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UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
FORM 10-Q

(Mark One)
QUARTERLY REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
For the quarterly period ended September 30, 2021
or
TRANSITION REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
For the transition period from __________ to __________

Commission file number 001-37680

ELVT-20210930_G1.JPG
 ELEVATE CREDIT, INC.
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
 
Delaware 46-4714474
State or Other Jurisdiction of
Incorporation or Organization
I.R.S. Employer Identification Number
4150 International Plaza, Suite 300
Fort Worth, TX 76109
Address of Principal Executive Offices Zip Code
(817) 928-1500
Registrant’s Telephone Number, Including Area Code
Former Name, Former Address and Former Fiscal Year, if Changed Since Last Report

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act.
Title of each class Trading Symbol(s) Name of each exchange on which registered
Common Shares, $0.0004 par value ELVT New York Stock Exchange

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant (1) has filed all reports required to be filed by section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the Registrant was required to file such reports), and (2) has been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days.
Yes No
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has submitted electronically every Interactive Data File required to be submitted pursuant to Rule 405 of Regulation S-T (§ 232.405 of this chapter) during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the Registrant was required to submit such files).
Yes No






Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, a smaller reporting company or an emerging growth company. See the definitions of “large accelerated filer,” “accelerated filer,” “smaller reporting company,” and “emerging growth company” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act.
Large accelerated filer Non-accelerated filer
Accelerated filer Smaller reporting company
Emerging growth company
If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act.

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act). Yes No

Indicate the number of shares outstanding of each of the issuer’s classes of common stock, as of the latest practicable date:
Class
Outstanding at November 3, 2021
Common Shares, $0.0004 par value 32,569,391







TABLE OF CONTENTS
 
4
Part I - Financial Information
Item 1. Financial Statements
6
7
8
9
12
14
Item 2.
44
Item 3.
83
Item 4.
84
Part II - Other Information
Item 1.
85
Item 1A.
85
Item 2.
88
Item 6.
89
90







NOTE ABOUT FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
This Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities Act"), and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "Exchange Act") that are based on our management’s beliefs and assumptions and on information currently available to our management. The forward-looking statements are contained throughout this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q, including in “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” and "Risk Factors." Forward-looking statements include information concerning our strategy, future operations, future financial position, future revenues, projected expenses, margins, prospects and plans and objectives of management. Forward-looking statements include all statements that are not historical facts and can be identified by terms such as “anticipate,” “believe,” “could,” “seek,” “estimate,” “expect,” “intend,” “may,” “plan,” “potential,” “predict,” “project,” “should,” “will,” “would” or similar expressions and the negatives of those terms. Forward-looking statements contained in this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q include, but are not limited to, statements about:
our future financial performance, including our expectations regarding our revenue, cost of revenue, growth rate of revenue, cost of borrowing, credit losses, marketing costs, net charge-offs, gross profit or gross margin, operating expenses, operating margins, loans outstanding, credit quality, ability to generate cash flow and ability to achieve and maintain future profitability;
the effects of the outbreak and continuation of the novel coronavirus ("COVID-19") on demand for our products, our business, our financial condition and results of operations, including as a result of the expansion of our payment flexibility program to provide temporary relief to certain customers, underwriting changes we and the bank originators we support are implementing to address credit risk associated with originations during the economic crisis created by the COVID-19 pandemic, and new legislation or other governmental responses to the pandemic;
the availability of debt financing, funding sources and disruptions in credit markets;
our ability to meet anticipated cash operating expenses and capital expenditure requirements, including our plans with respect to assessing minimum cash and liquidity requirements and implementing measures to ensure that our cash and liquidity position is maintained through the current economic cycle;
anticipated trends, growth rates, seasonal fluctuations and challenges in our business and in the markets in which we operate;
our ability to anticipate market needs and develop new and enhanced or differentiated products, services and mobile apps to meet those needs, and our ability to successfully monetize them;
our expectations with respect to trends in our average portfolio effective annual percentage rate;
our anticipated growth and growth strategies and our ability to effectively manage that growth;
our anticipated expansion of relationships with strategic partners, including banks;
customer demand for our product and our ability to respond to fluctuations in demand;
our ability to attract potential customers and retain existing customers and our cost of customer acquisition;
the ability of customers to repay loans;
interest rates and origination fees on loans;
the impact of competition in our industry and innovation by our competitors;
our ability to attract and retain necessary qualified directors, officers and employees to expand our operations;
our reliance on third-party service providers;
our access to the automated clearing house system;
the efficacy of our marketing efforts and relationships with marketing affiliates;
our anticipated direct marketing costs and spending;
the evolution of technology affecting our products, services and markets;
continued innovation of our analytics platform, including releases of new credit models;
our ability to prevent security breaches, disruption in service and comparable events that could compromise the personal and confidential information held in our data systems, reduce the attractiveness of the platform or adversely impact our ability to service loans;
4


our ability to detect and filter fraudulent or incorrect information provided to us by our customers or by third parties;
our ability to adequately protect our intellectual property;
our compliance with applicable local, state, federal and foreign laws;
our compliance with, and the effects on our business and results of operations from, current or future applicable regulatory developments and regulations, including developments or changes from the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau ("CFPB") and developments or changes in state law;
regulatory developments or scrutiny by agencies regulating our business or the businesses of our third-party partners;
public perception of our business and industry;
the anticipated effect on our business of litigation or regulatory proceedings to which we or our officers are a party;
the anticipated effect on our business of natural or man-made catastrophes;
the increased expenses and administrative workload associated with being a public company;
failure to maintain an effective system of internal controls necessary to accurately report our financial results and prevent fraud;
our liquidity and working capital requirements;
the estimates and estimate methodologies used in preparing our consolidated financial statements;
the utility of non-GAAP financial measures;
the future trading prices of our common stock and the impact of securities analysts’ reports on these prices;
our anticipated development and release of certain products and applications and changes to certain products;
our anticipated investing activity;
trends anticipated to continue as our portfolio of loans matures; and
any future repurchases under our share repurchase program, including the timing and amount of repurchases thereunder.
We caution you that the foregoing list may not contain all of the forward-looking statements made in this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q.
Forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause our actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. We discuss these risks in greater detail in "Risk Factors" and elsewhere in this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q, and in "Risk Factors" and elsewhere in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2020. Given these uncertainties, you should not place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements. Also, forward-looking statements represent our management’s beliefs and assumptions only as of the date of this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q. Except as required by law, we assume no obligation to update these forward-looking statements publicly, or to update the reasons actual results could differ materially from those anticipated in these forward-looking statements, even if new information becomes available in the future.
5

Elevate Credit, Inc. and Subsidiaries
PART I - FINANCIAL INFORMATION
Item 1. Financial Statements

CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS
(Dollars in thousands except share amounts) September 30,
2021
December 31,
2020

(unaudited)
ASSETS
Cash and cash equivalents*
$ 79,979  $ 197,983 
Restricted cash*
4,962  3,135 
 Loans receivable, net of allowance for loan losses of $56,209 and $48,399, respectively*
479,621  374,832 
Prepaid expenses and other assets*
13,342  10,060 
Operating lease right of use assets
6,234  8,320 
Receivable from CSO lenders
—  1,255 
Receivable from payment processors*
8,265  6,147 
Deferred tax assets, net
24,615  25,958 
Property and equipment, net
31,857  34,000 
Goodwill, net
6,776  6,776 
Intangible assets, net
231  1,133 
Total assets
$ 655,882  $ 669,599 

LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities (See Note 13)*
$ 64,543  $ 52,252 
Operating lease liabilities
9,909  11,952 
Other taxes payable
382  — 
Deferred revenue*
2,914  3,134 
Notes payable, net (See Note 5)*
435,818  438,403 
Total liabilities
513,566  505,741 
COMMITMENTS, CONTINGENCIES AND GUARANTEES (Note 11)
STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY
Preferred stock; $0.0004 par value; 24,500,000 authorized shares; none issued and outstanding at September 30, 2021 and December 31, 2020.
—  — 
Common stock; $0.0004 par value; 300,000,000 authorized shares; 44,960,438 and 44,960,438 issued; 32,548,437 and 37,954,138 outstanding, respectively
18  18 
Additional paid-in capital
204,197  200,433 
Treasury stock; at cost; 12,412,001 and 7,006,300 shares of common stock, respectively
(39,096) (16,492)
Accumulated deficit
(22,803) (20,101)
Total stockholders’ equity
142,316  163,858 
Total liabilities and stockholders’ equity
$ 655,882  $ 669,599 

* These balances include certain assets and liabilities of variable interest entities (“VIEs”) that can only be used to settle the liabilities of that respective VIE. All assets of the Company are pledged as security for the Company’s outstanding debt, including debt held by the VIEs. For further information regarding the assets and liabilities included in the Company's consolidated accounts, see Note 4—Variable Interest Entities.
The accompanying notes are an integral part of these unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements.
6


Elevate Credit, Inc. and Subsidiaries
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS (UNAUDITED)
Three Months Ended September 30, Nine Months Ended September 30,
(Dollars in thousands, except share and per share amounts) 2021 2020 2021 2020
Revenues
$ 112,835  $ 94,164  $ 287,108  $ 374,622 
Cost of sales:
Provision for loan losses
54,903  13,164  103,098  133,216 
     Direct marketing costs
15,406  2,585  30,353  13,898 
     Other cost of sales
4,766  1,672  9,718  5,949 
Total cost of sales
75,075  17,421  143,169  153,063 
Gross profit
37,760  76,743  143,939  221,559 
Operating expenses:
Compensation and benefits
20,445  23,921  58,038  64,239 
Professional services
8,423  8,236  24,161  24,633 
Selling and marketing
1,277  610  2,520  2,468 
Occupancy and equipment
5,521  4,717  15,766  14,196 
Depreciation and amortization
4,544  4,588  14,339  13,413 
Other
656  590  2,242  2,568 
Total operating expenses
40,866  42,662  117,066  121,517 
Operating income (loss)
(3,106) 34,081  26,873  100,042 
Other expense:
Net interest expense (See Note 13)
(9,544) (11,575) (26,897) (37,408)
Non-operating income (loss)
(198) (1,007) 519  (6,692)
Total other expense
(9,742) (12,582) (26,378) (44,100)
Income (loss) from continuing operations before taxes
(12,848) 21,499  495  55,942 
Income tax expense (benefit)
(1,843) 4,883  1,829  15,311 
Net income (loss) from continuing operations
(11,005) 16,616  (1,334) 40,631 
Net income (loss) from discontinued operations
—  4,465  —  (15,908)
Net income (loss)
$ (11,005) $ 21,081  $ (1,334) $ 24,723 

Basic earnings per share
Continuing operations
$ (0.33) $ 0.41  $ (0.04) $ 0.97 
Discontinued operations
—  0.11  —  (0.38)
Basic earnings (loss) per share
$ (0.33) $ 0.52  $ (0.04) $ 0.59 

Diluted earnings per share
Continuing operations
$ (0.33) $ 0.41  $ (0.04) $ 0.95 
Discontinued operations
—  0.11  —  (0.37)
Diluted earnings (loss) per share
$ (0.33) $ 0.52  $ (0.04) $ 0.58 

Basic weighted average shares outstanding
33,786,968  40,230,256  34,841,624  41,856,894 
Diluted weighted average shares outstanding
33,786,968  40,762,330  34,841,624  42,624,808 
The accompanying notes are an integral part of these unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements.
7

Elevate Credit, Inc. and Subsidiaries
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF COMPREHENSIVE INCOME (LOSS) (UNAUDITED)
(Dollars in thousands) Three Months Ended September 30, Nine Months Ended September 30,
2021 2020 2021 2020
Net income (loss)
$ (11,005) $ 21,081  $ (1,334) $ 24,723 
Other comprehensive income (loss), net of tax:
Foreign currency translation adjustment, net of tax of $0 for both the three months ended 2021 and 2020, and $0 and $(14) for the nine months ended 2021 and 2020, respectively
—  —  —  (2,061)
Reclassification of Cumulative translation adjustment to Net loss from discontinued operations
—  —  —  2,334 
Reversal of Deferred tax asset associated with Cumulative translation adjustment
—  —  —  (1,369)
Total other comprehensive income (loss), net of tax
—  —  —  (1,096)
Total comprehensive income (loss)
$ (11,005) $ 21,081  $ (1,334) $ 23,627 
The accompanying notes are an integral part of these unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements.
8

Elevate Credit, Inc. and Subsidiaries
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY (UNAUDITED)
For the periods ended September 30, 2021 and 2020
(Dollars in thousands except share amounts) Preferred Stock
Common Stock
Additional
paid-in
capital
Treasury Stock Accumulated
deficit
Accumulated
other
comprehensive
income (loss)
Total
Shares Amount Shares Amount Shares Amount
Balances at December 31, 2019
—  —  43,676,826  $ 18  $ 193,061  768,910  $ (3,344) $ (34,342) $ 1,096  $ 156,489 
Share-based compensation -US
—  —  —  —  2,748  —  —  —  —  2,748 
Share-based compensation -UK
—  —  —  —  27  —  —  —  —  27 
Exercise of stock options, net
—  —  34,185  —  (51) —  —  —  —  (51)
Vesting of restricted stock units, net
—  —  28,913  —  (314) —  —  —  —  (314)
Comprehensive loss:
Foreign currency translation adjustment net of tax of $(14)
—  —  —  —  —  —  —  —  (2,003) (2,003)
Treasury stock acquired
—  —  (928,386) —  —  928,386  (4,203) —  —  (4,203)
Treasury stock reissued for RSUs vesting
—  —  188,961  —  —  (188,961) 830  (830) —  — 
Net income from continuing operations
—  —  —  —  —  —  —  7,922  —  7,922 
Net loss from discontinued operations
—  —  —  —  —  —  —  (12,833) —  (12,833)
Balances at March 31, 2020
—  —  43,000,499  $ 18  $ 195,471  1,508,335  $ (6,717) $ (40,083) $ (907) $ 147,782 
Share-based compensation -US
—  —  —  —  2,599  —  —  —  —  2,599 
Share-based compensation -UK
—  —  —  —  18  —  —  —  —  18 
Vesting of restricted stock units, net
—  —  171,020  —  (253) —  —  —  —  (253)
ESPP shares issued
—  —  280,584  —  353  —  —  —  —  353 
Comprehensive loss:
Foreign currency translation adjustment net of tax of $1,369
—  —  —  —  —  —  —  —  907  907 
Treasury stock acquired
—  —  (2,041,193) —  —  2,041,193  (3,827) —  —  (3,827)
Treasury stock reissued for RSUs vesting
—  —  596,257  —  —  (596,257) 2,589  (2,589) —  — 
Net income from continuing operations
—  —  —  —  —  —  —  16,093  —  16,093 
Net loss from discontinued operations
—  —  —  —  —  —  —  (7,540) —  (7,540)
Balances at June 30, 2020

—  —  42,007,167  $ 18  $ 198,188  2,953,271  $ (7,955) $ (34,119) $ —  $ 156,132 
The accompanying notes are an integral part of these unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements.
9

Elevate Credit, Inc. and Subsidiaries
(Dollars in thousands except share amounts) Preferred Stock
Common Stock
Additional
paid-in
capital
Treasury Stock Accumulated
deficit
Accumulated
other
comprehensive
income (loss)
Total
Shares Amount Shares Amount Shares Amount
Balances at June 30, 2020
—  —  42,007,167  $ 18  $ 198,188  2,953,271  $ (7,955) $ (34,119) $ —  $ 156,132 
Share-based compensation -US
—  —  —  —  1,166  —  —  —  —  1,166 
Vesting of restricted stock units, net
—  —  —  —  (160) —  —  —  —  (160)
Comprehensive loss:
Treasury stock acquired
—  —  (3,122,680) —  —  3,122,680  (6,709) —  —  (6,709)
Treasury stock reissued for RSUs vesting
—  —  198,407  —  —  (198,407) 889  (889) —  — 
Net income from continuing operations
—  —  —  —  —  —  —  16,616  —  16,616 
Net income from discontinued operations
—  —  —  —  —  —  —  4,465  —  4,465 
Balances at September 30, 2020
—  —  39,082,894  $ 18  $ 199,194  5,877,544  $ (13,775) $ (13,927) $ —  $ 171,510 
The accompanying notes are an integral part of these unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements.
10

Elevate Credit, Inc. and Subsidiaries
(Dollars in thousands except share amounts) Preferred Stock
Common Stock
Additional
paid-in
capital
Treasury Stock Accumulated
deficit
Accumulated
other
comprehensive
income (loss)
Total
Shares Amount Shares Amount Shares Amount
Balances at December 31, 2020
—  —  37,954,138  $ 18  $ 200,433  7,006,300  $ (16,492) $ (20,101) $ —  $ 163,858 
Share-based compensation -US
—  —  —  —  1,602  —  —  —  —  1,602 
Treasury stock acquired
—  —  (2,480,741) —  —  2,480,741  (10,813) —  —  (10,813)
Treasury stock reissued for RSUs vesting
—  —  169,091  —  (417) (169,091) 621  (621) —  (417)
Treasury stock reissued for stock option exercise
—  —  12,500  —  —  (12,500) 73  (46) —  27 
Net income from continuing operations
—  —  —  —  —  —  —  12,716  —  12,716 
Balances at March 31, 2021
—  —  35,654,988  $ 18  $ 201,618  9,305,450  $ (26,611) $ (8,052) $ —  $ 166,973 
Share-based compensation -US
—  —  —  —  1,787  —  —  —  —  1,787 
Treasury stock acquired
—  —  (2,339,085) —  —  2,339,085  (7,954) —  —  (7,954)
Treasury stock reissued for RSUs vesting
—  —  532,365  —  (562) (532,365) 687  (687) —  (562)
Treasury stock reissued for ESPP purchases
—  —  149,613  —  207  (149,613) 246  —  —  453 
Net loss from continuing operations
—  —  —  —  —  —  —  (3,045) —  (3,045)
Balances at June 30, 2021

—  —  33,997,881  $ 18  $ 203,050  10,962,557  $ (33,632) $ (11,784) $ —  $ 157,652 
Share-based compensation -US
—  —  —  —  1,559  —  —  —  —  1,559 
Treasury stock acquired
—  —  (1,566,474) —  —  1,566,474  (5,686) —  —  (5,686)
Treasury stock reissued for RSUs vesting
—  —  117,030  —  (412) (117,030) 222  (14) —  (204)
Net loss from continuing operations
—  —  —  —  —  —  —  (11,005) —  (11,005)
Balances at September 30, 2021

—  —  32,548,437  $ 18  $ 204,197  12,412,001  $ (39,096) $ (22,803) $ —  $ 142,316 
The accompanying notes are an integral part of these unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements.
11

Elevate Credit, Inc. and Subsidiaries
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS (UNAUDITED)
(Dollars in thousands) Nine Months Ended September 30,
2021 2020
CASH FLOWS FROM OPERATING ACTIVITIES:
Net income (loss)
$ (1,334) $ 24,723 
Less: Net loss from discontinued operations, net of tax
—  15,908 
Net income (loss) from continuing operations
(1,334) 40,631 
Adjustments to reconcile net income (loss) to net cash provided by operating activities:
Depreciation and amortization
14,339  13,413 
Provision for loan losses
103,098  133,216 
Share-based compensation
4,948  6,513 
Amortization of debt issuance costs
540  515 
Amortization of loan premium
3,283  3,734 
Amortization of operating leases
(590) (378)
Deferred income tax expense, net
1,343  14,178 
Non-operating (gain) loss
(519) 6,692 
Changes in operating assets and liabilities:
Prepaid expenses and other assets
(3,282) (3,305)
Income taxes payable
382  1,156 
Receivables from payment processors
(2,118) 3,470 
Receivables from CSO lenders
1,255  3,436 
Interest receivable
(22,982) (30,417)
State and other taxes payable
—  (91)
Deferred revenue
(176) (5,558)
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities
13,379  (9,500)
Net cash provided by continuing operating activities
111,566  177,705 
Net cash provided by discontinued operating activities
—  1,286 
Net cash provided by operating activities
111,566  178,991 
CASH FLOWS FROM INVESTING ACTIVITIES:
Loans receivable originated or participations purchased
(656,404) (419,472)
Principal collections and recoveries on loans receivable
471,615  514,316 
Participation premium paid
(4,020) (2,823)
Purchases of property and equipment
(11,903) (12,867)
Proceeds from sale of intangible assets
1,250  — 
Net cash provided by (used in) continuing investing activities
(199,462) 79,154 
Net cash provided by discontinued investing activities
—  9,457 
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities
(199,462) 88,611 
The accompanying notes are an integral part of these unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements.
12

Elevate Credit, Inc. and Subsidiaries
  Nine Months Ended September 30,
(Dollars in thousands) 2021 2020
CASH FLOWS FROM FINANCING ACTIVITIES:
Proceeds from notes payable
$ 109,500  $ 6,500 
Payments of notes payable
(112,550) (94,000)
Debt issuance costs paid
(75) (253)
ESPP shares issued
453  354 
Common stock repurchased
(24,453) (14,739)
Proceeds from stock option exercises
27  27 
Taxes paid related to net share settlement of equity awards
(1,183) (804)
Net cash used in continuing financing activities
(28,281) (102,915)
Net cash used in discontinued financing activities
—  (16,310)
Net cash used in financing activities
(28,281) (119,225)
Net increase (decrease) in cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash
(116,177) 148,377 
Change in cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash from discontinued operations
—  5,567 
Change in cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash from continuing operations
(116,177) 153,944 
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period
197,983  71,215 
Restricted cash, beginning of period
3,135  2,235 
Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash, beginning of period
201,118  73,450 

Cash and cash equivalents, end of period
79,979  224,259 
Restricted cash, end of period
4,962  3,135 
Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash, end of period
$ 84,941  $ 227,394 

Supplemental cash flow information:
Interest paid
$ 26,939  $ 36,979 
Taxes paid
$ 148  $ 397 

Non-cash activities:
CSO fees charged-off included in Deferred revenues and Loans receivable
$ 38  $ 684 
CSO fees on loans paid-off prior to maturity included in Receivable from CSO lenders and Deferred revenue
$ $ 42 
Annual membership fee included in Deferred revenues and Loans receivable
$ —  $ 108 
Reissuances of Treasury stock
$ 1,530  $ 4,308 
Impact of deferred tax asset included in Other comprehensive income
$ —  $ 1,354 


The accompanying notes are an integral part of these unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements.
13

Elevate Credit, Inc. and Subsidiaries
NOTES TO THE CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (UNAUDITED)
For the three and nine months ended September 30, 2021 and 2020
NOTE 1 - BASIS OF PRESENTATION AND ACCOUNTING CHANGES
Business Operations
Elevate Credit, Inc. (the “Company”) is a Delaware corporation. The Company provides technology-driven, progressive online credit solutions to non-prime consumers. The Company uses advanced technology and proprietary risk analytics to provide more convenient and more responsible financial options to its customers, who are not well-served by either banks or legacy non-prime lenders. The Company currently offers unsecured online installment loans, lines of credit and credit cards in the United States (the “US”). The Company’s products, Rise, Elastic and Today Card, reflect its mission of “Good Today, Better Tomorrow” and provide customers with access to competitively priced credit and services while helping them build a brighter financial future with credit building and financial wellness features. In the United Kingdom ("UK"), the Company previously offered unsecured installment loans via the internet through its wholly owned subsidiary, Elevate Credit International Limited, (“ECIL”) under the brand name of Sunny. On June 29, 2020, ECIL entered into administration in accordance with the provisions of the UK Insolvency Act 1986 and pursuant to a resolution of the board of directors of ECIL. The onset of Coronavirus Disease 2019 ("COVID-19") coupled with the lack of clarity within the UK regulatory environment led to the decision to place ECIL into administration. The management, business, affairs and property of ECIL have been placed into the direct control of the appointed administrators, KPMG LLP. Accordingly, the Company deconsolidated ECIL as of June 29, 2020 and presents ECIL's results as discontinued operations for all periods presented. See Note 12—Discontinued Operations for more information regarding the presentation of ECIL.
Basis of Presentation
The accompanying unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements as of September 30, 2021 and for the three and nine month periods ended September 30, 2021 and 2020 include the accounts of the Company, its wholly owned subsidiaries and variable interest entities ("VIEs") where the Company is the primary beneficiary. All significant intercompany transactions and accounts have been eliminated.
The unaudited condensed consolidated financial information included in this report has been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the US (“US GAAP”) for interim financial information and Article 10 of Regulation S-X and conform, as applicable, to general practices within the finance company industry. The principles for interim financial information do not require the inclusion of all the information and footnotes required by US GAAP for complete financial statements. Therefore, these unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements should be read in conjunction with the consolidated financial statements for the year ended December 31, 2020 in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K, filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC") on February 26, 2021. In the opinion of the Company’s management, the unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements include all adjustments, all of which are of a normal recurring nature, necessary for a fair presentation of the results for the interim periods. The Company's business is seasonal in nature so the results of operations for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2021 are not necessarily indicative of the results to be expected for the full year.
Reclassification of Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income to Net Income (Loss) from Discontinued Operations
For the nine months ended September 30, 2020, the Company reclassified a $2.3 million net loss from cumulative translation adjustments within Accumulated other comprehensive income to Net income (loss) from discontinued operations as part of the Company's loss on disposal related to the placement of ECIL into administration. In addition, a $1.4 million deferred tax benefit was reclassified to remove the associated deferred tax asset as part of this transaction.
Use of Estimates
The preparation of the unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements in conformity with US GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities, disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period.



14

Elevate Credit, Inc. and Subsidiaries
NOTES TO THE CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (UNAUDITED) (Continued)
For the three and nine months ended September 30, 2021 and 2020

Significant items subject to such estimates and assumptions include the valuation of the allowance for loan losses, goodwill, long-lived and intangible assets, deferred revenues, contingencies, the income tax provision, valuation of share-based compensation, operating lease right of use assets, operating lease liabilities and the valuation allowance against deferred tax assets. The Company bases its estimates on historical experience, current data and assumptions that are believed to be reasonable. Actual results in future periods could differ from those estimates.
As the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic continues to evolve, estimates and assumptions about future events and their effects cannot be determined with certainty and therefore require increased judgment. These estimates and assumptions may change in future periods and will be recognized in the condensed consolidated financial statements as new events occur and additional information becomes known. To the extent the Company’s actual results differ materially from those estimates and assumptions, the Company's future financial statements could be affected.
Revenue Recognition
The Company recognizes consumer loan fees as revenues for each of the loan products it offers. Revenues on the Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations include: finance charges, lines of credit fees, fees for services provided through CSO programs (“CSO fees”), and interest, as well as any other fees or charges permitted by applicable laws and pursuant to the agreement with the borrower. Other revenues also include marketing and licensing fees received from the originating lender related to the Elastic product and Rise bank-originated loans and from CSO fees related to the Rise product. Revenues related to these fees are recognized when the service is performed.
The Company accrues finance charges on installment loans on a constant yield basis over their terms. The Company accrues and defers fixed fees such as CSO fees and lines of credit fees when they are assessed and recognizes them to earnings as they are earned over the life of the loan. The Company accrues interest on credit cards based on the amount of the credit card balance outstanding and the related contractual interest rate. Credit card membership fees are amortized to revenue over the card membership period. Other credit card fees, such as late payment fees and returned payment fees, are accrued when assessed. The Company does not accrue finance charges and other fees on installment loans or lines of credit for which payment is greater than 60 days past due. Credit card interest charges are recognized based on the contractual provisions of the underlying arrangements and are not accrued when payment is past due more than 90 days. Installment loans and lines of credit are considered past due if a grace period has not been requested and a scheduled payment is not paid on its due date. Credit cards have a grace period of 25 days and are considered delinquent after the grace period. Payments received on past due loans are applied against the loan and accrued interest balance to bring the loan current. Payments are generally first applied to accrued fees and interest and then to the principal loan balance.
The spread of COVID-19 since March 2020 has created a global public health crisis that has resulted in unprecedented disruption to businesses and economies. In response to the pandemic's effects, and in accordance with federal and state guidelines, the Company expanded its payment flexibility programs for its customers, including payment deferrals. This program allows for a deferral of payments for an initial period of 30 to 60 days, and generally up to a maximum of 180 days on a cumulative basis. A customer will return to the normal payment schedule after the end of the deferral period with the extension of the maturity date equivalent to the deferral period, which is generally not to exceed an additional 180 days. In the third quarter of 2021, the Company no longer offered specific COVID-19 payment assistance programs, but continues to offer other payment flexibility programs if certain qualifications are met. The finance charges will continue to accrue at a lower effective interest rate over the expected term of the loan as adjusted for the deferral period provided (not to exceed an amount greater than the amount at which the borrower could settle the loan) or placed on non-accrual status.
The Company’s business is affected by seasonality, which can cause significant changes in portfolio size and profit margins from quarter to quarter. Although this seasonality does not impact the Company’s policies for revenue recognition, it does generally impact the Company’s results of operations by potentially causing an increase in its profit margins in the first quarter of the year and decreased margins in the second through fourth quarters.



15

Elevate Credit, Inc. and Subsidiaries
NOTES TO THE CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (UNAUDITED) (Continued)
For the three and nine months ended September 30, 2021 and 2020

Installment Loans, Lines of Credit and Credit Cards
Installment loans, lines of credit and credit cards, including receivables for finance charges, fees and interest, are unsecured and reported as Loans receivable, net of allowance for loan losses on the Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets. Installment loans are multi-payment loans that require the pay-down of portions of the outstanding principal balance in multiple installments through the Rise brand. Line of credit accounts include customer cash advances made through the Elastic brand and the Rise brand in two states (which were discontinued in September 2020). Credit cards represent credit card receivable balances, uncollected billed interest and fees through the Today Card brand.
The Company offers Rise installment products directly to customers. Elastic lines of credit, Rise bank-originated installment loans and Today credit card receivables represent participation interests acquired from third-party lenders through a wholly owned subsidiary or by a VIE. Based on agreements with the third-party lenders, the VIEs pay a loan premium on the participation interests purchased. The loan premium is amortized over the expected life of the outstanding loan amount. See Note 4—Variable Interest Entities for more information regarding these participation interests in Rise and Elastic receivables.
The Company considers impaired loans as accounts over 60 days past due (for installment loans and lines of credit) or 120 days past due (for credit cards), or loans which become uncollectible based on information that the Company becomes aware of (e.g., receipt of customer bankruptcy notice). The impaired loans are charged-off at the time that they are deemed to be uncollectible.
A modification of finance receivable terms is considered a troubled debt restructuring ("TDR") if the borrower is experiencing financial difficulty and the Company grants a concession it would not otherwise have considered to a borrower. The Company typically considers TDRs to include all installment and line of credit loans that were modified by granting principal and interest forgiveness or by extension of the maturity date for more than 60 days as a part of a loss mitigation strategy.
On March 22, 2020, federal and state banking regulators issued a joint statement on working with customers affected by COVID-19 (the "Interagency Statement"). The Interagency Statement includes guidance on accounting for loan modifications. In accordance with the Interagency Statement, the Company, and the bank originators the Company supports, have elected to not recognize modified loans as TDRs if the borrower was both: 1) not more than 30 days past due as of March 1, 2020 (or at the requested modification date if originated on or after March 1, 2020); and 2) the modification stems from the effects of the COVID-19 outbreak. The modifications offered by the Company to borrowers that meet both qualifications may include short-term payment deferrals less than six months, interest or fee waivers, extensions of payment terms or delays in payment that are insignificant. If the borrower was not current at March 1, 2020, the Company offers similar modifications that are considered TDRs. This election is applicable from March 1, 2020 until the earlier of 60 days following the date the COVID-19 national emergency comes to an end or January 1, 2022. Effective July 1, 2021, the Company no longer offers specific COVID-19 payment assistance programs and no longer applies the TDR relief provision provided by the Interagency Statement. The Company, along with the bank originators it supports, continues to offer other payment flexibility programs if certain qualifications are met and will apply the TDR guidelines previously established.
Operating Segments
The Company determines operating segments based on how its chief operating decision-maker manages the business, including making operating decisions, deciding how to allocate resources and evaluating operating performance. The Company's chief operating decision-maker is its Chief Executive Officer, who reviews the Company's operating results monthly on a consolidated basis.
The Company has one reportable segment, which provides online financial services for non-prime consumers. The Company has aggregated all components of its business into a single reportable segment based on the similarities of the economic characteristics, the nature of the products and services, the distribution methods, the type of customers and the nature of the regulatory environments. With the disposal of ECIL, all of the Company's assets and revenue are in one geographic location, therefore, segment reporting based on geography has been discontinued.
Property and Equipment, net
Property and equipment are stated at cost, net of accumulated depreciation and amortization. The following table summarizes the components of net property and equipment. In January 2021 and September 2021, certain assets were determined to be impaired in relation to subleases of facility space.



16

Elevate Credit, Inc. and Subsidiaries
NOTES TO THE CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (UNAUDITED) (Continued)
For the three and nine months ended September 30, 2021 and 2020

(Dollars in thousands) September 30, 2021 December 31, 2020
Property and equipment, gross
$ 127,731  $ 116,748 
Accumulated depreciation and amortization
(95,874) (82,748)
Property and equipment, net
$ 31,857  $ 34,000 
Goodwill and Indefinite Lived Intangible Assets
Goodwill represents the excess of the purchase price over the fair value of the net tangible and identifiable intangible assets acquired in each business combination. In accordance with Accounting Standards Codification ("ASC") 350-20-35, Goodwill— Subsequent Measurement, the Company performs a quantitative approach method impairment review of goodwill and intangible assets with an indefinite life annually at October 1 and between annual tests if an event occurs or circumstances change that would more likely than not reduce the fair value of a reporting unit below its carrying amount. As a result of the recent global economic impact and uncertainty due to COVID-19, the Company concluded a triggering event had occurred as of March 31, 2020, and accordingly, performed interim impairment testing on the goodwill balances of its reporting units. The Company performed a detailed qualitative and quantitative assessment of each reporting unit and concluded that the goodwill associated with the previously consolidated UK reporting unit was impaired as the fair value of the UK reporting unit was less than its carrying amount. The impairment loss of $9.3 million was included in Loss from discontinued operations due to the deconsolidation of ECIL. While there was a decline in the fair value of the Elastic reporting unit at March 31, 2020, there was no impairment identified during the quantitative assessment. The Company completed its annual test as of October 1, 2020 and determined that there was no evidence of impairment of goodwill or indefinite lived intangible assets. The Company has $6.8 million of goodwill (all related to the Elastic reporting unit) remaining on the Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets as of September 30, 2021.
Prior to the adoption of ASU No. 2017-04, Intangibles—Goodwill and Other (Topic 350): Simplifying the Test for Goodwill Impairment ("ASU 2017-04"), the Company’s impairment evaluation of goodwill was already based on comparing the fair value of the Company’s reporting units to their carrying value. The adoption of ASU 2017-04 as of January 1, 2020 had no impact on the Company's evaluation procedures. The fair value of the reporting units is determined based on a weighted average of the income and market approaches. The income approach establishes fair value based on estimated future cash flows of the reporting units, discounted by an estimated weighted-average cost of capital developed using the capital asset pricing model, which reflects the overall level of inherent risk of the reporting units. The income approach uses the Company’s projections of financial performance for a six- to nine-year period and includes assumptions about future revenues growth rates, operating margins and terminal values. The market approach establishes fair value by applying cash flow multiples to the reporting units’ operating performance. The multiples are derived from other publicly traded companies that are similar but not identical to the Company from an operational and economic standpoint.
Leases
The Company determines if an arrangement is a lease at inception. Operating leases are included in Operating lease right of use (“ROU”) assets and Operating lease liabilities on its Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets. Operating lease ROU assets and operating lease liabilities are recognized based on the present value of the future minimum lease payments over the lease term at the commencement date. As most of its leases do not provide an implicit rate, the Company uses its incremental borrowing rate based on the information available at the commencement date in determining the present value of future payments. The operating lease ROU asset may also include initial direct costs incurred and excludes any lease payments made and lease incentives. The Company's lease terms may include options to extend or terminate the lease when it is reasonably certain that the Company will exercise that option. Lease expense for minimum lease payments is recognized on a straight-line basis over the lease term. The Company has lease agreements with lease and non-lease components. The lease and non-lease components are accounted for as a single lease component. In accordance with ASC 360-10-35, Property, Plant & Equipment— Subsequent Measurement, the Company evaluates its ROU assets along with its Property and equipment, net for impairment annually and between annual tests as needed based on changes in circumstances or other triggering events. During the first and third quarters of 2021, the Company entered into subleases for facility space, triggering impairment assessments. The Company determined both of the asset groups with the subleased ROU assets and related LHI were impaired. Total impairment losses for the asset groups of $198 thousand and $940 thousand for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2021, respectively, are included in Non-operating income (loss) in the Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations.



17

Elevate Credit, Inc. and Subsidiaries
NOTES TO THE CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (UNAUDITED) (Continued)
For the three and nine months ended September 30, 2021 and 2020

Treasury Stock
The Company evaluates each stock repurchase transaction in the period in which it is completed. If the repurchase transaction is significantly in excess of the current market price at purchase, the Company will identify whether the price paid included payment for other agreements, rights, and privileges. Repurchase transactions that do not contain these elements or are not significantly in excess of the current market price at purchase are accounted for using the cost method. The Company anticipates using its treasury stock to fulfill certain employee stock compensation grants and settlements. The Company has elected to use a first in, first out ("FIFO") method for assigning share cost at reissuance. Any gain or loss in the stock value will be credited or charged to paid in capital upon subsequent reissuance of the shares, with losses in excess of previously recognized gains charged to retained earnings. The Company is not obligated to purchase or reissue any shares at any time in accordance with its previously disclosed share repurchase plan.
Recently Adopted Accounting Standards
In August 2018, the FASB issued Accounting Standards Update ("ASU") No. 2018-15, Intangibles—Goodwill and Other—Internal-Use Software (Subtopic 350-40): Customer's Accounting for Implementation Costs Incurred in a Cloud Computing Arrangement That Is a Service Contract ("ASU 2018-15"). The purpose of ASU 2018-15 is to provide additional guidance on the accounting for costs of implementation activities performed in a cloud computing arrangement that is a service contract. This guidance is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2019, and interim periods within those fiscal years. The Company elected to adopt this ASU prospectively as of January 1, 2020 and has implemented a control structure to identify cloud computing arrangements for appropriate accounting treatment similar to its procedures for right of use assets. At September 30, 2021 and December 31, 2020, the Company had net capitalized implementation costs associated with cloud computing arrangements of $2.6 million and $1.0 million, respectively, included in Prepaid expenses and other assets on the Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets. For the three and nine months ended September 30, 2021, the Company recognized $215.5 thousand and $365.4 thousand in amortization expense, respectively, within Occupancy and equipment in the Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations. Amortization expense recognized in 2020 was immaterial. At adoption, ASU 2018-15 did not have a material impact on the Company's condensed consolidated financial statements.
In August 2018, the FASB issued ASU No. 2018-13, Fair Value Measurement (Topic 820): Disclosure Framework—Changes to the Disclosure Requirements for Fair Value Measurement ("ASU 2018-13"). The purpose of ASU 2018-13 is to modify the disclosure requirements on fair value measurements in Topic 820, Fair Value Measurement. This guidance is effective for public companies for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2019, and interim periods within those fiscal years and requires both a prospective and retrospective approach to adoption based on amendment specifications. Early adoption of any removed or modified disclosures is permitted. Additional disclosures may be delayed until their effective date. The adoption of ASU 2018-13 at January 1, 2020 did not have a material impact on the Company's condensed consolidated financial statements.
In January 2017, the FASB issued ASU No. 2017-04, Intangibles—Goodwill and Other (Topic 350): Simplifying the Test for Goodwill Impairment ("ASU 2017-04"). The purpose of ASU 2017-04 is to simplify the subsequent measurement of goodwill. The amendments modify the concept of impairment from the condition that exists when the carrying amount of goodwill exceeds its implied fair value to the condition that exists when the carrying amount of a reporting unit exceeds its fair value. An entity no longer will determine goodwill impairment by calculating the implied fair value of goodwill by assigning the fair value of a reporting unit to all of its assets and liabilities as if that reporting unit had been acquired in a business combination. This guidance is effective for public companies for goodwill impairment tests in fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2019. The Company has adopted all of the amendments of ASU 2017-04 as of January 2020 with no impact to the Company's condensed consolidated financial statements. The Company used the simplified subsequent measurement requirements per ASU 2017-04 in its impairment analysis.
On March 27, 2020, the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act ("CARES Act") was enacted in response to COVID-19. Among other things, the CARES Act provides income tax relief inclusive of permitting NOL carryovers and carrybacks to offset 100% of taxable income for taxable years beginning before 2021. In addition, the CARES Act allows NOLs incurred in 2018, 2019, and 2020 to be carried back to each of the five preceding taxable years to generate a refund of previously paid income taxes. The Company has reviewed the tax relief provisions of the CARES Act regarding its eligibility and determined that the impact is likely to be insignificant with regard to its effective tax rate. Certain portions of the CARES Act were amended by the Consolidated Appropriations Act ("CAA") on December 27, 2020. The Company continues to monitor and evaluate its eligibility for the amended CARES Act tax relief provisions to identify any that may become applicable in the future.



18

Elevate Credit, Inc. and Subsidiaries
NOTES TO THE CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (UNAUDITED) (Continued)
For the three and nine months ended September 30, 2021 and 2020

On March 11, 2021, the American Rescue Plan Act ("ARP Act") was signed into law. The Company reviewed the tax relief provisions of the ARP Act, including the Company's eligibility for such provisions, and determined that the impact is likely to be insignificant with regard to the Company's effective tax rate. The Company continues to monitor and evaluate its eligibility under the ARP Act tax relief provisions to identify any portions that may become applicable in the future.
In December 2019, the FASB issued ASU No. 2019-12, Income Taxes (Topic 740): Simplifying the Accounting for Income Taxes ("ASU 2019-12"). The purpose of ASU 2019-12 is to reduce complexity in the accounting standards for income taxes by removing certain exceptions as well as clarifying certain allocations. This update also addresses the split recognition of franchise taxes that are partially based on income between income-based tax and non-income-based tax. This guidance is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2020, and interim periods within those fiscal years. Early adoption is permitted. The adoption of ASU 2019-12 at January 1, 2021 did not have a material impact on the Company's condensed consolidated financial statements.
Accounting Standards to be Adopted in Future Periods
In March 2020, the FASB issued ASU No. 2020-03, Codification Improvements to Financial Instruments ("ASU 2020-03"). The purpose of ASU 2020-03 is to clarify, correct errors in or make minor improvements to the codification. Among other revisions, the amendments clarify that an entity should record an allowance for credit losses when an entity regains control of financial assets sold in accordance with Topic 326. ASU 2020-03 also clarifies disclosure requirements for debt securities under Topic 942 and affirms that all entities are required to provide the fair value option disclosures within paragraphs 825-10-50-24 through 50-32 of the codification. The amendments in this update are effective on the latter of the issuance of ASU 2020-03 or the effective date of their related topic. The Company does not anticipate the adoption of ASU 2020-03 to have a material impact on the Company's condensed consolidated financial statements.
In March 2020, the FASB issued ASU No. 2020-04, Reference Rate Reform (Topic 848): Facilitation of the Effects of Reference Rate Reform on Financial Reporting ("ASU 2020-04"). The purpose of ASU 2020-04 is to provide optional guidance for a period of time related to accounting for reference rate reform on financial reporting. It is intended to reduce the potential burden of reviewing contract modifications related to discontinued rates. The amendments and expedients in this update are effective as of March 12, 2020 through December 31, 2022 and may be elected by topic. The Company is assessing the potential impact of electing all or portions of ASU 2020-04 on the Company's condensed consolidated financial statements.
In June 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-13, Financial Instruments—Credit Losses (Topic 326): Measurement of Credit Losses on Financial Instruments ("ASU 2016-13"). ASU 2016-13 is intended to replace the incurred loss impairment methodology in current US GAAP with a methodology that reflects expected credit losses and requires consideration of a broader range of reasonable and supportable information to inform credit loss estimates to improve the quality of information available to financial statement users about expected credit losses on financial instruments and other commitments to extend credit held by a reporting entity at each reporting date. In April 2019, the FASB issued ASU No. 2019-04, Codification Improvements to Topic 326, Financial Instruments ("ASU 2019-04"). This amendment clarifies the guidance in ASU 2016-13. The guidance in ASU 2016-13 was further clarified by ASU No. 2019-11, Codification Improvements to Topic 326, Financial Instruments ("ASU 2019-11") issued in November 2019. ASU 2019-11 provides transition relief such as permitting entities an accounting policy election regarding existing TDRs, among other things. In May 2019, the FASB issued ASU No. 2019-05, Financial Instruments-Credit Losses (Topic 326): Targeted Transition Relief ("ASU 2019-05"). The purpose of this amendment is to provide entities that have certain instruments within the scope of Subtopic 326-20, Financial Instruments-Credit Losses-Measured at Amortized Cost, with an option to irrevocably elect the fair value option in Subtopic 825-10, Financial Instruments-Overall, on an instrument-by-instrument basis. Election of this option is intended to increase comparability of financial statement information and reduce costs for certain entities to comply with ASU 2016-13.



19

Elevate Credit, Inc. and Subsidiaries
NOTES TO THE CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (UNAUDITED) (Continued)
For the three and nine months ended September 30, 2021 and 2020

For public entities, ASU 2016-13 is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2019, including interim periods within those fiscal years. In November 2019, the FASB issued ASU No. 2019-10, Financial Instruments - Credit Losses (Topic 326), Derivatives and Hedging (Topic 815), and Leases (Topic 842): Effective Dates ("ASU 2019-10"). The purpose of this amendment is to create a two-tier rollout of major updates, staggering the effective dates between larger public companies and all other entities. This granted certain classes of companies, including Smaller Reporting Companies ("SRCs"), additional time to implement major FASB standards, including ASU 2016-13. Larger public companies will still have an effective date for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2019, including interim periods within those fiscal years. All other entities are permitted to defer adoption of ASU 2016-13, and its related amendments, until fiscal periods beginning after December 15, 2022. In February 2020, the FASB issued ASU No. 2020-02, Financial Instruments - Credit Losses (Topic 326), and Leases (Topic 842): Amendments to SEC Paragraphs Pursuant to SEC Staff Accounting Bulletin No. 119 and Update to SEC Section on Effective Date Related to Accounting Standards Update No. 2016-12 ("ASU 2020-02"). ASU 2020-02 updates the SEC staff guidance related to ASU 2016-13 and all contingent amendments. Under the current SEC definitions, the Company meets the definition of an SRC as of the ASU 2019-10 issuance date and is eligible for the deferral period for ASU 2016-13. The Company has developed a project plan and engaged a consultant to assist with the implementation of ASU 2016-13. The Company is assessing the potential impact of earlier adoption of ASU 2016-13 on the Company's condensed consolidated financial statements and expects this adoption to have a material impact to the financial statements.

NOTE 2 - EARNINGS PER SHARE
Basic earnings per share ("EPS") is computed by dividing net income (loss) by the weighted average number of common shares outstanding ("WASO") during each period. Also, basic EPS includes any fully vested stock and unit awards that have not yet been issued as common stock. There are no unissued fully vested stock and unit awards at September 30, 2021 and 2020.
Diluted EPS is computed by dividing net income (loss) by the WASO during each period plus any unvested stock option awards granted, vested unexercised stock options and unvested restricted stock units ("RSUs") using the treasury stock method but only to the extent that these instruments dilute earnings per share.



20

Elevate Credit, Inc. and Subsidiaries
NOTES TO THE CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (UNAUDITED) (Continued)
For the three and nine months ended September 30, 2021 and 2020

The computation of earnings per share was as follows for three and nine months ended September 30, 2021 and 2020: 
Three Months Ended September 30, Nine Months Ended September 30,
(Dollars in thousands, except share and per share amounts) 2021 2020 2021 2020
Numerator (basic and diluted):
Net income (loss) from continuing operations
$ (11,005) $ 16,616  $ (1,334) $ 40,631 
Net income (loss) from discontinued operations
—  4,465  —  (15,908)
Net income (loss)
$ (11,005) $ 21,081  $ (1,334) $ 24,723 

Denominator (basic):
Basic weighted average number of shares outstanding
33,786,968  40,230,256  34,841,624  41,856,894 

Denominator (diluted):
Basic weighted average number of shares outstanding
33,786,968  40,230,256  34,841,624  41,856,894 
Effect of potentially dilutive securities:
Employee share plans (options, RSUs and ESPP)
—  532,074  —  767,914 
Diluted weighted average number of shares outstanding
33,786,968  40,762,330  34,841,624  42,624,808 

Basic and diluted earnings (loss) per share:
Continuing operations
$ (0.33) $ 0.41  $ (0.04) $ 0.97 
Discontinued operations
—  0.11  —  (0.38)
Basic earnings (loss) per share
$ (0.33) $ 0.52  $ (0.04) $ 0.59 

Continuing operations
$ (0.33) $ 0.41  $ (0.04) $ 0.95 
Discontinued operations
—  0.11  —  (0.37)
Diluted earnings (loss) per share
$ (0.33) $ 0.52  $ (0.04) $ 0.58 
For the three months ended September 30, 2021 and 2020, the Company excluded the following potential common shares from its diluted earnings (loss) per share calculation because including these shares would be anti-dilutive:
859,024 and 2,136,079 common shares issuable upon exercise of the Company's stock options; and
2,622,009 and 2,300,612 common shares issuable upon vesting of the Company's RSUs.
For the nine months ended September 30, 2021 and 2020, the Company excluded the following potential common shares from its diluted earnings (loss) per share calculation because including these shares would be anti-dilutive:
878,574 and 1,499,488 common shares issuable upon exercise of the Company's stock options; and
2,862,857 and 2,713,045 common shares issuable upon vesting of the Company's RSUs.





21

Elevate Credit, Inc. and Subsidiaries
NOTES TO THE CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (UNAUDITED) (Continued)
For the three and nine months ended September 30, 2021 and 2020

NOTE 3 - LOANS RECEIVABLE AND REVENUE
Revenues generated from the Company’s consumer loans for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2021 and 2020 were as follows:
Three Months Ended September 30, Nine Months Ended September 30,
(Dollars in thousands) 2021 2020 2021 2020
Finance charges
$ 69,731  $ 54,348  $ 173,707  $ 222,078 
Lines of credit fees
41,743  36,758  110,103  137,603 
CSO fees
2,822  607  14,129 
Other
1,355  236  2,691  812 
Total revenues
$ 112,835  $ 94,164  $ 287,108  $ 374,622 
The Company's portfolio consists of installment loans, lines of credit and credit card receivables, which are considered the portfolio segments for all periods presented. The Rise product is primarily installment loans with lines of credit offered in two states, which ceased lines of credit origination activity in September 2020. The Elastic product is a line of credit product and the Today Card is a credit card product, both offered in the US.
The following reflects the credit quality of the Company’s loans receivable as of September 30, 2021 and December 31, 2020 as delinquency status has been identified as the primary credit quality indicator. The Company classifies its loans as either current or past due. A customer in good standing may request up to a 16-day grace period when or before a payment becomes due and, if granted, the loan is considered current during the grace period. In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Company, along with the banks it supports, had also expanded existing payment flexibility programs to provide temporary payment relief to certain customers who meet the program’s qualifications. These programs allow for a deferral of payments for an initial period of 30 to 60 days, which the Company may extend for an additional 30 days, generally for a maximum of 180 days on a cumulative basis. A customer will return to the normal payment schedule after the end of the deferral period, with the extension of the maturity date equivalent to the deferral period, which is generally not to exceed an additional 180 days. Under the COVID-19 payment flexibility programs, customers that were 30 days past due or less as of March 1, 2020 or the date the customer requested the deferral are considered current. Customers more than 30 days past due as of March 1, 2020 or the date the customer requested the deferral are considered delinquent. The COVID-19-specific payment flexibility programs were no longer offered effective July 1, 2021, eliminating any new payment deferrals up to 180 days. The Company, along with the bank originators it supports, continues to offer other payment flexibility programs if certain qualifications are met. As of September 30, 2021, 2.6% of customers that had loan balances outstanding have been provided relief through a payment deferral program for a total of $13.1 million in loans with deferred payments. The Company believes that the allowance for loan losses is adequate to absorb the losses inherent in the portfolio as of September 30, 2021.
Installment loans, lines of credit and credit cards not impacted by COVID are considered past due if a grace period has not been requested and a scheduled payment is not paid on its due date. All impaired loans that were not accounted for as a TDR as of September 30, 2021 and December 31, 2020 have been charged off.
September 30, 2021
(Dollars in thousands) Rise Elastic Today Total
Current loans
$ 268,199  $ 180,664  $ 30,785  $ 479,648 
Past due loans
37,621  11,845  4,357  53,823 
Total loans receivable
305,820  192,509  35,142  533,471 
Net unamortized loan premium
409  1,950  —  2,359 
Less: Allowance for loan losses
(40,188) (13,141) (2,880) (56,209)
Loans receivable, net
$ 266,041  $ 181,318  $ 32,262  $ 479,621 



22

Elevate Credit, Inc. and Subsidiaries
NOTES TO THE CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (UNAUDITED) (Continued)
For the three and nine months ended September 30, 2021 and 2020

December 31, 2020
(Dollars in thousands) Rise Elastic Today Total
Current loans
$ 222,937  $ 154,950  $ 12,954  $ 390,841 
Past due loans
22,383  6,926  1,564  30,873 
Total loans receivable
245,320  161,876  14,518  421,714 
Net unamortized loan premium
239  1,278  —  1,517 
Less: Allowance for loan losses
(33,288) (13,201) (1,910) (48,399)
Loans receivable, net
$ 212,271  $ 149,953  $ 12,608  $ 374,832 
Total loans receivable includes approximately $12.3 million and $19.2 million of loans in a non-accrual status at September 30, 2021 and December 31, 2020, respectively.
Additionally, total loans receivable includes approximately $23.0 million and $25.3 million of interest receivable at September 30, 2021 and December 31, 2020, respectively. The carrying value for Loans receivable, net of the allowance for loan losses approximates the fair value due to the short-term nature of the loans receivable.
The changes in the allowance for loan losses for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2021 and 2020 are as follows:
Three Months Ended September 30, 2021
(Dollars in thousands) Rise Elastic Today Total
Balance beginning of period
$ 28,099  $ 10,372  $ 1,850  $ 40,321 
Provision for loan losses
42,299  10,832  1,772  54,903 
Charge-offs
(34,986) (8,745) (785) (44,516)
Recoveries of prior charge-offs
4,776  682  43  5,501 
Total
40,188  13,141  2,880  56,209 
Accrual for CSO lender owned loans
—  —  —  — 
Balance end of period
$ 40,188  $ 13,141  $ 2,880  $ 56,209 

Three Months Ended September 30, 2020
(Dollars in thousands) Rise Elastic Today Total
Balance beginning of period
$ 40,614  $ 18,604  $ 1,376  $ 60,594 
Provision for loan losses
9,039  3,531  594  13,164 
Charge-offs
(18,059) (7,471) (388) (25,918)
Recoveries of prior charge-offs
2,723  751  16  3,490 
Total
34,317  15,415  1,598  51,330 
Accrual for CSO lender owned loans
(1,421) —  —  (1,421)
Balance end of period
$ 32,896  $ 15,415  $ 1,598  $ 49,909 

Nine Months Ended September 30, 2021
(Dollars in thousands) Rise Elastic Today Total
Balance beginning of period
$ 33,968  $ 13,201  $ 1,910  $ 49,079 
Provision for loan losses
78,453  21,377  3,268  103,098 
Charge-offs
(81,261) (23,658) (2,404) (107,323)
Recoveries of prior charge-offs
9,028  2,221  106  11,355 
Total
40,188  13,141  2,880  56,209 
Accrual for CSO lender owned loans
—  —  —  — 
Balance end of period
$ 40,188  $ 13,141  $ 2,880  $ 56,209 




23

Elevate Credit, Inc. and Subsidiaries
NOTES TO THE CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (UNAUDITED) (Continued)
For the three and nine months ended September 30, 2021 and 2020

Nine Months Ended September 30, 2020
(Dollars in thousands) Rise Elastic Today Total
Balance beginning of period
$ 52,099  $ 28,852  $ 1,041  $ 81,992 
Provision for loan losses
90,615  40,607  1,994  133,216 
Charge-offs
(120,189) (59,025) (1,503) (180,717)
Recoveries of prior charge-offs
11,792  4,981  66  16,839 
Total
34,317  15,415  1,598  51,330 
Accrual for CSO lender owned loans
(1,421) —  —  (1,421)
Balance end of period
$ 32,896  $ 15,415  $ 1,598  $ 49,909 

As of December 31, 2020, estimated losses of approximately $0.7 million for the CSO owned loans receivable guaranteed by the Company of approximately $2.2 million were initially recorded at fair value and are included in Accounts payable and accrued liabilities in the Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets. At September 30, 2021, the CSO owned portfolio has been liquidated and no guarantee obligation associated with this portfolio exists.
In certain circumstances, the Company modifies the terms of its finance receivables for borrowers experiencing financial difficulties. Modifications may include principal and/or interest forgiveness. A modification of finance receivable terms is considered a TDR if the Company grants a concession to a borrower for economic or legal reasons related to the borrower’s financial difficulties that would not otherwise have been considered. Management considers TDRs to include all installment and line of credit loans that were granted principal and interest forgiveness as a part of a loss mitigation strategy for Rise and Elastic, unless excluded by policy. Once a loan has been classified as a TDR, it is assessed for impairment based on the present value of expected future cash flows discounted at the loan's original effective interest rate considering all available evidence.
The following table summarizes the financial effects, excluding impacts related to credit loss allowance and impairment, of TDRs for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2021 and 2020:

Three Months Ended September 30, Nine Months Ended September 30,
(Dollars in thousands) 2021 2020 2021 2020
Outstanding recorded investment before TDR
$ 2,499  $ 467  $ 9,931  $ 7,619 
Outstanding recorded investment after TDR
2,261  461  9,466  7,255 
Total principal and interest forgiveness included in charge-offs within the Allowance for loan losses
$ 238  $ $ 465  $ 364 
A loan that has been classified as a TDR remains classified as a TDR until it is liquidated through payoff or charge-off. The table below presents the Company's average outstanding recorded investment and interest income recognized on TDR loans for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2021 and 2020:

Three Months Ended September 30, Nine Months Ended September 30,
(Dollars in thousands) 2021 2020 2021 2020
Average outstanding recorded investment(1)
$ 14,206  $ 10,382  $ 19,109  $ 13,330 
Interest income recognized
$ 1,655  $ 1,503  $ 6,685  $ 7,755 
1. Simple average as of September 30, 2021 and 2020, respectively.



24

Elevate Credit, Inc. and Subsidiaries
NOTES TO THE CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (UNAUDITED) (Continued)
For the three and nine months ended September 30, 2021 and 2020

The table below presents the Company's loans modified as TDRs as of September 30, 2021 and December 31, 2020:
(Dollars in thousands) 2021 2020
Current outstanding investment
$ 8,256  $ 21,261 
Delinquent outstanding investment
3,168  5,532 
Outstanding recorded investment
11,424  26,793 
Less: Impairment included in Allowance for loan losses
(3,361) (7,533)
Outstanding recorded investment, net of impairment
$ 8,063  $ 19,260 
A TDR is considered to have defaulted upon charge-off when it is over 60 days past due or earlier if deemed uncollectible. There were loan restructurings accounted for as TDRs that subsequently defaulted of approximately $5.7 million and $0.9 million for the three months ended September 30, 2021 and 2020, respectively, and $17.5 million and $10.1 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2021 and 2020, respectively. The Company had commitments to lend additional funds of approximately $5.3 million to customers with available and unfunded lines of credit as of September 30, 2021.

NOTE 4—VARIABLE INTEREST ENTITIES
The Company is involved with four entities that are deemed to be a VIE: Elastic SPV, Ltd., EF SPV, Ltd., EC SPV, Ltd. and one Credit Services Organization ("CSO") lender. The CSO portfolio wind-down was completed in the third quarter of 2021 and the Company has no further involvement in this VIE as of September 30, 2021. Under ASC 810-10-15, Variable Interest Entities, a VIE is an entity that: (1) has an insufficient amount of equity investment at risk to permit the entity to finance its activities without additional subordinated financial support by other parties; (2) the equity investors are unable to make significant decisions about the entity’s activities through voting rights or similar rights; or (3) the equity investors do not have the obligation to absorb expected losses or the right to receive residual returns of the entity. The Company is required to consolidate a VIE if it is determined to be the primary beneficiary, that is, the enterprise has both (1) the power to direct the activities of a VIE that most significantly impact the entity’s economic performance and (2) the obligation to absorb losses of the entity that could potentially be significant to the VIE. The Company evaluates its relationships with VIEs to determine whether it is the primary beneficiary of a VIE at the time it becomes involved with the entity and it re-evaluates that conclusion each reporting period.
Elastic SPV, Ltd.
On July 1, 2015, the Company entered into several agreements with a third-party lender and Elastic SPV, Ltd. (“ESPV”), an entity formed by third-party investors for the purpose of purchasing loan participations from the third-party lender. Per the terms of the agreements, the Company provides customer acquisition services to generate loan applications submitted to the third-party lender. In addition, the Company licenses loan underwriting software and provides services to the third-party lender to evaluate the credit quality of those loan applications in accordance with the third-party lender’s credit policies. ESPV accounts for the loan participations acquired in accordance with ASC 860-10-40, Transfers and Services, Derecognition, as the lines of credit acquired meet the criteria of a participation interest.
Once the third-party lender originates the loan, ESPV has the right, but not the obligation, to purchase a 90% interest in each Elastic line of credit. Victory Park Management, LLC (“VPC”) entered into an agreement (the "ESPV Facility") under which it loans ESPV all funds necessary up to a maximum borrowing amount to purchase such participation interests in exchange for a fixed return (see Note 5—Notes Payable—ESPV Facility). The Company entered into a separate credit default protection agreement with ESPV whereby the Company agreed to provide credit protection to the investors in ESPV against Elastic loan losses in return for a credit premium. The Company does not hold a direct ownership interest in ESPV, however, as a result of the credit default protection agreement, ESPV was determined to be a VIE and the Company qualifies as the primary beneficiary.



25

Elevate Credit, Inc. and Subsidiaries
NOTES TO THE CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (UNAUDITED) (Continued)
For the three and nine months ended September 30, 2021 and 2020

The following table summarizes the assets and liabilities of the VIE that are included within the Company’s Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets at September 30, 2021 and December 31, 2020:
(Dollars in thousands) September 30, 2021 December 31, 2020
ASSETS
Cash and cash equivalents
$ 20,546  $ 97,345 
Loans receivable, net of allowance for loan losses of $13,141 and $13,202, respectively
181,319  149,951 
Prepaid expenses and other assets
11  — 
Receivable from payment processors
4,219  3,652 
Total assets
$ 206,095  $ 250,948 
LIABILITIES AND SHAREHOLDER’S EQUITY
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities ($8,548 and $23,337, respectively, eliminates upon consolidation)
$ 14,280  $ 27,663 
Deferred revenue
2,814  2,300 
Reserve deposit liability ($15,650 and $23,150, respectively, eliminates upon consolidation)
15,650  23,150 
Notes payable, net
173,351  197,835 
Total liabilities and shareholder’s equity
$ 206,095  $ 250,948 
EF SPV, Ltd.
On October 15, 2018, the Company entered into several agreements with a third-party lender and EF SPV, Ltd. (“EF SPV”), an entity formed by third-party investors for the purpose of purchasing loan participations from the third-party lender. Per the terms of the agreements, the Company provides customer acquisition services to generate loan applications submitted to the third-party lender. In addition, the Company licenses loan underwriting software and provides services to the third-party lender to evaluate the credit quality of those loan applications in accordance with the third-party lender’s credit policies. EF SPV accounts for the loan participations acquired in accordance with ASC 860-10-40, Transfers and Services, Derecognition, as the installment loans acquired meet the criteria of a participation interest.
Once the third-party lender originates the loan, EF SPV has the right, but not the obligation, to purchase a 96% interest in each Rise bank originated installment loan. VPC lends EF SPV all funds necessary up to a maximum borrowing amount to purchase such participation interests in exchange for a fixed return (see Note 5—Notes Payable—EF SPV Facility). The Company entered into a separate credit default protection agreement with EF SPV whereby the Company agreed to provide credit protection to the investors in EF SPV against Rise bank originated loan losses in return for a credit premium. The Company does not hold a direct ownership interest in EF SPV, however, as a result of the credit default protection agreement, EF SPV was determined to be a VIE and the Company qualifies as the primary beneficiary.



26

Elevate Credit, Inc. and Subsidiaries
NOTES TO THE CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (UNAUDITED) (Continued)
For the three and nine months ended September 30, 2021 and 2020

The following table summarizes the assets and liabilities of the VIE that are included within the Company’s Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets at September 30, 2021 and December 31, 2020:
(Dollars in thousands) September 30, 2021 December 31, 2020
ASSETS
Cash and cash equivalents
$ 16,153  $ 35,450 
Loans receivable, net of allowance for loan losses of $22,173 and $14,342, respectively
126,291  83,869 
Prepaid expenses and other assets
34 
Receivable from payment processors ($352 and $231, respectively, eliminates upon consolidation)
1,553  679 
Total assets
$ 144,000  $ 120,032 
LIABILITIES AND SHAREHOLDER’S EQUITY
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities ($375 and $16,459, respectively, eliminates upon consolidation)
$ 2,263  $ 17,599 
Reserve deposit liability ($8,950 and $8,950, respectively, eliminates upon consolidation)
8,950  8,950 
Notes payable, net
132,787  93,483 
Total liabilities and shareholder’s equity
$ 144,000  $ 120,032 
EC SPV, Ltd.
In July 2020, the Company entered into several agreements with a third-party lender and EC SPV, Ltd. (“EC SPV”), an entity formed by third-party investors for the purpose of purchasing loan participations from the third-party lender. Per the terms of the agreements, the Company provides customer acquisition services to generate loan applications submitted to the third-party lender. In addition, the Company licenses loan underwriting software and provides services to the third-party lender to evaluate the credit quality of those loan applications in accordance with the third-party lender’s credit policies. EC SPV accounts for the loan participations acquired in accordance with ASC 860-10-40, Transfers and Services, Derecognition, as the installment loans acquired meet the criteria of a participation interest.
Once the third-party lender originates the loan, EC SPV has the right to purchase an interest in each Rise bank originated installment loan. The third-party lender retains 5% of the balances of all the loans originated and sells the remaining 95% participation to EC SPV. VPC will lend EC SPV all funds necessary up to a maximum borrowing amount to purchase such participation interests in exchange for a fixed return (see Note 5—Notes Payable—EC SPV Facility). The Company entered into a separate credit default protection agreement with EC SPV whereby the Company agreed to provide credit protection to the investors in EC SPV against Rise bank originated loan losses in return for a credit premium. The Company does not hold a direct ownership interest in EC SPV, however, as a result of the credit default protection agreement, EC SPV was determined to be a VIE and the Company qualifies as the primary beneficiary.



27

Elevate Credit, Inc. and Subsidiaries
NOTES TO THE CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (UNAUDITED) (Continued)
For the three and nine months ended September 30, 2021 and 2020

The following table summarizes the assets and liabilities of the VIE that are included within the Company’s Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets at September 30, 2021 and December 31, 2020:
(Dollars in thousands) September 30, 2021 December 31, 2020
ASSETS
Cash and cash equivalents
$ 10,996  $ 9,377 
Restricted cash
1,000  1,000 
Loans receivable, net of allowance for loan losses of $7,295 and $1,634, respectively
43,926  19,232 
Prepaid expenses and other assets
11 
Receivable from payment processors ($54 and $6, respectively, eliminates upon consolidation)
788  199 
Total assets
$ 56,713  $ 29,819 
LIABILITIES AND SHAREHOLDER’S EQUITY
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities ($976 and $803, respectively, eliminates upon consolidation)
$ 2,880  $ 1,541 
Reserve deposit liability ($3,500 and $3,500, respectively, eliminates upon consolidation)
3,500  3,500 
Notes payable, net
50,333  24,778 
Total liabilities and shareholder’s equity
$ 56,713  $ 29,819 
CSO Lender
The CSO lender was considered a VIE of the Company; however, the Company did not have any ownership interest in the CSO lender, did not exercise control over it, and was not the primary beneficiary, and therefore, did not consolidate the CSO lender’s results with its results. There were no new loan originations in 2021 under the CSO program and the wind-down of this portfolio was completed in the third quarter of 2021.
NOTE 5—NOTES PAYABLE, NET
The Company has four debt facilities with VPC, the Rise SPV, LLC credit facility (the "VPC Facility"), the ESPV Facility, the EF SPV Facility, and effective July 31, 2020, the EC SPV Facility. The facilities had the following terms as of September 30, 2021.
VPC Facility
The VPC facility has a maximum borrowing amount of $200 million (amended as of July 31, 2020) used to fund the Rise loan portfolio (“US Term Note”). Upon the February 1, 2019 amendment date, the interest rate on the debt outstanding as of the amendment date was fixed through the January 1, 2024 maturity date at 10.23% (base rate of 2.73% plus 7.5%, which was reduced to 7.25% and 7.00% on January 1, 2020 and 2021, respectively, as part of the amendment). At December 31, 2020, the weighted average base rate on the outstanding balance was 2.73% and the overall interest rate was 9.98%. At September 30, 2021, the weighted average base rate on the outstanding balance was 2.49% and the overall interest rate was 9.49%. All future borrowings under this facility will bear an interest rate at a base rate (defined as the greater of 3-month LIBOR, the five-year LIBOR swap rate or 1%) plus 7.0% at the borrowing date. The VPC facility has a revolving feature providing the option to pay down up to 20% of the outstanding balance once per year during the first quarter. Amounts paid down may be drawn again at a later date prior to maturity.
The US Term Note matures on January 1, 2024. There are no principal payments due or scheduled until the maturity date. All assets of the Company are pledged as collateral to secure the VPC Facility. The VPC Facility contains certain covenants for the Company such as minimum cash requirements and a minimum book value of equity requirement. There are also certain covenants for the product portfolio underlying the facility including, among other things, excess spread requirements, maximum roll rate and charge-off rate levels, and maximum loan-to-value ratios. The Company was in compliance with all covenants related to the VPC Facility as of September 30, 2021 and December 31, 2020.



28

Elevate Credit, Inc. and Subsidiaries
NOTES TO THE CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (UNAUDITED) (Continued)
For the three and nine months ended September 30, 2021 and 2020

The VPC Facility previously included a term note (the "4th Tranche Term Note") used to fund working capital with a maximum borrowing amount of $18 million and a base rate of 2.73% plus 13%. The interest rate at December 31, 2020 was 15.73%. In January 2021, the Company paid off this term note prior to its maturity on February 1, 2021.
Prior to ECIL entering administration and being classified a discontinued operation by the Company on June 29, 2020, the VPC Facility included a note used to fund the UK Sunny loan portfolio (“UK Term Note”). Upon deconsolidation of ECIL, this note was removed from the Company's Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets and was presented within Liabilities from discontinued operations in all prior periods presented. Under the terms of the VPC Facility, Elevate Credit, Inc. (the "Parent") had provided a guarantee to VPC for the repayment of the debt of any subsidiary, which included the outstanding debt of ECIL. Repayment of the UK Term Note was completed by ECIL in the third quarter of 2020 and any guarantee obligation associated with the UK Term Note was released with the repayment.
ESPV Facility
The ESPV Facility has a maximum borrowing amount of $350 million used to purchase loan participations from a third-party lender. Upon the February 1, 2019 amendment date, the interest rate on the debt outstanding as of the amendment date was fixed at 15.48% (base rate of 2.73% plus 12.75%). Effective July 1, 2019, the interest rate on the debt outstanding as of the amendment date was set at 10.23% (base rate of 2.73% plus 7.5%, which was reduced to 7.25% and 7.00% on January 1, 2020 and 2021, respectively, as part of the amendment). At December 31, 2020 the weighted average base rate on the outstanding balance was 2.72% and the overall interest rate was 9.97%. At September 30, 2021, the weighted average base rate on the outstanding balance was 2.57% and the overall interest rate was 9.57%. All future borrowings under this facility will bear an interest rate at a base rate (defined as the greater of 3-month LIBOR, the five-year LIBOR swap rate or 1%) plus 7.0% at the borrowing date. The ESPV Term Note has a revolving feature providing the option to pay down up to 20% of the outstanding balance once per year during the first quarter. Amounts paid down may be drawn again at a later date prior to maturity.
The ESPV Term Note matures on January 1, 2024. There are no principal payments due or scheduled until the maturity date. All assets of the Company and ESPV are pledged as collateral to secure the ESPV Facility. The ESPV Facility contains certain covenants for the Company such as minimum cash requirements and a minimum book value of equity requirement. There are also certain covenants for the product portfolio underlying the facility including, among other things, excess spread requirements, maximum roll rate and charge-off rate levels, and maximum loan-to-value ratios. The Company was in compliance with all covenants related to the ESPV Facility as of September 30, 2021 and December 31, 2020.
EF SPV Facility
The EF SPV Facility has a maximum borrowing amount of $250 million (amended as of July 31, 2020) used to purchase loan participations from a third-party lender. Prior to execution of the agreement with VPC effective February 1, 2019, EF SPV was a borrower on the US Term Note under the VPC Facility and the interest rate paid on this facility was a base rate (defined as 3-month LIBOR, with a 1% floor) plus 11%. Upon the February 1, 2019 amendment date, $43 million was re-allocated into the EF SPV Facility and the interest rate on the debt outstanding as of the amendment date was fixed through the January 1, 2024 maturity date at 10.23% (base rate of 2.73% plus 7.5%, which was reduced to 7.25% and 7.00% on January 1, 2020 and 2021, respectively, as part of the amendment). The weighted average base rate on the outstanding balance at December 31, 2020 was 2.45% and the overall interest rate was 9.70%. The weighted average base rate on the outstanding balance at September 30, 2021 was 1.87% and the overall interest rate was 8.87%. All future borrowings under this facility will bear an interest rate at a base rate (defined as the greater of 3-month LIBOR, the five-year LIBOR swap rate or 1%) plus 7.0% at the borrowing date. The EF SPV Term Note has a revolving feature providing the option to pay down up to 20% of the outstanding balance once per year during the first quarter. Amounts paid down may be drawn again at a later date prior to maturity.
The EF SPV Term Note matures on January 1, 2024. There are no principal payments due or scheduled until the maturity date. All assets of the Company and EF SPV are pledged as collateral to secure the EF SPV Facility. The EF SPV Facility contains certain covenants for the Company such as minimum cash requirements and a minimum book value of equity requirement. There are also certain covenants for the product portfolio underlying the facility including, among other things, excess spread requirements, maximum roll rate and charge-off rate levels, and maximum loan-to-value ratios. The Company was in compliance with all covenants related to the EF SPV Facility as of September 30, 2021 and December 31, 2020.



29

Elevate Credit, Inc. and Subsidiaries
NOTES TO THE CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (UNAUDITED) (Continued)
For the three and nine months ended September 30, 2021 and 2020

EC SPV Facility
VPC entered into a new debt facility with EC SPV on July 31, 2020. The EC SPV Facility has a maximum borrowing amount of $100 million used to purchase loan participations from a third-party lender. The weighted average base rate on the outstanding balance at December 31, 2020 was 2.73% and the overall interest rate was 9.98%. The weighted average base rate on the outstanding balance at September 30, 2021 was 2.20% and the overall interest rate was 9.20%. All future borrowings under this facility will bear an interest rate at a base rate (defined as the greater of 3-month LIBOR, the five-year LIBOR swap rate or 1%) plus 7.0% at the borrowing date. The EC SPV Term Note has a revolving feature providing the option to pay down up to 20% of the outstanding balance once per year during the first quarter. Amounts paid down may be drawn again at a later date prior to maturity.
The EC SPV Term Note matures on January 1, 2024. There are no principal payments due or scheduled until the maturity date. All assets of the Company and EC SPV are pledged as collateral to secure the EC SPV Facility. The EC SPV Facility contains certain covenants for the Company such as minimum cash requirements and a minimum book value of equity requirement. There are also certain covenants for the product portfolio underlying the facility including, among other things, excess spread requirements, maximum roll rate and charge-off rate levels, and maximum loan-to-value ratios. The Company was in compliance with all covenants related to the EC SPV Facility as of September 30, 2021 and December 31, 2020.
VPC, ESPV, EF SPV and EC SPV Facilities:
The outstanding balances of Notes payable, net of debt issuance costs, are as follows:
(Dollars in thousands) September 30, 2021 December 31, 2020
US Term Note bearing interest at the base rate + 7.0% (2021) or + 7.25% (2020)

$ 79,600  $ 104,500 
4th Tranche Term Note bearing interest at the base rate + 13%

—  18,050 
ESPV Term Note bearing interest at the base rate + 7.0% (2021) or + 7.25% (2020)

174,600  199,500 
EF SPV Term Note bearing interest at the base rate + 7.0% (2021) or + 7.25% (2020)

132,800  93,500 
EC SPV Term Note bearing interest at the base rate + 7.0% (2021) or + 7.25% (2020)

50,500  25,000 
Debt issuance costs

(1,682) (2,147)
Total

$ 435,818  $ 438,403 

The change in the facility balances includes the following:
US Term Note - Paydowns of $25.9 million and $10 million in the first and second quarter of 2021, respectively, and a draw of $11 million in the third quarter of 2021;
4th Tranche Term Note - Debt obligation of $18.1 million paid off in the first quarter of 2021;
ESPV Term Note - Paydown of $39.9 million in the first quarter of 2021 and a draw of $15 million in the third quarter of 2021;
EF SPV Term note - Paydown of $18.7 million in the first quarter of 2021 and draws of $15 million and $43 million in the second and third quarter of 2021, respectively; and
EC SPV Term Note - Draws of $5 million, $5 million, and $15.5 million in the first, second, and third quarters of 2021, respectively.
Per the terms of the February 2019 amendments and the July 31, 2020 EC SPV agreement, the Company qualified for a 25 bps rate reduction on the VPC, ESPV, EF SPV and EC SPV facilities effective January 1, 2021. The Company has evaluated the interest rates for its debt and believes they represent market rates based on the Company’s size, industry, operations and recent amendments. As a result, the carrying value for the debt approximates the fair value.



30

Elevate Credit, Inc. and Subsidiaries
NOTES TO THE CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (UNAUDITED) (Continued)
For the three and nine months ended September 30, 2021 and 2020

Future debt maturities as of September 30, 2021 are as follows:
Year (dollars in thousands) September 30, 2021
Remainder of 2021
$ — 
2022
— 
2023
— 
2024
437,500 
2025
— 
Thereafter
— 
Total
$ 437,500 
NOTE 6—GOODWILL AND INTANGIBLE ASSETS
The Company’s goodwill represents the excess purchase price over the estimated fair market value of the net assets acquired by the predecessor parent company, Think Finance, Inc. (“Think Finance”) related to the Elastic and previously consolidated UK reporting units. The Company performs an impairment review of goodwill and intangible assets with an indefinite life annually at October 1. As a result of the recent global economic impact and uncertainty due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Company concluded a triggering event had occurred as of March 31, 2020, and accordingly, performed interim impairment testing on the goodwill balances of its reporting units. The Company performed a detailed qualitative and quantitative assessment of each reporting unit and concluded that the goodwill associated with the previously consolidated UK reporting unit was impaired as the fair value of the UK reporting unit was less than its carrying amount. The impairment loss of $9.3 million was included in Loss from discontinued operations due to the deconsolidation of ECIL. While there was a decline in the fair value of the Elastic reporting unit at March 31, 2020, there was no impairment identified during the quantitative assessment. The annual test was completed as of October 1, 2020 and the Company determined that there was no evidence of impairment of goodwill or indefinite life intangible assets. No events or circumstances occurred between October 2, 2020 and September 30, 2021 that would more likely than not reduce the fair value of the Elastic reporting unit below the carrying amount. The Company has $6.8 million of goodwill (all related to the Elastic reporting unit) on the Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets as of September 30, 2021 and December 31, 2020, respectively. Of the total goodwill balance, approximately $270 thousand is deductible for tax purposes.
The Company's impairment evaluation of goodwill is based on comparing the fair value of the respective reporting unit to its carrying value. The fair value of the reporting unit is determined based on a weighted average of the income and market approaches. The income approach establishes fair value based on estimated future cash flows of the reporting unit, discounted by an estimated weighted-average cost of capital developed using the capital asset pricing model, which reflects the overall level of inherent risk of the reporting unit. The income approach uses the Company's projections of financial performance for a six- to nine-year period and includes assumptions about future revenue growth rates, operating margins and terminal values. The market approach establishes fair value by applying cash flow multiples to the respective reporting unit's operating performance. The multiples are derived from other publicly traded companies that are similar but not identical from an operational and economic standpoint. The Company’s estimates are based upon assumptions believed to be reasonable. However, given the inherent uncertainty in determining the assumptions underlying a discounted cash flow analysis, particularly in the current volatile market, actual results may differ from those used in these valuations which could result in additional impairment charges in the future.



31

Elevate Credit, Inc. and Subsidiaries
NOTES TO THE CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (UNAUDITED) (Continued)
For the three and nine months ended September 30, 2021 and 2020

The carrying value of acquired intangible assets as of September 30, 2021 is presented in the table below:
(Dollars in thousands) Cost Accumulated Amortization Net
Assets subject to amortization:
Acquired technology
$ 211  $ (211) $ — 
Non-compete
2,461  (2,461) — 
Customers
126  (126) — 
Assets not subject to amortization:
Domain names
231  —  231 
Total
$ 3,029  $ (2,798) $ 231 
The carrying value of acquired intangible assets as of December 31, 2020 is presented in the table below:
(Dollars in thousands) Cost Accumulated Amortization Net
Assets subject to amortization:
Acquired technology
$ 211  $ (211) $ — 
Non-compete
2,461  (1,859) 602 
Customers
126  (126) — 
Assets not subject to amortization:
Domain names
531  —  531 
Total
$ 3,329  $ (2,196) $ 1,133 
With Robert Johnson's decision to not run for reelection to the Company's Board of Directors in March 2021, the remaining non-compete agreements expired and the Company accelerated the amortization of the assets to coincide with his announcement. Total amortization expense recognized for the nine months ended September 30, 2021 and 2020 was approximately $602 thousand and $90 thousand, respectively. For the three months ended September 30, 2020, $30 thousand of amortization expense was recognized. As of March 31, 2021, there were no intangible assets subject to amortization with any remaining life.
Additionally, in January 2021, the Company sold a domain name that was held for a gain of $949 thousand, included in Non-operating income (loss) in the Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations.
NOTE 7—LEASES
The Company has non-cancelable operating leases for facility space and equipment with varying terms. All of the leases for facility space qualified for capitalization under FASB ASC 842, Leases. These leases have remaining lease terms of two to five years, and some may include options to extend the leases for up to ten years. The extension terms are not recognized as part of the right-of-use assets. The Company has elected not to capitalize leases with terms equal to, or less than, one year. As of September 30, 2021 and December 31, 2020, net assets recorded under operating leases totaled $6.2 million and $8.3 million, respectively, and net lease liabilities totaled $9.9 million and $12.0 million, respectively.
The Company analyzes contracts above certain thresholds to identify leases and lease components. Lease and non-lease components are not separated for facility space leases. The Company uses its contractual borrowing rate to determine lease discount rates when an implicit rate is not available.
The Company entered into two sublease contracts with independent third-parties for facility space related to right-of-use assets in January 2021 and September 2021, respectively. The Company's obligations under the original leases were not relieved. As the sublease income is immaterial, payments received are recognized as an offset to Occupancy and equipment in the Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations. The signing of the subleases triggered impairment evaluations and the Company determined the related right-of-use assets were impaired. Impairment losses of $549 thousand for the January sublease and $84 thousand for the September sublease were recognized in Non-operating income (loss) in the Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations.



32

Elevate Credit, Inc. and Subsidiaries
NOTES TO THE CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (UNAUDITED) (Continued)
For the three and nine months ended September 30, 2021 and 2020

Total gross lease cost for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2021 and 2020, included in Occupancy and equipment in the Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations, is detailed in the table below:
Three Months Ended September 30,
Lease cost (dollars in thousands) 2021 2020
Operating lease cost
$ 766  $ 808 
Short-term lease cost
—  — 
Total lease cost
$ 766  $ 808 

Nine Months Ended September 30,
Lease cost (dollars in thousands) 2021 2020
Operating lease cost
$ 2,301  $ 2,423 
Short-term lease cost
—  — 
Total lease cost
$ 2,301  $ 2,423 

Further information related to leases is as follows:
Three Months Ended September 30,
Supplemental cash flows information (dollars in thousands) 2021 2020
Cash paid for amounts included in the measurement of lease liabilities
$ 973  $ 946 
Right-of-use assets obtained in exchange for lease obligations
$ —  $ — 
Weighted average remaining lease term
2.9 years 3.8 years
Weighted average discount rate
10.23  % 10.23  %

Nine Months Ended September 30,
Supplemental cash flows information (dollars in thousands) 2021 2020
Cash paid for amounts included in the measurement of lease liabilities
$ 2,891  $ 2,801 
Right-of-use assets obtained in exchange for lease obligations
$ —  $ — 
Weighted average remaining lease term
2.9 years 3.8 years
Weighted average discount rate
10.23  % 10.23  %

Future minimum lease payments as of September 30, 2021 are as follows:
Year (dollars in thousands) Operating Leases
2021

$ 985 
2022

3,984 
2023

3,486 
2024

1,438 
2025

1,254 
Thereafter

638 
Total future minimum lease payments

$ 11,785 
Less: Imputed interest

(1,876)
Operating lease liabilities

$ 9,909 



33

Elevate Credit, Inc. and Subsidiaries
NOTES TO THE CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (UNAUDITED) (Continued)
For the three and nine months ended September 30, 2021 and 2020

NOTE 8—SHARE-BASED COMPENSATION
Share-based compensation expense recognized for the three months ended September 30, 2021 and 2020 totaled approximately $1.6 million and $1.2 million, respectively, and $4.9 million and $6.5 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2021 and 2020, respectively.
2016 Omnibus Incentive Plan
The 2016 Omnibus Incentive Plan ("2016 Plan") was adopted by the Company’s Board of Directors on January 5, 2016 and approved by the Company’s stockholders thereafter. The 2016 Plan became effective on June 23, 2016. The 2016 Plan provides for the grant of incentive stock options to the Company’s employees, and for the grant of non-qualified stock options, stock appreciation rights, restricted stock, RSUs, dividend equivalent rights, cash-based awards (including annual cash incentives and long-term cash incentives), and any combination thereof to the Company’s employees, directors and consultants. In connection with the 2016 Plan, the Company has reserved but not issued 7,874,404 shares of common stock, which includes shares that would otherwise return to the 2014 Equity Incentive Plan (the "2014 Plan") as a result of forfeiture, termination, or expiration of awards previously granted under the 2014 Plan and outstanding when the 2016 Plan became effective.
The 2016 Plan will automatically terminate 10 years following the date it became effective, unless the Company terminates it sooner. In addition, the Company’s Board of Directors has the authority to amend, suspend or terminate the 2016 Plan provided such action does not impair the rights under any outstanding award.
As of September 30, 2021, the total number of shares available for future grants under the 2016 Plan was 3,527,023 shares.
The Company has in the past and may in the future make grants of share-based compensation as inducement awards to new employees who are outside the 2016 Plan. The Company's board may rely on the employment inducement exception under NYSE Rule 303A.08 in order to approve the grants.
2014 Equity Incentive Plan
The Company adopted the 2014 Plan on May 1, 2014. The 2014 Plan permitted the grant of incentive stock options, non-statutory stock options, and restricted stock. On April 27, 2017, the Company's Board of Directors terminated the 2014 Plan as to future awards and confirmed that underlying shares corresponding to awards under the 2014 Plan that were outstanding at the time the 2016 Plan became effective, that are forfeited, terminated or expired, will become available for issuance under the 2016 Plan.
For the nine months ended September 30, 2021, the Company had the following activity related to outstanding share-based awards:
Stock Options
Stock options are awarded to encourage ownership of the Company's common stock by employees and to provide increased incentive for employees to render services and to exert maximum effort for the success of the Company. The Company's stock options generally permit net-share settlement upon exercise. The option exercise price, vesting schedule and exercise period are determined for each grant by the administrator of the applicable plan. The Company's stock options generally have a 10-year contractual term and vest over a 4-year period.



34

Elevate Credit, Inc. and Subsidiaries
NOTES TO THE CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (UNAUDITED) (Continued)
For the three and nine months ended September 30, 2021 and 2020

A summary of stock option activity as of and for the nine months ended September 30, 2021 is presented below:
Stock Options
Shares
Weighted Average Exercise Price Weighted Average Remaining Contractual Life (in years)
Outstanding at December 31, 2020
886,685  $ 5.94 
Granted
—  — 
Exercised
(12,500) 2.13 
Expired
—  — 
Forfeited
(65,000) 4.37 
Outstanding at September 30, 2021
809,185  6.13  3.41
Options exercisable at September 30, 2021
809,185  $ 6.13  3.41
At September 30, 2021, there were no unrecognized compensation costs related to unvested stock options to be recognized. The total intrinsic value of options exercised for the nine months ended September 30, 2021 was $30 thousand.
Restricted Stock Units
RSUs are awarded to serve as a key retention tool for the Company to retain its executives and key employees. RSUs will transfer value to the holder even if the Company’s stock price falls below the price on the date of grant, provided that the recipient provides the requisite service during the period required for the award to “vest.”
The weighted-average grant-date fair value for RSUs granted under the 2016 Plan during the nine months ended September 30, 2021 was $4.26. These RSUs primarily vest 25% on the first anniversary of the effective date, and 25% each year thereafter, until full vesting on the fourth anniversary of the effective date.
A summary of RSU activity as of and for the nine months ended September 30, 2021 is presented below:
RSUs
Shares
Weighted Average Grant-Date Fair Value
Unvested at December 31, 2020
2,924,086  $ 4.17 
Granted
1,853,617  4.26 
Vested(1)
(1,135,586) 4.77 
Forfeited
(103,924) 4.34 
Unvested at September 30, 2021
3,538,193  4.02 
Expected to vest at September 30, 2021
2,627,202  $ 4.03 
(1)During the year ended certain RSUs were net share-settled to cover the required withholding tax and the remaining amounts were converted into an equivalent number of shares of the Company's common stock. The Company withheld 317,100 shares for applicable income and other employment taxes and remitted the cash to the appropriate taxing authorities for the nine months ended September 30, 2021.
At September 30, 2021, there was approximately $8.1 million of unrecognized compensation cost related to unvested RSUs which is expected to be recognized over a weighted average period of 2.5 years. During the nine months ended September 30, 2021, the total intrinsic value of RSUs that vested during the period was approximately $4.2 million. As of September 30, 2021, the aggregate intrinsic value of the vested and expected to vest RSUs was approximately $10.9 million.
Employee Stock Purchase Plan
The Company offers an Employee Stock Purchase Plan ("ESPP") to eligible US employees. There are currently 2,196,257 shares authorized and 934,335 reserved for the ESPP. There were 149,613 shares purchased under the ESPP for the nine months ended September 30, 2021. Within share-based compensation expense for the nine months ended September 30, 2021 and 2020, $473 thousand and $460 thousand, respectively, relates to the ESPP. For the three months ended September 30, 2021 and 2020, $132 thousand and $177 thousand, respectively, relates to the ESPP within share-based compensation expense.



35

Elevate Credit, Inc. and Subsidiaries
NOTES TO THE CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (UNAUDITED) (Continued)
For the three and nine months ended September 30, 2021 and 2020

NOTE 9—FAIR VALUE MEASUREMENTS
The accounting guidance on fair value measurements establishes a fair value hierarchy that prioritizes the inputs to valuation techniques used to measure fair value. The hierarchy gives the highest priority to unadjusted quoted prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities (Level 1 measurements) and the lowest priority to measurements involving significant unobservable inputs (Level 3 measurements).
The Company groups its assets and liabilities measured at fair value in three levels of the fair value hierarchy, based on the fair value measurement technique, as described below:
Level 1—Valuation is based upon quoted prices (unadjusted) for identical assets and liabilities in active exchange markets that the Company has the ability to access at the measurement date.
Level 2—Valuation is based upon quoted prices for similar instruments in active markets, quoted prices for identical or similar instruments in markets that are not active, and model-based valuation techniques with significant assumptions and inputs that are observable in the market or can be derived principally from or corroborated by observable market data.
Level 3—Valuation is derived from model-based techniques that use inputs and significant assumptions that are supported by little or no observable market data. These unobservable assumptions reflect estimates of assumptions that market participants would use in pricing the asset or liability. Valuation techniques include the use of pricing models, discounted cash flow models and similar techniques.
The Company monitors the market conditions and evaluates the fair value hierarchy levels at least quarterly. For any transfers in and out of the levels of the fair value hierarchy, the Company discloses the fair value measurement at the beginning of the reporting period during which the transfer occurred. For the nine month periods ended September 30, 2021 and 2020, there were no significant transfers between levels.
The level of fair value hierarchy within which a fair value measurement in its entirety falls is based on the lowest-level input that is most significant to the fair value measurement in its entirety. In the determination of the classification of assets and liabilities in Level 2 or Level 3 of the fair value hierarchy, the Company considers all available information, including observable market data, indications of market conditions, and its understanding of the valuation techniques and significant inputs used. Based upon the specific facts and circumstances, judgments are made regarding the significance of the Level 3 inputs to the fair value measurements of the respective assets and liabilities in their entirety. If the valuation techniques that are most significant to the fair value measurements are principally derived from assumptions and inputs that are corroborated by little or no observable market data, the asset or liability is classified as Level 3.
Financial Assets and Liabilities Not Measured at Fair Value
The Company has evaluated Loans receivable, net of allowance for loan losses, Receivable from payment processors and Accounts payable and accrued liabilities, and believes the carrying value approximates the fair value due to the short-term nature of these balances. The Company has also evaluated the interest rates for Notes payable, net and believes they represent market rates based on the Company’s size, industry, operations and recent amendments. As a result, the carrying value for Notes payable, net approximates the fair value. The Company classifies its fair value measurement techniques for the fair value disclosures associated with Loans receivable, net of allowance for loan losses, Receivable from payment processors, Accounts payable and accrued liabilities and Notes payable, net as Level 3 in accordance with ASC 820-10, Fair Value Measurements and Disclosures (“ASC 820-10”).



36

Elevate Credit, Inc. and Subsidiaries
NOTES TO THE CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (UNAUDITED) (Continued)
For the three and nine months ended September 30, 2021 and 2020

NOTE 10—INCOME TAXES
Income tax expense for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2021 and 2020 consists of the following:
Three Months Ended September 30, Nine Months Ended September 30,
(Dollars in thousands) 2021 2020 2021 2020
Current income tax expense:
Federal
$ —  $ —  $ —  $ — 
State
440  803  486  1,133 
Total current income tax expense
440  803  486  1,133 

Deferred income tax expense (benefit):
Federal
(5,059) 6,301  (366) 12,658 
State
2,776  (2,221) 1,709  1,520 
Total deferred income tax expense (benefit)
(2,283) 4,080  1,343  14,178 

Total income tax expense (benefit)
$ (1,843) $ 4,883  $ 1,829  $ 15,311 
No material penalties or interest related to taxes, other than as described below, were recognized for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2021 and 2020.
The Company’s effective tax rates for continuing operations for the nine months ended September 30, 2021 and 2020, including discrete items, were 369.5% and 27.4%, respectively. For the nine months ended September 30, 2021 the Company’s effective tax rate significantly differed from the standard corporate federal income tax rate of 21% primarily due to the Company's recognition of an uncertain tax position of $1.6 million, net in Income tax expense/(benefit) (see further discussion in the following paragraph). Other differences are due to discrete items, related to stock compensation and return-to-provision estimate adjustments, other permanent non-deductible items and corporate state tax obligations in the states where it has lending activities. For the nine months ended September 30, 2020, the Company's effective tax rate differed from the standard corporate federal income tax rate of 21% primarily due to discrete items, other permanent non-deductible items and corporate state tax obligations in the states where it has lending activities. The Company's cash effective tax rate was approximately 1.5%.
As of September 30, 2021, the gross liability for an uncertain tax position was $1.9 million, exclusive of interest and penalties. Of this amount, $1.5 million would affect the Company’s effective tax rate if realized. The Company recognizes interest income from favorable settlements and interest expense and penalties accrued on uncertain tax positions within income tax expense (benefit) in the Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations. As of September 30, 2021, the Company had accrued $0.1 million for interest and penalties. The liability for the uncertain tax position results from a recent change in tax regulations in the state of Texas that impacted the Company’s previously recognized research and development state tax credits. The Company has no expectation that this liability on the books at September 30, 2021 will be settled in the next 12 months. The Company’s 2016-2020 tax years remain open to income tax audits in Texas at September 30, 2021. There were no uncertain tax positions identified and recognized at September 30, 2020 and December 31, 2020
On March 11, 2021, the American Rescue Plan Act ("ARP Act") was signed into law. The Company reviewed the tax relief provisions of the ARP Act, including the Company's eligibility for such provisions, and determined that the impact is likely to be insignificant with regard to the Company's effective tax rate. The Company continues to monitor and evaluate its eligibility under the ARP Act tax relief provisions to identify any portions that may become applicable in the future.
The Company's tax provision for interim periods is determined using an estimate of its annual effective tax rate, adjusted for discrete items arising in that quarter. In each quarter, the Company updates its estimate of the annual effective tax rate, and if the estimated annual effective tax rate changes, the Company would make a cumulative adjustment in that quarter.
For purposes of evaluating the need for a deferred tax valuation allowance, significant weight is given to evidence that can be objectively verified. The following provides an overview of the assessment that was performed for the deferred tax assets, net.



37

Elevate Credit, Inc. and Subsidiaries
NOTES TO THE CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (UNAUDITED) (Continued)
For the three and nine months ended September 30, 2021 and 2020

Deferred tax assets, net
At September 30, 2021 and December 31, 2020, the Company did not establish a valuation allowance for its deferred tax assets (“DTA”) based on management’s expectation of generating sufficient taxable income in a look forward period over the next one to three years. The Federal net operating loss ("NOL") carryforward from operations at December 31, 2020 was approximately $64.7 million. Any research and development credits recognized as a deferred tax asset expire beginning in 2036. The ultimate realization of the resulting deferred tax asset is dependent upon generating sufficient taxable income prior to the expiration of this carryforward. The Company considered the following factors when making its assessment regarding the ultimate realizability of the deferred tax assets.
Significant factors included the following:
The Company is in a three-year cumulative pre-tax income position in 2021. Additionally, the Company has a history utilizing its past NOL carryforwards.
Due to the short-term nature of the loan portfolio and the other material items that comprise the deferred tax assets, net, the Company estimates that the majority of these deferred tax items will reverse within one to three years.
The Company has given due consideration to all the factors and has concluded that the deferred tax asset is expected to be realized based on management’s expectation of generating sufficient taxable income and the reversal of tax timing differences in a look-forward period over the next one to three years. Although realization is not assured, management believes it is more likely than not that all of the recorded deferred tax assets will be realized. The amount of the deferred tax assets considered realizable, however, could be adjusted in the future if estimates of future taxable income change. As a result, as of September 30, 2021 and December 31, 2020, the Company did not establish a valuation allowance for the DTA.
NOTE 11—COMMITMENTS, CONTINGENCIES AND GUARANTEES
Contingencies
Currently and from time to time, the Company may become a defendant in various legal and regulatory actions that arise in the ordinary course of business. The Company generally cannot predict the eventual outcome, the timing of the resolution or the potential losses, fines or penalties of such legal and regulatory actions. Actual outcomes or losses may differ materially from the Company's current assessments and estimates, which could have a material adverse effect on the Company's business, prospects, results of operations, financial condition or cash flows.
In accordance with applicable accounting guidance, the Company establishes an accrued liability for litigation, regulatory matters and other legal proceedings when those matters present material loss contingencies that are both probable and reasonably estimable. Even when an accrual is recorded, the Company may be exposed to loss in excess of any amounts accrued.
Except as described below, the Company believes that any sum it may be required to pay in connection with proceedings or claims in excess of the amounts recorded would likely not have a material adverse effect upon the Company's results of operations, financial conditions or cash flows on a consolidated annual basis but could have a material adverse impact in a particular quarterly reporting period.



38

Elevate Credit, Inc. and Subsidiaries
NOTES TO THE CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (UNAUDITED) (Continued)
For the three and nine months ended September 30, 2021 and 2020

Other Matters:
In December 2019, the Think Finance, Inc. ("TFI") bankruptcy plan was confirmed, and any potential future claims from the TFI Creditors' Committee were assigned to the Think Finance Litigation Trust (“TFLT”). On August 14, 2020, the TFLT filed an adversary proceeding against Elevate Credit, Inc. in the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Northern District of Texas, alleging certain avoidance claims related to Elevate's spin-off from TFI on May 1, 2014 under the Bankruptcy Code and the Texas Uniform Fraudulent Transfer Act ("TUFTA"). If it were determined that the spin-off constituted a fraudulent conveyance or that there were other avoidance actions associated with the spin-off, then the spin-off could be deemed void and there could be a number of different remedies imposed against Elevate, including without limitation, the requirement that Elevate has to pay money damages. While the TFLT values this claim at $246 million, the Company believes that it has valid defenses to the claim and intends to vigorously defend itself against this claim. Additionally, a class action lawsuit against Elevate was filed on August 14, 2020 in the Eastern District of Virginia alleging violations of usurious interest and aiding and abetting various racketeering activities related to the operations of TFI prior to and immediately after the 2014 spin-off. On October 26, 2020, Elevate filed a motion to dismiss which was denied by Judge Lauck on September 30, 2021Elevate views this lawsuit as without merit and intends to vigorously defend its position. Based upon preliminary settlement discussions in the fourth quarter of 2020, the Company accrued a contingent loss in the amount of $17 million for estimated losses related to the TFLT and class action disputes within Accounts payable and accrued liabilities on the Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets at September 30, 2021 and December 31, 2020. While Elevate can provide no assurances as to the duration or potential outcome of such proceedings, in the event that for either proceeding there is a settlement and Elevate is unable to pay any amount resulting from such settlement, it could have a material adverse effect on Elevate’s financial condition, or, if there is no settlement and Elevate is deemed to ultimately be liable in these matters, Elevate could be obligated to file for bankruptcy.
On June 5, 2020, the District of Columbia (the "District") sued Elevate in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia alleging that Elevate may have violated the District's Consumer Protection Procedures Act and the District of Columbia's Municipal Regulations in connection with loans issued by banks in the District of Columbia. This action was removed to federal court, and on August 3, 2020, the District filed a motion to remand to Superior Court. On July 15, 2021, the District Court Judge remanded the case to Superior Court. Elevate disagrees that it has violated the above referenced laws and regulations and it intends to vigorously defend its position.
In addition, on January 27, 2020, Sopheary Sanh filed a class action complaint in the Western District Court in the state of Washington against Rise Credit Service of Texas, LLC d/b/a Rise, Opportunity Financial, LLC and Applied Data Finance, LLC d/b/a Personify Financial. The Plaintiff in the case claims that Rise and Personify Financial have violated Washington’s Consumer Protection Act by engaging in unfair or deceptive practices, and seeks class certification, injunctive relief to prevent solicitation of consumers to apply for loans, monetary damages and other appropriate relief, including an award of costs, pre- and post-judgment interest, and attorneys' fees. The lawsuit was removed to federal court. On January 12, 2021, the court granted Rise's motion to dismiss, as well as the other non-affiliated service providers. The Judge did, however, allow Plaintiff the opportunity to amend its complaint. On June 22, 2021, the Plaintiff filed its Amended Complaint alleging that Elevate or its subsidiary were not service providers to the originating bank, but rather the true lender. On July 20, 2021, Elevate filed its Motion to Dismiss the Amended Complaint. On September 20, 2021, Plaintiff filed its Response and Opposition to Defendant's Motion to Dismiss. Elevate disagrees that it has violated the Washington Consumer Protection Act and it intends to vigorously defend its position.
On March 3, 2020, Heather Crawford filed a lawsuit in the Superior Court of the state of California, county of Los Angeles, against Elevate Credit, Inc., Elevate Credit Service, LLC and Rise Credit of California, LLC alleging unconscionable interest rates on Rise loans and seeking damages and public injunctive relief. Elevate filed a motion to compel arbitration, and Ms. Crawford dismissed the lawsuit without prejudice to refile in arbitration. Ms. Crawford has not yet filed any arbitration demand. In addition, on April 6, 2020, Dahn Le made a demand for arbitration against Elevate Credit, Inc., Elevate Credit Service, LLC and Rise Credit of California, LLC similarly alleging unconscionable interest rates on Rise loans and seeking damages and public injunctive relief. On September 1, 2021, the Arbitrator ruled that Elevate was deemed to be the prevailing party as to all matters in the Danh Le arbitration and all of Claimant's claims were denied. Elevate is seeking to confirm this judgment.



39

Elevate Credit, Inc. and Subsidiaries
NOTES TO THE CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (UNAUDITED) (Continued)
For the three and nine months ended September 30, 2021 and 2020

Commitments
The Elastic product, which offers lines of credit to consumers, had approximately $290.3 million and $275.9 million in available and unfunded credit lines at September 30, 2021 and December 31, 2020, respectively. The Today Card product had approximately $16.7 million and $5.4 million in available and unfunded credit lines as of September 30, 2021 and December 31, 2020, respectively. From May 2017 through September 2020, the Rise product offered lines of credit to consumers in certain states. At both September 30, 2021 and December 31, 2020, there were no remaining available and unfunded Rise credit lines. While these amounts represented the total available unused credit lines, the Company has not experienced and does not anticipate that all line of credit customers will access their entire available credit lines at any given point in time. The Company has not recorded a loan loss reserve for unfunded credit lines as the Company has the ability to cancel commitments within a relatively short timeframe.
Effective June 2017, the Company entered into a seven-year lease agreement for office space in California. Upon the commencement of the lease, the Company was required to provide the lessor with an irrevocable and unconditional $500 thousand letter of credit. Provided the Company is not in default of any terms of the lease agreement, the outstanding required balance of the letter of credit will be reduced by $100 thousand per year beginning on the second anniversary of the lease commencement and ending on the fifth anniversary of the lease agreement. The minimum balance of the letter of credit will be at least $100 thousand throughout the duration of the lease. At September 30, 2021 and December 31, 2020, the Company had $200 thousand and $300 thousand, respectively, of cash balances securing the letter of credit which is included in Restricted cash within the Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets.
Guarantees
CSO Program:
In connection with its CSO programs, the Company guarantees consumer loan payment obligations to CSO lenders and is required to purchase any defaulted loans it has guaranteed. The guarantee represents an obligation to purchase specific loans that go into default. As of September 30, 2021, the guarantee no longer exists as there are no remaining CSO program obligations.
UK Debt Guarantee:
Under the terms of the VPC Facility, Elevate Credit, Inc. (the "Parent") had provided a guarantee to VPC for the repayment of the UK Term Note. ECIL completed payment of the UK Term Note in the third quarter of 2020 and any guarantee obligation associated with the UK Term Note was released with the repayment.
Indemnifications and contingent loss accrual
In the ordinary course of business, the Company may indemnify customers, vendors, lessors, investors, and other parties for certain matters subject to various terms and scopes. For example, the Company may indemnify certain parties for losses due to the Company's breach of certain agreements or due to certain services it provides. As the Company has previously disclosed, the Company has also entered into separate indemnification agreements with the Company’s directors and executive officers, in addition to the indemnification provided for in the Company’s amended and restated bylaws. These agreements, among other things, provide that the Company will indemnify its directors and executive officers for certain expenses, including attorneys’ fees, judgments, penalties, fines and settlement amounts incurred by a director or executive officer in any action or proceeding arising out of their services as one of the Company’s or, where applicable, TFI’s directors or executive officers, or any of the Company’s subsidiaries or any other company or enterprise to which the person provides services at the Company’s request. The indemnification agreements also set forth certain procedures that will apply in the event of a claim for indemnification thereunder.
As of December 31, 2020, the Company had accrued approximately $4.4 million for a contingent loss related to a legal matter for a former executive of the company. The Company had accrued $6.7 million at September 30, 2020. This contingent loss was based on a probable settlement composed of both cash and certain amounts that were subject to valuation adjustments until the final settlement. The accrual was recognized as Non-operating loss in the Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations and as Accounts payable and accrued liabilities on the Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets. The contingent loss was settled as of March 31, 2021 and no further accrual remains as of September 30, 2021. In April 2021, the Company received a net recovery of $510 thousand. The table below presents a roll forward of the net amounts accrued and paid for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2021 and 2020.



40

Elevate Credit, Inc. and Subsidiaries
NOTES TO THE CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (UNAUDITED) (Continued)
For the three and nine months ended September 30, 2021 and 2020

Three Months Ended September 30, Nine Months Ended September 30,
(Dollars in thousands) 2021 2020 2021 2020
Beginning balance
$ —  $ 5,670  $ 4,424  $ — 
Accruals
—  1,007  (510) 6,677 
Payments
—  —  (3,914) — 
Net contingent loss related to a legal matter
$ —  $ 6,677  $ —  $ 6,677 
NOTE 12—DISCONTINUED OPERATIONS
As a result of the recent global economic impact and uncertainty due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Company concluded a triggering event had occurred as of March 31, 2020, and accordingly, performed interim impairment testing on the goodwill balances of its reporting units. The Company performed a detailed qualitative and quantitative assessment of each reporting unit and concluded that the goodwill associated with the previously consolidated UK reporting unit was impaired as the fair value of the UK reporting unit was less than its carrying amount. The impairment loss of $9.3 million was included in Loss from discontinued operations due to the deconsolidation of ECIL.
On June 29, 2020, ECIL entered into administration in accordance with the provisions of the UK Insolvency Act 1986 and pursuant to a resolution of the board of directors of ECIL. The management, business, affairs and property of ECIL have been placed into the direct control of the appointed administrators, KPMG LLP. Accordingly, the Company deconsolidated ECIL as of June 29, 2020 and presents ECIL's results as Discontinued operations for all periods presented.
In connection with the disposition of ECIL, the Company recognized a loss on its investment. This loss resulted in an estimated US federal and state income tax benefit of $24.2 million and was recognized in the three- and six-month period ending June 30, 2020. During the three months ended September 30, 2020, the Company revised the estimated tax basis in ECIL resulting in an additional $3.9 million income tax benefit for a total tax benefit of $28.1 million at September 30, 2020, which will be available to offset future income tax obligations.



41

Elevate Credit, Inc. and Subsidiaries
NOTES TO THE CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (UNAUDITED) (Continued)
For the three and nine months ended September 30, 2021 and 2020

The table below presents the financial results of ECIL, which are considered Discontinued operations and are excluded from the Company's results of continuing operations:
Three Months Ended September 30, Nine Months Ended September 30,
(Dollars in thousands) 2021 2020 (1) 2021 2020 (1)
Revenues
$ —  $ —  $ —  $ 24,012 
Cost of sales:
      Provision for loan losses
—  —  —  4,785 
      Direct marketing costs
—  —  —  1,372 
      Other cost of sales
—  —  —  10,790 
Total cost of sales
—  —  —  16,947 
Gross profit
—  —  —  7,065 
Operating expenses:
Compensation and benefits
—  —  —  4,785 
Professional services
—  —  —  2,879 
Selling and marketing
—  —  —  605 
Occupancy and equipment
—  —  —  2,141 
Depreciation and amortization
—  —  —  1,427 
Other
—  —  —  288 
Total operating expenses
—  —  —  12,125 
Operating loss
—  —  —  (5,060)
Other expense:
Net interest expense
—  —  —  (896)
Foreign currency transaction loss
—  —  —  (854)
Impairment loss
—  —  —  (9,251)
Non-operating income
—  —  —  — 
Total other expense
—  —  —  (11,001)
Loss from operations of discontinued operations
—  —  —  (16,061)
Gain (loss) on disposal of discontinued operations
—  529  —  (27,983)
Income (loss) from discontinued operations before taxes
—  529  —  (44,044)
Income tax benefit
—  3,936  —  28,136 
Net income (loss) from discontinued operations
$ —  $ 4,465  $ —  $ (15,908)
(1) Includes ECIL financial results for the period through June 28, 2020.
At September 30, 2021 and December 31, 2020, the Company had no assets or liabilities related to the discontinued operations of ECIL.



42

Elevate Credit, Inc. and Subsidiaries
NOTES TO THE CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (UNAUDITED) (Continued)
For the three and nine months ended September 30, 2021 and 2020

NOTE 13—RELATED PARTIES
Expenses related to the Company's board of directors, including board fees, travel reimbursements, share-based compensation and a consulting arrangement with a related party for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2021 and 2020 are included in Professional services within the Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations and were as follows:
Three Months Ended September 30,
(Dollars in thousands) 2021 2020
Fees and travel expenses
$ 111  $ 110 
Stock compensation (1)
156  (189)
Total board related expenses
$ 267  $ (79)
Nine Months Ended September 30,
(Dollars in thousands) 2021 2020
Fees and travel expenses
$ 368  $ 365 
Stock compensation (1)
342  1,598 
Consulting
—  150 
Total board related expenses
$ 710  $ 2,113 
(1) Includes Elevate's former CEO from January 1, 2020 through July 17, 2020.
During the year ended December 31, 2017, a member of the board of directors entered into a direct investment of $800 thousand in the Rise portion of the VPC Facility. For both the three months ended September 30, 2021 and 2020, the interest payments on this loan were $20 thousand and $59 thousand and $61 thousand for the nine months ended September 30, 2021 and 2020, respectively.
In addition, during the second quarter of 2021, the Company reached an agreement with a member of the board of directors for advances of legal fees under the indemnification provisions of their director agreement. Based on this agreement, the company accrued $1.2 million, which is included in Professional services in the Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations and in Accounts payable and accrued liabilities within the Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets.
At September 30, 2021 and December 31, 2020, the Company had approximately $127 thousand and $110 thousand, respectively, due to board members related to the above expenses, which is included in Accounts payable and accrued liabilities within the Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets.
NOTE 14—SUBSEQUENT EVENTS
The Company evaluated subsequent events as of the date these financial statements were made available and determined there have been no material subsequent events that required recognition or additional disclosure in these condensed consolidated financial statements, except as follows:
On October 12, 2021, the Company entered into a $50 million financing facility, with an ability to increase the facility to $100 million, to fund continued growth of the Today Card product. The financing facility for the Today Card is provided by Park Cities Asset Management LLC. On October 15, 2021, the Company completed a $25 million draw on the new Today SPV, LLC Facility at an interest rate of Prime + 3.60%.
On October 28, 2021, the Company's Board of Directors authorized a $25 million increase to the existing $55 million common stock repurchase program, providing for the repurchase of up to $80 million of the Company's common stock through July 31, 2024. In addition, the Board of Directors approved an increase in the annual fiscal limit of repurchases from $25 million to $35 million.




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Item 2. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations
The following Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations ("MD&A") is intended to help the reader understand our business, our results of operations and our financial condition. The MD&A is provided as a supplement to, and should be read in conjunction with our unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements and the related notes and other financial information included elsewhere in this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q.
Some of the information contained in this discussion and analysis, including information with respect to our plans and strategy for our business, includes forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. You should review the "Note About Forward-Looking Statements" section of this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for a discussion of important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from the results described in or implied by the forward-looking statements contained in the following discussion and analysis. We generally refer to loans, customers and other information and data associated with each of our brands (Rise, Elastic and Today Card) as Elevate’s loans, customers, information and data, irrespective of whether Elevate directly originates the credit to the customer or whether such credit is originated by a third party.
OVERVIEW
We provide online credit solutions to consumers in the US who are not well-served by traditional bank products and who are looking for better options than payday loans, title loans, pawn and storefront installment loans. Non-prime consumers now represent a larger market than prime consumers but are riskier to underwrite and serve with traditional approaches. We’re succeeding at it - and doing it responsibly - with best-in-class advanced technology and proprietary risk analytics honed by serving more than 2.6 million customers with $9.5 billion in credit. Our current online credit products, Rise, Elastic and Today Card, reflect our mission to provide customers with access to competitively priced credit and services while helping them build a brighter financial future with credit building and financial wellness features. We call this mission "Good Today, Better Tomorrow."
Prior to June 29, 2020, we provided services in the United Kingdom ("UK") through our wholly-owned subsidiary, Elevate Credit International Limited (“ECIL”) under the brand name ‘Sunny.’ During the year ended December 31, 2018, ECIL began to receive an increased number of customer complaints initiated by claims management companies ("CMCs") related to the affordability assessment of certain loans. The CMCs' campaign against the high cost lending industry increased significantly during the third and fourth quarters of 2018 and continued through 2019 and into the first half of 2020, resulting in a significant increase in affordability claims against all companies in the industry over this period. The Financial Conduct Authority ("FCA"), a regulator in the UK financial services industry, began regulating the CMCs in April 2019 in order to ensure that the methods used by the CMCs are in the best interests of the consumer and the industry. Separately, the FCA asked all industry participants to review their lending practices to ensure that such companies are using an appropriate affordability and creditworthiness analysis. However, there continued to be a lack of clarity within the regulatory environment in the UK. This lack of clarity, coupled with the ongoing impact of the Coronavirus Disease 2019 ("COVID-19") on the UK market for Sunny, led the ECIL board of directors to place ECIL into administration under the UK Insolvency Act 1986 and appoint insolvency practitioners from KPMG LLP to take control and management of the UK business. As a result, we have deconsolidated ECIL and are presenting its results as discontinued operations.
We earn revenues on the Rise installment loans, on the Rise and Elastic lines of credit and on the Today Card credit card product. Our revenue primarily consists of finance charges and line of credit fees. Finance charges are driven by our average loan balances outstanding and by the average annual percentage rate (“APR”) associated with those outstanding loan balances. We calculate our average loan balances by taking a simple daily average of the ending loan balances outstanding for each period. Line of credit fees are recognized when they are assessed and recorded to revenue over the life of the loan. We present certain key metrics and other information on a “combined” basis to reflect information related to loans originated by us and by our bank partners that license our brands, Republic Bank, FinWise Bank and Capital Community Bank ("CCB"), as well as loans originated by third-party lenders pursuant to CSO programs, which loans originated through CSO programs are not recorded on our balance sheet in accordance with US GAAP. See “—Key Financial and Operating Metrics” and “—Non-GAAP Financial Measures.”
We use our working capital and our credit facility with Victory Park Management, LLC ("VPC” and the "VPC Facility") to fund the loans we directly make to our Rise customers. The VPC Facility has a maximum total borrowing amount available of $200 million at September 30, 2021. See “—Liquidity and Capital Resources—Debt facilities.”



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We also license our Rise installment loan brand to two banks. FinWise Bank originates Rise installment loans in 17 states. This bank initially provides all of the funding, retains 4% of the balances of all of the loans originated and sells the remaining 96% loan participation in those Rise installment loans to a third-party SPV, EF SPV, Ltd. ("EF SPV"). These loan participation purchases are funded through a separate financing facility (the "EF SPV Facility"), effective February 1, 2019, and through cash flows from operations generated by EF SPV. The EF SPV Facility has a maximum total borrowing amount available of $250 million. We do not own EF SPV, but we have a credit default protection agreement with EF SPV whereby we provide credit protection to the investors in EF SPV against Rise loan losses in return for a credit premium. Elevate is required to consolidate EF SPV as a variable interest entity ("VIE") under US GAAP and the condensed consolidated financial statements include revenue, losses and loans receivable related to the 96% of the Rise installment loans originated by FinWise Bank and sold to EF SPV.
Beginning in the third quarter of 2020, we also license our Rise installment loan brand to an additional bank, CCB, which originates Rise installment loans in three different states than FinWise Bank. Similar to the relationship with FinWise Bank, CCB initially provides all of the funding, retains 5% of the balances of all of the loans originated and sells the remaining 95% loan participation in those Rise installment loans to a third-party SPV, EC SPV, Ltd. ("EC SPV"). These loan participation purchases are funded through a separate financing facility (the "EC SPV Facility"), and through cash flows from operations generated by EC SPV. The EC SPV Facility has a maximum total borrowing amount available of $100 million. We do not own EC SPV, but we have a credit default protection agreement with EC SPV whereby we provide credit protection to the investors in EC SPV against Rise loan losses in return for a credit premium. Elevate is required to consolidate EC SPV as a VIE under US GAAP and the condensed consolidated financial statements include revenue, losses and loans receivable related to the 95% of the Rise installment loans originated by CCB and sold to EC SPV.
The Elastic line of credit product is originated by a third-party lender, Republic Bank, which initially provides all of the funding for that product. Republic Bank retains 10% of the balances of all loans originated and sells a 90% loan participation in the Elastic lines of credit. An SPV structure was implemented such that the loan participations are sold by Republic Bank to Elastic SPV, Ltd. (“Elastic SPV”) and Elastic SPV receives its funding from VPC in a separate financing facility (the “ESPV Facility”), which was finalized on July 13, 2015. We do not own Elastic SPV, but we have a credit default protection agreement with Elastic SPV whereby we provide credit protection to the investors in Elastic SPV against Elastic loan losses in return for a credit premium. Per the terms of this agreement, under US GAAP, we are the primary beneficiary of Elastic SPV and are required to consolidate the financial results of Elastic SPV as a VIE in our condensed consolidated financial statements. The ESPV Facility has a maximum total borrowing amount available of $350 million at September 30, 2021. See “—Liquidity and Capital Resources—Debt facilities.”
Today Card is a credit card product designed to meet the spending needs of non-prime consumers by offering a prime customer experience. Today Card is originated by CCB under the licensed MasterCard brand, and a 95% participation interest in the credit card receivable is sold to us. As the lowest APR product in our portfolio, Today Card allows us to serve a broader spectrum of non-prime Americans. During 2020, the Today Card experienced significant growth in its portfolio size despite the pandemic due to the success of our direct mail campaigns, the primary marketing channel for acquiring new Today Card customers. We are following a specific growth plan that began in 2020 to grow the product while monitoring customer responses and credit quality. Customer response to the Today Card is very strong, as we continue to see extremely high response rates, high customer engagement, and positive customer satisfaction scores.
Our management assesses our financial performance and future strategic goals through key metrics based primarily on the following three themes:
Revenue growth.    Key metrics related to revenue growth that we monitor by product include the ending and average combined loan balances outstanding, the effective APR of our product loan portfolios, the total dollar value of loans originated, the number of new customer loans made, the ending number of customer loans outstanding and the related customer acquisition costs (“CAC”) associated with each new customer loan made. We include CAC as a key metric when analyzing revenue growth (rather than as a key metric within margin expansion).
Stable credit quality.    Since the time they were managing our US legacy products, our management team has maintained stable credit quality across the loan portfolio they were managing. Additionally, in the periods covered in this Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations, we have improved our credit quality and lowered our credit losses. The credit quality metrics we monitor include net charge-offs as a percentage of revenues, the combined loan loss reserve as a percentage of outstanding combined loans, total provision for loan losses as a percentage of revenues and the percentage of past due combined loans receivable – principal.



45


Margin expansion.    We aim to manage our business to achieve a long-term operating margin of 15-20%. In periods of significant loan portfolio growth, our margins may become compressed due to the upfront costs associated with marketing and credit provisioning expense associated with this growth. As we continue to rebuild and scale our portfolio from the impacts of COVID-19, we anticipate that our direct marketing costs primarily associated with new customer acquisitions will decline to approximately 10% of revenues and our operating expenses will decline to approximately 20% of revenues. While our operating margins may exceed 15-20% in certain years, such as in 2020 when we incurred lower levels of direct marketing expense and materially lower credit losses due to a lack of customer demand for loans resulting from the effects of COVID-19, we do not expect our operating margin to increase beyond that level over the long-term, as we intend to pass on any improvements over our targeted margins to our customers in the form of lower APRs. We believe this is a critical component of our responsible lending platform and over time will also help us continue to attract new customers and retain existing customers.
Impact of COVID-19
The COVID-19 pandemic and related restrictive measures taken by governments, businesses and individuals caused unprecedented uncertainty, volatility and disruption in financial markets and in governmental, commercial and consumer activity in the United States, including the markets that we serve. As the restrictive measures have been eased in certain geographic locations, the U.S. economy has begun to recover, and with the availability and distribution of COVID-19 vaccines, we anticipate continued improvements in commercial and consumer activity and the U.S. economy. While positive signs exist, we recognize that certain of our customers are experiencing varying degrees of financial distress, which may continue, especially if new COVID-19 variant infections increase and new economic restrictions are mandated.

In 2020, we experienced a significant decline in the loan portfolio due to a lack of customer demand for loans resulting from the effects of COVID-19 and related government stimulus programs. These impacts resulted in a lower level of direct marketing expense and materially lower credit losses during 2020 and continuing into early 2021. Beginning in the second quarter of 2021, we are experiencing a return of demand for the loan products that we, and the bank originators we support, offer, resulting in significant growth in the loan portfolio from that point. This significant loan portfolio growth is resulting in compressed margins in 2021 due to the upfront costs associated with marketing and credit provisioning expense related to growing and “rebuilding” the loan portfolio from the impacts of COVID-19. We continue to target loan portfolio originations within our target CACs of $250-$300 and credit quality metrics of 45-55% of revenue which, when combined with our expectation of continuing customer loan demand for our portfolio products, we believe will allow us to return to our historical performance levels prior to COVID-19 after initially resulting in earnings compression.
Both we and the bank originators are closely monitoring the key credit quality indicators such as payment defaults, continued payment deferrals, and line of credit utilization. While we initially anticipated that the COVID-19 pandemic would have a negative impact on our credit quality, instead the monetary stimulus programs provided by the US government to our customer base have generally allowed customers to continue making payments on their loans. At the beginning of the pandemic, we expected an increase in net charge-offs as compared to prior periods but experienced historically low net charge-offs as a percentage of revenue in the second half of 2020 and early 2021. With the increased volume of new customer loans expected to be originated as we grow our loan portfolio back to our pre-pandemic size and the ending of government assistance, we expect a return of net charge-offs to our targeted range of 45-55% of revenue. Further, we believe that the allowance for loan losses is adequate to absorb the losses inherent in the portfolio as of September 30, 2021.
We have implemented a hybrid remote environment where employees may choose to work primarily from the office or from home and gather collectively in the office on a limited basis. We have sought to ensure our employees feel secure in their jobs, have flexibility in their work location and have the resources they need to stay safe and healthy. As an 100% online lending solutions provider, our technology and underwriting platform has continued to serve our customers and the bank originators that we support without any material interruption in services.
COVID-19 has had a significant adverse impact on our business, and while uncertainty still exists, we believe we are well-positioned to operate effectively through the present economic environment and expect continued loan portfolio growth and strong credit quality through the remainder of the year. We will continue assessing our minimum cash and liquidity requirement, monitoring our debt covenant compliance and implementing measures to ensure that our cash and liquidity position is maintained through the current economic cycle.



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KEY FINANCIAL AND OPERATING METRICS
As discussed above, we regularly monitor a number of metrics in order to measure our current performance and project our future performance. These metrics aid us in developing and refining our growth strategies and in making strategic decisions.
Certain of our metrics are non-GAAP financial measures. We believe that such metrics are useful in period-to-period comparisons of our core business. However, non-GAAP financial measures are not an alternative to any measure of financial performance calculated and presented in accordance with US GAAP. See “—Non-GAAP Financial Measures” for a reconciliation of our non-GAAP measures to US GAAP.
Revenues
 
  As of and for the three months ended September 30, As of and for the nine months ended September 30,
Revenue metrics (dollars in thousands, except as noted) 2021 2020 2021 2020
Revenues
$ 112,835  $ 94,164  $ 287,108  $ 374,622 
Period-over-period change in revenue
20  % (43) % (23) % (21) %
Ending combined loans receivable – principal(1)
$ 512,870  $ 377,177  512,870  377,177 
Average combined loans receivable – principal(1)(2)
$ 459,949  $ 389,701  398,566  479,526 
Total combined loans originated – principal
$ 311,985  $ 132,516  $ 655,959  442,552 
Average customer loan balance(3)
$ 1,918  $ 1,797  1,918  1,797 
Number of new customer loans
69,682  8,489  122,558  47,054 
Ending number of combined loans outstanding
267,434  209,887  267,434  209,887 
Customer acquisition costs
$ 221  $ 305  248  295 
Effective APR of combined loan portfolio 96  % 96  % 95  % 104  %
_________
(1)Combined loans receivable is defined as loans owned by us and consolidated VIEs plus loans originated and owned by third-party lenders pursuant to our CSO programs. See “—Non-GAAP Financial Measures” for more information and for a reconciliation of Combined loans receivable to Loans receivable, net, the most directly comparable financial measure calculated in accordance with US GAAP.
(2)Average combined loans receivable – principal is calculated using an average of daily Combined loans receivable – principal balances.
(3)Average customer loan balance is an average of all three products and is calculated for each product by dividing the ending Combined loans receivable – principal by the number of loans outstanding at period end.
Revenues.    Our revenues are composed of Rise finance charges, Rise CSO fees (which are fees we receive from customers who obtain a loan through the CSO program for the credit services, including the loan guaranty, we provide), revenues earned on the Elastic line of credit, and finance charges and fee revenues from the Today Card credit card product. See “—Components of our Results of Operations—Revenues.”
Ending and average combined loans receivable – principal.    We calculate the average combined loans receivable – principal by taking a simple daily average of the ending combined loans receivable – principal for each period. Key metrics that drive the ending and average combined loans receivable – principal include the amount of loans originated in a period and the average customer loan balance. All loan balance metrics include only the 90% participation in the related Elastic line of credit advances (we exclude the 10% held by Republic Bank), the 96% participation in FinWise Bank originated Rise installment loans and the 95% participation in CCB originated Rise installment loans and the 95% participation in the CCB originated Today Card credit card receivables, but include the full loan balances on CSO loans, which are not presented on our Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets.
Total combined loans originated – principal.    The amount of loans originated in a period is driven primarily by loans to new customers as well as new loans to prior customers, including refinancing of existing loans to customers in good standing.



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Average customer loan balance and effective APR of combined loan portfolio.    The average loan amount and its related APR are based on the product and the underlying credit quality of the customer. Generally, better credit quality customers are offered higher loan amounts at lower APRs. Additionally, new customers have more potential risk of loss than prior or existing customers due to lack of payment history and the potential for fraud. As a result, newer customers typically will have lower loan amounts and higher APRs to compensate for that additional risk of loss. The effective APR is calculated based on the actual amount of finance charges generated from a customer loan divided by the average outstanding balance for the loan and can be lower than the stated APR on the loan due to waived finance charges and other reasons. For example, a Rise customer may receive a $2,000 installment loan with a term of 24 months and a stated rate of 180%. In this example, the customer’s monthly installment loan payment would be $310.86. As the customer can prepay the loan balance at any time with no additional fees or early payment penalty, the customer pays the loan in full in month eight. The customer’s loan earns interest of $2,337.81 over the eight-month period and has an average outstanding balance of $1,948.17. The effective APR for this loan is 180% over the eight-month period calculated as follows:
($2,337.81 interest earned / $1,948.17 average balance outstanding) x 12 months per year = 180%
                8 months
In addition, as an example for Elastic, if a customer makes a $2,500 draw on the customer’s line of credit and this draw required bi-weekly minimum payments of 5% (equivalent to 20 bi-weekly payments), and if all minimum payments are made, the draw would earn finance charges of $1,148. The effective APR for the line of credit in this example is 109% over the payment period and is calculated as follows:
($1,148.00 fees earned / $1,369.05 average balance outstanding) x 26 bi-weekly periods per year = 109%
                20 payments
The actual total revenue we realize on a loan portfolio is also impacted by the amount of prepayments and charged-off customer loans in the portfolio. For a single loan, on average, we typically expect to realize approximately 60% of the revenues that we would otherwise realize if the loan were to fully amortize at the stated APR. From the Rise example above, if we waived $400 of interest for this customer, the effective APR for this loan would decrease to 149%.
Number of new customer loans.    We define a new customer loan as the first loan or advance made to a customer for each of our products (so a customer receiving a Rise installment loan and then at a later date taking their first cash advance on an Elastic line of credit would be counted twice). The number of new customer loans is subject to seasonal fluctuations. New customer acquisition is typically slowest during the first six months of each calendar year, primarily in the first quarter, compared to the latter half of the year, as our existing and prospective customers usually receive tax refunds during this period and, thus, have less of a need for loans from us. Further, many customers will use their tax refunds to prepay all or a portion of their loan balance during this period, so our overall loan portfolio typically decreases during the first quarter of the calendar year. Overall loan portfolio growth and the number of new customer loans tends to accelerate during the summer months (typically June and July), at the beginning of the school year (typically late August to early September) and during the winter holidays (typically late November to early December).
Customer acquisition costs.    A key expense metric we monitor related to loan growth is our CAC. This metric is the amount of direct marketing costs incurred during a period divided by the number of new customer loans originated during that same period. New loans to former customers are not included in our calculation of CAC (except to the extent they receive a loan through a different product) as we believe we incur no material direct marketing costs to make additional loans to a prior customer through the same product.
The following tables summarize the changes in customer loans by product for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2021 and 2020.
Three Months Ended September 30, 2021
Rise Elastic Today
(Installment Loans) (Lines of Credit) (Credit Card) Total
Beginning number of combined loans outstanding
108,784  92,278  17,481  218,543 
New customer loans originated
41,010  18,937  9,735  69,682 
Former customer loans originated
18,295  154  —  18,449 
Attrition
(35,391) (3,870) 21  (39,240)
Ending number of combined loans outstanding
132,698  107,499  27,237  267,434 
Customer acquisition cost
$ 268  $ 206  $ 52  $ 221 
Average customer loan balance
$ 2,194  $ 1,744  $ 1,254  $ 1,918 



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Three Months Ended September 30, 2020
Rise Elastic Today
(Installment Loans) (Lines of Credit) (Credit Card) Total
Beginning number of combined loans outstanding
107,125  108,553  6,566  222,244 
New customer loans originated
6,794  831  864  8,489 
Former customer loans originated
14,466  72  —  14,538 
Attrition
(28,426) (6,602) (356) (35,384)
Ending number of combined loans outstanding
99,959  102,854  7,074  209,887 
Customer acquisition cost
$ 317  $ 369  $ 141  $ 305 
Average customer loan balance
$ 2,157  $ 1,485  $ 1,256  $ 1,797 

Nine Months Ended September 30, 2021
Rise Elastic Today
(Installment Loans) (Lines of Credit) (Credit Card) Total
Beginning number of combined loans outstanding
103,940  100,105  10,803  214,848 
New customer loans originated
77,370  28,128  17,060  122,558 
Former customer loans originated
46,060  380  —  46,440 
Attrition
(94,672) (21,114) (626) (116,412)
Ending number of combined loans outstanding
132,698  107,499  27,237  267,434 
Customer acquisition cost
$ 284  $ 261  $ 60  $ 248 

Nine Months Ended September 30, 2020
Rise Elastic Today
(Installment Loans) (Lines of Credit) (Credit Card) Total
Beginning number of combined loans outstanding
152,435  146,317  3,207  301,959 
New customer loans originated
31,834  10,888  4,332  47,054 
Former customer loans originated
38,615  212  —  38,827 
Attrition
(122,925) (54,563) (465) (177,953)
Ending number of combined loans outstanding
99,959  102,854  7,074  209,887 
Customer acquisition cost
$ 311  $ 337  $ 78  $ 295 
Recent trends.    Our revenues for the three months ended September 30, 2021 totaled $112.8 million, an increase of 20% versus the three months ended September 30, 2020. The increase in quarterly revenue is primarily attributable to higher average combined loans receivable-principal as we saw growth in all of our products in the third quarter of 2021. Conversely, our revenues for the nine months ended September 30, 2021 totaled $287.1 million, down 23% versus the prior year. Both the Rise and Elastic products experienced a year-over-year decline in revenues of 26% and 22%, respectively, which were attributable to reductions in year-to-date average loan balances and a lower Rise effective APR due to the economic crisis created by the COVID-19 pandemic beginning in March 2020, which resulted in substantial government assistance to our potential customers that lowered demand for our products. This decline in revenue was partially offset by a year-over-year increase in revenues for the Today Card product, which has more than doubled its average principal balance outstanding year-over year. We believe Today Card balances increased over the past year despite the impact of COVID-19 due to the nature of the product (credit card versus installment loan or lines of credit), the lower APR of the product (effective APR of 30% in the third quarter of 2021 compared to Rise at 104% and Elastic at 94%) as customers receiving stimulus payments would be more apt to pay down more expensive forms of credit, and the added convenience of having a credit card for online purchases of day-to-day items such as groceries or clothing (whereas the primary usage of a Rise installment loan or Elastic line of credit is for emergency financial needs such as a medical deductible or automobile repair).



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We are currently experiencing an increase in new and former customers as demand for the loan products provided by us and the bank originators began to return during the second quarter of 2021. This is in contrast to 2020 and early 2021 when the portfolio of loan products experienced significantly decreased loan demand for both new and former customers due to COVID-19, including the effects of monetary stimulus provided by the US government reducing demand for loan products. We anticipate the return of demand for the loan products to continue for the remainder of the year, as we recover from the impacts from COVID-19. All three of our products experienced an increase in principal loan balances in the third quarter of 2021 compared to a year ago. Rise and Elastic principal loan balances at September 30, 2021 totaled $291.2 million and $187.5 million, respectively, up roughly $85.0 million and $34.8 million, respectively, from a year ago. Today Card principal loan balances at September 30, 2021 totaled $34.2 million, up $25.3 million from a year ago.
Our CAC was lower in the third quarter of 2021 at $221 as compared to the third quarter of 2020 at $305, with the third quarter of 2020 not reflective of our historical CAC due to the significant reduction in new loan originations due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The third quarter 2021 loan volume is being sourced from all our marketing channels including direct mail, strategic partners and digital. We’ve seen a marked improvement in loan volume from our strategic partners channel where we have improved our technology and risk capabilities to interface with the strategic partners via our application programming interface (APIs) that we developed within our new technology platform ("Blueprint"). Blueprint will allow us to more efficiently acquire new customers within our targeted CAC range. We believe our CAC in future quarters will continue to remain within or below our target range of $250 to $300 as we continue to optimize the efficiency of our marketing channels and continue to grow the Today Card which successfully generated new customers at a sub-$100 CAC.
Credit quality
  As of and for the three months ended September 30, As of and for the nine months ended September 30,
Credit quality metrics (dollars in thousands) 2021 2020 2021 2020
Net charge-offs(1)
$ 39,015  $ 22,428  $ 95,968  $ 163,878 
Additional provision for loan losses(1)
15,888  (9,264) 7,130  (30,662)
Provision for loan losses
$ 54,903  $ 13,164  $ 103,098  $ 133,216 
Past due combined loans receivable – principal as a percentage of combined loans receivable – principal(2)
% % % %
Net charge-offs as a percentage of revenues(1)
35  % 24  % 33  % 44  %
Total provision for loan losses as a percentage of revenues
49  % 14  % 36  % 36  %
Combined loan loss reserve(3)
$ 56,209  $ 51,330  $ 56,209  $ 51,330 
Combined loan loss reserve as a percentage of combined loans receivable(3)(4)
11  % 13  % 11  % 13  %
_________ 
(1)Net charge-offs and additional provision for loan losses are not financial measures prepared in accordance with US GAAP. Net charge-offs include the amount of principal and accrued interest on loans that are more than 60 days past due (Rise and Elastic) or 120 days past due (Today Card), or sooner if we receive notice that the loan will not be collected, such as a bankruptcy notice or identified fraud, offset by any recoveries. Additional provision for loan losses is the amount of provision for loan losses needed for a particular period to adjust the combined loan loss reserve to the appropriate level in accordance with our underlying loan loss reserve methodology. See “—Non-GAAP Financial Measures” for more information and for a reconciliation to Provision for loan losses, the most directly comparable financial measure calculated in accordance with US GAAP.
(2)Combined loans receivable is defined as loans owned by us and consolidated VIEs plus loans originated and owned by third-party lenders pursuant to our CSO programs. See “—Non-GAAP Financial Measures” for more information and for a reconciliation of Combined loans receivable to Loans receivable, net, the most directly comparable financial measure calculated in accordance with US GAAP.
(3)Combined loan loss reserve is defined as the loan loss reserve for loans originated and owned by us plus the loan loss reserve for loans owned by third-party lenders and guaranteed by us. See “—Non-GAAP Financial Measures” for more information and for a reconciliation of Combined loan loss reserve to Allowance for loan losses, the most directly comparable financial measure calculated in accordance with US GAAP.
(4)Combined loan loss reserve as a percentage of combined loans receivable is determined using period-end balances.




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Net principal charge-offs as a percentage of average combined loans receivable - principal (1)(2)(3)
First
Quarter
Second
Quarter
Third
Quarter
Fourth
Quarter
2021
6% 5% 6% N/A
2020
11% 10% 4% 5%
2019
13% 10% 10% 12%
_________ 
(1)Net principal charge-offs is comprised of gross principal charge-offs less recoveries.
(2)Average combined loans receivable - principal is calculated using an average of daily Combined loans receivable - principal balances during each quarter.
(3)Combined loans receivable is defined as loans owned by us and consolidated VIEs plus loans originated and owned by third-party lenders pursuant to our CSO programs. See “—Non-GAAP Financial Measures” for more information and for a reconciliation of Combined loans receivable to Loans receivable, net, the most directly comparable financial measure calculated in accordance with US GAAP.
Net principal charge-offs as a percentage of average combined loans receivable-principal for the third quarter of 2021 is higher than the third quarter of 2020 due to the lack of new customer loan demand, the implementation of payment assistance tools and government stimulus payments received by customers that contributed to historically low charge-off metrics during the third quarter of 2020. As we continue to increase loan originations to new and former customers, we expect this quarterly loss ratio to initially increase due to the volume of new customers being originated as we re-build the portfolio from the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic and then return to a more normalized credit profile.
In reviewing the credit quality of our loan portfolio, we break out our total provision for loan losses that is presented on our statement of operations under US GAAP into two separate items—net charge-offs and additional provision for loan losses. Net charge-offs are indicative of the credit quality of our underlying portfolio, while additional provision for loan losses is subject to more fluctuation based on loan portfolio growth, recent credit quality trends and the effect of normal seasonality on our business. The additional provision for loan losses is the amount needed to adjust the combined loan loss reserve to the appropriate amount at the end of each month based on our loan loss reserve methodology.
Net charge-offs.    Net charge-offs comprise gross charge-offs offset by recoveries on prior charge-offs. Gross charge-offs include the amount of principal and accrued interest on loans that are more than 60 days past due (Rise and Elastic) or 120 days (Today Card), or sooner if we receive notice that the loan will not be collected, such as a bankruptcy notice or identified fraud. Any payments received on loans that have been charged off are recorded as recoveries and reduce the total amount of gross charge-offs. Recoveries are typically less than 10% of the amount charged off, and thus, we do not view recoveries as a key credit quality metric.
Net charge-offs as a percentage of revenues can vary based on several factors, such as whether or not we experience significant growth or lower the APR of our products. Additionally, although a more seasoned portfolio will typically result in lower net charge-offs as a percentage of revenues, we do not intend to drive down this ratio significantly below our historical ratios and would instead seek to offer our existing products to a broader new customer base to drive additional revenues.
Net charge-offs as a percentage of average combined loans receivable-principal allow us to determine credit quality and evaluate loss experience trends across our loan portfolio.
Additional provision for loan losses.    Additional provision for loan losses is the amount of provision for loan losses needed for a particular period to adjust the combined loan loss reserve to the appropriate level in accordance with our underlying loan loss reserve methodology.
Additional provision for loan losses relates to an increase in inherent losses in the loan portfolio as determined by our loan loss reserve methodology. This increase could be due to a combination of factors such as an increase in the size of the loan portfolio or a worsening of credit quality or increase in past due loans. It is also possible for the additional provision for loan losses for a period to be a negative amount, which would reduce the amount of the combined loan loss reserve needed (due to a decrease in the loan portfolio or improvement in credit quality). The amount of additional provision for loan losses is seasonal in nature, mirroring the seasonality of our new customer acquisition and overall loan portfolio growth, as discussed above. The combined loan loss reserve typically decreases during the first quarter or first half of the calendar year due to a decrease in the loan portfolio from year end. Then, as the rate of growth for the loan portfolio starts to increase during the second half of the year, additional provision for loan losses is typically needed to increase the reserve for losses associated with the loan growth. Because of this, our provision for loan losses can vary significantly throughout the year without a significant change in the credit quality of our portfolio.



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The following provides an example of the application of our loan loss reserve methodology and the break-out of the provision for loan losses between the portion associated with replenishing the reserve due to net charge-offs and the amount related to the additional provision for loan losses. If the beginning combined loan loss reserve were $25 million, and we incurred $10 million of net charge-offs during the period and the ending combined loan loss reserve needed to be $30 million according to our loan loss reserve methodology, our total provision for loan losses would be $15 million, comprising $10 million in net charge-offs (provision needed to replenish the combined loan loss reserve) plus $5 million of additional provision related to an increase in inherent losses in the loan portfolio identified by our loan loss reserve methodology.
Example (dollars in thousands)      
Beginning combined loan loss reserve
$ 25,000 
Less: Net charge-offs
(10,000)
Provision for loan losses:
Provision for net charge-offs
10,000 
Additional provision for loan losses
5,000 
Total provision for loan losses
15,000 
Ending combined loan loss reserve balance
$ 30,000 
 
Loan loss reserve methodology.    Our loan loss reserve methodology is calculated separately for each product and, in the case of Rise loans originated under the state lending model (including CSO program loans), is calculated separately based on the state in which each customer resides to account for varying state license requirements that affect the amount of the loan offered, repayment terms and other factors. For each product, loss factors are calculated based on the delinquency status of customer loan balances: current, 1 to 30 days past due, 31 to 60 days past due or 61-120 past due (for Today Card only). These loss factors for loans in each delinquency status are based on average historical loss rates by product (or state) associated with each of these three delinquency categories. Hence, another key credit quality metric we monitor is the percentage of past due combined loans receivable – principal, as an increase in past due loans will cause an increase in our combined loan loss reserve and related additional provision for loan losses to increase the reserve. For customers that are not past due, we further stratify these loans into loss rates by payment number, as a new customer that is about to make a first loan payment has a significantly higher risk of loss than a customer who has successfully made ten payments on an existing loan with us. Based on this methodology, during the past two years we have seen our combined loan loss reserve as a percentage of combined loans receivable fluctuate between approximately 10% and 14% depending on the overall mix of new, former and past due customer loans.
Recent trends.    Total loan loss provision for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2021, which was within or below our targeted range of approximately 45% to 55%, was 49% and 36% of revenues, respectively, compared to 14% and 36% in the respective prior year periods. Net charge-offs as a percentage of revenues for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2021 were 35% and 33%, respectively, compared to 24% and 44% in the respective prior year periods. The increase in these credit performance metrics is due to the increase in new loan originations beginning in the second quarter of 2021 and charge-offs and loan loss provisioning associated with a growing portfolio. While we initially anticipated that the COVID-19 pandemic would have a negative impact on our credit quality, instead the large quantity of monetary stimulus provided by the US government to our customer base has generally allowed customers to continue making payments on their loans. We continue to monitor the portfolio during the economic recovery resulting from COVID-19 and will adjust our underwriting and credit policies to mitigate any potential negative impacts as needed. As loan demand returns to pre-pandemic levels and the loan portfolio grows, we expect our total loan loss provision as a percentage of revenues to be within our targeted range of approximately 45% to 55% of revenue.
The combined loan loss reserve as a percentage of combined loans receivable totaled 11% and 13% as of September 30, 2021 and September 30, 2020, respectively. This year-over-year decrease reflects the continued strong credit performance of the portfolio, and we would expect the loan loss reserve to increase as we originate more new customers and return the portfolio to a normalized credit profile. Past due loan balances at September 30, 2021 were 9% of total combined loans receivable-principal, up from 6% from a year ago, due to the number of new customers originated beginning in the second quarter of 2021 which is consistent with our historical past due percentages prior to the pandemic. We, and the bank originators we support, are no longer offering specific COVID-19 payment deferral programs, but continue to offer other payment flexibility programs if certain qualifications are met. We are continuing to see that most customers are meeting their scheduled payments once they exit the payment deferral program. We anticipate the combined loan loss reserve as a percentage of combined loans receivable, as well as our past due loan balances as a percentage of total combined loans receivable-principal, will move toward historic norms as we continue to grow our loan portfolio.



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We also look at Rise and Elastic principal loan charge-offs (including both credit and fraud losses) by loan vintage as a percentage of combined loans originated-principal. As the below table shows, our cumulative principal loan charge-offs for Rise and Elastic through September 30, 2021 for each annual vintage since the 2013 vintage are generally under 30% and continue to generally trend at or slightly below our 25% to 30% long-term targeted range. During 2019, we implemented new fraud tools that have helped lower fraud losses for the 2019 vintage and rolled out our next generation of credit models during the second quarter of 2019 and continued refining the models during the third and fourth quarters of 2019. Our payment deferral programs have also assisted in reducing losses in our 2019 and 2020 vintages coupled with a lower volume of new loan originations in our 2020 vintage. The 2019 and 2020 vintages are both performing better than the 2017 and 2018 vintages. While still very early, we would expect the 2021 vintage to be near 2019 levels or slightly higher given the increased volume of new customer loans expected to be originated this year and a return of net charge-offs to our targeted range of 45-55% of revenue. It is also possible that the cumulative loss rates on all vintages will increase and may exceed our recent historical cumulative loss experience due to the economic impact of a prolonged crisis resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic.
ELVT-20210930_G2.JPG
_________ 
1) The 2020 and 2021 vintages are not yet fully mature from a loss perspective.
2) UK included in the 2013 to 2017 vintages only.

We also look at Today Card principal loan charge-offs (including both credit and fraud losses) by account vintage as a percentage of account principal originations. As the below table shows, our cumulative principal credit card charge-offs through September 30, 2021 for the 2020 annual vintage is under 7%. While our 2021 annual vintage is currently performing better than 2020, it is not yet mature enough for analysis. Our 2018 and 2019 vintages are considered to be test vintages and were comprised of limited originations volume and not reflective of our current underwriting standards.



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ELVT-20210930_G3.JPG

Margins
  Three Months Ended September 30, Nine Months Ended September 30,
Margin metrics (dollars in thousands) 2021 2020 2021 2020
Revenues
$ 112,835  $ 94,164  $ 287,108  $ 374,622 
Net charge-offs(1)
(39,015) (22,428) (95,968) (163,878)
Additional provision for loan losses(1)
(15,888) 9,264  (7,130) 30,662 
Direct marketing costs
(15,406) (2,585) (30,353) (13,898)
Other cost of sales
(4,766) (1,672) (9,718) (5,949)
Gross profit
37,760  76,743  143,939  221,559 
Operating expenses
(40,866) (42,662) (117,066) (121,517)
Operating income (loss)
$ (3,106) $ 34,081  $ 26,873  $ 100,042 
As a percentage of revenues:
Net charge-offs
35  % 24  % 33  % 44  %
Additional provision for loan losses
14  (10) (8)
Direct marketing costs
14  11 
Other cost of sales
Gross margin
33  81  50  59 
Operating expenses
36  45  41  32 
Operating margin
(3) % 36  % % 27  %
_________ 
(1)Non-GAAP measure. See “—Non-GAAP Financial Measures—Net charge-offs and additional provision for loan losses.”



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Gross margin is calculated as revenues minus cost of sales, or gross profit, expressed as a percentage of revenues, and operating margin is calculated as operating income expressed as a percentage of revenues. Due to the negative impact of COVID-19 on our loan balances and revenue, we are monitoring our profit margins closely. Long-term, we intend to continue to manage the business to a targeted 15-20% operating margin.
Recent operating margin trends.    For the three months ended September 30, 2021, our operating margin was (3)%, which was a decrease from 36% in the prior year period. For the nine months ended September 30, 2021, our operating margin was 9%, which was also a decrease from 27% in the prior year period. The margin decreases we are experiencing in 2021 are primarily driven by the upfront costs associated with credit provisioning and direct marketing expense associated with the increased new and former customer loan origination volume as we grow and rebuild our loan portfolio from the impacts of COVID-19. The margins achieved in 2020 are not reflective of our historical performance as we experienced a significant decline in the loan portfolio due to a lack of customer demand resulting from the effects of COVID-19 and related government stimulus programs. These impacts resulted in a lower level of direct marketing expense and materially lower credit losses during 2020 leading to an increased gross margin.
Our operating expense metrics have been negatively impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic and its impact on loan balances and revenue. We expect our expense metrics to continue to be negatively impacted in the short term as we focus on growth to increase our new customer loan volume and grow our overall loan portfolio. In the long term, as we grow the loan portfolio while actively managing our operating expenses, we expect to see our operating expense metrics return to approximately 20% of revenue. However, management will continue to look for opportunities to reduce our expenses to help offset the increased loan origination and direct marketing expenses.
NON-GAAP FINANCIAL MEASURES
We believe that the inclusion of the following non-GAAP financial measures in this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q can provide a useful measure for period-to-period comparisons of our core business, provide transparency and useful information to investors and others in understanding and evaluating our operating results, and enable investors to better compare our operating performance with the operating performance of our competitors. Management uses these non-GAAP financial measures frequently in its decision-making because they provide supplemental information that facilitates internal comparisons to the historical operating performance of prior periods and give an additional indication of our core operating performance. However, non-GAAP financial measures are not a measure calculated in accordance with US generally accepted accounting principles, or US GAAP, and should not be considered an alternative to any measures of financial performance calculated and presented in accordance with US GAAP. Other companies may calculate these non-GAAP financial measures differently than we do.
Adjusted Earnings
Adjusted earnings (loss) for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2021 and 2020 represent our net income (loss) from continuing operations adjusted to exclude the impact of:
Uncertain tax position
Contingent loss related to a legal matter
Cumulative tax effect of adjustments
Adjusted diluted earnings (loss) per share is Adjusted earnings (loss) divided by Diluted weighted average shares outstanding.



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The following table presents a reconciliation of net income (loss) from continuing operations and diluted earnings (loss) per share to Adjusted earnings and Adjusted diluted earnings (loss) per share, which excludes the impact of the contingent loss and uncertain tax position for each of the periods indicated:
  Three Months Ended September 30, Nine Months Ended September 30,
(Dollars in thousands except per share amounts) 2021 2020 2021 2020
Net income (loss) from continuing operations
$ (11,005) $ 16,616  $ (1,334) $ 40,631 
Impact of uncertain tax position 1,582  —  1,582  — 
Impact of contingent loss related to a legal matter
—  1,007  —  6,692 
Cumulative tax effect of adjustments
—  (239) —  (1,590)
Adjusted earnings (loss)
$ (9,423) $ 17,384  $ 248  $ 45,733 

Diluted earnings (loss) per share - continuing operations
$ (0.33) $ 0.41  $ (0.04) $ 0.95 
Impact of uncertain tax position 0.05  —  0.05  — 
Impact of contingent loss related to a legal matter
—  0.02  —  0.16 
Cumulative tax effect of adjustments
—  (0.01) —  (0.04)
Adjusted diluted earnings (loss) per share
$ (0.28) $ 0.42  $ 0.01  $ 1.07 
Diluted weighted average shares outstanding
33,786,968  40,762,330  34,841,624  42,624,808 
Effect of potentially dilutive shares outstanding*
—  —  632,631  — 
Adjusted diluted weighted average shares outstanding
33,786,968  40,762,330  35,474,255  42,624,808 
_________ 
*Represents potentially dilutive shares that had not been included in the Company's nine months ended September 30, 2021 diluted weighted average shares outstanding as the Company is in a net loss position under U.S. GAAP. Including those shares would have been anti-dilutive when in a net loss position.
Adjusted EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA Margin
Adjusted EBITDA represents our net income (loss) from continuing operations, adjusted to exclude:
Net interest expense primarily associated with notes payable under the VPC Facility, ESPV Facility, EF SPV Facility and EC SPV Facility used to fund the loan portfolios;
Share-based compensation;
Depreciation and amortization expense on fixed assets and intangible assets;
Gains and losses from dispositions or a contingent loss related to a legal matter included in non-operating (income) loss; and
Income taxes.
Adjusted EBITDA margin is Adjusted EBITDA divided by revenue.
Management believes that Adjusted EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA margin are useful supplemental measures to assist management and investors in analyzing the operating performance of the business and provide greater transparency into the results of operations of our core business.
Adjusted EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA margin should not be considered as alternatives to net income (loss) from continuing operations or any other performance measure derived in accordance with US GAAP. Our use of Adjusted EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA margin has limitations as an analytical tool, and you should not consider it in isolation or as a substitute for analysis of our results as reported under US GAAP. Some of these limitations are:



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Although depreciation and amortization are non-cash charges, the assets being depreciated and amortized may have to be replaced in the future, and Adjusted EBITDA does not reflect expected cash capital expenditure requirements for such replacements or for new capital assets;
Adjusted EBITDA does not reflect changes in, or cash requirements for, our working capital needs; and
Adjusted EBITDA does not reflect interest associated with notes payable used for funding the loan portfolios, for other corporate purposes or tax payments that may represent a reduction in cash available to us.
The following table presents a reconciliation of net income (loss) from continuing operations to Adjusted EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA margin for each of the periods indicated: 
  Three Months Ended September 30, Nine Months Ended September 30,
(Dollars in thousands) 2021 2020 2021 2020
Net income (loss) from continuing operations
$ (11,005) $ 16,616  $ (1,334) $ 40,631 
Adjustments:
Net interest expense
9,544  11,575  26,897  37,408 
Share-based compensation
1,559  1,166  4,948  6,513 
Depreciation and amortization
4,544  4,588  14,339  13,413 
Non-operating (income) loss
198  1,007  (519) 6,692 
Income tax expense (benefit)
(1,843) 4,883  1,829  15,311 
Adjusted EBITDA
$ 2,997  $ 39,835  $ 46,160  $ 119,968 

Adjusted EBITDA margin
2.7  % 42.3  % 16.1  % 32.0  %
Free cash flow
Free cash flow (“FCF”) represents our net cash provided by continuing operating activities, adjusted to include:
Net charge-offs – combined principal loans; and
Capital expenditures.
The following table presents a reconciliation of net cash provided by continuing operating activities to FCF for each of the periods indicated: 
  Nine Months Ended September 30,
(Dollars in thousands) 2021 2020
Net cash provided by continuing operating activities(1)
$ 111,566  $ 177,705 
Adjustments:
Net charge-offs – combined principal loans
(70,636) (125,232)
Capital expenditures
(11,903) (12,867)
FCF
$ 29,027  $ 39,606 
 _________ 
(1)Net cash provided by continuing operating activities includes net charge-offs – combined finance charges.
Net charge-offs and additional provision for loan losses
We break out our total provision for loan losses into two separate items—first, the amount related to net charge-offs, and second, the additional provision for loan losses needed to adjust the combined loan loss reserve to the appropriate amount at the end of each month based on our loan loss provision methodology. We believe this presentation provides more detail related to the components of our total provision for loan losses when analyzing the gross margin of our business.
Net charge-offs.    Net charge-offs comprise gross charge-offs offset by recoveries on prior charge-offs. Gross charge-offs include the amount of principal and accrued interest on loans that are more than 60 days past due (Rise and Elastic) or 120 days (Today Card), or sooner if we receive notice that the loan will not be collected, such as a bankruptcy notice or identified fraud. Any payments received on loans that have been charged off are recorded as recoveries and reduce total gross charge-offs.



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Additional provision for loan losses.    Additional provision for loan losses is the amount of provision for loan losses needed for a particular period to adjust the combined loan loss reserve to the appropriate level in accordance with our underlying loan loss reserve methodology.
  Three Months Ended September 30, Nine Months Ended September 30,
(Dollars in thousands) 2021 2020 2021 2020
Net charge-offs
$ 39,015  $ 22,428  $ 95,968  $ 163,878 
Additional provision for loan losses
15,888  (9,264) 7,130  (30,662)
Provision for loan losses
$ 54,903  $ 13,164  $ 103,098  $ 133,216 
Combined loan information
The Elastic line of credit product is originated by a third-party lender, Republic Bank, which initially provides all of the funding for that product. Republic Bank retains 10% of the balances of all of the loans originated and sells a 90% loan participation in the Elastic lines of credit to a third-party SPV, Elastic SPV, Ltd. Elevate is required to consolidate Elastic SPV, Ltd. as a VIE under US GAAP and the condensed consolidated financial statements include revenue, losses and loans receivable related to the 90% of Elastic lines of credit originated by Republic Bank and sold to Elastic SPV.
Beginning in the fourth quarter of 2018, we started licensing our Rise installment loan brand to a third-party lender, FinWise Bank, which originates Rise installment loans in 17 states. FinWise Bank retains 4% of the balances of all the loans originated and sells a 96% participation to a third-party SPV, EF SPV, Ltd. We do not own EF SPV, but we are required to consolidate EF SPV as a VIE under US GAAP and the condensed consolidated financial statements include revenue, losses and loans receivable related to the 96% of Rise installment loans originated by FinWise Bank and sold to EF SPV.
Beginning in 2018, we started licensing the Today Card brand and our underwriting services and platform to launch a credit card product originated by CCB, which initially provides all of the funding for that product. CCB retains 5% of the credit card receivable balance of all the receivables originated and sells a 95% participation in the Today Card credit card receivables to us. The Today Card program was expanded beginning in 2020.
Beginning in the third quarter of 2020, we also license our Rise installment loan brand to an additional bank, CCB, which originates Rise installment loans in three different states than FinWise Bank. Similar to the relationship with FinWise Bank, CCB retains 5% of the balances of all of the loans originated and sells the remaining 95% loan participation in those Rise installment loans to EC SPV. We do not own EC SPV, but we are required to consolidate EC SPV as a VIE under US GAAP and the condensed consolidated financial statements include revenue, losses and loans receivable related to the 95% of the Rise installment loans originated by CCB and sold to EC SPV.
The information presented in the tables below on a combined basis are non-GAAP measures based on a combined portfolio of loans, which includes the total amount of outstanding loans receivable that we own and that are on our balance sheets plus outstanding loans receivable originated and owned by third parties that we guarantee pursuant to CSO programs in which we participate. There were no new loan originations in 2021 under our CSO programs, but we continued to have obligations as the CSO until the wind-down of this portfolio was completed in the third quarter of 2021. See “—Basis of Presentation and Critical Accounting Policies—Allowance and liability for estimated losses on consumer loans” and “—Basis of Presentation and Critical Accounting Policies—Liability for estimated losses on credit service organization loans.”
We believe these non-GAAP measures provide investors with important information needed to evaluate the magnitude of potential loan losses and the opportunity for revenue performance of the combined loan portfolio on an aggregate basis. We also believe that the comparison of the combined amounts from period to period is more meaningful than comparing only the amounts reflected on our balance sheet since both revenues and cost of sales as reflected in our financial statements are impacted by the aggregate amount of loans we own and those CSO loans we guaranteed.
Our use of total combined loans and fees receivable has limitations as an analytical tool, and you should not consider it in isolation or as a substitute for analysis of our results as reported under US GAAP. Some of these limitations are:
Rise CSO loans were originated and owned by a third-party lender and
Rise CSO loans were funded by a third-party lender and were not part of the VPC Facility.



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As of each of the period ends indicated, the following table presents a reconciliation of:
Loans receivable, net, Company owned (which reconciles to our Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets included elsewhere in this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q);
Loans receivable, net, guaranteed by the Company (as disclosed in Note 3 of our condensed consolidated financial statements included elsewhere in this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q);
Combined loans receivable (which we use as a non-GAAP measure); and
Combined loan loss reserve (which we use as a non-GAAP measure).

  2020 2021
(Dollars in thousands) September 30 December 31 March 31 June 30 September 30
Company Owned Loans:
Loans receivable – principal, current, company owned
$ 346,380  $ 372,320  $ 331,251  $ 372,068  $ 466,140 
Loans receivable – principal, past due, company owned
21,354  25,563  21,678  27,231  46,730 
Loans receivable – principal, total, company owned
367,734  397,883  352,929  399,299  512,870 
Loans receivable – finance charges, company owned
24,117  25,348  21,393  19,157  22,960 
Loans receivable – company owned
391,851  423,231  374,322  418,456  535,830 
Allowance for loan losses on loans receivable, company owned
(49,909) (48,399) (39,037) (40,314) (56,209)
Loans receivable, net, company owned
$ 341,942  $ 374,832  $ 335,285  $ 378,142  $ 479,621 
Third Party Loans Guaranteed by the Company:
Loans receivable – principal, current, guaranteed by company
$ 9,129  $ 1,795  $ 145  $ 17  $ — 
Loans receivable – principal, past due, guaranteed by company
314  144  15  — 
Loans receivable – principal, total, guaranteed by company(1)
9,443  1,939  160  21  — 
Loans receivable – finance charges, guaranteed by company(2)
679  299  22  — 
Loans receivable – guaranteed by company
10,122  2,238  182  25  — 
Liability for losses on loans receivable, guaranteed by company
(1,421) (680) (122) (7) — 
Loans receivable, net, guaranteed by company(2)
$ 8,701  $ 1,558  $ 60  $ 18  $ — 
Combined Loans Receivable(3):
Combined loans receivable – principal, current
$ 355,509  $ 374,115  $ 331,396  $ 372,085  $ 466,140 
Combined loans receivable – principal, past due
21,668  25,707  21,693  27,235  46,730 
Combined loans receivable – principal
377,177  399,822  353,089  399,320  512,870 
Combined loans receivable – finance charges
24,796  25,647  21,415  19,161  22,960 
Combined loans receivable
$ 401,973  $ 425,469  $ 374,504  $ 418,481  $ 535,830 
Combined Loan Loss Reserve(3):
Allowance for loan losses on loans receivable, company owned
$ (49,909) $ (48,399) $ (39,037) $ (40,314) $ (56,209)
Liability for losses on loans receivable, guaranteed by company
(1,421) (680) (122) (7) — 
Combined loan loss reserve
$ (51,330) $ (49,079) $ (39,159) $ (40,321) $ (56,209)
Combined loans receivable – principal, past due(3)
$ 21,668  $ 25,707  $ 21,693  $ 27,235  $ 46,730 
Combined loans receivable – principal(3)
$ 377,177  $ 399,822  $ 353,089  $ 399,320  $ 512,870 
Percentage past due(1)
% % % % %
Combined loan loss reserve as a percentage of combined loans receivable(3)(4)
13  % 12  % 10  % 10  % 11  %
Allowance for loan losses as a percentage of loans receivable – company owned
13  % 11  % 10  % 10  % 11  %
_________ 
(1)Represents loans originated by third-party lenders through the CSO programs, which are not included in our condensed consolidated financial statements. The wind-down of the CSO program was completed in the third quarter of 2021.
(2)Represents finance charges earned by third-party lenders through the CSO programs, which are not included in our condensed consolidated financial statements. The wind-down of the CSO program was completed in the third quarter of 2021.
(3)Non-GAAP measure
(4)Combined loan loss reserve as a percentage of combined loans receivable is determined using period-end balances.

 



59


COMPONENTS OF OUR RESULTS OF OPERATIONS
Revenues
Our revenues are composed of Rise finance charges and CSO fees (inclusive of finance charges attributable to the participation in Rise installment loans originated by FinWise Bank and CCB), cash advance fees attributable to the participation in Elastic lines of credit that we consolidate, finance charges and fee revenues related to the Today Card credit card product, and marketing and licensing fees received from third-party lenders related to the Rise, Rise CSO, Elastic, and Today Card products. See “—Overview” above for further information on the structure of Elastic.
Cost of sales
Provision for loan losses.    Provision for loan losses consists of amounts charged against income during the period related to net charge-offs and the additional provision for loan losses needed to adjust the loan loss reserve to the appropriate amount at the end of each month based on our loan loss methodology.
Direct marketing costs.    Direct marketing costs consist of online marketing costs such as sponsored search and advertising on social networking sites, and other marketing costs such as purchased television and radio advertising and direct mail print advertising. In addition, direct marketing cost includes affiliate costs paid to marketers in exchange for referrals of potential customers. All direct marketing costs are expensed as incurred.
Other cost of sales.    Other cost of sales includes data verification costs associated with the underwriting of potential customers and automated clearing house (“ACH”) transaction costs associated with customer loan funding and payments.
Operating expenses
Operating expenses consist of compensation and benefits, professional services, selling and marketing, occupancy and equipment, depreciation and amortization as well as other miscellaneous expenses.
Compensation and benefits.    Salaries and personnel-related costs, including benefits, bonuses and share-based compensation expense, comprise a majority of our operating expenses and these costs are driven by our number of employees.
Professional services.    These operating expenses include costs associated with legal, accounting and auditing, recruiting and outsourced customer support and collections.
Selling and marketing.    Selling and marketing costs include costs associated with the use of agencies that perform creative services and monitor and measure the performance of the various marketing channels. Selling and marketing costs also include the production costs associated with media advertisements that are expensed as incurred over the licensing or production period. These expenses do not include direct marketing costs incurred to acquire customers, which comprises CAC.
Occupancy and equipment.    Occupancy and equipment include rent expense on our leased facilities, as well as telephony and web hosting expenses.
Depreciation and amortization.    We capitalize all acquisitions of property and equipment of $500 or greater as well as certain software development costs. Costs incurred in the preliminary stages of software development are expensed. Costs incurred thereafter, including external direct costs of materials and services as well as payroll and payroll-related costs, are capitalized. Post-development costs are expensed. Depreciation is computed using the straight-line method over the estimated useful lives of the depreciable assets.
Other expense
Net interest expense.    Net interest expense primarily includes the interest expense associated with the VPC Facility that funds the Rise installment loans, the ESPV Facility related to the Elastic lines of credit and related Elastic SPV entity, and the EF SPV and EC SPV Facilities that fund Rise installment loans originated by FinWise Bank and CCB, respectively. Interest expense also includes any amortization of deferred debt issuance cost and prepayment penalties incurred associated with the debt facilities.



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STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS
The following table sets forth our condensed consolidated statements of operations data for each of the periods indicated. Effective June 29, 2020, ECIL was placed into administration in the UK, and we deconsolidated ECIL and present it as discontinued operations for all periods presented.
  Three Months Ended September 30, Nine Months Ended September 30,
Condensed consolidated statements of operations data (Dollars in thousands) 2021 2020 2021 2020
Revenues
$ 112,835  $ 94,164  $ 287,108  $ 374,622 
Cost of sales:
Provision for loan losses
54,903  13,164  103,098  133,216 
Direct marketing costs
15,406  2,585  30,353  13,898 
Other cost of sales
4,766  1,672  9,718  5,949 
Total cost of sales
75,075  17,421  143,169  153,063 
Gross profit
37,760  76,743  143,939  221,559 
Operating expenses:
Compensation and benefits
20,445  23,921  58,038  64,239 
Professional services
8,423  8,236  24,161  24,633 
Selling and marketing
1,277  610  2,520  2,468 
Occupancy and equipment
5,521  4,717  15,766  14,196 
Depreciation and amortization
4,544  4,588  14,339  13,413 
Other
656  590  2,242  2,568 
Total operating expenses
40,866  42,662  117,066  121,517 
Operating income (loss)
(3,106) 34,081  26,873  100,042 
Other expense:
Net interest expense
(9,544) (11,575) (26,897) (37,408)
Non-operating income (loss)
(198) (1,007) 519  (6,692)
Total other expense
(9,742) (12,582) (26,378) (44,100)
Income (loss) from continuing operations before taxes
(12,848) 21,499  495  55,942 
Income tax expense (benefit)
(1,843) 4,883  1,829  15,311 
Net income (loss) from continuing operations
(11,005) 16,616  (1,334) 40,631 
Net income (loss) from discontinued operations
—  4,465  —  (15,908)
Net income (loss)
$ (11,005) $ 21,081  $ (1,334) $ 24,723 



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  Three Months Ended September 30, Nine Months Ended September 30,
As a percentage of revenues 2021 2020 2021 2020
Revenues
Cost of sales:
Provision for loan losses
49  % 14  % 36  % 36  %
Direct marketing costs
14  11 
Other cost of sales
Total cost of sales
67  19  50  41 
Gross profit
33  81  50  59 
Operating expenses:
Compensation and benefits
18  25  20  17 
Professional services
Selling and marketing
Occupancy and equipment
Depreciation and amortization
Other
Total operating expenses
36  45  41  32 
Operating income (loss)
(3) 36  27 
Other expense:
Net interest expense
(8) (12) (9) (10)
Non-operating income (loss)
—  (1) —  (2)
Total other expense
(9) (13) (9) (12)
Income (loss) from continuing operations before taxes
(11) 23  —  15 
Income tax expense (benefit)
(2)
Net income (loss) from continuing operations
(10) 18  —  11 
Net income (loss) from discontinued operations
—  —  (4)
Net income (loss)
(10) % 22  % —  % %



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Comparison of the three months ended September 30, 2021 and 2020
Revenues 
  Three Months Ended September 30,  
  2021 2020 Period-to-period change
(Dollars in thousands) Amount Percentage of
revenues
Amount Percentage of
revenues
Amount Percentage
Finance charges
$ 111,480  99  % $ 93,928  100  % $ 17,552  19  %
Other
1,355  236  —  1,119  474 
Revenues
$ 112,835  100  % $ 94,164  100  % $ 18,671  20  %
Revenues increased by $18.7 million, or 20%, from $94.2 million for the three months ended September 30, 2020 to $112.8 million for the three months ended September 30, 2021. The increase in quarterly revenue is primarily attributable to higher average combined loans receivable-principal as we saw growth in all of our products year over year.
The tables below break out this change in revenue (including CSO fees and cash advance fees) by product:
  Three Months Ended September 30, 2021
Rise(1)
Elastic Today
(Dollars in thousands) (Installment Loans) (Lines of Credit) (Credit Card) Total
Average combined loans receivable – principal(2)
$ 264,785  $ 167,684  $ 27,480  $ 459,949 
Effective APR
104  % 94  % 30  % 96  %
Finance charges
$ 69,738  $ 39,662  $ 2,080  $ 111,480 
Other
275  331  749  1,355 
Total revenue
$ 70,013  $ 39,993  $ 2,829  $ 112,835 
  Three Months Ended September 30, 2020
Rise(1)
Elastic Today
(Dollars in thousands) (Installment Loans) (Lines of Credit) (Credit Card) Total
Average combined loans receivable – principal(2)
$ 225,041  $ 156,053  $ 8,607  $ 389,701 
Effective APR
101  % 92  % 32  % 96  %
Finance charges
$ 57,169  $ 36,071  $ 688  $ 93,928 
Other
15  215  236 
Total revenue
$ 57,175  $ 36,086  $ 903  $ 94,164 
 ________
(1) Includes loans originated by third-party lenders through the CSO programs, which are not included in our condensed consolidated financial statements.
(2) Average combined loans receivable - principal is calculated using daily Combined loans receivable – principal balances. Not a financial measure prepared in accordance with US GAAP. See reconciliation table accompanying this release for a reconciliation of non-GAAP financial measures to the most directly comparable financial measure calculated in accordance with US GAAP.
Our average combined loans receivable-principal increased $70 million for the three months ended September 30, 2021 as compared to the three months ended September 30, 2020. This increase in average balance is primarily due to increases in the loan origination volume in all three products, and accounted for an approximately $17 million increase in revenue for the period. Our average APR remained unchanged at 96% for both the three months ended September 30, 2020 and the three months ended September 30, 2021. The flat effective APR is due to the increased volume of new originations at higher APRs being offset by the higher volume of the Today Card product, which has the lowest APR. We expect the overall effective APR of the loan portfolio to remain flat going forward.



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Cost of sales
  Three Months Ended September 30, Period-to-period
change
  2021 2020
(Dollars in thousands) Amount Percentage of
revenues
Amount Percentage of
revenues
Amount Percentage
Cost of sales:
Provision for loan losses
$ 54,903  49  % $ 13,164  14  % $ 41,739  317  %
Direct marketing costs
15,406  14  2,585  12,821  496 
Other cost of sales
4,766  1,672  3,094  185 
Total cost of sales
$ 75,075  67  % $ 17,421  19  % $ 57,654  331  %
Provision for loan losses.    Provision for loan losses increased by $41.7 million, or 317%, from $13.2 million for the three months ended September 30, 2020 to $54.9 million for the three months ended September 30, 2021 due to the loan portfolio growth.
The tables below break out these changes by loan product:
  Three Months Ended September 30, 2021
Rise Elastic Today
(Dollars in thousands) (Installment Loans) (Lines of Credit) (Credit Card) Total
Combined loan loss reserve(1):
Beginning balance
$ 28,099  $ 10,372  $ 1,850  $ 40,321 
Net charge-offs
(30,210) (8,063) (742) (39,015)
Provision for loan losses
42,299  10,832  1,772  54,903 
Ending balance
$ 40,188  $ 13,141  $ 2,880  $ 56,209 
Combined loans receivable(1)(2)
$ 306,229  $ 194,459  $ 35,142  $ 535,830 
Combined loan loss reserve as a percentage of ending combined loans receivable
13  % % % 11  %
Net charge-offs as a percentage of revenues
43  % 20  % 26  % 35  %
Provision for loan losses as a percentage of revenues
60  % 27  % 63  % 49  %

Three Months Ended September 30, 2020
Rise Elastic Today
(Dollars in thousands) (Installment Loans) (Lines of Credit) (Credit Card) Total
Combined loan loss reserve(1):
Beginning balance
$ 40,614  $ 18,604  $ 1,376  $ 60,594 
Net charge-offs
(15,336) (6,720) (372) (22,428)
Provision for loan losses
9,039  3,531  594  13,164 
Ending balance
$ 34,317  $ 15,415  $ 1,598  $ 51,330 
Combined loans receivable(1)(2)
$ 234,277  $ 158,517  $ 9,179  $ 401,973 
Combined loan loss reserve as a percentage of ending combined loans receivable
15  % 10  % 17  % 13  %
Net charge-offs as a percentage of revenues
27  % 19  % 41  % 24  %
Provision for loan losses as a percentage of revenues
16  % 10  % 66  % 14  %
 _________
(1) Not a financial measure prepared in accordance with US GAAP. See “—Non-GAAP Financial Measures” for more information and for a reconciliation to the most directly comparable financial measure calculated in accordance with US GAAP.
(2) Includes loans originated by third-party lenders through the CSO programs, which are not included in our condensed consolidated financial statements.



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Total loan loss provision for the three months ended September 30, 2021 was 49% of revenues, which was within our targeted range of 45% to 55%, and higher than the 14% for the three months ended September 30, 2020. For the three months ended September 30, 2021, net charge-offs as a percentage of revenues increased to 35% compared to 24% in the prior year period. The increase in these credit performance metrics is due to the increase in new loan originations beginning in the second quarter of 2021 and charge-offs and loan loss provisioning associated with a growing portfolio.We continue to monitor the portfolio during the economic recovery from COVID-19 and continue to adjust our underwriting and credit policies to mitigate any potential negative impacts. As we recover from the impacts of COVID-19 and return our loan portfolio to our pre-pandemic size, we expect our total loan loss provision as a percentage of revenues will continue to remain within our targeted range of approximately 45% to 55% of revenue.

The combined loan loss reserve as a percentage of combined loans receivable totaled 11% and 13% as of September 30, 2021 and September 30, 2020, respectively. This year-over-year decrease reflects the reduction in credit losses experienced by the portfolio during the COVID-19 pandemic due to reduced demand, reduced origination activity and various government stimulus programs. We would expect the loan loss reserve to increase as we originate more new customers and return the portfolio to a normalized credit profile. Past due loan balances at September 30, 2021 were 9% of total combined loans receivable-principal, up from 6% from a year ago due to the number of new customers originated beginning in the second quarter of 2021 which is consistent with our historical past due percentages prior to the pandemic. We, and the bank originators we support, are no longer offering specific COVID-19 payment deferral programs, but continue to offer other payment flexibility programs if certain qualifications are met. We are continuing to see that customers are meeting their scheduled payments once they exit the payment deferral program. We anticipate the combined loan loss reserve as a percentage of combined loans receivable, as well as our past due loan balances as a percentage of total combined loans receivable-principal, will move toward historic norms as we continue to grow our loan portfolio.
Direct marketing costs.    Direct marketing costs increased by $12.8 million, or 496%, from $2.6 million for the three months ended September 30, 2020 to $15.4 million for the three months ended September 30, 2021. We had limited marketing activities and new loan origination volume in the third quarter of 2020 in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. We have seen a return to more normalized new customer acquisition in all three products in the third quarter as the economy continues to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic and demand for the loan products return. For the three months ended September 30, 2021, the number of new customers acquired increased to 69,682 compared to 8,489 during the three months ended September 30, 2020. We anticipate our direct marketing costs will continue to increase as we focus on growing our loan portfolio. Our CAC was lower in the third quarter of 2021 at $221 as compared to the third quarter of 2020 at $305, with the third quarter of 2020 not reflective of our historical CAC due to the significant reduction in new loan originations due to the COVID-19 pandemic. We believe our CAC in future quarters will continue to remain within or below our target range of $250 to $300 as we continue to optimize the efficiency of our marketing channels and continue to grow the Today Card which successfully generated new customers at a sub-$100 CAC.
Other cost of sales.    Other cost of sales increased by $3.1 million, or 185%, from $1.7 million for the three months ended September 30, 2020 to $4.8 million for the three months ended September 30, 2021 due to increased data verification costs resulting from increased loan origination volume in the third quarter of 2021.
Operating expenses
  Three Months Ended September 30, Period-to-period
change
  2021 2020
(Dollars in thousands) Amount Percentage of
revenues
Amount Percentage of
revenues
Amount Percentage
Operating expenses:
Compensation and benefits
$ 20,445  18  % $ 23,921  25  % $ (3,476) (15) %
Professional services
8,423  8,236  187 
Selling and marketing
1,277  610  667  109 
Occupancy and equipment
5,521  4,717  804  17 
Depreciation and amortization
4,544  4,588  (44) (1)
Other
656  590  66  11 
Total operating expenses
$ 40,866  36  % $ 42,662  45  % $ (1,796) (4) %



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Compensation and benefits.    Compensation and benefits decreased by $3.5 million, or 15%, from $23.9 million for the three months ended September 30, 2020 to $20.4 million for the three months ended September 30, 2021. This primarily resulted from a reduction in staff related to an operating expense reduction plan we implemented in the second and third quarters of 2020 in response to the pandemic.
Professional services.     Professional services increased by $0.2 million, or 2%, from $8.2 million for the three months ended September 30, 2020 to $8.4 million for the three months ended September 30, 2021 primarily due to increased consulting expense.
Selling and marketing.    Selling and marketing increased by $0.7 million, or 109%, from $0.6 million for the three months ended September 30, 2020 to $1.3 million for the three months ended September 30, 2021 primarily due to increased marketing agency fees.
Occupancy and equipment.    Occupancy and equipment increased by $0.8 million, or 17%, from $4.7 million for the three months ended September 30, 2020 to $5.5 million for the three months ended September 30, 2021 primarily due to increased web hosting expenses, partially offset by decreased rent and license expenses.
Depreciation and amortization.     Depreciation and amortization was roughly $4.6 million for both the three months ended September 30, 2020 and 2021 as our additions to capitalized projects have been relatively flat over the past two years resulting in a consistent depreciation and amortization expense.
Other.    Other operating expenses increased by $0.1 million, or 11%, from $0.6 million for the three months ended September 30, 2020 to $0.7 million for the three months ended September 30, 2021 primarily due to an increase in travel, supplies, and meals and entertainment expenses.
Net interest expense
  Three Months Ended September 30, Period-to-period
change
  2021 2020
(Dollars in thousands) Amount Percentage of
revenues
Amount Percentage of
revenues
Amount Percentage
Net interest expense
$ 9,544  % $ 11,575  12  % $ (2,031) (18) %
Net interest expense decreased 18% during the three months ended September 30, 2021 as compared to the prior year period. Our average balance of notes payable outstanding under the debt facilities in the third quarter of 2021 decreased $54 million from the third quarter of 2020 due to debt paydowns, including the maturity of one of our term notes, partially offset by new draws to fund loan portfolio growth. This year-over-year reduction resulted in a decrease in interest expense of approximately $1.3 million. In addition, our average effective interest rate on notes payable outstanding has decreased from 10.4% for the three months ended September 30, 2020 to 9.8% for the three months ended September 30, 2021, resulting in a decrease in interest expense of approximately $0.7 million. At September 30, 2021, our effective cost of funds on new borrowings is 8%, which is expected to reduce our overall effective cost of funds as we continue to borrow on our debt facilities in the future.



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The following table shows the effective cost of funds of each debt facility for the period:
Three Months Ended September 30,
(Dollars in thousands) 2021 2020
VPC Facility
Average facility balance during the period
$ 71,230  $ 147,550 
Net interest expense
1,779  4,034 
Effective cost of funds
9.9  % 10.9  %

ESPV Facility
Average facility balance during the period
$ 163,187  $ 199,500 
Net interest expense
4,177  5,222 
Effective cost of funds
10.2  % 10.4  %

EF SPV Facility
Average facility balance during the period
$ 109,882  93,500 
Net interest expense
2,544  2,319 
Effective cost of funds
9.2  % 9.9  %

EC SPV Facility
Average facility balance during the period
$ 42,587  $ — 
Net interest expense
1,044  — 
Effective cost of funds
9.7  % —  %
In July 2020, we entered into a new facility, the EC SPV Facility. As of September 30, 2021, we have drawn $50.5 million on the EC SPV facility. Per the terms of the February 2019 amendments and the July 31, 2020 EC SPV agreement, we qualified for a 25 bps rate reduction on the VPC, ESPV, EF SPV and EC SPV facilities effective January 1, 2021.
Non-operating income (loss)
For the three months ended September 30, 2020, we accrued a $1.0 million estimated indemnification obligation related to a legal matter for a former executive of the Company. As of March 31, 2021, the indemnification obligation was paid and no further accrual remains. For the three months ended September 30, 2021, we had an impairment loss related to a subleased asset resulting in non-operating loss of $0.2 million.
Income tax expense (benefit)
  Three Months Ended September 30, Period-to-period
change
  2021 2020
(Dollars in thousands) Amount Percentage of
revenues
Amount Percentage of
revenues
Amount Percentage
Income tax expense (benefit)
$ (1,843) (2) % $ 4,883  % $ (6,726) (138) %
Our income tax expense decreased $6.7 million, from $4.9 million for the three months ended September 30, 2020 to $(1.8) million for the three months ended September 30, 2021. We recognized an uncertain tax position of $1.6 million in income tax expense (benefit) due to a recent change in tax regulations in the state of Texas that impacted our previously recognized research and development state tax credits. Our effective tax rates for continuing operations for the three months ended September 30, 2021 and 2020, respectively, were 14.3% and 22.7%, respectively. Our effective tax rate differed from the standard corporate federal income tax rate of 21% due to permanent non-deductible items and corporate state tax obligations in the states where we have lending activities. Our cash effective tax rate was approximately 1.5% for the third quarter of 2021.
Net income from discontinued operations
Our income from discontinued operations on our UK entity (ECIL) for the three months ended September 30, 2020 consisted of a gain of $0.6 million due to the release of the parent guarantee accrual as ECIL repaid its outstanding debt to VPC during the quarter. Additionally, we revised our estimated tax basis in ECIL resulting in an additional $3.9 million income tax benefit recognized during the three months ended September 30, 2020.



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Net income (loss)
  Three Months Ended September 30, Period-to-period
change
  2021 2020
(Dollars in thousands) Amount Percentage of
revenues
Amount Percentage of
revenues
Amount Percentage
Net income (loss)
$ (11,005) (10) % $ 21,081  22  % $ (32,086) 152  %
Our net income (loss) decreased $32.1 million or 152% from $21.1 million net income for the three months ended September 30, 2020 to $11.0 million net loss for the three months ended September 30, 2021 primarily due to the upfront costs associated with credit provisioning and direct marketing expense associated with the increased loan origination volume experienced during the quarter as compared to minimum loan origination volume and a declining portfolio in 2020.
Comparison of the nine months ended September 30, 2021 and 2020
Revenues
 
  Nine Months Ended September 30,  
  2021 2020 Period-to-period change
(Dollars in thousands) Amount Percentage of
revenues
Amount Percentage of
revenues
Amount Percentage
Finance charges
$ 284,417  99  % $ 373,810  100  % $ (89,393) (24) %
Other
2,691  812  —  1,879  231 
Revenues
$ 287,108  100  % $ 374,622  100  % $ (87,514) (23) %
Revenues decreased by $87.5 million, or 23%, from $374.6 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2020 to $287.1 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2021. The decrease in revenue is primarily attributable to a lower average combined loans receivable-principal coupled with lower effective APRs earned on the loan portfolio.
The tables below break out this change in revenue (including CSO fees and cash advance fees) by product: 
  Nine Months Ended September 30, 2021
Rise(1) Elastic Today
(Dollars in thousands) (Installment Loans) (Lines of Credit) (Credit Card) Total
Average combined loans receivable – principal(2)
$ 229,203  $ 149,534  $ 19,829  $ 398,566 
Effective APR
102  % 94  % 30  % 95  %
Finance charges
$ 174,314  $ 105,650  $ 4,453  $ 284,417 
Other
536  492  1,663  2,691 
Total revenue
$ 174,850  $ 106,142  $ 6,116  $ 287,108 
  Nine Months Ended September 30, 2020
Rise(1) Elastic Today
(Dollars in thousands) (Installment Loans) (Lines of Credit) (Credit Card) Total
Average combined loans receivable – principal(2)
$ 279,202  $ 193,519  $ 6,805  $ 479,526 
Effective APR
113  % 94  % 31  % 104  %
Finance charges
$ 236,207  $ 136,023  $ 1,580  $ 373,810 
Other
114  191  507  812 
Total revenue
$ 236,321  $ 136,214  $ 2,087  $ 374,622 
 _________
(1) Includes loans originated by third-party lenders through the CSO programs, which are not included in our condensed consolidated financial statements.
(2) Average combined loans receivable - principal is calculated using daily Combined loans receivable – principal balances. Not a financial measure prepared in accordance with US GAAP. See reconciliation table accompanying this release for a reconciliation of non-GAAP financial measures to the most directly comparable financial measure calculated in accordance with US GAAP.




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Our average combined loans receivable-principal decreased $81 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2021 as compared to the nine months ended September 30, 2020. This decrease in average balance is primarily due to lower combined loans receivable-principal balances in the Rise and Elastic portfolios in the first half of 2021 which were impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic and substantial government assistance to our customers prior to the growth which commenced in late second quarter 2021. The decrease in average balances accounted for approximately $66 million of the reduction in revenue for the period. For the nine months ended September 30, 2021 and 2020, the average effective APR for the portfolio was 95% and 104%, respectively. This reduction in the effective APR is due to both the lower effective interest rates earned on loans in a deferral status under the payment flexibility tools that were implemented in response to the COVID-19 pandemic and the growth of Today Card relative to the total loan portfolio, which has the lowest APR. The lower effective APR accounted for approximately $23 million of the reduction in revenue for the period. We expect the overall effective APR of the loan portfolio to remain flat going forward.
Cost of sales
  Nine Months Ended September 30, Period-to-period
change
  2021 2020
(Dollars in thousands) Amount Percentage of
revenues
Amount Percentage of
revenues
Amount Percentage
Cost of sales:
Provision for loan losses
$ 103,098  36  % $ 133,216  36  % $ (30,118) (23) %
Direct marketing costs
30,353  11  13,898  16,455  118 
Other cost of sales
9,718  5,949  3,769  63 
Total cost of sales
$ 143,169  50  % $ 153,063  41  % $ (9,894) (6) %
Provision for loan losses.    Provision for loan losses decreased by $30.1 million, or 23%, from $133.2 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2020 to $103.1 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2021.
The tables below break out these changes by loan product:
  Nine Months Ended September 30, 2021
Rise Elastic Today
(Dollars in thousands) (Installment Loans) (Lines of Credit) (Credit Card) Total
Combined loan loss reserve(1):
Beginning balance
$ 33,968  $ 13,201  $ 1,910  $ 49,079 
Net charge-offs
(72,233) (21,437) (2,298) (95,968)
Provision for loan losses
78,453  21,377  3,268  103,098 
Ending balance
$ 40,188  $ 13,141  $ 2,880  $ 56,209 
Combined loans receivable(1)(2)
$ 306,229  $ 194,459  $ 35,142  $ 535,830 
Combined loan loss reserve as a percentage of ending combined loans receivable
13  % % % 11  %
Net charge-offs as a percentage of revenues
41  % 20  % 38  % 33  %
Provision for loan losses as a percentage of revenues
45  % 20  % 53  % 36  %




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Nine Months Ended September 30, 2020
Rise Elastic Today
(Dollars in thousands) (Installment Loans) (Lines of Credit) (Credit Card) Total
Combined loan loss reserve(1):
Beginning balance
$ 52,099  $ 28,852  $ 1,041  $ 81,992 
Net charge-offs
(108,397) (54,044) (1,437) (163,878)
Provision for loan losses
90,615  40,607  1,994  133,216 
Ending balance
$ 34,317  $ 15,415  $ 1,598  $ 51,330 
Combined loans receivable(1)(2)
$ 234,277  $ 158,517  $ 9,179  $ 401,973 
Combined loan loss reserve as a percentage of ending combined loans receivable
15  % 10  % 17  % 13  %
Net charge-offs as a percentage of revenues
46  % 40  % 69  % 44  %
Provision for loan losses as a percentage of revenues
38  % 30  % 96  % 36  %
 _________
(1) Not a financial measure prepared in accordance with US GAAP. See “—Non-GAAP Financial Measures” for more information and for a reconciliation to the most directly comparable financial measure calculated in accordance with US GAAP.
(2) Includes loans originated by third-party lenders through the CSO programs, which are not included in our condensed consolidated financial statements.

Total loan loss provision was 36% of revenues for both the nine months ended September 30, 2021 and the nine months ended September 30, 2020, which was below our targeted range of 45% to 55%. For the nine months ended September 30, 2021, net charge-offs as a percentage of revenues decreased to 33% compared to 44% in the prior year period. The decrease in these credit performance metrics is due to the limited new loan originations in the first half of 2021 which had historically low credit loss metrics and are expected to return to our target levels due to the increased origination volume in the second half of 2021 and a return of the loan portfolios to a more normalized credit profile. We continue to monitor the portfolio during the economic recovery resulting from COVID-19 and continue to adjust our underwriting and credit policies to mitigate any potential negative impacts. As loan demand returns to pre-pandemic levels and the loan portfolio grows, we expect our total loan loss provision as a percentage of revenues to be within our targeted range of approximately 45% to 55% of revenue.
The combined loan loss reserve as a percentage of combined loans receivable totaled 11% and 13% as of September 30, 2021 and September 30, 2020, respectively. This year-over-year decrease reflects the reduction in credit losses experienced by the portfolio during the COVID-19 pandemic due to reduced demand, reduced origination activity and various government stimulus programs. We would expect the loan loss reserve to increase as we originate more new customers and return the portfolio to a normalized credit profile. Past due loan balances at September 30, 2021 were 9% of total combined loans receivable-principal, up from 6% from a year ago due to the number of new customers originated beginning in the second quarter of 2021 which is consistent with our historical past due percentages prior to the pandemic. We, and the bank originators we support, are no longer offering specific COVID-19 payment deferral programs, but continue to offer other payment flexibility programs if certain qualifications are met. We are continuing to see that most customers are meeting their scheduled payments once they exit the payment deferral program. We anticipate the combined loan loss reserve as a percentage of combined loans receivable, as well as our past due balances as a percentage of total combined loans receivable-principal, will move toward historic norms as we continue to grow our loan portfolio.
Direct marketing costs.    Direct marketing costs increased by $16.5 million, or 118%, from $13.9 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2020 to $30.4 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2021. We had limited marketing activities and new loan origination volume in 2020 in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. We have seen a return to more normalized new customer acquisition in all three loan products in the third quarter of 2021 as the economy continues to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic and demand for the loan products returns. For the nine months ended September 30, 2021, the number of new customers acquired increased to 122,558 compared to 47,054 during the nine months ended September 30, 2020. We anticipate our direct marketing costs will continue to increase as we focus on growing our loan portfolio. Our CAC was lower for the nine months ended September 30, 2021 at $248 as compared to the nine months ended September 30, 2020 at $295, with the second and third quarters of 2020 not reflective of our historical CAC due to the significant reduction in marketing activity and new loan originations due to the COVID-19 pandemic. We believe our CAC in future quarters will continue to remain within or below our target range of $250 to $300 as we continue to optimize the efficiency of our marketing channels and continue to grow the Today Card which successfully generated new customers at a sub-$100 CAC.
Other cost of sales.    Other cost of sales increased by $3.8 million, or 63%, from $5.9 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2020 to $9.7 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2021 primarily due to increased data verification costs resulting from increased loan origination volume.



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Operating expenses
  Nine Months Ended September 30, Period-to-period
change
  2021 2020
(Dollars in thousands) Amount Percentage of
revenues
Amount Percentage of
revenues
Amount Percentage
Operating expenses:
Compensation and benefits
$ 58,038  20  % $ 64,239  17  % $ (6,201) (10) %
Professional services
24,161  24,633  (472) (2)
Selling and marketing
2,520  2,468  52 
Occupancy and equipment
15,766  14,196  1,570  11 
Depreciation and amortization
14,339  13,413  926 
Other
2,242  2,568  (326) (13)
Total operating expenses
$ 117,066  41  % $ 121,517  32  % $ (4,451) (4) %
Compensation and benefits.    Compensation and benefits decreased by $6.2 million, or 10%, from $64.2 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2020 to $58.0 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2021. This primarily resulted from a reduction in staff related to an operating expense reduction plan we implemented in the second and third quarters of 2020 in response to the pandemic.
Professional services.     Professional services decreased by $0.5 million, or 2%, from $24.6 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2020 to $24.2 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2021 due to decreased other outside services, partially offset by increased legal expenses.
Selling and marketing.    Selling and marketing was relatively flat year over year at $2.5 million for both the nine months ended September 30, 2020 and the nine months ended September 30, 2021.
Occupancy and equipment.    Occupancy and equipment increased by $1.6 million, or 11%, from $14.2 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2020 to $15.8 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2021 primarily due to increased web hosting expense, partially offset by decreases in additional licenses expense and rent.
Depreciation and amortization.     Depreciation and amortization increased by $0.9 million, or 7%, from $13.4 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2020 to $14.3 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2021 primarily due to the acceleration of a board member's non-compete agreement of $0.6 million with a slight depreciation expense increase between the two years.
Other.    Other operating expenses decreased by $0.3 million, or 13%, from $2.6 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2020 to $2.2 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2021 primarily due to decreased travel, and meals and entertainment expenses.

Net interest expense
  Nine Months Ended September 30, Period-to-period
change
  2021 2020
(Dollars in thousands) Amount Percentage of
revenues
Amount Percentage of
revenues
Amount Percentage
Net interest expense
$ 26,897  % $ 37,408  10  % $ (10,511) (28) %




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Net interest expense decreased 28% during the nine months ended September 30, 2021 as compared to the prior year period. Our average balance of notes payable outstanding under the debt facilities in the first nine months of 2021 decreased $115.9 million from the first nine months of 2020 due to debt paydowns, including the maturity of one of our term notes, partially offset by new draws to fund loan portfolio growth. This year-over-year reduction resulted in a decrease in interest expense of approximately $8.6 million. In addition, our average effective interest rate on notes payable outstanding has decreased from 10.5% for the nine months ended September 30, 2020 to 10.0% for the nine months ended September 30, 2021, resulting in a decrease in interest expense of approximately $1.9 million. At September 30, 2021, our effective cost of funds on new borrowings is 8%, which is expected to reduce our overall effective costs of funds as we continue to borrow on our debt facilities in the future.
The following table shows the effective cost of funds of each debt facility for the period:
Nine Months Ended September 30,
(Dollars in thousands) 2021 2020
VPC Facility
Average facility balance during the period
$ 78,183  $ 167,043 
Net interest expense
5,912  13,522 
Effective cost of funds
10.1  % 10.8  %

ESPV Facility
Average facility balance during the period
$ 161,247  $ 208,894 
Net interest expense
12,286  16,267 
Effective cost of funds
10.2  % 10.4  %

EF SPV Facility
Average facility balance during the period
$ 87,725  100,863 
Net interest expense
6,177  7,619 
Effective cost of funds
9.4  % 10.1  %

EC SPV Facility
Average facility balance during the period
$ 33,747  $ — 
Net interest expense
2,513  — 
Effective cost of funds
10.0  % —  %
In July 2020, we entered into a new facility, the EC SPV Facility. As of September 30, 2021, we have drawn $50.5 million on the EC SPV facility. Per the terms of the February 2019 amendments and the July 31, 2020 EC SPV agreement, we qualified for a 25 bps rate reduction on the VPC, ESPV, EF SPV and EC SPV facilities effective January 1, 2021.
Non-operating income (loss)
As of September 30, 2020, we had accrued a $6.7 million estimated indemnification obligation related to a legal matter for a former executive of the Company. As of March 31, 2021, the indemnification obligation was paid and no further accrual remains. During the nine months ended September 30, 2021, we received a partial recovery of an indemnification payment we made related to a lawsuit for $0.5 million and also recognized a gain on the sale of an intangible asset of $0.9 million, partially offset by impairment losses related to subleased assets of $0.9 million, resulting in non-operating income of $0.5 million
Income tax expense
  Nine Months Ended September 30, Period-to-period
change
  2021 2020
(Dollars in thousands) Amount Percentage of
revenues
Amount Percentage of
revenues
Amount Percentage
Income tax expense
$ 1,829  % $ 15,311  % $ (13,482) (88) %




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Our income tax expense decreased $13.5 million, from $15.3 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2020 to $1.8 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2021. We recognized an uncertain tax position of $1.6 million in income tax expense due to a recent change in tax regulations in the state of Texas that impacted our previously recognized research and development state tax credits. Our effective tax rates for continuing operations for the nine months ended September 30, 2021 and 2020, were 369.5% and 27.4%, respectively. Our effective tax rates are different from the standard corporate federal income tax rate of 21% due to permanent non-deductible items and corporate state tax obligations in the states where we have lending activities. Our cash effective tax rate was approximately 1.5% for the first nine months of 2021.
Net loss from discontinued operations
Our loss from discontinued operations on our UK entity (ECIL) consists of an investment loss of $28.0 million, UK operating losses of $6.8 million for the first nine months of 2020, and a goodwill impairment loss of $9.3 million, partially offset by an income tax benefit of $28.1 million.
Net income (loss)
  Nine Months Ended September 30, Period-to-period
change
  2021 2020
(Dollars in thousands) Amount Percentage of
revenues
Amount Percentage of
revenues
Amount Percentage
Net income (loss)
$ (1,334) —  % $ 24,723  % $ (26,057) (105) %
Our loss of $1.3 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2021 was down $26.1 million from net income of $24.7 million for the prior year period primarily due to a decrease in net income from continuing operations of $42.0 million resulting from increased loan loss provision and direct marketing expenses associated with loan origination growth, partially offset by eliminating the discontinued UK operations which resulted in a loss of $15.9 million in 2020.
LIQUIDITY AND CAPITAL RESOURCES
As previously discussed, we are closely monitoring the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic across our business, including the resulting uncertainties around customer demand, credit performance of the loan portfolio, our levels of liquidity and our ongoing compliance with debt covenants. We had cash and cash equivalents available of $85 million as of September 30, 2021 compared to cash and cash equivalents available of $201 million as of December 31, 2020, a decrease of $116 million, primarily due to debt payments. Our principal debt payment obligation of $18 million was paid off in January 2021 prior to its maturity in February 2021, and there are no additional required principal payments on our outstanding debt until January 2024. Throughout the first and second quarters, we made additional net paydowns on the debt facilities of approximately $70 million. As we are experiencing increased demand for the loan products resulting in increased origination volume, we are drawing down on our available debt facilities to fund the loan portfolio growth. In the third quarter, we made draws on the debt facilities of approximately $85 million. While the ultimate impact of COVID-19 on our business, financial condition, liquidity and results of operations is dependent on future developments which are highly uncertain, we believe that our actions taken to date, future cash provided by operating activities, availability under our debt facilities with VPC, and possibly the capital markets, as well as certain potential measures within our control that could be put in place to maintain a sound financial position and liquidity will provide adequate resources to fund our operating and financing needs. We are continuing to assess minimum cash and liquidity requirements and implementing measures to ensure that our strong liquidity position is maintained through the current economic cycle created by the COVID-19 pandemic. We principally rely on our working capital and our credit facility with VPC to fund the loans we make to our customers.
Stock Repurchase Program
At September 30, 2021, we had an outstanding stock repurchase program authorized by our Board of Directors providing for the repurchase of up to $55 million of our common stock through July 31, 2024, inclusive of a $25 million increase to the plan authorized by the Board of Directors in January 2021. During the third quarter of 2021, we purchased 1.6 million common shares, roughly 5% of common shares outstanding at the beginning of the quarter, for a total of $5.7 million or $3.63 weighted average cost per share under our previously approved common stock repurchase program with $7.4 million available for further repurchases. As of September 30, 2021, we had repurchased approximately 31% of all common shares issued and outstanding since August 2019 under this common stock repurchase program.



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The amended stock repurchase program provides that up to a maximum aggregate amount of $25 million shares may be repurchased in any given fiscal year. Repurchases will be made in accordance with applicable securities laws from time-to-time in the open market and/or in privately negotiated transactions at our discretion, subject to market conditions and other factors. The share repurchase program does not require the purchase of any minimum number of shares and may be implemented, modified, suspended or discontinued in whole or in part at any time without further notice. Any repurchased shares will be available for use in connection with equity plans and for other corporate purposes.
On October 28, 2021, our Board of Directors authorized a $25 million increase to our existing $55 million common stock repurchase program, providing for the repurchase of up to $80 million of the our common stock through July 31, 2024. In addition, our Board of Director's approved an increase in the annual fiscal limit of repurchases from $25 million to $35 million.
Debt Facilities
VPC Facility
VPC Facility Term Notes
On January 30, 2014, we entered into the VPC Facility in order to fund our Rise product and provide working capital. The VPC Facility has been amended several times, with the most recent amendment effective July 31, 2020, to decrease the maximum total borrowing amount available and other terms of the VPC Facility.
The VPC facility has a maximum borrowing amount of $200 million (amended as of July 31, 2020) used to fund the Rise loan portfolio (“US Term Note”). Upon the February 1, 2019 amendment date, the interest rate on the debt outstanding as of the amendment date was fixed through the January 1, 2024 maturity date at 10.23% (base rate of 2.73% plus 7.5%, which was reduced to 7.25% and 7.00% on January 1, 2020 and 2021, respectively, as part of the amendment). At December 31, 2020, the weighted average base rate on the outstanding balance was 2.73% and the overall interest rate was 9.98%. At September 30, 2021, the weighted average base rate on the outstanding balance was 2.49% and the overall interest rate was 9.49%. All future borrowings under this facility will bear an interest rate at a base rate (defined as the greater of 3-month LIBOR, the five-year LIBOR swap rate or 1%) plus 7.0% at the borrowing date. The VPC facility has a revolving feature providing the option to pay down up to 20% of the outstanding balance once per year during the first quarter. Amounts paid down may be drawn again at a later date prior to maturity.
There are no principal payments due or scheduled under the VPC Facility until the maturity date of the US Term Note. In January 2021, we paid down approximately $21 million, or 20%, of the current outstanding debt on the VPC Facility under the revolving feature noted above. The remaining outstanding debt on the US Term Note matures on January 1, 2024.
All of our assets are pledged as collateral to secure the VPC Facility. The agreement contains customary financial covenants, including minimum cash and excess spread requirements, maximum roll rate and charge-off rate levels, maximum loan-to-value ratios and a minimum book value of equity requirement. We were in compliance with all covenants as of September 30, 2021.
The VPC Facility previously included a term note (the "4th Tranche Term Note") used to fund working capital with a maximum borrowing amount of $18 million and a base rate of 2.73% plus 13%. The interest rate at December 31, 2020 was 15.73%. In January 2021, we paid off this term note prior to its maturity on February 1, 2021.
ESPV Facility
ESPV Facility Term Note
The ESPV Facility has a maximum borrowing amount of $350 million to be used to purchase loan participations from a third-party lender. Upon the February 1, 2019 amendment date, the interest rate on the debt outstanding as of the amendment date was fixed at 15.48% (base rate of 2.73% plus 12.75%). Effective July 1, 2019, the interest rate on the debt outstanding as of the amendment date was set at 10.23% (base rate of 2.73% plus 7.5%, which was reduced to 7.25% and 7.00% on January 1, 2020 and 2021, respectively, as part of the amendment). At December 31, 2020 the weighted average base rate on the outstanding balance was 2.72% and the overall interest rate was 9.97%. At September 30, 2021, the weighted average base rate on the outstanding balance was 2.57% and the overall interest rate was 9.57%. All future borrowings under this facility will bear an interest rate at a base rate (defined as the greater of 3-month LIBOR, the five-year LIBOR swap rate or 1%) plus 7.0% at the borrowing date. The ESPV Term Note has a revolving feature providing the option to pay down up to 20% of the outstanding balance once per year during the first quarter. Amounts paid down may be drawn again at a later date prior to maturity. In January 2021, we paid down approximately $40 million, or 20%, of the current outstanding debt balance on the ESPV Facility under the revolving feature. The remaining outstanding debt on the ESPV Term Note matures on January 1, 2024.



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All of our assets are pledged as collateral to secure the ESPV Facility. The agreement contains customary financial covenants, including minimum cash and excess spread requirements, maximum roll rate and charge-off rate levels, maximum loan-to-value ratios and a minimum book value of equity requirement. We were in compliance with all covenants related to the ESPV facility as of September 30, 2021.
EF SPV Facility
EF SPV Facility Term Note
The EF SPV Facility has a maximum borrowing amount of $250 million (amended as of July 31, 2020) to be used to purchase Rise installment loan participations from a third-party bank, FinWise Bank. Prior to execution of the agreement with VPC effective February 1, 2019, EF SPV was a borrower on the US Term Note under the VPC Facility and the interest rate paid on this facility was a base rate (defined as 3-month LIBOR, with a 1% floor) plus 11%. Upon the February 1, 2019 amendment date, $43 million was re-allocated into the EF SPV Facility and the interest rate on the debt outstanding as of the amendment date was fixed through the January 1, 2024 maturity date at 10.23% (base rate of 2.73% plus 7.5%, which was reduced to 7.25% and 7.00% on January 1, 2020 and 2021, respectively, as part of the amendment). The weighted average base rate on the outstanding balance at December 31, 2020 was 2.45% and the overall interest rate was 9.70%. The weighted average base rate on the outstanding balance at September 30, 2021 was 1.87% and the overall interest rate was 8.87%. All future borrowings under this facility will bear an interest rate at a base rate (defined as the greater of 3-month LIBOR, the five-year LIBOR swap rate or 1%) plus 7.0% at the borrowing date. The EF SPV Term Note has a revolving feature providing the option to pay down up to 20% of the outstanding balance once per year during the first quarter. Amounts paid down may be drawn again at a later date prior to maturity. In January 2021, we paid down approximately $19 million, or 20%, of the current outstanding debt balance on the EF SPV Facility under the revolving feature. The remaining outstanding debt on the EF SPV Term Note matures on January 1, 2024.
All of our assets are pledged as collateral to secure the EF SPV Term Note. The agreement contains customary financial covenants, including minimum cash and excess spread requirements, maximum roll rate and charge-off rate levels, maximum loan-to-value ratios and a minimum book value of equity requirement. We were in compliance with all covenants related to the EF SPV facility as of September 30, 2021.
EC SPV Facility
EC SPV Facility Term Note
VPC entered into a new debt facility with EC SPV on July 31, 2020. The EC SPV Facility has a maximum borrowing amount of $100 million used to purchase Rise installment loan participations from a third-party bank, Capital Community Bank. The weighted average base rate on the outstanding balance at December 31, 2020 was 2.73% and the overall interest rate was 9.98%. The weighted average base rate on the outstanding balance at September 30, 2021 was 2.20% and the overall interest rate was 9.20%. All future borrowings under this facility will bear an interest rate at a base rate (defined as the greater of 3-month LIBOR, the five-year LIBOR swap rate or 1%) plus 7.0% at the borrowing date. The EC SPV Term Note has a revolving feature providing the option to pay down up to 20% of the outstanding balance once per year during the first quarter. Amounts paid down may be drawn again at a later date prior to maturity.
The EC SPV Term Note matures on January 1, 2024. There are no principal payments due or scheduled until the maturity date. All of our assets and EC SPV are pledged as collateral to secure the EC SPV Facility. The EC SPV Facility contains certain covenants for us such as minimum cash requirements and a minimum book value of equity requirement. There are also certain covenants for the product portfolio underlying the facility including, among other things, excess spread requirements, maximum roll rate and charge-off rate levels, and maximum loan-to-value ratios. We were in compliance with all covenants related to the EC SPV facility as of September 30, 2021.



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Outstanding Notes Payable
The outstanding balances of notes payable as of September 30, 2021 and December 31, 2020 are as follows:
(Dollars in thousands) September 30,
2021
December 31,
2020
US Term Note bearing interest at the base rate + 7.0% (2021) or + 7.25% (2020)

$ 79,600  $ 104,500 
4th Tranche Term Note bearing interest at the base rate + 13%

—  18,050 
ESPV Term Note bearing interest at the base rate + 7.0% (2021) or + 7.25% (2020)

174,600  199,500 
EF SPV Term Note bearing interest at the base rate + 7.0% (2021) or + 7.25% (2020)

132,800  93,500 
EC SPV Term Note bearing interest at the base rate + 7.0% (2021) or + 7.25% (2020)

50,500  25,000 
Total

$ 437,500  $ 440,550 
The change in the facility balances includes the following:
US Term Note - Paydowns of $25.9 million and $10 million in the first and second quarter of 2021, respectively, and a draw of $11 million in the third quarter of 2021;
4th Tranche Term Note - Debt obligation of $18.1 million paid off in the first quarter of 2021;
ESPV Term Note - Paydown of $39.9 million in the first quarter of 2021 and a draw of $15 million in the third quarter of 2021;
EF SPV Term note - Paydown of $18.7 million in the first quarter of 2021 and draws of $15 million and $43 million in the second and third quarter of 2021, respectively; and
EC SPV Term Note - Draws of $5 million, $5 million, and $15.5 million in the first, second, and third quarters of 2021, respectively.
The following table presents the future debt maturities as of September 30, 2021:
Year (dollars in thousands) September 30, 2021
Remainder of 2021

$ — 
2022

— 
2023

— 
2024

437,500 
2025

— 
Thereafter

— 
Total

$ 437,500 
On October 12, 2021, the Company entered into a $50 million financing facility, with an ability to increase the facility to $100 million, to fund continued growth of the Today Card product. The financing facility for the Today Card is provided by Park Cities Asset Management LLC.



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Cash and cash equivalents, restricted cash, loans (net of allowance for loan losses), and cash flows
The following table summarizes our cash and cash equivalents, restricted cash, loans receivable, net and cash flows for the periods indicated:
  As of and for the nine months ended September 30,
(Dollars in thousands) 2021 2020
Cash and cash equivalents
$ 79,979  $ 224,259 
Restricted cash
4,962  3,135 
Loans receivable, net
479,621  373,024 
Cash provided by (used in):
Operating activities - continuing operations
111,566  177,705 
Investing activities - continuing operations
(199,462) 79,154 
Financing activities - continuing operations
(28,281) (102,915)
Our cash and cash equivalents at September 30, 2021 were held primarily for working capital purposes. We may, from time to time, use excess cash and cash equivalents to fund our lending activities, paydown debt or repurchase stock. We do not enter into investments for trading or speculative purposes. Our policy is to invest any cash in excess of our immediate working capital requirements in investments designed to preserve the principal balance and provide liquidity. Accordingly, our excess cash is invested primarily in demand deposit accounts that are currently providing only a minimal return.
Net cash provided by operating activities
We generated $111.6 million in cash from our operating activities-continuing operations for the nine months ended September 30, 2021. This was down $66.1 million from the $177.7 million of cash provided by operating activities-continuing operations during the nine months ended September 30, 2020 due to a decrease in revenues realized for the nine months ended September 30, 2021 resulting from a smaller average loan portfolio and lower effective APR as compared to the prior year.
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities
For the nine months ended September 30, 2021 and 2020, cash provided by (used in) investing activities-continuing operations was $(199.5) million and $79.2 million, respectively. The decrease was primarily due to an increase in net loans issued to customers and a growing loan portfolio compared to a declining loan portfolio year over year. The following table summarizes cash used in investing activities for the periods indicated: 
  Nine Months Ended September 30,
(Dollars in thousands) 2021 2020
Cash provided by (used in) investing activities - continuing operations
Net loans issued to consumers, less repayments
$ (184,789) $ 94,844 
Participation premium paid
(4,020) (2,823)
Purchases of property and equipment
(11,903) (12,867)
Proceeds from sale of intangible assets
1,250  — 

$ (199,462) $ 79,154 



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Net cash used in financing activities
Cash flows from financing activities-continuing operations primarily include cash received from issuing notes payable, payments on notes payable, and activity related to stock awards. For the nine months ended September 30, 2021 and 2020, cash used in financing activities was $28.3 million and $102.9 million, respectively. The following table summarizes cash used in financing activities for the periods indicated: 
  Nine Months Ended September 30,
(Dollars in thousands) 2021 2020
Cash used in financing activities - continuing operations
Proceeds from issuance of Notes payable, net
$ 109,500  $ 6,500 
Payments on Notes payable
(112,550) (94,000)
Debt issuance costs paid
(75) (253)
Common stock repurchased
(24,453) (14,739)
Proceeds from issuance of stock, net
480  381 
Taxes paid related to net share settlement
(1,183) (804)

$ (28,281) $ (102,915)
The decrease in cash used in financing activities-continuing operations for the nine months ended September 30, 2021 versus the comparable period of 2020 was primarily due to increased draws on our debt facilities, partially offset by payments on the facilities early in 2021 and increased stock repurchases in 2021.
Free Cash Flow
In addition to the above, we also review FCF when analyzing our cash flows from operations. We calculate free cash flow as cash flows from operating activities-continuing operations, adjusted for the principal loan net charge-offs and capital expenditures incurred during the period. While this is a non-GAAP measure, we believe it provides a useful presentation of cash flows derived from our core continuing operating activities. The below tables provides a reconciliation of free cash flow to our cash flows from operations.
  Nine Months Ended September 30,
(Dollars in thousands) 2021 2020
Net cash provided by continuing operating activities
$ 111,566  $ 177,705 
Adjustments:
Net charge-offs – combined principal loans
(70,636) (125,232)
Capital expenditures
(11,903) (12,867)
FCF
$ 29,027  $ 39,606 
Our FCF was $29.0 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2021 compared to $39.6 million for the comparable prior year period. While our net cash provided by continuing operating activities decreased by $66.1 million, this was partially offset by a similar decrease of $54.6 million in net charge-offs - combined principal loans and a $1.0 million decrease in capital expenditures.
Operating and capital expenditure requirements
We are continuing to assess our minimum cash and liquidity requirements and implementing measures to ensure that our cash and liquidity position is maintained through the current economic cycle created by the COVID-19 pandemic. We believe that our existing cash balances, together with the available borrowing capacity under the VPC Facility, ESPV Facility, EF SPV Facility and EC SPV Facility, will be sufficient to meet our anticipated cash operating expense and capital expenditure requirements through at least this year. Beginning in October 2021, we have a new debt facility for the Today Card to support its future growth. If our loan growth exceeds our expectations, our available cash balances may be insufficient to satisfy our liquidity requirements, and we may seek additional equity or debt financing. This additional capital may not be available on reasonable terms, or at all.
CONTRACTUAL OBLIGATIONS
Our principal commitments consist of obligations under our debt facilities and operating lease obligations. There have been no material changes to our contractual obligations since December 31, 2020.



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OFF-BALANCE SHEET ARRANGEMENTS
We previously provide services in connection with installment loans originated by independent third-party lenders (“CSO lenders”) whereby we acted as a credit service organization/credit access business on behalf of consumers in accordance with applicable state laws through our “CSO program.” The CSO program included arranging loans with CSO lenders, assisting in the loan application, documentation and servicing processes. Under the CSO program, we guaranteed the repayment of a customer’s loan to the CSO lenders as part of the credit services we provided to the customer. As of September 30. 2021, the CSO program has completed its wind-down and the Company no longer has a guarantee under this program.
RECENT REGULATORY DEVELOPMENTS
Federal Regulations: The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (“CFPB”) amended Regulation F, 12 CFR part 1006, which implements the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA), to prescribe Federal rules governing certain activities of debt collectors. The final rule, among other things, clarifies the information that a debt collector must provide to a consumer at the outset of debt collection communications and provides a model notice containing such information, prohibits debt collectors from bringing or threatening to bring a legal action against a consumer to collect a time-barred debt, and requires debt collectors to take certain actions before furnishing information about a consumer’s debt to a consumer reporting agency. The rule is effective on November 30, 2021.
On March 31, the Federal Reserve Board, the CFPB, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation ("FDIC"), the National Credit Union Administration ("NCUA") and the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency ("OCC") announced the request for information ("RFI") to gain input from financial institutions, trade associations, consumer groups, and other stakeholders on the growing use of Artificial Intelligence ("AI") by financial institutions. The request seeks comments regarding the use of AI, including machine learning, by financial institutions; appropriate governance, risk management and controls over AI; as well as challenges in developing, adopting and managing AI. The comment period was extended from May 30, 2021 to July 1, 2021 and is now closed.
On August 31, 2021, the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas issued an order in Community Financial Services Association of America, LTD. v. Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, granting the Bureau's motion for summary judgment and staying the date for complying with the CFPB's Rulemaking on Payday, Vehicle Title, and High-Cost Installment Loans for 286 days until June 13, 2022. On October 1, 2021, the trade groups appealed the Texas federal district court’s final judgment and argued that the compliance date should be 286 days after their appeal to the Fifth Circuit is resolved. On October 14, 2021, the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals agreed to an extension of the compliance date until after resolution of the appeal. Regardless of outcome of the appeal, it is anticipated that the rule will increase costs and create challenges in the Company's collection activities.
State Privacy Laws: The California Consumer Privacy Act went into effect Jan. 1, 2020, and enforcement by California’s Office of the Attorney General began July 1, 2020. The California Privacy Rights Act ballot initiative passed in November 2020, with the majority of its provisions becoming operative Jan. 1, 2023. Virginia passed the Consumer Data Protection Act which establishes a framework for controlling and processing personal data in the Commonwealth. The bill applies to all persons that conduct business in the Commonwealth and either (i) control or process personal data of at least 100,000 consumers or (ii) derive over 50 percent of gross revenue from the sale of personal data and control or process personal data of at least 25,000 consumers. The bill outlines responsibilities and privacy protection standards for data controllers and processors and has a delayed effective date of January 1, 2023. On July 7, 2021, Colorado Governor Jared Polis signed the Colorado Privacy Act into law that will go into effect on July 1, 2023. Once effective, covered entities will be required to provide Colorado residents with various privacy rights, including the right to access, correct, and delete their personal data and to opt out of the sale of their personal data. Covered entities also will need to provide privacy policy disclosures and create data protection assessments for certain types of processing activities. Ongoing implementation of and changes to state-enacted privacy laws will increase the Company's costs and could create challenges in the relevant markets.
BASIS OF PRESENTATION AND CRITICAL ACCOUNTING POLICIES
Revenue recognition
We recognize consumer loan fees as revenues for each of the loan products we offer. Revenues on the Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations include: finance charges, lines of credit fees, fees for services provided through CSO programs (“CSO fees”), and interest, as well as any other fees or charges permitted by applicable laws and pursuant to the agreement with the borrower. Other revenues also include marketing and licensing fees received from the originating lender related to the Elastic product and Rise bank-originated loans and from CSO fees related to the Rise product. Revenues related to these fees are recognized when the service is performed.



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We accrue finance charges on installment loans on a constant yield basis over their terms. We accrue and defer fixed charges such as CSO fees and lines of credit fees when they are assessed and recognize them to earnings as they are earned over the life of the loan. We accrue interest on credit cards based on the amount of the loan outstanding and their contractual interest rate. Credit card membership fees are amortized to revenue over the card membership period. Other credit card fees, such as late payment fees and returned payment fees, are accrued when assessed. We do not accrue finance charges and other fees on installment loans or lines of credit for which payment is greater than 60 days past due. Credit card interest charges are recognized based on the contractual provisions of the underlying arrangements and are not accrued for which payment is greater than 90 days past due. Installment loans and lines of credit are considered past due if a grace period has not been requested and a scheduled payment is not paid on its due date. Credit cards have a grace period of 25 days and are considered delinquent after the grace period. Payments received on past due loans are applied against the loan and accrued interest balance to bring the loan current. Payments are generally first applied to accrued fees and interest, and then to the principal loan balance.
The spread of COVID-19 since March 2020 has created a global public health crisis that has resulted in unprecedented disruption to businesses and economies. In response to the pandemic's effects and in accordance with federal and state guidelines, we expanded our payment flexibility programs for our customers, including payment deferrals. This program allows for a deferral of payments for an initial period of 30-60 days, and generally up to a maximum of 180 days on a cumulative basis. The customer will return to their normal payment schedule after the end of the deferral period with the extension of their maturity date equivalent to the deferral period, which is generally not to exceed an additional 180 days. Per FASB guidance, the finance charges will continue to accrue at a lower effective interest rate over the expected term of the loan considering the deferral period provided (not to exceed an amount greater than the amount at which the borrower could settle the loan) or placed on non-accrual status. The COVID-19 payment flexibility programs were no longer offered effective July 1, 2021, eliminating any new payment deferrals up to 180 days. We and the bank originators continue to offer certain payment flexibility programs if certain qualifications are met.
Our business is affected by seasonality, which can cause significant changes in portfolio size and profit margins from quarter to quarter. Although this seasonality does not impact our policies for revenue recognition, it does generally impact our results of operations by potentially causing an increase in its profit margins in the first quarter of the year and decreased margins in the second through fourth quarters.
Allowance and liability for estimated losses on consumer loans
We have adopted Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) guidance for disclosures about the credit quality of financing receivables and the allowance for loan losses (“allowance”). We maintain an allowance for loan losses for loans and interest receivable for loans not classified as TDRs at a level estimated to be adequate to absorb credit losses inherent in the outstanding loans receivable. We primarily utilize historical loss rates by product, stratified by delinquency ranges, to determine the allowance, but we also consider recent collection and delinquency trends, as well as macro-economic conditions that may affect portfolio losses. Additionally, due to the uncertainty of economic conditions and cash flow resources of our customers, the estimate of the allowance for loan losses is subject to change in the near-term and could significantly impact the condensed consolidated financial statements. If a loan is deemed to be uncollectible before it is fully reserved, it is charged-off at that time. For loans classified as TDRs, impairment is typically measured based on the present value of the expected future cash flows discounted at the original effective interest rate. As permitted by the SEC, we have elected to not adopt the Current Expected Credit Losses ("CECL") model which would require a broader range of reasonable and supportable information to inform credit loss estimates. See "- Recently Issued Accounting Pronouncements And JOBS Act Election" for more information.
We classify loans as either current or past due. An installment loan or line of credit customer in good standing may request a 16-day grace period when or before a payment becomes due and, if granted, the loan is considered current during the grace period. Credit card customers have a 25-day grace period for each payment. Installment loans and lines of credit are considered past due if a grace period has not been requested and a scheduled payment is not paid on its due date. Credit cards are considered past due if the grace period has passed and the scheduled payment has not been made. Increases in the allowance are created by recording a Provision for loan losses in the Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations. Installment loans and lines of credit are charged off, which reduces the allowance, when they are over 60 days past due or earlier if deemed uncollectible. Credit cards are charged off, which reduces the allowance, when they are over 120 days past due or earlier if deemed uncollectible. Recoveries on losses previously charged to the allowance are credited to the allowance when collected.
Goodwill
Goodwill represents the excess of the purchase price over the fair value of the net tangible and identifiable intangible assets acquired in each business combination. In accordance with Accounting Standards Codification ("ASC") 350-20-35, Goodwill—Subsequent Measurement, we perform a quantitative approach method impairment review of goodwill and intangible assets with an indefinite life annually at October 1 and between annual tests if an event occurs or circumstances change that would more likely than not reduce the fair value of a reporting unit below its carrying amount.



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Prior to the adoption of ASU No. 2017-04, Intangibles—Goodwill and Other (Topic 350): Simplifying the Test for Goodwill Impairment ("ASU 2017-04"), our impairment evaluation of goodwill was already based on comparing the fair value of our reporting units to their carrying value. The adoption of ASU 2017-04 as of January 1, 2020 had no impact on our evaluation procedures. The fair value of the reporting units is determined based on a weighted average of the income and market approaches. The income approach establishes fair value based on estimated future cash flows of the reporting units, discounted by an estimated weighted-average cost of capital developed using the capital asset pricing model, which reflects the overall level of inherent risk of the reporting units. The income approach uses our projections of financial performance for a six to nine-year period and includes assumptions about future revenues growth rates, operating margins and terminal values. The market approach establishes fair value by applying cash flow multiples to the reporting units’ operating performance. The multiples are derived from other publicly traded companies that are similar but not identical from an operational and economic standpoint.
Internal-use software development costs
We capitalize certain costs related to software developed for internal use, primarily associated with the ongoing development and enhancement of our technology platform. Costs incurred in the preliminary development and post-development stages are expensed. These costs are amortized on a straight-line basis over the estimated useful life of the related asset, generally three years.
Income taxes
Income taxes are accounted for under the asset and liability method. Deferred tax assets and liabilities are recognized for the future tax consequences and benefits attributable to differences between the financial statement carrying amounts of existing assets and liabilities and their respective tax bases and operating loss and tax credit carryforwards. Deferred tax assets and liabilities are measured using enacted tax rates expected to apply to taxable income in the years in which those temporary differences are expected to be recovered or settled. The effect on deferred tax assets and liabilities of a change in tax rates is recognized in income in the period that includes the enactment date. Valuation allowances are established when necessary to reduce deferred tax assets to the amounts that are more likely than not to be realized.
Relative to uncertain tax positions, we accrue for losses we believe are probable and can be reasonably estimated. The amount recognized is subject to estimate and management judgment with respect to the likely outcome of each uncertain tax position. The amount that is ultimately sustained for an individual uncertain tax position or for all uncertain tax positions in the aggregate could differ from the amount recognized. If the amounts recorded are not realized or if penalties and interest are incurred, we have elected to record all amounts within income tax expense.
At September 30, 2021, the Company recorded an uncertain tax position of $1.6 million, net and no liability was recorded at December 31, 2020. Tax periods from fiscal years 2014 to 2019 remain open and subject to examination for US federal and state tax purposes. As we had no operations nor had filed US federal tax returns prior to May 1, 2014, there are no other US federal or state tax years subject to examination.
Share-Based Compensation
In accordance with applicable accounting standards, all share-based compensation, consisting of stock options and restricted stock units (“RSUs") issued to employees is measured based on the grant-date fair value of the awards and recognized as compensation expense on a straight-line basis over the period during which the recipient is required to perform services in exchange for the award (the requisite service period). We also have an employee stock purchase plan (“ESPP”). The determination of fair value of share-based payment awards and ESPP purchase rights on the date of grant using option-pricing models is affected by our stock price as well as assumptions regarding a number of highly complex and subjective variables. These variables include, but are not limited to, the expected stock price volatility over the term of the awards, actual and projected employee stock option exercise activity, risk-free interest rate, expected dividends and expected term. We use the Black-Scholes-Merton Option Pricing Model to estimate the grant-date fair value of stock options. We also use an equity valuation model to estimate the grant-date fair value of RSUs. Additionally, the recognition of share-based compensation expense requires an estimation of the number of awards that will ultimately vest and the number of awards that will ultimately be forfeited.
RECENTLY ISSUED ACCOUNTING PRONOUNCEMENTS AND JOBS ACT ELECTION
Under the Jumpstart Our Business Startups Act (the “JOBS Act”), we meet the definition of an emerging growth company. We have irrevocably elected to opt out of the extended transition period for complying with new or revised accounting standards pursuant to Section 107(b) of the JOBS Act.



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Recently Adopted Accounting Standards
See Note 1 in the Notes to the Consolidated Condensed Financial Statements included in this report for a discussion of recent accounting pronouncements.



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Item 3. Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk
Market risk is the risk of loss to future earnings, values or future cash flows that may result from changes in the price of a financial instrument. The value of a financial instrument may change as a result of changes in interest rates, exchange rates, commodity prices, equity prices and other market changes. We are exposed to market risk related to changes in interest rates. We do not use derivative financial instruments for speculative or trading purposes, although in the future we may enter into interest rate hedging arrangements to manage the risks described below.
Interest rate sensitivity
Our cash and cash equivalents as of September 30, 2021 consisted of demand deposit accounts. Our primary exposure to market risk for our cash and cash equivalents is interest income sensitivity, which is affected by changes in the general level of interest rates. Given the currently low interest rates, we generate only a de minimis amount of interest income from these deposits.
All of our customer loan portfolios are fixed APR loans and not variable in nature. Additionally, given the high APRs associated with these loans, we do not believe there is any interest rate sensitivity associated with our customer loan portfolio.
On February 1, 2019, the VPC and ESPV Facilities were amended and a new EF SPV Facility was added. As part of these amendments, the base interest rate on existing debt outstanding on February 1, 2019 was locked to the 3-month LIBOR as of February 1, 2019 of 2.73% until note maturity. Any additional borrowings on the facilities (excluding the 4th Tranche Term Note) after February 1, 2019 bear a base interest rate (defined as the greater of 3-month LIBOR, the five-year LIBOR swap rate or 1%) plus the applicable spread at the borrowing date. On July 31, 2020, the new EC SPV Facility was added. This facility does not have a rate lock and is tied to the 3-month LIBOR rate.
Any increase in the base interest rate on future borrowings will result in an increase in our net interest expense. The outstanding balance of our VPC Facility at September 30, 2021 was $79.6 million and the balance at December 31, 2020 was $122.6 million. The outstanding balance of our ESPV Facility was $174.6 million and $199.5 million at September 30, 2021 and December 31, 2020, respectively. The outstanding balance of our EF SPV Facility was $132.8 million at September 30, 2021 and the balance at December 31, 2020 was $93.5 million. The outstanding balance of our EC SPV Facility was $50.5 million and $25 million at September 30, 2021 and December 31, 2020, respectively. Based on the average outstanding indebtedness through the nine months ended September 30, 2021, a 1% (100 basis points) increase in interest rates would have increased our interest expense by approximately $2.2 million for the period.





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Item 4. Controls and Procedures

Evaluation of Disclosure Controls and Procedures
Our management, with the participation of our Chief Executive Officer and interim Chief Financial Officer, has evaluated the effectiveness of our disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Rules 13a- 15(e) and 15d- 15(e) under the Exchange Act), as of the end of the period covered by this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q. Based on such evaluation, our Chief Executive Officer and interim Chief Financial Officer have concluded that as of such date, our disclosure controls and procedures were effective.

Changes in Internal Control Over Financial Reporting
There were no changes in our internal control over financial reporting identified in management’s evaluation pursuant to Rules 13a-15(d) or 15d-15(d) of the Exchange Act during the period covered by this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q that materially affected, or are reasonably likely to materially affect, our internal control over financial reporting.




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PART II - OTHER INFORMATION
Item 1. Legal Proceedings
In the ordinary course of business, from time to time, we have been and may be named as a defendant in various legal proceedings arising in connection with our business activities. We may also be involved, from time to time, in reviews, investigations and proceedings (both formal and informal) by governmental agencies regarding our business (collectively, “regulatory matters”). We contest liability and/or the amount of damages as appropriate in each such pending matter. We do not anticipate that the ultimate liability, if any, arising out of any such pending matter will have a material effect on our financial condition, results of operations or cash flows. Our material legal proceedings are described in Part I, Item 1 of this Form 10-Q in the Notes to Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements in Note 11, "Commitments, Contingencies and Guarantees" under the heading "Other Matters."
Item 1A. Risk Factors

There have been no material changes from the Risk Factors described in Item 1A. “Risk Factors” of our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2020, except as set forth below.
RISKS RELATED TO OUR BUSINESS AND INDUSTRY
The consumer lending industry continues to be subject to new laws and regulations in many jurisdictions that could restrict the consumer lending products and services we offer, impose additional compliance costs on us, render our current operations unprofitable or even prohibit our current operations.
State and federal governments regulatory bodies may seek to impose new laws, direct contractual arrangements with us, regulatory restrictions or licensing requirements that affect the products or services we offer, the terms on which we may offer them, and the disclosure, compliance and reporting obligations we must fulfill in connection with our lending business. They may also interpret or enforce existing requirements in new ways that could restrict our ability to continue our current methods of operation or to expand operations, impose significant additional compliance costs and may have a negative effect on our business, prospects, results of operations, financial condition or cash flows. In some cases, these measures could even directly prohibit some or all of our current business activities in certain jurisdictions or render them unprofitable or impractical to continue.
In order to serve our non-prime customers profitably we need to sufficiently price the risk of the transaction into the APR of our loans. If individual states or the federal government impose rate caps lower than those at which we can operate our current business profitably or otherwise impose stricter limits on non-prime lending, we would need to exit such states or dramatically reduce our rate of growth by limiting our products to customers with higher creditworthiness. Congress, the states and regulatory agencies, as well as local municipalities, could further regulate the consumer financial services industry in ways that make it more difficult or costly for us to operate and facilitate the origination of loans for our bank partners. For example, Congressional bills that would create a national interest rate cap of 36% on consumer loans have been proposed at various times, including in 2009, 2013, 2015, 2017 and 2019. On July 28, 2021, a bill called the Veterans and Consumers Fair Credit Act of 2021 was introduced in the Senate. If enacted it would extend the 36% rate cap on payday and car-title lenders in the Military Lending Act (MLA) to cover all Americans. Although the proposed national rate cap may never be enacted into law, if such a bill were to be enacted, it would greatly restrict the number of loans that could be funded through our platform. States have passed laws regulating the consumer financial services industry. For example, on January 1, 2020, California lending law changed to impose a rate cap of 36% plus the Federal Funds Rate set by the Federal Reserve Board for all consumer-purpose installment loans and in 2021 the Illinois legislature passed a law setting an interest rate cap of 36% on most consumer loans. States are increasingly introducing and, in some cases, passing laws that restrict interest rates and APRs on loans similar to the loans made on our platform. If such legislation or bills were to be propagated, or state or federal regulators seek to restrict regulated financial institutions such as our bank partners from engaging in business us in certain ways, our bank partners’ ability to originate loans in certain states could be greatly reduced, and as a result, our business, financial condition and results of operations would be adversely affected.



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Furthermore, legislative or regulatory actions may be influenced by negative perceptions of us and our industry, even if such negative perceptions are inaccurate, attributable to conduct by third parties not affiliated with us (such as other industry members) or attributable to matters not specific to our industry. Any of these or other legislative or regulatory actions that affect our consumer loan business at the national, state and local level could, if enacted or interpreted differently, have a material adverse effect on our business, prospects, results of operations, financial condition or cash flows and prohibit or directly or indirectly impair our ability to continue current operations.
We may be subject to changes in our tax rates, new tax legislation or exposed to additional tax liabilities.
The tax laws applicable to our business, at local, state and federal levels, are subject to interpretation and may be subject to significant change. Changes in existing laws, the interpretation of existing laws, or introduction of new laws could have a material impact on our financial condition, results of operations or cash flows. The determination of our provision for income taxes and other tax liabilities involves significant judgment by management and there may be uncertainties regarding the ultimate tax determination. Our tax returns and positions are subject to review and audit by federal, state and local authorities. While we believe that our provisions and accrued liabilities are adequate to cover reasonably expected tax risk, there can be no assurance of any final outcome regarding any tax issue. An unfavorable outcome could have a material adverse impact on our effective tax rate, financial position, cash flows, or results of operations.
OTHER RISKS RELATED TO COMPLIANCE AND REGULATION
The regulatory landscape in which we operate is continually changing due to new CFPB rules, regulations and interpretations, as well as various legal actions that have been brought against others in marketplace lending, including several lawsuits that have sought to re-characterize certain loans made by federally insured banks as loans made by third parties. If litigation on similar theories were brought against us when we work with a federally insured bank that makes loans, rather than making loans ourselves and were such an action to be successful, we could be subject to state usury limits and/or state licensing requirements, in addition to the state consumer protection laws to which we are already subject, in a greater number of states, loans in such states could be deemed void and unenforceable, and we could be subject to substantial penalties in connection with such loans.
The case law involving whether an originating lender, on the one hand, or third party vendors, on the other hand, are the “true lenders” of a loan is still developing and courts have come to different conclusions and applied different analyses. The determination of whether a third-party service provider is the “true lender” is significant because third-parties risk having the loans they service becoming subject to a consumer’s state usury limits. If we were re-characterized as a “true lender” with respect to any bank or third party we work with, loans could be deemed to be void and unenforceable in some states, the right to collect finance charges could be affected, and we could be subject to fines and penalties from state and federal regulatory agencies as well as claims by borrowers, including class actions by private plaintiffs.
In 2017, the Colorado Administrator of the Uniform Consumer Credit Code filed complaints in state court against marketplace lenders Marlette Funding LLC and Avant of Colorado LLC. The Administrator asserted that loans to Colorado residents facilitated through the platform were required to comply with Colorado laws regarding interest rates and fees, and that those laws were not preempted by federal laws that apply to loans originated by WebBank, the federally regulated issuing bank who originated loans through Avant’s platform. The matter ultimately settled without a determination of which entity is the “true lender” but created certain safe-harbor transactional structures that the regulator would find indicative of the bank being the “true lender.” The settlement provides a safe harbor for the marketplace lending programs if certain criteria related to oversight, disclosure, funding, licensing, consumer terms, and structure are followed. Only the parties to the litigation are bound by this settlement and further, it only applies to closed-end loans offered by banks in conjunction with non-bank partners or fintechs partnering with banks that involve origination of loans through an online platform.



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Additionally, in May 2015, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit issued its decision in Madden v. Midland Funding, LLC, where the court interpreted the scope of federal preemption under the National Bank Act (“NBA”) and held that a nonbank assignee of a loan originated by a national bank was not entitled to the benefits of federal preemption of claims of usury. The Second Circuit’s decision is binding on federal courts located in Connecticut, New York, and Vermont, but the decision could also be adopted by other courts. The Madden decision created some uncertainty as to whether non-bank entities purchasing loans originated by a bank may rely on federal preemption of state usury laws, which created an increased risk of litigation by plaintiffs challenging the interest rates charged in accordance with the terms of loans. The Madden decision, and any decisions with similar findings, may substantially reduce our operating efficiency and/or attractiveness to investors, possibly resulting in a decline in our operating results.
In response to the uncertainty Madden created as to the validity of interest rates of bank-originated loans, both the OCC and FDIC issued final rules to clarify that when a bank sells, assigns or otherwise transfers a loan, the interest permissible prior to the transfer continues to be permissible following the transfer. The OCC final rule was effective on August 3, 2020. The FDIC final rule was effective on August 21, 2020. On July 29, 2020, the attorneys general from California, Illinois and New York filed a lawsuit against the OCC challenging the rule. Then in August 2020, attorneys general from California, Illinois, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina and D.C. sued the FDIC alleging the core of the rule-making "is beyond the FDIC's power to issue, is contrary to statute, and would facilitate predatory lending through sham 'rent-a-bank' partnerships designed to evade state law."
On October 27, 2020, the OCC issued its final rule to remove uncertainty and determine when a national bank or federal savings association makes a loan and is the "true lender" in the context of a partnership between a bank and a third party. The rule specified that a bank makes a loan and is the "true lender" if, as of the date of origination, it (1) is named as the lender in the loan agreement or (2) funds the loan. The rule became effective December 29, 2020. However, this rule was rescinded through a Congressional Review Act resolution and on June 30, 2021, President Biden signed the resolution to overturn the rule. The repeal of this rule does not directly impact Elevate, as the banks it works with are state banks which are regulated by the FDIC.
If we are deemed to be the “true lender,” then we could be subject to claims by borrowers, as well as enforcement actions by regulators. If a borrower or regulator were to successfully bring claims for violations of state consumer lending laws, including usury and licensing requirements, we could be subject to fines and penalties, including the voiding of loans and repayment of principal and interest to borrowers and investors. We might decide to, among other actions, limit the maximum interest rate and terms on certain loans, might decide to not offer certain products, might decide to not offer products in certain geographic locations, and some regulators could conclude we are subject to state laws, including licensing or registration in connection with services we provide to our Bank Partners. These actions may substantially reduce our operating efficiency and/or attractiveness to investors, possibly resulting in a decline in operating results, which could in turn adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations.



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 2. Unregistered Sales of Equity Securities and Use of Proceeds.

Repurchases of Equity Securities
At September 30, 2021, we had an outstanding stock repurchase program authorized by our Board of Directors providing for the repurchase of up to $55 million of our common stock through July 31, 2024, inclusive of a $25 million increase to the plan authorized by the Board of Directors in January 2021. On October 28, 2021, our Board of Directors authorized an additional $25 million increase, providing for the repurchase of up to $80 million of the our common stock, as well as an increase in the annual fiscal limit of repurchases from $25 million to $35 million. There were no changes to the end date of the program. The Company purchased $3.3 million of common shares under its $10 million authorization during the second half of 2019 and during the year ended December 31, 2020, an additional 7,694,896 shares were repurchased at a total cost of $19.8 million, inclusive of any transactional fees or commissions. Repurchases will be made in accordance with applicable securities laws from time-to-time in the open market and/or in privately negotiated transactions at our discretion, subject to market conditions and other factors. The share repurchase plan does not require the purchase of any minimum number of shares and may be implemented, modified, suspended or discontinued in whole or in part at any time without further notice. All repurchased shares may potentially be withheld for fulfillment of certain employee stock equity programs.
The following table provides information about our common stock repurchases during the quarter ended September 30, 2021.
Period Total number of shares purchased (1) Average price paid per share (2) Total number of shares purchased as part of the publicly announced program Approximate dollar value of shares that may yet be purchased under the program (2)
July 1, 2021 to July 31, 2021
401,694  $ 3.58  401,063  $ 11,631,185 
August 1, 2021 to August 31, 2021
614,186  $ 3.33  560,348  $ 9,587,443 
September 1, 2021 to September 30, 2021
605,749  $ 3.64  605,063  $ 7,384,545 
Total
1,621,629  $ 3.51  1,566,474 
(1)During the quarter ended September 30, 2021, certain RSUs were net share-settled to cover the required withholding tax and the remaining amounts were converted into an equivalent number of shares of the Company's common stock. The Company withheld 55,155 shares for applicable income and other employment taxes and remitted the cash to the appropriate taxing authorities during the quarter ended September 30, 2021.
(2)Includes fees and commissions associated with the shares repurchased.




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Item 6. Exhibits

Exhibit
number
Description
10.1+
10.2+#
10.3+#
10.4+#
10.5+
10.6+
10.7+
10.8+
10.9+
10.10
31.1
31.2
32.1&
32.2&
101.INS
XBRL Instance Document - the instance document does not appear in the Interactive Data File because its XBRL tags are embedded within the Inline XBRL document.
101.SCH
Inline XBRL Taxonomy Extension Schema Document.
101.CAL
Inline XBRL Taxonomy Extension Calculation Linkbase Document.
101.DEF
Inline XBRL Taxonomy Extension Definition Linkbase Document.
101.LAB
Inline XBRL Taxonomy Extension Labels Linkbase Document.
101.PRE
Inline XBRL Taxonomy Extension Presentation Linkbase Document.
104
XBRL for cover page of the Company's Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q, included in the Exhibit 101 Inline XBRL Document Set.

# Previously filed.
+ Indicates a management contract or compensatory plan.
& This certification is deemed not filed for purposes of section 18 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (Exchange Act), or otherwise subject to the liability of that section, nor shall it be deemed incorporated by reference into any filing under the Securities Act or the Exchange Act.


(1) Filed as an exhibit to our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q filed on May 7, 2021.




89


SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the Registrant has duly caused this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized.
 
Elevate Credit, Inc.
Date: November 5, 2021 By: /s/ Jason Harvison
Jason Harvison
  Chief Executive Officer
(Principal Executive Officer)
 
Date: November 5, 2021 By: /s/ Chad Bradford
Chad Bradford
  Interim Chief Financial Officer
(Principal Financial Officer)




90

EMPLOYMENT, CONFIDENTIALITY AND NON-SOLICITATION AGREEMENT

THIS EMPLOYMENT, CONFIDENTIALITY AND NON-SOLICITATION AGREEMENT (this "Agreement") is entered into between Sarah Fagin Cutrona, an individual resident of the State of Texas ("Employee") and Elevate Credit Service, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company ("Company" or "Employer") collectively referred to as the "Parties," with an "Effective Date" of May 1, 2014.

1.    Employee's Duties. Employee shall dedicate all of his or her working time, skill and attention to the business of Company and other entities within the Elevate Group (as defined below), agrees to remain loyal to Elevate Group, and not to engage in any conduct that creates a conflict of interest to, or damages the reputation of, any entity within the Elevate Group. Employee understands that he or she will be placed in a position of special trust and confidence concerning the interests of Company and other entities within the Elevate Group. The specific position(s) and duties assigned to Employee may be altered by Company in its sole discretion. Employee will work diligently to perform the duties of any position to which he or she is assigned in a reasonable, timely and professional manner, and shall comply with all applicable policies and rules of Company. Employee's duties are understood to include one or more of the following: (a) developing goodwill for the benefit of the Elevate Group; (b) assisting in development of strategies and other intellectual property; and (c) helping to identify business opportunities for the Elevate Group.

2.    Employee's Employment.

2.1    Term. Employee's employment will commence on the Effective Date, and will continue until terminated in accordance with this Agreement. The termination of Employee's employment shall not affect any obligation that expressly extends beyond, or is not contingent upon, continued employment, including the obligations in Section 3.2 and Section 4.

2.2    Termination. Employee's employment may be terminated as follows:

2.2.1    Termination without Cause prior to a Change in Control. If Employer terminates Employee's employment without Cause (as defined below) prior to a Change in Control (as defined below), then Employer shall pay Employee severance pay in an amount equal to the base salary that would be payable to Employee over the period commencing on the date of termination and ending twelve (12) months thereafter (the "Severance Period"), which severance pay shall be paid during the Severance Period in equal installments as set forth in Section 2.3.1.
2.2.2    Termination after a Change in Control. If Employer terminates Employee's employment with Employer without Cause, or Employee terminates his or her employment with Employer for Good Reason (as defined below), following the effective date of a Change in Control, then Employer shall pay Employee severance pay in an amount equal to the base salary that would be payable to Employee over the Severance Period, which severance pay shall be paid during the Severance Period in equal installments as set forth in Section 2.3.1.
2.2.3    Termination with Cause. If Employer terminates Employee’s employment with Employer with Cause, then Employer shall pay any base salary earned by Employee through the date of termination plus any other amounts required to be paid pursuant to applicable law. No severance pay shall be applicable.
2.2.4    Certain Definitions. For purposes of this Agreement, the following terms shall have the following meanings:
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A.     The term "Cause" shall mean:
(i)    Failure of Employee to be present for work and duties as set forth herein for ten (10) or more consecutive business days (except during vacation and periods of illness as set forth herein) without giving prior written notice to the President of Company and receiving approval of the President of Company or the CEO or the Board of Directors (“Board”) of Think Finance, Inc., a Delaware corporation ("EC") for such absence;
(ii)    Employee's conviction for a felony offense or commission by Employee of any act abhorrent to the community that the President of Company or the CEO or the Board consider materially damaging to or tending to discredit the reputation of Employer, EC, any affiliate or subsidiary of EC, or any of their respective successors and assigns (collectively, the "Elevate Group");
(iii)    Dishonesty, fraud, willful misconduct, unlawful discrimination or theft on the part of Employee (whether within the workplace or elsewhere);
(iv)    Employee's using for his or her own benefit or the benefit of any third party any material, non-public information, confidential information or proprietary information of any entity within the Elevate Group, or willfully or negligently divulging any such information to third parties without the prior written consent of the President of Company or the CEO or the Board of EC, or any violation by Employee of any of his or her obligations under Section 4;
(v)    Employee's use, possession, or distribution of illegal substances or being under the influence of alcohol or illegal substances in the workplace. Employee may consume alcohol reasonably and responsibly, if he or she so chooses, at legitimate business events and functions where alcohol is legally available; and
(vi)    The determination by the President of Company or the CEO or the Board of EC that Employee has continually failed or refused, after written notice of and a reasonable opportunity to cure such failure or refusal, to perform the duties of Employee’s position in a satisfactory manner, in accordance with the policies, standards, regulations, instructions, or directions of Employer as they currently exist or as they may be reasonably modified from time to time.
B.    The term "Change in Control" shall mean:
(i)    A merger or consolidation involving EC as a consequence of which those persons who held all of the equity shares of EC immediately prior to such merger or consolidation do not hold either directly or indirectly a majority of the equity shares of EC (or, if applicable, the surviving company of such merger or consolidation) after the consummation of such merger or consolidation;
(ii)    A transfer, in a single transaction or a series of related transactions, of voting or beneficial control of a majority of EC's then outstanding equity shares to persons who do not own prior to the transaction or series of transactions any equity interests of EC; or
(iii)    The sale of all or substantially all of the assets of EC to any person or "group" of persons (other than to any person who owns a majority or more of the equity shares of EC, or to a subsidiary of EC, or to an entity whose equity interests are owned directly or indirectly either by EC or by any person who owns directly or indirectly a majority or more of the equity shares of EC).

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For purposes of clarification, the mere incorporation of Employer from its current limited liability company structure shall not be deemed to be a Change of Control. Further, a sale of Company or all or substantially all of the assets or outstanding equity securities of Company to, or any merger with, Elevate Credit, Inc., a Delaware corporation, or any of its affiliates or subsidiaries, shall not be deemed to be a Change of Control.
C.    The term "Good Reason" shall mean:
(i)    Employer shall substantially diminish the responsibilities of Employee (other than in connection with Employee's availability by reason of disability or otherwise); or
(ii)    Employer shall reduce the base salary of Employee.
2.2.5    Offset of Severance Pay. Notwithstanding the provisions of Section 2.2.1 and Section 2.2.2, if (a) Employer terminates Employee’s employment without Cause, (b) Elevate Credit Service, LLC or any of its affiliates or subsidiaries (“Elevate”) offers Employee employment effective as of the date of such termination with a base salary at least as much as Employee’s most recent base salary with Employer and (c) Employee does not accept such offer, then Employer shall not have any obligation to pay Employee any severance pay pursuant to either Section 2.2.1 or Section 2.2.2.
2.2.6    Change of Employer. Employee acknowledges and agrees that she is not entitled to any severance as a result of the termination of her employment agreement with TCLS effective as of the Effective Date.
2.3    Compensation. Company shall provide Employee with compensation in the form of wages and benefits, subject to adjustment in the discretion of Company.

2.3.1    Base Salary. As compensation for services rendered under this Agreement, Employee shall be entitled to receive from Company an aggregate minimum base salary of Three Hundred Forty Thousand Dollars ($340,000) per annum for each twelve (12) month period from the date hereof. The base salary to be paid to Employee shall be paid $13,076.93 bi-weekly in accordance with Company's payroll policies, less all applicable withholding or taxes which may be adjusted at the sole discretion of Company. Employee authorizes Company to make any deductions from his or her compensation, including from the final paycheck, that are deemed necessary by Company to comply with state or federal laws on withholdings, to compensate for property not returned, or to recover any advances paid to Employee.

2.3.2    Discretionary Bonus. Employee shall be eligible for a bonus of fifty percent (50%) of base salary as determined by the Board. Any bonus is discretionary and not earned or accrued until paid and shall be paid less any applicable withholdings or taxes.

2.3.3    Paid Time Off. Employee shall be entitled to four (4) weeks paid time off per annum.

2.3.4    Employee Benefit Plans. Employee shall be entitled to participate in Employer’s employee benefit plans.

2.3.5    Bonus Advance.

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A.     Employee acknowledges that she has received an advance payment of bonuses that could be awarded pursuant to Section 2.3.2. Accordingly, if Employee is awarded a bonus at any time after the Effective Date, then the amount of such bonus shall be deemed to have already been paid to, and received by, Employee.
B.     As of the Effective Date, the total amount of such advance payment of bonuses actually awarded to Employee was equal to Thirty One Thousand Six Hundred Sixty Six and 69/100 Dollars ($31,666.69). Accordingly, after Employee has been awarded at least Thirty One Thousand Six Hundred Sixty Six and 69/100 Dollars ($31,666.69) of bonuses after the Effective Date, then this Section 2.3.5 shall automatically terminate.
C.     If Employee’s employment with Employer terminates for any reason prior to Employer being awarded at least Thirty One Thousand Six Hundred Sixty Six and 69/100 Dollars ($31,666.69) of bonuses after the Effective Date, then Employee shall pay Employer an amount equal to the difference between (i) Thirty One Thousand Six Hundred Sixty Six and 69/100 Dollars ($31,666.69) and (ii) the aggregate amount of bonuses awarded and paid to Employee after the Effective Date, within thirty (30) calendar days of the day of termination of Employee’s employment with Employer. Employer may offset any amounts due to Employee upon termination such as vacation pay from the amounts which would be due to Employer pursuant to this Section 2.3.5 C.

3.    Business Interests and Obligations.

3.1    Definitions. The following definitions are used herein:

3.1.1    Trade Secrets means all technical information and business information that generally facilitates the sale of products, increases revenues, or provides an advantage over the competition (hereinafter referred to collectively as “Proprietary Information”) and is not generally known, and is identified as such.

3.1.2    Know-How means all factual knowledge and information related to any entity within the Elevate Group’s business which is not capable of precise, separate description but which, in accumulated form, after being acquired, gives to the one acquiring it the ability to produce and market something which one would otherwise not have known how to produce and market with the same accuracy or precision necessary for commercial success, provided, however, that such knowledge and information is not in the public domain or readily available to any third party other than a limited number of persons who have agreed to keep that information secret.

3.1.3    Confidential Information means all information acquired by Employee in the course and scope of his or her employment that is designated by any entity within the Elevate Group as confidential or that any entity within the Elevate Group indicates through its policies, procedures, or other instructions should not be disclosed to anyone outside the Elevate Group except through controlled means. Confidential Information need not be a Trade Secret, Proprietary Information or Know-How to be protected under this Agreement. “Confidential Information” shall not include (i) information that was known by Employee prior to Employee’s employment with Employer, (ii) information that lawfully came into Employee’s possession, directly or indirectly, from persons who were not under any obligation to maintain the confidentiality of such information, (iii) information that has become part of the public domain through no act or fault on the part of Employee in breach of this Agreement, (iv) information that Employer has approved for release by written authorization, or (v) information that was independently developed by or for Employee without the use of Confidential Information.
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3.1.4    Company Information means all Trade Secrets, Proprietary Information, Know-How and Confidential Information (recognizing that certain information and material will fall into multiple categories), including, without limitation, proposals, concepts, diagrams, models, ID’s or email addresses, client or projections and reports, communications by or to attorneys (including attorney-client privileged communications), memos and other materials prepared by attorneys or under their direction (including attorney work product), software systems and processes and any information that is not readily available to the public, the information gathering techniques and processes of any entity within the Elevate Group, internally created client lists and associated data and pricing arrangements, and strategic plans, financial and personnel records, but not including information that is intentionally disclosed to the general public by any entity within the Elevate Group.

3.1.5    Intellectual Property means all compositions, articles of manufacture, processes, apparatus, and inventions; data, writings and other works of authorship (including, without limitation, software, protocols, rules, program codes, audiovisual effects created by program code, and documentation related thereto, drawings); mask works; and certain tangible items (including, without limitation, materials, samples, components, tools, and operating devices) related to any Elevate Group entity's business; and

3.1.6    Intellectual Property Rights means patents, trademarks, copyrights, mask rights, Trade Secrets, and Know-How covering the Intellectual Property.

3.2    Ancillary Employee Covenants. Employee shall not, directly or indirectly; participate in the unauthorized use, disclosure or conversion of any Company Information. Specifically, Employee shall not use any Company Information for his or her sole benefit, or for the benefit of any competitor or in any other way that harms any Elevate Group entity or diminishes the value of any Company Information. Employee shall also use the specialized training, goodwill and contacts developed with any customers and contractors of any entity within the Elevate Group for the exclusive benefit of such entity within the Elevate Group, and shall not use these items in a way that would harm the business interests of any entity within the Elevate Group during the term of this Agreement and for a period of twelve (12) months thereafter.

3.3    Intellectual Property. Employee shall promptly inform and disclose to Company all Intellectual Property created or developed during the course of his or her employment with Company. Employee hereby agrees and acknowledges that all such Intellectual Property shall be the exclusive property of Company. During the employment and as necessary thereafter, Employee shall assist Company to obtain, perfect and maintain all Intellectual Property Rights covering such Intellectual Property, and shall execute all documents and do all things necessary to obtain for such entity within the Elevate Group all such Intellectual Property Rights for such entity within the Elevate Group. Employee hereby assigns, and agrees to assign, to Company or its designee all right, title, and interest in and to all Intellectual Property and Intellectual Property Rights covered by the foregoing that Employee may now own or may own at any time during his or her employment with Company.

3.4    Prior Works/Rights. Employee represents and acknowledges that no works relating to or incorporating any Intellectual Property or covered by Intellectual Property Rights existed prior to the Effective Date that are owned by Employee or licensable to any entity within the Elevate Group by Employee, or in which Employee has any other interest (collectively the “Prior Works”) that have not been assigned or licensed to Company. If any such Prior Works are incorporated into any Elevate Groups entity’s products or process contrary to this representation so that Company is unable to use the Prior Works as contemplated by any entity within the Elevate Group without infringing such Intellectual Property Rights, then Employee hereby grants a non-exclusive, royalty-free, irrevocable, perpetual, worldwide license to Company to make, have made, use, sell, offer to sell, import or otherwise commercially exploit such Prior Works as part of or in connection with any Elevate Group entity's products and/or services.
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4.    Protective Covenants. Employee agrees that the following covenants are reasonable and necessary agreements for the protection of the business of the Elevate Group:

4.1    Definitions.

4.1.1    "Competing Business" means any person or entity that provides technology, analytical, administrative or support services or products that would compete with or displace any technology, analytical, administrative or support services or products sold, licensed or being developed for sale or license by any entity within the Elevate Group during Employee's employment with Company, or any other activities so similar in nature or purpose to those offered by or engaged in by any entity within the Elevate Group that they would displace business opportunities or customers of such entity within the Elevate Group.

4.1.2    "Covered Client and Customer" means any person or entity (Clients and Customers such as financial institutions or intermediaries, retailers, wholesalers and self-distribution chains) that (a) any entity within the Elevate Group has provided services to (including, without limitation, any corporate office, headquarter, retail, or dedicated team services) and (b) Employee either had contact with, supervised employees who had contact with, or received Proprietary Information about within the last twenty-four (24) month period that Employee was employed with Company.

4.2    Recordkeeping and Handling of Covered Items. Employee shall keep and maintain current written records of all customer contacts, inventions, enhancement, and plans she develops regarding matters that are within the scope of the business operations or that relate to research and development on behalf of the Elevate Group entities, and agrees to maintain any records necessary to inform Company of such business opportunities. All Company Information and other documents and materials maintained or entrusted to Employee by any entity within the Elevate Group shall remain the exclusive property of such entity within the Elevate Group at all times; such materials shall, together with all copies thereof, be returned and delivered to Company by Employee immediately without demand, upon the termination of Employee's employment with Company, and shall be returned at a prior time if Company so demands.

4.3    Restriction on Interfering with Personnel Relationships. For a period of twenty-four (24) months following the termination of Employee's employment with Company, Employee will not, either directly or indirectly, participate in recruiting or hiring away any employees or independent contractors of any entity within the Elevate Group, or encourage or induce any employees, agents, independent contractors or investors of any Elevate Group entity to terminate their relationship with Company or such Elevate Group entity.

4.4    Restriction on Interfering with Other Relationships. Employee agrees that during employment with Company, Employee will not induce or attempt to induce any Covered Client or Customer to diminish, curtail, divert or cancel its business relationship with any entity within the Elevate Group. For a period of twelve (12) months following the termination of Employee's employment with Company, Employee will not, directly or indirectly service, call on, solicit, divert or take away, any Covered Clients or Customers of any entity within the Elevate Group. This Section 4.4 is geographically limited to, where a Covered Client or Customer is present and available for solicitation at that time. Employee may not avoid the purpose and intent of this Section 4.4 by engaging in conduct within the geographically limited area from a remote location through means such as telecommunications, written correspondence, computer generated or assisted communications, or other similar methods.

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4.5    Ratification of Professional and Ethical Obligations. Nothing in this Agreement prohibits or restricts Employee from working for, supervising, assisting or participating in any Competing Business in any capacity (as owner, employee, consultant, contractor, officer, director, lender, investor, agent, or otherwise) following the termination of Employee’s employment with the Company, provided that in doing so Employee adheres in all respects to Employee’s professional and ethical obligations as an attorney under the Texas Rules of Disciplinary Procedure and the Texas Disciplinary Rules of Professional Conduct. Employee hereby ratifies and confirms in all respects her professional and ethical obligations as an attorney under the Texas Rules of Disciplinary Procedure and the Texas Disciplinary Rules of Professional Conduct.

4.6.    Survival of Covenants. This Section 4 shall survive the termination of Employee's employment with Company. The existence of any claim or cause of action of Employee against Company whether predicated on this Agreement or otherwise shall not constitute a defense to that enforcement by Company of said covenant. If any enforcement remedy is sought under Section 4.7, then the time periods provided for in Section 4 shall be extended by one (1) day for each day Employee failed to comply with the restriction at issue.

4.7.    Remedies. In the event of breach or threatened breach by Employee of any provision of Section 4, each Elevate Group entity shall be entitled to (i) injunctive relief by temporary restraining order, temporary injunction, and/or permanent injunction, (ii) recovery of all attorneys' fees and costs incurred by any Elevate Group entity in obtaining such relief, and (iii) any other legal and equitable relief to which may be entitled, including without limitation any and all monetary damages which such Elevate Group entity may incur as a result of said breach or threatened breach. An agreed amount for the bond to be posted if an injunction is sought by such Elevate Group entity is One Thousand Dollars ($1,000.00). Each Elevate Group entity may pursue any remedy available, including declaratory relief, concurrently or consecutively in any order as to any breach, violation, or threatened breach or violation, and the pursuit of one such remedy at any time will not be deemed an election of remedies or waiver of the right to pursue any other remedy. Each Elevate Group entity is an express third-party beneficiary of this Agreement with the right to enforce its terms against Employee as it such Elevate Group entity were a party.

4.8.    Early Resolution Conference. This Agreement is understood to be clear and enforceable as written and is executed by both Parties. However, should Employee later challenge any provision as unclear or unenforceable, Employee will first notify Company in writing and meet with a Company representative and a neutral mediator (if Company elects to retain one at its expense) to discuss resolution of any disputes between the Parties. Employee will provide this notification at least fourteen (14) days before Employee engages in any activity that could foreseeably fall within a questioned restriction. The failure to comply with this requirement shall waive Employee's right to challenge the reasonable scope, clarity, applicability, or enforceability of the Agreement and its restrictions at a later time. All rights of the Parties will be preserved if the Early Resolution Conference requirement is complied with even if no agreement is reached in the conference.

5.    Merger or Acquisition Disposition and Assignment. If Company or any Elevate Group entity consolidates, merges into another entity, or transfers all or substantially all of its assets or operations to another entity, or divide its assets or operations among a number of entities, then this Agreement shall continue in full force and effect with regard to the surviving entity and may be assigned by Company.

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Employee's obligations under this Agreement are personal in nature and may not be assigned by Employee to another person or entity.

6.    Notices. All notices, requests, consents, and other communications under this Agreement shall be in writing and shall be deemed to have been delivered on the date personally delivered or on the date deposited in a receptacle maintained by the United States Postal Service for such purpose, postage prepaid, by certified mail, return receipt requested, or by express mail addressed to the address indicated under the signature block for that party provided below. Either party may designate a different address by providing written notice of a new address to the other party.

7.    Severability. If any provision of this Agreement is determined to be void, illegal or enforceable, in whole or in part, then the other provisions shall remain in full force and effect as if the provision that was determined to be void, illegal, of unenforceable had not been contained herein. If the restrictions in Section 4 are deemed unenforceable as written, then the Parties expressly authorize the court or arbitrator to revise, delete, or add to the restrictions contained in Section 4 to the extent necessary to enforce the intent of the Parties and to provide the Elevate Groups’ goodwill, Company Information, and other business interests with effective protection.

8.    Waiver, Construction, Modification, and Integration. The waiver by a party of any breach of this Agreement shall not operate or be construed as a waiver of any subsequent breach by such party. Except as otherwise provided below, this instrument contains the entire agreement of the Parties concerning the matters covered in it. Without limiting the foregoing, if Employee has an existing agreement with Employer, then such existing agreement shall be deemed to be amended and superseded in its entirety by this Agreement. This Agreement may not be modified, altered or amended except by written agreement of both Parties, except as provided in Section 4.8 or by order of the court or arbitrator pursuant to Section 7.

9.    Governing Law and Venue. The laws of the State of Texas should govern the validity of this Agreement, the construction of its terms, and the interpretation of the rights and duties of the Parties without regard to any contrary conflicts of laws principles. It is stipulated that Texas has a compelling state interest in the subject matter of this Agreement and that Employee has or will have regular contact with Texas in the performance of this Agreement. The agreed venue and personal jurisdiction for the Parties on any claims or disputes under this Agreement is Tarrant County, Texas.

10.    Representation of Employee. Employee represents and warrants to Company that Employee has not previously assumed any obligations inconsistent with those contained in this Agreement, and will not use, disclose, or otherwise rely upon any confidential information or trade secrets derived from any previous employment, if Employee has any, in the performance of his duties on behalf of Company. Further, Employee acknowledges that he or she has read and fully understands this Agreement, has had a reasonable opportunity to consider this Agreement and to seek legal counsel, and after such review, Employee stipulates that the promises made by him or her in this Agreement are not greater than necessary for the protection of Company's goodwill, Company Information, and other legitimate business interests and do not create undue hardship for Employee or the public.

11.    Arbitration. If there is any unresolved legal dispute between the Parties that involves legal rights or remedies arising from this Agreement or the employment relationship between Employee and Company, then the Parties shall submit their dispute to binding arbitration under the authority of the Federal Arbitration Act; provided, however, that Company may pursue a temporary restraining order and/or preliminary injunctive relief in accordance with Section 4.7, with related expedited discovery for the Parties, in a court of law, and, thereafter, require arbitration of all issues of final relief. This Section 11 does not prohibit Employee from filing or cooperating in a charge before a federal administrative agency without pursuing
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private litigation. Insured workers compensation claims (other than wrongful discharge claims), and claims for unemployment insurance are excluded from arbitration under this Section 11. The arbitration will be conducted by the American Arbitration Association, or another, mutually agreeable, arbitration service. The arbitrator(s) shall be duly licensed to practice law in the State of Texas. Each party will be allowed at least one deposition. The arbitrator(s) shall be required to state in a written opinion all facts and conclusions of law relied upon to support any decision rendered. No arbitrator will have authority to render a decision that contains an outcome determinative error of state or federal law, or to fashion a cause of action or remedy not otherwise provided for under applicable state or federal law. Any dispute over whether the arbitrator(s) has failed to comply with the foregoing will be resolved by summary judgment in a court of law. In all other respects, the arbitration process will be conducted in accordance with the American Arbitration Association's employment dispute resolution rules or other mutually agreeable, arbitration service rules. Company will pay the arbitration costs and arbitrator's fees beyond $500, subject to a final arbitration award on who should bear costs and fees. All proceedings shall be conducted in Fort Worth, Texas, or other mutually agreeable site. Company will reimburse Employee for reasonable travel expenses for Employee and his or her legal counsel to attend the arbitration in Fort Worth if necessary. The duty to arbitrate described above shall survive the termination of this Agreement. Except as otherwise provided above, the Parties hereby waive trial in a court of law or by jury. All other rights, remedies, statutes of limitation and defenses applicable to claims asserted in a court of law will apply in the arbitration.

<signature page follows>

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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Parties agree to each of the terms of this Agreement as of the Effective Date.



EMPLOYEE:


By: /s/ Sarah Fagin Cutrona

Printed Name: Sarah Fagin Cutrona

Address:     

                



COMPANY:

ELEVATE CREDIT SERVICE, LLC


By:     /s/ Ken Rees                

Printed Name:     Ken Rees         

Title: President

Address: 4150 International Plaza, Suite 300
Fort Worth, Texas 76109
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EMPLOYMENT, CONFIDENTIALITY AND NON-SOLICITATION AGREEMENT

THIS EMPLOYMENT, CONFIDENTIALITY AND NON-SOLICITATION AGREEMENT (this "Agreement") is entered into between Chad Bradford ("Employee") and Elevate Credit Service, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company ("Company" or "Employer") collectively referred to as the "Parties," with an "Effective Date" of May 1, 2014.

1.    Employee's Duties. Employee shall dedicate all of his or her working time, skill and attention to the business of Company and other entities within the Elevate Group (as defined below), agrees to remain loyal to Elevate Group, and not to engage in any conduct that creates a conflict of interest to, or damages the reputation of, any entity within the Elevate Group. Employee understands that he or she will be placed in a position of special trust and confidence concerning the interests of Company and other entities within the Elevate Group. The specific position(s) and duties assigned to Employee may be altered by Company in its sole discretion. Employee will work diligently to perform the duties of any position to which he or she is assigned in a reasonable, timely and professional manner, and shall comply with all applicable policies and rules of Company. Employee's duties are understood to include one or more of the following: (a) developing goodwill for the benefit of the Elevate Group; (b) assisting in development of strategies and other intellectual property; and (c) helping to identify business opportunities for the Elevate Group.

2.    Employee's Employment.

2.1    Term. Employee's employment will commence on the Effective Date, and will continue until terminated in accordance with this Agreement. The termination of Employee's employment shall not affect any obligation that expressly extends beyond, or is not contingent upon, continued employment, including the obligations in Section 3.2 and Section 4.

2.2    Termination. Employee's employment may be terminated as follows:

2.2.1    Termination without Cause prior to a Change in Control. If Employer terminates Employee's employment without Cause (as defined below) prior to a Change in Control (as defined below), then Employer shall pay Employee severance pay in an amount equal to the base salary that would be payable to Employee over the period commencing on the date of termination and ending six (6) months thereafter (the "Severance Period"), which severance pay shall be paid during the Severance Period in equal installments as set forth in Section 2.3.1.
2.2.2    Termination after a Change in Control. If Employer terminates Employee's employment with Employer without Cause, or Employee terminates his or her employment with Employer for Good Reason (as defined below), following the effective date of a Change in Control, then Employer shall pay Employee severance pay in an amount equal to the base salary that would be payable to Employee over the Severance Period, which severance pay shall be paid during the Severance Period in equal installments as set forth in Section 2.3.1.
2.2.3    Certain Definitions. For purposes of this Agreement, the following terms shall have the following meanings:
A.     The term "Cause" shall mean:
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(i)    Failure of Employee to be present for work and duties as set forth herein for ten (10) or more consecutive business days (except during vacation and periods of illness as set forth herein) without giving prior written notice to the President of Company and receiving approval of the President of Company or the CEO or the Board of Directors (“Board”) of Elevate Credit, Inc., a Delaware corporation ("EC") for such absence;
(ii)    Employee's conviction for a felony offense or commission by Employee of any act abhorrent to the community that the President of Company or the CEO or the Board consider materially damaging to or tending to discredit the reputation of Employer, EC, any affiliate or subsidiary of EC, or any of their respective successors and assigns (collectively, the "Elevate Group");
(iii)    Dishonesty, fraud, willful misconduct, unlawful discrimination or theft on the part of Employee (whether within the workplace or elsewhere);
(iv)    Employee's using for his or her own benefit or the benefit of any third party any material, non-public information, confidential information or proprietary information of any entity within the Elevate Group, or willfully or negligently divulging any such information to third parties without the prior written consent of the President of Company or the CEO or the Board of EC, or any violation by Employee of any of his or her obligations under Section 4;
(v)    Employee's use, possession, or distribution of illegal substances or being under the influence of alcohol or illegal substances in the workplace. Employee may consume alcohol reasonably and responsibly, if he or she so chooses, at legitimate business events and functions where alcohol is legally available; and
(vi)    The determination by the President of Company or the CEO or the Board of EC that Employee has continually failed or refused, after written notice of and a reasonable opportunity to cure such failure or refusal, to perform the duties of Employee’s position in a satisfactory manner, in accordance with the policies, standards, regulations, instructions, or directions of Employer as they currently exist or as they may be reasonably modified from time to time.
B.    The term "Change in Control" shall mean:
(i)    A merger or consolidation involving EC as a consequence of which those persons who held all of the equity shares of EC immediately prior to such merger or consolidation do not hold either directly or indirectly a majority of the equity shares of EC (or, if applicable, the surviving company of such merger or consolidation) after the consummation of such merger or consolidation;
(ii)    A transfer, in a single transaction or a series of related transactions, of voting or beneficial control of a majority of EC's then outstanding equity shares to persons who do not own prior to the transaction or series of transactions any equity interests of EC; or
(iii)    The sale of all or substantially all of the assets of EC to any person or "group" of persons (other than to any person who owns a majority or more of the equity shares of EC, or to a subsidiary of EC, or to an entity whose equity interests are owned directly or indirectly either by EC or by any person who owns directly or indirectly a majority or more of the equity shares of EC).
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For purposes of clarification, the mere incorporation of Employer from its current limited liability company structure shall not be deemed to be a Change of Control. Further, a sale of Company or all or substantially all of the assets or outstanding equity securities of Company to, or any merger with, Think Finance, Inc., a Delaware corporation, or any of its affiliates or subsidiaries, shall not be deemed to be a Change of Control.
C.    The term "Good Reason" shall mean:
(i)    Employer shall substantially diminish the responsibilities of Employee (other than in connection with Employee's availability by reason of disability or otherwise); or
(ii)    Employer shall reduce the base salary of Employee.
2.2.4    Offset of Severance Pay. Notwithstanding the provisions of Section 2.2.1 and Section 2.2.2, if (a) Employer terminates Employee’s employment without Cause, (b) TC Loan Service, LLC or any of its affiliates or subsidiaries (“TCLS”) offers Employee employment effective as of the date of such termination with a base salary at least as much as Employee’s most recent base salary with Employer and (c) Employee does not accept such offer, then Employer shall not have any obligation to pay Employee any severance pay pursuant to either Section 2.2.1 or Section 2.2.3.
2.3    Compensation. Company shall provide Employee with compensation in the form of wages and benefits, subject to adjustment in the discretion of Company.

2.3.1    Base Salary. As compensation for services rendered under this Agreement, Employee shall be entitled to receive from Company an aggregate minimum base salary of Two Hundred and Fifty Thousand Dollars ($250,000) per annum for each twelve (12) month period from the date hereof. The base salary to be paid to Employee shall be paid $9,615.39 bi-weekly in accordance with Company's payroll policies, less all applicable withholding or taxes which may be adjusted at the sole discretion of Company. Employee authorizes Company to make any deductions from his or her compensation, including from the final paycheck, that are deemed necessary by Company to comply with state or federal laws on withholdings, to compensate for property not returned, or to recover any advances paid to Employee.

2.3.2    Discretionary Bonus. Employee shall be eligible for a bonus of 25% of base salary as determined by the Board. Any bonus is discretionary and not earned or accrued until paid and shall be paid less any applicable withholdings or taxes.

2.3.3    Paid Time Off. Employee shall be entitled to four (4) weeks paid time off per annum.

2.3.4    Employee Benefit Plans. Employee shall be entitled to participate in Employer’s employee benefit plans.

3.    Business Interests and Obligations.

3.1    Definitions. The following definitions are used herein:

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3.1.1    Trade Secrets means all technical information and business information that generally facilitates the sale of products, increases revenues, or provides an advantage over the competition (hereinafter referred to collectively as “Proprietary Information”) and is not generally known, and is identified as such.

3.1.2    Know-How means all factual knowledge and information related to any entity within the Elevate Group’s business which is not capable of precise, separate description but which, in accumulated form, after being acquired, gives to the one acquiring it the ability to produce and market something which one would otherwise not have known how to produce and market with the same accuracy or precision necessary for commercial success, provided, however, that such knowledge and information is not in the public domain or readily available to any third party other than a limited number of persons who have agreed to keep that information secret.

3.1.3    Confidential Information means all information acquired by Employee in the course and scope of his or her employment that is designated by any entity within the Elevate Group as confidential or that any entity within the Elevate Group indicates through its policies, procedures, or other instructions should not be disclosed to anyone outside the Elevate Group except through controlled means. Confidential Information need not be a Trade Secret, Proprietary Information or Know-How to be protected under this Agreement.

3.1.4    Company Information means all Trade Secrets, Proprietary Information, Know-How and Confidential Information (recognizing that certain information and material will fall into multiple categories), including, without limitation, proposals, concepts, diagrams, models, ID’s or email addresses, client or projections and reports, communications by or to attorneys (including attorney-client privileged communications), memos and other materials prepared by attorneys or under their direction (including attorney work product), software systems and processes and any information that is not readily available to the public, the information gathering techniques and processes of any entity within the Elevate Group, internally created client lists and associated data and pricing arrangements, and strategic plans, financial and personnel records, but not including information that is intentionally disclosed to the general public by any entity within the Elevate Group.

3.1.5    Intellectual Property means all compositions, articles of manufacture, processes, apparatus, and inventions; data, writings and other works of authorship (including, without limitation, software, protocols, rules, program codes, audiovisual effects created by program code, and documentation related thereto, drawings); mask works; and certain tangible items (including, without limitation, materials, samples, components, tools, and operating devices) related to any Elevate Group entity's business; and

3.1.6    Intellectual Property Rights means patents, trademarks, copyrights, mask rights, Trade Secrets, and Know-How covering the Intellectual Property.

3.2    Ancillary Employee Covenants. Employee shall not, directly or indirectly; participate in the unauthorized use, disclosure or conversion of any Company Information. Specifically, Employee shall not use any Company Information for his or her sole benefit, or for the benefit of any competitor or in any other way that harms any Elevate Group entity or diminishes the value of any Company Information. Employee shall also use the specialized training, goodwill and contacts developed with any customers and contractors of any entity within the Elevate Group for the exclusive benefit of such entity within the Elevate Group, and shall not use these items in a way that would harm the business
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interests of any entity within the Elevate Group during the term of this Agreement and for a period of twelve (12) months thereafter.

3.3    Intellectual Property. Employee shall promptly inform and disclose to Company all Intellectual Property created or developed during the course of his or her employment with Company. Employee hereby agrees and acknowledges that all such Intellectual Property shall be the exclusive property of Company. During the employment and as necessary thereafter, Employee shall assist Company to obtain, perfect and maintain all Intellectual Property Rights covering such Intellectual Property, and shall execute all documents and do all things necessary to obtain for such entity within the Elevate Group all such Intellectual Property Rights for such entity within the Elevate Group. Employee hereby assigns, and agrees to assign, to Company or its designee all right, title, and interest in and to all Intellectual Property and Intellectual Property Rights covered by the foregoing that Employee may now own or may own at any time during his or her employment with Company.

3.4    Prior Works/Rights. Employee represents and acknowledges that no works relating to or incorporating any Intellectual Property or covered by Intellectual Property Rights existed prior to the Effective Date that are owned by Employee or licensable to any entity within the Elevate Group by Employee, or in which Employee has any other interest (collectively the “Prior Works”) that have not been assigned or licensed to Company. If any such Prior Works are incorporated into any Elevate Groups entity’s products or process contrary to this representation so that Company is unable to use the Prior Works as contemplated by any entity within the Elevate Group without infringing such Intellectual Property Rights, then Employee hereby grants a non-exclusive, royalty-free, irrevocable, perpetual, worldwide license to Company to make, have made, use, sell, offer to sell, import or otherwise commercially exploit such Prior Works as part of or in connection with any Elevate Group entity's products and/or services.

4.    Protective Covenants. Employee agrees that the following covenants are reasonable and necessary agreements for the protection of the business of the Elevate Group:

4.1    Definitions.

4.1.1    "Competing Business" means any person or entity that provides technology, analytical, administrative or support services or products that would compete with or displace any technology, analytical, administrative or support services or products sold, licensed or being developed for sale or license by any entity within the Elevate Group during Employee's employment with Company, or any other activities so similar in nature or purpose to those offered by or engaged in by any entity within the Elevate Group that they would displace business opportunities or customers of such entity within the Elevate Group.

4.1.2    "Covered Client and Customer" means any person or entity (Clients and Customers such as financial institutions or intermediaries, retailers, wholesalers and self-distribution chains) that (a) any entity within the Elevate Group has provided services to (including, without limitation, any corporate office, headquarter, retail, or dedicated team services) and (b) Employee either had contact with, supervised employees who had contact with, or received Proprietary Information about within the last twenty-four (24) month period that Employee was employed with Company.

4.2    Recordkeeping and Handling of Covered Items. Employee shall keep and maintain current written records of all customer contacts, inventions, enhancement, and plans she develops
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regarding matters that are within the scope of the business operations or that relate to research and development on behalf of the Elevate Group entities, and agrees to maintain any records necessary to inform Company of such business opportunities. All Company Information and other documents and materials maintained or entrusted to Employee by any entity within the Elevate Group shall remain the exclusive property of such entity within the Elevate Group at all times; such materials shall, together with all copies thereof, be returned and delivered to Company by Employee immediately without demand, upon the termination of Employee's employment with Company, and shall be returned at a prior time if Company so demands.

4.3    Restriction on Interfering with Personnel Relationships. For a period of twenty-four (24) months following the termination of Employee's employment with Company, Employee will not, either directly or indirectly, participate in recruiting or hiring away any employees or independent contractors of any entity within the Elevate Group, or encourage or induce any employees, agents, independent contractors or investors of any Elevate Group entity to terminate their relationship with Company or such Elevate Group entity.

4.4    Restriction on Interfering with Other Relationships. Employee agrees that during employment with Company, Employee will not induce or attempt to induce any Covered Client or Customer to diminish, curtail, divert or cancel its business relationship with any entity within the Elevate Group. For a period of twelve (12) months following the termination of Employee's employment with Company, Employee will not, directly or indirectly service, call on, solicit, divert or take away, any Covered Clients or Customers of any entity within the Elevate Group. This Section 4.4 is geographically limited to, where a Covered Client or Customer is present and available for solicitation at that time. Employee may not avoid the purpose and intent of this Section 4.4 by engaging in conduct within the geographically limited area from a remote location through means such as telecommunications, written correspondence, computer generated or assisted communications, or other similar methods.

4.5    Restriction on Unfair Competition. Employee will not participate in or assist a Competing Business. Further, for twelve (12) months following termination of employment with Company, Employee will not work for, supervise, assist or participate in, any Competing Business in any capacity (as owner, employee, consultant, contractor, officer, director, lender, investor, agent, or otherwise). This restriction is limited to the United States, the United Kingdom, and any other country in which any entity within the Elevate Group has operations at the time of termination, which the parties stipulate is a reasonable geographic area because of the scope of the operations of the Elevate Group and Employee’s activities. This Section 4.5 creates a narrowly tailored advance approval requirement in order to avoid unfair competition and irreparable harm to the entities with the Elevate Group and is not intended or to be construed as a general restraint from engaging in a lawful profession or a general covenant against competition. Nothing herein with prohibit ownership of less than ten percent (10%) of the publicly traded capital stock of a corporation so long as this is not a controlling interest, or ownership of mutual fund investments. Employee may not avoid the purpose and intent of this Section 4.5 by engaging in conduct within the geographically limited area from a remote location through means such as telecommunications, written correspondence, computer generated or assisted communications, or other similar methods.

4.6.    Survival of Covenants. This Section 4 shall survive the termination of Employee's employment with Company. The existence of any claim or cause of action of Employee against Company whether predicated on this Agreement or otherwise shall not constitute a defense to that
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enforcement by Company of said covenant. If any enforcement remedy is sought under Section 4.7, then the time periods provided for in Section 4 shall be extended by one (1) day for each day Employee failed to comply with the restriction at issue.

4.7.    Remedies. In the event of breach or threatened breach by Employee of any provision of Section 4, each Elevate Group entity shall be entitled to (i) injunctive relief by temporary restraining order, temporary injunction, and/or permanent injunction, (ii) recovery of all attorneys' fees and costs incurred by any Elevate Group entity in obtaining such relief, and (iii) any other legal and equitable relief to which may be entitled, including without limitation any and all monetary damages which such Elevate Group entity may incur as a result of said breach or threatened breach. An agreed amount for the bond to be posted if an injunction is sought by such Elevate Group entity is One Thousand Dollars ($1,000.00). Each Elevate Group entity may pursue any remedy available, including declaratory relief, concurrently or consecutively in any order as to any breach, violation, or threatened breach or violation, and the pursuit of one such remedy at any time will not be deemed an election of remedies or waiver of the right to pursue any other remedy. Each Elevate Group entity is an express third-party beneficiary of this Agreement with the right to enforce its terms against Employee as it such Elevate Group entity were a party.

4.8.    Early Resolution Conference. This Agreement is understood to be clear and enforceable as written and is executed by both Parties. However, should Employee later challenge any provision as unclear, unenforceable, or inapplicable to any competitive activity that Employee intends to engage in, Employee will first notify Company in writing and meet with a Company representative and a neutral mediator (if Company elects to retain one at its expense) to discuss resolution of any disputes between the Parties. Employee will provide this notification at least fourteen (14) days before Employee engages in any activity in behalf of a Competing Business or engages in other activity that could foreseeably fall within a questioned restriction. The failure to comply with this requirement shall waive Employee's right to challenge the reasonable scope, clarity, applicability, or enforceability of the Agreement and its restrictions at a later time. All rights of the Parties will be preserved if the Early Resolution Conference requirement is complied with even if no agreement is reached in the conference.

5.    Merger or Acquisition Disposition and Assignment. If Company or any Elevate Group entity consolidates, merges into another entity, or transfers all or substantially all of its assets or operations to another entity, or divide its assets or operations among a number of entities, then this Agreement shall continue in full force and effect with regard to the surviving entity and may be assigned by Company. Employee's obligations under this Agreement are personal in nature and may not be assigned by Employee to another person or entity.

6.    Notices. All notices, requests, consents, and other communications under this Agreement shall be in writing and shall be deemed to have been delivered on the date personally delivered or on the date deposited in a receptacle maintained by the United States Postal Service for such purpose, postage prepaid, by certified mail, return receipt requested, or by express mail addressed to the address indicated under the signature block for that party provided below. Either party may designate a different address by providing written notice of a new address to the other party.

7.    Severability. If any provision of this Agreement is determined to be void, illegal or enforceable, in whole or in part, then the other provisions shall remain in full force and effect as if the provision that was determined to be void, illegal, of unenforceable had not been contained herein. If the restrictions in Section 4 are deemed unenforceable as written, then the Parties expressly authorize the
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court or arbitrator to revise, delete, or add to the restrictions contained in Section 4 to the extent necessary to enforce the intent of the Parties and to provide the Elevate Groups’ goodwill, Company Information, and other business interests with effective protection.

8.    Waiver, Construction, Modification, and Integration. The waiver by a party of any breach of this Agreement shall not operate or be construed as a waiver of any subsequent breach by such party. Except as otherwise provided below, this instrument contains the entire agreement of the Parties concerning the matters covered in it. Without limiting the foregoing, if Employee has an existing agreement with TCLS, then such existing agreement shall be deemed to be amended and superseded in its entirety by this Agreement. This Agreement may not be modified, altered or amended except by written agreement of both Parties, except as provided in Section 4.8 or by order of the court or arbitrator pursuant to Section 7.

9.    Governing Law and Venue. The laws of the State of Texas should govern the validity of this Agreement, the construction of its terms, and the interpretation of the rights and duties of the Parties without regard to any contrary conflicts of laws principles. It is stipulated that Texas has a compelling state interest in the subject matter of this Agreement and that Employee has or will have regular contact with Texas in the performance of this Agreement. The agreed venue and personal jurisdiction for the Parties on any claims or disputes under this Agreement is Tarrant County, Texas.

10.    Representation of Employee. Employee represents and warrants to Company that Employee has not previously assumed any obligations inconsistent with those contained in this Agreement, and will not use, disclose, or otherwise rely upon any confidential information or trade secrets derived from any previous employment, if Employee has any, in the performance of his duties on behalf of Company. Further, Employee acknowledges that he or she has read and fully understands this Agreement, has had a reasonable opportunity to consider this Agreement and to seek legal counsel, and after such review, Employee stipulates that the promises made by him or her in this Agreement are not greater than necessary for the protection of Company's goodwill, Company Information, and other legitimate business interests and do not create undue hardship for Employee or the public.

11.    Arbitration. If there is any unresolved legal dispute between the Parties that involves legal rights or remedies arising from this Agreement or the employment relationship between Employee and Company, then the Parties shall submit their dispute to binding arbitration under the authority of the Federal Arbitration Act; provided, however, that Company may pursue a temporary restraining order and/or preliminary injunctive relief in accordance with Section 4.7, with related expedited discovery for the Parties, in a court of law, and, thereafter, require arbitration of all issues of final relief. This Section 11 does not prohibit Employee from filing or cooperating in a charge before a federal administrative agency without pursuing private litigation. Insured workers compensation claims (other than wrongful discharge claims), and claims for unemployment insurance are excluded from arbitration under this Section 11. The arbitration will be conducted by the American Arbitration Association, or another, mutually agreeable, arbitration service. The arbitrator(s) shall be duly licensed to practice law in the State of Texas. Each party will be allowed at least one deposition. The arbitrator(s) shall be required to state in a written opinion all facts and conclusions of law relied upon to support any decision rendered. No arbitrator will have authority to render a decision that contains an outcome determinative error of state or federal law, or to fashion a cause of action or remedy not otherwise provided for under applicable state or federal law. Any dispute over whether the arbitrator(s) has failed to comply with the foregoing will be resolved by summary judgment in a court of law. In all other respects, the arbitration process will be conducted in accordance with the American Arbitration Association's employment
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dispute resolution rules or other mutually agreeable, arbitration service rules. Company will pay the arbitration costs and arbitrator's fees beyond $500, subject to a final arbitration award on who should bear costs and fees. All proceedings shall be conducted in Fort Worth, Texas, or other mutually agreeable site. Company will reimburse Employee for reasonable travel expenses for Employee and his or her legal counsel to attend the arbitration in Fort Worth if necessary. The duty to arbitrate described above shall survive the termination of this Agreement. Except as otherwise provided above, the Parties hereby waive trial in a court of law or by jury. All other rights, remedies, statutes of limitation and defenses applicable to claims asserted in a court of law will apply in the arbitration.

<signature page follows>

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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Parties agree to each of the terms of this Agreement as of the Effective Date.



EMPLOYEE:
By:  /s/ Chad Bradford
Printed Name:       Chad Bradford
Address:
COMPANY:
ELEVATE CREDIT SERVICE, LLC
By:   /s/ Ken Rees
Printed Name:        Ken Rees
Title: President
Address: 4150 International Plaza, Suite 300
Fort Worth, Texas 76109
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FIRST AMENDMENT TO
EMPLOYMENT, CONFIDENTIALITY AND NON-COMPETE AGREEMENT

This First Amendment to Employment, Confidentiality and Non-Compete Agreement (this “Amendment”), dated as of December 11, 2015 (“Amendment Date”), is by and between Elevate Credit Service, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (“Company” or “Employer”) and Chad Bradford (“Employee”).

Recitals

A.    The Parties entered into that certain Employment, Confidentiality and Non-Compete Agreement, dated as of May 1, 2014 (the “Original Agreement”).

B.    The Parties mutually desire to amend the Original Agreement as set forth in this Amendment.

NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the foregoing and for good and valuable consideration, the receipt and adequacy of which are hereby acknowledged, the Parties agree as follows.

Agreement

1.Definition. The Agreement shall mean the Original Agreement as amended by this Amendment. Capitalized terms used but not defined in this Amendment shall have the respective definitions given to such terms in the Original Agreement.

2.Term. Section 2.1 of the Original Agreement is hereby amended and restated, in its entirety, to provide as follows:

    “2.1    Term. Employee’s employment will continue until April 30, 2018, unless earlier terminated in accordance with this Agreement. Thereafter, this Agreement shall automatically renew for successive terms of one (1) year each unless either Employee or Employer provides written notice of nonrenewal at least sixty (60) days prior to the end of the then-current term. Nonrenewal of the term by Employer shall constitute a termination of Employee’s employment by Employer without Cause. The expiration or termination of Employee’s employment shall not affect any obligation that expressly extends beyond, or is not contingent upon, continued employment, including but not limited to the obligations in Section 3.2 and Section 4.”

3.Termination.

A.    Section 2.2.1 of the Original Agreement is hereby amended and restated, in its entirety, to provide as follows:

“2.2.1    Termination without Cause outside of a Change in Control Period. If Employer terminates Employee’s employment without Cause (as defined below) outside of a Change in Control Period (as defined below), then Employer shall (i) pay Employee severance pay in an amount equal to the base salary that would be payable to Employee over a period commencing on the date of termination and ending six (6) months thereafter, which severance pay shall be paid in equal bi-weekly installments commencing with the Company’s first regular payroll that occurs on or following the sixtieth (60th) day after termination and (ii) pay Employee an amount equal to six (6) times the monthly premiums that Employee would be required to pay if Employee and Employee’s eligible dependents then participating in the Company’s group health insurance plan elected to continue their current level of healthcare coverage pursuant to the provisions of the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1985, as amended, regardless of whether such election is made (the “Health Payment”). The Health Payment shall be paid in lump-sum with the Company’s first regular payroll that occurs on or following the sixtieth (60th) day after
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termination. The payments in this Section 2.2.1 shall be contingent on Employee executing and letting become irrevocable, prior to the fifty-third (53rd) day following termination, a general release of claims in favor of the Company and its affiliates in a form provided by the Company. The payments in this Section 2.2.1 shall be subject to required withholdings.”

B.    Section 2.2.2 of the Original Agreement is hereby amended and restated, in its entirety, to provide as follows:

“2.2.2    Termination with a Change in Control Period. If Employer terminates Employee’s employment without Cause, or Employee terminates Employee’s employment with Employer for Good Reason (as defined below), within a Change in Control Period:

    (A)    then Employer shall (i) pay Employee severance pay in an amount equal to the base salary that would be payable to Employee over a period commencing on the date of termination and ending six (6) months thereafter, which severance pay shall be paid in equal bi-weekly installments commencing with the Company’s first regular payroll that occurs on or following the sixtieth (60th) day after termination and (ii) pay Employee a one-time bonus equal to (a) twenty-five percent (25%) of Employee’s annual base salary plus (b) the Health Payment, to be paid in lump-sum with the Company’s first regular payroll that occurs on or following the later of (1) sixty (60) days after termination and (2) the Change in Control to which such Change in Control Period applies; and

    (B)    Employee shall be entitled to 100% vesting of any unvested portion of all equity awards previously granted to Employee effective on the later of (i) sixty (60) days after termination and (ii) such Change in Control, provided that with respect to restricted stock and restricted stock units intended to qualify as “performance-based compensation” under Section 162(m) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”), such vesting shall apply only if such Change in Control constitutes a “change of ownership or control” (within the meaning of Treasury Regulation Section 1.162-27e(2)(v)).

    (C)    The payments and benefits in this Section 2.2.2 shall be contingent on Employee executing and letting become irrevocable, prior to the fifty-third (53rd) day following termination, a general release of claims in favor of the Company and its affiliates in a form provided by the Company, shall be subject to required withholdings, and shall not be duplicative of any payments to which Employee has become entitled in respect of such termination pursuant to Section 2.2.1.”


4.Certain Definitions. The following shall be inserted to the end of Section 2.2.3(B) of the Original Agreement:

“The initial public offering of EC’s equity shares shall not be a Change of Control.”

5.Certain Definitions. Section 2.2.3(C) of the Original Agreement shall become Section 2.2.3(D), and the following new Section 2.2.3(C) shall be inserted:

“C.    The term “Change in Control Period” shall mean: the period in time that begins three (3) months prior to and ends twenty-four (24) months after a Change in Control, provided that the Change in Control constitutes a change in control event under Treasury Regulation Section 1.409A-3(i)(5)(i).”

6.Base Salary. The following shall be inserted to the end of Section 2.3.1 of the Original Agreement:

“The base salary shall not be decreased without Employee’s consent.”

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7.Limitation on Payments. The following new Section 2.2.5 shall be inserted:

“2.2.5     Limitation of Payments and Section 409A.

    (a)    If the severance and other benefits provided for in this Agreement or otherwise payable to Employee (i) constitute "parachute payments" within the meaning of Section 280G of the Code and (ii) would be subject to the excise tax imposed by Section 4999 of the Code (the "Excise Tax"), then Employee's severance and other benefits under this Agreement shall be either:

        (i)    delivered in full; or

        (ii)    delivered as to such lesser extent which would result in no portion of such benefits being subject to the Excise Tax,

    whichever of the foregoing amounts, taking into account the applicable federal, state and local income taxes and the Excise Tax, results in the receipt by Employee on an after-tax basis, of the greatest amount of benefits, notwithstanding that all or some portion of such benefits may be taxable under Section 4999 of the Code. Unless the Company and Employee otherwise agree in writing, any determination required under this Section 2.2.5 shall be made in writing by the Company's independent public accountants (the "Accountants"), whose determination shall be conclusive and binding upon Employee and the Company for all purposes. For purposes of making the calculations required by this Section 2.2.5, the Accountants may make reasonable assumptions and approximations concerning applicable taxes and may rely on reasonable, good faith interpretations concerning the application of Section 280G and 4999 of the Code. The Company and Employee shall furnish to the Accountants such information and documents as the Accountants may reasonably request in order to make a determination under this Section 2.2.5. The Company shall bear all costs the Accountants may reasonably incur in connection with any calculations contemplated by this Section 2.2.5. Any reduction of payments and benefits under this Section 2.2.5 shall be in the following order: (i) cash payments; (ii) equity-based payments that are taxable; (iii) equitybased payments that are not taxable; (iv) equity-based acceleration; and (v) other non-cash forms of benefits. Within any such category of payments and benefits (that is, (i), (ii), (iii), (iv) or (v)), a reduction shall occur first with respect to amounts that are not "deferred compensation” within the meaning of Section 409A of the Code (“Section 409A”) and then with respect to amounts that are. In no event will Employee have any discretion with respect to the ordering of payment reductions.

    (b)    No severance pay or benefits to be paid or provided to Employee, if any, pursuant to this Agreement that, when considered together with any other severance payments or separation benefits, are considered deferred compensation under Section 409A (together, the "Deferred Payments") shall be paid or otherwise provided until Employee has had a "separation from service" within the meaning of Section 409A. Similarly, no severance payable to Employee, if any, that otherwise would be exempt from Section 409A pursuant to Treasury Regulation Section l.409A-l(b)(9) shall be payable until Employee has had a "separation from service" within the meaning of Section 409A. Each payment and benefit payable under this Agreement is intended to constitute a separate payment and the right to a series of installment payments under this Agreement shall be treated as a right to a series of separate payments. If Employee is a "specified employee" within the meaning of Section 409A at the time of his "separation from service" (within the meaning of Section 409A), then the Deferred Payments that
3



would otherwise be payable within the six (6) month period following his separation from service shall be paid in a lump sum on the date six (6) months and one ( 1) day following the date of his separation from service ( or the next business day if such date is not a business day). All subsequent Deferred Payments, if any, shall be payable in accordance with the payment schedule applicable to each payment or benefit. If Employee dies following his separation from service, but prior to the six (6) month anniversary of his separation from service, then any payments delayed in accordance with this paragraph shall be payable in a lump sum as soon as administratively practicable after the date of his death and all other Deferred Payments shall be payable in accordance with the payment schedule applicable to each payment or benefit. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in the Agreement, Good Reason shall not exist unless (i) Employee provides the Company written notice of the condition giving rise to such Good Reason within ninety (90) days after he becomes aware of such event, (ii) the Company fails to cure such condition within thirty (30) days thereafter, and (iii) Employee terminates his employment due to such Good Reason within ninety (90) days following such failure. It is the intent of this Agreement to comply with, or be exempt from, the requirements of Section 409A so that none of the severance payments and benefits to be provided hereunder shall be subject to the additional tax imposed under Section 409A, and any ambiguities herein shall be interpreted to so comply. The parties agree to work together in good faith to consider amendments to this Agreement and to take such reasonable actions which are necessary, appropriate or desirable to avoid the imposition of any additional tax or income recognition prior to actual payment to Employee under Section 409A."

8.Entire Agreement. The Original Agreement, as amended by this Amendment, constitutes the entire understanding and agreement among the parties regarding the subject matter hereof. Except as specifically amended by this Amendment, the Original Agreement is ratified and confirmed in all respects.

9.Signatures. This Amendment may be executed in any number of counterparts, each of which shall be enforceable against the parties that execute such counterparts, and all of which together shall constitute one instrument. Signatures received by facsimile, PDF file or other electronic format shall be deemed to be original signatures.
[Remainder of page is intentionally left blank]

4




IN WITNESS WHEREOF, in accordance with Section 8 of the Original Agreement, the undersigned have executed this Amendment to be effective on the Amendment Date.

ELEVATE CREDIT SERVICE, LLC Chad Bradford
Signature:
  /s/ Ken Rees
Signature:   /s/ Chad Bradford
Name: Kenneth E Rees Name: Chad Bradford
Title: CEO

5


SECOND AMENDMENT TO
EMPLOYMENT, CONFIDENTIALITY AND NON-COMPETE AGREEMENT


This Second Amendment to the Employment, Confidentiality and Non-Compete Agreement (this “Second Amendment”), dated as of March 1, 2017 (“Amendment Date”), is by and between Elevate Credit Service, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (the “Company” or “Employer”) and Chad Bradford (“Employee”).

Recitals

WHEREAS, the Parties entered into that certain Employment, Confidentiality and Non-Compete Agreement, dated as of May I, 2014 (the "Agreement");

WHEREAS, the Agreement was amended by that certain First Amendment to Employment, Confidentiality and Non-Compete Agreement, dated as of December 11, 2015 (the "First Amendment"); and

WHEREAS, the Parties mutually desire to further amend the Agreement as set forth in this Second Amendment.

NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the foregoing and for good and valuable consideration, the receipt and adequacy of which are hereby acknowledged, the Parties agree as follows.

Agreement

1.    Definitions. Capitalized terms used but not defined in this Second Amendment shall have the respective definitions given to such terms in the Agreement.

2.    Certain Definitions. Section 2.2.4(A)(iv) of the Agreement is hereby amended and restated, in its entirety, to read as follows:

“(iv)    Employee’s using for Employee’s own benefit or the benefit of any third party any material, non-public information, confidential information or proprietary information of any entity within the Elevate Group, or willfully or negligently disclosing any such information to third parties without the prior written consent of Company's CEO or the Board of EC, or any violation by Employee of any of Employee's obligations under Section 4; provided, however, that any such use or disclosure is subject to the whistleblower provisions of Employer's Code of Business Conduct and Ethics Policy, and provided further, that nothing in this Agreement restricts Employee from initiating communications with, responding to any inquiry from, or providing testimony before the SEC, FINRA, any other self-regulatory organization or any other state or federal regulatory authority without the prior consent of Employer;"

3.    Base Salary. Section 2.3.1 of the Agreement is hereby amended and restated, in its entirety, to read as follows:
    


“2.3.1    As compensation for services rendered under this Agreement, Employee shall be entitled to receive from Company an aggregate minimum base salary of Two Hundred and Eighty Thousand, Eight Hundred Dollars ($280,800) per annum for each twelve (12) month period from the date hereof, or such other amount as agreed to by the Parties from time to time. The base salary to be paid to Employee shall be paid bi-weekly in accordance with Company's payroll policies less all applicable withholding or taxes which may be adjusted at the sole discretion of Company. Employee authorizes Company to make any deductions from his or her compensation, including from the final paycheck that are deemed necessary by Company to comply with state or federal laws on withholdings, to compensate for property not returned, or to recover any advances paid to Employee."

4.    Discretionary Bonus. Section 2.3.2 of the Agreement is hereby amended and restated, in its entirety, to read as follows:

“2.3.2    Discretionary Bonus. Each fiscal year, Employee shall be eligible to receive a bonus with a target value of thirty-five percent (35%) of base salary, or such other target value as agreed to by the Parties from time to time. Any bonus is discretionary and subject to ultimate determination by the Board. Furthermore, any bonus is not earned or accrued until paid and shall be paid less any applicable withholdings or taxes."

5.    Protective Covenants. The following new Section 4.9 is added to the Agreement:

“4.9    D18 U.S.C. § 1833(b) Notice. The Parties are hereby notified that 18 U.S.C. § 1833(b) states as follows:

A.    An individual shall not be held criminally or civilly liable under any Federal or State trade secret law for the disclosure of a trade secret that--{A) is made--{i) in confidence to a Federal, State, or local government official, either directly or indirectly, or to an attorney; and (ii) solely for the purpose of reporting or investigating a suspected violation of law; or (B) is made in a complaint or other document filed in a lawsuit or other proceeding, if such filing is made under seal.

B.    Accordingly, notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Agreement, the Parties understand that they have the right to disclose in confidence trade secrets to Federal, State, and local government officials, or to an attorney, for the sole purpose of reporting or investigating a suspected violation of law. The Parties understand that they also have the right to disclose trade secrets in a document filed in a lawsuit or other proceeding, but only if the filing is made under seal and protected from public disclosure. The Parties understand and acknowledge that nothing in this Agreement is intended to conflict with 18 U.S.C. § 1833(b) or create liability for disclosures of trade secrets that are expressly allowed by 18 U.S.C. § 1833(b)."

6.    Entire Agreement. The Agreement, as amended by the First Amendment and this Second Amendment, constitutes the entire understanding and agreement among the Parties regarding the subject matter hereof. Except as specifically amended by this Second Amendment, the Agreement and the First Amendment are ratified and confirmed in all respects.



7.    Signatures. This Second Amendment may be executed in any number of counterparts, each of which shall be enforceable against the Parties that execute such counterparts, and all of which together shall constitute one instrument. Signatures received by facsimile, PDF file or other electronic format shall be deemed to be original signatures.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, in accordance with Section 8 of the Original Agreement, the undersigned have executed this Second Amendment to be effective as of the Amendment Date, regardless of the actual date of execution.

ELEVATE CREDIT SERVICE, LLC Chad Bradford
Signature:
  /s/ Ken Rees
Signature:   /s/ Chad Bradford
Name: Kenneth E Rees
Title: CEO



THIRD AMENDMENT TO
EMPLOYMENT, CONFIDENTIALITY AND NON-COMPETE AGREEMENT


This Third Amendment to Employment, Confidentiality and Non-Compete Agreement (this “Amendment”), dated as of January 24, 2019 (“Amendment Date”), is by and between Elevate Credit Service, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (“Company” or “Employer”) and Chad Bradford (“Employee”).

Recitals

A.    The parties entered into that certain Employment, Confidentiality and Non-Compete Agreement, dated as of May 1, 2014, as amended on December 11, 2015 and March 1, 2017 (as amended, the “Original Agreement”).

B.    The parties mutually desire to amend the Original Agreement as set forth in this Amendment.

NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the foregoing and for good and valuable consideration, the receipt and adequacy of which are hereby acknowledged, the parties agree as follows.

Agreement

1.    Certain Definitions. Section 2.2.3(C) of the Original Agreement is hereby amended and restated, in its entirety, as follows:

    “C. The term “Good Reason” shall mean:

(i)     A material reduction in Employee’s base salary or cash incentive bonus opportunity;

(ii)     A material reduction in Employee’s duties, responsibilities or authority;

(iii)     A requirement to relocate, except for office relocations that would not increase Employee’s one-way commuting distance by more than thirty-five (35) miles; or

(iv)     A material violation by the Company of a material term of any agreement between Employee and the Company.”

2.    Entire Agreement. The Original Agreement, as amended by this Amendment, constitutes the entire understanding and agreement among the parties regarding the subject matter hereof. Except as specifically amended by this Amendment, the Original Agreement is ratified and confirmed in all respects.

3.    Signatures. This Amendment may be executed in any number of counterparts, each of which shall be enforceable against the parties that execute such counterparts, and all of which together shall constitute one instrument. Signatures received by facsimile, PDF file or other electronic format shall be deemed to be original signatures.

[Remainder of page is intentionally left blank]
1

sf-3933276


IN WITNESS WHEREOF, in accordance with Section 8 of the Original Agreement, the undersigned have executed this Amendment on the Amendment Date.

ELEVATE CREDIT SERVICE, LLC Chad Bradford
Signature:
  /s/ Ken Rees
Signature:   /s/ Chad Bradford
Name: Kenneth E Rees Name: Chad Bradford
Title: CEO


[Signature Page to Amendment to Employment Agreement]
sf-3933276

FOURTH AMENDMENT TO
EMPLOYMENT, CONFIDENTIALITY AND NON-COMPETE AGREEMENT


This Fourth Amendment to Employment, Confidentiality and Non-Compete Agreement (this “Amendment”), dated as of July 23, 2020 (“Amendment Date”), is by and between Elevate Credit Service, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (“Company” or “Employer”) and Chad Bradford (“Employee”).

Recitals

A.    The parties entered into that certain Employment, Confidentiality and Non-Compete Agreement, dated as of May 1, 2014, as amended on December 11, 2015, March 1, 2017, and January 24, 2019 (as amended, the “Original Agreement”).

B.    The parties mutually desire to amend the Original Agreement as set forth in this Amendment.

NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the foregoing and for good and valuable consideration, the receipt and adequacy of which are hereby acknowledged, the parties agree as follows.

Agreement

1.    Termination.

A. Section 2.2.1 of the Original Agreement is hereby amended and restated, in its entirety, to provide as follows:

        “2.2.1    Termination without Cause outside of a Change in Control Period. If Employer terminates Employee’s employment without Cause (as defined below) outside of a Change in Control Period (as defined below), then Employer shall (i) pay Employee severance pay in an amount equal to the base salary that would be payable to Employee over the period commencing on the date of termination and ending twelve (12) months thereafter, which severance pay shall be paid in equal bi-weekly installments commencing with the Company’s first regular payroll that occurs on or following the sixtieth (60th) day after termination and (ii) pay Employee an amount equal to twelve (12) times the monthly premiums that Employee would be required to pay if Employee and Employee’s eligible dependents then participating in the Company’s group health insurance plan elected to continue their current level of healthcare coverage pursuant to the provisions of the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1985, as amended, regardless of whether such election is made (the “Health Payment”). The Health Payment shall be paid in lump-sum with the Company’s first regular payroll that occurs on or following the sixtieth (60th) day after termination. The payments in this Section 2.2.l shall be contingent on Employee executing and letting become irrevocable, prior to the fifty-third (53rd) day following termination, a general release of claims in favor of the Company and its affiliates in a form provided by the Company. The payments in this Section 2.2.1 shall be subject to required withholdings.”

    B. Section 2.2.2(A) of the Original Agreement is hereby amended and restated, in its entirety, to provide as follows:

1



        “(A)    then Employer shall (i) pay Employee severance pay in an amount equal to the base salary that would be payable to Employee over the period commencing on the date of termination and ending twelve (12) months thereafter, which severance pay shall be paid in equal bi-weekly installments commencing with the Company’s first regular payroll that occurs on or following the sixtieth (60th) day after termination and (ii) pay employee a one-time bonus equal to (a) fifty percent (50%) of Employee’s annual base salary plus (b) the Health Payment, to be paid in lump-sum with the Company’s first regular payroll that occurs on or following the later of (1) sixty (60) days after termination and (2) the Change in Control to which such Change in Control Period applies; and”

2.    Entire Agreement. The Original Agreement, as amended by this Amendment, constitutes the entire understanding and agreement among the parties regarding the subject matter hereof. Except as specifically amended by this Amendment, the Original Agreement is ratified and confirmed in all respects.

3.    Signatures. This Amendment may be executed in any number of counterparts, each of which shall be enforceable against the parties that execute such counterparts, and all of which together shall constitute one instrument. Signatures received by facsimile, PDF file or other electronic format shall be deemed to be original signatures.

[Remainder of page is intentionally left blank]
2



IN WITNESS WHEREOF, in accordance with Section 8 of the Original Agreement, the undersigned have executed this Amendment on the Amendment Date.

ELEVATE CREDIT SERVICE, LLC Chad Bradford
Signature:   /s/ Jason Harvison Signature:   /s/ Chad Bradford
Name: Jason Harvison Name: Chad Bradford
Title: President & CEO


[Signature Page to Amendment to Employment Agreement]
CERTAIN IDENTIFIED INFORMATION HAS BEEN EXCLUDED FROM THIS EXHIBIT BECAUSE IT IS BOTH NOT MATERIAL AND IS THE TYPE THAT THE REGISTRANT TREATS AS PRIVATE OR CONFIDENTIAL. REDACTED INFORMATION IS INDICATED BY [***].
FINANCING AGREEMENT
Dated as of October 12, 2021

by and among

TODAY SPV, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (the “Borrower”),

TODAY CARD, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (“Parent”),

THE OTHER CREDIT PARTIES FROM TIME TO TIME PARTY HERETO,

PCAM CREDIT XV, LLC, a Texas limited liability company (“Lender”)

and

PARK CITIES ASSET MANAGEMENT, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (“
Agent”)




TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page
ARTICLE 1 DEFINITIONS; CERTAIN TERMS
1
Section 1.1    Definitions
1
Section 1.2    Terms Generally
20
Section 1.3    Accounting and Other Terms
20
Section 1.4    Borrower Representative
20
ARTICLE 2 BORROWER’S AUTHORIZATION OF ISSUE
21
Section 2.1    The Note; Increase in Commitment
21
Section 2.2    Interest and Unused Line Fee
22
Section 2.3    Redemptions and Payments.
23
Section 2.4    Waterfall and Payments
26
Section 2.5    Dispute Resolution
27
Section 2.6    Taxes.
28
Section 2.7    Reissuance.
29
ARTICLE 3 CLOSING
29
Section 3.1    Closing
29
ARTICLE 4 CONDITIONS TO CLOSING AND LENDER’S OBLIGATION TO PURCHASE
29
Section 4.1    Closing
29
Section 4.2    Subsequent Draws
32
ARTICLE 5 CREDIT PARTIES’ REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES
32
Section 5.1    Organization and Qualification
32
Section 5.2    Authorization; Enforcement; Validity
33
Section 5.3    Issuance of Note
33
Section 5.4    No Conflicts
33
Section 5.5    Consents
33
Section 5.6    Subsidiary Rights
34
Section 5.7    Equity Capitalization
34
Section 5.8    Indebtedness and Other Contracts
34
Section 5.9    Off Balance Sheet Arrangements
35
Section 5.10    Title    
35
Section 5.11    Intellectual Property Rights
35
Section 5.12    Creation, Perfection, and Priority of Liens
35
Section 5.13    Absence of Certain Changes; Insolvency
35
Section 5.14    Absence of Proceedings
36
Section 5.15    No Undisclosed Events, Liabilities, Developments or Circumstances
36
Section 5.16    No Disagreements with Accountants and Lawyers
36
Section 5.17    No General Solicitation; Placement Agent’s Fees.
36
Section 5.18    Tax Status
36
Section 5.19    Transfer Taxes
37
Section 5.20    Conduct of Business; Compliance with Laws; Regulatory Permits
37
    i


Section 5.21    Foreign Corrupt Practices
38
Section 5.22    Environmental Laws
38
Section 5.23    Margin Stock
38
Section 5.24    ERISA; Pension Schemes
38
Section 5.25    Investment Company
39
Section 5.26    U.S. Real Property Holding Corporation
39
Section 5.27    Internal Accounting and Disclosure Controls
39
Section 5.28    Accounting Reference Date
39
Section 5.29    Transactions With Affiliates
39
Section 5.30    Acknowledgment
39
Section 5.31    Insurance
39
Section 5.32    Full Disclosure
40
Section 5.33    Employee Relations
40
Section 5.34    Certain Other Representations and Warranties
40
Section 5.35    Patriot Act
41
Section 5.36    Material Contracts
41
ARTICLE 6 COVENANTS
41
Section 6.1    Financial Covenants
41
Section 6.2    Deliveries
41
Section 6.3    Notices
43
Section 6.4    Rank    
45
Section 6.5    Incurrence of Indebtedness
45
Section 6.6    Existence of Liens
45
Section 6.7    Restricted Payments
45
Section 6.8    Mergers; Acquisitions; Asset Sales
46
Section 6.9    No Further Negative Pledges
46
Section 6.10    Affiliate Transactions
46
Section 6.11    Insurance.
46
Section 6.12    Corporate Existence and Maintenance of Properties
47
Section 6.13    Non-circumvention
48
Section 6.14    Change in Business; Change in Accounting
48
Section 6.15    U.S. Real Property Holding Corporation
48
Section 6.16    Compliance with Laws
48
Section 6.17    Additional Collateral
48
Section 6.18    Audit Rights; Field Exams; Appraisals; Meetings; Books and Records.
48
Section 6.19    Right of First Refusal on New Indebtedness
49
Section 6.20    Post-Closing Obligations.
50
Section 6.21    Use of Proceeds
50
Section 6.22    Fees, Costs and Expenses
50
Section 6.23    Modification of Organizational Documents and Certain Documents
51
Section 6.24    Joinder    
51
    ii


Section 6.25    Investments
51
Section 6.26    Further Assurances.
52
Section 6.27    Backup Servicer
52
ARTICLE 7 GUARANTY
52
Section 7.1    Guaranty
52
Section 7.2    Waivers by Credit Parties
53
Section 7.3    Benefit of Guaranty
53
Section 7.4    Waiver of Subrogation, Etc
53
Section 7.5    Election of Remedies
53
Section 7.6    Limitation
53
Section 7.7    Liability Cumulative
54
Section 7.8    Stay of Acceleration
54
Section 7.9    Benefit to Credit Parties
54
Section 7.10    Indemnity
54
Section 7.11    Reinstatement
54
Section 7.12    Intent    
54
Section 7.13    General
55
ARTICLE 8 RIGHTS UPON EVENT OF DEFAULT
55
Section 8.1    Event of Default
55
Section 8.2    Termination of Commitment and Acceleration Right.
57
Section 8.3    Consultation Rights
58
Section 8.4    Other Remedies
58
Section 8.5    Application of Proceeds.
58
ARTICLE 9 BANKRUPTCY MATTERS
59
ARTICLE 10 AGENCY PROVISIONS
59
Section 10.1    Appointment
59
Section 10.2    Binding Effect
60
Section 10.3    Use of Discretion
60
Section 10.4    Delegation of Duties
61
Section 10.5    Exculpatory Provisions
61
Section 10.6    Reliance by Agent
61
Section 10.7    Notices of Default
62
Section 10.8    Non Reliance on Agent
62
Section 10.9    Indemnification
62
Section 10.10    Resignation or Removal of Agent; Successor Agent
63
Section 10.11    Reimbursement by Lender
63
Section 10.12    Withholding
63
Section 10.13    Release of Collateral or Credit Parties
64
ARTICLE 11 MISCELLANEOUS
64
Section 11.1    Payment of Expenses
64
Section 11.2    Governing Law; Jurisdiction; Jury Trial
65
Section 11.3    Counterparts
65
    iii


Section 11.4    Headings
65
Section 11.5    Severability
66
Section 11.6    Entire Agreement; Amendments
66
Section 11.7    Notices
66
Section 11.8    Successors and Assigns; Participants
68
Section 11.9    No Third Party Beneficiaries
68
Section 11.10    Survival
68
Section 11.11    Further Assurances
68
Section 11.12    Indemnification
68
Section 11.13    No Strict Construction
69
Section 11.14    Waiver    
69
Section 11.15    Payment Set Aside
69
Section 11.16    Set-off    
69
Section 11.17    Creditor Debtor Relationship
70
    iv


EXHIBITS
Exhibit A Form of Note
Exhibit B Form of Pledge and Security Agreement
Exhibit C Form of Secretary's Certificate
Exhibit D Form of Officer's Certificate
Exhibit E Form of Compliance Certificate
Exhibit F Form of Notice of Borrowing
Exhibit G Form of Joinder Agreement
Exhibit H Index of Closing Documents
SCHEDULES
Schedule 1.1 Note and Lender Information
Schedule 1.1(a) Program Guidelines
Schedule 1.1(b) Securitization
Schedule 1.1(c) List of Excluded States
Schedule 1.1(d) List of Restricted ([***]%) States
Schedule 1.1(e) List of Restricted ([***]%) States
Schedule 5.1 Subsidiaries
Schedule 5.5 Consents
Schedule 5.7 Equity Capitalization
Schedule 5.8 Indebtedness and Other Contracts
Schedule 5.11 Intellectual Property Rights
Schedule 5.13 Absence of Certain Changes; Insolvency
Schedule 5.20 Conduct of Business; Regulatory Permits
Schedule 5.29 Transactions with Affiliates
Schedule 5.36 Material Contracts
Schedule 6.25 Existing Investments
    1

CERTAIN IDENTIFIED INFORMATION HAS BEEN EXCLUDED FROM THIS EXHIBIT BECAUSE IT IS BOTH NOT MATERIAL AND IS THE TYPE THAT THE REGISTRANT TREATS AS PRIVATE OR CONFIDENTIAL. REDACTED INFORMATION IS INDICATED BY [***].
FINANCING AGREEMENT
This FINANCING AGREEMENT (this “Agreement”), dated as of October 12, 2021 is being entered into by and among Today SPV, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (“Borrower”), Today Card, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (“Parent”), each of the other Credit Parties (as defined below), PCAM Credit XV, LLC, a Texas limited liability company (“Lender”) and Park Cities Asset Management, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company, as administrative agent and collateral agent (in such capacity, “Agent”) for Lender.
Recitals
WHEREAS, the parties desire to enter into this Agreement to set forth the terms pursuant to which Lender will make a credit facility available to Borrower; and
WHEREAS, contemporaneously with the execution and delivery of this Agreement, Borrower shall pay and reimburse Agent for itself and on behalf of Lender for all expenses incurred in connection with the transactions contemplated hereunder.
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the premises and the covenants and agreements contained herein, Borrower, Parent, the other Credit Parties, Agent and Lender hereby agree as follows:
ARTICLE 1
DEFINITIONS; CERTAIN TERMS
Section 1.1Definitions. As used in this Agreement, the following terms have the respective meanings indicated below, such meanings to be applicable equally to both the singular and plural forms of such terms:
1933 Act” means the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.
Acceptable Bank” means (a) a bank or financial institution which has a rating for its long-term unsecured and non-credit-enhanced debt obligations of A-1 or higher by Standard & Poor’s Rating Services or Fitch Ratings Ltd. or P-1 or higher by Moody’s Investors Service Limited or a comparable rating from an internationally recognized credit rating agency or (b) any other bank or financial institution approved by Agent.
Account” means a consumer account established by CCB upon the issuance of one or more credit cards and which provides for the extension of credit on a revolving basis by CCB to the Obligor under the related Credit Card Agreement to finance the purchase of products and services from Persons that accept credit cards for payment.
Accounting Reference Date” means December 31st of each year.
Acquisition” means any transaction or series of related transactions for the purpose of or resulting, directly or indirectly, in (a) the acquisition of all or substantially all of the assets of a Person, or of all or substantially all of any business line, unit or division of a Person, (b) the acquisition of in excess of 50% of the Equity Interests of any Person, or otherwise causing any Person to become a Subsidiary, or (c) a merger or consolidation or any other combination with another Person.
Additional Amount” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.6(a).



Affiliate” means, with respect to a specified Person, another Person that (a) is a director or officer of such specified Person or (b) directly or indirectly through one or more intermediaries, Controls, is Controlled by or is under common Control with the Person specified.
Agent” has the meaning set forth in the introductory paragraph hereto.
Agreement” has the meaning set forth in the introductory paragraph hereto.
Amortization Period” shall commence immediately after the termination of the Draw Period and shall terminate on one (1) year anniversary thereof.
Annualized Risk Adjusted Yield” means, as of any date of determination, with respect to the Receivables, the ratio expressed as a percentage of (a) the aggregate amount of interest and fee collections from such Receivables less any Charge Offs (for purposes of clarification, principal only) of such Receivables, in each case, in the calendar month immediately prior to the calendar month that includes such date of determination over (b) the aggregate principal balance of such Receivables as of the first day of the calendar month immediately prior to the calendar month that includes such date of determination multiple by twelve (12); provided, if the date of determination is the last day of the calendar month, “Annualized Risk Adjusted Yield” means the ratio expressed as a percentage of (i) the aggregate amount of interest and fee collections from such Receivables less any Charge Offs of such Receivables, in each case, in the calendar month that includes such date of determination over (ii) the aggregate principal balance of such Receivables as of the first day of the calendar month that includes such date of determination multiplied by twelve (12).
Approved State” means, subject to Section 11.6(b), any state in the United States of America (which for the purpose of this Agreement may include the District of Columbia) other than an Excluded State, and “Approved States” means all such states collectively.
Asset Sale” means the sale, lease, license, conveyance or other disposition of any assets or rights of any Credit Party.
Backup Servicer” means Carmel Solutions, LLC or such other Person, reasonably satisfactory to Agent, that Borrower has appointed and that is providing backup servicing and its permitted successors and assigns reasonably satisfactory to Agent.
Backup Servicing Agreement” means the Backup Servicing Agreement among the Credit Parties, the Backup Servicer and Agent as amended, restated, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time in accordance with the terms thereof.
Bank” means a Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation insured state or federally chartered bank.
Bank Transaction Documents” means, collectively, those certain program agreements, participation sale agreements, as applicable, or any other similar agreements by and between any Bank or other third party, on one hand, and a Credit Party or an Affiliate of a Credit Party, on the other hand, pursuant to which (a) such Bank may sell to a Credit Party from time to time Receivables originated by such Bank or participation interests therein, or (b) the applicable parties undertake certain actions in support of the program related to the transactions contemplated in clause (a), in each case, in form and substance reasonably acceptable to Agent and as amended, restated, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time in accordance with the terms of this Agreement.
15651.048 4835-8083-6858.11     2


Bankruptcy Code” has the meaning set forth in Section 8.1(c).
Bankruptcy Law” has the meaning set forth in Section 8.1(c).
Base Rate” means the WSJ Prime Rate; provided that in no event shall the Base Rate be less than three and twenty five one-hundredths percent (3.25%).
Blocked Account” means each “Controlled Account” (as defined in the Security Agreement) that is subject to the full dominion and control of Agent.
Borrower has the meaning set forth in the introductory paragraph hereto.
Borrower Representative” has the meaning set forth in Section 1.4.
Borrowing Base” means, on any date of determination, the sum of:
(a)    (i)    the aggregate principal balance (but not any accrued interest) on such date of the portion of the Eligible Receivables in which Borrower owns a participation interest pursuant to the CCB Participation Agreement on such date (for the avoidance of doubt, any portion of an Eligible Receivable with respect to which an interest is retained by CCB is excluded hereunder), less any Excess Concentration Amounts multiplied by (ii) the applicable Borrowing Base Percentage, plus
(b)    one hundred percent (100%) of the balance of the Dollar denominated cash and Cash Equivalent Investments of Borrower in a Funding Account, Collection Account or Concentration Account on such date for which Agent shall have a first-priority perfected Lien less any accrued and unpaid interest and fees due to Agent or Lender and fees due to be paid or reimbursed by Borrower under any Bank Transaction Documents. For purposes of clarification, unrestricted cash includes all cash of Borrower that is being held by an ACH provider prior to remittance to Borrower.
Borrowing Base Certificate” means a borrowing base certificate signed by the chief financial officer of the Borrower Representative (or other authorized executive officer performing a similar function), in substantially the form included in the Form of Notice of Borrowing attached hereto as Exhibit F.
Borrowing Base Percentage” means, as applicable, the following:
Applicable Period Borrowing Base Percentage
Draw Period 87.5%
Amortization Period (1st Month) 85.5%
Amortization Period (2nd Month) 83.5%
Amortization Period (3rd Month) 81.5%
Amortization Period (4th Month) 79.5%
Amortization Period (5th Month) 77.5%
Amortization Period (6th Month) 75.0%

Business Day” means any day other than Saturday or Sunday or any day that banks in Dallas, Texas are required or permitted to close.
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Capital Stock” means: (a) in the case of a corporation, corporate stock; (b) in the case of an association or business entity, any and all shares, interests, participations, rights or other equivalents (however designated) of corporate stock; (c) in the case of a partnership or limited liability company, partnership interests (whether general or limited) or membership interests; and (d) any other interest or participation that confers on a Person the right to receive a share of the profits and losses of, or distributions of assets of, the issuing Person, but excluding from all of the foregoing any debt securities convertible into, or exchangeable for, Capital Stock, whether or not such debt securities include any right of participation with Capital Stock.
Cash Equivalent Investment” means, at any time, (a) any evidence of debt, maturing not more than one year after such time, issued or guaranteed by the United States Government or any respective agency thereof, (b) commercial paper, maturing not more than one year from the date of issue, or corporate demand notes, in each case rated at least A-l by Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services, a division of The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. or P-l by Moody’s Investors Service, Inc., (c) any certificate of deposit, time deposit or banker’s acceptance, maturing not more than one year after such time, or any overnight Federal Funds transaction that is issued or sold by a commercial banking institution that is a member of the Federal Reserve System and has a combined capital and surplus and undivided profits of not less than $500,000,000 or an Acceptable Bank, (d) any repurchase agreement entered into with any commercial banking institution of the nature referred to in clause (c) which (i) is secured by a fully perfected security interest in any obligation of the type described in any of clauses (a) through (c) above and (ii) has a market value at the time such repurchase agreement is entered into of not less than 100% of the repurchase obligation of such commercial banking institution or Acceptable Bank thereunder, (e) money market accounts or mutual funds which invest exclusively in assets satisfying the foregoing requirements, and (f) other short term liquid investments approved in writing by Agent; provided, however, so long as any of the forgoing could be readily converted to cash upon demand at no or minimal cost to do so.
CCB” means Capital Community Bank, a Utah chartered bank, and its successors and assigns.
CCB Participation Agreement” means that certain Participation Agreement, dated as of November 14, 2018, originally by and between Parent and CCB, and assigned by Parent to Borrower pursuant to that certain Transfer and Assignment Agreement between Parent and Borrower, and acknowledged and agreed to by CCB, dated as of the Closing Date.
Change of Control” means, (a) with respect to any Credit Party, that such Person shall, directly or indirectly, in one or more related transactions, (i) consolidate or merge with or into (whether or not such Person is the surviving corporation) another Person or (ii) sell, assign, transfer, lease, license, convey or otherwise dispose of all or substantially all of the properties or assets of such Person to another Person; provided, the foregoing notwithstanding, any of the Today Subsidiaries (other than Borrower) may suspend its operations in any jurisdiction in which it operates and dissolve as a result of a decision by the Credit Parties to exit one or more markets from time to time; (b) Parent shall cease to own, beneficially and of record, for any reason at any time 100% of the Capital Stock of Borrower, free and clear of all Liens (other than Liens in favor of Agent); or (c) the accumulation after the Closing Date, whether directly, indirectly, beneficially or of record, by any individual, entity or group (within the meaning of Sections 13(d)(3) or 14(d)(2) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended) of 50% or more of the shares of the outstanding Capital Stock of the ECI, or, in any event, that number of shares of outstanding Capital Stock of ECI representing voting control of ECI, whether by merger, consolidation, sale or other transfer of shares of Capital Stock (other than a merger or consolidation
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where the stockholders of ECI prior to the merger or consolidation are the holders of a majority of the voting securities of the entity that survives such merger or consolidation).
Charge Off” means an amount equal to the sum of the outstanding principal balance of Receivables that (a) have a principal payment that became greater than one hundred twenty (120) days past the scheduled payment date, (b) are identified as fraudulent or where the underlying borrowers are in bankruptcy proceedings or (c) is otherwise charged off in accordance with the Program Guidelines, in each case, in the calendar month that includes such date of determination. “Charged Off” shall a meaning correlative thereto.
Clean Up Time” means the period during the Amortization Period in which less than ten percent (10%) of the Commitment remains outstanding pursuant to the Note.
Closing” has the meaning set forth in Section 3.1.
Closing Date” has the meaning set forth in Section 3.1.
Code” means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended.
Collateral” means the “Collateral” as defined in each of the Security Agreement.
Collection Account” means, with respect to Borrower, a deposit account of Borrower approved in writing by Agent, in which (a) all funds on deposit therein shall be solely amounts collected or received in respect of Receivables and (b) no other party shall have a Lien, other than any Lien of Agent and customary common law or statutory rights of setoff of banks arising in connection with their depository relationship with Borrower.
Commitment” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.1(a).
Compliance Certificate” means a compliance certificate signed by the chief financial officer of the Borrower Representative (or other authorized executive officer performing a similar function), in substantially the form attached hereto as Exhibit E.
Concentration Account” means a bank account opened by, maintained, and controlled (for the purposes of the UCC) into which funds from the Collection Account will be swept and deposited for use in accordance with this Agreement.
Contingent Obligation” means, as to any Person, any direct or indirect liability, contingent or otherwise, of that Person with respect to any indebtedness, lease, dividend or other obligation of another Person if the primary purpose or intent of the Person incurring such liability, or the primary effect thereof, is to provide assurance to the obligee of such liability that such liability will be paid or discharged, or that any agreements relating thereto will be complied with, or that the holders of such liability will be protected (in whole or in part) against loss with respect thereto.
Control” means the possession, directly or indirectly, of the power (a) to vote 10% or more of the Capital Stock having ordinary voting power for the election of directors of a Person or (b) to direct or cause the direction of management and policies of a Person, whether through the ownership of voting securities, by contract, proxy, agency or otherwise. “Controlling” and “Controlled” have meanings correlative thereto.
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Corporate Cash” means, as of any date of determination, the sum of unrestricted and unencumbered cash and Cash Equivalent Investments (net of any costs that would be incurred to convert such Cash Equivalent Instruments into cash) with respect to which Agent has a perfected Lien as of such date of determination.
Credit Card Agreement” means with respect to an Account, the agreement or agreements between CCB and the Obligor governing the terms and conditions of such account, as any such agreement or agreements may be amended, modified or otherwise changed from time to time.
Credit Party” means Borrower, Parent and each Today Subsidiary.
Current Interest Rate” means the sum of (a) the Base Rate and (b) the Interest Rate Spread; provided, that the Current Interest Rate shall not exceed the highest lawful rate and may be reduced in accordance with Section 2.2(e).
Custodian” has the meaning set forth in Section 8.1(c).
Customer Information” means nonpublic information relating to borrowers or applicants of Receivables, including without limitation, names, addresses, telephone numbers, e-mail addresses, credit information, account numbers, social security numbers, balances or other loan information, and lists derived therefrom and any other information required to be kept confidential by the Requirements.
Default Rate” means a rate equal to the Current Interest Rate plus three percent (3.0%) per annum.
Destruction” means any and all damage to, or loss or destruction of, or loss of title to, all or any portion of the Collateral (a) in excess of $100,000 in the aggregate for any Fiscal Year or (b) that results, individually or in the aggregate, in a Material Adverse Effect.
Diligence Date” has the meaning set forth in Section 5.13.
Division/Series Transaction” means, with respect to any Credit Party that is a limited liability company organized under the laws of the State of Delaware, that any such Person (a) divides into two or more Persons (whether or not the original Credit Party thereof survives such division) or (b) creates, or reorganizes into, one or more series, in each case, as contemplated under the laws of the State of Delaware.
Dollar” and “$” mean lawful money of the United States.
Draw Period” means the period commencing on the Closing Date and terminating on the third anniversary thereof; provided, however, that the Draw Period may be extended by an additional two (2) years by a written agreement executed on behalf of both Lender and Borrower at least sixty (60) days prior to the end of the then-current Draw Period.
ECI” means Elevate Credit, Inc., a Delaware corporation.
Eligible Receivable” means, as of any date of determination, a Receivable:
(a)    Which was originated in accordance with the Program Guidelines and all applicable laws;
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(b)    Which is enforceable (including the obligation to pay interest thereunder in accordance with its terms) under all applicable laws and could not reasonably be expected to be held (in the sole discretion of Agent) unenforceable (including as a result of Borrower owning a participation interest therein or as a result of such Receivable being serviced by Servicer) in whole or in part under applicable law (including that laws of the state in which the related Obligor resides), notwithstanding the fact that such Receivable may not have been subject to any such applicable law at origination or such applicable law did not, does not, apply, by its terms, to CCB, Servicer or Borrower;
(c)    Which is not evidenced by a judgment or been reduced to a judgment;
(d)    For which the related Obligor is not deceased, is a natural person, is an individual who is a permitted debtor under applicable state laws and is not an employee of any Credit Party or any Affiliate of any Credit Party;
(e)    Except as permitted by the Program Guidelines, has not been modified in any material respect nor has the related Credit Card Agreement been modified in any material respect;
(f)    For which the related Credit Card Agreement does not prohibit creating or transferring participation interests in such Receivable;
(g)    For which the Obligor has not asserted or, to the knowledge of Servicer, threatened to assert, any defense, counterclaim, offset or dispute with respect to such Receivable;
(h)    For which no default or event that would, upon notice, the passage of time, or otherwise, become an event of default under the related Credit Card Agreement, has occurred with respect to such Receivable;
(i)    For which the Borrower has not received any notice of (A) actual or imminent bankruptcy, insolvency, or material impairment of the financial condition of the related Obligor or (B) actual or threatened litigation regarding the validity or enforceability of such Receivable;
(j)    Which is the liability of the related Obligor who, at the time of origination of such Receivable, was a resident of an Approved State in the United States of America;
(k)    For which the number of days between the original contractual payment dates of such Receivable do not exceed thirty-one (31) days;
(l)    Which does not contain any provisions (A) pursuant to which monthly payments are to be paid by any source other that the related Obligor or (B) that may constitute a buydown provision;
(m)    Which is not a renewal or extension of any Receivable which previously did not meet the definition of an Eligible Receivable;
(n)    Which neither the related Obligor nor any other owner of such Receivable (other than Bank), nor any Person acting on behalf of any of the foregoing, has a retained discretionary right to modify such Receivable;
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(o)    Which does not have a principal payment that is greater than sixty (60) days past due on any contractual payment without regard to any payment deferrals, modifications, or concessions for the benefit of the applicable Obligor;
(p)    Which was originated by CCB under the Today Card Mastercard brand, or by such other Bank as mutually agreed by Borrower and Agent;
(q)    Which is not from an account that has been charged off or closed;
(r)    Which is a Receivable where the Obligor has not defaulted on the first payment as originally scheduled, or which such Obligor cured such first payment default in less than 10 days of being past due (without regard to any payment deferrals, modifications, or concessions for the benefit of the applicable Obligor) at time of determination of whether such Receivable is an Eligible Receivable; or
(s)    Which satisfies other criteria as mutually agreed by Agent and Borrower.
Employee Benefit Plan” means any “employee benefit plan” as defined in Section 3(3) of ERISA (a) which is or was sponsored, maintained or contributed to by, or required to be contributed to by, any Credit Party or any of their ERISA Affiliates, or (b) with respect to which, any Credit Party may have liability (contingent or otherwise).
Environmental Laws” means all applicable federal, state, local or foreign laws relating to pollution or protection of human health or the environment (including, without limitation, ambient air, surface water, groundwater, land surface or subsurface strata), including, without limitation, laws relating to emissions, discharges, releases or threatened releases of chemicals, pollutants, contaminants, or toxic or hazardous substances or wastes (collectively, “Hazardous Materials”) into the environment, the exposure of humans thereto, or otherwise relating to the manufacture, processing, distribution, use, treatment, storage, disposal, transport or handling of Hazardous Materials, as well as all regulatory authorizations, codes, decrees, demands or demand letters, injunctions, judgments, licenses, notices of violation or similar notice letters, orders, permits, plans or regulations issued, entered, promulgated or approved thereunder.
Equity Interests” means Capital Stock and all warrants, options and other rights to acquire Capital Stock (but excluding any debt security that is convertible into, or exchangeable for, Capital Stock, whether or not such debt security includes the right of participation with Capital Stock).
ERISA” means the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended from time to time.
ERISA Affiliate” means, as to any Credit Party, any trade or business (whether or not incorporated) that is a member of a group which includes such Credit Party and which is treated as a single employer under Section 414 of the Code.
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ERISA Event” means: (a) the occurrence of a “reportable event” within the meaning of Section 4043 of ERISA and the regulations issued thereunder with respect to any Pension Plan (excluding those for which the provision for 30 day notice to the PBGC has been waived by regulation) with respect to an ERISA Affiliate; (b) the failure to meet the minimum funding standards of Sections 412 and 430 of the Code with respect to any Pension Plan (whether or not waived in accordance with Section 412(c) of the Code) or the failure to make by its due date a required installment under Section 430(j) of the Code with respect to any Pension Plan or the failure to make any required contribution to a Multiemployer Plan; (c) the provision by the administrator of any Pension Plan pursuant to Section 4041(a)(2) of ERISA of a notice of intent to terminate such plan in a distress termination described in Section 4041(c) of ERISA; (d) the withdrawal by any of the Credit Parties or any of their respective ERISA Affiliates from any Pension Plan with two or more contributing sponsors or the termination of any such Pension Plan resulting in liability to any of the Credit Parties or any of their respective ERISA Affiliates pursuant to Section 4063 or 4064 of ERISA; (e) the institution by the PBGC of proceedings to terminate any Pension Plan, or the occurrence of any event or condition which reasonably might be expected to constitute grounds under ERISA for the termination of, or the appointment of a trustee to administer, any Pension Plan; (f) the imposition of liability on any of the Credit Parties or any of their respective ERISA Affiliates pursuant to Section 4062(e) or 4069 of ERISA or by reason of the application of Section 4212(c) of ERISA; (g) the withdrawal of any of the Credit Parties or any of their respective ERISA Affiliates in a complete or partial withdrawal (within the meaning of Sections 4203 and 4205 of ERISA) from any Multiemployer Plan if there is any potential liability therefor, or the receipt by any of the Credit Parties or any of their respective ERISA Affiliates of notice from any Multiemployer Plan that it is in reorganization or insolvency pursuant to Section 4241 or 4245 of ERISA, or that it intends to terminate or has terminated under Section 4041A or 4042 of ERISA; (h) the occurrence of an act or omission which reasonably might be expected to give rise to the imposition on any of the Credit Parties or any of their respective ERISA Affiliates of fines, penalties, taxes or related charges under Sections 4975 or 4971 of the Code or under Section 409, Section 502(c), (i) or (l), or Section 4071 of ERISA in respect of any Employee Benefit Plan; (i) the assertion of a material claim (other than routine claims for benefits) against any Employee Benefit Plan other than a Multiemployer Plan or the assets thereof, or against any of the Credit Parties or any of their respective ERISA Affiliates in connection with any Employee Benefit Plan; (j) receipt from the Internal Revenue Service of notice of the failure of any Pension Plan (or any other Employee Benefit Plan intended to be qualified under Section 401(a) of the Code) to qualify under Section 401(a) of the Code, or the failure of any trust forming part of any Pension Plan to qualify for exemption from taxation under Section 501(a) of the Code; or (k) the imposition of a Lien pursuant to Section 401(a)(29) or 430(k) of the Code or pursuant to ERISA with respect to any Pension Plan.
Event of Default” has the meaning set forth in Section 8.1.
Event of Default Commitment Suspension or Termination Notice” has the meaning set forth in Section 8.2(a).
Event of Default Notice” has the meaning set forth in Section 8.2(a).
Event of Default Redemption” has the meaning set forth in Section 8.2(a).
Event of Default Redemption Notice” has the meaning set forth in Section 8.2(a).
Event of Loss” means any Destruction to, or any Taking of, any asset or property of any Credit Party.
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Excess Concentration Amounts” means, with respect to Eligible Receivables, as of any date of determination, any of the following:
(a)    Eligible Receivables with an initial credit limit in excess of $3,000 shall not exceed two and one-half percent (2.5%) of Eligible Receivables.
(b)    Eligible Receivables which have a stated annual percentage rate (for purposes of clarification, which shall not take into account any annual membership fee) which is either (i) in excess of thirty six percent (36%), or (ii) with respect to pools opened from and after October 2019, below twenty nine percent (29%) shall not exceed two and one-half percent (2.5%) of Eligible Receivables.
(c)    Eligible Receivables which are between one (1) and sixty (60) days past due shall not exceed five percent (5%) of Eligible Receivables.
(d)    Eligible Receivables for which the underlying Obligors are residents (i) of a single Restricted ([***]%) State shall not exceed [***] percent ([***]%) of the Eligible Receivables, (ii) of a single Restricted ([***]%) State shall not exceed [***] percent ([***]%) of the Eligible Receivables, and (iii) of any other single Approved State shall not exceed [***] percent ([***]%) of the Eligible Receivables.
(e)    Eligible Receivables which were modified or extended in accordance with the Program Guidelines shall not exceed two and one-half percent (2.5%) of Eligible Receivables.
For purposes of clarification, any (x) Receivable which is excluded by reason of any single Excess Concentration Amount shall not be used to determine whether any other Excess Concentration Amounts is exceeded and (y) Eligible Receivables in excess of the amounts specified above shall only affect the Borrowing Base and shall not be used to determine whether an Event of Default has occurred.
Excluded State” means, subject to Section 11.6(b), any of the individual states listed on Schedule 1.1(c), and “Excluded States” shall mean, collectively, all of the states listed on Schedule 1.1(c), and any other state that Lender may from time to time designate as an Excluded State; provided, however Lender may also from time to time remove a state from the list of Excluded States.
Excluded Taxes” means, in respect of Agent or Lender, as applicable, (a) income taxes imposed on the net income of such Person and (b) franchise taxes imposed on the net income of such Person, in each case by the jurisdiction under the laws of which such Person is organized or qualified to do business or a jurisdiction or any political subdivision thereof in which such Person engages in business activity, other than activity or connection arising from such Person having executed, delivered, become a party to, enjoyed or exercised its rights under, performed its obligations under, received payments under, received or perfected a security interest under, or engaged in any other transaction contemplated under this Agreement or any Transaction Document, or sold or assigned any interest in any Note or any of the other Transaction Documents.
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Federal or Multi-State Force Majeure Affected Amount” means, as of any date of determination, an amount equal to the outstanding principal amount of the Note on such date multiplied by a fraction, the numerator of which shall be equal to the portion of such aggregate outstanding principal amount for which the proceeds thereof were used to originate Receivables (or purchase participation interests therein) that remain outstanding on such date to borrowers residing in state(s) directly affected by a Federal or Multi-State Force Majeure Event (which amount with respect to each such Receivable or participation interest in a Receivable shall not exceed the outstanding principal amount of such Receivable (or participation interest therein, as the case may be) on such date) and the denominator of which shall be equal to the outstanding principal amount of the Note on such date.
Federal or Multi-State Force Majeure Event” means any regulatory event or regulatory change at the federal level or in any group of states acting in concert in which the Credit Parties originate Receivables or in which the Credit Parties purchase participation interests in Receivables from the applicable Banks which originated such Receivables, in each case, that would prohibit or make it illegal for the Credit Parties to continue to originate or collect Receivables (or purchase participation interests therein and collect thereon, as the case may be) in such affected jurisdictions pursuant to the Program or another program of a type similar to the Program, resulting in a Federal or Multi-State Force Majeure Affected Amount equal to two-thirds or more of the aggregate principal amount then outstanding under the Note as of the applicable date of determination.
Fiscal Year” means a fiscal year of the Credit Parties.
Funding Account” means, with respect to Borrower, a deposit account of Borrower approved in writing by Agent, in which (a) all funds on deposit therein shall be solely used to fund the purchase of Eligible Receivables and for no other purpose and (b) no other party shall have a Lien, other than any Lien of Agent and customary common law or statutory rights of setoff of banks arising in connection with their depository relationship with Borrower.
GAAP” means United States generally accepted accounting principles, consistently applied.
Governmental Authority” means the government of the United States of America, any other nation or any political subdivision of any of the foregoing, whether federal, state or local, and any agency, authority, commission, instrumentality, regulatory body, court, central bank or other entity exercising executive, legislative, judicial, taxing, regulatory or administrative powers or functions of or pertaining to government.
Hedging Obligations” means, with respect to any specified Person, the obligations of such Person under: (a) interest rate swap agreements (whether from fixed to floating or from floating to fixed), interest rate cap agreements and interest rate collar agreements; (b) other agreements or arrangements designed to manage interest rates or interest rate risk; and (c) other agreements or arrangements designed to protect such Person against fluctuations in currency exchange rates or commodity prices.
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Indebtedness” of any Person means, without duplication (i) all indebtedness for borrowed money, (ii) all obligations issued, undertaken or assumed as the deferred purchase price of property or services (including, without limitation, “financing leases” in accordance with GAAP) (other than trade payables entered into in the ordinary course of business), (iii) all reimbursement or payment obligations with respect to letters of credit, surety bonds and other similar instruments, (iv) all obligations evidenced by notes, bonds, notes or similar instruments whether convertible or not, including obligations so evidenced incurred in connection with the acquisition of property, assets or businesses, (v) all indebtedness created or arising under any conditional sale or other title retention agreement, or incurred as financing, in either case with respect to any property or assets acquired with the proceeds of such indebtedness (even though the rights and remedies of the seller or bank under such agreement in the event of default are limited to repossession or sale of such property), (vi) all indebtedness referred to in clauses (i) through (v) above secured by (or for which the holder of such indebtedness has an existing right, contingent or otherwise, to be secured by) any mortgage, lien, pledge, charge, security interest or other encumbrance upon or in any property or assets (including accounts and contract rights) owned by any Person, even though the Person which owns such assets or property has not assumed or become liable for the payment of such indebtedness, (vii) all Contingent Obligations in respect of indebtedness or obligations of others of the kinds referred to in clauses (i) through (vi) above; (viii) banker’s acceptances; (ix) the balance deferred and unpaid of the purchase price of any property or services due more than three months after such property is acquired or such services are completed; (x) Hedging Obligations; and (xi) obligations under convertible securities of any Credit Party. In addition, the term “Indebtedness” of any Credit Party includes (a) all Indebtedness of others secured by a Lien on any assets of any Credit Party, (b) to the extent not otherwise included, the guarantee by any Credit Party of any Indebtedness of any other Person and (c) the absolute value of any negative amounts in any accounts owned by any Credit Party.
Indemnitees” has the meaning set forth in Section 11.12.
Insolvency Proceeding” means any corporate action, legal proceeding or other procedure or formal step taken in relation to: (a) the suspension of payments, a moratorium of any indebtedness, winding-up, dissolution, administration or reorganization (by way of voluntary arrangement, scheme of arrangement or otherwise (other than for the purpose of a reconstruction or amalgamation the terms of which have been approved by Agent)) of Borrower or any other Credit Party; (b) a composition, compromise, assignment or arrangement with any creditor of Borrower or any other Credit Party; (c) the appointment of a liquidator, receiver, administrative receiver, administrator, compulsory manager or other similar officer in respect of Borrower, any other Credit Party, or any of their respective assets; or (d) enforcement of any security over any assets of Borrower or any other Credit Party, in each case, or any analogous procedure or formal step taken in any jurisdiction.
Insolvent” means, with respect to any Person, (a) the present fair saleable value in a non-liquidation context of such Person’s assets is less than the amount required to pay such Person’s total Indebtedness as applicable, or the fair value of the assets of such Person is less than its total liabilities (taking into account contingent and prospective liabilities), (b) such Person is unable to pay its debts and liabilities, subordinated, contingent or otherwise, as such debts and liabilities fall due or become absolute and matured, (c) such Person incurs debts that would be beyond its ability to pay as such debts mature, (d) such Person has unreasonably small capital with which to conduct the business in which it is engaged as such business is now conducted and is proposed to be conducted, (e) such Person is deemed to, or is declared to, be unable to pay its debts under applicable law, (f) such Person suspends or threatens in writing to suspend making payments on any of its debts, (g) a moratorium is declared in respect of any Indebtedness of such Person or (h) as of such date of determination, to the extent such
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Person is Borrower, based on information derived from Borrower’s internal analysis of the assets held by Borrower and contemplated to be held by Borrower following such issuance and purchase of the Note and Borrower’s reasonable forecasts in good faith (which forecasts shall be mutually acceptable to Borrower and Agent (in each case, which acceptance shall not be unreasonably conditioned, withheld or delayed)), that it is expected that any Obligations under the Note will not be fully and timely paid when due. The amount of contingent liabilities (such as litigation, guaranties and pension plan liabilities) at any time shall be computed as the amount that, in light of all the facts and circumstances existing at the time, represents the amount that would reasonably be expected to become an actual or matured liability. If a moratorium occurs, the ending of the moratorium will not remedy any Event of Default caused by that moratorium.
Intellectual Property Rights” has the meaning provided in Section 5.11.
Interagency Guidelines” means the Interagency Guidelines Establishing Information Security Guidelines, as set forth in Appendix B to 12 C.F.R. Part 30.
Interest Date” has the meaning provided in Section 2.2(a).
Interest Rate Spread” means three and six-tenths percent (3.6%) per annum.
Investment” means, with respect to any Person, any investment in another Person, whether by acquisition of any debt security or Equity Interest, by making any loan or advance, by becoming contingently liable in respect of obligations of such other Person or by making an Acquisition.
IRS” means the Internal Revenue Service of the United States and any successor thereto.
Issuance Date” has the meaning provided in Section 2.2(a).
Late Charge” has the meaning provided in Section 2.4.
Lender” has the meaning set forth in the introductory paragraph hereto.
Lien” means any mortgage, lien, pledge, security interest, conditional sale or other title retention agreement, charge or other security interest or encumbrance of any kind, whether or not filed, recorded or otherwise perfected under applicable law, including any conditional sale or other title retention agreement or any lease or license in the nature thereof, any option or other agreement to sell or give a security interest in, or any agreement or arrangement having similar effect.
Material Adverse Effect” means any material adverse effect on the business, properties, assets, operations, the Collateral, results of operations, or condition (financial or otherwise) or prospects of the Credit Parties and their Subsidiaries, taken as whole, or on the transactions contemplated hereby or by the other Transaction Documents or by the Bank Transaction Documents, or on the authority or ability of any Credit Party or any of their respective Affiliates to fully and timely perform its obligations under any Transaction Document or any Bank Transaction Document, in each case, as determined by Agent in its sole but reasonable discretion.
Material Contract” means (a) each Bank Transaction Document and (b) any contract or other arrangement to which any Credit Party is a party (other than the Transaction Documents) for which breach, nonperformance, cancellation, termination or failure to renew could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
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Maturity Date” means the fourth anniversary of the Closing Date.
Maximum Commitment” means $50,000,000, which may be increased up to $100,000,000 as provided in Section 2.1(b).
Maximum Note Balance” means, from time to time, the lesser of (a) the sum of the Borrowing Base (calculated pursuant to the most recent Borrowing Base Certificate) then in effect or (b) $50,000,000 (or up to $100,000,000 as provided in Section 2.1(b)).
Mortgage” means a mortgage or deed of trust, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to Agent, as it may be amended, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time.
Multiemployer Plan” means any Employee Benefit Plan which is a “multiemployer plan” as defined in Section 3(37) of ERISA.
New Indebtedness Opportunity” has the meaning set forth in Section 6.19.
Non-Excluded Taxes” (a) any and all Taxes, other than Excluded Taxes, and (b) to the extent not otherwise described in (a), Other Taxes.

Note” means the Promissory Note delivered pursuant to any provision of this Agreement and each Note delivered in substitution or exchange for, or otherwise in respect of, any Note pursuant to any such provision.

Notice of Borrowing” means a notice given by the Borrower Representative to Agent pursuant to Section 2.1, in substantially the form of Exhibit F.

Obligations” means any and all obligations, liabilities and indebtedness, including without limitation, principal, interest (including, but not limited to, interest calculated at the Default Rate and post-petition interest in any proceeding under any Bankruptcy Law), Late Charges, any applicable prepayment premium, and other fees, costs, expenses and other charges and other obligations arising under the Transaction Documents, of the Credit Parties to Agent and Lender or to any parent, affiliate or subsidiary of Agent or Lender of any and every kind and nature, howsoever created, arising or evidenced and howsoever owned, held or acquired, whether now or hereafter existing, whether now due or to become due, whether primary, secondary, direct, indirect, absolute, contingent or otherwise (including, without limitation, obligations of performance), whether several, joint or joint and several, and whether arising or existing under written or oral agreement or by operation of law.
Obligor” means consumers who use the MasterCard or other successor network-branded credit card accounts for personal use and as either primary cardholders or co-applicant cardholders that are jointly and severally liable for amounts due under the MasterCard accounts.
Original Jurisdiction” means, in relation to a Credit Party, the jurisdiction under whose laws that Credit Party is organized as of the Closing Date or, in the case of a new Credit Party, as of the date on which such new Credit Party becomes party to this Agreement as a Credit Party.
Other Taxes” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.6(b).
Outside Legal Counsel” means counsel selected by Borrower from time to time.
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Parent” has the meaning set forth in the introductory paragraph hereto.
PBGC” means the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation or any successor thereto.
Pension Plan” means any Employee Benefit Plan, other than a Multiemployer Plan, which is subject to Sections 412 and 430 of the Code or Section 302 of ERISA.
Permitted Dispositions” means (i) sales of immaterial assets in the ordinary course of business, (ii) disposals of obsolete, worn out or surplus equipment in the ordinary course of business, (iii) the granting of Permitted Liens, (iv) the licensing of patents, trademarks, copyrights and other Intellectual Property Rights in the ordinary course of business consistent with past practice, (v) collection, sale, or disposition in the ordinary course of business of Receivables that are not Eligible Receivables and that have been settled or charged off, (vi) reasonable expenditures of cash in the ordinary course of business or as otherwise approved by the board of directors (or similar governing body) of the applicable Credit Party, (vii) subject to (A) no adverse selection by the Credit Parties, (B) no Event of Default existing at the time of such sale or other disposition (or arising therefrom), (c) one (1) year has elapsed since the Closing Date and (D) immediately after giving pro forma effect to such sale or other disposition, and taking into account the effect of a Permitted Redemption, the Credit Parties being in pro forma compliance with the covenants set forth in Section 6.1, sales or other dispositions of Receivables for purposes of entering into a Securitization, and (viii) subject to no adverse selection by the Credit Parties, dispositions and sales of Receivables by the Credit Parties for which Lender has not provided funding for Borrower to originate and/or purchase a participation interest therein.
Permitted Draw Date” means any Business Day of each calendar month during the Draw Period.
Permitted Indebtedness” means (i) Indebtedness of any Credit Party (other than Borrower) to ECI or any other Credit Party (other than Borrower); provided, all such Indebtedness shall be unsecured, (ii) Indebtedness in respect of netting services, overdraft protections and otherwise in connection with customary deposit accounts maintained by any Credit Party as part of its ordinary cash management program, (iii) performance guaranties of any Credit Party (other than Borrower) in the ordinary course of business and consistent with historic practices of the obligations of suppliers, customers, franchisees and licensees of Parent and its subsidiaries, (iv) guaranties by Parent of Indebtedness of any other Credit Party or guaranties by any Today Subsidiary (other than Borrower) of any Indebtedness of Parent with respect, in each case, to Indebtedness otherwise permitted to be incurred pursuant to this definition, (v) Indebtedness of any Credit Party (other than Borrower or Parent) which is secured by Liens permitted under clause (xii) of the definition of “Permitted Liens”, (vi) [Reserved], (vii) [Reserved], (viii) other unsecured Indebtedness of any Credit Party (other than Borrower or Parent), which is subordinated to the Obligations on terms acceptable to Agent in its sole discretion in an aggregate amount not to exceed at any time $250,000, (ix) guaranties by the Credit Parties in favor of Agent, for the benefit of Lender, hereunder and under the other Transaction Documents, and (x) to the extent constituting Indebtedness, obligations of a Credit Party (other than Borrower) under the Bank Transaction Documents; provided, that any such guaranty obligations shall be non-recourse to such Credit Party (but for the avoidance of doubt, any such guaranty obligations may be secured by Permitted Liens of the type described in clause (xiv) of the definition of Permitted Liens); provided, that no Indebtedness otherwise permitted by clauses (viii) or (ix) shall be assumed, created, or otherwise refinanced if an Event of Default (or event or circumstance that, with the passage of time, the giving of notice, or both, would become an Event of Default) has occurred or would result therefrom.
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Permitted Liens” means (i) Liens in favor of Agent, for the benefit of Lender, (ii) Liens for Taxes, assessments and other governmental charges not delinquent or if obligations with respect to such Taxes are being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings promptly instituted and diligently conducted so long as such reserves or other appropriate provisions, if any, as shall be required by GAAP shall have been made for any such contested amounts, (iii) statutory Liens of landlords, banks (and rights of set off), of carriers, warehousemen, mechanics, repairmen, workmen and materialmen, and other Liens imposed by law (other than any such Lien imposed pursuant to §§401 (a)(29) or 412(n) of the Code or by ERISA), in each case incurred in the ordinary course of business (A) for amounts not yet overdue, or (B) for amounts that are overdue and that (in the case of any such amounts overdue for a period in excess of five (5) days) are being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings, so long as such reserves or other appropriate provisions, if any, as shall be required by GAAP shall have been made for any such contested amounts, (iv) Liens incurred in the ordinary course of business in connection with workers’ compensation, unemployment insurance and other types of social security, or to secure the performance of tenders, statutory obligations, surety and appeal bonds, bids, leases, government contracts, trade contracts, performance and return of money bonds and other similar obligations (exclusive of obligations for the payment of borrowed money or other Indebtedness), so long as no foreclosure, sale or similar proceedings have been commenced with respect to any portion of the Collateral on account thereof, (v) easements, rights of way, restrictions, encroachments, and other minor defects or irregularities in title, in each case which do not and will not interfere in any material respect with the value or use of the property to which such Lien is attached or with the ordinary conduct of the business of such Person, (vi) any interest or title of a lessor or sublessor under any lease of real estate, (vii) Liens granted by any Credit Party (other than Borrower) solely on any cash earnest money deposits made by such Person in connection with any letter of intent or purchase agreement permitted hereunder, (viii) purported Liens granted by any Credit Party (other than Borrower) evidenced by the filing of precautionary UCC financing statements relating solely to operating leases of personal property entered into in the ordinary course of business, (ix) [Reserved], (x) any zoning or similar law or right reserved to or vested in any governmental office or agency to control or regulate the use of any real property, in each case which do not and will not interfere with or affect in any material respect the use, value or operations of any real estate assets or in the ordinary conduct of the business of such Person, (xi) licenses of patents, trademarks and other intellectual property rights granted by such Person in the ordinary course of business and not interfering in any respect with the ordinary conduct of the business of such Person, (xii) Liens granted by any Credit Party (other than Borrower) (A) which are junior in priority to those of Agent, for the benefit of Lender, pursuant to a subordination agreement acceptable to Agent, (B) which may not be foreclosed upon without the consent of Agent, (C) which attach only to goods and (D) which, in the aggregate, do not secure Indebtedness in excess of $250,000, (xiii) [Reserved] and (xiv) Liens granted by any Credit Party (other than Borrower) securing Permitted Indebtedness described in clause (x) of the definition of Permitted Indebtedness so long as such Liens consist solely of cash collateral in an aggregate outstanding amount not to exceed the “Required Balance” or any similar defined term or concept under the Bank Transaction Documents maintained by the applicable Credit Party in a deposit account maintained at the applicable Bank party to the applicable Bank Transaction Documents which holds only those funds required to satisfy such “Required Balance” or any similar defined term or concept under the applicable Bank Transaction Documents.
Permitted Redemption” means the redemption of Note permitted pursuant to Section 2.3(a)(i).
Permitted Redemption Amount” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.3(a)(i).
Permitted Redemption Date” means the date on which the Borrower Representative has elected to redeem all or a portion of the Note in accordance with Section 2.3(a).
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Permitted Redemption Notice” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.3(a)(i).
Person” means an individual, a limited liability company, a partnership, a joint venture, a corporation, a trust, an unincorporated organization, any other entity and a government or any department or agency thereof.
Plan” means any Multiemployer Plan or Pension Plan.
Proceeding” has the meaning set forth in Section 5.14.
Program” means the TODAY CARD branded credit card program for the solicitation, marketing, origination and purchase (including participation interests therein) of Receivables pursuant to Program Guidelines.
Program Guidelines” means those guidelines established by CCB, attached as Schedule 1.1(a), for the administration of the Program, as amended, modified or supplemented from time to time by CCB with the prior written consent of Parent to the extent such consent is required pursuant to the CCB Participation Agreement; provided, Parent will not provide such consent without the prior written consent of Agent; provided, further, the prior written consent of Agent will not be required if, but only to the extent, Parent determines that Parent’s consent is necessary to comply with a Requirement and, in connection therewith, Parent delivers commercially reasonable prior notice of the proposed modification to Agent together with documentation supporting Parent’s determination regarding the necessity of complying with a Requirement.
Property” means any right or interest in or to property of any kind whatsoever, whether real, personal or mixed and whether tangible or intangible, including, without limitation, Capital Stock.
Protective Advance” means any advance or expenditure of funds by Lender to pay any expenses or other obligations of Borrower, Parent or any other party to any Bank Transaction Document arising under or in connection with any Bank Transaction Document, or any other advance or expenditure by Lender on behalf of any such party to the extent necessary or reasonably appropriate (as determined by Lender) to enable Borrower to satisfy its obligations under the Transaction Documents.
Qualified Funding Failure” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.3(a)(iii).
Receivable” means the MasterCard or other successor network-branded credit card receivables, including the full cost of the goods or services purchased by an Obligor and any accrued interest and fees, and in which a 95.0% participation interest is sold to Borrower.
Related Parties” of any Person means such Person’s Affiliates or any of its respective partners, directors, agents, employees and controlling persons.
Relevant Jurisdiction” means, in relation to a Credit Party, (a) its Original Jurisdiction; (b) any jurisdiction where any asset subject to or intended to be subject to the Collateral to be created by it is situated; (c) any jurisdiction where it conducts its business; and (d) the jurisdiction whose laws govern the perfection of any of the Security Documents entered into by it.
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Requirements” means all applicable federal, state and foreign laws and regulations related, directly or indirectly, to the following: credit; servicing; disclosures, information security and privacy and regulations and industry guidance and requirements (including, but not limited to, guidance issued by the Payment Card Industry); the USA Patriot Act; the Office of Foreign Asset Controls' rules and regulations; the Interagency Guidelines; debt collection and debt collection practices laws and regulations applicable to the Credit Parties or the Program; the federal Truth in Lending Act; the federal Electronic Funds Transfer Act; the federal Equal Credit Opportunity Act; the federal Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act; the federal Fair Debt Collection Practices Act; and laws, regulations, rules, and guidance applicable to the solicitation, origination, and servicing of the Accounts, including but not limited to the credit card network rules, the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standards and the NACHA Operating Regulations. It is hereby acknowledged and agreed by the Credit Parties that “Requirements” shall include, without limitation, (a) the proposed rule captioned 12 CFR Part 1041, Docket No. CFPB-2016-0025, RIN 3170–AA40 released by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau on June 2, 2016, regardless of whether such rule shall become Law, but as such rule may be amended, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time, and (b) any other proposed rules or guidelines presented by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau or any other Governmental Authority from time to time relating to credit; servicing; disclosures, information security and privacy and regulations and industry guidance and requirements, in each case, regardless of whether such rules or guidelines shall become Law, but as such rule and guidelines may be amended, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time.
Restricted ([***]%) State” means, subject to Section 11.6(b), any of the individual states listed on Schedule 1.1(d), and “Restricted ([***]%) States” shall mean, collectively, all of the states listed on Schedule 1.1(d), and any other state that Lender may from time to time designate as a Restricted ([***]%) State; provided, however Lender may also from time to time remove a state from the list of Restricted ([***]%) States.
Restricted ([***]%) State” means, subject to Section 11.6(b), any of the individual states listed on Schedule 1.1(e), and “Restricted ([***]%) States” shall mean, collectively, all of the states listed on Schedule 1.1(e), and any other state that Lender may from time to time designate as a Restricted ([***]%) State; provided, however Lender may also from time to time remove a state from the list of Restricted ([***]%) States.
ROFR Notice” has the meaning set forth in Section 6.19.
Schedules” has the meaning set forth in Article 5.
Security Agreement” means that certain Security Agreement, dated as of the Closing Date, by and among Agent and the “Obligors” (as defined therein), in substantially the form of Exhibit B, as the same may be amended, restated, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time.
Security Documents” means the Security Agreement and all other instruments, documents and agreements delivered by any of the Credit Parties (except for Parent) or any of their Subsidiaries in order to grant to Agent or Lender a Lien on any real, personal or mixed Property of such Person as security for the Obligations.
Securitization” means a securitization that conforms to the requirements and provisions set forth on Schedule 1.1(b).
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Servicer” means Elevate Credit Service, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company, or such other Person, reasonably satisfactory to Agent, that Borrower has appointed and that is providing servicing and its permitted successors and assigns reasonably satisfactory to Agent.
Servicing Agreement” means that certain Servicing Agreement, dated June 28, 2018, by and among Servicer, CCB and Parent, as assigned to Borrower.
Six Months on Book Charge Off Rate” means, as of the date of determination for the last twelve (12) Vintage Pools which have been held by Borrower for at least six (6) consecutive months, the quotient of (a) the cumulative Charge Offs incurred through the Vintage Pool’s sixth month on book (for purposes of clarification, principal only) divided by (b) the cumulative gross draws advanced through the Vintage Pool’s sixth month on book.
Subsidiary” means any entity in which any Credit Party, directly or indirectly, owns at least 50% of the Capital Stock or other Equity Interests.
Taking” means any taking of any property of any Credit Party or any of their Subsidiaries or any portion thereof, in or by condemnation or other eminent domain proceedings pursuant to any law, general or special, or by reason of the temporary requisition of the use of such assets or any portion thereof, by any Governmental Authority, civil or military (i) in excess of $250,000 in the aggregate for any Fiscal Year or (ii) that results, either individually or in the aggregate, in a Material Adverse Effect.
Tangible Net Worth” means, with respect to any Person, and in each case calculated in accordance with GAAP, the total assets of such Person and its subsidiaries minus the total liabilities of such Person and its subsidiaries minus the aggregate amount of the intangible assets of such Person and its subsidiaries including, without limitation, goodwill, franchises, licenses, patents, trademarks, trade names, copyrights and service marks.
Taxes” means any and all current or future (a) foreign, federal, state or local income, gross receipts, franchise, estimated, alternative minimum, add-on minimum, sales, use, transfer, registration, value added, excise, parking, unclaimed property/escheatment, natural resources, severance, stamp, occupation, occupancy, ad valorem, premium, windfall profit, environmental, customs, duties, real property, personal property, capital stock, social security, unemployment, disability, payroll, license, employee or other withholding, or other tax of any kind whatsoever, (b) any liability for the payment of amounts of the type described in clause (a) hereof as a result of being at any time a transferee of, or a successor in interest to, any person, and (c) any interest, penalties or additions to tax or additional amounts (whether disputed or not) in respect of the foregoing.
Tax Return” means any return, declaration, report, claim for refund, or information return or statement relating to Taxes, including any schedule or attachment thereto, and including any amendment thereof.
Today Subsidiaries” means Today Marketing LLC, a Delaware limited liability company, and each other Subsidiary of Parent (except for Borrower) including any Subsidiary added in accordance with Section 6.24.
Trailing First Payment Default Rate” means, as of any date of determination, the quotient of (a) the number of Obligors who (i) had Receivables in the first, second and/or third most recent Vintage Pools and (ii) had their first payment become one or more days past due divided by (b) the total number of new Accounts that were opened during those respective Vintage Pools. By way of example, if the
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relevant date of determination is September 30, 2021, then the Vintage Pools for June 2021, July 2021 and August 2021 shall be applicable. For purposes of clarification, the Trailing First Payment Default Rate shall not be adjusted downward for any Obligors who subsequently cured their first payment default.
Trailing Third Payment Default Rate” means, as of any date of determination, the quotient of (a) the number of Obligors who (i) had Receivables in the fourth, fifth and/or sixth most recent Vintage Pools and (ii) had their first, second or third payment become one or more days past due divided by (b) the total number of new Accounts that were opened during those respective Vintage Pools. By way of example, if the relevant date of determination is September 30, 2021, then the Vintage Pools for March 2021, April 2021 and May 2021 shall be applicable. For purposes of clarification, any Accounts which have not had their third payment become due as of the date of determination shall be excluded.
Trailing Risk Adjusted Yield” means, as of any date of determination, the weighted average Annualized Risk Adjusted Yield during the most recent three (3) full calendar months on or prior to such date of determination.
Transaction Documents” has the meaning set forth in Section 5.2.
Twelve Months on Book Charge Off Rate” means, as of the date of determination for the last twelve (12) Vintage Pools which have been held by Borrower for at least six (6) consecutive months, the quotient of (a) the cumulative Charge Offs incurred through the Vintage Pool’s twelfth month on book (for purposes of clarification, principal only) divided by (b) the cumulative gross draws advanced through the Vintage Pool’s twelfth month on book.
UCC” has the meaning set forth in Section 5.12.
Unused Line Rate” means the annual rates set forth below corresponding to percentages of the Maximum Commitment which are outstanding:
Percentage of Maximum Commitment Unused Line Rate
0% - 25.9% [***]%
26% - 50.9% [***]%
51% - 75.9% [***]%
76% - 99.9% [***]%

For the sake of clarification, the “Percentage of Maximum Commitment” shall be applied initially with respect to the initial $50,000,000 Maximum Loan Commitment, and thereafter applied with respect to amount of the Maximum Loan Commitment, up to $75,000,000 or $100,000,000, as applicable, if increased pursuant to the terms of this Agreement.

Vintage Pool” means and refers to, at any given time, all Receivables that were opened in a particular calendar month. By way of example, and not by way of limitation, all Receivables that were originated in January 2022 shall constitute one Vintage Pool for the calendar month that ended on January 31, 2022; all Receivables that were originated in February 2022 shall constitute one Vintage Pool for the calendar month that ended on February 28, 2022; and so on.
Waivable Mandatory Prepayment” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.3(d).
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Withholding Agent” means any Borrower, any Credit Party or Agent.
WSJ Prime Rate” means the latest U.S. prime rate reported in the Money Rates column of The Wall Street Journal on the first day on which The Wall Street Journal is published in the month in which the applicable sums are payable or incurred. If The Wall Street Journal is no longer published, then the Prime Rate shall mean the publicly announced prime rate or reference rate charged by the Charlotte, North Carolina Main Office of Bank of America (or any successor bank) on the first day of the month in which the applicable sums are payable or incurred.
Section 1.2Terms Generally. The definitions of terms herein shall apply equally to the singular and plural forms of the terms defined. Whenever the context may require, any pronoun shall include the corresponding masculine, feminine and neuter forms. The words “include”, “includes” and “including” shall be deemed to be followed by the phrase “without limitation”. The word “will” shall be construed to have the same meaning and effect as the word “shall”. Unless the context requires otherwise, (a) any definition of or reference to any agreement, instrument or other document herein shall be construed as referring to such agreement, instrument or other document as from time to time amended, supplemented or otherwise modified (subject to any restrictions on such amendments, supplements or modifications set forth herein), (b) any reference herein to any Person shall be construed to include such Person’s successors and assigns, (c) the words “herein”, “hereof” and “hereunder”, and words of similar import, shall be construed to refer to this Agreement in its entirety and not to any particular provision hereof, (d) all references herein to Articles, Sections, Exhibits and Schedules shall be construed to refer to Articles and Sections of, and Exhibits and Schedules to, this Agreement and (e) the words “asset” and “property” shall be construed to have the same meaning and effect and to refer to any right or interest in or to assets and properties of any kind whatsoever, whether real, personal or mixed and whether tangible or intangible. References in this Agreement to “determination” by Agent include good faith estimates by Agent (in the case of quantitative determinations) and good faith beliefs by Agent (in the case of qualitative determinations).
Section 1.3Accounting and Other Terms. Unless otherwise expressly provided herein, each accounting term used herein shall have the meaning given it under GAAP applied on a basis consistent with those used in preparing the financial statements delivered to Agent pursuant to Section 6.2. Notwithstanding any other provision contained herein, all terms of an accounting or financial nature used herein shall be construed, and all computations of amounts and ratios referred to herein shall be made, without giving effect to any election under Accounting Standards Codification 825-10 (or any other Financial Accounting Standard having a similar result or effect) to value any Indebtedness or other liabilities of any Credit Party at “fair value”.
Section 1.4Borrower Representative. Borrower hereby designates and appoints Parent as its representative and agent on its behalf (in such capacity, the “Borrower Representative”) for the purposes of delivering certificates, including Compliance Certificates, giving Notices of Borrowing and other instructions with respect to the disbursement of the proceeds of the Note, giving and receiving all other notices and consents hereunder or under any of the other Transaction Documents and taking all other actions (including in respect of compliance with covenants) on behalf of Borrower under the Transaction Documents. Borrower Representative hereby accepts such appointment. Agent and Lender may regard any notice or other communication pursuant to any Transaction Document from Borrower Representative as a notice or communication from Borrower. Each warranty, covenant, agreement and undertaking made on behalf of Borrower by Borrower Representative shall be deemed for all purposes to have been made by Borrower and shall be binding upon and enforceable against such Borrower to the same extent as if the same had been made directly by Borrower.
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ARTICLE 2
BORROWER’S AUTHORIZATION OF ISSUE
Section 2.1The Note; Increase in Commitment.
(a)Borrower hereby authorizes the issuance of the Note in accordance with the terms hereof on the Closing Date. The commitment of Lender to fund draws during the Draw Period under the Note as of the Closing Date is set forth opposite Lender’s name on Schedule 1.1 (such amount as the same may be reduced or increased from time to time in accordance with this Agreement, being referred to herein as the “Commitment”). Borrower shall repay the outstanding principal balance of the Note in full in cash on the Maturity Date, unless accelerated in accordance with Section 8.2 or redeemed or prepaid in accordance with Section 2.3. Future draws under the Note shall be disbursed as the Borrower Representative shall direct on each borrowing date, upon the submission of such evidence as Agent shall request to verify the satisfaction of the conditions set forth in Section 4.2 (including, without limitation, a Borrowing Base Certificate delivered in accordance with Section 4.2(f) prior to such disbursement). The Borrower Representative shall deliver to Agent a Notice of Borrowing setting forth each requested draw not later than noon, Dallas time, on the second (2nd) Business Day prior to the proposed borrowing date upon which Borrower desires to make a draw under the Note, or such earlier date as shall be agreed to by Lender. Each Notice of Borrowing required hereunder (i) shall be irrevocable, (ii) shall specify the amount of the proposed draw, which shall be in increments of not less than $100,000, (iii) shall specify the proposed borrowing date for such proposed draw, which shall be a Permitted Draw Date and (iv) shall specify wire transfer instructions in accordance with which such draw under the Note shall be funded. In connection with any proposed draw, Borrower may request a release of funds from the Concentration Account prior to the month-end distribution of funds to Borrower contemplated under Section 2.4(b)(viii), and Lender may authorize and approve such release provided (I) no Event of Default or other default that could become an Event of Default given the passage of any notice and cure requirements under any Transaction Document has occurred and is continuing, (II) Borrower shall have delivered a certificate certifying and demonstrating that the Concentration Account has or is projected to have sufficient funds, after giving effect to the proposed mid-month distribution, to satisfy clauses (i) through (vii) inclusive under Section 2.4(b) at the end of the applicable month together with supporting documentation substantiating such calculations, in each case all acceptable to Lender in its sole discretion, and (III) such other terms or conditions that Lender may require for any such mid-month distribution are satisfied as approved by Lender. Upon receipt of any such Notice of Borrowing, Agent shall promptly notify Lender thereof and, subject to the terms and conditions of this Agreement and in reliance upon the representations and warranties of the Credit Parties contained herein, Lender shall fund the proposed borrowing under the Note to Agent no later than 12:00 p.m. (Noon) Central Time on the applicable Permitted Draw Date in immediately available funds in accordance with the wire instructions provided by Agent to Lender and, upon receipt of such funds from Lender, Agent will fund such proposed borrowing on the applicable Permitted Draw Date in immediately available funds in accordance with terms of such Notice of Borrowing. For purposes of clarification, no draws shall be permitted during the Amortization Period.
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(b)At any time during the Draw Period, Borrower shall have the right to request that the Commitment be increased in two increments of $25,000,000 each, up to a maximum of $100,000,000; provided, however, Borrower may elect to increase by one increment at a time (that is, exercise each increment separately to increase the Maximum Commitment first to $75,000,000 and then to $100,000,000, or exercise both increments simultaneously to increase the Maximum Commitment directly to $100,000,000. If Borrower wishes to increase the Commitment, then Borrower shall provide written notice thereof to Agent; provided that Borrower may only provide such request to Agent if (i) Borrower has drawn at least $37,500,000 under the Note (or, if Borrower has previously exercised the option to increase the Maximum Commitment to $75,000,000, Borrower shall have drawn at least $56,250,000 under the Note), and (ii) no Event of Default has occurred and is continuing. Promptly following receipt of such request from Borrower, Agent shall endeavor to obtain Lender’s approval of such increase within thirty (30) days of the date of Borrower’s request, which approval Lender may grant or deny in its sole discretion. If the Commitment is increased, then the Note shall be amended to reflect the increase in the Commitment.
(c)If at any time Lender shall make a Protective Advance, the amount of any such Protective Advance shall be added to the principal amount due hereunder, and Borrower shall be responsible for repaying, reimbursing and indemnifying Lender for such Protective Advance in accordance with the terms of this Agreement.
Section 2.2Interest and Unused Line Fee. Borrower shall pay interest on the unpaid principal amount of the Note and an unused line fee, in each case, at the rates, time and manner set forth below:
(a)Rate of Interest. The Note shall bear interest on the unpaid principal amount thereof from the date issued through the date such Note is paid in full in cash (whether upon final maturity, by redemption, prepayment, acceleration or otherwise) at the Current Interest Rate. Interest on the Note shall be computed on the basis of a 360-day year and actual days elapsed and, subject to Section 2.2(b), shall be payable monthly, in arrears, on the third (3rd) Business Day following the last day of each calendar month during the period beginning on the date such Note is issued (the “Issuance Date”) and ending on, and including, the date on which the Obligations under such Note are paid in full (each, an “Interest Date”).
(b)Interest Payments. Interest on the Note shall be payable on each Interest Date or at any such other time the Note becomes due and payable (whether by acceleration, redemption or otherwise) by Borrower to Agent. Each Interest Date shall be considered the last day of an accrual period for U.S. federal income tax purposes.
(c)Default Rate. Upon the occurrence of any Event of Default, the Note shall bear interest (including post-petition interest in any proceeding under any Bankruptcy Law) on the unpaid principal amount thereof at the Default Rate from the date of such Event of Default through and including the date such Event of Default is waived. In the event that such Event of Default is subsequently waived, the adjustment referred to in the preceding sentence shall cease to be effective as of the date of such waiver; provided that interest as calculated and unpaid at the Default Rate during the continuance of such Event of Default shall continue to be due to the extent relating to the days after the occurrence of such Event of Default through and including the date on which such Event of Default is waived. All such interest shall be payable on demand of Agent.
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(d)Savings Clause. In no contingency or event shall the interest rate charged pursuant to the terms of this Agreement exceed the highest rate permissible under any law which a court of competent jurisdiction shall, in a final determination, deem applicable hereto. If such a court determines that Lender has received interest hereunder in excess of the highest applicable rate, then the amount of such excess interest shall be applied against the principal amount of the Note then outstanding to the extent permitted by applicable law, and any excess interest remaining after such application shall be refunded promptly to Borrower.
(e)    Unused Line Fee. An unused line fee at the applicable Unused Line Rate based upon the daily average of the Maximum Commitment, including any increase in the Maximum Commitment as provided herein, reduced by the aggregate outstanding amounts under the Note from the Closing Date, which unused line fee shall be payable monthly in arrears on the Interest Date.
Section 2.3Redemptions and Payments.
(a)Permitted Redemption.
(i)At any time after the first anniversary of the Closing Date and then in connection with a Securitization, the Borrower Representative may, at its option, provide written notice (“Permitted Redemption Notice”) to Agent, on behalf of Lender, that the Borrower has elected to pay the Permitted Redemption Amount (as defined below), on the Permitted Redemption Date, by redeeming such portion of the then-unpaid principal amount of the Note such that Borrower and the Credit Parties will be in compliance with the covenants set forth in Section 6.1 (the “Permitted Redemption”). The “Permitted Redemption Amount” shall be equal to (A) the portion of unpaid outstanding principal amount of the Note required to be repaid such that the Credit Parties will be in compliance with the covenants set forth in Section 6.1, (B) all accrued and unpaid interest with respect to such principal amount and all accrued and unpaid fees, (C) all accrued and unpaid Late Charges with respect to such Permitted Redemption Amount and (D) all other amounts then due under the Transaction Documents. A Permitted Redemption under this Section 2.3(a)(i) shall reduce the outstanding principal balance of the Loan but shall not reduce or affect the then-outstanding Maximum Commitment, and the Loan, Maximum Commitment, and the terms of the Transaction Documents shall continue in full force and effect and be unmodified.
(ii)A Permitted Redemption Notice delivered pursuant to this subsection shall be irrevocable. If the Borrower Representative, on behalf of Borrower, elects to redeem the Note pursuant to a Permitted Redemption under Section 2.3(a), then the Permitted Redemption Amount which is to be paid to Agent, on behalf of Lender, on the Permitted Redemption Date shall be redeemed by Borrower on the Permitted Redemption Date, and Borrower shall pay to Agent, on behalf of Lender, on the Permitted Redemption Date, by wire transfer of immediately available funds, an amount in cash equal to the Permitted Redemption Amount. Any Permitted Redemption shall not affect the amount of the Commitment.
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(iii)Notwithstanding the foregoing and anything to the contrary herein, (A) if a Federal or Multi-State Force Majeure Event shall have occurred or (B) if Lender fails to fund any draw under the Note requested by the Borrower Representative, on behalf of Borrower, after the Closing Date in accordance with Section 2.1 and provided that all conditions of such funding set forth in Section 4.2 shall have been satisfied at the time thereof (a “Qualified Funding Failure”), then the Borrower Representative, on behalf of Borrower, shall have the right, exercisable upon at least sixty (60) calendar days’ prior written notice to Agent, to consummate a Permitted Redemption at a price equal to the Permitted Redemption Amount, which Permitted Redemption shall otherwise be made in accordance with the provisions of Section 2.3(a)(i); provided, that such right to consummate a Permitted Redemption at a price equal to the Permitted Redemption Amount shall expire (x) in the case of the foregoing clause (A), upon the cessation of such Federal or Multi-State Force Majeure Event or (y) in the case of the foregoing clause (B), upon written notice from Agent to the Borrower Representative, given no later than ten (10) calendar days after Agent’s receipt of the Borrower Representative’s notice of redemption under the foregoing Section 2.3(a)(iii)(B) stating that Lender is thereafter willing and able to fund additional draws under the Note as requested by the Borrower Representative, on behalf of Borrower, in accordance with Section 2.1 and provided that all conditions of such fundings set forth in Section 4.2 shall have been satisfied at the time thereof. For purposes of clarification, prior to the expiration of the ten (10) calendar day (or longer, as the case may be) notice of purchase pursuant to the foregoing Section 2.3(a)(iii)(B), Agent may deliver notice to the Borrower Representative that Lender is willing and able to fund such draws under the Note and provided that all conditions of such fundings set forth in Section 4.2 shall have been satisfied at the time thereof, whereupon such right to consummate a Permitted Redemption at a price equal to the Permitted Redemption Amount shall automatically terminate, but the Borrower Representative, on behalf of Borrower, shall at all times thereafter retain the right to consummate a Permitted Redemption at a price equal to the Permitted Redemption Amount, which Permitted Redemption shall otherwise be made in accordance with the provisions of Section 2.3(a)(i). The provisions of this Section 2.3(a)(iii) set forth the exclusive rights and remedies of the Credit Parties to seek or obtain damages or any other remedy or relief from Agent or Lender with respect to any Qualified Funding Failure.
(iv)In the event of a Change of Control (A) with respect to Parent or Borrower occurring at any time, but subject to the approval of Agent (which shall not be unreasonably withheld, delayed or conditioned), or (B) with respect to ECI occurring at any time but without the approval of Agent being required, the Borrower Representative, on behalf of Borrower, shall have the right to redeem the Note in its entirety upon the closing of such Change of Control by paying to Agent, on behalf of Lender, by wire transfer of immediately available funds, an amount in cash equal to the Permitted Redemption Amount. Upon such payment, the Commitment shall be deemed to be terminated. In the event of any Permitted Redemption effectuated under Section 2.3(a)(iv), in addition to any other payments required by Borrower, Borrower shall pay simultaneously with the applicable Permitted Redemption Amount a prepayment premium equal to the product of the Permitted Redemption Amount multiplied by the applicable prepayment percentage specified below. The Credit Parties acknowledge and agree that the foregoing prepayment premium represents bargained for consideration in exchange for the right and privilege to redeem the Notes under Section 2.3(a)(iv). The foregoing prepayment premium will be calculated using the applicable percentage below based on the earlier of the date on which the Permitted Redemption Payment is made or the date on which the applicable Change of Control occurred:
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Time Period Prepayment Percentage
October 1, 2021 – September 30, 2022 [***]%
October 1, 2022 – September 30, 2023 [***]%
October 1, 2023 – September 30, 2024 [***]%
From and after October 1, 2024 [***]%

(v)In addition to the Permitted Redemption under Section 2.3(a)(iv), upon the occurrence of a Change in Control, Lender shall have the option to accelerate and call the Loan, in which all amounts that would be required to be paid under Section 2.3(a)(iv), except for the prepayment premium, shall become due and payable by Borrower. Upon such payment, the Commitment shall be deemed to be terminated. For purposes of clarification, no prepayment premium shall be applicable in connection with any repayment pursuant to this Section 2.3(a)(v).
(b)Mandatory Prepayments.
(i)On the date of receipt by any Credit Party, or Agent as loss payee, of any net cash proceeds from any Destruction or Taking, Borrower shall prepay the Note as set forth in Section 2.3(e) in an aggregate amount equal to 100% of such net cash proceeds; provided, so long as no Event of Default (or event or circumstance that, with the passage of time, the giving of notice, or both, would become an Event of Default) shall have occurred and be continuing on the date of receipt thereof or caused thereby, Borrower shall have the option to apply such net cash proceeds, prior to the date that is ninety (90) days following receipt thereof, for purposes of the repair, restoration or replacement of the applicable assets thereof.
(ii)If at any time the then outstanding principal balance of the Note shall exceed the Maximum Note Balance, then Borrower shall immediately prepay the Note as set forth in Section 2.3(e) in an amount sufficient to eliminate such excess.
(iii)Concurrently with any prepayment of the Note pursuant to this Section 2.3(b), the Borrower Representative, on behalf of Borrower, shall deliver to Agent a certificate of an authorized officer thereof demonstrating the calculation of the amount of the applicable proceeds. If the Credit Parties shall subsequently determine that the actual amount of such proceeds exceeded the amount set forth in such certificate (including as a result of the conversion of non-cash proceeds into cash), then Borrower shall promptly make an additional prepayment of the Note in an amount equal to such excess (or applicable percentage thereof), and the Borrower Representative, on behalf of Borrower, shall concurrently therewith deliver to Agent a certificate of an authorized officer thereof demonstrating the derivation of such excess.
(c)Prepayments During Amortization Period. During the Amortization Period, Borrower shall have the right to prepay all or any portion of the Note, at any time and from time to time, by paying such prepayment amount to Agent, on behalf of Lender, by wire transfer of immediately available funds.
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(d)Waiver of Mandatory Prepayments. Anything contained in Section 2.3(b) to the contrary notwithstanding, if Borrower is required to make any mandatory prepayment (a “Waivable Mandatory Prepayment”) of the Note, not less than three (3) Business Days prior to the date (the “Required Prepayment Date”) on which Borrower is required to make such Waivable Mandatory Prepayment, the Borrower Representative, on behalf of Borrower, shall notify Agent of the amount of such prepayment, and Agent shall promptly thereafter notify Lender of Lender’s option to refuse such amount. Lender may exercise such option by giving written notice to the Borrower Representative and Agent of its election to do so on or before the first Business Day prior to the Required Prepayment Date (it being understood that if Lender does not notify the Borrower Representative and Agent of its election to exercise such option on or before the first Business Day prior to the Required Prepayment Date shall be deemed to have elected, as of such date, not to exercise such option). On the Required Prepayment Date, the Borrower Representative shall pay to Agent the amount of the Waivable Mandatory Prepayment to prepay the Note.
(e)Application of Mandatory Prepayments. All mandatory prepayments made pursuant to Section 2.3(b) and not waived pursuant to Section 2.3(d) shall be made to Agent, for the account of Lender, and applied to the outstanding amount of the Note.
Section 2.4Waterfall and Payments.
(a)General.
(i)All payments collected by CCB from Obligors with respect to Eligible Receivables (including, without limitation, all principal, interest, fees, late charges, redemptions, settlement amounts and proceeds from the sale or disposition of formerly Eligible Receivables which have been Charged Off or become ineligible for other reasons) shall be deposited into the Collection Account. Borrower shall not distribute, withdraw or use any funds on deposit in the Collection Account at any time except as set forth in this Section 2.4, and shall not distribute, withdraw or use any funds on deposit in the Funding Account at any time except for the sole purpose as set forth in Section 2.4(b)(viii).
(ii)No less than one time per calendar week, Borrower shall cause, or Borrower authorizes Agent to cause, all funds in excess of $500,000 on deposit in the Collection Account to be swept, paid over, and deposited in the Concentration Account.
(iii)If at any time (A) Borrower determines or has a reasonable belief that, or (B) Lender delivers written notice to Borrower that Lender has a reasonable belief that, in each case there is or will be insufficient funds on deposit in the Collection Account and the Concentration Account to satisfy the obligations in Section 2.4(b)(i) for the current monthly or most recently completed month (a “Participation Shortfall”), Parent shall immediately deliver sufficient funds to Lender to be deposited in the Concentration Account in an amount equal or greater than the anticipated Participation Shortfall. Borrower and Parent acknowledges that one or more Participation Shortfalls may occur during any given calendar month, and agrees that Parent shall fund amounts required under this Section 2.4(a)(iii) each time.
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(b)    Priority of Payments. Borrower shall use commercially reasonable efforts to distribute within three (3) Business Days after the end of each month, and in no event later than five (5) Business Days after the end of each month, any remaining funds received in the Collection Account and funds transferred to the Concentration Account during the prior month in the following order of priority; provided, however, notwithstanding the foregoing, Borrower shall (A) pay Lender interest as contemplated in clause (iv) below no later than three (3) Business Days after the end of each month, and (B) Borrower shall pay any amounts owing under clause (i) – (iii) inclusive no later than three (3) Business Days after the end of each month if either any such payment is timely required in order to avoid a breach under any applicable agreement or each such payment is necessary in order to pay Lender interest as required under clause (A) above:
(i)    To CCB to fund estimated expenses due and payable under the CCB Participation Agreement; next
(ii)    To the Backup Servicer, for any amounts due pursuant to the Backup Servicing Agreement; next
(iii)    To the Servicer (or Affiliates thereof), for any amounts due pursuant to the Servicing Agreement only if approved by Lender, in its sole discretion, in order to facilitate an orderly wind-up of the Program such as following an Event of Default. Such costs would include the amounts Servicer or its Affiliates owe to Total System Services (TSYS); next
(iv)    To Lender, for any interest, fees and costs due pursuant to this Agreement; next
(v)    To Lender, such amount as necessary to reduce the amount outstanding to the Maximum Note Balance; next
(vi)    During the occurrence and continuation of an Event of Default, all amounts shall be paid to Lender until all Obligations have been paid in full; next
(vii)    If the Clean Up Time has been reached, all amounts shall be paid to Lender until all Obligations have been paid in full; next
(viii)    During the Draw Period, to Borrower for deposit into the Funding Account, to purchase Eligible Receivables via the Funding Account; next
(ix)    Without duplication of the expenses contemplated in clause (i) above, to Borrower, to pay and to satisfy obligations owing to or that may become owing to CCB or any other counterparty under the CCB Participation Agreement or any other Bank Transaction Document, if any, or to make a distribution or other payment to Parent or another party for the express and sole purpose of paying or reimbursing a party for any of the foregoing amounts for which Parent or such other party is obligated to pay; and next
(x)     All remaining amounts shall be paid to Borrower.
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(c)    Payment Matters. Whenever any payment of cash is to be made by any Credit Party to any Person pursuant to this Agreement, the Note or other Transaction Document, such payment shall be made in lawful money of the United States of America by a check drawn on the account or accounts of such Credit Party and sent via overnight courier service to such Person at such address as previously provided to the Borrower Representative in writing (which address, in the case of Lender, shall initially be as set forth on Schedule 1.1); provided that (i) Agent or Lender may elect to receive a payment of cash via wire transfer of immediately available funds by providing the Borrower Representative with prior written notice setting out such request and Agent’s or such Lender’s wire transfer instructions and (ii) Credit Parties may elect to make a payment of cash via wire transfer of immediately available funds in accordance with wire transfer instructions provided by Agent, Lender upon request therefor. Whenever any amount expressed to be due by the terms of this Agreement or any Note is due on any day which is not a Business Day, the same shall instead be due on the next succeeding day which is a Business Day and, in the case of any Interest Date which is not the date on which the Note is paid in full in cash, the extension of the due date thereof shall not be taken into account for purposes of determining the amount of interest due on such date. Any amount due under the Transaction Documents (other than principal and interest, if the same are already accruing interest at the Default Rate), which is not paid when due shall result in a late charge being incurred and payable by Borrower in an amount equal to accrued interest at the Default Rate from the date such amount was due until the same is paid in full in cash (“Late Charge”). Such Late Charge shall continue to accrue post-petition in any proceeding under any Bankruptcy Law.
Section 2.5Dispute Resolution. Except as otherwise provided herein, in the case of a dispute as to the determination of any amounts due and owing pursuant to a redemption under Section 2.3 or otherwise or any other similar or related amount, the Borrower Representative, on behalf of Borrower, shall submit the disputed determinations or arithmetic calculations via facsimile within three (3) Business Days of receipt, or deemed receipt, of the applicable notice of dispute to Agent. If Agent and the Borrower Representative are unable to agree upon such determination or calculation within three (3) Business Days of such disputed determination or arithmetic calculation being submitted to Agent, then Borrower Representative shall, within three (3) Business Days submit via facsimile the disputed determinations or arithmetic calculations to an independent outside national accounting firm specified by Agent. The Borrower Representative, at Borrower’s expense, shall cause the accountant to perform the determinations or calculations and notify Agent of the results no later than five (5) Business Days from the time it receives the disputed determinations or calculations. Such accountant’s determination or calculation, as the case may be, shall be binding upon all parties absent demonstrable error.
Section 2.6Taxes.
(a)All payments by or on behalf of the Credit Parties hereunder and under any other Transaction Document shall be made free and clear of and without deduction or withholding for any and all current or future Taxes, levies, imposts, deductions or charges unless required by law. If any Non-Excluded Taxes are required by law to be deducted or withheld from or in respect of any payment or sum payable hereunder or under any Transaction Document by any Withholding Agent to Agent or Lender, (i) the applicable Withholding Agent shall make such deductions and withholdings within the time allowed and in the minimum amount required by law, (ii) the sum payable by the applicable Credit Party shall be increased by the amount (an “Additional Amount”) necessary so that, after making all required deductions and withholdings (including deductions and withholdings applicable to additional sums payable under this Section 2.6(a)) Agent or such Lender, as applicable, shall receive an amount equal to the sum it would have received had no such deductions or withholdings been made and (iii) the Withholding Agent shall pay the full amount deducted or withheld to the relevant Governmental
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Authority in accordance with applicable law and shall promptly provide to Agent or Lender, as applicable, an evidence of such payment to the relevant Governmental Authority (in a form reasonably satisfactory to Agent or Lender, as applicable).
(b)Borrower will pay to the relevant Governmental Authority in accordance with applicable law any current or future stamp, stamp duty, registration, court, documentary, intangible, recording, filing or similar Taxes or any other excise or property taxes, charges or similar levies that arise from any payment made hereunder or under any Transaction Document, or from the execution, delivery, performance, enforcement or registration of, from the receipt or perfection of a security interest under, or otherwise with respect to, this Agreement or any Transaction Document that are or would be applicable to Agent or Lender (“Other Taxes”).
(c)The Credit Parties agree to indemnify Agent, Lender and their respective Affiliates for the full amount of Non-Excluded Taxes and Other Taxes paid by Agent, Lender or such Affiliates and any liability (including penalties, interest and expenses (including reasonable attorney’s and other advisors’ fees and expenses)) arising therefrom or with respect thereto, whether or not such Non-Excluded Taxes or Other Taxes were correctly or legally asserted by the relevant Governmental Authority. A certificate as to the amount of such payment or liability prepared by Agent, Lender or such Affiliate, absent manifest error, shall be final conclusive and binding for all purposes. Such indemnification shall be made within thirty (30) days after the date Agent, Lender or such Affiliate makes written demand therefor. Agent, Lender or any of their respective Affiliates shall notify the Borrower Representative in writing of the receipt by such Person of any written notice from any taxing authority demanding, or threatening to demand, any Tax indemnifiable by Borrower under this Section 2.6(c), within a reasonable period of time after receipt of such notice.
(d)On the Closing Date, and subsequently on or prior to the date on which a Lender became or becomes a Lender under this Agreement with respect to Borrower (and from time to time thereafter upon the reasonable request of Borrower or Agent), Lender has delivered or shall deliver to the Borrower Representative a completed and signed IRS Form W-8 or IRS Form W-9 (or any successor form), as applicable.
(e)The parties agree to treat and report amounts lent under this Agreement and any amount due under the Note as debt for U.S. federal, state and local income tax purposes. The Credit Parties agree to indemnify Agent, Lender and their respective Affiliates for the full amount of Taxes and Other Taxes paid by Agent, Lender or such Affiliates and any liability (including penalties, interest and expenses (including reasonably attorney’s and other advisors’ fees and expenses)) arising therefrom or with respect thereto, whether or not such Taxes and Other Taxes were correctly or legally asserted by the relevant Governmental Authority, to the extent such Taxes or Other Taxes are imposed as a result of the treatment of any amounts lent under this Agreement or any amount due under the Note as other than debt by any Governmental Authority.
(f)Survival. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein, each party’s obligations under this Section 2.6 and Section 11.12 shall survive the resignation, removal or replacement of Agent or any assignment of rights by, or the replacement of, Lender, the termination of the Commitment and the repayment, satisfaction or discharge of all obligations under any Transaction Document.
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Section 2.7Reissuance.
(a)Lost, Stolen or Mutilated Note. Upon receipt by the Borrower Representative of evidence reasonably satisfactory to the Borrower Representative of the loss, theft, destruction or mutilation of any Note and (i) in the case of loss, theft or destruction, upon delivery of an indemnity agreement reasonably satisfactory to the Borrower Representative, and (ii) in the case of mutilation, upon surrender and cancellation of the mutilated Note, Borrower shall execute and deliver to Lender a new Note (in accordance with this Section 2.7) representing the outstanding principal.
(b)Issuance of New Note. Whenever Borrower is required to issue a new Note pursuant to the terms of this Agreement or the Note, such new Note (i) shall be of like tenor with the Note being replaced, (ii) shall represent, as indicated on the face of such new Note, the Commitment thereunder then in effect, (iii) shall have an Issuance Date, as indicated on the face of such new Note, which is the same as the Issuance Date of the Note being replaced, (iv) shall have the same rights and conditions as the Note being replaced, and (v) shall represent accrued interest on the principal, and Late Charges of the Note being replaced from such Issuance Date.
ARTICLE 3
CLOSING
Section 3.1Closing. In consideration for Lender’s commitment to fund draws under the Note in accordance with the terms hereof, Borrower shall issue and sell to Lender on the Closing Date, and Lender agrees to purchase from Borrower on the Closing Date, the Note in the aggregate principal amount of the Commitment. The closing (the “Closing”) of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement and the issuance of the Note by Borrower shall virtually. The date and time of the Closing (the “Closing Date”) shall be 10:00 a.m., Dallas time, on the date hereof, subject to notification of satisfaction (or waiver) of the conditions to the Closing set forth in Section 4.1 (or such later date as is mutually agreed to by the Borrower Representative and Lender). On the Closing Date, Borrower shall deliver to Lender the Note which such Lender is then purchasing, duly executed on behalf of Borrower.
ARTICLE 4
CONDITIONS TO CLOSING AND LENDER’S OBLIGATION TO PURCHASE
Section 4.1Closing. The obligation of Agent and Lender to close the transactions contemplated by this Agreement is subject to the satisfaction, at or before the Closing Date, of each of the following conditions:
(a)(i)    Borrower shall have executed and delivered to Lender the Note being issued to Lender at the Closing pursuant to this Agreement; and
    (ii)    the Credit Parties shall have executed and delivered to Agent each of the other Transaction Documents to which it is a party.
(b)Borrower shall have executed and delivered, or caused to be delivered, to Agent evidence satisfactory to Agent that Borrower shall pay to Agent on the Closing Date all fees and other amounts due and owing thereon under this Agreement and the other Transaction Documents.
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(c)The Credit Parties shall have executed and/or delivered, or caused to be delivered, to Agent, without duplication, the deliveries set forth in the Index of Closing Documents attached hereto as Exhibit H.
(d)Each Credit Party shall have executed and delivered, or caused to be delivered, to Agent:
(i)a certificate evidencing its organization or formation (as applicable) and good standing in its jurisdiction of organization issued by the Secretary of State of such jurisdiction, as of a date reasonably proximate to the Closing Date;
(ii)a certificate evidencing its qualification as a foreign limited liability company or other entity (as applicable) and good standing issued by the Secretary of State (or comparable office) of each jurisdiction in which such Person is qualified to conduct business and failure to so qualify would cause a Material Adverse Effect, as of a date reasonably proximate to Closing Date;
(iii)a certificate as to the fact that no action has been taken with respect to any merger, consolidation, liquidation or dissolution of such Person, or with respect to the sale of substantially all of its assets, nor is any such action pending or contemplated; and
(iv)a certificate, executed by the secretary (or other authorized officer) of such Person and dated the Closing Date, as to (A) the resolutions consistent with Section 5.2 as adopted by such Person’s board of directors (or similar governing body) in a form reasonably acceptable to Agent, (B) such Person’s certificate of incorporation (or similar document), each as in effect at the Closing, (C) such Person’s bylaws (or similar document), each as in effect at the Closing, and (D) no action having been taken by such Person or its stockholders, members, directors or officers (as applicable) in contemplation of any amendments to items (A), (B), or (C) listed in this Section 4.1(d)(iv), as certified in the form attached hereto as Exhibit C.
(e)Borrower shall have obtained and delivered to Agent:
(i)the opinions of Outside Legal Counsel in form and substance acceptable to Agent and its legal counsel, dated the Closing Date, including a non-consolidation opinion with respect to Borrower and Parent (in which Borrower is paired with Parent and ECI, and Parent is paired with ECI, for the basis of analysis under such non-consolidation opinion);
(ii)all governmental, regulatory and third party consents, approvals and notifications, if any, necessary for the closing of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement and the issuance of the Note to be issued at the Closing;
(iii)if requested by Agent, updated Lien searches in the jurisdictions of organization of each Credit Party, the jurisdiction of the chief executive offices of each Credit Party and each jurisdiction where a filing would need to be made in order to perfect Agent’s and Lender’s security interest in the Collateral, copies of the financing statements on file in such jurisdictions and evidence that no Liens exist other than Permitted Liens;
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(iv)such information in form, scope and substance reasonably satisfactory to Agent regarding environmental matters relating to all real property owned, leased, operated or used by the Credit Parties as of the Closing Date;
(v)a certificate from the chief financial officer of Borrower (or other authorized executive officer performing a similar function) in form and substance satisfactory to Agent, supporting the conclusions that, after giving effect to the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents, the Credit Parties taken as a whole are not Insolvent; and
(vi)if requested by Agent, updated certificates from Borrower’s insurance broker or other evidence satisfactory to it that all insurance required to be maintained pursuant to this Agreement is in full force and effect, together with endorsements naming Agent, for the benefit of Lender, as additional insured and lender’s loss payee thereunder, as applicable.
(f)Each Credit Party shall have authorized the filing of UCC financing statements for each appropriate jurisdiction as is necessary, in Agent’s sole discretion, to perfect Agent’s security interest in the Collateral.
(g)Borrower shall have caused to be executed and delivered, to Agent such landlord waivers, collateral access agreements or other similar documents as Agent may reasonably request.
(h)The representations and warranties of the Credit Parties shall be true and correct in all material respects (without duplication of any materiality qualifiers) as of the date when made and as of the Closing Date as though made at that time (except for representations and warranties that speak as of a specific date, which shall be true and correct in all material respects (without duplication of any materiality qualifiers) as of such specific date), and the Credit Parties shall have performed, satisfied and complied in all respects with the covenants, agreements and conditions required by the Transaction Documents to be performed, satisfied or complied with by the Credit Parties at or prior to the Closing Date. Agent shall have received a certificate, executed by the chief executive officer of the Borrower Representative (or other authorized executive officer performing a similar function), dated the Closing Date, to the foregoing effect and as to such other matters as may be reasonably requested by Agent, in the form attached hereto as Exhibit D.
(i)No Event of Default (or event or circumstance that, with the passage of time, the giving of notice, or both, would become an Event of Default) shall have occurred and be continuing or would result from the closing of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement or issuance of the Note to be issued at the Closing.
(j)The Credit Parties shall have paid or reimbursed Agent and Lender for all costs and expenses required to be paid or reimbursed by them on the Closing Date in accordance with Section 6.22.
Section 4.2Subsequent Draws. The obligation of Lender hereunder to fund any draw under the Note subsequent to the Closing Date, but prior to the end of the Draw Period, is subject to the satisfaction, at the funding date thereof, of each of the following conditions:
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(a)Each representation and warranty by any Credit Party contained herein and in each other Transaction Document shall be true and correct in all material respects (without duplication of any materiality qualifiers) as of such date (subject to such updates to the Schedules, if any, as are approved by Agent in its reasonable discretion), except to the extent that such representation or warranty expressly relates to an earlier date, including the Closing Date (in which event such representations and warranties shall be true and correct in all material respects (without duplication of any materiality qualifiers) as of such earlier date).
(b)No Event of Default or event or circumstance which, with the giving of notice, the lapse of time, or both, would (if not cured or otherwise remedied during such time) constitute an Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing or would result after giving effect to such draw.
(c)After giving effect to such draw or issuance, as applicable, the aggregate outstanding principal amount of the Note would not exceed the Maximum Note Balance.
(d)The funding date shall be a Permitted Draw Date.
(e)The Credit Parties shall have paid or reimbursed Agent and Lender for all costs and expenses required to be paid or reimbursed by them on the Permitted Draw Date in accordance with Section 6.22.
(f)Borrower shall have delivered a Borrowing Base Certificate, certified on behalf of Borrower by the chief financial officer of the Borrower Representative (or other authorized executive officer performing a similar function), setting forth the Borrowing Base of Borrower as of a date no earlier than the end of the most recently ended fiscal month and no later than the day immediately preceding the funding date.
The request by the Borrower Representative and acceptance by Borrower of the proceeds of any additional draw under the Note made after the Closing Date shall be deemed to constitute, as of the date thereof, (i) a representation and warranty by Borrower that the conditions in this Section 4.2 have been satisfied and (ii) a reaffirmation by each Credit Party of the granting and continuance of Agent’s Liens, on behalf of Lender, pursuant to the Transaction Documents.
ARTICLE 5
CREDIT PARTIES’ REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES
As an inducement to Agent and Lender to enter into this Agreement and to consummate the transactions contemplated hereby, each of the Credit Parties jointly and severally represents and warrants to each of Agent and Lender that each and all of the following representations and warranties (as supplemented by the disclosure schedules delivered to Agent and Lender contemporaneously with the execution and delivery of this Agreement (the “Schedules”)) are true and correct as of the Closing Date.
Section 5.1Organization and Qualification. Each Credit Party is duly organized and validly existing in good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction in which they are formed, and have the requisite limited liability company power and authorization to own their properties, carry on their business as now being conducted, enter into the Transaction Documents to which they are party and carry out the transactions contemplated thereby. Each Credit Party is duly qualified as a foreign entity to do business and is in good standing in every jurisdiction in which its ownership of property or the nature
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of the business conducted by it makes such qualification necessary, except to the extent that the failure to be so qualified or be in good standing would not have, either individually or in the aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect. Except as set forth on Schedule 5.1, (i) no Credit Party has any Subsidiaries and (ii) all Capital Stock or other equity or similar interests of the Subsidiaries is directly or indirectly owned by a Credit Party, as set forth therein.
Section 5.2Authorization; Enforcement; Validity. Each of the Credit Parties has the requisite power and authority to enter into and perform its obligations under this Agreement, the Note, the Security Agreement, each of the other Security Documents, and each of the other agreements, documents and certificates entered into by the parties hereto in connection with the transactions contemplated by this Agreement (collectively, the “Transaction Documents”) and to issue the Note in accordance with the terms hereof and thereof. The execution and delivery of the Transaction Documents by the Credit Parties have been duly authorized by each of the Credit Parties’ respective board of directors (or other governing body) and the consummation by the Credit Parties of the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby including, without limitation, the issuance of the Note by Borrower have been duly authorized by the respective Credit Party’s board of directors (or other governing body), and (other than filings with “Blue Sky” authorities as required therein) no further filing, consent, or authorization is required by any Credit Party, its board of directors (or other governing body) or its stockholders or any parties in a similar capacity. This Agreement and the other Transaction Documents have been duly executed and delivered by each of the Credit Parties thereto, and constitute the legal, valid and binding obligations of each of the Credit Parties party thereto, enforceable against each of such Credit Parties in accordance with their respective terms, except as such enforceability may be limited by general principles of equity or applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium, liquidation or similar laws relating to, or affecting generally, the enforcement of applicable creditors’ rights and remedies.
Section 5.3Issuance of Note. The Note is duly authorized and, upon issuance in accordance with the terms hereof, shall be validly issued and free from all Taxes, liens and charges with respect to the issue thereof.
Section 5.4No Conflicts. Neither the execution, delivery and performance of the Transaction Documents by the Credit Parties party thereto, nor the consummation by the Credit Parties of the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby (including, without limitation, the issuance of the Note) will: (a) result in a violation of any Credit Party’s certificate of formation, limited liability company agreement or other governing or constitutional documents, or the terms of any Capital Stock or other Equity Interests of any Credit Party; (b) conflict with, or constitute a breach or default (or an event which, with notice or lapse of time or both, would become a breach or default) under, or give to others any rights of termination, amendment, acceleration or cancellation of, any Credit Card Agreement or any other agreement, indenture or instrument to which any Credit Party is a party; (c) result in any “price reset” or other material change in or other modification to the terms of any Indebtedness, Equity Interests or other securities of any Credit Party; or (d) result in a violation of any law, rule, regulation, order, judgment or decree (including, without limitation, (i) any Environmental Laws, (ii) any Requirements or (iii) any federal or state securities laws).
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Section 5.5Consents. Except as set forth on Schedule 5.5, no Credit Party is required to obtain any consent, authorization, approval, order, license, franchise, permit, certificate or accreditation of, or make any filing or registration with, any court, governmental agency or any regulatory or self-regulatory agency or authority or any other Person in order for it to execute, deliver or perform any of its obligations under or contemplated by the Transaction Documents, in each case in accordance with the terms hereof or thereof (other than filings required by the Security Documents). All consents, authorizations, approvals, orders, licenses, franchises, permits, certificates or accreditations of, filings and registrations set forth on Schedule 5.5 have been obtained or effected on or prior to the Closing Date.
Section 5.6Subsidiary Rights. Each Credit Party has the unrestricted right to vote, and (subject to limitations imposed by applicable law) to receive dividends and distributions on, all capital and other equity securities of its Subsidiaries as owned by any Credit Party.
Section 5.7Equity Capitalization. As of the Closing Date, the authorized Capital Stock and the issued and outstanding Equity Interests of each Credit Party is as set forth on Schedule 5.7. All of such outstanding shares of Capital Stock or other Equity Interests of the Credit Parties have been duly authorized, validly issued and are fully paid and nonassessable and are owned by the Persons and in the amounts set forth on Schedule 5.7. Except as set forth on Schedule 5.7: (a) no Credit Party’s Capital Stock or other Equity Interest in any other Credit Party is subject to preemptive rights or any other similar rights or any liens or encumbrances suffered or permitted by such Credit Party; (b) there are no outstanding options, warrants, scrip, rights to subscribe to, calls or commitments of any character whatsoever relating to, or securities or rights convertible into, or exercisable or exchangeable for, any Capital Stock or other Equity Interests in any Credit Party, or contracts, commitments, understandings or arrangements by which any Credit Party or any of their Subsidiaries is or may become bound to issue additional Capital Stock or other Equity Interests in such Credit Party or options, warrants, scrip, rights to subscribe to, calls or commitments of any character whatsoever relating to, or securities or rights convertible into, or exercisable or exchangeable for, any Capital Stock or other Equity Interests in any Credit Party; (c) there are no outstanding debt securities, notes, credit agreements, credit facilities or other agreements, documents or instruments evidencing Indebtedness of any Credit Party or by which any Credit Party is or may become bound other than Permitted Indebtedness; (d) there are no financing statements securing obligations in any material amounts, either singly or in the aggregate, filed in connection with any Credit Party; (e) there are no agreements or arrangements under which any Credit Party is obligated to register the sale of any of its securities under the 1933 Act; (f) there are no outstanding securities or instruments of any Credit Party which contain any redemption or similar provisions, and there are no contracts, commitments, understandings or arrangements by which any Credit Party is or may become bound to redeem a security of any Credit Party; (g) there are no securities or instruments containing anti-dilution or similar provisions that will be triggered by the closing of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement or the issuance of the Note; (h) no Credit Party has any stock appreciation rights or “phantom stock” plans or agreements or any similar plan or agreement and (i) no Credit Party has any liabilities or obligations required to be disclosed in its financial statements (including the footnotes thereto) that are not so disclosed. Prior to the Closing, Borrower has provided to Lender true, correct and complete copies of (i) each Credit Party’s certificate of formation (or other applicable governing or constitutional document), as amended and as in effect on the Closing Date, and (ii) each Credit Party’s limited liability company agreement (or other applicable governing or constitutional document), as applicable, as amended and as in effect on the Closing Date. Schedule 5.7 identifies all outstanding securities convertible into, or exercisable or exchangeable for, shares of Capital Stock or other Equity Interests in any Credit Party and the material rights of the holders thereof in respect thereto.
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Section 5.8Indebtedness and Other Contracts. Except as disclosed on Schedule 5.8, no Credit Party (i) has any outstanding Indebtedness other than Permitted Indebtedness, (ii) is a party to any contract, agreement or instrument, the violation of which, or default under which, by the other party(ies) to such contract, agreement or instrument could reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect or (iii) is in violation of any term of or in default under any contract, agreement or instrument relating to any Indebtedness or any contract, agreement or instrument entered into in connection therewith that could reasonably be expected to result in, either individually or in the aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect.
Section 5.9Off Balance Sheet Arrangements. There is no transaction, arrangement, or other relationship between any Credit Party and an unconsolidated or other off balance sheet entity that would be reasonably likely to have, either individually or in the aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect.
Section 5.10Title. Each of the Credit Parties has (i) good and marketable title to (in the case of fee interests in real property), (ii) valid leasehold interests in (in the case of leasehold interests in real or personal property), (iii) adequate rights in (in the case of licensed interests in Intellectual Property Rights and Intellectual Property Rights that are not wholly owned by a Credit Party), and (iv) good and marketable title to (in the case of all other personal property) all of its real property and other properties and assets owned by it which are material to the business of such Credit Party or such Subsidiary, in each case free and clear of all liens, encumbrances and defects, other than Permitted Liens. Any real property and facilities held under lease by any Credit Party are held by it under valid and enforceable leases.
Section 5.11Intellectual Property Rights. Each Credit Party owns or possesses adequate rights to use all trademarks, trade names, service marks, service mark registrations, service names, patents, patent rights, copyrights, inventions, trade secrets and other intellectual property rights (“Intellectual Property Rights”) that are necessary and material to conduct its respective business and no Credit Party has previously granted any Lien on any such Intellectual Property Rights other than Permitted Liens. Except as described on Schedule 5.11, no registered Intellectual Property Rights that are owned by a Credit Party has expired or terminated, or are expected to expire or terminate within five (5) years from the Closing Date. Except as described on Schedule 5.11, (a) no Credit Party has any knowledge of any infringement, misappropriation, dilution or other violation by any Credit Party of Intellectual Property Rights owned by other Persons; (b) none Credit Party has any knowledge of any infringement, misappropriation, dilution or other violation by any other Persons of the Intellectual Property Rights owned by any Credit Party; (c) there is no claim, action or proceeding pending before any court, judicial body, administrative or regulatory agency, arbitrator or other governmental authority or, to the knowledge of each of the Credit Parties, threatened in writing, against any Credit Party contesting or challenging the validity, scope or enforceability of, or a Credit Party’s ownership of or right to use, its owned Intellectual Property Rights or the Intellectual Property Rights it licenses from other Persons; and (d) no Credit Party is aware of any facts or circumstances which reasonably could be expected to give rise to any of the foregoing infringements or claims, actions or proceedings. Each Credit Party has taken and is taking commercially reasonable security measures to maintain and protect the secrecy, confidentiality and value of the trade secrets and other confidential information it owns.
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Section 5.12Creation, Perfection, and Priority of Liens. The Security Documents are effective to create in favor of Agent, for the benefit of Lender, a legal, valid, binding, and (upon the filing of the appropriate UCC financing statements, the transfer of possession of original certificated securities together with appropriate transfer instruments and the delivery of deposit account control agreements) enforceable perfected first priority (subject to Permitted Liens) security interest and Lien in the Collateral described therein as security for the Obligations to the extent that a legal, valid, binding, and enforceable security interest and Lien in such Collateral may be created under applicable law including without limitation, the uniform commercial code as in effect in any applicable jurisdiction (“UCC”) and any other applicable governmental agencies.
Section 5.13Absence of Certain Changes; Insolvency. Since June 30, 2021 (the “Diligence Date”), there has been no material adverse change in the business, assets, properties, operations, condition (financial or otherwise), results of operations or prospects of any Credit Party. Since the Diligence Date, neither any Credit Party nor any of their Subsidiaries has (i) declared or paid any dividends or (ii) sold any material assets. Except as described on Schedule 5.13, no Credit Party has taken any steps to seek protection pursuant to any bankruptcy law nor does any Credit Party have any knowledge that its creditors intend to initiate involuntary bankruptcy proceedings or any actual knowledge of any fact which would reasonably lead a creditor to do so. No Credit Party intends to incur debts beyond its ability to pay such debts as they mature (taking into account the timing and amounts of cash to be payable on or in respect of its debt). No Credit Party is, as of the Closing Date, or after giving effect to the transactions contemplated hereby to occur at the Closing, will be, Insolvent. Without limitation of the foregoing, no corporate action, legal proceeding or other procedure or step in respect of any Insolvency Proceeding or expropriation, attachment, sequestration, distress or execution or any analogous process in any jurisdiction over any asset or assets of a Credit Party.
Section 5.14Absence of Proceedings. There is no action, suit, proceeding, inquiry or investigation before or by any court, public board, Governmental Authority (including, without limitation, the SEC, self-regulatory organization or other governmental body) (in each case, a “Proceeding”) pending or, to the knowledge of any Credit Party, threatened in writing against or affecting any Credit Party or any of its officers or directors which (i) could reasonably be expected to result, either individually or in the aggregate, in a Material Adverse Effect, (ii) if adversely determined, could reasonably be expected to result, either individually or in the aggregate, in a Material Adverse Effect, or (iii) questions the validity of this Agreement, any of the other Transaction Documents or any of the transactions contemplated hereby or thereby or any action taken or to be taken pursuant hereto or thereto.
Section 5.15No Undisclosed Events, Liabilities, Developments or Circumstances. No event, liability, development or circumstance has occurred or exists, or is contemplated to occur or may occur with respect to any Credit Party or its business, properties, prospects, operations or financial condition, that would reasonably be expected to have, either individually or in the aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect. For the purposes of this Section 5.15 only, any gross negligence, willful misconduct or fraud in the conduct of business by any Credit Party, as determined by a court of competent jurisdiction in a final, non-appealable judgment or order, shall be presumed to have, or be reasonably expected to have, a Material Adverse Effect.
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Section 5.16No Disagreements with Accountants and Lawyers. There are no disagreements of any kind presently existing, or reasonably anticipated by any Credit Party to arise, between any Credit Party and the accountants and lawyers formerly or presently employed by Credit Parties which would reasonably be expected to affect the ability of the Credit Parties to perform any of their obligations under any of the Transaction Documents.
Section 5.17No General Solicitation; Placement Agent’s Fees. None of Borrower, any of its Affiliates, nor any Person acting on its or their behalf, has engaged in any form of general solicitation or general advertising (within the meaning of Regulation D) in connection with the offer or sale of the Note. No Credit Party has engaged any placement agent or other agent in connection with the closing of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement or the issuance of the Note.
Section 5.18Tax Status. Each Credit Party (i) have made or filed all foreign, federal, state and local income Tax Returns and all other material Tax Returns, reports and declarations required by any jurisdiction to which they are subject and all such Tax Returns were correct and complete in all respects and were prepared in substantial compliance with all applicable laws and regulations, (ii) have paid all Taxes and other governmental assessments and charges due and owing (whether or not shown on any Tax Return), and (iii) have set aside on their books adequate reserves in accordance with GAAP for the payment of all Taxes due and owing by any Credit Party. There are no unpaid Taxes in any material amount claimed to be delinquent by the taxing authority of any jurisdiction (other than those being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings promptly instituted and diligently conducted and subject to adequate reserves taken by Credit Parties as shall be required in conformity with GAAP), and the officers of each of the Credit Parties know of no basis for any such claim. No claim has ever been made by an authority in a jurisdiction where any Credit Party does not file Tax Returns that any Credit Party is or may be subject to taxation by that jurisdiction. There are no Liens for Taxes (other than Taxes not yet due and payable) upon any of the assets of the Credit Parties.
Section 5.19Transfer Taxes. On the Closing Date, all transfer or Other Taxes (other than income or similar taxes) which are required to be paid in connection with the issuance of the Note to Lender hereunder will be, or will have been, fully paid or provided for by the Credit Parties, and all laws imposing such Taxes will be or will have been complied with. Without limitation of the foregoing, it is not necessary under the laws of each Relevant Jurisdiction of the Credit Parties that the Transaction Documents be filed, recorded or enrolled with any court or other authority in that jurisdiction or that any stamp, registration, notarial or similar taxes or fees be paid on or in relation to the Transaction Documents or the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents.
Section 5.20Conduct of Business; Compliance with Laws; Regulatory Permits. No Credit Party is in violation of any term of or in default under its articles of organization or operating agreement or other governing documents. No Credit Party is in violation of any judgment, decree or order or any law, rule, regulation, statute or ordinance applicable to any Credit Party (including, without limitation, all Environmental Laws and the Requirements). As of the Closing Date and the date of each Subsequent Draw, all Credit Card Agreements, Bank Transaction Documents and related Receivables (or participation interests therein) originated or purchased on or after the Closing Date have been originated by CCB and have been purchased by Borrower in compliance with applicable law and the Program Guidelines and are being serviced by the applicable Credit Parties in compliance with applicable law and the Program Guidelines except to the extent that any such noncompliance would not reasonably be expected to have, either individually or in the aggregate, in a Material Adverse Effect. Schedule 5.20 (as such Schedule shall be updated from time to time by the Credit Parties by written notice to Agent) sets forth all United States federal and state and applicable foreign regulatory licenses, material consents,
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authorizations, approvals, orders, licenses, franchises, permits, certificates, accreditations and permits and all other appropriate regulatory authorities necessary to conduct the respective businesses of the Credit Parties, and except as set forth on Schedule 5.20 (as such Schedule shall be updated from time to time by the Credit Parties by written notice to Agent), all of such United States federal and state and applicable foreign regulatory licenses, material consents, authorizations, approvals, orders, licenses, franchises, permits, certificates, accreditations and permits and other appropriate regulatory authorities are valid and in effect and no Credit Party has received any notice of proceedings or entered into formal or informal discussions relating to the revocation or modification of any such United States federal and state and applicable foreign regulatory licenses, consents, authorizations, approvals, orders, licenses, franchises, permits, certificates, accreditations or permits. To the knowledge of each of the Credit Parties, it is not necessary under the laws of its Relevant Jurisdictions:
(a)in order to enable Agent or Lender to enforce their respective rights under any Transaction Document; or
(b)by reason of the execution of any Transaction Document or the performance by it of its obligations under any Transaction Document,
that Agent or Lender be licensed, qualified or otherwise entitled to carry on business in any of its Relevant Jurisdictions. None of Agent or Lender is or will be deemed to be resident, domiciled or carrying on business in its Relevant Jurisdictions solely by reason of the execution, performance and/or enforcement of any Transaction Document.
Section 5.21Foreign Corrupt Practices. No Credit Party, nor any director, officer, agent, employee or other Person acting on behalf of any Credit Party has, in the course of its actions for, or on behalf of, any Credit Party (i) used any corporate funds for any unlawful contribution, gift, entertainment or other unlawful expenses relating to political activity; (ii) made any direct or indirect unlawful payment to any foreign or domestic government official or employee from corporate funds; (iii) violated or is in violation of any provision of the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977, as amended; or (iv) made any unlawful bribe, rebate, payoff, influence payment, kickback or other unlawful payment to any foreign or domestic government official or employee.
Section 5.22Environmental Laws. Each Credit Party (a) (i) is in compliance with any and all Environmental Laws, (ii) has received all permits, licenses or other approvals required of them under applicable Environmental Laws to conduct their respective businesses, (iii) is in compliance with all terms and conditions of any such permit, license or approval, and (iv) has no outstanding Liability under any Environmental Laws and are not aware of any facts that could reasonably result in Liability under any Environmental Laws, in each of the foregoing clauses of this clause (a), except to the extent, either individually or in the aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect could not reasonably be expected to occur, and (b) have provided Agent and Lender with copies of all environmental reports, assessments and other documents in any way related to any actual or potential Liability under any Environmental Laws.
Section 5.23Margin Stock. No Credit Party is engaged in the business of extending credit for the purpose of purchasing or carrying margin stock (within the meaning of Regulation U of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System), and no part of the proceeds from the Note will be used (a) to directly purchase or carry any margin stock, (b) to the knowledge of the Credit Parties, without inquiry, to extend credit to others for the purpose of purchasing or carrying any margin stock, or (c) for any purpose that violates the provisions of Regulation T, U or X of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System.
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Section 5.24ERISA; Pension Schemes. Except as set forth on Schedule 5.24, neither any Credit Party nor any ERISA Affiliate (a) maintains or has maintained any Pension Plan, (b) contributes or has contributed to any Multiemployer Plan or (c) provides or has provided post-retirement medical or insurance benefits with respect to employees or former employees (other than benefits required under Section 601 of ERISA, Section 4980B of the Code or applicable federal, state or foreign law). Except as set forth on Schedule 5.24, neither any Credit Party nor any ERISA Affiliate has received any notice or has any knowledge to the effect that it is not in material compliance with any of the requirements of ERISA, the Code or applicable federal, state or foreign law with respect to any Employee Benefit Plan. No ERISA Event exists. Each Employee Benefit Plan which is intended to qualify under the Code has received a favorable determination letter (or opinion letter in the case of a prototype Employee Benefit Plan) to the effect that such Employee Benefit Plan is so qualified and to Credit Parties’ knowledge, there exists no reasonable basis for the revocation of such determination or opinion letter. Neither any Credit Party nor any ERISA Affiliate has (i) any unpaid minimum required contributions under any Plan, whether or not waived, (ii) any liability under Section 4201 or 4243 of ERISA for any withdrawal, or partial withdrawal, from any Multiemployer Plan, (iii) a Pension Plan that is “at risk” within the meaning of Section 430 of the Code, (iv) received notice from any Multiemployer Plan that it is either in endangered or critical status within the meaning of Section 432 of the Code or (v) any material liability or knowledge of any facts or circumstances which reasonably might be expected to result in any material liability to the PBGC, the Internal Revenue Service, the Department of Labor or any participant in connection with any Employee Benefit Plan (other than routine claims for benefits under the Employee Benefit Plan).
Section 5.25Investment Company. No Credit Party is a “registered investment company” or a company “controlled” by a “registered investment company” or a “principal underwriter” of a “registered investment company” as such terms are defined in the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended.
Section 5.26U.S. Real Property Holding Corporation. No Credit Party is, nor has it ever been, a U.S. real property holding corporation within the meaning of Section 897 of the Code, as amended, and the Credit Parties will so certify upon the request of Agent.
Section 5.27Internal Accounting and Disclosure Controls. The Credit Parties maintain a system of internal accounting controls sufficient to provide reasonable assurance that (a) transactions are executed in accordance with management’s general or specific authorizations, (b) transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in conformity with GAAP and to maintain asset and liability accountability, (c) access to assets or incurrence of liabilities is permitted only in accordance with management’s general or specific authorization and (d) the recorded accountability for assets and liabilities is compared with the existing assets and liabilities at reasonable intervals and appropriate action is taken with respect to any difference. During the twelve (12) months immediately prior to the Closing Date, no Credit Party has received any written notice or correspondence from any accountant relating to any potential material weakness in any part of the system of internal accounting controls of any Credit Party.
Section 5.28Accounting Reference Date. The Accounting Reference Date of each Credit Party is December 31.
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Section 5.29Transactions With Affiliates. Except (a) as set forth on Schedule 5.29 and (b) for transactions that have been entered into on terms no less favorable to the Credit Parties than those that might be obtained at the time from a Person who is not an officer, director or employee, none of the officers, directors or employees of any Credit Party is presently a party to any transaction with any Credit Party (other than for ordinary course services as employees, officers or directors), including any contract, agreement or other arrangement providing for the furnishing of services to or by, providing for rental of real or personal property to or from, or otherwise requiring payments to or from any such officer, director or employee or, to the knowledge of the Credit Parties, any corporation, partnership, trust or other entity in which any such officer, director, or employee has a substantial interest or is an officer, director, trustee or partner.
Section 5.30Acknowledgment. Each of the Credit Parties acknowledges and agrees that Lender is acting solely in the capacity of an arm’s length lender with respect to the Transaction Documents and the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby and that Lender is not (a) an officer or director of any Credit Party or any of their Subsidiaries or (b) an Affiliate of any Credit Party or any of their Subsidiaries. Each of the Credit Parties further acknowledges that Lender is not acting as a financial advisor or fiduciary of any Credit Party or any of their Subsidiaries (or in any similar capacity) with respect to the Transaction Documents and the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby, and any advice given by Lender or any of its representatives or agents, including, without limitation, Agent, in connection with the Transaction Documents and the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby is merely incidental to Lender’s receipt of Note. Each of the Credit Parties further represents to Lender that each Credit Party’s decision to enter into the Transaction Documents to which it is a party have been based solely on the independent evaluation by such Person and its respective representatives.
Section 5.31Insurance. The Credit Parties are insured by insurers of recognized financial responsibility against such losses and risks and in such amounts as are prudent and customary in the businesses in which the Credit Parties are engaged. No Credit Party believes that it will not be able to renew its existing insurance coverage as and when such coverage expires or to obtain similar coverage from similar insurers as may be necessary to continue its business at a cost that would not have a Material Adverse Effect.
Section 5.32Full Disclosure. None of the representations or warranties made by any Credit Party in the Transaction Documents as of the date such representations and warranties are made or deemed made, and none of the statements contained in each exhibit, report, statement or certificate furnished by or on behalf of any Credit Party in connection with the Transaction Documents, contains any untrue statement of a material fact or omits any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements made therein, in light of the circumstances under which they are made, not misleading as of the time when made or delivered.
Section 5.33Employee Relations. No Credit Party is a party to any collective bargaining agreement or employs any member of a union in such person’s capacity as a union member or to perform union labor work. Each of the Credit Parties believes that its relations with its employees are good. As of the Closing Date, no executive officer of any Credit Party has notified such Credit Party that such officer intends to leave such Credit Party or otherwise terminate such officer’s employment with such Credit Party. As of the Closing Date, no executive officer of any Credit Party, to the knowledge of the Credit Parties, is, or is now expected to be, in violation of any material term of any employment contract, confidentiality, disclosure or proprietary information agreement, non-competition agreement, or any other contract or agreement or any restrictive covenant. Each Credit Party is in compliance with all federal, state, local and foreign laws and regulations respecting labor, employment and employment
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practices and benefits, terms and conditions of employment and wages and hours, except where failure to be in compliance would not, either individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.
Section 5.34Certain Other Representations and Warranties. Each Credit Card Agreement is a valid and subsisting agreement binding on the respective parties thereto, is in full force and effect in accordance with the terms thereof, no default or event of default exists under any such Credit Card Agreement, and no party to any such Credit Card Agreement has any accrued right to terminate any such Credit Card Agreement on account of a default by any Person or otherwise, except in each case, where the same would not, either individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect. Each of the Bank Transaction Documents complies in all material respects with all applicable laws, rules, regulations, orders, judgments and decrees (including, without limitation, all Environmental Laws and the Requirements). Each Bank Transaction Document is a valid and enforceable agreement binding on the respective parties thereto, is in full force and effect in accordance with the terms thereof and is currently being serviced in accordance with the Program Guidelines and the applicable Requirements, no default or event of default exists under any Bank Transaction Document, and no party to any such Bank Transaction Document (other than a Credit Party) has any accrued right to terminate any such Bank Transaction Document on account of a default by any Person or otherwise, except in each case, where the same would not, either individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect. The CCB Participation Agreement is a valid and enforceable agreement binding on CCB and Borrower, is in full force and effect in accordance with the terms thereof, is currently being serviced in accordance with the Program Guidelines and the applicable Requirements, no default or event of default exists under the CCB Participation Agreement, and no party to the CCB Participation Agreement (other than a Credit Party) has any accrued right to terminate the CCB Participation Agreement on account of a default by any Person or otherwise, except in each case, where the same would not, either individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.
Section 5.35Patriot Act. To the extent applicable, the Credit Parties and their Subsidiaries are in compliance, in all material respects, with (i) the Trading with the Enemy Act, as amended, and each of the foreign assets control regulations of the United States Treasury Department and any other enabling legislation or executive order relating thereto, and (ii) the Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism Act (Title III of Pub. L. 107-56 (signed into law October 26, 2001)).
Section 5.36Material Contracts. Schedule 5.36 contains a true, correct and complete list of all the Material Contracts (other than those of the type described in clause (a) of the definition thereof) of the Credit Parties (which Schedule shall be updated by the Credit Parties by written notice to Agent promptly following the execution of any such additional Material Contract following the Closing Date), and all such Material Contracts are in full force and effect and, to Credit Parties’ knowledge, no defaults currently exist thereunder.
ARTICLE 6
COVENANTS
Section 6.1Financial Covenants. The Credit Parties shall, and shall cause their Subsidiaries to, comply with the following financial covenants:
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(a)Trailing First Payment Default Rate. The Credit Parties shall not permit the Trailing First Payment Default Rate to be greater than twenty three percent (23%).
(b)Trailing Third Payment Default Rate. The Credit Parties shall not permit the Trailing Third Payment Default Rate to be greater than twelve percent (12%).
(c)Corporate Cash. The Credit Parties shall not permit the Corporate Cash of Parent to be less than $1,000,000.
(d)Six Months on Book Charge Off Rate. The Credit Parties shall not permit the Six Months on Book Charge Off Rate to be greater than four percent (4%) for any three (3) or more of the most recent twelve (12) Vintage Pools which have been held by Borrower for six (6) consecutive months; provided, however, if any Vintage Pool contains 25 or fewer accounts, then at Lender’s election Borrower and Lender shall use good faith efforts to combine such Vintage Pool with one or more other pools.
(e)Twelve Months on Book Charge Off Rate. The Credit Parties shall not permit the Twelve Months on Book Charge Off Rate to be greater than fifteen percent (15%) for any three (3) or more of the most recent twelve (12) Vintage Pools which have been held by Borrower for twelve (12) consecutive months; provided, however, if any Vintage Pool contains 25 or fewer accounts, then at Lender’s election Borrower and Lender shall use good faith efforts to combine such Vintage Pool with one or more other pools.
(f)Trailing Risk Adjusted Yield. The Credit Parties shall not permit the Trailing Risk Adjusted Yield in any month to be less than twelve percent (12%) for the prior three (3) months.
Section 6.2Deliveries. Borrower agrees to deliver the following to Agent via electronic (e-mail) transmission or other written means acceptable to Agent:
(a)Monthly Financial Statements. As soon as available and in any event within twenty-one (21) days after the end of each month (including December), the unaudited consolidated statements of profit and loss, cash flows and balance sheets of each of the Credit Parties individually and ECI as at the end of such month;
(b)[Reserved].
(c)Annual Financial Statements. As soon as available, and in any event within one hundred twenty (120) days after the end of each Fiscal Year, the audited balance sheet of Borrower as at the end of such Fiscal Year and the related audited statements of operations, stockholders’ equity and cash flows of Borrower for such Fiscal Year, setting forth in each case in comparative form the corresponding figures for the previous Fiscal Year, in reasonable detail and certified by the chief financial officer of ECI (or other authorized executive officer performing a similar function) as being true and correct and fairly presenting in accordance with GAAP, the financial position and results of operations of Borrower;
(d)Compliance Certificate and Borrowing Base Certificate. On the dates that the financial statements under clause (a) above are delivered, a duly completed Compliance Certificate and a duly completed Borrowing Base Certificate, each with appropriate insertions, dated the date of the
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applicable monthly financial statements, and signed on behalf of Borrower by the chief financial officer of the Borrower Representative (or other authorized executive officer performing a similar function), in the case of each Compliance Certificate (i) containing a computation of the covenants set forth in Section 6.1, (ii) indicating whether or not the Credit Parties are in compliance with each covenant set forth in Article 6 and whether each representation and warranty contained in Article 5 is true and correct in all material respects (without duplication of any materiality qualifiers) as though made on such date (except for representations and warranties that speak as of a specific date), which representations and warranties are true and correct in all material respects (without duplication of any materiality qualifiers as of such date), and (iii) to the effect that such officer has not become aware of any Event of Default (or event or circumstance that, with the passage of time, the giving of notice, or both, would become an Event of Default) that has occurred and is continuing or, if there is any such Event of Default (or event or circumstance that, with the passage of time, the giving of notice, or both, would become an Event of Default), describing it and the steps, if any, being taken to cure it;
(e)Monthly Data Tape. On the dates that the financial statements under clause (a) above are delivered, a data tape in a form acceptable to Agent in its sole discretion that contains information as to the Eligible Receivables portfolio submitted as of the most recent month end. The Credit Parties shall provide a data tape to Agent promptly after the Closing Date but in no event after October 31, 2021.
(f)Other Information.
(i)Monthly Reporting Package. On the dates that the financial statements under clause (a) above are delivered, a monthly operations reporting package, in form and detail reasonably acceptable to Agent, including delinquency reports, transactional data, data reconciliation summaries, and material updates regarding the Program.
(ii)    Other. Borrower shall provide Agent and Lender with access to daily and monthly performance files with respect to the Eligible Receivable such that Agent and Lender will be able to monitor and track the performance of such Eligible Receivables. Further, the Borrower Representative shall arrange for Lender, and its designees which are reasonably acceptable to the Borrower Representative, to have read-only access to the credit, data and legal files, and bank accounts under any Bank Transaction Documents to the extent necessary to confirm the existence of Eligible Receivables including all related disbursement and payment activity.
Section 6.3Notices. Borrower agrees to deliver the following to Agent via electronic (e-mail) transmission or other written means acceptable to Agent:
(a)Collateral Information. Upon request of Agent, a certificate of one of the duly authorized officers of the Borrower Representative on behalf of Borrower (i) either confirming that there has been no change in the information set forth in the perfection certificate executed and delivered to Agent on the Closing Date since such date or the date of the most recent certificate delivered pursuant to this Section 6.3 and/or identifying such changes, and (ii) certifying that all UCC financing statements (including fixtures filings, as applicable) and other appropriate filings, recordings and registrations have been filed of record in each governmental, municipal and other appropriate office in each jurisdiction identified pursuant to clause (i) above (or in such certificate) to the extent necessary to effect, protect and perfect the security interests under the Security Documents for a period of not less than 18 months
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after the date of such certificate (except as noted therein with respect to any continuation statements to be filed within such period);
(b)Auditor Reports. Promptly upon receipt thereof, copies of any reports submitted by the Credit Parties’ independent public accountants, if any, in connection with each annual, interim or special audit or review of any type of the financial statements or internal control systems of any Credit Party made by such accountants, including any comment letters submitted by such accountants to management of any Credit Party in connection with their services;
(c)Notice of Default. Promptly upon any officer of a Credit Party obtaining knowledge (i) of any condition or event that constitutes an Event of Default (or event or circumstance that, with the passage of time, the giving of notice, or both, would become an Event of Default) or that notice has been given to a Credit Party with respect thereto; (ii) that any Person has given any notice to the Credit Party or taken any other action with respect to any event or condition set forth in Article 8; or (iii) of the occurrence of any event or change that has caused or evidences, either in any case or in the aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect, a certificate of its chief executive officer or chief financial officer (or other authorized executive officer performing a similar function) specifying the nature and period of existence of such condition, event or change, or specifying the notice given and action taken by any such Person and the nature of such claimed Event of Default, default, event or condition, and the action(s) the Credit Parties have taken, are taking and propose to take with respect thereto;
(d)Notice of Litigation. Promptly upon any officer of a Credit Party obtaining knowledge of (i) the institution of, or nonfrivolous threat of, any adverse Proceeding against or affecting any Credit Party or any of its officers or directors not previously disclosed in writing by the Credit Parties to Agent, or (ii) any material development in any adverse Proceeding against or affecting any Credit Party or any of its officers or directors that, in the case of either clause (i) or (ii) if adversely determined, could be reasonably expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, or seeks to enjoin or otherwise prevent the consummation of, or to recover any damages or obtain relief as a result of, the transactions contemplated hereby, written notice thereof together with such other information as may be reasonably available to the Credit Parties to enable Agent and Lender and their counsel to evaluate such matters;
(e)ERISA. (i) Promptly upon becoming aware of the occurrence of or forthcoming occurrence of any ERISA Event, a written notice specifying the nature thereof, the action(s) any Credit Party or any of their respective ERISA Affiliates has taken, is taking or proposes to take with respect thereto and, when known, any action taken or threatened by the Internal Revenue Service, the Department of Labor or the PBGC with respect thereto; and (ii) with reasonable promptness, copies of (1) each Schedule B (Actuarial Information) to the annual report (Form 5500 Series) filed by any Credit Party or any of its ERISA Affiliates with the Internal Revenue Service with respect to each Pension Plan; (2) all notices received by the Credit Party or any of their respective ERISA Affiliates from a Multiemployer Plan sponsor concerning an ERISA Event; and (3) copies of such other documents or governmental reports or filings relating to any Employee Benefit Plan as Agent shall reasonably request;
(f)Insurance Report. Promptly upon request of Agent, a report by the Credit Parties’ insurance broker(s) in form and substance satisfactory to Agent outlining all material insurance coverage maintained as of the date of such report by the Credit Parties;
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(g)Environmental Reports and Audits. As soon as practicable following receipt thereof, copies of all environmental audits and reports with respect to environmental matters at any facility or property used by any Credit Party or which relate to any environmental liabilities of any Credit Party which, in any such case, individually or in the aggregate, could reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect;
(h)Corporate Information. Fifteen (15) days’ prior written notice of any change (i) in any Credit Parties’ corporate name, (ii) in any Credit Parties’ identity or organizational structure, (iii) in any Credit Parties’ jurisdiction of organization, or (iv) in any Credit Parties’ Federal Taxpayer Identification Number or state organizational identification number (or local equivalents thereof). The Credit Parties agree not to effect or permit any change referred to in the preceding sentence unless all filings have been made under the UCC or otherwise and all other actions that are required in order for Agent to continue at all times following such change to have a valid, legal and perfected security interest in all the Collateral as contemplated in the Security Agreement and other Transaction Documents;
(i)Tax Returns. Within ten (10) days following request by Agent, copies of each federal income tax return filed by or on behalf of Credit Parties, or if any one or more Credit Parties are consolidated with another entity for tax return purposes, copies of each federal income tax return filed by or on behalf of such other entity;
(j)Event of Loss. Promptly (and in any event within three (3) Business Days) notice of any claim with respect to any liability against any Credit Party that (i) is in excess of $250,000 or (ii) could reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect;
(k)Program and Portfolio Reporting. (i) No later than the fifth (5th) Business Day after the end of each calendar week, a performance report of the Program as of the end of business on Friday of such calendar week, in form and substance reasonably acceptable to Agent and (ii) together with the delivery of the financial statements and reports pursuant to Sections 6.2(a) and (b), a summary report with respect to the Receivable portfolio of Borrower containing such information as may be reasonably requested by Agent;
(l)Bank Transaction Documents. Promptly upon receipt thereof (including receipt by an Affiliate as applicable), (i) copies of all notices of the occurrence of a “Default”, an “Event of Default” or other event described by terms of similar import under the Bank Transaction Documents or any other material notices under the Bank Transaction Documents, (ii) notice of any cure or waiver of any “Default”, “Event of Default” or other event described by terms of similar import under the Bank Transaction Documents or any reservation of rights notice, and (iii) complete copies of any amendments, consents or waivers to, or with respect to the Bank Transaction Documents; and
(m)Other Information. Promptly upon their becoming available, deliver copies of (i) all financial statements, reports, notices and proxy statements sent or made available generally by any Credit Party to its security holders acting in such capacity, (ii) all regular and periodic reports and all registration statements and prospectuses, if any, filed by any Credit Party with any securities exchange or with the SEC or any governmental or private regulatory authority, (iii) all press releases and other statements made available generally by any Credit Party to the public concerning material developments in the business of any Credit Party, (iv) subject to limitations imposed by applicable law, all documents and information furnished to Governmental Authorities in connection with any investigation of any
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Credit Party (other than any routine inquiry) and (v) such other information and data with respect to any Credit Party as from time to time may be reasonably requested by Agent.
Section 6.4Rank. Subject to the relative priorities of the Note set forth in this Agreement, all Indebtedness due under the Note shall be senior in right of payment, whether with respect to payment of redemptions, interest, damages or upon liquidation or dissolution or otherwise, to all other current and future Indebtedness of the Credit Parties.
Section 6.5Incurrence of Indebtedness. No Credit Party shall, and no Credit Party shall permit any of its Subsidiaries to, directly or indirectly, create, incur or guarantee, assume, or suffer to exist any Indebtedness or engage in any sale and leaseback, synthetic lease or similar transaction, other than (i) the Obligations and (ii) Permitted Indebtedness.
Section 6.6Existence of Liens. No Credit Party shall, and no Credit Party shall permit any of its Subsidiaries to, directly or indirectly, allow or suffer to exist any Liens, other than Permitted Liens.
Section 6.7Restricted Payments. Except as otherwise permitted under Section 2.4(b)(viii), no Credit Party shall, and no Credit Party shall permit any of its Subsidiaries to, directly or indirectly,
(a)declare or pay any dividend or make any other payment or distribution (or interest on any unpaid dividend, charge, fee or other distribution) (whether in cash or in kind) on account of any Credit Party’s Equity Interests (including, without limitation, any payment in connection with any merger or consolidation involving any Credit Party) or to the direct or indirect holders of any Credit Party’s Equity Interests in their capacity as such, except that:
(i)    the Credit Parties may pay dividends (A) solely in Equity Interests and (B) in cash to the holders of their Equity Interests; provided, that with respect to this clause (B), no Event of Default (or event or circumstance that, with the passage of time, the giving of notice, or both, would become an Event of Default) has occurred and is continuing or would arise as a result of such payment; and
(ii)    Borrower may make monthly distributions of funds to Parent commencing on the fifth (5th) Business Day after the financial statements under Section 6.2(a) shall have been delivered for the applicable month; provided, that no Event of Default (or event or circumstance that, with the passage of time, the giving of notice, or both, would become an Event of Default) has occurred and is continuing or would arise as a result of such payment:
(b)repurchase, redeem, repay, defease, retire, distribute any dividend or share premium reserve or otherwise acquire or retire for value (including, without limitation, in connection with any merger or consolidation involving any Credit Party) any Equity Interests of any Credit Party or any direct or indirect parent of any Credit Party;
(c)make any payment (including by setoff) on or with respect to, accelerate the maturity of, or purchase, redeem, defease or otherwise acquire or retire for value any Indebtedness of any Credit Party (or set aside or escrow any funds for any such purpose), except for (i) payments of principal, interest and other amounts constituting Obligations and (ii) subject to the terms of applicable subordination terms, if any, regularly scheduled non accelerated payments of principal, interest and other amounts under Permitted Indebtedness; or
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(d)pay any management, consulting or similar fees to any Affiliate of any Credit Party or to any officer, director or employee of any Credit Party or any Affiliate of any Credit Party, except for the avoidance of doubt, a Credit Party may pay or reimburse its fair and reasonably allocated portion of advances, bonuses (including pre-funded bonuses) or stock incentives of personnel employed by Servicer who perform services for or behalf of any of the Credit Parties in the ordinary course of business.
Section 6.8Mergers; Acquisitions; Asset Sales. No Credit Party shall, without Agent’s prior written consent (which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld, conditions or delayed), (a) be a party to any merger or consolidation, or Acquisition or (b) consummate any Asset Sale other than a Permitted Disposition. Further, without the prior written consent of Agent, (i) no Credit Party shall enter into (or agree to enter into) any Division/Series Transaction and (ii) none of the provisions in this Agreement or any other Transaction Document shall be deemed to permit any Division/Series Transaction.
Section 6.9No Further Negative Pledges. No Credit Party shall enter into, assume or become subject to any agreement prohibiting or otherwise restricting the existence of any Lien upon any of their properties or assets in favor of Agent as set forth under the Transaction Documents, whether now owned or hereafter acquired, or requiring the grant of any security for any obligation if such property or asset is given as security under the Transaction Documents, except in connection with any Permitted Liens or any document or instrument governing any Permitted Liens, provided that any such restriction contained therein relates only to the property or asset subject to such Permitted Liens (or proceeds thereof).
Section 6.10Affiliate Transactions. No Credit Party shall enter into or permit to exist any transaction (including the purchase, sale, lease or exchange of any property or the rendering of any service) with any Affiliate of any Credit Party or any of their Subsidiaries, unless such transaction is on terms that are no less favorable to such Credit Party than those that might be obtained at the time from a Person who is not an Affiliate and, unless the same shall not require payments thereunder in an amount exceeding $500,000 in the aggregate, are fully disclosed in writing to Agent prior to consummation thereof.
Section 6.11Insurance.
(a)The Credit Parties shall keep the Collateral properly housed and insured against loss or damage by fire, theft, explosion, sprinklers, collision (in the case of motor vehicles) and such other risks as are customarily insured against by Persons engaged in businesses similar to that of the Credit Parties, with such companies, in such amounts, with such deductibles and under policies in such form as shall be reasonably satisfactory to Agent. Certificates of insurance or, if requested by Agent, original (or certified) copies of such policies of insurance have been or shall be, no later than the Closing Date, delivered to Agent, and shall contain an endorsement, in form and substance reasonably acceptable to Agent, showing loss under such insurance policies payable to Agent, for the benefit of Lender. Such endorsement, or an independent instrument furnished to Agent, shall provide that the insurance company shall give Agent at least thirty (30) days’ written notice before any such policy of insurance is altered or canceled and that no act, whether willful or negligent, or default of a Credit Party or any other Person shall affect the right of Agent to recover under such policy of insurance in case of loss or damage. Each Credit Party hereby directs all insurers under all policies of insurance to pay all proceeds payable thereunder directly to Agent. Each Credit Party irrevocably makes, constitutes and
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appoints Agent (and all officers, employees or agents designated by Agent) as such Person’s true and lawful attorney (and agent-in-fact) for the purpose of making, settling and adjusting claims under such policies of insurance, endorsing the name of such Person on any check, draft, instrument or other item of payment for the proceeds of such policies of insurance and making all determinations and decisions with respect to such policies of insurance, provided that if no Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing, such Credit Party may make, settle and adjust claims involving less than $50,000 in the aggregate without Agent’s consent.
(b)The Credit Parties shall maintain, at their expense, such public liability and third-party property damage insurance as is customary for Persons engaged in businesses similar to that of the Credit Parties with such companies and in such amounts with such deductibles and under policies in such form as shall be reasonably satisfactory to Agent in light of such customs and certificates of insurance or, if requested by Agent, original (or certified) copies of such policies have been or shall be, no later than the Closing Date, delivered to Agent; each such policy shall contain an endorsement showing Agent as additional insured thereunder and providing that the insurance company shall give Agent at least thirty (30) days’ written notice before any such policy shall be altered or canceled.
(c)If any Credit Party at any time or times hereafter shall fail to obtain or maintain any of the policies of insurance required above or to pay any premium relating thereto, then Agent, without waiving or releasing any obligation or default by the Credit Parties hereunder, may (but shall be under no obligation to) obtain and maintain such policies of insurance and pay such premiums and take such other actions with respect thereto as Agent reasonably deems advisable. Such insurance, if obtained by Agent, may, but need not, protect each Credit Parties’ interests or pay any claim made by or against any Credit Party with respect to the Collateral. Such insurance may be more expensive than the cost of insurance the Credit Parties may be able to obtain on their own and may be cancelled only upon the Credit Parties providing evidence that they have obtained the insurance as required above. All sums disbursed by Agent in connection with any such actions, including, without limitation, court costs, expenses, other charges relating thereto and reasonable attorneys’ fees, shall constitute part of the Obligations due and owing hereunder, shall be payable on demand by the Credit Parties to Agent and, until paid, shall bear interest at the Default Rate.
Section 6.12Corporate Existence and Maintenance of Properties.
(a)Each Credit Party shall maintain and preserve (a) its existence and good standing in the jurisdiction of its organization and (b) its qualification to do business and good standing in each jurisdiction where the nature of its business makes such qualification necessary (other than such jurisdictions in which the failure to be so qualified or in good standing could not reasonably be expected to have, either individually or in the aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect). Each Credit Party shall maintain or cause to be maintained in good repair, working order and condition, ordinary wear and tear excepted, all material properties used or useful in the business of the Credit Parties and from time to time will make or cause to be made all appropriate repairs, renewals and replacements thereof. The Credit Parties shall take all reasonable steps and actions from time to time reasonably necessary or desirable to preserve, protect and defend all of their rights, title and interest in, to and under each of the Bank Transaction Documents.
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(b)Borrower shall at all times be organized, maintain itself and hold itself out as a bankruptcy-remote single purpose entity. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, Borrower shall (i) have an independent director who, among other powers and authority, shall be required to vote affirmatively before Borrower can affirmatively file for bankruptcy, and maintain its organizational documents to authorize such independent director with such powers, in each case all on terms and conditions satisfactory to Agent in its sole discretion, and (ii) comply with all factual assumptions made by Borrower’s Outside Legal Counsel’s non-consolidation opinion.
Section 6.13Non-circumvention. Each Credit Party hereby covenants and agrees that none of the Credit Parties will, by amendment of its certificate of formation, limited liability company agreement, bylaws, or other governing documents, or through any reorganization, transfer of assets, consolidation, merger, scheme of arrangement, dissolution, issue or sale of securities, or any other voluntary action, avoid or seek to avoid the observance or performance of any of the terms of this Agreement or the other Transaction Documents, and will at all times in good faith carry out all of the provisions of this Agreement and the other Transaction Documents and take all reasonable action as may be required to protect the rights of Agent and Lender.
Section 6.14Change in Business; Change in Accounting. The Credit Parties shall not engage in any line of business other than the businesses engaged in on the Closing Date and activities reasonably incident thereto. The Credit Parties shall not (a) make any significant change in accounting treatment or reporting practices, except as required by GAAP, (b) change their Fiscal Year; method for determining fiscal quarters of any Credit Party or of any Subsidiary of any Credit Party or change their Accounting Reference Date, (c) change their name as it appears in official filings in its jurisdiction of organization or (d) change their jurisdiction of organization, in the case of clauses (c) and (d), without providing written notice to Agent no later than thirty (30) days following the occurrence of any such change.
Section 6.15U.S. Real Property Holding Corporation. None of the Credit Parties shall become a U.S. real property holding corporation or permit or cause its shares to be U.S. real property interests, within the meaning of Section 897 of the Code.
Section 6.16Compliance with Laws. No Credit Party shall fail to (a) comply in all material respects with the requirements of all applicable laws, rules, regulations and orders of any Governmental Authority (including, without limitation, all Environmental Laws and the Requirements) and (b) preserve and maintain in full force and effect all material rights, privileges, qualifications, permits, licenses and franchises necessary in the normal conduct of its business.
Section 6.17Additional Collateral. With respect to any Property acquired after the Closing Date by any Credit Party as to which Agent, for the benefit of Lender does not have a perfected Lien, such Credit Party shall promptly (i) execute and deliver to Agent, for the benefit of Lender such amendments to the Security Documents or such other documents as Agent, for the benefit of Lender deems necessary or advisable to grant to Agent, for the benefit of Lender, a security interest in such Property and (ii) take all other actions necessary or advisable to grant to Agent, for the benefit of Lender, a perfected first priority (subject to Permitted Liens) security interest in such Property including, without limitation, the filing of UCC financing statements in such jurisdictions as may be required by the Security Documents or by law or as may be requested by Agent. If at any time during the existence of an Event of Default, Agent seeks to collect or liquidate Collateral, the Credit Parties will use their best efforts to assist Agent in any such efforts, including effectuating a sale of such Collateral.
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Section 6.18Audit Rights; Field Exams; Appraisals; Meetings; Books and Records.
(a)The Credit Parties shall, upon reasonable notice and during reasonable business hours (except during the continuance of an Event of Default when no such limitations shall apply), subject to reasonable safety and security procedures, and at the Credit Parties’ sole cost and expense, permit Agent and Lender (or any of their respective designated representatives) to visit and inspect any of the properties of any Credit Party, to examine the books of account of any Credit Party (and to make copies thereof and extracts therefrom), and to discuss the affairs, finances and accounts of the Credit Parties and their Subsidiaries, and to be advised as to the same by their respective officers, and to conduct examinations and verifications (whether by internal commercial finance examiners or independent auditors), all at such reasonable times and intervals as Agent and Lender may reasonably request. In addition to the foregoing, Agent shall have the right, at the joint and several expense of the Credit Parties, to conduct a legal and/or regulatory review regarding the compliance of any Credit Parties, as well as the form of Credit Card Agreement (and any other agreements, certificates, instruments and documents related thereto), with all applicable laws, and any Credit Party shall cooperate with Agent and its internal and/or outside legal counsel or other third party advisors in such review. Except during the continuance of an Event of Default, Agent shall not exercise any of their rights pursuant to this Section 6.18(a) more than once per calendar year.
(b)The Credit Parties shall, upon reasonable notice and during reasonable business hours, subject to reasonable safety and security procedures, and at the Credit Parties’ sole cost and expense, permit Agent (or any of its designated representatives) and Lender to conduct field exams of the Collateral, all at such reasonable times and intervals as Agent may reasonably request. Except during the continuance of an Event of Default (when the following limitation shall not apply), Agent shall not exercise any of their rights pursuant to this Section 6.18(b) more than once per calendar year.
(c)The Credit Parties shall, at Agent’s request (which shall be made no more frequently than once during each calendar year unless an Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing) and upon reasonable notice, and at the Credit Parties’ sole cost and expense, obtain an appraisal of the Collateral from an independent appraisal firm reasonably satisfactory to Agent.
(d)The Credit Parties will, upon the request of Agent, participate in a meeting of Agent and Lender twice during each Fiscal Year to be held at the Credit Parties’ corporate offices (or at such other location as may be agreed to by the Borrower Representative and Agent) at such time as may be agreed to by the Borrower Representative and Agent.
(e)The Credit Parties shall, at the Credit Parties’ sole cost and expense, make all books and records of the Credit Parties available for review electronically by Agent upon Agent’s request and subject to applicable Requirements with respect to disclosure of Customer Information.
(f)    The obligations of the Credit Parties to pay or reimburse any costs or expenses shall be subject to the limitations set forth in Section 11.1.
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Section 6.19Right of First Refusal on New Indebtedness. During the period that the Note is outstanding and for a period of nine (9) months after the date on which all principal, interest, Late Charges, Protective Advances and prepayment premiums (if applicable) are paid, if any Credit Party seeks to incur additional Indebtedness from time to time from any third-party, then in such case, Lender and Agent shall have a right of first refusal (but not an obligation) to provide up to $100,000,000 of such additional Indebtedness on the same terms and conditions as would be provided by such third-parties. The Borrower Representative will give Agent written notice (a “ROFR Notice”) describing the additional Indebtedness and the terms and conditions thereof (collectively, the “New Indebtedness Opportunity”). Agent and its designees shall have thirty (30) days from the date of Agent’s receipt of a ROFR Notice to agree to provide such additional Indebtedness pursuant to the New Indebtedness Opportunity. If Agent fails to exercise such right of first refusal within said thirty (30)-day period with respect to the New Indebtedness Opportunity, then the New Indebtedness Opportunity may be offered to such third-party upon the identical terms and conditions as are specified in the applicable ROFR Notice; provided, that in the event the New Indebtedness Opportunity has not been consummated by the applicable third-party within the one hundred twenty (120)-day period from the date of the ROFR Notice, no New Indebtedness Opportunity may be offered by the Credit Parties to any third-party without first offering such New Indebtedness Opportunity to Agent in the manner provided above. Notwithstanding the foregoing, this Section 6.19 shall automatically terminate and be of no further force or effect if during the term hereunder two (2) Qualified Funding Failures about which there is no dispute occur and each such Qualified Funding Failure is not cured within ten (10) days after the date on which Lender would have been required to fund a draw.
Section 6.20Post-Closing Obligations.
(a)The Credit Parties shall, (i) in a manner satisfactory to Agent, cooperate with and assist Agent, Lender and their respective attorneys, officers, employees, representatives, consultants and agents (each, a “Reviewing Party”) in connection with any Reviewing Party’s regulatory review and due diligence of the Credit Parties’ Program in each state or foreign jurisdiction in which any Credit Party originates or purchases Receivables (including participation interests therein), (ii) review and consider in good faith any issues raised by, or comments, recommendations or guidance from, any Reviewing Party with respect to any such lending program (such issues, comments, recommendations and guidance, collectively, the “Diligence Issues”) and (iii) within ninety (90) days (or such longer period as may be agreed to by Agent in its sole discretion) of any Credit Party’s receipt of written notice of any Diligence Issues from a Reviewing Party, resolve or address any such Diligence Issues, in each case, in a manner satisfactory to Agent;
(b)The Credit Parties shall deliver, or cause to be delivered to Agent, within twenty (20) days after the Closing Date (or such later date as shall be acceptable to Agent in its sole discretion), deposit account control agreements executed by the applicable Credit Party and each depository institution for which such Credit Party maintains deposit and other accounts, each in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to Agent in its sole discretion, covering all deposit accounts and other accounts maintained at such depository institution that are not currently subject to deposit account control agreements in favor of Agent;
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(c)The Credit Parties shall deliver, or cause to be delivered to Agent, within thirty (30) days after the Closing Date (or such later date as shall be acceptable to Agent in its sole discretion), updated insurance certificates and updated insurance endorsements with respect to the applicable Credit Parties, in each case, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to Agent and evidencing the insurance policies and endorsements thereto required to be maintained in accordance with Section 6.11; and
(d)Within ninety (90) days after the Closing Date, Borrower shall appoint a Backup Servicer and enter into a Backup Servicing Agreement that satisfies the requirements set forth in Section 6.27.
Section 6.21Use of Proceeds. The Credit Parties will use the proceeds from the sale of (a) the Note solely for Borrower to purchase Receivables or participation interests in Receivables under, and in accordance with, the CCB Participation Agreement that are Eligible Receivables and (b) subject to excess availability under this facility, to transfer funds as permitted under this Agreement; provided, however, within six (6) Business Days after the Closing Date Borrower shall be permitted to transfer up to $25,000,000 of the initial draw under the Note to Parent for payment to ECI in satisfaction of the intercompany debt of Parent to ECI incurred in funding transactions under the CCB Participation Agreement prior to the date hereof.
Section 6.22Fees, Costs and Expenses. The Credit Parties, on behalf of themselves and the other Credit Parties, shall jointly and severally reimburse Lender or its designee(s) for reasonable and documented costs and expenses incurred in connection with the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents (including reasonable legal fees and disbursements in connection therewith, documentation and implementation of the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents and due diligence in connection therewith), subject to the limitations set forth in Section 11.1, which amounts shall be paid by the Credit Parties to Agent, for the benefit of itself and Lender, on the Closing Date. In addition, the Credit Parties shall, within five (5) Business Days of receiving a request from Agent therefor, reimburse Agent for any additional reasonable legal fees incurred post-closing in connection with perfecting Agent’s security interests and any additional filing or recording fees in connection therewith. The Credit Parties shall be responsible for the payment of, and shall pay, any placement agent’s fees, financial advisory fees, or broker’s commissions relating to or arising out of the transactions contemplated hereby, and shall hold Agent and Lender harmless against, any liability, loss or expense (including, without limitation, reasonable attorney’s fees and out-of-pocket expenses) arising in connection with any claim relating to any such payment.
Section 6.23Modification of Organizational Documents and Certain Documents. The Credit Parties shall not, without the prior written consent of Agent, (i) permit the charter, by-laws or other organizational documents of any Credit Party, or any Material Contract, to be amended or modified, (ii) amend, supplement, or waive any material rights, claims or remedies under, any Credit Card Agreements, as applicable, except with respect to a settlement or charge off thereunder in the ordinary course of business, (iii) amend, supplement or otherwise modify any Bank Transaction Documents, or waive any material rights, claims or remedies under any Bank Transaction Documents except with respect to a settlement or charge off thereunder in the ordinary course of business or (iv) amend, supplement or otherwise modify the CCB Participation Agreement, or waive any material rights, claims or remedies under the CCB Participation Agreement except with respect to a settlement or charge off thereunder in the ordinary course of business. Prior written consent of Agent under this paragraph shall not be required with respect to an amendment, supplement, modification, or waiver if, but only to the extent, the applicable Credit Party determines such action is necessary to comply with a
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Requirement and, in connection therewith, the applicable Credit Party delivers commercially reasonable prior notice of the proposed amendment, supplement, modification, or waiver to Agent together with documentation supporting such Credit Party’s determination regarding the necessity of complying with a Requirement.
Section 6.24Joinder. The Credit Parties shall notify Agent in writing within the earlier of: (i) thirty (30) days of the formation or acquisition of any Subsidiaries; or (ii) the making or purchase of any Receivables (or participation interests therein) by any such newly formed or acquired Subsidiaries. For any Subsidiaries formed or acquired after the Closing Date, the Credit Parties shall at their own expense, within the time period set forth in the immediately preceding sentence, cause each such Subsidiary to execute an instrument of joinder in the form attached hereto as Exhibit G (a “Joinder Agreement”), obligating such Subsidiary to any or all of the Transaction Documents deemed necessary or appropriate by Agent and cause the applicable Person that owns the Equity Interests of such Subsidiary to pledge to Lender 100% of the Equity Interests owned by it of each such Subsidiary formed or acquired after the Closing Date and execute and deliver all documents or instruments required thereunder or appropriate to perfect the security interest created thereby. Compliance with this Section 6.24 shall not excuse any violation of Section 6.8 for failing to obtain Lender’s prior consent to a merger, consolidation or Acquisition.
Section 6.25Investments. No Credit Party shall, and no Credit Party shall permit any of its Subsidiaries to, make or permit to exist any Investment in any other Person, except the following:
(a)Cash Equivalent Investments, to the extent Agent has a first priority security interest therein;
(b)bank deposits in the ordinary course of business, to the extent Agent has a first priority security interest therein;
(c)Investments in securities of account debtors received pursuant to any plan of reorganization or similar arrangement upon the bankruptcy or insolvency of such account debtors;
(d)Investments owned by the Credit Parties on the Closing Date as set forth on Schedule 6.25; and
(e)Investments made by Borrower constituting the acquisition of participation interests in Eligible Receivables.
Section 6.26Further Assurances. At any time or from time to time upon the request of Agent, each Credit Party will, at its expense, promptly execute, acknowledge and deliver such further documents and do such other acts and things as Agent may reasonably request in order to effect fully the purposes of the Transaction Documents. In furtherance and not in limitation of the foregoing, each Credit Party shall take such actions as Agent may reasonably request from time to time to ensure that the Obligations are guaranteed by all Subsidiaries of the Credit Parties and secured by substantially all of the assets of the Credit Parties.
Section 6.27Backup Servicer. At any time or from time to time upon the request of Agent, including without limitation as may be required under this Agreement, Borrower shall appoint, at Borrower’s sole expense, a Backup Servicer that is satisfactory to Agent in Agent’s sole discretion and shall enter into a Backup Servicing Agreement that is satisfactory (including with respect to the Credit
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Parties’ obligations to cooperate with such Backup Servicer and provide any data and other information and documents, including data tapes, to such Backup Servicer to allow Backup Servicer to perform its duties) to Agent in Agent’s sole discretion. Borrower’s obligations under this Section 6.27 expressly include obtaining any necessary or appropriate consents from or other agreements with CCB or any other party, if and as applicable, in order to fully effectuate the appointment of the Backup Servicer as contemplated herein.
ARTICLE 7
GUARANTY
Section 7.1Guaranty. Each Credit Party, jointly and severally, hereby absolutely and unconditionally guarantees to Agent, Lender and their respective successors and assigns the full and prompt payment (whether at stated maturity, by acceleration or otherwise) and performance of, all Obligations. Each Credit Party agrees that its guaranty obligation hereunder is a continuing guaranty of payment and performance and not of collection, that its obligations under this Article 7 shall not be discharged until payment and performance, in full, of the Obligations under the Transaction Documents has occurred and all commitments (if any) to lend hereunder have been terminated, and that its obligations under this Article 7 shall be absolute and unconditional, irrespective of, and unaffected by:
(a)the genuineness, validity, regularity, enforceability or any future amendment of, or change in, this Agreement, any other Transaction Document or any other agreement, document or instrument to which any Credit Party is or may become a party;
(b)the absence of any action to enforce this Agreement (including this Article 9) or any other Transaction Document or the waiver or consent by Agent or Lender with respect to any of the provisions thereof;
(c)the Insolvency of any Credit Party; or
(d)any other action or circumstances that might otherwise constitute a legal or equitable discharge or defense of a surety or guarantor.
Each Credit Party shall be regarded, and shall be in the same position, as principal debtor with respect to the obligations guaranteed hereunder.
Section 7.2Waivers by Credit Parties. Each Credit Party expressly waives all rights it may have now or in the future under any statute, or at common law, or at law or in equity, or otherwise, to compel Agent or Lender to marshal assets or to proceed in respect of the obligations guaranteed hereunder against any other Credit Party, any other party or against any security for the payment and performance of the obligations under the Transaction Documents before proceeding against, or as a condition to proceeding against, such Credit Party. It is agreed among each Credit Party that the foregoing waivers are of the essence of the transaction contemplated by this Agreement and the other Transaction Documents and that, but for the provisions of this Article 7 and such waivers, Agent and Lender would decline to enter into this Agreement.
Section 7.3Benefit of Guaranty. Each Credit Party agrees that the provisions of this Article 7 are for the benefit of Agent, Lender and their respective successors, transferees, endorsees and assigns, and nothing herein contained shall impair, as between any other Credit Party, on the one hand, and
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Agent and Lender, on the other hand, the obligations of such other Credit Party under the Transaction Documents.
Section 7.4Waiver of Subrogation, Etc. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Agreement or in any other Transaction Document, each Credit Party hereby expressly and irrevocably waives any and all rights at law or in equity to subrogation, reimbursement, exoneration, contribution, indemnification or set off and any and all defenses available to a surety, guarantor or accommodation co-obligor. Each Credit Party acknowledges and agrees that this waiver is intended to benefit Agent and Lender and shall not limit or otherwise affect such Credit Party’s liability hereunder or the enforceability of this Article 7, and that Agent and Lender and their respective successors and assigns are intended third party beneficiaries of the waivers and agreements set forth in this Section 7.4.
Section 7.5Election of Remedies. If Agent or Lender may, under applicable law, proceed to realize their benefits under any of the Transaction Documents, Agent or Lender may, at their sole option, determine which of their remedies or rights they may pursue without affecting any of their rights and remedies under this Article 7. If, in the exercise of any of their rights and remedies, any of Agent or Lender shall forfeit any of their rights or remedies, including their right to enter a deficiency judgment against any Credit Party or any other Person, whether because of any applicable laws pertaining to “election of remedies” or the like, each Credit Party hereby consents to such action by Agent, or Lender, as applicable, and waives any claim based upon such action, even if such action by Agent or Lender shall result in a full or partial loss of any rights of subrogation that any Credit Party might otherwise have had but for such action by Agent or Lender. Any election of remedies that results in the denial or impairment of the right of Agent or Lender to seek a deficiency judgment against any Credit Party shall not impair any other Credit Party’s obligation to pay the full amount of the Obligations under the Transaction Documents.
Section 7.6Limitation. Notwithstanding any provision herein contained to the contrary, each Credit Party’s liability under this Article 7 (which liability is in any event in addition to amounts for which a Credit Party is primarily liable under the Transaction Documents) shall be limited to an amount not to exceed as of any date of determination the greater of:
(a)the net amount of all amounts advanced to such Credit Party under this Agreement or otherwise transferred to, or for the benefit of, such Credit Party (including any interest and fees and other charges); and
(b)the amount that could be claimed by Agent and Lender from such Credit Party under this Article 7 without rendering such claim voidable or avoidable under Section 548 of Chapter 11 of the Bankruptcy Code or under any applicable state Uniform Fraudulent Transfer Act, Uniform Fraudulent Conveyance Act or similar statute or common law.
Section 7.7Liability Cumulative. The liability of each Credit Party under this Article 7 is in addition to and shall be cumulative with all liabilities of each other Credit Party to Agent and Lender under this Agreement and the other Transaction Documents to which such Credit Party is a party or in respect of any Obligations under the Transaction Documents or obligation of the other Credit Party, without any limitation as to amount, unless the instrument or agreement evidencing or creating such other liability specifically provides to the contrary.
Section 7.8Stay of Acceleration. If acceleration of the time for payment of any amount payable by the Credit Parties under this Agreement is stayed upon the insolvency, bankruptcy or
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reorganization of any of the Credit Parties, then all such amounts otherwise subject to acceleration under the terms of this Agreement shall nonetheless be payable jointly and severally by the Credit Parties hereunder forthwith on demand by Agent.
Section 7.9Benefit to Credit Parties. All of the Credit Parties are engaged in related businesses and integrated to such an extent that the financial strength and flexibility of each such Person has a direct impact on the success of each other Person. Each Credit Party will derive substantial direct and indirect benefit from the purchase and sale of the Note hereunder.
Section 7.10Indemnity. Each Credit Party irrevocably and unconditionally jointly and severally agrees with Agent and Lender that if any obligation guaranteed by it is or becomes unenforceable, invalid or illegal, it will, as an independent and primary obligation, indemnify Agent and/or Lender, as applicable, immediately on demand against any cost, loss or liability it incurs as a result of Borrower or other Credit Party not paying any amount which would, but for such unenforceability, invalidity or illegality, have been payable by it under any Transaction Document on the date when it would have been due. The amount payable by a Credit Party under this indemnity will not exceed the amount it would have had to pay under this Article 7 if the amount claimed had been recoverable on the basis of a guarantee.
Section 7.11Reinstatement. If any discharge, release or arrangement (whether in respect of the Obligations or any security for those Obligations or otherwise) is made by Agent and/or Lender in whole or in part on the basis of any payment, security or other disposition which is avoided or must be restored in insolvency, liquidation, administration or otherwise, without limitation, then the liability of each Credit Party under this Article 7 will continue or be reinstated as if the discharge, release or arrangement had not occurred.
Section 7.12Intent. Without prejudice to any other provision of this Article 7, each Credit Party expressly confirms that it intends that this guarantee shall extend from time to time to any (however fundamental) variation, increase, extension or addition of or to any of the Transaction Documents and/or any facility or amount made available under any of the Transaction Documents for the purposes of or in connection with any of the following: business acquisitions of any nature; increasing working capital; enabling investor distributions to be made; carrying out restructurings; refinancing existing facilities; refinancing any other indebtedness; making facilities available to new borrowers; any other variation or extension of the purposes for which any such facility or amount might be made available from time to time; and any reasonable and invoiced fees, costs and/or expenses associated with any of the foregoing.
Section 7.13General. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary set forth herein, the provisions of this Article 7 shall not be construed to (a) permit Agent or Lender to amend or otherwise modify this Agreement or the Obligations in a manner that would otherwise require the consent of Borrower pursuant to the express terms of this Agreement or (b) constitute a waiver by Borrower of its rights or defenses under this Agreement in Borrower’s capacity as Borrower hereunder.
ARTICLE 8
RIGHTS UPON EVENT OF DEFAULT
Section 8.1Event of Default. Each of the following events shall constitute an “Event of Default”:
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(a)any Credit Parties’ failure to pay to Agent and/or Lender any amount of (i) principal or redemptions when and as due under this Agreement or any Note (including, without limitation, the Credit Parties’ failure to pay any redemption payments or amounts hereunder or under any Note) or any other Transaction Document, or any other agreement, document, certificate or other instrument delivered in connection with the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby or (ii) interest (including interest calculated at the Default Rate), Late Charges, or other amounts (other than principal or redemptions) within five (5) days after the same shall become due under this Agreement or any Note or any other Transaction Document, or any other agreement, document, certificate or other instrument delivered in connection with the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby;
(b)any default occurs and is continuing under (subject to any applicable grace periods), or any redemption of or acceleration prior to maturity of, any Indebtedness (other than the Obligations) of any Credit Party in excess of $100,000; provided, that, in the event that any such default or acceleration of indebtedness is cured or rescinded by the holders thereof prior to acceleration of the Note, no Event of Default shall exist as a result of such cured default or rescinded acceleration;
(c)(i) any Credit Party or ECI pursuant to or within the meaning of Title 11, U.S. Code (the “Bankruptcy Code”) or any similar federal, foreign or state law for the relief of debtors (collectively, “Bankruptcy Law”), (A) commences a voluntary case, (B) consents to the entry of an order for relief against it in an involuntary case, or to the conversion of an involuntary case to a voluntary case, (C) consents to the appointment of or taking of possession by a receiver, trustee, assignee, liquidator or similar official (a “Custodian”) for all or a substantial part of its property, (D) makes a general assignment for the benefit of its creditors, or (E) is generally unable to pay its debts as they become due; (ii) the Credit Parties and ECI, taken as a whole, become Insolvent or (iii) the board of directors (or similar governing body) of any Credit Party or ECI (or any committee thereof) adopts any resolution or otherwise authorizes any action to approve any of the actions referred to in this Section 8.1(c) or Section 8.1(d);
(d)any expropriation, attachment, sequestration, distress or execution or any analogous process in any jurisdiction in which a court of competent jurisdiction (i) enters an order or decree under any Bankruptcy Law, which order or decree (A) (1) is not stayed or (2) is not rescinded, vacated, overturned, or otherwise withdrawn within sixty (60) days after the entry thereof, and (B) is for relief against any Credit Party or ECI in an involuntary case, (ii) appoints a Custodian over all or a substantial part of the property of any Credit Party or ECI and such appointment continues for sixty (60) days, (iii) orders the liquidation of any Credit Party or ECI, or (iv) issues a warrant of attachment, execution or similar process against any substantial part of the property of any Credit Party or ECI;
(e)a final judgment or judgments for the payment of money in excess of $50,000 individually or $100,000 in aggregate, or that otherwise could reasonably be expected to have, either individually or in the aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect are rendered against any Credit Party, which judgments are not, within fifteen (15) days after the entry thereof, bonded, discharged or stayed pending appeal, or are not discharged within fifteen (15) days after the expiration of such stay, unless (in the case of a monetary judgment) such judgment is covered by third-party insurance, so long as the applicable Credit Party provides Agent a written statement from such insurer (which written statement shall be reasonably satisfactory to Agent) to the effect that such judgment is covered by insurance and such Credit Party will receive the proceeds of such insurance within fifteen (15) days following the issuance of such judgment;
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(f)any Credit Party breaches any covenant, or other term or condition of any Transaction Document, any other agreement with Agent or Lender, except in the case of a breach of a covenant or other term or condition of any Transaction Document (other than Sections 6.1(a), 6.1(b), 6.1(f), 6.1(g), 6.1(h), 6.2, 6.3(c), 6.4 through 6.11, 6.13, 6.14, 6.16, 6.17, 6.18, 6.20, 6.21, 6.23 and 6.25) which is curable, only if such breach continues for a period of thirty (30) days after the earlier to occur of (A) the date upon which an executive officer of any Credit Party becomes aware of such default and (B) the date upon which written notice thereof is given to the Borrower Representative by Agent; and a breach addressed by the other provisions of this Section 8.1; provided, the foregoing notwithstanding, the Credit Parties shall be afforded a grace period of five (5) Business Days, exercisable no more than an aggregate of twice per year during the term of this Agreement, with regard to the delivery requirements set forth in Section 6.2;
(g)[Reserved];
(h)any representation or warranty made by any Credit Party herein or in any other Transaction Document is breached or is false or misleading, each in any material respect;
(i)(i) the written rescindment or repudiation by any Credit Party of any Transaction Document or any of its obligations under any Transaction Document, or (ii) any Transaction Document or any material term thereof shall cease to be, or is asserted by any Credit Party not to be, a legal, valid and binding obligation of any Credit Party enforceable in accordance with its terms;
(j)any Lien against the Collateral intended to be created by any Security Document shall at any time be invalidated, subordinated (except to Permitted Liens to the extent expressly permitted under the Transaction Documents) or otherwise cease to be in full force and effect, for whatever reason, or any security interest purported to be created by any Security Document shall cease to be, or shall be asserted by any Credit Party not to be, a valid, first priority perfected Lien (to the extent that any Transaction Document obligates the parties to provide such a perfected first priority Lien, and except to the extent Permitted Liens are permitted by the terms of the Transaction Documents to have priority) in the Collateral (except as expressly otherwise provided under and in accordance with the terms of such Transaction Document);
(k)any material provision of any Transaction Document shall at any time for any reason be declared to be null and void, or the validity or enforceability thereof shall be contested by any Credit Party, or a proceeding shall be commenced by any Credit Party, or by any Governmental Authority having jurisdiction over such Credit Party, seeking to establish the invalidity or unenforceability thereof, or any Credit Party shall deny that it has any liability or obligation purported to be created under any Transaction Document;
(l)the occurrence and continuation of any breach of the CCB Participation Agreement or any other Bank Transaction Document, which such breach is not cured during the applicable cure period or, the termination of the CCB Participation Agreement or any other Bank Transaction Document for any reason;
(m)the occurrence and continuation of any breach of the Servicing Agreement which is not cured during the applicable cure period or, upon the termination of the servicer, a replacement services does not assume the obligations of servicer within thirty (30) days thereafter;
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(n)the occurrence and continuation of (i) any event which could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect with respect to any Credit Party or CCB or (ii) a Federal or Multi-State Force Majeure Event;
(o)(i) any Credit Party liquidates, dissolves, terminates or suspends its business operations or otherwise fails to operate its business in the ordinary course; or (ii) the authority or ability of any Credit Party or Subsidiary of any Credit Party to conduct its business is limited or wholly or substantially curtailed by any seizure, expropriation, nationalization, intervention, restriction or other action by or on behalf of any governmental, regulatory or other authority or other person in relation to any Credit Party, any of their Subsidiaries or any of their respective assets;
(p)(i) the occurrence of one or more ERISA Events which individually or in the aggregate result(s) in or could reasonably be expected to result in liability of the Credit Parties in excess of $100,000 during the term hereof; or (ii) the existence of any fact or circumstance that could reasonably be expected to result in the imposition of a Lien pursuant to Section 430(k) of the Code or ERISA or a violation of Section 436 of the Code; or
(q)any default or event of default (monetary or otherwise) by a Credit Party shall occur with respect to any Material Contract, which if curable has not been cured in accordance with the provisions of the applicable Material Contract and that could have a Material Adverse Effect.
Section 8.2Termination of Commitment and Acceleration Right.
(a)Promptly after the occurrence of an Event of Default, the Borrower Representative shall deliver written notice thereof via email, facsimile and overnight courier (an “Event of Default Notice”) to Agent. At any time after the earlier of Agent’s receipt of an Event of Default Notice and Agent becoming aware of an Event of Default which has not been cured or waived, (i) Agent may declare all or any portion of the Commitment to fund additional draws under the Note to be suspended or terminated by delivering written notice thereof (an “Event of Default Commitment Suspension or Termination Notice”) to the Borrower Representative, which Event of Default Commitment Suspension or Termination Notice shall indicate the portion of the Commitment that Agent is suspending or terminating, whereupon such Commitment shall forthwith be suspended or terminated, and/or (ii) Agent may require Borrower to redeem all or any portion of the Note (an “Event of Default Redemption”) by delivering written notice thereof (the “Event of Default Redemption Notice”) to the Borrower Representative, which Event of Default Redemption Notice shall indicate the portion(s) of the Note that Agent is requiring Borrower to redeem, whereupon a corresponding portion of the Commitment shall forthwith be terminated effective upon the date of such Event of Default Redemption Notice; provided, that upon the occurrence of any Event of Default described in Section 8.1(c) or Section 8.1(d), and without any action on behalf of Agent or Lender, the Commitment, in whole, shall automatically be terminated and the Note shall automatically be redeemed by Borrower. The Note is subject to redemption by Borrower pursuant to this Section 8.2 shall be redeemed by Borrower at a price equal to the outstanding principal amount of the Note, plus accrued and unpaid interest, accrued and unpaid Late Charges, and all other amounts due under the Transaction Documents (the “Event of Default Redemption Price”).
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(b)In the case of an Event of Default Redemption, Borrower shall deliver the applicable Event of Default Redemption Price to Agent within five (5) Business Days after the Borrower Representative’s receipt of the Event of Default Redemption Notice. In the case of an Event of Default Redemption of less than all of the principal amount of the Note, Borrower shall promptly cause to be issued and delivered to Lender a new Note (in accordance with Section 2.7) representing the portion of the Commitment that has not been terminated as a result of such redemption.
Section 8.3Consultation Rights. Without in any way limiting any remedy that Agent or Lender may have, at law or in equity, under any Transaction Document (including under the foregoing provisions of this Article 8) or otherwise, upon the occurrence and during the continuance of any Event of Default, upon the request of Agent, the Credit Parties shall hire or otherwise retain a consultant, advisor or similar Person acceptable to Agent to advise the Credit Parties with respect to their business and operations.
Section 8.4Other Remedies. The remedies provided herein and in the Note shall be cumulative and in addition to all other remedies available under any of the other Transaction Documents, at law or in equity (including a decree of specific performance and/or other injunctive relief), and nothing herein shall limit Agent’s or Lender’s right to pursue actual damages for any failure by the Credit Parties to comply with the terms of this Agreement, the Note and the other Transaction Documents. Amounts set forth or provided for herein and in the Note with respect to payments and the like (and the computation thereof) shall be the amounts to be received by Agent and/or Lender and shall not, except as expressly provided herein, be subject to any other obligation of the Credit Parties (or the performance thereof). Each of the Credit Parties acknowledges that a breach by it of its obligations hereunder and under the Note and the other Transaction Documents will cause irreparable harm to Agent and Lender and that the remedy at law for any such breach may be inadequate. The Credit Parties therefore agree that, in the event of any such breach or threatened breach, Agent and Lender shall be entitled, in addition to all other available remedies, to an injunction restraining any breach, without the necessity of showing economic loss and without any bond or other security being required.
Section 8.5Application of Proceeds.
(a)Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in this Agreement, upon the occurrence and during the continuance of an Event of Default, Borrower irrevocably waive the right to direct the application of any and all payments at any time or times thereafter received by Agent from or on behalf of Borrower or any other Credit Party of all or any part of the Obligations, and, as between the Credit Parties on the one hand and Agent on the other, Agent shall have the continuing and exclusive right to apply and to reapply any and all payments received against the Obligations in such manner as Agent may deem advisable (subject to clause (b) below) notwithstanding any previous application by Agent.
(b)Following the occurrence and during the continuance of an Event of Default, any and all voluntary and mandatory, payments, prepayments or redemptions made in respect of the Obligations shall be delivered to Agent and shall be applied in the following order: first, to all fees, costs, indemnities, liabilities, obligations and expenses incurred by or owing to Agent with respect to this Agreement, the other Transaction Documents or the Collateral; second, to accrued and unpaid interest on the Note; and third, to the principal amount of the Note then due and owing.
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(c)Any payments, prepayments or proceeds of Collateral received by Lender that were not permitted to be made under this Agreement or were not applied as required under this Agreement shall be promptly paid over to Agent for application under Section 8.5(b). Any balance remaining after giving effect to the applications set forth in this Section 8.5 shall be delivered to Borrower Representative or to whoever may be lawfully entitled to receive such balance or as a court of competent jurisdiction may direct.
ARTICLE 9
BANKRUPTCY MATTERS
    In the event of any Insolvency Proceeding involving a Credit Party or the liquidation or dissolution of a Credit Party, this Agreement shall be applicable both before and after the filing of any Insolvency Proceeding, including, without limitation, any case or proceeding of the type described in Sections 8.1(c) or 8.1(d), and all converted or succeeding cases in respect thereof, and all references herein to any Credit Party shall be deemed to apply to the trustee for such Credit Party and such Credit Party as a debtor-in-possession. The relative rights of Lender including, without limitation, in respect of (a) any Collateral or proceeds thereof and (b) the order of application of all payments in respect of Obligations, shall continue after the filing of such petition on the same basis as prior to the date of such filing, subject to any court order approving the financing of, or use of cash collateral by, any Credit Party. This Agreement shall be enforceable in any Insolvency Proceeding in accordance with its terms. In furtherance of the foregoing, any payment or distribution which is payable or deliverable in such Insolvency Proceeding in respect of the Note, whether in cash, securities, or other property, shall be paid or delivered in accordance with the terms of this Agreement, and all receivers, trustees, liquidators, custodians, conservators and others having authority in the premises are each irrevocably authorized, empowered and directed to effect all such payments and deliveries.
ARTICLE 10
AGENCY PROVISIONS
Section 10.1Appointment. Lender hereby irrevocably designates and appoints Agent as the administrative agent and collateral agent of Lender under this Agreement and the other Transaction Documents for the term hereof (and Agent hereby accepts such appointment), and Lender irrevocably authorizes Agent to take such action on its behalf under the provisions of this Agreement and the other Transaction Documents and to exercise such powers and perform such duties as are expressly delegated to Agent by the terms of this Agreement and the other Transaction Documents, together with such other powers as are reasonably incidental thereto. Notwithstanding any provision to the contrary elsewhere in this Agreement or the other Transaction Documents, Agent shall not have any duties or responsibilities, except those expressly set forth herein and therein, and no implied covenants, functions, responsibilities, duties, obligations or liabilities shall be read into this Agreement or the other Transaction Documents or otherwise exist against Agent. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, Agent shall have the sole and exclusive right and authority (to the exclusion of Lender), and is hereby authorized, to (a) act as the disbursing and collecting agent for Lender with respect to all payments and collections arising in connection with the Transaction Documents (including in any proceeding described in Sections 8.1(c) or 8.1(d) or any other bankruptcy, insolvency or similar proceeding), and each Person making any payment in connection with any Transaction Document to Lender is hereby authorized to make such payment to Agent, (b) file and prove claims and file other documents necessary or desirable to allow the claims of Agent and Lender with respect to any Obligation in any proceeding described in Sections 8.1(c) or 8.1(d) or any other bankruptcy, insolvency or similar proceeding (but not to vote, consent or otherwise act on behalf of such Person), (c) act as collateral agent for itself and Lender for purposes of the
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perfection of all Liens created by such agreements and all other purposes stated therein, (d) manage, supervise and otherwise deal with the Collateral, (e) take such other action as is necessary or desirable to maintain the perfection and priority of the Liens created or purported to be created by the Transaction Documents, (f) except as may be otherwise specified in any Transaction Document, exercise all remedies given to Agent and Lender with respect to the Credit Parties and/or the Collateral, whether under the Transaction Documents, applicable Requirements or otherwise and (g) execute any amendment, consent or waiver under the Transaction Documents on behalf of Lender that has consented in writing to such amendment, consent or waiver; provided, however, that Agent hereby appoints, authorizes and directs Lender to act as collateral sub-agent for Agent and Lender for purposes of the perfection of all Liens with respect to the Collateral, including any deposit account maintained by a Credit Party with, and cash and Cash Equivalent Investments held by, Lender, and may further authorize and direct the Lender to take further actions as collateral sub-agents for purposes of enforcing such Liens or otherwise to transfer the Collateral subject thereto to Agent, and Lender hereby agrees to take such further actions to the extent, and only to the extent, so authorized and directed. Sections 10.5 and 10.9 shall apply to any collateral sub-agent described in the proviso to the immediately preceding sentence and its Related Parties in connection with their respective actions and activities described therein. Any reference to Agent in this Agreement or the other Transaction Documents shall be deemed to refer to Agent solely in its capacity as Agent and not in its capacity, if any, as Lender. Under the Transaction Documents, Agent (a) is acting solely on behalf of Agent and Lender, with duties that are entirely administrative in nature, notwithstanding the use of the defined term “Agent”, the terms “agent”, “Agent” and “collateral agent” and similar terms in any Transaction Document to refer to Agent, which terms are used for title purposes only, (b) is not assuming any obligation under any Transaction Document other than as expressly set forth therein or any role as agent (except as expressly set forth in this Agreement and the other Transaction Documents), fiduciary or trustee of or for any Lender or any other Person and (c) shall have no implied functions, responsibilities, duties, obligations or other liabilities under any Transaction Document, and Lender, by accepting the benefits of the Transaction Documents, hereby waives and agrees not to assert any claim against Agent based on the roles, duties and legal relationships expressly disclaimed in clauses (a) through (c) of this sentence.
Section 10.2Binding Effect. Lender, by accepting the benefits of the Transaction Documents, agrees that (a) any action taken by Agent in accordance with the provisions of the Transaction Documents, (b) any action taken by Agent in reliance upon the instructions of Lender and (c) the exercise by Agent of the powers set forth herein or therein, together with such other powers as are reasonably incidental thereto, shall be authorized and binding upon all of Lender.
Section 10.3Use of Discretion. Agent shall not be required to exercise any discretion or take, or to omit to take, any action, including with respect to enforcement or collection, except any action it is required to take or omit to take (a) under any Transaction Document or (b) pursuant to instructions Lender, when expressly required hereby. Notwithstanding the foregoing, Agent shall not be required to take, or to omit to take, any action (a) unless, upon demand, Agent receives an indemnification satisfactory to it from Lender (or, to the extent applicable and acceptable to Agent, any other Person) against all liabilities that, by reason of such action or omission, may be imposed on, incurred by or asserted against Agent or any of its Related Parties or (b) that is, in the opinion of Agent or its counsel, contrary to any Transaction Document or applicable Requirement. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein or in any other Transaction Document, the authority to enforce rights and remedies hereunder and under the other Transaction Documents against the Credit Parties or any of them shall be vested exclusively in, and all actions and proceedings at law in connection with such enforcement shall be instituted and maintained exclusively by, Agent in accordance with the Transaction Documents for the benefit of Lender; provided, that the foregoing shall not prohibit (a) Agent from
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exercising on its own behalf the rights and remedies that inure to its benefit (solely in its capacity as Agent) hereunder and under the other Transaction Documents, (b) Lender from exercising setoff rights in accordance with Section 11.16 or (c) Lender from filing proofs of claim or appearing and filing pleadings on its own behalf during the pendency of a proceeding relative to any Credit Party under any bankruptcy or other debtor relief law.
Section 10.4Delegation of Duties. Agent may execute any of its respective duties under this Agreement or the other Transaction Documents by or through agents or attorneys in fact and shall be entitled to advice of counsel concerning all matters pertaining to such duties. Agent shall not be responsible for the negligence or misconduct of any agents or attorneys in fact selected by Agent with reasonable care.
Section 10.5Exculpatory Provisions. Neither Agent nor any of its Related Parties shall be (a) liable for any action lawfully taken or omitted to be taken by it or such Person under or in connection with this Agreement (except for actions occasioned by its or such Person’s own gross negligence or willful misconduct) or (b) responsible in any manner to Lender for any recitals, statements, representations or warranties made by the Credit Parties or any of their Subsidiaries or any officer thereof contained in this Agreement, the other Transaction Documents or in any certificate, report, statement or other document referred to or provided for in, or received by Agent under or in connection with, this Agreement or the other Transaction Documents or for the value, validity, effectiveness, genuineness, enforceability or sufficiency of this Agreement or any other Transaction Document or for any failure of the Credit Parties or any of their Subsidiaries to perform its obligations hereunder or thereunder. Agent shall not be under any obligation to Lender to ascertain or to inquire as to the observance or performance of any of the agreements contained in, or conditions of, this Agreement or of any other Transaction Document, or to inspect the properties, books or records of the Credit Parties or any of their Subsidiaries.
Section 10.6Reliance by Agent. Agent shall be entitled to rely, and shall be fully protected in relying, upon any note, writing, resolution, notice, consent, certificate, affidavit, letter, cablegram, telegram, telecopy, telex or teletype message, statement, order or other document or conversation believed by it to be genuine and correct and to have been signed, sent or made by the proper Person or Persons and upon advice and statements of legal counsel (including, without limitation, counsel to Borrower), independent accountants and other experts selected by Agent. Agent may deem and treat the payee of the Note as the owner thereof for all purposes unless Agent shall have actual notice of any transferee. Agent shall be fully justified in failing or refusing to take any action under this Agreement and the other Transaction Documents unless it shall first receive such advice or concurrence of Lender as it deems appropriate, if any, or it shall first be indemnified to its satisfaction by Lender against any and all liability and expense which may be incurred by it by reason of taking or continuing to take any such action except for its own gross negligence or willful misconduct (each as determined in a final, non-appealable judgment by a court of competent jurisdiction). Without limiting the foregoing, Agent:
(a)shall not be responsible or otherwise incur liability for any action or omission taken in reliance upon the instructions of Lender or for the actions or omissions of any of its Related Parties selected with reasonable care (other than employees, officers and directors of Agent, when acting on behalf of Agent);
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(b)shall not be responsible to Lender or other Person for the due execution, legality, validity, enforceability, effectiveness, genuineness, sufficiency or value of, or the attachment, perfection or priority of any Lien created or purported to be created under or in connection with, any Transaction Document; and
(c)makes no warranty or representation, and shall not be responsible, to Lender or other Person for any statement, document, information, representation or warranty made or furnished by or on behalf of any Credit Party or any Related Party of any Credit Party in connection with any Transaction Document or any transaction contemplated therein or any other document or information with respect to any Credit Party, whether or not transmitted or omitted to be transmitted by Agent, including as to completeness, accuracy, scope or adequacy thereof, or for the scope, nature or results of any due diligence performed by Agent in connection with the Transaction Documents;
and, for each of the items set forth in clauses (a) through (c) above, Lender and Credit Party hereby waives and agrees not to assert (and Borrower shall cause each other Credit Party to waive and agree not to assert) any right, claim or cause of action it might have against Agent based thereon.
Section 10.7Notices of Default.
(a)    Agent shall not be deemed to have knowledge or notice of the occurrence of any Event of Default hereunder or under any other Transaction Document unless it has received notice of such Event of Default in accordance with the terms hereof or thereof or notice from Lender or Borrower referring to this Agreement or the other Transaction Documents describing such Event of Default and stating that such notice is a “notice of default.” If Agent receives such a notice, then it shall promptly give notice thereof to Lender. Agent may (but shall not be obligated to) take such action, or refrain from taking such action, with respect to such Event of Default as it shall deem advisable in the best interests of Lender, except to the extent that other provisions of this Agreement or the other Transaction Documents expressly require that any such action be taken or not be taken only with the consent and authorization or upon the request of Lender.
Section 10.8Non Reliance on Agent. Lender expressly acknowledges that neither Agent nor any of its respective officers, directors, employees, agents, attorneys in fact, Subsidiaries or Affiliates has made any representations or warranties to it and that no act by Agent hereinafter taken, including any review of the affairs of the Credit Parties, shall be deemed to constitute any representation or warranty by Agent to Lender. Lender represents that it has made and will continue to make, independently and without reliance upon Agent, and based on such documents and information as it shall deem appropriate at the time, its own credit analysis, appraisals and decisions in taking or not taking action under this Agreement and the other Transaction Documents, and such investigation as it deems necessary to inform itself as to the business, operations, property, financial and other condition and creditworthiness of the Credit Parties. Except for notices, reports and other documents expressly required to be furnished to Lender by Agent hereunder or under the other Transaction Documents, Agent shall not have any duty or responsibility to provide Lender with any credit or other information concerning the business, operations, property, financial and other condition or creditworthiness of the Credit Parties which may come into the possession of Agent or any of its respective officers, directors, employees, agents, attorneys in fact, Subsidiaries or Affiliates.
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Section 10.9Indemnification. Lender hereby agrees to indemnify Agent in its capacity as such (to the extent not reimbursed by the Credit Parties and without limiting the obligation of the Credit Parties to do so) from and against any and all liabilities, obligations, losses, damages, penalties, actions, judgments, suits, costs, expenses or disbursements of any kind whatsoever which may at any time (including, without limitation, at any time following the payment of the Note) be imposed on, incurred by or asserted against Agent in any way relating to or arising out of this Agreement, the other Transaction Documents, or any documents contemplated by or referred to herein or therein or the transactions contemplated hereby or thereby or any action taken or omitted by Agent under or in connection with any of the foregoing; provided that Lender shall not be liable for the payment of any portion of such liabilities, obligations, losses, damages, penalties, actions, judgments, suits, costs, expenses or disbursements to the extent they result from Agent’s gross negligence or willful misconduct, as determined by a court of competent jurisdiction in a final non-appealable judgment or order. The agreements in this Section 10.9 shall survive the payment of the Note and all other amounts payable hereunder and the termination of this Agreement and the other Transaction Documents.
Section 10.10Resignation or Removal of Agent; Successor Agent. Agent may resign as Agent at any time by giving thirty (30) days advance notice thereof to Lender and Borrower and, thereafter, the retiring Agent shall be discharged from its duties and obligations hereunder. If Agent becomes subject to an insolvency proceeding under Bankruptcy Law that is not dismissed within sixty (60) days after commencement thereof or ceases to operate its business as a going concern, Lender may, upon 20 days’ prior written notice, remove Agent and, thereafter, the removed Agent shall be discharged from its duties and obligations hereunder. Upon any such resignation or removal, Lender shall have the right to appoint a successor Agent. If no successor Agent shall have been so appointed by Lender, then Agent may, on behalf of Lender, appoint a successor Agent reasonably acceptable to Borrower (so long as no Event of Default has occurred and is continuing) and, in the case of a removal of Agent, reasonably acceptable to Lender. Upon the acceptance of any appointment as Agent hereunder by a successor Agent, such successor Agent shall thereupon succeed to and become vested with all rights, powers, privileges and duties of the retiring or removed Agent, as applicable. After any retiring Agent’s resignation hereunder as Agent or any removed Agent’s removal hereunder as Agent, as the case maybe, the provisions of this Section 10.10 shall continue in effect for its benefit in respect of any actions taken or omitted to be taken by it while it was acting as Agent. If no successor has accepted appointment as Agent by the date which is thirty (30) days following a retiring Agent’s notice of resignation or a removed Agent’s receipt of a notice of removal, as applicable, the retiring Agent’s resignation or the removed Agent’s removal, as the case may be, shall nevertheless thereupon become effective and Lender shall perform all of the duties of Agent hereunder until such time, if any, as Lender appoints a successor agent as provided for above.
Section 10.11Reimbursement by Lender. To the extent that Borrower for any reason fails to indefeasibly pay any amount required under Section 11.1 or Section 11.12 to be paid by it to Agent (or any sub-agent thereof), or any Related Party of any of the foregoing, then Lender shall pay to Agent (or any such sub agent) or such Related Party, as the case may be, such unpaid amount, provided that the unreimbursed expense or indemnified loss, claim, damage, liability or related expense, as the case may be, was incurred by or asserted against Agent (or any such sub agent) in its capacity as such, or against any Related Party of any of the foregoing acting for Agent in connection with such capacity.
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Section 10.12Withholding. To the extent required by any Requirement, Agent may withhold from any payment to Lender under a Transaction Document an amount equal to any applicable withholding Tax (including withholding Taxes imposed under Chapters 3 and 4 of Subtitle A of the Code). If the IRS or any other Governmental Authority asserts a claim that Agent did not properly withhold tax from amounts paid to or for the account of Lender (because the appropriate certification form was not delivered, was not properly executed, or fails to establish an exemption from, or reduction of, withholding tax with respect to a particular type of payment, or because Lender failed to notify Agent or any other Person of a change in circumstances which rendered the exemption from, or reduction of, withholding tax ineffective, or for any other reason), or Agent reasonably determines that it was required to withhold taxes from a prior payment but failed to do so, Lender shall promptly indemnify Agent fully for all amounts paid, directly or indirectly, by Agent as tax or otherwise, including penalties and interest, and together with all expenses incurred by Agent, including legal expenses, allocated internal costs and out-of-pocket expenses. Agent may offset against any payment to Lender under a Transaction Document, any applicable withholding tax that was required to be withheld from any prior payment to Lender but which was not so withheld, as well as any other amounts for which Agent is entitled to indemnification from Lender under this Section 10.12.
Section 10.13Release of Collateral or Credit Parties. Lender hereby consents to the release and hereby directs Agent to release (or, in the case of clause (b)(ii) below, release or subordinate) any Lien held by Agent for the benefit of Lender against (i) any Collateral that is sold, transferred, conveyed or otherwise disposed of by a Credit Party in a transaction permitted by the Transaction Documents (including pursuant to a valid waiver or consent), to the extent all Liens required to be granted in such Collateral pursuant to this Agreement after giving effect to such transaction have been granted, (ii) any property subject to a Lien permitted hereunder in reliance upon clause (xiii) of the definition of Permitted Liens and (iii) all of the Collateral and all Credit Parties, upon (A) indefeasible payment in full in cash of the Obligations (other than any indemnity obligations of any Credit Party under the Transaction Documents that satisfy all of the following conditions: (X) such indemnity obligations are not then due and payable and (Y) such indemnity obligations are obligations for which any events or claims that would give rise thereto are not then pending) under the Transaction Documents and termination of the Transaction Documents (including all commitments (if any) to lend hereunder) and (B) to the extent requested by Agent, receipt by Agent and Lenders of liability releases from the Credit Parties each in form and substance reasonably acceptable to Agent.
ARTICLE 11
MISCELLANEOUS
Section 11.1Payment of Expenses. The Credit Parties shall reimburse Agent and Lender on demand for all reasonable costs and expenses, including, without limitation, legal expenses and reasonable attorneys’ fees (whether for internal or outside counsel), incurred by Agent and Lender in connection with (i) the investigation, development, preparation, negotiation, execution, interpretation or administration of, any modification of any term of, this Agreement and any other Transaction Document, any commitment or proposal letter therefor, any other document prepared in connection therewith or the consummation and administration of any transaction contemplated therein, and any other transactions between the Credit Parties and Agent and Lender including, without limitation, UCC and other public record searches and filings, overnight courier or other express or messenger delivery, appraisal costs and environmental audit or review (including due diligence review) costs; provided, that the aggregate amount of such cost and expenses which shall be required to be reimbursed under this Agreement and the other Transaction Documents with regard to all matters through and including the Closing Date shall not exceed $200,000; (ii) the collection, protection or enforcement of any rights in or
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to the Collateral; (iii) the collection of any Obligations; (iv) the administration and enforcement of Agent’s and Lender’s rights under this Agreement or any other Transaction Document (including, without limitation, any costs and expenses of any third party provider engaged by Agent or Lender for such purposes, and any costs and expenses incurred in connection with the forbearance of any of the rights and remedies of Agent and Lender hereunder); (v) any refinancing or restructuring of the Note whether in the nature of a “work-out,” in any insolvency or bankruptcy proceeding or otherwise, and whether or not consummated; (vi) the assignment, transfer or syndication of the Note; and (vii) any liability for any Non-Excluded Taxes, if any, including any interest and penalties, and any finder’s or brokerage fees, commissions and expenses (other than any fees, commissions or expenses of finders or brokers engaged by Agent and/or Lender), that may be payable in connection with the purchase of the Note contemplated by this Agreement and the other Transaction Documents. Notwithstanding the foregoing, so long as no Event of Default has occurred and is continuing, in no event shall the Credit Parties be obligated to pay or reimburse Agent and/or Lender for any costs or expenses related to the ongoing and ordinary administration of the Loan (including independent compliance or collateral audits, administration and monitoring expenses) incurred by Agent and/or Lender which are in excess of $40,000 in any calendar year; provided that, for purposes of clarification, the foregoing limitation shall not apply to expenses (i) incurred by Lender or Agent following the occurrence of an Event of Default or default which results in an Event of Default within thirty (30) days), including legal fees incurred by Agent or Lender in connection with such Event of Default or default which results in an Event of Default within thirty (30) days), (ii) related to or arising from a request or similar action initiated by Borrower, and (iii) any extraordinary event regardless of whether expressly contemplated herein (by way of example but not limitation, a Permitted Redemption) or arising outside the scope of this Agreement but affecting Borrower, Lender or Agent under or related to this Agreement (by way of example but not limitation, any action involving CCB). The Credit Parties shall also pay all normal service charges with respect to all accounts maintained by the Credit Parties with Lender and any additional services requested by the Credit Parties from Lender. All such costs, expenses and charges shall constitute Obligations hereunder, shall be payable by the Credit Parties to Lender on demand, and, until paid, shall bear interest at the highest rate then applicable to the Note hereunder. Without limiting the foregoing, if (a) the Note is placed in the hands of an attorney for collection or enforcement or is collected or enforced through any legal proceeding or Lender otherwise takes action to collect amounts due under the Note or to enforce the provisions of this Agreement or such Note or (b) there occurs any bankruptcy, reorganization, receivership of any Credit Party or other proceedings affecting creditors’ rights and involving a claim under this Agreement or the Note, then the Credit Parties shall pay the costs incurred by Lender for such collection, enforcement or action or in connection with such bankruptcy, reorganization, receivership or other proceeding, including, but not limited to, reasonable attorneys’ fees and disbursements (including such fees and disbursements related to seeking relief from any stay, automatic or otherwise, in effect under any Bankruptcy Law).
Section 11.2Governing Law; Jurisdiction; Jury Trial. All questions concerning the construction, validity, enforcement and interpretation of this Agreement shall be governed by the internal laws of the State of Delaware, without giving effect to any choice of law or conflict of law provision or rule (whether of the State of Delaware or any other jurisdictions) that would cause the application of the laws of any jurisdictions other than the State of Delaware. Each party hereby irrevocably submits to the exclusive jurisdiction of the state and federal courts sitting in Wilmington, Delaware, for the adjudication of any dispute hereunder or in connection herewith or with any transaction contemplated hereby or discussed herein, and hereby irrevocably waives, and agrees not to assert in any suit, action or proceeding, any claim that it is not personally subject to the jurisdiction of any such court, that such suit, action or proceeding is brought in an inconvenient forum or that the venue of such suit, action or proceeding is improper. Each party hereby irrevocably waives personal service of
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process and consents to process being served in any such suit, action or proceeding by mailing a copy thereof to such party at the address for such notices to it under this Agreement and agrees that such service shall constitute good and sufficient service of process and notice thereof. Nothing contained herein shall be deemed to limit in any way any right to serve process in any manner permitted by law. EACH PARTY HEREBY IRREVOCABLY WAIVES ANY RIGHT IT MAY HAVE, AND AGREES NOT TO REQUEST, A JURY TRIAL FOR THE ADJUDICATION OF ANY DISPUTE HEREUNDER OR IN CONNECTION WITH OR ARISING OUT OF THIS AGREEMENT OR ANY TRANSACTIONS CONTEMPLATED HEREBY.
Section 11.3Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in two or more identical counterparts, all of which shall be considered one and the same agreement and shall become effective when counterparts have been signed by each party and delivered to each other party; provided that a facsimile or .pdf signature shall be considered due execution and shall be binding upon the signatory thereto with the same force and effect as if the signature were an original, not a facsimile or .pdf signature.
Section 11.4Headings. The headings of this Agreement are for convenience of reference and shall not form part of, or affect the interpretation of, this Agreement.
Section 11.5Severability. If any provision of this Agreement shall be invalid or unenforceable in any jurisdiction, such invalidity or unenforceability shall not affect the validity or enforceability of the remainder of this Agreement in that jurisdiction or the validity or enforceability of any provision of this Agreement in any other jurisdiction.
Section 11.6Entire Agreement; Amendments.
(a)This Agreement and the other Transaction Documents supersede all other prior oral or written agreements between Agent, Lender, the Credit Parties, their Affiliates and Persons acting on their behalf with respect to the matters discussed herein and therein, and this Agreement, the other Transaction Documents and the instruments referenced herein and therein contain the entire understanding of the parties with respect to the matters covered herein and therein and, except as specifically set forth herein or therein, none of the Credit Parties or Agent or Lender makes any representation, warranty, covenant or undertaking with respect to such matters. No provision of this Agreement, the Note or any of the other Transaction Documents may be amended or waived other than by an instrument in writing signed by the Credit Parties and Agent (provided, that no amendment or waiver hereof shall (a) increase or extend the Commitment, (b) extend the Maturity Date of the Note or postpone or delay any date fixed for the scheduled payment of principal or any payment of interest, fees or other amounts (other than principal) due to Lender (it being agreed that, for purposes of clarification, mandatory redemptions pursuant to Section 2.3(b) may be postponed, delayed, reduced, waived or modified in accordance with Section 2.3(d) or otherwise with the consent of Agent), (c) decrease the amount or rate of interest (it being agreed that waiver of the Default Rate shall only require the consent of Agent), principal or other amounts payable hereunder or under any Note or forgive or waive any such payment (it being agreed that mandatory redemptions pursuant to Section 2.3(b) may be postponed, delayed, reduced, waived or modified in accordance with Section 2.3(d) or otherwise with the consent of Agent), (d) change Sections 2.1(b) or 8.5(b), (e) discharge any Credit Party from its respective payment Obligations under the Transaction Documents, or release all or substantially all of the Collateral, except as otherwise may be provided in this Agreement or the other Transaction Documents), or (f) to effect any change as contemplated in Section 11.6(b) so long as an applicable notice thereunder has been
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delivered. None of the Credit Parties has, directly or indirectly, made any agreements with Agent or Lender relating to the terms or conditions of the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents except as set forth in the Transaction Documents. Without limiting the foregoing, each of the Credit Parties confirms that, except as set forth in this Agreement, none of Agent or Lender has made any commitment or promise or has any other obligation to provide any financing to the Credit Parties or otherwise.
(b)Lender may reclassify any state as an “Approved State”, “Restricted ([***]%) State”, “Restricted ([***]%) State”, or “Excluded State” from time to time upon thirty (30) days prior written notice to Borrower following any change in law or regulation, including the enforcement thereof, that materially and, in the case of reclassifying a state in a more restrictive manner, adversely affects the regulatory risk associated with credit card transactions, the sale of Receivables pursuant to the CCB Participation Agreement, or the credit card program contemplated under the Bank Transaction Documents in the applicable state. Notwithstanding the foregoing, Lender shall not be permitted to reclassify any (i) Restricted ([***]%) State as a Restricted ([***]%) State or as an Excluded State or (ii) Restricted ([***]%) State as an Excluded State.
Section 11.7Notices. Any notices, consents, waivers or other communications required or permitted to be given under the terms of this Agreement must be in writing and will be deemed to have been delivered: (a) upon receipt, when delivered personally; (b) upon receipt, when sent by facsimile (provided, confirmation of transmission is mechanically or electronically generated and kept on file by the sending party) or e-mail (provided, confirmation of receipt is verified by return email from the receiver or by other written means); or (c) one (1) Business Day after deposit with an overnight courier service, in each case properly addressed to the party to receive the same. The addresses, facsimile numbers and e-mail addresses for such communications shall be:
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If to any of the Credit Parties:
c/o Elevate Credit, Inc.
4150 International Plaza, Suite 300
Fort Worth, Texas 76109
Attention: Chief Executive Officer
Facsimile: [***]
Email: [***]
with a copy (for informational purposes only) to:
Coblentz Patch Duffy & Bass LLP
One Montgomery Street, Suite 3000
San Francisco, California 94104
Telephone: [***]
Facsimile: [***]
Attention: [***]
Email: [***]
If to Agent:
Park Cities Asset Management, LLC
8214 Westchester Drive, Suite 910
Dallas, Texas 75225
Telephone: [***]
Facsimile: [***]
Attention: [***]
Email: [***]
with a copy (for informational purposes only) to:
Wick Phillips Gould & Martin LLP
3131 McKinney Avenue, Suite 500
Dallas, Texas 75204
Telephone: [***]
Facsimile: [***]
Attention: [***]
Email: [***]

If to Lender, to its address, facsimile number and e-mail address set forth on Schedule 1.1, with copies to such Lender’s representatives as set forth on Schedule 1.1, or to such other address, facsimile number and/or e-mail address and/or to the attention of such other Person as the recipient party has specified by written notice given to each other party five days prior to the effectiveness of such change. Written confirmation of receipt (A) given by the recipient of such notice, consent, waiver or other communication, (B) mechanically or electronically generated by the sender’s facsimile machine containing the time, date, recipient facsimile number and an image of the first page of such transmission or (C) provided by an overnight courier service shall be rebuttable evidence of personal service, receipt
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by facsimile or receipt from an overnight courier service in accordance with clauses (a), (b) or (c) above, respectively.
Section 11.8Successors and Assigns; Participants. Except as expressly set forth herein, none of the parties shall assign this Agreement or any of their rights or obligations hereunder without the prior written consent of Agent, Lender and the Borrower Representative; provided that Agent or Lender may assign this Agreement any of its respective rights and obligations, in whole or in part, without any such consent (a) to any third party at any time during the continuance of an Event of Default, (b) to any entity which is controlled by or under common control with either Lender or Agent or (c) to Lender’s lender; provided, however, such party shall provide written notice of such assignment as soon as reasonably practicable following such assignment. Subject to the foregoing provisions of this Section 11.8, this Agreement shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the parties and their respective permitted successors and assigns.
Section 11.9No Third Party Beneficiaries. This Agreement is intended for the benefit of the parties hereto and their respective permitted successors and assigns, and is not for the benefit of, nor may any provision hereof be enforced by, any other Person.
Section 11.10Survival. The representations, warranties, agreements and covenants of the Credit Parties and Lender contained in the Transaction Documents shall survive the Closing.
Section 11.11Further Assurances. Each Credit Party shall do and perform, or cause to be done and performed, all such further acts and things, and shall execute and deliver all such other agreements, certificates, instruments and documents, as any other party may reasonably request in order to carry out the intent and accomplish the purposes of this Agreement and the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby.
Section 11.12Indemnification. In consideration of Agent’s and Lender’s execution and delivery of the Transaction Documents and acquisition of the Note hereunder and in addition to all of the Credit Parties’ other obligations under the Transaction Documents, the Credit Parties shall jointly and severally defend, protect, indemnify and hold harmless Agent, Lender, each of their respective Affiliates and all of their respective stockholders, equity holders, partners, members, managers, investment managers, officers, directors, employees, principals, advisory board members, and direct or indirect investors and any of the foregoing Persons’ predecessors, successors or assigns (collectively, the “Indemnitees”) from and against any and all actions, causes of action, suits, claims, losses, costs, penalties, fees, liabilities and damages, and expenses in connection therewith (irrespective of whether any such Indemnitee is a party to the action for which indemnification hereunder is sought), and including reasonable attorneys’ fees and disbursements (the “Indemnified Liabilities”), incurred by any Indemnitee as a result of, or arising out of, or relating to (a) any misrepresentation or breach of any representation or warranty made by any Credit Party in this Agreement, any other Transaction Documents, any Bank Transaction Documents or any other certificate, instrument or document contemplated hereby or thereby, (b) any breach of any covenant, agreement or obligation of any Credit Party contained in this Agreement, any other Transaction Documents, any Bank Transaction Documents or any other certificate, instrument or document contemplated hereby or thereby, (c) the present or former status of any Credit Party as a U.S. real property holding corporation for federal income tax purposes within the meaning of Section 897 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, if applicable, (d) the Program and the Requirements and transactions otherwise contemplated by or further described in the Transaction Documents or any Bank Transaction Documents, including, without limitation, as a result of any litigation or administrative proceeding before any court or governmental or
15651.048 4835-8083-6858.11     73


administrative body presently pending or threatened against any Indemnitee as a result of or arising from the foregoing, (e) the imposition of any Non-Excluded Taxes imposed on amounts payable under the Transaction Documents paid by such Indemnitee and any liabilities arising therefrom or with respect thereto, whether or not such Non-Excluded Taxes were correctly or legally asserted, (f) any improper use or disclosure or unlawful use or disclosure of Customer Information by a Credit Party or (g) any action, cause of action, suit, claim, demand, request for documents and/or information, regulatory review, subpoena, investigation, inquiry, civil investigatory demand, litigation or proceeding brought or made against such Indemnitee by a third party (including for these purposes a derivative action brought on behalf of any Credit Party) and arising out of or resulting from (i) the execution, delivery, performance or enforcement of this Agreement, any other Transaction Documents, any Bank Transaction Documents or any other certificate, instrument or document contemplated hereby or thereby, (ii) any transaction financed or to be financed in whole or in part, directly or indirectly, with the proceeds of the Note, or (iii) the status of such Lender as a lender to Borrower pursuant to the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents or any Bank Transaction Documents. To the extent that the foregoing undertakings by the Credit Parties may be unenforceable for any reason, the Credit Parties shall make the maximum contribution to the payment and satisfaction of each of the Indemnified Liabilities which is permissible under applicable law. No Credit Party shall assert, and each waives, any claim against the Indemnitees on any theory of liability for special, indirect, consequential or punitive damages arising out of, in connection with or as a result of, this Agreement of any of the other Transaction Documents or the transactions contemplated hereby or thereby. The agreements in this Section 11.12 shall survive the payment of the Obligations and the termination of the Commitment, this Agreement and the other Transaction Documents and the Bank Transaction Documents. For the avoidance of doubt, the obligations and agreements of the Credit Parties under this Section 11.12 shall constitute “Obligations” hereunder and the other Transaction Documents.
Section 11.13No Strict Construction. The language used in this Agreement will be deemed to be the language chosen by the parties to express their mutual intent, and no rules of strict construction will be applied against any party.
Section 11.14Waiver. No failure or delay on the part of Agent or Lender in the exercise of any power, right or privilege hereunder or any of the other Transaction Documents shall operate as a waiver thereof, nor shall any single or partial exercise of any such power, right or privilege preclude other or further exercise thereof or of any other right, power or privilege.
Section 11.15Payment Set Aside. To the extent that any of the Credit Parties makes a payment or payments to Agent or Lender hereunder or pursuant to any of the other Transaction Documents or Agent or Lender enforces or exercises its rights hereunder or thereunder, and such payment or payments or the proceeds of such enforcement or exercise or any part thereof are subsequently invalidated, declared to be fraudulent or preferential, set aside, recovered from, disgorged by or are required to be refunded, repaid or otherwise restored to any of the Credit Parties, a trustee, receiver or any other Person under any law (including, without limitation, any bankruptcy law, foreign, state or federal law, common law or equitable cause of action), then to the extent of any such restoration the obligation or part thereof originally intended to be satisfied shall be revived and continued in full force and effect as if such payment had not been made or such enforcement or setoff had not occurred.
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Section 11.16Set-off. Each of Agent, Lender and each Affiliate (including each branch office thereof) of any of them is hereby authorized, without notice or demand (each of which is hereby waived by each Credit Party), at any time and from time to time during the continuance of any Event of Default and to the fullest extent permitted by applicable Requirements, to set off and apply any and all deposits (whether general or special, time or demand, provisional or final) at any time held and other Indebtedness, claims or other obligations at any time owing by Agent, Lender or any of their respective Affiliates to or for the credit or the account of Borrower or any other Credit Party against any Obligation of any Credit Party now or hereafter existing, whether or not any demand was made under any Transaction Document with respect to such Obligation and even though such Obligation may be unmatured. Lender shall not exercise any such right of setoff without the prior consent of Agent. Each of Agent and Lender agrees promptly to notify the Borrower Representative and Agent after any such setoff and application made by Lender or its Affiliates; provided, however, that the failure to give such notice shall not affect the validity of such setoff and application. The rights under this Section 11.16 are in addition to any other rights and remedies (including other rights of setoff) that Agent, Lender or their Affiliates, may have.
Section 11.17Creditor Debtor Relationship. The relationship between Agent and Lender, on the one hand, and the Credit Parties, on the other hand, is solely that of creditor and debtor. None of Agent or Lender has any advisory or fiduciary relationship or duty to any Credit Party or to any Credit Party’s business associates arising out of or in connection with, and there is no agency, tenancy or joint venture relationship between Agent or Lender and the Credit Parties by virtue of, any Transaction Document or any transaction contemplated therein. Nothing contained herein or in any other Transaction Document, and no action taken by Agent or Lender pursuant hereto or thereto, shall be deemed to constitute Agent and/or Lender as a partnership, an association, a joint venture or any other kind of entity with any of the Credit Parties, or create a presumption that Agent and/or Lender are in any way acting in concert or as a group with any of the Credit Parties with respect to the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents. Neither Agent nor Lender has been involved in the structuring, negotiation or implementation of the business of the Credit Parties or given any advice to the Credit Parties or any of the Credit Party’s business associates with respect to the Credit Parties structuring, negotiating, implementing and operating their respective businesses, and the Credit Parties have relied solely on the advice of their own counsel in structuring, negotiating, implementing and operating their respective businesses. Without characterizing the relationship between Agent and Lender, on the one hand, and the Credit Parties, on the other hand, as anything other than that of creditor and debtor, in the event the nature of such relationship between Agent and Lender, on the one hand, and the Credit Parties, on the other hand, shall ever be challenged and recharacterized as an equity, ownership, advisory or any other type of relationship, it is agreed and understood that Agent and Lender shall solely be considered a passive investor with respect to the Credit Parties.
<signature pages follow>
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, each party has caused its signature page to this Financing Agreement to be duly executed as of the date first written above.
BORROWER:
TODAY SPV, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company, as Borrower
By: Today Card, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company, as Borrower
By: Elevate Credit, Inc., a Delaware corporation, its Sole Member
 
By:     /s/ Jason Harvison
Name: Jason Harvison
Title: Chief Executive Officer


15651.048 4835-8083-6858.11


IN WITNESS WHEREOF, each party has caused its signature page to this Financing Agreement to be duly executed as of the date first written above.

CREDIT PARTIES:
TODAY CARD, LLC
By: Elevate Credit, Inc., a Delaware corporation, its Sole Member
 
By:     /s/ Jason Harvison
Name: Jason Harvison
Title: Chief Executive Officer
TODAY MARKETING, LLC
By: Today Card, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company, its Sole Member
By: Elevate Credit, Inc., a Delaware corporation, its Sole Member
By: /s/ Jason Harvison
Name: Jason Harvison
Title: Chief Executive Officer

15651.048 4835-8083-6858.11


IN WITNESS WHEREOF, each party has caused its signature page to this Financing Agreement to be duly executed as of the date first written above.

AGENT:
PARK CITIES ASSET MANAGEMENT, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company
By:     /s/ J. Andrew Thomas
Name: J. Andrew Thomas
Title: Managing Partner
LENDER:
PCAM CREDIT XV, LLC, a Texas limited liability company
By: Park Cities Specialty Finance Fund, LP, its member
By: Park Cities Specialty GP LLC, its general partner
By: Park Cities Asset Management LLC, its sole member
By: /s/ J. Andrew Thomas
Name: J. Andrew Thomas
Title: Manager




[Schedule 6.25]


EXHIBIT A
Form of Note

[see separate document]
    79



SENIOR SECURED PROMISSORY NOTE
October 12, 2021 Principal: US$50,00,000.00

FOR VALUE RECEIVED, TODAY SPV, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company hereby promises to pay to PCAM CREDIT XV, LLC, a Texas limited liability company (“Lender”) the amount set out above as the principal or, if less, the aggregate unpaid outstanding principal amount under this Note pursuant to the terms of that certain Financing Agreement, dated as of October 12, 2021, by and among the Borrower, Today Card, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company, the other Credit Parties party thereto, Park Cities Asset Management, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company, as administrative and collateral agent (in such capacity, “Agent”) and Lender (together with all exhibits and schedules thereto and as may be amended, restated, modified and supplemented from time to time the “Financing Agreement”). Borrower promises to pay accrued and unpaid interest on the aggregate outstanding principal amount under this Senior Secured Promissory Note (including any Senior Secured Promissory Note issued in exchange or replacement hereof, this “Note”) on the dates, rates and in the manner provided for in the Financing Agreement.
This Note is subject to optional redemption and mandatory prepayment on the terms specified in the Financing Agreement. At any time an Event of Default exists, the aggregate outstanding principal amount under this Note, together with all accrued and unpaid interest and other amounts pursuant to the Financing Agreement, may be declared or otherwise become due and payable in the manner, at the price and with the effect, all as provided in the Financing Agreement.
All payments in respect of this Note are to be made in lawful money of the United States of America at the Agent’s office in Dallas, Texas or at such other place as Agent or Lender shall have designated by written notice to Borrower as provided in the Financing Agreement.
This Note shall be construed and enforced in accordance with, and all questions concerning the construction, validity, interpretation and performance of this Note and all disputes arising hereunder shall be governed by, the laws of the State of Delaware, without giving effect to any choice of law or conflict of law provision or rule (whether of the State of Delaware or any other jurisdictions) that would cause the application of the laws of any jurisdictions other than the State of Delaware. The parties (a) agree that any legal action or proceeding with respect to this Note or any other agreement, document, or other instrument executed in connection herewith, shall be brought in any state or federal court located within Wilmington, Delaware, (b) irrevocably waive any objections which either may now or hereafter have to the venue of any suit, action or proceeding arising out of or relating to this Note, or any other agreement, document, or other instrument executed in connection herewith, brought in the aforementioned courts, and (c) further irrevocably waive any claim that any such suit, action, or proceeding brought in any such court has been brought in an inconvenient forum.
LENDER AND BORROWER IRREVOCABLY WAIVE THE RIGHT TO A TRIAL BY JURY IN ANY ACTION OR PROCEEDING BROUGHT TO ENFORCE ANY PROVISION OF THIS NOTE OR ANY OTHER TRANSACTION DOCUMENT.
<remainder of page intentionally left blank; signature page follows>
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, Borrower has caused this Note to be duly executed as of the date set out above.
BORROWER:
TODAY SPV, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company
By: Today Card, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company, its Sole Member
By: Elevate Credit, Inc., a Delaware corporation, its Sole Member
 
By:
Name: Jason Harvison
Title: Chief Executive Officer

    81


EXHIBIT B
Pledge and Security Agreement

[see separate document]

    82


PLEDGE AND SECURITY AGREEMENT
This PLEDGE AND SECURITY AGREEMENT, dated as of October 12, 2021 (as amended, restated, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time, this “Agreement”), is entered into by and among Today SPV, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (“Borrower”), Today Card, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (“Parent”), the other Credit Parties which are party hereto, Park Cities Asset Management, LLC, as collateral agent (in such capacity, “Collateral Agent”) for the benefit of the “Secured Parties” (as defined below), and each Person which becomes a party hereto pursuant to the joinder provisions of Section 20 (Borrower, Parent, the other Credit Parties and such other Persons are referred to herein, collectively, as the “Obligors” or, individually, as an “Obligor”).
Recitals
A.Pursuant to that certain Financing Agreement entered into by and among the Obligors, Lender and Collateral Agent (Lender and Collateral Agent hereinafter, collectively, referred to as the “Secured Parties”) dated as of even date herewith (as amended, restated, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time, the “Financing Agreement”) Lender agreed to lend certain funds to Borrower.
B.In order to secure the Obligations and as an inducement to Lender to purchase the Note under the Financing Agreement and lend funds to Borrower, each Obligor has agreed to enter into this Agreement for the benefit of the Secured Parties.
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the agreements herein contained and for other good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which is hereby acknowledged, the parties hereby agree as follows:
1.CERTAIN DEFINITIONS. As used in this Agreement, the following terms shall have the meanings set forth in this Section 1. Terms used but not otherwise defined in this Agreement that are defined in the Unform Commercial Code of the State of Delaware (the “UCC”) shall have the respective meanings given such terms in the UCC (and if such terms are defined in more than one article of the UCC, such terms shall have the meaning given in Article 9 thereof), and capitalized terms not otherwise defined herein shall have the meaning given to them in the Financing Agreement.
(a)Collateral” means, without duplication but subject to the exclusions expressly identified in Section 2, the following property of the Obligors, whether presently owned or existing or hereafter acquired or coming into existence and wherever located, and all additions and accessions thereto and all substitutions and replacements thereof, and all proceeds, products and accounts thereof, including, without limitation, all proceeds from the sale or transfer thereof and of insurance covering the same and of any tort claims in connection therewith:
(i)all Accounts, Deposit Accounts, Instruments, Documents, Chattel Paper (whether Tangible Chattel Paper or Electronic Chattel Paper), Goods (including Inventory, Equipment, Fixtures and Motor Vehicles), Money, Payment Intangibles, Software, customer lists and other General Intangibles and all Letter-of-Credit Rights;
(ii)all Receivables, including without limitation the Eligible Receivables, and the CCB Participation Agreement and other Bank Transaction Documents (as each such term is defined in the Financing Agreement);
(iii)the shares of capital stock, or partnership, membership and other ownership interests, now or hereafter owned by the Obligors (collectively, the “Pledged Equity”), including without limitation at all times the Pledge Equity of the ownership interests in Borrower, and all certificates
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evidencing the same, together with, in each case, all shares, securities, monies or property representing a dividend on any of the Pledged Equity, or representing a distribution or return of capital upon or in respect of the Pledged Equity, or resulting from a split up, revision, reclassification or other like change of the Pledged Equity or otherwise received in exchange therefor, and any subscription warrants, rights or options issued to the holders of, or otherwise in respect of, the Pledged Equity (the Pledged Equity, together with all other certificates, shares, securities, properties, ownership interests, or moneys, dividends, distributions, returns of capital subscription, warrants, rights or options as may from time to time be pledged hereunder pursuant to this clause being herein collectively called the “Equity Collateral”);
(iv)all Investment Property, Financial Assets and Securities Accounts not covered by the foregoing clauses (i) and (ii);
(v)all Intellectual Property;
(vi)all commercial tort claims now or hereafter described on Schedule C;
(vii)all other tangible and intangible personal property of the Obligors, including all books, correspondence, credit files, records, invoices, tapes, cards, computer runs and other papers and documents owned by the Obligors (including any held for the Obligors by any computer bureau or service company from time to time acting for the Obligors); and
(viii)all Proceeds and products in whatever form of all or any part of the other Collateral, including all rents, profits, income and benefits and all proceeds of insurance and all condemnation awards and all other compensation for any event of loss with respect to all or any part of the other Collateral (together with all rights to recover and proceed with respect to the same), and all accessions to, substitutions for and replacements of all or any part of the other Collateral.
(b)Controlled Account” means the bank accounts (including, without limitation, all Deposit Accounts and Securities Accounts) of the Obligors, including without limitation those set forth on Schedule F, but excluding any accounts used exclusively to fund payroll.
(c)Copyright Licenses” shall mean any and all agreements and licenses to which an Obligor is a party providing for the granting of any right in or to Copyrights or otherwise providing for a covenant not to sue with respect to a Copyright (whether such Obligor is licensee or licensor thereunder).
(d)Copyrights” shall mean all United States and foreign copyrights owned or licensed by an Obligor (including community designs), including but not limited to copyrights in software (if any) and all rights in and to databases, and all mask works, whether registered or unregistered, and, with respect to any and all of the foregoing: (i) all registrations and applications therefor, (ii) all extensions and renewals thereof, (iii) all rights corresponding thereto throughout the world, including, without limitation, all moral rights, reversionary interests and termination rights, (iv) all rights to sue for past, present and future infringements thereof and (v) all Proceeds of the foregoing including, without limitation, licenses, royalties, income, payments, claims, damages and proceeds of suit.
(e)Event of Default” shall have the meaning ascribed in the Financing Agreement.
(f)Intellectual Property” shall mean, collectively, the Copyrights, the Copyright Licenses, the Patents, the Patent Licenses, the Trade Secrets, the Trade Secret Licenses, the Trademarks and the Trademark Licenses.
(g)Obligations” shall have the meaning ascribed in the Financing Agreement.
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(h)Patent Licenses” means all agreements and licenses to which an Obligor is a party providing for the granting of any right in or to Patents or otherwise providing for a covenant not to sue with respect to a Patent (whether such Obligor is licensee or licensor thereunder).
(i)Patents” shall mean all United States and foreign patents and certificates of invention, or similar industrial property rights, and applications for any of the foregoing owned or licensed by an Obligor including, but not limited to: (i) all registrations and applications therefor; (ii) all reissues, divisions, continuations, continuations-in-part, extensions, renewals, and reexaminations thereof; (iii) all rights corresponding thereto throughout the world; (iv) all inventions and improvements described therein; (v) all rights to sue for past, present and future infringements thereof; (vi) all licenses, claims, damages, and proceeds of suit arising therefrom; and (vii) all Proceeds of the foregoing, including, without limitation, licenses, royalties, income, payments, claims, damages, and proceeds of suit.
(j)Permitted Liens” shall have the meaning ascribed in the Financing Agreement.
(k)Requirements of Laws” means any U.S. federal, state and local, and any non-U.S. laws, statutes, regulations, rules, codes or ordinances enacted, adopted, issued or promulgated by any Governmental Authority and applicable to an Obligor.
(l)Trade Secret Licenses” shall mean any and all agreements to which an Obligor is a party providing for the granting of any right in or to Trade Secrets (whether such Obligor is licensee or licensor thereunder).
(m)Trade Secrets” shall mean all trade secrets and all other confidential or proprietary information and know-how owned by an Obligor whether or not such Trade Secret has been reduced to a writing or other tangible form, including all documents and things embodying, incorporating, or referring in any way to such Trade Secret including, but not limited to: (i) the right to sue for past, present and future misappropriation or other violation of any Trade Secret; and (ii) all Proceeds of the foregoing, including, without limitation, licenses, royalties, income, payments, claims, damages, and proceeds of suit.
(n)Trademark Licenses” means any and all agreements and licenses to which an Obligor is a party providing for the granting of any right in or to Trademarks or otherwise providing for a covenant not to sue or permitting co-existence with respect to a Trademark (whether such Obligor is licensee or licensor thereunder).
(o)Trademarks” means United States and foreign trademarks, trade names, corporate names, company names, business names, fictitious business names, Internet domain names, service marks, certification marks, collective marks, logos, other source or business identifiers, designs and general intangibles of a like nature owned or licensed by an Obligor, all registrations and applications for any of the foregoing including, but not limited to: (i) all registrations and applications therefor; (ii) all extensions or renewals of any of the foregoing; (iii) all of the goodwill of the business connected with the use of and symbolized by the foregoing; (iv) the right to sue for past, present and future infringement or dilution of any of the foregoing or for any injury to goodwill; and (v) all Proceeds of the foregoing, including, without limitation, licenses, royalties, income, payments, claims, damages, and proceeds of suit.
(p)Transaction Documents” shall have the meaning ascribed in the Financing Agreement.
(q)Unasserted Contingent Obligations” means Obligations for taxes, costs, indemnifications, reimbursements, damages and other liabilities (excluding Obligations in respect of the principal of, and interest on, and fees and expenses relating to, any Obligation) in respect of which no assertion of liability (whether oral or written) and no claim or demand for payment (whether oral or written)
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has been made (and, in the case of Obligations for indemnification, no notice for indemnification has been issued by the indemnitee) at such time.
2.GRANT OF SECURITY INTEREST. As an inducement for Lender to purchase the Note, and to secure the complete and timely payment, performance and discharge in full, as the case may be, of all of the Obligations, each Obligor hereby unconditionally and irrevocably pledges, grants and hypothecates to the Collateral Agent for the benefit of the Secured Parties a continuing security interest (the “Security Interest”) in and to, a lien upon and a right of set-off against all of their respective right, title and interest of whatsoever kind and nature in and to the Collateral.
3.REPRESENTATIONS, WARRANTIES, COVENANTS AND AGREEMENTS OF THE OBLIGORS. Each Obligor represents and warrants to, and covenants and agrees with, the Collateral Agent for the benefit of the Secured Parties as follows:
(a)Such Obligor has the requisite limited liability company power and authority to enter into this Agreement and otherwise to carry out its obligations hereunder. The execution, delivery and performance by such Obligor of this Agreement and the filings contemplated therein have been duly authorized by all necessary limited liability company action on the part of such Obligor and no further action is required by such Obligor.
(b)Such Obligor has no place of business or offices where its books of account and records are kept (other than temporarily at the offices of its attorneys or accountants) or places where Collateral is stored or located, except as set forth on Schedule A.
(c)Such Obligor is the sole owner of, or possesses adequate rights in, the Collateral, and, except for the Permitted Liens and liens in favor of the Secured Parties, such Collateral is free and clear of any liens, security interests, encumbrances, rights or claims, and such Obligor is fully authorized to grant the Security Interest in and to pledge the Collateral. There is not on file in any governmental or regulatory authority, agency or recording office an effective financing statement, security agreement, license or transfer or any notice of any of the foregoing (other than those filed in favor of the Secured Parties) covering or affecting any of the Collateral except for the Permitted Liens and liens in favor of the Secured Parties. So long as this Agreement shall be in effect, such Obligor shall not execute and shall not knowingly permit to be on file in any such office or agency any such financing statement or other document or instrument (except to the extent filed or recorded in favor of the Secured Parties pursuant to this Agreement and except those arising from the Permitted Liens).
(d)No part of the Intellectual Property owned by such Obligor constituting Collateral has been judged invalid or unenforceable, and to the knowledge of such Obligor, no part of the Intellectual Property licensed by such Obligor constituting Collateral has been judged invalid or unenforceable. Except as disclosed in the Schedules to the Financing Agreement, to the knowledge of such Obligor no written claim has been received by such Obligor that any Intellectual Property or such Obligor’s use of any Intellectual Property violates the intellectual property rights of any third party. There has been no adverse decision to such Obligor’s claim of ownership rights in or rights to use the Intellectual Property owned by such Obligor in any jurisdiction or to such Obligor’s right to keep and maintain the registered Intellectual Property it owns in full force and effect, and to the knowledge of such Obligor, there has been no adverse decision to such Obligor’s claim of rights to use the Intellectual Property licensed by such Obligor in any jurisdiction. Except as disclosed in the Schedules to the Financing Agreement, there is no proceeding pending before any court, judicial body, administrative or regulatory agency, arbitrator or other governmental authority or, to the knowledge of such Obligor, threatened in writing against such Obligor contesting or challenging the validity, scope or enforceability of, or an Obligor’s ownership of or right to use such Intellectual Property.
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(e)Such Obligor shall at all times maintain its books of account and records relating to the Collateral at its principal place of business and its Collateral at the locations set forth on Schedule A and may not relocate such books of account and records or tangible Collateral unless it delivers to the Collateral Agent at least thirty (30) days prior to such relocation (i) written notice of such relocation and the new location thereof (which must be within the United States) and (ii) evidence that appropriate financing statements under the UCC and other necessary documents have been filed and recorded and other steps have been taken to create in favor of Collateral Agent, for the benefit of itself and the Secured Parties, a valid, perfected and continuing perfected first priority (except for the Permitted Liens) Lien in the Collateral.
(f)This Agreement creates in favor of the Collateral Agent, for itself and on behalf of the Secured Parties, a valid security interest in the Collateral securing the payment and performance of the Obligations and, upon making the filings described in clause (g) below with respect to Collateral that may be perfected by such filing and upon the timely effecting of actions required by applicable law to perfect security interests in other Collateral which actions shall be taken by such Obligor at the request of a Secured Party (including, without limitation, the transfer of possession of original certificated securities with respect to Borrower), together with appropriate transfer instruments and the delivery of deposit account control agreements), a perfected first priority (except for the Permitted Liens) Lien in such Collateral.
(g)Such Obligor hereby authorizes the Collateral Agent, for itself and on behalf of the Secured Parties, to file one or more financing statements under the UCC, with respect to the Security Interest with the filing and recording agencies in any jurisdiction deemed necessary or desirable in the sole and absolute discretion of the Collateral Agent, and to file intellectual property security agreements with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office or the U.S. Copyright Office as appropriate. Without limiting the foregoing, each Obligor authorizes the Collateral Agent to file the UCC financing statement naming such Obligor as debtor set forth on Exhibit B. Each Obligor irrevocably authorizes the Collateral Agent, for and on behalf of the Secured Parties, at any time and from time to time, to file in any filing office in any jurisdiction, any initial financing statement or amendment thereto that indicates the collateral as “all assets” or “all personal property” of such Obligor or words of similar effect. Such Obligor will pay the cost of filing the same in all public offices wherever the filing is, or is deemed by the Collateral Agent to be, necessary or desirable to effect the rights and obligations provided for herein. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, but subject to the terms of the Financing Agreement and this Agreement, such Obligor shall pay all fees, taxes and other amounts necessary to maintain the Collateral and the Security Interest hereunder, and such Obligor shall obtain and furnish to the Collateral Agent from time to time, upon demand, such releases and/or subordinations of claims and liens which may be required to maintain the priority of the Security Interest hereunder.
(h)The execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement by such Obligor does not conflict with, or constitute a default (or an event that with notice or lapse of time or both would become a default) under, or give to others any rights of termination, amendment, acceleration or cancellation (with or without notice, lapse of time or both) of, any material agreement, credit facility, debt or other instrument (evidencing such Obligor’s debt or otherwise) to which such Obligor is a party or by which any property or asset of such Obligor is bound or affected. No consent (including, without limitation, any consent from any holder of stock or other type of ownership interest, any creditors, or any Governmental Authority that currently regulates the business of such Obligor) is required for such Obligor to enter into and perform its obligations hereunder, other than such consents as shall have previously been obtained.
(i)Such Obligor shall at all times maintain the Liens and Security Interest provided for hereunder as valid and perfected first priority (except for Permitted Liens) Liens and Security Interests in the Collateral in favor of the Collateral Agent until this Agreement and the Security Interest hereunder shall be terminated pursuant to Section 13. Such Obligor hereby agrees to defend the Liens in favor of the Collateral Agent from and against any and all persons except for the Secured Parties. Such Obligor shall safeguard and
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protect all Collateral for the account of the Secured Parties, subject to ordinary wear and tear, casualty or condemnation.
(j)Except for the Permitted Liens and as expressly permitted under the Financing Agreement, such Obligor will not transfer, pledge, hypothecate, encumber, license, sell or otherwise dispose of any of the Collateral without the prior written consent of the Collateral Agent.
(k)Such Obligor shall keep and preserve its Equipment, Inventory and other tangible Collateral in good condition, repair and order, subject to ordinary wear and tear, casualty or condemnation, and shall not operate or locate any such Collateral (or cause to be operated or located) in any area excluded from insurance coverage or otherwise prohibited by any applicable Requirement of Law.
(l)Such Obligor shall, promptly upon obtaining knowledge thereof, advise the Collateral Agent, in sufficient detail, of any substantial change in the Collateral, and of the occurrence of any event with respect to the Collateral which would have a Material Adverse Effect on the value of the Collateral or on the Secured Parties’ Lien thereon.
(m)Such Obligor shall promptly execute and deliver to the Secured Parties such further deeds, mortgages, fixture filings, assignments, security agreements, financing statements or other instruments, documents, certificates and assurances and take such further action as any Secured Party may from time to time request and may in its sole discretion deem necessary to perfect, protect or enforce its security interest in the Collateral or any additional collateral, including, without limitation, the execution and delivery of separate mortgages and fixture filings, which shall be satisfactory to the Collateral Agent in its sole discretion for real or personal property interest.
(n)Such Obligor shall permit the Secured Parties and their representatives and agents to inspect the Collateral and to make copies of records pertaining to the Collateral in accordance with the terms of the Financing Agreement.
(o)Such Obligor shall take all steps reasonably necessary to diligently pursue and seek to preserve, enforce and collect any rights, claims, causes of action and accounts receivable in respect of the Collateral (subject, in each case, to the sale, settlement or charge off in the ordinary course of business of the Credit Parties of Receivables that are not Eligible Receivables).
(p)Such Obligor shall within five (5) Business Days notify the Collateral Agent in sufficient detail upon becoming aware of any attachment, garnishment, execution or other legal process levied against any Collateral and of any other information received by such Obligor that may materially adversely affect the value of the Collateral, the Security Interest or the rights and remedies of the Secured Parties hereunder.
(q)All information heretofore, herein or hereafter supplied to the Secured Parties by or on behalf of such Obligor with respect to the Collateral is accurate and complete in all material respects as of the date furnished.
(r)Such Obligor shall, and shall cause its Subsidiaries to, at all times preserve and keep in full force and effect their respective valid existence and good standing and any rights, permits, licenses and franchises material to their businesses.
(s)Except if and as permitted under and in accordance with the Transaction Documents, such Obligor will not change its name, corporate structure, jurisdiction of organization, or identity, or add any fictitious name unless it provides at least thirty (30) days prior written notice to the Collateral Agent of such change and, at the time of such written notification, such Obligor provides any financing statements or
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fixture filings necessary to perfect and continue perfected the perfected first priority (except for Permitted Liens) Security Interest granted and evidenced by the Security Documents.
(t)Such Obligor may not consign any of its Inventory or sell any of its Inventory on bill and hold, sale or return, sale on approval, or other conditional terms of sale without the consent of the Collateral Agent, which shall not be unreasonably withheld.
(u)Such Obligor may not relocate its chief executive office to a new location without providing thirty (30) days prior written notification thereof to the Collateral Agent and so long as, at the time of such written notification, such Obligor provides any financing statements or fixture filings necessary to perfect and continue perfected the perfected first priority (except for Permitted Liens) Security Interest granted and evidenced by the Security Documents.
(v)Such Obligor’s exact legal name and jurisdiction of organization is set forth in the introduction paragraph of this Agreement.
(w)With respect to the Pledged Companies (as set forth in Schedule D):
(i)The Obligors shall deliver, or cause to be delivered, all certificates or instruments representing or evidencing the Pledged Equity of the Pledged Companies to the Collateral Agent, which shall be in suitable form for transfer by delivery, or shall be accompanied by duly executed instruments of transfer or assignment in blank, all in form and substance satisfactory to the Collateral Agent, and each Obligor agrees to execute and deliver, or cause to be executed and delivered, to the Collateral Agent with respect to each Pledged Company a Consent, in the form attached hereto as Exhibit A-1, and a Pledge Instruction, in the form attached hereto as Exhibit A-2 and by this reference each made a part hereof.
(ii)The Collateral Agent shall have the right, at any time in its discretion and without notice to any Obligor, after the occurrence of any Event of Default, to transfer to or to register in the name of the Collateral Agent or any of its nominees any or all of such Pledged Equity with respect to such Pledged Companies. The Collateral Agent shall also have the right at any time, in connection with exercising its rights hereunder, to exchange certificates or instruments, if any, representing or evidencing such Pledged Equity for certificates or instruments of smaller or larger denominations provided that the aggregate number of interests on such certificates or instruments issued in exchange thereof shall not exceed the number of interests pledged by the Obligors in the Pledged Companies;
(iii)in addition, all other steps necessary or advisable under any applicable law to be taken in order to perfect the first priority (except for Permitted Liens) Security Interest granted to Collateral Agent free from adverse claims hereunder shall be taken by or on behalf of each Obligor, including without limitation, any notation on any certificate or instrument representing the Pledged Equity of the Pledged Companies and any notation on any share register or similar document or Instrument;
(iv)upon the proper filing of UCC financing statements by the Collateral Agent, and/or upon delivery to the Collateral Agent of any issued certificates representing the Pledged Equity of the Pledged Companies and the taking of any other steps that may be required in accordance with this Section 3(w) or otherwise, the pledge of Pledged Equity of the Pledged Companies pursuant to this Agreement creates a valid and perfected first priority (subject only to Permitted Liens) Security Interest free from adverse claims in the Equity Collateral in respect of the Pledged Companies securing the payment of the Obligations for the benefit of the Collateral Agent and the other Secured Parties;
(v)Schedule D and Schedule E with respect to the Pledged Companies are true and correct and complete; and without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the Pledged Equity set forth opposite such Obligor’s name on Schedule E, constitutes, as of the date hereof, the number of the issued and outstanding equity interests of each Pledged Company indicated on Schedule D, the percentage of each
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Pledged Company indicated on Schedule E and the Pledged Equity constitutes all of the Equity Interests of any such Pledged Company owned by such Obligor; and
(vi)Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, no interest in any limited liability company or limited partnership owned or controlled by any Obligor that constitutes Pledged Equity shall be represented by a certificate unless (i) the limited liability company agreement or partnership agreement expressly provides that such interests shall be a “security” within the meaning of Article 8 of the UCC of the applicable jurisdiction, and (ii) such certificate shall be delivered to the Collateral Agent in accordance with the terms hereof.
(x)    So long as no Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing, each applicable Obligor shall be entitled to exercise any and all voting and other rights pertaining to the Pledged Companies, as applicable, or any part thereof for any purpose not inconsistent with the terms of this Agreement and the other Transaction Documents; provided, however, that such Obligor shall not exercise or shall refrain from exercising any such right if such action or inaction could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect on the value of the Pledged Companies or any part thereof or be inconsistent with or violate any provisions of this Agreement and the other Transaction Documents.
(ii)So long as no Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing, each applicable Obligor shall be entitled to receive all dividends, distributions and payments paid from time to time in respect of the Collateral, Equity Collateral and Pledged Companies to the extent permitted by the Transaction Documents.
(iii)At any time while an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing, any and all (A) dividends and other distributions paid or payable in cash in respect of any Equity Collateral in connection with a partial or total liquidation or dissolution or in connection with a reduction of capital, capital surplus or paid-in-surplus, and (B) cash paid, payable or otherwise distributed in redemption of, or in exchange for, any Equity Collateral, shall be in each case forthwith delivered to the Collateral Agent, to hold and shall, if received by an Obligor, be received in trust for the benefit of the Collateral Agent and the Secured Parties, be segregated from the other property or funds of such Obligor, and be forthwith delivered to the Collateral Agent in the same form as so received (with any necessary endorsement).
(iv)All dividends or other distributions which are received by an Obligor contrary to the provisions of this Section 3(x) shall be received in trust for the benefit of the Collateral Agent and the Secured Parties, shall be segregated from other funds of such Obligor and shall be forthwith paid over to the Collateral Agent in the same form as so received (with any necessary endorsement).
(v)Subject to the provisions of Section 4, upon the occurrence and during the continuance of an Event of Default, (A) all voting and other rights of an Obligor which it would otherwise be entitled to exercise pursuant to Section 3(x)(i) shall cease, and all such rights shall automatically thereupon (unless expressly waived in writing by the Collateral Agent) become vested in the Collateral Agent for the benefit of itself and the Secured Parties, which shall (unless expressly waived in writing by the Collateral Agent) thereupon have the sole right to exercise such rights in accordance with Section 5, and (B) all cash dividends or other distributions payable in respect of the Pledged Companies shall be paid to the Collateral Agent, for the benefit of itself and the Secured Parties and such Obligor’s right to receive such cash payments pursuant to Sections 3(x)(ii) and 3(x)(iii) shall immediately and automatically cease.
(vi)Schedule F sets forth all Controlled Accounts of each Obligor as of the date hereof. Each Obligor agrees that (i) it shall not create any new Controlled Account, unless prior to (or concurrently therewith) it has entered into an account control agreement for such Controlled Account in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Collateral Agent, and (ii) no proceeds of any Accounts will be
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deposited in or at any time transferred to any Controlled Account other than a Controlled Account governed by an account control agreement in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Collateral Agent.
(y)Except as set forth on Schedule G, Obligor owns no motor vehicles for which a certificate of title has been issued or for which a certificate of title is required by law and upon acquiring any such motor vehicle each Obligor shall, at the request of the Collateral Agent, cause the Collateral Agent to be noted as the first lienholder on the certificate of title.
(z)With respect to any Intellectual Property hereafter owned or acquired which is registered or for which registration is sought, such Obligor shall promptly (and in any event, within 30 days of Obligor acquiring such Intellectual Property) file, in appropriate form for recordation, an intellectual property security agreement covering such Intellectual Property with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office or the U.S. Copyright Office, as applicable; provided that, the foreign equivalents of such filings shall be required only to the extent requested by Collateral Agent.
(aa)
(i)If any amount payable under or in connection with any Collateral owned by such Obligor shall be or become evidenced by an instrument or Tangible chattel paper, such Obligor shall mark all such instruments and Tangible Chattel Paper with the following legend: “This writing and the obligations evidenced or secured hereby are subject to the security interest of Park Cities Asset Management, LLC, as Collateral Agent” and, at the request of the Collateral Agent, shall immediately deliver such instrument or Tangible Chattel Paper to the Collateral Agent, duly indorsed in a manner satisfactory to the Collateral Agent. Notwithstanding the foregoing, so long as no Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing, such Obligor may retain for collection in the ordinary course of business any instrument received for payment in the ordinary course of business, and the Collateral Agent shall, within reasonable time upon request of the Obligor, make appropriate arrangements for making any instrument or Tangible Chattel Paper delivered by Obligor available to Obligor for purposes of presentation, collection or renewal (any such arrangement to be effected, to the extent deemed appropriate by Collateral Agent, against trust receipts or like document).
(ii)Such Obligor shall not grant “control” (within the meaning of such term under Article 9-106 of the UCC) over any investment property to any Person other than the Collateral Agent, or permit any person to have such “control”, a securities intermediary or a commodity intermediary.
(iii)If any amount payable under or in connection with any Collateral owned by such Obligor shall be or become evidenced by Electronic Chattel Paper, such Obligor shall take all steps requested by Collateral Agent after notification by Obligor of ownership of such Collateral, to grant the Collateral Agent control of all such Electronic Chattel Paper for the purposes of Section 9-105 of the UCC (or any similar section under any equivalent UCC) and all “transferable records” as defined in each of the Uniform Electronic Transactions Act and the Electronic Signatures in Global and National Commerce Act.
(bb)Any default in the observance or performance by such Obligor of any covenant, condition or agreement contained herein, subject to applicable cure periods, if any, shall constitute an Event of Default to the extent provided in the Financing Agreement.
4.DUTY TO HOLD IN TRUST. Upon the occurrence and during the continuance of any Event of Default, the Obligors shall, upon receipt of any revenue, income or other sums subject to the Security Interest, whether payable pursuant to the Financing Agreement, the Note or otherwise, or of any check, draft, note, trade acceptance or other instrument evidencing an obligation to pay any such sum, hold the same in trust for the Collateral Agent on behalf of the Secured Parties and shall forthwith endorse and transfer any
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such sums or instruments, or both, to the Collateral Agent on behalf of the Secured Parties for application to the satisfaction of the Obligations.
5.RIGHTS AND REMEDIES UPON DEFAULT. Upon the occurrence and during the continuance of any Event of Default, the Collateral Agent, for itself and behalf of each Secured Party, shall have the right to exercise all of the remedies conferred hereunder and under the Financing Agreement and the Note, at law and in equity, and the Collateral Agent, for itself and on behalf of each Secured Party, shall have all the rights and remedies of a secured party under the UCC. Without limitation, the Collateral Agent shall also have the following rights and powers:
(a)The Collateral Agent shall have the right to take possession of the Collateral and, for that purpose, enter (with respect to leased premises, to the extent permitted by the owner thereof), with the aid and assistance of any person, any premises where the Collateral, or any part thereof, is or may be placed and remove the same, and the Obligors shall assemble the Collateral and make it available to the Collateral Agent at places which the Collateral Agent shall reasonably select, whether at the Obligors’ premises or elsewhere, and make available to the Collateral Agent, without rent paid by the Collateral Agent, all of the Obligors’ respective premises and facilities for the purpose of the Collateral Agent taking possession of, removing or putting the Collateral in saleable or disposable form.
(b)The Collateral Agent shall have the right to operate the business of the Obligors using the Collateral and shall have the right to assign, sell, lease or otherwise dispose of and deliver all or any part of the Collateral, at public or private sale or otherwise, either with or without special conditions or stipulations, for cash or on credit or for future delivery, in such parcel or parcels and at such time or times and at such place or places, and upon such terms and conditions as the Collateral Agent may deem commercially reasonable and in accordance with all applicable laws, all without (except as shall be required by applicable statute and cannot be waived) advertisement or demand upon or notice to the Obligors or right of redemption of the Obligors, which are hereby expressly waived. The relevant Obligor’s receipt of notice of such public or private sale, to the extent required under the UCC or otherwise, that is received at least ten (10) calendar days prior to such sale shall be deemed to be commercially reasonable; provided that the foregoing provision shall be a “safe harbor” compliance provision and not limit the manner in which any notice requirement may be satisfied.
(c) Upon each such sale, lease, assignment or other transfer of Collateral, the Collateral Agent may, unless prohibited by applicable law which cannot be waived, purchase all or any part of the Collateral being sold, free from and discharged of all trusts, claims, right of redemption and equities of the Obligors, which are hereby waived and released.
(d)Each of the Obligors agrees that, upon the occurrence and during the continuance of an Event of Default, Collateral Agent shall have the absolute right to seek the immediate appointment of a receiver for all or any portion of the Collateral and/or any other real or personal property of the Obligors given as security for the payment and performance of the Obligors’ obligations under this Agreement, the Note, the Financing Agreement and the other Transaction Documents. Such right to the appointment of a receiver for the assets of the Obligors shall exist regardless of the value of the security for the amounts due under the Note or secured hereby or of the solvency of any party bound for the payment of such indebtedness. Obligors hereby irrevocably consent to such appointment and, upon the occurrence of an Event of Default under Section 8.1(c) or Section 8.1(d) of the Financing Agreement, waive notice of any application thereof, and agree that such appointment may be made by Collateral Agent on an ex parte basis.
(e)Each Obligor acknowledges and agrees, and this Section 5(e) constitutes notice, that (i) any one or more of Agent, any Lender, or any Affiliate of Agent or any Lender may be the purchaser of all or any portion of the Collateral, including any Pledged Equity, at any public or private sale thereof, and (ii) with limiting the requirements to comply with Section 9-620 of the UCC at the applicable time, any of
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Agent or any Lender may accept all or any portion of the Collateral, including any Pledged Equity, in full or partial satisfaction of the Obligations in accordance with Section 9.620 at the UCC in connection with the enforcement of remedies.
6.PLEDGED EQUITY. Each Obligor recognizes that, by reason of certain prohibitions contained in the 1933 Act and applicable state securities laws, the Collateral Agent may be compelled, with respect to any sale of all or any part of the Equity Collateral conducted without prior registration or qualification of such Equity Collateral under the 1933 Act and/or such state securities laws, to limit purchasers to those who will agree, among other things, to acquire the Equity Collateral for their own account, for investment and not with a view to the distribution or resale thereof. Each Obligor acknowledges that any such private sale may be at prices and on terms less favorable than those obtainable through a public sale without such restrictions (including a public offering made pursuant to a registration statement under the 1933 Act) and, notwithstanding such circumstances, each Obligor agrees that any such private sale shall be deemed to have been made in a commercially reasonable manner and that the Collateral Agent shall have no obligation to engage in public sales and no obligation to delay the sale of any Equity Collateral for the period of time necessary to permit the issuer thereof to register it for a form of public sale requiring registration under the 1933 Act or under applicable state securities laws, even if such issuer would, or should, agree to so register it. If the Collateral Agent determines to exercise its right to sell any or all of the Equity Collateral, upon written request, each Obligor shall and shall cause each issuer of any Equity Collateral to be sold hereunder, each partnership and each limited liability company from time to time to furnish to the Collateral Agent all such information as the Collateral Agent may request in order to determine the number and nature of interest, shares or other instruments included in the Equity Collateral which may be sold by the Collateral Agent in exempt transactions under the 1933 Act and the rules and regulations of the SEC thereunder, as the same are from time to time in effect.
7.GRANT OF INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY LICENSE. For the purpose of enabling the Collateral Agent, during the continuance of an Event of Default, to exercise rights and remedies under Sections 5 and 8 at such time as the Collateral Agent shall be lawfully entitled to exercise such rights and remedies, and for no other purpose, each Obligor hereby (a) grants to the Collateral Agent, to the extent not prohibited under any applicable third party agreements or any applicable law, a non-exclusive license (exercisable without payment of royalty or other compensation to such Obligor) to such rights as each Obligor has to use, license or sublicense any of the Intellectual Property now owned or hereafter acquired by such Obligor, wherever the same may be located, and including in such license access to all media in which any of such Intellectual Property may be recorded or stored and to all computer programs used for the compilation or printout hereof, subject, in the case of Trademarks, to sufficient rights to quality control and inspection in favor of such Obligor to avoid the risk of invalidation of said Trademarks, and (b) irrevocably agrees that the Collateral Agent may sell any of such Obligor’s Inventory directly to any person, including without limitation persons who have previously purchased such Obligor’s Inventory from such Obligor and in connection with any such sale or other enforcement of the Collateral owned by or licensed to such Obligor and any Inventory that is covered by any Copyright owned by or licensed to such Obligor, the Collateral Agent may finish any work in process and affix any Trademark owned by or licensed to such Obligor and sell such Inventory as provided herein.
8.INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY.
(a)Anything contained herein to the contrary notwithstanding, in addition to the other rights and remedies provided herein, upon the occurrence and during the continuation of an Event of Default:
(i)the Collateral Agent shall have the right (but not the obligation) to bring suit or otherwise commence any action or proceeding in the name of any Obligor, the Collateral Agent or otherwise, in the Collateral Agent’s sole discretion, to enforce any Intellectual Property, in which event such Obligor shall, at the request of the Collateral Agent, do any and all lawful acts and execute any and all
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documents reasonably requested by the Collateral Agent in aid of such enforcement and such Obligor shall promptly, upon demand, reimburse and indemnify the Collateral Agent as provided in Section 10 in connection with the exercise of its rights under this Section, and, to the extent that the Collateral Agent shall elect not to bring suit to enforce any Intellectual Property as provided in this Section, each Obligor agrees to use commercially reasonable measures, whether by action, suit, proceeding or otherwise, to prevent the infringement or other violation of any of such Obligor’s rights in the Intellectual Property by others and for that purpose agrees to use commercially reasonable efforts to maintain any action, suit or proceeding against any Person so infringing as shall be necessary to prevent such infringement or violation;
(ii)upon written demand from the Collateral Agent, each Obligor shall grant, assign, convey or otherwise transfer to the Collateral Agent or such Collateral Agent’s designee all of such Obligor’s right, title and interest in and to the Intellectual Property to the extent such grant, conveyance, assignment or other transfer is not prohibited under the terms of any applicable third party agreements or any applicable law, and shall execute and deliver to the Collateral Agent such documents as are reasonably necessary or appropriate to carry out the intent and purposes of this clause (ii);
(iii)each Obligor agrees that such an assignment and/or recording shall be applied to reduce the Obligations outstanding only to the extent that the Collateral Agent (or any Secured Party) receives cash proceeds in respect of the sale of, or other realization upon (including any license proceeds under), the Intellectual Property;
(iv)within five (5) Business Days after written notice from the Collateral Agent, each Obligor shall make available to the Collateral Agent, to the extent within such Obligor’s power and authority, such personnel in such Obligor’s employ on the date of such Event of Default as the Collateral Agent may reasonably designate, by name, title or job responsibility, to permit such Obligor to continue, directly or indirectly, to produce, advertise and sell the products and services sold or delivered by such Obligor under or in connection with the Trademarks and Trademark Licenses, such persons to be available to perform their prior functions on the Collateral Agent’s behalf and to be compensated by the Collateral Agent at such Obligor’s actual cost, consistent with the salary and benefit structure applicable to each as of the date of such Event of Default; and
(v)the Collateral Agent shall have the right to notify, or upon its written request require each Obligor to notify, any obligors of an Obligor with respect to amounts due or to become due to such Obligor in respect of the Intellectual Property, of the existence of the security interest created herein, to direct such obligors to make payment of all such amounts directly to the Collateral Agent, and, upon such notification and at the expense of such Obligor, to enforce collection of any such amounts and to adjust, settle or compromise the amount or payment thereof, in the same manner and to the same extent as such Obligor might have done; provided that:
(1)all amounts and proceeds (including checks and other instruments) received by Obligor in respect of amounts due to such Obligor in respect of the Intellectual Property or any portion thereof shall be received in trust for the benefit of the Collateral Agent hereunder, shall be segregated from other funds of such Obligor, and shall be forthwith paid over or delivered to the Collateral Agent in the same form as so received (with any necessary endorsement) to be held as cash Collateral and applied as provided by Section 9; and
(2)Obligor shall not adjust, settle or compromise the amount or payment of any such amount or release wholly or partly any obligor with respect thereto or allow any credit or discount thereon.
(b)If (i) an Event of Default shall have occurred and, by reason of a written waiver from the Secured Parties, no longer be continuing, (ii) no other Event of Default shall have occurred and be
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continuing, (iii) an assignment or other transfer to the Collateral Agent of any rights, title and interests in and to the Intellectual Property shall have been previously made and shall have become absolute and effective, and (iv) the Obligations shall not have become immediately due and payable, then upon the written request of any Obligor, the Collateral Agent shall promptly execute and deliver to such Obligor, at such Obligor’s sole cost and expense, such assignments or other documents as may be reasonably necessary to reassign to such Obligor any such rights, title and interests as may have been assigned to the Collateral Agent as aforesaid, subject to any disposition thereof that may have been made by the Collateral Agent; provided, after giving effect to such reassignment, the Collateral Agent’s security interest granted pursuant hereto, as well as all other rights and remedies of the Collateral Agent granted hereunder, shall continue to be in full force and effect; and provided further, the rights, title and interests so reassigned shall be free and clear of any other Liens granted by or on behalf of the Collateral Agent and the Secured Parties.
9.APPLICATIONS OF PROCEEDS. The proceeds of any sale, lease or other disposition of the Collateral hereunder shall be applied first, to the expenses of retaking, holding, storing, processing and preparing for sale, selling, and the like (including, without limitation, any taxes, fees and other costs incurred in connection therewith) of the Collateral, second, to attorneys’ fees and expenses incurred by the Collateral Agent in enforcing its rights hereunder and in connection with collecting, storing and disposing of the Collateral, and then to satisfaction of the Obligations to each Secured Party, and to the payment of any other amounts required by applicable law, after which the Secured Parties shall pay to the Obligor any surplus proceeds. If, upon the sale, license or other disposition of the Collateral, the proceeds thereof are insufficient to pay all amounts to which the Secured Parties are legally entitled, the Obligors will be liable for the deficiency, together with interest thereon, at the Default Rate, and the reasonable fees of any attorneys employed by the Collateral Agent to collect such deficiency. To the extent permitted by applicable law, each Obligor waives all claims, damages and demands against the Secured Parties arising out of the repossession, removal, retention or sale of the Collateral, unless due to the gross negligence or intentional or willful misconduct of any Secured Party.
10.COSTS AND EXPENSES. The Obligors shall pay all reasonable out-of-pocket fees, costs and expenses incurred in connection with any filing required hereunder including, without limitation, any financing statements pursuant to the UCC, continuation statements, partial releases and/or termination statements related thereto or any expenses of any searches reasonably required by any Secured Party. The Obligors shall also pay all other claims and charges which in the reasonable opinion of the Collateral Agent might prejudice, imperil or otherwise affect the Collateral or the Security Interest therein. The Obligors will also, upon demand, pay to the Collateral Agent the amount of any and all reasonable expenses, including the reasonable fees and expenses of its counsel and of any experts and agents, which the Collateral Agent may incur in connection with (a) the enforcement of this Agreement, (b) the custody or preservation of, or the sale of, collection from, or other realization upon, any of the Collateral or (c) the exercise or enforcement of any of the rights of the Secured Parties under the Transaction Documents. Until so paid, any fees payable hereunder shall be added to the principal amount of the Note and shall bear interest at the Default Rate.
11.RESPONSIBILITY FOR COLLATERAL. The Obligors assume all liabilities and responsibility in connection with all Collateral, and the Obligations shall in no way be affected or diminished by reason of the loss, destruction, damage or theft of any of the Collateral or its unavailability for any reason.
12.SECURITY INTEREST ABSOLUTE. All rights of each Secured Party and all Obligations of the Obligors hereunder shall be absolute and unconditional, irrespective of: (a) any lack of validity or enforceability of this Agreement, the Note, the other Transaction Documents or any other agreement entered into in connection with the foregoing, or any portion hereof or thereof; (b) any change in the time, manner or place of payment or performance of, or in any other term of, all or any of the Obligations, or any other amendment or waiver of or any consent to any departure from this Agreement, the Note, the other Transaction Documents or any other agreement entered into in connection with the foregoing; (c) any exchange, release or nonperfection of any of the Collateral, or any release or amendment or waiver of or
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consent to departure from any other collateral for, or any guaranty, or any other security, for all or any of the Obligations; (d) any action by the Collateral Agent to obtain, adjust, settle and cancel in its sole discretion any insurance claims or matters made or arising in connection with the Collateral; or (e) any other circumstance which might otherwise constitute any legal or equitable defense available to the Obligors, or a discharge of all or any part of the Security Interest granted hereby. Until the Obligations (other than Unasserted Contingent Obligations) shall have been paid and performed in full, the rights of each Secured Party shall continue even if the Obligations are barred for any reason, including, without limitation, the running of the statute of limitations or bankruptcy. Each Obligor expressly waives presentment, protest, notice of protest, demand, notice of nonpayment and demand for performance. In the event that at any time any transfer of any Collateral or any payment received by any Secured Party hereunder shall be deemed by final order of a court of competent jurisdiction to have been a voidable preference or fraudulent conveyance under the bankruptcy or insolvency laws of the United States, or shall be deemed to be otherwise due to any party other than any Secured Party, then, in any such event, the Obligors’ obligations hereunder shall survive cancellation of this Agreement, and shall not be discharged or satisfied by any prior payment thereof and/or cancellation of this Agreement, but shall remain a valid and binding obligation enforceable in accordance with the terms and provisions hereof. Each Obligor waives all right to require a Secured Party to proceed against any other person or to apply any Collateral which such Secured Party may hold at any time, or to marshal assets, or to pursue any other remedy. Each Obligor waives any defense arising by reason of the application of the statute of limitations to any obligation secured hereby.
13.TERM OF AGREEMENT. This Agreement and the Security Interest shall terminate on the date on which all Obligations have been paid in full or have been satisfied or discharged in full (except for Unasserted Contingent Obligations). Upon such termination, the Collateral Agent, at the request and at the expense of the Obligors, will join in executing any termination statement with respect to any financing statement or other security document executed and filed pursuant to this Agreement.
14.POWER OF ATTORNEY, FURTHER ASSURANCES.
(a)Each Obligor authorizes the Collateral Agent, and does hereby make, constitute and appoint the Collateral Agent and its respective officers, agents, successors or assigns with full power of substitution, as such Obligor’s true and lawful attorney-in-fact, with power, in the name of the Collateral Agent or such Obligor, after the occurrence and during the continuance of an Event of Default, (i) to endorse any note, checks, drafts, money orders or other instruments of payment (including payments payable under or in respect of any policy of insurance) in respect of the Collateral that may come into possession of the Secured Party, (ii) to sign and endorse any financing statement pursuant to the UCC or any invoice, freight or express bill, bill of lading, storage or warehouse receipts, drafts against Obligors, assignments, verifications and notices in connection with accounts, and other documents relating to the Collateral, (iii) to pay or discharge taxes, liens, security interests or other encumbrances at any time levied or placed on or threatened against the Collateral, (iv) to demand, collect, receipt for, compromise, settle and sue for monies due in respect of the Collateral, (v) to execute, deliver and perform under any agreement or instrument necessary or appropriate to effect or to evidence the transfer of any Obligor’s right, title, and interest in all or any portion of the Collateral following and during the continuation of an Event of Default, and (vi) generally, to do, at the option of the Collateral Agent, and at the expense of such Obligor, at any time, or from time to time, all acts and things, including without limitation, to sell, transfer, lease, license, pledge, make any agreement with respect to or otherwise deal with the Collateral, which the Collateral Agent reasonably determines to be necessary to protect, preserve and realize upon the Collateral and the Security Interest granted herein in order to effect the intent of this Agreement, the Financing Agreement and the Note all as fully and effectually as such Obligor might or could do; and such Obligor hereby ratifies all that said attorney shall lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue hereof. This power of attorney is coupled with an interest and shall be irrevocable for the term of this Agreement and thereafter as long as any of the Obligations shall be outstanding (except for Unasserted Contingent Obligations).
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(b)On a continuing basis, each Obligor will make, execute, acknowledge, deliver, file and record, as the case may be, with the proper filing and recording agencies in any jurisdiction, including, without limitation, the jurisdictions indicated on Schedule B attached hereto, all such instruments, and take all such action as may reasonably be deemed necessary or advisable, or as reasonably requested by the Collateral Agent, to perfect the Security Interest granted hereunder and otherwise to carry out the intent and purposes of this Agreement, or for assuring and confirming to the Collateral Agent the grant or perfection of a perfected first priority security interest in all the Collateral under the UCC (subject to Permitted Liens).
(c)Each Obligor hereby irrevocably appoints the Collateral Agent as such Obligor’s attorney-in-fact, with full authority in the place and stead of such Obligor and in the name of such Obligor, from time to time in the Collateral Agent’s discretion, to file, in its sole discretion, one or more financing or continuation statements and amendments thereto, relative to any of the Collateral without the signature of such Obligor where permitted by law.
(d)Each Obligor agrees to do such actions, or execute and deliver such agreements, consents, instruments or other documents, as may be necessary or reasonable to effect and to permit the grant, perfection, and enforcement of the liens and security interests hereunder. This Section 14(d) shall survive the termination of this Agreement or any of the Transaction Documents.
15.NOTICES. All notices, requests, demands and other communications hereunder shall be subject to the notice provision of the Financing Agreement.
16.OTHER SECURITY. To the extent that the Obligations are now or hereafter secured by property other than the Collateral or by the guarantee, endorsement or property of any other person, firm, corporation or other entity, then the Collateral Agent shall have the right, in its sole discretion, to pursue, relinquish, subordinate, modify or take any other action with respect thereto, without in any way modifying or affecting any Secured Party’s rights and remedies hereunder.
17.LICENSED COLLATERAL. Notwithstanding any other provision contained herein or any of the other Transaction Documents, after the occurrence and during the continuance of an Event of Default, each Obligor hereby agrees that with respect to any part of the Collateral which may require the consent of any third party or third parties in order for such Obligor to transfer and/or convey its interest in and to such Collateral to the Collateral Agent, as may be required in accordance herewith, such Obligor agrees to and shall use commercially reasonable efforts to obtain such consents or approvals in as expedient manner as practicable.
18.AGENCY.
(a)Appointment. Lender by its acceptance of the benefits of this Agreement, hereby designates Park Cities as the Collateral Agent to act as specified herein. Lender shall be deemed irrevocably to authorize the Collateral Agent to take such action on its behalf under the provisions of the Agreement and any other Transaction Document and to exercise such powers and to perform such duties hereunder and thereunder as are specifically delegated to or required of the Collateral Agent by the terms hereof and thereof and such other powers as are reasonably incidental thereto. The Collateral Agent may perform any of its duties hereunder by or through its agents or employees.
(b)Nature of Duties. The Collateral Agent shall have no duties or responsibilities except those expressly set forth herein. Neither the Collateral Agent nor any of its partners, members, shareholders, officers, directors, employees or agents shall be liable for any action taken or omitted by it as such hereunder or in connection herewith or be responsible for the consequence of any oversight or error of judgment or answerable for any loss, unless caused solely by its or their gross negligence or willful misconduct as determined by a final judgment (not subject to further appeal) of a court of competent jurisdiction. The duties
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of the Collateral Agent shall be mechanical and administrative in nature; the Collateral Agent shall not have by reason of this Agreement or any other Transaction Document a fiduciary relationship in respect of any Obligor or Lender; and nothing in this Agreement or any other Transaction Document, expressed or implied, is intended to or shall be so construed as to impose upon the Collateral Agent any obligations in respect of this Agreement or any other Transaction Document except as expressly set forth herein and therein.
(c)Lack of Reliance on the Collateral Agent. Independently and without reliance upon the Collateral Agent, Lender, to the extent it deems appropriate, has made and shall continue to make (i) its own independent investigation of the financial condition and affairs of the Obligors in connection with Lender’s investment in the Borrower, the creation and continuance of the Obligations, the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents, and the taking or not taking of any action in connection therewith, and (ii) its own appraisal of the creditworthiness of the Obligors and their subsidiaries, and of the value of the Collateral from time to time, and the Collateral Agent shall have no duty or responsibility, either initially or on a continuing basis, to provide Lender with any credit, market or other information with respect thereto, whether coming into its possession before any Obligations are incurred or at any time or times thereafter. The Collateral Agent shall not be responsible to any Obligor or Lender for any recitals, statements, information, representations or warranties herein or in any document, certificate or other writing delivered in connection herewith other than representations made by the Collateral Agent related to its status as an accredited investor under federal and state securities laws, or for the execution, effectiveness, genuineness, validity, enforceability, perfection, collectability, priority or sufficiency of the Agreement or any other Transaction Document, or for the financial condition of any Obligor or the value of any of the Collateral, or be required to make any inquiry concerning either the performance or observance of any of the terms, provisions or conditions of the Agreement or any other Transaction Document, or the financial condition of the Obligors, or the value of any of the Collateral, or the existence or possible existence of any default or Event of Default under this Agreement, the Financing Agreement, the Note or any of the other Transaction Documents.
(d)Certain Rights of the Collateral Agent. Subject to this Agreement, the Collateral Agent shall have the right to take any action with respect to the Collateral, on behalf of Lender. The Collateral Agent may, but shall not be obligated, to request instructions from Lender with respect to any material act or action (including failure to act) in connection with the Agreement or any other Transaction Document, and shall be entitled to act or refrain from acting in accordance with the instructions of Lender; if such instructions are not provided despite the Collateral Agent’s request therefor, then the Collateral Agent shall be entitled to refrain from such act or taking such action, and if such action is taken, shall be entitled to appropriate indemnification from Lender in respect of actions to be taken by the Collateral Agent; and the Collateral Agent shall not incur liability to any person or entity by reason of so refraining. Without limiting the foregoing, (i) Lender shall not have any right of action whatsoever against the Collateral Agent as a result of the Collateral Agent acting or refraining from acting hereunder in accordance with the terms of the Agreement or any other Transaction Document, and the Obligors shall have no right to question or challenge the authority of, or the instructions given to, the Collateral Agent pursuant to the foregoing and (ii) the Collateral Agent shall not be required to take any action which the Collateral Agent believes (A) could reasonably be expected to expose it to personal liability or (B) is contrary to this Agreement, the Transaction Documents or applicable law.
(e)Reliance. The Collateral Agent shall be entitled to rely, and shall be fully protected in relying, upon any writing, resolution, notice, statement, certificate, facsimile, order or other document or telephone message signed, sent or made by the proper person or entity, and, with respect to all legal matters pertaining to the Agreement and the other Transaction Documents and its duties thereunder, upon advice of counsel selected by it and upon all other matters pertaining to this Agreement and the other Transaction Documents and its duties thereunder, upon advice of other experts selected by it. Anything to the contrary notwithstanding, the Collateral Agent shall have no obligation whatsoever to Lender to assure that the Collateral exists or is owned by the Obligors or is cared for, protected or insured or that the liens granted
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pursuant to the Agreement have been properly or sufficiently or lawfully created, perfected, or enforced or are entitled to any particular priority.
(f)Indemnification. To the extent that the Collateral Agent is not reimbursed and indemnified by the Obligors, Lender will reimburse and indemnify the Collateral Agent from and against any and all liabilities, obligations, losses, damages, penalties, actions, judgments, suits, costs, expenses or disbursements of any kind or nature whatsoever which may be imposed on, incurred by or asserted against the Collateral Agent in performing its duties hereunder or under the Agreement or any other Transaction Document, or in any way relating to or arising out of the Agreement or any other Transaction Document except for those determined by a final judgment (not subject to further appeal) of a court of competent jurisdiction to have resulted solely from the Collateral Agent’s own gross negligence or willful misconduct. Prior to taking any action hereunder as Collateral Agent, the Collateral Agent may require Lender to deposit with it sufficient sums as it determines in good faith is necessary to protect the Collateral Agent for costs and expenses associated with taking such action.
(g)Resignation by the Collateral Agent.
(i)The Collateral Agent may resign from the performance of all its functions and duties under the Agreement and the other Transaction Documents at any time by giving thirty (30) days’ prior written notice (as provided in this Agreement) to the Obligors and Lender. Such resignation shall take effect upon the appointment of a successor Collateral Agent pursuant to clauses (ii) and (iii) below.
(ii)Upon any such notice of resignation, Lender shall appoint a successor Collateral Agent hereunder.
(iii)If a successor Collateral Agent shall not have been so appointed within said thirty (30) day notice period, then the Collateral Agent shall then appoint a successor Collateral Agent who shall serve as Collateral Agent until such time, if any, as Lender appoints a successor Collateral Agent as provided above. If a successor Collateral Agent has not been appointed within such thirty (30) day notice period, the Collateral Agent may petition any court of competent jurisdiction or may interplead Lender in a proceeding for the appointment of a successor Collateral Agent, and all fees including, but not limited to, extraordinary fees associated with the filing of interpleader and expenses associated therewith, shall be payable by the Lender on demand and shall not be part of the Obligations or otherwise be reimbursable by the Obligors hereunder or under the Transaction Documents.
(iv)Upon the acceptance of any appointment as Collateral Agent hereunder by a successor Collateral Agent, such successor Collateral Agent shall thereupon succeed to and become vested with all the rights, powers, privileges and duties of the retiring Collateral Agent and the retiring Collateral Agent shall be discharged from its duties and obligations under the Agreement. After any retiring Collateral Agent’s resignation or removal hereunder as Collateral Agent, the provisions of the Agreement shall inure to its benefit as to any actions taken or omitted to be taken by it while it was Collateral Agent.
(h)Rights with Respect to Collateral. Lender agrees that it (i) shall not, and shall not attempt to, exercise any rights with respect to its Security Interest in the Collateral, whether pursuant to any other agreement or otherwise (other than pursuant to this Agreement), or take or institute any action against the Collateral Agent or its rights hereunder (other than any such action arising from the breach of this Agreement) and (ii) has no other rights with respect to the Collateral other than as set forth in this Agreement and the other Transaction Documents.
19.MISCELLANEOUS.
(a)No course of dealing between the Obligors and any Secured Party, nor any failure to exercise, nor any delay in exercising, on the part of any Secured Party, any right, power or privilege
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hereunder, under the Financing Agreement, the Note or the other Transaction Documents shall operate as a waiver thereof; nor shall any single or partial exercise of any right, power or privilege hereunder or thereunder preclude any other or further exercise thereof or the exercise of any other right, power or privilege.
(b)All of the rights and remedies of each Secured Party with respect to the Collateral, whether established hereby, under the Financing Agreement, the Note or the other Transaction Documents or by any other agreements, instruments or documents entered into in connection therewith or by law shall be cumulative and may be exercised singly or concurrently.
(c)This Agreement, along with the other Transaction Documents, constitutes the entire agreement of the parties with respect to the subject matter hereof and is intended to supersede all prior negotiations, understandings and agreements with respect thereto. Except as specifically set forth in this Agreement, no provision of this Agreement may be modified or amended except by a written agreement specifically referring to this Agreement and signed by the parties hereto. In the event of any express conflict between this Agreement and any other Transaction Documents, the provision or interpretation that grants the broadest rights to Agent or any Lender, on the one hand, or the most restrictive rights or obligations on any Obligor, on the other hand, shall govern.
(d)If any provision of this Agreement is held to be invalid, prohibited or unenforceable in any jurisdiction for any reason, unless such provision is narrowed by judicial construction, then this Agreement shall, as to such jurisdiction, be construed as if such invalid, prohibited or unenforceable provision had been more narrowly drawn so as not to be invalid, prohibited or unenforceable. If, notwithstanding the foregoing, any provision of this Agreement is held to be invalid, prohibited or unenforceable in any jurisdiction, then such provision, as to such jurisdiction, shall be ineffective to the extent of such invalidity, prohibition or unenforceability without invalidating the remaining portion of such provision or the other provisions of this Agreement and without affecting the validity or enforceability of such provision or the other provisions of this Agreement in any other jurisdiction.
(e)No waiver of any breach or default or any right under this Agreement shall be considered valid unless in writing and signed by the party giving such waiver, and no such waiver shall be deemed a waiver of any subsequent breach or default or right, whether of the same or similar nature or otherwise.
(f)This Agreement shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of each party and its successors and assigns.
(g)Each party shall take such further action and execute and deliver such further documents as may be necessary or appropriate in order to carry out the provisions and purposes of this Agreement.
(h)This Agreement shall be construed and enforced in accordance with, and all questions concerning the construction, validity, interpretation and performance of this Agreement and all disputes arising hereunder shall be governed by, the laws of the State of Delaware, without giving effect to any choice of law or conflict of law provision or rule (whether of the State of Delaware or any other jurisdictions) that would cause the application of the laws of any jurisdictions other than the State of Delaware. The parties (i) agree that any legal action or proceeding with respect to this Agreement or any other agreement, document, or other instrument executed in connection herewith or therewith, shall be brought in any state or federal court located within Wilmington, Delaware, (ii) irrevocably waive any objections which either may now or hereafter have to the venue of any suit, action or proceeding arising out of or relating to the Security Documents, or any other agreement, document, or other instrument executed in connection herewith or therewith, brought in the aforementioned courts, and (iii) further irrevocably waive
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any claim that any such suit, action, or proceeding brought in any such court has been brought in an inconvenient forum.
(i)OBLIGORS AND SECURED PARTIES IRREVOCABLY WAIVE THE RIGHT TO A TRIAL BY JURY IN ANY ACTION OR PROCEEDING BROUGHT TO ENFORCE ANY PROVISION OF THIS AGREEMENT, THE FINANCING AGREEMENT, THE NOTE, OR ANY OTHER TRANSACTION DOCUMENT.
(j)This Agreement may be executed in any number of counterparts, each of which when so executed shall be deemed to be an original and, all of which taken together shall constitute one and the same Agreement. If any signature is delivered by facsimile transmission or other electronic format (including DocuSign), then such signature shall create a valid binding obligation of the party executing (or on whose behalf such signature is executed) the same with the same force and effect as if such facsimile signature were the original thereof.
20.JOINDER. If a party becomes an Obligor (the “New Obligor”) pursuant to the Joinder Agreement, then upon such execution the New Obligor shall be bound by all the terms and conditions hereof to the same extent as though such New Obligor had originally executed this Agreement. The addition of the New Obligor shall not in any manner affect the obligations of the other Obligors hereunder. Each Obligor and Secured Party acknowledges that the schedules and exhibits hereto may be amended or modified in connection with the addition of any New Obligor to reflect information relating to such New Obligor.
21.JOINT AND SEVERAL. The obligations, covenants and agreements of Obligors hereunder shall be the joint and several obligations, covenants and agreements of each Obligor, whether or not specifically stated herein.
<remainder of page intentionally left blank; signature pages follow>
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have caused this Agreement to be duly executed on the day and year first above written.

OBLIGORS:
TODAY SPV, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company

By: Today Card, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company, its Sole Member

By: Elevate Credit, Inc., a Delaware corporation, its Sole Member


By:                         
Name:    Jason Harvison
Title:    Chief Executive Officer

TODAY MARKETING, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company

By: Today Card, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company, its Sole Member

By: Elevate Credit, Inc., a Delaware corporation, its Sole Member


By:                         
Name:    Jason Harvison
Title:    Chief Executive Officer
TODAY CARD, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company

By: Elevate Credit, Inc., a Delaware corporation, its Sole Member


By:                         
Name:    Jason Harvison
Title:    Chief Executive Officer
    


IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have caused this Agreement to be duly executed on the day and year first above written.


COLLATERAL AGENT:
PARK CITIES ASSET MANAGEMENT, LLC, as Collateral Agent

By: _______________________________________

Name: J. Andrew Thomas

Title: Manager

    


EXHIBIT A-1
CONSENT
_________________, a _____________ (the “Pledged Company”), hereby consents and agrees to cause to be registered on its books and records the pledge of all of Today Card, LLC’s (“Obligor”) right, title and interest in and to the Pledged Company (as defined in that certain Security Agreement defined below). The Pledged Company acknowledges that it is familiar with that certain Pledge and Security Agreement by and among Today SPV, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (“Borrower”), Obligor, the other Obligors from time to time party thereto and Park Cities Asset Management, LLC, as collateral agent (the “Collateral Agent”) for the benefit of the “Secured Parties” (as defined therein), dated as of October 12, 2021 (as modified, amended, extended, restated, amended and restated or supplemented from time to time, the “Security Agreement”), and agrees that, without the need for any further consent of any other person, it will abide by all notices and instructions relating to the Pledged Company sent by the Collateral Agent. All notices to the Pledged Company should be sent to its address set forth below. Capitalized terms used herein and not otherwise defined herein shall have the meanings given to such terms in the Security Agreement.
The Pledged Company agrees that all amounts which it may from time to time owe to the Obligor under its organizational documents shall, following written notice by the Collateral Agent to the Pledged Company that an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing, be paid, in immediately available funds, directly to the Collateral Agent without off-set or counterclaim for application on account of the Obligations. If the Collateral Agent duly demands payment from the Pledged Company pursuant to the foregoing Security Agreement and the Pledged Company shall fail to make payment thereof within 30 days thereof, then the Pledged Company shall pay the Collateral Agent all costs of enforcing the Collateral Agent’s rights against the Pledged Company (including attorney’s fees) together with interest at the rate set forth in the Note and/or Financing Agreement on all amounts actually found to be owing to the Collateral Agent from the date of such demand to the date of payment. Any and all payments made by the Pledged Company to the Collateral Agent in accordance with the preceding sentence shall be deemed payments to the Obligor.
<signature page follows>

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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Pledged Company has caused this Consent to be duly signed and delivered as of the date first above written.
Pledged Company:
[Pledged Company]
By:
Name:
Title:
Address: [________________________________]
[________________________________________]
Attention: [______________]
Tel. No. [______________]
Fax No. [______________]
E-mail: [______________]
With a copy to:
[________________________________________]
[________________________________________]
[________________________________________]

    


EXHIBIT A-2
PLEDGE INSTRUCTION
BY THIS PLEDGE INSTRUCTION, dated _________, 2021, _________ (“Pledgor”), hereby instructs ________________, a __________ (the “Pledged Company”), to register a pledge in favor of Park Cities Asset Management, LLC, as Collateral Agent (“Collateral Agent”) for itself and the Secured Party (under and as defined in that certain Pledge and Security Agreement, in the form attached hereto as Annex A (the “Security Agreement”) of all of the Pledgor’s, right, title and interest in and to the Pledged Company, whether now owned or hereafter acquired by the Pledgor (the “Pledged Interest”).
1.    PLEDGE INSTRUCTIONS. The Pledged Company is hereby instructed by the Pledgor to register all of the Pledgor’s right, title and interest in and to all of the Pledgor’s interests and/or pledged interests in the Pledged Company as subject to the Transaction Documents (as defined in the Security Agreement) in favor of the Collateral Agent (in accordance with and subject to the Security Agreement) which, upon such registration, shall become the registered pledgee of the Pledged Interest with all rights incident thereto.
2.    INITIAL TRANSACTION STATEMENT. The Pledged Company is further instructed by the Pledgor to promptly inform the Collateral Agent of the registration of the pledge by sending the transaction statement, in the form attached hereto as Annex B, to Park Cities Asset Management, LLC, as Collateral Agent, 8214 Westchester Drive, Suite 910, Dallas, Texas 75225, Attention: [_______________].
3.    WARRANTIES OF THE PLEDGOR. The Pledgor hereby warrants that (a) the Pledgor is an appropriate person to originate this instruction and (b) the Pledgor is entitled to effect the instruction contained herein.
<signature page follows>

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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Pledgor has caused this Pledge Instruction to be duly signed and delivered as of the date first above written.
Pledgor:
[Pledgor]
By:
Name:
Title:
Address: [________________________________]
[________________________________________]
Attention: [______________]
Tel. No. [______________]
Fax No. [______________]
E-mail: [______________]
With a copy to:
[________________________________________]
[________________________________________]
[________________________________________]
    

Exhibit 31.1
CERTIFICATION
I, Jason Harvison, certify that:
1.I have reviewed this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q of Elevate Credit, Inc.;
2.Based on my knowledge, this report does not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements made, in light of the circumstances under which such statements were made, not misleading with respect to the period covered by this report;
3.Based on my knowledge, the financial statements, and other financial information included in this report, fairly present in all material respects the financial condition, results of operations and cash flows of the registrant as of, and for, the periods presented in this report;
4.The registrant’s other certifying officer and I are responsible for establishing and maintaining disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Exchange Act Rules 13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e)) and internal control over financial reporting (as defined in Exchange Act Rules 13a-15(f) and 15d-15(f)) for the registrant and have:
a.Designed such disclosure controls and procedures, or caused such disclosure controls and procedures to be designed under our supervision, to ensure that material information relating to the registrant, including its consolidated subsidiaries, is made known to us by others within those entities, particularly during the period in which this report is being prepared;
b.Designed such internal control over financial reporting, or caused such internal control over financial reporting to be designed under our supervision, to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles;
c.Evaluated the effectiveness of the registrant’s disclosure controls and procedures and presented in this report our conclusions about the effectiveness of the disclosure controls and procedures, as of the end of the period covered by this report based on such evaluation; and
d.Disclosed in this report any change in the registrant’s internal control over financial reporting that occurred during the registrant’s most recent fiscal quarter (the registrant’s fourth fiscal quarter in the case of an annual report) that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect, the registrant’s internal control over financial reporting; and
5.The registrant’s other certifying officer and I have disclosed, based on our most recent evaluation of internal control over financial reporting, to the registrant’s auditors and the audit committee of the registrant’s board of directors (or persons performing the equivalent functions):
a.All significant deficiencies and material weaknesses in the design or operation of internal control over financial reporting which are reasonably likely to adversely affect the registrant’s ability to record, process, summarize and report financial information; and
b.Any fraud, whether or not material, that involves management or other employees who have a significant role in the registrant’s internal control over financial reporting.
Date: November 5, 2021 By: /s/ Jason Harvison
Jason Harvison
  Chief Executive Officer
(Principal Executive Officer)




Exhibit 31.2
CERTIFICATION
I, Chad Bradford, certify that:
1.I have reviewed this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q of Elevate Credit, Inc.;
2.Based on my knowledge, this report does not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements made, in light of the circumstances under which such statements were made, not misleading with respect to the period covered by this report;
3.Based on my knowledge, the financial statements, and other financial information included in this report, fairly present in all material respects the financial condition, results of operations and cash flows of the registrant as of, and for, the periods presented in this report;
4.The registrant’s other certifying officer and I are responsible for establishing and maintaining disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Exchange Act Rules 13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e)) and internal control over financial reporting (as defined in Exchange Act Rules 13a-15(f) and 15d-15(f)) for the registrant and have:
a.Designed such disclosure controls and procedures, or caused such disclosure controls and procedures to be designed under our supervision, to ensure that material information relating to the registrant, including its consolidated subsidiaries, is made known to us by others within those entities, particularly during the period in which this report is being prepared;
b.Designed such internal control over financial reporting, or caused such internal control over financial reporting to be designed under our supervision, to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles;
c.Evaluated the effectiveness of the registrant’s disclosure controls and procedures and presented in this report our conclusions about the effectiveness of the disclosure controls and procedures, as of the end of the period covered by this report based on such evaluation; and
d.Disclosed in this report any change in the registrant’s internal control over financial reporting that occurred during the registrant’s most recent fiscal quarter (the registrant’s fourth fiscal quarter in the case of an annual report) that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect, the registrant’s internal control over financial reporting; and
5.The registrant’s other certifying officer and I have disclosed, based on our most recent evaluation of internal control over financial reporting, to the registrant’s auditors and the audit committee of the registrant’s board of directors (or persons performing the equivalent functions):
a.All significant deficiencies and material weaknesses in the design or operation of internal control over financial reporting which are reasonably likely to adversely affect the registrant’s ability to record, process, summarize and report financial information; and
b.Any fraud, whether or not material, that involves management or other employees who have a significant role in the registrant’s internal control over financial reporting.
Date: November 5, 2021 By: /s/ Chad Bradford
Chad Bradford
  Interim Chief Financial Officer
(Principal Financial Officer)



Exhibit 32.1
CERTIFICATION PURSUANT TO
18 U.S.C. SECTION 1350 AS ADOPTED PURSUANT TO
SECTION 906 OF THE SARBANES-OXLEY ACT OF 2002
Pursuant to 18 U.S.C. Section 1350, as adopted pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, I, Jason Harvison, Chief Executive Officer of Elevate Credit, Inc. (the "Company"), hereby certify, that, to my knowledge:
i.The Company’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the period ending September 30, 2021 as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on the date hereof (the “Report”) fully complies with the requirements of Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934; and
ii.The information contained in the Report fairly presents, in all material respects, the financial condition and results of operations of the Company.
Date: November 5, 2021 By: /s/ Jason Harvison
Jason Harvison
  Chief Executive Officer
(Principal Executive Officer)



Exhibit 32.2
CERTIFICATION PURSUANT TO
18 U.S.C. SECTION 1350 AS ADOPTED PURSUANT TO
SECTION 906 OF THE SARBANES-OXLEY ACT OF 2002
Pursuant to 18 U.S.C. Section 1350, as adopted pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, I, Chad Bradford, Interim Chief Financial Officer of Elevate Credit, Inc. (the "Company"), hereby certify, that, to my knowledge:
i.The Company’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the period ending September 30, 2021 as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on the date hereof (the “Report”) fully complies with the requirements of Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934; and
ii.The information contained in the Report fairly presents, in all material respects, the financial condition and results of operations of the Company.
Date: November 5, 2021 By: /s/ Chad Bradford
Chad Bradford
  Interim Chief Financial Officer
(Principal Financial Officer)