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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) October 7, 2021

 

 

Consensus Cloud Solutions, Inc.

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

 

 

 

Delaware   001-40750   87-1139414
(State or other jurisdiction
of incorporation or organization)
  (Commission
File Number)
  (I.R.S. Employer
Identification No.)

700 S. Flower Street, 15th Floor

Los Angeles, California 90017

(Address of principal executive offices) (Zip Code)

(323) 860-9200

(Registrant’s telephone number, including area code)

 

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

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, $0.01 par value   CCSI   Nasdaq Stock Market LLC

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 October 7, 2021, Consensus Cloud Solutions, Inc. (the “Company”) entered into a Separation and Distribution Agreement with Ziff Davis, Inc. (formerly known as J2 Global, Inc., “Ziff Davis”), pursuant to which Ziff Davis agreed to transfer its Cloud Fax business to the Company (the “Separation”) and distribute approximately 80.1% of the outstanding shares of common stock of the Company to Ziff Davis shareholders in a tax-free distribution (the “Distribution”). The Distribution was made on October 7, 2021 to Ziff Davis shareholders of record as of the close of business on October 1, 2021. As a result of the Distribution, the Company is now an independent public company and its common stock is listed under the symbol “CCSI” on the Nasdaq Global Select Market.

In connection with the Separation and Distribution, on October 7, 2021, the Company entered into various agreements with Ziff Davis contemplated by the Separation and Distribution Agreement to provide a framework for the Company’s relationship with Ziff Davis after the Separation and Distribution, including the following agreements:

 

   

A Separation and Distribution Agreement;

 

   

A Transition Services Agreement

 

   

A Tax Matters Agreement

 

   

An Employee Matters Agreement

 

   

An Intellectual Property License Agreement

 

   

A Stockholder and Registration Rights Agreement

Summaries of certain terms of the Separation and Distribution Agreement and these other agreements can be found in the section entitled “Certain Relationships and Related Person Transactions” on pages 102-107 of the Company’s information statement, dated September 23, 2021 (the “Information Statement”), which was filed as Exhibit 99.1 to Amendment No. 3 to the Company’s Form 10 filed on September 21, 2021, and are incorporated herein by reference. The descriptions of these agreements contained therein and herein are qualified in their entirety by reference to the full text of these agreements, which are attached hereto as Exhibits 2.1, 10.1, 10.2, 10.3, 10.4 and 10.5, respectively, each of which is incorporated by reference into this Item 1.01.

Indentures for 2026 Notes and 2028 Notes

In connection with the Distribution, on October 7, 2021, the Company issued $305 million of 6.0% senior notes due 2026 (the “2026 Notes”) and $500 million of 6.5% senior notes due 2028 (the “2028 Notes”). The 2026 Notes were issued pursuant to an Indenture, dated as of October 7, 2021, by and between the Company and Wilmington Trust, National Association, as trustee (the “2026 Indenture”), and the 2028 Notes were issued pursuant to an Indenture, dated as of October 7, 2021, by and between the Company and Wilmington Trust, National Association, as trustee (the “2028 Indenture”).

A description of the 2026 Notes and the 2028 Notes, including the terms of the notes pursuant to the indentures, is set forth under Item 2.03 of the Company’s Current Report on Form 8-K filed on September 28, 2021, which description is incorporated herein by reference. The descriptions contained herein and therein are qualified in their entirety by reference to the full text of each of the 2026 Indenture, the 2028 Indenture, the form of 2026 Note and the form of 2028 Note, which are attached hereto as Exhibits 4.1, 4.2, 4.3 and 4.4, respectively, each of which is incorporated by reference into this item 1.01.

Item 2.01. Completion of the Acquisition or Disposition of Assets.

The information set forth in Item 1.01 is incorporated by reference into this Item 2.01.


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 is incorporated by reference into this Item 2.03.

Item 3.03. Material Modification to Rights of Security Holders.

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

Item 5.01. Changes in Control of Registrant.

The Distribution described in the Information Statement was consummated on October 7, 2021.

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

Director and Officer Resignations

In connection with the Separation, each of Jeremy Rossen and Vithya Aubee resigned as directors of the Company’s board of directors (the “Board”), effective October 7, 2021. Jeremy Rossen also resigned as President of the Company, effective October 7, 2021.

Director and Officer Appointments

Effective October 7, 2021, the Board appointed the following four directors (in addition to Scott Turicchi and Stephen Ross, each of whom continues to serve as a director of the Company): Douglas Bech, Elaine Healy, Nate Simmons and Pamela Sutton-Wallace.

In connection with their joining the Board, in addition to Mr. Ross who has already been appointed as a member of the Audit Committee, the directors have been appointed to the Audit, Compensation and Environmental, Social and Corporate Governance (“ESG”) Committees of the Board (the “Committees”). The current composition of the Committees is as follows:

 

   

the Audit Committee consists of Mses. Healy and Sutton-Wallace and Mr. Ross, with Ms. Healy serving as the chair of the Audit Committee;

 

   

the Compensation Committee consists of Messrs. Ross and Bech and Ms. Healy, with Mr. Ross serving as chair of the Compensation Committee; and

 

   

the ESG Committee consists of Mses. Sutton-Wallace and Healy and Messrs. Bech and Simmons, with Ms. Sutton-Wallace serving as chair of the ESG Committee.

There are no arrangements or understandings between any director and any other persons pursuant to which any director was selected as a director. There are no transactions in which any director has a direct or indirect material interest requiring disclosure under Item 404(a) of Regulation S-K.

Each of the directors, other than Mr. Turicchi, will receive compensation for service as the Company’s non-executive directors under the terms of the Company’s non-executive director compensation program, which is described under the “Non-Executive Director Compensation Program” below.

Effective October 7, 2021, the individuals listed below have been confirmed and/or appointed, to serve in the following positions:

 

   

Scott Turicchi, Chief Executive Officer and Interim Chief Financial Officer

 

   

John Nebergall, Chief Operating Officer

 

   

Steve Emberland, Controller


Mr. Emberland, age 53, recently joined as our Vice President, Controller and Principal Accounting Officer overseeing accounting, SEC reporting, payroll and treasury. Prior to joining Consensus, Mr. Emberland was an executive and the Vice President of Finance & Administration at SoundHound Inc., a global leader in voice AI solutions. At SoundHound, Mr. Emberland was responsible for finance, HR, tax, treasury, accounting, facilities and office administration. He also served as SoundHound’s Corporate Controller until July 2018. Prior to joining SoundHound, Mr. Emberland served as the Director of Finance, Corporate Controller at Selectica, a cloud provider of source to pay and contract management solutions. Prior to Selectica, he held various senior finance roles in publicly-traded companies including Aspect Development and Covad Communications with responsibilities that included treasury, cash management, taxation, accounting, SEC reporting and technical accounting. Mr. Emberland has a BA in Business Economics from UC Santa Barbara and is a CPA (active) in the State of California.

Biographical information for Messrs. Turicchi and Nebergall and the relevant compensation information can be found in the Information Statement in the sections entitled “Management—Our Executive Officers Following the Distribution” and “Executive Compensation—Executive Compensation Arrangements Following the Separation”, respectively. Such descriptions are incorporated herein by reference. Information regarding conversion of equity awards in connection with the Separation with respect to our executive officers is disclosed and incorporated by reference from the “Treatment of J2 Global Equity-Based Awards at the Time of Separation” section of the Information Statement. Additional information regarding compensatory plans in which our executive officers participate is summarized below.

2021 Equity Incentive Plan

The Company has adopted the 2021 Equity Incentive Plan (the “Equity Plan”), which became effective as of the Distribution. A summary of the Equity Plan can be found in the Information Statement in the section entitled “Consensus 2021 Equity Incentive Plan” on pages 95-99 thereof. Such description is incorporated herein by reference and is qualified in its entirety by reference to the full text of the Equity Plan, which is attached hereto as Exhibit 10.6 and is incorporated by reference into this item 5.02.

2021 Employee Stock Purchase Plan

The Company has also adopted the 2021 Employee Stock Purchase Plan (the “ESPP”), which became effective as of the Distribution. A summary of the ESPP can be found in the Information Statement in the section entitled “Consensus 2021 Employee Stock Purchase Plan” on pages 100-101 thereof. Such description is incorporated herein by reference and is qualified in its entirety by reference to the full text of the ESPP, which is attached hereto as Exhibit 10.7 and is incorporated by reference into this item 5.02.

Non-Executive Director Compensation Program

In connection with the Separation, on October 7, 2021, the Board adopted a program regarding the compensation payable to its non-executive directors (the “Non-Executive Director Compensation Program”). The Non-Executive Director Compensation Program provides for:

 

                           Annual Cash Retainer      $50,000 payable quarterly in arrears
  Chair of the Board Annual Cash Retainer                   $50,000 payable quarterly in arrears
  Committee Chair Cash Retainers     

$30,000 for chairing the Audit Committee

 

$20,000 for chairing the Compensation Committee

 

$20,000 for chairing the ESG Committee

  Annual Equity Retainer      $200,000 delivered in the form of restricted shares, which fully vest on the first anniversary of the date of grant

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

Effective October 7, 2021, the Company amended and restated its Certificate of Incorporation (the “Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation”) and its Bylaws (the “Amended and Restated Bylaws”). A description of


certain provisions of the Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation and the Amended and Restated Bylaws can be found on pages 119-122 of the Company’s Information Statement under the section entitled “Description of Consensus’ Capital Stock,” which is incorporated by reference into this Item 5.03. The descriptions contained therein and herein are qualified in their entirety by reference to the full text of the Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation and the Amended and Restated Bylaws, which are attached hereto as Exhibits 3.1 and 3.2, respectively, each of which is incorporated by reference into this Item 5.03.

Item 5.05. Amendments to the Registrants Code of Ethics, or Waiver of a Provision of the Code of Ethics.

In connection with the Separation, the Board adopted the Company’s Code of Business Conduct and Ethics, which is applicable to all employees, officers and directors of the Company and a copy of which is available on the Company’s website at www.consensus.com. The information on the Company’s website does not constitute part of this Current Report on Form 8-K and is not incorporated by reference herein.

Item 8.01 Other Events.

Press Release

On October 8, 2021, the Company issued a press release announcing the completion of the Distribution and the commencement of the Company’s existence as an independent company. A copy of the press release is attached hereto as Exhibit 99.1.

Item 9.01. Financial Statements and Exhibits.

(d) Exhibits

 

Exhibit
Number

  

Description

2.1*    Separation and Distribution Agreement, dated as of October 7, 2021, by and between Ziff Davis, Inc. and Consensus Cloud Solutions, Inc.
3.1    Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation of Consensus Cloud Solutions, Inc.
3.2    Amended and Restated Bylaws of Consensus Cloud Solutions, Inc.
4.1    2026 Notes Indenture, dated as of October 7, 2021, by and between Consensus Cloud Solutions, Inc. Wilmington Trust, National Associate, and the Guarantors named therein.
4.2    2028 Notes Indenture, dated as of October 7, 2021, by and between Consensus Cloud Solutions, Inc. Wilmington Trust, National Associate, and the Guarantors named therein.
4.3    Form of 2026 Note (included in Exhibit 4.1).
4.4    Form of 2028 Note (included in Exhibit 4.2).
10.1*    Transition Services Agreement, dated as of October 7, 2021, by and between Ziff Davis, Inc. and Consensus Cloud Solutions, Inc.
10.2    Tax Matters Agreement, dated as of October 7, 2021, by and between Ziff Davis, Inc. and Consensus Cloud Solutions, Inc.
10.3*    Employee Matters Agreement, dated as of October 7, 2021, by and between Ziff Davis, Inc. and Consensus Cloud Solutions, Inc.
10.4    Intellectual Property License Agreement, dated as of October 7, 2021, by and between Ziff Davis, Inc. and Consensus Cloud Solutions, Inc.
10.5    Stockholder and Registration Rights Agreement, dated as of October 7, 2021, by and between Ziff Davis, Inc. and Consensus Cloud Solutions, Inc.
10.6    Consensus Cloud Solutions, Inc. 2021 Equity Incentive Plan
10.7    Consensus Cloud Solutions, Inc. 2021 Employee Stock Purchase Plan


                   
99.1    Press Release, dated October 8, 2021
104    Cover Page Interactive Data File (embedded within the Inline XBRL document)

 

*

Certain schedules and exhibits to the Separation and Distribution Agreement, Transition Services Agreement and Employee Matters Agreement have been omitted pursuant to Item 601(b)(2) of Regulation S-K. The Company hereby agrees to furnish supplementally a copy of any omitted schedule or exhibit to the SEC upon request.


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.

 

   

Consensus Cloud Solutions, Inc.

(Registrant)

Date: October 8, 2021     By:  

/s/ Vithya Aubee

     

Vithya Aubee

Vice President, Secretary

Exhibit 2.1

SEPARATION AND DISTRIBUTION AGREEMENT

BY AND BETWEEN

ZIFF DAVIS, INC.

AND

CONSENSUS CLOUD SOLUTIONS, INC.

DATED AS OF OCTOBER 7, 2021


TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

          Page  

Article I DEFINITIONS

     2  

Article II THE SEPARATION

     13  

2.1

   Transfer of Assets and Assumption of Liabilities      13  

2.2

   SpinCo Assets; Parent Assets      16  

2.3

   SpinCo Liabilities; Parent Liabilities      18  

2.4

   Approvals and Notifications      19  

2.5

   Novation of Liabilities      22  

2.6

   Release of Guarantees      23  

2.7

   Termination of Agreements      24  

2.8

   Treatment of Shared Contracts      25  

2.9

   Bank Accounts; Cash Balances      25  

2.10

   Ancillary Agreements      26  

2.11

   Disclaimer of Representations and Warranties      26  

2.12

   SpinCo Financing Arrangements      27  

2.13

   Cash Distribution      27  

2.14

   Financial Information Certifications      28  

Article III THE DISTRIBUTION

     29  

3.1

   Sole and Absolute Discretion; Cooperation      29  

3.2

   Actions Prior to the Distribution      29  

3.3

   Conditions to the Distribution      30  

3.4

   The Distribution      32  

Article IV MUTUAL RELEASES; INDEMNIFICATION

     33  

4.1

   Release of Pre-Distribution Claims      33  

4.2

   Indemnification by SpinCo      35  

4.3

   Indemnification by Parent      36  

4.4

   Indemnification Obligations Net of Insurance Proceeds and Other Amounts      37  

4.5

   Procedures for Indemnification of Third-Party Claims      38  

4.6

   Additional Matters      40  

4.7

   Right of Contribution      41  

4.8

   Covenant Not to Sue      42  

4.9

   Remedies Cumulative      42  

4.10

   Survival of Indemnities      42  

Article V CERTAIN OTHER MATTERS

     42  

5.1

   Insurance Matters      42  

5.2

   Late Payments      45  

5.3

   Inducement      45  

5.4

   Post-Effective Time Conduct      45  

5.5

   Corporate Names; Trademarks      46  

5.6

   Non-Solicitation      46  

5.7

   Procedures Related to Certain Actions      47  

 

i


Article VI EXCHANGE OF INFORMATION; CONFIDENTIALITY

     48  

6.1

   Agreement for Exchange of Information      48  

6.2

   Ownership of Information      49  

6.3

   Compensation for Providing Information      49  

6.4

   Record Retention      50  

6.5

   Limitations of Liability      50  

6.6

   Other Agreements Providing for Exchange of Information      50  

6.7

   Production of Witnesses; Records; Cooperation      50  

6.8

   Privileged Matters      52  

6.9

   Confidentiality      54  

6.10

   Protective Arrangements      55  

6.11

   Current, Quarterly and Annual Reports      55  

Article VII DISPUTE RESOLUTION

     56  

7.1

   Good Faith Officer Negotiation      56  

7.2

   Mediation      56  

7.3

   Arbitration      56  

7.4

   Litigation and Unilateral Commencement of Arbitration      58  

7.5

   Conduct During Dispute Resolution Process      58  

7.6

   Expenses      58  

Article VIII FURTHER ASSURANCES AND ADDITIONAL COVENANTS

     58  

8.1

   Further Assurances      58  

Article IX TERMINATION

     59  

9.1

   Termination      59  

9.2

   Effect of Termination      59  

Article X MISCELLANEOUS

     59  

10.1

   Counterparts; Entire Agreement; Corporate Power      59  

10.2

   Governing Law      61  

10.3

   Assignability      61  

10.4

   Third-Party Beneficiaries      61  

10.5

   Notices      62  

10.6

   Severability      62  

10.7

   Force Majeure      63  

10.8

   Expenses      63  

10.9

   Headings      63  

10.10

   Survival of Covenants      63  

10.11

   Amendments and Waivers of Default      64  

10.12

   Specific Performance      64  

10.13

   Interpretation      64  

10.14

   Tax Treatment of Payments      65  

10.15

   Performance      65  

10.16

   Mutual Drafting      65  

 

ii


SCHEDULES

 

Schedule 1.1

  

SpinCo Business

Schedule 1.2

  

SpinCo Contracts

Schedule 1.3

  

SpinCo Indemnified Liabilities

Schedule 1.4

  

SpinCo Intellectual Property

Schedule 1.5

  

Transferred Entities

Schedule 1.6

  

Parent Indemnified Liabilities

Schedule 1.7

  

Bonus Amount SpinCo Business Employee

Schedule 2.1(a)

  

Global Transaction Structure

Schedule 2.2(a)

  

SpinCo Assets

Schedule 2.2(b)

  

Parent Assets

Schedule 2.3(a)

  

SpinCo Liabilities

Schedule 2.3(b)

  

Parent Liabilities

Schedule 2.6(a)(i)

  

Parent Guarantees

Schedule 2.6(a)(ii)

  

SpinCo Guarantees

Schedule 2.7(b)

  

Termination of Agreements

Schedule 5.7

  

Procedures Related to Certain Actions

Schedule 10.8

  

Expenses

EXHIBITS

 

Exhibit A

  

Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation of Consensus Cloud Solutions, Inc.

Exhibit B

  

Amended and Restated Bylaws of Consensus Cloud Solutions, Inc.

Exhibit C

  

Transition Services Agreement

Exhibit D

  

Tax Matters Agreement

Exhibit E

  

Employee Matters Agreement

Exhibit F

  

Intellectual Property License

Exhibit G

  

Stockholder and Registration Rights Agreement

 

iii


SEPARATION AND DISTRIBUTION AGREEMENT

This SEPARATION AND DISTRIBUTION AGREEMENT, dated as of October 7, 2021 (this “Agreement”), is by and between Ziff Davis, Inc., a Delaware corporation (“Parent”), and Consensus Cloud Solutions, Inc., a Delaware corporation (“SpinCo”). Capitalized terms used herein and not otherwise defined shall have the respective meanings assigned to them in Article I.

R E C I T A L S

WHEREAS, the board of directors of Parent (the “Parent Board”) has determined that it is in the best interests of Parent and its stockholders to create a new publicly traded company that shall own and operate the SpinCo Business;

WHEREAS, in furtherance of the foregoing, the Parent Board has determined that it is appropriate and desirable to separate the SpinCo Business from the Parent Business in the manner set forth in the Global Transaction Structure (the “Separation”) and, in connection with the Separation, make a distribution, on a pro rata basis, to holders of Parent Shares on the Record Date of at least eighty and one-tenth percent (80.1%) of the outstanding SpinCo Shares owned by Parent (the “Distribution”);

WHEREAS, in order to effect the Separation, the board of directors of Parent has approved the transfer by Parent of the SpinCo Business to SpinCo pursuant to the Global Transaction Structure (such transfer, the “Contribution”) in exchange for (i) the assumption by SpinCo of the SpinCo Liabilities, (ii) the actual or constructive issuance by SpinCo to Parent of SpinCo Shares, (iii) the Final Cash Distribution and (iv) the SpinCo Securities;

WHEREAS, SpinCo has been incorporated solely for these purposes and has not engaged in activities, except in connection with the Separation and the Distribution;

WHEREAS, Parent intends to use the SpinCo Securities received in exchange for the Contribution, the Final Cash Distribution, and the Additional Cash to pay Parent creditors and make distributions to Parent shareholders;

WHEREAS, following the Distribution, Parent may retain up to 19.9% of the outstanding SpinCo Shares (the “Retained Shares”) and intends to, within 12 months of the Distribution, effect distributions of the Retained Shares to Parent stockholders as dividends or in exchange for outstanding shares of Parent common stock or through one or more subsequent exchanges of SpinCo Shares for Parent debt held by Parent creditors (a “Subsequent Disposition”);

WHEREAS, if any portion of the Retained Shares has not been disposed of pursuant to a Subsequent Disposition within the 12-month period, Parent will dispose of such Retained Shares in all events within five years of the Distribution (a “Remaining Disposition”);

WHEREAS, for U.S. federal income tax purposes, the Contribution, the Distribution, and any Subsequent Disposition, taken together, are intended to qualify as a transaction that is generally tax-free for U.S. federal income tax purposes under Sections 355 and 368(a)(1)(D) of the Code, and this Agreement is intended to be, and is hereby adopted as, a “plan of reorganization” within the meaning of Treasury Regulations Section 1.368-2(g);

 

1


WHEREAS, SpinCo and Parent have prepared, and SpinCo has filed with the SEC, the Form 10, which includes the Information Statement, and which sets forth disclosures concerning SpinCo, the Separation and the Distribution;

WHEREAS, each of Parent and SpinCo has determined that it is appropriate and desirable to set forth the principal corporate transactions required to effect the Separation and the Distribution and certain other agreements that will govern certain matters relating to the Separation and the Distribution and the relationship of Parent, SpinCo and the members of their respective Groups following the Distribution; and

WHEREAS, the Parties acknowledge that this Agreement and the Ancillary Agreements represent the integrated agreement of Parent and SpinCo relating to the Separation and the Distribution, are being entered into together, and would not have been entered into independently.

NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the mutual agreements, provisions and covenants contained in this Agreement, and for other good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged, the Parties, intending to be legally bound, hereby agree as follows:

ARTICLE I

DEFINITIONS

For the purpose of this Agreement, the following terms shall have the following meanings:

Action” shall mean any demand, action, claim, dispute, suit, countersuit, arbitration, inquiry, subpoena, proceeding or investigation of any nature (whether criminal, civil, legislative, administrative, regulatory, prosecutorial or otherwise) by or before any federal, state, local, foreign or international Governmental Authority or any arbitration or mediation tribunal.

Additional Cash” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 2.13(c).

Affiliate” shall mean, when used with respect to a specified Person, a Person that, directly or indirectly, through one or more intermediaries, controls, is controlled by or is under common control with such specified Person. For the purpose of this definition, “control” (including, with correlative meanings, “controlled by” and “under common control with”), when used with respect to any specified Person shall mean the possession, directly or indirectly, of the power to direct or cause the direction of the management and policies of such Person, whether through the ownership of voting securities or other interests, by contract, agreement, obligation, indenture, instrument, lease, promise, arrangement, release, warranty, commitment, undertaking or otherwise. It is expressly agreed that, prior to, at and after the Effective Time, solely for purposes of this Agreement and the Ancillary Agreements, (a) no member of the SpinCo Group shall be deemed to be an Affiliate of any member of the Parent Group and (b) no member of the Parent Group shall be deemed to be an Affiliate of any member of the SpinCo Group.

Agreement” shall have the meaning set forth in the Preamble.

Ancillary Agreements” shall mean all agreements (other than this Agreement) entered into by the Parties or the members of their respective Groups (but only agreements as to which no Third Party is a party) in connection with the Separation, the Distribution or the other transactions contemplated by this Agreement, including the Transition Services Agreement, the Intellectual Property License, the Stockholder and Registration Rights Agreement, the Tax Matters Agreement, the Employee Matters Agreement and the Transfer Documents.

 

2


Approvals or Notifications” shall mean any consents, waivers, approvals, permits or authorizations to be obtained from, notices, registrations or reports to be submitted to, or other filings to be made with, any Third Party, including any Governmental Authority.

Arbitration Request” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 7.3(a).

Assets” shall mean, with respect to any Person, the assets, properties, claims and rights (including goodwill) of such Person, wherever located (including in the possession of vendors or other Third Parties or elsewhere), of every kind, character and description, whether real, personal or mixed, tangible, intangible or contingent, in each case whether or not recorded or reflected or required to be recorded or reflected on the books and records or financial statements of such Person, including rights and benefits pursuant to any contract, license, permit, indenture, note, bond, mortgage, agreement, concession, franchise, instrument, undertaking, commitment, understanding or other arrangement.

Base Cash Distribution Amount” shall mean an amount equal to $259,103,750.

Bonus Amount” shall mean an amount equal to all accrued and unpaid bonuses payable after the Distribution Date by SpinCo to any SpinCo Group Employee entitled to a bonus under Parent’s annual cash incentive plan (but not, for the avoidance of doubt, under any SpinCo Group plans) as set forth on Schedule 1.7 relating to periods prior to the Distribution Date, as determined by Parent; provided, that the portion of the Bonus Amount attributable to the Chief Executive Officer of SpinCo shall not exceed $1 million.

Code” shall mean the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended.

Contribution” shall have the meaning set forth in the Recitals.

Controlling Party” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 5.7(b).

CPR” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 7.2.

Customer Information” shall mean, with respect to any business, all information relating to customers of such business, including names, addresses and transaction data (including merchandise or service purchased, purchase price paid, purchase location (such as particular branch or online), date and time of day of purchase, adjustments and related information and means of payment).

Deductibles” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 5.1(b).

Delayed Parent Asset” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 2.4(h).

Delayed Parent Liability” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 2.4(h).

 

3


Delayed SpinCo Asset” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 2.4(c).

Delayed SpinCo Liability” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 2.4(c).

Disclosure Document” shall mean any registration statement (including the Form 10) filed with the SEC by or on behalf of any Party or any member of its Group, and also includes any information statement (including the Information Statement), prospectus, offering memorandum, offering circular, periodic report or similar disclosure document, whether or not filed with the SEC or any other Governmental Authority, in each case that describes the Separation or the Distribution or the SpinCo Group or primarily relates to the transactions contemplated hereby.

Dispute” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 7.1.

Distribution” shall have the meaning set forth in the Recitals.

Distribution Agent” shall mean the trust company or bank duly appointed by Parent to act as distribution agent, transfer agent and registrar for the SpinCo Shares in connection with the Distribution.

Distribution Date” shall mean the date of the consummation of the Distribution, which shall be determined by the Parent Board in its sole and absolute discretion.

Distribution Ratio” shall mean a number equal to one-third.

Effective Time” shall mean immediately prior to the Distribution on the Distribution Date.

Employee Matters Agreement” shall mean the Employee Matters Agreement, in substantially the form attached hereto as Exhibit E, to be entered into by and between Parent and SpinCo or the members of their respective Groups in connection with the Separation, the Distribution or the other transactions contemplated by this Agreement, as it may be amended from time to time.

Exchange Act” shall mean the U.S. Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, together with the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder.

Final Bonus Amount” shall mean Parent’s final determination of the accrued and unpaid Bonus Amount as determined pursuant to Section 2.13(b).

Final Cash Distribution” shall mean a cash payment in an amount equal to (a) the Base Cash Distribution Amount, minus (b) the Final Bonus Amount.

Final Determination” shall have the meaning set forth in the Tax Matters Agreement.

 

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Force Majeure” shall mean, with respect to a Party, an event beyond the reasonable control of such Party (or any Person acting on its behalf), which event (a) does not arise or result from the fault or negligence of such Party (or any Person acting on its behalf) and (b) by its nature would not reasonably have been foreseen by such Party (or such Person), or, if it would reasonably have been foreseen, was unavoidable, and includes acts of God, acts of civil or military authority, embargoes, epidemics, pandemics, war, riots, insurrections, fires, explosions, earthquakes, floods, unusually severe weather conditions, labor problems or unavailability of parts, or, in the case of computer systems, any significant and prolonged failure in electrical or air conditioning equipment.

Form 10” shall mean the registration statement on Form 10 filed by SpinCo with the SEC to effect the registration of SpinCo Shares pursuant to the Exchange Act in connection with the Distribution, as such registration statement may be amended or supplemented from time to time prior to the Distribution.

Global Transaction Structure” shall mean the plan set forth on Schedule 2.1(a) setting forth the restructuring steps to be taken prior to the Distribution Date and the sequence thereof.

Governmental Approvals” shall mean any Approvals or Notifications to be made to, or obtained from, any Governmental Authority.

Governmental Authority” shall mean any nation or government, any territory, state, municipality or other political subdivision thereof, and any entity, body, agency, commission, department, board, bureau, court, tribunal or other instrumentality, whether federal, state, local, domestic, foreign or multinational, exercising executive, legislative, judicial, regulatory, administrative or other similar functions of, or pertaining to, a government and any executive official thereof.

Group” shall mean either the SpinCo Group or the Parent Group, as the context requires.

Historical Cloud Services” shall mean the business and operations of J2 Cloud Services, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company and a wholly-owned subsidiary of Parent, including the Cloud Fax business, B2B backup business, cybersecurity business (including its Livedrive and SugarSync businesses) and SMB enablement services business.

Indemnifying Party” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 4.4(a).

Indemnitee” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 4.4(a).

Indemnity Payment” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 4.4(a).

Information” shall mean information, whether or not patentable or copyrightable, in written, oral, electronic or other tangible or intangible forms, stored in any medium, including studies, reports, records, books, contracts, instruments, surveys, discoveries, ideas, concepts, know-how, techniques, designs, specifications, drawings, blueprints, artwork, design, research and development files, diagrams, models, prototypes, samples, flow charts, data, computer data, disks, diskettes, tapes, computer programs or other software, marketing plans, Customer Information, cost information, sales and pricing data, customer prospect lists, supplier records and vendor data, correspondence and lists, product literature, communications by or to attorneys (including attorney-client privileged communications), memoranda and other materials prepared by attorneys or under their direction (including attorney work product), and other technical, financial, employee or business information or data; provided that “Information” shall not include Intellectual Property.

 

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Information Statement” shall mean the information statement to be made available to the holders of Parent Shares in connection with the Distribution, as such information statement may be amended or supplemented from time to time prior to the Distribution.

Insurance Proceeds” shall mean those monies:

(a) received by an insured from an insurance carrier; or

(b) paid by an insurance carrier on behalf of the insured;

in any such case net of any applicable premium adjustments (including reserves and retrospectively rated premium adjustments) and net of any costs or expenses incurred in the collection thereof; provided that in each case Insurance Proceeds shall not include any monies received or paid from an insurance carrier that is an Affiliate of either Parent or SpinCo.

Intellectual Property” shall mean all of the following whether arising under the Laws of the United States or of any foreign or multinational jurisdiction: (a) trademarks, service marks, logos, trade names, trade dress, Internet domain names, accounts or “handles” with Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter or similar social media platforms, and other indicia of origin, and the goodwill associated with any and all of the foregoing and symbolized thereby (“Marks”), (b) works of authorship and copyrights, including Software and Internet websites, (c) patents and patent applications, including all reissues, divisions, renewals, extensions, provisionals, continuations and continuations-in-part thereof, (d) trade secrets, invention disclosures, processes and know-how and any rights therein and thereto, (e) other intellectual property rights and (f) all registrations and applications to register all of the foregoing.

Intellectual Property License” shall mean the Intellectual Property License, in substantially the form attached hereto as Exhibit F, to be entered into by and between Parent and SpinCo or any members of their respective Groups in connection with the Separation, the Distribution or the other transactions contemplated by this Agreement, as it may be amended from time to time.

IRS” shall mean the U.S. Internal Revenue Service.

Law” shall mean any national, supranational, federal, state, territorial, provincial, local or similar law (including common law), statute, code, order, ordinance, rule, regulation, treaty (including any income tax treaty), license, permit, authorization, approval, consent, decree, injunction, binding judicial or administrative interpretation or other requirement, in each case enacted, promulgated, issued or entered by a Governmental Authority.

Liabilities” shall mean all debts, guarantees, assurances, commitments, liabilities, responsibilities, Losses, remediation, deficiencies, damages, fines, penalties, settlements, sanctions, costs, expenses, interest and obligations of any nature or kind, whether accrued or fixed, absolute or contingent, matured or unmatured, accrued or not accrued, asserted or unasserted, liquidated or unliquidated, foreseen or unforeseen, known or unknown, reserved or unreserved, or

 

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determined or determinable, including those arising under any Law, claim (including any Third-Party Claim), demand, Action, or order, writ, judgment, injunction, decree, stipulation, determination or award entered by or with any Governmental Authority or arbitration tribunal, and those arising under any contract, agreement, obligation, indenture, instrument, lease, promise, arrangement, release, warranty, commitment or undertaking, or any fines, damages or equitable relief that is imposed, in each case, including all costs and expenses relating thereto. Except as otherwise specifically set forth herein or in the Tax Matters Agreement, the rights and obligations of the Parties with respect to Taxes shall be governed by the Tax Matters Agreement and, therefore, Taxes shall not be treated as Liabilities governed by this Agreement other than for purposes of indemnification related to the Disclosure Documents.

Linked” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 2.9(a).

Losses” shall mean actual losses (including any diminution in value), costs, damages, penalties and expenses (including legal and accounting fees and expenses and costs of investigation and litigation), whether or not involving a Third-Party Claim.

Marks” shall have the meaning set forth in the definition of Intellectual Property.

Materials” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 5.5.

Minimum Cash Amount” shall mean an amount in cash equal to $31,603,750, which amount shall be funded solely from the proceeds of the SpinCo Financing Arrangements.

Nasdaq” shall mean the Nasdaq Global Select Market operated by Nasdaq, Inc.

Non-Controlling Party” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 5.7(b).

Officer Negotiation Request” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 7.1.

Parent” shall have the meaning set forth in the Preamble.

Parent Accounts” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 2.9(a).

Parent Assets” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 2.2(b).

Parent Board” shall have the meaning set forth in the Recitals.

Parent Business” shall mean all businesses, operations and activities (whether or not such businesses, operations or activities are or have been terminated, divested or discontinued), including Historical Cloud Services, conducted at any time prior to the Effective Time by either Party or any member of its Group, other than the SpinCo Business.

Parent Contract” shall mean all contracts and agreements to which either Party or any member of its Group is a party or by which it or any member of its Group or any of their respective Assets is bound, whether or not in writing, other than the SpinCo Contracts.

 

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Parent Group” shall mean Parent and each Person that is a Subsidiary of Parent (other than SpinCo and any other member of the SpinCo Group).

Parent Indemnified Liability” shall mean those Liabilities set forth on Schedule 1.6.

Parent Indemnitees” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 4.2.

Parent Liabilities” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 2.3(b).

Parent Policies” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 5.1(b).

Parent Shares” shall mean the shares of common stock, par value $0.01 per share, of Parent.

Parent Software” shall mean all Software, other than SpinCo Software, owned or licensed by either Party or any member of its Group as of immediately prior to the Effective Time.

Parent Technology” shall mean all Technology, other than SpinCo Technology, owned or licensed by either Party or any member of its Group as of immediately prior to the Effective Time.

Parties” shall mean the parties to this Agreement.

Permits” shall mean any permits, approvals, authorizations, consents, licenses or certificates issued by any Governmental Authority.

Person” shall mean an individual, a general or limited partnership, a corporation, a trust, a joint venture, an unincorporated organization, a limited liability entity, any other entity and any Governmental Authority.

Policies” shall mean insurance policies, reinsurance policies and insurance contracts of any kind, including property, excess and umbrella, commercial general liability, director and officer liability, fiduciary liability, cyber technology, professional liability, libel liability, employment practices liability, automobile, aircraft, marine, workers’ compensation and employers’ liability, employee dishonesty/crime/fidelity, foreign, bonds and self-insurance and captive insurance company arrangements, together with the rights, benefits, privileges and obligations thereunder.

Prime Rate” shall mean the rate that Bloomberg displays as “Prime Rate by Country United States” or “Prime Rate by Country US-BB Comp” at http://www.bloomberg.com/quote/PRIME:IND or on a Bloomberg terminal at PRIMBB Index.

Privileged Information” shall mean any information, in written, oral, electronic or other tangible or intangible forms, including any communications by or to attorneys (including attorney-client privileged communications), memoranda and other materials prepared by attorneys or under their direction (including attorney work product), as to which a Party or any member of its Group would be entitled to assert or have asserted a privilege or other protection, including the attorney-client and attorney work product privileges.

 

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Record Date” shall mean the close of business on the date to be determined by the Parent Board as the record date for determining holders of Parent Shares entitled to receive SpinCo Shares pursuant to the Distribution.

Record Holders” shall mean the holders of record of Parent Shares as of the Record Date.

Remaining Disposition” shall have the meaning set forth in the Recitals.

Representatives” shall mean, with respect to any Person, any of such Person’s directors, officers, employees, agents, consultants, advisors, accountants, attorneys or other representatives.

Restricted Employees” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 5.6(a).

SEC” shall mean the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.

Security Interest” shall mean any mortgage, security interest, pledge, lien, charge, claim, option, right to acquire, voting or other restriction, right-of-way, covenant, condition, easement, encroachment, restriction on transfer, or other encumbrance of any nature whatsoever.

Separation” shall have the meaning set forth in the Recitals.

Shared Contract” means any contract, agreement, arrangement, commitment or understanding, a portion of which relates to the SpinCo Business and the remainder of which relates to the Parent Business.

Shared Existing Actions” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 5.7(a).

Software” shall mean any and all (a) computer programs, including any and all software implementation of algorithms, models and methodologies, whether in source code, object code, human readable form or other form, (b) databases and compilations, including any and all data and collections of data, whether machine readable or otherwise, (c) descriptions, flow charts and other work products used to design, plan, organize and develop any of the foregoing, (d) screens, user interfaces, report formats, firmware, development tools, templates, menus, buttons and icons and (e) documentation, including user manuals and other training documentation, relating to any of the foregoing.

SpinCo” shall have the meaning set forth in the Preamble.

SpinCo Accounts” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 2.9(a).

SpinCo Assets” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 2.2(a).

 

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SpinCo Balance Sheet” shall mean the pro forma combined balance sheet of the SpinCo Business, including any notes and subledgers thereto, as of June 30, 2021, as presented in the Information Statement made available to the Record Holders.

SpinCo Business” shall mean (a) the business, operations and activities of only the Cloud fax business of Historical Cloud Services conducted at any time prior to the Effective Time by either Party or any of their current or former Subsidiaries and (b) any terminated, divested or discontinued businesses, operations and activities that, at the time of termination, divestiture or discontinuation, primarily related to the business, operations or activities described in clause (a) as then conducted including but not limited to those businesses, operations and activities associated with the fax brands set forth on Schedule 1.1.

SpinCo Bylaws” shall mean the Amended and Restated Bylaws of SpinCo, substantially in the form of Exhibit B.

SpinCo Cash Amount” shall mean an amount in cash equal to (a) the Minimum Cash Amount, plus (b) the Bonus Amount.

SpinCo Certificate of Incorporation” shall mean the Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation of SpinCo, substantially in the form of Exhibit A.

SpinCo Closing Cash” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 2.13(b).

SpinCo Contracts” shall mean any contracts, agreements or settlements exclusively held for or used for the SpinCo Business to which either Party or any member of its Group is a party or by which it or any member of its Group or any of their respective Assets is bound, whether or not in writing; provided that SpinCo Contracts shall not include any contract or agreement that is contemplated to be retained by Parent or any member of the Parent Group from and after the Effective Time pursuant to any provision of this Agreement or any Ancillary Agreement:

(i) any customer, distribution, supply or vendor contract or agreement with a Third Party entered into prior to the Effective Time primarily related to the SpinCo Business (including the portion of any such contract that is a Shared Contract that relates to the SpinCo Business);

(ii) any license agreement entered into prior to the Effective Time primarily related to the SpinCo Business (including the portion of any such license agreement that is a Shared Contract that relates to the SpinCo Business);

(iii) any guarantee, indemnity, representation, covenant, warranty or other Liability of either Party or any member of its Group in respect of any other SpinCo Contract, any SpinCo Liability or the SpinCo Business;

(iv) any contract or agreement that is entered into pursuant to this Agreement or any of the Ancillary Agreements to be assigned to SpinCo or any member of the SpinCo Group;

(v) any interest rate, currency, commodity or other swap, collar, cap or other hedging or similar agreements or arrangements primarily related to the SpinCo Business;

 

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(vi) any credit agreement, indenture, note or other financing agreement or instrument entered into by SpinCo and/or any member of the SpinCo Group in connection with the Separation, including any SpinCo Financing Arrangements;

(vii) any contract or agreement entered into in the name of, or expressly on behalf of, any division, business unit or member of the SpinCo Group;

(viii) any other contract or agreement not otherwise set forth herein and primarily related to the SpinCo Business or SpinCo Assets;

(ix) any employment, change of control, retention, consulting, indemnification, termination, severance or other similar agreements with any SpinCo Group Employee or consultants of the SpinCo Group that are in effect as of the Effective Time; and

(x) any contracts, agreements or settlements set forth on Schedule 1.2, including the right to recover any amounts under such contracts, agreements or settlements.

SpinCo Designees” shall mean any and all entities (including corporations, general or limited partnerships, trusts, joint ventures, unincorporated organizations, limited liability entities or other entities) designated by Parent that will be members of the SpinCo Group as of immediately prior to the Effective Time.

SpinCo Financing Arrangements” means the issuance of senior notes by SpinCo prior to the Distribution, as approved by Parent, in reliance on Rule 144 promulgated under the Securities Act or Regulation S under the Securities Act.

SpinCo Group” shall mean (a) prior to the Effective Time, SpinCo and each Person that will be a Subsidiary of SpinCo as of immediately after the Effective Time, including the Transferred Entities, even if, prior to the Effective Time, such Person is not a Subsidiary of SpinCo; and (b) on and after the Effective Time, SpinCo and each Person that is a Subsidiary of SpinCo.

SpinCo Group Employee” shall have the meaning set forth in the Employee Matters Agreement.

SpinCo Indemnified Liability” shall mean those Liabilities set forth on Schedule 1.3.

SpinCo Indemnitees” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 4.3.

SpinCo Intellectual Property” shall mean all Intellectual Property owned by, licensed by or to, or sublicensed by or to either Party or any member of its Group as of the Effective Time exclusively used or exclusively held for use in the SpinCo Business, and all Intellectual Property set forth on Schedule 1.4.

SpinCo IP/IT” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 2.2(a)(vi).

SpinCo Liabilities” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 2.3(a).

 

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SpinCo Permits” shall mean all Permits owned or licensed by either Party or any member of its Group primarily used or held for use in the SpinCo Business as of the Effective Time.

SpinCo Securities” shall mean senior notes of SpinCo in an aggregate principal amount of $500 million with a maturity of seven years and a non-call period of five years.

SpinCo Shares” shall mean the shares of common stock, par value $0.01 per share, of SpinCo.

SpinCo Software” shall mean all Software owned or licensed by either Party or member of its Group exclusively used or exclusively held for use in the SpinCo Business as of the Effective Time.

SpinCo Technology” shall mean all Technology owned or licensed by either Party or any member of its Group exclusively used or exclusively held for use in the SpinCo Business as of the Effective Time.

Stockholder and Registration Rights Agreement” shall mean the Stockholder and Registration Rights Agreement, in substantially the form attached hereto as Exhibit G, to be entered into by and between Parent and SpinCo or any members of their respective Groups in connection with the Separation, the Distribution or the other transactions contemplated by this Agreement, as it may be amended from time to time.

Straddle Period” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 2.14.

Subsequent Disposition” shall have the meaning set forth in the Recitals.

Subsidiary” shall mean, with respect to any Person, any corporation, limited liability company, joint venture or partnership of which such Person (a) beneficially owns, either directly or indirectly, more than fifty percent (50%) of (i) the total combined voting power of all classes of voting securities, (ii) the total combined equity interests or (iii) the capital or profit interests, in the case of a partnership, or (b) otherwise has the power to vote, either directly or indirectly, sufficient securities to elect a majority of the board of directors or similar governing body.

Tangible Information” shall mean information that is contained in written, electronic or other tangible forms.

Tax” shall have the meaning set forth in the Tax Matters Agreement.

Tax Authority” shall have the meaning set forth in the Tax Matters Agreement.

Tax Matters Agreement” shall mean the Tax Matters Agreement, in substantially the form attached hereto as Exhibit D, to be entered into by and between Parent and SpinCo or any members of their respective Groups in connection with the Separation, the Distribution or the other transactions contemplated by this Agreement, as it may be amended from time to time.

 

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Technology” shall mean all technology, hardware, computers, servers, workstations, routers, hubs, switches, data communication lines, network and telecommunications equipment, Internet-related information technology infrastructure, and other information technology equipment, in each case, other than Software.

Third Party” shall mean any Person other than the Parties or any members of their respective Groups.

Third-Party Claim” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 4.5(a).

Transaction Bonuses shall mean the aggregate amount of bonuses payable to employees of Parent and SpinCo (or their respective Subsidiaries) in connection with the Separation and Distribution.

Transaction Fees” shall mean all fees, costs and expenses incurred on or prior to the Effective Time in connection with the preparation, execution, delivery and implementation of this Agreement, including the Separation and the Distribution, and any Ancillary Agreement, the Separation, the registration statement, the Global Transaction Structure and the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby, as determined by Parent in its sole discretion.

Transfer Documents” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 2.1(b).

Transferred Entities” shall mean the entities set forth on Schedule 1.5.

Transition Services Agreement” shall mean the Transition Services Agreement, attached hereto as Exhibit C, to be entered into by and between Parent and SpinCo or any members of their respective Groups in connection with the Separation, the Distribution or the other transactions contemplated by this Agreement, as it may be amended from time to time.

Unreleased Parent Liability” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 2.5(b)(ii).

Unreleased SpinCo Liability” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 2.5(a)(ii).

Unresolved Dispute Notice” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 7.2.

ARTICLE II

THE SEPARATION

2.1 Transfer of Assets and Assumption of Liabilities.

(a) On or prior to the Effective Time, but in any case prior to the Distribution, in accordance with the Global Transaction Structure:

(i) Transfer and Assignment of SpinCo Assets. Parent shall, and shall cause the applicable members of its Group to, contribute, assign, transfer, convey and deliver to SpinCo, or the applicable SpinCo Designees, and SpinCo or such SpinCo Designees shall accept from Parent and the applicable members of the Parent Group, all of Parent’s and such Parent Group member’s respective direct or indirect right, title and interest in and to all of the SpinCo Assets (it being understood that if any SpinCo Asset shall be held by a Transferred Entity or a wholly owned Subsidiary of a Transferred Entity, such SpinCo Asset may be assigned, transferred, conveyed and delivered to SpinCo as a result of the transfer of all of the equity interests in such Transferred Entity from Parent or the applicable members of the Parent Group to SpinCo or the applicable SpinCo Designee and such SpinCo Assets shall not be directly transferred by a Transferred Entity or a wholly owned Subsidiary of a Transferred Entity to SpinCo);

 

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(ii) Acceptance and Assumption of SpinCo Liabilities. SpinCo and the applicable SpinCo Designees shall accept, assume and agree faithfully to perform, discharge and fulfill all the SpinCo Liabilities in accordance with their respective terms. SpinCo and such SpinCo Designees shall be responsible for all SpinCo Liabilities, regardless of when or where such SpinCo Liabilities arose or arise, or whether the facts on which they are based occurred prior to or subsequent to the Effective Time, regardless of where or against whom such SpinCo Liabilities are asserted or determined (including any SpinCo Liabilities arising out of claims made by Parent’s or SpinCo’s respective directors, officers, employees, agents, Subsidiaries or Affiliates against any member of the Parent Group or the SpinCo Group) or whether asserted or determined prior to the date hereof, and regardless of whether arising from or alleged to arise from negligence, recklessness, violation of Law, fraud or misrepresentation by any member of the Parent Group or the SpinCo Group, or any of their respective directors, officers, employees, agents, Subsidiaries or Affiliates;

(iii) Transfer and Assignment of Parent Assets. Parent and SpinCo shall cause SpinCo and the SpinCo Designees to distribute, assign, transfer, convey and deliver to Parent or certain members of the Parent Group designated by Parent, and Parent or such other members of the Parent Group shall accept from SpinCo and the SpinCo Designees, all of SpinCo’s and such SpinCo Designees’ respective direct or indirect right, title and interest in and to all Parent Assets held by SpinCo or a SpinCo Designee, including all Parent Assets held by a Transferred Entity; and

(iv) Acceptance and Assumption of Parent Liabilities. Parent and certain of members of the Parent Group designated by Parent shall accept and assume and agree faithfully to perform, discharge and fulfill all of the Parent Liabilities held by SpinCo or any SpinCo Designee and Parent and the applicable members of the Parent Group shall be responsible for all Parent Liabilities in accordance with their respective terms, regardless of when or where such Parent Liabilities arose or arise, whether the facts on which they are based occurred prior to or subsequent to the Effective Time, where or against whom such Parent Liabilities are asserted or determined (including any such Parent Liabilities arising out of claims made by Parent’s or SpinCo’s respective directors, officers, employees, agents, Subsidiaries or Affiliates against any member of the Parent Group or the SpinCo Group) or whether asserted or determined prior to the date hereof, and regardless of whether arising from or alleged to arise from negligence, recklessness, violation of Law, fraud or misrepresentation by any member of the Parent Group or the SpinCo Group, or any of their respective directors, officers, employees, agents, Subsidiaries or Affiliates.

(b) Transfer Documents. In furtherance of the contribution, distribution, assignment, transfer, conveyance and delivery of the Assets and the assumption of the Liabilities in accordance with Section 2.1(a), (i) each Party shall execute and deliver, and shall cause the applicable members of its Group to execute and deliver, to the other Party, such bills of sale, quitclaim deeds, stock powers, certificates of title, assignments of contracts and other instruments of transfer, conveyance and assignment as and to the extent necessary to evidence the transfer, conveyance and assignment of all of such Party’s and the applicable members of its Group’s right, title and interest in and to such Assets to the other Party and the applicable members of its Group

 

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in accordance with Section 2.1(a), and (ii) each Party shall execute and deliver, and shall cause the applicable members of its Group to execute and deliver, to the other Party, such assumptions of contracts and other instruments of assumption as and to the extent necessary to evidence the valid and effective assumption of the Liabilities by such Party and the applicable members of its Group in accordance with Section 2.1(a). All of the foregoing documents contemplated by this Section 2.1(b) shall be on forms mutually agreed by the Parties and shall be referred to collectively herein as the “Transfer Documents.”

(c) Misallocations. In the event that at any time or from time to time (whether prior to, at or after the Effective Time), one Party (or any member of such Party’s Group) shall receive or otherwise possess any Asset that is allocated to the other Party (or any member of such Party’s Group) pursuant to this Agreement or any Ancillary Agreement, such Party shall promptly transfer, or cause to be transferred, such Asset to the Party so entitled thereto (or to any member of such Party’s Group), and such Party (or member of such Party’s Group) so entitled thereto shall accept such Asset. Prior to any such transfer, the Person receiving or possessing such Asset shall hold such Asset in trust for such other Person. In the event that at any time or from time to time (whether prior to, at or after the Effective Time), one Party hereto (or any member of such Party’s Group) shall receive or otherwise assume any Liability that is allocated to the other Party (or any member of such Party’s Group) pursuant to this Agreement or any Ancillary Agreement, such other Party shall promptly assume, or cause to be assumed, such Liability and agree to faithfully perform such Liability in accordance with this Agreement. In furtherance of the foregoing, in the event that (i) the SpinCo Group holds cash and cash equivalents in an amount in excess of the SpinCo Cash Amount immediately following the Effective Time, SpinCo shall promptly pay to Parent such excess by wire transfer of immediately available funds and (ii) the SpinCo Group holds cash and cash equivalents in an amount less than the SpinCo Cash Amount immediately following the Effective Time, Parent shall promptly pay to SpinCo such deficit by wire transfer of immediately available funds.

(d) Waiver of Bulk-Sale and Bulk-Transfer Laws. To the extent permissible under applicable Law, SpinCo hereby waives compliance by each and every member of the Parent Group with the requirements and provisions of any “bulk-sale” or “bulk-transfer” Laws of any jurisdiction that may otherwise be applicable with respect to the transfer or sale of any or all of the SpinCo Assets to any member of the SpinCo Group. To the extent permissible under applicable Law, Parent hereby waives compliance by each and every member of the SpinCo Group with the requirements and provisions of any “bulk-sale” or “bulk-transfer” Laws of any jurisdiction that may otherwise be applicable with respect to the transfer or sale of any or all of the Parent Assets to any member of the Parent Group.

2.2 SpinCo Assets; Parent Assets.

(a) SpinCo Assets. For purposes of this Agreement, “SpinCo Assets” shall mean:

(i) all issued and outstanding capital stock or other equity interests of the Transferred Entities that are owned by either Party or any members of its Group as of the Effective Time (for the avoidance of doubt, this clause (i) does not include Assets that are held by the Transferred Entities, which shall be allocated in accordance with the provisions of Section 2.2(a)(ii) through (xi) and Section 2.2(b));

 

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(ii) except as set forth on Schedule 2.2(a)(ii), all Assets of either Party or any members of its Group included or reflected as assets of the SpinCo Group on the SpinCo Balance Sheet, subject to any dispositions of such Assets subsequent to the date of the SpinCo Balance Sheet; provided that the amounts set forth on the SpinCo Balance Sheet with respect to any Assets shall not be treated as minimum amounts or limitations on the amount of such Assets that are included in the definition of SpinCo Assets pursuant to this clause (ii);

(iii) all Assets of either Party or any of the members of its Group as of the Effective Time that are of a nature or type that would have resulted in such Assets being included as Assets of SpinCo or members of the SpinCo Group on a pro forma combined balance sheet of the SpinCo Group or any notes or subledgers thereto as of the Effective Time (were such balance sheet, notes and subledgers to be prepared on a basis consistent with the determination of the Assets included on the SpinCo Balance Sheet), it being understood that (x) the SpinCo Balance Sheet shall be used to determine the types of, and methodologies used to determine, those Assets that are included in the definition of SpinCo Assets pursuant to this clause (iii); and (y) the amounts set forth on the SpinCo Balance Sheet with respect to any Assets shall not be treated as minimum amounts or limitations on the amount of such Assets that are included in the definition of SpinCo Assets pursuant to this clause (iii);

(iv) all Assets of either Party or any of the members of its Group as of the Effective Time that are expressly provided by this Agreement or any Ancillary Agreement as Assets to be transferred to SpinCo or any other member of the SpinCo Group;

(v) all SpinCo Contracts as of the Effective Time and all rights, interests or claims of either Party or any of the members of its Group thereunder as of the Effective Time;

(vi) all SpinCo Intellectual Property, SpinCo Software and SpinCo Technology as of the Effective Time and all rights, interests or claims of either Party or any of the members of its Group thereunder as of the Effective Time (collectively, the “SpinCo IP/IT”);

(vii) all SpinCo Permits as of the Effective Time and all rights, interests or claims of either Party or any of the members of its Group thereunder as of the Effective Time;

(viii) all rights, interests and claims of either Party or any of the members of its Group as of the Effective Time with respect to Information to the extent primarily related to the SpinCo Assets, the SpinCo Liabilities, the SpinCo Business or the Transferred Entities and, subject to the provisions of the applicable Ancillary Agreements, a non-exclusive right to all Information that is related to, but not primarily related to, the SpinCo Assets, the SpinCo Liabilities, the SpinCo Business or the Transferred Entities;

 

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(ix) the SpinCo Cash Amount (provided, that the SpinCo Cash Amount may be reduced in connection with the reimbursement of Transaction Bonsues in accordance with Section 2.13(c)(iv) and the reimbursement of Transaction Fees in excess of $20 million in accordance with Section 10.8);

(x) all Assets of either Party or any of the members of its Group as of the Effective Time not otherwise described in clauses (i) through (ix) of this Section 2.2(a) that are exclusively related to the SpinCo Business; and

(xi) any and all Assets set forth on Schedule 2.2(a)(xi).

(b) Parent Assets. For the purposes of this Agreement, “Parent Assets” shall mean all Assets of either Party or the members of its Group as of the Effective Time, other than the SpinCo Assets, it being understood that, notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, the Parent Assets shall include:

(i) all Assets that are expressly contemplated by this Agreement or any Ancillary Agreement (or the Schedules hereto or thereto) as Assets to be retained by Parent or any other member of the Parent Group;

(ii) all contracts and agreements of either Party or any of the members of its Group as of the Effective Time (other than the SpinCo Contracts);

(iii) (x) the Intellectual Property set forth on Schedule 2.2(b)(iii), and (y) all Intellectual Property, Software and Technology of either Party or any of the members of its Group as of the Effective Time (other than, in the case of this clause (y), the SpinCo IP/IT);

(iv) all Permits of either Party or any of the members of its Group as of the Effective Time (other than the SpinCo Permits);

(v) all cash and cash equivalents of either Party or any of the members of its Group as of the Effective Time, including all cash and cash equivalents generated by the SpinCo Business prior to the Effective Time (other than the SpinCo Cash Amount);

(vi) all Assets of either Party or the members of its Group as of the Effective Time, other than the SpinCo Assets; and

(vii) any and all Assets set forth on Schedule 2.2(b)(vi).

2.3 SpinCo Liabilities; Parent Liabilities.

(a) SpinCo Liabilities. For the purposes of this Agreement, “SpinCo Liabilities” shall mean the following Liabilities of either Party or any of the members of its Group:

(i) except as set forth on Schedule 2.3(a)(i), all Liabilities included or reflected as liabilities or obligations of SpinCo or the members of the SpinCo Group on the SpinCo Balance Sheet, subject to any discharge of such Liabilities subsequent to the date of the SpinCo Balance Sheet; provided that the amounts set forth on the SpinCo Balance Sheet with respect to any Liabilities shall not be treated as minimum amounts or limitations on the amount of such Liabilities that are included in the definition of SpinCo Liabilities pursuant to this clause (i);

 

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(ii) all Liabilities as of the Effective Time that are of a nature or type that would have resulted in such Liabilities being included or reflected as liabilities or obligations of SpinCo or the members of the SpinCo Group on a pro forma combined balance sheet of the SpinCo Group or any notes or subledgers thereto as of the Effective Time (were such balance sheet, notes and subledgers to be prepared on a basis consistent with the determination of the Liabilities included on the SpinCo Balance Sheet), it being understood that (x) the SpinCo Balance Sheet shall be used to determine the types of, and methodologies used to determine, those Liabilities that are included in the definition of SpinCo Liabilities pursuant to this clause (ii); and (y) the amounts set forth on the SpinCo Balance Sheet with respect to any Liabilities shall not be treated as minimum amounts or limitations on the amount of such Liabilities that are included in the definition of SpinCo Liabilities pursuant to this clause (ii);

(iii) all Liabilities to the extent relating to, arising out of or resulting from the actions, inactions, events, omissions, conditions, facts or circumstances occurring or existing prior to the Effective Time (whether or not such Liabilities cease being contingent, mature, become known, are asserted or foreseen, or accrue, in each case before, at or after the Effective Time), in each case to the extent that such Liabilities relate to, arise out of or result from the SpinCo Business or a SpinCo Asset;

(iv) any and all Liabilities that are expressly provided by this Agreement or any Ancillary Agreement (or the Schedules hereto or thereto) as Liabilities to be assumed by SpinCo or any other member of the SpinCo Group, and all agreements, obligations and Liabilities of any member of the SpinCo Group under this Agreement or any of the Ancillary Agreements;

(v) all Liabilities to the extent relating to, arising out of or resulting from the SpinCo Contracts, the SpinCo Intellectual Property, the SpinCo Software, the SpinCo Technology, the SpinCo Permits or the SpinCo Financing Arrangements;

(vi) any and all Liabilities set forth on Schedule 2.3(a)(vi); and

(vii) all Liabilities arising out of claims made by any Third Party (including Parent’s or SpinCo’s respective directors, officers, stockholders, employees and agents) against any member of the Parent Group or the SpinCo Group to the extent relating to, arising out of or resulting from the SpinCo Business or the SpinCo Assets or the other business, operations, activities or Liabilities of SpinCo referred to in clauses (i) through (vi) above.

(b) Parent Liabilities. For the purposes of this Agreement, “Parent Liabilities” shall mean (i) all Liabilities to the extent relating to, arising out of or resulting from actions, inactions, events, omissions, conditions, facts or circumstances occurring or existing prior to the Effective Time (whether or not such Liabilities cease being contingent, mature, become known,

 

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are asserted or foreseen, or accrue, in each case before, at or after the Effective Time) of any member of the Parent Group and, prior to the Effective Time, any member of the SpinCo Group, in each case that are not SpinCo Liabilities, including any and all Liabilities set forth on Schedule 2.3(b); and (ii) all Liabilities arising out of claims made by any Third Party (including Parent’s or SpinCo’s respective directors, officers, stockholders, employees and agents) against any member of the Parent Group or the SpinCo Group to the extent relating to, arising out of or resulting from the Parent Business or the Parent Assets.

2.4 Approvals and Notifications.

(a) Approvals and Notifications for SpinCo Assets and Liabilities. To the extent that the transfer or assignment of any SpinCo Asset, the assumption of any SpinCo Liability, the Separation, or the Distribution requires any Approvals or Notifications, the Parties shall use their commercially reasonable efforts to obtain or make such Approvals or Notifications as soon as reasonably practicable; provided, however, that, except to the extent expressly provided in this Agreement or any of the Ancillary Agreements or as otherwise agreed between Parent and SpinCo, neither Parent nor SpinCo shall be obligated to contribute capital or pay any consideration in any form (including providing any letter of credit, guaranty or other financial accommodation) to any Person in order to obtain or make such Approvals or Notifications.

(b) Delayed SpinCo Transfers. If and to the extent that the valid, complete and perfected transfer or assignment to the SpinCo Group of any SpinCo Asset or assumption by the SpinCo Group of any SpinCo Liability in connection with the Separation or the Distribution would be a violation of applicable Law or require any Approvals or Notifications that have not been obtained or made by the Effective Time then, unless the Parties shall otherwise mutually determine, the transfer or assignment to the SpinCo Group of such SpinCo Assets or the assumption by the SpinCo Group of such SpinCo Liabilities, as the case may be, shall be automatically deemed deferred and any such purported transfer, assignment or assumption shall be null and void until such time as all legal impediments are removed or such Approvals or Notifications have been obtained or made. Notwithstanding the foregoing, any such SpinCo Assets or SpinCo Liabilities shall continue to constitute SpinCo Assets and SpinCo Liabilities for all other purposes of this Agreement.

(c) Treatment of Delayed SpinCo Assets and Delayed SpinCo Liabilities. If any transfer or assignment of any SpinCo Asset (or a portion thereof) or any assumption of any SpinCo Liability (or a portion thereof) intended to be transferred, assigned or assumed hereunder, as the case may be, is not consummated on or prior to the Effective Time, whether as a result of the provisions of Section 2.4(b) or for any other reason (any such SpinCo Asset (or a portion thereof), a “Delayed SpinCo Asset” and any such SpinCo Liability (or a portion thereof), a “Delayed SpinCo Liability”), then, insofar as reasonably possible and subject to applicable Law, the member of the Parent Group retaining such Delayed SpinCo Asset or such Delayed SpinCo Liability, as the case may be, shall thereafter hold such Delayed SpinCo Asset or Delayed SpinCo Liability, as the case may be, for the use and benefit of the member of the SpinCo Group entitled thereto (at the expense of the member of the SpinCo Group entitled thereto). In addition, the member of the Parent Group retaining such Delayed SpinCo Asset or such Delayed SpinCo Liability shall, insofar as reasonably possible and to the extent permitted by applicable Law, treat such Delayed SpinCo Asset or Delayed SpinCo Liability in the ordinary course of business in

 

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accordance with SpinCo Group past practice and take such other actions as may be reasonably requested by the member of the SpinCo Group to whom such Delayed SpinCo Asset is to be transferred or assigned, or which will assume such Delayed SpinCo Liability, as the case may be, in order to place such member of the SpinCo Group in a substantially similar position as if such Delayed SpinCo Asset or Delayed SpinCo Liability had been transferred, assigned or assumed as contemplated hereby and so that all the benefits and burdens relating to such Delayed SpinCo Asset or Delayed SpinCo Liability, as the case may be, including use, risk of loss, potential for gain, and dominion, control and command over such Delayed SpinCo Asset or Delayed SpinCo Liability, as the case may be, and all costs and expenses related thereto, shall inure from and after the Effective Time to the SpinCo Group.

(d) Transfer of Delayed SpinCo Assets and Delayed SpinCo Liabilities. If and when the Approvals or Notifications, the absence of which caused the deferral of transfer or assignment of any Delayed SpinCo Asset or the deferral of assumption of any Delayed SpinCo Liability pursuant to Section 2.4(b), are obtained or made, and, if and when any other legal impediments for the transfer or assignment of any Delayed SpinCo Asset or the assumption of any Delayed SpinCo Liability have been removed, the transfer or assignment of the applicable Delayed SpinCo Asset or the assumption of the applicable Delayed SpinCo Liability, as the case may be, shall be effected in accordance with the terms of this Agreement and/or the applicable Ancillary Agreement.

(e) Costs for Delayed SpinCo Assets and Delayed SpinCo Liabilities. Any member of the Parent Group retaining a Delayed SpinCo Asset or Delayed SpinCo Liability due to the deferral of the transfer or assignment of such Delayed SpinCo Asset or the deferral of the assumption of such Delayed SpinCo Liability, as the case may be, shall not be obligated, in connection with the foregoing, to expend any money, unless the necessary funds are advanced (or otherwise made available) by SpinCo or the member of the SpinCo Group entitled to the Delayed SpinCo Asset or Delayed SpinCo Liability, other than reasonable out-of-pocket expenses, attorneys’ fees and recording or similar fees, all of which shall be promptly reimbursed by SpinCo or the member of the SpinCo Group entitled to such Delayed SpinCo Asset or Delayed SpinCo Liability; provided, however, that the Parent Group shall not knowingly allow the loss or diminution in value of any Delayed SpinCo Asset without first providing the SpinCo Group commercially reasonable notice of such potential loss or diminution in value and affording the SpinCo Group commercially reasonable opportunity to take action to prevent such loss or diminution in value.

(f) Approvals and Notifications for Parent Assets. To the extent that the transfer or assignment of any Parent Asset, the assumption of any Parent Liability, the Separation or the Distribution requires any Approvals or Notifications, the Parties shall use commercially reasonable efforts to obtain or make such Approvals or Notifications as soon as reasonably practicable; provided, however, that, except to the extent expressly provided in this Agreement or any of the Ancillary Agreements or as otherwise agreed between Parent and SpinCo, neither Parent nor SpinCo shall be obligated to contribute capital or pay any consideration in any form (including providing any letter of credit, guaranty or other financial accommodation) to any Person in order to obtain or make such Approvals or Notifications.

 

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(g) Delayed Parent Transfers. If and to the extent that the valid, complete and perfected transfer or assignment to the Parent Group of any Parent Asset or assumption by the Parent Group of any Parent Liability in connection with the Separation or the Distribution would be a violation of applicable Law or require any Approval or Notification that has not been obtained or made by the Effective Time then, unless the Parties mutually shall otherwise determine, the transfer or assignment to the Parent Group of such Parent Assets or the assumption by the Parent Group of such Parent Liabilities, as the case may be, shall be automatically deemed deferred and any such purported transfer, assignment or assumption shall be null and void until such time as all legal impediments are removed or such Approval or Notification has been obtained or made. Notwithstanding the foregoing, any such Parent Assets or Parent Liabilities shall continue to constitute Parent Assets and Parent Liabilities for all other purposes of this Agreement.

(h) Treatment of Delayed Parent Assets and Delayed Parent Liabilities. If any transfer or assignment of any Parent Asset (or a portion thereof) or any assumption of any Parent Liability (or a portion thereof) intended to be transferred, assigned or assumed hereunder, as the case may be, is not consummated on or prior to the Effective Time whether as a result of the provisions of Section 2.4(g) or for any other reason (any such Parent Asset (or a portion thereof), a “Delayed Parent Asset” and any such Parent Liability (or a portion thereof), a “Delayed Parent Liability”), then, insofar as reasonably possible and subject to applicable Law, the member of the SpinCo Group retaining such Delayed Parent Asset or such Delayed Parent Liability, as the case may be, shall thereafter hold such Delayed Parent Asset or Delayed Parent Liability, as the case may be, for the use and benefit of the member of the Parent Group entitled thereto (at the expense of the member of the Parent Group entitled thereto). In addition, the member of the SpinCo Group retaining such Delayed Parent Asset or such Delayed Parent Liability shall, insofar as reasonably possible and to the extent permitted by applicable Law, treat such Delayed Parent Asset or Delayed Parent Liability in the ordinary course of business in accordance with Parent Group past practice and take such other actions as may be reasonably requested by the member of the Parent Group to which such Delayed Parent Asset is to be transferred or assigned, or which will assume such Delayed Parent Liability, as the case may be, in order to place such member of the Parent Group in a substantially similar position as if such Delayed Parent Asset or Delayed Parent Liability had been transferred, assigned or assumed and so that all the benefits and burdens relating to such Delayed Parent Asset or Delayed Parent Liability, as the case may be, including use, risk of loss, potential for gain, and dominion, control and command over such Delayed Parent Asset or Delayed Parent Liability, as the case may be, and all costs and expenses related thereto, shall inure from and after the Effective Time to the Parent Group.

(i) Transfer of Delayed Parent Assets and Delayed Parent Liabilities. If and when the Approvals or Notifications, the absence of which caused the deferral of transfer or assignment of any Delayed Parent Asset or the deferral of assumption of any Delayed Parent Liability pursuant to Section 2.4(g), are obtained or made, and, if and when any other legal impediments for the transfer or assignment of any Delayed Parent Asset or the assumption of any Delayed Parent Liability have been removed, the transfer or assignment of the applicable Delayed Parent Asset or the assumption of the applicable Delayed Parent Liability, as the case may be, shall be effected in accordance with the terms of this Agreement and/or the applicable Ancillary Agreement.

 

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(j) Costs for Delayed Parent Assets and Delayed Parent Liabilities. Any member of the SpinCo Group retaining a Delayed Parent Asset or Delayed Parent Liability due to the deferral of the transfer or assignment of such Delayed Parent Asset or the deferral of the assumption of such Delayed Parent Liability, as the case may be, shall not be obligated, in connection with the foregoing, to expend any money, unless the necessary funds are advanced (or otherwise made available) by Parent or the member of the Parent Group entitled to the Delayed Parent Asset or Delayed Parent Liability, other than reasonable out-of-pocket expenses, attorneys’ fees and recording or similar fees, all of which shall be promptly reimbursed by Parent or the member of the Parent Group entitled to such Delayed Parent Asset or Delayed Parent Liability; provided, however, that the SpinCo Group shall not knowingly allow the loss or diminution in value of any Delayed Parent Asset without first providing the Parent Group commercially reasonable notice of such potential loss or diminution in value and affording the Parent Group commercially reasonable opportunity to take action to prevent such loss or diminution in value.

2.5 Novation of Liabilities.

(a) Novation of SpinCo Liabilities.

(i) Each of Parent and SpinCo, at the request of the other, shall use its commercially reasonable efforts to obtain, or to cause to be obtained, as soon as reasonably practicable, any consent, substitution, approval or amendment required to novate or assign all SpinCo Liabilities and obtain in writing the unconditional release of each member of the Parent Group that is a party to any such arrangements, so that, in any such case, the members of the SpinCo Group shall be solely responsible for such SpinCo Liabilities; provided, however, that, except as otherwise expressly provided in this Agreement or any of the Ancillary Agreements, neither Parent nor SpinCo shall be obligated to contribute any capital or pay any consideration in any form (including providing any letter of credit, guaranty or other financial accommodation) to any Third Party from whom any such consent, substitution, approval, amendment or release is requested.

(ii) If Parent or SpinCo is unable to obtain, or to cause to be obtained, any such required consent, substitution, approval, amendment or release and the applicable member of the Parent Group continues to be bound by such agreement, lease, license or other obligation or Liability (each, an “Unreleased SpinCo Liability”), SpinCo shall, to the extent not prohibited by Law, as indemnitor, guarantor, agent or subcontractor for such member of the Parent Group, as the case may be, (x) pay, perform and discharge fully all the obligations or other Liabilities of such member of the Parent Group that constitute Unreleased SpinCo Liabilities from and after the Effective Time and (y) use its commercially reasonable efforts to effect such payment, performance or discharge prior to any demand for such payment, performance or discharge is permitted to be made by the obligee thereunder on any member of the Parent Group. If and when any such consent, substitution, approval, amendment or release shall be obtained or the Unreleased SpinCo Liabilities shall otherwise become assignable or able to be novated, Parent shall promptly assign, or cause to be assigned, and SpinCo or the applicable SpinCo Group member shall assume, such Unreleased SpinCo Liabilities without exchange of further consideration.

 

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(b) Novation of Parent Liabilities.

(i) Each of Parent and SpinCo, at the request of the other, shall use its commercially reasonable efforts to obtain, or to cause to be obtained, as soon as reasonably practicable, any consent, substitution, approval or amendment required to novate or assign all Parent Liabilities and obtain in writing the unconditional release of each member of the SpinCo Group that is a party to any such arrangements, so that, in any such case, the members of the Parent Group shall be solely responsible for such Parent Liabilities; provided, however, that, except as otherwise expressly provided in this Agreement or any of the Ancillary Agreements, neither Parent nor SpinCo shall be obligated to contribute any capital or pay any consideration in any form (including providing any letter of credit, guaranty or other financial accommodation) to any Third Party from whom any such consent, substitution, approval, amendment or release is requested.

(ii) If Parent or SpinCo is unable to obtain, or to cause to be obtained, any such required consent, substitution, approval, amendment or release and the applicable member of the SpinCo Group continues to be bound by such agreement, lease, license or other obligation or Liability (each, an “Unreleased Parent Liability”), Parent shall, to the extent not prohibited by Law, as indemnitor, guarantor, agent or subcontractor for such member of the SpinCo Group, as the case may be, (x) pay, perform and discharge fully all the obligations or other Liabilities of such member of the SpinCo Group that constitute Unreleased Parent Liabilities from and after the Effective Time and (y) use its commercially reasonable efforts to effect such payment, performance or discharge prior to any demand for such payment, performance or discharge is permitted to be made by the obligee thereunder on any member of the SpinCo Group. If and when any such consent, substitution, approval, amendment or release shall be obtained or the Unreleased Parent Liabilities shall otherwise become assignable or able to be novated, SpinCo shall promptly assign, or cause to be assigned, and Parent or the applicable Parent Group member shall assume, such Unreleased Parent Liabilities without exchange of further consideration.

2.6 Release of Guarantees. In furtherance of, and not in limitation of, the obligations set forth in Section 2.5:

(a) On or prior to the Effective Time or as soon as practicable thereafter, each of Parent and SpinCo shall, at the request of the other Party and with the reasonable cooperation of such other Party and the applicable member(s) of such other Party’s Group, use commercially reasonable efforts to (i) have any member(s) of the Parent Group removed as guarantor of or obligor for any SpinCo Liability to the extent that such guarantee or obligation relates to SpinCo Liabilities, including with respect to the contracts or arrangements set forth on Schedule 2.6(a)(i), including the removal of any Security Interest on or in any Parent Asset that may serve as collateral or security for any such SpinCo Liability; and (ii) have any member(s) of the SpinCo Group removed as guarantor of or obligor for any Parent Liability to the extent that such guarantee or obligation relates to Parent Liabilities, including with respect to contracts or arrangements set forth on Schedule 2.6(a)(ii), including the removal of any Security Interest on or in any SpinCo Asset that may serve as collateral or security for any such Parent Liability.

 

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(b) Unless otherwise mutually agreed by the Parties, to the extent required to obtain a release from a guarantee of:

(i) any member of the Parent Group, SpinCo shall execute a guarantee agreement in the form of the existing guarantee or such other form as is agreed to by the relevant parties to such guarantee agreement, which agreement shall include the removal of any Security Interest on or in any Parent Asset that may serve as collateral or security for any SpinCo Liability, except to the extent that such existing guarantee contains representations, covenants or other terms or provisions either (x) with which SpinCo would be reasonably unable to comply or (y) which SpinCo would not reasonably be able to avoid breaching; and

(ii) any member of the SpinCo Group, Parent shall execute a guarantee agreement in the form of the existing guarantee or such other form as is agreed to by the relevant parties to such guarantee agreement, which agreement shall include the removal of any Security Interest on or in any SpinCo Asset that may serve as collateral or security for any Parent Liability, except to the extent that such existing guarantee contains representations, covenants or other terms or provisions either (x) with which Parent would be reasonably unable to comply or (y) which Parent would not reasonably be able to avoid breaching.

(c) If Parent or SpinCo is unable to obtain, or to cause to be obtained, any such required removal or release as set forth in clauses (a) and (b) of this Section 2.6, (i) the Party or the relevant member of its Group that has assumed the Liability with respect to such guarantee shall indemnify, defend and hold harmless the guarantor or obligor against or from any Liability arising from or relating thereto in accordance with the provisions of Article IV and shall, as agent or subcontractor for such guarantor or obligor, pay, perform and discharge fully all the obligations or other Liabilities of such guarantor or obligor thereunder; and (ii) each of Parent and SpinCo, on behalf of itself and the other members of their respective Groups, agree not to renew or extend the term of, increase any obligations under, or transfer to a Third Party, any loan, guarantee, lease, contract or other obligation for which the other Party or a member of its Group is or may be liable, unless all obligations of such other Party and the members of such other Party’s Group with respect thereto are thereupon terminated by documentation satisfactory in form and substance to such other Party.

2.7 Termination of Agreements.

(a) Except as set forth in Section 2.7(b), in furtherance of the releases and other provisions of Section 4.1, SpinCo and each member of the SpinCo Group, on the one hand, and Parent and each member of the Parent Group, on the other hand, hereby terminate any and all agreements, arrangements, commitments or understandings, whether or not in writing, between or among SpinCo and/or any member of the SpinCo Group, on the one hand, and Parent and/or any member of the Parent Group, on the other hand, effective as of the Effective Time. No such terminated agreement, arrangement, commitment or understanding (including any provision thereof which purports to survive termination) shall be of any further force or effect after the Effective Time. Each Party shall, at the reasonable request of the other Party, take, or cause to be taken, such other actions as may be necessary to effect the foregoing.

 

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(b) The provisions of Section 2.7(a) shall not apply to any of the following agreements, arrangements, commitments or understandings (or to any of the provisions thereof): (i) this Agreement and the Ancillary Agreements (and each other agreement or instrument expressly contemplated by this Agreement or any Ancillary Agreement to be entered into by any of the Parties or any of the members of their respective Groups or to be continued from and after the Effective Time); (ii) any agreements, arrangements, commitments or understandings listed or described on Schedule 2.7(b)(ii); (iii) any agreements, arrangements, commitments or understandings to which any Third Party is a party thereto; (iv) any intercompany accounts payable or accounts receivable accrued as of the Effective Time that are reflected in the books and records of the Parties or otherwise documented in writing in accordance with past practices, which shall be settled in the manner contemplated by Section 2.7(c); (v) any agreements, arrangements, commitments or understandings to which any non-wholly owned Subsidiary of Parent or SpinCo, as the case may be, is a party (it being understood that directors’ qualifying shares or similar interests will be disregarded for purposes of determining whether a Subsidiary is wholly owned); and (vi) any Shared Contracts, which shall survive in accordance with the terms set forth in the Transition Services Agreement or applicable schedules thereto.

(c) The Parties intend there to be no intercompany balances payable between any member of the Parent Group, on the one hand, and any member of the SpinCo Group, on the other hand as of the Effective Time. Notwithstanding the foregoing, to the extent any such intercompany accounts receivable or accounts payable between any member of the Parent Group, on the one hand, and any member of the SpinCo Group, on the other hand, remain outstanding after the Effective Time, such accounts shall, as promptly as practicable after the Effective Time, be repaid, settled or otherwise eliminated by means of cash payments, a dividend, capital contribution, a combination of the foregoing, or otherwise as determined by Parent in its sole and absolute discretion.

2.8 Treatment of Shared Contracts.

Subject to applicable Law and without limiting the generality of the obligations set forth in Section 2.1, the Parties agree that the applicable benefits of any Shared Contracts shall be conveyed to the applicable Party pursuant to the terms of the Transition Services Agreement and the schedules thereto.

 

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2.9 Bank Accounts; Cash Balances.

(a) Except as otherwise expressly contemplated by the schedules to the Transition Services Agreement, each Party agrees to take, or cause the members of its Group to take, at the Effective Time (or such earlier time as the Parties may agree) or as soon as practicable following the Effective Time, such actions as may be necessary to amend all contracts or agreements governing each bank and brokerage account owned by SpinCo or any other member of the SpinCo Group (collectively, the “SpinCo Accounts”) and all contracts or agreements governing each bank or brokerage account owned by Parent or any other member of the Parent Group (collectively, the “Parent Accounts”) so that each such SpinCo Account and Parent Account, if currently Linked (whether by automatic withdrawal, automatic deposit or any other authorization to transfer funds from or to, hereinafter “Linked”) to any Parent Account or SpinCo Account, respectively, is de-Linked from such Parent Account or SpinCo Account, respectively.

(b) It is intended that, following consummation of the actions contemplated by Section 2.9(a), there will be in place a cash management process pursuant to which the SpinCo Accounts will be managed and funds collected will be transferred into one or more accounts maintained by SpinCo or a member of the SpinCo Group.

(c) It is intended that, following consummation of the actions contemplated by Section 2.9(a), there will continue to be in place a cash management process pursuant to which the Parent Accounts will be managed and funds collected will be transferred into one or more accounts maintained by Parent or a member of the Parent Group.

 

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(d) With respect to any outstanding checks issued or payments initiated by Parent, SpinCo, or any of the members of their respective Groups prior to the Effective Time, such outstanding checks and payments shall be honored following the Effective Time by the Person or Group owning the account on which the check is drawn or from which the payment was initiated, respectively.

(e) As between Parent and SpinCo (and the members of their respective Groups), all payments made and reimbursements received after the Effective Time by either Party (or member of its Group) that relate to a business, Asset or Liability of the other Party (or member of its Group), shall be held by such Party in trust for the use and benefit of the Party entitled thereto and, promptly following receipt by such Party of any such payment or reimbursement, such Party shall pay over, or shall cause the applicable member of its Group to pay over to the other Party, the amount of such payment or reimbursement without right of set-off.

2.10 Ancillary Agreements. Effective on or prior to the Effective Time, each of Parent and SpinCo will, or will cause the applicable members of their Groups to, execute and deliver all Ancillary Agreements to which it is a party.

2.11 Disclaimer of Representations and Warranties. EACH OF PARENT (ON BEHALF OF ITSELF AND EACH MEMBER OF THE PARENT GROUP) AND SPINCO (ON BEHALF OF ITSELF AND EACH MEMBER OF THE SPINCO GROUP) UNDERSTANDS AND AGREES THAT, EXCEPT AS EXPRESSLY SET FORTH HEREIN OR IN ANY ANCILLARY AGREEMENT, NO PARTY TO THIS AGREEMENT, ANY ANCILLARY AGREEMENT OR ANY OTHER AGREEMENT OR DOCUMENT CONTEMPLATED BY THIS AGREEMENT, ANY ANCILLARY AGREEMENT OR OTHERWISE, IS REPRESENTING OR WARRANTING IN ANY WAY AS TO: (A) THE ASSETS, BUSINESSES OR LIABILITIES TRANSFERRED OR ASSUMED AS CONTEMPLATED HEREBY OR THEREBY, (B) ANY CONSENTS OR APPROVALS REQUIRED IN CONNECTION THEREWITH, (C) THE VALUE OR FREEDOM FROM ANY SECURITY INTERESTS OF, OR ANY OTHER MATTER CONCERNING, ANY ASSETS OF SUCH PARTY, (D) THE ABSENCE OF ANY DEFENSES OR RIGHT OF SET-OFF OR FREEDOM FROM COUNTERCLAIM WITH RESPECT TO ANY CLAIM OR OTHER ASSET, INCLUDING ANY ACCOUNTS RECEIVABLE, OF ANY PARTY, OR AS TO THE LEGAL SUFFICIENCY OF ANY ASSIGNMENT, DOCUMENT OR INSTRUMENT DELIVERED HEREUNDER TO CONVEY TITLE TO ANY ASSET OR THING OF VALUE UPON THE EXECUTION, DELIVERY AND FILING HEREOF OR THEREOF. EXCEPT AS MAY EXPRESSLY BE SET FORTH HEREIN OR IN ANY ANCILLARY AGREEMENT, ALL SUCH ASSETS ARE BEING TRANSFERRED ON AN “AS IS,” “WHERE IS” BASIS (AND, IN THE CASE OF ANY REAL PROPERTY, BY MEANS OF A QUITCLAIM OR SIMILAR FORM OF DEED OR CONVEYANCE) AND THE RESPECTIVE TRANSFEREES SHALL BEAR THE ECONOMIC AND LEGAL RISKS THAT (I) ANY CONVEYANCE WILL PROVE TO BE INSUFFICIENT TO VEST IN THE TRANSFEREE GOOD AND MARKETABLE TITLE, FREE AND CLEAR OF ANY SECURITY INTEREST, AND (II) ANY NECESSARY APPROVALS OR NOTIFICATIONS ARE NOT OBTAINED OR MADE OR THAT ANY REQUIREMENTS OF LAWS OR JUDGMENTS ARE NOT COMPLIED WITH.

 

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2.12 SpinCo Financing Arrangements.

(a) Prior to the Effective Time, SpinCo and/or other members of the SpinCo Group will enter into the SpinCo Financing Arrangements, on such terms and conditions as agreed by Parent.

(b) The Parties agree that SpinCo or another member of the SpinCo Group, as the case may be, and not Parent or any member of the Parent Group, are and shall be responsible for all costs and expenses incurred in connection with the SpinCo Financing Arrangements.

(c) Prior the Effective Time, Parent and SpinCo shall cooperate in the preparation of all materials as may be necessary or advisable to execute the SpinCo Financing Arrangements, including rating agency presentations necessary to obtain the requisite ratings needed to secure financing under the SpinCo Financing Arrangements.

2.13 Cash Distribution.

(a) In accordance with the Global Transaction Structure, SpinCo shall distribute the Base Cash Distribution to Parent in connection with the Separation and the Distribution, and SpinCo shall retain the Minimum Cash Amount. This distribution shall be in partial consideration for the Contribution.

(b) Promptly following the Distribution Date, but in no event later than 90 days after the Distribution Date, Parent shall prepare and submit to SpinCo a written statement setting forth, in reasonable detail, Parent’s calculation of (i) the Final Bonus Amount, (ii) the Final Cash Distribution, (iii) the Transaction Bonuses, and (iv) the amount of cash held by the SpinCo Group as of immediately following the Effective Time, which shall include cash that is held by any member of the SpinCo Group and may be restricted, subject to limitations on use or otherwise, as determined by Parent (the “SpinCo Closing Cash”).

(c) In order to ensure the transfer to Parent of all cash that constitutes a Parent Asset in accordance with Section 2.1(c), not later than five business days after the determination of the Final Cash Distribution and SpinCo Closing Cash pursuant to Section 2.13(b), the Parties shall make the following payments by wire transfer of immediately available funds in respect thereof (provided, that the Parties shall be entitled to net or aggregate any such payments):

(i) if the Base Cash Distribution is greater than the Final Cash Distribution, then an amount equal to such excess shall be paid by Parent to SpinCo;

(ii) if SpinCo Closing Cash (after giving effect to any transfers of cash pursuant to the final sentence of Section 2.1(c)) is greater than the Minimum Cash Amount, then an amount equal to such excess shall be paid by SpinCo to Parent (the “Additional Cash”);

 

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(iii) if the Minimum Cash Amount is greater than SpinCo Closing Cash (after giving effect to any transfers of cash pursuant to the final sentence of Section 2.1(c)), then an amount equal to such excess shall be paid by Parent to SpinCo; and

(iv) SpinCo shall reimburse Parent one-half of all Transaction Bonuses.

The adjustments in Section 2.13(c)(i) through (iii) shall result in SpinCo’s possession of cash as of immediately following the Effective Time (and after giving effect to the distribution of the Base Cash Distribution Amount and the reimbursement by SpinCo to Parent of $10,480,000 of Transaction Fees payable at the Effective Time, but without reference to the reimbursement of Transaction Bonuses or Transaction Expenses that may become payable after the Effective Time) in an amount equal to the SpinCo Cash Amount. For the avoidance of doubt, the SpinCo Cash Amount shall be further reduced in connection with the reimbursement of Transaction Bonuses in accordance with Section 2.13(c)(iv) and the reimbursement of Transaction Fees in excess of $20 million in accordance with Section 10.8.

2.14 Financial Information Certifications. Parent’s disclosure controls and procedures and internal control over financial reporting (as each is contemplated by the Exchange Act) are currently applicable to SpinCo as its Subsidiary. In order to enable the principal executive officer and principal financial officer of SpinCo to make the certifications required of them under Section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 following the Distribution in respect of any quarterly or annual fiscal period of SpinCo that begins on or prior to the Distribution Date in respect of which financial statements are not included in the Form 10 (a “Straddle Period”), upon 20 business days’ advance written request by SpinCo, Parent shall provide SpinCo with one or more certifications with respect to such disclosure controls and procedures and the effectiveness thereof and whether there were any changes in the internal controls over financial reporting that have materially affected or are reasonably likely to materially affect the internal control over financing reporting, which certification(s) shall (x) be with respect to the applicable Straddle Period (it being understood that no certification need be provided with respect to any period or portion of any period after the Distribution Date) and (y) be in substantially the same form as those that had been provided by officers or employees of Parent in similar certifications delivered prior to the Distribution Date, with such changes thereto as Parent may reasonably determine. Such certification(s) shall be provided by Parent (and not by any officer or employee in their individual capacity).

ARTICLE III

THE DISTRIBUTION

3.1 Sole and Absolute Discretion; Cooperation.

(a) Parent shall, in its sole and absolute discretion, determine the terms of the Distribution, including the form, structure and terms of any transaction(s) and/or offering(s) to effect the Distribution and the timing and conditions to the consummation of the Distribution. In addition, Parent may, at any time and from time to time until the consummation of the Distribution, modify or change the terms of the Distribution, including by accelerating or delaying the timing of the consummation of all or part of the Distribution. Nothing shall in any way limit Parent’s right to terminate this Agreement or the Distribution as set forth in Article IX or alter the consequences of any such termination from those specified in Article IX.

(b) SpinCo shall cooperate with Parent to accomplish the Distribution and shall, at Parent’s direction, promptly take any and all actions necessary or desirable to effect the Distribution, including in respect of the registration under the Exchange Act of SpinCo Shares on the Form 10. Parent shall select any investment bank or manager in connection with the Distribution, as well as any financial printer, solicitation and/or exchange agent and financial, legal, accounting and other advisors for Parent. SpinCo and Parent, as the case may be, will provide to the Distribution Agent any information required in order to complete the Distribution.

 

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3.2 Actions Prior to the Distribution. Prior to the Effective Time and subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein, the Parties shall take, or cause to be taken, the following actions in connection with the Distribution:

(a) Notice to Nasdaq. Parent shall, to the extent possible, give Nasdaq not less than 10 days’ advance notice of the Record Date in compliance with Rule 10b-17 under the Exchange Act.

(b) SpinCo Certificate of Incorporation and SpinCo Bylaws. On or prior to the Distribution Date, Parent and SpinCo shall take all necessary actions so that, as of the Effective Time, the SpinCo Certificate of Incorporation and the SpinCo Bylaws shall become the certificate of incorporation and bylaws of SpinCo, respectively.

(c) SpinCo Directors and Officers. On or prior to the Distribution Date, Parent and SpinCo shall take all necessary actions so that as of the Effective Time: (i) the directors and executive officers of SpinCo shall be those set forth in the Information Statement made available to the Record Holders prior to the Distribution Date, unless otherwise agreed by the Parties; (ii) each individual referred to in clause (i) shall have resigned from his or her position, if any, as a member of the Parent Board and/or as an executive officer of Parent; and (iii) SpinCo shall have such other officers as SpinCo shall appoint.

(d) Nasdaq Listing. SpinCo shall prepare and file, and shall use its best efforts to have approved, an application for the listing of the SpinCo Shares to be distributed in the Distribution on Nasdaq, subject to official notice of distribution.

(e) Securities Law Matters. SpinCo shall file any amendments or supplements to the Form 10 as may be necessary or advisable in order to cause the Form 10 to become and remain effective as required by the SEC or federal, state or other applicable securities Laws. Parent and SpinCo shall cooperate in preparing, filing with the SEC and causing to become effective registration statements or amendments thereof that are required to reflect the establishment of, or amendments to, any employee benefit and other plans necessary or advisable in connection with the transactions contemplated by this Agreement and the Ancillary Agreements. Parent and SpinCo will prepare, and SpinCo will, to the extent required under applicable Law, file with the SEC any such documentation and any requisite no-action letters that Parent determines are necessary or desirable to effectuate the Distribution, and Parent and SpinCo shall each use its reasonable best efforts to obtain all necessary approvals from the SEC with respect thereto as soon as practicable. Parent and SpinCo shall take all such action as may be necessary or appropriate under the securities or blue sky Laws of the United States (and any comparable Laws under any foreign jurisdiction) in connection with the Distribution.

(f) Availability of Information Statement. Parent shall, as soon as is reasonably practicable after the Form 10 is declared effective under the Exchange Act and the Parent Board has approved the Distribution, cause the Information Statement to be made available to the Record Holders.

 

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(g) The Distribution Agent. Parent shall enter into a distribution agent agreement with the Distribution Agent or otherwise provide instructions to the Distribution Agent regarding the Distribution.

(h) Stock-Based Employee Benefit Plans. Parent and SpinCo shall take all actions as may be necessary to approve the grants of adjusted equity awards by Parent (in respect of Parent Shares) and SpinCo (in respect of SpinCo Shares) in connection with the Distribution in order to satisfy the requirements of Rule 16b-3 under the Exchange Act.

3.3 Conditions to the Distribution.

(a) The consummation of the Distribution will be subject to the satisfaction, or waiver by Parent in its sole and absolute discretion, of the following conditions:

(i) The SEC shall have declared effective the Form 10; no order suspending the effectiveness of the Form 10 shall be in effect; and no proceedings for such purposes shall have been instituted, threatened or otherwise suggested or implied by the SEC;

(ii) The Information Statement shall have been made available to the Record Holders;

(iii) Parent shall have received a private letter ruling from the IRS, satisfactory to the Parent Board, regarding certain U.S. federal income tax matters;

(iv) Parent shall have received an opinion from Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP, satisfactory to the Parent Board, regarding the qualification of the Contribution and the Distribution, taken together, as a transaction described in Sections 355 and 368(a)(1)(D) of the Code;

(v) An independent appraisal firm acceptable to Parent shall have delivered one or more opinions to the Parent Board confirming the solvency and financial viability of Parent prior to the Distribution and of Parent and SpinCo after consummation of the Distribution, and such opinions shall be acceptable to Parent in form and substance in Parent’s sole discretion and such opinions shall not have been withdrawn or rescinded;

(vi) The transfer of the SpinCo Assets (other than any Delayed SpinCo Asset) and SpinCo Liabilities (other than any Delayed SpinCo Liability) contemplated to be transferred from Parent (or the applicable members of its Group) to SpinCo on or prior to the Distribution shall have occurred as contemplated by Section 2.1, and the transfer of the Parent Assets (other than any Delayed Parent Asset) and Parent Liabilities (other than any Delayed Parent Liability) contemplated to be transferred from SpinCo to Parent (or the applicable members of its Group) on or prior to the Distribution Date shall have occurred as contemplated by Section 2.1, in each case pursuant to the Global Transaction Structure;

(vii) The actions and filings necessary or appropriate under applicable U.S. federal, U.S. state or other securities Laws or blue sky Laws and the rules and regulations thereunder shall have been taken or made, and, where applicable, have become effective or been accepted by the applicable Governmental Authority;

 

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(viii) All Governmental Approvals necessary to consummate the Distribution shall have been obtained and be in full force and effect;

(ix) Each of the Ancillary Agreements shall have been duly executed and delivered by the applicable parties thereto;

(x) No order, injunction or decree issued by any Governmental Authority of competent jurisdiction or other legal restraint or prohibition preventing the consummation of the Separation, the Distribution or any of the transactions related thereto shall be pending or in effect;

(xi) The SpinCo Shares to be distributed to the Parent stockholders in the Distribution shall have been accepted for listing on the Nasdaq, subject to official notice of distribution;

(xii) SpinCo and/or other members of the SpinCo Group shall have consummated, as applicable, the SpinCo Financing Arrangements. Parent shall be satisfied in its sole and absolute discretion that, as of the Effective Time, it shall have no Liability whatsoever under the SpinCo Financing Arrangements;

(xiii) Parent shall have received the proceeds from the Final Cash Distribution; and

(xiv) No other events or developments shall exist or shall have occurred that, in the judgment of the Parent Board, in its sole and absolute discretion, makes it inadvisable to effect the Separation, the Distribution or the transactions contemplated by this Agreement or any Ancillary Agreement.

(b) The foregoing conditions are for the sole benefit of Parent and shall not give rise to or create any duty on the part of Parent or the Parent Board to waive or not waive any such condition or in any way limit Parent’s right to terminate this Agreement as set forth in Article IX or alter the consequences of any such termination from those specified in Article IX. Any determination made by the Parent Board prior to the Distribution concerning the satisfaction or waiver of any or all of the conditions set forth in Section 3.3(a) shall be conclusive and binding on the Parties.

3.4 The Distribution.

(a) Subject to Section 3.3, on or prior to the Effective Time, SpinCo will deliver to the Distribution Agent, for the benefit of the Record Holders, book-entry transfer authorizations for such number of the outstanding SpinCo Shares as is necessary to effect the Distribution, and shall cause the transfer agent for the Parent Shares to instruct the Distribution Agent to distribute at the Effective Time the appropriate number of SpinCo Shares to each such holder or designated transferee or transferees of such holder by way of direct registration in book-entry form. SpinCo will not issue paper stock certificates in respect of the SpinCo Shares. The Distribution shall be effective at the Effective Time.

 

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(b) Subject to Sections 3.3 and 3.4(c), each Record Holder will be entitled to receive in the Distribution a number of whole SpinCo Shares equal to the number of Parent Shares held by such Record Holder on the Record Date multiplied by the Distribution Ratio, rounded down to the nearest whole number.

(c) No fractional shares will be distributed or credited to book-entry accounts in connection with the Distribution, and any such fractional share interests to which a Record Holder would otherwise be entitled shall not entitle such Record Holder to vote or to any other rights as a stockholder of SpinCo. In lieu of retaining any such fractional shares, each Record Holder who, but for the provisions of this Section 3.4(c), would be entitled to a fractional share interest of a SpinCo Share pursuant to the Distribution, shall be paid cash, without any interest thereon, as hereinafter provided. As soon as practicable after the Effective Time, Parent shall direct the Distribution Agent to determine the number of whole and fractional SpinCo Shares allocable to each Record Holder, to aggregate all such fractional shares into whole shares, and to sell the whole shares obtained thereby in the open market at the then-prevailing prices on behalf of each Record Holder who otherwise would be entitled to receive fractional share interests (with the Distribution Agent, in its sole and absolute discretion, determining when, how and through which broker-dealer and at what price to make such sales), and to cause to be distributed to each such Record Holder, in lieu of any fractional share, such Record Holder’s or owner’s ratable share of the total proceeds of such sale, after deducting any Taxes required to be withheld and applicable transfer Taxes, and after deducting the costs and expenses of such sale and distribution, including brokers fees and commissions. None of Parent, SpinCo or the Distribution Agent will be required to guarantee any minimum sale price for the fractional SpinCo Shares sold in accordance with this Section 3.4(c). Neither Parent nor SpinCo will be required to pay any interest on the proceeds from the sale of fractional shares. Neither the Distribution Agent nor the broker-dealers through which the aggregated fractional shares are sold shall be Affiliates of Parent or SpinCo. Solely for purposes of computing fractional share interests pursuant to this Section 3.4(c) and Section 3.4(d), the beneficial owner of Parent Shares held of record in the name of a nominee in any nominee account shall be treated as the Record Holder with respect to such shares.

(d) Any SpinCo Shares or cash in lieu of fractional shares with respect to SpinCo Shares that remain unclaimed by any Record Holder 180 days after the Distribution Date shall be delivered to SpinCo, and SpinCo or its transfer agent on its behalf shall hold such SpinCo Shares and cash for the account of such Record Holder, and the Parties agree that all obligations to provide such SpinCo Shares and cash, if any, in lieu of fractional share interests shall be obligations of SpinCo, subject in each case to applicable escheat or other abandoned property Laws, and Parent shall have no Liability with respect thereto.

(e) Until the SpinCo Shares are duly transferred in accordance with this Section 3.4 and applicable Law, from and after the Effective Time, SpinCo will regard the Persons entitled to receive such SpinCo Shares as record holders of SpinCo Shares in accordance with the terms of the Distribution without requiring any action on the part of such Persons. SpinCo agrees that, subject to any transfers of such shares, from and after the Effective Time, (i) each such holder will be entitled to receive all dividends, if any, payable on, and exercise voting rights and all other rights and privileges with respect to, the SpinCo Shares then held by such holder, and (ii) each such holder will be entitled, without any action on the part of such holder, to receive evidence of ownership of the SpinCo Shares then held by such holder.

 

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ARTICLE IV

MUTUAL RELEASES; INDEMNIFICATION

4.1 Release of Pre-Distribution Claims.

(a) SpinCo Release of Parent. Except as provided in Section 4.1(c), effective as of the Effective Time, SpinCo does hereby, for itself and for each other member of the SpinCo Group and their respective successors and assigns, and, to the extent permitted by Law, all Persons who at any time prior to the Effective Time have been stockholders, directors, officers, agents or employees of any member of the SpinCo Group (in each case, in their respective capacities as such), remise, release and forever discharge (i) Parent and the members of the Parent Group, and their respective successors and assigns, (ii) all Persons who at any time prior to the Effective Time have been stockholders, directors, officers, agents or employees of any member of the Parent Group (in each case, in their respective capacities as such), and their respective heirs, executors, administrators, successors and assigns, and (iii) all Persons who at any time prior to the Effective Time are or have been stockholders, directors, officers, agents or employees of a Transferred Entity and who are not, as of immediately following the Effective Time, directors, officers or employees of SpinCo or a member of the SpinCo Group, in each case from any and all Liabilities whatsoever, whether at law or in equity (including any right of contribution), whether arising under any contract or agreement, by operation of law or otherwise, including from fraud, existing or arising from any acts or events occurring or failing to occur or alleged to have occurred or to have failed to occur or any conditions existing or alleged to have existed on or before the Distribution Date, including (A) all SpinCo Liabilities, (B) all Liabilities arising from or in connection with the transactions and all other activities to implement the Global Transaction Structure, the Separation and the Distribution and (C) all Liabilities arising from or in connection with actions, inactions, events, omissions, conditions, facts or circumstances occurring or existing prior to the Effective Time (whether or not such Liabilities cease being contingent, mature, become known, are asserted or foreseen, or accrue, in each case before, at or after the Effective Time), in each case to the extent relating to, arising out of or resulting from the SpinCo Business, the SpinCo Assets or the SpinCo Liabilities.

(b) Parent Release of SpinCo. Except as provided in Section 4.1(c), effective as of the Effective Time, Parent does hereby, for itself and for each other member of the Parent Group and their respective successors and assigns, and, to the extent permitted by Law, all Persons who at any time prior to the Effective Time have been stockholders, directors, officers, agents or employees of any member of the Parent Group (in each case, in their respective capacities as such), remise, release and forever discharge (i) SpinCo and the members of the SpinCo Group and their respective successors and assigns, and (ii) all Persons who at any time prior to the Effective Time have been stockholders, directors, officers, agents or employees of any member of the SpinCo Group (in each case, in their respective capacities as such), and their respective heirs, executors, administrators, successors and assigns, in each case from any and all Liabilities whatsoever, whether at law or in equity (including any right of contribution), whether arising under any contract or agreement, by operation of law or otherwise, including from fraud, existing or arising from any

 

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acts or events occurring or failing to occur or alleged to have occurred or to have failed to occur or any conditions existing or alleged to have existed on or before the Distribution Date, including (A) all Parent Liabilities, (B) all Liabilities arising from or in connection with the transactions and all other activities to implement the Global Transaction Structure, the Separation and the Distribution and (C) all Liabilities arising from or in connection with actions, inactions, events, omissions, conditions, facts or circumstances occurring or existing prior to the Effective Time (whether or not such Liabilities cease being contingent, mature, become known, are asserted or foreseen, or accrue, in each case before, at or after the Effective Time), in each case to the extent relating to, arising out of or resulting from the Parent Business, the Parent Assets or the Parent Liabilities.

(c) Obligations Not Affected. Nothing contained in Section 4.1(a) or 4.1(b) shall impair any right of any Person to enforce this Agreement, any Ancillary Agreement or any agreements, arrangements, commitments or understandings that are specified in Section 2.7(b) or the applicable Schedules thereto as not to terminate as of the Effective Time, in each case in accordance with its terms. Nothing contained in Section 4.1(a) or 4.1(b) shall release any Person from:

(i) any Liability provided in or resulting from any agreement among any members of the Parent Group or any members of the SpinCo Group that is specified in Section 2.7(b) or the applicable Schedules thereto as not to terminate as of the Effective Time, or any other Liability specified in Section 2.7(b) as not to terminate as of the Effective Time;

(ii) any Liability, contingent or otherwise, assumed, transferred, assigned or allocated to the Group of which such Person is a member in accordance with, or any other Liability of any member of any Group under, this Agreement or any Ancillary Agreement;

(iii) any Liability for the sale, lease, construction or receipt of goods, property or services purchased, obtained or used in the ordinary course of business by a member of one Group from a member of the other Group prior to the Effective Time;

(iv) any Liability that the Parties may have with respect to indemnification or contribution or other obligation pursuant to this Agreement, any Ancillary Agreement or otherwise for claims brought against the Parties by Third Parties, which Liability shall be governed by the provisions of this Article IV and Article V and, if applicable, the appropriate provisions of the Ancillary Agreements; or

(v) any Liability the release of which would result in the release of any Person other than a Person released pursuant to this Section 4.1.

In addition, nothing contained in Section 4.1(a) shall release any member of the Parent Group from honoring its existing obligations to indemnify any director, officer or employee of SpinCo who was a director, officer or employee of any member of the Parent Group on or prior to the Effective Time, to the extent such director, officer or employee becomes a named defendant in any Action with respect to which such director, officer or employee was entitled to such indemnification

 

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pursuant to such existing obligations; it being understood that, if the underlying obligation giving rise to such Action is a SpinCo Liability, SpinCo shall indemnify Parent for such Liability (including Parent’s costs to indemnify the director, officer or employee) in accordance with the provisions set forth in this Article IV.

(d) No Claims. SpinCo shall not make, and shall not permit any other member of the SpinCo Group to make, any claim or demand, or commence any Action asserting any claim or demand, including any claim of contribution or any indemnification, against Parent or any other member of the Parent Group, or any other Person released pursuant to Section 4.1(a), with respect to any Liabilities released pursuant to Section 4.1(a). Parent shall not make, and shall not permit any other member of the Parent Group to make, any claim or demand, or commence any Action asserting any claim or demand, including any claim of contribution or any indemnification, against SpinCo or any other member of the SpinCo Group, or any other Person released pursuant to Section 4.1(b), with respect to any Liabilities released pursuant to Section 4.1(b).

(e) Execution of Further Releases. At any time at or after the Effective Time, at the request of either Party, the other Party shall cause each member of its respective Group to execute and deliver releases reflecting the provisions of this Section 4.1.

4.2 Indemnification by SpinCo. Except as otherwise specifically set forth in this Agreement or in any Ancillary Agreement, to the fullest extent permitted by Law, SpinCo shall, and shall cause the other members of the SpinCo Group to, indemnify, defend and hold harmless Parent, each member of the Parent Group and each of their respective past, present and future directors, officers, employees and agents, in each case in their respective capacities as such, and each of the heirs, executors, successors and assigns of any of the foregoing (collectively, the “Parent Indemnitees”), from and against any and all Liabilities of the Parent Indemnitees relating to, arising out of or resulting from, directly or indirectly, any of the following items (without duplication):

(a) the SpinCo Business, any SpinCo Liability or any SpinCo Contract;

(b) any failure of SpinCo, any other member of the SpinCo Group or any other Person to pay, perform or otherwise promptly discharge any SpinCo Liabilities or SpinCo Contract in accordance with their respective terms, whether prior to, on or after the Effective Time;

(c) any breach by SpinCo or any other member of the SpinCo Group of this Agreement or any of the Ancillary Agreements;

(d) except to the extent it relates to a Parent Liability, any guarantee, indemnification or contribution obligation, surety bond or other credit support agreement, arrangement, commitment or understanding for the benefit of any member of the SpinCo Group by any member of the Parent Group that survives following the Distribution;

(e) any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or omission or alleged omission to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, with respect to all information contained in the Form 10, the Information Statement (as amended or supplemented if SpinCo shall have furnished any amendments or supplements thereto) or any other Disclosure Document, other than the matters described in clause (e) of Section 4.3; or

 

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(f) any SpinCo Indemnified Liability.

4.3 Indemnification by Parent. Except as otherwise specifically set forth in this Agreement or in any Ancillary Agreement, to the fullest extent permitted by Law, Parent shall, and shall cause the other members of the Parent Group to, indemnify, defend and hold harmless SpinCo, each member of the SpinCo Group and each of their respective past, present and future directors, officers, employees or agents, in each case in their respective capacities as such, and each of the heirs, executors, successors and assigns of any of the foregoing (collectively, the “SpinCo Indemnitees”), from and against any and all Liabilities of the SpinCo Indemnitees relating to, arising out of or resulting from, directly or indirectly, any of the following items (without duplication):

(a) the Parent Business, any Parent Liability or any Parent Contract;

(b) any failure of Parent, any other member of the Parent Group or any other Person to pay, perform or otherwise promptly discharge any Parent Liabilities or Parent Contracts in accordance with their respective terms, whether prior to, on or after the Effective Time;

(c) any breach by Parent or any other member of the Parent Group of this Agreement or any of the Ancillary Agreements;

(d) except to the extent it relates to a SpinCo Liability, any guarantee, indemnification or contribution obligation, surety bond or other credit support agreement, arrangement, commitment or understanding for the benefit of any member of the Parent Group by any member of the SpinCo Group that survives following the Distribution;

(e) any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or omission or alleged omission to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, with respect to statements made explicitly in Parent’s name in the Form 10, the Information Statement (as amended or supplemented if SpinCo shall have furnished any amendments or supplements thereto) or any other Disclosure Document and supplied by Parent expressly for use therein; and

(f) any Parent Indemnified Liability.

4.4 Indemnification Obligations Net of Insurance Proceeds and Other Amounts.

(a) The Parties intend that any Liability subject to indemnification, contribution or reimbursement pursuant to this or Article V will be net of Insurance Proceeds or other amounts actually recovered (net of any out-of-pocket costs or expenses incurred in the collection thereof) from any Person by or on behalf of the Indemnitee in respect of any indemnifiable Liability. Accordingly, the amount that either Party (an “Indemnifying Party”) is required to pay to any Person entitled to indemnification or contribution hereunder (an “Indemnitee”) will be reduced by any Insurance Proceeds or other amounts actually recovered (net of any out-of-pocket costs or expenses incurred in the collection thereof) from any Person by or on behalf of the Indemnitee in

 

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respect of the related Liability. If an Indemnitee receives a payment (an “Indemnity Payment”) required by this Agreement from an Indemnifying Party in respect of any Liability and subsequently receives Insurance Proceeds or any other amounts in respect of such Liability, then the Indemnitee will pay to the Indemnifying Party an amount equal to the excess of the Indemnity Payment received over the amount of the Indemnity Payment that would have been due if the Insurance Proceeds or such other amounts (net of any out-of-pocket costs or expenses incurred in the collection thereof) had been received, realized or recovered before the Indemnity Payment was made.

(b) Any Indemnity Payment shall be increased as necessary so that after making all payments corresponding to Taxes imposed on or attributable to such Indemnity Payment, the Indemnitee receives an amount equal to the sum it would have received had no such Taxes been imposed.

(c) The Parties agree that an insurer that would otherwise be obligated to pay any claim shall not be relieved of the responsibility with respect thereto or, solely by virtue of any provision contained in this Agreement or in any Ancillary Agreement, have any subrogation rights with respect thereto, it being understood that no insurer or any other Third Party shall be entitled to a “windfall” (i.e., a benefit they would not be entitled to receive in the absence of the indemnification provisions) by virtue of the indemnification and contribution provisions hereof. Each Party shall, and shall cause the members of its Group to, use commercially reasonable efforts (taking into account the probability of success on the merits and the cost of expending such efforts, including attorneys’ fees and expenses) to collect or recover any Insurance Proceeds that may be collectible or recoverable respecting the Liabilities for which indemnification or contribution may be available under this Article IV. Notwithstanding the foregoing, an Indemnifying Party may not delay making any indemnification payment required under the terms of this Agreement, or otherwise satisfying any indemnification obligation, pending the outcome of any Action to collect or recover Insurance Proceeds, and an Indemnitee need not attempt to collect any Insurance Proceeds prior to making a claim for indemnification or contribution or receiving any Indemnity Payment otherwise owed to it under this Agreement or any Ancillary Agreement.

4.5 Procedures for Indemnification of Third-Party Claims.

(a) Notice of Claims. If, at or following the Effective Time, an Indemnitee shall receive notice or otherwise learn of the assertion by a Person (including any Governmental Authority) who is not a member of the Parent Group or the SpinCo Group of any claim or of the commencement by any such Person of any Action (collectively, a “Third-Party Claim”) with respect to which an Indemnifying Party may be obligated to provide indemnification to such Indemnitee pursuant to Section 4.2 or 4.3, or any other Section of this Agreement or any Ancillary Agreement, such Indemnitee shall give such Indemnifying Party written notice thereof as soon as practicable, but in any event within 30 days (or sooner if the nature of the Third-Party Claim so requires) after becoming aware of such Third-Party Claim. Any such notice shall describe the Third-Party Claim in reasonable detail, including the facts and circumstances giving rise to such claim for indemnification, and include copies of all notices and documents (including court papers) received by the Indemnitee relating to the Third-Party Claim. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the failure of an Indemnitee to provide notice in accordance with this Section 4.5(a) shall not relieve an Indemnifying Party of its indemnification obligations under this Agreement, except to the extent to which the Indemnifying Party is materially prejudiced by the Indemnitee’s failure to provide notice in accordance with this Section 4.5(a).

 

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(b) Control of Defense. Unless otherwise prohibited by any applicable insurance policy under which Liabilities in respect of a Third-Party Claim may be covered, and subject to an Indemnitee’s right to participate under Section 4.5(d), an Indemnifying Party may elect to defend (and seek to settle or compromise), at its own expense and with its own counsel, any Third-Party Claim; provided that, prior to the Indemnifying Party assuming and controlling the defense of such Third-Party Claim, it shall first confirm to the Indemnitee in writing that, assuming the facts presented to the Indemnifying Party by the Indemnitee are true, the Indemnifying Party shall indemnify the Indemnitee for any such damages to the extent resulting from, or arising out of, such Third-Party-Claim. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if the Indemnifying Party assumes such defense and, in the course of defending such Third-Party Claim, (i) the Indemnifying Party discovers that the facts presented at the time the Indemnifying Party acknowledged its indemnification obligation in respect of such Third-Party Claim were not true in all material respects and (ii) such untruth provides a reasonable basis for asserting that the Indemnifying Party does not have an indemnification obligation in respect of such Third-Party Claim, then (A) the Indemnifying Party shall not be bound by such acknowledgment, (B) the Indemnifying Party shall promptly thereafter provide the Indemnitee written notice of its assertion that it does not have an indemnification obligation in respect of such Third-Party Claim and (C) the Indemnitee shall have the right to assume the defense of such Third-Party Claim. Within 30 days after the receipt of a notice from an Indemnitee in accordance with Section 4.5(a) (or sooner, if the nature of the Third-Party Claim so requires), the Indemnifying Party shall provide written notice to the Indemnitee indicating whether the Indemnifying Party shall assume responsibility for defending the Third-Party Claim. If an Indemnifying Party elects not to assume responsibility for defending any Third-Party Claim or fails to notify an Indemnitee of its election within 30 days after receipt of the notice from an Indemnitee as provided in Section 4.5(a), then the Indemnitee that is the subject of such Third-Party Claim shall be entitled to continue to conduct and control the defense of such Third-Party Claim.

(c) Allocation of Defense Costs. If an Indemnifying Party has elected to assume the defense of a Third-Party Claim, then such Indemnifying Party shall be solely liable for all fees and expenses incurred by it in connection with the defense of such Third-Party Claim and shall not be entitled to seek any indemnification or reimbursement from the Indemnitee for any such fees or expenses incurred by the Indemnifying Party during the course of the defense of such Third-Party Claim by such Indemnifying Party, regardless of any subsequent decision by the Indemnifying Party to reject or otherwise abandon its assumption of such defense. If an Indemnifying Party elects not to assume responsibility for defending any Third-Party Claim or fails to notify an Indemnitee of its election within 30 days after receipt of a notice from an Indemnitee as provided in Section 4.5(a), and the Indemnitee conducts and controls the defense of such Third-Party Claim and the Indemnifying Party has an indemnification obligation with respect to such Third-Party Claim, then the Indemnifying Party shall be liable for all reasonable, documented fees and expenses incurred by the Indemnitee in connection with the defense of such Third-Party Claim.

 

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(d) Right to Monitor and Participate. An Indemnitee that does not conduct and control the defense of any Third-Party Claim, or an Indemnifying Party does not elect to defend any Third-Party Claim as contemplated hereby, nevertheless shall have the right to employ separate counsel (including local counsel as necessary) of its own choosing to monitor and participate in (but not control) the defense of any Third-Party Claim for which it is a potential Indemnitee or Indemnifying Party, but the fees and expenses of such counsel shall be at the expense of such Indemnitee or Indemnifying Party, as the case may be, and the provisions of Section 4.5(c) shall not apply to such fees and expenses. Notwithstanding the foregoing, but subject to Sections 6.7 and 6.8, such Party shall cooperate with the Party entitled to conduct and control the defense of such Third-Party Claim in such defense and make available to the controlling Party, at the non-controlling Party’s expense, all witnesses, information and materials in such Party’s possession or under such Party’s control relating thereto as are reasonably required by the controlling Party. In addition to the foregoing, if any Indemnitee reasonably determines in good faith that such Indemnitee and the Indemnifying Party have actual or potential differing defenses or conflicts of interest between them that make joint representation inappropriate, then the Indemnitee shall have the right to employ separate counsel (including local counsel) with respect to such actual or potential differing defenses or conflicts of interest and to participate in (but not control) the defense, compromise, or settlement thereof, and in such case the Indemnifying Party shall bear the reasonable fees and expenses of such counsel for such work for any such Indemnitees.

(e) No Settlement. Neither Party may settle or compromise any Third-Party Claim for which either Party is seeking to be indemnified hereunder without the prior written consent of the other Party, which consent may not be unreasonably withheld, unless such settlement or compromise is solely for monetary damages that are fully payable by the settling or compromising Party, does not involve any admission, finding or determination of wrongdoing or violation of Law by the other Party and provides for a full, unconditional and irrevocable release of the other Party from all Liability in connection with the Third-Party Claim. The Parties hereby agree that if a Party delivers the other Party a written notice containing a proposal to settle or compromise a Third-Party Claim for which either Party is seeking to be indemnified hereunder and the Party receiving such proposal does not respond in any manner to the Party presenting such proposal within 15 business days (or within any such shorter time period that may be required by applicable Law or court order) of receipt of such proposal, then the Party receiving such proposal shall be deemed to have consented to the terms of such proposal.

4.6 Additional Matters.

(a) Timing of Payments. Indemnification or contribution payments in respect of any Liabilities for which an Indemnitee is entitled to indemnification or contribution under this Article IV shall be paid reasonably promptly (but in any event within 45 days of the final determination of the amount that the Indemnitee is entitled to indemnification or contribution under this Article IV) by the Indemnifying Party to the Indemnitee as such Liabilities are incurred upon demand by the Indemnitee, including reasonably satisfactory documentation setting forth the basis for the amount of such indemnification or contribution payment, including documentation with respect to calculations made and consideration of any Insurance Proceeds that actually reduce the amount of such Liabilities. The indemnity and contribution provisions contained in this Article IV shall remain operative and in full force and effect, regardless of (i) any investigation made by or on behalf of any Indemnitee, and (ii) the knowledge by the Indemnitee of Liabilities for which it might be entitled to indemnification hereunder.

 

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(b) Notice of Direct Claims. Any claim for indemnification or contribution under this Agreement or any Ancillary Agreement that does not result from a Third-Party Claim shall be asserted by written notice given by the Indemnitee to the applicable Indemnifying Party; provided that the failure by an Indemnitee to so assert any such claim shall not prejudice the ability of the Indemnitee to do so at a later time, except to the extent (if any) that the Indemnifying Party is materially prejudiced thereby. Such Indemnifying Party shall have a period of 30 days after the receipt of such notice within which to respond thereto; provided, that failure by the Indemnifying Party to respond to such notice within such 30-day period shall not be deemed an admission of liability on the party of the Indemnifying Party. If such Indemnifying Party does not respond within such 30-day period or rejects such claim in whole or in part, such Indemnitee shall, subject to the provisions of Article VII, be free to pursue such remedies as may be available to such party as contemplated by this Agreement and the Ancillary Agreements, as applicable, without prejudice to its continuing rights to pursue indemnification or contribution hereunder.

(c) Pursuit of Claims Against Third Parties. If (i) a Party incurs any Liability arising out of this Agreement or any Ancillary Agreement; (ii) an adequate legal or equitable remedy is not available for any reason against the other Party to satisfy the Liability incurred by the incurring Party; and (iii) a legal or equitable remedy may be available to the other Party against a Third Party for such Liability, then the other Party shall use its commercially reasonable efforts to cooperate with the incurring Party, at the incurring Party’s expense, to permit the incurring Party to obtain the benefits of such legal or equitable remedy against the Third Party.

(d) Subrogation. In the event of payment by or on behalf of any Indemnifying Party to any Indemnitee in connection with any Third-Party Claim, such Indemnifying Party shall be subrogated to and shall stand in the place of such Indemnitee as to any events or circumstances in respect of which such Indemnitee may have any right, defense or claim relating to such Third-Party Claim against any claimant or plaintiff asserting such Third-Party Claim or against any other Person. Such Indemnitee shall cooperate with such Indemnifying Party in a reasonable manner, and at the cost and expense of such Indemnifying Party, in prosecuting any subrogated right, defense or claim.

(e) Substitution. In the event of an Action in which the Indemnifying Party is not a named defendant, if either the Indemnitee or Indemnifying Party shall so request, the Parties shall endeavor to substitute the Indemnifying Party for the named defendant. If such substitution or addition cannot be achieved for any reason or is not requested, the named defendant shall allow the Indemnifying Party to manage the Action as set forth in Section 4.5 and this Section 4.6, and the Indemnifying Party shall fully indemnify the named defendant against all reasonable costs of defending the Action (including court costs, sanctions imposed by a court, attorneys’ fees, experts fees and all other external expenses), the costs of any judgment or settlement and the cost of any interest or penalties relating to any judgment or settlement.

(f) Director and Officer Liability. For six years after the Distribution Date, Parent shall (i) provide officers’ and directors’ liability insurance in respect of acts or omissions occurring at or prior to the Effective Time covering each of the present and former officers and directors of SpinCo and each of its subsidiaries currently covered by Parent’s officers’ and directors’ liability Policies on terms with respect to coverage and amount no less favorable than those of such Policies as are in effect as of the date hereof with respect to Parent’s then-current officers and directors and (ii) provide written notice to SpinCo at least 20 days in advance of any changes in the terms with respect to coverage and amount in Parent’s officers’ and directors’ liability Policies that are materially less favorable than the coverage and amount of such Policies as of the date hereof.

 

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(g) Tax Matters Agreement Coordination. The above provisions of this Section 4.6 and the provisions of Section 4.2 through Section 4.10 shall not apply to Taxes. It is understood and agreed that Taxes and Tax matters, including the control of Tax-related proceedings, shall be governed by the Tax Matters Agreement. In the case of any conflict or inconsistency between this Agreement and the Tax Matters Agreement in relation to any matters addressed by the Tax Matters Agreement, the Tax Matters Agreement shall prevail.

4.7 Right of Contribution.

(a) Contribution. If any right of indemnification contained in Section 4.2 or Section 4.3 is held unenforceable or is unavailable for any reason, or is insufficient to hold harmless an Indemnitee in respect of any Liability for which such Indemnitee is entitled to indemnification hereunder, then the Indemnifying Party shall contribute to the amounts paid or payable by the Indemnitees as a result of such Liability (or actions in respect thereof) in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative fault of the Indemnifying Party and the members of its Group, on the one hand, and the Indemnitees entitled to contribution, on the other hand, as well as any other relevant equitable considerations.

(b) Allocation of Relative Fault. Solely for purposes of determining relative fault pursuant to this Section 4.7: (i) any fault associated with the business conducted with the Delayed SpinCo Assets or Delayed SpinCo Liabilities (except for the intentional misconduct or fraud of a member of the Parent Group) or with the ownership, operation or activities of the SpinCo Business prior to, at or after the Effective Time shall be deemed to be the fault of SpinCo and the other members of the SpinCo Group, and no such fault shall be deemed to be the fault of Parent or any other member of the Parent Group; (ii) any fault associated with the business conducted with Delayed Parent Assets or Delayed Parent Liabilities (except for the intentional misconduct or fraud of a member of the SpinCo Group) shall be deemed to be the fault of Parent and the other members of the Parent Group, and no such fault shall be deemed to be the fault of SpinCo or any other member of the SpinCo Group; and (iii) any fault associated with the ownership, operation or activities of the Parent Business prior to, at or after the Effective Time shall be deemed to be the fault of Parent and the other members of the Parent Group, and no such fault shall be deemed to be the fault of SpinCo or any other member of the SpinCo Group.

4.8 Covenant Not to Sue. Each Party hereby covenants and agrees that none of it, the members of such Party’s Group or any Person claiming through it shall bring suit or otherwise assert any claim against any Indemnitee, or assert a defense against any claim asserted by any Indemnitee, before any court, arbitrator, mediator or administrative agency anywhere in the world, alleging that: (a) the assumption of any SpinCo Liabilities by SpinCo or a member of the SpinCo Group on the terms and conditions set forth in this Agreement and the Ancillary Agreements is void or unenforceable for any reason; (b) the retention of any Parent Liabilities by Parent or a member of the Parent Group on the terms and conditions set forth in this Agreement and the Ancillary Agreements is void or unenforceable for any reason; or (c) the provisions of this Article IV are void or unenforceable for any reason.

 

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4.9 Remedies Cumulative. The remedies provided in this Article IV shall be cumulative and, subject to the provisions of Article VIII, shall not preclude assertion by any Indemnitee of any other rights or the seeking of any and all other remedies against any Indemnifying Party.

4.10 Survival of Indemnities. The rights and obligations of each of Parent and SpinCo and their respective Indemnitees under this Article IV shall survive (a) the sale or other transfer by either Party or any member of its Group of any assets or businesses or the assignment by it of any Liabilities; or (b) any merger, consolidation, business combination, sale of all or substantially all of its Assets, restructuring, recapitalization, reorganization or similar transaction involving either Party or any of the members of its Group.

ARTICLE V

CERTAIN OTHER MATTERS

5.1 Insurance Matters.

(a) Parent and SpinCo agree to cooperate in good faith to provide for an orderly transition of insurance coverage from the date hereof through the Effective Time. In no event shall Parent, any other member of the Parent Group or any Parent Indemnitee have Liability or obligation whatsoever to any member of the SpinCo Group in the event that any insurance Policy or other contract or Policy of insurance shall be terminated or otherwise cease to be in effect for any reason, shall be unavailable or inadequate to cover any Liability of any member of the SpinCo Group for any reason whatsoever or shall not be renewed or extended beyond the current expiration date.

(b) Parent agrees to use its reasonable best efforts to cause the interests and rights of SpinCo and the members of the SpinCo Group as of the Effective Time as insureds or beneficiaries or in any other capacity under occurrence-based Policies and programs (and under claims-made Policies and programs to the extent a claim has been submitted prior to the Effective Time) of Parent or any member of the Parent Group (collectively, the “Parent Policies”) in respect of the period prior to the Effective Time to survive the Effective Time for the period for which such interests and rights would have survived without regard to the transactions contemplated hereby to the extent permitted by such Policies; and any proceeds received by Parent or any member of the Parent Group after the Effective Time under such Policies and programs in respect of SpinCo and any member of the SpinCo Group shall be for the benefit of SpinCo and the SpinCo Group; provided, that the interests and rights of SpinCo and the members of the SpinCo Group shall be subject to the terms and conditions of such Policies and programs, including any limits on coverage or scope, any deductibles and other fees and expenses and Parent’s allocation. In addition, to the extent that deductibles under the general liability, automobile liability, or workers’ compensation Policies of Parent (the “Deductibles”) apply to claims under the Policies, Parent shall facilitate the administration and processing of such claims in a manner that makes available to the members of the SpinCo Group the benefit of the deductible reimbursement Policies of Parent or any member of the Parent Group in respect of the period prior to the Effective Time.

 

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(i) SpinCo shall report any claim to Parent as promptly as practicable, and in any event in sufficient time so that such claim may be made in accordance with the Policies’ terms and conditions;

(ii) SpinCo and the other members of the SpinCo Group shall be responsible for making payments directly to insurers where possible, and shall indemnify, hold harmless and reimburse Parent and the members of the Parent Group for any deductibles, self-insured retention, retrospective premium payments, and fees and expenses incurred by any member of the Parent Group to the extent resulting from any access to, or any claims made by SpinCo or any other members of the SpinCo Group under, any insurance provided pursuant to this Section 5.1(b), including claims previously reported and any indemnity payments, settlements, judgments, legal fees and allocated claims expenses and claim handling fees, whether such claims are made by a member of the SpinCo Group, employees or Third Parties;

(iii) SpinCo shall, and shall cause the other members of the SpinCo Group to, cooperate with and assist Parent and the members of the Parent Group and share such Information as is reasonably necessary in order to permit Parent and the members of the Parent Group to manage and conduct the insurance matters contemplated by this Section 5.1; and

(iv) SpinCo shall exclusively bear (and neither Parent nor any members of the Parent Group shall have any obligation to repay or reimburse SpinCo or any member of the SpinCo Group for) and shall be liable for all excluded, uninsured, uncovered, unavailable or uncollectible amounts of all such claims made by SpinCo or any member of the SpinCo Group under the Policies as provided for in this Section 5.1(b). In the event an insurance policy aggregate is exhausted, or believed likely to be exhausted, due to noticed claims, the SpinCo Group, on the one hand, and the Parent Group, on the other hand, shall be responsible for their pro rata portion of the reinstatement premium, if any, based upon the losses of such Group submitted to Parent’s insurance carrier(s) (including any submissions prior to the Effective Time). To the extent that the Parent Group or the SpinCo Group is allocated more than its pro rata portion of such premium due to the timing of losses submitted to Parent’s insurance carrier(s), the other party shall promptly pay the first party an amount so that each Group has been properly allocated its pro rata portion of the reinstatement premium. Subject to the following sentence, Parent may elect not to reinstate the policy aggregate. In the event that Parent elects not to reinstate the policy aggregate, it shall provide prompt written notice to SpinCo, and SpinCo may direct Parent in writing to, and Parent shall, in such case reinstate the policy aggregate; provided that SpinCo shall be responsible for all reinstatement premiums and other costs associated with such reinstatement.

In the event that any member of the Parent Group incurs any losses, damages or Liability prior to or in respect of the period prior to the Effective Time for which such member of the Parent Group is entitled to coverage under SpinCo third-party Policies, the same process pursuant to this Section 5.1(b) shall apply, substituting “Parent” for “SpinCo” and “SpinCo” for “Parent.”

 

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(c) Except as provided in Section 5.1(b), from and after the Effective Time, neither SpinCo nor any member of the SpinCo Group shall have any rights to or under any of the Policies of Parent or any other member of the Parent Group. At the Effective Time, SpinCo shall have in effect all insurance programs required to comply with SpinCo and the SpinCo Group’s contractual obligations and such other Policies required by Law or as reasonably necessary or appropriate for companies operating a business similar to SpinCo’s.

(d) Neither SpinCo nor any member of the SpinCo Group, in connection with making a claim under any insurance Policy of Parent or any member of the Parent Group pursuant to this Section 5.1, shall take any action that would be reasonably likely to (i) have an adverse impact on the then-current relationship between Parent or any member of the Parent Group, on the one hand, and the applicable insurance company, on the other hand; (ii) result in the applicable insurance company terminating or reducing coverage, or increasing the amount of any premium owed by Parent or any member of the Parent Group under the applicable insurance Policy; or (iii) otherwise compromise, jeopardize or interfere with the rights of Parent or any member of the Parent Group under the applicable insurance Policy; provided that, for the avoidance of doubt, this Section 5.1(d) shall not preclude or otherwise restrict any member of the SpinCo Group from reporting claims to insurers in the ordinary course of business.

(e) All payments and reimbursements by SpinCo pursuant to this Section 5.1 will be made within 15 days after SpinCo’s receipt of an invoice with supporting documentation therefor from Parent. In the event that SpinCo makes payments to insurance companies directly, then SpinCo shall make payments in compliance with the requirements and Policies and procedures with respect to insurance payments in effect prior to the Effective Time. If Parent incurs costs to enforce SpinCo’s obligations herein, SpinCo agrees to indemnify and hold harmless Parent for such enforcement costs, including reasonable attorneys’ fees pursuant to Section 4.6. Parent shall retain the exclusive right to control its Policies and programs, including the right to exhaust, settle, release, commute, buy-back or otherwise resolve disputes with respect to any of its Policies and programs and to amend, modify or waive any rights under any such Policies and programs, notwithstanding whether any such Policies or programs apply to any SpinCo Liabilities and/or claims SpinCo has made or could make in the future, and no member of the SpinCo Group shall erode, exhaust, settle, release, commute, buy-back or otherwise resolve disputes with Parent’s insurers with respect to any of Parent’s Policies and programs, or amend, modify or waive any rights under any such Policies and programs. SpinCo shall cooperate with Parent and share such information as is reasonably necessary in order to permit Parent to manage and conduct its insurance matters as Parent deems appropriate. No member of the Parent Group shall have any obligation to secure extended reporting for any claims under any Liability Policies of any member of the Parent Group for any acts or omissions of any member of the SpinCo Group incurred prior to the Effective Time.

(f) This Agreement shall not be considered as an attempted assignment of any Policy of insurance or as a contract of insurance and shall not be construed to waive any right or remedy of any member of the Parent Group in respect of any insurance Policy or any other contract or Policy of insurance.

 

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(g) SpinCo does hereby, for itself and each other member of the SpinCo Group, agree that no member of the Parent Group shall have any Liability whatsoever as a result of the Policies and practices of Parent and the members of the Parent Group as in effect at any time, including as a result of the level or scope of any such insurance, the creditworthiness of any insurance carrier, the terms and conditions of any Policy, or the adequacy or timeliness of any notice to any insurance carrier with respect to any claim or potential claim or otherwise (provided, that SpinCo shall not waive any Liability of the Parent Group for the failure of any member of the Parent Group to timely provide notice with respect to any claim or potential claim when requested by any member of the SpinCo Group).

5.2 Late Payments. Except as expressly provided to the contrary in this Agreement or in any Ancillary Agreement, any amount not paid when due pursuant to this Agreement or any Ancillary Agreement (and any amounts billed or otherwise invoiced or demanded and properly payable that are not paid within 45 days of such bill, invoice or other demand) shall accrue interest at a rate per annum equal to the Prime Rate plus 2%.

5.3 Inducement. SpinCo acknowledges and agrees that Parent’s willingness to cause, effect and consummate the Separation and the Distribution has been conditioned upon and induced by SpinCo’s covenants and agreements in this Agreement and the Ancillary Agreements, including SpinCo’s assumption of the SpinCo Liabilities pursuant to the Separation and the provisions of this Agreement and SpinCo’s covenants and agreements contained in Article IV.

5.4 Post-Effective Time Conduct. The Parties acknowledge that, after the Effective Time, each Party shall be independent of the other Party, with responsibility for its own actions and inactions and its own Liabilities relating to, arising out of or resulting from the conduct of its business, operations and activities following the Effective Time, except as may otherwise be provided in any Ancillary Agreement, and each Party shall (except as otherwise provided in Article IV) use commercially reasonable efforts to prevent such Liabilities from being inappropriately borne by the other Party.

5.5 Corporate Names; Trademarks. After the Distribution Effective Time, no member of one Group may use any Marks owned by or confusingly similar to any member of the other Group, except as permitted under applicable Law or subsequent agreement in writing between the applicable parties. Notwithstanding the foregoing sentence, any member of one Group may utilize existing stationery, business cards, signage, websites, advertising materials, inventory, packaging, product, service and training literature, and other similar materials bearing the Marks of the other Group member (“Materials”) following the Distribution Effective Time in the conduct of the its business, as currently conducted, until the existing supply of such items is depleted or until 180 days following the Distribution Effective Time, whichever occurs first. Subject to the foregoing sentence, on or prior to the date that is 180 days following the Distribution Effective Time, each Group shall (x) cease using all Materials in its possession pertaining to the other Group; provided that, in the case of Materials that are used solely for internal purposes, each Group shall cease using such internal Materials to the extent reasonably practicable, (y) to the extent reasonably practicable, destroy all Materials in its possession pertaining to the other Group and (z) send a written statement to the other Group confirming that such Group has exhausted or destroyed all such Materials in accordance with the foregoing. Notwithstanding the foregoing, nothing in this Section 5.5 shall preclude such Group from (A) making any reference to the Marks of the other Group in internal historical, tax, employment or similar records or for purposes of disclosures as are reasonably necessary and appropriate to describe the historical relationship of the Parties, (B)

 

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using plain-text, non-stylized versions of the Marks of the other Group in a neutral, non-trademark manner to describe the history of the Parties’ relationship, or (C) using or referencing the Marks as otherwise permitted by applicable law. The foregoing permitted uses are subject to (x) compliance by the applicable Group with the reasonable quality control requirements and guidelines in effect for the Marks of the other Group as of the Distribution Effective Time and (y) to the extent reasonably practicable, the placement of a reasonably appropriate disclaimer on such Materials identifying in a readily observable manner that the Group members are no longer Affiliates of each other. Notwithstanding the foregoing to the contrary, no member of one Group shall be required to take any action to remove any reference to any Mark of a member of the other Group from (a) products bearing the Marks of the other Group member that have already been placed on the market as of the Distribution Effective Time or (b) Materials already in the rightful possession of customers or other Third Parties prior to the depletion of such Materials or as of the date that is 180 days following the Distribution Effective Time, whichever comes first. If, after the date that is 180 days following the Distribution Effective Time, a member of any Group discovers the use of any Marks of another Group on its website, such Group members shall notify the other Group members and shall remove all use of such Mark of the other Group member within a reasonable period.

5.6 Non-Solicitation.

(a) Non-Solicitation. Each Party covenants and agrees that, from the Effective Time through the second anniversary of the Distribution Date, no Party will, and each Party will cause its respective Subsidiaries not to, directly or indirectly, employ, hire, enter into an agency or consulting relationship with, recruit or solicit for employment or interfere with the employment of any senior-level employee of the members of the other Group (“Restricted Employees”); provided that the foregoing restrictions shall not apply to (i) any Restricted Employee whose employment was involuntarily terminated by the applicable Party or its Affiliates, (ii) any Restricted Employee who has not been employed by the applicable Party or any of its Subsidiaries for at least six months, (iii) any Restricted Employee whose prospective employment is agreed to in writing by Parent and SpinCo and (iv) any Restricted Employee who responds to general solicitations not targeted at Restricted Employees (including through the use of recruiting firms not directed at Restricted Employees) or advertisement in any newspaper, magazine, trade publication, electronic medium or other media.

(b) Remedies; Enforcement. Each Party acknowledges and agrees that (i) injury to the other Party from any breach of the obligations of such Party set forth in this Section 5.6 would be irreparable and impossible to measure and (ii) the remedies at law for any breach or threatened breach of this Section 5.6, including monetary damages, would therefore be inadequate compensation for any loss and the other Party shall have the right to specific performance and injunctive or other equitable relief in accordance with Section 10.13, in addition to any and all other rights and remedies at law or in equity, and all such rights and remedies shall be cumulative. Each Party understands and acknowledges that that the restrictive covenants and other agreements contained in this Section 5.6 are an essential part of this Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby. It is the intent of the Parties that the provisions of this Section 5.6 shall be enforced to the fullest extent permissible under applicable Law applied in each jurisdiction in which enforcement is sought. If any particular provision or portion of this Section 5.6 shall be adjudicated to be invalid or unenforceable, such provision or portion thereof shall be deemed amended to the minimum extent necessary to render such provision or portion valid and enforceable, such amendment to apply only with respect to the operation of such provision or portion thereof in the particular jurisdiction in which such adjudication is made.

 

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5.7 Procedures Related to Certain Actions.

(a) Without limiting the provisions of Section 4.5, the Parties acknowledge and agree that SpinCo shall exclusively conduct and control the defense, settlement or other resolution of the SpinCo Actions and Parent shall exclusively conduct and control the defense, settlement or other resolution of the Parent Actions. Each Party agrees that if the other Party is wrongly named in its claim, such Party shall use commercially reasonable efforts to remove the wrongly named Party from the claim and shall consult with the wrongly named Party until its removal from the claim.

(b) A list of Actions asserted against, involving or potentially involving both Parent, the Parent Group or the Parent Business and SpinCo, the SpinCo Group or the SpinCo Business as of the date hereof for which costs and liability will be shared is set forth on Schedule 5.7 (the “Shared Existing Actions”) together with (x) the Party allocated responsibility to conduct and control the defense, settlement and/or other resolution of such matters (such named Party, the “Controlling Party”) and (y) unless otherwise agreed by the Controlling Party and the other Party (the “Non-Controlling Party”), each Party’s respective share of costs and liability for any such Shared Existing Proceeding.

(c) With respect to any Action arising after the date hereof that implicates both Parties in any material respect due to the allocation of Liabilities, responsibilities for management of defense and related indemnities pursuant to this Agreement or any of the Ancillary Agreements, the Parties agree the Party that has primary responsibility for Liabilities arising in connection with such Action shall be the Controlling Party with respect to such Action (unless the control of such defense has otherwise been allocated or addressed in Schedule 5.7, or otherwise as set forth in this Agreement or any Ancillary Agreement). To the extent that the Parties’ respective share of costs and liability with respect to any such Action is not set forth on Schedule 5.7, the Parties shall negotiate in good-faith to allocate responsibility for such costs and liability based on the extent to which such Action relates, on the one hand, to SpinCo, the SpinCo Business, a SpinCo Asset and a SpinCo Liability, and, on the other hand, Parent, the Parent Business, a Parent Asset and a Parent Liability.

(d) The Parties shall, and shall cause their respective Affiliates to, cooperate in the defense and settlement of any Action described in Section 5.7(b)-(c). The Controlling Party shall use its commercially reasonable efforts to include the Non-Controlling Party in the defense and resolution of any Action described in Section 5.7(b)-(c); provided, however, that the Non-Controlling Party shall be responsible for its proportionate share of any costs and expenses incurred in connection therewith (including its share of any settlement, judgement, award or other resolution and any incremental cost to the Controlling Party of including the Non-Controlling Party in such settlement); provided further, that the Non-Controlling Party shall be permitted in good faith to opt out of any settlement if the Non-Controlling Party agrees to be responsible for defending and settling any remaining claims with respect to such Action.

 

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ARTICLE VI

EXCHANGE OF INFORMATION; CONFIDENTIALITY

6.1 Agreement for Exchange of Information.

(a) Subject to Section 6.9 and any other applicable confidentiality obligations, each of Parent and SpinCo, on behalf of itself and each member of its Group, agrees to use commercially reasonable efforts to provide or make available, or cause to be provided or made available, to the other Party and the members of such other Party’s Group, at any time before, on or after the Effective Time, as soon as reasonably practicable after written request therefor, any information (or a copy thereof) in the possession or under the control of such Party or its Group that the requesting Party or its Group requests and, with respect to clause (iii), access to the facilities, systems, infrastructure and personnel of such Party or its Group, in each case to the extent that (i) such information relates to the SpinCo Business, or any SpinCo Asset or SpinCo Liability, if SpinCo is the requesting Party, or to the Parent Business, or any Parent Asset or Parent Liability, if Parent is the requesting Party; (ii) such information is required by the requesting Party to comply with its obligations under this Agreement or any Ancillary Agreement; or (iii) such information is required by the requesting Party to comply with any obligation imposed by any Governmental Authority, including, without limitation, the obligation to verify the accuracy of internal controls over information technology reporting of financial data and related processes employed in connection with verifying compliance with Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002; provided, however, that, in the event that the Party to whom the request has been made determines that any such provision of information could be detrimental to the Party providing the information, violate any Law or agreement, or waive any privilege available under applicable Law, including any attorney-client privilege, then the Parties shall use commercially reasonable efforts to permit compliance with such obligations to the extent and in a manner that avoids any such harm or consequence. The Party providing information pursuant to this Section 6.1 shall only be obligated to provide such information in the form, condition and format in which it then exists, and in no event shall such Party be required to perform any improvement, modification, conversion, updating or reformatting of any such information, and nothing in this Section 6.1 shall expand the obligations of any Party under Section 6.4. Each Party shall cause its and its Subsidiaries’ employees to, and shall use commercially reasonable efforts to cause its Representatives’ employees to, when on the property of SpinCo or its Subsidiaries, or when given access to any facilities, systems, infrastructure or personnel of the other Party or any members of its Group, conform to the policies and procedures of such Party and its Group concerning health, safety, conduct and security that are made known or provided to the accessing Party from time to time.

(b) Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, until the end of Parent’s fiscal year during which the Distribution Date occurs (and for a reasonable period of time afterwards as required for each Party to prepare consolidated financial statements or complete a financial statement audit for the fiscal year during which the Distribution Date occurs), each Party shall use its commercially reasonable efforts to cooperate with the other Party’s information requests to enable (i) the other Party to meet its timetable for dissemination of its earnings releases, financial statements and management’s assessment of the effectiveness of its disclosure controls and procedures and its internal control over financial reporting in accordance with Items 307 and 308, respectively, of Regulation S-K promulgated under the Exchange Act; and (ii) the other

 

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Party’s accountants to timely complete their review of the quarterly financial statements and audit of the annual financial statements, including, to the extent applicable to such Party, its auditor’s audit of its internal control over financial reporting and management’s assessment thereof in accordance with Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, the SEC’s and Public Company Accounting Oversight Board’s rules and auditing standards thereunder and any other applicable Laws.

(c) Subject to any limitation imposed by applicable Law and to the extent that it has not done so before the Effective Time, Parent shall transfer to SpinCo any employment records (including any Form I-9, Form W-2 or other IRS forms) with respect to SpinCo Group Employees and former SpinCo Group Employees and other records reasonably required by SpinCo to enable SpinCo properly to carry out its obligations under this Agreement. Such transfer of records generally shall occur as soon as administratively practicable at or after the Effective Time. Each Party shall permit the other Party reasonable access to its employee records, to the extent reasonably necessary for such accessing Party to carry out its obligations hereunder.

6.2 Ownership of Information. The provision of any information pursuant to Section 6.1 or Section 6.7 shall not affect the ownership of such information (which shall be determined solely in accordance with the terms of this Agreement and the Ancillary Agreements), or constitute a grant of rights in or to any such information.

6.3 Compensation for Providing Information. The Party requesting information agrees to reimburse the other Party for the reasonable costs, if any, of creating, gathering, copying, transporting and otherwise complying with the request with respect to such information (including any reasonable costs and expenses incurred in any review of information for purposes of protecting the Privileged Information of the providing Party or in connection with the restoration of backup media for purposes of providing the requested information). Except as may be otherwise specifically provided elsewhere in this Agreement, any Ancillary Agreement or any other agreement between the Parties, such costs shall be computed in accordance with the providing Party’s standard methodology and procedures.

6.4 Record Retention. To facilitate the possible exchange of information pursuant to this Article VI and other provisions of this Agreement after the Effective Time, the Parties agree to use their commercially reasonable efforts, which shall be no less rigorous than those used for retention of such Party’s own information, to retain all information in their respective possession or control at the Effective Time, including all employee-related information, in accordance with the policies of Parent as in effect at the Effective Time or such other policies as may be adopted by Parent after the Effective Time (provided, in the case of SpinCo, that Parent notifies SpinCo of any such change), provided that this Section 6.4 shall in no way affect or limit the Parties obligations under any of the Ancillary Agreements.

6.5 Limitations of Liability. Neither Party shall have any Liability to the other Party in the event that any information exchanged or provided pursuant to this Agreement is found to be inaccurate in the absence of gross negligence, bad faith or willful misconduct by the Party providing such information. Neither Party shall have any Liability to any other Party if any information is destroyed for any reason other than the gross negligence, bad faith or willful misconduct of such Party.

 

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6.6 Other Agreements Providing for Exchange of Information.

(a) The rights and obligations granted under this Article VI are subject to any specific limitations, qualifications or additional provisions on the sharing, exchange, retention or confidential treatment of information set forth in any Ancillary Agreement.

(b) Any Party that receives, pursuant to a request for information in accordance with this Article VI, Tangible Information that is not relevant to its request shall, at the request of the providing Party, (i) return it to the providing Party or, at the providing Party’s request, destroy such Tangible Information; and (ii) deliver to the providing Party written confirmation that such Tangible Information was returned or destroyed, as the case may be, which confirmation shall be signed by an authorized representative of the requesting Party.

6.7 Production of Witnesses; Records; Cooperation.

(a) After the Effective Time, except in the case of a Dispute between Parent and SpinCo, or any members of their respective Groups, each Party shall use its commercially reasonable efforts to make available to the other Party, upon written request, the former, current and future directors, officers, employees, other personnel and agents of the members of its respective Group as witnesses and any books, records or other documents within its control or which it otherwise has the ability to make available without undue burden, to the extent that any such person (giving consideration to business demands of such directors, officers, employees, other personnel and agents) or books, records or other documents may reasonably be required in connection with any Action in which the requesting Party (or member of its Group) may from time to time be involved, regardless of whether such Action is a matter with respect to which indemnification may be sought hereunder. The requesting Party shall bear all costs and expenses in connection therewith.

(b) If an Indemnifying Party chooses to defend or to seek to compromise or settle any Third-Party Claim, the other Party shall make available to such Indemnifying Party, upon written request, the former, current and future directors, officers, employees, other personnel and agents of the members of its respective Group as witnesses and any books, records or other documents within its control or which it otherwise has the ability to make available without undue burden, to the extent that any such person (giving consideration to business demands of such directors, officers, employees, other personnel and agents) or books, records or other documents may reasonably be required in connection with such defense, settlement or compromise, or such prosecution, evaluation or pursuit, as the case may be, and shall otherwise cooperate in such defense, settlement or compromise, or such prosecution, evaluation or pursuit, as the case may be.

(c) Without limiting the foregoing, the Parties shall cooperate and consult to the extent reasonably necessary with respect to any Actions.

(d) Without limiting any provision of this Section 6.7, each of the Parties agrees to cooperate, and to cause each member of its respective Group to cooperate, with each other in the defense of any infringement or similar claim with respect to any Intellectual Property and shall not claim to acknowledge, or permit any member of its respective Group to claim to acknowledge, the validity or infringing use of any Intellectual Property of a Third Party in a manner that would hamper or undermine the defense of such infringement or similar claim.

 

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(e) The obligation of the Parties to provide witnesses pursuant to this Section 6.7 is intended to be interpreted in a manner so as to facilitate cooperation and shall include the obligation to provide as witnesses directors, officers, employees, other personnel and agents without regard to whether such person or the employer of such person could assert a possible business conflict (subject to the exception set forth in the first sentence of Section 6.7(a)).

(f) Without limiting any provision of this Section 6.7, each Party shall use commercially reasonable efforts to cooperate and work together to unify, consolidate and share (to the extent permissible under applicable privacy/data protection Laws) all relevant documents, resolutions, government filings, data, payroll, employment and benefit plan information on regular timetables and cooperate as needed with respect to (i) any claims under or audit of or litigation with respect to any employee benefit plan, Policy or arrangement contemplated by this Agreement, (ii) efforts to seek a determination letter, private letter ruling or advisory opinion from the IRS or U.S. Department of Labor on behalf of any employee benefit plan, Policy or arrangement contemplated by this Agreement, (iii) any filings that are required to be made or supplemented to the IRS, U.S. Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation, U.S. Department of Labor or any other Governmental Authority, and (iv) any audits by a Governmental Authority or corrective actions, relating to any benefit plan, labor or payroll practices; provided, however, that requests for cooperation must be reasonable and not interfere with daily business operations.

6.8 Privileged Matters.

(a) The Parties recognize that legal and other professional services that have been and will be provided prior to the Effective Time have been and will be rendered for the collective benefit of each of the members of the Parent Group and the SpinCo Group, and that each of the members of the Parent Group and the SpinCo Group should be deemed to be the client with respect to such services for the purposes of asserting all privileges that may be asserted under applicable Law in connection therewith. The Parties recognize that legal and other professional services will be provided following the Effective Time, which services will be rendered solely for the benefit of the Parent Group or the SpinCo Group, as the case may be. In furtherance of the foregoing, each Party shall authorize the delivery to and/or retention by the other Party of materials existing as of the Effective Time that are necessary for such other Party to perform such services.

(b) The Parties agree as follows:

(i) Parent shall be entitled, in perpetuity, to control the assertion or waiver of all privileges and immunities in connection with any Privileged Information that relates solely to the Parent Business and not to the SpinCo Business, whether or not the Privileged Information is in the possession or under the control of any member of the Parent Group or any member of the SpinCo Group. Parent shall also be entitled, in perpetuity, to control the assertion or waiver of all privileges and immunities in connection with any Privileged Information that relates solely to any Parent Liabilities resulting from any Actions that are now pending or may be asserted in the future, whether or not the Privileged Information is in the possession or under the control of any member of the Parent Group or any member of the SpinCo Group.

 

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(ii) SpinCo shall be entitled, in perpetuity, to control the assertion or waiver of all privileges and immunities in connection with any Privileged Information that relates solely to the SpinCo Business and not to the Parent Business, whether or not the Privileged Information is in the possession or under the control of any member of the SpinCo Group or any member of the Parent Group. SpinCo shall also be entitled, in perpetuity, to control the assertion or waiver of all privileges and immunities in connection with any Privileged Information that relates solely to any SpinCo Liabilities resulting from any Actions that are now pending or may be asserted in the future, whether or not the Privileged Information is in the possession or under the control of any member of the SpinCo Group or any member of the Parent Group.

(iii) If the Parties do not agree as to whether certain information is Privileged Information, then such information shall be treated as Privileged Information, and the Party that believes that such information is Privileged Information shall be entitled to control the assertion or waiver of all privileges and immunities in connection with any such information, unless the Parties otherwise agree. The Parties shall use the procedures set forth in Article VII to resolve any disputes as to whether any information relates solely to the Parent Business, solely to the SpinCo Business, or to both the Parent Business and the SpinCo Business.

(c) Subject to the remaining provisions of this Section 6.8, the Parties agree that they shall have a shared privilege or immunity with respect to all privileges and immunities not allocated pursuant to Section 6.8(b) and all privileges and immunities relating to any Actions or other matters that involve both Parties (or one or more members of their respective Groups) and in respect of which both Parties have Liabilities under this Agreement, and that no such shared privilege or immunity may be waived by either Party without the written consent of an authorized legal representative of the other Party.

(d) Each Party specifically agrees that it shall not withhold its consent to the waiver of a privilege or immunity for any purpose, except in good faith to protect its own legitimate interests. If any Dispute arises between the Parties or any members of their respective Groups regarding whether a privilege or immunity should be waived to protect or advance the interests of either Party and/or any member of their respective Groups, each Party agrees that it shall (i) negotiate with the other Party in good faith; (ii) endeavor to minimize any prejudice to the rights of the other Party; and (iii) not unreasonably withhold consent to any request for waiver by the other Party.

(e) In the event of any Dispute between Parent and SpinCo, or any members of their respective Groups, either Party may waive a privilege in which the other Party or member of such other Party’s Group has a shared privilege, without obtaining consent pursuant to Section 6.8(c); provided that the Parties intend such waiver of a shared privilege to be effective only as to the use of information with respect to the Dispute between the Parties and/or the applicable members of their respective Groups, and is not intended to operate as a waiver of the shared privilege with respect to any Third Party.

 

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(f) Upon receipt by either Party, or by any member of its respective Group, of any subpoena, discovery or other request that may reasonably be expected to result in the production or disclosure of Privileged Information subject to a shared privilege or immunity or as to which another Party has the sole right hereunder to assert a privilege or immunity, or if either Party obtains knowledge that any of its, or any member of its respective Group’s, current or former directors, officers, agents or employees have received any subpoena, discovery or other requests that may reasonably be expected to result in the production or disclosure of such Privileged Information, such Party shall promptly notify the other Party of the existence of the request (which notice shall be delivered to such other Party no later than five business days following the receipt of any such subpoena, discovery or other request) and shall provide the other Party a reasonable opportunity to review the Privileged Information and to assert any rights it or they may have under this Section 6.8 or otherwise, to prevent the production or disclosure of such Privileged Information.

(g) Any furnishing of, or access or transfer of, any information pursuant to this Agreement is made in reliance on the agreement between Parent and SpinCo set forth in this Section 6.8 and in Section 6.9 to maintain the confidentiality of Privileged Information and to assert and maintain all applicable privileges and immunities. The Parties agree that their respective rights to any access to information, witnesses and other Persons, the furnishing of notices and documents and other cooperative efforts between the Parties contemplated by this Agreement, and the transfer of Privileged Information between the Parties and members of their respective Groups as needed pursuant to this Agreement, shall not be deemed a waiver of any privilege that has been or may be asserted under this Agreement or otherwise.

(h) In connection with any matter contemplated by Section 6.7 or this Section 6.8, the Parties agree to, and to cause the applicable members of their Group to, use commercially reasonable efforts to maintain their respective separate and joint privileges and immunities, including by executing joint defense and/or common interest agreements where necessary or useful for this purpose.

6.9 Confidentiality.

(a) Confidentiality. Subject to Section 6.10, from and after the Effective Time until the three-year anniversary of the Effective Time, each of Parent and SpinCo, on behalf of itself and each member of its respective Group, agrees to hold, and to cause its respective Representatives to hold, in strict confidence, with at least the same degree of care that applies to Parent’s confidential and proprietary information pursuant to policies in effect as of the Effective Time, all confidential and proprietary information concerning the other Party or any member of the other Party’s Group or their respective businesses that is either in its possession (including confidential and proprietary information in its possession prior to the date hereof) or furnished by any such other Party or any member of such Party’s Group or their respective Representatives at any time pursuant to this Agreement, any Ancillary Agreement or otherwise, and shall not use any such confidential and proprietary information other than for such purposes as shall be expressly permitted hereunder or thereunder, except, in each case, to the extent that such confidential and proprietary information has been (i) in the public domain or generally available to the public, other than as a result of a disclosure by such Party or any member of such Party’s Group or any of their respective Representatives in violation of this Agreement, (ii) later lawfully acquired from other

 

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sources by such Party (or any member of such Party’s Group), which sources are not themselves bound by a confidentiality obligation or other contractual, legal or fiduciary obligation of confidentiality with respect to such confidential and proprietary information or (iii) independently developed or generated without reference to or use of any proprietary or confidential information of the other Party or any member of such Party’s Group. If any confidential and proprietary information of one Party or any member of its Group is disclosed to the other Party or any member of such other Party’s Group in connection with providing services to such first Party or any member of such first Party’s Group under this Agreement or any Ancillary Agreement, then such disclosed confidential and proprietary information shall be used only as required to perform such services.

(b) No Release; Return or Destruction. Each Party agrees not to release or disclose, or permit to be released or disclosed, any information addressed in Section 6.9(a) to any other Person, except its Representatives who need to know such information in their capacities as such (who shall be advised of their obligations hereunder with respect to such information), and except in compliance with Section 6.10. Without limiting the foregoing, when any such information is no longer needed for the purposes contemplated by this Agreement or any Ancillary Agreement, and is no longer subject to any legal hold or other document preservation obligation, each Party will promptly after request of the other Party either return to the other Party all such information in a tangible form (including all copies thereof and all notes, extracts or summaries based thereon) or notify the other Party in writing that it has destroyed such information (and such copies thereof and such notes, extracts or summaries based thereon); provided, that the Parties may retain electronic backup versions of such information maintained on routine computer system backup tapes, disks or other backup storage devices; provided, further, that any such information so retained shall remain subject to the confidentiality provisions of this Agreement or any Ancillary Agreement.

(c) Third-Party Information; Privacy or Data Protection Laws. Each Party acknowledges that it and members of its Group may presently have and, following the Effective Time, may gain access to or possession of confidential or proprietary information of, or legally protected personal information relating to, Third Parties (i) that was received under privacy policies and/or confidentiality or non-disclosure agreements entered into between such Third Parties, on the one hand, and the other Party or members of such other Party’s Group, on the other hand, prior to the Effective Time; or (ii) that, as between the two Parties, was originally collected by the other Party or members of such other Party’s Group and that may be subject to and protected by privacy policies, as well as privacy, data protection or other applicable Laws. Each Party agrees that it shall hold, protect and use, and shall cause the members of its Group and its and their respective Representatives to hold, protect and use, in strict confidence the confidential and proprietary information of, or legally protected personal information relating to, Third Parties in accordance with privacy policies and privacy, data protection or other applicable Laws and the terms of any agreements that were either entered into before the Effective Time or affirmative commitments or representations that were made before the Effective Time by, between or among the other Party or members of the other Party’s Group, on the one hand, and such Third Parties, on the other hand.

 

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6.10 Protective Arrangements. In the event that a Party or any member of its Group either determines on the advice of its counsel that it is required to disclose any information pursuant to applicable Law or receives any request or demand under lawful process or from any Governmental Authority to disclose or provide information of the other Party (or any member of the other Party’s Group) that is subject to the confidentiality provisions hereof, such Party shall notify the other Party (to the extent legally permitted) as promptly as practicable under the circumstances prior to disclosing or providing such information and shall cooperate, at the expense of the other Party, in seeking any appropriate protective order requested by the other Party. In the event that such other Party fails to receive such appropriate protective order in a timely manner and the Party receiving the request or demand reasonably determines that its failure to disclose or provide such information shall actually prejudice the Party receiving the request or demand, then the Party that received such request or demand may thereafter disclose or provide information to the extent required by such Law (as so advised by its counsel) or by lawful process or such Governmental Authority, and the disclosing Party shall promptly provide the other Party with a copy of the information so disclosed, in the same form and format so disclosed, together with a list of all Persons to whom such information was disclosed, in each case to the extent legally permitted.

6.11 Current, Quarterly and Annual Reports. For so long as Parent owns at least 10% of the outstanding SpinCo Shares, (a) at least three Business Days prior to the earlier of public dissemination or filing with the SEC, each Party shall deliver to the other Party, a reasonably complete draft of any earnings news release, any filing with the SEC containing financial statements, including, but not limited to current reports on Form 8-K, quarterly reports on 10-Q and annual reports on Form 10-K or any other annual report purporting to fulfill the requirements of 17 CFR 240-14c-3 and (b) each Party shall notify the other Party, as soon as reasonably practicable after becoming aware thereof, of any material accounting differences between the financial statements to be included in such Party’s annual report on Form 10-K and the pro-forma financial statements included, as applicable, in the Form 10 or the Form 8-K to be filed with the SEC on or about the time of the Distribution. If any such differences are notified by any Party, the Parties shall confer and/or meet as soon as reasonably practicable thereafter, and in any event prior to the filing of any Annual Report, to consult with each other in respect of such differences and the effects thereof on the Parties’ applicable Annual Reports.

ARTICLE VII

DISPUTE RESOLUTION

7.1 Good Faith Officer Negotiation. Subject to Section 7.4, either Party seeking resolution of any dispute, controversy or claim arising out of or relating to this Agreement or any Ancillary Agreement (including regarding whether any Assets are SpinCo Assets, any Liabilities are SpinCo Liabilities or the validity, interpretation, breach or termination of this Agreement or any Ancillary Agreement) (a “Dispute”), shall provide written notice thereof to the other Party (the “Officer Negotiation Request”). Within 15 days of the delivery of the Officer Negotiation Request, the Parties shall attempt to resolve the Dispute through good faith negotiation. All such negotiations shall be conducted by the Chief Executive Officers of Parent and SpinCo or such other appropriate executives of the Parties designated each Party’s respective Chief Executive Officers who have full power and authority to settle the Dispute. All such negotiations shall be confidential and shall be treated as compromise and settlement negotiations for purposes of applicable rules of evidence. If the Parties are unable for any reason to resolve any Dispute within 30 days of receipt of the Officer Negotiation Request, and such 30-day period is not extended by mutual written consent of the Parties, the Parties shall enter into mediation in accordance with Section 7.2.

 

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7.2 Mediation. If any Dispute is not resolved pursuant to Section 7.1, the Party that delivered the Officer Negotiation Request shall provide written notice of such inability to resolve the Dispute (an “Unresolved Dispute Notice”) to the other Party. As soon as reasonably practicable following receipt of an Unresolved Dispute Notice, the Parties shall attempt to resolve the Dispute by a mediation administered by the International Institute for Conflict Prevention & Resolution (“CPR”) under its Mediation Procedure. If the Parties are unable for any reason to resolve a Dispute within 30 days of receipt of a Unresolved Dispute Notice, and such 30-day period is not extended by mutual written consent of the Parties, the Dispute shall be submitted to arbitration in accordance with Section 7.3.

7.3 Arbitration.

(a) In the event that a Dispute has not been resolved within 30 days of the receipt of an Unresolved Dispute Notice in accordance with Section 7.2, or within such longer period as the Parties may agree in writing, then such Dispute shall, upon the written request of a Party (the “Arbitration Request”) be submitted to be finally resolved by binding arbitration. The arbitration shall be administered by the CPR pursuant to its Arbitration Rules and Procedures. References herein to any arbitration rules or procedures mean such rules or procedures as amended from time to time, including any successor rules or procedures, and references herein to the CPR include any successor thereto. The arbitration shall be before three arbitrators. Each Party shall designate one arbitrator in accordance with the “screened” appointment procedure provided in Rule 5.4 of the CPR Rules. In the event that either Party fails to name an arbitrator within 5 days from the date of receipt of the Arbitration Request, then upon written application by either Party, that arbitrator shall be appointed in accordance with the “screened” appointment procedure provided in Rule 5.4 of the CPR Rules. The two party-appointed arbitrators will select the third, who will serve as the panel’s chair or president. This arbitration provision, and the arbitration itself, shall be governed by the laws of Delaware and the Federal Arbitration Act, 9 U.S.C. §§ 1-16. The arbitration shall be held in (i) Los Angeles, California or (ii) such other place as the Parties may mutually agree in writing.

(b) Consistent with the expedited nature of arbitration, each Party will, upon the written request of the other Party, promptly provide the other with copies of documents on which the producing Party may rely in support of or in opposition to any claim or defense. At the request of a Party, the arbitrators shall have the discretion to order examination by deposition of witnesses to the extent the arbitrator deems such additional discovery relevant and appropriate. Depositions shall be limited to a maximum of five per Party and shall be held within 45 days of the grant of a request. Additional depositions may be scheduled only with the permission of the arbitrators, and for good cause shown. Each deposition shall be limited to a maximum of one day’s duration. All objections are reserved for the arbitration hearing except for objections based on privilege and proprietary or confidential information. The Parties shall not utilize any other discovery mechanisms, including international processes and United States federal statutes, to obtain additional evidence for use in the arbitration. Any Dispute regarding discovery, or the relevance or scope thereof, shall be determined by the arbitrators, which determination shall be conclusive. All discovery shall be completed within 60 days following the appointment of the arbitrators. All costs and fees relating to the retrieval, review and production of electronic discovery shall be paid by the Party requesting such discovery.

 

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(c) The panel of arbitrators shall have no power to award non-monetary or equitable relief of any sort. The arbitrators shall have no power or authority, under the CPR Rules for Non-Administered Arbitration or otherwise, to relieve the Parties from their agreement hereunder to arbitrate or otherwise to amend or disregard any provision of this Agreement or any Ancillary Agreement. Furthermore, the arbitrators shall have no authority or power to limit, expand, alter, amend, modify, revoke or suspend any condition or provision of this Agreement or any Ancillary Agreement nor any right or power to award punitive, exemplary or treble damages (or other multiple damages that are not actual damages). The award of the arbitrators shall be final, binding and the sole and exclusive remedy to the Parties. Either Party may seek to confirm and enforce any final award entered in arbitration, in any court of competent jurisdiction.

(d) If an arbitral award does not impose an injunction on the losing Party or contain a money damages award in excess of $25,000,000, then the arbitral award shall not be appealable and shall only be subject to such challenges as would otherwise be permissible under the Federal Arbitration Act, 9 U.S.C. §§ 1-16. In the event that the arbitration does result in an arbitral award, which imposes an injunction or a monetary award in excess of $25,000,000, such award may be appealed to a tribunal of appellate arbitrators via the CPR Arbitration Appeal Procedure.

(e) Except as may be required by Law, neither a Party nor an arbitrator may disclose the existence, content, or results of any arbitration hereunder without the prior written consent of both Parties.

7.4 Litigation and Unilateral Commencement of Arbitration. Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this Article VII, (a) a Party may seek preliminary provisional or injunctive judicial relief with respect to a Dispute without first complying with the procedures set forth in Section 7.1, Section 7.2 and Section 7.3 if the Party believes in good faith that such action is reasonably necessary to avoid irreparable damage and (b) either Party may initiate arbitration before the expiration of the periods specified in Section 7.1, Section 7.2 and Section 7.3 if such Party has submitted an Officer Negotiation Request, an Unresolved Dispute Notice and/or an Arbitration Request and the other Party has failed to comply with Section 7.1, Section 7.2 and/or Section 7.3 in good faith with respect to such negotiation and/or the commencement and engagement in arbitration. In such event, the other Party may commence and prosecute such arbitration unilaterally in accordance with the provisions of the CPR Rules. Except as set forth in this Section 7.4, each Party agrees on behalf of itself and its Group that the procedures set forth in this Article VII shall be the exclusive means for resolution of any Dispute.

7.5 Conduct During Dispute Resolution Process. Unless otherwise agreed in writing, the Parties shall, and shall cause the respective members of their Groups to, continue to honor all commitments under this Agreement and each Ancillary Agreement to the extent required by such agreements during the course of dispute resolution pursuant to the provisions of this Article VII, except to the extent such commitments are the specific subject of the Dispute at issue.

 

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7.6 Expenses. Each Party shall bear its own costs, expenses and attorneys’ fees in pursuit and resolution of any Dispute; provided, however, that, in the event of any arbitration pursuant to Section 7.3 or challenge to such arbitration under the Federal Arbitration Act, the non-prevailing Party shall bear both Parties’ costs, expenses and attorneys’ fees incurred in connection with such arbitration or challenge, as applicable (including the fees of any arbitrator or court costs, as applicable).

ARTICLE VIII

FURTHER ASSURANCES AND ADDITIONAL COVENANTS

8.1 Further Assurances.

(a) In addition to the actions specifically provided for elsewhere in this Agreement, each of the Parties shall use its reasonable best efforts, prior to, on and after the Effective Time, to take, or cause to be taken, all actions, and to do, or cause to be done, all things, reasonably necessary, proper or advisable under applicable Laws, regulations and agreements to consummate and make effective the transactions contemplated by this Agreement and the Ancillary Agreements.

(b) Without limiting the foregoing, prior to, on and after the Effective Time, each Party hereto shall cooperate with the other Party, and without any further consideration, but at the expense of the requesting Party, to execute and deliver, or use its reasonable best efforts to cause to be executed and delivered, all instruments, including instruments of conveyance, assignment and transfer, and to make all filings with, and to obtain all Approvals or Notifications of, any Governmental Authority or any other Person under any permit, license, agreement, indenture or other instrument (including any consents or Governmental Approvals), and to take all such other actions as such Party may reasonably be requested to take by the other Party from time to time, consistent with the terms of this Agreement and the Ancillary Agreements, in order to effectuate the provisions and purposes of this Agreement and the Ancillary Agreements and the transfers of the SpinCo Assets and the Parent Assets and the assignment and assumption of the SpinCo Liabilities and the Parent Liabilities and the other transactions contemplated hereby and thereby. Without limiting the foregoing, each Party will, at the reasonable request, cost and expense of the other Party, take such other actions as may be reasonably necessary to vest in such other Party good and marketable title to the Assets allocated to such Party under this Agreement or any of the Ancillary Agreements, free and clear of any Security Interest, if and to the extent it is practicable to do so.

(c) On or prior to the Effective Time, Parent and SpinCo in their respective capacities as direct and indirect stockholders of the members of their Groups, shall each ratify any actions that are reasonably necessary or desirable to be taken by Parent, SpinCo or any of the members of their respective Groups, as the case may be, to effectuate the transactions contemplated by this Agreement and the Ancillary Agreements.

 

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ARTICLE IX

TERMINATION

9.1 Termination. This Agreement and all Ancillary Agreements may be terminated and the Distribution may be amended, modified or abandoned at any time prior to the Effective Time by Parent, in its sole and absolute discretion, without the approval or consent of any other Person, including SpinCo. After the Effective Time, this Agreement may not be terminated, except by an agreement in writing signed by a duly authorized officer of each of the Parties.

9.2 Effect of Termination. In the event of any termination of this Agreement prior to the Effective Time, no Party (nor any of its directors, officers or employees) shall have any Liability or further obligation to the other Party by reason of this Agreement.

ARTICLE X

MISCELLANEOUS

10.1 Counterparts; Entire Agreement; Corporate Power.

(a) This Agreement and each Ancillary Agreement may be executed in one or more counterparts, all of which shall be considered one and the same agreement, and shall become effective when one or more counterparts have been signed by each of the Parties and delivered to the other Party.

(b) This Agreement, the Ancillary Agreements and the Exhibits, Schedules and appendices hereto and thereto contain the entire agreement between the Parties with respect to the subject matter hereof, supersede all previous agreements, negotiations, discussions, writings, understandings, commitments and conversations with respect to such subject matter, and there are no agreements or understandings between the Parties other than those set forth or referred to herein or therein. This Agreement and the Ancillary Agreements together govern the arrangements in connection with the Separation and the Distribution and would not have been entered into independently.

(i) It is the intention of the Parties that the Transfer Documents shall be consistent with the terms of this Agreement and the Ancillary Agreements. In the event of any conflict between the Transfer Documents and this Agreement, (1) the Assets and Liabilities expressly and specifically listed in such Transfer Documents as being for the account of either the Parent Group on the one hand, or the SpinCo Group on the other hand, shall control and (2) in the case of any other inconsistent terms, the provisions of this Agreement shall control. Except with respect to the express and specific allocation of Assets and Liabilities as described therein, the Parties agree (including on behalf of their Subsidiaries) that the Transfer Documents are not intended and shall not be construed in any way to enhance, modify or decrease any of the rights or obligations of Parent, any member of the Parent Group, SpinCo or any member of the SpinCo Group from those contained in this Agreement and the Ancillary Agreements.

 

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(ii) This Agreement is not intended to address, and should not be interpreted to address, the matters specifically and expressly covered by the Ancillary Agreements. Except as otherwise expressly provided in this Agreement, in the event of any conflict or inconsistency between the provisions of this Agreement and the provisions of an Ancillary Agreement (other than any Transfer Document), the provisions of such Ancillary Agreement shall control over the inconsistent provisions of this Agreement solely as to matters specifically and expressly addressed in such Ancillary Agreement. For the avoidance of doubt, the Tax Matters Agreement shall govern all matters (including any indemnities and payments among the Parties and each of their Subsidiaries and the allocation of any rights and obligations pursuant to agreements entered into with Third Parties) relating to Taxes to the extent specifically and expressly addressed in the Tax Matters Agreement and the Employee Matters Agreement shall govern all matters (including the allocation of any rights and obligations) relating to employees to the extent specifically addressed in the Employee Matters Agreement; provided; that this Agreement shall control with respect to any Tax or employee matter expressly addressed herein or in the schedules hereto.

(iii) Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, the Parties acknowledge and agree that a Party will not be charged more than once for the same service, activity, function or expense that is performed or incurred by the other Party or its Group or third parties pursuant to this Agreement to the extent that such Party or its Group are bearing the charges for such service, activity, function or expense pursuant to an Ancillary Agreement.

(c) Parent represents on behalf of itself and each other member of the Parent Group, and SpinCo represents on behalf of itself and each other member of the SpinCo Group, as follows:

(i) each such Person has the requisite corporate or other power and authority and has taken all corporate or other action necessary in order to execute, deliver and perform this Agreement and each Ancillary Agreement to which it is a party and to consummate the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby; and

(ii) this Agreement and each Ancillary Agreement to which it is a party has been duly executed and delivered by it and constitutes a valid and binding agreement of it enforceable in accordance with the terms thereof.

(d) Each Party acknowledges that it and each other Party is executing certain of the Ancillary Agreements by facsimile, stamp or mechanical signature, and that delivery of an executed counterpart of a signature page to this Agreement or any Ancillary Agreement (whether executed by manual, stamp or mechanical signature) by facsimile or by e-mail in portable document format (.pdf) shall be effective as delivery of such executed counterpart of this Agreement or any Ancillary Agreement. Each Party expressly adopts and confirms each such facsimile, stamp or mechanical signature (regardless of whether delivered in person, by mail, by courier, by facsimile or by e-mail in portable document format (.pdf)) made in its respective name as if it were a manual signature delivered in person, agrees that it will not assert that any such signature or delivery is not adequate to bind such Party to the same extent as if it were signed manually and delivered in person and agrees that, at the reasonable request of the other Party at any time, it will as promptly as reasonably practicable cause each such Ancillary Agreement to be manually executed (any such execution to be as of the date of the initial date thereof) and delivered in person, by mail or by courier.

 

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10.2 Governing Law. This Agreement and, unless expressly provided therein, each Ancillary Agreement (and any claims or disputes arising out of or related hereto or thereto or to the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby or to the inducement of any Party to enter herein and therein, whether for breach of contract, tortious conduct or otherwise and whether predicated on common law, statute or otherwise) shall be governed by and construed and interpreted in accordance with the Laws of the State of Delaware irrespective of the choice of laws principles of the State of Delaware, including all matters of validity, construction, effect, enforceability, performance and remedies.

10.3 Assignability. Except as set forth in any Ancillary Agreement, this Agreement and each Ancillary Agreement shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the Parties and the parties thereto, respectively, and their respective successors and permitted assigns; provided, however, that neither Party nor any such party thereto may assign its rights or delegate its obligations under this Agreement or any Ancillary Agreement without the express prior written consent of the other Party hereto or other parties thereto, as applicable. Notwithstanding the foregoing, no such consent shall be required for the assignment of a Party’s rights and obligations under this Agreement and the Ancillary Agreements (except as may be otherwise provided in any such Ancillary Agreement) in whole (i.e., the assignment of a Party’s rights and obligations under this Agreement and all Ancillary Agreements at the same time) in connection with a change of control of a Party so long as the resulting, surviving or transferee Person assumes all the obligations of the relevant party thereto by operation of Law or pursuant to an agreement in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the other Party.

10.4 Third-Party Beneficiaries. Except for the indemnification rights under this Agreement and each Ancillary Agreement of any Parent Indemnitee or SpinCo Indemnitee in their respective capacities as such, (a) the provisions of this Agreement and each Ancillary Agreement are solely for the benefit of the Parties and are not intended to confer upon any Person except the Parties any rights or remedies hereunder, and (b) there are no third-party beneficiaries of this Agreement or any Ancillary Agreement and neither this Agreement nor any Ancillary Agreement shall provide any Third Party with any remedy, claim, Liability, reimbursement, claim of action or other right in excess of those existing without reference to this Agreement or any Ancillary Agreement.

10.5 Notices. All notices, requests, claims, demands or other communications under this Agreement and, to the extent applicable and unless otherwise provided therein, under each of the Ancillary Agreements, shall be in writing and shall be given or made (and except as provided herein, shall be deemed to have been duly given or made upon receipt) by delivery in person, by overnight courier service, by certified mail, return receipt requested, or by electronic mail (“e-mail”), so long as confirmation of receipt of such e-mail is requested and received, to the respective Parties at the following addresses (or at such other address for a Party as shall be specified in a notice given in accordance with this Section 10.5):

If to Parent, to:

Ziff Davis, Inc.

114 Fifth Avenue

New York, New York 10011

Attention:        Legal Department

E-mail:            legal@j2.com

 

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If to SpinCo (prior to the Effective Time), to:

Consensus Cloud Solutions, Inc.

700 South Flower Street, Suite 1500]

Los Angeles, California 90017

Attention:        Legal Department

E-mail:             legal@j2.com

If to SpinCo (from and after the Effective Time), to:

Consensus Cloud Solutions, Inc.

700 South Flower Street, Suite 1500

Los Angeles, California 90017

Attention:        Legal Department

E-mail:            Vithya.aubee@j2.com

A Party may, by notice to the other Party, change the address to which such notices are to be given or made.

10.6 Severability. If any provision of this Agreement or any Ancillary Agreement or the application thereof to any Person or circumstance is determined by a court of competent jurisdiction to be invalid, void or unenforceable, the remaining provisions hereof or thereof, or the application of such provision to Persons or circumstances or in jurisdictions other than those as to which it has been held invalid or unenforceable, shall remain in full force and effect and shall in no way be affected, impaired or invalidated thereby. Upon such determination, the Parties shall negotiate in good faith in an effort to agree upon such a suitable and equitable provision to effect the original intent of the Parties.

10.7 Force Majeure. No Party shall be deemed in default of this Agreement or, unless otherwise expressly provided therein, any Ancillary Agreement for any delay or failure to fulfill any obligation (other than a payment obligation) hereunder or thereunder so long as and to the extent to which any delay or failure in the fulfillment of such obligation is prevented, frustrated, hindered or delayed as a consequence of circumstances of Force Majeure. In the event of any such excused delay, the time for performance of such obligations (other than a payment obligation) shall be extended for a period equal to the time lost by reason of the delay. A Party claiming the benefit of this provision shall, as soon as reasonably practicable after the occurrence of any such event, (a) provide written notice to the other Party of the nature and extent of any such Force Majeure condition; and (b) use commercially reasonable efforts to remove any such causes and resume performance under this Agreement and the Ancillary Agreements, as applicable, as soon as reasonably practicable.

 

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10.8 Expenses.

(a) Except as otherwise expressly set forth in this Agreement or any Ancillary Agreement, or as otherwise agreed to in writing by the Parties, the Transaction Fees will be borne 50% by SpinCo and 50% by Parent. At the Effective Time, SpinCo shall reimburse Parent for $10,480,000 of such Transaction Fees. From and after the Effective Time and promptly following any one or more written requests of Parent, SpinCo shall reimburse Parent for 50% of the amount of aggregate Transaction Fees in excess of $20 million. For the avoidance of doubt, such reimbursement shall not impact the calculation of the SpinCo Cash Amount, which shall be based on SpinCo Closing Cash as of immediately following the Effective Time.

(b) Except as otherwise expressly set forth in this Agreement or any Ancillary Agreement, or as otherwise agreed to in writing by the Parties, all fees, costs and expenses incurred after the Effective Time in connection with the preparation, execution, delivery and implementation of this Agreement, including the Separation and the Distribution, and any Ancillary Agreement, the Separation, the registration statement, the Global Transaction Structure and the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby will be borne by the Party or its applicable Subsidiary incurring such fees, costs or expenses.

(c) The Parties agree that certain specified costs and expenses shall be allocated between the Parties as set forth on Schedule 10.8.

10.9 Headings. The article, section and paragraph headings contained in this Agreement and in the Ancillary Agreements are for reference purposes only and shall not affect in any way the meaning or interpretation of this Agreement or any Ancillary Agreement.

10.10 Survival of Covenants. Except as expressly set forth in this Agreement or any Ancillary Agreement, the covenants, representations and warranties contained in this Agreement and each Ancillary Agreement, and Liability for the breach of any obligations contained herein, shall survive the Separation and the Distribution and shall remain in full force and effect.

10.11 Amendments and Waivers of Default. No provisions of this Agreement or any Ancillary Agreement shall be deemed waived, amended, supplemented or modified by a Party, unless such waiver, amendment, supplement or modification is in writing and signed by the authorized representative of the Party against whom it is sought to enforce such waiver, amendment, supplement or modification. Waiver by a Party of any default by the other Party of any provision of this Agreement or any Ancillary Agreement shall not be deemed a waiver by the waiving Party of any subsequent or other default, nor shall it prejudice the rights of the other Party. No failure or delay by a Party in exercising any right, power or privilege under this Agreement or any Ancillary Agreement shall operate as a waiver thereof, nor shall a single or partial exercise thereof prejudice any other or further exercise thereof or the exercise of any other right, power or privilege.

10.12 Specific Performance. Subject to the provisions of Article VII, in the event of any actual or threatened default in, or breach of, any of the terms, conditions and provisions of this Agreement or any Ancillary Agreement, the Party or Parties who are, or are to be, thereby aggrieved shall have the right to specific performance and injunctive or other equitable relief in respect of its or their rights under this Agreement or such Ancillary Agreement, in addition to any and all other rights and remedies at law or in equity, and all such rights and remedies shall be cumulative. The Parties agree that the remedies at law for any breach or threatened breach, including monetary damages, are inadequate compensation for any loss and that any defense in any action for specific performance that a remedy at law would be adequate is waived. Any requirements for the securing or posting of any bond with such remedy are waived by each of the Parties.

 

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10.13 Interpretation. In this Agreement and in any Ancillary Agreement, (a) words in the singular shall be deemed to include the plural and vice versa and words of one gender shall be deemed to include the other genders as the context requires; (b) the terms “hereof,” “herein,” and “herewith” and words of similar import shall, unless otherwise stated, be construed to refer to this Agreement (or the applicable Ancillary Agreement) as a whole (including all of the Schedules, Exhibits and Appendices hereto and thereto) and not to any particular provision of this Agreement (or such Ancillary Agreement); (c) Article, Section, Schedule, Exhibit and Appendix references are to the Articles, Sections, Schedules, Exhibits and Appendices to this Agreement (or the applicable Ancillary Agreement), unless otherwise specified; (d) unless otherwise stated, all references to any agreement (including this Agreement and each Ancillary Agreement) shall be deemed to include the exhibits, schedules and annexes (including all Schedules, Exhibits and Appendixes) to such agreement; (e) the word “including” and words of similar import when used in this Agreement (or the applicable Ancillary Agreement) shall mean “including, without limitation,” unless otherwise specified; (f) the word “or” shall not be exclusive; (g) unless otherwise specified in a particular case, the word “days” refers to calendar days; (h) references to “business day” shall mean any day other than a Saturday, a Sunday or a day on which banking institutions are generally authorized or required by law to close in the United States or Los Angeles, California; (i) references herein to this Agreement or any other agreement contemplated herein shall be deemed to refer to this Agreement or such other agreement as of the date on which it is executed and as it may be amended, modified or supplemented thereafter, unless otherwise specified; and (j) unless expressly stated to the contrary in this Agreement or in any Ancillary Agreement, all references to “the date hereof,” “the date of this Agreement,” “hereby” and “hereupon” and words of similar import shall all be references to October 7, 2021.

10.14 Tax Treatment of Payments. Unless otherwise required by a Final Determination, this Agreement or the Tax Matters Agreement or otherwise agreed to among the Parties, for U.S. federal Tax purposes, any payment made pursuant to this Agreement by (i) SpinCo to Parent shall be treated for all Tax purposes as a distribution by SpinCo to Parent with respect to stock of SpinCo occurring on or immediately before the Distribution Date, or (ii) Parent to SpinCo shall be treated for all Tax purposes as a tax-free contribution by Parent to SpinCo with respect to its stock occurring on or immediately before the Distribution Date, and in each case, no Party shall take any position inconsistent with such treatment; provided, that such Tax treatment will not apply to any reimbursement by SpinCo to Parent of Transaction Fees under Section 10.8(a). Payments under Section 10.8(a) shall be treated as if SpinCo paid the reimbursed Transaction Fees directly. In the event that a Tax Authority asserts that a Party’s treatment of a payment pursuant to this Agreement should be other than as set forth in the preceding sentence, such Party shall use its commercially reasonable efforts to contest such challenge. Notwithstanding the foregoing, Parent shall notify SpinCo if it determines that any payment made pursuant to this Agreement is to be treated, for any Tax purposes, as a payment made by one Party acting as an agent of one of such Party’s Subsidiaries to the other Party acting as an agent of one of such other Party’s Subsidiaries, and the Parties agree to treat any such payment accordingly.

 

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10.15 Performance. Parent will cause to be performed, and hereby guarantees the performance of, all actions, agreements and obligations set forth in this Agreement or in any Ancillary Agreement to be performed by any member of the Parent Group. SpinCo will cause to be performed, and hereby guarantees the performance of, all actions, agreements and obligations set forth in this Agreement or in any Ancillary Agreement to be performed by any member of the SpinCo Group. Each Party (including its permitted successors and assigns) further agrees that it will (a) give timely notice of the terms, conditions and continuing obligations contained in this Agreement and any applicable Ancillary Agreement to all of the other members of its Group and (b) cause all of the other members of its Group not to take any action or fail to take any such action inconsistent with such Party’s obligations under this Agreement, any Ancillary Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby or thereby.

10.16 Mutual Drafting. This Agreement and the Ancillary Agreements shall be deemed to be the joint work product of the Parties and any rule of construction that a document shall be interpreted or construed against a drafter of such document shall not be applicable.

[Remainder of page intentionally left blank]

 

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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Parties have caused this Separation and Distribution Agreement to be executed by their duly authorized representatives as of the date first written above.

 

Ziff Davis, INC.

By:

  /s/ Jeremy Rossen
 

Name:

 

Jeremy Rossen

  Title:   Executive Vice President, Secretary and General Counsel

 

[Signature Page to the Separation and Distribution Agreement]


CONSENSUS CLOUD SOLUTIONS, INC.

By:

  /s/ Vithya Aubee
 

Name:

 

Vithya Aubee

 

Title:

 

Vice President

 

[Signature Page to the Separation and Distribution Agreement]

Exhibit 3.1

AMENDED AND RESTATED

CERTIFICATE OF INCORPORATION

CONSENSUS CLOUD SOLUTIONS, INC.

CONSENSUS CLOUD SOLUTIONS, INC., a corporation organized and existing under the laws of the state of Delaware (the “Corporation”) hereby certifies that:

1. The name of the Corporation is Consensus Cloud Solutions, Inc.

2. The date of filing of the Corporation’s original Certificate of Incorporation was May 14, 2021.

3. This Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation of the Corporation was duly adopted in accordance with the provisions of Sections 242 and 245 of the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware by the Board of Directors of the Corporation.

4. Pursuant to Section 228 of the Delaware General Corporation Law, approval of the stockholder of the Corporation has been obtained.

5. The text of the certificate of incorporation of the corporation is hereby amended and restated by this Certificate of Incorporation to read in its entirety as follows:

ARTICLE I

NAME

The name of the Corporation is Consensus Cloud Solutions, Inc.

ARTICLE II

AGENT

The address of the Corporation’s registered office in the State of Delaware is 251 Little Falls Drive, City of Wilmington, County of New Castle, Delaware 19808. The name of its registered agent at such address is Corporation Service Company.

ARTICLE III

PURPOSE

The purpose of the Corporation is to engage in any lawful act or activity for which corporations may be organized under the General Corporation Law of Delaware.

ARTICLE IV

STOCK

Section 4.1 Authorized Stock. The total number of shares of all classes of stock which the Corporation shall have authority to issue is 125,000,000, of which 120,000,000 shares of the par value of $0.01 per share shall be designated as Common Stock (the “Common Stock”) and 5,000,000 shares of the par value of $0.01 per share shall be designated as Preferred Stock (“Preferred Stock”).


Section 4.2 Common Stock.

(a) Each holder of Common Stock, as such, shall be entitled to one vote for each share of Common Stock held of record by such holder on all matters on which stockholders generally are entitled to vote.

(b) Subject to the rights of the holders of any outstanding series of Preferred Stock, the holders of shares of Common Stock shall be entitled to receive dividends to the extent permitted by law when, as and if declared by the Board of Directors.

(c) Upon the dissolution, liquidation or winding up of the Corporation, subject to the rights of the holders of any outstanding series of Preferred Stock, the holders of shares of Common Stock shall be entitled to receive the assets of the Corporation available for distribution to its stockholders ratably in proportion to the number of shares held by them.

Section 4.3 Preferred Stock. Shares of Preferred Stock may be issued in one or more series from time to time by the Board of Directors, and the Board of Directors is expressly authorized to fix by resolution or resolutions the designations and the powers, preferences and rights, and the qualifications, limitations and restrictions thereof, of the shares of each series of Preferred Stock, including without limitation the following:

i the distinctive serial designation of such series which shall distinguish it from other series;

ii the number of shares included in such series;

iii the dividend rate (or method of determining such rate) payable to the holders of the shares of such series, any conditions upon which such dividends shall be paid and the date or dates upon which such dividends shall be payable;

iv whether dividends on the shares of such series shall be cumulative and, in the case of shares of any series having cumulative dividend rights, the date or dates or method of determining the date or dates from which dividends on the shares of such series shall be cumulative;

v the amount or amounts which shall be payable out of the assets of the Corporation to the holders of the shares of such series upon voluntary or involuntary liquidation, dissolution or winding up the Corporation, and the relative rights of priority, if any, of payment of the shares of such series;

vi the price or prices at which, the period or periods within which and the terms and conditions upon which the shares of such series may be redeemed, in whole or in part, at the option of the Corporation or at the option of the holder or holders thereof or upon the happening of a specified event or events;

 

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vii the obligation, if any, of the Corporation to purchase or redeem shares of such series pursuant to a sinking fund or otherwise and the price or prices at which, the period or periods within which and the terms and conditions upon which the shares of such series shall be redeemed or purchased, in whole or in part, pursuant to such obligation;

viii whether or not the shares of such series shall be convertible or exchangeable, at any time or times at the option of the holder or holders thereof or at the option of the Corporation or upon the happening of a specified event or events, into shares of any other class or classes or any other series of the same or any other class or classes of stock of the Corporation, and the price or prices or rate or rates of exchange or conversion and any adjustments applicable thereto; and

ix whether or not the holders of the shares of such series shall have voting rights, in addition to the voting rights provided by law, and if so the terms of such voting rights.

Section 4.4 No Class Vote on Changes in Authorized Number of Shares of Stock. Subject to the rights of the holders of any series of Preferred Stock, the number of authorized shares of Common Stock or Preferred Stock may be increased or decreased (but not below the number of shares thereof then outstanding) by the affirmative vote of the holders of a majority of the outstanding shares of the Corporation entitled to vote thereon, irrespective of the provisions of Section 242(b)(2) of the General Corporation Law of Delaware or any corresponding provision hereafter enacted.

ARTICLE V

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Section 5.1 Number. Except as otherwise provided for or fixed pursuant to the provisions of Article IV hereof (including any certificate of designations relating to any series of Preferred Stock (each hereinafter referred to as a “Preferred Stock Designation”)), the Board of Directors shall consist of such number of directors as may, from time to time, be determined solely by the Board of Directors in accordance with the by-laws of the Corporation.

 

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Section 5.2 Terms.

(a) Except as may be otherwise provided with respect to directors elected by the holders of any series of Preferred Stock provided for or fixed pursuant to the provisions of Article IV hereof (including any Preferred Stock Designation) (the “Preferred Stock Directors”), the Board of Directors shall be divided into three classes, as nearly equal in number as possible, designated Class I, Class II and Class III. Class I directors shall initially serve until the first annual meeting of stockholders following the time at which the initial classification of the Board of Directors becomes effective, expected to be held in 2022, and director nominees elected to succeed such Class I directors as Class I directors shall hold office for a three-year term and until the election and qualification of their respective successors in office or until any such director’s earlier death, resignation, removal, retirement or disqualification. Directors designated as Class II directors shall initially serve until the second annual meeting of stockholders following the time at which the initial classification of the Board of Directors becomes effective, expected to be held in 2023, and director nominees elected to succeed such Class II directors as Class II directors shall hold office for a three-year term and until the election and qualification of their respective successors in office or until any such director’s earlier death, resignation, removal, retirement or disqualification. Directors designated as Class III directors shall initially serve until the third annual meeting of stockholders following the time at which the initial classification of the Board of Directors becomes effective, expected to be held in 2024, and director nominees elected to succeed such Class III directors as Class III directors shall hold office for a two-year term and until the election and qualification of their respective successors in office or until any such director’s earlier death, resignation, removal, retirement or disqualification. Commencing with the second annual meeting of stockholders following the time at which the initial classification of the Board of Directors becomes effective, expected to be held in 2023, directors of each class the term of which shall then or thereafter expire shall be elected to hold office for a term of office to expire at the fifth annual meeting of stockholders following the time at which the initial classification of the Board of Directors becomes effective, expected to be held in 2026. Commencing with the fifth annual meeting of stockholders following the time at which the initial classification of the Board of Directors becomes effective, expected to be held in 2026, directors of each class the term of which shall then or thereafter expire shall be elected to hold office for a one-year term and until the election and qualification of their respective successors in office or until any such director’s earlier death, resignation, removal, retirement or disqualification. Prior to the fifth annual meeting of stockholders following the time at which the initial classification of the Board of Directors becomes effective, in case of any increase or decrease, from time to time, in the number of directors (other than Preferred Stock Directors), the number of directors in each class shall be apportioned as nearly equal as possible. The Board of Directors is authorized to assign members of the Board of Directors already in office to Class I, Class II or Class III, with such assignment becoming effective as of the time at which the initial classification of the Board of Directors becomes effective.

(b) Subject to the rights of the holders of any outstanding series of Preferred Stock, and unless otherwise required by law, newly created directorships resulting from any increase in the authorized number of directors and any vacancies in the Board of Directors resulting from death, resignation, retirement, disqualification, removal from office or other cause shall be filled solely by the affirmative vote of a majority of the remaining directors then in office, even though less than a quorum of the Board of Directors, or by the sole remaining director. Any director so chosen shall hold office until the next election of the class, if any, for which such director shall have been chosen and until his or her successor shall have been duly elected and qualified or until any such director’s earlier death, resignation, removal, retirement or disqualification. Notwithstanding the foregoing, from and after the fifth annual meeting of stockholders following the time at which the initial classification of the Board of Directors becomes effective, expected to be held in 2026, any director so chosen shall hold office until the next election of directors and until his or her successor shall have been duly elected and qualified or until any such director’s earlier death, resignation, removal, retirement or disqualification. No decrease in the authorized number of directors shall shorten the term of any incumbent director.

 

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(c) Any director (other than any Preferred Stock Director) may be removed from office at any time, but only for cause and only by the affirmative vote of the holders of a majority of the outstanding shares of the Corporation entitled to vote thereon; provided, however, that from and after the fifth annual meeting of stockholders following the time at which the initial classification of the Board of Directors becomes effective, any director may be removed with or without cause and only by the affirmative vote of the holders of a majority of the outstanding shares of the Corporation entitled to vote thereon. Notwithstanding the foregoing, whenever the holders of any class or series are entitled to elect one or more directors by this Certificate of Incorporation (including any Preferred Stock Designation), with respect to the removal without cause of a director or directors so elected, the vote of the holders of the outstanding shares of that class or series and not the vote of the outstanding shares as a whole shall apply.

(d) During any period when the holders of any series of Preferred Stock have the right to elect additional directors as provided for or fixed pursuant to the provisions of Article IV hereof (including any Preferred Stock Designation), and upon commencement and for the duration of the period during which such right continues: (i) the then otherwise total authorized number of directors of the Corporation shall automatically be increased by such number of directors that the holders of any series of Preferred Stock have a right to elect, and the holders of such Preferred Stock shall be entitled to elect the additional directors so provided for or fixed pursuant to said provisions; and (ii) each Preferred Stock Director shall serve until such Preferred Stock Director’s successor shall have been duly elected and qualified, or until such director’s right to hold such office terminates pursuant to said provisions, whichever occurs earlier, subject to his or her earlier death, disqualification, resignation or removal. Except as otherwise provided for or fixed pursuant to the provisions of Article IV hereof (including any Preferred Stock Designation), whenever the holders of any series of Preferred Stock having such right to elect additional directors are divested of such right pursuant to said provisions, the terms of office of all Preferred Stock Directors elected by the holders of such Preferred Stock, or elected to fill any vacancies resulting from the death, resignation, disqualification or removal of such additional directors, shall forthwith terminate (in which case each such Preferred Stock Director shall cease to be qualified as a director and shall cease to be a director) and the total authorized number of directors of the Corporation shall be automatically reduced accordingly.

Section 5.3 Election; Annual Meeting of Stockholders.

(a) Ballot Not Required. Elections of directors need not be by written ballot except and to the extent provided in the by-laws of the Corporation.

(b) Notice. Advance notice of nominations for the election of directors, and of business other than nominations, to be proposed by stockholders for consideration at a meeting of stockholders of the Corporation shall be given in the manner and to the extent provided in or contemplated by the by-laws of the Corporation.

(c) Annual Meeting. The annual meeting of stockholders, for the election of directors to succeed those whose terms expire and for the transaction of such other business as may properly come before the meeting, shall be held at such place, if any, either within or without the State of Delaware, on such date, and at such time as the Board of Directors shall fix.

 

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ARTICLE VI

STOCKHOLDER ACTION

Except as otherwise provided for or fixed pursuant to the provisions of Article IV hereof (including any Preferred Stock Designation), no action that is required or permitted to be taken by the stockholders of the Corporation may be effected by consent of stockholders in lieu of a meeting of stockholders.

ARTICLE VII

EXISTENCE

The Corporation shall have perpetual existence.

ARTICLE VIII

AMENDMENT

Section 8.1 Amendment of Certificate of Incorporation. The Corporation reserves the right at any time, and from time to time, to amend, alter, change or repeal any provision contained in this Certificate of Incorporation (including any Preferred Stock Designation), and other provisions authorized by the laws of the State of Delaware at the time in force may be added or inserted, in the manner now or hereafter prescribed by the laws of the State of Delaware, and all powers, preferences and rights of any nature conferred upon stockholders, directors or any other persons by and pursuant to this Certificate of Incorporation (including any Preferred Stock Designation) in its present form or as hereafter amended are granted subject to this reservation.

Section 8.2 Amendment of by-laws. Subject to the terms of any series of Preferred Stock then outstanding, the Board of Directors is expressly authorized to adopt, amend or repeal the by-laws of the Corporation. Except as otherwise provided in this Certificate of Incorporation (including the terms of any Preferred Stock Designation that require an additional vote) or the by-laws of the Corporation, and in addition to any requirements of law, the affirmative vote of the holders of a majority of the outstanding shares entitled to vote thereon, voting together as a single class, shall be required for the stockholders to adopt, amend or repeal, or adopt any provision inconsistent with, any provision of the by-laws of the Corporation.

ARTICLE IX

LIABILITY OF DIRECTORS

A director of the Corporation shall not be liable to the Corporation or its stockholders for monetary damages for breach of fiduciary duty as a director, except to the extent that such exemption from liability or limitation thereof is not permitted under the Delaware General Corporation Law as currently in effect or as the same may hereafter be amended. Any amendment, modification or repeal of this Article IX, or the adoption of any provision of the Certificate of Incorporation inconsistent with this Article IX, shall not affect its application with respect to an act or omission by a director occurring before such amendment, adoption, repeal or elimination.

***

This Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation shall become effective at 7:59 a.m. Eastern Time on October 7, 2021.

 

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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned has signed this certificate this 6th day of October, 2021, and hereby affirms and acknowledges under penalty of perjury that the filing of this Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation is the act and deed of Consensus Cloud Solutions, Inc.

 

By:  

/s/ Vithya Aubee

  Name: Vithya Aubee
  Title:   Vice President and Secretary

Exhibit 3.2

AMENDED AND RESTATED BY-LAWS OF

CONSENSUS CLOUD SOLUTIONS, INC.

ARTICLE I

STOCKHOLDERS

Section 1.1 Annual Meetings. An annual meeting of stockholders, for the election of directors to succeed those whose terms expire and for the transaction of such other business as may properly come before the meeting shall be held at such date, time and place, if any, either within or without the State of Delaware as may be designated by the Board of Directors from time to time. The Board of Directors may postpone, reschedule or cancel any annual meeting of stockholders previously scheduled by the Board of Directors.

Section 1.2 Special Meetings.

(a) General. Special meetings of stockholders may be called at any time by the Chairman of the Board, if any, the Vice Chairman of the Board, if any, the Chief Executive Officer or the Board of Directors, to be held at such date, time and place either within or without the State of Delaware as may be stated in the notice of the meeting.

(b) Stockholder-Requested Special Meetings. A special meeting of stockholders shall be called by the Secretary upon the written request of stockholders who together own of record a majority of the outstanding shares of each class of stock entitled to vote at such meeting. A request to the Secretary shall be signed by each stockholder, or a duly authorized agent of such stockholder, requesting the special meeting and shall set forth a brief description of each matter of business desired to be brought before the special meeting and the reasons for conducting such business at the special meeting and the information required by Section 1.12(a) below with respect to any director nominations or other business proposed to be presented at the special meeting, and as to each person requesting the meeting and each other person (including any beneficial owner) on whose behalf the person is acting, other than persons who have provided such request solely in response to any form of public solicitation for such requests. A special meeting requested by stockholders shall be held at such date, time and place within or without the state of Delaware as may be fixed by the Board of Directors; provided, however, that the date of any such special meeting shall be not more than 90 days after the request to call the special meeting is received by the Secretary. Notwithstanding the foregoing, a special meeting requested by stockholders shall not be held if the Board of Directors has called or calls for an annual meeting of stockholders to be held within 90 days after the Secretary receives the request for the special meeting and the Board of Directors determines in good faith that the business of such annual meeting includes (among any other matters properly brought before the annual meeting) the business specified in the request. A stockholder may revoke a request for a special meeting at any time by written revocation delivered to the Secretary, and if, following such revocation, there are un-revoked requests from stockholders holding in the aggregate less than the requisite number of shares entitling the stockholders to request the calling of a special meeting, the Board of Directors, in its discretion, may cancel the special meeting. Business transacted at a special meeting requested by stockholders shall be limited to the matters described in the special meeting request; provided, however that nothing herein shall prohibit the Board of Directors from submitting matters to the stockholders at any special meeting requested by stockholders.


For purposes of this Section 1.2(b), a stockholder shall be deemed to “own” only those outstanding shares of common stock of the Corporation as to which the stockholder possesses, as of both the date the written request for a special meeting is received by the Secretary and the record date for determining stockholders entitled to vote at the special meeting, both (i) the full voting and investment rights pertaining to the shares and (ii) the full economic interest in (including the opportunity for profit and risk of loss on) such shares; provided that the number of shares calculated in accordance with clauses (i) and (ii) shall not include any shares (x) sold by such stockholder or any of its affiliates in any transaction that has not been settled or closed, (y) borrowed by such stockholder or any of its affiliates for any purposes or purchased by such stockholder or any of its affiliates pursuant to an agreement to resell or (z) subject to any option, warrant, forward contract, swap, contract of sale, other derivative or similar agreement entered into by such stockholder or any of its affiliates, whether any such instrument or agreement is to be settled with shares or with cash based on the notional amount or value of shares of outstanding common stock of the Corporation, in any such case which instrument or agreement has, or is intended to have, the purpose or effect of (1) reducing in any manner, to any extent or at any time in the future, such stockholder’s or affiliates’ full right to vote or direct the voting of any such shares, and/or (2) hedging, offsetting or altering to any degree gain or loss arising from the full economic ownership of such shares by such stockholder or affiliate. A stockholder shall be deemed to own shares held in the name of a nominee or other intermediary so long as the stockholder retains the right to instruct how the shares are voted with respect to the election of directors and possesses the full economic interest in the shares. A stockholder’s ownership of shares shall be deemed to continue during any period in which the stockholder has delegated any voting power by means of a proxy, power of attorney or other instrument or arrangement which is revocable at any time by the stockholder. Whether outstanding shares of the common stock of the Corporation are deemed to be owned for these purposes shall be determined by the Board of Directors.

Section 1.3 Notice of Meetings. Whenever stockholders are required or permitted to take any action at a meeting, a written notice of the meeting shall be given which shall state the place, if any, date and time of the meeting, the means of remote communications, if any, by which stockholders and proxy holders may be present in person and vote at such meeting, the record date for determining the stockholders entitled to vote at the meeting, if such date is different from the record date for determining stockholders entitled to notice of the meeting, and, in the case of a special meeting, the purpose or purposes for which the meeting is called. Unless otherwise provided by law, notice of any meeting shall be given not less than ten nor more than sixty days before the date of the meeting to each stockholder entitled to vote at such meeting. Notice of any meeting shall be given by mailing, postage prepaid, or by such other form of notice permitted by the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware (the “DGCL”), a copy of such notice addressed to each stockholder of the Corporation entitled to vote at such meeting as of the record date for determining the stockholders entitled to notice of the meeting at his, her or its address as recorded on the books of the Corporation. If mailed, such notice shall be deemed to be given when deposited in the United States mail, postage prepaid, directed to the stockholder at such stockholder’s address as it appears on the records of the Corporation.

 

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Section 1.4 Adjournments. Any meeting of stockholders, annual or special, may be adjourned from time to time, to reconvene at the same or some other place, and notice need not be given of any such adjourned meeting if the date, time and place, if any, thereof and the means of remote communications, if any, by which stockholders and proxy holders may be deemed present in person and vote at such adjourned meeting are announced at the meeting at which the adjournment is taken. At the adjourned meeting the Corporation may transact any business which might have been transacted at the original meeting. If the adjournment is for more than thirty days, or if after the adjournment a new record date is fixed for the adjourned meeting, a notice of the adjourned meeting shall be given to each stockholder of record entitled to vote at the meeting.

Section 1.5 Quorum. At each meeting of stockholders, except where otherwise provided by law or the certificate of incorporation or these by-laws, the holders of a majority of the outstanding shares of stock entitled to vote on a matter at the meeting, present in person or represented by proxy, shall constitute a quorum. For purposes of the foregoing, where a separate vote by class or classes is required for any matter, the holders of a majority of the outstanding shares of such class or classes, present in person or represented by proxy, shall constitute a quorum to take action with respect to that vote on that matter. Two or more classes or series of stock shall be considered a single class if the holders thereof are entitled to vote together as a single class at the meeting. In the absence of a quorum of the holders of any class of stock entitled to vote on a matter, the chairman of the meeting or the holders of such class so present or represented may, by majority vote, adjourn the meeting of such class from time to time in the manner provided by Section 1.4 of these by-laws until a quorum of such class shall be so present or represented. Shares of its own capital stock belonging on the record date for the meeting to the Corporation or to another corporation, if a majority of the shares entitled to vote in the election of directors of such other corporation is held, directly or indirectly, by the Corporation, shall neither be entitled to vote nor be counted for quorum purposes; provided, however, that the foregoing shall not limit the right of the Corporation to vote stock, including but not limited to its own stock, held by it in a fiduciary capacity.

Section 1.6 Organization. Unless otherwise determined by the Board of Directors, meetings of stockholders shall be presided over by the Chairman of the Board, if any, or in the absence of the Chairman of the Board by the Vice Chairman or any Co-Chairman of the Board, if any, or in the absence of the Vice Chairman or any Co- Chairman of the Board by the Chief Executive Officer, or in the absence of the foregoing persons by a chairman designated by the Board of Directors, or in the absence of such designation by a chairman chosen at the meeting. The Secretary, or in the absence of the Secretary an Assistant Secretary, shall act as secretary of the meeting, but in the absence of the Secretary and any Assistant Secretary the chairman of the meeting may appoint any person to act as secretary of the meeting.

The order of business at each such meeting shall be as determined by the chairman of the meeting. The chairman of the meeting shall have the right and authority to convene and (for any or no reason) to recess and/or adjourn the meeting and prescribe such rules, regulations and procedures and to do all such acts and things as are necessary or desirable for the proper conduct of the meeting, including, without limitation, the establishment of procedures for the maintenance of order and safety, limitations on the time allotted to questions or comments on the affairs of the Corporation, restrictions on entry to such meeting after the time prescribed for the commencement thereof and the opening and closing of the voting polls.

 

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Section 1.7 Inspectors. Prior to any meeting of stockholders, the Board of Directors or the Chief Executive Officer shall appoint one or more inspectors to act at such meeting and make a written report thereof and may designate one or more persons as alternate inspectors to replace any inspector who fails to act. If no inspector or alternate is able to act at the meeting of stockholders, the person presiding at the meeting shall appoint one or more inspectors to act at the meeting. Each inspector, before entering upon the discharge of his or her duties, shall take and sign an oath faithfully to execute the duties of inspector with strict impartiality and according to the best of his or her ability. The inspectors shall ascertain the number of shares outstanding and the voting power of each, determine the shares represented at the meeting and the validity of proxies and ballots, count all votes and ballots, determine and retain for a reasonable period a record of the disposition of any challenges made to any determination by the inspectors and certify their determination of the number of shares represented at the meeting and their count of all votes and ballots. The inspectors may appoint or retain other persons to assist them in the performance of their duties. The date and time of the opening and closing of the polls for each matter upon which the stockholders will vote at a meeting shall be announced at the meeting. No ballot, proxy or vote, nor any revocation thereof or change thereto, shall be accepted by the inspectors after the closing of the polls. In determining the validity and counting of proxies and ballots, the inspectors shall be limited to an examination of the proxies, any envelopes submitted therewith, any information provided by a stockholder who submits a proxy by telegram, cablegram or other electronic transmission from which it can be determined that the proxy was authorized by the stockholder, ballots and the regular books and records of the corporation, and they may also consider other reliable information for the limited purpose of reconciling proxies and ballots submitted by or on behalf of banks, brokers, their nominees or similar persons which represent more votes than the holder of a proxy is authorized by the record owner to cast or more votes than the stockholder holds of record. If the inspectors consider other reliable information for such purpose, they shall, at the time they make their certification, specify the precise information considered by them, including the person or persons from whom they obtained the information, when the information was obtained, the means by which the information was obtained and the basis for the inspectors’ belief that such information is accurate and reliable.

Section 1.8 Voting; Proxies. Unless otherwise provided in the certificate of incorporation, each stockholder entitled to vote at any meeting of stockholders shall be entitled to one vote for each share of stock held by such stockholder which has voting power upon the matter in question. Each stockholder entitled to vote at a meeting of stockholders or to express consent or dissent to corporate action in writing without a meeting may authorize another person or persons to act for such stockholder by proxy, but no such proxy shall be voted or acted upon after three years from its date, unless the proxy provides for a longer period. A duly executed proxy shall be irrevocable if it states that it is irrevocable and if, and only as long as, it is coupled with an interest sufficient in law to support an irrevocable power, regardless of whether the interest with which it is coupled is an interest in the stock itself or an interest in the Corporation generally. A stockholder may revoke any proxy which is not irrevocable by attending the meeting and voting in person or by filing an instrument in writing revoking the proxy or another duly executed proxy bearing a later date with the Secretary of the Corporation. Voting at meetings of stockholders need not be by written ballot unless the holders of a majority of the outstanding shares of all classes of stock entitled to vote thereon present in person or represented by proxy at such meeting shall so determine. Unless otherwise provided by law, rule or regulation applicable to the Corporation or its securities or by the certificate of incorporation or these by-laws (including Section 2.2 hereof), the affirmative vote of the holders of a majority of the shares present in person or represented by proxy at the meeting and entitled to vote on the subject matter shall be the act of the stockholders. Where a separate vote by class or classes is required, the affirmative vote of the holders of a majority of the shares of such class or classes present in person or represented by proxy at the meeting shall be the act of such class or classes, except as otherwise provided by law or by the certificate of incorporation or these by-laws.

 

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Section 1.9 Fixing Date for Determination of Stockholders of Record. In order that the Corporation may determine the stockholders entitled to notice of or to vote at any meeting of stockholders or any adjournment thereof, the Board of Directors may fix a record date, which record date shall not precede the date upon which the resolution fixing the record date is adopted by the Board of Directors, and which record date shall not be more than sixty nor fewer than ten days before the date of such meeting. If no record date is fixed by the Board of Directors, the record date for determining stockholders entitled to notice of or to vote at a meeting of stockholders shall be at the close of business on the day next preceding the day on which notice is given, or, if notice is waived, at the close of business on the day next preceding the day on which the meeting is held. A determination of stockholders of record entitled to notice of or to vote at a meeting of stockholders shall apply to any adjournment of the meeting; provided, however, that the Board of Directors may fix a new record date for the adjourned meeting.

In order that the Corporation may determine the stockholders entitled to receive payment of any dividend or other distribution or allotment of any rights or the stockholders entitled to exercise any rights in respect of any change, conversion or exchange of stock, or for the purpose of any other lawful action, the Board of Directors may fix a record date, which record date shall not precede the date upon which the resolution fixing the record date is adopted, and which record date shall be not more than sixty days prior to such action. If no record date is fixed, the record date for determining stockholders for any such purpose shall be at the close of business on the day on which the Board of Directors adopts the resolution relating thereto.

Section 1.10 List of Stockholders Entitled to Vote. The Secretary shall prepare and make, at least ten days before every meeting of stockholders, a complete list of the stockholders entitled to vote at the meeting, arranged in alphabetical order, and showing the address of each stockholder and the number of shares registered in the name of each stockholder. Such list shall be open to the examination of any stockholder, for any purpose germane to the meeting, during ordinary business hours, for a period of at least ten days prior to the meeting: (a) on a reasonably accessible electronic network, provided that the information required to gain access to such list is provided with the notice of meeting; or (b) during ordinary business hours at the principal place of business of the Corporation. In the event that the Corporation determines to make the list available on an electronic network, the Corporation may take reasonable steps to ensure that such information is available only to stockholders of the Corporation. If the meeting is to be held at a place, then a list of stockholders entitled to vote at the meeting shall be produced and kept at the time and place of the meeting during the whole time thereof and may be examined by any stockholder who is present. If the meeting is to be held solely by means of remote communication, then the list shall also be open to the examination of any stockholder during the whole time of the meeting on a reasonably accessible electronic network, and the information required to access such list shall be provided with the notice of the meeting.

 

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Section 1.11 No Action by Written Consent. Except as otherwise provided for or fixed pursuant to the certificate of incorporation, no action that is required or permitted to be taken by the stockholders of the Corporation may be effected by consent of stockholders in lieu of a meeting of stockholders.

Section 1.12 Notice of Stockholder Business and Nominations.

(a) Annual Meeting.

(i) Nominations of persons for election to the Board of Directors and the proposal of business other than nominations to be considered by the stockholders may be made at an annual meeting of stockholders only: (A) pursuant to the Corporation’s notice of meeting (or any supplement thereto); (B) by or at the direction of the Board of Directors (or any authorized committee thereof); or (C) by any stockholder of the Corporation who is a stockholder of record at the time the notice provided for in this Section 1.12(a) is delivered to the Secretary of the Corporation, who is entitled to vote at the meeting and who complies with the notice procedures set forth in this Section 1.12(a). For the avoidance of doubt, the foregoing clause (C) shall be the exclusive means for a stockholder to make nominations or propose other business at an annual meeting of stockholders (other than a proposal included in the Corporation’s proxy statement pursuant to and in compliance with Rule 14a-8 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”)).

 

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(ii) For nominations or other business to be properly brought before an annual meeting by a stockholder pursuant to clause (C) of the foregoing paragraph, the stockholder must have given timely notice thereof in writing to the Secretary of the Corporation and, in the case of business other than nominations, such business must be a proper subject for stockholder action. To be timely, a stockholder’s notice must be delivered to the Secretary at the principal executive offices of the Corporation not later than the close of business (as defined in Section 1.12(c)(ii) below) on the 90th day nor earlier than the close of business on the 120th day prior to the first anniversary of the preceding year’s annual meeting; provided, however, that in the event that the date of the annual meeting is more than 30 days before or more than 30 days after such anniversary date, or if no annual meeting was held in the preceding year, notice by the stockholder to be timely must be so delivered not earlier than the close of business on the 120th day prior to such annual meeting and not later than the close of business on the later of the 90th day prior to such annual meeting or the tenth day following the date on which public announcement (as defined in Section 1.12(c)(ii) below) of the date of such meeting is first made by the Corporation. In no event shall an adjournment or recess of an annual meeting, or a postponement of an annual meeting for which notice of the meeting has already been given to stockholders or a public announcement of the meeting date has already been made, commence a new time period (or extend any time period) for the giving of a stockholder’s notice as described above. The number of nominees a stockholder may nominate for election at the annual meeting (or in the case of a stockholder giving the notice on behalf of a beneficial owner, the number of nominees a stockholder may nominate for election at the annual meeting on behalf of the beneficial owner) shall not exceed the number of directors to be elected at such annual meeting. For purposes of this Section 1.12, the 2021 annual meeting of stockholders shall be deemed to have been held on May 7, 2021. Such stockholder’s notice shall set forth:

(A) as to each person whom the stockholder proposes to nominate for election or re-election as a director: (1) all information relating to such person that is required to be disclosed in solicitations of proxies for election of directors in an election contest, or is otherwise required, in each case pursuant to and in accordance with Regulation 14A under the Exchange Act; and (2) such person’s written consent to serving as a director, if elected, for the full term for which such person is standing for election; provided, however, that, in addition to the information required in the stockholder’s notice pursuant to this Section 1.12(a)(ii)(A), such person shall also provide the Corporation such other information that the Corporation may reasonably request and that is necessary to permit the Corporation to determine the eligibility of such person to serve as a director of the Corporation, including information relevant to a determination whether such person can be considered an independent director;

(B) as to any other business that the stockholder proposes to bring before the meeting, a brief description of the business desired to be brought before the meeting, the text of the proposal or business (including the text of any resolutions proposed for consideration and in the event that such business includes a proposal to amend these by-laws, the language of the proposed amendment), the reasons for conducting such business at the meeting and any substantial interest (within the meaning of Item 5 of Schedule 14A under the Exchange Act) in such business of such stockholder and the beneficial owner (within the meaning of Section 13(d) of the Exchange Act), if any, on whose behalf the proposal is made;

(C) as to the stockholder giving the notice and the beneficial owner, if any, on whose behalf the nomination is made or the other business is proposed:

(1) the name and address of such stockholder, as they appear on the Corporation’s books, and the name and address of such beneficial owner;

(2) the class or series and number of shares of stock of the Corporation which are owned of record by such stockholder and such beneficial owner as of the date of the notice, and a representation that the stockholder will notify the Corporation in writing within five business days after the record date for such meeting of the class or series and number of shares of stock of the Corporation owned of record by the stockholder and such beneficial owner as of the record date for the meeting; and

 

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(3) a representation that the stockholder (or a qualified representative of the stockholder) intends to appear at the meeting to make such nomination or propose such business;

(D) as to the stockholder giving the notice or, if the notice is given on behalf of a beneficial owner on whose behalf the nomination is made or the other business is proposed, as to such beneficial owner, and if such stockholder or beneficial owner is an entity, as to each director, executive, managing member or control person of such entity (any such individual or control person, a “control person”):

(1) the class or series and number of shares of stock of the Corporation which are beneficially owned (as defined in Section 1.12(c)(ii) below) by such stockholder or beneficial owner and by any control person as of the date of the notice, and a representation that the stockholder will notify the Corporation in writing within five business days after the record date for such meeting of the class or series and number of shares of stock of the Corporation beneficially owned by such stockholder or beneficial owner and by any control person as of the record date for the meeting;

(2) a description of any agreement, arrangement or understanding with respect to the nomination or other business between or among such stockholder, beneficial owner or control person and any other person, including, without limitation any agreements that would be required to be disclosed pursuant to Item 5 or Item 6 of Exchange Act Schedule 13D (regardless of whether the requirement to file a Schedule 13D is applicable) and a representation that the stockholder will notify the Corporation in writing within five business days after the record date for such meeting of any such agreement, arrangement or understanding in effect as of the record date for the meeting; and

(3) a description of any agreement, arrangement or understanding (including, without limitation, any derivative or short positions, profit interests, options, hedging transactions, and borrowed or loaned shares) that has been entered into as of the date of the stockholder’s notice by, or on behalf of, such stockholder, beneficial owner or control person, the effect or intent of which is to mitigate loss, manage risk or benefit from changes in the share price of any class or series of the Corporation’s stock, or maintain, increase or decrease the voting power of the stockholder, beneficial owner or control person with respect to securities of the Corporation, and a representation that the stockholder will notify the Corporation in writing within five business days after the record date for such meeting of any such agreement, arrangement or understanding in effect as of the record date for the meeting.

 

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(iii) Notwithstanding anything in Section 1.12(a)(ii) above or Section 1.12(b) below to the contrary, if the record date for determining the stockholders entitled to vote at any meeting of stockholders is different from the record date for determining the stockholders entitled to notice of the meeting, a stockholder’s notice required by this Section 1.12 shall set forth a representation that the stockholder will notify the Corporation in writing within five business days after the record date for determining the stockholders entitled to vote at the meeting, or by the opening of business on the date of the meeting (whichever is earlier), of the information required under clauses (ii)(C)(2) and (ii)(D)(1)-(3) of this Section 1.12(a), and such information when provided to the Corporation shall be current as of the record date for determining the stockholders entitled to vote at the meeting.

(iv) This Section 1.12(a) shall not apply to a proposal proposed to be made by a stockholder if the stockholder has notified the Corporation of his or her intention to present the proposal at an annual or special meeting only pursuant to and in compliance with Rule 14a-8 under the Exchange Act and such proposal has been included in a proxy statement that has been prepared by the Corporation to solicit proxies for such meeting.

(v) Notwithstanding anything in this Section 1.12(a) to the contrary, in the event that the number of directors to be elected to the Board of Directors at an annual meeting is increased and there is no public announcement by the Corporation naming all of the nominees for director or specifying the size of the increased Board of Directors made by the Corporation at least ten days prior to the last day a stockholder may deliver a notice in accordance with Section 1.12(a)(ii) above a stockholder’s notice required by this Section 1.12(a) shall also be considered timely, but only with respect to nominees for any new positions created by such increase, if it shall be delivered to the Secretary of the Corporation at the principal executive offices of the Corporation not later than the close of business on the tenth day following the day on which such public announcement is first made by the Corporation.

(b) Special Meeting. Nominations of persons for election to the Board of Directors may be made at a special meeting of stockholders at which directors are to be elected pursuant to the Corporation’s notice of meeting: (i) by or at the direction of the Board of Directors (or any authorized committee thereof); or (ii) provided that one or more directors are to be elected at such meeting, by any stockholder of the Corporation who is a stockholder of record at the time the notice provided for in this Section 1.12(b) is delivered to the Secretary of the Corporation, who is entitled to vote at the meeting and upon such election and who delivers notice thereof in writing setting forth the information required by Section 1.12(a) above; or (iii) in the case of a stockholder-requested special meeting, by any stockholder of the Corporation pursuant to Section 1.2. In the event the Corporation calls a special meeting of stockholders (other than a stockholder-requested special meeting) for the purpose of electing one or more directors to the Board of Directors, any stockholder entitled to vote in such election of directors may nominate a person or persons (as the case may be) for election to such position(s) as specified in the Corporation’s notice of meeting, if the notice required by this Section 1.12(b) shall be delivered to the Secretary at the principal executive offices of the Corporation not earlier than the close of business on the 120th day prior to such special meeting and not later than the close of business on the later of the 90th day prior to such special meeting or the tenth day following the date on which public announcement of the date of the special meeting and of the nominees proposed by the Board of Directors to be elected at such meeting is first made by the Corporation. The number of nominees a stockholder may nominate for election at the special meeting (or in the case of a stockholder giving the notice on behalf of a beneficial owner, the number of nominees a stockholder may nominate for election at the annual meeting on behalf of such beneficial owner) shall not exceed the number of directors to be elected at such special meeting. In no event shall an adjournment, recess or postponement of a special meeting commence a new time period (or extend any time period) for the giving of a stockholder’s notice as described above.

 

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(c) General.

(i) Except as otherwise required by law, only such persons who are nominated in accordance with the procedures set forth in this Section 1.12 shall be eligible to be elected at any meeting of stockholders of the Corporation to serve as directors and only such other business shall be conducted at a meeting of stockholders as shall have been brought before the meeting in accordance with the procedures set forth in this Section 1.12. Except as otherwise required by law, each of the Board of Directors or the chairman of the meeting shall have the power to determine whether a nomination or any other business proposed to be brought before the meeting was made or proposed, as the case may be, in accordance with the procedures set forth in this Section 1.12. If any proposed nomination or other business is not in compliance with this Section 1.12, then except as otherwise required by law, the chairman of the meeting shall have the power to declare that such nomination shall be disregarded or that such other business shall not be transacted. Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this Section 1.12, unless otherwise required by law, or otherwise determined by the Board of Directors or the chairman of the meeting, if the stockholder does not provide the information required under clauses (a)(ii)(C)(2) and (a)(ii)(D)(1)-(3) of this Section 1.12 to the Corporation within the time frames specified herein, any such nomination shall be disregarded and any such other business shall not be transacted, notwithstanding that proxies in respect of such vote may have been received by the Corporation. Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this Section 1.12, unless otherwise required by law, or otherwise determined by the Board of Directors or the chairman of the meeting, if the stockholder (or a qualified representative of the stockholder) does not appear at the annual or special meeting of stockholders of the Corporation to present a nomination or other business (whether pursuant to the requirements of these by-laws or in accordance with Rule 14a-8 under the Exchange Act), such nomination shall be disregarded and such other business shall not be transacted, notwithstanding that proxies in respect of such vote may have been received by the Corporation. To be considered a qualified representative of a stockholder pursuant to the preceding sentence, a person must be a duly authorized officer, manager or partner of such stockholder or authorized by a writing executed by such stockholder (or a reliable reproduction of the writing) delivered to the Corporation prior to the making of such nomination or proposal at such meeting (and in any event not fewer than five days before the meeting) stating that such person is authorized to act for such stockholder as proxy at the meeting of stockholders.

 

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(ii) For purposes of this Section 1.12, the “close of business” shall mean 6:00 p.m. local time at the principal executive offices of the Corporation on any calendar day, whether or not the day is a business day, and a “public announcement” shall mean disclosure in a press release reported by the Dow Jones News Service, Associated Press or a comparable national news service or in a document publicly filed by the Corporation with the Securities and Exchange Commission pursuant to Section 1.12, shares shall be treated as “beneficially owned” by a person if the person beneficially owns such shares, directly or indirectly, for purposes of Section 13(d) of the Exchange Act and Regulations 13D and 13G thereunder or has or shares pursuant to any agreement, arrangement or understanding (whether or not in writing): (A) the right to acquire such shares (whether such right is exercisable immediately or only after the passage of time or the fulfillment of a condition or both); (B) the right to vote such shares, alone or in concert with others; and/or (C) investment power with respect to such shares, including the power to dispose of, or to direct the disposition of, such shares.

Section 1.13 Meetings by Remote Communications. The Board of Directors may, in its sole discretion, determine that a meeting of stockholders shall not be held at any place, but may instead be held solely by means of remote communication in accordance with Section 211(a)(2) of the DGCL. If authorized by the Board of Directors in its sole discretion, and subject to such guidelines and procedures as the Board of Directors may adopt, stockholders and proxyholders not physically present at a meeting of stockholders may, by means of remote communication: (a) participate in a meeting of stockholders; and (b) be deemed present in person and vote at a meeting of stockholders whether such meeting is to be held at a designated place or solely by means of remote communication, provided that: (i) the Corporation shall implement reasonable measures to verify that each person deemed present and permitted to vote at the meeting by means of remote communication is a stockholder or proxyholder; (ii) the Corporation shall implement reasonable measures to provide such stockholders and proxyholders a reasonable opportunity to participate in the meeting and to vote on matters submitted to the stockholders, including an opportunity to read or hear the proceedings of the meeting substantially concurrently with such proceedings; and (iii) if any stockholder or proxyholder votes or takes other action at the meeting by means of remote communication, a record of such vote or other action shall be maintained by the Corporation.

ARTICLE II

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Section 2.1 Powers; Number; Qualifications. The business and affairs of the Corporation shall be managed by or under the direction of the Board of Directors, except as may be otherwise provided by law or in the certificate of incorporation. The Board of Directors shall consist of one or more members, the number thereof to be determined from time to time by the Board. Directors need not be stockholders.

 

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Section 2.2 Election. (a) Except as may be otherwise required by the certificate of incorporation, at any meeting of stockholders at which directors are to be elected and at which a quorum is present, each nominee for election as a director in an uncontested election, shall be elected by the vote of the majority of the votes cast (meaning the number of shares voted “for” a nominee must exceed the number of shares voted “against” such nominee). In all director elections other than uncontested elections, the nominees for election as a director shall be elected by a plurality of the votes cast (instead of by votes cast for or against a nominee). For purposes of this Section 2.2 an “uncontested election” means any meeting of stockholders at which the number of candidates does not exceed the number of directors to be elected and with respect to which: (a) no stockholder has submitted notice of an intent to nominate a candidate for election at such meeting in accordance with Section 1.12; or (b) such a notice has been submitted, and on or before the fifth business day prior to the date that the Corporation files its definitive proxy statement relating to such meeting with the Securities and Exchange Commission (regardless of whether thereafter revised or supplemented), the notice has been: (i) withdrawn in writing to the Secretary of the Corporation; (ii) determined not to be a valid notice of nomination, with such determination to be made by the Board of Directors (or a committee thereof) pursuant to Section 1.12, or if challenged in court, by a final court order; or (iii) determined by the Board of Directors (or a committee thereof) not to create a bona fide election contest.

(b) Vacancies and Newly Created Directorships. Newly created directorships resulting from any increase in the authorized number of directors or any vacancies on the Board of Directors resulting from the death, resignation, disqualification, removal from office or other cause shall be filled as set forth in the certificate of incorporation.

(c) Resignations and Removal. Any director may resign at any time upon notice given in writing or by electronic transmission to the Board of Directors, the Chairman of the Board or the Secretary of the Corporation. Such resignation shall take effect upon delivery, unless the resignation specifies a later effective date or time or an effective date or time determined upon the happening of an event or events. Unless otherwise specified therein, the acceptance of such resignation shall not be necessary to make it effective. Directors of the Corporation may be removed only as expressly provided in the certificate of incorporation.

Section 2.3 Regular Meetings. Regular meetings of the Board of Directors may be held at such places within or without the State of Delaware and at such times as the Board may from time to time determine, and if so determined notice thereof need not be given.

Section 2.4 Special Meetings. Special meetings of the Board of Directors may be held at any time or place within or without the State of Delaware whenever called by the Chairman of the Board, if any, by the Vice Chairman or any Co-Chairman of the Board, if any, by the Chief Executive Officer or by any two directors. Notice of each such meeting shall be given to each director, if by mail, addressed to such director at his or her residence or usual place of business, at least five days before the day on which such meeting is to be held, or shall be sent to such director by electronic transmission, or be delivered personally or by telephone, in each case at least 24 hours prior to the time set for such meeting.

Section 2.5 Participation in Meetings by Conference Telephone Permitted. Unless otherwise restricted by the certificate of incorporation or these by-laws, members of the Board of Directors, or any committee designated by the Board, may participate in a meeting of the Board or of such committee, as the case may be, by means of conference telephone or similar communications equipment by means of which all persons participating in the meeting can hear each other, and participation in a meeting pursuant to this by-law shall constitute presence in person at such meeting.

 

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Section 2.6 Quorum; Vote Required for Action. At all meetings of the Board of Directors, one-third of the entire Board shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business. The vote of a majority of the directors present at a meeting at which a quorum is present shall be the act of the Board unless the certificate of incorporation or these by-laws shall require a vote of a greater number. In case at any meeting of the Board a quorum shall not be present, the members of the Board present may adjourn the meeting from time to time until a quorum shall be present.

Section 2.7 Organization. Meetings of the Board of Directors shall be presided over by the Chairman of the Board, if any, or in the absence of the Chairman of the Board by the Vice Chairman or any Co-Chairman of the Board, if any, or in the absence of the Vice Chairman or any Co-Chairman of the Board by the Chief Executive Officer, or in their absence by a chairman chosen at the meeting. The Secretary, or in the absence of the Secretary an Assistant Secretary, shall act as secretary of the meeting, but in the absence of the Secretary and any Assistant Secretary the chairman of the meeting may appoint any person to act as secretary of the meeting.

Section 2.8 Action by Directors Without a Meeting. Unless otherwise restricted by the certificate of incorporation or these by-laws, any action required or permitted to be taken at any meeting of the Board of Directors, or of any committee thereof, may be taken without a meeting if all members of the Board or of such committee, as the case may be, consent thereto in writing, and the writing or writings are filed with the minutes of proceedings of the Board or committee.

Section 2.9 Compensation of Directors. Unless otherwise restricted by the certificate of incorporation or these by-laws, the Board of Directors shall have the authority to fix the compensation of directors.

ARTICLE III

COMMITTEES

Section 3.1 Committees. The Board of Directors may designate one or more committees, each committee to consist of one or more of the directors of the Corporation. The Board may designate one or more directors as alternate members of any committee, who may replace any absent or disqualified member at any meeting of the committee. In the absence or disqualification of a member of a committee, the member or members thereof present at any meeting and not disqualified from voting, whether or not such member or members constitute a quorum, may unanimously appoint another member of the Board to act at the meeting in the place of any such absent or disqualified member. Any such committee, to the extent provided in the resolution of the Board of Directors or in these by-laws, shall have and may exercise all the powers and authority of the Board of Directors in the management of the business and affairs of the Corporation, and may authorize the seal of the Corporation to be affixed to all papers which may require it; but no such committee shall have the power or authority in reference to the following matters: (i) approving or adopting, or recommending to the stockholders, any action or matter expressly required by law to be submitted to stockholders for approval, (ii) adopting, amending or repealing these By-Laws or (iii) removing or indemnifying directors.

 

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Section 3.2 Committee Rules. Unless the Board of Directors otherwise provides, each committee designated by the Board may adopt, amend and repeal rules for the conduct of its business. In the absence of a provision by the Board or a provision in the rules of such committee to the contrary, and unless the certificate of incorporation or these by-laws requires a greater number, a majority of the entire authorized number of members of such committee shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business, the vote of a majority of the members present at a meeting at the time of such vote if a quorum is then present shall be the act of such committee, and in other respects each committee shall conduct its business in the same manner as the Board conducts its business pursuant to Article II of these by-laws.

ARTICLE IV

OFFICERS

Section 4.1 Officers; Election. The officers of the Corporation shall consist of a Chief Executive Officer and a Secretary. The Board of Directors, if it so determines, may also elect from among its members a Chairman of the Board, or Co-Chairman of the Board, and a Vice Chairman of the Board. The Board, in its sole discretion, may also elect one or more Chief Financial Officers, Chief Operating Officers, Presidents, General Counsel, Treasurers, Controllers, Assistant Secretaries, Assistant Treasurers and such other officers as the Board may deem desirable or appropriate and may give any of them such further designations or alternate titles as it considers desirable. Any number of offices may be held by the same person unless the certificate of incorporation or these by-laws otherwise provide. In its discretion, the Board may choose not to fill any office for any period as it may deem advisable.

Section 4.2 Term of Office; Resignation; Removal; Vacancies. Unless otherwise provided in the resolution of the Board of Directors electing any officer, each officer shall hold office until his or her successor is elected and qualified or until his or her earlier resignation or removal. Any officer may resign at any time upon written notice to the Board or to the Chief Executive Officer or the Secretary of the Corporation. Such resignation shall take effect at the time specified therein, and unless otherwise specified therein no acceptance of such resignation shall be necessary to make it effective. The Board may remove any officer with or without cause at any time. Any such removal shall be without prejudice to the contractual rights of such officer, if any, with the Corporation, but the election of an officer shall not of itself create contractual rights. Any vacancy occurring in any office of the Corporation by death, resignation, removal or otherwise may be filled by the Board at any regular or special meeting.

Section 4.3 Powers and Duties. The officers of the Corporation shall have such powers and duties in the management of the Corporation as shall be stated in these by-laws or in a resolution of the Board of Directors which is not inconsistent with these by-laws and, to the extent not so stated, as generally pertain to their respective offices, subject to the control of the Board. The Secretary shall have the duty to record the proceedings of the meetings of the stockholders, the Board of Directors and any committees in a book to be kept for that purpose. The Board may require any officer, agent or employee to give security for the faithful performance of his or her duties.

 

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Section 4.4 Chief Executive Officer. The Chief Executive Officer shall have general supervision and direction of the business and affairs of the Corporation, shall be responsible for corporate policy and strategy, and shall report directly to the Board of Directors. Unless otherwise provided in these by-laws or determined by the Board of Directors, all other officers of the Corporation shall report directly to the Chief Executive Officer or as otherwise determined by the Chief Executive Officer.

Section 4.5 Chief Financial Officer. The Chief Financial Officer shall exercise all the powers and perform the duties of the office of the chief financial officer and in general have overall supervision of the financial operations of the Corporation. The Chief Financial Officer shall, when requested, counsel with and advise the other officers of the Corporation and shall perform such other duties as the Board of Directors, the Chief Executive Officer may from time to time determine.

Section 4.6 Treasurer. The Treasurer shall supervise and be responsible for all the funds and securities of the Corporation, the deposit of all monies and other valuables to the credit of the Corporation in depositories of the Corporation, borrowings and compliance with the provisions of all indentures, agreements and instruments governing such borrowings to which the Corporation is a party, the disbursement of funds of the Corporation and the investment of its funds, and in general shall perform all of the duties incident to the office of the Treasurer. The Treasurer shall, when requested, counsel with and advise the other officers of the Corporation and shall perform such other duties as the Board of Directors, the Chief Executive Officer or the Chief Financial Officer may from time to time determine.

Section 4.7 Controller. The Controller shall, when requested, counsel with and advise the other officers of the Corporation and shall perform such other duties as the Board of Directors, the Chief Executive Officer, the Chief Financial Officer or the Treasurer may from time to time determine.

Section 4.8 Secretary. The Secretary shall keep in safe custody the seal of the Corporation and affix it to any instrument when authorized by the Board of Directors, and shall perform all other duties incident to the office of Secretary and such other duties as may be prescribed by the Board of Directors or the Chief Executive Officer. The Secretary (or in such officer’s absence, an Assistant Secretary, but if neither is present, another person selected by the chairperson for the meeting) shall have the duty to record the proceedings of the meetings of stockholders, the Board of Directors and of the committees of the Board of Directors in a book to be kept for that purpose.

Section 4.9 Additional Matters. The Chief Executive Officer and the Chief Financial Officer of the Corporation shall have the authority to designate employees of the Corporation to have the title of Vice President, Assistant Vice President, Assistant Treasurer or Assistant Secretary. Any employee so designated shall have the powers and duties determined by the officer making such designation. The persons upon whom such titles are conferred shall not be deemed officers of the Corporation unless elected by the Board of Directors.

 

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Section 4.10 Checks; Drafts; Evidences of Indebtedness. From time to time, the Board of Directors shall determine the method, and designate (or authorize officers of the Corporation to designate) the person or persons who shall have authority, to sign or endorse all checks, drafts, other orders for payment of money and notes, bonds, debentures or other evidences of indebtedness that are issued in the name of or payable by the Corporation, and only the persons so authorized shall sign or endorse such instruments.

Section 4.11 Corporate Contracts and Instruments; How Executed. Except as otherwise provided in these by-laws, the Board of Directors may determine the method, and designate (or authorize officers of the Corporation to designate) the person or persons who shall have authority to enter into any contract or execute any instrument in the name of and on behalf of the Corporation. Such authority may be general or confined to specific instances. Unless so authorized, or within the power incident to a person’s office or other position with the Corporation, no person shall have any power or authority to bind the Corporation by any contract or engagement or to pledge its credit or to render it liable for any purpose or for any amount.

Section 4.12 Action with Respect to Securities of Other Corporations or Entities. The Chief Executive Officer or any other officer of the Corporation authorized by the Board of Directors or the Chief Executive Officer is authorized to vote, represent, and exercise on behalf of the Corporation all rights incident to any and all shares or other equity interests of any other corporation or entity or corporations or entities, standing in the name of the Corporation. The authority herein granted may be exercised either by such person directly or by any other person authorized to do so by proxy or power of attorney duly executed by the person having such authority.

Section 4.13 Delegation. The Board of Directors may from time to time delegate the powers or duties of any officer to any other officers or agents, notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this Article IV.

ARTICLE V

STOCK

Section 5.1 Certificates. The shares of the Corporation shall be represented by certificates; provided, however, that the Board of Directors may provide by resolution or resolutions that some or all of any or all classes or series of stock shall be uncertificated shares. Any such resolution shall not apply to shares represented by a certificate until such certificate is surrendered to the Corporation. Every holder of stock represented by a certificate in the Corporation shall be entitled to have a certificate signed by or in the name of the Corporation by the Chairman or Vice Chairman or a Co-Chairman of the Board of Directors, if any, or the Chief Executive Officer, the Chief Financial Officer, the Treasurer, an Assistant Treasurer, the Secretary of the Corporation or an Assistant Secretary, of the Corporation, representing the number of shares of stock in the Corporation owned by such holder. If such certificate is manually signed by one officer or manually countersigned by a transfer agent or by a registrar, any other signature on the certificate may be a facsimile. In case any officer, transfer agent or registrar who has signed or whose facsimile signature has been placed upon a certificate shall have ceased to be such officer, transfer agent or registrar before such certificate is issued, it may be issued by the Corporation with the same effect as if such person were such officer, transfer agent or registrar at the date of issue.

 

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If the Corporation is authorized to issue more than one class of stock or more than one series of any class, the powers, designations, preferences and relative, participating, optional or other special rights of each class of stock or series thereof and the qualifications or restrictions of such preferences and/or rights shall be set forth in full or summarized on the face or back of the certificate which the Corporation shall issue to represent such class or series of stock, provided that, except as otherwise provided by law, in lieu of the foregoing requirements, there may be set forth on the face or back of the certificate which the Corporation shall issue to represent such class or series of stock a statement that the Corporation will furnish without charge to each stockholder who so requests the powers, designations, preferences and relative, participating, optional or other special rights of each class of stock or series thereof and the qualifications, limitations or restrictions of such preferences and/or rights.

Section 5.2 Lost, Stolen or Destroyed Stock Certificates; Issuance of New Certificates. The Corporation may issue a new certificate of stock in the place of any certificate theretofore issued by it, alleged to have been lost, stolen or destroyed, and the Corporation may require the owner of the lost, stolen or destroyed certificate, or such owner’s legal representative, to give the Corporation a bond sufficient to indemnify it against any claim that may be made against it on account of the alleged loss, theft or destruction of any such certificate or the issuance of such new certificate.

ARTICLE VI

INDEMNIFICATION

Section 6.1 Right to Indemnification.

(a) Each person who was or is a party or is threatened to be made a party to, or was or is otherwise involved in, any action, suit, arbitration, alternative dispute resolution mechanism, investigation, inquiry, judicial, administrative or legislative hearing, or any other threatened, pending or completed proceeding, whether brought by or in the right of the Corporation or otherwise, including any and all appeals, whether of a civil, criminal, administrative, legislative, investigative or other nature (hereinafter a “proceeding”), by reason of the fact that he or she is or was a director or an officer of the Corporation or while a director or officer of the Corporation is or was serving at the request of the Corporation as a director, officer, employee, agent or trustee of another corporation or of a partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise, including service with respect to an employee benefit plan (hereinafter an “indemnitee”), or by reason of anything done or not done by him or her in any such capacity, shall be indemnified and held harmless by the Corporation to the fullest extent authorized by the DGCL, as the same exists or may hereafter be amended, against all expense, liability and loss (including attorneys’ fees, judgments, fines, ERISA excise taxes, penalties and amounts paid in settlement by or on behalf of the indemnitee) actually and reasonably incurred by such indemnitee in connection therewith, all on the terms and conditions set forth in these by-laws; provided, however, that, except as otherwise required by law or provided in Section 6.4 with respect to suits to enforce rights under this Article VI, the Corporation shall indemnify any such indemnitee in connection with a proceeding, or part thereof, voluntarily initiated by such indemnitee (including claims and counterclaims, whether such counterclaims are asserted by: (i) such indemnitee; or (ii) the Corporation in a proceeding initiated by such indemnitee) only if such proceeding, or part thereof, was authorized or ratified by the Board of Directors or the Board of Directors otherwise determines that indemnification or advancement of expenses is appropriate.

 

 

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(b) To receive indemnification under this Article VI, an indemnitee shall submit a written request to the Secretary of the Corporation. Such request shall include documentation or information that is necessary to determine the entitlement of the indemnitee to indemnification and that is reasonably available to the indemnitee. Upon receipt by the Secretary of the Corporation of such a written request, unless indemnification is required by Section 6.3, the entitlement of the indemnitee to indemnification shall be determined by the following person or persons who shall be empowered to make such determination, as selected by the Board of Directors (except with respect to clause (v) of this Section 6.1(b)): (i) the Board of Directors by a majority vote of the directors who are not parties to such proceeding, whether or not such majority constitutes a quorum; (ii) a committee of such directors designated by a majority vote of such directors, whether or not such majority constitutes a quorum; (iii) if there are no such directors, or if such directors so direct, by independent legal counsel in a written opinion to the Board of Directors, a copy of which shall be delivered to the indemnitee; (iv) the stockholders of the Corporation; or (v) in the event that a change of control (as defined below) has occurred, by independent legal counsel in a written opinion to the Board of Directors, a copy of which shall be delivered to the indemnitee. The determination of entitlement to indemnification shall be made and, unless a contrary determination is made, such indemnification shall be paid in full by the Corporation not later than 60 days after receipt by the Secretary of the Corporation of a written request for indemnification. For purposes of this Section 6.1(b), a “change of control” will be deemed to have occurred if, with respect to any particular 24-month period, the individuals who, at the beginning of such 24-month period, constituted the Board of Directors (the “incumbent board”), cease for any reason to constitute at least a majority of the Board of Directors; provided, however, that any individual becoming a director subsequent to the beginning of such 24-month period whose election, or nomination for election by the stockholders of the Corporation, was approved by a vote of at least a majority of the directors then comprising the incumbent board shall be considered as though such individual were a member of the incumbent board, but excluding, for this purpose, any such individual whose initial assumption of office occurs as a result of an actual or threatened election contest with respect to the election or removal of directors or other actual or threatened solicitation of proxies or consents by or on behalf of a person other than the Board of Directors.

Section 6.2 Right to Advancement of Expenses.

(a) In addition to the right to indemnification conferred in Section 6.1, an indemnitee shall, to the fullest extent permitted by law, also have the right to be paid by the Corporation the expenses (including attorneys’ fees) incurred in defending any proceeding in advance of its final disposition (hereinafter an “advancement of expenses”); provided, however, that an advancement of expenses shall be made only upon delivery to the Corporation of an undertaking (hereinafter an “undertaking”), by or on behalf of such indemnitee, to repay all amounts so advanced if it shall ultimately be determined by final judicial decision of a court of competent jurisdiction from which there is no further right to appeal (hereinafter a “final adjudication”) that such indemnitee is not entitled to be indemnified for such expenses under this Article VI or otherwise.

 

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(b) To receive an advancement of expenses under this Section 6.2, an indemnitee shall submit a written request to the Secretary of the Corporation. Such request shall reasonably evidence the expenses incurred by the indemnitee and shall include or be accompanied by the undertaking required by Section 6.2(a). Each such advancement of expenses shall be made within 20 days after the receipt by the Secretary of the Corporation of a written request for advancement of expenses.

Section 6.3 Indemnification for Successful Defense. To the extent that an indemnitee has been successful on the merits or otherwise in defense of any proceeding (or in defense of any claim, issue or matter therein), such indemnitee shall be indemnified under this Section 6.3 against expenses (including attorneys’ fees) actually and reasonably incurred in connection with such defense. Indemnification under this Section 6.3 shall not be subject to satisfaction of a standard of conduct, and the Corporation may not assert the failure to satisfy a standard of conduct as a basis to deny indemnification or recover amounts advanced, including in a suit brought pursuant to Section 6.4 (notwithstanding anything to the contrary therein); provided, however, that, any indemnitee who is not a current or former director or officer (as such term is defined in the final sentence of Section 145(c)(1) of the DGCL) shall be entitled to indemnification under Section 6.1 and this Section 6.3 only if such indemnitee has satisfied the standard of conduct required for indemnification under Section 145(a) or Section 145(b) of the DGCL.

Section 6.4 Right of Indemnitee to Bring Suit. In the event that a determination is made that the indemnitee is not entitled to indemnification or if payment is not timely made following a determination of entitlement to indemnification pursuant to Section 6.1(b), if a request for indemnification under Section 6.3 is not paid in full by the Corporation within 60 days after a written request has been received by the Secretary of the Corporation, or if an advancement of expenses is not timely made under Section 6.2(b), the indemnitee may at any time thereafter bring suit against the Corporation in a court of competent jurisdiction in the State of Delaware seeking an adjudication of entitlement to such indemnification or advancement of expenses. If successful in whole or in part in any such suit, or in a suit brought by the Corporation to recover an advancement of expenses pursuant to the terms of an undertaking, the indemnitee shall be entitled to be paid also the expense of prosecuting or defending such suit to the fullest extent permitted by law. In any suit brought by the indemnitee to enforce a right to indemnification hereunder (but not in a suit brought by the indemnitee to enforce a right to an advancement of expenses) it shall be a defense that the indemnitee has not met any applicable standard of conduct for indemnification set forth in Section 145(a) or Section 145(b) of the DGCL. Further, in any suit brought by the Corporation to recover an advancement of expenses pursuant to the terms of an undertaking, the Corporation shall be entitled to recover such expenses upon a final adjudication that the indemnitee has not met any applicable standard of conduct for indemnification set forth in Section 145(a) or Section 145(b) of the DGCL. Neither the failure of the Corporation (including its directors who are not parties to such action, a committee of such directors, independent legal counsel or its stockholders) to have made a determination prior to the commencement of such suit that indemnification of the indemnitee is proper in the circumstances because the indemnitee has met such applicable standard of conduct, nor an actual determination by the Corporation (including its directors who are not parties to such action, a committee of such directors, independent legal counsel or its stockholders) that the indemnitee has not met such applicable standard of conduct, shall create a presumption that the indemnitee has not met the applicable standard of conduct or, in the case of such a suit brought by the indemnitee, be a defense to such suit. In any suit brought by the indemnitee to enforce a right to indemnification or to an advancement of expenses hereunder, or brought by the Corporation to recover an advancement of expenses pursuant to the terms of an undertaking, the burden of proving that the indemnitee is not entitled to be indemnified, or to such advancement of expenses, under applicable law, this Article VI or otherwise shall be on the Corporation.

 

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Section 6.5 Non-Exclusivity of Rights. The rights to indemnification and to the advancement of expenses conferred in this Article VI shall not be exclusive of any other right which any person may have or hereafter acquire under any law, agreement, vote of stockholders or disinterested directors, provisions of an entity’s organizational documents (including the Corporation’s), or otherwise.

Section 6.6 Insurance. The Corporation may maintain insurance, at its expense, to protect itself and any director, officer, employee or agent of the Corporation or another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise against any expense, liability or loss, whether or not the Corporation would have the power to indemnify such person against such expense, liability or loss under the DGCL.

Section 6.7 Indemnification of Employees and Agents of the Corporation. The Corporation may, to the extent and in the manner permitted by law, and to the extent authorized from time to time, grant rights to indemnification and to the advancement of expenses to any employee or agent of the Corporation.

Section 6.8 Nature of Rights. The rights conferred upon indemnitees in this Article VI shall be contract rights and such rights shall continue as to an indemnitee who has ceased to be a director or officer and shall inure to the benefit of the indemnitee’s heirs, executors and administrators. Any amendment, alteration or repeal of this Article VI that adversely affects any right of an indemnitee or its successors shall be prospective only and shall not limit or eliminate any such right with respect to any proceeding involving any occurrence or alleged occurrence of any action or omission to act that took place prior to such amendment, alteration or repeal.

Section 6.9 Settlement of Claims. Notwithstanding anything in this Article VI to the contrary, the Corporation shall not be liable to indemnify any indemnitee under this Article VI for any amounts paid in settlement of any proceeding effected without the Corporation’s written consent, which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld.

Section 6.10 Subrogation. In the event of payment under this Article VI, the Corporation shall be subrogated to the extent of such payment to all of the rights of recovery of the indemnitee (excluding insurance obtained on the indemnitee’s own behalf), and the indemnitee shall execute all papers required and shall do everything that may be necessary to secure such rights, including the execution of such documents necessary to enable the Corporation effectively to bring suit to enforce such rights.

 

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Section 6.11 Severability. If any provision or provisions of this Article VI shall be held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable as applied to any person or entity or circumstance for any reason whatsoever, then, to the fullest extent permitted by law: (a) the validity, legality and enforceability of such provision in any other circumstance and of the remaining provisions of this Article VI (including, without limitation, all portions of any paragraph of this Article VI containing any such provision held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable, that are not by themselves invalid, illegal or unenforceable) and the application of such provision to other persons or entities or circumstances shall not in any way be affected or impaired thereby; and (b) to the fullest extent possible, the provisions of this Article VI (including, without limitation, all portions of any paragraph of this Article VI containing any such provision held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable, that are not themselves invalid, illegal or unenforceable) shall be construed so as to give effect to the intent of the parties that the Corporation provide protection to the indemnitee to the fullest extent set forth in this Article VI.

ARTICLE VII

MISCELLANEOUS

Section 7.1 Fiscal Year. The fiscal year of the Corporation shall be determined by the Board of Directors.

Section 7.2 Seal. The Corporation may have a corporate seal which shall have the name of the Corporation inscribed thereon and shall be in such form as may be approved from time to time by the Board of Directors. The corporate seal may be used by causing it or a facsimile thereof to be impressed or affixed or in any other manner reproduced.

Section 7.3 Waiver of Notice of Meetings of Stockholders, Directors and Committees. Whenever notice is required to be given by law or under any provision of the certificate of incorporation or these by-laws, a written waiver thereof, signed by the person entitled to notice, whether before or after the time stated therein, shall be deemed equivalent to notice. Attendance of a person at a meeting shall constitute a waiver of notice of such meeting, except when the person attends a meeting for the express purpose of objecting, at the beginning of the meeting, to the transaction of any business because the meeting is not lawfully called or convened. Neither the business to be transacted at, nor the purpose of, any regular or special meeting of the stockholders, directors or members of a committee of directors need be specified in any written waiver of notice unless so required by the certificate of incorporation or these by-laws.

Section 7.4 Electronic Signatures, etc. Except as otherwise required by the certificate of incorporation or these by-laws, any document, including, without limitation, any consent, agreement, certificate or instrument, required by the DGCL, the certificate of incorporation or these by-laws to be executed by any officer, director, stockholder, employee or agent of the Corporation may be executed using a facsimile or other form of electronic signature to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law. All other contracts, agreements, certificates or instruments to be executed on behalf of the Corporation may be executed using a facsimile or other form of electronic signature to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law. The terms “electronic mail,” “electronic mail address,” “electronic signature” and “electronic transmission” as used herein shall have the meanings ascribed thereto in the DGCL.

Section 7.5 Amendment of By-Laws. These by-laws may be amended or repealed, and new by-laws adopted, by the Board of Directors. Except as otherwise provided in the certificate of incorporation or these by-laws, and in addition to any other vote required by law, the affirmative vote of the holders of a majority of the outstanding shares entitled to vote thereon, voting together as a single class, shall be required for the stockholders to adopt, amend or repeal, or adopt any provision inconsistent with, any provision of these by-laws.

 

21


Section 7.6 Forum for Adjudication of Disputes. Unless the Corporation consents in writing to the selection of an alternative forum, the sole and exclusive forum for (a) any derivative action or proceeding brought on behalf of the Corporation, (b) any action asserting a claim of breach of a fiduciary duty owed by any current or former director, officer or other employee, agent or stockholder of the Corporation to the Corporation or the Corporation’s stockholders, (c) any action asserting a claim against the Corporation or any current or former director, officer or other employee of the Corporation arising pursuant to any provision of the DGCL or the certificate of incorporation or these by-laws (in each case, as they may be amended from time to time) or as to which the DGCL confers jurisdiction on the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware or (d) any action asserting a claim against the Corporation or any current or former director, officer or other employee of the Corporation governed by the internal affairs doctrine shall, in each case to the fullest extent permitted by law, be the Chancery Court of the State of Delaware (or if the Chancery Court of the State of Delaware does not have subject matter jurisdiction, a the federal district court for the District of Delaware). Notwithstanding the foregoing, unless the Corporation consents in writing to the selection of an alternative forum, the federal district courts of the United States of America shall be the exclusive forum for the resolution of any complaint asserting a cause of action arising under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or the rules and regulations thereunder. This Section 7.6 shall not apply to any action brought to enforce a duty or liability created by the Exchange Act , or the rules and regulations thereunder. Any person or entity purchasing or otherwise acquiring any interest in shares of capital stock of the Corporation shall be deemed to have notice of and, to the fullest extent permitted by law, to have consented to the provisions of this Section 7.6. If any provision of this Section 7.6 shall be held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable as applied to any person or entity or circumstance for any reason whatsoever, then, to the fullest extent permitted by law, the validity, legality and enforceability of such provision in any other circumstance and of the remaining provisions of this Section 7.6 (including, without limitation, each portion of any sentence of this Section 7.6 containing any such provision held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable that is not itself held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable) and the application of such provision to other persons or entities or circumstances shall not in any way be affected or impaired thereby.

 

22

Exhibit 4.1

Execution Version

 

 

CONSENSUS CLOUD SOLUTIONS, INC.

as the Company

THE GUARANTORS NAMED ON THE SIGNATURE PAGES HERETO

and

WILMINGTON TRUST, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION,

as Trustee

 

 

INDENTURE

Dated as of October 7, 2021

 

 

6.000% SENIOR NOTES DUE 2026

 

 

 


TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

Page  
ARTICLE 1 DEFINITIONS      1  

Section 1.01.

  Definitions      1  

Section 1.02.

  Rules of Construction      20  

Section 1.03.

  Financial Calculations for Limited Condition Acquisitions      21  

Section 1.04.

  Divisions      22  
ARTICLE 2 THE NOTES      22  

Section 2.01.

  Form, Dating And Denominations; Legends      22  

Section 2.02.

  Execution and Authentication; Additional Notes      23  

Section 2.03.

  Registrar, Paying Agent and Authenticating Agent; Paying Agent to Hold Money in Trust      23  

Section 2.04.

  Replacement Notes      24  

Section 2.05.

  Outstanding Notes      24  

Section 2.06.

  Temporary Notes      24  

Section 2.07.

  Cancellation      25  

Section 2.08.

  CUSIP and CINS Numbers      25  

Section 2.09.

  Registration, Transfer and Exchange      25  

Section 2.10.

  Restrictions on Transfer and Exchange      27  

Section 2.11.

  Temporary Offshore Global Notes      28  
ARTICLE 3 REDEMPTION; OFFER TO PURCHASE      29  

Section 3.01.

  Optional Redemption      29  

Section 3.02.

  Redemption with Proceeds of Equity Offering      29  

Section 3.03.

  Method and Effect of Redemption      29  

Section 3.04.

  Offer to Purchase      30  
ARTICLE 4 COVENANTS      32  

Section 4.01.

  Payment Of Notes      32  

Section 4.02.

  Maintenance of Office or Agency      32  

Section 4.03.

  Existence      32  

Section 4.04.

  Payment of Taxes and other Claims      32  

Section 4.05.

  Maintenance of Properties and Insurance      33  

Section 4.06.

  Limitation on Debt and Disqualified Stock or Preferred Stock      33  

Section 4.07.

  Limitation on Restricted Payments      37  

Section 4.08.

  Limitation on Liens      40  

Section 4.09.

  Limitation on Sale and Leaseback Transactions      40  

Section 4.10.

  Limitation on Dividend and Other Payment Restrictions Affecting Restricted Subsidiaries      41  

Section 4.11.

  Guaranties by Restricted Subsidiaries      42  

Section 4.12.

  Repurchase of Notes Upon a Change of Control      42  

Section 4.13.

  Limitation on Asset Sales      42  

Section 4.14.

  Limitation on Transactions with Affiliates      43  

Section 4.15.

  Designation of Restricted and Unrestricted Subsidiaries      45  

Section 4.16.

  [Reserved]      46  

Section 4.17.

  Financial Reports      46  

Section 4.18.

  Reports to Trustee      47  

Section 4.19.

  Suspension of Certain Covenants      47  

 

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Page  
ARTICLE 5 CONSOLIDATION, MERGER OR SALE OF ASSETS      48  

Section 5.01.

  Consolidation, Merger or Sale of Assets; No Lease of All or Substantially All Assets      48  

Section 5.02.

  Consolidation, Merger or Sale of Assets by a Guarantor      48  
ARTICLE 6 DEFAULT AND REMEDIES      49  

Section 6.01.

  Events of Default      49  

Section 6.02.

  Acceleration      50  

Section 6.03.

  Other Remedies      51  

Section 6.04.

  Waiver of Past Defaults      51  

Section 6.05.

  Control by Majority      51  

Section 6.06.

  Limitation on Suits      51  

Section 6.07.

  Rights of Holders to Receive Payment      52  

Section 6.08.

  Collection Suit by Trustee      52  

Section 6.09.

  Trustee May File Proofs of Claim      52  

Section 6.10.

  Priorities      52  

Section 6.11.

  Restoration of Rights and Remedies      52  

Section 6.12.

  Undertaking for Costs      53  

Section 6.13.

  Rights and Remedies Cumulative      53  

Section 6.14.

  Delay or Omission Not Waiver      53  

Section 6.15.

  Waiver of Stay, Extension or Usury Laws      53  
ARTICLE 7 THE TRUSTEE      53  

Section 7.01.

  General      53  

Section 7.02.

  Certain Rights of Trustee      53  

Section 7.03.

  Individual Rights of Trustee      54  

Section 7.04.

  Trustee’s Disclaimer      54  

Section 7.05.

  Notice of Default      55  

Section 7.06.

  [Reserved]      55  

Section 7.07.

  Compensation and Indemnity      55  

Section 7.08.

  Replacement of Trustee      55  

Section 7.09.

  Successor Trustee by Merger      56  

Section 7.10.

  Eligibility      56  

Section 7.11.

  Money Held in Trust      56  
ARTICLE 8 DEFEASANCE AND DISCHARGE      56  

Section 8.01.

  Discharge of Company’s Obligations      56  

Section 8.02.

  Legal Defeasance      57  

Section 8.03.

  Covenant Defeasance      58  

Section 8.04.

  Application of Trust Money      58  

Section 8.05.

  Repayment to the Company      58  

Section 8.06.

  Reinstatement      58  
ARTICLE 9 AMENDMENTS, SUPPLEMENTS AND WAIVERS      59  

Section 9.01.

  Amendments Without Consent of Holders      59  

Section 9.02.

  Amendments With Consent of Holders      59  

Section 9.03.

  Effect of Consent      60  

Section 9.04.

  Trustee’s Rights and Obligations      60  

 

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Page  
ARTICLE 10 GUARANTIES      60  

Section 10.01.

  The Guaranties      60  

Section 10.02.

  Guaranty Unconditional      61  

Section 10.03.

  Discharge; Reinstatement      61  

Section 10.04.

  Waiver by the Guarantors      61  

Section 10.05.

  Subrogation and Contribution      61  

Section 10.06.

  Stay of Acceleration      61  

Section 10.07.

  Limitation on Amount of Guaranty      62  

Section 10.08.

  Execution and Delivery of Guaranty      62  

Section 10.09.

  Release of Guaranty      62  
ARTICLE 11 MISCELLANEOUS      62  

Section 11.01.

  Trust Indenture Act of 1939      62  

Section 11.02.

  Noteholder Communications; Noteholder Actions      62  

Section 11.03.

  Notices      63  

Section 11.04.

  Certificate and Opinion as to Conditions Precedent      64  

Section 11.05.

  Statements Required in Certificate or Opinion      64  

Section 11.06.

  Payment Date Other Than a Business Day      64  

Section 11.07.

  Governing Law      64  

Section 11.08.

  No Adverse Interpretation of Other Agreements      64  

Section 11.09.

  Successors      64  

Section 11.10.

  Duplicate Originals      64  

Section 11.11.

  Separability      64  

Section 11.12.

  Entire Agreement      65  

Section 11.13.

  Execution in Counterparts      65  

Section 11.14.

  Table of Contents and Headings      65  

Section 11.15.

  No Liability of Directors, Officers, Employees, Incorporators, Members and Stockholders      65  

Section 11.16.

  Force Majeure      65  

Section 11.17.

  Patriot Act      65  

EXHIBITS

 

EXHIBIT A

  Form of Note

EXHIBIT B

  Form of Supplemental Indenture

EXHIBIT C

  Restricted Legend

EXHIBIT D

  DTC Legend

EXHIBIT E

  Regulation S Certificate

EXHIBIT F

  Rule 144A Certificate

EXHIBIT G

  Institutional Accredited Investor Certificate

EXHIBIT H

  Certificate of Beneficial Ownership

EXHIBIT I

  Temporary Offshore Global Note Legend

 

 

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INDENTURE, dated as of October 7, 2021, among Consensus Cloud Solutions, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), the Guarantors (as defined herein) and Wilmington Trust, National Association, as Trustee.

RECITALS

The Company has duly authorized the execution and delivery of this Indenture to provide for the issuance of up to $305,000,000 aggregate principal amount of its 6.000% Senior Notes due 2026, and, if and when issued, any Additional Notes (the “Notes”).

THIS INDENTURE WITNESSETH

For and in consideration of the premises and the purchase of the Notes by the Holders thereof, the parties hereto covenant and agree, for the equal and proportionate benefit of all Holders, as follows:

ARTICLE 1

DEFINITIONS

Section 1.01. Definitions.

2028 Notes” means the Company’s senior notes due 2028 that are issued on the Issue Date in connection with the Transactions.

2028 Notes Indenture” means the indenture to be entered into on the Issue Date that will govern the 2028 Notes.

Acquired Debt” means Debt of a Person existing at the time the Person merges with or into or becomes a Restricted Subsidiary and not Incurred in connection with, or in contemplation of, the Person merging with or into or becoming a Restricted Subsidiary.

Additional Notes” means any Notes issued under this Indenture in addition to the Initial Notes, having the same terms in all respects as the Initial Notes, or in all respects except with respect to interest paid or payable on or prior to the first interest payment date after the issuance of such Additional Notes.

Affiliate” means, with respect to any Person, any other Person directly or indirectly controlling, controlled by, or under direct or indirect common control with, such Person. For purposes of this definition, “control” (including, with correlative meanings, the terms “controlling,” “controlled by” and “under common control with”) with respect to any Person, means the possession, directly or indirectly, of the power to direct or cause the direction of the management and policies of such Person, whether through the ownership of voting securities, by contract or otherwise.

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

Agent Member” means a member of, or a participant in, the Depositary.

Applicable Premium” means, with respect to any Note on any redemption date, the greater of (1) 1.0% of the principal amount of such Note; and (2) the excess, if any, of (a) the present value at such redemption date of (i) the redemption price of such Note on October 15, 2023 (as stated in the table set forth in Section 3.01(a)), plus (ii) all required interest payments due on such Note through October 15, 2023 (excluding accrued but unpaid interest, if any, to the redemption date), computed using a discount rate equal to the Treasury Rate as of such redemption date plus 50 basis points; over (b) the principal amount of such Note. The Trustee shall have no obligation to calculate or verify the calculation of the Applicable Premium.

Applicable Premium Deficit” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 8.01(a)(2).


Asset Sale” means any sale, lease, transfer or other disposition by the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary of any Equity Interests of any Restricted Subsidiary (including any issuances of Equity Interests by a Restricted Subsidiary) and any other sale, lease, transfer or other disposition of any other assets by the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary, including by means of a merger, consolidation or similar transaction (each of the above referred to as a “disposition”); provided that the following are not included in the definition of “Asset Sale”:

(1) a disposition to the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary, including the sale or issuance by the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary of any Equity Interests of any Restricted Subsidiary to the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary;

(2) the disposition by the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary in the ordinary course of business of (i) cash, cash management investments and Cash Equivalents, (ii) inventory and other assets acquired and held for resale in the ordinary course of business, (iii) damaged, worn out or obsolete assets, or (iv) rights granted to others pursuant to leases or licenses;

(3) the sale or discount of accounts receivable arising in the ordinary course of business in connection with the compromise or collection thereof;

(4) a transaction permitted under Section 5.01 or contemplated as part of the Transactions;

(5) a Restricted Payment permitted under Section 4.07;

(6) licenses and sublicenses by the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary of software or intellectual property in the ordinary course of business or the abandonment of intellectual property rights in the ordinary course of business;

(7) any surrender or waiver of contract rights or settlement, release, recovery on or surrender of contract, tort or other claims in the ordinary course of business;

(8) the granting of Liens not prohibited under Section 4.08;

(9) leases and subleases and licenses and sublicenses by the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary of real or personal property in the ordinary course of business;

(10) any liquidation or dissolution of a Restricted Subsidiary; provided that such Restricted Subsidiary’s direct parent is also either the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary of the Company and immediately becomes the owner of such Restricted Subsidiary’s assets;

(11) to the extent allowable under Section 1031 of the Code or any successor provision, any exchange of like property (excluding any boot thereon) for use in a Permitted Business;

(12) foreclosures, condemnation or any similar action on assets;

(13) the unwinding of any Hedging Agreements;

(14) the issuance of Disqualified Stock or Preferred Stock pursuant to Section 4.06;

(15) any issuance or sale of Equity Interests in, or Debt or other securities of, an Unrestricted Subsidiary; and

(16) any disposition in a transaction or series of related transactions of assets with a Fair Market Value of less than $25 million.

Attributable Debt” means, in respect of a Sale and Leaseback Transaction, the present value, discounted at the interest rate implicit in the Sale and Leaseback Transaction, of the total obligations of the lessee for rental payments during the remaining term of the lease in the Sale and Leaseback Transaction (including any period for which such lease has been extended).

 

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Authenticating Agent” refers to a Person engaged to authenticate the Notes in the stead of the Trustee.

Average Life” means, with respect to any Debt, the quotient obtained by dividing (i) the sum of the products of (x) the number of years from the date of determination to the dates of each successive scheduled principal payment of such Debt and (y) the amount of such principal payment by (ii) the sum of all such principal payments.

Board of Directors” means the board of directors or comparable governing body of the Company, or any committee thereof duly authorized to act on its behalf.

Board Resolution” means a resolution duly adopted by the Board of Directors which is certified by the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary of the Company and remains in full force and effect as of the date of its certification.

Business Day” means any day except a Saturday, Sunday or other day on which commercial banks in New York City, or in the city in which the office of the Trustee at which the corporate trust business of the Trustee is principally administered is located, are authorized by law to close.

Capital Lease” means, with respect to any Person, any lease of any property which, in conformity with GAAP, is required to be capitalized on the balance sheet of such Person; provided, however, all leases that are or would have been treated as operating leases for purposes of GAAP prior to the issuance by the Financial Accounting Standards Board on February 25, 2016 of an Accounting Standards Update (the “ASU”) shall continue to be accounted for as operating leases for purposes of all financial definitions and calculations for purposes of this Indenture (whether or not such operating lease obligations were in effect on such date) notwithstanding the fact that such obligations are required in accordance with the ASU (on a prospective or retroactive basis or otherwise) to be treated as Capital Leases in such Person’s financial statements prepared in accordance with GAAP.

Capital Stock” means, with respect to any Person, any and all shares of stock of a corporation, partnership interests, membership interests or other equivalent interests (however designated, whether voting or non-voting) in such Person’s equity, entitling the holder to receive a share of the profits and losses, and a distribution of assets, after liabilities, of such Person.

Cash Equivalents” means:

(1) United States dollars, pounds sterling, euros, the national currency of any participating member state of the European Union or money in other currencies received in the ordinary course of business by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries;

(2) U.S. Government Obligations or certificates representing an ownership interest in U.S. Government Obligations with maturities not exceeding one year from the date of acquisition;

(3) any certificate of deposit (or time deposits represented by such certificates of deposit) or bankers acceptance, maturing not more than one year after such time, or overnight Federal Funds transactions that are issued or sold by a commercial banking institution that is a member of the Federal Reserve System and has a combined capital and surplus and undivided profits of not less than $500 million;

(4) repurchase obligations with a term of not more than seven days for underlying securities of the type described in clauses (2) and (3) above entered into with any financial institution meeting the qualifications specified in clause (3) above;

(5) commercial paper rated at least P-1 by Moody’s or A-1 by S&P and maturing within twelve months after the date of acquisition;

 

-3-


(6) instruments equivalent to those referred to in clauses (1) through (5) above denominated in euro or pounds sterling or any other foreign currency comparable in credit quality and tenor to those referred to above and customarily used by corporations for cash management purposes in any jurisdiction outside the United States;

(7) money market funds at least 90% of the assets of which consist of investments of the type described in clauses (1) through (5) above; and

(8) in the case of a Foreign Restricted Subsidiary, substantially similar investments, of comparable credit quality, denominated in the currency of any jurisdiction in which such Person conducts business.

Certificate of Beneficial Ownership” means a certificate substantially in the form of Exhibit H.

Certificated Note” means a Note in registered individual form without interest coupons.

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

(1) the sale, lease, transfer, conveyance or other disposition in one or a series of related transactions (other than by merger, consolidation or amalgamation), of all or substantially all of the assets of the Company and its Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, to any Person or any Guarantor;

(2) the Company becomes aware of (by way of a report or any other filing pursuant to Section 13(d) of the Exchange Act, proxy, vote, written notice or otherwise) the acquisition by (A) any Person or (B) Persons that are together a group (within the meaning of Section 13(d)(3) or Section 14(d)(2) of the Exchange Act, or any successor provision), including any such group acting for the purpose of acquiring, holding or disposing of securities (within the meaning of Rule 13d-5(b)(1) under the Exchange Act), in a single transaction or in a related series of transactions, by way of merger, consolidation or other business combination or purchase or otherwise, of beneficial ownership (within the meaning of Rule 13d-3 under the Exchange Act, or any successor provision) of more than 50.0% of the total voting power of the Voting Stock of the Company directly or indirectly through any of its direct or indirect parent holding companies; or

(3) the adoption of a plan of liquidation or dissolution of the Company other than in a transaction that complies with the provisions described under Section 5.01.

Code” means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986.

Commission” means the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Company” means the party named as such in the first paragraph of this Indenture or any successor obligor under this Indenture and the Notes pursuant to Article 5.

Company Order” means an order to authenticate Initial Notes or Initial Additional Notes pursuant to Section 2.02 of this Indenture signed by an Officer of the Company.

Consolidated Net Debt” means, at any date of determination, (1) the aggregate principal amount of Debt of the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries on such date, minus (2) up to $200 million of Eligible Cash included in the consolidated balance sheet of the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries as of the most recently ended fiscal period for which financial statements required by Section 4.17 have been delivered (with such pro forma adjustments as are appropriate and consistent with the pro forma adjustment provisions set forth in the definition of “Net Leverage Ratio”).

 

-4-


Consolidated Net Income” means, for any period, the aggregate net income (or loss) of the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries for such period determined on a consolidated basis in conformity with GAAP; provided that the following (without duplication) will be excluded in computing Consolidated Net Income:

(1) the net income (but not loss) of any Person that is not a Restricted Subsidiary, except to the extent of the dividends or other distributions actually paid in cash to the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries (subject to clause (2) below) by such Person during such period;

(2) solely for the purpose of determining the amount available for Restricted Payments under Section 4.07(a)(3)(A), the net income (but not loss) of any Restricted Subsidiary that is not a Guarantor, to the extent that, at the date of determination, the declaration or payment of dividends or similar distributions by that Restricted Subsidiary of its net income (i) is not permitted without any prior governmental approval (that has not been obtained) or (ii) directly or indirectly, is otherwise restricted by operation of the terms of its charter or by any agreement, instrument, judgment, decree, order, statute, rule or governmental regulation applicable to the Restricted Subsidiary, unless such restrictions have been legally waived; provided that the Consolidated Net Income of the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries will be increased by the amount of dividends or distributions or other payments actually paid in cash (or converted to cash) or Cash Equivalents by any such Restricted Subsidiary to the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries in respect of such period, to the extent not already included therein;

(3) all extraordinary, nonrecurring or unusual gains or losses or income or expenses, including, without limitation, any expenses related to severance or relocation expenses and fees, restructuring costs, any expenses, costs or charges Incurred in connection with any offering of Equity Interests, Permitted Investment, acquisition, disposition, recapitalization or Incurrence or repayment of Debt permitted under this Indenture, including a refinancing thereof, and all gains and losses realized in connection with any business disposition or any disposition of assets outside the ordinary course of business or the disposition of securities or the early extinguishment of Debt, together with any related provision for taxes on any such gain, loss, income or expense;

(4) any after-tax effect of gains or loss from the early extinguishment or cancellation of any Hedging Agreement or other derivative instrument (including deferred financing costs written off and premiums paid);

(5) gains and losses due solely to fluctuations in currency values and the related tax effects according to GAAP;

(6) non-cash charges or expenses with respect to the grant of stock options, restricted stock or other equity compensation awards;

(7) any non-cash charge, expense or other impact attributable to application of the purchase method of accounting (including the total amount of depreciation and amortization, cost of sales or other non-cash expense resulting from the write-up of assets to the extent resulting from such purchase accounting adjustments);

(8) goodwill write-downs or other non-cash impairments of assets; and

(9) the cumulative effect of a change in accounting principles.

Consolidated Net Secured Debt” means, at any date of determination, (1) the aggregate amount of Debt of the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries on such date that is secured by a Lien on any assets of the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary minus (2) up to $200 million of Eligible Cash included in the consolidated balance sheet of the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries as of the most recently ended fiscal period for which financial statements for which internal financial statements are available (with such pro forma adjustments as are appropriate and consistent with the pro forma adjustment provisions set forth in the definition of “Net Leverage Ratio”).

 

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Corporate Trust Office” means the office of the Trustee at which this Indenture is principally administered, which at the date of this Indenture is located at Wilmington Trust, National Association, Global Capital Markets, 50 South Sixth Street, Suite 1290, Minneapolis, MN 55402, Attention: Consensus Cloud Solutions, Inc. Notes Administrator.

Credit Facilities” means one or more credit facilities with banks or other lenders providing for revolving credit loans, commercial paper facilities or term loans or the issuance of letters of credit or bankers’ acceptances or the like.

Debt” means, with respect to any Person, if and to the extent that the following items (other than letters of credit and Hedging Agreements) would appear as a liability upon a balance sheet (excluding footnotes thereto) of such Person prepared in accordance with GAAP, without duplication:

(1) all indebtedness of such Person for borrowed money;

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

(3) all obligations of such Person in respect of letters of credit, bankers’ acceptances or other similar instruments, excluding obligations in respect of trade letters of credit or bankers’ acceptances issued in respect of trade payables to the extent not drawn upon or presented, or, if drawn upon or presented, the resulting obligation of the Person is paid within 10 Business Days;

(4) all obligations of such Person to pay the deferred and unpaid purchase price of property or services which are recorded as liabilities under GAAP, excluding (x) trade payables and other contractual obligations to customers and suppliers arising in the ordinary course of business, and (y) any earn-out obligations until such obligations become a liability on the balance sheet of such Person in accordance with GAAP and are not paid after becoming due and payable;

(5) all obligations of such Person as lessee under Capital Leases;

(6) all Debt of other Persons Guaranteed by such Person to the extent so Guaranteed;

(7) all Debt of other Persons secured by a Lien on any asset of such Person, whether or not such Debt is assumed by such Person; provided, that in no event shall an operating lease (and any filing, recording or other action in connection therewith) be deemed Debt; and

(8) all obligations of such Person under Hedging Agreements.

The amount of Debt of any Person will be deemed to be:

(A) with respect to contingent obligations, the maximum liability upon the occurrence of the contingency giving rise to the obligation;

(B) with respect to Debt secured by a Lien on an asset of such Person but not otherwise the obligation, contingent or otherwise, of such Person, the lesser of (x) the Fair Market Value of such asset on the date the Lien attached and (y) the amount of such Debt;

(C) with respect to any Debt which is Incurred at a discount to the principal amount at maturity thereof, as of any date, the accreted value thereof as of such date;

(D) with respect to any Hedging Agreement, the net amount payable if such Hedging Agreement terminated at that time due to default by such Person; and

(E) otherwise, the outstanding principal amount thereof;

 

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provided, however, that Debt shall not include (x) any holdback or escrow of the purchase price of property, services, businesses or assets, or (y) contingent obligations incurred in the ordinary course of business (other than Guarantees of Debt for borrowed money).

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

Depositary” means the depositary of each Global Note, which will initially be DTC.

Depreciation and Amortization Expense” means, with respect to any Person for any period, the total amount of depreciation and amortization expense, including any amortization of deferred financing fees, amortization in relation to terminated Hedging Agreements and amortization of intangibles, including, but not limited to, goodwill, of such Person and otherwise determined in accordance with GAAP.

Disqualified Equity Interests” means 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, in each case, at the option of the holder), or upon the happening of any event, matures or is mandatorily redeemable, pursuant to a sinking fund obligation or otherwise, or is redeemable at the option of the holder, in whole or in part, on or prior to the date that is 91 days after the date on which the Notes mature; provided, however, that only the portion of Equity Interest which so matures or is mandatorily redeemable, is so convertible or exchangeable or is so redeemable at the option of the holder thereof prior to such date will be deemed to be Disqualified Equity Interests; provided, further, however, that if such Equity Interest is issued to any employee or to any plan for the benefit of employees of the Company or its Restricted Subsidiaries or by any such plan to such employees, such Equity Interest will not constitute Disqualified Equity Interests solely because it may be required to be repurchased by the Company in order to satisfy applicable statutory or regulatory obligations or as a result of such employee’s termination, death or disability; provided, further, that any class of Equity Interest of such Person that by its terms authorizes such Person to satisfy its obligations thereunder by delivery of Qualified Equity Interests will not be deemed to be Disqualified Equity Interests; provided, further, that Equity Interests will not constitute Disqualified Equity Interests solely because of provisions giving holders thereof the right to require repurchase or redemption upon an “asset sale” or “change of control” occurring prior to the Stated Maturity of the Notes if those provisions (x) are no more favorable to the holders than Section 4.12 and Section 4.13, and (y) specifically state that repurchase or redemption pursuant thereto will not be required prior to the Company’s repurchase of the Notes as required by this Indenture.

Disqualified Stock” means Capital Stock constituting Disqualified Equity Interests.

Domestic Restricted Subsidiary” means any Restricted Subsidiary formed under the laws of, or 50% or more of the assets of which are located in, the United States of America or any jurisdiction thereof.

DTC” means The Depository Trust Company, a New York corporation, and its successors.

DTC Legend” means the legend set forth in Exhibit D.

EBITDA” means, for any period, the sum of:

(1) Consolidated Net Income, plus

(2) Fixed Charges, to the extent deducted in calculating Consolidated Net Income, plus

(3) any loss (or minus any net gain) included in the consolidated financial statements due to the application of Accounting Standards Codification Topic No. 810; plus

(4) to the extent deducted in calculating Consolidated Net Income and as determined on a consolidated basis for the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries in conformity with GAAP:

(A) provision for taxes based on income, profits or capital (including state franchise taxes and similar taxes in the nature of income tax); and

 

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(B) Depreciation and Amortization Expense and all other non-cash items reducing Consolidated Net Income (not including non-cash charges in a period which reflect cash expenses paid or to be paid in another period), less all non-cash items increasing Consolidated Net Income (not including non-cash items in a period which reflect cash received or expected to be received in another period); provided that, with respect to any Restricted Subsidiary, such items will be added only to the extent and in the same proportion that the relevant Restricted Subsidiary’s net income was included in calculating Consolidated Net Income.

Eligible Cash” means any cash and Cash Equivalents held by the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary.

Equity Interests” means all Capital Stock and all warrants or options with respect to, or other rights to purchase, Capital Stock, but excluding Debt convertible into equity.

Equity Offering” means a public or private offering, after the Issue Date, of Qualified Stock of the Company or, to the extent the proceeds are contributed to the Company as Qualified Stock, any of its direct or indirect parent companies other than an issuance registered on Form S-4 or S-8 or any successor thereto or any issuance pursuant to employee benefit plans or otherwise in compensation to officers, directors or employees.

Exchange” means the exchange by J2 Global of the 2028 Notes to certain of the initial purchasers or affiliates thereof, in their capacity as selling securityholders, for all of the outstanding loans held by such selling securityholders under that certain Credit Agreement, dated as of April 7, 2021 (as amended, restated, amended and restated, modified or supplemented from time to time), by and among, inter alia, J2 Global and MUFG Union Bank, N.A., as administrative agent.

Event of Default” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 6.01.

Excess Proceeds” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 4.13.

Exchange Act” means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.

Fair Market Value” means, with respect to any asset, the fair market value of such asset as determined by the Board of Directors of the Company in good faith, whose determination shall be conclusive (unless otherwise provided in this Indenture).

Fitch” means Fitch Ratings Inc. and its successors.

Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio” means, on any date (the “transaction date”), the ratio of:

(x) the aggregate amount of EBITDA for the four fiscal quarters immediately prior to the transaction date for which internal financial statements are available (the “reference period”) to

(y) the aggregate Fixed Charges during such reference period.

In making the foregoing calculation;

(1) pro forma effect will be given to any Debt, Disqualified Stock or Preferred Stock Incurred during or after the reference period to the extent the Debt is outstanding or is to be Incurred on the transaction date;

(2) pro forma calculations of interest on Debt bearing a floating interest rate will be made as if the rate in effect on the transaction date (taking into account any Hedging Agreement applicable to the Debt if the Hedging Agreement has a remaining term of at least 12 months) had been the applicable rate for the entire reference period;

(3) Fixed Charges related to any Debt, Disqualified Stock or Preferred Stock no longer outstanding or to be repaid or redeemed on the transaction date, except for Interest Expense accrued during the reference period under a revolving credit to the extent of the commitment thereunder (or under any successor revolving credit) in effect on the transaction date, will be excluded;

 

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(4) pro forma effect will be given to:

(A) the creation, designation or redesignation of Restricted and Unrestricted Subsidiaries,

(B) (x) the acquisition or disposition of companies, divisions or lines of businesses by the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries, including any acquisition or disposition of a company, division or line of business since the beginning of the reference period by a Person that became a Restricted Subsidiary after the beginning of the reference period, which may include adjustments appropriate, in the good faith determination of a responsible financial or accounting officer of the Company, to reflect the run rate effect of reasonably identifiable and factually supportable cost savings, operating expense reductions and other operating improvements or synergies reasonably expected to result from any action taken or expected to be taken within eighteen months of the date of such acquisition or disposition, or (y) the run rate effect of any reasonably identifiable and factually supportable restructurings or other cost savings initiatives undertaken by the Company or its Restricted Subsidiaries reasonably expected to result from any action taken or expected to be taken within eighteen months of the date of such restructuring or cost savings initiative,

(C) the discontinuation of any discontinued operations but, in the case of Fixed Charges, only to the extent that the obligations giving rise to the Fixed Charges will not be obligations of the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary following the transaction date that have occurred since the beginning of the reference period as if such events had occurred, and, in the case of any disposition, the proceeds thereof applied, on the first day of the reference period. To the extent that pro forma effect is to be given to an acquisition or disposition of a company, division or line of business, the pro forma calculation will be based upon the most recent four full fiscal quarters for which the relevant financial information is available.

Fixed Charges” means, for any period, the sum of:

(1) Interest Expense for such period; and

(2) the product of:

(x) cash and non-cash dividends paid, declared, accrued or accumulated on any Disqualified Stock or Preferred Stock of the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary, except for dividends payable in the Company’s Qualified Stock or paid to the Company or to a Restricted Subsidiary, and

(y) a fraction, the numerator of which is one and the denominator of which is one minus the sum of the currently effective combined federal, state, local and foreign tax rate applicable to the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries.

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

“Form 10” means the registration statement on Form 10 of the Company, filed with the SEC on August 18, 2021 and as amended through September 21, 2021.

 

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GAAP” means generally accepted accounting principles in the United States of America as in effect as of the Issue Date.

Global Note” means a Note in registered global form without interest coupons.

Guarantee” means any obligation, contingent or otherwise, of any Person directly or indirectly guaranteeing any Debt or other obligation of any other Person and, without limiting the generality of the foregoing, any obligation, direct or indirect, contingent or otherwise, of such Person (i) to purchase or pay (or advance or supply funds for the purchase or payment of) such Debt or other obligation of such other Person (whether arising by virtue of partnership arrangements, or by agreement to keep-well, to purchase assets, goods, securities or services, to take-or-pay, or to maintain financial statement conditions or otherwise) or (ii) entered into for purposes of assuring in any other manner the obligee of such Debt or other obligation of the payment thereof or to protect such obligee against loss in respect thereof, in whole or in part; provided that the term “Guarantee” does not include (x) endorsements for collection or deposit in the ordinary course of business or (y) a contractual commitment by one Person to invest in another Person for so long as such Investment is reasonably expected to constitute a Permitted Investment under clause (3) of the definition of “Permitted Investment” and is not to related to Debt. The term “Guarantee” used as a verb has a corresponding meaning.

Guarantor” means each Domestic Restricted Subsidiary of the Company that executes this Indenture on the Issue Date and each Domestic Restricted Subsidiary of the Company that executes a supplemental indenture in the form of Exhibit B to this Indenture providing for the guaranty of the payment of the Notes in accordance with this Indenture, or any successor obligor under its Note Guaranty pursuant to Article 5, in each case unless and until such Guarantor is released from its Note Guaranty pursuant to this Indenture.

Hedging Agreement” means (i) any interest rate swap agreement, interest rate cap agreement, interest rate collar agreement or other agreement designed to protect against fluctuations in interest rates or (ii) any foreign exchange forward contract, currency swap agreement or other agreement designed to protect against fluctuations in foreign exchange rates.

Holder” or “Noteholder” means the registered holder of any Note.

Incur,” “Incurred” or “Incurrence” means, with respect to any Debt or Capital Stock, to incur, create, issue, assume or Guarantee such Debt or Capital Stock. If any Person becomes a Restricted Subsidiary on any date after the Issue Date (including by redesignation of an Unrestricted Subsidiary or failure of an Unrestricted Subsidiary to meet the qualifications necessary to remain an Unrestricted Subsidiary), the Debt and Capital Stock of such Person outstanding on such date will be deemed to have been Incurred by such Person on such date for purposes of Section 4.06, but will not be considered the sale or issuance of Equity Interests for purposes of Section 4.13.

Solely for the purpose of determining compliance with Section 4.06, the following will not be deemed to be the Incurrence of Debt:

(1) amortization of debt discount or the accretion of principal with respect to a non-interest bearing or other discount security and the accrual of interest or dividends;

(2) the payment of regularly scheduled interest in the form of additional Debt of the same instrument or the payment of regularly scheduled dividends on Capital Stock in the form of additional Capital Stock of the same class and with the same terms; and

(3) the obligation to pay a premium in respect of Debt arising in connection with the issuance of a notice of redemption or making of a mandatory offer to purchase such Debt.

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

 

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Independent Financial Advisor” means an accounting, appraisal or investment banking firm of nationally recognized standing that is, in the reasonable judgment of the Board of Directors, qualified to perform the task for which it has been engaged.

Initial Additional Notes” means Additional Notes issued in an offering not registered under the Securities Act and any Notes issued in replacement thereof.

Initial Notes” means the Notes issued on the Issue Date and any Notes issued in replacement thereof.

Initial Purchasers” means the initial purchaser(s) party to a purchase agreement with the Company and the Guarantors relating to the sale of the Initial Notes or Initial Additional Notes by the Company.

Insignificant Subsidiary” shall mean any Domestic Restricted Subsidiary that has (a) total assets that do not exceed 2.5% of Total Assets of the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries as of the end of the most recent fiscal quarter of the Company for which financial statements are required to be delivered under this Indenture and (b) EBITDA that does not exceed 2.5% of consolidated EBITDA of the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries for the period of four consecutive quarters of the Company most recently ended for which financial statements are required to be delivered pursuant to this Indenture; provided that no Domestic Restricted Subsidiary shall be deemed to be designated as an Insignificant Subsidiary if such Domestic Restricted Subsidiary, together with all other Domestic Restricted Subsidiaries that are otherwise deemed to be Insignificant Subsidiaries, would represent, in the aggregate, (x) 5% or more of Total Assets of the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries at the end of the most recently ended fiscal year of the Company or (y) 5% or more of the consolidated EBITDA of the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries for the most recently ended period of four consecutive fiscal quarters, in each case, based upon the most recent financial statements required to be delivered pursuant to this Indenture. If, at any date of determination, the Company’s non-Guarantor Domestic Restricted Subsidiaries would represent, in the aggregate, more than 5% of Total Assets or 5% of consolidated EBITDA, then the Company shall cause one or more of such non-Guarantor Domestic Restricted Subsidiaries (the selection thereof to be at the Company’s discretion) to promptly provide Note Guaranties such that, after giving effect thereto, the remaining non-Guarantor Domestic Restricted Subsidiaries would represent less than 5% of such Total Assets and consolidated EBITDA and otherwise fit within the definition of “Insignificant Subsidiary.”

Institutional Accredited Investor” means an institutional “accredited investor” as defined in Rule 501(a), (2), (3) or (7) under the Securities Act.

Institutional Accredited Investor Certificate” means a certificate substantially in the form of Exhibit G hereto.

interest,” in respect of the Notes, unless the context otherwise requires, refers to interest, if any.

Interest Expense” means, for any period, the consolidated interest expense of the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries, plus, to the extent not included in such consolidated interest expense, and to the extent incurred, accrued or payable by the Company or its Restricted Subsidiaries, without duplication, (i) interest expense attributable to Sale and Leaseback Transactions, (ii) amortization of debt discount and debt issuance costs but excluding amortization of deferred financing charges incurred in respect of the Notes, (iii) capitalized interest, (iv) non-cash interest expense, (v) commissions, discounts and other fees and charges owed with respect to letters of credit and bankers’ acceptance financing, (vi) net costs associated with Hedging Agreements (including the amortization of fees), (vii) any of the above expenses with respect to Debt of another Person Guaranteed by the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries and (viii) any premiums, fees, discounts, expenses and losses on the sale of accounts receivable (and any amortization thereof) payable by the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary in connection with a receivables financing, as determined on a consolidated basis and in accordance with GAAP.

Interest Payment Date” means each April 15 and October 15 of each year, commencing April 15, 2022.

 

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Interest Rate Protection Agreement” means, with respect to any Person, any arrangement with any other Person whereby, directly or indirectly, such Person is entitled to receive from time to time periodic payments calculated by applying either a floating or a fixed rate of interest on a stated notional amount in exchange for periodic payments made by such Person calculated by applying a fixed or a floating rate of interest on the same notional amount and shall include without limitation, interest rate swaps, caps, floors, collars and similar agreements.

Investment” means:

(1) any direct or indirect advance, loan or other extension of credit to another Person,

(2) any capital contribution to another Person, by means of any transfer of cash or other property or in any other form,

(3) any purchase or acquisition of Equity Interests or Debt, or other instruments or securities issued by another Person, including the receipt of any of the above as consideration for the disposition of assets or rendering of services, or

(4) any Guarantee of any obligation of another Person

If the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary sells or otherwise disposes of any Equity Interests of any direct or indirect Restricted Subsidiary so that, after giving effect to that sale or disposition, such Person is no longer a Subsidiary of the Company, all outstanding Investments by the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary (except to the extent repaid) in the Equity Interests so sold will be deemed to be an Investment in an amount (if positive) equal to the Company’s or the applicable Restricted Subsidiary’s “Investment” in such Subsidiary at the time of such disposition. Except as otherwise provided herein, the amount of an Investment will be determined at the time the Investment is made and without giving effect to subsequent changes in value.

Investment Grade” means BBB- or higher by S&P, Baa3 or higher by Moody’s, BBB- or higher by Fitch, or the equivalent of such ratings by another Rating Agency.

Issue Date” means the date on which the Initial Notes are originally issued under this Indenture.

J2 Global” means J2 Global, Inc., a Delaware corporation.

Lien” means any mortgage, pledge, security interest, encumbrance, lien or charge of any kind (including any conditional sale or other title retention agreement or Capital Lease).

Limited Condition Acquisition” means any acquisition, including by means of a merger, consolidation or amalgamation, by the Company or one or more of its Restricted Subsidiaries, the consummation of which is not conditioned upon the availability of, or on obtaining, third party financing.

Moody’s” means Moody’s Investors Service, Inc. and its successors.

Net Cash Proceeds” means, with respect to any Asset Sale, the proceeds of such Asset Sale in the form of cash and Cash Equivalents (including (i) payments in respect of deferred payment obligations to the extent corresponding to principal, but not interest, when received in the form of cash or Cash Equivalents, and (ii) proceeds from the conversion of other consideration received when converted to cash or Cash Equivalents), net of:

(1) brokerage commissions and other fees and expenses related to such Asset Sale, including fees and expenses of counsel, accountants and investment bankers;

(2) provisions for taxes as a result of such Asset Sale without regard to the consolidated results of operations of the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries;

 

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(3) payments required to be made to holders of minority interests in Restricted Subsidiaries as a result of such Asset Sale or to repay Debt outstanding at the time of such Asset Sale that is secured by a Lien on the property or assets sold; and

(4) appropriate amounts to be provided as a reserve against liabilities associated with such Asset Sale, including pension and other post-employment benefit liabilities, liabilities related to environmental matters and indemnification obligations associated with such Asset Sale, with any subsequent reduction of the reserve other than by payments made and charged against the reserved amount to be deemed a receipt of cash.

Net Leverage Ratio” means, on any date (the “transaction date”), the ratio of:

(x) Consolidated Net Debt of the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries on the transaction date to

(y) the aggregate amount of EBITDA for the four fiscal quarters immediately prior to the transaction date for which internal financial statements are available (the “reference period”).

In making the foregoing calculation,

(1) any Debt, Disqualified Stock or Preferred Stock to be repaid or redeemed on the transaction date will be excluded; and

(2) pro forma effect will be given to

(A) the creation, designation or redesignation of Restricted and Unrestricted Subsidiaries,

(B) the acquisition or disposition of companies, divisions or lines of businesses by the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries, including any acquisition or disposition of a company, division or line of business since the beginning of the reference period by a Person that became a Restricted Subsidiary after the beginning of the reference period, which may include adjustments appropriate, in the good faith determination of a responsible financial or accounting officer of the Company, to reflect reasonably identifiable and factually supportable cost savings, operating expense reductions and other operating improvements or synergies reasonably expected to result from any action taken or expected to be taken within eighteen months of the date of such acquisition or disposition, and

(C) the discontinuation of any discontinued operations that have occurred since the beginning of the reference period as if such events had occurred, and, in the case of any disposition, the proceeds thereof applied, on the first day of the reference period. To the extent that pro forma effect is to be given to an acquisition or disposition of a company, division or line of business, the pro forma calculation will be based upon the most recent four full fiscal quarters for which the relevant financial information is available.

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

Non-Recourse Debt” means Debt as to which (i) neither the Company nor any Restricted Subsidiary provides any Guarantee and as to which the lenders have been notified in writing that they will not have any recourse to the stock or assets of the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary and (ii) no default thereunder would, as such, constitute a default under any Debt of the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary.

Notes” has the meaning assigned to such term in the Recitals.

Note Guaranty” means the guaranty of the Notes by a Guarantor pursuant to this Indenture.

 

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Obligations” means, with respect to any Debt, all obligations (whether in existence on the Issue Date or arising afterwards, absolute or contingent, direct or indirect) for or in respect of principal (when due, upon acceleration, upon redemption, upon mandatory repayment or repurchase pursuant to a mandatory offer to purchase, or otherwise), premium, interest, penalties, fees, indemnification, reimbursement and other amounts payable and liabilities with respect to such Debt, including all interest accrued or accruing after the commencement of any bankruptcy, insolvency or reorganization or similar case or proceeding at the contract rate (including, without limitation, any contract rate applicable upon default) specified in the relevant documentation, whether or not the claim for such interest is allowed as a claim in such case or proceeding.

Offer to Purchase” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 3.04.

Offering Memorandum” means the Offering Memorandum dated September 24, 2021 relating to the private offering of the Initial Notes.

Officer” means the Chairman of the Board, the Chief Executive Officer, the Chief Financial Officer, the President, any Vice President, the Treasurer or the Secretary of the Company. “Officer” of any Guarantor has a correlative meaning.

Officer’s Certificate” means a certificate signed by an Officer of the Company.

Offshore Global Note” means a Global Note representing Notes issued and sold pursuant to Regulation S.

Opinion of Counsel” means a written opinion signed by legal counsel, who is satisfactory to the Trustee, who may be an employee of or counsel to the Company.

Paying Agent” refers to a Person engaged to perform the obligations of the Trustee in respect of payments made or funds held hereunder in respect of the Notes.

Permanent Offshore Global Note” means an Offshore Global Note that does not bear the Temporary Offshore Global Note Legend.

Permitted Bank Debt” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 4.06.

Permitted Debt” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 4.06.

Permitted Business” means any of the businesses in which the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries are engaged on the Issue Date, and any business reasonably related, incidental, complementary or ancillary thereto or any business that is a reasonable extension, development or expansion thereof.

Permitted Investments” means:

(1) any Investment in the Company or in a Restricted Subsidiary of the Company that is engaged in a Permitted Business;

(2) any Investment in Cash Equivalents;

(3) any Investment by the Company or any Subsidiary of the Company in a Person, if as a result of such Investment,

(A) such Person becomes a Restricted Subsidiary of the Company engaged in a Permitted Business, or

 

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(B) such Person is merged or consolidated with or into, or transfers or conveys all or substantially all of its assets to, or is liquidated into, the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary engaged in a Permitted Business;

(4) Investments received as non-cash consideration in an Asset Sale made pursuant to and in compliance with Section 4.13 or a result of a disposition of assets not constituting an Asset Sale;

(5) Hedging Agreements otherwise permitted under this Indenture;

(6) (i) receivables owing to the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary if created or acquired in the ordinary course of business, (ii) endorsements for collection or deposit in the ordinary course of business, (iii) Investments in the ordinary course of business in prepaid expenses, negotiable instruments held for collection and lease, utility and worker’s compensation, performance and other similar deposits provided to third parties, and (iv) securities, instruments or other obligations received in compromise or settlement of debts created in the ordinary course of business, or by reason of a composition or readjustment of debts or reorganization of another Person, or in satisfaction of claims or judgments;

(7) Investments in Unrestricted Subsidiaries, Persons engaged in a Permitted Business and joint ventures in an aggregate amount, taken together with all other Investments made in reliance on this clause (7), not to exceed the greater of (x) $100 million (net of, with respect to the Investment in any particular Person, the cash return thereon received after the Issue Date as a result of any sale for cash, repayment, redemption, liquidating distribution or other cash realization (to the extent not included in Consolidated Net Income), not to exceed the amount of Investments in such Person made after the Issue Date in reliance on this clause) and (y) 17% of Total Assets;

(8) payroll, travel and other loans or advances to, or Guarantees issued to support the obligations of, officers and employees, in each case in the ordinary course of business, not in excess of $10 million outstanding at any time;

(9) extensions of credit to customers and suppliers in the ordinary course of business;

(10) Investments consisting of purchases and acquisitions of inventory, supplies, material or equipment or acquisitions of contract rights or licenses or leases of intellectual property;

(11) Investments consisting of licensing of intellectual property to other Persons in the ordinary course of business;

(12) Investments the payment for which consists of Qualified Equity Interests of the Company or any of its direct or indirect parent companies; provided, however, that such Equity Interests will not increase the amount available for Restricted Payments under Section 4.07;

(13) any Investment (i) existing on the Issue Date not otherwise constituting a Permitted Investment, (ii) made pursuant to the Transaction Agreements and (iii) any extension, modification, replacement or renewal of any such Investments existing on the Issue Date or made pursuant to the Transaction Agreements, but only to the extent not involving additional advances, contributions or other Investments of cash or other assets or other increases thereof other than as a result of the accrual or accretion of interest or original issue discount or the issuance of pay-in-kind securities, in each case, pursuant to the terms of such Investment as in effect on the Issue Date (or as subsequently amended or otherwise modified in a manner not disadvantageous to the Noteholders in any material respect);

(14) any Investment acquired by the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries: (a) in exchange for any other Investment or accounts receivable held by the Company or any such Restricted Subsidiary in connection with or as a result of a bankruptcy, workout, reorganization or recapitalization of the issuer of such other Investment or accounts receivable; (b) in satisfaction of judgments against other Persons; or (c) as a result of a foreclosure by the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries with respect to any secured Investment or other transfer of title with respect to any secured Investment in default; and

 

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(15) the Transactions.

Permitted Liens” means:

(1) Liens existing on the Issue Date;

(2) Liens securing the Notes or any Note Guaranties;

(3) Liens securing Obligations under or with respect to (a) any Permitted Bank Debt of the Company or any Guarantor or (b) any Debt of a Restricted Subsidiary that is not a Guarantor on the assets of such Restricted Subsidiary;

(4) Liens to secure the performance of, or arising in connection with, public or statutory obligations, including, without limitation, pledges or deposits under worker’s compensation laws, unemployment insurance laws or similar legislation, or good faith deposits in connection with bids, tenders, contracts or leases, or to secure public or statutory obligations, surety or appeal bonds, performance bonds or other obligations of a like nature, customs duties and the like, or for the payment of rent, in each case incurred in the ordinary course of business and not securing Debt;

(5) Liens imposed by law, such as carriers’, vendors’, warehousemen’s and mechanics’ liens, in each case for sums not yet due or being contested in good faith and by appropriate proceedings;

(6) Liens in respect of taxes and other governmental assessments and charges which are not yet due or which are being contested in good faith and by appropriate proceedings;

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

(8) minor survey exceptions, minor encumbrances, easements or reservations of, or rights of others for, licenses, rights of way, sewers, electric lines, telegraph and telephone lines and other similar purposes, or zoning or other restrictions as to the use of real property, not interfering in any material respect with the conduct of the business of the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries;

(9) licenses or leases or subleases as licensor, lessor or sublessor of any of its property, including intellectual property, in the ordinary course of business;

(10) customary Liens in favor of trustees and escrow agents, and netting and setoff rights, banker’s liens and the like in favor of financial institutions and counterparties to financial obligations and instruments, including Hedging Agreements;

(11) Liens on assets pursuant to merger agreements, stock or asset purchase agreements and similar agreements in respect of the disposition of such assets;

(12) options, put and call arrangements, rights of first refusal and similar rights relating to Investments in joint ventures, partnerships and the like;

(13) judgment liens, and Liens securing appeal bonds or letters of credit issued in support of or in lieu of appeal bonds, so long as no Event of Default then exists as a result thereof;

(14) Liens incurred in the ordinary course of business not securing Debt and not in the aggregate materially detracting from the value of the properties or their use in the operation of the business of the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries;

 

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(15) Liens (including the interest of a lessor under a Capital Lease) on property that secure Debt Incurred under Section 4.06(b)(9) for the purpose of financing all or any part of the purchase price or cost of construction, restoration, replacement, rebuilding, maintenance, upgrade or improvement of such property and which attach within 180 days after the date of such purchase or the completion of construction, restoration, replacement, rebuilding, maintenance, upgrade or improvement;

(16) Liens on property of a Person at the time such Person becomes a Restricted Subsidiary of the Company; provided such Liens were not created in contemplation thereof and do not extend to any other property of the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary;

(17) Liens on property at the time the Company or any of the Restricted Subsidiaries acquires such property, including any acquisition by means of a merger or consolidation with or into the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary of such Person; provided such Liens were not created in contemplation thereof and do not extend to any other property of the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary;

(18) Liens securing Debt or other obligations of the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary to the Company or a Guarantor;

(19) Liens securing Hedging Agreements so long as such Hedging Agreements relate to Debt for borrowed money that is, and is permitted to be under this Indenture, secured by a Lien on the same property securing such Hedging Agreements;

(20) Liens on the Capital Stock of an Unrestricted Subsidiary to the extent such Lien constitutes an Investment permitted under Section 4.07;

(21) Liens incurred or assumed in connection with the issuance of revenue bonds the interest on which is tax-exempt under the Code;

(22) extensions, renewals or replacements of any Liens referred to in clauses (1), (2), (15), (16), (17) or (23) in connection with the refinancing of the obligations secured thereby; provided that such Lien does not extend to any other property and, except as contemplated by the definition of “Permitted Refinancing Debt,” the amount secured by such Lien is not increased;

(23) other Liens securing Debt if, on the date of the Incurrence of the Debt, after giving effect to the Incurrence of such Debt and the receipt and application of the proceeds therefrom, the Secured Net Leverage Ratio (calculated excluding any increase in Eligible Cash resulting from the Incurrence of such Debt or Disqualified Stock) does not exceed 0.50 to 1.00; provided that the calculation of the Secured Net Leverage Ratio will treat clause (b)(1)(A) under Section 4.06 as having been fully utilized to incur Debt of the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries on such date that is secured by a Lien on any assets of the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary; and

(24) other Liens securing obligations in an aggregate amount not exceeding the greater of (A) $50 million and (B) 25% of EBITDA for the most recently ended four fiscal quarter period ending immediately prior to such date for which internal financial statements are available, with such adjustments as are set forth under the definition of “Net Leverage Ratio”.

Permitted Refinancing Debt” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 4.06.

Person” means an individual, a corporation, a partnership, a limited liability company, an association, a trust or any other entity, including a government or political subdivision or an agency or instrumentality thereof.

Preferred Stock” means, with respect to any Person, any and all Capital Stock which is preferred as to the payment of dividends or distributions, upon liquidation or otherwise, over another class of Capital Stock of such Person.

 

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principal” of any Debt means the principal amount of such Debt (or if such Debt was issued with original issue discount, the face amount of such Debt less the remaining unamortized portion of the original issue discount of such Debt), together with, unless the context otherwise indicates, any premium then payable on such Debt.

Purchase Money Obligations” means any Debt incurred to finance or refinance the acquisition, leasing, construction or improvement of property (real or personal) or assets (including Capital Stock), and whether acquired through the direct acquisition of such property or assets or the acquisition of the Capital Stock of any person owning such property or assets, or otherwise; provided that such Debt is incurred within 365 days after such acquisition.

Qualified Equity Interests” means all Equity Interests of a Person other than Disqualified Equity Interests.

Qualified Stock” means all Capital Stock of a Person other than Disqualified Equity Interests.

Rating Agencies” means S&P, Moody’s and Fitch; provided, that if any of S&P, Moody’s or Fitch (or any combination thereof) shall cease issuing a rating on the Notes for reasons outside the control of the Company, the Company may select a nationally recognized statistical rating agency to substitute for such Rating Agency.

refinance” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 4.06.

Register” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 2.09.

Registrar” means a Person engaged to maintain the Register.

Regular Record Date” for the interest payable on any Interest Payment Date means the April 1 or October 1 (whether or not a Business Day) next preceding such Interest Payment Date.

Regulation S” means Regulation S under the Securities Act.

Regulation S Certificate” means a certificate substantially in the form of Exhibit E hereto.

Related Party Transaction” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 4.14.

Restricted Legend” means the legend set forth in Exhibit C.

Restricted Payment” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 4.07.

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

Restricted Subsidiary” means any Subsidiary of the Company other than an Unrestricted Subsidiary.

“Reversion Date” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 4.19.

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

Rule 144A Certificate” means (i) a certificate substantially in the form of Exhibit F hereto or (ii) a written certification addressed to the Company and the Trustee to the effect that the Person making such certification (x) is acquiring such Note (or beneficial interest) for its own account or one or more accounts with respect to which it exercises sole investment discretion and that it and each such account is a qualified institutional buyer within the meaning of Rule 144A, (y) is aware that the transfer to it or exchange, as applicable, is being made in reliance upon the exemption from the provisions of Section 5 of the Securities Act provided by Rule 144A, and (z) acknowledges that it has received such information regarding the Company as it has requested pursuant to Rule 144A(d)(4) or has determined not to request such information.

S&P” means Standard & Poor’s Ratings Group and its successors.

 

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Sale and Leaseback Transaction” means, with respect to any Person, an arrangement whereby such Person enters into a lease of property previously transferred by such Person to the lessor.

Secured Net Leverage Ratio” means, on any date, the ratio of (a) Consolidated Net Secured Debt (provided that in making such calculation, the maximum amount of Debt that the Company is permitted to Incur under Section 4.06(b)(1) shall be deemed outstanding and secured by a Lien) to (b) EBITDA for the most recently ended four fiscal quarter period ending immediately prior to such date for which internal financial statements are available, with such adjustments as are set forth under the definition of “Net Leverage Ratio.”

Securities Act” means the Securities Act of 1933.

Significant Restricted Subsidiary” means any Restricted Subsidiary, or group of Restricted Subsidiaries, that would, taken together, be a “significant subsidiary” as defined in Article 1, Rule 1-02 (w)(1) or (2) of Regulation S-X promulgated under the Securities Act, as such regulation is in effect on the Issue Date.

Spin-Off” means the distribution of 80.1% of the issued Equity Interests of the Company to the holders of the common stock of J2 Global on the Issue Date as described in the Form 10.

Stated Maturity” means (i) with respect to any Debt, the date specified as the fixed date on which the final installment of principal of such Debt is due and payable or (ii) with respect to any scheduled installment of principal of or interest on any Debt, the date specified as the fixed date on which such installment is due and payable as set forth in the documentation governing such Debt, not including any contingent obligation to repay, redeem or repurchase prior to the regularly scheduled date for payment.

Subordinated Debt” means any Debt of the Company or any Guarantor which is subordinated in right of payment to the Notes or the Note Guaranty, as applicable, pursuant to a written agreement to that effect.

Subsidiary” means with respect to any Person, any corporation, association or other business entity of which more than 50% of the outstanding Voting Stock is owned, directly or indirectly, by, or, in the case of a partnership, the sole general partner or the managing partner or the only general partners of which are, such Person and one or more Subsidiaries of such Person (or a combination thereof). Unless otherwise specified, “Subsidiary” means a Subsidiary of the Company.

Successor Company” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 5.01.

Suspended Covenants” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 4.19.

Suspension Period” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 4.19.

Temporary Offshore Global Note” means an Offshore Global Note that bears the Temporary Offshore Global Note Legend.

Temporary Offshore Global Note Legend” means the legend set forth in Exhibit I.

Total Assets” means the total consolidated assets of the Company and its Subsidiaries as of the end of the most recent fiscal quarter of the Company for which financial statements are required to be delivered under this Indenture.

Transaction Agreements” means the separation and distribution agreement, the tax matters agreement, the employee matters agreement, the transition services agreement, the intellectual property license agreement, the stockholder and registration rights agreement and each of the other agreements entered into among J2 Global and/or certain of its subsidiaries (after giving effect to the Spin-Off), on the one hand, and the Company and/or certain of its Subsidiaries, on the other, in each case, as contemplated by the Form 10 at or prior to the time of the Spin-Off, in each case, on terms that are not less favorable in any material respect, taken as a whole, than the terms contemplated by the Form 10.

 

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Transactions” means the issuance of the 2028 Notes on the Issue Date, the Exchange, the issuance of the notes on the Issue Date, the entering into of the Transaction Agreements, the Spin-Off and the other transactions in connection therewith described in the Offering Memorandum and the Form 10 to occur on or prior to the Issue Date.

Treasury Rate” means, as of any redemption date, the weekly average rounded to the nearest 1/100th of a percentage point (for the most recently completed week for which such information is available as of the date that is two Business Days prior to the redemption date) of the yield to maturity as of such redemption date of United States Treasury securities with a constant maturity (as compiled and published in the Federal Reserve Statistical Release H.15 with respect to each applicable day during such week 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 October 15, 2023; provided, however, that if the period from the redemption date to October 15, 2023 is not equal to the constant maturity of a United States Treasury Security for which such a yield is given, the Treasury Rate shall be obtained by linear interpolation (calculated to the nearest one-twelfth of a year) from the weekly average yields of United States Treasury Securities for which such yields are given, except that if the period from the redemption date to October 15, 2023 is less than one year, the weekly average yield on actively traded United States Treasury Securities adjusted to a constant maturity of one year shall be used.

Trustee” means the party named as such in the first paragraph of this Indenture or any successor trustee under this Indenture pursuant to Article 7.

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

U.S. Global Note” means a Global Note that bears the Restricted Legend representing Notes issued and sold pursuant to Rule 144A.

U.S. Government Obligations” means obligations issued or directly and fully guaranteed or insured by the United States of America or by any agent or instrumentality thereof; provided that the full faith and credit of the United States of America is pledged in support thereof.

Unrestricted Subsidiary” means any Subsidiary of the Company that at the time of determination has previously been designated, and continues to be, an Unrestricted Subsidiary in accordance with Section 4.15.

Voting Stock” means, with respect to any Person, Capital Stock of any class or kind ordinarily having the power to vote for the election of directors, managers or other voting members of the governing body of such Person.

Wholly Owned” means, with respect to any Restricted Subsidiary, a Restricted Subsidiary all of the outstanding Capital Stock of which (other than any director’s qualifying shares) is owned by the Company and one or more Wholly Owned Restricted Subsidiaries (or a combination thereof).

Section 1.02. Rules of Construction. Unless the context otherwise requires or except as otherwise expressly provided:

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

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

(3) all references to Sections or Articles or Exhibits refer to Sections or Articles or Exhibits of or to this Indenture unless otherwise indicated;

(4) references to agreements or instruments, or to statutes or regulations, are to such agreements or instruments, or statutes or regulations, as amended from time to time (or to successor statutes and regulations); and

 

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(5) in the event that a transaction meets the criteria of more than one category of permitted transactions or listed exceptions the Company may classify such transaction as it, in its sole discretion, determines.

Section 1.03. Financial Calculations for Limited Condition Acquisitions.

When calculating the availability under any basket or ratio under this Indenture or compliance with any provision of this Indenture in connection with any Limited Condition Acquisition and any actions or transactions related thereto (including acquisitions, investments, the incurrence, issuance or assumption of Debt and the use of proceeds thereof, the incurrence or creation of Liens and repayments), in each case, at the option of the Company (the Company’s election to exercise such option, an “LCA Election”), the date of determination for availability under any such basket or ratio and whether any such action or transaction is permitted (or any requirement or condition therefor is complied with or satisfied (including as to the absence of any continuing Default or Event of Default)) under this Indenture shall be deemed to be the date (the “LCA Test Date”) the definitive agreement for such Limited Condition Acquisition is entered into and if, after giving pro forma effect to the Limited Condition Acquisition and any actions or transactions related thereto (including acquisitions, investments, the incurrence, issuance or assumption of Debt and the use of proceeds thereof, the incurrence or creation of Liens and repayments) and any related pro forma adjustments, the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries would have been permitted to take such actions or consummate such transactions on the relevant LCA Test Date in compliance with such ratio, test or basket (and any related requirements and conditions), then such ratio, test or basket (and any related requirements and conditions) shall be deemed to have been complied with (or satisfied) for all purposes (in the case of Debt, for example, whether such Debt is committed, issued, assumed or incurred at the LCA Test Date or at any time thereafter); provided, that (a) if financial statements for one or more subsequent fiscal quarters shall have become available, the Company may elect, in its sole discretion, to redetermine all such ratios, tests or baskets on the basis of such financial statements, in which case, such date of redetermination shall thereafter be the applicable LCA Test Date for purposes of such ratios, tests or baskets, (b) except as contemplated in the foregoing clause (a), compliance with such ratios, test or baskets (and any related requirements and conditions) shall not be determined or tested at any time after the applicable LCA Test Date for such Limited Condition Acquisition and any actions or transaction related thereto (including acquisitions, the incurrence, issuance or assumption of Debt and the use of proceeds thereof, the incurrence or creation of Liens and repayments), (c) Interest Expense for purposes of the Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio will be calculated using an assumed interest rate as reasonably determined by the Company, and (d) in connection with the making of Restricted Payments that are not in connection with such Limited Condition Acquisition, the calculation of Consolidated Net Income (and any defined term a component of which is Consolidated Net Income) will not, in any case, assume such Limited Condition Acquisition has been consummated.

For the avoidance of doubt, if the Company has made an LCA Election, (1) if any of the ratios, tests or baskets for which compliance was determined or tested as of the LCA Test Date would at any time after the LCA Test Date have been exceeded or otherwise failed to have been complied with as a result of fluctuations in any such ratio, test or basket, including due to fluctuations in EBITDA or total assets of the Company or the Person subject to such Limited Condition Acquisition, such baskets, tests or ratios will not be deemed to have been exceeded or failed to have been complied with as a result of such fluctuations; (2) if any related requirements and conditions (including as to the absence of any continuing Default or Event of Default) for which compliance or satisfaction was determined or tested as of the LCA Test Date would at any time after the LCA Test Date not have been complied with or satisfied (including due to the occurrence or continuation of an Default or Event of Default), such requirements and conditions will not be deemed to have been failed to be complied with or satisfied (and such Default or Event of Default shall be deemed not to have occurred or be continuing); and (3) in calculating the availability under any ratio, test or basket in connection with any action or transaction unrelated to such Limited Condition Acquisition following the relevant LCA Test Date and prior to the earlier of the date on which such Limited Condition Acquisition is consummated or the date that the definitive agreement or date for redemption, purchase or repayment specified in an irrevocable notice for such Limited Condition Acquisition is terminated, expires or passes, as applicable, without consummation of such Limited Condition Acquisition, any such ratio, test or basket shall be determined or tested giving pro forma effect to such Limited Condition Acquisition.

 

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Section 1.04. 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 2

THE NOTES

Section 2.01. Form, Dating And Denominations; Legends.

(a) The Notes and the Trustee’s certificate of authentication will be substantially in the form attached as Exhibit A. The terms and provisions contained in the form of the Notes annexed as Exhibit A constitute, and are hereby expressly made, a part of this Indenture. The Notes may have notations, legends or endorsements required by law, rules of or agreements with national securities exchanges to which the Company is subject, or usage. Each Note will be dated the date of its authentication. The Notes will be issuable in minimum denominations of $2,000 in principal amount and any integral multiple of $1,000 in excess thereof. In the case of any conflict between this Indenture and a Note, the provisions of this Indenture shall control and govern to the extent of such conflict.

(b) (1) Except as otherwise provided in Section 2.01(c), Section 2.10(b)(3), (b)(5), or (c) or Section 2.09(b)(4), each Initial Note or Initial Additional Note (other than a Permanent Offshore Global Note) will bear the Restricted Legend.

(2) Each Global Note, whether or not an Initial Note or Additional Note, will bear the DTC Legend.

(3) Each Temporary Offshore Global Note will bear the Temporary Offshore Global Note Legend.

(4) Initial Notes and Initial Additional Notes offered and sold in reliance on Regulation S will be issued as provided in Section 2.11(a).

(5) Initial Notes and Initial Additional Notes offered and sold in reliance on any exception under the Securities Act other than Regulation S and Rule 144A will be issued, and upon the request of the Company to the Trustee, Initial Notes offered and sold in reliance on Rule 144A may be issued, in the form of Certificated Notes.

(c) (1) If the Company determines (upon the advice of counsel and such other certifications and evidence as the Company may reasonably require) that a Note is eligible for resale pursuant to Rule 144 under the Securities Act (or a successor provision) without the need for current public information and that the Restricted Legend is no longer necessary or appropriate in order to ensure that subsequent transfers of the Note (or a beneficial interest therein) are effected in compliance with the Securities Act, or

(2) After an Initial Note or any Initial Additional Note is sold pursuant to an effective registration statement under the Securities Act, the Company may instruct the Trustee to cancel the Note and issue to the Holder thereof (or to its transferee) a new Note of like tenor and amount, registered in the name of the Holder thereof (or its transferee), that does not bear the Restricted Legend, and the Trustee will comply with such instruction.

(d) By its acceptance of any Note bearing the Restricted Legend (or any beneficial interest in such a Note), each Holder thereof and each owner of a beneficial interest therein acknowledges the restrictions on transfer of such Note (and any such beneficial interest) set forth in this Indenture and in the Restricted Legend and agrees that it will transfer such Note (and any such beneficial interest) only in accordance with this Indenture and such legend.

 

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Section 2.02. Execution and Authentication; Additional Notes.

(a) An Officer of the Company shall execute the Notes for the Company by facsimile, manual signature or other electronic signature in the name and on behalf of the Company. If an Officer whose signature is on a Note no longer holds that office at the time the Note is authenticated, the Note will still be valid.

(b) A Note will not be valid until the Trustee manually signs the certificate of authentication on the Note, with the signature conclusive evidence that the Note has been authenticated under this Indenture.

(c) At any time and from time to time after the execution and delivery of this Indenture, the Company may deliver Notes executed by the Company to the Trustee for authentication. The Trustee will authenticate and deliver:

(i) Initial Notes for original issue in the aggregate principal amount not to exceed $305,000,000,

(ii) Initial Additional Notes from time to time for original issue in aggregate principal amounts specified by the Company,

after the following conditions have been met:

(1) Receipt by the Trustee of a Company Order specifying

(A) the amount of Notes to be authenticated and the date on which the Notes are to be authenticated,

(B) whether the Notes are to be Initial Notes or Additional Notes,

(C) in the case of Initial Additional Notes, that the issuance of such Notes does not contravene any provision of Article 4,

(D) whether the Notes are to be issued as one or more Global Notes or Certificated Notes, and

(E) other information the Company may determine to include or the Trustee may reasonably request.

(2) In the case of Initial Additional Notes, such Additional Notes will be fungible with the Initial Notes for U.S. federal income tax purposes (and receipt by the Trustee of an Officer’s Certificate to that effect) or will bear a separate CUSIP number.

Section 2.03. Registrar, Paying Agent and Authenticating Agent; Paying Agent to Hold Money in Trust.

(a) The Company may appoint one or more Registrars and one or more Paying Agents, and the Trustee may appoint an Authenticating Agent, in which case each reference in this Indenture to the Trustee in respect of the obligations of the Trustee to be performed by that Agent will be deemed to be references to the Agent. The Company may act as Registrar or (except for purposes of Article 8) Paying Agent. In each case the Company and the Trustee will enter into an appropriate agreement with the Agent implementing the provisions of this Indenture relating to the obligations of the Trustee to be performed by the Agent and the related rights. The Company initially appoints the Trustee as Registrar and Paying Agent.

(b) The Company will require each Paying Agent other than the Trustee to agree in writing that the Paying Agent will hold in trust for the benefit of the Holders or the Trustee all money held by the Paying Agent for the payment of principal of and interest on the Notes and will promptly notify the Trustee of any default by the Company in making any such payment. The Company at any time may require a Paying Agent to pay all money

 

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held by it to the Trustee and account for any funds disbursed, and the Trustee may at any time during the continuance of any payment default, upon written request to a Paying Agent, require the Paying Agent to pay all money held by it to the Trustee and to account for any funds disbursed. Upon doing so, the Paying Agent will have no further liability for the money so paid over to the Trustee.

(c) Upon any Event of Default pursuant to Section 6.01(7) or 6.01(8), the Trustee shall automatically be the Paying Agent.

Section 2.04. Replacement Notes. If a mutilated Note is surrendered to the Trustee or if a Holder claims that its Note has been lost, destroyed or wrongfully taken, the Company will issue and the Trustee will authenticate a replacement Note of like tenor and principal amount and bearing a number not contemporaneously outstanding. Every replacement Note is an additional obligation of the Company and entitled to the benefits of this Indenture. If required by the Trustee or the Company, an indemnity must be furnished that is sufficient in the judgment of both the Trustee and the Company to protect the Company and the Trustee from any loss they may suffer if a Note is replaced. The Company may charge the Holder for the expenses of the Company and the Trustee in replacing a Note. In case the mutilated, lost, destroyed or wrongfully taken Note has become or is about to become due and payable, the Company in its discretion may pay the Note instead of issuing a replacement Note.

Section 2.05. Outstanding Notes.

(a) Notes outstanding at any time are all Notes that have been authenticated by the Trustee except for:

(1) Notes cancelled by the Trustee or delivered to it for cancellation;

(2) any Note which has been replaced pursuant to Section 2.04 unless and until the Trustee and the Company receives proof satisfactory to them that the replaced Note is held by a bona fide purchaser; and

(3) on or after the maturity date or any redemption date or date for purchase of the Notes pursuant to an Offer to Purchase, those Notes payable or to be redeemed or purchased on that date for which the Trustee or Paying Agent (other than the Company or any Affiliate of the Company) holds money sufficient to pay all amounts then due.

(b) A Note does not cease to be outstanding because the Company or one of its Affiliates holds the Note; provided that in determining whether the Holders of the requisite principal amount of the outstanding Notes have given or taken any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other action hereunder, Notes owned by the Company or its Affiliates of the Company will be disregarded and deemed not to be outstanding, (it being understood that in determining whether the Trustee is protected in relying upon any such request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other action, only Notes which the Trustee knows to be so owned will be so disregarded).

Section 2.06. Temporary Notes. Until definitive Notes are ready for delivery, the Company may prepare and the Trustee will authenticate temporary Notes. Temporary Notes will be substantially in the form of definitive Notes but may have insertions, substitutions, omissions and other variations determined to be appropriate by the Officer executing the temporary Notes, as evidenced by the execution of the temporary Notes. If temporary Notes are issued, the Company will cause definitive Notes to be prepared without unreasonable delay. After the preparation of definitive Notes, the temporary Notes will be exchangeable for definitive Notes upon surrender of the temporary Notes at the office or agency of the Company designated for the purpose pursuant to Section 4.02, without charge to the Holder. Upon surrender for cancellation of any temporary Notes the Company will execute and the Trustee will authenticate and deliver in exchange therefor a like principal amount of definitive Notes of authorized denominations. Until so exchanged, the temporary Notes will be entitled to the same benefits under this Indenture as definitive Notes.

 

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Section 2.07. Cancellation. The Company at any time may deliver to the Trustee for cancellation any Notes previously authenticated and delivered hereunder which the Company may have acquired in any manner whatsoever, and may deliver to the Trustee for cancellation any Notes previously authenticated hereunder which the Company has not issued and sold. Any Registrar or the Paying Agent will forward to the Trustee any Notes surrendered to it for transfer, exchange or payment. The Trustee will cancel all Notes surrendered for transfer, exchange, payment or cancellation and dispose of them in accordance with its normal procedures or the written instructions of the Company. The Company may not issue new Notes to replace Notes it has paid in full or delivered to the Trustee for cancellation.

Section 2.08. CUSIP and CINS Numbers. The Company in issuing the Notes may use “CUSIP” and “CINS” numbers, and the Trustee will use CUSIP numbers or CINS numbers in notices of redemption or exchange or in Offers to Purchase as a convenience to Holders; provided that the Trustee shall have no liability for any defect in the CUSIP numbers as they appear on any Note, notice or elsewhere and that the notice is to 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 or exchange or Offer to Purchase. The Company will promptly notify the Trustee of any change in the CUSIP or CINS numbers.

Section 2.09. Registration, Transfer and Exchange.

(a) The Notes will be issued in registered form only, without coupons, and the Company shall cause the Registrar to maintain a register (the “Register”) of the Notes, for registering the record ownership of the Notes by the Holders and transfers and exchanges of the Notes.

(b) (1) Each Global Note will be registered in the name of the Depositary or its nominee and, so long as DTC is serving as the Depositary thereof, will bear the DTC Legend.

(2) Each Global Note will be delivered to the Trustee as custodian for the Depositary. Transfers of a Global Note (but not a beneficial interest therein) will be limited to transfers thereof in whole, but not in part, to the Depositary, its successors or their respective nominees, except (1) as set forth in Section 2.09(b)(4) and (2) transfers of portions thereof in the form of Certificated Notes may be made upon request of an Agent Member (for itself or on behalf of a beneficial owner) by written notice given to the Trustee by or on behalf of the Depositary in accordance with customary procedures of the Depositary and in compliance with this Section and Section 2.10.

(3) Agent Members will have no rights under this Indenture with respect to any Global Note held on their behalf by the Depositary, and the Depositary may be treated by the Company, the Trustee and any agent of the Company or the Trustee as the absolute owner and Holder of such Global Note for all purposes whatsoever. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Depositary or its nominee may grant proxies and otherwise authorize any Person (including any Agent Member and any Person that holds a beneficial interest in a Global Note through an Agent Member) to take any action which a Holder is entitled to take under this Indenture or the Notes, and nothing herein will impair, as between the Depositary and its Agent Members, the operation of customary practices governing the exercise of the rights of a holder of any security.

(4) If (x) the Depositary notifies the Company that it is unwilling or unable to continue as Depositary for a Global Note and a successor depositary is not appointed by the Company within 90 days of the notice or (y) an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing and the Trustee has received a request from the Depositary, the Trustee will promptly exchange each beneficial interest in the Global Note for one or more Certificated Notes in authorized denominations having an equal aggregate principal amount registered in the name of the owner of such beneficial interest, as identified to the Trustee by the Depositary, and thereupon the Global Note will be deemed canceled. If such Note does not bear the Restricted Legend, then the Certificated Notes issued in exchange therefor will not bear the Restricted Legend. If such Note bears the Restricted Legend, then the Certificated Notes issued in exchange therefor will bear the Restricted Legend; provided that any Holder of any such Certificated Note issued in exchange for a beneficial interest in a Temporary Offshore Global Note will have the right upon presentation to the Trustee of a duly completed Certificate of Beneficial Ownership after the Restricted Period to exchange such Certificated Note for a Certificated Note of like tenor and amount that does not bear the Restricted Legend, registered in the name of such Holder.

(c) Each Certificated Note will be registered in the name of the holder thereof or its nominee.

 

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(d) A Holder may transfer a Note (or a beneficial interest therein) to another Person or exchange a Note (or a beneficial interest therein) for another Note or Notes of any authorized denomination by presenting to the Trustee a written request therefor stating the name of the proposed transferee or requesting such an exchange, accompanied by any certification, opinion or other document required by Section 2.10. The Trustee will promptly register any transfer or exchange that meets the requirements of this Section by noting the same in the register maintained by the Trustee for the purpose; provided that

(x) no transfer or exchange will be effective until it is registered in such register and

(y) the Trustee will not be required (i) to issue, register the transfer of or exchange any Note for a period of 15 days before a selection of Notes to be redeemed or purchased pursuant to an Offer to Purchase, (ii) to register the transfer of or exchange any Note so selected for redemption or purchase in whole or in part, except, in the case of a partial redemption or purchase, that portion of any Note not being redeemed or purchased, or (iii) if a redemption or a purchase pursuant to an Offer to Purchase is to occur after a Regular Record Date but on or before the corresponding Interest Payment Date, to register the transfer of or exchange any Note on or after the Regular Record Date and before the date of redemption or purchase. Prior to the registration of any transfer, the Company, the Trustee and their respective agents will treat the Person in whose name the Note is registered as the owner and Holder thereof for all purposes (whether or not the Note is overdue), and will not be affected by notice to the contrary.

From time to time the Company will execute and the Trustee will authenticate Additional Notes as necessary in order to permit the registration of a transfer or exchange in accordance with this Section.

No service charge will be imposed in connection with any transfer or exchange of any Note, but the Company may require payment of a sum sufficient to cover any transfer tax or similar governmental charge payable in connection therewith (other than a transfer tax or other similar governmental charge payable upon exchange pursuant to subsection (b)(4)).

(e) (1) Global Note to Global Note. If a beneficial interest in a Global Note is transferred or exchanged for a beneficial interest in another Global Note, the Trustee will (x) record a decrease in the principal amount of the Global Note being transferred or exchanged equal to the principal amount of such transfer or exchange and (y) record a like increase in the principal amount of the other Global Note. Any beneficial interest in one Global Note that is transferred to a Person who takes delivery in the form of an interest in another Global Note, or exchanged for an interest in another Global Note, will, upon transfer or exchange, cease to be an interest in such Global Note and become an interest in the other Global Note and, accordingly, will thereafter be subject to all transfer and exchange restrictions, if any, and other procedures applicable to beneficial interests in such other Global Note for as long as it remains such an interest.

(2) Global Note to Certificated Note. If a beneficial interest in a Global Note is transferred or exchanged for a Certificated Note, the Trustee will (x) record a decrease in the principal amount of such Global Note equal to the principal amount of such transfer or exchange and (y) deliver one or more new Certificated Notes in authorized denominations having an equal aggregate principal amount to the transferee (in the case of a transfer) or the owner of such beneficial interest (in the case of an exchange), registered in the name of such transferee or owner, as applicable.

(3) Certificated Note to Global Note. If a Certificated Note is transferred or exchanged for a beneficial interest in a Global Note, the Trustee will (x) cancel such Certificated Note, (y) record an increase in the principal amount of such Global Note equal to the principal amount of such transfer or exchange and (z) in the event that such transfer or exchange involves less than the entire principal amount of the canceled Certificated Note, deliver to the Holder thereof one or more new Certificated Notes in authorized denominations having an aggregate principal amount equal to the untransferred or unexchanged portion of the canceled Certificated Note, registered in the name of the Holder thereof.

 

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(4) Certificated Note to Certificated Note. If a Certificated Note is transferred or exchanged for another Certificated Note, the Trustee will (x) cancel the Certificated Note being transferred or exchanged, (y) deliver one or more new Certificated Notes in authorized denominations having an aggregate principal amount equal to the principal amount of such transfer or exchange to the transferee (in the case of a transfer) or the Holder of the canceled Certificated Note (in the case of an exchange), registered in the name of such transferee or Holder, as applicable, and (z) if such transfer or exchange involves less than the entire principal amount of the canceled Certificated Note, deliver to the Holder thereof one or more Certificated Notes in authorized denominations having an aggregate principal amount equal to the untransferred or unexchanged portion of the canceled Certificated Note, registered in the name of the Holder thereof.

Section 2.10. Restrictions on Transfer and Exchange.

(a) The transfer or exchange of any Note (or a beneficial interest therein) may only be made in accordance with this Section and Section 2.09 and, in the case of a Global Note (or a beneficial interest therein), the applicable rules and procedures of the Depositary. The Trustee shall refuse to register any requested transfer or exchange that does not comply with the preceding sentence.

(b) Subject to Section 2.10(c), the transfer or exchange of any Note (or a beneficial interest therein) of the type set forth in column A below for a Note (or a beneficial interest therein) of the type set forth opposite in column B below may only be made in compliance with the certification requirements (if any) described in this Section 2.10(b) set forth opposite in column C below.

 

A

   B    C  

U.S. Global Note

   U.S. Global Note      (1

U.S. Global Note

   Offshore Global Note      (2

U.S. Global Note

   Certificated Note      (3

Offshore Global Note

   U.S. Global Note      (4

Offshore Global Note

   Offshore Global Note      (1

Offshore Global Note

   Certificated Note      (5

Certificated Note

   U.S. Global Note      (4

Certificated Note

   Offshore Global Note      (2

Certificated Note

   Certificated Note      (3

(1) No certification is required.

(2) The Person requesting the transfer or exchange must deliver or cause to be delivered to the Trustee a duly completed Regulation S Certificate; provided that if the requested transfer or exchange is made by the Holder of a Certificated Note that does not bear the Restricted Legend, then no certification is required.

(3) The Person requesting the transfer or exchange must deliver or cause to be delivered to the Trustee (x) a duly completed Rule 144A Certificate, (y) a duly completed Regulation S Certificate or (z) a duly completed Institutional Accredited Investor Certificate, and/or an Opinion of Counsel and such other certifications and evidence as the Company may reasonably require in order to determine that the proposed transfer or exchange is being made in compliance with the Securities Act and any applicable securities laws of any state of the United States; provided that if the requested transfer or exchange is made by the Holder of a Certificated Note that does not bear the Restricted Legend, then no certification is required. In the event that (i) the requested transfer or exchange takes place after the Restricted Period and a duly completed Regulation S Certificate is delivered to the Trustee or (ii) a Certificated Note that does not bear the Restricted Legend is surrendered for transfer or exchange, upon transfer or exchange the Trustee will deliver a Certificated Note that does not bear the Restricted Legend.

(4) The Person requesting the transfer or exchange must deliver or cause to be delivered to the Trustee a duly completed Rule 144A Certificate.

 

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(5) If the requested transfer involves a beneficial interest in a Temporary Offshore Global Note, the Person requesting the transfer must deliver or cause to be delivered to the Trustee (x) a duly completed Rule 144A Certificate or (y) a duly completed Institutional Accredited Investor Certificate and/or an Opinion of Counsel and such other certifications and evidence as the Company may reasonably require in order to determine that the proposed transfer is being made in compliance with the Securities Act and any applicable securities laws of any state of the United States. If the requested transfer or exchange involves a beneficial interest in a Permanent Offshore Global Note, no certification is required and the Trustee will deliver a Certificated Note that does not bear the Restricted Legend.

(c) No certification is required in connection with any transfer or exchange of any Note (or a beneficial interest therein)

(1) after such Note is eligible for resale pursuant to Rule 144 under the Securities Act (or a successor provision) without the need for current public information; provided that the Company has provided the Trustee with an Officer’s Certificate to that effect, and the Company may require from any Person requesting a transfer or exchange in reliance upon this Section 2.10(c)(1) an opinion of counsel and any other reasonable certifications and evidence in order to support such certificate; or

(2) sold pursuant to an effective registration statement.

Any Certificated Note delivered in reliance upon this Section 2.10(c) will not bear the Restricted Legend.

(d) The Trustee will retain copies of all certificates, opinions and other documents received in connection with the transfer or exchange of a Note (or a beneficial interest therein), and the Company will have the right to inspect and make copies thereof at any reasonable time upon written notice to the Trustee.

Section 2.11. Temporary Offshore Global Notes.

(a) Each Note originally sold by the Initial Purchaser in reliance upon Regulation S will be evidenced by one or more Offshore Global Notes that bear the Temporary Offshore Global Note Legend.

(b) An owner of a beneficial interest in a Temporary Offshore Global Note (or a Person acting on behalf of such an owner) may provide to the Trustee (and the Trustee will accept) a duly completed Certificate of Beneficial Ownership at any time after the Restricted Period (it being understood that the Trustee will not accept any such certificate during the Restricted Period). Promptly after acceptance of a Certificate of Beneficial Ownership with respect to such a beneficial interest, the Trustee will cause such beneficial interest to be exchanged for an equivalent beneficial interest in a Permanent Offshore Global Note, and will (x) permanently reduce the principal amount of such Temporary Offshore Global Note by the amount of such beneficial interest and (y) increase the principal amount of such Permanent Offshore Global Note by the amount of such beneficial interest.

(c) Notwithstanding Section 2.11(b), if after the Restricted Period any Initial Purchaser owns a beneficial interest in a Temporary Offshore Global Note, such Initial Purchaser may, upon written request to the Trustee accompanied by a certification as to its status as an Initial Purchaser, exchange such beneficial interest for an equivalent beneficial interest in a Permanent Offshore Global Note, and the Trustee will comply with such request and will (x) permanently reduce the principal amount of such Temporary Offshore Global Note by the amount of such beneficial interest and (y) increase the principal amount of such Permanent Offshore Global Note by the amount of such beneficial interest.

(d) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, any owner of a beneficial interest in a Temporary Offshore Global Note shall not be entitled to receive payment of principal or interest on such beneficial interest or other amounts in respect of such beneficial interest until such beneficial interest is exchanged for an interest in a Permanent Offshore Global Note or transferred for an interest in another Global Note or a Certificated Note.

 

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ARTICLE 3

REDEMPTION; OFFER TO PURCHASE

Section 3.01. Optional Redemption.

Except as set forth below, the Notes are not redeemable at the option of the Company.

(a) At any time and from time to time on or after October 15, 2023, the Company may redeem the Notes, in whole or in part, at a redemption price equal to the percentage of principal amount set forth below plus accrued and unpaid interest, if any, to, but excluding, the redemption date.

 

12-month period commencing on October 15 in Year

   Percentage  

2023

     103.000

2024

     101.500

2025 and thereafter

     100.000

(b) At any time and from time to time prior to October 15, 2023, the Company may redeem some or all of the Notes at a price of 100% of the principal amount of the Notes redeemed plus the Applicable Premium, plus accrued and unpaid interest, if any, to, but excluding, the redemption date.

(c) Notwithstanding the foregoing, in connection with any Offer to Purchase in connection with a Change of Control, 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 Offer to Purchase and the Company, or any third party making such tender offer in lieu of the Company, purchase all of the Notes validly tendered and not withdrawn by such Holders, the Company or such third party will have the right, upon not less than 10 nor more than 60 days’ prior notice to the Holders and the Trustee, given not more than 30 days following such purchase date, to redeem all Notes that remain outstanding following such purchase at a price in cash equal to 101% of the principal amount thereof plus, to the extent not included in the tender offer payment, accrued and unpaid interest, if any, thereon, to, but excluding, the date of redemption.

Section 3.02. Redemption with Proceeds of Equity Offering. At any time and from time to time prior to October 15, 2023, the Company may redeem Notes with the net cash proceeds from any Equity Offering at a redemption price equal to 106.000% of the principal amount plus accrued and unpaid interest, if any, to, but excluding, the redemption date, in an aggregate principal amount for all such redemptions not to exceed 40% of the original aggregate principal amount of the Notes, including Additional Notes; provided that

(1) in each case the redemption takes place not later than 180 days after the closing of the related Equity Offering, and

(2) at least 50% of the original aggregate principal amount of the Notes (including Additional Notes) remains outstanding immediately thereafter.

Section 3.03. Method and Effect of Redemption.

(a) If the Company elects to redeem Notes, they must notify the Trustee of the redemption date and the principal amount of Notes to be redeemed by delivering an Officer’s Certificate at least 60 days before the redemption date (unless a shorter period is satisfactory to the Trustee). If fewer than all of the Notes are being redeemed, the Officer’s Certificate must also specify a record date not less than 10 days after the date of the notice of redemption is given to the Trustee, and the Trustee will select the Notes to be redeemed pro rata, by lot or by any other method the Trustee in its sole discretion deems fair and appropriate (and in the case of Global Notes, in accordance with the applicable procedures of DTC), in minimum denominations of $2,000 principal amount and integral multiples of $1,000 in excess thereof; provided that no note of an unauthorized denomination shall remain outstanding after such redemption. The Trustee will notify the Company promptly of the Notes or portions of Notes to be called for redemption. Notice of redemption must be sent by the Company or at the Company’s request given at least five days prior to the date such notice is to be sent (or such shorter period as is acceptable to the Trustee), by the Trustee in the name and at the expense of the Company, to Holders whose Notes are to be redeemed and the Trustee at least 10 days but not more than 60 days before the redemption date.

(b) The notice of redemption will identify the Notes to be redeemed and will include or state the following:

 

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(1) the redemption date;

(2) the redemption price, including the portion thereof representing any accrued interest;

(3) the place or places where Notes are to be surrendered for redemption;

(4) Notes called for redemption must be so surrendered in order to collect the redemption price;

(5) on the redemption date the redemption price will become due and payable on Notes called for redemption, and interest on Notes called for redemption will cease to accrue on and after the redemption date;

(6) if any Note is redeemed in part, on and after the redemption date, upon surrender of such Note, new Notes equal in principal amount to the unredeemed portion will be issued; and

(7) if any Note contains a CUSIP or CINS number, no representation is being made as to the correctness of the CUSIP or CINS number either as printed on the Notes or as contained in the notice of redemption and that the Holder should rely only on the other identification numbers printed on the Notes.

(c) Once notice of redemption is sent to the Holders, Notes called for redemption become due and payable at the redemption price on the redemption date, and upon surrender of the Notes called for redemption, the Company shall redeem such Notes at the redemption price. Commencing on the redemption date, Notes redeemed will cease to accrue interest. Upon surrender of any Note redeemed in part, the Holder will receive a new Note equal in principal amount to the unredeemed portion of the surrendered Note.

(d) Notice of any redemption, whether in connection with an Equity Offering, other transaction or otherwise, may, at the Company’s discretion, be given prior to the completion of a corporate transaction (including an Equity Offering, an Incurrence of Debt, a Change of Control or other corporate transaction) and any redemption notice may, at the Company’s discretion, be subject to one or more conditions precedent, including, but not limited to, completion of a related transaction. If such redemption or purchase is so subject to satisfaction of one or more conditions precedent, such notice shall describe each such condition, and if applicable, shall state that, in the Company’s discretion, the redemption date may be delayed until such time as any or all such conditions shall be satisfied, or such redemption or purchase may not occur and such notice may be rescinded in the event that any or all such conditions shall not have been satisfied by the redemption date, or by the redemption date as so delayed. In addition, the Company may provide in such notice that payment of the redemption price and performance of the Company’s obligations with respect to such redemption may be performed by another Person. The Company and its Affiliates may acquire the Notes by means other than a redemption, whether by tender offer, open market purchases, negotiated transactions or otherwise.

Section 3.04. Offer to Purchase.

(a) An “Offer to Purchase” means an offer by the Company to purchase Notes as required by this Indenture. An Offer to Purchase must be made by written offer (the “offer”) sent to the Holders with a copy to the Trustee. The Company will notify the Trustee at least 15 days (or such shorter period as is acceptable to the Trustee) prior to sending the offer to Holders of its obligation to make an Offer to Purchase, and the offer will be sent by the Company or, at the Company’s request, by the Trustee in the name and at the expense of the Company.

(b) The offer must include or state the following as to the terms of the Offer to Purchase:

(1) the provision of this Indenture pursuant to which the Offer to Purchase is being made;

(2) the aggregate principal amount of the outstanding Notes offered to be purchased by the Company pursuant to the Offer to Purchase (including, if less than 100%, the manner by which such amount has been determined pursuant to this Indenture) (the “purchase amount”);

 

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(3) the purchase price, including the portion thereof representing accrued interest;

(4) an expiration date (the “expiration date”) not less than 30 days or more than 60 days after the date of the offer, and a settlement date for purchase (the “purchase date”) not more than five Business Days after the expiration date;

(5) a Holder may tender all or any portion of its Notes, subject to the requirement that any portion of a Note tendered must be in a multiple of $1,000 principal amount;

(6) the place or places where Notes are to be surrendered for tender pursuant to the Offer to Purchase;

(7) each Holder electing to tender a Note pursuant to the offer will be required to surrender such Note at the place or places specified in the offer prior to the close of business on the expiration date (such Note being, if the Company or the Trustee so requires, duly endorsed or accompanied by a duly executed written instrument of transfer);

(8) interest on any Note not tendered, or tendered but not purchased by the Company pursuant to the Offer to Purchase, will continue to accrue;

(9) on the purchase date the purchase price will become due and payable on each Note accepted for purchase, and interest on Notes purchased will cease to accrue on and after the purchase date;

(10) Holders are entitled to withdraw Notes tendered by giving notice, which must be received by the Company or the Trustee not later than the close of business on the expiration date, setting forth the name of the Holder, the principal amount of the tendered Notes, the certificate number of the tendered Notes and a statement that the Holder is withdrawing all or a portion of the tender;

(11) (i) if Notes in an aggregate principal amount less than or equal to the purchase amount are duly tendered and not withdrawn pursuant to the Offer to Purchase, the Company will purchase all such Notes, and (ii) if the Offer to Purchase is for less than all of the outstanding Notes and Notes in an aggregate principal amount in excess of the purchase amount are tendered and not withdrawn pursuant to the offer, the Company will purchase Notes having an aggregate principal amount equal to the purchase amount on a pro rata basis, with adjustments so that only Notes in multiples of $1,000 principal amount will be purchased;

(12) if any Note is purchased in part, new Notes equal in principal amount to the unpurchased portion of the Note will be issued; and

(13) if any Note contains a CUSIP or CINS number, no representation is being made as to the correctness of the CUSIP or CINS number either as printed on the Notes or as contained in the offer and that the Holder should rely only on the other identification numbers printed on the Notes.

(c) Prior to the purchase date, the Company will accept tendered Notes for purchase as required by the Offer to Purchase and deliver to the Trustee all Notes so accepted together with an Officer’s Certificate specifying which Notes have been accepted for purchase. On the purchase date the purchase price will become due and payable on each Note accepted for purchase, and interest on Notes purchased will cease to accrue on and after the purchase date. The Trustee will promptly return to Holders any Notes not accepted for purchase and send to Holders new Notes equal in principal amount to any unpurchased portion of any Notes accepted for purchase in part.

(d) The Company will comply with Rule 14e-1 under the Exchange Act and any other securities laws and regulations thereunder, to the extent such laws and regulations are applicable, in making any Offer to Purchase, and the above procedures will be deemed modified as necessary to permit such compliance.

 

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ARTICLE 4

COVENANTS

Section 4.01. Payment Of Notes.

(a) The Company agrees to pay the principal of and interest on the Notes on the dates and in the manner provided in the Notes and this Indenture. Not later than 12:00 P.M. (New York City time) on the due date of any principal of or interest on any Notes, or any redemption or purchase price of the Notes, the Company will deposit with the Trustee (or Paying Agent) money in immediately available funds sufficient to pay such amounts; provided that if the Company or any Affiliate of the Company is acting as Paying Agent, it will, on or before each due date, segregate and hold in a separate trust fund for the benefit of the Holders a sum of money sufficient to pay such amounts until paid to such Holders or otherwise disposed of as provided in this Indenture. In each case the Company will promptly notify the Trustee of its compliance with this Section 4.01(a).

(b) An installment of principal or interest will be considered paid on the date due if the Trustee (or Paying Agent, other than the Company or any Affiliate of the Company) holds on that date money designated for and sufficient to pay the installment. If the Company or any Affiliate of the Company acts as Paying Agent, an installment of principal or interest will be considered paid on the due date only if paid to the Holders.

(c) The Company agrees to pay interest on overdue principal, and, to the extent lawful, overdue installments of interest at the rate per annum specified in the Notes.

(d) Payments in respect of the Notes represented by the Global Notes are to be made by wire transfer of immediately available funds to the accounts specified by the Holders of the Global Notes. With respect to Certificated Notes, the Company will make all payments by wire transfer of immediately available funds to the accounts specified by the Holders thereof or, if no such account is specified, by mailing a check to each Holder’s registered address.

Section 4.02. Maintenance of Office or Agency. The Company will maintain an office or agency in the United States where Notes may be surrendered for registration of transfer or exchange or for presentation for payment and where notices and demands to or upon the Company in respect of the Notes and this Indenture may be made; provided that the Corporate Trust Office shall not be a place of service of legal process on the Company. The Company hereby initially designates the Corporate Trust Office of the Trustee as such office of the Company. The Company will 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 Company fail to maintain any such required office or agency or fails to furnish the Trustee with the address thereof, such presentations, surrenders, notices and demands may be made or served to the Trustee.

The Company may also from time to time designate one or more other offices or agencies where the Notes may be surrendered or presented for any of such purposes and may from time to time rescind such designations. The Company will 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.

Section 4.03. Existence. The Company will do or cause to be done all things necessary to preserve and keep in full force and effect its existence and the existence of each of its Restricted Subsidiaries in accordance with their respective organizational documents, and the material rights and franchises of the Company and each Restricted Subsidiary; provided that the Company is not required to preserve any such right or franchise, or the existence of any Restricted Subsidiary, if the maintenance or preservation thereof is no longer desirable in the conduct of the business of the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries taken as a whole; and provided further that this Section does not prohibit any transaction otherwise permitted by Article 4 or Article 5.

Section 4.04. Payment of Taxes and other Claims. The Company will pay or discharge, and cause each of its Restricted Subsidiaries to pay or discharge before the same become delinquent (i) all material taxes, assessments and governmental charges levied or imposed upon the Company or any Subsidiary or its income or profits or property, and (ii) all material lawful claims for labor, materials and supplies that, if unpaid, would by law become a Lien upon the property of the Company or any Subsidiary, other than any such tax, assessment, charge or claim the amount, applicability or validity of which is being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings and for which adequate reserves have been established or where the failure to effect such payment would not be disadvantageous to the Holders.

 

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Section 4.05. Maintenance of Properties and Insurance.

(a) The Company will cause all properties used or useful in the conduct of its business or the business of any of its Restricted Subsidiaries to be maintained and kept in good condition, repair and working order as in the judgment of the Company may be necessary so that the business of the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries may be properly and advantageously conducted at all times; provided that nothing in this Section prevents the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary from discontinuing the use, operation or maintenance of any of such properties or disposing of any of them, if such discontinuance or disposal is, in the judgment of the Company, desirable in the conduct of the business of the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries taken as a whole.

(b) The Company will provide or cause to be provided, for itself and its Restricted Subsidiaries, insurance (including appropriate self-insurance) against loss or damage of the kinds customarily insured against by corporations similarly situated and owning like properties, including, but not limited to, products liability insurance and public liability insurance, with reputable insurers, in such amounts, with such deductibles and by such methods as are customary for corporations similarly situated in the industry in which the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries are then conducting business.

Section 4.06. Limitation on Debt and Disqualified Stock or Preferred Stock.

(a) The Company:

(1) will not, and will not permit any of its Restricted Subsidiaries to, Incur any Debt; and

(2) will not, and will not permit any Restricted Subsidiary to, Incur any Disqualified Stock, and will not permit any of its Restricted Subsidiaries that is not a Guarantor to Incur any Preferred Stock (other than Disqualified Stock or Preferred Stock of Restricted Subsidiaries held by the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary, so long as it is so held);

provided that the Company may Incur Debt or Disqualified Stock, and any Restricted Subsidiary may Incur Debt, Disqualified Stock, or Preferred Stock, if, on the date of the Incurrence, after giving effect to the Incurrence and the receipt and application of the proceeds therefrom, the Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio is not less than 2.00 to 1.00; provided further that the maximum amount of Debt, Disqualified Stock and Preferred Stock Incurred by Restricted Subsidiaries that are not Guarantors pursuant to this Section 4.06(a), together with any Permitted Refinancing Debt in respect thereof, shall not exceed the greater of (A) $100 million and (B) 50% of EBITDA for the most recently ended four fiscal quarter period ending immediately prior to such date for which internal financial statements are available, with such adjustments as are set forth under the definition of “Net Leverage Ratio”, at any time outstanding.

(b) Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Company and, to the extent provided below, any Restricted Subsidiary may Incur the following (“Permitted Debt”):

(1) Debt (“Permitted Bank Debt”) of the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary pursuant to Credit Facilities; provided that the aggregate principal amount at any time outstanding does not exceed the sum of (A) the greater of (x) $70 million and (y) 35% of EBITDA for the most recently ended four fiscal quarter period ending immediately prior to such date for which internal financial statements are available plus (B) an additional amount (with any amounts incurred under this clause (B) to be treated as Debt secured by a Lien on the assets of the Company for this purpose) after all amounts have been Incurred under clause (A), if after giving pro forma effect to the Incurrence of such additional amount and the application of proceeds therefrom, the Secured Net Leverage Ratio does not exceed 0.50 to 1.00;

 

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(2) Debt of the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary to the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary so long as such Debt continues to be owed to the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary and which, if the obligor is the Company or a Guarantor, is subordinated in right of payment to the Notes;

(3) Debt of the Company (A) pursuant to the Notes (other than Additional Notes) and Debt of any Guarantor pursuant to a Note Guaranty of the Notes (including Additional Notes) and (B) pursuant to the 2028 Notes and Debt of any guarantor of the 2028 Notes pursuant to a guarantee of the 2028 Notes;

(4) Debt or Disqualified Stock (or with respect to any Restricted Subsidiary only, Preferred Stock) (“Permitted Refinancing Debt”) constituting an extension or renewal of, replacement of, or substitution for, or issued in exchange for, or the net proceeds of which are used to repay, redeem, repurchase, refinance or refund, including by way of defeasance (all of the above, for purposes of this Section 4.06(b)(4), “refinance”) then outstanding Debt or Disqualified Stock in an amount not to exceed the principal amount of the Debt or Disqualified Stock so refinanced, plus the amount of any accrued and unpaid interest and any premium required to be paid in connection with such refinancing pursuant to the terms of such Debt or Disqualified Stock or the amount of any premium reasonably determined by the Company as necessary to accomplish such refinancing by means of a tender offer or privately negotiated purchase, plus the amount of fees and expenses in connection therewith; provided that

(A) in case the Debt to be refinanced is Subordinated Debt, the new Debt, by its terms or by the terms of any agreement or instrument pursuant to which it is outstanding, is expressly made subordinate in right of payment to the Notes at least to the extent that the Debt to be refinanced is subordinated to the Notes,

(B) the new Debt does not have a Stated Maturity prior to the earlier of the Stated Maturity of the Debt to be refinanced or 90 days after the final maturity date of the Notes, and the Average Life of the new Debt is at least equal to the remaining Average Life of the Debt to be refinanced,

(C) in no event may Debt of the Company or any Guarantor be refinanced pursuant to this Section 4.06(b)(4) by means of any Debt of any Restricted Subsidiary that is not a Guarantor, and

(D) Debt Incurred pursuant to Sections 4.06(b)(1), (2), (5), (6), (11), (12), (13), (14), (15) and (17) may not be refinanced pursuant to this Section 4.06(b)(4);

(5) Hedging Agreements of the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary entered into in the ordinary course of business for the purpose of limiting risks associated with the business of the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries, including, but not limited to, limiting interest rate risk or exchange rate risk, and not for speculation;

(6) Debt of the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary with respect to letters of credit and bankers’ acceptances issued in the ordinary course of business and not supporting Debt for borrowed money, including letters of credit supporting performance, surety or appeal bonds or indemnification, adjustment of purchase price or similar obligations incurred in connection with the acquisition or disposition of any business or assets;

(7) Acquired Debt; provided that after giving effect to the transaction pursuant to which such Debt was incurred, including the Incurrence thereof, either (a) the Company could Incur at least $1.00 of Debt under Section 4.06(a) or (b) the Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio would not be less than such Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio immediately prior to such transaction;

(8) Debt of the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary outstanding on the Issue Date (and, for purposes of Section 4.06(b)(4)(D), not otherwise constituting Permitted Debt);

 

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(9) Capital Leases and Debt of the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary, which may include Capital Leases, mortgage financings or Purchase Money Obligations, Incurred on or after the Issue Date no later than 365 days after the date of purchase or completion of construction, restoration, replacement, rebuilding, maintenance, upgrade or improvement of property for the purpose of financing all or any part of the purchase, acquisition or development price or cost of construction, restoration, replacement, rebuilding, maintenance, upgrade or improvement of any fixed or capital assets; provided that the aggregate principal amount outstanding of any Debt Incurred pursuant to this Section 4.06(b)(9) may not exceed the greater of (a) (i) $50 million and (ii) 9% of Total Assets at the time of Incurrence, less (b) the aggregate outstanding amount of Permitted Refinancing Debt Incurred to refinance Debt Incurred pursuant to this Section 4.06(b)(9);

(10) Debt of Foreign Restricted Subsidiaries Incurred on or after the Issue Date in an aggregate principal amount not to exceed (a) the greater of (i) $30 million and (ii) 5% of Total Assets at the time of Incurrence, less (b) the aggregate outstanding amount of Permitted Refinancing Debt Incurred to refinance Debt Incurred pursuant to this Section 4.06(b)(10) outstanding at any time;

(11) Debt of the Company or any Guarantor consisting of Guarantees of Debt of the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary Incurred under any other clause of this Section 4.06;

(12) Debt of the Company arising from the honoring by a bank or other financial institution of a check, draft or similar instrument inadvertently drawn against insufficient funds, or from any arrangement relating to the provision of treasury, depositary or cash management services, so long as such Debt is covered within 10 Business Days;

(13) Debt of the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary arising from agreements providing for indemnification, adjustment of purchase price or similar obligations, incurred in connection with the disposition of any business, assets or Restricted Subsidiary (other than Guarantees of Debt Incurred by any Person acquiring all or any portion of such business, assets or Restricted Subsidiary for the purpose of financing such acquisition);

(14) Debt of the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary consisting of obligations to pay insurance premiums in an amount not to exceed the annual premiums in respect of such insurance premiums at any one time outstanding;

(15) Debt of the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary, the proceeds of which are applied to defease or discharge the Notes in accordance with Article 8;

(16) Debt of the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary to the seller of any business or assets permitted to be acquired by the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary under this Indenture constituting a portion of the purchase price therefor in an aggregate amount not exceeding (a) $75 million at any time outstanding, less (b) the aggregate outstanding amount of Permitted Refinancing Debt Incurred to refinance Debt Incurred pursuant to this Section 4.06(b)(16); and

(17) Debt of the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary Incurred on or after the Issue Date not otherwise permitted in an aggregate principal amount at any time outstanding not to exceed the greater of (a) $150 million and (b) 26% of Total Assets at the time of Incurrence; provided that the maximum amount of Debt at any time outstanding which was Incurred pursuant to this Section 4.06(b)(17) by Restricted Subsidiaries that are not Guarantors shall not exceed an aggregate principal amount of the greater of (x) $30 million and (y) 5% of Total Assets at the time of Incurrence.

(c) Notwithstanding any other provision of Section 4.06, for purposes of determining compliance with this Section 4.06,

 

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(1) increases in Debt solely due to fluctuations in the exchange rates of currencies will not be deemed to exceed the maximum amount that the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary may Incur under this Section 4.06;

(2) guarantees of, or obligations in respect of letters of credit, bankers’ acceptances or other similar instruments relating to, or Liens securing, Debt that is otherwise included in the determination of a particular amount of Debt shall not be included in duplication of such Debt;

(3) if obligations in respect of letters of credit, bankers’ acceptances or other similar instruments are incurred pursuant to any Credit Facility and are being treated as incurred pursuant to any clause of Section 4.06(a) or (b) and the letters of credit, bankers’ acceptances or other similar instruments relate to other Debt, then such other Debt shall not be included in duplication of such Debt;

(4) Debt permitted by this covenant need not be permitted solely by reference to one provision permitting such Debt but may be permitted in part by one such provision and in part by one or more other provisions of this covenant permitting such Debt; and

(5) for all purposes under this Indenture, including for purposes of calculating the Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio, the Secured Net Leverage Ratio or the Net Leverage Ratio, as applicable, in connection with the incurrence, issuance or assumption of any Debt pursuant to paragraph (a) above or clauses (1) or (17) of paragraph (b) above or the incurrence or creation of any Lien pursuant to the definition of “Permitted Liens,” the Company may elect, at its option, to treat all or any portion of the committed amount of any Debt (and the issuance and creation of letters of credit and bankers’ acceptances thereunder) which is to be incurred (or any commitment in respect thereof) or secured by such Lien, as the case may be (any such committed amount elected until revoked as described below, the “Reserved Debt Amount”), as being incurred as of such election date, and, if such Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio, the Secured Net Leverage Ratio, the Net Leverage Ratio or other provision of this Indenture, as applicable, is complied with (or satisfied) with respect thereto on such election date, any subsequent borrowing or reborrowing thereunder (and the issuance and creation of letters of credit and bankers’ acceptances thereunder) will be deemed to be permitted under this covenant or the definition of “Permitted Liens,” as applicable, whether or not the Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio, the Secured Net Leverage Ratio, the Net Leverage Ratio or other provision of this Indenture, as applicable, at the actual time of any subsequent borrowing or reborrowing (or issuance or creation of letters of credit or bankers’ acceptances thereunder) is complied with (or satisfied) for all purposes (including as to the absence of any continuing Default or Event of Default); provided that for purposes of subsequent calculations of the Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio, the Secured Net Leverage Ratio, the Net Leverage Ratio or other provision of this Indenture, as applicable, the Reserved Indebtedness Amount shall be deemed to be outstanding, whether or not such amount is actually outstanding, for so long as such commitments are outstanding or until the Company revokes an election of a Reserved Indebtedness Amount.

For purposes of determining compliance with any U.S. dollar-denominated restriction on the Incurrence of Debt, the U.S. dollar-equivalent principal amount of Debt denominated in a foreign currency shall be calculated based on the relevant currency exchange rate in effect on the date such Debt was Incurred; provided that if such Debt is Incurred to refinance other Debt 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 Debt does not exceed the principal amount of such Debt being refinanced. The principal amount of any Debt Incurred to refinance other Debt, if Incurred in a different currency from the Debt being refinanced, shall be calculated based on the currency exchange rate applicable to the currencies in which such respective Debt is denominated that is in effect on the date of such refinancing.

(d) In the event that an item of Debt meets the criteria of more than one of the types of Debt in Section 4.06(b)(1) through (17), or is entitled to be incurred pursuant to Section 4.06(a), the Company, in its sole discretion, will be entitled to classify such item of Debt (or portion thereof) and may later reclassify such Debt (or portion thereof), in any manner that complies with this Section 4.06.

 

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(e) None of the Company or any Guarantor may Incur any Debt that is subordinated in right of payment to other Debt of the Company or the Guarantor unless such Debt is also subordinated in right of payment to the Notes or the relevant Note Guaranty on substantially identical terms. This does not apply to distinctions between categories of Debt that exist by reason of any Liens or Guarantees securing or in favor of some but not all of such Debt.

(f) To the extent that the size of any basket or carve-out set forth in this Section 4.06 is determined by reference to a percentage of EBITDA, or the Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio, Net Leverage Ratio or Secured Net Leverage Ratio, no Default or Event of Default shall be deemed to occur with respect to any transaction consummated or incurred pursuant to such basket or carve-out as a result of any decrease in the amount of EBITDA, or the Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio or increase in the Net Leverage Ratio or Secured Net Leverage Ratio, in each case subsequent to such consummation or incurrence which results in such basket or carve-out no longer being sufficient to permit such transaction or incurrence; provided that the foregoing shall not limit any determinations of whether any Insignificant Subsidiary ceases to fit within the definition thereof.

Section 4.07. Limitation on Restricted Payments.

(a) The Company will not, and will not permit any Restricted Subsidiary to, directly or indirectly (the payments and other actions described in the following clauses being collectively “Restricted Payments”):

(i) declare or pay any dividend or make any distribution on its Equity Interests (other than dividends or distributions paid in the Company’s Qualified Equity Interests) held by Persons other than the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries;

(ii) purchase, redeem or otherwise acquire or retire for value any Equity Interests of (1) the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary held by Persons other than the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries or (2) any direct or indirect parent of the Company;

(iii) repay, redeem, repurchase, defease or otherwise acquire or retire for value, or make any payment on or with respect to, any Subordinated Debt except a payment of interest or principal at Stated Maturity; or

(iv) make any Investment other than a Permitted Investment;

unless, at the time of, and after giving effect to, the proposed Restricted Payment:

(1) no Default has occurred and is continuing,

(2) the Company could Incur at least $1.00 of Debt under Section 4.06(a), and

(3) the aggregate amount expended for all Restricted Payments made on or after the Issue Date would not, subject to Section 4.07(c) below, exceed the sum of

(A) 50% of the aggregate amount of the Consolidated Net Income (or, if the Consolidated Net Income is a loss, minus 100% of the amount of the loss) accrued on a cumulative basis during the period, taken as one accounting period, beginning on July 1, 2021 and ending on the last day of the Company’s most recently completed fiscal quarter for which internal financial statements are available, plus

(B) subject to Section 4.07(c), 100% of the aggregate net cash proceeds and the Fair Market Value of other property received by the Company (other than from a Subsidiary) after the Issue Date from the issuance and sale of (x) its Qualified Equity Interests, including by way of issuance of its Disqualified Equity Interests or Debt to the extent since converted into Qualified Equity Interests of the Company, and (y) to the extent such net cash proceeds are actually contributed to the Company in the form of Qualified Equity Interests, Equity Interests of the Company’s direct or indirect parent companies, plus

 

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(C) an amount equal to the sum, for all Unrestricted Subsidiaries, of the following:

(x) the cash return and the Fair Market Value of other property received by the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary, after the Issue Date, on account of Investments in an Unrestricted Subsidiary made after the Issue Date pursuant to this Section 4.07(a) as a result of any sale for cash, repayment, redemption, liquidating distribution, transfer of assets, payment of dividends, interest or distributions to the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary from any Unrestricted Subsidiary, or other return of capital or cash realization (to the extent not included in Consolidated Net Income), plus

(y) the portion (proportionate to the Company’s Equity Interest in such Subsidiary) of the Fair Market Value of the assets less liabilities of an Unrestricted Subsidiary at the time such Unrestricted Subsidiary is designated a Restricted Subsidiary, plus

(z) the Fair Market Value of other property received by the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary in connection with the merger or consolidation of an Unrestricted Subsidiary with or into, or transfer or conveyance of an Unrestricted Subsidiary’s assets to, the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary, not to exceed, in the case of any Unrestricted Subsidiary, the amount of Investments made after the Issue Date by the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries in such Unrestricted Subsidiary pursuant to this Section 4.07(a), plus

(D) the cash return, after the Issue Date, on any other Investment made after the Issue Date pursuant to this Section 4.07(a), as a result of any sale for cash, repayment, redemption, liquidating distribution or other cash realization (to the extent not included in Consolidated Net Income), not to exceed the amount of such Investment so made.

(b) The foregoing will not prohibit:

(1) the payment of any dividend within 60 days after the date of declaration thereof if, at the date of declaration, such payment would comply with Section 4.07(a);

(2) dividends or distributions by a Restricted Subsidiary payable, on a pro rata basis or on a basis more favorable to the Company, to all holders of any class of Capital Stock of such Restricted Subsidiary a majority of which is held, directly or indirectly through Restricted Subsidiaries, by the Company;

(3) the repayment, redemption, repurchase, defeasance or other acquisition or retirement for value of Subordinated Debt with the proceeds of, or in exchange for, Permitted Refinancing Debt;

(4) the purchase, redemption or other acquisition or retirement for value of Equity Interests of the Company, any Restricted Subsidiary or any direct or indirect parent in exchange for, or out of the proceeds of a substantially concurrent offering of, Qualified Equity Interests of the Company;

(5) the repayment, redemption, repurchase, defeasance or other acquisition or retirement of Subordinated Debt of the Company or any Guarantor in exchange for, or out of the proceeds of, a substantially concurrent offering of, Qualified Equity Interests of the Company;

(6) any Restricted Payments made in exchange for, or out of the net cash proceeds of, a substantially concurrent offering of Qualified Equity Interests of the Company;

 

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(7) the purchase, redemption or other acquisition or retirement for value of Equity Interests of the Company or any direct or indirect parent company of the Company held by any future, present or former officers, directors, consultants or employees (or their permitted transferees, assigns, estates or beneficiaries under their estates), upon death, disability, retirement, severance or termination of employment or pursuant to any agreement under which the Equity Interests were issued; provided that the aggregate cash consideration paid therefor in any twelve-month period after the Issue Date does not exceed an aggregate amount of $7.5 million;

(8) the repurchase of any Subordinated Debt or Disqualified Stock at a purchase price or liquidation value, as applicable, not greater than (x) 101% of the principal amount or liquidation value thereof in the event of a change of control pursuant to a provision no more favorable to the holders thereof than Section 4.12 or (y) 100% of the principal amount or liquidation value thereof in the event of an Asset Sale pursuant to a provision no more favorable to the holders thereof than Section 4.13; provided that, in each case, prior to the repurchase the Company has made an Offer to Purchase and repurchased all Notes issued under this Indenture that were validly tendered for payment in connection with the offer to purchase;

(9) the declaration and payment of dividends to holders of any class or series of Disqualified Stock of the Company or any Restricted Subsidiaries issued in accordance with Section 4.06 to the extent such dividends are included in the definition of “Fixed Charges”;

(10) the repurchase of Equity Interests (i) deemed to occur upon the exercise of stock options, warrants or other similar stock based awards under equity plans of the Company, to the extent such Equity Interests represent a portion of the exercise price of those stock options, warrants or other similar stock-based awards under equity plans of the Company, or (ii) in connection with tax withholding related to such Equity Interests;

(11) the payment of cash by the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary in lieu of the issuance of fractional shares upon (i) the exercise of options or warrants of any such Person or (ii) the conversion or exchange of convertible Debt or other Capital Stock of any such Person;

(12) payments or distributions by the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary to dissenting stockholders pursuant to applicable law in connection with any merger or acquisition consummated by the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary of a Person (other than a Subsidiary of the Company) on or after the Issue Date and not prohibited by this Indenture;

(13) purchases, redemptions or acquisitions of fractional shares of Equity Interests of the Company arising out of stock dividends, splits or combinations;

(14) Restricted Payments if, at the time of making such payments, and after giving effect thereto (including, without limitation, the Incurrence of any Debt or Disqualified Stock to finance such payment), but in such case calculated excluding any increase in Eligible Cash resulting from the Incurrence of such Debt or Disqualified Stock), the Net Leverage Ratio would not exceed 3.00 to 1.00;

(15) Restricted Payments not otherwise permitted hereby in an aggregate amount not to exceed the greater of (A) $100 million and (B) 50.0% of EBITDA for the most recently ended four fiscal quarter period ending immediately prior to such date for which internal financial statements are available, with such adjustments as are set forth under the definition of “Net Leverage Ratio”;

(16) the declaration and payment of dividends or distributions on the Company’s Equity Interests, in an amount not to exceed the sum of (x) 6.00% per annum of the net cash proceeds received by the Company after the Issue Date in connection with any Equity Offering and (y) 6.00% of Market Capitalization at the time of such determination; or

(17) payments under the Transaction Agreements.

 

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provided that, in the case of Section 4.07(b)(6), (7), (8), (14), (15) and (16), no Default has occurred and is continuing or would occur as a result thereof.

(c) Proceeds of the issuance of Qualified Equity Interests will be included under Section 4.07(a)(3) only to the extent they are not applied as described in Section 4.07(b)(4), (5) or (6). Restricted Payments permitted pursuant to clause Sections 4.07(b)(3), (4), (5), (6) or (8) will not be included in making the calculations under Section 4.07(a)(3).

(d) The amount of all Restricted Payments (other than cash and Cash Equivalents) will be the Fair Market Value on the date of such Restricted Payment of the assets or securities proposed to be paid, transferred or issued by the Company or such Restricted Subsidiary, as the case may be, pursuant to such Restricted Payment.

(e) For purposes of determining compliance with this Section 4.07, in the event that a Restricted Payment meets the criteria of more than one of the categories of Restricted Payments described in Sections 4.07(b)(1) through (17) above, or is entitled to be Incurred pursuant to Section 4.07(a) and/or one or more of the clauses contained in the definition of “Permitted Investments,” the Company will be entitled to classify such Restricted Payment or Investment (or portion thereof) on the date of its payment, or later reclassify such Restricted Payment or Investment (or portion thereof), between such clauses (1) through (17) and Section 4.07(a) and/or one or more of the clauses contained in the definition of “Permitted Investments,” in any manner that complies with this Section 4.07.

Section 4.08. Limitation on Liens. The Company will not, and will not permit any Restricted Subsidiary to, directly or indirectly, incur or permit to exist any Lien of any nature whatsoever on any of its properties or assets, whether owned at the Issue Date or thereafter acquired, other than Permitted Liens, without effectively providing that the Notes are secured equally and ratably with (or, if the obligation to be secured by the Lien is subordinated in right of payment to the Notes or any Note Guaranty, prior to) the obligations so secured for so long as such obligations are so secured. Any Lien created for the benefit of the Holders pursuant to the preceding sentence shall provide by its terms that such Lien shall be automatically and unconditionally released and discharged upon the release and discharge of the initial Lien.

With respect to any Lien securing Debt that was permitted to secure such Debt at the time of the incurrence of such Debt, such Lien shall also be permitted to secure any Increased Amount of such Debt. The “Increased Amount” of any Debt shall mean any increase in the amount of such Debt in connection with any accrual of interest, the accretion of accreted value, the amortization of original issue discount, the payment of interest in the form of additional Debt with the same terms, accretion of original issue discount or liquidation preference and increases in the amount of Debt outstanding solely as a result of fluctuations in the exchange rate of currencies or increases in the value of property securing Debt.

Section 4.09. Limitation on Sale and Leaseback Transactions. The Company will not, and will not permit any Restricted Subsidiary to, enter into any Sale and Leaseback Transaction with respect to any property or asset unless:

(1) the Company or the Restricted Subsidiary would be entitled to

(A) Incur Debt in an amount equal to the Attributable Debt with respect to such Sale and Leaseback Transaction pursuant to Section 4.06, and

(B) create a Lien on such property or asset securing such Attributable Debt without equally and ratably securing the Notes pursuant to Section 4.08, in which case, the corresponding Debt and Lien will be deemed incurred pursuant to those provisions, and

(2) the Company complies with Section 4.13 in respect of such transaction.

 

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Section 4.10. Limitation on Dividend and Other Payment Restrictions Affecting Restricted Subsidiaries.

(a) Except as provided in Section 4.10(b), the Company will not, and will not permit any Restricted Subsidiary to, create or otherwise cause or permit to exist or become effective any encumbrance or restriction of any kind on the ability of any Restricted Subsidiary to:

(1) pay dividends or make any other distributions on any Equity Interests of the Restricted Subsidiary owned by the Company or any other Restricted Subsidiary,

(2) pay any Debt or other obligation owed to the Company or any other Restricted Subsidiary,

(3) make loans or advances to the Company or any other Restricted Subsidiary, or

(4) transfer any of its property or assets to the Company or any other Restricted Subsidiary.

(b) The provisions of Section 4.10(a) do not apply to any encumbrances or restrictions:

(1) existing on the Issue Date in this Indenture, the 2028 Notes Indenture, the Transaction Agreements or any other agreements in effect on the Issue Date, and any extensions, renewals, replacements or refinancings of any of the foregoing; provided that the encumbrances and restrictions in the extension, renewal, replacement or refinancing are, taken as a whole, no less favorable in any material respect to the Noteholders than the encumbrances or restrictions being extended, renewed, replaced or refinanced;

(2) existing

(A) with respect to any Person, or to the property or assets of any Person, at the time the Person is acquired by the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary, or

(B) with respect to any Unrestricted Subsidiary at the time it is designated or is deemed to become a Restricted Subsidiary, which encumbrances or restrictions (i) are not applicable to any other Person or the property or assets of any other Person and (ii) were not put in place in anticipation of such event, and any extensions, renewals, replacements or refinancings of any of the foregoing; provided the encumbrances and restrictions in the extension, renewal, replacement or refinancing are, taken as a whole, no less favorable in any material respect to the Noteholders than the encumbrances or restrictions being extended, renewed, replaced or refinanced;

(3) of the type described in Section 4.10(a)(4) arising or agreed to in the ordinary course of business (i) that restrict in a customary manner the subletting, assignment or transfer of any property or asset that is subject to a lease, license or Purchase Money Obligation or (ii) by virtue of any Lien on, or agreement to transfer, option or similar right with respect to any property or assets of, the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary;

(4) with respect to a Restricted Subsidiary and imposed pursuant to an agreement that has been entered into for the sale or disposition of all or substantially all of the Capital Stock of, or property and assets of, the Restricted Subsidiary that is permitted by Section 4.13;

(5) contained in the terms governing any Debt if (as determined in good faith by the Board of Directors) (i) the encumbrances or restrictions are ordinary and customary for a financing of that type and (ii) the encumbrances or restrictions either (x) would not, at the time agreed to, be expected to materially adversely affect the ability of the Company to make payments on the Notes or (y) in the case of any Permitted Refinancing Debt, are, taken as a whole, no less favorable in any material respect to the Noteholders than those contained in the agreements governing the Debt being refinanced;

 

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(6) existing under or by reason of applicable law or any applicable rule, regulation or order;

(7) existing under or by reason of joint venture agreements, minority equity investments and other similar agreements that prohibit actions of the type described in Section 4.10(a) above, which prohibitions are applicable only to the entity or assets that are the subject of such arrangements;

(8) (A) on cash or other deposits or net worth imposed by customers or supplied under agreements entered into in the ordinary course of business, (B) that arises or is agreed to in the ordinary course of business and does not detract from the value of property or assets of the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary in any manner material to the Company or such Restricted Subsidiary or adversely affect the ability of the Company to make interest and principal payments with respect to the Notes or (C) pursuant to Interest Rate Protection Agreements; or

(9) required pursuant to this Indenture.

Section 4.11. Guaranties by Restricted Subsidiaries. If the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries acquires or creates a Domestic Restricted Subsidiary, other than an Insignificant Subsidiary, after the Issue Date, or any Insignificant Subsidiary ceases to fit within the definition thereof, such Restricted Subsidiary shall provide a Note Guaranty.

A Restricted Subsidiary required to provide a Note Guaranty shall execute a supplemental indenture in the form of Exhibit B, and deliver an Opinion of Counsel to the Trustee to the effect that the supplemental indenture has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Restricted Subsidiary and constitutes a valid and binding obligation of the Restricted Subsidiary, enforceable against the Restricted Subsidiary in accordance with its terms (subject to customary exceptions).

Section 4.12. Repurchase of Notes Upon a Change of Control.

(a) The Company shall, upon not less than 30 nor more than 60 days’ prior notice to the Holders and the Trustee, given not more than 30 days following a Change of Control, except to the extent the Company has delivered irrevocable notice to the Trustee of its intention to redeem all of the Notes as described under Section 3.01, make an Offer to Purchase all outstanding Notes at a purchase price in cash equal to 101% of the principal amount thereof plus accrued and unpaid interest to, but excluding, the date of purchase.

(b) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein, an Offer to Purchase may be made in advance of a Change of Control, conditioned upon the consummation of such Change of Control, if a definitive agreement is in place for the Change of Control at the time the Offer to Purchase is made.

(c) The Company will not be required to make an Offer to Purchase upon a Change of Control if (1) a third party makes the Offer to Purchase in the manner, at the times and otherwise in compliance with the requirements set forth in this Indenture and purchases all Notes properly tendered and not withdrawn under the Offer to Purchase or (2) notice of redemption for all outstanding Notes has been given pursuant to this Indenture as described above under Section 3.01, unless and until there is a default in payment of the redemption price.

Section 4.13. Limitation on Asset Sales.

(a) The Company will not, and will not permit any Restricted Subsidiary to, make any Asset Sale unless the following conditions are met:

(1) The Asset Sale is for Fair Market Value.

(2) At least 75% of the consideration consists of cash or Cash Equivalents received at closing. (For purposes of this Section 4.13(a)(2), the assumption by the purchaser of Debt or other obligations (other than Subordinated Debt) of the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary pursuant to a customary novation agreement, and instruments or securities received from the purchaser that are promptly, but in any event within 30 days of the closing, converted by the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary to cash or Cash Equivalents, to the extent of the cash or Cash Equivalents actually so received, shall be considered cash or Cash Equivalents received at closing).

 

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(3) Within 365 days after the receipt of any Net Cash Proceeds from an Asset Sale, the Net Cash Proceeds may be used:

(A) to permanently repay secured Debt of the Company or a Guarantor or any Debt of a Restricted Subsidiary that is not a Guarantor (and in the case of a revolving credit, permanently reduce the commitment thereunder by such amount), in each case owing to a Person other than the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary,

(B) to acquire all or substantially all of the assets of a Permitted Business, or a majority of the Voting Stock of another Person that thereupon becomes a Restricted Subsidiary engaged in a Permitted Business, or to make capital expenditures or otherwise acquire longterm assets that are to be used in a Permitted Business,

(C) to make a capital expenditure; or

(D) to acquire other assets that are not classified as current assets under GAAP and that are used or useful in a Permitted Business.

The Company will be deemed to have complied with the provisions set forth in Section 4.13(a)(3)(B), (C) and (D) if (i) within 365 days after the Asset Sale that generated the Net Cash Proceeds, the Company (or applicable Restricted Subsidiary) has entered into a binding agreement to acquire all or substantially all of the assets of, or any Capital Stock of, another Permitted Business or to make a capital expenditure or acquire other assets that are not classified as current assets under GAAP and that are used or useful in a Permitted Business and that acquisition or capital expenditure is thereafter completed within 180 days after the end of such 365 day period or (ii) in the event such binding agreement described in the preceding clause (i) is cancelled or terminated for any reason before such Net Cash Proceeds are so applied, the Company (or the applicable Restricted Subsidiary) enter into another such binding commitment within 180 days of such cancellation or termination of the prior binding commitment, in which case such acquisition or capital expenditure must be completed within 180 days after the date thereof.

(4) The Net Cash Proceeds of an Asset Sale not applied pursuant to Section 4.13(a)(3) constitute “Excess Proceeds.” Excess Proceeds of less than $50 million will be carried forward and accumulated. When accumulated Excess Proceeds equal or exceed such amount, the Company must, within 30 days, make an Offer to Purchase Notes having a principal amount equal to

(A) accumulated Excess Proceeds, multiplied by

(B) a fraction (x) the numerator of which is equal to the outstanding principal amount of the Notes and (y) the denominator of which is equal to the outstanding principal amount of the Notes and all pari passu Debt similarly required to be repaid, redeemed or tendered for in connection with the Asset Sale,

rounded down to the nearest $1,000. The purchase price for the Notes will be 100% of the principal amount plus accrued interest to the date of purchase. If any Excess Proceeds remain, the Company may use such Excess Proceeds for any purposes not prohibited by this Indenture. Upon completion of the Offer to Purchase, the amount of Excess Proceeds will be reset to zero.

Section 4.14. Limitation on Transactions with Affiliates.

(a) The Company will not, and will not permit any Restricted Subsidiary to, directly or indirectly, enter into, renew or extend any transaction or arrangement (including the purchase, sale, lease or exchange of property or assets, or the rendering of any service) with any Affiliate of the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary (a “Related Party Transaction”), unless the transaction is on terms that are, taken as a whole, not materially less favorable to the Company or the relevant Restricted Subsidiary than those that would have been obtained in a comparable transaction by the Company or such Restricted Subsidiary with an unrelated Person on an arm’s length basis.

 

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(b) Any Related Party Transaction or series of related Related Party Transactions with an aggregate value in excess of $25 million must first be approved by a majority of the Board of Directors who are disinterested in the subject matter of the transaction pursuant to a Board Resolution delivered to the Trustee.

(c) Sections 4.14(a) and (b) do not apply to

(1) any transaction between the Company and any of its Restricted Subsidiaries or between Restricted Subsidiaries of the Company;

(2) any employment agreement, consulting agreement, severance agreement, employee benefit plan, compensation arrangement, equity incentive agreement, officer or director indemnification agreement or any similar arrangement entered into by, or policy of, the Company, any of its direct or indirect parent companies, or any Restricted Subsidiary in the ordinary course of business and payments pursuant thereto;

(3) Restricted Payments that do not violate Section 4.07 and any Permitted Investment (other than pursuant to clauses (1) or (3) of the definition thereof);

(4) payment of reasonable fees and reasonable compensation to, provision of customary benefits to and reimbursements of expenses (pursuant to indemnity arrangements or otherwise) of officers, directors, employees or consultants of the Company, any of its direct or indirect parent companies, or any Restricted Subsidiary;

(5) loans and advances to officers, directors, consultants and employees of the Company, any of its direct or indirect parent companies, or any Restricted Subsidiary for travel, entertainment, moving, other relocation and similar expenses, in each case made in the ordinary course of business;

(6) any issuance of Qualified Equity Interests of the Company;

(7) transactions with customers, clients, lessors, landlords, suppliers, contractors or purchasers or sellers of goods or services that are Affiliates otherwise in compliance with the terms of this Indenture which are fair to the Company or the applicable Restricted Subsidiary, in the reasonable determination of the Board of Directors;

(8) transactions in the ordinary course of business with (i) Unrestricted Subsidiaries or (ii) joint ventures in which the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary holds or acquires an ownership interest (whether by way of Equity Interests or otherwise) so long as the terms of any such transactions are fair to the Company or the applicable Restricted Subsidiary, in the reasonable determination of the Board of Directors;

(9) transactions pursuant to any contract or agreement in effect on the Issue Date (including the Transaction Agreements), as amended, modified or replaced from time to time so long as the amended, modified or new agreement, taken as a whole, is not materially less favorable to the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries than those in effect on the Issue Date; and

(10) transactions undertaken in good faith for the purpose of improving the consolidated tax efficiency of the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries.

 

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Section 4.15. Designation of Restricted and Unrestricted Subsidiaries.

(a) The Board of Directors may designate any Subsidiary, including a newly acquired or created Subsidiary, to be an Unrestricted Subsidiary if it meets the following qualifications and the designation would not cause a Default:

(1) Such Subsidiary does not own any Capital Stock of the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary or hold any Debt of, or any Lien on any property of, the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary;

(2) At the time of the designation, the designation would be permitted under Section 4.07;

(3) To the extent the Debt of the Subsidiary is not Non-Recourse Debt, any Guarantee or other credit support thereof by the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary is permitted under Section 4.06 and Section 4.07;

(4) The Subsidiary is not party to any transaction or arrangement with the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary that would be prohibited by Section 4.14; and

(5) Neither the Company nor any Restricted Subsidiary has any obligation to subscribe for additional Equity Interests of the Subsidiary or to maintain or preserve its financial condition or cause it to achieve specified levels of operating results except to the extent permitted by Section 4.06 and Section 4.07.

Once so designated the Subsidiary will remain an Unrestricted Subsidiary, subject to Section 4.15(b).

(b) (1) A Subsidiary previously designated an Unrestricted Subsidiary which fails to meet the qualifications set forth in Section 4.15(a) will be deemed to become at that time a Restricted Subsidiary, subject to the consequences set forth in Section 4.15(d).

(2) The Board of Directors may designate an Unrestricted Subsidiary to be a Restricted Subsidiary if the designation would not cause a Default.

(c) Upon a Restricted Subsidiary becoming an Unrestricted Subsidiary,

(1) all existing Investments of the Company and the Restricted Subsidiaries therein (valued at the Company’s proportional share of the Fair Market Value of its assets less liabilities) will be deemed made at that time;

(2) all existing transactions between it and the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary will be deemed entered into at that time;

(3) it is released at that time from its Note Guaranty, if any; and

(4) it will cease to be subject to the provisions of this Indenture as a Restricted Subsidiary.

(d) Upon an Unrestricted Subsidiary becoming, or being deemed to become, a Restricted Subsidiary,

(1) all of its Debt and Disqualified Stock or Preferred Stock will be deemed Incurred at that time for purposes of Section 4.06, but will not be considered the sale or issuance of Equity Interests for purposes of Section 4.13;

(2) Investments therein previously charged under Section 4.07 will be credited thereunder;

(3) it may be required to issue a Note Guaranty pursuant to Section 4.11; and

 

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(4) it will thenceforward be subject to the provisions of this Indenture as a Restricted Subsidiary.

(e) Any designation by the Board of Directors of a Subsidiary as a Restricted Subsidiary or Unrestricted Subsidiary will be evidenced to the Trustee by promptly filing with the Trustee a copy of the Board Resolution giving effect to the designation and an Officer’s Certificate certifying that the designation complied with the foregoing provisions.

Section 4.16. [Reserved].

Section 4.17. Financial Reports.

The Company shall, whether or not required by the rules and regulations of the Commission, so long as any Notes are outstanding under this Indenture, the Company shall furnish to the Holders and the Trustee the following information, such information, in each case, to comply in all material respects with the applicable requirements of the specified form:

(a) within 90 days after the end of each fiscal year (or if such day is not a Business Day, on the next succeeding Business Day), all financial information that would be required to be contained in an annual report on Form 10-K, or any successor or comparable form, filed by the Company with the Commission, including a “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” and a report on the annual financial statements by the Company’s independent registered public accounting firm;

(b) within 45 days after the end of each of the first three fiscal quarters of each fiscal year (or if such day is not a Business Day, on the next succeeding Business Day), all financial information that would be required to be contained in a quarterly report on Form 10-Q, or any successor or comparable form, filed by the Company with the Commission, including a “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations,” and financial statements prepared in accordance with GAAP; and

(c) all information required by current reports that would be required to be filed with the Commission by the Company on Form 8-K, or any successor or comparable form, if the Company were required to file such reports, in each case within five Business Days of the date on which time periods specified in the Commission’s rules and regulations.

In addition, the Company shall, for so long as any Notes remain outstanding and constitute “restricted securities” under Rule 144 under the Securities Act, furnish to the Holders of the Notes, beneficial owners and prospective investors, upon their request, the information required to be delivered pursuant to Rule 144A(d)(4) under the Securities Act. So long as any Notes remain outstanding, the Company will also (i) within 15 Business Days after furnishing to the Trustee the annual and quarterly reports required by clauses (a) and (b) above, hold a conference call to discuss such reports and the results of operations for the relevant reporting period (which may be a single conference call together with investors and lenders holding other securities (including equity securities) or Indebtedness of the Company and/or its Restricted Subsidiaries) and (ii) post to its website or on IntraLinks or any comparable password-protected online data system, which will require a confidentiality acknowledgment, with a copy delivered to the Trustee, prior to the date of the conference call required to be held in accordance with clause (i) of this sentence, announcing the time and date of such conference call and either including all information necessary to access the call or informing holders, prospective investors, market makers affiliated with any initial purchaser and securities analysts how they can obtain such information, including, without limitation, the applicable password or other login information.

The Company will be deemed to have furnished such information referred to above (including the immediately preceding paragraph) to the Trustee and the holders if the Company or any direct or indirect parent of the Company has filed such information with the Commission via the EDGAR (or successor) filing system and such information is publicly available. Delivery of such information and reports to the Trustee is for informational

 

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purposes only, and the Trustee’s receipt thereof shall not constitute constructive or actual notice of any information contained therein or determinable from the information contained therein, including our compliance with any of the covenants under this Indenture (as to which the Trustee is entitled to rely exclusively on Officer’s Certificates). The Trustee shall have no liability or responsibility for the filing, timeliness or content of such information or reports. The Trustee shall not be obligated to monitor or confirm, on a continuing basis or otherwise, the Company’s compliance with the covenants or with respect to any reports or other documents filed with the SEC or EDGAR or the Company’s website under this Indenture, or participate in any conference calls.

To the extent any such reports referred to in clauses (a) through (c) under this Section 4.17 is not so filed or furnished, as applicable, within the time periods specified above and such reports are subsequently filed or furnished, as applicable, the Company will be deemed to have satisfied its obligations with respect thereto at such time and any Default or Event of Default with respect thereto shall be deemed to have been cured.

Section 4.18. Reports to Trustee.

(a) The Company shall deliver to the Trustee within 120 days after the end of each fiscal year of the Company an Officer’s Certificate stating that the Officer has conducted or supervised a review of the activities of the Company, and its Restricted Subsidiaries during such fiscal year and their performance during that time under this Indenture and that, based upon such review, the signor does not know of any Default that occurred during such fiscal year or, if there has been a Default, specifying the Default and its nature and what action the Company is taking or proposes to take with respect thereto.

(b) The Company shall deliver to the Trustee, as soon as possible and in any event within 30 days after the Company becomes aware or should reasonably become aware of the occurrence of a Default or Event of Default, an Officer’s Certificate setting forth the details of the Default or Event of Default, its status and the action which the Company is taking or proposes to take with respect thereto.

Section 4.19. Suspension of Certain Covenants. If at any time after the Issue Date the Notes are rated Investment Grade by two or three of the three Rating Agencies, the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries will not be subject to the covenants in Sections 4.06, 4.07, 4.10, 4.13, 4.14 and 5.01(a)(3) (the “Suspended Covenants”).

Additionally, at such time as the above referenced covenants are suspended (a “Suspension Period”), the Company will no longer be permitted to designate any Restricted Subsidiary as an Unrestricted Subsidiary unless the Company would have been permitted to designate such Subsidiary as an Unrestricted Subsidiary if a Suspension Period had not been in effect and such designation shall be deemed to have created a Restricted Payment as set forth under Section 4.07 following the Reversion Date (as defined below).

In the event that the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries are not subject to the Suspended Covenants for any period of time as a result of the foregoing, and on any subsequent date (the “Reversion Date”) the condition set forth in the first paragraph of this section is no longer satisfied, then the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries will thereafter again be subject to the Suspended Covenants with respect to future events. Notwithstanding that the Suspended Covenants may be reinstated, no Event of Default will be deemed to have occurred as a result of a failure to comply with the Suspended Covenants during the Suspension Period.

On each Reversion Date, all Debt incurred during the Suspension Period prior to such Reversion Date will be deemed to be Debt incurred pursuant to Section 4.06(b)(8). For purposes of calculating the amount available to be made as Restricted Payments under Section 4.07(a)(3), calculations under such covenant shall be made as though such covenant had been in effect during the entire period of time after the Issue Date (including the Suspension Period). Restricted Payments made during the Suspension Period not otherwise permitted under Section 4.07(b) will reduce the amount available to be made as Restricted Payments under Section 4.07(a)(3) of such covenant. For purposes of Section 4.13, on the Reversion Date, the amount of Excess Proceeds will be reset to the amount of Excess Proceeds in effect as of the first day of the Suspension Period ending on such Reversion Date.

 

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The Company shall deliver promptly to the Trustee an Officer’s Certificate notifying the Trustee of any Suspension Period or Reversion Date, as the case may be, pursuant to this Section 4.19, upon which the Trustee may conclusively rely. The Trustee shall have no duty to inquire or to verify the ratings of the Notes by the Rating Agencies or otherwise to determine the factual basis for the Company’s determination of the occurrence or timing of a Suspension Period or Reversion Date. The Company also shall provide notice to the Holders of any Suspension Period or Reversion Date.

ARTICLE 5

CONSOLIDATION, MERGER OR SALE OF ASSETS

Section 5.01. Consolidation, Merger or Sale of Assets; No Lease of All or Substantially All Assets.

(a) The Company will not:

(i) consolidate with or merge with or into any Person, or

(ii) sell, lease, convey, transfer, or otherwise dispose of all or substantially all of its assets as an entirety or substantially an entirety, in one transaction or a series of related transactions, to any Person,

unless

(1) either (x) the Company is the continuing Person or (y) the resulting, surviving or transferee Person is an entity organized and validly existing under the laws of the United States of America, any state of the United States or the District of Columbia (such Person, as the case may be, being herein called the “Successor Company”) and expressly assumes by supplemental indenture all of the obligations of the Company under this Indenture and the Notes;

(2) immediately after giving effect to the transaction, no Default has occurred and is continuing;

(3) immediately after giving effect to the transaction on a pro forma basis, (i) the Company or the resulting, surviving or transferee Person could Incur at least $1.00 of Debt under Section 4.06(a) or (ii) the Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio would be greater than or equal to the Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio immediately prior to such transaction; and

(4) the Company or the Successor Company delivers to the Trustee an Officer’s Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel, each stating that the consolidation, merger or transfer and the supplemental indenture (if any) comply with this Indenture;

provided, that clauses (2) and (3) do not apply (i) to the consolidation or merger of the Company with or into a Restricted Subsidiary or the consolidation or merger of a Restricted Subsidiary with or into the Company or (ii) if, in the good faith determination of the Board of Directors of the Company, whose determination is evidenced by a Board Resolution, the sole purpose of the transaction is to change the jurisdiction of incorporation of the Company.

(b) Upon the consummation of any transaction effected in accordance with these provisions, if the Company is not the continuing Person, the resulting, surviving or transferee Person will succeed to, and be substituted for, and may exercise every right and power of, the Company under this Indenture and the Notes with the same effect as if such successor Person had been named as the Company in this Indenture. Upon such substitution, except in the case of a sale, conveyance, transfer or disposition of less than all its assets or any lease, the Company will be released from its obligations under this Indenture and the Notes.

Section 5.02. Consolidation, Merger or Sale of Assets by a Guarantor.

(a) No Guarantor may

(i) consolidate with or merge with or into any Person, or

 

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(ii) sell, convey, transfer or dispose of, all or substantially all its assets as an entirety or substantially as an entirety, in one transaction or a series of related transactions, to any Person,

unless

(A) the other Person is the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary that is a Guarantor or becomes a Guarantor concurrently with the transaction; or

(B) (1) either (x) the Guarantor is the continuing Person or (y) the resulting, surviving or transferee Person expressly assumes by supplemental indenture all of the obligations of the Guarantor under its Note Guaranty; and

(2) immediately after giving effect to the transaction, no Default has occurred and is continuing; or

(C) the transaction is made in compliance with the covenant described under Section 4.13.

(b) Upon the consummation of any transaction effected in accordance with clause (A) or (B) of Section 5.02(a)(ii), if the Guarantor is not the continuing Person, the resulting, surviving or transferee Person will succeed to, and be substituted for, and may exercise every right and power of, such Guarantor under its Note Guaranty with the same effect as if such successor Person had been named as the Guarantor therein. Upon such substitution, such Guarantor will be released from its obligations under its Note Guaranty.

ARTICLE 6

DEFAULT AND REMEDIES

Section 6.01. Events of Default. An “Event of Default” occurs if:

(1) the Company defaults in the payment of the principal or premium, if any, of any Note when the same becomes due and payable at maturity, upon acceleration or redemption, or otherwise (other than pursuant to an Offer to Purchase);

(2) the Company defaults in the payment of interest on any Note when the same becomes due and payable, and the default continues for a period of 30 consecutive days;

(3) the Company fails to make an Offer to Purchase and thereafter accepts and pays for Notes tendered when and as required pursuant to Section 4.12 or Section 4.13, or the Company or any Guarantor fails to comply with Article 5;

(4) the Company defaults in the performance of or breaches any other covenant or agreement of the Company in this Indenture or under the Notes (other than as set forth in (1), (2) or (3) above) and the default or breach continues for a period of 60 consecutive days after written notice to the Company by the Trustee or to the Company and the Trustee by the Holders of 25% or more in aggregate principal amount of the Notes; provided, that the Company shall have 120 days after the receipt of such notice to remedy, or receive a waiver for, any failure to comply with Section 4.17;

(5) there occurs with respect to any Debt of the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries having an outstanding principal amount of $50 million or more in the aggregate for all such Debt of all such Persons (i) an event of default that results in such Debt being due and payable prior to its scheduled maturity or (ii) failure to make a principal payment when due and such defaulted payment is not made, waived or extended within the applicable grace period;

 

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(6) one or more final judgments or orders for the payment of money are rendered against the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries by a court or courts of competent jurisdiction and are not paid, stayed or discharged, and there is a period of 60 consecutive days following entry of such final judgment or order that causes the aggregate amount for all such final judgments or orders outstanding and not paid, stayed or discharged against all such Persons to exceed $50 million (to the extent not covered by indemnities provided by reputable creditworthy companies or insurance as to which the applicable insurance company is solvent and has not denied coverage);

(7) an involuntary case or other proceeding is commenced against the Company or any Significant Restricted Subsidiary with respect to it or its debts under any bankruptcy, insolvency or other similar law now or hereafter in effect seeking the appointment of a trustee, receiver, liquidator, custodian or other similar official of it or any substantial part of its property, and such involuntary case or other proceeding remains undismissed and unstayed for a period of 60 days; or an order for relief is entered against the Company or any Significant Restricted Subsidiary under the federal bankruptcy laws as now or hereafter in effect;

(8) the Company or any Significant Restricted Subsidiaries (i) commences a voluntary case under any applicable bankruptcy, insolvency or other similar law now or hereafter in effect, or consents to the entry of an order for relief in an involuntary case under any such law, (ii) consents to the appointment of or taking possession by a receiver, liquidator, assignee, custodian, trustee, sequestrator or similar official of the Company or any Significant Restricted Subsidiaries or for all or substantially all of the property and assets of the Company or any Significant Restricted Subsidiaries or (iii) effects any general assignment for the benefit of creditors (an Event of Default specified in clause (7) or (8) a “bankruptcy default”); or

(9) any Note Guaranty ceases to be in full force and effect or a Guarantor denies or disaffirms its obligations under its Note Guaranty, each other than in accordance with the terms of this Indenture.

Section 6.02. Acceleration.

(a) If an Event of Default, other than a bankruptcy default with respect to the Company occurs and is continuing under this Indenture, the Trustee or the Holders of at least 25% in aggregate principal amount of the Notes then outstanding, by written notice to the Company (and to the Trustee if the notice is given by the Holders), may, and the Trustee at the request of such Holders shall (subject to the other provisions of this Indenture), declare the principal of and accrued interest on the Notes to be immediately due and payable; provided that no notice of Default may be given with respect to any action taken, and reported publicly to holders, more than two years prior to such notice of Default. Upon a declaration of acceleration, such principal and interest will become immediately due and payable. If a bankruptcy default occurs with respect to the Company, the principal of and accrued interest on the Notes then outstanding will become immediately due and payable without any declaration or other act on the part of the Trustee or any Holder.

(b) The Holders of a majority in principal amount of the outstanding Notes by written notice to the Company and to the Trustee may waive all past defaults and rescind and annul a declaration of acceleration and its consequences if

(1) all existing Events of Default, other than the nonpayment of the principal of, premium, if any, and interest on the Notes that have become due solely by the declaration of acceleration, have been cured or waived, and

(2) the rescission would not conflict with any judgment or decree of a court of competent jurisdiction.

(c) In the event of a declaration of acceleration of the Notes solely because an Event of Default described in Section 6.01(5) has occurred and is continuing, the declaration of acceleration of the Notes shall be automatically rescinded and annulled if the event of default or payment default triggering such Event of Default pursuant to Section 6.01(5) shall be remedied or cured by the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary of the Company or waived (and the related declaration of acceleration rescinded or annulled) by the Holders of the relevant Debt within 30 Business Days after the declaration of acceleration with respect to the Notes and if the rescission and annulment of the acceleration of the Notes would not conflict with any judgment or decree of a court of competent jurisdiction obtained by the Trustee for the payment of amounts due on the Notes.

 

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Section 6.03. Other Remedies. If an Event of Default occurs and is continuing, the Trustee may pursue, in its own name or as trustee of an express trust, any available remedy by proceeding at law or in equity to collect the payment of principal of 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.

Section 6.04. Waiver of Past Defaults. Except as otherwise provided in Sections 6.02, 6.07 and 9.02, the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the outstanding Notes may, by written notice to the Trustee, waive an existing Default and its consequences. Upon such waiver, the Default will cease to exist, and any Event of Default arising therefrom will be deemed to have been cured, but no such waiver will extend to any subsequent or other Default or impair any right consequent thereon.

Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein, (i) if 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 in Section 4.17 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 covenant 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 6.05. Control by Majority. The Holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the outstanding Notes may direct the time, method and place of conducting any proceeding for any remedy available to the Trustee or exercising any trust or power conferred on the Trustee. However, the Trustee may refuse to follow any direction that conflicts with law or this Indenture, that may involve the Trustee in personal liability, or that the Trustee determines in good faith may be unduly prejudicial to the rights of Holders not joining in the giving of such direction, and may take any other action it deems proper that is not inconsistent with any such direction received from Holders (it being understood that the Trustee does not have an affirmative duty to ascertain whether or not such actions or forbearances are prejudicial to any other Holder). The Trustee will be under no obligation to exercise any of the rights and powers under this Indenture at the request or direction of any of the Holders unless such Holders have offered, and if requested, provided to the Trustee indemnity or security satisfactory to it against any loss, liability or expense.

Section 6.06. Limitation on Suits. A Holder may not institute any proceeding, judicial or otherwise, with respect to this Indenture or the Notes, or for the appointment of a receiver or trustee, or for any other remedy under this Indenture or the Notes, unless:

(1) the Holder has previously given to the Trustee written notice of a continuing Event of Default;

(2) Holders of at least 25% in aggregate principal amount of outstanding Notes have made written request to the Trustee to institute proceedings in respect of the Event of Default in its own name as Trustee under this Indenture;

(3) Holders have offered, and if requested, provided to the Trustee indemnity satisfactory to the Trustee against any costs, liabilities or expenses to be incurred in compliance with such request;

(4) the Trustee for 60 days after its receipt of such written notice, request and offer of indemnity has failed to institute any such proceeding; and

 

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(5) during such 60-day period, the Holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the outstanding Notes have not given the Trustee a written direction that is inconsistent with such written request.

Section 6.07. Rights of Holders to Receive Payment. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary, the right of a Holder to receive payment of principal of or interest on its Note on or after the Stated Maturities thereof, or to bring suit for the enforcement of any such payment on or after such respective dates, may not be impaired or affected without the consent of that Holder.

Section 6.08. Collection Suit by Trustee. If an Event of Default in payment of principal or interest specified in Section 6.01(1) or (2) occurs and is continuing, the Trustee (in any capacity) may recover judgment in its own name and as trustee of an express trust for the whole amount of principal and accrued interest remaining unpaid, together with interest on overdue principal and, to the extent lawful, overdue installments of interest, in each case at the rate specified in the Notes, and such further amount as is sufficient to cover the costs and expenses of collection, including the compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the Trustee (in any capacity), its agents and counsel and any other amounts due the Trustee (in any capacity) hereunder.

Section 6.09. Trustee May File Proofs of Claim. The Trustee may file 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 compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the Trustee (in any capacity), its agents and counsel, and any other amounts due the Trustee acting in any capacity hereunder) and the Holders allowed in any judicial proceedings relating to the Company or any Guarantor or their respective creditors or property, and is entitled and empowered to collect, receive and distribute any money, securities or other property payable or deliverable upon conversion or exchange of the Notes or upon any such claims. Any custodian, receiver, assignee, trustee, liquidator, sequestrator or other similar official in any such judicial proceeding is hereby authorized by each Holder to make such payments to the Trustee and, if the Trustee consents to the making of such payments directly to the Holders, to pay to the Trustee any amount due to it for the compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the Trustee, its agent and counsel, and any other amounts due the Trustee (in any capacity) hereunder. Nothing in this Indenture will be deemed to empower the Trustee to authorize or consent to, or accept or adopt on behalf of any Holder, any plan of reorganization, arrangement, adjustment or composition affecting the Notes or the rights of any Holder thereof, or to authorize the Trustee to vote in respect of the claim of any Holder in any such proceeding.

Section 6.10. Priorities. If the Trustee collects any money pursuant to this Article, it shall pay out the money in the following order:

First: to the Trustee (in any capacity) for all amounts due hereunder;

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

Third: to the Company or as a court of competent jurisdiction may direct.

The Trustee, upon written notice to the Company, may fix a record date and payment date for any payment to Holders pursuant to this Section.

Section 6.11. Restoration of Rights and Remedies. If the Trustee or any Holder has instituted a proceeding to enforce any right or remedy under this Indenture and the proceeding has been discontinued or abandoned for any reason, or has been determined adversely to the Trustee or to the Holder, then, subject to any determination in the proceeding, the Company, any Guarantors, the Trustee and the Holders will be restored severally and respectively to their former positions hereunder and thereafter all rights and remedies of the Company, any Guarantors, the Trustee and the Holders will continue as though no such proceeding had been instituted.

 

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Section 6.12. Undertaking for Costs. In any suit for the enforcement of any right or remedy under this Indenture or in any suit against the Trustee for any action taken or omitted by it as Trustee, a court may require any party litigant in such suit (other than the Trustee) to file an undertaking to pay the costs of the suit, and the court may assess reasonable costs, including reasonable attorneys’ fees, against any party litigant (other than the Trustee) in the suit having due regard to the merits and good faith of the claims or defenses made by the party litigant. This Section does not apply to a suit by a Holder to enforce payment of principal of or interest on any Note on the respective due dates, or a suit by Holders of more than 10% in principal amount of the outstanding Notes.

Section 6.13. Rights and Remedies Cumulative. No right or remedy conferred or reserved to the Trustee or to the Holders under this Indenture is intended to be exclusive of any other right or remedy, and all such rights and remedies are, to the extent permitted by law, cumulative and in addition to every other right and remedy hereunder or now or hereafter existing at law or in equity or otherwise. The assertion or exercise of any right or remedy hereunder, or otherwise, will not prevent the concurrent assertion or exercise of any other right or remedy.

Section 6.14. 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 will 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 6.15. Waiver of Stay, Extension or Usury Laws. The Company and each Guarantor covenants, to the extent that it may lawfully do so, that it will not at any time insist upon, or plead, or in any manner whatsoever claim or take the benefit or advantage of, any stay or extension law or any usury law or other law that would prohibit or forgive the Company or the Guarantor from paying all or any portion of the principal of, or interest on the Notes as contemplated herein, wherever enacted, now or at any time hereafter in force, or that may affect the covenants or the performance of this Indenture. The Company and each Guarantor hereby expressly waives, to the extent that it may lawfully do so, all benefit or advantage of any such law and covenants that it will not hinder, delay or impede the execution of any power herein granted to the Trustee, but will suffer and permit the execution of every such power as though no such law had been enacted.

ARTICLE 7

THE TRUSTEE

Section 7.01. General.

(a) [Reserved]

(b) Except during the continuance of an Event of Default, the Trustee need perform only those duties that are specifically set forth in this Indenture and no others, and no implied covenants or obligations will be read into this Indenture against the Trustee. In case an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing, the Trustee shall exercise those rights and powers vested in it by this Indenture, and use the same degree of care and skill in their exercise, as a prudent person would exercise or use under the circumstances in the conduct of such person’s own affairs.

(c) No provision of this Indenture shall be construed to relieve the Trustee from liability for its own grossly negligent action, its own grossly negligent failure to act or its own willful misconduct.

Section 7.02. Certain Rights of Trustee.

(a) In the absence of gross negligence or willful misconduct on its part as determined by a final order of a court of competent jurisdiction, the Trustee may rely, and will be protected in acting or refraining from acting, upon any resolution, certificate, statement, instrument, opinion, report, notice, request, direction, consent, judgment, order, bond, debenture, note, other evidence of Debt or other paper or 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, in the case of any document which is specifically required to be furnished to the Trustee pursuant to any provision hereof, the Trustee shall examine the document to determine whether it conforms to the requirements of this Indenture (but need not confirm or investigate the accuracy of mathematical calculations or other facts stated therein).

 

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(b) Before the Trustee acts or refrains from acting, it may require an Officer’s Certificate or an Opinion of Counsel, or both, each conforming to Section 11.05 and the Trustee will not be liable for any action it takes or omits to take in good faith in reliance on the certificate or opinion.

(c) The Trustee may act through its attorneys and agents and will not be responsible for the acts or omissions of any agent appointed with due care.

(d) The Trustee will be under no obligation to exercise any of the rights or powers vested in it by this Indenture at the request or direction of any of the Holders, unless such Holders have offered, and if requested, provided to the Trustee security or indemnity satisfactory to it against the costs, fees, expenses and liabilities that might be incurred by it in compliance with such request or direction.

(e) The Trustee will not be liable for any action it takes or omits to take in good faith that it believes to be authorized or within its rights or powers or for any action it takes or omits to take in accordance with the direction of the Holders in accordance with Section 6.05 relating to the time, method and place of conducting any proceeding for any remedy available to the Trustee, or exercising any trust or power conferred upon the Trustee, under this Indenture.

(f) The Trustee may consult with counsel, and the advice of such counsel or any Opinion of Counsel will be full and complete authorization and protection in respect of any action taken, suffered or omitted by it hereunder in good faith and in reliance thereon.

(g) No provision of this Indenture will require the Trustee to expend or risk its own funds or otherwise incur any financial liability in the performance of its duties hereunder, or in the exercise of its rights or powers, unless it receives indemnity satisfactory to it against any loss, liability or expense.

(h) In no event shall the Trustee be liable for any consequential, special, indirect or punitive loss or damage of any kind whatsoever (including but not limited to lost profits), even if the Trustee has been advised of the likelihood of such loss or damage and regardless of the form of action.

(i) The Trustee shall be entitled to request and receive written instructions from the Company and shall have no responsibility or liability for any losses or damages of any nature that may arise from any action taken or not taken by the Trustee in accordance with the written direction of Company.

(j) The permissive rights of the Trustee to do things enumerated in this Indenture shall not be construed as a duty and, with respect to such permissive rights, the Trustee shall not be answerable for other than its gross negligence or willful misconduct.

(k) The Trustee shall not be deemed to have notice of any Default or Event of Default unless a responsible officer of the Trustee has actual knowledge thereof.

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 Company or its Affiliates with the same rights it would have if it were not the Trustee. However, in the event the Trustee acquires a conflicting interest (as such term is used in the Trust Indenture Act) it must eliminate such conflict within 90 days or resign. Any Agent may do the same with like rights. The Trustee is also subject to Section 7.10 hereof.

Section 7.04. Trustees Disclaimer. The Trustee (i) makes no representation as to the validity or adequacy of this Indenture or the Notes, (ii) is not accountable for the Company’s use or application of the proceeds from the Notes and (iii) is not responsible for any statement in the Notes other than its certificate of authentication.

 

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Section 7.05. Notice of Default. If any Default occurs and is continuing and if a responsible officer of the Trustee has actual knowledge thereof, the Trustee will send notice of the Default to each Holder within 90 days after it is actually known to a responsible officer of the Trustee, unless the Default has been cured; provided that, except in the case of a default in the payment of the principal of or interest on any Note, the Trustee may withhold the notice if and so long as the Trustee in good faith determines that withholding the notice is in the interest of the Holders.

Section 7.06. [Reserved].

Section 7.07. Compensation and Indemnity.

(a) The Company will pay the Trustee compensation as agreed upon in writing for its services. The compensation of the Trustee is not limited by any law on compensation of a Trustee of an express trust. The Company will reimburse the Trustee upon request for all reasonable out-of-pocket expenses, disbursements and advances incurred or made by the Trustee, including the compensation and expenses of the Trustee’s agents and counsel.

(b) The Company shall indemnify the Trustee (in any capacity) for (including without limitation its officers, directors, agents and employees), and hold it harmless against, any loss, liability, expense, action, suit or proceeding at law or in equity (including, without limitation, attorneys’ fees and expenses and the costs of enforcement of this Indenture), except to the extent the same shall have been finally adjudicated by a court of competent jurisdiction to have been directly caused by the Trustee’s gross negligence or willful misconduct on its part, arising out of or in connection with the acceptance or administration of this Indenture and its duties under this Indenture and the Notes, including the costs and expenses of defending itself against any claim or liability and of complying with any process served upon it or any of its officers in connection with the exercise or performance of any of its powers or duties under this Indenture and the Notes.

(c) To secure the Company’s payment obligations in this Section, the Trustee shall have a lien prior to the Notes on all money or property held or collected by the Trustee, in its capacity as Trustee, except money or property held in trust to pay principal of, and interest on particular Notes.

(d) The obligations of the Company under this Section 7.07 shall survive any satisfaction, discharge and termination of this Indenture and the resignation or removal of the Trustee (in any capacity).

Section 7.08. Replacement of Trustee.

(a) (1) The Trustee may resign at any time by written notice to the Company.

(2) The Holders of a majority in principal amount of the outstanding Notes may remove the Trustee by written notice to the Trustee.

(3) If the Trustee, after written request by any Holder who has been a Holder for at least six months, is no longer eligible under Section 7.10, such Holder may petition any court of competent jurisdiction for the removal of the Trustee and the appointment of a successor Trustee.

(4) The Company may remove the Trustee if: (i) the Trustee is no longer eligible under Section 7.10; (ii) the Trustee is adjudged a bankrupt or an insolvent; (iii) a receiver or other public officer takes charge of the Trustee or its property; or (iv) the Trustee becomes incapable of acting.

A resignation or removal of the Trustee and appointment of a successor Trustee will become effective only upon the successor Trustee’s acceptance of appointment as provided in this Section.

(b) If the Trustee has been removed by the Holders, Holders of a majority in principal amount of the Notes may appoint a successor Trustee with the written consent of the Company. Otherwise, if the Trustee resigns or is removed, or if a vacancy exists in the office of Trustee for any reason, the Company will promptly appoint a successor Trustee. If the successor Trustee does not deliver its written acceptance within 30 days after the retiring Trustee resigns or is removed, the retiring Trustee, the Company or the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the outstanding Notes may petition any court of competent jurisdiction for the appointment of a successor Trustee.

 

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(c) Upon delivery by the successor Trustee of a written acceptance of its appointment to the retiring Trustee and to the Company, (i) the retiring Trustee will transfer all property held by it as Trustee to the successor Trustee, subject to the lien provided for in Section 7.07, (ii) the resignation or removal of the retiring Trustee will become effective, and (iii) the successor Trustee will have all the rights, powers and duties of the Trustee under this Indenture. Upon request of any successor Trustee, the Company will execute any and all instruments for fully and vesting in and confirming to the successor Trustee all such rights, powers and trusts. The Company shall give notice of any resignation and any removal of the Trustee and each appointment of a successor Trustee to all Holders, and include in the notice the name of the successor Trustee and the address of its Corporate Trust Office.

(d) Notwithstanding replacement of the Trustee pursuant to this Section, the Company’s obligations under Section 7.07 will continue for the benefit of the retiring Trustee.

Section 7.09. Successor Trustee by Merger. If the Trustee consolidates with, merges or converts into, or transfers all or substantially all of its corporate trust business to, another corporation or national banking association, the resulting, surviving or transferee corporation or national banking association without any further act will be the successor Trustee with the same effect as if the successor Trustee had been named as the Trustee in this Indenture.

Section 7.10. Eligibility. This Indenture must always have a Trustee 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, together with its parent, a combined capital and surplus of at least $150,000,000 as set forth in its most recent published annual report of condition.

Section 7.11. Money Held in Trust. The Trustee will not be liable for interest on any money received by it except as it may agree in writing with the Company. Money held in trust by the Trustee need not be segregated from other funds except to the extent required by law and except for money held in trust under Article 8.

ARTICLE 8

DEFEASANCE AND DISCHARGE

Section 8.01. Discharge of Companys Obligations.

(a) Subject to Section 8.01(b), this Indenture will be discharged and will cease to be of further effect as to all Notes when either:

(1) all Notes previously authenticated and delivered (other than (i) destroyed, lost or stolen Notes that have been replaced, (ii) Notes that are paid pursuant to Section 4.01 or (iii) Notes for whose payment money or U.S. Government Obligations have been held in trust and then repaid to the Company pursuant to Section 8.05) have been delivered to the Trustee for cancellation; or

(2) (A) all Notes not theretofore delivered to the Trustee for cancellation have become due and payable by reason of the making of one or more notices of redemption or otherwise, will become due and payable within one year or may 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 Company, and the Company 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, U.S. Government Obligations, or a combination thereof, in such amounts as will be sufficient (without consideration of any reinvestment of interest), in the opinion of an Independent Financial Advisor to the extent such amounts consist of U.S. Government Obligations, to pay and discharge the entire Debt on the Notes not theretofore delivered to the Trustee for cancellation for principal, premium, if any, and accrued interest to the date of maturity or redemption; provided that (i) upon any redemption that requires the

 

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payment of the Applicable Premium, the amount deposited will be sufficient for purposes of this Indenture to the extent that an amount is deposited with the Trustee equal to the Applicable Premium calculated as of the date of the notice of redemption, with any deficit as of the date of redemption (any such amount, the “Applicable Premium Deficit”) only required to be deposited with the Trustee on or prior to the date of redemption and (ii) any Applicable Premium Deficit will 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 will be applied toward such redemption;

(B) the Company has paid or caused to be paid all sums payable by it under this Indenture;

(C) the Company 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; and

(D) the Company has delivered to the Trustee an Officer’s Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel, in each case stating that all conditions precedent provided for herein relating to the satisfaction and discharge of this Indenture have been complied with.

(b) After satisfying the conditions in Section 8.01(a)(1), only the Company’s obligations under Section 7.07 will survive. After satisfying the conditions in Section 8.01(a)(2), only the Company’s obligations in Article 2 and Sections 4.01, 4.02, 7.07, 7.08, 8.05 and 8.06 will survive. In either case, the Trustee upon request will acknowledge in a writing prepared by the Company at their cost and expense the discharge of the Company’s obligations under the Notes and this Indenture other than the surviving obligations.

Section 8.02. Legal Defeasance. After the deposit referred to in Section 8.02(1) is made, the Company will be deemed to have paid and will be discharged from its obligations in respect of the Notes and this Indenture, other than its obligations in Article 2 and Sections 4.01, 4.02, 7.07, 7.08, 8.05 and 8.06, and each Guarantor’s obligations under its Note Guaranty will terminate; provided the following conditions have been satisfied:

(1) The Company has irrevocably deposited in trust with the Trustee, as trust funds solely for the benefit of the Holders, money or U.S. Government Obligations or a combination thereof sufficient, in the opinion of a nationally recognized firm of independent public accountants expressed in a written certificate thereof delivered to the Trustee, without consideration of any reinvestment, to pay principal of and interest on the Notes to maturity or redemption, as the case may be; provided that any redemption before maturity has been irrevocably provided for under arrangements satisfactory to the Trustee.

(2) No Default has occurred and is continuing on the date of the deposit.

(3) The deposit will not result in a breach or violation of, or constitute a default under, this Indenture or any other agreement or instrument to which the Company is a party or by which it is bound.

(4) The Company has delivered to the Trustee

(A) either (x) a ruling received from the Internal Revenue Service to the effect that the Holders will not recognize income, gain or loss for federal income tax purposes as a result of the defeasance and will be subject to federal income tax on the same amount and in the same manner and at the same times as would otherwise have been the case or (y) an Opinion of Counsel, based on a change in law after the date of this Indenture, to the same effect as the ruling described in clause (x), and

(B) an Opinion of Counsel to the effect that (i) the creation of the defeasance trust does not violate the Investment Company Act of 1940, (ii) the Holders have a valid first priority Note interest in the trust funds (subject to customary exceptions), and (iii) after the passage of 123 days following the deposit, the trust funds will not be subject to the effect of Section 547 of the United States Bankruptcy Code or Section 15 of the New York Debtor and Creditor Law.

 

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(5) If the Notes are listed on a national securities exchange, the Company has delivered to the Trustee an Opinion of Counsel to the effect that the deposit and defeasance will not cause the Notes to be delisted.

(6) The Company has delivered to the Trustee an Officer’s Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel, in each case stating that all conditions precedent provided for herein relating to the defeasance have been complied with.

Thereafter, the Trustee upon request will acknowledge in writing the discharge of the Company’s obligations under the Notes and this Indenture except for the surviving obligations specified above.

Section 8.03. Covenant Defeasance. After the deposit referred to in Section 8.03(1) is made, the Company’s obligations set forth in Sections 4.06 through 4.15, inclusive and Section 5.01(a)(3)and each Guarantor’s obligations under its Note Guaranty, will terminate, and Sections 6.01(3), (4), (5), (6) and (9) will no longer constitute Events of Default; provided the following conditions have been satisfied:

(1) The Company has complied with Sections 8.02(1), (2), (3), (4)(B), (5) and (6); and

(2) the Company has delivered to the Trustee an Opinion of Counsel to the effect that the Holders will not recognize income, gain or loss for federal income tax purposes as a result of the defeasance and will be subject to federal income tax on the same amount and in the same manner and at the same times as would otherwise have been the case.

Except as specifically stated above, none of the Company’s obligations under this Indenture will be discharged.

Section 8.04. Application of Trust Money. Subject to Section 8.05, the Trustee will hold in trust the money or U.S. Government Obligations deposited with it pursuant to Section 8.01, 8.02 or 8.03, and apply the deposited money and the proceeds from deposited U.S. Government Obligations to the payment of principal of and interest on the Notes in accordance with the Notes and this Indenture. Such money and U.S. Government Obligations need not be segregated from other funds except to the extent required by law.

Section 8.05. Repayment to the Company. Subject to Sections 7.07, 8.01, 8.02 and 8.03, the Trustee will promptly pay to the Company upon request any excess money held by the Trustee at any time and thereupon be relieved from all liability with respect to such money. Subject to applicable abandoned property laws, the Trustee will pay to the Company upon request any money held for payment with respect to the Notes that remains unclaimed for two years; provided that before making such payment the Trustee may at the expense of the Company publish once in a newspaper of general circulation in New York City, or send to each Holder entitled to such money, notice that the money remains unclaimed and that after a date specified in the notice (at least 30 days after the date of the publication or notice) any remaining unclaimed balance of money will be repaid to the Company. After payment to the Company, Holders entitled to such money must look solely to the Company for payment, unless applicable law designates another Person, and all liability of the Trustee with respect to such money will cease.

Section 8.06. Reinstatement. If and for so long as the Trustee is unable to apply any money or U.S. Government Obligations held in trust pursuant to Section 8.01, 8.02 or 8.03 by reason of any legal proceeding or by reason of any order or judgment of any court or governmental authority enjoining, restraining or otherwise prohibiting such application, the Company’s obligations under this Indenture and the Notes will be reinstated as though no such deposit in trust had been made. If the Company makes any payment of principal of or interest on any Notes because of the reinstatement of its obligations, it will be subrogated to the rights of the Holders of such Notes to receive such payment from the money or U.S. Government Obligations held in trust.

 

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ARTICLE 9

AMENDMENTS, SUPPLEMENTS AND WAIVERS

Section 9.01. Amendments Without Consent of Holders.

(a) The Company and the Trustee may amend or supplement this Indenture or the Notes or any Note Guaranty without notice to or the consent of any Noteholder:

(1) to cure any ambiguity, defect, mistake or inconsistency in this Indenture or the Notes or the Note Guaranties;

(2) to comply with Article 5;

(3) [reserved];

(4) to evidence and provide for the acceptance of an appointment by a successor Trustee;

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

(6) to provide for any Guarantee of the Notes, to secure the Notes or to confirm and evidence the release, termination or discharge of any Guarantee of or Lien securing the Notes when such release, termination or discharge is permitted by this Indenture;

(7) to provide for or confirm the issuance of Additional Notes;

(8) to make any amendment to the provisions of Article 2 as permitted by this Indenture; provided that (i) compliance with this Indenture as so amended would not result in Notes being transferred in violation of any applicable securities law and (ii) such amendment does not materially and adversely affect the rights of the Holders to transfer Notes;

(9) to make any other change that would provide additional rights or benefits to the Holders or that does not materially and adversely affect the rights of any Holder; or

(10) to conform any provision to the section entitled “Description of the Notes” in the Offering Memorandum.

Section 9.02. Amendments With Consent of Holders.

(a) Except as otherwise provided in Sections 6.02, 6.04, 6.07 and 9.01, or Section 9.02(b), the Company and the Trustee may amend this Indenture and the Notes or a Note Guaranty or Note Guaranties with the written consent of the holders of a majority in principal amount of the outstanding Notes (including, without limitation, any Additional Notes) and the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the outstanding Notes (including, without limitation, any Additional Notes) may waive future compliance by the Company with any provision of this Indenture or the Notes or any Guarantor with any provision of its Note Guaranty.

(b) Notwithstanding the provisions of Section 9.02(a), without the consent of each Holder affected, an amendment or waiver may not

(1) reduce the principal amount of or change the Stated Maturity of any installment of principal of any Note,

(2) reduce the rate of or change the Stated Maturity of any interest payment on any Note,

(3) reduce the amount payable upon the redemption of any Note, the times at which any Note may be redeemed or, once notice of redemption has been given, the time at which it must thereupon be redeemed,

(4) after the time an Offer to Purchase is required to have been made, (i) reduce the purchase amount or purchase price or (ii) except as may be required by applicable law, extend the latest expiration date or purchase date thereunder,

 

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(5) make any Note payable in money other than that stated in the Note,

(6) impair the contractual right of any Holder of Notes to receive any principal payment or interest payment on such Holder’s Notes, on or after the Stated Maturity thereof, or to institute suit for the enforcement of any payment on or with respect to such Holder’s Notes,

(7) make any change in the percentage of the principal amount of the Notes required for amendments or waivers,

(8) modify or change any provision of this Indenture affecting the ranking of the Notes or any Note Guaranty in a manner adverse to the Holders, or

(9) release any Note Guaranty by a Domestic Restricted Subsidiary not otherwise permitted to be released by this Indenture.

(c) It is not necessary for Noteholders to approve the particular form of any proposed amendment, supplement or waiver, but is sufficient if their consent approves the substance thereof.

(d) An amendment, supplement or waiver under this Section will become effective on receipt by the Trustee of (i) written consents from the Holders of the requisite percentage in principal amount of the outstanding Notes and (ii) the Officer’s Certificate and Opinion of Counsel required by Section 9.04 hereof. After an amendment, supplement or waiver under this Section becomes effective, the Company will send to the Holders affected thereby (with a copy to the Trustee) a notice briefly describing the amendment, supplement or waiver. The Company will send copies of the amendment, waiver or supplemental indenture to Holders upon request. Any failure of the Company to send such notice, or any defect therein, will not, however, in any way impair or affect the validity of any such supplemental indenture or waiver.

Section 9.03. Effect of Consent.

(a) After an amendment, supplement or waiver becomes effective, it will bind every Holder unless it is of the type requiring the consent of each Holder affected. If the amendment, supplement or waiver is of the type requiring the consent of each Holder affected, the amendment, supplement or waiver will bind each Holder that has consented to it and every subsequent Holder of a Note that evidences the same debt as the Note of the consenting Holder.

(b) If an amendment, supplement or waiver changes the terms of a Note, the Trustee may require the Holder to deliver it to the Trustee so that the Trustee may place an appropriate notation of the changed terms on the Note and return it to the Holder, or exchange it for a new Note that reflects the changed terms. The Trustee may also place an appropriate notation on any Note thereafter authenticated. However, the effectiveness of the amendment, supplement or waiver is not affected by any failure to annotate or exchange Notes in this fashion.

Section 9.04. Trustees Rights and Obligations. The Trustee shall receive, and shall be fully protected in relying upon, an Officer’s Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel stating that the execution of any amendment, supplement or waiver authorized pursuant to this Article is authorized or permitted by this Indenture. If the Trustee has received such an Officer’s Certificate and Opinion of Counsel, it shall sign the amendment, supplement or waiver so long as the same does not adversely affect the rights of the Trustee. The Trustee may, but is not obligated to, execute any amendment, supplement or waiver that affects the Trustee’s own rights, duties, liabilities or immunities under this Indenture.

ARTICLE 10

GUARANTIES

Section 10.01. The Guaranties. Subject to the provisions of this Article, each Guarantor that executes this Indenture or a supplemental indenture in the form attached hereto as Exhibit B hereby irrevocably and unconditionally guarantees, jointly and severally, on an unsecured basis, the full and punctual payment (whether at

 

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Stated Maturity, upon redemption, purchase pursuant to an Offer to Purchase or acceleration, or otherwise) of the principal of, premium, if any, and interest on, and all other amounts payable under, each Note, and the full and punctual payment of all other amounts payable by the Company under this Indenture. Upon failure by the Company to pay punctually any such amount, each Guarantor shall forthwith on demand pay the amount not so paid at the place and in the manner specified in this Indenture.

Section 10.02. Guaranty Unconditional. The obligations of each Guarantor hereunder are unconditional and absolute and, without limiting the generality of the foregoing, will not be released, discharged or otherwise affected by

(1) any extension, renewal, settlement, compromise, waiver or release in respect of any obligation of the Company under this Indenture or any Note, by operation of law or otherwise;

(2) any modification or amendment of or supplement to this Indenture or any Note;

(3) any change in the corporate existence, structure or ownership of the Company, or any insolvency, bankruptcy, reorganization or other similar proceeding affecting the Company or assets or any resulting release or discharge of any obligation of the Company contained in this Indenture or any Note;

(4) the existence of any claim, set-off or other rights which the Guarantor may have at any time against the Company, the Trustee or any other Person, whether in connection with this Indenture or any unrelated transactions; provided that nothing herein prevents the assertion of any such claim by separate suit or compulsory counterclaim;

(5) any invalidity or unenforceability relating to or against the Company for any reason of this Indenture or any Note, or any provision of applicable law or regulation purporting to prohibit the payment by the Company of the principal of or interest on any Note or any other amount payable by the Company under this Indenture; or

(6) any other act or omission to act or delay of any kind by the Company, the Trustee or any other Person or any other circumstance whatsoever which might, but for the provisions of this Section 10.02, constitute a legal or equitable discharge of or defense to such Guarantor’s obligations hereunder.

Section 10.03. Discharge; Reinstatement. Each Guarantor’s obligations hereunder will remain in full force and effect until the principal of, premium, if any, and interest on the Notes and all other amounts payable by the Company under this Indenture have been paid in full. If at any time any payment of the principal of, premium, if any, or interest on any Note or any other amount payable by the Company under this Indenture is rescinded or must be otherwise restored or returned upon the insolvency, bankruptcy or reorganization of the Company or otherwise, each Guarantor’s obligations hereunder with respect to such payment will be reinstated as though such payment had been due but not made at such time.

Section 10.04. Waiver by the Guarantors. Each Guarantor irrevocably waives acceptance hereof, presentment, demand, protest and any notice not provided for herein, as well as any requirement that at any time any action be taken by any Person against the Company or any other Person.

Section 10.05. Subrogation and Contribution. Upon making any payment with respect to any obligation of the Company under this Article, the Guarantor making such payment will be subrogated to the rights of the payee against the Company with respect to such obligation; provided that the Guarantor may not enforce either any right of subrogation, or any right to receive payment in the nature of contribution, or otherwise, from any other Guarantor, with respect to such payment so long as any amount payable by the Company hereunder or under the Notes remains unpaid.

Section 10.06. Stay of Acceleration. If acceleration of the time for payment of any amount payable by the Company under this Indenture or the Notes is stayed upon the insolvency, bankruptcy or reorganization of the Company, all such amounts otherwise subject to acceleration under the terms of this Indenture are nonetheless payable by the Guarantors hereunder forthwith on demand by the Trustee or the Holders.

 

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Section 10.07. Limitation on Amount of Guaranty. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Article, each Guarantor, and by its acceptance of Notes, each Holder, hereby confirms that it is the intention of all such parties that the Note Guaranty of such Guarantor not constitute a fraudulent conveyance under applicable fraudulent conveyance provisions of the United States Bankruptcy Code or any comparable provision of state law. To effectuate that intention, the Trustee, the Holders and the Guarantors hereby irrevocably agree that the obligations of each Guarantor under its Note Guaranty are limited to the maximum amount that would not render the applicable Guarantor’s obligations subject to avoidance under applicable fraudulent conveyance provisions of the United States Bankruptcy Code or any comparable provision of state law.

Section 10.08. Execution and Delivery of Guaranty. The execution by each Guarantor of this Indenture or a supplemental indenture in the form of Exhibit B evidences the Note Guaranty of such Guarantor, whether or not the person signing as an officer of the Guarantor still holds that office at the time of authentication of any Note. The delivery of any Note by the Trustee after authentication constitutes due delivery of the Note Guaranty set forth in this Indenture on behalf of each Guarantor.

Section 10.09. Release of Guaranty. The Note Guaranty of a Guarantor will terminate upon

(1) a sale or other disposition (including by way of consolidation or merger) of the Guarantor or the sale or disposition of all or substantially all the assets of the Guarantor (other than to the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary) otherwise permitted by this Indenture,

(2) the designation in accordance with this Indenture of the Guarantor as an Unrestricted Subsidiary, or

(3) defeasance or discharge of the Notes, as provided in Article 8.

In the case of a termination in accordance with the above, such Guarantor shall deliver written notice of the termination to the Trustee, but failure to so notify the Trustee shall not invalidate or otherwise affect the termination. Upon delivery by the Company to the Trustee of an Officer’s Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel to the foregoing effect, the Trustee will execute any documents prepared by the Company at its cost and expense reasonably required in order to evidence the release of the Guarantor from its obligations under its Note Guaranty.

ARTICLE 11

MISCELLANEOUS

Section 11.01. Trust Indenture Act of 1939. The Company and the Guarantors shall not be required to qualify this Indenture under the Trust Indenture Act. Whenever this Indenture refers to a provision of the Trust Indenture Act, the provision is incorporated by reference in and made a part of this Indenture.

Section 11.02. Noteholder Communications; Noteholder Actions.

(a) (1) Any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent to amendment, supplement or waiver or other action provided by this Indenture to be given or taken by a Holder (an “act”) may be evidenced by an instrument signed by the Holder delivered to the Trustee. The fact and date of the execution of the instrument, or the authority of the person executing it, may be proved in any manner that the Trustee deems sufficient.

(2) The Trustee may make reasonable rules for action by or at a meeting of Holders, which will be binding on all the Holders.

(b) Any act by the Holder of any Note binds that Holder and every subsequent Holder of a Note that evidences the same debt as the Note of the acting Holder, even if no notation thereof appears on the Note. Subject to Section 11.02(d), a Holder may revoke an act as to its Notes, but only if the Trustee receives the notice of revocation before the date the amendment or waiver or other consequence of the act becomes effective.

 

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(c) The Company may, but is not obligated to, fix a record date for the purpose of determining the Holders entitled to act with respect to any amendment or waiver or in any other regard, except that during the continuance of an Event of Default, only the Trustee may set a record date as to notices of default, any declaration or acceleration or any other remedies or other consequences of the Event of Default. If a record date is fixed, those Persons that were Holders at such record date and only those Persons will be entitled to act, or to revoke any previous act, whether or not those Persons continue to be Holders after the record date. No act will be valid or effective for more than 90 days after the record date.

Section 11.03. Notices.

(a) Any notice or communication to the Company will be deemed given if in writing (i) when delivered in person or (ii) five days after mailing when mailed by first class mail, or (iii) when sent by facsimile transmission, with transmission confirmed. Notices or communications to a Guarantor will be deemed given if given to the Company. Any notice to the Trustee will be effective only upon receipt. In each case the notice or communication should be addressed as follows:

if to the Company:

Consensus Cloud Solutions, Inc.

700 S. Flower Street, 15th Floor

Los Angeles, CA 90017

Attn: Legal Department

if to the Trustee:

Wilmington Trust, National Association

Global Capital Markets

50 South Sixth Street, Suite 1290

Minneapolis, MN 55402

Attention: Consensus Cloud Solutions, Inc. Notes Administrator

Facsimile: (612) 217-5651

The Company or the Trustee by notice to the other may designate additional or different addresses for subsequent notices or communications.

(b) Except as otherwise expressly provided with respect to published notices, any notice or communication to a Holder will be deemed given when mailed to the Holder at its address as it appears on the Register by first class mail or, as to any Global Note registered in the name of DTC or its nominee, as agreed by the Company, the Trustee and DTC. Copies of any notice or communication to a Holder, if given by the Company, will be mailed to the Trustee at the same time. Defect in mailing a notice or communication to any particular Holder will not affect its sufficiency with respect to other Holders.

(c) 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 repurchase) to a Holder (whether by mail or otherwise), such notice shall be sufficiently given (in the case of a Global Note) if given to the Depositary (or its designee) pursuant to the standing instructions from the Depositary or its designee, including by electronic mail in accordance with accepted practices or procedures at the Depositary.

(d) Where this Indenture provides for notice, the notice may be waived in writing by the Person entitled to receive such notice, either before or after the event, and the waiver will be the equivalent of the notice. Waivers of notice by Holders must be filed with the Trustee, but such filing is not a condition precedent to the validity of any action taken in reliance upon such waivers.

 

-63-


Section 11.04. Certificate and Opinion as to Conditions Precedent. Upon any request or application by the Company to the Trustee to take any action under this Indenture (except, with respect to clause (2) below, in connection with the original issuance of the Notes on the date hereof), the Company will furnish to the Trustee:

(1) an Officer’s Certificate stating that, in the opinion of the signers, all conditions precedent, if any, provided for in this Indenture relating to the proposed action have been complied with; and

(2) an Opinion of Counsel stating that all such conditions precedent have been complied with.

Section 11.05. Statements Required in Certificate or Opinion. Each certificate or opinion with respect to compliance with a condition or covenant provided for in this Indenture must include:

(1) a statement that each person signing the certificate or opinion has read the covenant or condition and the related definitions;

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

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

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

Section 11.06. Payment Date Other Than a Business Day. If any payment with respect to a payment of any principal of, premium, if any, or interest on any Note (including any payment to be made on any date fixed for redemption or purchase of any Note) is due on a day which is not a Business Day, then the payment need not be made on such date, but may be made on the next Business Day with the same force and effect as if made on such date, and no interest will accrue for the intervening period.

Section 11.07. Governing Law. This Indenture, including any Note Guaranties, and the Notes shall be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the laws of the State of New York. Each of the parties hereto hereby waives the right to trial by jury with respect to any litigation directly or indirectly arising out of, under or in connection with this Indenture. The parties hereby (i) irrevocably submit to the exclusive jurisdiction of any federal or state court sitting in the Borough of Manhattan, the city of New York, (ii) waive any objection to laying of venue in any such action or proceeding in such courts, and (iii) waive any objection that such courts are an inconvenient forum or do not have jurisdiction over any party.

Section 11.08. No Adverse Interpretation of Other Agreements. This Indenture may not be used to interpret another indenture or loan or debt agreement of the Company or any Subsidiary of the Company, and no such indenture or loan or debt agreement may be used to interpret this Indenture.

Section 11.09. Successors. All agreements of the Company or any Guarantor in this Indenture and the Notes will bind its successors. All agreements of the Trustee in this Indenture will bind its successor.

Section 11.10. Duplicate 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.

Section 11.11. Separability. In case any provision in this Indenture or in the Notes is invalid, illegal or unenforceable, the validity, legality and enforceability of the remaining provisions will not in any way be affected or impaired thereby.

 

-64-


Section 11.12. Entire Agreement. This Indenture and the exhibits hereto set forth the entire agreement and understanding of the parties related to this transaction and supersedes all prior agreements and understandings, oral or written.

Section 11.13. Execution in Counterparts. This Indenture may be executed in any number of counterparts, each of which shall be an original, but such counterparts shall together constitute but one and the same instrument. The exchange of copies of this Indenture and of signature pages by facsimile, PDF or other electronic transmission shall constitute effective execution and delivery of this Indenture as to the parties hereto and may be used in lieu of the original Indenture for all purposes. Signatures of the parties hereto transmitted by facsimile, PDF or other electronic means shall be deemed to be their original signatures for all purposes. Unless otherwise provided in this Indenture or in any Note, the words “execute,” “execution,” “signed” and “signature” and words of similar import used in or related to any document to be signed in connection with this Indenture, any Note or any of the transactions contemplated hereby (including amendments, waivers, consents and other modifications) shall be deemed to include electronic signatures and 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 in ink or the use of a paper-based recordkeeping system, as applicable, to the fullest 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 and any other similar state laws based on the Uniform Electronic Transactions Act; provided that, notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, the Trustee is not under any obligation to agree to accept electronic signatures in any form or in any format unless expressly agreed to by the Trustee pursuant to procedures approved by the Trustee.

Section 11.14. Table of Contents and Headings. 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 in no way modify or restrict any of the terms and provisions of this Indenture.

Section 11.15. No Liability of Directors, Officers, Employees, Incorporators, Members and Stockholders. No director, officer, employee, incorporator, member or stockholder of the Company or any Guarantor, as such, will have any liability for any obligations of the Company or such Guarantor under the Notes, any Note Guaranty or this Indenture or for any claim based on, in respect of, or by reason of, such obligations. Each Holder by accepting a Note waives and releases all such liability. The waiver and release are part of the consideration for issuance of the Notes. This waiver may not be effective to waive liabilities under the federal securities laws and it is the view of the Commission that such a waiver is against public policy.

Section 11.16. Force Majeure. In no event shall the Trustee be responsible or liable for any failure or delay in the performance of its obligations hereunder arising out of or caused by, directly or indirectly, forces beyond its reasonable control, including, without limitation, strikes, work stoppages, accidents, epidemics, pandemics, acts of war or terrorism, civil or military disturbances, nuclear or natural catastrophes or acts of God, and interruptions, loss or malfunctions of utilities, communications or computer (software and hardware) services or the unavailability of the Federal Reserve Bank wire or telex or other wire or communication facility; it being understood that the Trustee shall use reasonable efforts that are consistent with accepted practices in the banking industry to resume performance as soon as practicable under the circumstances.

Section 11.17. Patriot Act. To help the government fight the funding of terrorism and money laundering activities, Federal law requires all financial institutions to obtain, verify and record information that identifies each person who opens an account. For a non-individual person such as a business entity, a charity, a trust or other legal entity, the Trustee will ask for documentation to verify its formation and existence as a legal entity. The Trustee may also ask to see financial statements, licenses, identification and authorization documents from individuals claiming authority to represent the entity or other relevant documentation.

 

-65-


SIGNATURES

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

 

CONSENSUS CLOUD SOLUTIONS, INC., as the Company
By:  

/s/ Vithya Aubee

  Name: Vithya Aubee
  Title: Secretary
J2 CLOUD SERVICES, LLC, as Guarantor
By:  

/s/ Vithya Aubee

  Name: Vithya Aubee
  Title: Secretary
METROFAX, INC., as Guarantor
By:  

/s/ Vithya Aubee

  Name: Vithya Aubee
  Title: Secretary
CATCH CURVE, INC., as Guarantor
By:  

/s/ Vithya Aubee

  Name: Vithya Aubee
  Title: Secretary


WILMINGTON TRUST, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION as Trustee
By:  

/s/ Sarah Vilhauer

  Name: Sarah Vilhauer
  Title: Banking Officer


EXHIBIT A

[FACE OF NOTE]

[Insert the Restricted Legend, if applicable to the provisions of the Indenture][Insert the DTC Legend, if applicable

to the provisions of the Indenture]

CONSENSUS CLOUD SOLUTIONS, INC.

[Rule 144A][Regulation S][Global] Note

6.000% Senior Note due 2026

CUSIP     [            ]

ISIN        [            ]

 

No. [    ]    $ [            ]
   [as revised by the Schedule of Exchange of Notes]

CONSENSUS CLOUD SOLUTIONS, INC., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”, which term includes any successor under the Indenture hereinafter referred to), for value received, promises to pay to [                ][CEDE & CO.], or its registered assigns, the principal sum of ____________ DOLLARS ($__________) [or such other amount as indicated on the Schedule of Exchange of Notes attached hereto] on October 15, 2026.

[Initial]1 Interest Rate: 6.000% per annum.

Interest Payment Dates: April 15 and October 15, commencing April 15, 2022.

Regular Record Dates: April 1 and October 1.

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

 

 

1 

For Initial Notes or Initial Additional Notes only.

 

Exh. A-1


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

Date:

 

CONSENSUS CLOUD SOLUTIONS, INC.,

as the Company

By:  

 

  Name:
  Title:

 

Exh. A-2


(Form of Trustee’s Certificate of Authentication)

This is one of the 6.000% Senior Notes due 2026 described in the Indenture referred to in this Note.

 

WILMINGTON TRUST, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, as Trustee
By:  

 

  Authorized Signatory

Dated:

 

Exh. A-3


[REVERSE SIDE OF NOTE]

CONSENSUS CLOUD SOLUTIONS, INC.

6.000% Senior Note due 2026

1. Principal and Interest.

The Company promises to pay the principal of this Note on October 15, 2026.

The Company promises to pay interest on the principal amount of this Note on each interest payment date, as set forth on the face of this Note, at the rate of 6.000% per annum.

Interest will be payable semiannually (to the holders of record of the Notes at the close of business on April 1 or October 1 immediately preceding the interest payment date) on each interest payment date, commencing April 15, 2022.

Interest on this Note will accrue from the most recent date to which interest has been paid on this Note (or, if there is no existing default in the payment of interest and if this Note is authenticated between a regular record date and the next interest payment date, from such interest payment date) or, if no interest has been paid, from [the Issue Date].2 Interest will be computed on the basis of a 360-day year of twelve 30-day months.

The Company will pay interest on overdue principal, premium, if any, and, to the extent lawful, interest, at a rate of 6.000% per annum. Interest not paid when due and any interest on principal, premium or interest not paid when due will be paid to the Persons that are Holders on a special record date, which will be the 15th day preceding the date fixed by the Company for the payment of such interest, whether or not such day is a Business Day. At least 15 days before a special record date, the Company will send to each Holder and to the Trustee a notice that sets forth the special record date, the payment date and the amount of interest to be paid.

2. Indentures; Note Guaranty.

This is one of the Notes issued under an Indenture dated as of October 7, 2021 (as amended from time to time, the “Indenture”), between the Company, the guarantors party thereto and Wilmington Trust, National Association, as Trustee. Capitalized terms used herein are used as defined in the Indenture unless otherwise indicated. 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 all such terms. To the extent permitted by applicable law, in the event of any inconsistency between the terms of this Note and the terms of the Indenture, the terms of the Indenture will control.

The Notes are general unsecured obligations of the Company. The Indenture limits the original aggregate principal amount of the Notes to $305,000,000, but Additional Notes may be issued pursuant to the Indenture, and the originally issued Notes and all such Additional Notes vote together for all purposes as a single class. This Note may be guaranteed as set forth in the Indenture.

3. Redemption and Repurchase; Discharge Prior to Redemption or Maturity.

This Note is subject to optional redemption, and may be the subject of an Offer to Purchase, as further described in the Indenture. There is no sinking fund or mandatory redemption applicable to this Note.

If the Company deposits with the Trustee money or U.S. Government Obligations sufficient to pay the then outstanding principal of, premium, if any, and accrued interest on the Notes to redemption or maturity, the Company may in certain circumstances be discharged from the Indenture and the Notes or may be discharged from certain of its obligations under certain provisions of the Indenture.

 

2 

For Additional Notes, may be the date of their original issue or a later interest payment date.

 

Exh. A-4


4. Registered Form; Denominations; Transfer; Exchange.

The Notes are in registered form without coupons in minimum denominations of $2,000 principal amount and integral multiples of $1,000 in excess thereof. A Holder may register the transfer or exchange of Notes in accordance with the Indenture. The Trustee may require a Holder to furnish appropriate endorsements and transfer documents and to pay any taxes and fees required by law or permitted by the Indenture. Pursuant to the Indenture, there are certain periods during which the Trustee will not be required to issue, register the transfer of or exchange any Note or certain portions of a Note.

5. Defaults and Remedies.

If an Event of Default, as defined in the Indenture, occurs and is continuing, the Trustee or the Holders of at least 25% in principal amount of the Notes may declare all the Notes to be due and payable. If a bankruptcy or insolvency default with respect to the Company occurs and is continuing, the Notes automatically become due and payable. Holders may not enforce the Indenture or the Notes except as provided in the Indenture. The Trustee may require indemnity satisfactory to it before it enforces the Indenture or the Notes. Subject to certain limitations, Holders of a majority in principal amount of the Notes then outstanding may direct the Trustee in its exercise of remedies.

6. Amendment and Waiver.

Subject to certain exceptions, the Indenture and the Notes may be amended, or default may be waived, with the consent of the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the outstanding Notes. Without notice to or the consent of any Holder, the Company and the Trustee may amend or supplement the Indenture or the Notes to, among other things, cure any ambiguity, defect or inconsistency if such amendment or supplement does not adversely affect the interests of the Holders in any material respect.

7. Authentication.

This Note is not valid until the Trustee (or Authenticating Agent) manually signs the certificate of authentication on the other side of this Note.

8. Governing Law.

This Note shall be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the laws of the State of New York.

9. Abbreviations.

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

The Company will furnish a copy of the Indenture to any Holder upon written request and without charge.

 

Exh. A-5


[FORM OF TRANSFER NOTICE]

FOR VALUE RECEIVED the undersigned registered holder hereby sell(s), assign(s) and transfer(s) unto

Insert Taxpayer Identification No.

 

 

 

 

Please print or typewrite name and address including zip code of assignee

 

 

the within Note and all rights thereunder, hereby irrevocably constituting and appointing

 

 

attorney to transfer said Note on the books of the Company with full power of substitution in the premises.

 

Exh. A-6


[THE FOLLOWING PROVISION TO BE INCLUDED ON ALL CERTIFICATES BEARING A RESTRICTED LEGEND]

In connection with any transfer of this Note occurring prior to , the undersigned confirms that such transfer is made without utilizing any general solicitation or general advertising and further as follows:

Check One

☐ (1) This Note is being transferred to a “qualified institutional buyer” in compliance with Rule 144A under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and certification in the form of Exhibit F to the Indenture is being furnished herewith.

☐ (2) This Note is being transferred to a Non-U.S. Person in compliance with the exemption from registration under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, provided by Regulation S thereunder, and certification in the form of Exhibit E to the Indenture is being furnished herewith.

or

☐ (3) This Note is being transferred other than in accordance with (1) or (2) above and documents are being furnished which comply with the conditions of transfer set forth in this Note and the Indenture.

If none of the foregoing boxes is checked, the Trustee is not obligated to register this Note in the name of any Person other than the Holder hereof unless and until the conditions to any such transfer of registration set forth herein and in the Indenture have been satisfied.

 

Date:                                               

 

  Seller   
  By:   

 

     NOTICE: The signature to this assignment must
     correspond with the name as written upon the face of
     the within-mentioned instrument in every particular,
     without alteration or any change whatsoever.
Signature Guarantee:3                                      
  By:   

 

     To be executed by an executive officer

 

3

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

 

Exh. A-7


OPTION OF HOLDER TO ELECT PURCHASE

If you wish to have all of this Note purchased by the Company pursuant to Section 4.12 or Section 4.13 of the Indenture, check the box: ☐

If you wish to have a portion of this Note purchased by the Company pursuant to Section 4.12 or Section 4.13 of the Indenture, state the amount (in original principal amount) below:

$                             .

Date:                                                      

Your Signature:                                              

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

Signature Guarantee:4                                         

 

 

4 

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

 

Exh. A-8


SCHEDULE OF EXCHANGE OF NOTES5

The following exchanges of a part of this Global Note for Physical Notes or a part of another Global Note have been made:

 

Date of Exchange

  

Amount of decrease

in principal amount

of this Global Note

  

Amount of increase

in principal amount

of this Global Note

  

Principal amount

of this Global Note

following such decrease

(or increase)

  

Signature of

authorized office of

Trustee

 

 

5 

For Global Notes.

 

Exh. A-9


EXHIBIT B

SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURE

dated as of                  , ____

among

CONSENSUS CLOUD SOLUTIONS, INC.

[The New Guarantor(s) Party Hereto]

and

WILMINGTON TRUST, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION

as Trustee

6.000% SENIOR NOTES DUE 2026

THIS SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURE (this “Supplemental Indenture”), entered into as of __________, ____, among Consensus Cloud Solutions, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), [insert each Guarantor executing this Supplemental Indenture and its jurisdiction of incorporation] (each a “New Guarantor”) and Wilmington Trust, National Association, as trustee (the “Trustee”).

RECITALS

WHEREAS, the Company, the Guarantors party thereto and the Trustee entered into the Indenture, dated as of October 7, 2021 (the “Indenture”), relating to the Company’s 6.000% Senior Notes due 2026 (the “Notes”);

WHEREAS, as a condition to the Trustee entering into the Indenture and the purchase of the Notes by the Holders, the Company agreed pursuant to the Indenture to cause any Domestic Restricted Subsidiary, other than an Insignificant Subsidiary, that it acquires or creates after the Issue Date to provide Guarantees.

AGREEMENT

NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the premises and mutual covenants herein contained and intending to be legally bound, the parties to this Supplemental Indenture hereby agree as follows:

Section 1. Capitalized terms used herein and not otherwise defined herein are used as defined in the Indenture.

Section 2. Each New Guarantor, by its execution of this Supplemental Indenture, agrees to be a Guarantor under the Indenture and to be bound by the terms of the Indenture applicable to Guarantors, including, but not limited to, Article 10 thereof.

Section 3. This Supplemental Indenture shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York.

Section 4. This Supplemental Indenture may be signed in various counterparts which together will constitute one and the same instrument. The exchange of copies of this Supplemental Indenture and of signature pages by facsimile, pdf or other electronic transmission shall constitute effective execution and delivery of this Supplemental Indenture as to the parties hereto and may be used in lieu of the original Supplemental Indenture for all purposes. Signatures of the parties hereto transmitted by facsimile, pdf or other electronic means shall be deemed to be their original signatures for all purposes; provided that notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, the Trustee is under no obligation to agree to accept electronic signatures in any form or in any format unless expressly agreed to by the Trustee pursuant to procedures approved by the Trustee.

 

1Exh. B-1


Section 5. This Supplemental Indenture is an amendment supplemental to the Indenture and the Indenture and this Supplemental Indenture will henceforth be read together.

Section 6. Except as expressly amended hereby, the Indenture is in all respects ratified and confirmed and all the terms, conditions and provisions thereof shall remain in full force and effect. This Supplemental Indenture shall form a part of the Indenture for all purposes, and every Holder heretofore or hereafter authenticated and delivered shall be bound hereby.

Section 7. The Trustee shall not 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 Company and the New Guarantors.

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

 

CONSENSUS CLOUD SOLUTIONS, INC., as the Company
By:  

                 

  Name:
  Title:
[NEW GUARANTOR]
By:  

 

  Name:
  Title:
WILMINGTON TRUST, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, as Trustee
By:  

 

  Name:
  Title:

 

1Exh. B-2


EXHIBIT C

RESTRICTED LEGEND

THIS NOTE HAS NOT BEEN REGISTERED UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933, AS AMENDED (THE “SECURITIES ACT”), AND MAY NOT BE OFFERED, SOLD, PLEDGED OR OTHERWISE TRANSFERRED EXCEPT IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE FOLLOWING SENTENCE. BY ITS ACQUISITION HEREOF OR OF A BENEFICIAL INTEREST HEREIN, THE ACQUIRER AGREES FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE ISSUER THAT IT WILL NOT OFFER, SELL, PLEDGE OR OTHERWISE TRANSFER THIS NOTE OR ANY BENEFICIAL INTEREST HEREIN, EXCEPT IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE SECURITIES ACT AND ANY APPLICABLE SECURITIES LAWS OF ANY STATE OF THE UNITED STATES AND ONLY

(A) TO THE ISSUER,

(B) PURSUANT TO A REGISTRATION STATEMENT WHICH HAS BECOME EFFECTIVE UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT,

(C) TO A PERSON REASONABLY BELIEVED TO BE A QUALIFIED INSTITUTIONAL BUYER IN COMPLIANCE WITH RULE 144A UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT,

(D) IN AN OFFSHORE TRANSACTION IN COMPLIANCE WITH RULE 904 OF REGULATION S UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT,

(E) IN A PRINCIPAL AMOUNT OF NOT LESS THAN $250,000, TO AN INSTITUTIONAL ACCREDITED INVESTOR THAT, PRIOR TO SUCH TRANSFER, DELIVERS TO THE TRUSTEE A DULY COMPLETED AND SIGNED CERTIFICATE (THE FORM OF WHICH MAY BE OBTAINED FROM THE TRUSTEE) RELATING TO THE RESTRICTIONS ON TRANSFER OF THIS NOTE, OR

(F) PURSUANT TO AN EXEMPTION FROM REGISTRATION PROVIDED BY RULE 144 UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OR ANY OTHER AVAILABLE EXEMPTION FROM THE REGISTRATION REQUIREMENTS OF THE SECURITIES ACT.

PRIOR TO THE REGISTRATION OF ANY TRANSFER IN ACCORDANCE WITH (2)(C) OR (2)(D) ABOVE, A DULY COMPLETED AND SIGNED CERTIFICATE (THE FORM OF WHICH MAY BE OBTAINED FROM THE TRUSTEE) MUST BE DELIVERED TO THE TRUSTEE. PRIOR TO THE REGISTRATION OF ANY TRANSFER IN ACCORDANCE WITH (2)(E) OR (2)(F) ABOVE, THE ISSUER RESERVES THE RIGHT TO REQUIRE THE DELIVERY OF SUCH LEGAL OPINIONS, CERTIFICATIONS OR OTHER EVIDENCE AS MAY REASONABLY BE REQUIRED IN ORDER TO DETERMINE THAT THE PROPOSED TRANSFER IS BEING MADE IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE SECURITIES ACT AND APPLICABLE STATE SECURITIES LAWS. NO REPRESENTATION IS MADE AS TO THE AVAILABILITY OF ANY RULE 144 EXEMPTION FROM THE REGISTRATION REQUIREMENTS OF THE SECURITIES ACT.

[IN THE CASE OF REGULATION S NOTES: BY ITS ACQUISITION HEREOF, THE HOLDER HEREOF REPRESENTS THAT IT IS NOT A U.S. PERSON NOR IS IT PURCHASING FOR THE ACCOUNT OF A U.S. PERSON AND IS ACQUIRING THIS SECURITY IN AN OFFSHORE TRANSACTION IN ACCORDANCE WITH REGULATION S UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT.]

[IN THE CASE OF TEMPORARY REGULATION S NOTES: THIS SECURITY IS A TEMPORARY GLOBAL NOTE. PRIOR TO THE EXPIRATION OF THE RESTRICTED PERIOD APPLICABLE HERETO, BENEFICIAL INTERESTS HEREIN MAY NOT BE HELD BY ANY PERSON OTHER THAN (1) A NON-U.S. PERSON (PROVIDED THAT SUCH NON-U.S. PERSON AGREES NOT TO RESELL OR OTHERWISE TRANSFER THE SECURITIES IN CANADA OR FOR THE BENEFIT OF A CANADIAN RESIDENT, EXCEPT IN ACCORDANCE WITH APPLICABLE CANADIAN SECURITIES LAWS) OR (2) A U.S. PERSON THAT PURCHASED SUCH INTEREST IN A TRANSACTION EXEMPT FROM REGISTRATION UNDER

 

Exh. C-1


THE SECURITIES ACT. BENEFICIAL INTERESTS HEREIN ARE NOT EXCHANGEABLE FOR PHYSICAL NOTES OTHER THAN A PERMANENT GLOBAL NOTE IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE TERMS OF THE INDENTURE. TERMS IN THIS LEGEND ARE USED AS USED IN REGULATION S UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT.]

 

Exh. C-2


EXHIBIT D

DTC LEGEND

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

[TRANSFERS OF THIS GLOBAL NOTE ARE LIMITED TO TRANSFERS IN WHOLE, BUT NOT IN PART, TO NOMINEES OF CEDE & CO. OR TO A SUCCESSOR THEREOF OR SUCH SUCCESSOR’S NOMINEE AND TRANSFERS OF PORTIONS OF THIS GLOBAL NOTE ARE LIMITED TO TRANSFERS MADE IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE TRANSFER PROVISIONS OF THE INDENTURE.]

 

Exh. D-1


EXHIBIT E

Regulation S Certificate

_________, ____

Wilmington Trust, National Association

Global Capital Markets

50 South Sixth Street, Suite 1290

Minneapolis, MN 55402

Attention: Consensus Cloud Solutions, Inc. Notes Administrator

 

  Re:

Consensus Cloud Solutions, Inc.

6.000% Senior Notes due 2026 (the “Notes”)

Issued under the Indenture (the “Indenture”) dated

as of October 7, 2021 relating to the Notes

Ladies and Gentlemen:

Terms are used in this Certificate as used in Regulation S (“Regulation S”) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), except as otherwise stated herein.

[CHECK A OR B AS APPLICABLE.]

 

  ☐  A.

This Certificate relates to our proposed transfer of $____ principal amount of Notes issued under the Indenture. We hereby certify as follows:

 

  1.

The offer and sale of the Notes was not and will not be made to a person in the United States (unless such person is excluded from the definition of “U.S. person” pursuant to Rule 902(k)(2)(vi) or the account held by it for which it is acting is excluded from the definition of “U.S. person” pursuant to Rule 902(k)(2)(i) under the circumstances described in Rule 902(h)(3)) and such offer and sale was not and will not be specifically targeted at an identifiable group of U.S. citizens abroad.

 

  2.

Unless the circumstances described in the parenthetical in paragraph 1 above are applicable, either (a) at the time the buy order was originated, the buyer was outside the United States or we and any person acting on our behalf reasonably believed that the buyer was outside the United States or (b) the transaction was executed in, on or through the facilities of a designated offshore securities market, and neither we nor any person acting on our behalf knows that the transaction was pre-arranged with a buyer in the United States.

 

  3.

Neither we, any of our affiliates, nor any person acting on our or their behalf has made any directed selling efforts in the United States with respect to the Notes.

 

  4.

The proposed transfer of Notes is not part of a plan or scheme to evade the registration requirements of the Securities Act.

 

  5.

If we are a dealer or a person receiving a selling concession, fee or other remuneration in respect of the Notes, and the proposed transfer takes place during the Restricted Period (as defined in the Indenture), or we are an officer or director of the Company or an Initial Purchaser (as defined in the Indenture), we certify that the proposed transfer is being made in accordance with the provisions of Rule 904(b) of Regulation S.

 

  ☐  B.

This Certificate relates to our proposed exchange of $____ principal amount of Notes issued under the Indenture for an equal principal amount of Notes to be held by us. We hereby certify as follows:

 

Exh. E-1


  1.

At the time the offer and sale of the Notes was made to us, either (i) we were not in the United States or (ii) we were excluded from the definition of “U.S. person” pursuant to Rule 902(k)(2)(vi) or the account held by us for which we were acting was excluded from the definition of “U.S. person” pursuant to Rule 902(k)(2)(i) under the circumstances described in Rule 902(h)(3); and we were not a member of an identifiable group of U.S. citizens abroad.

 

  2.

Unless the circumstances described in paragraph 1(ii) above are applicable, either (a) at the time our buy order was originated, we were outside the United States or (b) the transaction was executed in, on or through the facilities of a designated offshore securities market and we did not pre-arrange the transaction in the United States.

 

  3.

The proposed exchange of Notes is not part of a plan or scheme to evade the registration requirements of the Securities Act.

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

 

Very truly yours,
[NAME OF SELLER (FOR TRANSFERS) OR OWNER (FOR EXCHANGES)]
By  

 

  Name:
  Title:
  Address:

Date:

 

Exh. E-2


EXHIBIT F

Rule 144A Certificate

_________, ____

Wilmington Trust, National Association

Global Capital Markets

50 South Sixth Street, Suite 1290

Minneapolis, MN 55402

Attention: Consensus Cloud Solutions, Inc. Notes Administrator

 

  Re:

Consensus Cloud Solutions, Inc.

6.000% Senior Notes due 2026 (the “Notes”)

Issued under the Indenture (the “Indenture”) dated

as of October 7, 2021 relating to the Notes

Ladies and Gentlemen:

TO BE COMPLETED BY PURCHASER IF (1) ABOVE IS CHECKED.

This Certificate relates to:

[CHECK A OR B AS APPLICABLE.]

[1 A. Our proposed purchase of $____ principal amount of Notes issued under the Indenture.

[1 B. Our proposed exchange of $____ principal amount of Notes issued under the Indenture for an equal principal amount of Notes to be held by us.

We and, if applicable, each account for which we are acting in the aggregate owned and invested more than $100,000,000 in securities of issuers that are not affiliated with us (or such accounts, if applicable), as of _________, 20__, which is a date on or since the end of our most recent fiscal year. We and, if applicable, each account for which we are acting, are a qualified institutional buyer within the meaning of Rule 144A (“Rule 144A”) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”). If we are acting on behalf of an account, we exercise sole investment discretion with respect to such account. We are aware that the transfer of Notes to us, or such exchange, as applicable, is being made in reliance upon the exemption from the provisions of Section 5 of the Securities Act provided by Rule 144A. Prior to the date of this Certificate we have received such information regarding the Company as we have requested pursuant to Rule 144A(d)(4) or have determined not to request such information.

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

 

Very truly yours,
[NAME OF PURCHASER (FOR TRANSFERS) OR OWNER (FOR EXCHANGES)]
By  

 

  Name:
  Title:
  Address:

 

Exh. F-1


EXHIBIT G

Institutional Accredited Investor Certificate

Wilmington Trust, National Association

Global Capital Markets

50 South Sixth Street, Suite 1290

Minneapolis, MN 55402

Attention: Consensus Cloud Solutions, Inc. Notes Administrator

 

  Re:

Consensus Cloud Solutions, Inc.

6.000% Senior Notes due 2026 (the “Notes”)

Issued under the Indenture (the “Indenture”) dated

as of October 7, 2021 relating to the Notes

Ladies and Gentlemen:

This Certificate relates to:

[CHECK A OR B AS APPLICABLE.]

 

  ☐  A.

Our proposed purchase of $____ principal amount of Notes issued under the Indenture.

 

  ☐  B.

Our proposed exchange of $____ principal amount of Notes issued under the Indenture for an equal principal amount of Notes to be held by us.

We hereby confirm that:

1. We are an institutional “accredited investor” within the meaning of Rule 501(a)(1), (2), (3) or (7) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”) (an “Institutional Accredited Investor”).

2. Any acquisition of Notes by us will be for our own account or for the account of one or more other Institutional Accredited Investors as to which we exercise sole investment discretion.

3. We have such knowledge and experience in financial and business matters that we are capable of evaluating the merits and risks of an investment in the Notes and we and any accounts for which we are acting are able to bear the economic risks of and an entire loss of our or their investment in the Notes.

4. We are not acquiring the Notes with a view to any distribution thereof in a transaction that would violate the Securities Act or the securities laws of any State of the United States or any other applicable jurisdiction; provided that the disposition of our property and the property of any accounts for which we are acting as fiduciary will remain at all times within our and their control.

5. We acknowledge that the Notes have not been registered under the Securities Act and that the Notes may not be offered or sold within the United States or to or for the benefit of U.S. persons except as set forth below.

6. The principal amount of Notes to which this Certificate relates is at least equal to $250,000.

We agree for the benefit of the Company, on our own behalf and on behalf of each account for which we are acting, that such Notes may be offered, sold, pledged or otherwise transferred only in accordance with the Securities Act and any applicable securities laws of any State of the United States and only (a) to the Company, (b) pursuant to a registration statement which has become effective under the Securities Act, (c) to a qualified

 

Exh. G-1


institutional buyer in compliance with Rule 144A under the Securities Act, (d) in an offshore transaction in compliance with Rule 904 of Regulation S under the Securities Act, (e) in a principal amount of not less than $250,000, to an Institutional Accredited Investor that, prior to such transfer, delivers to the Trustee a duly completed and signed certificate (the form of which may be obtained from the Trustee) relating to the restrictions on transfer of the Notes or (f) pursuant to an exemption from registration provided by Rule 144 under the Securities Act or any other available exemption from the registration requirements of the Securities Act.

Prior to the registration of any transfer in accordance with (c) or (d) above, we acknowledge that a duly completed and signed certificate (the form of which may be obtained from the Trustee) must be delivered to the Trustee. Prior to the registration of any transfer in accordance with (e) or (f) above, we acknowledge that the Company reserves the right to require the delivery of such legal opinions, certifications or other evidence as may reasonably be required in order to determine that the proposed transfer is being made in compliance with the Securities Act and applicable state securities laws. We acknowledge that no representation is made as to the availability of any Rule 144 exemption from the registration requirements of the Securities Act.

We understand that the Trustee will not be required to accept for registration of transfer any Notes acquired by us, except upon presentation of evidence satisfactory to the Company and the Trustee that the foregoing restrictions on transfer have been complied with. We further understand that the Notes acquired by us will be in the form of definitive physical certificates and that such certificates will bear a legend reflecting the substance of the preceding paragraph. We further agree to provide to any person acquiring any of the Notes from us a notice advising such person that resales of the Notes are restricted as stated herein and that certificates representing the Notes will bear a legend to that effect.

We agree to notify you promptly in writing if any of our acknowledgments, representations or agreements herein ceases to be accurate and complete.

We represent to you that we have full power to make the foregoing acknowledgments, representations and agreements on our own behalf and on behalf of any account for which we are acting.

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

 

Very truly yours,
[NAME OF PURCHASER (FOR TRANSFERS) OR OWNER (FOR EXCHANGES)]
By  

 

  Name:
  Title:
  Address:

 

Exh. G-2


Upon transfer, the Notes would be registered in the name of the new beneficial owner as follows:

By:                                                   

Date:                                                 

Taxpayer ID number:                        

 

Exh. G-3


EXHIBIT H

[COMPLETE FORM I OR FORM II AS APPLICABLE.]

[FORM I]

Certificate of Beneficial Ownership

 

To:

Wilmington Trust, National Association

Global Capital Markets

50 South Sixth Street, Suite 1290

Minneapolis, MN 55402

Attention: Consensus Cloud Solutions, Inc. Notes Administrator

OR

[Name of DTC Participant]

Re: Consensus Cloud Solutions, Inc.

6.000% Senior Notes due 2026 (the “Notes”)

Issued under the Indenture (the “Indenture”) dated

as of October 7, 2021 relating to the Notes

Ladies and Gentlemen:

We are the beneficial owner of $____ principal amount of Notes issued under the Indenture and represented by a Temporary Offshore Global Note (as defined in the Indenture).

We hereby certify as follows:

[CHECK A OR B AS APPLICABLE.]

☐  A. We are a non-U.S. person (within the meaning of Regulation S under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended).

☐  B. We are a U.S. person (within the meaning of Regulation S under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended) that purchased the Notes in a transaction that did not require registration under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.

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

 

Very truly yours,
[NAME OF BENEFICIAL OWNER]
By  

 

  Name:
  Title:
  Address:

 

Exh. H-1


[FORM II]

Certificate of Beneficial Ownership

 

To:

Wilmington Trust, National Association

Global Capital Markets

50 South Sixth Street, Suite 1290

Minneapolis, MN 55402

Attention: Consensus Cloud Solutions, Inc. Notes Administrator

 

  Re:

Consensus Cloud Solutions, Inc.

6.000% Senior Notes due 2026 (the “Notes”)

Issued under the Indenture (the “Indenture”) dated

as of October 7, 2021 relating to the Notes

Ladies and Gentlemen:

This is to certify that based solely on certifications we have received in writing, by tested telex or by electronic transmission from Institutions appearing in our records as persons being entitled to a portion of the principal amount of Notes represented by a Temporary Offshore Global Note issued under the above-referenced Indenture, that as of the date hereof, $____ principal amount of Notes represented by the Temporary Offshore Global Note being submitted herewith for exchange is beneficially owned by persons that are either (i) non-U.S. persons (within the meaning of Regulation S under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended) or (ii) U.S. persons that purchased the Notes in a transaction that did not require registration under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.

We further certify that (i) we are not submitting herewith for exchange any portion of such Temporary Offshore Global Note excepted in such certifications and (ii) as of the date hereof we have not received any notification from any Institution to the effect that the statements made by such Institution with respect to any portion of such Temporary Offshore Global Note submitted herewith for exchange are no longer true and cannot be relied upon as of the date hereof.

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

 

Yours faithfully,
[Name of DTC Participant]
By  

 

  Name:
  Title:
  Address:

Date: ________________

 

Exh. H-2


EXHIBIT I

THIS NOTE IS A TEMPORARY GLOBAL NOTE. PRIOR TO THE EXPIRATION OF THE RESTRICTED PERIOD APPLICABLE HERETO, BENEFICIAL INTERESTS HEREIN MAY NOT BE HELD BY ANY PERSON OTHER THAN (1) A NON-U.S. PERSON OR (2) A U.S. PERSON THAT PURCHASED SUCH INTEREST IN A TRANSACTION EXEMPT FROM REGISTRATION UNDER THE U.S. SECURITIES ACT OF 1933, AS AMENDED (THE “SECURITIES ACT”). BENEFICIAL INTERESTS HEREIN ARE NOT EXCHANGEABLE FOR PHYSICAL NOTES OTHER THAN A PERMANENT GLOBAL NOTE IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE TERMS OF THE INDENTURE. TERMS IN THIS LEGEND ARE USED AS USED IN REGULATION S UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT.

NO BENEFICIAL OWNERS OF THIS TEMPORARY GLOBAL NOTE SHALL BE ENTITLED TO RECEIVE PAYMENT OF PRINCIPAL OR INTEREST HEREON UNTIL SUCH BENEFICIAL INTEREST IS EXCHANGED OR TRANSFERRED FOR AN INTEREST IN ANOTHER NOTE.

 

Exh. J-1

Exhibit 4.2

Execution Version

 

 

CONSENSUS CLOUD SOLUTIONS, INC.

as the Company

THE GUARANTORS NAMED ON THE SIGNATURE PAGES HERETO

and

WILMINGTON TRUST, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION,

as Trustee

 

 

INDENTURE

Dated as of October 7, 2021

 

 

6.500% SENIOR NOTES DUE 2028

 

 

 


TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

         Page  

ARTICLE 1 DEFINITIONS

     1  

Section 1.01.

  Definitions      1  

Section 1.02.

  Rules of Construction      20  

Section 1.03.

  Financial Calculations for Limited Condition Acquisitions      20  

Section 1.04.

  Divisions      21  

ARTICLE 2 THE NOTES

     21  

Section 2.01.

  Form, Dating And Denominations; Legends      21  

Section 2.02.

  Execution and Authentication; Additional Notes      22  

Section 2.03.

  Registrar, Paying Agent and Authenticating Agent; Paying Agent to Hold Money in Trust      23  

Section 2.04.

  Replacement Notes      23  

Section 2.05.

  Outstanding Notes      23  

Section 2.06.

  Temporary Notes      24  

Section 2.07.

  Cancellation      24  

Section 2.08.

  CUSIP and CINS Numbers      24  

Section 2.09.

  Registration, Transfer and Exchange      24  

Section 2.10.

  Restrictions on Transfer and Exchange      26  

Section 2.11.

  Temporary Offshore Global Notes      27  

ARTICLE 3 REDEMPTION; OFFER TO PURCHASE

     28  

Section 3.01.

  Optional Redemption      28  

Section 3.02.

  [Reserved]      28  

Section 3.03.

  Method and Effect of Redemption      28  

Section 3.04.

  Offer to Purchase      30  

ARTICLE 4 COVENANTS

     31  

Section 4.01.

  Payment Of Notes      31  

Section 4.02.

  Maintenance of Office or Agency      31  

Section 4.03.

  Existence      32  

Section 4.04.

  Payment of Taxes and other Claims      32  

Section 4.05.

  Maintenance of Properties and Insurance      32  

Section 4.06.

  Limitation on Debt and Disqualified Stock or Preferred Stock      32  

Section 4.07.

  Limitation on Restricted Payments      36  

Section 4.08.

  Limitation on Liens      39  

Section 4.09.

  Limitation on Sale and Leaseback Transactions      39  

Section 4.10.

  Limitation on Dividend and Other Payment Restrictions Affecting Restricted Subsidiaries      40  

Section 4.11.

  Guaranties by Restricted Subsidiaries      41  

Section 4.12.

  Repurchase of Notes Upon a Change of Control      41  

Section 4.13.

  Limitation on Asset Sales      42  

Section 4.14.

  Limitation on Transactions with Affiliates      43  

Section 4.15.

  Designation of Restricted and Unrestricted Subsidiaries      44  

Section 4.16.

  [Reserved]      45  

Section 4.17.

  Financial Reports      45  

Section 4.18.

  Reports to Trustee      46  

Section 4.19.

  Suspension of Certain Covenants      46  

 

-i-


         Page  

ARTICLE 5 CONSOLIDATION, MERGER OR SALE OF ASSETS

     47  

Section 5.01.

  Consolidation, Merger or Sale of Assets; No Lease of All or Substantially All Assets      47  

Section 5.02.

  Consolidation, Merger or Sale of Assets by a Guarantor      48  

ARTICLE 6 DEFAULT AND REMEDIES

     48  

Section 6.01.

  Events of Default      48  

Section 6.02.

  Acceleration      49  

Section 6.03.

  Other Remedies      50  

Section 6.04.

  Waiver of Past Defaults      50  

Section 6.05.

  Control by Majority      50  

Section 6.06.

  Limitation on Suits      50  

Section 6.07.

  Rights of Holders to Receive Payment      51  

Section 6.08.

  Collection Suit by Trustee      51  

Section 6.09.

  Trustee May File Proofs of Claim      51  

Section 6.10.

  Priorities      51  

Section 6.11.

  Restoration of Rights and Remedies      52  

Section 6.12.

  Undertaking for Costs      52  

Section 6.13.

  Rights and Remedies Cumulative      52  

Section 6.14.

  Delay or Omission Not Waiver      52  

Section 6.15.

  Waiver of Stay, Extension or Usury Laws      52  

ARTICLE 7 THE TRUSTEE

     52  

Section 7.01.

  General      52  

Section 7.02.

  Certain Rights of Trustee      53  

Section 7.03.

  Individual Rights of Trustee      54  

Section 7.04.

  Trustee’s Disclaimer      54  

Section 7.05.

  Notice of Default      54  

Section 7.06.

  [Reserved]      54  

Section 7.07.

  Compensation and Indemnity      54  

Section 7.08.

  Replacement of Trustee      54  

Section 7.09.

  Successor Trustee by Merger      55  

Section 7.10.

  Eligibility      55  

Section 7.11.

  Money Held in Trust      55  

ARTICLE 8 DEFEASANCE AND DISCHARGE

     55  

Section 8.01.

  Discharge of Company’s Obligations      55  

Section 8.02.

  Legal Defeasance      56  

Section 8.03.

  Covenant Defeasance      57  

Section 8.04.

  Application of Trust Money      57  

Section 8.05.

  Repayment to the Company      57  

Section 8.06.

  Reinstatement      57  

ARTICLE 9 AMENDMENTS, SUPPLEMENTS AND WAIVERS

     58  

Section 9.01.

  Amendments Without Consent of Holders      58  

Section 9.02.

  Amendments With Consent of Holders      58  

Section 9.03.

  Effect of Consent      59  

Section 9.04.

  Trustee’s Rights and Obligations      59  

 

-ii-


         Page  

ARTICLE 10 GUARANTIES

     60  

Section 10.01.

  The Guaranties      60  

Section 10.02.

  Guaranty Unconditional      60  

 

Section 10.03.

  Discharge; Reinstatement      60  

Section 10.04.

  Waiver by the Guarantors      60  

Section 10.05.

  Subrogation and Contribution      61  

Section 10.06.

  Stay of Acceleration      61  

Section 10.07.

  Limitation on Amount of Guaranty      61  

Section 10.08.

  Execution and Delivery of Guaranty      61  

Section 10.09.

  Release of Guaranty      61  

ARTICLE 11 MISCELLANEOUS

     61  

Section 11.01.

  Trust Indenture Act of 1939      61  

Section 11.02.

  Noteholder Communications; Noteholder Actions      61  

Section 11.03.

  Notices      62  

Section 11.04.

  Certificate and Opinion as to Conditions Precedent      63  

Section 11.05.

  Statements Required in Certificate or Opinion      63  

Section 11.06.

  Payment Date Other Than a Business Day      63  

Section 11.07.

  Governing Law      63  

Section 11.08.

  No Adverse Interpretation of Other Agreements      63  

Section 11.09.

  Successors      64  

Section 11.10.

  Duplicate Originals      64  

Section 11.11.

  Separability      64  

Section 11.12.

  Entire Agreement      64  

Section 11.13.

  Execution in Counterparts      64  

Section 11.14.

  Table of Contents and Headings      64  

Section 11.15.

  No Liability of Directors, Officers, Employees, Incorporators, Members and Stockholders      64  

Section 11.16.

  Force Majeure      64  

Section 11.17.

  Patriot Act      64  

EXHIBITS

 

EXHIBIT A

  

Form of Note

EXHIBIT B

  

Form of Supplemental Indenture

EXHIBIT C

  

Restricted Legend

EXHIBIT D

  

DTC Legend

EXHIBIT E

  

Regulation S Certificate

EXHIBIT F

  

Rule 144A Certificate

EXHIBIT G

  

Institutional Accredited Investor Certificate

EXHIBIT H

  

Certificate of Beneficial Ownership

EXHIBIT I

  

Temporary Offshore Global Note Legend

 

 

-iii-


INDENTURE, dated as of October 7, 2021, among Consensus Cloud Solutions, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), the Guarantors (as defined herein) and Wilmington Trust, National Association, as Trustee.

RECITALS

The Company has duly authorized the execution and delivery of this Indenture to provide for the issuance of up to $500,000,000 aggregate principal amount of its 6.500% Senior Notes due 2028, and, if and when issued, any Additional Notes (the “Notes”).

THIS INDENTURE WITNESSETH

For and in consideration of the premises and the purchase of the Notes by the Holders thereof, the parties hereto covenant and agree, for the equal and proportionate benefit of all Holders, as follows:

ARTICLE 1

DEFINITIONS

Section 1.01. Definitions.

2026 Notes” means the Company’s senior notes due 2026 that are issued on the Issue Date in connection with the Transactions.

2026 Notes Indenture” means the indenture to be entered into on the Issue Date that will govern the 2026 Notes.

Acquired Debt” means Debt of a Person existing at the time the Person merges with or into or becomes a Restricted Subsidiary and not Incurred in connection with, or in contemplation of, the Person merging with or into or becoming a Restricted Subsidiary.

Additional Notes” means any Notes issued under this Indenture in addition to the Initial Notes, having the same terms in all respects as the Initial Notes, or in all respects except with respect to interest paid or payable on or prior to the first interest payment date after the issuance of such Additional Notes.

Affiliate” means, with respect to any Person, any other Person directly or indirectly controlling, controlled by, or under direct or indirect common control with, such Person. For purposes of this definition, “control” (including, with correlative meanings, the terms “controlling,” “controlled by” and “under common control with”) with respect to any Person, means the possession, directly or indirectly, of the power to direct or cause the direction of the management and policies of such Person, whether through the ownership of voting securities, by contract or otherwise.

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

Agent Member” means a member of, or a participant in, the Depositary. “Asset Sale” means any sale, lease, transfer or other disposition by the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary of any Equity Interests of any Restricted Subsidiary (including any issuances of Equity Interests by a Restricted Subsidiary) and any other sale, lease, transfer or other disposition of any other assets by the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary, including by means of a merger, consolidation or similar transaction (each of the above referred to as a “disposition”); provided that the following are not included in the definition of “Asset Sale”:

(1) a disposition to the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary, including the sale or issuance by the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary of any Equity Interests of any Restricted Subsidiary to the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary;

(2) the disposition by the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary in the ordinary course of business of (i) cash, cash management investments and Cash Equivalents, (ii) inventory and other assets acquired and held for resale in the ordinary course of business, (iii) damaged, worn out or obsolete assets, or (iv) rights granted to others pursuant to leases or licenses;

 


(3) the sale or discount of accounts receivable arising in the ordinary course of business in connection with the compromise or collection thereof;

(4) a transaction permitted under Section 5.01 or contemplated as part of the Transactions;

(5) a Restricted Payment permitted under Section 4.07;

(6) licenses and sublicenses by the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary of software or intellectual property in the ordinary course of business or the abandonment of intellectual property rights in the ordinary course of business;

(7) any surrender or waiver of contract rights or settlement, release, recovery on or surrender of contract, tort or other claims in the ordinary course of business;

(8) the granting of Liens not prohibited under Section 4.08;

(9) leases and subleases and licenses and sublicenses by the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary of real or personal property in the ordinary course of business;

(10) any liquidation or dissolution of a Restricted Subsidiary; provided that such Restricted Subsidiary’s direct parent is also either the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary of the Company and immediately becomes the owner of such Restricted Subsidiary’s assets;

(11) to the extent allowable under Section 1031 of the Code or any successor provision, any exchange of like property (excluding any boot thereon) for use in a Permitted Business;

(12) foreclosures, condemnation or any similar action on assets;

(13) the unwinding of any Hedging Agreements;

(14) the issuance of Disqualified Stock or Preferred Stock pursuant to Section 4.06;

(15) any issuance or sale of Equity Interests in, or Debt or other securities of, an Unrestricted Subsidiary; and

(16) any disposition in a transaction or series of related transactions of assets with a Fair Market Value of less than $25 million.

Attributable Debt” means, in respect of a Sale and Leaseback Transaction, the present value, discounted at the interest rate implicit in the Sale and Leaseback Transaction, of the total obligations of the lessee for rental payments during the remaining term of the lease in the Sale and Leaseback Transaction (including any period for which such lease has been extended).

Authenticating Agent” refers to a Person engaged to authenticate the Notes in the stead of the Trustee.

Average Life” means, with respect to any Debt, the quotient obtained by dividing (i) the sum of the products of (x) the number of years from the date of determination to the dates of each successive scheduled principal payment of such Debt and (y) the amount of such principal payment by (ii) the sum of all such principal payments.

Board of Directors” means the board of directors or comparable governing body of the Company, or any committee thereof duly authorized to act on its behalf.

 

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Board Resolution” means a resolution duly adopted by the Board of Directors which is certified by the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary of the Company and remains in full force and effect as of the date of its certification.

Business Day” means any day except a Saturday, Sunday or other day on which commercial banks in New York City, or in the city in which the office of the Trustee at which the corporate trust business of the Trustee is principally administered is located, are authorized by law to close.

Capital Lease” means, with respect to any Person, any lease of any property which, in conformity with GAAP, is required to be capitalized on the balance sheet of such Person; provided, however, all leases that are or would have been treated as operating leases for purposes of GAAP prior to the issuance by the Financial Accounting Standards Board on February 25, 2016 of an Accounting Standards Update (the “ASU”) shall continue to be accounted for as operating leases for purposes of all financial definitions and calculations for purposes of this Indenture (whether or not such operating lease obligations were in effect on such date) notwithstanding the fact that such obligations are required in accordance with the ASU (on a prospective or retroactive basis or otherwise) to be treated as Capital Leases in such Person’s financial statements prepared in accordance with GAAP.

Capital Stock” means, with respect to any Person, any and all shares of stock of a corporation, partnership interests, membership interests or other equivalent interests (however designated, whether voting or non-voting) in such Person’s equity, entitling the holder to receive a share of the profits and losses, and a distribution of assets, after liabilities, of such Person.

Cash Equivalents” means:

(1) United States dollars, pounds sterling, euros, the national currency of any participating member state of the European Union or money in other currencies received in the ordinary course of business by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries;

(2) U.S. Government Obligations or certificates representing an ownership interest in U.S. Government Obligations with maturities not exceeding one year from the date of acquisition;

(3) any certificate of deposit (or time deposits represented by such certificates of deposit) or bankers acceptance, maturing not more than one year after such time, or overnight Federal Funds transactions that are issued or sold by a commercial banking institution that is a member of the Federal Reserve System and has a combined capital and surplus and undivided profits of not less than $500 million;

(4) repurchase obligations with a term of not more than seven days for underlying securities of the type described in clauses (2) and (3) above entered into with any financial institution meeting the qualifications specified in clause (3) above;

(5) commercial paper rated at least P-1 by Moody’s or A-1 by S&P and maturing within twelve months after the date of acquisition;

(6) instruments equivalent to those referred to in clauses (1) through (5) above denominated in euro or pounds sterling or any other foreign currency comparable in credit quality and tenor to those referred to above and customarily used by corporations for cash management purposes in any jurisdiction outside the United States;

(7) money market funds at least 90% of the assets of which consist of investments of the type described in clauses (1) through (5) above; and

(8) in the case of a Foreign Restricted Subsidiary, substantially similar investments, of comparable credit quality, denominated in the currency of any jurisdiction in which such Person conducts business.

 

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Certificate of Beneficial Ownership” means a certificate substantially in the form of Exhibit H.

Certificated Note” means a Note in registered individual form without interest coupons.

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

(1) the sale, lease, transfer, conveyance or other disposition in one or a series of related transactions (other than by merger, consolidation or amalgamation), of all or substantially all of the assets of the Company and its Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, to any Person or any Guarantor;

(2) the Company becomes aware of (by way of a report or any other filing pursuant to Section 13(d) of the Exchange Act, proxy, vote, written notice or otherwise) the acquisition by (A) any Person or (B) Persons that are together a group (within the meaning of Section 13(d)(3) or Section 14(d)(2) of the Exchange Act, or any successor provision), including any such group acting for the purpose of acquiring, holding or disposing of securities (within the meaning of Rule 13d-5(b)(1) under the Exchange Act), in a single transaction or in a related series of transactions, by way of merger, consolidation or other business combination or purchase or otherwise, of beneficial ownership (within the meaning of Rule 13d-3 under the Exchange Act, or any successor provision) of more than 50.0% of the total voting power of the Voting Stock of the Company directly or indirectly through any of its direct or indirect parent holding companies; or

(3) the adoption of a plan of liquidation or dissolution of the Company other than in a transaction that complies with the provisions described under Section 5.01.

Code” means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986.

Commission” means the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Company” means the party named as such in the first paragraph of this Indenture or any successor obligor under this Indenture and the Notes pursuant to Article 5.

Company Order” means an order to authenticate Initial Notes or Initial Additional Notes pursuant to Section 2.02 of this Indenture signed by an Officer of the Company.

Consolidated Net Debt” means, at any date of determination, (1) the aggregate principal amount of Debt of the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries on such date, minus (2) up to $200 million of Eligible Cash included in the consolidated balance sheet of the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries as of the most recently ended fiscal period for which financial statements required by Section 4.17 have been delivered (with such pro forma adjustments as are appropriate and consistent with the pro forma adjustment provisions set forth in the definition of “Net Leverage Ratio”).

Consolidated Net Income” means, for any period, the aggregate net income (or loss) of the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries for such period determined on a consolidated basis in conformity with GAAP; provided that the following (without duplication) will be excluded in computing Consolidated Net Income:

(1) the net income (but not loss) of any Person that is not a Restricted Subsidiary, except to the extent of the dividends or other distributions actually paid in cash to the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries (subject to clause (2) below) by such Person during such period;

(2) solely for the purpose of determining the amount available for Restricted Payments under Section 4.07(a)(3)(A), the net income (but not loss) of any Restricted Subsidiary that is not a Guarantor, to the extent that, at the date of determination, the declaration or payment of dividends or similar distributions by that Restricted Subsidiary of its net income (i) is not permitted without any prior governmental approval (that has not been obtained) or (ii) directly or indirectly, is otherwise restricted by operation of the terms of its charter or by any agreement, instrument, judgment, decree, order, statute, rule or governmental

 

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regulation applicable to the Restricted Subsidiary, unless such restrictions have been legally waived; provided that the Consolidated Net Income of the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries will be increased by the amount of dividends or distributions or other payments actually paid in cash (or converted to cash) or Cash Equivalents by any such Restricted Subsidiary to the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries in respect of such period, to the extent not already included therein;

(3) all extraordinary, nonrecurring or unusual gains or losses or income or expenses, including, without limitation, any expenses related to severance or relocation expenses and fees, restructuring costs, any expenses, costs or charges Incurred in connection with any offering of Equity Interests, Permitted Investment, acquisition, disposition, recapitalization or Incurrence or repayment of Debt permitted under this Indenture, including a refinancing thereof, and all gains and losses realized in connection with any business disposition or any disposition of assets outside the ordinary course of business or the disposition of securities or the early extinguishment of Debt, together with any related provision for taxes on any such gain, loss, income or expense;

(4) any after-tax effect of gains or loss from the early extinguishment or cancellation of any Hedging Agreement or other derivative instrument (including deferred financing costs written off and premiums paid);

(5) gains and losses due solely to fluctuations in currency values and the related tax effects according to GAAP;

(6) non-cash charges or expenses with respect to the grant of stock options, restricted stock or other equity compensation awards;

(7) any non-cash charge, expense or other impact attributable to application of the purchase method of accounting (including the total amount of depreciation and amortization, cost of sales or other non-cash expense resulting from the write-up of assets to the extent resulting from such purchase accounting adjustments);

(8) goodwill write-downs or other non-cash impairments of assets; and

(9) the cumulative effect of a change in accounting principles.

Consolidated Net Secured Debt” means, at any date of determination, (1) the aggregate amount of Debt of the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries on such date that is secured by a Lien on any assets of the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary minus (2) up to $200 million of Eligible Cash included in the consolidated balance sheet of the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries as of the most recently ended fiscal period for which financial statements for which internal financial statements are available (with such pro forma adjustments as are appropriate and consistent with the pro forma adjustment provisions set forth in the definition of “Net Leverage Ratio”).

Corporate Trust Office” means the office of the Trustee at which this Indenture is principally administered, which at the date of this Indenture is located at Wilmington Trust, National Association, Global Capital Markets, 50 South Sixth Street, Suite 1290, Minneapolis, MN 55402, Attention: Consensus Cloud Solutions, Inc. Notes Administrator.

Credit Facilities” means one or more credit facilities with banks or other lenders providing for revolving credit loans, commercial paper facilities or term loans or the issuance of letters of credit or bankers’ acceptances or the like.

Debt” means, with respect to any Person, if and to the extent that the following items (other than letters of credit and Hedging Agreements) would appear as a liability upon a balance sheet (excluding footnotes thereto) of such Person prepared in accordance with GAAP, without duplication:

(1) all indebtedness of such Person for borrowed money;

 

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

(3) all obligations of such Person in respect of letters of credit, bankers’ acceptances or other similar instruments, excluding obligations in respect of trade letters of credit or bankers’ acceptances issued in respect of trade payables to the extent not drawn upon or presented, or, if drawn upon or presented, the resulting obligation of the Person is paid within 10 Business Days;

(4) all obligations of such Person to pay the deferred and unpaid purchase price of property or services which are recorded as liabilities under GAAP, excluding (x) trade payables and other contractual obligations to customers and suppliers arising in the ordinary course of business, and (y) any earn-out obligations until such obligations become a liability on the balance sheet of such Person in accordance with GAAP and are not paid after becoming due and payable;

(5) all obligations of such Person as lessee under Capital Leases;

(6) all Debt of other Persons Guaranteed by such Person to the extent so Guaranteed;

(7) all Debt of other Persons secured by a Lien on any asset of such Person, whether or not such Debt is assumed by such Person; provided, that in no event shall an operating lease (and any filing, recording or other action in connection therewith) be deemed Debt; and

(8) all obligations of such Person under Hedging Agreements.

The amount of Debt of any Person will be deemed to be:

(A) with respect to contingent obligations, the maximum liability upon the occurrence of the contingency giving rise to the obligation;

(B) with respect to Debt secured by a Lien on an asset of such Person but not otherwise the obligation, contingent or otherwise, of such Person, the lesser of (x) the Fair Market Value of such asset on the date the Lien attached and (y) the amount of such Debt;

(C) with respect to any Debt which is Incurred at a discount to the principal amount at maturity thereof, as of any date, the accreted value thereof as of such date;

(D) with respect to any Hedging Agreement, the net amount payable if such Hedging Agreement terminated at that time due to default by such Person; and

(E) otherwise, the outstanding principal amount thereof;

provided, however, that Debt shall not include (x) any holdback or escrow of the purchase price of property, services, businesses or assets, or (y) contingent obligations incurred in the ordinary course of business (other than Guarantees of Debt for borrowed money).

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

Depositary” means the depositary of each Global Note, which will initially be DTC.

Depreciation and Amortization Expense” means, with respect to any Person for any period, the total amount of depreciation and amortization expense, including any amortization of deferred financing fees, amortization in relation to terminated Hedging Agreements and amortization of intangibles, including, but not limited to, goodwill, of such Person and otherwise determined in accordance with GAAP.

 

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Disqualified Equity Interests” means 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, in each case, at the option of the holder), or upon the happening of any event, matures or is mandatorily redeemable, pursuant to a sinking fund obligation or otherwise, or is redeemable at the option of the holder, in whole or in part, on or prior to the date that is 91 days after the date on which the Notes mature; provided, however, that only the portion of Equity Interest which so matures or is mandatorily redeemable, is so convertible or exchangeable or is so redeemable at the option of the holder thereof prior to such date will be deemed to be Disqualified Equity Interests; provided, further, however, that if such Equity Interest is issued to any employee or to any plan for the benefit of employees of the Company or its Restricted Subsidiaries or by any such plan to such employees, such Equity Interest will not constitute Disqualified Equity Interests solely because it may be required to be repurchased by the Company in order to satisfy applicable statutory or regulatory obligations or as a result of such employee’s termination, death or disability; provided, further, that any class of Equity Interest of such Person that by its terms authorizes such Person to satisfy its obligations thereunder by delivery of Qualified Equity Interests will not be deemed to be Disqualified Equity Interests; provided, further, that Equity Interests will not constitute Disqualified Equity Interests solely because of provisions giving holders thereof the right to require repurchase or redemption upon an “asset sale” or “change of control” occurring prior to the Stated Maturity of the Notes if those provisions (x) are no more favorable to the holders than Section 4.12 and Section 4.13, and (y) specifically state that repurchase or redemption pursuant thereto will not be required prior to the Company’s repurchase of the Notes as required by this Indenture.

Disqualified Stock” means Capital Stock constituting Disqualified Equity Interests.

Domestic Restricted Subsidiary” means any Restricted Subsidiary formed under the laws of, or 50% or more of the assets of which are located in, the United States of America or any jurisdiction thereof.

DTC” means The Depository Trust Company, a New York corporation, and its successors.

DTC Legend” means the legend set forth in Exhibit D.

EBITDA” means, for any period, the sum of:

(1) Consolidated Net Income, plus

(2) Fixed Charges, to the extent deducted in calculating Consolidated Net Income, plus

(3) any loss (or minus any net gain) included in the consolidated financial statements due to the application of Accounting Standards Codification Topic No. 810; plus

(4) to the extent deducted in calculating Consolidated Net Income and as determined on a consolidated basis for the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries in conformity with GAAP:

(A) provision for taxes based on income, profits or capital (including state franchise taxes and similar taxes in the nature of income tax); and

(B) Depreciation and Amortization Expense and all other non-cash items reducing Consolidated Net Income (not including non-cash charges in a period which reflect cash expenses paid or to be paid in another period), less all non-cash items increasing Consolidated Net Income (not including non-cash items in a period which reflect cash received or expected to be received in another period); provided that, with respect to any Restricted Subsidiary, such items will be added only to the extent and in the same proportion that the relevant Restricted Subsidiary’s net income was included in calculating Consolidated Net Income.

Eligible Cash” means any cash and Cash Equivalents held by the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary.

Equity Interests” means all Capital Stock and all warrants or options with respect to, or other rights to purchase, Capital Stock, but excluding Debt convertible into equity.

 

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Equity Offering” means a public or private offering, after the Issue Date, of Qualified Stock of the Company or, to the extent the proceeds are contributed to the Company as Qualified Stock, any of its direct or indirect parent companies other than an issuance registered on Form S-4 or S-8 or any successor thereto or any issuance pursuant to employee benefit plans or otherwise in compensation to officers, directors or employees.

Exchange” means the exchange by J2 Global of the Notes to the initial purchasers or affiliates thereof, in their capacity as selling securityholders, for all of the outstanding loans held by such selling securityholders under that certain Credit Agreement, dated as of April 7, 2021 (as amended, restated, amended and restated, modified or supplemented from time to time), by and among, inter alia, J2 Global and MUFG Union Bank, N.A., as administrative agent.

Event of Default” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 6.01.

Excess Proceeds” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 4.13.

Exchange Act” means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.

Fair Market Value” means, with respect to any asset, the fair market value of such asset as determined by the Board of Directors of the Company in good faith, whose determination shall be conclusive (unless otherwise provided in this Indenture).

Fitch” means Fitch Ratings Inc. and its successors.

Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio” means, on any date (the “transaction date”), the ratio of:

(x) the aggregate amount of EBITDA for the four fiscal quarters immediately prior to the transaction date for which internal financial statements are available (the “reference period”) to

(y) the aggregate Fixed Charges during such reference period. In making the foregoing calculation;

(1) pro forma effect will be given to any Debt, Disqualified Stock or Preferred Stock Incurred during or after the reference period to the extent the Debt is outstanding or is to be Incurred on the transaction date;

(2) pro forma calculations of interest on Debt bearing a floating interest rate will be made as if the rate in effect on the transaction date (taking into account any Hedging Agreement applicable to the Debt if the Hedging Agreement has a remaining term of at least 12 months) had been the applicable rate for the entire reference period;

(3) Fixed Charges related to any Debt, Disqualified Stock or Preferred Stock no longer outstanding or to be repaid or redeemed on the transaction date, except for Interest Expense accrued during the reference period under a revolving credit to the extent of the commitment thereunder (or under any successor revolving credit) in effect on the transaction date, will be excluded;

(4) pro forma effect will be given to:

(A) the creation, designation or redesignation of Restricted and Unrestricted Subsidiaries,

 

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(B) (x) the acquisition or disposition of companies, divisions or lines of businesses by the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries, including any acquisition or disposition of a company, division or line of business since the beginning of the reference period by a Person that became a Restricted Subsidiary after the beginning of the reference period, which may include adjustments appropriate, in the good faith determination of a responsible financial or accounting officer of the Company, to reflect the run rate effect of reasonably identifiable and factually supportable cost savings, operating expense reductions and other operating improvements or synergies reasonably expected to result from any action taken or expected to be taken within eighteen months of the date of such acquisition or disposition, or (y) the run rate effect of any reasonably identifiable and factually supportable restructurings or other cost savings initiatives undertaken by the Company or its Restricted Subsidiaries reasonably expected to result from any action taken or expected to be taken within eighteen months of the date of such restructuring or cost savings initiative,

(C) the discontinuation of any discontinued operations but, in the case of Fixed Charges, only to the extent that the obligations giving rise to the Fixed Charges will not be obligations of the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary following the transaction date that have occurred since the beginning of the reference period as if such events had occurred, and, in the case of any disposition, the proceeds thereof applied, on the first day of the reference period. To the extent that pro forma effect is to be given to an acquisition or disposition of a company, division or line of business, the pro forma calculation will be based upon the most recent four full fiscal quarters for which the relevant financial information is available.

Fixed Charges” means, for any period, the sum of:

(1) Interest Expense for such period; and

(2) the product of:

(x) cash and non-cash dividends paid, declared, accrued or accumulated on any Disqualified Stock or Preferred Stock of the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary, except for dividends payable in the Company’s Qualified Stock or paid to the Company or to a Restricted Subsidiary, and

(y) a fraction, the numerator of which is one and the denominator of which is one minus the sum of the currently effective combined federal, state, local and foreign tax rate applicable to the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries.

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

“Form 10” means the registration statement on Form 10 of the Company, filed with the SEC on August 18, 2021 and as amended through September 21, 2021.

GAAP” means generally accepted accounting principles in the United States of America as in effect as of the Issue Date.

Global Note” means a Note in registered global form without interest coupons.

Guarantee” means any obligation, contingent or otherwise, of any Person directly or indirectly guaranteeing any Debt or other obligation of any other Person and, without limiting the generality of the foregoing, any obligation, direct or indirect, contingent or otherwise, of such Person (i) to purchase or pay (or advance or supply funds for the purchase or payment of) such Debt or other obligation of such other Person (whether arising by virtue of partnership arrangements, or by agreement to keep-well, to purchase assets, goods, securities or services, to take-or-pay, or to maintain financial statement conditions or otherwise) or (ii) entered into for purposes of assuring in any other manner the obligee of such Debt or other obligation of the payment thereof or to protect such obligee against loss in respect thereof, in whole or in part; provided that the term “Guarantee” does not include (x) endorsements for collection or deposit in the ordinary course of business or (y) a contractual commitment by one Person to invest in another Person for so long as such Investment is reasonably expected to constitute a Permitted Investment under clause (3) of the definition of “Permitted Investment” and is not to related to Debt. The term “Guarantee” used as a verb has a corresponding meaning.

 

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Guarantor” means each Domestic Restricted Subsidiary of the Company that executes this Indenture on the Issue Date and each Domestic Restricted Subsidiary of the Company that executes a supplemental indenture in the form of Exhibit B to this Indenture providing for the guaranty of the payment of the Notes in accordance with this Indenture, or any successor obligor under its Note Guaranty pursuant to Article 5, in each case unless and until such Guarantor is released from its Note Guaranty pursuant to this Indenture.

Hedging Agreement” means (i) any interest rate swap agreement, interest rate cap agreement, interest rate collar agreement or other agreement designed to protect against fluctuations in interest rates or (ii) any foreign exchange forward contract, currency swap agreement or other agreement designed to protect against fluctuations in foreign exchange rates.

Holder” or “Noteholder” means the registered holder of any Note.

Incur,” “Incurred” or “Incurrence” means, with respect to any Debt or Capital Stock, to incur, create, issue, assume or Guarantee such Debt or Capital Stock. If any Person becomes a Restricted Subsidiary on any date after the Issue Date (including by redesignation of an Unrestricted Subsidiary or failure of an Unrestricted Subsidiary to meet the qualifications necessary to remain an Unrestricted Subsidiary), the Debt and Capital Stock of such Person outstanding on such date will be deemed to have been Incurred by such Person on such date for purposes of Section 4.06, but will not be considered the sale or issuance of Equity Interests for purposes of Section 4.13.

Solely for the purpose of determining compliance with Section 4.06, the following will not be deemed to be the Incurrence of Debt:

(1) amortization of debt discount or the accretion of principal with respect to a non-interest bearing or other discount security and the accrual of interest or dividends;

(2) the payment of regularly scheduled interest in the form of additional Debt of the same instrument or the payment of regularly scheduled dividends on Capital Stock in the form of additional Capital Stock of the same class and with the same terms; and

(3) the obligation to pay a premium in respect of Debt arising in connection with the issuance of a notice of redemption or making of a mandatory offer to purchase such Debt.

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

Independent Financial Advisor” means an accounting, appraisal or investment banking firm of nationally recognized standing that is, in the reasonable judgment of the Board of Directors, qualified to perform the task for which it has been engaged.

Initial Additional Notes” means Additional Notes issued in an offering not registered under the Securities Act and any Notes issued in replacement thereof.

Initial Notes” means the Notes issued on the Issue Date and any Notes issued in replacement thereof.

Initial Purchasers” means the initial purchaser(s) party to a purchase agreement with the Company and the Guarantors relating to the sale of the Initial Notes or Initial Additional Notes by the Company.

 

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Insignificant Subsidiary” shall mean any Domestic Restricted Subsidiary that has (a) total assets that do not exceed 2.5% of Total Assets of the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries as of the end of the most recent fiscal quarter of the Company for which financial statements are required to be delivered under this Indenture and (b) EBITDA that does not exceed 2.5% of consolidated EBITDA of the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries for the period of four consecutive quarters of the Company most recently ended for which financial statements are required to be delivered pursuant to this Indenture; provided that no Domestic Restricted Subsidiary shall be deemed to be designated as an Insignificant Subsidiary if such Domestic Restricted Subsidiary, together with all other Domestic Restricted Subsidiaries that are otherwise deemed to be Insignificant Subsidiaries, would represent, in the aggregate, (x) 5% or more of Total Assets of the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries at the end of the most recently ended fiscal year of the Company or (y) 5% or more of the consolidated EBITDA of the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries for the most recently ended period of four consecutive fiscal quarters, in each case, based upon the most recent financial statements required to be delivered pursuant to this Indenture. If, at any date of determination, the Company’s non-Guarantor Domestic Restricted Subsidiaries would represent, in the aggregate, more than 5% of Total Assets or 5% of consolidated EBITDA, then the Company shall cause one or more of such non-Guarantor Domestic Restricted Subsidiaries (the selection thereof to be at the Company’s discretion) to promptly provide Note Guaranties such that, after giving effect thereto, the remaining non-Guarantor Domestic Restricted Subsidiaries would represent less than 5% of such Total Assets and consolidated EBITDA and otherwise fit within the definition of “Insignificant Subsidiary.”

Institutional Accredited Investor” means an institutional “accredited investor” as defined in Rule 501(a), (2), (3) or (7) under the Securities Act.

Institutional Accredited Investor Certificate” means a certificate substantially in the form of Exhibit G hereto.

interest,” in respect of the Notes, unless the context otherwise requires, refers to interest, if any.

Interest Expense” means, for any period, the consolidated interest expense of the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries, plus, to the extent not included in such consolidated interest expense, and to the extent incurred, accrued or payable by the Company or its Restricted Subsidiaries, without duplication, (i) interest expense attributable to Sale and Leaseback Transactions, (ii) amortization of debt discount and debt issuance costs but excluding amortization of deferred financing charges incurred in respect of the Notes, (iii) capitalized interest, (iv) non-cash interest expense, (v) commissions, discounts and other fees and charges owed with respect to letters of credit and bankers’ acceptance financing, (vi) net costs associated with Hedging Agreements (including the amortization of fees), (vii) any of the above expenses with respect to Debt of another Person Guaranteed by the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries and (viii) any premiums, fees, discounts, expenses and losses on the sale of accounts receivable (and any amortization thereof) payable by the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary in connection with a receivables financing, as determined on a consolidated basis and in accordance with GAAP.

Interest Payment Date” means each April 15 and October 15 of each year, commencing April 15, 2022.

Interest Rate Protection Agreement” means, with respect to any Person, any arrangement with any other Person whereby, directly or indirectly, such Person is entitled to receive from time to time periodic payments calculated by applying either a floating or a fixed rate of interest on a stated notional amount in exchange for periodic payments made by such Person calculated by applying a fixed or a floating rate of interest on the same notional amount and shall include without limitation, interest rate swaps, caps, floors, collars and similar agreements.

Investment” means:

(1) any direct or indirect advance, loan or other extension of credit to another Person,

(2) any capital contribution to another Person, by means of any transfer of cash or other property or in any other form,

 

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(3) any purchase or acquisition of Equity Interests or Debt, or other instruments or securities issued by another Person, including the receipt of any of the above as consideration for the disposition of assets or rendering of services, or

(4) any Guarantee of any obligation of another Person

If the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary sells or otherwise disposes of any Equity Interests of any direct or indirect Restricted Subsidiary so that, after giving effect to that sale or disposition, such Person is no longer a Subsidiary of the Company, all outstanding Investments by the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary (except to the extent repaid) in the Equity Interests so sold will be deemed to be an Investment in an amount (if positive) equal to the Company’s or the applicable Restricted Subsidiary’s “Investment” in such Subsidiary at the time of such disposition. Except as otherwise provided herein, the amount of an Investment will be determined at the time the Investment is made and without giving effect to subsequent changes in value.

Investment Grade” means BBB- or higher by S&P, Baa3 or higher by Moody’s, BBB- or higher by Fitch, or the equivalent of such ratings by another Rating Agency.

Issue Date” means the date on which the Initial Notes are originally issued under this Indenture.

J2 Global” means J2 Global, Inc., a Delaware corporation.

Lien” means any mortgage, pledge, security interest, encumbrance, lien or charge of any kind (including any conditional sale or other title retention agreement or Capital Lease).

Limited Condition Acquisition” means any acquisition, including by means of a merger, consolidation or amalgamation, by the Company or one or more of its Restricted Subsidiaries, the consummation of which is not conditioned upon the availability of, or on obtaining, third party financing.

Moody’s” means Moody’s Investors Service, Inc. and its successors.

Net Cash Proceeds” means, with respect to any Asset Sale, the proceeds of such Asset Sale in the form of cash and Cash Equivalents (including (i) payments in respect of deferred payment obligations to the extent corresponding to principal, but not interest, when received in the form of cash or Cash Equivalents, and (ii) proceeds from the conversion of other consideration received when converted to cash or Cash Equivalents), net of:

(1) brokerage commissions and other fees and expenses related to such Asset Sale, including fees and expenses of counsel, accountants and investment bankers;

(2) provisions for taxes as a result of such Asset Sale without regard to the consolidated results of operations of the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries;

(3) payments required to be made to holders of minority interests in Restricted Subsidiaries as a result of such Asset Sale or to repay Debt outstanding at the time of such Asset Sale that is secured by a Lien on the property or assets sold; and

(4) appropriate amounts to be provided as a reserve against liabilities associated with such Asset Sale, including pension and other post-employment benefit liabilities, liabilities related to environmental matters and indemnification obligations associated with such Asset Sale, with any subsequent reduction of the reserve other than by payments made and charged against the reserved amount to be deemed a receipt of cash.

Net Leverage Ratio” means, on any date (the “transaction date”), the ratio of:

(x) Consolidated Net Debt of the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries on the transaction date to

 

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(y) the aggregate amount of EBITDA for the four fiscal quarters immediately prior to the transaction date for which internal financial statements are available (the “reference period”).

In making the foregoing calculation,

(1) any Debt, Disqualified Stock or Preferred Stock to be repaid or redeemed on the transaction date will be excluded; and

(2) pro forma effect will be given to

(A) the creation, designation or redesignation of Restricted and Unrestricted Subsidiaries,

(B) the acquisition or disposition of companies, divisions or lines of businesses by the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries, including any acquisition or disposition of a company, division or line of business since the beginning of the reference period by a Person that became a Restricted Subsidiary after the beginning of the reference period, which may include adjustments appropriate, in the good faith determination of a responsible financial or accounting officer of the Company, to reflect reasonably identifiable and factually supportable cost savings, operating expense reductions and other operating improvements or synergies reasonably expected to result from any action taken or expected to be taken within eighteen months of the date of such acquisition or disposition, and

(C) the discontinuation of any discontinued operations that have occurred since the beginning of the reference period as if such events had occurred, and, in the case of any disposition, the proceeds thereof applied, on the first day of the reference period. To the extent that pro forma effect is to be given to an acquisition or disposition of a company, division or line of business, the pro forma calculation will be based upon the most recent four full fiscal quarters for which the relevant financial information is available.

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

Non-Recourse Debt” means Debt as to which (i) neither the Company nor any Restricted Subsidiary provides any Guarantee and as to which the lenders have been notified in writing that they will not have any recourse to the stock or assets of the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary and (ii) no default thereunder would, as such, constitute a default under any Debt of the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary.

Notes” has the meaning assigned to such term in the Recitals.

Note Guaranty” means the guaranty of the Notes by a Guarantor pursuant to this Indenture.

Obligations” means, with respect to any Debt, all obligations (whether in existence on the Issue Date or arising afterwards, absolute or contingent, direct or indirect) for or in respect of principal (when due, upon acceleration, upon redemption, upon mandatory repayment or repurchase pursuant to a mandatory offer to purchase, or otherwise), premium, interest, penalties, fees, indemnification, reimbursement and other amounts payable and liabilities with respect to such Debt, including all interest accrued or accruing after the commencement of any bankruptcy, insolvency or reorganization or similar case or proceeding at the contract rate (including, without limitation, any contract rate applicable upon default) specified in the relevant documentation, whether or not the claim for such interest is allowed as a claim in such case or proceeding.

Offer to Purchase” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 3.04.

Offering Memorandum” means the Offering Memorandum dated September 24, 2021 relating to the private offering of the Initial Notes.

 

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Officer” means the Chairman of the Board, the Chief Executive Officer, the Chief Financial Officer, the President, any Vice President, the Treasurer or the Secretary of the Company. “Officer” of any Guarantor has a correlative meaning.

Officer’s Certificate” means a certificate signed by an Officer of the Company.

Offshore Global Note” means a Global Note representing Notes issued and sold pursuant to Regulation S.

Opinion of Counsel” means a written opinion signed by legal counsel, who is satisfactory to the Trustee, who may be an employee of or counsel to the Company.

Paying Agent” refers to a Person engaged to perform the obligations of the Trustee in respect of payments made or funds held hereunder in respect of the Notes.

Permanent Offshore Global Note” means an Offshore Global Note that does not bear the Temporary Offshore Global Note Legend.

Permitted Bank Debt” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 4.06.

Permitted Debt” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 4.06.

Permitted Business” means any of the businesses in which the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries are engaged on the Issue Date, and any business reasonably related, incidental, complementary or ancillary thereto or any business that is a reasonable extension, development or expansion thereof.

Permitted Investments” means:

(1) any Investment in the Company or in a Restricted Subsidiary of the Company that is engaged in a Permitted Business;

(2) any Investment in Cash Equivalents;

(3) any Investment by the Company or any Subsidiary of the Company in a Person, if as a result of such Investment,

(A) such Person becomes a Restricted Subsidiary of the Company engaged in a Permitted Business, or

(B) such Person is merged or consolidated with or into, or transfers or conveys all or substantially all of its assets to, or is liquidated into, the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary engaged in a Permitted Business;

(4) Investments received as non-cash consideration in an Asset Sale made pursuant to and in compliance with Section 4.13 or a result of a disposition of assets not constituting an Asset Sale;

(5) Hedging Agreements otherwise permitted under this Indenture;

(6) (i) receivables owing to the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary if created or acquired in the ordinary course of business, (ii) endorsements for collection or deposit in the ordinary course of business, (iii) Investments in the ordinary course of business in prepaid expenses, negotiable instruments held for collection and lease, utility and worker’s compensation, performance and other similar deposits provided to third parties, and (iv) securities, instruments or other obligations received in compromise or settlement of debts created in the ordinary course of business, or by reason of a composition or readjustment of debts or reorganization of another Person, or in satisfaction of claims or judgments;

 

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(7) Investments in Unrestricted Subsidiaries, Persons engaged in a Permitted Business and joint ventures in an aggregate amount, taken together with all other Investments made in reliance on this clause (7), not to exceed the greater of (x) $100 million (net of, with respect to the Investment in any particular Person, the cash return thereon received after the Issue Date as a result of any sale for cash, repayment, redemption, liquidating distribution or other cash realization (to the extent not included in Consolidated Net Income), not to exceed the amount of Investments in such Person made after the Issue Date in reliance on this clause) and (y) 17% of Total Assets;

(8) payroll, travel and other loans or advances to, or Guarantees issued to support the obligations of, officers and employees, in each case in the ordinary course of business, not in excess of $10 million outstanding at any time;

(9) extensions of credit to customers and suppliers in the ordinary course of business;

(10) Investments consisting of purchases and acquisitions of inventory, supplies, material or equipment or acquisitions of contract rights or licenses or leases of intellectual property;

(11) Investments consisting of licensing of intellectual property to other Persons in the ordinary course of business;

(12) Investments the payment for which consists of Qualified Equity Interests of the Company or any of its direct or indirect parent companies; provided, however, that such Equity Interests will not increase the amount available for Restricted Payments under Section 4.07;

(13) any Investment (i) existing on the Issue Date not otherwise constituting a Permitted Investment, (ii) made pursuant to the Transaction Agreements and (iii) any extension, modification, replacement or renewal of any such Investments existing on the Issue Date or made pursuant to the Transaction Agreements, but only to the extent not involving additional advances, contributions or other Investments of cash or other assets or other increases thereof other than as a result of the accrual or accretion of interest or original issue discount or the issuance of pay-in-kind securities, in each case, pursuant to the terms of such Investment as in effect on the Issue Date (or as subsequently amended or otherwise modified in a manner not disadvantageous to the Noteholders in any material respect);

(14) any Investment acquired by the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries: (a) in exchange for any other Investment or accounts receivable held by the Company or any such Restricted Subsidiary in connection with or as a result of a bankruptcy, workout, reorganization or recapitalization of the issuer of such other Investment or accounts receivable; (b) in satisfaction of judgments against other Persons; or (c) as a result of a foreclosure by the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries with respect to any secured Investment or other transfer of title with respect to any secured Investment in default; and

(15) the Transactions.

Permitted Liens” means:

(1) Liens existing on the Issue Date;

(2) Liens securing the Notes or any Note Guaranties;

(3) Liens securing Obligations under or with respect to (a) any Permitted Bank Debt of the Company or any Guarantor or (b) any Debt of a Restricted Subsidiary that is not a Guarantor on the assets of such Restricted Subsidiary;

(4) Liens to secure the performance of, or arising in connection with, public or statutory obligations, including, without limitation, pledges or deposits under worker’s compensation laws, unemployment insurance laws or similar legislation, or good faith deposits in connection with bids, tenders, contracts or leases, or to secure public or statutory obligations, surety or appeal bonds, performance bonds or other obligations of a like nature, customs duties and the like, or for the payment of rent, in each case incurred in the ordinary course of business and not securing Debt;

 

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(5) Liens imposed by law, such as carriers’, vendors’, warehousemen’s and mechanics’ liens, in each case for sums not yet due or being contested in good faith and by appropriate proceedings;

(6) Liens in respect of taxes and other governmental assessments and charges which are not yet due or which are being contested in good faith and by appropriate proceedings;

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

(8) minor survey exceptions, minor encumbrances, easements or reservations of, or rights of others for, licenses, rights of way, sewers, electric lines, telegraph and telephone lines and other similar purposes, or zoning or other restrictions as to the use of real property, not interfering in any material respect with the conduct of the business of the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries;

(9) licenses or leases or subleases as licensor, lessor or sublessor of any of its property, including intellectual property, in the ordinary course of business;

(10) customary Liens in favor of trustees and escrow agents, and netting and setoff rights, banker’s liens and the like in favor of financial institutions and counterparties to financial obligations and instruments, including Hedging Agreements;

(11) Liens on assets pursuant to merger agreements, stock or asset purchase agreements and similar agreements in respect of the disposition of such assets;

(12) options, put and call arrangements, rights of first refusal and similar rights relating to Investments in joint ventures, partnerships and the like;

(13) judgment liens, and Liens securing appeal bonds or letters of credit issued in support of or in lieu of appeal bonds, so long as no Event of Default then exists as a result thereof;

(14) Liens incurred in the ordinary course of business not securing Debt and not in the aggregate materially detracting from the value of the properties or their use in the operation of the business of the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries;

(15) Liens (including the interest of a lessor under a Capital Lease) on property that secure Debt Incurred under Section 4.06(b)(9) for the purpose of financing all or any part of the purchase price or cost of construction, restoration, replacement, rebuilding, maintenance, upgrade or improvement of such property and which attach within 180 days after the date of such purchase or the completion of construction, restoration, replacement, rebuilding, maintenance, upgrade or improvement;

(16) Liens on property of a Person at the time such Person becomes a Restricted Subsidiary of the Company; provided such Liens were not created in contemplation thereof and do not extend to any other property of the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary;

(17) Liens on property at the time the Company or any of the Restricted Subsidiaries acquires such property, including any acquisition by means of a merger or consolidation with or into the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary of such Person; provided such Liens were not created in contemplation thereof and do not extend to any other property of the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary;

(18) Liens securing Debt or other obligations of the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary to the Company or a Guarantor;

 

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(19) Liens securing Hedging Agreements so long as such Hedging Agreements relate to Debt for borrowed money that is, and is permitted to be under this Indenture, secured by a Lien on the same property securing such Hedging Agreements;

(20) Liens on the Capital Stock of an Unrestricted Subsidiary to the extent such Lien constitutes an Investment permitted under Section 4.07;

(21) Liens incurred or assumed in connection with the issuance of revenue bonds the interest on which is tax-exempt under the Code;

(22) extensions, renewals or replacements of any Liens referred to in clauses (1), (2), (15), (16), (17) or (23) in connection with the refinancing of the obligations secured thereby; provided that such Lien does not extend to any other property and, except as contemplated by the definition of “Permitted Refinancing Debt,” the amount secured by such Lien is not increased;

(23) other Liens securing Debt if, on the date of the Incurrence of the Debt, after giving effect to the Incurrence of such Debt and the receipt and application of the proceeds therefrom, the Secured Net Leverage Ratio (calculated excluding any increase in Eligible Cash resulting from the Incurrence of such Debt or Disqualified Stock) does not exceed 0.50 to 1.00; provided that the calculation of the Secured Net Leverage Ratio will treat clause (b)(1)(A) under Section 4.06 as having been fully utilized to incur Debt of the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries on such date that is secured by a Lien on any assets of the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary; and

(24) other Liens securing obligations in an aggregate amount not exceeding the greater of (A) $50 million and (B) 25% of EBITDA for the most recently ended four fiscal quarter period ending immediately prior to such date for which internal financial statements are available, with such adjustments as are set forth under the definition of “Net Leverage Ratio”.

Permitted Refinancing Debt” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 4.06.

Person” means an individual, a corporation, a partnership, a limited liability company, an association, a trust or any other entity, including a government or political subdivision or an agency or instrumentality thereof.

Preferred Stock” means, with respect to any Person, any and all Capital Stock which is preferred as to the payment of dividends or distributions, upon liquidation or otherwise, over another class of Capital Stock of such Person.

principal” of any Debt means the principal amount of such Debt (or if such Debt was issued with original issue discount, the face amount of such Debt less the remaining unamortized portion of the original issue discount of such Debt), together with, unless the context otherwise indicates, any premium then payable on such Debt.

Purchase Money Obligations” means any Debt incurred to finance or refinance the acquisition, leasing, construction or improvement of property (real or personal) or assets (including Capital Stock), and whether acquired through the direct acquisition of such property or assets or the acquisition of the Capital Stock of any person owning such property or assets, or otherwise; provided that such Debt is incurred within 365 days after such acquisition.

Qualified Equity Interests” means all Equity Interests of a Person other than Disqualified Equity Interests.

Qualified Stock” means all Capital Stock of a Person other than Disqualified Equity Interests.

Rating Agencies” means S&P, Moody’s and Fitch; provided, that if any of S&P, Moody’s or Fitch (or any combination thereof) shall cease issuing a rating on the Notes for reasons outside the control of the Company, the Company may select a nationally recognized statistical rating agency to substitute for such Rating Agency.

 

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refinance” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 4.06.

Register” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 2.09.

Registrar” means a Person engaged to maintain the Register.

Regular Record Date” for the interest payable on any Interest Payment Date means the April 1 or October 1 (whether or not a Business Day) next preceding such Interest Payment Date.

Regulation S” means Regulation S under the Securities Act.

Regulation S Certificate” means a certificate substantially in the form of Exhibit E hereto.

Related Party Transaction” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 4.14.

Restricted Legend” means the legend set forth in Exhibit C.

Restricted Payment” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 4.07.

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

Restricted Subsidiary” means any Subsidiary of the Company other than an Unrestricted Subsidiary.

“Reversion Date” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 4.19.

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

Rule 144A Certificate” means (i) a certificate substantially in the form of Exhibit F hereto or (ii) a written certification addressed to the Company and the Trustee to the effect that the Person making such certification (x) is acquiring such Note (or beneficial interest) for its own account or one or more accounts with respect to which it exercises sole investment discretion and that it and each such account is a qualified institutional buyer within the meaning of Rule 144A, (y) is aware that the transfer to it or exchange, as applicable, is being made in reliance upon the exemption from the provisions of Section 5 of the Securities Act provided by Rule 144A, and (z) acknowledges that it has received such information regarding the Company as it has requested pursuant to Rule 144A(d)(4) or has determined not to request such information.

S&P” means Standard & Poor’s Ratings Group and its successors.

Sale and Leaseback Transaction” means, with respect to any Person, an arrangement whereby such Person enters into a lease of property previously transferred by such Person to the lessor.

Secured Net Leverage Ratio” means, on any date, the ratio of (a) Consolidated Net Secured Debt (provided that in making such calculation, the maximum amount of Debt that the Company is permitted to Incur under Section 4.06(b)(1) shall be deemed outstanding and secured by a Lien) to (b) EBITDA for the most recently ended four fiscal quarter period ending immediately prior to such date for which internal financial statements are available, with such adjustments as are set forth under the definition of “Net Leverage Ratio.”

Securities Act” means the Securities Act of 1933.

Significant Restricted Subsidiary” means any Restricted Subsidiary, or group of Restricted Subsidiaries, that would, taken together, be a “significant subsidiary” as defined in Article 1, Rule 1-02 (w)(1) or (2) of Regulation S-X promulgated under the Securities Act, as such regulation is in effect on the Issue Date.

Spin-Off” means the distribution of 80.1% of the issued Equity Interests of the Company to the holders of the common stock of J2 Global on the Issue Date as described in the Form 10.

 

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Stated Maturity” means (i) with respect to any Debt, the date specified as the fixed date on which the final installment of principal of such Debt is due and payable or (ii) with respect to any scheduled installment of principal of or interest on any Debt, the date specified as the fixed date on which such installment is due and payable as set forth in the documentation governing such Debt, not including any contingent obligation to repay, redeem or repurchase prior to the regularly scheduled date for payment.

Subordinated Debt” means any Debt of the Company or any Guarantor which is subordinated in right of payment to the Notes or the Note Guaranty, as applicable, pursuant to a written agreement to that effect.

Subsidiary” means with respect to any Person, any corporation, association or other business entity of which more than 50% of the outstanding Voting Stock is owned, directly or indirectly, by, or, in the case of a partnership, the sole general partner or the managing partner or the only general partners of which are, such Person and one or more Subsidiaries of such Person (or a combination thereof). Unless otherwise specified, “Subsidiary” means a Subsidiary of the Company.

Successor Company” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 5.01.

Suspended Covenants” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 4.19.

Suspension Period” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 4.19.

Temporary Offshore Global Note” means an Offshore Global Note that bears the Temporary Offshore Global Note Legend.

Temporary Offshore Global Note Legend” means the legend set forth in Exhibit I.

Total Assets” means the total consolidated assets of the Company and its Subsidiaries as of the end of the most recent fiscal quarter of the Company for which financial statements are required to be delivered under this Indenture.

Transaction Agreements” means the separation and distribution agreement, the tax matters agreement, the employee matters agreement, the transition services agreement, the intellectual property license agreement, the stockholder and registration rights agreement and each of the other agreements entered into among J2 Global and/or certain of its subsidiaries (after giving effect to the Spin-Off), on the one hand, and the Company and/or certain of its Subsidiaries, on the other, in each case, as contemplated by the Form 10 at or prior to the time of the Spin-Off, in each case, on terms that are not less favorable in any material respect, taken as a whole, than the terms contemplated by the Form 10.

Transactions” means the issuance of the Notes on the Issue Date, the Exchange, the issuance of the 2026 Notes on the Issue Date, the distribution of approximately $261 million of cash by the Company to J2 Global, the entering into of the Transaction Agreements, the Spin-Off and the other transactions in connection therewith described in the Offering Memorandum and the Form 10 to occur on or prior to the Issue Date.

Trustee” means the party named as such in the first paragraph of this Indenture or any successor trustee under this Indenture pursuant to Article 7.

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

U.S. Global Note” means a Global Note that bears the Restricted Legend representing Notes issued and sold pursuant to Rule 144A.

U.S. Government Obligations” means obligations issued or directly and fully guaranteed or insured by the United States of America or by any agent or instrumentality thereof; provided that the full faith and credit of the United States of America is pledged in support thereof.

 

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Unrestricted Subsidiary” means any Subsidiary of the Company that at the time of determination has previously been designated, and continues to be, an Unrestricted Subsidiary in accordance with Section 4.15.

Voting Stock” means, with respect to any Person, Capital Stock of any class or kind ordinarily having the power to vote for the election of directors, managers or other voting members of the governing body of such Person.

Wholly Owned” means, with respect to any Restricted Subsidiary, a Restricted Subsidiary all of the outstanding Capital Stock of which (other than any director’s qualifying shares) is owned by the Company and one or more Wholly Owned Restricted Subsidiaries (or a combination thereof).

Section 1.02. Rules of Construction. Unless the context otherwise requires or except as otherwise expressly provided:

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

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

(3) all references to Sections or Articles or Exhibits refer to Sections or Articles or Exhibits of or to this Indenture unless otherwise indicated;

(4) references to agreements or instruments, or to statutes or regulations, are to such agreements or instruments, or statutes or regulations, as amended from time to time (or to successor statutes and regulations); and

(5) in the event that a transaction meets the criteria of more than one category of permitted transactions or listed exceptions the Company may classify such transaction as it, in its sole discretion, determines.

Section 1.03. Financial Calculations for Limited Condition Acquisitions.

When calculating the availability under any basket or ratio under this Indenture or compliance with any provision of this Indenture in connection with any Limited Condition Acquisition and any actions or transactions related thereto (including acquisitions, investments, the incurrence, issuance or assumption of Debt and the use of proceeds thereof, the incurrence or creation of Liens and repayments), in each case, at the option of the Company (the Company’s election to exercise such option, an “LCA Election”), the date of determination for availability under any such basket or ratio and whether any such action or transaction is permitted (or any requirement or condition therefor is complied with or satisfied (including as to the absence of any continuing Default or Event of Default)) under this Indenture shall be deemed to be the date (the “LCA Test Date”) the definitive agreement for such Limited Condition Acquisition is entered into and if, after giving pro forma effect to the Limited Condition Acquisition and any actions or transactions related thereto (including acquisitions, investments, the incurrence, issuance or assumption of Debt and the use of proceeds thereof, the incurrence or creation of Liens and repayments) and any related pro forma adjustments, the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries would have been permitted to take such actions or consummate such transactions on the relevant LCA Test Date in compliance with such ratio, test or basket (and any related requirements and conditions), then such ratio, test or basket (and any related requirements and conditions) shall be deemed to have been complied with (or satisfied) for all purposes (in the case of Debt, for example, whether such Debt is committed, issued, assumed or incurred at the LCA Test Date or at any time thereafter); provided, that (a) if financial statements for one or more subsequent fiscal quarters shall have become available, the Company may elect, in its sole discretion, to redetermine all such ratios, tests or baskets on the basis of such financial statements, in which case, such date of redetermination shall thereafter be the applicable LCA Test Date for purposes of such ratios, tests or baskets, (b) except as contemplated in the foregoing clause (a), compliance with such ratios, test or baskets (and any related requirements and conditions) shall not be determined or tested at any time after the applicable LCA Test Date for such Limited Condition Acquisition and any actions or transaction related thereto (including acquisitions, the incurrence, issuance or assumption of Debt and the use of

 

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proceeds thereof, the incurrence or creation of Liens and repayments), (c) Interest Expense for purposes of the Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio will be calculated using an assumed interest rate as reasonably determined by the Company, and (d) in connection with the making of Restricted Payments that are not in connection with such Limited Condition Acquisition, the calculation of Consolidated Net Income (and any defined term a component of which is Consolidated Net Income) will not, in any case, assume such Limited Condition Acquisition has been consummated.

For the avoidance of doubt, if the Company has made an LCA Election, (1) if any of the ratios, tests or baskets for which compliance was determined or tested as of the LCA Test Date would at any time after the LCA Test Date have been exceeded or otherwise failed to have been complied with as a result of fluctuations in any such ratio, test or basket, including due to fluctuations in EBITDA or total assets of the Company or the Person subject to such Limited Condition Acquisition, such baskets, tests or ratios will not be deemed to have been exceeded or failed to have been complied with as a result of such fluctuations; (2) if any related requirements and conditions (including as to the absence of any continuing Default or Event of Default) for which compliance or satisfaction was determined or tested as of the LCA Test Date would at any time after the LCA Test Date not have been complied with or satisfied (including due to the occurrence or continuation of an Default or Event of Default), such requirements and conditions will not be deemed to have been failed to be complied with or satisfied (and such Default or Event of Default shall be deemed not to have occurred or be continuing); and (3) in calculating the availability under any ratio, test or basket in connection with any action or transaction unrelated to such Limited Condition Acquisition following the relevant LCA Test Date and prior to the earlier of the date on which such Limited Condition Acquisition is consummated or the date that the definitive agreement or date for redemption, purchase or repayment specified in an irrevocable notice for such Limited Condition Acquisition is terminated, expires or passes, as applicable, without consummation of such Limited Condition Acquisition, any such ratio, test or basket shall be determined or tested giving pro forma effect to such Limited Condition Acquisition.

Section 1.04. 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 2

THE NOTES

Section 2.01. Form, Dating And Denominations; Legends.

(a) The Notes and the Trustee’s certificate of authentication will be substantially in the form attached as Exhibit A. The terms and provisions contained in the form of the Notes annexed as Exhibit A constitute, and are hereby expressly made, a part of this Indenture. The Notes may have notations, legends or endorsements required by law, rules of or agreements with national securities exchanges to which the Company is subject, or usage. Each Note will be dated the date of its authentication. The Notes will be issuable in minimum denominations of $2,000 in principal amount and any integral multiple of $1,000 in excess thereof. In the case of any conflict between this Indenture and a Note, the provisions of this Indenture shall control and govern to the extent of such conflict.

(b) (1) Except as otherwise provided in Section 2.01(c), Section 2.10(b)(3), (b)(5), or (c) or Section 2.09(b)(4), each Initial Note or Initial Additional Note (other than a Permanent Offshore Global Note) will bear the Restricted Legend.

(2) Each Global Note, whether or not an Initial Note or Additional Note, will bear the DTC Legend.

 

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(3) Each Temporary Offshore Global Note will bear the Temporary Offshore Global Note Legend.

(4) Initial Notes and Initial Additional Notes offered and sold in reliance on Regulation S will be issued as provided in Section 2.11(a).

(5) Initial Notes and Initial Additional Notes offered and sold in reliance on any exception under the Securities Act other than Regulation S and Rule 144A will be issued, and upon the request of the Company to the Trustee, Initial Notes offered and sold in reliance on Rule 144A may be issued, in the form of Certificated Notes.

(c) (1) If the Company determines (upon the advice of counsel and such other certifications and evidence as the Company may reasonably require) that a Note is eligible for resale pursuant to Rule 144 under the Securities Act (or a successor provision) without the need for current public information and that the Restricted Legend is no longer necessary or appropriate in order to ensure that subsequent transfers of the Note (or a beneficial interest therein) are effected in compliance with the Securities Act, or

(2) After an Initial Note or any Initial Additional Note is sold pursuant to an effective registration statement under the Securities Act, the Company may instruct the Trustee to cancel the Note and issue to the Holder thereof (or to its transferee) a new Note of like tenor and amount, registered in the name of the Holder thereof (or its transferee), that does not bear the Restricted Legend, and the Trustee will comply with such instruction.

(d) By its acceptance of any Note bearing the Restricted Legend (or any beneficial interest in such a Note), each Holder thereof and each owner of a beneficial interest therein acknowledges the restrictions on transfer of such Note (and any such beneficial interest) set forth in this Indenture and in the Restricted Legend and agrees that it will transfer such Note (and any such beneficial interest) only in accordance with this Indenture and such legend.

Section 2.02. Execution and Authentication; Additional Notes.

(a) An Officer of the Company shall execute the Notes for the Company by facsimile, manual signature or other electronic signature in the name and on behalf of the Company. If an Officer whose signature is on a Note no longer holds that office at the time the Note is authenticated, the Note will still be valid.

(b) A Note will not be valid until the Trustee manually signs the certificate of authentication on the Note, with the signature conclusive evidence that the Note has been authenticated under this Indenture.

(c) At any time and from time to time after the execution and delivery of this Indenture, the Company may deliver Notes executed by the Company to the Trustee for authentication. The Trustee will authenticate and deliver:

(i) Initial Notes for original issue in the aggregate principal amount not to exceed $500,000,000,

(ii) Initial Additional Notes from time to time for original issue in aggregate principal amounts specified by the Company,

after the following conditions have been met:

(1) Receipt by the Trustee of a Company Order specifying

(A) the amount of Notes to be authenticated and the date on which the Notes are to be authenticated,

(B) whether the Notes are to be Initial Notes or Additional Notes,

 

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(C) in the case of Initial Additional Notes, that the issuance of such Notes does not contravene any provision of Article 4,

(D) whether the Notes are to be issued as one or more Global Notes or Certificated Notes, and

(E) other information the Company may determine to include or the Trustee may reasonably request.

(2) In the case of Initial Additional Notes, such Additional Notes will be fungible with the Initial Notes for U.S. federal income tax purposes (and receipt by the Trustee of an Officer’s Certificate to that effect) or will bear a separate CUSIP number.

Section 2.03. Registrar, Paying Agent and Authenticating Agent; Paying Agent to Hold Money in Trust.

(a) The Company may appoint one or more Registrars and one or more Paying Agents, and the Trustee may appoint an Authenticating Agent, in which case each reference in this Indenture to the Trustee in respect of the obligations of the Trustee to be performed by that Agent will be deemed to be references to the Agent. The Company may act as Registrar or (except for purposes of Article 8) Paying Agent. In each case the Company and the Trustee will enter into an appropriate agreement with the Agent implementing the provisions of this Indenture relating to the obligations of the Trustee to be performed by the Agent and the related rights. The Company initially appoints the Trustee as Registrar and Paying Agent.

(b) The Company will require each Paying Agent other than the Trustee to agree in writing that the Paying Agent will hold in trust for the benefit of the Holders or the Trustee all money held by the Paying Agent for the payment of principal of and interest on the Notes and will promptly notify the Trustee of any default by the Company in making any such payment. The Company at any time may require a Paying Agent to pay all money held by it to the Trustee and account for any funds disbursed, and the Trustee may at any time during the continuance of any payment default, upon written request to a Paying Agent, require the Paying Agent to pay all money held by it to the Trustee and to account for any funds disbursed. Upon doing so, the Paying Agent will have no further liability for the money so paid over to the Trustee.

(c) Upon any Event of Default pursuant to Section 6.01(7) or 6.01(8), the Trustee shall automatically be the Paying Agent.

Section 2.04. Replacement Notes. If a mutilated Note is surrendered to the Trustee or if a Holder claims that its Note has been lost, destroyed or wrongfully taken, the Company will issue and the Trustee will authenticate a replacement Note of like tenor and principal amount and bearing a number not contemporaneously outstanding. Every replacement Note is an additional obligation of the Company and entitled to the benefits of this Indenture. If required by the Trustee or the Company, an indemnity must be furnished that is sufficient in the judgment of both the Trustee and the Company to protect the Company and the Trustee from any loss they may suffer if a Note is replaced. The Company may charge the Holder for the expenses of the Company and the Trustee in replacing a Note. In case the mutilated, lost, destroyed or wrongfully taken Note has become or is about to become due and payable, the Company in its discretion may pay the Note instead of issuing a replacement Note.

Section 2.05. Outstanding Notes.

(a) Notes outstanding at any time are all Notes that have been authenticated by the Trustee except for:

(1) Notes cancelled by the Trustee or delivered to it for cancellation;

(2) any Note which has been replaced pursuant to Section 2.04 unless and until the Trustee and the Company receives proof satisfactory to them that the replaced Note is held by a bona fide purchaser; and

 

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(3) on or after the maturity date or any redemption date or date for purchase of the Notes pursuant to an Offer to Purchase, those Notes payable or to be redeemed or purchased on that date for which the Trustee or Paying Agent (other than the Company or any Affiliate of the Company) holds money sufficient to pay all amounts then due.

(b) A Note does not cease to be outstanding because the Company or one of its Affiliates holds the Note; provided that in determining whether the Holders of the requisite principal amount of the outstanding Notes have given or taken any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other action hereunder, Notes owned by the Company or its Affiliates of the Company will be disregarded and deemed not to be outstanding, (it being understood that in determining whether the Trustee is protected in relying upon any such request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other action, only Notes which the Trustee knows to be so owned will be so disregarded).

Section 2.06. Temporary Notes. Until definitive Notes are ready for delivery, the Company may prepare and the Trustee will authenticate temporary Notes. Temporary Notes will be substantially in the form of definitive Notes but may have insertions, substitutions, omissions and other variations determined to be appropriate by the Officer executing the temporary Notes, as evidenced by the execution of the temporary Notes. If temporary Notes are issued, the Company will cause definitive Notes to be prepared without unreasonable delay. After the preparation of definitive Notes, the temporary Notes will be exchangeable for definitive Notes upon surrender of the temporary Notes at the office or agency of the Company designated for the purpose pursuant to Section 4.02, without charge to the Holder. Upon surrender for cancellation of any temporary Notes the Company will execute and the Trustee will authenticate and deliver in exchange therefor a like principal amount of definitive Notes of authorized denominations. Until so exchanged, the temporary Notes will be entitled to the same benefits under this Indenture as definitive Notes.

Section 2.07. Cancellation. The Company at any time may deliver to the Trustee for cancellation any Notes previously authenticated and delivered hereunder which the Company may have acquired in any manner whatsoever, and may deliver to the Trustee for cancellation any Notes previously authenticated hereunder which the Company has not issued and sold. Any Registrar or the Paying Agent will forward to the Trustee any Notes surrendered to it for transfer, exchange or payment. The Trustee will cancel all Notes surrendered for transfer, exchange, payment or cancellation and dispose of them in accordance with its normal procedures or the written instructions of the Company. The Company may not issue new Notes to replace Notes it has paid in full or delivered to the Trustee for cancellation.

Section 2.08. CUSIP and CINS Numbers. The Company in issuing the Notes may use “CUSIP” and “CINS” numbers, and the Trustee will use CUSIP numbers or CINS numbers in notices of redemption or exchange or in Offers to Purchase as a convenience to Holders; provided that the Trustee shall have no liability for any defect in the CUSIP numbers as they appear on any Note, notice or elsewhere and that the notice is to 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 or exchange or Offer to Purchase. The Company will promptly notify the Trustee of any change in the CUSIP or CINS numbers.

Section 2.09. Registration, Transfer and Exchange.

(a) The Notes will be issued in registered form only, without coupons, and the Company shall cause the Registrar to maintain a register (the “Register”) of the Notes, for registering the record ownership of the Notes by the Holders and transfers and exchanges of the Notes.

(b) (1) Each Global Note will be registered in the name of the Depositary or its nominee and, so long as DTC is serving as the Depositary thereof, will bear the DTC Legend.

(2) Each Global Note will be delivered to the Trustee as custodian for the Depositary. Transfers of a Global Note (but not a beneficial interest therein) will be limited to transfers thereof in whole, but not in part, to the Depositary, its successors or their respective nominees, except (1) as set forth in Section 2.09(b)(4) and (2) transfers of portions thereof in the form of Certificated Notes may be made upon request of an Agent Member (for itself or on behalf of a beneficial owner) by written notice given to the Trustee by or on behalf of the Depositary in accordance with customary procedures of the Depositary and in compliance with this Section and Section 2.10.

 

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(3) Agent Members will have no rights under this Indenture with respect to any Global Note held on their behalf by the Depositary, and the Depositary may be treated by the Company, the Trustee and any agent of the Company or the Trustee as the absolute owner and Holder of such Global Note for all purposes whatsoever. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Depositary or its nominee may grant proxies and otherwise authorize any Person (including any Agent Member and any Person that holds a beneficial interest in a Global Note through an Agent Member) to take any action which a Holder is entitled to take under this Indenture or the Notes, and nothing herein will impair, as between the Depositary and its Agent Members, the operation of customary practices governing the exercise of the rights of a holder of any security.

(4) If (x) the Depositary notifies the Company that it is unwilling or unable to continue as Depositary for a Global Note and a successor depositary is not appointed by the Company within 90 days of the notice or (y) an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing and the Trustee has received a request from the Depositary, the Trustee will promptly exchange each beneficial interest in the Global Note for one or more Certificated Notes in authorized denominations having an equal aggregate principal amount registered in the name of the owner of such beneficial interest, as identified to the Trustee by the Depositary, and thereupon the Global Note will be deemed canceled. If such Note does not bear the Restricted Legend, then the Certificated Notes issued in exchange therefor will not bear the Restricted Legend. If such Note bears the Restricted Legend, then the Certificated Notes issued in exchange therefor will bear the Restricted Legend; provided that any Holder of any such Certificated Note issued in exchange for a beneficial interest in a Temporary Offshore Global Note will have the right upon presentation to the Trustee of a duly completed Certificate of Beneficial Ownership after the Restricted Period to exchange such Certificated Note for a Certificated Note of like tenor and amount that does not bear the Restricted Legend, registered in the name of such Holder.

(c) Each Certificated Note will be registered in the name of the holder thereof or its nominee.

(d) A Holder may transfer a Note (or a beneficial interest therein) to another Person or exchange a Note (or a beneficial interest therein) for another Note or Notes of any authorized denomination by presenting to the Trustee a written request therefor stating the name of the proposed transferee or requesting such an exchange, accompanied by any certification, opinion or other document required by Section 2.10. The Trustee will promptly register any transfer or exchange that meets the requirements of this Section by noting the same in the register maintained by the Trustee for the purpose; provided that

(x) no transfer or exchange will be effective until it is registered in such register and

(y) the Trustee will not be required (i) to issue, register the transfer of or exchange any Note for a period of 15 days before a selection of Notes to be redeemed or purchased pursuant to an Offer to Purchase, (ii) to register the transfer of or exchange any Note so selected for redemption or purchase in whole or in part, except, in the case of a partial redemption or purchase, that portion of any Note not being redeemed or purchased, or (iii) if a redemption or a purchase pursuant to an Offer to Purchase is to occur after a Regular Record Date but on or before the corresponding Interest Payment Date, to register the transfer of or exchange any Note on or after the Regular Record Date and before the date of redemption or purchase. Prior to the registration of any transfer, the Company, the Trustee and their respective agents will treat the Person in whose name the Note is registered as the owner and Holder thereof for all purposes (whether or not the Note is overdue), and will not be affected by notice to the contrary.

From time to time the Company will execute and the Trustee will authenticate Additional Notes as necessary in order to permit the registration of a transfer or exchange in accordance with this Section.

No service charge will be imposed in connection with any transfer or exchange of any Note, but the Company may require payment of a sum sufficient to cover any transfer tax or similar governmental charge payable in connection therewith (other than a transfer tax or other similar governmental charge payable upon exchange pursuant to subsection (b)(4)).

 

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(e) (1) Global Note to Global Note. If a beneficial interest in a Global Note is transferred or exchanged for a beneficial interest in another Global Note, the Trustee will (x) record a decrease in the principal amount of the Global Note being transferred or exchanged equal to the principal amount of such transfer or exchange and (y) record a like increase in the principal amount of the other Global Note. Any beneficial interest in one Global Note that is transferred to a Person who takes delivery in the form of an interest in another Global Note, or exchanged for an interest in another Global Note, will, upon transfer or exchange, cease to be an interest in such Global Note and become an interest in the other Global Note and, accordingly, will thereafter be subject to all transfer and exchange restrictions, if any, and other procedures applicable to beneficial interests in such other Global Note for as long as it remains such an interest.

(2) Global Note to Certificated Note. If a beneficial interest in a Global Note is transferred or exchanged for a Certificated Note, the Trustee will (x) record a decrease in the principal amount of such Global Note equal to the principal amount of such transfer or exchange and (y) deliver one or more new Certificated Notes in authorized denominations having an equal aggregate principal amount to the transferee (in the case of a transfer) or the owner of such beneficial interest (in the case of an exchange), registered in the name of such transferee or owner, as applicable.

(3) Certificated Note to Global Note. If a Certificated Note is transferred or exchanged for a beneficial interest in a Global Note, the Trustee will (x) cancel such Certificated Note, (y) record an increase in the principal amount of such Global Note equal to the principal amount of such transfer or exchange and (z) in the event that such transfer or exchange involves less than the entire principal amount of the canceled Certificated Note, deliver to the Holder thereof one or more new Certificated Notes in authorized denominations having an aggregate principal amount equal to the untransferred or unexchanged portion of the canceled Certificated Note, registered in the name of the Holder thereof.

(4) Certificated Note to Certificated Note. If a Certificated Note is transferred or exchanged for another Certificated Note, the Trustee will (x) cancel the Certificated Note being transferred or exchanged, (y) deliver one or more new Certificated Notes in authorized denominations having an aggregate principal amount equal to the principal amount of such transfer or exchange to the transferee (in the case of a transfer) or the Holder of the canceled Certificated Note (in the case of an exchange), registered in the name of such transferee or Holder, as applicable, and (z) if such transfer or exchange involves less than the entire principal amount of the canceled Certificated Note, deliver to the Holder thereof one or more Certificated Notes in authorized denominations having an aggregate principal amount equal to the untransferred or unexchanged portion of the canceled Certificated Note, registered in the name of the Holder thereof.

Section 2.10. Restrictions on Transfer and Exchange.

(a) The transfer or exchange of any Note (or a beneficial interest therein) may only be made in accordance with this Section and Section 2.09 and, in the case of a Global Note (or a beneficial interest therein), the applicable rules and procedures of the Depositary. The Trustee shall refuse to register any requested transfer or exchange that does not comply with the preceding sentence.

(b) Subject to Section 2.10(c), the transfer or exchange of any Note (or a beneficial interest therein) of the type set forth in column A below for a Note (or a beneficial interest therein) of the type set forth opposite in column B below may only be made in compliance with the certification requirements (if any) described in this Section 2.10(b) set forth opposite in column C below.

 

A

  

B

  

C

U.S. Global Note    U.S. Global Note    (1)
U.S. Global Note    Offshore Global Note    (2)
U.S. Global Note    Certificated Note    (3)
Offshore Global Note    U.S. Global Note    (4)
Offshore Global Note    Offshore Global Note    (1)
Offshore Global Note    Certificated Note    (5)
Certificated Note    U.S. Global Note    (4)
Certificated Note    Offshore Global Note    (2)
Certificated Note    Certificated Note    (3)

 

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(1) No certification is required.

(2) The Person requesting the transfer or exchange must deliver or cause to be delivered to the Trustee a duly completed Regulation S Certificate; provided that if the requested transfer or exchange is made by the Holder of a Certificated Note that does not bear the Restricted Legend, then no certification is required.

(3) The Person requesting the transfer or exchange must deliver or cause to be delivered to the Trustee (x) a duly completed Rule 144A Certificate, (y) a duly completed Regulation S Certificate or (z) a duly completed Institutional Accredited Investor Certificate, and/or an Opinion of Counsel and such other certifications and evidence as the Company may reasonably require in order to determine that the proposed transfer or exchange is being made in compliance with the Securities Act and any applicable securities laws of any state of the United States; provided that if the requested transfer or exchange is made by the Holder of a Certificated Note that does not bear the Restricted Legend, then no certification is required. In the event that (i) the requested transfer or exchange takes place after the Restricted Period and a duly completed Regulation S Certificate is delivered to the Trustee or (ii) a Certificated Note that does not bear the Restricted Legend is surrendered for transfer or exchange, upon transfer or exchange the Trustee will deliver a Certificated Note that does not bear the Restricted Legend.

(4) The Person requesting the transfer or exchange must deliver or cause to be delivered to the Trustee a duly completed Rule 144A Certificate.

(5) If the requested transfer involves a beneficial interest in a Temporary Offshore Global Note, the Person requesting the transfer must deliver or cause to be delivered to the Trustee (x) a duly completed Rule 144A Certificate or (y) a duly completed Institutional Accredited Investor Certificate and/or an Opinion of Counsel and such other certifications and evidence as the Company may reasonably require in order to determine that the proposed transfer is being made in compliance with the Securities Act and any applicable securities laws of any state of the United States. If the requested transfer or exchange involves a beneficial interest in a Permanent Offshore Global Note, no certification is required and the Trustee will deliver a Certificated Note that does not bear the Restricted Legend.

(c) No certification is required in connection with any transfer or exchange of any Note (or a beneficial interest therein)

(1) after such Note is eligible for resale pursuant to Rule 144 under the Securities Act (or a successor provision) without the need for current public information; provided that the Company has provided the Trustee with an Officer’s Certificate to that effect, and the Company may require from any Person requesting a transfer or exchange in reliance upon this Section 2.10(c)(1) an opinion of counsel and any other reasonable certifications and evidence in order to support such certificate; or

(2) sold pursuant to an effective registration statement.

Any Certificated Note delivered in reliance upon this Section 2.10(c) will not bear the Restricted Legend.

(d) The Trustee will retain copies of all certificates, opinions and other documents received in connection with the transfer or exchange of a Note (or a beneficial interest therein), and the Company will have the right to inspect and make copies thereof at any reasonable time upon written notice to the Trustee.

Section 2.11. Temporary Offshore Global Notes.

(a) Each Note originally sold by the Initial Purchaser in reliance upon Regulation S will be evidenced by one or more Offshore Global Notes that bear the Temporary Offshore Global Note Legend.

 

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(b) An owner of a beneficial interest in a Temporary Offshore Global Note (or a Person acting on behalf of such an owner) may provide to the Trustee (and the Trustee will accept) a duly completed Certificate of Beneficial Ownership at any time after the Restricted Period (it being understood that the Trustee will not accept any such certificate during the Restricted Period). Promptly after acceptance of a Certificate of Beneficial Ownership with respect to such a beneficial interest, the Trustee will cause such beneficial interest to be exchanged for an equivalent beneficial interest in a Permanent Offshore Global Note, and will (x) permanently reduce the principal amount of such Temporary Offshore Global Note by the amount of such beneficial interest and (y) increase the principal amount of such Permanent Offshore Global Note by the amount of such beneficial interest.

(c) Notwithstanding Section 2.11(b), if after the Restricted Period any Initial Purchaser owns a beneficial interest in a Temporary Offshore Global Note, such Initial Purchaser may, upon written request to the Trustee accompanied by a certification as to its status as an Initial Purchaser, exchange such beneficial interest for an equivalent beneficial interest in a Permanent Offshore Global Note, and the Trustee will comply with such request and will (x) permanently reduce the principal amount of such Temporary Offshore Global Note by the amount of such beneficial interest and (y) increase the principal amount of such Permanent Offshore Global Note by the amount of such beneficial interest.

(d) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, any owner of a beneficial interest in a Temporary Offshore Global Note shall not be entitled to receive payment of principal or interest on such beneficial interest or other amounts in respect of such beneficial interest until such beneficial interest is exchanged for an interest in a Permanent Offshore Global Note or transferred for an interest in another Global Note or a Certificated Note.

ARTICLE 3

REDEMPTION; OFFER TO PURCHASE

Section 3.01. Optional Redemption.

Except as set forth below, the Notes are not redeemable at the option of the Company.

(a) At any time and from time to time on or after October 15, 2026, the Company may redeem the Notes, in whole or in part, at a redemption price equal to the percentage of principal amount set forth below plus accrued and unpaid interest, if any, to, but excluding, the redemption date.

 

12-month period commencing on October 15 in Year

   Percentage  

2026

     101.625

2027 and thereafter

     100.000

(b) Notwithstanding the foregoing, in connection with any Offer to Purchase in connection with a Change of Control, 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 Offer to Purchase and the Company, or any third party making such tender offer in lieu of the Company, purchase all of the Notes validly tendered and not withdrawn by such Holders, the Company or such third party will have the right, upon not less than 10 nor more than 60 days’ prior notice to the Holders and the Trustee, given not more than 30 days following such purchase date, to redeem all Notes that remain outstanding following such purchase at a price in cash equal to 101% of the principal amount thereof plus, to the extent not included in the tender offer payment, accrued and unpaid interest, if any, thereon, to, but excluding, the date of redemption.

Section 3.02. [Reserved].

Section 3.03. Method and Effect of Redemption.

(a) If the Company elects to redeem Notes, they must notify the Trustee of the redemption date and the principal amount of Notes to be redeemed by delivering an Officer’s Certificate at least 60 days before the redemption date (unless a shorter period is satisfactory to the Trustee). If fewer than all of the Notes are being

 

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redeemed, the Officer’s Certificate must also specify a record date not less than 10 days after the date of the notice of redemption is given to the Trustee, and the Trustee will select the Notes to be redeemed pro rata, by lot or by any other method the Trustee in its sole discretion deems fair and appropriate (and in the case of Global Notes, in accordance with the applicable procedures of DTC), in minimum denominations of $2,000 principal amount and integral multiples of $1,000 in excess thereof; provided that no note of an unauthorized denomination shall remain outstanding after such redemption. The Trustee will notify the Company promptly of the Notes or portions of Notes to be called for redemption. Notice of redemption must be sent by the Company or at the Company’s request given at least five days prior to the date such notice is to be sent (or such shorter period as is acceptable to the Trustee), by the Trustee in the name and at the expense of the Company, to Holders whose Notes are to be redeemed and the Trustee at least 10 days but not more than 60 days before the redemption date.

(b) The notice of redemption will identify the Notes to be redeemed and will include or state the following:

(1) the redemption date;

(2) the redemption price, including the portion thereof representing any accrued interest;

(3) the place or places where Notes are to be surrendered for redemption;

(4) Notes called for redemption must be so surrendered in order to collect the redemption price;

(5) on the redemption date the redemption price will become due and payable on Notes called for redemption, and interest on Notes called for redemption will cease to accrue on and after the redemption date;

(6) if any Note is redeemed in part, on and after the redemption date, upon surrender of such Note, new Notes equal in principal amount to the unredeemed portion will be issued; and

(7) if any Note contains a CUSIP or CINS number, no representation is being made as to the correctness of the CUSIP or CINS number either as printed on the Notes or as contained in the notice of redemption and that the Holder should rely only on the other identification numbers printed on the Notes.

(c) Once notice of redemption is sent to the Holders, Notes called for redemption become due and payable at the redemption price on the redemption date, and upon surrender of the Notes called for redemption, the Company shall redeem such Notes at the redemption price. Commencing on the redemption date, Notes redeemed will cease to accrue interest. Upon surrender of any Note redeemed in part, the Holder will receive a new Note equal in principal amount to the unredeemed portion of the surrendered Note.

(d) Notice of any redemption, whether in connection with an Equity Offering, other transaction or otherwise, may, at the Company’s discretion, be given prior to the completion of a corporate transaction (including an Equity Offering, an Incurrence of Debt, a Change of Control or other corporate transaction) and any redemption notice may, at the Company’s discretion, be subject to one or more conditions precedent, including, but not limited to, completion of a related transaction. If such redemption or purchase is so subject to satisfaction of one or more conditions precedent, such notice shall describe each such condition, and if applicable, shall state that, in the Company’s discretion, the redemption date may be delayed until such time as any or all such conditions shall be satisfied, or such redemption or purchase may not occur and such notice may be rescinded in the event that any or all such conditions shall not have been satisfied by the redemption date, or by the redemption date as so delayed. In addition, the Company may provide in such notice that payment of the redemption price and performance of the Company’s obligations with respect to such redemption may be performed by another Person. The Company and its Affiliates may acquire the Notes by means other than a redemption, whether by tender offer, open market purchases, negotiated transactions or otherwise.

 

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Section 3.04. Offer to Purchase.

(a) An “Offer to Purchase” means an offer by the Company to purchase Notes as required by this Indenture. An Offer to Purchase must be made by written offer (the “offer”) sent to the Holders with a copy to the Trustee. The Company will notify the Trustee at least 15 days (or such shorter period as is acceptable to the Trustee) prior to sending the offer to Holders of its obligation to make an Offer to Purchase, and the offer will be sent by the Company or, at the Company’s request, by the Trustee in the name and at the expense of the Company.

(b) The offer must include or state the following as to the terms of the Offer to Purchase:

(1) the provision of this Indenture pursuant to which the Offer to Purchase is being made;

(2) the aggregate principal amount of the outstanding Notes offered to be purchased by the Company pursuant to the Offer to Purchase (including, if less than 100%, the manner by which such amount has been determined pursuant to this Indenture) (the “purchase amount”);

(3) the purchase price, including the portion thereof representing accrued interest;

(4) an expiration date (the “expiration date”) not less than 30 days or more than 60 days after the date of the offer, and a settlement date for purchase (the “purchase date”) not more than five Business Days after the expiration date;

(5) a Holder may tender all or any portion of its Notes, subject to the requirement that any portion of a Note tendered must be in a multiple of $1,000 principal amount;

(6) the place or places where Notes are to be surrendered for tender pursuant to the Offer to Purchase;

(7) each Holder electing to tender a Note pursuant to the offer will be required to surrender such Note at the place or places specified in the offer prior to the close of business on the expiration date (such Note being, if the Company or the Trustee so requires, duly endorsed or accompanied by a duly executed written instrument of transfer);

(8) interest on any Note not tendered, or tendered but not purchased by the Company pursuant to the Offer to Purchase, will continue to accrue;

(9) on the purchase date the purchase price will become due and payable on each Note accepted for purchase, and interest on Notes purchased will cease to accrue on and after the purchase date;

(10) Holders are entitled to withdraw Notes tendered by giving notice, which must be received by the Company or the Trustee not later than the close of business on the expiration date, setting forth the name of the Holder, the principal amount of the tendered Notes, the certificate number of the tendered Notes and a statement that the Holder is withdrawing all or a portion of the tender;

(11) (i) if Notes in an aggregate principal amount less than or equal to the purchase amount are duly tendered and not withdrawn pursuant to the Offer to Purchase, the Company will purchase all such Notes, and (ii) if the Offer to Purchase is for less than all of the outstanding Notes and Notes in an aggregate principal amount in excess of the purchase amount are tendered and not withdrawn pursuant to the offer, the Company will purchase Notes having an aggregate principal amount equal to the purchase amount on a pro rata basis, with adjustments so that only Notes in multiples of $1,000 principal amount will be purchased;

(12) if any Note is purchased in part, new Notes equal in principal amount to the unpurchased portion of the Note will be issued; and

 

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(13) if any Note contains a CUSIP or CINS number, no representation is being made as to the correctness of the CUSIP or CINS number either as printed on the Notes or as contained in the offer and that the Holder should rely only on the other identification numbers printed on the Notes.

(c) Prior to the purchase date, the Company will accept tendered Notes for purchase as required by the Offer to Purchase and deliver to the Trustee all Notes so accepted together with an Officer’s Certificate specifying which Notes have been accepted for purchase. On the purchase date the purchase price will become due and payable on each Note accepted for purchase, and interest on Notes purchased will cease to accrue on and after the purchase date. The Trustee will promptly return to Holders any Notes not accepted for purchase and send to Holders new Notes equal in principal amount to any unpurchased portion of any Notes accepted for purchase in part.

(d) The Company will comply with Rule 14e-1 under the Exchange Act and any other securities laws and regulations thereunder, to the extent such laws and regulations are applicable, in making any Offer to Purchase, and the above procedures will be deemed modified as necessary to permit such compliance.

ARTICLE 4

COVENANTS

Section 4.01. Payment Of Notes.

(a) The Company agrees to pay the principal of and interest on the Notes on the dates and in the manner provided in the Notes and this Indenture. Not later than 12:00 P.M. (New York City time) on the due date of any principal of or interest on any Notes, or any redemption or purchase price of the Notes, the Company will deposit with the Trustee (or Paying Agent) money in immediately available funds sufficient to pay such amounts; provided that if the Company or any Affiliate of the Company is acting as Paying Agent, it will, on or before each due date, segregate and hold in a separate trust fund for the benefit of the Holders a sum of money sufficient to pay such amounts until paid to such Holders or otherwise disposed of as provided in this Indenture. In each case the Company will promptly notify the Trustee of its compliance with this Section 4.01(a).

(b) An installment of principal or interest will be considered paid on the date due if the Trustee (or Paying Agent, other than the Company or any Affiliate of the Company) holds on that date money designated for and sufficient to pay the installment. If the Company or any Affiliate of the Company acts as Paying Agent, an installment of principal or interest will be considered paid on the due date only if paid to the Holders.

(c) The Company agrees to pay interest on overdue principal, and, to the extent lawful, overdue installments of interest at the rate per annum specified in the Notes.

(d) Payments in respect of the Notes represented by the Global Notes are to be made by wire transfer of immediately available funds to the accounts specified by the Holders of the Global Notes. With respect to Certificated Notes, the Company will make all payments by wire transfer of immediately available funds to the accounts specified by the Holders thereof or, if no such account is specified, by mailing a check to each Holder’s registered address.

Section 4.02. Maintenance of Office or Agency. The Company will maintain an office or agency in the United States where Notes may be surrendered for registration of transfer or exchange or for presentation for payment and where notices and demands to or upon the Company in respect of the Notes and this Indenture may be made; provided that the Corporate Trust Office shall not be a place of service of legal process on the Company. The Company hereby initially designates the Corporate Trust Office of the Trustee as such office of the Company. The Company will 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 Company fail to maintain any such required office or agency or fails to furnish the Trustee with the address thereof, such presentations, surrenders, notices and demands may be made or served to the Trustee.

The Company may also from time to time designate one or more other offices or agencies where the Notes may be surrendered or presented for any of such purposes and may from time to time rescind such designations.

 

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The Company will 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.

Section 4.03. Existence. The Company will do or cause to be done all things necessary to preserve and keep in full force and effect its existence and the existence of each of its Restricted Subsidiaries in accordance with their respective organizational documents, and the material rights and franchises of the Company and each Restricted Subsidiary; provided that the Company is not required to preserve any such right or franchise, or the existence of any Restricted Subsidiary, if the maintenance or preservation thereof is no longer desirable in the conduct of the business of the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries taken as a whole; and provided further that this Section does not prohibit any transaction otherwise permitted by Article 4 or Article 5.

Section 4.04. Payment of Taxes and other Claims. The Company will pay or discharge, and cause each of its Restricted Subsidiaries to pay or discharge before the same become delinquent (i) all material taxes, assessments and governmental charges levied or imposed upon the Company or any Subsidiary or its income or profits or property, and (ii) all material lawful claims for labor, materials and supplies that, if unpaid, would by law become a Lien upon the property of the Company or any Subsidiary, other than any such tax, assessment, charge or claim the amount, applicability or validity of which is being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings and for which adequate reserves have been established or where the failure to effect such payment would not be disadvantageous to the Holders.

Section 4.05. Maintenance of Properties and Insurance.

(a) The Company will cause all properties used or useful in the conduct of its business or the business of any of its Restricted Subsidiaries to be maintained and kept in good condition, repair and working order as in the judgment of the Company may be necessary so that the business of the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries may be properly and advantageously conducted at all times; provided that nothing in this Section prevents the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary from discontinuing the use, operation or maintenance of any of such properties or disposing of any of them, if such discontinuance or disposal is, in the judgment of the Company, desirable in the conduct of the business of the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries taken as a whole.

(b) The Company will provide or cause to be provided, for itself and its Restricted Subsidiaries, insurance (including appropriate self-insurance) against loss or damage of the kinds customarily insured against by corporations similarly situated and owning like properties, including, but not limited to, products liability insurance and public liability insurance, with reputable insurers, in such amounts, with such deductibles and by such methods as are customary for corporations similarly situated in the industry in which the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries are then conducting business.

Section 4.06. Limitation on Debt and Disqualified Stock or Preferred Stock.

(a) The Company:

(1) will not, and will not permit any of its Restricted Subsidiaries to, Incur any Debt; and

(2) will not, and will not permit any Restricted Subsidiary to, Incur any Disqualified Stock, and will not permit any of its Restricted Subsidiaries that is not a Guarantor to Incur any Preferred Stock (other than Disqualified Stock or Preferred Stock of Restricted Subsidiaries held by the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary, so long as it is so held);

provided that the Company may Incur Debt or Disqualified Stock, and any Restricted Subsidiary may Incur Debt, Disqualified Stock, or Preferred Stock, if, on the date of the Incurrence, after giving effect to the Incurrence and the receipt and application of the proceeds therefrom, the Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio is not less than 2.00 to 1.00; provided further that the maximum amount of Debt, Disqualified Stock and Preferred Stock Incurred by Restricted Subsidiaries that are not Guarantors pursuant to this Section 4.06(a), together with any Permitted Refinancing Debt in respect thereof, shall not exceed the greater of (A) $100 million and (B) 50% of EBITDA for the most recently ended four fiscal quarter period ending immediately prior to such date for which internal financial statements are available, with such adjustments as are set forth under the definition of “Net Leverage Ratio”, at any time outstanding.

 

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(b) Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Company and, to the extent provided below, any Restricted Subsidiary may Incur the following (“Permitted Debt”):

(1) Debt (“Permitted Bank Debt”) of the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary pursuant to Credit Facilities; provided that the aggregate principal amount at any time outstanding does not exceed the sum of (A) the greater of (x) $70 million and (y) 35% of EBITDA for the most recently ended four fiscal quarter period ending immediately prior to such date for which internal financial statements are available plus (B) an additional amount (with any amounts incurred under this clause (B) to be treated as Debt secured by a Lien on the assets of the Company for this purpose) after all amounts have been Incurred under clause (A), if after giving pro forma effect to the Incurrence of such additional amount and the application of proceeds therefrom, the Secured Net Leverage Ratio does not exceed 0.50 to 1.00;

(2) Debt of the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary to the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary so long as such Debt continues to be owed to the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary and which, if the obligor is the Company or a Guarantor, is subordinated in right of payment to the Notes;

(3) Debt of the Company (A) pursuant to the Notes (other than Additional Notes) and Debt of any Guarantor pursuant to a Note Guaranty of the Notes (including Additional Notes) and (B) pursuant to the 2026 Notes and Debt of any guarantor of the 2026 Notes pursuant to a guarantee of the 2026 Notes;

(4) Debt or Disqualified Stock (or with respect to any Restricted Subsidiary only, Preferred Stock) (“Permitted Refinancing Debt”) constituting an extension or renewal of, replacement of, or substitution for, or issued in exchange for, or the net proceeds of which are used to repay, redeem, repurchase, refinance or refund, including by way of defeasance (all of the above, for purposes of this Section 4.06(b)(4), “refinance”) then outstanding Debt or Disqualified Stock in an amount not to exceed the principal amount of the Debt or Disqualified Stock so refinanced, plus the amount of any accrued and unpaid interest and any premium required to be paid in connection with such refinancing pursuant to the terms of such Debt or Disqualified Stock or the amount of any premium reasonably determined by the Company as necessary to accomplish such refinancing by means of a tender offer or privately negotiated purchase, plus the amount of fees and expenses in connection therewith; provided that

(A) in case the Debt to be refinanced is Subordinated Debt, the new Debt, by its terms or by the terms of any agreement or instrument pursuant to which it is outstanding, is expressly made subordinate in right of payment to the Notes at least to the extent that the Debt to be refinanced is subordinated to the Notes,

(B) the new Debt does not have a Stated Maturity prior to the earlier of the Stated Maturity of the Debt to be refinanced or 90 days after the final maturity date of the Notes, and the Average Life of the new Debt is at least equal to the remaining Average Life of the Debt to be refinanced,

(C) in no event may Debt of the Company or any Guarantor be refinanced pursuant to this Section 4.06(b)(4) by means of any Debt of any Restricted Subsidiary that is not a Guarantor, and

(D) Debt Incurred pursuant to Sections 4.06(b)(1), (2), (5), (6), (11), (12), (13), (14), (15) and (17) may not be refinanced pursuant to this Section 4.06(b)(4);

(5) Hedging Agreements of the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary entered into in the ordinary course of business for the purpose of limiting risks associated with the business of the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries, including, but not limited to, limiting interest rate risk or exchange rate risk, and not for speculation;

 

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(6) Debt of the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary with respect to letters of credit and bankers’ acceptances issued in the ordinary course of business and not supporting Debt for borrowed money, including letters of credit supporting performance, surety or appeal bonds or indemnification, adjustment of purchase price or similar obligations incurred in connection with the acquisition or disposition of any business or assets;

(7) Acquired Debt; provided that after giving effect to the transaction pursuant to which such Debt was incurred, including the Incurrence thereof, either (a) the Company could Incur at least $1.00 of Debt under Section 4.06(a) or (b) the Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio would not be less than such Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio immediately prior to such transaction;

(8) Debt of the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary outstanding on the Issue Date (and, for purposes of Section 4.06(b)(4)(D), not otherwise constituting Permitted Debt);

(9) Capital Leases and Debt of the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary, which may include Capital Leases, mortgage financings or Purchase Money Obligations, Incurred on or after the Issue Date no later than 365 days after the date of purchase or completion of construction, restoration, replacement, rebuilding, maintenance, upgrade or improvement of property for the purpose of financing all or any part of the purchase, acquisition or development price or cost of construction, restoration, replacement, rebuilding, maintenance, upgrade or improvement of any fixed or capital assets; provided that the aggregate principal amount outstanding of any Debt Incurred pursuant to this Section 4.06(b)(9) may not exceed the greater of (a) (i) $50 million and (ii) 9% of Total Assets at the time of Incurrence, less (b) the aggregate outstanding amount of Permitted Refinancing Debt Incurred to refinance Debt Incurred pursuant to this Section 4.06(b)(9);

(10) Debt of Foreign Restricted Subsidiaries Incurred on or after the Issue Date in an aggregate principal amount not to exceed (a) the greater of (i) $30 million and (ii) 5% of Total Assets at the time of Incurrence, less (b) the aggregate outstanding amount of Permitted Refinancing Debt Incurred to refinance Debt Incurred pursuant to this Section 4.06(b)(10) outstanding at any time;

(11) Debt of the Company or any Guarantor consisting of Guarantees of Debt of the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary Incurred under any other clause of this Section 4.06;

(12) Debt of the Company arising from the honoring by a bank or other financial institution of a check, draft or similar instrument inadvertently drawn against insufficient funds, or from any arrangement relating to the provision of treasury, depositary or cash management services, so long as such Debt is covered within 10 Business Days;

(13) Debt of the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary arising from agreements providing for indemnification, adjustment of purchase price or similar obligations, incurred in connection with the disposition of any business, assets or Restricted Subsidiary (other than Guarantees of Debt Incurred by any Person acquiring all or any portion of such business, assets or Restricted Subsidiary for the purpose of financing such acquisition);

(14) Debt of the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary consisting of obligations to pay insurance premiums in an amount not to exceed the annual premiums in respect of such insurance premiums at any one time outstanding;

(15) Debt of the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary, the proceeds of which are applied to defease or discharge the Notes in accordance with Article 8;

(16) Debt of the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary to the seller of any business or assets permitted to be acquired by the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary under this Indenture constituting a portion of the purchase price therefor in an aggregate amount not exceeding (a) $75 million at any time outstanding, less (b) the aggregate outstanding amount of Permitted Refinancing Debt Incurred to refinance Debt Incurred pursuant to this Section 4.06(b)(16); and

 

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(17) Debt of the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary Incurred on or after the Issue Date not otherwise permitted in an aggregate principal amount at any time outstanding not to exceed the greater of (a) $150 million and (b) 26% of Total Assets at the time of Incurrence; provided that the maximum amount of Debt at any time outstanding which was Incurred pursuant to this Section 4.06(b)(17) by Restricted Subsidiaries that are not Guarantors shall not exceed an aggregate principal amount of the greater of (x) $30 million and (y) 5% of Total Assets at the time of Incurrence.

(c) Notwithstanding any other provision of Section 4.06, for purposes of determining compliance with this Section 4.06,

(1) increases in Debt solely due to fluctuations in the exchange rates of currencies will not be deemed to exceed the maximum amount that the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary may Incur under this Section 4.06;

(2) guarantees of, or obligations in respect of letters of credit, bankers’ acceptances or other similar instruments relating to, or Liens securing, Debt that is otherwise included in the determination of a particular amount of Debt shall not be included in duplication of such Debt;

(3) if obligations in respect of letters of credit, bankers’ acceptances or other similar instruments are incurred pursuant to any Credit Facility and are being treated as incurred pursuant to any clause of Section 4.06(a) or (b) and the letters of credit, bankers’ acceptances or other similar instruments relate to other Debt, then such other Debt shall not be included in duplication of such Debt;

(4) Debt permitted by this covenant need not be permitted solely by reference to one provision permitting such Debt but may be permitted in part by one such provision and in part by one or more other provisions of this covenant permitting such Debt; and

(5) for all purposes under this Indenture, including for purposes of calculating the Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio, the Secured Net Leverage Ratio or the Net Leverage Ratio, as applicable, in connection with the incurrence, issuance or assumption of any Debt pursuant to paragraph (a) above or clauses (1) or (17) of paragraph (b) above or the incurrence or creation of any Lien pursuant to the definition of “Permitted Liens,” the Company may elect, at its option, to treat all or any portion of the committed amount of any Debt (and the issuance and creation of letters of credit and bankers’ acceptances thereunder) which is to be incurred (or any commitment in respect thereof) or secured by such Lien, as the case may be (any such committed amount elected until revoked as described below, the “Reserved Debt Amount”), as being incurred as of such election date, and, if such Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio, the Secured Net Leverage Ratio, the Net Leverage Ratio or other provision of this Indenture, as applicable, is complied with (or satisfied) with respect thereto on such election date, any subsequent borrowing or reborrowing thereunder (and the issuance and creation of letters of credit and bankers’ acceptances thereunder) will be deemed to be permitted under this covenant or the definition of “Permitted Liens,” as applicable, whether or not the Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio, the Secured Net Leverage Ratio, the Net Leverage Ratio or other provision of this Indenture, as applicable, at the actual time of any subsequent borrowing or reborrowing (or issuance or creation of letters of credit or bankers’ acceptances thereunder) is complied with (or satisfied) for all purposes (including as to the absence of any continuing Default or Event of Default); provided that for purposes of subsequent calculations of the Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio, the Secured Net Leverage Ratio, the Net Leverage Ratio or other provision of this Indenture, as applicable, the Reserved Indebtedness Amount shall be deemed to be outstanding, whether or not such amount is actually outstanding, for so long as such commitments are outstanding or until the Company revokes an election of a Reserved Indebtedness Amount.

 

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For purposes of determining compliance with any U.S. dollar-denominated restriction on the Incurrence of Debt, the U.S. dollar-equivalent principal amount of Debt denominated in a foreign currency shall be calculated based on the relevant currency exchange rate in effect on the date such Debt was Incurred; provided that if such Debt is Incurred to refinance other Debt 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 Debt does not exceed the principal amount of such Debt being refinanced. The principal amount of any Debt Incurred to refinance other Debt, if Incurred in a different currency from the Debt being refinanced, shall be calculated based on the currency exchange rate applicable to the currencies in which such respective Debt is denominated that is in effect on the date of such refinancing.

(d) In the event that an item of Debt meets the criteria of more than one of the types of Debt in Section 4.06(b)(1) through (17), or is entitled to be incurred pursuant to Section 4.06(a), the Company, in its sole discretion, will be entitled to classify such item of Debt (or portion thereof) and may later reclassify such Debt (or portion thereof), in any manner that complies with this Section 4.06.

(e) None of the Company or any Guarantor may Incur any Debt that is subordinated in right of payment to other Debt of the Company or the Guarantor unless such Debt is also subordinated in right of payment to the Notes or the relevant Note Guaranty on substantially identical terms. This does not apply to distinctions between categories of Debt that exist by reason of any Liens or Guarantees securing or in favor of some but not all of such Debt.

(f) To the extent that the size of any basket or carve-out set forth in this Section 4.06 is determined by reference to a percentage of EBITDA, or the Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio, Net Leverage Ratio or Secured Net Leverage Ratio, no Default or Event of Default shall be deemed to occur with respect to any transaction consummated or incurred pursuant to such basket or carve-out as a result of any decrease in the amount of EBITDA, or the Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio or increase in the Net Leverage Ratio or Secured Net Leverage Ratio, in each case subsequent to such consummation or incurrence which results in such basket or carve-out no longer being sufficient to permit such transaction or incurrence; provided that the foregoing shall not limit any determinations of whether any Insignificant Subsidiary ceases to fit within the definition thereof.

Section 4.07. Limitation on Restricted Payments.

(a) The Company will not, and will not permit any Restricted Subsidiary to, directly or indirectly (the payments and other actions described in the following clauses being collectively “Restricted Payments”):

(i) declare or pay any dividend or make any distribution on its Equity Interests (other than dividends or distributions paid in the Company’s Qualified Equity Interests) held by Persons other than the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries;

(ii) purchase, redeem or otherwise acquire or retire for value any Equity Interests of (1) the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary held by Persons other than the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries or (2) any direct or indirect parent of the Company;

(iii) repay, redeem, repurchase, defease or otherwise acquire or retire for value, or make any payment on or with respect to, any Subordinated Debt except a payment of interest or principal at Stated Maturity; or

(iv) make any Investment other than a Permitted Investment;

unless, at the time of, and after giving effect to, the proposed Restricted Payment:

(1) no Default has occurred and is continuing,

(2) the Company could Incur at least $1.00 of Debt under Section 4.06(a), and

(3) the aggregate amount expended for all Restricted Payments made on or after the Issue Date would not, subject to Section 4.07(c) below, exceed the sum of

 

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(A) 50% of the aggregate amount of the Consolidated Net Income (or, if the Consolidated Net Income is a loss, minus 100% of the amount of the loss) accrued on a cumulative basis during the period, taken as one accounting period, beginning on July 1, 2021 and ending on the last day of the Company’s most recently completed fiscal quarter for which internal financial statements are available, plus

(B) subject to Section 4.07(c), 100% of the aggregate net cash proceeds and the Fair Market Value of other property received by the Company (other than from a Subsidiary) after the Issue Date from the issuance and sale of (x) its Qualified Equity Interests, including by way of issuance of its Disqualified Equity Interests or Debt to the extent since converted into Qualified Equity Interests of the Company, and (y) to the extent such net cash proceeds are actually contributed to the Company in the form of Qualified Equity Interests, Equity Interests of the Company’s direct or indirect parent companies, plus

(C) an amount equal to the sum, for all Unrestricted Subsidiaries, of the following:

(x) the cash return and the Fair Market Value of other property received by the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary, after the Issue Date, on account of Investments in an Unrestricted Subsidiary made after the Issue Date pursuant to this Section 4.07(a) as a result of any sale for cash, repayment, redemption, liquidating distribution, transfer of assets, payment of dividends, interest or distributions to the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary from any Unrestricted Subsidiary, or other return of capital or cash realization (to the extent not included in Consolidated Net Income), plus

(y) the portion (proportionate to the Company’s Equity Interest in such Subsidiary) of the Fair Market Value of the assets less liabilities of an Unrestricted Subsidiary at the time such Unrestricted Subsidiary is designated a Restricted Subsidiary, plus

(z) the Fair Market Value of other property received by the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary in connection with the merger or consolidation of an Unrestricted Subsidiary with or into, or transfer or conveyance of an Unrestricted Subsidiary’s assets to, the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary, not to exceed, in the case of any Unrestricted Subsidiary, the amount of Investments made after the Issue Date by the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries in such Unrestricted Subsidiary pursuant to this Section 4.07(a), plus

(D) the cash return, after the Issue Date, on any other Investment made after the Issue Date pursuant to this Section 4.07(a), as a result of any sale for cash, repayment, redemption, liquidating distribution or other cash realization (to the extent not included in Consolidated Net Income), not to exceed the amount of such Investment so made.

(b) The foregoing will not prohibit:

(1) the payment of any dividend within 60 days after the date of declaration thereof if, at the date of declaration, such payment would comply with Section 4.07(a);

(2) dividends or distributions by a Restricted Subsidiary payable, on a pro rata basis or on a basis more favorable to the Company, to all holders of any class of Capital Stock of such Restricted Subsidiary a majority of which is held, directly or indirectly through Restricted Subsidiaries, by the Company;

(3) the repayment, redemption, repurchase, defeasance or other acquisition or retirement for value of Subordinated Debt with the proceeds of, or in exchange for, Permitted Refinancing Debt;

 

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(4) the purchase, redemption or other acquisition or retirement for value of Equity Interests of the Company, any Restricted Subsidiary or any direct or indirect parent in exchange for, or out of the proceeds of a substantially concurrent offering of, Qualified Equity Interests of the Company;

(5) the repayment, redemption, repurchase, defeasance or other acquisition or retirement of Subordinated Debt of the Company or any Guarantor in exchange for, or out of the proceeds of, a substantially concurrent offering of, Qualified Equity Interests of the Company;

(6) any Restricted Payments made in exchange for, or out of the net cash proceeds of, a substantially concurrent offering of Qualified Equity Interests of the Company;

(7) the purchase, redemption or other acquisition or retirement for value of Equity Interests of the Company or any direct or indirect parent company of the Company held by any future, present or former officers, directors, consultants or employees (or their permitted transferees, assigns, estates or beneficiaries under their estates), upon death, disability, retirement, severance or termination of employment or pursuant to any agreement under which the Equity Interests were issued; provided that the aggregate cash consideration paid therefor in any twelve-month period after the Issue Date does not exceed an aggregate amount of $7.5 million;

(8) the repurchase of any Subordinated Debt or Disqualified Stock at a purchase price or liquidation value, as applicable, not greater than (x) 101% of the principal amount or liquidation value thereof in the event of a change of control pursuant to a provision no more favorable to the holders thereof than Section 4.12 or (y) 100% of the principal amount or liquidation value thereof in the event of an Asset Sale pursuant to a provision no more favorable to the holders thereof than Section 4.13; provided that, in each case, prior to the repurchase the Company has made an Offer to Purchase and repurchased all Notes issued under this Indenture that were validly tendered for payment in connection with the offer to purchase;

(9) the declaration and payment of dividends to holders of any class or series of Disqualified Stock of the Company or any Restricted Subsidiaries issued in accordance with Section 4.06 to the extent such dividends are included in the definition of “Fixed Charges”;

(10) the repurchase of Equity Interests (i) deemed to occur upon the exercise of stock options, warrants or other similar stock based awards under equity plans of the Company, to the extent such Equity Interests represent a portion of the exercise price of those stock options, warrants or other similar stock-based awards under equity plans of the Company, or (ii) in connection with tax withholding related to such Equity Interests;

(11) the payment of cash by the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary in lieu of the issuance of fractional shares upon (i) the exercise of options or warrants of any such Person or (ii) the conversion or exchange of convertible Debt or other Capital Stock of any such Person;

(12) payments or distributions by the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary to dissenting stockholders pursuant to applicable law in connection with any merger or acquisition consummated by the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary of a Person (other than a Subsidiary of the Company) on or after the Issue Date and not prohibited by this Indenture;

(13) purchases, redemptions or acquisitions of fractional shares of Equity Interests of the Company arising out of stock dividends, splits or combinations;

(14) Restricted Payments if, at the time of making such payments, and after giving effect thereto (including, without limitation, the Incurrence of any Debt or Disqualified Stock to finance such payment), but in such case calculated excluding any increase in Eligible Cash resulting from the Incurrence of such Debt or Disqualified Stock), the Net Leverage Ratio would not exceed 3.00 to 1.00;

 

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(15) Restricted Payments not otherwise permitted hereby in an aggregate amount not to exceed the greater of (A) $100 million and (B) 50.0% of EBITDA for the most recently ended four fiscal quarter period ending immediately prior to such date for which internal financial statements are available, with such adjustments as are set forth under the definition of “Net Leverage Ratio”;

(16) the declaration and payment of dividends or distributions on the Company’s Equity Interests, in an amount not to exceed the sum of (x) 6.00% per annum of the net cash proceeds received by the Company after the Issue Date in connection with any Equity Offering and (y) 6.00% of Market Capitalization at the time of such determination; or

(17) payments under the Transaction Agreements.

provided that, in the case of Section 4.07(b)(6), (7), (8), (14), (15) and (16), no Default has occurred and is continuing or would occur as a result thereof.

(c) Proceeds of the issuance of Qualified Equity Interests will be included under Section 4.07(a)(3) only to the extent they are not applied as described in Section 4.07(b)(4), (5) or (6). Restricted Payments permitted pursuant to clause Sections 4.07(b)(3), (4), (5), (6) or (8) will not be included in making the calculations under Section 4.07(a)(3).

(d) The amount of all Restricted Payments (other than cash and Cash Equivalents) will be the Fair Market Value on the date of such Restricted Payment of the assets or securities proposed to be paid, transferred or issued by the Company or such Restricted Subsidiary, as the case may be, pursuant to such Restricted Payment.

(e) For purposes of determining compliance with this Section 4.07, in the event that a Restricted Payment meets the criteria of more than one of the categories of Restricted Payments described in Sections 4.07(b)(1) through (17) above, or is entitled to be Incurred pursuant to Section 4.07(a) and/or one or more of the clauses contained in the definition of “Permitted Investments,” the Company will be entitled to classify such Restricted Payment or Investment (or portion thereof) on the date of its payment, or later reclassify such Restricted Payment or Investment (or portion thereof), between such clauses (1) through (17) and Section 4.07(a) and/or one or more of the clauses contained in the definition of “Permitted Investments,” in any manner that complies with this Section 4.07.

Section 4.08. Limitation on Liens. The Company will not, and will not permit any Restricted Subsidiary to, directly or indirectly, incur or permit to exist any Lien of any nature whatsoever on any of its properties or assets, whether owned at the Issue Date or thereafter acquired, other than Permitted Liens, without effectively providing that the Notes are secured equally and ratably with (or, if the obligation to be secured by the Lien is subordinated in right of payment to the Notes or any Note Guaranty, prior to) the obligations so secured for so long as such obligations are so secured. Any Lien created for the benefit of the Holders pursuant to the preceding sentence shall provide by its terms that such Lien shall be automatically and unconditionally released and discharged upon the release and discharge of the initial Lien.

With respect to any Lien securing Debt that was permitted to secure such Debt at the time of the incurrence of such Debt, such Lien shall also be permitted to secure any Increased Amount of such Debt. The “Increased Amount” of any Debt shall mean any increase in the amount of such Debt in connection with any accrual of interest, the accretion of accreted value, the amortization of original issue discount, the payment of interest in the form of additional Debt with the same terms, accretion of original issue discount or liquidation preference and increases in the amount of Debt outstanding solely as a result of fluctuations in the exchange rate of currencies or increases in the value of property securing Debt.

Section 4.09. Limitation on Sale and Leaseback Transactions. The Company will not, and will not permit any Restricted Subsidiary to, enter into any Sale and Leaseback Transaction with respect to any property or asset unless:

(1) the Company or the Restricted Subsidiary would be entitled to

 

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(A) Incur Debt in an amount equal to the Attributable Debt with respect to such Sale and Leaseback Transaction pursuant to Section 4.06, and

(B) create a Lien on such property or asset securing such Attributable Debt without equally and ratably securing the Notes pursuant to Section 4.08, in which case, the corresponding Debt and Lien will be deemed incurred pursuant to those provisions, and

(2) the Company complies with Section 4.13 in respect of such transaction.

Section 4.10. Limitation on Dividend and Other Payment Restrictions Affecting Restricted Subsidiaries.

(a) Except as provided in Section 4.10(b), the Company will not, and will not permit any Restricted Subsidiary to, create or otherwise cause or permit to exist or become effective any encumbrance or restriction of any kind on the ability of any Restricted Subsidiary to:

(1) pay dividends or make any other distributions on any Equity Interests of the Restricted Subsidiary owned by the Company or any other Restricted Subsidiary,

(2) pay any Debt or other obligation owed to the Company or any other Restricted Subsidiary,

(3) make loans or advances to the Company or any other Restricted Subsidiary, or

(4) transfer any of its property or assets to the Company or any other Restricted Subsidiary.

(b) The provisions of Section 4.10(a) do not apply to any encumbrances or restrictions:

(1) existing on the Issue Date in this Indenture, the 2026 Notes Indenture, the Transaction Agreements or any other agreements in effect on the Issue Date, and any extensions, renewals, replacements or refinancings of any of the foregoing; provided that the encumbrances and restrictions in the extension, renewal, replacement or refinancing are, taken as a whole, no less favorable in any material respect to the Noteholders than the encumbrances or restrictions being extended, renewed, replaced or refinanced;

(2) existing

(A) with respect to any Person, or to the property or assets of any Person, at the time the Person is acquired by the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary, or

(B) with respect to any Unrestricted Subsidiary at the time it is designated or is deemed to become a Restricted Subsidiary, which encumbrances or restrictions (i) are not applicable to any other Person or the property or assets of any other Person and (ii) were not put in place in anticipation of such event, and any extensions, renewals, replacements or refinancings of any of the foregoing; provided the encumbrances and restrictions in the extension, renewal, replacement or refinancing are, taken as a whole, no less favorable in any material respect to the Noteholders than the encumbrances or restrictions being extended, renewed, replaced or refinanced;

(3) of the type described in Section 4.10(a)(4) arising or agreed to in the ordinary course of business (i) that restrict in a customary manner the subletting, assignment or transfer of any property or asset that is subject to a lease, license or Purchase Money Obligation or (ii) by virtue of any Lien on, or agreement to transfer, option or similar right with respect to any property or assets of, the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary;

 

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(4) with respect to a Restricted Subsidiary and imposed pursuant to an agreement that has been entered into for the sale or disposition of all or substantially all of the Capital Stock of, or property and assets of, the Restricted Subsidiary that is permitted by Section 4.13;

(5) contained in the terms governing any Debt if (as determined in good faith by the Board of Directors) (i) the encumbrances or restrictions are ordinary and customary for a financing of that type and (ii) the encumbrances or restrictions either (x) would not, at the time agreed to, be expected to materially adversely affect the ability of the Company to make payments on the Notes or (y) in the case of any Permitted Refinancing Debt, are, taken as a whole, no less favorable in any material respect to the Noteholders than those contained in the agreements governing the Debt being refinanced;

(6) existing under or by reason of applicable law or any applicable rule, regulation or order;

(7) existing under or by reason of joint venture agreements, minority equity investments and other similar agreements that prohibit actions of the type described in Section 4.10(a) above, which prohibitions are applicable only to the entity or assets that are the subject of such arrangements;

(8) (A) on cash or other deposits or net worth imposed by customers or supplied under agreements entered into in the ordinary course of business, (B) that arises or is agreed to in the ordinary course of business and does not detract from the value of property or assets of the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary in any manner material to the Company or such Restricted Subsidiary or adversely affect the ability of the Company to make interest and principal payments with respect to the Notes or (C) pursuant to Interest Rate Protection Agreements; or

(9) required pursuant to this Indenture.

Section 4.11. Guaranties by Restricted Subsidiaries. If the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries acquires or creates a Domestic Restricted Subsidiary, other than an Insignificant Subsidiary, after the Issue Date, or any Insignificant Subsidiary ceases to fit within the definition thereof, such Restricted Subsidiary shall provide a Note Guaranty.

A Restricted Subsidiary required to provide a Note Guaranty shall execute a supplemental indenture in the form of Exhibit B, and deliver an Opinion of Counsel to the Trustee to the effect that the supplemental indenture has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Restricted Subsidiary and constitutes a valid and binding obligation of the Restricted Subsidiary, enforceable against the Restricted Subsidiary in accordance with its terms (subject to customary exceptions).

Section 4.12. Repurchase of Notes Upon a Change of Control.

(a) The Company shall, upon not less than 30 nor more than 60 days’ prior notice to the Holders and the Trustee, given not more than 30 days following a Change of Control, except to the extent the Company has delivered irrevocable notice to the Trustee of its intention to redeem all of the Notes as described under Section 3.01, make an Offer to Purchase all outstanding Notes at a purchase price in cash equal to 101% of the principal amount thereof plus accrued and unpaid interest to, but excluding, the date of purchase.

(b) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein, an Offer to Purchase may be made in advance of a Change of Control, conditioned upon the consummation of such Change of Control, if a definitive agreement is in place for the Change of Control at the time the Offer to Purchase is made.

(c) The Company will not be required to make an Offer to Purchase upon a Change of Control if (1) a third party makes the Offer to Purchase in the manner, at the times and otherwise in compliance with the requirements set forth in this Indenture and purchases all Notes properly tendered and not withdrawn under the Offer to Purchase or (2) notice of redemption for all outstanding Notes has been given pursuant to this Indenture as described above under Section 3.01, unless and until there is a default in payment of the redemption price.

 

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Section 4.13. Limitation on Asset Sales.

(a) The Company will not, and will not permit any Restricted Subsidiary to, make any Asset Sale unless the following conditions are met:

(1) The Asset Sale is for Fair Market Value.

(2) At least 75% of the consideration consists of cash or Cash Equivalents received at closing. (For purposes of this Section 4.13(a)(2), the assumption by the purchaser of Debt or other obligations (other than Subordinated Debt) of the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary pursuant to a customary novation agreement, and instruments or securities received from the purchaser that are promptly, but in any event within 30 days of the closing, converted by the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary to cash or Cash Equivalents, to the extent of the cash or Cash Equivalents actually so received, shall be considered cash or Cash Equivalents received at closing).

(3) Within 365 days after the receipt of any Net Cash Proceeds from an Asset Sale, the Net Cash Proceeds may be used:

(A) to permanently repay secured Debt of the Company or a Guarantor or any Debt of a Restricted Subsidiary that is not a Guarantor (and in the case of a revolving credit, permanently reduce the commitment thereunder by such amount), in each case owing to a Person other than the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary,

(B) to acquire all or substantially all of the assets of a Permitted Business, or a majority of the Voting Stock of another Person that thereupon becomes a Restricted Subsidiary engaged in a Permitted Business, or to make capital expenditures or otherwise acquire longterm assets that are to be used in a Permitted Business,

(C) to make a capital expenditure; or

(D) to acquire other assets that are not classified as current assets under GAAP and that are used or useful in a Permitted Business.

The Company will be deemed to have complied with the provisions set forth in Section 4.13(a)(3)(B), (C) and (D) if (i) within 365 days after the Asset Sale that generated the Net Cash Proceeds, the Company (or applicable Restricted Subsidiary) has entered into a binding agreement to acquire all or substantially all of the assets of, or any Capital Stock of, another Permitted Business or to make a capital expenditure or acquire other assets that are not classified as current assets under GAAP and that are used or useful in a Permitted Business and that acquisition or capital expenditure is thereafter completed within 180 days after the end of such 365 day period or (ii) in the event such binding agreement described in the preceding clause (i) is cancelled or terminated for any reason before such Net Cash Proceeds are so applied, the Company (or the applicable Restricted Subsidiary) enter into another such binding commitment within 180 days of such cancellation or termination of the prior binding commitment, in which case such acquisition or capital expenditure must be completed within 180 days after the date thereof.

(4) The Net Cash Proceeds of an Asset Sale not applied pursuant to Section 4.13(a)(3) constitute “Excess Proceeds.” Excess Proceeds of less than $50 million will be carried forward and accumulated. When accumulated Excess Proceeds equal or exceed such amount, the Company must, within 30 days, make an Offer to Purchase Notes having a principal amount equal to

(A) accumulated Excess Proceeds, multiplied by

(B) a fraction (x) the numerator of which is equal to the outstanding principal amount of the Notes and (y) the denominator of which is equal to the outstanding principal amount of the Notes and all pari passu Debt similarly required to be repaid, redeemed or tendered for in connection with the Asset Sale,

 

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rounded down to the nearest $1,000. The purchase price for the Notes will be 100% of the principal amount plus accrued interest to the date of purchase. If any Excess Proceeds remain, the Company may use such Excess Proceeds for any purposes not prohibited by this Indenture. Upon completion of the Offer to Purchase, the amount of Excess Proceeds will be reset to zero.

Section 4.14. Limitation on Transactions with Affiliates.

(a) The Company will not, and will not permit any Restricted Subsidiary to, directly or indirectly, enter into, renew or extend any transaction or arrangement (including the purchase, sale, lease or exchange of property or assets, or the rendering of any service) with any Affiliate of the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary (a “Related Party Transaction”), unless the transaction is on terms that are, taken as a whole, not materially less favorable to the Company or the relevant Restricted Subsidiary than those that would have been obtained in a comparable transaction by the Company or such Restricted Subsidiary with an unrelated Person on an arm’s length basis.

(b) Any Related Party Transaction or series of related Related Party Transactions with an aggregate value in excess of $25 million must first be approved by a majority of the Board of Directors who are disinterested in the subject matter of the transaction pursuant to a Board Resolution delivered to the Trustee.

(c) Sections 4.14(a) and (b) do not apply to

(1) any transaction between the Company and any of its Restricted Subsidiaries or between Restricted Subsidiaries of the Company;

(2) any employment agreement, consulting agreement, severance agreement, employee benefit plan, compensation arrangement, equity incentive agreement, officer or director indemnification agreement or any similar arrangement entered into by, or policy of, the Company, any of its direct or indirect parent companies, or any Restricted Subsidiary in the ordinary course of business and payments pursuant thereto;

(3) Restricted Payments that do not violate Section 4.07 and any Permitted Investment (other than pursuant to clauses (1) or (3) of the definition thereof);

(4) payment of reasonable fees and reasonable compensation to, provision of customary benefits to and reimbursements of expenses (pursuant to indemnity arrangements or otherwise) of officers, directors, employees or consultants of the Company, any of its direct or indirect parent companies, or any Restricted Subsidiary;

(5) loans and advances to officers, directors, consultants and employees of the Company, any of its direct or indirect parent companies, or any Restricted Subsidiary for travel, entertainment, moving, other relocation and similar expenses, in each case made in the ordinary course of business;

(6) any issuance of Qualified Equity Interests of the Company;

(7) transactions with customers, clients, lessors, landlords, suppliers, contractors or purchasers or sellers of goods or services that are Affiliates otherwise in compliance with the terms of this Indenture which are fair to the Company or the applicable Restricted Subsidiary, in the reasonable determination of the Board of Directors;

(8) transactions in the ordinary course of business with (i) Unrestricted Subsidiaries or (ii) joint ventures in which the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary holds or acquires an ownership interest (whether by way of Equity Interests or otherwise) so long as the terms of any such transactions are fair to the Company or the applicable Restricted Subsidiary, in the reasonable determination of the Board of Directors;

 

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(9) transactions pursuant to any contract or agreement in effect on the Issue Date (including the Transaction Agreements), as amended, modified or replaced from time to time so long as the amended, modified or new agreement, taken as a whole, is not materially less favorable to the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries than those in effect on the Issue Date; and

(10) transactions undertaken in good faith for the purpose of improving the consolidated tax efficiency of the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries.

Section 4.15. Designation of Restricted and Unrestricted Subsidiaries.

(a) The Board of Directors may designate any Subsidiary, including a newly acquired or created Subsidiary, to be an Unrestricted Subsidiary if it meets the following qualifications and the designation would not cause a Default:

(1) Such Subsidiary does not own any Capital Stock of the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary or hold any Debt of, or any Lien on any property of, the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary;

(2) At the time of the designation, the designation would be permitted under Section 4.07;

(3) To the extent the Debt of the Subsidiary is not Non-Recourse Debt, any Guarantee or other credit support thereof by the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary is permitted under Section 4.06 and Section 4.07;

(4) The Subsidiary is not party to any transaction or arrangement with the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary that would be prohibited by Section 4.14; and

(5) Neither the Company nor any Restricted Subsidiary has any obligation to subscribe for additional Equity Interests of the Subsidiary or to maintain or preserve its financial condition or cause it to achieve specified levels of operating results except to the extent permitted by Section 4.06 and Section 4.07.

Once so designated the Subsidiary will remain an Unrestricted Subsidiary, subject to Section 4.15(b).

(b) (1) A Subsidiary previously designated an Unrestricted Subsidiary which fails to meet the qualifications set forth in Section 4.15(a) will be deemed to become at that time a Restricted Subsidiary, subject to the consequences set forth in Section 4.15(d).

(2) The Board of Directors may designate an Unrestricted Subsidiary to be a Restricted Subsidiary if the designation would not cause a Default.

(c) Upon a Restricted Subsidiary becoming an Unrestricted Subsidiary,

(1) all existing Investments of the Company and the Restricted Subsidiaries therein (valued at the Company’s proportional share of the Fair Market Value of its assets less liabilities) will be deemed made at that time;

(2) all existing transactions between it and the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary will be deemed entered into at that time;

(3) it is released at that time from its Note Guaranty, if any; and

(4) it will cease to be subject to the provisions of this Indenture as a Restricted Subsidiary.

(d) Upon an Unrestricted Subsidiary becoming, or being deemed to become, a Restricted Subsidiary,

 

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(1) all of its Debt and Disqualified Stock or Preferred Stock will be deemed Incurred at that time for purposes of Section 4.06, but will not be considered the sale or issuance of Equity Interests for purposes of Section 4.13;

(2) Investments therein previously charged under Section 4.07 will be credited thereunder;

(3) it may be required to issue a Note Guaranty pursuant to Section 4.11; and

(4) it will thenceforward be subject to the provisions of this Indenture as a Restricted Subsidiary.

(e) Any designation by the Board of Directors of a Subsidiary as a Restricted Subsidiary or Unrestricted Subsidiary will be evidenced to the Trustee by promptly filing with the Trustee a copy of the Board Resolution giving effect to the designation and an Officer’s Certificate certifying that the designation complied with the foregoing provisions.

Section 4.16. [Reserved].

Section 4.17. Financial Reports.

The Company shall, whether or not required by the rules and regulations of the Commission, so long as any Notes are outstanding under this Indenture, the Company shall furnish to the Holders and the Trustee the following information, such information, in each case, to comply in all material respects with the applicable requirements of the specified form:

(a) within 90 days after the end of each fiscal year (or if such day is not a Business Day, on the next succeeding Business Day), all financial information that would be required to be contained in an annual report on Form 10-K, or any successor or comparable form, filed by the Company with the Commission, including a “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” and a report on the annual financial statements by the Company’s independent registered public accounting firm;

(b) within 45 days after the end of each of the first three fiscal quarters of each fiscal year (or if such day is not a Business Day, on the next succeeding Business Day), all financial information that would be required to be contained in a quarterly report on Form 10-Q, or any successor or comparable form, filed by the Company with the Commission, including a “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations,” and financial statements prepared in accordance with GAAP; and

(c) all information required by current reports that would be required to be filed with the Commission by the Company on Form 8-K, or any successor or comparable form, if the Company were required to file such reports, in each case within five Business Days of the date on which time periods specified in the Commission’s rules and regulations.

In addition, the Company shall, for so long as any Notes remain outstanding and constitute “restricted securities” under Rule 144 under the Securities Act, furnish to the Holders of the Notes, beneficial owners and prospective investors, upon their request, the information required to be delivered pursuant to Rule 144A(d)(4) under the Securities Act. So long as any Notes remain outstanding, the Company will also (i) within 15 Business Days after furnishing to the Trustee the annual and quarterly reports required by clauses (a) and (b) above, hold a conference call to discuss such reports and the results of operations for the relevant reporting period (which may be a single conference call together with investors and lenders holding other securities (including equity securities) or Indebtedness of the Company and/or its Restricted Subsidiaries) and (ii) post to its website or on IntraLinks or any comparable password-protected online data system, which will require a confidentiality acknowledgment, with a copy delivered to the Trustee, prior to the date of the conference call required to be held in accordance with clause (i) of this sentence, announcing the time and date of such conference call and either including all information necessary to access the call or informing holders, prospective investors, market makers affiliated with any initial purchaser and securities analysts how they can obtain such information, including, without limitation, the applicable password or other login information.

 

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The Company will be deemed to have furnished such information referred to above (including the immediately preceding paragraph) to the Trustee and the holders if the Company or any direct or indirect parent of the Company has filed such information with the Commission via the EDGAR (or successor) filing system and such information is publicly available. Delivery of such information and reports to the Trustee is for informational purposes only, and the Trustee’s receipt thereof shall not constitute constructive or actual notice of any information contained therein or determinable from the information contained therein, including our compliance with any of the covenants under this Indenture (as to which the Trustee is entitled to rely exclusively on Officer’s Certificates). The Trustee shall have no liability or responsibility for the filing, timeliness or content of such information or reports. The Trustee shall not be obligated to monitor or confirm, on a continuing basis or otherwise, the Company’s compliance with the covenants or with respect to any reports or other documents filed with the SEC or EDGAR or the Company’s website under this Indenture, or participate in any conference calls.

To the extent any such reports referred to in clauses (a) through (c) under this Section 4.17 is not so filed or furnished, as applicable, within the time periods specified above and such reports are subsequently filed or furnished, as applicable, the Company will be deemed to have satisfied its obligations with respect thereto at such time and any Default or Event of Default with respect thereto shall be deemed to have been cured.

Section 4.18. Reports to Trustee.

(a) The Company shall deliver to the Trustee within 120 days after the end of each fiscal year of the Company an Officer’s Certificate stating that the Officer has conducted or supervised a review of the activities of the Company, and its Restricted Subsidiaries during such fiscal year and their performance during that time under this Indenture and that, based upon such review, the signor does not know of any Default that occurred during such fiscal year or, if there has been a Default, specifying the Default and its nature and what action the Company is taking or proposes to take with respect thereto.

(b) The Company shall deliver to the Trustee, as soon as possible and in any event within 30 days after the Company becomes aware or should reasonably become aware of the occurrence of a Default or Event of Default, an Officer’s Certificate setting forth the details of the Default or Event of Default, its status and the action which the Company is taking or proposes to take with respect thereto.

Section 4.19. Suspension of Certain Covenants. If at any time after the Issue Date the Notes are rated Investment Grade by two or three of the three Rating Agencies, the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries will not be subject to the covenants in Sections 4.06, 4.07, 4.10, 4.13, 4.14 and 5.01(a)(3) (the “Suspended Covenants”).

Additionally, at such time as the above referenced covenants are suspended (a “Suspension Period”), the Company will no longer be permitted to designate any Restricted Subsidiary as an Unrestricted Subsidiary unless the Company would have been permitted to designate such Subsidiary as an Unrestricted Subsidiary if a Suspension Period had not been in effect and such designation shall be deemed to have created a Restricted Payment as set forth under Section 4.07 following the Reversion Date (as defined below).

In the event that the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries are not subject to the Suspended Covenants for any period of time as a result of the foregoing, and on any subsequent date (the “Reversion Date”) the condition set forth in the first paragraph of this section is no longer satisfied, then the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries will thereafter again be subject to the Suspended Covenants with respect to future events. Notwithstanding that the Suspended Covenants may be reinstated, no Event of Default will be deemed to have occurred as a result of a failure to comply with the Suspended Covenants during the Suspension Period.

On each Reversion Date, all Debt incurred during the Suspension Period prior to such Reversion Date will be deemed to be Debt incurred pursuant to Section 4.06(b)(8). For purposes of calculating the amount available to be made as Restricted Payments under Section 4.07(a)(3), calculations under such covenant shall be made as though

 

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such covenant had been in effect during the entire period of time after the Issue Date (including the Suspension Period). Restricted Payments made during the Suspension Period not otherwise permitted under Section 4.07(b) will reduce the amount available to be made as Restricted Payments under Section 4.07(a)(3) of such covenant. For purposes of Section 4.13, on the Reversion Date, the amount of Excess Proceeds will be reset to the amount of Excess Proceeds in effect as of the first day of the Suspension Period ending on such Reversion Date.

The Company shall deliver promptly to the Trustee an Officer’s Certificate notifying the Trustee of any Suspension Period or Reversion Date, as the case may be, pursuant to this Section 4.19, upon which the Trustee may conclusively rely. The Trustee shall have no duty to inquire or to verify the ratings of the Notes by the Rating Agencies or otherwise to determine the factual basis for the Company’s determination of the occurrence or timing of a Suspension Period or Reversion Date. The Company also shall provide notice to the Holders of any Suspension Period or Reversion Date.

ARTICLE 5

CONSOLIDATION, MERGER OR SALE OF ASSETS

Section 5.01. Consolidation, Merger or Sale of Assets; No Lease of All or Substantially All Assets.

(a) The Company will not:

(i) consolidate with or merge with or into any Person, or

(ii) sell, lease, convey, transfer, or otherwise dispose of all or substantially all of its assets as an entirety or substantially an entirety, in one transaction or a series of related transactions, to any Person, unless

(1) either (x) the Company is the continuing Person or (y) the resulting, surviving or transferee Person is an entity organized and validly existing under the laws of the United States of America, any state of the United States or the District of Columbia (such Person, as the case may be, being herein called the “Successor Company”) and expressly assumes by supplemental indenture all of the obligations of the Company under this Indenture and the Notes;

(2) immediately after giving effect to the transaction, no Default has occurred and is continuing;

(3) immediately after giving effect to the transaction on a pro forma basis, (i) the Company or the resulting, surviving or transferee Person could Incur at least $1.00 of Debt under Section 4.06(a) or (ii) the Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio would be greater than or equal to the Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio immediately prior to such transaction; and

(4) the Company or the Successor Company delivers to the Trustee an Officer’s Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel, each stating that the consolidation, merger or transfer and the supplemental indenture (if any) comply with this Indenture;

provided, that clauses (2) and (3) do not apply (i) to the consolidation or merger of the Company with or into a Restricted Subsidiary or the consolidation or merger of a Restricted Subsidiary with or into the Company or (ii) if, in the good faith determination of the Board of Directors of the Company, whose determination is evidenced by a Board Resolution, the sole purpose of the transaction is to change the jurisdiction of incorporation of the Company.

(b) Upon the consummation of any transaction effected in accordance with these provisions, if the Company is not the continuing Person, the resulting, surviving or transferee Person will succeed to, and be substituted for, and may exercise every right and power of, the Company under this Indenture and the Notes with the same effect as if such successor Person had been named as the Company in this Indenture. Upon such substitution, except in the case of a sale, conveyance, transfer or disposition of less than all its assets or any lease, the Company will be released from its obligations under this Indenture and the Notes.

 

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Section 5.02. Consolidation, Merger or Sale of Assets by a Guarantor.

(a) No Guarantor may

(i) consolidate with or merge with or into any Person, or

(ii) sell, convey, transfer or dispose of, all or substantially all its assets as an entirety or substantially as an entirety, in one transaction or a series of related transactions, to any Person, unless

(A) the other Person is the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary that is a Guarantor or becomes a Guarantor concurrently with the transaction; or

(B) (1) either (x) the Guarantor is the continuing Person or (y) the resulting, surviving or transferee Person expressly assumes by supplemental indenture all of the obligations of the Guarantor under its Note Guaranty; and

(2) immediately after giving effect to the transaction, no Default has occurred and is continuing; or

(C) the transaction is made in compliance with the covenant described under Section 4.13.

(b) Upon the consummation of any transaction effected in accordance with clause (A) or (B) of Section 5.02(a)(ii), if the Guarantor is not the continuing Person, the resulting, surviving or transferee Person will succeed to, and be substituted for, and may exercise every right and power of, such Guarantor under its Note Guaranty with the same effect as if such successor Person had been named as the Guarantor therein. Upon such substitution, such Guarantor will be released from its obligations under its Note Guaranty.

ARTICLE 6

DEFAULT AND REMEDIES

Section 6.01. Events of Default. An “Event of Default” occurs if:

(1) the Company defaults in the payment of the principal or premium, if any, of any Note when the same becomes due and payable at maturity, upon acceleration or redemption, or otherwise (other than pursuant to an Offer to Purchase);

(2) the Company defaults in the payment of interest on any Note when the same becomes due and payable, and the default continues for a period of 30 consecutive days;

(3) the Company fails to make an Offer to Purchase and thereafter accepts and pays for Notes tendered when and as required pursuant to Section 4.12 or Section 4.13, or the Company or any Guarantor fails to comply with Article 5;

(4) the Company defaults in the performance of or breaches any other covenant or agreement of the Company in this Indenture or under the Notes (other than as set forth in (1), (2) or (3) above) and the default or breach continues for a period of 60 consecutive days after written notice to the Company by the Trustee or to the Company and the Trustee by the Holders of 25% or more in aggregate principal amount of the Notes; provided, that the Company shall have 120 days after the receipt of such notice to remedy, or receive a waiver for, any failure to comply with Section 4.17;

 

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(5) there occurs with respect to any Debt of the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries having an outstanding principal amount of $50 million or more in the aggregate for all such Debt of all such Persons (i) an event of default that results in such Debt being due and payable prior to its scheduled maturity or (ii) failure to make a principal payment when due and such defaulted payment is not made, waived or extended within the applicable grace period;

(6) one or more final judgments or orders for the payment of money are rendered against the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries by a court or courts of competent jurisdiction and are not paid, stayed or discharged, and there is a period of 60 consecutive days following entry of such final judgment or order that causes the aggregate amount for all such final judgments or orders outstanding and not paid, stayed or discharged against all such Persons to exceed $50 million (to the extent not covered by indemnities provided by reputable creditworthy companies or insurance as to which the applicable insurance company is solvent and has not denied coverage);

(7) an involuntary case or other proceeding is commenced against the Company or any Significant Restricted Subsidiary with respect to it or its debts under any bankruptcy, insolvency or other similar law now or hereafter in effect seeking the appointment of a trustee, receiver, liquidator, custodian or other similar official of it or any substantial part of its property, and such involuntary case or other proceeding remains undismissed and unstayed for a period of 60 days; or an order for relief is entered against the Company or any Significant Restricted Subsidiary under the federal bankruptcy laws as now or hereafter in effect;

(8) the Company or any Significant Restricted Subsidiaries (i) commences a voluntary case under any applicable bankruptcy, insolvency or other similar law now or hereafter in effect, or consents to the entry of an order for relief in an involuntary case under any such law, (ii) consents to the appointment of or taking possession by a receiver, liquidator, assignee, custodian, trustee, sequestrator or similar official of the Company or any Significant Restricted Subsidiaries or for all or substantially all of the property and assets of the Company or any Significant Restricted Subsidiaries or (iii) effects any general assignment for the benefit of creditors (an Event of Default specified in clause (7) or (8) a “bankruptcy default”); or

(9) any Note Guaranty ceases to be in full force and effect or a Guarantor denies or disaffirms its obligations under its Note Guaranty, each other than in accordance with the terms of this Indenture.

Section 6.02. Acceleration.

(a) If an Event of Default, other than a bankruptcy default with respect to the Company occurs and is continuing under this Indenture, the Trustee or the Holders of at least 25% in aggregate principal amount of the Notes then outstanding, by written notice to the Company (and to the Trustee if the notice is given by the Holders), may, and the Trustee at the request of such Holders shall (subject to the other provisions of this Indenture), declare the principal of and accrued interest on the Notes to be immediately due and payable; provided that no notice of Default may be given with respect to any action taken, and reported publicly to holders, more than two years prior to such notice of Default. Upon a declaration of acceleration, such principal and interest will become immediately due and payable. If a bankruptcy default occurs with respect to the Company, the principal of and accrued interest on the Notes then outstanding will become immediately due and payable without any declaration or other act on the part of the Trustee or any Holder.

(b) The Holders of a majority in principal amount of the outstanding Notes by written notice to the Company and to the Trustee may waive all past defaults and rescind and annul a declaration of acceleration and its consequences if

(1) all existing Events of Default, other than the nonpayment of the principal of, premium, if any, and interest on the Notes that have become due solely by the declaration of acceleration, have been cured or waived, and

 

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(2) the rescission would not conflict with any judgment or decree of a court of competent jurisdiction.

(c) In the event of a declaration of acceleration of the Notes solely because an Event of Default described in Section 6.01(5) has occurred and is continuing, the declaration of acceleration of the Notes shall be automatically rescinded and annulled if the event of default or payment default triggering such Event of Default pursuant to Section 6.01(5) shall be remedied or cured by the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary of the Company or waived (and the related declaration of acceleration rescinded or annulled) by the Holders of the relevant Debt within 30 Business Days after the declaration of acceleration with respect to the Notes and if the rescission and annulment of the acceleration of the Notes would not conflict with any judgment or decree of a court of competent jurisdiction obtained by the Trustee for the payment of amounts due on the Notes.

Section 6.03. Other Remedies. If an Event of Default occurs and is continuing, the Trustee may pursue, in its own name or as trustee of an express trust, any available remedy by proceeding at law or in equity to collect the payment of principal of 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.

Section 6.04. Waiver of Past Defaults. Except as otherwise provided in Sections 6.02, 6.07 and 9.02, the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the outstanding Notes may, by written notice to the Trustee, waive an existing Default and its consequences. Upon such waiver, the Default will cease to exist, and any Event of Default arising therefrom will be deemed to have been cured, but no such waiver will extend to any subsequent or other Default or impair any right consequent thereon.

Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein, (i) if 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 in Section 4.17 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 covenant 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 6.05. Control by Majority. The Holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the outstanding Notes may direct the time, method and place of conducting any proceeding for any remedy available to the Trustee or exercising any trust or power conferred on the Trustee. However, the Trustee may refuse to follow any direction that conflicts with law or this Indenture, that may involve the Trustee in personal liability, or that the Trustee determines in good faith may be unduly prejudicial to the rights of Holders not joining in the giving of such direction, and may take any other action it deems proper that is not inconsistent with any such direction received from Holders (it being understood that the Trustee does not have an affirmative duty to ascertain whether or not such actions or forbearances are prejudicial to any other Holder). The Trustee will be under no obligation to exercise any of the rights and powers under this Indenture at the request or direction of any of the Holders unless such Holders have offered, and if requested, provided to the Trustee indemnity or security satisfactory to it against any loss, liability or expense.

Section 6.06. Limitation on Suits. A Holder may not institute any proceeding, judicial or otherwise, with respect to this Indenture or the Notes, or for the appointment of a receiver or trustee, or for any other remedy under this Indenture or the Notes, unless:

(1) the Holder has previously given to the Trustee written notice of a continuing Event of Default;

 

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(2) Holders of at least 25% in aggregate principal amount of outstanding Notes have made written request to the Trustee to institute proceedings in respect of the Event of Default in its own name as Trustee under this Indenture;

(3) Holders have offered, and if requested, provided to the Trustee indemnity satisfactory to the Trustee against any costs, liabilities or expenses to be incurred in compliance with such request;

(4) the Trustee for 60 days after its receipt of such written notice, request and offer of indemnity has failed to institute any such proceeding; and

(5) during such 60-day period, the Holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the outstanding Notes have not given the Trustee a written direction that is inconsistent with such written request.

Section 6.07. Rights of Holders to Receive Payment. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary, the right of a Holder to receive payment of principal of or interest on its Note on or after the Stated Maturities thereof, or to bring suit for the enforcement of any such payment on or after such respective dates, may not be impaired or affected without the consent of that Holder.

Section 6.08. Collection Suit by Trustee. If an Event of Default in payment of principal or interest specified in Section 6.01(1) or (2) occurs and is continuing, the Trustee (in any capacity) may recover judgment in its own name and as trustee of an express trust for the whole amount of principal and accrued interest remaining unpaid, together with interest on overdue principal and, to the extent lawful, overdue installments of interest, in each case at the rate specified in the Notes, and such further amount as is sufficient to cover the costs and expenses of collection, including the compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the Trustee (in any capacity), its agents and counsel and any other amounts due the Trustee (in any capacity) hereunder.

Section 6.09. Trustee May File Proofs of Claim. The Trustee may file 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 compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the Trustee (in any capacity), its agents and counsel, and any other amounts due the Trustee acting in any capacity hereunder) and the Holders allowed in any judicial proceedings relating to the Company or any Guarantor or their respective creditors or property, and is entitled and empowered to collect, receive and distribute any money, securities or other property payable or deliverable upon conversion or exchange of the Notes or upon any such claims. Any custodian, receiver, assignee, trustee, liquidator, sequestrator or other similar official in any such judicial proceeding is hereby authorized by each Holder to make such payments to the Trustee and, if the Trustee consents to the making of such payments directly to the Holders, to pay to the Trustee any amount due to it for the compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the Trustee, its agent and counsel, and any other amounts due the Trustee (in any capacity) hereunder. Nothing in this Indenture will be deemed to empower the Trustee to authorize or consent to, or accept or adopt on behalf of any Holder, any plan of reorganization, arrangement, adjustment or composition affecting the Notes or the rights of any Holder thereof, or to authorize the Trustee to vote in respect of the claim of any Holder in any such proceeding.

Section 6.10. Priorities. If the Trustee collects any money pursuant to this Article, it shall pay out the money in the following order:

First: to the Trustee (in any capacity) for all amounts due hereunder;

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

Third: to the Company or as a court of competent jurisdiction may direct.

The Trustee, upon written notice to the Company, may fix a record date and payment date for any payment to Holders pursuant to this Section.

 

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Section 6.11. Restoration of Rights and Remedies. If the Trustee or any Holder has instituted a proceeding to enforce any right or remedy under this Indenture and the proceeding has been discontinued or abandoned for any reason, or has been determined adversely to the Trustee or to the Holder, then, subject to any determination in the proceeding, the Company, any Guarantors, the Trustee and the Holders will be restored severally and respectively to their former positions hereunder and thereafter all rights and remedies of the Company, any Guarantors, the Trustee and the Holders will continue as though no such proceeding had been instituted.

Section 6.12. Undertaking for Costs. In any suit for the enforcement of any right or remedy under this Indenture or in any suit against the Trustee for any action taken or omitted by it as Trustee, a court may require any party litigant in such suit (other than the Trustee) to file an undertaking to pay the costs of the suit, and the court may assess reasonable costs, including reasonable attorneys’ fees, against any party litigant (other than the Trustee) in the suit having due regard to the merits and good faith of the claims or defenses made by the party litigant. This Section does not apply to a suit by a Holder to enforce payment of principal of or interest on any Note on the respective due dates, or a suit by Holders of more than 10% in principal amount of the outstanding Notes.

Section 6.13. Rights and Remedies Cumulative. No right or remedy conferred or reserved to the Trustee or to the Holders under this Indenture is intended to be exclusive of any other right or remedy, and all such rights and remedies are, to the extent permitted by law, cumulative and in addition to every other right and remedy hereunder or now or hereafter existing at law or in equity or otherwise. The assertion or exercise of any right or remedy hereunder, or otherwise, will not prevent the concurrent assertion or exercise of any other right or remedy.

Section 6.14. 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 will 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 6.15. Waiver of Stay, Extension or Usury Laws. The Company and each Guarantor covenants, to the extent that it may lawfully do so, that it will not at any time insist upon, or plead, or in any manner whatsoever claim or take the benefit or advantage of, any stay or extension law or any usury law or other law that would prohibit or forgive the Company or the Guarantor from paying all or any portion of the principal of, or interest on the Notes as contemplated herein, wherever enacted, now or at any time hereafter in force, or that may affect the covenants or the performance of this Indenture. The Company and each Guarantor hereby expressly waives, to the extent that it may lawfully do so, all benefit or advantage of any such law and covenants that it will not hinder, delay or impede the execution of any power herein granted to the Trustee, but will suffer and permit the execution of every such power as though no such law had been enacted.

ARTICLE 7

THE TRUSTEE

Section 7.01. General.

(a) [Reserved]

(b) Except during the continuance of an Event of Default, the Trustee need perform only those duties that are specifically set forth in this Indenture and no others, and no implied covenants or obligations will be read into this Indenture against the Trustee. In case an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing, the Trustee shall exercise those rights and powers vested in it by this Indenture, and use the same degree of care and skill in their exercise, as a prudent person would exercise or use under the circumstances in the conduct of such person’s own affairs.

(c) No provision of this Indenture shall be construed to relieve the Trustee from liability for its own grossly negligent action, its own grossly negligent failure to act or its own willful misconduct.

 

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Section 7.02. Certain Rights of Trustee.

(a) In the absence of gross negligence or willful misconduct on its part as determined by a final order of a court of competent jurisdiction, the Trustee may rely, and will be protected in acting or refraining from acting, upon any resolution, certificate, statement, instrument, opinion, report, notice, request, direction, consent, judgment, order, bond, debenture, note, other evidence of Debt or other paper or 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, in the case of any document which is specifically required to be furnished to the Trustee pursuant to any provision hereof, the Trustee shall examine the document to determine whether it conforms to the requirements of this Indenture (but need not confirm or investigate the accuracy of mathematical calculations or other facts stated therein).

(b) Before the Trustee acts or refrains from acting, it may require an Officer’s Certificate or an Opinion of Counsel, or both, each conforming to Section 11.05 and the Trustee will not be liable for any action it takes or omits to take in good faith in reliance on the certificate or opinion.

(c) The Trustee may act through its attorneys and agents and will not be responsible for the acts or omissions of any agent appointed with due care.

(d) The Trustee will be under no obligation to exercise any of the rights or powers vested in it by this Indenture at the request or direction of any of the Holders, unless such Holders have offered, and if requested, provided to the Trustee security or indemnity satisfactory to it against the costs, fees, expenses and liabilities that might be incurred by it in compliance with such request or direction.

(e) The Trustee will not be liable for any action it takes or omits to take in good faith that it believes to be authorized or within its rights or powers or for any action it takes or omits to take in accordance with the direction of the Holders in accordance with Section 6.05 relating to the time, method and place of conducting any proceeding for any remedy available to the Trustee, or exercising any trust or power conferred upon the Trustee, under this Indenture.

(f) The Trustee may consult with counsel, and the advice of such counsel or any Opinion of Counsel will be full and complete authorization and protection in respect of any action taken, suffered or omitted by it hereunder in good faith and in reliance thereon.

(g) No provision of this Indenture will require the Trustee to expend or risk its own funds or otherwise incur any financial liability in the performance of its duties hereunder, or in the exercise of its rights or powers, unless it receives indemnity satisfactory to it against any loss, liability or expense.

(h) In no event shall the Trustee be liable for any consequential, special, indirect or punitive loss or damage of any kind whatsoever (including but not limited to lost profits), even if the Trustee has been advised of the likelihood of such loss or damage and regardless of the form of action.

(i) The Trustee shall be entitled to request and receive written instructions from the Company and shall have no responsibility or liability for any losses or damages of any nature that may arise from any action taken or not taken by the Trustee in accordance with the written direction of Company.

(j) The permissive rights of the Trustee to do things enumerated in this Indenture shall not be construed as a duty and, with respect to such permissive rights, the Trustee shall not be answerable for other than its gross negligence or willful misconduct.

(k) The Trustee shall not be deemed to have notice of any Default or Event of Default unless a responsible officer of the Trustee has actual knowledge thereof.

 

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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 Company or its Affiliates with the same rights it would have if it were not the Trustee. However, in the event the Trustee acquires a conflicting interest (as such term is used in the Trust Indenture Act) it must eliminate such conflict within 90 days or resign. Any Agent may do the same with like rights. The Trustee is also subject to Section 7.10 hereof.

Section 7.04. Trustees Disclaimer. The Trustee (i) makes no representation as to the validity or adequacy of this Indenture or the Notes, (ii) is not accountable for the Company’s use or application of the proceeds from the Notes and (iii) is not responsible for any statement in the Notes other than its certificate of authentication.

Section 7.05. Notice of Default. If any Default occurs and is continuing and if a responsible officer of the Trustee has actual knowledge thereof, the Trustee will send notice of the Default to each Holder within 90 days after it is actually known to a responsible officer of the Trustee, unless the Default has been cured; provided that, except in the case of a default in the payment of the principal of or interest on any Note, the Trustee may withhold the notice if and so long as the Trustee in good faith determines that withholding the notice is in the interest of the Holders.

Section 7.06. [Reserved].

Section 7.07. Compensation and Indemnity.

(a) The Company will pay the Trustee compensation as agreed upon in writing for its services. The compensation of the Trustee is not limited by any law on compensation of a Trustee of an express trust. The Company will reimburse the Trustee upon request for all reasonable out-of-pocket expenses, disbursements and advances incurred or made by the Trustee, including the compensation and expenses of the Trustee’s agents and counsel.

(b) The Company shall indemnify the Trustee (in any capacity) for (including without limitation its officers, directors, agents and employees), and hold it harmless against, any loss, liability, expense, action, suit or proceeding at law or in equity (including, without limitation, attorneys’ fees and expenses and the costs of enforcement of this Indenture), except to the extent the same shall have been finally adjudicated by a court of competent jurisdiction to have been directly caused by the Trustee’s gross negligence or willful misconduct on its part, arising out of or in connection with the acceptance or administration of this Indenture and its duties under this Indenture and the Notes, including the costs and expenses of defending itself against any claim or liability and of complying with any process served upon it or any of its officers in connection with the exercise or performance of any of its powers or duties under this Indenture and the Notes.

(c) To secure the Company’s payment obligations in this Section, the Trustee shall have a lien prior to the Notes on all money or property held or collected by the Trustee, in its capacity as Trustee, except money or property held in trust to pay principal of, and interest on particular Notes.

(d) The obligations of the Company under this Section 7.07 shall survive any satisfaction, discharge and termination of this Indenture and the resignation or removal of the Trustee (in any capacity).

Section 7.08. Replacement of Trustee.

(a) (1) The Trustee may resign at any time by written notice to the Company.

(2) The Holders of a majority in principal amount of the outstanding Notes may remove the Trustee by written notice to the Trustee.

(3) If the Trustee, after written request by any Holder who has been a Holder for at least six months, is no longer eligible under Section 7.10, such Holder may petition any court of competent jurisdiction for the removal of the Trustee and the appointment of a successor Trustee.

 

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(4) The Company may remove the Trustee if: (i) the Trustee is no longer eligible under Section 7.10; (ii) the Trustee is adjudged a bankrupt or an insolvent; (iii) a receiver or other public officer takes charge of the Trustee or its property; or (iv) the Trustee becomes incapable of acting.

A resignation or removal of the Trustee and appointment of a successor Trustee will become effective only upon the successor Trustee’s acceptance of appointment as provided in this Section.

(b) If the Trustee has been removed by the Holders, Holders of a majority in principal amount of the Notes may appoint a successor Trustee with the written consent of the Company. Otherwise, if the Trustee resigns or is removed, or if a vacancy exists in the office of Trustee for any reason, the Company will promptly appoint a successor Trustee. If the successor Trustee does not deliver its written acceptance within 30 days after the retiring Trustee resigns or is removed, the retiring Trustee, the Company or the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the outstanding Notes may petition any court of competent jurisdiction for the appointment of a successor Trustee.

(c) Upon delivery by the successor Trustee of a written acceptance of its appointment to the retiring Trustee and to the Company, (i) the retiring Trustee will transfer all property held by it as Trustee to the successor Trustee, subject to the lien provided for in Section 7.07, (ii) the resignation or removal of the retiring Trustee will become effective, and (iii) the successor Trustee will have all the rights, powers and duties of the Trustee under this Indenture. Upon request of any successor Trustee, the Company will execute any and all instruments for fully and vesting in and confirming to the successor Trustee all such rights, powers and trusts. The Company shall give notice of any resignation and any removal of the Trustee and each appointment of a successor Trustee to all Holders, and include in the notice the name of the successor Trustee and the address of its Corporate Trust Office.

(d) Notwithstanding replacement of the Trustee pursuant to this Section, the Company’s obligations under Section 7.07 will continue for the benefit of the retiring Trustee.

Section 7.09. Successor Trustee by Merger. If the Trustee consolidates with, merges or converts into, or transfers all or substantially all of its corporate trust business to, another corporation or national banking association, the resulting, surviving or transferee corporation or national banking association without any further act will be the successor Trustee with the same effect as if the successor Trustee had been named as the Trustee in this Indenture.

Section 7.10. Eligibility. This Indenture must always have a Trustee 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, together with its parent, a combined capital and surplus of at least $150,000,000 as set forth in its most recent published annual report of condition.

Section 7.11. Money Held in Trust. The Trustee will not be liable for interest on any money received by it except as it may agree in writing with the Company. Money held in trust by the Trustee need not be segregated from other funds except to the extent required by law and except for money held in trust under Article 8.

ARTICLE 8

DEFEASANCE AND DISCHARGE

Section 8.01. Discharge of Companys Obligations.

(a) Subject to Section 8.01(b), this Indenture will be discharged and will cease to be of further effect as to all Notes when either:

(1) all Notes previously authenticated and delivered (other than (i) destroyed, lost or stolen Notes that have been replaced, (ii) Notes that are paid pursuant to Section 4.01 or (iii) Notes for whose payment money or U.S. Government Obligations have been held in trust and then repaid to the Company pursuant to Section 8.05) have been delivered to the Trustee for cancellation; or

 

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(2) (A) all Notes not theretofore delivered to the Trustee for cancellation have become due and payable by reason of the making of one or more notices of redemption or otherwise, will become due and payable within one year or may 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 Company, and the Company 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, U.S. Government Obligations, or a combination thereof, in such amounts as will be sufficient (without consideration of any reinvestment of interest), in the opinion of an Independent Financial Advisor to the extent such amounts consist of U.S. Government Obligations, to pay and discharge the entire Debt on the Notes not theretofore delivered to the Trustee for cancellation for principal, premium, if any, and accrued interest to the date of maturity or redemption;

(B) the Company has paid or caused to be paid all sums payable by it under this Indenture;

(C) the Company 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; and

(D) the Company has delivered to the Trustee an Officer’s Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel, in each case stating that all conditions precedent provided for herein relating to the satisfaction and discharge of this Indenture have been complied with.

(b) After satisfying the conditions in Section 8.01(a)(1), only the Company’s obligations under Section 7.07 will survive. After satisfying the conditions in Section 8.01(a)(2), only the Company’s obligations in Article 2 and Sections 4.01, 4.02, 7.07, 7.08, 8.05 and 8.06 will survive. In either case, the Trustee upon request will acknowledge in a writing prepared by the Company at their cost and expense the discharge of the Company’s obligations under the Notes and this Indenture other than the surviving obligations.

Section 8.02. Legal Defeasance. After the deposit referred to in Section 8.02(1) is made, the Company will be deemed to have paid and will be discharged from its obligations in respect of the Notes and this Indenture, other than its obligations in Article 2 and Sections 4.01, 4.02, 7.07, 7.08, 8.05 and 8.06, and each Guarantor’s obligations under its Note Guaranty will terminate; provided the following conditions have been satisfied:

(1) The Company has irrevocably deposited in trust with the Trustee, as trust funds solely for the benefit of the Holders, money or U.S. Government Obligations or a combination thereof sufficient, in the opinion of a nationally recognized firm of independent public accountants expressed in a written certificate thereof delivered to the Trustee, without consideration of any reinvestment, to pay principal of and interest on the Notes to maturity or redemption, as the case may be; provided that any redemption before maturity has been irrevocably provided for under arrangements satisfactory to the Trustee.

(2) No Default has occurred and is continuing on the date of the deposit.

(3) The deposit will not result in a breach or violation of, or constitute a default under, this Indenture or any other agreement or instrument to which the Company is a party or by which it is bound.

(4) The Company has delivered to the Trustee

(A) either (x) a ruling received from the Internal Revenue Service to the effect that the Holders will not recognize income, gain or loss for federal income tax purposes as a result of the defeasance and will be subject to federal income tax on the same amount and in the same manner and at the same times as would otherwise have been the case or (y) an Opinion of Counsel, based on a change in law after the date of this Indenture, to the same effect as the ruling described in clause (x), and

 

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(B) an Opinion of Counsel to the effect that (i) the creation of the defeasance trust does not violate the Investment Company Act of 1940, (ii) the Holders have a valid first priority Note interest in the trust funds (subject to customary exceptions), and (iii) after the passage of 123 days following the deposit, the trust funds will not be subject to the effect of Section 547 of the United States Bankruptcy Code or Section 15 of the New York Debtor and Creditor Law.

(5) If the Notes are listed on a national securities exchange, the Company has delivered to the Trustee an Opinion of Counsel to the effect that the deposit and defeasance will not cause the Notes to be delisted.

(6) The Company has delivered to the Trustee an Officer’s Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel, in each case stating that all conditions precedent provided for herein relating to the defeasance have been complied with.

Thereafter, the Trustee upon request will acknowledge in writing the discharge of the Company’s obligations under the Notes and this Indenture except for the surviving obligations specified above.

Section 8.03. Covenant Defeasance. After the deposit referred to in Section 8.03(1) is made, the Company’s obligations set forth in Sections 4.06 through 4.15, inclusive and Section 5.01(a)(3)and each Guarantor’s obligations under its Note Guaranty, will terminate, and Sections 6.01(3), (4), (5), (6) and (9) will no longer constitute Events of Default; provided the following conditions have been satisfied:

(1) The Company has complied with Sections 8.02(1), (2), (3), (4)(B), (5) and (6); and

(2) the Company has delivered to the Trustee an Opinion of Counsel to the effect that the Holders will not recognize income, gain or loss for federal income tax purposes as a result of the defeasance and will be subject to federal income tax on the same amount and in the same manner and at the same times as would otherwise have been the case.

Except as specifically stated above, none of the Company’s obligations under this Indenture will be discharged.

Section 8.04. Application of Trust Money. Subject to Section 8.05, the Trustee will hold in trust the money or U.S. Government Obligations deposited with it pursuant to Section 8.01, 8.02 or 8.03, and apply the deposited money and the proceeds from deposited U.S. Government Obligations to the payment of principal of and interest on the Notes in accordance with the Notes and this Indenture. Such money and U.S. Government Obligations need not be segregated from other funds except to the extent required by law.

Section 8.05. Repayment to the Company. Subject to Sections 7.07, 8.01, 8.02 and 8.03, the Trustee will promptly pay to the Company upon request any excess money held by the Trustee at any time and thereupon be relieved from all liability with respect to such money. Subject to applicable abandoned property laws, the Trustee will pay to the Company upon request any money held for payment with respect to the Notes that remains unclaimed for two years; provided that before making such payment the Trustee may at the expense of the Company publish once in a newspaper of general circulation in New York City, or send to each Holder entitled to such money, notice that the money remains unclaimed and that after a date specified in the notice (at least 30 days after the date of the publication or notice) any remaining unclaimed balance of money will be repaid to the Company. After payment to the Company, Holders entitled to such money must look solely to the Company for payment, unless applicable law designates another Person, and all liability of the Trustee with respect to such money will cease.

Section 8.06. Reinstatement. If and for so long as the Trustee is unable to apply any money or U.S. Government Obligations held in trust pursuant to Section 8.01, 8.02 or 8.03 by reason of any legal proceeding or by reason of any order or judgment of any court or governmental authority enjoining, restraining or otherwise prohibiting such application, the Company’s obligations under this Indenture and the Notes will be reinstated as though no such deposit in trust had been made. If the Company makes any payment of principal of or interest on any Notes because of the reinstatement of its obligations, it will be subrogated to the rights of the Holders of such Notes to receive such payment from the money or U.S. Government Obligations held in trust.

 

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ARTICLE 9

AMENDMENTS, SUPPLEMENTS AND WAIVERS

Section 9.01. Amendments Without Consent of Holders.

(a) The Company and the Trustee may amend or supplement this Indenture or the Notes or any Note Guaranty without notice to or the consent of any Noteholder:

(1) to cure any ambiguity, defect, mistake or inconsistency in this Indenture or the Notes or the Note Guaranties;

(2) to comply with Article 5;

(3) [reserved];

(4) to evidence and provide for the acceptance of an appointment by a successor Trustee;

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

(6) to provide for any Guarantee of the Notes, to secure the Notes or to confirm and evidence the release, termination or discharge of any Guarantee of or Lien securing the Notes when such release, termination or discharge is permitted by this Indenture;

(7) to provide for or confirm the issuance of Additional Notes;

(8) to make any amendment to the provisions of Article 2 as permitted by this Indenture; provided that (i) compliance with this Indenture as so amended would not result in Notes being transferred in violation of any applicable securities law and (ii) such amendment does not materially and adversely affect the rights of the Holders to transfer Notes;

(9) to make any other change that would provide additional rights or benefits to the Holders or that does not materially and adversely affect the rights of any Holder; or

(10) to conform any provision to the section entitled “Description of the Notes” in the Offering Memorandum.

Section 9.02. Amendments With Consent of Holders.

(a) Except as otherwise provided in Sections 6.02, 6.04, 6.07 and 9.01, or Section 9.02(b), the Company and the Trustee may amend this Indenture and the Notes or a Note Guaranty or Note Guaranties with the written consent of the holders of a majority in principal amount of the outstanding Notes (including, without limitation, any Additional Notes) and the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the outstanding Notes (including, without limitation, any Additional Notes) may waive future compliance by the Company with any provision of this Indenture or the Notes or any Guarantor with any provision of its Note Guaranty.

(b) Notwithstanding the provisions of Section 9.02(a), without the consent of each Holder affected, an amendment or waiver may not

(1) reduce the principal amount of or change the Stated Maturity of any installment of principal of any Note,

(2) reduce the rate of or change the Stated Maturity of any interest payment on any Note,

 

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(3) reduce the amount payable upon the redemption of any Note, the times at which any Note may be redeemed or, once notice of redemption has been given, the time at which it must thereupon be redeemed,

(4) after the time an Offer to Purchase is required to have been made, (i) reduce the purchase amount or purchase price or (ii) except as may be required by applicable law, extend the latest expiration date or purchase date thereunder,

(5) make any Note payable in money other than that stated in the Note,

(6) impair the contractual right of any Holder of Notes to receive any principal payment or interest payment on such Holder’s Notes, on or after the Stated Maturity thereof, or to institute suit for the enforcement of any payment on or with respect to such Holder’s Notes,

(7) make any change in the percentage of the principal amount of the Notes required for amendments or waivers,

(8) modify or change any provision of this Indenture affecting the ranking of the Notes or any Note Guaranty in a manner adverse to the Holders, or

(9) release any Note Guaranty by a Domestic Restricted Subsidiary not otherwise permitted to be released by this Indenture.

(c) It is not necessary for Noteholders to approve the particular form of any proposed amendment, supplement or waiver, but is sufficient if their consent approves the substance thereof.

(d) An amendment, supplement or waiver under this Section will become effective on receipt by the Trustee of (i) written consents from the Holders of the requisite percentage in principal amount of the outstanding Notes and (ii) the Officer’s Certificate and Opinion of Counsel required by Section 9.04 hereof. After an amendment, supplement or waiver under this Section becomes effective, the Company will send to the Holders affected thereby (with a copy to the Trustee) a notice briefly describing the amendment, supplement or waiver. The Company will send copies of the amendment, waiver or supplemental indenture to Holders upon request. Any failure of the Company to send such notice, or any defect therein, will not, however, in any way impair or affect the validity of any such supplemental indenture or waiver.

Section 9.03. Effect of Consent.

(a) After an amendment, supplement or waiver becomes effective, it will bind every Holder unless it is of the type requiring the consent of each Holder affected. If the amendment, supplement or waiver is of the type requiring the consent of each Holder affected, the amendment, supplement or waiver will bind each Holder that has consented to it and every subsequent Holder of a Note that evidences the same debt as the Note of the consenting Holder.

(b) If an amendment, supplement or waiver changes the terms of a Note, the Trustee may require the Holder to deliver it to the Trustee so that the Trustee may place an appropriate notation of the changed terms on the Note and return it to the Holder, or exchange it for a new Note that reflects the changed terms. The Trustee may also place an appropriate notation on any Note thereafter authenticated. However, the effectiveness of the amendment, supplement or waiver is not affected by any failure to annotate or exchange Notes in this fashion.

Section 9.04. Trustees Rights and Obligations. The Trustee shall receive, and shall be fully protected in relying upon, an Officer’s Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel stating that the execution of any amendment, supplement or waiver authorized pursuant to this Article is authorized or permitted by this Indenture. If the Trustee has received such an Officer’s Certificate and Opinion of Counsel, it shall sign the amendment, supplement or waiver so long as the same does not adversely affect the rights of the Trustee. The Trustee may, but is not obligated to, execute any amendment, supplement or waiver that affects the Trustee’s own rights, duties, liabilities or immunities under this Indenture.

 

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ARTICLE 10

GUARANTIES

Section 10.01. The Guaranties. Subject to the provisions of this Article, each Guarantor that executes this Indenture or a supplemental indenture in the form attached hereto as Exhibit B hereby irrevocably and unconditionally guarantees, jointly and severally, on an unsecured basis, the full and punctual payment (whether at Stated Maturity, upon redemption, purchase pursuant to an Offer to Purchase or acceleration, or otherwise) of the principal of, premium, if any, and interest on, and all other amounts payable under, each Note, and the full and punctual payment of all other amounts payable by the Company under this Indenture. Upon failure by the Company to pay punctually any such amount, each Guarantor shall forthwith on demand pay the amount not so paid at the place and in the manner specified in this Indenture.

Section 10.02. Guaranty Unconditional. The obligations of each Guarantor hereunder are unconditional and absolute and, without limiting the generality of the foregoing, will not be released, discharged or otherwise affected by

(1) any extension, renewal, settlement, compromise, waiver or release in respect of any obligation of the Company under this Indenture or any Note, by operation of law or otherwise;

(2) any modification or amendment of or supplement to this Indenture or any Note;

(3) any change in the corporate existence, structure or ownership of the Company, or any insolvency, bankruptcy, reorganization or other similar proceeding affecting the Company or assets or any resulting release or discharge of any obligation of the Company contained in this Indenture or any Note;

(4) the existence of any claim, set-off or other rights which the Guarantor may have at any time against the Company, the Trustee or any other Person, whether in connection with this Indenture or any unrelated transactions; provided that nothing herein prevents the assertion of any such claim by separate suit or compulsory counterclaim;

(5) any invalidity or unenforceability relating to or against the Company for any reason of this Indenture or any Note, or any provision of applicable law or regulation purporting to prohibit the payment by the Company of the principal of or interest on any Note or any other amount payable by the Company under this Indenture; or

(6) any other act or omission to act or delay of any kind by the Company, the Trustee or any other Person or any other circumstance whatsoever which might, but for the provisions of this Section 10.02, constitute a legal or equitable discharge of or defense to such Guarantor’s obligations hereunder.

Section 10.03. Discharge; Reinstatement. Each Guarantor’s obligations hereunder will remain in full force and effect until the principal of, premium, if any, and interest on the Notes and all other amounts payable by the Company under this Indenture have been paid in full. If at any time any payment of the principal of, premium, if any, or interest on any Note or any other amount payable by the Company under this Indenture is rescinded or must be otherwise restored or returned upon the insolvency, bankruptcy or reorganization of the Company or otherwise, each Guarantor’s obligations hereunder with respect to such payment will be reinstated as though such payment had been due but not made at such time.

Section 10.04. Waiver by the Guarantors. Each Guarantor irrevocably waives acceptance hereof, presentment, demand, protest and any notice not provided for herein, as well as any requirement that at any time any action be taken by any Person against the Company or any other Person.

 

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Section 10.05. Subrogation and Contribution. Upon making any payment with respect to any obligation of the Company under this Article, the Guarantor making such payment will be subrogated to the rights of the payee against the Company with respect to such obligation; provided that the Guarantor may not enforce either any right of subrogation, or any right to receive payment in the nature of contribution, or otherwise, from any other Guarantor, with respect to such payment so long as any amount payable by the Company hereunder or under the Notes remains unpaid.

Section 10.06. Stay of Acceleration. If acceleration of the time for payment of any amount payable by the Company under this Indenture or the Notes is stayed upon the insolvency, bankruptcy or reorganization of the Company, all such amounts otherwise subject to acceleration under the terms of this Indenture are nonetheless payable by the Guarantors hereunder forthwith on demand by the Trustee or the Holders.

Section 10.07. Limitation on Amount of Guaranty. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Article, each Guarantor, and by its acceptance of Notes, each Holder, hereby confirms that it is the intention of all such parties that the Note Guaranty of such Guarantor not constitute a fraudulent conveyance under applicable fraudulent conveyance provisions of the United States Bankruptcy Code or any comparable provision of state law. To effectuate that intention, the Trustee, the Holders and the Guarantors hereby irrevocably agree that the obligations of each Guarantor under its Note Guaranty are limited to the maximum amount that would not render the applicable Guarantor’s obligations subject to avoidance under applicable fraudulent conveyance provisions of the United States Bankruptcy Code or any comparable provision of state law.

Section 10.08. Execution and Delivery of Guaranty. The execution by each Guarantor of this Indenture or a supplemental indenture in the form of Exhibit B evidences the Note Guaranty of such Guarantor, whether or not the person signing as an officer of the Guarantor still holds that office at the time of authentication of any Note. The delivery of any Note by the Trustee after authentication constitutes due delivery of the Note Guaranty set forth in this Indenture on behalf of each Guarantor.

Section 10.09. Release of Guaranty. The Note Guaranty of a Guarantor will terminate upon

(1) a sale or other disposition (including by way of consolidation or merger) of the Guarantor or the sale or disposition of all or substantially all the assets of the Guarantor (other than to the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary) otherwise permitted by this Indenture,

(2) the designation in accordance with this Indenture of the Guarantor as an Unrestricted Subsidiary, or

(3) defeasance or discharge of the Notes, as provided in Article 8.

In the case of a termination in accordance with the above, such Guarantor shall deliver written notice of the termination to the Trustee, but failure to so notify the Trustee shall not invalidate or otherwise affect the termination. Upon delivery by the Company to the Trustee of an Officer’s Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel to the foregoing effect, the Trustee will execute any documents prepared by the Company at its cost and expense reasonably required in order to evidence the release of the Guarantor from its obligations under its Note Guaranty.

ARTICLE 11

MISCELLANEOUS

Section 11.01. Trust Indenture Act of 1939. The Company and the Guarantors shall not be required to qualify this Indenture under the Trust Indenture Act. Whenever this Indenture refers to a provision of the Trust Indenture Act, the provision is incorporated by reference in and made a part of this Indenture.

Section 11.02. Noteholder Communications; Noteholder Actions.

(a) (1) Any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent to amendment, supplement or waiver or other action provided by this Indenture to be given or taken by a Holder (an “act”) may be evidenced by an instrument signed by the Holder delivered to the Trustee. The fact and date of the execution of the instrument, or the authority of the person executing it, may be proved in any manner that the Trustee deems sufficient.

 

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(2) The Trustee may make reasonable rules for action by or at a meeting of Holders, which will be binding on all the Holders.

(b) Any act by the Holder of any Note binds that Holder and every subsequent Holder of a Note that evidences the same debt as the Note of the acting Holder, even if no notation thereof appears on the Note. Subject to Section 11.02(d), a Holder may revoke an act as to its Notes, but only if the Trustee receives the notice of revocation before the date the amendment or waiver or other consequence of the act becomes effective.

(c) The Company may, but is not obligated to, fix a record date for the purpose of determining the Holders entitled to act with respect to any amendment or waiver or in any other regard, except that during the continuance of an Event of Default, only the Trustee may set a record date as to notices of default, any declaration or acceleration or any other remedies or other consequences of the Event of Default. If a record date is fixed, those Persons that were Holders at such record date and only those Persons will be entitled to act, or to revoke any previous act, whether or not those Persons continue to be Holders after the record date. No act will be valid or effective for more than 90 days after the record date.

Section 11.03. Notices.

(a) Any notice or communication to the Company will be deemed given if in writing (i) when delivered in person or (ii) five days after mailing when mailed by first class mail, or (iii) when sent by facsimile transmission, with transmission confirmed. Notices or communications to a Guarantor will be deemed given if given to the Company. Any notice to the Trustee will be effective only upon receipt. In each case the notice or communication should be addressed as follows:

if to the Company:

Consensus Cloud Solutions, Inc.

700 S. Flower Street, 15th Floor

Los Angeles, CA 90017

Attn: Legal Department

if to the Trustee:

Wilmington Trust, National Association

Global Capital Markets

50 South Sixth Street, Suite 1290

Minneapolis, MN 55402

Attention: Consensus Cloud Solutions, Inc. Notes Administrator

Facsimile: (612) 217-5651

The Company or the Trustee by notice to the other may designate additional or different addresses for subsequent notices or communications.

(b) Except as otherwise expressly provided with respect to published notices, any notice or communication to a Holder will be deemed given when mailed to the Holder at its address as it appears on the Register by first class mail or, as to any Global Note registered in the name of DTC or its nominee, as agreed by the Company, the Trustee and DTC. Copies of any notice or communication to a Holder, if given by the Company, will be mailed to the Trustee at the same time. Defect in mailing a notice or communication to any particular Holder will not affect its sufficiency with respect to other Holders.

 

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(c) 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 repurchase) to a Holder (whether by mail or otherwise), such notice shall be sufficiently given (in the case of a Global Note) if given to the Depositary (or its designee) pursuant to the standing instructions from the Depositary or its designee, including by electronic mail in accordance with accepted practices or procedures at the Depositary.

(d) Where this Indenture provides for notice, the notice may be waived in writing by the Person entitled to receive such notice, either before or after the event, and the waiver will be the equivalent of the notice. Waivers of notice by Holders must be filed with the Trustee, but such filing is not a condition precedent to the validity of any action taken in reliance upon such waivers.

Section 11.04. Certificate and Opinion as to Conditions Precedent. Upon any request or application by the Company to the Trustee to take any action under this Indenture (except, with respect to clause (2) below, in connection with the original issuance of the Notes on the date hereof), the Company will furnish to the Trustee:

(1) an Officer’s Certificate stating that, in the opinion of the signers, all conditions precedent, if any, provided for in this Indenture relating to the proposed action have been complied with; and

(2) an Opinion of Counsel stating that all such conditions precedent have been complied with.

Section 11.05. Statements Required in Certificate or Opinion. Each certificate or opinion with respect to compliance with a condition or covenant provided for in this Indenture must include:

(1) a statement that each person signing the certificate or opinion has read the covenant or condition and the related definitions;

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

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

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

Section 11.06. Payment Date Other Than a Business Day. If any payment with respect to a payment of any principal of, premium, if any, or interest on any Note (including any payment to be made on any date fixed for redemption or purchase of any Note) is due on a day which is not a Business Day, then the payment need not be made on such date, but may be made on the next Business Day with the same force and effect as if made on such date, and no interest will accrue for the intervening period.

Section 11.07. Governing Law. This Indenture, including any Note Guaranties, and the Notes shall be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the laws of the State of New York. Each of the parties hereto hereby waives the right to trial by jury with respect to any litigation directly or indirectly arising out of, under or in connection with this Indenture. The parties hereby (i) irrevocably submit to the exclusive jurisdiction of any federal or state court sitting in the Borough of Manhattan, the city of New York, (ii) waive any objection to laying of venue in any such action or proceeding in such courts, and (iii) waive any objection that such courts are an inconvenient forum or do not have jurisdiction over any party.

Section 11.08. No Adverse Interpretation of Other Agreements. This Indenture may not be used to interpret another indenture or loan or debt agreement of the Company or any Subsidiary of the Company, and no such indenture or loan or debt agreement may be used to interpret this Indenture.

 

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Section 11.09. Successors. All agreements of the Company or any Guarantor in this Indenture and the Notes will bind its successors. All agreements of the Trustee in this Indenture will bind its successor.

Section 11.10. Duplicate 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.

Section 11.11. Separability. In case any provision in this Indenture or in the Notes is invalid, illegal or unenforceable, the validity, legality and enforceability of the remaining provisions will not in any way be affected or impaired thereby.

Section 11.12. Entire Agreement. This Indenture and the exhibits hereto set forth the entire agreement and understanding of the parties related to this transaction and supersedes all prior agreements and understandings, oral or written.

Section 11.13. Execution in Counterparts. This Indenture may be executed in any number of counterparts, each of which shall be an original, but such counterparts shall together constitute but one and the same instrument. The exchange of copies of this Indenture and of signature pages by facsimile, PDF or other electronic transmission shall constitute effective execution and delivery of this Indenture as to the parties hereto and may be used in lieu of the original Indenture for all purposes. Signatures of the parties hereto transmitted by facsimile, PDF or other electronic means shall be deemed to be their original signatures for all purposes. Unless otherwise provided in this Indenture or in any Note, the words “execute,” “execution,” “signed” and “signature” and words of similar import used in or related to any document to be signed in connection with this Indenture, any Note or any of the transactions contemplated hereby (including amendments, waivers, consents and other modifications) shall be deemed to include electronic signatures and 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 in ink or the use of a paper-based recordkeeping system, as applicable, to the fullest 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 and any other similar state laws based on the Uniform Electronic Transactions Act; provided that, notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, the Trustee is not under any obligation to agree to accept electronic signatures in any form or in any format unless expressly agreed to by the Trustee pursuant to procedures approved by the Trustee.

Section 11.14. Table of Contents and Headings. 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 in no way modify or restrict any of the terms and provisions of this Indenture.

Section 11.15. No Liability of Directors, Officers, Employees, Incorporators, Members and Stockholders. No director, officer, employee, incorporator, member or stockholder of the Company or any Guarantor, as such, will have any liability for any obligations of the Company or such Guarantor under the Notes, any Note Guaranty or this Indenture or for any claim based on, in respect of, or by reason of, such obligations. Each Holder by accepting a Note waives and releases all such liability. The waiver and release are part of the consideration for issuance of the Notes. This waiver may not be effective to waive liabilities under the federal securities laws and it is the view of the Commission that such a waiver is against public policy.

Section 11.16. Force Majeure. In no event shall the Trustee be responsible or liable for any failure or delay in the performance of its obligations hereunder arising out of or caused by, directly or indirectly, forces beyond its reasonable control, including, without limitation, strikes, work stoppages, accidents, epidemics, pandemics, acts of war or terrorism, civil or military disturbances, nuclear or natural catastrophes or acts of God, and interruptions, loss or malfunctions of utilities, communications or computer (software and hardware) services or the unavailability of the Federal Reserve Bank wire or telex or other wire or communication facility; it being understood that the Trustee shall use reasonable efforts that are consistent with accepted practices in the banking industry to resume performance as soon as practicable under the circumstances.

Section 11.17. Patriot Act. To help the government fight the funding of terrorism and money laundering activities, Federal law requires all financial institutions to obtain, verify and record information that identifies each person who opens an account. For a non-individual person such as a business entity, a charity, a trust or other legal entity, the Trustee will ask for documentation to verify its formation and existence as a legal entity. The Trustee may also ask to see financial statements, licenses, identification and authorization documents from individuals claiming authority to represent the entity or other relevant documentation.

 

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SIGNATURES

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

 

CONSENSUS CLOUD SOLUTIONS, INC., as the Company
By:  

/s/ Vithya Aubee

  Name: Vithya Aubee
  Title: Secretary
J2 CLOUD SERVICES, LLC, as Guarantor
By:  

/s/ Vithya Aubee

  Name: Vithya Aubee
  Title: Secretary
METROFAX, INC., as Guarantor
By:  

/s/ Vithya Aubee

  Name: Vithya Aubee
  Title: Secretary
CATCH CURVE, INC., as Guarantor
By:  

/s/ Vithya Aubee

  Name: Vithya Aubee
  Title: Secretary


WILMINGTON TRUST, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION as Trustee
By:  

/s/ Sarah Vilhauer

  Name: Sarah Vilhauer
  Title: Banking Officer

 


EXHIBIT A

[FACE OF NOTE]

[Insert the Restricted Legend, if applicable to the provisions of the Indenture][Insert the DTC Legend, if applicable to the provisions of the Indenture]

CONSENSUS CLOUD SOLUTIONS, INC.

[Rule 144A][Regulation S][Global] Note

6.500% Senior Note due 2028

 

   CUSIP [     ]
   ISIN [     ]
No. [     ]    $ [     ]
   [as revised by the Schedule of Exchange of Notes]

CONSENSUS CLOUD SOLUTIONS, INC., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”, which term includes any successor under the Indenture hereinafter referred to), for value received, promises to pay to [             ][CEDE & CO.], or its registered assigns, the principal sum of ____________ DOLLARS ($__________) [or such other amount as indicated on the Schedule of Exchange of Notes attached hereto] on October 15, 2028.

[Initial]1 Interest Rate: 6.500% per annum.

Interest Payment Dates: April 15 and October 15, commencing April 15, 2022.

Regular Record Dates: April 1 and October 1.

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

 

1 

For Initial Notes or Initial Additional Notes only.

 

Exh. A-1


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

 

Date:     CONSENSUS CLOUD SOLUTIONS, INC.,
    as the Company
    By:  

 

      Name:
      Title:

 

Exh. A-2


(Form of Trustee’s Certificate of Authentication)

This is one of the 6.500% Senior Notes due 2028 described in the Indenture referred to in this Note.

 

    WILMINGTON TRUST, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, as Trustee
    By:  

 

Dated:       Authorized Signatory

 

Exh. A-3


[REVERSE SIDE OF NOTE]

CONSENSUS CLOUD SOLUTIONS, INC.

6.500% Senior Note due 2028

1. Principal and Interest.

The Company promises to pay the principal of this Note on October 15, 2028.

The Company promises to pay interest on the principal amount of this Note on each interest payment date, as set forth on the face of this Note, at the rate of 6.500% per annum.

Interest will be payable semiannually (to the holders of record of the Notes at the close of business on April 1 or October 1 immediately preceding the interest payment date) on each interest payment date, commencing April 15, 2022.

Interest on this Note will accrue from the most recent date to which interest has been paid on this Note (or, if there is no existing default in the payment of interest and if this Note is authenticated between a regular record date and the next interest payment date, from such interest payment date) or, if no interest has been paid, from [the Issue Date].2 Interest will be computed on the basis of a 360-day year of twelve 30-day months.

The Company will pay interest on overdue principal, premium, if any, and, to the extent lawful, interest, at a rate of 6.500% per annum. Interest not paid when due and any interest on principal, premium or interest not paid when due will be paid to the Persons that are Holders on a special record date, which will be the 15th day preceding the date fixed by the Company for the payment of such interest, whether or not such day is a Business Day. At least 15 days before a special record date, the Company will send to each Holder and to the Trustee a notice that sets forth the special record date, the payment date and the amount of interest to be paid.

2. Indentures; Note Guaranty.

This is one of the Notes issued under an Indenture dated as of October 7, 2021 (as amended from time to time, the “Indenture”), between the Company, the guarantors party thereto and Wilmington Trust, National Association, as Trustee. Capitalized terms used herein are used as defined in the Indenture unless otherwise indicated. 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 all such terms. To the extent permitted by applicable law, in the event of any inconsistency between the terms of this Note and the terms of the Indenture, the terms of the Indenture will control.

The Notes are general unsecured obligations of the Company. The Indenture limits the original aggregate principal amount of the Notes to $500,000,000, but Additional Notes may be issued pursuant to the Indenture, and the originally issued Notes and all such Additional Notes vote together for all purposes as a single class. This Note may be guaranteed as set forth in the Indenture.

3. Redemption and Repurchase; Discharge Prior to Redemption or Maturity.

This Note is subject to optional redemption, and may be the subject of an Offer to Purchase, as further described in the Indenture. There is no sinking fund or mandatory redemption applicable to this Note.

If the Company deposits with the Trustee money or U.S. Government Obligations sufficient to pay the then outstanding principal of, premium, if any, and accrued interest on the Notes to redemption or maturity, the Company may in certain circumstances be discharged from the Indenture and the Notes or may be discharged from certain of its obligations under certain provisions of the Indenture.

 

 

2 

For Additional Notes, may be the date of their original issue or a later interest payment date.

 

Exh. A-4


4. Registered Form; Denominations; Transfer; Exchange.

The Notes are in registered form without coupons in minimum denominations of $2,000 principal amount and integral multiples of $1,000 in excess thereof. A Holder may register the transfer or exchange of Notes in accordance with the Indenture. The Trustee may require a Holder to furnish appropriate endorsements and transfer documents and to pay any taxes and fees required by law or permitted by the Indenture. Pursuant to the Indenture, there are certain periods during which the Trustee will not be required to issue, register the transfer of or exchange any Note or certain portions of a Note.

5. Defaults and Remedies.

If an Event of Default, as defined in the Indenture, occurs and is continuing, the Trustee or the Holders of at least 25% in principal amount of the Notes may declare all the Notes to be due and payable. If a bankruptcy or insolvency default with respect to the Company occurs and is continuing, the Notes automatically become due and payable. Holders may not enforce the Indenture or the Notes except as provided in the Indenture. The Trustee may require indemnity satisfactory to it before it enforces the Indenture or the Notes. Subject to certain limitations, Holders of a majority in principal amount of the Notes then outstanding may direct the Trustee in its exercise of remedies.

6. Amendment and Waiver.

Subject to certain exceptions, the Indenture and the Notes may be amended, or default may be waived, with the consent of the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the outstanding Notes. Without notice to or the consent of any Holder, the Company and the Trustee may amend or supplement the Indenture or the Notes to, among other things, cure any ambiguity, defect or inconsistency if such amendment or supplement does not adversely affect the interests of the Holders in any material respect.

7. Authentication.

This Note is not valid until the Trustee (or Authenticating Agent) manually signs the certificate of authentication on the other side of this Note.

8. Governing Law.

This Note shall be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the laws of the State of New York.

9. Abbreviations.

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

The Company will furnish a copy of the Indenture to any Holder upon written request and without charge.

 

Exh. A-5


[FORM OF TRANSFER NOTICE]

FOR VALUE RECEIVED the undersigned registered holder hereby sell(s), assign(s) and transfer(s) unto

Insert Taxpayer Identification No.

 

      

 

 

      

 

Please print or typewrite name and address including zip code of assignee

 

      

 

the within Note and all rights thereunder, hereby irrevocably constituting and appointing

 

      

 

attorney to transfer said Note on the books of the Company with full power of substitution in the premises.

 

Exh. A-6


[THE FOLLOWING PROVISION TO BE INCLUDED ON ALL CERTIFICATES BEARING A RESTRICTED LEGEND]

In connection with any transfer of this Note occurring prior to , the undersigned confirms that such transfer is made without utilizing any general solicitation or general advertising and further as follows:

Check One

☐ (1) This Note is being transferred to a “qualified institutional buyer” in compliance with Rule 144A under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and certification in the form of Exhibit F to the Indenture is being furnished herewith.

☐ (2) This Note is being transferred to a Non-U.S. Person in compliance with the exemption from registration under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, provided by Regulation S thereunder, and certification in the form of Exhibit E to the Indenture is being furnished herewith.

or

☐ (3) This Note is being transferred other than in accordance with (1) or (2) above and documents are being furnished which comply with the conditions of transfer set forth in this Note and the Indenture.

If none of the foregoing boxes is checked, the Trustee is not obligated to register this Note in the name of any Person other than the Holder hereof unless and until the conditions to any such transfer of registration set forth herein and in the Indenture have been satisfied.

 

 

Date:                                     

 

    Seller  
    By:  

 

      NOTICE: The signature to this assignment must correspond with the name as written upon the face of the within-mentioned instrument in every particular, without alteration or any change whatsoever.
Signature Guarantee:3                                       
    By:  

 

      To be executed by an executive officer

 

 

3 

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

 

Exh. A-7


OPTION OF HOLDER TO ELECT PURCHASE

If you wish to have all of this Note purchased by the Company pursuant to Section 4.12 or Section 4.13 of the Indenture, check the box: ☐

If you wish to have a portion of this Note purchased by the Company pursuant to Section 4.12 or Section 4.13 of the Indenture, state the amount (in original principal amount) below:

$                    .

Date:                     

Your Signature:                                         

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

Signature Guarantee:4                             

 

 

4 

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

 

Exh. A-8


SCHEDULE OF EXCHANGE OF NOTES5

The following exchanges of a part of this Global Note for Physical Notes or a part of another Global Note have been made:

 

Date of Exchange

 

Amount of decrease

in principal amount

of this Global Note

 

Amount of increase

in principal amount

of this Global Note

  

Principal amount

of this Global Note

following such decrease

(or increase)

  

Signature of

authorized office of
Trustee

 

 

5 

For Global Notes.

 

Exh. A-9


EXHIBIT B

SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURE

dated as of                         ,         

among

CONSENSUS CLOUD SOLUTIONS, INC.

[The New Guarantor(s) Party Hereto]

and

WILMINGTON TRUST, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION

as Trustee

6.500% SENIOR NOTES DUE 2028

THIS SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURE (this “Supplemental Indenture”), entered into as of __________, ____, among Consensus Cloud Solutions, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), [insert each Guarantor executing this Supplemental Indenture and its jurisdiction of incorporation] (each a “New Guarantor”) and Wilmington Trust, National Association, as trustee (the “Trustee”).

RECITALS

WHEREAS, the Company, the Guarantors party thereto and the Trustee entered into the Indenture, dated as of October 7, 2021 (the “Indenture”), relating to the Company’s 6.500% Senior Notes due 2028 (the “Notes”);

WHEREAS, as a condition to the Trustee entering into the Indenture and the purchase of the Notes by the Holders, the Company agreed pursuant to the Indenture to cause any Domestic Restricted Subsidiary, other than an Insignificant Subsidiary, that it acquires or creates after the Issue Date to provide Guarantees.

AGREEMENT

NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the premises and mutual covenants herein contained and intending to be legally bound, the parties to this Supplemental Indenture hereby agree as follows:

Section 1. Capitalized terms used herein and not otherwise defined herein are used as defined in the Indenture.

Section 2. Each New Guarantor, by its execution of this Supplemental Indenture, agrees to be a Guarantor under the Indenture and to be bound by the terms of the Indenture applicable to Guarantors, including, but not limited to, Article 10 thereof.

Section 3. This Supplemental Indenture shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York.

Section 4. This Supplemental Indenture may be signed in various counterparts which together will constitute one and the same instrument. The exchange of copies of this Supplemental Indenture and of signature pages by facsimile, pdf or other electronic transmission shall constitute effective execution and delivery of this Supplemental Indenture as to the parties hereto and may be used in lieu of the original Supplemental Indenture for all purposes. Signatures of the parties hereto transmitted by facsimile, pdf or other electronic means shall be deemed to be their original signatures for all purposes; provided that notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, the Trustee is under no obligation to agree to accept electronic signatures in any form or in any format unless expressly agreed to by the Trustee pursuant to procedures approved by the Trustee.

 

1Exh. B-1


Section 5. This Supplemental Indenture is an amendment supplemental to the Indenture and the Indenture and this Supplemental Indenture will henceforth be read together.

Section 6. Except as expressly amended hereby, the Indenture is in all respects ratified and confirmed and all the terms, conditions and provisions thereof shall remain in full force and effect. This Supplemental Indenture shall form a part of the Indenture for all purposes, and every Holder heretofore or hereafter authenticated and delivered shall be bound hereby.

Section 7. The Trustee shall not 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 Company and the New Guarantors.

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

 

CONSENSUS CLOUD SOLUTIONS, INC., as the Company
By:       
  Name:
  Title:
[NEW GUARANTOR]
By:       
  Name:
  Title:
WILMINGTON TRUST, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, as Trustee
By:       
  Name:
  Title:

 

 

1Exh. B-2


EXHIBIT C

RESTRICTED LEGEND

THIS NOTE HAS NOT BEEN REGISTERED UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933, AS AMENDED (THE “SECURITIES ACT”), AND MAY NOT BE OFFERED, SOLD, PLEDGED OR OTHERWISE TRANSFERRED EXCEPT IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE FOLLOWING SENTENCE. BY ITS ACQUISITION HEREOF OR OF A BENEFICIAL INTEREST HEREIN, THE ACQUIRER AGREES FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE ISSUER THAT IT WILL NOT OFFER, SELL, PLEDGE OR OTHERWISE TRANSFER THIS NOTE OR ANY BENEFICIAL INTEREST HEREIN, EXCEPT IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE SECURITIES ACT AND ANY APPLICABLE SECURITIES LAWS OF ANY STATE OF THE UNITED STATES AND ONLY

(A) TO THE ISSUER,

(B) PURSUANT TO A REGISTRATION STATEMENT WHICH HAS BECOME EFFECTIVE UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT,

(C) TO A PERSON REASONABLY BELIEVED TO BE A QUALIFIED INSTITUTIONAL BUYER IN COMPLIANCE WITH RULE 144A UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT,

(D) IN AN OFFSHORE TRANSACTION IN COMPLIANCE WITH RULE 904 OF REGULATION S UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT,

(E) IN A PRINCIPAL AMOUNT OF NOT LESS THAN $250,000, TO AN INSTITUTIONAL ACCREDITED INVESTOR THAT, PRIOR TO SUCH TRANSFER, DELIVERS TO THE TRUSTEE A DULY COMPLETED AND SIGNED CERTIFICATE (THE FORM OF WHICH MAY BE OBTAINED FROM THE TRUSTEE) RELATING TO THE RESTRICTIONS ON TRANSFER OF THIS NOTE, OR

(F) PURSUANT TO AN EXEMPTION FROM REGISTRATION PROVIDED BY RULE 144 UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OR ANY OTHER AVAILABLE EXEMPTION FROM THE REGISTRATION REQUIREMENTS OF THE SECURITIES ACT.

PRIOR TO THE REGISTRATION OF ANY TRANSFER IN ACCORDANCE WITH (2)(C) OR (2)(D) ABOVE, A DULY COMPLETED AND SIGNED CERTIFICATE (THE FORM OF WHICH MAY BE OBTAINED FROM THE TRUSTEE) MUST BE DELIVERED TO THE TRUSTEE. PRIOR TO THE REGISTRATION OF ANY TRANSFER IN ACCORDANCE WITH (2)(E) OR (2)(F) ABOVE, THE ISSUER RESERVES THE RIGHT TO REQUIRE THE DELIVERY OF SUCH LEGAL OPINIONS, CERTIFICATIONS OR OTHER EVIDENCE AS MAY REASONABLY BE REQUIRED IN ORDER TO DETERMINE THAT THE PROPOSED TRANSFER IS BEING MADE IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE SECURITIES ACT AND APPLICABLE STATE SECURITIES LAWS. NO REPRESENTATION IS MADE AS TO THE AVAILABILITY OF ANY RULE 144 EXEMPTION FROM THE REGISTRATION REQUIREMENTS OF THE SECURITIES ACT.

[IN THE CASE OF REGULATION S NOTES: BY ITS ACQUISITION HEREOF, THE HOLDER HEREOF REPRESENTS THAT IT IS NOT A U.S. PERSON NOR IS IT PURCHASING FOR THE ACCOUNT OF A U.S. PERSON AND IS ACQUIRING THIS SECURITY IN AN OFFSHORE TRANSACTION IN ACCORDANCE WITH REGULATION S UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT.]

[IN THE CASE OF TEMPORARY REGULATION S NOTES: THIS SECURITY IS A TEMPORARY GLOBAL NOTE. PRIOR TO THE EXPIRATION OF THE RESTRICTED PERIOD APPLICABLE HERETO, BENEFICIAL INTERESTS HEREIN MAY NOT BE HELD BY ANY PERSON OTHER THAN (1) A NON-U.S. PERSON (PROVIDED THAT SUCH NON-U.S. PERSON AGREES NOT TO RESELL OR OTHERWISE TRANSFER THE SECURITIES IN CANADA OR FOR THE BENEFIT OF A CANADIAN RESIDENT, EXCEPT IN ACCORDANCE WITH APPLICABLE CANADIAN SECURITIES LAWS) OR (2) A U.S. PERSON THAT PURCHASED SUCH INTEREST IN A TRANSACTION EXEMPT FROM REGISTRATION UNDER

 

Exh. C-1


THE SECURITIES ACT. BENEFICIAL INTERESTS HEREIN ARE NOT EXCHANGEABLE FOR PHYSICAL NOTES OTHER THAN A PERMANENT GLOBAL NOTE IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE TERMS OF THE INDENTURE. TERMS IN THIS LEGEND ARE USED AS USED IN REGULATION S UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT.]

 

 

Exh. C-2


EXHIBIT D

DTC LEGEND

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

[TRANSFERS OF THIS GLOBAL NOTE ARE LIMITED TO TRANSFERS IN WHOLE, BUT NOT IN PART, TO NOMINEES OF CEDE & CO. OR TO A SUCCESSOR THEREOF OR SUCH SUCCESSOR’S NOMINEE AND TRANSFERS OF PORTIONS OF THIS GLOBAL NOTE ARE LIMITED TO TRANSFERS MADE IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE TRANSFER PROVISIONS OF THE INDENTURE.]

 

 

Exh. D-1


EXHIBIT E

Regulation S Certificate

_________, ____

Wilmington Trust, National Association

Global Capital Markets

50 South Sixth Street, Suite 1290

Minneapolis, MN 55402

Attention: Consensus Cloud Solutions, Inc. Notes Administrator

 

  Re:

Consensus Cloud Solutions, Inc.

6.500% Senior Notes due 2028 (the “Notes”)

Issued under the Indenture (the “Indenture”) dated

as of October 7, 2021 relating to the Notes

Ladies and Gentlemen:

Terms are used in this Certificate as used in Regulation S (“Regulation S”) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), except as otherwise stated herein.

[CHECK A OR B AS APPLICABLE.]

 

    A.    This Certificate relates to our proposed transfer of $____ principal amount of Notes issued under the Indenture. We hereby certify as follows:

 

  1.

The offer and sale of the Notes was not and will not be made to a person in the United States (unless such person is excluded from the definition of “U.S. person” pursuant to Rule 902(k)(2)(vi) or the account held by it for which it is acting is excluded from the definition of “U.S. person” pursuant to Rule 902(k)(2)(i) under the circumstances described in Rule 902(h)(3)) and such offer and sale was not and will not be specifically targeted at an identifiable group of U.S. citizens abroad.

 

  2.

Unless the circumstances described in the parenthetical in paragraph 1 above are applicable, either (a) at the time the buy order was originated, the buyer was outside the United States or we and any person acting on our behalf reasonably believed that the buyer was outside the United States or (b) the transaction was executed in, on or through the facilities of a designated offshore securities market, and neither we nor any person acting on our behalf knows that the transaction was pre-arranged with a buyer in the United States.

 

  3.

Neither we, any of our affiliates, nor any person acting on our or their behalf has made any directed selling efforts in the United States with respect to the Notes.

 

  4.

The proposed transfer of Notes is not part of a plan or scheme to evade the registration requirements of the Securities Act.

 

  5.

If we are a dealer or a person receiving a selling concession, fee or other remuneration in respect of the Notes, and the proposed transfer takes place during the Restricted Period (as defined in the Indenture), or we are an officer or director of the Company or an Initial Purchaser (as defined in the Indenture), we certify that the proposed transfer is being made in accordance with the provisions of Rule 904(b) of Regulation S.

 

    B.    This Certificate relates to our proposed exchange of $____ principal amount of Notes issued under the Indenture for an equal principal amount of Notes to be held by us. We hereby certify as follows:

 

Exh. E-1


  1.

At the time the offer and sale of the Notes was made to us, either (i) we were not in the United States or (ii) we were excluded from the definition of “U.S. person” pursuant to Rule 902(k)(2)(vi) or the account held by us for which we were acting was excluded from the definition of “U.S. person” pursuant to Rule 902(k)(2)(i) under the circumstances described in Rule 902(h)(3); and we were not a member of an identifiable group of U.S. citizens abroad.

 

  2.

Unless the circumstances described in paragraph 1(ii) above are applicable, either (a) at the time our buy order was originated, we were outside the United States or (b) the transaction was executed in, on or through the facilities of a designated offshore securities market and we did not pre-arrange the transaction in the United States.

 

  3.

The proposed exchange of Notes is not part of a plan or scheme to evade the registration requirements of the Securities Act.

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

 

Very truly yours,
[NAME OF SELLER (FOR TRANSFERS) OR OWNER (FOR EXCHANGES)]
By    
  Name:
  Title:
  Address:

Date:

 

 

Exh. E-2


EXHIBIT F

Rule 144A Certificate

_________, ____

Wilmington Trust, National Association

Global Capital Markets

50 South Sixth Street, Suite 1290

Minneapolis, MN 55402

Attention: Consensus Cloud Solutions, Inc. Notes Administrator

 

  Re:

Consensus Cloud Solutions, Inc.

6.500% Senior Notes due 2028 (the “Notes”)

Issued under the Indenture (the “Indenture”) dated

as of October 7, 2021 relating to the Notes

Ladies and Gentlemen:

TO BE COMPLETED BY PURCHASER IF (1) ABOVE IS CHECKED.

This Certificate relates to:

[CHECK A OR B AS APPLICABLE.]

 

  [1 A.

    Our proposed purchase of $____ principal amount of Notes issued under the Indenture.

 

  [1 B.

    Our proposed exchange of $____ principal amount of Notes issued under the Indenture for an equal principal amount of Notes to be held by us.

We and, if applicable, each account for which we are acting in the aggregate owned and invested more than $100,000,000 in securities of issuers that are not affiliated with us (or such accounts, if applicable), as of _________, 20__, which is a date on or since the end of our most recent fiscal year. We and, if applicable, each account for which we are acting, are a qualified institutional buyer within the meaning of Rule 144A (“Rule 144A”) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”). If we are acting on behalf of an account, we exercise sole investment discretion with respect to such account. We are aware that the transfer of Notes to us, or such exchange, as applicable, is being made in reliance upon the exemption from the provisions of Section 5 of the Securities Act provided by Rule 144A. Prior to the date of this Certificate we have received such information regarding the Company as we have requested pursuant to Rule 144A(d)(4) or have determined not to request such information.

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

 

Very truly yours,
[NAME OF PURCHASER (FOR TRANSFERS) OR OWNER (FOR EXCHANGES)]
By    
  Name:
  Title:
  Address:

 

 

Exh. F-1


EXHIBIT G

Institutional Accredited Investor Certificate

Wilmington Trust, National Association

Global Capital Markets

50 South Sixth Street, Suite 1290

Minneapolis, MN 55402

Attention: Consensus Cloud Solutions, Inc. Notes Administrator

 

  Re:

Consensus Cloud Solutions, Inc.

6.500% Senior Notes due 2028 (the “Notes”)

Issued under the Indenture (the “Indenture”) dated

as of October 7, 2021 relating to the Notes

Ladies and Gentlemen:

This Certificate relates to:

[CHECK A OR B AS APPLICABLE.]

  ☐ A.

Our proposed purchase of $____ principal amount of Notes issued under the Indenture.

 

  ☐ B.

Our proposed exchange of $____ principal amount of Notes issued under the Indenture for an equal principal amount of Notes to be held by us.

We hereby confirm that:

1. We are an institutional “accredited investor” within the meaning of Rule 501(a)(1), (2), (3) or (7) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”) (an “Institutional Accredited Investor”).

2. Any acquisition of Notes by us will be for our own account or for the account of one or more other Institutional Accredited Investors as to which we exercise sole investment discretion.

3. We have such knowledge and experience in financial and business matters that we are capable of evaluating the merits and risks of an investment in the Notes and we and any accounts for which we are acting are able to bear the economic risks of and an entire loss of our or their investment in the Notes.

4. We are not acquiring the Notes with a view to any distribution thereof in a transaction that would violate the Securities Act or the securities laws of any State of the United States or any other applicable jurisdiction; provided that the disposition of our property and the property of any accounts for which we are acting as fiduciary will remain at all times within our and their control.

5. We acknowledge that the Notes have not been registered under the Securities Act and that the Notes may not be offered or sold within the United States or to or for the benefit of U.S. persons except as set forth below.

6. The principal amount of Notes to which this Certificate relates is at least equal to $250,000.

We agree for the benefit of the Company, on our own behalf and on behalf of each account for which we are acting, that such Notes may be offered, sold, pledged or otherwise transferred only in accordance with the Securities Act and any applicable securities laws of any State of the United States and only (a) to the Company, (b) pursuant to a registration statement which has become effective under the Securities Act, (c) to a qualified

 

Exh. G-1


institutional buyer in compliance with Rule 144A under the Securities Act, (d) in an offshore transaction in compliance with Rule 904 of Regulation S under the Securities Act, (e) in a principal amount of not less than $250,000, to an Institutional Accredited Investor that, prior to such transfer, delivers to the Trustee a duly completed and signed certificate (the form of which may be obtained from the Trustee) relating to the restrictions on transfer of the Notes or (f) pursuant to an exemption from registration provided by Rule 144 under the Securities Act or any other available exemption from the registration requirements of the Securities Act.

Prior to the registration of any transfer in accordance with (c) or (d) above, we acknowledge that a duly completed and signed certificate (the form of which may be obtained from the Trustee) must be delivered to the Trustee. Prior to the registration of any transfer in accordance with (e) or (f) above, we acknowledge that the Company reserves the right to require the delivery of such legal opinions, certifications or other evidence as may reasonably be required in order to determine that the proposed transfer is being made in compliance with the Securities Act and applicable state securities laws. We acknowledge that no representation is made as to the availability of any Rule 144 exemption from the registration requirements of the Securities Act.

We understand that the Trustee will not be required to accept for registration of transfer any Notes acquired by us, except upon presentation of evidence satisfactory to the Company and the Trustee that the foregoing restrictions on transfer have been complied with. We further understand that the Notes acquired by us will be in the form of definitive physical certificates and that such certificates will bear a legend reflecting the substance of the preceding paragraph. We further agree to provide to any person acquiring any of the Notes from us a notice advising such person that resales of the Notes are restricted as stated herein and that certificates representing the Notes will bear a legend to that effect.

We agree to notify you promptly in writing if any of our acknowledgments, representations or agreements herein ceases to be accurate and complete.

We represent to you that we have full power to make the foregoing acknowledgments, representations and agreements on our own behalf and on behalf of any account for which we are acting.

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

 

Very truly yours,
[NAME OF PURCHASER (FOR TRANSFERS) OR OWNER (FOR EXCHANGES)]
By    
  Name:
  Title:
  Address:

 

Exh. G-2


Upon transfer, the Notes would be registered in the name of the new beneficial owner as follows:

 

By:                                                      
Date:                                                   
Taxpayer ID number:                        

 

 

Exh. G-3


EXHIBIT H

[COMPLETE FORM I OR FORM II AS APPLICABLE.]

[FORM I]

Certificate of Beneficial Ownership

 

To:

Wilmington Trust, National Association

Global Capital Markets

50 South Sixth Street, Suite 1290

Minneapolis, MN 55402

Attention: Consensus Cloud Solutions, Inc. Notes Administrator

OR

[Name of DTC Participant]

Re: Consensus Cloud Solutions, Inc.

6.500% Senior Notes due 2028 (the “Notes”)

Issued under the Indenture (the “Indenture”) dated

as of October 7, 2021 relating to the Notes

Ladies and Gentlemen:

We are the beneficial owner of $____ principal amount of Notes issued under the Indenture and represented by a Temporary Offshore Global Note (as defined in the Indenture).

We hereby certify as follows:

[CHECK A OR B AS APPLICABLE.]

☐ A. We are a non-U.S. person (within the meaning of Regulation S under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended).

☐ B. We are a U.S. person (within the meaning of Regulation S under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended) that purchased the Notes in a transaction that did not require registration under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.

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

 

Very truly yours,
[NAME OF BENEFICIAL OWNER]
By    
  Name:
  Title:
  Address:

 

Exh. H-1


[FORM II]

Certificate of Beneficial Ownership

 

To:

Wilmington Trust, National Association

Global Capital Markets

50 South Sixth Street, Suite 1290

Minneapolis, MN 55402

Attention: Consensus Cloud Solutions, Inc. Notes Administrator

 

  Re:

Consensus Cloud Solutions, Inc.

6.500% Senior Notes due 2028 (the “Notes”)

Issued under the Indenture (the “Indenture”) dated

as of October 7, 2021 relating to the Notes

Ladies and Gentlemen:

This is to certify that based solely on certifications we have received in writing, by tested telex or by electronic transmission from Institutions appearing in our records as persons being entitled to a portion of the principal amount of Notes represented by a Temporary Offshore Global Note issued under the above-referenced Indenture, that as of the date hereof, $____ principal amount of Notes represented by the Temporary Offshore Global Note being submitted herewith for exchange is beneficially owned by persons that are either (i) non-U.S. persons (within the meaning of Regulation S under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended) or (ii) U.S. persons that purchased the Notes in a transaction that did not require registration under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.

We further certify that (i) we are not submitting herewith for exchange any portion of such Temporary Offshore Global Note excepted in such certifications and (ii) as of the date hereof we have not received any notification from any Institution to the effect that the statements made by such Institution with respect to any portion of such Temporary Offshore Global Note submitted herewith for exchange are no longer true and cannot be relied upon as of the date hereof.

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

 

Yours faithfully,
[Name of DTC Participant]
By    
  Name:
  Title:
  Address:

Date: ________________

 

Exh. H-2


EXHIBIT I

THIS NOTE IS A TEMPORARY GLOBAL NOTE. PRIOR TO THE EXPIRATION OF THE RESTRICTED PERIOD APPLICABLE HERETO, BENEFICIAL INTERESTS HEREIN MAY NOT BE HELD BY ANY PERSON OTHER THAN (1) A NON-U.S. PERSON OR (2) A U.S. PERSON THAT PURCHASED SUCH INTEREST IN A TRANSACTION EXEMPT FROM REGISTRATION UNDER THE U.S. SECURITIES ACT OF 1933, AS AMENDED (THE “SECURITIES ACT”). BENEFICIAL INTERESTS HEREIN ARE NOT EXCHANGEABLE FOR PHYSICAL NOTES OTHER THAN A PERMANENT GLOBAL NOTE IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE TERMS OF THE INDENTURE. TERMS IN THIS LEGEND ARE USED AS USED IN REGULATION S UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT.

NO BENEFICIAL OWNERS OF THIS TEMPORARY GLOBAL NOTE SHALL BE ENTITLED TO RECEIVE PAYMENT OF PRINCIPAL OR INTEREST HEREON UNTIL SUCH BENEFICIAL INTEREST IS EXCHANGED OR TRANSFERRED FOR AN INTEREST IN ANOTHER NOTE.

 

Exh. I-1

Exhibit 10.1

TRANSITION SERVICES AGREEMENT

This TRANSITION SERVICES AGREEMENT (this “Agreement”), dated as of October 7, 2021, is by and between Ziff Davis, Inc., a Delaware corporation (“Parent”), and Consensus Cloud Solutions, Inc., a Delaware corporation (“SpinCo”). Parent and SpinCo are individually referred to herein as a “Party,” and collectively as the “Parties.”

R E C I T A L S:

WHEREAS, the Parties entered into the Separation and Distribution Agreement, dated as of October 7, 2021 (the “Separation and Distribution Agreement”), pursuant to which SpinCo was separated from Parent and incorporated as a new publicly traded company;

WHEREAS, in order to facilitate and provide for an orderly transition in connection with the transaction described in the Separation and Distribution Agreement, the Parties desire to enter into this Agreement to set forth the terms and conditions pursuant to which each of the Parties shall provide Services to the other Party for a transitional period.

NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the mutual agreements, provisions and covenants contained in this Agreement, and for other good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged, the Parties, intending to be legally bound, hereby agree as follows:

ARTICLE I

DEFINITIONS

Section 1.01. Definitions. For purposes of this Agreement (including the Recitals hereof), the following capitalized terms have the following meanings, and capitalized terms used but not otherwise defined herein shall have the meaning ascribed to them in the Separation and Distribution Agreement:

Action” means any demand, action, claim, dispute, suit, countersuit, arbitration, inquiry, subpoena, proceeding or investigation of any nature (whether criminal, civil, legislative, administrative, regulatory, prosecutorial or otherwise) by or before any federal, state, local, foreign or international Governmental Authority or any arbitration or mediation tribunal.

Additional Services” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.01(b).

Agreement” has the meaning set forth in the Preamble.

Charge” and “Charges” have the meaning set forth in Section 2.03.

Confidential Information” means all confidential and proprietary information concerning the other Party or any member of the other Party’s Group or their respective businesses that is either in its possession (including confidential and proprietary information in its possession prior to the date hereof) or furnished by any such other Party or any member of such Party’s Group or their respective Representatives at any time pursuant to this Agreement.


Contract Manager” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.08.

Dispute” has the meaning set forth in Section 7.15(a).

Distribution Date” has the meaning set forth in the Separation and Distribution Agreement.

e-mail” has the meaning set forth in Section 7.10.

Effective Time” has the meaning set forth in the Separation and Distribution Agreement.

Force Majeure” means, with respect to a Party, an event beyond the reasonable control of such Party (or any Person acting on its behalf), which event (a) does not arise or result from the fault or negligence of such Party (or any Person acting on its behalf) and (b) by its nature would not reasonably have been foreseen by such Party (or such Person), or, if it would reasonably have been foreseen, was unavoidable, and includes acts of God, acts of civil or military authority, embargoes, epidemics, pandemics, war, riots, insurrections, fires, explosions, earthquakes, floods, unusually severe weather conditions, labor problems or unavailability of parts, or, in the case of computer systems, any significant and prolonged failure in electrical or air conditioning equipment.

Governmental Authority” means any nation or government, any state, municipality or other political subdivision thereof, and any entity, body, agency, commission, department, board, bureau, court, tribunal or other instrumentality, whether federal, state, local, domestic, foreign or multinational, exercising executive, legislative, judicial, regulatory, administrative or other similar functions of, or pertaining to, government and any executive official thereof.

Income Taxes” (a) means (i) any U.S. federal, state, local or foreign taxes, charges, fees, imposts, levies or other assessments that are based upon, measured by, or calculated with respect to (A) net income or profits (including, but not limited to, any capital gains, gross receipts, or minimum tax, and any tax on items of tax preference, but not including sales, use, value added, real property gains, real or personal property, transfer or similar taxes), (B) multiple bases (including corporate franchise, doing business or occupation taxes), if one or more of the bases upon which such tax may be based, by which it may be measured, or with respect to which it may be calculated is described in clause (a)(i)(A) of this definition, or (C) any net worth, franchise or similar tax, in each case together with (ii) any interest and any penalties, fines, additions to tax or additional amounts imposed by any Tax Authority with respect thereto and (b) shall include any transferee or successor liability in respect of an amount described in clause (a) of this definition.

Information” means information, whether or not patentable or copyrightable, in written, oral, electronic or other tangible or intangible forms, stored in any medium, including studies, reports, records, books, contracts, instruments, surveys, discoveries, ideas, concepts, know-how, techniques, designs, specifications, drawings, blueprints, diagrams, models, prototypes, samples, flow charts, data, computer data, disks, diskettes, tapes, computer programs or other software, marketing plans, customer names, communications by or to attorneys (including attorney-client privileged communications), memos and other materials prepared by attorneys or under their direction (including attorney work product), and other technical, financial, employee or business information or data; provided that “Information” shall not include Intellectual Property.

 

2


Law” means any national, supranational, federal, state, provincial, local or similar law (including common law), statute, code, order, ordinance, rule, regulation, treaty (including any income tax treaty), license, permit, authorization, approval, consent, decree, injunction, binding judicial or administrative interpretation or other requirement, in each case, enacted, promulgated, issued or entered by a Governmental Authority.

Level of Service” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.02(c).

Liabilities” means all debts, guarantees, assurances, commitments, liabilities, responsibilities, Losses, remediation, deficiencies, damages, fines, penalties, settlements, sanctions, costs, expenses, interest and obligations of any nature or kind, whether accrued or fixed, absolute or contingent, matured or unmatured, accrued or not accrued, asserted or unasserted, liquidated or unliquidated, foreseen or unforeseen, known or unknown, reserved or unreserved, or determined or determinable, including those arising under any Law, claim (including any Third-Party Claim), demand, Action, or order, writ, judgment, injunction, decree, stipulation, determination or award entered by or with any Governmental Authority or arbitration tribunal, and those arising under any contract, agreement, obligation, indenture, instrument, lease, promise, arrangement, release, warranty, commitment or undertaking, or any fines, damages or equitable relief that is imposed, in each case, including all costs and expenses relating thereto.

Losses” means actual losses (including any diminution in value), costs, damages, penalties and expenses (including legal and accounting fees and expenses and costs of investigation and litigation), whether or not involving a Third-Party Claim.

Other Taxes” means any U.S. federal, state, local or foreign taxes, charges, fees, imposts, levies or other assessments of any nature whatsoever, and without limiting the generality of the foregoing, shall include superfund, sales, use, ad valorem, value added, occupancy, transfer, recording, escheat, unclaimed property, withholding, payroll, employment, excise, occupation, premium or property taxes (in each case, together with any related interest, penalties and additions to tax, or additional amounts imposed by any Tax Authority thereon); provided, however, that Other Taxes shall not include any Income Taxes.

Parent” has the meaning set forth in the Preamble.

Parent Board” has the meaning set forth in the Recitals.

Party” or “Parties” has the meaning set forth in the Preamble.

Person” means an individual, a general or limited partnership, a corporation, a trust, a joint venture, an unincorporated organization, a limited liability entity, any other entity and any Governmental Authority.

 

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Provider” means, with respect to a Service, the Party providing such Service.

Provider Indemnitees” has the meaning set forth in Section 6.03.

Recipient” means, with respect to a Service, the Party receiving such Service.

Recipient Indemnitees” has the meaning set forth in Section 6.04.

Representatives” means, with respect to any Person, any of such Person’s directors, officers, employees, agents, consultants, advisors, accountants, attorneys or other representatives.

Separation and Distribution Agreement” has the meaning set forth in the Recitals.

Service Baseline Period” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.02(c).

Service Period” means, with respect to a Service, the period commencing on the Distribution Date and ending on the earliest of (a) the date that a Party terminates the provision of such Service pursuant to Section 4.02, (b) the date that is the two (2)-year anniversary of the Distribution Date and (c) the date specified for termination of such Service on the Schedules hereto.

Services” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.01(a).

SpinCo” has the meaning set forth in the Preamble.

Subsidiary” means, with respect to any Person, any corporation, limited liability company, joint venture or partnership of which such Person (a) beneficially owns, either directly or indirectly, fifty percent (50%) or more of (i) the total combined voting power of all classes of voting securities, (ii) the total combined equity interests or (iii) the capital or profit interests, in the case of a partnership, or (b) otherwise has the power to vote, either directly or indirectly, sufficient securities to elect a majority of the board of directors or similar governing body.

Tax” means Income Taxes and Other Taxes.

Tax Authority” means a governmental authority (foreign or domestic) or any subdivision, agency, commission or authority thereof or any quasi-governmental or private body having jurisdiction over the assessment, determination, collection or imposition of any Tax (including the U.S. Internal Revenue Service).

Termination Charges” means, with respect to the termination of a Service pursuant to Section 4.02(a)(i), the sum of (a) any and all costs, fees and expenses (other than any severance or retention costs) payable by the Provider of such Service to a Third Party principally because of the early termination of such Service; provided that the Provider shall use commercially reasonable efforts to minimize any costs, fees or expenses payable to any Third Party in connection with such early termination of such Service; and (b) any additional severance and retention costs, if any, because of the early termination of such Service that the Provider of

 

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such terminated Service incurs to employees who had been retained primarily to provide such terminated Service (it being agreed that the costs set forth in this clause (b) shall only be the amount, if any, in excess of the severance and retention costs that such Provider would have paid to such employees if the Service had been provided for the full period during which such Service would have been provided hereunder but for such early termination).

Third Party” means any Person other than the Parties or any of their respective Affiliates.

Third-Party Claim” means any Action commenced by any Third Party against any Party or any of its Affiliates.

ARTICLE II

SERVICES

Section 2.01. Services.

(a) Commencing as of the Effective Time, Provider agrees to provide, or to cause one or more of its Subsidiaries to provide, to Recipient, or any Subsidiary of Recipient, the applicable services (the “Services”) set forth on the Schedules hereto.

(b) If, within ninety (90) days after the Distribution Date, either (i) SpinCo identifies a service that Parent provided to SpinCo prior to the Distribution Date that SpinCo reasonably needs in order for the SpinCo Business to continue to operate in substantially the same manner in which the SpinCo Business operated prior to the Distribution Date, and such service was not included on the Schedules hereto (other than because the Parties agreed such service shall not be provided), or (ii) Parent identifies a service that SpinCo provided to Parent prior to the Distribution Date that Parent reasonably needs in order for the Parent Business to continue to operate in substantially the same manner in which the Parent Business operated prior to the Distribution Date, and such service was not included on the Schedules hereto (other than because the Parties agreed such service shall not be provided) then, in each case, if the identifying Party provides written notice to the other Party within such ninety (90) day period requesting such service, then the Party receiving such notice shall use its commercially reasonable efforts to provide such requested service (such requested additional service, an “Additional Service”); provided that: (A) neither Party shall not be obligated to provide an Additional Service if it does not, in its commercially reasonable judgment, have adequate resources to provide such Additional Service or if the provision of such Additional Service would significantly disrupt the operation of such Party’s or its Subsidiaries’ businesses; and (B) a Party shall not be required to provide an Additional Service if the Parties, acting reasonably and in good faith, are unable to reach agreement on the terms thereof (including with respect to Service Charges therefor). In connection with any request for an Additional Service in accordance with this Section 2.01(b), the Parties shall negotiate in good faith the terms of a supplement to the applicable Schedule, which terms shall be consistent with the terms of, and the pricing methodology used for, similar Services provided under this Agreement. Upon the written agreement of the Parties, the supplement to the applicable Schedule shall describe in reasonable detail the nature, scope, Service Period, termination provisions and other terms applicable to such Additional Service in a manner similar to that in which the other Services are

 

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described in the existing Schedules. Each supplement to the applicable Schedule, as agreed to in writing by the Parties, shall be deemed part of this Agreement as of the date of such agreement and the Additional Service set forth therein shall be deemed included in the definition of “Service” as of such date, in each case subject to the terms and conditions of this Agreement.

Section 2.02. Performance of Services.

(a) Subject to Section 2.05, Provider shall perform in a professional manner consistent with industry standards, or shall cause one or more of its Subsidiaries to perform in a professional manner consistent with industry standards (directly, through one (1) or more of its Subsidiaries, or through a mutually agreed upon Third-Party service provider in accordance herewith), the Services in a manner that is substantially similar in all material respects to the analogous services provided by or on behalf of Provider or any of its Subsidiaries to its applicable functional group or Subsidiary prior to the Effective Time and that in any event, conforms in all material respects with the terms of the Schedules hereto.

(b) Nothing in this Agreement shall require Provider to perform or cause to be performed any Service to the extent that the manner of such performance would constitute a violation of any applicable Law or any existing contract or agreement with a Third Party. If Provider is or becomes aware of that any such violation is reasonably likely, Provider shall use commercially reasonable efforts to promptly advise Recipient of such potential violation, and the Parties will mutually seek an alternative that addresses such potential violation. The Parties agree to cooperate in good faith and use commercially reasonable efforts to obtain any necessary Third-Party consents required under any existing contract or agreement with a Third Party to allow Provider to perform, or cause to be performed, all Services to be provided hereunder in accordance with the standards set forth in this Section 2.02. The Parties shall evenly share any reasonable out-of-pocket costs and expenses (if any) incurred by Provider or any of its Subsidiaries in connection with obtaining any such Third-Party consent that is required to allow Provider to perform or cause to be performed such Services. If, with respect to a Service, the Parties, despite the use of such commercially reasonable efforts, are unable to obtain a required Third-Party consent, or the performance of such Service by Provider would constitute a violation of any applicable Law, Provider shall have no obligation whatsoever to perform or cause to be performed such Service.

(c) Unless otherwise provided with respect to a specific Service on the Schedules hereto, Provider shall not be obligated to perform or cause to be performed any Service in a manner that is more burdensome (with respect to service quality or quantity) than analogous services provided by Provider or its applicable functional group or Subsidiary (collectively referred to as the “Level of Service”) during the one (1)-year period ending on the last day of Provider’s last fiscal quarter completed on or prior to the date of the Distribution (the “Service Baseline Period”). If Recipient requests that Provider perform or cause to be performed any Service that exceeds the Level of Service during the Service Baseline Period, then the Parties shall cooperate and negotiate in good faith to determine whether Provider will be required to provide such requested increased Level of Service. If the Parties determine that Provider shall provide the requested increased Level of Service, then such increased Level of Service shall be documented in a written agreement signed by the Parties. Each amended section of the Schedules hereto, as agreed in writing by the Parties, shall be deemed part of this Agreement as of the date of such written agreement, and the Level of Service increases set forth in such written agreement shall be deemed a part of the “Services” provided under this Agreement, in each case subject to the terms and conditions of this Agreement.

 

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(d) (i) Except as otherwise specified in the Schedules, neither Provider nor any of its Subsidiaries shall be required to perform or cause to be performed any of the Services for the benefit of any Third Party or any other Person other than Recipient and its Subsidiaries, and (ii) EXCEPT AS EXPRESSLY PROVIDED IN THIS SECTION 2.02 OR SECTION 6.04, RECIPIENT ACKNOWLEDGES AND AGREES THAT ALL SERVICES ARE PROVIDED ON AN “AS-IS” BASIS, THAT RECIPIENT ASSUMES ALL RISK AND LIABILITY ARISING FROM OR RELATING TO ITS USE OF AND RELIANCE UPON THE SERVICES, AND THAT PROVIDER MAKES NO OTHER REPRESENTATIONS OR GRANTS ANY WARRANTIES, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, EITHER IN FACT OR BY OPERATION OF LAW, BY STATUTE OR OTHERWISE, WITH RESPECT TO THE SERVICES. PROVIDER SPECIFICALLY DISCLAIMS ANY OTHER WARRANTIES, WHETHER WRITTEN OR ORAL, OR EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING ANY WARRANTY OF QUALITY, MERCHANTABILITY, OR FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR USE OR PURPOSE OR THE NON-INFRINGEMENT OF ANY INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY RIGHTS OF THIRD PARTIES.

(e) Each Party shall be responsible for its own compliance with any and all Laws applicable to its performance under this Agreement. No Party shall knowingly take any action in violation of any such applicable Law that results in Liability being imposed on the other Party.

Section 2.03. Charges for Services. Unless otherwise provided with respect to a specific Service on the Schedules hereto, Recipient shall reimburse Provider for any third party costs related to such Services or category of Services, as applicable (each fee, a “Charge” and, collectively, “Charges”), which Charges shall be set forth on the applicable Schedules hereto, or if not so set forth, then, unless otherwise provided with respect to a specific Service on the Schedule hereto, based upon the cost of providing such Services as shall be agreed by the Parties from time to time. During the term of this Agreement, the Charges for a Service may be modified to the extent of: (a) any adjustment in the rates or charges imposed by any Third-Party provider that is providing goods or services used in providing the Services; (b) any adjustment in third party costs relating to any changes in the scope, quality, nature, duration or quantity of the Services provided or how the Services are provided; or (c) any adjustment in third party costs resulting from a reasonable change in the pricing methodology for a particular Service provided that Provider is implementing the same change with respect to all of its businesses or divisions that utilize the Service. Together with any invoice for Charges, Provider shall provide Recipient with reasonable documentation, including any additional documentation reasonably requested by Recipient to the extent that such documentation is in Provider’s or its Subsidiaries’ possession or control, to support the calculation of such Charges.

Section 2.04. Reimbursement for Out-of-Pocket Costs and Expenses. In addition to any increase to a Charge contemplated by Section 2.02(c) and Section 2.03, Recipient shall reimburse Provider for reasonable out-of-pocket costs and expenses incurred by Provider or any of its Subsidiaries in connection with providing the Services (including reasonable travel-related

 

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expenses) to the extent that such costs and expenses are not reflected in the Charges for such Services; provided that any such cost or expense shall require advance written approval of Recipient (and if Recipient does not provide such advance written approval and the incurrence of such cost or expense is reasonably necessary for Provider to provide such Service in accordance with the standards set forth in this Agreement, Provider shall not be required to perform such Service). Any authorized travel-related expenses incurred in performing the Services shall be charged to Recipient in accordance with Provider’s then-applicable business travel policies.

Section 2.05. Changes in the Performance of Services.

(a) Subject to the performance standards for Services set forth in Section 2.02, Provider may make changes from time to time in the manner of performing the Services if Provider is making similar changes in performing analogous services for itself and if Provider furnishes to Recipient reasonable prior written notice (in content and timing) of such changes; provided that if such change shall materially adversely affect the timeliness or quality of, or the Charges for, the applicable Service, the Parties shall cooperate in good faith to agree on modifications to such Services as are commercially reasonable in consideration of the circumstances.

(b) Subject to the limitations on Additional Services set forth in herein, Recipient may request a change to a Service by submitting a request in writing to Provider describing the proposed change in reasonable detail. Provider shall respond to the request as soon as reasonably practicable, and the Parties shall use commercially reasonable efforts to agree to such request, unless the change requested would adversely impact the cost, liability, or risk associated with providing or receiving the applicable Service, or cause any other disruption or adverse impact on the business or operations of Recipient or its Affiliates. Each agreed upon change shall be documented by an amendment in writing to the applicable Schedule prior to such change becoming effective.

Section 2.06. Transitional Nature of Services. The Parties acknowledge the transitional nature of the Services and agree to cooperate in good faith and to use commercially reasonable efforts to avoid a disruption in the transition of the Services from Provider to Recipient (or its designee). Recipient agrees to use commercially reasonable efforts to reduce or eliminate its and its Affiliates’ dependency on each Service to the extent and as soon as is reasonably practicable.

Section 2.07. Subcontracting and Personnel.

(a) Provider may hire or engage one or more Third Parties to perform any or all of its obligations under this Agreement; provided that: (i) Provider shall use the same degree of care (but at least reasonable care) in selecting each such Third Party as it would if such Third Party was being retained to provide similar services to Provider; and (ii) Provider shall in all cases remain responsible for all of its obligations under this Agreement with respect to the scope of the Services, the performance standard for Services set forth in Section 2.02 and the content of the Services provided to Recipient. Provider shall be responsible for any breach of its obligations under this Agreement by any Third-Party service provider engaged by Provider. Unless otherwise set forth in the Schedules or as otherwise agreed in writing by the Parties, Recipient is not liable for Provider’s costs of any subcontracting contemplated in this Section 2.07. All amounts paid under a subcontracting arrangement in respect of Services provided shall be documented in invoices and any relevant ancillary agreements and clearly itemize any reimbursements or disbursements paid by a Recipient to a Provider or Third Party.

 

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(b) Subject to Provider meeting its obligations with respect to the Level of Service, and notwithstanding the name of any personnel set forth in the Schedule, Provider shall have the right, in its sole discretion, to (i) designate which personnel they will assign to perform the Services and (ii) remove and replace such personnel at any time. In performing their respective duties hereunder, all such personnel shall be under the direction, control and supervision of Provider, and Provider shall have the sole right to exercise all authority with respect to the employment (including termination of employment), assignment and compensation of its personnel.

Section 2.08. Contract Manager. Each Party shall appoint an individual to act as its primary point of operational contact for the administration and operation of this Agreement (each, a “Contract Manager”) who shall have overall responsibility for coordinating all activities undertaken by such Party hereunder, for acting as a day-to-day contact with the other Party, and for making available to the other Party the data, facilities, resources and other support services required for the performance of the services in accordance with the terms of this Agreement; provided that for each Service, the Contract Manager shall be permitted to delegate the foregoing responsibilities for such Service to an individual identified on the Schedules, and such representative shall be deemed to be the Contract Manager with respect to such Service. The Parties may change their respective Contract Managers from time to time upon notice to the other Party in accordance herewith.

ARTICLE III

BILLING; TAXES

Section 3.01. Procedure. Recipient shall pay, or cause to be paid, to Provider the fees for the Services as set forth on the Schedules, and, without duplication, all other costs incurred by Provider as set forth in this Agreement. Amounts payable pursuant to this Agreement shall be paid by wire transfer (or such other method of payment as may be agreed between the Parties from time to time) to Provider (as directed by Provider), which amounts shall be due (a) in the case of recurring fees, on a monthly basis on or prior to the first (1st) day of the calendar month for which the applicable Service is to be provided and (b) in the case of all other amounts, within thirty (30) days after Recipient’s receipt of each invoice for Charges, including reasonable documentation pursuant to Section 2.03. All amounts due and payable hereunder shall be paid in U.S. dollars. In the event of any billing dispute, Recipient shall promptly pay any undisputed amount.

Section 3.02. Taxes. Without limiting any provisions of this Agreement, Recipient shall bear any and all Taxes and other similar charges (and any related expenses, interest and penalties) imposed on, or payable with respect to, any fees or charges, including any Charges, payable by it pursuant to this Agreement, but excluding any Income Taxes on Provider’s income. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in the previous sentence or elsewhere in this Agreement, Recipient shall be entitled to withhold (or cause to be withheld) from any payments to Provider any such Taxes that Recipient is required by applicable Law to withhold and shall pay such Taxes to the applicable Tax Authority.

 

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Section 3.03. No Set-Off. Except as agreed in writing by the Parties, neither Party nor any of its Affiliates shall have any right of set-off or other similar rights with respect to (a) any amounts received pursuant to this Agreement or (b) any other amounts claimed to be owed to the other Party or any of its Subsidiaries arising out of this Agreement.

ARTICLE IV

TERM AND TERMINATION

Section 4.01. Term. This Agreement shall commence at the Effective Time and shall terminate upon the earliest to occur of: (a) the written agreement of the Parties to terminate this Agreement in its entirety; and (b) the date that is the 12-month anniversary of the Distribution Date. Unless otherwise terminated pursuant to Section 4.02, Provider’s obligation to provide a Service shall expire as of the close of business on the date that is the 12-month anniversary of the Distribution Date, unless an earlier date is set forth in the Schedule under the Service Period for such Service. The Parties may, by written consent executed at least ten (10) days prior to the last day of the Service Period for any individual Service, extend the Service Period for such Service on a month-to-month basis for a period not to exceed the two (2)-year anniversary of the Distribution Date. To the extent that Provider’s ability to provide a Service is dependent on the continuation of a specified Service, Provider’s obligation to provide such dependent Service shall terminate automatically with the termination of such supporting Service.

Section 4.02. Early Termination.

(a) Without prejudice to Recipient’s rights with respect to Force Majeure, Recipient may from time to time terminate this Agreement with respect to the entirety of any Service (but not any portion thereof): (i) for any reason or no reason, upon the giving of at least sixty (60) days’ prior written notice to Provider, provided that such termination (x) may only be effective as of the last day of a calendar month and (y) shall be subject to the obligation to pay any applicable Termination Charges pursuant to Section 4.04; or (ii) if Provider has failed to perform any of its material obligations under this Agreement with respect to such Service, and such failure shall continue to be uncured by Provider for a period of at least thirty (30) days after receipt by Provider of written notice of such failure from Recipient, provided that (x) such termination may only be effective as of the last day of a calendar month and (y) Recipient shall not be entitled to terminate this Agreement with respect to the applicable Service if, as of the end of such period, there remains a good-faith Dispute between the Parties (undertaken in accordance with the terms of Section 7.15) as to whether Provider has cured the applicable breach.

(b) Provider may terminate this Agreement with respect to the entirety of any Service (but not any portion thereof) at any time upon prior written notice to Recipient, if Recipient has failed to perform any of its material obligations under this Agreement with respect to such Service, including making payment of Charges for such Service when due, and such failure shall continue to be uncured by Recipient for a period of at least thirty (30) days after receipt by Recipient of a written notice of such failure from Provider; provided that (x) such termination may only be effective as of the last day of a calendar month and (y) Provider shall not be entitled to terminate this Agreement with respect to the applicable Service if, as of the end of such period, there remains a good-faith Dispute between the Parties (undertaken in accordance with the terms of Section 7.15) as to whether Recipient has cured the applicable breach.

 

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(c) Parent may terminate this Agreement with respect to all Services if there is a SpinCo Change of Control.

(d) The Schedules hereto shall be updated to reflect any terminated Service.

Section 4.03. Interdependencies. The Parties acknowledge and agree that: (a) there may be interdependencies among the Services being provided under this Agreement; (b) upon the request of either Party, the Parties shall cooperate and act in good faith to determine whether (i) any such interdependencies exist with respect to the particular Service that Recipient is seeking to terminate pursuant to Section 4.02 and (ii) in the case of such termination, Provider’s ability to provide a particular Service in accordance with this Agreement would be materially and adversely affected by such termination of another Service; and (c) in the event that the Parties have determined that such interdependencies exist and such termination would materially and adversely affect Provider’s ability to provide a particular Service in accordance with this Agreement, the Parties shall (i) negotiate in good faith to amend the Schedules hereto with respect to such impacted Service prior to such termination, which amendment shall be consistent with the terms of comparable Services and (ii) if after such negotiation, the Parties are unable to agree on such amendment, Provider’s obligation to provide such Service shall terminate automatically with such termination.

Section 4.04. Effect of Termination. Upon the termination of any Service pursuant to this Agreement, Provider shall have no further obligation to provide the terminated Service, and Recipient shall have no obligation to pay any future Charges relating to such Service; provided that Recipient shall remain obligated to Provider for (a) the Charges owed and payable in respect of Services provided prior to the effective date of termination for such Service and (b) any applicable Termination Charges this Agreement is terminated pursuant to Section 4.02(a)(ii). In connection with the termination of any Service, the provisions of this Agreement not relating solely to such terminated Service shall survive any such termination, and in connection with a termination of this Agreement, Article I, this Article IV, Article V, Article VI and Article VII, all confidentiality obligations under this Agreement and Liability for all due and unpaid Charges and Termination Charges shall continue to survive indefinitely.

Section 4.05. Information Transmission. Provider, on behalf of itself and its Subsidiaries, shall use commercially reasonable efforts to provide or make available, or cause to be provided or made available, to Recipient, in accordance with Section 6.1 of the Separation and Distribution Agreement, any Information received or computed by Provider for the benefit of Recipient concerning the relevant Service during the Service Period; provided that, except as otherwise agreed in writing by the Parties, (a) Provider shall not have any obligation to provide, or cause to be provided, Information in any nonstandard format, (b) Provider and its Subsidiaries shall be reimbursed for their reasonable costs in accordance with Section 6.3 of the Separation and Distribution Agreement for creating, gathering, copying, transporting and otherwise providing such Information and (c) Provider shall use commercially reasonable efforts to maintain any such Information in accordance with Section 6.4 of the Separation and Distribution Agreement.

 

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ARTICLE V

CONFIDENTIALITY; PROTECTIVE ARRANGEMENTS

Section 5.01. Parent and SpinCo Obligations. Subject to Section 5.04, until the three (3)-year anniversary of the date of the termination of this Agreement in its entirety, each Party, on behalf of itself and each of its Subsidiaries, agrees to hold, and to cause its respective Representatives to hold, in strict confidence, with at least the same degree of care that applies to Parent’s Confidential Information pursuant to policies in effect as of the Effective Time, all Confidential Information concerning the other Party or its Subsidiaries or their respective businesses that is either in its possession (including Confidential Information in its possession prior to the date hereof) or furnished by such other Party or such other Party’s Subsidiaries or their respective Representatives at any time pursuant to this Agreement, and shall not use any such Confidential Information other than for such purposes as may be expressly permitted hereunder.

Section 5.02. No Release; Return or Destruction. Each Party agrees (a) not to release or disclose, or permit to be released or disclosed, any Confidential Information of the other Party to any other Person, except its Representatives who need to know such Confidential Information in their capacities as such (who shall be advised of their obligations hereunder with respect to such Confidential Information) and (b) to use commercially reasonable efforts to maintain such Confidential Information in accordance with Section 6.4 of the Separation and Distribution Agreement. Without limiting the foregoing, when any such Confidential Information is no longer needed for the purposes contemplated by the Separation and Distribution Agreement, this Agreement or any other Ancillary Agreements, each Party will promptly at the request and discretion of the other Party, either return to the other Party all such Confidential Information in a tangible form (including all copies thereof and all notes, extracts or summaries based thereon) or notify the other Party in writing that it has destroyed such information (and such copies thereof and such notes, extracts or summaries based thereon); provided that: (i) the Parties may retain electronic back-up versions of such Confidential Information maintained on routine computer system back-up tapes, disks or other back-up storage devices; and (ii) any such retained back-up information shall remain subject to the confidentiality provisions of this Agreement.

Section 5.03. Privacy and Data Protection Laws. Each Party shall comply with all applicable state, federal and foreign privacy and data protection Laws that are or that may in the future be applicable to the provision of the Services under this Agreement.

Section 5.04. Protective Arrangements. In the event that a Party or any of its Subsidiaries either determines on the advice of its counsel that it is required to disclose any information pursuant to applicable Law or receives any request or demand under lawful process or from any Governmental Authority to disclose or provide information of the other Party (or any of its Subsidiaries) that is subject to the confidentiality provisions hereof, such Party shall notify the other Party (to the extent legally permitted) as promptly as practicable under the circumstances prior to disclosing or providing such information and shall cooperate, at the

 

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expense of the other Party, in seeking any appropriate protective order requested by the other Party. In the event that such other Party fails to receive such appropriate protective order in a timely manner and the Party receiving the request or demand reasonably determines that its failure to disclose or provide such information shall actually prejudice the Party receiving the request or demand, then the Party that received such request or demand may thereafter disclose or provide information to the extent required by such Law (as so advised by its counsel) or by lawful process or such Governmental Authority, and the disclosing Party shall promptly provide the other Party with a copy of the information so disclosed, in the same form and format so disclosed, together with a list of all Persons to whom such information was disclosed, in each case to the extent legally permitted.

Section 5.05. Exclusions. A Party’s confidentiality obligations set forth herein with respect to the other Party’s Confidential Information do not apply to the extent such Confidential Information: (a) is in the public domain or is generally available to the public, other than as a result of a disclosure by such Party or any of its Subsidiaries or any of their respective Representatives in violation of this Agreement; (b) is lawfully acquired from other sources by such Party or any of its Subsidiaries, which sources are not themselves known by such Party or any of its Subsidiaries to be bound by a confidentiality obligation or other contractual, legal or fiduciary obligation of confidentiality with respect to such Confidential Information; or (c) is independently developed or generated without reference to or use of the Confidential Information of the other Party or any of its Subsidiaries. If any Confidential Information of a Party or any of its Subsidiaries is disclosed to the other Party or any of its Subsidiaries in connection with providing the Services, then such disclosed Confidential Information shall be used only as required to perform such Services.

ARTICLE VI

LIMITED LIABILITY AND INDEMNIFICATION

Section 6.01. Limitations on Liability.

(a) SUBJECT TO SECTION 6.02, THE LIABILITIES OF PROVIDER AND ITS SUBSIDIARIES AND THEIR RESPECTIVE REPRESENTATIVES, COLLECTIVELY, UNDER THIS AGREEMENT FOR ANY ACT OR FAILURE TO ACT IN CONNECTION HEREWITH (INCLUDING THE PERFORMANCE OR BREACH OF THIS AGREEMENT), OR FROM THE SALE, DELIVERY, PROVISION OR USE OF ANY SERVICES PROVIDED UNDER OR CONTEMPLATED BY THIS AGREEMENT, WHETHER IN CONTRACT, TORT (INCLUDING NEGLIGENCE AND STRICT LIABILITY) OR OTHERWISE, SHALL NOT EXCEED AN AMOUNT EQUAL TO THE REASONABLE COSTS INCURRED BY RECIPIENT IN RETAINING A THIRD PARTY TO PERFORM THE SERVICE IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE SAME SCOPE AND QUALITY EXPECTED OF PROVIDER AS SET FORTH HEREIN; PROVIDED THAT, NOTWITHSTANDING THE FOREGOING, THE TOTAL LIABILITIES OF PROVIDER AND ITS SUBSIDIARIES AND THEIR RESPECTIVE REPRESENTATIVES, COLLECTIVELY, UNDER THIS AGREEMENT FOR ANY ACT OR FAILURE TO ACT IN CONNECTION HEREWITH (INCLUDING THE PERFORMANCE OR BREACH OF THIS AGREEMENT), OR FROM THE SALE, DELIVERY, PROVISION OR USE OF ANY SERVICES PROVIDED UNDER OR CONTEMPLATED BY THIS AGREEMENT, WHETHER IN CONTRACT, TORT (INCLUDING NEGLIGENCE AND STRICT LIABILITY) OR OTHERWISE, SHALL NOT EXCEED $1,000,000.

 

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(b) IN NO EVENT SHALL EITHER PARTY, ITS SUBSIDIARIES OR THEIR RESPECTIVE REPRESENTATIVES BE LIABLE TO THE OTHER PARTY FOR ANY CONSEQUENTIAL, PUNITIVE, EXEMPLARY, OR SPECIAL DAMAGES OR DAMAGES BASED ON LOSS OF PROFITS OF THE OTHER PARTY IN CONNECTION WITH THE PERFORMANCE OF THIS AGREEMENT (OTHER THAN ANY SUCH LIABILITY WITH RESPECT TO A THIRD-PARTY CLAIM), AND EACH PARTY HEREBY WAIVES ON BEHALF OF ITSELF, ITS SUBSIDIARIES AND ITS REPRESENTATIVES ANY CLAIM FOR SUCH DAMAGES, WHETHER ARISING IN CONTRACT, TORT OR OTHERWISE.

Section 6.02. Obligation to Re-Perform; Liabilities. In the event of any breach of this Agreement by Provider with respect to the provision of any Services (with respect to which Provider can reasonably be expected to re-perform in a commercially reasonable manner), Provider shall, at the request of Recipient, promptly correct in all material respects such error, defect or breach or re-perform in all material respects such Services at the sole cost and expense of Provider. With respect to Services which cannot be re-performed in a commercially reasonably manner by Provider, Provider shall reimburse Recipient for the reasonable costs of procuring a Third Party to perform such services in accordance with the same scope and quality expected of Provider and as set forth in the Schedules. The remedies set forth in this Section 6.02 shall be the sole and exclusive remedy of Recipient for any failure to provide the Services; provided that the foregoing shall not prohibit Recipient from exercising its right to terminate this Agreement in accordance with the provisions of Section 4.02(a)(ii) or to seek specific performance in accordance with Section 7.16. Any request for re-performance in accordance with this Section 6.02 by Recipient must be in writing and specify in reasonable detail the particular error, defect or breach, and such request must be made no more than one month from the later of (a) the date on which such breach occurred and (b) the date on which such breach was reasonably discovered by Recipient.

Section 6.03. Third-Party Claims. In addition to (but not in duplication of) its other indemnification obligations (if any) under the Separation and Distribution Agreement, this Agreement or any other Ancillary Agreement, Recipient shall indemnify, defend and hold harmless Provider, its Subsidiaries and each of their respective Representatives, and each of the successors and assigns of any of the foregoing (collectively, the “Provider Indemnitees”), from and against any and all Losses in connection with claims by Third Parties relating to, arising out of or resulting from Recipient’s use or receipt of the Services provided by Provider hereunder, other than Third-Party Claims arising out of the gross negligence, willful misconduct or fraud of any Provider Indemnitee.

Section 6.04. Provider Indemnity. In addition to (but not in duplication of) its other indemnification obligations (if any) under the Separation and Distribution Agreement, this Agreement or any other Ancillary Agreement, Provider shall indemnify, defend and hold harmless Recipient, its Subsidiaries and each of their respective Representatives, and each of the successors and assigns of any of the foregoing (collectively, the “Recipient Indemnitees”), from and against any and all Losses in connection with claims by Third Parties relating to, arising out of or resulting from Provider’s gross negligence, willful misconduct or fraud in connection with its performance of the Services.

 

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Section 6.05. Indemnification Procedures. The procedures for indemnification set forth in Sections 4.5, 4.6 and 4.7 of the Separation and Distribution Agreement shall govern claims for indemnification under this Agreement.

ARTICLE VII

MISCELLANEOUS

Section 7.01. Mutual Cooperation. Each Party shall, and shall cause its Subsidiaries to, cooperate with the other Party and its Subsidiaries in connection with the performance of the Services hereunder; provided that: (a) such cooperation shall not unreasonably disrupt the normal operations of such Party or its Subsidiaries; and (b) this Section 7.01 shall not require such Party to incur any out-of-pocket costs or expenses, unless and except as expressly provided in this Agreement or otherwise agreed in writing by the Parties.

Section 7.02. Further Assurances. Subject to the terms of this Agreement, each Party shall take, or cause to be taken, any and all reasonable actions, including the execution, acknowledgment, filing and delivery of any and all documents and instruments that any other Party may reasonably request in order to effect the intent and purpose of this Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby.

Section 7.03. Audit Assistance. Each of the Parties and their respective Subsidiaries are or may be subject to regulation and audit by a Governmental Authority (including a Tax Authority), standards organizations, customers or other parties to contracts with such Parties or their respective Subsidiaries under applicable Law, standards or contract provisions. If a Governmental Authority, standards organization, customer or other party to a contract with a Party or its Subsidiary exercises its right to examine or audit such Party’s or its Subsidiary’s books, records, documents or accounting practices and procedures pursuant to such applicable Law, standards or contract provisions, and such examination or audit relates to the Services, then the other Party shall provide, at the sole cost and expense of the requesting Party, all assistance reasonably requested by the Party that is subject to the examination or audit in responding to such examination or audits or requests for Information, to the extent that such assistance or Information is within the reasonable control of the cooperating Party and is related to the Services.

Section 7.04. Title to Intellectual Property. Except as expressly provided for under the terms of this Agreement or the Separation and Distribution Agreement, Recipient acknowledges that it shall acquire no right, title or interest (including any license rights or rights of use) in any intellectual property that is owned or licensed by Provider, by reason of the provision of the Services hereunder. Recipient shall not remove or alter any copyright, trademark, confidentiality or other proprietary notices that appear on any intellectual property owned or licensed by Provider, and Recipient shall reproduce any such notices on any and all copies thereof. Recipient shall not attempt to decompile, translate, reverse engineer or make excessive copies of any intellectual property owned or licensed by Provider, and Recipient shall promptly notify Provider of any such attempt, regardless of whether by Recipient or any Third Party, of which Recipient becomes aware.

 

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Section 7.05. Independent Contractors. The Parties each acknowledge and agree that they are separate entities, each of which has entered into this Agreement for independent business reasons. The relationships of the Parties hereunder are those of independent contractors and nothing contained herein shall be deemed to create a joint venture, partnership or any other relationship between the Parties. Employees performing Services hereunder do so on behalf of, under the direction of, and as employees of, Provider, and Recipient shall have no right, power or authority to direct such employees, unless otherwise specified with respect to a particular Service on the Schedules hereto.

Section 7.06. Counterparts; Entire Agreement; Corporate Power.

(a) This Agreement may be executed in one (1) or more counterparts, all of which shall be considered one (1) and the same agreement, and shall become effective when one (1) or more counterparts have been signed by each of the Parties and delivered to the other Party.

(b) This Agreement, the Separation and Distribution Agreement and the other Ancillary Agreements and the Schedules and appendices hereto and thereto contain the entire agreement between the Parties with respect to the subject matter hereof, supersede all previous agreements, negotiations, discussions, writings, understandings, commitments and conversations with respect to such subject matter, and there are no agreements or understandings between the Parties other than those set forth or referred to herein or therein. This Agreement, the Separation and Distribution Agreement, and the other Ancillary Agreements govern the arrangements in connection with the Separation and the Distribution and would not have been entered into independently.

(c) Parent represents on behalf of itself and, to the extent applicable, each of its Subsidiaries, and SpinCo represents on behalf of itself and, to the extent applicable, each of its Subsidiaries, that: (i) each such Person has the requisite corporate or other power and authority and has taken all corporate or other action necessary in order to execute, deliver and perform this Agreement and to consummate the transactions contemplated hereby; and (ii) this Agreement has been duly executed and delivered by it and constitutes a valid and binding agreement of it and is enforceable in accordance with the terms hereof.

(d) Each Party acknowledges and agrees that delivery of an executed counterpart of a signature page to this Agreement (whether executed by manual, stamp or mechanical signature) by facsimile or by e-mail in portable document format (.pdf) shall be effective as delivery of such executed counterpart of this Agreement. Each Party expressly adopts and confirms each such facsimile, stamp or mechanical signature (regardless of whether delivered in person, by mail, by courier, by facsimile or by e-mail in portable document format (.pdf)) made in its respective name as if it were a manual signature delivered in person, agrees that it will not assert that any such signature or delivery is not adequate to bind such Party to the same extent as if it were signed manually and delivered in person and agrees that, at the reasonable request of the other Party at any time, it will as promptly as reasonably practicable cause this Agreement to be manually executed (any such execution to be as of the date of the initial date thereof) and delivered in person, by mail or by courier.

 

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Section 7.07. Governing Law. This Agreement (and any claims or disputes arising out of or related hereto or to the transactions contemplated hereby or to the inducement of any Party to enter herein, whether for breach of contract, tortious conduct or otherwise and whether predicated on common law, statute or otherwise) shall be governed by and construed and interpreted in accordance with the Laws of the State of Delaware irrespective of the choice of laws principles of the State of Delaware, including all matters of validity, construction, effect, enforceability, performance and remedies.

Section 7.08. Assignability. This Agreement shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the Parties and their respective successors and permitted assigns; provided that neither Party may assign its rights or delegate its obligations under this Agreement without the express prior written consent of the other Party. Notwithstanding the foregoing, no such consent shall be required for the assignment of a Party’s rights and obligations under the Separation and Distribution Agreement, this Agreement and the other Ancillary Agreements in whole (i.e., the assignment of a Party’s rights and obligations under the Separation and Distribution Agreement, this Agreement and all of the other Ancillary Agreements all at the same time) in connection with a merger, consolidation or other business combination of a Party with or into any other Person or a sale of all or substantially all of the assets of a Party to another Person, in each case so long as the resulting, surviving or acquiring Person assumes all of the obligations of the relevant Party by operation of Law or pursuant to an agreement in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the other Party.

Section 7.09. Third-Party Beneficiaries. Except as provided in Article VI with respect to the Provider Indemnitees and the Recipient Indemnitees in their respective capacities as such, (a) the provisions of this Agreement are solely for the benefit of the Parties and are not intended to confer upon any other Person except the Parties any rights or remedies hereunder; and (b) there are no other third-party beneficiaries of this Agreement and this Agreement shall not provide any other Third Party with any remedy, claim, Liability, reimbursement, claim of action or other right in excess of those existing without reference to this Agreement. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Parties reserve the power to modify or terminate this Agreement without the consent of the Provider Indemnitees and the Recipient Indemnitees.

Section 7.10. Notices. All notices, requests, claims, demands or other communications under this Agreement shall be in writing and shall be given or made (and except as provided herein shall be deemed to have been duly given or made upon receipt) by delivery in person, by overnight courier service, by certified mail, return receipt requested, by facsimile, or by electronic mail (“e-mail”), so long as confirmation of receipt of such e-mail is requested and received, to the respective Parties at the following addresses (or at such other address for a Party as shall be specified in a notice given in accordance with this Section 7.10):

If to Parent, to:

Ziff Davis, Inc.

114 5th Avenue

New York, New York 10011

Attention: Legal Department

E-mail: legal@j2.com

 

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If to SpinCo (prior to the Effective Time), to:

Consensus Cloud Solutions, Inc.

700 South Flower Street, Suite 1500

Los Angeles, California 90017

Attention: Legal Department

E-mail: legal@j2.com

If to SpinCo (from and after the Effective Time), to:

Consensus Cloud Solutions, Inc.

700 South Flower Street, Suite 1500

Los Angeles, California 90017

Attention: Legal Department

E-mail: vithya.aubee@j2.com

Any Party may, by notice to the other Party, change the address to which such notices are to be given.

Section 7.11. Severability. If any provision of this Agreement or the application thereof to any Person or circumstance is determined by a court of competent jurisdiction to be invalid, void or unenforceable, the remaining provisions hereof, or the application of such provision to Persons or circumstances or in jurisdictions other than those as to which it has been held invalid or unenforceable, shall remain in full force and effect and shall in no way be affected, impaired or invalidated thereby. Upon such determination, the Parties shall negotiate in good faith in an effort to agree upon such a suitable and equitable provision to effect the original intent of the Parties.

Section 7.12. Force Majeure. No Party shall be deemed in default of this Agreement for any delay or failure to fulfill any obligation (other than a payment obligation) hereunder so long as and to the extent to which any delay or failure in the fulfillment of such obligation is prevented, frustrated, hindered or delayed as a consequence of circumstances of Force Majeure. Without limiting the termination rights contained in this Agreement, in the event of any such excused delay, the time for performance of such obligation (other than a payment obligation) shall be extended for a period equal to the time lost by reason of the delay. A Party claiming the benefit of this provision shall, as soon as reasonably practicable after the occurrence of any such Force Majeure: (a) provide written notice to the other Party of the nature and extent of such Force Majeure; and (b) use commercially reasonable efforts to remove any such causes and resume performance under this Agreement as soon as reasonably practicable (and in no event later than the date that the affected Party resumes analogous performance under any other agreement for itself, its Affiliates or any Third Party), unless this Agreement has previously been terminated under Article IV or this Section 7.12. Recipient shall be (i) relieved of the obligation to pay Charges for the affected Services throughout the duration of such Force Majeure and (ii) entitled to permanently terminate such Services if the delay or failure in providing such Services because of a Force Majeure continues for more than thirty (30) consecutive days (it being understood that Recipient shall not be required to provide any advance notice of such termination to Provider).

 

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Section 7.13. Headings. The Article and Section headings contained in this Agreement are for reference purposes only and shall not affect in any way the meaning or interpretation of this Agreement.

Section 7.14. Waivers of Default. Waiver by a Party of any default by the other Party of any provision of this Agreement shall not be deemed a waiver by the waiving Party of any subsequent or other default, nor shall it prejudice the rights of the waiving Party. No failure or delay by a Party in exercising any right, power or privilege under this Agreement shall operate as a waiver thereof, nor shall a single or partial exercise thereof prejudice any other right or further exercise thereof or the exercise of any other right, power or privilege.

Section 7.15. Dispute Resolution.

(a) In the event of any controversy, dispute or claim (a “Dispute”) arising out of or relating to any Party’s rights or obligations under this Agreement (whether arising in contract, tort or otherwise), calculation or allocation of the costs of any Service or otherwise arising out of or relating in any way to this Agreement (including the interpretation or validity of this Agreement), such Dispute shall be resolved by submitting such Dispute first to the relevant Contract Manager of each Party, and the Contract Managers shall seek to resolve such Dispute through informal good faith negotiation. In the event that the Contract Managers fail to meet or, if they meet and fail to resolve a Dispute within twenty (20) business days, then either Party may pursue the remedy set forth in Section 7.15(b).

(b) If the procedures set forth in Section 7.15(a) have been followed with respect to a Dispute and such Dispute remains unresolved, such Dispute shall be resolved in accordance with the dispute resolution process referred to in Article VII of the Separation and Distribution Agreement.

(c) In any Dispute regarding the amount of a Charge or a Termination Charge, if such Dispute is finally resolved pursuant to the dispute resolution process set forth or referred to in Section 7.15(a) and Section 7.15(b) and it is determined that the Charge or the Termination Charge, as applicable, that Provider has invoiced Recipient, and that Recipient has paid to Provider, is greater or less than the amount that the Charge or the Termination Charge, as applicable, should have been, then (i) if it is determined that Recipient has overpaid the Charge or the Termination Charge, as applicable, Provider shall within ten (10) calendar days after such determination reimburse Recipient an amount of cash equal to such overpayment, plus the Interest Payment, accruing from the date of payment by Recipient to the time of reimbursement by Provider; and (ii) if it is determined that Recipient has underpaid the Charge or the Termination Charge, as applicable, Recipient shall within ten (10) calendar days after such determination reimburse Provider an amount of cash equal to such underpayment, plus the Interest Payment, accruing from the date such payment originally should have been made by Recipient to the time of payment by Recipient.

 

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Section 7.16. Specific Performance. Subject to Section 7.15, in the event of any actual or threatened default in, or breach of, any of the terms, conditions and provisions of this Agreement, the Party or Parties who are, or are to be, thereby aggrieved shall have the right to specific performance and injunctive or other equitable relief (on an interim or permanent basis) in respect of its rights or their rights under this Agreement, in addition to any and all other rights and remedies at law or in equity, and all such rights and remedies shall be cumulative. The Parties agree that the remedies at law for any breach or threatened breach, including monetary damages, are inadequate compensation for any loss and that any defense in any Action for specific performance that a remedy at law would be adequate is waived. Any requirements for the securing or posting of any bond with such remedy are hereby waived by each of the Parties. Unless otherwise agreed in writing, Provider shall continue to provide Services and the Parties shall honor all other commitments under this Agreement during the course of dispute resolution pursuant to the provisions of Section 7.15 and this Section 7.16 with respect to all matters not subject to such Dispute; provided that this obligation shall only exist during the term of this Agreement.

Section 7.17. Amendments. No provisions of this Agreement shall be deemed waived, amended, supplemented or modified by a Party, unless such waiver, amendment, supplement or modification is in writing and signed by the authorized representative of the Party against whom enforcement of such waiver, amendment, supplement or modification is sought.

Section 7.18. Precedence of Schedules. Each Schedule attached to or referenced in this Agreement is hereby incorporated into and shall form a part of this Agreement; provided that the terms contained in such Schedule shall only apply with respect to the Services provided under that Schedule. In the event of a conflict between the terms contained in an individual Schedule and the terms in the body of this Agreement, the terms in the Schedule shall take precedence with respect to the Services under such Schedule only. No terms contained in individual Schedules shall otherwise modify the terms of this Agreement.

Section 7.19. Interpretation. In this Agreement: (a) words in the singular shall be deemed to include the plural and vice versa and words of one gender shall be deemed to include the other genders as the context requires; (b) the terms “hereof,” “herein” and “herewith” and words of similar import shall, unless otherwise stated, be construed to refer to this Agreement as a whole (including all of the Schedules hereto) and not to any particular provision of this Agreement; (c) Article, Section, and Schedule references are to the Articles, Sections, and Schedules to this Agreement, unless otherwise specified; (d) unless otherwise stated, all references to any agreement shall be deemed to include the exhibits, schedules and annexes to such agreement; (e) the word “including” and words of similar import when used in this Agreement shall mean “including, without limitation,” unless otherwise specified; (f) the word “or” shall not be exclusive; (g) unless otherwise specified in a particular case, the word “days” refers to calendar days; (h) references to “business day” shall mean any day other than a Saturday, a Sunday or a day on which banking institutions are generally authorized or required by law to close in the United States or Los Angeles, California; (i) references herein to this Agreement or any other agreement contemplated herein shall be deemed to refer to this Agreement or such other agreement as of the date on which it is executed and as it may be amended, modified or supplemented thereafter, unless otherwise specified; and (j) unless expressly stated to the contrary in this Agreement, all references to “the date hereof,” “the date of this Agreement” and “hereby” and words of similar import shall all be references to the Effective Date.

 

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Section 7.20. Mutual Drafting. This Agreement shall be deemed to be the joint work product of the Parties and any rule of construction that a document shall be interpreted or construed against a drafter of such document shall not be applicable to this Agreement.

Remainder of page intentionally left blank.

 

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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Parties have caused this Agreement to be executed by their duly authorized representatives as of the date first written above.

 

ZIFF DAVIS, INC.
By:  

/s/ Jeremy Rossen

  Name:   Jeremy Rossen
  Title:   Executive Vice President, Secretary and General Counsel
CONSENSUS CLOUD SOLUTIONS, INC.
By:  

/s/ Vithya Aubee

  Name:   Vithya Aubee
  Title:   Vice President

Signature Page to Transition Services Agreement

Exhibit 10.2

TAX MATTERS AGREEMENT

by and between

ZIFF DAVIS,, INC.

and

CONSENSUS CLOUD SOLUTIONS, INC.

Dated as of

October 7, 2021

 


TAX MATTERS AGREEMENT

This TAX MATTERS AGREEMENT (this “Agreement”), dated as of October 7, 2021, by and between Ziff Davis, Inc., a Delaware corporation (“Parent”), and Consensus Cloud Solutions, Inc., a Delaware corporation and a wholly owned subsidiary of Parent (“SpinCo”).

R E C I T A L S

WHEREAS, the board of directors of Parent (the “Parent Board”) has determined that it is in the best interests of Parent and its shareholders to create a new publicly traded company that shall operate the SpinCo Business;

WHEREAS, in furtherance of the foregoing, the Parent Board has determined that it is appropriate and desirable to separate the SpinCo Business from the Parent Business in the manner set forth in the Global Transaction Structure (the “Separation”) and, in connection with the Separation, make a distribution, on a pro rata basis, to holders of Parent Shares on the Record Date of at least eighty and one-tenth percent (80.1%) of the outstanding SpinCo Shares owned by Parent (the “Distribution”);

WHEREAS, SpinCo has been incorporated solely for these purposes and has not engaged in activities, except in connection with the Separation and the Distribution;

WHEREAS, Parent intends to use the SpinCo Securities received in exchange for the Contribution, the Cash Distribution and the Additional Cash to retire existing Parent debt;

WHEREAS, in order to effectuate the Separation and the Distribution, Parent and SpinCo have entered into a Separation and Distribution Agreement, dated as of the date hereof (the “Separation Agreement”);

WHEREAS, J2 Global Ireland Limited, an Irish limited company and wholly-owned subsidiary of Parent, will transfer all of its portion of the SpinCo Business to Consensus Cloud Solutions International Ltd., an Irish limited company treated as a corporation for U.S. federal income tax purposes (“Consensus International”), in exchange for the issuance by Consensus International of new shares of Consensus International to J2 Cloud Services, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company and a wholly-owned subsidiary of Parent (the “Irish Demerger”).

WHEREAS, pursuant to the terms of the Separation Agreement, Parent will contribute all of the SpinCo Assets and all of the equity of J2 Cloud Services, LLC to SpinCo in exchange for SpinCo’s assumption of the SpinCo Liabilities, all of the SpinCo Shares, the SpinCo Cash Amount and the SpinCo Securities (the “Contribution”);

WHEREAS, following the Distribution, Parent may retain up to 19.9% of the outstanding SpinCo Shares (the “Retained Shares”) and intends to, within 12 months of the Distribution, effect distributions of the Retained Shares to Parent stockholders as dividends or in exchange for outstanding shares of Parent common stock (any such distribution, a “Subsequent Distribution”) or transfer such Retained Shares to Parent creditors in satisfaction of certain Parent debt (any such transfer, a “Debt-for-Equity Exchange”);

 


WHEREAS, if any portion of the Retained Shares has not been disposed of pursuant to a Subsequent Distribution within the 12-month period, Parent will dispose of such Retained Shares in all events within five years of the Distribution;

WHEREAS, following the Distribution, Parent shall transfer the SpinCo Securities to certain Persons (the “Debt-for-Debt Exchange Parties”) in exchange for certain debt obligations of Parent held by the Debt-for-Debt Exchange Parties as principals for their own account (the “Debt-for-Debt Exchange”);

WHEREAS, for U.S. federal income tax purposes, the Contribution, the Distribution, any Subsequent Distribution, the Debt-for-Debt Exchange, and any Debt-for-Equity Exchange, taken together, are intended to qualify as a transaction that is generally tax-free for U.S. federal income tax purposes under Sections 355, 368(a)(1)(D) and 361(c) of the Code;

WHEREAS, SpinCo has been incorporated for these purposes but holds no assets and has engaged in no activities; and

WHEREAS, SpinCo and Parent have prepared, and SpinCo has filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, the Form 10, which includes the Information Statement, and which sets forth disclosures concerning SpinCo, the Separation and the Distribution;

WHEREAS, the parties hereto wish to provide for the payment of Taxes and entitlement to Refunds thereof, allocate responsibility and provide for cooperation in connection with the filing of returns in respect of Taxes, and provide for certain other matters relating to Taxes.

WHEREAS, the Parties acknowledge that this Agreement, the Separation Agreement and the other Ancillary Agreements represent the integrated agreement of Parent and SpinCo relating to the Separation and the Distribution, are being entered into together and would not have been entered into independently.

NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the mutual agreements, provisions and covenants contained in this Agreement, and for other good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged, the Parties, intending to be legally bound, hereby agree as follows:

1. Definitions. Capitalized terms used but not defined herein shall have the respective meanings assigned to them in the Separation Agreement. For purposes of this Agreement, the following terms shall have the meanings set forth below:

Actually Realized” or “Actually Realizes” shall mean, for purposes of determining the timing of the incurrence of any Spin-Off Tax Liability, Income Tax Liability or Other Tax Liability or the realization of a Refund (or any related Tax cost or Tax Benefit), whether by receipt or as a credit or other offset to Taxes payable, by a Person in respect of any payment, transaction, occurrence or event, the time at which the amount of Taxes paid (or Refund realized) by such Person is increased above (or reduced below) the amount of Taxes that such Person would have been required to pay (or Refund that such Person would have realized) but for such payment, transaction, occurrence or event.

 

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Aggregate Spin-Off Tax Liabilities” shall mean the sum of the Spin-Off Tax Liabilities with respect to each Taxing Jurisdiction.

Business Day” shall mean any day other than a Saturday, a Sunday or a day on which banking institutions are generally authorized or required by law to close in the United States or Los Angeles, California.

Carryback” shall mean the carryback of a Tax Attribute (including, without limitation, a net operating loss, a net capital loss or a tax credit) by a member of the SpinCo Group from a Post-Distribution Taxable Period to a Pre-Distribution Taxable Period during which such member of the SpinCo Group was included in a Combined Return filed for such Pre-Distribution Taxable Period.

Cash Acquisition Merger” shall mean a merger of a newly formed Subsidiary of SpinCo with a corporation, limited liability company, limited partnership, general partnership or joint venture (in each case, not previously owned directly or indirectly by SpinCo) pursuant to which SpinCo acquires such corporation, limited liability company, limited partnership, general partnership or joint venture solely for cash and no Equity Securities of SpinCo or any SpinCo Subsidiary are issued, sold, redeemed or acquired, directly or indirectly.

Code” shall mean the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended.

Combined Return” shall mean a consolidated, combined or unitary Income Tax Return or Other Tax Return that actually includes, by election or otherwise, one or more members of the Parent Group together with either (i) one or more members of the SpinCo Group or (ii) any portion of the SpinCo Business (in either case including any such Income Tax Return that is a consolidated U.S. federal Income Tax Return of the Parent Consolidated Group).

Consensus International” shall have the meaning set forth in the recitals of this Agreement.

Contribution” shall have the meaning set forth in the recitals of this Agreement.

Debt-for-Debt Exchange” shall have the meaning set forth in the recitals of this Agreement.

Debt-for-Equity Exchange” shall have the meaning set forth in the recitals of this Agreement.

Distribution” shall mean the distribution, on a pro rata basis, to holders of Parent Shares on the Record Date of at least eighty and one-tenth percent (80.1%) of the outstanding SpinCo Shares owned by Parent pursuant to the Separation Agreement.

Distribution Date” shall mean the date on which the Distribution is completed, pursuant to the Separation Agreement.

 

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Distribution-Related Proceeding” shall mean any Proceeding in which the IRS, another Tax Authority or any other party asserts a position that could reasonably be expected to adversely affect the Tax-Free Status of the Spin-Off Transactions.

EMA” shall mean the Employee Matters Agreement by and between Parent and SpinCo dated as of October 7, 2021.

Equity Securities” shall mean any stock or other securities treated as equity for U.S. federal Income Tax purposes, options, warrants, rights, convertible debt, or any other instrument or security that affords any Person the right, whether conditional or otherwise, to acquire stock or to be paid an amount determined by reference to the value of stock.

Final Determination” shall mean the final resolution of liability for any Tax, which resolution may be for a specific issue or adjustment or for a taxable period, (a) by IRS Form 870 or 870-AD (or any successor forms thereto), on the date of acceptance by or on behalf of the taxpayer, or by a comparable form under the laws of any Taxing Jurisdiction, except that a Form 870 or 870-AD or comparable form shall not constitute a Final Determination to the extent that it reserves (whether by its terms or by operation of law) the right of the taxpayer to file a claim for Refund or the right of the Tax Authority to assert a further deficiency in respect of such issue or adjustment or for such taxable period (as the case may be); (b) by a decision, judgment, decree, or other order by a court of competent jurisdiction, which has become final and unappealable; (c) by a closing agreement or accepted offer in compromise under Sections 7121 or 7122 of the Code, or a comparable agreement under the laws of any Taxing Jurisdiction; (d) by any allowance of a Refund or credit in respect of an overpayment of Tax, but only after the expiration of all periods during which such Refund may be recovered (including by way of offset) by the Taxing Jurisdiction imposing such Tax; or (e) by any other final disposition, including by reason of the expiration of the applicable statute of limitations or by mutual agreement of the parties.

Foreign Tax” means any Tax (including any interest, penalties, additions to tax, or additional amounts in respect of Tax) that is imposed by any country (other than the United States) or a political subdivision of such country.

Former Employee” shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in the EMA.

Global Transaction Structure” shall mean the plan set forth on Schedule 2.1(a) of the Separation Agreement setting forth the restructuring steps to be taken prior to the Distribution Date and the sequence thereof.

Income Taxes” (a) shall mean (i) any U.S. federal, state, local or foreign taxes, charges, fees, imposts, levies or other assessments that are based upon, measured by, or calculated with respect to (A) net income or profits (including, but not limited to, any capital gains, gross receipts, or minimum tax, and any tax on items of tax preference, but not including sales, use, value added, real property gains, real or personal property, transfer or similar taxes), (B) multiple bases (including, but not limited to, corporate

 

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franchise, doing business or occupation taxes), if one or more of the bases upon which such tax may be based, by which it may be measured, or with respect to which it may be calculated is described in clause (a)(i)(A) of this definition, or (C) any net worth, franchise or similar tax, in each case together with (ii) any interest and any penalties, fines, additions to tax or additional amounts imposed by any Tax Authority with respect thereto and (b) shall include any transferee or successor liability in respect of an amount described in clause (a) of this definition.

Income Tax Benefit” shall mean, with respect to the effect of any Carryback on the Income Tax Liability of Parent or the Parent Group for any taxable period, the excess of (a) the hypothetical Income Tax Liability of Parent or the Parent Group for such taxable period, calculated as if such Carryback had not been utilized but with all other facts unchanged over (b) the actual Income Tax Liability of Parent or the Parent Group for such taxable period, calculated taking into account such Carryback (and treating a Refund as a negative Income Tax Liability, for purposes of such calculation).

Income Tax Liabilities” shall mean all liabilities for Income Taxes.

Income Tax Return” shall mean any return, report, filing, statement, questionnaire, declaration or other document required to be filed with a Tax Authority in respect of Income Taxes.

Indemnified Party” shall mean any Person seeking indemnification pursuant to the provisions of this Agreement.

Indemnifying Party” shall mean any party hereto from which any Indemnified Party is seeking indemnification pursuant to the provisions of this Agreement.

Irish Demerger” shall have the meaning set forth in the recitals of this Agreement.

IRS” shall mean the U.S. Internal Revenue Service.

“KPMG” shall mean KPMG LLP.

“KPMG Tax Opinion” shall mean any tax opinion issued by KPMG in connection with the Spin-Off Transactions.

Losses” shall mean any and all losses, liabilities, claims, damages, obligations, payments, costs and expenses, matured or unmatured, absolute or contingent, accrued or unaccrued, liquidated or unliquidated, known or unknown (including, without limitation, the costs and expenses of any and all Actions, threatened Actions, demands, assessments, judgments, settlements and compromises relating thereto and attorneys’ fees and any and all expenses whatsoever reasonably incurred in investigating, preparing or defending against any such Actions or threatened Actions).

Other Tax Liabilities” shall mean all liabilities for Other Taxes.

 

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Other Tax Returns” shall mean any return, report, filing, statement, questionnaire, declaration or other document required to be filed with a Tax Authority in respect of Other Taxes.

Other Taxes” shall mean any U.S. federal, state, local or foreign taxes, charges, fees, imposts, levies or other assessments of any nature whatsoever, and without limiting the generality of the foregoing, shall include superfund, sales, use, ad valorem, value added, occupancy, transfer, recording, escheat, unclaimed property, withholding, payroll, employment, excise, occupation, premium or property taxes (in each case, together with any related interest, penalties and additions to tax, or additional amounts imposed by any Tax Authority thereon); provided, however, that Other Taxes shall not include any Income Taxes.

Parent Business” shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in the Separation Agreement.

Parent Combined Return Taxes” shall mean any Taxes (or estimated Taxes) due or required to be paid with respect to or required to be reported on any consolidated U.S. federal Income Tax Return of the Parent Consolidated Group or any other Combined Tax Return that are attributable to any member of the Parent Group.

Parent Consolidated Group” shall mean the affiliated group of corporations (within the meaning of Section 1504(a) of the Code without regard to the exclusions in Section 1504(b)(1) through (8)) of which Parent is the common parent (and any predecessor or successor to such affiliated group).

Parent Group” shall mean (a) Parent and each Person that is a direct or indirect Subsidiary of Parent (including any Subsidiary of Parent that is disregarded for U.S. federal Income Tax purposes (or for purposes of any state, local, or foreign tax law)) immediately after the Distribution after giving effect to the Spin-Off Transactions, any corporation (or other Person) that shall have merged or liquidated into Parent or any such Subsidiary and any predecessor or successor to any Person otherwise described in this definition.

Parent Group Employee” shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in the EMA.

Parent Option Award” shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in the EMA.

Parent Restricted Stock Award” shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in the EMA.

Parent RSU Award” shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in the EMA.

Parent Separate Return” shall mean any Separate Return required to be filed by Parent or any member of the Parent Group.

 

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Parent Shares” shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in the Separation Agreement.

Parties” shall mean the parties to this Agreement.

Permitted Transaction” shall mean any transaction that satisfies the requirements of Section 4(c).

Person” shall mean any individual, partnership, joint venture, limited liability company, corporation, association, joint stock company, trust, unincorporated organization or similar entity or a governmental authority or any department or agency or other unit thereof.

Post-Distribution Taxable Period” shall mean a taxable period that, to the extent it relates to a member of the SpinCo Group, begins after the Distribution Date, and, in the case of any Straddle Period, the portion of such Straddle Period beginning the day after the Distribution Date.

Pre-Distribution Taxable Period” shall mean a taxable period that, to the extent it relates to a member of the SpinCo Group, ends on or before the Distribution Date, and, in the case of any Straddle Period, the portion of such Straddle Period ending on the Distribution Date.

Post-Separation Parent Awards” shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in the EMA.

Private Letter Ruling” shall mean (a) any private letter ruling issued by the IRS in connection with the Spin-Off Transactions (including the private letter ruling issued to Parent on July 6, 2021) or (b) any similar ruling issued by any other Tax Authority in connection with the Spin-Off Transactions.

Private Letter Ruling Documents” shall mean (a) any Private Letter Ruling, any request for a Private Letter Ruling submitted to the IRS (including the request for rulings submitted by Parent to the IRS on April 14, 2021), together with the appendices and exhibits thereto and any supplemental filings or other materials subsequently submitted to the IRS in connection with the Spin-Off Transactions, or (b) any similar filings submitted to any other Tax Authority in connection with any such request for a Private Letter Ruling.

Proceeding” shall mean any audit or other examination, or judicial or administrative proceeding relating to liability for, or Refunds or adjustments with respect to, Taxes.

Refund” shall mean any refund of Taxes, including any reduction in Tax Liabilities by means of a credit, offset or otherwise.

 

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Representative” shall mean, with respect to any Person, any of such Person’s directors, officers, employees, agents, consultants, advisors, accountants, attorneys or other representatives.

Restriction Period” shall mean the period beginning on the date hereof and ending on the thirty seven (37) month anniversary of the Distribution Date.

RSU” shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in the EMA.

Section 336(e) Election” shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 2(c) of this Agreement.

Separate Return” shall mean (a) in the case of any Tax Return required to be filed by any member of the SpinCo Group (including any consolidated, combined or unitary return), any such Tax Return that does not include any member of the Parent Group and (b) in the case of any Tax Return required to be filed by any member of the Parent Group (including any consolidated, combined or unitary return), any such Tax Return that does not include any member of the SpinCo Group.

Separation Agreement” shall have the meaning set forth in the recitals of this Agreement.

SpinCo Adjustment” shall mean an adjustment of any item of income, gain, loss, deduction or credit attributable to any member of the SpinCo Group (including, in the case of any state or local consolidated, combined or unitary income or franchise Taxes, a change in one or more apportionment factors of members of the SpinCo Group) pursuant to a Final Determination for a Pre-Distribution Taxable Period.

SpinCo Awards” shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in the EMA.

SpinCo Business” shall mean each trade or business actively conducted (within the meaning of Section 355(b) of the Code) by SpinCo or any member of the SpinCo Group immediately after the Distribution, as set forth in the Tax Opinion Documents.

SpinCo Cash Amount” shall mean the amount of cash distributed to Parent in connection with the Distribution as partial consideration for the Contribution, pursuant to the Separation Agreement.

SpinCo Combined Return Taxes” shall mean any Taxes (or estimated Taxes) due or required to be paid with respect to or required to be reported on any consolidated U.S. federal Income Tax Return of the Parent Consolidated Group or any other Combined Tax Return that are attributable to any member of the SpinCo Group or reflect any portion of the SpinCo Business.

 

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SpinCo Consolidated Group” shall mean the affiliated group of corporations (within the meaning of Section 1504(a) of the Code without regard to the exclusions in Section 1504(b)(1) through (8)) of which SpinCo is the common parent, determined immediately after the Distribution (and any predecessor or successor to such affiliated group other than the Parent Consolidated Group).

SpinCo Group” shall mean (a) SpinCo and each Person that is a direct or indirect Subsidiary of SpinCo (including any Subsidiary of SpinCo that is disregarded for U.S. federal Income Tax purposes (or for purposes of any state, local, or foreign tax law)) immediately after the Distribution, after giving effect to the Spin-Off Transactions, any corporation (or other Person) that shall have merged or liquidated into SpinCo or any such Subsidiary and any predecessor or successor to any Person otherwise described in this definition.

SpinCo Group Employee” shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in the EMA.

SpinCo Option Award” shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in the EMA.

SpinCo Restricted Stock Award” shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in the EMA.

SpinCo RSU Award” shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in the EMA.

SpinCo Securities” shall mean the seven-year notes issued by SpinCo and distributed to Parent in connection with the Distribution as partial consideration for the Contribution, pursuant to the Separation Agreement.

SpinCo Separate Return” shall mean any Separate Return required to be filed by SpinCo or any member of the SpinCo Group, including, without limitation, (a) any consolidated U.S. federal Income Tax Return of the SpinCo Consolidated Group required to be filed with respect to a Post-Distribution Taxable Period and (b) any consolidated U.S. federal Income Tax Return for any group of which any member of the SpinCo Group was the common parent.

SpinCo Service Provider” shall mean any “SpinCo Group Employee” as such term is defined in the EMA or any other provider of services to any member of the SpinCo Group.

SpinCo Shares” shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in the Separation Agreement.

SpinCo Tax Benefit” shall mean, with respect to any Taxing Jurisdiction, any decrease in Tax Liability (or increase in a Refund) Actually Realized with respect to a Combined Return that is attributable to a SpinCo Adjustment.

SpinCo Tax Liability” shall mean, with respect to any Taxing Jurisdiction, any increase in Tax Liability (or reduction in a Refund) Actually Realized with respect to a Combined Return that is attributable to a SpinCo Adjustment.

 

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Spin-Off Transactions” shall mean the Contribution together with the Distribution, the Debt-for-Debt Exchange, any Subsequent Distribution and any Debt-for-Equity Exchange and the Irish Demerger.

Spin-Off Tax Liabilities” shall mean, with respect to any Taxing Jurisdiction, the sum of (a) any increase in Tax Liability (or reduction in a Refund) Actually Realized as a result of any corporate-level gain or income recognized with respect to the failure of the Spin-Off Transactions to qualify for Tax-Free Status under the Income Tax Laws of such Taxing Jurisdiction pursuant to any settlement, Final Determination, judgment, assessment, proposed adjustment or otherwise, (b) interest on such amounts calculated pursuant to such Taxing Jurisdiction’s laws regarding interest on Tax Liabilities at the highest Underpayment Rate for corporations in such Taxing Jurisdiction from the date such additional gain or income was recognized until full payment with respect thereto is made pursuant to Section 3 hereof (or in the case of a reduction in a Refund, the amount of interest that would have been received on the foregone portion of the Refund but for the failure of the Spin-Off Transactions to qualify for Tax-Free Status), and (c) any penalties actually paid to such Taxing Jurisdiction that would not have been paid but for the failure of the Spin-Off Transactions to qualify for Tax-Free Status in such Taxing Jurisdiction.

Straddle Period” shall mean any taxable year or other taxable period that begins on or before the Distribution Date and ends after the Distribution Date.

Tax Attribute” shall mean a consolidated, combined or unitary net operating loss, net capital loss, unused investment credit, unused foreign tax, or excess charitable contribution (as such terms are used in Treasury Regulation Sections 1.1502-79 and 1.1502-79A or comparable provisions of foreign, state or local tax law), or a minimum tax credit or general business credit.

Tax Authority” shall mean a governmental authority (foreign or domestic) or any subdivision, agency, commission or authority thereof or any quasi-governmental or private body having jurisdiction over the assessment, determination, collection or imposition of any Tax (including, without limitation, the IRS).

Tax Benefits” shall mean any (i) deductions, losses, or credits, or (ii) decreases in income, gains or recapture of Tax credits for the benefitting entity (or group of entities).

Tax Counsel” shall mean tax counsel of recognized national standing that is acceptable to Parent.

Tax” or “Taxes” shall mean Income Taxes and Other Taxes.

Tax-Free Status” shall mean the qualification of (i) the Contribution (and Parent’s receipt of the SpinCo Common Stock, the SpinCo Securities, and the SpinCo Cash Amount in connection therewith), the Distribution and any Subsequent Distribution, taken together, as a reorganization described in Sections 368(a)(1)(D) and 355(a) of the Code, with each of Parent and SpinCo being a party to the reorganization, in which no

 

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income or gain is recognized by Parent, SpinCo, or the holders of Parent common stock pursuant to Sections 355, 361, and 1032 of the Code, other than, in the case of Parent, (a) intercompany items or excess loss accounts taken into account pursuant to the Treasury Regulations promulgated pursuant to Section 1502 of the Code and (b) any amount of the Cash Payment that exceeds Parent’s tax basis in the SpinCo Shares immediately prior to the Cash Payment or that Parent does not distribute to its creditors or shareholders within 12 months, and (ii) each of the Debt-for-Debt Exchange and any Debt-for-Equity Exchange as a transfer of “qualified property” to creditors of Parent in connection with the reorganization within the meaning of Section 361(c) of the Code.

Taxing Jurisdiction” shall mean the United States and every other government or governmental unit having jurisdiction to tax Parent or SpinCo or any of their respective Affiliates.

Tax Liabilities” shall mean any liabilities for Taxes.

Tax Opinion” shall mean any tax opinion issued by Tax Counsel in connection with the Spin-Off Transactions.

Tax Opinion Documents” shall mean the Tax Opinion, the KPMG Tax Opinion, and the information and representations provided by, or on behalf of, Parent or SpinCo to Tax Counsel or KPMG in connection therewith.

Tax-Related Losses” shall mean:

(a) the Aggregate Spin-Off Tax Liabilities,

(b) all accounting, legal and other professional fees, and court costs incurred in connection with any settlement, Final Determination, judgment or other determination with respect to such Aggregate Spin-Off Tax Liabilities, and

(c) all costs, expenses and damages associated with stockholder litigation or controversies and any amount paid by Parent or SpinCo in respect of the liability of shareholders, whether paid to shareholders or to the IRS or any other Tax Authority payable by Parent or SpinCo or their respective Affiliates, in each case, resulting from the failure of the Spin-Off Transactions to qualify for Tax-Free Status.

Tax Returns” shall mean Income Tax Returns and Other Tax Returns.

Underpayment Rate” shall mean the annual rate of interest described in Section 6621(c) of the Code for large corporate underpayments of Income Tax (or similar provision of state, local, or foreign Income Tax law, as applicable), as determined from time to time.

Unqualified Tax Opinion” shall mean an unqualified opinion of Tax Counsel on which Parent may rely to the effect that a transaction will not disqualify any of the Spin-Off Transactions from having Tax-Free Status, assuming that the Spin-Off Transactions would have qualified for Tax-Free Status if such transaction did not occur; provided, that

 

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any tax opinion obtained in connection with a proposed acquisition of Equity Securities of SpinCo (or any entity treated as a successor to SpinCo) entered into during the Restriction Period shall not qualify as an Unqualified Tax Opinion unless such tax opinion concludes that such proposed acquisition will not be treated as “part of a plan (or series of related transactions),” within the meaning of Section 355(e) of the Code and the Treasury Regulations promulgated thereunder, that includes the Distribution.

2. Tax Returns; Payment of Taxes; Tax Elections.

(a) Filing of Tax Returns; Payment of Taxes.

(i) Parent Consolidated Returns; Other Combined Returns. Parent shall prepare and file or cause to be prepared and filed (A) all consolidated U.S. federal Income Tax Returns of the Parent Consolidated Group and (B) all other Combined Returns. Except as provided in Section 2(a)(ii), Section 2(a)(iii) or Section 2(a)(vii), Parent shall pay, or cause to be paid, and shall be responsible for, any and all Taxes due or required to be paid with respect to or required to be reported on any such Tax Return; provided, however, that any Tax Liabilities incurred pursuant to the separation of certain members of the SpinCo Group and/or certain members of the Parent Group from groups of companies that file a Combined Return in respect of Foreign Taxes pursuant to the laws of Canada, France, Hong Kong, Ireland, Japan, and the Netherlands shall be allocated to fifty percent (50%) to SpinCo and fifty percent (50%) to Parent.

(ii) SpinCo Adjustments. SpinCo shall pay, or cause to be paid, and shall be responsible for, any SpinCo Tax Liabilities and shall be entitled to all SpinCo Tax Benefits.

(iii) Post-Distribution Combined Returns. In the event that any Combined Return is required to be filed pursuant to applicable law in any Taxing Jurisdiction for any Straddle Period or Post-Distribution Taxable Period, Parent shall pay, or cause to be paid, and shall be responsible for, any and all Taxes due or required to be paid with respect to or required to be reported on any such Tax Return that are Parent Combined Return Taxes and SpinCo shall pay, or cause to be paid, and shall be responsible for, any and all Taxes due or required to be paid with respect to or required to be reported on any such Tax Return that are SpinCo Combined Return Taxes.

(iv) Parent Separate Returns. Parent shall prepare and file or cause to be prepared and filed all Parent Separate Returns. Parent shall pay, or cause to be paid, and shall be responsible for, any and all Taxes due or required to be paid with respect to or required to be reported on any Parent Separate Return (including any increase in such Tax Liabilities attributable to a Final Determination).

(v) SpinCo Separate Returns. SpinCo shall prepare and file or cause to be prepared and filed all SpinCo Separate Returns. SpinCo shall pay, or cause to be paid, and shall be responsible for, any and all Taxes due or required to be paid with respect to or required to be reported on any SpinCo Separate Return (including any increase in such Tax Liabilities attributable to a Final Determination).

 

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(vi) Straddle Period Taxes. For purposes of this Section 2, in the case of any Straddle Period, (i) Taxes and exemptions, allowances or deductions that are calculated on an annualized basis shall be apportioned between the Pre-Distribution Taxable Period and the Post-Distribution Taxable Period on a daily pro rata basis and (ii) all other Taxes shall be apportioned between the Pre-Distribution Taxable Period and the Post-Distribution Taxable Period on a closing of the books basis as of the close of business on the Distribution Date.

(vii) Special Allocation Rules.

(1) Section 965 Taxes. Any installment payments required to be made pursuant to the election made by a member of the Parent Group or a member of the SpinCo Group (that was a member of the Parent Group prior to the Distribution Date) under Section 965(h) of the Code, and any adjustments thereto, shall be allocated to Parent.

(2) Subpart F Income and GILTI. Solely for purposes of allocating under this Section 2 any Income Taxes resulting from any inclusion in income (an “Inclusion”) of Subpart F or global intangible low-taxed income of a controlled foreign corporation (a “CFC”) under Section 951 or 951A of the Code, or any similar state, local or foreign law (“Subpart F Income”), the defined term “SpinCo Tax Liability” shall additionally mean (i) all Income Taxes attributable to an Inclusion during the taxable period at issue of Subpart F Income of a CFC engaged solely in the SpinCo Business, (ii) in the case of an Inclusion during the taxable period at issue of Subpart F Income of a CFC engaged in the SpinCo Business during the taxable period at issue, all Subpart F Income properly allocable to the SpinCo Business of the CFC to the extent distinguishable with reasonable accuracy, or (iii) to the extent not so distinguishable, the portion of the Inclusion equal to the ratio of revenue of such CFC attributable to the SpinCo Business over the total revenue of such CFC.

(3) Base Erosion and Anti-Abuse Tax. For purposes of allocating under this Section 2 any Taxes imposed under Section 59A of the Code which are or become payable as a result of “base erosion payments” paid or accrued by any member of the Parent Group or any member of the SpinCo Group to a foreign Person which is “related” (within the meaning of Section 59A(d) of the Code) to such member of the Parent Group or SpinCo Group, as applicable, which amount shall be calculated for a given taxable year by comparing (x) the amount of Taxes imposed on the Parent Group under Section 59A of the Code for such taxable year, and (y) the amount of Taxes imposed on the SpinCo Group under Section 59A of the Code for such taxable year, in each case as determined by Parent.

(b) Preparation of Tax Returns.

(i) Parent (or its designee) shall determine the entities to be included in any Combined Return and make or revoke any Tax elections, adopt or change any Tax accounting methods, and determine any other position taken on or in respect of any Tax Return required to be prepared and filed by Parent pursuant to Section 2(a)(i) or Section 2(a)(iii). Notwithstanding the immediately preceding sentence, any Tax Return filed by Parent pursuant to Section 2(a)(i) or Section 2(a)(iii) shall, to the extent relating to SpinCo or the SpinCo Group, be prepared in good faith. For the avoidance of doubt, with respect to the consolidated U.S. federal Income Tax Return of the Parent Consolidated Group for any taxable year that includes the

 

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Distribution, Parent shall determine in its sole discretion whether to elect ratable allocation under Treasury Regulation Section 1.1502-76. SpinCo shall, and shall cause each member of the SpinCo Group to, take all actions necessary to give effect to such election. SpinCo shall, and shall cause each member of the SpinCo Group to, prepare and submit at Parent’s request (but in no event later than ninety (90) days after such request), at SpinCo’s expense, all information that Parent shall reasonably request, in such form as Parent shall reasonably request, including any such information requested to enable Parent to prepare any Tax Return required to be filed by Parent pursuant to Section 2(a)(i) or Section 2(a)(iii). Parent shall make any such Tax Return and related workpapers available for review by SpinCo to the extent such Tax Return relates to Taxes for which SpinCo would reasonably be expected to be liable or with respect to which SpinCo would reasonably be expected to have a claim. If practicable, Parent shall make any such Tax Return available for review sufficiently in advance of the due date for filing such Tax Return to provide SpinCo an opportunity to analyze and comment on such return. Parent and SpinCo shall attempt in good faith to resolve any issues arising out of the review of any such Tax Return.

(ii) Except as required by applicable law or as a result of a Final Determination, neither Parent nor SpinCo shall (nor shall cause or permit any members of the Parent Group or SpinCo Group, respectively, to) take any position that is either inconsistent with the treatment of the Spin-Off Transactions as having Tax-Free Status (or analogous status under state, local or foreign law) or, with respect to a specific item of income, deduction, gain, loss, or credit on any Tax Return, treat such specific item in a manner which is inconsistent with the manner such specific item is reported on a Tax Return prepared or filed by Parent pursuant to Section 2(a) hereof (including, without limitation, the claiming of a deduction previously claimed on any such Tax Return).

(c) Section 336(e) Election. Parent and SpinCo agree that one or more protective elections under Section 336(e) of the Code and the Treasury Regulations promulgated thereunder and under any comparable provisions of state, local or foreign law (each, a “Section 336(e) Election”) may be made with respect to the Distribution and/or any Subsequent Distribution. SpinCo shall (and shall cause any relevant member of the SpinCo Group to) join with Parent and/or any relevant member of the Parent Group, as applicable, in the making of any such election and shall take any action reasonably requested by Parent or that is otherwise necessary to give effect to any such election (including making any other related election). If a Section 336(e) Election is made with respect to the Distribution and/or any Subsequent Distribution, then this Agreement shall be amended in such a manner as is determined by Parent in good faith to take into account such Section 336(e) Election(s).

3. Indemnity for Taxes.

(a) Indemnification by Parent. From and after the Distribution Date, except as otherwise provided in Section 3(b), Parent and each member of the Parent Group shall jointly and severally indemnify, defend and hold harmless SpinCo and each member of the SpinCo Group and each of their respective Representatives and Affiliates (and the heirs, executors, successors and assigns of any of them) from and against, without duplication, (i) all Spin-Off Tax Liabilities and Tax-Related Losses, (ii) all Tax Liabilities that any member of the Parent Group is responsible for pursuant to Section 2, and (iii) all Tax

 

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Liabilities incurred by any member of the Parent Group or SpinCo Group by reason of the breach by Parent or any member of the Parent Group of any of Parent’s representations or covenants hereunder or made in connection with the Private Letter Ruling, the Tax Opinion, or the KPMG Tax Opinion and, in each case, any related costs and expenses (including, without limitation, reasonable attorneys’ fees and expenses); provided, however, that neither Parent nor any member of the Parent Group shall have any obligation to indemnify, defend or hold harmless any Person pursuant to this Section 3(a) to the extent that such indemnification obligation is otherwise attributable to any breach by SpinCo or any member of the SpinCo Group of any of SpinCo’s representations or covenants hereunder (including any representations made in connection with the Private Letter Ruling or, Tax Opinion, or the KPMG Tax Opinion).

(b) Indemnification by SpinCo. From and after the Distribution Date, SpinCo and each member of the SpinCo Group shall jointly and severally indemnify, defend and hold harmless Parent and each member of the Parent Group and each of their respective Representatives and Affiliates (and the heirs, executors, successors and assigns of any of them) from and against, without duplication, (i) all Tax Liabilities (including, all SpinCo Tax Liabilities), Spin-Off Tax Liabilities and Tax-Related Losses that SpinCo or any member of the SpinCo Group is responsible for under Section 2 or Section 4 (including, without limitation, any Tax Liabilities, Spin-Off Tax Liabilities or Tax-Related Losses arising with respect to a Permitted Transaction for which SpinCo is liable pursuant to Section 4(e)(i)) and (ii) all Tax Liabilities, Spin-Off Tax Liabilities and Tax-Related Losses incurred by any member of the Parent Group or SpinCo Group by reason of the breach by SpinCo or any member of the SpinCo Group of any of SpinCo’s representations or covenants hereunder (including any representations made in connection with the Private Letter Ruling, the Tax Opinion, or the KPMG Tax Opinion (irrespective of whether Parent made the same representation on behalf of, or with respect to SpinCo)) and, in each case, any related costs and expenses (including, without limitation, reasonable attorneys’ fees and expenses).

(c) Timing of Indemnification. Any payment and indemnification made pursuant to this Section 3 shall be made by the Indemnifying Party promptly, but, in any event, no later than:

(i) in the case of an indemnification obligation with respect to any Tax Liabilities (including any SpinCo Tax Liabilities and any Spin-Off Tax Liabilities), the later of (A) five (5) Business Days after the Indemnified Party notifies the Indemnifying Party and (B) five (5) Business Days prior to the date the Indemnified Party is required to make a payment of Taxes, interest, or penalties to the applicable Tax Authority (including a payment with respect to an assessment of a Tax deficiency by any Taxing Jurisdiction or a payment made in settlement of an asserted Tax deficiency) or realizes a reduced Refund; and

(ii) in the case of any payment or indemnification of any Losses not otherwise described in clause (i) of this Section 3(c) (including, but not limited to, any Losses described in clause (b) or (c) of the definition of Tax-Related Losses, attorneys’ fees and expenses, and other indemnifiable Losses), the later of (A) five (5) Business Days after the Indemnified Party notifies the Indemnifying Party and (B) five (5) Business Days prior to the date the Indemnified Party makes a payment thereof.

 

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4. Distribution Related Matters.

(a) Representations.

(i) Private Letter Ruling and Tax Opinion Documents. SpinCo hereby represents and warrants that (A) it has examined the Private Letter Ruling Documents and the Tax Opinion Documents (including, without limitation, the representations to the extent that they relate to the plans, proposals, intentions, and policies of SpinCo, its Subsidiaries, the SpinCo Business, or the SpinCo Group) and (B) to the extent in reference to SpinCo, its Subsidiaries, the SpinCo Business, or the SpinCo Group, the facts presented and the representations made therein are true, correct and complete.

(ii) Tax-Free Status. SpinCo hereby represents and warrants that it has no plan or intention of taking any action, or failing to take any action or knows of any circumstance, that could reasonably be expected to (A) cause the Spin-Off Transactions not to have Tax-Free Status or (B) cause any representation or factual statement made in this Agreement, the Separation Agreement, the Private Letter Ruling Documents, the Tax Opinion Documents or any of the Ancillary Agreements to be untrue.

(b) Covenants.

(i) Actions Consistent with Representations and Covenants. Neither Parent nor SpinCo shall take any action or permit any member of the Parent Group or the SpinCo Group, respectively, to take any action, or shall fail to take any action or permit any member of the Parent Group or the SpinCo Group, respectively, to fail to take any action, where such action or failure to act would be inconsistent with or cause to be untrue any material information, covenant or representation in this Agreement, the Separation Agreement, the Private Letter Ruling Documents, the Tax Opinion Documents or any of the Ancillary Agreements.

(ii) Preservation of Tax-Free Status; SpinCo Business. SpinCo shall not (A) take any action (including, but not limited to, any cessation, transfer or disposition of all or any portion of any SpinCo Business, payment of extraordinary dividends and acquisitions or issuances of stock) or permit any member of the SpinCo Group to take any such action, and SpinCo shall not fail to take any such action or permit any member of the SpinCo Group to fail to take any such action, in each case, unless such action or failure to act could not reasonably be expected to cause the Spin-Off Transactions to fail to have Tax-Free Status or could not require Parent or SpinCo to reflect a liability or reserve for Taxes with respect to the Spin-Off Transactions in its financial statements, and (B) until the first day after the Restriction Period, engage in any transaction (including, without limitation, any cessation, transfer or disposition of all or any portion of any SpinCo Business) that could reasonably be expected to result in it or any member of the SpinCo Group ceasing to be a company engaged in any SpinCo Business.

(iii) Sales, Issuances and Redemptions of Equity Securities. Until the first day after the Restriction Period, none of SpinCo or any member of the SpinCo Group shall, or shall agree to, sell or otherwise issue to any Person, or redeem or otherwise acquire from any Person, any Equity Securities of SpinCo or any member of the SpinCo Group; provided, however, that (A) the adoption by SpinCo of a shareholder rights plan shall not constitute a sale

 

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or issuance of such Equity Securities, (B) SpinCo and the members of the SpinCo Group may repurchase such Equity Securities to the extent that such repurchases meet the requirements of Section 4.05(1)(b) of Revenue Procedure 96-30, (C) SpinCo may issue such Equity Securities to the extent such issuances satisfy Safe Harbor VIII (relating to acquisitions in connection with a person’s performance of services) of Treasury Regulation Section 1.355-7(d) or Safe Harbor IX (relating to acquisitions by a retirement plan of an employer) of Treasury Regulation Section 1.355-7(d), and (D) members of the SpinCo Group other than SpinCo may issue or sell Equity Securities to other members of the SpinCo Group, and may redeem or purchase Equity Securities from other members of the SpinCo group, in each case, to the extent not inconsistent with the Tax-Free Status of the Spin-Off Transactions.

(iv) Tender Offers; Other Business Combination Transactions. Until the first day after the Restriction Period, none of SpinCo or any member of the SpinCo Group shall (A) solicit any Person to make a tender offer for, or otherwise acquire or sell, the Equity Securities of SpinCo, (B) participate in or support any unsolicited tender offer for, or other acquisition, issuance or disposition of, the Equity Securities of SpinCo or (C) approve or otherwise permit any proposed business combination or any transaction which, in the case of clauses (A), (B) or (C), individually or in the aggregate, together with any transaction occurring within the four-year period beginning on the date which is two years before the Distribution Date and any other transaction which is part of a plan or series of related transactions (within the meaning of Section 355(e) of the Code) that includes the Distribution, could result in one or more Persons acquiring (except for acquisitions that otherwise satisfy Safe Harbor VIII of Treasury Regulation Section 1.355-7(d) (relating to acquisitions in connection with a person’s performance of services) or Safe Harbor IX of Treasury Regulation Section 1.355-7(d) (relating to acquisitions by a retirement plan of an employer)) directly or indirectly stock representing a 10% or greater interest, by vote or value, in SpinCo (or any successor thereto). In addition, none of SpinCo or any member of the SpinCo Group shall at any time, whether before or subsequent to the expiration of the Restriction Period, engage in any action described in clauses (A), (B), or (C) of the preceding sentence if it is pursuant to an arrangement negotiated (in whole or in part) prior to the first anniversary of the Distribution, even if at the time of the Distribution or thereafter such action is subject to various conditions.

(v) Dispositions of Assets. Until the first day after the Restriction Period, none of SpinCo or any member of the SpinCo Group shall sell, transfer, or otherwise dispose of or agree to sell, transfer or otherwise dispose of assets (including, for such purpose, any shares of capital stock of a Subsidiary and any transaction treated for tax purposes as a sale, transfer or disposition) that, in the aggregate, constitute more than 30% of the consolidated gross assets of SpinCo or the SpinCo Group. The foregoing sentence shall not apply to (A) sales, transfers, or dispositions of assets in the ordinary course of business, (B) any cash paid to acquire assets from an unrelated Person in an arm’s-length transaction, (C) any assets transferred to a Person that is disregarded as an entity separate from the transferor for U.S. federal Income Tax purposes or (D) any mandatory or optional repayment (or pre-payment) of any indebtedness of SpinCo or any member of the SpinCo Group. The percentages of gross assets or consolidated gross assets of SpinCo or the SpinCo Group, as the case may be, sold, transferred, or otherwise disposed of, shall be based on the fair market value of the gross assets of SpinCo and the members of the SpinCo Group as of the Distribution Date. For purposes of this Section 4(b)(v), a merger of SpinCo or one of its Subsidiaries with and into any Person shall constitute a disposition of all of the assets of SpinCo or such Subsidiary.

 

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(vi) Liquidations, Mergers, Reorganizations. Until the first day after the Restriction Period, neither SpinCo nor any of its Subsidiaries shall, or shall agree to, voluntarily dissolve or liquidate (including by converting into an entity that is treated as a “disregarded entity” or partnership for U.S. federal Income Tax purposes) or engage in any transaction involving a merger (except for a Cash Acquisition Merger), consolidation or other reorganization; provided, that, mergers of direct or indirect wholly-owned Subsidiaries of SpinCo solely with and into SpinCo or with other direct or indirect wholly-owned Subsidiaries of SpinCo, and liquidations of SpinCo’s subsidiaries are not subject to this Section 4(b)(vi) to the extent not inconsistent with the Tax-Free Status of the Spin-Off Transactions.

(vii) Spinco Securities. Neither SpinCo nor any of its Subsidiaries shall take any action with respect to the SpinCo Securities that might result in their failing to qualify as “securities” of SpinCo, within the meaning of Section 361 of the Code.

(c) Permitted Transactions.

Notwithstanding the restrictions otherwise imposed by Sections 4(b)(iii) through 4(b)(vi), during the Restriction Period, SpinCo may (i) issue, sell, redeem or otherwise acquire (or cause a member of the SpinCo Group to issue, sell, redeem or otherwise acquire) Equity Securities of SpinCo or any member of the SpinCo Group in a transaction that would otherwise breach the covenant set forth in Section 4(b)(iii), (ii) approve, participate in, support or otherwise permit a proposed business combination or transaction that would otherwise breach the covenant set forth in Section 4(b) (iv), (iii) sell or otherwise dispose of the assets of SpinCo or any member of the SpinCo Group in a transaction that would otherwise breach the covenant set forth in Section 4(b)(v), or (iv) merge SpinCo or any member of the SpinCo Group with another entity without regard to which party is the surviving entity in a transaction that would otherwise breach the covenant set forth in Section 4(b)(vi), if and only if such transaction would not violate Section 4(b)(i) or Section 4(b)(ii) and prior to entering into any agreement contemplating a transaction described in clauses (i), (ii), (iii) or (iv), and prior to consummating any such transaction, SpinCo shall request that Parent obtain a private letter ruling (or, if applicable, a supplemental private letter ruling) from the IRS and/or any other applicable Tax Authority in accordance with Section 4(d)(ii) of this Agreement to the effect that such transaction will not affect the Tax-Free Status of the Spin-Off Transactions and Parent shall have received such private letter ruling, in form and substance satisfactory to Parent in its sole and absolute discretion, exercised in good faith; provided, that to the extent (A) such private letter ruling cannot be obtained from the IRS under Rev. Proc. 2021-3, 2021-1 I.R.B. 140 (as amended from time to time) (or from any other applicable Tax Authority under any analogous procedure of such Tax Authority) or (B) Parent determines in its sole and absolute discretion not to seek to obtain such private letter ruling, in lieu of such private letter ruling (1) SpinCo shall obtain Parent’s written consent (which may be withheld at Parent’s sole discretion) or (2) SpinCo shall provide Parent with an Unqualified Tax Opinion, in form and substance satisfactory to Parent in its sole and absolute discretion, exercised in good faith (and in determining whether an opinion is satisfactory, Parent may consider, among other factors, the appropriateness of any underlying assumptions and management’s representations if used as a basis for the opinion).

 

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(d) Private Letter Rulings and Restrictions on SpinCo.

(i) Private Letter Ruling at Parent’s Request. Parent shall have the right to obtain a private letter ruling from the IRS and/or any other applicable Tax Authority (or, if applicable, a supplemental private letter ruling) in its sole discretion, exercised in good faith. If Parent determines to obtain any such private letter ruling, SpinCo shall (and shall cause each member of the SpinCo Group to) cooperate with Parent and take any and all actions reasonably requested by Parent in connection with obtaining such private letter ruling (including, without limitation, by making any representation or covenant or providing any materials or information requested by any Tax Authority; provided, that SpinCo shall not be required to make (or cause any member of the SpinCo Group to make) any representation or covenant that is inconsistent with historical facts or as to future matters or events over which it has no control). In connection with obtaining a private letter ruling pursuant to this Section 4(d)(i), (A) Parent shall, to the extent practicable, consult with SpinCo reasonably in advance of taking any material action in connection therewith; (B) Parent shall (1) reasonably in advance of the submission of any documents relating to such private letter ruling, provide SpinCo with a draft copy thereof, (2) reasonably consider SpinCo’s comments on such draft copy, and (3) provide SpinCo with a final copy; and (C) Parent shall provide SpinCo with notice reasonably in advance of, and SpinCo shall have the right to attend and participate in, any formally scheduled meetings with any Tax Authority (subject to the approval of the Tax Authority) that relate to such private letter ruling.

(ii) Private Letter Rulings at SpinCo’s Request. Parent agrees that at the reasonable request of SpinCo pursuant to Section 4(c), Parent shall (and shall cause each member of the Parent Group to) cooperate with SpinCo and use its reasonable best efforts to seek to obtain, as expeditiously as possible, a private letter ruling from the IRS and/or any other applicable Tax Authority (or, if applicable, a supplemental private letter ruling) for the purpose of confirming compliance on the part of SpinCo or any member of the SpinCo Group with its obligations under Section 4(b) of this Agreement; provided, however, that in no event shall Parent be required to file any request for a private letter ruling under this Section 4(d)(ii) unless SpinCo represents that (A) it has read the request for such private letter ruling and any materials, appendices and exhibits submitted or filed therewith, and (B) all information and representations, if any, relating to any member of the SpinCo Group, contained in the related private letter ruling documents are true, correct and complete in all material respects. SpinCo shall reimburse Parent for all reasonable costs and expenses incurred by the Parent Group in obtaining a private letter ruling requested by SpinCo within ten (10) Business Days after receiving an invoice from Parent therefor. SpinCo hereby agrees that Parent shall have sole and exclusive control over the process of obtaining any private letter ruling, and that only Parent shall apply for any private letter ruling. In connection with obtaining a private letter ruling pursuant to this Section 4(d)(ii), (A) Parent shall, to the extent practicable, consult with SpinCo reasonably in advance of taking any material action in connection therewith; (B) Parent shall (1) reasonably in advance of the submission of any related private letter ruling documents, provide SpinCo with a draft copy thereof, (2) reasonably consider SpinCo’s comments on such draft copy, and (3) provide SpinCo with a final copy; and (C) Parent shall provide SpinCo with notice reasonably in advance of, and SpinCo shall have the right to attend and participate in, any formally scheduled meetings with any Tax Authority (subject to the approval of the Tax Authority) that relate to such private letter ruling.

 

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(iii) Prohibition on SpinCo. SpinCo hereby agrees that, except to the extent permitted by Section 4(d)(ii), neither it nor any member of the SpinCo Group shall seek any guidance from the IRS or any other Tax Authority (whether written, verbal or otherwise) concerning the Spin-Off Transactions (or the impact of any transaction on the Spin-Off Transactions).

(e) Liability of SpinCo for Undertaking Certain Actions. Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, SpinCo and each member of the SpinCo Group shall be responsible for any and all Tax-Related Losses that are attributable to, or result from:

(i) any act or failure to act by SpinCo or any member of the SpinCo Group, which action or failure to act breaches any of the covenants described in Section 4(b)(i) through 4(b)(vi) of this Agreement (determined without regard to the exceptions or provisos set forth in such provisions or in Section 4(c), so that SpinCo and each member of the SpinCo Group shall be responsible for any and all Tax-Related Losses even if such Tax-Related Losses are attributable to or result from any act or failure to act pursuant to an exception or proviso described in Section 4(b)(i) through 4(b)(vi) or in Section 4(c)), expressly including, for this purpose, any Permitted Transaction and any act or failure to act that breaches Section 4(b)(i) or 4(b)(ii), regardless of whether such act or failure to act is permitted by Section 4(b)(iii) through 4(b)(vi);

(ii) any acquisition of Equity Securities of SpinCo or any member of the SpinCo Group by any Person or Persons (including, without limitation, as a result of an issuance of SpinCo Equity Securities or a merger of another entity with and into SpinCo or any member of the SpinCo Group) or any acquisition of assets of SpinCo or any member of the SpinCo Group (including, without limitation, as a result of a merger) by any Person or Persons; and

(iii) any breach by SpinCo or any member of the SpinCo Group of a representation or covenant made in this Agreement, the Separation Agreement, the Ancillary Agreements, any Private Letter Ruling Documents, or any Tax Opinion Documents.

(f) Cooperation.

(i) Without limiting the prohibition set forth in Section 4(d)(iii), until the first day after the Restriction Period, SpinCo shall furnish Parent with a copy of any private letter ruling request that any member of the SpinCo Group may file with the IRS or any other Tax Authority and any opinion received that in any respect relates to, or otherwise reasonably could be expected to have any effect on, the Tax-Free Status of the Spin-Off Transactions.

(ii) Parent shall reasonably cooperate with SpinCo in connection with any request by SpinCo for an Unqualified Tax Opinion pursuant to Section 4(c).

(iii) Until the first day after the Restriction Period, SpinCo will provide adequate advance notice to Parent in accordance with the terms of Section 4(f)(iv) of any action described in Sections 4(b)(i) through 4(b)(vi) within a period of time sufficient to enable Parent to seek injunctive relief pursuant to Section 4(g) in a court of competent jurisdiction.

 

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(iv) Each notice required by Section 4(f)(iii) shall set forth the terms and conditions of any such proposed transaction, including, without limitation, (A) the nature of any related action proposed to be taken by the board of directors of SpinCo, (B) the approximate number of Equity Securities (and their voting and economic rights) of SpinCo or any member of the SpinCo Group (if any) proposed to be sold or otherwise issued, (C) the approximate value of SpinCo’s assets (or assets of any member of the SpinCo Group) proposed to be transferred, and (D) the proposed timetable for such transaction, all with sufficient particularity to enable Parent to seek such injunctive relief. Promptly, but in any event within thirty (30) days, after Parent receives such written notice from SpinCo, Parent shall notify SpinCo in writing of Parent’s decision to seek injunctive relief pursuant to Section 4(g).

(v) From and after the Distribution Date until the first day after the Restriction Period, neither SpinCo nor any member of the SpinCo Group shall take (or refrain from taking) any action to the extent that such action or inaction would have caused a representation given by or with respect to SpinCo in connection with the Private Letter Ruling, the Tax Opinion, and/or the KPMG Tax Opinion to have been untrue as of the relevant representation date, had SpinCo or any member of the SpinCo Group intended to take (or refrain from taking) such action on the relevant representation date.

(g) Enforcement. The parties hereto acknowledge that irreparable harm would occur in the event that any of the provisions of this Section 4 were not performed in accordance with their specific terms or were otherwise breached. The parties hereto agree that, in order to preserve the Tax-Free Status of the Spin-Off Transactions, injunctive relief is appropriate to prevent any violation of the foregoing covenants; provided, however, that injunctive relief shall not be the exclusive legal or equitable remedy for any such violation.

5. Refunds. Parent shall be entitled to all Refunds in respect of Taxes paid with respect to any Tax Return for which Parent or any member of the Parent Group is responsible pursuant to Section 2, except to the extent such Refunds are solely attributable to SpinCo Tax Benefits. SpinCo shall be entitled to all Refunds in respect of Taxes paid with respect to any Tax Return for which SpinCo or any member of the SpinCo Group is responsible pursuant to Section 2 or which are solely attributable to SpinCo Tax Benefits. Notwithstanding the foregoing, in the event a party obtains a Refund of Taxes for which it was indemnified by another party, the indemnifying party shall be entitled to such Refund. For the absence of doubt, a party entitled to a Refund pursuant to this Section 5 shall also be entitled to (and the party receiving such Refund shall pay over to such other party) any interest thereon received from the applicable Tax Authority, or, in the case of any Combined Return, the amount of any interest thereon that would have been received from such Tax Authority had such Refund related to a hypothetical Tax Return that did not include the other party or any member of such other party’s group but with all other facts unchanged. A party receiving a Refund to which another party is entitled pursuant to this Section 5 shall pay the amount to which such other party is entitled (including interest in accordance with the preceding sentence) within fifteen (15) Business Days after such Refund is Actually Realized. Each of Parent and SpinCo shall cooperate with the other party in connection with any claim for Refund in respect of any Tax for which any member of the Parent Group or the SpinCo Group, as the case may be, is responsible pursuant to Section 2.

 

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6. Tax Contests.

(a) Notification. Each of Parent and SpinCo shall notify the other party in writing of any communication with respect to any pending or threatened Proceeding in connection with any Tax Liability (or any issue related thereto) of Parent or any member of the Parent Group, or SpinCo or any member of the SpinCo Group, respectively, for which a member of the SpinCo Group or the Parent Group, respectively, may be responsible pursuant to this Agreement within ten (10) Business Days of receipt; provided, however, that in the case of any Distribution-Related Proceeding (whether or not SpinCo or Parent may be responsible thereunder), such notice shall be provided no later than ten (10) Business Days after Parent or SpinCo, as the case may be, first receives written notice from the IRS or other Tax Authority of such Distribution-Related Proceeding. Each of Parent and SpinCo shall include with such notification a true, correct and complete copy of any written communication, and an accurate and complete written summary of any oral communication, received by Parent or a member of the Parent Group, or SpinCo or a member of the SpinCo Group, respectively. The failure of Parent or SpinCo timely to forward such notification in accordance with the immediately preceding sentence shall not relieve SpinCo or Parent, respectively, of any obligation to pay such Tax Liability or indemnify Parent and the members of the Parent Group, or SpinCo and the members of the SpinCo Group, respectively, and their respective Representatives, Affiliates, successors and assigns therefor, except to the extent that the failure timely to forward such notification actually prejudices the ability of SpinCo or Parent to contest such Tax Liability or increases the amount of such Tax Liability.

(b) Representation with Respect to Tax Disputes. Parent (or such member of the Parent Group as Parent shall designate) shall have the sole right to represent the interests of the members of the Parent Group and the members of the SpinCo Group and to employ counsel of its choice at its expense in any Proceeding (including any Distribution-Related Proceeding) relating to (i) any consolidated U.S. federal Income Tax Returns of the Parent Consolidated Group, (ii) any other Combined Returns and (iii) any Parent Separate Returns. SpinCo (or such member of the SpinCo Group as SpinCo shall designate) shall have the sole right to represent the interests of the members of the SpinCo Group and to employ counsel of its choice at its expense in any Proceeding relating to SpinCo Separate Returns.

(c) Power of Attorney. Each member of the SpinCo Group shall execute and deliver to Parent (or such member of the Parent Group as Parent shall designate) any power of attorney or other document requested by Parent (or such designee) in connection with any Proceeding described in the first sentence of Section 6(b).

(d) Distribution-Related Proceedings, Proceedings with Respect to SpinCo Tax Liabilities.

(i) In the event of any Distribution-Related Proceeding or Proceeding relating to a SpinCo Tax Liability as a result of which SpinCo could reasonably be expected to become liable for Tax or any Tax-Related Losses and with respect to which Parent has the right to represent the interests of the members of the Parent Group and/or the members of the SpinCo Group pursuant to Section 6(b) above, (A) Parent shall consult with SpinCo reasonably in advance of taking any significant action in connection with such Proceeding, (B) Parent shall consult with SpinCo and offer SpinCo a reasonable opportunity to comment before submitting any written materials prepared or furnished in connection with such Proceeding, (C) Parent shall

 

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defend such Proceeding diligently and in good faith as if it were the only party in interest in connection with such Proceeding, and (D) Parent shall provide SpinCo copies of any written materials relating to such Proceeding received from the relevant Tax Authority. Notwithstanding anything in the preceding sentence to the contrary, the final determination of the positions taken, including with respect to settlement or other disposition, in (i) any Distribution-Related Proceeding, or (ii) any other Proceeding relating to a SpinCo Tax Liability, which other Proceeding would not reasonably be expected to result in a liability for additional Taxes in an amount exceeding five (5) million dollars for a single Tax year, shall be made in the sole discretion of Parent and shall be final and not subject to the dispute resolution provisions of Section 9 (and Article VII of the Separation Agreement). With respect to any Proceeding relating to a SpinCo Tax Liability (other than any Distribution-Related Proceeding), which could reasonably be expected to result in a liability for additional Taxes in an amount exceeding five (5) million dollars for a single Tax year, SpinCo shall be entitled to participate in such Proceeding, and Parent shall not settle, compromise or abandon any such Proceeding without obtaining the prior written consent of SpinCo, which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld.

(ii) In the event of any Distribution-Related Proceeding with respect to any SpinCo Separate Return, (A) SpinCo shall consult with Parent reasonably in advance of taking any significant action in connection with such Proceeding, (B) SpinCo shall consult with Parent and offer Parent a reasonable opportunity to comment before submitting any written materials prepared or furnished in connection with such Proceeding, (C) SpinCo shall defend such Proceeding diligently and in good faith as if it were the only party in interest in connection with such Proceeding, (D) Parent shall be entitled to participate in such Proceeding and receive copies of any written materials relating to such Proceeding received from the relevant Tax Authority, and (E) SpinCo shall not settle, compromise or abandon any such Proceeding without obtaining the prior written consent of Parent, which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld.

7. Apportionment of Tax Attributes; Carrybacks.

(a) Apportionment of Tax Attributes.

(i) If the Parent Consolidated Group has a Tax Attribute, the portion, if any, of such Tax Attribute apportioned to SpinCo or any member of the SpinCo Consolidated Group and treated as a carryover to the first Post-Distribution Taxable Period of SpinCo (or such member) shall be determined by Parent in accordance with Treasury Regulation Sections 1.1502-21, 1.1502-21T, 1.1502-22, 1.1502-79 and, if applicable, 1.1502-79A.

(ii) No Tax Attribute with respect to consolidated U.S. federal Income Tax of the Parent Consolidated Group, other than those described in Section 7(a)(i), and no Tax Attribute with respect to consolidated, combined or unitary state, local, or foreign Income Tax, in each case, arising in respect of a Combined Return shall be apportioned to SpinCo or any member of the SpinCo Group, except as Parent (or such member of the Parent Group as Parent shall designate) determines is otherwise required under applicable law.

 

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(iii) Parent (or its designee) shall determine the portion, if any, of any Tax Attribute which must (absent a Final Determination to the contrary) be apportioned to SpinCo or any member of the SpinCo Group in accordance with this Section 7(a) and applicable law, and the amount of tax basis and earnings and profits to be apportioned to SpinCo or any member of the SpinCo Group in accordance with applicable law, and shall provide written notice of the calculation thereof to SpinCo as soon as practicable after the information necessary to make such calculation becomes available to Parent.

(iv) The written notice delivered by Parent pursuant to Section 7(a)(iii) shall be binding on all members of the SpinCo Group and shall not be subject to dispute resolution. Except as otherwise required by applicable law or pursuant to a Final Determination, SpinCo shall not take any position (whether on a Tax Return or otherwise) that is inconsistent with the information contained in the written notice delivered by Parent pursuant to Section 7(a)(iii).

(b) Carrybacks. Except to the extent otherwise consented to by Parent or prohibited by applicable law, SpinCo shall elect to relinquish, waive or otherwise forgo all Carrybacks. In the event that SpinCo (or the appropriate member of the SpinCo Group) is prohibited by applicable law to relinquish, waive or otherwise forgo a Carryback (or Parent consents to a Carryback), (i) Parent shall cooperate with SpinCo, at SpinCo’s expense, in seeking from the appropriate Tax Authority such Refund as reasonably would result from such Carryback, and (ii) SpinCo shall be entitled to any Income Tax Benefit Actually Realized by a member of the Parent Group (including any interest thereon received from such Tax Authority), to the extent that such Refund is directly attributable to such Carryback, within fifteen (15) Business Days after such Refund is Actually Realized; provided, however, that SpinCo shall indemnify and hold the members of the Parent Group harmless from and against any and all collateral Tax consequences resulting from or caused by any such Carryback, including (but not limited to) the loss or postponement of any benefit from the use of Tax attributes generated by a member of the Parent Group or an Affiliate thereof if (x) such Tax attributes expire unutilized, but would have been utilized but for such Carryback, or (y) the use of such Tax attributes is postponed to a later taxable period than the taxable period in which such Tax attributes would have been utilized but for such Carryback. If there is a Final Determination that results in any change to or adjustment of an Income Tax Benefit Actually Realized by a member of the Parent Group that is directly attributable to a Carryback, then Parent (or its designee) shall make a payment to SpinCo, or SpinCo shall make a payment to Parent (or its designee), as may be necessary to adjust the payments between SpinCo and Parent (or its designee) to reflect the payments that would have been made under this Section 7(b) had the adjusted amount of such Income Tax Benefit been taken into account in computing the payments due under this Section 7 (b).

8. Cooperation and Exchange of Information.

(a) Cooperation and Exchange of Information. Each of Parent and SpinCo, on behalf of itself and each member of the Parent Group and the SpinCo Group, respectively, agrees to provide the other party (or its designee) with such cooperation or information as such other party (or its designee) reasonably shall request in connection with the determination of any payment or any calculations described in this Agreement, the preparation or filing of any Tax Return or claim for Refund, or the conduct of any Proceeding. Such cooperation and information shall include, without limitation, upon reasonable notice (i) promptly forwarding copies of appropriate notices and forms or other communications (including, without limitation,

 

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information document requests, revenue agent’s reports and similar reports, notices of proposed adjustments and notices of deficiency) received from or sent to any Tax Authority or any other administrative, judicial or governmental authority, (ii) providing copies of all relevant Tax Returns, together with accompanying schedules and related workpapers, documents relating to rulings or other determinations by any Tax Authority, and such other records concerning the ownership and tax basis of property, or other relevant information, (iii) the provision of such additional information and explanations of documents and information provided under this Agreement (including statements, certificates, forms, returns and schedules delivered by either party) as shall be reasonably requested by Parent (or its designee) or SpinCo (or its designee), as the case may be, (iv) the execution of any document that may be necessary or reasonably helpful in connection with the filing of any Tax Return, a claim for a Refund, or in connection with any Proceeding, including such waivers, consents or powers of attorney as may be necessary for Parent or SpinCo, as the case may be, to exercise its rights under this Agreement, and (v) the use of Parent’s or SpinCo’s, as the case may be, reasonable efforts to obtain any documentation from a governmental authority or a third party that may be necessary or reasonably helpful in connection with any of the foregoing. It is expressly the intention of the parties to this Agreement to take all actions that shall be necessary to establish Parent as the sole agent for Tax purposes of each member of the SpinCo Group with respect to all Combined Returns. Upon reasonable notice, each of Parent and SpinCo shall make its, or shall cause the members of the Parent Group or the SpinCo Group, as applicable, to make their, employees and facilities available on a mutually convenient basis to provide explanation of any documents or information provided hereunder. Any information obtained under this Section 8 shall be kept confidential, except as otherwise reasonably may be necessary in connection with the filing of Tax Returns or claims for Refund or in conducting any Proceeding.

(b) Retention of Records. Each of Parent and SpinCo agrees to retain all Tax Returns, related schedules and workpapers, and all material records and other documents as required under Section 6001 of the Code and the Treasury Regulations promulgated thereunder (and any similar provision of state, local, or foreign law) existing on the date hereof or created in respect of (i) any taxable period that ends on or before or includes the Distribution Date or (ii) any taxable period that may be subject to a claim hereunder until the later of (A) the expiration of the statute of limitations (including extensions) for the taxable periods to which such Tax Returns and other documents relate and (B) the Final Determination of any payments that may be required in respect of such taxable periods under this Agreement. From and after the end of the period described in the preceding sentence of this Section 8(b), if a member of the Parent Group or the SpinCo Group wishes to dispose of any such records and documents, then Parent or SpinCo, as the case may be, shall provide written notice thereof to the other party and shall provide the other party the opportunity to take possession of any such records and documents within ninety (90) days after such notice is delivered; provided, however, that if such other party does not, within such 90-day period, confirm its intention to take possession of such records and documents, Parent or SpinCo, as the case may be, may destroy or otherwise dispose of such records and documents. Any notice of an intent to dispose given pursuant to this Section 8(b) shall include a list of the Tax Returns to be disposed of describing in reasonable detail each file, book, or other record accumulation being disposed. The notified Party shall have the opportunity, at its cost and expense, to copy or remove, within such 90-day period, all or any part of such Tax Return.

 

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(c) Remedies. Each of Parent and SpinCo hereby acknowledges and agrees that (i) the failure of any member of the Parent Group or the SpinCo Group, as the case may be, to comply with the provisions of this Section 8 may result in substantial harm to the Parent Group or the SpinCo Group, as the case may be, including the inability to determine or appropriately substantiate a Tax Liability (or a position in respect thereof) for which the Parent Group (or a member thereof) or the SpinCo Group (or a member thereof), as applicable, would be responsible under this Agreement or appropriately defend against an adjustment thereto by a Tax Authority, (ii) the remedies available to the Parent Group for the breach by a member of the SpinCo Group of its obligations under this Section 8 shall include (without limitation) the indemnification by SpinCo of the Parent Group for any Tax Liabilities incurred or any Tax Benefit lost or postponed by reason of such breach and the forfeiture by the SpinCo Group of any related rights to indemnification by Parent and (iii) the remedies available to the SpinCo Group for the breach by a member of the Parent Group of its obligations under this Section 8 shall include (without limitation) the indemnification by Parent of the SpinCo Group for any Tax Liabilities incurred or any Tax Benefit lost or postponed by reason of such breach and the forfeiture by the Parent Group of any related rights to indemnification by SpinCo.

(d) Reliance by Parent. If any member of the SpinCo Group supplies information to a member of the Parent Group in connection with a Tax Liability and an officer of a member of the Parent Group signs a statement or other document under penalties of perjury in reliance upon the accuracy of such information, then upon the written request of such member of the Parent Group identifying the information being so relied upon, the chief financial officer of SpinCo (or his or her designee) shall certify in writing that to his knowledge (based upon consultation with appropriate employees) the information so supplied is accurate and complete. SpinCo agrees to indemnify and hold harmless each member of the Parent Group and its directors, officers and employees from and against any fine, penalty, or other cost or expense of any kind attributable to a member of the SpinCo Group having supplied, pursuant to this Section 8, a member of the Parent Group with inaccurate or incomplete information in connection with a Tax Liability.

(e) Reliance by SpinCo. If any member of the Parent Group supplies information to a member of the SpinCo Group in connection with a Tax Liability and an officer of a member of the SpinCo Group signs a statement or other document under penalties of perjury in reliance upon the accuracy of such information, then upon the written request of such member of the SpinCo Group identifying the information being so relied upon, the chief financial officer of Parent (or his or her designee) shall certify in writing that to his knowledge (based upon consultation with appropriate employees) the information so supplied is accurate and complete. Parent agrees to indemnify and hold harmless each member of the SpinCo Group and its directors, officers and employees from and against any fine, penalty, or other cost or expense of any kind attributable to a member of the Parent Group having supplied, pursuant to this Section 8, a member of the SpinCo Group with inaccurate or incomplete information in connection with a Tax Liability.

9. Resolution of Disputes. The provisions of Article VII of the Separation Agreement (Dispute Resolution) shall apply to any dispute arising in connection with this Agreement; provided, however, that in the case of disputes arising under this Agreement, Parent and SpinCo shall jointly select the arbitrator, who shall be an attorney or accountant who is generally recognized in the tax community as a qualified and competent tax practitioner with experience in the tax area involved in the issue or issues to be resolved.

 

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10. Payments.

(a) Method of Payment. All payments required by this Agreement shall be made by (i) wire transfer to the appropriate bank account as may from time to time be designated by the parties for such purpose; provided, that on the date of such wire transfer, notice of the transfer is given to the recipient thereof in accordance with Section 11, or (ii) any other method agreed to by the parties. All payments due under this Agreement shall be deemed to be paid when available funds are actually received by the payee.

(b) Interest. Any payment required by this Agreement that is not made on or before the date required hereunder shall bear interest, from and after such date through the date of payment, at the Underpayment Rate.

(c) Characterization of Payments. For all Income Tax purposes, the parties hereto agree to treat, and to cause their respective Affiliates to treat, (i) any payment required by this Agreement or by the Separation Agreement, as either a contribution by Parent to SpinCo or a distribution by SpinCo to Parent, as the case may be, occurring immediately prior to the Distribution and (ii) any payment of interest or non-federal Income Taxes by or to a Tax Authority, as taxable or deductible, as the case may be, to the party entitled under this Agreement to retain such payment or required under this Agreement to make such payment, in either case, except as otherwise mandated by applicable law or a Final Determination; provided, that in the event it is determined (A) pursuant to applicable law that it is more likely than not, or (B) pursuant to a Final Determination, that any such treatment is not permissible (or that an Indemnified Party nevertheless suffers an Tax detriment as a result of such payment), the payment in question shall be adjusted to place the Indemnified Party in the same after-Tax position it would have enjoyed absent such applicable law or Final Determination.

11. Compensatory Equity Interests Treatment.

(a) Deductions(b) . To the extent permitted by law, (i) Parent (or the appropriate member of the Parent Group) shall claim all Income Tax deductions arising by reason of (x) exercises of Parent Option Awards held by any Parent Group Employee or Former Employee or SpinCo Group Employee to acquire Parent Shares, (y) payments made with respect to Parent RSU Awards or (z) payments made with respect to Parent Restricted Stock Awards and (ii) SpinCo (or the appropriate member of the SpinCo Group) shall claim all Income Tax deductions arising by reason of (x) exercises of SpinCo Option Awards held by any SpinCo Group Employee to acquire SpinCo Shares, (y) payments made with respect to SpinCo RSU Awards or (z) payments made with respect to SpinCo Restricted Stock Awards.

(b) Withholding. Upon the vesting, payment or settlement, as applicable, of SpinCo Awards, SpinCo shall be solely responsible for ensuring the satisfaction of all applicable Tax withholding requirements with respect to the SpinCo Awards. Upon the vesting, payment or settlement, as applicable, of Post-Separation Parent Awards, Parent shall be solely responsible for ensuring the satisfaction of all applicable Tax withholding requirements with respect to the Post-Separation Parent Awards.

 

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12. Notices. Notices, requests, permissions, waivers, and other communications hereunder shall be in writing and shall be deemed to have been duly given upon (a) a transmitter’s confirmation of a receipt of a facsimile transmission (but only if followed by confirmed delivery of a standard overnight courier the following Business Day or if delivered by hand the following Business Day), or (b) confirmed delivery of a standard overnight courier or delivered by hand, to the parties at the following addresses (or at such other addresses for a party as shall be specified by like notice):

 

If to Parent, to:

   Ziff Davis, Inc.
   700 South Flower Street, Suite 1500
   Los Angeles, California 90017
   Attention:       Legal Department
   Email:             legal@j2.com

If to SpinCo to:

   Consensus Cloud Solutions, Inc.
   700 South Flower Street, Suite 1500
   Los Angeles, California 90017
   Attention:       Legal Department
   E-mail:           Vithya.aubee@j2.com

Such names and addresses may be changed by notice given in accordance with this Section 12.

13. Designation of Affiliate. Each of Parent and SpinCo may assign any of its rights or obligations under this Agreement to any member of the Parent Group or the SpinCo Group, respectively, as it shall designate; provided, however, that no such assignment shall relieve Parent or SpinCo, respectively, of any obligation hereunder, including any obligation to make a payment hereunder to SpinCo or Parent, respectively, to the extent such designee fails to make such payment.

14. Miscellaneous. Except to the extent otherwise provided in this Agreement, this Agreement shall be subject to the provisions of Article XIV (Miscellaneous) of the Separation Agreement to the extent set forth therein.

 

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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, each of the parties has caused this Agreement to be executed on its behalf by its officers thereunto duly authorized, all as of the day and year first written above.

 

ZIFF DAVIS, INC.
By:  

/s/ Jeremy Rossen

Name:   Jeremy Rossen
Title:   Executive Vice President, Secretary and General Counsel
CONSENSUS CLOUD SOLUTIONS, INC.
By:  

/s/ Vithya Aubee

Name:   Vithya Aubee
Title:   Vice President

 

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Exhibit 10.3

EMPLOYEE MATTERS AGREEMENT

BY AND BETWEEN

ZIFF DAVIS, INC.

AND

CONSENSUS CLOUD SOLUTIONS, INC.

DATED AS OF OCTOBER 7, 2021

 


TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

     Page  

ARTICLE I DEFINITIONS

     2  

Section 1.01.

  Definitions      2  

Section 1.02.

  Interpretation      9  

ARTICLE II GENERAL PRINCIPLES FOR ALLOCATION OF LIABILITIES

     9  

Section 2.01.

  General Principles      9  

Section 2.02.

  Adoption and Transfer and Assumption of Benefit Plans      10  

Section 2.03.

  Individual Agreements      12  

Section 2.04.

  Reimbursement      12  

Section 2.05.

  Non-U.S. Issues      13  

ARTICLE III ASSIGNMENT OF EMPLOYEES

     13  

Section 3.01.

  Active Employees      13  

Section 3.02.

  Payroll and Related Taxes      14  

ARTICLE IV EQUITY, INCENTIVE AND EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION

     15  

Section 4.01.

  Generally      15  

Section 4.02.

  Equity Incentive Awards      15  

Section 4.03.

  Employee Stock Purchase Plan.      19  

Section 4.04.

  Nonequity Incentive Practices and Plans      20  

Section 4.05.

  Director Compensation      21  

ARTICLE V QUALIFIED RETIREMENT PLAN

     21  

Section 5.01.

  SpinCo 401(k) Plan      21  

ARTICLE VI WELFARE BENEFIT PLANS

     22  

Section 6.01.

  Welfare Plans      22  

Section 6.02.

  COBRA      24  

Section 6.03.

  Vacation, Holidays and Leaves of Absence      24  

Section 6.04.

  Workers’ Compensation      24  

Section 6.05.

  Insurance Contracts      24  

Section 6.06.

  Third-Party Vendors      25  

ARTICLE VII MISCELLANEOUS

     25  

Section 7.01.

  Preservation of Rights to Amend      25  

Section 7.02.

  Fiduciary Matters      25  

Section 7.03.

  Further Assurances.      25  

Section 7.04.

  Counterparts; Entire Agreement; Corporate Power      25  

Section 7.05.

  Governing Law      26  

Section 7.06.

  Assignability      26  

Section 7.07.

  Third-Party Beneficiaries      27  

Section 7.08.

  Notices      27  

Section 7.09.

  Severability      28  

Section 7.10.

  Force Majeure      28  

 

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Section 7.11.

  Headings      28  

Section 7.12.

  Survival of Covenants      28  

Section 7.13.

  Waivers of Default      28  

Section 7.14.

  Dispute Resolution      28  

Section 7.15.

  Specific Performance      28  

Section 7.16.

  Amendments      29  

Section 7.17.

  Interpretation      29  

Section 7.18.

  Limitations of Liability      29  

Section 7.19.

  Mutual Drafting      29  

 

Scheduled 2.02(a)

  Benefit Plans to be Replicated by SpinCo Group

Schedule 7.01(a)

  Parent Welfare Plans

 

 

ii


EMPLOYEE MATTERS AGREEMENT

This EMPLOYEE MATTERS AGREEMENT, dated as of October 7, 2021 (this “Agreement”), is by and between Ziff Davis, Inc., a Delaware corporation (“Parent”), and Consensus Cloud Solutions, Inc., a Delaware corporation (“SpinCo”).

R E C I T A L S:

WHEREAS, the board of directors of Parent (the “Parent Board”) has determined that it is in the best interests of Parent and its shareholders to create a new publicly traded company that shall operate the SpinCo Business;

WHEREAS, in furtherance of the foregoing, the Parent Board has determined that it is appropriate and desirable to separate the SpinCo Business from the Parent Business in the manner set forth in the Global Transaction Structure (the “Separation”) and, in connection with the Separation, make a distribution, on a pro rata basis, to holders of Parent Shares on the Record Date of at least eighty and one-tenth percent (80.1%) of the outstanding SpinCo Shares owned by Parent (the “Distribution”);

WHEREAS, SpinCo has been incorporated solely for these purposes and has not engaged in activities, except in connection with the Separation and the Distribution;

WHEREAS, in order to effectuate the Separation and Distribution, Parent and SpinCo have entered into a Separation and Distribution Agreement, dated as of the date hereof (the “Separation and Distribution Agreement”);

WHEREAS, pursuant to the terms of the Separation and Distribution Agreement, Parent will contribute all of the SpinCo Assets and all of the equity of J2 Cloud Services, LLC to SpinCo in exchange for SpinCo’s assumption of the SpinCo Liabilities, all of the SpinCo Shares, the SpinCo Cash Amount and the SpinCo Securities (the “Contribution”);

WHEREAS, following the Distribution, Parent may retain up to 19.9% of the outstanding SpinCo Shares (the “Retained Shares”) and intends to, within 12 months of the Distribution, distribute Retained Shares to Parent stockholders as dividends or in exchange for outstanding shares of Parent common stock (any such distribution, a “Subsequent Distribution”) or transfer such Retained Shares to Parent creditors in satisfaction of certain Parent debt (any such transfer, a “Debt-for-Equity Exchange”);

WHEREAS, following the Distribution, Parent shall transfer the SpinCo Securities to certain Persons (the “Debt-for-Debt Exchange Parties”) in exchange for certain debt obligations of Parent held by the Debt-for-Debt Exchange Parties as principals for their own account (the “Debt-for-Debt Exchange”);

WHEREAS, for U.S. federal income tax purposes, the Contribution, the Distribution, any Subsequent Distribution, the Debt-for-Debt Exchange, and any Debt-for-Equity Exchange, taken together, are intended to qualify as a transaction that is generally tax-free for U.S. federal income tax purposes under Sections 355, 368(a)(1)(D) and 361(c) of the Code, and this Agreement is intended to be, and is hereby adopted as, a “plan of reorganization” within the meaning of Treasury Regulations Section 1.368-2(g);

 

1


WHEREAS, SpinCo and Parent have prepared, and SpinCo has filed with the SEC, the Form 10, which includes the Information Statement, and which sets forth disclosures concerning SpinCo, the Separation and the Distribution;

WHEREAS, in addition to the matters addressed by the Separation and Distribution Agreement, the Parties desire to enter into this Agreement to set forth the terms and conditions of certain employment, compensation and benefit matters; and

WHEREAS, the Parties acknowledge that this Agreement, the Separation and Distribution Agreement and the other Ancillary Agreements represent the integrated agreement of Parent and SpinCo relating to the Separation and Distribution, are being entered into together and would not have been entered into independently.

NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the mutual agreements, provisions and covenants contained in this Agreement, and for other good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged, the Parties, intending to be legally bound, hereby agree as follows:

ARTICLE I

DEFINITIONS

Section 1.01. Definitions. For purposes of this Agreement (including the recitals hereof), the following terms have the following meanings, and capitalized terms used but not otherwise defined herein shall have the meaning ascribed to them in the Separation and Distribution Agreement.

Actions” shall have the meaning set forth in the Separation and Distribution Agreement.

Affiliate” shall have the meaning set forth in the Separation and Distribution Agreement.

Agreement” shall have the meaning set forth in the Preamble to this Agreement and shall include all Schedules hereto and all amendments, modifications, and changes hereto entered into pursuant to Section 7.16.

Assets” shall have the meaning set forth in the Separation and Distribution Agreement.

Benefit Plan” shall mean any contract, agreement, policy, practice, program, plan, trust, commitment or arrangement providing for benefits, perquisites or compensation of any nature from an employer to any Employee, or to any family member, dependent, or beneficiary of any such Employee, including cash or deferred arrangement plans, profit sharing plans, post-employment programs, pension plans, thrift plans, supplemental pension plans, welfare plans, stock option, stock purchase, stock appreciation rights, restricted stock, restricted stock units, performance stock units, other equity-based compensation and contracts, agreements, policies, practices, programs, plans, trusts, commitments and arrangements providing for terms of

 

2


employment, fringe benefits, severance benefits, change in control protections or benefits, travel and accident, life, accidental death and dismemberment, disability and accident insurance, tuition reimbursement, adoption assistance, travel reimbursement, vacation, sick, personal or bereavement days, leaves of absences and holidays; provided, however, that the term “Benefit Plan” does not include any government-sponsored benefits, such as workers’ compensation, unemployment or any similar plans, programs or policies or Individual Agreements.

COBRA” shall mean the U.S. Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1985, as codified at Section 601 et seq. of ERISA and at Section 4980B of the Code.

Code” shall have the meaning set forth in the Separation and Distribution Agreement.

Contribution” shall have the meaning set forth in the Recitals.

Debt-for-Debt Exchange” shall have the meaning set forth in the Recitals.

Debt-for-Debt Exchange Parties” shall have the meaning set forth in the Recitals.

Debt-for-Equity Exchange” shall have the meaning set forth in the Recitals.

Distribution” shall have the meaning set forth in the Recitals.

Distribution Date” shall have the meaning set forth in the Separation and Distribution Agreement.

Distribution Ratio” shall have the meaning set forth in the Separation and Distribution Agreement.

Effective Time” shall have the meaning set forth in the Separation and Distribution Agreement.

Employee” shall mean any Parent Group Employee or SpinCo Group Employee.

ERISA” shall mean the U.S. Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended, and the regulations promulgated thereunder.

Exchange Act” shall mean the U.S. Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, together with the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder.

FICA” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 3.02.

Force Majeure” shall have the meaning set forth in the Separation and Distribution Agreement.

Former Employees” shall mean Former Parent Group Employees and Former SpinCo Group Employees.

 

3


Former Parent Group Employee” shall mean any individual who is a former employee of the Parent Group as of the Effective Time and who is not a Former SpinCo Group Employee.

Former SpinCo Group Employee” shall mean any individual who is a former employee of Parent or any of its Subsidiaries or former Subsidiaries as of the Effective Time, in each case, whose most recent employment with Parent was with a member of the SpinCo Group or was primarily engaged in the SpinCo Business.

FUTA” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 3.02.

Global Transaction Structure” shall have the meaning set forth in the Separation and Distribution Agreement.

Governmental Authority” shall have the meaning set forth in the Separation and Distribution Agreement.

Group” shall mean either the SpinCo Group or the Parent Group, as the context requires.

HIPAA” shall mean the U.S. Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996, as amended, and the regulations promulgated thereunder.

Individual Agreement” shall mean any individual (a) employment contract, (b) retention, severance or change in control agreement, or (c) other agreement containing restrictive covenants (including confidentiality, noncompetition and nonsolicitation provisions) between a member of the Parent Group and a SpinCo Group Employee or any Former SpinCo Group Employee, as in effect immediately prior to the Effective Time.

IRS” shall mean the U.S. Internal Revenue Service.

Law” shall have the meaning set forth in the Separation and Distribution Agreement.

Liabilities” shall have the meaning set forth in the Separation and Distribution Agreement.

Nasdaq” shall mean the Nasdaq Global Select Market operated by Nasdaq, Inc.

Option Exercise Price Ratio” shall mean, with respect to a Parent Option Award, the quotient obtained by dividing (i) the per share exercise price of such Parent Option immediately prior to the Effective Time, by (ii) the Pre-Separation Parent Stock Value.

Parent” shall have the meaning set forth in the Preamble.

Parent 401(k) Plan” shall mean the Ziff Davis, Inc. Retirement Savings Plan, as in effect or as it may be amended from time to time.

 

4


Parent Awards” shall mean Parent Option Awards, Parent RSU Awards, and Parent Restricted Stock Awards, collectively.

Parent Benefit Plan” shall mean any Benefit Plan established, sponsored or maintained by Parent or any of its Subsidiaries immediately prior to the Effective Time, but excluding any SpinCo Benefit Plan.

Parent Board” shall have the meaning set forth in the Recitals.

Parent Business” shall have the meaning set forth in the Separation and Distribution Agreement.

Parent Change in Control” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 4.02(d)(i).

Parent Compensation Committee” shall mean the Compensation Committee of the Parent Board.

Parent ESPP” has the meaning specified in Section 4.03(a).

Parent Group” shall have the meaning set forth in the Separation and Distribution Agreement.

Parent Group Employees” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 3.01(a)(ii).

Parent Liabilities” shall have the meaning set forth in the Separation and Distribution Agreement.

Parent Non-Equity Incentive Practices” shall mean the corporate nonequity incentive practices of the Parent Group.

Parent Omnibus Plan” shall mean each of the J2 Global, Inc. 2007 Stock Option Plan and the J2 Global, Inc. 2015 Stock Option Plan, as in effect from time to time.

Parent Option Award” shall mean an award of options to purchase Parent Shares granted pursuant to a Parent Omnibus Plan that is outstanding as of immediately prior to the Effective Time.

Parent Ratio” shall mean the quotient obtained by dividing (a) the Pre-Separation Parent Stock Value by (b) the Post-Separation Parent Stock Value.

Parent Restricted Stock Award” shall mean an award of restricted Parent Shares, including any time-based restricted shares or performance restricted shares, granted pursuant to a Parent Omnibus Plan, which is outstanding as of immediately prior to the Effective Time.

Parent RSU Award” shall mean an award of restricted stock units, including any time-based restricted stock unit or performance restricted stock unit, granted pursuant to a Parent Omnibus Plan, which is outstanding as of immediately prior to the Effective Time.

 

5


Parent Shares” shall have the meaning set forth in the Separation and Distribution Agreement.

Parent Welfare Plan” shall mean any Parent Benefit Plan which is a Welfare Plan.

Parties” shall mean the parties to this Agreement.

Person” shall have the meaning set forth in the Separation and Distribution Agreement.

Post-Separation Parent Awards” shall mean Post-Separation Parent Option Awards, Post-Separation Parent RSU Awards, and Post-Separation Restricted Stock Awards, collectively.

Post-Separation Parent Option Award” shall mean a Parent Option Award, as adjusted as of the Effective Time in accordance with Section 4.02(a).

Post-Separation Parent Restricted Stock Award” shall mean a Parent Restricted Stock Award, as adjusted as of the Effective Time in accordance with Section 4.02(c).

Post-Separation Parent RSU Award” shall mean a Parent RSU Award, as adjusted as of the Effective Time in accordance with Section 4.02(b).

Post-Separation Parent Stock Value” shall mean the average of the VWAP of Parent Shares for the 30 regular trading days commencing with the Distribution Date.

Pre-Separation Parent Stock Value” shall mean the shall mean the average of the VWAP of Parent Shares for the 30 regular trading days ending on the day before the Distribution Date.

QDRO” shall mean a qualified domestic relations order within the meaning of Section 206(d) of ERISA and Section 414(p) of the Code.

Record Date” shall have the meaning set forth in the Separation and Distribution Agreement.

Retained Shares” shall have the meaning set forth in the Recitals.

Securities Act” shall mean the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended, together with the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder.

Separation” shall have the meaning set forth in the Recitals.

Separation and Distribution Agreement” shall have the meaning set forth in the Recitals.

SpinCo” shall have the meaning set forth in the Preamble.

SpinCo 401(k) Plan” shall mean the SpinCo 401(k) Savings Plan, to be adopted by SpinCo prior to or on the Distribution Date as described in Section 5.01.

 

6


SpinCo 401(k) Trust” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 5.01(a).

SpinCo Assets” shall have the meaning set forth in the Separation and Distribution Agreement.

SpinCo Awards” shall mean SpinCo Option Awards, SpinCo RSU Awards and SpinCo Restricted Stock Awards, collectively.

SpinCo Benefit Plan” shall mean any Benefit Plan established, sponsored, maintained or contributed to by a member of the SpinCo Group as of or after the Effective Time.

SpinCo Board” shall mean the Board of Directors of SpinCo.

SpinCo Business” shall have the meaning set forth in the Separation and Distribution Agreement.

SpinCo Cash Amount” shall have the meaning set forth in the Separation and Distribution Agreement.

SpinCo Change in Control” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 4.02(d)(i).

SpinCo Designees” shall have the meaning set forth in the Separation and Distribution Agreement.

SpinCo ESPP” has the meaning specified in Section 4.03(a).

SpinCo Flex Plan” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 6.01(c).

SpinCo Group” shall have the meaning set forth in the Separation and Distribution Agreement.

SpinCo Group Employees” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 3.01(a).

SpinCo Liabilities” shall have the meaning set forth in the Separation and Distribution Agreement.

SpinCo Non-Equity Incentive Practices” shall mean the corporate nonequity incentive practices, as established by SpinCo as of the Effective Time pursuant to Section 2.02(a) and Section 4.04(a).

SpinCo Omnibus Plan” shall mean the SpinCo 2021 Stock Option Plan, as established by SpinCo as of the Effective Time pursuant to Section 2.02(a) and Section 4.01.

SpinCo Option Award” shall mean an award of stock options assumed and granted by SpinCo pursuant to the SpinCo Omnibus Plan in accordance with Section 4.02(a).

SpinCo Ratio” shall mean the quotient obtained by dividing (a) the Pre-Separation Parent Stock Value by (b) the SpinCo Stock Value.

 

7


SpinCo Restricted Stock Award” shall mean an award of restricted SpinCo Shares, including any time-based restricted shares or performance restricted shares, assumed and granted pursuant to the SpinCo Omnibus Plan in accordance with Section 4.02(c).

SpinCo RSU Award” shall mean an award of restricted stock units (including any performance restricted stock units) assumed and granted pursuant to the SpinCo Omnibus Plan in accordance with Section 4.02(b).

SpinCo Securities” shall have the meaning set forth in the Separation and Distribution Agreement.

SpinCo Shares” shall have the meaning set forth in the Separation and Distribution Agreement.

SpinCo Stock Value” shall mean the average of the VWAP of SpinCo Shares for the 30 regular trading days commencing with the Distribution Date.

SpinCo Welfare Plan” shall mean a Welfare Plan established, sponsored, maintained or contributed to by any member of the SpinCo Group for the benefit of SpinCo Group Employees and Former SpinCo Group Employees.

Subsequent Distribution” shall have the meaning set forth in the Recitals.

Subsidiary” shall have the meaning set forth in the Separation and Distribution Agreement.

Tax” shall have the meaning set forth in the Tax Matters Agreement.

Third-Party Claim” shall have the meaning set forth in the Separation and Distribution Agreement.

Transferred Account Balances” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 6.01(c).

Transferred Director” shall mean each SpinCo nonemployee director as of the Effective Time who served on the Parent Board immediately prior to the Effective Time.

Transition Services Agreement” shall have the meaning set forth in the Separation and Distribution Agreement.

U.S.” shall mean the United States of America.

VWAP” means the volume weighted average price of the applicable stock on the Nasdaq over a specified period of time.

Welfare Plan” shall mean any “welfare plan” (as defined in Section 3(1) of ERISA) or a “cafeteria plan” under Section 125 of the Code, and any benefits offered thereunder, and any other plan offering health benefits (including medical, prescription drug, dental, vision, mental health, substance abuse and retiree health), disability benefits, or life, accidental death and dismemberment, and business travel insurance, pre-Tax premium conversion benefits, dependent care assistance programs, employee assistance programs, paid time-off programs, contribution funding toward a health savings account, flexible spending accounts or severance.

 

8


Section 1.02. Interpretation. Section 10.13 of the Separation and Distribution Agreement is hereby incorporated by reference.

ARTICLE II

GENERAL PRINCIPLES FOR ALLOCATION OF LIABILITIES

Section 2.01. General Principles.

(a) Acceptance and Assumption of SpinCo Liabilities. Except as otherwise provided by this Agreement, on or prior to the Effective Time, but in any case prior to the Distribution, SpinCo and the applicable SpinCo Designees shall accept, assume and agree faithfully to perform, discharge and fulfill all of the following Liabilities in accordance with their respective terms (each of which shall be considered a SpinCo Liability), regardless of when or where such Liabilities arose or arise, or whether the facts on which they are based occurred prior to, at or subsequent to the Effective Time, regardless of where or against whom such Liabilities are asserted or determined (including any Liabilities arising out of claims made by Parent’s or SpinCo’s respective directors, officers, Employees, Former Employees, agents, Subsidiaries or Affiliates against any member of the Parent Group or the SpinCo Group) or whether asserted or determined prior to the date hereof, and regardless of whether arising from or alleged to arise from negligence, recklessness, violation of Law, fraud or misrepresentation by any member of the Parent Group or the SpinCo Group, or any of their respective directors, officers, Employees, Former Employees, agents, Subsidiaries or Affiliates:

(i) any and all wages, salaries, incentive compensation, equity compensation, commissions, bonuses and any other employee compensation or benefits payable to or on behalf of any SpinCo Group Employees and Former SpinCo Group Employees after the Effective Time, without regard to when such wages, salaries, incentive compensation, equity compensation, commissions, bonuses or other employee compensation or benefits are or may have been awarded or earned;

(ii) any and all Liabilities whatsoever with respect to claims under a SpinCo Benefit Plan, taking into account the SpinCo Benefit Plan’s assumption of Liabilities with respect to SpinCo Group Employees and Former SpinCo Group Employees that were originally the Liabilities of the corresponding Parent Benefit Plan with respect to periods prior to the Effective Time; and

(iii) any and all Liabilities expressly assumed or retained by any member of the SpinCo Group pursuant to this Agreement.

(b) Acceptance and Assumption of Parent Liabilities. Except as otherwise provided by this Agreement, on or prior to the Effective Time, but in any case prior to the Distribution, Parent and certain members of the Parent Group designated by Parent shall accept, assume and agree faithfully to perform, discharge and fulfill all of the following Liabilities in accordance with their respective terms (each of which shall be considered a Parent Liability),

 

9


regardless of when or where such Liabilities arose or arise, or whether the facts on which they are based occurred prior to, at or subsequent to the Effective Time, regardless of where or against whom such Liabilities are asserted or determined (including any Liabilities arising out of claims made by Parent’s or SpinCo’s respective directors, officers, Employees, Former Employees, agents, Subsidiaries or Affiliates against any member of the Parent Group or the SpinCo Group) or whether asserted or determined prior to the date hereof, and regardless of whether arising from or alleged to arise from negligence, recklessness, violation of Law, fraud or misrepresentation by any member of the Parent Group or the SpinCo Group, or any of their respective directors, officers, Employees, Former Employees, agents, Subsidiaries or Affiliates:

(i) any and all wages, salaries, incentive compensation, equity compensation, commissions, bonuses and any other employee compensation or benefits payable to or on behalf of any Parent Group Employees and Former Parent Group Employees after the Effective Time, without regard to when such wages, salaries, incentive compensation, equity compensation, commissions, bonuses or other employee compensation or benefits are or may have been awarded or earned;

(ii) any and all Liabilities whatsoever with respect to claims under a Parent Benefit Plan, taking into account a corresponding SpinCo Benefit Plan’s assumption of Liabilities with respect to SpinCo Group Employees and Former SpinCo Group Employees that were originally the Liabilities of such Parent Benefit Plan with respect to periods prior to the Effective Time; and

(iii) any and all Liabilities expressly assumed or retained by any member of the Parent Group pursuant to this Agreement.

(c) Unaddressed Liabilities. To the extent that this Agreement does not address particular Liabilities under any Benefit Plan and the Parties later determine that they should be allocated in connection with the Distribution, the Parties shall agree in good faith on the allocation, taking into account the handling of comparable Liabilities under this Agreement.

Section 2.02. Adoption and Transfer and Assumption of Benefit Plans.

(a) Adoption by SpinCo of Benefit Plans. As of no later than the Effective Time, SpinCo shall adopt Benefit Plans (and related trusts, if applicable) as contemplated and in accordance with the terms of this Agreement, which Benefit Plans are generally intended to contain terms substantially similar in all material respects to those of the corresponding Parent Benefit Plans as in effect immediately prior to the Effective Time, as listed on Schedule 2.02(a) to this Agreement, with such changes, modifications or amendments to the SpinCo Benefit Plans as may be required by applicable Law or to reflect the Separation and Distribution, including limiting participation in any such SpinCo Benefit Plan to SpinCo Group Employees and Former SpinCo Group Employees who participated in the corresponding Benefit Plan immediately prior to the Effective Time.

 

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(b) Plans Not Required to Be Adopted. With respect to any Benefit Plan not listed or otherwise addressed in this Agreement, the Parties shall agree in good faith on the treatment of such plan taking into account the handling of any comparable plan under this Agreement and, notwithstanding that SpinCo shall not have an obligation to continue to maintain any such plan with respect to the provision of future benefits from and after the Effective Time, SpinCo shall remain obligated to pay or provide any previously accrued or incurred benefits to the SpinCo Group Employees and Former SpinCo Group Employees consistent with Section 2.01(a) of this Agreement.

(c) Information, Elections and Beneficiary Designations. Each Party shall use its commercially reasonable efforts to provide the other Party with information describing each Benefit Plan election made by an Employee or Former Employee that may have application to such Party’s Benefit Plans from and after the Effective Time, and each Party shall use its commercially reasonable efforts to administer its Benefit Plans using those elections, including any beneficiary designations. To the extent transferred, any beneficiary designation made by a SpinCo Group Employee or Former SpinCo Group Employee under a corresponding Parent Benefit Plan shall be transferred to and be in full force and effect under the corresponding SpinCo Benefit Plan until such beneficiary designation is replaced or revoked by the SpinCo Employee or Former SpinCo Employee who made the beneficiary designation. Each Party shall, upon reasonable request, use its commercially reasonable efforts to provide the other Party and the other Party’s respective Affiliates, agents, and vendors all information reasonably necessary to the other Party’s operation or administration of its Benefit Plans.

(d) Service Credit and Other Factors Determining Benefits. As of the Effective Time, the SpinCo Benefit Plans shall provide for each SpinCo Group Employee who is employed immediately following the Effective Time by a member of the SpinCo Group and each Former SpinCo Group Employee that all service, all compensation and other factors affecting benefit determinations that, as of the Distribution Date, were recognized under the corresponding Parent Benefit Plan shall receive full recognition and credit and shall be taken into account under such SpinCo Benefit Plan to the same extent as though arising under such SpinCo Benefit Plan, except as duplication of benefits would result.

(e) No Duplication or Acceleration of Benefits. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Agreement, the Separation and Distribution Agreement or any Ancillary Agreement, no participant in any Benefit Plan shall receive service credit or benefits or recognition of compensation or other factors to the extent that receipt of such service credit or benefits or recognition of compensation or other factors would result in duplication of benefits provided to such participant by the corresponding Benefit Plan or any other plan, program or arrangement sponsored or maintained by a member of the Group that sponsors the corresponding Benefit Plan. Furthermore, unless expressly provided for in this Agreement, the Separation and Distribution Agreement or in any Ancillary Agreement or required by applicable Law, no provision in this Agreement shall be construed to (i) create any right to accelerate vesting distributions or entitlements under any Benefit Plan sponsored or maintained by a member of the Parent Group or member of the SpinCo Group on the part of any Employee or Former Employee or (ii) limit the ability of a member of the Parent Group or SpinCo Group to amend, merge, modify eliminate, reduce or otherwise alter in any respect any benefit under any Benefit Plan sponsored or maintained by a member of the Parent Group or SpinCo Group, respectively, or any trust, insurance policy or funding vehicle related thereto.

 

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(f) Transition Services. The Parties acknowledge that the Parent Group or the SpinCo Group may provide administrative services for certain of the other Party’s compensation and benefit programs for a transitional period under the terms of the Transition Services Agreement. The Parties agree to enter into a business associate agreement (if required by HIPAA or other applicable health information privacy Laws) in connection with such Transition Services Agreement.

(g) Beneficiaries. References to Parent Group Employees, Former Parent Group Employees, SpinCo Group Employees, Former SpinCo Group Employees, and current and former nonemployee directors of either Parent or SpinCo, shall be deemed to refer to their beneficiaries, dependents, survivors and alternate payees, as applicable.

Section 2.03. Individual Agreements.

(a) Assignment by Parent. To the extent necessary, Parent shall assign, or cause an applicable member of the Parent Group to assign, to SpinCo or another member of the SpinCo Group, as designated by SpinCo, all Individual Agreements, with such assignment to be effective as of no later than the Effective Time; provided, however, that to the extent that assignment of any such Individual Agreement is not permitted by the terms of such agreement or by applicable Law, effective as of the Effective Time, each member of the SpinCo Group shall be considered to be a successor to each member of the Parent Group for purposes of, and a third-party beneficiary with respect to, such Individual Agreement, such that each member of the SpinCo Group shall enjoy all of the rights and benefits under such agreement (including rights and benefits as a third-party beneficiary), with respect to the business operations of the SpinCo Group; provided, further, that in no event shall Parent be permitted to enforce any Individual Agreement (including any agreement containing noncompetition or nonsolicitation covenants) against a SpinCo Group Employee or Former SpinCo Group Employee for action taken in such individual’s capacity as a SpinCo Group Employee or Former SpinCo Group Employee other than on behalf of SpinCo Group as requested by SpinCo Group in its capacity as a third-party beneficiary.

(b) Assumption by SpinCo. Effective as of the Effective Time, SpinCo shall assume and honor any individual agreement to which any SpinCo Group Employee or Former SpinCo Group Employee is a party with any member of the Parent Group, including any Individual Agreement.

Section 2.04. Reimbursement.

(a) By SpinCo. From time to time after the completion of the Separation, SpinCo shall promptly reimburse Parent for the cost of any obligations or Liabilities that Parent elects to, or is compelled to, pay or otherwise satisfy, that are or that pursuant to this Agreement have become, the responsibility of the SpinCo Group. Parent shall invoice SpinCo after the end of each fiscal month for all such costs (if any) in such fiscal month. SpinCo shall pay any amounts due by SpinCo hereunder in immediately available funds within thirty (30) days of SpinCo’s receipt of each invoice therefor. Any amount not paid within thirty (30) days after the date when payable shall bear interest at the Applicable Rate (as defined in the Transition Services Agreement) from the date such amount is due. SpinCo shall not deduct, set off,

 

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counterclaim or otherwise withhold any amount owed by it to Parent (on account of any obligation owed by the Parent Group, whether or not such obligation has been finally adjudicated, settled or otherwise agreed upon in writing) against the amounts payable pursuant to this Agreement; provided that in the event SpinCo dispute any amount on an invoice, SpinCo shall notify Parent in writing within twenty (20) days after SpinCo’s receipt of such invoice and shall describe in detail the reason for disputing such amount, provide any documents or other materials supporting its dispute, and will be entitled to withhold only the amount in dispute during the pendency of the dispute. SpinCo shall cause the timely payment of the undisputed portion of each invoice in the manner set forth in this Agreement and shall be subject to late charges at the Applicable Rate and any other costs incurred by Parent pursuant to this Section 2.04(a) on any amount that is unsuccessfully disputed.

(b) By Parent. From time to time after the completion of the Separation, Parent shall promptly reimburse SpinCo for the cost of any obligations or Liabilities that SpinCo elects to, or is compelled to, pay or otherwise satisfy, that are or that pursuant to this Agreement have become, the responsibility of the Parent Group. SpinCo shall invoice Parent after the end of each fiscal month for all such costs (if any) in such fiscal month. Parent shall pay any amounts due by Parent hereunder in immediately available funds within thirty (30) days of Parent’s receipt of each invoice therefor. Any amount not paid within thirty (30) days after the date when payable shall bear interest at the Applicable Rate from the date such amount is due. Parent shall not deduct, set off, counterclaim or otherwise withhold any amount owed by it to SpinCo (on account of any obligation owed by the SpinCo Group, whether or not such obligation has been finally adjudicated, settled or otherwise agreed upon in writing) against the amounts payable pursuant to this Agreement; provided that in the event Parent disputes any amount on an invoice, Parent shall notify SpinCo in writing within twenty (20) days after Parent’s receipt of such invoice and shall describe in detail the reason for disputing such amount, provide any documents or other materials supporting its dispute, and will be entitled to withhold only the amount in dispute during the pendency of the dispute. Parent shall cause the timely payment of the undisputed portion of each invoice in the manner set forth in this Agreement and shall be subject to late charges at the Applicable Rate and any other costs incurred by SpinCo and controlled pursuant to this Section 2.04(b) on any amount that is unsuccessfully disputed.

Section 2.05. Non-U.S. Issues. To the extent that any matter described herein relates to jurisdictions other than the United States, the principles described in this Agreement shall be applied to the maximum extent possible, but shall modified by reasonable agreement of the Parties to the extent required to comply with applicable law.

ARTICLE III

ASSIGNMENT OF EMPLOYEES

Section 3.01. Active Employees.

(a) Assignment and Transfer of Employees. Effective as of no later than the Effective Time and except as otherwise agreed to by the Parties, (i) the applicable member of the Parent Group shall have taken such actions as are necessary to ensure that each individual who is intended to be an employee of the SpinCo Group as of immediately after the Effective Time (including any such individual who is not actively working as of the Effective Time as a result of

 

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an illness, injury or leave of absence approved by the Parent Human Resources department or otherwise taken in accordance with applicable Law) (collectively, the “SpinCo Group Employees”) is employed by a member of the SpinCo Group as of immediately after the Effective Time, and (ii) the applicable member of the Parent Group shall have taken such actions as are necessary to ensure that each individual who is intended to be an employee of the Parent Group as of immediately after the Effective Time (including any such individual who is not actively working as of the Effective Time as a result of an illness, injury or leave of absence approved by the Parent Human Resources department or otherwise taken in accordance with applicable Law) and any other individual employed by the Parent Group as of the Effective Time who is not a SpinCo Group Employee (collectively, the “Parent Group Employees”) is employed by a member of the Parent Group as of immediately after the Effective Time. Each of the Parties agrees to execute, and to seek to have the applicable Employees execute, such documentation, if any, as may be necessary to reflect such assignment and/or transfer.

(b) At-Will Status. Nothing in this Agreement shall create any obligation on the part of any member of the Parent Group or any member of the SpinCo Group to (i) continue the employment of any Employee or permit the return from a leave of absence for any period after the date of this Agreement (except as required by applicable Law) or (ii) change the employment status of any Employee from “at-will,” to the extent that such Employee is an “at-will” employee under applicable Law. Except as provided in this Agreement, this Agreement shall not limit the ability of the Parent Group or the SpinCo Group to change the position, compensation or benefits of any Employees for performance related, business or any other reason.

(c) Severance. The Parties acknowledge and agree that the Separation, Distribution and the assignment, transfer or continuation of the employment of Employees as contemplated by this Section 3.01 shall not be deemed an involuntary termination of employment entitling any SpinCo Group Employee or Parent Group Employee to severance payments or benefits and that the Parties shall reasonably cooperate to avoid any statutory severance or similar obligations.

(d) Not a Change in Control. The Parties acknowledge and agree that neither the consummation of the Separation, Distribution nor any transaction contemplated by this Agreement, the Separation and Distribution Agreement or any other Ancillary Agreement shall be deemed a “change in control,” “change of control,” or term of similar import for purposes of any Benefit Plan sponsored or maintained by any member of the Parent Group or member of the SpinCo Group and except as provided in this Agreement or as otherwise required by applicable law or Individual Agreement, no provision of this Agreement shall be construed to accelerate any vesting or create an right or entitlement to any compensation or benefits on the part of any Employee.

Section 3.02. Payroll and Related Taxes. Except as otherwise provided in the Transition Services Agreement, with respect to the SpinCo Group Employees transferred to the SpinCo Group during the tax year ending on and including the Separation, SpinCo will be responsible for all payroll obligations, tax withholding and reporting obligations regarding, all such SpinCo Group Employees, and furnish a Form W-2 or similar earning statement to, all such SpinCo Group Employees for the entire year. Except as otherwise provided in the Transition Services

 

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Agreement, with respect to each affected SpinCo Group Employee, Parent and SpinCo shall, and shall cause their respective Affiliates to (to the extent practicable and to the extent permitted by applicable Law) (x) treat SpinCo (or the applicable member of the SpinCo Group) as a “successor employer” and treat Parent (or the applicable member of the Parent Group) as a “predecessor” within the meaning of Sections 3121(a)(1) and 3306(b)(1) of the Code, to the extent appropriate, for purposes of taxes imposed under the United States Federal Insurance Contributions Act, as amended (“FICA”), or the United States Federal Unemployment Tax Act, as amended (“FUTA”), and (y) file tax returns, exchange wage payment information and report wage payments made by the respective predecessor and successor employer on the same IRS Forms W-2 or similar earnings statements to each such SpinCo Group Employee for the tax year in which the Separation occurs, in a manner provided under the “alternative procedure” in Revenue Procedure 2004-53.

ARTICLE IV

EQUITY, INCENTIVE AND EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION

Section 4.01. Generally. Each Parent Award granted that is outstanding as of immediately prior to the Effective Time shall be adjusted as described below; provided, however, effective immediately prior to the Effective Time, the Parent Compensation Committee may provide for different adjustments with respect to some or all Parent Awards to the extent that the Parent Compensation Committee deems such adjustments necessary and appropriate. Any adjustments made by the Parent Compensation Committee pursuant to the foregoing sentence shall be deemed incorporated by reference herein as if fully set forth below and shall be binding on the Parties and their respective Affiliates. Before the Effective Time, the SpinCo Omnibus Plan shall be established, with such terms as are necessary to permit the implementation of the provisions of Section 4.02.

Section 4.02. Equity Incentive Awards.

(a) Option Awards. Each Parent Option Award that is outstanding immediately prior to the Effective Time shall be converted as of the Effective Time into either a Post-Separation Parent Option Award or a SpinCo Option Award as described below:

(i) Each Parent Option Award held by a Parent Group Employee and Former Employee shall be converted as of the Effective Time, through an adjustment thereto, into a Post-Separation Parent Option Award and shall, except as otherwise provided in this Section 4.02(a), be subject to the same terms and conditions (including with respect to vesting and expiration) after the Effective Time as applicable to such Parent Option Award immediately prior to the Effective Time. From and after the Effective Time:

(A) the number of Parent Shares subject to such Post-Separation Parent Option Award, rounded down to the nearest whole share, shall be equal to the product obtained by multiplying (1) the number of Parent Shares subject to the corresponding Parent Option Award immediately prior to the Effective Time, by (2) the Parent Ratio; and

 

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(B) the per share exercise price of such Post-Separation Parent Option Award, rounded up to the nearest cent, shall be equal to the product obtained by multiplying (1) the Post-Separation Parent Stock Value, by (2) the Option Exercise Price Ratio.

(ii) Each Parent Option Award held by a SpinCo Group Employee shall be converted as of the Effective Time into a SpinCo Option Award outstanding under the SpinCo Omnibus Plan and shall, except as otherwise provided in this Section 4.02(a), be subject to the same terms and conditions (including with respect to vesting and expiration) after the Effective Time as applicable to such Parent Option Award immediately prior to the Effective Time. From and after the Effective Time:

(A) the number of SpinCo Shares subject to such SpinCo Option Award, rounded down to the nearest whole share, shall be equal to the product obtained by multiplying (1) the number of Parent Shares subject to the corresponding Parent Option Award immediately prior to the Effective Time, by (2) the SpinCo Ratio; and

(B) the per share exercise price of such SpinCo Option Award, rounded up to the nearest cent, shall be equal to the product obtained by multiplying (1) the SpinCo Stock Value, by (2) the Option Exercise Price Ratio of the corresponding Parent Option Award.

Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Section 4.02(a), the exercise price, the number of Parent Shares and SpinCo Shares subject to each Post-Separation Parent Option Award and SpinCo Option Award, and the terms and conditions of exercise of such options, shall be determined in a manner consistent with the requirements of Section 409A of the Code; provided, further, that, in the case of any Parent Option Award to which Section 421 of the Code applies by reason of its qualification under Section 422 of the Code as of immediately prior to the Effective Time, the exercise price, the number of Parent Shares and SpinCo Shares subject to such option award, and the terms and conditions of exercise of such option award shall be determined in a manner consistent with the requirements of Section 424(a) of the Code.

(b) RSU Awards. Each Parent RSU Award that is outstanding as of immediately prior to the Effective Time shall be treated as follows:

(i) If the holder is not a SpinCo Group Employee, such award shall be converted, as of the Effective Time, into a Post-Separation Parent RSU Award, and shall, except as otherwise provided in this Section 4.02, be subject to the same terms and conditions (including with respect to vesting and expiration) after the Effective Time as were applicable to such Parent RSU Award immediately prior to the Effective Time; provided, however, that from and after the Effective Time, the number of Parent Shares subject to such Post-Separation Parent RSU Award shall be equal to the product, rounded down to the nearest whole share, obtained by multiplying (A) the number of Parent Shares subject to the corresponding Parent RSU Award immediately prior to the Effective Time by (B) the Parent Ratio. If the Parent RSU Award is subject to performance vesting conditions, the performance goals shall be appropriately adjusted by the Parent Board or a committee thereof; provided that if the performance goals were achieved prior to the Effective Time, the earned Post-Separation RSU Award shall vest solely on the basis of time at the time(s) specified in the applicable award agreement.

 

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(ii) If the holder is a SpinCo Group Employee, such award shall be converted, as of the Effective Time, into a SpinCo RSU Award, and shall, except as otherwise provided in this Section 4.02, be subject to the same terms and conditions (including with respect to vesting and expiration) after the Effective Time as were applicable to such Parent RSU Award immediately prior to the Effective Time; provided, however, that from and after the Effective Time, the number of SpinCo Shares subject to such SpinCo RSU Award shall be equal to the product, rounded down to the nearest whole share, obtained by multiplying (A) the number of Parent Shares subject to the corresponding Parent RSU Award immediately prior to the Effective Time by (B) the SpinCo Ratio. If the Parent RSU Award is subject to performance vesting conditions, the performance goals applicable to the converted SpinCo RSU Award shall be appropriately adjusted by the SpinCo Board or a committee thereof; provided that if the performance goals were achieved prior to the Effective Time, the earned SpinCo RSU Award shall vest solely on the basis of time at the time(s) specified in the applicable award agreement.

(c) Restricted Stock. Each Parent Restricted Stock Award that is outstanding as of immediately prior to the Effective Time shall be treated as follows:

(i) If the holder is not a SpinCo Group Employee, such award shall be converted, as of the Effective Time, into a Post-Separation Parent Restricted Stock Award, and shall, except as otherwise provided in this Section 4.02, be subject to the same terms and conditions (including with respect to vesting and expiration) after the Effective Time as were applicable to such Parent Restricted Stock Award immediately prior to the Effective Time; provided, however, that from and after the Effective Time, the number of Parent Shares subject to such Post-Separation Parent Restricted Stock Award shall be equal to the product, rounded down to the nearest whole share, obtained by multiplying (A) the number of Parent Shares subject to the corresponding Parent Restricted Stock Award immediately prior to the Effective Time by (B) the Parent Ratio. If the Parent Restricted Stock Award is subject to performance vesting conditions, the performance goals shall be appropriately adjusted by the Parent Board or a committee thereof, provided that if the performance goals were achieved prior to the Effective Time, the earned Post-Separation Restricted Stock Award shall vest solely on the basis of time at the time(s) specified in the applicable award agreement.

(ii) If the holder is a SpinCo Group Employee, such award shall be converted, as of the Effective Time, into a SpinCo Restricted Stock Award, and shall, except as otherwise provided in this Section 4.02, be subject to the same terms and conditions (including with respect to vesting and expiration) after the Effective Time as were applicable to such Parent Restricted Stock Award immediately prior to the Effective Time; provided, however, that from and after the Effective Time, the number of SpinCo Shares subject to such SpinCo Restricted Stock Award shall be equal to the product, rounded down to the nearest whole share, obtained by multiplying (A) the number of Parent Shares subject to the corresponding Parent Restricted Stock Award immediately

 

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prior to the Effective Time by (B) the SpinCo Ratio. If the Parent Restricted Stock Award is subject to performance vesting conditions, the performance goals applicable to the converted SpinCo Restricted Stock Award shall be appropriately adjusted by the SpinCo Board or a committee thereof; provided that if the performance goals were achieved prior to the Effective Time, the earned SpinCo Restricted Stock Award shall vest solely on the basis of time at the time(s) specified in the applicable award agreement.

(d) Miscellaneous Award Terms.

(i) With respect to Post-Separation Parent Awards and SpinCo Awards, (A) employment with or service to the Parent Group shall be treated as employment with or service to SpinCo with respect to SpinCo Awards held by a Parent Group Employee who is employed by a member of the Parent Group immediately following the Effective Time immediately following the Effective Time, and (B) employment with or service to the SpinCo Group shall be treated as employment with or service to Parent with respect to Post-Separation Parent Awards held by SpinCo Group Employees who is employed by a member of the SpinCo Group immediately following the Effective Time. In addition, none of the Separation, the Distribution or any employment transfer described in Section 3.01(a) shall constitute a termination of employment for any Employee for purposes of any Post-Separation Parent Award or any SpinCo Award. After the Effective Time, for any award adjusted under this Section 4.02, any reference to a “change in control,” “change of control” or similar definition in an award agreement, employment agreement or Parent Omnibus Plan applicable to such award (x) with respect to Post-Separation Parent Awards, shall be deemed to refer to a “change in control,” “change of control” or similar definition as set forth in the applicable award agreement, employment agreement or Parent Omnibus Plan (a “Parent Change in Control”), and (y) with respect to SpinCo Awards, shall be deemed to refer to a “Change in Control” as defined in the SpinCo Omnibus Plan (a “SpinCo Change in Control”). Without limiting the foregoing, with respect to provisions related to vesting of awards, a Parent Change in Control shall be treated as a SpinCo Change in Control for purposes of SpinCo Awards held by Parent Group Employees, Former Employees (to the extent applicable) and Parent nonemployee directors, and a SpinCo Change in Control shall be treated as a Parent Change in Control for purposes of Post-Separation Parent Awards held by SpinCo Group Employees and Transferred Directors.

(ii) Any determination in respect of a Post-Separation Parent RSU Award and SpinCo RSU Award which in either case was adjusted from a Parent RSU Award, in each case, granted to the holder pursuant to the Parent Omnibus Plan or the SpinCo Omnibus Plan, as applicable, and this Section 4.02, shall be made by the Compensation Committee of the Board of Directors of the Party to which the holder provides services immediately after the Effective Time (Parent or SpinCo, as applicable); provided that any such determination shall apply uniformly to both the applicable Post-Separation Parent Award and the corresponding SpinCo RSU Award held by such holder.

 

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(e) Settlement; Tax Reporting and Withholding.

(i) Except as otherwise provided in this Section 4.02(e), after the Effective Time, Post-Separation Parent Awards, regardless of by whom held, shall be settled by Parent, and SpinCo Awards, regardless of by whom held, shall be settled by SpinCo.

(ii) Upon the vesting, payment or settlement, as applicable, of SpinCo Awards, SpinCo shall be solely responsible for ensuring the satisfaction of all applicable Tax withholding requirements with respect to the SpinCo Awards. Upon the vesting, payment or settlement, as applicable, of Post-Separation Parent Awards, Parent shall be solely responsible for ensuring the satisfaction of all applicable Tax withholding requirements with respect to the Post-Separation Parent Awards.

(f) Cooperation. Each of the Parties shall establish an appropriate administration system to administer, in an orderly manner, (i) exercises of vested Post-Separation Parent Options and SpinCo Options, (ii) the vesting and forfeiture of unvested Post-Separation Parent Awards and SpinCo Awards, and (iii) the withholding and reporting requirements with respect to all awards. Each of the Parties shall work together to unify and consolidate all indicative data and payroll and employment information on regular timetables and make certain that each applicable Person’s data and records in respect of such awards are correct and updated on a timely basis. The foregoing shall include employment status and information required for vesting and forfeiture of awards and Tax withholding/remittance, compliance with trading windows and compliance with the requirements of the Exchange Act and other applicable Laws.

(g) Registration and Other Regulatory Requirements. SpinCo agrees to file the appropriate registration statements with respect to, and to cause to be registered pursuant to the Securities Act, the SpinCo Shares authorized for issuance under the SpinCo Omnibus Plan, as required pursuant to the Securities Act, not later than the Effective Time and in any event before the date of issuance of any SpinCo Shares pursuant to the SpinCo Omnibus Plan. The Parties shall take such additional actions as are deemed necessary or advisable to effectuate the foregoing provisions of this Section 4.02(g), including to the extent applicable, compliance with securities Laws and other legal requirements associated with equity compensation awards in affected non-U.S. jurisdictions.

Section 4.03. Employee Stock Purchase Plan.

(a) Effective as of the Distribution Date, SpinCo shall establish an employee stock purchase plan (the “SpinCo ESPP”) that will provide benefits that are similar to those provided under the Parent 2001 Employee Stock Purchase Plan (the “Parent ESPP”) immediately before the Distribution Date.

(b) Effective as of the Distribution Date, Parent shall amend the Parent ESPP to provide that any amounts contributed by SpinCo Group Employees to the Parent ESPP shall be transferred to SpinCo and shall be applied to the purchase of SpinCo Shares under the SpinCo ESPP. The rights to purchase Parent Shares, which have been earned under the Parent ESPP shall be converted, in accordance with the procedures described in Section 4.02(a)(ii) and applicable law, into rights to purchase SpinCo Shares under the SpinCo ESPP effective as of the Distribution Date with respect to a number of SpinCo Shares and at a price determined on the same basis as under Section 4.02(a)(ii). The initial “purchase period” under the SpinCo ESPP will end on the same date that such period is scheduled to end under the Parent ESPP. Additional purchase periods under the SpinCo ESPP will be subject to the terms and conditions determined by SpinCo in its sole discretion.

 

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Section 4.04. Nonequity Incentive Practices and Plans

(a) Corporate Bonus Practices.

(i) The SpinCo Group shall be responsible for determining all bonus awards that would otherwise be payable under the SpinCo Non-Equity Incentive Practices to SpinCo Group Employees or Former SpinCo Group Employees for any performance periods that are open when the Effective Time occurs. The SpinCo Group shall also determine for SpinCo Group Employees or Former SpinCo Group Employees (A) the extent to which established performance criteria (as interpreted by the SpinCo Group, in its sole discretion) have been met, and (B) the payment level for each SpinCo Group Employee or Former SpinCo Group Employee. The SpinCo Group shall assume all Liabilities with respect to any such bonus awards payable to SpinCo Group Employees or Former SpinCo Group Employees for any performance periods that are open when the Effective Time occurs and thereafter, and no member of the Parent Group shall have any obligations with respect thereto except as provided in the Separation and Distribution Agreement.

(ii) The Parent Group shall be responsible for determining all bonus awards that would otherwise be payable under the Parent Non-Equity Incentive Practices to Parent Group Employees or Former Parent Group Employees for any performance periods that are open when the Effective Time occurs. The Parent Group shall also determine for Parent Group Employees or Former Parent Group Employees (A) the extent to which established performance criteria (as interpreted by the Parent Group, in its sole discretion) have been met, and (B) the payment level for each Parent Group Employee or Former Parent Group Employee. The Parent Group shall retain (or assume as necessary) all Liabilities with respect to any such bonus awards payable to Parent Group Employees or Former Parent Group Employees for any performance periods that are open when the Effective Time occurs and thereafter, and no member of the SpinCo Group shall have any obligations with respect thereto.

(b) Parent Retained Bonus Plans. No later than the Effective Time, the Parent Group shall continue to retain (or assume as necessary) any incentive plan for the exclusive benefit of Parent Group Employees and Former Parent Group Employees, whether or not sponsored by the Parent Group, and, from and after the Effective Time, shall be solely responsible for all Liabilities thereunder.

(c) SpinCo Retained Bonus Plans. No later than the Effective Time, the SpinCo Group shall continue to retain (or assume as necessary) any incentive plan for the exclusive benefit of SpinCo Group Employees and Former SpinCo Group Employees, whether or not sponsored by the SpinCo Group, and, from and after the Effective Time, shall be solely responsible for all Liabilities thereunder.

 

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Section 4.05. Director Compensation. Parent shall be responsible for the payment of any fees for service on the Parent Board that are payable at, before, or after the Effective Time, and SpinCo shall not have any responsibility for any such payments. With respect to any SpinCo nonemployee director, SpinCo shall be responsible for the payment of any fees for service on the SpinCo Board that are payable at any time after the Effective Time and Parent shall not have any responsibility for any such payments.

ARTICLE V

QUALIFIED RETIREMENT PLAN

Section 5.01. SpinCo 401(k) Plan.

(a) Establishment of Plan. Effective on or before the Distribution Date, the SpinCo Board shall adopt and establish the SpinCo 401(k) Plan and a related trust (the “SpinCo 401(k) Trust”), which shall be intended to meet the tax qualification requirements of Section 401(a) of the Code, the tax exemption requirement of Section 501(a) of the Code, and the requirements described in Sections 401(k) and (m) of the Code and which through December 31, 2021 shall have substantially the similar terms in all material respects as of immediately prior to the Distribution Date as the Parent 401(k) Plan. Notwithstanding the foregoing, SpinCo may make such changes, modifications or amendments to the SpinCo 401(k) Plan as may be required by applicable Law or as are necessary and appropriate to reflect the Separation or which result from vendor limitations. Before the Distribution Date, SpinCo shall provide Parent with (i) a copy of the SpinCo 401(k) Plan, SpinCo 401(k) Trust and favorable opinion regarding the tax-qualified status of the form of the SpinCo 401(k) Plan and (ii) a copy of certified resolutions of the SpinCo Board (or its authorized committee or other delegate) evidencing adoption of the SpinCo 401(k) Plan and SpinCo 401(k) Trust and the assumption by the SpinCo 401(k) Plan of the Liabilities described in Sections 5.01(b) and (c).

(b) Transfer of Account Balances. No later than thirty (30) days following the Effective Time (or such other times as mutually agreed to by the parties), Parent shall cause the trustee of the Parent 401(k) Plan to transfer from the trust which forms a part of the Parent 401(k) Plan to the SpinCo 401(k) Trust, the account balances of SpinCo Group Employees and Former SpinCo Group Employees under the Parent 401(k) Plan, determined as of the date of the transfer. Unless otherwise agreed by the parties, such transfers shall be made in kind, including promissory notes evidencing the transfer of outstanding loans. Any Asset and Liability transfers pursuant to this Section 5.01 shall comply in all respects with Sections 414(l) and 411(d)(6) of the Code and if required, shall be made not less than thirty (30) days after Parent shall have filed the notice under Section 6058(b) of the Code. The parties agree that to the extent that any Assets are not transferred in kind, the assets transferred will be mapped into an appropriate investment vehicle.

(c) Transfer of Liabilities. Effective as of the Effective Time but subject to the Asset transfer specified in Section 5.01(b) above, the SpinCo 401(k) Plan shall assume and be solely responsible for all the Liabilities for or relating to SpinCo Group Employees or Former SpinCo Group Employees under the Parent 401(k) Plan. SpinCo shall be responsible for all ongoing rights of or relating to SpinCo Group Employees for future participation (including the right to make payroll deductions) in the SpinCo 401(k) Plan.

 

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(d) SpinCo 401(k) Plan Provisions. The SpinCo 401(k) Plan shall provide that:

(i) SpinCo Group Employees and Former SpinCo Group Employees shall be eligible to participate in the SpinCo 401(k) Plan as of the Effective Time to the extent that they were eligible to participate in the Parent 401(k) Plan as of immediately prior to the Effective Time;

(ii) the account balance of each SpinCo Group Employee and Former SpinCo Group Employees under the Parent 401(k) Plan as of the date of the transfer of Assets from the Parent 401(k) Plan (including any outstanding promissory notes relating to outstanding loans) shall be credited to such individual’s account under the SpinCo 401(k) Plan; and

(iii) the SpinCo 401(k) Plan shall assume and honor the terms of all QDROs in effect under the Parent 401(k) Plan in respect of SpinCo Group Employees and Former SpinCo Group Employees immediately prior to the Effective Time.

(iv) Plan Fiduciaries. For all periods at and after the Effective Time, the parties agree that the applicable fiduciaries of each of the Parent 401(k) Plan and the SpinCo 401(k) Plan, respectively, shall have the authority with respect to the Parent 401(k) Plan and the SpinCo 401(k) Plan, respectively, to determine the investment alternatives, the terms and conditions with respect to those investment alternatives and such other matters as are within the scope of their duties under ERISA and the terms of the applicable plan documents.

(e) No Distributions. No SpinCo Group Employee shall be entitled to a right to a distribution of his or her benefit under the Parent 401(k) Plan as a result of his or her transfer of employment from the Parent Group to the SpinCo Group nor as a result of the completion of the Separation.

ARTICLE VI

WELFARE BENEFIT PLANS

Section 6.01. Welfare Plans.

(a) Establishment of SpinCo Welfare Plans. Except as otherwise provided in this Article VII, as of the Effective Time, SpinCo shall establish the SpinCo Welfare Plans pursuant to Section 2.02(a) that generally correspond to the Parent Welfare Plans in which such SpinCo Group Employees participate immediately prior to the Effective Time. Through December 31, 2018, the SpinCo Welfare Plans shall have terms substantially similar in all material respects to those of the corresponding Parent Welfare Plans listed on Schedule 7.01(a), and in all cases, with such changes, modifications or amendments as may be required by applicable Law or as are necessary and appropriate to reflect the Separation. In addition, SpinCo or members of the SpinCo Group shall retain the right to modify, amend, alter or terminate the terms of any SpinCo Welfare Plan to the same extent that the Parent Group had such rights under the corresponding Parent Welfare Plan.

 

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(b) Waiver of Conditions; Benefit Maximums. To the extent commercially available, SpinCo shall use commercially reasonable efforts to cause the SpinCo Welfare Plans to:

(i) with respect to initial enrollment as of the Effective Time, waive (x) all limitations as to preexisting conditions, exclusions, and service conditions with respect to participation and coverage requirements applicable to any SpinCo Group Employee or Former SpinCo Group Employee, other than limitations that were in effect with respect to the SpinCo Group Employee or Former SpinCo Group Employee under the applicable Parent Welfare Plan as of immediately prior to the Effective Time, and (y) any waiting period limitation or evidence of insurability requirement applicable to a SpinCo Group Employee or Former SpinCo Group Employee other than limitations or requirements that were in effect with respect to such SpinCo Group Employee or Former SpinCo Group Employee under the applicable Parent Welfare Plans as of immediately prior to the Effective Time; and

(ii) take into account (x) with respect to aggregate annual, lifetime, or similar maximum benefits available under the SpinCo Welfare Plans, a SpinCo Group Employee’s or Former SpinCo Group Employee’s prior claim experience under the Parent Welfare Plans and any Benefit Plan that provides leave benefits; and (y) any eligible expenses incurred by a SpinCo Group Employee or Former SpinCo Group Employee and his or her covered dependents during the portion of the plan year of the applicable Parent Welfare Plan ending as of the Effective Time to be taken into account under such SpinCo Welfare Plan for purposes of satisfying all deductible, coinsurance, and maximum out-of-pocket requirements applicable to such SpinCo Group Employee or Former SpinCo Group Employee and his or her covered dependents for the applicable plan year to the same extent as such expenses were taken into account by Parent for similar purposes prior to the Effective Time as if such amounts had been paid in accordance with such SpinCo Welfare Plan.

(c) Flexible Spending Accounts. As of no later than the Effective Time, SpinCo shall establish SpinCo Welfare Plans that shall provide health or dependent care flexible spending account benefits to SpinCo Group Employees on and after the Effective Time (collectively, the “SpinCo Flex Plan”). The Parties shall use commercially reasonable efforts to ensure that as of the Effective Time any health and dependent care flexible spending accounts of SpinCo Group Employees (whether positive or negative) (the “Transferred Account Balances”) under Parent Welfare Plans are transferred as soon as practicable after the Effective Time, from the Parent Welfare Plans to the SpinCo Flex Plan. Such SpinCo Flex Plan shall assume responsibility as of the Effective Time for all outstanding health or dependent care claims under the corresponding Parent Welfare Plans of each SpinCo Group Employee for the year in which the Effective Time occurs and shall assume and agree to perform the obligations of the corresponding Parent Welfare Plans from and after the Effective Time.

 

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(d) Allocation of Welfare Plan Assets and Liabilities. Effective as of the Effective Time, the Parent Group shall retain or assume, as applicable, and be responsible for all assets (including any insurance contracts, policies or other funding vehicles) and Liabilities relating to, arising out of or resulting from health and welfare coverage or claims incurred by or on behalf of Parent Group Employees or Former Parent Group Employees under the Parent Welfare Plans or SpinCo Welfare Plans before, at, or after the Effective Time, and the SpinCo Group shall retain or assume, as applicable, and be responsible for all assets (including any insurance contracts, policies or other funding vehicles) and Liabilities relating to, arising out of or resulting from health and welfare coverage or claims incurred by or on behalf of SpinCo Group Employees or Former SpinCo Group Employees under the SpinCo Welfare Plans or Parent Welfare Plans before, at, or after the Effective Time. No SpinCo Welfare Plan shall provide coverage to any Parent Group Employee or Former Parent Group Employee after the Effective Time, and no Parent Welfare Plan shall provide coverage to any SpinCo Group Employee or Former SpinCo Group Employee after the Effective Time.

Section 6.02. COBRA. The Parent Group shall continue to be responsible for complying with, and providing coverage pursuant to, the health care continuation requirements of COBRA, and the corresponding provisions of the Parent Welfare Plans with respect to any Parent Group Employees and any Former Parent Group Employees (and their covered dependents) who incur a qualifying event under COBRA before, as of, or after the Effective Time. Effective as of the Effective Time, the SpinCo Group shall assume responsibility for complying with, and providing coverage pursuant to, the health care continuation requirements of COBRA, and the corresponding provisions of the SpinCo Welfare Plans with respect to any SpinCo Group Employees or Former SpinCo Group Employees (and their covered dependents) who incur a qualifying event or loss of coverage under the SpinCo Welfare Plans and/or the Parent Welfare Plans before, as of, or after the Effective Time. The Parties agree that the consummation of the transactions contemplated by the Separation and Distribution Agreement shall not constitute a COBRA qualifying event for any purpose of COBRA.

Section 6.03. Vacation, Holidays and Leaves of Absence. Effective as of no later than the Effective Time, the SpinCo Group shall assume all Liabilities of the SpinCo Group with respect to vacation, holiday, annual leave or other leave of absence, and required payments related thereto, for each SpinCo Group Employee, unless otherwise required by applicable Law. The Parent Group shall retain all Liabilities with respect to vacation, holiday, annual leave or other leave of absence, and required payments related thereto, for each Parent Group Employee.

Section 6.04. Workers Compensation. The treatment of workers’ compensation claims shall be governed by Section 5.1 of the Separation and Distribution Agreement.

Section 6.05. Insurance Contracts. To the extent that any Welfare Plan is funded through the purchase of an insurance contract or is subject to any stop loss contract, the Parties shall cooperate and use their commercially reasonable efforts to replicate such insurance contracts for SpinCo or Parent as applicable (except to the extent that changes are required under applicable Law or filings by the respective insurers) and to maintain any pricing discounts or other preferential terms for both Parent and SpinCo for a reasonable term. Neither Party shall be liable for failure to obtain such insurance contracts, pricing discounts, or other preferential terms for the other Party. Each Party shall be responsible for any additional premiums, charges, or administrative fees that such Party may incur pursuant to this Section 6.05.

 

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Section 6.06. Third-Party Vendors. Except as provided below, to the extent that any Welfare Plan is administered by a third- party vendor, the Parties shall cooperate and use their commercially reasonable efforts to replicate any contract with such third-party vendor for Parent or SpinCo, as applicable and to maintain any pricing discounts or other preferential terms for both Parent and SpinCo for a reasonable term. Neither Party shall be liable for failure to obtain such pricing discounts or other preferential terms for the other Party. Each Party shall be responsible for any additional premiums, charges, or administrative fees that such Party may incur pursuant to this Section 6.06.

ARTICLE VII

MISCELLANEOUS

Section 7.01. Preservation of Rights to Amend. Except as set forth in this Agreement, the rights of each member of the Parent Group and each member of the SpinCo Group to amend, waive, or terminate any plan, arrangement, agreement, program, or policy referred to herein shall not be limited in any way by this Agreement.

Section 7.02. Fiduciary Matters. Parent and SpinCo each acknowledge that actions required to be taken pursuant to this Agreement may be subject to fiduciary duties or standards of conduct under ERISA or other applicable Law, and no Party shall be deemed to be in violation of this Agreement if it fails to comply with any provisions hereof based upon its good faith determination (as supported by advice from counsel experienced in such matters) that to do so would violate such a fiduciary duty or standard. Each Party shall be responsible for taking such actions as are deemed necessary and appropriate to comply with its own fiduciary responsibilities and shall fully release and indemnify the other Party for any Liabilities caused by the failure to satisfy any such responsibility.

Section 7.03. Further Assurances. Each Party hereto shall take, or cause to be taken, any and all reasonable actions, including the execution, acknowledgment, filing and delivery of any and all documents and instruments that any other Party hereto may reasonably request in order to effect the intent and purpose of this Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby.

Section 7.04. Counterparts; Entire Agreement; Corporate Power.

(a) This Agreement may be executed in one or more counterparts, all of which shall be considered one and the same agreement, and shall become effective when one or more counterparts have been signed by each of the Parties and delivered to the other Party.

(b) This Agreement, the Separation and Distribution Agreement and the Ancillary Agreements and the Exhibits, Schedules and appendices hereto and thereto contain the entire agreement between the Parties with respect to the subject matter hereof, supersede all previous agreements, negotiations, discussions, writings, understandings, commitments and conversations with respect to such subject matter, and there are no agreements or understandings between the Parties other than those set forth or referred to herein or therein. This Agreement, the Separation and Distribution Agreement and the Ancillary Agreements together govern the arrangements in connection with the Separation and the Distribution and would not have been entered into independently.

 

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(c) Parent represents on behalf of itself and each other member of the Parent Group, and SpinCo represents on behalf of itself and each other member of the SpinCo Group, as follows:

(i) each such Person has the requisite corporate or other power and authority and has taken all corporate or other action necessary in order to execute, deliver and perform this Agreement and to consummate the transactions contemplated hereby; and

(ii) this Agreement has been duly executed and delivered by it and constitutes a valid and binding agreement of it enforceable in accordance with the terms hereof.

(d) Each Party acknowledges that it and each other Party is executing this Agreement by facsimile, stamp or mechanical signature, and that delivery of an executed counterpart of a signature page to this Agreement (whether executed by manual, stamp or mechanical signature) by facsimile or by e-mail in portable document format (.pdf) shall be effective as delivery of such executed counterpart of this Agreement. Each Party expressly adopts and confirms each such facsimile, stamp or mechanical signature (regardless of whether delivered in person, by mail, by courier, by facsimile or by e-mail in portable document format (.pdf)) made in its respective name as if it were a manual signature delivered in person, agrees that it will not assert that any such signature or delivery is not adequate to bind such Party to the same extent as if it were signed manually and delivered in person and agrees that, at the reasonable request of the other Party at any time, it will as promptly as reasonably practicable cause this Agreement to be manually executed (any such execution to be as of the date of the initial date thereof) and delivered in person, by mail or by courier.

Section 7.05. Governing Law. This Agreement (and any claims or disputes arising out of or related hereto or to the transactions contemplated hereby or to the inducement of any Party to enter herein, whether for breach of contract, tortious conduct or otherwise and whether predicated on common law, statute or otherwise) shall be governed by and construed and interpreted in accordance with the Laws of the State of Delaware, irrespective of the choice of laws principles of the State of Delaware, including all matters of validity, construction, effect, enforceability, performance and remedies.

Section 7.06. Assignability. This Agreement shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the Parties and their respective successors and permitted assigns; provided, however, that neither Party may assign its rights or delegate its obligations under this Agreement without the express prior written consent of the other Party hereto. Notwithstanding the foregoing, no such consent shall be required for the assignment of a Party’s rights and obligations under this Agreement, the Separation and Distribution Agreement and all other Ancillary Agreements (except as may be otherwise provided in any such Ancillary Agreement) in whole (i.e., the assignment of a Party’s rights and obligations under this Agreement and all Ancillary Agreements at the same time) in connection with a change of control of a Party so long as the resulting, surviving or transferee Person assumes all the obligations of the relevant party thereto by operation of Law or pursuant to an agreement in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the other Party.

 

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Section 7.07. Third-Party Beneficiaries. The provisions of this Agreement are solely for the benefit of the Parties and are not intended to confer upon any Person except the Parties any rights or remedies hereunder. There are no third-party beneficiaries of this Agreement, and this Agreement shall not provide any Third Party with any remedy, claim, Liability, reimbursement, claim of action or other right in excess of those existing without reference to this Agreement. Nothing in this Agreement is intended to amend any employee benefit plan or affect the applicable plan sponsor’s right to amend or terminate any employee benefit plan pursuant to the terms of such plan. The provisions of this Agreement are solely for the benefit of the Parties, and no current or former Employee, officer, director, or independent contractor or any other individual associated therewith shall be regarded for any purpose as a third-party beneficiary of this Agreement.

Section 7.08. Notices. All notices, requests, claims, demands or other communications under this Agreement shall be in writing and shall be given or made (and shall be deemed to have been duly given or made upon receipt) by delivery in person, by overnight courier service, by certified mail, return receipt requested or by electronic mail (e-mail) so long as the confirmation of receipt of such e-mail is requested and received, to the respective Parties at the following addresses (or at such other address for a Party as shall be specified in a notice given in accordance with this Section 7.08):

If to Parent, to:

Ziff Davis, Inc.

114 Fifth Avenue

New York, New York 10011

Attention:     Legal Department

E-mail:         legal@j2.com

If to SpinCo (prior to the Effective Time), to:

Consensus Cloud Solutions, Inc.

700 South Flower Street, Suite 1500

Los Angeles, California 90017

Attention:     Legal Department

E-mail:         legal@j2.com

If to SpinCo (from and after the Effective Time), to:

Consensus Cloud Solutions, Inc.

700 South Flower Street, Suite 1500

Los Angeles, California 90017

Attention:     Legal Department

E-mail:         vithya.aubee@j2.com

A Party may, by notice to the other Party, change the address to which such notices are to be given or made.

 

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Section 7.09. Severability. If any provision of this Agreement or the application thereof to any Person or circumstance is determined by a court of competent jurisdiction to be invalid, void or unenforceable, the remaining provisions hereof, or the application of such provision to Persons or circumstances or in jurisdictions other than those as to which it has been held invalid or unenforceable, shall remain in full force and effect and shall in no way be affected, impaired or invalidated thereby. Upon such determination, the Parties shall negotiate in good faith in an effort to agree upon such a suitable and equitable provision to effect the original intent of the Parties.

Section 7.10. Force Majeure. No Party shall be deemed in default of this Agreement for any delay or failure to fulfill any obligation (other than a payment obligation) hereunder or thereunder so long as and to the extent to which any delay or failure in the fulfillment of such obligation is prevented, frustrated, hindered or delayed as a consequence of circumstances of Force Majeure. In the event of any such excused delay, the time for performance of such obligations (other than a payment obligation) shall be extended for a period equal to the time lost by reason of the delay. A Party claiming the benefit of this provision shall, as soon as reasonably practicable after the occurrence of any such event, (a) provide written notice to the other Party of the nature and extent of any such Force Majeure condition; and (b) use commercially reasonable efforts to remove any such causes and resume performance under this Agreement as soon as reasonably practicable.

Section 7.11. Headings. The article, section and paragraph headings contained in this Agreement are for reference purposes only and shall not affect in any way the meaning or interpretation of this Agreement.

Section 7.12. Survival of Covenants. Except as expressly set forth in this Agreement, the covenants, representations and warranties contained in this Agreement, and Liability for the breach of any obligations contained herein, shall survive the Separation and Distribution and shall remain in full force and effect.

Section 7.13. Waivers of Default. Waiver by a Party of any default by the other Party of any provision of this Agreement shall not be deemed a waiver by the waiving Party of any subsequent or other default, nor shall it prejudice the rights of the other Party. No failure or delay by a Party in exercising any right, power or privilege under this Agreement shall operate as a waiver thereof, nor shall a single or partial exercise thereof prejudice any other or further exercise thereof or the exercise of any other right, power or privilege.

Section 7.14. Dispute Resolution. The dispute resolution procedures set forth in Article VII of the Separation and Distribution Agreement shall apply to any dispute, controversy or claim arising out of or relating to this Agreement.

Section 7.15. Specific Performance. Subject to the provisions of Article VII of the Separation and Distribution Agreement, in the event of any actual or threatened default in, or breach of, any of the terms, conditions and provisions of this Agreement, the Party or Parties who are, or are to be, thereby aggrieved shall have the right to specific performance and injunctive or other equitable relief in respect of its or their rights under this Agreement, in addition to any and all other rights and remedies at law or in equity, and all such rights and

 

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remedies shall be cumulative. The Parties agree that the remedies at law for any breach or threatened breach, including monetary damages, are inadequate compensation for any loss and that any defense in any action for specific performance that a remedy at law would be adequate is waived. Any requirements for the securing or posting of any bond with such remedy are waived by each of the Parties.

Section 7.16. Amendments. No provisions of this Agreement shall be deemed waived, amended, supplemented or modified by a Party, unless such waiver, amendment, supplement or modification is in writing and signed by the authorized representative of the Party against whom it is sought to enforce such waiver, amendment, supplement or modification.

Section 7.17. Interpretation. In this Agreement, (a) words in the singular shall be deemed to include the plural and vice versa and words of one gender shall be deemed to include the other genders as the context requires; (b) the terms “hereof,” “herein,” and “herewith” and words of similar import shall, unless otherwise stated, be construed to refer to this Agreement as a whole (including all of the Schedules, Exhibits and Appendices hereto and thereto) and not to any particular provision of this Agreement; (c) Article, Section, Schedule, Exhibit and Appendix references are to the Articles, Sections, Schedules, Exhibits and Appendices to this Agreement, unless otherwise specified; (d) unless otherwise stated, all references to any agreement (including this Agreement) shall be deemed to include the exhibits, schedules and annexes (including all Schedules, Exhibits and Appendixes) thereto; (e) the word “including” and words of similar import when used in this Agreement shall mean “including, without limitation,” unless otherwise specified; (f) the word “or” shall not be exclusive; (g) unless otherwise specified in a particular case, the word “days” refers to calendar days; (h) references to “business day” shall mean any day other than a Saturday, a Sunday or a day on which banking institutions are generally authorized or required by law to close in the United States or Los Angeles, California; (i) references herein to this Agreement or any other agreement contemplated herein shall be deemed to refer to this Agreement or such other agreement as of the date on which it is executed and as it may be amended, modified or supplemented thereafter, unless otherwise specified; and (j) unless expressly stated to the contrary in this Agreement, all references to “the date hereof,” “the date of this Agreement,” “hereby” and “hereupon” and words of similar import shall all be references to October 7, 2021.

Section 7.18. Limitations of Liability. Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, neither SpinCo or any member of the SpinCo Group, on the one hand, nor Parent or any member of the Parent Group, on the other hand, shall be liable under this Agreement to the other for any indirect, incidental, punitive, exemplary, remote, speculative or similar damages in excess of compensatory damages of the other arising in connection with the transactions contemplated hereby (other than any such Liability with respect to a Third-Party Claim).

Section 7.19. Mutual Drafting. This Agreement shall be deemed to be the joint work product of the Parties and any rule of construction that a document shall be interpreted or construed against a drafter of such document shall not be applicable.

[Remainder of page intentionally left blank]

 

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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Parties have caused this Employee Matters Agreement to be executed by their duly authorized representatives as of the date first written above.

 

ZIFF DAVIS, INC.
By:  

/s/ Jeremy Rossen

  Name:   Jeremy Rossen
  Title:   Executive Vice President, Secretary and General Counsel

 

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CONSENSUS CLOUD SOLUTIONS, INC.
By:  

/s/ Vithya Aubee

  Name:  

Vithya Aubee

  Title:  

Vice President

 

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Exhibit 10.4

INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY LICENSE AGREEMENT

This INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY LICENSE AGREEMENT (this “Agreement”), dated as of October 7, 2021, is by and between Ziff Davis, Inc., a Delaware corporation (“Parent”), and Consensus Cloud Solutions, Inc., a Delaware corporation (“SpinCo”). Parent and SpinCo are individually referred to herein as a “Party,” and collectively as the “Parties.”

R E C I T A L S:

WHEREAS, the Parties entered into the Separation and Distribution Agreement, dated as of October 7, 2021 (the “Separation and Distribution Agreement”), pursuant to which SpinCo was separated from Parent and incorporated as a new publicly traded company;

WHEREAS, the Separation and Distribution Agreement requires the execution and delivery of this Agreement by the Parties as of the Effective Time;

WHEREAS, in accordance with and subject to the terms and conditions of this Agreement, Parent desires to grant to SpinCo and its Subsidiaries a license under certain intellectual property owned and controlled by Parent, and SpinCo and its Subsidiaries desire to receive such license for use in a manner consistent with each Party’s current practice as of the date of this Agreement); and

WHEREAS, in accordance with and subject to the terms and conditions of this Agreement, SpinCo desires to grant to Parent and its Subsidiaries a license under certain intellectual property owned and controlled by SpinCo, and Parent and its Subsidiaries desire to receive such license for use in a manner consistent with each Party’s current practice as of the date of this Agreement).

NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the mutual agreements, provisions and covenants contained in this Agreement, and for other good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged, the Parties, intending to be legally bound, hereby agree as follows:

ARTICLE I

DEFINITIONS

Section 1.01. Definitions. For purposes of this Agreement (including the Recitals hereof), the following capitalized terms have the following meanings, and capitalized terms used but not otherwise defined herein shall have the meaning ascribed to them in the Separation and Distribution Agreement:

Agreement” has the meaning set forth in the Preamble.

Bankruptcy Code” has the meaning set forth in Section 7.19.

Dispute” has the meaning set forth in Section 7.16.


Improvements” means improvements, enhancements, or modifications to, or derivative works of, the Intellectual Property.

Intellectual Property” means all of the following whether arising under the Laws of the United States or of any foreign or multinational jurisdiction: (a) works of authorship and copyrights, including Software and Internet websites, (“Copyrights”); (b) patents and patent applications, including all reissues, divisions, renewals, extensions, provisionals, continuations and continuations-in-part thereof, (“Patents”); (c) trade secrets, invention disclosures, processes and know-how and any rights therein and thereto, (“Know-How”); (d) other intellectual property rights (“Other IP”); and (e) all registrations and applications to register all of the foregoing. For the purposes of this Agreement, Intellectual Property does not include trademarks, service marks, logos, trade names, trade dress, Internet domain names, accounts or “handles” with Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter or similar social media platforms, or other indicia of origin, or the goodwill associated with any or all of the foregoing or symbolized thereby (“Marks”).

Licensed IP” means the Parent Licensed IP or SpinCo Licensed IP, as applicable.

Parent” has the meaning set forth in the Preamble.

Parent Licensed IP” means all Intellectual Property owned, licensable, or sublicensable the Parent or any member of the Parent Group as of the Effective Time.

Party” or “Parties” has the meaning set forth in the Preamble.

Separation and Distribution Agreement” has the meaning set forth in the Recitals.

SpinCo” has the meaning set forth in the Preamble.

SpinCo Group” means SpinCo and each Person that is a Subsidiary of SpinCo.

SpinCo Licensed IP” means all Intellectual Property owned, licensable, or sublicensable SpinCo or any member of the SpinCo Group as of the Effective Time.

ARTICLE II

LICENSE

Section 2.01. SpinCo License. Parent, on behalf of itself and Parent Group, hereby grants to SpinCo and SpinCo Group a non-exclusive, perpetual, irrevocable (subject to Section 4.02), royalty-free, fully paid-up, worldwide, non-transferrable (except in accordance with Section 7.09), non-sublicensable (except as provided in Section 2.03) license: (a) under the Parent Licensed IP (including all Improvements thereto) to make, have made, use (including the right to practice any method which is involved in the use), import, offer for sale, sell and otherwise dispose of products and services of the SpinCo Business as of the Effective Time and any natural evolutions and extensions thereof; and (b) to reproduce, create derivative works of, distribute (including digital distribution), perform and display the Parent Licensed IP (including all Improvements thereto) solely as used in the SpinCo Business as of the Effective Time and any natural evolutions and extensions thereof.

 

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Section 2.02. Parent License. SpinCo, on behalf of itself and SpinCo Group, hereby grants to Parent and Parent Group a non-exclusive, perpetual, irrevocable (subject to Section 4.02), royalty-free, fully paid-up, worldwide, non-transferrable (except in accordance with Section 7.09), non-sublicensable (except as provided in Section 2.03) license under the SpinCo Licensed IP: (a) under the SpinCo Licensed IP to make, have made, use (including the right to practice any method which is involved in the use), import, offer for sale, sell and otherwise dispose of products and services of the Parent Business and any natural evolutions and extensions thereof; and (b) to reproduce, create derivative works of, distribute (including digital distribution), perform and display the SpinCo Licensed IP (including all Improvements thereto) solely as used in the Parent Business and any natural evolutions and extensions thereof.

Section 2.03. Sublicensing Rights. The rights granted in Section 2.01 and Section 2.02, respectively, include the right to grant sublicenses, within the scope of the licenses granted in Section 2.01 and Section 2.02, respectively, through multiple tiers, to any of a Party’s or its Group members’: (i) customers or end-users in connection with any products or services provided by such Party or its Group members in substantially the same manner that such sublicenses were granted by such Party or its Group members as of the Effective Time and (ii) suppliers, distributors, contractors and consultants as necessary or useful to exercise the license rights granted to such Party or Group members under Section 2.01 and Section 2.02, respectively.

Section 2.04. Improvements. As between the Parties and their Group members, all title and ownership rights, including all Intellectual Property rights, throughout the world in any Improvements first conceived and reduced to practice by a Party hereunder shall vest in such Party.

Section 2.05. Maintenance. Neither Party, nor any of its Group members, is required to provide the other Party with any maintenance, support or other services with respect to the Licensed IP hereunder.

Section 2.06. Foundry Activities. SpinCo and Parent, respectively, understand and acknowledge that the rights and licenses granted hereunder are intended to cover only the products and services of SpinCo and SpinCo Group, and the products and services of the Parent and Parent Group, respectively. The rights and licenses granted in Section 2.01 and Section 2.02, respectively, shall not apply in any way to specifications obtained from a Third Party for products sold, directly or indirectly, to or on behalf of such Third Party or permit a Party to be a foundry for Third Parties.

Section 2.07. Reservation of Rights. In no event shall anything set forth herein be deemed to grant a Party any right or license, express or implied, with respect to the Marks of the other Party, and except as otherwise expressly set forth herein, neither Party nor any Parent Group members shall have any rights or licenses hereunder, express or implied, with respect to any Intellectual Property, owned, licensed or sublicensed by the other Party or any of such other Party’s Group members. Except as otherwise expressly set forth herein, all rights, licenses, title and interests not expressly granted in this Agreement are expressly reserved by each applicable Party and its Group members.

 

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ARTICLE III

COVENANTS

Section 3.01. Ownership. The Parties hereby acknowledge and agree that, as between the Parties, Parent shall be the sole and exclusive owner of all right, title and interest in and to the Parent Licensed IP, and SpinCo shall be the sole and exclusive owner of all right, title and interest in and to the SpinCo Licensed IP. Each Party agrees not to represent to any Third Party that such Party has any ownership interest in the Licensed IP of the other Party.

Section 3.02. Prosecution and Maintenance. Each Party retains the sole right (but not the obligation) to protect in its sole discretion the Licensed IP owned or controlled by such Party, including deciding whether and how to file and prosecute applications for registration, whether to abandon prosecution of such applications and whether to pay or not pay any maintenance or renewal fees.

Section 3.03. Subsidiaries. Each Party shall cause all of its Group members to comply with the terms and conditions of this Agreement.

ARTICLE IV

TERM AND TERMINATION

Section 4.01. Term. This Agreement, including the licenses granted hereunder, shall become effective on the Effective Time and shall continue thereafter in full force and effect unless and until terminated pursuant to Section 4.02 or the expiration of the last to expire of the SpinCo Licensed IP and the Parent Licensed IP, whichever is earlier.

Section 4.02. Termination. This Agreement may only be terminated upon the written agreement of the Parties. In the event of a breach of this Agreement, the sole and exclusive remedy of the non-breaching Party shall be to recover monetary damages and/or to obtain injunctive or other equitable relief.

Section 4.03. Survival. Article I, Section 2.01 (solely with respect to activity prior to the date of termination), Section 2.02 (solely with respect to activity prior to the date of termination), Section 2.04, Section 2.07, Article III, this Section 4.03, Article V, Article VI and Article VII shall survive any expiration or termination of this Agreement.

ARTICLE V

DISCLAIMER; LIMITATION OF LIABILITY

Section 5.01. Disclaimer. EACH PARTY (ON BEHALF OF ITSELF AND EACH MEMBER OF ITS GROUP) ACKNOWLEDGES AND AGREES THAT, UNDER THIS AGREEMENT, ALL PARENT LICENSED IP AND ALL SPINCO LICENSED IP IS LICENSED ON AN “AS IS, WHERE IS” BASIS AND THAT NEITHER SPINCO NOR ANY SPINCO GROUP MEMBER, NOR PARENT NOR ANY PARENT GROUP MEMBER, HAS MADE OR MAKES ANY REPRESENTATION OR WARRANTY WHATSOEVER WITH RESPECT TO THE LICENSED IP, WHETHER EXPRESS, IMPLIED OR STATUTORY, INCLUDING ANY IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, TITLE, ENFORCEABILITY OR NON-INFRINGEMENT.

 

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Section 5.02. Limitation on Liability. IN NO EVENT SHALL EITHER PARTY OR MEMBERS OF ITS GROUP BE LIABLE TO THE OTHER PARTY OR ITS RESPECTIVE GROUP MEMBERS FOR ANY DIRECT, SPECIAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, EXEMPLARY OR PUNITIVE DAMAGES OR DAMAGES BASED ON LOST PROFITS, IN EACH CASE, HOWEVER CAUSED AND ON ANY THEORY OF LIABILITY (INCLUDING NEGLIGENCE) ARISING IN ANY WAY OUT OF THIS AGREEMENT, WHETHER OR NOT ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES.

ARTICLE VI

CONFIDENTIALITY

Section 6.01. Parent and SpinCo Obligations. Subject to Section 6.03, each Party, on behalf of itself and each of its Group members, agrees to hold, and to cause its respective Representatives to hold, in strict confidence, with at least the same degree of care that applies to Parent’s Confidential Information pursuant to policies in effect as of the Effective Time, all Confidential Information included in the Licensed IP, and shall not use any such Confidential Information other than for such purposes as may be expressly permitted hereunder.

Section 6.02. No Release; Return or Destruction. Each Party agrees (a) not to release or disclose, or permit to be released or disclosed, any Confidential Information included in the Licensed IP of the other Party to any other Person, except its Representatives who need to know such Confidential Information in their capacities as such (who shall be advised of their obligations hereunder with respect to such Confidential Information) and (b) to use commercially reasonable efforts to maintain such Confidential Information in accordance with Section 6.4 of the Separation and Distribution Agreement.

Section 6.03. Protective Arrangements. In the event that a Party or any of its Group members either determines on the advice of its counsel that it is required to disclose any information pursuant to applicable Law or receives any request or demand under lawful process or from any Governmental Authority to disclose or provide information of the other Party (or any of its Group members) that is subject to the confidentiality provisions hereof, such Party shall notify the other Party (to the extent legally permitted) as promptly as practicable under the circumstances prior to disclosing or providing such information and shall cooperate, at the expense of the other Party, in seeking any appropriate protective order requested by the other Party. In the event that such other Party fails to receive such appropriate protective order in a timely manner and the Party receiving the request or demand reasonably determines that its failure to disclose or provide such information shall actually prejudice the Party receiving the request or demand, then the Party that received such request or demand may thereafter disclose or provide information to the extent required by such Law (as so advised by its counsel) or by lawful process or such Governmental Authority, and the disclosing Party shall promptly provide the other Party with a copy of the information so disclosed, in the same form and format so disclosed, together with a list of all Persons to whom such information was disclosed, in each case to the extent legally permitted.

 

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Section 6.04. Exclusions. A Party’s confidentiality obligations set forth herein with respect to the other Party’s Confidential Information included in the Licensed IP do not apply to the extent such Confidential Information: (a) is in the public domain or is generally available to the public, other than as a result of a disclosure by such Party or any of its Group members or any of their respective Representatives in violation of this Agreement; (b) is lawfully acquired from other sources by such Party or any of its Group members, which sources are not themselves known by such Party or any of its Group members to be bound by a confidentiality obligation or other contractual, legal or fiduciary obligation of confidentiality with respect to such Confidential Information; or (c) is independently developed or generated without reference to or use of such Confidential Information of the other Party or any of its Group members.

ARTICLE VII

MISCELLANEOUS

Section 7.01. Export Restrictions. Each Party shall adhere to all applicable Laws relating to the export of technical data, and shall not export or re-export any technical data, any products received from the other Party, or the direct product of such technical data, to any proscribed country listed in such applicable Laws, unless permitted thereby and in accordance with any associated requirements.

Section 7.02. Mutual Cooperation. Each Party shall, and shall cause its Group members to, cooperate with the other Party and its Group members in connection with the performance of this Agreement; provided that: (a) such cooperation shall not unreasonably disrupt the normal operations of such Party or its Group members; and (b) this Section 7.02 shall not require such Party to incur any out-of-pocket costs or expenses, unless and except as expressly provided in this Agreement or otherwise agreed in writing by the Parties.

Section 7.03. Further Assurances. Subject to the terms of this Agreement, each Party shall take, or cause to be taken, any and all reasonable actions, including the execution, acknowledgment, filing and delivery of any and all documents and instruments that any other Party may reasonably request in order to effect the intent and purpose of this Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby.

Section 7.04. Audit Assistance. Each of the Parties and their respective Group members are or may be subject to regulation and audit by a Governmental Authority, standards organizations, customers or other parties to contracts with such Parties or their respective Group members under applicable Law, standards or contract provisions. If a Governmental Authority, standards organization, customer or other party to a contract with a Party or its Group member exercises its right to examine or audit such Party’s or its Group member’s books, records, documents or accounting practices and procedures pursuant to such applicable Law, standards or contract provisions, and such examination or audit relates to the Intellectual Property, then the other Party shall provide, at the sole cost and expense of the requesting Party, all assistance reasonably requested by the Party that is subject to the examination or audit in responding to such examination or audits or requests for Information, to the extent that such assistance or Information is within the reasonable control of the cooperating Party and is related to the Intellectual Property.

 

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Section 7.05. Title to Intellectual Property. Except as expressly provided for under the terms of this Agreement or the Separation and Distribution Agreement, each Party acknowledges that it shall acquire no right, title or interest (including any license rights or rights of use) in any Intellectual Property that is owned or licensed by the other Party. Each Party shall not remove or alter any copyright, trademark, confidentiality or other proprietary notices that appear on any Intellectual Property owned or licensed by the other Party, and each Party shall reproduce any such notices on any and all copies thereof. Each Party shall not attempt to decompile, translate, reverse engineer or make excessive copies of any Intellectual Property owned or licensed by the other Party, and shall promptly notify the other Party of any such attempt, regardless of whether by the Party or any Third Party, of which the Party becomes aware.

Section 7.06. Counterparts; Entire Agreement; Corporate Power.

(a) This Agreement may be executed in one (1) or more counterparts, all of which shall be considered one (1) and the same agreement, and shall become effective when one (1) or more counterparts have been signed by each of the Parties and delivered to the other Party.

(b) This Agreement, the Separation and Distribution Agreement and the other Ancillary Agreements and the Exhibits, Schedules and appendices hereto and thereto contain the entire agreement between the Parties with respect to the subject matter hereof, supersede all previous agreements, negotiations, discussions, writings, understandings, commitments and conversations with respect to such subject matter, and there are no agreements or understandings between the Parties other than those set forth or referred to herein or therein. This Agreement, the Separation and Distribution Agreement, and the other Ancillary Agreements govern the arrangements in connection with the Separation and the Distribution and would not have been entered into independently.

(c) Parent represents on behalf of itself and, to the extent applicable, each Parent Group member, and SpinCo represents on behalf of itself and, to the extent applicable, each SpinCo Group member, that: (i) each such Person has the requisite corporate or other power and authority and has taken all corporate or other action necessary in order to execute, deliver and perform this Agreement and to consummate the transactions contemplated hereby; and (ii) this Agreement has been duly executed and delivered by it and constitutes a valid and binding agreement of it and is enforceable in accordance with the terms hereof.

(d) Each Party acknowledges and agrees that delivery of an executed counterpart of a signature page to this Agreement (whether executed by manual, stamp or mechanical signature) by facsimile or by e-mail in portable document format (.pdf) shall be effective as delivery of such executed counterpart of this Agreement. Each Party expressly adopts and confirms each such facsimile, stamp or mechanical signature (regardless of whether delivered in person, by mail, by courier, by facsimile or by e-mail in portable document format (.pdf)) made in its respective name as if it were a manual signature delivered in person, agrees that it will not assert that any such signature or delivery is not adequate to bind such Party to the same extent as if it were signed manually and delivered in person and agrees that, at the reasonable request of the other Party at any time, it will as promptly as reasonably practicable cause this Agreement to be manually executed (any such execution to be as of the date of the initial date thereof) and delivered in person, by mail or by courier.

 

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Section 7.07. Governing Law. This Agreement (and any claims or disputes arising out of or related hereto or to the transactions contemplated hereby or to the inducement of any Party to enter herein, whether for breach of contract, tortious conduct or otherwise and whether predicated on common law, statute or otherwise) shall be governed by and construed and interpreted in accordance with the Laws of the State of Delaware irrespective of the choice of laws principles of the State of Delaware, including all matters of validity, construction, effect, enforceability, performance and remedies.

Section 7.08. Consent to Jurisdiction. Each of the Parties irrevocably and unconditionally agrees that any legal action or proceeding with respect to this Agreement and the rights and obligations arising hereunder, or for recognition and enforcement of any judgment in respect of this Agreement and the rights and obligations arising hereunder brought by a Party, shall be brought and determined exclusively in the federal and state courts sitting in the State of Delaware. Each of the Parties hereby irrevocably submits, generally and unconditionally, to the personal jurisdiction of the aforesaid courts and agrees that it will not bring any action relating to this Agreement or any of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement in any court other than the aforesaid courts. Each of the Parties hereby irrevocably waives, and agrees not to assert, by way of motion, as a defense, counterclaim or otherwise, in any action or proceeding with respect to this Agreement, (a) any argument that it is not personally subject to the jurisdiction of the above named courts for any reason other than the failure to serve in accordance with this Section 7.08, (b) any argument that it or its property is exempt or immune from jurisdiction of any such court or from any legal process commenced in such courts (whether through service of notice, attachment prior to judgment, attachment in aid of execution of judgment, execution of judgment or otherwise) and (c) to the fullest extent permitted by the applicable Law, any argument that (i) the suit, action or proceeding in such court is brought in an inconvenient forum, (ii) the venue of such suit, action or proceeding is improper or (iii) this Agreement, or the subject matter hereof, may not be enforced in or by such courts. Notwithstanding the above, this paragraph shall not prohibit either Party from seeking injunctive or other equitable relief in any court of competent jurisdiction.

Section 7.09. Assignability. This Agreement shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the Parties and their respective successors and permitted assigns; provided that neither Party may assign its rights or delegate its obligations under this Agreement without the express prior written consent of the other Party. Notwithstanding the foregoing, no such consent shall be required for the assignment of a Party’s rights and obligations under the Separation and Distribution Agreement, this Agreement and the other Ancillary Agreements in whole (i.e., the assignment of a Party’s rights and obligations under the Separation and Distribution Agreement, this Agreement and all of the other Ancillary Agreements all at the same time) (a) to an Affiliate or (b) in connection with a merger, consolidation or other business combination of a Party with or into any other Person or a sale of all or substantially all of the assets of a Party to another Person, in each case so long as the resulting, surviving or acquiring Person assumes all of the obligations of the relevant Party by operation of Law or pursuant to an agreement in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the other Party.

Section 7.10. Third-Party Beneficiaries. This Agreement is for the sole benefit of the Parties and their permitted assigns and each Party intends that this Agreement shall not benefit, or create a right or cause of action in or on behalf of, any person or entity other than the Parties, their permitted assigns.

 

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Section 7.11. Notices. All notices, requests, claims, demands or other communications under this Agreement shall be in writing and shall be given or made (and except as provided herein shall be deemed to have been duly given or made upon receipt) by delivery in person, by overnight courier service, by certified mail, return receipt requested, by facsimile, or by electronic mail (“e-mail”), so long as confirmation of receipt of such e-mail is requested and received, to the respective Parties at the following addresses (or at such other address for a Party as shall be specified in a notice given in accordance with this Section 7.11):

If to Parent, to:

Ziff Davis, Inc.

114 Fifth Avenue

New York, New York 10011

Attention:     Legal Department

E-mail:         legal@j2.com

If to SpinCo (prior to the Effective Time), to:

Consensus Cloud Solutions, Inc.

700 South Flower Street, Suite 1500

Los Angeles, California 90017

Attention:     Legal Department

E-mail:         legal@j2.com

If to SpinCo (from and after the Effective Time), to:

Consensus Cloud Solutions, Inc.

700 South Flower Street, Suite 1500

Los Angeles, California 90017

Attention:     Legal Department

E-mail:         vithya.aubee@j2.com

Any Party may, by notice to the other Party, change the address to which such notices are to be given.

Section 7.12. Severability. If any provision of this Agreement or the application thereof to any Person or circumstance is determined by a court of competent jurisdiction to be invalid, void or unenforceable, the remaining provisions hereof, or the application of such provision to Persons or circumstances or in jurisdictions other than those as to which it has been held invalid or unenforceable, shall remain in full force and effect and shall in no way be affected, impaired or invalidated thereby. Upon such determination, the Parties shall negotiate in good faith in an effort to agree upon such a suitable and equitable provision to effect the original intent of the Parties.

Section 7.13. Force Majeure. Neither Party shall be deemed in default of this Agreement for any delay or failure to fulfill any obligation (other than a payment obligation) hereunder so long as and to the extent to which any delay or failure in the fulfillment of such obligation is prevented, frustrated, hindered or delayed as a consequence of circumstances of Force Majeure. Without limiting the termination rights contained in this Agreement, in the event of any such

 

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excused delay, the time for performance of such obligation (other than a payment obligation) shall be extended for a period equal to the time lost by reason of the delay. A Party claiming the benefit of this provision shall, as soon as reasonably practicable after the occurrence of any such Force Majeure: (a) provide written notice to the other Party of the nature and extent of such Force Majeure; and (b) use commercially reasonable efforts to remove any such causes and resume performance under this Agreement as soon as reasonably practicable (and in no event later than the date that the affected Party resumes analogous performance under any other agreement for itself, its Group members or any Third Party), unless this Agreement has previously been terminated under Article IV or this Section 7.13.

Section 7.14. Headings. The Article and Section headings contained in this Agreement are for reference purposes only and shall not affect in any way the meaning or interpretation of this Agreement.

Section 7.15. Waivers of Default. Waiver by a Party of any default by the other Party of any provision of this Agreement shall not be deemed a waiver by the waiving Party of any subsequent or other default, nor shall it prejudice the rights of the waiving Party. No failure or delay by a Party in exercising any right, power or privilege under this Agreement shall operate as a waiver thereof, nor shall a single or partial exercise thereof prejudice any other right or further exercise thereof or the exercise of any other right, power or privilege.

Section 7.16. Dispute Resolution. In the event of any controversy, dispute or claim (a “Dispute”) arising out of or relating to any Party’s rights or obligations under this Agreement (whether arising in contract, tort or otherwise), such Dispute shall be resolved in accordance with the dispute resolution process referred to in Article VII of the Separation and Distribution Agreement.

Section 7.17. Specific Performance. Subject to Section 7.16, in the event of any actual or threatened default in, or breach of, any of the terms, conditions and provisions of this Agreement, the Party thereby aggrieved shall have the right to specific performance and injunctive or other equitable relief (on an interim or permanent basis) in respect of its rights or their rights under this Agreement, in addition to any and all other rights and remedies at law or in equity, and all such rights and remedies shall be cumulative. The Parties agree that the remedies at law for any breach or threatened breach, including monetary damages, are inadequate compensation for any loss and that any defense in any Action for specific performance that a remedy at law would be adequate is waived. Any requirements for the securing or posting of any bond with such remedy are hereby waived by each of the Parties. Unless otherwise agreed in writing, the Parties shall honor all other commitments under this Agreement during the course of dispute resolution pursuant to the provisions of Section 7.16 and this Section 7.17 with respect to all matters not subject to such Dispute; provided that this obligation shall only exist during the term of this Agreement.

Section 7.18. Amendments. No provisions of this Agreement shall be deemed waived, amended, supplemented or modified by a Party, unless such waiver, amendment, supplement or modification is in writing and signed by the authorized representative of the Party against whom enforcement of such waiver, amendment, supplement or modification is sought.

 

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Section 7.19. Bankruptcy. Should a Party become the subject of a bankruptcy or similar insolvency proceeding or any analogous proceeding in any jurisdiction to which such Party is subject, the other Party and its Group members shall be permitted to retain its licenses in the Intellectual Property licensed pursuant to this Agreement and to take appropriate action as may be reasonably required to retain such licenses. Without limiting the foregoing, all licenses granted to a Party and its Group members under this Agreement are, and shall otherwise be deemed to be, for purposes of Section 365(n) of the United States Bankruptcy Code, as amended (the “Bankruptcy Code”), licenses to rights to “intellectual property” as defined in the Bankruptcy Code. In furtherance and not in limitation of the foregoing: (a) upon the commencement of any bankruptcy proceeding by or against Parent or any Parent Group members under the Bankruptcy Code, SpinCo and SpinCo Group members may fully exercise all of their rights and elections under the Bankruptcy Code to retain the licensed rights granted to them by Parent pursuant to this Agreement and to use the Parent Licensed IP as in effect immediately prior to such proceeding, notwithstanding any rejection of this Agreement in any such proceeding, and (b) upon the commencement of any bankruptcy proceeding by or against SpinCo or any SpinCo Group member under the Bankruptcy Code, Parent and Parent Group members may fully exercise all of their rights and elections under the Bankruptcy Code to retain the licensed rights granted to them by SpinCo pursuant to this Agreement and to use the SpinCo Licensed IP as in effect immediately prior to such proceeding, notwithstanding any rejection of this Agreement in any such proceeding. No Party shall be deemed to have terminated this Agreement unless it has expressly done so in writing.

Section 7.20. Interpretation. In this Agreement: (a) words in the singular shall be deemed to include the plural and vice versa and words of one gender shall be deemed to include the other genders as the context requires; (b) the terms “hereof,” “herein” and “herewith” and words of similar import shall, unless otherwise stated, be construed to refer to this Agreement as a whole (including all of the Schedules, Annexes and Exhibits hereto) and not to any particular provision of this Agreement; (c) Article, Section, Exhibit, Annex and Schedule references are to the Articles, Sections, Exhibits, Annexes and Schedules to this Agreement, unless otherwise specified; (d) unless otherwise stated, all references to any agreement shall be deemed to include the exhibits, schedules and annexes to such agreement; (e) the word “including” and words of similar import when used in this Agreement shall mean “including, without limitation,” unless otherwise specified; (f) the word “or” shall not be exclusive; (g) unless otherwise specified in a particular case, the word “days” refers to calendar days; (h) references to “business day” shall mean any day other than a Saturday, a Sunday or a day on which banking institutions are generally authorized or required by law to close in the United States; (i) references herein to this Agreement or any other agreement contemplated herein shall be deemed to refer to this Agreement or such other agreement as of the date on which it is executed and as it may be amended, modified or supplemented thereafter, unless otherwise specified; and (j) unless expressly stated to the contrary in this Agreement, all references to “the date hereof,” “the date of this Agreement” and “hereby” and words of similar import shall all be references to the Effective Time.

Section 7.21. Mutual Drafting. This Agreement shall be deemed to be the joint work product of the Parties and any rule of construction that a document shall be interpreted or construed against a drafter of such document shall not be applicable to this Agreement.

Remainder of page intentionally left blank.

 

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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Parties have caused this Agreement to be executed by their duly authorized representatives as of the date first written above.

 

ZIFF DAVIS, INC.
By:  

/s/ Jeremy Rossen

Name:  

Jeremy Rossen

Title:  

Executive Vice President, Secretary and General Counsel

CONSENSUS CLOUD SOLUTIONS, INC.
By:  

/s/ Vithya Aubee

Name:  

Vithya Aubee

Title:  

Vice President

Signature Page to Intellectual Property License Agreement

Exhibit 10.5

STOCKHOLDER AND REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT

BY AND BETWEEN

ZIFF DAVIS, INC.

AND

CONSENSUS CLOUD SOLUTIONS, INC.

DATED AS OF OCTOBER 7, 2021

 


TABLE OF CONTENTS

Page

 

ARTICLE I DEFINITIONS

     1  

ARTICLE II REGISTRATION RIGHTS

     6  

Section 2.01

  Registration      6  

Section 2.02

  Piggyback Registrations      10  

Section 2.03

  Registration Procedures      12  

Section 2.04

  Underwritten Offerings or Exchange Offers      17  

Section 2.05

  Registration Expenses Paid by SpinCo.      18  

Section 2.06

  Indemnification      21  

Section 2.07

  Reporting Requirements; Rule 144      21  

Section 2.08

  Registration Rights Covenant      21  

Section 2.09

  Registration Rights Agreement with Participating Banks   

ARTICLE III VOTING RESTRICTIONS

     21  

Section 3.01

  Voting of SpinCo Shares      21  

ARTICLE IV MISCELLANEOUS

     22  

Section 4.01

  Further Assurances      22  

Section 4.02

  Term and Termination      22  

Section 4.03

  Counterparts; Entire Agreement; Corporate Power      22  

Section 4.04

  Disputes and Governing Law      23  

Section 4.05

  Successors, Assigns and Transferees      24  

Section 4.06

  Third-Party Beneficiaries      25  

Section 4.07

  Notices      25  

Section 4.08

  Severability      26  

Section 4.09

  Headings      26  

Section 4.10

  Waiver of Default      26  

Section 4.11

  Amendments      26  

Section 4.12

  Interpretation      27  

Section 4.13

  Performance      27  

Section 4.14

  Registrations, Exchanges, etc.      28  

Section 4.15

  Mutual Drafting      28  

Exhibit A – Form of Agreement to be Bound

     A-1  

 

 

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STOCKHOLDER AND REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT

This STOCKHOLDER AND REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT, dated as of October 7, 2021 (this “Agreement”), is by and between Ziff Davis, Inc., a Delaware corporation (“Parent”), and Consensus Cloud Solutions, Inc., a Delaware corporation (“SpinCo”). Capitalized terms used herein and not otherwise defined shall have the respective meanings assigned to them in Article I.

R E C I T A L S

WHEREAS, the board of directors of Parent (the “Parent Board”) has determined that it is appropriate and desirable to distribute at least 80.1% of the outstanding SpinCo Shares owned by Parent to Parent’s shareholders (the “Distribution”);

WHEREAS, following the Distribution, Parent may effect distributions of any SpinCo Shares (as defined below) that are not distributed in the Distribution (such SpinCo Shares not distributed in the Distribution, the “Retained Shares”) to Parent stockholders as dividends or in exchange for outstanding shares of Parent common stock, or through one or more subsequent exchanges of SpinCo Shares for Parent debt held by Parent creditors, including pursuant to one or more transactions registered under the Securities Act;

WHEREAS, SpinCo desires to grant to the Parent Group the Registration Rights for the Retained Shares and other Registrable Securities, subject to the terms and conditions of this Agreement; and

WHEREAS, the Parent Group desires to grant SpinCo a proxy to vote the Retained Shares in proportion to the votes cast by SpinCo’s other stockholders, on the terms and subject to the conditions of this Agreement.

NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the mutual agreements, provisions and covenants contained in this Agreement, and for other good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged, the parties, intending to be legally bound, hereby agree as follows:

ARTICLE I

DEFINITIONS

For the purpose of this Agreement, the following terms shall have the following meanings:

Affiliate” shall have the meaning given to such term in the Separation and Distribution Agreement.

Agreement” shall have the meaning set forth in the Preamble.

Ancillary Agreements” shall have the meaning given to such term in the Separation and Distribution Agreement.

 

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Ancillary Filings” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 2.03(a)(i).

Blackout Notice” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 2.01(d).

Blackout Period” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 2.01(d).

Block Trade” means an Underwritten Offering not involving any “road show” or other substantial marketing efforts by SpinCo, including, without limitation, a same day trade, overnight trade, bought deal or similar transaction.

Change of Control” with respect to a Person shall mean any occurrence resulting in (i) any “person” or “group” (as such terms are used in Sections 13(d) and 14(d) of the Exchange Act) becoming the “beneficial owner” (as defined in Rule 13d-3 under the Exchange Act), directly or indirectly, of securities entitled to vote in the election of members of the board of directors or similar governing body of such Person having 50% or more of the then outstanding voting power of such Person; (ii) such Person becoming a party to a merger, consolidation, share exchange, reorganization, sale of assets or other similar extraordinary transaction, or a proxy contest, in each case as a consequence of which members of the board of directors or similar governing body of such Person in office immediately prior to such transaction or event constitute less than a majority of such board or other body thereafter; or (iii) during any period of two consecutive years, individuals who at the beginning of such period constituted the board of directors or similar governing body of such Person (including for this purpose any new director or similar person whose election or nomination for election was approved by a vote of at least two-thirds of the directors or similar persons then still in office who served in such capacities at the beginning of such period, other than those such directors or similar persons appointed, or nominated for election, in connection with an actual or threatened proxy contest or other non-consensual attempt to influence or modify such board or other body) ceasing for any reason to constitute at least a majority of such board or other body.

Debt” shall mean any indebtedness of any member of the Parent Group, including debt securities, notes, credit facilities, credit agreements and other debt instruments, including, in each case, any amounts due thereunder.

Demand Registration” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 2.01(a).

Disadvantageous Condition” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 2.01(d).

Dispute” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 4.04(a).

Distribution” shall have the meaning set forth in the Recitals.

Distribution Date” shall have the meaning given to such term in the Separation and Distribution Agreement.

Exchanges” shall mean one or more Public Exchanges or Private Exchanges.

Exchange Act” shall mean the U.S. Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, together with the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder.

Exchange Offer” shall mean an exchange offer of Registrable Securities for outstanding securities of a Holder.

FINRA” shall mean the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority.

 

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Governmental Authority” shall have the meaning given to such term in the Separation and Distribution Agreement.

Group” shall have the meaning given to such term in the Separation and Distribution Agreement.

Holder” shall mean any member of the Parent Group, so long as such Person holds any Registrable Securities, and any Permitted Transferee, so long as such Person holds any Registrable Securities.

Indemnifying Party” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 2.06(c).

Indemnitee” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 2.06(c).

Initiating Holder” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 2.01(a).

Law” shall have the meaning given to such term in the Separation and Distribution Agreement.

Losses” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 2.06(a).

Offering Confidential Information” shall mean, with respect to a Piggyback Registration, (i) SpinCo’s plan to file the relevant Registration Statement and engage in the offering being registered, (ii) any information regarding the offering being registered (including the potential timing, price, number of shares, underwriters or other counterparties, selling stockholders or plan of distribution) and (iii) any other information (including information contained in draft supplements or amendments to offering materials) provided to any Holders by SpinCo (or by third parties) in connection with a Piggyback Registration; provided, that Offering Confidential Information shall not include information that (x) was or becomes generally available to the public (including as a result of the filing of the relevant Registration Statement) other than as a result of a disclosure by any Holder, (y) was or becomes available to any Holder from a source not bound by any confidentiality agreement with SpinCo or (z) was otherwise in such Holder’s possession prior to it being furnished to such Holder by SpinCo or on SpinCo’s behalf.

Other Holders” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 2.01(f).

Parent” shall have the meaning set forth in the Preamble.

Parent Board” shall have the meaning set forth in the Recitals.

Parent Group” shall have the meaning given to such term in the Separation and Distribution Agreement.

Participating Banks” means such investment banks that engage in any Exchange with one or more members of the Parent Group.

Parties” shall mean the parties to this Agreement.

Permitted Transferee” shall mean any Transferee and any Subsequent Transferee.

 

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Person” shall mean an individual, a general or limited partnership, a corporation, a trust, a joint venture, an unincorporated organization, a limited liability entity, any other entity and any Governmental Authority.

Piggyback Registration” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 2.02(a).

Private Exchange” shall mean a private exchange pursuant to which one or more members of the Parent Group shall Sell some or all of their Registrable Securities to one or more Participating Banks in exchange, directly or indirectly, for any equity interest of Parent or the satisfaction of Debt, in a transaction or series of transactions not required to be registered under the Securities Act.

Prospectus” shall mean the prospectus included in any Registration Statement, all amendments and supplements to such prospectus (including, for the avoidance of doubt, any Takedown Prospectus Supplement), including post-effective amendments, and all other material incorporated by reference in such prospectus.

Public Exchange” shall mean a public exchange pursuant to which one or more members of the Parent Group shall Sell some or all of their Registrable Securities to one or more Participating Banks in exchange, directly or indirectly, for any equity interest of Parent or the satisfaction of Debt, in a transaction or series of transactions registered under the Securities Act.

Registrable Securities” shall mean the Retained Shares and any SpinCo Shares or other securities issued with respect to, in exchange for, or in replacement of such Retained Shares; provided, that the term “Registrable Securities” excludes any security (i) the offering and Sale of which has been effectively registered under the Securities Act and which has been Sold in accordance with a Registration Statement, (ii) that has been Sold by a Holder in a transaction or transactions exempt from the registration and prospectus delivery requirements of the Securities Act under Section 4(a)(1) thereof (including transactions pursuant to Rule 144) such that the further Sale of such securities by the transferee or assignee is not restricted under the Securities Act or (iii) that has been Sold by a Holder in a transaction in which such Holder’s rights under this Agreement are not, or cannot be, assigned.

Registration” shall mean a registration with the SEC of the offer and Sale to the public of any Registrable Securities under a Registration Statement. The terms “Register” and “Registering” shall have correlative meanings.

Registration Expenses” shall mean all expenses incident to the SpinCo Group’s performance of or compliance with this Agreement, including all (i) registration, qualification and filing fees, (ii) fees and expenses of compliance with securities or blue sky Laws (including reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel in connection with blue sky qualifications within the United States of any Registrable Securities being registered), (iii) printing expenses, messenger, telephone and delivery expenses, (iv) internal expenses of SpinCo Group (including all salaries and expenses of employees of members of SpinCo Group performing legal or accounting duties), (v) fees and disbursements of counsel for Parent and SpinCo and customary fees and expenses for independent certified public accountants retained by the SpinCo Group (including the expenses of any comfort letters or costs associated with the delivery by SpinCo Group members’ independent certified public accountants of comfort letters customarily requested by underwriters) and (vi) fees and expenses of listing any Registrable Securities on any securities exchange on which the SpinCo Shares are then listed and FINRA registration and filing fees; but excluding any fees or disbursements of any Holder, all expenses incurred in connection with the printing, mailing and delivering of copies of any Registration Statement, any Prospectus, any other offering documents and any amendments and supplements thereto to any underwriters and dealers; any underwriting discounts, fees or commissions attributable to the offer and Sale of any Registrable Securities, any fees and expenses of the underwriters or dealer managers, the cost of preparing, printing or producing any agreements among underwriters, underwriting agreements and blue sky or legal investment memoranda, any selling agreements and any other similar documents in connection with the offering, Sale, distribution or delivery of

 

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the Registrable Securities or other SpinCo Shares to be Sold, including any fees of counsel for any underwriters in connection with the qualification of the Registrable Securities or other SpinCo Shares to be Sold for offering and Sale or distribution under state securities Laws, any stock transfer taxes, out-of-pocket costs and expenses relating to any investor presentations on any “road show” presentations undertaken in connection with marketing of the Registrable Securities and any fees and expenses of any counsel to the Holder or the underwriters or dealer managers.

Registration Period” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 2.01(c).

Registration Rights” shall mean the rights of the Holders to cause SpinCo to Register Registrable Securities pursuant to Article II.

Registration Statement” shall mean any registration statement of SpinCo filed with, or to be filed with, the SEC under the rules and regulations promulgated under the Securities Act, including the related Prospectus, amendments and supplements to such registration statement, including post-effective amendments, and all exhibits and all material incorporated by reference into such registration statement. For the avoidance of doubt, it is acknowledged and agreed that such Registration Statement may be on any applicable form, including Form S-1, Form S-3 or Form S-4 and may be a Shelf Registration Statement.

Retained Shares” shall have the meaning set forth in the recitals.

Sale” shall mean the direct or indirect transfer, sale, assignment or other disposition of a security. The terms “Sell” and “Sold” shall have correlative meanings.

SEC” shall mean the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.

Securities Act” shall mean the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended, together with the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder.

Separation” shall have the meaning given to such term in the Separation and Distribution Agreement.

Separation and Distribution Agreement” shall mean the Separation and Distribution Agreement by and between Parent and SpinCo in connection with the Separation and the Distribution, as it may be amended, modified or supplemented from time to time.

Shelf Registration” means a registration pursuant to a Shelf Registration Statement.

Shelf Registration Statement” shall mean a Registration Statement of SpinCo for an offering of Registrable Securities to be made on a delayed or continuous basis pursuant to Rule 415 under the Securities Act (or similar provisions then in effect).

SpinCo” shall have the meaning set forth in the Preamble.

SpinCo Board” shall mean the board of directors of SpinCo.

 

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SpinCo Group” shall have the meaning given to such term in the Separation and Distribution Agreement.

SpinCo Public Sale” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 2.02 (a).

SpinCo Shares” shall mean the shares of common stock, par value $0.01 per share, of SpinCo.

Subsequent Transferee” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 4.05(b).

Subsidiary” shall have the meaning given to such term in the Separation and Distribution Agreement.

Takedown Prospectus Supplement” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 2.01(g).

Takedown Request” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 2.01(g).

Transferee” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 4.05(b).

Underwritten Offering” shall mean a Registration in which Registrable Securities are Sold to an underwriter or underwriters on a firm commitment basis for reoffering to the public.

ARTICLE II

REGISTRATION RIGHTS

Section 2.01 Registration.

(a) At any time prior to or on the fifth anniversary of the Distribution Date, any Holder(s) of 10% or more of the then-outstanding Registrable Securities (and any Holders acting together which collectively hold 10% or more of the then outstanding Registrable Securities) (collectively, the “Initiating Holder”; provided, that the 10% ownership threshold shall not apply to any Holder that is a member of the Parent Group) shall have the right to request that SpinCo file a Registration Statement with the SEC on the appropriate registration form for all or part of the Registrable Securities held by such Initiating Holder, by delivering a written request thereof to SpinCo specifying the number of shares of Registrable Securities such Initiating Holder wishes to Register (a “Demand Registration”). SpinCo shall (i) within five days of the receipt of a Demand Registration, give written notice of such Demand Registration to all Holders of Registrable Securities, (ii) use its commercially reasonable efforts to prepare and file the Registration Statement as expeditiously as possible, but in any event within 30 days of such request and (iii) use its commercially reasonable efforts to cause the Registration Statement to become effective in respect of each Demand Registration in accordance with the intended method of distribution set forth in the written request delivered by the Initiating Holder. SpinCo shall include in such Registration all Registrable Securities with respect to which SpinCo receives, within the 10 days immediately following the receipt by the Holder(s) of such notice from SpinCo, a request for inclusion in the Registration from the Holder(s) thereof. Each such request from a Holder of Registrable Securities for inclusion in the Registration shall also specify the aggregate amount of Registrable Securities proposed to be Registered. The Initiating Holder may request that the Registration Statement be on any appropriate form, including Form S-4 in the case of an Exchange Offer or a Form S-3 (if SpinCo is then eligible to use Form S-3) in the case of a Shelf Registration Statement, and SpinCo shall effect the Registration on the form so requested.

 

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(b) The Holder(s) may collectively make a total of four Demand Registration requests pursuant to Section 2.01(a) (including any exercise of rights to Demand Registration transferred pursuant to Section 4.05 and including any exercise of rights to Demand Registration made pursuant to any registration rights agreement entered into pursuant to Section 2.09); provided that the Holder(s) may not make more than two Demand Registration requests in any 365-day period. In addition, and notwithstanding anything to the contrary, the Parent Group shall be permitted to engage in up to four Private Exchanges within any 365-day period following the date hereof, and Demand Registration request(s) made by the Participating Banks in such Private Exchanges pursuant to one or more registration rights agreements with SpinCo pursuant to Section 2.09 shall collectively count only as one Demand Registration request for purposes of the limitation on the number of Demand Registration requests set forth in the first sentence of this Section 2.01(b) (it being understood that the Parent Group shall be permitted to engage in additional Private Exchanges outside such twelve-month period, but each Demand Registration request by the Participating Banks for such Private Exchange pursuant to its registration rights agreement with SpinCo pursuant to Section 2.09 shall count as an additional Demand Registration request for purposes of the limitation on the number of Demand Registration requests set forth in the first sentence of this Section 2.01(b)). Furthermore, and notwithstanding anything to the contrary, if, at the time of the second Demand Registration, SpinCo is prohibited under then-existing SEC rules from registering all remaining Registrable Securities pursuant to a Shelf Registration, regardless of whether the Holder or Holders has requested that such third Demand Registration be a Shelf Registration or otherwise, then such Demand Registration shall not count toward the total number of Demand Registration requests made by the Holder(s), and the Holder(s) shall continue to be able to make additional Demand Registration requests until such time as SpinCo is permitted under then-existing SEC rules to register all of the remaining Registrable Securities pursuant to a Shelf Registration.

(c) SpinCo shall be deemed to have effected a Registration for purposes of this Section 2.01 if the Registration Statement is declared effective by the SEC or becomes effective upon filing with the SEC and remains effective until the earlier of (i) the date when all Registrable Securities thereunder have been Sold and (ii) in the case of a Registration Statement that is not a Shelf Registration Statement, (x) 60 days from the effective date of the Registration Statement, in the case of a Shelf Registration Statement on Form S-1, (y) 12 months from the effective date of the Shelf Registration Statement on Form S-3 or (z) 24 months from the effective date of the Shelf Registration Statement in the case of a Shelf Registration Statement on any other form (such period, as applicable, the “Registration Period”). No Registration shall be deemed to have been effective if the conditions to closing specified in the underwriting agreement or dealer manager agreement, if any, entered into in connection with such Registration are not satisfied by reason of a wrongful act, misrepresentation or breach of such applicable underwriting agreement or dealer manager agreement by any member of the SpinCo Group. If during the Registration Period, such Registration is interfered with by any stop order, injunction or other order or requirement of the SEC or other Governmental Authority or the need to update or supplement the Registration Statement, the Registration Period shall be extended on a day-for-day basis for any period in which the Holder(s) is unable to complete an offering as a result of such stop order, injunction or other order or requirement of the SEC or other Governmental Authority.

(d) With respect to any Registration Statement or Takedown Prospectus Supplement, whether filed or to be filed pursuant to this Agreement, if SpinCo shall reasonably determine, upon the advice of legal counsel, that maintaining the effectiveness of such Registration Statement or filing an amendment or supplement thereto (or, if no Registration Statement has yet been filed, filing such a Registration Statement), or filing such Takedown Prospectus Supplement, would (i) require the public disclosure of material nonpublic information concerning any transaction or negotiations involving SpinCo or any of its consolidated Subsidiaries that would materially interfere with such transaction or negotiations or (ii) require

 

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the public disclosure of material nonpublic information concerning SpinCo that, if disclosed at such time, would be materially adverse to SpinCo (a “Disadvantageous Condition”), SpinCo may, for the shortest period reasonably practicable, and in any event for not more than 60 consecutive calendar days (a “Blackout Period”), notify the Holders whose offers and Sales of Registrable Securities are covered (or to be covered) by such Registration Statement or Takedown Prospectus Supplement that such Registration Statement is unavailable for use (or will not be filed as requested) (such notice, a “Blackout Notice”). Upon the receipt of any Blackout Notice, the Holders shall forthwith discontinue use of the Prospectus or Takedown Prospectus Supplement contained in any effective Registration Statement; provided, that, if at the time of receipt of such Blackout Notice any Holder shall have Sold its Registrable Securities (or have signed a firm commitment underwriting agreement with respect to the purchase of such shares) and the Disadvantageous Condition is not of a nature that would require a post-effective amendment to the Registration Statement or Takedown Prospectus Supplement, then SpinCo shall use its commercially reasonable efforts to take such action as to eliminate any restriction imposed by federal securities Laws on the timely delivery of such Registrable Securities. When any Disadvantageous Condition as to which a Blackout Notice has been previously delivered shall cease to exist, SpinCo shall as promptly as reasonably practicable notify the Holders and take such actions in respect of such Registration Statement or Takedown Prospectus Supplement as are otherwise required by this Agreement. The effectiveness period for any Demand Registration or Shelf Registration Statement for which SpinCo has given notice of a Blackout Period shall be increased by the length of time of such Blackout Period. SpinCo shall not impose, in any 365-day period, Blackout Periods lasting, in the aggregate, in excess of 90 calendar days. If SpinCo declares a Blackout Period with respect to a Demand Registration for a Registration Statement that has not yet been declared effective or a Takedown Request for which a Takedown Prospectus Supplement has not yet been filed, (i) the Holders may by notice to SpinCo withdraw the related Demand Registration request or Takedown Request, in the case of a Demand Registration request without such Demand Registration request counting against the number of Demand Registration requests permitted to be made under Section 2.01(b), and (ii) the Holders shall not be responsible for any of SpinCo’s related Registration Expenses.

(e) If the Initiating Holder so indicates at the time of its request pursuant to Section 2.01(a) or Section 2.01(g), such offering of Registrable Securities shall be in the form of an Underwritten Offering or an Exchange Offer, and SpinCo shall include such information in the written notice to the Holders required under Section 2.01(a). In the event that the Initiating Holder intends to Sell the Registrable Securities by means of an Underwritten Offering or Exchange Offer, the right of any Holder to include Registrable Securities in such registration shall be conditioned upon such Holder’s participation in such Underwritten Offering or Exchange Offer and the inclusion of such Holder’s Registrable Securities in the Underwritten Offering or the Exchange Offer to the extent provided herein. The Holders of a majority of the outstanding Registrable Securities being included in any Underwritten Offering or Exchange Offer shall select the underwriter(s) in the case of an Underwritten Offering or the dealer manager(s) in the case of an Exchange Offer, provided that such underwriter(s) or dealer manager(s) are reasonably acceptable to SpinCo. SpinCo shall be entitled to designate counsel for such underwriter(s) or dealer manager(s) (subject to their approval), provided that such designated underwriters’ counsel shall be a firm of national reputation representing underwriters or dealer managers in capital markets transactions.

 

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(f) If the managing underwriter or underwriters of a proposed Underwritten Offering of Registrable Securities included in a Registration pursuant to this Section 2.01 inform(s) in writing the Holders participating in such Registration that, in its or their opinion, the number of securities requested to be included in such Registration exceeds the number that can be Sold in such offering without being likely to have a significant adverse effect on the price, timing or distribution of the securities offered or the market for the securities offered, the number of Registrable Securities to be included in such Registration shall be reduced to the maximum number recommended by the managing underwriter or underwriters and allocated first to any members of the Parent Group participating in the Registration, and then pro rata among the other Holders, including the Initiating Holder (other than any member of the Parent Group), in proportion to the number of Registrable Securities each Holder has requested to be included in such Registration; provided, that the Initiating Holder may notify SpinCo in writing that the Registration Statement shall be abandoned or withdrawn, in which event SpinCo shall abandon or withdraw such Registration Statement. In the event the Initiating Holder notifies SpinCo that such Registration Statement shall be abandoned or withdrawn, such Holder shall not be deemed to have requested a Demand Registration pursuant to Section 2.01(a), and SpinCo shall not be deemed to have effected a Demand Registration pursuant to Section 2.01(b). If the amount of Registrable Securities to be underwritten has not been limited in accordance with the first sentence of this Section 2.01(f), SpinCo and the holders of SpinCo Shares or, if the Registrable Securities include securities other than SpinCo Shares, the holders of securities of the same class of those securities included in the Registrable Securities, in each case, other than the Holders (“Other Holders”), may include such securities for their own account or for the account of Other Holders in such Registration if the underwriter(s) so agree and to the extent that, in the opinion of such underwriter(s), the inclusion of such additional amount will not adversely affect the offering of the Registrable Securities included in such Registration.

(g) With respect to any Demand Registration, the requesting Holders may request that SpinCo effect a registration of the Registrable Securities under a Shelf Registration, in which event SpinCo shall file, and shall thereafter use its commercially reasonable efforts to make and keep effective in accordance with Section 2.01(c) (including by renewing or refiling upon expiration), a Shelf Registration Statement; provided, that SpinCo shall not be required to maintain in effect more than one Shelf Registration at any one time pursuant to this Section 2.01(g). Thereafter, SpinCo shall, as promptly as reasonably practicable following the written request of Holders for a resale of Registrable Securities (a “Takedown Request”), file a prospectus supplement (a “Takedown Prospectus Supplement”) to such Shelf Registration Statement under Rule 424 promulgated under the Securities Act with respect to resales of the Registrable Securities pursuant to Holder’s intended method of distribution thereof. Each Takedown Request shall specify the Registrable Securities to be registered, their aggregate amount and the intended method or methods of distribution thereof. If, in the case of an Underwritten Offering pursuant to a Takedown Request, the requesting Holder(s) so elect, such offering shall be in the form of a Block Trade, in which such event the requesting Holder(s) shall give at least ten (10) business days’ prior notice in writing of such transaction to SpinCo (which such notice shall identify the potential underwriter(s) and include contact information for such underwriter(s)), and SpinCo shall use commercially reasonable efforts to cooperate with such requesting Holder(s) to the extent it is reasonably able and shall not be required to give notice thereof to other Holders of Registrable Securities or permit their participation therein unless SpinCo determines it is reasonably practicable to do so. In no event shall SpinCo be required to effect, pursuant to this Section 2.01(g), during any 90-day period, more than (A) two Block Trades or (B) more than one Underwritten Offering that is not a Block Trade pursuant to a Takedown Request (it being understood, for the avoidance of doubt, that a Takedown Request shall not count as a Demand Registration request for purposes of the limit set forth in Section 2.01(b)).

 

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Section 2.02 Piggyback Registrations.

(a) At any time prior to the earlier to occur of the fifth anniversary of the Distribution Date or the date on which the Registrable Securities then held by the Holder(s) may be sold without registration pursuant to Rule 144, or any successor rule promulgated under the Securities Act (with no volume, manner of sale or current public information requirement or other limitations), if SpinCo proposes to file a Registration Statement (other than a Shelf Registration) or a Prospectus supplement filed pursuant to a Shelf Registration Statement under the Securities Act with respect to any offering of such securities for its own account and/or for the account of any Other Holders (other than (i) a Registration or Takedown Prospectus Supplement under Section 2.01, (ii) a Registration pursuant to a Registration Statement on Form S-8 or Form S-4 or similar form that relates to a transaction subject to Rule 145 under the Securities Act, (iii) in connection with any dividend reinvestment or similar plan, (iv) for the purpose of offering securities to another entity or its security holders in connection with the acquisition of assets or securities of such entity or any similar transaction or (v) a Registration in which the only SpinCo Shares being registered are SpinCo Shares issuable upon conversion of debt securities that are also being registered) (a “SpinCo Public Sale”), then, as soon as practicable, but in any event not less than 15 days prior to the proposed date of filing such Registration Statement, SpinCo shall give written notice of such proposed filing to each Holder, and such notice shall offer such Holders the opportunity to Register under such Registration Statement such number of Registrable Securities as each such Holder may request in writing (a “Piggyback Registration”). Subject to Section 2.02(b) and Section 2.02(c), SpinCo shall use its commercially reasonable efforts to include in a Registration Statement with respect to a SpinCo Public Sale all Registrable Securities that are requested to be included therein within five business days after the receipt of any such notice; provided, however, that if, at any time after giving written notice of its intention to Register any securities and prior to the effective date of the Registration Statement filed in connection with such Registration, SpinCo shall determine for any reason not to Register or to delay Registration of the SpinCo Public Sale, SpinCo may, at its election, give written notice of such determination to each such Holder and, thereupon, (x) in the case of a determination not to Register, shall be relieved of its obligation to Register any Registrable Securities in connection with such Registration, without prejudice, however, to the rights of any Holder to request that such Registration be effected as a Demand Registration under Section 2.01 and (y) in the case of a determination to delay Registration, shall be permitted to delay Registering any Registrable Securities for the same period as the delay in Registering such other SpinCo Shares in the SpinCo Public Sale. No Registration effected under this Section 2.02 shall relieve SpinCo of its obligation to effect any Demand Registration under Section 2.01. For purposes of clarification, SpinCo’s filing of a Shelf Registration Statement shall not be deemed to be a SpinCo Public Sale; provided, however, that any prospectus supplement filed pursuant to a Shelf Registration Statement with respect to an offering of SpinCo Shares for its own account and/or for the account of any other Persons will be a SpinCo Public Sale, unless such offering qualifies for an exemption from the SpinCo Public Sale definition in this Section 2.02(a).

 

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(b) In the case of any Underwritten Offering, each Holder shall have the right to withdraw such Holder’s request for inclusion of its Registrable Securities in such Underwritten Offering pursuant to Section 2.02(a) at any time prior to the execution of an underwriting agreement with respect thereto by giving written notice to SpinCo of such Holder’s request to withdraw and, subject to the preceding clause, each Holder shall be permitted to withdraw all or part of such Holder’s Registrable Securities from a Piggyback Registration at any time prior to the effective date thereof.

(c) If the managing underwriter or underwriters of any proposed Underwritten Offering of a class of Registrable Securities included in a Piggyback Registration informs SpinCo and each Holder in writing that, in its or their opinion, the number of securities of such class that such Holder and any other Persons intend to include in such offering exceeds the number that can be Sold in such offering without being likely to have an adverse effect on the price, timing or distribution of the securities offered or the market for the securities offered, then the securities to be included in such Registration shall be (i) first, all securities of SpinCo and any other Persons (other than SpinCo’s executive officers and directors) for whom SpinCo is effecting the Registration, as the case may be, proposes to Sell, (ii) second, the number, if any, of Registrable Securities of such class that, in the opinion of such managing underwriter or underwriters, can be Sold without having such adverse effect, with such number to be allocated pro rata among the members of the Parent Group that hold Registrable Securities and have requested to participate in such Registration based on the relative number of Registrable Securities of such class requested by such Person to be included in such Sale, (iii) third, the number, if any, of Registrable Securities of such class that, in the opinion of such managing underwriter or underwriters, can be Sold without having such adverse effect, with such number to be allocated pro rata among the Holders (other than members of the Parent Group) that hold Registrable Securities and have requested to participate in such Registration based on the relative number of Registrable Securities of such class requested by such Person to be included in such Sale, (iv) fourth, the number of securities of executive officers and directors of SpinCo for whom SpinCo is effecting the Registration, as the case may be, with such number to be allocated pro rata among the executive officers and directors and (v) fifth, any other securities eligible for inclusion in such Registration, allocated among the holders of such securities in such proportion as SpinCo and those holders may agree.

(d) After a Holder has been notified of its opportunity to include Registrable Securities in a Piggyback Registration, such Holder shall (i) treat the Offering Confidential Information as confidential information, (ii) not use any Offering Confidential Information for any purpose other than to evaluate whether to include its Registrable Securities (or other SpinCo Shares) in such Piggyback Registration and (iii) not disclose any Offering Confidential Information to any Person other than such of its agents, employees, advisors and counsel as have a need to know such Offering Confidential Information, and to cause such agents, employees, advisors and counsel to comply with the requirements of this Section 2.02(d); provided, that any such Holder may disclose Offering Confidential Information if such disclosure is required by legal process, but such Holder shall cooperate with SpinCo to limit the extent of such disclosure through protective order or otherwise, and to seek confidential treatment of the Offering Confidential Information.

 

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Section 2.03 Registration Procedures.

(a) In connection with SpinCo’s Registration obligations under Sections 2.01 and 2.02, SpinCo shall use its commercially reasonable efforts to effect such Registration to permit the offer and Sale of such Registrable Securities in accordance with the intended method or methods of distribution thereof as expeditiously as practicable, and in connection therewith, SpinCo shall, and shall cause the members of the SpinCo Group to:

(i) prepare and file the required Registration Statement or Takedown Prospectus Supplement, including all exhibits and financial statements and, in the case of an Exchange Offer, any document required under Rule 425 or Rule 165 with respect to such Exchange Offer (collectively, the “Ancillary Filings”) required under the Securities Act to be filed therewith, and before filing with the SEC a Registration Statement or Prospectus, or any amendments or supplements thereto, (A) furnish to the underwriters or dealer managers, if any, and to the Holders, copies of all documents prepared to be filed, which documents shall be subject to the review and comment of such underwriters or dealer managers and such Holders and their respective counsel, and provide such underwriters or dealer managers, if any, and such Holders and their respective counsel reasonable time to review and comment thereon and (B) not file with the SEC any Registration Statement or Prospectus or amendments or supplements thereto or any Ancillary Filing to which the Holders or the underwriters or dealer managers, if any, shall reasonably object;

(ii) prepare and file with the SEC such amendments and post-effective amendments to such Registration Statement and supplements to the Prospectus and any Ancillary Filing as may be reasonably requested by the participating Holders;

(iii) promptly notify the participating Holders and the managing underwriters or dealer managers, if any, and, if requested, confirm such advice in writing and provide copies of the relevant documents, as soon as reasonably practicable after notice thereof is received by any member of the SpinCo Group (A) when the applicable Registration Statement or any amendment thereto has been filed or becomes effective, the applicable Prospectus or any amendment or supplement to such Prospectus has been filed, or any Ancillary Filing has been filed, (B) of any comments (written or oral) by the SEC or any request (written or oral) by the SEC or any other Governmental Authority for amendments or supplements to such Registration Statement, such Prospectus or any Ancillary Filing, or for any additional information, (C) of the issuance by the SEC of any stop order suspending the effectiveness of such Registration Statement, any order preventing or suspending the use of any preliminary or final Prospectus or any Ancillary Filing, or the initiation or threatening of any proceedings for such purposes, (D) if, at any time, the representations and warranties (written or oral) in any applicable underwriting agreement or dealer manager agreement cease to be true and correct in all material respects and (E) of the receipt by any member of the SpinCo Group of any notification with respect to the suspension of the qualification of the Registrable Securities for offering or Sale in any jurisdiction or the initiation or threatening of any proceeding for such purpose;

 

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(iv) (A) promptly notify each participating Holder and the managing underwriter(s) or dealer manager(s), if any, when SpinCo becomes aware of the occurrence of any event as a result of which the applicable Registration Statement, the Prospectus included in such Registration Statement (as then in effect) or any Ancillary Filing contains any untrue statement of a material fact or omits to state a material fact necessary to make the statements therein (in the case of such Prospectus and any preliminary Prospectus, in light of the circumstances under which they were made) not misleading, or if for any other reason it shall be necessary during such time period to amend or supplement such Registration Statement, Prospectus or any Ancillary Filing in order to comply with the Securities Act, and (B) in either case, as promptly as reasonably practicable thereafter, prepare and file with the SEC, and furnish without charge to each participating Holder and the underwriter(s) or dealer manager(s), if any, an amendment or supplement to such Registration Statement, Prospectus or Ancillary Filing that will correct such statement or omission or effect such compliance;

(v) use its commercially reasonable efforts to prevent or obtain the withdrawal of any stop order or other order suspending the use of any preliminary or final Prospectus;

(vi) promptly (A) incorporate in a Prospectus supplement or post-effective amendment such information as the managing underwriter(s) or dealer manager(s), if any, and the Holders agree should be included therein relating to the plan of distribution with respect to such Registrable Securities and (B) make all required filings of such Prospectus supplement or post-effective amendment as soon as reasonably practicable after being notified of the matters to be incorporated in such Prospectus supplement or post-effective amendment;

(vii) furnish to each participating Holder and each underwriter or dealer manager, if any, without charge, as many conformed copies as such Holder or underwriter or dealer manager may reasonably request of the applicable Registration Statement and any amendment or post-effective amendment thereto, including financial statements and schedules, all documents incorporated therein by reference and all exhibits (including those incorporated by reference), but excluding all documents and exhibits that are available via the SEC’s EDGAR system;

(viii) deliver to each participating Holder and each underwriter or dealer manager, if any, without charge, as many copies of the applicable Prospectus (including each preliminary Prospectus) and any amendment or supplement thereto as such Holder or underwriter or dealer manager may reasonably request (it being understood that SpinCo consents to the use of such Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto by each participating Holder and the underwriter(s) or dealer manager(s), if any, in connection with the offering and Sale of the Registrable Securities covered by such Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto) and such other documents as such participating Holder or underwriter or dealer manager may reasonably request in order to facilitate the Sale of the Registrable Securities by such Holder or underwriter or dealer manager;

 

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(ix) on or prior to the date on which the applicable Registration Statement is declared effective or becomes effective, use its commercially reasonable efforts to register or qualify, and cooperate with each participating Holder, the managing underwriter(s) or dealer manager(s), if any, and their respective counsel, in connection with the registration or qualification of, such Registrable Securities for offer and Sale under the securities or “blue sky” Laws of each state and other jurisdiction of the United States as any participating Holder or managing underwriter(s) or dealer manager(s), if any, or their respective counsel reasonably request, and in any foreign jurisdiction mutually agreeable to SpinCo and the participating Holders, and do any and all other acts or things reasonably necessary or advisable to keep such registration or qualification in effect for so long as such Registration Statement remains in effect and so as to permit the continuance of offers and Sales and dealings in such jurisdictions for so long as may be necessary to complete the distribution of the Registrable Securities covered by the Registration Statement; provided that SpinCo will not be required to qualify generally to do business in any jurisdiction where it is not then so qualified, to take any action which would subject it to taxation or general service of process in any such jurisdiction where it is not then so subject or conform its capitalization or the composition of its assets at the time to the securities or blue sky Laws of any such jurisdiction;

(x) in connection with any Sale of Registrable Securities that will result in such securities no longer being Registrable Securities, cooperate with each participating Holder and the managing underwriter(s) or dealer manager(s), if any, to (A) facilitate the timely preparation and delivery of certificates representing Registrable Securities to be Sold and not bearing any restrictive Securities Act legends and (B) register such Registrable Securities in such denominations and such names as such participating Holder or the underwriter(s) or dealer manager(s), if any, may request at least two business days prior to such Sale of Registrable Securities; provided that SpinCo may satisfy its obligations hereunder without issuing physical stock certificates through the use of the Depository Trust Company’s Direct Registration System;

(xi) cooperate and assist in any filings required to be made with FINRA and each securities exchange, if any, on which any of SpinCo’s securities are then listed or quoted and on each inter-dealer quotation system on which any of SpinCo’s securities are then quoted, and in the performance of any due diligence investigation by any underwriter or dealer manager (including any “qualified independent underwriter”) that is required to be retained in accordance with the rules and regulations of each such exchange, and use its commercially reasonable efforts to cause the Registrable Securities covered by the applicable Registration Statement to be registered with or approved by such other Governmental Authorities as may be necessary to enable the seller or sellers thereof or the underwriter(s) or dealer manager(s), if any, to consummate the Sale of such Registrable Securities;

(xii) not later than the effective date of the applicable Registration Statement, provide a CUSIP number for all Registrable Securities and provide the applicable transfer agent with printed certificates for the Registrable Securities which are in a form eligible for deposit with the Depository Trust Company; provided, that SpinCo may satisfy its obligations hereunder without issuing physical stock certificates through the use of the Depository Trust Company’s Direct Registration System;

 

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(xiii) obtain for delivery to and addressed to each participating Holder and to the underwriter(s) or dealer manager (s), if any, opinions from counsel for SpinCo, in each case dated the effective date of the Registration Statement or, in the event of an Underwritten Offering, the date of the closing under the underwriting agreement or, in the event of an Exchange Offer, the date of the closing under the dealer manager agreement or similar agreement or otherwise, and in each such case in customary form and content for the type of Underwritten Offering or Exchange Offer, as applicable;

(xiv) in the case of an Underwritten Offering or Exchange Offer, obtain for delivery to and addressed to SpinCo and the managing underwriter(s) or dealer manager(s), if any, and, to the extent requested, each participating Holder, a cold comfort letter from SpinCo’s independent registered public accounting firm in customary form and content for the type of Underwritten Offering or Exchange Offer, dated the date of execution of the underwriting agreement or dealer manager agreement or, if none, the date of commencement of the Exchange Offer, and brought down to the closing, whether under the underwriting agreement or dealer manager agreement, if applicable, or otherwise;

(xv) in the case of an Exchange Offer that does not involve a dealer manager, provide to each participating Holder such customary written representations and warranties or other covenants or agreements as may be requested by any participating Holder comparable to those that would be included in an underwriting or dealer manager agreement;

(xvi) use its commercially reasonable efforts to comply with all applicable rules and regulations of the SEC and make generally available to its security holders, as soon as reasonably practicable, but in any event no later than 90 days, after the end of the 12-month period beginning with the first day of SpinCo’s first quarter commencing after the effective date of the applicable Registration Statement, an earnings statement satisfying the provisions of Section 11(a) of the Securities Act and covering the period of at least 12 months, but not more than 18 months, beginning with the first month after the effective date of the Registration Statement;

(xvii) provide and cause to be maintained a transfer agent and registrar for all Registrable Securities covered by the applicable Registration Statement from and after a date not later than the effective date of such Registration Statement;

(xviii) cause all Registrable Securities covered by the applicable Registration Statement to be listed on each securities exchange on which any of SpinCo’s securities are then listed or quoted and on each inter-dealer quotation system on which any of SpinCo’s securities are then quoted;

(xix) provide (A) each Holder participating in the Registration, (B) the underwriters (which term, for purposes of this Agreement, shall include any Person deemed to be an underwriter within the meaning of Section 2(11) of the Securities Act), if any, of the Registrable Securities to be registered, (C) the Sale or placement agent therefor, if any, (D) the dealer manager therefor, if any, (E) counsel for such Holder,

 

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underwriters, agent, or dealer manager and (F) any attorney, accountant or other agent or representative retained by such Holder or any such underwriter or dealer manager, as selected by such Holder, in each case, the opportunity to participate in the preparation of such Registration Statement, each Prospectus included therein or filed with the SEC, and each amendment or supplement thereto; and for a reasonable period prior to the filing of such Registration Statement, upon execution of a customary confidentiality agreement, make available for inspection upon reasonable notice at reasonable times and for reasonable periods, by the parties referred to in clauses (A) through (F) above, all pertinent financial and other records, pertinent corporate and other documents and properties of the SpinCo Group that are available to SpinCo, and cause all of the SpinCo Group’s officers, directors and employees and the independent public accountants who have certified its financial statements to make themselves available at reasonable times and for reasonable periods to discuss the business of SpinCo and to supply all information available to SpinCo reasonably requested by any such Person in connection with such Registration Statement as shall be necessary to enable them to exercise their due diligence or other responsibility, subject to the foregoing; provided, that in no event shall any member of the SpinCo Group be required to make available any information which the SpinCo Board determines in good faith to be competitively sensitive or confidential. The recipients of such information shall coordinate with one another so that the inspection permitted hereunder will not unnecessarily interfere with the SpinCo Group’s conduct of business. Each Holder agrees that information obtained by it as a result of such inspections shall be deemed confidential and shall not be used by it as the basis for any market transactions in the securities of SpinCo or its Affiliates unless and until such information is made generally available to the public by SpinCo or such Affiliate or for any reason not related to the Registration of Registrable Securities;

(xx) cause the senior executive officers of SpinCo to participate at reasonable times and for reasonable periods in the customary “road show” presentations that may be reasonably requested by the managing underwriter(s) or dealer manager (s), if any, and otherwise to facilitate, cooperate with, and participate in each proposed offering contemplated herein and customary selling efforts related thereto, except to the extent that such participation materially interferes with the management of SpinCo’s business; and

(xxi) comply with all requirements of the Securities Act, Exchange Act and other applicable Laws, rules and regulations, as well as all applicable stock exchange rules; and (xxii) take all other customary steps reasonably necessary or advisable to effect the Registration and distribution of the Registrable Securities contemplated hereby.

(b) As a condition precedent to any Registration hereunder, SpinCo may require each Holder as to which any Registration is being effected to furnish to SpinCo such information regarding the distribution of such securities and such other information relating to such Holder, its ownership of Registrable Securities and other matters as SpinCo may from time to time reasonably request in writing. Each such Holder agrees to furnish such information to SpinCo and to cooperate with SpinCo as reasonably necessary to enable SpinCo to comply with the provisions of this Agreement.

 

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(c) Each Holder shall, as promptly as reasonably practicable, notify SpinCo, at any time when a Prospectus is required to be delivered (or deemed delivered) under the Securities Act, of the occurrence of an event, of which such Holder has knowledge, relating to such Holder or its Sale of Registrable Securities thereunder requiring the preparation of a supplement or amendment to such Prospectus so that, as thereafter delivered (or deemed delivered) to the purchasers of such Registrable Securities, such Prospectus will not contain an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they are made, not misleading.

(d) Parent agrees (on behalf of itself and each member of the Parent Group), and any other Holder agrees by acquisition of such Registrable Securities, that, upon receipt of any written notice from SpinCo of the occurrence of any event of the kind described in Section 2.03(a)(iv), such Holder will forthwith discontinue Sales of Registrable Securities pursuant to such Registration Statement until such Holder’s receipt of the copies of the supplemented or amended Prospectus contemplated by Section 2.03(a)(iv), or until such Holder is advised in writing by SpinCo that the use of the Prospectus may be resumed, and if so directed by SpinCo, such Holder will deliver to SpinCo, at SpinCo’s expense, all copies of the Prospectus covering such Registrable Securities current at the time of receipt of such notice. In the event SpinCo shall give any such notice, the period during which the applicable Registration Statement is required to be maintained effective shall be extended by the number of days during the period from and including the date of the giving of such notice through the date when each seller of Registrable Securities covered by such Registration Statement either receives the copies of the supplemented or amended Prospectus contemplated by Section 2.03(a)(iv) or is advised in writing by SpinCo that the use of the Prospectus may be resumed.

Section 2.04 Underwritten Offerings or Exchange Offers.

(a) If requested by the managing underwriter(s) for any Underwritten Offering or dealer manager(s) for any Exchange Offer that is requested by Holders pursuant to a Demand Registration or Takedown Request under Section 2.01, SpinCo shall enter into an underwriting agreement or dealer manager agreement, as applicable, with such underwriter(s) or dealer manager(s) for such offering, such agreement to be reasonably satisfactory in substance and form to SpinCo and the underwriter(s) or dealer manager(s) and, if Parent Group is a participating Holder, to Parent Group. Such agreement shall contain such representations and warranties by SpinCo and such other terms as are generally prevailing in agreements of that type. Each Holder with Registrable Securities to be included in any Underwritten Offering or Exchange Offer by such underwriter(s) or dealer manager(s) shall enter into such underwriting agreement or dealer manager agreement at the request of SpinCo, which agreement shall contain such reasonable representations and warranties by the Holder and such other reasonable terms as are generally prevailing in agreements of that type.

(b) In the event of a SpinCo Public Sale involving an offering of SpinCo Shares or other equity securities of SpinCo in an Underwritten Offering (whether in a Demand Registration or a Piggyback Registration or pursuant to a Takedown Request, whether or not the Holders participate therein), the Holders hereby agree, and, in the event of a SpinCo Public Sale of SpinCo Shares or other equity securities of SpinCo in an Underwritten Offering or an

 

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Exchange Offer, SpinCo shall agree, and, except in the case of a Shelf Registration, it shall cause its executive officers and directors to agree, if requested by the managing underwriter or underwriters in such Underwritten Offering or by the Holder or the dealer manager or dealer managers, in an Exchange Offer, not to effect any Sale or distribution (including any offer to Sell, contract to Sell, short Sale or any option to purchase) of any securities (except, in each case, as part of the applicable Registration, if permitted hereunder) that are of the same type as those being Registered in connection with such public offering and Sale, or any securities convertible into or exchangeable or exercisable for such securities, during the period beginning five days before, and ending 90 days (or such lesser period as may be permitted by SpinCo or the participating Holder(s), as applicable, or such managing underwriter or underwriters) after, the effective date of the Registration Statement filed in connection with such Registration (or, if later, the date of the Prospectus), to the extent timely notified in writing by such selling Person or the managing underwriter or underwriters or dealer manager or dealer managers. The participating Holders and SpinCo, as applicable, also agree to execute an agreement evidencing the restrictions in this Section 2.04(b) in customary form, which form is reasonably satisfactory to SpinCo or the participating Holder(s), as applicable, and the underwriter(s) or dealer manager(s), as applicable; provided that such restrictions may be included in the underwriting agreement or dealer manager agreement, if applicable. SpinCo may impose stop-transfer instructions with respect to the securities subject to the foregoing restriction until the end of the required stand-off period.

(c) No Holder may participate in any Underwritten Offering or Exchange Offer hereunder unless such Holder (i) agrees to Sell such Holder’s securities on the basis provided in any underwriting arrangements or dealer manager agreements approved by SpinCo or other Persons entitled to approve such arrangements and (ii) completes and executes all questionnaires, powers of attorney, indemnities, underwriting agreements, dealer manager agreements and other documents reasonably required under the terms of such underwriting arrangements or dealer manager agreements or this Agreement.

Section 2.05 Registration Expenses Paid by SpinCo.

In the case of any Registration of Registrable Securities required pursuant to this Agreement, SpinCo shall pay all Registration Expenses regardless of whether the Registration Statement becomes effective; provided, however, that SpinCo shall not be required to pay for any expenses of any Registration begun pursuant to Section 2.01 if the Demand Registration request is subsequently withdrawn at the request of the Holders of a majority of the Registrable Securities to be Registered (in which case all participating Holders shall bear such expenses), unless the Holders of a majority of the Registrable Securities agree to forfeit their right to one Demand Registration to which they have the right pursuant to Section 2.01(b).

Section 2.06 Indemnification.

(a) SpinCo agrees to indemnify and hold harmless, to the full extent permitted by applicable Law, each Holder whose shares are included in a Registration Statement, such Holder’s Affiliates and their respective officers, directors, agents, advisors, employees and each Person, if any, who controls (within the meaning of the Securities Act or the Exchange Act) such Holder, from and against any and all losses, claims, damages, liabilities (or actions or

 

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proceedings in respect thereof, whether or not such indemnified party is a party thereto) and expenses, joint or several (including reasonable costs of investigation and legal expenses) (each, a “Loss” and collectively, “Losses”) arising out of or based upon (i) any untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in any Registration Statement under which the offering and Sale of such Registrable Securities was Registered under the Securities Act (including any final or preliminary Prospectus contained therein or any amendment thereof or supplement thereto or any documents incorporated by reference therein), or any such statement made in any free writing prospectus (as defined in Rule 405 under the Securities Act) that SpinCo has filed or is required to file pursuant to Rule 433(d) of the Securities Act or any Ancillary Filing, (ii) any omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein (in the case of a Prospectus, preliminary Prospectus or free writing prospectus, in light of the circumstances under which they were made) not misleading; provided, that with respect to any untrue statement or omission or alleged untrue statement or omission made in any Prospectus, the indemnity agreement contained in this paragraph shall not apply to the extent that any such liability or Loss results from or arises out of (A) the fact that a current copy of the Prospectus was not sent or given to the Person asserting any such liability at or prior to the written confirmation of the Sale of the Registrable Securities concerned to such Person if it is determined by a court of competent jurisdiction in a final and non-appealable judgment that SpinCo has provided such Prospectus and it was the responsibility of such Holder or its agents to provide such Person with a current copy of the Prospectus and such current copy of the Prospectus would have cured the defect giving rise to such liability, (B) the use of any Prospectus by or on behalf of any Holder after SpinCo has notified such Person in writing (x) that such Prospectus contains an untrue statement of a material fact or omits to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading or (y) that a stop order has been issued by the SEC with respect to a Registration Statement, or (C) any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission made therein in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to SpinCo by or on behalf of the Indemnitee (as hereinafter defined), in either case expressly for use in such Registration Statement or Prospectus. This indemnity shall be in addition to any liability SpinCo may otherwise have, including under the Separation and Distribution Agreement. Such indemnity shall remain in full force and effect regardless of any investigation made by or on behalf of such Holder or any indemnified party and shall survive the Sale of such securities by such Holder.

(b) Each participating Holder whose Registrable Securities are included in a Registration Statement agrees (severally and not jointly) to indemnify and hold harmless, to the full extent permitted by applicable Law, SpinCo, its directors, officers, agents, advisors, employees and each Person, if any, who controls (within the meaning of the Securities Act and the Exchange Act) SpinCo from and against any and all Losses (i) arising out of or based upon information furnished in writing by such Holder or on such Holder’s behalf, in either case expressly for use in a Registration Statement, Prospectus, free writing prospectus or Ancillary Filing relating to such Holder’s Registrable Securities or (ii) resulting from (A) the fact that a current copy of the Prospectus was not sent or given to the Person asserting any such liability at or prior to the written confirmation of the Sale of the Registrable Securities concerned to such Person if it is determined by a court of competent jurisdiction in a final and non-appealable judgment that it was the responsibility of such Holder or its agent to provide such Person with a current copy of the Prospectus and such current copy of the Prospectus would have cured the

 

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defect giving rise to such liability, or (B) the use of any Prospectus by or on behalf of any Holder after SpinCo has notified such Person in writing (x) that such Prospectus contains an untrue statement of a material fact or omits to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading or (y) that a stop order has been issued by the SEC with respect to a Registration Statement. This indemnity shall be in addition to any liability the participating Holder may otherwise have, including under the Separation and Distribution Agreement. In no event shall the liability of any participating Holder hereunder be greater in amount than the dollar amount of the net proceeds received by such holder under the Sale of the Registrable Securities giving rise to such indemnification obligation. Such indemnity shall remain in full force and effect regardless of any investigation made by or on behalf of SpinCo or any indemnified party.

(c) Any claim or action with respect to which a Party (an “Indemnifying Party”) may be obligated to provide indemnification to any Person entitled to indemnification hereunder (an “Indemnitee”) shall be subject to the procedures for indemnification set forth in Sections 4.4, 4.5 and 4.6 of the Separation and Distribution Agreement.

(d) If for any reason the indemnification provided for in Sections 2.06(a) or 2.06(b) is unavailable to an Indemnitee or insufficient to hold it harmless as contemplated by Sections 2.06(a) or 2.06(b), then the Indemnifying Party shall contribute to the amount paid or payable by the Indemnitee as a result of such Loss in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative fault of the Indemnifying Party on the one hand and the Indemnitee on the other hand. The relative fault shall be determined by reference to, among other things, whether the untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or the omission or alleged omission to state a material fact relates to information supplied by the Indemnifying Party or the Indemnitee and the Parties’ relative intent, knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such untrue statement or omission. For the avoidance of doubt, the establishment of such relative fault, and any disagreements or disputes relating thereto, shall be subject to Section 4.04. Notwithstanding anything in this Section 2.06(d) to the contrary, no Indemnifying Party (other than SpinCo) shall be required pursuant to this Section 2.06(d) to contribute any amount in excess of the amount by which the net proceeds received by such Indemnifying Party from the Sale of Registrable Securities in the offering to which the Losses of the Indemnitees relate (before deducting expenses, if any) exceeds the amount of any damages which such Indemnifying Party has otherwise been required to pay by reason of such untrue statement or omission. The Parties hereto agree that it would not be just and equitable if contribution pursuant to this Section 2.06(d) were determined by pro rata allocation or by any other method of allocation that does not take account of the equitable considerations referred to in this Section 2.06(d). No person guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the Securities Act) shall be entitled to contribution from any Person who was not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation. The amount paid or payable by an Indemnitee hereunder shall be deemed to include, for purposes of this Section 2.06(d), any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by such Indemnitee in connection with investigating, preparing to defend or defending against or appearing as a third party witness in respect of, or otherwise incurred in connection with, any such Loss, claim, damage, expense, liability, action, investigation or proceeding. If indemnification is available under this Section 2.06, the Indemnifying Parties shall indemnify each Indemnitee to the full extent provided in Sections 2.06(a) and 2.06(b) without regard to the relative fault of said Indemnifying Parties or Indemnitee. Any Holders’ obligations to contribute pursuant to this Section 2.06(d) are several and not joint.

 

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Section 2.07 Reporting Requirements; Rule 144.

Until the earlier of (a) the expiration or termination of this Agreement in accordance with its terms and (b) the date upon which there cease to be any Holders of Registrable Securities, SpinCo shall use its commercially reasonable efforts to be and remain in compliance with the periodic filing requirements imposed under the SEC’s rules and regulations, including the Exchange Act, and any other applicable Laws or rules, and thereafter shall timely file such information, documents and reports as the SEC may require or prescribe under Sections 13, 14 and 15(d), as applicable, of the Exchange Act so that SpinCo will qualify for registration on Form S-3 and to enable the Holders to Sell Registrable Securities without registration under the Securities Act consistent with the exemptions from registration under the Securities Act provided by (i) Rule 144 or Regulation S under the Securities Act, as amended from time to time, or (ii) any similar SEC rule or regulation then in effect. From and after the date hereof through such earlier date, SpinCo shall forthwith upon request furnish any Holder (x) a written statement by SpinCo as to whether it has complied with such requirements and, if not, the specifics thereof, (y) a copy of the most recent annual or quarterly report of SpinCo and (z) such other reports and documents filed by SpinCo with the SEC as such Holder may reasonably request in availing itself of an exemption for the offering and Sale of Registrable Securities without registration under the Securities Act.

Section 2.08 Registration Rights Covenant.

SpinCo covenants that it will not, and it will cause the members of the SpinCo Group not to, grant any right of registration under the Securities Act relating to the SpinCo Shares or any of its other securities to any Person other than pursuant to this Agreement, unless the rights so granted to another Person do not limit or restrict the rights of the Holder(s) hereunder. If SpinCo enters into any agreement after the date hereof granting any Person registration rights with respect to any security of SpinCo which agreement contains any material provisions more favorable to such Person than those set forth in this Agreement, SpinCo will notify Parent and will agree to such amendments to this Agreement as may be necessary to provide these rights to Parent, at Parent’s election.

Section 2.09 Registration Rights Agreement With Participating Banks.

If one or more members of the Parent Group decides to engage in a Private Exchange with one or more Participating Banks, SpinCo shall enter into a registration rights agreement with the Participating Banks in connection with such Private Exchange on terms and conditions consistent with this Agreement (other than the voting provisions contained in Article III hereof) and reasonably satisfactory to SpinCo and the Parent Group.

ARTICLE III

VOTING RESTRICTIONS

Section 3.01 Voting of SpinCo Shares.

(a) From the date of this Agreement and until the date that the Parent Group ceases to own any Retained Shares, Parent shall, and shall cause each member of the Parent Group to (in each case, to the extent that they own any Retained Shares), be present, in person or by proxy, at each and every SpinCo stockholder meeting, and otherwise to cause all Retained Shares owned by them to be counted as present for purposes of establishing a quorum at any such meeting, and to vote or consent on any matter (including waivers of contractual or statutory rights), or cause to be voted or consented on any such matter, all such Retained Shares in proportion to the votes cast by the other holders of SpinCo Shares on such matter.

 

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(b) From the date of this Agreement and until the date that the Parent Group ceases to own any Retained Shares, Parent hereby grants, and shall cause each member of the Parent Group (in each case, to the extent that they own any Retained Shares) to grant, an irrevocable proxy, which shall be deemed coupled with an interest sufficient in Law to support an irrevocable proxy to SpinCo or its designees, to vote, with respect to any matter (including waivers of contractual or statutory rights), all Retained Shares owned by them, in proportion to the votes cast by the other holders of SpinCo Shares on such matter; provided, that (i) such proxy shall automatically be revoked as to a particular Retained Share upon any Sale of such Retained Share from a member of the Parent Group to a Person other than a member of the Parent Group and (ii) nothing in this Section 3.01(b) shall limit or prohibit any such Sale.

(c) Parent acknowledges and agrees (on behalf of itself and each member of the Parent Group) that SpinCo will be irreparably damaged in the event any of the provisions of this Article III are not performed by Parent in accordance with their terms or are otherwise breached. Accordingly, it is agreed that SpinCo shall be entitled to an injunction to prevent breaches of this Article III and to specific enforcement of the provisions of this Article III in any action instituted in any court of the United States or any state having subject matter jurisdiction over such action.

ARTICLE IV

MISCELLANEOUS

Section 4.01 Further Assurances.

In addition to the actions specifically provided for elsewhere in this Agreement, each of the Parties shall use its commercially reasonable efforts, prior to, on and after the date hereof, to take, or cause to be taken, all actions, and to do, or cause to be done, all things, reasonably necessary, proper or advisable under applicable Laws, regulations and agreements to consummate and make effective the transactions contemplated by this Agreement.

Section 4.02 Term and Termination.

This Agreement shall terminate upon the earlier of (a) five years after the Distribution Date, (b) the time at which all Registrable Securities are held by Persons other than Holders and (c) the time at which all Registrable Securities have been Sold in accordance with one or more Registration Statements; provided, that the provisions of Sections 2.05, 2.06 and this Article IV shall survive any such termination.

Section 4.03 Counterparts; Entire Agreement; Corporate Power.

(a) This Agreement may be executed in one or more counterparts, all of which shall be considered one and the same agreement, and shall become effective when one or more counterparts have been signed by each of the Parties and delivered to the other Party.

 

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(b) This Agreement and Exhibit A hereto contain the entire agreement between the Parties with respect to the subject matter hereof, and supersede all previous agreements, negotiations, discussions, writings, understandings, commitments and conversations with respect to such subject matter, and there are no agreements or understandings between the Parties other than those set forth or referred to herein.

(c) Parent represents on behalf of itself and each other member of the Parent Group, and SpinCo represents on behalf of itself and each other member of the SpinCo Group, as follows:

(i) each such Person has the requisite corporate or other power and authority and has taken all corporate or other action necessary in order to execute, deliver and perform this Agreement and to consummate the transactions contemplated hereby; and

(ii) this Agreement has been duly executed and delivered by it and constitutes a valid and binding agreement of it enforceable in accordance with the terms hereof.

(d) Each Party acknowledges that it and each other Party may execute this Agreement by facsimile, stamp or mechanical signature, and that delivery of an executed counterpart of a signature page to this Agreement (whether executed by manual, stamp or mechanical signature) by facsimile or by email in portable document format (PDF) shall be effective as delivery of such executed counterpart of this Agreement. Each Party expressly adopts and confirms each such facsimile, stamp or mechanical signature (regardless of whether delivered in person, by mail, by courier, by facsimile or by email in portable document format (PDF)) made in its respective name as if it were a manual signature delivered in person, agrees that it shall not assert that any such signature or delivery is not adequate to bind such Party to the same extent as if it were signed manually and delivered in person.

Section 4.04 Disputes and Governing Law.

(a) Any dispute, controversy or claim arising out of or relating to this Agreement (including the validity, interpretation, breach or termination of this Agreement) (a “Dispute”), shall be resolved in accordance with the procedures set forth in Article VII of the Separation and Distribution Agreement, which shall be the sole and exclusive procedures for the resolution of any such Dispute unless otherwise specified in this Agreement or in Article VII of the Separation and Distribution Agreement.

(b) This Agreement (and any claims or Disputes arising out of or related hereto or to the transactions contemplated hereby or to the inducement of any Party to enter herein, whether for breach of contract, tortious conduct or otherwise and whether predicated on common law, statute or otherwise) shall be governed by and construed and interpreted in accordance with the Laws of the State of Delaware, irrespective of the choice of laws principles of the State of Delaware, including all matters of validity, construction, effect, enforceability, performance and remedies.

 

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(c) THE PARTIES EXPRESSLY WAIVE AND FOREGO ANY RIGHT TO TRIAL BY JURY.

Section 4.05 Successors, Assigns and Transferees.

(a) Except as set forth herein, this Agreement shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the Parties hereto, and their respective successors and permitted assigns; provided, however, that neither Party may assign its rights or delegate its obligations under this Agreement without the express prior written consent of the other Party hereto. Notwithstanding the foregoing, no such consent shall be required for the assignment of a party’s rights and obligations under this Agreement (except as otherwise provided herein) in whole (i.e., the assignment of a party’s rights and obligations under this Agreement, the Separation and Distribution Agreement and all other Ancillary Agreements all at the same time) in connection with a Change of Control of a Party so long as the resulting, surviving or transferee Person assumes all the obligations of the relevant party thereto by operation of Law or pursuant to an agreement in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the other Party. Nothing herein is intended to, or shall be construed to, prohibit either Party or any member of its Group from being party to or undertaking a Change of Control.

(b) Notwithstanding any other terms of this Section 4.05, in connection with the Sale of Registrable Securities, Parent may assign its Registration-related rights and obligations under this Agreement relating to such Registrable Securities to the following transferees in such Sale: (i) a member of the Parent Group to which Registrable Securities are Sold; (ii) one or more Participating Banks to which Registrable Securities are Sold; (iii) any transferee to which Registrable Securities are Sold, if SpinCo provides prior written consent to the transfer of such Registration-related rights and obligations along with the Sale of Registrable Securities; or (iv) any other transferee to which Registrable Securities are Sold, unless such Sale consists of Registrable Securities representing less than 1% of SpinCo’s then-issued and outstanding securities of the same class as the Registrable Securities and such Registrable Securities are eligible for Sale pursuant to an exemption from the registration and prospectus delivery requirements of the Securities Act under Section 4(a)(1) thereof (including transactions pursuant to Rule 144); provided, that in the case of clauses (i), (ii), (iii) or (iv), (x) SpinCo is given written notice prior to or at the time of such Sale stating the name and address of the transferee and identifying the securities with respect to which the Registration-related rights and obligations are being Sold and (y) the transferee executes a counterpart in the form attached hereto as Exhibit A and delivers the same to SpinCo (any such transferee in such Sale, a “Transferee”). In connection with the Sale of Registrable Securities, a Transferee or Subsequent Transferee (as defined below) may assign its Registration-related rights and obligations under this Agreement relating to such Registrable Securities to the following subsequent transferees: (A) an Affiliate of such Transferee to which Registrable Securities are Sold, (B) any subsequent transferee to which Registrable Securities are Sold, if SpinCo provides prior written consent to the transfer of such Registration-related rights and obligations along with the Sale of Registrable Securities or (C) any other subsequent transferee to which Registrable Securities are Sold, unless such Sale consists of Registrable Securities representing less than 1% of SpinCo’s then-issued and outstanding securities of the same class as the Registrable Securities and such Registrable Securities are eligible for Sale pursuant to an exemption from the registration and prospectus delivery requirements of the Securities Act under Section 4(a) thereof (including transactions pursuant to Rule 144); provided, that in the case of clauses (A), (B) or

 

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(C), (x) SpinCo is given written notice prior to or at the time of such Sale stating the name and address of the subsequent transferee and identifying the securities with respect to which the Registration-related rights and obligations are being assigned and (y) the subsequent transferee executes a counterpart in the form attached hereto as Exhibit A and delivers the same to SpinCo (any such subsequent transferee, a “Subsequent Transferee”).

Section 4.06 Third-Party Beneficiaries.

Except for any Person expressly entitled to indemnification rights under this Agreement, (a) the provisions of this Agreement are solely for the benefit of the Parties hereto and parties thereto, respectively, and are not intended to confer upon any other Person any rights or remedies hereunder, and (b) there are no third-party beneficiaries of this Agreement and this Agreement shall not provide any third Person with any remedy, claim, liability, reimbursement, claim of action or other right in excess of those existing without reference to this Agreement.

Section 4.07 Notices.

All notices, requests, claims, demands or other communications under this Agreement shall be in writing and shall be given or made (and shall be deemed to have been duly given or made upon receipt) by delivery in person, by overnight courier service, by certified mail, return receipt requested, or by electronic mail (“e-mail”), so long as confirmation of receipt of such e-mail is requested and received, to the respective Parties at the following addresses (or at such other address for a Party as shall be specified in a notice given in accordance with this Section 4.07):

If to Parent, to:

Ziff Davis, Inc.

114 Fifth Avenue

New York, New York 10011

Attention:         Legal Department

E-mail:             legal@j2.com

with a copy to:

Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP

200 Park Avenue

New York, New York 10166

Attention:         Barbara Becker

                          Saee Muzumdar

E-mail:             BBecker@gibsondunn.com

                          SMuzumdar@gibsondunn.com

If to SpinCo, to:

Consensus Cloud Solutions, Inc.

700 South Flower Street, Suite 1500

Los Angeles, California 90017

Attention:         Legal Department

E-mail:             Vithya.aubee@j2.com

 

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with a copy to:

Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP

200 Park Avenue

New York, New York 10166

Attention:         Barbara Becker

                          Saee Muzumdar

E-mail:             BBecker@gibsondunn.com

                          SMuzumdar@gibsondunn.com

A Party may, by written notice to the other Party, change the address to which any such notices are to be given.

Section 4.08 Severability.

If any provision of this Agreement or the application hereof to any Person or circumstance is determined by a court of competent jurisdiction to be invalid, void or unenforceable, the remaining provisions hereof, or the application of such provision to Persons or circumstances or in jurisdictions other than those as to which it has been held invalid or unenforceable, shall remain in full force and effect and shall in no way be affected, impaired or invalidated thereby. Upon such determination, the Parties shall negotiate in good faith in an effort to agree upon such a suitable and equitable provision to effect the original intent of the Parties.

Section 4.09 Headings.

The article, section and paragraph headings contained in this Agreement are for reference purposes only and shall not affect in any way the meaning or interpretation of this Agreement.

Section 4.10 Waiver of Default.

Waiver by a Party of any default by the other Party of any provision of this Agreement must be in writing and shall not be deemed a waiver by the waiving Party of any subsequent or other default, nor shall it prejudice the rights of the other Party. No failure or delay by a Party in exercising any right, power or privilege under this Agreement shall operate as a waiver thereof, nor shall a single or partial exercise thereof prejudice any other or further exercise thereof or the exercise of any other right, power or privilege.

Section 4.11 Amendments.

No provisions of this Agreement shall be deemed waived, amended, supplemented or modified by a Party, unless such waiver, amendment, supplement or modification is in writing and signed by the authorized representative of the Party against whom it is sought to enforce such waiver, amendment, supplement or modification, or the Holders of a majority of the Registrable Securities, if such waiver, amendment, supplement or modification is sought to be enforced against a Holder.

 

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Section 4.12 Interpretation.

In this Agreement, (a) words in the singular shall be deemed to include the plural and vice versa and words of one gender shall be deemed to include the other genders as the context requires, (b) the terms “hereof,” “herein,” and “herewith” and words of similar import shall, unless otherwise stated, be construed to refer to this Agreement as a whole (including all of the Schedules, Exhibits and Appendices hereto) and not to any particular provision of this Agreement, (c) Article, Section, Schedule, Exhibit and Appendix references are to the Articles, Sections, Schedules, Exhibits and Appendices to this Agreement unless otherwise specified, (d) unless otherwise stated, all references to any agreement (including this Agreement, the Separation and Distribution Agreement and each other Ancillary Agreement) shall be deemed to include the exhibits, schedules and annexes to such agreement, (e) the word “including” and words of similar import when used in this Agreement shall mean “including, without limitation,” unless otherwise specified, (f) the word “or” shall not be exclusive, (g) unless otherwise specified in a particular case, the word “days” refers to calendar days, (h) references to “business day” shall mean any day other than a Saturday, a Sunday or a day on which banking institutions are generally authorized or required by law to close in Los Angeles, California or New York, New York, (i) references herein to this Agreement or any other agreement contemplated herein shall be deemed to refer to this Agreement or such other agreement as of the date on which it is executed and as it may be amended, modified or supplemented thereafter, unless otherwise specified; the word “extent” in the phrase “to the extent” shall mean the degree to which a subject or other thing extends, and such phrase shall not mean simply “if” and (j) unless expressly stated to the contrary in this Agreement, all references to “the date hereof,” “the date of this Agreement,” “hereby” and “hereupon” and words of similar import shall all be references to October 7, 2021.

Section 4.13 Performance.

Parent shall cause to be performed, and hereby guarantees the performance of, all actions, agreements and obligations set forth in this Agreement to be performed by any member of the Parent Group. SpinCo shall cause to be performed, and hereby guarantees the performance of, all actions, agreements and obligations set forth in this Agreement to be performed by any member of the SpinCo Group. Each Party (including its permitted successors and assigns) further agrees that it shall (a) give timely notice of the terms, conditions and continuing obligations contained in this Agreement to all of the other members of its Group and (b) cause all of the other members of its Group not to take any action or fail to take any such action inconsistent with such Party’s obligations under this Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby.

 

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Section 4.14 Registrations, Exchanges, etc.

Notwithstanding anything to the contrary that may be contained in this Agreement, the provisions of this Agreement shall apply to the full extent set forth herein with respect to (a) any SpinCo Shares, now or hereafter authorized to be issued, (b) any and all securities of SpinCo into which SpinCo Shares are converted, exchanged or substituted in any recapitalization or other capital reorganization by SpinCo and (c) any and all securities of any kind whatsoever of SpinCo or any successor or permitted assign of SpinCo (whether by merger, consolidation, sale of assets or otherwise) which may be issued on or after the date hereof in respect of, in conversion of, in exchange for or in substitution of, SpinCo Shares, and shall be appropriately adjusted for any stock dividends, or other distributions, stock splits or reverse stock splits, combinations, recapitalizations, mergers, consolidations, exchange offers or other reorganizations occurring after the date hereof.

Section 4.15 Mutual Drafting.

This Agreement shall be deemed to be the joint work product of the Parties, and any rule of construction that a document shall be interpreted or construed against a drafter of such document shall not be applicable.

[The remainder of this page has been left blank intentionally.]

 

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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Parties hereto have caused this Agreement to be executed by their duly authorized representatives as of the date first above written.

 

ZIFF DAVIS, INC.

By:

 

/s/ Jeremy Rossen

 

Name:

  Jeremy Rossen
 

Title:

  Executive Vice President, Secretary and General Counsel

[Signature Page to Stockholder and Registration Rights Agreement]


CONSENSUS CLOUD SOLUTIONS, INC.

By:

 

/s/ Vithya Aubee

 

Name:

 

Vithya Aubee

 

Title:

 

Vice President

[Signature Page to Stockholder and Registration Rights Agreement]


Exhibit A

Exhibit A – Form of Agreement to be Bound

THIS INSTRUMENT forms part of the Stockholder and Registration Rights Agreement (the “Agreement”), dated as of October 7, 2021, by and between Ziff Davis, Inc., a Delaware corporation (“Parent”), and Consensus Cloud Solutions, Inc., a Delaware corporation. The undersigned hereby acknowledges having received a copy of the Agreement and having read the Agreement in its entirety, and for good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which is hereby acknowledged, and intending to be legally bound, hereby agrees that the terms and conditions of the Agreement binding upon and inuring to the benefit of Parent shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the undersigned and its successors and permitted assigns as if it were an original party to the Agreement.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned has executed this instrument on this ______ day of _______________, 20 .

 

 

(Signature of transferee)

 

Print name

 

A-1

Exhibit 10.6

CONSENSUS CLOUD SOLUTIONS, INC.

2021 EQUITY INCENTIVE PLAN

ARTICLE I

PURPOSES

1.1 Purpose of Plan. The purposes of the Consensus Cloud Solutions, Inc. 2021 Equity Incentive Plan (the “Plan”) are to advance the interests of Consensus Cloud Solutions, Inc. (the “Company”) and its shareholders by providing significant incentives to selected officers, employees, and consultants of the Company who contribute and are expected to contribute to the success of the Company, and to enhance the interest of such officers and employees in the Company’s success and progress by providing them with an opportunity to become shareholders of the Company. Further, the Plan is designed to enhance the Company’s ability to attract and retain qualified employees necessary for the success and progress of the Company.

ARTICLE II

DEFINITIONS

2.1 Definitions. Certain terms used herein shall have the meaning below stated, subject to the provisions of Section 7.1 hereof.

(a) “Award” means an award under the Plan as described in Article V. Awards may be made under the Plan in the form of stock options, including Incentive Stock Options, stock appreciation rights, restricted stock, restricted stock units, performance shares and share units and other stock-based Awards, as set forth in Article V.

(b) “Award Agreement” means a written agreement entered into between the Company and a Grantee in connection with an Award.

(c) “Board” or “Board of Directors” means the Board of Directors of the Company.

(d) “Code” means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended.

(e) “Committee” means either (i) the Board of Directors or (ii) the Compensation Committee of the Board of Directors or such other committee of the Board as shall be appointed by the Board to administer the Plan pursuant to Article VII hereof. Except as otherwise determined by the Board, the members of the Committee, or the members of the Board who participate in decision making with respect to the Plan, shall be “non-employee directors” under Rule 16b-3 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. The Committee may delegate any of its powers under the Plan to a subcommittee of the Committee consisting of non-employee directors and outside directors. In delegating its authority, the Committee will consider the extent to which any delegation may cause Awards to fail to meet the requirements of Rule 16(b)-3(d)(1) or Rule 16(b)-3(e) under the Exchange Act. The Committee may also authorize certain officers of the Company to carry out the day-to-day administration of the Plan in accordance with the Committee’s instructions.

 

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(f) “Common Stock” means, subject to the provisions of Section 9.3, the authorized common stock of the Company, par value $0.01 per share.

(g) “Company” means Consensus Cloud Solutions, Inc.

(h) “Effective Date” means the date on which the Plan is adopted by the Board or the date the Plan is approved by the stockholder of the Company, whichever is earlier.

(i) “Employee” means (i) any individual who is a common-law employee of the Company or of a Subsidiary, (ii) a member of the Board of Directors, or (iii) any consultant or other persons to the extent permitted by the instructions to Form S-8 under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, who performs services for the Company or a Subsidiary. Service as a member of the Board of Directors or as a consultant shall be considered employment for all purposes under the Plan except the third sentence of Section 4.1.

(j) “Fair Market Value” means, in respect of a share of Common Stock on any date, the last reported sales price regular way on such date or, in case no such reported sale takes place on such date, the last reported sales price regular way on the day preceding such date on which a reported sale occurred, in either case on the New York Stock Exchange or, if at the time the Common Stock is not listed or admitted to trading on such Exchange, on the principal national securities exchange on which the Common Stock is listed or admitted to trading or, if at the time the Common Stock is not listed or admitted to trading on any national securities exchange, in the National Association of Securities Dealers Automated Quotations (“Nasdaq”) National Market System or, if at the time the Common Stock is not listed or admitted to trading on any national securities exchange or quoted on such National Market System, the average of the closing bid and asked prices in the over-the-counter market as furnished by any New York Stock Exchange member firm selected from time to time by the Company for that purpose or, if the Common Stock is not traded over-the-counter, as determined by the Committee using any reasonable valuation method.

(k) “Good Reason” means (a) with respect to a Grantee employed pursuant to a written employment agreement which agreement includes a definition of “Good Reason,” “Good Reason” as defined in that agreement or (b) with respect to any other Grantee, the occurrence of any of the following in the absence of the Grantee’s written consent: (i) any material and adverse change in the Grantee’s position or authority with the Company as in effect immediately before a Change in Control, other than an isolated and insubstantial action not taken in bad faith and which is remedied by the Company within 30 days after receipt of notice thereof given by the Grantee; (ii) the transfer of the Grantee’s primary work site to a new primary work site that is more than 50 miles from the Grantee’s primary work site in effect immediately before a Change in Control; or (iii) a diminution of the Grantee’s base salary in effect immediately before a Change in Control by more than 10%, unless such diminution applies to all similarly situated employees, provided that (x) if the Grantee does not deliver to the Company a written notice of termination within 60 days after the Grantee has knowledge that an event constituting Good Reason has occurred, the event will no longer constitute Good Reason and (y) the Grantee must give the Company 30 days to cure the event constituting Good Reason.

 

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(l) “Grantee” means an Employee who receives a grant of Options or other Award under the Plan.

(m) “Incentive Stock Option” means an Option to purchase Common Stock, granted by the Company to an Employee pursuant to Section 5.1 hereof, which meets the requirements of Section 422 of the Code.

(n) “Nonstatutory Stock Option” means an Option to purchase Common Stock, granted by the Company to an Employee pursuant to Section 5.1 hereof, which does not meet the requirements of Section 422 of the Code or which provides, as of the time the Option is granted, that it will not be treated as an Incentive Stock Option.

(o) “Option” means an Incentive Stock Option or a Nonstatutory Stock Option.

(p) “Option Agreement” means an agreement between the Company and a Grantee evidencing the terms of an Option granted under the Plan.

(q) “Performance Goals” means the performance goals established by the Committee in connection with the grant of Awards, which may or may not be based on Performance Criteria.

(r) “Plan” means the Consensus Cloud Solutions, Inc. 2021 Equity Incentive Plan, as set forth herein and as from time to time amended.

(s) “Restricted Stock Agreement” means an agreement between the Company and a Grantee evidencing the terms of Restricted Stock awarded under the Plan.

(t) “Subsidiary” means a subsidiary of the Company within the meaning of Section 424(f) of the Code.

(u) “Termination of Employment” means, unless otherwise determined by the Committee, that a Grantee shall be deemed to have a “Termination of Employment” upon ceasing employment with the Company or a Subsidiary (or, in the case of a Grantee who is not an employee, upon ceasing association with the Company or a Subsidiary as a director, consultant or otherwise). The Committee in its discretion may determine (a) whether any leave of absence constitutes a Termination of Employment for purposes of the Plan, (b) the impact, if any, of any such leave of absence on Awards theretofore made under the Plan, and (c) when a change in a Grantee’s association with the Company constitutes a Termination of Employment for purposes of the Plan. The Committee may also determine whether a Grantee’s Termination of Employment is for Cause (as hereinafter defined) and the date of termination in such case.

 

3


ARTICLE III

EFFECTIVE DATE OF THE PLAN; RESERVATION OF SHARES; MINIMUM VESTING

3.1 Effective Date. The Plan shall become effective as of the Effective Date.

3.2 Shares Reserved Under Plan. The total number of shares of Common Stock which may be transferred pursuant to Awards granted under the Plan shall not exceed four million (4,000,000) shares. In addition, as an individual limitation, the maximum number of shares of Common Stock with respect to which Awards may be granted to a Grantee in any one-year period may not exceed 1,000,000 shares. Such shares may be authorized but unissued Common Stock or authorized and issued Common Stock held in the Company’s treasury or acquired by the Company for the purposes of the Plan. Any or all of such shares of Common Stock may be granted with respect to Incentive Stock Options. The Committee may direct that any stock certificate evidencing shares issued pursuant to the Plan shall bear a legend setting forth such restrictions on transferability as may apply to such shares pursuant to the Plan. If any Award is forfeited or otherwise terminates or is canceled without the delivery of shares of Common Stock, then the shares covered by such forfeited, terminated or canceled Award shall again become available for transfer pursuant to Awards granted or to be granted under this Plan. Any shares of Common Stock delivered by the Company, any shares of Common Stock with respect to which Awards are made by the Company and any shares of Common Stock with respect to which the Company becomes obligated to make Awards, through the assumption of, or in substitution for, outstanding awards previously granted by an acquired or predecessor entity, shall not be counted against the shares available for Awards under this Plan. Notwithstanding the foregoing, in the case of the cancellation or forfeiture of Restricted Stock or other Award with respect to which dividends have been paid or accrued, the number of shares with respect to such Restricted Stock or other Award shall not be available for subsequent grants hereunder unless, in the case of shares with respect to which dividends were accrued by unpaid, such dividends are also canceled or forfeited. The Company shall at all times while the Plan is in effect reserve such number of shares of Common Stock as will be sufficient to satisfy the requirements of the Plan.

3.3 Award Agreements. Each Award granted under the Plan shall be evidenced by an Award Agreement, which shall contain such provisions as the Committee in its discretion deems necessary or desirable. The Committee may grant Awards in tandem with or in substitution for any other Award or Awards granted under this Plan or any award granted under any other plan of the Company. Payments or transfers to be made by the Company upon the grant, exercise or payment of an Award may be made in such form as the Committee shall determine, including cash, shares of Common Stock, other securities, other Awards or other property and may be made in a single payment or transfer, in installments or on a deferred basis. A Grantee shall have no rights with respect to an Award unless such Grantee accepts the Award within such period as the Committee shall specify by executing an Award Agreement in such form as the Committee shall determine and, if the Committee shall so require, makes payment to the Company in such amount as the Committee may determine. No Grantee of an Award (or other person having rights pursuant to such Award) shall have any of the rights of a shareholder of the Company with respect to shares subject to such Award until the issuance of a stock certificate to such person for such shares. Except as otherwise provided in the applicable Award Agreement, no adjustment shall be made for dividends, distributions or other rights (whether ordinary or extraordinary, and whether in cash, securities or other property) for which the record date is prior to the date such stock certificate is issued.

 

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3.4 Minimum Vesting. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Plan to the contrary, in no event shall any Award granted pursuant to this Plan vest prior to the twelve (12)-month anniversary of the date of grant, other than in connection with the Grantee’s death or permanent disability or, to the extent permitted hereunder, in connection with a Change in Control (provided that this limitation shall not apply with respect to up to five percent (5%) of the shares of Common Stock available for issuance under this Plan). The minimum vesting period set forth in this Section 3.4 may not be waived or superseded by any provision in an Award Agreement or other agreement.

ARTICLE IV

PARTICIPATION IN PLAN

4.1 Eligibility. Options or other Awards under the Plan may be granted to any key Employee of the Company or a Subsidiary who performs services for the Company or a Subsidiary that the Committee deems to be of special importance to the growth and success of the Company. The Committee shall determine those Employees to whom Options or other Awards shall be granted, the type of Option or other Award to be granted to each such person, and the number of shares of Common Stock subject to each such Option or other Award. Only individuals who are employed as common-law employees by the Company or a Subsidiary shall be eligible for the grant of Incentive Stock Options.

4.2 Participation Not Guarantee of Employment or Retention. Nothing in this Plan or in any Option Agreement or any other Award Agreement shall in any manner be construed to limit in any way the right of the Company or any Subsidiary to terminate an Employee’s employment at any time, without regard to the effect of such termination on any rights such Employee would otherwise have under this Plan, or give any right to an Employee to remain employed by the Company or a Subsidiary thereof in any particular position or at any particular rate of compensation.

ARTICLE V

GRANT AND EXERCISE OF OPTIONS; RESTRICTED STOCK; OTHER AWARDS

5.1 Grant of Options. The Committee may from time to time in its discretion grant Incentive Stock Options and/or Nonstatutory Stock Options to Employees at any time after the Effective Date. All Options under the Plan shall be granted within ten (10) years from the date the Plan is adopted by the Board or the date the Plan is approved by the stockholders of the Company, whichever is earlier.

 

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5.2 Option Terms. Options granted under the Plan shall be subject to the following requirements:

(a) Option Price. The exercise price of each Incentive Stock Option shall not be less than the higher of the par value or 100% of the Fair Market Value of the shares of Common Stock subject to the Option on the date the Option is granted. The exercise price of each Nonstatutory Stock Option shall be the amount determined by the Committee as set forth in the applicable Option Agreement, provided that such amount shall not be less than the higher of the par value or 100% of the Fair Market Value of the shares of Common Stock subject to the Option on the date the Option is granted. The exercise price of an Option may be subject to adjustment pursuant to Section 9.3 hereof.

(b) Term of Option. The term during which an Option is exercisable shall be that period determined by the Committee as set forth in the applicable Option Agreement, provided that no Option shall have a term that exceeds a period of 10 years from the date of its grant.

(c) Nontransferability of Option. No Option granted under the Plan shall be transferable by the Grantee otherwise than by will or the laws of descent and distribution, and each such Option shall be exercisable during the Grantee’s lifetime only by him. No transfer of an Option by a Grantee by will or by the laws of descent and distribution shall be effective to bind the Company unless the Company shall have been furnished with written notice thereof and a copy of the will and/or such other evidence as the Committee may determine necessary to establish the validity of the transfer. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Committee may, in its discretion, permit a Grantee to transfer any Option, which is not an Incentive Stock Option, to one or more of the Grantee’s immediate family members or to trusts established in whole or in part for the benefit of the Grantee and/or one or more of such immediate family members. For purposes of the Plan, the term “immediate family” shall mean the Grantee’s spouse and issue (including adopted and step children).

(d) Exercise of Option. Each Option shall become exercisable pursuant to such pursuant to such terms and conditions specified in the applicable Award Agreement. Any portion of an Option which has become exercisable shall remain exercisable until it is exercised in full or terminates pursuant to the terms of the Plan or the Option Agreement pursuant to which it is granted.

(e) Incentive Stock Options Granted to Ten Percent Shareholders. No Incentive Stock Options shall be granted to any Employee who owns, directly or indirectly within the mean of Section 424(d) of the Code, stock possessing more than 10% of the total combined voting power of all classes of stock of the Company or any Subsidiary, unless at the time the Incentive Stock Option is granted, the exercise price of the Incentive Stock Option is at least 110% of the Fair Market Value of the Common Stock subject to such Incentive Stock Option and such Incentive Stock Option, by its terms, is not exercisable after the expiration of five years from the date such Incentive Stock Option is granted.

(f) Limitation on Incentive Stock Options. To the extent that the aggregate Fair Market Value of the Common Stock with respect to which Incentive Stock Options are exercisable for the first time by a Grantee during any calendar year (under all plans of the Company and its parent and subsidiary corporations) exceeds $100,000 (or the then applicable maximum under Section 422 of the Code), such Options shall be treated as Nonstatutory Stock Options. For this purpose, Options shall be taken into account in the order in which they were granted and the Fair Market Value of the Common Stock shall be determined as of the time the Option with respect to such Common Stock is granted.

 

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5.3 Payment of Exercise Price and Delivery of Shares.

(a) Notice and Payment for Shares. Each Option shall be exercised by delivery of a written notice to the Company in such form as the Committee shall approve stating the number of the whole shares of Common Stock as to which the Option is being exercised and accompanied by payment therefor. No Option shall be deemed exercised in the event that payment therefor is not received and shares of Common Stock shall not be issued upon the exercise of an Option unless the exercise price is paid in full. Payment for shares of Common Stock purchased upon the exercise of an Option shall be made by (i) cash, (ii) certified check payable to the order of the Company, (iii) outstanding shares of Common Stock duly endorsed to the Company (which shares of Common Stock shall be valued at their Fair Market Value as of the day preceding the date of such exercise), (iv) any combination of the foregoing, or (v) such other method of payment as may be provided in the applicable Option Agreement.

(b) Rights of Grantee in Stock. Neither any Grantee nor the legal representatives, heirs, legatees or distributees of any Grantee, shall be deemed to be the holder of, or to have any of the rights of a holder with respect to, any shares of Common Stock issuable upon exercise of an Option granted hereunder unless and until such shares are issued to him or them and such person or persons have received a certificate or certificates therefor. Upon the issuance and receipt of such certificate or certificates, such Grantee or the legal representatives, heirs, legatees or distributees of such Grantee shall have absolute ownership of the shares of Common Stock evidenced thereby, including the right to vote such shares, to the same extent as any other owner of shares of Common Stock, and to receive dividends thereon, subject, however, to the terms, conditions and restrictions of this Plan.

5.4 Restricted Stock. The Committee may from time to time in its discretion grant award shares of restricted shares of Common Stock (“Restricted Stock”) to Employees at any time after the Effective Date. Each award of Restricted Stock under the Plan shall be evidenced by a written Restricted Stock Agreement between the Company and the Grantee, in such form as the Committee shall from time to time approve, and shall comply with the following terms and conditions (and with such other terms and conditions not inconsistent with the terms of this Plan as the Committee, in its discretion, shall establish):

(a) Number of Shares. Each Restricted Stock Agreement shall state the number of shares of Restricted Stock to be subject to an award.

(b) Restrictions. Shares of Restricted Stock may not be sold, assigned, transferred, pledged, hypothecated or otherwise disposed of, except by will or the laws of descent and distribution, for such period as the Committee shall determine from the date on which the award is granted (the “Restricted Period”). The Committee may also impose such other restrictions and conditions on the shares as it deems appropriate including the satisfaction of performance criteria. Certificates for shares of stock issued pursuant to Restricted Stock awards shall bear an appropriate legend referring to such restrictions, and any attempt to dispose of any such shares of stock in contravention of such restrictions shall be null and void and without effect. During the Restricted Period, such certificates shall be held in escrow by an escrow agent appointed by the Committee. In determining the Restricted Period of an award, the Committee may provide that the foregoing restrictions shall lapse with respect to specified percentages of the awarded shares on successive anniversaries of the date of such award.

 

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(c) Forfeiture. Subject to such exceptions as may be determined by the Committee, if the Grantee’s continuous employment with the Company or any Subsidiary shall terminate for any reason prior to the expiration of the Restricted Period of an award, any shares remaining subject to restrictions (after taking into account the provisions of Section 5.4(e) hereof) shall thereupon be forfeited by the Grantee and transferred to, and reacquired by, the Company or a Subsidiary at no cost to the Company or Subsidiary.

(d) Ownership. During the Restricted Period the Grantee shall possess all incidents of ownership of such shares, subject to Section 5.4(b) hereof, including the right to receive dividends with respect to such shares and to vote such shares.

(e) Accelerated Lapse of Restrictions. The Committee shall have the authority (and the Restricted Stock Agreement may, but need not, so provide) to cancel all or any portion of any outstanding restrictions prior to the expiration of the Restricted Period with respect to any or all of the shares of Restricted Stock awarded on such terms and conditions as the Committee shall deem appropriate.

5.5 Grant of Stock Appreciation Rights.

(a) The Committee may grant stock appreciation rights to such Employees, in such amounts and subject to such terms and conditions, as the Committee shall determine in its discretion. Stock appreciation rights may be granted in connection with all or any part of, or independently of, any stock option granted under the Plan. A stock appreciation right may be granted at or after the time of grant of such option. A stock appreciation right shall become exercisable at such time or times as determined by the Committee.

(b) The Grantee of a stock appreciation right shall have the right, subject to the terms of the Plan and the applicable Award Agreement, to receive from the Company an amount equal to (a) the excess of the Fair Market Value of a share of Common Stock on the date of exercise of the stock appreciation right over (b) the exercise price of such right as set forth in the Award Agreement (or over the option exercise price if the stock appreciation right is granted in connection with a stock option), multiplied by (c) the number of shares with respect to which the stock appreciation right is exercised. Payment to the Grantee upon exercise of a stock appreciation right shall be made in cash or in shares of Common Stock (valued at their Fair Market Value on the date of exercise of the stock appreciation right) or both, as the Committee shall determine in its discretion. Upon the exercise of a stock appreciation right granted in connection with a stock option, the number of shares subject to the option shall be correspondingly reduced by the number of shares with respect to which the stock appreciation right is exercised. Upon the exercise of a stock option in connection with which a stock appreciation right has been granted, the number of shares subject to the stock appreciation right shall be correspondingly reduced by the number of shares with respect to which the option is exercised.

 

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5.6 Grant of Restricted Stock Units.

(a) The Committee may grant Awards of restricted stock units to such Employees, in such amounts, and subject to such terms and conditions as the Committee shall determine in its discretion, subject to the provisions of the Plan. Restricted stock units may be awarded independently of or in connection with any other Award under the Plan.

(b) At the time of grant, the Committee shall specify the date or dates on which the restricted stock units shall become vested, and may specify such conditions to vesting as it deems appropriate. Unless otherwise determined by the Committee, in the event of the Grantee’s Termination of Employment for any reason, restricted stock units that have not vested shall be forfeited and canceled. The Committee at any time may accelerate vesting dates and otherwise waive or amend any conditions of an Award of restricted stock units.

(c) At the time of grant, the Committee shall specify the maturity date applicable to each grant of restricted stock units, which may be determined at the election of the Grantee. Such date may be later than the vesting date or dates of the Award. On the maturity date, the Company shall transfer to the Grantee one unrestricted, fully transferable share of Common Stock for each vested restricted stock unit scheduled to be paid out on such date and as to which all other conditions to the transfer have been fully satisfied. The Committee shall specify the purchase price, if any, to be paid by the Grantee to the Company for such shares of Common Stock.

5.7 Grant of Performance Shares and Share Units. The Committee may grant performance shares in the form of actual shares of Common Stock or share units having a value equal to an identical number of shares of Common Stock to such Employees, in such amounts, and subject to such terms and conditions as the Committee shall determine in its discretion, subject to the provisions of the Plan. In the event that a stock certificate is issued in respect of performance shares, such certificates shall be registered in the name of the Grantee but shall be held by the Company until the time the performance shares are earned. The performance conditions and the length of the performance period shall be determined by the Committee. The Committee shall determine in its sole discretion whether performance shares granted in the form of share units shall be paid in cash, Common Stock, or a combination of cash and Common Stock.

5.8 Other Stock-Based Awards. The Committee may grant other types of stock-based Awards to such Employees, in such amounts and subject to such terms and conditions, as the Committee shall in its discretion determine, subject to the provisions of the Plan. Such Awards may entail the transfer of actual shares of Common Stock, or payment in cash or otherwise of amounts based on the value of shares of Common Stock.

 

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5.9 Clawback/Recapture Policy. Awards under the Plan will be subject to any clawback or recapture policy that the Company may adopt from time to time to the extent provided in such policy and, in accordance with such policy, may be subject to the requirement that the Awards be repaid to the Company after they have been distributed to the Grantee. No recovery of compensation under such a clawback policy will be an event giving rise to a right to resign for “good reason” or be deemed a “constructive termination” (or any similar term) as such terms are used in any agreement between any Participant and the Company.

5.10 Grant of Dividend Equivalent Rights. The Committee may in its discretion include in the Award Agreement with respect to any Award a dividend equivalent right entitling the Grantee to receive amounts equal to the ordinary dividends that would be paid, during the time such Award is outstanding and unexercised, on the shares of Common Stock covered by such Award if such shares were then outstanding. In the event such a provision is included in an Award Agreement, such payments shall be subject to, and payable in connection with, the vesting of, the underlying Award.

5.11 Minimum Vesting Schedule. Notwithstanding any other provision of the Plan to the contrary, all Awards under the Plan, except for Awards that serve as a material inducement to a person or persons being hired by the Company or any Subsidiary, shall be subject to a minimum vesting schedule of at least twelve months following the date of grant of the Award, provided, however, that all Awards for which vesting will lapse on achievement of Performance Goals shall be subject to a minimum vesting schedule of at least twelve months.

5.12 Change in Control.

(a) Unless the Committee determines otherwise or as otherwise provided in the applicable Award Agreement, if a Grantee’s employment is terminated by the Company or any successor entity thereto without Cause or resigns for Good Reason, in each case, within two (2) years after a Change in Control, (x) each Award granted to such Grantee prior to such Change in Control will become fully vested (including the lapsing of all restrictions and conditions) and, as applicable, exercisable, (y) any outstanding awards that are subject to performance conditions will be deemed earned at the greater of target level or actual performance through the date of the employment termination (or if no target level is specified, the maximum level) with respect to all open performance periods and (z) any shares of Common Stock deliverable pursuant to restricted stock units will be delivered promptly (but no later than 15 days) following such Grantee’s termination of employment.

For purposes of this Plan, a “Change in Control” shall be deemed to have occurred if:

(i) any “person,” as such term is used in Sections 13(d) and 14(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”) (other than the Company, any employee benefit plan sponsored by the Company, any trustee or other fiduciary holding securities under an employee benefit plan of the Company, or any corporation owned, directly or indirectly, by the stockholders of the Company in substantially the same proportions as their ownership of stock of the Company), is or becomes the “beneficial owner” (as defined in Rule 13d-3 under the Exchange Act), directly or indirectly, of securities of the Company representing 50% or more of the combined voting power of the Company’s then outstanding securities;

 

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(ii) during any period of two consecutive years individuals who at the beginning of such period constitute the Board, and any new director (other than a director designated by a person who has entered into an agreement with the Company to effect a transaction described in clause (i), (iii) or (iv) of this Section, or an individual initially elected or nominated as a director of the Company as a result of an actual or publicly threatened election contest with respect to directors or as a result of any other actual or publicly threatened solicitation of proxies or consents by or on behalf of any person other than the Board) whose election by the Board or nomination for election by the Company’s stockholders was approved by a vote of at least a majority of the directors then still in office who either were directors at the beginning of the period or whose election or nomination for election was previously so approved (each, an “Approved Director”), cease for any reason to constitute at least a majority thereof;

(iii) the consummation of a merger, consolidation, statutory share exchange or similar form of corporate transaction involving the Company or any Subsidiary that requires the approval of the Company’s stockholders, whether for such transaction or the issuance of securities in the transaction (a “Business Combination”), unless immediately following such Business Combination: (A) more than 50% of the total voting power of (x) the corporation resulting from such Business Combination (the “Surviving Corporation”), or (y) if applicable, the ultimate parent corporation that directly or indirectly has beneficial ownership of at least 95% of the voting securities eligible to elect directors of the Surviving Corporation (the “Parent Corporation”), is represented by the voting securities of the Company that were outstanding immediately prior to such Business Combination (or, if applicable, is represented by shares into which such voting securities of the Company were converted pursuant to such Business Combination), and such voting power among the holders thereof is in substantially the same proportion as the voting power of such voting securities of the Company among the holders thereof immediately prior to the Business Combination, (B) no person (other than any employee benefit plan (or related trust) sponsored or maintained by the Surviving Corporation or the Parent Corporation), is or becomes the beneficial owner, directly or indirectly, of 50% or more of the total voting power of the outstanding voting securities eligible to elect directors of the Parent Corporation (or, if there is no Parent Corporation, the Surviving Corporation) and (C) at least a majority of the members of the board of directors of the Parent Corporation (or, if there is no Parent Corporation, the Surviving Corporation) following the consummation of the Business Combination were Approved Directors at the time of the Board’s approval of the execution of the initial agreement providing for such Business Combination; or

(iv) the Company consummates a plan of complete liquidation of the Company or the sale or disposition by the Company of all or substantially all of the Company’s assets that was approved by the stockholders of the Company. For the purposes of this subsection (iv), “substantially all” of the Company’s assets shall mean assets for which the price or consideration upon sale or disposition equals or exceeds seventy-five percent (75%) or more of the fair market value of the Company.

 

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(b) In the event of a Change in Control, a Grantee’s Award will be treated, to the extent determined by the Committee to be permitted under Section 409A of the Code, as determined by the Committee in its sole discretion, including, but not limited to, treatment in accordance with one or more of the following methods: (i) settle such Awards for an amount (as determined in the sole discretion of the Committee) of cash or securities, where in the case of Options and stock appreciation rights, the value of such amount, if any, will be equal to the in-the-money spread value (if any) of such awards; (ii) provide for the assumption of or the issuance of substitute awards that will substantially preserve the otherwise applicable terms of any affected Awards previously granted under the Plan, as determined by the Committee in its sole discretion; (iii) modify the terms of such awards to add events, conditions or circumstances (including termination of employment within a specified period after a Change in Control) upon which the vesting of such Awards or lapse of restrictions thereon will accelerate; (iv) deem any performance conditions satisfied at target, maximum or actual performance through closing or provide for the performance conditions to continue (as is or as adjusted by the Committee) after closing or (v) provide that for a period of at least 20 days prior to the Change in Control, any Options or stock appreciation rights that would not otherwise become exercisable prior to the Change in Control will be exercisable as to all Shares subject thereto (but any such exercise will be contingent upon and subject to the occurrence of the Change in Control and if the Change in Control does not take place within a specified period after giving such notice for any reason whatsoever, the exercise will be null and void) and that any Options or stock appreciation rights not exercised prior to the consummation of the Change in Control will terminate and be of no further force and effect as of the consummation of the Change in Control. For the avoidance of doubt, in the event of a Change in Control where all Options and stock appreciation rights are settled for an amount (as determined in the sole discretion of the Committee) of cash, securities or a combination thereof, the Committee may, in its sole discretion, terminate any Option or stock appreciation right for which the exercise price is equal to or exceeds the per share value of the consideration to be paid in the Change in Control transaction without payment of consideration therefor.

5.13 No Repricing & Reloads. Unless otherwise approved by the Company’s stockholders, Options and stock appreciation rights will not be repriced (other than in accordance with the adjustment provisions of Section 9.3), repurchased for cash on a date when the exercise price of such Option or stock appreciation right is equal to or exceeds the Fair Market Value a share of Common Stock or be subject to automatic reload provisions.

ARTICLE VI

TERMINATION AND DEATH

6.1 Termination Other Than by Death or for Cause. If a Grantee’s position as an Employee of the Company or a Subsidiary terminates for any reason other than death or for Cause (as defined in Section 6.2) he may, unless the applicable Option Agreement provides otherwise, exercise an Option previously granted and vested within three months after the date of such termination, but in no event later than the date on which the Option would have expired in accordance with its terms. To the extent the Option is not so exercised, it shall expire at the end of such three-month period.

 

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6.2 Termination for Cause. If a Grantee’s position as an Employee of the Company or a Subsidiary is terminated for Cause, any Option theretofore granted to him shall expire and cease to be exercisable on the date notice of such termination is delivered to the Grantee. “Cause” shall mean (a) the willful and continued failure by a Grantee to substantially perform his duties with the Company (other than any such failure resulting from his incapacity due to physical or mental illness), after a written demand for substantial performance is delivered to the Grantee by the Board, which demand specifically identifies the manner in which the Board believes that the Grantee has not substantially performed his duties, or (b) the willful engaging by the Grantee in conduct which is demonstrably and materially injurious to the Company, monetarily or otherwise. For purposes of this Section 6.2, no act, or failure to act, shall be deemed “willful” unless done, or omitted to be done, not in good faith and without reasonable belief that such action or omission was in the best interest of the Company.

6.3 Death. If a Grantee dies (i) while he is an Employee of the Company or a Subsidiary or (ii) during the three-month period after the termination of his position as an Employee of the Company or a Subsidiary, and at the time of his death the Grantee was entitled to exercise an Option theretofore granted to him, such Option shall, unless the applicable Option Agreement provides otherwise, expire one year after the date of his death, but in no event later than the date on which the Option would have expired if the Grantee had lived. During such one-year period the Option may be exercised by the Grantee’s executor or administrator or by any person or persons who shall have acquired the Option directly from the Grantee by bequest or inheritance, but only to the extent that the Grantee was entitled to exercise the Option at the date of his death and, to the extent the Option is not so exercised, it shall expire at the end of such one-year period.

6.4 Applicability to Other Awards. Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, if the Committee determines in its discretion that a Grantee’s Termination of Employment is for Cause, then the Committee shall also have the power to determine in its discretion that any outstanding stock options and stock appreciation rights or other Awards, whether or not exercisable at the time of such termination, shall be terminated as of the date of such termination and shall be of no further force and effect. The Committee shall also have the power to determine in its discretion the applicability of the principles in this Article VI to Awards other than stock options.

ARTICLE VII

ADMINISTRATION OF PLAN

7.1 Administration. The Plan shall be administered by the Compensation Committee of the Board of Directors or such other committee as may be appointed by the Board of Directors of the Company, which Committee shall consist of not less than two members, all of whom are members of the Board of Directors. A majority of the Committee shall constitute a quorum thereof and the actions of a majority of the Committee at a meeting at which a quorum is present, or actions unanimously approved in writing by all members of the Committee, shall be the actions of the Committee. Vacancies occurring on the Committee shall be filled by the Board. The Committee shall have full and final authority (i) to interpret the Plan and each of the Option Agreements and other Award Agreements, (ii) to prescribe, amend and rescind rules and regulations, if any, relating to the Plan, (iii) to make all determinations necessary or advisable for the administration of the Plan and (iv) to correct any defect, supply any omission and reconcile any inconsistency in the Plan and any Option Agreement or any other Award Agreement. The Committee’s determination in all matters referred to herein shall be conclusive and binding for all purposes and upon all persons including, but without limitation, the Company, the shareholders of the Company, the Committee, and each of the members thereof, Employees and their respective successors in interest.

 

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7.2 Liability. No member of the Committee shall be liable for anything done or omitted to be done by him or by any other member of the Committee in connection with the Plan, except for his own willful misconduct or gross negligence. The Committee shall have power to engage outside consultants, auditors or other professional help to assist in the fulfillment of the Committee’s duties under the Plan at the Company’s expense.

7.3 Determinations. In making its determinations concerning the key Employees who shall receive Options or other Awards as well as the number of shares to be covered by such Options or other Awards and the time or times at which they shall be granted, the Committee shall take into account the nature of the services rendered by such key Employees, their past, present and potential contribution to the Company’s success and such other factors as the Committee may deem relevant. The Committee shall determine the form of Option Agreements and Award Agreement under the Plan and the terms and conditions to be included therein, provided such terms and conditions are not inconsistent with the terms of the Plan. The Committee may waive any provisions of any Option Agreement or any other Award Agreement, provided such waiver is not inconsistent with the terms of the Plan as then in effect. The Committee’s determinations under the Plan need not be uniform and may be made by it selectively among persons who receive, or are eligible to receive, Options or other Awards under the Plan, whether or not such persons are similarly situated.

ARTICLE VIII

AMENDMENT AND TERMINATION OF PLAN

8.1 Amendment of Plan.

(a) Generally. The Board of Directors may amend the Plan at any time and from time to time. Rights and obligations under any Option or other Award granted before amendment of the Plan shall not be materially altered, or impaired adversely, by such amendment, except with consent of the Grantee (or, after the Grantee’s death, the person having the right to exercise or receive payment of the Award); provided that no such consent shall be required if the Committee determines in its sole discretion and prior to the date of any Change in Control that such amendment or alteration either (i) is required or advisable in order for the Company, the Plan or the Award to satisfy any law or regulation or to meet the requirements of, or avoid adverse financial accounting consequences under, any accounting standard, or (ii) is not reasonably likely to significantly diminish the benefits provided under such Award, or that any such diminishment has been adequately compensated. An amendment of the Plan shall be subject to the approval of the Company’s stockholders only to the extent required by applicable laws (including Section 422 of the Code), regulations or rules (including applicable rules of any stock exchange or of Nasdaq).

 

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(b) Amendments Relating to Incentive Stock Options. To the extent applicable, the Plan is intended to permit the issuance of Incentive Stock Options to Employees in accordance with the provisions of Section 422 of the Code. Subject to paragraph 8.1(a) above, the Plan, Option Agreements and other Award Agreements may be modified or amended at any time, both prospectively and retroactively, and in a manner that may affect Incentive Stock Options previously granted, if such amendment or modification is necessary for the Plan and Incentive Stock Options granted hereunder to qualify under said provisions of the Code.

8.2 Termination. The Board may at any time terminate the Plan as of any date specified in a resolution adopted by the Board. If not earlier terminated, the Plan shall terminate on the 10th anniversary of Board approval of the Plan. No Options or other Awards may be granted after the Plan has terminated, but the Committee shall continue to supervise the administration of Options or other Awards previously granted.

ARTICLE IX

MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS

9.1 Restrictions upon Grant of Awards. If the listing upon any stock exchange or Nasdaq or the registration or qualification under any federal or state law of any shares of Common Stock to be issued on the exercise of Awards granted under this Plan (whether to permit the grant of Awards or the resale or other disposition of any such shares of Common Stock by or on behalf of Grantees receiving such shares) should be or become necessary or desirable, the Board in its sole discretion may determine that delivery of the certificates for such shares of Common Stock shall not be made until such listing, registration or qualification shall have been completed. The Company agrees that it will use its best efforts to effect any such listing, registration or qualification, provided, however, that the Company shall not be required to use its best efforts to effect such registration under the Securities Act of 1933 other than on Form S-8 or such other forms as may be in effect from time to time calling for information comparable to that presently required to be furnished under Form S-8.

9.2 Restrictions upon Resale of Unregistered Stock. Each Grantee shall, if the Company deems it advisable, represent and agree in writing (i) that any shares of Common Stock acquired by such Grantee pursuant to this Plan will not be sold except pursuant to an effective registration statement under the Securities Act of 1933 or pursuant to an exemption from registration under said Act, (ii) that such Grantee is acquiring such shares of Common Stock for his own account and not with a view to the distribution thereof, and (iii) to such other customary matters as the Company may request. In such case, no shares of Common Stock shall be issued to such Grantee unless such Grantee provides such representations and agreements and the Company is reasonably satisfied that such representations and agreements are correct.

9.3 Adjustments.

(a) General. In the event of a subdivision of the outstanding Common Stock, a declaration of a dividend payable in shares of Common Stock, a declaration of a dividend payable in a form other than shares in an amount that has a material effect on the value of shares of Common Stock, a combination or consolidation of the outstanding Common Stock into a lesser number of shares of Common Stock, a recapitalization, a reclassification or a similar occurrence, the Committee shall make appropriate adjustments in one or more of (i) the number of shares of Common Stock available for future grants of Options or other Awards under Section 3.2, (ii) the number of shares of Common Stock covered by each outstanding Option or other Award, or (iii) the exercise price of each outstanding Option or other Award.

 

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(b) Reorganizations. In the event that the Company is a party to a merger or reorganization, outstanding Options and other Awards shall be subject to the agreement of merger or reorganization.

(c) Reservation of Rights. Except as provided in this Section 9.3, a Grantee shall have no rights by reason of (i) any subdivision or consolidation of shares of stock of any class, (ii) the payment of any dividend, or (iii) any other increase or decrease in the number of shares of stock of any class. Any issue by the Company of shares of stock of any class, or securities convertible into shares of stock of any class, shall not affect, and no adjustment by reason thereof shall be made with respect to, the number or exercise price of shares of Common Stock subject to an Option or other Award. The grant of any Option or other Award pursuant to the Plan shall not affect in any way the right or power of the Company to make adjustments, reclassifications, reorganizations or changes of its capital or business structure, to merge or consolidate or to dissolve, liquidate, sell or transfer all or any part of its business or assets.

9.4 Withholding of Taxes; Tax Elections.

(a) Each Grantee who exercises a Nonstatutory Stock Option and each Grantee who holds Restricted Stock or other Award that has vested shall agree that no later than the date of exercise or receipt of shares of Common Stock pursuant to such Option and no later than the date such Restricted Stock or other Award vests (in whole or in part) he will pay to the Company, or make arrangements satisfactory to the Committee regarding payment of, any Federal, state or local taxes of any kind required by law to be withheld with respect to the transfer to him or vesting in him of such shares of Common Stock.

(b) The applicable Option Agreement or other Award Agreement may provide that a Grantee may satisfy, in whole or in part, the requirements of paragraph (a):

(i) by delivery of shares of Common Stock owned by the Grantee for at least six months (or such shorter or longer period as the Committee may approve) having a Fair Market Value (determined as of the date of such delivery) equal to all or part of the amount to be so withheld, or

(ii) by electing to have the Company withhold the requisite number of shares from shares otherwise deliverable pursuant to the exercise of the Option or vesting of Restricted Stock or other Award giving rise to the tax withholding obligation provided, however, that

(A) the Grantee’s election and the withholding pursuant thereto take effect during the period beginning on the third business day following the date of release for publication of the quarterly and annual summary statements of the Company’s sales and earnings and ending on the twelfth business day following such date, and six months have elapsed since the date the Option or Restricted Stock or other Award was granted, or

 

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(B) such election was irrevocably made by the Grantee and filed with the Committee in writing at least six months in advance of the date on which such withholding occurs. The Committee may require, as a condition of accepting any such delivery of Common Stock or any such election by the Grantee, that the Grantee furnish to the Company an opinion of counsel to the effect that such delivery or election will not result in the Grantee incurring any liability under Section 16(b) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.

(c) If the Grantee, in connection with the acquisition of shares of Common Stock under the Plan, is permitted under the terms of his Option Agreement or other Award Agreement to make the election permitted under Section 83(b) of the Code (i.e., an election to include in gross income in the year of transfer the amounts specified in Section 83(b) of the Code notwithstanding the continuing transfer restrictions) and if the Grantee makes such election, the Grantee shall submit to the Company a copy of the notice filed by the Grantee with the Internal Revenue Service within ten (10) days of filing such notice, and shall pay, or make arrangements satisfactory to the Committee regarding payment of, any federal, state or local taxes of any kind required by law to be withheld as a result of such election, all in accordance with the provisions of clauses (a) and (b) of this Section 9.4.

(d) If any Grantee shall make any disposition of shares of Common Stock issued pursuant to the exercise of an Incentive Stock Option under the circumstances described in Section 421(b) of the Code (relating to certain disqualifying dispositions), such Grantee shall notify the Company of such disposition within ten (10) days thereof.

9.5 Use of Proceeds. The proceeds from the sale of Common Stock pursuant to Options or other Awards granted under the Plan shall constitute general funds of the Company and may be used for such corporate purposes as the Company may determine.

9.6 Substitution of Options. Options may be granted under this Plan in substitution for options held by individuals who are employees of another corporation and who become Employees of the Company or any Subsidiary of the Company eligible to receive Options pursuant to the Plan as a result of a merger, consolidation, reorganization or similar event. The terms and conditions of any Options so granted may vary from those set forth in the Plan to the extent deemed appropriate by the Committee in order to conform the provisions of Options granted pursuant to the Plan to the provisions of the options in substitution for which they are granted.

9.7 Notices. Any notice required or permitted hereunder shall be sufficiently given only if sent by registered or certified mail, return receipt requested, postage prepaid, addressed to the Company at its principal place of business, and to the Grantee at the address on file with the Company at the time of grant hereunder, or to such other address as either party may hereafter designate in writing by notice similarly given by one party to the other.

 

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9.8 Nature of Payments. Any and all grants of Awards and issuances of shares of Common Stock under the Plan shall constitute a special incentive payment to the Grantee and shall not be taken into account in computing the amount of salary or compensation of the Grantee for the purpose of determining any benefits under any pension, retirement, profit-sharing, bonus, life insurance or other benefit plan of the Company or under any agreement with the Grantee, unless such plan or agreement specifically provides otherwise.

9.9 Non-Uniform Determinations. The Committee’s determinations under the Plan need not be uniform and may be made by it selectively among persons who receive, or are eligible to receive, Awards (whether or not such persons are similarly situated). Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the Committee shall be entitled, among other things, to make non-uniform and selective determinations, and to enter into non-uniform and selective Award Agreements, as to the persons to receive Awards under the Plan, and the terms and provisions of Awards under the Plan.

9.10 Waiver of Claims. Prior to being selected by the Committee to receive an Award, an Employee has no right to any benefits hereunder. In consideration of a Grantee’s receipt of any Award hereunder, the Committee may require, in its sole discretion, that each such Grantee expressly waive any right to contest the amount of any Award, the terms of any Award Agreement, any determination, action or omission hereunder or under any Award Agreement by the Committee, the Company or the Board, or any amendment to the Plan or any Award Agreement (other than an amendment to this Plan or an Award Agreement to which his or her consent is expressly required by the express terms of the Plan or an Award Agreement).

9.11 Section 409A.

(a) All Awards made under the Plan that are intended to be “deferred compensation” subject to Section 409A of the Code (“Section 409A”) will be interpreted, administered and construed to comply with Section 409A, and all Awards made under the Plan that are intended to be exempt from Section 409A of the Code will be interpreted, administered and construed to comply with and preserve such exemption. The Board and the Committee will have full authority to give effect to the intent of the foregoing sentence. To the extent necessary to give effect to this intent, in the case of any conflict or potential inconsistency between the Plan and a provision of any Award or Award Agreement with respect to an Award, the Plan will govern.

(b) Without limiting the generality of Section 9.11(a), with respect to any Award made under the Plan that is intended to be “deferred compensation” subject to Section 409A:

(i) any payment due upon a Grantee’s termination of Employment will be paid only upon such Grantee’s separation from service from the Company within the meaning of Section 409A;

(ii) any payment to be made with respect to such Award in connection with the Grantee’s separation from service from the Company within the meaning of Section 409A (and any other payment that would be subject to the limitations in Section 409A(a)(2)(B) of the Code) will be delayed until six months after the Grantee’s separation from service (or earlier death) in accordance with the requirements of Section 409A;

 

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(iii) to the extent necessary to comply with Section 409A, any other securities, other Awards or other property that the Company may deliver in lieu of Shares in respect of an Award will not have the effect of deferring delivery or payment beyond the date on which such delivery or payment would occur with respect to the Shares that would otherwise have been deliverable (unless the Committee elects a later date for this purpose in accordance with the requirements of Section 409A);

(iv) with respect to any required Consent described in Section 3.3 or the applicable Award Agreement, if such Consent has not been effected or obtained as of the latest date provided by such Award Agreement for payment in respect of such Award and further delay of payment is not permitted in accordance with the requirements of Section 409A, such Award or portion thereof, as applicable, will be forfeited and terminate notwithstanding any prior earning or vesting;

(v) if the Award includes a “series of installment payments” (within the meaning of Section 1.409A-2(b)(2)(iii) of the Treasury Regulations), the Grantee’s right to the series of installment payments will be treated as a right to a series of separate payments and not as a right to a single payment;

(vi) if the Award includes “dividend equivalents” (within the meaning of Section 1.409A-3(e) of the Treasury Regulations), the Grantee’s right to the dividend equivalents will be treated separately from the right to other amounts under the Award; and

(vii) for purposes of determining whether the Grantee has experienced a separation from service from the Company within the meaning of Section 409A, “subsidiary” will mean a corporation or other entity in a chain of corporations or other entities in which each corporation or other entity, starting with Great Western, has a controlling interest in another corporation or other entity in the chain, ending with such corporation or other entity. For purposes of the preceding sentence, the term “controlling interest” has the same meaning as provided in Section 1.414(c)-2(b)(2)(i) of the Treasury Regulations, provided that the language “at least 20 percent” is used instead of “at least 80 percent” each place it appears in Section 1.414(c)-2(b)(2)(i) of the Treasury Regulations.

9.12 Minimum Holding Period. Unless otherwise determined by the Committee, all shares of Common Stock received in connection with the exercise, vesting or settlement of an Award shall be retained by the Grantee for no less than twelve (12) months following such exercise, vesting or settlement.

 

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9.13 Governing Law. The Plan and all determinations made and actions taken hereunder, to the extent not otherwise governed by the Code or the laws of the United States of America, shall be governed by the laws of the State of Delaware (without regard to principles of conflicts of law) and construed accordingly.

 

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Exhibit 10.7

CONSENSUS CLOUD SOLUTIONS, INC.

2021 EMPLOYEE STOCK PURCHASE PLAN

1. ESTABLISHMENT, PURPOSE AND TERM OF PLAN.

1.1 ESTABLISHMENT. Consensus Cloud Solutions, Inc. 2021 Employee Stock Purchase Plan (the “PLAN”) is hereby established effective as of October 7, 2021 (the “EFFECTIVE DATE”), subject to the approval by Company shareholders. The Plan is being established in connection with separation of the Company from Ziff Davis, Inc, a Delaware corporation (“Ziff Davis”), pursuant to the Separation and Distribution Agreement dated as of October 7, 2021.

1.2 PURPOSE. The purpose of the Plan is to advance the interests of Company and its stockholders by providing an incentive to attract, retain and reward Eligible Employees of the Participating Company Group and by motivating such persons to contribute to the growth and profitability of the Participating Company Group. The Plan provides such Eligible Employees with an opportunity to acquire a proprietary interest in the Company through the purchase of Stock. The Company intends that the Plan qualify as an “employee stock purchase plan” under Section 423 of the Code (including any amendments or replacements of such section), and the Plan shall be so construed.

1.3 TERM OF PLAN. The Plan shall continue in effect until the earlier of its termination by the Board or the date on which all of the shares of Stock available for issuance under the Plan have been issued.

2. DEFINITIONS AND CONSTRUCTION.

2.1 DEFINITIONS. Any term not expressly defined in the Plan but defined for purposes of Section 423 of the Code shall have the same definition herein. Whenever used herein, the following terms shall have their respective meanings set forth below:

(a) “BOARD” means the Board of Directors of the Company. If one or more Committees have been appointed by the Board to administer the Plan, “BOARD” also means such Committee(s).

(b) “CODE” means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, and any applicable regulations promulgated thereunder.

(c) “COMMITTEE” means the Compensation Committee or other committee of the Board duly appointed to administer the Plan and having such powers as shall be specified by the Board. Unless the powers of the Committee have been specifically limited, the Committee shall have all of the powers of the Board granted herein, including, without limitation, the power to amend or terminate the Plan at any time, subject to the terms of the Plan and any applicable limitations imposed by law.


(d) “COMPANY” means Consensus Cloud Solutions, Inc., a Delaware corporation, or any Successor.

(e) “COMPENSATION” means, with respect to any Offering Period, all salary, wages (including amounts elected to be deferred by the employee, that would otherwise have been paid, under any cash or deferred arrangement established by the Company) and overtime pay, but excluding commissions, bonuses, profit sharing, the cost of employee benefits paid for by the Company, education or tuition reimbursements, imputed income arising under any Company group insurance or benefit program, traveling expenses, business and moving expense reimbursements, income received in connection with stock options, contributions made by the Company under any employee benefit plan, and similar items of compensation. Compensation shall also include payments while on a leave of absence during which participation continues pursuant to Section 2.1(g) to such extent as may be provided by the Company’s leave policy.

(f) “ELIGIBLE EMPLOYEE” means an Employee who meets the requirements set forth in Section 5 for eligibility to participate in the Plan.

(g) “EMPLOYEE” means a person treated as an employee of a Participating Company for purposes of Section 423 of the Code. A Participant shall be deemed to have ceased to be an Employee either upon an actual termination of employment or upon the corporation employing the Participant ceasing to be a Participating Company. For purposes of the Plan, an individual shall not be deemed to have ceased to be an Employee while on any military leave or other leave of absence approved by the Company of ninety (90) days or less. If an individual’s leave of absence exceeds ninety (90) days, the individual shall be deemed to have ceased to be an Employee on the ninety-first (91st) day of such leave unless the individual’s right to reemployment with the Participating Company Group is guaranteed either by statute or by contract.

(h) “EMPLOYEE MATTERS AGREEMENT” means the Employee Matters Agreement between Ziff Davis and the Company dated as of October 7, 2021.

(i) “FAIR MARKET VALUE” means, as of any date:

(i) If the Stock is listed on any established stock exchange or traded on the Nasdaq National Market or the Nasdaq SmallCap Market, the Fair Market Value of a share of Stock shall be the closing sales price for such stock (or the closing bid, if no sales were reported) as quoted on such exchange or market (or if the stock is traded on more than one exchange or market, the exchange or market with the greatest volume of trading in the Stock) on the day of determination, as reported in THE WALL STREET JOURNAL or such other source as the Board deems reliable. In the absence of such markets for the Stock, the Fair Market Value shall be determined in good faith by the Board.

 

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(ii) For purposes of this Plan, if the date as of which the Fair Market Value is to be determined is not a market trading day, then solely for the purpose of determining Fair Market Value such date shall be the last market trading day prior to the Purchase Date.

(j) “J2 ESPP” means the j2 Global Communications, Inc. 2001 Employee Stock Purchase Plan.

(k) “OFFERING” means an offering of Stock as provided in Section 6.

(l) “OFFERING DATE” means, for any Offering, the first day of the Offering Period.

(m) “OFFERING PERIOD” means a period established in accordance with Section 6.

(n) “PARENT CORPORATION” means any present or future “parent corporation” of the Company, as defined in Section 424(e) of the Code.

(o) “PARTICIPANT” means an Eligible Employee who has become a participant in an Offering Period in accordance with Section 7 and remains a participant in accordance with the Plan.

(p) “PARTICIPATING COMPANY” means the Company and any Parent Corporation or Subsidiary Corporation designated by the Board as a corporation the Employees of which may, if Eligible Employees, participate in the Plan. The Board shall have the sole and absolute discretion to determine from time to time which Parent Corporations or Subsidiary Corporations shall be Participating Companies.

(q) “PARTICIPATING COMPANY GROUP” means, at any point in time, the Company and all other corporations collectively which are then Participating Companies.

(r) “PURCHASE DATE” means, for any Offering, the last day of the Offering Period; provided, however, that the Board in its discretion may establish one or more additional Purchase Dates during any Offering Period.

(s) “PURCHASE PRICE” means the price at which a share of Stock may be purchased under the Plan, as determined in accordance with Section 9.

(t) “PURCHASE RIGHT” means an option granted to a Participant pursuant to the Plan to purchase such shares of Stock as provided in Section 8, which the Participant may or may not exercise during the Offering Period in which such option is outstanding. Such option arises from the right of a Participant to withdraw any accumulated payroll deductions of the Participant not previously applied to the purchase of Stock under the Plan and to terminate participation in the Plan during an Offering Period, in accordance with such rules and procedures as may be established by Board.

 

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(u) “SPINOFF TRANSACTION” means a transaction in which the voting stock of an entity in the Participating Company Group is distributed to the shareholders of a parent corporation as defined by Section 424(e) of the Code, of such entity.

(v) “STOCK” means the common stock of the Company, as adjusted from time to time in accordance with Section 4.2.

(w) “SUBSCRIPTION AGREEMENT” means an agreement in such form as specified by the Company which is delivered in written form or by communicating with the Company in such other manner as the Company may authorize, stating an Employee’s election to participate in the Plan and authorizing payroll deductions under the Plan from the Employee’s Compensation.

(x) “SUBSCRIPTION DATE” means the Offering Date of an Offering Period, or such earlier date as the Company shall establish.

(y) “SUBSIDIARY CORPORATION” means any present or future “subsidiary corporation” of the Company, as defined in Section 424(f) of the Code.

(z) “SUCCESSOR” means a corporation into or with which the Company is merged or consolidated or which acquires all or substantially all of the assets of the Company and which is designated by the Board as a Successor for purpose of the Plan.

2.2 CONSTRUCTION. Captions and titles contained herein are for convenience only and shall not affect the meaning or interpretation of any provision of the Plan. Except when otherwise indicated by the context, the singular shall include the plural and the plural shall include the singular. Use of the term “or” is not intended to be exclusive, unless the context clearly requires otherwise.

3. ADMINISTRATION.

3.1 ADMINISTRATION BY THE BOARD. The Plan shall be administered by the Board and its designees. Subject to the provisions of the Plan, the Board shall determine all of the relevant terms and conditions of Purchase Rights; provided, however, that all Participants granted Purchase Rights pursuant to an Offering shall have the same rights and privileges within the meaning of Section 423(b)(5) of the Code in such Offering. All expenses incurred in connection with the administration of the Plan shall be paid by the Company. While the Company is a public reporting company, the Plan shall be administered by the Committee, which shall consist of not less than two directors. The members of the Committee shall be appointed by, and serve at the pleasure of, the Board. To the extent required for transactions under the Plan to qualify for exemptions available under Rule 16b-3 (“Rule 16b-3”) promulgated under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the “1934 Act”), all actions relating to awards to persons subject to Section 16 of the 1934 Act shall be taken by the Board unless each person who serves on the Committee is a “non-employee director” within the meaning of Rule 16b-3 or such actions are taken by a sub-committee of the Committee (or the Board) comprised solely of “non-employee directors”.

 

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3.2 AUTHORITY OF OFFICERS. Any officer of the Company shall have the authority to act on behalf of the Company with respect to any matter, right, obligation, determination or election that is the responsibility of or that is allocated to the Company herein, provided that the officer has actual authority with respect to such matter, right, obligation, determination or election. Any decision or determination of the Company made by an Officer having actual authority with respect thereto, shall be final, binding and conclusive on the Participating Company Group, any Participant, and all persons having an interest in the Plan, or any Option granted hereunder, unless such Officer’s decision or determination is arbitrary or capricious, fraudulent, or made in bad faith.

3.3 POLICIES AND PROCEDURES ESTABLISHED BY THE COMPANY. The Company may, from time to time, consistent with the Plan and the requirements of Section 423 of the Code, establish, interpret change or terminate such rules, guidelines, policies, procedures, limitations, or adjustments as deemed advisable by the Company, in its discretion, for the proper administration of the Plan, including, without limitation, (a) a minimum payroll deduction amount required for participation in an Offering, (b) a limitation on the frequency or number of changes permitted in the rate of payroll deduction during an Offering, (c) an exchange ratio applicable to amounts withheld in a currency other than United States dollars, (d) a payroll deduction greater than or less than the amount designated by a Participant in order to adjust for the Company’s delay or mistake in processing a Subscription Agreement or in otherwise effecting a Participant’s election under the Plan or as advisable to comply with the requirements of Section 423 of the Code, and (e) determination of the date and manner by which the Fair Market Value of a share of Stock is determined for purposes of administration of the Plan.

The Board’s determination of the construction and interpretation of any provision of the Plan, and any actions taken, and any decisions or determinations made pursuant to the terms of the Plan, shall be final, binding and conclusive on the Participating Company Group, any Participant, and any person having an interest in the Plan or any Option granted hereunder unless the Board’s action, decision or determination is arbitrary or capricious, fraudulent, or made in bad faith.

3.4 INDEMNIFICATION. In addition to such other rights of indemnification as they may have as members of the Board or Officers or Employees of the Participating Company Group, members of the Board and any Officers or Employees of the Participating Company Group to whom authority to act for the Board or the Company is delegated shall be indemnified by the Company against all reasonable expenses, including attorneys’ fees, actually and necessarily incurred in connection with the defense of any action, suit or proceeding, or in connection with any appeal therein, to which they or any of them may be a party by reason of any action taken or failure to act under or in connection with the Plan, or any right granted hereunder, and against all amounts paid by them in settlement thereof (provided such settlement is approved by independent legal counsel selected by the Company) or paid by them in satisfaction of a judgment in any such action, suit or proceeding, except in relation to matters as to which it shall be adjudged in such action, suit or proceeding that such person is liable for gross negligence, bad faith or intentional misconduct in duties; provided, however, that within sixty (60) days after the institution of such action, suit or proceeding, such person shall offer to the Company, in writing, the opportunity at its own expense to handle and defend the same and to retain complete control over the litigation and/or settlement of such suit, action or proceeding.

 

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4. SHARES SUBJECT TO PLAN.

4.1 MAXIMUM NUMBER OF SHARES ISSUABLE. Subject to adjustment as provided in Section 4.2, the maximum aggregate number of shares of Stock that may be issued under the Plan shall be One Million (1,000,000), and shall consist of authorized but unissued or reacquired shares of Stock, or any combination thereof. If an outstanding Purchase Right for any reason expires or is terminated or canceled, the shares of Stock allocable to the unexercised portion of that Purchase Right shall again be available for issuance under the Plan.

4.2 ADJUSTMENTS FOR CHANGES IN CAPITAL STRUCTURE. In the event of any stock dividend, stock split, reverse stock split, recapitalization, combination, reclassification or similar change in the capital structure of the Company, or in the event of any merger (including a merger effected for the purpose of changing the Company’s domicile), sale of assets or other reorganization in which the Company is a party, appropriate adjustments shall be made in the number and class of shares subject to the Plan, each Purchase Right, and in the Purchase Price. If a majority of the shares of the same class as the shares subject to outstanding Purchase Rights are exchanged for, converted into, or otherwise become (whether or not pursuant to an Ownership Change Event, as defined below) shares of another corporation (the “NEW SHARES”), the Board may unilaterally amend the outstanding Purchase Rights to provide that such Purchase Rights are exercisable for New Shares. In the event of any such amendment, the number of shares subject to, and the Purchase Price of, the outstanding Purchase Rights shall be adjusted in a fair and equitable manner, as determined by the Board, in its discretion. Notwithstanding the foregoing, any fractional share resulting from an adjustment pursuant to this Section 4.2 shall be rounded down to the nearest whole number, and in no event may the Purchase Price be decreased to an amount less than the par value, if any, of the stock subject to the Purchase Right.

5. ELIGIBILITY.

5.1 EMPLOYEES ELIGIBLE TO PARTICIPATE. Each Employee of a Participating Company is eligible to participate in the Plan and shall be deemed an Eligible Employee, except any Employee who is either: (a) customarily employed by the Participating Company Group for twenty (20) hours or less per week (b) customarily employed by the Participating Company Group for not more than five (5) months in any calendar year or (c) has not completed thirty (30) days of service with a Participating Company, or such other service requirement, up to a maximum of two (2) years, which the Board may require. As of the Effective Date, any “SpinCo Group Employee” (as defined in the Employee Matters Agreement) who was actively participating in the J2 ESPP shall participate in the Plan.

 

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5.2 EXCLUSION OF CERTAIN STOCKHOLDERS. Notwithstanding any provision of the Plan to the contrary, no Employee shall be treated as an Eligible Employee and granted a Purchase Right under the Plan if, immediately after such grant, the Employee would own or hold options to purchase stock of the Company or of any Parent Corporation or Subsidiary Corporation possessing five percent (5%) or more of the total combined voting power or value of all classes of stock of such corporation, as determined in accordance with Section 423(b)(3) of the Code. For purposes of this Section 5.2, the attribution rules of Section 424(d) of the Code shall apply in determining the stock ownership of such Employee.

5.3 DETERMINATION BY COMPANY. The Company shall determine in good faith and in the exercise of its discretion whether an individual has become or has ceased to be an Employee or an Eligible Employee and the effective date of such individual’s attainment or termination of such status, as the case may be. For purposes of an individual’s eligibility to participate in or other rights, if any, under the Plan as of the time of the Company’s determination, all such determinations by the Company shall be final, binding and conclusive, unless the Company’s determination is arbitrary or capricious, fraudulent, or made in bad faith notwithstanding that the Company or any court of law or governmental agency subsequently makes a contrary determination.

6. OFFERINGS.

The Plan shall be implemented by sequential Offerings of approximately six (6) months duration or such other duration as the Board shall determine (an “OFFERING PERIOD”). Offering Periods shall commence on or about May 1 and November 1 of each year and end on or about the next October 31 and April 30, respectively, occurring thereafter. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Board, in its sole and absolute discretion, may establish a different duration for one or more Offering Periods or different commencing or ending dates for such Offering Periods; provided, however, that no Offering Period may have a duration exceeding twenty-seven (27) months. In addition, notwithstanding the foregoing, the first Offering Period shall commence as of the Effective Date and shall end on the date the applicable “Offering Period” in effect under the J2 ESPP immediately prior to the Effective Date was scheduled to end.

7. PARTICIPATION IN THE PLAN.

7.1 INITIAL PARTICIPATION. An Eligible Employee may become a Participant in an Offering Period by delivering a properly completed Subscription Agreement, in accordance with such rules and procedures as may be specified by the Company. An Eligible Employee who does not deliver a properly completed Subscription Agreement to the Company in the required time period shall not participate in the Plan for that Offering Period. Furthermore, the Eligible Employee may not participate in a subsequent Offering Period unless a properly completed Subscription Agreement is delivered to the Company on or before the Subscription Date for such subsequent Offering Period. Notwithstanding the foregoing, as of the Effective Date, any “SpinCo Group Employee” (as defined in the Employee Matters Agreement) who was actively participating in the J2 ESPP shall participate in the Plan based on his or her election then in effect under the J2 ESPP.

 

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7.2 CONTINUED PARTICIPATION. A Participant shall automatically participate in the next Offering Period commencing immediately after the Purchase Date of each Offering Period in which the Participant participates provided that the Participant remains an Eligible Employee on the Offering Date of the new Offering Period and has not either (a) withdrawn from the Plan pursuant to Section 12.1 or (b) terminated employment as provided in Section 13. A Participant who may automatically participate in a subsequent Offering Period, as provided in this Section, is not required to deliver any additional Subscription Agreement for the subsequent Offering Period in order to continue participation in the Plan. However, a Participant may deliver a new Subscription Agreement for a subsequent Offering Period in accordance with the procedures set forth in Section 7.1 if the Participant desires to change any of the elections contained in the Participant’s then effective Subscription Agreement.

8. RIGHT TO PURCHASE SHARES.

8.1 GRANT OF PURCHASE RIGHT.

(i) Except as set forth below (or as otherwise specified by the Board prior to the Offering Date), on the Offering Date of each Offering Period, each Participant in that Offering Period shall be granted automatically a Purchase Right consisting of an option to purchase that number of whole shares of Stock determined by either dividing fifteen percent (15%) of such Participant’s Compensation during the Offering Period by the Purchase Price of a share of Stock for such Offering Period or by dividing Twelve Thousand Five Hundred Dollars ($12,500) by the Fair Market Value of a share of Stock on such Offering Date, whichever is less. In connection with any Offering made under this Plan, the Board or the Committee may specify a maximum number of shares of Common Stock which may be purchased by any employee as well as a maximum aggregate number of shares of Common Stock which may be purchased by all eligible employees pursuant to such Offering. In addition, in connection with any Offering which contains more than one Purchase Date, the Board or the Committee may specify a maximum aggregate number of shares which may be purchased by all eligible employees on any given Purchase Date under the Offering.

(ii) Notwithstanding the foregoing, the aggregate number of shares for which Purchase Rights may be granted in any Offering Period may not exceed the maximum number of shares which have been, prior to the Offering Date for such Offering Period, reserved for the Plan and approved by the stockholders of the Company and not previously been purchased upon the exercise of Purchase Rights in any prior Offering Period.

 

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(iii) If the aggregate purchase of shares of Common Stock upon exercise of rights granted under the Offering would exceed any such maximum aggregate number, the Board or the Committee shall make a pro rata allocation of the shares of Common Stock available in as nearly a uniform manner as shall be practicable and as it shall deem to be equitable. No Purchase Right shall be granted on an Offering Date to any person who is not, on such Offering Date, an Eligible Employee.

(iv) For the first Offering Period under the Plan, the number of shares of Common Stock eligible to be purchased shall be determined pursuant to Section 4.03(b) of the Employee Matters Agreement.

8.2 SUBSTITUTION OF RIGHTS. The grant of rights under an Offering may be done to carry out the substitution of rights under the Plan for pre-existing rights granted under another employee stock purchase plan, if such substitution is pursuant to a transaction described in Section 424(a) of the Code (or any successor provision thereto) and the characteristics of such substitute rights conform to the requirements of Section 424(a) of the Code (or any successor provision thereto) and will not cause the disqualification of this Plan under Section 423 of the Code. Notwithstanding the other terms of the Plan, such substitute rights shall have the same characteristics as the characteristics associated with such pre-existing rights, including, but not limited to, the following:

(i) the date on which such pre-existing right was granted shall be the “Offering Date” of such substitute right for purposes of determining the date of grant of the substitute right;

(ii) the Offering (as defined below) for such substitute right shall begin on its Offering Date and end coincident on the applicable Purchase Date, but no later than the end of the offering (as determined under the terms of such offering) under which the pre-existing right was granted.

8.3 PRO RATA ADJUSTMENT OF PURCHASE RIGHT. If the Board establishes an Offering Period of any duration other than three months, then any limitation on the number of shares of Stock subject to each Purchase Right granted on the Offering Date of such Offering Period set forth in Section 8.1(i) shall be prorated based upon the ratio which the number of months in such Offering Period bears to three (3).

8.4 CALENDAR YEAR PURCHASE LIMITATION. Notwithstanding any provision of the Plan to the contrary, no Participant shall be granted a Purchase Right which permits his or her right to purchase shares of Stock under the Plan to accrue at a rate which, when aggregated with such Participant’s rights to purchase shares under all other employee stock purchase plans of a Participating Company intended to meet the requirements of Section 423 of the Code, exceeds Twenty-Five Thousand Dollars ($25,000) in Fair Market Value (or such other limit, if any, as may be imposed by the Code) for each calendar year in which such Purchase Right is outstanding at any time. For purposes of the preceding sentence, the Fair Market Value of shares purchased during a given Offering Period shall be determined as of the Offering Date for such Offering Period. The limitation described in this Section shall be applied in conformance with applicable regulations under Section 423(b)(8) of the Code.

 

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9. PURCHASE PRICE.

The Purchase Price for an Offering Period shall be eighty-five percent (85%) of the lesser of the Fair Market Value of a share of Stock on (i) the Offering Date and (ii) the Purchase Date (provided that such formula shall be adjusted pursuant to Section 4.03(b) of the Employment Agreement for the first Offering Period under the Plan).

10. ACCUMULATION OF PURCHASE PRICE THROUGH PAYROLL DEDUCTION.

Shares of Stock acquired pursuant to the exercise of all or any portion of a Purchase Right may be paid for only by means of payroll deductions from the Participant’s Compensation accumulated during the Offering Period for which such Purchase Right was granted, and, if a payroll deduction is not permitted under a statute, regulation, rule of a jurisdiction, or is not administratively feasible, such other payments as may be approved by the Company, subject to the following:

10.1 AMOUNT OF PAYROLL DEDUCTIONS. Except as otherwise provided herein, the amount to be deducted under the Plan from a Participant’s Compensation on each payday during an Offering Period shall be determined by the Participant’s Subscription Agreement. The Subscription Agreement shall set forth the percentage of the Participant’s Compensation to be deducted on each payday during an Offering Period in whole percentages, up to fifteen percent (15%). The Board may change the foregoing limits on payroll deductions effective as of any Offering Date.

10.2 COMMENCEMENT OF PAYROLL DEDUCTIONS. Subject to Section 4.03(b) of the Employee Matters Agreement, payroll deductions shall commence on the first payday following the Offering Date and shall continue through the last payday prior to the end of the Offering Period unless sooner altered or terminated as provided herein.

10.3 ELECTION TO CHANGE OR STOP PAYROLL DEDUCTIONS. During an Offering Period, to the extent provided for in the Offering, a Participant may elect to decrease the rate of or to stop deductions from his or her Compensation by delivering to the Company an amended Subscription Agreement, in such form and manner as specified by the Company, authorizing such change on or before the Change Notice Date, as defined below. A Participant who elects, effective following the first payday of an Offering Period, to decrease the rate of his or her payroll deductions to zero percent (0%) shall nevertheless remain a Participant in the current Offering Period unless such Participant withdraws from the Plan as provided in Section 12.1. The “CHANGE NOTICE DATE” shall be the day established in accordance with procedures established by the Company.

 

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10.4 COMPANY’S HOLDING OF DEDUCTION. All payroll deductions from a Participant’s Compensation shall be deposited with the general funds of the Company. All payroll deductions received or held by the Company may be used by the Company for any corporate purpose. Interest shall not be paid on sums deducted from a Participant’s Compensation pursuant to the Plan.

10.5 VOLUNTARY WITHDRAWAL OF DEDUCTIONS. A Participant may withdraw payroll deductions credited to the Plan and not previously applied toward the purchase of Stock only as provided in Section 12.1.

11. PURCHASE OF SHARES.

11.1 EXERCISE OF PURCHASE RIGHT. On each Purchase Date, each Participant’s accumulated payroll deductions and other additional payments specifically permitted by the Plan (without any increase for interest), will be applied to the purchase of whole shares of Stock, up to the maximum number of shares permitted pursuant to the terms of the Plan and the applicable Offering, at the Purchase Price for such Offering. No fractional shares shall be issued upon the exercise of Purchase Rights granted under the Plan. The amount, if any, of each Participant’s accumulated payroll deductions remaining after the purchase of shares which is less than the amount required to purchase one share of Stock on the final Purchase Date of an Offering shall be retained in each such Participant’s account for the purchase of shares under the next Offering under the Plan, unless such Participant withdraws from such next Offering, as provided in Section 12.1, or is no longer eligible to be granted rights under the Plan, as provided in Section 5, in which case such amount shall be distributed to the Participant after said final Purchase Date, without interest. The amount, if any, of each Participant’s accumulated payroll deductions remaining after the purchase of shares which is equal to the amount required to purchase whole shares of Stock on the final Purchase Date of an Offering shall be refunded in full to the Participant after such Purchase Date, without interest.

11.2 PRO RATA ALLOCATION OF SHARES. If the number of shares of Stock which might be purchased by all Participants in the Plan on a Purchase Date exceeds the number of shares of Stock available in the Plan as provided in Section 4.1, the Company shall make a pro rata allocation of the remaining shares in as uniform a manner as practicable and as the Company determines to be equitable. Any fractional share resulting from such pro rata allocation to any Participant shall be disregarded.

11.3 DELIVERY OF SHARES. As soon as practicable after each Purchase Date, the Company shall arrange the delivery to each Participant of the shares acquired by the Participant on such Purchase Date; provided that the Company may deliver such shares to a broker designated by the Company that will hold such shares for the benefit of the Participant. Shares to be delivered to a Participant under the Plan shall be registered, or held in an account, in the name of the Participant, or, if requested by the Participant, such other name or names as the Company may permit under rules established for the operation and administration of the Plan.

 

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11.4 TAX WITHHOLDING. At the time a Participant’s Purchase Right is exercised, in whole or in part, or at the time a Participant disposes of some or all of the shares of Stock he or she acquires under the Plan, the Participant shall make adequate provision for the federal, state, local and foreign tax withholding obligations, if any, of the Participating Company Group which arise upon exercise of the Purchase Right or upon such disposition of shares, respectively. The Participating Company Group may, but shall not be obligated to, withhold from the Participant’s compensation the amount necessary to meet such withholding obligations.

11.5 EXPIRATION OF PURCHASE RIGHT. A Purchase Right shall expire immediately upon the end of the Offering Period to the extent it exceeds the number of shares of Stock which are purchased with a Participant’s accumulated payroll deductions or other permitted contribution during any Offering Period.

11.6 PROVISION OF REPORTS AND STOCKHOLDER INFORMATION TO PARTICIPANTS. Each Participant who has exercised all or part of his or her Purchase Right shall receive, as soon as practicable after the Purchase Date, a report of such Participant’s account setting forth the total payroll deductions accumulated prior to such exercise, the number of shares of Stock purchased, the Purchase Price for such shares, the date of purchase and the cash balance, if any, remaining immediately after such purchase that is to be refunded or retained on behalf of the Participant pursuant to Section 11.1. The report required by this Section may be delivered in such form and by such means, including by electronic transmission, as the Company may determine. In addition, each Participant shall be given access to information concerning the Company equivalent to that information provided generally to the Company’s common stockholders.

12. WITHDRAWAL FROM PLAN.

12.1 VOLUNTARY WITHDRAWAL FROM THE PLAN. A Participant may withdraw from the Plan by signing and delivering to the Company’s designated office a written notice of withdrawal on a form provided by the Company for this purpose or by communicating with the Company in such other manner as the Company may authorize. A Participant who voluntarily withdraws from the Plan is prohibited from resuming participation in the Plan in the same Offering from which he or she withdrew, but may participate in any subsequent Offering by again satisfying the requirements of Sections 5 and 7.1. The Company may impose, from time to time, a requirement that the notice of withdrawal from the Plan be on file with the Company’s designated office for a reasonable period prior to the effectiveness of the Participant’s withdrawal.

12.2 RETURN OF PAYROLL DEDUCTIONS. Upon a Participant’s voluntary withdrawal from the Plan pursuant to Section 12.1, the Participant’s accumulated payroll deductions which have not been applied toward the purchase of shares shall be refunded to the Participant as soon as practicable after the withdrawal, without the payment of any interest, and the Participant’s participation in the Plan shall terminate. Such accumulated payroll deductions to be refunded in accordance with this Section may not be applied to any other Offering under the Plan.

 

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13. TERMINATION OF EMPLOYMENT OR ELIGIBILITY.

13.1 Upon a Participant’s ceasing, prior to a Purchase Date, to be an Employee of the Participating Company Group for any reason, or upon the failure of a Participant to remain an Eligible Employee, the Participant’s participation in the Plan shall terminate immediately, except as otherwise provided in Section 2.1(g) and Section 13.3.

13.2 Upon termination of participation, the terminated Participant’s accumulated payroll deductions which have not been applied toward the purchase of shares shall, as soon as practicable, be returned to the Participant or, in the case of the Participant’s death, to the Participant’s legal representative, and all of the Participant’s rights under the Plan shall terminate. Interest shall not be paid on sums returned pursuant to this Section 13. A Participant whose participation has been so terminated may again become eligible to participate in future Offerings under the Plan by satisfying the requirements of Sections 5 and 7.1.

13.3 Upon a Participant’s ceasing, prior to a Purchase Date, to be an Employee of the Participating Company Group for any reason, or upon the failure of a Participant to remain an Eligible Employee, the Participant’s participation in the Plan shall continue, subject to the Participant’s execution of a general release of claims satisfactory to the Company, for an additional ninety (90) days; provided, however, this Section shall not apply in the event of the Participant’s death, a Spinoff Transaction, or to any Participant on a leave of absence governed by Section 2.1(g).

14. CHANGE IN CONTROL.

14.1 DEFINITIONS.

(a) An “OWNERSHIP CHANGE EVENT” shall be deemed to have occurred if any of the following occurs with respect to the Company: (i) the direct or indirect sale or exchange in a single or series of related transactions by the stockholders of the Company of more than fifty percent (50%) of the voting stock of the Company; (ii) a merger or consolidation in which the Company is a party; (iii) the sale, exchange, or transfer of all or substantially all, as determined by the Board in its sole discretion, of the assets of the Company; or (iv) a liquidation or dissolution of the Company.

(b) A “CHANGE IN CONTROL” shall mean an Ownership Change Event or a series of related Ownership Change Events (collectively, a “TRANSACTION”) wherein the stockholders of the Company immediately before the Transaction do not retain immediately after the Transaction, in substantially the same proportions as their ownership of shares of the Company’s voting stock immediately before the Transaction, direct or indirect beneficial ownership of more than fifty percent (50%) of the total combined voting power of the outstanding voting securities of the Company or, in the case of a Transaction described in Section 14.1(a)(ii) or (iii), the corporation or other business entity surviving the merger or consolidation or to which the assets of the Company were transferred (the “TRANSFEREE”), as the case may be. The Board shall determine in its sole discretion whether multiple sales or exchanges of the voting securities of the Company or multiple Ownership Change Events are related. Notwithstanding the preceding sentence, a Change in Control shall not include any Transaction in which the voting stock of an entity in the Participating Company Group is distributed to the shareholders of a parent corporation, as defined in Section 424(e) of the Code, of such entity. Any Ownership Change resulting from an underwritten public offering of the Company’s Stock or the stock of any Participating Company shall not be deemed a Change in Control for any purpose hereunder.

 

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14.2 EFFECT OF CHANGE IN CONTROL ON PURCHASE RIGHTS. In the event of a Change in Control, the surviving, continuing, successor, or purchasing corporation or parent corporation thereof, as the case may be (the “ACQUIRING CORPORATION”), may assume the Company’s rights and obligations under the Plan. If the Acquiring Corporation elects not to assume the Company’s rights and obligations under outstanding Purchase Rights, the Purchase Date of the then current Offering Period shall be accelerated to a date before the date of the Change in Control specified by the Board, but the number of shares of Stock subject to outstanding Purchase Rights shall not be adjusted. All Purchase Rights which are neither assumed by the Acquiring Corporation in connection with the Change in Control nor exercised as of the date of the Change in Control shall terminate and cease to be outstanding effective as of the date of the Change in Control.

15. NONTRANSFERABILITY OF PURCHASE RIGHTS.

Neither payroll deductions nor a Participant’s Purchase Right may be assigned, transferred, pledged or otherwise disposed of in any manner other than as provided by the Plan or by will or the laws of descent and distribution. Any such attempted assignment, transfer, pledge or other disposition shall be without effect, except that the Company may treat such act as an election to withdraw from the Plan as provided in Section 12.1. A Purchase Right shall be exercisable during the lifetime of the Participant only by the Participant.

16. COMPLIANCE WITH SECURITIES LAW.

The issuance of shares under the Plan shall be subject to compliance with all applicable requirements of federal, state and foreign law with respect to such securities. A Purchase Right may not be exercised if the issuance of shares upon such exercise would constitute a violation of any applicable federal, state or foreign securities laws or other law or regulations or the requirements of any securities exchange or market system upon which the Stock may then be listed. In addition, no Purchase Right may be exercised unless (a) a registration statement under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, shall at the time of exercise of the Purchase Right be in effect with respect to the shares issuable upon exercise of the Purchase Right, or (b) in the opinion of legal counsel to the Company, the shares issuable upon exercise of the Purchase Right may be issued in accordance with the terms of an applicable exemption from the registration requirements of said Act. The inability of the Company to obtain from any regulatory body having jurisdiction the authority, if any, deemed by the Company’s legal counsel to be necessary to the lawful issuance and sale of any shares under the Plan shall relieve the Company of any liability in respect of the failure to issue or sell such shares as to which such requisite authority shall not have been obtained. As a condition to the exercise of a Purchase Right, the Company may require the Participant to satisfy any qualifications that may be necessary or appropriate, to evidence compliance with any applicable law or regulation, and to make any representation or warranty with respect thereto as may be requested by the Company.

 

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17. RIGHTS AS A STOCKHOLDER AND EMPLOYEE.

A Participant shall have no rights as a stockholder by virtue of the Participant’s participation in the Plan until the date of the issuance of shares purchased pursuant to the exercise of the Participant’s Purchase Right (as evidenced by the appropriate entry on the books of the Company or of a duly authorized transfer agent of the Company). No adjustment shall be made for dividends, distributions or other rights for which the record date is prior to the date such share is issued, except as provided in Section 4.2. Nothing herein shall confer upon a Participant any right to continue in the employ of the Participating Company Group or interfere in any way with any right of the Participating Company Group to terminate the Participant’s employment at any time.

18. DISTRIBUTION ON DEATH.

If a Participant dies, the Company shall deliver any shares or cash credited to the Participant to the Participant’s legal representative.

19. NOTICES.

All notices or other communications by a Participant to the Company under or in connection with the Plan shall be deemed to have been duly given when received in the form specified by the Company at the location, or by the person, designated by the Company for the receipt thereof.

20. AMENDMENT OR TERMINATION OF THE PLAN.

The Board may at any time amend or terminate the Plan, except that (a) such termination shall not affect Purchase Rights previously granted under the Plan, except as permitted under the Plan, and (b) no amendment may adversely affect a Purchase Right previously granted under the Plan (except to the extent permitted by the Plan or as may be necessary to qualify the Plan as an employee stock purchase plan pursuant to Section 423 of the Code or to obtain qualification or registration of the shares of Stock under applicable federal, state or foreign securities laws). In addition, an amendment to the Plan must be approved by the stockholders of the Company within twelve (12) months of the adoption of such amendment if such amendment would increase the maximum aggregate number of shares of Stock that may be issued under the Plan (except by operation of the provisions of Section 4.1 or Section 4.2) or would change the definition of the corporations that may be designated by the Board as Participating Companies.

 

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Exhibit 99.1

Consensus Cloud Solutions, Inc. Completes Separation from Ziff Davis, Inc.

Los Angeles, CA--7am ET, October 8, 2021—Consensus Cloud Solutions, Inc. (“Consensus”), a leading provider of secure information-delivery services, announced today that it has completed its previously announced separation into an independent, publicly traded company from Ziff Davis, Inc. (“Ziff Davis”) (formerly known as J2 Global, Inc.) (Nasdaq: ZD).

Consensus common stock will begin regular-way trading today on the Nasdaq under the ticker symbol “CCSI.” Ziff Davis common stock will begin regular-way trading today on the Nasdaq under the ticker symbol “ZD.”

“Alongside my colleagues at Consensus, I am excited to begin our journey as a standalone public company,” said Scott Turicchi, CEO of Consensus. “The Consensus team’s hard work has put us in a leadership position as we offer secure data exchange solutions to the healthcare industry and foster interoperability among disparate systems and data protocols. I look forward to our continued success in delivering long-term growth and value to shareholders as an independent company.”

The separation was achieved through a pro rata distribution to Ziff Davis stockholders of 80.1% of the outstanding shares of Consensus on October 7, 2021. The special dividend distribution gave Ziff Davis stockholders one share of Consensus common stock for every three shares of Ziff Davis common stock outstanding as of the close of business on October 1, 2021, the record date for the distribution. No fractional shares of Consensus were issued and stockholders received cash in lieu of fractional shares.


About Consensus

Consensus Cloud Solutions, Inc. (Nasdaq: CCSI) is a leading provider of secure information-delivery services with a scalable Software-as-a-Service (“SaaS”) platform. Consensus offers eFax, Consensus Unite, Consensus Signal, jSign and has Consensus Clarity and Harmony in development. For more information about Consensus, visit www.consensus.com.

“Safe Harbor” Statement Under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995

Certain statements in this Press Release are “forward-looking statements’’ within the meaning of The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 with respect to the proposed spin-off transaction. These forward-looking statements are subject to numerous assumptions, risks and uncertainties, including market and other conditions and include uncertainties regarding expected operating performance and financial position of the companies after the separation, the costs and expected benefits of the proposed transaction, and the expected tax treatment of the transaction. There are important factors that could cause our actual results, level of activity, performance or achievements to differ materially from the results, level of activity, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements, including those factors described in the “Risk Factors’’ section of the preliminary information statement included in the Registration Statement on Form 10 filed by Consensus with the SEC. Consensus assumes no obligation to update these forward-looking statements.

Bevey Miner

Consensus Cloud Solutions, Inc.

investor@consensus.com

Source: Consensus Cloud Solutions, Inc.