment. Except with the prior written consent of the Board, you will not during the term of your employment with the Company undertake or engage in any other employment, occupation or business enterprise, other than ones in which you are a passive investor. You may engage in civic and not-for-profit activities so long as such activities do not materially interfere with the performance of your duties hereunder. You agree not to acquire, assume or participate in, directly or indirectly, any position, investment or interest known to be adverse or antagonistic to the Company, its business or prospects, financial or otherwise.

7. Termination; Severance.

7.1 Involuntary Termination. If you are subject to an Involuntary Termination and provided that you remain in compliance with the terms of this Agreement (including the conditions described in Section 7.3 below), the Company shall provide you with the following Severance Benefits:

(a) Cash Severance. The Company shall pay you, as severance, the equivalent of six (6) months (the “Severance Period”) of your Base Salary in effect as of the date of your employment termination, subject to standard payroll deductions and withholdings and an amount equal to six (6) months of health insurance under COBRA on an after-tax basis (the “Severance”). The Severance will be paid as a continuation on the Company’s regular payroll, beginning no later than the first regularly-scheduled payroll date following the sixtieth (60th) day after your Separation from Service, provided the Separation Agreement (as discussed in Section 7.3) has become effective.

 

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(b) Payment of Continued Group Health Plan Benefits. If you are eligible for and timely elect continued group health plan coverage under the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1985 or any state law of similar effect (“COBRA”) following your Involuntary Termination, the Company will pay your COBRA group health insurance premiums for you and your eligible dependents directly to the insurer until the earliest of (A) the end of the period immediately following your Involuntary Termination that is equal to the Severance Period (the “COBRA Payment Period”), (B) the expiration of your eligibility for continuation coverage under COBRA, or (C) the date when you become eligible for substantially equivalent health insurance coverage in connection with new employment or self-employment. For purposes of this Section, references to COBRA premiums shall not include any amounts payable by you under a Section 125 health care reimbursement plan under the Code. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if at any time the Company determines, in its sole discretion, that it cannot pay the COBRA premiums without potentially incurring financial costs or penalties under applicable law (including, without limitation, Section 2716 of the Public Health Service Act), then regardless of whether you elect continued health coverage under COBRA, and in lieu of providing the COBRA premiums, the Company will instead pay you on the last day of each remaining month of the COBRA Payment Period, a fully taxable cash payment equal to the COBRA premiums for that month, subject to applicable tax withholdings (such amount, the “Special Severance Payment”), which payments shall continue until the earlier of expiration of the COBRA Payment Period or the date when you become eligible for substantially equivalent health insurance coverage in connection with new employment or self-employment. On the first payroll date following the effectiveness of the Release, the Company will make the first payment to the insurer under this clause (and, in the case of the Special Severance Payment, such payment will be to you, in a lump sum) equal to the aggregate amount of payments that the Company would have paid through such date had such payments instead commenced on the date of your Involuntary Termination, with the balance of the payments paid thereafter on the schedule described above. If you become eligible for coverage under another employer’s group health plan, you must immediately notify the Company of such event, and all payments and obligations under this subsection shall cease.

7.2 Termination for Cause; Resignation Without Good Reason; Death or Disability. If you resign without Good Reason, or the Company terminates your employment for Cause, or upon your death or disability, then all payments of compensation by the Company to you hereunder will terminate immediately (except as to amounts already earned), and you will not be entitled to any Severance Benefits.

7.3 Conditions to Receipt of Severance Benefits. The receipt of the Severance Benefits will be subject to you signing and not revoking a separation agreement and release of claims in a form reasonably satisfactory to the Company (the “Separation Agreement”) by no later than the sixtieth (60th) day after your employment termination (“Release Deadline”). No Severance Benefits will be paid or provided until the Separation Agreement becomes effective. You shall also resign from all positions and terminate any relationships as an employee, advisor, officer or director with the Company and any of its affiliates, each effective on the date of termination.

 

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8. Definitions.

8.1 Cause. For purposes of this Agreement, “Cause” means any one of the following: (a) willful material breach by you of any material Company policy (including, but not limited to, the Company’s policies on nondiscrimination, anti-harassment, and confidential information) or your duties or obligations hereunder; (b) your willful engagement in conduct materially injurious to the Company, monetarily or otherwise; (c) acts of fraud, theft or other willful illegal acts calling into question your personal integrity, or conviction on a felony charge, whether or not related to your employment hereunder; or (d) your willful refusal to follow lawful instructions of the Board. In order to terminate your employment for Cause pursuant to (a) or (d), but only to the extent the Board determines in its reasonable discretion that such breach is amenable to cure, the Board must provide you written notice within thirty (30) days after the first occurrence of the event giving rise to Cause setting forth the basis for the existence of Cause, allow you thirty (30) days from receipt of such written notice to cure such event, and if such event is not reasonably cured within such period, the Company must terminate your employment not later than thirty (30) days after the expiration of the cure period.

8.2 Code. For purposes of this Agreement, “Code” means the U.S. Internal Revenue Code of 1986 (as it has been and may be amended from time to time) and any regulations and guidance that has been promulgated or may be promulgated from time to time thereunder and any state law of similar effect.

8.3 Good Reason. For purposes of this Agreement, “Good Reason” means any one of the following without your consent: (a) an assignment of duties or responsibilities (including reporting responsibilities) materially inconsistent with, or which materially reduce, your duties, authority, responsibilities and status with the Company; (b) an adverse change in your title; (c) any material reduction in your Base Salary, other than a reduction, generally applicable to other executives of the Company, by not more than 25%; (d) the relocation of your principal place of employment to a location that is more than twenty-five (25) miles away from its current location; or (e) the uncured breach of any material provision of this Agreement (or any other agreement with you) by the Company. In order to resign for Good Reason, you must provide written notice to the Company’s Board within thirty (30) days after the first occurrence of the event giving rise to Good Reason setting forth the basis for your resignation, allow the Company thirty (30) days from receipt of such written notice to cure such event, and if such event is not reasonably cured within such period, you must resign from all positions you then hold with the Company not later than thirty (30) days after the expiration of the cure period.

8.4 Involuntary Termination. For purposes of this Agreement, “Involuntary Termination” means a termination of your employment with the Company pursuant to either (i) a termination initiated by the Company without Cause, or (ii) your resignation for Good Reason, and provided in either case such termination constitutes a Separation from Service. An Involuntary Termination does not include any other termination of your employment, including a termination due to your death or disability.

 

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8.5 Separation from Service. For purposes of this Agreement, “Separation from Service” means a “separation from service”, as defined under Treasury Regulation Section 1.409A-1(h).

9. Proprietary Information Obligations. As a condition of your continued employment, you shall execute and abide by the Company’s standard form of Employee Confidential Information and Invention Assignment Agreement, attached as Exhibit A. In your work for the Company, you will be expected not to use or disclose any confidential information, including trade secrets, of any former employer or other person to whom you have an obligation of confidentiality. Rather, you will be expected to use only that information which is generally known and used by persons with training and experience comparable to your own, which is common knowledge in the industry or otherwise legally in the public domain, or which is otherwise provided or developed by the Company. You acknowledge that you have not brought onto Company premises any unpublished documents or property belonging to any former employer or other person to whom you have an obligation of confidentiality and have disclosed to the Company any contract you have signed that may restrict your activities on behalf of the Company.

10. Section 409A. It is intended that all of the severance benefits and other payments payable under this Agreement satisfy, to the greatest extent possible, the exemptions from the application of Code Section 409A provided under Treasury Regulations Sections 1.409A 1(b)(4), 1.409A 1(b)(5) and 1.409A 1(b)(9), and this Agreement will be construed to the greatest extent possible as consistent with those provisions, and to the extent not so exempt, this Agreement (and any definitions hereunder) will be construed in a manner that complies with Section 409A. For all purposes of Code Section 409A (including, without limitation, for purposes of Treasury Regulations Sections 1.409A 2(b)(2)(i) and (iii)), your right to receive any installment payments under this Agreement (whether severance payments, reimbursements or otherwise) shall be treated as a right to receive a series of separate payments and, accordingly, each installment payment hereunder shall at all times be considered a separate and distinct payment. Notwithstanding any provision to the contrary in this Agreement, if you are deemed by the Company at the time of your Separation from Service to be a “specified employee” for purposes of Code Section 409A(a)(2)(B)(i), and if any of the payments upon Separation from Service set forth herein and/or under any other agreement with the Company are deemed to be “deferred compensation,” then to the extent delayed commencement of any portion of such payments is required in order to avoid a prohibited distribution under Code Section 409A(a)(2)(B)(i) and the related adverse taxation under Section 409A, such payments shall not be provided to you prior to the earliest of (i) the first date following expiration of the six-month period following the date of your Separation from Service with the Company, (ii) the date of your death or (iii) such earlier date as permitted under Section 409A without the imposition of adverse taxation. Upon the first business day following the expiration of such applicable Code Section 409A(a)(2)(B)(i) period, all payments deferred pursuant to this Paragraph shall be paid in a lump sum to you, and any remaining payments due shall be paid as otherwise provided herein or in the applicable agreement. No interest shall be due on any amounts so deferred. If the severance benefits are not covered by one or more exemptions from the application of Section 409A and the Release Deadline occurs in the calendar year following the calendar year of your Separation from Service, the Release will not be deemed effective any earlier than the Release Deadline for purposes of determining the timing of provision of any severance benefits.

 

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11. Arbitration of All Disputes.

11.1 Agreement to Arbitrate. To ensure the timely and economical resolution of disputes that may arise between you and the Company, both you and the Company mutually agree that pursuant to the Federal Arbitration Act, 9 U.S.C. §1-16, and to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, you and the Company will submit solely to final, binding and confidential arbitration any and all disputes, claims, or causes of action arising from or relating to: (i) the negotiation, execution, interpretation, performance, breach or enforcement of this Agreement; or (ii) your application, hiring, and employment with the Company (including but not limited to all statutory claims); or (iii) the termination of your employment with the Company (including but not limited to all statutory claims). BY AGREEING TO THIS ARBITRATION PROCEDURE, BOTH YOU AND THE COMPANY WAIVE THE RIGHT TO RESOLVE ANY SUCH DISPUTES THROUGH A TRIAL BY JURY OR JUDGE OR THROUGH AN ADMINISTRATIVE PROCEEDING.

11.2 Arbitrator Authority. The arbitrator shall have the sole and exclusive authority to determine whether a dispute, claim or cause of action is subject to arbitration under this Section and to determine any procedural questions which grow out of such disputes, claims or causes of action and bear on their final disposition.

11.3 Individual Capacity Only. All claims, disputes, or causes of action under this Section, whether by you or the Company, must be brought solely in an individual capacity, and shall not be brought as a plaintiff (or claimant) or class member in any purported class or representative proceeding, nor joined or consolidated with the claims of any other person or entity. The arbitrator may not consolidate the claims of more than one person or entity, and may not preside over any form of representative or class proceeding. To the extent that the preceding sentences in this Section are found to violate applicable law or are otherwise found unenforceable, any claim(s) alleged or brought on behalf of a class shall proceed in a court of law rather than by arbitration.

11.4 Arbitration Process. Any arbitration proceeding under this Section shall be presided over by a single arbitrator and conducted by Judicial Arbitration and Mediation Services, Inc. (“JAMS”) in Los Angeles County, California, or as otherwise agreed to by you and the Company, under the then applicable JAMS rules for the resolution of employment disputes (available upon request and also currently available at http://www.jamsadr.com/rules-employment-arbitration/). You and the Company both have the right to be represented by legal counsel at any arbitration proceeding, at each party’s own expense. The Arbitrator shall: (i) have the authority to compel adequate discovery for the resolution of the dispute; (ii) issue a written arbitration decision, to include the arbitrator’s essential findings and conclusions and a statement of the award; and (iii) be authorized to award any or all remedies that you or the Company would be entitled to seek in a court of law. The Company shall pay all JAMS arbitration fees in excess of the amount of court fees that would be required of you if the dispute were decided in a court of law.

 

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11.5 Excluded Claims. This Arbitration section shall not apply to any action or claim that cannot be subject to mandatory arbitration as a matter of law, including, without limitation, claims brought pursuant to the California Private Attorneys General Act of 2004, as amended, to the extent such claims are not permitted by applicable law to be submitted to mandatory arbitration and such applicable law is not preempted by the Federal Arbitration Act or otherwise invalid (collectively, the “Excluded Claims”). In the event you intend to bring multiple claims, including any Excluded Claims, the Excluded Claims may be filed with a court, while any other claims will remain subject to mandatory arbitration.

11.6 Injunctive Relief and Final Orders. Nothing in this Section is intended to prevent either you or the Company from obtaining injunctive relief in court to prevent irreparable harm pending the conclusion of any such arbitration. Any final award in any arbitration proceeding hereunder may be entered as a judgment in the federal and state courts of any competent jurisdiction and enforced accordingly.

12. General Provisions. This Agreement, together with the Confidential Information and Inventions Assignment Agreement, constitutes the entire agreement between you and the Company with regard to this subject matter and is the complete, final, and exclusive embodiment of the parties’ agreement with regard to this subject matter. This Agreement is entered into without reliance on any promise or representation, written or oral, other than those expressly contained herein, and it supersedes any other such promises, warranties or representations, including, but not limited to, your January 13, 2021 offer letter (the “Prior Agreements”). You agree and acknowledge that you are not eligible for, and will not receive, any compensation, benefits, or severance pursuant to the Prior Agreements. You also agree and acknowledge that there are no circumstances as of the date of this Agreement that constitute, and nothing contemplated in this Agreement or otherwise shall be deemed for any purpose to be or to create, an involuntary termination without Cause or a Good Reason resignation right, including for purposes of the Prior Agreements, or any other severance or change in control plan, agreement or policy maintained by the Company or its affiliates. This Agreement cannot be modified or amended except in a writing signed by you and a duly authorized officer of the Company. Whenever possible, each provision of this Agreement will be interpreted in such manner as to be effective and valid under applicable law, but if any provision of this Agreement is held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable in any respect under any applicable law or rule in any jurisdiction, such invalidity, illegality or unenforceability will not affect any other provision or any other jurisdiction, but this Agreement will be reformed, construed and enforced in such jurisdiction to the extent possible in keeping with the intent of the parties. Any waiver of any breach of any provisions of this Agreement must be in writing to be effective, and it shall not thereby be deemed to have waived any preceding or succeeding breach of the same or any other provision of this Agreement. This Agreement is intended to bind and inure to the benefit of and be enforceable by you and the Company, and their respective successors, assigns, heirs, executors and administrators. The Company may freely assign this Agreement, without your prior written consent. You may not assign any of your duties hereunder and you may not assign any of your rights hereunder without the written consent of the Company. This Agreement shall become effective as of the Start Date and shall terminate upon your termination of employment with the Company. The obligations as forth under Sections 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, and 12 will survive the termination of this Agreement. All questions concerning the construction, validity and interpretation of this Agreement will be governed by the laws of the State of California.

 

7.


Accepted and agreed:

Best regards,

THE HONEST COMPANY, INC.

/s/ Nikolaos A. Vlahos

 

Nikolaos A. Vlahos

Chief Executive Officer

Accepted and agreed:

/s/ Kelly Kennedy

 

Kelly Kennedy

Date: April 24, 2021

 

8.


Exhibit A

Employee Confidential Information and Invention Assignment Agreement

 

9.

Exhibit 10.12

April 25, 2021

Re: Employment Agreement

Dear Glenn:

The Honest Company, Inc. (the “Company”) is pleased to offer you continuing at-will employment in the position of Executive Vice President, Supply Chain (“EVP”) on the terms and conditions set forth in this letter agreement (the “Agreement”).

1. Employment by the Company. This Agreement and your employment under the terms hereunder shall take effect upon the effectiveness of the S-1 registration statement relating to the Company’s initial public offering (the “Effective Date”). This is an exempt position, and during your employment with the Company, you will devote your best efforts and substantially all of your business time and attention to the business of the Company, except for approved vacation periods and reasonable periods of illness or other incapacities permitted by the Company’s general employment policies. You shall perform such duties as are required by the Company’s Chief Executive Officer (“CEO”), to whom you will report. Your primary work location shall be the Company’s office located in Los Angeles, California. The Company reserves the right to reasonably require you to perform your duties at places other than your primary office location from time to time, and to require reasonable business travel.

2. Compensation.

2.1 Base Salary. For services to be rendered hereunder, you shall receive a base salary at the rate of $375,000 per year (the “Base Salary”), subject to standard payroll deductions and withholdings and payable in accordance with the Company’s regular payroll schedule.

2.2 Annual Bonus. You will be eligible for an annual discretionary bonus with a target amount of 40% of your then current annual Base Salary (the “Annual Bonus”). Whether you receive an Annual Bonus for any given year, and the amount of any such Annual Bonus, will be determined by the Board of Directors of the Company and/or its Compensation Committee (the “Board”) in its discretion based upon the achievement of corporate and/or individual objectives and milestones that are determined in the sole discretion of the Board and other criteria to be determined by the Board. You must continue to be employed through the date the Annual Bonus is paid in order to earn such bonus. If your employment terminates for any reason prior to the payment date, you will not have earned, and will not be paid, any pro-rated bonus. The Annual Bonus, if earned, shall be paid to you in a lump sum no later than March 15th of the calendar year that follows the performance year, subject to applicable payroll deductions and withholdings.

2.3 Equity. You have previously been granted various equity interests in the Company (the “Awards”). The Awards will continue to be governed by the terms and conditions of the applicable existing plan documents, award agreements and grant notices. You will be eligible for future equity awards as determined by the Board in its sole discretion.

 

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3. Business Expenses. You will be eligible for reimbursement of all reasonable, necessary and documented out-of-pocket business, entertainment, and travel expenses incurred by you in connection with the performance of your duties hereunder in accordance with the Company’s expense reimbursement policies and procedures.

4. Company Policies; Standard Company Benefits. The employment relationship between the parties shall be governed by the general employment policies and practices of the Company, except that when the terms of this Agreement differ from or are in conflict with the Company’s general employment policies or practices, this Agreement shall control. You shall remain eligible to participate in all employee benefit programs for which you are eligible under the terms and conditions of the benefit plans that may be in effect from time to time and provided by the Company to its senior management. The Company reserves the right to cancel or change the benefit plans or programs it offers to its employees, including senior management, at any time.

5. At-Will Employment. Your employment relationship is at-will. Either you or the Company may terminate the employment relationship at any time, with or without cause or advance notice. Subject to the “Good Reason” provision set forth in Section 7 and Section 8.3, the Company may, in its sole discretion, adjust salaries, incentive compensation, stock plans, benefits, job titles, locations, duties, responsibilities, and reporting relationships. Upon termination of your employment for any reason, you shall resign from all positions and terminate any relationships as an employee, advisor, officer or director with the Company and any of its affiliates, each effective on the date of termination.

6. Outside Activities During Employment. Except with the prior written consent of the Board, you will not during the term of your employment with the Company undertake or engage in any other employment, occupation or business enterprise, other than ones in which you are a passive investor. You may engage in civic and not-for-profit activities so long as such activities do not materially interfere with the performance of your duties hereunder. You agree not to acquire, assume or participate in, directly or indirectly, any position, investment or interest known to be adverse or antagonistic to the Company, its business or prospects, financial or otherwise.

7. Termination; Severance.

7.1 Involuntary Termination. If you are subject to an Involuntary Termination and provided that you remain in compliance with the terms of this Agreement (including the conditions described in Section 7.3 below), the Company shall provide you with the following Severance Benefits:

(a) Cash Severance. The Company shall pay you, as severance, the equivalent of six (6) months (the “Severance Period”) of your Base Salary in effect as of the date of your employment termination, subject to standard payroll deductions and withholdings and an amount equal to six (6) months of health insurance under COBRA on an after-tax basis (the “Severance”). The Severance will be paid as a continuation on the Company’s regular payroll, beginning no later than the first regularly-scheduled payroll date following the sixtieth (60th) day after your Separation from Service, provided the Separation Agreement (as discussed in Section 7.3) has become effective.

 

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(b) Payment of Continued Group Health Plan Benefits. If you are eligible for and timely elect continued group health plan coverage under the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1985 or any state law of similar effect (“COBRA”) following your Involuntary Termination, the Company will pay your COBRA group health insurance premiums for you and your eligible dependents directly to the insurer until the earliest of (A) the end of the period immediately following your Involuntary Termination that is equal to the Severance Period (the “COBRA Payment Period”), (B) the expiration of your eligibility for continuation coverage under COBRA, or (C) the date when you become eligible for substantially equivalent health insurance coverage in connection with new employment or self-employment. For purposes of this Section, references to COBRA premiums shall not include any amounts payable by you under a Section 125 health care reimbursement plan under the Code. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if at any time the Company determines, in its sole discretion, that it cannot pay the COBRA premiums without potentially incurring financial costs or penalties under applicable law (including, without limitation, Section 2716 of the Public Health Service Act), then regardless of whether you elect continued health coverage under COBRA, and in lieu of providing the COBRA premiums, the Company will instead pay you on the last day of each remaining month of the COBRA Payment Period, a fully taxable cash payment equal to the COBRA premiums for that month, subject to applicable tax withholdings (such amount, the “Special Severance Payment”), which payments shall continue until the earlier of expiration of the COBRA Payment Period or the date when you become eligible for substantially equivalent health insurance coverage in connection with new employment or self-employment. On the first payroll date following the effectiveness of the Release, the Company will make the first payment to the insurer under this clause (and, in the case of the Special Severance Payment, such payment will be to you, in a lump sum) equal to the aggregate amount of payments that the Company would have paid through such date had such payments instead commenced on the date of your Involuntary Termination, with the balance of the payments paid thereafter on the schedule described above. If you become eligible for coverage under another employer’s group health plan, you must immediately notify the Company of such event, and all payments and obligations under this subsection shall cease.

7.2 Termination for Cause; Resignation Without Good Reason; Death or Disability. If you resign without Good Reason, or the Company terminates your employment for Cause, or upon your death or disability, then all payments of compensation by the Company to you hereunder will terminate immediately (except as to amounts already earned), and you will not be entitled to any Severance Benefits.

7.3 Conditions to Receipt of Severance Benefits. The receipt of the Severance Benefits will be subject to you signing and not revoking a separation agreement and release of claims in a form reasonably satisfactory to the Company (the “Separation Agreement”) by no later than the sixtieth (60th) day after your employment termination (“Release Deadline”). No Severance Benefits will be paid or provided until the Separation Agreement becomes effective. You shall also resign from all positions and terminate any relationships as an employee, advisor, officer or director with the Company and any of its affiliates, each effective on the date of termination.

 

3.


8. Definitions.

8.1 Cause. For purposes of this Agreement, “Cause” means any one of the following: (a) willful material breach by you of any material Company policy (including, but not limited to, the Company’s policies on nondiscrimination, anti-harassment, and confidential information) or your duties or obligations hereunder; (b) your willful engagement in conduct materially injurious to the Company, monetarily or otherwise; (c) acts of fraud, theft or other willful illegal acts calling into question your personal integrity, or conviction on a felony charge, whether or not related to your employment hereunder; or (d) your willful refusal to follow lawful instructions of the Board. In order to terminate your employment for Cause pursuant to (a) or (d), but only to the extent the Board determines in its reasonable discretion that such breach is amenable to cure, the Board must provide you written notice within thirty (30) days after the first occurrence of the event giving rise to Cause setting forth the basis for the existence of Cause, allow you thirty (30) days from receipt of such written notice to cure such event, and if such event is not reasonably cured within such period, the Company must terminate your employment not later than thirty (30) days after the expiration of the cure period.

8.2 Code. For purposes of this Agreement, “Code” means the U.S. Internal Revenue Code of 1986 (as it has been and may be amended from time to time) and any regulations and guidance that has been promulgated or may be promulgated from time to time thereunder and any state law of similar effect.

8.3 Good Reason. For purposes of this Agreement, “Good Reason” means any one of the following without your consent: (a) an assignment of duties or responsibilities (including reporting responsibilities) materially inconsistent with, or which materially reduce, your duties, authority, responsibilities and status with the Company; (b) an adverse change in your title; (c) any material reduction in your Base Salary, other than a reduction, generally applicable to other executives of the Company, by not more than 25%; (d) the relocation of your principal place of employment to a location that is more than twenty-five (25) miles away from its current location; or (e) the uncured breach of any material provision of this Agreement (or any other agreement with you) by the Company. In order to resign for Good Reason, you must provide written notice to the Company’s Board within thirty (30) days after the first occurrence of the event giving rise to Good Reason setting forth the basis for your resignation, allow the Company thirty (30) days from receipt of such written notice to cure such event, and if such event is not reasonably cured within such period, you must resign from all positions you then hold with the Company not later than thirty (30) days after the expiration of the cure period.

8.4 Involuntary Termination. For purposes of this Agreement, “Involuntary Termination” means a termination of your employment with the Company pursuant to either (i) a termination initiated by the Company without Cause, or (ii) your resignation for Good Reason, and provided in either case such termination constitutes a Separation from Service. An Involuntary Termination does not include any other termination of your employment, including a termination due to your death or disability.

 

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8.5 Separation from Service. For purposes of this Agreement, “Separation from Service” means a “separation from service”, as defined under Treasury Regulation Section 1.409A-1(h).

9. Proprietary Information Obligations. As a condition of your continued employment, you shall execute and abide by the Company’s standard form of Employee Confidential Information and Invention Assignment Agreement, attached as Exhibit A. In your work for the Company, you will be expected not to use or disclose any confidential information, including trade secrets, of any former employer or other person to whom you have an obligation of confidentiality. Rather, you will be expected to use only that information which is generally known and used by persons with training and experience comparable to your own, which is common knowledge in the industry or otherwise legally in the public domain, or which is otherwise provided or developed by the Company. You acknowledge that you have not brought onto Company premises any unpublished documents or property belonging to any former employer or other person to whom you have an obligation of confidentiality and have disclosed to the Company any contract you have signed that may restrict your activities on behalf of the Company.

10. Section 409A. It is intended that all of the severance benefits and other payments payable under this Agreement satisfy, to the greatest extent possible, the exemptions from the application of Code Section 409A provided under Treasury Regulations Sections 1.409A 1(b)(4), 1.409A 1(b)(5) and 1.409A 1(b)(9), and this Agreement will be construed to the greatest extent possible as consistent with those provisions, and to the extent not so exempt, this Agreement (and any definitions hereunder) will be construed in a manner that complies with Section 409A. For all purposes of Code Section 409A (including, without limitation, for purposes of Treasury Regulations Sections 1.409A 2(b)(2)(i) and (iii)), your right to receive any installment payments under this Agreement (whether severance payments, reimbursements or otherwise) shall be treated as a right to receive a series of separate payments and, accordingly, each installment payment hereunder shall at all times be considered a separate and distinct payment. Notwithstanding any provision to the contrary in this Agreement, if you are deemed by the Company at the time of your Separation from Service to be a “specified employee” for purposes of Code Section 409A(a)(2)(B)(i), and if any of the payments upon Separation from Service set forth herein and/or under any other agreement with the Company are deemed to be “deferred compensation,” then to the extent delayed commencement of any portion of such payments is required in order to avoid a prohibited distribution under Code Section 409A(a)(2)(B)(i) and the related adverse taxation under Section 409A, such payments shall not be provided to you prior to the earliest of (i) the first date following expiration of the six-month period following the date of your Separation from Service with the Company, (ii) the date of your death or (iii) such earlier date as permitted under Section 409A without the imposition of adverse taxation. Upon the first business day following the expiration of such applicable Code Section 409A(a)(2)(B)(i) period, all payments deferred pursuant to this Paragraph shall be paid in a lump sum to you, and any remaining payments due shall be paid as otherwise provided herein or in the applicable agreement. No interest shall be due on any amounts so deferred. If the severance benefits are not covered by one or more exemptions from the application of Section 409A and the Release Deadline occurs in the calendar year following the calendar year of your Separation from Service, the Release will not be deemed effective any earlier than the Release Deadline for purposes of determining the timing of provision of any severance benefits.

 

5.


11. Arbitration of All Disputes.

11.1 Agreement to Arbitrate. To ensure the timely and economical resolution of disputes that may arise between you and the Company, both you and the Company mutually agree that pursuant to the Federal Arbitration Act, 9 U.S.C. §1-16, and to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, you and the Company will submit solely to final, binding and confidential arbitration any and all disputes, claims, or causes of action arising from or relating to: (i) the negotiation, execution, interpretation, performance, breach or enforcement of this Agreement; or (ii) your application, hiring, and employment with the Company (including but not limited to all statutory claims); or (iii) the termination of your employment with the Company (including but not limited to all statutory claims). BY AGREEING TO THIS ARBITRATION PROCEDURE, BOTH YOU AND THE COMPANY WAIVE THE RIGHT TO RESOLVE ANY SUCH DISPUTES THROUGH A TRIAL BY JURY OR JUDGE OR THROUGH AN ADMINISTRATIVE PROCEEDING.

11.2 Arbitrator Authority. The arbitrator shall have the sole and exclusive authority to determine whether a dispute, claim or cause of action is subject to arbitration under this Section and to determine any procedural questions which grow out of such disputes, claims or causes of action and bear on their final disposition.

11.3 Individual Capacity Only. All claims, disputes, or causes of action under this Section, whether by you or the Company, must be brought solely in an individual capacity, and shall not be brought as a plaintiff (or claimant) or class member in any purported class or representative proceeding, nor joined or consolidated with the claims of any other person or entity. The arbitrator may not consolidate the claims of more than one person or entity, and may not preside over any form of representative or class proceeding. To the extent that the preceding sentences in this Section are found to violate applicable law or are otherwise found unenforceable, any claim(s) alleged or brought on behalf of a class shall proceed in a court of law rather than by arbitration.

11.4 Arbitration Process. Any arbitration proceeding under this Section shall be presided over by a single arbitrator and conducted by Judicial Arbitration and Mediation Services, Inc. (“JAMS”) in Los Angeles County, California, or as otherwise agreed to by you and the Company, under the then applicable JAMS rules for the resolution of employment disputes (available upon request and also currently available at http://www.jamsadr.com/rules-employment-arbitration/). You and the Company both have the right to be represented by legal counsel at any arbitration proceeding, at each party’s own expense. The Arbitrator shall: (i) have the authority to compel adequate discovery for the resolution of the dispute; (ii) issue a written arbitration decision, to include the arbitrator’s essential findings and conclusions and a statement of the award; and (iii) be authorized to award any or all remedies that you or the Company would be entitled to seek in a court of law. The Company shall pay all JAMS arbitration fees in excess of the amount of court fees that would be required of you if the dispute were decided in a court of law.

 

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11.5 Excluded Claims. This Arbitration section shall not apply to any action or claim that cannot be subject to mandatory arbitration as a matter of law, including, without limitation, claims brought pursuant to the California Private Attorneys General Act of 2004, as amended, to the extent such claims are not permitted by applicable law to be submitted to mandatory arbitration and such applicable law is not preempted by the Federal Arbitration Act or otherwise invalid (collectively, the “Excluded Claims”). In the event you intend to bring multiple claims, including any Excluded Claims, the Excluded Claims may be filed with a court, while any other claims will remain subject to mandatory arbitration.

11.6 Injunctive Relief and Final Orders. Nothing in this Section is intended to prevent either you or the Company from obtaining injunctive relief in court to prevent irreparable harm pending the conclusion of any such arbitration. Any final award in any arbitration proceeding hereunder may be entered as a judgment in the federal and state courts of any competent jurisdiction and enforced accordingly.

12. General Provisions. This Agreement, together with the Confidential Information and Inventions Assignment Agreement, constitutes the entire agreement between you and the Company with regard to this subject matter and is the complete, final, and exclusive embodiment of the parties’ agreement with regard to this subject matter. This Agreement is entered into without reliance on any promise or representation, written or oral, other than those expressly contained herein, and it supersedes any other such promises, warranties or representations, including, but not limited to, your March 13, 2018 offer letter and March 27, 2018 offer letter amendment (the “Prior Agreements”). You agree and acknowledge that you are not eligible for, and will not receive, any compensation, benefits, or severance pursuant to the Prior Agreements. You also agree and acknowledge that there are no circumstances as of the date of this Agreement that constitute, and nothing contemplated in this Agreement or otherwise shall be deemed for any purpose to be or to create, an involuntary termination without Cause or a Good Reason resignation right, including for purposes of the Prior Agreements, or any other severance or change in control plan, agreement or policy maintained by the Company or its affiliates. This Agreement cannot be modified or amended except in a writing signed by you and a duly authorized officer of the Company. Whenever possible, each provision of this Agreement will be interpreted in such manner as to be effective and valid under applicable law, but if any provision of this Agreement is held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable in any respect under any applicable law or rule in any jurisdiction, such invalidity, illegality or unenforceability will not affect any other provision or any other jurisdiction, but this Agreement will be reformed, construed and enforced in such jurisdiction to the extent possible in keeping with the intent of the parties. Any waiver of any breach of any provisions of this Agreement must be in writing to be effective, and it shall not thereby be deemed to have waived any preceding or succeeding breach of the same or any other provision of this Agreement. This Agreement is intended to bind and inure to the benefit of and be enforceable by you and the Company, and their respective successors, assigns, heirs, executors and administrators. The Company may freely assign this Agreement, without your prior written consent. You may not assign any of your duties hereunder and you may not assign any of your rights hereunder without the written consent of the Company. This Agreement shall become effective as of the Start Date and shall terminate upon your termination of employment with the Company. The obligations as forth under Sections 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, and 12 will survive the termination of this Agreement. All questions concerning the construction, validity and interpretation of this Agreement will be governed by the laws of the State of California.

 

7.


Accepted and agreed:

Best regards,

 

THE HONEST COMPANY, INC.

/s/ Nikolaos A. Vlahos

 

Nikolaos A. Vlahos

Chief Executive Officer

Accepted and agreed:

/s/ Glenn Klages

Glenn Klages

Date: April 25, 2021

 

8.


Exhibit A

Employee Confidential Information and Invention Assignment Agreement

 

9.

Exhibit 10.13

April 24, 2021

Re: Employment Agreement

Dear Jasmin:

The Honest Company, Inc. (the “Company”) is pleased to offer you continuing at-will employment in the position of Senior Vice President, Chief Commercial Officer (“SVP”) on the terms and conditions set forth in this letter agreement (the “Agreement”).

1. Employment by the Company. This Agreement and your employment under the terms hereunder shall take effect upon the effectiveness of the S-1 registration statement relating to the Company’s initial public offering (the “Effective Date”). This is an exempt position, and during your employment with the Company, you will devote your best efforts and substantially all of your business time and attention to the business of the Company, except for approved vacation periods and reasonable periods of illness or other incapacities permitted by the Company’s general employment policies. You shall perform such duties as are required by the Company’s Chief Executive Officer (“CEO”), to whom you will report. Your primary work location shall be the Company’s office located in Los Angeles, California. The Company reserves the right to reasonably require you to perform your duties at places other than your primary office location from time to time, and to require reasonable business travel.

2. Compensation.

2.1 Base Salary. For services to be rendered hereunder, you shall receive a base salary at the rate of $355,000 per year (the “Base Salary”), subject to standard payroll deductions and withholdings and payable in accordance with the Company’s regular payroll schedule.

2.2 Annual Bonus. You will be eligible for an annual discretionary bonus with a target amount of 40% of your then current annual Base Salary (the “Annual Bonus”). Whether you receive an Annual Bonus for any given year, and the amount of any such Annual Bonus, will be determined by the Board of Directors of the Company and/or its Compensation Committee (the “Board”) in its discretion based upon the achievement of corporate and/or individual objectives and milestones that are determined in the sole discretion of the Board and other criteria to be determined by the Board. You must continue to be employed through the date the Annual Bonus is paid in order to earn such bonus. If your employment terminates for any reason prior to the payment date, you will not have earned, and will not be paid, any pro-rated bonus. The Annual Bonus, if earned, shall be paid to you in a lump sum no later than March 15th of the calendar year that follows the performance year, subject to applicable payroll deductions and withholdings.

2.3 Equity. You have previously been granted various equity interests in the Company (the “Awards”). The Awards will continue to be governed by the terms and conditions of the applicable existing plan documents, award agreements and grant notices. You will be eligible for future equity awards as determined by the Board in its sole discretion.

 

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3. Business Expenses. You will be eligible for reimbursement of all reasonable, necessary and documented out-of-pocket business, entertainment, and travel expenses incurred by you in connection with the performance of your duties hereunder in accordance with the Company’s expense reimbursement policies and procedures.

4. Company Policies; Standard Company Benefits. The employment relationship between the parties shall be governed by the general employment policies and practices of the Company, except that when the terms of this Agreement differ from or are in conflict with the Company’s general employment policies or practices, this Agreement shall control. You shall remain eligible to participate in all employee benefit programs for which you are eligible under the terms and conditions of the benefit plans that may be in effect from time to time and provided by the Company to its senior management. The Company reserves the right to cancel or change the benefit plans or programs it offers to its employees, including senior management, at any time.

5. At-Will Employment. Your employment relationship is at-will. Either you or the Company may terminate the employment relationship at any time, with or without cause or advance notice. Subject to the “Good Reason” provision set forth in Section 7 and Section 8.3, the Company may, in its sole discretion, adjust salaries, incentive compensation, stock plans, benefits, job titles, locations, duties, responsibilities, and reporting relationships. Upon termination of your employment for any reason, you shall resign from all positions and terminate any relationships as an employee, advisor, officer or director with the Company and any of its affiliates, each effective on the date of termination.

6. Outside Activities During Employment. Except with the prior written consent of the Board, you will not during the term of your employment with the Company undertake or engage in any other employment, occupation or business enterprise, other than ones in which you are a passive investor. You may engage in civic and not-for-profit activities so long as such activities do not materially interfere with the performance of your duties hereunder. You agree not to acquire, assume or participate in, directly or indirectly, any position, investment or interest known to be adverse or antagonistic to the Company, its business or prospects, financial or otherwise.

7. Termination; Severance.

7.1 Involuntary Termination. If you are subject to an Involuntary Termination and provided that you remain in compliance with the terms of this Agreement (including the conditions described in Section 7.3 below), the Company shall provide you with the following Severance Benefits:

(a) Cash Severance. The Company shall pay you, as severance, the equivalent of six (6) months (the “Severance Period”) of your Base Salary in effect as of the date of your employment termination, subject to standard payroll deductions and withholdings and an amount equal to six (6) months of health insurance under COBRA on an after-tax basis (the “Severance”). The Severance will be paid as a continuation on the Company’s regular payroll, beginning no later than the first regularly-scheduled payroll date following the sixtieth (60th) day after your Separation from Service, provided the Separation Agreement (as discussed in Section 7.3) has become effective.

 

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(b) Payment of Continued Group Health Plan Benefits. If you are eligible for and timely elect continued group health plan coverage under the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1985 or any state law of similar effect (“COBRA”) following your Involuntary Termination, the Company will pay your COBRA group health insurance premiums for you and your eligible dependents directly to the insurer until the earliest of (A) the end of the period immediately following your Involuntary Termination that is equal to the Severance Period (the “COBRA Payment Period”), (B) the expiration of your eligibility for continuation coverage under COBRA, or (C) the date when you become eligible for substantially equivalent health insurance coverage in connection with new employment or self-employment. For purposes of this Section, references to COBRA premiums shall not include any amounts payable by you under a Section 125 health care reimbursement plan under the Code. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if at any time the Company determines, in its sole discretion, that it cannot pay the COBRA premiums without potentially incurring financial costs or penalties under applicable law (including, without limitation, Section 2716 of the Public Health Service Act), then regardless of whether you elect continued health coverage under COBRA, and in lieu of providing the COBRA premiums, the Company will instead pay you on the last day of each remaining month of the COBRA Payment Period, a fully taxable cash payment equal to the COBRA premiums for that month, subject to applicable tax withholdings (such amount, the “Special Severance Payment”), which payments shall continue until the earlier of expiration of the COBRA Payment Period or the date when you become eligible for substantially equivalent health insurance coverage in connection with new employment or self-employment. On the first payroll date following the effectiveness of the Release, the Company will make the first payment to the insurer under this clause (and, in the case of the Special Severance Payment, such payment will be to you, in a lump sum) equal to the aggregate amount of payments that the Company would have paid through such date had such payments instead commenced on the date of your Involuntary Termination, with the balance of the payments paid thereafter on the schedule described above. If you become eligible for coverage under another employer’s group health plan, you must immediately notify the Company of such event, and all payments and obligations under this subsection shall cease.

7.2 Termination for Cause; Resignation Without Good Reason; Death or Disability. If you resign without Good Reason, or the Company terminates your employment for Cause, or upon your death or disability, then all payments of compensation by the Company to you hereunder will terminate immediately (except as to amounts already earned), and you will not be entitled to any Severance Benefits.

7.3 Conditions to Receipt of Severance Benefits. The receipt of the Severance Benefits will be subject to you signing and not revoking a separation agreement and release of claims in a form reasonably satisfactory to the Company (the “Separation Agreement”) by no later than the sixtieth (60th) day after your employment termination (“Release Deadline”). No Severance Benefits will be paid or provided until the Separation Agreement becomes effective. You shall also resign from all positions and terminate any relationships as an employee, advisor, officer or director with the Company and any of its affiliates, each effective on the date of termination.

 

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8. Definitions.

8.1 Cause. For purposes of this Agreement, “Cause” means any one of the following: (a) willful material breach by you of any material Company policy (including, but not limited to, the Company’s policies on nondiscrimination, anti-harassment, and confidential information) or your duties or obligations hereunder; (b) your willful engagement in conduct materially injurious to the Company, monetarily or otherwise; (c) acts of fraud, theft or other willful illegal acts calling into question your personal integrity, or conviction on a felony charge, whether or not related to your employment hereunder; or (d) your willful refusal to follow lawful instructions of the Board. In order to terminate your employment for Cause pursuant to (a) or (d), but only to the extent the Board determines in its reasonable discretion that such breach is amenable to cure, the Board must provide you written notice within thirty (30) days after the first occurrence of the event giving rise to Cause setting forth the basis for the existence of Cause, allow you thirty (30) days from receipt of such written notice to cure such event, and if such event is not reasonably cured within such period, the Company must terminate your employment not later than thirty (30) days after the expiration of the cure period.

8.2 Code. For purposes of this Agreement, “Code” means the U.S. Internal Revenue Code of 1986 (as it has been and may be amended from time to time) and any regulations and guidance that has been promulgated or may be promulgated from time to time thereunder and any state law of similar effect.

8.3 Good Reason. For purposes of this Agreement, “Good Reason” means any one of the following without your consent: (a) an assignment of duties or responsibilities (including reporting responsibilities) materially inconsistent with, or which materially reduce, your duties, authority, responsibilities and status with the Company; (b) an adverse change in your title; (c) any material reduction in your Base Salary, other than a reduction, generally applicable to other executives of the Company, by not more than 25%; (d) the relocation of your principal place of employment to a location that is more than twenty-five (25) miles away from its current location; or (e) the uncured breach of any material provision of this Agreement (or any other agreement with you) by the Company. In order to resign for Good Reason, you must provide written notice to the Company’s Board within thirty (30) days after the first occurrence of the event giving rise to Good Reason setting forth the basis for your resignation, allow the Company thirty (30) days from receipt of such written notice to cure such event, and if such event is not reasonably cured within such period, you must resign from all positions you then hold with the Company not later than thirty (30) days after the expiration of the cure period.

8.4 Involuntary Termination. For purposes of this Agreement, “Involuntary Termination” means a termination of your employment with the Company pursuant to either (i) a termination initiated by the Company without Cause, or (ii) your resignation for Good Reason, and provided in either case such termination constitutes a Separation from Service. An Involuntary Termination does not include any other termination of your employment, including a termination due to your death or disability.

 

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8.5 Separation from Service. For purposes of this Agreement, “Separation from Service” means a “separation from service”, as defined under Treasury Regulation Section 1.409A-1(h).

9. Proprietary Information Obligations. As a condition of your continued employment, you shall execute and abide by the Company’s standard form of Employee Confidential Information and Invention Assignment Agreement, attached as Exhibit A. In your work for the Company, you will be expected not to use or disclose any confidential information, including trade secrets, of any former employer or other person to whom you have an obligation of confidentiality. Rather, you will be expected to use only that information which is generally known and used by persons with training and experience comparable to your own, which is common knowledge in the industry or otherwise legally in the public domain, or which is otherwise provided or developed by the Company. You acknowledge that you have not brought onto Company premises any unpublished documents or property belonging to any former employer or other person to whom you have an obligation of confidentiality and have disclosed to the Company any contract you have signed that may restrict your activities on behalf of the Company.

10. Section 409A. It is intended that all of the severance benefits and other payments payable under this Agreement satisfy, to the greatest extent possible, the exemptions from the application of Code Section 409A provided under Treasury Regulations Sections 1.409A 1(b)(4), 1.409A 1(b)(5) and 1.409A 1(b)(9), and this Agreement will be construed to the greatest extent possible as consistent with those provisions, and to the extent not so exempt, this Agreement (and any definitions hereunder) will be construed in a manner that complies with Section 409A. For all purposes of Code Section 409A (including, without limitation, for purposes of Treasury Regulations Sections 1.409A 2(b)(2)(i) and (iii)), your right to receive any installment payments under this Agreement (whether severance payments, reimbursements or otherwise) shall be treated as a right to receive a series of separate payments and, accordingly, each installment payment hereunder shall at all times be considered a separate and distinct payment. Notwithstanding any provision to the contrary in this Agreement, if you are deemed by the Company at the time of your Separation from Service to be a “specified employee” for purposes of Code Section 409A(a)(2)(B)(i), and if any of the payments upon Separation from Service set forth herein and/or under any other agreement with the Company are deemed to be “deferred compensation,” then to the extent delayed commencement of any portion of such payments is required in order to avoid a prohibited distribution under Code Section 409A(a)(2)(B)(i) and the related adverse taxation under Section 409A, such payments shall not be provided to you prior to the earliest of (i) the first date following expiration of the six-month period following the date of your Separation from Service with the Company, (ii) the date of your death or (iii) such earlier date as permitted under Section 409A without the imposition of adverse taxation. Upon the first business day following the expiration of such applicable Code Section 409A(a)(2)(B)(i) period, all payments deferred pursuant to this Paragraph shall be paid in a lump sum to you, and any remaining payments due shall be paid as otherwise provided herein or in the applicable agreement. No interest shall be due on any amounts so deferred. If the severance benefits are not covered by one or more exemptions from the application of Section 409A and the Release Deadline occurs in the calendar year following the calendar year of your Separation from Service, the Release will not be deemed effective any earlier than the Release Deadline for purposes of determining the timing of provision of any severance benefits.

 

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11. Arbitration of All Disputes.

11.1 Agreement to Arbitrate. To ensure the timely and economical resolution of disputes that may arise between you and the Company, both you and the Company mutually agree that pursuant to the Federal Arbitration Act, 9 U.S.C. §1-16, and to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, you and the Company will submit solely to final, binding and confidential arbitration any and all disputes, claims, or causes of action arising from or relating to: (i) the negotiation, execution, interpretation, performance, breach or enforcement of this Agreement; or (ii) your application, hiring, and employment with the Company (including but not limited to all statutory claims); or (iii) the termination of your employment with the Company (including but not limited to all statutory claims). BY AGREEING TO THIS ARBITRATION PROCEDURE, BOTH YOU AND THE COMPANY WAIVE THE RIGHT TO RESOLVE ANY SUCH DISPUTES THROUGH A TRIAL BY JURY OR JUDGE OR THROUGH AN ADMINISTRATIVE PROCEEDING.

11.2 Arbitrator Authority. The arbitrator shall have the sole and exclusive authority to determine whether a dispute, claim or cause of action is subject to arbitration under this Section and to determine any procedural questions which grow out of such disputes, claims or causes of action and bear on their final disposition.

11.3 Individual Capacity Only. All claims, disputes, or causes of action under this Section, whether by you or the Company, must be brought solely in an individual capacity, and shall not be brought as a plaintiff (or claimant) or class member in any purported class or representative proceeding, nor joined or consolidated with the claims of any other person or entity. The arbitrator may not consolidate the claims of more than one person or entity, and may not preside over any form of representative or class proceeding. To the extent that the preceding sentences in this Section are found to violate applicable law or are otherwise found unenforceable, any claim(s) alleged or brought on behalf of a class shall proceed in a court of law rather than by arbitration.

11.4 Arbitration Process. Any arbitration proceeding under this Section shall be presided over by a single arbitrator and conducted by Judicial Arbitration and Mediation Services, Inc. (“JAMS”) in Los Angeles County, California, or as otherwise agreed to by you and the Company, under the then applicable JAMS rules for the resolution of employment disputes (available upon request and also currently available at http://www.jamsadr.com/rules-employment-arbitration/). You and the Company both have the right to be represented by legal counsel at any arbitration proceeding, at each party’s own expense. The Arbitrator shall: (i) have the authority to compel adequate discovery for the resolution of the dispute; (ii) issue a written arbitration decision, to include the arbitrator’s essential findings and conclusions and a statement of the award; and (iii) be authorized to award any or all remedies that you or the Company would be entitled to seek in a court of law. The Company shall pay all JAMS arbitration fees in excess of the amount of court fees that would be required of you if the dispute were decided in a court of law.

 

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11.5 Excluded Claims. This Arbitration section shall not apply to any action or claim that cannot be subject to mandatory arbitration as a matter of law, including, without limitation, claims brought pursuant to the California Private Attorneys General Act of 2004, as amended, to the extent such claims are not permitted by applicable law to be submitted to mandatory arbitration and such applicable law is not preempted by the Federal Arbitration Act or otherwise invalid (collectively, the “Excluded Claims”). In the event you intend to bring multiple claims, including any Excluded Claims, the Excluded Claims may be filed with a court, while any other claims will remain subject to mandatory arbitration.

11.6 Injunctive Relief and Final Orders. Nothing in this Section is intended to prevent either you or the Company from obtaining injunctive relief in court to prevent irreparable harm pending the conclusion of any such arbitration. Any final award in any arbitration proceeding hereunder may be entered as a judgment in the federal and state courts of any competent jurisdiction and enforced accordingly.

12. General Provisions. This Agreement, together with the Confidential Information and Inventions Assignment Agreement, constitutes the entire agreement between you and the Company with regard to this subject matter and is the complete, final, and exclusive embodiment of the parties’ agreement with regard to this subject matter. This Agreement is entered into without reliance on any promise or representation, written or oral, other than those expressly contained herein, and it supersedes any other such promises, warranties or representations, including, but not limited to, your July 29, 2019 offer letter (the “Prior Agreements”). You agree and acknowledge that you are not eligible for, and will not receive, any compensation, benefits, or severance pursuant to the Prior Agreements. You also agree and acknowledge that there are no circumstances as of the date of this Agreement that constitute, and nothing contemplated in this Agreement or otherwise shall be deemed for any purpose to be or to create, an involuntary termination without Cause or a Good Reason resignation right, including for purposes of the Prior Agreements, or any other severance or change in control plan, agreement or policy maintained by the Company or its affiliates. This Agreement cannot be modified or amended except in a writing signed by you and a duly authorized officer of the Company. Whenever possible, each provision of this Agreement will be interpreted in such manner as to be effective and valid under applicable law, but if any provision of this Agreement is held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable in any respect under any applicable law or rule in any jurisdiction, such invalidity, illegality or unenforceability will not affect any other provision or any other jurisdiction, but this Agreement will be reformed, construed and enforced in such jurisdiction to the extent possible in keeping with the intent of the parties. Any waiver of any breach of any provisions of this Agreement must be in writing to be effective, and it shall not thereby be deemed to have waived any preceding or succeeding breach of the same or any other provision of this Agreement. This Agreement is intended to bind and inure to the benefit of and be enforceable by you and the Company, and their respective successors, assigns, heirs, executors and administrators. The Company may freely assign this Agreement, without your prior written consent. You may not assign any of your duties hereunder and you may not assign any of your rights hereunder without the written consent of the Company. This Agreement shall become effective as of the Start Date and shall terminate upon your termination of employment with the Company. The obligations as forth under Sections 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, and 12 will survive the termination of this Agreement. All questions concerning the construction, validity and interpretation of this Agreement will be governed by the laws of the State of California.

 

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Accepted and agreed:

Best regards,

 

THE HONEST COMPANY, INC.

/s/ Nikolaos A. Vlahos

Nikolaos A. Vlahos
Chief Executive Officer
Accepted and agreed:

/s/ Jasmin Manner

Jasmin Manner

Date: April 24, 2021

 

8.


Exhibit A

Employee Confidential Information and Invention Assignment Agreement

 

9.

Exhibit 10.14

April 24, 2021

Re: Employment Agreement

Dear Sharareh:

The Honest Company, Inc. (the “Company”) is pleased to offer you continuing at-will employment in the position of Chief Information Officer (“CIO”) on the terms and conditions set forth in this letter agreement (the “Agreement”).

1. Employment by the Company. This Agreement and your employment under the terms hereunder shall take effect upon the effectiveness of the S-1 registration statement relating to the Company’s initial public offering (the “Effective Date”). This is an exempt position, and during your employment with the Company, you will devote your best efforts and substantially all of your business time and attention to the business of the Company, except for approved vacation periods and reasonable periods of illness or other incapacities permitted by the Company’s general employment policies. You shall perform such duties as are required by the Company’s Chief Executive Officer (“CEO”), to whom you will report. Your primary work location shall be the Company’s office located in Los Angeles, California. The Company reserves the right to reasonably require you to perform your duties at places other than your primary office location from time to time, and to require reasonable business travel.

2. Compensation.

2.1 Base Salary. For services to be rendered hereunder, you shall receive a base salary at the rate of $312,000 per year (the “Base Salary”), subject to standard payroll deductions and withholdings and payable in accordance with the Company’s regular payroll schedule.

2.2 Annual Bonus. You will be eligible for an annual discretionary bonus with a target amount of 35% of your then current annual Base Salary (the “Annual Bonus”). Whether you receive an Annual Bonus for any given year, and the amount of any such Annual Bonus, will be determined by the Board of Directors of the Company and/or its Compensation Committee (the “Board”) in its discretion based upon the achievement of corporate and/or individual objectives and milestones that are determined in the sole discretion of the Board and other criteria to be determined by the Board. You must continue to be employed through the date the Annual Bonus is paid in order to earn such bonus. If your employment terminates for any reason prior to the payment date, you will not have earned, and will not be paid, any pro-rated bonus. The Annual Bonus, if earned, shall be paid to you in a lump sum no later than March 15th of the calendar year that follows the performance year, subject to applicable payroll deductions and withholdings.

2.3 Equity. You have previously been granted various equity interests in the Company (the “Awards”). The Awards will continue to be governed by the terms and conditions of the applicable existing plan documents, award agreements and grant notices. You will be eligible for future equity awards as determined by the Board in its sole discretion.

 

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3. Business Expenses. You will be eligible for reimbursement of all reasonable, necessary and documented out-of-pocket business, entertainment, and travel expenses incurred by you in connection with the performance of your duties hereunder in accordance with the Company’s expense reimbursement policies and procedures.

4. Company Policies; Standard Company Benefits. The employment relationship between the parties shall be governed by the general employment policies and practices of the Company, except that when the terms of this Agreement differ from or are in conflict with the Company’s general employment policies or practices, this Agreement shall control. You shall remain eligible to participate in all employee benefit programs for which you are eligible under the terms and conditions of the benefit plans that may be in effect from time to time and provided by the Company to its senior management. The Company reserves the right to cancel or change the benefit plans or programs it offers to its employees, including senior management, at any time.

5. At-Will Employment. Your employment relationship is at-will. Either you or the Company may terminate the employment relationship at any time, with or without cause or advance notice. Subject to the “Good Reason” provision set forth in Section 7 and Section 8.3, the Company may, in its sole discretion, adjust salaries, incentive compensation, stock plans, benefits, job titles, locations, duties, responsibilities, and reporting relationships. Upon termination of your employment for any reason, you shall resign from all positions and terminate any relationships as an employee, advisor, officer or director with the Company and any of its affiliates, each effective on the date of termination.

6. Outside Activities During Employment. Except with the prior written consent of the Board, you will not during the term of your employment with the Company undertake or engage in any other employment, occupation or business enterprise, other than ones in which you are a passive investor. You may engage in civic and not-for-profit activities so long as such activities do not materially interfere with the performance of your duties hereunder. You agree not to acquire, assume or participate in, directly or indirectly, any position, investment or interest known to be adverse or antagonistic to the Company, its business or prospects, financial or otherwise.

7. Termination; Severance.

7.1 Involuntary Termination. If you are subject to an Involuntary Termination and provided that you remain in compliance with the terms of this Agreement (including the conditions described in Section 7.3 below), the Company shall provide you with the following Severance Benefits:

(a) Cash Severance. The Company shall pay you, as severance, the equivalent of four (4) months (the “Severance Period”) of your Base Salary in effect as of the date of your employment termination, subject to standard payroll deductions and withholdings and an amount equal to four (4) months of health insurance under COBRA on an after-tax basis (the “Severance”). The Severance will be paid as a continuation on the Company’s regular payroll, beginning no later than the first regularly-scheduled payroll date following the sixtieth (60th) day after your Separation from Service, provided the Separation Agreement (as discussed in Section 7.3) has become effective.

 

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(b) Payment of Continued Group Health Plan Benefits. If you are eligible for and timely elect continued group health plan coverage under the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1985 or any state law of similar effect (“COBRA”) following your Involuntary Termination, the Company will pay your COBRA group health insurance premiums for you and your eligible dependents directly to the insurer until the earliest of (A) the end of the period immediately following your Involuntary Termination that is equal to the Severance Period (the “COBRA Payment Period”), (B) the expiration of your eligibility for continuation coverage under COBRA, or (C) the date when you become eligible for substantially equivalent health insurance coverage in connection with new employment or self-employment. For purposes of this Section, references to COBRA premiums shall not include any amounts payable by you under a Section 125 health care reimbursement plan under the Code. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if at any time the Company determines, in its sole discretion, that it cannot pay the COBRA premiums without potentially incurring financial costs or penalties under applicable law (including, without limitation, Section 2716 of the Public Health Service Act), then regardless of whether you elect continued health coverage under COBRA, and in lieu of providing the COBRA premiums, the Company will instead pay you on the last day of each remaining month of the COBRA Payment Period, a fully taxable cash payment equal to the COBRA premiums for that month, subject to applicable tax withholdings (such amount, the “Special Severance Payment”), which payments shall continue until the earlier of expiration of the COBRA Payment Period or the date when you become eligible for substantially equivalent health insurance coverage in connection with new employment or self-employment. On the first payroll date following the effectiveness of the Release, the Company will make the first payment to the insurer under this clause (and, in the case of the Special Severance Payment, such payment will be to you, in a lump sum) equal to the aggregate amount of payments that the Company would have paid through such date had such payments instead commenced on the date of your Involuntary Termination, with the balance of the payments paid thereafter on the schedule described above. If you become eligible for coverage under another employer’s group health plan, you must immediately notify the Company of such event, and all payments and obligations under this subsection shall cease.

7.2 Termination for Cause; Resignation Without Good Reason; Death or Disability. If you resign without Good Reason, or the Company terminates your employment for Cause, or upon your death or disability, then all payments of compensation by the Company to you hereunder will terminate immediately (except as to amounts already earned), and you will not be entitled to any Severance Benefits.

7.3 Conditions to Receipt of Severance Benefits. The receipt of the Severance Benefits will be subject to you signing and not revoking a separation agreement and release of claims in a form reasonably satisfactory to the Company (the “Separation Agreement”) by no later than the sixtieth (60th) day after your employment termination (“Release Deadline”). No Severance Benefits will be paid or provided until the Separation Agreement becomes effective. You shall also resign from all positions and terminate any relationships as an employee, advisor, officer or director with the Company and any of its affiliates, each effective on the date of termination.

 

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8. Definitions.

8.1 Cause. For purposes of this Agreement, “Cause” means any one of the following: (a) willful material breach by you of any material Company policy (including, but not limited to, the Company’s policies on nondiscrimination, anti-harassment, and confidential information) or your duties or obligations hereunder; (b) your willful engagement in conduct materially injurious to the Company, monetarily or otherwise; (c) acts of fraud, theft or other willful illegal acts calling into question your personal integrity, or conviction on a felony charge, whether or not related to your employment hereunder; or (d) your willful refusal to follow lawful instructions of the Board. In order to terminate your employment for Cause pursuant to (a) or (d), but only to the extent the Board determines in its reasonable discretion that such breach is amenable to cure, the Board must provide you written notice within thirty (30) days after the first occurrence of the event giving rise to Cause setting forth the basis for the existence of Cause, allow you thirty (30) days from receipt of such written notice to cure such event, and if such event is not reasonably cured within such period, the Company must terminate your employment not later than thirty (30) days after the expiration of the cure period.

8.2 Code. For purposes of this Agreement, “Code” means the U.S. Internal Revenue Code of 1986 (as it has been and may be amended from time to time) and any regulations and guidance that has been promulgated or may be promulgated from time to time thereunder and any state law of similar effect.

8.3 Good Reason. For purposes of this Agreement, “Good Reason” means any one of the following without your consent: (a) an assignment of duties or responsibilities (including reporting responsibilities) materially inconsistent with, or which materially reduce, your duties, authority, responsibilities and status with the Company; (b) an adverse change in your title; (c) any material reduction in your Base Salary, other than a reduction, generally applicable to other executives of the Company, by not more than 25%; (d) the relocation of your principal place of employment to a location that is more than twenty-five (25) miles away from its current location; or (e) the uncured breach of any material provision of this Agreement (or any other agreement with you) by the Company. In order to resign for Good Reason, you must provide written notice to the Company’s Board within thirty (30) days after the first occurrence of the event giving rise to Good Reason setting forth the basis for your resignation, allow the Company thirty (30) days from receipt of such written notice to cure such event, and if such event is not reasonably cured within such period, you must resign from all positions you then hold with the Company not later than thirty (30) days after the expiration of the cure period.

8.4 Involuntary Termination. For purposes of this Agreement, “Involuntary Termination” means a termination of your employment with the Company pursuant to either (i) a termination initiated by the Company without Cause, or (ii) your resignation for Good Reason, and provided in either case such termination constitutes a Separation from Service. An Involuntary Termination does not include any other termination of your employment, including a termination due to your death or disability.

 

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8.5 Separation from Service. For purposes of this Agreement, “Separation from Service” means a “separation from service”, as defined under Treasury Regulation Section 1.409A-1(h).

9. Proprietary Information Obligations. As a condition of your continued employment, you shall execute and abide by the Company’s standard form of Employee Confidential Information and Invention Assignment Agreement, attached as Exhibit A. In your work for the Company, you will be expected not to use or disclose any confidential information, including trade secrets, of any former employer or other person to whom you have an obligation of confidentiality. Rather, you will be expected to use only that information which is generally known and used by persons with training and experience comparable to your own, which is common knowledge in the industry or otherwise legally in the public domain, or which is otherwise provided or developed by the Company. You acknowledge that you have not brought onto Company premises any unpublished documents or property belonging to any former employer or other person to whom you have an obligation of confidentiality and have disclosed to the Company any contract you have signed that may restrict your activities on behalf of the Company.

10. Section 409A. It is intended that all of the severance benefits and other payments payable under this Agreement satisfy, to the greatest extent possible, the exemptions from the application of Code Section 409A provided under Treasury Regulations Sections 1.409A 1(b)(4), 1.409A 1(b)(5) and 1.409A 1(b)(9), and this Agreement will be construed to the greatest extent possible as consistent with those provisions, and to the extent not so exempt, this Agreement (and any definitions hereunder) will be construed in a manner that complies with Section 409A. For all purposes of Code Section 409A (including, without limitation, for purposes of Treasury Regulations Sections 1.409A 2(b)(2)(i) and (iii)), your right to receive any installment payments under this Agreement (whether severance payments, reimbursements or otherwise) shall be treated as a right to receive a series of separate payments and, accordingly, each installment payment hereunder shall at all times be considered a separate and distinct payment. Notwithstanding any provision to the contrary in this Agreement, if you are deemed by the Company at the time of your Separation from Service to be a “specified employee” for purposes of Code Section 409A(a)(2)(B)(i), and if any of the payments upon Separation from Service set forth herein and/or under any other agreement with the Company are deemed to be “deferred compensation,” then to the extent delayed commencement of any portion of such payments is required in order to avoid a prohibited distribution under Code Section 409A(a)(2)(B)(i) and the related adverse taxation under Section 409A, such payments shall not be provided to you prior to the earliest of (i) the first date following expiration of the six-month period following the date of your Separation from Service with the Company, (ii) the date of your death or (iii) such earlier date as permitted under Section 409A without the imposition of adverse taxation. Upon the first business day following the expiration of such applicable Code Section 409A(a)(2)(B)(i) period, all payments deferred pursuant to this Paragraph shall be paid in a lump sum to you, and any remaining payments due shall be paid as otherwise provided herein or in the applicable agreement. No interest shall be due on any amounts so deferred. If the severance benefits are not covered by one or more exemptions from the application of Section 409A and the Release Deadline occurs in the calendar year following the calendar year of your Separation from Service, the Release will not be deemed effective any earlier than the Release Deadline for purposes of determining the timing of provision of any severance benefits.

 

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11. Arbitration of All Disputes.

11.1 Agreement to Arbitrate. To ensure the timely and economical resolution of disputes that may arise between you and the Company, both you and the Company mutually agree that pursuant to the Federal Arbitration Act, 9 U.S.C. §1-16, and to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, you and the Company will submit solely to final, binding and confidential arbitration any and all disputes, claims, or causes of action arising from or relating to: (i) the negotiation, execution, interpretation, performance, breach or enforcement of this Agreement; or (ii) your application, hiring, and employment with the Company (including but not limited to all statutory claims); or (iii) the termination of your employment with the Company (including but not limited to all statutory claims). BY AGREEING TO THIS ARBITRATION PROCEDURE, BOTH YOU AND THE COMPANY WAIVE THE RIGHT TO RESOLVE ANY SUCH DISPUTES THROUGH A TRIAL BY JURY OR JUDGE OR THROUGH AN ADMINISTRATIVE PROCEEDING.

11.2 Arbitrator Authority. The arbitrator shall have the sole and exclusive authority to determine whether a dispute, claim or cause of action is subject to arbitration under this Section and to determine any procedural questions which grow out of such disputes, claims or causes of action and bear on their final disposition.

11.3 Individual Capacity Only. All claims, disputes, or causes of action under this Section, whether by you or the Company, must be brought solely in an individual capacity, and shall not be brought as a plaintiff (or claimant) or class member in any purported class or representative proceeding, nor joined or consolidated with the claims of any other person or entity. The arbitrator may not consolidate the claims of more than one person or entity, and may not preside over any form of representative or class proceeding. To the extent that the preceding sentences in this Section are found to violate applicable law or are otherwise found unenforceable, any claim(s) alleged or brought on behalf of a class shall proceed in a court of law rather than by arbitration.

11.4 Arbitration Process. Any arbitration proceeding under this Section shall be presided over by a single arbitrator and conducted by Judicial Arbitration and Mediation Services, Inc. (“JAMS”) in Los Angeles County, California, or as otherwise agreed to by you and the Company, under the then applicable JAMS rules for the resolution of employment disputes (available upon request and also currently available at http://www.jamsadr.com/rules-employment-arbitration/). You and the Company both have the right to be represented by legal counsel at any arbitration proceeding, at each party’s own expense. The Arbitrator shall: (i) have the authority to compel adequate discovery for the resolution of the dispute; (ii) issue a written arbitration decision, to include the arbitrator’s essential findings and conclusions and a statement of the award; and (iii) be authorized to award any or all remedies that you or the Company would be entitled to seek in a court of law. The Company shall pay all JAMS arbitration fees in excess of the amount of court fees that would be required of you if the dispute were decided in a court of law.

 

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11.5 Excluded Claims. This Arbitration section shall not apply to any action or claim that cannot be subject to mandatory arbitration as a matter of law, including, without limitation, claims brought pursuant to the California Private Attorneys General Act of 2004, as amended, to the extent such claims are not permitted by applicable law to be submitted to mandatory arbitration and such applicable law is not preempted by the Federal Arbitration Act or otherwise invalid (collectively, the “Excluded Claims”). In the event you intend to bring multiple claims, including any Excluded Claims, the Excluded Claims may be filed with a court, while any other claims will remain subject to mandatory arbitration.

11.6 Injunctive Relief and Final Orders. Nothing in this Section is intended to prevent either you or the Company from obtaining injunctive relief in court to prevent irreparable harm pending the conclusion of any such arbitration. Any final award in any arbitration proceeding hereunder may be entered as a judgment in the federal and state courts of any competent jurisdiction and enforced accordingly.

12. General Provisions. This Agreement, together with the Confidential Information and Inventions Assignment Agreement, constitutes the entire agreement between you and the Company with regard to this subject matter and is the complete, final, and exclusive embodiment of the parties’ agreement with regard to this subject matter. This Agreement is entered into without reliance on any promise or representation, written or oral, other than those expressly contained herein, and it supersedes any other such promises, warranties or representations, including, but not limited to, your January 31, 2019 offer letter (the “Prior Agreements”). You agree and acknowledge that you are not eligible for, and will not receive, any compensation, benefits, or severance pursuant to the Prior Agreements. You also agree and acknowledge that there are no circumstances as of the date of this Agreement that constitute, and nothing contemplated in this Agreement or otherwise shall be deemed for any purpose to be or to create, an involuntary termination without Cause or a Good Reason resignation right, including for purposes of the Prior Agreements, or any other severance or change in control plan, agreement or policy maintained by the Company or its affiliates. This Agreement cannot be modified or amended except in a writing signed by you and a duly authorized officer of the Company. Whenever possible, each provision of this Agreement will be interpreted in such manner as to be effective and valid under applicable law, but if any provision of this Agreement is held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable in any respect under any applicable law or rule in any jurisdiction, such invalidity, illegality or unenforceability will not affect any other provision or any other jurisdiction, but this Agreement will be reformed, construed and enforced in such jurisdiction to the extent possible in keeping with the intent of the parties. Any waiver of any breach of any provisions of this Agreement must be in writing to be effective, and it shall not thereby be deemed to have waived any preceding or succeeding breach of the same or any other provision of this Agreement. This Agreement is intended to bind and inure to the benefit of and be enforceable by you and the Company, and their respective successors, assigns, heirs, executors and administrators. The Company may freely assign this Agreement, without your prior written consent. You may not assign any of your duties hereunder and you may not assign any of your rights hereunder without the written consent of the Company. This Agreement shall become effective as of the Start Date and shall terminate upon your termination of employment with the Company. The obligations as forth under Sections 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, and 12 will survive the termination of this Agreement. All questions concerning the construction, validity and interpretation of this Agreement will be governed by the laws of the State of California.

 

7.


Accepted and agreed:

Best regards,

 

THE HONEST COMPANY, INC.

/s/ Nikolaos A. Vlahos

Nikolaos A. Vlahos
Chief Executive Officer
Accepted and agreed:

/s/ Sharareh Parvaneh

Sharareh Parvaneh

Date: April 24, 2021

 

8.


Exhibit A

Employee Confidential Information and Invention Assignment Agreement

 

9.

Exhibit 10.15

April 24, 2021

 

Re:

Employment Agreement

Dear Rick:

The Honest Company, Inc. (the “Company”) is pleased to offer you continuing at-will employment in the position of Chief Revenue Officer (“CRO”) on the terms and conditions set forth in this letter agreement (the “Agreement”).

1. Employment by the Company. This Agreement and your employment under the terms hereunder shall take effect upon the effectiveness of the S-1 registration statement relating to the Company’s initial public offering (the “Effective Date”). This is an exempt position, and during your employment with the Company, you will devote your best efforts and substantially all of your business time and attention to the business of the Company, except for approved vacation periods and reasonable periods of illness or other incapacities permitted by the Company’s general employment policies. You shall perform such duties as are required by the Company’s Chief Executive Officer (“CEO”), to whom you will report. Your primary work location shall be your home located in Dallas, Texas. The Company reserves the right to reasonably require you to perform your duties at places other than your primary office location from time to time, and to require reasonable business travel.

2. Compensation.

2.1 Base Salary. For services to be rendered hereunder, you shall receive a base salary at the rate of $320,000 per year (the “Base Salary”), subject to standard payroll deductions and withholdings and payable in accordance with the Company’s regular payroll schedule.

2.2 Annual Bonus. You will be eligible for an annual discretionary bonus with a target amount of 40% of your then current annual Base Salary (the “Annual Bonus”). Whether you receive an Annual Bonus for any given year, and the amount of any such Annual Bonus, will be determined by the Board of Directors of the Company and/or its Compensation Committee (the “Board”) in its discretion based upon the achievement of corporate and/or individual objectives and milestones that are determined in the sole discretion of the Board and other criteria to be determined by the Board. You must continue to be employed through the date the Annual Bonus is paid in order to earn such bonus. If your employment terminates for any reason prior to the payment date, you will not have earned, and will not be paid, any pro-rated bonus. The Annual Bonus, if earned, shall be paid to you in a lump sum no later than March 15th of the calendar year that follows the performance year, subject to applicable payroll deductions and withholdings.

2.3 Equity. You have previously been granted various equity interests in the Company (the “Awards”). The Awards will continue to be governed by the terms and conditions of the applicable existing plan documents, award agreements and grant notices. You will be eligible for future equity awards as determined by the Board in its sole discretion.

 

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3. Business Expenses. You will be eligible for reimbursement of all reasonable, necessary and documented out-of-pocket business, entertainment, and travel expenses incurred by you in connection with the performance of your duties hereunder in accordance with the Company’s expense reimbursement policies and procedures.

4. Company Policies; Standard Company Benefits. The employment relationship between the parties shall be governed by the general employment policies and practices of the Company, except that when the terms of this Agreement differ from or are in conflict with the Company’s general employment policies or practices, this Agreement shall control. You shall remain eligible to participate in all employee benefit programs for which you are eligible under the terms and conditions of the benefit plans that may be in effect from time to time and provided by the Company to its senior management. The Company reserves the right to cancel or change the benefit plans or programs it offers to its employees, including senior management, at any time.

5. At-Will Employment. Your employment relationship is at-will. Either you or the Company may terminate the employment relationship at any time, with or without cause or advance notice. Subject to the “Good Reason” provision set forth in Section 7 and Section 8.3, the Company may, in its sole discretion, adjust salaries, incentive compensation, stock plans, benefits, job titles, locations, duties, responsibilities, and reporting relationships. Upon termination of your employment for any reason, you shall resign from all positions and terminate any relationships as an employee, advisor, officer or director with the Company and any of its affiliates, each effective on the date of termination.

6. Outside Activities During Employment. Except with the prior written consent of the Board, you will not during the term of your employment with the Company undertake or engage in any other employment, occupation or business enterprise, other than ones in which you are a passive investor. You may engage in civic and not-for-profit activities so long as such activities do not materially interfere with the performance of your duties hereunder. You agree not to acquire, assume or participate in, directly or indirectly, any position, investment or interest known to be adverse or antagonistic to the Company, its business or prospects, financial or otherwise.

7. Termination; Severance.

7.1 Involuntary Termination. If you are subject to an Involuntary Termination and provided that you remain in compliance with the terms of this Agreement (including the conditions described in Section 7.3 below), the Company shall provide you with the following Severance Benefits:

(a) Cash Severance. The Company shall pay you, as severance, the equivalent of twelve (12) months (the “Severance Period”) of your Base Salary in effect as of the date of your employment termination, subject to standard payroll deductions and withholdings and an amount equal to 12 months of health insurance under COBRA on an after-tax basis (the “Severance”). The Severance will be paid as a continuation on the Company’s regular payroll, beginning no later than the first regularly-scheduled payroll date following the sixtieth (60th) day after your Separation from Service, provided the Separation Agreement (as discussed in Section 7.3) has become effective.

 

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(b) Payment of Continued Group Health Plan Benefits. If you are eligible for and timely elect continued group health plan coverage under the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1985 or any state law of similar effect (“COBRA”) following your Involuntary Termination, the Company will pay your COBRA group health insurance premiums for you and your eligible dependents directly to the insurer until the earliest of (A) the end of the period immediately following your Involuntary Termination that is equal to the Severance Period (the “COBRA Payment Period”), (B) the expiration of your eligibility for continuation coverage under COBRA, or (C) the date when you become eligible for substantially equivalent health insurance coverage in connection with new employment or self-employment. For purposes of this Section, references to COBRA premiums shall not include any amounts payable by you under a Section 125 health care reimbursement plan under the Code. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if at any time the Company determines, in its sole discretion, that it cannot pay the COBRA premiums without potentially incurring financial costs or penalties under applicable law (including, without limitation, Section 2716 of the Public Health Service Act), then regardless of whether you elect continued health coverage under COBRA, and in lieu of providing the COBRA premiums, the Company will instead pay you on the last day of each remaining month of the COBRA Payment Period, a fully taxable cash payment equal to the COBRA premiums for that month, subject to applicable tax withholdings (such amount, the “Special Severance Payment”), which payments shall continue until the earlier of expiration of the COBRA Payment Period or the date when you become eligible for substantially equivalent health insurance coverage in connection with new employment or self-employment. On the first payroll date following the effectiveness of the Release, the Company will make the first payment to the insurer under this clause (and, in the case of the Special Severance Payment, such payment will be to you, in a lump sum) equal to the aggregate amount of payments that the Company would have paid through such date had such payments instead commenced on the date of your Involuntary Termination, with the balance of the payments paid thereafter on the schedule described above. If you become eligible for coverage under another employer’s group health plan, you must immediately notify the Company of such event, and all payments and obligations under this subsection shall cease.

7.2 Termination for Cause; Resignation Without Good Reason; Death or Disability. If you resign without Good Reason, or the Company terminates your employment for Cause, or upon your death or disability, then all payments of compensation by the Company to you hereunder will terminate immediately (except as to amounts already earned), and you will not be entitled to any Severance Benefits.

7.3 Conditions to Receipt of Severance Benefits. The receipt of the Severance Benefits will be subject to you signing and not revoking a separation agreement and release of claims in a form reasonably satisfactory to the Company (the “Separation Agreement”) by no later than the sixtieth (60th) day after your employment termination (“Release Deadline”). No Severance Benefits will be paid or provided until the Separation Agreement becomes effective. You shall also resign from all positions and terminate any relationships as an employee, advisor, officer or director with the Company and any of its affiliates, each effective on the date of termination.

 

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8. Definitions.

8.1 Cause. For purposes of this Agreement, “Cause” means any one of the following: (a) willful material breach by you of any material Company policy (including, but not limited to, the Company’s policies on nondiscrimination, anti-harassment, and confidential information) or your duties or obligations hereunder; (b) your willful engagement in conduct materially injurious to the Company, monetarily or otherwise; (c) acts of fraud, theft or other willful illegal acts calling into question your personal integrity, or conviction on a felony charge, whether or not related to your employment hereunder; or (d) your willful refusal to follow lawful instructions of the Board. In order to terminate your employment for Cause pursuant to (a) or (d), but only to the extent the Board determines in its reasonable discretion that such breach is amenable to cure, the Board must provide you written notice within thirty (30) days after the first occurrence of the event giving rise to Cause setting forth the basis for the existence of Cause, allow you thirty (30) days from receipt of such written notice to cure such event, and if such event is not reasonably cured within such period, the Company must terminate your employment not later than thirty (30) days after the expiration of the cure period.

8.2 Code. For purposes of this Agreement, “Code” means the U.S. Internal Revenue Code of 1986 (as it has been and may be amended from time to time) and any regulations and guidance that has been promulgated or may be promulgated from time to time thereunder and any state law of similar effect.

8.3 Good Reason. For purposes of this Agreement, “Good Reason” means any one of the following without your consent: (a) an assignment of duties or responsibilities (including reporting responsibilities) materially inconsistent with, or which materially reduce, your duties, authority, responsibilities and status with the Company; (b) an adverse change in your title; (c) any material reduction in your Base Salary, other than a reduction, generally applicable to other executives of the Company, by not more than 25%; (d) the relocation of your principal place of employment to a location that is more than twenty-five (25) miles away from its current location; or (e) the uncured breach of any material provision of this Agreement (or any other agreement with you) by the Company. In order to resign for Good Reason, you must provide written notice to the Company’s Board within thirty (30) days after the first occurrence of the event giving rise to Good Reason setting forth the basis for your resignation, allow the Company thirty (30) days from receipt of such written notice to cure such event, and if such event is not reasonably cured within such period, you must resign from all positions you then hold with the Company not later than thirty (30) days after the expiration of the cure period.

8.4 Involuntary Termination. For purposes of this Agreement, “Involuntary Termination” means a termination of your employment with the Company pursuant to either (i) a termination initiated by the Company without Cause, or (ii) your resignation for Good Reason, and provided in either case such termination constitutes a Separation from Service. An Involuntary Termination does not include any other termination of your employment, including a termination due to your death or disability.

 

4.


8.5 Separation from Service. For purposes of this Agreement, “Separation from Service” means a “separation from service”, as defined under Treasury Regulation Section 1.409A-1(h).

9. Proprietary Information Obligations. As a condition of your continued employment, you shall execute and abide by the Company’s standard form of Employee Confidential Information and Invention Assignment Agreement, attached as Exhibit A. In your work for the Company, you will be expected not to use or disclose any confidential information, including trade secrets, of any former employer or other person to whom you have an obligation of confidentiality. Rather, you will be expected to use only that information which is generally known and used by persons with training and experience comparable to your own, which is common knowledge in the industry or otherwise legally in the public domain, or which is otherwise provided or developed by the Company. You acknowledge that you have not brought onto Company premises any unpublished documents or property belonging to any former employer or other person to whom you have an obligation of confidentiality and have disclosed to the Company any contract you have signed that may restrict your activities on behalf of the Company.

10. Section 409A. It is intended that all of the severance benefits and other payments payable under this Agreement satisfy, to the greatest extent possible, the exemptions from the application of Code Section 409A provided under Treasury Regulations Sections 1.409A 1(b)(4), 1.409A 1(b)(5) and 1.409A 1(b)(9), and this Agreement will be construed to the greatest extent possible as consistent with those provisions, and to the extent not so exempt, this Agreement (and any definitions hereunder) will be construed in a manner that complies with Section 409A. For all purposes of Code Section 409A (including, without limitation, for purposes of Treasury Regulations Sections 1.409A 2(b)(2)(i) and (iii)), your right to receive any installment payments under this Agreement (whether severance payments, reimbursements or otherwise) shall be treated as a right to receive a series of separate payments and, accordingly, each installment payment hereunder shall at all times be considered a separate and distinct payment. Notwithstanding any provision to the contrary in this Agreement, if you are deemed by the Company at the time of your Separation from Service to be a “specified employee” for purposes of Code Section 409A(a)(2)(B)(i), and if any of the payments upon Separation from Service set forth herein and/or under any other agreement with the Company are deemed to be “deferred compensation,” then to the extent delayed commencement of any portion of such payments is required in order to avoid a prohibited distribution under Code Section 409A(a)(2)(B)(i) and the related adverse taxation under Section 409A, such payments shall not be provided to you prior to the earliest of (i) the first date following expiration of the six-month period following the date of your Separation from Service with the Company, (ii) the date of your death or (iii) such earlier date as permitted under Section 409A without the imposition of adverse taxation. Upon the first business day following the expiration of such applicable Code Section 409A(a)(2)(B)(i) period, all payments deferred pursuant to this Paragraph shall be paid in a lump sum to you, and any remaining payments due shall be paid as otherwise provided herein or in the applicable agreement. No interest shall be due on any amounts so deferred. If the severance benefits are not covered by one or more exemptions from the application of Section 409A and the Release Deadline occurs in the calendar year following the calendar year of your Separation from Service, the Release will not be deemed effective any earlier than the Release Deadline for purposes of determining the timing of provision of any severance benefits.

 

5.


11.

Arbitration of All Disputes.

11.1 Agreement to Arbitrate. To ensure the timely and economical resolution of disputes that may arise between you and the Company, both you and the Company mutually agree that pursuant to the Federal Arbitration Act, 9 U.S.C. §1-16, and to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, you and the Company will submit solely to final, binding and confidential arbitration any and all disputes, claims, or causes of action arising from or relating to: (i) the negotiation, execution, interpretation, performance, breach or enforcement of this Agreement; or (ii) your application, hiring, and employment with the Company (including but not limited to all statutory claims); or (iii) the termination of your employment with the Company (including but not limited to all statutory claims). BY AGREEING TO THIS ARBITRATION PROCEDURE, BOTH YOU AND THE COMPANY WAIVE THE RIGHT TO RESOLVE ANY SUCH DISPUTES THROUGH A TRIAL BY JURY OR JUDGE OR THROUGH AN ADMINISTRATIVE PROCEEDING.

11.2 Arbitrator Authority. The arbitrator shall have the sole and exclusive authority to determine whether a dispute, claim or cause of action is subject to arbitration under this Section and to determine any procedural questions which grow out of such disputes, claims or causes of action and bear on their final disposition.

11.3 Individual Capacity Only. All claims, disputes, or causes of action under this Section, whether by you or the Company, must be brought solely in an individual capacity, and shall not be brought as a plaintiff (or claimant) or class member in any purported class or representative proceeding, nor joined or consolidated with the claims of any other person or entity. The arbitrator may not consolidate the claims of more than one person or entity, and may not preside over any form of representative or class proceeding. To the extent that the preceding sentences in this Section are found to violate applicable law or are otherwise found unenforceable, any claim(s) alleged or brought on behalf of a class shall proceed in a court of law rather than by arbitration.

11.4 Arbitration Process. Any arbitration proceeding under this Section shall be presided over by a single arbitrator and conducted by Judicial Arbitration and Mediation Services, Inc. (“JAMS”) in Dallas, Texas, or as otherwise agreed to by you and the Company, under the then applicable JAMS rules for the resolution of employment disputes (available upon request and also currently available at http://www.jamsadr.com/rules-employment-arbitration/) and pursuant to Texas law irrespective of conflict of law principles. You and the Company both have the right to be represented by legal counsel at any arbitration proceeding, at each party’s own expense. The Arbitrator shall: (i) have the authority to compel adequate discovery for the resolution of the dispute; (ii) issue a written arbitration decision, to include the arbitrator’s essential findings and conclusions and a statement of the award; and (iii) be authorized to award any or all remedies that you or the Company would be entitled to seek in a court of law. The Company shall pay all JAMS arbitration fees in excess of the amount of court fees that would be required of you if the dispute were decided in a court of law.

 

6.


11.5 Excluded Claims. This Arbitration section shall not apply to any action or claim that cannot be subject to mandatory arbitration as a matter of law, including, without limitation, claims brought pursuant to the California Private Attorneys General Act of 2004, as amended, to the extent such claims are not permitted by applicable law to be submitted to mandatory arbitration and such applicable law is not preempted by the Federal Arbitration Act or otherwise invalid (collectively, the “Excluded Claims”). In the event you intend to bring multiple claims, including any Excluded Claims, the Excluded Claims may be filed with a court, while any other claims will remain subject to mandatory arbitration.

11.6 Injunctive Relief and Final Orders. Nothing in this Section is intended to prevent either you or the Company from obtaining injunctive relief in court to prevent irreparable harm pending the conclusion of any such arbitration. Any final award in any arbitration proceeding hereunder may be entered as a judgment in the federal and state courts of any competent jurisdiction and enforced accordingly.

12. General Provisions. This Agreement, together with the Confidential Information and Inventions Assignment Agreement, constitutes the entire agreement between you and the Company with regard to this subject matter and is the complete, final, and exclusive embodiment of the parties’ agreement with regard to this subject matter. This Agreement is entered into without reliance on any promise or representation, written or oral, other than those expressly contained herein, and it supersedes any other such promises, warranties or representations, including, but not limited to, your September 18, 2017 offer letter, as amended, (the “Prior Agreements”). You agree and acknowledge that you are not eligible for, and will not receive, any compensation, benefits, or severance pursuant to the Prior Agreements. You also agree and acknowledge that there are no circumstances as of the date of this Agreement that constitute, and nothing contemplated in this Agreement or otherwise shall be deemed for any purpose to be or to create, an involuntary termination without Cause or a Good Reason resignation right, including for purposes of the Prior Agreements, or any other severance or change in control plan, agreement or policy maintained by the Company or its affiliates. This Agreement cannot be modified or amended except in a writing signed by you and a duly authorized officer of the Company. Whenever possible, each provision of this Agreement will be interpreted in such manner as to be effective and valid under applicable law, but if any provision of this Agreement is held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable in any respect under any applicable law or rule in any jurisdiction, such invalidity, illegality or unenforceability will not affect any other provision or any other jurisdiction, but this Agreement will be reformed, construed and enforced in such jurisdiction to the extent possible in keeping with the intent of the parties. Any waiver of any breach of any provisions of this Agreement must be in writing to be effective, and it shall not thereby be deemed to have waived any preceding or succeeding breach of the same or any other provision of this Agreement. This Agreement is intended to bind and inure to the benefit of and be enforceable by you and the Company, and their respective successors, assigns, heirs, executors and administrators. The Company may freely assign this Agreement, without your prior written consent. You may not assign any of your duties hereunder and you may not assign any of your rights hereunder without the written consent of the Company. This Agreement shall become effective as of the Start Date and shall terminate upon your termination of employment with the Company. The obligations as forth under Sections 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, and 12 will survive the termination of this Agreement. All questions concerning the construction, validity and interpretation of this Agreement will be governed by the laws of the State of Texas.

 

7.


Accepted and agreed:

Best regards,

 

THE HONEST COMPANY, INC.

 

/s/ Nikolaos A. Vlahos

Nikolaos A. Vlahos

Chief Executive Officer

 

Accepted and agreed:

 

/s/ Rick Rexing

Rick Rexing

Date: April 24, 2021

 

8.


Exhibit A

Employee Confidential Information and Invention Assignment Agreement

 

9.

Exhibit 10.16

April 24, 2021

Re: Employment Agreement

Dear Brendan:

The Honest Company, Inc. (the “Company”) is pleased to offer you continuing at-will employment in the position of Senior Vice President, General Counsel (“SVP”) on the terms and conditions set forth in this letter agreement (the “Agreement”).

1. Employment by the Company. This Agreement and your employment under the terms hereunder shall take effect upon the effectiveness of the S-1 registration statement relating to the Company’s initial public offering (the “Effective Date”). This is an exempt position, and during your employment with the Company, you will devote your best efforts and substantially all of your business time and attention to the business of the Company, except for approved vacation periods and reasonable periods of illness or other incapacities permitted by the Company’s general employment policies. You shall perform such duties as are required by the Company’s Chief Executive Officer (“CEO”), to whom you will report. Your primary work location shall be the Company’s office located in Los Angeles, California. The Company reserves the right to reasonably require you to perform your duties at places other than your primary office location from time to time, and to require reasonable business travel.

2. Compensation.

2.1 Base Salary. For services to be rendered hereunder, you shall receive a base salary at the rate of $320,000 per year (the “Base Salary”), subject to standard payroll deductions and withholdings and payable in accordance with the Company’s regular payroll schedule.

2.2 Annual Bonus. You will be eligible for an annual discretionary bonus with a target amount of 40% of your then current annual Base Salary (the “Annual Bonus”). Whether you receive an Annual Bonus for any given year, and the amount of any such Annual Bonus, will be determined by the Board of Directors of the Company and/or its Compensation Committee (the “Board”) in its discretion based upon the achievement of corporate and/or individual objectives and milestones that are determined in the sole discretion of the Board and other criteria to be determined by the Board. You must continue to be employed through the date the Annual Bonus is paid in order to earn such bonus. If your employment terminates for any reason prior to the payment date, you will not have earned, and will not be paid, any pro-rated bonus. The Annual Bonus, if earned, shall be paid to you in a lump sum no later than March 15th of the calendar year that follows the performance year, subject to applicable payroll deductions and withholdings.

2.3 Equity. You have previously been granted various equity interests in the Company (the “Awards”). The Awards will continue to be governed by the terms and conditions of the applicable existing plan documents, award agreements and grant notices. You will be eligible for future equity awards as determined by the Board in its sole discretion.

 

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3. Business Expenses. You will be eligible for reimbursement of all reasonable, necessary and documented out-of-pocket business, entertainment, and travel expenses incurred by you in connection with the performance of your duties hereunder in accordance with the Company’s expense reimbursement policies and procedures.

4. Company Policies; Standard Company Benefits. The employment relationship between the parties shall be governed by the general employment policies and practices of the Company, except that when the terms of this Agreement differ from or are in conflict with the Company’s general employment policies or practices, this Agreement shall control. You shall remain eligible to participate in all employee benefit programs for which you are eligible under the terms and conditions of the benefit plans that may be in effect from time to time and provided by the Company to its senior management. The Company reserves the right to cancel or change the benefit plans or programs it offers to its employees, including senior management, at any time.

5. At-Will Employment. Your employment relationship is at-will. Either you or the Company may terminate the employment relationship at any time, with or without cause or advance notice. Subject to the “Good Reason” provision set forth in Section 7 and Section 8.3, the Company may, in its sole discretion, adjust salaries, incentive compensation, stock plans, benefits, job titles, locations, duties, responsibilities, and reporting relationships. Upon termination of your employment for any reason, you shall resign from all positions and terminate any relationships as an employee, advisor, officer or director with the Company and any of its affiliates, each effective on the date of termination.

6. Outside Activities During Employment. Except with the prior written consent of the Board, you will not during the term of your employment with the Company undertake or engage in any other employment, occupation or business enterprise, other than ones in which you are a passive investor. You may engage in civic and not-for-profit activities so long as such activities do not materially interfere with the performance of your duties hereunder. You agree not to acquire, assume or participate in, directly or indirectly, any position, investment or interest known to be adverse or antagonistic to the Company, its business or prospects, financial or otherwise.

7. Termination; Severance.

7.1 Involuntary Termination. If you are subject to an Involuntary Termination and provided that you remain in compliance with the terms of this Agreement (including the conditions described in Section 7.3 below), the Company shall provide you with the following Severance Benefits:

(a) Cash Severance. The Company shall pay you, as severance, the equivalent of six (6) months (the “Severance Period”) of your Base Salary in effect as of the date of your employment termination, subject to standard payroll deductions and withholdings and an amount equal to six (6) months of health insurance under COBRA on an after-tax basis (the “Severance”). The Severance will be paid as a continuation on the Company’s regular payroll, beginning no later than the first regularly-scheduled payroll date following the sixtieth (60th) day after your Separation from Service, provided the Separation Agreement (as discussed in Section 7.3) has become effective.

 

2.


(b) Payment of Continued Group Health Plan Benefits. If you are eligible for and timely elect continued group health plan coverage under the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1985 or any state law of similar effect (“COBRA”) following your Involuntary Termination, the Company will pay your COBRA group health insurance premiums for you and your eligible dependents directly to the insurer until the earliest of (A) the end of the period immediately following your Involuntary Termination that is equal to the Severance Period (the “COBRA Payment Period”), (B) the expiration of your eligibility for continuation coverage under COBRA, or (C) the date when you become eligible for substantially equivalent health insurance coverage in connection with new employment or self-employment. For purposes of this Section, references to COBRA premiums shall not include any amounts payable by you under a Section 125 health care reimbursement plan under the Code. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if at any time the Company determines, in its sole discretion, that it cannot pay the COBRA premiums without potentially incurring financial costs or penalties under applicable law (including, without limitation, Section 2716 of the Public Health Service Act), then regardless of whether you elect continued health coverage under COBRA, and in lieu of providing the COBRA premiums, the Company will instead pay you on the last day of each remaining month of the COBRA Payment Period, a fully taxable cash payment equal to the COBRA premiums for that month, subject to applicable tax withholdings (such amount, the “Special Severance Payment”), which payments shall continue until the earlier of expiration of the COBRA Payment Period or the date when you become eligible for substantially equivalent health insurance coverage in connection with new employment or self-employment. On the first payroll date following the effectiveness of the Release, the Company will make the first payment to the insurer under this clause (and, in the case of the Special Severance Payment, such payment will be to you, in a lump sum) equal to the aggregate amount of payments that the Company would have paid through such date had such payments instead commenced on the date of your Involuntary Termination, with the balance of the payments paid thereafter on the schedule described above. If you become eligible for coverage under another employer’s group health plan, you must immediately notify the Company of such event, and all payments and obligations under this subsection shall cease.

7.2 Termination for Cause; Resignation Without Good Reason; Death or Disability. If you resign without Good Reason, or the Company terminates your employment for Cause, or upon your death or disability, then all payments of compensation by the Company to you hereunder will terminate immediately (except as to amounts already earned), and you will not be entitled to any Severance Benefits.

7.3 Conditions to Receipt of Severance Benefits. The receipt of the Severance Benefits will be subject to you signing and not revoking a separation agreement and release of claims in a form reasonably satisfactory to the Company (the “Separation Agreement”) by no later than the sixtieth (60th) day after your employment termination (“Release Deadline”). No Severance Benefits will be paid or provided until the Separation Agreement becomes effective. You shall also resign from all positions and terminate any relationships as an employee, advisor, officer or director with the Company and any of its affiliates, each effective on the date of termination.

 

3.


8. Definitions.

8.1 Cause. For purposes of this Agreement, “Cause” means any one of the following: (a) willful material breach by you of any material Company policy (including, but not limited to, the Company’s policies on nondiscrimination, anti-harassment, and confidential information) or your duties or obligations hereunder; (b) your willful engagement in conduct materially injurious to the Company, monetarily or otherwise; (c) acts of fraud, theft or other willful illegal acts calling into question your personal integrity, or conviction on a felony charge, whether or not related to your employment hereunder; or (d) your willful refusal to follow lawful instructions of the Board. In order to terminate your employment for Cause pursuant to (a) or (d), but only to the extent the Board determines in its reasonable discretion that such breach is amenable to cure, the Board must provide you written notice within thirty (30) days after the first occurrence of the event giving rise to Cause setting forth the basis for the existence of Cause, allow you thirty (30) days from receipt of such written notice to cure such event, and if such event is not reasonably cured within such period, the Company must terminate your employment not later than thirty (30) days after the expiration of the cure period.

8.2 Code. For purposes of this Agreement, “Code” means the U.S. Internal Revenue Code of 1986 (as it has been and may be amended from time to time) and any regulations and guidance that has been promulgated or may be promulgated from time to time thereunder and any state law of similar effect.

8.3 Good Reason. For purposes of this Agreement, “Good Reason” means any one of the following without your consent: (a) an assignment of duties or responsibilities (including reporting responsibilities) materially inconsistent with, or which materially reduce, your duties, authority, responsibilities and status with the Company; (b) an adverse change in your title; (c) any material reduction in your Base Salary, other than a reduction, generally applicable to other executives of the Company, by not more than 25%; (d) the relocation of your principal place of employment to a location that is more than twenty-five (25) miles away from its current location; or (e) the uncured breach of any material provision of this Agreement (or any other agreement with you) by the Company. In order to resign for Good Reason, you must provide written notice to the Company’s Board within thirty (30) days after the first occurrence of the event giving rise to Good Reason setting forth the basis for your resignation, allow the Company thirty (30) days from receipt of such written notice to cure such event, and if such event is not reasonably cured within such period, you must resign from all positions you then hold with the Company not later than thirty (30) days after the expiration of the cure period.

8.4 Involuntary Termination. For purposes of this Agreement, “Involuntary Termination” means a termination of your employment with the Company pursuant to either (i) a termination initiated by the Company without Cause, or (ii) your resignation for Good Reason, and provided in either case such termination constitutes a Separation from Service. An Involuntary Termination does not include any other termination of your employment, including a termination due to your death or disability.

 

4.


8.5 Separation from Service. For purposes of this Agreement, “Separation from Service” means a “separation from service”, as defined under Treasury Regulation Section 1.409A-1(h).

9. Proprietary Information Obligations. As a condition of your continued employment, you shall execute and abide by the Company’s standard form of Employee Confidential Information and Invention Assignment Agreement, attached as Exhibit A. In your work for the Company, you will be expected not to use or disclose any confidential information, including trade secrets, of any former employer or other person to whom you have an obligation of confidentiality. Rather, you will be expected to use only that information which is generally known and used by persons with training and experience comparable to your own, which is common knowledge in the industry or otherwise legally in the public domain, or which is otherwise provided or developed by the Company. You acknowledge that you have not brought onto Company premises any unpublished documents or property belonging to any former employer or other person to whom you have an obligation of confidentiality and have disclosed to the Company any contract you have signed that may restrict your activities on behalf of the Company.

10. Section 409A. It is intended that all of the severance benefits and other payments payable under this Agreement satisfy, to the greatest extent possible, the exemptions from the application of Code Section 409A provided under Treasury Regulations Sections 1.409A 1(b)(4), 1.409A 1(b)(5) and 1.409A 1(b)(9), and this Agreement will be construed to the greatest extent possible as consistent with those provisions, and to the extent not so exempt, this Agreement (and any definitions hereunder) will be construed in a manner that complies with Section 409A. For all purposes of Code Section 409A (including, without limitation, for purposes of Treasury Regulations Sections 1.409A 2(b)(2)(i) and (iii)), your right to receive any installment payments under this Agreement (whether severance payments, reimbursements or otherwise) shall be treated as a right to receive a series of separate payments and, accordingly, each installment payment hereunder shall at all times be considered a separate and distinct payment. Notwithstanding any provision to the contrary in this Agreement, if you are deemed by the Company at the time of your Separation from Service to be a “specified employee” for purposes of Code Section 409A(a)(2)(B)(i), and if any of the payments upon Separation from Service set forth herein and/or under any other agreement with the Company are deemed to be “deferred compensation,” then to the extent delayed commencement of any portion of such payments is required in order to avoid a prohibited distribution under Code Section 409A(a)(2)(B)(i) and the related adverse taxation under Section 409A, such payments shall not be provided to you prior to the earliest of (i) the first date following expiration of the six-month period following the date of your Separation from Service with the Company, (ii) the date of your death or (iii) such earlier date as permitted under Section 409A without the imposition of adverse taxation. Upon the first business day following the expiration of such applicable Code Section 409A(a)(2)(B)(i) period, all payments deferred pursuant to this Paragraph shall be paid in a lump sum to you, and any remaining payments due shall be paid as otherwise provided herein or in the applicable agreement. No interest shall be due on any amounts so deferred. If the severance benefits are not covered by one or more exemptions from the application of Section 409A and the Release Deadline occurs in the calendar year following the calendar year of your Separation from Service, the Release will not be deemed effective any earlier than the Release Deadline for purposes of determining the timing of provision of any severance benefits.

 

5.


11.

Arbitration of All Disputes.

11.1 Agreement to Arbitrate. To ensure the timely and economical resolution of disputes that may arise between you and the Company, both you and the Company mutually agree that pursuant to the Federal Arbitration Act, 9 U.S.C. §1-16, and to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, you and the Company will submit solely to final, binding and confidential arbitration any and all disputes, claims, or causes of action arising from or relating to: (i) the negotiation, execution, interpretation, performance, breach or enforcement of this Agreement; or (ii) your application, hiring, and employment with the Company (including but not limited to all statutory claims); or (iii) the termination of your employment with the Company (including but not limited to all statutory claims). BY AGREEING TO THIS ARBITRATION PROCEDURE, BOTH YOU AND THE COMPANY WAIVE THE RIGHT TO RESOLVE ANY SUCH DISPUTES THROUGH A TRIAL BY JURY OR JUDGE OR THROUGH AN ADMINISTRATIVE PROCEEDING.

11.2 Arbitrator Authority. The arbitrator shall have the sole and exclusive authority to determine whether a dispute, claim or cause of action is subject to arbitration under this Section and to determine any procedural questions which grow out of such disputes, claims or causes of action and bear on their final disposition.

11.3 Individual Capacity Only. All claims, disputes, or causes of action under this Section, whether by you or the Company, must be brought solely in an individual capacity, and shall not be brought as a plaintiff (or claimant) or class member in any purported class or representative proceeding, nor joined or consolidated with the claims of any other person or entity. The arbitrator may not consolidate the claims of more than one person or entity, and may not preside over any form of representative or class proceeding. To the extent that the preceding sentences in this Section are found to violate applicable law or are otherwise found unenforceable, any claim(s) alleged or brought on behalf of a class shall proceed in a court of law rather than by arbitration.

11.4 Arbitration Process. Any arbitration proceeding under this Section shall be presided over by a single arbitrator and conducted by Judicial Arbitration and Mediation Services, Inc. (“JAMS”) in Los Angeles County, California, or as otherwise agreed to by you and the Company, under the then applicable JAMS rules for the resolution of employment disputes (available upon request and also currently available at http://www.jamsadr.com/rules-employment-arbitration/). You and the Company both have the right to be represented by legal counsel at any arbitration proceeding, at each party’s own expense. The Arbitrator shall: (i) have the authority to compel adequate discovery for the resolution of the dispute; (ii) issue a written arbitration decision, to include the arbitrator’s essential findings and conclusions and a statement of the award; and (iii) be authorized to award any or all remedies that you or the Company would be entitled to seek in a court of law. The Company shall pay all JAMS arbitration fees in excess of the amount of court fees that would be required of you if the dispute were decided in a court of law.

 

6.


11.5 Excluded Claims. This Arbitration section shall not apply to any action or claim that cannot be subject to mandatory arbitration as a matter of law, including, without limitation, claims brought pursuant to the California Private Attorneys General Act of 2004, as amended, to the extent such claims are not permitted by applicable law to be submitted to mandatory arbitration and such applicable law is not preempted by the Federal Arbitration Act or otherwise invalid (collectively, the “Excluded Claims”). In the event you intend to bring multiple claims, including any Excluded Claims, the Excluded Claims may be filed with a court, while any other claims will remain subject to mandatory arbitration.

11.6 Injunctive Relief and Final Orders. Nothing in this Section is intended to prevent either you or the Company from obtaining injunctive relief in court to prevent irreparable harm pending the conclusion of any such arbitration. Any final award in any arbitration proceeding hereunder may be entered as a judgment in the federal and state courts of any competent jurisdiction and enforced accordingly.

12. General Provisions. This Agreement, together with the Confidential Information and Inventions Assignment Agreement, constitutes the entire agreement between you and the Company with regard to this subject matter and is the complete, final, and exclusive embodiment of the parties’ agreement with regard to this subject matter. This Agreement is entered into without reliance on any promise or representation, written or oral, other than those expressly contained herein, and it supersedes any other such promises, warranties or representations, including, but not limited to, your May 15, 2020 offer letter (the “Prior Agreements”). You agree and acknowledge that you are not eligible for, and will not receive, any compensation, benefits, or severance pursuant to the Prior Agreements. You also agree and acknowledge that there are no circumstances as of the date of this Agreement that constitute, and nothing contemplated in this Agreement or otherwise shall be deemed for any purpose to be or to create, an involuntary termination without Cause or a Good Reason resignation right, including for purposes of the Prior Agreements, or any other severance or change in control plan, agreement or policy maintained by the Company or its affiliates. This Agreement cannot be modified or amended except in a writing signed by you and a duly authorized officer of the Company. Whenever possible, each provision of this Agreement will be interpreted in such manner as to be effective and valid under applicable law, but if any provision of this Agreement is held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable in any respect under any applicable law or rule in any jurisdiction, such invalidity, illegality or unenforceability will not affect any other provision or any other jurisdiction, but this Agreement will be reformed, construed and enforced in such jurisdiction to the extent possible in keeping with the intent of the parties. Any waiver of any breach of any provisions of this Agreement must be in writing to be effective, and it shall not thereby be deemed to have waived any preceding or succeeding breach of the same or any other provision of this Agreement. This Agreement is intended to bind and inure to the benefit of and be enforceable by you and the Company, and their respective successors, assigns, heirs, executors and administrators. The Company may freely assign this Agreement, without your prior written consent. You may not assign any of your duties hereunder and you may not assign any of your rights hereunder without the written consent of the Company. This Agreement shall become effective as of the Start Date and shall terminate upon your termination of employment with the Company. The obligations as forth under Sections 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, and 12 will survive the termination of this Agreement. All questions concerning the construction, validity and interpretation of this Agreement will be governed by the laws of the State of California.

 

7.


Accepted and agreed:

Best regards,

 

THE HONEST COMPANY, INC.

/s/ Nikolaos A. Vlahos

Nikolaos A. Vlahos

Chief Executive Officer

Accepted and agreed:

/s/ Brendan Sheehey

Brendan Sheehey
Date: April 24, 2021

 

8.


Exhibit A

Employee Confidential Information and Invention Assignment Agreement

 

9.

Exhibit 10.39

 

 

 

 

LOGO

CREDIT AGREEMENT

dated as of

April [__], 2021

among

THE HONEST COMPANY, INC.

and each other Person that becomes a Borrower hereunder,

as Borrowers,

the other Loan Parties party hereto,

the Lenders party hereto

and

JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A.,

as Administrative Agent

 

 

 


TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

         Page  

ARTICLE I DEFINITIONS

     1  

SECTION 1.01.

  Defined Terms      1  

SECTION 1.02.

  Classification of Loans and Borrowings      33  

SECTION 1.03.

  Terms Generally      33  

SECTION 1.04.

  Accounting Terms; GAAP      34  

SECTION 1.05.

  Interest Rates; LIBOR Notification      34  

SECTION 1.06.

  Pro Forma Adjustments for Acquisitions and Dispositions      35  

SECTION 1.07.

  Status of Obligations      35  

SECTION 1.08.

  Letters of Credit      35  

SECTION 1.09.

  Divisions      36  

SECTION 1.10.

  Rounding      36  

ARTICLE II THE CREDITS

     36  

SECTION 2.01.

  Revolving Commitments      36  

SECTION 2.02.

  Loans and Borrowings      36  

SECTION 2.03.

  Requests for Borrowings      37  

SECTION 2.04.

  [Reserved]      37  

SECTION 2.05.

  [Reserved]      37  

SECTION 2.06.

  Letters of Credit      37  

SECTION 2.07.

  Funding of Borrowings      42  

SECTION 2.08.

  Interest Elections      43  

SECTION 2.09.

  Termination and Reduction of Commitments      44  

SECTION 2.10.

  Repayment and Amortization of Loans; Evidence of Debt      45  

SECTION 2.11.

  Prepayment of Loans      45  

SECTION 2.12.

  Fees      46  

SECTION 2.13.

  Interest      47  

SECTION 2.14.

  Alternate Rate of Interest; Illegality      48  

SECTION 2.15.

  Increased Costs      50  

SECTION 2.16.

  Break Funding Payments      51  

SECTION 2.17.

  Withholding of Taxes; Gross-Up      51  

SECTION 2.18.

  Payments Generally; Allocation of Proceeds; Sharing of Setoffs      55  

SECTION 2.19.

  Mitigation Obligations; Replacement of Lenders      57  

SECTION 2.20.

  Defaulting Lenders      58  

SECTION 2.21.

  Returned Payments      61  

SECTION 2.22.

  Banking Services and Swap Agreements      61  

ARTICLE III REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES

     61  

SECTION 3.01.

  Organization; Powers      61  

SECTION 3.02.

  Authorization; Enforceability      61  

SECTION 3.03.

  Governmental Approvals; No Conflicts      62  

SECTION 3.04.

  Financial Condition; No Material Adverse Change      62  

SECTION 3.05.

  Properties, etc.      62  

SECTION 3.06.

  Litigation and Environmental Matters      63  

SECTION 3.07.

  Compliance with Laws and Agreements; No Default      63  

SECTION 3.08.

  Investment Company Status      63  

SECTION 3.09.

  Taxes      63  

SECTION 3.10.

  ERISA      63  

SECTION 3.11.

  Disclosure      64  

SECTION 3.12.

  Reserved      64  

 

i


TABLE OF CONTENTS

(continued)

 

         Page  

SECTION 3.13.

  Solvency      64  

SECTION 3.14.

  Insurance      64  

SECTION 3.15.

  Capitalization and Subsidiaries      64  

SECTION 3.16.

  Security Interest in Collateral      65  

SECTION 3.17.

  Employment Matters      65  

SECTION 3.18.

  Margin Regulations      65  

SECTION 3.19.

  Use of Proceeds      65  

SECTION 3.20.

  No Burdensome Restrictions      65  

SECTION 3.21.

  Anti-Corruption Laws and Sanctions      65  

SECTION 3.22.

  EEA Financial Institutions      66  

SECTION 3.23.

  Plan Assets; Prohibited Transactions      66  

SECTION 3.24.

  Common Enterprise      66  

ARTICLE IV CONDITIONS

     66  

SECTION 4.01.

  Effective Date      66  

SECTION 4.02.

  Each Credit Event      69  

ARTICLE V AFFIRMATIVE COVENANTS

     69  

SECTION 5.01.

  Financial Statements and Other Information      70  

SECTION 5.02.

  Notices of Material Events      72  

SECTION 5.03.

  Existence; Conduct of Business      73  

SECTION 5.04.

  Payment of Obligations      73  

SECTION 5.05.

  Maintenance of Properties      73  

SECTION 5.06.

  Books and Records; Inspection Rights      73  

SECTION 5.07.

  Compliance with Laws and Material Contractual Obligations      73  

SECTION 5.08.

  Use of Proceeds      74  

SECTION 5.09.

  Accuracy of Information      74  

SECTION 5.10.

  Insurance      74  

SECTION 5.11.

  Casualty and Condemnation      74  

SECTION 5.12.

  Depository Banks      75  

SECTION 5.13.

  Additional Collateral; Further Assurances      75  

SECTION 5.14.

  Post-Closing Obligations      76  

ARTICLE VI NEGATIVE COVENANTS

     76  

SECTION 6.01.

  Indebtedness      76  

SECTION 6.02.

  Liens      78  

SECTION 6.03.

  Fundamental Changes      79  

SECTION 6.04.

  Investments, Loans, Advances, Guarantees and Acquisitions      80  

SECTION 6.05.

  Asset Sales      82  

SECTION 6.06.

  Sale and Leaseback Transactions      83  

SECTION 6.07.

  Swap Agreements      83  

SECTION 6.08.

  Restricted Payments; Payments of Subordinated Indebtedness      83  

SECTION 6.09.

  Transactions with Affiliates      84  

SECTION 6.10.

  Restrictive Agreements      84  

SECTION 6.11.

  Amendment of Material Documents      85  

SECTION 6.12.

  Financial Covenant      85  

ARTICLE VII EVENTS OF DEFAULT

     85  

SECTION 7.01.

  Events of Default      85  

 

ii


TABLE OF CONTENTS

(continued)

 

         Page  

ARTICLE VIII THE ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT

     88  

SECTION 8.01.

  Authorization and Action      88  

SECTION 8.02.

  Administrative Agent’s Reliance, Indemnification, Etc.      90  

SECTION 8.03.

  Posting of Communications      92  

SECTION 8.04.

  The Administrative Agent Individually      93  

SECTION 8.05.

  Successor Administrative Agent      93  

SECTION 8.06.

  Acknowledgements of Lenders and Issuing Banks      94  

SECTION 8.07.

  Collateral Matters      97  

SECTION 8.08.

  Credit Bidding      97  

SECTION 8.09.

  Certain ERISA Matters      98  

SECTION 8.10.

  Flood Laws      99  

ARTICLE IX MISCELLANEOUS

     100  

SECTION 9.01.

  Notices      100  

SECTION 9.02.

  Waivers; Amendments      101  

SECTION 9.03.

  Expenses; Limitation of Liability; Indemnity; Etc.      104  

SECTION 9.04.

  Successors and Assigns      106  

SECTION 9.05.

  Survival      110  

SECTION 9.06.

  Counterparts; Integration; Effectiveness; Electronic Execution      110  

SECTION 9.07.

  Severability      111  

SECTION 9.08.

  Right of Setoff      111  

SECTION 9.09.

  Governing Law; Jurisdiction; Consent to Service of Process      112  

SECTION 9.10.

  WAIVER OF JURY TRIAL      112  

SECTION 9.11.

  Headings      114  

SECTION 9.12.

  Confidentiality      114  

SECTION 9.13.

  Several Obligations; Nonreliance; Violation of Law      115  

SECTION 9.14.

  USA PATRIOT Act      115  

SECTION 9.15.

  Disclosure      115  

SECTION 9.16.

  Appointment for Perfection      116  

SECTION 9.17.

  Interest Rate Limitation      116  

SECTION 9.18.

  No Fiduciary Duty, etc.      116  

SECTION 9.19.

  Marketing Consent      117  

SECTION 9.20.

  Acknowledgement and Consent to Bail-In of Affected Financial Institutions      117  

SECTION 9.21.

  Acknowledgement Regarding Any Supported QFCs      118  

SECTION 9.22.

  Joint and Several      118  

ARTICLE X LOAN GUARANTY

     119  

SECTION 10.01.

  Guaranty      119  

SECTION 10.02.

  Guaranty of Payment      119  

SECTION 10.03.

  No Discharge or Diminishment of Loan Guaranty      120  

SECTION 10.04.

  Defenses Waived      120  

SECTION 10.05.

  Rights of Subrogation      121  

SECTION 10.06.

  Reinstatement; Stay of Acceleration      121  

SECTION 10.07.

  Information      121  

SECTION 10.08.

  Termination      121  

SECTION 10.09.

  [Reserved]      121  

SECTION 10.10.

  Maximum Liability      121  

 

iii


TABLE OF CONTENTS

(continued)

 

         Page  

SECTION 10.11.

  Contribution.      122  

SECTION 10.12.

  Liability Cumulative      122  

SECTION 10.13.

  Keepwell      122  

ARTICLE XI THE BORROWER REPRESENTATIVE

     123  

SECTION 11.01.

  Appointment; Nature of Relationship      123  

SECTION 11.02.

  Powers      123  

SECTION 11.03.

  Employment of Agents      123  

SECTION 11.04.

  Notices      123  

SECTION 11.05.

  Successor Borrower Representative      123  

SECTION 11.06.

  Execution of Loan Documents      124  

 

iv


TABLE OF CONTENTS

(continued)

 

SCHEDULES:

Commitment Schedule

Schedule 2.06 – Existing Letters of Credit

Schedule 3.05 – Properties etc.

Schedule 3.06 – Disclosed Matters

Schedule 3.14 – Insurance

Schedule 3.15 – Capitalization and Subsidiaries

Schedule 5.14 – Post-Closing Obligations

Schedule 6.01 – Existing Indebtedness

Schedule 6.02 – Existing Liens

Schedule 6.04 – Existing Investments

Schedule 6.10 – Existing Restrictions

EXHIBITS:

 

Exhibit A    Assignment and Assumption
Exhibit B-1    Borrowing Request
Exhibit B-2    Interest Election Request
Exhibit C    [Reserved]
Exhibit D-1    U.S. Tax Compliance Certificate (For Foreign Lenders That Are Not Partnerships For U.S. Federal Income Tax Purposes)
Exhibit D-2    U.S. Tax Compliance Certificate (For Foreign Participants That Are Not Partnerships For U.S. Federal Income Tax Purposes)
Exhibit D-3    U.S. Tax Compliance Certificate (For Foreign Participants That Are Partnerships For U.S. Federal Income Tax Purposes)
Exhibit D-4    U.S. Tax Compliance Certificate (For Foreign Lenders That Are Partnerships For U.S. Federal Income Tax Purposes)
Exhibit E    Compliance Certificate
Exhibit F    Joinder Agreement

 

v


CREDIT AGREEMENT dated as of April [__], 2021 (as it may be amended or modified from time to time, this “Agreement”), among THE HONEST COMPANY, INC., a Delaware corporation, as a Borrower, each other Borrower party hereto, the other Loan Parties party hereto, the Lenders party hereto, and JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., as Administrative Agent.

The parties hereto agree as follows:

ARTICLE I

Definitions

SECTION 1.01. Defined Terms. As used in this Agreement, the following terms have the meanings specified below:

Account” has the meaning assigned to such term in the Security Agreement.

Account Debtor” means any Person obligated on an Account.

Acquisition” means any transaction, or any series of related transactions, consummated on or after the Effective Date, by which any Loan Party (a) acquires any going business or all or substantially all of the assets of any Person, whether through purchase of assets, merger or otherwise or (b) directly or indirectly acquires (in one transaction or as the most recent transaction in a series of transactions) at least a majority (in number of votes) of the Equity Interests of a Person which has ordinary voting power for the election of directors or other similar management personnel of a Person (other than Equity Interests having such power only by reason of the happening of a contingency) or a majority of the outstanding Equity Interests of a Person.

Adjusted LIBO Rate” means, with respect to any Eurodollar Borrowing for any Interest Period or for any CBFR Borrowing, an interest rate per annum (rounded upwards, if necessary, to the next 1/16 of 1%) equal to (a) the LIBO Rate for such Interest Period multiplied by (b) the Statutory Reserve Rate.

Adjusted One Month LIBOR Rate” means, for any day, an interest rate per annum equal to the sum of (i) 2.50% plus (ii) the Adjusted LIBO Rate for a one-month interest period on such day (or if such day is not a Business Day, the immediately preceding Business Day); provided that, for the avoidance of doubt, the Adjusted LIBO Rate for any day shall be based on the LIBO Screen Rate at approximately 11:00 a.m. London time on such day; provided, further, that, if the LIBO Screen Rate at such time shall be less than zero, such rate shall be deemed to be zero for purposes of this Agreement.

Administrative Agent” means JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., in its capacity as administrative agent for the Lenders hereunder.

Administrative Questionnaire” means an Administrative Questionnaire in a form supplied by the Administrative Agent.

Affected Financial Institution” means (a) any EEA Financial Institution or (b) any UK Financial Institution.

Affiliate” means, with respect to a specified Person, another Person that directly, or indirectly through one or more intermediaries, Controls or is Controlled by or is under common Control with the specified Person.

 

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Agent Indemnitee” has the meaning assigned to it in Section 9.03(d).

Aggregate Credit Exposure” means, at any time, the aggregate Credit Exposure of all the Lenders at such time.

Aggregate Revolving Exposure” means, at any time, the aggregate Revolving Exposure of all the Lenders at such time.

Anti-Corruption Laws” means all laws, rules, and regulations of any jurisdiction applicable to any Borrower or any Subsidiaries of any Borrower from time to time concerning or relating to bribery or corruption.

Applicable Parties” has the meaning assigned to it in Section 8.03(c).

Applicable Percentage” means, at any time with respect to any Lender, a percentage equal to a fraction the numerator of which is such Lender’s Revolving Commitment at such time and the denominator of which is the aggregate Revolving Commitments at such time (provided that, if the Revolving Commitments have terminated or expired, the Applicable Percentages shall be determined based upon such Lender’s share of the Aggregate Revolving Exposure at such time); provided that, in accordance with Section 2.20, so long as any Lender shall be a Defaulting Lender, such Defaulting Lender’s Commitment shall be disregarded in the calculations above.

Applicable Rate” means (i) with respect to Eurodollar Loans, 1.50%, (ii) with respect to CBFR Loans, (0.50)%, (iii) with respect to commitment fees pursuant to Section 2.12(a), 0.10% and (iv) with respect to Letter of Credit fees pursuant to Section 2.12(b), 1.40%.

Approved Electronic Platform” has the meaning assigned to it in Section 8.03(a).

Approved Fund” has the meaning assigned to the term in Section 9.04(b).

Arranger” means JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., in its capacity as sole bookrunner and sole lead arranger hereunder.

Assignment and Assumption” means an assignment and assumption agreement entered into by a Lender and an assignee (with the consent of any party whose consent is required by Section 9.04), and accepted by the Administrative Agent, in the form of Exhibit A or any other form (including electronic records generated by the use of an electronic platform) approved by the Administrative Agent.

Availability” means, at any time, an amount equal to (a) the aggregate Revolving Commitments minus (b) the Aggregate Revolving Exposure (calculated, with respect to any Defaulting Lender, as if such Defaulting Lender had funded its Applicable Percentage of all outstanding Borrowings).

Availability Period” means the period from and including the Effective Date to but excluding the earlier of the Revolving Credit Maturity Date and the date of termination of the Revolving Commitments.

Available Tenor” means, as of any date of determination and with respect to the then-current Benchmark, as applicable, any tenor for such Benchmark or payment period for interest calculated with reference to such Benchmark, as applicable, that is or may be used for determining the length of an Interest Period pursuant to this Agreement as of such date and not including, for the avoidance of doubt, any tenor for such Benchmark that is then-removed from the definition of “Interest Period” pursuant to clause (g) of Section 2.14.

 

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Bail-In Action” means the exercise of any Write-Down and Conversion Powers by the applicable Resolution Authority in respect of any liability of an Affected Financial Institution.

Bail-In Legislation” means (a) with respect to any EEA Member Country implementing Article 55 of Directive 2014/59/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of the European Union, the implementing law, regulation, rule or requirement for such EEA Member Country from time to time which is described in the EU Bail-In Legislation Schedule and (b) with respect to the United Kingdom, Part I of the United Kingdom Banking Act 2009 (as amended from time to time) and any other law, regulation or rule applicable in the United Kingdom relating to the resolution of unsound or failing banks, investment firms or other financial institutions or their affiliates (other than through liquidation, administration or other insolvency proceedings).

Banking Services” means each and any of the following bank services provided to any Loan Party or any Subsidiary by Chase or any of its Affiliates: (a) credit cards for commercial customers (including, without limitation, “commercial credit cards” and purchasing cards), (b) stored value cards, (c) merchant processing services, and (d) treasury management services (including, without limitation, controlled disbursement, automated clearinghouse transactions, return items, any direct debit scheme or arrangement, overdrafts and interstate depository network services and cash pooling services).

Banking Services Obligations” means any and all obligations of the Loan Parties or their Subsidiaries, whether absolute or contingent and howsoever and whensoever created, arising, evidenced or acquired (including all renewals, extensions and modifications thereof and substitutions therefor) in connection with Banking Services.

Bankruptcy Event” means, with respect to any Person, when such Person becomes the subject of a voluntary or involuntary bankruptcy or insolvency proceeding, or has had a receiver, conservator, trustee, administrator, custodian, assignee for the benefit of creditors or similar Person charged with the reorganization or liquidation of its business appointed for it, or, in the good faith determination of the Administrative Agent, has taken any action in furtherance of, or indicating its consent to, approval of, or acquiescence in, any such proceeding or appointment, or has had any order for relief in such proceeding entered in respect thereof, provided that a Bankruptcy Event shall not result solely by virtue of any ownership interest, or the acquisition of any ownership interest, in such Person by a Governmental Authority or instrumentality thereof, unless such ownership interest results in or provides such Person with immunity from the jurisdiction of courts within the U.S. or from the enforcement of judgments or writs of attachment on its assets or permits such Person (or such Governmental Authority or instrumentality) to reject, repudiate, disavow or disaffirm any contracts or agreements made by such Person.

Benchmark” means, initially, LIBO Rate; provided that if a Benchmark Transition Event, a Term SOFR Transition Event or an Early Opt-in Election, as applicable, and its related Benchmark Replacement Date have occurred with respect to LIBO Rate or the then-current Benchmark, then “Benchmark” means the applicable Benchmark Replacement to the extent that such Benchmark Replacement has replaced such prior benchmark rate pursuant to clause (c) or clause (d) of Section 2.14.

Benchmark Replacement” means, for any Available Tenor, the first alternative set forth in the order below that can be determined by the Administrative Agent for the applicable Benchmark Replacement Date:

(1) the sum of (a) Term SOFR and (b) the related Benchmark Replacement Adjustment;

 

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(2) the sum of (a) Daily Simple SOFR and (b) the related Benchmark Replacement Adjustment;

(3) the sum of: (a) the alternate benchmark rate that has been selected by the Administrative Agent and the Borrower Representative as the replacement for the then-current Benchmark for the applicable Corresponding Tenor giving due consideration to (i) any selection or recommendation of a replacement benchmark rate or the mechanism for determining such a rate by the Relevant Governmental Body or (ii) any evolving or then-prevailing market convention for determining a benchmark rate as a replacement for the then-current Benchmark for dollar-denominated syndicated credit facilities at such time and (b) the related Benchmark Replacement Adjustment;

provided that, in the case of clause (1), such Unadjusted Benchmark Replacement is displayed on a screen or other information service that publishes such rate from time to time as selected by the Administrative Agent in its reasonable discretion; provided further that, notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Agreement or in any other Loan Document, upon the occurrence of a Term SOFR Transition Event, and the delivery of a Term SOFR Notice, on the applicable Benchmark Replacement Date the “Benchmark Replacement” shall revert to and shall be deemed to be the sum of (a) Term SOFR and (b) the related Benchmark Replacement Adjustment, as set forth in clause (1) of this definition (subject to the first proviso above).

If the Benchmark Replacement as determined pursuant to clause (1), (2) or (3) above would be less than the Floor, the Benchmark Replacement will be deemed to be the Floor for the purposes of this Agreement and the other Loan Documents.

Benchmark Replacement Adjustment” means, with respect to any replacement of the then-current Benchmark with an Unadjusted Benchmark Replacement for any applicable Interest Period and Available Tenor for any setting of such Unadjusted Benchmark Replacement:

(1) for purposes of clauses (1) and (2) of the definition of “Benchmark Replacement,” the first alternative set forth in the order below that can be determined by the Administrative Agent:

(a) the spread adjustment, or method for calculating or determining such spread adjustment, (which may be a positive or negative value or zero) as of the Reference Time such Benchmark Replacement is first set for such Interest Period that has been selected or recommended by the Relevant Governmental Body for the replacement of such Benchmark with the applicable Unadjusted Benchmark Replacement for the applicable Corresponding Tenor;

(b) the spread adjustment (which may be a positive or negative value or zero) as of the Reference Time such Benchmark Replacement is first set for such Interest Period that would apply to the fallback rate for a derivative transaction referencing the ISDA Definitions to be effective upon an index cessation event with respect to such Benchmark for the applicable Corresponding Tenor; and

(2) for purposes of clause (3) of the definition of “Benchmark Replacement,” the spread adjustment, or method for calculating or determining such spread adjustment, (which may be a positive or negative value or zero) that has been selected by the Administrative Agent and the Borrower Representative for the applicable Corresponding Tenor giving due consideration to (i) any selection or recommendation of a spread adjustment, or method for calculating or determining such spread adjustment, for the replacement of such Benchmark with the applicable Unadjusted

 

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Benchmark Replacement by the Relevant Governmental Body on the applicable Benchmark Replacement Date or (ii) any evolving or then-prevailing market convention for determining a spread adjustment, or method for calculating or determining such spread adjustment, for the replacement of such Benchmark with the applicable Unadjusted Benchmark Replacement for dollar-denominated syndicated credit facilities;

provided that, in the case of clause (1) above, such adjustment is displayed on a screen or other information service that publishes such Benchmark Replacement Adjustment from time to time as selected by the Administrative Agent in its reasonable discretion.

Benchmark Replacement Conforming Changes” means, with respect to any Benchmark Replacement, any technical, administrative or operational changes (including changes to the definition of “CB Floating Rate”, the definition of “Business Day,” the definition of “Interest Period,” timing and frequency of determining rates and making payments of interest, timing of borrowing requests or prepayment, conversion or continuation notices, length of lookback periods, the applicability of breakage provisions, and other technical, administrative or operational matters) that the Administrative Agent decides in its reasonable discretion may be appropriate to reflect the adoption and implementation of such Benchmark Replacement and to permit the administration thereof by the Administrative Agent in a manner substantially consistent with market practice (or, if the Administrative Agent decides that adoption of any portion of such market practice is not administratively feasible or if the Administrative Agent determines that no market practice for the administration of such Benchmark Replacement exists, in such other manner of administration as the Administrative Agent decides is reasonably necessary in connection with the administration of this Agreement and the other Loan Documents).

Benchmark Replacement Date” means the earliest to occur of the following events with respect to the then current Benchmark:

(1) in the case of clause (1) or (2) of the definition of “Benchmark Transition Event,” the later of (a) the date of the public statement or publication of information referenced therein and (b) the date on which the administrator of such Benchmark (or the published component used in the calculation thereof) permanently or indefinitely ceases to provide all Available Tenors of such Benchmark (or such component thereof);

(2) in the case of clause (3) of the definition of “Benchmark Transition Event,” the date of the public statement or publication of information referenced therein;

(3) in the case of a Term SOFR Transition Event, the date that is thirty (30) days after the date a Term SOFR Notice is provided to the Lenders and the Borrower pursuant to Section 2.14(d); or

(4) in the case of an Early Opt-in Election, the sixth (6th) Business Day after the date notice of such Early Opt-in Election is provided to the Lenders, so long as the Administrative Agent has not received, by 5:00 p.m. (New York City time) on the fifth (5th) Business Day after the date notice of such Early Opt-in Election is provided to the Lenders, written notice of objection to such Early Opt-in Election from Lenders comprising the Required Lenders.

For the avoidance of doubt, (i) if the event giving rise to the Benchmark Replacement Date occurs on the same day as, but earlier than, the Reference Time in respect of any determination, the Benchmark Replacement Date will be deemed to have occurred prior to the Reference Time for such determination and (ii) the “Benchmark Replacement Date” will be deemed to have occurred in the case of clause (1) or (2) with respect to any Benchmark upon the occurrence of the applicable event or events set forth therein with respect to all then-current Available Tenors of such Benchmark (or the published component used in the calculation thereof).

 

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Benchmark Transition Event” means the occurrence of one or more of the following events with respect to the then-current Benchmark:

(1) a public statement or publication of information by or on behalf of the administrator of such Benchmark (or the published component used in the calculation thereof) announcing that such administrator has ceased or will cease to provide all Available Tenors of such Benchmark (or such component thereof), permanently or indefinitely, provided that, at the time of such statement or publication, there is no successor administrator that will continue to provide any Available Tenor of such Benchmark (or such component thereof);

(2) a public statement or publication of information by the regulatory supervisor for the administrator of such Benchmark (or the published component used in the calculation thereof), the Federal Reserve Board, the NYFRB, an insolvency official with jurisdiction over the administrator for such Benchmark (or such component), a resolution authority with jurisdiction over the administrator for such Benchmark (or such component) or a court or an entity with similar insolvency or resolution authority over the administrator for such Benchmark (or such component), which states that the administrator of such Benchmark (or such component) has ceased or will cease to provide all Available Tenors of such Benchmark (or such component thereof) permanently or indefinitely, provided that, at the time of such statement or publication, there is no successor administrator that will continue to provide any Available Tenor of such Benchmark (or such component thereof); or

(3) a public statement or publication of information by the regulatory supervisor for the administrator of such Benchmark (or the published component used in the calculation thereof) announcing that all Available Tenors of such Benchmark (or such component thereof) are no longer representative.

For the avoidance of doubt, a “Benchmark Transition Event” will be deemed to have occurred with respect to any Benchmark if a public statement or publication of information set forth above has occurred with respect to each then-current Available Tenor of such Benchmark (or the published component used in the calculation thereof).

Benchmark Unavailability Period” means the period (if any) ( x) beginning at the time that a Benchmark Replacement Date pursuant to clauses (1) or (2) of that definition has occurred if, at such time, no Benchmark Replacement has replaced the then-current Benchmark for all purposes hereunder and under any Loan Document in accordance with Section 2.14 and (y) ending at the time that a Benchmark Replacement has replaced the then-current Benchmark for all purposes hereunder and under any Loan Document in accordance with Section 2.14.

Beneficial Ownership Certification” means a certification regarding beneficial ownership or control as required by the Beneficial Ownership Regulation.

Beneficial Ownership Regulation” means 31 C.F.R. § 1010.230.

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

 

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BHC Act Affiliate” of a party means an “affiliate” (as such term is defined under, and interpreted in accordance with, 12 U.S.C. 1841(k)) of such party.

Blocking Regulation” has the meaning assigned to it in Section 3.21.

Borrower or “Borrowers” means, individually or collectively, the Company, and any other Person who joins this Agreement as a Borrower from time to time.

Borrower Representative” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 11.01.

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

Borrowing Request” means a request by the Borrower Representative for a Borrowing in accordance with Section 2.03, which shall be substantially in the form of Exhibit B-1 hereto or any other form approved by the Administrative Agent.

Burdensome Restrictions” means any consensual encumbrance or restriction of the type described in clause (a) or (b) of Section 6.10.

Business Day” means any day that is not a Saturday, Sunday or other day on which commercial banks in New York City are authorized or required by law to remain closed; provided that, when used in connection with a Eurodollar Loan, the term “Business Day” shall also exclude any day on which banks are not open for general business in London.

Capital Lease Obligations” of any Person means the obligations of such Person to pay rent or other amounts under any lease of (or other arrangement conveying the right to use) real or personal property, or a combination thereof, which obligations are required to be classified and accounted for as capital leases or financing leases on a balance sheet of such Person under GAAP, and the amount of such obligations shall be the capitalized amount thereof determined in accordance with GAAP.

CB Floating Rate” means the Prime Rate; provided that the CB Floating Rate shall never be less than the Adjusted One Month LIBOR Rate on such day (or if such day is not a Business Day, the immediately preceding Business Day). Any change in the CB Floating Rate due to a change in the Prime Rate or the Adjusted One Month LIBOR Rate shall be effective from and including the effective date of such change in the Prime Rate or the Adjusted One Month LIBOR Rate, respectively.

CBFR”, when used in reference to any Loan or Borrowing, refers to whether such Loan, or the Loans comprising such Borrowing, bear interest at a rate determined by reference to the CB Floating Rate.

CFC” means each direct and indirect Subsidiary of the Company (a) that is a “controlled foreign corporation” as defined in Section 957 of the Code, (b) that is a Subsidiary of a “controlled foreign corporation” as defined in Section 957 of the Code, or (c) substantially all of the assets of which are Equity Interests in one or more “controlled foreign corporations” as defined in Section 957 of the Code; provided, in each case, that a CFC shall not include any Subsidiary as to which the owner of the Equity Interests in such Subsidiary would be entitled to a 100% dividends-received deduction under Section 245A of the Code.

 

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Change in Control” means (a) the acquisition of ownership, directly or indirectly, beneficially or of record, by any Person or group (within the meaning of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and the rules of the SEC thereunder as in effect on the date hereof) of Equity Interests representing more than 35% of the aggregate ordinary voting power represented by the issued and outstanding Equity Interests of the Company on a fully diluted basis; (b) occupation at any time of a majority of the seats (other than vacant seats) on the board of directors of the Company by Persons who were not (i) directors of the Company on the date of this Agreement or nominated or appointed by the board of directors of the Company or (ii) appointed by directors so nominated or appointed; or (c) except as permitted by Section 6.03, the Company shall cease to own, free and clear of all Liens or other encumbrances, 100% of the outstanding Equity Interests of each of its Subsidiaries on a fully diluted basis.

Change in Law” means the occurrence after the date of this Agreement (or, with respect to any Lender, such later date on which such Lender becomes a party to this Agreement) of any of the following: (a) the adoption or taking effect of any law, rule, regulation or treaty, (b) any change in any law, rule, regulation or treaty or in the administration, interpretation, implementation or application thereof by any Governmental Authority or (c) compliance by any Lender or the Issuing Bank (or, for purposes of Section 2.15(b), by any lending office of such Lender or by such Lender’s or the Issuing Bank’s holding company, if any) with any request, guideline, requirement or directive (whether or not having the force of law) of any Governmental Authority made or issued after the date of this Agreement; provided that, notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, (x) the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act and all requests, rules, guidelines, requirements or directives thereunder or issued in connection therewith or in the implementation thereof, and (y) all requests, rules, guidelines, requirements or directives promulgated by the Bank for International Settlements, the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision (or any successor or similar authority) or the U.S. or foreign regulatory authorities, in each case pursuant to Basel III, shall in each case be deemed to be a “Change in Law”, regardless of the date enacted, adopted, issued or implemented.

Charges” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 9.17.

Chase” means JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., a national banking association, in its individual capacity, and its successors.

Class”, when used in reference to (a) any Loan or Borrowing, refers to whether such Loan, or the Loans comprising such Borrowing, are Revolving Loans, (b) any Commitment, refers to a Revolving Commitment, and (c) any Lender, refers to whether such Lender has a Loan or Commitment of a particular Class.

Code” means the United States Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended from time to time.

Collateral” means any and all property owned, leased or operated by a Person covered by the Collateral Documents and any and all other property of any Loan Party, now existing or hereafter acquired, that may at any time be, become or be intended to be, subject to a security interest or Lien in favor of the Administrative Agent, on behalf of itself and the Lenders and other Secured Parties, to secure the Secured Obligations. The Collateral shall not include any Excluded Collateral.

Collateral Access Agreement” has the meaning assigned to such term in the Security Agreement.

Collateral Documents” means, collectively, the Security Agreement and any other agreements, instruments and documents executed in connection with this Agreement that are intended to create, perfect or evidence Liens to secure the Secured Obligations, including, without limitation, all other security agreements, pledge agreements, loan agreements, notes, guarantees, subordination agreements, pledges, powers of attorney, consents, assignments, contracts, fee letters, notices, leases, financing statements and all other written matter whether theretofore, now or hereafter executed by any Loan Party and delivered to the Administrative Agent.

 

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Commercial LC Exposure” means, at any time, the sum of (a) the aggregate undrawn amount of all outstanding commercial Letters of Credit plus (b) the aggregate amount of all LC Disbursements relating to commercial Letters of Credit that have not yet been reimbursed by or on behalf of the Borrowers. The Commercial LC Exposure of any Revolving Lender at any time shall be its Applicable Percentage of the aggregate Commercial LC Exposure at such time.

Commitment” means, with respect to each Lender, the sum of such Lender’s Revolving Commitment. The initial amount of each Lender’s Commitment is set forth on the Commitment Schedule, or in the Assignment and Assumption or other documentation or record (as such term is defined in Section 9-102(a)(70) of the New York Uniform Commercial Code) as provided in Section 9.04(b)(ii)(C), pursuant to which such Lender shall have assumed its Commitment, as applicable.

Commitment Schedule” means the Schedule attached hereto identified as such.

Commodity Exchange Act” means the Commodity Exchange Act (7 U.S.C. § 1 et seq.), as amended from time to time, and any successor statute.

Communications” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 8.03(c).

Company” means The Honest Company, Inc., a Delaware corporation.

Competitor” means any Person which is a direct competitor of the Company or its Subsidiaries if, at the time of a proposed assignment, the Administrative Agent and the assigning Lender have actual knowledge that such Person is a direct competitor of the Company or its Subsidiaries; provided, that in connection with any assignment or participation, the assignee or participant with respect to such proposed assignment or participation that is an investment bank, a commercial bank, a finance company, a fund, or other Person which merely has an economic interest in or is otherwise affiliated with any such direct competitor, and is not itself such a direct competitor of the Company or its Subsidiaries, shall not be deemed to be a direct competitor for the purposes of this definition.

Compliance Certificate” means a certificate of a Financial Officer of the Borrower Representative in substantially the form of Exhibit E.

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

Control” means the possession, directly or indirectly, of the power to direct or cause the direction of the management or policies of a Person, whether through the ability to exercise voting power, by contract or otherwise. “Controlling” and “Controlled” have meanings correlative thereto.

Corresponding Tenor with respect to any Available Tenor means, as applicable, either a tenor (including overnight) or an interest payment period having approximately the same length (disregarding business day adjustment) as such Available Tenor.

 

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Covered Entity” means any of the following:

(i) a “covered entity” as that term is defined in, and interpreted in accordance with, 12 C.F.R. § 252.82(b);

(ii) a “covered bank” as that term is defined in, and interpreted in accordance with, 12 C.F.R. § 47.3(b); or

(iii) a “covered FSI” as that term is defined in, and interpreted in accordance with, 12 C.F.R. § 382.2(b).

Covered Party” has the meaning assigned to it in Section 9.21.

Credit Exposure” means, as to any Lender at any time such Lender’s Revolving Exposure at such time.

Credit Party” means the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Bank or any other Lender.

Daily Simple SOFR” means, for any day, SOFR, with the conventions for this rate (which will include a lookback) being established by the Administrative Agent in accordance with the conventions for this rate selected or recommended by the Relevant Governmental Body for determining “Daily Simple SOFR” for business loans; provided, that if the Administrative Agent decides that any such convention is not administratively feasible for the Administrative Agent, then the Administrative Agent may establish another convention in its reasonable discretion.

Default” means any event or condition which constitutes an Event of Default or which upon notice, lapse of time or both would, unless cured or waived, become an Event of Default.

Default Right” has the meaning assigned to that term in, and shall be interpreted in accordance with, 12 C.F.R. §§ 252.81, 47.2 or 382.1, as applicable.

Defaulting Lender” means any Lender that (a) has failed, within two Business Days of the date required to be funded or paid, to (i) fund any portion of its Loans, (ii) fund any portion of its participations in Letters of Credit or (iii) pay over to any Credit Party any other amount required to be paid by it hereunder, unless, in the case of clause (i) above, such Lender notifies the Administrative Agent in writing that such failure is the result of such Lender’s good faith determination that a condition precedent to funding (specifically identified and including the particular default, if any) has not been satisfied, (b) has notified any Borrower or any Credit Party in writing, or has made a public statement to the effect, that it does not intend or expect to comply with any of its funding obligations under this Agreement (unless such writing or public statement indicates that such position is based on such Lender’s good faith determination that a condition precedent (specifically identified and including the particular default, if any) to funding a Loan under this Agreement cannot be satisfied) or generally under other agreements in which it commits to extend credit, (c) has failed, within three Business Days after request by a Credit Party, acting in good faith, to provide a certification in writing from an authorized officer of such Lender that it will comply with its obligations (and is financially able to meet such obligations as of the date of certification) to fund prospective Loans and participations in then outstanding Letters of Credit under this Agreement, provided that such Lender shall cease to be a Defaulting Lender pursuant to this clause (c) upon such Credit Party’s receipt of such certification in form and substance satisfactory to it and the Administrative Agent, or (d) has become the subject of (i) a Bankruptcy Event or (ii) a Bail-In Action.

Disclosed Matters” means the actions, suits, proceedings and environmental matters disclosed in Schedule 3.06.

 

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Disposition” or “Dispose” means the sale, transfer, license, lease or other disposition (in one transaction or in a series of transactions and whether effected pursuant to a Division or otherwise) of any property by any Person (including any sale and leaseback transaction and any issuance of Equity Interests by a Subsidiary of such Person), including any sale, assignment, transfer or other disposal, with or without recourse, of any notes or accounts receivable or any rights and claims associated therewith.

Dividing Person” has the meaning assigned to it in the definition of “Division.”

Division” means the division of the assets, liabilities and/or obligations of a Person (the “Dividing Person”) among two or more Persons (whether pursuant to a “plan of division” or similar arrangement), which may or may not include the Dividing Person and pursuant to which the Dividing Person may or may not survive.

Division Successor” means any Person that, upon the consummation of a Division of a Dividing Person, holds all or any portion of the assets, liabilities and/or obligations previously held by such Dividing Person immediately prior to the consummation of such Division. A Dividing Person which retains any of its assets, liabilities and/or obligations after a Division shall be deemed a Division Successor upon the occurrence of such Division.

Document” has the meaning assigned to such term in the Security Agreement.

dollars” or “$” refers to lawful money of the U.S.

Domestic Subsidiary” shall mean each Subsidiary of a Borrower that is organized under the laws of the United States or any state thereof, or the District of Columbia.

Early Opt-in Election” means, if the then-current Benchmark is LIBO Rate, the occurrence of:

(1) a notification by the Administrative Agent to (or the request by the Borrower Representative to the Administrative Agent to notify) each of the other parties hereto that at least five currently outstanding dollar-denominated syndicated credit facilities at such time contain (as a result of amendment or as originally executed) a SOFR-based rate (including SOFR, a term SOFR or any other rate based upon SOFR) as a benchmark rate (and such syndicated credit facilities are identified in such notice and are publicly available for review), and

(2) the joint election by the Administrative Agent and the Borrower Representative to trigger a fallback from LIBO Rate and the provision by the Administrative Agent of written notice of such election to the Lenders.

EBITDA” means, for any period, Net Income for such period plus (a) without duplication and to the extent deducted in determining Net Income for such period, the sum of (i) Interest Expense for such period, (ii) income tax expense for such period, (iii) all amounts attributable to depreciation and amortization expense for such period, (iv) non-cash stock-based compensation expenses for such period, plus cash withholding taxes paid on behalf of Nikolaos Vlahos pursuant to Section 18 of the Restricted Preferred Stock Award Agreement, (v) any non-cash losses on sales of fixed assets, non-cash losses on investments, write-downs of fixed or intangible assets or goodwill impairment charges (but excluding any non-cash charge that relates to the write-down or write-off of inventory), (vi) any extraordinary non-cash charges for such period, (vii) any other non-cash charges for such period, including realized non-cash foreign exchange losses and non-cash stock based compensation charges (but excluding any non-cash charge in respect of an item that was included in Net Income in a prior period and any non-cash charge that relates to the write-down or write-off of inventory), (viii) expenses, fees, costs, and charges incurred in

 

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connection with the Transactions in an aggregate amount not to exceed $[__________] [TBD AT CLOSE], (ix) fees, costs, and expenses that are actually incurred in connection with Permitted Acquisitions, investments, equity issuances (including secondary offerings), issuances of Indebtedness for borrowed money, dispositions or refinancing transactions and modifications of instruments (including any amortization or write-off of debt issuance or deferred financing costs, premiums, prepayment penalties, commissions, discounts, yield and other fees and charges), (x) non-recurring charges, costs, losses, fees and expenses directly incurred or paid directly as a result of discontinued operations or any sale or disposition of any asset of the Company or its Subsidiaries, to the extent factually supportable, (xi) expenses that have been reimbursed in cash by a third party (who is not an Affiliate of any Loan Party) during the same period pursuant to an indemnity or guaranty in favor of Company or its Subsidiaries to the extent such reimbursements do not increase Net Income, (xii) costs (including restructuring costs related to Acquisitions after the Effective Date), charges, accruals, reserves or expenses attributable to the undertaking and/or implementation of cost savings initiatives, operating expense reductions, integration, transition, facilities opening and pre-opening, business optimization and other restructuring and integration costs, charges accruals, reserves and expenses (including, without limitation, inventory optimization programs, software development costs, costs related to the closure or consolidation of facilities, stores and distribution centers, curtailments, costs related to entry into new markets, costs related to preopening and opening of stores, distribution centers or other facilities, consulting fees, signing costs, retention or completion bonuses, relocation expenses, severance payments, modifications to pension and post-retirement employee benefit plans and new systems design and implementation costs, information technology costs, website rebranding and redesign costs and project startup costs) incurred during such period, (xiii) one-time fees and expenses incurred in connection with an initial public offering of the Company (excluding any bonuses paid to employees or officers thereof in connection with such initial public offering) in an aggregate amount not to exceed $5,000,000 and so long as such fees are incurred prior to or within ninety (90) days following such initial public offering, (xiv) any costs incurred during such period with respect to liability, casualty events or business interruption, to the extent covered by insurance which has not been denied, but excluding any such costs to the extent indemnification payments, reimbursements or insurance proceeds were received in any subsequent period, (xv) expected cost savings, operating expense reductions, restructuring charges and expenses and synergies related to Acquisitions, divestitures, Dispositions, restructurings, cost savings initiatives, operating improvements and other similar initiatives projected by the Borrowers in good faith to be realized as a result of any Disposition, restructuring activity, consolidation, integration, operational change, Permitted Acquisition or any other investment, in each case within the eighteen month period following the consummation thereof (or following the consummation of the squeeze-out merger in the case of an Acquisition structured as a two-step transaction) and such amounts are reasonably identifiable, reasonably attributable to the actions specified and reasonably anticipated to result from such actions, (xvi) net non-cash losses (including all fees, expenses and charges related thereto) on the retirement or extinguishment of Indebtedness, (xvii) fees, expenses and settlement costs expensed during such period that directly arise out of non-recurring litigation or settlement costs, fees or expenses in an aggregate amount not to exceed $3,000,000, (xviii) fees, costs, charges and expenses incurred during such period relating to any amendment, restatement, waiver, consent or other modification of this Agreement or the other Loan Documents, whether or not consummated, (xix) non-cash unrealized losses recognized during such period due to “mark-to-market” accounting in respect of Swap Agreements and (xx) bonuses and other incentive compensation paid to employees or officers of the Company, in connection with an initial public offering of the Company, in an aggregate amount not to exceed $20,000,000, so long as such bonus or other incentive compensation is paid prior to or within ninety (90) days following such initial public offering; provided that the aggregate amount of all adjustments added back pursuant to the foregoing clauses (ix), (x), (xii), (xv), (xvii) and (xviii) shall not exceed the greater of (x) $5,000,000 and (y) twenty-five percent (25%) of EBITDA (calculated before giving effect to such adjustments), in any four fiscal quarter period, minus (b) without duplication and to the extent included in Net Income, (i) any cash payments made during such period in respect of non-cash charges described in clause (a)(v) taken in a prior period and (ii) any extraordinary gains and any non-cash items of income for such period, all calculated for the Company and its Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis in accordance with GAAP.

 

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ECP” means an “eligible contract participant” as defined in Section 1(a)(18) of the Commodity Exchange Act or any regulations promulgated thereunder and the applicable rules issued by the Commodity Futures Trading Commission and/or the SEC.

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

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

EEA Resolution Authority” means any public administrative authority or any Person entrusted with public administrative authority of any EEA Member Country (including any delegee) having responsibility for the resolution of any EEA Financial Institution.

Effective Date” means the date on which the conditions specified in Section 4.01 are satisfied (or waived in accordance with Section 9.02).

Electronic Signature” means an electronic sound, symbol, or process attached to, or associated with, a contract or other record and adopted by a Person with the intent to sign, authenticate or accept such contract or record.

Electronic System” means any electronic system, including e-mail, e-fax, web portal access for the Borrowers and any other Internet or extranet-based site, whether such electronic system is owned, operated or hosted by the Administrative Agent or the Issuing Bank and any of its respective Related Parties or any other Person, providing for access to data protected by passcodes or other security system.

Environmental Laws” means all laws, rules, regulations, codes, ordinances, orders, decrees, judgments, injunctions, notices or binding agreements issued, promulgated or entered into by any Governmental Authority, relating in any way to (i) the environment, (ii) preservation or reclamation of natural resources, (iii) the management, Release or threatened Release of any Hazardous Material or (iv) health and safety matters.

Environmental Liability” means any liability, contingent or otherwise (including any liability for damages, costs of environmental remediation, fines, penalties or indemnities), of any Borrower or any Subsidiary directly or indirectly resulting from or based upon (a) any violation of any Environmental Law, (b) the generation, use, handling, transportation, storage, treatment or disposal of any Hazardous Materials, (c) any exposure to any Hazardous Materials, (d) the Release or threatened Release of any Hazardous Materials into the environment or (e) any contract, agreement or other consensual arrangement pursuant to which liability is assumed or imposed with respect to any of the foregoing.

Equipment” has the meaning assigned to such term in the Security Agreement.

Equity Interests” means shares of capital stock, partnership interests, membership interests in a limited liability company, beneficial interests in a trust or other equity ownership interests in a Person, and any warrants, options or other rights entitling the holder thereof to purchase or acquire any of the foregoing, but excluding any debt securities convertible into any of the foregoing.

 

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ERISA” means the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended from time to time, and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder.

ERISA Affiliate” means any trade or business (whether or not incorporated) that, together with a Borrower, is treated as a single employer under Section 414(b) or (c) of the Code or, Section 4001(14) of ERISA or, solely for purposes of Section 302 of ERISA and Section 412 of the Code, is treated as a single employer under Section 414 of the Code.

ERISA Event” means (a) any “reportable event”, as defined in Section 4043 of ERISA or the regulations issued thereunder, with respect to a Plan (other than an event for which the 30-day notice period is waived); (b) the failure to satisfy the “minimum funding standard” (as defined in Section 412 of the Code or Section 302 of ERISA), whether or not waived; (c) the filing pursuant to Section 412(c) of the Code or Section 302(c) of ERISA of an application for a waiver of the minimum funding standard with respect to any Plan; (d) the incurrence by any Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate of any liability under Title IV of ERISA with respect to the termination of any Plan; (e) the receipt by any Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate from the PBGC or a plan administrator of any notice relating to an intention to terminate any Plan or Plans or to appoint a trustee to administer any Plan; (f) the incurrence by any Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate of any liability with respect to the withdrawal or partial withdrawal of any Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate from any Plan or Multiemployer Plan; or (g) the receipt by any Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate of any notice, or the receipt by any Multiemployer Plan from any Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate of any notice, concerning the imposition upon any Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate of Withdrawal Liability or a determination that a Multiemployer Plan is, or is expected to be, insolvent, in critical status or in reorganization, within the meaning of Title IV of ERISA.

EU Bail-In Legislation Schedule” means the EU Bail-In Legislation Schedule published by the Loan Market Association (or any successor Person), as in effect from time to time.

Eurodollar”, when used in reference to any Loan or Borrowing, refers to whether such Loan, or the Loans comprising such Borrowing, bear interest at a rate determined by reference to the Adjusted LIBO Rate.

Event of Default” has the meaning assigned to such term in Article VII.

Excluded Collateral” has the meaning assigned to such term in the Security Agreement.

Excluded Swap Obligation” means, with respect to any Guarantor, any Swap Obligation if, and to the extent that, all or a portion of the Guarantee of such Guarantor of, or the grant by such Guarantor of a security interest to secure, such Swap Obligation (or any Guarantee thereof) is or becomes illegal under the Commodity Exchange Act or any rule, regulation or order of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (or the application or official interpretation of any thereof) by virtue of such Guarantor’s failure for any reason to constitute an ECP at the time the Guarantee of such Guarantor or the grant of such security interest becomes or would become effective with respect to such Swap Obligation. If a Swap Obligation arises under a master agreement governing more than one swap, such exclusion shall apply only to the portion of such Swap Obligation that is attributable to swaps for which such Guarantee or security interest is or becomes illegal.

 

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Excluded Taxes” means any of the following Taxes imposed on or with respect to a Recipient or required to be withheld or deducted from a payment to a Recipient: (a) Taxes imposed on or measured by net income (however denominated), franchise Taxes, and branch profits Taxes, in each case, (i) imposed as a result of such Recipient being organized under the laws of, or having its principal office or, in the case of any Lender, its applicable lending office located in, the jurisdiction imposing such Tax (or any political subdivision thereof) or (ii) that are Other Connection Taxes, (b) in the case of a Lender, U.S. federal withholding Taxes imposed on amounts payable to or for the account of such Lender with respect to an applicable interest in a Loan, Letter of Credit or Commitment pursuant to a law in effect on the date on which (i) such Lender acquires such interest in the Loan, Letter of Credit or Commitment (other than pursuant to an assignment request by the Borrowers under Section 2.19(b)) or (ii) such Lender changes its lending office, except in each case to the extent that, pursuant to Section 2.17, amounts with respect to such Taxes were payable either to such Lender’s assignor immediately before such Lender acquired the applicable interest in a Loan, Letter of Credit or Commitment or to such Lender immediately before it changed its lending office, (c) Taxes attributable to such Recipient’s failure to comply with Section 2.17(f) and (d) any withholding Taxes imposed under FATCA.

Existing Letters of Credit” means each letter of credit issued prior to the Effective Date by the Issuing Bank and listed on Schedule 2.06.

FATCA” means Sections 1471 through 1474 of the Code as of the date of this Agreement (or any amended or successor version that is substantively comparable and not materially more onerous to comply with), any current or future regulations or official interpretations thereof and any agreement entered into pursuant to Section 1471(b)(1) of the Code and any fiscal or regulatory legislation, rules or practices adopted pursuant to any intergovernmental agreement, treaty or convention among Governmental Authorities and implementing such Sections of the Code.

Federal Funds Effective Rate” means, for any day, the rate calculated by the NYFRB based on such day’s federal funds transactions by depositary institutions, as determined in such manner as shall set forth on the NYFRB’s Website from time to time, and published on the next succeeding Business Day by the NYFRB as the effective federal funds rate, provided that, if the Federal Funds Effective Rate as so determined would be less than zero, such rate shall be deemed to be zero for the purposes of this Agreement.

Federal Reserve Board” means the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System of the United States of America.

Financial Officer” means the chief financial officer, principal accounting officer, treasurer or controller of a Borrower.

Fixtures” has the meaning assigned to such term in the Security Agreement.

Flood Laws” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 8.10.

Floor” means the benchmark rate floor, if any, provided in this Agreement initially (as of the execution of this Agreement, the modification, amendment or renewal of this Agreement or otherwise) with respect to LIBO Rate.

Foreign Lender” means (a) if a Borrower is a U.S. Person, a Lender (or if the Lender is a disregarded entity for U.S. federal income tax purposes, the Person treated as the owner of the assets of such Lender for U.S. federal income tax purposes) that is not a U.S. Person, and (b) if a Borrower is not a U.S. Person, a Lender (or if the Lender is a disregarded entity for U.S. federal income tax purposes, the Person treated as the owner of the assets of such Lender for U.S. federal income tax purposes) that is resident or organized under the laws of a jurisdiction other than that in which such Borrower is resident for tax purposes.

 

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Foreign Subsidiary” shall mean each Subsidiary of a Borrower that is not a Domestic Subsidiary.

Foreign Subsidiary Holdco” means any Domestic Subsidiary, all the assets of which consist directly or indirectly of equity or equity and indebtedness of one or more CFCs (including other Foreign Subsidiary Holdcos), immaterial amounts of cash or cash equivalents and other immaterial assets. “Funding Account” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 4.01(h).

GAAP” means generally accepted accounting principles in the U.S.

Governmental Authority” means the government of the U.S., any other nation or any political subdivision thereof, whether state or local, and any agency, authority, instrumentality, regulatory body, court, central bank or other entity exercising executive, legislative, judicial, taxing, regulatory or administrative powers or functions of or pertaining to government.

Guarantee” of or by any Person (the “guarantor”) means any obligation, contingent or otherwise, of the guarantor guaranteeing or having the economic effect of guaranteeing any Indebtedness or other obligation of any other Person (the “primary obligor”) in any manner, whether directly or indirectly, and including any obligation of the guarantor, direct or indirect, (a) to purchase or pay (or advance or supply funds for the purchase or payment of) such Indebtedness or other obligation or to purchase (or to advance or supply funds for the purchase of) any security for the payment thereof, (b) to purchase or lease property, securities or services for the purpose of assuring the owner of such Indebtedness or other obligation of the payment thereof, (c) to maintain working capital, equity capital or any other financial statement condition or liquidity of the primary obligor so as to enable the primary obligor to pay such Indebtedness or other obligation or (d) as an account party in respect of any letter of credit or letter of guaranty issued to support such Indebtedness or obligation; provided that the term Guarantee shall not include endorsements for collection or deposit in the ordinary course of business. The amount of any Guarantee shall be deemed to be an amount equal to the lesser of (a) the stated or determinable amount of the primary payment obligation in respect of which such Guarantee is made and (b) the maximum amount for which the guaranteeing Person may be liable pursuant to the terms of the instrument embodying such Guarantee, unless such primary payment obligation and the maximum amount for which such guaranteeing Person may be liable are not stated or determinable, in which case the amount of the Guarantee shall be such guaranteeing Person’s maximum reasonably possible liability in respect thereof as reasonably determined by the Borrower in good faith.

Guaranteed Obligations” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 10.01.

Guarantors” means all Loan Guarantors and the term “Guarantor” means each or any one of them individually. For the avoidance of doubt, no CFC shall be a Guarantor.

Hazardous Materials” means: (a) any substance, material, or waste that is included within the definitions of “hazardous substances,” “hazardous materials,” “hazardous waste,” “toxic substances,” “toxic materials,” “toxic waste,” or words of similar import in any Environmental Law; (b) those substances listed as hazardous substances by the United States Department of Transportation (or any successor agency) (49 C.F.R. 172.101 and amendments thereto) or by the Environmental Protection Agency (or any successor agency) (40 C.F.R. Part 302 and amendments thereto); and (c) any substance, material, or waste that is petroleum, petroleum-related, or a petroleum by-product, asbestos or asbestos-containing material, polychlorinated biphenyls, flammable, explosive, radioactive, freon gas, radon, or a pesticide, herbicide, or any other agricultural chemical.

IBA” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 1.05.

 

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Immaterial Subsidiary” means each Subsidiary of the Company designated by the Company from time to time as an “Immaterial Subsidiary” and that for the period of four consecutive fiscal quarters then ended, for which financial statements have been delivered pursuant to Section 5.01(a) or (b) (or, if prior to the date of the delivery of the first financial statements to be delivered pursuant to Section 5.01(a) or (b), the most recent financial statements referred to in Section 3.04(a)), represents, either individually or in the aggregate with each other Immaterial Subsidiary, more than (a) 10.0% of the consolidated total assets of the Company and its Subsidiaries or (b) 10.0% of the consolidated revenues of the Company and its Subsidiaries.

Impacted Interest Period” has the meaning assigned to such term in the definition of “LIBO Rate.”

Indebtedness” of any Person means, without duplication, (a) all obligations of such Person for borrowed money or with respect to deposits or advances of any kind, (b) all obligations of such Person evidenced by bonds, debentures, notes or similar instruments, (c) all obligations of such Person upon which interest charges are customarily paid, (d) all obligations of such Person under conditional sale or other title retention agreements relating to property acquired by such Person, (e) all obligations of such Person in respect of the deferred purchase price of property or services if and to the extent such obligation would appear as a liability upon the balance sheet of the specified Person in accordance with GAAP (excluding (i) accounts payable or other liability to trade creditors incurred in the ordinary course of business (ii) deferred compensation and severance, pension, health and welfare retirement and equivalent benefits to current or former employees, directors or managers of such Person and its Subsidiaries, and (iii) licenses entered into in the ordinary course of business), (f) all Indebtedness of others secured by (or for which the holder of such Indebtedness has an existing right, contingent or otherwise, to be secured by) any Lien on property owned or acquired by such Person, whether or not the Indebtedness secured thereby has been assumed; provided that, if such Person has not assumed or otherwise become liable in respect of such Indebtedness, such obligations shall be deemed to be in an amount equal to the lesser of (i) the unpaid amount of such Indebtedness and (ii) fair market value of such property at the time of determination (in the Borrower’s good faith estimate), (g) all Guarantees by such Person of Indebtedness of others, (h) all Capital Lease Obligations of such Person, (i) all obligations, contingent or otherwise, of such Person as an account party in respect of letters of credit and letters of guaranty, (j) all obligations, contingent or otherwise, of such Person in respect of bankers’ acceptances, (k) obligations under any earn-out (which for all purposes of this Agreement, other than the definition of Total Indebtedness, shall be valued at the maximum potential amount payable with respect to each such earn-out, and with respect to the definition of Total Indebtedness, shall be valued in accordance with GAAP) and (l) any other Off-Balance Sheet Liability and (m) obligations, whether absolute or contingent and howsoever and whensoever created, arising, evidenced or acquired (including all renewals, extensions and modifications thereof and substitutions therefor), under (i) any and all Swap Agreements, and (ii) any and all cancellations, buy backs, reversals, terminations or assignments of any Swap Agreement transaction. The Indebtedness of any Person shall include the Indebtedness of any other entity (including any partnership in which such Person is a general partner) to the extent such Person is liable therefor as a result of such Person’s ownership interest in or other relationship with such entity, except to the extent the terms of such Indebtedness provide that such Person is not liable therefor.

Indemnified Taxes” means (a) Taxes, other than Excluded Taxes, imposed on or with respect to any payment made by or on account of any obligation of any Loan Party under any Loan Document and (b) to the extent not otherwise described in the foregoing clause (a), Other Taxes.

Indemnitee” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 9.03(c).

Ineligible Institution” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 9.04(b).

 

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Information” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 9.12.

Interest Election Request” means a request by the Borrower Representative to convert or continue a Borrowing in accordance with Section 2.08, which shall be substantially in the form of Exhibit B-2 hereto or any other form approved by the Administrative Agent.

Interest Expense” means, with reference to any period, total interest expense (including that attributable to Capital Lease Obligations) of the Company and its Subsidiaries for such period with respect to all outstanding Indebtedness of the Company and its Subsidiaries (including all commissions, discounts and other fees and charges owed with respect to letters of credit and bankers’ acceptances and net costs under Swap Agreements in respect of interest rates, to the extent such net costs are allocable to such period in accordance with GAAP), calculated for the Company and its Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis for such period in accordance with GAAP.

Interest Payment Date” means (a) with respect to any CBFR Loan, the first day of each calendar quarter and the Revolving Credit Maturity Date and (b) with respect to any Eurodollar Loan, the last day of each Interest Period applicable to the Borrowing of which such Loan is a part and, in the case of a Eurodollar Borrowing with an Interest Period of more than three months’ duration, each day prior to the last day of such Interest Period that occurs at intervals of three months’ duration after the first day of such Interest Period and the Revolving Credit Maturity Date.

Interest Period” means with respect to any Eurodollar Borrowing, the period commencing on the date of such Eurodollar Borrowing and ending on the numerically corresponding day in the calendar month that is one, three or six months thereafter, as the Borrower Representative may elect; provided that (i) if any Interest Period would end on a day other than a Business Day, such Interest Period shall be extended to the next succeeding Business Day unless such next succeeding Business Day would fall in the next calendar month, in which case such Interest Period shall end on the next preceding Business Day and (ii) any Interest Period that commences on the last Business Day of a calendar month (or on a day for which there is no numerically corresponding day in the last calendar month of such Interest Period) shall end on the last Business Day of the last calendar month of such Interest Period. For purposes hereof, the date of a Borrowing initially shall be the date on which such Borrowing is made and thereafter, in the case of a Revolving Borrowing, shall be the effective date of the most recent conversion or continuation of such Borrowing.

Interpolated Rate” means, at any time, for any Interest Period, the rate per annum (rounded to the same number of decimal places as the LIBO Screen Rate) determined by the Administrative Agent (which determination shall be conclusive and binding absent manifest error) to be equal to the rate that results from interpolating on a linear basis between: (a) the LIBO Screen Rate for the longest period (for which the LIBO Screen Rate is available) that is shorter than the Impacted Interest Period and (b) the LIBO Screen Rate for the shortest period (for which the LIBO Screen Rate is available) that exceeds the Impacted Interest Period, in each case, at such time; provided that, if any Interpolated Rate shall be less than zero, such rate shall be deemed to be zero for purposes of this Agreement.

Inventory” has the meaning assigned to such term in the Security Agreement.

IRS” means the United States Internal Revenue Service.

ISDA Definitions” means the 2006 ISDA Definitions published by the International Swaps and Derivatives Association, Inc. or any successor thereto, as amended or supplemented from time to time, or any successor definitional booklet for interest rate derivatives published from time to time by the International Swaps and Derivatives Association, Inc. or such successor thereto.

 

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Issuing Bank” means, individually and collectively, each of Chase, in its capacity as the issuer of Letters of Credit hereunder, and any other Revolving Lender from time to time designated by the Borrower Representative as an Issuing Bank, with the consent of such Revolving Lender and the Administrative Agent, and their respective successors in such capacity as provided in Section 2.06(i). Any Issuing Bank may, in its discretion, arrange for one or more Letters of Credit to be issued by its Affiliates, in which case the term “Issuing Bank” shall include any such Affiliate with respect to Letters of Credit issued by such Affiliate (it being agreed that such Issuing Bank shall, or shall cause such Affiliate to, comply with the requirements of Section 2.06 with respect to such Letters of Credit). At any time there is more than one Issuing Bank, all singular references to the Issuing Bank shall mean any Issuing Bank, either Issuing Bank, each Issuing Bank, the Issuing Bank that has issued the applicable Letter of Credit, or both (or all) Issuing Banks, as the context may require.

Issuing Bank Sublimit” means, as of the Effective Date, (i) $10,000,000, in the case of Chase and (ii) such amount as shall be designated to the Administrative Agent and the Borrower Representative in writing by an Issuing Bank; provided that any Issuing Bank shall be permitted at any time to increase or reduce its Issuing Bank Sublimit upon providing five (5) days’ prior written notice thereof to the Administrative Agent and the Borrowers.

Joinder Agreement” means a Joinder Agreement in substantially the form of Exhibit F.

LC Collateral Account” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 2.06(j).

LC Disbursement” means any payment made by an Issuing Bank pursuant to a Letter of Credit.

LC Exposure” means, at any time, the sum of the Commercial LC Exposure and the Standby LC Exposure at such time. The LC Exposure of any Revolving Lender at any time shall be its Applicable Percentage of the aggregate LC Exposure at such time.

Lender-Related Person” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 9.03(b).

Lenders” means the Persons listed on the Commitment Schedule and any other Person that shall have become a Lender hereunder pursuant to Section 2.09 or an Assignment and Assumption or otherwise, other than any such Person that ceases to be a Lender hereunder pursuant to an Assignment and Assumption or otherwise. Unless the context otherwise requires, the term “Lenders” includes the Issuing Bank.

Letter of Credit Agreement” has the meaning assigned to it in Section 2.06(b).

Letters of Credit” means the letters of credit issued pursuant to this Agreement and shall include each Existing Letters of Credit, and the term “Letter of Credit” means any one of them or each of them singularly, as the context may require.

Liabilities” means any losses, claims (including intraparty claims), demands, damages or liabilities of any kind.

LIBO Rate” means, with respect to any Eurodollar Borrowing for any applicable Interest Period or for any CBFR Borrowing, the LIBO Screen Rate at approximately 11:00 a.m., London time, two (2) Business Days prior to the commencement of such Interest Period; provided that, if the LIBO Screen Rate shall not be available at such time for such Interest Period (an “Impacted Interest Period”), then the LIBO Rate shall be the Interpolated Rate, subject to Section 2.14 in the event that the Administrative Agent shall conclude that it shall not be possible to determine such Interpolated Rate (which conclusion shall be conclusive and binding absent manifest error). Notwithstanding the above, to the extent that “LIBO Rate” or “Adjusted LIBO Rate” is used in connection with an CBFR Borrowing, such rate shall be determined as modified by the definition of CB Floating Rate.

 

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LIBO Screen Rate” means, for any day and time, with respect to any Eurodollar Borrowing for any Interest Period or for any CBFR Borrowing, the London interbank offered rate as administered by ICE Benchmark Administration (or any other Person that takes over the administration of such rate for Dollars) for a period equal in length to such Interest Period as displayed on such day and time on pages LIBOR01 or LIBOR02 of the Reuters screen that displays such rate (or, in the event such rate does not appear on a Reuters page or screen, on any successor or substitute page on such screen that displays such rate, or on the appropriate page of such other information service that publishes such rate from time to time as selected by the Administrative Agent in its reasonable discretion); provided that, if the LIBO Screen Rate as so determined would be less than zero, such rate shall be deemed to be zero for the purposes of this Agreement; provided further, that the foregoing shall not be applicable to determine the “Adjusted One Month LIBOR Rate” and the “CB Floating Rate”.

Lien” means, with respect to any asset, (a) any mortgage, deed of trust, lien, pledge, hypothecation, encumbrance, charge or security interest in, on or of such asset, (b) the interest of a vendor or a lessor under any conditional sale agreement, capital lease or title retention agreement (or any financing lease having substantially the same economic effect as any of the foregoing) relating to such asset and (c) in the case of securities, any purchase option, call or similar right of a third party with respect to such securities.

Loan Documents” means, collectively, this Agreement, each promissory note issued pursuant to this Agreement, each Letter of Credit Agreement, each Collateral Document, each Compliance Certificate, the Loan Guaranty and each other agreement, instrument, document and certificate executed and delivered to, or in favor of, the Administrative Agent or any Lender and including each other pledge, power of attorney, consent, assignment, contract, notice, letter of credit agreement, letter of credit applications and any agreements between the Borrower Representative and the Issuing Bank regarding the Issuing Bank’s Issuing Bank Sublimit or the respective rights and obligations between the Borrower and the Issuing Bank in connection with the issuance of Letters of Credit, and each other written matter whether heretofore, now or hereafter executed by or on behalf of any Loan Party, or any employee of any Loan Party, and delivered to the Administrative Agent or any Lender in connection with this Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby. Any reference in this Agreement or any other Loan Document to a Loan Document shall include all appendices, exhibits or schedules thereto, and all amendments, restatements, supplements or other modifications thereto, and shall refer to this Agreement or such Loan Document as the same may be in effect at any and all times such reference becomes operative.

Loan Guarantor” means each Loan Party.

Loan Guaranty” means Article X of this Agreement.

Loan Parties” means, collectively, the Borrowers, the Borrowers’ Domestic Subsidiaries and any other Person who becomes a party to this Agreement pursuant to a Joinder Agreement and their respective successors and assigns, and the term “Loan Party” shall mean any one of them or all of them individually, as the context may require; provided, however, that no CFC shall be a Loan Party.

Loans” means the loans and advances made by the Lenders pursuant to this Agreement.

Margin Stock” means margin stock within the meaning of Regulations T, U and X, as applicable.

 

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Material Adverse Effect” means a material adverse effect on (a) the business, assets, operations, or financial condition of the Company and its Subsidiaries taken as a whole, (b) the ability of any Loan Party to perform any of its Obligations, (c) the Collateral, or the Administrative Agent’s Liens (on behalf of itself and the other Secured Parties) on the Collateral or the priority of such Liens, or (d) the rights of or benefits available to the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Bank or the Lenders under any of the Loan Documents.

Material Domestic Subsidiaries” means each Domestic Subsidiary which is not an Immaterial Subsidiary.

Material Indebtedness” means Indebtedness (other than the Loans and Letters of Credit), or obligations in respect of one or more Swap Agreements, of any one or more of the Company and its Subsidiaries in an aggregate principal amount exceeding the greater of (x) $5,000,000 and (y) thirty-five percent (35%) of EBITDA. For purposes of determining Material Indebtedness, the “principal amount” of the obligations of a Borrower or any Subsidiary in respect of any Swap Agreement at any time shall be the maximum aggregate amount (giving effect to any netting agreements) that such Borrower or such Subsidiary would be required to pay if such Swap Agreement were terminated at such time.

Maximum Rate” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 9.17.

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

Multiemployer Plan” means a multiemployer plan as defined in Section 4001(a)(3) of ERISA.

Net Income” means, for any period, the consolidated net income (or loss) determined for the Company and its Subsidiaries, on a consolidated basis in accordance with GAAP; provided that there shall be excluded (a) the income (or deficit) of any Person accrued prior to the date it becomes a Subsidiary or is merged into or consolidated with the Company or any Subsidiary, (b) the income (or deficit) of any Person (other than a Subsidiary) in which the Company or any Subsidiary has an ownership interest, except to the extent that any such income is actually received by the Company or such Subsidiary in the form of dividends or similar distributions and (c) the undistributed earnings of any Subsidiary, to the extent that the declaration or payment of dividends or similar distributions by such Subsidiary is not at the time permitted by the terms of any contractual obligation (other than under any Loan Document) or Requirement of Law applicable to such Subsidiary.

Non-Consenting Lender” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 9.02(d).

NYFRB” means the Federal Reserve Bank of New York.

NYFRB Rate” means, for any day, the greater of (a) the Federal Funds Effective Rate in effect on such day and (b) the Overnight Bank Funding Rate in effect on such day (or for any day that is not a Business Day, for the immediately preceding Business Day); provided that if none of such rates are published for any day that is a Business Day, the term “NYFRB Rate” means the rate for a federal funds transaction quoted at 11:00 a.m. New York time on such day received by the Administrative Agent from a federal funds broker of recognized standing selected by it; provided, further, that if any of the aforesaid rates as so determined would be less than zero, such rate shall be deemed to be zero for purposes of this Agreement.

NYFRB’s Website” means the website of the NYFRB at http://www.newyorkfed.org, or any successor source.

 

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Obligated Party” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 10.02.

Obligations” means all unpaid principal of and accrued and unpaid interest on the Loans, all LC Exposure, all accrued and unpaid fees and all expenses, reimbursements, indemnities and other obligations and indebtedness (including interest and fees accruing during the pendency of any bankruptcy, insolvency, receivership or other similar proceeding, regardless of whether allowed or allowable in such proceeding), obligations and liabilities of any of the Loan Parties to any of the Lenders, the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Bank or any indemnified party, individually or collectively, existing on the Effective Date or arising thereafter, direct or indirect, joint or several, absolute or contingent, matured or unmatured, liquidated or unliquidated, secured or unsecured, arising by contract, operation of law or otherwise, arising or incurred under this Agreement or any of the other Loan Documents or in respect of any of the Loans made or reimbursement or other obligations incurred or any of the Letters of Credit or other instruments at any time evidencing any thereof; provided that the definition of “Obligations” shall not create or include any guarantee by any Loan Party of any Excluded Swap Obligations of such Loan Party for purposes of determining any obligations of any Loan Party.

OFAC” means the Office of Foreign Assets Control of the United States Department of the Treasury.

Off-Balance Sheet Liability” of a Person means (a) any repurchase obligation or liability of such Person with respect to accounts or notes receivable sold by such Person, (b) any indebtedness, liability or obligation under any so-called “synthetic lease” transaction entered into by such Person, or (c) any indebtedness, liability or obligation arising with respect to any other transaction which is the functional equivalent of or takes the place of borrowing but which does not constitute a liability on the balance sheet of such Person (other than operating leases).

Other Connection Taxes” means, with respect to any Recipient, Taxes imposed as a result of a present or former connection between such Recipient and the jurisdiction imposing such Taxes (other than a connection arising from such Recipient having executed, delivered, become a party to, performed its obligations under, received payments under, received or perfected a security interest under, engaged in any other transaction pursuant to, or enforced, any Loan Document, or sold or assigned an interest in any Loan, Letter of Credit, or any Loan Document).

Other Taxes” means all present or future stamp, court or documentary, intangible, recording, filing or similar Taxes that arise from any payment made under, from the execution, delivery, performance, enforcement or registration of, from the receipt or perfection of a security interest under, or otherwise with respect to, any Loan Document, except any such Taxes that are Other Connection Taxes imposed with respect to an assignment (other than an assignment made pursuant to Section 2.19 at the request of the Borrower Representative).

Overnight Bank Funding Rate” means, for any day, the rate comprised of both overnight federal funds and overnight Eurodollar borrowings by U.S.-managed banking offices of depository institutions (as such composite rate shall be determined by the NYFRB as set forth on the NYFRB’s Website from time to time) and published on the next succeeding Business Day by the NYFRB as an overnight bank funding rate.

Paid in Full” or “Payment in Full” means, (i) the indefeasible payment in full in cash of all outstanding Loans and LC Disbursements, together with accrued and unpaid interest thereon, (ii) the termination, expiration, or cancellation and return of all outstanding Letters of Credit (or alternatively, with respect to each such Letter of Credit, the furnishing to the Administrative Agent of a cash deposit, or at the discretion of the Administrative Agent a back-up standby letter of credit satisfactory to the Administrative

 

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Agent and the Issuing Bank, in an amount equal to 103% of the LC Exposure as of the date of such payment), (iii) the indefeasible payment in full in cash of the accrued and unpaid fees, (iv) the indefeasible payment in full in cash of all reimbursable expenses and other Secured Obligations (other than Unliquidated Obligations for which no claim has been made and other obligations expressly stated to survive such payment and termination of this Agreement), together with accrued and unpaid interest thereon, (v) the termination of all Commitments, and (vi) the termination of the Swap Agreement Obligations and the Banking Services Obligations or entering into other arrangements satisfactory to the Secured Parties counterparties thereto.

Parent” means, with respect to any Lender, any Person as to which such Lender is, directly or indirectly, a subsidiary.

Participant” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 9.04(c).

Participant Register” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 9.04(c).

Payment” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 8.06(d).

Payment Notice” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 8.06(d).

PBGC” means the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation referred to and defined in ERISA and any successor entity performing similar functions.

Permitted Acquisition” means any Acquisition by any Loan Party in a transaction that satisfies each of the following requirements:

(a) such Acquisition is not a hostile or contested acquisition;

(b) the business acquired in connection with such Acquisition is (i) located in the U.S., (ii) organized under applicable U.S. and state laws, and (iii) not engaged, directly or indirectly, in any line of business other than the businesses in which the Loan Parties are engaged on the Effective Date and any business operations or activities that are reasonably complementary, ancillary, similar, related or incidental thereto or any business or activity that is a reasonable extension, development or expansion thereof or ancillary thereto; provided that a Loan Party may acquire a business outside of the U.S. or organized under non-U.S. laws as long as any such acquired Person becomes a wholly-owned Subsidiary of the Company and a Loan Party under this Agreement and the other Loan Documents;

(c) both before and after giving effect to such Acquisition and the Loans (if any) requested to be made in connection therewith, each of the representations and warranties in the Loan Documents is true and correct (except any such representation or warranty which relates to a specified prior date) and no Default exists, will exist, or would result therefrom;

(d) as soon as available, but not less than thirty (30) days prior to such Acquisition, the Borrower Representative has provided the Administrative Agent (i) notice of such Acquisition and (ii) a copy of all business and financial information reasonably requested by the Administrative Agent including pro forma financial statements and statements of cash flow;

(e) if such Acquisition is an acquisition of the Equity Interests of a Person, such Acquisition is structured so that the acquired Person shall become a Wholly-Owned Subsidiary of a Borrower and a Loan Party to the extent required and pursuant to the terms of this Agreement;

 

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(f) if such Acquisition is an acquisition of assets, such Acquisition is structured so that a Borrower shall acquire such assets;

(g) if such Acquisition is an acquisition of Equity Interests, such Acquisition will not result in any violation of Regulation U;

(h) if such Acquisition involves a merger or a consolidation involving a Borrower or any other Loan Party, such Borrower or such Loan Party, as applicable, shall be the surviving entity;

(i) no Loan Party shall, as a result of or in connection with any such Acquisition, assume or incur any direct or contingent liabilities (whether relating to environmental, tax, litigation, or other matters) that could have a Material Adverse Effect;

(j) in connection with an Acquisition of the Equity Interests of any Person, all Liens on property of such Person shall be terminated unless the Administrative Agent and the Lenders in their sole discretion consent otherwise, and in connection with an Acquisition of the assets of any Person, all Liens on such assets shall be terminated (except for Liens permitted under Section 6.02);

(k) before and after giving effect to the completion of such Acquisition, the Total Net Leverage Ratio, on a pro forma basis, shall not exceed the applicable maximum Total Net Leverage Ratio permitted under Section 6.12 at such time.

(l) all actions required to be taken with respect to any newly acquired or formed Wholly-Owned Subsidiary of a Borrower or a Loan Party, as applicable, required under Section 5.14 shall have been taken; and

(m) the Borrower Representative shall have delivered to the Administrative Agent (i) the substantially final form documentation, to the extent then available, relating to such Acquisition within 5 days prior to the consummation thereof, and (ii) the final executed material documentation relating to such Acquisition within 10 days following the consummation thereof.

Permitted Encumbrances” means:

(a) Liens imposed by law for Taxes that are not yet due or are being contested in compliance with Section 5.04;

(b) carriers’, landlord’s, warehousemen’s, mechanics’, materialmen’s, repairmen’s and other like Liens imposed by law, arising in the ordinary course of business and securing obligations that are not overdue by more than thirty (30) days or are being contested in compliance with Section 5.04;

(c) pledges and deposits (i) made in the ordinary course of business in compliance with workers’ compensation, unemployment insurance and other social security laws or regulations or employment laws or to secure other public, statutory or regulatory obligations and (ii) with respect to letters of credit, bank guarantees or similar instruments issued for the account of any Borrower or any Subsidiary in the ordinary course of business supporting obligations of the type set forth in clause (c)(i) above;

(d) deposits to secure the performance of bids, trade contracts, leases, statutory obligations, surety and appeal bonds, performance bonds and other obligations of a like nature, in each case in the ordinary course of business;

 

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(e) judgment Liens in respect of judgments that do not constitute an Event of Default under clause (k) of Article VII;

(f) easements, zoning restrictions, rights-of-way and similar encumbrances on real property imposed by law or arising in the ordinary course of business that do not secure any monetary obligations and do not materially detract from the value of the affected property or interfere with the ordinary conduct of business of any Borrower or any Subsidiary;

(g) banker’s liens, rights of setoff or similar rights and remedies as to deposit accounts or other funds maintained with depository institutions and payment processors; provided that such deposit accounts or funds are not established or deposited for the purpose of providing collateral for any Indebtedness;

(h) any interest or title of a licensor under any license or sublicense entered into by any Borrower or any Subsidiary as a licensee or sublicensee (i) existing on the date hereof or (ii) in the ordinary course of its business;

(i) licenses, sublicenses, leases or subleases granted (i) between or among any of the Loan Parties or any of their Subsidiaries (or any combination thereof) or (ii) to other Persons permitted under Section 6.05;

(j) possessory Liens in favor of brokers and dealers arising in connection with the acquisition or disposition of Permitted Investments;

(k) Liens in favor of customs and revenue authorities arising as a matter of law to secure payment of customs duties in connection with the importation of goods;

(l) Liens or rights of setoff against credit balances of the Company or any Subsidiary with credit card issuers or credit card processors to secure obligations of the Company or such Subsidiary, as the case may be, to any such credit card issuer or credit card processor incurred in the ordinary course of business as a result of fees and chargebacks; and

(m) leases, licenses, subleases or sublicenses of real property or equipment granted to others in the ordinary course of business which do not (i) interfere in any material respect with the business of any Borrower and its Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, or (ii) secure any Indebtedness;

provided that the term “Permitted Encumbrances” shall not include any Lien securing Indebtedness, except with respect to clause (e) above.

Permitted Investments” means:

(a) direct obligations of, or obligations the principal of and interest on which are unconditionally guaranteed by, the U.S. (or by any agency thereof to the extent such obligations are backed by the full faith and credit of the U.S.), in each case maturing within one year from the date of acquisition thereof;

(b) investments in commercial paper maturing within 270 days from the date of acquisition thereof and having, at such date of acquisition, the highest credit rating obtainable from S&P or from Moody’s;

 

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(c) investments in certificates of deposit, bankers’ acceptances and time deposits maturing within 180 days from the date of acquisition thereof issued or guaranteed by or placed with, and money market deposit accounts issued or offered by, any domestic office of any commercial bank organized under the laws of the U.S. or any state thereof which has a combined capital and surplus and undivided profits of not less than $500,000,000;

(d) fully collateralized repurchase agreements with a term of not more than 30 days for securities described in clause (a) above and entered into with a financial institution satisfying the criteria described in clause (c) above;

(e) money market funds that (i) comply with the criteria set forth in Securities and Exchange Commission Rule 2a-7 under the Investment Company Act of 1940, (ii) are rated AAA by S&P and Aaa by Moody’s and (iii) have portfolio assets of at least $5,000,000,000; and

(f) investments with average maturities of 12 months or less from the date of acquisition in money market funds rated AAA- (or the equivalent thereof) or better by S&P or Aaa3 (or the equivalent thereof) or better by Moody’s (or, if at any time neither Moody’s nor S&P shall be rating such obligations, an equivalent rating from another nationally recognized statistical rating agency); and

(g) investment funds investing substantially all of their assets in securities of the types described in clauses (a) through (f) above.

Person” means any natural person, corporation, limited liability company, trust, joint venture, association, company, partnership, Governmental Authority or other entity.

Plan” means any employee pension benefit plan (other than a Multiemployer Plan) subject to the provisions of Title IV of ERISA or Section 412 of the Code or Section 302 of ERISA, and in respect of which any Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate is (or, if such plan were terminated, would under Section 4069 of ERISA be deemed to be) an “employer” as defined in Section 3(5) of ERISA.

Plan Asset Regulations” means 29 CFR § 2510.3-101 et seq., as modified by Section 3(42) of ERISA, as amended from time to time.

Prime Rate” means the rate of interest last quoted by The Wall Street Journal as the “Prime Rate” in the U.S. or, if The Wall Street Journal ceases to quote such rate, the highest per annum interest rate published by the Federal Reserve Board in Federal Reserve Statistical Release H.15 (519) (Selected Interest Rates) as the “bank prime loan” rate or, if such rate is no longer quoted therein, any similar rate quoted therein (as determined by the Administrative Agent) or any similar release by the Federal Reserve Board (as determined by the Administrative Agent). Each change in the Prime Rate shall be effective from and including the date such change is publicly announced or quoted as being effective.

Proceeding” means any claim, litigation, investigation, action, suit, arbitration or administrative, judicial or regulatory action or proceeding in any jurisdiction.

Projections” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 4.01(b).

PTE” means a prohibited transaction class exemption issued by the U.S. Department of Labor, as any such exemption may be amended from time to time.

 

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Public-Sider” means a Lender whose representatives may trade in securities of the Company or its Controlling person or any of its Subsidiaries while in possession of the financial statements provided by the Company under the terms of this Agreement.

QFC” has the meaning assigned to the term “qualified financial contract” in, and shall be interpreted in accordance with, 12 U.S.C. 5390(c)(8)(D).

QFC Credit Support” has the meaning assigned to it in Section 9.21.

Qualified ECP Guarantor” means, in respect of any Swap Obligation, each Loan Party that has total assets exceeding $10,000,000 at the time the relevant Loan Guaranty or grant of the relevant security interest becomes or would become effective with respect to such Swap Obligation or such other person as constitutes an “eligible contract participant” under the Commodity Exchange Act or any regulations promulgated thereunder and can cause another person to qualify as an “eligible contract participant” at such time by entering into a keepwell under Section 1a(18)(A)(v)(II) of the Commodity Exchange Act.

Real Property” means all real property that was, is now or may hereafter be owned, occupied or otherwise controlled by any Loan Party pursuant to any contract of sale, lease or other conveyance of any legal interest in any real property to any Loan Party.

Recipient” means, as applicable, (a) the Administrative Agent, (b) any Lender and (c) any Issuing Bank, or any combination thereof (as the context requires).

Reference Time” with respect to any setting of the then-current Benchmark means (1) if such Benchmark is LIBO Rate, 11:00 a.m. (London time) on the day that is two London banking days preceding the date of such setting, and (2) if such Benchmark is not LIBO Rate, the time determined by the Administrative Agent in its reasonable discretion.

Refinance Indebtedness” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 6.01(f).

Register” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 9.04(b).

Regulation D” means Regulation D of the Federal Reserve Board, as in effect from time to time and all official rulings and interpretations thereunder or thereof.

Regulation T” means Regulation T of the Federal Reserve Board, as in effect from time to time and all official rulings and interpretations thereunder or thereof.

Regulation U” means Regulation U of the Federal Reserve Board, as in effect from time to time and all official rulings and interpretations thereunder or thereof.

Regulation X” means Regulation X of the Federal Reserve Board, as in effect from time to time and all official rulings and interpretations thereunder or thereof.

Related Parties” means, with respect to any specified Person, such Person’s Affiliates and the respective directors, officers, partners, members, trustees, employees, agents, administrators, managers, representatives and advisors of such Person and such Person’s Affiliates.

Release” means any releasing, spilling, leaking, pumping, pouring, emitting, emptying, discharging, injecting, escaping, leaching, migrating, disposing, or dumping of any substance into the environment.

 

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Relevant Governmental Body means the Federal Reserve Board and/or the NYFRB, or a committee officially endorsed or convened by the Federal Reserve Board and/or the NYFRB or, in each case, any successor thereto.

Report” means reports prepared by the Administrative Agent or another Person showing the results of appraisals, field examinations or audits pertaining to the assets of the Loan Parties from information furnished by or on behalf of the Borrowers, after the Administrative Agent has exercised its rights of inspection pursuant to this Agreement, which Reports may be distributed to the Lenders by the Administrative Agent.

Required Lenders” means, subject to Section 2.20, at any time, Lenders having Credit Exposure and Unfunded Commitments representing more than 50% of the sum of the Aggregate Credit Exposure and Unfunded Commitments at such time; provided that, as long as there are only two Lenders, Required Lenders shall mean both Lenders.

Requirement of Law” means, with respect to any Person, (a) the charter, articles or certificate of organization or incorporation and bylaws or operating, management or partnership agreement, or other organizational or governing documents of such Person and (b) any statute, law (including common law), treaty, rule, regulation, code, ordinance, order, decree, writ, judgment, injunction or determination of any arbitrator or court or other Governmental Authority (including Environmental Laws), in each case applicable to or binding upon such Person or any of its property or to which such Person or any of its property is subject.

Resolution Authority” means an EEA Resolution Authority or, with respect to any UK Financial Institution, a UK Resolution Authority.

Responsible Officer” means the president, Financial Officer or other executive officer of a Borrower.

Restricted Payment” means any dividend or other distribution (whether in cash, securities or other property) with respect to any Equity Interest in any Borrower or any Subsidiary, or any payment (whether in cash, securities or other property), including any sinking fund or similar deposit, on account of the purchase, redemption, retirement, acquisition, cancellation or termination of any such Equity Interests or any option, warrant or other right to acquire any such Equity Interests.

Restricted Preferred Stock Award Agreement” means that certain Restricted Preferred Stock Award Agreement dated as of April 26, 2017, as amended, by and between the Company and Nikolaos Vlahos, disclosed to the Administrative Agent prior to the Effective Date (or as amended thereafter, so long as each such amendment does not adversely impact the Administrative Agent or the Lenders).

Reuters” means, as applicable, Thomson Reuters Corp, Refinitiv, or any successor thereto.

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

Revolving Commitment” means, with respect to each Lender, the amount set forth on the Commitment Schedule opposite such Lender’s name, or in the Assignment and Assumption or other documentation or record (as such term is defined in Section 9-102(a)(70) of the New York Uniform Commercial Code) as provided in Section 9.04(b)(ii)(C), pursuant to which such Lender shall have assumed its Revolving Commitment, as applicable, as such Revolving Commitment may be reduced or increased from time to time pursuant to (a) Section 2.09 and (b) assignments by or to such Lender pursuant to Section 9.04; provided, that at no time shall the Revolving Exposure of any Lender exceed its Revolving Commitment. The initial aggregate amount of the Lenders’ Revolving Commitments is $35,000,000.

 

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Revolving Credit Maturity Date” means April [__], 2026 (if the same is a Business Day, or if not then the immediately next succeeding Business Day), or any earlier date on which the Revolving Commitments are reduced to zero or otherwise terminated pursuant to the terms hereof.

Revolving Exposure” means, with respect to any Lender, at any time, the sum of the aggregate outstanding principal amount of such Lender’s Revolving Loans and its LC Exposure at such time.

Revolving Lender” means, as of any date of determination, a Lender with a Revolving Commitment or, if the Revolving Commitments have terminated or expired, a Lender with Revolving Exposure.

Revolving Loan” means a Loan made pursuant to Section 2.01.

S&P” means Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services, a Standard & Poor’s Financial Services LLC business.

Sale and Leaseback Transaction” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 6.06.

Sanctioned Country” means, at any time, a country, region or territory which is itself the subject or target of any Sanctions (at the time of this Agreement, Crimea, Cuba, Iran, North Korea and Syria).

Sanctioned Person” means, at any time, (a) any Person listed in any Sanctions-related list of designated Persons maintained by the Office of Foreign Assets Control of the U.S. Department of the Treasury, or the U.S. Department of State or by the United Nations Security Council, the European Union, any European Union member state, Her Majesty’s Treasury of the United Kingdom or other relevant sanctions authority, (b) any Person operating, organized or resident in a Sanctioned Country, (c) any Person owned or controlled by any such Person or Persons described in the foregoing clauses (a) or (b), or (d) any Person otherwise the subject of any Sanctions.

Sanctions” means all economic or financial sanctions or trade embargoes imposed, administered or enforced from time to time by (a) the U.S. government, including those administered by the Office of Foreign Assets Control of the U.S. Department of the Treasury or the U.S. Department of State, or (b) the United Nations Security Council, the European Union, any European Union member state or Her Majesty’s Treasury of the United Kingdom or other relevant sanctions authority.

SEC” means the Securities and Exchange Commission of the U.S.

Secured Obligations” means all Obligations, together with all (i) Banking Services Obligations and (ii) Swap Agreement Obligations owing to one or more Lenders or their respective Affiliates; provided, however, that the definition of “Secured Obligations” shall not create any guarantee by any Guarantor of (or grant of security interest by any Guarantor to support, as applicable) any Excluded Swap Obligations of such Guarantor for purposes of determining any obligations of any Guarantor.

Secured Parties” means (a) the Lenders, (b) the Administrative Agent, (c) the Issuing Bank, (d) each provider of Banking Services, to the extent the Banking Services Obligations in respect thereof constitute Secured Obligations, (e) each counterparty to any Swap Agreement, to the extent the obligations thereunder constitute Secured Obligations, (f) the beneficiaries of each indemnification obligation undertaken by any Loan Party under any Loan Document, and (g) the successors and assigns of each of the foregoing.

 

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Security Agreement” means that certain Pledge and Security Agreement (including any and all supplements thereto), dated as of the date hereof, among the Loan Parties and the Administrative Agent, for the benefit of the Administrative Agent and the other Secured Parties, and any other pledge or security agreement entered into, after the date of this Agreement by any other Loan Party (as required by this Agreement or any other Loan Document) or any other Person for the benefit of the Administrative Agent and the other Secured Parties, as the same may be amended, restated, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time.

SOFR” means, with respect to any Business Day, a rate per annum equal to the secured overnight financing rate for such Business Day published by the SOFR Administrator on the SOFR Administrator’s Website at approximately 8:00 a.m. (New York City time) on the immediately succeeding Business Day.

SOFR Administrator” means the NYFRB (or a successor administrator of the secured overnight financing rate).

SOFR Administrator’s Website” means the NYFRB’s Website, currently at http://www.newyorkfed.org, or any successor source for the secured overnight financing rate identified as such by the SOFR Administrator from time to time.

Standby LC Exposure” means, at any time, the sum of (a) the aggregate undrawn amount of all standby Letters of Credit outstanding at such time plus (b) the aggregate amount of all LC Disbursements relating to standby Letters of Credit that have not yet been reimbursed by or on behalf of the Borrowers at such time. The Standby LC Exposure of any Revolving Lender at any time shall be its Applicable Percentage of the aggregate Standby LC Exposure at such time.

Statements” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 2.18(f).

Statutory Reserve Rate” means a fraction (expressed as a decimal), the numerator of which is the number one and the denominator of which is the number one minus the aggregate of the maximum reserve percentage (including any marginal, special, emergency or supplemental reserves) established by the Federal Reserve Board to which the Administrative Agent is subject with respect to the Adjusted LIBO Rate, for eurocurrency funding (currently referred to as “Eurocurrency liabilities” in Regulation D). Such reserve percentages shall include those imposed pursuant to Regulation D of the Federal Reserve Board. Eurodollar Loans shall be deemed to constitute eurocurrency funding and to be subject to such reserve requirements without benefit of or credit for proration, exemptions or offsets that may be available from time to time to any Lender under Regulation D of the Federal Reserve Board or any comparable regulation. The Statutory Reserve Rate shall be adjusted automatically on and as of the effective date of any change in any reserve percentage.

Subordinated Indebtedness” of a Person means any Indebtedness of such Person, the payment of which is subordinated to payment of the Secured Obligations to the written satisfaction of the Administrative Agent.

subsidiary” means, with respect to any Person (the “parent”) at any date, any corporation, limited liability company, partnership, association or other entity, the accounts of which would be consolidated with those of the parent in the parent’s consolidated financial statements if such financial statements were prepared in accordance with GAAP as of such date, as well as any other corporation, limited liability company, partnership, association or other entity (a) of which securities or other ownership interests representing more than 50% of the equity or more than 50% of the ordinary voting power or, in the case of a partnership, more than 50% of the general partnership interests are, as of such date, owned, controlled or held, or (b) that is, as of such date, otherwise Controlled, by the parent and/or one or more subsidiaries of the parent.

 

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Subsidiary” means any direct or indirect subsidiary of the Company, any other Borrower or a Loan Party, as applicable.

Supported QFC” has the meaning assigned to it in Section 9.21.

Swap Agreement” means any agreement with respect to any swap, forward, spot, future, credit default or derivative transaction or option or similar agreement involving, or settled by reference to, one or more rates, currencies, commodities, equity or debt instruments or securities, or economic, financial or pricing indices or measures of economic, financial or pricing risk or value or any similar transaction or any combination of these transactions; provided that no phantom stock or similar plan providing for payments only on account of services provided by current or former directors, officers, employees or consultants of the Borrowers or their Subsidiaries shall be a Swap Agreement.

Swap Agreement Obligations” means any and all obligations of the Loan Parties and their Subsidiaries, whether absolute or contingent and howsoever and whensoever created, arising, evidenced or acquired (including all renewals, extensions and modifications thereof and substitutions therefor), under (a) any Swap Agreement permitted hereunder with a Lender or an Affiliate of a Lender, and (b) any cancellations, buy backs, reversals, terminations or assignments of any Swap Agreement transaction permitted hereunder with a Lender or an Affiliate of a Lender.

Swap Obligation” 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 or any rules or regulations promulgated thereunder.

Taxes” means any and all present or future taxes, levies, imposts, duties, deductions, withholdings (including backup withholding), assessments, fees or other charges imposed by any Governmental Authority, including any interest, additions to tax or penalties applicable thereto.

Term SOFR” means, for the applicable Corresponding Tenor as of the applicable Reference Time, the forward-looking term rate based on SOFR that has been selected or recommended by the Relevant Governmental Body.

Term SOFR Notice” means a notification by the Administrative Agent to the Lenders and the Borrower Representative of the occurrence of a Term SOFR Transition Event.

Term SOFR Transition Event” means the determination by the Administrative Agent that (a) Term SOFR has been recommended for use by the Relevant Governmental Body, (b) the administration of Term SOFR is administratively feasible for the Administrative Agent and (c) a Benchmark Transition Event or an Early Opt-in Election, as applicable, has previously occurred resulting in a Benchmark Replacement in accordance with Section 2.14 that is not Term SOFR.

Total Indebtedness” means, at any date and without duplication, the aggregate principal amount of debt constituting Indebtedness pursuant to clauses (a), (b), (c) and (f) of the definition of “Indebtedness”.

Total Net Leverage Ratio” means, on any date, the ratio of (a) the sum (but not less than zero) of (i) Total Indebtedness minus (ii) Unrestricted Cash in an amount not to exceed $15,000,000 on such date, minus (iii) obligations under “build to suit” capital leases to (b) EBITDA for the period of four consecutive fiscal quarters ended on or most recently prior to such date.

 

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Transactions” means the execution, delivery and performance by the Borrowers of this Agreement and the other Loan Documents, the borrowing of Loans and other credit extensions, the use of the proceeds thereof and the issuance of Letters of Credit hereunder.

Type”, when used in reference to any Loan or Borrowing, refers to whether the rate of interest on such Loan, or on the Loans comprising such Borrowing, is determined by reference to the Adjusted LIBO Rate or the CB Floating Rate.

U.S.” means the United States of America.

U.S. Person” means a “United States person” as defined in Section 7701(a)(30) of the Code.

U.S. Special Resolution Regime” has the meaning assigned to it in Section 9.21.

U.S. Tax Compliance Certificate” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 2.17(f)(ii)(B)(3).

UCC” means the Uniform Commercial Code as in effect from time to time in the State of New York or in any other state, the laws of which are required to be applied in connection with the issue of perfection of security interests.

UK Financial Institutions” means any BRRD Undertaking (as such term is defined under the PRA Rulebook (as amended from time to time) promulgated by the United Kingdom Prudential Regulation Authority) or any person falling within IFPRU 11.6 of the FCA Handbook (as amended from time to time) promulgated by the United Kingdom Financial Conduct Authority, which includes certain credit institutions and investment firms, and certain affiliates of such credit institutions or investment firms.

UK Resolution Authority” means the Bank of England or any other public administrative authority having responsibility for the resolution of any UK Financial Institution.

Unadjusted Benchmark Replacement” means the applicable Benchmark Replacement excluding the related Benchmark Replacement Adjustment.

Unfunded Commitment” means, with respect to each Lender, the Revolving Commitment of such Lender less its Revolving Exposure.

Unliquidated Obligations” means, at any time, any Secured Obligations (or portion thereof) that are contingent in nature or unliquidated at such time, including any Secured Obligation that is: (i) an obligation to reimburse a bank for drawings not yet made under a letter of credit issued by it; (ii) any other obligation (including any guarantee) that is contingent in nature at such time; or (iii) an obligation to provide collateral to secure any of the foregoing types of obligations.

Unrestricted Cash” means, as of any date of determination, that portion of the Company’s and its Subsidiaries’ aggregate cash and Permitted Investments that is held by the Loan Parties on deposit with one or more financial institutions in the U.S. and subject to a Lien in favor of the Administrative Agent and that is not encumbered by or subject to any other Lien, setoff (other than ordinary course setoff rights of a depository bank arising under a bank depository agreement for customary fees, charges and other account-related expenses due to such depository bank thereunder), counterclaim, recoupment, defense or other right in favor of any Person.

 

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USA PATRIOT Act” means the Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism Act of 2001.

Withdrawal Liability” means liability to a Multiemployer Plan as a result of a complete or partial withdrawal from such Multiemployer Plan, as such terms are defined in Part I of Subtitle E of Title IV of ERISA.

Write-Down and Conversion Powers” means (a) with respect to any EEA Resolution Authority, the write-down and conversion powers of such EEA Resolution Authority from time to time under the Bail-In Legislation for the applicable EEA Member Country, which write-down and conversion powers are described in the EU Bail-In Legislation Schedule, and (b) with respect to the United Kingdom, any powers of the applicable Resolution Authority under the Bail-In Legislation to cancel, reduce, modify or change the form of a liability of any UK Financial Institution or any contract or instrument under which that liability arises, to convert all or part of that liability into shares, securities or obligations of that person or any other person, to provide that any such contract or instrument is to have effect as if a right had been exercised under it or to suspend any obligation in respect of that liability or any of the powers under that Bail-In Legislation that are related to or ancillary to any of those powers.

SECTION 1.02. Classification of Loans and Borrowings. For purposes of this Agreement, Loans may be classified and referred to by Class (e.g., a “Revolving Loan”) or by Type (e.g., a “Eurodollar Loan”) or by Class and Type (e.g., a “Eurodollar Revolving Loan”). Borrowings also may be classified and referred to by Class (e.g., a “Revolving Borrowing”) or by Type (e.g., a “Eurodollar Borrowing”) or by Class and Type (e.g., a “Eurodollar Revolving Borrowing”).

SECTION 1.03. Terms Generally. The definitions of terms herein shall apply equally to the singular and plural forms of the terms defined. Whenever the context may require, any pronoun shall include the corresponding masculine, feminine and neuter forms. The words “include”, “includes” and “including” shall be deemed to be followed by the phrase “without limitation”. The word “law” shall be construed as referring to all statutes, rules, regulations, codes and other laws (including official rulings and interpretations thereunder having the force of law or with which affected Persons customarily comply) and all judgments, orders and decrees of all Governmental Authorities. The word “will” shall be construed to have the same meaning and effect as the word “shall”. Unless the context requires otherwise (a) any definition of or reference to any agreement, instrument or other document herein shall be construed as referring to such agreement, instrument or other document as from time to time amended, restated, supplemented or otherwise modified (subject to any restrictions on such amendments, restatements, supplements or modifications set forth herein), (b) any definition of or reference to any statute, rule or regulation shall be construed as referring thereto as from time to time amended, supplemented or otherwise modified (including by succession of comparable successor laws), (c) any reference herein to any Person shall be construed to include such Person’s successors and assigns (subject to any restrictions on assignments set forth herein) and, in the case of any Governmental Authority, any other Governmental Authority that shall have succeeded to any or all functions thereof, (d) the words “herein”, “hereof” and “hereunder”, and words of similar import, shall be construed to refer to this Agreement in its entirety and not to any particular provision hereof, (e) all references herein to Articles, Sections, Exhibits and Schedules shall be construed to refer to Articles and Sections of, and Exhibits and Schedules to, this Agreement, (f) any reference in any definition to the phrase “at any time” or “for any period” shall refer to the same time or period for all calculations or determinations within such definition, and (g) the words “asset” and “property” shall be construed to have the same meaning and effect and to refer to any and all tangible and intangible assets and properties, including cash, securities, accounts and contract rights.

 

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SECTION 1.04. Accounting Terms; GAAP. (a) Except as otherwise expressly provided herein, all terms of an accounting or financial nature shall be construed in accordance with GAAP, as in effect from time to time; provided that, if after the date hereof there occurs any change in GAAP or in the application thereof on the operation of any provision hereof and the Borrower Representative notifies the Administrative Agent that the Borrowers request an amendment to any provision hereof to eliminate the effect of such change in GAAP or in the application thereof (or if the Administrative Agent notifies the Borrower Representative that the Required Lenders request an amendment to any provision hereof for such purpose), regardless of whether any such notice is given before or after such change in GAAP or in the application thereof, then such provision shall be interpreted on the basis of GAAP as in effect and applied immediately before such change shall have become effective until such notice shall have been withdrawn or such provision amended in accordance herewith. Notwithstanding any other provision contained herein, all terms of an accounting or financial nature used herein shall be construed, and all computations of amounts and ratios referred to herein shall be made (i) without giving effect to any election under Financial Accounting Standards Board Accounting Standards Codification 825-10-25 (or any other Accounting Standards Codification or Financial Accounting Standard having a similar result or effect) to value any Indebtedness or other liabilities of the Company or any Subsidiary at “fair value”, as defined therein and (ii) without giving effect to any treatment of Indebtedness under Financial Accounting Standards Board Accounting Standards Codification 470-20 or 2015-03 (or any other Accounting Standards Codification or Financial Accounting Standard having a similar result or effect) to value any such Indebtedness in a reduced or bifurcated manner as described therein, and such Indebtedness shall at all times be valued at the full stated principal amount thereof.

(b) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in Section 1.04(a) or in the definition of “Capital Lease Obligations,” any change in accounting for leases pursuant to GAAP resulting from the adoption of Financial Accounting Standards Board Accounting Standards Update No. 2016-02, Leases (Topic 842) (“FAS 842”), to the extent such adoption would require treating any lease (or similar arrangement conveying the right to use) as a capital lease where such lease (or similar arrangement) would not have been required to be so treated under GAAP as in effect on December 31, 2015, such lease shall not be considered a capital lease, and all calculations and deliverables under this Agreement or any other Loan Document shall be made or delivered, as applicable, in accordance therewith.

SECTION 1.05. Interest Rates; LIBOR Notification. The interest rate on Eurodollar Loans is determined by reference to the LIBO Rate, which is derived from the London interbank offered rate. The London interbank offered rate is intended to represent the rate at which contributing banks may obtain short-term borrowings from each other in the London interbank market. In July 2017, the U.K. Financial Conduct Authority announced that, after the end of 2021, it would no longer persuade or compel contributing banks to make rate submissions to the ICE Benchmark Administration (together with any successor to the ICE Benchmark Administrator, the “IBA”) for purposes of the IBA setting the London interbank offered rate. As a result, it is possible that commencing in 2022, the London interbank offered rate may no longer be available or may no longer be deemed an appropriate reference rate upon which to determine the interest rate on Eurodollar Loans. In light of this eventuality, public and private sector industry initiatives are currently underway to identify new or alternative reference rates to be used in place of the London interbank offered rate. Upon the occurrence of a Benchmark Transition Event, a Term SOFR Transition Event or an Early Opt-in Election, Section 2.14(c) and (d) provide the mechanism for determining an alternative rate of interest. The Administrative Agent will promptly notify the Borrower Representative, pursuant to Section 2.14(f), of any change to the reference rate upon which the interest rate on Eurodollar Loans is based. However, the Administrative Agent does not warrant or accept any responsibility for, and shall not have any liability with respect to, the administration, submission or any other matter related to the London interbank offered rate or other rates in the definition of “LIBO Rate” or with respect to any alternative or successor rate thereto, or replacement rate thereof (including, without limitation, (i) any such alternative, successor or replacement rate implemented pursuant to Section 2.14(c)

 

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or (d), whether upon the occurrence of a Benchmark Transition Event, a Term SOFR Transition Event or an Early Opt-in Election, and (ii) the implementation of any Benchmark Replacement Conforming Changes pursuant to Section 2.14(e)), including without limitation, whether the composition or characteristics of any such alternative, successor or replacement reference rate will be similar to, or produce the same value or economic equivalence of, the LIBO Rate or have the same volume or liquidity as did the London interbank offered rate prior to its discontinuance or unavailability.

SECTION 1.06. Pro Forma Adjustments for Acquisitions and Dispositions. To the extent a Borrower or any Subsidiary makes any acquisition permitted pursuant to Section 6.04 or Disposition outside the ordinary course of business permitted by Section 6.05 during the period of four fiscal quarters of the Company most recently ended, the Total Net Leverage Ratio shall be calculated after giving pro forma effect thereto (including pro forma adjustments arising out of events which are directly attributable to the acquisition or the Disposition, are factually supportable and are expected to have a continuing impact, in each case as determined on a basis consistent with Article 11 of Regulation S-X of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, as interpreted by the SEC, and as certified by a Financial Officer of such Borrower), as if such acquisition or such Disposition (and any related incurrence, repayment or assumption of Indebtedness) had occurred in the first day of such four-quarter period.

SECTION 1.07. Status of Obligations. In the event that any Borrower or any other Loan Party shall at any time issue or have outstanding any Subordinated Indebtedness, such Borrower shall take or cause such other Loan Party to take all such actions as shall be necessary to cause the Secured Obligations to constitute senior indebtedness (however denominated) in respect of such Subordinated Indebtedness and to enable the Administrative Agent and the Lenders to have and exercise any payment blockage or other remedies available or potentially available to holders of senior indebtedness under the terms of such Subordinated Indebtedness. Without limiting the foregoing, the Secured Obligations are hereby designated as “senior indebtedness” and as “designated senior indebtedness” and words of similar import under and in respect of any indenture or other agreement or instrument under which such Subordinated Indebtedness is outstanding and are further given all such other designations as shall be required under the terms of any such Subordinated Indebtedness in order that the Lenders may have and exercise any payment blockage or other remedies available or potentially available to holders of senior indebtedness under the terms of such Subordinated Indebtedness.

SECTION 1.08. Letters of Credit. Unless otherwise specified herein, the amount of a Letter of Credit at any time shall be deemed to be the amount of such Letter of Credit available to be drawn at such time; provided that with respect to any Letter of Credit that, by its terms or the terms of any Letter of Credit Agreement related thereto, provides for one or more automatic increases in the available amount thereof, the amount of such Letter of Credit shall be deemed to be the maximum amount of such Letter of Credit after giving effect to all such increases, whether or not such maximum amount is available to be drawn at such time. For all purposes of this Agreement, if on any date of determination a Letter of Credit has expired by its terms but any amount may still be drawn thereunder by reason of the operation of Article 29(a) of the Uniform Customs and Practice for Documentary Credits, International Chamber of Commerce Publication No. 600 (or such later version thereof as may be in effect at the applicable time) or Rule 3.13 or Rule 3.14 of the International Standby Practices, International Chamber of Commerce Publication No. 590 (or such later version thereof as may be in effect at the applicable time) or similar terms of the Letter of Credit itself, or if compliant documents have been presented but not yet honored, such Letter of Credit shall be deemed to be “outstanding” and “undrawn” in the amount so remaining available to be paid, and the obligations of the Borrower and each Lender shall remain in full force and effect until the Issuing Bank and the Lenders shall have no further obligations to make any payments or disbursements under any circumstances with respect to any Letter of Credit.

 

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SECTION 1.09. Divisions. For all purposes under the Loan Documents, in connection with any Division or plan of division under Delaware law (or any comparable event under a different jurisdiction’s laws): (a) if any asset, right, obligation or liability of any Person becomes the asset, right, obligation or liability of a different Person, then it shall be deemed to have been transferred from the original Person to the subsequent Person, and (b) if any new Person comes into existence, such new Person shall be deemed to have been organized and acquired on the first date of its existence by the holders of its Equity Interests at such time.

SECTION 1.10. Rounding. Any financial ratios required to be maintained by any Loan Party pursuant to this Agreement shall be calculated by dividing the appropriate component by the other component, carrying the result to one place more than the number of places by which such ratio is expressed herein and rounding the result up or down to the nearest number (with a rounding-up if there is no nearest number).

ARTICLE II

The Credits

SECTION 2.01. Revolving Commitments. Subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein, each Lender severally (and not jointly) agrees to make Revolving Loans in dollars to the Borrowers from time to time during the Availability Period in an aggregate principal amount that will not result (after giving effect to any application of proceeds of such Borrowing pursuant to Section 2.10(a)) in (i) such Lender’s Revolving Exposure exceeding such Lender’s Revolving Commitment or (ii) the Aggregate Revolving Exposure exceeding the aggregate Revolving Commitments. Within the foregoing limits and subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein, the Borrowers may borrow, prepay and reborrow Revolving Loans.

SECTION 2.02. Loans and Borrowings.

(a) Each Loan shall be made as part of a Borrowing consisting of Loans of the same Class and Type made by the Lenders ratably in accordance with their respective Commitments of the applicable Class. The failure of any Lender to make any Loan required to be made by it shall not relieve any other Lender of its obligations hereunder; provided that the Commitments of the Lenders are several and no Lender shall be responsible for any other Lender’s failure to make Loans as required.

(b) Subject to Section 2.14, each Revolving Borrowing shall be comprised entirely of CBFR Loans or Eurodollar Loans as the Borrower Representative may request in accordance herewith, provided that all Revolving Borrowings made on the Effective Date must be made as CBFR Borrowings but may be converted into Eurodollar Borrowings in accordance with Section 2.08. Each Lender at its option may make any Eurodollar Loan by causing any domestic or foreign branch or Affiliate of such Lender to make such Loan (and in the case of an Affiliate, the provisions of Sections 2.14, 2.15, 2.16 and 2.17 shall apply to such Affiliate to the same extent as to such Lender); provided that any exercise of such option shall not affect the obligation of the Borrowers to repay such Loan in accordance with the terms of this Agreement.

(c) At the commencement of each Interest Period for any Eurodollar Revolving Borrowing, such Borrowing shall be in an aggregate amount that is an integral multiple of $100,000 and not less than $500,000. CBFR Revolving Borrowings may be in any amount; provided that an CBFR Revolving Borrowing may be in an aggregate amount that is equal to the entire unused balance of the total Revolving Commitments or that is required to finance the reimbursement of an LC Disbursement as contemplated by Section 2.06(e); provided that there shall not at any time be more than a total of four (4) Eurodollar Borrowings outstanding.

 

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(d) Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, the Borrowers shall not be entitled to request, or to elect to convert or continue, any Borrowing if the Interest Period requested with respect thereto would end after the Revolving Credit Maturity Date.

SECTION 2.03. Requests for Borrowings. To request a Borrowing, the Borrower Representative shall notify the Administrative Agent of such request either in writing (delivered by hand or fax) by delivering a Borrowing Request signed by a Responsible Officer of the Borrower Representative or through Electronic System, if arrangements for doing so have been approved by the Administrative Agent, (a) in the case of a Eurodollar Borrowing, not later than noon, Pacific time, three Business Days before the date of the proposed Borrowing or (b) in the case of an CBFR Borrowing, not later than noon, Pacific time, on the date of the proposed Borrowing; provided that any such notice of an CBFR Revolving Borrowing to finance the reimbursement of an LC Disbursement as contemplated by Section 2.06(e) may be given not later than 9:00 a.m., Pacific time, on the date of the proposed Borrowing. Each such Borrowing Request shall be irrevocable. Each such Borrowing Request shall specify the following information in compliance with Section 2.01:

(a) the Class of Borrowing, the aggregate amount of the requested Borrowing, and a breakdown of the separate wires comprising such Borrowing;

(b) name of the applicable Borrower(s);

(c) the date of such Borrowing, which shall be a Business Day;

(d) whether such Borrowing is to be an CBFR Borrowing or a Eurodollar Borrowing; and

(e) in the case of a Eurodollar Borrowing, the initial Interest Period to be applicable thereto, which shall be a period contemplated by the definition of the term “Interest Period.”

If no election as to the Type of Borrowing is specified, then the requested Borrowing shall be an CBFR Borrowing. If no Interest Period is specified with respect to any requested Eurodollar Borrowing, then the applicable Borrower(s) shall be deemed to have selected an Interest Period of one month’s duration. Promptly following receipt of a Borrowing Request in accordance with this Section, the Administrative Agent shall advise each Lender of the details thereof and of the amount of such Lender’s Loan to be made as part of the requested Borrowing.

SECTION 2.04. [Reserved].

SECTION 2.05. [Reserved].

SECTION 2.06. Letters of Credit.

(a) General. Subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein, the Borrower Representative, on behalf of a Borrower, may request any Issuing Bank to issue Letters of Credit denominated in dollars as the applicant thereof for the support of the obligations of any Borrower or any Subsidiary thereof, in a form reasonably acceptable to such Issuing Bank, at any time and from time to time during the Availability Period, and such Issuing Bank may, but shall have no obligation, to issue such requested Letters of Credit pursuant to this Agreement.

 

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(b) Notice of Issuance, Amendment, Extension; Certain Conditions. To request the issuance of a Letter of Credit (or the amendment or extension of an outstanding Letter of Credit), the Borrower Representative shall hand deliver or fax (or transmit through Electronic System, if arrangements for doing so have been approved by the respective Issuing Bank) to an Issuing Bank selected by it and to the Administrative Agent (reasonably in advance of the requested date of issuance, amendment or extension, but in any event no less than three Business Days) a notice requesting the issuance of a Letter of Credit, or identifying the Letter of Credit to be amended or extended, and specifying the date of issuance, amendment or extension (which shall be a Business Day), the date on which such Letter of Credit is to expire (which shall comply with paragraph (c) of this Section), the amount of such Letter of Credit, the name and address of the beneficiary thereof, and such other information as shall be necessary to prepare, amend or extend such Letter of Credit. In addition, as a condition to any such Letter of Credit issuance, the applicable Borrower shall have entered into a continuing agreement (or other letter of credit agreement) for the issuance of letters of credit and/or shall submit a letter of credit application, in each case, as required by the respective Issuing Bank and using such Issuing Bank’s standard form (each, a “Letter of Credit Agreement”). In the event of any inconsistency between the terms and conditions of this Agreement and the terms and conditions of any Letter of Credit Agreement, the terms and conditions of this Agreement shall control. A Letter of Credit shall be issued, amended or extended only if (and upon issuance, amendment or extension of each Letter of Credit the Borrowers shall be deemed to represent and warrant that), after giving effect to such issuance, amendment or extension the aggregate LC Exposure shall not exceed $10,000,000, (i) no Revolving Lender’s Revolving Exposure shall exceed its Revolving Commitment and (ii) the Aggregate Revolving Exposure shall not exceed the aggregate Revolving Commitments. Notwithstanding the foregoing or anything to the contrary contained herein, no Issuing Bank shall be obligated to issue or modify any Letter of Credit if, immediately after giving effect thereto, the outstanding LC Exposure in respect of all Letters of Credit issued by such Person and its Affiliates would exceed such Issuing Bank’s Issuing Bank Sublimit. Without limiting the foregoing and without affecting the limitations contained herein, it is understood and agreed that the Borrower Representative may from time to time request that an Issuing Bank issue Letters of Credit in excess of its individual Issuing Bank Sublimit in effect at the time of such request, and the Issuing Bank agrees to consider any such request in good faith. Any Letter of Credit so issued by an Issuing Bank in excess of its individual Issuing Bank Sublimit then in effect shall nonetheless constitute a Letter of Credit for all purposes of the Credit Agreement, and shall not affect the Issuing Bank Sublimit of any other Issuing Bank, subject to the limitations on the aggregate LC Exposure set forth in clause (i) of this Section 2.06(b).

An Issuing Bank shall not be under any obligation to issue any Letter of Credit if:

(i) any order, judgment or decree of any Governmental Authority or arbitrator shall by its terms purport to enjoin or restrain such Issuing Bank from issuing such Letter of Credit, or any Requirement of Law relating to such Issuing Bank or any request or directive (whether or not having the force of law) from any Governmental Authority with jurisdiction over such Issuing Bank shall prohibit, or request that such Issuing Bank refrain from, the issuance of letters of credit generally or such Letter of Credit in particular or shall impose upon such Issuing Bank with respect to such Letter of Credit any restriction, reserve or capital requirement (for which such Issuing Bank is not otherwise compensated hereunder) not in effect on the Effective Date, or shall impose upon such Issuing Bank any unreimbursed loss, cost or expense which was not applicable on the Effective Date and which such Issuing Bank in good faith deems material to it, or

 

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(ii) the issuance of such Letter of Credit would violate one or more policies of such Issuing Bank applicable to letters of credit generally.

(c) Expiration Date. Each Letter of Credit shall expire (or be subject to termination or non-renewal by notice from the applicable Issuing Bank to the beneficiary thereof) at or prior to the close of business on the earlier of (i) the date one year after the date of the issuance of such Letter of Credit (or, in the case of any extension of the expiration thereof, including, without limitation, any automatic renewal provision, one year after such extension) and (ii) the date that is five Business Days prior to the Revolving Credit Maturity Date.

(d) Participations. By the issuance of a Letter of Credit (or an amendment to a Letter of Credit increasing the amount thereof) and without any further action on the part of the applicable Issuing Bank or the Revolving Lenders, such Issuing Bank hereby grants to each Revolving Lender, and each Revolving Lender hereby acquires from such Issuing Bank, a participation in such Letter of Credit equal to such Lender’s Applicable Percentage of the aggregate amount available to be drawn under such Letter of Credit. In consideration and in furtherance of the foregoing, each Revolving Lender hereby absolutely and unconditionally agrees to pay to the Administrative Agent, for the account of the respective Issuing Bank, such Lender’s Applicable Percentage of each LC Disbursement made by such Issuing Bank and not reimbursed by the Borrowers on the date due as provided in paragraph (e) of this Section, or of any reimbursement payment required to be refunded to the Borrowers for any reason, including after the Maturity Date. Each such payment shall be made without any offset, abatement, withholding or reduction whatsoever. Each Revolving Lender acknowledges and agrees that its obligation to acquire participations pursuant to this paragraph in respect of Letters of Credit is absolute and unconditional and shall not be affected by any circumstance whatsoever, including any amendment or extension of any Letter of Credit or the occurrence and continuance of a Default or reduction or termination of the Commitments.

(e) Reimbursement. If an Issuing Bank shall make any LC Disbursement in respect of a Letter of Credit, the Borrowers shall reimburse such LC Disbursement by paying to the Administrative Agent an amount equal to such LC Disbursement not later than 11:00 a.m., Pacific time, on (i) the Business Day that the Borrower Representative receives notice of such LC Disbursement, if such notice is received prior to 9:00 a.m., Pacific time, on the day of receipt, or (ii) the Business Day immediately following the day that the Borrower Representative receives such notice, if such notice is received after 9:00 a.m., Pacific time, on the day of receipt; provided that the Borrowers may, subject to the conditions to borrowing set forth herein, request in accordance with Section 2.03 that such payment be financed with a CBFR Revolving Borrowing in an equivalent amount and, to the extent so financed, the Borrowers’ obligation to make such payment shall be discharged and replaced by the resulting CBFR Revolving Borrowing. If the Borrowers fail to make such payment when due, the Administrative Agent shall notify each Revolving Lender of the applicable LC Disbursement, the payment then due from the Borrowers in respect thereof, and such Lender’s Applicable Percentage thereof. Promptly following receipt of such notice, each Revolving Lender shall pay to the Administrative Agent its Applicable Percentage of the payment then due from the Borrowers, in the same manner as provided in Section 2.07 with respect to Loans made by such Lender (and Section 2.07 shall apply, mutatis mutandis, to the payment obligations of the Revolving Lenders), and the Administrative Agent shall promptly pay to the respective Issuing Bank the amounts so received by it from the Revolving Lenders. Promptly following receipt by the Administrative Agent of any payment from the Borrowers pursuant to this paragraph, the Administrative Agent shall distribute such payment to the respective Issuing Bank or, to the extent that Revolving Lenders have made payments pursuant to this paragraph to reimburse such Issuing Bank, then to such Lenders and such Issuing Bank, as their interests may appear. Any payment made by a Revolving Lender pursuant to this paragraph to reimburse an Issuing Bank for any LC Disbursement (other than the funding of CBFR Revolving Loans as contemplated above) shall not constitute a Loan and shall not relieve the Borrowers of their obligation to reimburse such LC Disbursement.

 

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(f) Obligations Absolute. The Borrowers’ joint and several obligation to reimburse LC Disbursements as provided in paragraph (e) of this Section shall be absolute, unconditional and irrevocable, and shall be performed strictly in accordance with the terms of this Agreement under any and all circumstances whatsoever and irrespective of (i) any lack of validity or enforceability of any Letter of Credit, any Letter of Credit Agreement or this Agreement, or any term or provision therein or herein, (ii) any draft or other document presented under a Letter of Credit proving to be forged, fraudulent or invalid in any respect or any statement therein being untrue or inaccurate in any respect, (iii) any payment by the respective Issuing Bank under a Letter of Credit against presentation of a draft or other document that does not comply with the terms of such Letter of Credit, or (iv) any other event or circumstance whatsoever, whether or not similar to any of the foregoing, that might, but for the provisions of this Section, constitute a legal or equitable discharge of, or provide a right of setoff against, the Borrowers’ obligations hereunder. Neither the Administrative Agent, the Revolving Lenders nor any Issuing Bank, or any of their respective Related Parties, shall have any liability or responsibility by reason of or in connection with the issuance or transfer of any Letter of Credit, or any payment or failure to make any payment thereunder (irrespective of any of the circumstances referred to in the preceding sentence), or any error, omission, interruption, loss or delay in transmission or delivery of any draft, notice or other communication under or relating to any Letter of Credit (including any document required to make a drawing thereunder), any error in interpretation of technical terms, any error in translation or any consequence arising from causes beyond the control of the respective Issuing Bank; provided that the foregoing shall not be construed to excuse an Issuing Bank from liability to the Borrowers to the extent of any direct damages (as opposed to special, indirect, consequential or punitive damages, claims in respect of which are hereby waived by the Borrowers to the extent permitted by applicable law) suffered by any Borrower that are caused by such Issuing Bank’s failure to exercise care when determining whether drafts and other documents presented under a Letter of Credit comply with the terms thereof. The parties hereto expressly agree that, in the absence of gross negligence or willful misconduct on the part of an Issuing Bank (as finally determined by a court of competent jurisdiction), such Issuing Bank shall be deemed to have exercised care in each such determination. In furtherance of the foregoing and without limiting the generality thereof, the parties agree that, with respect to documents presented which appear on their face to be in substantial compliance with the terms of a Letter of Credit, an Issuing Bank may, in its sole discretion, either accept and make payment upon such documents without responsibility for further investigation, regardless of any notice or information to the contrary, or refuse to accept and make payment upon such documents if such documents are not in strict compliance with the terms of such Letter of Credit.

(g) Disbursement Procedures. The Issuing Bank for any Letter of Credit shall, within the time allowed by applicable law or the specific terms of the Letter of Credit following its receipt thereof, examine all documents purporting to represent a demand for payment under such Letter of Credit. Such Issuing Bank shall promptly after such examination notify the Administrative Agent and the Borrower Representative by telephone (confirmed by fax or through Electronic Systems) of such demand for payment if such Issuing Bank has made or will make an LC Disbursement thereunder; provided that any failure to give or delay in giving such notice shall not relieve the Borrowers of their obligation to reimburse such Issuing Bank and the Revolving Lenders with respect to any such LC Disbursement.

 

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(h) Interim Interest. If the Issuing Bank for any Letter of Credit shall make any LC Disbursement, then, unless the Borrowers shall reimburse such LC Disbursement in full on the date such LC Disbursement is made, the unpaid amount thereof shall bear interest, for each day from and including the date such LC Disbursement is made to but excluding the date that the Borrowers reimburse such LC Disbursement, at the rate per annum then applicable to CBFR Revolving Loans and such interest shall be due and payable on the date when such reimbursement is due; provided that, if the Borrowers fail to reimburse such LC Disbursement when due pursuant to paragraph (e) of this Section, then Section 2.13(c) shall apply. Interest accrued pursuant to this paragraph shall be for the account of such Issuing Bank, except that interest accrued on and after the date of payment by any Revolving Lender pursuant to paragraph (e) of this Section to reimburse such Issuing Bank for such LC Disbursement shall be for the account of such Lender to the extent of such payment.

(i) Replacement and Resignation of an Issuing Bank.

(i) An Issuing Bank may be replaced at any time by written agreement among the Borrower Representative, the Administrative Agent, the replaced Issuing Bank and the successor Issuing Bank. The Administrative Agent shall notify the Revolving Lenders of any such replacement of an Issuing Bank. At the time any such replacement shall become effective, the Borrowers shall pay all unpaid fees accrued for the account of the replaced Issuing Bank pursuant to Section 2.12(b). From and after the effective date of any such replacement, (i) the successor Issuing Bank shall have all the rights and obligations of an Issuing Bank under this Agreement with respect to Letters of Credit to be issued thereafter and (ii) references herein to the term “Issuing Bank” shall be deemed to refer to such successor or to any previous Issuing Bank, or to such successor and all previous Issuing Banks, as the context shall require. After the replacement of an Issuing Bank hereunder, the replaced Issuing Bank shall remain a party hereto and shall continue to have all the rights and obligations of an Issuing Bank under this Agreement with respect to Letters of Credit then outstanding and issued by it prior to such replacement, but shall not be required to issue additional Letters of Credit or extend or otherwise amend any existing Letter of Credit.

(ii) Subject to the appointment and acceptance of a successor Issuing Bank, any Issuing Bank may resign as an Issuing Bank at any time upon thirty days’ prior written notice to the Administrative Agent, the Borrower Representative and the Lenders, in which case, such resigning Issuing Bank shall be replaced in accordance with Section 2.06(i)(i) above.

(j) Cash Collateralization. If any Event of Default shall occur and be continuing, on the Business Day that the Borrower Representative receives notice from the Administrative Agent or the Required Lenders (or, if the maturity of the Loans has been accelerated, Revolving Lenders with LC Exposure representing greater than 50% of the aggregate LC Exposure) demanding the deposit of cash collateral pursuant to this paragraph, the Borrowers shall deposit in an account with the Administrative Agent, in the name of the Administrative Agent and for the benefit of the Revolving Lenders (the “LC Collateral Account”), an amount in cash equal to 103% of the amount of the LC Exposure as of such date plus accrued and unpaid interest thereon; provided that the obligation to deposit such cash collateral shall become effective immediately, and such deposit shall become immediately due and payable, without demand or other notice of any kind, upon the occurrence of any Event of Default with respect to any Borrower described in clause (h) or (i) of Article VII. The Borrowers also shall deposit cash collateral in accordance with this paragraph as and to the extent required by Sections 2.11(b) or 2.20. Each such deposit shall be held by the

 

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Administrative Agent as collateral for the payment and performance of the Secured Obligations. In addition, and without limiting the foregoing or paragraph (c) of this Section, if any LC Exposure remains outstanding after the expiration date specified in said paragraph (c), the Borrowers shall immediately deposit in the LC Collateral Account an amount in cash equal to 103% of such LC Exposure as of such date plus any accrued and unpaid interest thereon. The Administrative Agent shall have exclusive dominion and control, including the exclusive right of withdrawal, over the LC Collateral Account and the Borrowers hereby grant the Administrative Agent a security interest in the LC Collateral Account and all moneys or other assets on deposit therein or credited thereto. Other than any interest earned on the investment of such deposits, which investments shall be made at the option and sole discretion of the Administrative Agent and at the Borrowers’ risk and expense, such deposits shall not bear interest. Interest or profits, if any, on such investments shall accumulate in such account. Moneys in such account shall be applied by the Administrative Agent to reimburse the Issuing Bank for LC Disbursements for which it has not been reimbursed, together with related fees, costs, and customary processing charges, and, to the extent not so applied, shall be held for the satisfaction of the reimbursement obligations of the Borrowers for the LC Exposure at such time or, if the maturity of the Loans has been accelerated (but subject to the consent of Revolving Lenders with LC Exposure representing greater than 50% of the aggregate LC Exposure), be applied to satisfy other Secured Obligations. If the Borrowers are required to provide an amount of cash collateral hereunder as a result of the occurrence of an Event of Default, such amount (to the extent not applied as aforesaid) shall be returned to the Borrowers within three (3) Business Days after all such Events of Default have been cured or waived as confirmed in writing by the Administrative Agent.

(k) Letters of Credit Issued for Account of Subsidiaries. Notwithstanding that a Letter of Credit issued or outstanding hereunder supports any obligations of, or is for the account of, a Subsidiary, or states that a Subsidiary is the “account party,” “applicant,” “customer,” “instructing party,” or the like of or for such Letter of Credit, and without derogating from any rights of the applicable Issuing Bank (whether arising by contract, at law, in equity or otherwise) against such Subsidiary in respect of such Letter of Credit, the Borrowers (i) shall reimburse, indemnify and compensate the applicable Issuing Bank hereunder for such Letter of Credit (including to reimburse any and all drawings thereunder) as if such Letter of Credit had been issued solely for the account of such Borrower and (ii) irrevocably waives any and all defenses that might otherwise be available to it as a guarantor or surety of any or all of the obligations of such Subsidiary in respect of such Letter of Credit. Each Borrower hereby acknowledges that the issuance of such Letters of Credit for its Subsidiaries inures to the benefit of such Borrower, and that such Borrower’s business derives substantial benefits from the businesses of such Subsidiaries.

(l) Existing Letters of Credit. All Existing Letters of Credit shall be deemed to have been issued pursuant to this Agreement and from and after the Effective Date shall be subject to and governed by the terms and conditions of this Agreement, including without limitation Section 2.12(b).

SECTION 2.07. Funding of Borrowings.

(a) Each Lender shall make each Loan to be made by such Lender hereunder on the proposed date thereof solely by wire transfer of immediately available funds by (i) 1:00 p.m., Pacific time, in the case of Eurodollar Loans and (ii) 3:00 p.m., Pacific time, in the case of CBFR Loans, to the account of the Administrative Agent most recently designated by it for such purpose by notice to the Lenders in an amount equal to such Lender’s Applicable Percentage. The Administrative Agent will make such Loans available to the Borrower Representative by promptly crediting the funds so received in the aforesaid account of the Administrative Agent to the Funding Account(s); provided that CBFR Revolving Loans made to finance the reimbursement of an LC Disbursement as provided in Section 2.06(e) shall be remitted by the Administrative Agent to the Issuing Bank.

 

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(b) Unless the Administrative Agent shall have received notice from a Lender prior to the proposed date of any Borrowing that such Lender will not make available to the Administrative Agent such Lender’s share of such Borrowing, the Administrative Agent may assume that such Lender has made such share available on such date in accordance with paragraph (a) of this Section and may, in reliance upon such assumption, make available to the applicable Borrower a corresponding amount. In such event, if a Lender has not in fact made its share of the applicable Borrowing available to the Administrative Agent, then the applicable Lender and the Borrowers each severally agree to pay to the Administrative Agent forthwith on demand such corresponding amount with interest thereon, for each day from and including the date such amount is made available to the applicable Borrower to but excluding the date of payment to the Administrative Agent, at (i) in the case of such Lender, the greater of the NYFRB Rate and a rate determined by the Administrative Agent in accordance with banking industry rules on interbank compensation or (ii) in the case of the Borrowers, the interest rate applicable to CBFR Revolving Loans. If such Lender pays such amount to the Administrative Agent, then such amount shall constitute such Lender’s Loan included in such Borrowing; provided, that any interest received from the Borrowers by the Administrative Agent during the period beginning when Administrative Agent funded the Borrowing until such Lender pays such amount shall be solely for the account of the Administrative Agent.

SECTION 2.08. Interest Elections.

(a) Each Borrowing initially shall be of the Type specified in the applicable Borrowing Request and, in the case of a Eurodollar Borrowing, shall have an initial Interest Period as specified in such Borrowing Request. Thereafter, the Borrower Representative may elect to convert such Borrowing to a different Type or to continue such Borrowing and, in the case of a Eurodollar Borrowing, may elect Interest Periods therefor, all as provided in this Section. The Borrower Representative may elect different options with respect to different portions of the affected Borrowing, in which case each such portion shall be allocated ratably among the Lenders holding the Loans comprising such Borrowing, and the Loans comprising each such portion shall be considered a separate Borrowing.

(b) To make an election pursuant to this Section, the Borrower Representative shall notify the Administrative Agent of such election either in writing (delivered by hand or fax) by delivering an Interest Election Request signed by a Responsible Officer of the Borrower Representative or through Electronic System, if arrangements for doing so have been approved by the Administrative Agent, by the time that a Borrowing Request would be required under Section 2.03 if the Borrowers were requesting a Borrowing of the Type resulting from such election to be made on the effective date of such election. Each such Interest Election Request shall be irrevocable.

(c) Each Interest Election Request (including requests submitted through Electronic System) shall specify the following information in compliance with Section 2.02:

(i) the name of the applicable Borrower and the Borrowing to which such Interest Election Request applies and, if different options are being elected with respect to different portions thereof, the portions thereof to be allocated to each resulting Borrowing (in which case the information to be specified pursuant to clauses (iii) and (iv) below shall be specified for each resulting Borrowing);

 

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(ii) the effective date of the election made pursuant to such Interest Election Request, which shall be a Business Day;

(iii) whether the resulting Borrowing is to be an CBFR Borrowing or a Eurodollar Borrowing; and

(iv) if the resulting Borrowing is a Eurodollar Borrowing, the Interest Period to be applicable thereto after giving effect to such election, which shall be a period contemplated by the definition of the term “Interest Period”.

If any such Interest Election Request requests a Eurodollar Borrowing but does not specify an Interest Period, then the Borrowers shall be deemed to have selected an Interest Period of one month’s duration.

(d) Promptly following receipt of an Interest Election Request, the Administrative Agent shall advise each Lender of the applicable Class of the details thereof and of such Lender’s portion of each resulting Borrowing.

(e) If the Borrower Representative fails to deliver a timely Interest Election Request with respect to a Eurodollar Borrowing prior to the end of the Interest Period applicable thereto, then, unless such Borrowing is repaid as provided herein, at the end of such Interest Period such Borrowing shall be converted to an CBFR Borrowing. Notwithstanding any contrary provision hereof, if an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing and the Administrative Agent, at the request of the Required Lenders, so notifies the Borrower Representative, then, so long as an Event of Default is continuing (i) no outstanding Borrowing may be converted to or continued as a Eurodollar Borrowing and (ii) unless repaid, each Eurodollar Borrowing shall be converted to an CBFR Borrowing at the end of the Interest Period applicable thereto.

SECTION 2.09. Termination and Reduction of Commitments.

(a) Unless previously terminated, all the Revolving Commitments shall terminate on the Revolving Credit Maturity Date.

(b) The Borrowers may at any time terminate the Revolving Commitments upon the Payment in Full of the Secured Obligations.

(c) The Borrowers may from time to time reduce the Revolving Commitments; provided that (i) each reduction of the Revolving Commitments shall be in an amount that is an integral multiple of $100,000 and not less than $500,000 and (ii) the Borrowers shall not terminate or reduce the Revolving Commitments if, after giving effect to any concurrent prepayment of the Revolving Loans in accordance with Section 2.11, (A) any Lender’s Revolving Exposure would exceed such Lender’s Revolving Commitment or (B) the Aggregate Revolving Exposure would exceed the aggregate Revolving Commitments.

(d) The Borrower Representative shall notify the Administrative Agent of any election to terminate or reduce the Revolving Commitments under paragraph (b) or (c) of this Section at least three (3) Business Days prior to the effective date of such termination or reduction, specifying such election and the effective date thereof. Promptly following receipt of any notice, the Administrative Agent shall advise the Lenders of the contents thereof. Each notice delivered by

 

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the Borrower Representative pursuant to this Section shall be irrevocable; provided that a notice of termination of the Revolving Commitments delivered by the Borrower Representative may state that such notice is conditioned upon the effectiveness of other credit facilities, in which case such notice may be revoked by the Borrower Representative (by notice to the Administrative Agent on or prior to the specified effective date) if such condition is not satisfied. Any termination or reduction of the Revolving Commitments shall be permanent.

SECTION 2.10. Repayment and Amortization of Loans; Evidence of Debt.

(a) The Borrowers hereby unconditionally promise to pay to the Administrative Agent for the account of each Revolving Lender the then unpaid principal amount of each Revolving Loan on the Revolving Credit Maturity Date.

(b) Each Lender shall maintain in accordance with its usual practice an account or accounts evidencing the Indebtedness of the Borrowers to such Lender resulting from each Loan made by such Lender, including the amounts of principal and interest payable and paid to such Lender from time to time hereunder.

(c) The Administrative Agent shall maintain accounts in which it shall record (i) the amount of each Loan made hereunder, the Class and Type thereof and the Interest Period applicable thereto, if any, (ii) the amount of any principal or interest due and payable or to become due and payable from the Borrowers to each Lender hereunder and (iii) the amount of any sum received by the Administrative Agent hereunder for the account of the Lenders and each Lender’s share thereof.

(d) The entries made in the accounts maintained pursuant to paragraph (b) or (c) of this Section shall be prima facie evidence of the existence and amounts of the obligations recorded therein; provided that the failure of any Lender or the Administrative Agent to maintain such accounts or any error therein shall not in any manner affect the obligation of the Borrowers to repay the Loans in accordance with the terms of this Agreement. For the avoidance of doubt, in the event of any conflict between the accounts maintained pursuant to this Section 2.10 and the Register maintained in accordance with Section 9.04(b)(iv), the Register shall control.

(e) Any Lender may request that Loans made by it be evidenced by a promissory note. In such event, the Borrowers shall prepare, execute and deliver to such Lender a promissory note payable to such Lender (or, if requested by such Lender, to such Lender and its registered assigns) and in a form approved by the Administrative Agent. Thereafter, the Loans evidenced by such promissory note and interest thereon shall at all times (including after assignment pursuant to Section 9.04) be represented by one or more promissory notes in such form.

SECTION 2.11. Prepayment of Loans.

(a) The Borrowers shall have the right at any time and from time to time to prepay any Borrowing in whole or in part, subject to prior notice in accordance with paragraph (c) of this Section and, if applicable, payment of any break funding expenses under Section 2.16.

(b) In the event and on such occasion that the Aggregate Revolving Exposure exceeds the aggregate Revolving Commitments, the Borrowers shall prepay the Revolving Loans, LC Exposure (or, if no such Borrowings are outstanding, deposit cash collateral in the LC Collateral Account in an aggregate amount equal to such excess, in accordance with Section 2.06(j)).

 

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(c) The Borrower Representative shall notify the Administrative Agent by telephone (confirmed by fax) or through Electronic System, if arrangements for doing so have been approved by the Administrative Agent, of any prepayment under this Section: (i) in the case of prepayment of a Eurodollar Borrowing, not later than 10:00 a.m., Pacific time, three (3) Business Days before the date of prepayment or (ii) in the case of prepayment of an CBFR Borrowing, not later than 10:00 a.m., Pacific time, on the date of prepayment. Each such notice shall be irrevocable and shall specify the prepayment date and the principal amount of each Borrowing or portion thereof to be prepaid; provided that if a notice of prepayment is given in connection with a conditional notice of termination of the Revolving Commitments as contemplated by Section 2.09, then such notice of prepayment may be revoked if such notice of termination is revoked in accordance with Section 2.09. Promptly following receipt of any such notice, the Administrative Agent shall advise the Lenders of the contents thereof. Each partial prepayment of any Revolving Borrowing shall be in an amount that would be permitted in the case of an advance of a Borrowing of the same Type as provided in Section 2.02, except as necessary to apply fully the required amount of a mandatory prepayment. Each prepayment of a Borrowing shall be applied ratably to the Loans included in the prepaid Borrowing. Prepayments shall be accompanied by (i) accrued interest to the extent required by Section 2.13 and (ii) break funding payments pursuant to Section 2.16.

SECTION 2.12. Fees.

(a) The Borrowers agree to pay to the Administrative Agent a commitment fee for the account of each Revolving Lender, which shall accrue at the Applicable Rate on the daily amount of the undrawn portion of the Revolving Commitment of such Lender during the period from and including the Effective Date to but excluding the date on which the Lenders’ Revolving Commitments terminate; it being understood that the LC Exposure of a Lender shall be included in the drawn portion of the Revolving Commitment of such Lender for purposes of calculating the commitment fee. Accrued commitment fees shall be payable in arrears on the third Business Day following such last day of March, June, September and December of each year and on the date on which the Revolving Commitments terminate, commencing on the first such date to occur after the date hereof. All commitment fees shall be computed on the basis of a year of 360 days and shall be payable for the actual number of days elapsed (including the first day but excluding the last day).

(b) The Borrowers agree to pay (i) to the Administrative Agent for the account of each Revolving Lender a participation fee with respect to its participations in each outstanding Letter of Credit, which shall accrue on the daily maximum amount then available to be drawn under such Letter of Credit at the Applicable Rate, during the period from and including the Effective Date to but excluding the later of the date on which such Lender’s Revolving Commitment terminates and the date on which such Lender ceases to have any LC Exposure, and (ii) to the Issuing Bank for its own account a fronting fee with respect to each Letter of Credit issued by such Issuing Bank, which shall accrue at the rate or rates per annum separately agreed upon between the Borrowers and the Issuing Bank on the daily maximum amount then available to be drawn under such Letter of Credit, during the period from and including the Effective Date to but excluding the later of the date of termination of the Commitments and the date on which there ceases to be any LC Exposure, as well as the Issuing Bank’s standard fees and commissions with respect to the issuance, amendment or extension of any Letter of Credit and other processing fees, and other standard costs and charges, of such Issuing Bank relating to Letters of Credit as from time to time in effect. Participation fees and fronting fees accrued through and including the last day of March, June, September and December of each year shall be payable on the third Business Day following such last day, commencing on the first such date to occur after the Effective Date; provided that all such fees shall be payable on the date on which the Revolving Commitments terminate and any such fees accruing after the date on which the Revolving Commitments terminate shall be payable on demand. Any other fees payable to the Issuing Bank pursuant to this paragraph shall be payable within ten (10) days after demand. All participation fees and fronting fees shall be computed on the basis of a year of 360 days and shall be payable for the actual number of days elapsed (including the first day but excluding the last day).

 

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(c) The Borrowers agree to pay to the Administrative Agent, for its own account, fees payable in the amounts and at the times separately agreed upon between the Borrowers and the Administrative Agent.

(d) All fees payable hereunder shall be paid on the dates due, in dollars in immediately available funds, to the Administrative Agent (or to the Issuing Bank, in the case of fees payable to it) for distribution, in the case of commitment fees and participation fees, to the Lenders entitled thereto. Fees paid shall not be refundable under any circumstances.

SECTION 2.13. Interest.

(a) The Loans comprising each CBFR Borrowing shall bear interest at the CB Floating Rate plus the Applicable Rate.

(b) The Loans comprising each Eurodollar Borrowing shall bear interest at the Adjusted LIBO Rate for the Interest Period in effect for such Borrowing plus the Applicable Rate.

(c) Notwithstanding the foregoing, during the occurrence and continuance of an Event of Default, the Administrative Agent or the Required Lenders may, at their option, by notice to the Borrower Representative (which notice may be revoked at the option of the Required Lenders notwithstanding any provision of Section 9.02 requiring the consent of “each Lender affected thereby” for reductions in interest rates), declare that (i) all Loans shall bear interest at 2% plus the rate otherwise applicable to such Loans as provided in the preceding paragraphs of this Section or (ii) in the case of any other amount outstanding hereunder, such amount shall accrue at 2% plus the rate applicable to such fee or other obligation as provided hereunder.

(d) Accrued interest on each Loan (for CBFR Loans, accrued through the last day of the prior calendar month) shall be payable in arrears on each Interest Payment Date for such Loan and, in the case of Revolving Loans, upon termination of the Revolving Commitments; provided that (i) interest accrued pursuant to paragraph (c) of this Section shall be payable on demand, (ii) in the event of any repayment or prepayment of any Loan (other than a prepayment of an CBFR Revolving Loan prior to the end of the Availability Period), accrued interest on the principal amount repaid or prepaid shall be payable on the date of such repayment or prepayment and (iii) in the event of any conversion of any Eurodollar Loan prior to the end of the current Interest Period therefor, accrued interest on such Loan shall be payable on the effective date of such conversion.

(e) All interest hereunder shall be computed on the basis of a year of 360 days, except that interest computed by reference to the CB Floating Rate shall be computed on the basis of a year of 365 days (or 366 days in a leap year), and, in each case, shall be payable for the actual number of days elapsed (including the first day but excluding the last day). The applicable CB Floating Rate, Adjusted LIBO Rate or LIBO Rate shall be determined by the Administrative Agent, and such determination shall be conclusive absent manifest error.

 

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SECTION 2.14. Alternate Rate of Interest; Illegality.

(a) Subject to clauses (c), (d), (e), (f), (g) and (h) of this Section 2.14, if prior to the commencement of any Interest Period for a Eurodollar Borrowing:

(i) the Administrative Agent determines (which determination shall be conclusive and binding absent manifest error) that adequate and reasonable means do not exist for ascertaining the Adjusted LIBO Rate or the LIBO Rate, as applicable (including, without limitation, by means of an Interpolated Rate or because the LIBO Screen Rate is not available or published on a current basis) for such Interest Period; provided that no Benchmark Transition Event shall have occurred at such time; or

(ii) the Administrative Agent is advised by the Required Lenders that the Adjusted LIBO Rate or the LIBO Rate, as applicable, for such Interest Period will not adequately and fairly reflect the cost to such Lenders (or Lender) of making or maintaining their Loans (or Loan) included in such Borrowing for such Interest Period;

then the Administrative Agent shall give notice thereof to the Borrower Representative and the Lenders through Electronic System as provided in Section 9.01 as promptly as practicable thereafter and, until the Administrative Agent notifies the Borrower Representative and the Lenders that the circumstances giving rise to such notice no longer exist, (A) any Interest Election Request that requests the conversion of any Borrowing to, or continuation of any Borrowing as, a Eurodollar Borrowing shall be ineffective and any such Eurodollar Borrowing shall be repaid or converted into a CBFR Borrowing on the last day of the then current Interest Period applicable thereto, and (B) if any Borrowing Request requests a Eurodollar Borrowing, such Borrowing shall be made as a CBFR Borrowing.

(b) If any Lender determines that any Requirement of Law has made it unlawful, or if any Governmental Authority has asserted that it is unlawful, for any Lender or its applicable lending office to make, maintain, fund or continue any Eurodollar Borrowing, or any Governmental Authority has imposed material restrictions on the authority of such Lender to purchase or sell, or to take deposits of, dollars in the London interbank market, then, on notice thereof by such Lender to the Borrower Representative through the Administrative Agent, any obligations of such Lender to make, maintain, fund or continue Eurodollar Loans or to convert CBFR Borrowings to Eurodollar Borrowings will be suspended until such Lender notifies the Administrative Agent and the Borrower Representative that the circumstances giving rise to such determination no longer exist. Upon receipt of such notice, the Borrowers will upon demand from such Lender (with a copy to the Administrative Agent), either prepay or convert all Eurodollar Borrowings of such Lender to CBFR Borrowings, either on the last day of the Interest Period therefor, if such Lender may lawfully continue to maintain such Eurodollar Borrowings to such day, or immediately, if such Lender may not lawfully continue to maintain such Loans. Upon any such prepayment or conversion, the Borrowers will also pay accrued interest on the amount so prepaid or converted.

(c) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein or in any other Loan Document, (and any Swap Agreement shall be deemed not to be a “Loan Document” for purposes of this Section 2.14), if a Benchmark Transition Event or an Early Opt-in Election, as applicable, and its related Benchmark Replacement Date have occurred prior to the Reference Time in respect of any setting of the then-current Benchmark, then (x) if a Benchmark Replacement is determined in accordance with clause (1) or (2) of the definition of “Benchmark Replacement” for such Benchmark Replacement Date, such Benchmark Replacement will replace such Benchmark for all purposes hereunder and under any Loan Document in respect of such Benchmark setting and subsequent Benchmark settings without any amendment to, or further action or consent of any other party to, this Agreement or any other Loan Document and (y) if a Benchmark Replacement is determined in accordance with clause (3) of the definition of “Benchmark Replacement” for such

 

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Benchmark Replacement Date, such Benchmark Replacement will replace such Benchmark for all purposes hereunder and under any Loan Document in respect of any Benchmark setting at or after 5:00 p.m. (New York City time) on the fifth (5th) Business Day after the date notice of such Benchmark Replacement is provided to the Lenders without any amendment to, or further action or consent of any other party to, this Agreement or any other Loan Document so long as the Administrative Agent has not received, by such time, written notice of objection to such Benchmark Replacement from Lenders comprising the Required Lenders.

(d) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein or in any other Loan Document and subject to the proviso below in this paragraph, if a Term SOFR Transition Event and its related Benchmark Replacement Date have occurred prior to the Reference Time in respect of any setting of the then-current Benchmark, then the applicable Benchmark Replacement will replace the then-current Benchmark for all purposes hereunder or under any Loan Document in respect of such Benchmark setting and subsequent Benchmark settings, without any amendment to, or further action or consent of any other party to, this Agreement or any other Loan Document; provided that, this clause (d) shall not be effective unless the Administrative Agent has delivered to the Lenders and the Borrower Representative a Term SOFR Notice. For the avoidance of doubt, the Administrative Agent shall not be required to deliver a Term SOFR Notice after a Term SOFR Transition Event and may do so in its sole discretion.

(e) In connection with the implementation of a Benchmark Replacement, the Administrative Agent will have the right to make Benchmark Replacement Conforming Changes from time to time and, notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein or in any other Loan Document, any amendments implementing such Benchmark Replacement Conforming Changes will become effective without any further action or consent of any other party to this Agreement or any other Loan Document.

(f) The Administrative Agent will promptly notify the Borrower Representative and the Lenders of (i) any occurrence of a Benchmark Transition Event, a Term SOFR Transition Event or an Early Opt-in Election, as applicable, and its related Benchmark Replacement Date, (ii) the implementation of any Benchmark Replacement, (iii) the effectiveness of any Benchmark Replacement Conforming Changes, (iv) the removal or reinstatement of any tenor of a Benchmark pursuant to clause (d) below and (v) the commencement or conclusion of any Benchmark Unavailability Period. Any determination, decision or election that may be made by the Administrative Agent or, if applicable, any Lender (or group of Lenders) pursuant to this Section 2.14, including any determination with respect to a tenor, rate or adjustment or of the occurrence or non-occurrence of an event, circumstance or date and any decision to take or refrain from taking any action or any selection, will be conclusive and binding absent manifest error and may be made in its or their sole discretion and without consent from any other party to this Agreement or any other Loan Document, except, in each case, as expressly required pursuant to this Section 2.14.

(g) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein or in any other Loan Document, at any time (including in connection with the implementation of a Benchmark Replacement), (i) if the then-current Benchmark is a term rate (including Term SOFR or LIBO Rate) and either (A) any tenor for such Benchmark is not displayed on a screen or other information service that publishes such rate from time to time as selected by the Administrative Agent in its reasonable discretion or (B) the regulatory supervisor for the administrator of such Benchmark has provided a public statement or publication of information announcing that any tenor for such Benchmark is or will be no longer representative, then the Administrative Agent may modify the definition of “Interest Period” for any Benchmark settings at or after such time to remove such unavailable or non-representative tenor and (ii) if a tenor that was removed pursuant to clause (i) above either (A) is

 

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subsequently displayed on a screen or information service for a Benchmark (including a Benchmark Replacement) or (B) is not, or is no longer, subject to an announcement that it is or will no longer be representative for a Benchmark (including a Benchmark Replacement), then the Administrative Agent may modify the definition of “Interest Period” for all Benchmark settings at or after such time to reinstate such previously removed tenor.

(h) Upon the Borrowers’ receipt of notice of the commencement of a Benchmark Unavailability Period, the Borrowers may revoke any request for a Eurodollar Borrowing of, conversion to or continuation of Eurodollar Loans to be made, converted or continued during any Benchmark Unavailability Period and, failing that, the Borrowers will be deemed to have converted any such request into a request for a Borrowing of or conversion to CBFR Loans. During any Benchmark Unavailability Period or at any time that a tenor for the then-current Benchmark is not an Available Tenor, the component of CBFR based upon the then-current Benchmark or such tenor for such Benchmark, as applicable, will not be used in any determination of CBFR.

SECTION 2.15. Increased Costs. (a) If any Change in Law shall:

(i) impose, modify or deem applicable any reserve, special deposit, liquidity or similar requirement (including any compulsory loan requirement, insurance charge or other assessment) against assets of, deposits with or for the account of, or credit extended by, any Lender (except any such reserve requirement reflected in the Adjusted LIBO Rate) or the Issuing Bank; or

(ii) impose on any Lender or the Issuing Bank or the London interbank market any other condition, cost or expense (other than Taxes) affecting this Agreement or Loans made by such Lender or any Letter of Credit or participation therein; or

(iii) subject any Recipient to any Taxes (other than (A) Indemnified Taxes, (B) Taxes described in clauses (b) through (d) of the definition of Excluded Taxes and (C) Connection Income Taxes) on its loans, loan principal, letters of credit, commitments, or other obligations, or its deposits, reserves, other liabilities or capital attributable thereto;

and the result of any of the foregoing shall be to increase the cost to such Lender or such other Recipient of making, continuing, converting into or maintaining any Loan (or of maintaining its obligation to make any such Loan) or to increase the cost to such Lender, the Issuing Bank or such other Recipient of participating in, issuing or maintaining any Letter of Credit or to reduce the amount of any sum received or receivable by such Lender, the Issuing Bank or such other Recipient hereunder (whether of principal, interest or otherwise), then, upon request of such Lender, Issuing bank or other Recipient, the Borrowers will pay to such Lender, the Issuing Bank or such other Recipient, as the case may be, such additional amount or amounts as will compensate such Lender, the Issuing Bank or such other Recipient, as the case may be, for such additional costs incurred or reduction suffered.

(b) If any Lender or the Issuing Bank determines that any Change in Law regarding capital or liquidity requirements has or would have the effect of reducing the rate of return on such Lender’s or the Issuing Bank’s capital or on the capital of such Lender’s or the Issuing Bank’s holding company, if any, as a consequence of this Agreement, the Commitments of or the Loans made by, or participations in Letters of Credit held by, such Lender, or the Letters of Credit issued by the Issuing Bank, to a level below that which such Lender or the Issuing Bank or such Lender’s or the Issuing Bank’s holding company could have achieved but for such Change in Law (taking into consideration such Lender’s or the Issuing Bank’s policies and the policies of such Lender’s or the Issuing Bank’s holding company with respect to capital adequacy and liquidity), then from time to time the Borrowers will pay to such Lender or the Issuing Bank, as the case may be, such additional amount or amounts as will compensate such Lender or the Issuing Bank or such Lender’s or the Issuing Bank’s holding company for any such reduction suffered.

 

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(c) A certificate of a Lender or the Issuing Bank setting forth the amount or amounts necessary to compensate such Lender or the Issuing Bank or its holding company, as the case may be, as specified in paragraph (a) or (b) of this Section shall be delivered to the Borrower Representative and shall be conclusive absent manifest error. The Borrowers shall pay such Lender or the Issuing Bank, as the case may be, the amount shown as due on any such certificate within ten (10) days after receipt thereof.

(d) Failure or delay on the part of any Lender or the Issuing Bank to demand compensation pursuant to this Section shall not constitute a waiver of such Lender’s or the Issuing Bank’s right to demand such compensation; provided that the Borrowers shall not be required to compensate a Lender or the Issuing Bank pursuant to this Section for any increased costs or reductions incurred more than 270 days prior to the date that such Lender or the Issuing Bank, as the case may be, notifies the Borrower Representative of the Change in Law giving rise to such increased costs or reductions and of such Lender’s or the Issuing Bank’s intention to claim compensation therefor; provided further that, if the Change in Law giving rise to such increased costs or reductions is retroactive, then the 270-day period referred to above shall be extended to include the period of retroactive effect thereof.

SECTION 2.16. Break Funding Payments. In the event of (a) the payment of any principal of any Eurodollar Loan other than on the last day of an Interest Period applicable thereto (including as a result of an Event of Default or as a result of any prepayment pursuant to Section 2.11), (b) the conversion of any Eurodollar Loan other than on the last day of the Interest Period applicable thereto, (c) the failure to borrow, convert, continue or prepay any Eurodollar Loan on the date specified in any notice delivered pursuant hereto (regardless of whether such notice may be revoked under Section 2.09(d) and is revoked in accordance therewith), or (d) the assignment of any Eurodollar Loan other than on the last day of the Interest Period applicable thereto as a result of a request by the Borrower Representative pursuant to Section 2.19 or 9.02(d), then, in any such event, the Borrowers shall compensate each Lender for the loss, cost and expense attributable to such event. In the case of a Eurodollar Loan, such loss, cost or expense to any Lender shall be deemed to include an amount determined by such Lender to be the excess, if any, of (i) the amount of interest which would have accrued on the principal amount of such Eurodollar Loan had such event not occurred, at the Adjusted LIBO Rate that would have been applicable to such Eurodollar Loan, for the period from the date of such event to the last day of the then current Interest Period therefor (or, in the case of a failure to borrow, convert or continue, for the period that would have been the Interest Period for such Eurodollar Loan), over (ii) the amount of interest which would accrue on such principal amount for such period at the interest rate which such Lender would bid were it to bid, at the commencement of such period, for dollar deposits of a comparable amount and period from other banks in the eurodollar market. A certificate of any Lender setting forth any amount or amounts that such Lender is entitled to receive pursuant to this Section shall be delivered to the Borrower Representative and shall be conclusive absent manifest error. The Borrowers shall pay such Lender the amount shown as due on any such certificate within ten (10) days after receipt thereof.

SECTION 2.17. Withholding of Taxes; Gross-Up.

(a) Payments Free of Taxes. Any and all payments by or on account of any obligation of any Loan Party under any Loan Document shall be made without deduction or withholding for any Taxes, except as required by applicable law. If any applicable law (as determined in the good faith discretion of an applicable withholding agent) requires the deduction or withholding of any

 

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Tax from any such payment by a withholding agent, then the applicable withholding agent shall be entitled to make such deduction or withholding and shall timely pay the full amount deducted or withheld to the relevant Governmental Authority in accordance with applicable law and, if such Tax is an Indemnified Tax, then the sum payable by the applicable Loan Party shall be increased as necessary so that after such deduction or withholding has been made (including such deductions and withholdings applicable to additional sums payable under this Section 2.17), the applicable Recipient receives an amount equal to the sum it would have received had no such deduction or withholding been made.

(b) Payment of Other Taxes by Loan Parties. The Loan Parties shall timely pay to the relevant Governmental Authority in accordance with applicable law, or at the option of the Administrative Agent timely reimburse it for, Other Taxes.

(c) Evidence of Payment. As soon as practicable after any payment of Taxes by any Loan Party to a Governmental Authority pursuant to this Section 2.17, such Loan Party shall deliver to the Administrative Agent the original or a certified copy of a receipt issued by such Governmental Authority evidencing such payment, a copy of the return reporting such payment, or other evidence of such payment reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent.

(d) Indemnification by the Loan Parties. The Loan Parties shall jointly and severally indemnify each Recipient, within ten (10) days after demand therefor, for the full amount of any Indemnified Taxes (including Indemnified Taxes imposed or asserted on or attributable to amounts payable under this Section) payable or paid by such Recipient or required to be withheld or deducted from a payment to such Recipient and any reasonable expenses arising therefrom or with respect thereto, whether or not such Indemnified Taxes were correctly or legally imposed or asserted by the relevant Governmental Authority. A certificate as to the amount of such payment or liability delivered to any Loan Party by a Lender (with a copy to the Administrative Agent), or by the Administrative Agent on its own behalf or on behalf of a Lender, shall be conclusive absent manifest error.

(e) Indemnification by the Lenders. Each Lender shall severally indemnify the Administrative Agent, within ten (10) days after demand therefor, for (i) any Indemnified Taxes attributable to such Lender (but only to the extent that any Loan Party has not already indemnified the Administrative Agent for such Indemnified Taxes and without limiting the obligation of the Loan Parties to do so), (ii) any Taxes attributable to such Lender’s failure to comply with the provisions of Section 9.04(c) relating to the maintenance of a Participant Register and (iii) any Excluded Taxes attributable to such Lender, in each case, that are payable or paid by the Administrative Agent in connection with any Loan Document, and any reasonable expenses arising therefrom or with respect thereto, whether or not such Taxes were correctly or legally imposed or asserted by the relevant Governmental Authority. A certificate as to the amount of such payment or liability delivered to any Lender by the Administrative Agent shall be conclusive absent manifest error. Each Lender hereby authorizes the Administrative Agent to setoff and apply any and all amounts at any time owing to such Lender under any Loan Document or otherwise payable by the Administrative Agent to such Lender from any other source against any amount due to the Administrative Agent under this paragraph (e).

 

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(f) Status of Lenders.

(i) Any Lender that is entitled to an exemption from or reduction of withholding Tax with respect to payments made under any Loan Document shall deliver to the Borrower Representative and the Administrative Agent, at the time or times reasonably requested by the Borrower Representative or the Administrative Agent, such properly completed and executed documentation reasonably requested by the Borrower Representative or the Administrative Agent as will permit such payments to be made without withholding or at a reduced rate of withholding. In addition, any Lender, if reasonably requested by the Borrower Representative or the Administrative Agent, shall deliver such other documentation prescribed by applicable law or reasonably requested by the Borrower Representative or the Administrative Agent as will enable the Borrower Representative or the Administrative Agent to determine whether or not such Lender is subject to backup withholding or information reporting requirements. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in the preceding two sentences, the completion, execution and submission of such documentation (other than such documentation set forth in Section 2.17(f)(ii)(A), (ii)(B) and (ii)(D) below) shall not be required if in the Lender’s reasonable judgment such completion, execution or submission would subject such Lender to any material unreimbursed cost or expense or would materially prejudice the legal or commercial position of such Lender.

(ii) Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, in the event that any Borrower is a U.S. Person,

(A) any Lender (or, if the Lender is a disregarded entity for U.S. federal income Tax purposes, the Person treated as the owner of the assets of such Lender for U.S. federal income Tax purposes) that is a U.S. Person shall deliver to each of the Borrower Representative and the Administrative Agent on or prior to the date on which such Lender becomes a Lender under this Agreement (and from time to time thereafter upon the reasonable request of the Borrower Representative or the Administrative Agent), an executed copy of IRS Form W-9 certifying that such Lender is exempt from U.S. federal backup withholding tax;

(B) any Foreign Lender shall, to the extent it is legally entitled to do so, deliver to each of the Borrower Representative and the Administrative Agent (in such number of copies as shall be requested by the recipient) on or prior to the date on which such Foreign Lender becomes a Lender under this Agreement (and from time to time thereafter upon the reasonable request of the Borrower Representative or the Administrative Agent), whichever of the following is applicable:

(1) in the case of a Foreign Lender claiming the benefits of an income tax treaty to which the United States is a party (x) with respect to payments of interest under any Loan Document, an executed copy of IRS Form W-8BEN or IRS Form W-8BEN-E (or any successor thereto), as applicable, establishing an exemption from, or reduction of, U.S. federal withholding Tax pursuant to the “interest” article of such tax treaty and (y) with respect to any other applicable payments under any Loan Document, IRS Form W-8BEN or IRS Form W-8BEN-E, as applicable, establishing an exemption from, or reduction of, U.S. federal withholding Tax pursuant to the “business profits” or “other income” article of such tax treaty;

(2) in the case of a Foreign Lender claiming that its extension of credit will generate U.S. effectively connected income, an executed copy of IRS Form W-8ECI (or any successor thereto);

(3) in the case of a Foreign Lender claiming the benefits of the exemption for portfolio interest under Section 881(c) of the Code, (x) a certificate substantially in the form of Exhibit D-1 to the effect that such Foreign Lender is not a “bank” within the meaning of Section 881(c)(3)(A) of the Code, a “10 percent shareholder” of a Borrower within the meaning of Section 881(c)(3)(B) of the Code, or a “controlled foreign corporation” described in Section 881(c)(3)(C) of the Code (a “U.S. Tax Compliance Certificate”) and (y) an executed copy of IRS Form W-8BEN or IRS Form W-8BEN-E (or any successor thereto), as applicable; or

 

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(4) to the extent a Foreign Lender is not the beneficial owner, an executed copy of IRS Form W-8IMY (or any successor thereto), accompanied by IRS Form W-8ECI, IRS Form W-8BEN or IRS Form W-8BEN-E, as applicable, a U.S. Tax Compliance Certificate substantially in the form of Exhibit D-2 or Exhibit D-3, IRS Form W-9, and/or other certification documents from each beneficial owner, as applicable; provided that if the Foreign Lender is a partnership and one or more direct or indirect partners of such Foreign Lender are claiming the portfolio interest exemption, such Foreign Lender may provide a U.S. Tax Compliance Certificate substantially in the form of Exhibit D-4 on behalf of each such direct and indirect partner;

(C) any Foreign Lender shall, to the extent it is legally entitled to do so, deliver to each of the Borrower Representative and the Administrative Agent (in such number of copies as shall be requested by the recipient) on or prior to the date on which such Foreign Lender becomes a Lender under this Agreement (and from time to time thereafter upon the reasonable request of the Borrower Representative or the Administrative Agent), executed copies of any other form prescribed by applicable law as a basis for claiming exemption from or a reduction in U.S. federal withholding Tax, duly completed, together with such supplementary documentation as may be prescribed by applicable law to permit the Borrower Representative or the Administrative Agent to determine the withholding or deduction required to be made; and

(D) if a payment made to a Lender under any Loan Document would be subject to U.S. federal withholding Tax imposed by FATCA if such Lender were to fail to comply with the applicable reporting requirements of FATCA (including those contained in Section 1471(b) or 1472(b) of the Code, as applicable), such Lender shall deliver to the Borrower Representative and the Administrative Agent at the time or times prescribed by law and at such time or times reasonably requested by the Borrower Representative or the Administrative Agent such documentation prescribed by applicable law (including as prescribed by Section 1471(b)(3)(C)(i) of the Code) and such additional documentation reasonably requested by the Borrower Representative or the Administrative Agent as may be necessary for the Borrower Representative and the Administrative Agent to comply with their obligations under FATCA and to determine that such Lender has complied with such Lender’s obligations under FATCA or to determine the amount to deduct and withhold from such payment. Solely for purposes of this clause (D), “FATCA” shall include any amendments made to FATCA after the date of this Agreement.

Each Lender agrees that if any form or certification it previously delivered expires or becomes obsolete or inaccurate in any respect, it shall update such form or certification or promptly notify the Borrower Representative and the Administrative Agent in writing of its legal inability to do so.

(g) Treatment of Certain Refunds. If any party determines, in its sole discretion exercised in good faith, that it has received a refund of any Taxes as to which it has been indemnified pursuant to this Section 2.17 (including by the payment of additional amounts pursuant to this Section 2.17), it shall pay to the indemnifying party an amount equal to such refund (but only to the extent of indemnity payments made under this Section 2.17 with respect to the Taxes giving rise to such refund), net of all out-of-pocket expenses (including Taxes) of such indemnified party and without interest (other than any interest paid by the relevant Governmental Authority with respect to such refund). Such indemnifying party, upon the request of such indemnified party, shall repay to such indemnified party the amount paid over pursuant to this paragraph (g) (plus any penalties, interest or other charges imposed by the relevant Governmental Authority) in the event that such indemnified party is required to repay such refund to such Governmental Authority. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this paragraph (g), in no event will the indemnified

 

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party be required to pay any amount to an indemnifying party pursuant to this paragraph (g) the payment of which would place the indemnified party in a less favorable net after-Tax position than the indemnified party would have been in if the Tax subject to indemnification and giving rise to such refund had not been deducted, withheld or otherwise imposed and the indemnification payments or additional amounts giving rise to such refund had never been paid. This paragraph (g) shall not be construed to require any indemnified party to make available its Tax returns (or any other information relating to its Taxes that it deems confidential) to the indemnifying party or any other Person.

(h) Status of Administrative Agent. If the Administrative Agent is a U.S. Person, then, upon the written request of the Borrower Representative, it shall provide the Borrower Representative with a properly completed and duly executed copy of IRS Form W-9 confirming that the Administrative Agent is exempt from U.S. federal backup withholding. If the Administrative Agent is not a U.S. Person, then, upon the written request of the Borrower Representative, it shall provide the Borrower Representative with, (i) with respect to payments made to the Administrative Agent for its own account, a properly completed and duly executed IRS Form W-8ECI (or other applicable IRS Form W-8), and (ii) with respect to payments made to the Administrative Agent on behalf of any Lender, a properly completed and duly executed IRS Form W-8IMY (accompanied by any required certification documents from each beneficial owner, as applicable) confirming that it is entitled to receive such payments without U.S. federal withholding.

(i) Survival. Each party’s obligations under this Section 2.17 shall survive the resignation or replacement of the Administrative Agent or any assignment of rights by, or the replacement of, a Lender, the termination of the Commitments and the repayment, satisfaction or discharge of all obligations under any Loan Document (including the Payment in Full of the Secured Obligations).

(j) Defined Terms. For the avoidance of doubt, for purposes of this Section 2.17, the term “Lender” includes any Issuing Bank and the term “applicable law” includes FATCA.

SECTION 2.18. Payments Generally; Allocation of Proceeds; Sharing of Setoffs.

(a) The Borrowers shall make each payment or prepayment required to be made by it hereunder (whether of principal, interest, fees or reimbursement of LC Disbursements, or of amounts payable under Sections 2.15, 2.16 or 2.17, or otherwise) prior to 2:00 p.m., Pacific time, on the date when due or the date fixed for any prepayment hereunder, in immediately available funds, without setoff, recoupment or counterclaim. Any amounts received after such time on any date may, in the discretion of the Administrative Agent, be deemed to have been received on the next succeeding Business Day for purposes of calculating interest thereon. All such payments shall be made to the Administrative Agent at its offices at 10 South Dearborn Chicago, Illinois, except payments to be made directly to the Issuing Bank as expressly provided herein and except that payments pursuant to Sections 2.15, 2.16, 2.17 and 9.03 shall be made directly to the Persons entitled thereto. The Administrative Agent shall distribute any such payments received by it for the account of any other Person to the appropriate recipient promptly following receipt thereof. Unless otherwise provided for herein, if any payment hereunder shall be due on a day that is not a Business Day, the date for payment shall be extended to the next succeeding Business Day, and, in the case of any payment accruing interest, interest thereon shall be payable for the period of such extension. All payments hereunder shall be made in dollars.

 

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(b) All payments and any proceeds of Collateral received by the Administrative Agent (i) not constituting either (A) a specific payment of principal, interest, fees or other sum payable under the Loan Documents (which shall be applied as specified by the Borrowers), or (B) a mandatory prepayment (which shall be applied in accordance with Section 2.11) or (ii) after an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing and the Administrative Agent so elects or the Required Lenders so direct, shall be applied ratably first, to pay any fees, indemnities, or expense reimbursements then due to the Administrative Agent and the Issuing Bank from the Borrowers (other than in connection with Banking Services Obligations or Swap Agreement Obligations), second, to pay any fees, indemnities, or expense reimbursements then due to the Lenders from the Borrowers (other than in connection with Banking Services Obligations or Swap Agreement Obligations), third, to pay interest then due and payable on the Loans ratably, fourth, to prepay principal on the Loans and unreimbursed LC Disbursements to pay an amount to the Administrative Agent equal to one hundred three percent (103%) of the aggregate LC Exposure, to be held as cash collateral for such Obligations, and to pay any amounts owing in respect of Swap Agreement Obligations and Banking Services Obligations up to and including the amount most recently provided to the Administrative Agent pursuant to Section 2.22, ratably and fifth, to the payment of any other Secured Obligation due to the Administrative Agent or any Lender from the Borrowers or any other Loan Party. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in this Agreement, unless so directed by the Borrower Representative, or unless a Default is in existence, neither the Administrative Agent nor any Lender shall apply any payment which it receives to any Eurodollar Loan of a Class, except (i) on the expiration date of the Interest Period applicable thereto, or (ii) in the event, and only to the extent, that there are no outstanding CBFR Loans of the same Class and, in any such event, the Borrowers shall pay the break funding payment required in accordance with Section 2.16. The Administrative Agent and the Lenders shall have the continuing and exclusive right to apply and reverse and reapply any and all such proceeds and payments to any portion of the Secured Obligations.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, Secured Obligations arising under Banking Services Obligations or Swap Agreement Obligations shall be excluded from the application described above and paid in clause fifth if the Administrative Agent has not received written notice thereof, together with such supporting documentation as the Administrative Agent may have reasonably requested from the applicable provider of such Banking Services or Swap Agreements.

(c) At the election of the Administrative Agent, all payments of principal, interest, LC Disbursements, fees, premiums, reimbursable expenses (including, without limitation, all reimbursement for fees, costs and expenses pursuant to Section 9.03), and other sums payable under the Loan Documents, may be paid from the proceeds of Borrowings made hereunder, whether made following a request by the Borrower Representative pursuant to Section 2.03 or 2.05 or a deemed request as provided in this Section or may be deducted from any deposit account of the Borrowers maintained with the Administrative Agent. The Borrowers hereby irrevocably authorize (i) the Administrative Agent to make a Borrowing for the purpose of paying each payment of principal, interest and fees as it becomes due hereunder or any other amount due under the Loan Documents and agree that all such amounts charged shall constitute Loans, and that all such Borrowings shall be deemed to have been requested pursuant to Sections 2.03 or 2.05, as applicable, and (ii) the Administrative Agent to charge any deposit account of any Borrower maintained with the Administrative Agent for each payment of principal, interest and fees as it becomes due hereunder or any other amount due under the Loan Documents.

(d) If, except as otherwise expressly provided herein, any Lender shall, by exercising any right of setoff or counterclaim or otherwise, obtain payment in respect of any principal of or interest on any of its Loans or participations in LC Disbursements resulting in such Lender receiving payment of a greater proportion of the aggregate amount of its Loans and participations in LC Disbursements and accrued interest thereon than the proportion received by any other

 

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similarly situated Lender, then the Lender receiving such greater proportion shall purchase (for cash at face value) participations in the Loans and participations in LC Disbursements of other Lenders to the extent necessary so that the benefit of all such payments shall be shared by all such Lenders ratably in accordance with the aggregate amount of principal of and accrued interest on their respective Loans and participations in LC Disbursements; provided that (i) if any such participations are purchased and all or any portion of the payment giving rise thereto is recovered, such participations shall be rescinded and the purchase price restored to the extent of such recovery, without interest, and (ii) the provisions of this paragraph shall not be construed to apply to any payment made by the Borrowers pursuant to and in accordance with the express terms of this Agreement or any payment obtained by a Lender as consideration for the assignment of or sale of a participation in any of its Loans or participations in LC Disbursements to any assignee or participant, other than to the Borrowers or any Subsidiary or Affiliate thereof (as to which the provisions of this paragraph shall apply). Each Borrower consents to the foregoing and agrees, to the extent it may effectively do so under applicable law, that any Lender acquiring a participation pursuant to the foregoing arrangements may exercise against such Borrower rights of setoff and counterclaim with respect to such participation as fully as if such Lender were a direct creditor of such Borrower in the amount of such participation.

(e) Unless the Administrative Agent shall have received, prior to any date on which any payment is due to the Administrative Agent for the account of the Lenders or the Issuing Bank pursuant to the terms hereof or any other Loan Document (including any date that is fixed for prepayment by notice from the Borrower Representative to the Administrative Agent pursuant to Section 2.11(c)), notice from the Borrower Representative that the Borrowers will not make such payment or prepayment, the Administrative Agent may assume that the Borrowers have made such payment on such date in accordance herewith and may, in reliance upon such assumption, distribute to the Lenders or the Issuing Bank, as the case may be, the amount due. In such event, if the Borrowers have not in fact made such payment, then each of the Lenders or the Issuing Bank, as the case may be, severally agrees to repay to the Administrative Agent forthwith on demand the amount so distributed to such Lender or Issuing Bank with interest thereon, for each day from and including the date such amount is distributed to it to but excluding the date of payment to the Administrative Agent, at the greater of the NYFRB Rate and a rate determined by the Administrative Agent in accordance with banking industry rules on interbank compensation.

(f) The Administrative Agent may from time to time provide the Borrowers with account statements or invoices with respect to any of the Secured Obligations (the “Statements”). The Administrative Agent is under no duty or obligation to provide Statements, which, if provided, will be solely for the Borrowers’ convenience. Statements may contain estimates of the amounts owed during the relevant billing period, whether of principal, interest, fees or other Secured Obligations. If the Borrowers pay the full amount indicated on a Statement on or before the due date indicated on such Statement, the Borrowers shall not be in default of payment with respect to the billing period indicated on such Statement; provided, that acceptance by the Administrative Agent, on behalf of the Lenders, of any payment that is less than the total amount actually due at that time (including but not limited to any past due amounts) shall not constitute a waiver of the Administrative Agent’s or the Lenders’ right to receive payment in full at another time.

SECTION 2.19. Mitigation Obligations; Replacement of Lenders.

(a) If any Lender requests compensation under Section 2.15, or requires the Borrowers to pay any Indemnified Taxes or additional amounts to any Lender or any Governmental Authority for the account of any Lender pursuant to Section 2.17, then such Lender shall (at the request of Borrower Representative) use reasonable efforts to designate a different lending office for funding

 

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or booking its Loans hereunder or to assign its rights and obligations hereunder to another of its offices, branches or affiliates, if, in the judgment of such Lender, such designation or assignment (i) would eliminate or reduce amounts payable pursuant to Sections 2.15 or 2.17, as the case may be, in the future and (ii) would not subject such Lender to any unreimbursed cost or expense and would not otherwise be disadvantageous to such Lender. The Borrowers hereby agree to pay all reasonable costs and expenses incurred by any Lender in connection with any such designation or assignment.

(b) If any Lender requests compensation under Section 2.15, or if the Borrowers are required to pay any Indemnified Taxes or additional amounts to any Lender or any Governmental Authority for the account of any Lender pursuant to Section 2.17 and, in each case, such Lender has declined or is unable to designate a different lending office in accordance with paragraph (a) of this Section, or if any Lender is a Defaulting Lender, then the Borrowers may, at their sole expense and effort, upon notice to such Lender and the Administrative Agent, require such Lender to assign and delegate, without recourse (in accordance with and subject to the restrictions contained in Section 9.04), all its interests, rights (other than its existing rights to payments pursuant to Section 2.15 or 2.17) and obligations under this Agreement and other Loan Documents to an assignee that shall assume such obligations (which assignee may be another Lender, if a Lender accepts such assignment); provided that (i) the Borrowers shall have received the prior written consent of the Administrative Agent (and in circumstances where its consent would be required under Section 9.04, the Issuing Bank and the Swingline Lender), which consent shall not unreasonably be withheld, (ii) such Lender shall have received payment of an amount equal to the outstanding principal of its Loans and funded participations in LC Disbursements and Swingline Loans, accrued interest thereon, accrued fees and all other amounts payable to it hereunder, from the assignee (to the extent of such outstanding principal and accrued interest and fees) or the Borrowers (in the case of all other amounts) and (iii) in the case of any such assignment resulting from a claim for compensation under Section 2.15 or payments required to be made pursuant to Section 2.17, such assignment will result in a reduction in such compensation or payments. A Lender shall not be required to make any such assignment and delegation if, prior thereto, as a result of a waiver by such Lender or otherwise, the circumstances entitling the Borrowers to require such assignment and delegation cease to apply. Each party hereto agrees that (i) an assignment required pursuant to this paragraph may be effected pursuant to an Assignment and Assumption executed by the Borrower Representative, the Administrative Agent and the assignee (or, to the extent applicable, an agreement incorporating an Assignment and Assumption by reference pursuant to an Approved Electronic Platform as to which the Administrative Agent and such parties are participants), and (ii) the Lender required to make such assignment need not be a party thereto in order for such assignment to be effective and shall be deemed to have consented to and be bound by the terms thereof; provided that, following the effectiveness of any such assignment, the other parties to such assignment agree to execute and deliver such documents necessary to evidence such assignment as reasonably requested by the applicable Lender, provided that any such documents shall be without recourse to or warranty by the parties thereto.

SECTION 2.20. Defaulting Lenders.

Notwithstanding any provision of this Agreement to the contrary, if any Lender becomes a Defaulting Lender, then the following provisions shall apply for so long as such Lender is a Defaulting Lender:

(a) fees shall cease to accrue on the unfunded portion of the Revolving Commitment of such Defaulting Lender pursuant to Section 2.12(a);

 

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(b) any payment of principal, interest, fees or other amounts received by the Administrative Agent for the account of such Defaulting Lender (whether voluntary or mandatory, at maturity, pursuant to Section 2.18(b) or otherwise) or received by the Administrative Agent from a Defaulting Lender pursuant to Section 9.08 shall be applied at such time or times as may be determined by the Administrative Agent as follows: first, to the payment of any amounts owing by such Defaulting Lender to the Administrative Agent hereunder; second, to the payment on a pro rata basis of any amounts owing by such Defaulting Lender to any Issuing Bank hereunder; third, to cash collateralize the Issuing Banks’ LC Exposure with respect to such Defaulting Lender in accordance with this Section; fourth, as the Borrower Representative may request (so long as no Default or Event of Default exists), to the funding of any Loan in respect of which such Defaulting Lender has failed to fund its portion thereof as required by this Agreement, as determined by the Administrative Agent; fifth, if so determined by the Administrative Agent and the Borrower Representative, to be held in a deposit account and released pro rata in order to (x) satisfy such Defaulting Lender’s potential future funding obligations with respect to Loans under this Agreement and (y) cash collateralize the Issuing Banks’ future LC Exposure with respect to such Defaulting Lender with respect to future Letters of Credit issued under this Agreement, in accordance with this Section; sixth, to the payment of any amounts owing to the Lenders, the Issuing Banks as a result of any judgment of a court of competent jurisdiction obtained by any Lender, the Issuing Banks against such Defaulting Lender as a result of such Defaulting Lender’s breach of its obligations under this Agreement or under any other Loan Document; seventh, so long as no Default or Event of Default exists, to the payment of any amounts owing to the Borrowers as a result of any judgment of a court of competent jurisdiction obtained by the Borrowers against such Defaulting Lender as a result of such Defaulting Lender’s breach of its obligations under this Agreement or under any other Loan Document; and eighth, to such Defaulting Lender or as otherwise directed by a court of competent jurisdiction; provided that if (x) such payment is a payment of the principal amount of any Loans or LC Disbursements in respect of which such Defaulting Lender has not fully funded its appropriate share, and (y) such Loans were made or the related Letters of Credit were issued at a time when the conditions set forth in Section 4.02 were satisfied or waived, such payment shall be applied solely to pay the Loans of, and LC Disbursements owed to, all non-Defaulting Lenders on a pro rata basis prior to being applied to the payment of any Loans of, or LC Disbursements owed to, such Defaulting Lender until such time as all Loans and funded and unfunded participations in the Borrowers’ obligations corresponding to such Defaulting Lender’s LC Exposure are held by the Lenders pro rata in accordance with the Commitments without giving effect to clause (d) below. Any payments, prepayments or other amounts paid or payable to a Defaulting Lender that are applied (or held) to pay amounts owed by a Defaulting Lender or to post cash collateral pursuant to this Section shall be deemed paid to and redirected by such Defaulting Lender, and each Lender irrevocably consents hereto;

(c) such Defaulting Lender shall not have the right to vote on any issue on which voting is required (other than to the extent expressly provided in Section 9.02(b)) and the Commitment and Revolving Exposure of such Defaulting Lender shall not be included in determining whether the Required Lenders have taken or may take any action hereunder or under any other Loan Document; provided that, except as otherwise provided in Section 9.02, this clause (b) shall not apply to the vote of a Defaulting Lender in the case of an amendment, waiver or other modification requiring the consent of such Lender or each Lender directly affected thereby;

 

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(d) if any LC Exposure exists at the time such Lender becomes a Defaulting Lender then:

(i) all or any part of the LC Exposure of such Defaulting Lender shall be reallocated among the non-Defaulting Lenders in accordance with their respective Applicable Percentages but only (x) to the extent that such reallocation does not, as to any non-Defaulting Lender, cause such non-Defaulting Lender’s Revolving Exposure to exceed its Revolving Commitment;

(ii) if the reallocation described in clause (i) above cannot, or can only partially, be effected, the Borrowers shall within one (1) Business Day following notice by the Administrative Agent (cash collateralize, for the benefit of the Issuing Bank, the Borrowers’ obligations corresponding to such Defaulting Lender’s LC Exposure (after giving effect to any partial reallocation pursuant to clause (i) above) in accordance with the procedures set forth in Section 2.06(j) for so long as such LC Exposure is outstanding;

(iii) if the Borrowers cash collateralize any portion of such Defaulting Lender’s LC Exposure pursuant to clause (ii) above, the Borrowers shall not be required to pay any fees to such Defaulting Lender pursuant to Section 2.12(b) with respect to such Defaulting Lender’s LC Exposure during the period such Defaulting Lender’s LC Exposure is cash collateralized;

(iv) if the LC Exposure of the non-Defaulting Lenders is reallocated pursuant to clause (i) above, then the fees payable to the Lenders pursuant to Sections 2.12(a) and 2.12(b) shall be adjusted in accordance with such non-Defaulting Lenders’ Applicable Percentages; and

(v) if all or any portion of such Defaulting Lender’s LC Exposure is neither reallocated nor cash collateralized pursuant to clause (i) or (ii) above, then, without prejudice to any rights or remedies of the Issuing Bank or any other Lender hereunder, all letter of credit fees payable under Section 2.12(b) with respect to such Defaulting Lender’s LC Exposure shall be payable to the Issuing Bank until and to the extent that such LC Exposure is reallocated and/or cash collateralized; and

(e) so long as such Lender is a Defaulting Lender, the Issuing Bank shall not be required to issue, amend, renew, extend or increase any Letter of Credit, unless it is satisfied that the related exposure and such Defaulting Lender’s then outstanding LC Exposure will be 100% covered by the Commitments of the non-Defaulting Lenders and/or cash collateral will be provided by the Borrowers in accordance with Section 2.20(d), and LC Exposure related to any newly issued or increased Letter of Credit shall be allocated among non-Defaulting Lenders in a manner consistent with Section 2.20(d)(i) (and such Defaulting Lender shall not participate therein).

If (i) a Bankruptcy Event or a Bail-In Action with respect to the Parent of any Lender shall occur following the date hereof and for so long as such event shall continue or (ii) the Issuing Bank has a good faith belief that any Lender has defaulted in fulfilling its obligations under one or more other agreements in which such Lender commits to extend credit, the Issuing Bank shall not be required to issue, amend or increase any Letter of Credit, unless the Issuing Bank, as the case may be, shall have entered into arrangements with the Borrowers or such Lender, satisfactory to the Issuing Bank, as the case may be, to defease any risk to it in respect of such Lender hereunder.

In the event that each of the Administrative Agent, the Borrowers, and the Issuing Bank agree that a Defaulting Lender has adequately remedied all matters that caused such Lender to be a Defaulting Lender, then the LC Exposure of the Lenders shall be readjusted to reflect the inclusion of such Lender’s Revolving Commitment and on the date of such readjustment such Lender shall purchase at par such of the Loans of the other Lenders as the Administrative Agent shall determine may be necessary in order for such Lender to hold such Loans in accordance with its Applicable Percentage.

 

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SECTION 2.21. Returned Payments. If, after receipt of any payment which is applied to the payment of all or any part of the Obligations (including a payment effected through exercise of a right of setoff), the Administrative Agent or any Lender is for any reason compelled to surrender such payment or proceeds to any Person because such payment or application of proceeds is invalidated, declared fraudulent, set aside, determined to be void or voidable as a preference, impermissible setoff, or a diversion of trust funds, or for any other reason (including pursuant to any settlement entered into by the Administrative Agent or such Lender in its discretion), then the Obligations or part thereof intended to be satisfied shall be revived and continued and this Agreement shall continue in full force as if such payment or proceeds had not been received by the Administrative Agent or such Lender. The provisions of this Section 2.21 shall be and remain effective notwithstanding any contrary action which may have been taken by the Administrative Agent or any Lender in reliance upon such payment or application of proceeds. The provisions of this Section 2.21 shall survive the termination of this Agreement.

SECTION 2.22. Banking Services and Swap Agreements. Each Lender or Affiliate thereof providing Banking Services for, or having Swap Agreements with, any Loan Party or any Subsidiary or Affiliate of a Loan Party shall deliver to the Administrative Agent, promptly after entering into such Banking Services or Swap Agreements, written notice setting forth the aggregate amount of all Banking Services Obligations and Swap Agreement Obligations of such Loan Party or Subsidiary or Affiliate thereof to such Lender or Affiliate (whether matured or unmatured, absolute or contingent). In furtherance of that requirement, each such Lender or Affiliate thereof shall furnish the Administrative Agent, from time to time after a significant change therein or upon a request therefor, a summary of the amounts due or to become due in respect of such Banking Services Obligations and Swap Agreement Obligations. The most recent information provided to the Administrative Agent shall be used in determining which tier of the waterfall, contained in Section 2.18(b), such Banking Services Obligations and/or Swap Agreement Obligations will be placed. For the avoidance of doubt, so long as Chase or its Affiliate is the Administrative Agent, neither Chase nor any of its Affiliates providing Banking Services for, or having Swap Agreements with, any Loan Party or any Subsidiary or Affiliate of a Loan Party shall be required to provide any notice described in this Section 2.22 in respect of such Banking Services or Swap Agreements.

ARTICLE III

Representations and Warranties

Each Loan Party represents and warrants to the Lenders that (and where applicable, agrees):

SECTION 3.01. Organization; Powers. Each Loan Party and each Subsidiary is duly organized or formed, validly existing and in good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction of its organization, has all requisite power and authority to carry on its business as now conducted and, except where the failure to do so, individually or in the aggregate, could not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect, is qualified to do business in, and is in good standing in, every jurisdiction where such qualification is required.

SECTION 3.02. Authorization; Enforceability. The Transactions are within each Loan Party’s corporate or other organizational powers and have been duly authorized by all necessary corporate or other organizational actions and, if required, actions by equity holders. Each Loan Document to which each Loan Party is a party has been duly executed and delivered by such Loan Party and constitutes a legal, valid and binding obligation of such Loan Party, enforceable in accordance with its terms, subject to applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium or other laws affecting creditors’ rights generally and subject to general principles of equity, regardless of whether considered in a proceeding in equity or at law.

 

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SECTION 3.03. Governmental Approvals; No Conflicts. The Transactions (a) do not require any consent or approval of, registration or filing with, or any other action by, any Governmental Authority, except such as have been obtained or made and are in full force and effect and except for filings necessary to perfect Liens created pursuant to the Loan Documents, (b) will not violate any Requirement of Law applicable to any Loan Party or any Subsidiary, (c) will not violate or result in a default under any indenture, agreement or other instrument binding upon any Loan Party or any Subsidiary or the assets of any Loan Party or any Subsidiary, or give rise to a right thereunder to require any payment to be made by any Loan Party or any Subsidiary, and (d) will not result in the creation or imposition of, or other requirement to create, any Lien on any asset of any Loan Party or any Subsidiary, except Liens created pursuant to the Loan Documents.

SECTION 3.04. Financial Condition; No Material Adverse Change.

(a) The Company has heretofore furnished to the Lenders the financial statements required pursuant to Section 4.01(b). Such financial statements present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position and results of operations and cash flows of the Company and its consolidated Subsidiaries as of such dates and for such periods in accordance with GAAP subject to normal year-end audit adjustments and the absence of footnotes in the case of interim finance statements.

(b) No event, change or condition has occurred that has had, or could reasonably be expected to have, a Material Adverse Effect, since December 31, 2020.

SECTION 3.05. Properties, etc.

(a) As of the date of this Agreement, Schedule 3.05 sets forth the address of each parcel of real property that is owned or leased by any Loan Party. Each of such leases and subleases is valid and enforceable in accordance with its terms subject to applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium or other laws affecting creditors’ rights generally and subject to general principles of equity, regardless of whether considered in a proceeding in equity or at law and is in full force and effect, and to each Loan Party’s knowledge, no default by any other party to any such lease or sublease exists except where the failure to do so, individually or in the aggregate, could not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect. Each of the Loan Parties and each Subsidiary has good and indefeasible title to, or valid leasehold interests in, all of its real and personal property, free of all Liens other than those permitted by Section 6.02 except where the failure to do so, individually or in the aggregate, could not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.

(b) Each Loan Party and each Subsidiary owns, or is licensed to use, all trademarks, tradenames, copyrights, patents and other intellectual property necessary to its business as currently conducted, a correct and complete list of which, as of the date of this Agreement, is set forth on Schedule 3.05, except where the failure to so own or so license, individually or in the aggregate, could not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect, and the use thereof by each Loan Party and each Subsidiary does not infringe upon the rights of any other Person except for any such infringements that, individually or in the aggregate, could not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect, and each Loan Party’s and each Subsidiary’s rights thereto are not subject to any licensing agreement or similar arrangement.

 

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SECTION 3.06. Litigation and Environmental Matters.

(a) There are no actions, suits or proceedings by or before any arbitrator or Governmental Authority pending against or, to the knowledge of any Loan Party, threatened against or affecting any Loan Party or any Subsidiary (i) as to which there is a reasonable possibility of an adverse determination and that, if adversely determined, could reasonably be expected, individually or in the aggregate, to result in a Material Adverse Effect (other than the Disclosed Matters set forth on Schedule 3.06) or (ii) that involve any Loan Document or the Transactions.

(b) Except for the Disclosed Matters, and except with respect to any other matters that, individually or in the aggregate, could not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect, (i) no Loan Party or any Subsidiary has received notice of any claim with respect to any Environmental Liability or knows of any basis for any Environmental Liability and (ii) no Loan Party or any Subsidiary (A) has failed to comply with any Environmental Law or to obtain, maintain or comply with any permit, license or other approval required under any Environmental Law (B) has become subject to any Environmental Liability, (C) has received notice of any claim with respect to any Environmental Liability or (D) knows of any basis for any Environmental Liability.

(c) Since the date of this Agreement, there has been no change in the status of the Disclosed Matters that, individually or in the aggregate, has resulted in, or materially increased the likelihood of, a Material Adverse Effect.

SECTION 3.07. Compliance with Laws and Agreements; No Default. Except where the failure to do so, individually or in the aggregate, could not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect, each Loan Party and each Subsidiary is in compliance with (i) all Requirement of Law applicable to it or its property and (ii) all indentures, agreements and other instruments binding upon it or its property. No Default has occurred and is continuing.

SECTION 3.08. Investment Company Status. No Loan Party or any Subsidiary is an “investment company” as defined in, or subject to regulation under, the Investment Company Act of 1940.

SECTION 3.09. Taxes. Each Loan Party and each Subsidiary has timely filed or caused to be filed all Tax returns and reports required to have been filed and has paid or caused to be paid all Taxes required to have been paid by it, except (a) Taxes that are being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings and for which such Loan Party or such Subsidiary, as applicable, has set aside on its books adequate reserves or (b) to the extent that the failure to do so could not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.

SECTION 3.10. ERISA. No ERISA Event has occurred or is reasonably expected to occur that, when taken together with all other such ERISA Events for which liability is reasonably expected to occur, could reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect. The present value of all accumulated benefit obligations under each Plan (based on the assumptions used for purposes of Statement of Financial Accounting Standards No. 87) did not, as of the date of the most recent financial statements reflecting such amounts, exceed the fair market value of the assets of such Plan, such that any requisite funding of such Plan could reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect, and the present value of all accumulated benefit obligations of all underfunded Plans (based on the assumptions used for purposes of Accounting Standards Codification 715) did not, as of the date of the most recent financial statements reflecting such amounts, exceed the fair market value of the assets of all such underfunded Plans such that any requisite funding of all such Plans could reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.

 

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SECTION 3.11. Disclosure. (a) The Loan Parties have disclosed to the Lenders all agreements, instruments and corporate or other restrictions to which any Loan Party or any Subsidiary is subject, and all other matters known to it, that, individually or in the aggregate, could reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect. None of the reports, financial statements, certificates or other information (other than Projections, any other projected financial information, forward looking statements and statements of a general economic nature) furnished by or on behalf of any Loan Party or any Subsidiary to the Administrative Agent or any Lender in connection with the negotiation of this Agreement or any other Loan Document (as modified or supplemented by other information so furnished), taken as a whole, contains any material misstatement of fact or, when taken as a whole, omits to state any material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not materially misleading; provided that, with respect to the Projections and other projected financial information, the Loan Parties represent only that such information was prepared in good faith based upon assumptions believed to be reasonable at the time delivered and, if such Projections or other projected financial information was delivered prior to the Effective Date, as of the Effective Date, it being understood and agreed that such Projections and other projected financial information are subject to uncertainties and contingencies, many of which are beyond the control of the Loan Parties, and as such, such Projections and other projected financial information is not a guarantee of financial performance and such differences may be material.

(b) As of the Effective Date, to the best knowledge of each Borrower, the information included in the Beneficial Ownership Certification provided on or prior to the Effective Date to any Lender in connection with this Agreement is true and correct in all respects.

SECTION 3.12. Reserved.

SECTION 3.13. Solvency. Immediately after the consummation of the Transactions to occur on the Effective Date, (i) the fair value of the assets of the Loan Parties and their Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, at a fair valuation, will exceed its debts and liabilities, subordinated, contingent or otherwise; (ii) the present fair saleable value of the property of the Loan Parties and their Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, will be greater than the amount that will be required to pay the probable liability of its debts and other liabilities, subordinated, contingent or otherwise, as such debts and other liabilities become absolute and matured; (iii) the Loan Parties and their Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, will be able to pay their debts and liabilities, subordinated, contingent or otherwise, as such debts and liabilities become absolute and matured; and (iv) the Loan Parties and their Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, will not have unreasonably small capital with which to conduct the business in which they are engaged as such business is now conducted and is proposed to be conducted after the Effective Date.

SECTION 3.14. Insurance. Schedule 3.14 sets forth a description of all insurance maintained by or on behalf of the Loan Parties and their Subsidiaries as of the Effective Date. As of the Effective Date, all premiums in respect of such insurance have been paid. The Loan Parties believe that the insurance maintained by or on behalf of the Loan Parties and their Subsidiaries is adequate and is customary for companies engaged in the same or similar businesses operating in the same or similar locations.

SECTION 3.15. Capitalization and Subsidiaries. As of the Effective Date, Schedule 3.15 sets forth (a) a correct and complete list of the name and relationship to the Company of each Subsidiary, (b) a true and complete listing of each class of each of the Company’s authorized Equity Interests, of which all of such issued Equity Interests are validly issued, outstanding, fully paid and non-assessable, and owned beneficially and of record by the Persons identified on Schedule 3.15 as of the Effective Date, and (c) the type of entity of the Company and each Subsidiary. All of the issued and outstanding Equity Interests owned by any Loan Party have been (to the extent such concepts are relevant with respect to such ownership interests) duly authorized and issued and are fully paid and non-assessable.

 

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SECTION 3.16. Security Interest in Collateral. The provisions of this Agreement and the other Loan Documents create legal and valid Liens on all the Collateral in favor of the Administrative Agent, for the benefit of the Secured Parties, and upon the filing of UCC financing statements, the recording of mortgages and the taking of actions or making of filings with the United States Patent and Trademark Office of the United States Copyright Office, as applicable, with respect to the Loan Parties’ intellectual property, such Liens constitute perfected and continuing Liens on the Collateral, to the extent perfection can be obtained by the filing of an initial UCC financing statement, the recording of a mortgage or a filing with the United States patent and Trademark Office or the United States Copyright Office, as applicable, securing the Secured Obligations, enforceable against the applicable Loan Party (subject to applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium or other laws affecting creditors’ rights generally and subject to general principles of equity, regardless, of whether considered in a proceeding in equity or at law) and having priority over all other Liens on the Collateral except in the case of (a) Permitted Encumbrances, to the extent any such Permitted Encumbrances would have priority over the Liens in favor of the Administrative Agent pursuant to any applicable law or agreement permitted hereunder, and (b) Liens perfected only by possession (including possession of any certificate of title), to the extent the Administrative Agent has not obtained or does not maintain possession of such Collateral.

SECTION 3.17. Employment Matters. As of the Effective Date, there are no strikes, lockouts or slowdowns against any Loan Party or any Subsidiary pending or, to the knowledge of any Loan Party, threatened in writing. The hours worked by and payments made to employees of the Loan Parties and their Subsidiaries have not been in violation in any material respect of the Fair Labor Standards Act or any other applicable federal, state, local or foreign law dealing with such matters. All payments due from any Loan Party or any Subsidiary, or for which any claim may be made against any Loan Party or any Subsidiary, on account of wages and employee health and welfare insurance and other benefits, have been paid or accrued as a liability on the books of such Loan Party or such Subsidiary, except as could not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

SECTION 3.18. Margin Regulations. No Loan Party is engaged and will not engage, principally or as one of its important activities, in the business of purchasing or carrying Margin Stock, or extending credit for the purpose of purchasing or carrying Margin Stock, and no part of the proceeds of any Borrowing or Letter of Credit hereunder will be used to buy or carry any Margin Stock. Following the application of the proceeds of each Borrowing or drawing under each Letter of Credit, not more than 25% of the value of the assets (either of any Loan Party only or of the Loan Parties and their Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis) will be Margin Stock.

SECTION 3.19. Use of Proceeds. The proceeds of the Loans have been used and will be used, whether directly or indirectly as set forth in Section 5.08.

SECTION 3.20. No Burdensome Restrictions. No Loan Party is subject to any Burdensome Restrictions except Burdensome Restrictions permitted under Section 6.10.

SECTION 3.21. Anti-Corruption Laws and Sanctions. Each Loan Party has implemented and maintains in effect policies and procedures designed to ensure compliance by such Loan Party, its Subsidiaries and their respective directors, officers, employees and agents with Anti-Corruption Laws and applicable Sanctions, and such Loan Party, its Subsidiaries and their respective officers and directors and, to the knowledge of such Loan Party, its employees and agents, are in compliance with Anti-Corruption Laws and applicable Sanctions in all material respects. None of (a) any Loan Party, any Subsidiary, any of their respective directors or officers or employees, or (b) to the knowledge of any such Loan Party or Subsidiary, any agent of such Loan Party or any Subsidiary that will act in any capacity in connection with or benefit from the credit facility established hereby, is a Sanctioned Person. No Borrowing or Letter of Credit, use of proceeds, Transaction or other transaction contemplated by this Agreement or the other Loan Documents will violate Anti-Corruption Laws or applicable Sanctions.

 

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SECTION 3.22. EEA Financial Institutions. No Loan Party is an EEA Financial Institution.

SECTION 3.23. Plan Assets; Prohibited Transactions . None of the Loan Parties or any of their Subsidiaries is an entity deemed to hold “plan assets” (within the meaning of the Plan Asset Regulations), and neither the execution, delivery nor performance of the transactions contemplated under this Agreement, including the making of any Loan and the issuance of any Letter of Credit hereunder, will give rise to a non-exempt prohibited transaction under Section 406 of ERISA or Section 4975 of the Code.

SECTION 3.24. Common Enterprise. The successful operation and condition of each of the Loan Parties is dependent on the continued successful performance of the functions of the group of the Loan Parties as a whole and the successful operation of each of the Loan Parties is dependent on the successful performance and operation of each other Loan Party. Each Loan Party expects to derive benefit (and its board of directors or other governing body has determined that it may reasonably be expected to derive benefit), directly and indirectly, from (a) successful operations of each of the other Loan Parties and (b) the credit extended by the Lenders to the Borrowers hereunder, both in their separate capacities and as members of the group of companies. Each Loan Party has determined that execution, delivery, and performance of this Agreement and any other Loan Documents to be executed by such Loan Party is within its purpose, in furtherance of its direct and/or indirect business interests, will be of direct and indirect benefit to such Loan Party, and is in its best interest.

ARTICLE IV

Conditions

SECTION 4.01. Effective Date. The obligations of the Lenders to make Loans and of the Issuing Bank to issue Letters of Credit hereunder shall not become effective until the date on which each of the following conditions is satisfied (or waived in accordance with Section 9.02):

(a) Credit Agreement and Loan Documents. The Administrative Agent (or its counsel) shall have received (i) from each party hereto either (A) a counterpart of this Agreement signed on behalf of such party (which, subject to Section 9.06(b), or (B) written evidence satisfactory to the Administrative Agent (which may include any Electronic Signatures transmitted by telecopy, emailed pdf. or any or other electronic means that reproduces an image of an actual executed signature page and (ii) duly executed copies of the Loan Documents and such other certificates, documents, instruments and agreements as the Administrative Agent shall reasonably request in connection with the transactions contemplated by this Agreement and the other Loan Documents, including any promissory notes requested by a Lender pursuant to Section 2.10 payable to the order of each such requesting Lender and a written opinion of the Loan Parties’ counsel, addressed to the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Bank and the Lenders and in form and substance satisfactory to the Administrative Agent.

(b) Financial Statements and Projections. The Lenders shall have received (i) audited consolidated financial statements of the Company and its Subsidiaries for the 2018 and 2019 fiscal years, (ii) unaudited interim consolidated financial statements of the Company and its Subsidiaries for each fiscal quarter ended after the date of the latest applicable financial statements delivered pursuant to clause (i) of this paragraph as to which such financial statements are available, and such financial statements shall not, in the reasonable judgment of the Administrative Agent, reflect any material adverse change in the consolidated financial condition of the Company and its Subsidiaries, as reflected in the audited, consolidated financial statements described in clause (i) of this paragraph and (iii) satisfactory projections for the period beginning January 1, 2021 through December 31, 2023 (the “Projections”).

 

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(c) Closing Certificates; Certified Certificate of Incorporation; Good Standing Certificates. The Administrative Agent shall have received (i) a certificate of each Loan Party, dated the Effective Date and executed by its Secretary or Assistant Secretary, which shall (A) certify the resolutions of its Board of Directors, members or other body authorizing the execution, delivery and performance of the Loan Documents to which it is a party, (B) identify by name and title and bear the signatures of the officers of such Loan Party authorized to sign the Loan Documents to which it is a party and, in the case of a Borrower, its Financial Officers, and (C) contain appropriate attachments, including the charter, articles or certificate of organization or incorporation of each Loan Party certified by the relevant authority of the jurisdiction of organization of such Loan Party and a true and correct copy of its bylaws or operating, management or partnership agreement, or other organizational or governing documents, and (ii) a long form good standing certificate for each Loan Party from its jurisdiction of organization.

(d) No Default Certificate. The Administrative Agent shall have received a certificate, signed by a Financial Officer of the Borrower, dated as of the Effective Date (i) stating that no Default has occurred and is continuing, (ii) stating that the representations and warranties contained in the Loan Documents are true and correct in all material respects as of such date, (or if any representation and warranty is made as of a specified date stating such representation and warranty was true and correct as of such specified date and if any representation or warranty is subject to any materiality qualifier, such representation or warranty is true and correct in all respects), and (iii) certifying as to any other factual matters as may be reasonably requested by the Administrative Agent.

(e) Solvency. The Administrative Agent shall have received a solvency certificate signed by a Financial Officer of the Borrower dated the Effective Date in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent.

(f) Fees. The Lenders and the Administrative Agent shall have received all fees required to be paid, and all expenses required to be reimbursed for which invoices have been presented (including the reasonable fees and expenses of legal counsel), on or before the Effective Date. All such amounts will be paid with proceeds of Loans made on the Effective Date and will be reflected in the funding instructions given by the Borrower Representative to the Administrative Agent on or before the Effective Date.

(g) Lien Searches. The Administrative Agent shall have received the results of a recent lien search in the jurisdiction of organization of each Loan Party and each jurisdiction where assets of the Loan Parties are located, and such search shall reveal no Liens on any of the assets of the Loan Parties except for liens permitted by Section 6.02 or discharged on or prior to the Effective Date pursuant to a payoff letter or other documentation reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent.

(h) Payoff Letter. The Administrative Agent shall have received satisfactory payoff letters for all existing Indebtedness required to be repaid and which confirms that all Liens upon any of the property of the Loan Parties constituting Collateral will be terminated concurrently with such payment and all letters of credit issued or guaranteed as part of such Indebtedness shall have been cash collateralized or supported by a Letter of Credit.

 

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(i) Funding Account. The Administrative Agent shall have received a notice setting forth the deposit account of the Borrowers (the “Funding Account”) to which the Administrative Agent is authorized by the Borrowers to transfer the proceeds of any Borrowings requested or authorized pursuant to this Agreement.

(j) Control Agreements. The Administrative Agent shall have received each deposit account control agreement required to be provided pursuant to Section 4.14 of the Security Agreement.

(k) Pledged Equity Interest; Stock Powers; Pledged Notes. The Administrative Agent shall have received (i) the certificates representing the Equity Interests pledged pursuant to the Security Agreement, together with an undated stock power for each such certificate executed in blank by a duly authorized officer of the pledgor thereof and (ii) each promissory note (if any) pledged to the Administrative Agent pursuant to the Security Agreement endorsed (without recourse) in blank (or accompanied by an executed transfer form in blank) by the pledgor thereof.

(l) Filings, Registrations and Recordings. Each document (including any Uniform Commercial Code financing statement) required by the Collateral Documents or under law or reasonably requested by the Administrative Agent to be filed, registered or recorded in order to create in favor of the Administrative Agent, for the benefit of the Secured Parties, a perfected Lien on the Collateral described therein, prior and superior in right to any other Person (other than with respect to Liens expressly permitted by Section 6.02), shall be in proper form for filing, registration or recordation.

(m) Approvals. All material consents, authorizations and approvals of, and filings and registrations with, and all other actions in respect of, any Governmental Authority or other Person required in connection with the consummation of the Transactions or the conduct of the Loan Parties’ business shall have been obtained and shall be in full force and effect.

(n) Insurance. The Administrative Agent shall have received evidence of insurance coverage in form, scope, and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent and otherwise in compliance with the terms of Section 5.10 of this Agreement and Section 4.12 of the Security Agreement.

(o) Letter of Credit Application. The Administrative Agent shall have received a properly completed letter of credit application (whether standalone or pursuant to a master agreement, as applicable) if the issuance of a Letter of Credit will be required on the Effective Date.

(p) Legal Due Diligence. The Administrative Agent and its counsel shall have completed all legal due diligence, the results of which shall be satisfactory to Administrative Agent in its sole discretion.

(q) USA PATRIOT Act, Etc. (i) The Administrative Agent shall have received, (x) at least five (5) days prior to the Effective Date, all documentation and other information regarding the Borrowers requested in connection with applicable “know your customer” and anti-money laundering rules and regulations, including the USA PATRIOT Act, to the extent requested in writing of the Borrowers at least ten (10) days prior to the Effective Date, and (y) a properly completed and signed IRS Form W-8 or W-9, as applicable, for each Loan Party, and (ii) to the extent the Borrowers qualify as a “legal entity customer” under the Beneficial Ownership Regulation, at least five (5) days prior to the Effective Date, any Lender that has requested, in a written notice to the Borrowers at least ten (10) days prior to the Effective Date, a Beneficial Ownership Certification in relation to each Borrower shall have received such Beneficial Ownership Certification (provided that, upon the execution and delivery by such Lender of its signature page to this Agreement, the condition set forth in this clause (ii) shall be deemed to be satisfied).

 

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(r) Other Documents. The Administrative Agent shall have received such other agreements, opinions, reports, approvals, consents, certificates and other documents set forth on the closing checklist last delivered to the Company and such other documents as the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Bank, any Lender or their respective counsel may have reasonably requested.

The Administrative Agent shall notify the Borrowers, the Lenders and the Issuing Bank of the Effective Date, and such notice shall be conclusive and binding.

SECTION 4.02. Each Credit Event. The obligation of each Lender to make a Loan on the occasion of any Borrowing, and of the Issuing Bank to issue, amend, renew or extend any Letter of Credit, is subject to the satisfaction of the following conditions:

(a) The representations and warranties of the Loan Parties set forth in the Loan Documents shall be true and correct in all material respects with the same effect as though made on and as of the date of such Borrowing or the date of issuance, amendment, renewal or extension of such Letter of Credit, as applicable (it being understood and agreed that any representation or warranty which by its terms is made as of a specified date shall be required to be true and correct in all material respects only as of such specified date, and that any representation or warranty which is subject to any materiality qualifier shall be required to be true and correct in all respects).

(b) At the time of and immediately after giving effect to such Borrowing or the issuance, amendment, renewal or extension of such Letter of Credit, as applicable, no Default shall have occurred and be continuing.

(c) No event shall have occurred and no condition shall exist which has or could be reasonably expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

Each Borrowing and each issuance, amendment, renewal or extension of a Letter of Credit shall be deemed to constitute a representation and warranty by the Borrowers on the date thereof as to the matters specified in paragraphs (a), (b) and (c) of this Section.

Notwithstanding the failure to satisfy the conditions precedent set forth in paragraphs (a), (b) or (c) of this Section, unless otherwise directed by the Required Lenders, the Administrative Agent may, but shall have no obligation to, continue to make Loans and an Issuing Bank may, but shall have no obligation to, issue, amend, renew or extend, or cause to be issued, amended, renewed or extended, any Letter of Credit for the ratable account and risk of Lenders from time to time if the Administrative Agent believes that making such Loans or issuing, amending, renewing or extending, or causing the issuance, amendment, renewal or extension of, any such Letter of Credit is in the best interests of the Lenders.

ARTICLE V

Affirmative Covenants

Until all of the Secured Obligations shall have been Paid in Full, each Loan Party executing this Agreement covenants and agrees, jointly and severally with all of the other Loan Parties, with the Lenders that:

 

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SECTION 5.01. Financial Statements and Other Information. The Borrowers will furnish to the Administrative Agent and each Lender:

(a) within one hundred twenty (120) days after the end of each fiscal year of the Company, its audited consolidated balance sheet and related statements of operations, stockholders’ equity and cash flows as of the end of and for such year, setting forth in each case in comparative form the figures for the previous fiscal year, all reported on by PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP or other independent public accountants reasonably acceptable to the Required Lenders (without a “going concern” or like qualification, commentary or exception, and without any qualification or exception as to the scope of such audit) to the effect that such consolidated financial statements present fairly in all material respects the financial condition and results of operations of the Company and its consolidated Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis in accordance with GAAP consistently applied, accompanied by any management letter prepared by said accountants;

(b) beginning June 30, 2021, within forty-five (45) days after the end of each of the first three fiscal quarters of each fiscal year of the Company, its consolidated balance sheet and related statements of operations, stockholders’ equity and cash flows as of the end of and for such fiscal quarter and the then elapsed portion of such fiscal year, setting forth in each case in comparative form the figures for the corresponding period or periods of (or, in the case of the balance sheet, as of the end of) the previous fiscal year, all certified by a Financial Officer of the Borrower Representative as presenting fairly in all material respects the financial condition and results of operations of the Company and its consolidated Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis in accordance with GAAP consistently applied, subject to normal year-end audit adjustments and the absence of footnotes;

(c) concurrently with any delivery of financial statements under clause (a) or (b) above, a Compliance Certificate (i) certifying, in the case of the financial statements delivered under clause (b) above, as presenting fairly in all material respects the financial condition and results of operations of the Company and its consolidated Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis in accordance with GAAP consistently applied, subject to normal year-end audit adjustments and the absence of footnotes, (ii) certifying as to whether a Default has occurred and, if a Default has occurred, specifying the details thereof and any action taken or proposed to be taken with respect thereto, (iii) setting forth reasonably detailed calculations demonstrating compliance with Section 6.12 and (iv) stating whether any change in GAAP or in the application thereof has occurred since the date of the audited financial statements referred to in Section 3.04 and, if any such change has occurred, specifying the effect of such change on the financial statements accompanying such certificate;

(d) [reserved];

(e) as soon as available, but in any event no later than sixty (60) days following the end of the end of each fiscal year of the Company, a copy of the plan and forecast (including a projected consolidated balance sheet, income statement and cash flow statement) of the Borrowers for each month of the upcoming fiscal year (the “Projections”) in form reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent;

(f) promptly after the same become publicly available, copies of all periodic and other reports, proxy statements and other materials filed by any Loan Party or any Subsidiary with the SEC, or any Governmental Authority succeeding to any or all of the functions of the SEC, or with any national securities exchange, or distributed by the Company to its shareholders generally, as the case may be;

 

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(g) promptly after receipt thereof by any Borrower or any Subsidiary, copies of each notice or other correspondence received from the SEC (or comparable agency in any applicable non-U.S. jurisdiction) concerning any investigation or possible investigation or other inquiry by the SEC or such other agency regarding financial or other operational results of any Borrower or any Subsidiary thereof;

(h) promptly following any request therefor, copies of any detailed audit reports, management letters or recommendations submitted to the board of directors (or the audit committee of the board of directors) of any Borrower by independent accountants in connection with the accounts or books of the Borrower or any Subsidiary, or any audit of any of them as the Administrative Agent or any Lender (through the Administrative Agent) may reasonably request;

(i) promptly following any request therefor, (x) such other information regarding the operations, changes in ownership of Equity Interests, business affairs and financial condition of any Loan Party or any Subsidiary, or compliance with the terms of this Agreement, as the Administrative Agent or any Lender (through Administrative Agent) may reasonably request and (y) information and documentation reasonably requested by the Administrative Agent or any Lender for purposes of compliance with applicable “know your customer” and anti-money laundering rules and regulations, including the USA PATRIOT Act and the Beneficial Ownership Regulation; and

(j) promptly after any request therefor by the Administrative Agent or any Lender, copies of (i) any documents described in Section 101(k)(1) of ERISA that the Company or any ERISA Affiliate may have requested with respect to any Multiemployer Plan and (ii) any notices described in Section 101(l)(1) of ERISA that the Company or any ERISA Affiliate may have requested with respect to any Multiemployer Plan; provided that if the Company or any ERISA Affiliate has not requested such documents or notices from the administrator or sponsor of the applicable Multiemployer Plan, the Company or the applicable ERISA Affiliate shall promptly make a request for such documents and notices from such administrator or sponsor and shall provide copies of such documents and notices promptly after receipt thereof.

Documents required to be delivered pursuant to Section 5.01(a), (b) or (f) (to the extent any such documents are included in materials otherwise filed with the SEC) may be delivered electronically and, if so delivered, shall be deemed to have been delivered on the date (i) on which such materials are publicly available as posted on the Electronic Data Gathering, Analysis and Retrieval system (EDGAR); or (ii) on which such documents are posted on the Borrowers’ behalf on an Internet or intranet website, if any, to which each Lender and the Administrative Agent have access (whether a commercial, third-party website or whether made available by the Administrative Agent); provided that: (A) upon written request by the Administrative Agent (or any Lender through the Administrative Agent) to the Borrower Representative, the Borrower Representative shall deliver paper copies of such documents to the Administrative Agent or such Lender until a written request to cease delivering paper copies is given by the Administrative Agent or such Lender and (B) the Borrower Representative shall notify the Administrative Agent and each Lender (by facsimile or through Electronic System) of the posting of any such documents and provide to the Administrative Agent through Electronic System electronic versions (i.e., soft copies) of such documents. The Administrative Agent shall have no obligation to request the delivery of or to maintain paper copies of the documents referred to above, and in any event shall have no responsibility to monitor compliance by the Borrowers with any such request by a Lender for delivery, and each Lender shall be solely responsible for timely accessing posted documents or requesting delivery of paper copies of such document to it and maintaining its copies of such documents.

 

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SECTION 5.02. Notices of Material Events. The Borrowers will furnish to the Administrative Agent and each Lender prompt (but in any event within any time period that may be specified below) written notice of the following:

(a) the occurrence of any Default;

(b) receipt of any notice of any investigation by a Governmental Authority or any litigation or proceeding commenced or threatened in writing against any Loan Party or any Subsidiary that (i) if adversely determined could reasonably be expected to result in damages in excess of $10,000,000 (and not covered by insurance), (ii) seeks injunctive relief that could reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect, (iii) is asserted or instituted against any Plan, its fiduciaries or its assets, (iv) alleges criminal misconduct by any Loan Party or any Subsidiary, (v) alleges the violation of, or seeks to impose remedies under, any Environmental Law or related Requirement of Law, or seeks to impose Environmental Liability, in each case if adversely determined could reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect, (vi) asserts tax liens on the part of any Loan Party or any Subsidiary in respect of any unpaid tax, fee, assessment, or other governmental charge in each case if adversely determined could reasonably be expected to result in damages in excess of $2,500,000 (and not covered by insurance), and except to the extent contested in good faith, or (vii) involves any product recall with a reasonably expected cost in excess of the amount reimbursable by insurance, for which coverage has not been denied, of greater than $5,000,000;

(c) any material change in accounting or financial reporting practices by any Borrower or any Subsidiary (except to the extent required by GAAP);

(d) the occurrence of any ERISA Event that, alone or together with any other ERISA Events that have occurred, could reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect;

(e) within two (2) Business Days after the occurrence thereof, any Loan Party entering into a Swap Agreement or an amendment to a Swap Agreement, together with copies of all agreements evidencing such Swap Agreement or amendment;

(f) any other development that results in, or could reasonably be expected to result in, a Material Adverse Effect; and

(g) any change in the information provided in the Beneficial Ownership Certification delivered to such Lender that would result in a change to the list of beneficial owners identified in such certification.

Each notice delivered under this Section (i) shall be in writing, (ii) shall contain a heading or a reference line that read reads “Notice under Section 5.02 of the Credit Agreement dated April [__], 2021, among THE HONEST COMPANY, INC., a Delaware corporation, as a Borrower, each other Borrower party thereto, the other Loan Parties party thereto, the Lenders party thereto, and JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., as Administrative Agent” and (iii) shall be accompanied by a statement of a Financial Officer or other executive officer of the Borrower Representative setting forth the details of the event or development requiring such notice and any action taken or proposed to be taken with respect thereto.

 

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SECTION 5.03. Existence; Conduct of Business. Each Loan Party will, and will cause each Subsidiary to, do or cause to be done all things necessary to preserve, renew and keep in full force and effect its legal existence and the rights, qualifications, licenses, permits, franchises, governmental authorizations, intellectual property rights, licenses and permits material to the conduct of its business, and maintain all requisite authority to conduct its business in each jurisdiction in which its business is conducted except where the failure to maintain such authority could not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect; provided that the foregoing shall not prohibit any merger, consolidation, liquidation or dissolution permitted under Section 6.03.

SECTION 5.04. Payment of Obligations. Each Loan Party will, and will cause each Subsidiary to, pay or discharge all Material Indebtedness and all other material liabilities and obligations in excess of $10,000,000, including Taxes, before the same shall become delinquent or in default, except where (a) the validity or amount thereof is being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings and such Loan Party or Subsidiary has set aside on its books adequate reserves with respect thereto in accordance with GAAP and (b) the failure to make payment pending such contest could not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect; provided, however, that each Loan Party will, and will cause each Subsidiary to, remit withholding taxes and other payroll taxes to appropriate Governmental Authorities as and when claimed to be due, notwithstanding the foregoing exceptions.

SECTION 5.05. Maintenance of Properties. Each Loan Party will, and will cause each Subsidiary to, keep and maintain all property owned or leased by any Loan Party and which is material to the conduct of its business in good working order and condition, ordinary wear and tear excepted.

SECTION 5.06. Books and Records; Inspection Rights. Each Loan Party will, and will cause each Subsidiary to, (a) keep proper books of record and account in which full, true and correct entries are made of all dealings and transactions in relation to its business and activities and (b) permit any representatives designated by the Administrative Agent or any Lender (including employees of the Administrative Agent, any Lender or any consultants, accountants, lawyers, agents and appraisers retained by the Administrative Agent), upon reasonable prior notice and during business hours, to visit and inspect its properties, conduct at the Loan Party’s premises field examinations of the Loan Party’s assets, liabilities, books and records, including examining and making extracts from its books and records, environmental assessment reports and Phase I or Phase II studies, (other than (i) materials protected by the attorney-client privilege, (ii) materials which such Borrower or such Subsidiary, as applicable, may not disclose without violation of a confidentiality obligation binding upon it or the disclosure of which is prohibited by law or (iii) information that constitutes non-financial trade secrets or non-financial proprietary information that is not reasonably related to the actual or projected financial results or results of operations of the Company and its Subsidiaries), and to discuss its affairs, finances and condition with its officers and independent accountants (and hereby authorizes the Administrative Agent and each Lender to contact its independent accountants directly) all at such reasonable times; provided that if no Event of Default has occurred and is continuing, the Administrative Agent shall not conduct more than one field examination in any 12 month period. The Loan Parties acknowledge that the Administrative Agent, after exercising its rights of inspection, may prepare and distribute to the Lenders certain Reports pertaining to the Loan Parties’ assets for internal use by the Administrative Agent and the Lenders.

SECTION 5.07. Compliance with Laws and Material Contractual Obligations. Each Loan Party will, and will cause each Subsidiary to, (i) comply with each Requirement of Law applicable to it or its property (including without limitation Environmental Laws) and (ii) perform in all material respects its obligations under material agreements to which it is a party, except, in each case, where the failure to do so, individually or in the aggregate, could not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect. Each Loan Party will maintain in effect and enforce policies and procedures designed to ensure compliance by such Loan Party, its Subsidiaries and their respective directors, officers, employees and agents with Anti-Corruption Laws and applicable Sanctions.

 

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SECTION 5.08. Use of Proceeds.

(a) The proceeds of the Loans and the Letters of Credit will be used only for working capital and other general corporate purposes, including for Acquisitions. No part of the proceeds of any Loan and no Letter of Credit will be used, whether directly or indirectly for any purpose that entails a violation of any of the regulations of the Federal Reserve Board, including Regulations T, U and X.

(b) The Borrowers will not request any Borrowing or Letter of Credit, and no Borrower shall use, and each Borrower shall procure that its Subsidiaries and its or their respective directors, officers, employees and agents shall not use, the proceeds of any Borrowing or Letter of Credit (i) in furtherance of an offer, payment, promise to pay, or authorization of the payment or giving of money, or anything else of value, to any Person in violation of any Anti-Corruption Laws, (ii) for the purpose of funding, financing or facilitating any activities, business or transaction of or with any Sanctioned Person, or in any Sanctioned Country, except to the extent permitted for a Person required to comply with Sanctions, or (iii) in any manner that would result in the violation of any Sanctions applicable to any party hereto.

SECTION 5.09. Accuracy of Information. The Loan Parties will ensure that any information, including financial statements or other documents (other than Projections, other projected financial information, forward looking statements and statements of a general economic nature), furnished to the Administrative Agent or the Lenders in connection with this Agreement or any other Loan Document or any amendment or modification hereof or thereof or waiver hereunder or thereunder (as modified or supplemented by other information so furnished), when taken as a whole, contains no material misstatement of fact or omits to state any material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not materially misleading, and the furnishing of such information shall be deemed to be a representation and warranty by the Borrowers on the date thereof as to the matters specified in this Section 5.09; provided that, with respect to the Projections or any other projected financial information, the Loan Parties will cause the Projections to be prepared in good faith based upon assumptions believed to be reasonable at the time, it being understood and agreed that such Projections and other projected financial information are subject to uncertainties and contingencies, many of which are beyond the control of the Loan Parties, and as such, such Projections and other projected financial information is not a guarantee of financial performance and actual results may differ from such Projections and other projected financial information and such difference may be material.

SECTION 5.10. Insurance. Each Loan Party will, and will cause each Subsidiary to, maintain with financially sound and reputable carriers having a financial strength rating of at least A- by A.M. Best Company (a) insurance in such amounts (with no greater risk retention) and against such risks (including loss or damage by fire and loss in transit; theft, burglary, pilferage, larceny, embezzlement, and other criminal activities; business interruption; and general liability) and such other hazards, as is customarily maintained by companies of established repute engaged in the same or similar businesses operating in the same or similar locations and (b) all insurance required pursuant to the Collateral Documents. The Borrowers will furnish to the Lenders, upon the reasonable request of the Administrative Agent, but no less frequently than annually, information in reasonable detail as to the insurance so maintained.

SECTION 5.11. Casualty and Condemnation. The Borrowers (a) will furnish to the Administrative Agent and the Lenders prompt written notice of any casualty or other insured damage to any material portion of the Collateral or the commencement of any action or proceeding for the taking of any material portion of the Collateral or interest therein under power of eminent domain or by condemnation or similar proceeding and (b) will ensure that the net proceeds of any such event (whether in the form of insurance proceeds, condemnation awards or otherwise) are collected and applied in accordance with the applicable provisions of this Agreement and the Collateral Documents.

 

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SECTION 5.12. Depository Banks. Each Loan Party and each Subsidiary will maintain the Administrative Agent as its principal depository bank, including for the maintenance of operating, administrative, cash management, collection activity, and other deposit accounts for the conduct of its business.

SECTION 5.13. Additional Collateral; Further Assurances.

(a) Subject to applicable Requirement of Law, each Loan Party will cause each Material Domestic Subsidiary (other than a Foreign Subsidiary Holdco or CFC) formed or acquired after the date of this Agreement to become a Loan Party by executing a Joinder Agreement within ten (10) Business Days of the formation or acquisition thereof. In connection therewith, the Administrative Agent shall have received all documentation and other information regarding such newly formed or acquired Subsidiaries as may be required to comply with the applicable “know your customer” rules and regulations, including the USA Patriot Act. Upon execution and delivery thereof, each such Person (i) shall automatically become a Loan Guarantor hereunder and thereupon shall have all of the rights, benefits, duties, and obligations in such capacity under the Loan Documents and (ii) will grant Liens to the Administrative Agent, for the benefit of the Administrative Agent and the other Secured Parties, in any property of such Loan Party which constitutes Collateral.

(b) Each Loan Party will cause (i) 100% of the issued and outstanding Equity Interests of each of its Domestic Subsidiaries (other than a Foreign Subsidiary Holdco or CFC) and (ii) 65% of the issued and outstanding Equity Interests entitled to vote (within the meaning of Treas. Reg. Section 1.956-2(c)(2)) and 100% of the issued and outstanding Equity Interests not entitled to vote (within the meaning of Treas. Reg. Section 1.956-2(c)(2)) in each Foreign Subsidiary directly owned by such Loan Party, in each case, to be subject at all times to a first priority, perfected Lien in favor of the Administrative Agent for the benefit of the Administrative Agent and the other Secured Parties, subject to Liens permitted by Section 6.02, pursuant to the terms and conditions of the Loan Documents or other security documents as the Administrative Agent shall reasonably request.

(c) Without limiting the foregoing, each Loan Party will, and will cause each Domestic Subsidiary (other than a Foreign Subsidiary Holdco or CFC) to, execute and deliver, or cause to be executed and delivered, to the Administrative Agent such documents, agreements and instruments, and will take or cause to be taken such further actions (including the filing and recording of financing statements and other documents and such other actions or deliveries of the type required by Section 4.01, as applicable), which may be required by any Requirement of Law or which the Administrative Agent may, from time to time, reasonably request to carry out the terms and conditions of this Agreement and the other Loan Documents and to ensure perfection and priority of the Liens created or intended to be created by the Collateral Documents, all in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent and all at the expense of the Loan Parties.

 

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(d) If any material assets are acquired by any Loan Party after the Effective Date (other than Excluded Collateral and assets constituting Collateral under the Security Agreement that become subject to the Lien under the Security Agreement upon acquisition thereof), the Borrower Representative will (i) notify the Administrative Agent and the Lenders thereof, and, if requested by the Administrative Agent or the Required Lenders, cause such assets to be subjected to a Lien securing the Secured Obligations and (ii) take, and cause each applicable Loan Party to take, such actions as shall be necessary or reasonably requested by the Administrative Agent to grant and perfect such Liens, including actions described in paragraph (c) of this Section, all at the expense of the Loan Parties.

SECTION 5.14. Post-Closing Obligations. Each Loan Party shall take each of the actions and/or deliver each of the documents, instruments, agreements or other information described on Schedule 5.14 hereto on or before the date set forth thereon (or such later date as the Administrative Agent shall agree in its sole discretion), in each case, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent.

ARTICLE VI

Negative Covenants

Until all of the Secured Obligations shall have been Paid in Full, each Loan Party executing this Agreement covenants and agrees, jointly and severally with all of the other Loan Parties, with the Lenders that:

SECTION 6.01. Indebtedness. No Loan Party will, nor will it permit any Subsidiary to, create, incur, assume or suffer to exist any Indebtedness, except:

(a) the Secured Obligations;

(b) Indebtedness existing on the date hereof and set forth in Schedule 6.01 and any extensions, renewals, refinancings and replacements of any such Indebtedness in accordance with clause (f) hereof;

(c) Indebtedness of (i) any Loan Party or any Subsidiary to (ii) any other Loan Party or any other Subsidiary, provided that (i) Indebtedness of any Subsidiary that is not a Loan Party to any Borrower or any other Loan Party shall be subject to Section 6.04 and (ii) Indebtedness of any Loan Party to any Subsidiary that is not a Loan Party shall be subordinated to the Secured Obligations on terms reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent;

(d) Guarantees by any Loan Party or any Subsidiary of the Indebtedness of any Loan Party or any other Subsidiary, provided that (i) the Indebtedness so Guaranteed is permitted by this Section 6.01, (ii) Guarantees by any Borrower or other Loan Party of Indebtedness of any Subsidiary that is not a Loan Party shall be subject to Section 6.04 and (iii) Guarantees permitted under this clause (d) shall be subordinated to the Secured Obligations on the same terms as the Indebtedness so Guaranteed is subordinated to the Secured Obligations;

(e) Indebtedness of any Borrower or any Subsidiary incurred to finance the acquisition, construction, repair, replacement or improvement of any fixed or capital assets (whether or not constituting purchase money Indebtedness), including Capital Lease Obligations and any Indebtedness assumed in connection with the acquisition of any such assets or secured by a Lien on any such assets prior to the acquisition thereof, and extensions, renewals and replacements of any such Indebtedness in accordance with clause (f) below; provided that (i) such Indebtedness is incurred prior to or within 90 days after such acquisition or the completion of such construction or improvement and (ii) the aggregate principal amount of Indebtedness permitted by this clause (e) together with any Refinance Indebtedness in respect thereof permitted by clause (f) below, shall not exceed $10,000,000 per fiscal year;

 

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(f) Indebtedness which represents extensions, renewals, refinancing or replacements (such Indebtedness being so extended, renewed, refinanced or replaced being referred to herein as the “Refinance Indebtedness”) of any of the Indebtedness described in clauses (b) and (e) hereof (such Indebtedness being referred to herein as the “Original Indebtedness”); provided that (i) such Refinance Indebtedness does not increase the principal amount or interest rate of the Original Indebtedness, (ii) any Liens securing such Refinance Indebtedness are not extended to any additional property of any Loan Party or any Subsidiary, (iii) no Loan Party or any Subsidiary that is not originally obligated with respect to repayment of such Original Indebtedness is required to become obligated with respect to such Refinance Indebtedness, (iv) such Refinance Indebtedness does not result in a shortening of the average weighted maturity of such Original Indebtedness, (v) the terms of such Refinance Indebtedness are not materially less favorable to the obligor thereunder than the original terms of such Original Indebtedness and (vi) if such Original Indebtedness was subordinated in right of payment to the Secured Obligations, then the terms and conditions of such Refinance Indebtedness must include subordination terms and conditions that are at least as favorable to the Administrative Agent and the Lenders as those that were applicable to such Original Indebtedness;

(g) Indebtedness owed to any Person providing workers’ compensation, health, disability or other employee benefits or property, casualty or liability insurance, pursuant to reimbursement or indemnification obligations to such Person, in each case incurred in the ordinary course of business;

(h) Indebtedness of any Loan Party in respect of performance bonds, bid bonds, appeal bonds, surety bonds and similar obligations, in each case provided in the ordinary course of business;

(i) Indebtedness of any Person that becomes a Subsidiary after the date hereof (including in connection with a Permitted Acquisition); provided that (i) such Indebtedness exists at the time such Person becomes a Subsidiary and is not created in contemplation of or in connection with such Person becoming a Subsidiary and (ii) the aggregate principal amount of Indebtedness permitted by this clause (j) together with any Refinance Indebtedness in respect thereof permitted by clause (f) above, shall not exceed $5,000,000 per fiscal year;

(j) Subordinated Indebtedness, so long as after giving effect to the incurrence thereof, the Total Net Leverage Ratio, on a pro forma basis, does not exceed the applicable maximum Total Net Leverage Ratio permitted under Section 6.12 at such time.

(k) Indebtedness in respect of netting services, overdraft protections, payment processing, automatic clearinghouse arrangements, arrangements in respect of pooled deposit or sweep accounts, check endorsement guarantees and otherwise in connection with deposit accounts or cash management services incurred in the ordinary course of business;

(l) Indebtedness consisting of insurance premium financing incurred in the ordinary course of business;

(m) unsecured Indebtedness representing deferred compensation, severance and health and welfare retirement benefits to current and former employees of any Loan Party or its Subsidiaries incurred in the ordinary course of business;

 

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(n) Indebtedness in the form of purchase price adjustments, earn-outs, deferred compensation, or other arrangements representing acquisition consideration or deferred payments of similar nature incurred in connection with any Permitted Acquisition or other investment permitted hereunder;

(o) Indebtedness under Swap Agreements permitted by Section 6.07;

(p) Indebtedness of Foreign Subsidiaries, and guarantees thereof by Foreign Subsidiaries, in respect of local lines of credit, letters of credit, bank guarantees and similar extensions of credit, in an aggregate principal amount not to exceed $10,000,000 per year;

(q) unsecured Indebtedness incurred by any Loan Party or its Subsidiary in the ordinary course of business under a commercial credit card program not to exceed $5,000,000;

(r) Indebtedness consisting of the Company’s contingent liabilities under Section 7 of the Restricted Preferred Stock Award Agreement;

(s) to the extent it constitutes Indebtedness, obligations of the Company owing under the terms of the Las Vegas Lease as in effect on the date hereof or as amended in a way that does not materially affect the nature of the obligations owing thereunder (i.e., a lease obligation); and

(t) other Indebtedness in an aggregate principal amount not exceeding $5,000,000 at any time outstanding.

SECTION 6.02. Liens. No Loan Party will, nor will it permit any Subsidiary to, create, incur, assume or permit to exist any Lien on any property or asset now owned or hereafter acquired by it, or assign or sell any income or revenues (including Accounts) or rights in respect of any thereof, except:

(a) Liens created pursuant to any Loan Document;

(b) Permitted Encumbrances;

(c) any Lien on any property or asset of any Borrower or any Subsidiary existing on the date hereof and set forth in Schedule 6.02; provided that (i) such Lien shall not apply to any other property or asset of such Borrower or Subsidiary or any other Borrower or Subsidiary and (ii) such Lien shall secure only those obligations which it secures on the date hereof and extensions, renewals and replacements thereof that do not increase the outstanding principal amount thereof;

(d) Liens on fixed or capital assets acquired, constructed or improved by any Borrower or any Subsidiary; provided that (i) such Liens secure Indebtedness permitted by clause (e) of Section 6.01, (ii) such Liens and the Indebtedness secured thereby are incurred prior to or within 90 days after such acquisition or the completion of such construction or improvement, (iii) the Indebtedness secured thereby does not exceed the cost of acquiring, constructing or improving such fixed or capital assets and (iv) such Liens shall not apply to any other property or assets of any Borrower or any Subsidiary;

(e) any Lien existing on any property or asset (other than Accounts and Inventory) prior to the acquisition thereof by any Borrower or any Subsidiary or existing on any property or asset (other than Accounts and Inventory) of any Person that becomes a Loan Party after the date hereof prior to the time such Person becomes a Loan Party; provided that (i) such Lien is not created in contemplation of or in connection with such acquisition or such Person becoming a Loan Party, as the case may be, (ii) such Lien shall not apply to any other property or assets of the Loan Party and (iii) such Lien shall secure only those obligations which it secures on the date of such acquisition or the date such Person becomes a Loan Party, as the case may be, and extensions, renewals and replacements thereof that do not increase the outstanding principal amount thereof;

 

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(f) Liens of a collecting bank arising in the ordinary course of business under Section 4-210 of the UCC in effect in the relevant jurisdiction covering only the items being collected upon;

(g) Liens arising out of Sale and Leaseback Transactions permitted by Section 6.06;

(h) Liens granted by a Subsidiary that is not a Loan Party in favor of a Borrower or another Loan Party in respect of Indebtedness owed by such Subsidiary;

(i) Liens securing Indebtedness permitted under Section 6.01(h), (i) and (p);

(j) in the case of (A) any Subsidiary that is not a wholly owned Subsidiary or (B) the Equity Interests in any Person that is not a Subsidiary, any encumbrance or restriction, including any put and call arrangements, related to Equity Interests in such Subsidiary or such other Person set forth in the organization documents of such Subsidiary or such other Person or any related joint venture, shareholders’ or similar agreement;

(k) Liens on earnest money deposits of cash or cash equivalents made, or escrow or similar arrangements entered into, in connection with any Permitted Acquisition or other investment permitted pursuant to Section 6.04;

(l) Liens in the nature of the right of setoff in favor of counterparties to contractual agreements with Borrower or any Subsidiary in the ordinary course of business;

(m) Liens arising out of conditional sale, title retention, consignment or similar arrangements for the sale of goods entered into by the Borrower or any Subsidiary in the ordinary course of business;

(n) Liens on specific items of inventory or other goods and proceeds thereof of any Person securing such Person’s obligations in respect of bankers’ acceptances or letters of credit issued or created for the account of such person to facilitate the purchase, shipment or storage of such inventory or such other goods in the ordinary course of business;

(o) Liens on insurance policies and the proceeds thereof securing Indebtedness permitted by Section 6.01(l); and

(p) Liens securing obligations in an aggregate principal amount not to exceed $5,000,000.

SECTION 6.03. Fundamental Changes.

(a) No Loan Party will, nor will it permit any Subsidiary to, merge into or consolidate with any other Person, or permit any other Person to merge into or consolidate with it, or otherwise Dispose of all or substantially all of its assets, or all or substantially all of the stock of any of its Subsidiaries (in each case, whether now owned or hereafter acquired), or liquidate or dissolve, except that, if at the time thereof and immediately after giving effect thereto no Event of Default

 

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shall have occurred and be continuing, (i) any Subsidiary of any Borrower may merge into a Borrower in a transaction in which a Borrower is the surviving entity, (ii) any Loan Party (other than any Borrower) may merge into any other Loan Party in a transaction in which the surviving entity is a Loan Party, (iii) any Subsidiary that is not a Loan Party may liquidate or dissolve if the Borrowers determine in good faith that such liquidation or dissolution is in the best interests of the Borrowers and is not materially disadvantageous to the Lenders; provided that any such merger involving a Person that is not a wholly owned Subsidiary immediately prior to such merger shall not be permitted unless also permitted by Section 6.04, (iv) a Loan Party may sell, transfer, lease or otherwise dispose of its assets to a Loan Party, any Subsidiary may sell, transfer, lease or otherwise dispose of its assets to a Loan Party and any Subsidiary that is not a Loan Party may sell, transfer, lease or otherwise dispose of its assets to any other Subsidiary that is not a Loan Party and (v) in connection with any Acquisition permitted under Section 6.04.

(b) No Loan Party will, nor will it permit any Subsidiary to, consummate a Division as the Dividing Person, without the prior written consent of Administrative Agent. Without limiting the foregoing, if any Loan Party that is a limited liability company consummates a Division (with or without the prior consent of Administrative Agent as required above), each Division Successor shall be required to comply with the obligations set forth in Section 5.13 and the other further assurances obligations set forth in the Loan Documents and become a Loan Party under this Agreement and the other Loan Documents.

(c) No Loan Party will, nor will it permit any Subsidiary to, engage to any material extent in any business other than businesses of the type conducted by the Borrowers and their Subsidiaries on the date hereof and businesses reasonably related, ancillary or complementary to thereto and logical extensions thereof.

(d) No Loan Party will, nor will it permit any Subsidiary to change its fiscal year or any fiscal quarter from the basis in effect on the Effective Date.

(e) No Loan Party will change the accounting basis upon which its financial statements are prepared.

SECTION 6.04. Investments, Loans, Advances, Guarantees and Acquisitions. No Loan Party will, nor will it permit any Subsidiary to, form any subsidiary after the Effective Date, or purchase, hold or acquire (including pursuant to any merger with any Person that was not a Loan Party and a wholly owned Subsidiary prior to such merger) any Equity Interests, evidences of indebtedness or other securities (including any option, warrant or other right to acquire any of the foregoing) of, make or permit to exist any loans or advances to, Guarantee any obligations of, or make or permit to exist any investment or any other interest in, any other Person, or purchase or otherwise acquire (in one transaction or a series of transactions) any assets of any other Person constituting a business unit (whether through purchase of assets, merger or otherwise), except:

(a) Permitted Investments, subject to control agreements in favor of the Administrative Agent for the benefit of the Secured Parties or otherwise subject to a perfected security interest in favor of the Administrative Agent for the benefit of the Secured Parties;

(b) investments in existence on the date hereof and described in Schedule 6.04 and any modification, replacement, renewal or extension thereof to the extent not involving any additional investment;

 

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(c) investments by the Borrowers and the Subsidiaries in Equity Interests in their respective Subsidiaries, provided that (i) any such Equity Interests held by a Loan Party shall be pledged pursuant to the Security Agreement (subject to the limitations applicable to Equity Interests of a Foreign Subsidiary, Foreign Subsidiary Holdco, or CFC referred to in Section 5.13) and (ii) the aggregate amount of investments by Loan Parties in Subsidiaries that are not Loan Parties (together with outstanding intercompany loans permitted under Section 6.04(d) and outstanding Guarantees permitted under Section 6.04(e)) shall not exceed $5,000,000 per year (in each case determined without regard to any write-downs or write-offs);

(d) loans or advances made by any Loan Party to any Subsidiary and made by any Subsidiary to a Loan Party or any other Subsidiary, provided that (i) any such loans and advances made by a Loan Party shall be evidenced by a promissory note pledged pursuant to the Security Agreement and (ii) the amount of such loans and advances made by Loan Parties to Subsidiaries that are not Loan Parties (together with outstanding investments permitted under Section 6.04(c) and outstanding Guarantees permitted under Section 6.04(e)) shall not exceed $5,000,000 per year (in each case determined without regard to any write-downs or write-offs);

(e) Guarantees constituting Indebtedness permitted by Section 6.01, provided that the aggregate principal amount of Indebtedness of Subsidiaries that are not Loan Parties that is Guaranteed by any Loan Party (together with outstanding investments permitted under clause (ii) to the proviso to Section 6.04(c) and outstanding intercompany loans permitted under clause (ii) to the proviso to Section 6.04(d)) shall not exceed $5,000,000 per year (in each case determined without regard to any write-downs or write-offs);

(f) (i) loans and advances not to exceed $1,000,000 in the aggregate at any one time outstanding consisting of travel advances, employee relocation loans and other employee loans and advances in the ordinary course of business consistent with past practices, and (ii) loans to employees, officers or directors relating to the purchase of Equity Interests of the Company or its Subsidiaries pursuant to employee equity purchase agreements approved by the Company’s or such Subsidiary’s board of directors;

(g) notes payable, or stock or other securities issued by Account Debtors to a Loan Party pursuant to negotiated agreements with respect to settlement of such Account Debtor’s Accounts in the ordinary course of business, consistent with past practices;

(h) investments in the form of Swap Agreements permitted by Section 6.07;

(i) investments of any Person existing at the time such Person becomes a Subsidiary of a Borrower or consolidates or merges with a Borrower or any of such party’s Subsidiary (including in connection with a Permitted Acquisition), so long as such investments were not made in contemplation of such Person becoming a Subsidiary or of such merger;

(j) investments received in connection with the disposition of assets permitted by Section 6.05;

(k) Permitted Acquisitions;

(l) investments constituting deposits described in clauses (c) and (d) of the definition of the term “Permitted Encumbrances”.

(m) extensions of trade credit to customers in the ordinary course of business;

 

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(n) investments (including debt obligations) received in connection with the bankruptcy or reorganization of customers or suppliers and in settlement of delinquent obligations of, and other disputes with, customers or suppliers arising in the ordinary course of business;

(o) investments consisting of notes receivable of, or prepaid royalties and other credit extensions to, customers and suppliers in the ordinary course of business; provided that this clause (o) shall not apply to investments of the Company in any Subsidiary;

(p) investments consisting of the endorsement of negotiable instruments for deposit or collection or similar transactions in the ordinary course of Borrowers’ business;

(q) minority equity investments, joint ventures or strategic alliances provided that any cash investments does not exceed $5,000,000 per fiscal year;

(r) other investments not to exceed $5,000,000 in the aggregate in any fiscal year, provided, that no such investments may be made while a Default is continuing or if would result therefrom;

(s) repurchases or redemptions of capital stock made in accordance with Section 6.08; and

(t) intercompany investments, loans, transfers or advances to or receivables from one or more Foreign Subsidiaries, so long as such investments, loans, transfers or advances are in the ordinary course of business and for the purpose of (i) purchasing inventory which shall be transferred to the Company in like amount and (ii) funding payroll, legal and tax expenses of such Foreign Subsidiaries.

SECTION 6.05. Asset Sales. No Loan Party will, nor will it permit any Subsidiary to, Dispose of any asset, including any Equity Interest owned by it, nor will any Borrower permit any Subsidiary to issue any additional Equity Interest in such Subsidiary (other than to another Borrower or another Subsidiary in compliance with Section 6.04), except:

(a) Dispositions of (i) Inventory in the ordinary course of business and (ii) used, obsolete, unmerchantable, worn out or surplus Equipment or property in the ordinary course of business, (iii) property no longer used or useful to the business of the Loan Parties and their respective Subsidiaries in the ordinary course of business and (iv) equipment or real property to the extent that (A) such property is exchanged for credit against the purchase price of similar replacement property or (B) the proceeds of such Dispositions are reasonably promptly applied to the purchase price of such replacement property;

(b) Dispositions of assets to any Borrower or any Subsidiary, provided that any such sales, transfers or dispositions involving a Subsidiary that is not a Loan Party shall be made in compliance with Section 6.09;

(c) Dispositions of Accounts (excluding sales or dispositions in a factoring arrangement) in connection with the compromise, settlement or collection thereof;

(d) Dispositions of Permitted Investments and other investments permitted by clauses (i) and (k) of Section 6.04;

(e) Sale and Leaseback Transactions permitted by Section 6.06;

 

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(f) Dispositions resulting from any casualty or other insured damage to, or any taking under power of eminent domain or by condemnation or similar proceeding of, any property or asset of any Borrower or any Subsidiary;

(g) leases or subleases of real property granted in the ordinary course of business (and in the ordinary course of such Person’s business), and leases, subleases, non-exclusive licenses or sublicenses of personal property (other than intellectual property) granted in the ordinary course of business, if the leases, subleases, licenses and sublicenses do not prohibit granting the Administrative Agent, on behalf of itself, the Lenders and other Secured Parties, a security interest therein;

(h) non-exclusive licenses of intellectual property granted to third parties in the ordinary course of business, and licenses of intellectual property that could not result in a legal transfer of title of licensed property that may be exclusive in respects other than territory and that may be exclusive as to territory only as to discrete geographical areas outside of the United States;

(i) the granting of Liens permitted by Section 6.02; and

(j) Dispositions of assets (other than Equity Interests in a Subsidiary unless all Equity Interests in such Subsidiary are sold) that are not permitted by any other clause of this Section, provided that the aggregate fair market value of all assets Disposed of in reliance upon this paragraph (j) shall not exceed $5,000,000 during any fiscal year of the Company and such Dispositions are made for fair value and for at least 75% cash consideration.

SECTION 6.06. Sale and Leaseback Transactions. No Loan Party will, nor will it permit any Subsidiary to, enter into any arrangement, directly or indirectly, whereby it shall sell or transfer any property, real or personal, used or useful in its business, whether now owned or hereafter acquired, and thereafter rent or lease such property or other property that it intends to use for substantially the same purpose or purposes as the property sold or transferred (a “Sale and Leaseback Transaction”), except for any such sale of any fixed or capital assets by any Borrower or any Subsidiary that is made for cash consideration in an amount not less than the fair value of such fixed or capital asset and is consummated within 90 days after such Borrower or such Subsidiary acquires or completes the construction of such fixed or capital asset.

SECTION 6.07. Swap Agreements. No Loan Party will, nor will it permit any Subsidiary to, enter into any Swap Agreement, except (a) Swap Agreements entered into to hedge or mitigate risks to which any Borrower or any Subsidiary has actual exposure (other than those in respect of Equity Interests of any Borrower or any Subsidiary), and (b) Swap Agreements entered into in order to effectively cap, collar or exchange interest rates (from floating to fixed rates, from one floating rate to another floating rate or otherwise) with respect to any interest-bearing liability or investment of any Borrower or any Subsidiary.

SECTION 6.08. Restricted Payments; Payments of Subordinated Indebtedness.

(a) No Loan Party will, nor will it permit any Subsidiary to, declare or make, or agree to declare or make, directly or indirectly, any Restricted Payment, or incur any obligation (contingent or otherwise) to do so, except (i) the Borrowers may declare and pay dividends with respect to its common stock payable solely in additional shares of its common stock, and, with respect to its preferred stock, payable solely in additional shares of such preferred stock or in shares of its common stock, (ii) Subsidiaries may declare and pay dividends ratably with respect to their Equity Interests, (iii) the Borrowers may make Restricted Payments pursuant to and in accordance with stock option plans or other benefit plans for management or employees of the Company and

 

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their Subsidiaries, in an aggregate amount not to exceed $1,000,000 during any fiscal year of the Borrowers, (iv) non-recurring stock option and employee benefit plan payments in connection with an initial public offering of the Company in an aggregate amount not to exceed $30,000,000, (v) other than in connection with an initial public offering of the Company, the Borrowers may purchase of capital stock from former or current employees, officers, consultants and directors pursuant to employee stock purchase plans, stockholder plans, director or consultant stock option plans, employee stock option agreements, restricted stock agreements, equity incentive plans or other similar agreements or plans; provided such purchases do not exceed $30,000,000 in the aggregate per fiscal year, (vi) the Company may make Restricted Payments required to be made pursuant to Section 7 of the Restricted Preferred Stock Award Agreement so long as the aggregate amount of all such Restricted Payments shall not exceed $5,000,000 (it being understood that the Company may make additional Restricted Payments on account of the Restricted Preferred Stock Award Agreement to the extent the conditions set forth in clause (vii) of this Section 6.08 are satisfied), (vii) dividends prior to the consummation of an initial public offering in an aggregate amount not to exceed $35,000,000 and (viii) the Company may make other Restricted Payments from time to time, so long as (a) no Default or Event of Default has occurred and is continuing or would result after giving effect to such Restricted Payment and (b) before and after giving effect to such Restricted Payment the Total Net Leverage Ratio, on a pro forma basis, does not exceed 3.00 to 1.00 for the most recently completed four fiscal quarter period prior to such Restricted Payment.

(b) No Loan Party will, nor will it permit any Subsidiary to, make or agree to pay or make, directly or indirectly, any payment or other distribution (whether in cash, securities or other property) of or in respect of principal of or interest on any Subordinated Indebtedness, or any payment or other distribution (whether in cash, securities or other property), including any sinking fund or similar deposit, on account of the purchase, redemption, retirement, acquisition, cancellation or termination of any Subordinated Indebtedness, except in accordance with the subordination provisions applicable thereto.

SECTION 6.09. Transactions with Affiliates. No Loan Party will, nor will it permit any Subsidiary to, sell, lease or otherwise transfer any property or assets to, or purchase, lease or otherwise acquire any property or assets from, or otherwise engage in any other transactions with, any of its Affiliates, except (a) transactions that (i) are in the ordinary course of business and (ii) are at prices and on terms and conditions not less favorable to such Loan Party or such Subsidiary than could be obtained on an arm’s-length basis from unrelated third parties, (b) transactions between or among the Loan Parties not involving any other Affiliate, (c) any investment permitted by Sections 6.04(c) or 6.04(d), (d) any Indebtedness permitted under Section 6.01(c), (e) any Restricted Payment permitted by Section 6.08, (f) loans or advances to employees permitted under Section 6.04(f), (g) the payment of reasonable fees to directors of any Borrower or any Subsidiary who are not employees of such Borrower or any Subsidiary, and compensation and employee benefit arrangements paid to, and indemnities provided for the benefit of, directors, officers or employees of the Borrowers or their Subsidiaries in the ordinary course of business, (h) any issuances of securities or other payments, awards or grants in cash, securities or otherwise pursuant to, or the funding of, employment agreements, equity based awards, stock options and stock ownership plans approved by a Borrower’s board of directors and (i) any contribution to the capital of the Company or any purchase of Equity Interests of the Company.

SECTION 6.10. Restrictive Agreements. No Loan Party will, nor will it permit any Subsidiary to, directly or indirectly enter into, incur or permit to exist any agreement or other arrangement that prohibits, restricts or imposes any condition upon (a) the ability of such Loan Party or any Subsidiary to create, incur or permit to exist any Lien upon any of its property or assets, or (b) the ability of any Subsidiary to pay dividends or other distributions with respect to any Equity Interests or to make or repay loans or advances to any Borrower or any other Subsidiary or to Guarantee Indebtedness of any Borrower or any other

 

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Subsidiary; provided that (i) the foregoing shall not apply to restrictions and conditions imposed by any Requirement of Law or by any Loan Document, (ii) the foregoing shall not apply to restrictions and conditions existing on the date hereof identified on Schedule 6.10 (but shall apply to any extension or renewal of, or any amendment or modification expanding the scope of, any such restriction or condition), (iii) the foregoing shall not apply to customary restrictions and conditions contained in agreements relating to the sale of a Subsidiary pending such sale, provided such restrictions and conditions apply only to the Subsidiary that is to be sold and such sale is permitted hereunder, (iv) clause (a) of the foregoing shall not apply to restrictions or conditions imposed by any agreement relating to secured Indebtedness permitted by this Agreement if such restrictions or conditions apply only to the property or assets securing such Indebtedness and (v) clause (a) of the foregoing shall not apply to customary provisions in leases and other contracts restricting the assignment thereof.

SECTION 6.11. Amendment of Material Documents. No Loan Party will, nor will it permit any Subsidiary to, amend, modify or waive any of its rights under (a) any agreement relating to any Subordinated Indebtedness except in accordance with any subordination agreement or intercreditor agreement related thereto or (b) its charter, articles or certificate of organization or incorporation and bylaws or operating, management or partnership agreement, or other organizational or governing documents, to the extent any such amendment, modification or waiver would be materially adverse to the Lenders.

SECTION 6.12. Financial Covenant. Borrowers will not permit the Total Net Leverage Ratio, on the last day of any fiscal quarter (commencing with the fiscal quarter ending June 30, 2021), to be greater than 3.50 to 1.00.

ARTICLE VII

Events of Default

SECTION 7.01. Events of Default. If any of the following events (“Events of Default”) shall occur: (a) the Borrowers shall fail to pay any principal of any Loan or any reimbursement obligation in respect of any LC Disbursement when and as the same shall become due and payable, whether at the due date thereof or at a date fixed for prepayment thereof or otherwise;

(b) the Borrowers shall fail to pay any interest on any Loan or any fee or any other amount (other than an amount referred to in clause (a) of this Article) payable under this Agreement or any other Loan Document, when and as the same shall become due and payable, and such failure shall continue unremedied for a period of three (3) Business Days;

(c) any representation or warranty made or deemed made by or on behalf of any Loan Party or any Subsidiary in, or in connection with, this Agreement or any other Loan Document or any amendment or modification hereof or thereof or waiver hereunder or thereunder, or in any report, certificate, financial statement or other document furnished pursuant to or in connection with this Agreement or any other Loan Document or any amendment or modification hereof or thereof or waiver hereunder or thereunder, shall prove to have been materially incorrect when made or deemed made;

(d) any Loan Party shall fail to observe or perform any covenant, condition or agreement contained in Section 5.02(a), 5.03 (with respect to a Loan Party’s existence) or 5.08 or in Article VI;

 

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(e) any Loan Party shall fail to observe or perform any covenant, condition or agreement contained in this Agreement (other than those specified in clause (a), (b) or (d)) or in any other Loan Document, and such failure shall continue unremedied for a period of (i) 5 days after the earlier of any Loan Party’s knowledge of such breach or notice thereof from the Administrative Agent (which notice will be given at the request of any Lender) if such breach relates to terms or provisions of Section 5.01, 5.02 (other than Section 5.02(a)), 5.03 through 5.07, 5.10, 5.11 or 5.13 of this Agreement or (ii) 30 days after the earlier of any Loan Party’s knowledge of such breach or notice thereof from the Administrative Agent (which notice will be given at the request of any Lender) if such breach relates to terms or provisions of any other Section of this Agreement or of any other Loan Document;

(f) any Loan Party or any Subsidiary shall fail to make any payment (whether of principal or interest and regardless of amount) in respect of any Material Indebtedness, when and as the same shall become due and payable (after giving effect to any applicable grace period set forth in the documents governing such Material Indebtedness and to the extent not waived);

(g) any event or condition occurs that results in any Material Indebtedness becoming due prior to its scheduled maturity or that enables or permits (with or without the giving of notice, the lapse of time or both) the holder or holders of any Material Indebtedness or any trustee or agent on its or their behalf to cause any Material Indebtedness to become due, or to require the prepayment, repurchase, redemption or defeasance thereof, prior to its scheduled maturity; provided that this clause (g) shall not apply to secured Indebtedness that becomes due as a result of the voluntary sale or transfer of the property or assets securing such Indebtedness to the extent such sale or transfer is permitted by the terms of Section 6.05;

(h) an involuntary proceeding shall be commenced or an involuntary petition shall be filed seeking (i) liquidation, reorganization or other relief in respect of a Loan Party or Material Domestic Subsidiary or its debts, or of a substantial part of its assets, under any federal, state or foreign bankruptcy, insolvency, receivership or similar law now or hereafter in effect or (ii) the appointment of a receiver, trustee, custodian, sequestrator, conservator or similar official for any Loan Party or any Material Domestic Subsidiary or for a substantial part of its assets, and, in any such case, such proceeding or petition shall continue undismissed for sixty (60) days or an order or decree approving or ordering any of the foregoing shall be entered;

(i) any Loan Party or any Material Domestic Subsidiary shall (i) voluntarily commence any proceeding or file any petition seeking liquidation, reorganization or other relief under any federal, state or foreign bankruptcy, insolvency, receivership or similar law now or hereafter in effect, (ii) consent to the institution of, or fail to contest in a timely and appropriate manner, any proceeding or petition described in clause (h) of this Article, (iii) apply for or consent to the appointment of a receiver, trustee, custodian, sequestrator, conservator or similar official for such Loan Party or Material Domestic Subsidiary of any Loan Party or for a substantial part of its assets, (iv) file an answer admitting the material allegations of a petition filed against it in any such proceeding, (v) make a general assignment for the benefit of creditors or (vi) take any action for the purpose of effecting any of the foregoing;

(j) any Loan Party or any Material Domestic Subsidiary shall become unable, admit in writing its inability, or publicly declare its intention not to, or fail generally, to pay its debts as they become due;

 

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(k) one or more judgments for the payment of money in an aggregate amount in excess of $10,000,000 (to the extent not covered by insurance for which the insurer has not denied coverage) shall be rendered against any Loan Party, any Subsidiary or any combination thereof and the same shall remain undischarged for a period of thirty (30) consecutive days during which execution shall not be effectively stayed or bonded, or any action shall be legally taken by a judgment creditor to attach or levy upon any assets of any Loan Party or any Subsidiary to enforce any such judgment or any Loan Party or any Subsidiary shall fail within thirty (30) days to discharge one or more non-monetary judgments or orders which, individually or in the aggregate, could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, which judgments or orders, in any such case, are not stayed on appeal or otherwise being appropriately contested in good faith by proper proceedings diligently pursued;

(l) an ERISA Event shall have occurred that when taken together with all other ERISA Events that have occurred, could reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect;

(m) a Change in Control shall occur;

(n) the Loan Guaranty shall fail to remain in full force or effect or any action shall be taken to discontinue or to assert the invalidity or unenforceability of the Loan Guaranty, or any Loan Guarantor shall fail to comply with any of the terms or provisions of the Loan Guaranty to which it is a party, or any Loan Guarantor shall deny that it has any further liability under the Loan Guaranty to which it is a party, or shall give notice to such effect, including, but not limited to notice of termination delivered pursuant to Section 10.08;

(o) except as permitted by the terms of any Collateral Document, (i) any Collateral Document shall for any reason fail to create a valid security interest in any Collateral purported to be covered thereby other than by reason of any actions or failure to act by the Administrative Agent or a Lender, or (ii) any Lien securing any Secured Obligation shall cease to be a perfected, first priority Lien other than by reason of any actions or failure to act by the Administrative Agent or a Lender;

(p) any Collateral Document shall fail to remain in full force or effect or any action shall be taken to discontinue or to assert the invalidity or unenforceability of any Collateral Document;

(q) any material provision of any Loan Document for any reason ceases to be valid, binding and enforceable in accordance with its terms (or any Loan Party or any holder of Subordinated Indebtedness shall challenge the enforceability of any Loan Document or shall assert in writing, or engage in any action or inaction that evidences its assertion, that any provision of any of the Loan Documents has ceased to be or otherwise is not valid, binding and enforceable in accordance with its terms); or

(r) any Loan Party is criminally indicted or convicted under any law that may reasonably be expected to lead to a forfeiture of any property of such Loan Party having a fair market value in excess of $1,000,000;

then, and in every such event (other than an event with respect to the Borrowers described in clause (h) or (i) of this Article), and at any time thereafter during the continuance of such event, the Administrative Agent may, and at the request of the Required Lenders shall, by notice to the Borrower Representative, take either or both of the following actions, at the same or different times: (i) terminate the Commitments, whereupon the Commitments shall terminate immediately, (ii) declare the Loans then outstanding to be due and payable in whole (or in part, but ratably as among the Classes of Loans and the Loans of each Class at the time outstanding, in which case any

 

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principal not so declared to be due and payable may thereafter be declared to be due and payable), whereupon the principal of the Loans so declared to be due and payable, together with accrued interest thereon and all fees (including, for the avoidance of doubt, any break funding payments) and other obligations of the Borrowers accrued hereunder, shall become due and payable immediately, in each case without presentment, demand, protest or other notice of any kind, all of which are hereby waived by the Borrowers, and (iii) require cash collateral for the LC Exposure in accordance with Section 2.06(j) hereof; and in the case of any event with respect to the Borrowers described in clause (h) or (i) of this Article, the Commitments, shall automatically terminate and the principal of the Loans then outstanding, and cash collateral for the LC Exposure, together with accrued interest thereon and all fees (including, for the avoidance of doubt, any break funding payments) and other obligations of the Borrowers accrued hereunder and under any other Loan Document, shall automatically become due and payable, in each case without presentment, demand, protest or other notice of any kind, all of which are hereby waived by the Borrowers. Upon the occurrence and during the continuance of an Event of Default, the Administrative Agent may, and at the request of the Required Lenders shall, increase the rate of interest applicable to the Loans and other Obligations as set forth in this Agreement and exercise any rights and remedies provided to the Administrative Agent under the Loan Documents or at law or equity, including all remedies provided under the UCC.

ARTICLE VIII

The Administrative Agent

SECTION 8.01. Authorization and Action.

(a) Each Lender, on behalf of itself and any of its Affiliates that are Secured Parties and the Issuing Bank hereby irrevocably appoints the entity named as Administrative Agent in the heading of this Agreement and its successors and assigns to serve as the administrative agent and collateral agent under the Loan Documents and each Lender and the Issuing Bank authorizes the Administrative Agent to take such actions as agent on its behalf and to exercise such powers under this Agreement and the other Loan Documents as are delegated to the Administrative Agent under such agreements and to exercise such powers as are reasonably incidental thereto. In addition, to the extent required under the laws of any jurisdiction other than within the United States, each Lender and the Issuing Bank hereby grants to the Administrative Agent any required powers of attorney to execute and enforce any Collateral Document governed by the laws of such jurisdiction on such Lender’s or such Issuing Bank’s behalf. Without limiting the foregoing, each Lender and the Issuing Bank hereby authorizes the Administrative Agent to execute and deliver, and to perform its obligations under, each of the Loan Documents to which the Administrative Agent is a party, and to exercise all rights, powers and remedies that the Administrative Agent may have under such Loan Documents.

(b) As to any matters not expressly provided for herein and in the other Loan Documents (including enforcement or collection), the Administrative Agent shall not be required to exercise any discretion or take any action, but shall be required to act or to refrain from acting (and shall be fully protected in so acting or refraining from acting) upon the written instructions of the Required Lenders (or such other number or percentage of the Lenders as shall be necessary, pursuant to the terms in the Loan Documents), and, unless and until revoked in writing, such instructions shall be binding upon each Lender and the Issuing Bank; provided, however, that the Administrative Agent shall not be required to take any action that (i) the Administrative Agent in good faith believes exposes it to liability unless the Administrative Agent receives an indemnification and is exculpated in a manner satisfactory to it from the Lenders and the Issuing

 

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Banks with respect to such action or (ii) is contrary to this Agreement or any other Loan Document or applicable law, including any action that may be in violation of the automatic stay under any requirement of law relating to bankruptcy, insolvency or reorganization or relief of debtors or that may effect a forfeiture, modification or termination of property of a Defaulting Lender in violation of any requirement of law relating to bankruptcy, insolvency or reorganization or relief of debtors; provided, further, that the Administrative Agent may seek clarification or direction from the Required Lenders prior to the exercise of any such instructed action and may refrain from acting until such clarification or direction has been provided. Except as expressly set forth in the Loan Documents, the Administrative Agent shall not have any duty to disclose, and shall not be liable for the failure to disclose, any information relating to any Borrower, any other Loan Party, any Subsidiary or any Affiliate of any of the foregoing that is communicated to or obtained by the Person serving as Administrative Agent or any of its Affiliates in any capacity. Nothing in this Agreement shall require the Administrative Agent to expend or risk its own funds or otherwise incur any financial liability in the performance of any of its duties hereunder or in the exercise of any of its rights or powers if it shall have reasonable grounds for believing that repayment of such funds or adequate indemnity against such risk or liability is not reasonably assured to it.

(c) In performing its functions and duties hereunder and under the other Loan Documents, the Administrative Agent is acting solely on behalf of the Lenders and the Issuing Banks (except in limited circumstances expressly provided for herein relating to the maintenance of the Register), and its duties are entirely mechanical and administrative in nature. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing:

(i) the Administrative Agent does not assume and shall not be deemed to have assumed any obligation or duty or any other relationship as the agent, fiduciary or trustee of or for any Lender, Issuing Bank, any other Secured Party or holder of any other obligation other than as expressly set forth herein and in the other Loan Documents, regardless of whether a Default or an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing (and it is understood and agreed that the use of the term “agent” (or any similar term) herein or in any other Loan Document with reference to the Administrative Agent is not intended to connote any fiduciary duty or other implied (or express) obligations arising under agency doctrine of any applicable law, and that such term is used as a matter of market custom and is intended to create or reflect only an administrative relationship between contracting parties); additionally, each Lender agrees that it will not assert any claim against the Administrative Agent based on an alleged breach of fiduciary duty by the Administrative Agent in connection with this Agreement and/or the transactions contemplated hereby; and

(ii) nothing in this Agreement or any Loan Document shall require the Administrative Agent to account to any Lender for any sum or the profit element of any sum received by the Administrative Agent for its own account.

(d) The Administrative Agent may perform any of its duties and exercise its rights and powers hereunder or under any other Loan Document by or through any one or more sub-agents appointed by the Administrative Agent. The Administrative Agent and any such sub-agent may perform any of their respective duties and exercise their respective rights and powers through their respective Related Parties. The exculpatory provisions of this Article shall apply to any such sub-agent and to the Related Parties of the Administrative Agent and any such sub-agent, and shall apply to their respective activities pursuant to this Agreement. The Administrative Agent shall not be responsible for the negligence or misconduct of any sub-agent except to the extent that a court of competent jurisdiction determines in a final and non-appealable judgment that the Administrative Agent acted with gross negligence or willful misconduct in the selection of such sub-agent.

 

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(e) The Arranger shall not have any obligations or duties whatsoever in such capacity under this Agreement or any other Loan Document and shall incur no liability hereunder or thereunder in such capacity, but all such persons shall have the benefit of the indemnities provided for hereunder.

(f) In case of the pendency of any proceeding with respect to any Loan Party under any Federal, state or foreign bankruptcy, insolvency, receivership or similar law now or hereafter in effect, the Administrative Agent (irrespective of whether the principal of any Loan or any reimbursement obligation in respect of any LC Disbursement shall then be due and payable as herein expressed or by declaration or otherwise and irrespective of whether the Administrative Agent shall have made any demand on the Borrowers) shall be entitled and empowered (but not obligated) by intervention in such proceeding or otherwise:

(i) to file and prove a claim for the whole amount of the principal and interest owing and unpaid in respect of the Loans, LC Disbursements and all other Obligations that are owing and unpaid and to file such other documents as may be necessary or advisable in order to have the claims of the Lenders, the Issuing Banks and the Administrative Agent (including any claim under Sections 2.12, 2.13, 2.15, 2.17 and 9.03) allowed in such judicial proceeding; and

(ii) to collect and receive any monies or other property payable or deliverable on any such claims and to distribute the same;

and any custodian, receiver, assignee, trustee, liquidator, sequestrator or other similar official in any such proceeding is hereby authorized by each Lender, the Issuing Bank and each other Secured Party to make such payments to the Administrative Agent and, in the event that the Administrative Agent shall consent to the making of such payments directly to the Lenders, the Issuing Banks or the other Secured Parties, to pay to the Administrative Agent any amount due to it, in its capacity as the Administrative Agent, under the Loan Documents (including under Section 9.03). Nothing contained herein shall be deemed to authorize the Administrative Agent to authorize or consent to or accept or adopt on behalf of any Lender or Issuing Bank any plan of reorganization, arrangement, adjustment or composition affecting the Obligations or the rights of any Lender or Issuing Bank or to authorize the Administrative Agent to vote in respect of the claim of any Lender or Issuing Bank in any such proceeding.

(g) The provisions of this Article are solely for the benefit of the Administrative Agent, the Lenders and the Issuing Banks, and, except solely to the extent of the Borrowers’ rights to consent pursuant to and subject to the conditions set forth in this Article, none of the Borrowers or any Subsidiary, or any of their respective Affiliates, shall have any rights as a third party beneficiary under any such provisions. Each Secured Party, whether or not a party hereto, will be deemed, by its acceptance of the benefits of the Collateral and of the Guarantees of the Secured Obligations provided under the Loan Documents, to have agreed to the provisions of this Article.

SECTION 8.02. Administrative Agents Reliance, Indemnification, Etc.

(a) Neither the Administrative Agent nor any of its Related Parties shall be (i) liable for any action taken or omitted to be taken by such party, the Administrative Agent or any of its Related Parties under or in connection with this Agreement or the other Loan Documents (x) with the consent of or at the request of the Required Lenders (or such other number or percentage of the

 

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Lenders as shall be necessary, or as the Administrative Agent shall believe in good faith to be necessary, under the circumstances as provided in the Loan Documents) or (y) in the absence of its own gross negligence or willful misconduct (such absence to be presumed unless otherwise determined by a court of competent jurisdiction by a final and non-appealable judgment) or (ii) responsible in any manner to any of the Lenders for any recitals, statements, representations or warranties made by any Loan Party or any officer thereof contained in this Agreement or any other Loan Document or in any certificate, report, statement or other document referred to or provided for in, or received by the Administrative Agent under or in connection with, this Agreement or any other Loan Document or for the value, validity, effectiveness, genuineness, enforceability or sufficiency of this Agreement or any other Loan Document (including, for the avoidance of doubt, in connection with the Administrative Agent’s reliance on any Electronic Signature transmitted by telecopy, emailed pdf. or any other electronic means that reproduces an image of an actual executed signature page) or for any failure of any Loan Party to perform its obligations hereunder or thereunder.

(b) The Administrative Agent shall be deemed not to have knowledge of any (i) notice of any of the events or circumstances set forth or described in Section 5.02 unless and until written notice thereof stating that it is a “notice under Section 5.02” in respect of this Agreement and identifying the specific clause under said Section is given to the Administrative Agent by the Borrower Representative, or (ii) notice of any Default or Event of Default unless and until written notice thereof (stating that it is a “notice of Default” or a “notice of an Event of Default”) is given to the Administrative Agent by the Borrowers, a Lender or an Issuing Bank, and the Administrative Agent shall not be responsible for or have any duty to ascertain or inquire into (i) any statement, warranty or representation made in or in connection with any Loan Document, (ii) the contents of any certificate, report or other document delivered thereunder or in connection therewith, (iii) the performance or observance of any of the covenants, agreements or other terms or conditions set forth in any Loan Document or the occurrence of any Default or Event of Default, (iv) the sufficiency, validity, enforceability, effectiveness or genuineness of any Loan Document or any other agreement, instrument or document, (v) the satisfaction of any condition set forth in Article IV or elsewhere in any Loan Document, other than to confirm receipt of items (which on their face purport to be such items) expressly required to be delivered to the Administrative Agent or satisfaction of any condition that expressly refers to the matters described therein being acceptable or satisfactory to the Administrative Agent, or (vi) the creation, perfection or priority of Liens on the Collateral. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Agreement, the Administrative Agent shall not be responsible or have any liability for, or have any duty to ascertain, inquire into, monitor or enforce, compliance with the provisions of this Agreement relating to Competitors. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the Administrative Agent shall not (x) be obligated to ascertain, monitor or inquire as to whether any Lender or Participant or prospective Lender or Participant is a Competitor or (y) have any liability with respect to or arising out of any assignment or participation of Loans, or disclosure of confidential information, to any Competitor. Each Lender represents and warrants to the parties hereto that at the time it becomes a Lender, it is not a Competitor.

(c) Without limiting the foregoing, the Administrative Agent (i) may treat the payee of any promissory note as its holder until such promissory note has been assigned in accordance with Section 9.04, (ii) may rely on the Register to the extent set forth in Section 9.04(b), (iii) may consult with legal counsel (including counsel to the Borrowers), independent public accountants and other experts selected by it, and shall not be liable for any action taken or omitted to be taken in good faith by it in accordance with the advice of such counsel, accountants or experts, (iv) makes no warranty or representation to any Lender or Issuing Bank and shall not be responsible to any Lender or Issuing Bank for any statements, warranties or representations made by or on behalf of

 

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any Loan Party in connection with this Agreement or any other Loan Document, (v) in determining compliance with any condition hereunder to the making of a Loan, or the issuance of a Letter of Credit, that by its terms must be fulfilled to the satisfaction of a Lender or an Issuing Bank, may presume that such condition is satisfactory to such Lender or Issuing Bank unless the Administrative Agent shall have received notice to the contrary from such Lender or Issuing Bank sufficiently in advance of the making of such Loan or the issuance of such Letter of Credit and (vi) shall be entitled to rely on, and shall incur no liability under or in respect of this Agreement or any other Loan Document by acting upon, any notice, consent, certificate or other instrument or writing (which writing may be a fax, any electronic message, Internet or intranet website posting or other distribution) or any statement made to it orally or by telephone and believed by it to be genuine and signed or sent or otherwise authenticated by the proper party or parties (whether or not such Person in fact meets the requirements set forth in the Loan Documents for being the maker thereof).

SECTION 8.03. Posting of Communications.

(a) Each Borrower agrees that the Administrative Agent may, but shall not be obligated to, make any Communications available to the Lenders and the Issuing Banks by posting the Communications on IntraLinks, DebtDomain, SyndTrak, ClearPar or any other electronic system chosen by the Administrative Agent to be its electronic transmission system (the “Approved Electronic Platform”).

(b) Although the Approved Electronic Platform and its primary web portal are secured with generally-applicable security procedures and policies implemented or modified by the Administrative Agent from time to time (including, as of the Effective Date, a user ID/password authorization system) and the Approved Electronic Platform is secured through a per-deal authorization method whereby each user may access the Approved Electronic Platform only on a deal-by-deal basis, each of the Lenders, each of the Issuing Banks and each Borrower acknowledges and agrees that the distribution of material through an electronic medium is not necessarily secure, that the Administrative Agent is not responsible for approving or vetting the representatives or contacts of any Lender that are added to the Approved Electronic Platform, and that there may be confidentiality and other risks associated with such distribution. Each of the Lenders, each of the Issuing Banks and each Borrower hereby approves distribution of the Communications through the Approved Electronic Platform and understands and assumes the risks of such distribution.

(c) THE APPROVED ELECTRONIC PLATFORM AND THE COMMUNICATIONS ARE PROVIDED “AS IS” AND “AS AVAILABLE”. THE APPLICABLE PARTIES (AS DEFINED BELOW) DO NOT WARRANT THE ACCURACY OR COMPLETENESS OF THE COMMUNICATIONS, OR THE ADEQUACY OF THE APPROVED ELECTRONIC PLATFORM AND EXPRESSLY DISCLAIM LIABILITY FOR ERRORS OR OMISSIONS IN THE APPROVED ELECTRONIC PLATFORM AND THE COMMUNICATIONS. NO WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS, IMPLIED OR STATUTORY, INCLUDING ANY WARRANTY OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, NON-INFRINGEMENT OF THIRD PARTY RIGHTS OR FREEDOM FROM VIRUSES OR OTHER CODE DEFECTS, IS MADE BY THE APPLICABLE PARTIES IN CONNECTION WITH THE COMMUNICATIONS OR THE APPROVED ELECTRONIC PLATFORM. IN NO EVENT SHALL ANY PARTY HERETO HAVE ANY LIABILITY TO ANY OTHER PERSON OR ENTITY FOR DAMAGES OF ANY KIND, OTHER THAN FOR DIRECT OR ACTUAL DAMAGES TO THE EXTENT THEY ARE DETERMINED BY A COURT OF COMPETENT JURISDICTION BY FINAL AND NON-APPEALABLE JUDGMENT TO HAVE RESULTED FROM THE GROSS NEGLIGENCE OR

 

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WILLFUL MISCONDUCT OF SUCH PARTY, INCLUDING DIRECT OR INDIRECT, SPECIAL, INCIDENTAL OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES, LOSSES OR EXPENSES (WHETHER IN TORT, CONTRACT OR OTHERWISE) ARISING OUT OF SUCH PARTY’S TRANSMISSION OF COMMUNICATIONS THROUGH THE INTERNET OR THE APPROVED ELECTRONIC PLATFORM.

Communications” means, collectively, any notice, demand, communication, information, document or other material provided by or on behalf of any Loan Party pursuant to any Loan Document or the transactions contemplated therein which is distributed by the Administrative Agent, any Lender or any Issuing Bank by means of electronic communications pursuant to this Section, including through an Approved Electronic Platform.

(d) Each Lender and the Issuing Bank agrees that notice to it (as provided in the next sentence) specifying that Communications have been posted to the Approved Electronic Platform shall constitute effective delivery of the Communications to such Lender for purposes of the Loan Documents. Each Lender and Issuing Bank agrees (i) to notify the Administrative Agent in writing (which could be in the form of electronic communication) from time to time of such Lender’s or Issuing Bank’s (as applicable) email address to which the foregoing notice may be sent by electronic transmission and (ii) that the foregoing notice may be sent to such email address.

(e) Each of the Lenders, each of the Issuing Banks and each Borrower agrees that the Administrative Agent may, but (except as may be required by applicable law) shall not be obligated to, store the Communications on the Approved Electronic Platform in accordance with the Administrative Agent’s generally applicable document retention procedures and policies.

(f) Nothing herein shall prejudice the right of the Administrative Agent, any Lender or any Issuing Bank to give any notice or other communication pursuant to any Loan Document in any other manner specified in such Loan Document.

SECTION 8.04. The Administrative Agent Individually. With respect to its Commitment, Loans and Letters of Credit, the Person serving as the Administrative Agent shall have and may exercise the same rights and powers hereunder and is subject to the same obligations and liabilities as and to the extent set forth herein for any other Lender or Issuing Bank, as the case may be. The terms “Issuing Banks”, “Lenders”, “Required Lenders” and any similar terms shall, unless the context clearly otherwise indicates, include the Administrative Agent in its individual capacity as a Lender, Issuing Bank or as one of the Required Lenders, as applicable. The Person serving as the Administrative Agent and its Affiliates may accept deposits from, lend money to, own securities of, act as the financial advisor or in any other advisory capacity for and generally engage in any kind of banking, trust or other business with, any Loan Party, any Subsidiary or any Affiliate of any of the foregoing as if such Person was not acting as the Administrative Agent and without any duty to account therefor to the Lenders or the Issuing Banks.

SECTION 8.05. Successor Administrative Agent.

(a) The Administrative Agent may resign at any time by giving thirty (30) days’ prior written notice thereof to the Lenders, the Issuing Banks and the Borrower Representative, whether or not a successor Administrative Agent has been appointed. Upon any such resignation, the Required Lenders shall have the right to appoint a successor Administrative Agent. If no successor Administrative Agent shall have been so appointed by the Required Lenders, and shall have accepted such appointment, within thirty (30) days after the retiring Administrative Agent’s giving of notice of resignation, then the retiring Administrative Agent may, on behalf of the Lenders and the Issuing Banks, appoint a successor Administrative Agent, which shall be a bank with an office

 

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in New York or an Affiliate of any such bank. In either case, such appointment shall be subject to the prior written approval of the Borrower Representative (which approval may not be unreasonably withheld and shall not be required while an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing). Upon the acceptance of any appointment as Administrative Agent by a successor Administrative Agent, such successor Administrative Agent shall succeed to, and become vested with, all the rights, powers, privileges and duties of the retiring Administrative Agent. Upon the acceptance of appointment as Administrative Agent by a successor Administrative Agent, the retiring Administrative Agent shall be discharged from its duties and obligations under this Agreement and the other Loan Documents. Prior to any retiring Administrative Agent’s resignation hereunder as Administrative Agent, the retiring Administrative Agent shall take such action as may be reasonably necessary to assign to the successor Administrative Agent its rights as Administrative Agent under the Loan Documents.

(b) Notwithstanding paragraph (a) of this Section, in the event no successor Administrative Agent shall have been so appointed and shall have accepted such appointment within thirty (30) days after the retiring Administrative Agent gives notice of its intent to resign, the retiring Administrative Agent may give notice of the effectiveness of its resignation to the Lenders, the Issuing Banks and the Borrower Representative, whereupon, on the date of effectiveness of such resignation stated in such notice, (i) the retiring Administrative Agent shall be discharged from its duties and obligations hereunder and under the other Loan Documents; provided that, solely for purposes of maintaining any security interest granted to the Administrative Agent under any Collateral Document for the benefit of the Secured Parties, the retiring Administrative Agent shall continue to be vested with such security interest as collateral agent for the benefit of the Secured Parties, and continue to be entitled to the rights set forth in such Collateral Document and Loan Document, and, in the case of any Collateral in the possession of the Administrative Agent, shall continue to hold such Collateral, in each case until such time as a successor Administrative Agent is appointed and accepts such appointment in accordance with this Section (it being understood and agreed that the retiring Administrative Agent shall have no duty or obligation to take any further action under any Security Document, including any action required to maintain the perfection of any such security interest), and (ii) the Required Lenders shall succeed to and become vested with all the rights, powers, privileges and duties of the retiring Administrative Agent; provided that (A) all payments required to be made hereunder or under any other Loan Document to the Administrative Agent for the account of any Person other than the Administrative Agent shall be made directly to such Person and (B) all notices and other communications required or contemplated to be given or made to the Administrative Agent shall directly be given or made to each Lender and the Issuing Bank. Following the effectiveness of the Administrative Agent’s resignation from its capacity as such, the provisions of this Article, Section 2.17(d) and Section 9.03, as well as any exculpatory, reimbursement and indemnification provisions set forth in any other Loan Document, shall continue in effect for the benefit of such retiring Administrative Agent, its sub-agents and their respective Related Parties in respect of any actions taken or omitted to be taken by any of them while the retiring Administrative Agent was acting as Administrative Agent and in respect of the matters referred to in the proviso under clause (a) above.

SECTION 8.06. Acknowledgements of Lenders and Issuing Banks.

(a) Each Lender and each Issuing Bank represents and warrants that (i) the Loan Documents set forth the terms of a commercial lending facility, (ii) it is engaged in making, acquiring or holding commercial loans and in providing other facilities set forth herein as may be applicable to such Lender or Issuing Bank, in each case in the ordinary course of business, and not for the purpose of purchasing, acquiring or holding any other type of financial instrument (and each Lender and each Issuing Bank agrees not to assert a claim in contravention of the foregoing), (iii)

 

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it has, independently and without reliance upon the Administrative Agent, any Arranger or any other Lender or Issuing Bank, or any of the Related Parties of any of the foregoing, and based on such documents and information as it has deemed appropriate, made its own credit analysis and decision to enter into this Agreement as a Lender, and to make, acquire or hold Loans hereunder and (iv) it is sophisticated with respect to decisions to make, acquire and/or hold commercial loans and to provide other facilities set forth herein, as may be applicable to such Lender or such Issuing Bank, and either it, or the Person exercising discretion in making its decision to make, acquire and/or hold such commercial loans or to provide such other facilities, is experienced in making, acquiring or holding such commercial loans or providing such other facilities. Each Lender and each Issuing Bank also acknowledges that it will, independently and without reliance upon the Administrative Agent, any Arranger, or any other Lender or Issuing Bank, or any of the Related Parties of any of the foregoing, and based on such documents and information (which may contain material, non-public information within the meaning of the United States securities laws concerning the Borrowers and their Affiliates) as it shall from time to time deem appropriate, continue to make its own decisions in taking or not taking action under or based upon this Agreement, any other Loan Document or any related agreement or any document furnished hereunder or thereunder.

(b) Each Lender, by delivering its signature page to this Agreement on the Effective Date, or delivering its signature page to an Assignment and Assumption or any other Loan Document pursuant to which it shall become a Lender hereunder, shall be deemed to have acknowledged receipt of, and consented to and approved, each Loan Document and each other document required to be delivered to, or be approved by or satisfactory to, the Administrative Agent or the Lenders on the Effective Date or the effective date of any such Assignment and Assumption or any other Loan Document pursuant to which it shall have become a Lender hereunder.

(c) Each Lender hereby agrees that (i) it has requested a copy of each Report prepared by or on behalf of the Administrative Agent; (ii) the Administrative Agent (A) makes no representation or warranty, express or implied, as to the completeness or accuracy of any Report or any of the information contained therein or any inaccuracy or omission contained in or relating to a Report and (B) shall not be liable for any information contained in any Report; (iii) the Reports are not comprehensive audits or examinations, and that any Person performing any field examination will inspect only specific information regarding the Loan Parties and will rely significantly upon the Loan Parties’ books and records, as well as on representations of the Loan Parties’ personnel and that the Administrative Agent undertakes no obligation to update, correct or supplement the Reports; (iv) it will keep all Reports confidential and strictly for its internal use, not share the Report with any Loan Party or any other Person except as otherwise permitted pursuant to this Agreement; and (v) without limiting the generality of any other indemnification provision contained in this Agreement, (A) it will hold the Administrative Agent and any such other Person preparing a Report harmless from any action the indemnifying Lender may take or conclusion the indemnifying Lender may reach or draw from any Report in connection with any extension of credit that the indemnifying Lender has made or may make to the Borrowers, or the indemnifying Lender’s participation in, or the indemnifying Lender’s purchase of, a Loan or Loans; and (B) it will pay and protect, and indemnify, defend, and hold the Administrative Agent and any such other Person preparing a Report harmless from and against, the claims, actions, proceedings, damages, costs, expenses, and other amounts (including reasonable attorneys’ fees) incurred by the Administrative Agent or any such other Person as the direct or indirect result of any third parties who might obtain all or part of any Report through the indemnifying Lender.

 

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(d) Payments Transmitted in Error.

(i) Each Lender hereby agrees that (x) if the Administrative Agent notifies such Lender that the Administrative Agent has determined in its sole discretion that any funds received by such Lender from the Administrative Agent or any of its Affiliates (whether as a payment, prepayment or repayment of principal, interest, fees or otherwise; individually and collectively, a “Payment”) were erroneously transmitted to such Lender (whether or not known to such Lender), and demands the return of such Payment (or a portion thereof), such Lender shall promptly, but in no event later than one Business Day thereafter, return to the Administrative Agent the amount of any such Payment (or portion thereof) as to which such a demand was made in same day funds, together with interest thereon in respect of each day from and including the date such Payment (or portion thereof) was received by such Lender to the date such amount is repaid to the Administrative Agent at the greater of the NYFRB Rate and a rate determined by the Administrative Agent in accordance with banking industry rules on interbank compensation from time to time in effect, and (y) to the extent permitted by applicable law, such Lender shall not assert, and hereby waives, as to the Administrative Agent, any claim, counterclaim, defense or right of set-off or recoupment with respect to any demand, claim or counterclaim by the Administrative Agent for the return of any Payments received, including without limitation any defense based on “discharge for value” or any similar doctrine. A notice of the Administrative Agent to any Lender under this Section 8.06(d) shall be conclusive, absent manifest error.

(ii) Each Lender hereby further agrees that if it receives a Payment from the Administrative Agent or any of its Affiliates (x) that is in a different amount than, or on a different date from, that specified in a notice of payment sent by the Administrative Agent (or any of its Affiliates) with respect to such Payment (a “Payment Notice”) or (y) that was not preceded or accompanied by a Payment Notice, it shall be on notice, in each such case, that an error has been made with respect to such Payment. Each Lender agrees that, in each such case, or if it otherwise becomes aware a Payment (or portion thereof) may have been sent in error, such Lender shall promptly notify the Administrative Agent of such occurrence and, upon demand from the Administrative Agent, it shall promptly, but in no event later than one Business Day thereafter, return to the Administrative Agent the amount of any such Payment (or portion thereof) as to which such a demand was made in same day funds, together with interest thereon in respect of each day from and including the date such Payment (or portion thereof) was received by such Lender to the date such amount is repaid to the Administrative Agent at the greater of the NYFRB Rate and a rate determined by the Administrative Agent in accordance with banking industry rules on interbank compensation from time to time in effect.

(iii) Each Borrower and each other Loan Party hereby agrees that (x) in the event an erroneous Payment (or portion thereof) are not recovered from any Lender that has received such Payment (or portion thereof) for any reason, the Administrative Agent shall be subrogated to all the rights of such Lender with respect to such amount and (y) an erroneous Payment shall not pay, prepay, repay, discharge or otherwise satisfy any Obligations owed by the Borrowers or any other Loan Party.

(iv) Each party’s obligations under this Section 8.06(d) shall survive the resignation or replacement of the Administrative Agent or any transfer of rights or obligations by, or the replacement of, a Lender, the termination of the Commitments or the repayment, satisfaction or discharge of all Obligations under any Loan Document.

 

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SECTION 8.07. Collateral Matters.

(a) Except with respect to the exercise of setoff rights in accordance with Section 9.08 or with respect to a Secured Party’s right to file a proof of claim in an insolvency proceeding, no Secured Party shall have any right individually to realize upon any of the Collateral or to enforce any Guarantee of the Secured Obligations, it being understood and agreed that all powers, rights and remedies under the Loan Documents may be exercised solely by the Administrative Agent on behalf of the Secured Parties in accordance with the terms thereof. In its capacity, the Administrative Agent is a “representative” of the Secured Parties within the meaning of the term “secured party” as defined in the UCC. In the event that any Collateral is hereafter pledged by any Person as collateral security for the Secured Obligations, the Administrative Agent is hereby authorized, and hereby granted a power of attorney, to execute and deliver on behalf of the Secured Parties any Loan Documents necessary or appropriate to grant and perfect a Lien on such Collateral in favor of the Administrative Agent on behalf of the Secured Parties.

(b) In furtherance of the foregoing and not in limitation thereof, no arrangements in respect of Banking Services the obligations under which constitute Secured Obligations and no Swap Agreement the obligations under which constitute Secured Obligations, will create (or be deemed to create) in favor of any Secured Party that is a party thereto any rights in connection with the management or release of any Collateral or of the obligations of any Loan Party under any Loan Document. By accepting the benefits of the Collateral, each Secured Party that is a party to any such arrangement in respect of Banking Services or Swap Agreement, as applicable, shall be deemed to have appointed the Administrative Agent to serve as administrative agent and collateral agent under the Loan Documents and agreed to be bound by the Loan Documents as a Secured Party thereunder, subject to the limitations set forth in this paragraph.

(c) The Secured Parties irrevocably authorize the Administrative Agent, at its option and in its discretion, to subordinate any Lien on any property granted to or held by the Administrative Agent under any Loan Document to the holder of any Lien on such property that is permitted by Section 6.02(b). The Administrative Agent shall not be responsible for or have a duty to ascertain or inquire into any representation or warranty regarding the existence, value or collectability of the Collateral, the existence, priority or perfection of the Administrative Agent’s Lien thereon or any certificate prepared by any Loan Party in connection therewith, nor shall the Administrative Agent be responsible or liable to the Lenders or any other Secured Party for any failure to monitor or maintain any portion of the Collateral.

SECTION 8.08. Credit Bidding. The Secured Parties hereby irrevocably authorize the Administrative Agent, at the direction of the Required Lenders, to credit bid all or any portion of the Obligations (including by accepting some or all of the Collateral in satisfaction of some or all of the Obligations pursuant to a deed in lieu of foreclosure or otherwise) and in such manner purchase (either directly or through one or more acquisition vehicles) all or any portion of the Collateral (a) at any sale thereof conducted under the provisions of the Bankruptcy Code, including under Sections 363, 1123 or 1129 of the Bankruptcy Code, or any similar laws in any other jurisdictions to which a Loan Party is subject, or (b) at any other sale, foreclosure or acceptance of collateral in lieu of debt conducted by (or with the consent or at the direction of) the Administrative Agent (whether by judicial action or otherwise) in accordance with any applicable law. In connection with any such credit bid and purchase, the Obligations owed to the Secured Parties shall be entitled to be, and shall be, credit bid by the Administrative Agent at the direction of the Required Lenders on a ratable basis (with Obligations with respect to contingent or unliquidated claims receiving contingent interests in the acquired assets on a ratable basis that shall vest upon the liquidation of such claims in an amount proportional to the liquidated portion of the contingent claim amount used in allocating the contingent interests) for the asset or assets so purchased (or for the

 

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equity interests or debt instruments of the acquisition vehicle or vehicles that are issued in connection with such purchase). In connection with any such bid (i) the Administrative Agent shall be authorized to form one or more acquisition vehicles and to assign any successful credit bid to such acquisition vehicle or vehicles (ii) each of the Secured Parties’ ratable interests in the Obligations which were credit bid shall be deemed without any further action under this Agreement to be assigned to such vehicle or vehicles for the purpose of closing such sale, (iii) the Administrative Agent shall be authorized to adopt documents providing for the governance of the acquisition vehicle or vehicles (provided that any actions by the Administrative Agent with respect to such acquisition vehicle or vehicles, including any disposition of the assets or equity interests thereof, shall be governed, directly or indirectly, by, and the governing documents shall provide for, control by the vote of the Required Lenders or their permitted assignees under the terms of this Agreement or the governing documents of the applicable acquisition vehicle or vehicles, as the case may be, irrespective of the termination of this Agreement and without giving effect to the limitations on actions by the Required Lenders contained in Section 9.02 of this Agreement), (iv) the Administrative Agent on behalf of such acquisition vehicle or vehicles shall be authorized to issue to each of the Secured Parties, ratably on account of the relevant Obligations which were credit bid, interests, whether as equity, partnership interests, limited partnership interests or membership interests, in any such acquisition vehicle and/or debt instruments issued by such acquisition vehicle, all without the need for any Secured Party or acquisition vehicle to take any further action, and (v) to the extent that Obligations that are assigned to an acquisition vehicle are not used to acquire Collateral for any reason (as a result of another bid being higher or better, because the amount of Obligations assigned to the acquisition vehicle exceeds the amount of Obligations credit bid by the acquisition vehicle or otherwise), such Obligations shall automatically be reassigned to the Secured Parties pro rata with their original interest in such Obligations and the equity interests and/or debt instruments issued by any acquisition vehicle on account of such Obligations shall automatically be cancelled, without the need for any Secured Party or any acquisition vehicle to take any further action. Notwithstanding that the ratable portion of the Obligations of each Secured Party are deemed assigned to the acquisition vehicle or vehicles as set forth in clause (ii) above, each Secured Party shall execute such documents and provide such information regarding the Secured Party (and/or any designee of the Secured Party which will receive interests in or debt instruments issued by such acquisition vehicle) as the Administrative Agent may reasonably request in connection with the formation of any acquisition vehicle, the formulation or submission of any credit bid or the consummation of the transactions contemplated by such credit bid.

SECTION 8.09. Certain ERISA Matters.

(a) Each Lender (x) represents and warrants, as of the date such Person became a Lender party hereto, to, and (y) covenants, from the date such Person became a Lender party hereto to the date such Person ceases being a Lender party hereto, for the benefit of, the Administrative Agent, and the Arranger and their respective Affiliates, and not, for the avoidance of doubt, to or for the benefit of any Borrower or any other Loan Party, that at least one of the following is and will be true:

(i) such Lender is not using “plan assets” (within the meaning of the Plan Asset Regulations) of one or more Benefit Plans in connection with the Loans, the Letters of Credit or the Commitments,

(ii) the transaction exemption set forth in one or more PTEs, such as PTE 84-14 (a class exemption for certain transactions determined by independent qualified professional asset managers), PTE 95-60 (a class exemption for certain transactions involving insurance company general accounts), PTE 90-1 (a class exemption for certain transactions involving insurance company pooled separate accounts), PTE 91-38 (a class exemption for certain transactions involving bank collective investment funds) or PTE 96-23 (a class exemption for certain transactions determined by in-house asset managers), is applicable with respect to such Lender’s entrance into, participation in, administration of and performance of the Loans, the Letters of Credit, the Commitments and this Agreement,

 

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(iii) (A) such Lender is an investment fund managed by a “Qualified Professional Asset Manager” (within the meaning of Part VI of PTE 84-14), (B) such Qualified Professional Asset Manager made the investment decision on behalf of such Lender to enter into, participate in, administer and perform the Loans, the Letters of Credit, the Commitments and this Agreement, (C) the entrance into, participation in, administration of and performance of the Loans, the Letters of Credit, the Commitments and this Agreement satisfies the requirements of sub-sections (b) through (g) of Part I of PTE 84-14 and (D) to the best knowledge of such Lender, the requirements of subsection (a) of Part I of PTE 84-14 are satisfied with respect to such Lender’s entrance into, participation in, administration of and performance of the Loans, the Letters of Credit, the Commitments and this Agreement, or

(iv) such other representation, warranty and covenant as may be agreed in writing between the Administrative Agent, in its sole discretion, and such Lender.

In addition, unless sub-clause (i) in the immediately preceding clause (a) is true with respect to a Lender or such Lender has not provided another representation, warranty and covenant as provided in sub-clause (iv) in the immediately preceding clause (a), such Lender further (x) represents and warrants, as of the date such Person became a Lender party hereto, to, and (y) covenants, from the date such Person became a Lender party hereto to the date such Person ceases being a Lender party hereto, for the benefit of, the Administrative Agent, and the Arranger and their respective Affiliates, and not, for the avoidance of doubt, to or for the benefit of any Borrower or any other Loan Party, that none of the Administrative Agent or the Arranger or any of their respective Affiliates is a fiduciary with respect to the Collateral or the assets of such Lender (including in connection with the reservation or exercise of any rights by the Administrative Agent under this Agreement, any Loan Document or any documents related to hereto or thereto).

(b) The Administrative Agent and the Arranger hereby informs the Lenders that each such Person is not undertaking to provide investment advice or to give advice in a fiduciary capacity, in connection with the transactions contemplated hereby, and that such Person has a financial interest in the transactions contemplated hereby in that such Person or an Affiliate thereof (i) may receive interest or other payments with respect to the Loans, the Letters of Credit, the Commitments, this Agreement and any other Loan Documents, (ii) may recognize a gain if it extended the Loans, the Letters of Credit or the Commitments for an amount less than the amount being paid for an interest in the Loans, the Letters of Credit or the Commitments by such Lender or (iii) may receive fees or other payments in connection with the transactions contemplated hereby, the Loan Documents or otherwise, including structuring fees, commitment fees, arrangement fees, facility fees, upfront fees, underwriting fees, ticking fees, agency fees, administrative agent or collateral agent fees, utilization fees, minimum usage fees, letter of credit fees, fronting fees, deal-away or alternate transaction fees, amendment fees, processing fees, term out premiums, banker’s acceptance fees, breakage or other early termination fees or fees similar to the foregoing.

SECTION 8.10. Flood Laws. Chase has adopted internal policies and procedures that address requirements placed on federally regulated lenders under the National Flood Insurance Reform Act of 1994 and related legislation (the “Flood Laws”). Chase, as administrative agent or collateral agent on a syndicated facility, will post on the applicable electronic platform (or otherwise distribute to each Lender in the syndicate) documents that it receives in connection with the Flood Laws. However, Chase reminds each Lender and Participant in the facility that, pursuant to the Flood Laws, each federally regulated Lender (whether acting as a Lender or Participant in the facility) is responsible for assuring its own compliance with the flood insurance requirements.

 

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ARTICLE IX

Miscellaneous

SECTION 9.01. Notices.

(a) Except in the case of notices and other communications expressly permitted to be given by telephone or Electronic Systems (and subject in each case to paragraph (b) below), all notices and other communications provided for herein shall be in writing and shall be delivered by hand or overnight courier service, mailed by certified or registered mail or sent by fax, as follows:

(i) if to any Loan Party, to it in care of the Borrower Representative at: [BORROWER TO ADVISE]

 

                                     

                                     

                                     

Attention: __________________

Fax No: ____________________

Email: _____________________

(ii) if to the Administrative Agent or Chase in its capacity as an Issuing Bank, to JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. at:

JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A.

237 Park Avenue, Floor 6

New York, NY, 10017

Attention: Hormuz Kapadia

Email: Hormuz.kapadia@jpmorgan.com

with a copy to:

Mayer Brown LLP

71 S. Wacker Dr.

Chicago, IL 60606

Attention: Frederick C. Fisher

Fax No: (312) 706-8179

Email: ffisher@mayerbrown.com

(iii) if to any other Lender or Issuing Bank, to it at its address or fax number set forth in its Administrative Questionnaire.

All such notices and other communications (i) sent by hand or overnight courier service, or mailed by certified or registered mail shall be deemed to have been given when received, (ii) sent by fax shall be deemed to have been given when sent, provided that if not given during normal business hours for the recipient, such notice or communication shall be deemed to have been given at the opening of business on the next Business Day of the recipient, or (iii) delivered through Electronic Systems or Approved Electronic Platforms, as applicable, to the extent provided in paragraph (b) below shall be effective as provided in such paragraph.

 

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(b) Notices and other communications to the Borrower Representative, any Loan Party, the Lenders and the Issuing Bank hereunder may be delivered or furnished by using Electronic Systems or Approved Electronic Platforms, as applicable, or pursuant to procedures approved by the Administrative Agent; provided that the foregoing shall not apply to notices pursuant to Article II unless otherwise agreed by the Administrative Agent and the applicable Lender. Each of the Administrative Agent and the Borrower Representative (on behalf of the Loan Parties) may, in its discretion, agree to accept notices and other communications to it hereunder by using Electronic Systems or Approved Electronic Platforms, as applicable, pursuant to procedures approved by it; provided that approval of such procedures may be limited to particular notices or communications. Unless the Administrative Agent otherwise proscribes, all such notices and other communications (i) sent to an e-mail address shall be deemed received upon the sender’s receipt of an acknowledgement from the intended recipient (such as by the “return receipt requested” function, as available, return e-mail or other written acknowledgement), provided that if not given during the normal business hours of the recipient, such notice or a communication shall be deemed to have been given at the opening of business on the next Business Day for the recipient, and (ii) posted to an Internet or intranet website shall be deemed received upon the deemed receipt by the intended recipient, at its e-mail address as described in the foregoing clause (i), of notification that such notice or communication is available and identifying the website address therefor; provided that, for both clauses (i) and (ii) above, if such notice, e-mail or other communication is not sent during the normal business hours of the recipient, such notice or communication shall be deemed to have been sent at the opening of business on the next Business Day of the recipient.

(c) Any party hereto may change its address, facsimile number or e-mail address for notices and other communications hereunder by notice to the other parties hereto.

SECTION 9.02. Waivers; Amendments.

(a) No failure or delay by the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Bank or any Lender in exercising any right or power hereunder or under any other Loan Document shall operate as a waiver thereof, nor shall any single or partial exercise of any such right or power, or any abandonment or discontinuance of steps to enforce such a right or power, preclude any other or further exercise thereof or the exercise of any other right or power. The rights and remedies of the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Bank and the Lenders hereunder and under any other Loan Document are cumulative and are not exclusive of any rights or remedies that they would otherwise have. No waiver of any provision of any Loan Document or consent to any departure by any Loan Party therefrom shall in any event be effective unless the same shall be permitted by paragraph (b) of this Section, and then such waiver or consent shall be effective only in the specific instance and for the purpose for which given. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the making of a Loan or issuance of a Letter of Credit shall not be construed as a waiver of any Default, regardless of whether the Administrative Agent, any Lender or the Issuing Bank may have had notice or knowledge of such Default at the time.

(b) Subject to Sections 2.09(f), 2.14(c) and 9.02(e), neither this Agreement nor any other Loan Document nor any provision hereof or thereof may be waived, amended or modified except (i) in the case of this Agreement, pursuant to an agreement or agreements in writing entered into by the Borrowers and the Required Lenders or (ii) in the case of any other Loan Document, pursuant to an agreement or agreements in writing entered into by the Administrative Agent and the Loan Party or Loan Parties that are parties thereto, with the consent of the Required Lenders;

 

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provided that no such agreement shall (A) increase the Commitment of any Lender without the written consent of such Lender (including any such Lender that is a Defaulting Lender), (B) reduce or forgive the principal amount of any Loan or LC Disbursement or reduce the rate of interest thereon, or reduce or forgive any interest or fees payable hereunder, without the written consent of each Lender (including any such Lender that is a Defaulting Lender) directly affected thereby (except that any amendment or modification of the financial covenants in this Agreement (or defined terms used in the financial covenants in this Agreement) shall not constitute a reduction in the rate of interest or fees for purposes of this clause (B)), (C) postpone any scheduled date of payment of the principal amount of any Loan or LC Disbursement, or any date for the payment of any interest, fees or other Obligations payable hereunder, or reduce the amount of, waive or excuse any such payment, or postpone the scheduled date of expiration of any Commitment, without the written consent of each Lender (including any such Lender that is a Defaulting Lender) directly affected thereby, (D) change Section 2.09(c) or Section 2.18(b) or (d) in a manner that would alter the ratable reduction of Commitments or the manner in which payments are shared, without the written consent of each Lender (other than any Defaulting Lender), (E) change any of the provisions of this Section or the definition of “Required Lenders” or any other provision of any Loan Document specifying the number or percentage of Lenders (or Lenders of any Class) required to waive, amend or modify any rights thereunder or make any determination or grant any consent thereunder, without the written consent of each Lender (other than any Defaulting Lender) directly affected thereby, (F) change Section 2.20, without the consent of each Lender (other than any Defaulting Lender), (G) release any Loan Guarantor from its obligation under its Loan Guaranty (except as otherwise permitted herein or in the other Loan Documents), without the written consent of each Lender (other than any Defaulting Lender), or (H) except as provided in clause (c) of this Section or in any Collateral Document, release all or substantially all of the Collateral without the written consent of each Lender (other than any Defaulting Lender); provided further that no such agreement shall amend, modify or otherwise affect the rights or duties of the Administrative Agent or the Issuing Bank hereunder without the prior written consent of the Administrative Agent or the Issuing Bank, as the case may be (it being understood that any amendment to Section 2.20 shall require the consent of the Administrative Agent and the Issuing Bank); provided further that no such agreement shall amend or modify the provisions of Section 2.07 or any letter of credit application and any bilateral agreement between the Borrower Representative and the Issuing Bank regarding the Issuing Bank’s Issuing Bank Sublimit or the respective rights and obligations between the Borrower and the Issuing Bank in connection with the issuance of Letters of Credit without the prior written consent of the Administrative Agent and the Issuing Bank, respectively. The Administrative Agent may also amend the Commitment Schedule to reflect assignments entered into pursuant to Section 9.04. Any amendment, waiver or other modification of this Agreement or any other Loan Document that by its terms affects the rights or duties under this Agreement of the Lenders of one or more Classes (but not the Lenders of any other Class), may be effected by an agreement or agreements in writing entered into by the Borrowers and the requisite number or percentage in interest of each affected Class of Lenders that would be required to consent thereto under this Section if such Class of Lenders were the only Class of Lenders hereunder at the time.

(c) The Lenders and the Issuing Bank hereby irrevocably authorize the Administrative Agent, at its option and in its sole discretion, to release any Liens granted to the Administrative Agent by the Loan Parties on any Collateral (i) upon the Payment in Full of all Secured Obligations, and the cash collateralization of all Unliquidated Obligations in a manner satisfactory to each affected Lender, (ii) constituting property being sold or disposed of if the Loan Party disposing of such property certifies to the Administrative Agent that the sale or disposition is made in compliance with the terms of this Agreement (and the Administrative Agent may rely conclusively on any such certificate, without further inquiry), and to the extent that the property being sold or disposed of constitutes 100% of the Equity Interests of a Subsidiary, the Administrative Agent is

 

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authorized to release any Loan Guaranty provided by such Subsidiary, (iii) constituting property leased to a Loan Party under a lease which has expired or been terminated in a transaction permitted under this Agreement, or (iv) as required to effect any sale or other disposition of such Collateral in connection with any exercise of remedies of the Administrative Agent and the Lenders pursuant to Article VII. Except as provided in the preceding sentence, the Administrative Agent will not release any Liens on Collateral without the prior written authorization of the Required Lenders; provided that the Administrative Agent may, in its discretion, release its Liens on Collateral valued in the aggregate not in excess of $5,000,000 during any calendar year without the prior written authorization of the Required Lenders (it being agreed that the Administrative Agent may rely conclusively on one or more certificates of the Borrower Representative as to the value of any Collateral to be so released, without further inquiry). Any such release shall not in any manner discharge, affect, or impair the Obligations or any Liens (other than those expressly being released) upon (or obligations of the Loan Parties in respect of) all interests retained by the Loan Parties, including the proceeds of any sale, all of which shall continue to constitute part of the Collateral. Any execution and delivery by the Administrative Agent of documents in connection with any such release shall be without recourse to or warranty by the Administrative Agent.

(d) If, in connection with any proposed amendment, waiver or consent requiring the consent of “each Lender” or “each Lender affected thereby,” the consent of the Required Lenders is obtained, but the consent of other necessary Lenders is not obtained (any such Lender whose consent is necessary but has not been obtained being referred to herein as a “Non-Consenting Lender”), then the Borrowers may elect to replace a Non-Consenting Lender as a Lender party to this Agreement, provided that, concurrently with such replacement, (i) another bank or other entity which is reasonably satisfactory to the Borrowers, the Administrative Agent and the Issuing Bank shall agree, as of such date, to purchase for cash the Loans and other Obligations due to the Non-Consenting Lender pursuant to an Assignment and Assumption and to become a Lender for all purposes under this Agreement and to assume all obligations of the Non-Consenting Lender to be terminated as of such date and to comply with the requirements of clause (b) of Section 9.04, and (ii) the Borrowers shall pay to such Non-Consenting Lender in same day funds on the day of such replacement (1) all interest, fees and other amounts then accrued but unpaid to such Non-Consenting Lender by the Borrowers hereunder to and including the date of termination, including without limitation payments due to such Non-Consenting Lender under Sections 2.15 and 2.17, and (2) an amount, if any, equal to the payment which would have been due to such Lender on the day of such replacement under Section 2.16 had the Loans of such Non-Consenting Lender been prepaid on such date rather than sold to the replacement Lender. Each party hereto agrees that (x) an assignment required pursuant to this paragraph may be effected pursuant to an Assignment and Assumption executed by the Borrower Representative, the Administrative Agent and the assignee (or, to the extent applicable, an agreement incorporating an Assignment and Assumption by reference pursuant to an Approved Electronic Platform as to which the Administrative Agent and such parties are participants), and (y) the Lender required to make such assignment need not be a party thereto in order for such assignment to be effective and shall be deemed to have consented to and be bound by the terms thereof; provided that, following the effectiveness of any such assignment, the other parties to such assignment agree to execute and deliver such documents necessary to evidence such assignment as reasonably requested by the applicable Lender, provided that any such documents shall be without recourse to or warranty by the parties thereto.

(e) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein the Administrative Agent may, with the consent of the Borrower Representative only, amend, modify or supplement this Agreement or any of the other Loan Documents to cure any ambiguity, omission, mistake, defect or inconsistency.

 

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SECTION 9.03. Expenses; Limitation of Liability; Indemnity; Etc.

(a) Expenses. The Loan Parties, jointly and severally, shall pay all (i) reasonable and documented out-of-pocket expenses incurred by the Administrative Agent and its Affiliates, including the reasonable and documented fees, charges and disbursements of counsel for the Administrative Agent (limited to one primary counsel, one local counsel in each reasonably necessary jurisdiction, one specialty counsel in each reasonably necessary specialty area, and one or more additional counsel if one or more actual conflicts of interest arise), in connection with the syndication and distribution (including, without limitation, via the internet or through an Electronic System or Approved Electronic Platform) of the credit facilities provided for herein, the preparation and administration of the Loan Documents and any amendments, modifications or waivers of the provisions of the Loan Documents (whether or not the transactions contemplated hereby or thereby shall be consummated), (ii) reasonable and documented out-of-pocket expenses incurred by the Issuing Bank in connection with the issuance, amendment, renewal or extension of any Letter of Credit or any demand for payment thereunder and (iii) documented out-of-pocket expenses incurred by the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Bank or any Lender, including the fees, charges and disbursements of any counsel for the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Bank or any Lender, in connection with the enforcement, collection or protection of its rights in connection with the Loan Documents, including its rights under this Section, or in connection with the Loans made or Letters of Credit issued hereunder, including all such documented out-of-pocket expenses incurred during any workout, restructuring or negotiations in respect of such Loans or Letters of Credit. Expenses being reimbursed by the Loan Parties under this Section include, without limiting the generality of the foregoing, fees, costs and expenses incurred in connection with:

(i) appraisals and insurance reviews;

(ii) field examinations and the preparation of Reports based on the fees charged by a third party retained by the Administrative Agent or the internally allocated fees for each Person employed by the Administrative Agent with respect to each field examination;

(iii) background checks regarding senior management and/or key investors, as deemed necessary or appropriate in the sole discretion of the Administrative Agent;

(iv) Taxes, fees and other charges for lien searches and filing financing statements and continuations, and other actions to perfect, protect, and continue the Administrative Agent’s Liens;

(v) sums paid or incurred to take any action required of any Loan Party under the Loan Documents that such Loan Party fails to pay or take; and

(vi) forwarding loan proceeds, collecting checks and other items of payment, and establishing and maintaining the accounts and lock boxes, and costs and expenses of preserving and protecting the Collateral.

All of the foregoing fees, costs and expenses may be charged to the Borrowers as Revolving Loans or to another deposit account, all as described in Section 2.18(c).

 

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(b) Limitation of Liability. To the extent permitted by applicable law (i) neither any Borrower nor any other Loan Party shall assert, and each Borrower and each Loan Party hereby waives, any claim against the Administrative Agent, any Arranger, any Issuing Bank and any Lender, and any Related Party of any of the foregoing Persons (each such Person being called a “Lender-Related Person”) for any Liabilities arising from the use by others of information or other materials (including, without limitation, any personal data) obtained through telecommunications, electronic or other information transmission systems (including the Internet), and (ii) no party hereto shall assert, and each such party hereby waives, any Liabilities against any other party hereto, on any theory of liability, for special, indirect, consequential or punitive damages (as opposed to direct or actual damages) arising out of, in connection with, or as a result of, this Agreement, any other Loan Document, or any agreement or instrument contemplated hereby or thereby, the Transactions, any Loan or Letter of Credit or the use of the proceeds thereof; provided that, nothing in this Section 9.03(b) shall relieve any Borrower or any other Loan Party of any obligation it may have to indemnify an Indemnitee, as provided in Section 9.03(c), against any special, indirect, consequential or punitive damages asserted against such Indemnitee by a third party.

(c) Indemnity. The Loan Parties, jointly and severally, shall indemnify the Administrative Agent, each Arranger, each Issuing Bank and each Lender, and each Related Party of any of the foregoing Persons (each such Person being called an “Indemnitee”) against, and hold each Indemnitee harmless from, any and all Liabilities and related expenses, including the fees, charges and disbursements of any counsel for any Indemnitee, incurred by or asserted against any Indemnitee arising out of, in connection with, or as a result of (i) the execution or delivery of the Loan Documents or any agreement or instrument contemplated thereby, the performance by the parties hereto of their respective obligations thereunder or the consummation of the Transactions or any other transactions contemplated hereby, (ii) any Loan or Letter of Credit or the use of the proceeds therefrom (including any refusal by an Issuing Bank to honor a demand for payment under a Letter of Credit if the documents presented in connection with such demand do not strictly comply with the terms of such Letter of Credit), (iii) any actual or alleged presence or Release of Hazardous Materials on or from any property owned or operated by a Loan Party or a Subsidiary, or any Environmental Liability related in any way to a Loan Party or a Subsidiary, (iv) any action taken in connection with this Agreement, including, but not limited to, the payment of principal, interest and fees, or (v) any actual or prospective Proceeding relating to any of the foregoing, whether or not such Proceeding is brought by any Loan Party or their respective equity holders, Affiliates, creditors or any other third Person and whether based on contract, tort or any other theory and regardless of whether any Indemnitee is a party thereto; provided that such indemnity shall not, as to any Indemnitee, be available to the extent that such Liabilities or related expenses are determined by a court of competent jurisdiction by final and non-appealable judgment to have resulted primarily from the gross negligence or willful misconduct of such Indemnitee. This Section 9.03(b) shall not apply with respect to Taxes other than any Taxes that represent losses or damages arising from any non-Tax claim.

(d) Lender Reimbursement. Each Lender severally agrees to pay any amount required to be paid by any Loan Party under paragraphs (a), (b) or (c) of this Section 9.03 to the Administrative Agent and each Issuing Bank, and each Related Party of any of the foregoing Persons (each, an “Agent-Related Person”) (to the extent not reimbursed by the Loan Parties and without limiting the obligation of any Loan Party to do so), ratably according to their respective Applicable Percentage in effect on the date on which such payment is sought under this Section (or, if such payment is sought after the date upon which the Commitments shall have terminated and the Loans shall have been paid in full, ratably in accordance with such Applicable Percentage immediately prior to such date), from and against any and all Liabilities and related expenses, including the fees, charges and disbursements of any kind whatsoever that may at any time (whether before or after the payment of the Loans) be imposed on, incurred by or asserted against such Agent-Related Person in any way relating to or arising out of the Commitments, this Agreement, any of the other Loan Documents or any documents contemplated by or referred to herein or therein

 

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or the transactions contemplated hereby or thereby or any action taken or omitted by such Agent-Related Person under or in connection with any of the foregoing; provided that the unreimbursed expense or Liability or related expense, as the case may be, was incurred by or asserted against such Agent-Related Person in its capacity as such; provided, further, that no Lender shall be liable for the payment of any portion of such Liabilities, costs, expenses or disbursements that are found by a final and non-appealable decision of a court of competent jurisdiction to have resulted primarily from such Agent-Related Person’s gross negligence or willful misconduct. The agreements in this Section shall survive the termination of this Agreement and the Payment in Full of the Secured Obligations.

(e) Payments. All amounts due under this Section 9.03 shall be payable promptly after written demand therefor.

SECTION 9.04. Successors and Assigns.

(a) The provisions of this Agreement shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the parties hereto and their respective successors and assigns permitted hereby (including any Affiliate of the Issuing Bank that issues any Letter of Credit), except that (i) no Borrower may assign or otherwise transfer any of its rights or obligations hereunder without the prior written consent of each Lender (and any attempted assignment or transfer by a Borrower without such consent shall be null and void) and (ii) no Lender may assign or otherwise transfer its rights or obligations hereunder except in accordance with this Section. Nothing in this Agreement, expressed or implied, shall be construed to confer upon any Person (other than the parties hereto, their respective successors and assigns permitted hereby (including any Affiliate of the Issuing Bank that issues any Letter of Credit), Participants (to the extent provided in paragraph (c) of this Section) and, to the extent expressly contemplated hereby, the Related Parties of each of the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Bank and the Lenders) any legal or equitable right, remedy or claim under or by reason of this Agreement.

(b) (i) Subject to the conditions set forth in paragraph (b)(ii) below, any Lender may assign to one or more Persons (other than an Ineligible Institution) all or a portion of its rights and obligations under this Agreement (including all or a portion of its Commitment, participations in Letters of Credit and the Loans at the time owing to it) with the prior written consent (such consent not to be unreasonably withheld) of:

(A) the Borrower Representative, provided that, the Borrower Representative shall be deemed to have consented to an assignment of all or a portion of the Revolving Loans and Commitments unless it shall object thereto by written notice to the Administrative Agent within ten (10) Business Days after having received notice thereof, and provided further that no consent of the Borrower Representative shall be required for an assignment to a Lender, an Affiliate of a Lender, an Approved Fund or, if an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing, any other assignee;

(B) the Administrative Agent; and

(C) the Issuing Bank.

 

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(ii) Assignments shall be subject to the following additional conditions:

(A) except in the case of an assignment to a Lender, an Affiliate of a Lender, or an Approved Fund, or an assignment of the entire remaining amount of the assigning Lender’s Commitment or Loans of any Class, the amount of the Commitment or Loans of the assigning Lender subject to each such assignment (determined as of the date the Assignment and Assumption with respect to such assignment is delivered to the Administrative Agent) shall not be less than $5,000,000 unless each of the Borrower Representative and the Administrative Agent otherwise consent, provided that no such consent of the Borrower Representative shall be required if an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing;

(B) each partial assignment shall be made as an assignment of a proportionate part of all the assigning Lender’s rights and obligations under this Agreement;

(C) the parties to each assignment shall execute and deliver to the Administrative Agent (x) an Assignment and Assumption or (y) to the extent applicable, an agreement incorporating an Assignment and Assumption by reference pursuant to an Approved Electronic Platform as to which the Administrative Agent and the parties to the Assignment and Assumption are participants, together with a processing and recordation fee of $3,500; and

(D) the assignee, if it shall not be a Lender, shall deliver to the Administrative Agent an Administrative Questionnaire in which the assignee designates one or more credit contacts to whom all syndicate-level information (which may contain material non-public information about the Borrowers, the other Loan Parties and their Related Parties or their respective securities) will be made available and who may receive such information in accordance with the assignee’s compliance procedures and applicable laws, including federal and state securities laws.

For the purposes of this Section 9.04(b), the terms “Approved Fund” and “Ineligible Institution” have the following meanings:

Approved Fund” means any Person (other than a natural person) that is engaged in making, purchasing, holding or investing in bank loans and similar extensions of credit in the ordinary course of its business and that is administered or managed by (a) a Lender, (b) an Affiliate of a Lender or (c) an entity or an Affiliate of an entity that administers or manages a Lender.

Ineligible Institution” means (a) a natural person, (b) a Defaulting Lender or its Parent, (c) holding company, investment vehicle or trust for, or owned and operated for the primary benefit of, a natural person or relative(s) thereof; provided that, with respect to clause (c), such holding company, investment vehicle or trust shall not constitute an Ineligible Institution if it (i) has not been established for the primary purpose of acquiring any Loans or Commitments, (ii) is managed by a professional advisor, who is not such natural person or a relative thereof, having significant experience in the business of making or purchasing commercial loans, and (iii) has assets greater than $25,000,000 and a significant part of its activities consist of making or purchasing commercial loans and similar extensions of credit in the ordinary course of its business; provided that upon the occurrence and during the continuance of an Event of Default, any Person (other than a Lender) shall be an Ineligible Institution if after giving effect to any proposed assignment to such Person, such Person would hold more than 25% of the then outstanding Aggregate Credit Exposure or Commitments, as the case may be, (d) a Loan Party or a Subsidiary or other Affiliate of a Loan Party or (e) so long as no Event of Default exists, any Competitor.

(iii) Subject to acceptance and recording thereof pursuant to paragraph (b)(iv) of this Section, from and after the effective date specified in each Assignment and Assumption, the assignee thereunder shall be a party hereto and, to the extent of the interest assigned by such Assignment and Assumption, have the rights and obligations of a Lender under this Agreement, and the assigning Lender thereunder shall, to the extent of the

 

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interest assigned by such Assignment and Assumption, be released from its obligations under this Agreement (and, in the case of an Assignment and Assumption covering all of the assigning Lender’s rights and obligations under this Agreement, such Lender shall cease to be a party hereto but shall continue to be entitled to the benefits of Sections 2.15, 2.16, 2.17 and 9.03) with respect to facts and circumstances occurring prior to the effective date of such assignment. Any assignment or transfer by a Lender of rights or obligations under this Agreement that does not comply with this Section 9.04 shall be treated for purposes of this Agreement as a sale by such Lender of a participation in such rights and obligations in accordance with paragraph (c) of this Section.

(iv) The Administrative Agent, acting for this purpose as a non-fiduciary agent of the Borrowers, shall maintain at one of its offices in the United States a copy of each Assignment and Assumption delivered to it and a register for the recordation of the names and addresses of the Lenders, and the Commitment of, and principal amounts (and stated interest) of the Loans and LC Disbursements owing to, each Lender pursuant to the terms hereof from time to time (the “Register”). The entries in the Register shall be conclusive absent manifest error, and the Borrowers, the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Bank and the Lenders shall treat each Person whose name is recorded in the Register pursuant to the terms hereof as a Lender hereunder for all purposes of this Agreement. No assignment shall be effective unless recorded in the Register pursuant to this Section 9.04(b)(iv). The Register shall be available for inspection by the Borrowers, the Issuing Bank and any Lender, at any reasonable time and from time to time upon reasonable prior notice.

(v) Upon its receipt of (x) a duly completed Assignment and Assumption executed by an assigning Lender and an assignee or (y) to the extent applicable, an agreement incorporating an Assignment and Assumption by reference pursuant to an Approved Electronic Platform as to which the Administrative Agent and the parties to the Assignment and Assumption are participants, the assignee’s completed Administrative Questionnaire (unless the assignee shall already be a Lender hereunder), the processing and recordation fee referred to in paragraph (b) of this Section and any written consent to such assignment required by paragraph (b) of this Section, the Administrative Agent shall accept such Assignment and Assumption and record the information contained therein in the Register; provided that if either the assigning Lender or the assignee shall have failed to make any payment required to be made by it pursuant to Section 2.05, 2.06(d) or (e), 2.07(b), 2.18(d) or 9.03(d), the Administrative Agent shall have no obligation to accept such Assignment and Assumption and record the information therein in the Register unless and until such payment shall have been made in full, together with all accrued interest thereon. No assignment shall be effective for purposes of this Agreement unless it has been recorded in the Register as provided in this paragraph.

(c) Any Lender may, without the consent of, or notice to, the Borrowers, the Administrative Agent or the Issuing Bank, sell participations to one or more banks or other entities (other than a natural Person, or a holding company, investment vehicle or trust for, or owned and operated for the primary benefit of, a natural person, or a Borrower or any Borrowers’ Affiliates or Subsidiaries) (a “Participant”) other than an Ineligible Institution in all or a portion of such Lender’s rights and obligations under this Agreement (including all or a portion of its Commitment and/or the Loans owing to it); provided that (i) such Lender’s obligations under this Agreement shall remain unchanged; (ii) such Lender shall remain solely responsible to the other parties hereto for the performance of such obligations; and (iii) the Borrowers, the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Bank and the other Lenders shall continue to deal solely and directly with such Lender in connection with such Lender’s rights and/or obligations under this Agreement. For the avoidance

 

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of doubt, each Lender shall be responsible for the indemnity under Section 9.03(c) with respect to any payments made by such Lender to its Participant(s). Any agreement or instrument pursuant to which a Lender sells such a participation shall provide that such Lender shall retain the sole right to enforce this Agreement and to approve any amendment, modification or waiver of any provision of this Agreement; provided that such agreement or instrument may provide that such Lender will not, without the consent of the Participant, agree to any amendment, modification or waiver described in the first proviso to Section 9.02(b) that affects such Participant. The Borrowers agree that each Participant shall be entitled to the benefits of Sections 2.15, 2.16 and 2.17 (subject to the requirements and limitations therein, including the requirements under Section 2.17 (it being understood that the documentation required under Section 2.17(f) shall be delivered to the participating Lender and the information and documentation required under Section 2.17(g) will be delivered to the Borrower Representative and the Administrative Agent)) to the same extent as if it were a Lender and had acquired its interest by assignment pursuant to paragraph (b) of this Section; provided that such Participant (A) agrees to be subject to the provisions of Sections 2.18 and 2.19 as if it were an assignee under paragraph (b) of this Section; and (B) shall not be entitled to receive any greater payment under Sections 2.15 or 2.17 with respect to any participation, than its participating Lender would have been entitled to receive, except to the extent such entitlement to receive a greater payment results from a Change in Law that occurs after the Participant acquired the applicable participation.

Each Lender that sells a participation agrees, at the Borrowers’ request and expense, to use reasonable efforts to cooperate with the Borrowers to effectuate the provisions of Section 2.19(b) with respect to any Participant. To the extent permitted by law, each Participant also shall be entitled to the benefits of Section 9.08 as though it were a Lender, provided such Participant agrees to be subject to Section 2.18(d) as though it were a Lender. Each Lender that sells a participation shall, acting solely for this purpose as a non-fiduciary agent of the Borrowers, maintain a register on which it enters the name and address of each Participant and the principal amounts (and stated interest) of each Participant’s interest in the Loans or other obligations under this Agreement or any other Loan Document (the “Participant Register”); provided that no Lender shall have any obligation to disclose all or any portion of the Participant Register (including the identity of any Participant or any information relating to a Participant’s interest in any Commitments, Loans, Letters of Credit or its other obligations under this Agreement or any other Loan Document) to any Person except to the extent that such disclosure is necessary to establish that such Commitment, Loan, Letter of Credit or other obligation is in registered form under Section 5f.103-1(c) of the United States Treasury Regulations or, if different, under Sections 871(h) or 881(c) of the Code. The entries in the Participant Register shall be conclusive absent manifest error, and such Lender shall treat each Person whose name is recorded in the Participant Register as the owner of such participation for all purposes of this Agreement, notwithstanding any notice to the contrary. For the avoidance of doubt, the Administrative Agent (in its capacity as Administrative Agent) shall have no responsibility for maintaining a Participant Register.

(d) Any Lender may at any time pledge or assign a security interest in all or any portion of its rights under this Agreement to secure obligations of such Lender, including without limitation any pledge or assignment to secure obligations to a Federal Reserve Bank, and this Section shall not apply to any such pledge or assignment of a security interest; provided that no such pledge or assignment of a security interest shall release a Lender from any of its obligations hereunder or substitute any such pledgee or assignee for such Lender as a party hereto.

 

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SECTION 9.05. Survival. All covenants, agreements, representations and warranties made by the Loan Parties in the Loan Documents and in the certificates or other instruments delivered in connection with or pursuant to this Agreement or any other Loan Document shall be considered to have been relied upon by the other parties hereto and shall survive the execution and delivery of the Loan Documents and the making of any Loans and issuance of any Letters of Credit, regardless of any investigation made by any such other party or on its behalf and notwithstanding that the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Bank or any Lender may have had notice or knowledge of any Default or incorrect representation or warranty at the time any credit is extended hereunder, and shall continue in full force and effect as long as the principal of or any accrued interest on any Loan or any fee or any other amount payable under this Agreement is outstanding and unpaid or any Letter of Credit is outstanding and so long as the Commitments have not expired or terminated. The provisions of Sections 2.15, 2.16, 2.17 and 9.03 and Article VIII shall survive and remain in full force and effect regardless of the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby, the repayment of the Loans, the expiration or termination of the Letters of Credit and the Commitments or the termination of this Agreement or any other Loan Document or any provision hereof or thereof.

SECTION 9.06. Counterparts; Integration; Effectiveness; Electronic Execution.

(a) This Agreement may be executed in counterparts (and by different parties hereto on different counterparts), each of which shall constitute an original, but all of which when taken together shall constitute a single contract. This Agreement, the other Loan Documents and any separate letter agreements with respect to (i) fees payable to the Administrative Agent and (ii) increases or reductions of the Issuing Bank Sublimit of the Issuing Bank constitute the entire contract among the parties relating to the subject matter hereof and supersede any and all previous agreements and understandings, oral or written, relating to the subject matter hereof. Except as provided in Section 4.01, this Agreement shall become effective when it shall have been executed by the Administrative Agent and when the Administrative Agent shall have received counterparts hereof which, when taken together, bear the signatures of each of the other parties hereto, and thereafter shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the parties hereto and their respective successors and assigns.

(b) Delivery of an executed counterpart of a signature page of (x) this Agreement, (y) any other Loan Document and/or (z) any document, amendment, approval, consent, information, notice (including, for the avoidance of doubt, any notice delivered pursuant to Section 9.01), certificate, request, statement, disclosure or authorization related to this Agreement, any other Loan Document and/or the transactions contemplated hereby and/or thereby (each an “Ancillary Document”) that is an Electronic Signature transmitted by telecopy, emailed pdf. or any other electronic means that reproduces an image of an actual executed signature page shall be effective as delivery of a manually executed counterpart of this Agreement, such other Loan Document or such Ancillary Document, as applicable. The words “execution,” “signed,” “signature,” “delivery,” and words of like import in or relating to this Agreement, any other Loan Document and/or any Ancillary Document shall be deemed to include Electronic Signatures, deliveries or the keeping of records in any electronic form (including deliveries by telecopy, emailed pdf. or any other electronic means that reproduces an image of an actual executed signature page), each of which shall be of the same legal effect, validity or enforceability as a manually executed signature, physical delivery thereof or the use of a paper-based recordkeeping system, as the case may be; provided that nothing herein shall require the Administrative Agent to accept Electronic Signatures in any form or format without its prior written consent and pursuant to procedures approved by it; provided, further, without limiting the foregoing, (i) to the extent the Administrative Agent has agreed to accept any Electronic Signature, the Administrative Agent and each of the Lenders shall be entitled to rely on such Electronic Signature purportedly given by or on behalf of any Borrower or any other Loan Party without further verification thereof and without any obligation to review the appearance or form of any such Electronic Signature and (ii) upon the request of the Administrative Agent or any Lender, any Electronic Signature shall be promptly followed by a manually executed counterpart. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, each Borrower

 

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and each Loan Party hereby (A) agrees that, for all purposes, including without limitation, in connection with any workout, restructuring, enforcement of remedies, bankruptcy proceedings or litigation among the Administrative Agent, the Lenders, the Borrowers and the Loan Parties, Electronic Signatures transmitted by telecopy, emailed pdf. or any other electronic means that reproduces an image of an actual executed signature page and/or any electronic images of this Agreement, any other Loan Document and/or any Ancillary Document shall have the same legal effect, validity and enforceability as any paper original, (B) the Administrative Agent and each of the Lenders may, at its option, create one or more copies of this Agreement, any other Loan Document and/or any Ancillary Document in the form of an imaged electronic record in any format, which shall be deemed created in the ordinary course of such Person’s business, and destroy the original paper document (and all such electronic records shall be considered an original for all purposes and shall have the same legal effect, validity and enforceability as a paper record), (C) waives any argument, defense or right to contest the legal effect, validity or enforceability of this Agreement, any other Loan Document and/or any Ancillary Document based solely on the lack of paper original copies of this Agreement, such other Loan Document and/or such Ancillary Document, respectively, including with respect to any signature pages thereto and (D) waives any claim against any Lender-Related Person for any Liabilities arising solely from the Administrative Agent’s and/or any Lender’s reliance on or use of Electronic Signatures and/or transmissions by telecopy, emailed pdf. or any other electronic means that reproduces an image of an actual executed signature page, including any Liabilities arising as a result of the failure of any Borrower and/or any Loan Party to use any available security measures in connection with the execution, delivery or transmission of any Electronic Signature.

SECTION 9.07. Severability. Any provision of any Loan Document held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable in any jurisdiction shall, as to such jurisdiction, be ineffective to the extent of such invalidity, illegality or unenforceability without affecting the validity, legality and enforceability of the remaining provisions thereof; and the invalidity of a particular provision in a particular jurisdiction shall not invalidate such provision in any other jurisdiction.

SECTION 9.08. Right of Setoff. If an Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing, each Lender, the Issuing Bank, and each of their respective Affiliates is hereby authorized at any time and from time to time, to the fullest extent permitted by law, to set off and apply any and all deposits (general or special, time or demand, provisional or final) at any time held and other obligations at any time owing, by such Lender, such Issuing Bank or any such Affiliate to or for the credit or the account of any Loan Party against any and all of the Secured Obligations owing to such Lender or such Issuing Bank or their respective Affiliates, irrespective of whether or not such Lender, Issuing Bank or Affiliate shall have made any demand under this Agreement or any other Loan Document and although such obligations of the Loan Parties may be contingent or unmatured or are owed to a branch office or Affiliate of such Lender or such Issuing Bank different from the branch office or Affiliate holding such deposit or obligated on such indebtedness; provided that in the event that any Defaulting Lender shall exercise any such right of setoff, (x) all amounts so set off shall be paid over immediately to the Administrative Agent for further application in accordance with the provisions of Section 2.20 and, pending such payment, shall be segregated by such Defaulting Lender from its other funds and deemed held in trust for the benefit of the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Banks, and the Lenders, and (y) the Defaulting Lender shall provide promptly to the Administrative Agent a statement describing in reasonable detail the Secured Obligations owing to such Defaulting Lender as to which it exercised such right of setoff. The applicable Lender, the Issuing Bank or such Affiliate shall notify the Borrower Representative and the Administrative Agent of such setoff or application; provided that the failure to give such notice shall not affect the validity of such setoff or application under this Section. The rights of each Lender, the Issuing Bank and their respective Affiliates under this Section are in addition to other rights and remedies (including other rights of setoff) that such Lender, such Issuing Bank or their respective Affiliates may have.

 

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SECTION 9.09. Governing Law; Jurisdiction; Consent to Service of Process.

(a) The Loan Documents (other than those containing a contrary express choice of law provision) shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the internal laws of the State of New York, but giving effect to federal laws applicable to national banks.

(b) Each of the Lenders and the Administrative Agent hereby irrevocably and unconditionally agrees that, notwithstanding the governing law provisions of any applicable Loan Document, any claims brought against the Administrative Agent by any Secured Party relating to this Agreement, any other Loan Document, the Collateral or the consummation or administration of the transactions contemplated hereby or thereby shall be construed in accordance with and governed by the law of the State of New York.

(c) Each of the parties hereto hereby irrevocably and unconditionally submits, for itself and its property, to the exclusive jurisdiction of any U.S. federal or New York state court sitting in New York, New York, and any appellate court from any thereof, in any action or proceeding arising out of or relating to any Loan Documents, the transactions relating hereto or thereto, 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 (and any such claims, cross-claims or third party claims brought against the Administrative Agent or any of its Related Parties may only) be heard and determined in such state court or, to the extent permitted by law, in such federal court. Each of the parties hereto agrees that a final judgment in any such action or proceeding shall be conclusive and may be enforced in other jurisdictions by suit on the judgment or in any other manner provided by law. Nothing in this Agreement or any other Loan Document shall affect any right that the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Bank or any Lender may otherwise have to bring any action or proceeding relating to this Agreement or any other Loan Document against any Loan Party or its properties in the courts of any jurisdiction.

(d) Each Loan Party hereby irrevocably and unconditionally waives, to the fullest extent it may legally and effectively do so, any objection which it may now or hereafter have to the laying of venue of any suit, action or proceeding arising out of or relating to this Agreement or any other Loan Document in any court referred to in paragraph (b) of this Section. Each of the parties hereto hereby irrevocably waives, to the fullest extent permitted by law, the defense of an inconvenient forum to the maintenance of such action or proceeding in any such court.

(e) Each party to this Agreement irrevocably consents to service of process in the manner provided for notices in Section 9.01. Nothing in this Agreement or any other Loan Document will affect the right of any party to this Agreement to serve process in any other manner permitted by law.

SECTION 9.10. WAIVER OF JURY TRIAL.

(a) EACH PARTY HERETO HEREBY WAIVES, TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, ANY RIGHT IT MAY HAVE TO A TRIAL BY JURY IN ANY LEGAL PROCEEDING DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THIS AGREEMENT, ANY OTHER LOAN DOCUMENT OR THE TRANSACTIONS CONTEMPLATED HEREBY OR THEREBY (WHETHER BASED ON CONTRACT, TORT OR ANY OTHER THEORY). EACH PARTY HERETO (A) CERTIFIES THAT NO REPRESENTATIVE OR OTHER AGENT (INCLUDING ANY ATTORNEY) OF ANY OTHER PARTY HAS REPRESENTED, EXPRESSLY OR OTHERWISE, THAT SUCH

 

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OTHER PARTY WOULD NOT, IN THE EVENT OF LITIGATION, SEEK TO ENFORCE THE FOREGOING WAIVER AND (B) ACKNOWLEDGES THAT IT AND THE OTHER PARTIES HERETO HAVE BEEN INDUCED TO ENTER INTO THIS AGREEMENT BY, AMONG OTHER THINGS, THE MUTUAL WAIVERS AND CERTIFICATIONS IN THIS SECTION.

(b) IN THE EVENT ANY LEGAL PROCEEDING IS FILED IN A COURT OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA (THE “COURT”) BY OR AGAINST EITHER PARTY HERETO IN CONNECTION WITH ANY CONTROVERSY, DISPUTE OR CLAIM DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THIS DOCUMENT OR THE TRANSACTIONS CONTEMPLATED HEREBY (WHETHER BASED ON CONTRACT, TORT OR ANY OTHER THEORY) (EACH, A “CLAIM”) AND THE WAIVER SET FORTH IN THE PRECEDING PARAGRAPH IS NOT ENFORCEABLE IN SUCH ACTION OR PROCEEDING, EACH PARTY HERETO (BY ITS ACCEPTANCE HEREOF) AGREE AS FOLLOWS:

(i) WITH THE EXCEPTION OF THE MATTERS SPECIFIED IN PARAGRAPH (ii) BELOW, ANY CLAIM WILL BE DETERMINED BY A GENERAL REFERENCE PROCEEDING IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE PROVISIONS OF CALIFORNIA CODE OF CIVIL PROCEDURE SECTIONS 638 THROUGH 645.2, INCLUDING ANY REVISION OR REPLACEMENT OF SUCH STATUTES OR RULES HEREAFTER ENACTED. EACH PARTY HERETO INTEND THIS GENERAL REFERENCE AGREEMENT TO BE SPECIFICALLY ENFORCEABLE IN ACCORDANCE WITH CALIFORNIA CODE OF CIVIL PROCEDURE SECTION 638, INCLUDING ANY REVISION OR REPLACEMENT OF SUCH STATUTE OR RULE HEREAFTER ENACTED. EXCEPT AS OTHERWISE PROVIDED IN THIS AND THE OTHER RELATED DOCUMENTS, VENUE FOR THE REFERENCE PROCEEDING WILL BE IN THE STATE OR FEDERAL COURT IN THE COUNTY OR DISTRICT WHERE VENUE IS OTHERWISE APPROPRIATE UNDER APPLICABLE LAW.

(ii) THE FOLLOWING MATTERS SHALL NOT BE SUBJECT TO A GENERAL REFERENCE PROCEEDING: (A) NON-JUDICIAL FORECLOSURE OF ANY SECURITY INTERESTS IN REAL OR PERSONAL PROPERTY; (B) EXERCISE OF SELF-HELP REMEDIES (INCLUDING, WITHOUT LIMITATION, SET-OFF); (C) APPOINTMENT OF A RECEIVER; AND (D) TEMPORARY, PROVISIONAL OR ANCILLARY REMEDIES (INCLUDING, WITHOUT LIMITATION, WRITS OF ATTACHMENT, WRITS OF POSSESSION, TEMPORARY RESTRAINING ORDERS OR PRELIMINARY INJUNCTIONS). THIS DOCUMENT DOES NOT LIMIT THE RIGHT OF ANY PARTY HERETO TO EXERCISE OR OPPOSE ANY OF THE RIGHTS AND REMEDIES DESCRIBED IN CLAUSES (A)—(D) AND ANY SUCH EXERCISE OR OPPOSITION DOES NOT WAIVE THE RIGHT OF EACH PARTY HERETO TO A REFERENCE PROCEEDING PURSUANT TO THIS DOCUMENT.

(iii) UPON THE WRITTEN REQUEST OF ANY PARTY HERETO, EACH PARTY HERETO SHALL SELECT A SINGLE REFEREE, WHO SHALL BE A RETIRED JUDGE OR JUSTICE. IF THE PARTIES HERETO DO NOT AGREE UPON A REFEREE WITHIN TEN (10) DAYS OF SUCH WRITTEN REQUEST, THEN EACH PARTY HERETO MAY REQUEST THE COURT TO APPOINT A REFEREE PURSUANT TO CALIFORNIA CODE OF CIVIL PROCEDURE SECTION 640(B), INCLUDING ANY REVISION OR REPLACEMENT OF SUCH STATUTE OR RULE HEREAFTER ENACTED.

 

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(iv) ALL PROCEEDINGS AND HEARINGS CONDUCTED BEFORE THE REFEREE, EXCEPT FOR TRIAL, SHALL BE CONDUCTED WITHOUT A COURT REPORTER, EXCEPT WHEN EITHER PARTY HERETO SO REQUESTS, A COURT REPORTER WILL BE USED AND THE REFEREE WILL BE PROVIDED A COURTESY COPY OF THE TRANSCRIPT. THE PARTY MAKING SUCH REQUEST SHALL HAVE THE OBLIGATION TO ARRANGE FOR AND PAY COSTS OF THE COURT REPORTER, PROVIDED THAT SUCH COSTS, ALONG WITH THE REFEREE’S FEES, SHALL ULTIMATELY BE BORNE BY THE PARTY WHO DOES NOT PREVAIL, AS DETERMINED BY THE REFEREE.

(v) THE REFEREE MAY REQUIRE ONE OR MORE PREHEARING CONFERENCES. EACH PARTY HERETO SHALL BE ENTITLED TO DISCOVERY, AND THE REFEREE SHALL OVERSEE DISCOVERY IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE RULES OF DISCOVERY, AND MAY ENFORCE ALL DISCOVERY ORDERS IN THE SAME MANNER AS ANY TRIAL COURT JUDGE IN PROCEEDINGS AT LAW IN THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA. THE REFEREE SHALL APPLY THE RULES OF EVIDENCE APPLICABLE TO PROCEEDINGS AT LAW IN THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA AND SHALL DETERMINE ALL ISSUES IN ACCORDANCE WITH APPLICABLE STATE AND FEDERAL LAW. THE REFEREE SHALL BE EMPOWERED TO ENTER EQUITABLE AS WELL AS LEGAL RELIEF AND RULE ON ANY MOTION WHICH WOULD BE AUTHORIZED IN A TRIAL, INCLUDING, WITHOUT LIMITATION, MOTIONS FOR DEFAULT JUDGMENT OR SUMMARY JUDGMENT. THE REFEREE SHALL REPORT THE REFEREE’S DECISION, WHICH REPORT SHALL ALSO INCLUDE FINDINGS OF FACT AND CONCLUSIONS OF LAW.

(vi) EACH PARTY HERETO RECOGNIZE AND AGREE THAT ALL CLAIMS RESOLVED IN A GENERAL REFERENCE PROCEEDING PURSUANT HERETO WILL BE DECIDED BY A REFEREE AND NOT BY A JURY.

SECTION 9.11. Headings. Article and Section headings and the Table of Contents used herein are for convenience of reference only, are not part of this Agreement and shall not affect the construction of, or be taken into consideration in interpreting, this Agreement.

SECTION 9.12. Confidentiality. Each of the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Bank and the Lenders agrees to maintain the confidentiality of the Information (as defined below), except that Information may be disclosed (a) to its and its Affiliates’ directors, officers, employees and agents, including accountants, legal counsel and other advisors (it being understood that the Persons to whom such disclosure is made will be informed of the confidential nature of such Information and instructed to keep such Information confidential), (b) to the extent requested by any Governmental Authority (including any self-regulatory authority, such as the National Association of Insurance Commissioners), (c) to the extent required by any Requirement of Law or by any subpoena or similar legal process, (d) to any other party to this Agreement, (e) in connection with the exercise of any remedies hereunder or under any other Loan Document or any suit, action or proceeding relating to this Agreement or any other Loan Document or the enforcement of rights hereunder or thereunder, (f) subject to an agreement containing provisions substantially the same as those of this Section, to (x) any assignee of or Participant in, or any prospective assignee of or Participant in, any of its rights or obligations under this Agreement or (y) any actual or prospective counterparty (or its advisors) to any swap or derivative transaction relating to the Loan Parties and their obligations, (g) with the consent of the Borrower Representative, (h) on a confidential basis to (1) any rating agency in connection with rating any Borrower or its Subsidiaries or the credit facilities provided for herein or (2) the CUSIP Service Bureau or any similar agency in connection with the issuance and

 

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monitoring of identification numbers with respect to the credit facilities provided for herein, or (i) to the extent such Information (x) becomes publicly available other than as a result of a breach of this Section or (y) becomes available to the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Bank or any Lender on a non-confidential basis from a source other than the Borrowers. For the purposes of this Section, “Information” means all information received from the Borrowers relating to the Borrowers or their business, other than any such information that is available to the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Bank or any Lender on a non-confidential basis prior to disclosure by the Borrowers and other than information pertaining to this Agreement provided by arrangers to data service providers, including league table providers, that serve the lending industry; provided that, in the case of information received from the Borrowers after the date hereof, such information is clearly identified at the time of delivery as confidential. Any Person required to maintain the confidentiality of Information as provided in this Section shall be considered to have complied with its obligation to do so if such Person has exercised the same degree of care to maintain the confidentiality of such Information as such Person would accord to its own confidential information.

EACH LENDER ACKNOWLEDGES THAT INFORMATION AS DEFINED IN SECTION 9.12 FURNISHED TO IT PURSUANT TO THIS AGREEMENT MAY INCLUDE MATERIAL NON-PUBLIC INFORMATION CONCERNING THE BORROWERS, THE OTHER LOAN PARTIES AND THEIR RELATED PARTIES OR THEIR RESPECTIVE SECURITIES, AND CONFIRMS THAT IT HAS DEVELOPED COMPLIANCE PROCEDURES REGARDING THE USE OF MATERIAL NON-PUBLIC INFORMATION AND THAT IT WILL HANDLE SUCH MATERIAL NON-PUBLIC INFORMATION IN ACCORDANCE WITH THOSE PROCEDURES AND APPLICABLE LAW, INCLUDING FEDERAL AND STATE SECURITIES LAWS.

ALL INFORMATION, INCLUDING REQUESTS FOR WAIVERS AND AMENDMENTS, FURNISHED BY ANY BORROWER OR THE ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT PURSUANT TO, OR IN THE COURSE OF ADMINISTERING, THIS AGREEMENT WILL BE SYNDICATE-LEVEL INFORMATION, WHICH MAY CONTAIN MATERIAL NON-PUBLIC INFORMATION ABOUT THE BORROWERS, THE LOAN PARTIES AND THEIR RELATED PARTIES OR THEIR RESPECTIVE SECURITIES. ACCORDINGLY, EACH LENDER REPRESENTS TO THE BORROWERS AND THE ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT THAT IT HAS IDENTIFIED IN ITS ADMINISTRATIVE QUESTIONNAIRE A CREDIT CONTACT WHO MAY RECEIVE INFORMATION THAT MAY CONTAIN MATERIAL NON-PUBLIC INFORMATION IN ACCORDANCE WITH ITS COMPLIANCE PROCEDURES AND APPLICABLE LAW, INCLUDING FEDERAL AND STATE SECURITIES LAWS.

SECTION 9.13. Several Obligations; Nonreliance; Violation of Law. The respective obligations of the Lenders hereunder are several and not joint and the failure of any Lender to make any Loan or perform any of its obligations hereunder shall not relieve any other Lender from any of its obligations hereunder. Each Lender hereby represents that it is not relying on or looking to any margin stock (as defined in Regulation U of the Federal Reserve Board) for the repayment of the Borrowings provided for herein. Anything contained in this Agreement to the contrary notwithstanding, neither the Issuing Bank nor any Lender shall be obligated to extend credit to the Borrowers in violation of any Requirement of Law.

SECTION 9.14. USA PATRIOT Act. Each Lender that is subject to the requirements of the USA PATRIOT Act hereby notifies each Loan Party that pursuant to the requirements of the USA PATRIOT Act, it is required to obtain, verify and record information that identifies such Loan Party, which information includes the name and address of such Loan Party and other information that will allow such Lender to identify such Loan Party in accordance with the USA PATRIOT Act.

SECTION 9.15. Disclosure. Each Loan Party, each Lender and the Issuing Bank hereby acknowledges and agrees that the Administrative Agent and/or its Affiliates from time to time may hold investments in, make other loans to or have other relationships with, any of the Loan Parties and their respective Affiliates.

 

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SECTION 9.16. Appointment for Perfection. Each Lender hereby appoints each other Lender as its agent for the purpose of perfecting Liens, for the benefit of the Administrative Agent and the Secured Parties, in assets which, in accordance with Article 9 of the UCC or any other applicable law can be perfected only by possession or control. Should any Lender (other than the Administrative Agent) obtain possession or control of any such Collateral, such Lender shall notify the Administrative Agent thereof, and, promptly upon the Administrative Agent’s request therefor shall deliver such Collateral to the Administrative Agent or otherwise deal with such Collateral in accordance with the Administrative Agent’s instructions.

SECTION 9.17. Interest Rate Limitation. Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, if at any time the interest rate applicable to any Loan, together with all fees, charges and other amounts which are treated as interest on such Loan under applicable law (collectively the “Charges”), shall exceed the maximum lawful rate (the “Maximum Rate”) which may be contracted for, charged, taken, received or reserved by the Lender holding such Loan in accordance with applicable law, the rate of interest payable in respect of such Loan hereunder, together with all Charges payable in respect thereof, shall be limited to the Maximum Rate and, to the extent lawful, the interest and Charges that would have been payable in respect of such Loan but were not payable as a result of the operation of this Section shall be cumulated and the interest and Charges payable to such Lender in respect of other Loans or periods shall be increased (but not above the Maximum Rate therefor) until such cumulated amount, together with interest thereon at the NYFRB Rate to the date of repayment, shall have been received by such Lender.

SECTION 9.18. No Fiduciary Duty, etc.

(a) Each Borrower acknowledges and agrees, and acknowledges its Subsidiaries’ understanding, that no Credit Party will have any obligations except those obligations expressly set forth herein and in the other Loan Documents and each Credit Party is acting solely in the capacity of an arm’s length contractual counterparty to the Borrowers with respect to the Loan Documents and the transactions contemplated herein and therein and not as a financial advisor or a fiduciary to, or an agent of, any Borrower or any other person. Each Borrower agrees that it will not assert any claim against any Credit Party based on an alleged breach of fiduciary duty by such Credit Party in connection with this Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby. Additionally, each Borrower acknowledges and agrees that no Credit Party is advising any Borrower as to any legal, tax, investment, accounting, regulatory or any other matters in any jurisdiction. The Borrowers shall consult with their own advisors concerning such matters and shall be responsible for making its own independent investigation and appraisal of the transactions contemplated herein or in the other Loan Documents, and the Credit Parties shall have no responsibility or liability to any Borrower with respect thereto.

(b) Each Borrower further acknowledges and agrees, and acknowledges its Subsidiaries’ understanding, that each Credit Party, together with its Affiliates, is a full service securities or banking firm engaged in securities trading and brokerage activities as well as providing investment banking and other financial services. In the ordinary course of business, any Credit Party may provide investment banking and other financial services to, and/or acquire, hold or sell, for its own accounts and the accounts of customers, equity, debt and other securities and financial instruments (including bank loans and other obligations) of, the Borrowers and other companies with which the Borrowers may have commercial or other relationships. With respect to any securities and/or financial instruments so held by any Credit Party or any of its customers, all rights in respect of such securities and financial instruments, including any voting rights, will be exercised by the holder of the rights, in its sole discretion.

 

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(c) In addition, each Borrower acknowledges and agrees, and acknowledges its Subsidiaries’ understanding, that each Credit Party and its affiliates may be providing debt financing, equity capital or other services (including financial advisory services) to other companies in respect of which the Borrowers may have conflicting interests regarding the transactions described herein and otherwise. No Credit Party will use confidential information obtained from any Borrower by virtue of the transactions contemplated by the Loan Documents or its other relationships with the Borrowers in connection with the performance by such Credit Party of services for other companies, and no Credit Party will furnish any such information to other companies. Each Borrower also acknowledges that no Credit Party has any obligation to use in connection with the transactions contemplated by the Loan Documents, or to furnish to any Borrower, confidential information obtained from other companies.

SECTION 9.19. Marketing Consent. The Borrowers hereby authorize Chase and its affiliates (collectively, the “Chase Parties”), at their respective sole expense, and without any prior approval by the Borrowers, to include the Borrowers’ name and logo in advertising, marketing, tombstones, case studies and training materials, and to give such other publicity to this Agreement as each may from time to time determine in its sole discretion. The foregoing authorization shall remain in effect unless the Borrower Representative notifies Chase in writing that such authorization is revoked.

SECTION 9.20. Acknowledgement and Consent to Bail-In of Affected Financial Institutions. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in any Loan Document or in any other agreement, arrangement or understanding among any such parties, each party hereto acknowledges that any liability of any Affected Financial Institution arising under any Loan Document may be subject to the Write-Down and Conversion Powers of the applicable Resolution Authority and agrees and consents to, and acknowledges and agrees to be bound by:

(a) the application of any Write-Down and Conversion Powers by the applicable Resolution Authority to any such liabilities arising hereunder which may be payable to it by any party hereto that is an Affected Financial Institution; and

(b) the effects of any Bail-In Action on any such liability, including, if applicable:

(i) a reduction in full or in part or cancellation of any such liability;

(ii) a conversion of all, or a portion of, such liability into shares or other instruments of ownership in such Affected Financial Institution, its parent entity, or a bridge institution that may be issued to it or otherwise conferred on it, and that such shares or other instruments of ownership will be accepted by it in lieu of any rights with respect to any such liability under this Agreement or any other Loan Document; or

(iii) the variation of the terms of such liability in connection with the exercise of the Write-Down and Conversion Powers of the applicable Resolution Authority.

 

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SECTION 9.21. Acknowledgement Regarding Any Supported QFCs.

(a) To the extent that the Loan Documents provide support, through a guarantee or otherwise, for Swap Agreements or any other agreement or instrument that is a QFC (such support “QFC Credit Support” and each such QFC a “Supported QFC”), the parties acknowledge and agree as follows with respect to the resolution power of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation under the Federal Deposit Insurance Act and Title II of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act (together with the regulations promulgated thereunder, the “U.S. Special Resolution Regimes”) in respect of such Supported QFC and QFC Credit Support (with the provisions below applicable notwithstanding that the Loan Documents and any Supported QFC may in fact be stated to be governed by the laws of the State of New York and/or of the United States or any other state of the United States):

(b) In the event a Covered Entity that is party to a Supported QFC (each, a “Covered Party”) becomes subject to a proceeding under a U.S. Special Resolution Regime, the transfer of such Supported QFC and the benefit of such QFC Credit Support (and any interest and obligation in or under such Supported QFC and such QFC Credit Support, and any rights in property securing such Supported QFC or such QFC Credit Support) from such Covered Party will be effective to the same extent as the transfer would be effective under the U.S. Special Resolution Regime if the Supported QFC and such QFC Credit Support (and any such interest, obligation and rights in property) were governed by the laws of the United States or a state of the United States. In the event a Covered Party or a BHC Act Affiliate of a Covered Party becomes subject to a proceeding under a U.S. Special Resolution Regime, Default Rights under the Loan Documents that might otherwise apply to such Supported QFC or any QFC Credit Support that may be exercised against such Covered Party are permitted to be exercised to no greater extent than such Default Rights could be exercised under the U.S. Special Resolution Regime if the Supported QFC and the Loan Documents were governed by the laws of the United States or a state of the United States. Without limitation of the foregoing, it is understood and agreed that rights and remedies of the parties with respect to a Defaulting Lender shall in no event affect the rights of any Covered Party with respect to a Supported QFC or any QFC Credit Support.

SECTION 9.22. Joint and Several. Each Borrower hereby unconditionally and irrevocably agrees it is jointly and severally liable to the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Banks and the Lenders for the Secured Obligations. In furtherance thereof, each Borrower agrees that wherever in this Agreement it is provided that a Borrower is liable for a payment, such obligation is the joint and several obligation of each Borrower. Each Borrower acknowledges and agrees that its joint and several liability under this Agreement and the Loan Documents is absolute and unconditional and shall not in any manner be affected or impaired by any acts or omissions whatsoever by the Administrative Agent, any Issuing Bank, any Lender or any other Person. Each Borrower’s liability for the Secured Obligations shall not in any manner be impaired or affected by who receives or uses the proceeds of the credit extended hereunder or for what purposes such proceeds are used, and each Borrower waives notice of borrowing requests issued by, and loans or other extensions of credit made to, other Borrowers. Each Borrower hereby agrees not to exercise or enforce any right of exoneration, contribution, reimbursement, recourse or subrogation available to such Borrower against any party liable for payment under this Agreement and the Loan Documents unless and until the Administrative Agent, each Issuing Bank and each Lender has been paid in full and all of the Secured Obligations are satisfied and discharged following termination or expiration of all commitments of the Lenders to extend credit to the Borrowers. Each Borrower’s joint and several liability hereunder with respect to the Secured Obligations shall, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, be the unconditional liability of such Borrower irrespective of (i) the validity, enforceability, avoidance or subordination of any of the Secured Obligations or of any other document evidencing all or any part of the Secured Obligations, (ii) the absence of any attempt to collect any of the Secured Obligations from any other Loan Party or any Collateral or other security therefor, or the absence of any other action to enforce the same, (iii) the amendment, modification, waiver, consent, extension, forbearance or granting of any indulgence by the Administrative Agent or any Lender with respect to any provision of any instrument executed by any other Loan Party evidencing or securing the payment of any of the Secured Obligations, or any other agreement now or hereafter executed by any other Loan Party and delivered to the

 

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Administrative Agent, (iv) the failure by the Administrative Agent or any Lender to take any steps to perfect or maintain the perfected status of its Lien upon, or to preserve its rights to, any of the Collateral or other security for the payment or performance of any of the Secured Obligations or the Administrative Agent’s release of any Collateral or of its Liens upon any Collateral, (v) the release or compromise, in whole or in part, of the liability of any other Loan Party for the payment of any of the Secured Obligations, (vi) any increase in the amount of the Secured Obligations beyond any limits imposed herein or in the amount of any interest, fees or other charges payable in connection therewith, in each case, if consented to by any other Borrower, or any decrease in the same, or (vii) any other circumstance that might constitute a legal or equitable discharge or defense of any Loan Party. After the occurrence and during the continuance of any Event of Default, the Administrative Agent may proceed directly and at once, without notice to any Borrower, against any or all of Loan Parties to collect and recover all or any part of the Secured Obligations, without first proceeding against any other Loan Party or against any Collateral or other security for the payment or performance of any of the Secured Obligations, and each Borrower waives any provision that might otherwise require the Administrative Agent or the Lenders under applicable law to pursue or exhaust its remedies against any Collateral or other Loan Party before pursuing such Borrower or its property. Each Borrower consents and agrees that neither the Administrative Agent nor any Lender shall be under no obligation to marshal any assets in favor of any Loan Party or against or in payment of any or all of the Secured Obligations.

ARTICLE X

Loan Guaranty

SECTION 10.01. Guaranty. Each Loan Guarantor (other than those that have delivered a separate Guaranty) hereby agrees that it is jointly and severally liable for, and, as a primary obligor and not merely as surety, absolutely, unconditionally and irrevocably guarantees to the Secured Parties, the prompt payment when due, whether at stated maturity, upon acceleration or otherwise, and at all times thereafter, of the Secured Obligations and all costs and expenses, including, without limitation, all court costs and reasonable attorneys’ and paralegals’ fees (including allocated costs of in-house counsel and paralegals) and expenses paid or incurred by the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Bank and the Lenders in endeavoring to collect all or any part of the Secured Obligations from, or in prosecuting any action against, any Borrower, any Loan Guarantor or any other guarantor of all or any part of the Secured Obligations (such costs and expenses, together with the Secured Obligations, collectively the “Guaranteed Obligations”); provided, however, that the definition of “Guaranteed Obligations” shall not create any guarantee by any Loan Guarantor of (or grant of security interest by any Loan Guarantor to support, as applicable) any Excluded Swap Obligations of such Loan Guarantor for purposes of determining any obligations of any Loan Guarantor. Each Loan Guarantor further agrees that the Guaranteed Obligations may be extended or renewed in whole or in part without notice to or further assent from it, and that it remains bound upon its guarantee notwithstanding any such extension or renewal. All terms of this Loan Guaranty apply to and may be enforced by or on behalf of any domestic or foreign branch or Affiliate of any Lender that extended any portion of the Guaranteed Obligations.

SECTION 10.02. Guaranty of Payment. This Loan Guaranty is a guaranty of payment and not of collection. Each Loan Guarantor waives any right to require the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Bank or any Lender to sue any Borrower or any Loan Guarantor, or any other guarantor of, or any other Person obligated for, all or any part of the Guaranteed Obligations (each, an “Obligated Party”), or otherwise to enforce its payment against any collateral securing all or any part of the Guaranteed Obligations.

 

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SECTION 10.03. No Discharge or Diminishment of Loan Guaranty. (a) Except as otherwise provided for herein, the obligations of each Loan Guarantor hereunder are unconditional and absolute and not subject to any reduction, limitation, impairment or termination for any reason (other than the Payment in Full of the Guaranteed Obligations), including: (i) any claim of waiver, release, extension, renewal, settlement, surrender, alteration or compromise of any of the Guaranteed Obligations, by operation of law or otherwise; (ii) any change in the corporate existence, structure or ownership of any Borrower or any other Obligated Party liable for any of the Guaranteed Obligations; (iii) any insolvency, bankruptcy, reorganization or other similar proceeding affecting any Obligated Party or their assets, or any resulting release or discharge of any obligation of any Obligated Party; or (iv) the existence of any claim, setoff or other rights which any Loan Guarantor may have at any time against any Obligated Party, the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Bank, any Lender or any other Person, whether in connection herewith or in any unrelated transactions.

(b) The obligations of each Loan Guarantor hereunder are not subject to any defense or setoff, counterclaim, recoupment or termination whatsoever by reason of the invalidity, illegality or unenforceability of any of the Guaranteed Obligations or otherwise, or any provision of applicable law or regulation purporting to prohibit payment by any Obligated Party, of the Guaranteed Obligations or any part thereof.

(c) Further, the obligations of any Loan Guarantor hereunder are not discharged or impaired or otherwise affected by: (i) the failure of the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Bank or any Lender to assert any claim or demand or to enforce any remedy with respect to all or any part of the Guaranteed Obligations; (ii) any waiver or modification of or supplement to any provision of any agreement relating to the Guaranteed Obligations; (iii) any release, non-perfection or invalidity of any indirect or direct security for the obligations of any Borrower for all or any part of the Guaranteed Obligations or any obligations of any other Obligated Party liable for any of the Guaranteed Obligations; (iv) any action or failure to act by the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Bank or any Lender with respect to any collateral securing any part of the Guaranteed Obligations; or (v) any default, failure or delay, willful or otherwise, in the payment or performance of any of the Guaranteed Obligations, or any other circumstance, act, omission or delay that might in any manner or to any extent vary the risk of such Loan Guarantor or that would otherwise operate as a discharge of any Loan Guarantor as a matter of law or equity (other than the Payment in Full of the Guaranteed Obligations).

SECTION 10.04. Defenses Waived. To the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, each Loan Guarantor hereby waives any defense based on or arising out of any defense of any Borrower or any Loan Guarantor or the unenforceability of all or any part of the Guaranteed Obligations from any cause, or the cessation from any cause of the liability of any Borrower, any Loan Guarantor or any other Obligated Party, other than the Payment in Full of the Guaranteed Obligations. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, each Loan Guarantor irrevocably waives acceptance hereof, presentment, demand, protest and, to the fullest extent permitted by law, any notice not provided for herein, as well as any requirement that at any time any action be taken by any Person against any Obligated Party or any other Person. Each Loan Guarantor confirms that it is not a surety under any state law and shall not raise any such law as a defense to its obligations hereunder. The Administrative Agent may, at its election, foreclose on any Collateral held by it by one or more judicial or nonjudicial sales, accept an assignment of any such Collateral in lieu of foreclosure or otherwise act or fail to act with respect to any collateral securing all or a part of the Guaranteed Obligations, compromise or adjust any part of the Guaranteed Obligations, make any other accommodation with any Obligated Party or exercise any other right or remedy available to it against any Obligated Party, without affecting or impairing in any way the liability of such Loan Guarantor under this Loan Guaranty, except to the extent the Guaranteed Obligations have been Paid in Full. To the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, each Loan Guarantor waives any defense arising out of any such election even though that election may operate, pursuant to applicable law, to impair or extinguish any right of reimbursement or subrogation or other right or remedy of any Loan Guarantor against any Obligated Party or any security.

 

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SECTION 10.05. Rights of Subrogation. No Loan Guarantor will assert any right, claim or cause of action, including, without limitation, a claim of subrogation, contribution or indemnification that it has against any Obligated Party or any collateral, until the Loan Parties and the Loan Guarantors have fully performed all their obligations to the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Bank and the Lenders.

SECTION 10.06. Reinstatement; Stay of Acceleration. If at any time any payment of any portion of the Guaranteed Obligations (including a payment effected through exercise of a right of setoff) is rescinded, or must otherwise be restored or returned upon the insolvency, bankruptcy or reorganization of any Borrower or otherwise (including pursuant to any settlement entered into by a Secured Party in its discretion), each Loan Guarantor’s obligations under this Loan Guaranty with respect to that payment shall be reinstated at such time as though the payment had not been made and whether or not the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Bank and the Lenders are in possession of this Loan Guaranty. If acceleration of the time for payment of any of the Guaranteed Obligations is stayed upon the insolvency, bankruptcy or reorganization of any Borrower, all such amounts otherwise subject to acceleration under the terms of any agreement relating to the Guaranteed Obligations shall nonetheless be payable by the Loan Guarantors forthwith on demand by the Administrative Agent.

SECTION 10.07. Information. Each Loan Guarantor assumes all responsibility for being and keeping itself informed of the Borrowers’ financial condition and assets, and of all other circumstances bearing upon the risk of nonpayment of the Guaranteed Obligations and the nature, scope and extent of the risks that each Loan Guarantor assumes and incurs under this Loan Guaranty, and agrees that none of the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Bank or any Lender shall have any duty to advise any Loan Guarantor of information known to it regarding those circumstances or risks.

SECTION 10.08. Termination. Each of the Lenders and the Issuing Bank may continue to make loans or extend credit to the Borrowers based on this Loan Guaranty until five (5) days after it receives written notice of termination from any Loan Guarantor. Notwithstanding receipt of any such notice, each Loan Guarantor will continue to be liable to the Lenders for any Guaranteed Obligations created, assumed or committed to prior to the fifth day after receipt of the notice, and all subsequent renewals, extensions, modifications and amendments with respect to, or substitutions for, all or any part of such Guaranteed Obligations. Nothing in this Section 10.08 shall be deemed to constitute a waiver of, or eliminate, limit, reduce or otherwise impair any rights or remedies the Administrative Agent or any Lender may have in respect of, any Default or Event of Default that shall exist under Article VII hereof as a result of any such notice of termination.

SECTION 10.09. [Reserved].

SECTION 10.10. Maximum Liability. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Loan Guaranty, the amount guaranteed by each Loan Guarantor hereunder shall be limited to the extent, if any, required so that its obligations hereunder shall not be subject to avoidance under Section 548 of the Bankruptcy Code or under any applicable state Uniform Fraudulent Transfer Act, Uniform Fraudulent Conveyance Act, Uniform Voidable Transactions Act or similar statute or common law. In determining the limitations, if any, on the amount of any Loan Guarantor’s obligations hereunder pursuant to the preceding sentence, it is the intention of the parties hereto that any rights of subrogation, indemnification or contribution which such Loan Guarantor may have under this Loan Guaranty, any other agreement or applicable law shall be taken into account.

 

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SECTION 10.11. Contribution.

(a) To the extent that any Loan Guarantor shall make a payment under this Loan Guaranty (a “Guarantor Payment”) which, taking into account all other Guarantor Payments then previously or concurrently made by any other Loan Guarantor, exceeds the amount which otherwise would have been paid by or attributable to such Loan Guarantor if each Loan Guarantor had paid the aggregate Guaranteed Obligations satisfied by such Guarantor Payment in the same proportion as such Loan Guarantor’s “Allocable Amount” (as defined below) (as determined immediately prior to such Guarantor Payment) bore to the aggregate Allocable Amounts of each of the Loan Guarantors as determined immediately prior to the making of such Guarantor Payment, then, following indefeasible payment in full in cash of the Guarantor Payment, the Payment in Full of the Guaranteed Obligations and the termination of this Agreement, such Loan Guarantor shall be entitled to receive contribution and indemnification payments from, and be reimbursed by, each other Loan Guarantor for the amount of such excess, pro rata based upon their respective Allocable Amounts in effect immediately prior to such Guarantor Payment.

(b) As of any date of determination, the “Allocable Amount” of any Loan Guarantor shall be equal to the excess of the fair saleable value of the property of such Loan Guarantor over the total liabilities of such Loan Guarantor (including the maximum amount reasonably expected to become due in respect of contingent liabilities, calculated, without duplication, assuming each other Loan Guarantor that is also liable for such contingent liability pays its ratable share thereof), giving effect to all payments made by other Loan Guarantors as of such date in a manner to maximize the amount of such contributions.

(c) This Section 10.11 is intended only to define the relative rights of the Loan Guarantors, and nothing set forth in this Section 10.11 is intended to or shall impair the obligations of the Loan Guarantors, jointly and severally, to pay any amounts as and when the same shall become due and payable in accordance with the terms of this Loan Guaranty.

(d) The parties hereto acknowledge that the rights of contribution and indemnification hereunder shall constitute assets of the Loan Guarantor or Loan Guarantors to which such contribution and indemnification is owing.

(e) The rights of the indemnifying Loan Guarantors against other Loan Guarantors under this Section 10.11 shall be exercisable upon the Payment in Full of the Guaranteed Obligations and the termination of this Agreement.

SECTION 10.12. Liability Cumulative. The liability of each Loan Party as a Loan Guarantor under this Article X is in addition to and shall be cumulative with all liabilities of each Loan Party to the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Bank and the Lenders under this Agreement and the other Loan Documents to which such Loan Party is a party or in respect of any obligations or liabilities of the other Loan Parties, without any limitation as to amount, unless the instrument or agreement evidencing or creating such other liability specifically provides to the contrary.

SECTION 10.13. Keepwell. Each Qualified ECP Guarantor hereby jointly and severally absolutely, unconditionally and irrevocably undertakes to provide such funds or other support as may be needed from time to time by each other Loan Party to honor all of its obligations under this Guarantee in respect of a Swap Obligation (provided, however, that each Qualified ECP Guarantor shall only be liable under this Section 10.13 for the maximum amount of such liability that can be hereby incurred without rendering its obligations under this Section 10.13 or otherwise under this Loan Guaranty voidable under applicable law relating to fraudulent conveyance or fraudulent transfer, and not for any greater amount).

 

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Except as otherwise provided herein, the obligations of each Qualified ECP Guarantor under this Section 10.13 shall remain in full force and effect until the termination of all Swap Obligations. Each Qualified ECP Guarantor intends that this Section 10.13 constitute, and this Section 10.13 shall be deemed to constitute, a “keepwell, support, or other agreement” for the benefit of each other Loan Party for all purposes of Section 1a(18)(A)(v)(II) of the Commodity Exchange Act.

ARTICLE XI

The Borrower Representative.

SECTION 11.01. Appointment; Nature of Relationship. The Company is hereby appointed by each of the Borrowers as its contractual representative (herein referred to as the “Borrower Representative”) hereunder and under each other Loan Document, and each of the Borrowers irrevocably authorizes the Borrower Representative to act as the contractual representative of such Borrower with the rights and duties expressly set forth herein and in the other Loan Documents. The Borrower Representative agrees to act as such contractual representative upon the express conditions contained in this Article XI. Additionally, the Borrowers hereby appoint the Borrower Representative as their agent to receive all of the proceeds of the Loans in the Funding Account(s), at which time the Borrower Representative shall promptly disburse such Loans to the appropriate Borrower(s), provided that, in the case of a Revolving Loan, such amount shall not exceed Availability. The Administrative Agent and the Lenders, and their respective officers, directors, agents or employees, shall not be liable to the Borrower Representative or any Borrower for any action taken or omitted to be taken by the Borrower Representative or the Borrowers pursuant to this Section 11.01.

SECTION 11.02. Powers. The Borrower Representative shall have and may exercise such powers under the Loan Documents as are specifically delegated to the Borrower Representative by the terms of each thereof, together with such powers as are reasonably incidental thereto. The Borrower Representative shall have no implied duties to the Borrowers, or any obligation to the Lenders to take any action thereunder except any action specifically provided by the Loan Documents to be taken by the Borrower Representative.

SECTION 11.03. Employment of Agents. The Borrower Representative may execute any of its duties as the Borrower Representative hereunder and under any other Loan Document by or through authorized officers.

SECTION 11.04. Notices. Each Borrower shall immediately notify the Borrower Representative of the occurrence of any Default or Event of Default hereunder, refer to this Agreement, describe such Default or Event of Default, and state that such notice is a “notice of default”. In the event that the Borrower Representative receives such a notice, the Borrower Representative shall give prompt notice thereof to the Administrative Agent and the Lenders. Any notice provided to the Borrower Representative hereunder shall constitute notice to each Borrower on the date received by the Borrower Representative.

SECTION 11.05. Successor Borrower Representative. Upon the prior written consent of the Administrative Agent, the Borrower Representative may resign at any time, such resignation to be effective upon the appointment of a successor Borrower Representative. The Administrative Agent shall give prompt written notice of such resignation to the Lenders.

 

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SECTION 11.06. Execution of Loan Documents. The Borrowers hereby empower and authorize the Borrower Representative, on behalf of the Borrowers, to execute and deliver to the Administrative Agent and the Lenders the Loan Documents and all related agreements, certificates, documents, or instruments as shall be necessary or appropriate to effect the purposes of the Loan Documents, including, without limitation, the Compliance Certificates. Each Borrower agrees that any action taken by the Borrower Representative or the Borrowers in accordance with the terms of this Agreement or the other Loan Documents, and the exercise by the Borrower Representative of its powers set forth therein or herein, together with such other powers that are reasonably incidental thereto, shall be binding upon all of the Borrowers.

[Signatures Immediately Follow]

 

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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Agreement to be duly executed and delivered by their respective authorized officers as of the day and year first above written.

 

Borrower:
THE HONEST COMPANY, INC.
By:                   
Name:  

                 

Title:  

                 


JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., individually, and as Administrative Agent and Issuing Bank
By:                   
Name:  

                 

Title:  

                 


COMMITMENT SCHEDULE

 

Lender

   Revolving
Commitment
 

JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A.

   $ 35,000,000  
  

 

 

 

Total

   $ 35,000,000  
  

 

 

 


SCHEDULE 2.06

Existing Letters of Credit


SCHEDULE 3.05

Properties etc.


SCHEDULE 3.06

Disclosed Matters


SCHEDULE 3.14

Insurance


SCHEDULE 3.15

Capitalization and Subsidiaries


SCHEDULE 3.22

Affiliate Transactions


SCHEDULE 5.14

Post-Closing Obligations

 

1.

Collateral Access Agreements for each of the following locations within sixty (60) days following the Effective Date:

 

  a.

[TBD]


SCHEDULE 6.01

Existing Indebtedness


SCHEDULE 6.02

Existing Liens


SCHEDULE 6.04

Existing Investments


SCHEDULE 6.10

Existing Restrictions

Exhibit 23.1

CONSENT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM

We hereby consent to the use in this Registration Statement on Form S-1 of The Honest Company, Inc. of our report dated March 15, 2021, except for the effects of the stock split discussed in Note 2 to the consolidated financial statements, as to which the date is April 26, 2021 relating to the financial statements of The Honest Company, Inc., 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

Los Angeles, California

April 26, 2021

Exhibit 99.2

CONSENT TO BE NAMED AS A DIRECTOR NOMINEE

The Honest Company, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), is filing a Registration Statement on Form S-1 (the “Registration Statement”) with the Securities and Exchange Commission under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), in connection with a public offering (the “Public Offering”) of its common stock. In connection with the Public Offering, I hereby consent, pursuant to Rule 438 of the Securities Act, to being named as a nominee to the board of directors of the Company in the Registration Statement, and any amendments and supplements thereto. I also consent to the filing of this consent as an exhibit to the Registration Statement and any amendments and supplements thereto.

 

/s/ James White

Name:   James White
Date:   April 26, 2021