RR Donnelley & Sons Co false 0000029669 0000029669 2021-04-28 2021-04-28 0000029669 us-gaap:CommonStockMember 2021-04-28 2021-04-28 0000029669 us-gaap:PreferredStockMember 2021-04-28 2021-04-28

 

 

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549

 

 

FORM 8-K

 

 

CURRENT REPORT

Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d)

of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934

Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported): April 28, 2021

 

 

R. R. DONNELLEY & SONS COMPANY

(Exact name of Registrant as Specified in Its Charter)

 

 

 

Delaware   1-4694   36-1004130

(State or Other Jurisdiction

of Incorporation)

 

(Commission

File Number)

 

(IRS Employer

Identification No.)

 

35 West Wacker Drive,

Chicago, Illinois

  60601
(Address of Principal Executive Offices)   (Zip Code)

Registrant’s Telephone Number, Including Area Code: (312) 326-8000

Not Applicable

(Former Name or Former Address, if Changed Since Last Report)

 

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:

 

Title of each class

 

Trading

Symbol(s)

 

Name of each exchange

on which registered

Common Stock, par value $0.01 per share   RRD   New York Stock Exchange
Preferred Stock Purchase Rights     New York Stock Exchange

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

Emerging growth company  ☐

If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act.  ☐

 

 

 


Item 1.01

Entry into a Material Definitive Agreement.

On April 28, 2021, R.R. Donnelley & Sons Company, a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), closed the previously announced offering by the Company of $400 million in aggregate principal amount of 6.125% Senior Secured Notes due 2026 (the “Notes”) to persons reasonably believed to be qualified institutional buyers pursuant to Rule 144A, and outside of the United States pursuant to Regulation S, under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”). The Notes were issued pursuant to an indenture (the “Indenture”), dated as of April 28, 2021, among the Company, the Guarantors (as defined below) and U.S. Bank National Association, as trustee and as notes collateral agent.

The Company used the net proceeds from the offering to repay approximately $338 million aggregate principal amount of the loans outstanding under the Company’s existing term loan B credit facility (the “Term Loan Facility”), with the remainder to be used to repay a portion of the borrowings (without a reduction in commitments) under its amended and restated senior secured asset-based revolving credit facility (the “ABL Credit Facility” and, together with the Term Loan Facility, the “Senior Secured Credit Facilities”) and for general corporate purposes.

The Notes will mature on November 1, 2026. Interest is payable on the Notes semi-annually in arrears at an annual rate of 6.125% on May 1 and November 1 of each year, beginning on November 1, 2021.

Guarantees

The Notes are fully and unconditionally guaranteed on a senior secured basis by the Company’s domestic, wholly-owned subsidiaries (collectively, the “Guarantors” and such guarantees, the “guarantees”) that guarantee the Senior Secured Credit Facilities.

Security

The Notes and the guarantees are secured by security interests (1) on a first-priority basis in all of the Company’s and the Guarantors’ assets securing the Term Loan Facility on a pari passu basis with the Term Loan Facility (such assets, other than the assets securing the ABL Credit Facility, the “Notes Priority Collateral”), and (2) on a second-priority basis in all of the Company’s and the Guarantors’ assets securing the ABL Credit Facility on a first-priority basis (the “ABL Priority Collateral” and, together with the Notes Priority Collateral, the “Collateral”), on a pari passu basis with the Term Loan Facility, in each case, other than any excluded assets, and are subject to intercreditor agreements.

Ranking

The Notes and the guarantees are the general senior secured obligations of the Company and the Guarantors and rank pari passu in right of payment with the Company’s and the Guarantors’ existing and future senior indebtedness, including the Senior Secured Credit Facilities and the Company’s existing senior notes and debentures (the “Existing Senior Notes”), are senior in right of payment to all future subordinated indebtedness of the Company and the Guarantors and are effectively senior to any existing and future unsecured indebtedness of the Company and the Guarantors’ (including the Existing Senior Notes) to the extent of the value of the Collateral. The Notes and the guarantees rank effectively equal to all of the Company’s and the Guarantors’ existing and future indebtedness secured by a pari passu lien on the Collateral (including the Term Loan Facility), to the extent of the value of such assets, are effectively subordinated to all of the Company’s and the Guarantors’ existing and future indebtedness secured by a prior lien on the Collateral (including the ABL Credit Facility), to the extent of the value of such assets, and are structurally subordinated to all of the existing and future indebtedness and other liabilities, including preferred stock, of existing and future subsidiaries of the Company that do not guarantee the Notes.

Redemption

Prior to November 1, 2023, the Company may, at its option, in whole or in part, redeem all or a portion of the Notes at a redemption price equal to 100% of the principal amount of the Notes plus a “make-whole” premium, plus accrued and unpaid interest, to, but excluding, the date of redemption. In addition, prior to November 1, 2023, the Company may, at its option, on any one or more occasions, redeem up to 40% of the then outstanding aggregate principal amount of the Notes at a redemption price equal to 106.125% of the principal amount of the Notes to be redeemed, plus accrued and unpaid interest, to, but excluding, the date of redemption, with the net proceeds from certain equity offerings.

 

2


On or after November 1, 2023, the Company may, at its option, in whole or in part, or any one or more occasions, redeem the Notes at the redemption prices (expressed as percentages of principal amount) set forth below, plus accrued and unpaid interest, to, but excluding, the date of redemption, if redeemed during the twelve-month period beginning on November 1 of each of the years indicated below:

 

Dates    Percentage  

2023

     103.063

2024

     101.531

2025 and thereafter

     100.000

Upon a Change of Control, as defined in the Indenture, the Company is required to offer to purchase all of the Notes then outstanding at a purchase price equal to 101% of the principal amount thereof, plus accrued and unpaid interest, if any, to, but not including, the purchase date. If the Company sells certain assets, under certain circumstances, the Company will be required to use the net proceeds to offer to purchase Notes at a purchase price equal to 100% of the principal amount thereof, plus accrued and unpaid interest, if any, to, but not including, the purchase date.

Certain Covenants

The Indenture contains covenants that limit the ability of the Company and the ability of its restricted subsidiaries to, among other things: (i) incur or guarantee additional debt or issue certain preferred stock or similar equity securities; (ii) incur certain liens, (iii) redeem, purchase or retire subordinated debt; (iv) make certain investments; (v) create restrictions on the payment of dividends or other amounts from the Company’s restricted subsidiaries that are not Guarantors; (vi) enter into certain transactions with affiliates; (vii) merge or consolidate with another person, or sell or otherwise dispose of all or substantially all of the Company’s assets; (viii) sell certain assets, including capital stock of the Company’s subsidiaries; (ix) designate the Company’s subsidiaries as unrestricted subsidiaries; and (x) pay dividends, redeem or repurchase capital stock or make other restricted payments.

Events of Default

The Indenture provides for events of default which, if certain of them occur, would permit the trustee or the holders of at least 25% in aggregate principal amount of the then outstanding Notes to declare the principal, premium, if any, interest and any other monetary obligations on all the then-outstanding Notes to be due and payable immediately.

Copies of the Indenture and the Notes are attached hereto as Exhibit 4.1 and Exhibit 4.2, respectively, and are incorporated herein by reference. The foregoing description of the Indenture and the Notes does not purport to be complete and is qualified in its entirety by reference to the complete text of the Indenture and the Notes.

 

Item 2.03.

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

The information set forth in Item 1.01 of this Current Report on Form 8-K is incorporated by reference into this Item 2.03.

 

Item 9.01

Financial Statements and Exhibits

(d) Exhibits

 

Exhibit
No.
   Description
4.1    Indenture, dated as of April 28, 2021, among R.R. Donnelley & Sons Company, the subsidiary guarantors party thereto and U.S. Bank National Association, as trustee and as notes collateral agent.
4.2    Form of 6.125% Senior Secured Notes due 2026 (included in Exhibit 4.1).
104    Cover Page Interactive Data File – the cover page XBRL tags are embedded within the Inline XBRL document

 

3


SIGNATURES

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

 

R.R. DONNELLEY & SONS COMPANY
By:  

/s/ Terry D. Peterson

  Terry D. Peterson
  Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer

Date: April 28, 2021

Exhibit 4.1

Execution Version

INDENTURE

Dated as of April 28, 2021

among

R.R. Donnelley & Sons Company,

as the Issuer,

EACH OF THE GUARANTORS PARTY HERETO, and

U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION,

as Trustee and Notes Collateral Agent

6.125% SENIOR SECURED NOTES DUE 2026


Table of Contents

 

         Page  

ARTICLE I DEFINITIONS

     1  

Section 1.01

 

Definitions

     1  

Section 1.02

 

Other Definitions

     27  

Section 1.03

 

Trust Indenture Act

     28  

Section 1.04

 

Rules of Construction

     28  

Section 1.05

 

Acts of Holders

     29  

Section 1.06

 

Certain Calculations

     30  

ARTICLE II THE NOTES

     32  

Section 2.01

 

Form and Dating; Terms

     32  

Section 2.02

 

Execution and Authentication

     33  

Section 2.03

 

Registrar and Paying Agent

     33  

Section 2.04

 

Paying Agent To Hold Money in Trust

     34  

Section 2.05

 

Holder Lists

     34  

Section 2.06

 

Transfer and Exchange

     34  

Section 2.07

 

Replacement Notes

     42  

Section 2.08

 

Outstanding Notes

     42  

Section 2.09

 

Treasury Notes

     43  

Section 2.10

 

Temporary Notes

     43  

Section 2.11

 

Cancellation

     43  

Section 2.12

 

Defaulted Interest

     43  

Section 2.13

 

CUSIP Numbers

     43  

ARTICLE III REDEMPTION

     44  

Section 3.01

 

Notices to Trustee

     44  

Section 3.02

 

Selection of Notes To Be Redeemed

     44  

Section 3.03

 

Notice of Redemption

     44  

Section 3.04

 

Effect of Notice of Redemption

     45  

Section 3.05

 

Deposit of Redemption Price

     45  

Section 3.06

 

Redeemed in Part

     45  

Section 3.07

 

Optional Redemption

     46  

Section 3.08

 

Mandatory Redemption; Offers to Purchase; Open Market Purchases

     47  

Section 3.09

 

Offers to Repurchase by Application of Excess Proceeds or Collateral Excess Proceeds

     47  

ARTICLE IV COVENANTS

     48  

Section 4.01

 

Payment of Notes

     48  

Section 4.02

 

Maintenance of Office or Agency

     49  

Section 4.03

 

Reports and Other Information

     49  

Section 4.04

 

Compliance Certificate

     51  

Section 4.05

 

[Reserved]

     51  

Section 4.06

 

[Reserved]

     51  

Section 4.07

 

Limitation on Restricted Payments

     51  

Section 4.08

 

Dividend and Other Payment Restrictions Affecting Restricted Subsidiaries

     55  

Section 4.09

 

Limitation on Incurrence of Indebtedness and Issuance of Disqualified Stock and Preferred Stock

     56  

Section 4.10

 

Asset Sales

     61  

 

-i-


         Page  

Section 4.11

 

Transactions with Affiliates

     64  

Section 4.12

 

[Reserved]

     66  

Section 4.13

 

[Reserved]

     66  

Section 4.14

 

Offer to Repurchase Upon Change of Control

     66  

Section 4.15

 

Limitation on Guarantees of Indebtedness by Restricted Subsidiaries

     68  

Section 4.16

 

[Reserved]

     69  

Section 4.17

 

Termination of Covenants if the Notes Achieve Investment Grade Rating

     69  

Section 4.18

 

Liens

     69  

ARTICLE V SUCCESSORS

     69  

Section 5.01

 

Merger, Consolidation or Sale of All or Substantially All Assets

     69  

Section 5.02

 

Successor Corporation Substituted

     71  

ARTICLE VI DEFAULTS AND REMEDIES

     72  

Section 6.01

 

Events of Default

     72  

Section 6.02

 

Acceleration

     75  

Section 6.03

 

Other Remedies

     75  

Section 6.04

 

Waiver of Past Defaults

     75  

Section 6.05

 

Control by Majority

     75  

Section 6.06

 

Limitation on Suits

     76  

Section 6.07

 

Rights of Holders To Receive Payment

     76  

Section 6.08

 

Collection Suit by Trustee

     76  

Section 6.09

 

Restoration of Rights and Remedies

     76  

Section 6.10

 

Rights and Remedies Cumulative

     76  

Section 6.11

 

Delay or Omission Not Waiver

     77  

Section 6.12

 

Trustee May File Proofs of Claim

     77  

Section 6.13

 

Priorities

     77  

Section 6.14

 

Undertaking for Costs

     77  

ARTICLE VII TRUSTEE

     78  

Section 7.01

 

Duties of Trustee

     78  

Section 7.02

 

Rights of Trustee

     79  

Section 7.03

 

Individual Rights of Trustee

     80  

Section 7.04

 

Disclaimer

     80  

Section 7.05

 

Notice of Defaults

     80  

Section 7.06

 

[Reserved]

     80  

Section 7.07

 

Compensation and Indemnity

     80  

Section 7.08

 

Replacement of Trustee or Agent

     81  

Section 7.09

 

Successor Trustee by Merger, etc.

     82  

Section 7.10

 

Eligibility; Disqualification

     82  

Section 7.11

 

Security Documents; Intercreditor Agreements

     82  

ARTICLE VIII LEGAL DEFEASANCE AND COVENANT DEFEASANCE

     82  

Section 8.01

 

Option To Effect Legal Defeasance or Covenant Defeasance

     82  

Section 8.02

 

Legal Defeasance and Discharge

     83  

Section 8.03

 

Covenant Defeasance

     83  

Section 8.04

 

Conditions to Legal or Covenant Defeasance

     83  

Section 8.05

 

Deposited Money and Government Securities To Be Held in Trust; Other Miscellaneous Provisions

     85  

Section 8.06

 

Repayment to Issuer

     85  

Section 8.07

 

Reinstatement

     85  

 

-ii-


         Page  

ARTICLE IX AMENDMENT, SUPPLEMENT AND WAIVER

     85  

Section 9.01

 

Without Consent of Holders

     85  

Section 9.02

 

With Consent of Holders

     87  

Section 9.03

 

[Reserved]

     88  

Section 9.04

 

Revocation and Effect of Consents

     88  

Section 9.05

 

Notation on or Exchange of Notes

     89  

Section 9.06

 

Trustee and Notes Collateral Agent To Sign Amendments, etc.

     89  

ARTICLE X GUARANTEES

     89  

Section 10.01

 

Guarantee

     89  

Section 10.02

 

Limitation on Guarantor Liability

     90  

Section 10.03

 

Execution and Delivery

     91  

Section 10.04

 

Subrogation

     91  

Section 10.05

 

Benefits Acknowledged

     91  

Section 10.06

 

Release of Guarantees

     91  

ARTICLE XI SATISFACTION AND DISCHARGE

     92  

Section 11.01

 

Satisfaction and Discharge

     92  

Section 11.02

 

Application of Trust Money

     92  

ARTICLE XII COLLATERAL

     93  

Section 12.01

 

Security Documents

     93  

Section 12.02

 

Release of Collateral

     93  

Section 12.03

 

Suits to Protect the Collateral

     94  

Section 12.04

 

Authorization of Receipt of Funds by the Trustee Under the Security Documents

     95  

Section 12.05

 

Purchaser Protected

     95  

Section 12.06

 

Powers Exercisable by Receiver or Trustee

     95  

Section 12.07

 

Release Upon Termination of the Issuer’s Obligations

     95  

Section 12.08

 

Notes Collateral Agent

     95  

Section 12.09

 

Designations

     102  

Section 12.10

 

No Impairment of the Security Interests

     102  

Section 12.11

 

[Reserved]

     102  

Section 12.12

 

After Acquired Property

     102  

Section 12.13

 

Maintenance of Property and Insurance

     102  

Section 12.14

 

Further Assurances

     103  

ARTICLE XIII MISCELLANEOUS

     103  

Section 13.01

 

[Reserved]

     103  

Section 13.02

 

Notices

     103  

Section 13.03

 

[Reserved]

     105  

Section 13.04

 

Certificate and Opinion as to Conditions Precedent

     105  

Section 13.05

 

Statements Required in Certificate or Opinion

     105  

Section 13.06

 

Rules by Trustee and Agents

     106  

Section 13.07

 

No Personal Liability of Directors, Officers, Employees and Stockholders

     106  

Section 13.08

 

Governing Law

     106  

Section 13.09

 

Waiver of Jury Trial

     106  

Section 13.10

 

Force Majeure

     106  

Section 13.11

 

No Adverse Interpretation of Other Agreements

     106  

Section 13.12

 

Successors

     106  

Section 13.13

 

Severability

     106  

 

-iii-


         Page  

Section 13.14

 

Counterpart Originals

     106  

Section 13.15

 

Table of Contents, Headings, etc.

     107  

Section 13.16

 

Intercreditor Agreements

     107  

Section 13.17

 

USA Patriot Act

     107  

 

Exhibit A    Form of Note
Exhibit B    Form of Certificate of Transfer
Exhibit C    Form of Certificate of Exchange
Exhibit D    Form of Supplemental Indenture To Be Delivered By Subsequent Guarantors
Exhibit E    Form of Pari Passu Intercreditor Agreement

 

-iv-


INDENTURE, dated as of April 28, 2021, among R.R. Donnelley & Sons Company, a Delaware corporation, each of the Guarantors (as defined herein) listed on the signature pages hereto and U.S. Bank National Association, as Trustee (as defined herein) and Notes Collateral Agent (as defined herein).

W I T N E S S E T H

WHEREAS, the Issuer has duly authorized the creation of an issue of $400,000,000 aggregate principal amount of 6.125% Senior Secured Notes due 2026 (the “Initial Notes”); and

WHEREAS, the Issuer has duly authorized the execution and delivery of this Indenture.

NOW, THEREFORE, the Issuer, the Guarantors, the Trustee and the Notes Collateral Agent agree as follows for the benefit of each other and for the equal and ratable benefit of the Holders.

ARTICLE I

DEFINITIONS

Section 1.01 Definitions.

144A Global Note” means a Global Note substantially in the form of Exhibit A hereto bearing the Global Note Legend and the Private Placement Legend and deposited with or on behalf of, and registered in the name of, the Depositary or its nominee that shall be issued in a denomination equal to the outstanding principal amount of the Notes sold in reliance on Rule 144A.

1990 Indenture” means that certain indenture, dated as of November 1, 1990, between the Issuer and The Bank of New York Mellon Trust Company (as successor to Citibank, N.A.), as trustee, as amended, supplemented and modified from time to time.

2007 Indenture” means that certain indenture, dated as of January 3, 2007, between the Issuer and Wells Fargo Bank, National Association (as successor to LaSalle Bank National Association), as trustee, as amended, supplemented and modified from time to time.

2020 Indentures” means, collectively, (i) that certain indenture, dated as of June 18, 2020, between the Issuer and U.S. Bank National Association, as trustee, as amended, supplemented and modified from time to time and (ii) that certain indenture, dated as of March 30, 2020, between the Issuer and U.S. Bank National Association, as trustee, as amended, supplemented and modified from time to time.

ABL Collateral Agent” means Bank of America, N.A. or any successor thereto, as collateral agent under the ABL Facility.

ABL Facility” means the Credit Facility pursuant to the second amended and restated asset based credit agreement, dated as of September 29, 2017 (the “ABL Credit Agreement”), by and among the Issuer, the lenders party thereto in their capacities as lenders thereunder and Bank of America, N.A., as administrative agent, including any agreements, collateral documents, guarantees, instruments, mortgages and notes executed in connection therewith, and any amendments, extensions, modifications, refinancings, refundings, renewals, restatements, or supplements thereof and any one or more notes, indentures or credit facilities or commercial paper facilities with banks or other institutional lenders or investors that extend, refinance, refund, renew, replace or defease any part of the loans, notes, other credit facilities or commitments thereunder, including any such refinancing, refunding or replacement facility or indenture that increases the amount that may be borrowed thereunder or alters the maturity of the loans thereunder or adds Restricted Subsidiaries as additional borrowers or guarantors thereunder and whether by the same or other agent, lender or group of lenders or investors.

ABL Intercreditor Agreement” means the ABL Intercreditor Agreement, dated as of October 15, 2018, between the ABL Collateral Agent, the Bank Collateral Agent and each other collateral agent from time to time party thereto, as amended, restated, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time.


ABL Obligations” means “Obligations” (as defined in the ABL Credit Agreement or the substantially equivalent definition under any successor agreement thereto.)

Acquired EBITDA” means, with respect to any Acquired Entity or business or any Converted Restricted Subsidiary for any period, the amount for such period of Consolidated EBITDA of such Acquired Entity or business or Converted Restricted Subsidiary, as applicable, all as determined on a consolidated basis for such Acquired Entity or business or Converted Restricted Subsidiary, as applicable.

Acquired Indebtedness” means, with respect to any specified Person,

(1) Indebtedness of any other Person existing at the time such other Person is merged, consolidated or amalgamated with or into or became a Restricted Subsidiary of such specified Person, including Indebtedness incurred in connection with, or in contemplation of, such other Person merging, consolidating or amalgamating with or into or becoming a Restricted Subsidiary of such specified Person, and

(2) Indebtedness secured by a Lien encumbering any asset acquired by such specified Person.

Acquisition” means the acquisition by the Issuer or any Restricted Subsidiary of all or substantially all the assets of a person or product line, division or line of business of such person, or not less than 100% of the Equity Interests (other than directors’ qualifying shares) not previously held by the Issuer and its Subsidiaries of a person so long as such acquisition is permitted under Section 4.07.

Additional Parity Lien Secured Parties” means the holders of any Additional Parity Lien Obligations and any trustee, authorized representative or agent of such Additional Parity Lien Obligations.

Additional Notes” means additional Notes (other than the Initial Notes) issued from time to time under this Indenture in accordance with Sections 2.01, 4.09 and 4.18 hereof.

Additional Parity Lien Obligations” means any Indebtedness having Pari Passu Lien Priority relative to the Notes with respect to the Collateral (secured by Liens which are permitted under this Indenture); provided that an authorized representative of the holders of such Indebtedness shall have executed a joinder to the Pari Passu Intercreditor Agreement, the ABL Intercreditor Agreement and any Junior Lien Intercreditor Agreement (if any).

Affiliate” of any specified Person means any other Person directly or indirectly controlling or controlled by or under direct or indirect common Control with such specified Person.

Agent” means any Registrar, Transfer Agent or Paying Agent.

Applicable Premium” means, with respect to any Note on any Redemption Date, the greater of:

(a) 1.0% of the principal amount of such Note on such Redemption Date; and

(b) the excess, if any, of (i) the present value at such Redemption Date of (A) the redemption price of such Note November 1 , 2023 (such redemption price being set forth in Section 3.07(c) hereof and in Section 5(c) of such Note), plus (B) all required remaining interest payments due on such Note through November 1, 2023 (excluding accrued but unpaid interest to, but excluding, the Redemption Date), computed using a discount rate equal to the Treasury Rate as of such Redemption Date plus 50 basis points; over (ii) the principal amount of such Note on such Redemption Date.

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

 

-2-


Asset Sale” means:

(a) the sale, conveyance, transfer or other disposition, whether in a single transaction or a series of related transactions, of property or assets (including by way of a Sale and Lease-Back Transaction or LLC Division) of the Issuer or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries (each referred to in this definition as a “disposition”); or

(b) the issuance or sale of Equity Interests of any Restricted Subsidiary, whether in a single transaction or a series of related transactions; in each case, other than:

(1) any disposition of Cash Equivalents or Investment Grade Securities or obsolete, damaged, worn out, uneconomic or surplus equipment, property or other assets that are no longer economically practical or commercially desirable to maintain or used or useful in the business, of the Issuer and its Restricted Subsidiaries whether now or hereafter owned or leased or acquired in connection with an acquisition (including by ceasing to enforce, allowing the lapse, abandonment or invalidation or discontinuing the use or maintenance of or putting into the public domain any intellectual property that is, in the reasonable judgment of the Issuer or the Restricted Subsidiaries, no longer used or useful, or economically practicable to maintain, or in respect of which the Issuer or any Restricted Subsidiary determines in its reasonable judgment that such action or inaction is desirable);

(2) (i) the disposition of assets or properties that constitute all or substantially all of the assets or properties of the Issuer and its Subsidiaries which are Restricted Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, in a manner permitted pursuant to the provisions described under Section 5.01 hereof and (ii) any disposition that constitutes a Change of Control pursuant to this Indenture;

(3) the making of any Restricted Payment that is permitted to be made, and is made, under Section 4.07 hereof or the making of any Permitted Investment;

(4) any disposition of property or assets or issuance or sale of Equity Interests of any Restricted Subsidiary in any transaction or series of related transactions with an aggregate fair market value of less than $30,000,000 per transaction or series of related transactions and $50,000,000 in the aggregate in any fiscal year;

(5) any disposition of property or assets or issuance of securities by a Restricted Subsidiary to the Issuer or by the Issuer or a Restricted Subsidiary to another Restricted Subsidiary;

(6) to the extent allowable under Section 1031 of the Code, any exchange of like property or assets (excluding any boot thereon) for use in a Similar Business;

(7) the sale, lease, assignment, sub-lease, license or sub-license of any real or personal property in the ordinary course of business;

(8) any issuance or sale of Equity Interests in, or Indebtedness or other securities of, an Unrestricted Subsidiary;

(9) foreclosures, condemnation, expropriation or any similar action with respect to assets, involuntary loss or damage to or destruction of any property or assets and the disposition of property or assets received upon foreclosure by the Issuer or a Restricted Subsidiary or the granting of Liens not prohibited by this Indenture;

(10) any disposition of Investments in joint ventures to the extent required by, or made pursuant to, customary buy/sell arrangements between the joint venture parties as set forth in binding joint venture or similar agreements;

 

-3-


(11) any financing transaction with respect to property built or acquired by the Issuer or any Restricted Subsidiary after the Issue Date, including Sale and Lease-Back Transactions and asset securitizations permitted by this Indenture;

(12) the abandonment of intellectual property rights in the ordinary course of business, which in the reasonable good faith determination of the Issuer are not material to the conduct of the business of the Issuer and its Restricted Subsidiaries taken as a whole;

(13) [reserved];

(14) the licensing or sub-licensing of intellectual property or other general intangibles in the ordinary course of business;

(15) any surrender or waiver of contract rights or the settlement, release or surrender of contract rights or other litigation claims in the ordinary course of business;

(16) the unwinding of any Hedging Obligations;

(17) the issuance of directors’ qualifying shares and shares issued to foreign nationals as required by applicable law;

(18) dispositions in connection with Permitted Liens and related transactions; and

(19) the disposition of any assets (including Equity Interests) (i) acquired in a transaction after the Issue Date, which assets are not useful in the core or principal business of the Issuer and its Restricted Subsidiaries, or (ii) made in connection with the approval of any applicable antitrust authority or otherwise necessary or advisable in the reasonable determination of the Issuer to consummate any acquisition.

Approved Commercial Bank” means a commercial bank with a consolidated combined capital and surplus of at least $5,000,000,000.

Bank Collateral Agent” means Bank of America, N.A., in its capacity as collateral agent for the lenders and other secured parties under the Term Loan Facility, together with its successors and permitted assigns under the Term Loan Facility.

Bankruptcy Code” means Title 11, U.S. Code, as amended from time to time.

Board of Directors” means the Board of Directors of the Issuer or any duly authorized committee thereof.

Business Day” means each day which is not a Legal Holiday.

Capital Expenditures” means, without duplication, all expenditures made (whether made in the form of cash or other property) or costs incurred for the acquisition or improvement of fixed or capital assets of the Issuer and its Restricted Subsidiaries (excluding normal replacements and maintenance which are properly charged to current operations), in each case that are (or should be) set forth as capital expenditures in a consolidated statement of cash flows of the Issuer and its Restricted Subsidiaries for such period, in each case prepared in accordance with GAAP.

Capital Lease” means, as applied to any Person, any lease of any property (whether real, personal or mixed) by such Person as lessee, that, in conformity with GAAP, as in effect on the Issue Date, is, or is required to be, accounted for as a finance lease on the balance sheet of such Person; provided that in no event will an operating lease or a lease that would have been an operating lease prior to the adoption of Accounting Standards Update No. 2016-02, Leases (Topic (842) (including, for the avoidance of doubt, any network lease or any operating indefeasible right of use) be considered a Capital Lease (whether or not such leases were in effect on such date) notwithstanding any accounting changes that occur after the Issue Date that would require any such leases to be capitalized.

 

-4-


Capital Lease Obligations” means, at the time any determination thereof is to be made, the amount of the liability in respect of a Capital Lease that would at such time be required to be capitalized and reflected as a liability on a balance sheet (excluding the footnotes thereto) prepared in accordance with GAAP as in effect on the Issue Date.

Cash Equivalents” means:

(1) United States dollars;

(2) (i) Canadian dollars, pounds sterling, euro, or any national currency of any participating member state of the EMU; or

(ii) in the case of the Issuer or a Restricted Subsidiary, such local currencies held by it from time to time in the ordinary course of business;

(3) securities issued or directly and fully and unconditionally guaranteed or insured by the U.S. government or any agency or instrumentality thereof the securities of which are unconditionally guaranteed as a full faith and credit obligation of such government with maturities of 12 months or less from the date of acquisition;

(4) certificates of deposit, time deposits and eurodollar time deposits with maturities of one year or less from the date of acquisition, bankers’ acceptances with maturities not exceeding one year and overnight bank deposits, in each case with any commercial bank having capital and surplus of not less than $500,000,000 in the case of U.S. banks and $100,000,000 (or the U.S. dollar equivalent as of the date of determination) in the case of non-U.S. banks;

(5) repurchase obligations for underlying securities of the types described in clauses (3) and (4) entered into with any financial institution meeting the qualifications specified in clause (4) above;

(6) commercial paper rated at least P-2 by Moody’s or at least A-2 by S&P (or, if at any time neither Moody’s nor S&P shall be rating such obligations, an equivalent rating from another Rating Agency) and in each case maturing within 12 months after the date of creation thereof;

(7) marketable short-term money market and similar securities having a rating of at least P-2 or A-2 from either Moody’s or S&P, respectively (or, if at any time neither Moody’s nor S&P shall be rating such obligations, an equivalent rating from another Rating Agency), and in each case maturing within 12 months after the date of creation thereof;

(8) readily marketable direct obligations issued by any state, commonwealth or territory of the United States or any political subdivision or taxing authority thereof having an Investment Grade Rating from either Moody’s or S&P (or, if at any time neither Moody’s nor S&P shall be rating such obligations, an equivalent rating from another Rating Agency) with maturities of 12 months or less from the date of acquisition;

(9) Indebtedness or Preferred Stock issued by Persons with a rating of “A” or higher from S&P or “A2” or higher from Moody’s (or, if at any time neither Moody’s nor S&P shall be rating such obligations, an equivalent rating from another Rating Agency) with maturities of 24 months or less from the date of acquisition;

(10) 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 Rating Agency);

 

-5-


(11) asset backed securities maturing within two years from the date of acquisition thereof and having, at such date of acquisition, a rating of at least AAA by S&P or Aaa by Moody’s;

(12) municipal variable rate demand obligations maturing within two years from the date of acquisition thereof and having, at such date of acquisition, a rating of at least AA by S&P or Aa2 by Moody’s; and

(13) investment funds investing substantially all of their assets in securities of the types described in clauses (1) through (12) above.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, Cash Equivalents shall include amounts denominated in currencies other than those set forth in clauses (1) and (2) above; provided that such amounts are converted into any currency listed in clauses (1) and (2) above as promptly as practicable and in any event within ten Business Days following the receipt of such amounts.

CFC” means a Subsidiary that is a “controlled foreign corporation” within the meaning of Section 957 of the Code or a Subsidiary of such a Subsidiary.

Change of Control” means the occurrence of any of the following after the Issue Date:

(a) the direct or indirect sale, transfer, conveyance or other disposition (other than by way of merger or consolidation), in one or a series of related transactions, of all or substantially all of the properties or assets of the Issuer and its Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, to any Person other than the Issuer or one of its Subsidiaries; or

(b) the consummation of any transaction (including, without limitation, any merger or consolidation) the result of which is that any Person becomes the beneficial owner, directly or indirectly, of more than 50% of the total voting power of the Issuer’s voting stock.

For purposes of this definition, any direct or indirect holding company of the Issuer of which the Issuer is a wholly-owned subsidiary shall not itself be considered a Person for purposes of clause (b) above; provided that no Person beneficially owns, directly or indirectly, more than 50% of the total voting power of the voting stock of such holding company.

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

Collateral” means (i) the “Pledged Collateral” as defined in the Security Agreement, (ii) all the “Collateral” or “Pledged Collateral” or other similar terms as defined in any other Security Document and (iii) any other assets pledged or in which a Lien is granted or purported to be granted to secure the Notes Obligations and all other property of whatever kind and nature pledged or charged, in each case, pursuant to any Security Document.

Consolidated EBITDA” means, for any period, Consolidated Net Income for such period, plus:

(a) to the extent deducted in computing such Consolidated Net Income for such period, the sum (without duplication) of:

(1) all income taxes of the Issuer and its Restricted Subsidiaries paid or accrued in accordance with GAAP;

(2) Consolidated Interest Expense;

(3) depreciation and amortization in accordance with GAAP;

 

-6-


(4) any non-cash charges, accruals or reserves for extraordinary, unusual or nonrecurring items;

(5) all non-cash compensation expense;

(6) all other non-cash charges, expenses or losses, including any impairment (including any impairment of intangibles and goodwill) (excluding any non-cash charge, expense or loss that results in an accrual of a reserve for cash charges in any future period and any non-cash charge, expense or loss relating to write-offs, write downs or reserves with respect to accounts receivable or inventory);

(7) any loss or gain on extinguishment of debt; and

(8) any restructuring and impairment charges and any cash charges in respect of non-recurring or unusual items; minus

(b) (i) to the extent added in computing Consolidated Net Income for such period, total interest income, as determined in accordance with GAAP and (ii) the payment of cash, if any, when actually paid, with respect to any charge, accrual or reserve that was deducted in determining Consolidated Net Income in such period, but added back in any prior period pursuant to clause (a)(5).

Consolidated First Lien Debt” means, without duplication, as of any date of determination, (a) the aggregate principal amount of all Total Debt outstanding hereunder as of such date secured by Liens on the Collateral that are not junior in priority to the Liens on the Collateral securing the Notes (including, for the avoidance of doubt, the Term Loan Facility and the ABL Facility) minus (b) the aggregate amount of cash and Cash Equivalents on the consolidated balance sheet of the Issuer and the Restricted Subsidiaries on such date, excluding cash and Cash Equivalents which are or should be listed as “restricted” on the consolidated balance sheet of the Issuer and the Restricted Subsidiaries as of such date. It is understood that the aggregate principal amount of Total Debt under the ABL Facility as of the applicable date of determination shall be included in clause (a) above.

Consolidated Interest Expense” means, for any period, on a pro forma basis (a) total interest expense of the Issuer and its Restricted Subsidiaries for such period, as determined in accordance with GAAP, plus (b) without duplication, the consolidated interest, fees, yield or discount accrued during such period on the aggregate outstanding investment or claim held by purchasers, assignees or other transferees of (or of interests in) receivables of the Issuer and its Restricted Subsidiaries in connection with securitization transactions (regardless of the accounting treatment of such securitization transactions).

Consolidated Net Income” means, for any period, the consolidated net earnings (or loss) after taxes of the Issuer and its Restricted Subsidiaries for such period, as determined in accordance with GAAP.

Consolidated Secured Debt” means, without duplication, as of any date of determination, (a) the aggregate principal amount of all Total Debt outstanding as of such date, secured by Liens on any assets or property of the Issuer or any Restricted Subsidiary minus (b) the aggregate amount of cash and Cash Equivalents on the consolidated balance sheet of the Issuer and the Restricted Subsidiaries on such date, excluding cash and Cash Equivalents which are or should be listed as “restricted” on the consolidated balance sheet of the Issuer and the Restricted Subsidiaries as of such date. It is understood that the aggregate principal amount of Total Debt under the ABL Facility as of the applicable date of determination shall be included in clause (a) above.

Continuing Directors” shall mean (i) the directors of the Issuer on the Issue Date, and (ii) each other director (A) whose election or nomination to the Board of Directors was approved by individuals referred to in clause (i) above constituting at the time of such election or nomination at least a majority of the Board of Directors or (B) whose election or nomination to the board was approved by individuals referred to in clauses (i) and (ii)(A) above (or individuals previously approved under this clause (B)) constituting at the time of such election or nomination at least a majority of the board (in each case, with such approval either by a specific vote or by approval of the Issuer’s proxy statement in which such member was named as a nominee for election as a director).

 

-7-


Control” shall mean 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 ownership of voting securities, by contract or otherwise, and the terms “Controlling” and “Controlled” shall have meanings correlative thereto.

Convertible Bond Hedge Transactions” means any bond hedge, capped call or similar option transaction (including warrants) entered into in connection with the issuance of Convertible Bond Indebtedness; provided that the purchase of any Convertible Bond Hedge Transaction is made with, and the purchase price thereof does not exceed, the net proceeds received by the Issuer in connection with the issuance of any Convertible Bond Indebtedness.

Convertible Bond Indebtedness” means any notes, bonds, debentures or similar instruments issued by the Issuer or one of their Subsidiaries that are convertible into or exchangeable for (x) cash, (y) shares of the Issuer’s common stock or preferred stock or other Equity Interests of the Issuer other than Disqualified Stock or (z) a combination thereof.

Notwithstanding any other provision contained herein, in the case of any Convertible Bond Indebtedness for which the embedded conversion obligation must be settled by paying solely cash, so long as substantially concurrently with the offering of such Convertible Bond Indebtedness, the Issuer or a Subsidiary enters into a cash-settled Convertible Bond Hedge Transaction relating to such Convertible Bond Indebtedness, notwithstanding any other provision contained herein, for so long as such Convertible Bond Hedge Transaction (or a portion thereof corresponding to the amount of outstanding Convertible Bond Indebtedness) remains in effect, all computations of amounts and ratios referred to herein shall be made as if the amount of Indebtedness represented by such Convertible Bond Indebtedness were equal to the face principal amount thereof without regard to any mark-to-market derivative accounting for such Indebtedness.

Corporate Trust Office of the Trustee” shall be at the address of the Trustee specified in Section 13.02 hereof or such other address as to which the Trustee may give notice to the Issuer and the Issuer.

Credit Facilities” means, with respect to the Issuer or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries, one or more debt or credit facilities, including the Term Loan Facility and the ABL Facility, or other financing arrangements (including commercial paper facilities or indentures) providing for revolving credit loans, term loans, letters of credit or other long-term indebtedness, including any notes, mortgages, guarantees, collateral documents, instruments and agreements executed in connection therewith, and any amendments, supplements, modifications, extensions, renewals, restatements or refundings thereof and any notes, indentures or credit facilities or commercial paper facilities that replace, refund or refinance any part of the loans, notes, other credit facilities or commitments thereunder, including any such replacement, refunding or refinancing facility or indenture that increases the amount permitted to be borrowed thereunder or alters the maturity thereof (provided that such increase in borrowings is permitted under Section 4.09 hereof) or adds Restricted Subsidiaries as additional borrowers or guarantors thereunder and whether by the same or any other agent, lender or group of lenders.

Custodian” means the Trustee, as custodian with respect to the Notes in global form, or any successor entity thereto.

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

Definitive Note” means a certificated Note registered in the name of the Holder thereof and issued in accordance with Section 2.06(c) hereof, substantially in the form of Exhibit A hereto, as the case may be, except that such Note shall not bear the Global Note Legend and shall not have the “Schedule of Exchanges of Interests in the Global Note” attached thereto.

Depositary” means, with respect to the Notes issuable or issued in whole or in part in global form, the Person specified in Section 2.03 hereof as the Depositary with respect to the Notes, and any and all successors thereto appointed as Depositary hereunder and having become such pursuant to the applicable provision of this Indenture.

 

-8-


Derivative Instrument” with respect to a Person, means any contract, instrument or other right to receive payment or delivery of cash or other assets to which such Person or any Affiliate of such Person that is acting in concert with such Person in connection with such Person’s investment in the Notes (other than a Regulated Bank or a Screened Affiliate) is a party (whether or not requiring further performance by such Person), the value and/or cash flows of which (or any material portion thereof) are materially affected by the value and/or performance of the Notes and/or the creditworthiness of the Issuer and/or any one or more of the Guarantors (the “Performance References”).

Designated Non-Cash Consideration” means the fair market value of non-cash consideration received by the Issuer or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries in connection with an Asset Sale, less the amount of cash received in connection with a subsequent disposition of or collection on such Designated Non-Cash Consideration.

Disqualified Stock” shall mean, with respect to any Person, any Equity Interest that, by its terms (or by the terms of any security into which it is convertible or for which it is exchangeable), or upon the happening of any event, (a) matures (excluding any maturity as the result of an optional redemption by the issuer thereof) or is mandatorily redeemable, pursuant to a sinking fund obligation or otherwise, or is redeemable at the option of the holder thereof, in whole or in part, or requires the payment of any cash dividend or any other scheduled payment constituting a return of capital, in each case, in each case prior to the maturity date of the Notes or the date the Notes are no longer outstanding, or (b) is convertible into or exchangeable (unless at the sole option of the issuer thereof) for (i) debt securities or (ii) any Equity Interest referred to in clause (a) above, in each case at any time prior to the maturity date of the Notes or the date the Notes are no longer outstanding.

Domestic Subsidiary” means all Subsidiaries incorporated or organized under the laws of the United States of America, any State thereof or the District of Columbia.

“DTC” means The Depository Trust Company.

Employee Equity Sales” means the issuance or sale of Equity Interests (other than Disqualified Stock) of the Issuer after the Issue Date to any present or former officer or employee of the Issuer or any Restricted Subsidiary.

EMU” means economic and monetary union as contemplated in the Treaty on European Union.

Equity Interests” means shares of capital stock, partnership interests, membership interests in a limited liability company, beneficial interests in a trust or other equity interests in any person, and any option, warrant or other right entitling the holder thereof to purchase or otherwise acquire any such equity interest; provided, however, that Convertible Bond Indebtedness permitted under Section 4.09 and Convertible Bond Hedge Transactions entered into as a part of, or in connection with, an issuance of such Convertible Bond Indebtedness shall in no event be deemed an Equity Interest hereunder.

Equity Offering” means any public or private sale of common stock or Preferred Stock of the Issuer or of a direct or indirect parent of the Issuer (excluding Disqualified Stock), other than:

(1) public offerings with respect to any such Person’s common stock registered on Form S-8; and

(2) issuances to the Issuer or any Subsidiary of the Issuer.

ERISA” shall mean the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as the same may be amended from time to time.

euro” means the single currency of participating member states of the EMU.

Euroclear” means Euroclear S.A./N.V., as operator of the Euroclear system.

 

-9-


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

Excluded Assets” has the meaning set forth in the Security Agreement.

Excluded Subsidiary” means (i) any Domestic Subsidiary of a Foreign Subsidiary that is a CFC, (ii) a Domestic Subsidiary that owns (directly or through one or more entities that are disregarded for U.S. federal income tax purposes) no material assets other than Equity Interests in one or more Foreign Subsidiaries that are CFCs, (iii) any Unrestricted Subsidiary, (iv) any Immaterial Subsidiary (v) any Domestic Subsidiary that is prohibited (but only for so long as such Domestic Subsidiary would be prohibited) by applicable law or by contractual obligations existing at the time of acquisition (but not entered into in contemplation thereof) from guaranteeing the Notes Obligations or if guaranteeing the Notes Obligations would require governmental (including regulatory) consent, approval, license or authorization and (vi) any Foreign Subsidiary, unless, in each case of clauses (i), (ii), (iii), (iv), (v) and (vi), each Subsidiary is an obligor or guarantor under the ABL Facility and/or the Term Loan Facility.

Existing Senior Notes” means each series of debt securities outstanding as of the Issue Date and issued under any of the Existing Senior Notes Indentures (but excluding, for the avoidance of doubt, any additional notes issued thereunder following the Issue Date).

Existing Senior Notes Indentures” means the 1990 Indenture, the 2007 Indenture and the 2020 Indentures.

Fitch” means Fitch Ratings, Inc. and its successors.

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

GAAP” means generally accepted accounting principles in the United States which are in effect from time to time; provided that the amount of any Indebtedness under GAAP with respect to Capital Lease Obligations shall be determined in accordance with the definition of Capital Lease. In addition, at any time after the Issue Date, the Issuer may elect to establish that GAAP shall mean GAAP as in effect on or prior to the date of such election, and such election shall supersede the prior meaning of GAAP; provided that any such election, once made, shall be irrevocable. The Issuer shall give notice of any such election made in accordance with this definition to the Trustee and the Holders of the Notes.

Global Note Legend” means the legend set forth in Section 2.06(g)(ii) hereof, which is required to be placed on all Global Notes issued under this Indenture.

Global Notes” means, individually and collectively, each of the Restricted Global Notes and the Unrestricted Global Notes, substantially in the form of Exhibit A hereto, issued in accordance with Section 2.01, 2.06(b) or 2.06(d) hereof.

Governmental Authority” means the government of the United States or any other nation, or of any political subdivision thereof, whether state, local, provincial or otherwise 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 (including any supra-national bodies such as the European Union or the European Central Bank) and any group or body charged with setting regulatory capital rules or standards (including the Bank for International Settlements or the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision or any successor or similar authority to any of the foregoing).

Government Securities” means securities that are:

(1) direct obligations of the United States of America for the timely payment of which its full faith and credit is pledged; or

 

-10-


(2) obligations of a Person controlled or supervised by and acting as an agency or instrumentality of the United States of America the timely payment of which is unconditionally guaranteed as a full faith and credit obligation by the United States of America, which, in either case, are not callable or redeemable at the option of the issuers thereof, and shall also include a depository receipt issued by a bank (as defined in Section 3(a)(2) of the Securities Act), as custodian with respect to any such Government Securities or a specific payment of principal of or interest on any such Government Securities held by such custodian for the account of the holder of such depository receipt; provided that (except as required by law) such custodian is not authorized to make any deduction from the amount payable to the holder of such depository receipt from any amount received by the custodian in respect of the Government Securities or the specific payment of principal of or interest on the Government Securities evidenced by such depository receipt.

guarantee” means a guarantee (other than by endorsement of negotiable instruments for collection in the ordinary course of business), direct or indirect, in any manner (including letters of credit and reimbursement agreements in respect thereof), of all or any part of any Indebtedness or other obligations.

Guarantee” means the guarantee by any Guarantor of the Issuer’s Obligations under this Indenture and the Notes.

Guarantor” means, each Person that Guarantees the Notes in accordance with the terms of this Indenture (which, for the avoidance of doubt, shall not include any Excluded Subsidiary).

Hedging Agreement” means any agreement with respect to any swap, forward, future or derivative transaction or option or similar agreement involving, or settled by reference to, one or more rates, currencies, commodities, equity or debt instruments or securities, or economic, financial or pricing indices or measures of economic, financial or pricing risk or value or any similar transaction or any combination of these transactions; provided that no phantom stock or similar plan providing for payments only on account of services provided by current or former directors, officers, employees or consultants of the Issuer, the Restricted Subsidiaries or any of their Affiliates shall be a Hedging Agreement. Notwithstanding the foregoing, to the extent entered into in connection with Convertible Bond Indebtedness, Convertible Bond Hedge Transactions shall not constitute Hedging Agreements.

Hedging Obligations” of any Person means the obligations of such Person under Hedging Agreements.

Holder” means the Person in whose name a Note is registered on the Registrar’s books.

Immaterial Subsidiary” means, at any date of determination, any Restricted Subsidiary of the Issuer (a) whose total assets (when combined with the assets of such Restricted Subsidiary’s Restricted Subsidiaries, after eliminating intercompany obligations) are an amount equal to or less than 5% of the consolidated total assets of the Issuer and its Restricted Subsidiaries at such date and (b) whose net sales for the four fiscal quarters most recently ended are an amount equal to or less than 5% of the net sales of the Issuer and its Restricted Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis, in each case determined in accordance with GAAP.

Indebtedness” means, with respect to any Person, without duplication, all of the following:

(a) all obligations of such Person for borrowed money;

(b) all obligations of such Person evidenced by bonds, debentures, notes or similar instruments;

(c) all obligations of such Person under conditional sale or other title retention agreements relating to property or assets purchased by such Person;

(d) all obligations of such person issued or assumed as the deferred purchase price of property or services (excluding earnouts (unless such earnout is not paid after it becomes due and payable in accordance with the terms thereof), trade accounts payable and accrued obligations incurred in the ordinary course of business);

 

-11-


(e) all Indebtedness of others secured by (or for which the holder of such Indebtedness has an existing right, contingent or otherwise, to be secured by) any Lien on property owned or acquired by such person, whether or not the obligations secured thereby have been assumed;

(f) all guarantee obligations of such Person of Indebtedness of others,

(g) Capital Lease Obligations and Synthetic Lease Obligations of such Person;

(h) all obligations of such Person (including contingent obligations) as an account party in respect of letters of credit;

(i) all obligations of such Person in respect of bankers’ acceptances;

(j) all net payments that such Person would have to make in the event of any early termination, on the date Indebtedness is being determined, in respect of outstanding Hedging Agreements; and

(k) all obligations of such Person in respect of Disqualified Stock.

The Indebtedness of any Person shall include the Indebtedness of 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 partnership, except to the extent the terms of such Indebtedness expressly provide that such Person is not liable therefor. Notwithstanding the foregoing, Indebtedness will be deemed not to include (i) obligations under, or in respect of Qualified Capital Stock, (ii) trade accounts payable on customary terms in the ordinary course of business, (iii) financial obligations under management consulting contracts or noncompete agreements with unaffiliated Persons entered into in connection with the acquisition of the businesses of such Persons and (iv) with respect to letters that are cash collateralized, up to a maximum aggregate amount of $50,000,000 at any one time outstanding. Indebtedness of any Person shall exclude Indebtedness incurred in advance of, and the proceeds of which are to be applied in connection with such redemption, repurchase, defeasance, satisfaction and discharge or repayment of indebtedness solely to the extent the proceeds thereof are and continue to be held in an escrow and are not otherwise made available to such person.

Indenture” means this Indenture, as amended or supplemented from time to time.

Independent Financial Advisor” means an accounting, appraisal, investment banking firm or consultant to Persons engaged in Similar Businesses of nationally recognized standing that is, in the good faith judgment of the Issuer, qualified to perform the task for which it has been engaged.

Indirect Participant” means a Person who holds a beneficial interest in a Global Note through a Participant.

Initial Notes” has the meaning set forth in the recitals hereto.

Initial Purchasers” means BofA Securities, Inc., J.P. Morgan Securities LLC, Wells Fargo Securities, LLC, Truist Securities, Inc., PNC Capital Markets LLC, U.S. Bancorp Investments, Inc., Fifth Third Securities, Inc. and CJS Securities, Inc.

Intercreditor Agreements” means the ABL Intercreditor Agreement, the Pari Passu Intercreditor Agreement, any Junior Lien Intercreditor Agreements, and any intercreditor agreement entered into after the Issue Date setting forth the relative priority of Liens on the Collateral securing the Notes Obligations and any other Obligations in form reasonably satisfactory to the Trustee.

Interest Payment Date” means May 1 and November 1 of each year to stated maturity.

 

-12-


Investment Grade Event” means the Notes have achieved an Investment Grade Rating by both of the Rating Agencies.

Investment Grade Rating” means a rating equal to or higher than Baa3 (or the equivalent) by Moody’s and BBB- (or the equivalent) by S&P, or an equivalent rating by any other Rating Agency.

Investment Grade Securities” means:

(1) securities issued or directly and fully guaranteed or insured by the United States government or any agency or instrumentality thereof (other than Cash Equivalents);

(2) debt securities or debt instruments with an Investment Grade Rating, but excluding any debt securities or instruments constituting loans or advances among the Issuer and the Subsidiaries of the Issuer;

(3) investments in any fund that invests exclusively in investments of the type described in clauses (1) and (2) above which fund may also hold immaterial amounts of cash pending investment or distribution; and

(4) corresponding instruments in countries other than the United States customarily utilized for high quality investments.

Investments” means, with respect to any Person, all investments by such Person in other Persons (including Affiliates) in the form of loans (including guarantees), advances or capital contributions (excluding accounts receivable, trade credit, advances to customers and commission, travel and similar advances to directors, officers, employees and consultants, in each case made in the ordinary course of business), purchases or other acquisitions for consideration of Indebtedness, Equity Interests or other securities issued by any other Person and investments that are required by GAAP to be classified on the balance sheet (excluding the footnotes) of such Person in the same manner as the other investments included in this definition to the extent such transactions involve the transfer of cash or other property. For purposes of the definition of “Unrestricted Subsidiary” and Section 4.07:

(1) “Investments” shall include the portion (proportionate to the Issuer’s direct or indirect equity interest in such Subsidiary) of the fair market value of the net assets of a Subsidiary of the Issuer at the time that such Subsidiary is designated an Unrestricted Subsidiary; provided, however, that upon a redesignation of such Subsidiary as a Restricted Subsidiary, the Issuer or applicable Restricted Subsidiary shall be deemed to continue to have a permanent “Investment” in an Unrestricted Subsidiary in an amount (if positive) equal to:

(i) the Issuer’s direct or indirect “Investment” in such Subsidiary at the time of such redesignation; less

(ii) the portion (proportionate to the Issuer’s direct or indirect equity interest in such Subsidiary) of the fair market value of the net assets of such Subsidiary at the time of such redesignation;

(2) any property transferred to or from an Unrestricted Subsidiary shall be valued at its fair market value at the time of such transfer, in each case as determined in good faith by the Issuer;

(3) if the Issuer or any Restricted Subsidiary issues, sells or otherwise disposes of Equity Interests of a Person that is a Restricted Subsidiary such that, after giving effect thereto, such Person is no longer a Restricted Subsidiary, any investment by the Issuer or any Restricted Subsidiary in such Person remaining after giving effect thereto shall not be deemed to be an Investment at such time.

 

-13-


The amount of any Investment outstanding at any time shall be the original cost of such Investment, reduced by any dividend, distribution, interest payment, return of capital, repayment or other amount received in cash and Cash Equivalents by the Issuer or a Restricted Subsidiary in respect of such Investment to the extent such amounts do not increase any other baskets under this Indenture.

Issue Date” means April 28, 2021.

Issuer” has the meaning set forth in the preamble hereto.

Joint Venture” means any Person in which the Issuer or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries beneficially own any Equity Interest that is not a Wholly-Owned Subsidiary.

Junior Lien Obligations” means any Obligations that are secured by a Lien on Collateral that is junior in priority to the Liens securing the Notes Obligations and is subject to a Junior Lien Intercreditor Agreement.

Junior Lien Intercreditor Agreement” means any junior priority intercreditor agreement in a customary form, which shall provide for the subordination of Liens securing such Junior Lien Obligations to the Liens securing the Notes Obligations and other intercreditor provisions with respect to such Junior Lien Obligations that are reasonably customary in the good faith determination of the Issuer (for intercreditor agreements providing for junior priority liens) as certified by the Issuer to the Notes Collateral Agent in an Officer’s Certificate.

Legal Holiday” means a Saturday, a Sunday or a day on which commercial banking institutions are not required to be open in the State of New York.

Lien” means, with respect to any asset, (a) any mortgage, deed of trust, lien, pledge, encumbrance, charge or security interest in or on 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; provided that in no event shall an operating lease be deemed to constitute a Lien.

Limited Condition Transaction” means each of any (i) Permitted Acquisition or other similar permitted Investment whose consummation is not conditioned on the availability of, or on obtaining, third-party financing, (ii) redemption, repurchase, defeasance, satisfaction and discharge or repayment of Indebtedness requiring irrevocable notice in advance of such redemption, repurchase, defeasance, satisfaction and discharge or repayment, (iii) Disposition or (iv) irrevocable declaration of a dividend.

LLC Division” means the statutory division of any limited liability company into two or more limited liability companies pursuant to Section 18-217 of the Delaware Limited Liability Company Act or a comparable provision of any other requirement of law in any other jurisdiction.

Long Derivative Instrument” means a Derivative Instrument (i) the value of which generally increases, and/or the payment or delivery obligations under which generally decrease, with positive changes to the Performance References and/or (ii) the value of which generally decreases, and/or the payment or delivery obligations under which generally increase, with negative changes to the Performance References.

Majority-Owned Subsidiary” shall mean a Restricted Subsidiary of the Issuer of which securities (except for directors’ qualifying shares) or other ownership interests representing a majority of the aggregate outstanding Equity Interests of such Restricted Subsidiary are, at the time any determination is being made, owned, Controlled or held by the Issuer or one or more wholly owned Restricted Subsidiaries of the Issuer.

Material Real Property” means any parcel of real property owned in fee by the Issuer or any Guarantor located in the United States and having a gross book value (determined on a per property basis) greater than or equal to $5,500,000 as of (x) the Issue Date, for real property then owned or (y) the date of acquisition, for real property acquired after the Issue Date, in each case, as determined by the Issuer in good faith.

 

-14-


Material Subsidiary” means, at any date of determination, each Restricted Subsidiary of the Issuer that is not an Immaterial Subsidiary (but including, in any case, any Restricted Subsidiary that has been designated as a Material Subsidiary as provided in, or has been designated as an Immaterial Subsidiary in a manner that does not comply with, the definition of “Immaterial Subsidiary”).

Moody’s” means Moody’s Investors Service, Inc. and any successor to its rating agency business.

Mortgage” means, collectively, the mortgages, trust deeds, deeds of trust, deeds to secure debt, assignments of leases and rents, debentures, and other security documents securing the Notes Obligations (including amendments to any of the foregoing) executed and delivered by the Issuer or a Guarantor to the Notes Collateral Agent with respect to Mortgaged Properties (either as stand-alone documents or forming part of other Security Documents), each in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Notes Collateral Agent and the Issuer, in each case, as amended, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time.

Mortgaged Property” means each Material Real Property which shall be subject to a Mortgage.

Net First Lien Leverage Ratio” means, as of any date of determination, the ratio of (a) Consolidated First Lien Debt as of the last day of the test period most recently ended on or prior to such date of determination to (b) Consolidated EBITDA for the most recently ended four fiscal quarters ending immediately prior to such date for which internal financial statements are available.

Net Proceeds” means the aggregate cash proceeds received by the Issuer or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries in respect of any Asset Sale, including any cash received upon the sale or other disposition of any Designated Non-Cash Consideration received in any Asset Sale, net of the direct costs relating to such Asset Sale and the sale or disposition of such Designated Non-Cash Consideration, including legal, accounting and investment banking fees, payments made in order to obtain a necessary consent or required by applicable law, and brokerage and sales commissions, any relocation expenses incurred as a result thereof, other fees and expenses, including title and recordation expenses, taxes paid or payable as a result thereof (after taking into account any available tax credits or deductions and any tax sharing arrangements), amounts required to be applied to the repayment of principal, premium, if any, and interest on unsubordinated Indebtedness (other than under the ABL Facility or the Term Loan Facility) required (other than as required by Section 4.10(b)(1) or (2)) to be paid as a result of such transaction and any deduction of appropriate amounts to be provided by the Issuer or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries as a reserve in accordance with GAAP against any liabilities associated with the asset disposed of in such transaction and retained by the Issuer or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries after such sale or other disposition thereof, including pension and other post-employment benefit liabilities and liabilities related to environmental matters or against any indemnification obligations associated with such transaction, and in the case of any Asset Sale by a Restricted Subsidiary that is not a Wholly-Owned Subsidiary of the Issuer, a portion of the aggregate cash proceeds equal to the portion of the outstanding Equity Interests of such non-Wholly-Owned Subsidiary owned by Persons other than the Issuer and any other Restricted Subsidiary (to the extent such proceeds are committed to be distributed to such Persons).

Net Secured Leverage Ratio” means as of any date of determination, the ratio of (a) Consolidated Secured Debt as of the last day of the test period most recently ended on or prior to such date of determination to (b) Consolidated EBITDA for the most recently ended four fiscal quarters ending immediately prior to such date for which internal financial statements are available.

Net Short” means, with respect to a Holder or beneficial owner, as of a date of determination, either (i) the value of its Short Derivative Instruments exceeds the sum of the (x) the value of its Notes plus (y) the value of its Long Derivative Instruments as of such date of determination or (ii) it is reasonably expected that such would have been the case were a Failure to Pay or Bankruptcy Credit Event (each as defined in the 2014 International Swaps and Derivatives Association, Inc. Credit Derivatives Definitions) to have occurred with respect to the Issuer or any Guarantor immediately prior to such date of determination.

Net Total Leverage Ratio” means, as of any date of determination, the ratio of (a) Total Debt minus the aggregate amount of cash and Cash Equivalents on the consolidated balance sheet of the Issuer and the Restricted Subsidiaries on such date, excluding cash and Cash Equivalents which are or should be listed as “restricted” on the consolidated balance sheet of the Issuer and the Restricted Subsidiaries as of such date as of the last day of the test period most recently ended on or prior to such date of determination to (b) Consolidated EBITDA for the most recently ended four fiscal quarters ending immediately prior to such date for which internal financial statements are available.

 

-15-


Non-U.S. Person” means a Person who is not a U.S. Person.

Notes” means the 6.125% Senior Secured Notes due 2026 issued by the Issuer on the Issue Date under this Indenture and, unless the context otherwise requires, any Additional Notes that are actually issued.

Notes Collateral Agent” means U.S. Bank National Association, as collateral agent for the holders of the Notes Obligations under the Security Documents and any successor pursuant to the provisions of this Indenture and the Security Documents.

Notes Documents” means the Notes, the Guarantees, this Indenture and the Security Documents.

Notes Obligations” means Obligations in respect of the Notes, the Guarantees, this Indenture and the Security Documents (including reasonable legal fees and expenses).

Notes Secured Parties” means the Trustee, the Notes Collateral Agent and the Holders of the Notes.

Obligations” means any principal (including any accretion), interest (including any interest, fees and expenses accruing on or subsequent to the filing of a petition in bankruptcy, reorganization or similar proceeding at the rate provided for in the documentation with respect thereto, whether or not such interest, fees or expenses is an allowed claim under applicable state, federal or foreign law), premium, penalties, fees, indemnifications, reimbursements (including reimbursement obligations with respect to letters of credit and banker’s acceptances), damages and other liabilities, and guarantees of payment of such principal (including any accretion), interest, penalties, fees, indemnifications, reimbursements, damages and other liabilities, payable under the documentation governing any Indebtedness.

Offering Memorandum” means the final offering memorandum, dated April 14, 2021 relating to the sale of the Notes issued on the Issue Date.

Officer” means the Chairman of the Board, the Chief Executive Officer, the President, any Executive Vice President, Senior Vice President or Vice President, the Treasurer, Assistant Treasurer or the Secretary or Assistant Secretary of the Issuer or any other Person, as applicable.

Officer’s Certificate” means a certificate signed on behalf of the Issuer by an Officer of the Issuer.

Opinion of Counsel” means a written opinion from legal counsel who is reasonably acceptable to the Trustee. The counsel may be an employee of or counsel to the Issuer, the Issuer or the Trustee.

Pari Passu Intercreditor Agreement” means that certain pari passu intercreditor agreement, dated as of the date hereof among the Issuer, the grantors party thereto, the Bank Collateral Agent and the Notes Collateral Agent, substantially in the form of Exhibit E and reasonably satisfactory to the Trustee.

Pari Passu Lien Priority” means, relative to specified Indebtedness, having equal Lien priority on specified Collateral and subject to the Pari Passu Intercreditor Agreement.

Participant” means, with respect to the Depositary, Euroclear or Clearstream, a Person who has an account with the Depositary, Euroclear or Clearstream, respectively (and, with respect to DTC, shall include Euroclear and Clearstream).

Parity Lien Obligations” means, collectively, (1) the Obligations under the Term Loan Facility, (2) the Notes Obligations and (3) each series of Additional Parity Lien Obligations.

 

-16-


Parity Lien Secured Parties” means (1) the Secured Parties (as defined in the Term Loan Credit Agreement), (2) the Notes Secured Parties and (3) any Additional Parity Lien Secured Parties.

Permitted Acquisition” means the acquisition by the Issuer or any Restricted Subsidiary of all or substantially all the assets of a person or line of business of such Person, or not less than 100% of the Equity Interests (other than directors’ qualifying shares) not previously held by the Issuer and its Subsidiaries of a Person (referred to herein as the “Acquired Entity”); provided that (a) the Acquired Entity shall be primarily engaged in a Permitted Business; (b) at the time of such transaction, both before and after giving effect thereto, no Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing; (c) the aggregate amount of Permitted Acquisitions made after the Issue Date pursuant to clause (4) of the definition of Permitted Investments by the Issuer and Guarantors in Persons that are not Issuer or Guarantors or do not become Issuer or Guarantors upon consummation of such acquisition (valued at the time made and without regard to any write-downs or write-offs of such Investments) shall not exceed the greater of $160,000,000 and 40% of the Consolidated EBITDA for the most recently ended four consecutive fiscal quarter period for which internal financial statements are available; and (d) all persons which are Domestic Subsidiaries in which the Issuer or any Restricted Subsidiary shall hold any Investment as a result of such acquisition shall become a Guarantor to the extent, and within the time frame, required by this Indenture and the Security Documents.

Permitted Asset Swap” means the substantially concurrent purchase and sale or exchange of Related Business Assets or a combination of Related Business Assets and cash or Cash Equivalents between the Issuer or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries and another Person.

Permitted Business” means (a) any business or business activity conducted by the Issuer and its Subsidiaries on the Issue Date and (b) any other business that is a natural outgrowth or reasonable extension, development or expansion of any such business or any business similar, reasonably related, incidental, complementary or ancillary to any of the foregoing.

Permitted Holder” means any person or group whose acquisition of beneficial ownership (within the meaning of Rule 13d-3 under the Exchange Act, or any successor provision) constitutes a Change of Control in respect of which a Change of Control Offer is made in accordance with the requirements of Section 4.14 hereof (or would result in a Change of Control Offer in the absence of the waiver of such requirement by Holders in accordance with Section 4.14 hereof) shall thereafter constitute a Permitted Holder.

Permitted Investments” means:

(1) Investments as of the Issue Date in the Issuer or any Restricted Subsidiary and Investments made after the Issue Date in the Issuer or any Restricted Subsidiary; provided that (i) the aggregate amount of Investments made after the Issue Date by the Issuer or Guarantor in, and Guarantees by the Issuer or Guarantor of Indebtedness or other obligations of, Restricted Subsidiaries that are not a Guarantor (determined at the time of the making thereof without regard to any write-downs or write-offs of such Investments) shall not exceed the greater of (A) $160,000,000 and (B) and 40% of the Consolidated EBITDA for the most recently ended four fiscal quarter period ending with a fiscal quarter for which internal financial statements are available and (ii) no Event of Default under clauses (1), (2), (7) or (8) of Section 6.01 shall have occurred and be continuing; provided, further, that, for purposes of determining compliance with the foregoing limitation in clause (i) above as of any date, the amount of each Investment made on or prior to such date pursuant to this clause (b) that is subject to such limitation shall be deemed reduced (to not less than zero) by the aggregate amount of cash, dividends, interest, returns of principal or capital, repayments or other distributions returned to the applicable Issuer or Guarantor in respect of such Investment prior to the date of determination;

(2) Capital Expenditures;

(3) (i) Loans and advances to officers, directors and employees of the Issuer and the Restricted Subsidiaries made in the ordinary course of business in an aggregate principal amount not to exceed $10,000,000 in the aggregate at any time outstanding (calculated without regard to write-downs or write-offs thereof)and (ii) advances of payroll payments and expenses to employees in the ordinary course of business;

 

-17-


(4) Permitted Acquisitions;

(5) any Investment acquired by the Issuer or Guarantor (x) in exchange for any other Investment or accounts receivable held by the Issuer or Guarantor in connection with or as a result of a bankruptcy, workout, reorganization or recapitalization of the Person in which such other Investment is made or which is the obligor with respect to such accounts receivable, (y) as a result of a foreclosure by the Issuer or Guarantor with respect to any secured Investment or other transfer of title with respect to any secured Investment in default or (z) as a result of litigation, arbitration or other disputes with Persons who are not Affiliates;

(6) accounts receivable arising and trade credit granted in the ordinary course of business and any securities received in satisfaction or partial satisfaction thereof from financially troubled account debtors to the extent reasonably necessary in order to prevent or limit loss and prepayments and other credits to suppliers made in the ordinary course of business consistent with the past practices of the Issuer and the Restricted Subsidiaries;

(7) Investments held by a Person acquired in a Permitted Acquisition or an Acquisition so long as such Investment is not made in anticipation or contemplation of such acquisition;

(8) the Issuer and the Restricted Subsidiaries may enter into and perform their obligations under (i) Hedging Agreements or other Derivative Instruments entered into in the ordinary course of business and so long as any such Hedging Agreement or other Derivative Instrument is not speculative in nature and (ii) to the extent constituting Investments, Convertible Bond Hedge Transactions entered into in connection with Convertible Bond Indebtedness, permitted to be incurred pursuant to Section 4.09;

(9) Investments existing as of the Issue Date;

(10) Investments arising out of the receipt by the Issuer or any Restricted Subsidiary of non-cash consideration with respect to sales of assets permitted under Section 4.10;

(11) Investments resulting from pledges and deposits referred to in the definition of Permitted Liens;

(12) Investments in the ordinary course of business consisting of purchases and acquisitions of inventory, supplies, material or equipment or the licensing or contribution of intellectual property pursuant to joint marketing, joint development or similar arrangements with other Persons;

(13) any advances, loans, extensions of credit to suppliers, customers and vendors or other Investments in receivables owing to a Restricted Subsidiary, if created or acquired in the ordinary course of business and payable or dischargeable in accordance with customary trade terms; provided, however, that such trade terms may include such concessionary trade terms as such Restricted Subsidiary deems reasonable under the circumstances;

(14) [reserved];

(15) [reserved];

(16) Investments in joint ventures in an amount (determined at the time of the making thereof without regard to any write-downs or write-offs of such Investments) not to exceed the greater of (i) $100,000,000 and (ii) 25% of the Consolidated EBITDA for the most recently ended four fiscal quarter period ending with a fiscal quarter for which internal financial statements are available; provided that, both before and after giving effect thereto, on a pro forma basis, no Event of Default shall have occurred and be

 

-18-


continuing; provided, further that, for purposes of determining compliance with the foregoing limitation as of any date, the amount of each Investment made on or prior to such date pursuant to this clause (16) shall be deemed reduced (to not less than zero) by the aggregate amount of cash, dividends, interest, returns of principal or capital, repayments or other distributions returned to the applicable person in respect of such Investment prior to the date of determination;

(17) any Investment in cash, Cash Equivalents and Investment Grade Securities;

(18) other Investments so long as on a pro forma basis after giving effect thereto, (i) no Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing and (ii) the Net Total Leverage Ratio is not greater than 3.25:1.00;

(19) guarantees of obligations of Subsidiaries that are not the Issuer or Guarantor in an aggregate amount not to exceed $75,000,000; and

(20) other Investments in an aggregate amount not to exceed the greater of $160,000,000 and 40% of Consolidated EBITDA for the most recently ended four fiscal quarter period ending with a fiscal quarter for which internal financial statements are available.

For purposes of determining compliance with this definition, in the event that a Permitted Investment (or any portion thereof) meets the criteria of more than one of the categories of Permitted Investment described in the clauses set forth above in this definition, the Issuer, in its sole discretion, may classify or reclassify such Permitted Investment, and will only be required to include the amount and type of such Permitted Investment, in such of the clauses described above in this definition as so reclassified by the Issuer, in its sole discretion.

Permitted Liens” means, with respect to any Person:

(1) Liens on property or assets of the Issuer or any Restricted Subsidiary existing on the Issue Date (excluding Liens securing the ABL Facility, the Term Loan Facility and the Notes);

(2) Liens securing the Notes issued on the Issue Date and the Guarantees with respect thereto;

(3) Liens imposed by law, such as (i) carriers’, warehousemen’s and mechanics’, materialmen’s, landlords’, or repairmen’s Liens, or (ii) other like Liens arising in the ordinary course of business securing obligations which are not overdue by more than 60 days or which if more than 60 days overdue, the period of grace, if any, related thereto has not expired or which are being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings;

(4) Liens incurred in the ordinary course of business in connection with workers’ compensation, unemployment insurance and other types of social security, or to secure the performance of tenders, statutory obligations, surety and appeal bonds, bids, leases, government contracts, trade contracts, performance and return-of-money bonds and other similar obligations (exclusive of obligations for the payment of borrowed money or other Indebtedness), so long as no foreclosure, sale or similar proceedings have been commenced with respect to any portion of the Collateral on account thereof;

(5) with respect to real property of the Restricted Subsidiaries, covenants, conditions, easements, rights-of-way, restrictions, encroachments, encumbrances and other imperfections or irregularities in title, in each case which were not incurred in connection with and do not secure Indebtedness for borrowed money and do not or will not interfere in any material respect with the ordinary conduct of the business of the Issuer or any of the Restricted Subsidiaries or with the use of such real property for its intended use;

 

-19-


(6) any interest or title of a lessor or sublessor under any lease of property permitted hereunder, and any Lien to which such interest or title is subject;

(7) Liens solely on any cash earnest money deposits made by the Issuer or any of the Restricted Subsidiaries in connection with any letter of intent or purchase agreement permitted hereunder;

(8) Liens arising from precautionary UCC financing statement filings (or similar filings under applicable law) regarding leases entered into by such Person;

(9) 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;

(10) licenses of patents, trademarks, copyrights, trade secrets, service marks, tradenames and any other intellectual property rights granted by the Issuer or any of the Restricted Subsidiaries in the ordinary course of business and not interfering in any material respect with the conduct of the business of the Issuer or such Restricted Subsidiary;

(11) construction liens arising in the ordinary course of business, including liens for work performed for which payment is not due and payable or, in the case of any amounts overdue for a period in excess of 30 days, are being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings and in respect of which, if applicable, the Issuer or the relevant Restricted Subsidiary thereof shall have set aside on its books reserves as shall be required by GAAP;

(12) Liens for taxes, assessments or other governmental charges or levies not yet delinquent, or which are being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings and as to which appropriate reserves are being maintained to the extent required in accordance with GAAP;

(13) deposits to secure the performance of bids, trade contracts (other than for Indebtedness), leases (other than Capital Leases), statutory obligations, surety and appeal bonds, performance bonds and other obligations of a like nature made or incurred in the ordinary course of business, including those incurred to secure health, safety and environmental obligations in the ordinary course of business;

(14) zoning restrictions, easements, trackage rights, leases (other than Capital Leases), licenses, special assessments, rights-of-way, restrictions on use of real property and other similar encumbrances incurred in the ordinary course of business which were not incurred in connection with and do not secure Indebtedness for borrowed money, and, individually or in the aggregate, do not materially interfere with the ordinary conduct of the business of the Issuer or any of the Restricted Subsidiaries or with the use of such real property for its intended use;

(15) Liens securing obligations under Indebtedness permitted to be incurred (and so incurred and so classified) pursuant to Section 4.09(b)(12) of; provided that (i) such Liens are incurred, and the Indebtedness secured thereby is created, within 270 days after such acquisition (or construction), (ii) the Indebtedness secured thereby does not exceed 100% of the cost of such equipment or other property or improvements at the time of such acquisition (or construction), including transaction costs incurred by the Issuer or any Restricted Subsidiary in connection with such acquisition (or construction), and (iii) such Liens do not apply to any other property or assets of the Issuer or any Restricted Subsidiary (other than to accessions to such equipment or other property or improvements; provided that individual financings of equipment provided by a single lender may be cross-collateralized to other financings of equipment provided solely by such lender);

(16) Liens arising out of operating lease or Capital Lease transactions permitted under Section 4.09(b)(12), so long as such Liens attach only to the property sold and being leased in such transaction and any accessions thereto or proceeds thereof and related property;

 

-20-


(17) Liens securing judgments for the payment of money not constituting an Event of Default under Section 6.01(5);

(18) Liens that are contractual rights of setoff (i) relating to the establishment of depository relations with banks not given in connection with the issuance of Indebtedness or (ii) pertaining to pooled deposit and/or sweep accounts of the Issuer and/or any Restricted Subsidiary to permit satisfaction of overdraft or similar obligations incurred in the ordinary course of business of the Issuer and the Restricted Subsidiaries;

(19) any Lien on any property or asset of the Issuer or a Restricted Subsidiary securing Indebtedness permitted by Section 4.09(b)(8); provided that such Liens are not created or incurred in connection with, or in contemplation of, such acquisition and such Lien does not apply to any other property or assets of the Issuer or any of the Restricted Subsidiaries not securing such Indebtedness at the date of the acquisition of such property or asset (other than after acquired property subjected to a Lien securing Indebtedness and other obligations incurred prior to such date and permitted hereunder which contains a requirement for the pledging of after acquired property, it being agreed that such after acquired property shall not include property of the Issuer and the Restricted Subsidiaries, other than any such acquired Restricted Subsidiary of the Issuer, that would have been included but for such acquisition);

(20) Liens to secure any refinancing, refunding, extension, renewal or replacement (or successive refinancing, refunding, extensions, renewals or replacements) as a whole, or in part, of any Indebtedness secured by any Lien permitted above; provided that such Lien shall not cover any property other than the property that was subject to such Lien prior to such refinancing, refunding, extension or renewal or replacement; provided, further, that the Indebtedness and other obligations secured by such refinancing, refunding, extension, renewal or replacement Lien are permitted by this Indenture;

(21) Liens on the Collateral (i) securing Indebtedness or other obligations under any Credit Facilities permitted to be incurred (and so incurred and classified) pursuant to Section 4.09(b)(1)(ii); provided that (x)such Liens may rank senior in priority to the Liens on the ABL Priority Collateral (as defined in the ABL Intercreditor Agreement) securing the Notes Obligations but in such case shall rank junior in priority to the Liens on the Fixed Asset Collateral (as defined in the ABL Intercreditor Agreement) securing the Notes Obligations and (y) such Liens shall be subject to the ABL Intercreditor Agreement, and (ii) securing Indebtedness or other obligations under any Credit Facilities permitted to be incurred (and so incurred and classified) pursuant to Section 4.09(b)(1)(iii), provided that (x) such Liens shall rank pari passu with the Liens securing the Notes Obligations and (y) such Liens shall be subject to the ABL Intercreditor Agreement and the Pari Passu Intercreditor Agreement;

(22) Liens on any property or asset of a Person that is not the Issuer or Guarantor securing Indebtedness of a Person that is not the Issuer or Guarantor permitted by Section 4.09;

(23) Liens encumbering reasonable customary initial deposits and margin deposits and similar Liens attaching to brokerage accounts incurred in the ordinary course of business, consistent with past practices and not for speculative purposes;

(24) Liens on specific items of inventory or other goods and proceeds 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 other goods in the ordinary course of business;

(25) Liens that are contractual rights of set-off relating to purchase orders and other agreements entered into with customers of the Issuer or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries in the ordinary course of business;

(26) Liens of a collection bank arising under Section 4-210 of the UCC on items in the course of collection;

 

-21-


(27) Liens securing obligations in connection with Hedging Agreements (including Secured Hedge Agreements (as defined in the ABL Credit Agreement) which shall constitute Secured Obligations (as defined in the ABL Credit Agreement)) permitted to be incurred under this Indenture;

(28) Liens securing obligations owed by the Issuer or any Restricted Subsidiary to any lender under any Credit Facilities or any Affiliate of such a lender, in each case, in the ordinary course of business in respect of any overdraft and related liabilities arising from treasury, depository and cash management services (including under any Secured Cash Management Agreements (as defined in the ABL Credit Agreement) which shall constitute Secured Obligations (as defined in the ABL Credit Agreement)) provided by, or any automated clearing house transfers of funds with, lenders under such Credit Facilities or any Affiliate of such a lender;

(29) Liens in favor of the Issuer or any Guarantor;

(30) Liens on cash and Cash Equivalents used to satisfy or discharge Indebtedness; provided that, such satisfaction or discharge is permitted under this Indenture;

(31) Liens not otherwise permitted by this definition of “Permitted Liens”; provided that, the aggregate amount of Indebtedness and other obligations secured thereby does not exceed $100,000,000;

(32) Liens securing (i) Parity Lien Obligations, so long as the Net First Lien Leverage Ratio does not exceed 2.50 to 1.0; provided that such Liens shall be subject to the ABL Intercreditor Agreement, the Pari Passu Intercreditor Agreement and a Junior Lien Intercreditor Agreement (if any) and (ii) Junior Lien Obligations, so long as the Net Secured Leverage Ratio does not exceed 3.50 to 1.0; provided that such Liens shall be subject to the ABL Intercreditor Agreement and a Junior Lien Intercreditor Agreement;

(33) Liens on life insurance policies owned by the Issuer or any Restricted Subsidiary, securing insurance policy debt;

(34) Liens securing obligations in respect of trade-related letters of credit and covering the goods (or the documents of title in respect of such goods) financed or the purchase of which is supported by such letters of credit and the proceeds and products thereof; and

(35) with respect to the Mortgaged Properties, (i) any exceptions listed on the Mortgage policies delivered to the Notes Collateral Agent with respect to such Mortgaged Properties and (ii) matters that are disclosed by a survey delivered to the Notes Collateral Agent. For the avoidance of doubt, delivery of such exceptions listed on the Mortgage policies and matters disclosed by a survey and other related reports, information and documents to the Notes Collateral Agent is for informational purposes only, and the Notes Collateral Agent’s receipt of such shall not constitute constructive notice of any information contained therein.

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

Pledge Agreement” means that certain notes pledge agreement, dated as of the date hereof, among RRD Netherlands LLC, each of the other pledgors party thereto and the Notes Collateral Agent.

Post-Acquisition Period” means, with respect to any Permitted Acquisition or the conversion of any Unrestricted Subsidiary into a Restricted Subsidiary, the period beginning on the date such Permitted Acquisition or conversion is consummated and ending on the last day of the fourth full consecutive fiscal quarter immediately following the date on which such Permitted Acquisition or conversion is consummated.

Preferred Stock” means any Equity Interest with preferential rights of payment of dividends or upon liquidation, dissolution, or winding up.

 

-22-


Private Placement Legend” means the legend set forth in Section 2.06(g)(i) hereof to be placed on all Notes issued under this Indenture, except where otherwise permitted by the provisions of this Indenture.

Pro Forma Adjustment” means, for any four consecutive fiscal quarter period that includes all or any part of a fiscal quarter included in any Post-Acquisition Period, with respect to the Acquired EBITDA of the applicable Acquired Entity or business or Converted Restricted Subsidiary or the Consolidated EBITDA, (a) the pro forma increase or decrease in such Acquired EBITDA or such Consolidated EBITDA, as the case may be, that is expected to have a continuing impact and (b) additional good faith pro forma adjustments arising out of cost savings initiatives attributable to such transaction and additional costs associated with the combination of the operations of such Acquired Entity or business or Converted Restricted Subsidiary with the operations of the Issuer and its Restricted Subsidiaries, in each case being given pro forma effect, which actions (i) have been taken or (ii) expected to be taken or implemented within the succeeding twelve (12) months following such transaction and, in each case, including, but not limited to, (w) reduction in personnel expenses, (x) reduction of costs related to administrative functions, (y) reductions of costs related to leased or owned properties and (z) reductions from the consolidation of operations and streamlining of corporate overhead) taking into account, for purposes of determining such compliance, the historical financial statements of the Acquired Entity or business or Converted Restricted Subsidiary and the consolidated financial statements of the Issuer and its Restricted Subsidiaries, assuming such Permitted Acquisition or conversion, and all other Permitted Acquisitions or conversions that have been consummated during the period, and any Indebtedness or other liabilities repaid in connection therewith had been consummated and incurred or repaid at the beginning of such period (and assuming that such Indebtedness to be incurred bears interest during any portion of the applicable measurement period prior to the relevant acquisition at the interest rate which is or would be in effect with respect to such Indebtedness as at the relevant date of determination); provided that, so long as such actions are initiated during such Post-Acquisition Period or such costs are incurred during such Post-Acquisition Period, as applicable, for purposes of projecting such pro forma increase or decrease to such Acquired EBITDA or such Consolidated EBITDA, as the case may be, it may be assumed that such cost savings will be realizable during the entirety of such four consecutive fiscal quarter period, or such additional costs, as applicable, will be incurred during the entirety of such four consecutive fiscal quarter period; provided, further, that all such anticipated adjustments for cost savings shall not exceed in the aggregate, for any four consecutive fiscal quarters, an amount equal to 15% of Consolidated EBITDA for such four fiscal quarter period before giving effect to such cost savings; provided further that at the election of the Issuer, such Pro Forma Adjustment shall not be required to be determined for any Acquired Entity or business or Converted Restricted Subsidiary to the extent the aggregate consideration paid in connection with such acquisition was less than $5,000,000.

QIB” means a “qualified institutional buyer” as defined in Rule 144A.

Rating Agencies” means each of Moody’s, S&P and Fitch or if Moody’s,S&P or Fitch shall not make a rating on the Notes publicly available, a nationally recognized statistical rating agency or agencies, as the case may be, selected by the Issuer which shall be substituted for Moody’s or S&P or Fitch, as the case may be.

Regulated Bank” means an Approved Commercial Bank that is (i) a U.S. depository institution the deposits of which are insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation; (ii) a corporation organized under section 25A of the U.S. Federal Reserve Act of 1913; (iii) a branch, agency or commercial lending company of a foreign bank operating pursuant to approval by and under the supervision of the Board of Governors under 12 CFR part 211; (iv) a non-U.S. branch of a foreign bank managed and controlled by a U.S. branch referred to in clause (iii); or (v) any other U.S. or non-U.S. depository institution or any branch, agency or similar office thereof supervised by a bank regulatory authority in any jurisdiction.

Record Date” for the interest payable on any applicable Interest Payment Date means the April 15 or October 15 (whether or not a Business Day) next preceding such Interest Payment Date.

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

Regulation S Global Note” means a permanent Global Note in the form of Exhibit A bearing the Global Note Legend and the Private Placement Legend and deposited with or on behalf of and registered in the name of the Depositary or its nominee.

 

-23-


Related Business Assets” means assets (other than cash or Cash Equivalents) used or useful in a Similar Business; provided that any assets received by the Issuer or a Restricted Subsidiary in exchange for assets transferred by the Issuer or a Restricted Subsidiary shall not be deemed to be Related Business Assets if they consist of securities of a Person, unless upon receipt of the securities of such Person, such Person would become a Restricted Subsidiary.

Responsible Officer” means, when used with respect to the Trustee or the Notes Collateral Agent, any officer in the office of the Trustee or the Notes Collateral Agent, as applicable, as identified in Section 13.02 of this Indenture responsible for administration of the transactions contemplated by this Indenture and the Security Documents, including any vice president, assistant vice president, assistant treasurer, trust officer or any other officer of the Trustee or the Notes Collateral Agent to whom a particular matter is referred because of such Person’s knowledge of and familiarity with the particular subject and who shall have direct responsibility for the administration of this Indenture.

Restricted Definitive Note” means a Definitive Note bearing the Private Placement Legend.

Restricted Global Note” means a Global Note bearing the Private Placement Legend.

Restricted Investment” means an Investment other than a Permitted Investment.

Restricted Period” means the 40-day distribution compliance period as defined in Regulation S.

Restricted Subsidiary” means, at any time, any direct or indirect Subsidiary of the Issuer (including any Foreign Subsidiary of the Issuer) that is not then an Unrestricted Subsidiary; provided, however, that upon the occurrence of an Unrestricted Subsidiary ceasing to be an Unrestricted Subsidiary, such Subsidiary shall be included in the definition of “Restricted Subsidiary.”

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

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

Rule 903” means Rule 903 promulgated under the Securities Act.

Rule 904” means Rule 904 promulgated under the Securities Act.

S&P” means Standard & Poor’s, a division of S&P Global Inc., and any successor to its rating agency business.

Sale and Lease-Back Transaction” means any arrangement, directly or indirectly, with any Person whereby the Issuer or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries 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 which it intends to use for substantially the same purpose or purposes as the property being sold or transferred.

Screened Affiliate” means any Affiliate of a Holder (i) that makes investment decisions independently from such Holder and any other Affiliate of such Holder that is not a Screened Affiliate, (ii) that has in place customary information screens between it and such Holder and any other Affiliate of such Holder that is not a Screened Affiliate and such screens prohibit the sharing of information with respect to the Issuer or its Subsidiaries, (iii) whose investment policies are not directed by such Holder or any other Affiliate of such Holder that is acting in concert with such Holder in connection with its investment in the Notes, and (iv) whose investment decisions are not influenced by the investment decisions of such Holder or any other Affiliate of such Holder that is acting in concert with such Holders in connection with its investment in the Notes.

SEC” means the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.

 

-24-


Secured Indebtedness” means any Indebtedness of the Issuer or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries secured by a Lien.

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

Security Agreement” means that certain Security Agreement, dated as of the Issue Date, among the Issuer, the Guarantors and the Notes Collateral Agent.

Security Documents” means, collectively, the ABL Intercreditor Agreement, Pari Passu Intercreditor Agreement, the Security Agreement, the Pledge Agreement, the Mortgages, other security or intercreditor agreements relating to the Collateral and instruments filed and recorded in appropriate jurisdictions to preserve and protect the Liens on the Collateral (including, without limitation, financing statements under the UCC of the relevant states applicable to the Collateral), each for the benefit of the Notes Collateral Agent, as amended, amended and restated, modified, renewed or replaced from time to time.

Senior Indebtedness” means Indebtedness of the Issuer which ranks equally in right of payment to the Notes or of any Guarantor if such Indebtedness ranks equally in right of payment to the Guarantees of the Notes.

Short Derivative Instrument” means a Derivative Instrument (i) the value of which generally decreases, and/or the payment or delivery obligations under which generally increase, with positive changes to the Performance References and/or (ii) the value of which generally increases, and/or the payment or delivery obligations under which generally decrease, with negative changes to the Performance References.

Significant Party” means any Guarantor or Restricted Subsidiary that would be a “significant subsidiary” as defined in Article 1, Rule 1-02 of Regulation S-X, promulgated pursuant to the Securities Act, as such regulation is in effect on the Issue Date.

Similar Business” means any business conducted or proposed to be conducted by the Issuer and its Subsidiaries on the Issue Date or any business that is similar, reasonably related, incidental or ancillary thereto.

Specified Transaction” means any Investment, disposition, incurrence or repayment of Indebtedness, Restricted Payment or Subsidiary designation that by the terms of this Indenture requires a test to be calculated on a “pro forma basis” or after giving “pro forma effect.

Subordinated Indebtedness” means:

(a) any Indebtedness of the Issuer which is by its terms subordinated in right of payment to the Notes; and

(b) any Indebtedness of any Guarantor which is by its terms subordinated in right of payment to the Guarantee of such entity of the Notes.

Subsidiary” or “subsidiary” means, with respect to any Person (herein referred to as the “parent”), any corporation, partnership, limited liability company, association or other business 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 more than 50% of the general partnership interests are, at the time any determination is being made, owned, Controlled or held, or (b) that is, at the time any determination is made, otherwise Controlled, by the parent or one or more subsidiaries of the parent or by the parent and one or more subsidiaries of the parent. Unless otherwise specified, all references herein to a “Subsidiary” or to “Subsidiaries” shall refer to a Subsidiary or Subsidiaries of the Issuer.

Synthetic Lease” shall mean, as to any Person, any lease (including leases that may be terminated by the lessee at any time) of any property (whether real, personal or mixed) (a) that is accounted for as an operating lease under GAAP and (b) in respect of which the lessee retains or obtains ownership of the property so leased for U.S. federal income tax purposes, other than any such lease under which such person is the lessor.

 

-25-


Synthetic Lease Obligations” shall mean, as to any person, an amount equal to the capitalized amount of the remaining lease payments under any Synthetic Lease that would appear on a balance sheet of such person in accordance with GAAP if such obligations were accounted for as Capital Lease Obligations.

Term Loan Facility” means the Credit Facility pursuant to the term loan credit agreement, dated as of October 15, 2018 (the “Term Loan Credit Agreement”), by and among the Issuer, the lenders party thereto in their capacities as lenders thereunder and Bank of America, N.A., as Administrative Agent and Bank Collateral Agent, including any agreements, Security Documents, guarantees, instruments, mortgages and notes executed in connection therewith, and any amendments, extensions, modifications, refinancings, refundings, renewals, restatements, or supplements thereof and any one or more notes, indentures or credit facilities or commercial paper facilities with banks or other institutional lenders or investors that extend, refinance, refund, renew, replace or defease any part of the loans, notes, other credit facilities or commitments thereunder, including any such refinancing, refunding or replacement facility or indenture that increases the amount that may be borrowed thereunder or alters the maturity of the loans thereunder or adds Restricted Subsidiaries as additional borrowers or guarantors thereunder and whether by the same or other agent, lender or group of lenders or investors.

Total Debt” means, at any time, the aggregate principal amount of Indebtedness of the Issuer and the Restricted Subsidiaries outstanding at such time; provided that (i) such Indebtedness shall not be included if it would not be reflected on a consolidated balance sheet of the Issuer at such time in accordance with GAAP or to the extent such Indebtedness is Indebtedness under Hedging Agreements and (ii) if such Indebtedness were to be required to be reflected on a consolidated balance sheet of the Issuer at such time in accordance with GAAP, the amount thereof that shall constitute Total Debt shall equal the principal amount outstanding at such time, including any portion of such principal amount outstanding that would not be required to be reflected on a consolidated balance sheet of the Issuer in accordance with GAAP at such time as a result of original issue discount.

Treasury Rate” means, as of any Redemption Date, the rate per annum equal to the yield to maturity at the time of computation of United States Treasury securities with a constant maturity (as compiled and published in the most recent Federal Reserve Statistical Release H.15 (519) that has become publicly available at least two Business Days prior to the Redemption Date (or, if such Statistical Release is no longer published, any publicly available source of similar market data)) most nearly equal to the period from the Redemption Date to November 1, 2023; provided, however, that if the period from the Redemption Date to November 1, 2023 is less than one year, the weekly average yield on actually traded United States Treasury securities adjusted to a constant maturity of one year shall be used.

Trust Indenture Act” means the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended (15 U.S.C. §§ 77aaa-77bbbb).

Trustee” means U.S. Bank National Association, as trustee, until a successor replaces it in accordance with the applicable provisions of this Indenture and thereafter means the successor serving hereunder.

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

Unrestricted Definitive Note” means one or more Definitive Notes that do not bear and are not required to bear the Private Placement Legend.

Unrestricted Global Note” means a permanent Global Note, substantially in the form of Exhibit A that bears the Global Note Legend and that has the “Schedule of Exchanges of Interests in the Global Note” attached thereto, and that is deposited with or on behalf of and registered in the name of the Depositary, representing Notes that do not bear the Private Placement Legend.

 

-26-


Unrestricted Subsidiary” means:

(1) any Subsidiary which at the time of determination is an Unrestricted Subsidiary (as designated by the Issuer, as provided below);

(2) any Subsidiary of an Unrestricted Subsidiary

(3) such designation complies with Section 4.07.

The Issuer may designate any Subsidiary (including any existing Subsidiary and any newly acquired or newly formed Subsidiary but excluding the Issuer) to be an Unrestricted Subsidiary; provided that:

(1) such Subsidiary or any of its Subsidiaries owns any Equity Interests or Indebtedness of, or owns or holds any Lien on, any property of, the Issuer or any Restricted Subsidiary (other than solely any Unrestricted Subsidiary of the Subsidiary to be so designated); and

(2) no Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing and on a pro forma basis, the Issuer would have been permitted to incur at least $1.00 of Indebtedness under Section 4.09(a).

The Issuer may designate any Unrestricted Subsidiary to be a Restricted Subsidiary; provided that:

(1) such Unrestricted Subsidiary shall be a Wholly-Owned Subsidiary of the Issuer; and

(2) no Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing and, on a pro forma basis, the Issuer would have been permitted to incur at least $1.00 of Indebtedness under Section 4.09(a).

Any such designation by the Issuer shall be notified by the Issuer to the Trustee by promptly filing with the Trustee a copy of the resolution of the Board of Directors or any committee thereof giving effect to such designation and an Officer’s Certificate certifying that such designation complied with the foregoing provisions.

U.S. Person” means a U.S. person as defined in Rule 902(k) under the Securities Act.

Weighted Average Life to Maturity” means, when applied to any Indebtedness, Disqualified Stock or Preferred Stock, as the case may be, at any date, the quotient obtained by dividing:

(1) the sum of the products of the number of years from the date of determination to the date of each successive scheduled principal payment of such Indebtedness or redemption or similar payment with respect to such Disqualified Stock or Preferred Stock multiplied by the amount of such payment; by

(2) the sum of all such payments.

Wholly-Owned Subsidiary” of any Person shall mean a Subsidiary of such Person of which securities (except for directors’ qualifying shares) or other ownership interests representing 100% of the Equity Interests are, at the time any determination is being made, owned, Controlled or held by such Person or one or more wholly owned Subsidiaries of such Person or by such Person and one or more wholly owned Subsidiaries of such Person.

Section 1.02 Other Definitions.

 

Term

   Defined
in Section

“Action”

   12.08(x)

“Affiliate Transaction”

   4.11(a)

 

-27-


Term

   Defined
in Section

“Asset Sale Offer”

   4.10(f)

“Authentication Order”

   2.02

“CERCLA”

   12.08(s)

“Change of Control Offer”

   4.14(a)

“Change of Control Payment”

   4.14(a)

“Change of Control Payment Date”

   4.14(a)(2)

“Collateral Asset Sale Offer”

   4.10(d)

“Collateral Excess Proceeds”

   4.10(c)

“Covenant Defeasance”

   8.03

“Defeased Covenants”

   8.03

“DTC”

   2.03

“Event of Default”

   6.01(a)

“Excess Proceeds”

   4.10(c)

“Fixed Amounts”

   1.06(d)(1)

“incur” or “incurrence”

   4.09(a)

“Incurrence Based Amounts”

   1.06(d)(1)

“Legal Defeasance”

   8.02

“LCT Election”

   1.07

“LCT Test Date”

   1.07

“Note Register”

   2.03

“Offer Amount”

   3.09(b)

“Offer Period”

   3.09(b)

“Paying Agent”

   2.03

“Purchase Date”

   3.09(b)

“Redemption Date”

   3.07(b)

“Refinancing Indebtedness”

   4.09(b)

“Refunding Capital Stock”

   4.07(b)(2)

“Registrar”

   2.03

“Related Person”

   12.08(b)

“Restricted Payment”

   4.07(a)

“Security Document Order”

   12.08(t)

“Successor Issuer”

   5.01(a)(1)

“Successor Person”

   5.01(c)(1)(i)

“Transfer Agent”

   2.03

Section 1.03 Trust Indenture Act. For the avoidance of doubt, the Trust Indenture Act is not applicable to this Indenture.

Section 1.04 Rules of Construction. Unless the context otherwise requires:

(a) a term has the meaning assigned to it;

(b) an accounting term not otherwise defined has the meaning assigned to it in accordance with GAAP;

(c) “or” is not exclusive;

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

(e) “will” shall be interpreted to express a command;

(f) provisions apply to successive events and transactions;

 

-28-


(g) references to sections of, or rules under, the Securities Act shall be deemed to include substitute, replacement or successor sections or rules adopted by the SEC from time to time;

(h) unless the context otherwise requires, any reference to an “Article,” “Section” or “clause” refers to an Article, Section or clause, as the case may be, of this Indenture;

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

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

(k) the principal amount of any Preferred Stock at any time shall be (i) the maximum liquidation value of such Preferred Stock at such time or (ii) the maximum mandatory redemption or mandatory repurchase price with respect to such Preferred Stock at such time, whichever is greater;

(l) the words “herein,” “hereof” and “hereunder” and other words of similar import refer to this Indenture as a whole and not any particular Article, Section, clause or other subdivision; and

(m) subordination shall refer to contractual payment subordination and not to structural subordination.

Section 1.05 Acts of Holders.

(a) Any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other action provided by this Indenture to be given or taken by Holders may be embodied in and evidenced by one or more instruments of substantially similar tenor signed by such Holders in person or by an agent duly appointed in writing. Except as herein otherwise expressly provided, such action shall become effective when such instrument or instruments are delivered to the Trustee and, where it is hereby expressly required, to the Issuer. Proof of execution of any such instrument or of a writing appointing any such agent, or the holding by any Person of a Note, shall be sufficient for any purpose of this Indenture and (subject to Section 7.01 hereof) conclusive in favor of the Trustee and the Issuer, if made in the manner provided in this Section 1.05.

(b) The fact and date of the execution by any Person of any such instrument or writing may be proved by the affidavit of a witness of such execution or by the certificate of any notary public or other officer authorized by law to take acknowledgments of deeds, certifying that the individual signing such instrument or writing acknowledged to him the execution thereof. Where such execution is by or on behalf of any legal entity other than an individual, such certificate or affidavit shall also constitute proof of the authority of the Person executing the same. The fact and date of the execution of any such instrument or writing, or the authority of the Person executing the same, may also be proved in any other manner that the Trustee deems sufficient.

(c) The ownership of Notes shall be proved by the Note Register.

(d) Any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other action by the Holder of any Note shall bind every future Holder of the same Note and the Holder of every Note issued upon the registration of transfer thereof or in exchange therefor or in lieu thereof, in respect of any action taken, suffered or omitted by the Trustee or the Issuer in reliance thereon, whether or not notation of such action is made upon such Note.

(e) The Issuer may, in the circumstances permitted by the Trust Indenture Act, set a record date for purposes of determining the identity of Holders of the entitled to give any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent or waiver or to take any other act, or to vote or consent to any action by vote or consent authorized or permitted to be given or taken by Holders. Unless otherwise specified, if not set by the Issuer prior to the first solicitation of a Holder made by any Person in respect of any such action, or in the case of any such vote, prior to such vote, any such record date shall be the later of 30 days prior to the first solicitation of such consent or the date of the most recent list of Holders furnished to the Trustee prior to such solicitation.

 

-29-


(f) Without limiting the foregoing, a Holder entitled to take any action hereunder with regard to any particular Note may do so with regard to all or any part of the principal amount of such Note or by one or more duly appointed agents, each of which may do so pursuant to such appointment with regard to all or any part of such principal amount. Any notice given or action taken by a Holder or its agents with regard to different parts of such principal amount pursuant to this Section 1.05(f) shall have the same effect as if given or taken by separate Holders of each such different part.

(g) Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, a Holder, including DTC, that is the Holder of a Global Note, may make, give or take, by a proxy or proxies duly appointed in writing, any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other action provided in this Indenture to be made, given or taken by Holders, and any Person that is the Holder of a Global Note, including DTC, may provide its proxy or proxies to the beneficial owners of interests in any such Global Note through such depositary’s standing instructions and customary practices.

(h) The Issuer may fix a record date for the purpose of determining the Persons who are beneficial owners of interests in any Global Note held by DTC entitled under the procedures of such depositary to make, give or take, by a proxy or proxies duly appointed in writing, any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other action provided in this Indenture to be made, given or taken by Holders. If such a record date is fixed, the Holders on such record date or their duly appointed proxy or proxies, and only such Persons, shall be entitled to make, give or take such request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other action, whether or not such Holders remain Holders after such record date. No such request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other action shall be valid or effective if made, given or taken more than 90 days after such record date.

Section 1.06 Certain Calculations.

(a) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Indenture, unless the context otherwise requires, for purposes of determining compliance with any test contained in this Indenture with respect to any period during which any Specified Transactions occur or, subsequent to such period and prior to or simultaneously with the event for which the calculation is made, the Net First Lien Leverage Ratio, the Net Secured Leverage Ratio, the Net Total Leverage Ratio and Consolidated EBITDA and any other financial calculation shall be calculated with respect to such period and such Specified Transactions on a “pro forma basis” and shall be calculated for the applicable period of measurement based on the most recently completed period of four consecutive fiscal quarters for which internal financial statements are available immediately preceding the date of such event; provided, that for the avoidance of doubt, the amount of Consolidated Net Income available for Restricted Payments under Section 4.07(a) shall not be calculated on a “pro forma basis.”

(b) For all purposes under this Indenture, with respect to compliance with any test for an applicable period of measurement that is calculated on a “pro forma basis” or after giving “pro forma effect,” (A) to the extent applicable, the Pro Forma Adjustment shall have been made and (B) all Specified Transactions and the following transactions in connection therewith that have been made during the applicable period of measurement or subsequent to such period and prior to or simultaneously with the event for which the calculation is made shall be deemed to have occurred as of the first day of the applicable period of measurement (as of the last date in the case of a balance sheet item) in such test: (a) income statement items (whether positive or negative) attributable to the property or Person subject to such Specified Transaction, (i) in the case of a disposition of all or substantially all Equity Interests in any Restricted Subsidiary of the Issuer or any asset of the Issuer or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries, shall be excluded, and (ii) in the case of a Permitted Acquisition or Investment described in the definition of “Specified Transaction,” shall be included, (b) any retirement of Indebtedness, and (c) any Indebtedness incurred by the Issuer or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries in connection therewith and if such Indebtedness has a floating or formula rate, shall have an implied rate of interest for the applicable period for purposes of this definition determined by utilizing the rate which is or would be in effect with respect to such Indebtedness as at the relevant date of determination; provided that, (1) without limiting the application of the Pro Forma Adjustment pursuant to clause (A) above, the foregoing pro forma adjustments may be applied to any such test solely to the extent that such adjustments are consistent with the definition of “Consolidated EBITDA” and give effect to events (including cost savings, synergies and operating expense reductions) that are (as determined by the Issuer in good faith) (i) (x) directly attributable to such transaction, (y) expected to have a continuing impact on the

 

-30-


Issuer and its Restricted Subsidiaries and (z) factually supportable or (ii) otherwise consistent with the definition of “Pro Forma Adjustment” and (2) in connection with any Specified Transaction that is the incurrence of Indebtedness in respect of which compliance with any specified leverage ratio test is by the terms of this Indenture required to be calculated on a pro forma basis, (I) the proceeds of such Indebtedness shall not be netted from Indebtedness in the calculation of the applicable leverage ratio test and (II) if such Indebtedness is a revolving facility, the incurrence or repayment of any indebtedness in respect of such revolving facility included in such incurrence test calculation immediately prior to or simultaneously with the incurrence of such indebtedness for which the pro forma calculation of such ratio or test is being made and/or any drawing under any revolving facilities used to finance working capital needs of the Issuer and its Restricted Subsidiaries (as reasonably determined by the Issuer), shall be disregarded but, for avoidance of doubt, shall thereafter be included in any future calculations after giving effect to any prepayments or other Specified Transactions with respect thereto.

(c) The Issuer may elect, pursuant to an Officer’s Certificate delivered to the Trustee not later than 30 days after entering into any commitment providing for the incurrence of Indebtedness, that all or any portion of the Indebtedness that could be incurred under such commitment at the time such commitment is entered into shall be treated as incurred and outstanding in such amount for all purposes of the calculation (whether or not such Indebtedness is outstanding at the time such commitment is entered into) for so long as such commitments are outstanding or until the Issuer revokes such election, and any subsequent incurrence of such Indebtedness under such commitment (including upon repayment and reborrowing) shall not be deemed, for purposes of any such calculation, to be the incurrence of Indebtedness at such subsequent time.

(d) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Indenture:

(1) with respect to any amounts incurred or transactions entered into (or consummated) in reliance on a provision of the same section of this Indenture that does not require compliance with a financial ratio or test (including, without limitation, any Net First Lien Leverage Ratio test, any Net Secured Leverage Ratio test and/or any Net Total Leverage Ratio test) (any such amounts, the “Fixed Amounts”) substantially concurrently with any amounts incurred or transactions entered into (or consummated) in reliance on a provision of the same section of this Indenture that requires compliance with any such financial ratio or test (any such amounts, the “Incurrence Based Amounts”), it is understood and agreed that, for purposes of this Indenture, the Fixed Amounts under such section and any substantially concurrent borrowings under the ABL Facility (and any cash proceeds thereof) shall be disregarded in the calculation of the financial ratio or test applicable to the Incurrence Based Amounts in connection with such substantially concurrent incurrence;

(2) for purposes of calculating any leverage ratio in this Indenture in connection with the incurrence of any Indebtedness, there shall be no netting of the cash proceeds proposed to be received in connection with the incurrence of such Indebtedness; and

(3) for the purposes of calculating any leverage ratio in this Indenture, any amount in a currency other than U.S. dollars shall be converted to U.S. dollars based on the average exchange rate for such currency for the most recent twelve month period immediately prior to the date of determination determined in a manner consistent with that used in calculating Consolidated EBITDA for the applicable period.

For the avoidance of doubt, the Trustee shall have no responsibility whatsoever to make, to monitor, or in any manner whatsoever in respect of, any calculations.

Section 1.07 Limited Condition Transactions

When calculating the availability under any basket or ratio under this Indenture or determining the absence of a Default or Event of Default (or any type of Default or Event of Default) as a condition to the consummation of any Limited Condition Transaction or the incurrence of any Indebtedness in connection therewith, the determination of whether the relevant condition, may be made, at the irrevocable election of the Issuer (such election, a “LCT Election”), at the time of (and on the basis of the financial statements for the most recently ended fiscal period for which financial statements are available at the time of) either (a) the date that a definitive agreement, irrevocable

 

-31-


notice or declaration, as applicable, for such Limited Condition transaction is entered into, delivered or announced, as applicable, or (b) the date of the consummation of such Limited Condition Transaction, in each case, after giving effect to the relevant Limited Condition Transaction and any related transactions (including any incurrence of Indebtedness and the use of proceeds thereof), on a pro forma basis (such date, the “LCT Test Date”). If the Issuer makes such a LCT Election, any subsequent calculation of any basket or ratio shall be calculated on an equivalent pro forma basis, unless the definitive agreement, irrevocable notice or declaration for such Limited Condition Transaction expires or is terminated without consummation of such Limited Condition Transaction. Any LCT Election shall be made pursuant to a written notice from the Issuer to the Trustee at the time of the execution of the definitive agreements, irrevocable notice or declaration with respect to the Limited Condition Transaction; provided, however, that, to the extent the Issuer has not delivered such written notice to the Trustee by the time of execution of the definitive agreements, irrevocable notice or declaration with respect to such Limited Condition Transaction, the relevant conditions required to be satisfied as a condition to consummating such transaction and/or incurring such Indebtedness will be tested at the time of consummation of such Limited Condition Transaction and the related incurrence of Indebtedness.

For the avoidance of doubt, if the Issuer has made a LCT Election and any of the ratios or baskets for which compliance was determined or tested as of the LCT Test Date (including with respect to the incurrence of any Indebtedness) are exceeded as a result of fluctuations in any such ratio or basket (including due to fluctuations of the target of any Limited Condition Transaction) at or prior to the consummation of the relevant transaction or action, such baskets or ratios will not be deemed to have been exceeded as a result of such fluctuations.

For the avoidance of doubt, the Trustee shall have no responsibility whatsoever to make, to monitor or in any manner whatsoever in respect of, any calculations.

Section 1.08 Divisions

Any reference herein to a merger, consolidation, amalgamation, assignment, sale, disposition or transfer, or similar term, shall be deemed to apply to a division of or by a limited liability company, or an allocation of assets to a series of a limited liability company (or the unwinding of such a division or allocation), as if it were a merger, consolidation, amalgamation, assignment, sale, disposition or transfer, or similar term, as applicable, to, of or with a separate Person. Any division of a limited liability company shall constitute a separate Person hereunder (and each division of any limited liability company that is a Subsidiary, joint venture or any other like term shall also constitute such a Person or entity).

ARTICLE II

THE NOTES

Section 2.01 Form and Dating; Terms.

(a) General. The Notes and the Trustee’s certificate of authentication shall be substantially in the form of Exhibit A hereto. The Notes may have notations, legends or endorsements required by law, stock exchange rules or usage. Each Note shall be dated the date of its authentication. The Notes shall be in denominations of $2,000 and integral multiples of $1,000 in excess thereof.

(b) Global Notes. Notes issued in global form shall be substantially in the form of Exhibit A attached hereto (including the Global Note Legend thereon and the “Schedule of Exchanges of Interests in the Global Note” attached thereto). Notes issued in definitive form shall be substantially in the form of Exhibit A attached hereto (but without the Global Note Legend thereon and without the “Schedule of Exchanges of Interests in the Global Note” attached thereto). Each Global Note shall represent such of the outstanding Notes as shall be specified in the “Schedule of Exchanges of Interests in the Global Note” attached thereto and each Global Note shall provide that it shall represent up to the aggregate principal amount of Notes from time to time endorsed thereon and that the aggregate principal amount of outstanding Notes represented thereby may from time to time be reduced or increased, as applicable, to reflect exchanges and redemptions. Any endorsement of a Global Note to reflect the amount of any increase or decrease in the aggregate principal amount of outstanding Notes represented thereby shall be made by the Trustee or the Custodian, at the direction of the Trustee, in accordance with instructions given by the Holder thereof as required by Section 2.06 hereof.

 

-32-


(c) [Reserved]

(d) Terms. The aggregate principal amount of Notes that may be authenticated and delivered under this Indenture is unlimited.

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

The Notes shall be subject to repurchase by the Issuer pursuant to an Asset Sale Offer or a Collateral Asset Sale Offer as provided in Section 4.10 hereof or a Change of Control Offer as provided in Section 4.14 hereof. The Notes shall not be redeemable, other than as provided in Article III hereof.

Additional Notes ranking pari passu with the Initial Notes may be created and issued from time to time by the Issuer without notice to or consent of the Holders and shall be consolidated with and form a single class with the Initial Notes and shall have the same terms as to status, redemption or otherwise as the Initial Notes; provided that the Issuer’s ability to issue Additional Notes shall be subject to the Issuer’s compliance with Section 4.09 hereof. Any Additional Notes shall be issued with the benefit of an indenture supplemental to this Indenture.

(e) Euroclear and Clearstream Procedures Applicable. The provisions of the “Operating Procedures of the Euroclear System” and “Terms and Conditions Governing Use of Euroclear” and the “General Terms and Conditions of Clearstream Banking” and “Customer Handbook” of Clearstream shall be applicable to transfers of beneficial interests in the Regulation S Global Note that are held by Participants through Euroclear or Clearstream.

Section 2.02 Execution and Authentication. At least one Officer shall execute the Notes on behalf of each Issuer by manual or facsimile signature.

If an Officer whose signature is on a Note no longer holds that office at the time such Note is authenticated, such Note shall nevertheless be valid.

A Note shall not be entitled to any benefit under this Indenture or be valid or obligatory for any purpose until authenticated substantially in the form of Exhibit A attached hereto by the manual or facsimile signature of the Trustee. The signature shall be conclusive evidence that the Note has been duly authenticated and delivered under this Indenture.

On the Issue Date, the Trustee shall, upon receipt of a written order of the Issuer (an “Authentication Order”), authenticate and deliver the Initial Notes. In addition, at any time, from time to time, the Trustee shall upon receipt of an Authentication Order authenticate and deliver any Additional Notes for an aggregate principal amount specified in such Authentication Order for such Additional Notes issued hereunder.

The Trustee may appoint an authenticating agent acceptable to the Issuer to authenticate Notes. An authenticating agent may authenticate Notes whenever the Trustee may do so. Each reference in this Indenture to authentication by the Trustee includes authentication by such agent. An authenticating agent has the same rights as an Agent to deal with Holders or an Affiliate of the Issuer.

Section 2.03 Registrar and Paying Agent. The Issuer shall maintain an office or agency in the Borough of Manhattan, City of New York, where Notes may be presented for registration (“Registrar”), an office or agency in the Borough of Manhattan, City of New York, where Notes may be presented for transfer or exchange (“Transfer Agent”) and an office or agency in the Borough of Manhattan, City of New York, where Notes may be presented for payment (“Paying Agent”). The Registrar shall keep a register of the Notes (“Note Register”) and of their transfer and exchange. The Issuer may appoint one or more co-registrars, one or more co-transfer agents and one or more additional paying agents. The term “Registrar” includes any co-registrar, the term “Transfer Agent” includes any co-transfer agent and the term “Paying Agent” includes any additional paying agent. The Issuer may change any

 

-33-


Paying Agent, Transfer Agent or Registrar without prior notice to any Holder. So long as the Notes are listed on an exchange and the rules of such exchange so require, the Issuer shall satisfy any requirement of such exchange as to paying agents, registrars and transfer agents and shall comply with any notice requirements required by such exchange in connection with any change of paying agent, registrar or transfer agent. The Issuer shall notify the Trustee in writing of the name and address of any Agent not a party to this Indenture. If the Issuer fails to appoint or maintain another entity as Registrar, Transfer Agent or Paying Agent, the Trustee shall act as such. None of the Issuer, any Restricted Subsidiary or any Subsidiary of a Restricted Subsidiary may act as Paying Agent, Transfer Agent or Registrar.

The Issuer initially appoints The Depository Trust Company (“DTC”) to act as Depositary with respect to the Global Notes.

The Issuer initially appoint the Trustee to act as Custodian with respect to the Global Notes. The Issuer initially appoint U.S. Bank National Association to act as the Paying Agent, Registrar and Transfer Agent for the Notes.

Section 2.04 Paying Agent To Hold Money in Trust. The Issuer shall require each Paying Agent other than the Trustee to agree in writing that the Paying Agent shall hold in trust for the benefit of the Holders or the Trustee all money held by the Paying Agent for the payment of principal, premium, if any, or interest on the Notes, and shall notify the Trustee of any default by the Issuer in making any such payment. While any such default continues, the Trustee may require a Paying Agent to pay all money held by it to the Trustee. Upon payment over to the Trustee, the Paying Agent shall have no further liability for the money. Upon any bankruptcy or reorganization proceedings (or similar proceedings) relating to the Issuer, the Trustee shall serve as Paying Agent for the Notes.

Section 2.05 Holder Lists. The Trustee shall preserve in as current a form as is reasonably practicable the most recent list available to it of the names and addresses of all Holders. If the Trustee is not the Registrar, the Issuer shall furnish to the Trustee at least two Business Days before each Interest Payment Date and at such other times as the Trustee may request in writing, a list in such form and as of such date as the Trustee may reasonably require of the names and addresses of the Holders.

Section 2.06 Transfer and Exchange.

(a) Transfer and Exchange of Global Notes. Except as otherwise set forth in this Section 2.06, a Global Note may be transferred, in whole and not in part, only to another nominee of the Depositary or to a successor Depositary or a nominee of such successor Depositary. A beneficial interest in a Global Note may not be exchanged for a Definitive Note unless (i) the Depositary (x) notifies the Issuer that it is unwilling or unable to continue as Depositary for such Global Note or (y) has ceased to be a clearing agency registered under the Exchange Act and, in either case, a successor Depositary is not appointed by the Issuer within 120 days or (ii) there shall have occurred and be continuing a Default with respect to the Notes. Upon the occurrence of any of the events in clause (i) or (ii) above, Definitive Notes delivered in exchange for any Global Note or beneficial interests therein shall be registered in the names, and issued in any approved denominations, requested by or on behalf of the Depositary (in accordance with its customary procedures). Global Notes also may be exchanged or replaced, in whole or in part, as provided in Sections 2.07 and 2.10 hereof. Every Note authenticated and delivered in exchange for, or in lieu of, a Global Note or any portion thereof, pursuant to this Section 2.06 or Section 2.07 or 2.10 hereof, shall be authenticated and delivered in the form of, and shall be, a Global Note, except for Definitive Notes issued subsequent to any of the events in clause (i) or (ii) above and pursuant to Section 2.06(c) hereof. A Global Note may not be exchanged for another Note other than as provided in this Section 2.06(a); provided, however, beneficial interests in a Global Note may be transferred and exchanged as provided in Section 2.06(b) or (c) hereof.

(b) Transfer and Exchange of Beneficial Interests in the Global Notes. The transfer and exchange of beneficial interests in the Global Notes shall be effected through the Depositary, in accordance with the provisions of this Indenture and the Applicable Procedures. Beneficial interests in the Restricted Global Notes shall be subject to restrictions on transfer comparable to those set forth herein to the extent required by the Securities Act. Transfers of beneficial interests in the Global Notes also shall require compliance with either clauses (1) or (2) below, as applicable, as well as one or more of the other following subparagraphs, as applicable:

 

-34-


(1) Transfer of Beneficial Interests in the Same Global Note. Beneficial interests in any Restricted Global Note may be transferred to Persons who take delivery thereof in the form of a beneficial interest in the same Restricted Global Note in accordance with the transfer restrictions set forth in the Private Placement Legend; provided, however, that prior to the expiration of the Restricted Period, transfers of beneficial interests in the Regulation S Global Note may not be made to a U.S. Person or for the account or benefit of a U.S. Person (other than an Initial Purchaser). Beneficial interests in any Unrestricted Global Note may be transferred to Persons who take delivery thereof in the form of a beneficial interest in an Unrestricted Global Note. No written orders or instructions shall be required to be delivered to the Registrar to effect the transfers described in this Section 2.06(b)(1).

(2) All Other Transfers and Exchanges of Beneficial Interests in Global Notes. In connection with all transfers and exchanges of beneficial interests that are not subject to Section 2.06(b)(1) hereof, the transferor of such beneficial interest must deliver to the Registrar either (A) (1) a written order from a Participant or an Indirect Participant given to the Depositary in accordance with the Applicable Procedures directing the Depositary to credit or cause to be credited a beneficial interest in another Global Note in an amount equal to the beneficial interest to be transferred or exchanged and (2) instructions given in accordance with the Applicable Procedures containing information regarding the Participant account to be credited with such increase or (B) (1) a written order from a Participant or an Indirect Participant given to the Depositary in accordance with the Applicable Procedures directing the Depositary to cause to be issued a Definitive Note in an amount equal to the beneficial interest to be transferred or exchanged and (2) instructions given by the Depositary to the Registrar containing information regarding the Person in whose name such Definitive Note shall be registered to effect the transfer or exchange referred to in (1) above; provided that in no event shall Definitive Notes be issued upon the transfer or exchange of beneficial interests in the Regulation S Global Note prior to (x) the expiration of the Restricted Period and (y) the receipt by the Registrar of any certificates required pursuant to Rule 903. Upon satisfaction of all of the requirements for transfer or exchange of beneficial interests in Global Notes contained in this Indenture and the Notes or otherwise applicable under the Securities Act, the Trustee shall adjust the principal amount of the relevant Global Note(s) pursuant to Section 2.06(h) hereof.

(3) Transfer of Beneficial Interests to Another Restricted Global Note. A beneficial interest in any Restricted Global Note may be transferred to a Person who takes delivery thereof in the form of a beneficial interest in another Restricted Global Note if the transfer complies with the requirements of Section 2.06(b)(2) hereof and the Registrar receives the following:

(i) if the transferee shall take delivery in the form of a beneficial interest in the 144A Global Note, a certificate in the form of Exhibit B hereto, including the certifications in item (1) thereof; or

(ii) if the transferee shall take delivery in the form of a beneficial interest in the Regulation S Global Note, a certificate in the form of Exhibit B hereto, including the certifications in item (2) thereof.

(4) Transfer and Exchange of Beneficial Interests in a Restricted Global Note for Beneficial Interests in an Unrestricted Global Note. A beneficial interest in any Restricted Global Note may be exchanged by any holder thereof for a beneficial interest in an Unrestricted Global Note or transferred to a Person who takes delivery thereof in the form of a beneficial interest in an Unrestricted Global Note if the exchange or transfer complies with the requirements of Section 2.06(b)(2) hereof and the Registrar receives the following:

(i) if the holder of such beneficial interest in a Restricted Global Note proposes to exchange such beneficial interest for a beneficial interest in an Unrestricted Global Note, a certificate from such Holder substantially in the form of Exhibit C hereto, including the certifications in item (1)(a) thereof; or

(ii) if the holder of such beneficial interest in a Restricted Global Note proposes to transfer such beneficial interest to a Person who shall take delivery thereof in the form of a beneficial interest in an Unrestricted Global Note, a certificate from such holder in the form of Exhibit B hereto, including the certifications in item (4) thereof;

 

-35-


and, in each such case, if the Registrar so requests or if the Applicable Procedures so require, an Opinion of Counsel in form reasonably acceptable to the Registrar to the effect that such exchange or transfer is in compliance with the Securities Act and that the restrictions on transfer contained herein and in the Private Placement Legend are no longer required in order to maintain compliance with the Securities Act.

If any such transfer is effected at a time when an Unrestricted Global Note has not yet been issued, the Issuer shall issue and, upon receipt of an Authentication Order in accordance with Section 2.02 hereof, the Trustee shall authenticate one or more Unrestricted Global Notes in an aggregate principal amount equal to the aggregate principal amount of beneficial interests transferred.

Beneficial interests in an Unrestricted Global Note cannot be exchanged for, or transferred to Persons who take delivery thereof in the form of, a beneficial interest in a Restricted Global Note.

(c) Transfer or Exchange of Beneficial Interests for Definitive Notes.

(1) Beneficial Interests in Restricted Global Notes to Restricted Definitive Notes. If any holder of a beneficial interest in a Restricted Global Note proposes to exchange such beneficial interest for a Restricted Definitive Note or to transfer such beneficial interest to a Person who takes delivery thereof in the form of a Restricted Definitive Note, then, upon the occurrence of any of the events in clause (1) or (2) of Section 2.06(b) hereof and receipt by the Registrar of the following documentation:

(i) if the holder of such beneficial interest in a Restricted Global Note proposes to exchange such beneficial interest for a Restricted Definitive Note, a certificate from such holder substantially in the form of Exhibit C hereto, including the certifications in item (2)(a) thereof;

(ii) if such beneficial interest is being transferred to a QIB in accordance with Rule 144A, a certificate substantially in the form of Exhibit B hereto, including the certifications in item (1) thereof;

(iii) if such beneficial interest is being transferred to a Non-U.S. Person in an offshore transaction in accordance with Rule 903 or Rule 904, a certificate substantially in the form of Exhibit B hereto, including the certifications in item (2) thereof;

(iv) if such beneficial interest is being transferred pursuant to an exemption from the registration requirements of the Securities Act in accordance with Rule 144, a certificate substantially in the form of Exhibit B hereto, including the certifications in item (3)(a) thereof;

(v) if such beneficial interest is being transferred to the Issuer or any of its Subsidiaries, a certificate substantially in the form of Exhibit B hereto, including the certifications in item (3)(b) thereof; or

(vi) if such beneficial interest is being transferred pursuant to an effective registration statement under the Securities Act, a certificate substantially in the form of Exhibit B hereto, including the certifications in item (3)(c) thereof, the Trustee shall cause the aggregate principal amount of the applicable Global Note to be reduced accordingly pursuant to Section 2.06(h) hereof, and the Issuer shall execute and the Trustee shall authenticate and mail to the Person designated in the instructions a Definitive Note in the applicable principal amount. Any Definitive Note issued in exchange for a beneficial interest in a Restricted Global Note pursuant to this Section 2.06(c) shall be registered in such name or names and in such authorized denomination or denominations as the holder of such beneficial interest shall instruct the Registrar through instructions from the Depositary and the Participant or Indirect Participant. The Trustee shall mail such Definitive Notes to the Persons in whose names such Notes are so registered. Any Definitive Note issued in exchange for a beneficial interest in a Restricted Global Note pursuant to this Section 2.06(c)(1) shall bear the Private Placement Legend and shall be subject to all restrictions on transfer contained therein.

 

-36-


(2) [Reserved]

(3) Beneficial Interests in Restricted Global Notes to Unrestricted Definitive Notes. A holder of a beneficial interest in a Restricted Global Note may exchange such beneficial interest for an Unrestricted Definitive Note or may transfer such beneficial interest to a Person who takes delivery thereof in the form of an Unrestricted Definitive Note only upon the occurrence of any of the events in clause (1) or (2) of Section 2.06(a) hereof and if the Registrar receives the following:

(i) if the holder of such beneficial interest in a Restricted Global Note proposes to exchange such beneficial interest for an Unrestricted Definitive Note, a certificate from such holder substantially in the form of Exhibit C hereto, including the certifications in item (1)(b) thereof; or

(ii) if the holder of such beneficial interest in a Restricted Global Note proposes to transfer such beneficial interest to a Person who shall take delivery thereof in the form of an Unrestricted Definitive Note, a certificate from such holder substantially in the form of Exhibit B hereto, including the certifications in item (4) thereof; and, in each such case, if the Registrar so requests or if the Applicable Procedures so require, an Opinion of Counsel in form reasonably acceptable to the Registrar to the effect that such exchange or transfer is in compliance with the Securities Act and that the restrictions on transfer contained herein and in the Private Placement Legend are no longer required in order to maintain compliance with the Securities Act.

(4) Beneficial Interests in Unrestricted Global Notes to Unrestricted Definitive Notes. If any holder of a beneficial interest in an Unrestricted Global Note proposes to exchange such beneficial interest for a Definitive Note or to transfer such beneficial interest to a Person who takes delivery thereof in the form of a Definitive Note, then, upon the occurrence of any of the events in clause (1) or (2) of Section 2.06(a) hereof and satisfaction of the conditions set forth in Section 2.06(b)(2) hereof, the Trustee shall cause the aggregate principal amount of the applicable Global Note to be reduced accordingly pursuant to Section 2.06(h) hereof, and the Issuer shall execute and the Trustee shall authenticate and mail to the Person designated in the instructions a Definitive Note in the applicable principal amount. Any Definitive Note issued in exchange for a beneficial interest pursuant to this Section 2.06(c)(4) shall be registered in such name or names and in such authorized denomination or denominations as the holder of such beneficial interest shall instruct the Registrar through instructions from or through the Depositary and the Participant or Indirect Participant. The Trustee shall mail such Definitive Notes to the Persons in whose names such Notes are so registered. Any Definitive Note issued in exchange for a beneficial interest pursuant to this Section 2.06(c)(4) shall not bear the Private Placement Legend.

(d) Transfer and Exchange of Definitive Notes for Beneficial Interests.

(1) Restricted Definitive Notes to Beneficial Interests in Restricted Global Notes. If any Holder of a Restricted Definitive Note proposes to exchange such Note for a beneficial interest in a Restricted Global Note or to transfer such Restricted Definitive Note to a Person who takes delivery thereof in the form of a beneficial interest in a Restricted Global Note, then, upon receipt by the Registrar of the following documentation:

(i) if the Holder of such Restricted Definitive Note proposes to exchange such Note for a beneficial interest in a Restricted Global Note, a certificate from such Holder substantially in the form of Exhibit C hereto, including the certifications in item (2)(b) thereof;

(ii) if such Restricted Definitive Note is being transferred to a QIB in accordance with Rule 144A, a certificate substantially in the form of Exhibit B hereto, including the certifications in item (1) thereof;

(iii) if such Restricted Definitive Note is being transferred to a Non-U.S. Person in an offshore transaction in accordance with Rule 903 or Rule 904, a certificate substantially in the form of Exhibit B hereto, including the certifications in item (2) thereof;

 

-37-


(iv) if such Restricted Definitive Note is being transferred pursuant to an exemption from the registration requirements of the Securities Act in accordance with Rule 144, a certificate substantially in the form of Exhibit B hereto, including the certifications in item (3)(a) thereof;

(v) if such Restricted Definitive Note is being transferred to the Issuer or any of its Subsidiaries, a certificate substantially in the form of Exhibit B hereto, including the certifications in item (3)(b) thereof; or

(vi) if such Restricted Definitive Note is being transferred pursuant to an effective registration statement under the Securities Act, a certificate substantially in the form of Exhibit B hereto, including the certifications in item (3)(c) thereof, the Trustee shall cancel the Restricted Definitive Note, increase or cause to be increased the aggregate principal amount of, in the case of clause (i) above, the applicable Restricted Global Note, in the case of clause (ii) above, the applicable 144A Global Note, and in the case of clause (iii) above, the applicable Regulation S Global Note.

(2) Restricted Definitive Notes to Beneficial Interests in Unrestricted Global Notes. A Holder of a Restricted Definitive Note may exchange such Note for a beneficial interest in an Unrestricted Global Note or transfer such Restricted Definitive Note to a Person who takes delivery thereof in the form of a beneficial interest in an Unrestricted Global Note only if the Registrar receives the following:

(i) if the Holder of such Definitive Notes proposes to exchange such Notes for a beneficial interest in the Unrestricted Global Note, a certificate from such Holder substantially in the form of Exhibit C hereto, including the certifications in item (1)(c) thereof; or

(ii) if the Holder of such Definitive Notes proposes to transfer such Notes to a Person who shall take delivery thereof in the form of a beneficial interest in the Unrestricted Global Note, a certificate from such Holder substantially in the form of Exhibit B hereto, including the certifications in item (4) thereof; and, in each such case, if the Registrar so requests or if the Applicable Procedures so require, an Opinion of Counsel in form reasonably acceptable to the Registrar to the effect that such exchange or transfer is in compliance with the Securities Act and that the restrictions on transfer contained herein and in the Private Placement Legend are no longer required in order to maintain compliance with the Securities Act.

Upon satisfaction of the conditions of any of the subparagraphs in this Section 2.06(d)(2), the Trustee shall cancel the Definitive Notes and increase or cause to be increased the aggregate principal amount of the Unrestricted Global Note.

(3) Unrestricted Definitive Notes to Beneficial Interests in Unrestricted Global Notes. (i) A Holder of an Unrestricted Definitive Note may exchange such Note for a beneficial interest in an Unrestricted Global Note or transfer such Definitive Notes to a Person who takes delivery thereof in the form of a beneficial interest in an Unrestricted Global Note at any time. Upon receipt of a request for such an exchange or transfer, the Trustee shall cancel the applicable Unrestricted Definitive Note and increase or cause to be increased the aggregate principal amount of one of the Unrestricted Global Notes.

(ii) If any such exchange or transfer from a Definitive Note to a beneficial interest is effected pursuant to Sections 2.06(d)(2) or (3)(i) above at a time when an Unrestricted Global Note has not yet been issued, the Issuer shall issue and, upon receipt of an Authentication Order in accordance with Section 2.02 hereof, the Trustee shall authenticate one or more Unrestricted Global Notes in an aggregate principal amount equal to the principal amount of Definitive Notes so transferred.

(e) Transfer and Exchange of Definitive Notes for Definitive Notes. Upon request by a Holder of Definitive Notes and such Holder’s compliance with the provisions of this Section 2.06(e), the Registrar shall register the transfer or exchange of Definitive Notes. Prior to such registration of transfer or exchange, the requesting Holder shall present or surrender to the Registrar the Definitive Notes duly endorsed or accompanied by a written instruction of transfer or exchange in form satisfactory to the Registrar duly executed by such Holder or by its attorney, duly authorized in writing. In addition, the requesting Holder shall provide any additional certifications, documents and information, as applicable, required pursuant to the following provisions of this Section 2.06(e):

 

-38-


(1) Restricted Definitive Notes to Restricted Definitive Notes. Any Restricted Definitive Note may be transferred to and registered in the name of Persons who take delivery thereof in the form of a Restricted Definitive Note if the Registrar receives the following:

(i) if the transfer shall be made to a QIB in accordance with Rule 144A, then the transferor must deliver a certificate substantially in the form of Exhibit B hereto, including the certifications in item (1) thereof;

(ii) if the transfer shall be made pursuant to Rule 903 or Rule 904, then the transferor must deliver a certificate in the form of Exhibit B hereto, including the certifications in item (2) thereof; or

(iii) if the transfer shall be made pursuant to any other exemption from the registration requirements of the Securities Act, then the transferor must deliver a certificate in the form of Exhibit B hereto, including the certifications required by item (3) thereof, if applicable.

(2) Restricted Definitive Notes to Unrestricted Definitive Notes. Any Restricted Definitive Note may be exchanged by the Holder thereof for an Unrestricted Definitive Note or transferred to a Person or Persons who take delivery thereof in the form of an Unrestricted Definitive Note if the Registrar receives the following:

(i) if the Holder of such Restricted Definitive Notes proposes to exchange such Notes for an Unrestricted Definitive Note, a certificate from such Holder substantially in the form of Exhibit C hereto, including the certifications in item (1)(d) thereof; or

(ii) if the Holder of such Restricted Definitive Notes proposes to transfer such Notes to a Person who shall take delivery thereof in the form of an Unrestricted Definitive Note, a certificate from such Holder substantially in the form of Exhibit B hereto, including the certifications in item (4) thereof; and, in each such case, if the Registrar so requests, an Opinion of Counsel in form reasonably acceptable to the Registrar to the effect that such exchange or transfer is in compliance with the Securities Act and that the restrictions on transfer contained herein and in the Private Placement Legend are no longer required in order to maintain compliance with the Securities Act.

(3) Unrestricted Definitive Notes to Unrestricted Definitive Notes. A Holder of Unrestricted Definitive Notes may transfer such Notes to a Person who takes delivery thereof in the form of an Unrestricted Definitive Note. Upon receipt of a request to register such a transfer, the Registrar shall register the Unrestricted Definitive Notes pursuant to the instructions from the Holder thereof.

(f) [Reserved].

(g) Legends. The following legends shall appear on the face of all Global Notes and Definitive Notes issued under this Indenture unless specifically stated otherwise in the applicable provisions of this Indenture:

(1) Private Placement Legend.

(i) Except as permitted by subparagraph (ii) below, each Global Note and each Definitive Note (and all Notes issued in exchange therefor or substitution thereof) shall bear the legend in substantially the following form:

 

-39-


“THE SECURITY (OR ITS PREDECESSOR) EVIDENCED HEREBY WAS ORIGINALLY ISSUED IN A TRANSACTION EXEMPT FROM REGISTRATION UNDER SECTION 5 OF THE UNITED STATES SECURITIES ACT OF 1933, AS AMENDED (THE “SECURITIES ACT”), AND THE SECURITY EVIDENCED HEREBY MAY NOT BE OFFERED, SOLD OR OTHERWISE TRANSFERRED IN THE ABSENCE OF SUCH REGISTRATION OR AN APPLICABLE EXEMPTION THEREFROM. EACH PURCHASER OF THE SECURITY EVIDENCED HEREBY IS HEREBY NOTIFIED THAT THE SELLER MAY BE RELYING ON THE EXEMPTION FROM THE PROVISIONS OF SECTION 5 OF THE SECURITIES ACT PROVIDED BY RULE 144A THEREUNDER. THE HOLDER OF THE SECURITY EVIDENCED HEREBY AGREES FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE ISSUER THAT (A) SUCH SECURITY MAY BE RESOLD, PLEDGED OR OTHERWISE TRANSFERRED, ONLY (1)(A) INSIDE THE UNITED STATES TO A PERSON WHO THE SELLER REASONABLY BELIEVES IS A QUALIFIED INSTITUTIONAL BUYER (AS DEFINED IN RULE 144A UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT) PURCHASING FOR ITS OWN ACCOUNT OR FOR THE ACCOUNT OF A QUALIFIED INSTITUTIONAL BUYER IN A TRANSACTION MEETING THE REQUIREMENTS OF RULE 144A UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT, (B) OUTSIDE THE UNITED STATES TO A FOREIGN PERSON IN A TRANSACTION MEETING THE REQUIREMENTS OF RULE 903 OR RULE 904 OF REGULATION S UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT, (C) PURSUANT TO AN EXEMPTION FROM REGISTRATION UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT PROVIDED BY RULE 144 THEREUNDER (IF APPLICABLE) (AND BASED UPON AN OPINION OF COUNSEL ACCEPTABLE TO THE ISSUER IF THE ISSUER SO REQUESTS) OR (D) IN ACCORDANCE WITH ANOTHER EXEMPTION FROM THE REGISTRATION REQUIREMENTS OF THE SECURITIES ACT (AND BASED UPON AN OPINION OF COUNSEL ACCEPTABLE TO THE ISSUER IF THE ISSUER SO REQUESTS), (2) TO THE ISSUER OR (3) PURSUANT TO AN EFFECTIVE REGISTRATION STATEMENT AND, IN EACH CASE, IN ACCORDANCE WITH ANY APPLICABLE SECURITIES LAWS OF ANY STATE OF THE UNITED STATES OR ANY OTHER APPLICABLE JURISDICTION AND (B) THE HOLDER WILL, AND EACH SUBSEQUENT HOLDER IS REQUIRED TO, NOTIFY ANY PURCHASER OF THE SECURITY EVIDENCED HEREBY OF THE RESALE RESTRICTIONS SET FORTH IN CLAUSE (A) ABOVE. NO REPRESENTATION CAN BE MADE AS TO THE AVAILABILITY OF THE EXEMPTION PROVIDED BY RULE 144 FOR RESALE OF THE SECURITY EVIDENCED HEREBY.”

(ii) Notwithstanding the foregoing, any Global Note or Definitive Note issued pursuant to subparagraph (b)(4), (c)(3), (c)(4), (d) (2), (d)(3), (e)(2) or (e)(3) of this Section 2.06 (and all Notes issued in exchange therefor or substitution thereof) shall not bear the Private Placement Legend.

(2) Global Note Legend. Each Global Note shall bear a legend in substantially the following form:

“THIS GLOBAL NOTE IS HELD BY THE DEPOSITARY (AS DEFINED IN THE INDENTURE GOVERNING THIS NOTE) OR ITS NOMINEE IN CUSTODY FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE BENEFICIAL OWNERS HEREOF, AND IS NOT TRANSFERABLE TO ANY PERSON UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES EXCEPT THAT (I) THE TRUSTEE MAY MAKE SUCH NOTATIONS HEREON AS MAY BE REQUIRED PURSUANT TO SECTION 2.06(h) OF THE INDENTURE, (II) THIS GLOBAL NOTE MAY BE EXCHANGED IN WHOLE BUT NOT IN PART PURSUANT TO SECTION 2.06(a) OF THE INDENTURE, (III) THIS GLOBAL NOTE MAY BE DELIVERED TO THE TRUSTEE FOR CANCELLATION PURSUANT TO SECTION 2.11 OF THE INDENTURE AND (IV) THIS GLOBAL NOTE MAY BE TRANSFERRED TO A SUCCESSOR DEPOSITARY WITH THE PRIOR WRITTEN CONSENT OF THE ISSUER. UNLESS AND UNTIL IT IS EXCHANGED IN WHOLE OR IN PART FOR NOTES IN DEFINITIVE FORM, THIS NOTE MAY NOT BE TRANSFERRED EXCEPT AS A WHOLE BY THE DEPOSITARY TO A NOMINEE OF THE DEPOSITARY OR BY A NOMINEE OF THE DEPOSITARY TO

 

-40-


THE DEPOSITARY OR ANOTHER NOMINEE OF THE DEPOSITARY OR BY THE DEPOSITARY OR ANY SUCH NOMINEE TO A SUCCESSOR DEPOSITARY OR A NOMINEE OF SUCH SUCCESSOR DEPOSITARY. UNLESS THIS CERTIFICATE IS PRESENTED BY AN AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE OF THE DEPOSITORY TRUST COMPANY (55 WATER STREET, NEW YORK, NEW YORK) (“DTC”) TO THE ISSUER OR THEIR AGENT FOR REGISTRATION OF TRANSFER, EXCHANGE OR PAYMENT, AND ANY CERTIFICATE ISSUED IS REGISTERED IN THE NAME OF CEDE & CO. OR SUCH OTHER NAME AS MAY BE REQUESTED BY AN AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE OF DTC (AND ANY PAYMENT IS MADE TO CEDE & CO. OR SUCH OTHER ENTITY AS MAY BE REQUESTED BY AN AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE OF DTC), ANY TRANSFER, PLEDGE OR OTHER USE HEREOF FOR VALUE OR OTHERWISE BY OR TO ANY PERSON IS WRONGFUL INASMUCH AS THE REGISTERED OWNER HEREOF, CEDE & CO., HAS AN INTEREST HEREIN.”

(h) Cancellation and/or Adjustment of Global Notes. At such time as all beneficial interests in a particular Global Note have been exchanged for Definitive Notes or a particular Global Note has been redeemed, repurchased or canceled in whole and not in part, each such Global Note shall be returned to or retained and canceled by the Trustee in accordance with Section 2.11 hereof. At any time prior to such cancellation, if any beneficial interest in a Global Note is exchanged for or transferred to a Person who shall take delivery thereof in the form of a beneficial interest in another Global Note or for Definitive Notes, the principal amount of Notes represented by such Global Note shall be reduced accordingly and an endorsement shall be made on such Global Note by the Trustee or by the Depositary at the direction of the Trustee to reflect such reduction; and if the beneficial interest is being exchanged for or transferred to a Person who shall take delivery thereof in the form of a beneficial interest in another Global Note, such other Global Note shall be increased accordingly and an endorsement shall be made on such Global Note by the Trustee or by the Depositary at the direction of the Trustee to reflect such increase.

(i) General Provisions Relating to Transfers and Exchanges.

 

  (1)

To permit registrations of transfers and exchanges, the Issuer shall execute and the Trustee shall authenticate Global Notes and Definitive Notes upon receipt of an Authentication Order in accordance with Section 2.02 hereof or at the Registrar’s request.

 

  (2)

No service charge shall be made to a holder of a beneficial interest in a Global Note or to a Holder of a Definitive Note for any registration of transfer or exchange, but the Issuer shall require payment of a sum sufficient to cover any transfer tax or similar governmental charge payable in connection therewith (other than any such transfer taxes or similar governmental charge payable upon exchange or transfer pursuant to Sections 2.06, 2.10, 3.06, 3.09, 4.10, 4.14 and 9.05 hereof).

 

  (3)

Neither the Registrar nor the Issuer shall be required to register the transfer of or exchange any Note selected for redemption in whole or in part, except the unredeemed portion of any Note being redeemed in part.

 

  (4)

All Global Notes and Definitive Notes issued upon any registration of transfer or exchange of Global Notes or Definitive Notes shall be the valid obligations of the Issuer, evidencing the same debt, and entitled to the same benefits under this Indenture, as the Global Notes or Definitive Notes surrendered upon such registration of transfer or exchange.

 

  (5)

The Issuer shall not be required (A) to issue, to register the transfer of or to exchange any Notes during a period beginning at the opening of business 15 days before the day of any selection of Notes for redemption under Section 3.02 hereof and ending at the close of business on the day of selection, (B) to register the transfer of or to exchange any Note so selected for redemption in whole or in part, except the unredeemed portion of any Note being redeemed in part, (C) to register the transfer of or to exchange a Note between a Record Date and the next succeeding Interest Payment Date or (D) to register the transfer of or to exchange any Notes selected for redemption or tendered (and not withdrawn) for repurchase in connection with a Change of Control Offer, an Asset Sale Offer or a Collateral Asset Sale Offer.

 

-41-


  (6)

Prior to due presentment for the registration of a transfer of any Note, the Trustee, any Agent and the Issuer may deem and treat the Person in whose name any Note is registered as the absolute owner of such Note for the purpose of receiving payment of principal of (and premium, if any) and interest on such Notes and for all other purposes, and none of the Trustee, any Agent or the Issuer shall be affected by notice to the contrary.

 

  (7)

Upon surrender for registration of transfer of any Note at the office or agency of the Issuer designated pursuant to Section 4.02 hereof, the Issuer shall execute, and the Trustee shall authenticate and mail, in the name of the designated transferee or transferees, one or more replacement Notes of any authorized denomination or denominations of a like aggregate principal amount.

 

  (8)

At the option of any Holder, subject to Section 2.06(a) hereof, Notes may be exchanged for other Notes of any authorized denomination or denominations of a like aggregate principal amount upon surrender of the Notes to be exchanged at such office or agency. Whenever any Global Notes or Definitive Notes are so surrendered for exchange, the Issuer shall execute, and the Trustee shall authenticate and mail, the replacement Global Notes and Definitive Notes to which the Holder making the exchange is entitled in accordance with the provisions of Section 2.02 hereof.

 

  (9)

All certifications, certificates and Opinions of Counsel required to be submitted to the Registrar pursuant to this Section 2.06 to effect a registration of transfer or exchange may be submitted by facsimile.

Section 2.07 Replacement Notes. If either (x) any mutilated Note is surrendered to the Trustee, the Registrar or the Issuer, or (y) if the Issuer and the Trustee receive evidence to their satisfaction of the ownership and destruction, loss or theft of any Note, then the Issuer shall issue and the Trustee, upon receipt of an Authentication Order and satisfaction of any other requirements of the Trustee, shall authenticate a replacement Note. If required by the Trustee or the Issuer, an indemnity bond must be supplied by the Holder referred to in clause (x) or (y) of the preceding sentence that is sufficient in the judgment of the Trustee and the Issuer to protect the Issuer, the Trustee, any Agent and any authenticating agent from any loss that any of them may suffer if a Note is replaced. The Issuer may charge for its expenses in replacing a Note.

Every replacement Note is a contractual obligation of the Issuer and shall be entitled to all of the benefits of this Indenture equally and proportionately with all other Notes duly issued hereunder.

Section 2.08 Outstanding Notes. The Notes outstanding at any time are all the Notes authenticated by the Trustee except for those canceled by it, those delivered to it for cancellation, those reductions in the interest in a Global Note effected by the Trustee in accordance with the provisions hereof, and those described in this Section 2.08 as not outstanding. Except as set forth in Section 2.09 hereof, a Note does not cease to be outstanding because the Issuer or an Affiliate of the Issuer holds such Note.

If a Note is replaced pursuant to Section 2.07 hereof, such Note shall cease to be outstanding unless the Trustee receives proof satisfactory to it that the replaced Note is held by a bona fide purchaser.

If the principal amount of any Note is considered paid under Section 4.01 hereof, such Note shall cease to be outstanding and interest thereon shall cease to accrue.

If the Paying Agent (other than the Issuer, a Subsidiary of the Issuer or an Affiliate of any thereof) holds, on a redemption date or maturity date, money sufficient to pay any Notes payable on such date, then such Notes shall be deemed to be no longer outstanding and shall cease to accrue interest on and after such date.

 

-42-


Section 2.09 Treasury Notes. In determining whether the Holders of the required principal amount of Notes have concurred in any direction, waiver or consent, Notes owned by the Issuer or any Affiliate of the Issuer, shall be considered as though not outstanding, except that for the purposes of determining whether the Trustee shall be protected in relying on any such direction, waiver or consent, only Notes that a Responsible Officer of the Trustee knows are so owned shall be so disregarded. Notes so owned which have been pledged in good faith shall not be disregarded if the pledgee establishes to the satisfaction of the Trustee the pledgee’s right to deliver any such direction, waiver or consent with respect to such pledged Notes and that the pledgee is not the Issuer or any obligor upon the Notes or any Affiliate of the Issuer or such other obligor.

Section 2.10 Temporary Notes. Until certificates representing Notes are ready for delivery, the Issuer may prepare and the Trustee, upon receipt of an Authentication Order, shall authenticate temporary Notes. Temporary Notes shall be substantially in the form of certificated Notes but may have variations that the Issuer considers appropriate for temporary Notes and as shall be reasonably acceptable to the Trustee. Without unreasonable delay, the Issuer shall prepare and the Trustee shall authenticate definitive Notes in exchange for temporary Notes.

Holders and beneficial holders, as the case may be, of temporary Notes shall be entitled to all of the benefits accorded to Holders or beneficial holders, respectively, of Notes under this Indenture.

Section 2.11 Cancellation. The Issuer at any time may deliver Notes to the Trustee for cancellation. The Registrar and Paying Agent shall forward to the Trustee any Notes surrendered to them for registration of transfer, exchange or payment. The Trustee or, at the direction of the Trustee, the Registrar or the Paying Agent and no one else shall cancel all Notes surrendered for registration of transfer, exchange, payment, replacement or cancellation and shall dispose of cancelled Notes (subject to the record retention requirement of the Exchange Act) in its customary manner. Certification of the disposal of all cancelled Notes shall be delivered to the Issuer upon its request therefor. The Issuer may not issue new Notes to replace Notes that the Issuer have paid or that have been delivered to the Trustee for cancellation.

Section 2.12 Defaulted Interest. If the Issuer defaults in a payment of interest on the Notes, the Issuer shall pay the defaulted interest in any lawful manner plus, to the extent lawful, interest payable on the defaulted interest to the Persons who are Holders on a subsequent special record date, in each case at the rate provided in the Notes and in Section 4.01 hereof. The Issuer shall notify the Trustee in writing of the amount of defaulted interest proposed to be paid on each Note and the date of the proposed payment, and at the same time the Issuer shall deposit with the Trustee an amount of money equal to the aggregate amount proposed to be paid in respect of such defaulted interest or shall make arrangements satisfactory to the Trustee for such deposit prior to the date of the proposed payment, such money when deposited to be held in trust for the benefit of the Persons entitled to such defaulted interest as provided in this Section 2.12. The Trustee shall fix or cause to be fixed each such special record date and payment date; provided that no such special record date shall be less than 10 days prior to the related payment date for such defaulted interest. The Trustee shall notify the Issuer of such special record date promptly, and in any event at least 20 days before such special record date. At least 15 days before the special record date, the Issuer (or, upon the written request of the Issuer, the Trustee in the name and at the expense of the Issuer) shall mail or cause to be mailed, first-class postage prepaid, to each Holder a notice at his or her address as it appears in the Note Register that states the special record date, the related payment date and the amount of such interest to be paid.

Subject to the foregoing provisions of this Section 2.12 and for greater certainty, each Note delivered under this Indenture upon registration of transfer of, in exchange for or in lieu of any other Note shall carry the rights to interest accrued and unpaid, and to accrue, which were carried by such other Note.

Section 2.13 CUSIP Numbers. The Issuer in issuing the Notes may use CUSIP numbers (if then generally in use) and, if so, the Trustee shall use CUSIP numbers in notices of redemption as a convenience to the Holders; provided that any such notice may state that no representation is made as to the correctness of such numbers either as printed on the Notes or as contained in any notice of redemption and that reliance may be placed only on the other identification numbers printed on the Notes, and any such redemption shall not be affected by any defect in or omission of such numbers. The Issuer shall as promptly as practicable notify the Trustee and all Agents of any change in the CUSIP numbers.

 

-43-


ARTICLE III

REDEMPTION

Section 3.01 Notices to Trustee. If the Issuer elects to redeem Notes pursuant to Section 3.07 hereof, it shall furnish to the Trustee, at least 15 days but not more than 60 days before a Redemption Date, an Officer’s Certificate setting forth (i) the paragraph or subparagraph of such Notes and/or Section of this Indenture pursuant to which the redemption shall occur, (ii) the Redemption Date, (iii) the principal amount of the Notes to be redeemed, (iv) the redemption price and (v) whether the redemption is conditioned on the satisfaction of one or more conditions precedent, including, but not limited to, the consummation of an acquisition or financing transaction or Equity Offering.

Section 3.02 Selection of Notes To Be Redeemed. If less than all of the Notes are to be redeemed in an offer to purchase at any time, the Registrar shall select the Notes to be redeemed (a) if such Notes are listed on any national securities exchange, in compliance with the requirements of the principal national securities exchange on which such Notes are listed or (b) on a pro rata basis to the extent practicable or, to the extent that selection on a pro rata basis is not practicable for any reason, by lot or by such other method as the Registrar shall deem appropriate or as required by the Applicable Procedures of the Depositary. In the event of partial redemption by lot, the particular Notes to be redeemed shall be selected, unless otherwise provided herein, not less than 15 nor more than 60 days prior to the Redemption Date by the Registrar from the outstanding Notes not previously called for redemption.

The Trustee shall promptly notify the Issuer in writing of the Notes selected for redemption and, in the case of any Note selected for partial redemption, the principal amount thereof to be redeemed. Notes and portions of Notes selected shall be in amounts of $2,000 or integral multiples of $1,000; no Notes of $2,000 or less can be redeemed in part, except that if all of the Notes of a Holder are to be redeemed, the entire outstanding amount of Notes held by such Holder, even if not in a principal amount of at least $2,000 or an integral multiple of $1,000, shall be redeemed. Except as provided in the preceding sentence, provisions of this Indenture that apply to Notes called for redemption or purchase also apply to portions of Notes called for redemption.

Section 3.03 Notice of Redemption. Subject to Section 3.09 hereof, the Issuer shall deliver or cause to be delivered by electronic transmission (for Notes held in book-entry form) or by first-class mail, postage prepaid, notices of redemption at least 15 days but not more than 60 days before the purchase or Redemption Date to (x) each Holder to be redeemed at such Holder’s registered address, (y) to the Trustee to forward to each Holder at such Holder’s registered address, or (z) otherwise in accordance with the Applicable Procedures of DTC, except that redemption notices may be delivered more than 60 days prior to a Redemption Date if the notice is issued in connection with Article VIII or Article XI hereof. Any notice of redemption may, at the Issuer’s discretion, provide that the redemption contemplated thereby is conditioned on the satisfaction of one or more conditions precedent, including, but not limited to, the consummation of an acquisition or financing transaction or Equity Offering or other corporate transaction, that the Redemption Date may be delayed until such time as any or all such conditions shall be satisfied (or waived by the Issuer in its sole discretion), or such redemption may not occur and such notice may be rescinded in the event that any or all such conditions shall not have been satisfied (or waived by the Issuer in its sole discretion) by the Redemption Date as stated in such notice, or by the Redemption Date as so delayed, and that performance of the Issuer’s obligations with respect to such redemption or purchase may be performed by another Person. The Issuer shall provide notice prior to the close of business two Business Days prior to the Redemption Date if any such redemption has been rescinded or delayed to the same parties and in the same manner in which the notice of redemption was given.

The notice shall identify the Notes to be redeemed and shall state:

(a) the Redemption Date;

(b) the redemption price;

(c) that if any Note is to be redeemed in part only, the portion of the principal amount of that Note that is to be redeemed and that, after the Redemption Date upon surrender of such Note, a new Note or Notes in principal amount equal to the unredeemed portion of the original Note representing the same indebtedness to the extent not redeemed shall be issued in the name of the Holder upon cancellation of the original Note;

 

-44-


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

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

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

(g) the paragraph or subparagraph of the Notes and/or Section of this Indenture pursuant to which the Notes called for redemption are being redeemed;

(h) that no representation is made as to the correctness or accuracy of the CUSIP number, if any, listed in such notice or printed on the Notes; and

(i) whether the redemption contemplated thereby is conditioned on the satisfaction of one or more conditions precedent, including, but not limited to, the consummation of an acquisition or financing transaction or Equity Offering (and shall specify any such conditions).

At the Issuer’s request, the Trustee shall give the notice of redemption in the Issuer’s name and at its expense; provided that the Issuer shall have delivered to the Trustee, at least three Business Days before notice of redemption is required to be delivered or caused to be delivered to Holders pursuant to this Section 3.03 (unless a shorter notice shall be agreed to by the Trustee), an Officer’s Certificate requesting that the Trustee give such notice and setting forth the information to be stated in such notice as provided in the preceding paragraph.

Section 3.04 Effect of Notice of Redemption. Once notice of redemption is delivered in accordance with Section 3.03 hereof, Notes called for redemption become, subject to the satisfaction of any conditions precedent to the consummation of such redemption specified in such notice, irrevocably due and payable on the Redemption Date at the redemption price (except as provided in Section 3.07 hereof and in Section 5 of the Notes). The notice, if delivered in a manner herein provided, shall be conclusively presumed to have been given, whether or not the Holder receives such notice. In any case, failure to give such notice by mail or any defect in the notice to any Holder designated for redemption in whole or in part shall not affect the validity of the proceedings for the redemption of any other Note. Subject to Section 3.05 hereof, on and after the Redemption Date, interest shall cease to accrue on Notes or portions of Notes called for redemption.

Section 3.05 Deposit of Redemption Price. On the redemption, the Issuer shall deposit with the Trustee or with the Paying Agent money sufficient to pay the redemption of and accrued and unpaid interest on all Notes to be redeemed on that date. The Trustee or the Paying Agent shall promptly return to the Issuer any money deposited with the Trustee or the Paying Agent by the Issuer in excess of the amounts necessary to pay the redemption price of, and accrued and unpaid interest on, all Notes to be redeemed.

If the Issuer complies with the provisions of the preceding paragraph, on and after the redemption date, interest shall cease to accrue on the Notes or the portions of Notes called for redemption. If a Note is redeemed on or after a Record Date but on or prior to the related Interest Payment Date, then any accrued and unpaid interest to the redemption date shall be paid to the Person in whose name such Note was registered at the close of business on such Record Date. If any Note called for redemption shall not be so paid upon surrender for redemption because of the failure of the Issuer to comply with the preceding paragraph, interest shall be paid on the unpaid principal, from the redemption date until such principal is paid, and to the extent lawful on any interest accrued to the redemption date not paid on such unpaid principal, in each case at the rate provided in the Notes and in Section 4.01 hereof.

Section 3.06 Redeemed in Part. Upon surrender of a Note that is redeemed in part, the Issuer shall issue and the Trustee shall authenticate for the Holder of such Note at the expense of the Issuer a new Note equal in principal amount to the unredeemed portion of the Note surrendered representing the same indebtedness to the extent not redeemed; provided that each new Note shall be in a principal amount of $2,000 or an integral multiple of $1,000. It is understood that, notwithstanding anything in this Indenture to the contrary, only an Authentication Order and not an Opinion of Counsel or Officer’s Certificate is required for the Trustee to authenticate such new Note.

 

-45-


Section 3.07 Optional Redemption.

(a) Except as set forth below, the Issuer shall not be permitted to redeem the Notes. The Notes will be payable at par at maturity.

(b) At any time prior to November 1, 2023, the Notes may be redeemed (by the Issuer or any other Person), at the Issuer’s option, in whole or in part, upon notice as provided in Section 3.03 hereof, at a redemption price equal to 100.000% of the principal amount of Notes redeemed plus the Applicable Premium as of the date of redemption (the “Redemption Date”), and, without duplication, accrued and unpaid interest to, but excluding, the Redemption Date, subject to the rights of Holders on the relevant Record Date to receive interest due on the relevant Interest Payment Date.

(c) On and after November 1, 2023, the Notes may be redeemed (by the Issuer or any other Person), at the Issuer’s option, in whole or in part, upon notice as provided in Section 3.03 hereof, at any time and from time to time at the redemption prices set forth below. The Notes shall be redeemable at the redemption prices (expressed as percentages of principal amount of the Notes to be redeemed) set forth below plus accrued and unpaid interest thereon to, but excluding, the applicable Redemption Date, subject to the right of Holders of record on the relevant Record Date to receive interest due on the relevant Interest Payment Date, if redeemed during the twelve-month period beginning on November 1 of each of the years indicated below:

 

Year

   Percentage  

2023

     103.063

2024

     101.531

2025 and thereafter

     100.000

(d) Until November 1, 2023 the Issuer may, at its option, on one or more occasions, upon notice as provided in Section 3.03 hereof, redeem up to 40% of the aggregate principal amount of Notes issued under this Indenture at a redemption price equal to 106.125% of the aggregate principal amount thereof, plus accrued and unpaid interest thereon to, but excluding, the applicable Redemption Date, subject to the right of Holders of record on the relevant Record Date to receive interest due on the relevant Interest Payment Date, with the net cash proceeds of one or more Equity Offerings to the extent such net cash proceeds are received by or contributed to the Issuer; provided that at least 55% of the sum of the aggregate principal amount of Notes originally issued under this Indenture and any Additional Notes issued under this Indenture after the Issue Date remains outstanding immediately after the occurrence of each such redemption; provided, further, that each such redemption occurs within 120 days of the date of closing of each such Equity Offering.

(e) [Reserved].

(f) The Issuer may provide in any notice provided pursuant to Sections 3.07(b) or (c) that payment of the redemption price and performance of the Issuer’s obligations with respect thereto may be performed by another Person. Notice of any redemption pursuant to Section 3.07(d) may be given prior to the completion of the related Equity Offering.

(g) The Trustee or the Paying Agent shall select the Notes to be purchased pursuant to Section 3.02 hereof.

(h) Notwithstanding the foregoing, in connection with any tender offer for Notes, including a Change of Control Offer, Collateral Asset Sale Offer or Asset Sale Offer, if Holders of not less than 90% in aggregate principal amount of the outstanding Notes, validly tender and do not withdraw such Notes, in such tender offer and the Issuer, or any third party making such a tender offer in lieu of the Issuer, purchases all of the Notes validly

 

-46-


tendered and not withdrawn by such Holders, the Issuer or such third party will have the right upon not less than 10 nor more than 60 days’ prior notice, given not more than 30 days following such purchase date, to redeem all Notes that remain outstanding following such purchase at a redemption price equal to the price offered to each other Holder (excluding any early tender or incentive fee) in such tender offer plus, to the extent not included in the tender offer payment, accrued and unpaid interest, if any, thereon, to, but excluding, such Redemption Date.

Section 3.08 Mandatory Redemption; Offers to Purchase; Open Market Purchases. The Issuer shall not be required to make any mandatory redemption or sinking fund payments with respect to the Notes. The Issuer may at any time and from time to time purchase Notes in the open market, by tender offer, in negotiated transactions or otherwise.

Section 3.09 Offers to Repurchase by Application of Excess Proceeds or Collateral Excess Proceeds.

(a) The Issuer shall follow the procedures specified in clauses (b) through (f) of this Section 3.09 for any Asset Sale Offer or Collateral Asset Sale Offer commenced pursuant to Section 4.10 hereof.

(b) An Asset Sale Offer or Collateral Asset Sale Offer shall remain open for a period of 20 Business Days following its commencement and no longer, except to the extent that a longer period is required by applicable law (the “Offer Period”). No later than five Business Days after the termination of the Offer Period (the “Purchase Date”), the Issuer shall apply all Excess Proceeds or Collateral Excess Proceeds (the “Offer Amount”) to the purchase of Notes and, if required, any Parity Lien Obligations or other Indebtedness that ranks pari passu with the Notes, in each case subject to Section 4.10 hereof (on a pro rata basis, if applicable), or, subject to Section 4.10 hereof, if less than the Offer Amount has been tendered, all Notes and Parity Lien Obligations or any other Indebtedness that ranks pari passu with the Notes tendered in response to the Asset Sale Offer or Collateral Asset Sale Offer. Payment for any Notes so purchased shall be made in the same manner as interest payments are made.

(c) If the Purchase Date is on or after a Record Date and on or before the related Interest Payment Date, any accrued and unpaid interest up to but excluding the Purchase Date, shall be paid to the Person in whose name a Note is registered at the close of business on such Record Date, and no additional interest shall be payable to Holders who tender Notes pursuant to the Asset Sale Offer or Collateral Asset Sale Offer.

(d) Upon the commencement of an Asset Sale Offer or Collateral Asset Sale Offer, the Issuer shall send, by electronic transmission (for Notes held in book-entry form) or by first-class mail, postage prepaid, a notice to each of the Holders, with a copy to the Trustee and the Registrar, or otherwise in accordance with the Applicable Procedures of DTC. The notice shall contain all instructions and materials necessary to enable such Holders to tender Notes pursuant to the Asset Sale Offer or Collateral Asset Sale Offer. The notice, which shall govern the terms of the Asset Sale Offer or Collateral Asset Sale Offer, shall state:

(1) that the Asset Sale Offer or Collateral Asset Sale Offer is being made pursuant to this Section 3.09 and Section 4.10 hereof and the length of time the Asset Sale Offer or Collateral Asset Sale Offer shall remain open;

(2) the Offer Amount, the purchase price and the Purchase Date;

(3) that any Note not tendered or accepted for payment shall continue to accrue interest;

(4) that, unless the Issuer defaults in making such payment, any Note accepted for payment pursuant to the Asset Sale Offer or Collateral Asset Sale Offer shall cease to accrue interest after the Purchase Date;

(5) that Holders electing to have a Note purchased pursuant to an Asset Sale Offer or Collateral Asset Sale Offer may elect to have Notes purchased in minimum principal amounts of $2,000 and integral multiples of $1,000 only;

 

-47-


(6) that Holders electing to have a Note purchased pursuant to any Asset Sale Offer or Collateral Asset Sale Offer shall be required to surrender the Note, with the form entitled “Option of Holder to Elect Purchase” attached to the Note completed, or transfer such Note by book-entry transfer, to the Issuer, the Depositary, if appointed by the Issuer, or a Paying Agent at the address specified in the notice at least three days before the Purchase Date;

(7) that Holders shall be entitled to withdraw their election if the Issuer, the Depositary or the Paying Agent, as the case may be, receives, not later than the expiration of the Offer Period, a telegram, facsimile transmission or letter setting forth the name of the Holder, the principal amount of the Note the Holder delivered for purchase and a statement that such Holder is withdrawing his election to have such Note purchased;

(8) that, if the aggregate principal amount of Notes and other Parity Lien Obligations and any other Indebtedness that ranks pari passu to the Notes, in each case subject to Section 4.10 hereof, surrendered by the holders thereof exceeds the Offer Amount, the Registrar shall select the Notes and such Indebtedness to be purchased on a pro rata basis based on the accreted value or principal amount of the Notes or such Indebtedness tendered (with such adjustments as may be deemed appropriate by the Registrar so that only Notes in denominations of $2,000 or integral multiples of $1,000 shall be purchased); and

(9) that Holders whose Notes were purchased only in part shall be issued new Notes equal in principal amount to the unpurchased portion of the Notes surrendered (or transferred by book-entry transfer) representing the same indebtedness to the extent not repurchased.

(e) On or before the Purchase Date, the Issuer shall, to the extent lawful, (1) accept for payment, on a pro rata basis to the extent necessary, the Offer Amount of Notes or portions thereof validly tendered pursuant to the Asset Sale Offer or Collateral Asset Sale Offer, or if less than the Offer Amount has been tendered, all Notes tendered and (2) deliver or cause to be delivered to the Trustee the Notes properly accepted together with an Officer’s Certificate stating the aggregate principal amount of Notes or portions thereof so tendered.

(f) The Issuer, the Depositary or the Paying Agent, as the case may be, shall promptly mail or deliver to each tendering Holder an amount equal to the purchase price of the Notes properly tendered by such Holder and accepted by the Issuer for purchase, and the Issuer shall promptly issue a new Note, and the Trustee, upon receipt of an Authentication Order, shall authenticate and mail or deliver (or cause to be transferred by book-entry) such new Note to such Holder (it being understood that, notwithstanding anything in this Indenture to the contrary, no Opinion of Counsel or Officer’s Certificate is required for the Trustee to authenticate and mail or deliver such new Note) in a principal amount equal to any unpurchased portion of the Note surrendered representing the same indebtedness to the extent not repurchased; provided that each such new Note shall be in a principal amount of $2,000 or an integral multiple of $1,000. Any Note not so accepted for purchase shall be promptly delivered by the Issuer to the Holder thereof. The Issuer shall publicly announce the results of the Asset Sale Offer or Collateral Asset Sale Offer on or as soon as practicable after the Purchase Date.

Other than as specifically provided in this Section 3.09 or Section 4.10 hereof, any purchase pursuant to this Section 3.09 shall be made pursuant to the applicable provisions of Sections 3.01 through 3.06 hereof.

ARTICLE IV

COVENANTS

Section 4.01 Payment of Notes. The Issuer shall pay or cause to be paid the aggregate amount of interest payable on the Notes on the dates and in the manner provided in the Notes. Principal, premium, if any, interest shall be considered paid on the date due if the Trustee holds as of noon Eastern Time on the Interest Payment Date money deposited by the Issuer in immediately available funds and designated for and sufficient to pay all principal, premium, if any, and interest then due. If an Interest Payment Date is not a Business Day, payment may be made on the next succeeding day that is a Business Day, and no additional interest or other amounts shall be payable in respect of the interest period for which such payment is made as a result of such extension of time.

 

-48-


Section 4.02 Maintenance of Office or Agency. The Issuer shall maintain in the Borough of Manhattan, City of New York, an office or agency (which may be an office of the Trustee or an affiliate of the Trustee, Registrar or Transfer Agent) where Notes may be surrendered for registration of transfer or for exchange or presented for payment and where notices and demands to or upon the Issuer in respect of the Notes and this Indenture may be served. The Issuer shall give prompt written notice to the Trustee of the location, and any change in the location, of such office or agency. If at any time the Issuer shall fail to maintain any such required office or agency or shall fail to furnish the Trustee with the address thereof, such presentations, surrenders, notices and demands may be made or served at the Corporate Trust Office of the Trustee (other than service of process on the Issuer).

The Issuer may also from time to time designate one or more other offices or agencies where the Notes may be presented or surrendered for any or all such purposes and may from time to time rescind such designations; provided that no such designation or rescission shall in any manner relieve the Issuer of its obligation to maintain an office or agency in the Borough of Manhattan, City of New York, for such purposes. The Issuer shall give prompt written notice to the Trustee of any such designation or rescission and of any change in the location of any such other office or agency.

The Issuer hereby initially designate the office of the Trustee located at U.S. Bank National Association, 100 Wall Street, 16th floor, New York, NY 10005, as one such office or agency of the Issuer in accordance with Section 2.03 hereof.

Section 4.03 Reports and Other Information.

So long as any Notes are outstanding, the Issuer will deliver to the Trustee a copy of all of the information and reports referred to below:

(a) for so long as the Issuer is subject to the reporting requirements of Section 13 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act:

(1) within the time periods specified in the SEC’s rules and regulations, all quarterly and annual reports on Forms 10-Q and 10-K, including a “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” and, with respect to annual information only, a report thereon by the Issuer’s certified independent accountants; and

(2) all current reports on Form 8-K;

(b) for so long as the Issuer is not subject to the reporting requirements of Section 13 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act:

(1) within 120 days after the end of each fiscal year, annual audited financial statements for such fiscal year, including a “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations”, with respect to the periods presented prepared in accordance with GAAP and a report thereon by the Issuer’s certified independent accountants;

(2) within 60 days after the end of each of the first three fiscal quarters of each fiscal year, unaudited financial statements (including footnotes) for the interim period as of, and for the period ending on, the end of such quarter, including a “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” for the Issuer with respect to the periods presented prepared in accordance with GAAP; and

(3) promptly after the occurrence of any of the following events, current reports of the Issuer containing substantially all of the information that would be required to be filed in a current report on Form 8-K under the Exchange Act on the Issue Date pursuant to Sections 1 and 4, Items 2.01, 2.03, 2.04(a), 5.01, 5.02(a)(1) (with respect to independent directors only), 5.02(b) (with respect to officers and independent directors only), 5.02(c)(1) and (3), 5.02(d)(1), (2), (3) and (4) (in each case, with respect to

 

-49-


independent directors only) 5.03(b) of Form 8-K (but excluding, for the avoidance of doubt, financial statements and exhibits that would be required pursuant to Item 9.01 of Form 8-K, other than financial statements and pro forma financial information (in each case relating to transactions required to be reported pursuant to Item 2.01 of Form 8-K) to the extent available (as determined in good faith by the Issuer)) if the Issuer had been a reporting company under the Exchange Act.

Concurrently with the delivery of financial statements pursuant to clause (a)(1) or (b)(1) above, as applicable, the Issuer will deliver to the Trustee and the Notes Collateral Agent, a perfection certificate supplement (or a certificate confirming that there has been no change in information since the date of the perfection certificate provided by the Issuer on the Issue Date or latest perfection certificate supplement), signed by an Officer of the Issuer.

To the extent any such information is not so filed or furnished, as applicable, within the time periods specified in this Section 4.03 and such information is subsequently filed or furnished, as applicable, the Issuer shall be deemed to have satisfied its obligations with respect thereto at such time and any Default with respect thereto shall be deemed to have been cured; provided that such cure shall not otherwise affect the rights of the Holders under Article VI hereof if Holders of at least 25% in principal amount of the then total outstanding Notes have declared the principal of, premium, if any, interest and any other monetary obligations on all the then outstanding Notes to be due and payable immediately and such declaration shall not have been rescinded or cancelled prior to such cure.

(c) In addition to providing such information to the Trustee, the Issuer shall make available to Holders the information required to be provided pursuant to clauses (1), (2) and (3) of the preceding paragraph, by posting such information to its website or on IntraLinks or any comparable password protected online data system or website.

(d) Notwithstanding the foregoing, (a) the Issuer will not be required to deliver any information, certificates or reports that would otherwise be required by (i) Section 302, Section 404 and Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, or related Items 307 or 308 of Regulation S-K, (ii) Item 10(e) of Regulation S-K promulgated by the SEC with respect to any non-generally accepted accounting principles financial measures contained therein or (iii) Items 201, 402, 403, 405, 406, 407, 701 or 703 of Regulation S-K,, (b) such reports will not be required to contain financial information required by Rule 3-09, Rule 3-10, Rule 13-01 or Rule 13-02 of Regulation S-X or include any exhibits or certifications required by Form 10-K or Form 10-Q (or any successor forms) or related rules under Regulation S-K and (c) such reports shall be subject to exceptions, exclusions and other differences consistent with the presentation of financial and other information in this offering memorandum and shall not be required to present compensation or beneficial ownership information.

(e) The Issuer has agreed that, for so long as any Notes remain outstanding during any period when the Issuer is not subject to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act, or otherwise permitted to furnish the SEC with certain information pursuant to Rule 12g3-2(b) of the Exchange Act, it will furnish to the Holders and to prospective investors, upon their request, the information required to be delivered pursuant to Rule 144A(d)(4) under the Securities Act.

(f) The Issuer shall also hold quarterly conference calls for the Holders to discuss financial information for the previous quarter (it being understood that such quarterly conference call may be the same conference call as with the Issuer’s equity investors and analysts). The conference call shall be following the last day of each fiscal quarter of the Issuer and not later than 20 Business Days from the time that the Issuer distributes the financial information as set forth in Section 4.03(a) or (b), as applicable. The Issuer shall issue a press release announcing the time and date of such conference call (which date may be the same date on which the press release is issued) and providing instructions for Holders, securities analysts and prospective investors to obtain access to such call; provided, however, that such press release can be distributed solely to certified users of the website described in Section 4.03(c).

 

-50-


(g) Notwithstanding this Section 4.03, the Issuer will be deemed to have delivered such reports and information referred to above to the Holders and the Trustee for all purposes of this Indenture if the Issuer has filed such reports with the SEC via the EDGAR filing system (or any successor system) and such reports are publicly available. In addition, the requirements of this Section 4.03 will be deemed satisfied and the Issuer will be deemed to have delivered such reports and information referred to above to the Trustee for all purposes of this Indenture by the posting of reports and information that would be required to be provided on the Issuer’s website. Delivery of such reports, information and documents to the Trustee is for informational purposes only and the Trustee’s receipt of such shall not constitute constructive notice of any information contained therein or determinable from information contained therein, including the Issuer’s compliance with any of its covenants thereunder (as to which the Trustee is entitled to rely exclusively on an Officer’s Certificate). The Trustee shall not be obligated to monitor or confirm, on a continuing basis or otherwise, the Issuer’s compliance with the covenants under this Indenture or with respect to any reports or other documents filed with the SEC or posted on the Issuer’s website pursuant to this Indenture, or participate in any conference calls.

Section 4.04 Compliance Certificate.

(a) The Issuer shall deliver to the Trustee, within 120 days after the end of each fiscal year ending after the Issue Date, a certificate from an Officer stating that a review of the activities of the Issuer, the Issuer and its Restricted Subsidiaries during the preceding fiscal year has been made under the supervision of the signing Officer with a view to determining whether the Issuer has kept, observed, performed and fulfilled their obligations under this Indenture, and further stating, as to such Officer signing such certificate, that to the best of his or her knowledge the Issuer has kept, observed, performed and fulfilled each and every condition and covenant contained in this Indenture during such fiscal year and are not in default in the performance or observance of any of the terms, provisions, covenants and conditions of this Indenture (or, if a Default shall have occurred, describing all such Defaults of which he or she may have knowledge and what action the Issuer is taking or proposes to take with respect thereto).

(b) When any Default has occurred and is continuing under this Indenture of which the Issuer is aware, or if the Trustee or the holder of any other evidence of Indebtedness of the Issuer or any Subsidiary of the Issuer gives any notice or takes any other action with respect to a claimed Default of which the Issuer is aware, the Issuer shall promptly (which shall be no more than five Business Days) deliver to the Trustee an Officer’s Certificate specifying such event and what action the Issuer proposes to take with respect thereto.

Section 4.05 [Reserved].

Section 4.06 [Reserved].

Section 4.07 Limitation on Restricted Payments.

(a) The Issuer shall not, and shall not permit any Restricted Subsidiary to, directly or indirectly:

(1) declare or pay any dividend or make any distribution or any payment having the effect thereof on account of the Issuer’s or any Restricted Subsidiary’s Equity Interests, including any dividend or distribution payable in connection with any merger, amalgamation or consolidation other than:

 

  (i)

dividends or distributions payable solely in Equity Interests (other than Disqualified Stock) of the Issuer; or

 

  (ii)

dividends or distributions by a Restricted Subsidiary payable to the Issuer or another Restricted Subsidiary so long as, in the case of any dividend or distribution payable on or in respect of any class or series of securities issued by a Restricted Subsidiary other than a Wholly-Owned Subsidiary of the Issuer, the Issuer or a Restricted Subsidiary receives at least its pro rata share of such dividend or distribution in accordance with its Equity Interests in such class or series of securities;

(2) purchase, redeem, defease or otherwise acquire or retire for value any Equity Interests of the Issuer or any direct or indirect parent of the Issuer, including in connection with any merger, amalgamation or consolidation;

 

-51-


(3) make any principal payment on, or redeem, repurchase, defease or otherwise acquire or retire for value in each case, prior to any scheduled repayment, sinking fund payment or maturity, any Subordinated Indebtedness other than:

 

  (i)

Indebtedness permitted under Section 4.09(b)(3) hereof; or

 

  (ii)

the payment of principal on or the purchase, redemption, defeasance, repurchase or other acquisition or retirement of Subordinated Indebtedness of the Issuer or any Restricted Subsidiary in anticipation of satisfying a sinking fund obligation, principal installment or final maturity, in each case due within one year of the date of such payment of principal or such purchase, redemption, defeasance, repurchase or acquisition; or

(4) make any Restricted Investment;

(all such payments and other actions set forth in clauses (1) through (4) above being collectively referred to as “Restricted Payments”) unless, at the time of such Restricted Payment:

 

  (5)

other than in the case of a Restricted Investment, no Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing or would occur as a consequence thereof;

 

  (6)

other than in the case of a Restricted Investment, immediately after giving effect to such transaction on a pro forma basis, the Net Total Leverage Ratio is not greater than 5:00:1:00; and

 

  (7)

such Restricted Payment, together with the aggregate amount of all other Restricted Payments made by the Issuer and its Restricted Subsidiaries after the Issue Date (including Restricted Payments permitted by Sections 4.07(b)(10), but excluding all other Restricted Payments permitted by the next succeeding paragraph), is less than the sum of (without duplication and determined on a cumulative basis):

 

  (i)

(i)(x) 50% of the Consolidated Net Income of the Issuer for the period (taken as one accounting period) beginning on the first day of the first fiscal quarter in which the Issue Date occurs to the end of the Issuer’s most recently ended fiscal quarter for which internal financial statements are available at the time of such Restricted Payment, or, in the case such Consolidated Net Income for such period is a deficit, minus 100.0% of such deficit; plus

 

  (ii)

100% of the aggregate net proceeds (including cash and the fair market value, as determined in good faith by the Issuer, of marketable securities or other property) received by the Issuer since immediately after the Issue Date from the issue or sale of:

 

  A.

Equity Interests of the Issuer, excluding cash proceeds and the fair market value, as determined in good faith by the Issuer, of marketable securities or other property received from the sale of Equity Interests to members of management, directors or consultants of the Issuer, its Restricted Subsidiaries and any direct or indirect parent company of the Issuer, after the Issue Date to the extent such amounts have been applied to Restricted Payments made in accordance with Section 4.07(b)(1); or

 

  B.

debt of the Issuer or any Restricted Subsidiary that has been converted into or exchanged for such Equity Interests of the Issuer or a direct or indirect parent company of the Issuer;

 

-52-


provided, however, that this clause (ii) shall not include the proceeds from (X) Refunding Capital Stock (as defined below), (Y) Equity Interests or convertible debt securities sold to the Issuer or a Restricted Subsidiary, as the case may be or (Z) Disqualified Stock or debt securities that have been converted into Disqualified Stock; plus

 

  (iii)

100% of the aggregate amount of net proceeds of cash and the fair market value, as determined in good faith by the Issuer, of marketable securities or other property contributed to the capital of the Issuer following the Issue Date (other than by a Restricted Subsidiary); plus

 

  (iv)

100% of the aggregate amount of proceeds (including cash and the fair market value, as determined in good faith by the Issuer, of marketable securities or other property) received by the Issuer or a Restricted Subsidiary by means of:

(A) the sale or other disposition (other than to the Issuer or a Restricted Subsidiary) of Restricted Investments made by the Issuer or its Restricted Subsidiaries and repurchases and redemptions of such Restricted Investments from the Issuer or its Restricted Subsidiaries and repayments of loans or advances, and releases of guarantees, which constitute Restricted Investments by the Issuer or its Restricted Subsidiaries, in each case with respect to Restricted Investments made after the Issue Date; or

(B) the sale or other disposition (other than to the Issuer or a Restricted Subsidiary) of the stock of an Unrestricted Subsidiary or a dividend or distribution from an Unrestricted Subsidiary after the Issue Date;

provided, however, that this clause (iv) shall not include the Net Proceeds of any Asset Sale to the extent such Net Proceeds have been applied to Restricted Payments made in accordance with Section 4.07(b)(8); plus

 

  (v)

in the case of the redesignation of an Unrestricted Subsidiary as a Restricted Subsidiary after the Issue Date, the fair market value of the Investment in such Unrestricted Subsidiary, as determined by the Issuer in good faith, at the time of the redesignation of such Unrestricted Subsidiary as a Restricted Subsidiary, other than to the extent such Investment constituted a Permitted Investment; plus

 

  (vi)

the greater of $25,000,000 and 6.25% of Consolidated EBITDA for the most recently ended four fiscal quarter period ending with a fiscal quarter for which internal financial statements are available.

(b) Section 4.07(a) hereof shall not prohibit:

(1) repurchase or payment of cash dividends or distributions by the Issuer with respect to its Equity Interests owned by present or former officers or employees of the Issuer or the Restricted Subsidiaries or payments to present or former officers or employees of the Issuer or the Restricted Subsidiaries upon termination of employment in connection with the exercise of stock options, stock appreciation rights or similar equity incentives or equity based incentives pursuant to management incentive plans or in connection with the death or disability, retirement or termination of employment of such present or former officers or employees; provided, that the aggregate amount of such Restricted Payments under this clause (1) shall not exceed in any calendar year $5,000,000; provided that any unused amount in any calendar year may be carried forward into any succeeding calendar year (plus the amount of net proceeds received by the Issuer during such calendar year from Employee Equity Sales and the amount of net proceeds of any key-man life insurance received during such calendar year) in an aggregate amount not to exceed $15,000,000 (plus the amount of net proceeds received by the Issuer after the Issue Date from Employee Equity Sales); provided, further, that cancellation of Indebtedness owing to the Issuer or any Restricted Subsidiary from employees, directors, officers or consultants of the Issuer or any of its Subsidiaries in connection with a repurchase of Equity Interests of the Issuer will not be deemed to constitute a Restricted Payment for purposes of this Section 4.07 or any other provision of this Indenture;

 

-53-


(2) the purchase, redemption, defeasance, repurchase, retirement or other acquisition of any Equity Interests of the Issuer or any Restricted Subsidiary or Subordinated Indebtedness of the Issuer or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries or any Equity Interests of any direct or indirect parent company of the Issuer, in exchange for, or out of the proceeds of, the substantially concurrent sale or issuance (other than to a Restricted Subsidiary) of, Equity Interests of the Issuer, or any direct or indirect parent company of the Issuer, to the extent contributed to the Issuer (in each case, other than any Disqualified Stock) (“Refunding Capital Stock”);

(3) repurchases of Equity Interests deemed to occur upon exercise of stock options, warrants or convertible securities if such Equity Interests represent a portion of the exercise price of such options, warrants or convertible securities and payments of cash in lieu of the issuance of fractional shares of Equity Interests upon exercise or conversion of securities exercisable or convertible into Equity Interests;

(4) Restricted Payments at any time when, on a pro forma basis after giving effect thereto, (x) no Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing and (y) the Net Total Leverage Ratio on a pro forma basis is not greater than 3.00:1.00;

(5) the repurchase, redemption or other acquisition or retirement for value of any Subordinated Indebtedness pursuant to the provisions of Sections 4.10 and 4.14 hereof; provided, however, that all Notes tendered by Holders in connection with a Change of Control Offer, Asset Sale Offer or Collateral Asset Sale Offer, as applicable, have been repurchased, redeemed, acquired or retired for value;

(6) the distribution, by dividend or otherwise, of shares of Equity Interests of, or Indebtedness owed to the Issuer or a Restricted Subsidiary by, Unrestricted Subsidiaries (other than Unrestricted Subsidiaries, the primary assets of which are cash and/or Cash Equivalents);

(7) payments or distributions to dissenting stockholders pursuant to applicable law, pursuant to or in connection with a consolidation, merger or transfer of all or substantially all of the assets of the Issuer and its Restricted Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, that complies with Section 5.01; provided, however, that as a result of such consolidation, merger or transfer of assets, the Issuer shall make a Change of Control Offer and that all Notes tendered by Holders in connection with such Change of Control Offer have been repurchased, redeemed, acquired or retired for value;

(8) Restricted Payments, to the extent made with the Net Proceeds of any Asset Sale by the Issuer or any Restricted Subsidiary that do not constitute Excess Proceeds or Collateral Excess Proceeds because they were used to make an Asset Sale Offer or Collateral Asset Sale Offer, as the case may be; provided, however, that all Notes validly tendered by Holders in the Asset Sale Offer or Collateral Asset Sale Offer, as the case may be, have been purchased;

(9) The Issuer and any Restricted Subsidiary may declare and pay regularly scheduled or accrued dividends to holders of a class or series of Disqualified Stock of the Issuer or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries issued not in violation of Section 4.09;

(10) the payment of any dividend or distribution or consummation of any redemption within 60 days after the date of declaration of such dividend or distribution or the giving of redemption notice, as the case may be, if at the date of declaration or notice such payment or redemption would have complied with the provisions of this Indenture;

(11) the purchase, redemption, defeasance, repurchase or other acquisition or retirement of Subordinated Indebtedness of the Issuer or a Restricted Subsidiary made by exchange for, or out of the proceeds of the substantially concurrent sale of, new Subordinated Indebtedness of the Issuer or a Restricted Subsidiary, as the case may be, which is incurred in compliance with Section 4.09 hereof;

 

-54-


(12) Restricted Payments in the form of quarterly dividend payments on the Issuer’s common stock not to exceed $0.03 per share; provided that after giving effect thereto no Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing; and

(13) other Restricted Payments not to exceed the greater of $100,000,000 and 25% of Consolidated EBITDA for the most recently ended four fiscal quarter period ending with a fiscal quarter for which internal financial statements are available; provided that after giving effect thereto no Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing.

(c) The Issuer will not permit any Unrestricted Subsidiary to become a Restricted Subsidiary except pursuant to the second to last sentence of the definition of “Unrestricted Subsidiary.” For purposes of designating any Restricted Subsidiary as an Unrestricted Subsidiary, all outstanding Investments by the Issuer and its Restricted Subsidiaries (except to the extent repaid) in the Subsidiary so designated will be deemed to be Investments in an amount determined as set forth in the last sentence of the definition of “Investments.” Such designation will be permitted only if a Restricted Payment in such amount would be permitted at such time pursuant to this Section 4.07 or pursuant to the definition of “Permitted Investments,” and if such Subsidiary otherwise meets the definition of an Unrestricted Subsidiary. Unrestricted Subsidiaries will not be subject to any of the restrictive covenants set forth in this Indenture.

(d) For purposes of determining compliance with this Section 4.07, in the event that a Restricted Payment (or any portion thereof) meets the criteria of more than one of the categories of Restricted Payments described in the clauses set forth in this Section 4.07, the Issuer, in its sole discretion, may classify or reclassify such Restricted Payment, and will only be required to include the amount and type of such Restricted Payment, in such of the clauses described above in Section 4.07 as so reclassified by the Issuer, in its sole discretion; provided that the Issuer may not reclassify any Restricted Payment originally classified under any clause other than clause (b)(4) of Section 4.07 as subsequently being made under clause (b)(4) of Section 4.07.

Section 4.08 Dividend and Other Payment Restrictions Affecting Restricted Subsidiaries.

(a) The Issuer will not, and will not permit any of its Restricted Subsidiaries that are not Guarantors to, directly or indirectly, incur or permit to exist any agreement or other arrangement that prohibits, restricts or imposes any condition upon:

(1) the ability of the Issuer or any Restricted Subsidiary to create, incur or permit to exist any Lien upon any of its property or assets; or

(2) the ability of any Restricted Subsidiary to pay dividends or other distributions with respect to any of its Equity Interests or to make or repay loans or advances to the Issuer or any Restricted Subsidiary or to Guarantee Indebtedness of the Issuer or any Restricted Subsidiary.

(b) The restrictions in Section 4.08(a) hereof shall not apply to:

(1) contractual encumbrances or restrictions in effect on the Issue Date;

(2) (x) the Term Loan Facility, the ABL Facility, the Existing Senior Notes Indentures and related documentation and (y) this Indenture, the Notes, the Guarantees and the Security Documents;

(3) purchase money obligations for property acquired in the ordinary course of business and Capital Lease Obligations if such restrictions or conditions apply only to the property or assets subject to such Liens;

(4) applicable law or any applicable rule, regulation or order;

 

-55-


(5) customary restrictions and conditions contained in agreements relating to the sale of, or sale of the assets of a Restricted Subsidiary pending such sale; provided such restrictions and conditions apply only to the Restricted Subsidiary that is, or such assets that are, to be sold and such sale is permitted hereunder;

(6) [reserved];

(7) clause (1) of Section 4.08(a) shall not apply to customary provisions in leases and other contracts restricting the assignment thereof;

(8) [reserved];

(9) customary provisions in joint venture agreements and other similar agreements applicable to joint ventures entered into in the ordinary course of business;

(10) any agreement or other instrument of a Person acquired by or merged, consolidated or amalgamated with or into the Issuer or any Restricted Subsidiary thereof in existence at the time of such acquisition, merger, consolidation or amalgamation (but, in any such case, not created in contemplation thereof), which encumbrance or restriction is not applicable to any Person, or the properties or assets of any Person, other than the Person so acquired and its Subsidiaries, or the property or assets of the Person so acquired and its Subsidiaries or the property or assets so assumed;

(11) customary provisions contained in any Indebtedness incurred pursuant to any Credit Facilities as permitted pursuant to Section 4.09 hereof and provided that an Officer reasonably and in good faith determines at the time such Indebtedness is incurred (and at the time of any modification of the terms of any such encumbrance or restriction) that any such encumbrance or restriction will not materially adversely affect the Issuer’s or any Guarantor’s ability to make any payments, when due, with respect to the Notes or its Guarantee thereof and any other Indebtedness that is an obligation of the Issuer or such Guarantor and such determination is set forth in an Officer’s Certificate delivered to the Trustee; and

(12) any encumbrances or restrictions imposed by any amendments, modifications, restatements, renewals, increases, supplements, refundings, replacements or refinancings of the contracts, instruments or obligations referred to in clauses (1) through (11) of this Section 4.08(b); provided that such amendments, modifications, restatements, renewals, increases, supplements, refundings, replacements or refinancings are, in the good faith judgment of the Issuer, not materially more restrictive with respect to such encumbrance and other restrictions taken as a whole than those prior to such amendment, modification, restatement, renewal, increase, supplement, refunding, replacement or refinancing.

Section 4.09 Limitation on Incurrence of Indebtedness and Issuance of Disqualified Stock and Preferred Stock.

(a) The Issuer shall not, and shall not permit any of its Restricted Subsidiaries to, directly or indirectly, create, incur, issue, assume, guarantee or otherwise become directly or indirectly liable, contingently or otherwise (collectively, “incur” and collectively, an “incurrence”) with respect to any Indebtedness (including Acquired Indebtedness) and the Issuer shall not, and shall not permit any of its Restricted Subsidiaries to, issue any shares of Disqualified Stock and the Issuer shall not permit any Restricted Subsidiary to issue any shares of Preferred Stock; provided, however, that (1) the Issuer and its Restricted Subsidiaries may incur Indebtedness (including Acquired Indebtedness) or issue shares of Disqualified Stock, and (2) any Restricted Subsidiary may issue shares of Preferred Stock, if in each case the Net Total Leverage Ratio at the time such additional Indebtedness is incurred or such Disqualified Stock or Preferred Stock is issued is no greater than 5.0 to 1.0, determined on a pro forma basis (including a pro forma application of the net proceeds therefrom), as if the additional Indebtedness had been incurred, or the Disqualified Stock or Preferred Stock had been issued, as the case may be, and the application of proceeds therefrom had occurred at the beginning of the most recently ended four fiscal quarters for which internal financial statements are available; provided, further, however, that Restricted Subsidiaries that are not

 

-56-


Guarantors may not incur Indebtedness or issue Disqualified Stock or Preferred Stock if, after giving pro forma effect to such incurrence or issuance (including a pro forma application of the net proceeds therefrom), in excess of an aggregate principal amount at any one time outstanding equal to the greater of $160,000,000 or 40% of Consolidated EBITDA for the most recently ended four fiscal quarter period ending with a fiscal quarter for which internal financial statements are available (together with any Refinancing Indebtedness in respect thereof and with amounts incurred by Restricted Subsidiaries that are not Guarantors under clauses (8) and (15) of the next paragraph and any Refinancing Indebtedness in respect thereof) at such time.

(b) Section 4.09(a) hereof shall not apply to:

(1) Indebtedness (i) in existence on the Issue Date (including Indebtedness represented by the Existing Senior Notes, but excluding Indebtedness under the ABL Facility, the Term Loan Facility and Indebtedness described in clauses (2) or (3) of this Section 4.09(b)), (ii) under the ABL Facility in an aggregate principal amount not to exceed, when taken together with other Indebtedness outstanding and incurred pursuant to this clause (1)(ii), $650,000,000, or (iii) under the Term Loan Facility in an aggregate principal amount not to exceed, when taken together with other Indebtedness outstanding and incurred pursuant to this clause (1)(iii), $250,000,000;

(2) the incurrence by the Issuer and any Guarantor of Indebtedness represented by the Notes issued on the Issue Date and any Guarantees thereof (excluding, for the avoidance of doubt, any Additional Notes and any Guarantees thereof);

(3) intercompany Indebtedness of the Issuer and the Restricted Subsidiaries; provided that any such intercompany Indebtedness owed by the Issuer or Guarantor to a Subsidiary that is not the Issuer or Guarantor shall be expressly subordinated in right of payment to the Parity Lien Obligations;

(4) Indebtedness incurred by the Issuer or any of the Restricted Subsidiaries arising from agreements providing for indemnification, adjustment of purchase price, earnouts or similar obligations, or from guarantees or letters of credit, surety bonds or performance bonds securing the performance of the Issuer or any such Restricted Subsidiary pursuant to such agreements, in connection with Permitted Acquisitions or Acquisitions or permitted dispositions of any business or assets of the Issuer or any of the Restricted Subsidiaries;

(5) Indebtedness which may be deemed to exist pursuant to any guarantees, performance, surety, statutory, appeal or similar obligations incurred in the ordinary course of business;

(6) Indebtedness in respect of netting services, overdraft protections, any cash management services arrangement (including under Secured Cash Management Agreements (as defined in the ABL Credit Agreement)) and otherwise in connection with deposit accounts;

(7) guarantees in the ordinary course of business of the obligations of suppliers, customers, franchisees and licensees of the Issuer and the Restricted Subsidiaries;

(8) Indebtedness, Disqualified Stock or Preferred Stock of (x) the Issuer or a Restricted Subsidiary incurred or issued to finance an acquisition or (y) Persons that are acquired by the Issuer or any Restricted Subsidiary or merged into the Issuer or a Restricted Subsidiary in accordance with the terms of this Indenture; provided, however, that after giving pro forma effect to such acquisition or merger, either (A) the total amount of Indebtedness outstanding and incurred pursuant to this clause (8) is in an aggregate amount (together with any Refinancing Indebtedness in respect thereof) not to exceed the greater of (x) $60,000,000 and (y) 15% of Consolidated EBITDA for the most recently ended four fiscal quarter period ending with a fiscal quarter for which internal financial statements are available, or (B) any of the following are satisfied as of the date of incurrence:

 

  (i)

the Issuer would be permitted to incur at least $1.00 of additional Indebtedness pursuant to Section 4.09(a); or

 

-57-


  (ii)

the Net Total Leverage Ratio is not higher than the Net Total Leverage Ratio immediately prior to such acquisition or merger;

provided, that Restricted Subsidiaries that are not Guarantors may not incur Indebtedness or issue Disqualified Stock or Preferred Stock under this clause (8) if, after giving pro forma effect to such incurrence or issuance (taken together with any Refinancing Indebtedness in respect thereof and with amounts incurred by Restricted Subsidiaries that are not Guarantors under the first paragraph above and under clause (15) of this paragraph and any Refinancing Indebtedness in respect thereof), in an aggregate principal amount in excess of the greater of $160,000,000 or 40% of Consolidated EBITDA for the most recently ended four fiscal quarter period ending with a fiscal quarter for which internal financial statements are available;

(9) Indebtedness owed to (including obligations in respect of letters of credit for the benefit of) any person providing worker’s compensation, health, disability or other employee benefits or property, casualty or liability insurance to the Issuer or any Restricted Subsidiary, pursuant to reimbursement or indemnification obligations to such person;

(10) Indebtedness of the Issuer or the Restricted Subsidiaries in respect of performance bonds, bid bonds, appeal bonds, surety bonds and similar obligations and trade-related letters of credit, in each case provided in the ordinary course of business, including those incurred to secure health, safety and environmental obligations in the ordinary course of business and any extension, renewal or refinancing thereof to the extent that the amount of refinancing Indebtedness is not greater than the amount of Indebtedness being refinanced;

(11) Indebtedness arising from the honoring by a bank or other financial institution of a check, draft or similar instrument drawn against insufficient funds in the ordinary course of business; provided that such Indebtedness is extinguished within five Business Days of its incurrence;

(12) Indebtedness with respect to Capital Lease Obligations, mortgage financings and purchase money Indebtedness incurred by the Issuer or any Restricted Subsidiary, or Disqualified Stock and Preferred Stock issued by the Issuer or any Restricted Subsidiaries, to finance the purchase, lease or improvement of property, prior to or within 270 days after the acquisition, lease, construction, repair, replacement or improvement of the respective asset (whether through the direct purchase of such asset or the Equity Interest of any person owning such asset) in order to finance such acquisition, lease, construction, repair, replacement or improvement (including any Indebtedness acquired in connection with a Permitted Acquisition or an Acquisition); provided, any such Indebtedness (i) shall be secured only by the assets acquired, leased, constructed, repaired or improved in connection with the incurrence of such Indebtedness, and (ii) shall not exceed an aggregate principal amount which, immediately after giving effect to the incurrence thereof, when taken together with the principal amount of all other Indebtedness then outstanding that was incurred pursuant to this clause (12), together with any Refinancing Indebtedness thereof, is not in excess of the greater of $100,000,000 and 25% of Consolidated EBITDA for the most recently ended four fiscal quarter period ending with a fiscal quarter for which internal financial statements are available;

(13) Indebtedness of the Issuer or any Restricted Subsidiary supported by a letter of credit in a principal amount not in excess of the stated amount of such letter of credit;

(14) the incurrence by (x) the Issuer and the Guarantors of Indebtedness or the issuance of shares of Disqualified Stock by the Guarantors, and (y) any Restricted Subsidiary that is not a Guarantor of Indebtedness or the issuance of shares of Disqualified Stock or shares of Preferred Stock, in each case, that serves to extend, replace, refund, refinance, renew or defease:

 

  (i)

any Indebtedness incurred or Disqualified Stock or Preferred Stock issued as permitted under Section 4.09(a) and clauses (2), (8) and (12) of this Section 4.09(b) (including with respect to Section 4.09(a), any unfunded commitment for which an Officer’s Certificate has been delivered to the Trustee as provided in Section 1.06(c) hereof), or

 

-58-


  (ii)

any Indebtedness incurred or Disqualified Stock or Preferred Stock issued to so extend, replace, refund, refinance, renew or defease the Indebtedness, Disqualified Stock or Preferred Stock set forth in clause (i) above (including unfunded commitments that serve to extend, replace, refund, refinance, renew or defease any unfunded commitments under Indebtedness set forth in such clause (i));

provided, however, that in the case of clauses (i) and (ii), any unfunded commitment shall continue to be treated as outstanding for purposes of the definitions of “Net Total Leverage Ratio,” “Net Secured Leverage Ratio” and “Net First Lien Leverage Ratio,” to the extent such unfunded commitment was outstanding for purposes thereof prior to such extension, replacement, refunding, refinancing, renewal or defeasance under this clause (14), including, in each case, additional Indebtedness, Disqualified Stock or Preferred Stock incurred to pay premiums (including tender premiums), defeasance costs and fees and expenses in connection therewith or incurred as a result of original issue discount, accreted value in excess of the proceeds thereof or the stated principal amount thereof being in excess of the fair value thereof at issuance, in each case, as determined in good faith by the Issuer (collectively, the “Refinancing Indebtedness”) prior to its respective maturity; provided, however, that:

(A) such Refinancing Indebtedness has a Weighted Average Life to Maturity at the time such Refinancing Indebtedness is incurred which is not less than the remaining Weighted Average Life to Maturity of the Indebtedness, Disqualified Stock or Preferred Stock being extended, replaced, refunded, refinanced, renewed or defeased (except by virtue of prepayment of such Indebtedness);

(B) to the extent such Refinancing Indebtedness refinances Subordinated Indebtedness, Disqualified Stock or Preferred Stock, such Refinancing Indebtedness is Subordinated Indebtedness, Disqualified Stock or Preferred Stock, and in the case of Subordinated Indebtedness, is subordinated to the Notes on terms at least as favorable to the Holders as those contained in the documentation governing the Indebtedness being refinanced;

(C) such Refinancing Indebtedness shall not include:

 

  (i)

Indebtedness, Disqualified Stock or Preferred Stock of a Subsidiary of the Issuer that is not a Guarantor that refinances Indebtedness, Disqualified Stock or Preferred Stock of the Issuer or a Guarantor; or

 

  (ii)

Indebtedness, Disqualified Stock or Preferred Stock of the Issuer or a Restricted Subsidiary that refinances Indebtedness, Disqualified Stock or Preferred Stock of an Unrestricted Subsidiary;

(D) to the extent such Refinancing Indebtedness is Secured Indebtedness, (i) the Liens securing such Refinancing Indebtedness have a Lien priority equal or junior to the Liens securing the Indebtedness being extended, replaced, refunded, refinanced, renewed or defeased and (ii) such Refinancing Indebtedness shall not be secured by a Lien on any asset or property that did not secure the Indebtedness being extended, replaced, refunded, refinanced, renewed or defeased; and

(E) such Refinancing Indebtedness has an aggregate principal amount (or if incurred with original issue discount, an aggregate issue price) that is equal to or less than the sum of (x) the aggregate principal amount (or if incurred with original issue discount, the aggregate accreted value) then outstanding (plus customary fees and expenses, including premiums, accrued and unpaid interest and defeasance costs) under the Indebtedness being refinanced plus (y) an amount equal to any unutilized commitment relating to the Indebtedness being refinanced or otherwise then outstanding under a Credit Facility or other financing arrangement being refinanced to the extent the unutilized commitment being refinanced could be drawn in compliance with this Section 4.09 immediately prior to such refinancing, plus (z) fees, underwriting discounts, accrued and unpaid interest, premiums (including tender premiums) and other costs and expenses (including original issue discount, upfront fees and similar fees) incurred or payable in connection with such refinancing;

 

-59-


(15) Indebtedness, Disqualified Stock or Preferred Stock of Restricted Subsidiaries of the Issuer that are not Guarantors in an aggregate principal amount which, immediately after giving effect to the incurrence thereof, when aggregated with the principal amount of all other Indebtedness then outstanding that was incurred pursuant to this clause (15) (taken together with any Refinancing Indebtedness in respect thereof and with amounts incurred by Restricted Subsidiaries that are not Guarantors under the first paragraph above and under clause (8) of this paragraph and any Refinancing Indebtedness in respect thereof) is not in excess of the greater of (i) $160,000,000 and (ii) and 40% of the Consolidated EBITDA for the most recently ended four fiscal quarter period ending with a fiscal quarter for which internal financial statements are available;

(16) all premiums (if any), interest, fees, expenses, indemnities, charges and additional or contingent interest on obligations described in clauses (1) through (15) above and clauses (17) through (22) below;

(17) guarantees of obligations of third parties to the extent treated as Investments in such third parties (in an amount equal to the aggregate amount of the obligations so guaranteed) and permitted by Section 4.07;

(18) Indebtedness consisting of Indebtedness issued by the Issuer or Guarantor to future, current or former officers, managers, directors, consultants and employees of the Issuer, its subsidiaries or its direct or indirect parent companies, their respective estates, spouses or former spouses, in each case to finance the purchase or redemption of Equity Interests of the Issuer or any direct or indirect parent companies to the extent described in 4.07(b)(1);

(19) Indebtedness with respect to Hedging Agreements permitted under clause (8) of the definition of Permitted Investments;

(20) Indebtedness incurred by the Issuer or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries to the extent that the net proceeds thereof are deposited with the Trustee within five (5) Business Days to satisfy or discharge the Notes or exercise the Issuer’s legal defeasance option or covenant defeasance option, in each case, in accordance with this Indenture;

(21) Indebtedness of Joint Ventures and/or Indebtedness incurred on behalf of any Joint Venture or any Guarantees of Indebtedness of joint ventures, in an aggregate outstanding principal amount not to exceed when taken together with other Indebtedness outstanding and incurred pursuant to this clause (21), the greater of (i) $80,000,000 and (ii) and 20% of the Consolidated EBITDA for the most recently ended four fiscal quarter period ending with a fiscal quarter for which internal financial statements are available; and

(22) any other Indebtedness, Disqualified Stock or Preferred Stock not otherwise permitted hereunder which, when aggregated with the amount of all other Indebtedness, Disqualified Stock or Preferred Stock then outstanding and incurred pursuant to this clause (22), does not at any one time exceed $100,000,000.

(c) For purposes of determining compliance with this Section 4.09; in the event that an item of Indebtedness, Disqualified Stock or Preferred Stock (or any portion thereof) meets the criteria of more than one of the categories of permitted Indebtedness, Disqualified Stock or Preferred Stock described in clauses (1) through (22) of Section 4.09(b) hereof or is entitled to be incurred pursuant to Section 4.09(a) hereof, the Issuer, in its sole discretion, may classify or reclassify such item of Indebtedness, Disqualified Stock or Preferred Stock (or any portion thereof) and shall only be required to include the amount and type of such Indebtedness, Disqualified Stock or Preferred Stock in such of the above clauses of Section 4.09(b) hereof or under Section 4.09(a) hereof as so reclassified by the Issuer, in its sole discretion; provided that (x) all Indebtedness outstanding under the ABL Facility on the Issue Date shall be treated as incurred on the Issue Date under clause (1)(ii) of Section 4.09(b) hereof and may not be reclassified and (y) all Indebtedness outstanding under the Term Loan Facility on the Issue Date will be treated as incurred on the Issue Date under clause (1)(iii) of the preceding paragraph and may not be reclassified.

 

-60-


Accrual of interest or dividends, the accretion of accreted value, the accretion or amortization of original issue discount and the payment of interest or dividends in the form of additional Indebtedness, Disqualified Stock or Preferred Stock, as applicable, shall not be deemed to be an incurrence of Indebtedness or issuance of Disqualified Stock or Preferred Stock for purposes of this Section 4.09.

For purposes of determining compliance with any U.S. dollar-denominated restriction on the incurrence of Indebtedness, the U.S. dollar-equivalent principal amount of Indebtedness denominated in a foreign currency shall be calculated based on the relevant currency exchange rate in effect on the date such Indebtedness was incurred, in the case of term debt, or first committed, in the case of revolving credit debt; provided that if such Indebtedness is incurred to refinance other Indebtedness denominated in a foreign currency, and such refinancing would cause the applicable U.S. dollar-denominated restriction to be exceeded if calculated at the relevant currency exchange rate in effect on the date of such refinancing, such U.S. dollar-denominated restriction shall be deemed not to have been exceeded so long as the principal amount of such refinancing Indebtedness does not exceed (i) the principal amount of such Indebtedness being refinanced plus (ii) the aggregate amount of fees, underwriting discounts, premiums and other costs and expenses (including original issue discount, upfront fees or similar fees) incurred in connection with such refinancing.

The principal amount of any Indebtedness incurred to refinance other Indebtedness, if incurred in a different currency from the Indebtedness being refinanced, shall be calculated based on the currency exchange rate applicable to the currencies in which such respective Indebtedness is denominated that is in effect on the date of such refinancing. The principal amount of any non-interest bearing Indebtedness or other discount security constituting Indebtedness at any date shall be the principal amount thereof that would be shown on a balance sheet of the Issuer dated such date prepared in accordance with GAAP.

the Issuer shall not, and shall not permit the Issuer or Guarantor to, directly or indirectly, incur any Indebtedness (including Acquired Indebtedness) that is contractually subordinated or junior in right of payment to any Indebtedness of the Issuer or Guarantor, as the case may be, unless such Indebtedness is also expressly subordinated in right of payment to the Notes or the Guarantee of such Guarantor, as the case may be, and to the same extent and in the same manner as such Indebtedness is subordinated to such other Indebtedness.

For all purposes of the Notes and this Indenture, subordination will refer to contractual payment subordination and not to structural subordination. The Notes and this Indenture do not treat (1) unsecured Indebtedness as subordinated or junior to Secured Indebtedness merely because it is unsecured, (2) unsubordinated Indebtedness as subordinated or junior to any other unsubordinated Indebtedness merely because it has a junior priority with respect to the same collateral, (3) Indebtedness as subordinated or junior Indebtedness merely because it is structurally subordinated to other Indebtedness or (4) Indebtedness that, by operation of any “waterfall” or similar provision within an agreement governing a single credit facility or other type of Indebtedness, in each case, providing for different priorities of payment as subordinated or junior Indebtedness.

Section 4.10 Asset Sales.

(a) The Issuer shall not, and shall not permit any of its Restricted Subsidiaries to, consummate an Asset Sale, unless:

(1) the Issuer or such Restricted Subsidiary, as the case may be, receives consideration at the time of such Asset Sale at least equal to the fair market value (as determined in good faith by the Issuer) of the assets sold or otherwise disposed of; and

(2) except in the case of a Permitted Asset Swap, at least 75% of the consideration therefor received by the Issuer or such Restricted Subsidiary, as the case may be, is in the form of cash or Cash Equivalents; provided that the amount of:

 

-61-


  (i)

any liabilities (as shown on the Issuer’s or such Restricted Subsidiary’s most recent balance sheet or in the footnotes thereto) of the Issuer or such Restricted Subsidiary, other than liabilities that are by their terms subordinated to the Notes (or Guarantees) (including, for the avoidance of doubt, by Lien subordination) or that are owed to the Issuer or a Restricted Subsidiary, that are assumed by the transferee of any such assets and for which the Issuer and all of its Restricted Subsidiaries have been irrevocably released from such liabilities,

 

  (ii)

any securities, notes or other obligations or assets received by the Issuer or such Restricted Subsidiary from such transferee that are converted by the Issuer or such Restricted Subsidiary into cash (to the extent of the cash received) within 180 days following the closing of such Asset Sale, subject to ordinary settlement periods, and

 

  (iii)

any Designated Non-Cash Consideration received by the Issuer or such Restricted Subsidiary in such Asset Sale having an aggregate fair market value, taken together with all other Designated Non-Cash Consideration received pursuant to this clause (c) that is at that time outstanding, not to exceed the greater of $250,000,000 and 62.5% of Consolidated EBITDA for the most recently ended four fiscal quarter period ending with a fiscal quarter for which internal financial statements are available, with the fair market value of each item of Designated Non-Cash Consideration being measured at the time received and without giving effect to subsequent changes in value,

shall be deemed to be cash for purposes of this provision and for no other purpose.

(b) Within 450 days after the receipt of any Net Proceeds of any Asset Sale by the Issuer or any Restricted Subsidiary, the Issuer or such Restricted Subsidiary, at its option, may apply the Net Proceeds from such Asset Sale:

(1) (a) to the extent such Net Proceeds are from an Asset Sale of Collateral, (w) to permanently reduce any Parity Lien Obligations then outstanding under the Term Loan Facility, (x) to permanently reduce any Parity Lien Obligations (other than the Notes), including Indebtedness under the Term Loan Facility, and to correspondingly reduce commitments with respect thereto; provided that the Issuer equally and ratably reduce (or offer to reduce pursuant to a Collateral Asset Sale Offer) Obligations under the Notes, (y) to repay ABL Obligations, if such Net Proceeds are from an Asset Sale of ABL Priority Collateral (as defined in the ABL Intercreditor Agreement), and to correspondingly reduce commitments with respect thereto, or (z) to make an offer (in accordance with the procedures set forth in Section 3.09 and Section 4.10(d) hereof for a Collateral Asset Sale Offer) to all Holders to purchase a pro rata amount of Notes at 100% of the principal amount thereof, plus accrued but unpaid interest, redeem Notes as provided in Section 3.07 hereof or purchase Notes through open-market purchases (to the extent such purchases are at or above 100% of the principal amount thereof, plus accrued and unpaid interest thereon); and

(b) to the extent such Net Proceeds are from an Asset Sale that does not constitute Collateral, (x) to reduce, prepay, repay or purchase any Indebtedness secured by a Lien on such asset, (y) to reduce, prepay, repay or purchase Senior Indebtedness; provided, that the Issuer equally and ratably reduce (or offer to reduce pursuant to an Asset Sale Offer) Obligations under the Notes, or (z) to make an offer (in accordance with the procedures set forth below for an Asset Sale Offer) to all Holders to purchase a pro rata amount of Notes at 100% of the principal amount thereof, plus accrued but unpaid interest, redeem Notes as provided in Section 3.07 hereof or purchase Notes through open-market purchases (to the extent such purchases are at or above 100% of the principal amount thereof, plus accrued and unpaid interest thereon);

(2) solely in the case of an Asset Sale by a Restricted Subsidiary that is not a Guarantor, to permanently reduce Obligations under Indebtedness of Restricted Subsidiaries that are not Guarantors, and to correspondingly reduce commitments with respect thereto; or

 

-62-


(3) to (a) make an Investment in any one or more businesses, provided, however, that such Investment in any business is in the form of the acquisition of Equity Interests and results in the Issuer or the Restricted Subsidiary, as the case may be, owning an amount of the Equity Interests of such business such that it constitutes a Restricted Subsidiary, (b) acquire properties, (c) make Capital Expenditures or (d) acquire other assets that, in the case of each of clauses (a), (b), (c) and (d) either (x) are used or useful in a Similar Business or (y) replace the businesses, properties or assets that are the subject of such Asset Sale; provided further, that such Equity Interests, properties and other assets are pledged as Collateral to the extent constituting Collateral;

provided, however, that in the case of clause (3) above, a binding commitment shall be treated as a permitted application of the Net Proceeds from the date of such commitment so long as the Issuer or such Restricted Subsidiary enters into such commitment with the good faith expectation that such Net Proceeds will be applied to satisfy such commitment within the later of 450 days after receipt of such Net Proceeds and 180 days following such commitment; provided, further, however, that if such commitment is cancelled or terminated after the later of such 450 day or 180 day period for any reason before such Net Proceeds are applied, then such Net Proceeds shall constitute Collateral Excess Proceeds or Excess Proceeds, as the case may be.

(c) Any Net Proceeds from any Asset Sale described in Section 4.10(a) that are not invested or applied as provided and within the time period set forth in Section 4.10(b) will be deemed to constitute “Collateral Excess Proceeds,” with respect to any Asset Sale of Collateral, or “Excess Proceeds,” with respect to any Asset Sale of assets or property that do not constitute Collateral, except the amount of Collateral Excess Proceeds or Excess Proceeds, as the case may be, will be reduced by the sum of the amount of the Notes offered to be purchased in an offer pursuant to Section 4.10(b)(1) hereof.

(d) When the aggregate amount of Collateral Excess Proceeds with respect to the Notes exceeds $35,000,000, the Issuer shall make an offer to all Holders and, if required by the terms of any Parity Lien Obligations or Obligations secured by a Lien permitted under this Indenture on the Collateral disposed of (which Lien is not subordinate to the Lien of the Notes with respect to the Collateral), to all holders of such Parity Lien Obligations (a “Collateral Asset Sale Offer”), to purchase the maximum aggregate principal amount of such Notes that is a minimum of $2,000 or an integral multiple of $1,000 thereof (in aggregate principal amount) and the maximum aggregate principal amount (or accreted value, if less) of such Parity Lien Obligations that may be purchased out of such Collateral Excess Proceeds at an offer price in cash in an amount equal to 100% of the principal amount thereof plus accrued and unpaid interest (or such lesser price with respect to such Parity Lien Obligations, if any, as may be provided by the terms of the agreement governing such other Indebtedness) to, but excluding, the date fixed for the closing of such offer, in accordance with the procedures set forth in this Indenture and the agreements governing such Parity Lien Obligations. The Issuer will commence a Collateral Asset Sale Offer with respect to Collateral Excess Proceeds within 20 Business Days after the date that Collateral Excess Proceeds exceed $35,000,000 by delivering the notice required pursuant to the terms of this Indenture, with a copy to the Trustee or otherwise in accordance with the procedures of DTC. The Issuer, in their sole discretion, may satisfy the foregoing obligations with respect to any Net Proceeds from an Asset Sale by making a Collateral Asset Sale Offer with respect to such Net Proceeds prior to the expiration of the relevant 450 day period (or such longer period provided above) or with respect to Collateral Excess Proceeds of less than the amounts set forth above.

(e) To the extent that the aggregate principal amount of Notes and the aggregate principal amount (or accreted value, if applicable) of such other Parity Lien Obligations validly tendered pursuant to a Collateral Asset Sale Offer is less than the Collateral Excess Proceeds with respect to the Notes, the Issuer may use any remaining Collateral Excess Proceeds for general corporate purposes, including to make Restricted Payments, subject to the other covenants contained in this Indenture or for any other purpose not otherwise prohibited by this Indenture. If the aggregate principal amount of Notes and the aggregate principal amount (or accreted value, if applicable) of such other Parity Lien Obligations surrendered in a Collateral Asset Sale Offer exceeds the amount of Collateral Excess Proceeds, the Trustee or the Paying Agent shall select the Notes and the Issuer or the agent for such other Parity Lien Obligations will select such other Parity Lien Obligations to be purchased on a pro rata basis based on the principal amount of the Notes and the aggregate principal amount (or accreted value, if applicable) of such other Parity Lien Obligations validly tendered. Upon completion of any such Collateral Asset Sale Offer, the amount of Collateral Excess Proceeds shall be reset at zero.

 

-63-


(f) When the aggregate amount of Excess Proceeds with respect to the Notes exceeds $35,000,000, the Issuer shall make an offer to all Holders and, if required by the terms of any Senior Indebtedness, to all holders of such Indebtedness (an “Asset Sale Offer”), to purchase the maximum aggregate principal amount of such Notes and the maximum aggregate principal amount (or accreted value, if less) of such Indebtedness that is a minimum of $2,000 or an integral multiple of $1,000 thereof (in aggregate principal amount) that may be purchased out of such Excess Proceeds at an offer price in cash in an amount equal to 100% of the principal amount thereof plus accrued and unpaid interest (or such lesser price with respect to such other Senior Indebtedness, if any, as may be provided by the terms of the agreements governing such other Indebtedness) to, but excluding, the date fixed for the closing of such offer, in accordance with the procedures set forth in this Indenture and the agreement governing the Senior Indebtedness. The Issuer will commence an Asset Sale Offer with respect to Excess Proceeds within 20 Business Days after the date that Excess Proceeds exceed $35,000,000 by delivering the notice required pursuant to the terms of this Indenture, with a copy to the Trustee or otherwise in accordance with the procedures of DTC. The Issuer, in their sole discretion, may satisfy the foregoing obligations with respect to any Net Proceeds from an Asset Sale by making an Asset Sale Offer with respect to such Net Proceeds prior to the expiration of the relevant 450 day period (or such longer period provided above) or with respect to Excess Proceeds of $35,000,000 or less.

(g) To the extent that the aggregate principal amount of Notes and the aggregate principal amount (or accreted value, if applicable) of such Senior Indebtedness validly tendered pursuant to an Asset Sale Offer is less than the Excess Proceeds with respect to the Notes, the Issuer may use any remaining Excess Proceeds for general corporate purposes, including to make Restricted Payments, subject to the other covenants contained in this Indenture or for any other purpose not otherwise prohibited by this Indenture. If the aggregate principal amount of Notes and the aggregate principal amount (or accreted value, if applicable) of the Indebtedness surrendered in an Asset Sale Offer exceeds the amount of Excess Proceeds, the Trustee or the Paying Agent shall select the Notes and the Issuer or the agent for such Indebtedness shall select such other Indebtedness to be purchased on a pro rata basis based on the principal amount of the Notes and the aggregate principal amount (or accreted value, if applicable) of such Indebtedness validly tendered. Upon completion of any such Asset Sale Offer, the amount of Excess Proceeds shall be reset at zero.

(h) Pending the final application of any Net Proceeds pursuant to this Section 4.10, the holder of such Net Proceeds may (1) apply such Net Proceeds temporarily to reduce Indebtedness outstanding under a revolving credit facility, including under any Credit Facilities, or otherwise invest or apply such Net Proceeds in any manner not prohibited by this Indenture, and (2) elect to invest in additional assets prior to receiving the Net Proceeds attributable to any given Asset Sale (provided that such investment shall be made no earlier than the earliest of notice to the Trustee of the relevant Asset Sale, execution of a definitive agreement for the relevant Asset Sale, and consummation of the relevant Asset Sale) and deem the amount so invested to be applied pursuant to and in accordance with clause (3) of Section 4.10(b) with respect to such Asset Sale.

(i) The Issuer shall comply with the requirements of Rule 14e-1 under the Exchange Act and any other securities laws and regulations thereunder to the extent such laws or regulations are applicable in connection with the repurchase of the Notes pursuant to a Collateral Asset Sale Offer or an Asset Sale Offer. To the extent that the provisions of any securities laws or regulations conflict with the provisions of this Indenture, the Issuer shall comply with the applicable securities laws and regulations and shall not be deemed to have breached its obligations described in this Indenture by virtue thereof.

Section 4.11 Transactions with Affiliates.

(a) The Issuer will not, and will not permit any of its Restricted Subsidiaries to, make any payment to, or sell, lease, transfer or otherwise dispose of any of their properties or assets to, or purchase any property or assets from, or enter into or make or amend any transaction, contract, agreement, understanding, loan, advance or guarantee with, or for the benefit of, any Affiliate of the Issuer (each of the foregoing, an “Affiliate Transaction”) involving aggregate payments or consideration in excess of the greater of $40,000,000 and 10% of Consolidated EBITDA for the most recently ended four fiscal quarter period ending with a fiscal quarter for which internal financial statements are available, unless:

 

-64-


(1) such Affiliate Transaction is on terms that are not materially less favorable to the Issuer or the relevant Restricted Subsidiary than those that would have been obtained in a comparable transaction by the Issuer or such Restricted Subsidiary with an unrelated Person on an arm’s-length basis; and

(2) the Issuer delivers to the Trustee with respect to any Affiliate Transaction or series of related Affiliate Transactions involving aggregate payments or consideration in excess of the greater of $75,000,000 and 18.75% of Consolidated EBITDA for the most recently ended four fiscal quarter period ending with a fiscal quarter for which internal financial statements are available, a resolution adopted by the majority of the Board of Directors approving such Affiliate Transaction and set forth in an Officer’s Certificate certifying that such Affiliate Transaction complies with clause (1) of this Section 4.11(a).

(b) Section 4.11(a) hereof shall not apply to the following:

(1) transactions between or among the Issuer or any Restricted Subsidiary;

(2) in the case of a Restricted Subsidiary that is the Issuer or Guarantor, Investments in any Affiliate that provides services to the Issuer or its Restricted Subsidiaries; provided that (x) such Investment is made pursuant to clauses (16) or (20) of the definition of “Permitted Investments” and is permitted thereby, and (y) the Board of Directors determines that such Investment is in the best interests of the Issuer and the Restricted Subsidiaries;

(3) Restricted Payments permitted by Section 4.07;

(4) the indemnification of, and the payment of reasonable and customary fees and indemnities to, directors, officers and employees of the Issuer and the Restricted Subsidiaries in the ordinary course of business;

(5) Permitted Investments and transfers of work-in-process and products in the ordinary course of business among the Issuer and its Subsidiaries in connection with the digital development of intellectual property owned by the Issuer and Guarantors in compliance with clauses (1) and (2) of Section 4.10(a) or a transfer not constituting an Asset Sale;

(6) transactions in which the Issuer or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries, as the case may be, delivers to the Trustee a letter from an Independent Financial Advisor stating that such transaction is fair to the Issuer or such Restricted Subsidiary from a financial point of view or stating that the terms are not materially less favorable to the Issuer or the relevant Restricted Subsidiary than those that would have been obtained in a comparable transaction by the Issuer or such Restricted Subsidiary with an unrelated Person on an arm’s-length basis;

(7) (i) any employment agreement entered into by the Issuer or any Restricted Subsidiary in the ordinary course of business, (ii) any subscription agreement or similar agreement pertaining to the repurchase of Equity Interests pursuant to put/call rights or similar rights with employees, officers or directors, and (iii) any employee compensation, benefit plan or arrangement, any health, disability or similar insurance plan which covers employees, and any reasonable employment contract and transactions pursuant thereto;

(8) any issuance of securities, or other payments, awards or grants in cash, securities or otherwise pursuant to, or the funding of, employment arrangements, stock options and stock ownership plans entered into by the Issuer or any Restricted Subsidiary in the ordinary course of business and approved by the Board of Directors;

(9) the existence of, or the performance by the Issuer or any of the Restricted Subsidiaries of its obligations under the terms of, any stockholders agreement or its equivalent with the stockholders of the Issuer or any direct or indirect parent of the Issuer (including any registration rights agreement or purchase agreement related thereto) to which it is a party as of the Issue Date and any substantially similar agreements which it may enter into thereafter;

 

-65-


(10) payments by the Issuer or any Restricted Subsidiary to an Affiliate for any financial advisory, financing, underwriting or placement services or in respect of other investment banking activities, including in connection with acquisitions or divestitures, which payments are approved by a majority of the members of the Board of Directors in good faith;

(11) investments by Affiliates in securities or Indebtedness of the Issuer or any Restricted Subsidiary so long as (i) the investment is being offered generally to other investors on the same or more favorable terms and (ii) the aggregate investment by Affiliates constitutes less than 50% of the proposed or outstanding issue amount of such class of securities or Indebtedness;

(12) any transaction with an Affiliate in which the consideration paid by the Issuer, the Issuer or any Restricted Subsidiary consists only of Equity Interests of the Issuer or any direct or indirect parent company of the Issuer; and

(13) any agreement or arrangement as in effect as of the Issue Date, or any amendment or replacement thereto (so long as any such amendment or replacement, taken as a whole, is not materially less favorable to the Issuer and its Restricted Subsidiaries than the agreement or arrangement in effect as of the Issue Date (as determined by the Board of Directors or senior management of the Issuer in good faith)).

Section 4.12 [Reserved].

Section 4.13 [Reserved].

Section 4.14 Offer to Repurchase Upon Change of Control.

(a) If a Change of Control occurs, unless the Issuer has previously or concurrently delivered a redemption notice with respect to all the outstanding Notes as set forth in each of Section 5 of the Notes and Sections 3.03 and 3.07 hereof, which such redemption notice may be conditioned only upon the occurrence of such Change of Control, the Issuer shall make an offer to purchase all of the Notes pursuant to the offer described below (the “Change of Control Offer”) at a price in cash (the “Change of Control Payment”) equal to 101.0% of the aggregate principal amount thereof plus accrued and unpaid interest, if any, to, but excluding, the date of purchase, subject to the right of Holders of record on the relevant Record Date to receive interest due on the relevant Interest Payment Date. Within 30 days following any Change of Control, unless the Issuer has previously or concurrently delivered a redemption notice with respect to all the outstanding Notes as set forth in Section 5 of the Notes and Sections 3.03 and 3.07 hereof, which such redemption notice may be conditioned only upon the occurrence of such Change of Control, the Issuer will send notice of such Change of Control Offer by electronic transmission (for Notes held in book-entry form) or first-class mail, with a copy to the Trustee, to each Holder to the address of such Holder appearing in the security register with a copy to the Trustee, or otherwise in accordance with the Applicable Procedures of DTC, with the following information:

(1) that a Change of Control Offer is being made pursuant to this Section 4.14, and that all Notes properly tendered pursuant to such Change of Control Offer shall be accepted for payment by the Issuer;

(2) the purchase price and the purchase date, which shall be no earlier than15 days nor later than 60 days from the date such notice is transmitted or delivered (the “Change of Control Payment Date”);

(3) that any Note not properly tendered shall remain outstanding and continue to accrue interest;

 

-66-


(4) that unless the Issuer defaults in the payment of the Change of Control Payment, all Notes accepted for payment pursuant to the Change of Control Offer shall cease to accrue interest on the Change of Control Payment Date;

(5) that Holders electing to have any Notes purchased pursuant to a Change of Control Offer shall be required to surrender such Notes, with the form entitled “Option of Holder to Elect Purchase” on the reverse of such Notes completed, to the Paying Agent specified in the notice at the address specified in the notice prior to the close of business on the third Business Day preceding the Change of Control Payment Date;

(6) that Holders shall be entitled to withdraw their tendered Notes and their election to require the Issuer to purchase such Notes; provided that the Paying Agent receives, not later than the close of business on the fifth Business Day preceding the Change of Control Payment Date, a telegram, facsimile transmission or letter setting forth the name of the Holder, the principal amount of Notes tendered for purchase, and a statement that such Holder is withdrawing its tendered Notes and its election to have such Notes purchased;

(7) that the Holders whose Notes are being repurchased only in part shall be issued new Notes equal in principal amount to the unpurchased portion of the Notes surrendered. The unpurchased portion of the Notes must be equal to a minimum of $2,000 or an integral multiple of $1,000 in principal amount;

(8) if such notice is transmitted or delivered prior to the occurrence of a Change of Control, stating that the Change of Control Offer is conditional on the occurrence of such Change of Control; and

(9) the other instructions, as determined by the Issuer, consistent with this Section 4.14, that a Holder must follow.

The notice, if delivered or transmitted in a manner herein provided, shall be conclusively presumed to have been given, whether or not the Holder receives such notice. If (a) the notice is delivered in a manner herein provided and (b) any Holder fails to receive such notice or a Holder receives such notice but it is defective, such Holder’s failure to receive such notice or such defect shall not affect the validity of the proceedings for the purchase of the Notes as to all other Holders that properly received such notice without defect.

(b) On the Change of Control Payment Date, the Issuer shall, to the extent permitted by law,

(1) accept for payment all Notes or portions thereof properly tendered pursuant to the Change of Control Offer;

(2) deposit with the Paying Agent an amount equal to the aggregate Change of Control Payment in respect of all Notes or portions thereof so tendered; and

(3) deliver, or cause to be delivered, to the Trustee for cancellation (and delivery to the Paying Agent) the Notes so accepted together with an Officer’s Certificate to the Trustee stating that such Notes or portions thereof have been tendered to and purchased by the Issuer.

(c) The Issuer shall not be required to make a Change of Control Offer following a Change of Control if a third party makes the Change of Control Offer in the manner, at the times and otherwise in compliance with the requirements set forth in this Indenture applicable to a Change of Control Offer made by the Issuer and purchases all Notes validly tendered and not withdrawn under such Change of Control Offer. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein, a Change of Control Offer may be made in advance of a Change of Control, conditional upon such Change of Control, if a definitive agreement is in place for the Change of Control at the time of making of the Change of Control Offer.

 

-67-


(d) The Issuer shall comply with the requirements of Rule 14e-1 under the Exchange Act and any other securities laws and regulations thereunder to the extent such laws or regulations are applicable in connection with the repurchase of Notes by the Issuer pursuant to a Change of Control Offer. To the extent that the provisions of any securities laws or regulations conflict with the provisions of this Indenture, the Issuer shall comply with the applicable securities laws and regulations and shall not be deemed to have breached its obligations under this Indenture by virtue thereof.

(e) Other than as specifically provided in this Section 4.14, any purchase pursuant to this Section 4.14 shall be made pursuant to the provisions of Sections 3.02, 3.05 and 3.06 hereof.

Section 4.15 Limitation on Guarantees of Indebtedness by Restricted Subsidiaries.

(a) The Issuer shall not permit any Restricted Subsidiary that is a Domestic Subsidiary and a Wholly-Owned Subsidiary, to guarantee the payment of any (x) Indebtedness permitted under Section 4.09(b)(1)(ii) and/or (i)(iii) or (y) capital markets debt securities of the Issuer or any Guarantor unless:

(1) such Restricted Subsidiary within 60 days executes and delivers a supplemental indenture to this Indenture providing for a Guarantee by such Restricted Subsidiary and joinders to or new Security Documents and takes all actions required by the Security Documents to perfect the Liens created thereunder, except that with respect to a guarantee of Indebtedness of the Issuer or any Guarantor, if such Indebtedness is by its express terms subordinated in right of payment to the Notes or a related Guarantee, any such guarantee by such Restricted Subsidiary with respect to such Indebtedness shall be subordinated in right of payment to such Guarantee substantially to the same extent as such Indebtedness is subordinated to the Notes or such Guarantor’s related Guarantee; and

(2) such Restricted Subsidiary within 60 days executes and delivers applicable joinders and/or supplements to the applicable Security Documents together with all filings and other agreements necessary to the perfect the security interests in the property and assets of such Restricted Subsidiary constituting Collateral; and

(3) such Restricted Subsidiary waives and shall not in any manner whatsoever claim or take the benefit or advantage of, any rights of reimbursement, indemnity or subrogation or any other rights against the Issuer or any other Restricted Subsidiary as a result of any payment by such Restricted Subsidiary under its Guarantee until payment in full of Obligations under this Indenture;

provided, that this Section 4.15(a) shall not be applicable to any guarantee of any Restricted Subsidiary that existed at the time such Person became a Restricted Subsidiary and was not incurred in connection with, or in contemplation of, such Person becoming a Restricted Subsidiary.

The Issuer may elect, in its sole discretion, to cause any Subsidiary that is not otherwise required to be a Guarantor to become a Guarantor, in which case such Subsidiary shall not be required to comply with the 60 day periods set forth in clauses (1) through (3) of this Section 4.15(a).

(b) If any Guarantor becomes an Immaterial Subsidiary, the Issuer shall have the right, by delivery of a supplemental indenture executed by the Issuer to the Trustee, to cause such Immaterial Subsidiary to automatically and unconditionally cease to be a Guarantor, subject to the requirement described in Section 4.15(a) hereof that such Subsidiary shall be required to become a Guarantor if it ceases to be an Immaterial Subsidiary (except that if such Subsidiary has been properly designated as an Unrestricted Subsidiary it shall not be so required to become a Guarantor or execute a supplemental indenture); provided, further, that such Immaterial Subsidiary shall not be permitted to Guarantee other Indebtedness of the Issuer or the other Guarantors (including, for the avoidance of doubt, the Term Loan Facility, the ABL Facility and/or any Existing Senior Notes), unless it again becomes a Guarantor.

 

-68-


Section 4.16 [Reserved].

Section 4.17 Termination of Covenants if the Notes Achieve Investment Grade Rating.

(a) If on any date following the date of this Indenture:

(1) the Notes achieve an Investment Grade Rating by at least two of the Rating Agencies; and

(2) no Default or Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing, then, beginning on that day, the covenants set forth in Sections 4.07, 4.08, 4.09, 4.10, 4.11, 4.15 and 5.01(a)(4) shall be terminated.

Section 4.18 Liens.

(a) The Issuer will not, and will not permit any Restricted Subsidiary to, directly or indirectly, create, incur, assume or suffer to exist any Lien (each, an “Initial Lien”) that secures Obligations under any Indebtedness on any asset or property of the Issuer or such Restricted Subsidiary, unless:

(1) in the case of Initial Liens on any Collateral, such Initial Lien is a Permitted Lien; and

(2) in the case of any Initial Lien on any asset or property that is not Collateral, (i) the Notes (or a Guarantee in the case of Initial Liens on assets or property of a Guarantor) are equally and ratably secured with (or on a senior basis to, in the case such Initial Lien secures any Subordinated Indebtedness) the Obligations secured by such Initial Lien until such time as such Obligations are no longer secured by such Initial Lien at which time the Lien securing the Notes and the Guarantees shall be automatically and unconditionally released and discharged or (ii) such Initial Lien is a Permitted Lien.

(b) Any Lien created for the benefit of the Holders pursuant to this Section 4.18 shall be deemed automatically and unconditionally released and discharged upon the release and discharge of the applicable Lien described in clause (2) of Section 4.18(a).

For purposes of determining compliance with this Section 4.18, in the event that a Lien securing an item of Indebtedness, Disqualified Stock or Preferred Stock (or any portion thereof) meets the criteria of more than one of the categories of Permitted Liens described in clauses (1) through (35) of the definition of “Permitted Liens,” the Issuer, in its sole discretion, may classify or reclassify such Lien securing such item of Indebtedness, Disqualified Stock or Preferred Stock and will only be required to include the amount and type of such Lien securing such item of Indebtedness, Disqualified Stock or Preferred Stock in such of the clauses of the definition of “Permitted Liens” as so reclassified by the Issuer, in its sole discretion.

ARTICLE V

SUCCESSORS

Section 5.01 Merger, Consolidation or Sale of All or Substantially All Assets.

(a) The Issuer may not consolidate or merge with or into or wind up into (whether or not the Issuer is the surviving corporation), including pursuant to an LLC Division, nor may the Issuer sell, assign, transfer, lease, convey or otherwise dispose of assets or properties that in either case constitute all or substantially all of the properties or assets of the Issuer and its Subsidiaries which are Restricted Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, in one or more related transactions, to any Person unless:

(1) The Issuer is the surviving corporation or the Person formed by or surviving any such consolidation or merger or the Person to which such sale, assignment, transfer, lease, conveyance or other disposition shall have been made is organized or existing under the laws of the United States, any state thereof or the District of Columbia(such Person, as the case may be, being herein called the “Successor Issuer”); provided that in the case where the Successor Issuer is not a corporation, a co-obligor of the Notes is a corporation;

 

-69-


(2) the Successor Issuer expressly assumes all the obligations of the Issuer under the Notes, this Indenture and the applicable Security Documents pursuant to a supplemental indenture or other documents or instruments in form reasonably satisfactory to the Trustee;

(3) immediately after such transaction, no Default exists;

(4) immediately after giving pro forma effect to such transaction and any related financing transactions, as if such transactions had occurred at the beginning of the applicable four-quarter period,

 

  (a)

the Successor Issuer would be permitted to incur at least $1.00 of additional Indebtedness pursuant to Section 4.09(a) hereof, or

 

  (b)

the Net Total Leverage Ratio would not be higher than it was immediately prior to such acquisition or merger;

(5) in the case of any such transaction involving the Issuer, each Guarantor, unless it is (a) the other party to the transactions described above, in which case clause (1)(ii) of Section 5.01(c) shall apply or (b) a Guarantor that will be released from its obligations under its Guarantee in connection with such transactions, shall have by supplemental indenture confirmed that its Guarantee shall apply to such Person’s obligations under this Indenture and the Notes;

(6) The Issuer shall have delivered to the Trustee an Officer’s Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel, each stating that such consolidation, merger or transfer and such supplemental indentures, Security Documents and other applicable documents or instruments, if any, comply with this Indenture; and

(7) to the extent any assets of the Person which is merged or consolidated with or into the Issuer are assets of the type which would constitute Collateral under the Security Documents, the Issuer or the Successor Issuer, as applicable, will take such action, if any, as may be reasonably necessary to cause such property and assets to be made subject to the Lien securing the Notes pursuant to this Indenture and the applicable Security Documents in the manner and to the extent required in this Indenture or the applicable Security Documents and shall take all reasonably necessary action so that such Lien is perfected to the extent required by this Indenture or the applicable Security Documents, as applicable.

(b) The Successor Issuer will succeed to, and be substituted for, the Issuer under this Indenture and the Notes, as applicable, and the Issuer, will be automatically released from its obligations under this Indenture and the Notes. Notwithstanding clauses (3) and (4) of Section 5.01(a) hereof,

(1) any Restricted Subsidiary may consolidate with or merge into or transfer all or part of its properties and assets to the Issuer or a Guarantor; and

(2) the Issuer may merge with an Affiliate of the Issuer, solely for the purpose of reorganizing the Issuer under the laws of the United States, any state thereof or the District of Columbia so long as the amount of Indebtedness of the Issuer and its Restricted Subsidiaries is not increased thereby.

(c) Subject to Section 10.06 hereof, no Guarantor will, and the Issuer will not permit any Guarantor to, consolidate or merge with or into or wind up into (whether or not the Issuer or such Guarantor is the surviving corporation), or sell, assign, transfer, lease, convey or otherwise dispose of all or substantially all of its properties or assets, in one or more related transactions, to any Person unless:

(1) such Guarantor is the surviving Person or the Person formed by or surviving any such consolidation or merger (if other than such Guarantor) or to which such sale, assignment, transfer, lease,

 

-70-


conveyance or other disposition shall have been made is organized or existing under the laws of the jurisdiction of organization of such Guarantor, as the case may be, or the laws of the United States, any state thereof, the District of Columbia, or any territory thereof (such Guarantor or such Person, as the case may be, being herein called the “Successor Person”);

(ii) the Successor Person, if other than such Guarantor, expressly assumes all the obligations of such Guarantor under this Indenture, such Guarantor’s related Guarantee and the applicable Security Documents pursuant to supplemental indentures or other documents or instruments in form reasonably satisfactory to the Trustee;

(iii) immediately after such transaction, no Default exists;

(iv) the Issuer shall have delivered to the Trustee an Officer’s Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel, each stating that such consolidation, merger or transfer and such supplemental indentures, Security Documents and other applicable documents and instruments, if any, comply with this Indenture; and

(v) to the extent any assets of the Person which is merged, consolidated or amalgamated with or into such Guarantor are assets of the type which would constitute Collateral under the Security Documents, such Guarantor or the Successor Person will take such action, if any, as may be reasonably necessary to cause such property and assets to be made subject to the Lien securing the Notes pursuant to this Indenture and the applicable Security Documents in the manner and to the extent required in this Indenture or the applicable Security Documents and shall take all reasonably necessary action so that such Lien in perfected to the extent required by this Indenture or the applicable Security Documents, as applicable; or

(2) the transaction complies with clauses (1) and (2) of Section 4.10(a) hereof.

(d) In the case of clause (1) of Section 5.01(c) hereof, the Successor Person shall succeed to, and be substituted for, such Guarantor under this Indenture and such Guarantor’s Guarantee. Notwithstanding the foregoing, any Guarantor that is a Subsidiary of the Issuer may (1) merge or consolidate with or into or wind up into or transfer all or part of its properties and assets to the Issuer, another Guarantor or the Issuer, (2) merge with an Affiliate of the Issuer solely for the purpose of reincorporating the Guarantor in the United States, any state thereof, the District of Columbia or any territory thereof or (3) convert into (which may be effected by merger with a Restricted Subsidiary that has substantially no assets and liabilities) a corporation, partnership, limited partnership, limited liability corporation or trust organized or existing under the laws of the jurisdiction of organization of such Guarantor (which may be effected by merger so long as the survivor thereof is a Guarantor).

Section 5.02 Successor Corporation Substituted. Upon any consolidation or merger, or any sale, assignment, transfer, lease, conveyance or other disposition of all or substantially all of the assets of the Issuer in accordance with Section 5.01 hereof, the successor corporation formed by such consolidation or into or with which such Issuer is merged or to which such sale, assignment, transfer, lease, conveyance or other disposition is made shall succeed to, and be substituted for (so that from and after the date of such consolidation, merger, sale, lease, conveyance or other disposition, the provisions of this Indenture referring to such Issuer shall refer instead to the successor corporation and not to the Issuer), and may exercise every right and power of such Issuer under this Indenture with the same effect as if such Successor Person had been named as the Issuer herein; provided that the predecessor issuer shall not be relieved from the obligation to pay the principal of and interest on the Notes except in the case of a sale, assignment, transfer, lease, conveyance or other disposition of all of such Issuer’s assets that meets the requirements of Section 5.01 hereof.

 

-71-


ARTICLE VI

DEFAULTS AND REMEDIES

Section 6.01 Events of Default.

(a) An “Event of Default” wherever used herein means any one of the following events (whatever the reason for such Event of Default and whether it shall be voluntary or involuntary or be effected by operation of law or pursuant to any judgment, decree or order of any court or any order, rule or regulation of any administrative or governmental body):

(1) default in payment when due and payable, upon redemption, acceleration or otherwise, of principal of, or premium, if any, on the Notes;

(2) default for 30 days or more in the payment when due of interest on or with respect to the Notes;

(3) failure by the Issuer or any Guarantor for 60 days after receipt of written notice given by the Trustee or the Holders of not less than 25% in principal amount of the then outstanding Notes (with a copy to the Trustee) to comply with any of its obligations, covenants or agreements (other than a default referred to in clauses (1), (2), (4) and (10) of this Section 6.01(a) hereof) contained in this Indenture or the Notes;

(4) failure by the Issuer for 120 days after receipt of written notice given by the Trustee or the Holders of not less than 25% in principal amount of the then outstanding Notes (with a copy to the Trustee) to comply with the provisions of Section 4.03 of this Indenture;

(5) default under any mortgage, indenture or instrument under which there is issued or by which there is secured or evidenced any Indebtedness for money borrowed by the Issuer or any Restricted Subsidiaries or the payment of which is guaranteed by the Issuer or any Restricted Subsidiaries, other than Indebtedness owed to the Issuer or a Restricted Subsidiary, whether such Indebtedness or guarantee now exists or is created after the issuance of the Notes, if both:

 

  (a)

such default either results from the failure to pay any principal of such Indebtedness at its stated final maturity (after giving effect to any applicable grace periods) or relates to an obligation other than the obligation to pay principal of any such Indebtedness at its stated final maturity and results in the holder or holders of such Indebtedness causing such Indebtedness to become due prior to its stated final maturity; and

 

  (b)

the principal amount of such Indebtedness, together with the principal amount of any other such Indebtedness in default for failure to pay principal at stated final maturity (after giving effect to any applicable grace periods), or the maturity of which has been so accelerated, aggregate $125,000,000 or more at any one time outstanding, in each case;

(6) failure by the Issuer or any other Significant Party to pay final non-appealable judgments (for the avoidance of doubt, excluding settlements but not excluding judgments or decrees to enforce settlements) aggregating in excess of $125,000,000 (to the extent not covered by independent third-party insurance not disputing coverage), which final judgments remain unpaid, undischarged and unstayed for a period of more than 30 days after such judgments become final, and in the event such judgment in excess of $125,000,000 is covered by insurance, an enforcement proceeding has been commenced by any creditor upon such judgment or decree which is not promptly stayed;

(7) the Issuer or any other Significant Party, pursuant to or within the meaning of the Bankruptcy Code:

 

  (i)

commences proceedings to be adjudicated bankrupt or insolvent;

 

-72-


  (ii)

consents to the institution of bankruptcy or insolvency proceedings against it, or the filing by it of a petition or answer or consent seeking reorganization or relief under the Bankruptcy Code;

 

  (iii)

consents to the appointment of a receiver, liquidator, assignee, trustee, sequestrator or other similar official of it or for all or substantially all of its property;

 

  (iv)

makes a general assignment for the benefit of its creditors; or

 

  (v)

generally is not paying its debts as they become due;

(8) a court of competent jurisdiction enters an order or decree under the Bankruptcy Code that:

 

  (i)

is for relief against the Issuer or any Significant Party in a proceeding in which such Issuer or any such Significant Party is to be adjudicated bankrupt or insolvent;

 

  (ii)

appoints a receiver, liquidator, assignee, trustee, sequestrator or other similar official of the Issuer or any Significant Party, or for all or substantially all of the property of the Issuer or any Significant Party; or

 

  (iii)

orders the liquidation of the Issuer or any Significant Party;

and the order or decree remains unstayed and in effect for 60 consecutive days;

(9) the Guarantee of any Significant Party shall for any reason cease to be in full force and effect or be declared null and void or any responsible officer of any Guarantor that is a Significant Party, as the case may be, denies in writing that it has any further liability under its Guarantee or gives written notice to such effect, other than by reason of the termination of this Indenture or the release of any such Guarantee in accordance with this Indenture and such Default continues uncured for ten or more Business Days;

(10) (i) the Liens created by the Security Documents shall at any time not constitute a valid and perfected Lien on any portion of the Collateral intended to be covered thereby having a fair market value in excess of $25,000,000 (unless perfection is not required by this Indenture or the Security Documents) other than (A) in accordance with the terms of the relevant Security Document and this Indenture, (B) the satisfaction in full of all Obligations under this Indenture or (C) any loss of perfection that results from the failure of the Notes Collateral Agent to maintain possession of certificates delivered to it representing securities pledged under the Security Documents and (ii) such default continues for 30 days; and

(11) the Issuer or any Guarantor that is a Significant Party (or any group of Guarantors that, taken together (as of the latest audited consolidated financial statements for the Issuer and its Restricted Subsidiaries) would constitute a Significant Party) shall assert, in any pleading in any court of competent jurisdiction, that any security interest in any Security Document is invalid or unenforceable.

(b) A Default under clauses (3), (4), (5), (6) or (10) of Section 6.01(a) will not constitute an Event of Default until the Trustee or the Holders of 25% in principal amount of the outstanding Notes notify the Issuer (and if by such Holders, the Trustee and the Issuer) of the Default and, with respect to clauses (3), (4), (6) and (10), such party does not cure such default within the time specified in clauses (3), (4), (6) and (10), as applicable, of Section 6.01(a) hereof after receipt of such notice; provided that a notice of Default may not be given with respect to any action taken, and reported publicly or to holders, more than two years prior to such notice of Default.

 

-73-


(c) Any notice of Default, notice of acceleration or instruction to the Trustee to provide a notice of Default, notice of acceleration or take any other action (a “Noteholder Direction”) provided by any one or more Holders (other than a Regulated Bank) (each, a “Directing Holder”) must be accompanied by a written representation from each such Holder to the Issuer and the Trustee that such Holder is not (or, in the case such Holder is DTC or its nominee, that such Holder is being instructed solely by beneficial owners that have represented to such Holder that they are not) Net Short (a “Position Representation”), which representation, in the case of a Noteholder Direction relating to the delivery of a notice of Default shall be deemed repeated at all times until the resulting Event of Default is cured or otherwise ceases to exist or the Notes are accelerated. In addition, each Directing Holder must at the time of providing a Noteholder Direction covenant, provide the Issuer with such other information as the Issuer may reasonably request from time to time in order to verify the accuracy of such Holder’s Position Representation within five Business Days of request therefor (a “Verification Covenant”). In any case in which the Holder is DTC or its nominee, any Position Representation or Verification Covenant required hereunder shall be provided by the beneficial owner of the Notes in lieu of DTC or its nominee.

If, following the delivery of a Noteholder Direction, but prior to acceleration of the Notes, the Issuer determines in good faith that there is a reasonable basis to believe a Directing Holder was, at any relevant time, in breach of its Position Representation and provides to the Trustee an Officer’s Certificate stating that the Issuer has initiated litigation with a court of competent jurisdiction seeking a determination that such Directing Holder was, at such time, in breach of its Position Representation, and seeking to invalidate any Event of Default that resulted from the applicable Noteholder Direction, the cure period with respect to such Event of Default shall be automatically stayed and the cure period with respect to such Event of Default shall be automatically reinstituted and any remedy stayed pending a final and non-appealable determination of a court of competent jurisdiction on such matter, but only to the extent that without the participation of such Holder, the percentage of Notes held by the remaining Holders that provided such Noteholder Direction would have been insufficient to validly provide such Noteholder Direction. If, following the delivery of a Noteholder Direction, but prior to acceleration of the Notes, the Issuer provides to the Trustee an Officer’s Certificate stating that a Directing Holder failed to satisfy its Verification Covenant, the cure period with respect to such Event of Default shall be automatically stayed and the cure period with respect to any Event of Default that resulted from the applicable Noteholder Direction shall be automatically reinstituted and any remedy stayed pending satisfaction of such Verification Covenant, but only to the extent that without the participation of such Holder, the percentage of Notes held by the remaining Holders that provided such Noteholder Direction would have been insufficient to validly provide such Noteholder Direction. Any breach of the Position Representation shall result in such Holder’s participation in such Noteholder Direction being disregarded; and, if, without the participation of such Holder, the percentage of Notes held by the remaining Holders that provided such Noteholder Direction would have been insufficient to validly provide such Noteholder Direction, such Noteholder Direction shall be void ab initio, with the effect that such Event of Default shall be deemed never to have occurred, acceleration voided and the Trustee shall be deemed not to have received such Noteholder Direction or any notice of such Default or Event of Default.

Notwithstanding anything in the immediately preceding two paragraphs to the contrary, any Noteholder Direction delivered to the Trustee during the pendency of an Event of Default as the result of a bankruptcy or similar proceeding shall not require compliance with the foregoing paragraphs of this Section 6.01. In addition, for the avoidance of doubt, the foregoing paragraphs shall not apply to any Holder that is a Regulated Bank; provided that if a Regulated Bank is a Directing Holder or a beneficial owner directing DTC, it shall provide a written representation that it is a Regulated Bank.

For the avoidance of doubt, the Trustee shall be entitled to conclusively rely on any Noteholder Direction delivered to it in accordance with this Indenture, shall have no duty to inquire as to or investigate the accuracy of any Position Representation, enforce compliance with any Verification Covenant, verify any statements in any Officer’s Certificate delivered to it, or otherwise make calculations, investigations or determinations with respect to Derivative Instruments, Net Shorts, Long Derivative Instruments, Short Derivative Instruments or otherwise. The Trustee shall have no liability to the Issuer, any Holder or any other Person in acting in good faith on a Noteholder Direction.

(d) In the event of any Event of Default specified in clause (5) of Section 6.01(a) hereof, such Event of Default and all consequences thereof (excluding any resulting payment default, other than as a result of acceleration of the Notes) shall be annulled, waived and rescinded, automatically and without any action by the Trustee or the Holders, if within 30 days after such Event of Default arose:

 

-74-


(1) the Indebtedness or guarantee that is the basis for such Event of Default has been discharged; or

(2) holders thereof have rescinded or waived the acceleration, notice or action (as the case may be) giving rise to such Event of Default; or

(3) the default that is the basis for such Event of Default has been cured.

(e) If (i) a Default for a failure to report or failure to deliver a required certificate in connection with another default (the “Initial Default”) occurs, then at the time such Initial Default is cured, such Default for a failure to report or failure to deliver a required certificate in connection with another default that resulted solely because of that Initial Default will also be cured without any further action and (ii) any Default or Event of Default for the failure to comply with the time periods prescribed under Section 4.03 hereof or otherwise to deliver any notice or certificate pursuant to any other provision of this Indenture shall be deemed to be cured upon the delivery of any such report required by such section or such notice or certificate, as applicable, even though such delivery is not within the prescribed period specified in this Indenture. Any time period in this Indenture to cure any actual or alleged Default or Event of Default may be extended or stayed by a court of competent jurisdiction.

Section 6.02 Acceleration. If any Event of Default (other than an Event of Default specified in clause (7) or (8) of Section 6.01(a) hereof with respect to the Issuer) occurs and is continuing under this Indenture, the Trustee or the Holders of at least 25% in principal amount of the then total outstanding Notes (with a copy to the Trustee) may declare the principal of, premium, if any, interest and any other monetary obligations on all the then outstanding Notes to be due and payable immediately. Upon the effectiveness of such declaration, such principal, premium, if any, and interest shall be due and payable immediately. The Trustee shall have no obligation to accelerate the Notes if in the best judgment of the Trustee, acceleration is not in the best interest of the Holders.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, in the case of an Event of Default arising under clause (7) or (8) of Section 6.01(a) hereof with respect to the Issuer, all outstanding Notes shall be due and payable without further action or notice.

Section 6.03 Other Remedies. If an Event of Default occurs and is continuing, the Trustee may pursue any available remedy to collect the payment of principal, premium, if any, and interest on the Notes or to enforce the performance of any provision of the Notes or this Indenture.

The Trustee may maintain a proceeding even if it does not possess any of the Notes or does not produce any of them in the proceeding. A delay or omission by the Trustee or any Holder in exercising any right or remedy accruing upon an Event of Default shall not impair the right or remedy or constitute a waiver of or acquiescence in the Event of Default. All remedies are cumulative to the extent permitted by law.

Section 6.04 Waiver of Past Defaults. The Holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the then outstanding Notes by notice to the Trustee may on behalf of all Holders waive any existing Default and its consequences under this Indenture (except a continuing Default in the payment of interest on, premium, if any, or the principal of any Note held by a non-consenting Holder) and rescind any acceleration with respect to the Notes and its consequences (except if such rescission would conflict with any judgment of a court of competent jurisdiction). Upon any such waiver, such Default shall cease to exist, and any Event of Default arising therefrom shall be deemed to have been cured for every purpose of this Indenture and the Security Documents, but no such waiver shall extend to any subsequent or other Default or impair any right consequent thereto.

Section 6.05 Control by Majority. Holders of a majority in principal amount of the then total outstanding Notes may direct the time, method and place of conducting any proceeding for any remedy available to the Trustee or of exercising any trust or power conferred on the Trustee. The Trustee, however, may refuse to follow any direction that conflicts with law or this Indenture or that the Trustee determines is unduly prejudicial to the rights of any other Holder (it being understood that the Trustee does not have an affirmative duty to ascertain whether or not such directions are unduly prejudicial to any Holder) or that would involve the Trustee in personal liability. The Trustee may take any other action deemed proper by the Trustee which is not inconsistent with such direction. Prior to taking any action under this Indenture, the Trustee will be entitled to indemnification and/or security satisfactory to it against all losses, liabilities and expenses caused by taking or not taking such action.

 

-75-


Section 6.06 Limitation on Suits. Subject to Section 6.07 hereof, no Holder may pursue any remedy with respect to this Indenture or the Notes unless:

(a) such Holder has previously given the Trustee notice that an Event of Default is continuing;

(b) Holders of at least 25% in principal amount of the total outstanding Notes have requested the Trustee to pursue the remedy;

(c) Holders have offered the Trustee security or indemnity satisfactory to the Trustee against any loss, liability or expense;

(d) the Trustee has not complied with such request within 60 days after the receipt thereof and the offer of security or indemnity; and

(e) Holders of a majority in principal amount of the total outstanding Notes have not given the Trustee a direction inconsistent with such request within such 60-day period.

A Holder may not use this Indenture to prejudice the rights of another Holder or to obtain a preference or priority over another Holder.

Section 6.07 Rights of Holders To Receive Payment. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Indenture, the right of any Holder to receive payment of principal premium, if any, and interest on the Note, on or after the respective due dates expressed in the Note (including in connection with an Asset Sale Offer, Collateral Asset Sale Offer or a Change of Control Offer), or to bring suit for the enforcement of any such payment on or after such respective dates, shall not be impaired or affected without the consent of such Holder.

Section 6.08 Collection Suit by Trustee. If an Event of Default specified in Section 6.01(a)(1) or (2) hereof occurs and is continuing, the Trustee is authorized to recover judgment in its own name and as trustee of an express trust against the Issuer for the whole amount of principal of, premium, if any, and interest remaining unpaid on the Notes and interest on overdue principal and, to the extent lawful, interest and such further amount as shall be sufficient to cover the costs and expenses of collection, including the reasonable compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the Trustee, the Notes Collateral Agent, the Agents, their respective agents and counsel.

Section 6.09 Restoration of Rights and Remedies. If the Trustee or any Holder has instituted any proceeding to enforce any right or remedy under this Indenture and such proceeding has been discontinued or abandoned for any reason, or has been determined adversely to the Trustee or to such Holder, then and in every such case, subject to any determination in such proceedings, the Issuer, the Trustee and the Holders of shall be restored severally and respectively to their former positions hereunder and thereafter all rights and remedies of the Trustee and the Holders shall continue as though no such proceeding has been instituted.

Section 6.10 Rights and Remedies Cumulative. Except as otherwise provided with respect to the replacement or payment of mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen Notes in Section 2.07 hereof, no right or remedy herein conferred upon or reserved to the Trustee or to the Holders is intended to be exclusive of any other right or remedy, and every right and remedy shall, to the extent permitted by law, be cumulative and in addition to every other right and remedy given hereunder or now or hereafter existing at law or in equity or otherwise. The assertion or employment of any right or remedy hereunder, or otherwise, shall not prevent the concurrent assertion or employment of any other appropriate right or remedy.

 

-76-


Section 6.11 Delay or Omission Not Waiver. No delay or omission of the Trustee or of any Holder to exercise any right or remedy accruing upon any Event of Default shall impair any such right or remedy or constitute a waiver of any such Event of Default or an acquiescence therein. Every right and remedy given by this Article or by law to the Trustee or to the Holders may be exercised from time to time, and as often as may be deemed expedient, by the Trustee or by the Holders, as the case may be.

Section 6.12 Trustee May File Proofs of Claim. The Trustee is authorized to file such proofs of claim and other papers or documents as may be necessary or advisable in order to have the claims of the Trustee (including any claim for the reasonable compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the Trustee, the Agents, their respective agents and counsel) and the Holders allowed in any judicial proceedings relative to the Issuer (or any other obligor upon the Notes including the Guarantors), its creditors or its property and shall be entitled and empowered to participate as a member in any official committee of creditors appointed in such matter and to collect, receive and distribute any money or other property payable or deliverable on any such claims and any custodian in any such judicial proceeding is hereby authorized by each Holder to make such payments to the Trustee, and in the event that the Trustee shall consent to the making of such payments directly to the Holders, to pay to the Trustee any amount due to it for the reasonable compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the Trustee, the Agents and their respective agents and counsel, and any other amounts due the Trustee and the Agents under Section 7.07. To the extent that the payment of any such compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the Trustee, the Agents and their respective agents and counsel, and any other amounts due the Trustee or the Agents under Section 7.07 out of the estate in any such proceeding, shall be denied for any reason, payment of the same shall be secured by a Lien on, and shall be paid out of, any and all distributions, dividends, money, securities and other properties that the Holders may be entitled to receive in such proceeding whether in liquidation or under any plan of reorganization or arrangement or otherwise. Nothing herein contained shall be deemed to authorize the Trustee or any Agent to authorize or consent to or accept or adopt on behalf of any Holder any plan of reorganization, arrangement, adjustment or composition affecting the Notes or the rights of any Holder, or to authorize the Trustee or any Agent to vote in respect of the claim of any Holder in any such proceeding.

Section 6.13 Priorities. Subject to the Intercreditor Agreements, if the Trustee collects any money pursuant to this Article VI (including upon exercise of remedies with respect to the Collateral), it shall pay out the money in the following order:

(a) to the Trustee, the Notes Collateral Agent and the Agents and their respective agents and attorneys for amounts due under Section 7.07 hereof, including payment of all compensation, expenses and liabilities incurred, and all advances made, by the Trustee, the Notes Collateral Agent and any Agent and the costs and expenses of collection;

(b) to Holders for amounts due and unpaid on the Notes for principal, premium, if any, and interest, ratably, without preference or priority of any kind, according to the amounts due and payable on the Notes for principal, premium, if any, and interest, respectively; and

(c) to the Issuer or to such party as a court of competent jurisdiction shall direct, including a Guarantor, if applicable.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, all amounts in the Trustee Account shall be paid first to the Holders. The Trustee may fix a record date and payment date for any payment to Holders pursuant to this Section 6.13.

Section 6.14 Undertaking for Costs. In any suit for the enforcement of any right or remedy under this Indenture or in any suit against the Trustee for any action taken or omitted by it as a Trustee, a court in its discretion may require the filing by any party litigant in the suit of an undertaking to pay the costs of the suit, and the court in its discretion may assess reasonable costs, including reasonable attorneys’ fees and expenses, against any party litigant in the suit, having due regard to the merits and good faith of the claims or defenses made by the party litigant. This Section 6.14 does not apply to a suit by the Trustee, a suit by a Holder pursuant to Section 6.07 hereof, or a suit by Holders of more than 10% in principal amount of the then outstanding Notes.

 

-77-


ARTICLE VII

TRUSTEE

Section 7.01 Duties of Trustee.

(a) If an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing, the Trustee shall exercise such of the rights and powers vested in it by this Indenture, and use the same degree of care and skill in its exercise, as a prudent person would exercise or use under the circumstances in the conduct of such person’s own affairs; provided that if an Event of Default occurs and is continuing, the Trustee shall be under no obligation to exercise any of the rights or powers under this Indenture, the Notes and the Guarantees at the request or direction of any of the Holders unless such Holders have offered (and, if requested, provided) the Trustee indemnity, security or prefunding satisfactory to the Trustee in its sole discretion, as applicable, against loss, liability or expense.

(b) Except during the continuance of an Event of Default of which the Trustee has knowledge in accordance with Section 7.02(g):

(1) the duties of the Trustee shall be determined solely by the express provisions of this Indenture and the Trustee need perform only those duties that are specifically set forth in this Indenture and no others, and no implied covenants or obligations shall be read into this Indenture against the Trustee; and

(2) in the absence of bad faith on its part, the Trustee may conclusively rely, as to the truth of the statements and the correctness of the opinions expressed therein, upon certificates or opinions furnished to the Trustee and conforming to the requirements of this Indenture. However, in the case of any such certificates or opinions which by any provision hereof are specifically required to be furnished to the Trustee, the Trustee shall examine the certificates and opinions to determine whether or not they conform to the requirements of this Indenture (but need not confirm or investigate the accuracy of mathematical calculations or other facts stated therein).

(c) The Trustee may not be relieved from liabilities for its own negligent action, its own negligent failure to act, or its own willful misconduct, except that:

(1) this clause (c) does not limit the effect of clause (b) of this Section 7.01;

(2) the Trustee shall not be liable for any error of judgment made in good faith by a Responsible Officer, unless it is proved in a court of competent jurisdiction that the Trustee was negligent in ascertaining the pertinent facts; and

(3) the Trustee shall not be liable with respect to any action it takes or omits to take in good faith in accordance with a direction received by it pursuant to Section 6.05 hereof.

(d) Whether or not therein expressly so provided, every provision of this Indenture that in any way relates to the Trustee is subject to this Section 7.01.

(e) The Trustee shall be under no obligation to exercise any of its rights or powers under this Indenture at the request or direction of any of the Holders unless the Holders have offered (and, if requested, provided) to the Trustee indemnity or security satisfactory to it against any loss, liability or expense.

(f) The Trustee shall not be liable for interest on any money received by it except as the Trustee may agree in writing with the Issuer. Money held in trust by the Trustee need not be segregated from other funds except to the extent required by law or as the Trustee may agree in writing with the Issuer.

(g) In the absence of bad faith, negligence or willful misconduct on the part of the Trustee, the Trustee shall not be responsible for the use or application of any money by any Paying Agent other than the Trustee.

 

-78-


Section 7.02 Rights of Trustee.

(a) The Trustee may conclusively rely upon any document believed by it to be genuine and to have been signed or presented by the proper Person. The Trustee need not investigate any fact or matter stated in the document, but the Trustee, in its discretion, may make such further inquiry or investigation into such facts or matters as it may see fit, and, if the Trustee shall determine to make such further inquiry or investigation, it shall be entitled to examine the books, records and premises of the Issuer, personally or by agent or attorney at the sole cost of the Issuer and shall incur no liability or additional liability of any kind by reason of such inquiry or investigation.

(b) Before the Trustee acts or refrains from acting, it may require an Officer’s Certificate or an Opinion of Counsel or both. The Trustee shall not be liable for any action it takes or omits to take in good faith in reliance on such Officer’s Certificate or Opinion of Counsel. The Trustee may consult with counsel of its selection and the advice of such counsel or any Opinion of Counsel shall be full and complete authorization and protection from liability in respect of any action taken, suffered or omitted by it hereunder in good faith and in reliance thereon.

(c) The Trustee may act through its attorneys and agents and shall not be responsible for the misconduct or negligence of any agent or attorney appointed with due care. The Trustee shall not be responsible for the misconduct, negligence, actions or inactions of the Notes Collateral Agent.

(d) The Trustee shall not be liable for any action it takes or omits to take in good faith that it believes to be authorized or within the rights or powers conferred upon it by this Indenture.

(e) Unless otherwise specifically provided in this Indenture, any demand, request, direction or notice from the Issuer shall be sufficient if signed by an Officer of the Issuer.

(f) None of the provisions of this Indenture shall require the Trustee to expend or risk its own funds or otherwise to incur any liability, financial or otherwise, 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 indemnity satisfactory to it against such risk or liability is not assured to it.

(g) The Trustee shall have no duty to inquire as to the performance of the covenants of the Issuer or any Guarantor and may assume without inquiry in the absence of actual knowledge that the Issuer is duly complying with their obligations contained in this Indenture required to be performed and observed by them, and that no Default or Event of Default or other event which would require repayment of the Notes has occurred. In addition, the Trustee shall not be deemed to have knowledge or notice of any Default or Event of Default except in the event of a payment default as set forth in Section 6.01(a), clauses (1) and (2) or unless written notice of any event which is in fact such a Default or Event of Default is received by the Trustee at the Corporate Trust Office of the Trustee, and such notice references the Notes and this Indenture.

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

(i) The rights, privileges, protections, immunities and benefits given to the Trustee, including its right to be indemnified, are extended to, and shall be enforceable by, the Trustee in each of its capacities hereunder (including, without limitation, as Notes Collateral Agent).

(j) The right of the Trustee or an Agent to perform any discretionary act enumerated in this Indenture shall not be construed as a duty.

(k) Each of the Agents’ obligations and duties are several and not joint, or joint and several.

(l) In the event the Trustee receives inconsistent or conflicting requests and indemnity from two or more groups of Holders, each representing less than a majority in aggregate principal amount of the Notes then outstanding, pursuant to the provisions of this Indenture, the Trustee, in its sole discretion, may determine what action, if any, will be taken and shall not incur any liability for its failure to act until such inconsistency or conflict is, in the Trustee’s reasonable discretion, resolved.

 

-79-


Section 7.03 Individual Rights of Trustee. The Trustee in its individual or any other capacity may become the owner or pledgee of Notes and may otherwise deal with the Issuer or any Affiliate of the Issuer with the same rights it would have if it were not Trustee. However, in the event that the Trustee acquires any conflicting interest it must eliminate such conflict within 90 days or resign. Any Agent may do the same with like rights and duties.

Section 7.04 Disclaimer. The Trustee shall not be responsible for and makes no representation as to the validity or adequacy of this Indenture or the Notes, it shall not be accountable for the Issuer’s use of the proceeds from the Notes or any money paid to the Issuer or upon the Issuer’s direction under any provision of this Indenture, it shall not be responsible for the use or application of any money received by any Paying Agent other than the Trustee, and it shall not be responsible for any statement or recital herein or any statement in the Notes or any other document in connection with the sale of the Notes or pursuant to this Indenture other than its certificate of authentication. The Trustee and Notes Collateral Agent shall not be responsible to the Holders or any other Person for any recitals, statements, information, representations or warranties contained in the Intercreditor Agreements or the Security Documents or in any certificate, report, statement, or other document referred to or provided for in, or received by the Trustee or the Notes Collateral Agent under or in connection with, the Intercreditor Agreements or any Security Document; the execution, validity, genuineness, effectiveness or enforceability of the Intercreditor Agreements and any Security Documents of any other party thereto; the genuineness, enforceability, collectability, value, sufficiency, location or existence of any Collateral, or the validity, effectiveness, enforceability, sufficiency, extent, perfection or priority of any Lien therein; the validity, enforceability or collectability of any Obligations; the assets, liabilities, financial condition, results of operations, business, creditworthiness or legal status of any obligor; or for any failure of any obligor to perform its Obligations under the Intercreditor Agreements and the Security Documents or for the performance or observance of any covenants, agreements or other terms and conditions set forth under the Intercreditor Agreements and the other Security Documents.

Section 7.05 Notice of Defaults. If a Default occurs and is continuing and if it is known to the Trustee, the Trustee shall mail to Holders a notice of the Default within 90 days after it occurs. The Trustee may withhold from the Holders notice of any continuing Default, except a Default relating to the payment of principal, premium, if any, or interest, if it determines that withholding notice is in their interest. The Trustee shall have no duty to inquire as to the performance of any covenants contained in Article IV.

Section 7.06 [Reserved].

Section 7.07 Compensation and Indemnity. The Issuer, jointly and severally, shall pay to the Trustee, the Notes Collateral Agent and any Agent from time to time such compensation for its acceptance of this Indenture and services hereunder as the parties shall agree in writing from time to time. The Trustee’s compensation shall not be limited by any law on compensation of a trustee of an express trust. The Issuer shall reimburse each of the Trustee, the Notes Collateral Agent, and each Agent promptly upon request for all reasonable disbursements, advances and expenses incurred or made by it in addition to the compensation for its services. Such expenses shall include the reasonable compensation, disbursements and expenses of the Trustee’s, the Notes Collateral Agent’s or each such Agent’s agents and counsel.

The Issuer and the Guarantors, jointly and severally, shall indemnify each of the Trustee, the Notes Collateral Agent, and each Agent and their respective officers, directors, employees, representatives and agents (collectively, “Indemnified Parties”), for, and hold each of the Indemnified Parties harmless against, any and all loss, damage, claims, liability or expense (including attorneys’ fees) incurred by it in connection with the acceptance or administration of this trust and the performance of their duties hereunder (including the costs and expenses of enforcing this Indenture against the Issuer or any of the Guarantors (including this Section 7.07) or defending themselves against any claim whether asserted by any Holder, the Issuer or any Guarantor, or liability in connection with the acceptance, exercise or performance of any of its powers or duties hereunder). Each of the Indemnified Parties shall notify the Issuer promptly of any claim for which it may seek indemnity. Failure by the applicable Indemnified Party to so notify the Issuer shall not relieve the Issuer or the Guarantors of their obligations hereunder.

 

-80-


The Issuer and the Guarantors shall defend the claim and the applicable Indemnified Parties may have separate counsel and the Issuer shall pay the fees and expenses of such counsel.

The Issuer need not reimburse any expense or indemnify against any loss, liability or expense incurred by the Trustee or any Agent through such Person’s own willful misconduct or negligence (as determined by a court of competent jurisdiction in a final, non-appealable judgment). Any settlement that affects the Trustee Indemnified Party may not be entered into without the consent of the applicable Trustee Indemnified Party, unless such Trustee Indemnified party is given a full and unconditional release from liability with respect to the claims covered thereby and such settlement does not include a statement or admission of fault, culpability or failure to act by or on behalf of the Trustee Indemnified Party.

The Issuer and the Guarantors need not reimburse any expense or indemnify the Notes Collateral Agent or its officers, directors, employees, representatives and agents (collectively, the “Collateral Agent Indemnified Parties”) against any loss, liability or expense incurred by a Collateral Agent Indemnified Party through such Person’s own willful misconduct or gross negligence (as determined by a court of competent jurisdiction in a final, non-appealable judgment). Any settlement that affects a Collateral Agent Indemnified Party may not be entered into without the consent of the Controlling Collateral Agent (as defined in the Pari Passu Intercreditor Agreement) Indemnified Party, unless such Collateral Agent Indemnified Party is given a full and unconditional release from liability with respect to the claims covered thereby and such settlement does not include a statement or admission of fault, culpability or failure to act by or on behalf of the Collateral Agent Indemnified Party.

The obligations of the Issuer under this Section 7.07 shall survive the satisfaction and discharge of this Indenture or the earlier resignation or removal of the Trustee, the Notes Collateral Agent or any Agent, as applicable.

To secure the payment obligations of the Issuer and the Guarantors in this Section 7.07, each of the Trustee, the Notes Collateral Agent, and each Agent shall have a Lien prior to the Notes on all money or property held or collected by such Person, except money or property held in trust to pay principal and interest on particular Notes. Such Lien shall survive the satisfaction and discharge of this Indenture.

When the Trustee, the Notes Collateral Agent or any Agent incurs expenses or renders services after an Event of Default specified in clause (5) or (6) of Section 6.01(a) hereof occurs, the expenses and the compensation for the services (including the fees and expenses of its agents and counsel) are intended to constitute expenses of administration under the Bankruptcy Code.

Section 7.08 Replacement of Trustee or Agent. A resignation or removal of the Trustee or any Agent and appointment of a successor Trustee or any successor Agent shall become effective only upon the acceptance of appointment as provided in this Section 7.08 by such successor Trustee or successor Agent, as applicable. The Trustee or any Agent may resign in writing at any time and be discharged from the trust hereby created by so notifying the Issuer. The Holders of a majority in principal amount of the then outstanding Notes may remove the Trustee or any Agent by so notifying the Trustee or such Agent and the Issuer in writing. The Issuer may remove the Trustee or any Agent if:

 

  (a)

in the case of the Trustee, such Trustee fails to comply with Section 7.10 hereof;

 

  (b)

the Trustee or such Agent is adjudged a bankrupt or an insolvent Person or an order for relief is entered with respect to the Trustee under the Bankruptcy Code;

 

  (c)

a custodian or public officer takes charge of the Trustee or such Agent or such Person’s property; or

 

  (d)

the Trustee or such Agent becomes incapable of acting.

 

-81-


If the Trustee or any Agent resigns or is removed or if a vacancy exists in the office of Trustee or any Agent for any reason, the Issuer shall promptly appoint a successor Trustee or successor Agent. Within one year after the successor Trustee or successor Agent takes office, the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the then outstanding Notes may appoint a successor Trustee or successor Agent, as applicable, to replace such successor Trustee or successor Agent appointed by the Issuer.

If a successor Trustee or successor Agent does not take office within 60 days after the retiring Trustee or Agent, as applicable, resigns or is removed, the retiring Trustee or Agent (at the Issuer’s expense), the Issuer or the Holders of at least 10% in principal amount of the then outstanding Notes may petition any court of competent jurisdiction for the appointment of a successor Trustee or successor Agent.

If the Trustee, after written request by any Holder who has been a Holder for at least six months, fails to comply with Section 7.10 hereof, such Holder may petition any court of competent jurisdiction for the removal of the Trustee and the appointment of a successor Trustee.

A successor Trustee or successor Agent shall deliver a written acceptance of its appointment to the retiring Trustee or Agent and to the Issuer. Thereupon, the resignation or removal of the retiring Trustee or Agent shall become effective, and the successor Trustee or successor Agent shall have all the rights, powers and duties of the Trustee or the applicable Agent under this Indenture. The successor Trustee or successor Agent shall deliver a notice of its succession to Holders. The retiring Trustee or Agent shall promptly transfer all property held by it as Trustee or Agent to the successor Trustee or successor Agent, as applicable; provided that all sums owing to the retiring Trustee or Agent hereunder have been paid and subject to the Lien provided for in Section 7.07 hereof. Notwithstanding replacement of the Trustee or any Agent pursuant to this Section 7.08, the Issuer’s obligations under Section 7.07 hereof shall continue for the benefit of the retiring Trustee or Agent.

Section 7.09 Successor Trustee by Merger, etc. If the Trustee or any Agent consolidates, merges or converts into, or transfers all or substantially all of its corporate trust or relevant agent business, as applicable, to, another corporation, the successor corporation without any further act shall be the successor Trustee or successor Agent, as applicable.

Section 7.10 Eligibility; Disqualification. There shall at all times be a Trustee hereunder that is a corporation organized and doing business under the laws of the United States of America or of any state thereof that is authorized under such laws to exercise corporate trustee power, that is subject to supervision or examination by federal or state authorities and that has combined capital and surplus of at least $50,000,000 as set forth in its most recent published annual report of condition.

Section 7.11 Security Documents; Intercreditor Agreements. By their acceptance of the Notes, the Holders hereby authorize and direct the Trustee and Notes Collateral Agent, as the case may be, to execute and deliver each Intercreditor Agreement and any other Security Documents in which the Trustee or the Notes Collateral Agent, as applicable, is named as a party, including any Security Documents executed after the Issue Date, and in the case of the Trustee, to authorize the Notes Collateral Agent to take any action permitted under this Indenture, the Notes, the Intercreditor Agreements, or the other Security Documents (without any further consent of the Holders). It is hereby expressly acknowledged and agreed that, in doing so, the Trustee and the Notes Collateral Agent are (a) expressly authorized to make the representations attributed to Holders in any such agreements and (b) not responsible for the terms or contents of such agreements, or for the validity or enforceability thereof, or the sufficiency thereof for any purpose. Whether or not so expressly stated therein, in entering into, or taking (or forbearing from) any action under, each Intercreditor Agreement or any other Security Documents, the Trustee and the Notes Collateral Agent each shall have all of the rights, benefits, immunities, indemnities and other protections granted to it under this Indenture (in addition to those that may be granted to it under the terms of such other agreement or agreements).

ARTICLE VIII

LEGAL DEFEASANCE AND COVENANT DEFEASANCE

Section 8.01 Option To Effect Legal Defeasance or Covenant Defeasance. The Issuer may, at its option and at any time, elect to have either Section 8.02 or 8.03 hereof applied to all outstanding Notes upon compliance with the conditions set forth below in this Article VIII.

 

-82-


Section 8.02 Legal Defeasance and Discharge. Upon the Issuer’s exercise under Section 8.01 hereof of the option applicable to this Section 8.02, the Issuer and the Guarantors shall, subject to the satisfaction of the conditions set forth in Section 8.04 hereof, be deemed to have been discharged from their obligations with respect to all outstanding Notes and Guarantees, and have all Liens on the Collateral released, on the date the conditions set forth below are satisfied (“Legal Defeasance”). For this purpose, Legal Defeasance means that the Issuer shall be deemed to have paid and discharged the entire Indebtedness represented by the outstanding Notes, which shall thereafter be deemed to be “outstanding” only for the purposes of Section 8.05 hereof and the other Sections of this Indenture referred to in clauses (a) and (b) below, to have satisfied all its other obligations under such Notes and this Indenture including that of the Guarantors (and the Trustee, on demand of and at the expense of the Issuer, shall execute proper instruments acknowledging the same) and to have cured all then existing Events of Default, except for the following provisions which shall survive until otherwise terminated or discharged hereunder:

(a) the rights of Holders to receive payments in respect of the principal of, premium, if any, and interest on the Notes when such payments are due solely out of the trust created pursuant to this Indenture as referenced in Section 8.04 hereof;

(b) the Issuer’s obligations with respect to Notes concerning issuing temporary Notes, registration of such Notes, mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen Notes and the maintenance of an office or agency for payment and money for security payments held in trust;

(c) the rights, powers, trusts, duties and immunities of the Trustee, and the Issuer’s obligations in connection therewith; and

(d) this Section 8.02.

Subject to compliance with this Article VIII, the Issuer may exercise its option under this Section 8.02 notwithstanding the prior exercise of its option under Section 8.03 hereof.

Section 8.03 Covenant Defeasance. Upon the Issuer’s exercise under Section 8.01 hereof of the option applicable to this Section 8.03, the Issuer and the Guarantors shall, subject to the satisfaction of the conditions set forth in Section 8.04 hereof, be released from their obligations under the covenants, and have all Liens on the Collateral released (each, a “Defeased Covenant,” and collectively, the “Defeased Covenants”) contained in Sections 4.03, 4.04, 4.07, 4.08, 4.09, 4.10, 4.11, 4.14, 4.15 and 4.18 hereof and clauses (4) and (5) of Section 5.01(a), Sections 5.01(c) and 5.01(d) hereof with respect to the outstanding Notes on and after the date the conditions set forth in Section 8.04 hereof are satisfied (“Covenant Defeasance”), and the Notes shall thereafter be deemed not “outstanding” for the purposes of any direction, waiver, consent or declaration or act of Holders (and the consequences of any thereof) in connection with such Defeased Covenants, but shall continue to be deemed “outstanding” for all other purposes hereunder (it being understood that such Notes shall not be deemed outstanding for accounting purposes). For this purpose, Covenant Defeasance means that, with respect to the outstanding Notes, the Issuer may omit to comply with and shall have no liability in respect of any term, condition or limitation set forth in any Defeased Covenant, whether directly or indirectly, by reason of any reference elsewhere herein to any such Defeased Covenant or by reason of any reference in any such Defeased Covenant to any other provision herein or in any other document, and such omission to comply shall not constitute a Default or an Event of Default under Section 6.01 hereof, but, except as specified above, the remainder of this Indenture and such Notes shall be unaffected thereby. In addition, upon the Issuer’s exercise under Section 8.01 hereof of the option applicable to this Section 8.03 hereof, subject to the satisfaction of the conditions set forth in Section 8.04 hereof, Sections 6.01(a)(3), 6.01(a)(4), 6.01(a)(5) (solely with respect to any Significant Party) and 6.01(a)(6) hereof (solely with respect to any Significant Party) shall not constitute Events of Default.

Section 8.04 Conditions to Legal or Covenant Defeasance. In order to exercise either Legal Defeasance or Covenant Defeasance with respect to the Notes:

(a) the Issuer must irrevocably deposit with the Trustee, in trust, for the benefit of the Holders, cash in U.S. dollars, Government Securities, or a combination thereof, in such amounts as shall be sufficient (in the case of Government Securities or a combination of cash and Government Securities, in the opinion of a nationally recognized firm of independent public accountants), to pay the principal amount of,

 

-83-


premium, if any, and interest due on the Notes on the stated maturity date or on the Redemption Date, as the case may be, of such principal amount, premium, if any, or interest on such Notes, and the Issuer must specify whether such Notes are being defeased to maturity or to a particular Redemption Date; provided that upon any redemption that requires the payment of the Applicable Premium, the amount deposited shall be sufficient for purposes of this Indenture to the extent that an amount is deposited with the Trustee equal to the Applicable Premium calculated as of the date of the notice of redemption, with any deficit as of the Redemption Date (any such amount, the “Applicable Premium Deficit”) only required to be deposited with the Trustee on or prior to the Redemption Date. Any Applicable Premium Deficit shall be set forth in an Officer’s Certificate delivered to the Trustee simultaneously with the deposit of such Applicable Premium Deficit that confirms that such Applicable Premium Deficit shall be applied toward such redemption;

(b) in the case of Legal Defeasance, the Issuer shall have delivered to the Trustee an Opinion of Counsel reasonably acceptable to the Trustee confirming that, subject to customary assumptions and exclusions,

 

  (1)

the Issuer has received from, or there has been published by, the United States Internal Revenue Service a ruling, or

 

  (2)

since the issuance of the Notes, there has been a change in the applicable U.S. federal income tax law,

in either case to the effect that, and based thereon such Opinion of Counsel shall confirm that, subject to customary assumptions and exclusions, the beneficial owners of the Notes shall not recognize income, gain or loss for U.S. federal income tax purposes, as applicable, as a result of such Legal Defeasance and shall be subject to U.S. federal income tax on the same amounts, in the same manner and at the same times as would have been the case if such Legal Defeasance had not occurred;

(c) in the case of Covenant Defeasance, the Issuer shall have delivered to the Trustee an Opinion of Counsel reasonably acceptable to the Trustee confirming that, subject to customary assumptions and exclusions, the the beneficial owners of the Notes shall not recognize income, gain or loss for U.S. federal income tax purposes as a result of such Covenant Defeasance and shall be subject to such tax on the same amounts, in the same manner and at the same times as would have been the case if such Covenant Defeasance had not occurred;

(d) no Default (other than that resulting from borrowing funds to be applied to make such deposit and any similar and simultaneous deposit relating to such other Indebtedness, and in each case, the granting of Liens in connection therewith) shall have occurred and be continuing on the date of such deposit;

(e) such Legal Defeasance or Covenant Defeasance shall not result in a breach or violation of, or constitute a default under any Credit Facility ranking pari passu with the Notes or any other material agreement or instrument governing Indebtedness (other than this Indenture) to which, the Issuer or any Guarantor is a party or by which the Issuer or any Guarantor is bound;

(f) the Issuer shall have delivered to the Trustee an Officer’s Certificate stating that the deposit was not made by the Issuer with the intent of defeating, hindering, delaying or defrauding any creditors of the Issuer or any Guarantor or others; and

(g) the Issuer shall have delivered to the Trustee an Officer’s Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel (which Opinion of Counsel may be subject to customary assumptions and exclusions) each stating that all conditions precedent provided for or relating to the Legal Defeasance or the Covenant Defeasance, as the case may be, have been complied with.

 

-84-


Section 8.05 Deposited Money and Government Securities To Be Held in Trust; Other Miscellaneous Provisions. Subject to Section 8.06 hereof, all money and Government Securities (including the proceeds thereof) deposited with the Trustee (or other qualifying trustee, collectively for purposes of this Section 8.05, the “Trustee”) pursuant to Section 8.04 hereof in respect of the outstanding Notes shall be held in trust and applied by the Trustee, in accordance with the provisions of such Notes and this Indenture, to the payment, either directly or through any Paying Agent (including the Issuer or a Guarantor acting as Paying Agent) as the Trustee may determine, to the Holders of such Notes of all sums due and to become due thereon in respect of principal and premium and interest, but such money need not be segregated from other funds except to the extent required by law.

The Issuer shall pay and indemnify the Trustee against any tax, fee or other charge imposed on or assessed against the cash or Government Securities deposited pursuant to Section 8.04 hereof or the principal and interest received in respect thereof other than any such tax, fee or other charge which by law is for the account of the Holders of the outstanding Notes.

Anything in this Article VIII to the contrary notwithstanding, the Trustee shall deliver or pay to the Issuer from time to time upon the request of the Issuer any money or Government Securities held by it as provided in Section 8.04 hereof which, in the opinion of a nationally recognized firm of independent public accountants expressed in a written certification thereof delivered to the Trustee (which may be the opinion delivered under Section 8.04(b) hereof), are in excess of the amount thereof that would then be required to be deposited to effect an equivalent Legal Defeasance or Covenant Defeasance.

Section 8.06 Repayment to Issuer. Any money deposited with the Trustee or any Paying Agent, or then held by the Issuer, in trust for the payment of the principal of, premium or interest on any Note and remaining unclaimed for two years after such principal, and premium, if any, or interest has become due and payable shall be paid to the Issuer on its request or (if then held by the Issuer) shall be discharged from such trust; and the Holder of such Notes shall thereafter look only to the Issuer for payment thereof, and all liability of the Trustee or such Paying Agent with respect to such trust money, and all liability of the Issuer as trustee thereof, shall thereupon cease.

Section 8.07 Reinstatement. If the Trustee or Paying Agent is unable to apply any U.S. dollars or Government Securities in accordance with Section 8.02 or 8.03 hereof, as the case may be, by reason of any order or judgment of any court or governmental authority enjoining, restraining or otherwise prohibiting such application, then the Issuer’s obligations under this Indenture and the Notes shall be revived and reinstated as though no deposit had occurred pursuant to Section 8.02 or 8.03 hereof until such time as the Trustee or Paying Agent is permitted to apply all such money in accordance with Section 8.02 or 8.03 hereof, as the case may be; provided that, if the Issuer makes any payment of principal of, premium, or interest on any Note following the reinstatement of its obligations, the Issuer shall be subrogated to the rights of the Holders of such Notes to receive such payment from the money held by the Trustee or Paying Agent.

ARTICLE IX

AMENDMENT, SUPPLEMENT AND WAIVER

Section 9.01 Without Consent of Holders. Notwithstanding Section 9.02 hereof, the Issuer, the Trustee and the Notes Collateral Agent may amend or supplement this Indenture, the Security Documents and the Notes and the Issuer, the Trustee, the Notes Collateral Agent and the Guarantors may amend or supplement any Guarantee issued under this Indenture, in each case, without the consent of any Holder:

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

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

(c) to comply with Section 5.01 hereof;

(d) to provide for the assumption of the Issuer’s or any Guarantor’s obligations to the Holders as required by this Indenture and the Security Documents;

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

 

-85-


(f) to add covenants for the benefit of the Holders or to surrender any right or power conferred upon the Issuer or any Guarantor;

(g) to comply with requirements of the SEC in connection with the qualification of this Indenture under the Trust Indenture Act, if such qualification is required;

(h) to evidence and provide for the acceptance and appointment under this Indenture of a successor Trustee and/or Notes Collateral Agent thereunder pursuant to the requirements thereof;

(i) to add a Guarantor under this Indenture or to secure the Notes;

(j) to conform the text of this Indenture or the Guarantees or the Notes to any provision of the “Description of Notes” section of the Offering Memorandum to the extent that such provision in this Indenture, the Guarantees or the Notes was intended to be a verbatim recitation of a provision of the “Description of Notes”;

(k) to provide for the issuance of Additional Notes in accordance with the provisions of this Indenture;

(l) to make any amendment to the provisions of this Indenture relating to the transfer and legending of Notes as permitted by this Indenture, including to facilitate the issuance and administration of the Notes; provided, however, that compliance with this Indenture as so amended would not result in Notes being transferred in violation of the Securities Act or any applicable securities law;

(m) to mortgage, pledge, hypothecate or grant any other Lien in favor of the Trustee or the Notes Collateral Agent for the benefit of the Holders, as additional security for the payment and performance of all or any portion of the Notes Obligations, in any property or assets, including any which are required to be mortgaged, pledged or hypothecated, or in which a Lien is required to be granted to or for the benefit of the Trustee or the Notes Collateral Agent pursuant to this Indenture, any of the Security Documents or otherwise;

(n) to add Additional Parity Lien Secured Parties to any Security Documents, to the extent permitted to be so secured by this Indenture;

(o) to enter into any intercreditor agreement having substantially similar terms with respect to the Holders as those set forth in the Pari Passu Intercreditor Agreement, the ABL Intercreditor Agreement or any Junior Lien Intercreditor Agreement (if any), taken as a whole, or any joinder thereto in connection with the incurrence of any Secured Obligations (as defined in the ABL Credit Agreement), Parity Lien Obligations and/or Junior Lien Obligations permitted to be incurred pursuant to the provisions of this Indenture;

(p) in the case of any Security Document, to include therein any legend required to be set forth therein pursuant to the Pari Passu Intercreditor Agreement, the ABL Intercreditor Agreement or any Junior Lien Intercreditor Agreement (if any) or to modify any such legend as required by the Pari Passu Intercreditor Agreement, the ABL Intercreditor Agreement and/or any Junior Lien Intercreditor Agreement (if any); or

(q) to provide for the succession of any parties to the Security Documents (and other amendments that are administrative or ministerial in nature) in connection with an amendment, renewal, extension, substitution, refinancing, restructuring, replacement, supplementing or other modification from time to time of the ABL Facility, the Term Loan Facility or any other agreement that is permitted by this Indenture.

 

-86-


Upon the request of the Issuer accompanied by a resolution of the Board of Directors authorizing the execution of any such amended or supplemental indenture, and upon receipt by the Trustee and/or the Notes Collateral Agent of the documents described in Section 7.02(b) hereof (to the extent requested by the Trustee and/or the Notes Collateral Agent), the Trustee and the Notes Collateral Agent shall join with the Issuer and the Guarantors in the execution of any amended or supplemental indenture, Security Document, or intercreditor agreement authorized or permitted by the terms of this Indenture and the Security Documents and to make any further appropriate agreements and stipulations that may be therein contained, but the Trustee and/or the Notes Collateral Agent shall have the right to but not be obligated to enter into any such amended or supplemental indenture, Security Document or intercreditor agreement that affects its own rights, duties or immunities under this Indenture or otherwise. Notwithstanding the foregoing, no Opinion of Counsel shall be required in connection with the addition of a Guarantor under this Indenture upon execution and delivery by such Guarantor and the Trustee and the Notes Collateral Agent of a supplemental indenture to this Indenture, the form of which is attached as Exhibit D hereto, and delivery of an Officer’s Certificate.

Section 9.02 With Consent of Holders. Except as provided below in this Section 9.02, the Issuer, the Trustee and the Notes Collateral Agent may amend or supplement this Indenture, any Guarantee, the Security Documents and the Notes with the consent of the Holders of at least a majority in principal amount of the Notes then outstanding, other than Notes beneficially owned by the Issuer or any of its Affiliates, including consents obtained in connection with a purchase of, or tender offer or exchange offer for, Notes, and any existing Default or Event of Default or compliance with any provision of any Notes Document issued thereunder may be waived with the consent of the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the then outstanding Notes, other than Notes beneficially owned by the Issuer or any of its Affiliates (including consents obtained in connection with a purchase of or tender offer or exchange offer for such Notes).

Notwithstanding the foregoing, without the consent of the Holders of at least 66 2/3% in aggregate principal amount of the Notes then outstanding, no amendment or waiver may (A) make any change in any Security Document or the provisions in this Indenture dealing with Collateral or application of trust proceeds of the Collateral with the effect of releasing the Liens on all or substantially all of the Collateral which secure the Obligations in respect of the Notes or (B) change or alter the priority of the Liens securing the Obligations in respect of the Notes in any material portion of the Collateral in any way adverse, taken as a whole, to the Holders, other than, in each case, as provided under the terms of this Indenture, the Security Documents, the Pari Passu Intercreditor Agreement or the ABL Intercreditor Agreement.

Upon the request of the Issuer accompanied by a resolution of the Board of Directors authorizing the execution of any such amended or supplemental indenture, and upon the filing with the Trustee and the Notes Collateral Agent an Officer’s Certificate to the Trustee and the Notes Collateral Agent confirming the consent of the Holders as aforesaid, and upon receipt by the Trustee and the Notes Collateral Agent of the documents described in Section 7.02 (b) hereof (to the extent requested by the Trustee and/or the Notes Collateral Agent), the Trustee and the Notes Collateral Agent shall join with the Issuer and the Guarantors in the execution of such amended or supplemental indenture, security document or intercreditor agreement unless such amended or supplemental indenture, security document or intercreditor agreement directly affects the Trustee’s and/or the Notes Collateral Agent own rights, duties or immunities under this Indenture or otherwise, in which case the Trustee and/or the Notes Collateral Agent, as applicable, may in its discretion, but shall not be obligated to, enter into such amended or supplemental indenture, security document or intercreditor agreement.

It shall not be necessary for the consent of the Holders under this Section 9.02 to approve the particular form of any proposed amendment or waiver, but it shall be sufficient if such consent approves the substance thereof.

After an amendment, supplement or waiver under this Section 9.02 becomes effective, the Issuer shall deliver to the Holders affected thereby a notice briefly describing the amendment, supplement or waiver. Any failure of the Issuer to deliver such notice, or any defect therein, shall not, however, in any way impair or affect the validity of any such amended or supplemental indenture or waiver.

Without the consent of each affected Holder, an amendment or waiver under this Section 9.02 may not, with respect to any Notes held by a non-consenting Holder:

(a) reduce the principal amount of such Notes whose Holders must consent to an amendment, supplement or waiver;

 

-87-


(b) reduce the principal amount of or change the fixed final maturity of any such Note or reduce the premium payable upon the redemption of such Note or change the time (except those providing when notice of redemption is to be provided to the Trustee or Holders) at which any Notes may be redeemed (in each case other than provisions relating to Sections 3.09, 4.10 and 4.14 hereof);

(c) reduce the rate of or change the time for payment of interest on any Note;

(d) waive a Default in the payment of principal of or premium, if any, or interest on the Notes (except a rescission of acceleration of the Notes by the Holders of at least a majority in aggregate principal amount of the Notes and a waiver of the payment default that resulted from such acceleration) or in respect of a covenant or provision contained in this Indenture or any Guarantee which cannot be amended or modified without the consent of all affected Holders;

(e) make any Note payable in money other than that stated therein;

(f) make any change in the provisions of this Indenture relating to waivers of past Defaults or the rights of Holders to receive payments of principal of or premium, if any, or interest on the Notes;

(g) make any change to this paragraph of this Section 9.02;

(h) impair the right of any Holder to receive payment of principal of, or interest on such Holder’s Notes on or after the due dates therefor or to institute suit for the enforcement of any payment on or with respect to such Holder’s Notes;

(i) make any change to the ranking of the Notes that would adversely affect the Holders;

(j) except as expressly permitted by this Indenture, modify the Guarantees of any Guarantor that is a Significant Party in any manner adverse to the Holders; or

(k) after the Issuer’s obligation to purchase Notes arises thereunder, amend, change or modify in any respect materially adverse to the Holders the obligations of the Issuer to make and consummate a Change of Control Offer in the event of a Change of Control or make and consummate an Asset Sale Offer or Collateral Asset Sale Offer with respect to any Asset Sale that has been consummated or, after such Change of Control has occurred or such Asset Sale has been consummated, modify any of the provisions or definitions with respect thereto in a manner that is materially adverse to the Holders.

Notwithstanding anything in this Indenture to the contrary, no amendment or supplement to this Indenture or the Notes that modifies or waives the specific rights or obligations of any Agent may be made without the consent of such Agent (it being understood that the Trustee’s execution of any such amendment or supplement shall constitute such consent if the Trustee is then also acting as such Agent).

Section 9.03 [Reserved].

Section 9.04 Revocation and Effect of Consents. Until an amendment, supplement or waiver becomes effective, a consent to it by a Holder is a continuing consent by the Holder and every subsequent Holder that evidences the same debt as the consenting Holder’s Note, even if notation of the consent is not made on any Note. However, any such Holder or subsequent Holder may revoke the consent as to its Note if the Trustee receives written notice of revocation before the date the amendment, supplement or waiver becomes effective. An amendment, supplement or waiver becomes effective in accordance with its terms and thereafter binds every Holder.

The Issuer may, but shall not be obligated to, fix a record date for the purpose of determining the Holders entitled to consent to any amendment, supplement, or waiver. If a record date is fixed, then, notwithstanding the preceding paragraph, those Persons who were Holders at such record date (or their duly designated proxies), and only such Persons, shall be entitled to consent to such amendment, supplement, or waiver or to revoke any consent previously given, whether or not such Persons continue to be Holders after such record date. No such consent shall be valid or effective for more than 120 days after such record date unless the consent of the requisite number of Holders has been obtained.

 

-88-


Section 9.05 Notation on or Exchange of Notes. The Trustee may place an appropriate notation about an amendment, supplement or waiver on any Note thereafter authenticated. The Issuer in exchange for all Notes may issue and the Trustee shall, upon receipt of an Authentication Order, authenticate new Notes that reflect the amendment, supplement or waiver.

Failure to make the appropriate notation or issue a new Note shall not affect the validity and effect of such amendment, supplement or waiver.

Section 9.06 Trustee and Notes Collateral Agent To Sign Amendments, etc. The Trustee and the Notes Collateral Agent shall sign any amendment, supplement or waiver authorized pursuant to this Article IX if the amendment, supplement or waiver does not impose any personal obligations on the Trustee or the Notes Collateral Agent or adversely affect the rights, duties, liabilities or immunities of the Trustee or the Notes Collateral Agent. If it does, the Trustee or Notes Collateral Agent, as the case may be, may, but need not, sign it. The Issuer may not sign an amendment, supplement or waiver until its Board of Directors approves it. In executing any amendment, supplement or waiver, the Trustee and the Notes Collateral Agent shall be provided with an indemnity and/or security satisfactory to it and to received and (subject to Section 7.01 hereof) shall be fully protected in relying upon, in addition to the documents required by Section 13.04 hereof, an Officer’s Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel stating that the execution of such amended or supplemental indenture, security document or intercreditor agreement is authorized or permitted by this Indenture and that such amendment, supplement or waiver has been duly authorized, executed and delivered and is the legal, valid and binding obligation of the Issuer and any Guarantors party thereto, enforceable against them in accordance with its terms, subject to customary exceptions, and complies with the provisions hereof (including Section 9.03 hereof). Notwithstanding the foregoing, no Opinion of Counsel shall be required for the Trustee and the Notes Collateral Agent to execute any amendment or supplement, security document or intercreditor agreement adding a new Guarantor under this Indenture.

ARTICLE X

GUARANTEES

Section 10.01 Guarantee. Subject to this Article X, from and after the Issue Date, each of the Guarantors hereby, jointly and severally, unconditionally guarantees on a senior secured basis to each Holder authenticated and delivered by the Trustee and to the Trustee and its successors and assigns, irrespective of the validity and enforceability of this Indenture, the Notes or the obligations of the Issuer hereunder or thereunder, that: (a) the principal of, and interest, and premium, if any, on the Notes shall be promptly paid in full when due, whether at maturity, by acceleration, redemption or otherwise, and interest on the overdue principal of and interest on the Notes, if any, if lawful, and all other Obligations of the Issuer to the Holders or the Trustee hereunder or under the Notes shall be promptly paid in full or performed, all in accordance with the terms hereof and thereof; and (b) in case of any extension of time of payment or renewal of any Notes or any of such other obligations, the same shall be promptly paid in full when due or performed in accordance with the terms of the extension or renewal, whether at stated maturity, by acceleration or otherwise. Failing payment by the Issuer when due of any amount so guaranteed for whatever reason, the Guarantors shall be jointly and severally obligated to pay the same immediately. Each Guarantor agrees that this is a guarantee of payment and not a guarantee of collection.

The Guarantors hereby agree that their obligations hereunder shall be unconditional, irrespective of the validity, regularity or enforceability of this Indenture or the Notes, the absence of any action to enforce the same, any waiver or consent by any Holder with respect to any provisions hereof or thereof, the recovery of any judgment against the Issuer, any action to enforce the same or any other circumstance which might otherwise constitute a legal or equitable discharge or defense of a guarantor (other than payment in full of all of the Obligations of the Issuer hereunder and under the Notes). Each Guarantor hereby waives diligence, presentment, demand of payment, filing of claims with a court in the event of insolvency or bankruptcy of the Issuer, any right to require a proceeding first against the Issuer, protest, notice and all demands whatsoever and covenants that this Guarantee shall not be discharged except by complete performance of the obligations contained in the Notes and this Indenture or by release in accordance with the provisions of this Indenture.

 

-89-


Each Guarantor also agrees to pay any and all costs and expenses (including reasonable attorneys’ fees) incurred by the Trustee or any Holder in enforcing any rights under this Section 10.01.

If any Holder or the Trustee is required by any court or otherwise to return to the Issuer, the Guarantors or any custodian, trustee, liquidator or other similar official acting in relation to either the Issuer or the Guarantors, any amount paid either to the Trustee or such Holder, then this Guarantee, to the extent theretofore discharged, shall be reinstated in full force and effect.

Each Guarantor agrees that it shall not be entitled to any right of subrogation in relation to the Holders in respect of any obligations guaranteed hereby until payment in full of all obligations guaranteed hereby. Each Guarantor further agrees that, as between the Guarantors, on the one hand, and the Holders and the Trustee, on the other hand, (x) the maturity of the obligations guaranteed hereby may be accelerated as provided in Article VI hereof for the purposes of this Guarantee, notwithstanding any stay, injunction or other prohibition preventing such acceleration in respect of the obligations guaranteed hereby, and (y) in the event of any declaration of acceleration of such obligations as provided in Article VI hereof, such obligations (whether or not due and payable) shall forthwith become due and payable by the Guarantors for the purpose of this Guarantee. The Guarantors shall have the right to seek contribution from any non-paying Guarantor so long as the exercise of such right does not impair the rights of the Holders under the Guarantees.

Each Guarantee shall remain in full force and effect and continue to be effective should any petition be filed by or against the Issuer for liquidation reorganization, should the Issuer become insolvent or make an assignment for the benefit of creditors or should a receiver or trustee be appointed for all or any significant part of the Issuer’s assets, and shall, to the fullest extent permitted by law, continue to be effective or be reinstated, as the case may be, if at any time payment and performance of the Notes are, pursuant to applicable law, rescinded or reduced in amount, or must otherwise be restored or returned by any obligee on the Notes or Guarantees, whether as a “voidable preference,” “fraudulent transfer” or otherwise, all as though such payment or performance had not been made. In the event that any payment or any part thereof, is rescinded, reduced, restored or returned, the Notes shall, to the fullest extent permitted by law, be reinstated and deemed reduced only by such amount paid and not so rescinded, reduced, restored or returned.

In case any provision of any Guarantee shall be invalid, illegal or unenforceable, the validity, legality, and enforceability of the remaining provisions shall not in any way be affected or impaired thereby.

The Guarantee issued by any Guarantor shall be a general secured senior obligation of such Guarantor and will rank pari passu in right of payment to all unsubordinated Indebtedness of the relevant Guarantor, including such Guarantor’s guarantee of unsubordinated Indebtedness under any Credit Facilities.

Each payment to be made by a Guarantor in respect of its Guarantee shall be made without set-off, counterclaim, reduction or diminution of any kind or nature.

Section 10.02 Limitation on Guarantor Liability. Each Guarantor, and by its acceptance of Notes, each Holder, hereby confirms that it is the intention of all such parties that the Guarantee of such Guarantor not constitute a fraudulent transfer or conveyance for purposes of the Bankruptcy Code, the Uniform Fraudulent Conveyance Act, the Uniform Fraudulent Transfer Act or any similar federal or state law to the extent applicable to any Guarantee. To effectuate the foregoing intention, the Trustee, the Holders and the Guarantors hereby irrevocably agree that the obligations of each Guarantor shall be limited to the maximum amount as will, after giving effect to such maximum amount and all other contingent and fixed liabilities of such Guarantor that are relevant under such laws and after giving effect to any collections from, rights to receive contribution from or payments made by or on behalf of any other Guarantor in respect of the obligations of such other Guarantor under this Article X, result in the obligations of such Guarantor under its Guarantee not constituting a fraudulent conveyance or fraudulent transfer under applicable law. Each Guarantor that makes a payment under its Guarantee shall be entitled upon payment in full of all guaranteed obligations under this Indenture to a contribution from each other Guarantor in an amount equal to such other Guarantor’s pro rata portion of such payment based on the respective net assets of all the Guarantors at the time of such payment determined in accordance with GAAP.

 

-90-


Section 10.03 Execution and Delivery.

(a) To evidence its Guarantee set forth in Section 10.01 hereof, each Guarantor hereby agrees that this Indenture (or a supplemental indenture pursuant to Section 4.15 hereof) shall be executed on behalf of such Guarantor by its President, one of its Senior Vice Presidents, one of its Vice Presidents or one of its Assistant Vice Presidents.

(b) Each Guarantor hereby agrees that its Guarantee set forth in Section 10.01 hereof shall remain in full force and effect notwithstanding the absence of the endorsement of any notation of such Guarantee on the Notes.

(c) If an officer of a Guarantor whose signature is on this Indenture (or a supplemental indenture pursuant to Section 4.15 hereof) no longer holds that office at the time the Trustee authenticates a Note, the Guarantee of such Guarantor shall be valid nevertheless.

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

(e) If required by Section 4.15 hereof, the Issuer shall cause any newly created or acquired Restricted Subsidiary to comply with the provisions of Section 4.15 hereof and this Article X, to the extent applicable.

Section 10.04 Subrogation. Each Guarantor shall be subrogated to all rights of Holders against the Issuer in respect of any amounts paid by any Guarantor pursuant to the provisions of Section 10.01 hereof; provided that, if an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing, no Guarantor shall be entitled to enforce or receive any payments arising out of, or based upon, such right of subrogation until all amounts then due and payable by the Issuer under this Indenture or the Notes shall have been paid in full.

Section 10.05 Benefits Acknowledged. Each Guarantor acknowledges that it will receive direct and indirect benefits from the financing arrangements contemplated by this Indenture and that the guarantee and waivers made by it pursuant to its Guarantee are knowingly made in contemplation of such benefits.

Section 10.06 Release of Guarantees. A Guarantee by a Guarantor shall be automatically and unconditionally released and discharged, and no further action by such Guarantor, the Issuer or the Trustee is required for the release of such Guarantor’s Guarantee, upon:

(a) any sale, exchange or transfer (by merger or otherwise) of (i) the Equity Interests of such Guarantor after which the applicable Guarantor is no longer a Restricted Subsidiary or (ii) all or substantially all of the assets of such Guarantor which sale, exchange or transfer is made in a manner in compliance with the applicable provisions of this Indenture and such sale, exchange or transfer results in such Guarantor ceasing to be a Restricted Subsidiary, so long as, in the case of clauses (i) and (ii), such sale, exchange or transfer (by merger or otherwise) does not violate Sections 3.09 and 5.01;

(b) the designation of any Restricted Subsidiary that is a Guarantor as an Unrestricted Subsidiary in compliance with the applicable provisions of this Indenture;

(c) the Issuer exercising their legal defeasance option or covenant defeasance option as set forth in Article VIII hereof or the Issuer’s obligations under this Indenture being discharged in a manner not in violation of the terms of this Indenture, including as set forth in Article XI hereof;

(d) such Guarantor ceasing to be a Restricted Subsidiary as a result of a transaction or designation permitted under this Indenture;

(e) such Guarantor being (or being substantially concurrently) released or discharged from all of (i) its obligations under all of its Guarantees of payment by the Issuer of any Indebtedness of the Issuer under the Term Loan Facility and the ABL Facility or (ii) in the case of a Guarantee made by a Guarantor as a result of its guarantee of other Indebtedness of the Issuer or a Guarantor pursuant to Section

 

-91-


4.15 hereof, the relevant Indebtedness, except in the case of (i) or (ii), (x) a release or discharge as a result of payment under such Guarantee (it being understood that a release subject to a contingent reinstatement is still considered a release) or (y) a release or discharge upon payment in full of the Term Loan Facility and/or the ABL Facility (as applicable) or such other relevant Indebtedness, as applicable;

(f) upon the merger, amalgamation or consolidation of any Guarantor with and into the Issuer or another Guarantor or upon the liquidation of such Guarantor, in each case, in compliance with the applicable provisions of this Indenture; or

(g) upon the occurrence of an Investment Grade Event.

ARTICLE XI

SATISFACTION AND DISCHARGE

Section 11.01 Satisfaction and Discharge.

(a) This Indenture shall be discharged and shall cease to be of further effect as to all Notes, when either:

(1) all Notes theretofore authenticated and delivered, except lost, stolen or destroyed Notes which have been replaced or paid and Notes for whose payment money has theretofore been deposited in trust, have been delivered to the Trustee for cancellation; or

(2) (i) all Notes not theretofore delivered to the Trustee for cancellation have become due and payable by reason of the making of a notice of redemption or otherwise, shall become due and payable within one year or are to be called for redemption within one year under arrangements satisfactory to the Trustee for the giving of notice of redemption by the Trustee in the name, and at the expense, of the Issuer, and the Issuer or any Guarantor has irrevocably deposited or caused to be deposited with the Trustee as trust funds in trust solely for the benefit of the Holders cash in U.S. dollars, Government Securities, or a combination thereof, in such amounts as will be sufficient without consideration of any reinvestment of interest to pay and discharge the entire indebtedness on the Notes not theretofore delivered to the Trustee for cancellation for principal, premium, if any, and accrued interest, to, but excluding, the date of maturity or redemption thereof, as the case may be;

(ii) no Default (other than that resulting from borrowing funds to be applied to make such deposit or any similar and simultaneous deposit relating to other Indebtedness and in each case, the granting of Liens in connection therewith) with respect to this Indenture or the Notes shall have occurred and be continuing on the date of such deposit or shall occur as a result of such deposit and such deposit shall not result in a breach or violation of, or constitute a default under any Credit Facility or any other material agreement or instrument governing Indebtedness (other than this Indenture) to which the Issuer or any Guarantor is a party or by which the Issuer or any Guarantor is bound;

(iii) the Issuer has paid or caused to be paid all sums payable by the Issuer under this Indenture; and

(iv) the Issuer has delivered irrevocable instructions to the Trustee to apply the deposited money toward the payment of the Notes at maturity or the Redemption Date, as the case may be.

In addition, the Issuer must deliver an Officer’s Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel to the Trustee stating that all conditions precedent to satisfaction and discharge have been satisfied.

Section 11.02 Application of Trust Money. Subject to the provisions of Section 8.06 hereof, all money deposited with the Trustee pursuant to Section 11.01 hereof shall be held in trust and applied by it, in accordance with the provisions of the Notes and this Indenture, to the payment, either directly or through any Paying Agent as the Trustee may determine, to the Persons entitled thereto, of the principal (and premium, if any) and interest for whose payment such money has been deposited with the Trustee; but such money need not be segregated from other funds except to the extent required by law.

 

-92-


If the Trustee or Paying Agent is unable to apply any money or Government Securities in accordance with Section 11.01 hereof by reason of any legal proceeding or by reason of any order or judgment of any court or governmental authority enjoining, restraining or otherwise prohibiting such application, the Issuer’s and any Guarantor’s obligations under this Indenture and the Notes shall be revived and reinstated as though no deposit had occurred pursuant to Section 11.01 hereof; provided that if the Issuer has made any payment of principal of, premium, if any, or interest on any Notes because of the reinstatement of its obligations, the Issuer shall be subrogated to the rights of the Holders of such Notes to receive such payment from the money or Government Securities held by the Trustee or Paying Agent.

ARTICLE XII

COLLATERAL

Section 12.01 Security Documents. The due and punctual payment of the principal, premium, if any, and interest on the Notes when and as the same shall be due and payable, whether on an interest payment date, at maturity, by acceleration, repurchase, redemption or otherwise, and interest on the overdue principal of, premium, if any, and interest on the Notes and performance of all other Notes Obligations of the Issuer and the Guarantors to the Holders, the Trustee or the Notes Collateral Agent under this Indenture, the Notes, the Guarantees, the Intercreditor Agreements and the Security Documents, according to the terms hereunder or thereunder, shall be secured as provided in the Security Documents, which define the terms of the Liens that secure the Notes Obligations, subject to the terms of the Intercreditor Agreements.

The Trustee, the Issuer and the Guarantors hereby acknowledge and agree that the Notes Collateral Agent holds the Collateral in trust for the benefit of itself, the Holders and the Trustee and pursuant to the terms of the Security Documents and the Intercreditor Agreements. Each Holder, by accepting a Note, consents and agrees to the terms of the Security Documents (including the provisions providing for the possession, use, release and foreclosure of Collateral) and the Intercreditor Agreements as the same may be in effect or may be amended from time to time in accordance with their terms and this Indenture and the Intercreditor Agreements, and authorizes and directs the Notes Collateral Agent to enter into the Security Documents and the Intercreditor Agreements and to perform its obligations and exercise its rights thereunder in accordance therewith. The Issuer shall deliver to the Notes Collateral Agent copies of all documents required to be filed pursuant to the Security Documents, and will do or cause to be done all such acts and things as may be reasonably required by the next sentence of this Section 12.01, to assure and confirm to the Notes Collateral Agent the security interest in the Collateral contemplated hereby, by the Security Documents or any part thereof, as from time to time constituted, so as to render the same available for the security and benefit of this Indenture and of the Notes secured hereby, according to the intent and purposes herein expressed. the Issuer shall, and shall cause the Restricted Subsidiaries of the Issuer to, take any and all actions and make all filings (including the filing of UCC financing statements, continuation statements and amendments thereto) required to cause the Security Documents to create and maintain, as security for the Notes Obligations of the Issuer and the Guarantors to the Trustee, the Notes Collateral Agent and the Holders under this Indenture, the Notes, the Guarantees, the Intercreditor Agreements and the Security Documents (to the extent required hereby and thereby), a valid and enforceable perfected Lien and security interest in and on all of the Collateral (subject to the terms of the Intercreditor Agreements and the Security Documents), in favor of the Notes Collateral Agent for the benefit of itself, the Holders and the Trustee subject to no Liens other than Permitted Liens.

Section 12.02 Release of Collateral.

(a) Subject to Section 12.02(c), the Liens securing the Notes and the Notes Obligations shall be automatically released, and the Trustee, at the written request of the Issuer accompanied by and Officer’s Certificate and Opinion of Counsel reasonably satisfactory to the Trustee, shall execute documents evidencing such release, or instruct the Notes Collateral Agent in writing to execute, as applicable, the same at the Issuer’s sole cost and expense, under any one or more of the following circumstances:

(1) to enable the Issuer and/or one or more Guarantors to consummate the sale, transfer or other disposition (as defined under the definition of “Asset Sale”) (including by the termination of capital leases or the repossession of the leased property in a capital lease by the lessor) of such property or assets (to a Person that is not the Issuer or a Guarantor) to the extent permitted by Section 4.10 hereof;

 

-93-


(2) in the case of a Guarantor that is released from its Guarantee with respect to the Notes pursuant to the terms of this Indenture, the release of the property and assets of such Guarantor; or

(3) in respect of any property and assets of the Issuer or a Guarantor that would constitute ABL Priority Collateral (as defined in the ABL Intercreditor Agreement) if at such time it is not subject to a Lien securing Secured Obligations (as defined in the ABL Credit Agreement), so long as the ABL Facility is still outstanding.

(b) Subject to Section 12.02(c), the Liens on the Collateral securing the Notes and the Guarantees also shall be automatically released, and the Trustee, at the written request of the Issuer accompanied by and Officer’s Certificate and Opinion of Counsel reasonably satisfactory to the Trustee, shall execute documents evidencing such release, or instruct the Notes Collateral Agent in writing to execute, as applicable, the same at the Issuer’s sole cost and expense, under any one or more of the following circumstances:

(1) upon payment in full of the principal of, together with accrued and unpaid interest on, the Notes and all other Obligations under this Indenture, the Guarantees and the Security Documents that are due and payable at or prior to the time such principal, together with accrued and unpaid interest are paid;

(2) upon the Issuer exercising its legal defeasance option or covenant defeasance option as described under Article VIII hereof or the Issuer’s obligations under this Indenture being discharged in a manner not in violation of the terms of this Indenture, including as described under Article XI hereof;

(3) pursuant to the Security Documents, the Pari Passu Intercreditor Agreement or the ABL Intercreditor Agreement; or

(4) with the consent of the requisite Holders in accordance with Article IX of this Indenture, including consents obtained in connection with a tender offer or exchange offer for, or purchase of, the Notes.

(c) With respect to any release of Collateral, the Trustee, at the written request of the Issuer accompanied by and Officer’s Certificate and Opinion of Counsel reasonably satisfactory to the Trustee, shall, or shall cause the Notes Collateral Agent to, execute, deliver or acknowledge (at the Issuer’s expense and request) such instruments or releases to evidence the release of any Collateral permitted to be released pursuant to this Indenture or the Security Documents or the Intercreditor Agreements.

Section 12.03 Suits to Protect the Collateral. Subject to the provisions of Article VII hereof and the Security Documents and the Intercreditor Agreements, the Trustee, without the consent of the Holders, on behalf of the Holders, may or may direct the Notes Collateral Agent (at the Issuer’s expense) to take all actions it determines in order to:

(a) enforce any of the terms of the Security Documents; and

 

  (b)

collect and receive any and all amounts payable in respect of the Obligations hereunder.

Subject to the provisions of the Security Documents and the Intercreditor Agreements, the Trustee and the Notes Collateral Agent shall have power to institute and to maintain such suits and proceedings as the Trustee may determine to prevent any impairment of the Collateral by any acts which may be unlawful or in violation of any of the Security Documents or this Indenture, and such suits and proceedings as the Trustee may determine to preserve or protect its interests and the interests of the Holders in the Collateral. Nothing in this Section 12.03 shall be considered to impose any such duty or obligation to act on the part of the Trustee or the Notes Collateral Agent.

 

-94-


Section 12.04 Authorization of Receipt of Funds by the Trustee Under the Security Documents. Subject to the provisions of the Intercreditor Agreements, the Trustee is authorized to receive any funds for the benefit of the Holders distributed under the Security Documents, and to make further distributions of such funds to the Holders according to the provisions of this Indenture.

Section 12.05 Purchaser Protected. In no event shall any purchaser in good faith of any property purported to be released hereunder be bound to ascertain the authority of the Notes Collateral Agent or the Trustee to execute the release or to inquire as to the satisfaction of any conditions required by the provisions hereof for the exercise of such authority or to see to the application of any consideration given by such purchaser or other transferee; nor shall any purchaser or other transferee of any property or rights permitted by this Article XII to be sold be under any obligation to ascertain or inquire into the authority of the Issuer or the applicable Guarantor to make any such sale or other transfer.

Section 12.06 Powers Exercisable by Receiver or Trustee. In case the Collateral shall be in the possession of a receiver or trustee, lawfully appointed, the powers conferred in this Article XII upon the Issuer or a Guarantor with respect to the release, sale or other disposition of such property may be exercised by such receiver or trustee, and an instrument signed by such receiver or Trustee shall be deemed the equivalent of any similar instrument of the Issuer or a Guarantor or of any Officer or Officers thereof required by the provisions of this Article XII; and if the Trustee shall be in the possession of the Collateral under any provision of this Indenture, then such powers may be exercised by the Trustee.

Section 12.07 Release Upon Termination of the Issuers Obligations. In the event that the Issuer deliver to the Trustee an Officer’s Certificate certifying that (i) payment in full of the principal of, together with accrued and unpaid interest and premium, if any, on, the Notes and all other Obligations under this Indenture, the Notes, the Guarantees and the Security Documents that are due and payable at or prior to the time such principal, together with accrued and unpaid interest and premium, if any, are paid or (ii) the Issuer shall have exercised their Legal Defeasance option or its Covenant Defeasance option, in each case in compliance with the provisions of Article VIII, the Trustee shall deliver to the Issuer and the Notes Collateral Agent a notice stating that the Trustee, on behalf of the Holders, disclaims and gives up any and all rights it has in or to the Collateral (other than with respect to funds held by the Trustee pursuant to Article VIII), and any rights it has under the Security Documents, and upon receipt by the Notes Collateral Agent of such notice, the Notes Collateral Agent shall be deemed not to hold a Lien in the Collateral on behalf of the Trustee and shall do or cause to be done (at the expense of the Issuer) all acts reasonably requested by the Issuer to release such Lien as soon as is reasonably practicable.

Section 12.08 Notes Collateral Agent.

(a) The Trustee and each of the Holders by acceptance of the Notes hereby designates and appoints the Notes Collateral Agent as its agent under this Indenture, the Security Documents and the Intercreditor Agreements and the Trustee and each of the Holders by acceptance of the Notes hereby irrevocably authorizes the Notes Collateral Agent to take such action on its behalf under the provisions of this Indenture, the Security Documents and the Intercreditor Agreements and to exercise such powers and perform such duties as are expressly delegated to the Notes Collateral Agent by the terms of this Indenture, the Security Documents and the Intercreditor Agreements, and consents and agrees to the terms of the Intercreditor Agreements and each Security Document, as the same may be in effect or may be amended, restated, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time in accordance with their respective terms. The Notes Collateral Agent agrees to act as such on the express conditions contained in this Section 12.08. The provisions of this Section 12.08 are solely for the benefit of the Notes Collateral Agent and none of the Trustee, any of the Holders nor the Issuer or any of the Guarantors shall have any rights as a third party beneficiary of any of the provisions contained herein other than as expressly provided in Section 12.03. Each Holder agrees that any action taken by the Notes Collateral Agent in accordance with the provision of this Indenture, the Intercreditor Agreements and the Security Documents, and the exercise by the Notes Collateral Agent of any rights or remedies set forth herein and therein shall be authorized and binding upon all Holders. Notwithstanding any provision to the contrary contained elsewhere in this Indenture, the Security Documents and the Intercreditor Agreements, the duties of the Notes Collateral Agent shall be ministerial and administrative in nature, and the Notes Collateral Agent shall not have any duties or responsibilities, except those expressly set forth herein and in the Intercreditor Agreements and the other Security Documents to which the Notes Collateral Agent is a party, nor shall the Notes Collateral Agent have or be deemed to have any trust or other

 

-95-


fiduciary relationship with the Trustee, any Holder or the Issuer or any Guarantor, and no implied covenants, functions, responsibilities, duties, obligations or liabilities shall be read into this Indenture, the Security Documents and the Intercreditor Agreements or otherwise exist against the Notes Collateral Agent. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing sentence, the use of the term “agent” in this Indenture with reference to the Notes Collateral Agent is not intended to connote any fiduciary or other implied (or express) obligations arising under agency doctrine of any applicable law. Instead, such term is used merely as a matter of market custom, and is intended to create or reflect only an administrative relationship between independent contracting parties.

(b) The Notes Collateral Agent may perform any of its duties under this Indenture, the Security Documents or the Intercreditor Agreements by or through receivers, agents, employees, attorneys-in-fact or with respect to any specified Person, such Person’s Affiliates, and the respective officers, directors, employees, agents, advisors and attorneys-in-fact of such Person and its Affiliates, (a “Related Person”) and shall be entitled to advice of counsel concerning all matters pertaining to such duties, and shall be entitled to act upon, and shall be fully protected in taking action in reliance upon any advice or opinion given by legal counsel. The Notes Collateral Agent shall not be responsible for the negligence or misconduct of any receiver, agent, employee, attorney-in-fact or Related Person that it selects as long as such selection was made in good faith. The exculpatory provisions of this Article shall apply to any such sub-agent and to the Affiliates of the Notes Collateral Agent and any such sub-agent.

(c) None of the Notes Collateral Agent or any of its respective Related Persons shall (i) be liable for any action taken or omitted to be taken by any of them under or in connection with this Indenture or the transactions contemplated hereby (except for its own gross negligence or willful misconduct as determined by a final nonappealable order of a court of competent jurisdiction) or under or in connection with any Security Document or the Intercreditor Agreements or the transactions contemplated thereby (except for its own gross negligence or willful misconduct as determined by a final nonappeable order of a court of competent jurisdiction), or (ii) be responsible in any manner to any of the Trustee or any Holder for any recital, statement, representation, warranty, covenant or agreement made by the Issuer or any Guarantor or Affiliate of the Issuer or any Guarantor, or any Officer or Related Person thereof, contained in this Indenture, the Notes or any Security Documents, the Intercreditor Agreements, or in any certificate, report, statement or other document referred to or provided for in, or received by the Notes Collateral Agent under or in connection with, this Indenture, the Security Documents or the Intercreditor Agreements, or the validity, effectiveness, genuineness, enforceability or sufficiency of this Indenture, the Security Documents or the Intercreditor Agreements, or for any failure of the Issuer or any Guarantor or any other party to this Indenture, the Security Documents or the Intercreditor Agreements to perform its obligations hereunder or thereunder. None of the Notes Collateral Agent or any of its respective Related Persons shall be under any obligation to the Trustee or any Holder to ascertain or to inquire as to the observance or performance of any of the agreements contained in, or conditions of, this Indenture, the Security Documents or the Intercreditor Agreements or to inspect the properties, books, or records of the Issuer or any Guarantor or the Issuer’s or any of the Guarantors’ Affiliates.

(d) The Notes Collateral Agent shall be entitled to rely, and shall be fully protected in relying, upon any writing, resolution, notice, consent, certificate, affidavit, letter, telegram, facsimile, certification, telephone message, statement, or other communication, document or conversation (including those by telephone or e-mail) believed by it to be genuine and correct and to have been signed, sent, or made by the proper Person or Persons, and upon advice and statements of legal counsel (including, without limitation, counsel to the Issuer or any Guarantor), independent accountants and other experts and advisors selected by the Notes Collateral Agent. The Notes Collateral Agent shall not be bound to make any investigation into the facts or matters stated in any resolution, certificate, statement, instrument, opinion, report, notice, request, direction, consent, order, bond, debenture, or other paper or document. The Notes Collateral Agent shall be fully justified in failing or refusing to take any action under this Indenture, the Security Documents or the Intercreditor Agreements unless it shall first receive such advice or concurrence of the Trustee or the Holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the Notes as it determines and, if it so requests, it shall first be indemnified to its satisfaction by the Holders against any and all liability, loss and expense which may be incurred by it by reason of taking or continuing to take any such action. The Notes Collateral Agent shall in all cases be fully protected in acting, or in refraining from acting, under this Indenture, the Security Documents or the Intercreditor Agreements in accordance with a request, direction, instruction or consent of the Trustee or the Holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the then outstanding Notes and such request and any action taken or failure to act pursuant thereto shall be binding upon all of the Holders.

 

-96-


(e) The Notes Collateral Agent shall not be deemed to have knowledge or notice of the occurrence of any Default or Event of Default, unless a Responsible Officer of the Notes Collateral Agent shall have received written notice from the Trustee or the Issuer referring to this Indenture, describing such Default or Event of Default and stating that such notice is a “notice of default” and such notice references the Notes, the Issuer and this Indenture. The Notes Collateral Agent shall take such action with respect to such Default or Event of Default as may be requested by the Trustee in accordance with Article VI or the Holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the Notes (subject to this Section 12.08).

(f) The Notes Collateral Agent may resign under this Indenture, any Intercreditor Agreement or any other Security Document at any time by notice to the Trustee and the Issuer, such resignation to be effective upon the acceptance of a successor agent to its appointment as Notes Collateral Agent. If the Notes Collateral Agent resigns under this Indenture, the Security Documents or the Intercreditor Agreements, the Issuer shall appoint a successor collateral agent. If no successor collateral agent is appointed prior to the intended effective date of the resignation of the Notes Collateral Agent (as stated in the notice of resignation), the Notes Collateral Agent may appoint, after consulting with the Trustee, subject to the consent of the Issuer (which shall not be unreasonably withheld and which shall not be required during a continuing Event of Default), a successor collateral agent. If no successor collateral agent is appointed and consented to by the Issuer pursuant to the preceding sentence within thirty (30) days after the intended effective date of resignation (as stated in the notice of resignation) the Notes Collateral Agent shall be entitled to, at the expense of the Issuer, petition a court of competent jurisdiction to appoint a successor. Upon the acceptance of its appointment as successor collateral agent hereunder, such successor collateral agent shall succeed to all the rights, powers and duties of the retiring Notes Collateral Agent, and the term “Notes Collateral Agent” shall mean such successor collateral agent, and the retiring Notes Collateral Agent’s appointment, powers and duties as the Notes Collateral Agent shall be terminated. After the retiring Notes Collateral Agent’s resignation hereunder, the provisions of this Section 12.08 (and Section 7.07) shall continue to inure to its benefit and the retiring Notes Collateral Agent shall not by reason of such resignation be deemed to be released from liability as to any actions taken or omitted to be taken by it while it was the Notes Collateral Agent under this Indenture.

(g) U.S. Bank National Association shall initially act as Notes Collateral Agent and shall be authorized to appoint co-Notes Collateral Agents as necessary in its sole discretion. Except as otherwise explicitly provided herein or in the Security Documents or the Intercreditor Agreements, neither the Notes Collateral Agent nor any of its respective officers, directors, employees or agents or other Related Persons shall be liable for failure to demand, collect or realize upon any of the Collateral or for any delay in doing so or shall be under any obligation to sell or otherwise dispose of any Collateral upon the request of any other Person or to take any other action whatsoever with regard to the Collateral or any part thereof. The Notes Collateral Agent shall be accountable only for amounts that it actually receives as a result of the exercise of such powers, and neither the Notes Collateral Agent nor any of its officers, directors, employees or agents shall be responsible for any act or failure to act hereunder, except for its own gross negligence or willful misconduct as determined by a final nonappeable order of a court of competent jurisdiction.

(h) The Notes Collateral Agent is authorized and directed to (i) enter into the Security Documents to which it is party, whether executed on or after the Issue Date, (ii) enter into the Intercreditor Agreements, (iii) make the representations of the Holders set forth in the Security Documents and Intercreditor Agreements, (iv) bind the Holders on the terms as set forth in the Security Documents and the Intercreditor Agreements and (v) perform and observe its obligations under the Security Documents and the Intercreditor Agreements.

(i) If at any time or times the Trustee shall receive (i) by payment, foreclosure, set-off or otherwise, any proceeds of Collateral or any payments with respect to the Obligations arising under, or relating to, this Indenture, except for any such proceeds or payments received by the Trustee from the Notes Collateral Agent pursuant to the terms of this Indenture, or (ii) payments from the Notes Collateral Agent in excess of the amount required to be paid to the Trustee pursuant to Article VI, the Trustee shall promptly turn the same over to the Notes Collateral Agent, in kind, and with such endorsements as may be required to negotiate the same to the Notes Collateral Agent such proceeds to be applied by the Notes Collateral Agent pursuant to the terms of this Indenture, the Security Documents and the Intercreditor Agreements.

 

-97-


(j) The Notes Collateral Agent is each Holder’s agent for the purpose of perfecting the Holders’ security interest in assets which, in accordance with Article 9 of the UCC can be perfected only by possession. Should the Trustee obtain possession of any such Collateral, upon a written request from the Issuer, the Trustee shall notify the Notes Collateral Agent thereof and promptly shall deliver such Collateral to the Notes Collateral Agent or otherwise deal with such Collateral in accordance with the Notes Collateral Agent’s instructions (to the extent applicable).

(k) The Notes Collateral Agent shall have no obligation whatsoever to the Trustee or any of the Holders and the Trustee shall have no obligation to the Notes Collateral Agent or any of the Holders to assure that the Collateral exists or is owned by the Issuer or any Guarantor or is cared for, protected, or insured or has been encumbered, or that the Notes Collateral Agent’s Liens have been properly or sufficiently or lawfully created, perfected, protected, maintained or enforced or are entitled to any particular priority, or to determine whether all of the Issuer’s or any of the Guarantor’s property constituting collateral intended to be subject to the Lien and security interest of the Security Documents has been properly and completely listed or delivered, as the case may be, or the genuineness, validity, marketability or sufficiency thereof or title thereto, or to exercise at all or in any particular manner or under any duty of care, disclosure, or fidelity, or to continue exercising, any of the rights, authorities, and powers granted or available to the Notes Collateral Agent pursuant to this Indenture, any Security Document or the Intercreditor Agreements other than pursuant to the instructions of the Trustee or the Holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the Notes or as otherwise provided in the Security Documents, it being understood and agreed that in respect of the Collateral, or any act, omission, or event related thereto, the Notes Collateral Agent shall have no other duty or liability whatsoever to the Trustee or any Holder as to any of the foregoing.

(l) If the Issuer or any Guarantor (i) incurs any obligations in respect of Parity Lien Obligations at any time when neither the Pari Passu Intercreditor Agreement nor any other intercreditor agreement is in effect or at any time when Indebtedness constituting Parity Lien Obligations entitled to the benefit of the Pari Passu Intercreditor Agreement is concurrently retired, and (ii) delivers to the Notes Collateral Agent an Officer’s Certificate so stating and requesting the Notes Collateral Agent to enter into an intercreditor agreement (on substantially the same terms as the Pari Passu Intercreditor Agreement) in favor of a designated agent or representative for the holders of the Parity Lien Obligations so incurred, the Notes Collateral Agent shall (and is hereby authorized and directed to) enter into such intercreditor agreement (at the sole expense and cost of the Issuer, including legal fees and expenses of the Notes Collateral Agent), bind the Holders on the terms set forth therein and perform and observe its obligations thereunder.

(m) If the Issuer or any Guarantor (i) incurs any obligations in respect of ABL Obligations at any time when neither the ABL Intercreditor Agreement nor any other intercreditor agreement is in effect or at any time when Indebtedness constituting ABL Obligations entitled to the benefit of the ABL Intercreditor Agreement is concurrently retired, and (ii) delivers to the Notes Collateral Agent an Officer’s Certificate so stating and requesting the Notes Collateral Agent to enter into an intercreditor agreement (on substantially the same terms as the ABL Intercreditor Agreement) in favor of a designated agent or representative for the holders of the ABL Obligations so incurred, the Notes Collateral Agent shall (and is hereby authorized and directed to) enter into such intercreditor agreement (at the sole expense and cost of the Issuer, including legal fees and expenses of the Notes Collateral Agent), bind the Holders on the terms set forth therein and perform and observe its obligations thereunder.

(n) If the Issuer or any Guarantor (i) incurs any Junior Lien Obligations at any time when no Intercreditor Agreement with respect to Junior Lien Obligations is in effect or at any time when Indebtedness constituting Junior Lien Obligations entitled to the benefit of a Junior Lien Intercreditor Agreement is concurrently retired, and (ii) delivers to the Notes Collateral Agent an Officer’s Certificate so stating and requesting the Notes Collateral Agent to enter into a Junior Lien Intercreditor Agreement (on terms that are customary for such financings as determined by The Issuer in good faith reflecting the subordination of such Liens to the Liens secured by the Notes and Guarantees) in favor of a designated agent or representative for the holders of the Junior Lien Obligations so incurred, the Notes Collateral Agent shall (and is hereby authorized and directed to) enter into such Junior Lien Intercreditor Agreement (at the sole expense and cost of the Issuer, including legal fees and expenses of the Notes Collateral Agent), bind the Holders on the terms set forth therein and perform and observe its obligations thereunder.

 

-98-


(o) No provision of this Indenture, the Intercreditor Agreements or any Security Document shall require the Notes Collateral Agent (or the Trustee) to expend or risk its own funds or otherwise incur any financial liability in the performance of any of its duties hereunder or thereunder or to take or omit to take any action hereunder or thereunder or take any action at the request or direction of Holders (or the Trustee in the case of the Notes Collateral Agent) if it shall have received security and/or indemnity satisfactory to the Notes Collateral Agent against potential costs and liabilities incurred by the Notes Collateral Agent relating thereto.

Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in this Indenture, the Intercreditor Agreements or the Security Documents, in the event the Notes Collateral Agent is entitled or required to commence an action to foreclose or otherwise exercise its remedies to acquire control or possession of the Collateral, the Notes Collateral Agent shall not be required to commence any such action or exercise any remedy or to inspect or conduct any studies of any property under the mortgages or take any such other action if the Notes Collateral Agent has determined that the Notes Collateral Agent may incur personal liability as a result of the presence at, or release on or from, the Collateral or such property, of any hazardous substances unless the Notes Collateral Agent has received security and/or indemnity from the Holders in an amount and in a form all satisfactory to the Notes Collateral Agent in its sole discretion, protecting the Notes Collateral Agent from all such liability. The Notes Collateral Agent shall at any time be entitled to cease taking any action described in this clause if it no longer reasonably deems any indemnity, security and/or undertaking from the Issuer or the Holders to be sufficient.

(p) The Notes Collateral Agent (i) shall not be liable for any action taken or omitted to be taken by it in connection with this Indenture, the Intercreditor Agreements and the Security Documents or instrument referred to herein or therein, except to the extent that any of the foregoing are found by a final, non-appealable judgment of a court of competent jurisdiction to have resulted from its own gross negligence or willful misconduct as found by a final, non-appealable judgment of a court of competent jurisdiction, (ii) shall not be liable for interest on any money received by it except as the Notes Collateral Agent may agree in writing with the Issuer (and money held in trust by the Notes Collateral Agent need not be segregated from other funds except to the extent required by law) and (iii) may consult with counsel of its selection and the advice or opinion of such counsel as to matters of law shall be full and complete authorization and protection from liability in respect of any action taken, omitted or suffered by it in good faith and in accordance with the advice or opinion of such counsel. The Notes Collateral Agent shall not be responsible for the misconduct, negligence, actions or inactions of the Trustee or the Agents. The grant of permissive rights or powers to the Notes Collateral Agent shall not be construed to impose duties to act.

(q) Neither the Notes Collateral Agent nor the Trustee shall be liable for delays or failures in performance resulting from acts beyond its control. Such acts shall include but not be limited to acts of God, strikes, lockouts, riots, acts of war, epidemics, pandemics, recognized pubic emergencies, quarantine restrictions, governmental regulations superimposed after the fact, fire, communication line failures, computer viruses, power failures, earthquakes or other disasters. Neither the Notes Collateral Agent nor the Trustee shall be liable for any indirect, special, punitive, incidental or consequential damages (included but not limited to lost profits) whatsoever, even if it has been informed of the likelihood thereof and regardless of the form of action.

(r) The Notes Collateral Agent does not assume any responsibility for any failure or delay in performance or any breach by the Issuer or any Guarantor under this Indenture, the Intercreditor Agreements and the Security Documents. The Notes Collateral Agent shall not be responsible to the Holders or any other Person for any recitals, statements, information, representations or warranties contained in this Indenture, the Notes, the Intercreditor Agreements, or the Security Documents or in any certificate, report, statement, or other document referred to or provided for in, or received by the Notes Collateral Agent under or in connection with, this Indenture, the Intercreditor Agreements or any Security Document; the execution, validity, genuineness, effectiveness or enforceability of the Intercreditor Agreements and any Security Documents of any other party thereto; the genuineness, enforceability, collectability, value, sufficiency, location or existence of any Collateral, or the validity, effectiveness, enforceability, sufficiency, extent, perfection or priority of any Lien therein; the validity, enforceability or collectability of any Obligations; the assets, liabilities, financial condition, results of operations, business, creditworthiness or legal status of any obligor; or for any failure of any obligor to perform its Obligations under this Indenture, the Intercreditor Agreements and the Security Documents or for the performance or observance of any covenants, agreements or other terms and conditions set forth under this Indenture, the Intercreditor Agreement and the other Security Documents. The Notes Collateral Agent shall have no obligation to any Holder or any other Person to ascertain or inquire into the existence of any Default or Event of Default, the observance or performance by any obligor of any terms of this Indenture, the Intercreditor Agreements and the Security Documents, or the satisfaction of any conditions precedent contained in this Indenture, the Intercreditor Agreements

 

-99-


and any Security Documents. The Notes Collateral Agent shall not be required to initiate or conduct any litigation or collection or other proceeding under this Indenture, the Intercreditor Agreements and the Security Documents unless expressly set forth hereunder or thereunder. The Notes Collateral Agent shall have the right at any time to seek instructions from the Holders with respect to the administration of this Indenture, the Intercreditor Agreements, the Notes or the Security Documents.

(s) The parties hereto and the Holders hereby agree and acknowledge that the Notes Collateral Agent shall not assume, be responsible for or otherwise be obligated for any liabilities, claims, causes of action, suits, losses, allegations, requests, demands, penalties, fines, settlements, damages (including foreseeable and unforeseeable), judgments, expenses and costs (including but not limited to, any remediation, corrective action, response, removal or remedial action, or investigation, operations and maintenance or monitoring costs, for personal injury or property damages, real or personal) of any kind whatsoever, pursuant to any environmental law as a result of this Indenture, the Intercreditor Agreements, the Security Documents or any actions taken pursuant hereto or thereto. Further, the parties hereto and the Holders hereby agree and acknowledge that in the exercise of its rights under this Indenture, the Intercreditor Agreements and the Security Documents, the Notes Collateral Agent may hold or obtain indicia of ownership primarily to protect the security interest of the Notes Collateral Agent in the Collateral and that any such actions taken by the Notes Collateral Agent shall not be construed as or otherwise constitute any participation in the management of such Collateral. In the event that the Notes Collateral Agent is required to acquire title to an asset for any reason, or take any managerial action of any kind in regard thereto, in order to carry out any fiduciary or trust obligation for the benefit of another, which in the Notes Collateral Agent’s sole discretion may cause the Notes Collateral Agent to be considered an “owner or operator” under the provisions of the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act (“CERCLA”), 42 U.S.C. §9601, et seq., or otherwise cause the Notes Collateral Agent to incur liability under CERCLA or any other federal, state or local law, the Notes Collateral Agent reserves the right, instead of taking such action, to either resign as the Notes Collateral Agent or arrange for the transfer of the title or control of the asset to a court-appointed receiver. The Notes Collateral Agent shall not be liable to the Issuer, the Guarantors or any other Person for any environmental claims or contribution actions under any federal, state or local law, rule or regulation by reason of the Notes Collateral Agent or the Trustee’s actions and conduct as authorized, empowered and directed hereunder or relating to the discharge, release or threatened release of hazardous materials into the environment other than in connection with the Notes Collateral Agent or the Trustee’s own willful misconduct or gross negligence (as determined by a court of competent jurisdiction in a final, non-appealable judgment). If at any time it is necessary or advisable for property to be possessed, owned, operated or managed by any Person (including the Notes Collateral Agent) other than the Issuer or the Guarantors, Holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the then outstanding Notes shall direct the Trustee to direct the Notes Collateral Agent in writing to appoint an appropriately qualified Person (excluding the Notes Collateral Agent or the Trustee) who they shall designate to possess, own, operate or manage, as the case may be, the property.

(t) Upon the receipt by the Notes Collateral Agent and the Trustee of a written request of the Issuer signed by one Officer of the Issuer (a “Security Document Order”), the Notes Collateral Agent and the Trustee are hereby authorized to execute and enter into, and shall execute and enter into, without the further consent of any Holder, any Security Document to be executed after the Issue Date; provided that the Notes Collateral Agent shall not be required to execute or enter into any such Security Document which, in the Notes Collateral Agent’s reasonable opinion is reasonably likely to adversely affect the rights, duties, liabilities or immunities of the Notes Collateral Agent or that the Notes Collateral Agent determines is reasonably likely to involve the Notes Collateral Agent in personal liability. Such Security Document Order shall (i) state that it is being delivered to the Notes Collateral Agent and the Trustee pursuant to, and is a Security Document Order referred to in, this Section 12.08(t), and (ii) instruct the Notes Collateral Agent and the Trustee (if applicable) to execute and enter into such Security Document. Other than as set forth in this Indenture, any such execution of a Security Document shall be at the direction and expense of the Issuer, upon delivery to the Notes Collateral Agent and the Trustee of an Officer’s Certificate and/or Opinion of Counsel stating that all conditions precedent to the execution and delivery of the Security Document have been satisfied. The Holders, by their acceptance of the Notes, hereby authorize and direct the Notes Collateral Agent and the Trustee, if applicable, to execute such Security Documents.

 

-100-


(u) Subject to the provisions of the applicable Security Documents and the Intercreditor Agreements, each Holder, by acceptance of the Notes, agrees that the Notes Collateral Agent shall execute and deliver the Intercreditor Agreements and the Security Documents to which it is a party and all agreements, documents and instruments incidental thereto, and act in accordance with the terms thereof. For the avoidance of doubt, the Notes Collateral Agent shall have no discretion under this Indenture, the Intercreditor Agreements or the Security Documents and shall not be required to make or give any determination, consent, approval, request or direction without the written direction of the Holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the then outstanding Notes or the Trustee, as applicable, or as otherwise set forth in the Intercreditor Agreements.

(v) After the occurrence of an Event of Default, the Trustee acting in accordance with the terms of this Indenture may direct the Notes Collateral Agent in connection with any action required or permitted by this Indenture, the Security Documents or the Intercreditor Agreements.

(w) The Notes Collateral Agent is authorized to receive any funds for the benefit of itself, the Trustee and the Holders distributed under the Security Documents or the Intercreditor Agreements and to the extent not prohibited under the Intercreditor Agreements, for turnover to the Trustee to make further distributions of such funds to itself, the Trustee and the Holders in accordance with the provisions of Section 6.13 hereof and the other provisions of this Indenture.

(x) In each case that the Notes Collateral Agent may or is required hereunder or under the Intercreditor Agreements or any other Security Document to take any action (an “Action”), including without limitation to make any determination, to give consents, to exercise rights, powers or remedies, to release or sell Collateral or otherwise to act hereunder or under the Intercreditor Agreements, the Notes or any Security Document, the Notes Collateral Agent may seek direction from the Holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the then outstanding Notes. The Notes Collateral Agent shall not be liable with respect to any Action taken or omitted to be taken by it in accordance with the direction from the Holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the then outstanding Notes or as otherwise set forth in the Intercreditor Agreements. If the Notes Collateral Agent shall request direction from the Holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the then outstanding Notes with respect to any Action, the Notes Collateral Agent shall be entitled to refrain from such Action unless and until the Notes Collateral Agent shall have received direction from the Holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the then outstanding Notes, and the Notes Collateral Agent shall not incur liability to any Person by reason of so refraining.

(y) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Indenture, the Intercreditor Agreements, the Notes or any Security Document, in no event shall the Notes Collateral Agent or the Trustee be responsible for, or have any duty or obligation with respect to, the recording, filing, registering, perfection, protection or maintenance of the security interests or Liens intended to be created by this Indenture, the Intercreditor Agreements, the Notes or any Security Document (including without limitation the filing or continuation of any UCC financing or continuation statements or similar documents or instruments), nor shall the Notes Collateral Agent or the Trustee be responsible for, and neither the Notes Collateral Agent nor the Trustee makes any representation regarding, the validity, effectiveness or priority of any of the Security Documents or the security interests or Liens intended to be created thereby.

(z) Before the Notes Collateral Agent acts or refrains from acting in each case at the written request or direction of the Issuer or the Guarantors, it may require an Officer’s Certificate and/or Opinion of Counsel, which shall conform to the provisions of Section 13.05. The Notes Collateral Agent shall not be liable for any action it takes or omits to take in good faith in reliance on such certificate or opinion.

(aa) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, the Notes Collateral Agent shall act pursuant to the instructions of the Holders and the Trustee solely with respect to the Security Documents and the Collateral, except as otherwise set forth in the Intercreditor Agreements.

(bb) The rights, privileges, benefits, immunities, indemnities and other protections given to the Trustee are extended to, and shall be enforceable by the Notes Collateral Agent as if the Notes Collateral Agent were named as the Trustee herein and the Security Documents. The Issuer and the Guarantors, jointly and severally, shall pay compensation to, reimburse expenses of and indemnify the Notes Collateral Agent and its officers, directors, employees, representatives and agents, successors and assigns in accordance with Section 7.07 and the Intercreditor Agreements.

 

-101-


(cc) The Notes Collateral Agent shall be entitled to all of the rights, privileges, indemnities, and immunities of the Additional Collateral Agent, Collateral Agent, Notes Collateral Agent or the Original Notes Agent (in each case, as such term is defined in the applicable Intercreditor Agreement) as set forth in the applicable Intercreditor Agreement, as though fully set forth herein.

(dd) Notwithstanding anything else to the contrary herein, whenever reference is made in this Indenture, to any discretionary action by, consent, designation, specification, requirement or approval of, notice, request or other communication from, or other direction given or action to be undertaken or to be (or not to be) suffered or omitted by the Notes Collateral Agent or to any election, decision, opinion, acceptance, use of judgment, expression of satisfaction or other exercise of discretion, rights or remedies to be made (or not to be made) by the Notes Collateral Agent, it is understood that in all cases the Notes Collateral Agent shall be fully justified in failing or refusing to take any such action if it shall not have received written instruction, advice or concurrence of the Holders in respect of such action. The Notes Collateral Agent shall have no liability for any failure or delay in taking any actions contemplated above as a result of a failure or delay on the part of the Holders to provide such instruction, advice or concurrence.

Section 12.09 Designations. For purposes of the provisions hereof and the Intercreditor Agreements requiring the Issuer to designate Indebtedness for purposes of the term “Additional Parity Lien Obligations,” “Obligations” (in each case, as defined in the applicable Intercreditor Agreement), or any other such designations hereunder or under the Intercreditor Agreements, any such designation shall be sufficient if the relevant designation is set forth in writing, signed on behalf of the Issuer by an Officer and delivered to the Trustee and the Notes Collateral Agent in accordance with the terms of the Intercreditor Agreements.

Section 12.10 No Impairment of the Security Interests. Except as otherwise permitted under this Indenture, the Intercreditor Agreements and the Security Documents, neither the Issuer nor any of the Guarantors will be permitted to take any action, or knowingly omit to take any action, which action or omission would have the result of materially impairing the security interest with respect to the Collateral for the benefit of the Trustee, the Notes Collateral Agent and the Holders.

Section 12.11 [Reserved].

Section 12.12 After Acquired Property.

From and after the Issue Date, and subject to the Security Documents, if (i) any Subsidiary of the Issuer becomes a Guarantor or (ii) the Issuer or any Guarantor acquires any property or rights which are of a type constituting Collateral under any Security Document (excluding, for the avoidance of doubt, any Excluded Assets or assets expressly not required to be Collateral pursuant to this Indenture or the Security Documents), it will be required to execute and deliver such security instruments, financing statements and such certificates as are required under this Indenture or any Security Document to vest in the Notes Collateral Agent a security interest (subject to Permitted Liens, including any pari passu liens that secure obligations in respect of any other Parity Lien Obligations and prior liens that secure Secured Obligations (as defined in the ABL Credit Agreement) with respect to ABL Priority Collateral (as defined in the ABL Intercreditor Agreement)) in such after-acquired collateral (or all of its assets, except Excluded Assets, in the case of a new Guarantor) and to take such actions to add such after-acquired collateral to the Collateral, and thereupon all provisions of this Indenture and the Security Documents relating to the Collateral shall be deemed to relate to such after-acquired collateral to the same extent and with the same force and effect.

Section 12.13 Maintenance of Property and Insurance.

(a) The Issuer will, and will cause each of the Restricted Subsidiaries to, keep all of its respective property material to the operation of the business of the Issuer and the Restricted Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, in good working order and condition in all material respects, ordinary wear and tear and fire, casualty and condemnation excepted; provided, that the Issuer shall not be obligated to comply with the foregoing provisions of this Section 12.13 to the extent that the failure to do so is not adverse in any material respect to the Issuer and its Restricted Subsidiaries.

 

-102-


(b) The Issuer will, and will cause each of the Restricted Subsidiaries to, maintain insurance with financially sound and reputable insurance companies (and the Issuer shall use commercially reasonable efforts to name the Notes Collateral Agent as an additional insured or lenders loss payee, as applicable, thirty (30) days after the Issue Date (or such later date as the Controlling Collateral Agent (as defined in the Pari Passu Intercreditor Agreement) may agree) in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Notes Collateral Agent) on all property material to the operation of the business of the Issuer and the Restricted Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, in at least such amounts and against at least such risks as are determined by the Issuer in good faith to be reasonable and prudent, taking into account the risks that are usually insured against in the same general area by companies engaged in the same business or a business that the Issuer deems reasonably similar, it being understood that this Section shall not prevent the use of deductible or excess loss insurance and shall not prevent (i) the Issuer or any of its Subsidiaries from acting as a self-insurer or maintaining insurance with another Subsidiary or Subsidiaries of the Issuer so long as such action is consistent with sound business practice or (ii) the Issuer from obtaining and owning insurance policies covering activities of its Subsidiaries. The Issuer will deliver evidence of such coverage to the Notes Collateral Agent; use commercially reasonable efforts to cause each such policy to provide that it shall not be canceled (i) by reason of nonpayment of premium upon not less than 10 days’ prior written notice thereof by the insurer to the Notes Collateral Agent (giving the Notes Collateral Agent the right to cure defaults in the payment of premiums) or (ii) for any other reason upon not less than 30 days’ prior written notice thereof by the insurer to the Notes Collateral Agent.

Section 12.14 Further Assurances.

(a) On or following the Issue Date and subject to the Pari Passu Intercreditor Agreement, the Issuer and the Guarantors shall execute any and all further documents, financing statements, agreements and instruments, and take all further action (including filing UCC financing statements, mortgages and deeds of trust) that may be required under applicable law in order to grant, preserve, protect and perfect the validity and first priority of the security interests created or intended to be created by the Security Documents. In addition, from time to time, each Issuer and each Guarantor will reasonably promptly secure the obligations under this Indenture and the Security Documents by pledging or creating, or causing to be pledged or created, perfected security interests with respect to the Collateral. Such security interests and Liens will be created under the Security Documents and other security agreements and other instruments and documents. The Issuer and the Guarantors, at their sole cost and expense and subject to the Intercreditor Agreements, will execute, acknowledge, deliver, record, re-record, file, re-file, register and re-register, as applicable, any and all such further acts, deeds, certificates, assurances and other agreements or instruments and shall take all further action (including filing UCC and other financing statements, mortgages and deeds of trust), as may be reasonably requested by the Notes Collateral Agent:

(1) carry out the terms and provisions of the Security Documents;

(2) subject to the Liens created by any of the Security Documents any of the properties, rights or interests required to be encumbered thereby, including all assets of any Guarantor (other than Excluded Assets) or newly acquired assets of a Guarantor;

(3) perfect and maintain the validity, enforceability, effectiveness and priority of any of the Security Documents and the Liens intended to be created by the Security Documents; and

(b) assure, convey, grant, assign, transfer, preserve, protect and confirm to the Notes Collateral Agent any of the rights granted now or hereafter intended by the parties thereto to be granted to the Notes Collateral Agent under the Security Documents or under any other instrument executed in connection herewith.

ARTICLE XIII

MISCELLANEOUS

Section 13.01 [Reserved].

Section 13.02 Notices. Any notice or communication by the Issuer, any Guarantor or the Trustee to the others is duly given if in writing and delivered in person or mailed by first-class mail (registered or certified, return receipt requested), electronic mail or other electronic transmission or overnight air courier guaranteeing next day delivery, to the others’ address:

 

-103-


If to the Issuer and/or any Guarantor:

R.R. Donnelley & Sons Company

35 West Wacker Drive

Chicago, Illinois 60601

Attention: Terry Peterson

Email: terry.d.peterson@rrd.com

with a copy to:

Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP

One Manhattan West

New York, NY 10001

Fax: (917) 777-3259

Attention: Shilpi Gupta and Michael Zeidel

Email: shilpi.gupta@skadden.com and michael.zeidel@skadden.com

If to the Trustee, Notes Collateral Agent, the initial Paying Agent and the Registrar:

U.S. Bank National Association

Attn: R.R. Donnelly Administrator, EP-MN-WS3C

60 Livingston Avenue

St. Paul, MN 55107

The Issuer, any Guarantor, the Trustee, or the Notes Collateral Agent, by notice to the others, may designate additional or different addresses for subsequent notices or communications.

All notices and communications (other than those sent to Holders) shall be deemed to have been duly given: at the time delivered by hand, if personally delivered; five calendar days after being deposited in the mail, postage prepaid, if mailed by first-class mail; when receipt acknowledged, if faxed or sent electronically; and the next Business Day after timely delivery to the courier, if sent by overnight air courier guaranteeing next day delivery; provided that any notice or communication delivered to the Trustee or the Notes Collateral Agent shall be deemed effective upon actual receipt thereof.

Any notice or communication to a Holder shall be electronically delivered, mailed by first-class mail, certified or registered, return receipt requested, or by overnight air courier guaranteeing next day delivery to its address shown on the register kept by the Registrar. Failure to deliver a notice or communication to a Holder or any defect in it shall not affect its sufficiency with respect to other Holders.

If a notice or communication is mailed or otherwise delivered in the manner provided above within the time prescribed, such notice or communication shall be deemed duly given, whether or not the addressee receives it; provided that any notice or communication delivered to the Trustee or the Notes Collateral Agent shall be deemed effective upon actual receipt thereof.

If the Issuer mails a notice or communication to Holders, it shall mail a copy to the Trustee and each Agent at the same time.

 

-104-


The Trustee and the Notes Collateral Agent agree to accept and act upon instructions or directions pursuant to this Indenture sent by unsecured email, facsimile transmission or other similar unsecured electronic methods; provided, however, that (a) the party providing such written instructions, subsequent to such transmission of written instructions, shall provide the originally executed instructions or directions to the Trustee and the Notes Collateral Agent (as the case may be) in a timely manner, and (b) such originally executed instructions or directions shall be signed by an authorized representative of the party providing such instructions or directions. If the party elects to give the Trustee or the Notes Collateral Agent email or facsimile instructions (or instructions by a similar electronic method) and the Trustee or the Notes Collateral Agent (as applicable) in its discretion elects to act upon such instructions, the Trustee’s and the Notes Collateral Agent’s understanding of such instructions shall be deemed controlling.

Neither the Trustee nor the Notes Collateral Agent shall not be liable for any losses, costs or expenses arising directly or indirectly from the Trustee’s or the Notes Collateral Agent’s reliance upon and compliance with such instructions notwithstanding such instructions conflict or are inconsistent with a subsequent written instruction. The party providing electronic instructions agrees to assume all risks arising out of the use of such electronic methods to submit instructions and directions to the Notes Collateral Agent, including, without limitation, the risk of the Trustee or the Notes Collateral Agent acting on unauthorized instructions, and the risk of interception and misuse by third parties, absent the Notes Collateral Agent’s own willful misconduct or gross negligence (as determined by a court of competent jurisdiction in a final, non-appealable judgment).

Notwithstanding any other provision of this Indenture or any Note, where this Indenture or any Note provides for notice of any event (including any notice of redemption or purchase) to a Holder of a Global Note (whether stated to be by mail or otherwise), such notice shall be sufficiently given if given to the Depositary for such Note (or its designee) pursuant to the Applicable Procedures for the Depositary.

Section 13.03 [Reserved].

Section 13.04 Certificate and Opinion as to Conditions Precedent. Upon any request or application by the Issuer or any of the Guarantors to the Trustee to take any action under this Indenture, the Issuer or such Guarantor, as the case may be, shall furnish to the Trustee or, if such action relates to an Intercreditor Agreement or a Security Document, the Notes Collateral Agent:

(a) An Officer’s Certificate in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Trustee or the Notes Collateral Agent, as applicable (which shall include the statements set forth in Section 13.05 hereof), stating that, in the opinion of the signers, all conditions precedent and covenants, if any, provided for in this Indenture relating to the proposed action have been satisfied; and

(b) An Opinion of Counsel in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Trustee or the Notes Collateral Agent, as applicable (which shall include the statements set forth in Section 13.05 hereof), stating that, in the opinion of such counsel, all such conditions precedent and covenants have been satisfied.

Section 13.05 Statements Required in Certificate or Opinion. Each certificate or opinion with respect to compliance with a condition or covenant provided for in this Indenture, the Notes or the Security Documents shall include:

(a) a statement that the Person making such certificate or opinion has read such covenant or condition;

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

(c) a statement that, in the opinion of such Person, he or she has made such examination or investigation as is necessary to enable him to express an informed opinion as to whether or not such covenant or condition has been complied with (and, in the case of an Opinion of Counsel, may be limited to reliance on an Officer’s Certificate as to matters of fact); and

 

-105-


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

Section 13.06 Rules by Trustee and Agents. The Trustee may make reasonable rules for action by or at a meeting of Holders. The Registrar or Paying Agent may make reasonable rules and set reasonable requirements for its functions.

Section 13.07 No Personal Liability of Directors, Officers, Employees and Stockholders. No past, present or future director, officer, employee, incorporator, member, partner or stockholder of the Issuer or any Guarantor or any of their direct or indirect parent companies shall have any liability for any obligations of the Issuer or the Guarantors under the Notes, the Guarantees or this Indenture or for any claim based on, in respect of, or by reason of such obligations or their creation. Each Holder by accepting Notes waives and releases all such liability. The waiver and release are part of the consideration for issuance of the Notes.

Section 13.08 Governing Law. THIS INDENTURE, THE SECURITY DOCUMENTS, THE NOTES AND ANY GUARANTEE WILL BE GOVERNED BY AND CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK.

Section 13.09 Waiver of Jury Trial. EACH OF THE ISSUER, THE GUARANTORS, THE NOTES COLLATERAL AGENT AND THE TRUSTEE HEREBY IRREVOCABLY WAIVES, TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, ANY AND ALL RIGHT TO TRIAL BY JURY IN ANY LEGAL PROCEEDING ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THIS INDENTURE, THE SECURITY DOCUMENTS, THE NOTES OR THE TRANSACTIONS CONTEMPLATED HEREBY.

Section 13.10 Force Majeure. In no event shall the Trustee or any Agent be responsible or liable for any failure or delay in the performance of its obligations under this Indenture arising out of or caused by, directly or indirectly, forces beyond its reasonable control, including strikes, work stoppages, accidents, acts of war or terrorism, civil or military disturbances, nuclear or natural catastrophes or acts of God, and interruptions, loss or malfunctions of utilities, communications or computer (software or hardware) services.

Section 13.11 No Adverse Interpretation of Other Agreements. This Indenture may not be used to interpret any other indenture, loan or debt agreement of the Issuer or its Restricted Subsidiaries or of any other Person. Any such indenture, loan or debt agreement may not be used to interpret this Indenture.

Section 13.12 Successors. All agreements of the Issuer in this Indenture and the Notes shall bind their successors. All agreements of the Trustee in this Indenture shall bind its successors. All agreements of each Guarantor in this Indenture shall bind its successors, except as otherwise provided in Section 10.06 hereof.

Section 13.13 Severability. In case any provision in this Indenture or in the Notes shall be invalid, illegal or unenforceable, the validity, legality and enforceability of the remaining provisions shall not in any way be affected or impaired thereby.

Section 13.14 Counterpart Originals. The parties may sign any number of copies of this Indenture. Each signed copy shall be an original, but all of them together represent the same agreement. This Indenture may be executed in multiple counterparts which, when taken together, shall constitute one instrument. Any signature to this Indenture may be delivered by facsimile, electronic mail (including pdf) or any electronic signature complying with the U.S. federal ESIGN Act of 2000 or the New York Electronic Signature and Records Act 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 to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law. Each of the parties represents and warrants to the other parties that it has the corporate or other capacity and authority to execute this Indenture through electronic means and there are no restrictions for doing so in that party’s constitutive documents.

 

-106-


Section 13.15 Table of Contents, Headings, etc. The Table of Contents and headings of the Articles and Sections of this Indenture have been inserted for convenience of reference only, are not to be considered a part of this Indenture and shall in no way modify or restrict any of the terms or provisions hereof.

Section 13.16 Intercreditor Agreements.

(a) Each Holder, by accepting such Note, will be deemed to have (i) appointed and authorized the Notes Collateral Agent and the Trustee to give effect to the provisions in the Intercreditor Agreements, any additional intercreditor agreements and the Security Documents and perform the duties and exercise the rights, powers and discretions that are specifically given to it under the Intercreditor Agreements and the Security Documents securing such Indebtedness, together with any other incidental rights, power and discretions, (ii) agreed to be bound by the provisions of the Intercreditor Agreements, any additional intercreditor agreements and the Security Documents (including, for the avoidance of doubt, consenting to the subordination of Liens provided for in the ABL Intercreditor Agreement) and (iii) irrevocably appointed the Notes Collateral Agent and the Trustee to act on its behalf to enter into and comply with the provisions of the Intercreditor Agreements, any additional intercreditor agreements and the Security Documents (including the execution of, and compliance with, any waiver, modification, amendment, renewal or replacement expressed to be executed by the Trustee or the Notes Collateral Agent on its behalf).

(b) The parties acknowledge and agree that U.S. Bank National Association is entering into (i) the Pari Passu Intercreditor Agreement in its capacity as Notes Collateral Agent thereunder, and (ii) the ABL Intercreditor Agreement in its capacity as “New Additional Fixed Asset Collateral Agent” thereunder. In the event of any conflict between this Indenture, the Notes or any Security Document, on the one hand, and an Intercreditor Agreement on the other, the terms of such Intercreditor Agreement shall govern and control.

Section 13.17 USA Patriot Act. In order to comply with the laws, rules, regulations and executive orders in effect from time to time applicable to banking institutions, including, without limitation, those relating to the funding of terrorist activities and money laundering, including Section 326 of the USA PATRIOT Act of the United States (“Applicable AML Law”), each of the Trustee and the Notes Collateral Agent is required to obtain, verify, record and update certain information relating to individuals and entities which maintain a business relationship with the Trustee and the Notes Collateral Agent, as applicable. Accordingly, each of the parties agree to provide to the Notes Collateral Agent, upon their request from time to time such identifying information and documentation as may be available for such party in order to enable the Trustee and the Notes Collateral Agent to comply with Applicable AML Law.

[Signatures on following page]

 

-107-


ISSUER:
R.R. DONNELLEY & SONS COMPANY
By:  

/s/ Terry D. Peterson

  Name:   Terry D. Peterson
  Title:   Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer

[Signature Page to Indenture]


AMERICAN LITHOGRAPHERS, INC.
BANTA CORPORATION
BANTA GLOBAL TURNKEY LLC
BRIDGETOWN PRINTING CO.
CONSOLIDATED GRAPHICS INTERNATIONAL, INC.
CONSOLIDATED GRAPHICS PROPERTIES II, INC.
CONSOLIDATED GRAPHICS SERVICES, INC.
CONSOLIDATED GRAPHICS, INC.
COURIER PRINTING COMPANY
DDM-DIGITAL IMAGING, DATA PROCESSING AND MAILING SERVICES, L.C.
EGT PRINTING SOLUTIONS, LLC
EMERALD CITY GRAPHICS, INC.
GSL FINE LITHOGRAPHERS
H&N PRINTING & GRAPHICS, INC.
HICKORY PRINTING SOLUTIONS, LLC
IRONWOOD LITHOGRAPHERS, INC.
KELMSCOTT COMMUNICATIONS LLC
MERCURY PRINTING COMPANY, LLC
NIES/ARTCRAFT, INC.
OFFICETIGER HOLDINGS INC.
OFFICETIGER LLC
PBM GRAPHICS, INC.
PRECISION DIALOGUE DIRECT, INC.
PRECISION DIALOGUE MARKETING, LLC
PRECISION DIALOGUE, INC.
PRECISION LITHO, INC.
RR DONNELLEY LOGISTICS SERVICES WORLDWIDE, INC.
RRD DUTCH HOLDCO, INC.
STORTERCHILDS PRINTING CO., INC.
THE JACKSON GROUP CORPORATION
THE JARVIS PRESS, INC.
THE MCKAY PRESS, INC.
THOUSAND OAKS PRINTING & SPECIALTIES, INC.
VERITAS DOCUMENT SOLUTIONS, LLC
as Guarantors
By:  

/s/ Terry D. Peterson

  Name:   Terry D. Peterson
  Title:   Authorized Signatory

 

[Signature Page to Indenture]


U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, as Trustee and Notes Collateral Agent
By:  

/s/ Joshua A. Hahn

  Name:   Joshua A. Hahn
  Title:   Vice President

 

[Signature Page to Indenture]


EXHIBIT A

[Face of Note]

[Insert the Global Note Legend, if applicable pursuant to the provisions of the Indenture] [Insert the Private Placement Legend, if applicable pursuant to the provisions of the Indenture]

CUSIP [     ]

ISIN [     ]

[RULE 144A][REGULATION S] [GLOBAL] NOTE

6.125% Senior Secured Notes due 2026

 

No. [ ]    Principal Amount $[ ]
   [as revised by the Schedule of Exchanges of Interests in Global Note attached hereto]

R.R. DONNELLEY & SONS COMPANY

as the Issuer

jointly and severally promise to pay to [    ] [CEDE & CO.] or registered assigns, the principal sum of $[        ] ([__________] United States Dollars)[, as revised by the Schedule of Exchanges of Interests in Global Note attached hereto,]* on November 1, 2026

Interest Payment Dates: May 1 and November 1

Record Dates: April 15 and October 15

 

* 

If the Security is to be issued in global form, add the Global Securities Legend and the attachment from Exhibit A captioned “SCHEDULE OF EXCHANGES OF INTERESTS IN THE GLOBAL NOTE.”

 

A-1


IN WITNESS HEREOF, the Issuer has caused this instrument to be duly executed.

Dated: [                ]

 

ISSUER:
R.R. DONNELLEY & SONS COMPANY
By:  

                              

  Name:
  Title:

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

 

U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, as Trustee
By:  

                              

  Authorized Signatory

 

A-2


[Back of Note]

6.125% Senior Secured Notes due 2026

Capitalized terms used herein shall have the meanings assigned to them in the Indenture referred to below unless otherwise indicated.

(1) INTEREST. R. R. Donnelley & Sons Company , a Delaware corporation, (the “Issuer”), promises to pay interest on the principal amount of this Note at 6.125% per annum from April 28, 2021 until maturity. The Issuer shall pay interest semi-annually in arrears on May 1 and November 1 of each year, or if any such day is not a Business Day, on the next succeeding Business Day (each, an “Interest Payment Date”). Interest on the Notes shall accrue from the most recent date to which interest has been paid or, if no interest has been paid, from the date of issuance. Interest shall be computed on the basis of a 360-day year comprised of twelve 30-day months.

(2) METHOD OF PAYMENT. Interest on the Notes shall be paid to the Persons who are registered Holders at the close of business on the April 15 or October 15 (whether or not a Business Day), as the case may be, next preceding an Interest Payment Date, even if such Notes are canceled after such Record Date and on or before such Interest Payment Date, except as provided in Section 2.12 of the Indenture with respect to defaulted interest. Payment of interest may be made by check delivered to the Holders at their addresses set forth in the register of Holders; provided that payment by wire transfer of immediately available funds shall be required with respect to principal of and interest and premium, if any, on, all Global Notes and all other Notes the Holders of which shall have provided wire transfer instructions to the Issuer or the Paying Agent. Such payment shall be in such coin or currency of the United States of America as at the time of payment is legal tender for payment of public and private debts.

(3) PAYING AGENT, TRANSFER AGENT AND REGISTRAR. Initially, U.S. Bank National Association shall act as Paying Agent, Transfer Agent and Registrar. The Issuer may change any Paying Agent, Transfer Agent or Registrar without notice to the Holders.

(4) INDENTURE. The Issuer issued the Notes under an Indenture, dated as of April 28,2021 (the “Indenture”), among the Issuer, the Guarantors party thereto, and the Trustee and Notes Collateral Agent. This Note is one of a duly authorized issue of notes of the Issuer designated as 6.125% Senior Secured Notes due 2026. The Issuer shall be entitled to issue Additional Notes pursuant to Sections 2.01 and 4.09 of the Indenture. The terms of the Notes include those stated in the Indenture. The Notes are subject to all such terms, and Holders are referred to the Indenture for a statement of such terms. To the extent any provision of this Note conflicts with the express provisions of the Indenture, the provisions of the Indenture shall govern and be controlling.

(5) OPTIONAL REDEMPTION.

(i) Except as described below under Sections 5(ii), 5(iv) and 5(v), the Issuer shall not be permitted to redeem the Notes prior to November 1, 2023. The Notes will be payable at par at maturity.

(ii) At any time prior to November 1, 2023, the Notes may be redeemed (by the Issuer or any other Person), at the Issuer’s option, in whole or in part, upon notice as provided in Section 3.03 of the Indenture, at a redemption price equal to 100.000% of the principal amount of Notes redeemed plus the Applicable Premium as of the date of redemption (the “Redemption Date”), and, without duplication, accrued and unpaid interest to, but excluding, the Redemption Date, subject to the rights of Holders on the relevant Record Date to receive interest due on the relevant Interest Payment Date.

(iii) On and after November 1, 2023, the Notes may be redeemed (by the Issuer or any other Person), at the Issuer’s option, in whole or in part, upon notice as provided in Section 3.03 of the Indenture, at any time and from time to time at the redemption prices set forth below. The Notes shall be redeemable at the redemption prices (expressed as percentages of principal amount of the Notes to be redeemed) set forth below plus accrued and unpaid interest thereon to, but excluding, the applicable Redemption Date, subject to the right of Holders of record on the relevant Record Date to receive interest due on the relevant Interest Payment Date, if redeemed during the twelve-month period beginning on November 1 of each of the years indicated below:***

 

A-3


Year

   Percentage  

2023

     103.063

2024

     101.531

2025 and thereafter

     100.000

(iv) Until November 1, 2023, the Issuer may, at their option, on one or more occasions, upon notice as provided in Section 3.03 of the Indenture, redeem up to 40% of the aggregate principal amount of Notes issued under the Indenture at a redemption price equal to 106.125% of the aggregate principal amount thereof, plus accrued and unpaid interest thereon to, but excluding, the applicable Redemption Date, subject to the right of Holders of record on the relevant Record Date to receive interest due on the relevant Interest Payment Date, with the net cash proceeds of one or more Equity Offerings to the extent such net cash proceeds are received by or contributed to the Issuer; provided that at least 55% of the sum of the aggregate principal amount of Notes originally issued under the Indenture and any Additional Notes issued under the Indenture after the Issue Date remains outstanding immediately after the occurrence of each such redemption; provided further, that each such redemption occurs within 120 days of the date of closing of each such Equity Offering.

(v) Notwithstanding the foregoing, in connection with any tender offer for the Notes, including a Change of Control Offer, Collateral Asset Sale Offer or Asset Sale Offer, if Holders of not less than 90% in aggregate principal amount of the outstanding Notes validly tender and do not withdraw such Notes in such tender offer and the Issuer, or any third party making such a tender offer in lieu of the Issuer, purchases all of the Notes validly tendered and not withdrawn by such Holders, the Issuer or such third party will have the right upon not less than 10 nor more than 60 days’ prior notice, given not more than 30 days following such purchase date, to redeem all Notes that remain outstanding following such purchase at a redemption price equal to the price offered to each other Holder (excluding any early tender or incentive fee) in such tender offer plus, to the extent not included in the tender offer payment, accrued and unpaid interest, if any, thereon, to, but excluding, the Redemption Date.

(vi) The Issuer may provide in any notice provided pursuant to Sections 5(ii) or (iii) hereof that payment of the redemption price and performance of the Issuer’s obligations with respect thereto may be performed by another Person. Notice of any redemption provided pursuant to Section 5(iii) hereof may be given prior to the completion of the related Equity Offering. Any notice of redemption may, at the Issuer’s discretion, provide that the redemption contemplated thereby is conditioned on the satisfaction of one or more conditions precedent, including, but not limited to, the consummation of an acquisition or financing transaction or Equity Offering or other corporate transaction, that the Redemption Date may be delayed until such time as any or all such conditions shall be satisfied, (or waived by the Issuer in its sole discretion) or such redemption may not occur and such notice may be rescinded in the event that any or all such conditions shall not have been satisfied (or waived by the Issuer in its sole discretion) by the Redemption Date, or by the Redemption Date as so delayed, and that performance of the Issuer’s obligations with respect to such redemption may be performed by another Person.

Any redemption of Notes pursuant to this Section 5 shall be made pursuant to the provisions of Sections 3.01 through 3.06 of the Indenture.

(6) MANDATORY REDEMPTION. The Issuer shall not be required to make any mandatory redemption or sinking fund payments with respect to the Notes. The Issuer may at any time and from time to time purchase Notes in the open market, by tender offer, in negotiated transactions or otherwise.

(7) NOTICE OF REDEMPTION. Subject to Section 3.03 of the Indenture, notice of redemption shall be delivered by electronic transmission (for Notes held in book-entry form) or by first-class mail, postage prepaid, at least 15 but not more than 60 days before the Redemption Date to (x) each Holder to be redeemed at such Holder’s registered address, (y) to the Trustee to forward to each Holder to be redeemed at such Holder’s registered address, or (z) otherwise in accordance with the procedures of DTC, (except that redemption notices may be delivered more than 60 days prior to a Redemption Date if the notice is issued in connection with Article VIII or Article XI of the Indenture) to each Holder whose Notes are to be redeemed at its registered address. Notes in denominations larger than $2,000 may be redeemed in part but only in whole multiples of $1,000, unless all of the Notes held by a Holder are to be redeemed. On and after the Redemption Date, interest shall cease to accrue on Notes or portions thereof called for redemption.

 

A-4


(8) OFFERS TO REPURCHASE.

(i) If a Change of Control occurs, unless the Issuer has previously or concurrently delivered a redemption notice with respect to all the outstanding Notes as set forth in Sections 3.03 and 3.07 of the Indenture and Section 5 hereof, which such redemption notice may be conditioned only upon the occurrence of such Change of Control, the Issuer shall make an offer to purchase all of the Notes pursuant to the offer described below (the “Change of Control Offer”) at a price in cash (the “Change of Control Payment”) equal to 101.0% of the aggregate principal amount thereof plus accrued and unpaid interest, if any, to, but excluding, the date of purchase, subject to the right of Holders of record on the relevant Record Date to receive interest due on the relevant Interest Payment Date. The Change of Control Offer shall be made in accordance with Section 4.14 of the Indenture.

(ii) When the aggregate amount of Excess Proceeds with respect to the Notes exceeds $35,000,000, the Issuer shall make an offer to all Holders and, if required by the terms of any Senior Indebtedness, to all holders of such Indebtedness (an “Asset Sale Offer”), to purchase the maximum aggregate principal amount of such Notes and the maximum aggregate principal amount (or accreted value, if less) of such Indebtedness that is a minimum of $2,000 or an integral multiple of $1,000 thereof (in aggregate principal amount) that may be purchased out of such Excess Proceeds at an offer price in cash in an amount equal to 100% of the principal amount thereof plus accrued and unpaid interest (or such lesser price with respect to such other Senior Indebtedness, if any, as may be provided by the terms of the agreements governing such other Indebtedness) to, but excluding, the date fixed for the closing of such offer, in accordance with the procedures set forth in the Indenture and the agreement governing the Senior Indebtedness. The Issuer will commence an Asset Sale Offer with respect to Excess Proceeds within 20 Business Days after the date that Excess Proceeds exceed $35,000,000 by delivering the notice required pursuant to the terms of this Indenture, with a copy to the Trustee or otherwise in accordance with the procedures of DTC. The Issuer, in its sole discretion, may satisfy the foregoing obligations with respect to any Net Proceeds from an Asset Sale by making an Asset Sale Offer with respect to such Net Proceeds prior to the expiration of the relevant 450 day period (or such longer period provided above) or with respect to Excess Proceeds of $35,000,000 or less.

(iii) When the aggregate amount of Collateral Excess Proceeds with respect to the Notes exceeds $35,000,000, the Issuer shall make an offer to all Holders and, if required by the terms of any Parity Lien Obligations or Obligations secured by a Lien permitted under the Indenture on the Collateral disposed of (which Lien is not subordinate to the Lien of the Notes with respect to the Collateral), to all holders of such Parity Lien Obligations (a “Collateral Asset Sale Offer”), to purchase the maximum aggregate principal amount of such Notes that is a minimum of $2,000 or an integral multiple of $1,000 thereof (in aggregate principal amount) and the maximum aggregate principal amount (or accreted value, if less) of such Parity Lien Obligations that may be purchased out of such Collateral Excess Proceeds at an offer price in cash in an amount equal to 100% of the principal amount thereof plus accrued and unpaid interest (or such lesser price with respect to such Parity Lien Obligations, if any, as may be provided by the terms of the agreement governing such other Indebtedness) to, but excluding, the date fixed for the closing of such offer, in accordance with the procedures set forth in the Indenture and the agreements governing such Parity Lien Obligations. The Issuer will commence a Collateral Asset Sale Offer with respect to Collateral Excess Proceeds within 20 Business Days after the date that Collateral Excess Proceeds exceed $35,000,000 by delivering the notice required pursuant to the terms of the Indenture, with a copy to the Trustee or otherwise in accordance with the procedures of DTC. The Issuer, in its sole discretion, may satisfy the foregoing obligations with respect to any Net Proceeds from an Asset Sale by making a Collateral Asset Sale Offer with respect to such Net Proceeds prior to the expiration of the relevant 450 day period (or such longer period provided above) or with respect to Collateral Excess Proceeds of $35,000,000 or less.

(9) DENOMINATIONS, TRANSFER, EXCHANGE. The Notes are in registered form without coupons in denominations of $2,000 and integral multiples of $1,000. The transfer of Notes may be registered and Notes may be exchanged as provided in the Indenture. The Registrar and the Trustee may require a Holder, among other things, to furnish appropriate endorsements and transfer documents, and the Issuer may require a Holder to pay any taxes and fees required by law or permitted by the Indenture. The Issuer need not exchange or register the transfer of any Note or portion of a Note selected for redemption, except for the unredeemed portion of any Note being redeemed in part. Also, the Issuer need not exchange or register the transfer of (x) any Notes for a period of 15 days before a selection of Notes to be redeemed or (y) any Notes selected for redemption or tendered (and not withdrawn) for repurchase in connection with a Change of Control Offer, Collateral Asset Sale Offer or an Asset Sale Offer.

 

A-5


(10) PERSONS DEEMED OWNERS. The registered Holder may be treated as its owner for all purposes.

(11) AMENDMENT, SUPPLEMENT AND WAIVER. The Indenture, the Guarantees, the Notes or the Security Documents may be amended or supplemented as provided in the Indenture.

(12) DEFAULTS AND REMEDIES. The Events of Default relating to the Notes are defined in Section 6.01 of the Indenture. If any Event of Default occurs and is continuing, the Trustee or the Holders of at least 25.0% in principal amount of the then outstanding Notes may declare the principal, premium, if any, interest and any other monetary obligations on all the then outstanding Notes to be due and payable immediately. Notwithstanding the foregoing, in the case of an Event of Default arising from certain events of bankruptcy or insolvency, all outstanding Notes shall become due and payable immediately without further action or notice. Holders may not enforce the Indenture, the Notes or the Guarantees except as provided in the Indenture. Subject to certain limitations, Holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the then outstanding Notes may direct the Trustee in its exercise of any trust or power. The Trustee may withhold from Holders notice of any continuing Default (except a Default relating to the payment of principal, premium, if any, or interest) if it determines that withholding notice is in their interest. The Holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the Notes then outstanding by notice to the Trustee may on behalf of the all Holders waive any existing Default and its consequences under the Indenture except a continuing Default in payment of interest on, premium, if any, or the principal of, any of the Notes held by a non-consenting Holder. The Issuer is required to deliver to the Trustee annually a statement regarding compliance with the Indenture, and the Issuer is required within five (5) Business Days after becoming aware of any Default, to deliver to the Trustee a statement specifying such Default and what action the Issuer proposes to take with respect thereto.

(13) AUTHENTICATION. This Note shall not be entitled to any benefit under the Indenture or be valid or obligatory for any purpose until authenticated by the manual or facsimile signature of the Trustee.

(14) SECURITY. The Notes and the related Guarantees will be secured by the Collateral on the terms and subject to the conditions set forth in the Indenture and the Security Documents. The Trustee and the Notes Collateral Agent, as the case may be, hold the Collateral in trust for the benefit of the Holders, in each case pursuant to the Security Documents and the Intercreditor Agreements. Each Holder, by accepting this Note, consents and agrees to the terms of the Security Documents (including the provisions providing for the foreclosure and release of Collateral) and the Intercreditor Agreements, each as may be in effect or may be amended from time to time in accordance with their terms and the Indenture, and authorizes and directs each of the Trustee and the Notes Collateral Agent, as applicable, to enter into the Security Documents and the Intercreditor Agreements on the Issue Date, and the Security Documents and the Junior Lien Intercreditor Agreement, if any, at any time after the Issue Date, if applicable, and to perform its obligations and exercise its rights thereunder in accordance therewith.

(15) GOVERNING LAW. THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK SHALL GOVERN AND BE USED TO CONSTRUE THE INDENTURE, THE SECURITY DOCUMENTS, THE NOTES AND THE GUARANTEES.

(16) CUSIP NUMBERS. Pursuant to a recommendation promulgated by the Committee on Uniform Security Identification Procedures, the Issuer has caused CUSIP numbers to be printed on the Notes and the Trustee may use CUSIP numbers in notices of redemption as a convenience to Holders. No representation is made as to the accuracy of such numbers either as printed on the Notes or as contained in any notice of redemption and reliance may be placed only on the other identification numbers placed thereon.

 

A-6


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

R.R. Donnelley & Sons Company

35 West Wacker Drive

Chicago, Illinois 60601

Attention: Terry Peterson

Email: terry.d.peterson@rrd.com

 

A-7


ASSIGNMENT FORM

To assign this Note, fill in the form below:

(I) or (we) assign and transfer this Note to:

 

 

(Insert assignee’s legal name)

 

 

(Insert assignee’s soc. sec. or tax I.D. no.)

 

 

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

and irrevocably appoint                                                                                                                                     to transfer this Note on the books of the Issuer. The agent may substitute another to act for him.

Date:

 

Your  
Signature:  

                                      

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

Signature Guarantee*:                                                          

 

*

Participant in a recognized Signature Guarantee Medallion Program (or other signature guarantor acceptable to the Trustee).

 

A-8


OPTION OF HOLDER TO ELECT PURCHASE

If you want to elect to have this Note purchased by the Issuer pursuant to Section 4.10 or 4.14 of the Indenture, check the appropriate box below:

[    ] Section 4.10                            [    ] Section 4.14

If you want to elect to have only part of this Note purchased by the Issuer pursuant to Section 4.10 or Section 4.14 of the Indenture, state the amount you elect to have purchased:

$

Date:

 

Your  
Signature:  

                                  

  (Sign exactly as your name appears on the
  face of this Note)
Tax Identification No.:

Signature Guarantee*:                                                          

 

*

Participant in a recognized Signature Guarantee Medallion Program (or other signature guarantor acceptable to the Trustee).

 

A-9


SCHEDULE OF EXCHANGES OF INTERESTS IN THE GLOBAL NOTE*

The initial outstanding principal amount of this Global Note is $[                ]. The following exchanges of a part of this Global Note for an interest in another Global Note or for a Definitive Note, or exchanges of a part of another Global or Definitive Note for an interest in this Global Note, have been made:

 

Date of Exchange

   Amount of
decrease in
Principal Amount
   Amount of
increase in
Principal Amount
of this Global Note
   Principal Amount
of this Global Note
following such
decrease or
increase
   Signature of
authorized officer
of Trustee or Note
of Custodian

 

*

This schedule should be included only if the Note is issued in global form.

 

A-10


EXHIBIT B

FORM OF CERTIFICATE OF TRANSFER

R.R. Donnelley & Sons Company

35 West Wacker Drive

Chicago, Illinois 60601

Attention: Terry Peterson

Email: terry.d.peterson@rrd.com

U.S. Bank National Association, as Trustee

Attn: R.R. Donnelly Administrator, EP-MN-WS3C

60 Livingston Avenue

St. Paul, MN 55107

Reference is hereby made to the Indenture, dated as of April 28, 2021 (the “Indenture”), among the Issuer, the guarantors party thereto and the Trustee and Notes Collateral Agent, under which the Notes have been issued. Capitalized terms used but not defined herein shall have the meanings given to them in the Indenture.

[                ] (the “Transferor”) owns and proposes to transfer the Note[s] or interest in such Note[s] specified in Annex A hereto, in the principal amount of $[                ] in such Note[s] or interests (the “Transfer”), to [                ] (the “Transferee”), as further specified in Annex A hereto. In connection with the Transfer, the Transferor hereby certifies that:

[CHECK ALL THAT APPLY]

1. [ ] CHECK IF TRANSFEREE WILL TAKE DELIVERY OF A BENEFICIAL INTEREST IN THE 144A GLOBAL NOTE OR A DEFINITIVE NOTE PURSUANT TO RULE 144A. The Transfer is being effected pursuant to and in accordance with Rule 144A under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), and, accordingly, the Transferor hereby further certifies that the beneficial interest or Definitive Note is being transferred to a Person that the Transferor reasonably believes is purchasing the beneficial interest or Definitive Note for its own account, or for one or more accounts with respect to which such Person exercises sole investment discretion, and such Person and each such account is a “qualified institutional buyer” within the meaning of Rule 144A in a transaction meeting the requirements of Rule 144A and such Transfer is in compliance with any applicable blue sky securities laws of any state of the United States.

2. [ ] CHECK IF TRANSFEREE WILL TAKE DELIVERY OF A BENEFICIAL INTEREST IN THE REGULATION S GLOBAL NOTE OR A DEFINITIVE NOTE PURSUANT TO REGULATION S. The Transfer is being effected pursuant to and in accordance with Rule 903 or Rule 904 under the Securities Act and, accordingly, the Transferor hereby further certifies that (i) the Transfer is not being made to a person in the United States and (x) at the time the buy order was originated, the Transferee was outside the United States or such Transferor and any Person acting on its behalf reasonably believed and believes that the Transferee was outside the United States or (y) the transaction was executed in, on or through the facilities of a designated offshore securities market and neither such Transferor nor any Person acting on its behalf knows that the transaction was prearranged with a buyer in the United States, (ii) no directed selling efforts have been made in contravention of the requirements of Rule 903(b) or Rule 904(b) of Regulation S under the Securities Act, (iii) the transaction is not part of a plan or scheme to evade the registration requirements of the Securities Act and (iv) if the proposed transfer is being made prior to the expiration of the Restricted Period, the transfer is not being made to a U.S. Person or for the account or benefit of a U.S. Person (other than an Initial Purchaser). Upon consummation of the proposed transfer in accordance with the terms of the Indenture, the transferred beneficial interest or Definitive Note will be subject to the restrictions on Transfer enumerated in the Indenture and the Securities Act.

 

B-1


3. [ ] CHECK AND COMPLETE IF TRANSFEREE WILL TAKE DELIVERY OF A BENEFICIAL INTEREST IN THE DEFINITIVE NOTE PURSUANT TO ANY PROVISION OF THE SECURITIES ACT OTHER THAN RULE 144A OR REGULATION S. The Transfer is being effected in compliance with the transfer restrictions applicable to beneficial interests in Restricted Global Notes and Restricted Definitive Notes and pursuant to and in accordance with the Securities Act and any applicable blue sky securities laws of any state of the United States, and accordingly the Transferor hereby further certifies that (check one):

(a) [ ] such Transfer is being effected pursuant to and in accordance with Rule 144 under the Securities Act; or

(b) [ ] such Transfer is being effected to the Issuer or a subsidiary thereof; or

(c) [ ] such Transfer is being effected pursuant to an effective registration statement under the Securities Act and in compliance with the prospectus delivery requirements of the Securities Act.

4. [ ] CHECK IF TRANSFEREE WILL TAKE DELIVERY OF A BENEFICIAL INTEREST IN AN UNRESTRICTED GLOBAL NOTE OR OF AN UNRESTRICTED DEFINITIVE NOTE.

(a) [ ] CHECK IF TRANSFER IS PURSUANT TO RULE 144. (i) The Transfer is being effected pursuant to and in accordance with Rule 144 under the Securities Act and in compliance with the transfer restrictions contained in the Indenture and any applicable blue sky securities laws of any state of the United States and (ii) the restrictions on transfer contained in the Indenture and the Private Placement Legend are not required in order to maintain compliance with the Securities Act. Upon consummation of the proposed Transfer in accordance with the terms of the Indenture, the transferred beneficial interest or Definitive Note will no longer be subject to the restrictions on transfer enumerated in the Private Placement Legend printed on the Restricted Global Notes, on Restricted Definitive Notes and in the Indenture.

(b) [ ] CHECK IF TRANSFER IS PURSUANT TO REGULATION S. (i) The Transfer is being effected pursuant to and in accordance with Rule 903 or Rule 904 under the Securities Act and in compliance with the transfer restrictions contained in the Indenture and any applicable blue sky securities laws of any state of the United States and (ii) the restrictions on transfer contained in the Indenture and the Private Placement Legend are not required in order to maintain compliance with the Securities Act. Upon consummation of the proposed Transfer in accordance with the terms of the Indenture, the transferred beneficial interest or Definitive Note will no longer be subject to the restrictions on transfer enumerated in the Private Placement Legend printed on the Restricted Global Notes, on Restricted Definitive Notes and in the Indenture.

(c) [ ] CHECK IF TRANSFER IS PURSUANT TO OTHER EXEMPTION. (i) The Transfer is being effected pursuant to and in compliance with an exemption from the registration requirements of the Securities Act other than Rule 144, Rule 903 or Rule 904 and in compliance with the transfer restrictions contained in the Indenture and any applicable blue sky securities laws of any State of the United States and (ii) the restrictions on transfer contained in the Indenture and the Private Placement Legend are not required in order to maintain compliance with the Securities Act. Upon consummation of the proposed Transfer in accordance with the terms of the Indenture, the transferred beneficial interest or Definitive Note will not be subject to the restrictions on transfer enumerated in the Private Placement Legend printed on the Restricted Global Notes or Restricted Definitive Notes and in the Indenture.

This certificate and the statements contained herein are made for your benefit and the benefit of the Issuer.

 

[Insert Name of Transferor]
By:  

                              

  Name:
  Title:

Dated:

 

B-2


ANNEX A TO CERTIFICATE OF TRANSFER

1. The Transferor owns and proposes to transfer the following:

[CHECK ONE OF (a) OR (b)]

(a)       [ ] a beneficial interest in the:

(i) [ ] 144A Global Note (CUSIP [ ]), or

(ii) [ ] Regulation S Global Note (CUSIP [ ]), or

(b)       [ ] a Restricted Definitive Note.

2. After the Transfer the Transferee will hold:

[CHECK ONE]

(a)       [ ] a beneficial interest in the:

(i) [ ] 144A Global Note (CUSIP [ ]), or

(ii) [ ] Regulation S Global Note (CUSIP [ ]), or

(iii) [ ] Unrestricted Global Note (CUSIP [ ]); or

(b)       [ ] a Restricted Definitive Note; or

(c)       [ ] an Unrestricted Definitive Note,

in accordance with the terms of the Indenture.

 

B-3


EXHIBIT C

FORM OF CERTIFICATE OF EXCHANGE

R.R. Donnelley & Sons Company

35 West Wacker Drive

Chicago, Illinois 60601

Attention: Terry Peterson

Email: terry.d.peterson@rrd.com

U.S. Bank National Association, as Trustee

Attn: R.R. Donnelly Administrator, EP-MN-WS3C

60 Livingston Avenue

St. Paul, MN 55107

Reference is hereby made to the Indenture, dated as of April 28, 2021 (the “Indenture”), among the Issuer, the guarantors party thereto and the Trustee and the Notes Collateral Agent, under which the Notes have been issued. Capitalized terms used but not defined herein shall have the meanings given to them in the Indenture.

[                ] (the “Owner”) owns and proposes to exchange the Note[s] or interest in such Note[s] specified herein, in the principal amount of $[                ] in such Note[s] or interests (the “Exchange”). In connection with the Exchange, the Owner hereby certifies that:

1. EXCHANGE OF RESTRICTED DEFINITIVE NOTES OR BENEFICIAL INTERESTS IN A RESTRICTED GLOBAL NOTE FOR UNRESTRICTED DEFINITIVE NOTES OR BENEFICIAL INTERESTS IN AN UNRESTRICTED GLOBAL NOTE

(a) [ ] CHECK IF EXCHANGE IS FROM BENEFICIAL INTEREST IN A RESTRICTED GLOBAL NOTE TO BENEFICIAL INTEREST IN AN UNRESTRICTED GLOBAL NOTE. In connection with the Exchange of the Owner’s beneficial interest in a Restricted Global Note for a beneficial interest in an Unrestricted Global Note in an equal principal amount, the Owner hereby certifies (i) the beneficial interest is being acquired for the Owner’s own account without transfer, (ii) such Exchange has been effected in compliance with the transfer restrictions applicable to the Global Notes and pursuant to and in accordance with the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), (iii) the restrictions on transfer contained in the Indenture and the Private Placement Legend are not required in order to maintain compliance with the Securities Act and (iv) the beneficial interest in an Unrestricted Global Note is being acquired in compliance with any applicable blue sky securities laws of any state of the United States.

(b) [ ] CHECK IF EXCHANGE IS FROM BENEFICIAL INTEREST IN A RESTRICTED GLOBAL NOTE TO UNRESTRICTED DEFINITIVE NOTE. In connection with the Exchange of the Owner’s beneficial interest in a Restricted Global Note for an Unrestricted Definitive Note, the Owner hereby certifies (i) the Definitive Note is being acquired for the Owner’s own account without transfer, (ii) such Exchange has been effected in compliance with the transfer restrictions applicable to the Restricted Global Notes and pursuant to and in accordance with the Securities Act, (iii) the restrictions on transfer contained in the Indenture and the Private Placement Legend are not required in order to maintain compliance with the Securities Act and (iv) the Definitive Note is being acquired in compliance with any applicable blue sky securities laws of any state of the United States.

(c) [ ] CHECK IF EXCHANGE IS FROM RESTRICTED DEFINITIVE NOTE TO BENEFICIAL INTEREST IN AN UNRESTRICTED GLOBAL NOTE. In connection with the Owner’s Exchange of a Restricted Definitive Note for a beneficial interest in an Unrestricted Global Note, the Owner hereby certifies (i) the beneficial interest is being acquired for the Owner’s own account without transfer, (ii) such Exchange has been effected in compliance with the transfer restrictions applicable to Restricted Definitive Notes and pursuant to and in accordance with the Securities Act, (iii) the restrictions on transfer contained in the Indenture and the Private Placement Legend are not required in order to maintain compliance with the Securities Act and (iv) the beneficial interest is being acquired in compliance with any applicable blue sky securities laws of any state of the United States.

 

C-1


(d) [ ] CHECK IF EXCHANGE IS FROM RESTRICTED DEFINITIVE NOTE TO UNRESTRICTED DEFINITIVE NOTE. In connection with the Owner’s Exchange of a Restricted Definitive Note for an Unrestricted Definitive Note, the Owner hereby certifies (i) the Unrestricted Definitive Note is being acquired for the Owner’s own account without transfer, (ii) such Exchange has been effected in compliance with the transfer restrictions applicable to Restricted Definitive Notes and pursuant to and in accordance with the Securities Act, (iii) the restrictions on transfer contained in the Indenture and the Private Placement Legend are not required in order to maintain compliance with the Securities Act and (iv) the Unrestricted Definitive Note is being acquired in compliance with any applicable blue sky securities laws of any state of the United States.

2. EXCHANGE OF RESTRICTED DEFINITIVE NOTES OR BENEFICIAL INTERESTS IN RESTRICTED GLOBAL NOTES FOR RESTRICTED DEFINITIVE NOTES OR BENEFICIAL INTERESTS IN RESTRICTED GLOBAL NOTES

(a) [ ] CHECK IF EXCHANGE IS FROM BENEFICIAL INTEREST IN A RESTRICTED GLOBAL NOTE TO RESTRICTED DEFINITIVE NOTE. In connection with the Exchange of the Owner’s beneficial interest in a Restricted Global Note for a Restricted Definitive Note with an equal principal amount, the Owner hereby certifies that the Restricted Definitive Note is being acquired for the Owner’s own account without transfer. Upon consummation of the proposed Exchange in accordance with the terms of the Indenture, the Restricted Definitive Note issued will continue to be subject to the restrictions on transfer enumerated in the Private Placement Legend printed on the Restricted Definitive Note and in the Indenture and the Securities Act.

(b) [ ] CHECK IF EXCHANGE IS FROM RESTRICTED DEFINITIVE NOTE TO BENEFICIAL INTEREST IN A RESTRICTED GLOBAL NOTE. In connection with the Exchange of the Owner’s Restricted Definitive Note for a beneficial interest in the [CHECK ONE] [ ] 144A Global Note [ ] Regulation S Global Note, with an equal principal amount, the Owner hereby certifies (i) the beneficial interest is being acquired for the Owner’s own account without transfer and (ii) such Exchange has been effected in compliance with the transfer restrictions applicable to the Restricted Global Notes and pursuant to and in accordance with the Securities Act, and in compliance with any applicable blue sky securities laws of any state of the United States. Upon consummation of the proposed Exchange in accordance with the terms of the Indenture, the beneficial interest issued will be subject to the restrictions on transfer enumerated in the Private Placement Legend printed on the relevant Restricted Global Note and in the Indenture and the Securities Act.

This certificate and the statements contained herein are made for your benefit and the benefit of the Issuer.

 

[Insert Name of Transferor]
By:  

                                  

  Name:
  Title:

Dated:

 

C-2


EXHIBIT D

[FORM OF SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURE

TO BE DELIVERED BY SUBSEQUENT GUARANTORS]

Supplemental Indenture (this “Supplemental Indenture”), dated as of [                ], among [                ] (the “Guaranteeing Subsidiary”), a subsidiary of R.R. Donnelley & Sons Company, a Delaware corporation (“Issuer”), U.S. Bank National Association, as trustee (the “Trustee”), and as notes collateral agent (the “Notes Collateral Agent”).

W I T N E S S E T H

WHEREAS, the Issuer has heretofore executed and delivered to the Trustee and the Notes Collateral Agent an indenture (the “Indenture”), dated as of April 28, 2021, providing for the issuance of an unlimited aggregate principal amount of 6.125% Senior Secured Notes due 2026 (the “Notes”);

WHEREAS, the Indenture provides that under certain circumstances the Guaranteeing Subsidiary shall execute and deliver to the Trustee and the Notes Collateral Agent a supplemental indenture pursuant to which the Guaranteeing Subsidiary shall unconditionally guarantee all of the Issuer’s Obligations under the Notes and the Indenture on the terms and conditions set forth herein and under the Indenture (the “Guarantee”); and

WHEREAS, pursuant to Section 9.01 of the Indenture, the Trustee and the Notes Collateral Agent are authorized to execute and deliver this Supplemental Indenture.

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

(a) Capitalized Terms. Capitalized terms used herein without definition shall have the meanings assigned to them in the Indenture.

(b) Agreement to Guarantee. The Guaranteeing Subsidiary hereby agrees to provide an unconditional Guarantee on the terms and subject to the conditions set forth in the Indenture including but not limited to Article X thereof.

(c) No Recourse Against Others. No past, present or future director, officer, employee, incorporator, member, partner or stockholder of the Guaranteeing Subsidiary or any of its direct or indirect parent companies shall have any liability for any obligations of the Issuer or the Guarantors (including the Guaranteeing Subsidiary) under the Notes, any Guarantees, the Indenture, the Security Documents or this Supplemental Indenture or for any claim based on, in respect of, or by reason of, such obligations or their creation. Each Holder by accepting Notes waives and releases all such liability. The waiver and release are part of the consideration for issuance of the Notes.

(d) Governing Law. THIS SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURE WILL BE GOVERNED BY AND CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK.

(e) Counterparts. The parties may sign any number of copies of this Supplemental Indenture. Each signed copy shall be an original, but all of them together represent the same agreement. This Supplemental Indenture may be executed in multiple counterparts which, when taken together, shall constitute one instrument. The exchange of copies of this Supplemental Indenture and of signature pages by facsimile or PDF transmissions shall constitute effective execution and delivery of this Supplemental Indenture as to the parties hereto and may be used in lieu of the original Supplemental Indenture for all purposes. Signatures of the parties hereto transmitted by facsimile or PDF shall be deemed to be their original signatures for all purposes. The words “delivery,” “execute,” “execution,” “signed,” “signature,” and words of like import in this Supplemental Indenture or in any other document executed in connection

 

D-1


herewith shall be deemed to include electronic signatures, the electronic matching of assignment terms and contract formations on electronic platforms approved by the Initial Purchasers, or the keeping of records in electronic form, each of which shall be of the same legal effect, validity or enforceability as a manually executed signature, physical delivery thereof or the use of a paper-based recordkeeping system, as the case may be, to the extent and as provided for in any applicable law, including the Federal Electronic Signatures in Global and National Commerce Act, the New York State Electronic Signatures and Records Act, or any other similar state laws based on the Uniform Electronic Transactions Act.

(f) Effect of Headings. The Section headings herein are for convenience only and shall not affect the construction hereof.

(g) The Trustee and the Notes Collateral Agent. Neither the Trustee nor the Notes Collateral Agent shall be responsible in any manner whatsoever for or in respect of the validity or sufficiency of this Supplemental Indenture or for or in respect of the recitals contained herein, all of which recitals are made solely by the Guaranteeing Subsidiary.

(h) Subrogation. The Guaranteeing Subsidiary shall be subrogated to all rights of Holders against the Issuer in respect of any amounts paid by the Guaranteeing Subsidiary pursuant to the provisions of Section 2 hereof and Section 10.01 of the Indenture; provided that, if an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing, the Guaranteeing Subsidiary shall not be entitled to enforce or receive any payments arising out of, or based upon, such right of subrogation until all amounts then due and payable by the Issuer under the Indenture or the Notes shall have been paid in full.

(i) Benefits Acknowledged. The Guaranteeing Subsidiary’s Guarantee is subject to the terms and conditions set forth in the Indenture. The Guaranteeing Subsidiary acknowledges that it will receive direct and indirect benefits from the financing arrangements contemplated by the Indenture and this Supplemental Indenture and that the guarantee and waivers made by it pursuant to this Guarantee are knowingly made in contemplation of such benefits.

(j) Successors. All agreements of the Guaranteeing Subsidiary in this Supplemental Indenture shall bind its successors, except as otherwise provided in the Indenture or in this Supplemental Indenture. All agreements of the Trustee in this Supplemental Indenture shall bind its successors.

 

D-2


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

 

[GUARANTEEING SUBSIDIARY]
By:  

                          

  Name:
  Title:
U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, as Trustee and Notes Collateral Agent
By:  

                          

  Name:
  Title:

 

D-3


Exhibit E

(See attached)


FIRST LIEN INTERCREDITOR AGREEMENT

FIRST LIEN INTERCREDITOR AGREEMENT dated as of April 28, 2021 (as amended, restated, supplemented, amended and restated or otherwise modified from time to time, this “Agreement”), among R.R. Donnelley & Sons Company, a Delaware corporation (the “Borrower”), the other Grantors (as defined below) party hereto, Bank of America, N.A., as collateral agent for the Credit Agreement Secured Parties (as defined below) (in such capacity and together with its successors in such capacity, including any administrative, collateral or other agent under any Refinancing or replacement (in accordance with the provisions of this Agreement) of the Credit Agreement in existence as of the date hereof, the “Term Loan Collateral Agent”), and U.S. Bank National Association, as collateral agent for the Indenture Secured Parties (as defined below) (in such capacity and together with its successors in such capacity, the “Notes Collateral Agent”), and each Additional Agent from time to time party hereto for the Additional First Lien Secured Parties of the Series with respect to which it is acting in such capacity.

In consideration of the mutual agreements herein contained and other good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged, the Term Loan Collateral Agent (for itself and on behalf of the other Credit Agreement Secured Parties), the Notes Collateral Agent (for itself and on behalf of the other Indenture Secured Parties) and each Additional Agent (for itself and on behalf of the other Additional First Lien Secured Parties of the applicable Series) agree as follows:

ARTICLE I

Definitions

SECTION 1.01 Certain Defined Terms. Capitalized terms used but not otherwise defined herein have the meanings set forth in the Credit Agreement and the Indenture, as applicable, with the Credit Agreement controlling in the event of discrepancies, or, if defined in the New York UCC, the meanings specified therein. As used in this Agreement, the following terms have the meanings specified below:

ABL Collateral” means the “ABL Collateral” (as defined in the ABL Intercreditor Agreement).

ABL Intercreditor Agreement” means the “ABL Intercreditor Agreement” (as defined in the Credit Agreement).

Additional Agent” means the collateral agent and the administrative agent and/or trustee (as applicable) or any other similar agent or Person under any Additional First Lien Documents, in each case, together with its successors in such capacity.


Additional First Lien Debt Facility” means one or more debt facilities, commercial paper facilities or indentures for which the requirements of Section 5.13 of this Agreement have been satisfied, in each case with banks, other lenders or trustees, providing for revolving credit loans, term loans, letters of credit, notes or other borrowings, in each case, as amended, restated, supplemented or otherwise modified, refinanced or replaced from time to time; provided that neither the Credit Agreement nor the Indenture shall constitute an Additional First Lien Debt Facility at any time.

Additional First Lien Documents” means, with respect to any Series of Additional First Lien Obligations, the notes, credit agreements, indentures, security documents and other operative agreements evidencing or governing such Indebtedness, and each other agreement entered into for the purpose of securing any Series of Additional First Lien Obligations.

Additional First Lien Obligations” means, with respect to any Additional First Lien Debt Facility, (a) all principal of, and interest, fees, expenses (including, without limitation, any interest, fees, expenses and other amounts which accrue after the commencement of any Insolvency or Liquidation Proceeding, whether or not allowed or allowable as a claim in any such proceeding) payable with respect to, such Additional First Lien Debt Facility, (b) all other amounts payable to the related Additional First Lien Secured Parties under the related Additional First Lien Documents and (c) any renewals or extensions of the foregoing.

Additional First Lien Secured Party” means, with respect to any Series of Additional First Lien Obligations, the holders of such Additional First Lien Obligations, the Additional Agent with respect thereto, any trustee or agent or any other similar agent or Person therefor under any related Additional First Lien Documents and the beneficiaries of each indemnification obligation undertaken by the Borrower or any other Grantor under any related Additional First Lien Documents.

Agreement” has the meaning assigned to such term in the preamble hereto.

Authorized Representative” means (i) in the case of the Indenture Obligations, the Notes Collateral Agent, (ii) in the case of any Credit Agreement Obligations, the Term Loan Collateral Agent, and (iii) in the case of any Series of Additional First Lien Obligations that become subject to the terms of this Agreement, the Additional Agent named for such Series in the applicable Joinder Agreement.

Bankruptcy Code” means Title 11 of the United States Code, as amended.

Bankruptcy Law” means the Bankruptcy Code and any other federal, state, or foreign law for the relief of debtors, or any arrangement, reorganization, insolvency, moratorium, assignment for the benefit of creditors, any other marshalling of the assets or liabilities of the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries, or similar law affecting creditors’ rights generally.

Borrower” has the meaning assigned to such term in the preamble hereto.

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.

 

- 2 -


Collateral” means all assets and properties subject to Liens created pursuant to any First Lien Security Document to secure one or more Series of First Lien Obligations.

Controlling Collateral Agent” means, with respect to any Shared Collateral, (i) until the earlier of (x) the Discharge of First Lien Obligations that are Credit Agreement Obligations and (y) the Non-Controlling Collateral Agent Enforcement Date, the Term Loan Collateral Agent and (ii) from and after the earlier of (x) the Discharge of First Lien Obligations that are Credit Agreement Obligations and (y) the Non-Controlling Collateral Agent Enforcement Date, the Major Non-Controlling Collateral Agent.

Controlling Secured Parties” means, with respect to any Shared Collateral, the Series of First Lien Secured Parties whose Authorized Representative is the Controlling Collateral Agent for such Shared Collateral.

Credit Agreement” means that certain Term Loan Credit Agreement dated as of October 15, 2018, as amended, restated, supplemented, increased or otherwise modified, Refinanced or replaced from time to time, among the Borrower, the lenders from time to time party thereto, Bank of America, N.A., as administrative agent and collateral agent, and the other parties thereto.

Credit Agreement Obligations” means the “Obligations” as defined in the Credit Agreement.

Credit Agreement Secured Parties” means the “Secured Parties” as defined in the Credit Agreement.

DIP Financing” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 2.05(b).

DIP Financing Liens” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 2.05(b).

DIP Lenders” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 2.05(b).

Discharge” means, with respect to any Series of First Lien Obligations, the date on which such Series of First Lien Obligations have been fully and finally paid in full in cash and/or in such other form of consideration as may be agreed to by the holders of First Lien Obligations of such Series (except for obligations not yet accrued and payable), whether or not as a result of enforcement, and the applicable Secured Parties are under no further obligation to provide financial accommodation to any of the Grantors under the applicable Secured Credit Documents. The term “Discharged” shall have a corresponding meaning.

Discharge of First Lien Obligations” means, with respect to any Series of First Lien Obligations, the Discharge of the applicable First Lien Obligations with respect to such Series of First Lien Obligations; provided that a Discharge of First Lien Obligations shall not be deemed to have occurred for purposes of this Agreement in connection with an exchange or replacement for or a Refinancing of such First Lien Obligations (including, for the avoidance of doubt, any exchange or replacement for or a Refinancing of the Credit Agreement in existence as

 

- 3 -


of the date hereof) with additional First Lien Obligations secured by such Shared Collateral under an Additional First Lien Document which has been designated in writing by the applicable Authorized Representative (under the First Lien Obligation so Refinanced) or by the Borrower, in each case, to each other Authorized Representative as a “First Lien Obligation” for purposes of this Agreement.

Event of Default” means an “Event of Default” (or any other similarly defined term) as defined in any Secured Credit Document.

First Lien Obligations” means, collectively, (i) the Credit Agreement Obligations, (ii) the Indenture Obligations and (iii) each Series of Additional First Lien Obligations.

First Lien Secured Parties” means (i) the Credit Agreement Secured Parties, (ii) the Indenture Secured Parties and (iii) the Additional First Lien Secured Parties with respect to each Series of Additional First Lien Obligations.

First Lien Security Documents” means the Term Loan Security Agreement, the Term Loan Pledge Agreement, the other Collateral Documents (as defined in the Credit Agreement), the Notes Security Agreement, the Notes Pledge Agreement, the other Security Documents (as defined in the Indenture) and each other agreement entered into in favor of any Authorized Representative for the purpose of securing any Series of First Lien Obligations.

Grantors” means the Borrower and each other Subsidiary of the Borrower which has granted a security interest pursuant to any First Lien Security Document to secure any Series of First Lien Obligations (including any Subsidiary that becomes a party to the Agreement as contemplated by Section 5.17).

Impairment” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 1.03.

Indenture” means that certain Indenture dated as of April 28, 2021, among the Borrower, certain subsidiaries of the Borrower, the Notes Collateral Agent and U.S. Bank National Association, as trustee, as such Indenture may be amended, restated, supplemented, increased or otherwise modified, Refinanced or replaced.

Indenture Obligations” means the “Obligations” as defined in the Notes Security Agreement and Notes Pledge Agreement.

Indenture Secured Parties” means the “Secured Parties” as defined in the Notes Security Agreement and Notes Pledge Agreement.

Insolvency or Liquidation Proceeding” means:

(1) any case or proceeding commenced by or against the Borrower or any other Grantor under any Bankruptcy Law, any other case or proceeding for the reorganization, recapitalization or adjustment or marshalling of the assets or liabilities of the Borrower or any other Grantor, any receivership or assignment for the benefit of creditors relating to the Borrower or any other Grantor or any similar case or proceeding relative to the Borrower or any other Grantor or their respective creditors, as such, in each case whether or not voluntary;

 

- 4 -


(2) any liquidation, dissolution, marshalling of assets or liabilities or other winding up of or relating to the Borrower or any other Grantor, in each case whether or not voluntary and whether or not involving bankruptcy or insolvency, unless otherwise permitted by the Credit Agreement, Indenture, First Lien Security Documents and/or Additional First Lien Documents; or

(3) any other case or proceeding of any type or nature in which substantially all claims of creditors of the Borrower or any other Grantor are determined and any payment or distribution is or may be made on account of such claims.

Intervening Creditor” shall have the meaning assigned to such term in Section 2.01(a).

Joinder Agreement” means a supplement to this Agreement substantially in the form of Annex I hereof (with any modifications agreed by the Borrower and all Authorized Representatives then party to this Agreement) required to be delivered by an Additional Agent to the Controlling Collateral Agent pursuant to Section 5.13 hereto in order to establish an additional Series of Additional First Lien Obligations and become Additional First Lien Secured Parties hereunder.

Major Non-Controlling Collateral Agent” means, with respect to any Shared Collateral, the Authorized Representative of the Series of First Lien Obligations that constitutes the largest outstanding principal amount of any then outstanding Series of First Lien Obligations (excluding the Credit Agreement Obligations) with respect to such Shared Collateral, but solely to the extent that such Series of First Lien Obligations has a larger aggregate principal amount than the Credit Agreement Obligations then outstanding, which as of the date hereof, is the Notes Collateral Agent.

New York UCC” means the Uniform Commercial Code as from time to time in effect in the State of New York.

Non-Controlling Collateral Agent” means, at any time with respect to any Shared Collateral, any Authorized Representative that is not the Controlling Collateral Agent at such time with respect to such Shared Collateral.

Non-Controlling Collateral Agent Enforcement Date” means, with respect to any Non-Controlling Collateral Agent, the date which is 180 days (throughout which 180-day period such Non-Controlling Collateral Agent was the Major Non-Controlling Collateral Agent) after the occurrence of both (i) an Event of Default under and as defined in the Secured Credit Documents under which such Non-Controlling Collateral Agent is the Authorized Representative and (ii) the Controlling Collateral Agent and each other Authorized Representative’s receipt of written notice from such Non-Controlling Collateral Agent certifying that (x) such Non-Controlling Collateral Agent is the Major Non-Controlling Collateral Agent and that an Event of Default under and as defined in the Secured Credit Documents under which such Non-

 

- 5 -


Controlling Collateral Agent is the Authorized Representative has occurred and is continuing and (y) the First Lien Obligations of the Series with respect to which such Non-Controlling Collateral Agent is the Authorized Representative are currently due and payable in full (whether as a result of acceleration thereof or otherwise) in accordance with the terms of the applicable Secured Credit Documents; provided that the Non-Controlling Collateral Agent Enforcement Date shall be stayed and shall not occur and shall be deemed not to have occurred with respect to any Shared Collateral (1) at any time the Controlling Collateral Agent has commenced and is diligently pursuing any enforcement action (including delivery by the Controlling Collateral Agent of a notice to the Revolving Credit Collateral Agent (as such term is defined in the ABL Intercreditor Agreement) that purports to commence a Revolving Credit Standstill Period (as such term is defined in the ABL Intercreditor Agreement) thereunder) with respect to such Shared Collateral or any portion thereof, (2) at any time the Controlling Collateral Agent is stayed under the ABL Intercreditor Agreement from pursuing enforcement actions with respect to such Shared Collateral or any portion thereof or (3) at any time the Grantor which has granted a security interest in such Shared Collateral is then a debtor under or with respect to (or otherwise subject to) any Insolvency or Liquidation Proceeding.

Non-Controlling Secured Parties” means, with respect to any Shared Collateral, the First Lien Secured Parties which are not Controlling Secured Parties with respect to such Shared Collateral.

Notes Collateral Agent” has the meaning assigned to such term in the preamble hereto.

Notes Pledge Agreement” means the “Pledge Agreement” as defined in the Indenture.

Notes Security Agreement” means the “Security Agreement” as defined in the Indenture.

Possessory Collateral” means any Shared Collateral in the possession of any Authorized Representative (or its agents or bailees), to the extent that possession thereof perfects a Lien thereon under the Uniform Commercial Code of any jurisdiction. Possessory Collateral includes, without limitation, any Certificated Securities, share or other equity certificates, Promissory Notes, Instruments, and Chattel Paper, in each case, delivered to or in the possession of the Authorized Representative under the terms of the First Lien Security Documents.

Post-Petition Interest” means any interest or entitlement to fees or expenses or other charges that accrues or accrue after the commencement of any Insolvency or Liquidation Proceeding, whether or not allowed or allowable as a claim in any such Insolvency or Liquidation Proceeding.

Proceeds” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 2.01(a).

 

- 6 -


Refinance” means, in respect of any Indebtedness, to refinance, extend, renew, defease, amend, increase, modify, supplement, restructure, refund, replace or repay, or to issue other Indebtedness or enter alternative financing arrangements, in exchange or replacement for such Indebtedness (in whole or in part), including by adding or replacing lenders, creditors, agents, borrowers and/or guarantors, and including in each case, but not limited to, after the original instrument giving rise to such Indebtedness has been terminated and including, in each case, through any credit agreement, indenture or other agreement. “Refinanced” and “Refinancing” have correlative meanings.

Secured Credit Document” means (i) the Credit Agreement and each other Loan Document (as defined in the Credit Agreement), (ii) the Indenture, the Notes (as defined in the Indenture), the Notes Security Agreement, the Notes Pledge Agreement and each other Security Document (as defined in the Indenture) and (iii) each Additional First Lien Document.

Senior Class Debt” shall have the meaning assigned to such term in Section 5.13.

Senior Class Debt Parties” shall have the meaning assigned to such term in Section 5.13.

Senior Class Debt Representative” shall have the meaning assigned to such term in Section 5.13.

Senior Lien” means the Liens on the Collateral in favor of the First Lien Secured Parties under the First Lien Security Documents.

Series” means (a) with respect to the First Lien Secured Parties, each of (i) the Credit Agreement Secured Parties (in their capacities as such), (ii) the Indenture Secured Parties (in their capacities as such) and (iii) the Additional First Lien Secured Parties that become subject to this Agreement after the date hereof that are represented by a common Authorized Representative (in its capacity as such for such Additional First Lien Secured Parties) and (b) with respect to any First Lien Obligations, each of (i) the Credit Agreement Obligations, (ii) the Indenture Obligations and (iii) the Additional First Lien Obligations incurred pursuant to any Additional First Lien Debt Facility or any related Additional First Lien Documents, which pursuant to any Joinder Agreement, are to be represented hereunder by a common Authorized Representative (in its capacity as such for such Additional First Lien Obligations).

Shared Collateral” means, at any time, Collateral in which the holders of two or more Series of First Lien Obligations (or their respective Authorized Representatives) hold a valid and perfected security interest at such time. If more than two Series of First Lien Obligations are outstanding at any time and the holders of less than all Series of First Lien Obligations hold a valid and perfected security interest in any Collateral at such time, then such Collateral shall constitute Shared Collateral for those Series of First Lien Obligations that hold a valid and perfected security interest in such Collateral at such time and shall not constitute Shared Collateral for any Series which does not have a valid and perfected security interest in such Collateral at such time.

Term Loan Collateral Agent” has the meaning assigned to such term in the preamble hereto.

 

- 7 -


Term Loan Pledge Agreement” means the “Pledge Agreement” as defined in the Credit Agreement.

Term Loan Security Agreement” means the “Security Agreement” as defined in the Credit Agreement.

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

SECTION 1.02 Terms Generally. The definitions of terms herein shall apply equally to the singular and plural forms of the terms defined. Whenever the context may require, any pronoun shall include the corresponding masculine, feminine and neuter forms. The words “include”, “includes” and “including” shall be deemed to be followed by the phrase “without limitation”. The word “will” shall be construed to have the same meaning and effect as the word “shall.” Unless the context requires otherwise, (i) any definition of or reference to any agreement, instrument, other document, statute or regulation herein shall be construed as referring to such agreement, instrument, other document, statute or regulation as from time to time amended, supplemented or otherwise modified (subject to any restrictions on such amendments, supplements or modifications set forth herein), (ii) any reference herein to any Person shall be construed to include such Person’s successors and assigns, but shall not be deemed to include the subsidiaries of such Person unless express reference is made to such subsidiaries, (iii) 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, (iv) all references herein to Articles, Sections and Annexes shall be construed to refer to Articles, Sections and Annexes of this Agreement, (v) unless otherwise expressly qualified herein, 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 and (vi) the term “or” is not exclusive.

SECTION 1.03 Impairments. It is the intention of the First Lien Secured Parties of each Series that the holders of First Lien Obligations of such Series (and not the First Lien Secured Parties of any other Series) bear the risk of (i) any determination by a court of competent jurisdiction that (x) any of the First Lien Obligations of such Series are unenforceable under applicable law or are subordinated to any other obligations (other than another Series of First Lien Obligations), (y) any of the First Lien Obligations of such Series do not have an enforceable security interest in any of the Collateral securing any other Series of First Lien Obligations and/or (z) any intervening security interest exists securing any other obligations (other than another Series of First Lien Obligations) on a basis ranking prior to the security interest of such Series of First Lien Obligations but junior to the security interest of any other Series of First Lien Obligations or (ii) the existence of any Collateral for any other Series of First Lien Obligations that is not Shared Collateral (any such condition referred to in the foregoing

 

- 8 -


clauses (i) or (ii) with respect to any Series of First Lien Obligations, an “Impairment” of such Series). In the event of any Impairment with respect to any Series of First Lien Obligations, the results of such Impairment shall be borne solely by the holders of such Series of First Lien Obligations, and the rights of the holders of such Series of First Lien Obligations (including, without limitation, the right to receive distributions in respect of such Series of First Lien Obligations pursuant to Section 2.01) set forth herein shall be modified to the extent necessary so that the effects of such Impairment are borne solely by the holders of the Series of such First Lien Obligations subject to such Impairment. Additionally, in the event the First Lien Obligations of any Series are modified pursuant to applicable law (including, without limitation, pursuant to Section 1129 of the Bankruptcy Code), any reference to such Secured Credit Obligations or the First Lien Documents governing such First Lien Obligations shall refer to such obligations or such documents as so modified.

ARTICLE II

Priorities and Agreements with Respect to Shared Collateral

SECTION 2.01 Priority of Claims.

(a) Anything contained herein or in any of the Secured Credit Documents to the contrary notwithstanding (but subject to Section 1.03 and Section 2.10), if an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing, and the Controlling Collateral Agent or any First Lien Secured Party is taking action to enforce rights in respect of any Shared Collateral, or any distribution is made in respect of any Shared Collateral in any Insolvency or Liquidation Proceeding of the Borrower or any other Grantor (including any adequate protection payments) or any First Lien Secured Party receives any payment pursuant to any intercreditor agreement (other than this Agreement, but including the ABL Intercreditor Agreement) with respect to any Shared Collateral, the payments, proceeds or distribution of any sale, collection or other liquidation of any such Shared Collateral received by any Authorized Representative or any First Lien Secured Party and any such distribution or payment in any Insolvency or Liquidation Proceeding or to which the First Lien Secured Parties are entitled under any other intercreditor agreement (all such payments, distributions, proceeds of any sale, collection or other liquidation of any Shared Collateral and all proceeds of any such payments or distribution being collectively referred to as “Proceeds”), shall, subject to the terms of the ABL Intercreditor Agreement with respect to ABL Collateral, be applied (i) FIRST, to the payment of all amounts (including legal fees and expenses) owing to each Authorized Representative (in its capacity as the agent for the applicable First Lien Obligations) pursuant to the terms of any Secured Credit Document, (ii) SECOND, subject to Section 1.03, to the payment in full of the First Lien Obligations of each Series on a ratable basis, with such Proceeds to be applied to the First Lien Obligations of a given Series in accordance with the terms of the applicable Secured Credit Documents; provided that following the commencement of any Insolvency or Liquidation Proceeding with respect to any Grantor, solely as among the holders of First Lien Obligations and solely for purposes of this clause SECOND and not any other documents governing First Lien Obligations, in the event the value of the Shared Collateral is not sufficient for the entire amount of Post-Petition Interest on the First Lien Obligations to be allowed under Section 506(a) and (b) of the Bankruptcy Code or any other applicable provision of the Bankruptcy Code or other Bankruptcy Law in such

 

- 9 -


Insolvency or Liquidation Proceeding, the amount of First Lien Obligations of each Series of First Lien Obligations shall include only the maximum amount of Post-Petition Interest on the First Lien Obligations allowable under Section 506(a) and (b) of the Bankruptcy Code or any other applicable provision of the Bankruptcy Code or other Bankruptcy Law in such Insolvency or Liquidation Proceeding; and (iii) THIRD, after the Discharge of all First Lien Obligations, to the Borrower and the other Grantors or their successors or assigns, as their interests may appear, or to whosoever may be lawfully entitled to receive the same pursuant to the ABL Intercreditor Agreement, if in effect, or otherwise, or as a court of competent jurisdiction may direct. Notwithstanding the foregoing, with respect to any Shared Collateral for which a third party (other than a First Lien Secured Party) has a lien or security interest that is junior in priority to the security interest of any Series of First Lien Obligations, after giving effect to the ABL Intercreditor Agreement, if applicable, but senior (as determined by appropriate legal proceedings in the case of any dispute) to the security interest of any other Series of First Lien Obligations (such third party an “Intervening Creditor”), the value of any Shared Collateral or Proceeds which are allocated to such Intervening Creditor shall be deducted on a ratable basis solely from the Shared Collateral or Proceeds to be distributed in respect of the Series of First Lien Obligations with respect to which such Impairment exists. If, despite the provisions of this Section 2.01(a), any First Lien Secured Party shall receive any payment or other recovery in excess of its portion of payments on account of the First Lien Obligations to which it is then entitled in accordance with this Section 2.01(a), such First Lien Secured Party shall hold such payment or recovery in trust for the benefit of all First Lien Secured Parties for distribution in accordance with this Section 2.01(a).

(b) It is acknowledged that the First Lien Obligations of any Series may, subject to the limitations set forth in the then extant Secured Credit Documents, be increased, extended, renewed, replaced, restated, supplemented, restructured, repaid, refunded, Refinanced or otherwise amended or modified from time to time, all without affecting the priority of claims and the application of proceeds of the Shared Collateral set forth in Section 2.01(a) or the other provisions of this Agreement defining the relative rights of the First Lien Secured Parties of any Series.

(c) Notwithstanding the date, time, method, manner or order of grant, attachment or perfection of any Liens securing any Series of First Lien Obligations granted on the Shared Collateral and notwithstanding any provision of the Uniform Commercial Code of any jurisdiction, or any other applicable law or the Secured Credit Documents or any defect or deficiencies in the Liens securing the First Lien Obligations of any Series or any other circumstance whatsoever (but, in each case, subject to Section 1.03), each First Lien Secured Party hereby agrees that (i) the Liens securing each Series of First Lien Obligations on any Shared Collateral shall be of equal priority and (ii) the benefits and proceeds of the Shared Collateral shall be shared among the First Lien Secured Parties as provided herein.

 

- 10 -


SECTION 2.02 Actions with Respect to Shared Collateral; Prohibition on Contesting Liens.

(a) With respect to any Shared Collateral, (i) subject to the terms of the ABL Intercreditor Agreement with respect to ABL Collateral, only the Controlling Collateral Agent shall act or refrain from acting with respect to the Shared Collateral (including with respect to any intercreditor agreement with respect to any Shared Collateral) and (ii) no Non-Controlling Collateral Agent or other Non-Controlling Secured Party shall or shall instruct the Controlling Collateral Agent to, commence any judicial or nonjudicial foreclosure proceedings with respect to, seek to have a trustee, receiver, liquidator or similar official appointed for or over, attempt any action to take possession of, exercise any right, remedy or power with respect to, or otherwise take any action to enforce its security interest in or realize upon, or take any other action available to it in respect of, any Shared Collateral (including with respect to any intercreditor agreement with respect to any Shared Collateral), whether under any First Lien Security Document, applicable law or otherwise, it being agreed that, subject to the terms of the ABL Intercreditor Agreement with respect to ABL Collateral, only the Controlling Collateral Agent shall be entitled to take any such actions or exercise any such remedies with respect to Shared Collateral; provided that, notwithstanding the foregoing, (i) in any Insolvency or Liquidation Proceeding that has been commenced by or against the Borrower or any other Grantor, any Authorized Representative or any other First Lien Secured Party may (but shall not be obligated to) file a proof of claim with respect to the First Lien Obligations owed to the First Lien Secured Parties; (ii) any Authorized Representative or any other First Lien Secured Party may (but shall not be obligated to) take any action to preserve or protect the validity and enforceability of the Liens granted in favor of the First Lien Secured Parties, provided that no such action is, or could reasonably be expected to be, (A) adverse to the Liens granted in favor of the Controlling Secured Parties or the rights of the Controlling Collateral Agent or any other Controlling Secured Parties to exercise remedies in respect thereof or (B) otherwise inconsistent with the terms of this Agreement or the ABL Intercreditor Agreement; and (iii) any Authorized Representative or any other First Lien Secured Party may (but shall not be obligated to) file any necessary or appropriate responsive or defensive pleadings in opposition to any motion, claim, adversary proceeding or other pleading made by any Person objecting to or otherwise seeking the disallowance of the claims or Liens of such First Lien Secured Party, including any claims secured by the Shared Collateral, in each case, to the extent not inconsistent with the terms of this Agreement or the ABL Intercreditor Agreement. Notwithstanding the equal priority of the Liens on the Shared Collateral, the Controlling Collateral Agent may deal with the Shared Collateral as if such Controlling Collateral Agent had a senior Lien on such Shared Collateral. No Non-Controlling Collateral Agent or Non-Controlling Secured Party will contest, protest or object to any foreclosure proceeding or action brought by the Controlling Collateral Agent or Controlling Secured Party or any other exercise by the Controlling Collateral Agent or Controlling Secured Party of any rights and remedies relating to the Shared Collateral. The foregoing shall not be construed to limit the rights and priorities of any First Lien Secured Party or Authorized Representative with respect to any Collateral not constituting Shared Collateral.

(b) Each of the First Lien Secured Parties agrees that it will not (and hereby waives any right to) contest or support any other Person in contesting, in any proceeding (including any Insolvency or Liquidation Proceeding), the perfection, priority, validity, attachment or enforceability of a Lien held by or on behalf of any of the First Lien Secured Parties in all or any part of the Collateral, or the provisions of this Agreement; provided that nothing in this Agreement shall be construed to prevent or impair the rights of any Authorized Representative or any other First Lien Secured Party to enforce this Agreement.

SECTION 2.03 No Interference; Payment Over.

 

- 11 -


(a) Each First Lien Secured Party agrees that (i) it will not challenge, or support any other Person in challenging, in any proceeding (including any Insolvency or Liquidation Proceeding) the validity or enforceability of any First Lien Obligations of any Series or any First Lien Security Document or the validity, attachment, perfection or priority of any Lien under any First Lien Security Document or the validity or enforceability of the priorities, rights or duties established by or other provisions of this Agreement, (ii) it will not take or cause to be taken any action the purpose or intent of which is, or could be, to interfere, hinder or delay, in any manner, whether by judicial proceedings or otherwise, any sale, transfer or other disposition of the Shared Collateral by the Controlling Collateral Agent, (iii) it will not institute in any Insolvency or Liquidation Proceeding or other proceeding any claim against the Controlling Collateral Agent or any other First Lien Secured Party seeking damages from or other relief by way of specific performance, instructions or otherwise with respect to any Shared Collateral, and none of the Controlling Collateral Agent or any other First Lien Secured Party shall be liable for any action taken or omitted to be taken by the Controlling Collateral Agent or other First Lien Secured Party with respect to any Shared Collateral in accordance with the provisions of this Agreement, (iv) it will not seek, and hereby waives any right, to have any Shared Collateral or any part thereof marshaled upon any foreclosure or other disposition of such Collateral and (v) it will not attempt, directly or indirectly, whether by judicial proceedings or otherwise, to challenge the enforceability of any provision of this Agreement; provided that nothing in this Agreement shall be construed to prevent or impair the rights of any Authorized Representative or any other First Lien Secured Party to enforce this Agreement.

(b) Each First Lien Secured Party hereby agrees that if it shall obtain possession of any Shared Collateral or shall realize any proceeds or payment in respect of any such Shared Collateral, pursuant to any First Lien Security Document or by the exercise of any rights available to it under applicable law or in any Insolvency or Liquidation Proceeding or through any other exercise of remedies (including pursuant to any intercreditor agreement (including the ABL Intercreditor Agreement)), at any time prior to the Discharge of First Lien Obligations, then it shall hold such Shared Collateral, proceeds or payment in trust for the other First Lien Secured Parties that have a security interest in such Shared Collateral and promptly transfer such Shared Collateral, Proceeds or payment, as the case may be, to the Controlling Collateral Agent, to be distributed in accordance with the provisions of Section 2.01 hereof.

SECTION 2.04 Automatic Release of Liens; Amendments to First Lien Security Documents.

(a) If, at any time the Controlling Collateral Agent forecloses upon or otherwise exercises remedies against any Shared Collateral resulting in a sale or disposition thereof, then (whether or not any Insolvency or Liquidation Proceeding is pending at the time) the Liens in favor of each Authorized Representative for the benefit of each Series of First Lien Secured Parties upon such Shared Collateral will automatically be released and discharged; provided that any proceeds of any Shared Collateral realized therefrom shall be applied pursuant to Section 2.01 hereof.

(b) Each First Lien Secured Party agrees that each Authorized Representative may (but shall not be obligated to) enter into any amendment to any First Lien Security Document that does not violate this Agreement.

 

- 12 -


(c) Each Authorized Representative agrees to execute and deliver (at the sole and reasonable cost and expense of the Grantors) all such authorizations and other instruments as shall reasonably be requested (accompanied by certificates, opinions and indemnities satisfactory to such Authorized Representative) by the Controlling Collateral Agent to evidence and confirm any release of Shared Collateral provided for in this Section.

SECTION 2.05. Certain Agreements with Respect to Bankruptcy or Insolvency Proceedings.

(a) The parties acknowledge that this Agreement shall continue in full force and effect notwithstanding the commencement of any Insolvency or Liquidation Proceeding under the Bankruptcy Code or any other applicable Bankruptcy Law by or against the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries.

(b) If the Borrower and/or any other Grantor shall become subject to any Insolvency or Liquidation Proceeding and shall, as debtor(s)-in-possession, move for approval of financing (“DIP Financing”) to be provided by one or more lenders (the “DIP Lenders”) under Section 364 of the Bankruptcy Code or any equivalent provision of any other Bankruptcy Law and/or the use of cash collateral under Section 363 of the Bankruptcy Code or any equivalent provision of any other Bankruptcy Law, each First Lien Secured Party agrees that it will raise no objection to any such financing or to the Liens on the Shared Collateral securing the same (“DIP Financing Liens”) and/or to any use of cash collateral that constitutes Shared Collateral unless the Controlling Collateral Agent, shall then oppose or object to such DIP Financing or such DIP Financing Liens and/or use of cash collateral (and (i) to the extent that such DIP Financing Liens are senior to the Liens on any such Shared Collateral for the benefit of the Controlling Secured Parties, each Non-Controlling Secured Party will subordinate its Liens with respect to such Shared Collateral on the same terms as the Liens of the Controlling Secured Parties (other than any Liens of any First Lien Secured Parties constituting DIP Financing Liens) are subordinated thereto, and (ii) to the extent that such DIP Financing Liens rank pari passu with the Liens on any such Shared Collateral granted to secure the First Lien Obligations of the Controlling Secured Parties, each Non-Controlling Secured Party will confirm the priorities with respect to such Shared Collateral as set forth herein), in each case so long as (A) the First Lien Secured Parties of each Series retain the benefit of their Liens on all such Shared Collateral pledged to the DIP Lenders, including proceeds, products, offspring, profits or rents, as applicable, thereof arising after the commencement of such proceeding, with the same priority vis-a-vis all the other First Lien Secured Parties (other than any Liens of the First Lien Secured Parties constituting DIP Financing Liens) as existed prior to the commencement of the Insolvency or Liquidation Proceeding, (B) the First Lien Secured Parties of each Series are granted Liens on any additional or replacement collateral pledged to any First Lien Secured Party as adequate protection or otherwise in connection with such DIP Financing and/or use of cash collateral, with the same priority vis-a-vis all the other First Lien Secured Parties as set forth in this Agreement (other than any Liens of any First Lien Secured Parties constituting DIP Financing Liens), (C) if any amount of such DIP Financing and/or cash collateral is applied to repay any of the First Lien Obligations, such amount is applied pursuant to Section 2.01 of this Agreement, and (D) if any First Lien Secured Parties are granted adequate protection with respect to the First Lien Obligations subject hereto, including in the form of periodic payments, in connection with such

 

- 13 -


DIP Financing and/or use of cash collateral, the proceeds of such adequate protection are applied pursuant to Section 2.01 of this Agreement; provided that the First Lien Secured Parties of each Series shall have a right to object to the grant of a Lien to secure the DIP Financing over any Collateral subject to Liens in favor of the First Lien Secured Parties of such Series or its Authorized Representative that shall not constitute Shared Collateral; and provided, further, that the First Lien Secured Parties receiving adequate protection shall not object to any other First Lien Secured Party receiving adequate protection comparable to any adequate protection granted to such First Lien Secured Parties in connection with a DIP Financing and/or use of cash collateral.

SECTION 2.06. Reinstatement. In the event that any of the First Lien Obligations shall be paid in full and to the extent that such payment or any part thereof shall subsequently, for whatever reason (including an order or judgment for disgorgement or avoidance of a preference or fraudulent transfer under the Bankruptcy Code or other applicable Bankruptcy Law, or any similar law, or the settlement of any claim in respect thereof), be required to be returned or repaid, the terms and conditions of this Article II shall be fully applicable thereto until all such First Lien Obligations shall again have been paid in full in cash.

SECTION 2.07. Insurance. Unless and until the Discharge of First Lien Obligations, as between the First Lien Secured Parties, the Controlling Collateral Agent shall have the sole and exclusive right (subject to the rights of the Grantors under the Secured Credit Documents) to adjust settlement of any insurance claims covering or constituting Shared Collateral in the event of any loss thereunder and to approve any award granted in any condemnation (or any deed in lieu of condemnation) or similar proceeding affecting the Shared Collateral.

SECTION 2.08. Refinancings. The First Lien Obligations of any Series may be Refinanced, in whole or in part, in each case, without notice to, or the consent (except to the extent a consent is otherwise required to permit the Refinancing transaction under any Secured Credit Document) of any Authorized Representative or First Lien Secured Party, in each case, of any other Series, all without affecting the priorities provided for herein or the other provisions hereof; provided that the Authorized Representative of the holders of any such Refinancing indebtedness shall have executed a Joinder Agreement on behalf of the holders of such Refinancing indebtedness.

SECTION 2.09. Possessory Collateral Agent as Gratuitous Bailee for Perfection.

(a) The Controlling Collateral Agent agrees to hold any Shared Collateral constituting Possessory Collateral that is part of the Shared Collateral in its possession or control (or in the possession or control of its agents or bailees) as gratuitous bailee for the benefit of each other First Lien Secured Party and any assignee solely for the purpose of perfecting the security interest granted in such Possessory Collateral, if any, pursuant to the applicable First Lien Security Documents, in each case, subject to the terms and conditions of this Section 2.09 and the ABL Intercreditor Agreement with respect to ABL Collateral; provided that at any time after the Discharge of First Lien Obligations of the Series for which the Controlling Collateral Agent is acting, the Controlling Collateral Agent shall (at the sole and reasonable cost and expense of

 

- 14 -


the Grantors), promptly deliver all Possessory Collateral to the then Controlling Collateral Agent (after giving effect to such Discharge of First Lien Obligations) together with any endorsements necessary, or reasonably requested by the Controlling Collateral Agent (or make such other arrangements as shall be reasonably requested by the Controlling Collateral Agent), to allow the Controlling Collateral Agent to obtain control of such Possessory Collateral. Pending delivery to the Controlling Collateral Agent, each other Authorized Representative agrees to hold any Shared Collateral constituting Possessory Collateral, from time to time in its possession, as gratuitous bailee for the benefit of each other First Lien Secured Party and any assignee, solely for the purpose of perfecting the security interest granted in such Possessory Collateral, if any, pursuant to the applicable First Lien Security Documents, in each case, subject to the terms and conditions of this Section 2.09.

(b) The duties or responsibilities of the Controlling Collateral Agent and each other Authorized Representative under this Section 2.09 shall be limited solely to holding any Shared Collateral constituting Possessory Collateral as gratuitous bailee for the benefit of each other First Lien Secured Party for purposes of perfecting the Lien held by such First Lien Secured Parties therein.

SECTION 2.10. Indenture Threshold Amount. For so long as any Existing Senior Notes Indenture (as defined in the Indenture), Restricted Property (as defined in the Term Loan Security Agreement) shall not, at any time, secure indebtedness in an aggregate amount exceeding the Indenture Threshold Amount (as defined in the Term Loan Security Agreement). If the aggregate amount of First Lien Obligations outstanding exceeds the Indenture Threshold Amount, then such Restricted Property shall secure each Series of First Lien Obligations on a pro rata basis in an aggregate amount up to Indenture Threshold Amount, and shall not secure any First Lien Obligation in an aggregate amount in excess of the Indenture Threshold Amount.

ARTICLE III

Existence and Amounts of Liens and Obligations

SECTION 3.01. Determinations with Respect to Amounts of Liens and Obligations. Whenever any Authorized Representative shall be required, in connection with the exercise of its rights or the performance of its obligations hereunder, to determine the existence or amount of any First Lien Obligations of any Series, or the Shared Collateral subject to any Lien securing the First Lien Obligations of any Series, it may request in writing that such information be furnished to it in writing by each other Authorized Representative and shall be entitled to make such determination on the basis of the information so furnished; provided, however, that if any Authorized Representative shall fail or refuse reasonably promptly to provide the requested information, the requesting Authorized Representative shall be entitled to make any such determination by such method as it may, in the exercise of its good faith judgment, determine, including by reliance upon a certificate of the Borrower (to the extent that any such certificate is requested by such Authorized Representative and with respect to which the Borrower shall have no liability to any other Grantor, any First Lien Secured Party or any other Person). Each Authorized Representative may rely conclusively, and shall be fully protected in so relying, on any determination made by it in accordance with the provisions of the preceding sentence (or as otherwise directed by a court of competent jurisdiction) and shall have no liability to any Grantor, any First Lien Secured Party or any other Person as a result of such determination.

 

- 15 -


ARTICLE IV

The Controlling Collateral Agent

SECTION 4.01. Appointment and Authority.

(a) Each of the First Lien Secured Parties hereby irrevocably appoints and authorizes the Controlling Collateral Agent to take such actions on its behalf and to exercise such powers as are delegated to the Controlling Collateral Agent by the terms hereof, together with such powers and discretion as are reasonably incidental thereto. Each of the First Lien Secured Parties also authorizes the Controlling Collateral Agent, to execute and deliver the ABL Intercreditor Agreement in the capacity as “Controlling Fixed Asset Collateral Agent,” or the equivalent agent, however referred to for the Additional Fixed Asset Secured Parties under such agreement and authorizes the Controlling Collateral Agent, in accordance with the provisions of this Agreement, to take such actions on its behalf and to exercise such powers as are delegated to, or otherwise given to, the Controlling Fixed Asset Collateral Agent by the terms of the ABL Intercreditor Agreement, together with such powers and discretion as are reasonably incidental thereto. In this connection, the Controlling Collateral Agent and any co-agents, sub-agents and attorneys-in-fact appointed by the Controlling Collateral Agent pursuant to the applicable Secured Credit Documents for purposes of holding or enforcing any Lien on the Collateral (or any portion thereof) granted under any of the First Lien Security Documents, or for exercising any rights and remedies thereunder or under the ABL Intercreditor Agreement at the direction of the Controlling Collateral Agent, shall be entitled to the benefits of all provisions of this Article IV and Section 8 of the Credit Agreement and the equivalent provision of the Indenture, the Notes Security Agreement and the Notes Pledge Agreement and any Additional First Lien Document (as though such co-agents, sub-agents and attorneys-in-fact were the “Authorized Representative” named therein) as if set forth in full herein with respect thereto. Without limiting the foregoing, each of the First Lien Secured Parties, and each Authorized Representative, hereby agrees to provide such cooperation and assistance as may be reasonably requested by the Controlling Collateral Agent to facilitate and effect actions taken or intended to be taken by the Controlling Collateral Agent pursuant to this Article IV, such cooperation to include execution and delivery of notices, instruments and other documents as are reasonably deemed necessary by the Controlling Collateral Agent to effect such actions, and joining in any action, motion or proceeding initiated by the Controlling Collateral Agent for such purposes.

(b) Each Non-Controlling Secured Party acknowledges and agrees that the Controlling Collateral Agent shall be entitled, for the benefit of the First Lien Secured Parties, to sell, transfer or otherwise dispose of or deal with any Shared Collateral as provided herein and in the First Lien Security Documents, without regard to any rights to which the holders of the Non-Controlling Secured Obligations would otherwise be entitled as a result of such Non-Controlling Secured Obligations. Without limiting the foregoing, each Non-Controlling Secured Party agrees that none of the Controlling Collateral Agent or any other First Lien Secured Party shall have

 

- 16 -


any duty or obligation first to marshal or realize upon any type of Shared Collateral (or any other Collateral securing any of the First Lien Obligations), or to sell, dispose of or otherwise liquidate all or any portion of such Shared Collateral (or any other Collateral securing any First Lien Obligations), in any manner that would maximize the return to the Non-Controlling Secured Parties, notwithstanding that the order and timing of any such realization, sale, disposition or liquidation may affect the amount of proceeds actually received by the Non-Controlling Secured Parties from such realization, sale, disposition or liquidation. Each of the First Lien Secured Parties waives any claim it may now or hereafter have against the Controlling Collateral Agent or the Authorized Representative for any other Series of First Lien Obligations or any other First Lien Secured Party of any other Series arising out of (i) any actions that do not violate this Agreement which any Authorized Representative or any First Lien Secured Party takes or omits to take (including, actions with respect to the creation, perfection or continuation of Liens on any Collateral, actions with respect to the foreclosure upon, sale, release or depreciation of, or failure to realize upon, any of the Collateral and actions with respect to the collection of any claim for all or any part of the First Lien Obligations from any account debtor, guarantor or any other party) in accordance with the First Lien Security Documents or any other agreement related thereto or to the collection of the First Lien Obligations or the valuation, use, protection or release of any security for the First Lien Obligations, (ii) any election by any Authorized Representative or any holders of First Lien Obligations in any Insolvency or Liquidation Proceeding of the application of Section 1111(b) of the Bankruptcy Code or any equivalent provision of any other Bankruptcy Law or (iii) subject to Section 2.05, any borrowing by, or grant of a security interest or administrative expense priority under Section 364 of the Bankruptcy Code or any equivalent provision of any other Bankruptcy Law by, any Grantor or any of its Subsidiaries, as debtor-in-possession.

SECTION 4.02. Rights as a First Lien Secured Party.

(a) The Person serving as the Controlling Collateral Agent hereunder shall have the same rights and powers in its capacity as a First Lien Secured Party under any Series of First Lien Obligations that it holds as any other First Lien Secured Party of such Series and may exercise the same as though it were not the Controlling Collateral Agent and the term “First Lien Secured Party” or “First Lien Secured Parties” or, as applicable, “Credit Agreement Secured Party”, “Credit Agreement Secured Parties,” “Indenture Secured Party,” “Indenture Secured Parties,” “Additional First Lien Secured Party” or “Additional First Lien Secured Parties” shall, unless otherwise expressly indicated or unless the context otherwise requires, include the Person serving as the Controlling Collateral Agent hereunder in its individual capacity. Such Person and its Affiliates may accept deposits from, lend money to, act as the financial advisor or in any other advisory capacity for and generally engage in any kind of business with the Grantors or any Subsidiary or other Affiliate thereof as if such Person were not the Controlling Collateral Agent hereunder and without any duty to account therefor to any other First Lien Secured Party.

SECTION 4.03. Exculpatory Provisions. The Controlling Collateral Agent, acting in its capacity as the Controlling Collateral Agent, shall not have any duties or obligations to the First Lien Secured Parties except those expressly set forth herein. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the Controlling Collateral Agent:

 

- 17 -


(i) shall not be subject to any fiduciary or other implied duties, regardless of whether an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing;

(ii) shall not have any duty to take any discretionary action or exercise any discretionary powers, except discretionary rights and powers expressly contemplated hereby; provided that the Controlling Collateral Agent shall not be required to take any action that, in its opinion or the opinion of its counsel, may expose the Controlling Collateral Agent to liability or that is contrary to this Agreement or applicable law;

(iii) shall not, except as expressly set forth herein, have any duty to disclose, and shall not be liable for the failure to disclose, any information relating to a Grantor or any of its Subsidiaries or Affiliates that is communicated to or obtained by the Person serving as the Controlling Collateral Agent or any of its Affiliates in any capacity;

(iv) shall not be liable for any action taken or not taken by it (1) in the absence of its own gross negligence or willful misconduct or (2) in good faith in reliance on a certificate of an authorized officer of the Borrower stating that such action is permitted by the terms of this Agreement. The Controlling Collateral Agent shall be deemed not to have knowledge of any Event of Default under any Series of First Lien Obligations unless and until notice describing such Event Default and referencing the applicable agreement is given to the Controlling Collateral Agent;

(v) shall not be responsible for or have any duty to ascertain or inquire into (1) any statement, warranty or representation made in or in connection with this Agreement or any other First Lien Security Document, (2) the contents of any certificate, report or other document delivered hereunder or thereunder or in connection herewith or therewith, (3) the performance or observance of any of the covenants, agreements or other terms or conditions set forth herein or therein or the occurrence of any Default or Event of Default, (4) the validity, enforceability, effectiveness or genuineness of this Agreement, any other First Lien Security Document or any other agreement, instrument or document, or the creation, perfection or priority of any Lien purported to be created by the First Lien Security Documents, (5) the value or the sufficiency of any Collateral for any Series of First Lien Obligations, or (6) the satisfaction of any condition set forth in any Secured Credit Document, other than to confirm receipt of items expressly required to be delivered to the Controlling Collateral Agent; and

(vi) need not segregate money held hereunder from other funds except to the extent required by applicable law or expressly provided for herein or in any Secured Credit Document. The Controlling Collateral Agent shall be under no liability for interest on any money received by it hereunder except as otherwise agreed in writing.

SECTION 4.04. Collateral and Guaranty Matters. Each of the First Lien Secured Parties irrevocably authorizes the applicable Authorized Representative to release any Lien on any property granted to or held by such Authorized Representative under any First Lien Security Document in accordance with Section 2.04 upon receipt of a written request from the Borrower stating that the release of such Lien is permitted by the terms of each then extant Secured Credit Document and upon compliance with all other requirements under the applicable Secured Credit Documents relating to the release of any Lien on Collateral.

 

- 18 -


ARTICLE V

Miscellaneous

SECTION 5.01. Notices. All notices and other communications provided for herein (including, but not limited to, all the directions and instructions to be provided to the Controlling Collateral Agent herein by the First Lien Secured Parties) shall be in writing and shall be delivered by hand or overnight courier service, mailed by certified or registered mail or sent by telecopy or electronic mail, as follows:

(a) if to the Borrower or any Grantor, to the Borrower, at its address at: R.R. Donnelley & Sons Company, 35 W. Wacker Dr., Chicago, IL 60601; Attention: Deborah Steiner, Executive Vice President, General Counsel, Secretary and Chief Compliance Officer; Telecopier No.: (312) 326 8594; Email: deborah.steiner@rrd.com;

(b) if to the Term Loan Collateral Agent, to it at: Bank of America, N.A.; Agency Management, 900 W Trade Street, Charlotte, North Carolina 28255-0001; Attention: Kelly Weaver; Telephone No.: (980) 387-5452; Email: kelly.weaver@bofa.com

(c) if to the Notes Collateral Agent, to it at: U.S. Bank National Association, Attention: R.R. Donnelly Administrator, EP-MN-WS3C, 60 Livingston Avenue, St. Paul, MN 55107;

(d) if to any other Authorized Representative, to it at the address set forth in the applicable Joinder Agreement.

Any party hereto may change its address, fax number or email address for notices and other communications hereunder by notice to the other parties hereto. Unless otherwise specifically provided herein, any notice or other communication herein required or permitted to be given shall be in writing and, may be personally served, telecopied, electronically mailed or sent by courier service or U.S. mail and shall be deemed to have been given when delivered in person or by courier service, upon receipt of a telecopy or electronic mail or upon receipt via U.S. mail (registered or certified, with postage prepaid and properly addressed). For the purposes hereof, the addresses of the parties hereto shall be as set forth above or, as to each party, at such other address as may be designated by such party in a written notice to all of the other parties. As agreed to in writing among the Controlling Collateral Agent and each other Authorized Representative from time to time, notices and other communications may also be delivered by e-mail to the e-mail address of a representative of the applicable person provided from time to time by such person.

 

- 19 -


The Controlling Collateral Agent agrees to accept and act upon instructions or directions pursuant to this Agreement sent by unsecured e-mail, pdf, facsimile transmission or other similar unsecured electronic methods. If the Borrower, any other Grantor, the Term Loan Collateral Agent or any other Authorized Representative or Senior Class Debt Representative elects to give the Notes Collateral Agent e-mail or facsimile instructions (or instructions by a similar electronic method) and the Notes Collateral Agent in its discretion elects to act upon such instructions, the Notes Collateral Agent’s understanding of such instructions shall be deemed controlling. The Notes Collateral Agent shall not be liable for any losses, costs or expenses arising directly or indirectly from the Notes Collateral Agent’s good faith reliance upon and compliance with such instructions notwithstanding such instructions conflict or are inconsistent with a subsequent written instruction. The Borrower, each other Grantor, the Term Loan Collateral Agent and any other Authorized Representative or Senior Class Debt Representative each agrees to assume all risks arising out of the use of such electronic methods to submit instructions and directions to the Notes Collateral Agent, including without limitation the risk of the Notes Collateral Agent acting on unauthorized instructions, and the risk or interception and misuse by third parties.

SECTION 5.02. Waivers; Amendment; Joinder Agreements.

(a) No failure or delay on the part of any party hereto in exercising any right or power hereunder shall operate as a waiver thereof, nor shall any single or partial exercise of any such right or power, or any abandonment or discontinuance of steps to enforce such a right or power, preclude any other or further exercise thereof or the exercise of any other right or power. The rights and remedies of the parties hereto are cumulative and are not exclusive of any rights or remedies that they would otherwise have. No waiver of any provision of this Agreement or consent to any departure by any 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. No notice or demand on any party hereto in any case shall entitle such party to any other or further notice or demand in similar or other circumstances.

(b) Neither this Agreement nor any provision hereof may be terminated, waived, amended or modified (other than pursuant to any Joinder Agreement) except pursuant to an agreement or agreements in writing entered into by each Authorized Representative (and with respect to any such termination, waiver, amendment or modification which by the terms of this Agreement requires the Borrower’s consent or which increases the obligations or reduces the rights of the Borrower or any other Grantor, with the written consent of the Borrower).

(c) Notwithstanding the foregoing, without the consent of any First Lien Secured Party, any Additional Agent may become a party hereto by execution and delivery of a Joinder Agreement in accordance with Section 5.13 of this Agreement and upon such execution and delivery, such Additional Agent and the Additional First Lien Secured Parties and Additional First Lien Obligations of the Series for which such Additional Agent is acting shall be subject to the terms hereof.

(d) Notwithstanding the foregoing, for so long as the Term Loan Collateral Agent is the Controlling Collateral Agent, without the consent of any other Authorized Representative or First Lien Secured Party, the Controlling Collateral Agent may effect amendments and modifications to this Agreement to the extent necessary to reflect any incurrence of any Additional First Lien Obligations in compliance with the Credit Agreement, the Indenture and any Additional First Lien Documents.

 

- 20 -


SECTION 5.03. Parties in Interest. This Agreement shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the parties hereto and their respective successors and assigns, as well as the other First Lien Secured Parties, all of whom are intended to be bound by, and to be third party beneficiaries of, this Agreement.

SECTION 5.04. Survival of Agreement. All covenants, agreements, representations and warranties made by any party in this Agreement shall be considered to have been relied upon by the other parties hereto and shall survive the execution and delivery of this Agreement.

SECTION 5.05. Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in counterparts, each of which shall constitute an original but all of which when taken together shall constitute a single contract. Any signature to this Agreement may be delivered by facsimile, electronic mail (including pdf) or any electronic signature complying with the U.S. federal ESIGN Act of 2000 or the New York Electronic Signature and Records Act 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 to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law. Each of the parties represents and warrants to the other parties that it has the corporate or other capacity and authority to execute this Agreement through electronic means and there are no restrictions for doing so in that party’s constitutive documents.

SECTION 5.06 Severability. Any provision of this Agreement held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable in any jurisdiction shall, as to such jurisdiction, be ineffective to the extent of such invalidity, illegality or unenforceability without affecting the validity, legality and enforceability of the remaining provisions hereof; and the invalidity of a particular provision in a particular jurisdiction shall not invalidate such provision in any other jurisdiction. The parties shall endeavor in good-faith negotiations to replace the invalid, illegal or unenforceable provisions with valid provisions the economic effect of which comes as close as possible to that of the invalid, illegal or unenforceable provisions.

SECTION 5.07. Authorization. By its signature, each Person executing this Agreement on behalf of a party hereto represents and warrants to the other parties hereto that it is duly authorized to execute this Agreement. The Term Loan Collateral Agent represents and warrants that this Agreement is binding upon the Credit Agreement Secured Parties. The Notes Collateral Agent represents and warrants that it is authorized under the terms of the Indenture to execute this Agreement on behalf of the Indenture Secured Parties.

SECTION 5.08. Submission to Jurisdiction Waivers; Consent to Service of Process. Each Authorized Representative, on behalf of itself and the First Lien Secured Parties of the Series for whom it is acting, irrevocably and unconditionally:

(a) submits for itself and its property in any legal action or proceeding relating to this Agreement, or for recognition and enforcement of any judgment in respect thereof, to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of the State of New York sitting in New York County, the courts of the United States of America for the Southern District of New York, and appellate courts from any thereof;

 

- 21 -


(b) consents that any such action or proceeding may be brought in such courts and waives any objection that it may now or hereafter have to the venue of any such action or proceeding in any such court or that such action or proceeding was brought in an inconvenient forum and agrees not to plead or claim the same;

(c) agrees that service of process in any such action or proceeding may be effected by mailing a copy thereof by registered or certified mail (or any substantially similar form of mail), postage prepaid, to such Person (or its Authorized Representative) at the address referred to in 5.01;

(d) agrees that nothing herein shall affect the right of any other party hereto (or any First Lien Secured Party) to effect service of process in any other manner permitted by law or shall limit the right of any party hereto (or any First Lien Secured Party) to sue in any other jurisdiction; and

(e) waives, to the maximum extent not prohibited by law, any right it may have to claim or recover in any legal action or proceeding referred to in this Section 5.08 any special, exemplary, punitive or consequential damages.

SECTION 5.09. GOVERNING LAW; WAIVER OF JURY TRIAL.

(A) THIS AGREEMENT SHALL BE GOVERNED BY, AND CONSTRUED AND INTERPRETED IN ACCORDANCE WITH, THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK WITHOUT REGARD TO THE PRINCIPLES OF CONFLICTS OF LAWS, EXCEPT AS REQUIRED BY MANDATORY PROVISIONS OF LAW.

(B) EACH PARTY HERETO HEREBY IRREVOCABLY AND UNCONDITIONALLY WAIVES TRIAL BY JURY IN ANY LEGAL ACTION OR PROCEEDING RELATING TO THIS AGREEMENT AND FOR ANY COUNTERCLAIM THEREIN.

SECTION 5.10. Headings. Article, Section and Annex headings used herein are for convenience of reference only, are not part of this Agreement and are not to affect the construction of, or to be taken into consideration in interpreting, this Agreement.

SECTION 5.11. Conflicts. In the event of any conflict or inconsistency between the provisions of this Agreement and the provisions of any of the other First Lien Security Documents or Additional First Lien Documents, the provisions of this Agreement shall control.

 

- 22 -


SECTION 5.12. Provisions Solely to Define Relative Rights. The provisions of this Agreement are and are intended solely for the purpose of defining the relative rights of the First Lien Secured Parties in relation to one another. None of the Borrower, any other Grantor or any other creditor thereof shall have any rights or obligations hereunder, except as expressly provided in this Agreement (provided that nothing in this Agreement (other than Section 2.04, 2.05 or 2.09) is intended to or will amend, waive or otherwise modify the provisions of the Credit Agreement, the Indenture or any Additional First Lien Documents), and none of the Borrower or any other Grantor may rely on the terms hereof (other than Section 2.04, 2.05 or 2.09). Nothing in this Agreement is intended to or shall impair the obligations of any Grantor, which are absolute and unconditional, to pay the First Lien Obligations as and when the same shall become due and payable in accordance with, and to the extent of, the terms of the applicable Secured Credit Documents.

SECTION 5.13. Additional First Lien Obligations. To the extent, but only to the extent permitted by the provisions of the then extant Credit Agreement, the Indenture and the Additional First Lien Documents, the Borrower may incur Additional First Lien Obligations. Any such additional class or series of Additional First Lien Obligations (the “Senior Class Debt”) may be secured by Liens and may be guaranteed by the Grantors on a pari passu basis, in each case under and pursuant to the applicable Secured Credit Documents, if and subject to the condition that the Authorized Representative of any such Senior Class Debt (each, a “Senior Class Debt Representative”), acting on behalf of the holders of such Senior Class Debt (such Authorized Representative and holders in respect of any Senior Class Debt being referred to as the “Senior Class Debt Parties”), becomes a party to this Agreement by satisfying the conditions set forth in clauses (i) through (iii) of the immediately succeeding paragraph.

In order for a Senior Class Debt Representative to become a party to this Agreement,

(i) such Senior Class Debt Representative, the Controlling Collateral Agent and each Grantor shall have executed and delivered an instrument substantially in the form of Annex I (with such changes as may be reasonably approved by the Controlling Collateral Agent and such Senior Class Representative) (and the Borrower shall deliver a copy thereof to the Notes Collateral Agent) pursuant to which such Senior Class Debt Representative becomes an Authorized Representative and Additional Agent hereunder, and the Senior Class Debt in respect of which such Senior Class Debt Representative is the Authorized Representative and the related Senior Class Debt Parties become subject hereto and bound hereby, a copy of which is delivered to each Authorized Representative;

(ii) the Borrower shall have delivered to the Controlling Collateral Agent (with a copy to the Notes Collateral Agent) copies of each of the Additional First Lien Documents relating to such Senior Class Debt;

(iii) the Borrower shall have delivered to the Controlling Collateral Agent an Officer’s Certificate (with a copy to the Notes Collateral Agent) stating that such Additional First Lien Obligations are permitted by each applicable Secured Credit Document to be incurred, or to the extent a consent is otherwise required to permit the incurrence of such Additional First Lien Obligations under any Secured Credit Document, each Grantor has obtained the requisite consent; and

 

- 23 -


(iv) the Additional First Lien Documents, as applicable, relating to such Senior Class Debt shall provide, in a manner reasonably satisfactory to the Controlling Collateral Agent, that each Senior Class Debt Party with respect to such Senior Class Debt will be subject to and bound by the provisions of this Agreement in its capacity as a holder of such Senior Class Debt.

SECTION 5.14 Integration. This Agreement together with the other Secured Credit Documents and the First Lien Security Documents represents the entire agreement of each of the Grantors and the First Lien Secured Parties with respect to the subject matter hereof and there are no promises, undertakings, representations or warranties by any Grantor, any Authorized Representative or any other First Lien Secured Party relative to the subject matter hereof not expressly set forth or referred to herein or in the other Secured Credit Documents or the First Lien Security Documents.

SECTION 5.15 ABL Intercreditor Agreement. Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, the exercise of any right or remedy by any Authorized Representative or First Lien Secured Party hereunder with respect to ABL Collateral is subject to the terms of the ABL Intercreditor Agreement and in the event of any conflict or inconsistency between this Agreement and the ABL Intercreditor Agreement with respect to the ABL Collateral, the ABL Intercreditor Agreement shall govern.

SECTION 5.16 Information Concerning Financial Condition of the Borrower and the other Grantors. The Controlling Collateral Agent, the other Authorized Representatives and the other First Lien Secured Parties shall each be responsible for keeping themselves informed of (a) the financial condition of the Borrower and the other Grantors and all endorsers or guarantors of the First Lien Obligations and (b) all other circumstances bearing upon the risk of nonpayment of the First Lien Obligations. The Controlling Collateral Agent, the other Authorized Representatives, and the other First Lien Secured Parties shall have no duty to advise any other party hereunder of information known to it or them regarding such condition or any such circumstances or otherwise. In the event that the Controlling Collateral Agent, any other Authorized Representative, or any other First Lien Secured Party, in its sole discretion, undertakes at any time or from time to time to provide any such information to any other party, it shall be under no obligation to (i) make, and the Controlling Collateral Agent, the other Authorized Representatives, and the other First Lien Secured Parties shall not make or be deemed to have made, any express or implied representation or warranty, including with respect to the accuracy, completeness, truthfulness or validity of any such information so provided, (ii) provide any additional information or to provide any such information on any subsequent occasion, (iii) undertake any investigation or (iv) disclose any information that, pursuant to accepted or reasonable commercial finance practices, such party wishes to maintain confidential or is otherwise required to maintain confidential. Notwithstanding the forgoing, nothing in this Section 5.16 shall be deemed to impose any obligations on the Notes Collateral Agent to investigate the financial condition or risk of non-payment of any Grantor beyond that which may be required by the Indenture.

 

- 24 -


SECTION 5.17. Additional Grantors. The Borrower agrees that, if any Subsidiary of the Borrower shall become a Grantor after the date hereof, it will promptly cause such Subsidiary to become party hereto by executing and delivering an instrument in the form of Annex II. Upon such execution and delivery, such Subsidiary will become a Grantor hereunder with the same force and effect as if originally named as a Grantor herein. The execution and delivery of such instrument shall not require the consent of any other party hereunder, and will be acknowledged by the Controlling Collateral Agent. The rights and obligations of each Grantor hereunder shall remain in full force and effect notwithstanding the addition of any new Grantor as a party to this Agreement. The Grantor shall cause copies of each such instrument to be delivered to each Authorized Representative hereunder.

SECTION 5.18. Further Assurances. Each Authorized Representative, at the expense (including legal fees and expenses) of the Grantors, on behalf of itself and each First Lien Secured Party under the applicable Credit Agreement, Indenture or Additional First Lien Document, agrees that it will take such further action and shall execute and deliver such additional documents and instruments (in recordable form, if requested) as the other parties hereto may reasonably request in writing (and accompanied by certificates and opinions satisfactory to such Authorized Representative) to effectuate the terms of, and the Lien priorities contemplated by, this Agreement.

SECTION 5.19. Term Loan Collateral Agent and Notes Collateral Agent. It is understood and agreed that (a) the Term Loan Collateral Agent is entering into this Agreement in its capacity as collateral agent under the Credit Agreement and the provisions of Section 8 of the Credit Agreement applicable to it as administrative agent and collateral agent thereunder shall also apply to it as the Controlling Collateral Agent hereunder and (b) the Notes Collateral Agent is entering into this Agreement in its capacity as Notes Collateral Agent under the Indenture, Notes Security Agreement, Notes Pledge Agreement and the provisions of the Indenture, the Notes Security Agreement and the Notes Pledge Agreement granting or extending any rights, protections, privileges, indemnities and immunities to the Notes Collateral Agent thereunder shall also apply to the Notes Collateral Agent hereunder.

For the avoidance of doubt, the parties hereto acknowledge that in no event shall the Term Loan Collateral Agent or Notes Collateral Agent be responsible or liable for special, indirect, or consequential loss or damage of any kind whatsoever (including, but not limited to, loss of profit) irrespective of whether any such party has been advised of the likelihood of such loss or damage and regardless of the form of action.

SECTION 5.20. No Fiduciary Duty. Neither the Notes Collateral Agent nor the Term Loan Collateral Agent shall be deemed to owe any fiduciary duty to any party hereto, any Authorized Representative or any other First Lien Secured Parties. Each of the Notes Collateral Agent and the Term Loan Collateral Agent undertakes to perform or to observe only such of its covenants and obligations as are specifically set forth in this Agreement and no implied covenants or obligations with respect to any party hereto shall be read into this Agreement against the Notes Collateral Agent or the Term Loan Collateral Agent.

[Signature Pages Follow]

 

- 25 -


IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Agreement to be duly executed by their respective authorized officers as of the day and year first above written.

 

BANK OF AMERICA, N.A.,

as Term Loan Collateral Agent and Controlling Collateral Agent

By:  

             

  Name:
  Title:

U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION,

as Notes Collateral Agent

By:  

             

  Name:
  Title:


R.R. DONNELLEY & SONS COMPANY
By:  

             

  Name:
  Title:


AMERICAN LITHOGRAPHERS, INC.
BANTA CORPORATION
BANTA GLOBAL TURNKEY LLC
BRIDGETOWN PRINTING CO.
CONSOLIDATED GRAPHICS INTERNATIONAL, INC.
CONSOLIDATED GRAPHICS PROPERTIES II, INC.
CONSOLIDATED GRAPHICS SERVICES, INC.
CONSOLIDATED GRAPHICS, INC.
COURIER PRINTING COMPANY
DDM-DIGITAL IMAGING, DATA PROCESSING AND MAILING SERVICES, L.C.
EGT PRINTING SOLUTIONS, LLC
EMERALD CITY GRAPHICS, INC.
GSL FINE LITHOGRAPHERS
H&N PRINTING & GRAPHICS, INC.
HICKORY PRINTING SOLUTIONS, LLC
IRONWOOD LITHOGRAPHERS, INC.
KELMSCOTT COMMUNICATIONS LLC
MERCURY PRINTING COMPANY, LLC
NIES/ARTCRAFT, INC.
OFFICETIGER HOLDINGS INC.
OFFICETIGER LLC
PBM GRAPHICS, INC.
PRECISION DIALOGUE DIRECT, INC.
PRECISION DIALOGUE MARKETING, LLC
PRECISION DIALOGUE, INC.
PRECISION LITHO, INC.
RR DONNELLEY LOGISTICS SERVICES WORLDWIDE, INC.
RRD DUTCH HOLDCO, INC.
STORTERCHILDS PRINTING CO., INC.
THE JACKSON GROUP CORPORATION
THE JARVIS PRESS, INC.
THE MCKAY PRESS, INC.
THOUSAND OAKS PRINTING & SPECIALTIES, INC.
VERITAS DOCUMENT SOLUTIONS, LLC
By:  

                 

  Name:
  Title

:


ANNEX I

[FORM OF] JOINDER NO. [ ] dated as of [ ], 20[ ] to the FIRST LIEN INTERCREDITOR AGREEMENT dated as of April 28, 2021 (the “First Lien Intercreditor Agreement”), among R.R. Donnelley & Sons Company, a Delaware corporation (the “Borrower”), the other Grantors (as defined therein), Bank of America, N.A., as collateral agent for the Credit Agreement Secured Parties (in such capacity, the “Term Loan Collateral Agent”) and U.S. Bank National Association, as collateral agent for the Indenture Secured Parties (in such capacity, the “Notes Collateral Agent”) and each Additional Agent from time to time party thereto.

A. Capitalized terms used herein but not otherwise defined herein shall have the meanings assigned to such terms in the First Lien Intercreditor Agreement.

B. As a condition to the ability of the Borrower or its Restricted Subsidiaries to incur Additional First Lien Obligations and to secure such Senior Class Debt with the Senior Lien and to have such Senior Class Debt guaranteed by the Grantors on a senior basis, in each case under and pursuant to the Additional First Lien Documents, the Senior Class Debt Representative in respect of such Senior Class Debt is required to become an Authorized Representative under, and such Senior Class Debt and the Senior Class Debt Parties in respect thereof are required to become subject to and bound by, the First Lien Intercreditor Agreement. Section 5.13 of the First Lien Intercreditor Agreement provides that such Senior Class Debt Representative may become an Authorized Representative under, and such Senior Class Debt and such Senior Class Debt Parties may become subject to and bound by, the First Lien Intercreditor Agreement, upon the execution and delivery by the Senior Class Debt Representative of an instrument in the form of this Joinder and the satisfaction of the other conditions set forth in Section 5.13 of the First Lien Intercreditor Agreement. The undersigned Senior Class Debt Representative (the “New Authorized Representative”) is executing this Joinder in accordance with the requirements of the First Lien Intercreditor Agreement.

Accordingly, the Controlling Collateral Agent and the New Authorized Representative agree as follows:

SECTION 1. In accordance with Section 5.13 of the First Lien Intercreditor Agreement, the New Authorized Representative by its signature below becomes an Authorized Representative and Additional Agent under, and the related Senior Class Debt and Senior Class Debt Parties become subject to and bound by, the First Lien Intercreditor Agreement with the same force and effect as if the New Authorized Representative had originally been named therein as an Authorized Representative, and the New Authorized Representative, on behalf of itself and such Senior Class Debt Parties, hereby agrees to all the terms and provisions of the First Lien Intercreditor Agreement applicable to it as an Authorized Representative and to the Senior Class Debt Parties that it represents as Additional First Lien Secured Parties. Each reference to an “Authorized Representative” or an “Additional Agent” in the First Lien Intercreditor Agreement shall be deemed to include the New Authorized Representative. The First Lien Intercreditor Agreement is hereby incorporated herein by reference.


SECTION 2. The New Authorized Representative represents and warrants to the Controlling Collateral Agent and the other First Lien Secured Parties that (i) it has full power and authority to enter into this Joinder, in its capacity as [agent] [trustee] under [describe new facility], (ii) this Joinder has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by it and constitutes its legal, valid and binding obligation, enforceable against it in accordance with the terms of such Agreement and (iii) the Additional First Lien Documents relating to such Senior Class Debt provide that, upon the New Authorized Representative’s entry into this Agreement, the Senior Class Debt Parties in respect of such Senior Class Debt will be subject to and bound by the provisions of the First Lien Intercreditor Agreement as Additional First Lien Secured Parties.

SECTION 3. This Joinder may be executed in counterparts, each of which shall constitute an original, but all of which when taken together shall constitute a single contract. This Joinder shall become effective when the Controlling Collateral Agent shall have received a counterpart of this Joinder that bears the signature of the New Authorized Representative. Any signature to this Joinder may be delivered by facsimile, electronic mail (including pdf) or any electronic signature complying with the U.S. federal ESIGN Act of 2000 or the New York Electronic Signature and Records Act 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 to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law. Each of the parties represents and warrants to the other parties that it has the corporate or other capacity and authority to execute this Joinder through electronic means and there are no restrictions for doing so in that party’s constitutive documents.

SECTION 4. Except as expressly supplemented hereby, the First Lien Intercreditor Agreement shall remain in full force and effect.

SECTION 5. THIS JOINDER SHALL BE GOVERNED BY, AND CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH, THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK WITHOUT REGARD TO THE PRINCIPLES OF CONFLICTS OF LAWS, EXCEPT AS REQUIRED BY MANDATORY PROVISIONS OF LAW.

SECTION 6. In case any one or more of the provisions contained in this Joinder should be held invalid, illegal or unenforceable in any respect, no party hereto shall be required to comply with such provision for so long as such provision is held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable, but the validity, legality and enforceability of the remaining provisions contained herein and in the First Lien Intercreditor Agreement shall not in any way be affected or impaired. The parties hereto shall endeavor in good-faith negotiations to replace the invalid, illegal or unenforceable provisions with valid provisions the economic effect of which comes as close as possible to that of the invalid, illegal or unenforceable provisions.

SECTION 7. All communications and notices hereunder shall be in writing and given as provided in Section 5.01 of the First Lien Intercreditor Agreement. All communications and notices hereunder to the New Authorized Representative shall be given to it at the address set forth below its signature hereto.


SECTION 8. The Borrower agrees to reimburse the Controlling Collateral Agent for its reasonable and documented out-of-pocket expenses incurred directly in connection with this Joinder, including the reasonable fees, other charges and disbursements of outside counsel for the Controlling Collateral Agent.


IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the New Authorized Representative and the Controlling Collateral Agent have duly executed this Joinder to the First Lien Intercreditor Agreement as of the day and year first above written.

 

[NAME OF NEW AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE], as
[             ] for the holders of
[                         ],
By:  

             

  Name:
  Title:


Address for notices:
                                                                                  
                                                                                  

attention of:

_____________________________

Telecopy:

_______________________________


Acknowledged by:
[___________________], as Controlling Collateral Agent
By:  

         

  Name:
  Title:
[NAME OF EACH GRANTOR], Grantor
By:  

             

  Name:
  Title:


ANNEX II

SUPPLEMENT NO. dated as of , to the FIRST LIEN INTERCREDITOR AGREEMENT, dated as of April 28, 2021 (the “First Lien Intercreditor Agreement”), among R.R. Donnelley & Sons Company, a Delaware corporation (the “Borrower”), the other Grantors (as defined therein), Bank of America, N.A., as collateral agent for the Credit Agreement Secured Parties (in such capacity, the “Term Loan Collateral Agent”) and U.S. Bank National Association, as collateral agent for the Indenture Secured Parties (in such capacity, the “Notes Collateral Agent”) and each Additional Agent from time to time party thereto.

A. Capitalized terms used herein and not otherwise defined herein shall have the meanings assigned to such terms in the First Lien Intercreditor Agreement.

B. The Grantors have entered into the First Lien Intercreditor Agreement. Pursuant to certain Secured Credit Documents, certain newly acquired or organized Subsidiaries of the Borrower are required to enter into the First Lien Intercreditor Agreement. Section 5.17 of the First Lien Intercreditor Agreement provides that such Subsidiaries may become party to the First Lien Intercreditor Agreement by execution and delivery of an instrument in the form of this Supplement. The undersigned Subsidiary (the “New Grantor”) is executing this Supplement in accordance with the requirements of the Credit Agreement, the Indenture and the Additional First Lien Documents (if any).

Accordingly, the Controlling Collateral Agent and the New Grantor agree as follows:

SECTION 1. In accordance with Section 5.17 of the First Lien Intercreditor Agreement, the New Grantor by its signature below becomes a Grantor under the First Lien Intercreditor Agreement with the same force and effect as if originally named therein as a Grantor, and the New Grantor hereby agrees to all the terms and provisions of the First Lien Intercreditor Agreement applicable to it as a Grantor thereunder. Each reference to a “Grantor” in the First Lien Intercreditor Agreement shall be deemed to include the New Grantor. The First Lien Intercreditor Agreement is hereby incorporated herein by reference.

SECTION 2. The New Grantor represents and warrants to the Controlling Collateral Agent and the other First Lien Secured Parties that this Supplement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by it and constitutes its legal, valid and binding obligation, enforceable against it in accordance with its terms.

SECTION 3. This Supplement may be executed in counterparts, each of which shall constitute an original, but all of which when taken together shall constitute a single contract. This Supplement shall become effective when the Controlling Collateral Agent shall have received a counterpart of this Supplement that bears the signature of the New Grantor. Any signature to this Supplement may be delivered by facsimile, electronic mail (including pdf) or any electronic


signature complying with the U.S. federal ESIGN Act of 2000 or the New York Electronic Signature and Records Act 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 to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law. Each of the parties represents and warrants to the other parties that it has the corporate or other capacity and authority to execute this Supplement through electronic means and there are no restrictions for doing so in that party’s constitutive documents.

SECTION 4. Except as expressly supplemented hereby, the First Lien Intercreditor Agreement shall remain in full force and effect.

SECTION 5. THIS SUPPLEMENT SHALL BE GOVERNED BY, AND CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH, THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK WITHOUT REGARD TO THE PRINCIPLES OF CONFLICTS OF LAWS, EXCEPT AS REQUIRED BY MANDATORY PROVISIONS OF LAW.

SECTION 6. In case any one or more of the provisions contained in this Supplement should be held invalid, illegal or unenforceable in any respect, no party hereto shall be required to comply with such provision for so long as such provision is held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable, but the validity, legality and enforceability of the remaining provisions contained herein and in the First Lien Intercreditor Agreement shall not in any way be affected or impaired. The parties hereto shall endeavor in good-faith negotiations to replace the invalid, illegal or unenforceable provisions with valid provisions the economic effect of which comes as close as possible to that of the invalid, illegal or unenforceable provisions.

SECTION 7. All communications and notices hereunder shall be in writing and given as provided in Section 5.01 of the First Lien Intercreditor Agreement. All communications and notices hereunder to the New Grantor shall be given to it in care of the Borrower as specified in the First Lien Intercreditor Agreement.

 

-2-


IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the New Grantor, and the Controlling Collateral Agent have duly executed this Supplement to the First Lien Intercreditor Agreement as of the day and year first above written.

 

[NAME OF NEW GRANTOR],
By:  

         

  Name:
  Title:

 

Acknowledged by:
[_________________], as Controlling Collateral Agent,
By:  

             

  Name:
  Title:

 

-3-