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): May 26, 2016
 
BLUE BIRD CORPORATION
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
 
 
 
 
 
Delaware
001-36267
46-3891989
(State or Other Jurisdiction
of Incorporation)
(Commission
File Number)
(IRS Employer
Identification No.)
 
 
 
402 Blue Bird Boulevard
Fort Valley, Georgia 31030
31030
(Address of Principal Executive Offices)
(Zip Code)
Registrant’s Telephone Number, Including Area Code: (478) 822-2130
 
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))






 
Item 1.01
Entry into a Material Definitive Agreement.
    
On May 26, 2016 , Blue Bird Corporation (the "Company") entered into a Purchase and Sale Agreement as defined and described under Item 5.01 below, pursuant to which it is anticipated that a change in control of the Company may occur in the future. The disclosures contained in Item 5.01 of this Report are incorporated into this Item 1.01 by reference.

Also on May 26, 2016 , the Company entered into a Letter Agreement as defined and described under Item 5.01 below, with respect to certain governance arrangements of the Company following the consummation of the transactions contemplated by the Purchase and Sale Agreement. The disclosures contained in Item 5.01 of this report are incorporated into this Item 1.01 by reference.

Item 5.01
Changes in Control of Registrant.     

Pursuant to, and subject to the terms of, a Purchase and Sale Agreement, dated as of May 26, 2016 (the “Purchase Agreement”), by and among The Traxis Group B.V., a limited liability company existing under the laws of the Netherlands (“Traxis”), ASP BB Holdings LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (“ASP”), and the Company, Traxis agreed to sell and ASP agreed to purchase all of the 12,000,000 shares of common stock, par value $0.0001 (the “Common Stock”), of the Company owned by Traxis (the “Transaction Shares”). Subject to the terms and conditions set forth in the Purchase Agreement, ASP will acquire 7,000,000 Transaction Shares at an initial closing (the “Initial Closing”) for an amount in cash equal to $10.10 per share (the “Initial Transaction”) and 5,000,000 Transaction Shares at a second closing (the “Second Closing”) for an amount in cash equal to $11.00 per share (the “Second Transaction” and, together with the Initial Transaction, the “Transactions”), for an aggregate purchase price of $125,700,000. Traxis currently beneficially owns approximately 57% of the outstanding common stock of the Company.
   
Pursuant to the Purchase Agreement, the obligations of the parties to consummate the Transactions are subject to certain conditions, including but not limited to (i) the resignation of Dennis Donovan from, and the appointment of Kevin Penn and Michael Sand to, the board of directors of the Company, effective upon consummation of the Initial Closing, (ii) the resignation of the other directors affiliated with Traxis and with certain other entities named in the Purchase Agreement and the appointment of two additional designees of American Securities to the board of directors of the Company, effective upon consummation of the Second Closing, (iii) transfer of all of Traxis’ rights pursuant to the Registration Rights Agreement, dated as of February 24, 2015, among the Company, Traxis and certain other shareholders (the “Registration Rights Agreement”) with respect to the Transaction Shares, subject to certain limitations relating to Demand Registrations (as such term is defined in the Registration Rights Agreement) and (iv) the condition that prior to the consummation of the Second Closing, the Company’s Credit Agreement (as such term is defined in the Purchase Agreement) will have been amended in accordance with the Purchase Agreement.

The description of the Purchase Agreement in this Item 5.01 is qualified in its entirety by the full text of the Purchase Agreement, which is filed as an exhibit hereto and is incorporated by reference herein.

In connection with the Purchase Agreement, a Letter Agreement (“Letter Agreement”) was executed among the Company, ASP and American Securities LLC, a New York limited liability company (together with its Controlled Affiliates, as defined in the Letter Agreement, and ASP, “American Securities”) on May 26, 2016 , which will govern certain governance arrangements of the Company following consummation of the transactions contemplated by the Purchase Agreement. Pursuant to the Letter Agreement, if American Securities effects an underwritten offering during the first year following the Initial Closing, any underwriting discount paid by the Company pursuant to the Registration Rights Agreement will be reduced by the amount of fees and expenses the Company had to pay in connection with the amendment to the Credit Agreement. In addition, for three years following the Initial Closing (unless the Company is no longer listed on NASDAQ), American Securities will ensure that three independent directors (as defined under NASDAQ rules) are included on the Company’s Board, and such members shall be independent of American Securities. For one year following the Initial Closing, American Securities will not, unless authorized by a committee comprised of independent directors, acquire or arrange to acquire voting securities of the Company if following such acquisition American Securities would beneficially own 90% or more of the voting securities of the Company. If during the one year period following the Initial Closing Date, American Securities makes a proposal (“Sale Proposal”) to acquire the remaining outstanding shares of the Company’s capital stock, such Sale Proposal will be considered by a committee comprised of independent directors and will be subject to such committee’s approval. American Securities also agreed not to enter into any material “related party” transaction with the Company without approval of a committee comprised of independent directors for a period of three years following the Initial Closing.

As a result of the negotiation of the Letter Agreement, a duly formed and authorized committee of the Board approved the execution, delivery and performance of the Purchase Agreement, the Letter Agreement and the transactions contemplated thereby, for purposes of Section 203 of the Delaware General Corporation Law, such that the restrictions on business combinations set forth in Section 203 of the Delaware General Corporation Law shall be inapplicable to ASP and its affiliates and associates. The Company also





confirmed that ASP is an express assignee or designee of Traxis for all purposes as contemplated in the Company's Second Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation, dated February 24, 2015.

The description of the Letter Agreement in this Item 5.01 is qualified in its entirety by the full text of the Letter Agreement, which is filed as exhibit hereto and is incorporated by reference herein.

Item 8.01      Other Events.

On May 27, 2016 , the Company issued a press release announcing the Purchase and Sale Agreement, a copy of which release is furnished herewith as Exhibit 99.1.

Item. 9.01
Financial Statements and Exhibits.

(d) Exhibits.

Exhibit No.
Description

10.1
Purchase and Sale Agreement dated May 26, 2016 by and among The Traxis Group B.V., Blue Bird Corporation, and ASP BB Holdings LLC.

10.2
Letter Agreement dated May 26, 2016 among American Securities LLC, ASP BB Holdings LLC and Blue Bird Corporation.

99.1
Press Release of the Company, dated May 27, 2016 .


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.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
BLUE BIRD CORPORATION
 
 
 
 
 
Dated:
May 27, 2016
 
By:
/s/ Paul Yousif
 
 
 
 
Paul Yousif
 
 
 
 
Vice President of Legal Affairs / Corporate Treasurer / Corporate Secretary






Exhibit 10.1

PURCHASE AND SALE AGREEMENT
THIS PURCHASE AND SALE AGREEMENT (this “ Agreement ”) is made and entered into as of May 26, 2016 by and among THE TRAXIS GROUP B.V., a limited liability company existing under the Laws of the Netherlands (the “ Seller ”), with a mailing address c/o Cerberus Capital Management, L.P., 875 Third Avenue, 11 th Floor, New York, New York 10022, BLUE BIRD CORPORATION, a Delaware corporation (the “ Company ”), with executive offices located at 402 Blue Bird Boulevard, Fort Valley, Georgia 31030, and ASP BB Holdings LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (the “ Purchaser ”), with a mailing address c/o American Securities LLC, 299 Park Avenue, 34 th Floor, New York, New York 10171.
W I T N E S S E T H:
WHEREAS, the Seller is the owner of Twelve Million (12,000,000) shares of common stock, par value $.0001 per share (the “ Transaction Shares ”), of the Company;

WHEREAS, the Seller desires to sell to the Purchaser, and the Purchaser desires to purchase from the Seller, the Transaction Shares, subject to the terms and conditions set forth in this Agreement;

WHEREAS, the Seller and the Purchaser desire to enter into this Agreement to set forth all of the mutual understandings and agreements reached by and between them with respect to the purchase and sale of the Transaction Shares and the various matters related thereto, all as more particularly set forth herein; and

WHEREAS, contemporaneous with the execution of this Agreement, the Purchaser and the Company have entered into a stockholder agreement, a copy of which has been delivered to the Seller (the “ Stockholder Agreement ”),

NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the foregoing premises, the mutual covenants and agreements set forth herein and other good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged, the parties hereto, intending to be legally bound, hereby agree as follows:

Section 1. Purchase and Sale of Transaction Shares at the Initial Closing; Purchase Price Payable at the Initial Closing .

(a) Initial Transaction . Subject to the terms and conditions of this Agreement, the Seller hereby agrees to sell, convey, assign and deliver to the Purchaser at the Initial Closing (as defined below), free and clear of all Encumbrances and Transfer Restrictions (each as defined in Section 11 of this Agreement) other than the Permitted Restrictions (as defined in Section 3(c) of this Agreement), and the Purchaser hereby agrees to purchase, acquire and accept from the Seller at the Initial Closing, subject to the Permitted Restrictions, a total of Seven Million (7,000,000) Transaction Shares (such shares, the “ Initial Transaction Shares ”; the purchase and sale of the Initial Transaction Shares at the Initial Closing, the “ Initial Transaction ”).

(b) Initial Closing . The closing of the Initial Transaction (the “ Initial Closing ”) shall take place at the offices of Lowenstein Sandler LLP, 1251 Avenue of the Americas, 17 th Floor, New York, New York 10020 (the “ LS Offices ”), at 10:00 a.m., New York City time, on the twelfth business day after the satisfaction or written waiver (to the extent waivable) of the conditions set forth in Section 6 of this Agreement (excluding conditions that, by their terms, cannot be satisfied until the Initial Closing, but subject to the satisfaction or





waiver of those conditions), or at such other date, time or place as the Seller and Purchaser may mutually agree upon in writing. The date on which the Initial Closing actually occurs is hereinafter referred to as the “ Initial Closing Date .”

(c) Initial Purchase Price . Subject to the terms and conditions set forth in Section 6 of this Agreement, at or contemporaneous with the Initial Closing, (i) the Purchaser shall pay, or cause to be paid, to the Seller an amount in cash equal to $10.10 per share for each of the Initial Transaction Shares, for a total of Seventy Million Seven Hundred Thousand Dollars (USD $70,700,000) (the “ Initial Purchase Price ”), payable in accordance with Section 9(b)(i) of this Agreement and (ii) the Seller shall deliver, or cause to be delivered, to the Purchaser, the Initial Transaction Shares, such delivery to be effected in accordance with Section 9(a)(i) and Section 9(a)(iii) of this Agreement

(d) Initial Transfer Effectiveness . For all purposes related to the Initial Transaction (including, without limitation, the determination of beneficial or record holders as of any date and the right to receive dividends, property or other distributions from the Company or any other person or entity in respect of or in exchange for the Initial Transaction Shares), the effective date of the sale, conveyance, assignment and delivery of the Initial Transaction Shares shall be the Initial Closing Date. The Purchaser shall promptly remit and deliver to the Seller any amounts or property paid or distributed to it in respect of the Initial Transaction Shares with respect to a record date prior to the Initial Closing Date, and the Seller shall promptly remit and deliver to the Purchaser any amounts or property paid or distributed to it in respect of the Initial Transaction Shares with respect to a record date on or following the Initial Closing Date, other than the Initial Purchase Price.

Section 2. Purchase and Sale of Transaction Shares at the Second Closing; Purchase Price Payable at the Second Closing .

(a) Second Transaction . Subject to the terms and conditions of this Agreement, the Seller hereby agrees to sell, convey, assign and deliver to the Purchaser at the Second Closing (as defined below), free and clear of all Encumbrances and Transfer Restrictions other than the Permitted Restrictions , and the Purchaser hereby agrees to purchase, acquire and accept from the Seller at the Second Closing, subject to the Permitted Restrictions, a total of Five Million (5,000,000) Transaction Shares (such shares, the “ Second Transaction Shares ”; the purchase and sale of the Second Transaction Shares at the Second Closing, the “ Second Transaction ”).

(b) Second Closing . The closing of the Second Transaction (the “ Second Closing ”) shall take place at the LS Offices, at 10:00 a.m., New York City time, on the twelfth business day after the satisfaction or written waiver (to the extent waivable) of the conditions set forth in Section 7 of this Agreement (excluding conditions that, by their terms, cannot be satisfied until the Second Closing, but subject to the satisfaction or waiver of those conditions), or at such other date, time or place as the Seller and Purchaser may mutually agree upon in writing. The date on which the Second Closing actually occurs is hereinafter referred to as the “ Second Closing Date .”

(c) Second Purchase Price . Subject to the terms and conditions set forth in Section 7 of this Agreement, at or contemporaneous with the Second Closing, (i) the Purchaser shall pay, or cause to be paid, to the Seller an amount in cash equal to $11.00 per share for each of the Second Transaction Shares, for a total of Fifty Five Million Dollars (USD $55,000,000) (the “ Second Purchase Price ”), payable in accordance with Section 9(b)(ii) of this Agreement and (ii) the Seller shall deliver, or cause to be delivered, to the Purchaser the Second Transaction Shares, such delivery to be effected in accordance with Section 9(a)(ii) and Section 9(a)(iii) of this Agreement.






(d) Second Transfer Effectiveness . For all purposes related to the Second Transaction (including, without limitation, the determination of beneficial or record holders as of any date and the right to receive dividends, property or other distributions from the Company or any other person or entity in respect of or in exchange for the Second Transaction Shares), the effective date of the sale, conveyance, assignment and delivery of the Second Transaction Shares shall be the Second Closing Date. The Purchaser shall promptly remit and deliver to the Seller any amounts or property paid or distributed to it in respect of the Second Transaction Shares with respect to a record date prior to the Second Closing Date, and the Seller shall promptly remit and deliver to the Purchaser any amounts or property paid or distributed to it in respect of the Second Transaction Shares with respect to a record date on or following the Second Closing Date, other than the Second Purchase Price.

Section 3. Representations and Warranties of the Seller . Except, with respect to the representations and warranties set forth in Section 3(d) , Section 3(e) and Section 3(f) of this Agreement, as otherwise disclosed in the SEC Documents filed prior to the execution of this Agreement, the Seller hereby represents and warrants to the Purchaser as follows:

(a) Capacity; Due Authorization and Execution; Enforceability . The Seller has the power and capacity to enter into this Agreement and to consummate the Initial Transaction and the Second Transaction (collectively, the “ Transactions ”). The execution, delivery, and performance by the Seller of this Agreement and the consummation by the Seller of its obligations hereunder have been duly authorized by all necessary action by the Seller. This Agreement has been duly and validly executed and delivered by the Seller and constitutes the legal, valid and binding obligation of the Seller, enforceable in accordance with its terms, except as such enforceability may be limited by applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, moratorium, reorganization or similar Laws from time to time in effect that affect creditors’ rights generally, and by legal and equitable limitations on the availability of specific remedies. Any person signing this Agreement on behalf of the Seller has been duly and validly authorized and empowered to do so and has the authority to bind the Seller and to effectuate the transactions contemplated by this Agreement.

(b) No Contravention; No Conflict . The execution, delivery and performance by the Seller of this Agreement and consummation by the Seller of the Transactions do not and will not (i) violate any decree or judgment of any court or other governmental authority applicable to or binding on the Seller, (ii) violate any provision of any statute, rule or regulation which is, to the Seller’s Knowledge, applicable to the Seller, (iii) conflict with, or result in any violation of, any provision of any Organizational Document (as defined in Section 11 of this Agreement) of the Seller or (iv) violate or result in a default under any contract to which the Seller or any of the Seller’s assets or properties are bound. No consent or approval of, or filing by the Seller with, any governmental authority or other person not a party hereto is required for the execution, delivery and performance by the Seller of this Agreement or the consummation of the Transactions by the Seller.

(c) Beneficial Ownership; No Encumbrances; Transfer Restrictions . The Seller is the sole record and beneficial owner of the Transaction Shares, free and clear of any Encumbrances, and upon the transfer of the Transaction Shares to the Purchaser, the Purchaser shall acquire good title thereto, free and clear of any Encumbrances or Transfer Restrictions, other than Transfer Restrictions arising solely under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “ Securities Act ”), and the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission promulgated thereunder, and/or under similar state securities Laws (collectively, the “ Permitted Restrictions ”). The Transaction Shares constitute 100% of the equity interests of the Company owned by the Seller or its controlled Affiliates and the Seller does not own any other securities convertible into, or rights to acquire, equity interests in the Company or any of its subsidiaries.






(d) SEC Disclosure; Contracts . To the Knowledge of the Seller, since February 24, 2015 the Company has timely filed or furnished (within time frames permitted through the use of Form 12b-25) all SEC Documents with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “ SEC ”) required to be so filed by it pursuant to applicable Law and the SEC rules and regulations thereunder and has not filed or furnished any such SEC Documents on a confidential basis. To the Knowledge of the Seller, as of its respective filing date, and, if amended, as of the date of the last amendment prior to the date of this Agreement, each of the SEC Documents complied in all material respects with the requirements of the Securities Act, the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “ Exchange Act ”) and the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 and the rules and regulations of the SEC promulgated thereunder applicable to such SEC Documents and did not contain as of the time they were filed or furnished any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading. Other than this Agreement and the Registration Rights Agreement, neither the Seller nor any of its controlled Affiliates is a party to any contract or agreement with the Company or any of its subsidiaries or any contract or agreement relating to the Transaction Shares or any rights relating thereto, including any agreement governing the sale, disposition, transfer or voting of the Transaction Shares, except for the agreements described in Schedule I to this Agreement.

(e) Financial Statements . To the Knowledge of the Seller, the consolidated financial statements of the Company included in the SEC Documents (including the related notes and schedules) (the “ Financial Statements ”) (a) have been prepared from, and are in accordance with, the books and records of the Company and its consolidated subsidiaries, (b) comply as to form in all material respects with the applicable accounting requirements and with the rules and regulations of the SEC, the Exchange Act and the Securities Act, (c) have been prepared in accordance with United States generally accepted accounting principles (“ GAAP ”) applied on a consistent basis during the periods involved (except as may be indicated in the Financial Statements or in the notes to the Financial Statements), and (d) fairly present, in all material respects, the consolidated financial position and the consolidated results of operations and cash flows of the Company and its subsidiaries as of the date and for the periods referred to in the Financial Statements. To the Knowledge of the Seller, since the date of the Company’s balance sheet filed with the SEC for the fiscal quarter ended January 2, 2016, the Company has not effected any change in any method of accounting or accounting practice.

(f) Undisclosed Liabilities; Absence of Certain Events .

(i) To the Knowledge of the Seller, the Company and its subsidiaries do not have any liabilities or obligations of any nature (whether known or unknown, whether asserted or unasserted, whether absolute or contingent, whether accrued or not accrued, whether liquidated or unliquidated, whether primary or secondary, and whether due or to become due), including any liability for taxes, except for (a) liabilities expressly specified in the Company’s balance sheet filed with the SEC for the fiscal quarter ended April 2, 2016 or disclosed in the notes thereto, (b) liabilities arising under executory contracts other than with respect to the breach thereof, (c) liabilities and obligations incurred in the ordinary course of business since the date of the Company’s balance sheet filed with the SEC for the fiscal quarter ended April 2, 2016, (d) liabilities and obligations arising out of or in connection with this Agreement or the Transactions and (e) liabilities that would not reasonably be expected to be material to the Company and its subsidiaries taken as a whole.

(ii) To the Knowledge of the Seller, since the date of the Company’s balance sheet filed with the SEC for the fiscal year ended October 3, 2015, there has not been a Material Adverse Effect.






(g) No Adverse Proceedings . No proceedings relating to the Transaction Shares are pending or, to the Knowledge of the Seller, threatened, before any court, arbitrator or administrative or governmental body or authority that would adversely affect the Seller’s right to transfer the Transaction Shares to the Purchaser hereunder.

(h) No Demand Registrations . Neither the Seller nor any of its Affiliates has delivered a Demand Registration Request (as defined in the Registration Rights Agreement) to the Company or otherwise exercised any of its rights to a Demand Registration under the Registration Rights Agreement.

(i) Sole Representations or Warranties . The Seller acknowledges that the Purchaser is not making any representations or warranties to the Seller, and the Seller is not relying on any statements, whether oral or written, which may have been made at any time by the Purchaser or on the Purchaser’s behalf, except for those representations and warranties of the Purchaser expressly set forth in Section 5 of this Agreement.

Section 4. Representations and Warranties of the Company . Except, with respect to the representations and warranties set forth in Section 4(c) , Section 4(d) , Section 4(e) and Section 4(f) , as otherwise disclosed in the SEC Documents filed prior to the execution of this Agreement, the Company hereby represents and warrants to the Purchaser as follows:

(a) Capacity; Due Authorization and Execution; Enforceability . The Company has the power and capacity to enter into this Agreement. The execution, delivery, and performance by the Company of this Agreement and the consummation by the Company of its obligations hereunder have been duly authorized by all necessary action by the Company. This Agreement has been duly and validly executed and delivered by the Company and constitutes the legal, valid and binding obligation of the Company, enforceable in accordance with its terms, except as such enforceability may be limited by applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, moratorium, reorganization or similar Laws from time to time in effect that affect creditors’ rights generally, and by legal and equitable limitations on the availability of specific remedies. Any person signing this Agreement on behalf of the Company has been duly and validly authorized and empowered to do so and has the authority to bind the Company and to effectuate the transactions contemplated by this Agreement.

(b) No Contravention; No Conflict . The execution, delivery and performance by the Company of this Agreement do not and will not (i) violate any decree or judgment of any court or other governmental authority applicable to or binding on the Company or any of its subsidiaries, (ii) violate any provision of any statute, rule or regulation which is applicable to the Company or any of its subsidiaries, (iii) conflict with, or result in any violation of, any provision of any Organizational Document of the Company or any of its subsidiaries or (iv) violate or result in a default under any material contract to which the Company, any of the Company’s subsidiaries or any of their respective assets or properties are bound. No consent or approval of, or filing by the Company with, any governmental authority or other person not a party hereto is required for the execution, delivery and performance by the Company of this Agreement.

(c) SEC Disclosure . Since February 24, 2015 the Company has timely filed or furnished (within time frames permitted through the use of Form 12b-25) all SEC Documents with the SEC required to be so filed by it pursuant to applicable Law and the SEC rules and regulations thereunder and has not filed or furnished any such SEC Documents on a confidential basis. As of its respective filing date, and, if amended, as of the date of the last amendment prior to the date of this Agreement, each of the SEC Documents complied in all material respects with the requirements of the Securities Act, the Exchange Act and the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 and the rules and regulations of the SEC promulgated thereunder applicable to such SEC Documents and did not contain as of the time they were filed or furnished any untrue statement of a material





fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading.

(d) Financial Statements . The Financial Statements (a) have been prepared from, and are in accordance with, the books and records of the Company and its consolidated subsidiaries, (b) comply as to form in all material respects with the applicable accounting requirements and with the rules and regulations of the SEC, the Exchange Act and the Securities Act, (c) have been prepared in accordance with GAAP applied on a consistent basis during the periods involved (except as may be indicated in the Financial Statements or in the notes to the Financial Statements), and (d) fairly present, in all material respects, the consolidated financial position and the consolidated results of operations and cash flows of the Company and its subsidiaries as of the date and for the periods referred to in the Financial Statements. Since the date of the Company’s balance sheet filed with the SEC for the fiscal quarter ended January 2, 2016, the Company has not effected any change in any method of accounting or accounting practice.

(e) Controls and Procedures . The Company has established and maintains disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Rules 13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e) of the Exchange Act), as required by Rules 13a-15(a) and 15d-15(a) of the Exchange Act, and such disclosure controls and procedures are reasonably designed to ensure that material information relating to the Company, including its consolidated subsidiaries, is made known to the chief executive officer and the chief financial officer of the Company by others within the Company and its subsidiaries, and to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with GAAP. Based on the Company management’s most recently completed evaluation of the Company’s internal controls over financial reporting prior to the date of this Agreement, (a) the Company had no significant deficiencies or material weaknesses in the design or operation of internal controls over financial reporting (as defined in Rule 13a-15(f) of the Exchange Act) which are reasonably likely to adversely affect the Company’s ability to record, process, summarize and report financial information and (b) the Company has no knowledge of any fraud, whether or not material, that involves management or other employees who have a significant role in the Company’s internal controls over financial reporting.

(f) Undisclosed Liabilities; Absence of Certain Events .

(i) The Company and its subsidiaries do not have any liabilities or obligations of any nature (whether known or unknown, whether asserted or unasserted, whether absolute or contingent, whether accrued or not accrued, whether liquidated or unliquidated, whether primary or secondary, and whether due or to become due), including any liability for taxes, except for (a) liabilities expressly specified in the Company’s balance sheet filed with the SEC for the fiscal quarter ended April 2, 2016 or disclosed in the notes thereto, (b) liabilities arising under executory contracts other than with respect to the breach thereof, (c) liabilities and obligations incurred in the ordinary course of business since the date of the Company’s balance sheet filed with the SEC for the fiscal quarter ended April 2, 2016, (d) liabilities and obligations arising out of or in connection with this Agreement or the Transactions and (e) liabilities that would not reasonably be expected to be material to the Company and its subsidiaries taken as a whole.

(ii) Since the date of the Company’s balance sheet filed with the SEC for the fiscal year ended October 3, 2015, there has not been a Material Adverse Effect.

(g) Antitakeover Statutes . Assuming the accuracy of the representation set forth in Section 5(g)(ii) of this Agreement, the Company has taken all action necessary to approve this Agreement, the Stockholders Agreement, and in each case, the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby, for purposes of Section 203





of the Delaware General Corporation Law, as amended (the “ DGCL ”), such that the restrictions on business combinations set forth in Section 203 of the DGCL shall be inapplicable to American Securities LLC and its affiliates.

Section 5. Representations, Warranties and Agreements of the Purchaser . The Purchaser hereby represents and warrants to the Seller, and agrees with the Seller, as follows:

(a) Capacity; Due Authorization and Execution; Enforceability. The Purchaser has the power and capacity to enter into this Agreement and to consummate the Transactions. The execution, delivery, and performance by the Purchaser of this Agreement and the consummation by the Purchaser of its obligations hereunder have been duly authorized by all necessary action by the Purchaser. This Agreement has been duly and validly executed and delivered by the Purchaser and constitutes the legal, valid and binding obligation of the Purchaser, enforceable in accordance with its terms, except as such enforceability may be limited by applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, moratorium, reorganization or similar Laws from time to time in effect that affect creditors’ rights generally, and by legal and equitable limitations on the availability of specific remedies. Any person signing this Agreement on behalf of the Purchaser has been duly and validly authorized and empowered to do so and has the authority to bind the Purchaser, as the case may be, and to effectuate the transactions contemplated by this Agreement.

(b) No Contravention; No Conflict. The execution, delivery and performance by the Purchaser of this Agreement and consummation by the Purchaser of the Transactions do not and will not (i) violate any decree or judgment of any court or other governmental authority applicable to or binding on the Purchaser, (ii) violate any provision of any statute, rule or regulation which is, to the Purchaser’s knowledge, applicable to the Purchaser, (iii) conflict with, or result in any violation of, any provision of any Organizational Document of the Purchaser or (iv) violate or result in a default under any material contract to which the Purchaser or any of the Purchaser’s assets or properties are bound. No consent or approval of, or filing by the Purchaser with, any governmental authority or other person not a party hereto is required for the execution, delivery and performance by the Purchaser of this Agreement or the consummation of the Transactions by the Purchaser.

(c) Securities Law Restrictions . The Purchaser acknowledges that (i) the Transaction Shares were issued to the Seller without registration under federal or state securities laws, (ii) the Transaction Shares shall be sold by the Seller to the Purchaser without registration under federal or state securities laws, (iii) the Seller is an affiliate of the Company and (iv) upon its purchase of the Transaction Shares, each such Transaction Share shall be subject to the Permitted Restrictions.

(d) Independent Evaluation; Accredited Investor ; Big Boy Representations; Limited Remedies.

(i)    Subject to the accuracy of the representations and warranties provided by the Seller and the Company in this Agreement, the Purchaser has conducted an independent evaluation of the Transaction Shares, including through discussions with senior officers of the Company, to determine whether to engage in the Transactions. The Purchaser represents and acknowledges that: (A) it is an accredited investor (as defined in Rule 501(a) of Regulation D promulgated under the Securities Act), with sufficient knowledge and experience in transactions comparable to the Transactions to evaluate the merits and risks of this Agreement; (B) it is purchasing the Transaction Shares solely for its own account; and (C) the Seller is relying upon such acknowledgements and representations, as well as the other acknowledgments set forth elsewhere in this Section 5 , as a condition to entering into this Agreement.






(ii)    The Purchaser acknowledges that the sole purposes of the representations and warranties set forth in Section 3(d) , Section 3(e) , Section 3(f) , Section 4(c) , Section 4(d) , Section 4(e) and Section 4(f) of this Agreement are to enable the Purchaser, at its option, to (A) terminate this Agreement pursuant to Section 10(a)(iv) of this Agreement if the condition set forth in Section 6(b)(i) of this Agreement is not satisfied and (B) terminate this Agreement pursuant to Section 10(a)(v) of this Agreement if the condition set forth in Section 7(b)(i) of this Agreement is not satisfied. The Purchaser acknowledges that, subject to the rights retained by the Purchaser under Section 5(f) , the failure of such representations and warranties to be true and correct shall not constitute a basis for any claim by the Purchaser for damages (whether raised before or after the consummation of the Initial Closing or the Second Closing), rescission or any other remedy other than termination of this Agreement to the extent contemplated by Section 10(a)(iv) and Section 10(a)(v) of this Agreement. For the avoidance of doubt, the Purchaser acknowledges and agrees that if the Initial Closing has been consummated, and the Purchaser elects to terminate this Agreement with respect to the Second Closing in accordance with Section 10(a)(v) of this Agreement, then the Purchaser shall have no right of rescission, no claim for damages and no other remedy with respect to the Initial Closing, other than those rights retained by the Purchaser under Section 5(f) . If any such claim (for damages, rescission or any other remedy other than such termination) may exist, the Purchaser, recognizing its disclaimer of reliance and the Seller’s and the Company’s reliance on such disclaimer as a condition to entering into this Agreement, covenants and agrees not to assert any such claim against the Seller, Cerberus Capital Management, L.P. (“ CCM ”), Cerberus Operations and Advisory Company, LLC (“ COAC ”), Oak Hill Advisors, L.P. and OHSOF BA Holdings Cooperatief U.A. (collectively, “ Oak Hill ”) or any of the Seller’s, CCM’s, COAC’s or Oak Hill’s respective officers, directors, shareholders, partners, representatives, agents or Affiliates (as defined in Section 11 of this Agreement), except as set forth in Section 5(f) .
(iii)    The Purchaser has advised the Seller that with respect to matters relating to the Company not covered by Section 3(d) , Section 3(e) , Section 3(f) , Section 4(c) , Section 4(d) , Section 4(e) and Section 4(f) (the “ Other Matters ”) of this Agreement, the Purchaser intends to base its determination to proceed solely on publicly available information, even if there is a material discrepancy between publicly available information and information that has not yet been publicly disclosed. The Purchaser is voluntarily assuming all risks associated with information provided by the Company to the Seller or its representatives with respect to the Other Matters (the “ Company Information ”) and expressly warrants and represents that (x) the Purchaser disclaims the existence of, or its reliance on, any representation by the Seller concerning the Company Information and (y) the Purchaser is not relying on any disclosure or non-disclosure made or not made, or the completeness thereof, in connection with or arising out of the Company Information, and therefore has no claims against the Seller, CCM, COAC, Oak Hill, the Company or any of the Seller’s, CCM’s, COAC’s, Oak Hill’s or the Company’s officers, directors, shareholders, partners, representatives, agents or Affiliates with respect to the Company Information. If any such claim may exist, the Purchaser, recognizing its disclaimer of reliance and the Seller’s and the Company’s reliance on such disclaimer as a condition to entering into this Agreement, covenants and agrees not to assert any such claim against the Seller, CCM, COAC, Oak Hill, the Company or any of the Seller’s, CCM’s, COAC’s. Oak Hill’s or the Company’s officers, directors, shareholders, partners, representatives, agents or Affiliates. The Purchaser acknowledges that it has been advised that Dev Kapadia is a senior officer of the Seller and a managing director of CCM and a member of the Board of Directors of the Company, that Chan Galbato is a senior officer of COAC and a member of the Board of Directors of the Company, that Dennis Donovan is a senior officer of COAC and a member of the Board of Directors of the





Company and that COAC is an Affiliate of CCM. As a result, the Seller, CCM and COAC may from time to time be in possession of Company Information that may be material and/or nonpublic, and which, if known by the Purchaser, could impact the Purchaser’s decision to purchase the Transaction Shares and/or to enter into this Agreement and perform its terms. The Purchaser acknowledges that some of such Company Information is not or may not be known by the Purchaser and has not been disclosed to the Purchaser by the Seller.

(e) Required Protections . The Purchaser wishes to enter into the Transactions for the Purchaser’s own business and investment purposes. The Purchaser acknowledges that the Seller would not enter into the Transactions with the Purchaser in the absence of the protections afforded to the Seller by the Purchaser’s representations, warranties and agreements set forth in this Section 5, and the releases and waivers set forth in this Section 5 and elsewhere in this Agreement. The Purchaser further acknowledges that the Purchaser is providing such representations, warranties, agreements, releases and waivers contained in this Agreement as a material and necessary inducement to the Seller to consummate the Transactions (without which the Seller would not consummate the Transactions).

(f) Waivers and Releases . Except in the case of common law fraud and except with respect to the right to terminate all or portions of this Agreement as contemplated by Section 5(d)(ii) and Section 10(a) of this Agreement, Purchaser hereby irrevocably waives any and all actions, causes of action, rights or claims, whether known or unknown, contingent or matured, and whether currently existing or hereafter arising, including, without limitation, claims it may have or hereafter acquire under applicable federal and/or state securities laws, statutory fraud or any other applicable laws, that the Purchaser may have or hereafter acquire against the Seller, CCM, COAC, Oak Hill or the Seller’s, CCM’s, COAC’s or Oak Hill’s officers, directors, shareholders, partners, representatives, agents or Affiliates (collectively, the “ Seller Released Persons ” and each, individually, a “ Seller Released Person ”), in each case, in any way, directly or indirectly, arising out of, relating to or resulting from the Seller’s, CCM’s, COAC’s, Oak Hill’s or any such other person’s failure to disclose the Company Information or any other information to the Purchaser. The Purchaser also agrees that it shall not institute or maintain any cause of action, suit, complaint or other proceeding against any Seller Released Person, in each case, directly or indirectly related to or in any way as a result of the Seller’s, CCM’s, COAC’s, Oak Hill’s or any such other person’s failure to disclose the Company Information or any other information to the Purchaser. The Purchaser intends to effect, to the maximum extent permitted by law, a complete and knowing waiver of the Purchaser’s rights as set forth in this Section 5(f) . Each of the terms of the waivers and releases set forth in this Section 5(f) shall survive the execution and delivery of this Agreement and the consummation of the Transaction. For the avoidance of doubt, the Purchaser is not waiving any claims for breaches of the representations and warranties that survive the Initial Closing or the Second Closing, in each case as set forth in Section 26 , and the Purchaser is not waiving any claims that may arise against the Company under applicable Law.

(g) Certain Legal Matters.

(i) As of the Initial Closing Date and the Second Closing Date, the Purchaser will not be included within a “person” (as defined in 16 C.F.R. § 801.1(a)(1)) having total assets or annual net sales of $10 million (as adjusted) or more, as defined in 16 C.F.R. § 801.11, and therefore does not meet the size of person test set forth in 15 U.S.C. §18a(a)(2)(B).
(ii) As of immediately prior to the execution and delivery of this Agreement, the Purchaser was not an “interested stockholder” of the Company as such term is defined in Section 203 of the DGCL.





(h) Sole Representations or Warranties . The Seller is not making any representations or warranties to the Purchaser, and the Purchaser is not relying on any statements, whether oral or written, which may have been made at any time by the Seller or on the Seller’s behalf, except for those representations and warranties of the Seller expressly set forth in Section 3 of this Agreement. The Company is not making any representations or warranties to the Purchaser, and the Purchaser is not relying on any statements, whether oral or written, which may have been made at any time by the Company or on the Company’s behalf, except for those representations and warranties of the Company expressly set forth in Section 4 of this Agreement.

Section 6. Conditions Precedent to the Obligations of the Purchaser and the Seller to Consummate the Initial Transaction .

(a) Condition to the Obligations of Both the Purchaser and the Seller . The respective obligations of the Purchaser and the Seller to consummate the Initial Transaction are subject to the satisfaction or waiver of the condition that, at the Initial Closing Date, there shall be no order or Law of any nature of any court or governmental authority or body of competent jurisdiction in effect that restrains, enjoins or prohibits the consummation of the Initial Transaction.

(b) Conditions to the Purchaser’s Obligations . The obligations of the Purchaser to consummate the Initial Transaction are also subject to the satisfaction or waiver of the following conditions precedent:

(i) the representations and warranties of the Seller contained in Section 3(d) , Section 3(e) and Section 3(f)(i) of this Agreement shall be true and correct in all respects (without giving effect to any materiality or Material Adverse Effect qualifications) in each case as of the date hereof and as of the Initial Closing Date including as if made both on the date hereof and on the Initial Closing Date, except for such failures to be true and correct as would not have, individually or in the aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect;

(ii) the representations and warranties of the Seller contained in Section 3 of this Agreement, other than the representations and warranties set forth in Section 3(d) , Section 3(e) and Section 3(f)(i) of this Agreement, shall be true and correct in all respects, in each case, as of the date hereof and as of the Initial Closing Date, including as if made both on the date hereof and on the Initial Closing Date;

(iii) the representations and warranties of the Company contained in Section 4(c) , Section 4(d) , Section 4(e) and Section 4(f)(i) of this Agreement shall be true and correct in all respects (without giving effect to any materiality or Material Adverse Effect qualifications) in each case as of the date hereof and as of the Initial Closing Date including as if made both on the date hereof and on the Initial Closing Date, except for such failures to be true and correct as would not have, individually or in the aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect;

(iv) the representations and warranties of the Company contained in Section 4 of this Agreement, other than the representations and warranties set forth in Section 4(c) Section 4(d) , Section 4(e) and Section 4(f)(i) of this Agreement, shall be true and correct in all respects, in each case, as of the date hereof and as of the Initial Closing Date, including as if made both on the date hereof and on the Initial Closing Date;

(v) the Seller and the Company shall have complied in all material respects with all of the respective party’s covenants and agreements contained in this Agreement to be performed by such party on or prior to the Initial Closing Date; provided that the Seller shall have complied in all respects





with each of the Seller’s covenants and agreements set forth in Sections 8(b)(iii) , 9(a)(i) and 9(a)(iii) of this Agreement;

(vi) Dennis Donovan shall have resigned from the board of directors of the Company and from the board of directors of any subsidiary of the Company, Kevin Penn shall have been appointed to the board of directors of the Company for a term expiring in 2018 and Michael Sand shall have been appointed to the board of directors of the Company for a term expiring in 2017, in each case effective upon consummation of the Initial Closing;

(vii) all of the Seller’s rights under the Registration Rights Agreement with respect to the Initial Transaction Shares shall have been transferred to the Purchaser in accordance with Section 8(b) of this Agreement;

(viii) each of the Seller and the Company shall have delivered to the Purchaser a certificate, dated as of the Initial Closing Date and executed by an authorized representative of the Seller or the Company, as applicable, affirming that such party’s obligations with respect to the conditions set forth in Section 6(b)(i) , Section 6(b)(ii) , Section 6(b)(iii) , Section 6(b)(iv) and Section 6(b)(v) of this Agreement have been satisfied; and

(ix) except for the Stockholder Agreement, the Company shall not have become a party to any shareholder rights plan (as such term is commonly understood in connection with corporate transactions) and shall not have unilaterally adopted, approved or implemented, in its organizational documents or otherwise, any “moratorium,” “control share,” “fair price,” “takeover” or “interested stockholder” provision that would cause the Purchaser to incur or suffer a detriment (including through disproportionate dilution, relative to other holders of shares of the Company’s capital stock, of the Purchaser’s equity or voting power or through a requirement to purchase or otherwise acquire, or offer to acquire, additional equity securities of the Company in the form of a mandatory offer requirement or similar provision), including by affecting the Purchaser’s ability to continue to hold or acquire additional shares of the Company’s common stock following the Initial Closing or that would have an adverse effect on the Purchaser’s representation on the Company’s board of directors after the Initial Closing.

(c) Conditions to the Seller’s Obligations . The obligations of the Seller to consummate the Initial Transaction are also subject to the satisfaction or waiver of the following conditions precedent:

(i) the representations and warranties of the Purchaser contained in this Agreement shall be true and correct in all respects as of the date hereof and as of the Initial Closing Date, including as if made both on the date hereof and on the Initial Closing Date;

(ii) the Purchaser shall have complied in all material respects with all of the Purchaser’s covenants and agreements contained in this Agreement to be performed by the Purchaser on or prior to the Initial Closing Date, including the payment of the Initial Purchase Price;

(iii) the Purchaser shall have complied in all material respects with those provisions of the Stockholder Agreement (as initially executed and delivered) that govern the extent to which the Purchaser may purchase securities of the Company prior to the execution and delivery of the Credit Agreement Amendment by all applicable parties thereto; and






(iv) the Purchaser shall have delivered to the Seller a certificate, dated as of the Initial Closing Date and executed by an authorized representative of the Purchaser, affirming that the conditions set forth in Section 6(c)(i) and Section 6(c)(ii) of this Agreement have been satisfied.

Section 7. Conditions Precedent to the Obligations of the Purchaser and the Seller to Consummate the Second Transaction .

(a) Conditions to the Obligations of Both the Purchaser and the Seller . The respective obligations of the Purchaser and the Seller to consummate the Second Transaction are subject to the satisfaction or waiver of the following conditions:

(i)    at the Second Closing Date, there shall be no order or Law of any nature of any court or governmental authority or body of competent jurisdiction in effect that restrains, enjoins or prohibits the consummation of the Second Transaction; and
(ii)    the Initial Closing shall have been consummated at least twelve business days prior to the Second Closing Date.
(b) Conditions to the Purchaser’s Obligations . The obligations of the Purchaser to consummate the Second Transaction are also subject to the satisfaction or waiver of the following conditions precedent:

(i) the representations and warranties of the Seller contained in Section 3(d) , Section 3(e) , and Section 3(f)(i) of this Agreement shall be true and correct in all respects (without giving effect to any materiality or Material Adverse Effect qualifications) in each case as of the date hereof and as of the Second Closing Date including as if made both on the date hereof and on the Second Closing Date, except for such failures to be true and correct as would not have, individually or in the aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect;

(ii) the representations and warranties of the Seller contained in Section 3 of this Agreement, other than the representations and warranties set forth in Section 3(d) , Section 3(e) , and Section 3(f)(i) of this Agreement, shall be true and correct in all respects, in each case, as of the date hereof and as of the Second Closing Date, including as if made both on the date hereof and on the Second Closing Date;

(iii) the representations and warranties of the Company contained in Section 4(c), Section 4(d) , Section 4(e) and Section 4(f)(i) of this Agreement shall be true and correct in all respects (without giving effect to any materiality or Material Adverse Effect qualifications) in each case as of the date hereof and as of the Second Closing Date including as if made both on the date hereof and on the Second Closing Date, except for such failures to be true and correct as would not have, individually or in the aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect;

(iv) the representations and warranties of the Company contained in Section 4 of this Agreement, other than the representations and warranties set forth in Section 4(c) Section 4(d) , Section 4(e) and Section 4(f)(i) of this Agreement, shall be true and correct in all respects, in each case, as of the date hereof and as of the Second Closing Date, including as if made both on the date hereof and on the Second Closing Date;






(v) the Seller and the Company shall have complied in all material respects with all of the respective party’s covenants and agreements contained in this Agreement to be performed by such party on or prior to the Second Closing Date; provided that the Seller shall have complied in all respects with each of the Seller’s covenants and agreements set forth in Sections 8(b)(iii) , 9(a)(ii) and 9(a)(iii) of this Agreement;

(vi) the Credit Agreement shall have been amended by the parties thereto to provide substantially in the form set forth in Schedule II annexed hereto, subject to any additional modifications as shall be consented to by the Purchaser, such consent not to be unreasonably withheld, conditioned or delayed (in the form set forth in such Schedule II , subject to any such modifications, the “ Credit Agreement Amendment ”);

(vii) each person on the board of directors of the Company and/or the board of directors of any subsidiary of the Company that is affiliated with any Seller Released Person shall have resigned from the board of directors of the Company and such subsidiaries, and there shall have been appointed to the board of directors of the Company two individuals designated by the Purchaser, in each case effective upon consummation of the Second Closing;

(viii) all of the Seller’s rights under the Registration Rights Agreement with respect to the Second Transaction Shares shall have been transferred to the Purchaser in accordance with Section 8(b) of this Agreement;

(ix) each of the Seller and the Company shall have delivered to the Purchaser a certificate, dated as of the Second Closing Date and executed by an authorized representative of the Seller or the Company, as applicable, affirming that such party’s obligations with respect to the conditions set forth in Section 7(b)(i) , Section 7(b)(ii) , Section 7(b)(iii) , Section 7(b)(iv) and Section 7(b)(v) of this Agreement have been satisfied; and

(x) the Company shall not have become a party to any shareholder rights plan (as such term is commonly understood in connection with corporate transactions) and shall not have unilaterally adopted, approved or implemented, in its organizational documents or otherwise, any “moratorium,” “control share,” “fair price,” “takeover” or “interested stockholder” provision that would cause the Purchaser to incur or suffer a detriment (including through disproportionate dilution, relative to other holders of Shares, of the Purchaser’s equity or voting power or through a requirement to purchase or otherwise acquire, or offer to acquire, additional equity securities of the Company in the form of a mandatory offer requirement or similar provision), including by affecting the Purchaser’s ability to continue to hold or acquire additional shares of the Company’s common stock following the Second Closing or that would have an adverse effect on the Purchaser’s representation on the Company’s board of directors after the Second Closing.

(c) Conditions to the Seller’s Obligations . The obligations of the Seller to consummate the Second Transaction are also subject to the satisfaction or waiver of the following conditions precedent:

(i) the representations and warranties of the Purchaser contained in this Agreement shall be true and correct in all respects as of the date hereof and as of the Second Closing Date, including as if made both on the date hereof and on the Second Closing Date;






(ii) the Purchaser shall have complied in all material respects with all of the Purchaser’s covenants and agreements contained in this Agreement to be performed by the Purchaser on or prior to the Second Closing Date, including but not limited to the payment of the Second Purchase Price;

(iii) the Purchaser shall have complied in all material respects with those provisions of the Stockholder Agreement (as initially executed and delivered) that govern the extent to which the Purchaser may purchase securities of the Company prior to the execution and delivery of the Credit Agreement Amendment by all applicable parties thereto; and

(iv) the Purchaser shall have delivered to the Seller a certificate, dated as of the Second Closing Date and executed by an authorized representative of the Purchaser, affirming that the conditions set forth in Section 7(c)(i) , Section 7(c)(ii) and Section 7(c)(iii) of this Agreement have been satisfied.

Section 8. Covenants .

(a) Efforts . Each of the parties hereto shall cooperate with the other parties hereto and use (and shall cause their respective Affiliates to use) their respective reasonable best efforts to promptly take, or cause to be taken, all actions, and do, or cause to be done, all things, necessary, proper or advisable under this Agreement and applicable Laws to consummate the Transactions as promptly as practicable. Among other things, the Seller shall use commercially reasonable efforts to cause the Company to execute and deliver the Credit Agreement Amendment as promptly as practicable and the Company shall use best efforts to cause the Credit Agreement Amendment to be executed and delivered by the parties thereto as promptly as practicable. The Purchaser and the Seller shall provide the Company with such information as the Company shall reasonably request in connection with the efforts of the Seller and the Company to have executed and delivered the Credit Agreement Amendment.

(b) Rights Under the Registration Rights Agreement.

(i) Contemporaneous with the Initial Closing, all of the Seller’s rights under the Registration Rights Agreement with respect to the Initial Transaction Shares and all of the Seller’s obligations first arising after the date of the Initial Closing with respect to the Initial Transaction Shares, shall have been transferred to the Purchaser, such that the Purchaser shall have resale registration rights, including the exclusive right to six of the ten Demand Registrations (as defined in the Registration Rights Agreement) of the Seller pursuant to Section 2.01(a) of the Registration Rights Agreement, and the related obligations with respect to the Initial Transaction Shares pursuant to Section 3.01(a) of the Registration Rights Agreement. In order to effectuate the transfer of such registration rights and obligations, in accordance with Section 3.01(b) of the Registration Rights Agreement, contemporaneous with the Initial Closing, (A) the Seller shall deliver a notice to the Company, in the form attached hereto as Exhibit A , stating the name and address of the Purchaser, identifying the Initial Transaction Shares as the securities with respect to which rights and obligations under the Registration Rights Agreement are being transferred and stating that the rights and obligations being so transferred are resale registration rights and the related obligations under the Registration Rights Agreement with respect to the Initial Transaction Shares, and (B) the Purchaser shall deliver to the Company a written agreement, in the form attached hereto as Exhibit B , to be bound by the terms of the Registration Rights Agreement with respect to the resale of the Initial Transaction Shares.






(ii) Contemporaneous with the Second Closing, all of the Seller’s rights under the Registration Rights Agreement with respect to the Second Transaction Shares and all of the Seller’s obligations first arising after the date of the Second Closing with respect to the Second Transaction Shares, shall have been transferred to the Purchaser, such that the Purchaser shall have resale registration rights, including the exclusive right to the remaining Demand Registrations of the Seller pursuant to Section 2.01(a) of the Registration Rights Agreement, and the related obligations with respect to the Second Transaction Shares pursuant to Section 3.01(a) of the Registration Rights Agreement. In order to effectuate the transfer of such registration rights and obligations, in accordance with Section 3.01(b) of the Registration Rights Agreement, contemporaneous with the Second Closing, (A) the Seller shall deliver a notice to the Company, in the form attached hereto as Exhibit A , stating the name and address of the Purchaser, identifying the Second Transaction Shares as the securities with respect to which rights and obligations under the Registration Rights Agreement are being transferred and stating that the rights and obligations being so transferred are resale registration rights and the related obligations under the Registration Rights Agreement with respect to the Second Transaction Shares, and (B) the Purchaser shall deliver to the Company a written agreement, in the form attached hereto as Exhibit B , to be bound by the terms of the Registration Rights Agreement with respect to the resale of the Second Transaction Shares.

(iii) Except as set forth in the second sentence of this Section 8(b)(iii) , the Seller shall not exercise its right to a Demand Registration pursuant to Section 2.01 of the Registration Rights Agreement. Notwithstanding the foregoing, this Section 8(b)(iii) shall not preclude the Seller from exercising its right to a Demand Registration pursuant to Section 2.01 of the Registration Rights Agreement with respect to all of the Transaction Shares if this Agreement is terminated prior to the Initial Closing and, subject to the Purchaser’s rights pursuant to Section 8(b)(i) above, shall not preclude the Seller from exercising such right with respect to all of the Second Transaction Shares if this Agreement is terminated after the Initial Closing but prior to the Second Closing; provided , however , that in the event either the Seller or the Purchaser shall thereafter exercise its right to a Demand Registration and the other party exercises its piggyback registration rights pursuant to Section 2.02 of the Registration Rights Agreement, notwithstanding the terms of Section 2.01(f) of the Registration Rights Agreement, the Seller and the Purchaser agree that any “cutback” on the number of shares to be registered by the Company shall be allocated pro rata between the Seller and the Purchaser.

(iv) The Company hereby agrees and confirms that the Seller’s rights and obligations under the Registration Rights Agreement with respect to the Initial Transaction Shares and the Second Transaction Shares are transferable to the Purchaser, and will be duly and effectively transferred to the Purchaser, in the manner set forth in Section 8(b)(i) and Section 8(b)(ii) of this Agreement.

(c) Transfer of the Transaction Shares . The Company shall provide all customary documentation required to effect the transfer of (i) the Initial Transaction Shares at the Initial Closing and (ii) the Second Transaction Shares at the Second Closing, in each case, on the books of the Company and the records of the Company’s transfer agent, including by providing any legal opinions or other documentation requested by the Company’s transfer agent in connection with such transfers. The Company acknowledges and agrees that, from and after the Initial Closing, the Purchaser and its Affiliates are express assignees or designees of the Seller for all purposes as contemplated in the Company’s Second Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation, dated February 24, 2015, as the same may be amended from time to time, and, for the avoidance of doubt, the Company confirms that shares of common stock of the Company beneficially owned by the Seller and the Purchaser and their respective Affiliates will be aggregated for purposes of any such determination. The Seller confirms such assignment and designation.






(d) Modification of the Existing S-3 Registration Statement . In the event that the Initial Closing is consummated, then, promptly after the earlier of the termination of this Agreement or the consummation of the Second Closing, the Company shall file with the SEC either the Prospectus Supplement or the Post-Effective Amendment. If the Company files the Post-Effective Amendment with the SEC, the Company shall thereafter use reasonable commercial efforts to have the SEC declare the Post-Effective Amendment effective as promptly as practicable.

Section 9. Deliveries and Payments .

(a) Deliveries by the Seller.

(i) In making the delivery of the Initial Transaction Shares contemplated by Section 1(c) of this Agreement, subject to the satisfaction or waiver of the applicable conditions, at the Initial Closing the Seller shall cause the Initial Transaction Shares to be transferred in electronic form via book entry transfer to the Purchaser and the Company shall cause its transfer agent to reflect the Purchaser’s receipt of the Initial Transaction Shares in book-entry form, including registering the Initial Transaction Shares in the name of the Purchaser.

(ii) In making the delivery of the Second Transaction Shares contemplated by Section 2(c) of this Agreement, subject to the satisfaction or waiver of the applicable conditions, at the Second Closing the Seller shall cause the Second Transaction Shares to be transferred in electronic form via book entry transfer to the Purchaser and the Company shall cause its transfer agent to reflect the Purchaser’s receipt of the Second Transaction Shares in book-entry form, including registering the Second Transaction Shares in the name of the Purchaser.

(iii) The Transaction Shares delivered to the Purchaser at the Initial Closing and the Second Closing shall be free and clear of all Encumbrances and Transfer Restrictions (other than the Permitted Restrictions). In the event that any of the Transaction Shares are held in “street name” through a bank, broker or other nominee, the Seller shall instruct such bank, broker or nominee to transfer the Transaction Shares to the Purchaser as provided in this Agreement.

(b) Payments by the Purchaser.

(i) In making the payment contemplated by Section 1(c) of this Agreement, subject to the satisfaction or waiver of the applicable conditions, at the Initial Closing, immediately prior to the transfer of the Initial Transaction Shares, the Purchaser shall pay or cause to be paid, against the delivery of such Transaction Shares, the Initial Purchase Price by wire transfer of immediately available funds to an account designated by the Seller at least one business day prior to the Initial Closing (it being understood that the Purchaser will complete the payment to such account, and Seller will have received confirmation of such payment, immediately prior to the transfer to the Purchaser of the Initial Transaction Shares and the receipt of such evidence of book-entry notations reflecting the purchase of the Initial Transaction Shares hereunder).

(ii) In making the payment contemplated by Section 2(c) of this Agreement, subject to the satisfaction or waiver of the applicable conditions, at the Second Closing, immediately prior to the transfer of the Second Transaction Shares, the Purchaser shall pay or cause to be paid, against the delivery of such Transaction Shares, the Second Purchase Price by wire transfer of immediately available funds to an account designated by the Seller at least one business day prior to the Second





Closing (it being understood that the Purchaser will complete the payment to such account, and Seller will have received confirmation of such payment, immediately prior to the transfer to the Purchaser of the Second Transaction Shares and the receipt of such evidence of book-entry notations reflecting the purchase of the Second Transaction Shares hereunder).

Section 10. Termination .

(a) Termination Events . This Agreement may be terminated and the Transactions (to the extent not theretofore consummated) may be abandoned:

(i) by mutual written consent of the Purchaser and the Seller;

(ii) by either the Purchaser or the Seller, each in its sole discretion and upon written notice to the other party, if the Initial Closing shall not have been consummated on or before five months from the date hereof (the “ Initial Closing Outside Date ”); provided , however , that this right to terminate this Agreement shall not be available to any party who is in breach in any material respect of any of its obligations hereunder;

(iii) by either the Purchaser or the Seller, each in its sole discretion and upon written notice to the other party, if the Second Closing shall not have been consummated on or before six months from the date hereof (the “ Second Closing Outside Date ”); provided , however , that (A) this right to terminate this Agreement shall not be available to any party who is in breach in any material respect of any of its obligations hereunder and (B) any such termination pursuant to this Section 10(a)(iii ) shall apply solely with respect to the Second Closing;

(iv) by the Purchaser if any of the conditions set forth in Sections 6(a) or 6(b) of this Agreement shall have become incapable of fulfillment by the Initial Closing Outside Date and shall not have been waived by the Purchaser;

(v) by the Purchaser if any of the conditions set forth in Sections 7(a) or 7(b) of this Agreement shall have become incapable of fulfillment by the Second Closing Outside Date and shall not have been waived by the Purchaser; provided , however , that any such termination pursuant to this Section 10(a)(v) shall apply solely with respect to the Second Closing;

(vi) by the Seller if any of the conditions set forth in Section 6(a) or Section 6(c) of this Agreement shall have become incapable of fulfillment by the Initial Closing Outside Date and shall not have been waived by the Seller; or

(vii) by the Seller if any of the conditions set forth in Section 7(a) or Section 7(c) of this Agreement shall have become incapable of fulfillment by the Second Closing Outside Date and shall not have been waived by the Seller; provided , however , that any such termination pursuant to this Section 10(a)(vii) shall apply solely with respect to the Second Closing.

(b) Effect of Termination . In the event of any termination of this Agreement as provided in Section 10(a) of this Agreement, this Agreement shall forthwith become void and of no further force and effect and there shall be no liability on the part of the Purchaser, the Company or the Seller, except that (i) if such termination occurs after the Initial Closing has been consummated, such termination shall apply solely with respect to the Second Closing, (ii) the obligations of the parties under this Section 10(b) and Section 11 , Section 12 , Section 13 , Section 14 , Section 15 , Section 16 , Section 18 , Section 19 , Section 20 , Section 21 ,





Section 22 , Section 23 , Section 24 , Section 25 and Section 26 of this Agreement shall remain in full force and effect, and (iii) except as otherwise provided in Section 5(d)(ii) and Section 5(f) of this Agreement, termination shall not preclude any party from bringing suit against any other party for any breach of this Agreement if such breach resulted from such other’s party’s intentional misconduct.

Section 11. Certain Definitions . When used in this Agreement, the following terms shall have the meanings set forth below:

Affiliate ” means, with respect to any person or entity, any other person or entity that, directly or indirectly, through one or more intermediaries, controls, or is controlled by, or is under common control with, such person or entity, and the term “control” (including the terms “controlled by” and “under common control with”) means the possession, directly or indirectly, of the power to direct or cause the direction of the management and policies of such person or entity, whether through ownership of voting securities, by contract or otherwise. For the avoidance of doubt, neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries shall be considered an “Affiliate” of any Seller Released Person.
Credit Agreement ” means the credit agreement and joinder agreement, dated as of September 28, 2015, among the Company, Peach County Holdings Inc., Blue Bird Global Corporation, Blue Bird Body Company, each loan party that is a party thereto, Société Générale, as an issuing bank and the swingline lender, and Société Générale, as Administrative Agent.
Encumbrance ” means any pledge, hypothecation, assignment, lien, stock legend, restriction, charge, claim, security interest, option, right of first refusal, preference, priority or other preferential arrangement of any kind or nature whatsoever.
Knowledge ” means, with respect to the Seller, the actual knowledge of Dev Kapadia and Chan W. Galbato.

Law ” means any foreign, federal, state, local law, statute, code, ordinance, rule or regulation.
Material Adverse Effect ” means any change, event, development, condition, occurrence or effect (each, an “ Event ”) that is, or would reasonably be expected to be, materially adverse to the business, condition (financial or otherwise), assets, liabilities or results of operations of the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole; provided , however , that none of the following shall be deemed in themselves, either alone or in combination, to constitute, and none of the following shall be taken into account in determining whether there has been or will be, a Material Adverse Effect: (i) any changes resulting from general market, economic, financial, capital markets or political or regulatory conditions, (ii) any changes or proposed changes of Law or GAAP (or, in each case, any authoritative interpretations thereof), (iii) any changes resulting from any act of terrorism, war, national or international calamity, or any worsening thereof, (iv) any changes generally affecting the industries in which the Company and its subsidiaries conduct their businesses or (v) any decline in the market price of the Company’s common stock; provided that this clause (v) shall not preclude any Event that may have contributed to or caused such decline from being taken into account in determining whether a Material Adverse Effect has occurred; and provided , further , however , that any Event referred to in clauses (i), (ii), (iii) or (iv) of this definition may constitute (and may be taken into account in determining the occurrence or expected occurrence of) a Material Adverse Effect if such Event adversely affects the Company and its subsidiaries in a disproportionate manner relative to other participants in the Company’s industry.
Organizational Documents ” means (a) in the case of a person or entity that is a corporation, its articles or certificate of incorporation and its by-laws, regulations or similar governing instruments required





by the Laws of its jurisdiction of formation or organization; (b) in the case of a person or entity that is a partnership, its articles or certificate of partnership, formation or association, and its partnership agreement (in each case, limited, limited liability, general or otherwise); (c) in the case of a person or entity that is a limited liability company, its articles or certificate of formation or organization, and its limited liability company agreement or operating agreement; and (d) in the case of a person or entity that is none of a corporation, partnership (limited, limited liability, general or otherwise), limited liability company or natural person, its governing instruments as required or contemplated by the Laws of its jurisdiction of organization.
Post-Effective Amendment ” means a post-effective amendment to the Company’s registration statement on Form S-3, file number 333-202801, reflecting the resale registration of the Transaction Shares purchased by the Purchaser hereunder and the inclusion of the Purchaser as a “selling security holder” thereunder.
Prospectus Supplement ” means a prospectus supplement to the prospectus contained in the Company’s registration statement on Form S-3, file number 333-202801, reflecting the resale registration of the Transaction Shares purchased by the Purchaser hereunder and the inclusion of the Purchaser as a “selling security holder” thereunder.
Registration Rights Agreement ” means the registration rights agreement, dated February 24, 2015, by and among the Company, the Seller and the other parties named therein.
SEC Documents ” means all reports, schedules, forms, statements, registration statements, prospectuses and other documents required to be filed or furnished by the Company to the SEC under the Securities Act and the Exchange Act for all periods subsequent to February 24, 2015.
Transfer Restriction ” means, with respect to any security or other property, any condition to or restriction on the ability of the holder thereof to sell, assign or otherwise transfer such security or other property or to enforce the provisions thereof or of any document related thereto, whether set forth in such security or other property itself or in any document related thereto or arising by operation of law, including, without limitation, such conditions or restrictions arising under federal, state or foreign Laws or under any contracts, arrangements or agreements.
Section 12. Entire Agreement; Amendment and Modification . This Agreement constitutes the entire agreement between the parties hereto with respect to the subject matter hereof and, except as otherwise expressly agreed contemporaneously with the execution of this Agreement, supersedes any prior agreements between the parties, written or oral. This Agreement may be amended or modified only by a writing signed by the parties hereto.

Section 13. Waiver . Any of the terms or conditions of this Agreement may be waived at any time by the party or parties entitled to the benefit thereof, but only by a writing signed by the party or parties waiving such terms or conditions. No waiver of any provision of this Agreement or of any rights or benefits arising hereunder shall be deemed to constitute or shall constitute a waiver of any other provision of this Agreement (whether or not similar), nor shall any such waiver constitute a continuing waiver, unless otherwise expressly provided in writing.

Section 14. Governing Law; Jurisdiction and Venue . This Agreement is made under and shall be governed by the Laws of the State of New York without giving effect to the principles of conflicts of laws or choice of laws thereof. The parties hereto expressly agree that, with respect to any dispute, litigation or other matter relating to or arising out of the relationships contemplated by this Agreement, exclusive jurisdiction and venue thereof shall be in the Federal Court of the United States located in the Southern





District of New York, and each of the parties hereto hereby expressly (i) consents to the exclusive jurisdiction and venue of such Court, (ii) agrees that all claims with respect to any such action or proceeding shall be heard and determined in such Court, (iii) irrevocably waives any defense of an inconvenient forum to the maintenance of any action or proceeding in such Court, (iv) consents to service of process by mailing or delivering such service to the party at its respective principal business address and (v) agrees that a final judgment in any such action or proceeding from which there is no further appeal shall be conclusive and may be enforced in any other jurisdictions by suit on the judgment or in any manner provided by Law.

Section 15. Waiver of Jury Trial . EACH OF THE PARTIES HERETO HEREBY WAIVES ANY RIGHT TO A TRIAL BY JURY IN ANY LAWSUIT, PROCEEDING OR ACTION TO ENFORCE OR DEFEND ANY RIGHT UNDER THIS AGREEMENT OR ANY AMENDMENT, INSTRUMENT, DOCUMENT OR AGREEMENT DELIVERED OR TO BE DELIVERED IN CONNECTION WITH THIS AGREEMENT AND AGREES THAT ANY LAWSUIT, PROCEEDING OR ACTION WILL BE TRIED BEFORE A JUDGE AND NOT BEFORE A JURY.

Section 16. Notices . Notices required or permitted to be given under this Agreement shall be in writing and shall be deemed given (i) when personally delivered, (ii) one business day after being sent by FedEx or other internationally recognized overnight delivery service or (iii) when sent by electronic mail. All notices shall be addressed to the parties as follows:

If to the Seller :

c/o Cerberus Capital Management, L.P.
875 Third Avenue, 11th Floor
New York, NY 10022
Attention: Dev Kapadia, Managing Director
Email: dkapadia@cerberuscapital.com

with a required copy to :

c/o Cerberus Capital Management, L.P.
875 Third Avenue, 12th Floor
New York, NY 10022
Attention: Stuart Reisman, Associate General Counsel
Email: sreisman@cerberusoperations.com
and with a required copy to :

Lowenstein Sandler LLP
1251 Avenue of the Americas, 17 th Floor
New York, NY 10020
Attention: Robert G. Minion, Esq. and Peter H. Ehrenberg, Esq.
Email: rminion@lowenstein.com and pehrenberg@lowenstein.com






If to the Purchaser :

ASP BB Holdings LLC
c/o American Securities, LLC
299 Park Avenue
34 th Floor
New York, New York 10171
Attention: Eric L. Schondorf, General Counsel
Email: eschondorf@american-securities.com

with a required copy to :

Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP
767 Fifth Avenue
New York, NY 10153
Attention: Michael E. Lubowitz, Esq.
Email: michael.lubowitz@weil.com

If to the Company :

Blue Bird Corporation
402 Blue Bird Boulevard
Fort Valley, Georgia 31030
Attention: Paul Yousif, Esq.
Email: paul.yousif@blue-bird.com

with a required copy to:

Smith, Gambrell & Russell, LLP
Promenade, Suite 3100
1230 Peachtree Street, N.E.
Atlanta, Georgia 30309-3592
Attn: Terry Ferraro Schwartz, Esq.
Email: TSCHWARTZ@sgrlaw.com

and with a required copy to:

Morris Nichols Arsht & Tunnell, LLP
1201 North Market Street, 16 th Floor
P.O. Box 1347
Wilmington, Delaware 19899
Attn: Jeffrey Wolters, Esq.
Email:jwolters@mnat.com

Section 17. Assignment; Binding Effect . No party hereto may transfer, sell, encumber, appoint agents with respect to, or assign its rights or obligations under this Agreement in whole or in part without the prior written consent of the other parties to this Agreement; provided , however , that the Purchaser may assign this Agreement and any and all of its rights and obligations hereunder to any Affiliate of the Purchaser.





No assignment by the Purchaser shall relieve the Purchaser of any of its obligations hereunder. Without limiting any other rights or remedies of the parties, any assignment by a party in violation of the foregoing shall be of no force and effect and void ab initio . Without limiting any of the foregoing, this Agreement shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the parties hereto and their respective successors and any permitted assigns.

Section 18. Further Assurances . In the event that any additional agreements, instruments or other actions are required in the reasonable opinion of any of the parties hereto, the Company, DTC or any other person or entity in order to effectuate the intent and purposes of this Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby, the parties hereto shall prepare, execute and deliver such additional agreements and other instruments in mutually acceptable form, and take such other further actions as may be required to carry out the provisions of this Agreement and consummate and make effective the transactions contemplated hereby.

Section 19. Counterparts; Signatures . This Agreement may be executed in counterparts, each of which shall be deemed an original, but all of which together shall constitute one and the same instrument. Signatures on this Agreement may be conveyed by electronic transmission and shall be binding upon the parties so transmitting their signatures. Counterparts with original signatures shall be provided to the other parties following the applicable electronic transmission; provided , however , that failure to provide the original counterpart shall have no effect on the validity or the binding nature of this Agreement.

Section 20. Severability . If any provision of this Agreement shall be held to be illegal, invalid or unenforceable under any applicable Law, then such provision shall be deemed modified to the extent necessary to render it legal, valid and enforceable, and if no such modification shall render it legal, valid and enforceable, then this Agreement shall be construed as if not containing such provision, and the rights and obligations of the parties shall be construed and enforced accordingly.

Section 21. No Strict Construction . This Agreement has been jointly drafted by the parties hereto, after negotiations and consultations with their respective counsel. This Agreement shall not be construed more strictly against one party than against the other party.

Section 22. Headings and Captions . Headings and captions of this Agreement are for convenience of reference only and are not to be construed in any way as part of this Agreement or in the interpretation of this Agreement. Whenever the word “including” is used in this Agreement, it shall be deemed to be followed by the words “without limitation.”

Section 23. United States Dollars . All payments pursuant to this Agreement shall be made in United States dollars.

Section 24. Schedule 13D Amendment; Other Public Announcements . The Seller agrees that the current beneficial owner of the Transaction Shares shall, promptly after the execution of this Agreement, file a copy of this Agreement with the Securities and Exchange Commission pursuant to a filing of an amendment to a Schedule 13D and shall make related disclosures therein; a draft copy of such amendment has been provided to the Purchaser. Without the prior written consent of the other party, no party to this Agreement shall, directly or indirectly, make or cause to be made, any press release, filing or other public disclosure relating to the Transactions or this Agreement, provided , however , that a party may disclose such information if required by applicable Law, regulation or legally binding request by any regulatory authority, after consultation with the other parties and after being advised by its outside legal counsel that such disclosure is so legally required; and provided , further , that in such event the disclosing party shall, except to the extent





advance notice of such disclosure would cause the disclosing party to violate applicable Law or regulation, provide advance notice of such disclosure to the other parties together with a copy of the anticipated disclosure (or such portions thereof that relate to the other party or to the terms of this Agreement) and give the other party the opportunity to reasonably comment on such portions of the disclosure.

Section 25. Remedies . Each party hereto agrees that money damages may not be a sufficient remedy for any breach of this Agreement by any party hereto and that the other party may suffer irreparable harm as a result of any such breach. Without prejudice to the rights and remedies otherwise available to the parties hereto, each party agrees that the parties shall be entitled, without the requirement of posting a bond or other security, to equitable relief, including an injunction or specific performance, in the event of any breach or threatened breach of the provisions of this Agreement by the other party; provided , however , subject to the rights of the Purchaser reserved in Section 5(f) of this Agreement, that the sole remedy available to the Purchaser with respect to the breach of Section 3(d) , Section 3(e) , Section 3(f) , Section 4(c) , Section 4(d) , Section 4(e) and Section 4(f) of this Agreement shall be to terminate this Agreement to the extent contemplated by Section 10(a)(iv) or Section 10(a)(v) of this Agreement. Except with respect to the breach of Section 3(d) , Section 3(e) , Section 3(f) , Section 4(c) , Section 4(d) , Section 4(e) and Section 4(f) of this Agreement, for which the sole remedy available to the Purchaser shall be to terminate this Agreement to the extent contemplated by Section 10(a)(iv) or Section 10(a)(v) of this Agreement, the remedies available to the parties hereto shall not be deemed to be exclusive remedies but shall be in addition to all other remedies available at Law or equity to such parties.

Section 26. Survival of Representations and Warranties . The representations and warranties set forth in Section 3(a) , Section 3(c) , Section 3(g) , Section 3(h) , Section 4(a) , Section 5(a) , Section 5(c) , Section 5(d) , Section 5(e) , Section 5(f) and Section 5(g)(i) of this Agreement shall survive in full force and effect indefinitely. All other representations and warranties of the parties contained in this Agreement shall not survive the Initial Closing Date with respect to the Initial Transaction and shall not survive the Second Closing Date with respect to the Second Transaction. Other than the covenants and agreements of the parties contained in Section 9 , Section 18 , Section 24 , Section 26 and Section 27 of this Agreement and the provisions set forth in Section 12 , Section 13 , Section 14 , Section 15 , Section 16 , Section 17 , Section 20 , Section 21 , Section 22 and Section 25 to the extent applicable to surviving obligations, the covenants and agreements of the parties hereto contained in this Agreement shall not survive the Initial Closing Date with respect to the Initial Transaction and shall not survive the Second Closing Date with respect to the Second Transaction.

Section 27. Expenses . Each of the parties hereto shall bear its own expenses incurred in connection with the negotiation and execution of this Agreement and each other agreement, document and instrument contemplated by this Agreement and the consummation of the Transactions contemplated hereby and thereby.

[ Signatures are set forth on the next page or pages ]






IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Agreement to be executed and delivered as of the date first above written.
THE TRAXIS GROUP B.V.
By:  /s/ Dev Kapadia
Name: Dev Kapadia
Title: Managing Director
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Agreement to be executed and delivered as of the date first above written.
BLUE BIRD CORPORATION
By: /s/ Phil Horlock
Name: Phil Horlock
Title: President & CEO

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Agreement to be executed and delivered as of the date first above written.
ASP BB HOLDINGS LLC
By: /s/ Kevin S. Penn
Name: Kevin S. Penn
Title: President






Schedule I
AGREEMENTS RELATING TO THE TRANSACTION SHARES
Director Removal Letter Agreement, dated as of September 21, 2014, by and between The Traxis Group B.V. and Hennessy Capital Partners I LLC, which was filed as  Exhibit 10.4 to the Company’s Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the SEC on September 24, 2014.





Schedule II
(DRAFT) AMENDMENT NO. 2 TO CREDIT AGREEMENT (DRAFT)
AMENDMENT NO. 2 TO THE CREDIT AGREEMENT AND PARENT JOINDER AGREEMENT (this “ Amendment ”), dated as of [__], 2016, among BLUE BIRD CORPORATION (f/k/a Hennessy Capital Acquisition Corp.), a Delaware corporation (the “ Parent ”), BLUE BIRD BODY COMPANY, a Georgia corporation (the “ Borrower ”), each Lender party hereto and Société Générale (acting through one or more of its branches or any Affiliate thereof, collectively, “ SG ”), as Administrative Agent (in such capacity, the “ Administrative Agent ”). Capitalized terms not otherwise defined in this Amendment have the same meanings as specified in the Credit Agreement referred to below.
PRELIMINARY STATEMENTS:
WHEREAS, Parent, the Borrower, certain of their Affiliates, the Lenders party thereto and SG, as Administrative Agent, entered into that certain Credit Agreement, dated as of June 27, 2014 (as amended by Amendment No. 1 to Credit Agreement and Parent Joinder Agreement, dated as of September 28, 2015, and as it may be further amended, restated, supplemented, or otherwise modified from time to time, the “ Credit Agreement ”);

WHEREAS, Cerberus Capital Management L.P., Oak Hill Advisors, L.P. and their respective Control Investment Affiliates (collectively, the “ Sellers ”) intend to transfer (the “ Sponsor Transfer ”) all of the Equity Interests of Holdings owned by Sellers to American Securities, LLC and/or its Control Investment Affiliates (collectively, the “ Buyers ”); and

WHEREAS, in connection with the Sponsor Transfer, the Borrower wishes to effect an amendment to the Credit Agreement;

NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the premises and agreements, provisions and covenants herein contained, the Borrower, the Parent, the Administrative Agent and the Lenders party hereto have agreed to amend the Credit Agreement on the terms and conditions hereinafter set forth.

SECTION 1. Amendment to the Credit Agreement . The Credit Agreement is, effective as of the Amendment No. 2 Effective Date, hereby amended as follows:

(a) Section 1.01 of the Credit Agreement is amended by adding in the appropriate alphabetical order the following new definitions:
Cerberus ” means Cerberus Capital Management L.P. and its Control Investment Affiliates.
Existing Sponsors ” means, collectively, Cerberus and Oak Hill; and “Existing Sponsor” means each of them, individually.
New Sponsor ” means American Securities, LLC and its Control Investment Affiliates
Oak Hill ” means Oak Hill Advisors, L.P. and its Control Investment Affiliates.
Sponsor Transfer Date ” means the first date that all of the Equity Interests of Holdings owned by the Existing Sponsors have been transferred to the New Sponsor.

(b) The definition of “Sponsors” set forth in Section 1.01 of the Credit Agreement is amended and restated in its entirety to read as follows:
Sponsors ” means (i) prior to the Sponsor Transfer Date, collectively, the Existing Sponsors and the New Sponsor and (ii) from and after the Sponsor Transfer Date, the New Sponsor; and “Sponsor” means each of them, individually.






SECTION 2. Conditions to Effectiveness . This Amendment shall become effective as of the date (the “ Amendment No. 2 Effective Date ”) when, and only when, each of the following conditions have been satisfied or waived in accordance with the terms therein:

(a) The Administrative Agent shall have received counterparts of this Amendment executed by (i) the Administrative Agent, (ii) the Borrower, (iii) the Parent and (iv) the Required Lenders;

(b) The Borrower shall have paid (i) for the account, without duplication, of each Lender that has returned an executed signature page to this Amendment (each such Lender, a “ Consenting Lender ”) at or prior to 5:00 pm (New York City time) on [_____], 2016, fees in the amount equal to [___]% of the sum of such Consenting Lender’s (x) principal amount of outstanding Term Loans, in the case of a Term Lender, and (y) Revolving Commitments in the case of a Revolving Lender, in each case, as in effect immediately prior to the Amendment No. 2 Effective Date and (ii) all reasonable and documented out-of-pocket fees and expenses (limited to, with respect to legal fees and costs, the reasonable and documented out-of-pocket fees and expenses of Paul Hastings LLP) incurred by the Administrative Agent in connection with the preparation, negotiation and execution of this Amendment and other matters relating to the Loan Documents;

(c) (i) The representations and warranties of the Parent, the Borrower and each other Loan Party contained in this Amendment or any other Loan Document shall be true and correct in all material respects prior to and after giving effect to this Amendment and the transactions contemplated herein; provided that, to the extent that such representations and warranties specifically refer to an earlier date, they shall be true and correct in all material respects as of such earlier date; provided , further that, any representation and warranty that is qualified as to “materiality,” “Material Adverse Effect” or similar language shall be true and correct (after giving effect to any qualification therein) in all respects on such respective dates; (ii) no Default or Event of Default shall exist, or would result from (x) the consummation of the Sponsor Transfer or (y) the amendments to the Credit Agreement contemplated hereby, and the other transactions contemplated hereby; and

(d) the Administrative Agent shall have received a certificate dated as of the Amendment No. 2 Effective Date and executed by a Responsible Officer of the Borrower as to the matters set forth in Section 2(c) of this Amendment.

For purposes of determining compliance with the conditions specified in this Section 2 , each Lender shall be deemed to have consented to, approved or accepted or to be satisfied with each document or other matter required thereunder to be consented to or approved by or acceptable or satisfactory to the Lenders unless an officer of the Administrative Agent responsible for the transactions contemplated by the Loan Documents shall have received written notice from such Lender prior to the Amendment No. 2 Effective Date specifying its objection thereto.

SECTION 3. Representations and Warranties . (a) Each of the Borrower and the Parent hereby represents and warrants, on and as of the Amendment No. 2 Effective Date, each on behalf of itself and the other Loan Parties, that the representations and warranties contained in the Loan Documents are true and correct in all material respects on and as of the Amendment No. 2 Effective Date, before and after giving effect to this Amendment, as though made on and as of the Amendment No. 2 Effective Date, except to the extent that such representations and warranties specifically refer to an earlier date, in which case they shall have been true and correct in all material respects as of such earlier date, and except that any representation and warranty that is qualified as to “materiality,” “Material Adverse Effect” or similar language is true and correct (after giving effect to any qualification therein) in all respects as of such respective dates.






(a) Each of the Borrower and the Parent represents and warrants, on and as of the Amendment No. 2 Effective Date, that: (i) it has the requisite power to execute and deliver this Amendment, and all corporate or other action required to be taken by it for the due and proper authorization, execution, delivery and performance of this Amendment and the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby has been duly and validly taken; (ii) this Amendment has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by it; and (iii) no order, consent, approval, license, authorization or validation of or filing, recording or registration or exemption by or any other action by any Governmental Authority is or will be required in connection with the execution and delivery of this Amendment.

(b) Each of the Borrower and the Parent hereby represents and warrants, on and as of the Amendment No. 2 Effective Date, each on behalf of itself, each Intermediate Parent and their respective Restricted Subsidiaries, that the Sponsor Transfer (i) does not require any consent or approval of, registration or filing with, or any other action by, any Governmental Authority or any other Person, except (x) such as have been obtained or made and are in full force and effect or (y) for consents, approvals, registrations, filings or other actions the failure to make or obtain would not reasonably be expected to be adverse in any material respect to the rights of the Administrative Agent or the Lenders, (ii) will not violate (x) the Organizational Documents of, or (y) any Requirements of Law applicable to, the Parent, the Borrower, any Intermediate Parent or any Restricted Subsidiary, (iii) will not violate or result in a default under any indenture or other material agreement or instrument binding upon the Parent, the Borrower, any Intermediate Parent or any Restricted Subsidiary or their respective assets, or give rise to a right thereunder to require any payment, repurchase or redemption to be made by the Parent, the Borrower, any Intermediate Parent or any Restricted Subsidiary, or give rise to a right of, or result in, termination, cancellation or acceleration of any obligation thereunder except (in the case of each of clauses (ii)(y) and (iii) to the extent that such violation, individually or in the aggregate, would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect and (iv) will not result in the creation or imposition of any Lien on any asset of the Parent, the Borrower, any Intermediate Parent or any Restricted Subsidiary.

(c) Each of the Borrower and the Parent hereby represents and warrants that both immediately before and after giving effect to the Amendment, no event has occurred and is continuing that constitutes a Default or Event of Default or would result therefrom.

SECTION 4. Reference to and Effect on the Credit Agreement and the other Loan Documents .

(a) On and after the effectiveness of this Amendment, each reference in the Credit Agreement and the other Loan Documents to “this Amendment”, “hereunder”, “hereof’ or words of like import referring to the Credit Agreement or such other Loan Document shall mean and be a reference to the Credit Agreement or such Loan Document as amended by this Amendment.

(b) The Credit Agreement and each other Loan Document as specifically amended by this Amendment are and shall continue to be in full force and effect and are hereby in all respects ratified, consented to and confirmed. This Amendment shall be a “Loan Document” for purposes of the definition thereof in the Credit Agreement and the other Loan Documents.

(c) The execution, delivery and effectiveness of this Amendment shall not, except as expressly provided herein, operate as a waiver of any right, power or remedy of any Lender or the Administrative Agent under the Credit Agreement or any other Loan Document.






SECTION 5. Expenses . Each of the Borrower and the Parent hereby reconfirms its respective obligations pursuant to Section 9.03 (and subject to any limitations set forth therein) of the Credit Agreement to pay the reasonable and documented or invoiced out-of-pocket expenses incurred by the Administrative Agent in connection with this Amendment.

SECTION 6. Loan Document . The parties hereto acknowledge and agree that this Amendment shall constitute a “Loan Document” for all purposes of the Credit Agreement and the other Loan Documents.

SECTION 7. Execution in Counterparts . This Amendment may be executed in any number of counterparts and by the different parties hereto on separate counterparts, each of which when so executed and delivered shall be an original, but all of which shall together constitute one and the same instrument. Delivery of an executed counterpart of a signature page of this Amendment by email, telecopy or other electronic transmission shall be effective as delivery of a manually executed counterpart of this Amendment.

SECTION 8. Governing Law . This Amendment shall be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the laws of the State of New York.

SECTION 9. Headings . Section headings are included herein for convenience of reference only and shall not constitute a part hereof for any other purpose or be given any substantive effect.

SECTION 10. Severability . In case any provision in or obligation hereunder shall be invalid, illegal or unenforceable in any jurisdiction, the validity, legality and enforceability of the remaining provisions or obligations, or of such provision or obligation in any other jurisdiction, shall not in any way be affected or impaired hereby.

SECTION 11. Notices; Successors; Waiver of Jury Trial . All communications and notices hereunder shall be given as provided in the Credit Agreement. The terms of this Amendment shall be binding upon, and shall inure to the benefit of, the parties hereto and their respective successors and assigns. Each of the parties hereto irrevocably waives trial by jury in any action or proceeding with respect to this Amendment or any other Loan Document.

[ Signature Pages Follow. ][Blue Bird - Amendment No. 2 - Signature Page]






IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have caused this Amendment to be executed by their respective Responsible Officers as of the date first above written.

BLUE BIRD BODY COMPANY,
as the Borrower

By: ________ ____________________     
Name:
Title:



BLUE BIRD CORPORATION, as Parent

By: ____________________________     
Name:
Title:


Société Générale,
as Administrative Agent

By:___________________________     
Name:
Title:
 



________________________,
as a Lender

By: ____________________________     
Name:
Title:


* If a second signature block is required:


By: ____________________________     
Name:
Title:







Exhibit A
Form of Registration Rights Agreement Notice
NOTICE OF TRANSFER OF RIGHTS UNDER REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT

This Notice of Transfer of Rights (the “ Notice ”) under Registration Rights Agreement (as defined below) is given this ___ day of _____, 2016, by The Traxis Group B.V., a limited liability company existing under the laws of the Netherlands (the “ Seller ”) to Blue Bird Corporation, a Delaware corporation (the “ Company ”), in accordance with Section 3.01(b)(i) of that certain Registration Rights Agreement, dated as of February 24, 2015 (as the same may hereafter be amended, modified or amended and restated, the “ Registration Rights Agreement ”), by and among the Seller, the Company and the other parties named therein, and in connection with the sale (the “ Sale ”) of an aggregate of 7,000,000 This Notice will be executed and delivered at the Initial Closing. At the Second Closing, a similar Notice will be executed and delivered, with “7,000,000” replaced with “5,000,000.” shares of common stock, par value $.0001 per share (the “ Shares ”), of the Company by the Seller to ASP BB Holdings LLC (the “ Purchaser ”), pursuant to a Purchase and Sale Agreement (as the same may hereafter be amended, modified or amended and restated), dated as of May ___, 2016, by and among the Seller, the Company and the Purchaser, and the transfer of the Seller’s rights under the Registration Rights Agreement to the Purchaser in connection with such Sale.
The address of the Purchaser is: c/o American Securities LLC, 299 Park Avenue, 34 th Floor, New York, New York 10171.
All of the Seller’s rights under the Registration Rights Agreement with respect to the Shares are being transferred to the Purchaser in connection with the Sale, which Sale is being consummated today.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, this Notice is executed as of the date first set forth above.
THE TRAXIS GROUP B.V.
By:  
Name:
Title:
RECEIPT ACKNOWLEDGED:
BLUE BIRD CORPORATION
By:
Name:
Title:






Exhibit B
Form of Registration Rights Agreement Joinder

JOINDER TO REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT

This Joinder (the “ Joinder ”) to Registration Rights Agreement (as defined below) is entered into as of _______, 2016, in accordance with Section 3.01(b)(ii) of that certain Registration Rights Agreement, dated as of February 24, 2015 (as the same may hereafter be amended, modified or amended and restated, the “ Registration Rights Agreement ”), by and among The Traxis Group B.V., a limited liability company existing under the laws of the Netherlands (the “ Seller ”), Blue Bird Corporation (formerly known as Hennessy Capital Acquisition Corp.), a Delaware corporation (the “ Company ”), and the other parties named therein, and in connection with the sale (the “ Sale ”) of an aggregate of 7,000,000 This Joinder will be executed and delivered at the Initial Closing. At the Second Closing, a similar Joinder will be executed and delivered, with “7,000,000” replaced with “5,000,000.”
shares of common stock, par value $.0001 per share (the “ Shares ”), of the Company by the Seller to the undersigned, pursuant to a Purchase and Sale Agreement (as the same may hereafter be amended, modified or amended and restated), dated as of May __, 2016, by and among the Seller, the Company and the undersigned, and the transfer of the Seller’s rights under the Registration Rights Agreement to the undersigned in connection with such Sale. By execution and delivery of this Joinder and the acceptance thereof by the Company, the undersigned hereby agrees and acknowledges that the undersigned is a “Holder”, a “Transferee” and a “Demanding Party” as such terms are defined in the Registration Rights Agreement, with respect to the Shares subject to the Sale, and hereby agrees to be bound by the terms of, subject to the obligations of, and entitled to the benefits of, the Registration Rights Agreement as a “Holder”, a “Transferee” and a “Demanding Party” thereunder, and authorizes this Joinder to be attached to the Registration Rights Agreement.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, this Joinder is executed, in counterpart, as of the date first set forth above.

ASP BB HOLDINGS LLC
By:
Name:
Title:
ACCEPTED & ACKNOWLEDGED
BLUE BIRD CORPORATION
By:
Name:
Title:











This Joinder will be executed and delivered at the Initial Closing. At the Second Closing, a similar Joinder will be executed and delivered, with “7,000,000” replaced with “5,000,000.”




Exhibit 10.2

May 26, 2016


American Securities LLC
299 Park Avenue, 34 th Floor
New York, New York 10171

Ladies and Gentlemen:

Reference is made to that certain Purchase and Sale Agreement, dated as of the date hereof (as may be amended, modified or supplemented from time to time, the “ Purchase Agreement ”), by and among The Traxis Group B.V., a limited liability company existing under the Laws of the Netherlands (“ Seller ”), Blue Bird Corporation, a Delaware corporation (the “ Company ”), and ASP BB Holdings LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (the “ Stockholder ”). Capitalized terms used, but not defined, herein shall have the meaning ascribed to them in the Purchase Agreement.

This letter agreement (the “ Letter Agreement ”) governs the relationship between the Company, the Stockholder and American Securities LLC, a New York limited liability company (together with its Controlled Affiliates (as defined below) and the Stockholder, “ American Securities ”), with respect to certain governance arrangements of the Company following the consummation of the transactions contemplated by the Purchase Agreement and the rights of American Securities with respect to the Acquired Shares (as defined below).


1.      Shares Covered . This Letter Agreement shall govern the rights of American Securities with respect to any shares of the capital stock of the Company (i) acquired by the Stockholder from the Seller upon the Initial Closing, (ii) acquired by the Stockholder from the Seller upon the Second Closing or (iii) otherwise acquired after the date hereof by American Securities (together, the “ Acquired Shares ”).

2.      Credit Agreement .

a.      The parties hereto acknowledge that the acquisition of the Transaction Shares by the Stockholder pursuant to the Purchase Agreement may qualify as a “Change of Control” under the Credit Agreement and that it is in the best interests of the Company to enter into the Credit Agreement Amendment to permit the acquisition by American Securities of an unlimited number of shares of the capital stock of the Company (“ Company Shares ”) without resulting in a breach of the Credit Agreement or the creation of an event of default under the Credit Agreement. The Company shall use its best efforts to cause the parties to the Credit Agreement to agree to and enter into the Credit Agreement Amendment. American Securities agrees that, until such time as the Credit Agreement Amendment is effective, it shall not acquire Beneficial Ownership (as defined below) of a number of Company Shares, after giving effect to the Initial Closing, sufficient to result in a “Change of Control” or “Event of Default” (each as defined under the Credit Agreement).





b.      The Company is party to the Registration Rights Agreement and all of the Seller’s rights thereunder are being transferred to American Securities in connection with the consummation of the Transactions contemplated by the Purchase Agreement. The Company acknowledges and agrees that it is obligated to pay all Registration Expenses (as defined in the Registration Rights Agreement) in accordance with the terms of the Registration Rights Agreement, including any underwriting discounts related to the Registrable Securities (as defined in the Registration Rights Agreement) of American Securities. In the event that American Securities effects an underwritten offering of any Company Shares during the one (1) year period following the Initial Closing Date, and in connection therewith, the Company pays American Securities for the amount of any underwriting discount that American Securities incurs in connection with such offering, American Securities agrees that such amount will be reduced by an amount equal to any fees and expenses actually paid by the Company to the lenders in connection with the Credit Agreement Amendment.

3.      Independent Directors; Committees; Vacancies .

a.      Until the earlier of (i) the three (3) year anniversary of the Initial Closing Date and (ii) the date on which the Company is no longer subject to the listing requirements of NASDAQ (the period from the Initial Closing Date to such earlier date, the “ Restricted Period ”), American Securities acknowledges that the Company will include on its Board of Directors (the “ Board ”) three (3) Independent Directors (as defined under NASDAQ Marketplace Rule 3200(a)(15)) (the “ Independent Directors ”) and American Securities shall cause the Acquired Shares to be voted to elect such Independent Directors; provided that in no event shall the Board include a number of Independent Directors making up more than one-third of the Board’s members unless such greater number of Independent Directors is required under the NASDAQ continued listing rules. The Company agrees that, in addition to the persons designated by American Securities to serve on the Board as contemplated by the Purchase Agreement, American Securities shall have the right to identify other candidates who qualify as Independent Directors for consideration by the Corporate Governance and Nominating Committee to serve on the Board; provided during the Restricted Period such other candidates shall be independent of American Securities, it being understood that any individual who serves on the American Securities executive counsel or on a board of directors of a portfolio company of American Securities but is not an employee of American Securities shall be deemed independent of American Securities. The Company shall take all such actions as are necessary to (i) cause the appointment of the American Securities designees identified in Section 6(b)(vi) and Section 7(b)(vii) of the Purchase Agreement to be appointed to the Board and (ii) accept the resignation of the current directors of the Company identified in Section 6(b)(vi) and Section 7(b)(vii) of the Purchase Agreement.

b.      Each American Securities Director shall be eligible to serve on each of the Audit, Compensation and Corporate Governance and Nominating Committees of the Board; provided , that any and all such American Securities Directors shall meet any regulatory or securities exchange requirements for membership on such committee.
    
c.      In the event that a vacancy is created at any time by the death, disability, retirement, resignation or removal (with or without cause) of any American Securities Director, American Securities shall have the exclusive right to designate a replacement director to fill such vacancy, and the Company shall take all such actions as are necessary to cause such vacancy to be filled with the replacement director so designated by American Securities.

4.      Standstill . For a period of one (1) year immediately following the Initial Closing Date, American Securities shall not, unless specifically authorized by a committee of the Board comprised of Independent Directors, directly or indirectly, in any manner:





a.      acquire, offer or propose to acquire, solicit an offer to sell or agree to acquire, directly or indirectly, alone or in concert with others, by purchase or otherwise, any direct or indirect beneficial interest in any voting securities of the Company or direct or indirect rights, warrants or options to acquire, or securities convertible into or exchangeable for, any voting securities of the Company; or

b.      arrange, or in any way participate, directly or indirectly, in any financing for the purchase of any voting securities of the Company or any securities convertible into or exchangeable or exercisable for any voting securities or assets of the Company or assets of the subsidiaries of the Company, except for such assets as are then being offered for sale by the Company or its subsidiaries;

if, following such acquisition, financing or conversion, American Securities would Beneficially Own ninety (90%) percent or more of the voting power of the outstanding voting securities of the Company. Any acquisition of the voting securities of the Company in violation of this paragraph 4 shall be null and void and American Securities shall transfer any such acquired voting securities to the Company for a nominal amount.

5.      Sale Proposal . If, during the one (1) year period immediately following the Initial Closing Date, American Securities makes a written proposal to acquire the remaining shares of capital stock of the Company not then beneficially owned by American Securities whether by way of a tender offer, merger, pursuant to an agreement and plan of merger to be entered into with the Company or otherwise (each, a “ Sale Proposal ”), American Securities agrees that the Sale Proposal will be considered by a committee of the Board consisting solely of Independent Directors and will not consummate such Sale Proposal without the approval of such committee.

6.      Interested Transactions . Except for the transactions contemplated by the Purchase Agreement, American Securities shall neither enter into nor consummate any Material Transaction (as defined below) between the Company and American Securities without the approval of a committee of the Board comprised of Independent Directors, for a period of three (3) years immediately following the Initial Closing Date.
    
7.      DGCL Section 203 Approval . The Board has duly formed and authorized a committee of the Board (the “ Committee ”) to consider and, if deemed appropriate, approve the acquisition by the Stockholder of the Acquired Shares for purposes of Section 203 of the Delaware General Corporation Law, as amended (the “ DGCL ”). A complete and correct copy of the resolution of the Board forming and authorizing the Committee to approve such acquisition has been delivered to the Stockholder. Assuming the accuracy of the representation in Section 5(g)(ii) of the Purchase Agreement, the Company represents and warrants to American Securities that the Committee has duly adopted a resolution approving the acquisition by the Stockholder of the Acquired Shares for purposes of Section 203 of the DGCL, with the purpose and intent that the restrictions on business combinations set forth in Section 203 of the DGCL shall not apply to the Stockholder or its affiliates and associates, including American Securities LLC, as a result of the acquisition by the Stockholder of the Acquired Shares. A complete and correct copy of such resolution duly adopted by the Committee has been delivered to the Stockholder.

8.      Definitions . For purposes of this Letter Agreement, the term:

a.      Affiliate ” shall have the meaning given such term in Rule 12b-2 under the Exchange Act. For purposes of this definition, natural persons shall not be deemed to be Affiliates of each other.





b.      American Securities Director ” shall mean any person designated by American Securities to serve on the Board.

c.      Beneficial Ownership ” shall have the meaning given such term in Rule 13d-3 under the Exchange Act.

d.      Control ” (including the term “ Controlled ”), with respect to the relationship between or among two or more Persons, shall mean the possession, direct or indirect, of the power to direct or cause the direction of the management and policies of a person, whether through the ownership of voting securities, by contract, or otherwise.

e.      Controlled Affiliate ” means, with respect to a specified Person, those Affiliates of such specified Person that it Controls.
    
f.      Exchange Act ” shall mean the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the rules and regulations of the Securities Exchange Commission promulgated thereunder (as in effect on the date of this Letter Agreement).

g.      Material Transaction ” shall mean any material transaction not in the ordinary course of business between the Company and American Securities, other than a Sale Proposal or other transaction subject to paragraph 4 or 5 above.     

h.      Person ” means any individual, partnership, joint venture, corporation, limited liability company, trust, unincorporated organization, government or department or agency of a government.

9.      Amendments . No amendment, waiver or modification of any provision of this Letter Agreement shall become effective unless the same shall be in writing and signed by each of the parties hereto; provided that any such approval on behalf of the Company shall require the approval of a majority of the Independent Directors.

10.      American Securities Affiliates . Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, the term “Controlled Affiliate”, when used with respect to American Securities LLC, shall not include any of its operating or portfolio companies or affiliated investment funds that do not act at the express direction of American Securities LLC or any of its directors, officers or employees with respect to the matters contemplated hereby. The Company acknowledges that American Securities LLC’s or its Affiliates’ directors, officers or employees may serve as directors of portfolio companies of investment funds managed by American Securities LLC, and the Company agrees that such portfolio companies will not be deemed to be “Controlled Affiliates” subject to the terms of this Letter Agreement.

11.      Governing Law . This Letter Agreement shall be governed by the laws of the State of New York, without regard to the principles of conflicts of laws thereof that would cause the application of the laws of another jurisdiction.

12.      Counterparts . This Letter Agreement may be executed in counterparts, each of which shall be deemed an original, but all of which together shall constitute one and the same instrument. Signatures on this Letter Agreement may be conveyed by electronic transmission and shall be binding upon the parties so transmitting their signatures.
    




13.      Entire Agreement; Amendment and Modification . This Letter Agreement constitutes the entire agreement between the parties hereto with respect to the subject matter hereof and supersedes any prior agreements between the parties, written or oral. This Letter Agreement may be amended or modified only by a writing signed by the parties hereto.

14.      Waiver . Any of the terms or conditions of this Letter Agreement may be waived at any time by the party or parties entitled to the benefit thereof, but only by a writing signed by the party or parties waiving such terms or conditions; provided that any such waiver on behalf of the Company shall require the approval of a majority of the Independent Directors. No waiver of any provision of this Letter Agreement or of any rights or benefits arising hereunder shall be deemed to constitute or shall constitute a waiver of any other provision of this Letter Agreement (whether or not similar), nor shall any such waiver constitute a continuing waiver, unless otherwise expressly provided in writing.

15.      Notices . Notices required or permitted to be given under this Agreement shall be in writing and shall be deemed given (i) when personally delivered, (ii) one business day after being sent by FedEx or other internationally recognized overnight delivery service or (iii) when sent by electronic mail. All notices shall be addressed to the parties as follows:

If to American Securities:

ASP BB Holdings LLC
c/o American Securities, LLC
299 Park Avenue
34th Floor
New York, New York 10171
Attention: Eric L. Schondorf, General Counsel
Email: eschondorf@american-securities.com

with a required copy to :

Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP
767 Fifth Avenue
New York, NY 10153
Attention: Michael E. Lubowitz, Esq.
Email: michael.lubowitz@weil.com

If to the Company:

Blue Bird Corporation
402 Blue Bird Boulevard
Fort Valley, Georgia 31030
Attention: Paul Yousif, Esq.
Email: paul.yousif@blue-bird.com

with a required copy to :





Smith, Gambrell & Russell, LLP
Promenade, Suite 3100
1230 Peachtree Street, N.E.
Atlanta, Georgia 30309-3592
Attn: Terry Ferraro Schwartz, Esq.
Email: TSCHWARTZ@sgrlaw.com

and with a required copy to :

Morris Nichols Arsht & Tunnell, LLP
1201 North Market Street, 16th Floor
P.O. Box 1347
Wilmington, Delaware 19899
Attn: Jeffrey Wolters, Esq.
Email: jwolters@mnat.com

16.      No Strict Construction . This Letter Agreement has been jointly drafted by the parties hereto, after negotiations and consultations with their respective counsel. This Letter Agreement shall not be construed more strictly against one party than against the other party.

17.      Effectiveness of this Letter Agreement; Termination . This Letter Agreement shall become effective immediately upon its execution by the parties hereto, except that Sections 3, 4, 5, and 6 of this Letter Agreement shall only become effective upon the Initial Closing and if the Initial Closing occurs, Sections 3(a), 4, 5 and 6 shall no longer be of any force and effect on the first date on which the American Securities Ownership Percentage first falls below 20%. This Letter Agreement shall automatically terminate without any further action by any party hereto and shall be of no further force or effect upon the termination of the Purchase Agreement in accordance with its terms prior to the Initial Closing. For purposes of this paragraph 17, “ American Securities Ownership Percentage ” shall mean with respect to American Securities, at any time, the ratio, expressed as a percentage, of (x) the aggregate number of votes represented by the Acquired Shares and entitled to be cast in the election of directors by American Securities to (y) the aggregate number of votes entitled to be cast generally in the election of directors by the holders of voting securities of the Company.

Very truly yours,


AMERICAN SECURITIES LLC

            
By:
/s/ Eric L. Schondorf
Name:
Eric L. Schondorf
Title:
General Counsel

                    
                    





ASP BB HOLDINGS LLC

            
By:
/s/ Kevin S. Penn         
Name:
Kevin S. Penn
Title:
President




Blue Bird Corporation


By:
/s/ Phil Horlock         
Name:
Phil Horlock
Title:
President & CEO







Exhibit 99.1


American Securities to Acquire 57% of
Blue Bird Corporation from Cerberus

FORT VALLEY, GEORGIA - May 27, 2016 - Blue Bird Corporation (Nasdaq: BLBD), the leading independent designer and manufacturer of school buses, announced today that an affiliate of American Securities LLC has agreed to purchase from Traxis Group B.V (Traxis), an affiliate of Cerberus Capital Management, L.P. (Cerberus), its entire equity stake in Blue Bird, which equals 12 million shares of common stock or approximately 57% of Blue Bird’s outstanding shares of common stock. Following the completion of the transaction, American Securities will become the controlling shareholder of Blue Bird.

The transaction will be executed in two tranches. The first tranche, which is expected to close on or around June 3, 2016, will include seven million shares at a price of $10.10 per share. The second tranche, which is expected to close promptly after Blue Bird’s credit agreement is amended, will include five million shares at a price of $11.00 per share. Each closing is subject to certain conditions precedent, including certain changes to the composition of the Board of Directors and, in the case of the second closing, an amendment to Blue Bird’s credit agreement relating to the transaction.

“We are extremely pleased to partner with Phil Horlock and the Blue Bird management team,” said Kevin Penn, a Managing Director of American Securities. “We have admired Blue Bird’s focus on operational execution, growth and profitability for some time and we think the company is well-situated to build upon its current market position. Blue Bird is a company with an iconic brand and quality workforce that is truly a leader in the school bus business. We believe it is a great long-term investment and are excited about the next chapter of growth together.”

“Cerberus is proud to have contributed to Blue Bird’s strong turnaround since we initially acquired it in 2006,” said Dev Kapadia, Managing Director of Cerberus. “Blue Bird has been a terrific investment for Cerberus with EBITDA improving from a loss-making level at the time of acquisition in 2006 to a projected $72-$75 million for 2016. Under the present management team, we have seen Blue Bird bus sales grow from 6,525 units in 2011 to a projected 10,800-11,000 units this year. This increase results in substantial top-line revenue growth of at least 70% over the same period, from $566 million to a projected $960-980 million in 2016. American Securities will be a great partner for Blue Bird going forward as it continues to grow its business.”

“We are happy to see a firm like American Securities take a major ownership position in Blue Bird,” said Phil Horlock, Blue Bird President and CEO. “They have an outstanding reputation in the marketplace and we welcome them as a new Blue Bird shareholder. I would also like to thank Cerberus for their support of Blue Bird over the years, and particularly recognize our Chairman since 2009, Chan Galbato, for his contributions. Cerberus was instrumental in helping us transform the business and drive significant improvement in sales and profitability. Blue Bird will continue to deliver innovative, efficient, high-quality products that customers want and value. We look forward to maintaining our growth momentum as we build, sell and service the world’s finest school bus.”

Blue Bird is a party to the purchase and sale agreement, and certain registration rights currently held by Traxis will be transferred to the purchaser. In addition, Blue Bird, American Securities and the purchaser have entered into an agreement with respect to certain governance matters and activities following consummation of the transactions contemplated by the purchase and sale agreement.

About American Securities

American Securities is a leading U.S. private equity firm with approximately $15 billion under management. Based in New York with an office in Shanghai, American Securities invests in market-leading North American companies with annual revenues generally ranging from $200 million to $2 billion and/or EBITDA of $50 million to $200 million. For more information, please visit http://www.american-securities.com .

About Cerberus Capital Management, L.P.

Cerberus is one of the world’s leading private investment firms. Founded in 1992, Cerberus has excelled at distressed investing since its inception and has built a highly regarded reputation for its focus on deep value.

Cerberus and its affiliates manage approximately $31 billion for many of the world’s most respected investors, including government and private sector pension and retirement funds, charitable foundations and university endowments, insurance companies, family offices, sovereign wealth funds and high net worth individuals. Cerberus





directs its global investment strategies from its headquarters in New York City, and draws on the expertise of a network of advisory offices throughout the United States, Europe, and Asia.

About Blue Bird Corporation

Blue Bird is the leading independent designer and manufacturer of school buses, with more than 550,000 buses sold since its formation in 1927 and approximately 180,000 buses in operation today. Blue Bird’s longevity and reputation in the school bus industry have made it an iconic American brand. Blue Bird distinguishes itself from its principal competitors by its singular focus on the design, engineering, manufacture and sale of school buses and related parts. As the only manufacturer of chassis and body production specifically designed for school bus applications, Blue Bird is recognized as an industry leader for school bus innovation, safety, product quality/reliability/durability, operating costs and drivability. In addition, Blue Bird is the market leader in alternative fuel applications with its propane-powered and compressed natural gas-powered school buses. Blue Bird manufactures school buses at two facilities in Fort Valley, Georgia. Its Micro Bird joint venture operates a manufacturing facility in Drummondville, Quebec, Canada. Service and after-market parts are distributed from Blue Bird’s parts distribution center located in Delaware, Ohio.

Forward Looking Statements

This press release includes forward-looking statements within the meaning of the “safe harbor” provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements relate to expectations for future financial performance, business strategies or expectations for our business. Specifically, forward-looking statements include statements in this press release regarding guidance, seasonality, product mix and gross profits and may include statements relating to:

Inherent limitations of internal controls impacting financial statements
Growth opportunities
Future profitability
Ability to expand market share
Customer demand for certain products
Economic conditions that could affect fuel costs, commodity costs, industry size and financial conditions of our dealers and suppliers
Labor or other constraints on the Company’s ability to maintain a competitive cost structure
Volatility in the tax base and other funding sources that support the purchase of buses by our end customers
Lower or higher than anticipated market acceptance for our products
Other statements preceded by, followed by or that include the words “estimate,” “plan,” “project,” “forecast,” “intend,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “believe,” “seek,” “target” or similar expressions

These forward-looking statements are based on information available as of the date of this press release, and current expectations, forecasts and assumptions, and involve a number of judgments, risks and uncertainties. Accordingly, forward-looking statements should not be relied upon as representing our views as of any subsequent date, and we do not undertake any obligation to update forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date they were made, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as may be required under applicable securities laws. The factors described above, as well as risk factors described in reports filed with the SEC by us (available at www.sec.gov), could cause our actual results to differ materially from estimates or expectations reflected in such forward-looking statements.


Contact

For American Securities:
Caroline Harris-Gibson or Sam Reinhardt
Prosek Partners
(212) 279-3115 x222 / (212) 279-3115 x244
cgibson@prosek.com

For Cerberus Capital Management:
Caroline Langdale / Andrew Johnson
The Glover Park Group
(646) 495-2700
clangdale@gpg.com / ajohnson@gpg.com






For Blue Bird:
Jeff Merten
Investor Relations & New Business Development
Blue Bird Corporation
(478) 822-2496
Jeff.Merten@blue-bird.com